CHAPTER ONE
It was only supposed to be a simple hunt. Another 'the-apocalypse-will-still-be-there-when-we-get-back-but-there's-people-to-save-and-monsters-to-kill' hunt. The brothers heard wind of a vampire nest causing trouble, and Dean (feeling he had a bit of steam to let off) made the decision that they go and hunt the nest down.
They couldn't have known it was a trap. Everything pointed to vampires. From the mauled, drained victims to the missing people. Of course they probably should have been aware that it could have been a trap… they had all of heaven and hell looking for them after all.
The night they had gone into an old warehouse prepared to behead some monsters, machete's in hand, appeared to end with both brothers tied with thick, strong rope to wooden beams. They'd both been knocked unconscious when they split up, but Sam was the first to wake up. He glared at their captors with rage as Dean came around to consciousness.
He took one look at the three men standing over then in black suits, and he sneered "freaking angels" he muttered.
"We figured it wouldn't be long before our fake vampire nest attracted the attention of the Winchesters" said a male angel with cropped sandy hair and a haughty look on his face "of course we attracted others too, but they were easily disposed. It seems the saying is true; you catch more flies with honey…"
"A little earthly wisdom for you" Dean grunted as he tested his bonds. They were tight as hell and he exchanged a glance with Sam when he realized not one of his blades remained on his person. Neither brother could foresee an escape. "So what's the plan here then? Truss us up and give us to your bigger brothers?"
"Yes."
"You do realize this does nothing unless we say that big 'Y' word, right?"
"You will say it. Heaven can be… persuasive."
Before anyone could say anything more, the warehouse doors creaked open. Without a word the sandy haired angel nodded and sent his two companions to investigate the noise while he continued to verbally torture the brothers.
"It is only because Zachariah is otherwise disposed searching for a renegade that you are not yet in his clutches" he informed them.
"Renegade?" Sam frowned and caught Deans eye "Cas?" he mouthed the angels name.
"Muriel" a female voice startled them all as they turned to the approaching newcomer. She wore ripped blue jeans and a black T-shirt with a bullet hole and bloodstain that said 'I'm fine' with a light grey leather jacket over the top. Sam frowned when he saw her face however. Her face was visible because her dirty-blonde hair was cropped short, exposing lightly tanned skin and a soft splattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. What had caught Sam though was her eyes, dark and familiar to him like de-ja-vu though he was sure he'd never seen her in his life…
Dean on the other had saw nothing much in the woman and instead snorted in amusement. When Sam looked at him all he could do was shrug (which was made hard by the ropes) and repeat "Muriel."
Sam just stared at him and made an 'how-can-you-laugh-about-that-right-now' face.
"Maverick" Muriel seemed surprised and turned his full attention onto the newcomer as she approached "I never expected to see you down here. Been let off your leash?"
"Oh, I've been off m leash for quite some time, a few years in fact. You really should keep up with the times Muriel." Maverick was making a show of looking around the room, casting sly glances in the brother's direction which did not go unnoticed by Sam.
Muriel gave her a suspicious look down his nose, being a good few inches taller than her at least, before something seemed to occur to him. He looked up, eyes narrowed, towards the doorway "where are Ari and Carim?"
"Dead" Maverick replied, nonchalantly.
"What?"
"Carim and Ari. They're dead. I killed them when they wouldn't let me pass. It's a shame really, no one here had to die, but you made a show of picking on those boys there- "she waved in the Winchesters direction.
"-I'll end you!" Muriel lost any calm demeanor he had, spitting in her face and lunging with his angel blade in hand to attack her.
Maverick made one soft movement to dodge him and impale him on the blade she'd had waiting in her sleeve. Grabbing him by the shoulder she dug the blade deeper into his chest as Muriel gasped in shock. "Lesson, when a person tells you they killed your partners it's to get a rise from you and a stupid, reckless move like that. Goodbye Muriel." Light erupted from the dying angel's eyes and mouth and he crumpled to the floor as the imprint of blackened wings appeared, singed into the warehouse floor.
Maverick wasted no time in moving from Muriel's body to crouching by the Winchesters and cutting them loose. She moved to Dean first, cutting through the ropes like the where little more than silly string, and when he was free she threw her phone into his lap. "Call your angel – I know the one called Castiel rebelled for you – there will be more coming and we need to get out of here quick" she ordered him as she moved to cut Sam free.
Dean stared at her for only a moment before he dialed the number Castiel had been using. For once the angel answered first ring – maybe he sensed distress or something – and Dean (after asking Maverick if she knew) gave the angel their coordinates after explaining they had been captured by angels.
Castiel arrived in a beat of wings, his expression murderous as his eyes settled and narrowed on Maverick as she stood by Sam who was getting to his feet. Dean supposed he should have told Cas about the girl who suddenly saved their lives because next they knew Castiel had slammed her against the wood pillar Sam had been tied too just seconds before. He held her by the throat, but she didn't struggle. In fact, she only raised her chin defiantly and glared him in the eyes.
"Whoa Cas, man, easy" Dean tried to pry the angel off her but it was like trying to remove cement. Castiel did however look at him.
"Yeah, Cas. She's a friend. We think. She saved us – look she killed that, uh… Muriel?" Sam defended her too.
Cas looked at the angel's body on the floor, a fleeting look of sadness and regret, before he turned back to Maverick. His voice was a growl as he told her "I know exactly who you are, and this could be a trick."
"We can talk war-spy's later, but right now Zachariah is coming for them" she flicked her eyes over to the brothers who watched the exchange "we need to get out of here first. Take them and go, I'll get their things and lead Zachariah a false trail."
For a second it didn't look like Cas would let her go, but then he dropped his hand from her throat and Maverick regained footing on the rest of her feet (she'd had to stand on the tip of her toes when he'd held her like that) and she resisted rubbing the sore skin until after Castiel had taken the brothers elsewhere. She got busy and began searching for their things, finding them in neat order on a table near a shadowy wall. How thoughtful of them to lay their captives belongings out so tidily. She gathered the items together before she began using her grace and erasing any evidence that she, Castiel, Dean or Sam had ever been here.
When she heard wing beats again she thought for a dreaded second that she was too late and she would have to face off Zachariah, or one of his more well trained minions, but when she turned she was surprised to find Castiel again.
He really was quite striking now that she saw him without being pinned against a wall. Both his vessel and the angel underneath.
"Did they get to safety?" she asked him, turning away. She was not allowed to find him attractive, bad Maverick!
"Yes."
"Where?"
"I will take you to them when we are done here."
"You really don't trust me do you?" she looked over her shoulder again, dropping her guard a little and sounding a bit amused by his distrust.
Castiel glared "in times like this I find it far wiser to be distrustful in regards to the Winchesters, particularly of anyone close to Zachariah" he gave her a meaningful look.
Maverick raised an eyebrow "I'll tell you my story when I tell them. I'm done here, are we going to the brothers or not?"
Castiel grabbed her arm more tightly than was needed, forcing her to look at his face "if you harm them- "
"-you said you know who I am, so why would I harm them?" she countered.
"Exactly, I know who you are. You are in a perfect position to get close to the brothers, where you could inflict upon them the most damage. If you do betray them- "
"-Castiel, while your overprotective loyalty is touching and all we really don't have time for it. Zachariah will be along any moment and I would rather not be here when he does arrive. I won't cause any harm to Dean and Sam. You have my word."
He stared at her for a moment longer, then he final nodded and with only a warning look he'd flown them to the brothers. Thankfully being an angel herself she was used to this kind of getting around (though side along fling was still a pain in the ass) and she didn't get the usual nausea feeling when they arrived in a well-lit and not too shabby motel room decorated 80's style.
"I'm digging the décor" she said, dumping the brother's belongings on the bed Dean wasn't sitting on "I assume these are yours?"
Dean stood, picking up one of the machete's he gave it a close inspection before he looked at Maverick again. "Alright, you saved our asses back there but we still wanna know who you are. No offence sweetheart but we don't exactly trust angels, or strangers."
"Wise choices" she replied, but she was starting to look a little awkward. "Uh, well… you know this was a lot easier in theory than it is in person but I guess you could kinda say we're… related."
"Related?" Sam exchanged a look with Dean.
"I don't know what you heard but we're not related to no angel. Michael and Lucifer aint jumped our bones yet, nor are they gunna" Dean replied with conviction in his voice, but both angels in the room sensed his fear and knew he wasn't as confident as he pretended to be.
"Uh, no totally not what I meant" she looked a little taken aback.
Apparently by this point Castiel had enough and with a deep almost exasperated sigh. "We do not have time for this" he rumbled in his deep voice drawing attention of the other three, he looked at Maverick and then to Dean "she is your sister Dean."
It was quiet enough you could have heard a pin drop. Maverick winced and ended up looking at the floor rather than at anyone.
Dean laughed. Sam didn't. Sam realized where he had seen Mavericks eyes before – they were dark green and identical to Deans. "Dean" he said softly, and his older brother stopped laughing.
"What? Sammy you don't really believe this do you?" Dean gave him a look "we don't have a sister. Don't you think mom and dad would have told us if we did? That we'd remember something like that?"
"They didn't want to hurt you…" Maverick said it gently "they thought it'd be better…. They did intend to tell you Dean but, well, I guess you could say other things got in the way after mom died…"
"What?" Sam was giving her puppy dog eyes and Dean remained silent for once, arms crossed over his chest as he scowled at Maverick.
"I am… was… Dean's twin. I didn't survive longer than an hour after birth. As I understand it, there was a complication with my heart, and it hurt our parents enough that they just… didn't speak about it" Maverick rubbed her ear and scratched her nose awkwardly.
"Bullshit" Dean snorted.
"Dean!" Sam scolded.
"What? Look Sam if there's anything dad would have told us I think this would be it."
"Would he?" Sam gave Dean a look "after mom died dad's only concern was hunting the thing that killed her and every other evil thing he found on his way. We weren't raised normally Dean. He probably thought we didn't need to know about this…" Sam looked at Maverick and tilted his head a bit "she does look an awful lot like you. Especially the eyes."
Dean still looked pissed but glared at Sam now "you saying I have girl's eyes?"
"What? No- "
"-if she's supposed to be my dead twin sister what's she doing as one of the god-squad?" Dean cut Sam off an asked Castiel "is that true? Pop our clogs, get a pair of fluffy wings and a halo?"
"Not necessarily" Maverick was the one who answered.
"Only a pure soul upon death can rise again as an angel if heaven chooses" Castiel added "which is why mostly infant souls are chosen, it is rarely the untarnished soul of an adult will reach heaven. There is too much sin in the world, too many hard decisions that leave a stain" Cas glanced at Maverick "though I do believe Maverick was given a new life among us to be used as leverage against you both."
"I wish you'd stop thinking like that" Maverick glared at Castiel "I'm not a spy and I'm not working for Zachariah and I'm not going to hurt my brothers. If you knew anything but of me Castiel you would know I have been a traitor of heaven for three months longer than you have, and that Zachariah is out for my blood too."
"You betrayed heaven?" Castiel titled his head and considered her with new curiosity.
"Yes. I discovered that heaven was working for the apocalypse, not against, and what they wanted from Dean and Sam. I confronted Zachariah and when he confirmed it I poked him in the eye and escaped. Apparently he'd never been poked in the eye before."
Dean and Sam stared at her, then Dean repeated a little weakly "you poked him in the eye?"
"Yeah."
"That… that is such a girl move."
"News flash dude, I am a girl" she replied, crossing her arms and sticking her tongue out at him.
"If you've been on the run for almost sixth months why did you come find me and Dean sooner?" Sam asked, a little amused by her and Dean's arguing.
Maverick suddenly looked sad and she muttered darkly "when I escaped Zachariah didn't let me go easily, even after I poked his eye. I don't know how but he ripped out half my grace as I was falling. It hurt like a sonofabitch and when I landed on earth it knocked me unconscious. I woke up in a hospital a month later, only with half the amount of power I once had and cut off from heaven. It took me forever to heal the bones I shattered in the fall, and a few weeks longer for the burns on my wings to heal enough that I could fly short distances."
Castiel looked mildly horrified by her tale – and by mildly horrified the brothers noted that his usually blank or confused expression was replaced with wide staring eyes and his mouth set in a grim line, hands curled into fists by his sides.
There was silence in the room for a few minutes, in which Dean squinted at the woman in front of him. He admitted she did kind of look familiar, but not (like Sam said) because of her resemblance to him… no… it was because she looked like his mother… their mother. The longer Dean look at her, the more he could see of Mary, and the more he began to accept what she and Castiel had been saying was true…
"You really are our sister aren't you?" he sounded defeated when he said it, but his folded arms didn't drop from his chest.
"Yeah… think you can handle another younger sibling?" she asked with playful challenge in her voice.
"I just have one question for you" Dean replied, equally challenging.
"Hmm?"
"What the hell kind of name is Maverick?"
"Hey! You don't see me asking what kind of name is 'Dean' do you?" She replied sounding slightly offended, but her expression was teasing.
"Its not her real name, just the name she chose to go by in heaven" Castiel offered.
"Oh? What's your real name?" Sam asked.
"Uh… I was named after our grandmother… Millie."
"Our grandmother's name was Deanna?" Dean frowned.
"Yeah and you were named for her. I was named for our other grandmother. Dad's mom" she explained with a roll of her eyes "I thought you were clever Dean, that's what I'd heard anyway."
"So why go by Maverick?" Sam asked before Dean could retort.
"As a human soul turned angel she has always had some behavioral issues. Those kinds of angels usually do, which is why most become Cherubs where they can do the least harm and the job is simple" Castiel began explaining again "apparently Maverick was an exception. I do not know if it is truth, there are rumors in heaven too, but I heard her grace was too strong for her to become a cherub. She was allowed to become an angelic warrior – though she was never stationed on earth – but had discipline issues and a problem following orders-"
"-which was when other angels started calling me a Maverick. I just adopted the name – I always disliked 'Millie' anyway. It sounds too close to 'Minnie' for my taste and then I think 'Minnie Mouse' and frankly she kinda scares me." Maverick finished with a nonchalant shrug.
"Oh, wonderful" Dean looked at the ceiling, counted to three, and then back down at everyone again "now I've got a rebellious angel for a sister who's afraid of Minnie Mouse."
"What? Have you seen that bow on her head? It's terrifying!"