1st Drink ++ Video

[justrunsasaloon]

[The explosions sends her flying backwards and her head cracks against a wall that sends sparks dancing in front of her eyes.

Rolling, Ellen pushes herself up. The phone next to her chirps and she grabs it, unwittingly turning on the video function. There's nails in her body and bruises blossoming along her skin. Scrapes and gashes seep blood. The first breath hurts and gouges into her lungs.]

So much for Paradise.

[She forces herself into a sitting position and notices the phone.]

Great, cell service in Heaven. Damn I could use a drink.

[The second deep breath hurts just as much as the first. Damn, isn't there supposed to be a happily ever after? This sucks.]

Cas, just so you know, Heaven sucks.

Comments

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[castdown]

[ Hello, Ellen. You may not recognize the man on the video feed, but he certainly recognizes you, if only from Sam's recollections. ]

This is not Heaven.

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[justrunsasaloon]

Certainly hope not. Wanted my eternal reward, not this bullshit.

[Well, okay, maybe suicide is a cardinal sin, but she'd also killed hellhounds and saved the boys. That counted right?]

If this isn't Heaven, where the hell did I get blown to.

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[eatsyourscience]

[Those wounds are alarming, to say the least, and Souji jumps past the "welcome to Wonderland" pleasantries to point this out.]

You look like you're really hurt. Do you need help?

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[justrunsasaloon]

I'll live.

[Paranoia is strong. She won't trust anyone just yet. Except Jo and even then, she's using the flask of holy water in her jacket.]

[Video, soon to be action!]

[lightgunhustler]

[Jo's breath catches in her throat as she scrambles to grab her phone, fumbling with it a little before managing to get it facing the right way, her hands shaking. She'd know that voice anywhere, but it almost seems too good to be true. It wasn't all that long ago that she'd been talking to both Castiel and James about how much she wanted to see her mother here, how she felt selfish about wanting to rip her out of Heaven so that she could be here.

And yet there's no mistaking that voice for anyone else.]

Mom!

[God, she looks awful. Jo is already on her feet and in motion, gritting her teeth as she squints at the image on the screen, trying to place exactly where her mother has turned up. Damn it, legs, run faster.]

I'm on my way -- can you point out any landmarks? Just sit tight, I'll be right there and we can get you to the clinic--

[Her voice is strained with a note of panic, no matter how hard she tries to swallow it down. Her mother is here. No matter how often they may have butted heads in the past, for the last six months Jo has wanted nothing more than to see her again. She's needed her.]

[Video, soon to be action!]

[justrunsasaloon]

JoAnna Beth?

[There's a catch to her voice, a tremor that she can't hide and won't because the last time she saw her daughter.... She blinks back the tears. No. It can't be. It's Lucifer messing with her mind. She knows that to be true.

No, it can't be true. Because Jo... Jo had... Ellen swallows down the tears, forcibly blinking them away. Lucifer and whatever demon he has that's toying with her sure as hell ain't going to draw her into this trap.

But instead of arguing, instead of shutting off the video and pushing the pain away, Ellen looks around.]

Garden shed, of some sort. I can see a greenhouse.

[Her voice is finally steady and she's not going to get emotional. No. She's just going to play this out to the end.]

[video]

[justguidelines]

[He doesn't usually greet the new arrivals; every man for himself, etc. And she's banged up, that's true, but he's seen worse, and he's not about to play hero for anyone.

So, instead:]

If this is your idea of Heaven, miss, I'd nary wish that ye'd share your idea of Hell.

[Video]

[justrunsasaloon]

[She snorts, leaning her head back.]

There's no whiskey, and Lucifer's here. Close enough to hell. Just need that bitch Meg to show up and a few hellhounds and it'll be just like home.

[Pain hurts.]

[video]

[freewill]

[With the angle that the phone is recording at, not to mention the fact that the user in question doesn't seem to know that it's on, it takes a moment for Castiel to figure out who it is behind the broadcast.

He recognizes Ellen's voice as soon as he hears it, though. In a way, this had been expected. Where Jo goes, Ellen follows, and it's something he'd even discussed with Jo during her arrival.

And so he can't help but see it as an upside. Ellen would rather be with her daughter than alone in Heaven, and Wonderland is the one chance they have for that.

He isn't expecting her to call him out specifically, and he quickly moves to reply.]

This isn't Heaven. Where are you? I can heal. [Which isn't something he'd been all that capable of at the time of her death, but things have changed.]

[video]

[justrunsasaloon]

Castiel?

[Thank God. Someone sane. Well, there's Jo, but she also ran into Satan, so...]

Jo's dragging me into the clinic. I thought you couldn't heal?

[video]

[thepointisdolphins]

I can assure you, this isn't Heaven. [There are no demons in Heaven.]

[video]

[justrunsasaloon]

Considering Lucifer, I think you're right.

( video )

[ahousedivided]

[ There's a brief split second of fret--oh shit the lady done been dragged through a junkyard--but then she says the magic word. ]

Ma'am, looks like you're in serious need of a doctor.

[ And then he holds up a whole goddamn bottle of Jack Daniels. ]

Luckily I'm a doctor and I got just what ya ordered!

[ Literally the worst health care professional in Wonderland. ]

( video )

[justrunsasaloon]

[She practically drools. That's what she's talking about!]

I'll live. How much that entire bottle going to cost me?

[Video]

[moral_turnover]

Sorry to break it to you, but this is far from Heaven.

[She focuses more clearly on the video feed.]

Looks like you've had a bit of a run in with something.

[Video]

[justrunsasaloon]

Yeah, I'm getting that impression.

[She sighs and scrubs a hand over her face. She'll live but it hurts.]

You could say that.

[video]

[unregenerate]

[ Excellent, another Harvelle to add to the mix. She's sure this one will be just as pleased to see her face as the other one was. ]

Looking pretty rough there. Might need some of that looked at.

[ Oh, it's obvious exactly when Ellen is rolling in from. Good memories. ]

[video]

[justrunsasaloon]

... Meg.

[If looks could kill.]

[Video]

[pottershotter]

[James is concerned, but that last little bit sneaks a laugh out of him.]

Well, fortunately, it's not even close to Heaven. That would be just sad if this were the real thing.

[It might be nice-looking, but calling it Paradise is just hilariously inaccurate. He looks at the screen though, and there's something very familiar about this entrance, but he can't quite put his finger on it...but then again, a lot of people have come in injured. It might just be common now.]

Are you alright? We've got a clinic, and healers, and they should be able to put you back together nicely.

[Well, they're Muggle healers, but they do an alright job.]

[Video]

[justrunsasaloon]

[By the time she gets back to him, she's been to the clinic and has a glass of whiskey in hand.]

I'll be fine. A few bruises, a scrape or two. Dug the nails out, so I'm almost good as new.

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[righteously]

[See, now, he'd recognize that voice just about anywhere. Once upon a time, he had it on speed dial. He's got his phone propped on the bar, set to automatically play new transmitions as they role in just in case, and now he's glad he did, because his eyes tear away from the paper in his hands and lips part in disbelief.

A second after his mind processes it, his body kicks into gear and he launches for the phone.]

Well if you ain't a damn sight for sore eyes, haha, damn Ellen, it is good to see you.

[He can't help the boisterous greeting, he really can't, because after all the shit that went down recently, Jo-

...Jo's really gonna want her mom around. That little reminder has his smile slipping, but it's back on course a second later.]

Sure you probably heard from about ten different sources, but this sure as hell ain't heaven. Honestly? I think it's kinda better myself, but most'd call me crazy.

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[justrunsasaloon]

[By the time she gets the message, she's cleaned and patched up. Her eyes narrow.]

Boy, you better still have me on speed dial.

[Hi, Dean.]

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[quis_ut_deus]

Heaven isn't nearly this disorderly, but I imagine others have clarified the situation for you by now.

[Say hello to John Winchester's body, Ellen, though for all that the voice sounds like his, he isn't speaking or holding himself the way John would.]

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[justrunsasaloon]

[She's patched up, at least when she talks to him.]

John?

[ofletters]

It's sort of a far cry from Heaven.

[ Take it from someone who knows. Sam, though, is smiling well enough, looking pretty good-- Tired, if anything. He's glad to see Ellen, and knows that most of their friends will be, too. Jo, especially; he's heard what's been happening with her recently and knows what her mother's presence in Wonderland will mean. ]

Hey, Ellen. [ It's been a few years. For Sam, it's been... well, what feels like a thousand years. ] You alright?

[justrunsasaloon]

[She looks better. At least patched up, by the time she gets to Sam.]

Did you go and get taller? It's good to see you Sam. I'll be find. Jo's gonna ply me with hunter's helper in a minute.