Lost and Found

18. Ripper

PART ONE: FAMILY VALUES

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: RIPPER

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TEAM WINCHESTER, LEBANON, USA

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Sam sauntered back into the library, a large cup of coffee in his hand and his breakfast in the other. He slipped into his usual seat and rubbed the remaining sleep from his eyes before flipping open the book in front of him. He frowned at the table of contents, and then flipped the book closed to get a look at it's cover. The Archway to Demonic Connection. His brain was foggy with sleep and he irritably pushed it aside without another thought.

No one said anything as they all continued to scan the books, searching for the slightest inclination that Meta-humans might have happened in the past. Dean came in half an hour later but to Sam's surprise it wasn't from his bed that he came - it was from the front door. He came brandishing donuts and coffee with a large smile on his face. "Breakfast of champions!" he declared, setting it all down in the middle of the table before grabbing a powdered donut for himself and prying a coffee out of the corrugated tray.

Oliver leaned in and grabbed a donut and steaming cup for himself but Felicity didn't move to take any. Dean shrugged and grabbed another donut before flipping into a book. The room remained silent as they read, Felicity and Oliver being obviously uncomfortable now that they were away from their own base. Sam wondered how long they'd stick around.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Dean cried out an hour later, dropping his feet off of the table and letting his chair fall back onto it's four legs. His hand came up part way as his elbow came to rest on the table and he looked down at the text.

"1888 London, England it was so documented that Carmichael Bishop (hunter) tracked and killed a mutation. The creature was found to be a dangerous cross between a Werewolf and a Ghoul. The Werewolf would kill the humans on the night of the full moon and the Ghoul would feast on the recently dead flesh, leaving a ripped and mutilated carcass behind. It is likely that the insurgence of grave robberies in the area were actually a case of the Ghoul feeding between moons. It is unconfirmed if Carmichael's actions ended a local string of murders."

Dean looked up from the text and turned his head to Sam with eyebrows raised. But Sam looked deep in thought, furrowing his brow before finally asking his question. "Hey Dean, wasn't 1888 the year Jack the Ripper started killing in London?"

Dean gave him a look of disbelief before responding, just staring at his brother. "Dude what are you? A walking talking encyclopedia?" Sam let out a small huff before looking down at the table.

"No, just thought it'd be helpful to know. If we're facing anything like Carmichael it might be helpful for you to know that case file pictures are all over the web now - public access."

"You thinking it could be part ghoul?" Dean asked, curious while Oliver stared at them like they had five heads and Felicity said nothing.

"It's worth a shot, you saw how that thing took that damage. There's only a few creatures that can do that."

"Ghouls are one of them," Dean seemed to be aboard now, weighing the possibilities.

"Wait, so you're saying this might not be a Meta-human cross at all?"

"Sounds like-" a sob cut Sam off and his head snapped up and scanned the room before his eyes fell on Felicity. Two streams trailed down her face in a stream that looked like it had long been silent.

"Felicity, what's wrong?" Oliver asked, immediately getting up and going to her. She said nothing immediately but sobbed harder.

"I-I-hic- didn't know Oliver, I didn't know!" she finally cried, through the hiccups that now wracked her body in small waves. Oliver leaned down and took her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at him. Sam and Dean shared a look of concern and Sam eyed her carefully right down to the black grimmoire in her hands. He looked wildly around the table until his eyes fell on it, the large bound copy he had found out earlier this morning.

"Oh, no, Felicity please tell me you didn't?" Sam asked, pushing back from the table and running a hand through his hair.

"What?" Dean demanded, and Sam's only response was to shove the book towards him as he continued to pace the room. Dean's face went blank as he rapidly started flipping through the book, searching for something. He stood, knocking his chair back and moved with angry steps towards Felicity and Oliver. He pulled Oliver away aggressively and held the book open to Felicity, Crowley's number exposed in the bottom corner. "Please tell me you didn't call this number?"

"Dean," Sam warned, but it was no use when his brother was on a tangent.

"Felicity!" he yelled, making her jump and Oliver move to pull him away. "Did you call this number?" Felicity didn't answer and sobbed harder, causing Dean to stand, and his shoulders slump. "After everything we told you? After the warning we gave you not to trust him, you went behind our backs and contacted Crowley?" Another thought hit Sam as Dean fumed, throwing the book back at the table, causing the remainders of the coffee to splash across their work.

"You didn't summon him, did you?" Sam asked quietly, looking up to her. She nodded and Dean's hands went to his face as he tried to hold in his frustration. Sam took a deep breath to keep his cool while Oliver finally succeeded in pulling Dean away. "Felicity," Sam asked seriously, squatting down in front of the chair she sat in, his voice pleading now, "tell me honestly, did you make a deal with Crowley?" She stared at him, tears still pouring down her face before finally nodding. Sam ducked his head to hide his sadness and pushed his hands into his shaggy hair.

They sat in silence, the only sounds in the room were Felicity's occasional sobs. "Great, this is fucking great! How long did he give you? You know what, better yet, what the hell was so important you sold your soul for it?" Oliver's head snapped around to her again, looking at her in alarm.

"Dean, calm down, she didn't know."

"Didn't know? Sammy, she summoned the King of Hell to our bunker! It'll be a miracle if we're not surrounded by the black eyed son of a bitches already!" Dean walked over and tore the book out of her hands. "This," he said, holding it between them, "this isn't going to help you!"

"Dean!" Sam shouted, grabbing his brother's arm and pulling him away from her. "You're not helping the situation here. We'll figure something out, we always do." He said, a hand on his brother's chest, easily keeping him back. "In the meantime, I think it may be best you leave," he finally said, turning to Oliver and Felicity. "I should have never brought you here, it was far too dangerous. There's too many things here you could get mixed up in, too many things you could stumble upon."

"It's a little late for that warning, don't you think?" Oliver countered angrily. Sam didn't respond but just looked at Oliver because he knew as well as they did that they weren't accountable for Felicity's actions. It wasn't a problem that could be reversed, the brothers knew that all too well. The best chance she had was for them to bargain with Crowley, and the return on a deal like that would be higher than either of them were willing to pay.

Sam and Dean left the library in a tension filled silence and waited by the front door while Felicity and Oliver shrugged their jackets on. Sam drove them back out to the diner where he had found them and bought a full pie to bring back to the bunker. They ate it in silence as they resumed their work on the meta-wolf case, chasing the haunting images of Jack the Ripper into the dark hours of the night while the dark truth hung over them.

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A/N - Y'all were not happy with me last chapter but I assure you that everything will make sense in time. All the 'what the hecks?' you're currently collecting will be resolved. I won't tell you much more, I'm like River Song - Spoilers Darling!

Back to this chapter - what are your thoughts on this new revelation? Do you think Felicity's actions will drive the teams apart again, after just starting to come to terms with each other? Let me know what you think!