All right, here it is...the final chapter of 'Control' and easily the longest chapter I've ever written with 10,000 words...lol

—What was your favorite chapter? My absolute favorite would have to be either 28 or 35. Fun fact, if you re-read chapter 28, there is A LOT (and I mean A LOT) of foreshadowing of the future books ;) 

—What is you favorite quote from Odessa? Probably the one from this chapter "Then we fight. Together. Like it's always been." 

—What would you like to see in the second book 'Haunting'? The second book will definitely be a lot sadder, it's going to have a lot more angst, Odessa's having her own plot line, Odessa and Dean's relationship will be rocky because of the crossroads deal, Odessa's past will catch up to her, and other things I can't say right now because it'll be a spoiler if you haven't finished the chapter

—What's your favorite thing about Odessa's character? Probably the fact that she's just a badass and has a unique personality. In most Dean fanfics, the love interest is a tomboy, hates dresses and makeup, drinks beer likes there's no tomorrow, only listens to Dean's favorite bands, her clothes consist of only flannels and boots, and her favorite food is pie     -_- I love that I made Odessa girly af (she loves to wear dresses and high heels, cares about her shoes and hair, loves doing her hair and makeup and nails)but she's still badass. I love that she was affected by her family's death (in most fanfics, the author completely forgets about the psychological affects of watching your entire family and friends die) I love that she isn't innocent and has done terrible things in the past doesn't and forget about it completely just because some guy loves her. I guess my favorite thing is that I made her as realistic as I could.

—What is your favorite thing about Odessa and Dean's relationship? I think my absolute favorite thing is that it didn't happen immediately. Odessa didn't immediately have feelings for Dean, and Dean didn't immediately have feelings for Odessa. There was an obvious attraction between them (obviously, they're both sexy af) but they didn't have an instant romantic connection. They started off as friends, got to know each other, grew to trust each other, and then it went from there. Most fanfics have them together by the tenth chapter and they don't have any progression. And even when Odessa knew Dean had romantic feelings for her, she didn't immediately date him because she wasn't ready for that yet. Just because two characters like each other doesn't mean they can get together right then and there. 

—What is your favorite thing about Odessa and Sam's friendship? Probably the fact that there was never once a time where they even considered they had romantic feelings for one another. I did NOT want to make this some love triangle. Even from the beginning I knew I wanted Sam and Odessa just to be friends and nothing more. I wanted to show that a male and a female could be friends without wanting to date or have sex with each other. Sam is the most important person to Dean, and if Sam didn't have some kind of good relationship with Odessa, Dean wouldn't even consider befriending her. I also like their progression; from strangers, to friends, to best friends, to family.

—Last question. What is your overall favorite thing about this book? I love the dynamic between all the characters, and I like the progression of everyone's relationships :) 

ALL RIGHT, HERE IT IS! I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE FINAL CHAPTER OF CONTROL! 

The low rumble of the Impala's engine reverberated through the forlorn intersection, the luminous moonlight glimmered down and reflected off the onyx-black varnish. From the distance an infinitesimal building illuminated the barren field, a distinguishable luminescence seeping through the three windows. The receding hum of the vehicle ceased as Dean parked the car. "Hey, don't forget the extra onions this time, huh?" Dean asked, offering Sam the required cash between his fingers. Odessa, from the back, uncrossed her ankles and groaned immaturely. Being stuck inside a closed-off space with the stench of onions wasn't exactly delightful.

Sam's eyes narrowed to crinkled slits. "Dude, Essie and I are the ones gonna have to ride in the car with your extra onions." He emphasized, snatching the cash from Dean's grasp. Odessa unbuckled her seat belt and pushed open the side door, and Sam mimicked her actions. If Dean were going to devour his extra onions, she was going to make him miserable the entire time. As Sam stood outside and stretched his limbs, he motioned for her to quickly follow him.

Leaning over and kissing Dean's temple, Odessa smiled tenderly and muttered an 'I love you' before exiting the Impala and followed after the youngest Winchester on the dirt road. "Love you, too. Hey, see if they got any pie," Odessa rolled her eyes and chuckled alongside Sam, who gave his brother an exasperated expression. "Bring me some pie!" The distance between the parked vehicle and the diner wasn't immoderate, perhaps fifteen feet apart. The duo were inside the closed walls within seconds and were greeted with the bitter smell of fresh coffee and whatever spoiled food they were serving. Country music blared through speakers, and Odessa refrained from cringing.

From behind her, she could feel the momentary sensation of a hand brushing against her shoulder, then a dreary feeling surged through her veins as she glanced over at Sam, who'd been seconds from shouting her name when a darkness came over her.

<<>>

A brisk breeze surged over her skin as feeble as the remnants of a feather prickling over her. The meager wind howled through her ears, a haunting melody of reverence and disarray. Eyes gradually fluttering open, Odessa was welcomed with the spectacle of an ashen-grey sky with an ominous banks of clouds overhead. Whatever she was sprawled on top of was completely soaked with morning dew and moisture seeped through her apparel. Pushing herself off the floor, her limbs resembled anchors, their only purpose was to keep her on the ground. She clutched her head firmly, attempting to balance herself on the murky floor.

Her surroundings where something she'd see in a film; the buildings were constructed with flimsy wooden boards and paint that faded through the years. The architecture of the buildings didn't correlate with the current time period. Items all throughout the desolate town were carelessly discarded as if the townspeople simply didn't care for their possessions. Surrounding the town were towering trees over-casted by thick fog. Behind her was a spiraling windmill that creaked every few seconds.

Odessa examined the borough attentively, wondering on the multiple possibilities as to how she awakened here, and where Sam was. Apprehensively stepping forward, she nearly staggered to the floor. She quickly regained her balance and didn't seem to even care for her shoes, which were now stained and tarnished. She wandered over to the nearest building, hurriedly twisting the metal doorknob, but her efforts didn't succeed. She tried the next building, then the next, and the next, but they were all locked.

She was seconds from trying another door, which was inevitably locked, when she heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming closer. Pausing and peering around for some form of weapon, she concluded a wooden beam was better than no weapon at all. She pressed her back against the wall, waiting for the perpetrator to turn around the corner. She controlled her breathing and pressed the beam against her chest, prepared to enter a physical altercation if needed. As she noticed the outline of a figure approaching, she stepped around the corner and raised the beam high. The all-too familiar man released a gasp as he backed away and collapsed to the floor with his hands protecting his face. "Andy?!" Odessa questioned aloud, lowering her weapon to the floor.

Andy dropped his arms and quickly stood on his feet. "Odessa," He said, as if he couldn't believe his own eyes. "What are you doing here? What am I doing here?" She didn't have the time to even think of a response as he continued bombarding her with questions she didn't possess the answers to. "Where are we?" These were excellent questions, if only she actually knew why she was here, why he was here, and knew their whereabouts. Odessa wiped her palms on her thighs, getting rid of the residual dirt tainting her fingers. She tried calming him down, attempting to soothe him, but he continued to ignore her. "I can't calm down. I just woke up in freaking frontierland."

Odessa settled her hands on his shoulders. "What's the last thing you remember?" She asked him. She didn't remember much about her disappearance. There was a faint image of her kissing Dean goodbye, now she was fearing that would be the last time she'd see him, and there was another image of her and Sam entering a quaint diner before everything went black.

Andy rubbed his face with the palms of his hands. "Honestly, my fourth bong load," She couldn't help but slightly chuckle at that. "It was weird. All of a sudden, there was this really intense smell, like a..."

Odessa interrupted him, her voice inquisitive. "Like sulfur?" By the look of realization on Andy's expression, she guessed correctly. If Andy were here, and, if by chance, Sam were here, they must've been taken by the yellow-eyed demon. As if one cue, her expression softened by the memory of her best friend. "Sam." She muttered to herself. If she was taken, Sam must have to been taken as well, and that meant he was here somewhere.

"Sam—is he—is he here?" Andy frantically asked.

"I don't know where he is. I'm not even sure if he's here—" A screech from the distance tore through the air, alerting them both of another existence in this place. As the feminine cries persisted, Odessa could also detect the sound of a familiar voice shouting over the cries. "Sam." She muttered to herself before darting in the direction of the voices with Andy on her trail. Upon reaching the source, she sighed in relief as she watched Sam smash a large rock on the lock of a wooden shed. Sam hadn't noticed neither her or Andy, his attention focused on opening the door.

As the door opened, another acquainted face emerged from the darkness. "Ava," She heard Sam say, and Ava immediately began wailing as she rushed into Sam's arms. This was all beginning to make sense now. Sam, Andy, and now Ava; they were all children affected by the yellow-eyed demon. She was beginning to understand the connection between the three of them, but she didn't know why she was here.

"So, I guess you guys know each other." Andy said, and this gathered Sam's attention. She watched as Sam's expression altered entirely when his gaze landed on both Andy and Odessa. He quickly released Ava and embraced Odessa's distraught figure. Finally, an actual sense of familiarity in this dreadful place. Sam's body warmth seeped through her damp clothes, providing her the warmth she desperately needed.

Still holding Odessa, Sam gave Ava a bewildered expression. "Ava, have you been here this whole time?"

Ava's eyes were considerably wide, her skin significantly pale, and her hair was disheveled. "What whole time? I just woke up in there like half an hour ago." Odessa exchanged an apprehensive glance with Sam, who also appeared uncertain on how to explain what happened to her. The onyx-haired Guardian wasn't sure if there were an easy way to explain the death of her fiance. They just couldn't say he was murdered by a demon, possibly the demon who made them this way.

Odessa cleared her throat. "You've been missing for five months. Sam, his brother, and I have been looking everywhere for you." She said, reluctantly letting go of Sam's waist. Ava's expression transformed into utter befuddlement as she processed the given information.

Ava shook her head. "No, that's impossible 'cause I saw you two days ago." She said, looking up at Sam's towering figure. He shook his head softly, apologizing to her as he corrected her. "But that makes no sense. It's not...oh, my god! My fiance, Brady! If I've been missing for that long, he must be freaking out!" She began to wail again, but immediately halted as she noticed Andy simply just standing there and watching this scene unfold.

"Andy—also freaking out." Andy said, waving with his hand still inside his pocket.

"Okay...what's happening?" Ava asked, voice quivering.

Sam's mouth opened and closed. "I don't really know yet, but I know one thing. I know what the three of us have in common." Sam was going further elaborate, but was interrupted by another voice coming not too far from where they stood. "Maybe more than three." Sam didn't hesitate to begin jogging to where the masculine voice derived from. The three of them followed after him, and Odessa struggled to keep her balance in six-inch heels. "Hey, you guys all right?" Sam asked as two people who entered their view. A man with darker complexion and in an army uniform surfaced around the corner, and a pale blonde with smudged eyeliner trailed after him.

The man warily glanced at the four of them. "I think so." He said.

"I'm Sam." The youngest Winchester introduced.

"I'm Jake."

"Lily." The woman with the smudged eyeliner said.

Odessa stepped forward. "Odessa," She introduced, "Are there any more of you?" She asked, sneaking a glimpse behind their shoulders, hoping for no one else to suddenly appear. Fortunately, no one else appeared from any direction. She didn't want any other people to take care of, and she didn't want innocent lives being taken because of this demon. So, the less people, the better.

Lily appeared disturbed with her placement here. "How did we even get here? A minute ago, I was in San Diego." She informed them, crossing her arms over her chest. Everyone was asking questions Odessa wished she knew the answers to, but, unfortunately, she didn't know.

Jake peered over his shoulder to face her. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I went to sleep last night in Afghanistan." Odessa mirrored Ava's confused expression, both exchanging inquisitive glances at one another.

Sam spoke up, breaking the brief moment of silence. "Let me take a wild guess. You two are both twenty-three?" By the gobsmacked looks by both Jake and Lily, Sam guessed correctly. "We all are, and we all have abilities." Well, he was partially right. Odessa was twenty-six and didn't possess any psychic abilities. "It started a little over a year ago. You find you can do things you didn't think were possible." Odessa could see Andy nodding from beside her, and judging by the two's fear, they experienced the same thing. "I have visions. I see things before they happen."

Ava shuffled uncomfortably. "Yeah, me too."

"And I can put thoughts into people's heads—like, make them do stuff. Oh, but don't worry. I don't think works on you guys." Andy explained, stepping on the porch of the building they were standing out of. He then turned to face Sam and Odessa excitedly. "Oh, but get this—um, I've been practicing, training my brain, like meditation, right? So now it's not just thoughts I can beam out, but images, too—like, anything I want. It's like bam! People, they see it. This one guy I know—total dick—I used it on him. Gay porn all hours of the day. It's just like...you should've seen the look on his face." When no one laughed alongside him and continued to glare at him, his excitement dwindled and he quickly stepped back down.

"You go, 'Simon says give me your wallet,' and they do? You have visions? That's great. I'd kill for something like that." Lily sneered, the wind blowing through her hair. Sam attempted to calm her, but this seemed to only anger her even more. "I touch people, their hearts stops. I can barely leave my house. My life's not exactly improved. So screw you. I just want to go home." She turned on her heel, but immediately turned back around when Jake retorted with a snarky remark. The two of them began to argue, and Odessa watched impatiently.

Sam, too, looked exasperated. "Guys, come on." Jake and Lily stopped, turning to face him. "Look, whether we like it or not, we're all here, and so we all have to deal with this." Odessa nodded lightly beside him. Of course none of them wanted to be here, this place was some goddamn ghost town, and they were stuck with a bunch of strangers with abilities. Odessa didn't have any correlation with the yellow-eyed demon or abilities, and yet, here she was. She didn't see the point in wasting their time by arguing, this didn't bring them one step closer to leaving.

"Who brought us here?" Andy questioned aloud, looking at both Sam and Odessa.

Sam didn't know what to say. "It's less of a 'who'. It's more of a 'what'."

Ava, with her arms still crossed and hair still a mess, inched forward. "What does that mean?"

Sam glanced down at Odessa, silently pleading for her assistance. He wanted an easy and leisure way of explaining who took them, but there was no way to explain the situation simply. "It was a demon, and you're all supposed to be soldiers in a demon war to start the apocalypse." She disregarded the displeased look she received from Sam, and she half-shrugged. It was better to tell them now instead of later on their deathbed.

They all had a moment to process the information, but Jake seemed most bothered, not that Odessa blamed him. "So, we're soldiers in a demon war to bring on the apocalypse?" He asked, disbelieved.

Odessa arched an eyebrow. "I did just said that, didn't I—"

"And we've been picked? Why us?"

"I'm not sure, okay? But look, I just know—" Sam began, but Ava quickly intervened.

"Sam. I'm sorry. Psychics and spoon-bending is one thing, but demons?"

"Look, I know it sounds crazy—" Jake began to interrupt Sam again, but he quickly turned to Jake and immediately cut him off. "I don't really care what you think, okay? If we're gathered here together, that means it's starting."

Jake stepped down porch. "The only thing I got to do is stay away from wackjobs, okay? I've heard enough. I'm better off on my own. FYI—so are you." 

<<>>

Odessa was pretty certain Sam saving Jake from an acheri was adequate evidence on the existence of demons,and, judging from everyone's gobsmacked expressions, they all seemed to believe them as of now. When Sam stabbed the acheri with a cast iron rod, the little girl dissipated into black smoke before leaving. Everyone had watched as Sam saved his life, and now, they were officially terrified. As Sam explained the creature to everyone, he stopped as he glanced over at the bell in the townsquare. "I've seen that bell before," He said, "I think I know where we are now—Cold Oak, South Dakota. The town's so haunted, every single resident fled."

Ava spoke sarcastically, "Swell. Good to know we're somewhere so historical." Odessa rolled her eyes, restraining herself from retorting some snide remark. Yeah, she didn't want to be here either, but making sarcastic comments wasn't going to solve anything.

Lily looked back at the schoolhouse where the acheri was found. "Why in the world would that demon or whatever put us here?" Their placement in Cold Oak seemed almost poetic, elegiac. The scenery reminded Odessa of a plaintive poem, a melancholy composition with a tragic ending. The thought of all this ending woefully gave her dreadful butterflies. "You know what? It doesn't matter. Clearly the only sane thing to do here is get the hell out of dodge." She said, pivoting on her heel. She was seconds from leaving completely when Odessa stopped her.

"The only way out of here is going through miles of woods." She called out, knowing for sure she wasn't going to risk her life going through those woods.

"Beats hanging out with demons." Lily shouted back.

"We have no idea what's going on. We don't even know how many of demons are out there right now." From the history of the town, Odessa was positive an acheri wasn't the only demon roaming around the abandoned town.

"She's right," Jake said, "We should—"

Lily swiftly whirled around, jutting her index finger his direction. "Don't say 'we'. I'm not part of 'we'. I have nothing in common with any of you. You don't know anything. I to—" Lily paused, pursing her lips. "I accidentally touched my girlfriend." Sam muttered his condolences. "Whatever. I feel like I'm in a nightmare, and it just keeps getting worse and worse."

Sam licked his lips. "I've lost people, too." He began, "I have a brother out there right now. He could be dead, for all I know." Odessa shifted uncomfortably, tucking her hair behind her ear as she thought of the possibility of Dean being dead. She didn't want think of her boyfriend lying motionless somewhere, but the images continued to replay over and over again. "We're all in bad shape, but I'm telling you, the best way out of this is to stick together." Lily didn't move her unrelenting glare as she muttered a 'fine'. Sam nodded, then began speeding off into the opposite direction. "We're looking for iron, silver, salt—any kind of weapon." They were ascending the stairs of a porch connected to a building near.

"Salt is a weapon?" Jake asked, bemused.

"It's a brave, new world." Sam responded.

Andy followed after them. "Hopefully, there's food in your world, 'cause I'm freaking starving." Odessa didn't think about food, and now she was thinking of how long they were going to last without food. She once read the average human can last two weeks without food, but would they actually be stuck here that long? They entered the ramshackle house and immediately began looking for weapons accessible to everyone.

Sam still had his cast iron rod and Odessa had her dagger and whip, and now she was pretty sure Sam found some rusted knife hidden away inside a chest. She chose to stick beside Andy, whereas Sam chose to stick with Ava. She would've preferred if they by each other's side, but she didn't it take it to heart. She knew Sam missed Ava, and felt responsible for her five-month long disappearance, so she assumed he was using this time to relish in the fact she wasn't dead because of him.

She heard Andy laugh enthusiastically from the other side of the kitchen, pulling out two medium-sized sacks containing salt. "You guys, I found something!" He shouted, and everyone made their way to the doorway where he stood. He raised the sacks high, displaying the label to them. "Salt." The five of them laughed at his excitement, even Jake, who hadn't smiled once the entire time.

"Good job, Andy. Now we all can—" Odessa froze, suddenly realizing they were only five of them. She could've sworn she saw Lily follow after them while entering the ramshackle house. "Where's Lily?" She asked, voicing her thoughts. Everyone's smiles dwindled as they realized she was right; Lily was missing and no one noticed until now. Odessa was going to shout Lily's name again when the sound of wood creaking and breaking from outside, and the eerie sound of children giggling. They all hurried outside and were greeted with the horrific sight of Lily hanging from the windmill. She looked away, incapable of watching her body swinging back and forth.

Ava's voice cracked. "Okay, that—that's officially just...Sam, she's dead! She's dead! You said we were chosen for a reason. That is not chosen! That's...killed." Nobody said anything in response. "Okay, you know, we have to get out of here."

"Yeah, I second that emotion." Andy said.

"Not sure that's an option." Said Jake.

Ava exclaimed in confusion, and Odessa sighed. "Lily was trying to leave," The Guardian said, "The demon obviously doesn't want us leaving. We're gonna have to gear up."

"Gear up? Okay, well, I'm not a soldier. I can't do that." Ava shouted.

Odessa looked down at her. "Well, if you wanna survive, you're going to have to." She said, "Bitching and crying won't save you. It won't save any of us. Now, let's go." Ava released another whimper before darting back inside. Odessa walked alongside Sam, her hands stuffed inside her black leather jacket. If Dean were here, she wouldn't be as worried or scared. He would have some clever, reckless plan that would've saved them hours ago. She missed him. He would've eased her fear by now. "God, I wish Dean was here right now. I'd give Sam's arm away for a working phone."She nearly laughed as Sam's expression contorted into an offended look as he processed her words.

Andy interjected, "You know, you may not need one. I, uh, I mean, I've never tried it long-distance before. Do you have anything of Dean's on you, like something he touched?"

Odessa thought for a moment, she then reached for the dagger in her waistband. Upon revealing the blade, Andy's eyes widened and regarded her hesitantly before grabbing the dagger from her palm. "I'm not even gonna ask why, mainly because I'm scared to."  

<<>>

Odessa wasn't sure how Sam managed to apply this authentic facade to reassure everyone, but she wasn't fooled in the slightest. Neither of them knew why they were here, especially why Odessa was here, and this was a main factor as to why they both were so scared. She understood why Sam was here, he was one of the several chosen for the demon war, but Odessa wasn't apart of this. She wasn't some psychic or didn't have paranormal abilities that could've been useful in a war. "I'm scared," She mumbled, mindful of the other people in the room. Sam was seated by her, allowing to her head on his shoulder. "Sam, I'm terrified."

He interlaced his fingers with her own, reassuringly massaging her hand with his thumb. "Just remember everything will be all right." She tightly closed her eyes, a tear cascading down her cheek. She wasn't sure if she believed his reassurances anymore. She couldn't keep pretending everything was going to be okay for them. This was something they couldn't just ignore. Something was going to happen, and that something was going affect the rest of their lives appallingly. "I promise you everything will be okay."

She could feel her rune scorchingly tingle as the words fell from his lips. "You don't have to lie to me," She whispered, glancing up at his eyes. "I know when you're lying, and you've been lying all day. You know we're screwed, and you know things will end bad." Just saying the words stung. She was accepting reality, and reality never ended with everyone being okay.

She heard Sam exhale through his nose. "You know, Dean always says things to calm me down, to make us feel better. That he'll watch over me and everything will be okay, but I'm not sure if I believe him anymore." She didn't say anything in response. As of now, Odessa didn't believe him either. She couldn't help but feel as if something was going to happen. "Something really big and bad is coming, and I'm not sure if I can stop it."

Odessa straightened, smiling lightly. "Then we fight. Together. Like it's always been." She said, his green eyes boring into hers. "We'll fix this together. As long as you're not going anywhere, I'm not going anywhere. We're a team, and if you think you're gonna fix this by yourself, you're damn wrong." He smiled softly, chuckling. She raised her pinkie in the air. "So, promise me it'll be you and I, us against the world, and I guess we invite Dean."

Sam laughed at that. He raised his much larger pinkie and latched it with hers. "I promise it'll be us against the world. I swear to you I'm not going anywhere." He released her fingers and smiled thoughtfully. "You know, I don't thank you enough. Here you are, making me laugh at a time like this. So, thank you—thank you for always being there for me, making my life so much better with you always by my side. I don't know what I'd do without you." 

She pressed her lips into a thin line, unsure as to why this was gradually becoming to feel like a goodbye. "Back when Costello died, I didn't think I'd ever be happy again. I mean, he was my other half. He was more than my brother, he was my best friend. The one I could always talk to. He always had my back, and I always had his. I didn't think I'd ever experience that again, ever have that kind of bond with someone again," She grinned, wiping away her tears. "But then I met you, and now, I can't see a life without you in it. You're my than my best friend, Sam. You're like a brother to me."

He didn't reply, only smiled and pulled her closer. She closed her eyes and sighed, immediately falling asleep.

<<>>

Odessa was awakened to the rambunctious sound of Jake's voice and the rustling from Andy. They were demanding she awaken, claiming Ava was missing. For brief moment, Odessa had entirely forgotten about the situation they were stuck in. For a fleeting moment, Odessa was in Dean's arms while Sam told them useless facts. She nearly smiled at the thought of how things used to be, smiled at how things were never going to be again. Glancing over at Sam, he looked frightened, but not because of the disappearance of Ava. He glimpsed over at where she straightened, appearing as if he desperately wanted to say something.

Instead, he stood and followed Jake outside the building. Odessa knew that look, she'd seen that far too many times to know he saw something and it wasn't good. Shaking her head, she quickly followed after him. "I'll take the barn and hotel. You check the houses," She heard Jake say. As she stepped outside, he gestured for her to follow him. "Come help me." She nodded and went to trail after him, but Sam grabbed a hold of her arm.

She sent him a look of confusion. His eyes were wide, glossy as they flickered all throughout her features. She opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, but he quickly spoke, "Do you know a man named Sifewood," He asked, and she swore she heard her heart come to a stop. She wanted to say something, anything, but she couldn't find herself able to speak. "Odessa, please be careful. You're not safe." She furrowed her eyebrows as he planted a kiss on her forehead. "The yellow-eyed demon told me to tell you he's coming." Jake called after her from one of the several barns, shouting for her to hurry. "Go. I'll see you soon."

She didn't have the time to register even the thought of exclaiming her bewilderment because Sam was already gone from sight. How did Sam know of Sifewood's existence? She couldn't remember if she ever spoke of Sifewood to the boys. And how did Sifewood correlate with the yellow-eyed demon? Gradually whirling around, she temporarily disregarded the disrupting thoughts from mind and followed the entrance where Jake entered. She looked around, searching for the familiar uniform. She saw nothing but an inconspicuous darkness.

"Jake—" Hastily, a thin wire was wrapped around her neck, preventing any oxygen from filling her lungs. Her eyes widened as she immediately clawed at her neck. "Jake, stop." The words barely escaped her lips. He didn't stop, only continued to tighten the wire. She could feel the cable slicing through her skin, drawing blood, and as she scratched at her throat, she also slashed her skin. She couldn't breathe in the slightest, and her head felt as if it were going to explode. If she had to choose between this or drowning over and over again, she'd choose drowning seamlessly. Losing her balance, she fell to the floor and gave him the upper hand. She was milliseconds from closing her eyes and giving up when she heard Ava scream and he released her, dashing outside in a blur.

Gasping, she clutched her bloodied neck and allowed the tears to freely fall down her cheeks. Each breath was interrupted by a fit of unruly coughs. Her vision was a hazy blur, clouded with salty tears. Even now, released and free, she couldn't breathe. Odessa couldn't process the fact that Jake just tried to kill her.

Heavy footsteps re-entered as she managed to push herself away from the entrance, whimpering as each breath stung her throat. "Odessa," She heard Dean's rugged voice ring through the air. She froze and released a wail as his arms wrapped around her back and waist. "Oh, my god—what the hell?" His touch was possibly the only thing she needed to know everything might be okay.

He smoothly picked her up bridal-style and brought her outside, the brisk breeze crashing down on her skin. The moonlight defined his features, and it defined his concern. She carefully examined him, wondering how the hell he got here with the demons surrounding the area. "Are you okay," She asked, voice barely an audible whisper. Each word felt like a thousand needles pricking her skin. The demon must've done something to him. He looked down at her with the gobsmacked expression she'd ever seen on a person. "Look for Sam, please."

"Odessa, what the hell—"

"Sam. Look for Sam." He moved his reluctant gaze from her to someone else, someone she recognized as Bobby. "Please." She muttered. He didn't want to leave her, she knew that much, but his brother was out there. "Go." She affirmed. He apprehensively nodded, and put her down on her feet, asking for Bobby to help her stand. She heard him shout Sam's name as they all moved forward.

Glancing upward, she saw Sam enter their view, clutching his arm with a relieved smile, calling out his brother's name. Odessa saw the small smile rise on his lips as he stepped forward towards them. But Odessa's relief was short-lived as she saw Jake grabbed a knife from the muddy ground and sprint towards Sam. "SAM, LOOK OUT!"

The blade punctured Sam's spine faster than she could blink. And Odessa's world came crashing down all over again.

Bobby released her and she felt to the floor, merely inches away from where Sam fell to his knees. Inches away from where Dean slid and attempted to straighten his brother. "Sam, hey. Hey, come here. Come here. Let me look at you." Odessa couldn't breathe. She couldn't see anything but the blood staining Dean's fingertips. She couldn't feel anything but the numbness she felt as she watched her family die in front of her. She didn't think she'd have to go through it all over again. "Hey, look. Look at me. It's not even that bad. It's not even that bad, all right? Sammy?" Sam's eyes glimpsed over Dean's shoulder, sending Odessa a blank look as the blood dribbled down his chin. "Sam! Hey, listen to me! We're gonna patch you up, okay? You'll be as good as new. Huh? I'm gonna take care of you. I got you. That's my job, right? Watch out for my pain-in-the-ass little brother. Sam? Sammy?" Odessa closed her eyes tightly, listening to his last breath leave his lips. She released a heart-wrenching cry, knowing her life just shattered all over again. "No, no, no, no. Oh, god. Oh, god."

She heard his last breath, and she heard his heart stop. 

<<>>

"You promised me."

Odessa murmured through deafening silence. After long-period of time, and after Dean declined Bobby's help and demand he return home, she was deserted with Sam's corpse. Dean erratically drove off, possibly to momentarily forget about his all troubles. She wished she could forget. She wished she could forget everything; from Sam's death, to the death of her family, and the continuous pain she experienced. She just wished she couldn't feel anything anymore. "You promised me it would be us against the world. I can't have you breaking your promise already." She grabbed his hand, hoping for warmth and for him to respond. He didn't. He was stiff and cold like the weather outside.

"We were supposed to fix everything together. I can't do this alone, I can't do this without you. You've saved my life countless of times, you were always there for me, but in the end, I couldn't be there for you and save your life. I should've been there for you, I shouldn't have left you alone." She paused, wincing as the pain on her throat blossomed. Tears brimmed around her eyes once more, her voice wavering as she spoke, "I've lost both my brothers now." A whimper escaped her lips. "Even now, I can't picture a life without you in it. Oh, god, I can't do this. I can't do this without you. How am I going to do this?" As she wept chaotically, she hastily released his hand and stood, incapable of fathoming a future where Sam wasn't there.  

Sam didn't deserve this. Dean and Bobby deserved any of this. The atrocious images of the blood tainting Dean's fingertips wouldn't diminish from her mind, and the haunting sound of the blade's edge puncturing and tearing through Sam's skin plagued her mind. She couldn't remove the depiction of Sam's blank stare from her memory, and she knew she was going to continue to see it for quite some time.

An unrelenting sob shook her body as she turned away from Sam's corpse. Everything was beginning to hurt; her mind was infested with the besetting thoughts of the several possibilities that could've happened if she didn't leave his side, bedeviled with an overpowering remorse as she realized Sam's heart was never going to beat again, and her heart was marred with a ferocious anguish that made it difficult to breathe.

 Glancing down at the whiskey bottle Dean left behind, she scrutinized the alcohol thoughtfully through clouded vision. She didn't think drinking her feelings and memories would solve anything. Alcohol was only a temporary solution with burdening side effects. Besides, she'd only remember everything in the morning. She despised this, knowing there wasn't a permanent solution to ease her pain. She grabbed the bottle and tossed at the door frame with an ear-splitting scream, watching as the glass shattered with the whiskey splattering in all directions. Her throat burned, pleading for her to stop, but she didn't care. She didn't about anything anymore.

Haphazardly, she scurried outside and fell to her knees as her fingers tore through her hair. Her heart lurched with each breath and each sob, her head throbbed from the engulfing thoughts, and body screamed for the agony to stop. Her body was screaming for the emotional pain to come to a stop, but was pleading for the burning of her arm to cease. Peering down at the onyx-black design through her blurred vision, she furrowed her eyebrows as the precise outlines faintly glowed. The golden gleam from her arm reminded Odessa of looking down at lava through the crevices of the earth. This never happened before, and the pain wasn't anything like she'd experienced before.

Grasping her forearm, Odessa could no longer focus her attention on Sam, but only on the unbearable pain surfacing from beneath her emblem. Something wasn't right. She could feel the direful sensation fluttering within her abdomen as the flames flourished from her arm, to her shoulder and chest, then her head and waist. Tightly shutting her eyes, she attempted directing her attention to the emotive formulating, but it was nearly impossible. Through gritted teeth, a scream of agony rang through the air. Then, as quick as the pain came, it was gone, and so was her consciousness. 

<<>>

 A blurred sense of familiarity coursed through her veins as she felt herself awaken from her involuntary drowse. The damp air and murky puddles seeping through her clothes. It was only just hours before when Odessa awakened, hours before when Sam was alive, when Andy was alive. As she stared off into the distance, the spot where Sam was stabbed, she couldn't feel a damn thing. There wasn't anger, anguish anymore. Just an unconnected numbness. 

From behind her, she could decipher the sound of heavy footsteps dashing towards her, but she didn't turn. A calloused hand gingerly placed itself on her shoulder, but she didn't flinch. A figure hastily slid and crouched before, his voice inconspicuous and muffled through the deafening thoughts clamoring her mind. The roughened palm cupped her cheek, delicately shaking her head but was mindful of her wounds. She heard his rugged voice shout her name, shouting for her to look at him. Apprehensively, she glanced up; his green eyes were clouded with concern and indistinct emotions. "What did you do," She whispered, voice void of emotion. She watched as Dean froze, incapable of voicing his thoughts. She knew he did something, but she couldn't explain it. The pain felt as if it derived from Dean's actions. "What did you do, Dean?" She repeated.

Dean didn't respond, only peered over her shoulder with tears brimming his eyes. Hesitantly, she trailed his timid gaze. Behind her was Sam Winchester, his heart beating and his color restored. The hands she held an hour prior were no longer rigid or stiff, but curled in fists. Her breath was caught in her throat, and she could've sworn the beating of her heart skipped. Hastily staggering to her feet, she nearly tripped over as she dashed to where the bewildered Sam remained. Wrapping her arms around his towering figure, she sighed contently as his body radiated warmth instead frigid frost. She savored the rhythmic beat of Sam's heart, the sound of him breathing, the sound of his chuckle as he staggered back upon impact.

"All right, let's get something to eat," Dean said before Odessa could begin questioning his resurrection. "You want something to eat?" Odessa took notice of this and gave Dean a wary glance, but remained silent nonetheless. Sam pursed his lips, then nodded. "I'm starving. Come on." Odessa's stomach growled at the mere mention of food. She hadn't eaten in, roughly around, three days, and was definitely malnourished. Reluctantly releasing Sam from her unwavering embrace, she glimpsed over her shoulder and chanced Dean an apprehensive glance. His look gave everything away; he was responsible for Sam's return, as she feared.

"All right, let's get something to eat," Dean said before Odessa could begin questioning his resurrection. "You want something to eat?" Odessa took notice of this and gave Dean a wary glance, but remained silent nonetheless. Sam pursed his lips, then nodded. "I'm starving. Come on." Odessa's stomach growled at the mere mention of food. She hadn't eaten in, roughly around, three days, and was definitely malnourished. Reluctantly releasing Sam from her unwavering embrace, she glimpsed over her shoulder and chanced Dean an apprehensive glance. His look gave everything away; he was responsible for Sam's return, as she feared.

Half an hour passed when the three of them finally consumed an actual meal, and the feeling of having nutrients entering her body once again was relieving. Sam was explaining everything that happened prior in Cold Oak, with the occasional comment or correction from Odessa. "And that's when you guys showed up." Sam said, referring to Dean and Bobby. Odessa ripped a pepperoni from the pizza slice in front of her and placed it in her mouth, relishing the greasy fast food.

Dean swallowed his pizza. "That's awful. Poor Andy." Odessa grimaced at the mention of Andy. She hadn't seen Andy corpse, and she didn't want to, but from she heard, Andy died a painful death. He didn't deserve that. He was a good guy brought into a bad world.

Sam nodded. "The demon said he only wanted one of us to walk out alive," He scoffed, "He appeared in a dream." Dean asked if the demon told him anything else. Sam glimpsed over at where Odessa was perched, picking at the pizza's cheese and placing it in her mouth. She paused, waiting in anticipation. She could see Dean stiffen from her peripheral vision. "He said Sifewood is coming, he said that you knew him, Essie." 

Memories resurfaced, and she closed her eyes before exhaling softly. "Sifewood was like a mentor, and he hated me. He made it his personal mission to taunt me, point out my every flaw or mistake. I never knew why he hated me, but my brother always thought, if given the chance, Sifewood wouldn't have hesitated to kill me. I always that was stupid think of, but there was this one time when I did think he was going to end my life. He never did anything like it again, but I never got over it." She paused and licked her lips. "Did he say anything else?" Sam immediately evaded his gaze from hers and swallowed deeply. "Sam, tell me." She demanded.

Sam looked down at his pizza crust. "He told me..." He trailed off, almost if the words were difficult to even say. "He told me you weren't going to survive this war." Odessa allowed the words to register, and she suddenly lost her appetite. Noticing the sudden alteration in the atmosphere, Sam quickly changed the topic. "You know what I don't, Dean, is that if the demon wanted only one of us, then how did Jake and I both get away?"  

The answer was simple; Sam didn't get away. But Dean didn't seem to want Sam to know he died. "Well, I mean, they left you for dead. I'm sure they thought it was over," Odessa's glared at his temple, and she knew he was purposely ignoring her. "So, the yellow-eyes has Jake, what's he gonna do with him?"

"I don't know. But whatever it is, we got to stop him." 

  Odessa dragged her fingers through her hair. "You need to rest, all right? We've got more than enough time." She emphasized. Sam was quick to shake his head and claim they didn't. "Sam, sweetheart, get your strength back, then we can go kick some ass."

"Did you call the roadhouse? Do they know anything?" Dean chuckled nervously as his expression went grave. "Dean, what is it?" Dean licked his lips as he sat down in front of his brother.

"The roadhouse burned to the ground. Ash is dead, probably Ellen—a lot of other hunters, too." Tears flooded Sam's eyes as he asked if it were demons. "Yeah, we think so. We think because Ash found something." Odessa wiped away the threatening tears and sniffled, asking what had Ash found. "Bobby's working on that right now." Sam desperately wanted to visit Bobby then, explaining he was only a few hours away. He grimaced as he quickly stood on his feet, the wound on his back presumably aching. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop. Sam, stop, damn it. You almost died in there. I mean, what would I have—you just take care of yourself for a little bit, huh? Just for a little bit." 

Shortly after arriving at Bobby's house, Bobby briefly explained that demonic omens have increased in one specific area, everywhere but the center of the region. He clarified that Southern Wyoming is surrounded with demons, as if they can't enter the region. Bobby asked if she and Sam could examine the map for him, search for thing he could've missed. Odessa didn't mind, she was able to spend more time with Sam, but as Bobby demanded Dean assist him with his search for some books, she couldn't help be a bit irked. She knew what they were going to discuss, and she was bothered they didn't have her come with them to discuss it. She had the right to know, despite having the faintest assumption of how Dean did it. 

"How's your neck," Sam questioned tentatively, gesturing to the lilac brand encircling her skin. She gingerly caressed the sensitive area with furrowed brows. She'd completely forgotten about her injury. She was so overtaken with Sam's resurrection and Bobby's discovery she disregarded herself entirely. "Does it still hurt?" Truth was it did hurt, not as much as before, but the pain was still there. Even the gentlest touch erupted the sensation of hundreds of needles. But did she want Sam worrying about her, especially at a time like this?   

"No, it's fine now." She replied, half-shrugging. Her wounds she sustained weren't their priority as of now. Swiftly glancing down at the design on her forearm, momentarily examining the lacerations she created. She must've scratched herself too deep when the burning pain commenced. Sam noticed her gaze shift and trailed her scrutiny. She quickly lowered her jacket's sleeve, concealing the self-inflicted wounds from him. "Everything's fine now. You know, excluding the fact the demon wants you gone, Sifewood's coming back, and apparently I'm not making this war out alive. Everything's just peachy."   

Sam's expression softened, settling his hand over hers. "Odessa, you'll be fine. Some stupid mentor with a stupid name isn't going to kill you," She feigned a smile, looking down at the map once more. She wanted to believe him, she truly did, but her subconscious was nagging at her. "Last time I checked, you're Odessa De Los Santos, and you're the most badass person I know. You'll be fine, trust me." He reassured.  

Odessa opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted with the back door abruptly opening. In came Bobby and Dean with Ellen supporting herself on their shoulders. Odessa's eyes widened as she helped her sit down on one of the several chairs lying around. Bobby grabbed a bottle of holy water and poured it into a shot glass, then slid it over to where Ellen sat. She grabbed the shot glass with a displeased look. "Bobby, is this really necessary?" She asked.

Bobby shrugged. "Just a belt of holy water. Shouldn't hurt."

Ellen, knocking the water back with ease, placed the glass back on the wooden table. "Whiskey now, if you don't mind." She said, sliding the glass back to Bobby.

"Ellen, what happened? How'd you get out?" Dean interrogated. 

"I wasn't supposed to. I was supposed to be in there with everybody else." She scoffed, disbelieved. "But we ran out of pretzels, of all things. It was just dumb luck." She downed the shot of whiskey and grimaced. "Anyway, that's when Ash called, panic in his voice. He told me to look in the safe. Then the call cut out. By the time I got back, the flames were sky-high, and everybody was dead. I couldn't have been gone more than fifteen minutes." Sam voiced his condolences. "A lot of good people died in there. And I got to live. Lucky me."

Bobby broke the silence. "Ellen, you mentioned a safe."

"A hidden safe we keep in the basement." Bobby asked if the demons got what was in it. "No." Was all she said. She then reached into her pocket and pulled out a map, unraveling it and displayed it neatly on the table, showcasing three 'x' marks on different spots.

Odessa leaned forward. "Wyoming. What does it mean?"

And with that, they all grabbed the nearest book and began researching.  

<<>>

After an hour of research and reading a wide variety of different books, Bobby had discovered the three 'x' marks created a large devil's trap, much larger than anyone thought was possible. The three 'x's were also abandoned frontier churches constructed by the infamous Samuel Colt, the man who developed the Colt. The demons can't cross the iron lines of the Devil's Trap, therefore protecting the center of the Trap, which was some old cowboy cemetery. Dean suggested Samuel Colt wasn't protecting something there, but instead keeping something from leaving. Sam then explained his discovery; the yellow-eyed demon needed a special child to enter Wyoming.  

In present time, these several discoveries brought the five of them to the middle of Devil's Trap where Jake was currently wandering around in. All five of them were concealed by the tombstones, hidden and crouched behind them as they avoided Jake until Sam gave them the signal to confront him. Minutes passed when Sam motioned for them to reveal themselves. "Howdy, Jake." Sam greeted, his gun raised high.

To say Jake was surprised to see Sam was an understatement. "You were dead. I killed you." Jake scowled. Odessa stiffened, but didn't reveal her discontent with the statement. She wanted to tell Sam when the time was right, not in the middle of the night standing in an abandoned cemetery.

Sam didn't appear fazed. "Yeah? Well, next time, finish the job." He sneered, cocking his head.

Jake quickly retaliated, "I did. I cut clean through your spinal cord, man." Sam is visibly distraught by the news, and he glanced towards where Dean and Odessa stood, sending them an unnerved look. "You can't be alive. You can't be." He said, shaking his head.

"Okay, just take it real easy there, son." Bobby said.

"And if I don't?" 

"Wait and see!" Sam shouted, seconds from pressing the trigger.

Jake was unfazed with Sam's outburst. "What, you a tough guy all of a sudden? What are you gonna do—kill me?" Jake asked, "You had your chance. You couldn't."

"I won't make that mistake twice."

Much to everyone's surprise, Jake laughed. Dean cocked his head. "What are you smiling at, little bitch?" He inquired in a slow, arrogant voice. 

Jake's smile diminished. "Hey, Odessa. Do me a favor. Put that gun to your head." Odessa swallowed the lump lodged in her throat as she involuntarily raised the muzzle of her gun to her temple, her hand shaking vigorously as she attempted to overcome the demand. Jake laughed. "See, that Ava girl was right. Once you give in to it, there's all sorts of new jedi mind tricks you can learn."

"Shoot the bastard." Odessa sneered through gritted teeth.

"You'll be mopping up skull before you get a shot off. Doesn't matter, he doesn't want you alive, anyway. He calls you the fate worse than death. His words not mine." Odessa, including her boys, scrunched their eyebrows together in bewilderment. "Everybody, put your guns down. Except you, sweetheart." Everyone apprehensively obliged. "Okay. Thank you." Faster than Odessa could process, he rushed to the large crypt and pulled out the Colt and pressed into an opening. Hastily, both Bobby and Dean rushed to Odessa's side and yanked the gun from her hand before she could press the trigger on her head.

She heard Sam shoot Jake more than was necessary, even after he shot him in the head. Dean held her in his arms, and guided her to the crypt, which seemed to be opening before it abruptly halted. "Oh, no," Bobby muttered. Ellen asked what was it as Dean yanked the Colt from the switch. "It's hell. Take cover—now!

Dean didn't hesitate to push Odessa in front of him, making sure she was farthest away from the opening door. Stopping behind one of the widest tombstones, he encircled around, mimicking a protective barrier. Within seconds, the door was slammed open and out came hundreds of puffs of black smoke and ghostly apparitions.

"What the hell just happened?!" Dean shouted over the noise.   

"That's a Devil's Gate, a damn door to hell!" Ellen shouted back. "Come on! We got to shut that gate!" All of them scurried to their feet and made their way to the gate, immediately taking their places on each door. The force of the wind, the demons, and the ghosts escaping was too much for the four of them to handle, and when Sam departed his spot to save Dean, it only got more difficult.  

Odessa was effortlessly tossed back against of the several tombstones. She groaned from the force, but didn't have enough time to register the pain. A hand was immediately pressed against her throat, and she released a shriek from the intense pain. Opening her eyes, she was greeted with the infamous, sly smirk of Sifewood. "Lovely to see you again, Odessa." He whispered against her ear, loud enough for her hear each and every word distinctly. His lips brushed against her skin, and she tried to scoot away, but couldn't. She felt disgusted with him touching her. A gunshot rang through the air, and his attention was directed to where the sound derived from. He looked back down at her, grinning with a cunning expression. "Until next time." And he disappeared instantaneously.

Breathing heavily, she managed to stand on her feet and watched as Bobby and Ellen closed the gate. The burning of her rune began again, and this time, the pain only intensified. She barely decipher the blurred images of John Winchester with his hand perched on Dean's shoulder, but she couldn't focus entirely on anything but the pain.

And with a tranquil bliss, John Winchester disappeared into a bright light, indicating he found peace.  

<<>>

Odessa and Dean walked side-by-side with their fingers interlaced and halted as Sam stopped by the trunk of the Impala. "You know, when Jake saw me...it was like he saw a ghost." Dean exchanged a hesitant glance with Odessa, "I mean, hell, you heard him, Dean. He said he killed me."

"I'm glad he was wrong." Dean merely said. 

 Sam shook his head. "I don't think he was, Dean." Odessa evaded Sam's accusing glare. "What happened...after I was stabbed?"

Odessa sniffled her tears away, "We already told you, Sam."

"Not everything."

Dean shifted on his feet. "Sam, we just killed the demon. Can we celebrate for a minute?"

Sam didn't say anything for a moment, but then mumbled, "Did I die?" Dean didn't say anything. "Did you sell your soul for me, like dad for you?" Dean quickly dismissed the idea, shouting 'no'. Sam straightened. "Tell me the truth. Dean, tell me the truth." All Dean could do was mutter his brother's name, his voice wavering. "How long do you get?"

Dean apprehensively looked up at Odessa, both their eyes brimming with tears. As he looked at her, watching her so broken and shattered, he didn't want to say it. "One year," He watched as she closed her eyes and allowed the tears to freely cascade down her cheek. "I got one year."

"You shouldn't have done that. How could you do that?"

Dean straightened. "Don't get mad at me. Don't you do that. I had to. I had to look out for you. That's my job."

"And what do you think my job is? You saved my life over and over. I mean, you sacrifice everything for me. Don't you think I'd do the same for you? You're my big brother. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you." Sam said, "And I don't care what it takes. We're gonna get you out of this. Guess I got a chance to save your ass for a change."

Dean reluctantly looked over at Odessa, who was bloodied and tainted with dried mud, her makeup smudged and hair disheveled, but she somehow managed to be the most beautiful woman Dean ever looked at. She stepped forward, and smiled wistfully. Within seconds she was embracing him in a secure hug. "God, you stupid idiot," She muttered, but he held her tight anyway. "I love you. I love you so damn much." She pulled back and planted her lips on his, an unspeakable passion exchanged as they kissed.  

Ellen appeared from behind them, Bobby alongside with her. "Yellow-eyed demon might be dead, but a lot more got through that gate." She said.

Odessa stepped forward. "How many do you think got out?" 

"Hundred, maybe two-hundred? It's an army. He's unleashed an army." 

Bobby cocked his head. "Hope to hell you three are ready. 'Cause the war has just begun."

"Well, then..." Dean began, grinning as he opened the trunk of the Impala. He pulled out the Colt from his pocket and tossed it inside. "We got work to do." And closed the trunk with a bang.

Bobby was right. The war has just begun. The war Odessa wasn't going to survive.

THE END IS HERE AND I WANT TO THANK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU FOR JOINING ME ON THIS JOURNEY! I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH AND I CAN'T FOR YOU GUYS TO JOIN ME TO CONTINUE ODESSA'S JOURNEY IN THE SECOND BOOK (which should be uploaded in two days) AND THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! 

And for the last time in this book, have an amazing day/night!