Chronicles of Absolution: Witching Pains

Chapter 1

Now

Devil's Lake, North Dakota

"Sonofabitch!" Dean could feel his face turn red as he cursed at their predicament.

"Do you have to swear every time?"

"Shut up Sam. It's not like nothing's stopping you from doing it."

"At least I'm not throwing a temper tantrum like your shoe size." Sam contorted his features into his bitch face.

"Low blow Sammy considering you look like Angie's shoe size."

"That is the stupidest thing ever."

"Hey, you two stop it. We're all in the same boat here so let's try and fix this."

The two arguing over their situation stopped. The shorter one looked apologetic, almost like a kicked puppy while the taller one was scowling like it was the worst thing ever. They both looked over at the one who spoke but it was the taller one that said, "Speak for yourself, Angie. You're still near normal height."

Angela looked at the two boys and had to admit that maybe Dean had a point but she really was in the same boat as they were and she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She looked at Dean who looked just as she remembered at ten years old and he was scowling and muttering curses to make a sailor blush. Sam was approximately the size he was at six and looking miserable with it. Both boys looked like they were in dresses considering that their clothes were man sized. She looked down at her own appearance and she herself was smaller but she was still taller than Dean for a thirteen year old. They really were in a sticky spot.

Looking back at the boys Angela finally replied, "Well, at least one of us can drive the Impala."

Dean couldn't help but curse again. "Sonofabitch!"

1 Hour Earlier

The Impala pulled up near the darkened cabin and came to a halt. Dean killed the engine and looked out at the house. After a bunch of legwork and tapping into Sam's research brain and Angela smoothing over a few burly guys, they finally found the bitch. The cause of trouble in Devil's Lake (how much of a coincidence is that?) with people turning up dead was that a witch decided to take up residence in town.

Dean hated witches generally. The only exception was Haley since she actually used her mojo for good. His dislike of witches generally had to do with the fact that they could hex you when you least expected it and it was often a bitch to find a counter curse. He heard a humming sound from the backseat of the car and turned to look at the occupant, "You sure this is the right place Angie?"

"You doubt my mapping skills now?"

"Just making sure."

"Oh. You watch way too many horror flicks," Angela replied as she leaned forward in the seat to peer out the window. She peered, able to make out the outlines of the cabin in the darkness. She found what she was looking for and replied, "Yep. This is the place."

"Good," Dean replied as he got out of the Impala and checked his gun and made sure that he had enough ammunition. "Let's gank this bitch."

Sam and Angela were slower getting out and they shared a look. Both knew Dean's dislike of witches especially since the one before Christmas narrowly missed him with a hex that would have probably killed him. Then came Christmas and the issue with the pagan gods.

Sam was still missing a fingernail from that and the short hairs finally grew long enough to blend in with the rest of Angela's hair. The cuts both boys suffered were healing and minor at best. Now that the New Year had come and gone, it was back to business. Angela took the lead resting a hand on her hip where her chakram was. She said softly, "Dean, slow down. This one is bad news."

"Come on Angie," Dean countered, "I know what I'm doing."

Angela said nothing except for a slight 'oh well' look that mirrored Sam's. She went in the direction that Dean signaled her to go in. They were going to try a pincer effect and box the witch in. Angela had mentioned it and so did Sam the danger about that but hey Dean wanted to drive the bus on this one. She glanced at her watch while vaguely thinking how pleased Dean would be to see her actually use the gift he gave her. It was late but night time was often the best time to go after the supernatural.

She went towards the back and slowly pulled out the Beretta she selected. She could see exceptionally well in the dark which was why Dean suggested she sneak in from behind. It was an advantage and it was a valid point. She could run with that logic even if she totally didn't buy it. That left Sam and Dean to take on from the front.

The back entrance was just as dark and slowly and quietly, Angela reached for the door handle and pulled the door open. Holding her gun up as she had been trained to do, she moved slowly and surely through the cabin. It was fairly large but there was stuff everywhere.

Angela paused when she heard a noise. It was a voice, a human voice and it was saying something. Listening closely, she could make out that the witch was performing a spell. She could also make out that the boys were having trouble getting in. Maybe she could distract the witch just a little bit. However the spell chant was interesting and it was curiosity that drew her closer.

The witch was standing in front of an altar of some sort. The only light was the glow of candles glowing on the various holders. Still it was dark enough for Angela to take refuge and listen in. She was familiar with certain spells and chants and this sounded familiar. Well at least the language of it did. She moved to watch the witch and tried to see what she was actually doing.

One of the benefits of being skilled with healing is being familiar with herbs and plants. Angela had a working encyclopedia of all known herbs and their properties as well as recipes of known potions and stuff like that as well as a few results of her own experimentation. So it was easy to pick out the herbs the witch was using by the smell and from the smell of things (no pun intended) the witch was using copal. Interesting.

"Well are you going to shoot me or aren't you."

Angela didn't reply at first. It was true that she had her gun pointed out at the witch but that was more out of an instinct. She was surprised that she could be heard at all. She could make out the trouble that the boys were having so maybe that was what the witch heard. She remained quiet intending to watch.

The witch didn't turn but she said, "I know you are there behind me. You are here to kill me for the things that I have done in this town."

Realizing that the jig was up, Angela came out of her corner but she didn't lower her weapon. She replied, "So you admit to killing people?"

"That among other things, Hunter," the witch replied. "It's been a long time since I've attracted the notice of your kind."

"Then you must be really good at hiding."

The witch gave a short laugh as she continued to manipulate something with her hands. She replied, "One gets to be like that when they have time in the world. You seem to know of such things."

"Maybe," Angela replied. "Time and practice usually work that out too."

"You speak words that ring truth but they hold little in terms of information. Most hunters tend to tell more even when they try to bluff. You are different. You have secrets and you have practice keeping them."

"Everyone has secrets and the reasons vary… much like the reasons for killing someone."

The witch made a humming sound, "Always back to that. That tells me you are a determined one. You probably had to grow up before your time. You learned discipline. They are good qualities for you."

Angela felt like she was being read like an open book. It was disconcerting to find that there was someone who could read people as well as she could by what was said and not said. It was also appealing since she had to admit that she liked a good challenge every now and then. "Discipline is a necessity in my line of work."

"Ah yes, the heart," the witch replied. She then said, "You two boys can come on out. It's not like you are quiet about entering the premises of old ladies." She continued what she was doing not letting the thumps and the near silent cursing that was coming into the room.

Dean stumbled out nearly cursing and was followed by Sam. Like Angela, they didn't lower their weapons. After all they were dealing with a witch. Dean of course had to reply, "I would hardly call you an old lady given what you have been doing."

"And I was just discussing that with your friend here." The witch turned to give a friendly glance but it was difficult to see since the candlelight produced shadows. "She is a very interesting conversationalist and one that would do well in other areas besides this job. Now you were saying something about my activities. Yes, those were necessary."

"Killing people is not a necessity, especially with these," Dean replied as he tossed the hex bag at the witch.

It landed near her with a soft thud and was close enough for her to glance down at it. She then chuckled and replied, "Yes these are deadly and I say they were rightly deserved. Now if you wish to kill me, I won't stop you from trying. I am tired of evading your kind. The last few decades have been the worse than the century combined." The witch turned to face the trio. Her eyes lighted on Dean, "Before you do anything, may I ask you something?"

"I don't think you're in any position to ask a damn thing," Dean replied as he looked at the witch.

"I am in a position since I am the witch and you are merely a bug that will eventually become squashed," the witch replied as her voice became a bit harsh. She reacted the moment Dean brought up his gun and she flung him away like he was a rag doll and rounded in on the others.

Angela knew that there were certain things you didn't do and that was continue to mess with a witch who knew how to play with bugs. It wasn't fun either when she found herself sailing over a waist high bookcase, knocking the stuff on top off and it crashed down on her after landing hard on the ground. She could hear Sam and Dean grunt as she pulled herself up. She was aware of a sharp pain on her forehead and figured she got cut.

She saw the witch standing up and she was holding the concoction in a bowl. She was looking at Sam and Dean and Angela got the feeling that things were not going to go well. She hauled herself up even though she felt like she had been pushed in front of the Impala. She said, "Wait. You said they deserved it. What did you mean?" She hoped to distract the witch enough so as to convince her to let the boys go or something. She felt like she wasn't thinking straight.

"Call it retribution," the witch replied. "I pay a visit and those deserving punishment get it. Tis a shame that murderers met the same end. But that is not all I do."

"I figured as much," Angela replied as she steadied herself on the bookcase. She had no idea where her gun was now so she would have to improvise. "Copal is incense and used in rituals but I never heard of it being used in spell work."

"Angie," Dean hissed.

"You need to learn manners," the witch replied. "You come in here like rabble rousing children and yet only one of you is capable of exerting any type of manners." She looked at Angela who was probing her head tentatively with a finger. "You are right in the use of copal. A very nice trick I learned from another who has more of a head for theory."

"So we should go to him for a lesson then?" Dean let out. He was struggling to get up from where he had fallen and he glanced over at Sam to make sure that he was okay.

"So rude," the witch raised her hand when she was halted by someone saying something. She turned to see Angela holding her chakram in a threatening manner. The witch replied, "So you tend to defend this rude child?"

"We are a team. We look out for each other," Angela replied as she held her chakram ready. "Now maybe we can end this peaceably enough to straighten things out."

The witch just smiled, "My, my, my, such naïveté of children. I don't think so." She then finished the spell she had been working on.

It was too late to do anything but since Angela was quick, she threw her chakram at what she had targeted. It severed the light fixture just as the witch finished the spell and it the whole thing crashed down on the witch. Angela caught her weapon as she watched the blood seep out from the witch. She could tell that the witch was dead but as to what the spell was, she could only hope that it wasn't anything drastic.

Angela walked over to where the witch had been reading and working. She found a leather-bound book lying open and she peered at the writing. She could make out a few of the words but it was something that would take some time to look at. Using a piece of wood, she flipped the thing shut and looked at the contents on the table.

This witch was unconventional at best. There were herbs that Angela wouldn't have considered mixing together. What drew her interest though was a bowl full of innocuous objects. Well they appeared that way until she took a look and found some things that rang alarm bells in her already aching head. She was about to say something when she heard something like a pop.

Present

"This isn't right. Angie you should've ganked her ass when you had the chance," Dean let out, still upset that he was stuck inside a ten year old body. At least his memories were that of his 27 year old self and he could remember all the swear words that he ever learned.

Sam was trying to placate his brother though it wasn't easy since he was six… well his body was. He said, "Dean, calm down."

"I am calm! Sam we're freaking kids! The witch bitch turned us into kids!"

Angela studied the scene as she pinched the bridge of her nose. They were in a sticky spot and it was obvious that they were going to need help. She managed to get her voice to cut through Dean's temper tantrum, "Dean, Sam, please. There is a way to fix this."

Dean turned on her, "Really? Maybe if you'd have shot your gun instead of your mouth. I would be normal height and you and Sam would be freakishly huge having a cold beer. Did vacation rot your brain?"

"Dean that is unfair," Sam piped up glaring at his older brother, putting his hands on his hips even though the shirt sleeves covered them completely. "You know witches can be volatile."

"Says the six year old prodigy," Dean retorted crossing his arms over his chest, his own shirt sleeves covering his hands.

"You're being unfair Dean. You know Angie doesn't do things to be stupid," Sam tried reasoning with his brother though he had this overwhelming urge at the moment to just forget reason and lash out at his brother. Mostly just tackle and beat him to the ground.

"Right and I am sure they were trading cookie recipes," Dean retorted deliberately mentioning the word cookies. He knew that Sam lost the taste for them since Jessica died and refrained from picking up the quick bake ones when they were on the road. He was just mad still and he couldn't understand why he couldn't just stop and couldn't help it except he wanted to get Sam pissed. He didn't expect the reaction from Sam though. He was actually prepared for the bitch face or even a glare and stomping off in anger.

Sam couldn't help it and he didn't know why. He felt a big fat tear slide out of his eye and he made to rub it away. He replied, "Do you have to be an ass you jerk?"

Angela finally intervened since she knew that everyone's nerves were shot and she felt like she was in hell. She said, "Dean, you stop your screaming and temper tantrum before I put you over my knee and give what is coming to you." She looked at Dean square in the eye.

Dean knew he was already in trouble since Sam was trying to stop the tears from falling and he was still pissed at the situation. He couldn't help it and retorted, "You and what army?"

Angela was amused at the whole thing but also annoyed. The emotions were out of control and someone needed to maintain some form of order. In response, she let a bit of her power flow and her eyes glowed. She replied, "You know what I am capable of."

Dean managed to back down. He realized that while he wasn't scared of Angela, he was scared that the height difference was so drastic. That was the scary thing. He was used to being the tough and older brother and while he was once again bigger than Sam, Angela was a reminder that there were bigger and scarier things out there now that they were like this. He felt his anger die away and he got control of himself to say, "Sorry Angie. I was just pissed that the witch got us."

Angela gave a slight nod and her power receded. One crisis averted. Now she had another to deal with and that was Sam. She didn't have to do anything though. Dean went to his brother and apologized for being an ass. Sam managed to stop the tears and give a hug to his brother before giving him a good natured punch on the shoulder and said, "Jerk."

Dean gave a gentler one back since Sam was in a smaller body and replied, "Bitch."

Angela gave a slight smile and said, "Now that is settled. Let's just figure out what to do."

"We're gonna need some help on this," Dean said in a calm voice now that he felt in control of his emotions. "Maybe we can go to Bobby's. We're not that far and my baby can eat up the miles like it was nothing." He grinned to show his pride.

"Dean, you can't drive," Sam pointed out. When Dean looked at him, Sam motioned for him to hand the keys over to Angela. When Dean paused Sam added, "Come on Dean. You've let her drive before and she is the only one tall enough to reach the pedals."

"Fine," Dean replied as he bent over to start digging through his jean's pockets for the keys. Finding them he tossed them over to Angela who caught them after she picked up the book the witch left behind. "Okay. Anything else?"

Angela surveyed the boys and then the cabin. They would need to take a few things, probably the concoction the witch made that turned them into kids. The book definitely would go and whatever was left on the altar. Bobby could help her sort them out. She then looked at the boys. With all the emotions that were shooting everywhere, she was surprised that they hadn't moved from where they had been changed. Then again if they had, they would have tripped over jeans, jackets and shoes. As it were, they looked like they were wearing nightgowns though if she were to mention that to Dean, he would start up again. She definitely needed to take them shopping.

Angela made a mental list and said the first thing that came to mind, "You two, fold your clothes but leave the shirts on."

Dean looked at Angela like she was nuts. Sam just started folding his jeans up as neatly as he could for his side. Dean replied, "Seriously?"

Angela started looking for a bag or something to put the stuff from the spell in. She looked at Dean and replied, "Can you humor me Dean? I need to collect this stuff. We might be able to find clues to its reversal in it. Besides it will give you something to do while I load the car up. I still can walk around in my clothes right now."

Dean had to admit that she had a point. He looked down at his shirt and realized that he looked ridiculous. He started picking up his over shirt and started folding it, wondering how in the hell he was going to fold something so big.

Angela was right in that it kept the boys occupied while she packed up the stuff the witch used. She also took the opportunity to raid the witch's cupboard so to speak. She found some rare ingredients and felt that it wouldn't hurt to take them since the counter spell could require one or two of those items. She wouldn't know until she and Bobby looked at the journal and found the spell. She loaded the last of the bags into the Impala. Luckily they still had the motel rooms.

When she came back, she found the boys standing next to two semi neat piles of clothing and they were still wearing their t-shirts. That was a good thing. She said, "Nice job." She made to pick up Sam's pile.

It was snatched from her hands and Sam said, "I got it." To prove it, he started walking towards the door.

Angela couldn't help but give a chuckle. She looked at Dean and gave a slight shake of her head and he picked up his clothes and followed his brother. Angela went last to make sure that nothing was out of the ordinary. She had buried the witch in the woods while she was making her search. If anyone came up here, they could say wild animals or something. It was unsettling to leave under these circumstances but since she was the eldest of the three both technically and visually, she had to look out for the boys more so now that they were not their normal size.

She opened the back door to the Impala and let them put their clothes in. They wouldn't be in the piles by the time they got back but that wouldn't matter. She held her breath waiting to see if the brothers were going to argue over who got to ride shotgun and who got to be in the back.

That didn't happen though. Rather both boys climbed into the front seat, Dean next to the window and then Sam in the middle. She raised her brow a bit as she got in last. Thank the Creator she could reach the pedals of the car otherwise they would have been screwed. She started the engine and turned the car to head back to the motel. She gave her plan along the way, "Okay so we'll call it a night and in the morning we'll head to Bobby's." She glanced at them as they looked at her. She added, "That is after we get a change in wardrobe."

A/N: Welcome to a brand new episode of Chronicles and it looks like our hero trio is having witch trouble. What happens next? Stay tuned for the next chapter of Witching Pains...