31. Purgatory (Part 3)

"How far off are we?" I ask, feeling my feet start to ache.

"Not far. Don't go lagging behind now, Max," says Benny, after we all get formal introductions to the vampire. It's still weird, to have an actual monster helping us out. In this case, it's good for us. I'd rather have a vampire for an ally than an enemy. "Don't want you getting stuck anywhere."

"Oh, I'd sooner crawl to keep up than stick around."

"Hey, Benny, listen," Sam cuts in, "I know you saved my brother's ass a few times down here, and I respect that."

That helps things clear a bit. Now I can understand the weird relationship that is Dean and Benny.

"Yeah, and now I'm trying to save yours. You know, I'm a disgrace to my own people. Yeah, this is the spot."

"The seam that gets us back up top?" asks Bobby.

"Mhm."

"Is that it?" I ask, pushing through the men to get a good glimpse of a flickering blue portal.

"Yeah, that's it. You remember what I told you?"

"Yeah," Sam says. "All right, Bobby, here it goes. When we get to Earth and I release you, it's an express straight to Heaven. No time for goodbyes."

"Already said goodbye to you once, Sam. Didn't seem to take," says Bobby. "No reason to think I won't see you again somewhere down the road."

"Yeah."

"But if they give me a rocking chair up there, I'm raising hell."

I wrinkle my nose as Bobby cuts into his forearm with the demon-killing knife. He hands the knife over to Sam.

"Conjuncti sumus," Sam chants, cutting into his arm, "unum sumus." Bobby and Sam grab wrists, and I watch as Bobby transforms into a stream of red and white light that slips into Sam's arm through the cut. Cool, but gross. "All right. Come on, Benny. It's your turn." He's got the hilt of the knife out. "Hurry up."

"Benny," calls a random voice.

"Son of a bitch," I hiss as we see another group of vampires coming for us.

"And still working with the Winchesters."

"Hurry."

"Time for you two to go." Benny pats Sam on the shoulder and gives me a parting nod. He then turns to the new threat and heads for it.

"Benny?" I stammer.

"Go on," he says. "It's me they want. Go on. You just make sure you tell Dean I said goodbye. I was never any good up there anyway."

My mind churns rapidly. He's gonna need some help. "Benny, wait!" He turns, and I chuck him the weapon.

He takes out the closest vampire to him, causing the other two to hone in. Sam grabs me once I realize I'm paying attention to the fight a little longer than I should be. The way up is rocky, and I'm nearly lost twice when I lose my footing. If it wasn't for Sam, I'd be down there, easy vampire meat. I keep looking down to see Benny holding his own. What use would I have for that thing anyway? He needs it more than I ever will.

A gust of wind picks up, we're almost at the portal. Just a few more rocks to climb. The wind is stronger now, practically pulling us to the gate back to Earth. Sam makes sure I don't get lost. Just as we're at the portal, I take one last look.

The last glimpse of Purgatory I get is Benny taking on the remaining two vampires.

Sam and I are briefly encased in white light, and then we're plunged into darkness. I stumble at bit, Sam steadies me. I pant. We're back in woods, all right. Where, I don't know. But we're back on Earth. We made it. And we got Bobby with us.

"Max?" Sam asks.

"I'll be okay," I breathe. "Just-just give me a second." I squat on the ground, gather my bearings. Sam doesn't leave my side until I'm standing upright again. He waits for me expectantly to join me as we wander through the wilderness.

Right now, we seem to be the only noisemakers in the forest. There's no moon to be seen, barely any stars. At least we're not being chased by monsters here.

The moment I see him, I break out into a sprint for him. I wonder how long he's had to wait for us to come back. Did he think one of us wouldn't come back, or neither? The impact nearly sends us both into the ground. He smooths out my hair, pressing a kiss to the crown of my head. We're back, we're back. We're safe. We're not dead.

"Purgatory, right?" asks Dean as I step away so the brothers can hug. "A real garden spot, ain't it?"

"Yeah."

"Did you get him out?"

"Only Bobby," I report.

"What? I mean, that's fantastic about Bobby."

"Dean, look," Sam begins, "Benny, uh...He got us out. A bunch of vamps showed, and he used himself as bait. I get the feeling that even if that didn't happen, he didn't want to come back, you know? I'm sorry."

I was never any good up there anyway. It sounded like he'd wanted to stay in Purgatory. I can't imagine why. But hey, if he said he didn't belong on Earth, I guess Monster Hell is the best place for him. That's a twisted way to think and feel.

"You're probably right," Dean admits. "So, uh...Bobby-how-how'd he hold up down there?"

"He's good, all things considered. Ornery as hell, of course."

"As he should be. Let's put that old man where he belongs."

"Yeah." Sam rolls up the jacket sleeve, knife in hand. "Solvo haec phantasmata in terram"-I squirm at the yellow and red light writhing in his skin-"et inde ad olypum." The light flowing out of Sam's arm turns blue and white. I watch in awe as Bobby starts for Heaven.

Suddenly, the light switches colors: now it's a murky mixture of red and black.

"What the hell?" I mutter.

"Hello, boys, lady," comes the voice I don't want to hear right now.

My eyes fall to Crowley. My hands go into fists. He could spill it right here. I want to end him right now. I should. But I can't. I don't have the proper tools.

"Bobby Singer," he says, looking up at the tainted light, "I'd know you anywhere."

"Let him go, Crowley," Dean demands. "He doesn't belong in Hell."

"He does if I say he does. He's inflicted untold damage on my kind. From where I sit, actually, Hell's too good for him." The boys and I start to head for him. "Really?"

An invisible force hits us all, and the boys are flung against two large trees. I, however, land on the ground. I try to get to my feet, but the most I'm allowed is to sit on my knees. I strain as I try to fight the control. I curse Crowley out in my head.

"What?" Crowley snarls, eyes still on the sky.

I look up (somehow I'm allowed that), to see Bobby heading slowly back towards Earth. White light is peeking through the holes of red and black.

"Oh, come on!"

I see her, too. She's dressed business-like, but she's obviously not a demon. An angel, maybe? Her brown hair is pulled back into a bun. She looks very pleased with herself, I can see it in her face.

"Let me see if I've interpreted the situation correctly," she says. "The Winchesters and their friend have freed an innocent soul from Hell, to which you are wrongfully trying to return it."

"Siding with them, Naomi? You don't know those two. Before they're done, we'll be both locked away."

Naomi. Naomi, Naomi, Naomi. The name rings a faint bell. This is the angel who controlled Cas and almost had him kill Dean and I when we found the Angel Tablet. But right now, I can't be mad at her. She's helping us out. This world is strange. The line between good and bad is practically gray.

"I'm just hoping they lock you away, dear," says Naomi. "The rest I'll figure out."

"Bureaucrat. You're fighting outside your weight class."

"Don't call me a bureaucrat." Naomi extends her hands towards Crowley, it, along with her eyes, shining power. Crowley disappears.

I hear the boys fall to the ground, and I'm able to stand on my feet again, no restraints on me. Naomi extends her hand upwards, and I watch as Bobby's light turns back to blue and white, bolting up to the sky, towards Heaven. Too bad I won't ever meet you up there, Bobby.

"I told you you could trust me." I look back to see Naomi has disappeared, too.

"What the hell was that about?" asks Sam.

"I'll tell you later," says Dean. "Let's get this trial done."

Sam takes out the scrap of paper. "Kah-nuh-ahm-dahr." Dean and I hover over him in an instant as he goes to his knees. His right hand looks as though it's burning from the inside.

"Sam?" I panic.

"What?" Dean also panics. "What?!"

"Talk to us! What?!"

"It's okay!" Sam finally says. "It's okay! It's okay. I'm fine. It's done. It's done."

I exhale worriedly as Sam gets to his feet. Wordlessly, Dean takes lead, and my hand, as he leads us back to the Impala. I have no idea where we are, but I feel too depleted to ask any questions. Once we see the car, Dean hangs back with me while Sam moves on.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine, Dean." Truthfully, I'm still a little spooked.

"So your hand shakes when you're fine? Is that a new tick?"

I wrinkle my nose. "How did you spend a year down there?"

"Lots of luck."

"So...Benny. How'd that happen, huh?"

"We met when I got there, made a pact. When he showed me the way, I took him back with me."

"Yeah, well, guess he didn't like it as much as he thought he would, huh?"

"Guess so."

I shake my head.

"What?"

"Dean Winchester, a well-known hunter, made friends with a vampire." A faint smile touches my mouth. "Guess the line between friend and foe isn't as strong as it used to be."

* * *

I take a brief nap in the Impala only to hear the doors open. At this, I stir, and tiredly climb out. We're back at the boat. Guess it's about time to check in on Kevin. Maybe he's figured out the final task. Though I'm not undergoing the trials myself, I still don't like them. I don't like the way it's hurting Sam. But the trials weren't supposed to be easy. Anything is not supposed to be easy in this world. The world purposely does stuff to make our lives difficult.

We make our way to the door, I'm the one to knock on it. We don't get an answer, not even so much as a peek out the door.

"Kevin?" asks Dean. "It's us." We let ourselves in since it's unlocked. Three lights flick on.

"Kevin!" I call to the darkness. My light falls on anything I desire it to. Once Dean finds the lights and switches them on, I feel cold inside.

The room is empty. The desk is completely cleaned off. I sigh through my nose. Any existence of Kevin is long gone. I shake my head. The poor kid. The stress probably finally got to him. I flick off my flashlight.

"Kevin?" Sam calls to the emptiness.

"He's gone," I say distantly. "It's like he was never here."

"He took all our stuff, his notes..."

"I saw this coming," Dean admits. "Finally freaked. Little geek made a run for it."

"Yeah, but where?"

"Lord only knows with him," I say quietly.

Great, so the only person who could tell us about the third trial has split, taking everything with him. Now, we have nothing. No tablet translator, no tablet. But that shouldn't be my biggest concern. I've got bigger things to worry about.

I roll my tongue against my teeth in thought. Who's to say that I shouldn't do the same as Kevin, pack my things and run off somewhere? Be a hitchhiker? But then again, why run from the inevitable? The Cassitys didn't, and two of them bit the dust. Running away isn't the safest bet for me. And I can't just leave Sam and Dean like that, especially Dean...

**Yet another episode is done! But we still have plenty more book left!

Poll: Why do you think Max hasn't told the Winchesters yet about her deal with Crowley? I know the answer, so the closest answer will get a dedication on the chapter that holds the explanation.**