⌜ chapter twenty-one ⌟

Andrea went back to Woodbury, and the others are continuing their plans to survive whatever comes next. MJ hears Beth singing downstairs, and she decides to leave her cell. Everyone's gathered outside their own, and the brunette walks halfway down the steps until she's standing behind Maggie.

Beth looks up at them as MJ sits down, and she reaches out and rests her hand on the younger girl's shoulder. Maggie places her hand on hers, then her fingers curl MJ's hand and she squeezes it lightly.

"Your turn, Mama." Ellie speaks up and everyone looks over at her.

"For what?" MJ asks.

"Sing." She says, and the older girl laughs.

"Mama don't sing."

"Yes, you do."

"What about that lullaby?" Jr. asks. "You used to sing it when we were babies."

"There's a lullaby?" Mary asks as she looks at her daughter.

"Um... Yeah. I used to sing them a lullaby." MJ clears her throat. "When they were babies, before they knew that Mama can't sing." She shakes her head as she looks back at Ellie.

"What song was it?" Beth asks. "Maybe I know it."

"That's doubtful." Matt says. "It's Spanish, Beth."

"Oh."

"Where did you learn Spanish?" Mary asks, and she takes a deep breath. "Do you all know it?"

"No." Dean half laughs. "None of us have the discipline that MJ has."

"Dad left us—"

"Sam." Both of his older siblings look at him.

"He left at a motel for a couple months when we were kids." He continues anyway. "The woman who ran the motel was Mexican. Her kids taught MJ, and she loved the language so much that she studied it every chance she got."

"I did not leave you." John argues. "I was working a job that lasted a lot longer than I thought it would. I was around." He says, and Sam scoffs.

"That's enough, Sam." Dean says as he looks over at his brother.

"Sorry." Ellie mumbles, her voice soft.

"You, my love, have nothing to be sorry about." MJ says as she stands up and jumps over the railing to get to her daughter. "Your uncle needs to grow up, but that has nothing to do with you." She wraps her arms around her and picks her up off of the floor.

"Mom!"

"What?" Her eyebrows furrow as she kneels down, then sits with her back against the wall. "You didn't think I was strong enough to do that anymore, did you?"

"Daddy says I'm heavy." Ellie says, and she chuckles.

"That's because Daddy only looks strong." She starts whispering to her daughter as she looks over at Matt, and the little brunette starts giggling.

"Secrets don't make friends." Matt says, eyes narrowed, and MJ looks up with a furrowed brow.

"When has it ever been my goal to make friends?" She questions. "You asked me out, and I told you to go jump off a bridge."

"He did it too." Addy laughs.

"There was water underneath." Matt shoots her a dirty look.

"You know she only said yes to the date because I guilt tripped her after you climbed out of the lake with your teeth chattering?"

He shrugs. "I sealed the deal later, I still count it as a win for me."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, buddy." MJ says as he walks over and kneels down in front of them.

"What did she tell you?" He whispers, and Ellie smiles.

"Mom said that Daryl's stronger than you, and you're just a big teddy bear." The brunette says, and he glares at his ex-wife as she starts busting up laughing.

Rick smirks as he looks at Daryl, and Merle starts looking between his younger brother and their group leader. The brunette's hugging her daughter tightly as she rolls onto her side.

"Mommy!"

"It's not that funny." Matt mutters as he gets to his feet.

"It's funny...because that's not...what I said." MJ tries to regain her composure.

"Oh, great, she's just turning into you." He walks over to his son. "Stay on my side, won't you?"

Jr. shrugs. "We'll see." He says, and Dean busts up.

"What did you actually say?" Addy asks as she looks at her best friend.

"Well, I did call Matt a teddy bear." MJ says as she sits up. "But I said that his muscles were made of cotton. I don't know why she brought Daryl into this."

"'Cause it's funny." Ellie giggles, and her mom holds her hand out for high five.

"That's my girl."

"Does it earn me a lullaby?"

"She's trying to swindle me."

"She is a Winchester." Sam motions between his older siblings.

"Ask Dana, baby." MJ takes a deep breath. "I don't like singing."

"Will you dance with me?" Ellie turns her head to look up at her mom. "Like when I was little?"

"I guess I have to cave on something, don't I?" She lets go of her daughter, and the younger girl quickly gets to her feet.

MJ's in her cell later that night, and Rick walks in to talk to her. "Hey there, partner." She looks up at him and the baby that he's carrying.

"I'm going on a run tomorrow, taking Carl and Michonne. We're gonna need more gear if we're gonna go up against the Governor."

She nods. "Take Sam too. He and Michonne seem to work well together." She tells him, and he nods. "Be careful out there, brother."

"Always am." He says. "You'll be good here with the others?"

"Yeah, we'll be alright. Cas still has to work with Jack. I want to keep an eye on the two of them. I trust Daryl to handle his brother."

"Alright." He nods. "Try to get some sleep."

"You too." She says, and Jo walks past him, into their cell.

"I interrupt a secret meeting of the group leaders?" The blonde looks between the two of them, and MJ smirks.

"No, you're good."

"Night." Rick says and then walks out of the cell, still lightly rocking Judith.

"Everything alright?" Jo asks.

"Yeah." MJ nods. "He was just telling me that he's going on a run tomorrow. And I told him to take Sam with him."

"Just them?"

She shakes her head. "Michonne and Carl."

"Jr.'s chomping at the bit. I think he and Ash were on their own for longer than they let on." She says. "He wants to kill the walkers."

"I talked to Pamela." She looks at her. "She loves having her sight back, by the way."

"I bet." Jo smirks.

"The three of them touched down back here not long after Jr. died. What I don't get is why the angels, er Chuck, or whoever left them up there that long if they were gonna bring them back to begin with." MJ says, and she nods.

"Maybe they knew Jr. wasn't gonna last long in the beginning." She suggests. "He knows Ash and Pamela, trusts them even."

"You think it was planned that way?"

"Hasn't everything else been so far?" She asks, and MJ sighs.

"I hate the angels." She shakes her head.

"We'll figure it out." Jo says. "We always do, one way or another."

"I just don't want anyone else to die in the process." MJ says, and she nods.

"I know."

The next day, MJ's on the perch with the baby watching Cas and Jack. They've been working nonstop on his powers. The only time they take a break is when the others need to sleep. Jack hardly sleeps anymore.

Merle's still a little dumbfounded by it all, he had no idea that angels and demons were out there. He never even so much as thought that it was a possibility. Now he's actually wondering why MJ's left him alive this long when it's obvious that she could kill him, and Daryl couldn't do a thing about it.

MJ takes Judith back into her cell and she lays her on the bed. The baby's asleep and she only stirs a little before falling into a deep sleep again. Daryl walks in as MJ stands up straight, and she smiles as she looks at him.

"I never understand when you say that you failed as a mother. You're a natural from where I'm standing." He says, and she nods.

"Sure. While they're this little and can't form their own opinions or ideas yet." She says. "You know, you're pretty good with her too. I have to admit, I was a little surprised." She tells him, and he smirks.

"Didn't think I could handle a baby?" He asks as he walks over to her.

"Never thought you'd try." She says. "Didn't peg the owl killer as the baby type."

"Never again." His hand settles on her side, over the tattoo that's hidden under her shirt.

She smiles as she looks up into his bright blue eyes. He leans down, and she rests her hands on his sides as he presses his lips against hers. His hand moves to the small of her back and he pulls her body flush against his as he deepens the kiss. After a few seconds, he pulls back and simply rests his forehead against hers.

Rick gets back later in the day with Carl, Sam, and Michonne; MJ walks down the stairs before passing Judith off to Beth. The brunette walks over to them, and Rick pulls her away from the others, saying that he needs to talk to her alone.

"What's going on?" She asks, confused.

"You remember Morgan and Duane?"

"Of course. I only owe them my life." She says, and he sighs as he looks down. "What is it, Rick?"

"Duane didn't make it." He tells her, and her face falls.

"What?"

"They were on a run, and Morgan needed him to be the lookout. A walker came up behind him, and Duane... He couldn't shoot her." He explains as tears fill her eyes.

"J-Jenny?" She asks. "That's why he couldn't shoot her? Jenny hurt him?"

"Yeah." He nods, and she covers her face with her hands. "I'm sorry. I know how much they meant to you." He says as he rests his hands on her shoulders.

"They saved us." She says as she looks at him. "Jack and I were as good as dead before they found us. They didn't have to do what they did. They stuck their necks out for us, and we left them alone."

"What happened to Duane is not your fault."

"Then why does it feel like it is?" She asks, and he wraps his arms around her. MJ chokes back her tears as she buries her face in his chest.

"What's going on?" Dean asks as he walks into the common area.

"Where's Jack?" MJ asks as she pulls away from Rick.

"I'm right here." Jack says as he walks past Dean. "Why are you crying?" He asks, and she walks over to him.

"Rick ran into Morgan while they were out there." She says, and he nods, still not understanding why she's upset.

"Is he okay?"

"He's alive, but, uh... Duane didn't make it, Jack." She tells him, and he looks down. "I'm sorry. I know he was your friend."

"We're gonna fix it." He says as he looks up, tears in his eyes. "We're gonna save everyone. We'll make it all right again." He looks at Cas, and the angel nods.

—

Rick went to meet with the Governor in order to discuss a truce. MJ doesn't trust that he won't try to kill them, so she had two of her brothers and John go with them, as well as Daryl and Hershel.

The rest of them are still at the prison, getting ready for any possibility. "Carl, Jr., come here." MJ gets their attention, and they walk over to her. "You stash these at the loading dock. Alright?" She tells the two boys as she hands them some ammo.

"Beth, put more up on the catwalk." Glenn says as he passes some to her. "If anyone gets pinned down, we need to make sure that they have plenty of ammo. I'll go work on the cage outside." He tells them.

"What we should be doing is loading some of this firepower in a truck and paying a visit to the Governor." Merle says, gaining everyone's attention. "We know where he is right now."

"Are you suggesting that we just go in and kill him?" MJ questions as she glances at him. She's still checking all of their guns.

"Yeah, I am."

"We told Rick and Daryl that we'd stay put." Michonne argues.

"I've changed my mind, sweetheart. Being on the sidelines with my brother out there...ain't sitting right with me." He tells her, shaking his head, and MJ nods.

"I can respect that." She nods. "Cas!" MJ calls, and he walks into the common area.

"Yes?"

"Track Rick and Daryl, stay with them until they're back here." She tells him.

"What about me?" Jack asks. "I need him to help me. I'm finally getting better."

"Call Gabriel." She says as she looks at him; he gives her a puzzled look. "I'm not doing this his way, but I trust him enough to teach you what you need to know. We're still on the same side on that front."

"Okay." The teenager agrees and then walks away.

"Go, Cas." She says, and then they hear his wings as he disappears.

"That's it?" Merle questions. "You could at least send him to kill the Governor."

"Shut up, Merle."

"We have six of our own men in the middle of it." Glenn says. "No idea we're coming, they could get taken hostage or killed. A thousand things could go wrong."

"And they will." Merle argues, causing Carl, Jr., and Glenn to stop and look at him.

"My dad can take care of himself." Carl tells him.

"Sorry, son, but your dad's head could be on a pike real soon."

"Don't say shit like that to him." Dana says as the two teenage boys leave.

"We're not doing it." MJ says, and Merle looks at her. "That's my decision, and it's final."

"Look at you." A familiar female voice gets their attention, and MJ turns with the gun in her hand raised in an instant. "All authoritative and leader-like." Meg laughs as she pushes the two boys down the steps.

"Mom." Jr. looks up on her, but her eyes are locked on the demon.

"You're different now." She smiles as she looks at the brunette. "Not as dependent on your brothers. It's cute."

"MJ?" Glenn looks at her, his gun aimed at Meg as well.

"Get away from the boys." Their leader says, never taking her eyes off of the threat.

"Sure thing." The demon smiles. "Just give us little Lucifer."

"Everyone, in the cellblock." MJ orders. "Go, now!"

They all go into the cellblock to protect the others, but Glenn, Maggie, Dana, and Bela keep their guns aimed at Meg. The two teenagers are still on the floor at Meg's feet.

"You're not getting Jack." MJ tells her, and she smiles.

"It's too bad you didn't keep a better eye on all of your traps... The rest of the prison." Meg says, a smug look on her face. "We've been here for days, watching and waiting. All we needed was for you to send away the angel."

Yelling and screaming starts in the cellblock, as well as plenty of gunshots. Meg goes after the leader and disarms her. She drags her into the cellblock, over the devil's trap — it's worn from the group walking over it every day, it's been broken.

They're all fighting — MJ and Rick's group against two dozen demons. MJ gets Meg down, and the two end up in a hand to hand fight fast. Meg breaks her leg, and MJ screams out in pain.

"No!" Jack yells, and suddenly the prison starts to shake.

"Jack, no!" MJ looks at him, trying to talk to him through the pain. "If you do anything now... You could level the whole building. It won't be them who dies, it'll be us."

He stops, his breathing heavy as he looks at her. Meg punches her again, and MJ keeps fighting against her. The demon laughs as she pins MJ to the cement floor. All of the demons now have the upper hand.

"Gabriel." Jack's eyes are closed as he calls for his uncle. "Gabriel, we need you."

"Sorry, kid. He's a little tied up at the moment." Meg says as she looks at him. "We got our hands on some holy oil. It wasn't easy to do, but so worth it to see the fall of the Winchesters."

MJ grunts as she tries to get away from the demon. None of the other demons have Jack, they all know they can't hold him, but they have their hands on everyone else.

"I know torturing your mommy won't do any good. After all, she spent forty years in hell as Alistair's little play toy." She squeezes MJ's throat. "Nothing I do would even come close to the same kind of pain."

MJ's reaching for the angel blade that Jess dropped during her fight. Meg slams her fist down and breaks MJ's arm, causing her to scream out in pain. But still, Jack sees more anger in her eyes than anything else.

"But I wonder how much your pretty little girlfriend can handle before you agree to come with us." Meg says as she looks over at the demon that's holding Dana. "Not nearly as much as her mom, I'd guess. Or anyone else in this room." She turns to Jack. "How many of your friends do we have to kill before you come quietly? One? Two? All of—"

"I'll go." Jack says.

"No." MJ argues, and Meg laughs.

"Take him." Meg tells the other demons, and they get Jack out of the prison.

"No!" Their leader yells, and Meg lifts her off of her feet. She throws her across the room, and MJ lands on the steps before falling back to the cement floor beneath.

Cas shows up soon after because Addy called him back, but MJ won't let him heal her first. He goes to help the others and then walks over to MJ, who's crying at the bottom of the stairs. But she's not crying because of the physical pain, she's crying for the loss of Jack.

The others get back — Rick, Daryl, John, Dean, Sam, and Hershel — and they take in the sight before them. There's blood on the walls, and MJ looks like hell. She tries to hit the angel as he reaches for her, but he grabs her hands and stops her. Cas heals her before sitting down beside her, he wraps his arms around her, and she continues to cry.

Adam and Matt take the men who weren't there for the fight into the common area, and they explain everything that happened.

"It was Meg." Matt tells them. "She showed up with her own army. They took Jack."

"That's the demon that beat MJ to hell in the woods while we were looking for Sophia and Ellie?" Daryl asks, and he nods.

"What happened with the Governor?" Adam asks, earning their attention.

Rick sighs as he looks back at him. "He wants us gone for what we did to Woodbury. He wants us dead." He tells them. "We're going to war."

"Good." Matt says. "We'll kill them and the demons who attacked us. No one hurts my family and lives. No one."

"I'm still alive." Merle says as he walks over to them.

"Don't test me..." He grinds his teeth before turning to look at him. "That's different. I've known MJ for half my life, and not once have I ever seen her like that." He motions toward the cellblock. "Meg and this douche who calls himself the Governor are as good as dead when I find them."

"What about our other problem?" Bela asks, gaining their attention. "They took Jack to open the cage. What if they set Lucifer free?"

"Then we'll deal with it." Sam says. "It won't be the first time we've gone up against the devil."

"No, but it is the first time that I've been this pissed going into it." Dean says, his gaze on his younger sister. "First thing's first — Cas, you need to find Gabriel." He tells the angel.

Cas looks up at the rest of them then, and Mary walks over to her daughter. He leaves MJ with her and then disappears to find the archangel.