Chronicles of Absolution: Leap Year Fears

Chapter 1

Now

The place was something out of a slasher film but the state of sanitation was something left to be desired. There were grease streaks, dirt streaks and things that one didn't even want to know; it was a germophobe's worst nightmare. Yet it was the only place to hold a fairly private conversation aside from a motel room.

You're planning to do what?

"You heard me Bobby," Angela replied as she made her body smaller than what it was in order to avoid contact with the walls. "If my first idea doesn't work out, then I am going after Dean. I'm going to hell."

Of all the idiotic…

"You promised me Bobby. Not a word to the boys about this and I mean it. You know what they would do if they find out?"

Doing what I should be doing to you: hightailing my ass out to wherever you are and stopping ya. Angie this idea is like the Grand Canyon of bad ideas.

"Bobby, it's the only way," Angela replied calmly. "If the deal can't be nulled before his ticket is up, then the only way is to go to the source the moment it happens. I will go and pull Dean out."

Yer crazy Angie. There's no way in hell Dean would allow you to do that. Voluntarily jump into the pit?

Angela rolled her eyes as she let Bobby rant on. It was an idea she had been toying with the moment she got her head clear and first talked to Dean about breaking his deal. It was always at the back of her mind that she would have to go to hell and bring him back if she couldn't get his contract rescinded. It ate at her until she realized that she would have to tell someone her plans; that and Ellen pestering her when she last saw her. That was after the scolding she got for getting herself killed and then thinking it was a good idea to possess Jo and all that hoopla. It was worth it though since it got her moving in her plans; that and the fact she started getting things ready for her other plan.

Irresponsible and stupid, idjit…

"Bobby, it'll be all right. I know what I'm doing."

The hell ya do. You planning on becoming someone's puppy chow or in a contract yourself?

If you only knew what I had been learning, Angela thought to herself. She knew that Bobby wouldn't like it but she was certain that he would help her. He wouldn't leave her in the wind. "Actually I was planning on using a hot spot hell's gate."

A what?

"A hell's gate," Angela replied just as a pounding on the door sounded.

"Hey Angie, you almost done in there?"

Angela held the phone to her ear and listened to Bobby demanding what the hell she was doing. She made a face as she shouted, "In a minute, Dean." She then turned her attention to her conversation to Bobby and explained, "It's a hell's gate Bobby. It's like a devil's gate but less… er… explosive."

You mean only one demon or whatever lives in the pit comes out. Hell no.

"Not like that Bobby," Angela replied, "This particular gate is for travelers. Think Dante's Divine Comedy. How do you think he got anywhere with Virgil the poet? Hell's gates are a mortal's way of entering and exiting hell…"

"Angie, what the hell are you doing in there? You've been in there for nearly an hour." That was followed by some heated murmurs.

Angela rolled her eyes and shouted the first thing that came to mind, "Calling the boyfriend you idiot!"

The silence that followed was alarming but Angela was certain that they wouldn't pester her while she finished her conversation. She turned back to Bobby and said, "Look it's the only way and Bobby… I've been to hell before."

What? Whaddaya mean you've been to hell before?

"Long story Bobby but let's just say that is the reason why Lenya pestered me and why I have a messed up psyche. A year topside's worth in hell can do that to a person."

And ya want to go back? Angie that makes ya the idjit of the year.

"But I'm the only one that can do it. I've been made to traverse the levels of hell as part of Lenya's game. I know where to go." Angela paused and heard Bobby getting ready to speak. She headed him off, "Bobby, I have to do this… I want to do this. Call it redemption for not stopping Dean when he made the deal and for failing to convince the council. Please Bobby. You're the only one I can trust. Such a thing would be fruit for the gossip tree."

Angie… oh balls. Fine I'll help ya but I still think that it's a bad idea.

"Bobby, you're a sweetie. Thank you."

Don't go showing me your lady parts side. I'll start to grow some. What do ya need to make this thing work?

Angela glanced at the door before looking at the mirror. Damn she still looked like hell. That last fight with a spirit gave her a bloody nose and a bruise on her cheek. The bruise was still there. She replied, "I have a list. It's in the study right on the stack of my books that I brought for you. Check the one that reads like stereo instructions on taking out hell hounds."

Sometimes I wonder how your mind works. It's like Sam's at times.

"I don't know about that," Angela replied with a smile. Bobby was always comparing her habits to either of the boys or another hunter he knew. Both he and Dean compared her thinking process to Sam's and she didn't think it was accurate but it was amusing. She gave a slight hum of laughter and added, "If you have trouble finding things, let me know. Thanks again."

Eh, the things I do for you. I should say no to you but… eh. I'll call ya if I run into trouble. Take care Angie and don't do nothing stupid.

Angela smiled as she heard the phone click. She slipped it into her brown suede jacket since it was shorter. She studied her face in the mirror again as she pulled out a small container of her wild yam concoction. Holding the cap in her hand she took a dab on her fingers and rubbed it on the bruise. It was fading but it was still visible. The more she put the wild yam on, the faster it would heal even with her healing abilities.

When she was finished, she washed her hands using her telekinetic abilities to avoid touching the faucets and the door handle. When she opened the door, she saw Sam and Dean waiting out there. Sam was looking apologetic as well as shocked and Dean was looking like he had just gotten his death day present early. "What?"

Dean couldn't help it, "So is he the kind that likes a good hour's worth of you know?" At Sam's hissing, he looked at his brother and said, "Come on Sam. I want to know when Angie found the time for a boyfriend."

"Sometime between the last pit stop and this one," Angela replied as she pulled a scrap of paper out of her pocket to read it. She knew she had to get rid of the habit of scribbling notes on her receipts and stuffing them in her pockets. Half of them never amounted into anything or she never remembered what it was for.

Dean couldn't help but laugh. Lately it seemed that Angela had been making a joke without intending to. "You need to tell me your secret Angie. Even I couldn't get a girl that fast."

"Easy, just ignore everybody," Angela replied as she studied her notes. She couldn't read it and was frowning and turning it every which way. "That or you just get lucky with a decent pickup line."

"See what I tell ya Sammy?"

Sam looked like he was going to get redder at the turn this conversation was going. "Dean shut up please."

"Fine Samantha," Dean replied. "Seriously though Angie, what were you doing in there for so long? You usually avoid places like this."

"Dean!"

Angela crumpled the note realizing that it was a reminder to buy more pie. She tossed it behind her where it landed in the garbage can. She turned her attention towards the boys and said, "Hey come on you two. Dean, your mind is way too much in the gutter and you both need to stop being busybodies. I was just taking care of a few bumps." She pulled out her wild yam concoction to make a point.

Sam immediately felt concern over the possibility that she had an injury that she was hiding from them. If it was somewhere that was embarrassing then he could understand that. "You okay Angie?"

Angela smiled, "I'm fine. I was just taking care of this." She pointed at her face as she put away the jar in her jacket pocket. "Can't have all the ghosts like me right?" She nodded in Sam's direction to indicate that she was fine.

Dean replied, "Nope but then again they don't count." He opened up the driver's side of the Impala and leaned on the roof. "So you up for some excitement Angie?"

"If it means hunting, I'm game. Always am," Angela replied as she opened the back door. "So hit me."

Dean grinned. He knew she was going to love this. There were only a few cases that were chalked up in that category of special cases; the kind that he classed the grand canyon of cases. The Brazil case was such a case and it had been a while. "Ever hear of the Morton house?"

Sam rolled his eyes. Not this again. Dean brought it up while Angela was in the bathroom. He didn't agree with it since they should be following leads to break Dean's deal. However it seemed lately that Angela just seemed to go with Dean's lead on things. Never once did she offer an opinion or an idea and he found that odd. He played along thinking that eventually she would say something since he thought that she was onto something and not telling for whatever reason.

Angela frowned, "No I don't think I ever have." She then smiled to tease Dean, "Did you think that I would know everything?"

Dean laughed at that, "Hey, we can't let you outshine the college geek here right?" He made a motion to point at Sam.

"Eat me jerk," Sam replied, "Besides its one that no one will touch."

Angela raised her brow. She was interested in that. That might be fun and would take off her mind the slight disappointment she suffered during her lessons with Crowley. She needed a pick me up and she had to laugh at the fact that in order to make her feel better, she needed a hunt. Dean would say that most girls would go for chocolate and strawberries and that was too damn hilarious to think about since she didn't spoil herself like that. "Really? What makes it that way?"

Sam took a look at Angela's face and saw that interested look mingled with the puppy eyes. She was going to go the full nine yards if either one of them didn't give her the details. He shot a look at Dean that said he was dead for even mentioning it. He looked back at Angela and sighed, "The thing about the Morton House is that every four years something happens and people who are stupid enough to spend the night there are never heard from again."

"It's the Grand Canyon of hunts Angie," Dean added.

"Wouldn't that be the Disneyland of hunts?" Angela grinned, liking the idea a little bit more. This was definitely the hunt to be involved in. It would be a good revitalizer and she didn't have to worry about either brother pestering her about late nights.

"Disneyland? Where's your sense of adventure?" Dean looked at Angela with his arms raised.

"Okay grand canyon. So when do we start?"

"Seriously Angie?" Sam looked at Angela as if she were nuts. He had been hoping that she would put some sense into Dean. This was not what he was expecting.

"A hunt is a hunt, Sam," Angela replied. She studied Sam and saw that he wasn't a happy camper about this. Dean had about two months left so the pressure was on. Her thinking was that she diverted attention from her issues in finding a solution to theirs. She could help them fix it while working on hers. It was hard though. She knew that despite their shared thing with the mystery spot and what she saw in Dean's dreamscape, Sam was determined to save Dean and he was worn down by failures and dead ends. She added, "Look, there is a saying that I learned a long time ago especially on the few long term hunts I've been a part of."

"Do you really think a saying helps?"

"For me it does. After all I'm the one who's had to watch my strays over the centuries live and die and not all of them to a ripe old age." Angela looked poignantly at Sam as she rested her chin on her arms. "Sometimes a suggestion from experience helps."

"So what does experience suggest," Dean asked trying to stop a potential argument. However he sensed that it was a reminder that she saw the world differently and just relaying her experiences as she did everything else. He saw that Sam saw it too and she was understanding enough to know his brother was venting frustration.

"Well it goes that 'the saints cry over lost time' which basically is a warning against idle hands," Angela explained. "I like to keep busy and if it is a hunt, even if it's one that is pure fairy tale, then I'm all in for it and let's face it, we still have a job to do when a lead turns up empty." She kept her head resting on her arms and studied both brothers. "Besides this has got to rank up there with the Silver Streak case we did."

Dean grinned, "You know how I think Angie."

Sam tapped his fingers on the roof of the Impala. He thought their time was best served trying to save Dean. However Angela did have a point. They still had their regular job of saving people and hunting things and they really couldn't turn their backs on this. Dad had taught him and Dean better. He had to admit that Angela had a way of poking at the core of an issue. Sometimes she did it on purpose, like those six months after that Wednesday, and other times it was not on purpose but pointing out something relevant or just… whatever.

Sam had found that it was those times that he felt his focus return. He knew that Angela wasn't giving up… At least he hoped she wasn't giving up. He sighed and asked her and his brother, "So you really want to do this?"

"I find it nice to go on an old fashioned ghost hunt with a twist to it. I'm in," Angela replied.

"You know where I stand Sammy," Dean added.

Sam gave a shrug of acceptance, "Alright then. I guess we'll take on the Morton House. We've got two days to get there from here."

"Then let's get a move on it," Dean replied as he slid into the driver's seat and started the engine.

Angela looked at Sam who was shooting her a look that she was sparing the rod and spoiling the child. In other words he was saying that he couldn't believe she was indulging Dean's request like this but it also said that he got her reasons why. She said nothing but slid into her usual place in the back seat and pulled out her computer pad. She began looking up information on the Morton House and everything associated with it.

The information she found was pretty consistent. The ghost appeared only once every four years at the house supposedly making it the most haunted place in America. She gave a slight hum and muttered, "Yeah most haunted. Try a voodoo priestess' mansion in the heart of bayou country on a day dedicated to the spirits."

Angela scanned her entries some more and read that it was sometimes called the leap year ghost since it appeared at the start of February 29 and no one has ever stayed the complete night and there was a good reason why: people went in but didn't come out. It was the reason why the place was condemned and closed off. However there were accounts of people cutting and running before midnight though so that really was very little help. The missing persons reports though were interesting and verified a few things. She read the article and commented, "Yeah that usually means something is in there if someone disappears."

"I take it you're doing the usual Angie?"

"Sure thing Dean. Since I don't know about this place, I'm boning up." Angela bookmarked her finds and opened up her password locked entries and started reading them.

They were organized by subject and there were really only two categories. One was the hell's gate stuff and the other was a set of notes, some hers and some given to her by Crowley on making and breaking deals. It was this category that she opened figuring that she could reread the section that Crowley had last tested her on and the same one that she had failed. It was a crucial portion and Crowley decided to be a real stickler on this part. As she started reading, she recalled the first lesson that she had with the king of the crossroads.

Crowley stood in the middle of the parking lot of the motel. He was looking at the building with disdain, the same look he gave every motel but he had to admire the sense that his pretty had. He wasn't surprised that she showed up and on time. He didn't doubt that she would come because he knew her… well at least the part of her that was willing to go the distance for what she wanted. He smiled at her and said, "Glad to see you made it for the first day of school, love."

Angela blinked slowly as if to control her temper. She didn't want to do this but somewhere along the line she did agree with Ruby about having access to every means available. She didn't like it but then again during war she had to do things she didn't like. She replied, "We had a deal Crowley. I never go back on my word."

"That you don't love. It's what separates you from the rest that work for me." Crowley smiled at her and adjusted his lapel.

"That brings me to ask why you insisted on giving me this," Angela replied as she held up the thick tome that she had gone to great pains to keep from being accidentally discovered by the boys. She would have had a hard time explaining that one. The tome was labeled, The Handbook of Deals: The Do's, the Don'ts and the Essentials of an Effective Cursed Soul.

Crowley grinned as he saw it. He really decided to go to town with the whole schooling thing and he was going to bring out the big guns. With Lilith, if she ended up making a deal, she needed every dirty trick that could be played within their rules. He replied, "That is the required text, sweetheart. If you want to learn everything there is about what we do regarding deals… It's all in there and perfected by yours truly."

"You wrote this?"

"They don't call me king of the crossroads for nothing."

Angela raised her brow and opened the tome to the first lesson. She looked at Crowley and asked, "How is the practical aspect going to work? I'm not going to trick some poor shmuck into selling their soul to you or to anybody."

"Relax princess," Crowley replied. He was surprised that question came this late in the game. "Since I know that you are going to bitch about souls, I made arrangements for you to practice on mine and another associate's. They are demon souls but still they will work the same way."

"Well at least if I screw up I can feel like I have stuck it to you," Angela replied in slight sarcasm.

"Call it what you like. Now the first thing you have to learn about all contracts is that the prize is all in the wording. A Contract is a business transaction: something the schmuck wants for something the dealer wants and down to the finest detail… depending on how honest you want to keep the relationship."

"So you include the fine print that slams the last nail in the coffin for the schmuck?" Angela raised her brow as she opened to the section that had a copy of a standard contract.

"It's a business transaction love. The goal is to make the best deal possible for you while making it seem like the schmuck won something."

"Much like how I worded our bargain?"

"That makes it off to a good start with you," Crowley replied with a smile. This was going to be interesting indeed. "You already have experience in wording deals to your advantage except for maybe that one made almost a year ago. You did a big no-no on that one."

"I know Crowley which is why we are having these 'lessons' in the first place."

"Then you won't mind having a pre-test for me," Crowley countered. "I want you to make the same contract but word it how you really wanted it. You will be writing it down on this." Crowley produced a piece of parchment and a quill. "Use the quill and the parchment and write down the contract. From that, I will determine how to proceed."

Angela looked at Crowley and then the parchment. It was like writing back in her day. It seemed that the old ways were closer towards the sentiment with the demons than she thought. 'Oh well. It couldn't be worse.' Slowly she took the quill in her hand and after checking the parchment to make sure that nothing funny was about it as well as quizzing Crowley, she began to write…

Angela stared at the screen, not really looking at the contents. It wasn't like the boys could read it anyway since it was in the language of the demons. Crowley wanted to make sure that she could grasp how subtle the language could be when drafting a contract. The lesson that she failed was drafting the conditions of the soul within the deal as well as ascertaining its condition.

She now understood why the demoness Sam killed told Dean that his soul was tainted. Most demons liked to deal with souls that hadn't lost their blood innocence, meaning that they hadn't tasted first blood; making the first kill. She knew when Dean made his and it was in self-defense and protecting his brother during a grocery store robbery. She had tried to make it so he didn't have to but he did and when John found out about that…

Other reasons for a tainted soul could be the types of emotions that it went through. Guilt was a gold mine but it was broken down into specifics. Then there were the souls that couldn't be touched but even Crowley's book didn't have specifics on that. It made her frustrated in terms that it was like when she translated certain annuals from Siglione's collection once. Language had many words but the trick was finding the correct one and translating it.

Angela was brought out of her thoughts when the music blasted a favorite and she put down her pad. She devoted her attention to answering Dean's bad jokes with her banter. Sometimes she included Sam as they made their way to their next case.

A/N: 2.14 kicks off with a secret phone call and how Dean convinces Sam to go to hunt the Morton House. Looks like a lot is going on with Angie. Stay tuned for more on Leap Year Fears...