Shadow of the Wind - Chapter Three: Beneath the Skin
Title: Shadow of the Wind
Subtitle: Beneath the Skin
Author: dracox-serdriel
Warnings: graphic descriptions of violence, time warp, manipulation
There was a fire burning on earth.
Whispers gathered as the angels did before. They asked, 'Why does this fire burn here? All the world has changed, yet here the ash is being laid. How long will it burn?' The words ran together as they were repeated:
'How long will it burn?'
Concordia, Kansas. June 15, 2013.
Cas supported Sam Winchester, keeping him upright as he slouched under his illness. He was a much heavier man than the former angel anticipated.
"You expect me to believe that you want to do this?" Metatron asked. "That you want to travel back in time for me?"
"No," Dean replied. "We want to travel back to end the Apocalypse right. It just happens to benefit you."
"I see," Metatron replied. "You know, I am intrigued. The idea of rewriting the story always is so tempting. But if I do agree, there are some constraints."
"Like what?" Sam asked.
"You can't rewrite the whole thing. So, no going back in time before you're born, or before the first seal is broken. Actually, let's make it the last seal."
"Fine," Dean said.
"And standard time rules apply," he replied. "As soon as you change something that irrevocably alters the future, you won't have long."
"What does that mean?" Sam asked. "Long for what?"
"Well, if you change the past enough, the person you are in the future will be completely different. Or dead. Imagine if Jess had never died, Sam. Imagine if your father was never a hunter. Would you be here now?"
"So what? If we change the future enough, we gradually fade away?" Dean asked.
"No, idiot. There will be a short period of time when the timeline can, for lack of a better word, correct itself. If it doesn't, this future version of yourself disappears forever."
"You mean we die?" Sam asked.
"Not sure. It's never been done before. At least not that anyone can remember," Metatron replied. "So, you got a specific time and place picked out? Not before the last seal was broken, you understand."
"Yeah," Dean said. "Sammy, when was it?"
"Munice, Indiana. Hotel parking lot," Sam said. "April 22, 2010."
"Interesting choice. You do bump into Lucifer then, don't you?" Metatron asked. "Gotta admit, I'm excited."
He waved his hand, and Sam's cough stopped. He stood up straight, surprised.
"Couldn't send you back like that," the archangel explained. "Now you should be fine. No promises, of course."
Then Metatron clapped his hands, and they disappeared.
Muncie, Indiana. April 22, 2010.
Cas, Dean, and Sam crashed to the pavement outside a motel with the Impala parked out front.
"Ouch," Cas mumbled.
Dean hushed him as he pointed to the car. It was occupied. A younger Dean Winchester exiting, carrying an angel blade.
"Sam, can you handle this?" Dean asked. "Cas and I can find some wheels for us in case this thing goes sideways."
Sam nodded and ran for the Impala. Dean and Cas took cover behind some cars.
"You believe Gabriel will help us?" Cas asked. "If I remember correctly, our last meeting with him before this was unpleasant."
"Yeah, well, he never wanted this fight to happen. He just didn't see a way out."
Silence filled the space between them.
"So, how are you?" Dean asked.
"My ass hurts," Cas replied.
"No, I mean, in general," Dean said. "Been, what? Two weeks since you lost your wings."
"I'm fine."
"Because being human isn't easy."
"I've been human before. It's fine."
"Okay."
"It's odd," Cas said. "Being completely human. Feeling something all the time. Hunger. Pain. Hot. Cold. If not that, than a hundred other things. Constantly."
"Yeah, well, you get used to it," Dean said. "Mostly."
"I'm hoping I won't have to," Cas mumbled.
"What?"
"I'm expecting us to succeed. If we do, then I won't need to get used to being human."
"In the meantime, though, you'll get used to it," Dean repeated.
He put his hand on Cas's shoulder in a way he thought would be reassuring. Their eyes met, and Cas smiled.
"Hope we're not breaking anything up," Gabriel said as he and Sam joined them.
"Dude, keep your voice down," Dean replied.
"They can't hear us," Gabriel explained. "Time bubble."
"Time bubble?" Sam asked.
"Yeah. You told me I gave you a message on a DVD," Gabriel said. "How do you think I managed it then?"
"So we don't have to hide?" Dean asked.
"Don't get too comfortable," Gabriel replied. "I checked out Sam's story about the whole time travel thing, but that doesn't mean I should help you."
"You should," Cas said. "Had you helped us a few months ago in this timeline, the outcome would have been very different."
"Ah, the boy angel," Gabriel said. "Never mind about that. I just need to know one thing."
"What's that?" Sam asked.
"You two have a habit of screwing things up," the archangel replied. "Dunno about this guy, but since he's rolling with Winchesters, I'm assuming it's a third wheel made in Heaven."
"So what?" Dean asked.
"So what? What do you think your past selves will do if they bump into you knuckleheads?"
"They would likely shoot themselves with salt and iron rounds, cut or stab them with silver, and pour holy water over the remains," Cas replied. "Perhaps not in that exact order."
"My point," Gabriel replied. "You can't bump into your past selves or old buddies that knew you when. You're also gonna need to keep away from other hunters. People get wind that the Winchesters are in two places at once?" He let out a whistle. "That's not gonna go over well."
Sam replied, "We've got that covered."
"I'm assuming you'll fail and die horrible deaths," Gabriel continued nonchalantly. "But what the hell? I'll drop you off where Sammy boy here requested, but you'll have to do the rest on your own. That includes handling the younger me."
Gabriel snapped his fingers, and they vanished.
Springfield, Ohio. February 15, 2007.
Sam and Dean dragged Cas to the rear of Crawford Hall Theatre. A tremendous amount of sound emanated from the place.
"What's going on?" Cas asked.
"This is when we first met Gabriel," Sam replied. "As the Trickster. Bobby helps us kill him, and we run off."
"But you didn't kill him."
"Hush," Dean said.
They waited in silence. Things went quiet. Then they heard running.
"That's us leaving," Sam whispered. "Out the front."
Cas strained to hear.
"Bobby, thanks a lot," younger Sam said.
"Hey, save it!" Bobby replied. "Let's just get the hell out of dodge before somebody finds that body."
"That's our cue," the older Sam said. "Cas, we need you to stay by the loading dock door. Don't let anyone come up, all right? No violence, just lie to anyone who tries to come in. Okay?"
"All right."
"Get inside if you think someone's gonna make a scene, okay?" Dean asked.
Cas nodded and took up his post.
Dean and Sam crept into the theatre. The only sound in the entire building was the soft crunch of someone chewing. Occasionally a wrapper would crinkle.
Dean wondered how a guy could eat at a time like this, but he remained silent as he went for the backstage stairs. He found them, and he climbed until he reached a set of ladders that ladders that went straight up into the clouds, which overlooked the entire theatre. He crawled into position and pulled out his slingshot.
There he was, the Trickster. His fake body had already disappeared. He surveyed the room, as if trying to figure out what went wrong, and all the while he ate candy bars.
"Seriously?" Dean's voice echoed. "You couldn't have looked that up before we staked him?"
"You could've done some research for a change," Sam spat back. "Let's just go burn the body so we can leave."
The Trickster raised an eyebrow at that. Then he disappeared.
Dean put on his holy-fire specs. What he saw made his eyes water.
The Trickster followed the whispering voices of Sam and Dean Winchester, stopping at an old tape recorder, which was just behind the first wing of the stage.
Dean snapped the slingshot, which struck and ignited the Holy Oil instantly.
"What the hell?" the Trickster said as fire erupted around him.
Sam rounded the stage and shouted up to Dean, "Smoke detectors are jammed. Should give us enough time."
Dean removed his goggles and climbed down to join them.
"Gabriel," Sam said to the still-invisible angel. "We know you're there. And we can see if you if we want, it's just uncomfortable."
The Trickster balked at the sound of his name. No one had called him Gabriel in a very long time.
"Seriously?" Dean said. "Dude, we know. Archangel."
"Witness protection," Sam added.
Dean chuckled and added, "We even know about that thing you had with Kali. She was all hands."
"This is Holy Oil," Sam said conversationally. "In case you were wondering."
"Means you try and cross it, you're crispy fried."
The Trickster materialized and asked, "You two high or something?"
"Tell you what," Dean said, "you cross out of this circle of flame without dying, and we'll call it our bad."
"How did you find out?" Gabriel demanded. "And what's wrong with you two? Looks like you aged a decade in the past five minutes."
"First of all, it's six years," Dean corrected. "And we figured it out during the Apocalypse."
"Huh, so you're what? Here to right all the wrongs?" The Trickster asked. "Gonna stop the Apocalypse, big boys? News flash: best-case scenario, all that'll happen is it'll be delayed a decade or two. That's how it works."
"Bleak outlook," Dean said. "I like it."
Cas ran in and said, "There are several people outside in a red truck. I believe they came because of a fire."
"Let's say I believe you," The Trickster said. "What exactly do you want from me?"
"We want to stop the Apocalypse," Sam replied.
"You mean delay the damn thing."
"No," Sam said. "We mean stop it, forever."
Next Chapter: >>>
Chapter Four: Night Again
<<< Previous Chapter:
Chapter Two: If Words had Names
Subtitle: Beneath the Skin
Author: dracox-serdriel
Warnings: graphic descriptions of violence, time warp, manipulation
There was a fire burning on earth.
Whispers gathered as the angels did before. They asked, 'Why does this fire burn here? All the world has changed, yet here the ash is being laid. How long will it burn?' The words ran together as they were repeated:
'How long will it burn?'
Concordia, Kansas. June 15, 2013.
Cas supported Sam Winchester, keeping him upright as he slouched under his illness. He was a much heavier man than the former angel anticipated.
"You expect me to believe that you want to do this?" Metatron asked. "That you want to travel back in time for me?"
"No," Dean replied. "We want to travel back to end the Apocalypse right. It just happens to benefit you."
"I see," Metatron replied. "You know, I am intrigued. The idea of rewriting the story always is so tempting. But if I do agree, there are some constraints."
"Like what?" Sam asked.
"You can't rewrite the whole thing. So, no going back in time before you're born, or before the first seal is broken. Actually, let's make it the last seal."
"Fine," Dean said.
"And standard time rules apply," he replied. "As soon as you change something that irrevocably alters the future, you won't have long."
"What does that mean?" Sam asked. "Long for what?"
"Well, if you change the past enough, the person you are in the future will be completely different. Or dead. Imagine if Jess had never died, Sam. Imagine if your father was never a hunter. Would you be here now?"
"So what? If we change the future enough, we gradually fade away?" Dean asked.
"No, idiot. There will be a short period of time when the timeline can, for lack of a better word, correct itself. If it doesn't, this future version of yourself disappears forever."
"You mean we die?" Sam asked.
"Not sure. It's never been done before. At least not that anyone can remember," Metatron replied. "So, you got a specific time and place picked out? Not before the last seal was broken, you understand."
"Yeah," Dean said. "Sammy, when was it?"
"Munice, Indiana. Hotel parking lot," Sam said. "April 22, 2010."
"Interesting choice. You do bump into Lucifer then, don't you?" Metatron asked. "Gotta admit, I'm excited."
He waved his hand, and Sam's cough stopped. He stood up straight, surprised.
"Couldn't send you back like that," the archangel explained. "Now you should be fine. No promises, of course."
Then Metatron clapped his hands, and they disappeared.
Muncie, Indiana. April 22, 2010.
Cas, Dean, and Sam crashed to the pavement outside a motel with the Impala parked out front.
"Ouch," Cas mumbled.
Dean hushed him as he pointed to the car. It was occupied. A younger Dean Winchester exiting, carrying an angel blade.
"Sam, can you handle this?" Dean asked. "Cas and I can find some wheels for us in case this thing goes sideways."
Sam nodded and ran for the Impala. Dean and Cas took cover behind some cars.
"You believe Gabriel will help us?" Cas asked. "If I remember correctly, our last meeting with him before this was unpleasant."
"Yeah, well, he never wanted this fight to happen. He just didn't see a way out."
Silence filled the space between them.
"So, how are you?" Dean asked.
"My ass hurts," Cas replied.
"No, I mean, in general," Dean said. "Been, what? Two weeks since you lost your wings."
"I'm fine."
"Because being human isn't easy."
"I've been human before. It's fine."
"Okay."
"It's odd," Cas said. "Being completely human. Feeling something all the time. Hunger. Pain. Hot. Cold. If not that, than a hundred other things. Constantly."
"Yeah, well, you get used to it," Dean said. "Mostly."
"I'm hoping I won't have to," Cas mumbled.
"What?"
"I'm expecting us to succeed. If we do, then I won't need to get used to being human."
"In the meantime, though, you'll get used to it," Dean repeated.
He put his hand on Cas's shoulder in a way he thought would be reassuring. Their eyes met, and Cas smiled.
"Hope we're not breaking anything up," Gabriel said as he and Sam joined them.
"Dude, keep your voice down," Dean replied.
"They can't hear us," Gabriel explained. "Time bubble."
"Time bubble?" Sam asked.
"Yeah. You told me I gave you a message on a DVD," Gabriel said. "How do you think I managed it then?"
"So we don't have to hide?" Dean asked.
"Don't get too comfortable," Gabriel replied. "I checked out Sam's story about the whole time travel thing, but that doesn't mean I should help you."
"You should," Cas said. "Had you helped us a few months ago in this timeline, the outcome would have been very different."
"Ah, the boy angel," Gabriel said. "Never mind about that. I just need to know one thing."
"What's that?" Sam asked.
"You two have a habit of screwing things up," the archangel replied. "Dunno about this guy, but since he's rolling with Winchesters, I'm assuming it's a third wheel made in Heaven."
"So what?" Dean asked.
"So what? What do you think your past selves will do if they bump into you knuckleheads?"
"They would likely shoot themselves with salt and iron rounds, cut or stab them with silver, and pour holy water over the remains," Cas replied. "Perhaps not in that exact order."
"My point," Gabriel replied. "You can't bump into your past selves or old buddies that knew you when. You're also gonna need to keep away from other hunters. People get wind that the Winchesters are in two places at once?" He let out a whistle. "That's not gonna go over well."
Sam replied, "We've got that covered."
"I'm assuming you'll fail and die horrible deaths," Gabriel continued nonchalantly. "But what the hell? I'll drop you off where Sammy boy here requested, but you'll have to do the rest on your own. That includes handling the younger me."
Gabriel snapped his fingers, and they vanished.
Springfield, Ohio. February 15, 2007.
Sam and Dean dragged Cas to the rear of Crawford Hall Theatre. A tremendous amount of sound emanated from the place.
"What's going on?" Cas asked.
"This is when we first met Gabriel," Sam replied. "As the Trickster. Bobby helps us kill him, and we run off."
"But you didn't kill him."
"Hush," Dean said.
They waited in silence. Things went quiet. Then they heard running.
"That's us leaving," Sam whispered. "Out the front."
Cas strained to hear.
"Bobby, thanks a lot," younger Sam said.
"Hey, save it!" Bobby replied. "Let's just get the hell out of dodge before somebody finds that body."
"That's our cue," the older Sam said. "Cas, we need you to stay by the loading dock door. Don't let anyone come up, all right? No violence, just lie to anyone who tries to come in. Okay?"
"All right."
"Get inside if you think someone's gonna make a scene, okay?" Dean asked.
Cas nodded and took up his post.
Dean and Sam crept into the theatre. The only sound in the entire building was the soft crunch of someone chewing. Occasionally a wrapper would crinkle.
Dean wondered how a guy could eat at a time like this, but he remained silent as he went for the backstage stairs. He found them, and he climbed until he reached a set of ladders that ladders that went straight up into the clouds, which overlooked the entire theatre. He crawled into position and pulled out his slingshot.
There he was, the Trickster. His fake body had already disappeared. He surveyed the room, as if trying to figure out what went wrong, and all the while he ate candy bars.
"Seriously?" Dean's voice echoed. "You couldn't have looked that up before we staked him?"
"You could've done some research for a change," Sam spat back. "Let's just go burn the body so we can leave."
The Trickster raised an eyebrow at that. Then he disappeared.
Dean put on his holy-fire specs. What he saw made his eyes water.
The Trickster followed the whispering voices of Sam and Dean Winchester, stopping at an old tape recorder, which was just behind the first wing of the stage.
Dean snapped the slingshot, which struck and ignited the Holy Oil instantly.
"What the hell?" the Trickster said as fire erupted around him.
Sam rounded the stage and shouted up to Dean, "Smoke detectors are jammed. Should give us enough time."
Dean removed his goggles and climbed down to join them.
"Gabriel," Sam said to the still-invisible angel. "We know you're there. And we can see if you if we want, it's just uncomfortable."
The Trickster balked at the sound of his name. No one had called him Gabriel in a very long time.
"Seriously?" Dean said. "Dude, we know. Archangel."
"Witness protection," Sam added.
Dean chuckled and added, "We even know about that thing you had with Kali. She was all hands."
"This is Holy Oil," Sam said conversationally. "In case you were wondering."
"Means you try and cross it, you're crispy fried."
The Trickster materialized and asked, "You two high or something?"
"Tell you what," Dean said, "you cross out of this circle of flame without dying, and we'll call it our bad."
"How did you find out?" Gabriel demanded. "And what's wrong with you two? Looks like you aged a decade in the past five minutes."
"First of all, it's six years," Dean corrected. "And we figured it out during the Apocalypse."
"Huh, so you're what? Here to right all the wrongs?" The Trickster asked. "Gonna stop the Apocalypse, big boys? News flash: best-case scenario, all that'll happen is it'll be delayed a decade or two. That's how it works."
"Bleak outlook," Dean said. "I like it."
Cas ran in and said, "There are several people outside in a red truck. I believe they came because of a fire."
"Let's say I believe you," The Trickster said. "What exactly do you want from me?"
"We want to stop the Apocalypse," Sam replied.
"You mean delay the damn thing."
"No," Sam said. "We mean stop it, forever."
Next Chapter: >>>
Chapter Four: Night Again
<<< Previous Chapter:
Chapter Two: If Words had Names