Sanctum Sanctorum(A Supernatural Fanfiction)

Chapter Five: You'd Have To Be Half-Mad To Dream Me Up

There were several things that ran through  Alice's head as she made her way to Doctor Steele's office, driving like a maniac and probably giving two or three passing pedestrians heart attacks. The first of them went something like: Drive faster. You don't need those people playing cruel pranks on you. You're not Rachel the Crazy Person anymore. The second went: Oh, my heavens. Does this mean I'm not crazy -that I was never crazy? Was everything actually REAL? The third thought probably came from the Xanax working its way through her nervous system: Calm down. Pull over. Close your eyes and rest. The rest of the thoughts just felt like a plate of scrambled eggs thrown into her brain for a good dose of confusion -or it might have been that her brain was actually scrambled.

The sudden ringing of her phone gave her such a start that she swerved the steering wheel and almost wiped out two cars in the process. She quickly righted herself, nevertheless recieving several vulgar fingers as she put her car to park. She found herself feeling half-thankful for the otherwise unwelcome call as she realized she'd overshot Steele & Steele by almost two blocks.

Cursing, she scrambled out of the car and slammed the door, earning herself an offended look from a couple of elderly women who just happened to be within earshot when she let loose a string of choice profanities. Muttering an apology, she ducked out of sight and walked briskly towards the pre-colonial building that served as the doctors' regular office.

The autumn wind blew her way harshly -almost violently, making her wish she'd taken the time to just drive back instead of opting to walk. But then again, her cherry red car was so much of an attraction that it was possible loony Jared and crazy Jensen would be able to spot her from a mile Off. The usual foot traffic was also enough cover that anyone else who wanted to drive her crazy wouldn't be able to find her.

Her phone rang violently again, jarring her out of her incessant paranoid thought, yet again.

"Hello?"

The voice on the other line was unfamiliar, and yet as Alice listened to him say the word,she had the sinking feeling that Jensen Adales had decided to be a stalker.

"Leave me alone," she hissed, trying to still her fraying nerves."seriously. This isn't funny."

"Alice, come on,"Jensen was saying." We're not kidding. where are you?"

"l'm on my way to the police station, and I'm going to turn in this number." She ended the call just as she heard the string of choice swear words that Jensen had let loose. The sound made her smilejust the tiniest bit, until she got a hold of herself and remembered that for the moment at least, Jensen was the jerk who was trying to mess with her head.

She looked up to find herself right in front of the clinic. Sighing in relief, she stepped in, immediately greeted by the home-y smell f the place: like peppermint and cinnamon. Even if she knew it was nothing more than some expensive air freshener, she felt herself relax just the slightest bit.

"Hello. Can l help you?"

Alice turned to the thirty-something dark-haired woman behind the receptionist's desk, her expression patiently quizzical."Uhm, where's Paula?"she asked, pertaining to the salt-and-pepp"er-haired receptionist of Doctors Steele.

"Sorry,Paula'shome sick. I'm the temp," the brunette answered, offering a smile. "Do you want me to give her a message?"

It should have been the firstsign that something wasn't quite right. But then again, people got sick-even those who seemed quite healthy to you. Instead of giving her paranoia the satisfaction of wigging out, she answered. "No." she said it with a shake of her head. "I'm actually one of Doctor Jonathan Steele's patients. Rachel Winchester. I don't have an appointment until next week, but is it possible to see him today?"She was surprised at her own calmness-or maybe it was still the Xanax doing its druggy magic. Then again, she knew if she acted the least bit urgent, most people immediately assumed borderline hysteria.

The brunette was nodding."Why don't you take a seat?"She waved a well-manicured hand towards the waiting chairs."I'll ring in and check on Doctor Steele. I'm Eve, by the way."

Alice lifted her head to look at Eve with curious, almost suspicious eyes. The woman had picked up the phone and was talking into it with a small smile on her lips. She could hear nothing of the conversation, but it looked as if the temp was saying something along the lines of,"Rachel Winchester...see her today...Yes..." The woman nodded, probably to couple an affirmation,and then put down the phone gently. Alice averted her gaze and proceeded to feign interest on the wall across her.

"I'm sorry, Doctor Jonathan is indisposed," Eve began in an apologetic tone. "But Doctor Christian says you've consulted with him several times in situations like this. Would you like to visit him instead, or postpone until Doctor Jonathan is free?"

Doctor Christian Steele was the younger of the twobrothers, and mostly dealt with what Alice liked to call petty counseling like couples or depressed teenagers, saying he didn't have the guts to go head-to-head with the more intense side of mental instability. Alice-Rachel was the most serious case he'd dealt with. And in her opinion, his aura was a little too strong for psychiatry anyway. But he was better than nothing at the moment.

"I'll see Doctor Christian,"she answered.

Eve nodded and led her to the right-side office of the clinic. Alice shot a curious look at Doctor Jonathan's closed door before she sighed in resignation and stepped into the blue office.

*

Things started to go south really fast as soon as Alicestepped inside the office. Of course, when things don't go your way, it's safe to say barely anything will for the rest of the day. and she knew there were things she'd rather hear than the greeting that reached her ears.

"Hello, Rachel."

The voice, although familiar, was out of place in the office -mostly because it was female. And as soon as she heard it, Alice felt the strongest urge to close her eyes,curl into a fetal ball and fall into oblivion. Most of all, she did not want to believe she was hearing it.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned around, steeling herself.

Which led to the second thing.

Before her were the purple eyes of the avenging angel Evangeline-both Of which she'd forever dismissed as phantasm. Slowly, Alice felt her brittle psyche crumble. Everything came crashing down on her, all at once like ahuge wave threatening to drown her. lt was all too impossible; too cruel.

If Evangeline was there, real as she was, it meant Alice had wasted so many years of her life just driving herself crazy. lt meant Jensen and Jared - no, Dean and Sam, had been telling her the truth. She groaned, half in contusion and half in exasperation. Why now? Why did they decide it was worth their time to go after her when she'd already moved on and made a life for herself?

''Oh, my God,"she found herself saying.

Evangeline let out a high, almost cruel laugh that made the hairsat the back of Alice's neckstand on end. "No, Rachel. Just me."

Alice gulped, feeling faint."You're real."

The angel smiled serenely."Dear, dear Rachel. Of course I am. You would have to be half-mad to dream me up."

--------

A/N.

So... I wanted this to be longer, but the chapter just ended there naturally. OMG, so excited to write the next chapters.

Anyway, the usual drama. Read, comment and vote. I appreciate it!