Down the Rabbit Hole

Family Ties Part 1

Lacey leant her chin on the palm of her hand, a smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth as she locked eyes with Dean from across the table. He smirked back at her as she played footsie with him. Lacey had zoned the conversation going on around her out until Dean started to frown as he took a bite of his burger.
"Are you kidding me? You're kidding me." He asked Kevin. Lacey refocused and glanced across at the prophet who was looking between the three of them anxiously.
"What? Is it too much to ask if we can swing by and check on my mom?"
"Swing by?" It's a day's drive in the opposite direction. You know that, right?" Dean sounded increasingly frustrated, chewing on his burger in irritation.
"Yes. I understand we're in a hurry."
"Okay, well, then, what's the problem?" Lacey raised an eyebrow at him.
"Channing's broken neck is my problem! As in I'd rather not see my mom twisted into a corkscrew." Kevin spat out.
"Kid's got a point, Dean."
"Stay out of this." He grumbled to Sam. "Kevin, your mom is fine." Lacey glanced up as the waitress brought over her food along with Sams.
"How can you possibly know that?" Kevin asked, sounding exasperated.
"Because Crowley needs her to be, okay? In fact, he's probably got the place stacked with bodyguards right now, protecting her so that when you do show up, they'll pounce on you both."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"She's bait, man, plain and simple. And you want to swim right up and bite the hook? Look, we have got Crowley by the short and curlies, okay? All we need to do is find the tablet, whip up the spell, and – boom! – sunshine and sandy beaches." Kevin glared at him.
"Dean, my mom's all alone. She's surrounded by demons. Can you really not understand why I want to make sure she's okay?" Lacey took a bite of her burger, and gave him a look, advising caution with her eyes. He turned to look at Sam who shrugged at him.
"Son of a bitch. Fine. Let's go." Lacey rolled her eyes.
"Sure, but can we finish first?"

The four of them had piled back into the Impala and driven to Kevins house in Neighbour, Michigan. They sat out front in the Impala, Sam scanning the house and its surroundings through binoculars.
"Tiger mom, 9 o'clock." Kevin grabbed the binoculars from Sam.
"Where?"
"Left window." Kevin trained the binoculars in that direction.
"She seems okay. Sad... but okay." He reported.
"Check out the mailman." Dean frowned at the guy passing the front of the house.
"Yeah, that's Carl. So what?" Kevin asked.
"Yeah, well, Carl's filled your mom's mailbox three times since we've been sitting here." Lacey leant forward, her interest piqued, as they watched the guy doing the rounds.
"He's a demon?"
"And see the gardener? Think that plant needs any more water?"
"Just can't get the help these days." Lacey tutted.

Sam and Dean had dealt with the two demons and the four of them were now congregating on Kevin's porch. Kevin nervously raised a hand and knocked on the door. A few moments later it was opened by a startled Mrs Tran.
"Hi, Mom."
"Oh! Kev– Kevin!" As she stepped forward to hug him, she was met by a deluge of water from either side as Sam and Dean chucked holy water at her. "Ah! Oh! What..."
"She's clean." Dean confirmed as the holy water produced nothing more than a bedraggled looking Mrs Tran. Kevin grabbed her in a hug, the two of them enjoying their reunion. Sam sniffed the air.
"You smell that?" The three of them exchanged glances before heading past the reunion and into the house. As they crossed the foyer to the kitchen, they found an older woman, her head flung back and black smoke pouring from it. Lacey reached out a hand, telekinetically holding the demon in place.
"Uh... any ideas?" She asked, turning back to the guys with a shrug.
"Et secta diabolica, omnis congregatio, omnis legio, omnis incursion, infernalis adversarii, omnis spiritus exorcizamus!" Lacey loosened her grip on the demon as she felt it being dragged back into the woman's body. As soon as it was back inside, Dean stabbed her with the demon knife. The woman shrieked before falling to the ground, dead.
"Aah!" Mrs Tran gasped in horror, clinging on to Kevin. "Eunis!"
"That's not Eunis." Dean informed her.

Kevin lead his mother into the living room, followed by the other three. Lacey looked around, taking in the warm décor, the photos of Kevin at various stages of his childhood. "Mrs. Tran, your friend was possessed by a demon." Sam tried to explain.
"Have you ever seen "The Exorcist"?" Kevin asked.
"Is that what you've been doing all year – watching television? Did you really have to kill her?" Mrs Tran grappled with the morality of it.
"The demon would have warned Crowley where Kevin was if we didn't."
"And Crowley is the one who kidnapped you?"
"Yeah. He needs me to translate his stupid tablet so he can take over the universe or something." Kevin grumbled, rolling his eyes.
"Which is why we need to get it so that we can slam the gates of Hell forever with Crowley inside." Dean explained.
"So that things like that don't ever happen again."
"Prophet of the Lord, huh? It does have a nice ring to it." Mrs Tran nodded, looking proud. "I'll get packed." She got to her feet.
"We're gonna need a safe house since Crowley's been to the cabin, so..."
"Safe house? I thought we were going to get the tablet." Mrs Tran looked confused. "Uh, we are. You're taking a trip to a demon-free zone."
"And risk letting Kevin fall into the hands of this Crowley again? I don't think so." Sam stepped in.
"Ms. Tran, all due respect, Dean's right. Crowley – he's not just a killer. He trades in torment. And if he can find a way to separate your soul from you, he'll take that soul to Hell and – and roast it till there's nothing left but black smoke. Look, it's best if you let us handle this."
"I understand. But it's not my soul I'm worried about. It's my son's." Mrs Tran replied firmly, crossing her arms.
"Kevin, you want to back us up here? Came all the way down here to pull her out of the fire, and now she wants to jump right back in." Dean asked, sounding frustrated.
"Like I can tell her what to do?" The three of them turned to Lacey in a final attempt. She threw up her arms.
"You just got done saying you want the non-violent approach, I can't see any way I'm convincing her besides that." Dean shook his head and chuckled.
"All right. Coming with us has conditions – uh, hex bags to stay off the bad guys' radar and, uh, you're gonna have to get inked up."
"Do what, now?" Kevin sounded panicked.
"Yeah, uh..." Sam pulled the neck of his shirt down and flashed them his anti-possession tattoo. "You, too, shortstop. Keeps the demons out."
"Fine." Mrs Tran acquiesced.
"Really?"
"What, like it's my first tattoo?" Dean and Lacey looked slightly impressed as Mrs Tran disappeared to go pack herself a bag.