What the Light Is

"Well that was fun."

Sam glanced over at Mac who was holding an assault rifle and completely decked out like he was a SWAT officer. Made sense though since the man was military, still military and with the SAS of all things. That still was one for the books; the fact that there was a hunter that was living a near normal life as possible while still hunting. All things possible.

"You're just happy because you got to blow something up."

Sam glanced over at the woman that had spoken. Even though she was dressed in a casual suit, she looked like she was too delicate to be handling the gun that looked ridiculously huge in her hands. He raised his brow mostly because of the banter he had been hearing between the two of them. It made him want to laugh because it sounded like what he and Angela would do in a fight.

Nicolette Walker was a surprise along with the small entourage of hunters/federal agents that came to help. It was one more surprise that his wife had up her sleeve and from the beginning when he made the choice to work with the Men of Letters. And surprisingly there was no flaunting of superiority since the agents were dressed like they would for their day jobs but she said, "We may come from different walks of life but we all want the same thing."

Sam liked the woman. Dean was pleased too but mostly at the fact that they actually had backup and resources. After all these years… As Nicolette said, they were doing their jobs of keeping an eye on the hunters and making sure the law didn't catch up to them. It wasn't a perfect system but it helped out other hunters and saved a lot from being attacked and killed.

"Can always count on Americans to blow shit up as the expression goes."

Then there was Lady Britannia. Both Sam and Dean made a move to kill her but Angela held them back and with her powers. It surprised Sam since she never used it in that capacity with them. Yeah when he and she were alone… This was different the moment she put herself between the woman and the other hunters with her hand raised in warning.

There was a lot of anger since there was the fact that Angela refused to work with the Men of Letters and had left the bunker with their daughter. A fact that Sam was now grateful for considering that she had given Gabriel, the adolescent archangel and Amitiel, one of two responsible for his daughter being there today carte blanche to take Jess and go to a place of safety of their choosing and not to tell Angela or him. It was extreme but Sam knew beyond shadow of a doubt that Angela had not taken the Brits lightly and would do anything and everything to keep Jess safe. An agreement he wholeheartedly supported.

It was also a testimony to his wife's ability to inspire loyalty in people that would be enemies. Britannia admitted to him personally that in the beginning she had been the one to track and hunt Angela after Mick Davies failed to do so. Three times and three beatings later with the last a serious reminder that her life was in Angela's hands had her turn into spy. She admitted that it was fun spying on the very people that believed ends justified the means no matter what.

"Well glad the old hag is dead," Britannia was saying. "But there are still the others back home."

That caught Sam's attention and he looked at her as she was laying the last of the charges. He asked, "Are you compromised?"

Britannia smirked at him and replied, "No. I'm a profiler and forensic psychologist. My primary job was to analyze you and your brother along with an old friend and give them something. You'd be surprised how easy it was to hide secrets within that bunker that even they don't know about. Some in the works."

Sam blinked at that and gave a slight sigh, "Angie."

"Maybe she should have used it to get you out but I think she was still not trusting of that Toni bitch." Britannia shrugged a bit at that. "I don't."

Sam nodded at that and looked at the handiwork that he and the other hunters laid out. He turned in time to see Mac walking towards him with a detonator and holding it like it was a toy. "You mind?"

Mac looked at the detonator and grinned, "Relax, Susie." He chuckled at Sam's eye roll. "This thing is fine. Won't go off until I arm it for ya." He held it out for Sam to take a look.

Sam gave a slight annoyed look at Mac. He had met Mac a few years ago as a result of a promise and thought the Scotsman to be crazy as well as too territorial for his own good. He couldn't deny though that he was a good shot since he proved it by saving his and Dean's ass from a monster that almost had the drop on them. In the end, he was just another guy that was loyal to Angela and a good friend. There was nothing to be jealous of and Mac was more like a protective older brother claiming to make sure Sam was worthy of her. Taking a look at the detonator Sam blinked. He had seen that set up before. He could even recall her exact words.

Mac saw the look and grinned, "Who do ya think taught her, Sam?"

Sam shook his head and gave a slight chuckle just as Nicolette came in to report that she has a few cleaners on standby if needed. Others came in reporting that the charges were set. He gave the nod and Mac turned and gave the order to clear out. It made it clear that he was a soldier and used to giving orders. He was stopped when Mac handed him the detonator saying, "Hey, you led us. Why not?"

They were down a few hunters but in the end, they fought back and took down the Brits. Sam was glad it was over. That meant that he could be with his daughter again. And if Dean and Angela were successful, they could start over with Mary. It was a light at the end of the tunnel.

"I can tell you're wanting to get back to your wee bairn," Mac was saying as he drove.

Sam glanced over at Mac. Normally he wouldn't let anyone else drive the Impala but Mac insisted and Nicolette said that it was safer. He had no complaints since the man could drive. He couldn't hide it and replied, "More than anything."

"It's different when you're a parent," Mac agreed, "The worry is there but different. Worry that they will grow up okay, that they are safe. Greatest feeling in the world though."

"You got that right," Sam agreed.

"And he agrees with me."

"Don't know if that's a good thing," Nicolette piped up from the back where she was tucked in with Sam's dog Kieko. "But I will say this, I intend to make it clear that the Brits will be under scrutiny if they come here and we won't be nice if they break rules."

Sam glanced backwards at the woman. He knew she was serious though her flippant manner at times was like Angela's especially when she revealed that she was CIA. It made the whole situation sound improbable until she showed him her badge along with an ID that had an occult sigil on it. Mac was chuckling, "No doubt, Nico. Give those shit arses hell like we do in Glasgow."

"Only because your lot managed to keep the Men of Letters out for over a hundred or so years," Nicolette retorted playfully. She looked at Sam and added, "Only since the time of William Wallace but he claims it is longer than that. But what do I know. I chase leads where none exists." She smirked at Mac's head.

"Aye and look where that got us. You fell in. I had to babysit your arse and then the cavalry dropped in at Altay. Saved our lives."

"Indeed."

Sam looked at the pair. It was obvious they had been through a lot and it wasn't all that different from him and Angela. "You're talking about Angie."

"Aye," Mac replied.

"We were in the middle of a normal op. You know stop the next Russian terrorist from starting World War III," Nicolette explained, "I did my job and Mac did his. We ended up on a bridge that should have been the end of us. But nope."

"If you think the lass handling an MP5 was something. It was something else when she literally tore into the group and killed them before they got off two shots," Mac added. "Of course one of them was a demon but… you get the picture."

"Yeah, I do." Sam meant it with a nod. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"This."

"It's nothing," Mac countered, "Just doing our jobs." He paused and looked at Sam and added, "And I would have offered her and the bairn a place to stay on MacTavish land. The buggers know better than to go there."

"You really care about her." Sam wasn't offended at the options that were available.

"Aye. Good friend. Taught me a thing or two that's been handy with the SAS. But mostly because she's a friend. The only one who really sees the world for what it can be and fights for it."

Sam couldn't deny that. Angela was always one to have hope even in the most dire of situations. There could be no visible way out and she would say that there was still a chance. It was infectious and touched a lot of people. She really believed that there could be a better world than the one she came into and worked for it. It was why he couldn't and wasn't angry at her decision to go into hiding with their daughter. He agreed, "It's part of what she is. Faith, hope and love."

Mac nodded in agreement as he drove back to the bunker. He handed over the keys without complaint and said, "Well that's that. Time to get back to my side of the pond."

"You're on leave," Nicolette pointed out.

"I know that," Mac scowled slightly. "I remember."

Sam chuckled, not taking it any longer. "Alright, I get it. You two should get going."

"Damn straight," Nicolette replied. She smiled as she pulled out a card with a number. She held it out to Sam. "Pass along the word. And if you need help with your angel situation…"

"Should I ask?"

"Part of our mandate." Nicolette grinned at Sam and added, "You know, history has a funny way of making things happen. We're young but… plenty of people who know a thing or two."

Sam nodded and said his final goodbye after teasing them about getting along like a good married couple. They didn't even flinch but Nicolette smiled and said that he and his brother could call her Nico. It gave him a bit of a high note as he walked into the bunker. He found his wife and brother talking to his mom.

"And as I've told the boys… where there is one finger there are three pointing at you. We've all done things Mary. Things we aren't proud of but as Dean said… they make us what we are. And sometimes push us in a direction where we resist until broken down."

"And I'm glad you did what I asked and… killed me."

"Had to in order to reach the locked room. I've got you always."

Sam paused and thought about it. He remembered how Angela threatened to kill both Ketch and his mother. At the time he thought it was literal. Listening now… he realized that Angela had repeated that several times. It was something he would have to ask but right now he was glad that whatever it was worked. He thought about that as he hugged his mother who had been nervous about his forgiveness, his brother who had his back and the wife who loved with all her heart. He had been asked what it would have been like if he had never met Angela. He knew that it wouldn't be like it was right now and that was why he never questioned it. She was who she was and it was different to many people.

A/N: Sam always knew his wife meant a lot to different people. He sees it when he gets help from a certain Scottish hunter and a woman who reveals a lifeline that is available. Tag to What We Are. Enjoy.