Demons, Demigods and Hunters (Percy Jackson/Supernatural)

Chapter 55

Dean

Dean felt hollow. A hollowness that was different from when Sam died. Sam was his family, his kid brother. He was supposed to look out for him, make sure he was safe. Sammy was responsibility and blood and arguing over music in the car. But Anna, Anna was different. She was smart, and tough and brave and good. All the ugly they saw everyday, and Anna was this point of good. She was a whirlwind of secrets, swords and leather jackets. She smelled like the wind ninety nine percent of the time, and the other one percent was of the ink and paper from her ciphered journal. She was paranoid as all hell, but she still had trusted him and Sammy to watch her back on hunt after hunt.

When the devil's gate opened, demons had flooded out from hell. Anna had fought back, killing demon after demon; Bobby told him that's what her sword was forged for. He'd let her fight alone and to dive into hell to save them all. All Dean did, was kill the yellow eyed bastard responsible. He and his family got their revenge. But now here he was, one year before he followed her down. One year, that he was going to fight demons, just like she would have wanted him to. One year for Sam to try and get him out of his deal.

Bobby called Nico after they left the cemetery. The eighteen year old came to fetch his dead adoptive sibling's belongings for a second time. This time it was real. No take backs, no surprise resurrection in the kitchen. Nico came with Annabeth and Percy. Several of Anna's other siblings had followed them, and were staying in a motel just outside Sioux Falls. But only Nico, Annabeth and Percy stayed at the salvage yard. Anna's younger sister looked terrible. She was angry, angrier than Dean had been after John's death. She was angrier than Dean had been after Sammy had died. She was livid. He over heard her sobbing to Percy. Anna knew what was going to happen and hadn't told anyone. She'd gone home for a final goodbye, and nobody noticed.

"I told her! I told her! Keeping secrets was going to get her killed. I knew it! She should have told us, we could have found another way!" Dean watched as the green eyed teen rubbed her back, the boy's face crumpled with guilt. Dean knew that look. It was exactly how he felt when Sam had died. He was running every iteration of if only, in his mind. No matter what he had done though, the only person who could have, should have, saved her, was him. Dean was in that fucking cemetery with her. He'd held her in his arms when those damned gates opened. He'd even stood right next to that gate. But she jumped in, and he was still here.

Watching Nico was worse. He wandered around with this blank look on his face, and every time someone came through the door he got this painfully hopeful expression on his face; as though she might have faked her death all over again. The only emotion he would ever show was whenever he saw Sam. Then his face would darken and he'd mutter about cheating and paperwork and something about loopholes. Dean often wondered if Nico knew what he had done for his brother. But then he'd remember that nobody could know. Only Bobby and Anna. Bobby understood and Anna was gone. Sam found out; after. And he said he was going to save Dean's sorry ass for once. But Dean isn't banking on that one to hard. A deal's a deal. And Dean doesn't regret saving Sammy.

Dean was hollow. Because when he'd first met Anna he'd dragged her out of retirement, out of school where she was safe. Because he hadn't realized what was going on even with all the little hints she'd dropped about keeping everyone safe, how she knew something was happening. Because somewhere along the line, Dean had found himself irrevocably attached to the mysterious, secretive hunter.

Anna had become a cornerstone in their lives, touching base with them from all over the country. She'd wormed her way into their lives, full of mysterious half smiles, and secrets and a shiny sword. He didn't care that he didn't know much about her life, or that he was pretty sure that Yellow Eyes called her a half blood. He had no idea what that meant, but it didn't matter. Anna had been new age rock and foreign music and weird necklaces and rainbows made her jumpy and she smelled like the wind. She'd been everything Dean never knew he wanted and she was gone. Torn away like everything else that he ever loved in his life. Everything, except Sammy and his car.

Dean found his way into the kitchen. He sat down and pulled out an inconspicuous little cell phone. She'd told him to burn it ages ago. She must have asked him to burn this little thing a dozen times and he never did. Instead he'd kept it safely tucked away inside Baby or his pocket. It had been an odd piece of her that Dean had hoarded. Sone part of her that couldn't run away or leave him. With a snarl he threw it at the wall. Anna was gone, out of his reach and there was nothing he could give to bring her back. He'd already sold his soul. Now there was nothing left to trade. Nothing he could fight, buy, trade or kill to get her back. There hadn't even been a body to bury.

The phone suddenly lit up, a slight ding of an incoming message Dean scrambled forward for the device. The small phone lit up.

Hi Dean.

If you're reading this I guess I finally made things right. I won't explain what that it, it doesn't matter anymore. The important thing is, DEAN YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BURN THE DAMN PHONE.

Ok, look I know you're pissed and confused. But it's ok. I've known what was going to happen for a long time, the path I set myself on all those years ago was only ever leading to that gate to hell. All this, I've been planning since before I met you. I've been trying to destroy that particular gate for a very long time. And if everything went according to plan, I should have sealed that entrance, and what I'm guessing are two dozen other shortcuts out of hell. Now it will be infinitely more difficult for demons to escape to the surface. The downside is that a shit ton of them got out while that door was open. But that's irrelevant for you. I've left instructions for hunting the escapees with some other people.

What's important is that I know what you did for Sam. What you traded. It was damn stupid of you, and if I could I would be kicking your ass right about now. You know, that kind of sacrifice means something, and if you do manage to get out of that deal; you have a real shot at going someplace good. But I know you. You're not going to do that. That's not your style. You're gonna fight every day until you can't anymore and something is going to drag you down there kicking and screaming. Which is why I made a deal too.

You still have one year. But your stay in Hell is not indefinite. One month down there for every day Sam was dead. That's three months in Hell and they have to let you go free; either back to Earth or to Heaven I don't know. But there is something big at play, and demons want you in hell. I wasn't able to buy you time, but I did buy you and Sam a better chance at stopping whatever Hell is planning.

So I have one last favor to ask of you before you have to start fighting again.

Go someplace wonderful for me. Someplace with a clear sky, and clean water and nothing but natural wonders for miles. Or go to Vegas or New York or Miami and do all the stupid tourist shit normal people like to do. Go to Disneyland or Seaworld or some crappy little backwater town with a nice pie festival. I don't care. Just go spend a day in the sun instead of the shadows.

I know this is hard. Losing a comrade, a friend always is. But I made my own choices. So don't do anything stupid for me. Please go do something in the sun. Drag Sam with you. I know he's going to struggle for a while. Coming back from the dead has consequences. Don't let those consequences destroy his second chance. Tell him that for me. And, take Nico too. He'll need someone to watch his back. You're the only one I trust to do that. Keep an eye on him for me ok?

With all my love,

A. Colt

Dean sat back on the floor, his body slumped and loose. The message was like having Anna sitting with him again. She was hot and cold, scolding and forgiving, harsh and protective all at once. She was the wind on a lonely highway, the strong truck stop dive bar whiskey and the moon in the middle of a midnight hunt. He was going to miss her.

His friend.

Dean never had many of those, and now he had one less. And it hurt like hell. But Anna wanted him to be in the sun, even if it was just for a day. Dean felt that hollow place inside him begin to close a little as he slowly stood up and went outside.

Into the sun.