Hell West and Crooked - prt 5
They looked at him in askance, but just then a bright light began to glow. It hurt their eyes and so closing them wasn’t a problem. It grew in intensity and heat until they had to cover their faces with their hands. Around them could be heard screaming, both human and inhuman.
Then the light began to fade and they opened their eyes just in time to see the shadows of enormous wings fold back into the figure of a man. When the light finally returned to normal, a trench-coated man stood at the feet of Eliot, looking down at him with an expression of intense curiosity.
“I am sorry for your loss. His soul will go to Heaven,” Cas announced looking at Eliot Spencer’s still form.
“Jesus, Cas, timing, and what do you mean? You can fix him? Right?” Dean sighed as he asked. “He’s a good man Cas, he doesn’t deserve this.”
“He is a good man, Dean” Castiel agreed.
“Cas? Please,” Dean simply said. There seemed to be a long pause of silent conversation pass between hunter and this man. At least that’s what it seemed like to Nate Ford.
Then, the trench-coated man, this Cas, bent over the body of Eliot and placed his hand on his heart. A warm colored light appeared and Nate, Hardison, Sophie and Parker watched in awe as the blood disappeared from trace and the bruises on Eliot’s body healed. The man took his hand away and after a second or two, Eliot coughed and then gasped for air and sat up.
“What happened?” he asked looking about him at the surrounding chaos.
“You died?” Nate said, or queried, he didn’t really know now what had happened.
“Then he healed you,” Sophie looked toward Castiel with awe.
“You’re an angel?” Hardison and Parker asked at the same time.
“My name is Castiel, and I am an angel of the Lord” Cas stated.
“Holy shit,” Hardison exclaimed.
“Yeah, just about sums it up,” Dean said standing up and going over to help Sam and Bobby up.
“What do we do now?” he asked in an undertone as behind him Castiel was bomb-barded with questions.
“They’re warded,” Bobby said.
“yeah, but is that enough? They really don’t need to know all this crap?” Dean asked.
“What are you suggesting?” Sam looked at Dean, “even if you asked Castiel to alter their memories, how are you going to explain this bar?”
“Gas explosion? Look, they were here celebrating before Meg’s lover turned up as a demon condom with friend. They were here celebrating, there was a gas leak, explosion and that’s it.” Dean said.
Nobody noticed Nate and Eliot approach until Nate spoke, “what gas leak and what explosion?”
Dean jumped and instinct had him rounding on Nate with a knife at the ready. He put it away and shuffled uncomfortably. Sam saved him further embarrassment.
“We were discussing how Castiel could alter your memory so that none of this demon, Hell and Heaven stuff,” he began but Eliot cut him off.
“He could do that? The angel?” he asked.
“Maybe, if we asked. I don’t know how much ‘mojo’ that wipe-out took from him,” Dean replied honestly.
“But he’s an angel, isn’t he?” Nate asked. Castiel came to where they were standing, the other three grifters followed.
“I am. However my powers are not what they used to be,” He said. Sophie picked up on the tone of sadness in his voice and asked.
“Why are you sad?”
Castiel stared at her until she dropped her gaze. “I should not be helping Dean and Sam. The more I help them, the more distant Heaven and its Glory become. My, superiors, believe this will make me fall into line. Obey Heaven’s orders” Castiel explained.
“So you’re a fallen angel?” Parker asked.
“Perhaps, I don’t know” Castiel said.
“This memory thing, it would make my guys safe, no more charms or new interior decorating. Not that I don’t appreciate the effort, just…” Nate trailed off and gave an uncomfortable look towards Bobby.
“s’okay, warding isn’t Homemakers Weekly,” Bobby shrugged.
“Can we talk about this?” Nate asked then walked away towards one of the few tables that wasn’t overturned. The others followed, except for Eliot who tugged at Castiel’s sleeve to get him to follow him. The two sat down and started talking.
Bobby, Sam and Dean retired to the bar and finding a bottle of Jack Daniels not broken, opened it and poured themselves a drink while waiting to see what the grifters decided.
***
Dean watched Eliot and Cas with an odd sort of jealousy. They were in earnest converstation but Cas seemed to be at ease with Eliot in a way he wasn’t with either himself or Sam.
Bobby noticed and nudged Sam, who rolled his eyes and looked towards the grifters table instead.
“Reckon its cause they’re both soldiers,” Bobby’s voice cut through Dean’s thoughts.
“What?” he asked.
“You got a bee in your bonnet about them talking, being friendly. They are both soldiers. Gives Cas something in common with the man.” Bobby said.
“What and I’m not a soldier so Cas can’t talk to me,” Dean huffed.
“That’s not what I said, or meant and you know it, Dean” Bobby stated, eyeballing the young Winchester back into line. These boys would be the death of him, he was certain of it.
Nate came up to the bar. “If Castiel can do this, we’re agreed it would be for the best. But we’d like to help you before we forget you. Hardison can get you new identities, with a full back-story that you’ll be able to move more legally, so to speak, around the country.”
“Appreciate that, thankyou Nate” Bobby replied on behalf of all three.
Eliot and Cas came up to the bar. Eliot shook hands with them all, “so, losing our minds?” he joked. Dean grinned, “yep, want to wake up a ballerina?”
“Hell, no, I don’t want to lose our cook” Sophie exclaimed. Everyone looked at her with expressions ranging from blank to shocked.
“Seriously, unless you lot want me or Parker to cook,” she said.
“No way,” Hardison shuddered at the thought.
Parker punched him in the arm. “I can boil water,” she said.
“I can’t,” Sophie said.
***
Sam and Dean sat with Eliot and Hardison. The grifters were explaining how Zilgram had been using the Psychology department’s basement rooms to host an illegal experiment.
“Sorry I hit you, Dean, didn’t know who to trust at one point,” Eliot said to the young corporal, “but, then again, you would join the marines - jarhead”
“Yeah, back at you. Thanks again for looking out for my brother during rush week,” Dean raised his glass to Eliot while looking at Hardison.
“I don’t think fraternity’s my thing,” Sam said looking down at his soda.
“Was never my thing and I turned out alright,” Hardison said.
“So, what’s the story with this place? Kind of austere, even for Boston,” Dean asked looking around the bar room. Especially the boarded windows aligning the street access.
“Robbery, at least that’s what I heard, we were busy with Zilgram job,” Eliot said, “barman got off a couple of shots, missed the thieves, got the windows instead.”
“Guess insurance will cover it,” Dean half-joked.
“I don’t mind it, to be perfectly honest. Seen worse,” Eliot said.
Dean and Sam looked at their watches, “We’ve got to go, time to go home, see if can mend a few fences broken before I left,” Dean said getting up.
“Travel safe, Jarhead, Sam” Eliot said shaking hands with the two men. Hardison followed suit.
Seated at the bar behind them Bobby was talking to Nate Ford. When he saw Dean and Sam leave he made his excuses and left as well.
The three hunters gathered outside McRory’s.
“Seemed to go well enough, don’t you think?” Sam asked looking at Bobby.
“Went well, Nate and the girls all repeated the robbery story. I put some hex bags into the walls of his apartment and their HQ, just to be on the safe side. But I think we’re pretty safe. Cas did good work.” He replied.
“Then let’s blow this joint,” Dean said. He fished out his new driver’s license, courtesy of Hardison before Cas altered the grifters memories. “Mr James Browning, would have liked ‘James Brown’ a whole lot better.”
“Would you? I kind of like being Jesse Browning. What name did you get Bobby?” Sam asked putting his own new ‘fake ID’ back in his wallet.
“Bobby Singer,” Bobby deadpanned, “got a better credit rating and health care though.”
Dean and Sam were chuckling to themselves as they got into the Impala. They watched Bobby drive away and started the engine. Where the road would take them next, neither knew. They just knew they’d been in Boston long enough.
As they passed the Ashford Motel, Dean’s cell buzzed. He looked at the number and passed the phone to Sam.
“McRory’s robbed? Damn miss all the fun. My round next. Two Bob in Delaware, Skinny”
“Did we ever find out why he’s called Two Bob?” Sam asked.
“No. Have to ask them when we next meet up.” Dean said and kept on driving.
The Experimental Job - Masterpost