Chronicles of Absolution: Same Shit, Different Channel

Chapter 1

Then

… "I had a small hand in it." He stared at Setna almost as if to dare him to challenge him. "More like pushing the pieces into position and then letting them do what they do best. You remember that rule best old friend. The one where we can't interfere or we could but minimally."

… His Cat would say that there is always one more thing that could be done. She really didn't believe that destiny put you on a set path even though she had been shown otherwise a couple of times…

… You are selfless in this regard, the one quality that is hard to find in a champion…

… A well trained operative could use the shadows like a cloak to sneak in and sneak out and never leave a trace behind. It was what they had been trained for and those skills were put to use hunting down the beasts that plagued the human race…

… It was like a dance, a dance that she used to practice a long time ago…

… She grinned at being called the doctor. There was a benefit of being able to switch gears rapidly. It was also part of the fun cause then the victim had no idea which way was up or down. The demon was making noises like they were in France when the incident with the doctor was in England. Poor bastard just was out of it. Soon he'll be a sniveling worm and then dead. Another one for the books…

… The blood that fuels pit beasts amplifies instincts. The alpha's alpha is human but he has the blood of a pit beast running through his veins… The young pup is touching his mate… The alpha's alpha is starting to acknowledge his feelings. I can smell them on him and they get stronger when he holds her…

… The alpha is her alpha's mate. Just not formally yet…

… Choices have to be made. Some lead to perdition and some lead to end of old and alone. The question comes down to whether or not one believes that they can hold on till the end and finally not be afraid to open that door…

… Isis smiled in return. "She is special on many levels. To me it is like that of a mother and daughter. Her abilities while special are nothing compared to her nature."

… You are the Malachi of Absolution…

… "Absolution is the earthbound angel that will protect us all," Anna replied… Out loud she said, "I'm not the protector of man. There are many who do that."

"But you are the Malachi; the Messenger of Absolution."

…"There always is the bigger picture, Mary," Angela replied as she leaned against the wall of the panic room. She gave a lopsided grin in her old friend's direction. "You forget that I've been raised on the bigger picture and it has bitten me in the ass more times than I can count."

… "What? You think Gabriel is the only one who noticed you when you were a child?"

… What he didn't like was the fact that up until lately the actions of the Winchesters just seemed to hurt her more. It was enough for him to come up with this whole thing in the first place. It was his mistake to assume that the Winchesters could keep her out of harm's way…

"You wouldn't be the first one to be a perv by watching me," Angela replied with a deadpan expression.

"If you want the honest truth, all of us gods were well aware that one would be born and would be the one who would end up being you. I just happened to look in the right place."

… "That is the known destiny for you. When chaos comes, you are thrown into the fight and you create the ripples that make things what they are. You always knew this."

… I know the earthbound angel has a role to play…

… She was better than most people gave her credit for and she was the one people said was the monster…

… "You must understand, it has to happen."

"If this is a spiel about destiny and how it's written, you know that goes right out the window in terms of free will," Haley replied…

… She wasn't surprised that Gabriel was not going to answer her. Something was up and it affected Gabriel deeply. The last time he had been that way was when… She turned to look at the house he had been staring at. She focused on it and searched for something that would be familiar to her. She found it and the result surprised her.

Gabriel knew that she knew and breathed out slowly. "It was a means to an end."

"Oh no doubt. I am surprised that you even managed to achieve it." Amitiel chewed her lower lip a bit. She wasn't willing to poke at it but now she understood. "Seems that the Winchesters are handling it."

"Pfft. Screwed that up. A monkey could do better."

"And being the ass you can be, you think you can do better."

… "Then you know the role that Absolution plays in the future."

… It was easy to hold a grudge against the Winchesters for what happened. It wasn't their fault. It was his. Sometimes his schemes were not completely thought through. Only to the point that a lesson needed to be taught. Bonehead Sam still didn't learn what he tried to teach by icing Dean and he tried to shield her from that. It was a risk he was willing to take to mess with her memory like that and he knew she wasn't stupid…

… "Only to make sure certain parties see what they are supposed to see."

… "You're saying that she would go to the pit just for one human?"

"Can you think of a better reason why she is called Absolution?"

Now

The market in the city was lively with people roaming about and chattering. Merchants were hawking their wares and shoppers were looking or haggling over the prices. Others were chatting about the weather or other mundane things while children ran through doing their chores or playing in the streets. For the most part the people were minding their own business but there were a few groups whispering here and there. After all they lived in troubled times with the current warlord in charge of their city.

It was no secret that while they appeared prosperous, the people lived in fear. The warlord taxed them to the point of near starvation. He bullied the various merchants and took what he pleased without paying. His men bullied the people and destroyed property. And if anyone protested, they were arrested and never seen again. There were a few that were put to death but most disappeared. The people though knew that they were sold as slaves and forced to work in the pits.

Angela surveyed the market with a slight pensive look. It was despicable that people should be treated as such. She looked around as she held the lead to her horse and took in the looks she was getting from some of the people. It was only natural since she was an outsider, a traveler and she was dressed as a warrior.

"Is it just me or are we not welcome here?"

Angela looked around and noticed the group of guards looking at her and her companion with speculating looks. This was not going to go well no matter how one sliced it. She really didn't want to get into a fight but she wasn't going to let people bully her around. She replied, "I think the feeling is mutual in that we aren't welcome here."

"What are we gonna do?"

Angela assessed the situation as the squad of guards came closer. She noticed the lecherous looks towards her and her companion and could guess what they had in mind. No way she was going to let that happen. "When you see a chance Argos, you run."

The young man that had accompanied her since she rescued him and his village from raiders nodded as he tucked his scrolls into position for him to run. He didn't like the way that the guards were looking at him and his companion and he was ready to run even though he was certain he could help. He did learn a few things while on the road but he still was vulnerable since he wasn't that great of a fighter. He glanced at his companion and asked, "What about you, Lira?"

Angela tried not to roll her eyes at the name she had been saddled with since she woke up that morning. She gently patted the horse on its cheek and murmured that it was going to be okay, "It's okay Phaedrus. Do what you need to do."

The horse gave a slight rumble as Angela finished patted its cheek. She rubbed her head on it as if pretending to ignore what was going on around her. She did keep her eye on everyone but kept it bent low.

"You there. Come here."

Angela looked at the guard that was talking to her. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she anticipated battle. Her hand slowly and subtly lowered to her belt. Just in case. Her eye never left the guard and he never saw what was coming…

Four Days Earlier

"Looks nice."

Angela looked up from the drawing she had made and had been staring at the past ten minutes. Sam was standing near the table holding two cups of coffee. He looked a little nervous being near her and it sort of puzzled her but didn't. She figured it was because of how they handled the witch Patrick.

It was the standard travelling card player coming into town and playing unsuspecting folks for years. Bobby found the game and ended up losing years. Dean tried to rectify that and ended up losing his years. From there it was like watching grumpy old men as they scrambled to fix things.

Looking at her drawing, she realized she had been sketching a memory from that huge chunk of time she was missing. It was one that had been on her mind and one she retreated to because it made her happy. It was one where she and Dean had been working on the Impala and Sam came out. They ended up with grease smudges everywhere. Dean looked like a special ops commando, Sam was sporting a moustache and she was just smudged all over. Looking at it she said, "Just keeping busy."

Sam looked down at her. She was avoiding eye contact again and while it was easy to be hurt by it if he thought it was directed at him, he wasn't. He was hurt for her since she lost almost three months of her life with blotches of memory here and there. At first he thought she didn't remember any of their time with her as a little girl since she remembered the last case that they did before she was shrunk and that felt like a hard blow.

It was revealed that she did remember some things but it was disjointed. They were bits and pieces here and there, but often of things like seeing Missouri Mosley. They also weren't even like a memory would be; it was like how she described her older self when she was in her mini size and talked about her sleeps. What Sam was curious about, she never brought up and he was too nervous to ask her about it. He hoped that she would talk about it but she didn't and it stung. He was willing to be patient though and it paid off when she started putting things together and she would ask mostly him certain things.

She did start doing things that she did in her mini state. One thing was the hair ribbons. Occasionally he caught her looking at them and fingering the embroidery. It was at those times he thought she might be remembering a few things. He just didn't press and inwardly he knew why and he kept it to himself.

Looking at the drawing he commented, "That's the third one you sketched of me in a mustache."

"It's funny… and cute," Angela admitted after a slight hesitation. "And I remember feeling happy."

"That's good." Sam meant it. He wasn't too sure about being given a grease mustache by his brother and her being cute but he would roll with it. "Coffee?"

Angela smiled at him and accepted, "Thanks. Sit?" She gestured to the seat across from her and took a sip while Sam took a seat. She tapped her pencil on the sketchpad she had been working on. "You… talk to Bobby?"

"Ah no." Sam watched as Angela stared at nothing in particular. "He was angry…"

"You don't need to justify it to me, Sam," Angela said softly. She looked at Sam and smiled softly. "I lived with Augie from the time she was a little girl after she went blind. And… a few things that hit hard. I get where he is coming from."

"You know he didn't mean saying he wanted to leave you."

"I know. Really I do. It just hurt at the time." Angela wasn't lying about that. She knew that Bobby had been frustrated at being in the chair. She also suspected that it was in part due to the fact that she didn't remember much of her time with the grizzled hunter. He just lashed out in the only way that he knew how; it was like an older version of impulsive Dean. "I'm okay Sam. I just happened to think a bit too much and I'm still upset you three wouldn't even let me try my hand."

Sam knew that one was coming. After it was revealed that Dean lost the game to the he-witch and they failed with the whole stealing the chips, he suggested he should play. That had been shot down quick so Sam said, "Then let Angie play."

That was the quickest protest given ever. Sam didn't want to suggest it mostly because she already had been subjected to a spell from a witch and he didn't know what effect it would have on her. She was adamant though saying that she had plenty of years in the bank to play the he-witch. Sam didn't know if it was sheer bravado on her part or she had an idea of what to expect. He was worried that because she was a dhampir, it wouldn't have the same effect as it would a normal human and could be ten times worse.

In the end Dean and Bobby shot her down and Sam… well he just let them say what they had to say about that. That was a betrayal even though he did try to say that she knew the game and probably better. He hadn't forgotten how she hustled a few times playing Texas Hold 'Em or standard poker. Truth was, he was afraid something would happen to her if she lost. He still had his thoughts on the close calls they had when she was a little girl and…

"You can't let what happened to me cloud any decisions," Angela was saying. She was playing with her pencil a bit. "But I understand why and… it makes me feel wanted."

Sam frowned at that but noticed it was the best choice she could come up with for now. He knew she had to feel insecure about being a part of them. It sounded hypocritical when Dean called her his sister and then turned around and mentioned something about monsters and often right in front of her. He had hoped she would remember when she asked Dean about being family. His brother had been honest and sincere in that answer then. "You're always wanted," he offered.

"I know. It's just describing how I feel and the whole thing is making me think I've gone down the path of a weepy woman or something like that." Angela took another sip of her coffee. The truth was she remembered certain things that defined a few things. She remembered asking Dean about being family and the reply he gave. It certainly gave a new perspective on how she saw things. She made a slight smile, "And I guess it doesn't help that I try to remember the last two and a half months."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Sam offered, not sure how to actually reply to that. "It was an interesting time and… it clarified a few things." It was a set up for her to ask him about what things he was referring to and he realized that if she bit, he would probably end up revealing things that he was certain of but he wasn't sure if it would be the same returned to him. He decided to set the tone, "At least we realized how much you mean to us and that we do depend on you."

It sounded lame to his ears but he watched as she nodded at that. "I suppose being the one to harangue Dean about his system does cause a void."

That was not what Sam meant. "Not that."

"Then what?"

That was the trap that Sam wanted to avoid. He looked at her expression that was thoughtful and… he couldn't tell but maybe it was yearning? Sighing he explained, "It's not that Angie. It's like you are a part of us. We'd… do anything for you and I know you'd do the same and Dean does too. You were willing to go to hell to pull him out."

It was quiet for a few minutes as Angela looked at Sam but she was thinking about what he had said. It was appreciated what he said and even more so what both Winchesters had shown through their actions. It did make her feel bad that she didn't remember everything. Bobby had speculated that because the spell wasn't allowed to run its full course it was the reason for her gaps in memory but the severity of it had him baffled.

There is a reason why I chose to play Sam first rather than you. It's not because you're a beautiful lady that looks good for your age. I know what you are. It's because I know that you would be the first to jump in and clean up their mess because you have enough years in the bank. If it were possible you would play to save everyone I beat still alive.

Angela looked down as she remembered what the witch Patrick told her after Sam beat the dealer. She had gone with Sam when they tried to use the spell on the witch more as support but also to offer herself as a potential player. She had hoped to get into the hot seat before Sam did but the witch decided to play Sam. She had to endure the tension as Sam played the percentage and then the witch revealed that Dean was in trouble… it upped the stakes.

She could have easily broken free from the witch's grasp but she didn't. Actually she couldn't since the witch made it clear that she was stay until the game was over and that was when he said it was. When it was over, the witch pulled her aside and spoke to her. It wasn't uncommon for the one she was after to speak to her. He said that and it felt like a dirty secret was being reveal because it was the truth. She would give all she had if it was able to save more. It wasn't a bad thing but it felt like the other side knew too much.

"Still thinking about what he said to you, aren't you?"

Angela looked at Sam and took in his expression. There was no point in lying about anything. She had seen where that got people. "Hard not to because it is the truth pretty much." She cleared her throat knowing that it was probably not what Sam wanted to hear since she did make a promise and had no intention of breaking it any time soon or ever. "But I promised and I aim to keep it."

"I know." At the look he received, Sam shrugged his shoulders slightly, "You've always kept your word no matter what, Angie. Even if you had to get creative about it… you still do. It's one of your better qualities."

"Are you saying that I have bad ones?" Angela joked about it mostly to hide the fact that she felt the beginnings of a blush start to rise. It seemed that she was going all over the place with her reactions and feelings. "Cause I can name a few and Dean would agree that bossy nag or dragon lady is one of them."

Sam couldn't help but chuckle but was well aware that she was hiding her feelings again. What it was, he could only guess at and that got no one anywhere except being pissed off and a bunch of misunderstandings. "I'll agree with dragon lady but… it's with good reason and it's because of who you are and that you care so much."

Angela wasn't sure of what to make of it. A lot of what Sam said to her lately were compliments and it made her nervous. True he had given them to her before but it was more offhand and in that cute stuttering way when he tried to avoid getting into trouble and she appreciated them. The frequency of late… she didn't know what to make of it and her first reaction was to run but she didn't. She was like a deer caught in the headlights and she didn't know what to do. She went with the old standby and replied, "Flatterer."

"Honest truth."

Before it could become an awkward silence, Dean came out showing down on a powdered doughnut and making a mess of it along with a cup of coffee saying that he had found them a case in Ohio. Angela was grateful for the interruption. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable being around Sam, she just wasn't sure about being more open on his thoughts. Perhaps she was overthinking things like he did, but it was something she wasn't used to. She took advantage of the interruption and teased, "You know a milk moustache works better than powdered. Less messy… unless you really liked the stockings and shoes."

"Hell no, Angie," Dean retorted with a grin, pleased she was in a good mood. "You're not getting me in girly ass shoes and stocking. Give me boots."

"You don't look as good as Sam in boots." Angela realized what she had said but it had been automatic for her to say it and in honest truth that was her opinion. Before Dean could get any ideas, she added, "So what has you up at the crack of dawn when we all know Dean Winchester doesn't do mornings?"

Dean made a face at her since she always made fun at the fact that Dean liked to sleep if given the chance. That and a few other things she teased him about; it was a sign that things were okay and he was making an effort to be nice since everything that happened. "Hey, I make a special effort for you since I know you like to be all work and no play, dragon lady."

"Oh I know how to play," Angela teased. "So give."

Dean chuckled as he cleared off his mouth but there was still a trace of powder on his lips and scowled when she laughed at him. When she stopped he continued, "Well we got something in a place called Wellington, Ohio. Suspicious death and right up our alley."

Angela glanced at Sam and put her hand on her sketchbook. "I'm game."

A/N: And we kick off with Angie with a horse and defending the oppressed and then we see some moments between her and Sam. Keep watching for more Same Shit, Different Channel...