Chapter Text
The meeting was tense. Only Crowley, Alistair and Lilith remained in the know about the Apocalypse, and the plans were falling apart all around them. John Winchester had managed to ice Azazel before he could enact his plan to open the gates of Hell. Without the gate being opened, they wouldn't have enough troops on the ground to break the seals in time. Then, to top off their shit sundae, Meg had killed John for killing her dad. Granted, she didn't know the real plan to kick off the Apocalypse, but she had just offed a potential righteous man. His soul was out of reach in heaven, so now everything hung on Dean being the righteous man, who they couldn't find! They had under two years to find the Winchester's, and make Dean sell his soul. And then they'd have under a year to get him to break the first seal, and then break sixty-six more seals in order to free Lucifer. The timeline was insane, and looking worse by the day.
Lilith shrieked in fury. "How does this keep happening? First, John manages to kill Azazel and his son. Azazel kept his plans to himself, so we don't even know how to enact his plan to open the Hell gate. Then, to make matters worse, Meg kills John, ruining our plans for getting his soul into Hell! How is everything falling apart?"
Crowley meanwhile was trying to hold in his glee at the situation. All their plans had unraveled, and he didn't have to do a thing. It was all coincidental (brilliant) moves the Winchester's made that had thrown a wrench, make that several wrenches, in their plans. He smoothly replied, "Do you know who Azazel's heavenly contact was? He was going to contact them to help us find the Winchester's and get the plan back on track." He should have anticipated the shriek that answered his question. He'd take that as a no. Lilith left ther meeting and worked out her fury and frustration on the souls on the racks. After a few hours passed, she returned, able to discuss how to salvage their plans.
"We need to expand our group. We need boots on the ground, watching the brothers. Alistair hasn't been upstairs in millenia, and you haven't had your eyes on the chosen one. No, we lost contact with the demon who had been setting up Sam's fall because of Azazel's hubris, and now we are blind and searching in the dark. I suggest we use Ruby to get close to the brothers. She can figure out a way to get our plan back on track if she knows what's good for her," Lilith stated once she had calmed down and was back in the room.
"We need to find the brothers first," Crowley reminded her.
Alistair broke in. "Tell your underlings that the next contract they write, you have a clause you need to add. Write the deal to include Sam Winchester's location."
"That's a good idea. Surprised you didn't think of it, Crowley," Lilith said testily.
"I was focused on Azazel's plans with the angels, but you're right. We need to start using our skills, and scrap Azazel's part of the plan. We can get the Apocalypse back on track if we use our strengths to our advantage," Crowley replied smoothly
"It's our Apocalypse plan now. Azazel's plans have to be scrapped. We'll get Sam's location from your next deal, and then we'll have Ruby get close to Sam. The Apocalypse will happen our way," Lilith declared decisively.
The members disbanded to complete their tasks. Crowley was perturbed that he was tasked with finding the location of Sam Winchester, but there were ways to make Ruby work to find Sam. He just had to get a little creative.
~*~
Ellen arrived at Dean's apartment unsure of what to say. She knew the news she had to share, but how to tell Dean had her at a loss. She straightened her shoulders and knocked on the apartment door. She heard a faint "Coming", and stood there waiting, trying not to fidget. Dean answered the door a few moments later with a blanket thrown over his chest. It was obvious to Ellen that she had arrived in the middle of Claire's feeding. "I'm sorry. I should have called first," she blurted out.
"Nah," Dean said as she stepped into the apartment. "I'm happy to have some company. It's quiet with just the two of us." He sat down in the recliner while Ellen sat down on the sofa, and he adjusted Claire until they were both comfortable. "I thought Claire and me would be on our own since everyone is cramming for their finals, but Jess and Sam will be here in around an hour to study and take breaks to play with Miss Claire, and Brady is stopping by to drop off dinner for me, so we're not gonna be all on our lonesome after all."
Ellen relaxed when she heard Sam was coming over. She would just vist with Dean and get to see Claire without having to fight for a chance to hold her, and when Sam arrived, she'd tell the brothers at the same time. Mind made up she asked, "Do you need anythig to drink? I stopped by to help you as much as to see Claire."
Dean smiled. He looked relaxed as he replied, "I have a vitamin water and a protein bar next to me on the side table, so I'm good. Claire should be finishing up in the next couple of minutes if you want to grab a burp rag and do the honors." And that's how Ellen found herself first burping Claire then changing her diaper, all the while reveling in the uninterrupted time with Claire. She had just sat back down on the couch when a sharp knock was heard at the door. Dean got up and walked to the door saying, "Cool your jets, Sasquatch. I'll be there in a second." Dean opened the door and grinned at the couple in the hallway. "You have competition. Grandma Ellen is here visiting Claire."
Ellen stood up saying, "They can see her. I've got to be getting back to the bar." She placed Claire in Sam's arms then kissed Claire's head. "Your family loves you baby," she murmured. This was it. This was the moment she had to tell them. She took a breath and clapped her hands together then looked at Sam, Dean and Jess as she said, "I loved the time I got t see Claire, but I actually came over here to tell you boys something." She saw she had their undivided attention and wasn't sure how to continue. Dean nudged her along by asking, "Is everything alright?"
Ellen shook her head, and to her horror, tears gathered in her eyes and her chin wobbled as she said, "No, uh, everything's not ok. Bobby called me this morning. He received an email fom your dad, and it started off, if you received this email then I'm dead."
"What?!?" Sam yelled while Jess covered her mouth in shock, tears springing to her eyes. Dean just stood still, not reacting, almost as if the words had frozen him. Sam asked, "Does Bobby know anything else? What? How?" It was heartbreaking to see how all of them were flailing with the news.
Claire, as if sensing everyone's emotional distress, began to fuss in Sam's arms, which broke Dean out of his frozen state. "Here, I've got her," he said softly as he gently scooped her out of Sam's arms and began a rock/bounce rhythm with his body while patting her back and making hushing noises.
"I don't know any of the specifics. Bobby told me what happened so I could personally tell you boys. He's on his way here to talk to you in person, but he thought this was something you should to know right away, instead of waiting until he could be here to tell you. I'm so sorry," Ellen said as tears dripped off her face. She didn't know if she was crying for the the loss of John or because the brothers lost their father.
Dean and Sam both nodded, lost in their thoughts. Jess unobtrusively pulled out her phone and texted in the group chat, '911 D&S need our support. D's apt'. After turning her phone off, she moved to Sam and held him. She felt his body shake with his grief, but he didn't make a sound. She peeked at Dean, and Ellen was running her hand through his hair and he had tears dripping down his face, but, like Sam, was totally silent in his grief. Dean and Sam's phones were exploding with notifications, but neither man bothered to look at their phones, they were too caught up in their grief.
Five minutes after Jess sent the text, Jimmy burst through the door. "Dean!" he yelled. "What's wrong? Are you and Claire ok?" he strode over to Dean while he was speaking. Ellen stood back as Jimmy took Dean's face between his palms, his blue eyes searching Dean's emerald orbs as if they could tell him what was wrong. He dropped one arm to wrap it around Dean's waist to bring him and Claire closer. "Tell me, babe, what's wrong?"
"Jimmy? But, you should be at work?" Dean gasped, as if just regaining consciousness.
"I can't work when I know something is wrong with you. So why did I get a 911 text? What happened?" Jimmy pleaded , beside himself with worry.
Dean was having an issue focusing on anything at the moment. 'My dad is dead' just kept repeating over and over in his head. "911? What?"
Ellen broke in with, "Bobby got an email this morning stating John, Sam and Dean's dad, died."
Jimmy gasped, "Oh, sweetheart," as he held Dean and Claire even closer. "I'm so sorry."
As Sam and Dean were being consoled by their significant others, there was another knock on the door. Ellen answered the door, and Charlie entered the apartment. Before Ellen could close the door she saw Jo a few steps away, and farther down the hall was Benny and Brady. Jo said hi to her mom as she passed her, but her focus was on the brothers. Benny gave a sheepish smile as he passed Ellen. "I won the coin toss. Ash is holding up the fort," he informed Ellen. She nodded, happy the boys had such a big support system. After Brady entered the apartment she left to go back to the Roadhouse. The brothers would be in good hands with their friends.