More Things in Heaven and Earth 4/4
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Chapter 4
The Affair Marches
Crowley kicked back in his recliner with a glass of Craic, thoroughly satisfied with how the crossroads business was coming along for the season. With Uriel handling Cazadore, it seemed he didn’t have a care in the world.
There was a clap of thunder outside his mansion.
Crowley blinked. “Odd,” he murmured to himself. “It’s not supposed to rain tonight.”
“DEMON!”
Crowley jumped, nearly spilling his Scotch, and cursed. “What the HELL?!”
The doors blew open and in he strode.
“What the blazes do you want, Uriel?”
“I require your services.”
“For what?!”
“Cazadore.”
“What, can’t you just smite the place?”
“Guard your tongue, Demon.”
Crowley frowned, sensing something more than Uriel’s usual antagonism behind the snarl. “What is it?”
“Samuel is not doing his job.”
“It’s been barely one day, mate. You can’t expect a human to move faster than that-not when he’s got 35 years to catch up on.”
“He doesn’t need to catch up! He needs to kill Sam Winchester so Dean will sell his soul!”
“You’re asking a hunter to kill his own grandson. There’s no way he’ll do that until he’s sure Sam’s not human.”
“Then we make Sam inhuman.”
“What the hell are you on about?”
“He has to kill Sam so Dean can sell his soul! There is no other path!”
“I know that, you bloody moron. But if you think any of my lot are getting close enough to possess Sam, you’ve got another think coming.”
“Then take the demon blood inside him and make it more potent!”
Crowley’s frown turned incredulous. “How am I supposed to do that?! I don’t even know how Azazel gave him the bloody stuff in the first place!”
“He bled into his mouth as an infant.”
Crowley rolled his eyes. “The spell, idiot. It’s not as simple as just the blood going into the bairn’s mouth.”
Uriel waved his hand. “Get one of your witches on it.”
Crowley scoffed. “Like anyone who owes me allegiance is getting within twenty miles of Cazadore.”
“Then let’s get Sam Winchester out of Cazadore.”
“If he’s there, and if he is a history teacher, like I’ve heard, it’s too close to the winter hols for him to just leave town in the middle of the week. What kind of emergency would you suggest?”
“That? Is your problem, Demon. But I will be watching.” And he was gone.
Crowley swore quietly, then summoned Meg.
She appeared, in a brand-new meatsuit. But her wide eyes and sing-song delivery showed it was Azazel’s daughter, herself. “Hello, Crowley. What do you want?”
“Meg. You’re a bright young thing. If I needed to get Sam Winchester out of Cazadore with all possible speed, what would you suggest?”
She smiled coldly. “Kill his friends.”
Crowley nodded considering. “Can you get close enough?”
“Not all of them live in Cazadore.”
“That’s what I mean. Can you get to the ones who are farther out?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Good. Get on that, would you? Oh, and Meg-quickly. I’ve got Upstairs and Downstairs breathing down my neck on this.”
“I’ll be a snail. And I’ll have your job.”
“I’ll tell Lilith.”
“You do that.”
“And Alastair.”
Her smile slipped.
“But you do as I ask, and I’ll see to it Alastair gives you first crack at Dean while he’s downstairs.”
Her eyes widened, then narrowed. “How can I believe that?”
“I’m a salesman, luv. I keep my deals.”
“Hmmmm... sealed with a kiss, then?”
Crowley snorted. “You’re not my type, ducks.”
“Some King of the Crossroads you are.”
“What, you want that guarantee? It’s not like you’ve got a soul to sell.”
“Fine.”
“Right. The faster you do this, the faster your father’s precious plans come to fruition. So I look forward to hearing all about it.”
She left.
Crowley took a drink, trying to think through what to do if they managed to get Sam out of Cazadore. He wasn’t convinced it was possible, frankly, but he knew they did need some kind of plan.
A witch, Uriel had said... Crowley snapped his fingers. That was it.
He put down the Scotch and summoned Ruby.
She appeared, frowning as she looked around. “Sweet digs.”
Crowley chuckled. “You expected less?”
“What do you want?”
“Sam Winchester.”
“Mmm... tall order there.” She smirked. “Literally.”
“We’ve got a hunter lined up to kill him, but we need to convince said hunter that Sam’s not completely human-that he’s far enough gone to deserve death. Assuming we can get him out of Cazadore, can you... do something? Strengthen the blood he has, get him hooked on yours, anything?”
Her smile said it all.
Crowley smiled back. “Good girl. Stand by, will you? I expect we’ll be hearing from Meg soon.”
“You know how to summon me.” And she vanished.
Well, that was that. Crowley went back to his recliner and hoped to... er, hoped like anything either that it actually worked or that Uriel wouldn’t kill him when it failed.
The Winchesters, Samuel, and the angels were in the middle of supper at Sam and Tricia’s house when Sam suddenly stopped talking in mid-sentence, his eyes going wide and glassy and his mouth falling open in shock.
“What?” Samuel and Michael gasped in unison.
No, Sam signed. Nononono JIM!!
Dean clawed his cell out of his pocket and began frantically dialing Pastor Jim.
Tricia’s gentle hands brought Sam back to them when his vision ended.
Sam’s terrified eyes locked onto Michael’s. Michael gently placed a hand on the side of Sam’s head for a moment to read what Sam still wasn’t able to say. “Demon,” he snarled as he pulled his hand away. “I shall see to it.” And he vanished.
“Pastor Jim? Listen, you’re about to have a visitor. His name is Michael and he’s a friend. Listen to him and do what he says, okay?” Dean hung up. “I heard him arrive.”
Sam slumped against Tricia in relief. Tricia kissed him.
“What the hell was that?!” Samuel demanded.
“Sam’s psychic,” Dean said, sitting beside his brother.
“He mentioned that this afternoon-something about visions.”
“You just saw one.”
Samuel’s frown appeared to be equal parts confusion and concern. “Is he okay?”
“He gets severe headaches when they hit. But he’s okay.” Dean’s hand was running up and down Sam’s arm as he spoke. Daphne was rubbing his back and Tricia was practically in his lap, comforting him.
Sam lifted his hands to sign, and Tricia translated for Samuel. “There was a demon who came into Pastor Jim’s church. She was on holy ground, and she acted wide-eyed and innocent, so he was off his guard until her eyes turned. She chased him into his safe room and killed him.”
“Michael’s there,” Dean said aloud. “I heard him arrive. And Jim was alive.”
Sam nodded. Yeah. Michael not there in vision. I think he’s in time.
Silence reigned for a while after that. Nobody knew what to say.
Then Dean’s phone rang. Sam’s already grey face turned ashen as Dean answered.
Dean’s eyes closed. “You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice, Pastor Jim.”
Every other human in the room heaved a sigh of relief, and even Castiel’s eyes slipped closed as Cooper patted his shoulder.
“So what happened?” Dean held the phone out and Cooper snapped his fingers. Everyone in the room could hear Pastor Jim’s reply.
“She waltzed into the nave all right, innocent as you please. Started spinning some story about wanting me to hear her confession. But Michael was hiding in the confessional and stepped out just about the time her eyes turned. She took one look at him, screamed, and fled.”
“You think she’ll be back?” Dean asked.
“Nope. Michael’s outside now, making sure of it.”
“Thank him for me.”
“I will.” Pastor Jim paused. “Am I right in thinking I have Sam to thank as well?”
“You are,” Tricia spoke up.
“Thank you, Sam. You’re a real Godsend, and you know I don’t say that lightly.”
“He can’t speak yet, but he signed that you’re welcome,” Dean replied.
The first four words clued Jim in to what exactly had happened. “Dean,” he said quietly, “was that Saint Michael?”
Dean looked at Cooper.
“What,” Cooper replied, “Dean couldn’t have called the nearest hunter who happened to be named Mike?”
There was a pause. “I see,” Jim said. “It seems we’ve all been entertaining angels unawares.”
“Seems that way,” Cooper replied.
Jim sighed. “Well, however it came to be-and I will want an explanation at some point, boys-I thank you all.”
“Mike, is he safe?” Dean asked.
“Yes, Dean,” they heard Michael reply in the background. “I shall see to your other friends as well.”
“Thanks, man.”
“It is my pleasure.”
Dean hung up, blowing the air out of his cheeks. Then he frowned. Why do I feel like we dodged a bullet?
Cooper translated for Samuel and replied, “Probably because we have. They can’t get to Sam here; they probably suspect they’re losing Samuel, and Walker’s no longer a threat. That leaves getting Sam out of Cazadore somehow.”
But now we have backup, Sam signed.
“Right, and they didn’t know that. Question is, did the demon recognize Mike as himself or just as an angel?”
“Wish we could ask her,” Daphne said. “Need information.”
Cooper drummed his fingers on the table. “Castiel? Ideas?”
Castiel considered and then slowly began to smile. “I’ll talk to her.”
“Do you know how to find her?” Dean asked.
“She’ll come to me. Or rather... to Sam.” He smiled.
“What?” the brothers chorused, though Sam’s voice was barely a croak.
Castiel grinned. “This is my body. And an angel’s form... can be altered.”
Sam’s answering grin was blinding. And devious.
Ellen and Ash looked up from their respective stations as the Roadhouse door blew open and a panicked-looking Sam burst in.
“Ash!” he gasped. “I need your assistance!”
Ash frowned a little at the word choice but said, “Hey, Little Bro. Whatcha need?”
“I need to summon the demon that attacked Pastor Jim.”
“WHAT?!” both Ellen and Ash exploded.
“She wants me.”
Ellen had some choice words to say to that.
“I intend to give her me.”
“Have you completely lost your marbles?” Ash drawled.
Sam smiled. “I didn’t say I was going to lose.”
“Bobby’s right,” Ellen growled. “You are an idjit. Does Tricia know you’re here?”
“Yes.”
Ash held up a hand. “Wait, wait, wait. You’re planning to summon this demon and-what, shoot her with the Colt?”
Sam’s grin said it all.
Ash sighed heavily. “What do you need my help with, specifically?”
“Tracking her.”
“Why do that when you’re just gonna summon her?”
“Gotta make sure it’s the right one.”
“All right, dude, if you insist.” Ash turned back to his computer and began typing.
Sam’s posture was wrong, Ellen realized. His speech was a little off.
“Ash, wait,” she said. “Doesn’t Sam have an exam to give tomorrow?”
“I... I rescheduled it.”
Both hunters had shotguns pointed at him a second later. “Christo!” Ellen shouted.
“I am not a demon.” His eyes did not change.
“No, but you sure as hell ain’t Sam Winchester.” Ellen threw a silver knife straight at not-Sam’s heart.
He looked down at it, then up at her. Without a change of expression, he slid it out and dropped it to the ground.
Her eyes widened briefly, but her grip on the shotgun never wavered. “What are you?” she snarled.
“A friend.”
“Not good enough.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re wearing Sam’s face and you walk in here asking us to help you summon a demon. What. The hell. Are you.”
He sighed. Thunder rumbled and in the flash of lightning, the shadows of outstretched wings were cast on the wall.
Ash signed an appreciative curse.
The Sam lookalike smiled at him, then turned to Ellen.
“Name,” she demanded. “I still need a name.”
“If I tell you my name, you’ll know everything.”
“If you’re their friend, you know I need to.”
“Castiel.”
“Angel of Thursday,” Ash added, and both he and Ellen lowered their guns.
He smiled. “Thank you.”
“A demon really attacked Jim Murphy?” Ellen asked.
“Yes. He is all right.”
“And you really need Ash’s help to make sure you’ve got the right one.”
“Yes.”
Ellen nodded once. “All right, then. Ash?”
He nodded. “Working on it.”
It was only a matter of minutes before Ash had what Castiel needed.
“Where do we do this?” Ash asked him.
“Not here. It’s too well warded. And there is no ‘we’-I will not put you in danger. Dean would find some way to hurt me if I did,” Castiel added with a wry smile.
“Now hold on,” Ash growled, wheeling around the bar.
Castiel held up a hand. “I know. You are not defenseless. But Azazel’s daughter is a very powerful demon.”
“Who?”
“This demon I’m about to face. I’ve heard her called Meg, though I’m not sure that’s her real name. She’s one of Azazel’s children.”
Ash’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve heard of Meg.”
“Then you understand why I won’t let you come with me. I can’t guarantee that she would not try to kill you for any reason at all.”
Ash sighed and looked at Ellen. “Help?”
Ellen shook her head. “I’m with Sam... uh... Castiel on this one.”
Castiel nodded to her. “Thank you. You will be safe here.” And he... vanished with a sound like wings flapping.
“Damn,” Ash breathed, sitting back further in his wheelchair.
Ellen walked over and rubbed his shoulder.
He looked up at her. “... but why did he try to pretend he was Sam?”
She shrugged. “Practice?”
Ash just shook his head. “Let’s fortify - in case he needs to come back and rest.”
“Good idea.”
Castiel realized his problem. The Roadhouse crew - while helpful - knew Sam too well. He could never have fooled them. But Meg - she didn’t know Sam very well. In fact, their paths hadn’t crossed since the Winchesters moved to Cazadore.
The part of him that had been influenced by the Winchesters - the part of him that was growing more human by the year, though not falling - led him to smile. This was going to be fun.
He chose an abandoned warehouse far from both Cazadore and all of Meg’s potential targets and began the summoning.
She arrived a few moments later, blinking in surprise. “... well, well. Sam Winchester.”
He straightened. “Hello, Meg.”
The creature preened. “Aw, my reputation precedes me!”
“Pretty easy to do, considering.”
“Considering?”
“Considering that you’re trying to kill all my friends.” Castiel advanced a step, putting his height to his advantage the way he’d seen Sam do when cornering a suspect. “I want to know why.”
“To get your attention, tall dark and... tainted.” Her smile grew. “And it looks like I succeeded.”
“Who sent you?”
“Who’s to say anyone sent me? Maybe I just wanted a crack at you myself...”
“You wouldn’t have tried to pull me out of Cazadore now. You’re patient. You’d have waited until we left town on our own.” Castiel took another step forward. “Plus, there’s the little detail of my dead grandfather showing up out of the blue. I won’t ask again. Who sent you?”
She shivered. “Ooohhh, I love it when you get all demanding and forceful, Sammy....”
“Don’t call me that,” he snarled... and the lights exploded. “It’s Sam.”
She gasped, looking around. Her face lit. “Okay... Sam. You’ve come into your powers, then...” Was that awe in her voice?
“Powers I never wanted. Answer me!”
She actually flinched. “... they call him Crowley. He’s the head of the Crossroads Demons.” Shifty. The truth, but not the whole truth.
“Why?”
She didn’t answer for a second, trying to come up with a plausible lie. But there was something about his eyes....
“Meg...” he growled.
“His name is Uriel,” she found herself blurting out, staring into those eyes. “... I don’t know anything about him, but he’s powerful enough he’s got Crowley pissing his Armanis.”
Just as Castiel inclined his head in satisfaction, he sensed Michael arrive outside. One swift mental conference later, Michael walked in-looking exactly like Dean.
“What are you doing here?” Castiel barked, exactly as the real Sam would have. “I told you to stay in Cazadore!”
“Dammit, Sammy,” Michael snarled, “I am not gonna let you get yourself killed over this!”
“It’s my life, Dean!” He spread his arms. “I’m an adult now - you can’t protect me forever!”
“Maybe not, but you’re also married. You leavin’ Dad and me would be bad enough, but what do you think it’d do to Trish?”
Castiel winced as he knew Sam would. “Trish... I... I wasn’t thinking.”
“Damn straight you weren’t.” Michael paused. “Tell me you at least got something.”
“Two names. Uriel and Crowley.” He turned to look at Meg. “And her.”
Michael looked past him to study Meg dispassionately. “So what do you want to do with her?”
Castiel’s eyes swept up and down her body. “She’s served her purpose.”
“Vic’s probably dead already.” Michael made a show of reaching into his back waistband and drawing a reasonable facsimile of the Colt.
“Probably. She doesn’t ‘feel’ like a possessed person. More like an animated corpse that don’t know it’s dead.”
Michael casually took aim and drew back the hammer.
Castiel just studied the strangely-silent Meg.
“On the other hand...” Michael uncocked the gun. “There are fates worse than death, even for demons.”
“Like what?” Castiel asked, stepping closer to his big brother.
“We’ve got a bodiless soul in a soulless body.” Green eyes looked up at him. “Say we make sure they can’t be separated.”
Sam’s devious smile spread over Castiel’s face.
Dean’s devious smirk crossed Michael’s, and he looked over at Meg.
She laughed, a little nervously. “That’s not much of a punishment, Deano.”
“It is if you’re powerless.”
“Fit punishment for her deeds,” Castiel nodded. “She tried to cross us, because she was more powerful and she could do it. Strip her of her powers....”
“She’s no more than she was at birth-human.”
“Before Azazel got hold of her.”
“But even then, it wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t remember Hell.”
“Brilliant.”
Meg was beginning to look genuinely panicked. “That’s not possible. You can’t do that.”
“As you said,” Castiel said, holding out a hand and deliberately making his eyes glow yellow. “My powers have come online.”
“And your bigger mistake,” Michael added, unveiling his power a fraction, “is thinking Sam’s the only freak in this family.”
Meg gasped, actually stumbling backward. “How... what?”
Michael put his hand on Castiel’s shoulder. “Take her, bro.”
Meg found herself lifted off the ground and slammed into the wall, against a devil’s trap that was suddenly visible. She screamed as a binding link seared itself into her arm.
Castiel smiled closed-mouthed and lowered his hand. “Your turn, bro.”
Michael didn’t move at all, but his eyes glowed white, and Meg screamed again as her demonic power was stripped away. The instant she was completely human, the devil’s trap had no effect and she fell to the ground. Then her eyes rolled back in her head, and she lost consciousness.
Before the angels had a chance to relax even a fraction, they heard laughter and applause. They turned to see a blonde woman stroll out of the shadows.
“Who are you?” Castiel asked, still keeping up the Sam facade.
“Call me Ruby. Pretty neat trick, what you did to Meggie there. Didn’t think you had it in you.”
“Another demon.”
“Ooh, aren’t you clever?”
“Who the hell are you?” And that was pure Castiel - he had lost his temper.
“I’m a friend, genius. I’m here to help you. There’s a war coming, and you need to be ready.”
“A war? Do tell. Details.”
She rolled her eyes. “Like you don’t already know. The Apocalypse? Lilith’s already trying to fight her way topside to start it.”
“She’s not topside yet,” Michael said, crossing his arms like he’d seen Dean do.
“No, but it’s only a matter of time. And Sammy’s the only one who can stop her.”
“How?” Castiel spread his hands. “And don’t call me ‘Sammy.’”
Ruby scoffed. “You did that to Meg and you don’t know how? With your powers, you can kill Lilith with a thought! You just... need some practice,” she added in a seductive purr.
“I’m not killing Lilith,” Castiel growled.
She blinked. “But you have to! It’s the only way to stop her!”
“I’m not stupid, Ruby!” He stepped forward. “I know the legends! Lilith is a Seal! I kill her, it breaks, Lucifer walks the earth!”
“What are you talking about? What legends?”
“The legends of the 66 Seals and the Apocalypse. A righteous man in Hell breaks the first, whoever kills Lilith breaks the last!” He crossed his arms. “It’s not going to be us.”
She looked downright nervous as she shook her head. “Listen, I don’t know where you heard that, but it’s not true.”
Michael smirked. “Then why did you just break out into flop sweat?”
“Because he’s about to make a major mistake, Shortbus. If you don’t listen to me, the world will end!” She was trying hard to cover her fear, but it wasn’t working.
“Same plan?” Michael asked Castiel casually.
“After we wring the truth out of her,” Castiel said just as casually.
“What?!” she shrieked.
“I’m more powerful than you,” he said to her calmly, making his eyes appear yellow again.
Ruby gasped and tried to back away. Only she couldn’t move.
“Like we told her,” Castiel said, jerking his shaggy head toward an unconscious Meg, “y’all are assuming I’m the only powerful one.”
She panicked. “Crowley summoned me! He put me up to it!”
“Dean.”
Michael’s eyes glowed white once more.
No demon had ever even insinuated that Dean Winchester was as powerful as his brother! This was a twist in the tale that took Ruby by pure shock.
“Please! It was Crowley! I... I think he’s working for someone called Uriel!”
“What were you to do?” Michael demanded.
The words forced their way out. “To get Sam to use his powers so a hunter would kill him.”
“Why would a hunter kill him?”
“He’d be convinced Sam isn’t human.”
“My brother is human!” Michael roared, all Dean Winchester protective rage.
She cringed. “I know. But he’s special. H-he... h-h-has t-to d-die... t-... to get the righteous man....”
“To get Dean into Hell,” Castiel ground out.
“Please... please....”
“Please... what?” they growled in unison.
She started sobbing. “Let me go or kill me. I... I can’t....”
“You can’t what?” Michael snapped.
“I can’t live like that!” She pointed to Meg.
Michael smiled. “Which is exactly why you will. Without the potential to kill yourself.”
Castiel put a hand on his wrist. “Dean, wait. There’s a soul in there other than her.”
Michael eyed her carefully. “What do you want to do with her, then?”
“I don’t know.”
“Perhaps we should let her own kind deal with her.”
Castiel nodded.
Michael smirked at her. “Hasta la vista, baby.”
Castiel reached out in front of him, made a fist, and pulled, and the demon came roaring out of her host and into the ground.
Michael caught the dazed host.
Castiel scooped up Meg. “This one, at least, ought to go to a hospital.”
Meg’s eyes opened and she began to cry.
“Oh, shut up,” Castiel snapped.
She looked at him and struggled to control her crying.
“Hey, Dean, where’d you leave the Impala?”
“Follow me.”
Castiel shot Meg another warning glance and followed. With a thought, the Impala was moved from Cazadore to down the block. When they got to it, Castiel unceremoniously tossed Meg into the back seat. Michael was a little more careful with Ruby’s host.
Then the angels got into the front seat-slamming their doors shut at precisely the same moment without even trying-and Michael drove to the nearest hospital. Once they got there, Michael carried Ruby’s host into the ER while Castiel marched Meg in behind them. He didn’t use force, but Meg didn’t try to escape.
“What happened?” the nurse asked when she ran over to them.
“She’s had a trauma,” Michael said, supporting Ruby’s former host gently. “She doesn’t remember much.”
“This one,” Castiel said, pushing Meg toward them, “is a criminal and needs to be looked over before she’s taken away.”
Meg’s tear-filled eyes turned furious as she spun toward him, but he caught her wrist before she could try to hit him.
“Don’t worry, Meggie,” he said. “We’ll make sure you’re taken are of.”
“Like hell you will,” she spat, struggling. “I’ll be damned if I let you send me to prison, you-”
“Enough,” Michael barked, and Meg gasped and went still.
“Just check her out,” Castiel said.
“Are you police?’ the nurse demanded.
Michael reached into his pocket and produced a Texas Rangers badge. “We’re off duty, and the case isn’t exactly in our jurisdiction anyway.”
She nodded. “Right this way.”
The angels saw the two women through triage, then left with the assurance that the local police were on their way. They drove away in the Impala-until they were out of sight of the hospital, at which point Michael stopped the car and took it and Castiel back to Dean’s garage. Then, with a sigh of relief, they shifted their forms back to the state they had been in before Sam’s vision.
Except that Castiel was still 6'4".
Michael looked at him curiously. “Won’t people notice?”
“I’ll have to go down slowly. Growing suddenly hurt - shrinking suddenly is going to hurt worse.”
“Very well. I will go talk with the others. Perhaps you should go to Gabriel’s apartment? I could... send him to look after you.”
“Thank you.” And he vanished.
Michael sighed again, more anxious for his younger brother’s drift toward humanity than he had been before, and flew into Sam’s house. Everyone stood up when he arrived, anxious for news.
He looked at Gabriel first. “Castiel has need of you.”
“Is he okay?”
“Shifting back to his usual visage is proving difficult. He’s still the same height as Sam.”
“I’ll go in a minute. The demon bitches?”
Michael explained what had happened.
Then Gabriel snapped his fingers and appeared in his apartment. Castiel was sitting on the couch, looking pained.
“Hey, hey....” Gabriel came to sit by him. “Trouble?”
“It hurts,” Castiel replied.
Gabriel nodded and put his hand on Castiel’s forehead. “Go on down. I’ve got you.”
Castiel screwed his eyes shut and shrank down to Jimmy Novak’s usual 5'10".
Gabriel eased the pain it caused. “There y’are.”
Castiel relaxed with a sigh and opened his eyes. “Thank you.”
“Any time.” Gabriel rubbed Castiel’s shoulder. “So. Mike told us, now I wanna hear it from you.”
Castiel filled him in, including the incident at the Roadhouse.
“Mike seems worried about you.”
Castiel frowned. “Why? Apart from this, I’m fine.”
“Not sure.” He closed his eyes and called for Mike.
Michael appeared. “Are you well, Castiel?”
“Yes, thanks to Gabriel.”
“I’m glad.”
“He said you’re worried about me?”
Michael sat down on the coffee table. “You feel pain. You lost your temper with Meg and Ruby. Falling is a choice, Castiel, and that is not the choice you have made, but... you are more human than perhaps you know.”
“I’m in a human body, Mike. This is me - as I would be if I were born from a woman. I am influenced by this human body.”
“Young Samantha said your wings are dark to her eyes.”
That alarmed him. His eyes went huge and cut to Gabriel.
Gabriel nodded. “That’s what she said when she spotted Mike’s. I asked if you have wings, and she said, ‘They’re dark. It’s a secret that he’s an angel.’”
“My wings... are dark?”
“To Sadie’s eyes, yeah. I’m still amazed she could see ’em at all.”
“You are not falling,” Michael repeated. “I just... have no idea what you are doing.”
“What I am doing?”
“What’s happening to you, perhaps might be the better phrase.”
“I... I’m just me, Mike.” He spread his hands as he had while pretending to be Sam. “I’m just me.”
“But you are becoming like them without realizing it.” Michael held up a hand to forestall the protest. “I am not like Uriel, brother. I do not hold humanity in contempt, and the Winchesters are good men. I simply marvel at the influence they have had-on both of you.”
“I... I have not fallen?” Castiel asked in a small, worried, but hopeful voice.
Michael smiled a little in gentle amusement. “Didn’t I just say so?”
“Guess I needed to hear it again,” he chuckled.
“I suppose other questions ought to wait until we have seen to Uriel. Are you recovered?”
“I am... a little tired. But I am functional.”
Michael took his hand, sending him some strength. “You may want to eat when you go back to Sam’s house. But I think they will all rest easier if you hold to your plan to guard Samuel’s dreams. Uriel will be furious over what happened tonight.”
“Thank you, my brother.” He surprised Michael with a warm hug before he vanished to Sam’s house.
Gabriel chuckled at the look on Michael’s face. “Think I felt the same way the first time he did that to me.”
“Do you know what his happening to him, brother?”
“No. Granted, it’s been a long time since a guardian had cause to get this involved with his charges, and most took vessels when they had to. I can’t imagine that it’s just a result of being incarnate, though. And Castiel... always was unusual.”
“How so? I... didn’t know him very well before.”
“He’s curious. He asks questions. He thinks outside the box. Zach tried to browbeat that out of him, but... I think that’s the reason Dad assigned him to Dean.”
“Because Dean is so... unusual.”
Gabriel grinned. “Highly.”
“So he needed an... unusual guardian.”
“Exactly. And one who cares as deeply about him as he cares about others, especially Sam. Poor kid didn’t know what to do with himself when I gave him his first A.” Gabriel sighed. “I’m sure John didn’t realize what he was doing to Dean, but in effect, he’d trained Dean to look after Sam’s needs to the exclusion of his own. Almost none of their hunting friends ever stopped to think about Dean’s needs, either, at least the first couple of years they were on their own. They treated him as an equal, sure, but it seemed like the only time the boys ever got a visitor was when that person needed something from them. I knew that had to change. And once I got clear orders from Dad, it didn’t take much to persuade Castiel to help.”
“How did you change it?”
Gabriel shrugged. “Encouragement. Friendship. Praise. Letting them do fun stuff that they couldn’t afford on their own dime. A few pointed conversations with some of their acquaintances. Jim Murphy and Bobby Singer were already doing their part, but there were a few others I kept out of town until they realized why the boys’ first question to them was always ‘Is something wrong?’ Of course, after the first year, it got easier; the whole town not only understood the boys but considered them heroes, and if certain people needed to keep their distance... Cazadore made sure they did.”
“This town is blessed, Gabriel.”
“Yeah. And the boys are blessed to be here.”
Michael looked out the window for a long moment and whispered, “So are we.”
Gabriel squeezed his shoulder and was silent for another long moment before quietly confessing, “I missed you, bro.”
“Why did you leave?”
“I couldn’t take the fighting anymore.”
“We were that bad?”
“Yeah. It was like everyone forgot we’re a family.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You weren’t the worst.”
“Lucifer.”
“Well, yeah. But after you locked him up... Zachariah. Uriel. Their cronies. Smug, self-righteous... idiots. No idea of what justice really meant.”
Michael resumed looking out of the window.
“You’re not Dad, Mike. You can’t keep tabs on everyone.”
“Wanted to.”
“What would you have done?”
“Kept you home.”
Gabriel snorted.
“But then, none of this would have been possible.”
“How do you mean?”
“Cazadore.”
Gabriel shrugged. “Dunno that I had all that much to do with it.”
Michael smiled at him. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
“Dad had much more of a hand in it. I thought I had come here on a whim until I crossed paths with Dean for the first time.”
“You knew just like that?”
“Not the specifics. Pretty tough to miss the signs, though, especially one of your vessels.”
Michael laughed. Gabriel grinned.
Castiel stuck his head into the room. “You’re wanted back at Sam’s.” He beamed. “Gabriel - Daphne’s making sheet cake!”
Gabriel’s eyes lit up. “Cake? What kind?”
“Chocolate with cream cheese frosting.”
Gabriel ooh-ed apprecitively. “You comin’, Mike?”
“Very well.”
“Seriously, dude,” Gabriel said as they flew back to Sam’s house, “you’ve gotta try this stuff. It’s amazing.”
“I intend to.”
Gabriel grinned.
And they were all there, waiting for the angels, smiling as they opened their hearts to this strangest part of their strange family.
Michael graciously accepted a slice of cake when it was offered to him, along with a cup of vanilla tea, and found them both surprisingly pleasing. Gabriel’s delighted glow when he said so was almost visible to the human eye. And as Michael watched his unusual brothers interacting merrily with these most unusual humans, he found himself smiling fondly and enjoying the warmth of their friendship.
That fondness also aroused his protective streak, a trait it seemed he shared with both John and Dean. They were precious in Father’s sight; they were dear to Gabriel and to Castiel... and they were quickly growing dear to Michael as well.
When at last the humans went to bed and Castiel took up his station at Samuel’s side, Michael stepped outside, resumed his true form, and spread his wings over both Sam’s house and Dean’s.
Hell and wayward angels be damned. No one was touching this family. Not if the Prince of Angels had anything to say about it. And Michael knew he had plenty to say.
Chapter 4
The Affair Marches
Crowley kicked back in his recliner with a glass of Craic, thoroughly satisfied with how the crossroads business was coming along for the season. With Uriel handling Cazadore, it seemed he didn’t have a care in the world.
There was a clap of thunder outside his mansion.
Crowley blinked. “Odd,” he murmured to himself. “It’s not supposed to rain tonight.”
“DEMON!”
Crowley jumped, nearly spilling his Scotch, and cursed. “What the HELL?!”
The doors blew open and in he strode.
“What the blazes do you want, Uriel?”
“I require your services.”
“For what?!”
“Cazadore.”
“What, can’t you just smite the place?”
“Guard your tongue, Demon.”
Crowley frowned, sensing something more than Uriel’s usual antagonism behind the snarl. “What is it?”
“Samuel is not doing his job.”
“It’s been barely one day, mate. You can’t expect a human to move faster than that-not when he’s got 35 years to catch up on.”
“He doesn’t need to catch up! He needs to kill Sam Winchester so Dean will sell his soul!”
“You’re asking a hunter to kill his own grandson. There’s no way he’ll do that until he’s sure Sam’s not human.”
“Then we make Sam inhuman.”
“What the hell are you on about?”
“He has to kill Sam so Dean can sell his soul! There is no other path!”
“I know that, you bloody moron. But if you think any of my lot are getting close enough to possess Sam, you’ve got another think coming.”
“Then take the demon blood inside him and make it more potent!”
Crowley’s frown turned incredulous. “How am I supposed to do that?! I don’t even know how Azazel gave him the bloody stuff in the first place!”
“He bled into his mouth as an infant.”
Crowley rolled his eyes. “The spell, idiot. It’s not as simple as just the blood going into the bairn’s mouth.”
Uriel waved his hand. “Get one of your witches on it.”
Crowley scoffed. “Like anyone who owes me allegiance is getting within twenty miles of Cazadore.”
“Then let’s get Sam Winchester out of Cazadore.”
“If he’s there, and if he is a history teacher, like I’ve heard, it’s too close to the winter hols for him to just leave town in the middle of the week. What kind of emergency would you suggest?”
“That? Is your problem, Demon. But I will be watching.” And he was gone.
Crowley swore quietly, then summoned Meg.
She appeared, in a brand-new meatsuit. But her wide eyes and sing-song delivery showed it was Azazel’s daughter, herself. “Hello, Crowley. What do you want?”
“Meg. You’re a bright young thing. If I needed to get Sam Winchester out of Cazadore with all possible speed, what would you suggest?”
She smiled coldly. “Kill his friends.”
Crowley nodded considering. “Can you get close enough?”
“Not all of them live in Cazadore.”
“That’s what I mean. Can you get to the ones who are farther out?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Good. Get on that, would you? Oh, and Meg-quickly. I’ve got Upstairs and Downstairs breathing down my neck on this.”
“I’ll be a snail. And I’ll have your job.”
“I’ll tell Lilith.”
“You do that.”
“And Alastair.”
Her smile slipped.
“But you do as I ask, and I’ll see to it Alastair gives you first crack at Dean while he’s downstairs.”
Her eyes widened, then narrowed. “How can I believe that?”
“I’m a salesman, luv. I keep my deals.”
“Hmmmm... sealed with a kiss, then?”
Crowley snorted. “You’re not my type, ducks.”
“Some King of the Crossroads you are.”
“What, you want that guarantee? It’s not like you’ve got a soul to sell.”
“Fine.”
“Right. The faster you do this, the faster your father’s precious plans come to fruition. So I look forward to hearing all about it.”
She left.
Crowley took a drink, trying to think through what to do if they managed to get Sam out of Cazadore. He wasn’t convinced it was possible, frankly, but he knew they did need some kind of plan.
A witch, Uriel had said... Crowley snapped his fingers. That was it.
He put down the Scotch and summoned Ruby.
She appeared, frowning as she looked around. “Sweet digs.”
Crowley chuckled. “You expected less?”
“What do you want?”
“Sam Winchester.”
“Mmm... tall order there.” She smirked. “Literally.”
“We’ve got a hunter lined up to kill him, but we need to convince said hunter that Sam’s not completely human-that he’s far enough gone to deserve death. Assuming we can get him out of Cazadore, can you... do something? Strengthen the blood he has, get him hooked on yours, anything?”
Her smile said it all.
Crowley smiled back. “Good girl. Stand by, will you? I expect we’ll be hearing from Meg soon.”
“You know how to summon me.” And she vanished.
Well, that was that. Crowley went back to his recliner and hoped to... er, hoped like anything either that it actually worked or that Uriel wouldn’t kill him when it failed.
The Winchesters, Samuel, and the angels were in the middle of supper at Sam and Tricia’s house when Sam suddenly stopped talking in mid-sentence, his eyes going wide and glassy and his mouth falling open in shock.
“What?” Samuel and Michael gasped in unison.
No, Sam signed. Nononono JIM!!
Dean clawed his cell out of his pocket and began frantically dialing Pastor Jim.
Tricia’s gentle hands brought Sam back to them when his vision ended.
Sam’s terrified eyes locked onto Michael’s. Michael gently placed a hand on the side of Sam’s head for a moment to read what Sam still wasn’t able to say. “Demon,” he snarled as he pulled his hand away. “I shall see to it.” And he vanished.
“Pastor Jim? Listen, you’re about to have a visitor. His name is Michael and he’s a friend. Listen to him and do what he says, okay?” Dean hung up. “I heard him arrive.”
Sam slumped against Tricia in relief. Tricia kissed him.
“What the hell was that?!” Samuel demanded.
“Sam’s psychic,” Dean said, sitting beside his brother.
“He mentioned that this afternoon-something about visions.”
“You just saw one.”
Samuel’s frown appeared to be equal parts confusion and concern. “Is he okay?”
“He gets severe headaches when they hit. But he’s okay.” Dean’s hand was running up and down Sam’s arm as he spoke. Daphne was rubbing his back and Tricia was practically in his lap, comforting him.
Sam lifted his hands to sign, and Tricia translated for Samuel. “There was a demon who came into Pastor Jim’s church. She was on holy ground, and she acted wide-eyed and innocent, so he was off his guard until her eyes turned. She chased him into his safe room and killed him.”
“Michael’s there,” Dean said aloud. “I heard him arrive. And Jim was alive.”
Sam nodded. Yeah. Michael not there in vision. I think he’s in time.
Silence reigned for a while after that. Nobody knew what to say.
Then Dean’s phone rang. Sam’s already grey face turned ashen as Dean answered.
Dean’s eyes closed. “You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice, Pastor Jim.”
Every other human in the room heaved a sigh of relief, and even Castiel’s eyes slipped closed as Cooper patted his shoulder.
“So what happened?” Dean held the phone out and Cooper snapped his fingers. Everyone in the room could hear Pastor Jim’s reply.
“She waltzed into the nave all right, innocent as you please. Started spinning some story about wanting me to hear her confession. But Michael was hiding in the confessional and stepped out just about the time her eyes turned. She took one look at him, screamed, and fled.”
“You think she’ll be back?” Dean asked.
“Nope. Michael’s outside now, making sure of it.”
“Thank him for me.”
“I will.” Pastor Jim paused. “Am I right in thinking I have Sam to thank as well?”
“You are,” Tricia spoke up.
“Thank you, Sam. You’re a real Godsend, and you know I don’t say that lightly.”
“He can’t speak yet, but he signed that you’re welcome,” Dean replied.
The first four words clued Jim in to what exactly had happened. “Dean,” he said quietly, “was that Saint Michael?”
Dean looked at Cooper.
“What,” Cooper replied, “Dean couldn’t have called the nearest hunter who happened to be named Mike?”
There was a pause. “I see,” Jim said. “It seems we’ve all been entertaining angels unawares.”
“Seems that way,” Cooper replied.
Jim sighed. “Well, however it came to be-and I will want an explanation at some point, boys-I thank you all.”
“Mike, is he safe?” Dean asked.
“Yes, Dean,” they heard Michael reply in the background. “I shall see to your other friends as well.”
“Thanks, man.”
“It is my pleasure.”
Dean hung up, blowing the air out of his cheeks. Then he frowned. Why do I feel like we dodged a bullet?
Cooper translated for Samuel and replied, “Probably because we have. They can’t get to Sam here; they probably suspect they’re losing Samuel, and Walker’s no longer a threat. That leaves getting Sam out of Cazadore somehow.”
But now we have backup, Sam signed.
“Right, and they didn’t know that. Question is, did the demon recognize Mike as himself or just as an angel?”
“Wish we could ask her,” Daphne said. “Need information.”
Cooper drummed his fingers on the table. “Castiel? Ideas?”
Castiel considered and then slowly began to smile. “I’ll talk to her.”
“Do you know how to find her?” Dean asked.
“She’ll come to me. Or rather... to Sam.” He smiled.
“What?” the brothers chorused, though Sam’s voice was barely a croak.
Castiel grinned. “This is my body. And an angel’s form... can be altered.”
Sam’s answering grin was blinding. And devious.
Ellen and Ash looked up from their respective stations as the Roadhouse door blew open and a panicked-looking Sam burst in.
“Ash!” he gasped. “I need your assistance!”
Ash frowned a little at the word choice but said, “Hey, Little Bro. Whatcha need?”
“I need to summon the demon that attacked Pastor Jim.”
“WHAT?!” both Ellen and Ash exploded.
“She wants me.”
Ellen had some choice words to say to that.
“I intend to give her me.”
“Have you completely lost your marbles?” Ash drawled.
Sam smiled. “I didn’t say I was going to lose.”
“Bobby’s right,” Ellen growled. “You are an idjit. Does Tricia know you’re here?”
“Yes.”
Ash held up a hand. “Wait, wait, wait. You’re planning to summon this demon and-what, shoot her with the Colt?”
Sam’s grin said it all.
Ash sighed heavily. “What do you need my help with, specifically?”
“Tracking her.”
“Why do that when you’re just gonna summon her?”
“Gotta make sure it’s the right one.”
“All right, dude, if you insist.” Ash turned back to his computer and began typing.
Sam’s posture was wrong, Ellen realized. His speech was a little off.
“Ash, wait,” she said. “Doesn’t Sam have an exam to give tomorrow?”
“I... I rescheduled it.”
Both hunters had shotguns pointed at him a second later. “Christo!” Ellen shouted.
“I am not a demon.” His eyes did not change.
“No, but you sure as hell ain’t Sam Winchester.” Ellen threw a silver knife straight at not-Sam’s heart.
He looked down at it, then up at her. Without a change of expression, he slid it out and dropped it to the ground.
Her eyes widened briefly, but her grip on the shotgun never wavered. “What are you?” she snarled.
“A friend.”
“Not good enough.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re wearing Sam’s face and you walk in here asking us to help you summon a demon. What. The hell. Are you.”
He sighed. Thunder rumbled and in the flash of lightning, the shadows of outstretched wings were cast on the wall.
Ash signed an appreciative curse.
The Sam lookalike smiled at him, then turned to Ellen.
“Name,” she demanded. “I still need a name.”
“If I tell you my name, you’ll know everything.”
“If you’re their friend, you know I need to.”
“Castiel.”
“Angel of Thursday,” Ash added, and both he and Ellen lowered their guns.
He smiled. “Thank you.”
“A demon really attacked Jim Murphy?” Ellen asked.
“Yes. He is all right.”
“And you really need Ash’s help to make sure you’ve got the right one.”
“Yes.”
Ellen nodded once. “All right, then. Ash?”
He nodded. “Working on it.”
It was only a matter of minutes before Ash had what Castiel needed.
“Where do we do this?” Ash asked him.
“Not here. It’s too well warded. And there is no ‘we’-I will not put you in danger. Dean would find some way to hurt me if I did,” Castiel added with a wry smile.
“Now hold on,” Ash growled, wheeling around the bar.
Castiel held up a hand. “I know. You are not defenseless. But Azazel’s daughter is a very powerful demon.”
“Who?”
“This demon I’m about to face. I’ve heard her called Meg, though I’m not sure that’s her real name. She’s one of Azazel’s children.”
Ash’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve heard of Meg.”
“Then you understand why I won’t let you come with me. I can’t guarantee that she would not try to kill you for any reason at all.”
Ash sighed and looked at Ellen. “Help?”
Ellen shook her head. “I’m with Sam... uh... Castiel on this one.”
Castiel nodded to her. “Thank you. You will be safe here.” And he... vanished with a sound like wings flapping.
“Damn,” Ash breathed, sitting back further in his wheelchair.
Ellen walked over and rubbed his shoulder.
He looked up at her. “... but why did he try to pretend he was Sam?”
She shrugged. “Practice?”
Ash just shook his head. “Let’s fortify - in case he needs to come back and rest.”
“Good idea.”
Castiel realized his problem. The Roadhouse crew - while helpful - knew Sam too well. He could never have fooled them. But Meg - she didn’t know Sam very well. In fact, their paths hadn’t crossed since the Winchesters moved to Cazadore.
The part of him that had been influenced by the Winchesters - the part of him that was growing more human by the year, though not falling - led him to smile. This was going to be fun.
He chose an abandoned warehouse far from both Cazadore and all of Meg’s potential targets and began the summoning.
She arrived a few moments later, blinking in surprise. “... well, well. Sam Winchester.”
He straightened. “Hello, Meg.”
The creature preened. “Aw, my reputation precedes me!”
“Pretty easy to do, considering.”
“Considering?”
“Considering that you’re trying to kill all my friends.” Castiel advanced a step, putting his height to his advantage the way he’d seen Sam do when cornering a suspect. “I want to know why.”
“To get your attention, tall dark and... tainted.” Her smile grew. “And it looks like I succeeded.”
“Who sent you?”
“Who’s to say anyone sent me? Maybe I just wanted a crack at you myself...”
“You wouldn’t have tried to pull me out of Cazadore now. You’re patient. You’d have waited until we left town on our own.” Castiel took another step forward. “Plus, there’s the little detail of my dead grandfather showing up out of the blue. I won’t ask again. Who sent you?”
She shivered. “Ooohhh, I love it when you get all demanding and forceful, Sammy....”
“Don’t call me that,” he snarled... and the lights exploded. “It’s Sam.”
She gasped, looking around. Her face lit. “Okay... Sam. You’ve come into your powers, then...” Was that awe in her voice?
“Powers I never wanted. Answer me!”
She actually flinched. “... they call him Crowley. He’s the head of the Crossroads Demons.” Shifty. The truth, but not the whole truth.
“Why?”
She didn’t answer for a second, trying to come up with a plausible lie. But there was something about his eyes....
“Meg...” he growled.
“His name is Uriel,” she found herself blurting out, staring into those eyes. “... I don’t know anything about him, but he’s powerful enough he’s got Crowley pissing his Armanis.”
Just as Castiel inclined his head in satisfaction, he sensed Michael arrive outside. One swift mental conference later, Michael walked in-looking exactly like Dean.
“What are you doing here?” Castiel barked, exactly as the real Sam would have. “I told you to stay in Cazadore!”
“Dammit, Sammy,” Michael snarled, “I am not gonna let you get yourself killed over this!”
“It’s my life, Dean!” He spread his arms. “I’m an adult now - you can’t protect me forever!”
“Maybe not, but you’re also married. You leavin’ Dad and me would be bad enough, but what do you think it’d do to Trish?”
Castiel winced as he knew Sam would. “Trish... I... I wasn’t thinking.”
“Damn straight you weren’t.” Michael paused. “Tell me you at least got something.”
“Two names. Uriel and Crowley.” He turned to look at Meg. “And her.”
Michael looked past him to study Meg dispassionately. “So what do you want to do with her?”
Castiel’s eyes swept up and down her body. “She’s served her purpose.”
“Vic’s probably dead already.” Michael made a show of reaching into his back waistband and drawing a reasonable facsimile of the Colt.
“Probably. She doesn’t ‘feel’ like a possessed person. More like an animated corpse that don’t know it’s dead.”
Michael casually took aim and drew back the hammer.
Castiel just studied the strangely-silent Meg.
“On the other hand...” Michael uncocked the gun. “There are fates worse than death, even for demons.”
“Like what?” Castiel asked, stepping closer to his big brother.
“We’ve got a bodiless soul in a soulless body.” Green eyes looked up at him. “Say we make sure they can’t be separated.”
Sam’s devious smile spread over Castiel’s face.
Dean’s devious smirk crossed Michael’s, and he looked over at Meg.
She laughed, a little nervously. “That’s not much of a punishment, Deano.”
“It is if you’re powerless.”
“Fit punishment for her deeds,” Castiel nodded. “She tried to cross us, because she was more powerful and she could do it. Strip her of her powers....”
“She’s no more than she was at birth-human.”
“Before Azazel got hold of her.”
“But even then, it wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t remember Hell.”
“Brilliant.”
Meg was beginning to look genuinely panicked. “That’s not possible. You can’t do that.”
“As you said,” Castiel said, holding out a hand and deliberately making his eyes glow yellow. “My powers have come online.”
“And your bigger mistake,” Michael added, unveiling his power a fraction, “is thinking Sam’s the only freak in this family.”
Meg gasped, actually stumbling backward. “How... what?”
Michael put his hand on Castiel’s shoulder. “Take her, bro.”
Meg found herself lifted off the ground and slammed into the wall, against a devil’s trap that was suddenly visible. She screamed as a binding link seared itself into her arm.
Castiel smiled closed-mouthed and lowered his hand. “Your turn, bro.”
Michael didn’t move at all, but his eyes glowed white, and Meg screamed again as her demonic power was stripped away. The instant she was completely human, the devil’s trap had no effect and she fell to the ground. Then her eyes rolled back in her head, and she lost consciousness.
Before the angels had a chance to relax even a fraction, they heard laughter and applause. They turned to see a blonde woman stroll out of the shadows.
“Who are you?” Castiel asked, still keeping up the Sam facade.
“Call me Ruby. Pretty neat trick, what you did to Meggie there. Didn’t think you had it in you.”
“Another demon.”
“Ooh, aren’t you clever?”
“Who the hell are you?” And that was pure Castiel - he had lost his temper.
“I’m a friend, genius. I’m here to help you. There’s a war coming, and you need to be ready.”
“A war? Do tell. Details.”
She rolled her eyes. “Like you don’t already know. The Apocalypse? Lilith’s already trying to fight her way topside to start it.”
“She’s not topside yet,” Michael said, crossing his arms like he’d seen Dean do.
“No, but it’s only a matter of time. And Sammy’s the only one who can stop her.”
“How?” Castiel spread his hands. “And don’t call me ‘Sammy.’”
Ruby scoffed. “You did that to Meg and you don’t know how? With your powers, you can kill Lilith with a thought! You just... need some practice,” she added in a seductive purr.
“I’m not killing Lilith,” Castiel growled.
She blinked. “But you have to! It’s the only way to stop her!”
“I’m not stupid, Ruby!” He stepped forward. “I know the legends! Lilith is a Seal! I kill her, it breaks, Lucifer walks the earth!”
“What are you talking about? What legends?”
“The legends of the 66 Seals and the Apocalypse. A righteous man in Hell breaks the first, whoever kills Lilith breaks the last!” He crossed his arms. “It’s not going to be us.”
She looked downright nervous as she shook her head. “Listen, I don’t know where you heard that, but it’s not true.”
Michael smirked. “Then why did you just break out into flop sweat?”
“Because he’s about to make a major mistake, Shortbus. If you don’t listen to me, the world will end!” She was trying hard to cover her fear, but it wasn’t working.
“Same plan?” Michael asked Castiel casually.
“After we wring the truth out of her,” Castiel said just as casually.
“What?!” she shrieked.
“I’m more powerful than you,” he said to her calmly, making his eyes appear yellow again.
Ruby gasped and tried to back away. Only she couldn’t move.
“Like we told her,” Castiel said, jerking his shaggy head toward an unconscious Meg, “y’all are assuming I’m the only powerful one.”
She panicked. “Crowley summoned me! He put me up to it!”
“Dean.”
Michael’s eyes glowed white once more.
No demon had ever even insinuated that Dean Winchester was as powerful as his brother! This was a twist in the tale that took Ruby by pure shock.
“Please! It was Crowley! I... I think he’s working for someone called Uriel!”
“What were you to do?” Michael demanded.
The words forced their way out. “To get Sam to use his powers so a hunter would kill him.”
“Why would a hunter kill him?”
“He’d be convinced Sam isn’t human.”
“My brother is human!” Michael roared, all Dean Winchester protective rage.
She cringed. “I know. But he’s special. H-he... h-h-has t-to d-die... t-... to get the righteous man....”
“To get Dean into Hell,” Castiel ground out.
“Please... please....”
“Please... what?” they growled in unison.
She started sobbing. “Let me go or kill me. I... I can’t....”
“You can’t what?” Michael snapped.
“I can’t live like that!” She pointed to Meg.
Michael smiled. “Which is exactly why you will. Without the potential to kill yourself.”
Castiel put a hand on his wrist. “Dean, wait. There’s a soul in there other than her.”
Michael eyed her carefully. “What do you want to do with her, then?”
“I don’t know.”
“Perhaps we should let her own kind deal with her.”
Castiel nodded.
Michael smirked at her. “Hasta la vista, baby.”
Castiel reached out in front of him, made a fist, and pulled, and the demon came roaring out of her host and into the ground.
Michael caught the dazed host.
Castiel scooped up Meg. “This one, at least, ought to go to a hospital.”
Meg’s eyes opened and she began to cry.
“Oh, shut up,” Castiel snapped.
She looked at him and struggled to control her crying.
“Hey, Dean, where’d you leave the Impala?”
“Follow me.”
Castiel shot Meg another warning glance and followed. With a thought, the Impala was moved from Cazadore to down the block. When they got to it, Castiel unceremoniously tossed Meg into the back seat. Michael was a little more careful with Ruby’s host.
Then the angels got into the front seat-slamming their doors shut at precisely the same moment without even trying-and Michael drove to the nearest hospital. Once they got there, Michael carried Ruby’s host into the ER while Castiel marched Meg in behind them. He didn’t use force, but Meg didn’t try to escape.
“What happened?” the nurse asked when she ran over to them.
“She’s had a trauma,” Michael said, supporting Ruby’s former host gently. “She doesn’t remember much.”
“This one,” Castiel said, pushing Meg toward them, “is a criminal and needs to be looked over before she’s taken away.”
Meg’s tear-filled eyes turned furious as she spun toward him, but he caught her wrist before she could try to hit him.
“Don’t worry, Meggie,” he said. “We’ll make sure you’re taken are of.”
“Like hell you will,” she spat, struggling. “I’ll be damned if I let you send me to prison, you-”
“Enough,” Michael barked, and Meg gasped and went still.
“Just check her out,” Castiel said.
“Are you police?’ the nurse demanded.
Michael reached into his pocket and produced a Texas Rangers badge. “We’re off duty, and the case isn’t exactly in our jurisdiction anyway.”
She nodded. “Right this way.”
The angels saw the two women through triage, then left with the assurance that the local police were on their way. They drove away in the Impala-until they were out of sight of the hospital, at which point Michael stopped the car and took it and Castiel back to Dean’s garage. Then, with a sigh of relief, they shifted their forms back to the state they had been in before Sam’s vision.
Except that Castiel was still 6'4".
Michael looked at him curiously. “Won’t people notice?”
“I’ll have to go down slowly. Growing suddenly hurt - shrinking suddenly is going to hurt worse.”
“Very well. I will go talk with the others. Perhaps you should go to Gabriel’s apartment? I could... send him to look after you.”
“Thank you.” And he vanished.
Michael sighed again, more anxious for his younger brother’s drift toward humanity than he had been before, and flew into Sam’s house. Everyone stood up when he arrived, anxious for news.
He looked at Gabriel first. “Castiel has need of you.”
“Is he okay?”
“Shifting back to his usual visage is proving difficult. He’s still the same height as Sam.”
“I’ll go in a minute. The demon bitches?”
Michael explained what had happened.
Then Gabriel snapped his fingers and appeared in his apartment. Castiel was sitting on the couch, looking pained.
“Hey, hey....” Gabriel came to sit by him. “Trouble?”
“It hurts,” Castiel replied.
Gabriel nodded and put his hand on Castiel’s forehead. “Go on down. I’ve got you.”
Castiel screwed his eyes shut and shrank down to Jimmy Novak’s usual 5'10".
Gabriel eased the pain it caused. “There y’are.”
Castiel relaxed with a sigh and opened his eyes. “Thank you.”
“Any time.” Gabriel rubbed Castiel’s shoulder. “So. Mike told us, now I wanna hear it from you.”
Castiel filled him in, including the incident at the Roadhouse.
“Mike seems worried about you.”
Castiel frowned. “Why? Apart from this, I’m fine.”
“Not sure.” He closed his eyes and called for Mike.
Michael appeared. “Are you well, Castiel?”
“Yes, thanks to Gabriel.”
“I’m glad.”
“He said you’re worried about me?”
Michael sat down on the coffee table. “You feel pain. You lost your temper with Meg and Ruby. Falling is a choice, Castiel, and that is not the choice you have made, but... you are more human than perhaps you know.”
“I’m in a human body, Mike. This is me - as I would be if I were born from a woman. I am influenced by this human body.”
“Young Samantha said your wings are dark to her eyes.”
That alarmed him. His eyes went huge and cut to Gabriel.
Gabriel nodded. “That’s what she said when she spotted Mike’s. I asked if you have wings, and she said, ‘They’re dark. It’s a secret that he’s an angel.’”
“My wings... are dark?”
“To Sadie’s eyes, yeah. I’m still amazed she could see ’em at all.”
“You are not falling,” Michael repeated. “I just... have no idea what you are doing.”
“What I am doing?”
“What’s happening to you, perhaps might be the better phrase.”
“I... I’m just me, Mike.” He spread his hands as he had while pretending to be Sam. “I’m just me.”
“But you are becoming like them without realizing it.” Michael held up a hand to forestall the protest. “I am not like Uriel, brother. I do not hold humanity in contempt, and the Winchesters are good men. I simply marvel at the influence they have had-on both of you.”
“I... I have not fallen?” Castiel asked in a small, worried, but hopeful voice.
Michael smiled a little in gentle amusement. “Didn’t I just say so?”
“Guess I needed to hear it again,” he chuckled.
“I suppose other questions ought to wait until we have seen to Uriel. Are you recovered?”
“I am... a little tired. But I am functional.”
Michael took his hand, sending him some strength. “You may want to eat when you go back to Sam’s house. But I think they will all rest easier if you hold to your plan to guard Samuel’s dreams. Uriel will be furious over what happened tonight.”
“Thank you, my brother.” He surprised Michael with a warm hug before he vanished to Sam’s house.
Gabriel chuckled at the look on Michael’s face. “Think I felt the same way the first time he did that to me.”
“Do you know what his happening to him, brother?”
“No. Granted, it’s been a long time since a guardian had cause to get this involved with his charges, and most took vessels when they had to. I can’t imagine that it’s just a result of being incarnate, though. And Castiel... always was unusual.”
“How so? I... didn’t know him very well before.”
“He’s curious. He asks questions. He thinks outside the box. Zach tried to browbeat that out of him, but... I think that’s the reason Dad assigned him to Dean.”
“Because Dean is so... unusual.”
Gabriel grinned. “Highly.”
“So he needed an... unusual guardian.”
“Exactly. And one who cares as deeply about him as he cares about others, especially Sam. Poor kid didn’t know what to do with himself when I gave him his first A.” Gabriel sighed. “I’m sure John didn’t realize what he was doing to Dean, but in effect, he’d trained Dean to look after Sam’s needs to the exclusion of his own. Almost none of their hunting friends ever stopped to think about Dean’s needs, either, at least the first couple of years they were on their own. They treated him as an equal, sure, but it seemed like the only time the boys ever got a visitor was when that person needed something from them. I knew that had to change. And once I got clear orders from Dad, it didn’t take much to persuade Castiel to help.”
“How did you change it?”
Gabriel shrugged. “Encouragement. Friendship. Praise. Letting them do fun stuff that they couldn’t afford on their own dime. A few pointed conversations with some of their acquaintances. Jim Murphy and Bobby Singer were already doing their part, but there were a few others I kept out of town until they realized why the boys’ first question to them was always ‘Is something wrong?’ Of course, after the first year, it got easier; the whole town not only understood the boys but considered them heroes, and if certain people needed to keep their distance... Cazadore made sure they did.”
“This town is blessed, Gabriel.”
“Yeah. And the boys are blessed to be here.”
Michael looked out the window for a long moment and whispered, “So are we.”
Gabriel squeezed his shoulder and was silent for another long moment before quietly confessing, “I missed you, bro.”
“Why did you leave?”
“I couldn’t take the fighting anymore.”
“We were that bad?”
“Yeah. It was like everyone forgot we’re a family.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You weren’t the worst.”
“Lucifer.”
“Well, yeah. But after you locked him up... Zachariah. Uriel. Their cronies. Smug, self-righteous... idiots. No idea of what justice really meant.”
Michael resumed looking out of the window.
“You’re not Dad, Mike. You can’t keep tabs on everyone.”
“Wanted to.”
“What would you have done?”
“Kept you home.”
Gabriel snorted.
“But then, none of this would have been possible.”
“How do you mean?”
“Cazadore.”
Gabriel shrugged. “Dunno that I had all that much to do with it.”
Michael smiled at him. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
“Dad had much more of a hand in it. I thought I had come here on a whim until I crossed paths with Dean for the first time.”
“You knew just like that?”
“Not the specifics. Pretty tough to miss the signs, though, especially one of your vessels.”
Michael laughed. Gabriel grinned.
Castiel stuck his head into the room. “You’re wanted back at Sam’s.” He beamed. “Gabriel - Daphne’s making sheet cake!”
Gabriel’s eyes lit up. “Cake? What kind?”
“Chocolate with cream cheese frosting.”
Gabriel ooh-ed apprecitively. “You comin’, Mike?”
“Very well.”
“Seriously, dude,” Gabriel said as they flew back to Sam’s house, “you’ve gotta try this stuff. It’s amazing.”
“I intend to.”
Gabriel grinned.
And they were all there, waiting for the angels, smiling as they opened their hearts to this strangest part of their strange family.
Michael graciously accepted a slice of cake when it was offered to him, along with a cup of vanilla tea, and found them both surprisingly pleasing. Gabriel’s delighted glow when he said so was almost visible to the human eye. And as Michael watched his unusual brothers interacting merrily with these most unusual humans, he found himself smiling fondly and enjoying the warmth of their friendship.
That fondness also aroused his protective streak, a trait it seemed he shared with both John and Dean. They were precious in Father’s sight; they were dear to Gabriel and to Castiel... and they were quickly growing dear to Michael as well.
When at last the humans went to bed and Castiel took up his station at Samuel’s side, Michael stepped outside, resumed his true form, and spread his wings over both Sam’s house and Dean’s.
Hell and wayward angels be damned. No one was touching this family. Not if the Prince of Angels had anything to say about it. And Michael knew he had plenty to say.