Reckless and Brave

XXV. Dust in the Wind (Part II)

That night, Sam made his way back to his siblings' room with the journal. He sat on the edge of Dean's bed. "Hey. So Dad wasn't in his room."

"Where is he?" Dean and Holly asked.

Obviously, Sam didn't answer their question. "But I got Dad's journal, so who knows? Maybe there's something here."

Sam flipped through the journal, glancing between his siblings every so often. Dean and Holly stood behind him.

Dean smiled. "Thanks for not giving up on us, Sammy."

Sam turned to a page that said 'Reapers'. Dean and Holly leaned over and Dean's eyes widened as he read something. "Son of a bitch."

Holly frowned. "What?"

"Go to Jacob. I'm going to see Tessa."

Holly made her way to Jacob's room to see him in jeans and a black t-shirt. She crossed her arms. "Books offer very interesting things. Reapers can alter human perception. Did you know that? They can appear however they want. Like, say, a handsome guy. You're much more handsome than the last reaper I met."

Jacob smiled. "I was wondering when you'd figure it out."

Holly scoffed lightly. "I should have guessed. You accepted death too easily. I can't quite grasp the body, though. What's up with that?"

"I can make you see whatever I want, Holly."

Holly narrowed her eyes. "Is this fun for you? Toying with me?"

Jacob stared into her eyes. "You didn't give me much room for choice. My true form caused you to freak out. It honestly kind of hurt my feelings. I felt this is the only way you'd talk to me."

"We're talking. So how should we start this conversation? Like, hi, how are you?"

"I was thinking how death is nothing to fear." He took her hand. "It's time for you to go, Holly. You're already living on borrowed time."

Sam, that night, stood by the window near Dean's bed and thrust his hands in his pockets. "Dean, Holly, are you here?" He looked around a moment. "I couldn't find anything in the book. I don't know how to help you two. But I'll keep trying, alright? As long as you two keep fighting. I mean, come on. You two can't, you two can't leave me here alone with Dad. We'll kill each other. You two know that." He paused again. "Dean, Holly, you've got to hold on. You guys can't go, man. Not now. We were just starting to be brothers and brother/sister again. Can you two hear me?"

Holly stared at her unconscious, broken body. Without turning to Jacob, she said, "I know you've heard this before, but you've got to give me a break."

"Stage three: bargaining." Jacob said.

"Stop with the stages. I'm being serious. We're in danger; me and my family. You see, we're in the middle of this big fight, of this war, and they need me there."

"The fight is over, Holly."

Holly shook her head. "No it's not."

"It is for you, Holly. You're not the first soldier I've taken from the field. They all say the same thing. They can't leave. They need to stay and fight. But they're wrong. The battle continues on, even without them."

"My brother. He needs me."

"Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. If he dies, there's nothing you can do. Holly, this is an honorable death. It's a warrior's death."

Holly crossed her arms and glowered at him. "Honorable death? There's no such thing. What's so honorable about a rotting corpse six feet under? No. I refuse to go with you. Do what you will."