❝ if you want to be strong, learn how to fight alone ❞

[DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY: PART TWO]

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BEHIND THE DOORS the place was quiet, seemingly empty to anyone passing by. But the three hunters knew differently. The open corridor split off, Sam nodded at the two behind him and took the left, Dean headed forward, leaving the left corridor open to Julia.

As she padded the hall, the woman felt a rising sense of dread fill her as she drew nearer to the darkened end. The one thing which she had tried to avoid like the plague had caught up with her so suddenly and unexpectedly that she hardly had time to realise what was happening. But now, as she headed deeper into her old life, her hunter instincts were beginning to kick in, welcoming her like an old friend.

Mercifully, the corridor Julia had been left with was deserted but as she noticed the Winchesters rounding their respective corners empty-handed, she knew that the worst was yet to come. The boys returned her shrug, silently indicating that they too had found nothing.

Swallowing her apprehension, Julia followed the Winchesters as they chose the final, undisturbed room. It was lighter than the rest of the building, owed to the candles placed at the four corners of a polished coffin at the opposite end. But this was not what caught the hunters' attention.

A sigil, unknown to Julia, was painted in a glowing white paint on the wooden floorboards where two figures lay unmoving. The woman had seen this room before; not with her own eyes but through the images projected to her only half an hour previously. Guarding the Reapers was a single, black-clad demon who paced the floor.

"Dude, check me out," Dean smirked; Julia narrowed her eyes at the man's passion for his job. There was no fear in his eyes as he strode forward before reappearing besides the oblivious demon. With a grunt, he punched it with all his might before disappearing as though he had never been there at all.

Julia made a face and touched the wall beside her, concentrating hard but her hand still slid through it effortlessly. "How the hell did he do that?" She muttered disgruntled, more to herself than Sam who shot her a look before doing the same. "Great, just me then."

While the Winchesters were busy using their newfound spirit abilities to take down the demon, Julia focused on the Reaper trap on the floor. Closing her eyes, she reached down to the floor, trying to get a solid form. Touching the ground, she found her hand slipping through it as if nothing was there. Grunting, she tried again, and a third time but with no luck.

"Goddammit," she shouted and slapped the floor, which suddenly felt solid beneath her palm. Stumbling back, the ex-hunter looked down in wonder. Her jubilant mood lasted all of a second before she found herself encased in chains, which four demons had surrounded her with while she had been distracted.

"It's iron," Julia heard Sam say and glanced up to find the boys in the same predicament. The demon backed away, their hands burning too at touching the metal.

That was not why Julia found herself moving backwards as far as the chains would allow, for the ex-hunter had found herself looking upon the white-eyed demon, Alastair whom she recognised from the images. "Boys," he greeted the Winchesters with a nod before turning to her, "and who might you be?"

The woman simply glared at him defiantly, hand reaching instinctively to her empty gun holster. He only smirked at her pitiful attempts."No matter, you'll die either way," he considered before addressing the boys conversationally, "find the place okay?"

The Winchesters mimicked her angered glare which turned into eyes of shock as Alastair turned a gun towards Julia without even sparing her a glance. The rock salt hit her full blast before she even had time to react, causing her to vanish from sight. Moments later, she reappeared and stumbled, disorientated.

After receiving the same treatment, Dean too returned and clenched his teeth. "You bastard."

"Why don't you try some of your mojo on me now, hotshot," the demon rasped as Sam. Julia frowned and clutched her head, trying to figure out what he meant. She hadn't been shown this, had she?

"Go to Hell," Sam spat, shaking with anger, while the ex-hunter looked on at the scene, faintly wondering what in the name of hunting she was doing there.

"Oh, if only I could," Alastair rolled his eyes dramatically. "But they just keep sending me back up to this Arctic crap hole."

"To kill Death?" Dean spat.

"No, to kill Death twice. Takes two to break the seal." He replied with an edge to his voice, making his way around the trap. He gestured his gun towards Julia who tried to step away but she got another full blast to the chest.

Staggering back in the chains, the raven-haired woman decided it was wise to stay quiet for the time being, despite every instinct screaming at her to give him what he deserved. That wouldn't help now, she chastised herself, not stuck in here. No, what she needed was a way out of here.

"Anywho," Alastair continued as though he had done nothing but comment on the weather, "moon's in the right spot. The board is set. Let's get started shall we?"

More words were exchanged between the demon and the Winchesters but Julia payed little attention. Her eyes were scrutinising the old room. "Come on, come on," she muttered. "Just once can there be an easy way out of this?"

It only when the demon began chanting that she saw it. Alastair's voice grew louder as he held the scythe to the Reaper's throat but Julia was focussing on the sight above him. It was only when he ran the blade across his throat and the sound of thunder erupted from outside that the spell was broken; her concentration was slipped from her like sand trickling between her fingers.

"No!" She whispered as the light which she had her eyes trained on stopped swinging. It was almost been torn loose. The ex-hunter held up one hand in an attempt to control it but she had not yet mastered her ghostly abilities. "Gah!" She dropped her hand. The light would not budge.

However the situation seemed to the ex-hunter, it would appear that luck was on their side. The younger Winchester has noticed her gaze up ahead and nodded his head subtly to his brother. All three hunters focused everything they had on the light.

It twitched. Alastair yanked the other Reaper to her feet. It twisted. He held the blade to her throat and began the chant. It snapped, falling with an almighty crash onto the trap. The Reaper vanished, pausing to move the chains holding the boys and Julia captive.

"Bye," Dean smirked and the Winchesters disappeared with the Reaper. Julia lifted her hand to give the demon a sarcastic wave before closing her eyes, ready to escape this hell-hole once and for all.

"Not quite as easy as it looks, is it?" She heard the rasping voice before she realised. The ex-hunter had not moved. She was alone, except for the white-eyed demon who brandished the shotgun at her. With no other choice, the woman turned and tried to flee out of the door she had entered.

It was no use. The rock salt hit her square in the back, causing her spirit form to vanish for the third time that night. "Trust the Winchesters to abandon one of their own," the demon mused.

There was a moments pause. Julia felt herself being yanked backwards, as if a chain was pulling her away. With a strangled gasp, she jolted upright from her bed where she had laid down all those hours before. Running her hands down her body, she exhaled when she felt her solid form. "Never again."

Outside the window, the light from the street lamps poured into her open room, illuminating the pavement below; Julia could see figure staring up at her. One she knew only too well. He winked. Turning on one foot, he strode off down the road.

"Don't you dare," Julia muttered, pausing only to grab her gun as she hurtled down the stairs and out of the front door, stuffing the weapon hastily in her holster. The street appeared empty. "Oh no you don't." The houses rushed past her as she began her dash in the direction he had vanished. "Come on, Come on!" She yelled into the silent night.

There was no reply. Only a lone cat skulked back behind a messy array of rubbish bins which she had startled it from. A single wrapper rolled down the street to rest at her feet when a gust of wind sent it flying. It was as if he had never been there at all.

Julia's foot kicked out and sent the paper ball tumbling back down the street. "Goddammit." There was nothing more to be done. It was as if she was doomed to never find the man with the golden eyes; he was always watching but she could never quite see him.

"Looking for me, sugar?"

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heya everyone!

hope you enjoyed the chapter.

~sincerelygabriel