My Home Is Always With You {10}

Chapter 21: "Dark Dynasty"

Liz looks angrily atRowena, and she says, "Nothing? You've got thing?! Rowena, it's been days!You said the codex would crack the code." Rowena says, "I am anartist, Elizabeth. These things cannot be rushed. Perhaps if I weren't chained up...I'm not really at full strength." Liz says, "Yeah, and you won't be at full strength. No witchcraft. Look, Ineed the cure for my boyfriend from the book, and if you're stalling so helpme--" Rowena cuts Liz off and says, "Why on earth would I stall?! Iwant the Mark off your boyfriend for my own protection! I want out of thesewarded chains and out of this pit, and I want you to hold up your end of thedeal and kill Crowley. You do remember the deal, do you not, Elizabeth?"Liz says, "Believe me, I have no issue killing Crowley!" Rowena says,"The problem is, the language Nadya used in the codex is damn nearindecipherable. She was a gifted witch but a selfish pig. Once she cracked thecode, she then coded its secrets for herself." Liz scoffs and says,"So... now we need to break a code to... break a code?" Rowena says,"Quick, aren't you?" Liz says, "Listen, Dean gets worse everyday. Get this done." As Liz walks away, Rowena says, "You won'tforget the grocery shopping, will you?" Liz sighs and rolls her eyes andsays, "No." Later, Liz walks back into the bunker and down the stairswhen Dean looks at her and says, "Wow." Liz looks over at Dean andsays, "Hey." Dean says, "I mean this in the nicest way possible,but you look like crap on toast." Liz says, "I just haven't... reallybeen sleeping well." Dean's been thinking that Liz has been acting weirdfor weeks and he says what's on his mind and softly says, "Is theresomeone else?" Liz immediately says, "No! No, of course not. Whywould you ask that?" Dean shrugs his shoulders and says, "I'm justsaying, you weren't here when I went to bed last night. You've been running offon your own a lot these past couple of weeks." Liz says, "Well, Ijust need to get out of the bunker and clear my head." Liz walks over toDean and sits on his lap and wraps an arm around his shoulder and softly says,"Hey, I love you." Liz softly kisses Dean's lips, and she slightlypulls away and continues to say, "Only you, okay?" Dean nods andpecks Liz's lips and says, "I'm sorry, I'm just worried." Liz nodsand says, "I know." Liz looks at Dean's computer and she says,"What are you doing?" Dean says, "So, those goons that wereafter the book, the, uh, the Stynes, well, the one that we killed said that hehad a big family. So, if there's more out there, I figure we should get to knowas much as we can about them." Liz says, "And?" Dean sighs andsays, "Well, there's pretty much what we do know, that they screwed withthe financial markets, they helped Hitler get started, along with the God knowswhat else-- probably disco. But you go back to the 1800s, and the trail goesdead. There's nothing in the research, there's nothing online. It's like thefamily just popped up one day." Liz says, "Families don't usually dothat." Dean says, "No, they do not. Hasn't been a total waste oftime, though. I think I caught us a case. There's a mention online of a murderin Omaha. Victim's eyes were cut out. Janitor runs in just as the killer jumpsout the window." Liz says, "Okay, that's weird." Dean says,"Not as weird as when the killer jumped out the window on the thirdstory." Liz says, "And the killer survived?" Dean nods and says,"Yeah." Dean closes his laptop and stands up with Liz still in hisarms and he continues to say, "We should probably hit it. We'll leavefirst thing in the a.m." Liz says, "Actually, I'm gonna go shower,but I'll meet you in bed, but if you fall asleep it's okay." Dean nods andlets Liz go and Liz watches Dean walk away with a sigh. Later, Liz goes to meetup with Charlie miles from the bunker and Liz gets out the car and says,"Hey, Charlie." Charlie smiles and says, "Hey, Liz. Why are youdriving in a... beat-up prehistoric subcompact?" Liz chuckles and hugsCharlie and she says, "Because I didn't want to take the Impala."Charlie nods and says, "Also, why are we meeting here? I could've come tothe death star." Liz says, "No, no, this is, uh... this is better,actually. We're not gonna be working in the bunker, so..." Charlie crossesher arms and says, "Uh-huh. What is this about, again? You were kind of...vague." Liz says, "Okay, so, here's the thing-- Dean is not gettingany better. I feel like we don't get the Mark off his arm, it's gonna eat himup." Charlie says, "I get it, but what are we gonna do about it?"Liz says, "I got ahold of a codex which is sort of a-a collection ofsupernatural code-breaking tools, and it should help crack 'The Book of theDamned.'" Charlie says, "That would be awesome if the book, you know,actually existed." Liz says, "It does. I swapped it out right beforeit looked like I burned it." Charlie says, "Okay. Well, Dean wantedit burned, so is he pissed?" Liz sighs and Charlie continues to say,"Of course. He doesn't know. Geez! The three of you." Liz says,"Charlie, he's not himself. He's not. He would try and stop me. He's givenup. Look, I called in an expert to-- to use the codex, but it turns our it'ssort of... encoded also, so I thought you might help... move things alongfaster." Charlie says, "Behind Dean's back. After Dean told us thestupid book would kick our asses if we messed with it. I-- is there any part ofthis that doesn't reek?" Liz says, "Did I mention you'll be workingwith one of the most dangerous witches in the world, who also happens to be mymother?" Charlie widens her eyes and says, "Wait, your mother? As inyour real mother?" Liz nods and says,"Yeah." Charlie sighs and says, "I don't know, Liz." Lizsays, "As far as I can tell this is our only shot at saving him. If wedon't take it... he's gone." Later, Liz takes Charlie where Rowena is andCharlie sets up shop at a desk to work at and Rowena says, "I thought Iwas clear, Elizabeth. I requested more time, not an assistant." Liz says,"And I thought I was clear, Rowena. Charlie is not yourassistant. You're hers." Charlie smirks and Rowena looks at Charlieand says, "And you studied your craft where?" Charlie says,"Mostly a joint called Mas Java. It has excellent wi-fi." Rowenasays, "I have not heard of this institution, and I know all the greatglobal centers of witchcraft." Charlie says, "Makes sense, 'cause I'mnot a witch. I'm a nerd. And I know all the great centers of nerdom."Rowena sighs and rolls her eyes and Liz looks at Rowena with a smirk and shesays, "Rowena, are you done marking your turf? Listen, Charlie has techchops that'll speed up cracking Nadya's codex. You will spot the ancient cursesand spells, and that'll put this whole mess in context." Then Castielwalks in, and Charlie looks at Castiel and says, "Cass. Are you in onthis, too?" Rowena looks at Castiel and she says, "Hell's bells. Moredistractions? What are you? Witch or nerd?" Castiel says,"Angel." Rowena can't believe what he said, and she says, "Begpardon?" Liz says, "Castiel has powers-- spiritual muscle that'llhelp safeguard the work." Rowena says, "Safeguard it from what?"Liz looks at Rowena and says, "You. I can't be here full time toreferee." Castiel looks at Liz and says, "Whoa, whoa. And I can?" Liz says, "Yes. Please. Please dothis for me." Castiel sighs with a nod and says, "Well, what are therules?" Liz raises a brow at Castiel and he continues to say, "If I'm gonnareferee, I should at least know them." Rowena says, "Quite literal,aren't you? Does he know that the first rule is don't tell your boyfriend whatwe're doing?" Castiel looks at Liz and says, "Wait-- Dean doesn'tknow? Liz, this never ends well." Charlie hits Castiel's arm and says,"That's exactly what I said." Liz says, "Okay, everyone take abreath. Look, we're up against it, okay? And we've all been up against itbefore, and we know there are times when every choice sucks. Now, us... lyingto Dean... is the choice that sucks the least. We have to make this work.Please." Charlie sighs and says, "Okay, yeah. For Dean." Lizlooks at Cass and says, "Cass?" Castiel says, "Okay, but it'snot just for Dean. It's also for you." Both Charlie and Rowena look atCastiel confused, and Charlie says, "What are you talking about?"Castiel looks at Liz and says, "You didn't tell them?" Charlie says,"Tell us what? Liz?" Liz sighs and says, "The reason why I'm sodead set on removing the Mark off of Dean is because... he's going to kill me.Literally." Charlie says, "What? No, Dean would never do that."Liz says, "I've been having a vision since I was a little girl about a mankilling me and that man is Dean." Charlie says, "You have to tellDean." Liz says, "I did, and it didn't work. Charlie, I have to getthis Mark off Dean's arm before he kills me, I can't leave Henry and Winter.Please." Charlie nods and says, "For Dean and Liz." Castiel nodsand says, "For Dean and Liz." Everyone looks at Rowena she says,"I barley know Dean, but for Elizabeth I would do this for you. You maynot think I don't care about you, but deary I do." Castiel's confused andhe says, "Why would you care about her?" Rowena smiles and says,"Because I'm her mother." Castiel widens his eyes and says, "Her mother? Wait, that means your Crowley'smother." Rowena nods with a smile and says, "Yep."