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(12.2) ─ God Works In Mysterious Ways

𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫:
‧⁺˚*‧☾ 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐦𝐞, 𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝☽‧*˚⁺‧

The ride was bumpy going up into the rocky woods arriving at the white circus tent set up in a large field. Groups of people gathered at the entrance, as crowded trees surrounded the space. The youngest siblings got out; Sam held the door open as Carmen helped Dean out. "I can walk on my own." He said coldly. "Bull. I'm your sister, and I'm going to help you." She said not changing her expression while Dean's soften knowing she meant well, "Sorry, Shorty."

"Man, you guys are lying bastards. Thought you said we were going to see a doctor." He remarked trying to lighten the mood.

"I said a specialist, not doctor," She corrected walking towards the tent.

"Look, Dean, this guy's supposed to be the real deal," Sam informed joining Dean's other side. "I can't believe you brought me here to see some guy who heals people out of a tent," Dean said. An older woman with an umbrella passed by, "Reverend LaGrange is a great man." His brows raised clearly not fazed by the comment. "Yeah, that's nice,"

They passed a man who was getting escorted away by the cops, "I have a right to protest. This man is a fraud. And he's milking all these people out of their hard-earned money."

"Sir, this is a place of worship. Let's go. Move it,"

"I take it he's not part of the flock," Dean remarked as they glanced at the scene. "But when people see something, they can't explain, there's controversy." Sam started to explain. "I mean, come on, guys, a faith healer?" The oldest tried to reason. "Maybe it's time to have some little faith. It couldn't hurt anyone." Carmen suggested, keeping the two arms hooked. "You know what I've got faith in? Really knowing what's really going on." He replied glancing over at his sister.

"How can you be a skeptic? With the things we see every day?"

"Exactly. We see them, we know they're real." Dean insisted, stating his obvious belfies to his siblings. Who already knew he thought that way. "But if you know wvil's out there, how can you not believe good's out there, too?" Sam debated as they stopped now closer to the large tent. "Because I've seen what evil does to good people."

"Maybe God works in mysterious way," A female voice said in front of them. She was a pretty blonde woman, who gave them a kind smile.

Dean quickly checked her out, smiling, "maybe he does. I think you just turned me around on the subject." Sam and Carmen smirked at each other, as the woman giggled softly, "Yeah, I'm sure."

"I'm Dean. This is Carmen, and that's Sam," Dean introduced, holding his hand out. She shook his hand, "Layla. So, if you're not a believer, then why are you here?"

"Well, apparently my brother and sister believe enough for the three of us." Carmen rolled her eyes. It wasn't that she believed, but that she had too. It was either try every possibility or sit there and watch her brother die slowly. An older woman approached Layla and placed her arm around her, "Come on, Layla. It's about to start." The woman smiled at each of them before walking inside. "Well, I bet you she can work in some mysterious ways." The oldest said after watcher her and Layla leave. "I wasn't lying when I said I would slap you." She remarked, starting to drag him into the tent. Keeping their arms interlocked, as Sam followed behind them.

Inside the tent was a small stage at the front, candles surrounding the edges. People were scattered around looking for any available white folding chairs left. "Yeah, peace, love and trust all over." Dean commented looking all over the place. The two followed his gaze to see a security camera in each of the corners of the room. He then went to go take one of seats in the last row in the back, but Carmen quickly pulled him back to her side. "Nope, come on." Sam hooked the oldest other arm. "Don't! What are you doing? Let's sit here,"

"No, we're sitting up front." Sam insisted neither one listened to his pleading no to. "Move it, Tweety." Carmen remarked as the three made their way down the aisle. "Oh, come on guys." He growled, but was now hunched over, keeping himself balanced with the back of one of the chairs.

"You alright?"

"This is ridiculous," Dean grumbled, swatting Sam's hand away. "I'm good, dude, get off me."

Carmen nodded at three chairs; Sam nodded in agreement. Hosting Dean upright and bringing over to the chairs. Setting him in between the two of them watching each person filing into their own seats. Soft music started playing, and a blind looking man made his way into the stage. Guessing this had to be the reverend himself, Reverend Rory. "Each morning, my wife, Sue Ann, reads me the news. Never seems good, does it? Seems like there's always someone committing some immoral, unspeakable act."

As he spoke Carmen couldn't help but let her eyes wander over towards the table behind him. It was filled with different religious items. It had the usual ones that anyone could name, some that she knew from her father's journal, some from her research from different hunts. But there was one in particular that caught her eye. An old wooden cross that was topped by a smaller cross in a circle. Swearing she had seen it before but couldn't place her finger on were.

"But I say to you, God is watching," Roy said, the crowd shouted agreeing. "God rewards the good, and he punishes the corrupt. It is the Lord who does the healing here, friends. The Lord who guides me in choosing who to heal by helping me see into people's hearts."

"Yeah, and into their wallets," Dean muttered.

"You think so, young man?" Rory asked the oldest. "Sorry," He apologized embarrassed as all the attention was now on him.

"No, no. Don't be. Just watch what you say around a blind man, we've got real sharp ears." The old man joked, as the crow laughed. "What's your name, son?" The oldest cleared his throat, hesitating, "Dean."

"Dean," He repeated, glancing down before looking back up towards his direction, "I want–I want you to come up here with me." The crows clapped, the two younger siblings looked at Dean, who wasn't moving. Roy's wife, Sue Ann, moved to the center stage smiling. "No, it's ok," He dismissed, shaking his head. "Dean," Carmen whispered nudging his side lightly. "You've come here to be healed, haven't cha?" Roy asked him. "Well, yeah, but ahh..." He trailed off clearly hesitate about the whole thing. "-Maybe you should just pick someone else," Sam looked over at him like he was insane.

The crowds cheering and clapping grew louder, "Oh no. I didn't pick you, Dean, the Lord did." He insisted.

Carmen leaned in closer towards her brother, "Listen, if it doesn't work you have nothing to lose. So, get your ass up there, before I grab you by the ear and drag you up there." He looked over at her, her expression was stern, but her eyes were pleading and begging him to do it. Dean stood up from his seat, slowly moving his way towards the stage. Sue Ann moved to assist and placed him next to Roy. "You ready?"

He looked over to both Carmen and Sam, before looking back at the man. "Look, no disrespect, but ahh, I'm not exactly a believer." Roy smiled, "You will be, son. You will be." He repeated before looking out towards the crowd, "Pray with me, friends."

"Please...let this work," She muttered under her breath, fumbling with her necklace. Hoping that any and all the luck, power, magic anything her mother left was going towards helping her brother.

The crowd lifted their arms up and joined hands with each other. Roy lifted his hands, then placed one on Dean's shoulder, the other was on the side of his head. Dean's eyes glazed over; his knees sunk to the floor. His eyes rolled towards the back of his head. His clasped to the ground. Carmen was already towards the stage with Sam right behind her. "Dean!" They each shouted, kneeling down towards him.

Everyone was so...happy. Each of the clapping excitedly. It was as if it was straight out of a horror movie.

Dean opened his eyes and gasped, "Dean! Dean, are you okay?" She kept asking panicly.

"Say something," Sam pleaded.

But he didn't say anything. Instead, just looking up at Roy, like something was right behind him.

💾

Sam and Carmen took Dean straight to the hospital. He was currently sitting upright in a hospital bed, waiting on his results. "So, you really feel okay?" Sam questioned, standing at the foot of his bed. "

"I feel fine, Sam,"

"Dean," She said softly, standing on the right side of his bed. "I'm fine, really Carm." He insisted, as she nodded lightly.

She saw the doctor come in and felt her nails start to pick at the skin where her collarbones were. "Well, according to all your tests there's nothing wrong with your heart. No signs there ever was. Not that a man your age should be having heart trouble, but still, it's strange it does happen."

"What does that mean?" She asked her knitted brows lightly ever so slightly. "Well, just yesterday, a young guy like you, twenty-seven, athletic. Out of nowhere, heart attack." He explained and the air in the room went cold. "Thanks, Doc." Dean spoke, breaking the tension and he nodded giving them a small 'no problem' before leaving the room.

"Maybe it's a coincidence. People's hearts give out all the time, man." Sam explained, trying to give the situation the benefit of defiance. Especially knowing that this was going to weigh heavier on his sister then him. And by the look of her glossy eyes, he was right.

"No, they don't." Dean quickly retorted, shaking his head. He tossed the blanket off his legs and threw them to the side. "Look, Dean, do we really have to look this one in the mouth? Why can't we just be thankful that the guy saved your life and move on?" Sam suggested, silently begging for him to do it. "Because I can't shake this feeling, that's why," He retorted, standing up and walking over to the chair that housed his jacket.

"Feeling?" She repeated softly, not having stopped picking her skin.

He sighed lightly, slipping his jacket on as he explained, "When I was healed, I just...I felt wrong. I felt cold. And for a second..I saw someone. This, uh, this old man. And I'm telling you guys, it was spirit."

"But if there was something there, Dean, I think we would've seen it too. I mean, I've been seeing an awful lot of things lately." Sam explained making Dean turn towards the two of them, "Well, excuse me, psychic wonder. But you're just gonna need a little faith on this one. I've been hunting long enough to trust a feeling like this."

"Yeah, alright," Sam agreed, sighing lightly.

"So, what do you wanna do then? It's your feeling?"

"I want you two to go check out the heart attack guy." Dean told them," I'm gonna visit the reverend."

💾

"I'm telling you, he seemed healthy. Swam every day, didn't smoke. So, a heart attack just kinf od seemed, well, bizarre." An employee told the two younger Winchesters. "And you said he was running, right before he collapsed?" Sam asked. "Yeah, yeah, he was freaking out. He said that something was, uh, was after him." The man explained in an uneasy tone.

"Did he ever say what was after him?" She asked.

"Well, thin air is what. I mean, it wasn't anything."

"Alright, thanks." Sam nodded towards him. Carm gave him a small smile and her and Sam walked past him, going to leave. Sam looked up and noticed the clock on the wall had stopped. "Hey, buddy? Your, uh, your clock's busted." He told him as Carmen noticed. The man came up beside the two, "Oh, yeah, we can't get it workin'. Just froze at 4:17."

"The time Marshall died," She muttered with a small head tight. He looked at her with surprise, "How'd you know?"

The two didn't answer him. Instead just giving each other a knowing look. That look being the understanding that the time when Dean had been healed was 4:17. "Thanks again, and I'm sorry for what happened to Marshall." She quickly said before turning and walking out as her brother followed right behind her. Her chest felt tight, and her stomach was starting to knot. Was this her fault? "What now?" Her older brother sighed, "Now, we find out what's going on."

💾

Dean walked through the motel room door, tossing his keys onto the bed and started to peel off his jacket. Sam was at his laptop, while Carmen was sat on the floor near the foot of the bed going through different old books. Trying to figure out where the symbol from the cross was from. "What's you find out?" Dean asked, breaking the notable weird energy in the room.

Carmen looked up from her book, "I'm sorry." She said in a soft and quiet tone.

"Sorry about what?"

"Marshall Hall died at 4:17," Sam spoke. To say Dean was stunned, was an understatement, "The exact time I was healed."

"Yeah. So, we put together a list of everyone ROy's healed, six people over the past year, and I cross-checked them with the local obits." Sam explained while Carmen handed Dean the papers for proof. "Every Time someone was healed, someone else died. And each time the victim died of the same symptom LaGrange was healing at the time."

"Someone's healed of cancer, someone else dies of cancer?" Dean asked after a moment.

"Somehow LaGrange..he's trading a life for another." She adding feeling very guilty.

"Wait, wait, wait. So, Marshall Hall died to save me?"

"Dean, the guy probably would've died anyway. And someone else would've been healed." Sam tried to explained, but it didn't work. Instead making Dean stand up, "You guys never should've brought me here."

"Don't you think that if we knew, if I knew what was going on, I would have taken you somewhere else. Dean, you were dying, what was I supposed to do? Pack my bags and move on like nothing ever fucking happen?" Carmen expressed.

"Some guy is dead now because of me, Carmen!"

"I know Dean! Believe me I know!" She shouted feeling like her chest was going to give in on itself. She couldn't stay here. She couldn't just sit on the ground and listen, watch, and feel the guilt building and building. "And fyi, you never had a choice." She stated before slamming the door behind her.

She walked over to the vending machine, her lip quivering and her vision now gone. Hazed and fuzzy as the tears were winning the battle of letting them out. Going to the other side of the machine and let her back slide down the side of it. She took a shaky breath before taking her phone out. Pressing the contact only for it to go straight to voicemail. "Hey Dad, it's Carm. I knew you weren't going to pick up–I guess there was a part of me that hoped you would. Because I-uh-messed up. Really bad." Her voice broke and tears started to fall from the corner of her eyes. "And now, I don't know how to fix it...He's going to hate me for the rest of his li–"

BEEP

"To save your message press 3, if you wish to re-record your message press-"

She shut her phone close, shoving it back into her jacket pocket. Watching as a few tear drops fell onto the front of the phone. Sniffling, she softly hit her head where it meet the side of the machine. Shutting her eyes, letting the tears fall.Taking another shaky breath shaking her head against the cold metal.

A deep familiar voice cleared their throat. Opening her eyes and seeing her older brother looking down at her with an empathic expression. "Let me guess, pass my bedtime?" She remarked, whipping the corner of her eyes.

"Well yes, but–" He sat down in front of her, "--me and Sam are willing to let it slide, if you help us try and kick a reaper's ass?" He joked smiling. She laughed, nodding her head lightly, "Yeah, that sounds up our alley."

"There's our Carmen," He shoved her lightly.

Her smile faded as she looked down towards the ground, "I didn't know any of this would happen." Her voice was soft and quiet. Dean's eyes watched her feeling bad for taking his anger out towards her. "I know, I'm sorry little sis," He laid his head on her shoulder.