Chapter 2

"Come on Ceebee, you can do it!"

Angela chuckled as she sat watching Hibah play with Cerebus in the nearby park. As it turned out, the day was theirs since there was nothing new going on. Nothing that suggested another case, which was a good thing on her end but she could tell that it was trying Dean's patience. It was that evident when they joined her and Hibah for breakfast in the diner.

Normally Hibah sat by Angela and Sam would sit next to Dean. This time Hibah wanted to sit by herself across from Angela and the seating ended up being that Dean sat next to Hibah and Sam had his usual spot next to Angela. Hibah had smiled big when she got her Amitz to sit next to her but Angela suspected that the girl was manipulating the situation. She should nip it in the bud but she could see that it was harmless.

It allowed her read the paper she had grabbed and she found nothing to pique interest but she quietly slid it over to Dean when he came in and starting on her coffee like it was a lifeline. It made for an easy escape and the decision for Hibah to have a fun day instead of a lesson though she wasn't going to get out of reading or writing. Currently she was trying to get Cerebus to go after the stick she was throwing. It was rather hilarious to see a prize bitch of hell playing fetch with a now six year old girl who could probably make things appear if she wanted.

Idly Angela watched Hibah play her game and thought back in time to other children she had met all the way back to when she was a child and playing in the mud even though her mother tried to make her into a little lady. She remembered one time she actually whipped a childhood friend and he was the one that was covered from head to toe and she only got a few splotches on her dress. It had her mother mildly scolding her but she was laughing.

Even when she was a child she had been different from the others. She had been given a noble boy's education meaning the whole Latin and Greek and had been taught the arts of a noble lady which were music, dancing and embroidery. Now here she was teaching Hibah, who wasn't hers and yet she acted like it, and she was teaching her the reading, writing and arithmetic. That was normal stuff but then it got into the weird stuff by teaching Hibah how to use her abilities responsibly and on top of that, teaching her the basics in hand to hand combat and the scary thing was that she was a natural at it.

Funny how things are actually the same.

It was a gentle musing that was rather funny at the fact that a simple thing could be repeated but there were different ways of telling the story. Angela watched Hibah who was now trying to make Cerebus into her steed and actually succeeding. For once she was grateful that the hell mutt was abnormally large since she was sure that any normal dog would have collapsed by now at the paces the girl was putting him through but he had affection for her; like she was his pup to protect.

"Ima look!"

Angela gave a nod at the sight, "I see you. What are you doing?"

"Charging like Sir Wesson in the battle against the wolves."

Angela made a slight smile at that. She had been telling the story of the case at the Academy but changed it to the fairy tale realm. It probably wasn't a good idea since it traversed close to the truth of the life she led but Hibah enjoyed it with the fairy tale twist to it. Castiel had been around a couple of times and had been thoughtful the whole time she told the next chapter in the story. "Okay habibitti. Go and rescue the healer," she replied with a chuckle.

Hibah took off with Cerebus and started to play her game. Angela sighed in contentment when a familiar looking cup came into her vision and a very familiar smell hit her nostrils. She breathed in the scent of coffee, black. She hesitated at accepting it slightly and looked up to see Sam holding it out to her. Slowly she closed her hand around it and took it. "Thank you."

Sam studied Angela for a moment before taking the seat next to her. It had been like this ever since they left Bobby's, after that thing with Ares. It was like she was nervous being around him and Dean and decided that the best policy was to say as little as possible. It made it hard to talk to her about anything and even ask her advice on the hunts they've had the past couple of weeks.

Sam, go ask her what's up.

Why don't you?

Because I'm older and… you're the only one that she opens up to.

Sam wasn't too sure about that since she had been just as close mouthed with him as she was with Dean. Still it took a lot for his brother to admit that there was something that he couldn't do. Of course Sam thought it complete bullshit since he had seen them talk and she did explain why she did what she did with Ares and even she had been surprised at what the god did. Sam figured that it had more to do with the fact that it bothered her more than she cared to admit that she actually hit him and meant it and given the reaction that Dean had when she explained her learning how deals were made and the like; it was a pretty good reason. It was probably why she was going to offer to stay behind with Hibah with the excuse of a stable environment or some crap like that.

At least she didn't treat them like lepers. She always went about doing stuff for them but never going beyond the call of duty so to speak. It occurred to Sam that it was her way of giving the injured party space but the vague thought that she was afraid of any potential hurting words that came her way was a possibility. It sounded ridiculous since she had worse shot her way and she took it like it was nothing but it wasn't improbable. She was a person too.

Sitting beside her in the diner, he had to admit that it felt like the usual and he had missed that since she had put Hibah between them. They were in the same proximity and he missed her and he could tell Dean did… like he would ever admit that in public. Now that he was sitting beside her on the bench, it felt comfortable and he hoped that it would bode well. He looked at her and asked, "So, today's a free day?"

Angela smiled and said something that Sam was certain was either Japanese or Chinese. He was relieved when she followed with, "Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. All children need to play sometime." She paused a moment before adding, "I doubt that she will be given that much when she goes to Karnak."

"Karnak?" It was a small piece of the wedge but Sam took it and hopefully could get to the bottom of this.

"The place where I was trained with Wosret," Angela explained. She took a sip of the coffee Sam brought and continued, "It's where Hibah and Wosret would… should've been together. It was a sanctuary. It reminded me of home."

"Italy?" It was a guess on Sam's part since he assumed that she had been a nomad for most of her life.

Angela smiled softly as she replied, "A bit but I was referring to the abbeys that my father and I stayed in. I missed Mother often but there was something about those old abbeys… Then I came to Karnak and stayed for a time. It was different but the feelings were the same."

Sam nodded at that. He could see how easy it was to forget that she was a person like anyone else. It was taken for granted that she knew the wandering life and that was all. "This Karnak sounds nice."

"You don't need to try so hard Sam," Angela replied gently. She turned to look at him and gave a slight smile, "Karnak is a sanctuary and one of many that dot the world and where the children of gods go to learn and study until they are of age and then they take their place within their pantheon. They are real places and some have actually been written in stories like Shangri-La."

"Shangri-La?"

Angela chuckled, "Yes, it is real. Camelot too."

Sam looked at Angela to see if she was teasing him or being serious. Her expression indicated that she was serious. Yet the idea sounded absurd. "So these places are where god children are raised?"

"Yep and humans too." Angela nodded as she said it. She took another sip of her coffee. "They are designed as refuges for temples and worshippers. For a god, the worst death is to be forgotten so in a way it is a failsafe and a good means of protection for the children. It also slows down their age rate here so it is less noticeable. Of course for humans it could like months in a place like Karnak but only hours to days here. Still it was an experience."

"So the reason Hibah is aging so fast is because she's not within one of these sanctuaries?" Sam knew that this conversation was going as far away from his intended conversation but he couldn't help but ask. It made him wonder if she sensed when he wanted to talk and then would tailor the conversation to suit her purposes. It certainly was something she could do and did when she wasn't so glaringly obvious.

"Yes and I have no idea how long it would be in the realm of the gods in terms of time converting," Angela replied. She was aware that she was steering the conversation in a direction that Sam didn't want to go into. She did it anyway mostly because it felt like a good day and she didn't want to mar it with accusations and harsh words that they would both regret and then have Hibah ask about it in that awkward timing of hers.

What Sam knew of time was only what Dean had told him after he went on his time jump to the seventies and he saw their mom. It wasn't much of a stretch to go into what Angela just told him and it was done by supernatural means though he was familiar with the sci-fi version in terms of the concept of time and the like. "So it's like linear progression or something?"

"Yes it is Planet of the Apes in supernatural fashion. Of course a lot of the things we have learned through the millennia are old discoveries renewed… like that battery and the laser."

"Batteries and lasers?"

Angela chuckled since she knew she was getting into territory that the Apkallu would be the experts on. It was history though. "The world's oldest batteries were discovered in Babylon. It's the vinegar and electricity thing with the rod and the jars. The laser involves the power and use of the ruby. It's like anything that we have today. The branches of study are discovered, forgotten and rediscovered."

It was getting a little ridiculous but then again Sam always learned something new when he talked to Angela. Even if it was serious, he learned something new about her. At least she was talking again. Maybe she missed this too.

"I know it's useless but that's how life works I think. I was just sitting here and remembering the same things Mother taught me and the things I did at Hibah's age." Angela beckoned with her head as she watched Hibah who was now talking to a boy and it appeared that they were agreeing to a game of sorts.

Sam noticed it too. Immediately his first response was, "Should she be playing with the kid?"

"Why not?"

"Um her abilities," Sam began a bit lamely. Even though she wasn't looking at him, he felt that she was giving a scrutinizing look that said nothing but it was left up to interpretation. "She's not a normal human kid."

"I know," Angela replied calmly as she continued to watch. She watched as Hibah handed a stick to the boy and ran to sit behind Cerebus who was standing there panting but looking pleased at the playtime he was getting. She recognized this part well from the bit of the story she had told Hibah the night before. "It is just playing Sam. No harm will come of it."

"I know just…"

The discussion would have continued but Hibah and the boy who was named Aaron came up. Hibah asked about what ice cream was since Aaron asked if she wanted one. That led to a couple of laughs and Sam and Angela being dragged to a vendor where Hibah had her first ice cream. Sam couldn't help but smile at that and could see where Angela was getting with letting Hibah play with the Aaron kid and he could appreciate the effort that Angela was making to make sure that Hibah knew enough to understand people since the few gods he met, aside from a few, were douches.

It was enough to end the conversation and actually enjoy being in Angela's company as the kids finished their play. It was a good thing though that Dean wasn't around since the Aaron kid's mom came up and commented on how too few times she had seen both parents spend time together with their kids and she indicated how happy Hibah looked when she grabbed his neck in a hug. Dean would never have let him live it down but it seemed to perk Angela up a little but even he knew that the whole thing was far from over.

"So we were thinking of heading out tomorrow and seeing what the next town would bring us. That okay?" Dean looked across the table at Angela who was fully devoted to what the diner called peas and a piece of paper with writing on it. He looked over at Sam who was looking at her and then he went back to eating his rabbit food of a salad with the same devotion.

"Whatever you say, Dean," Angela replied softly. She spooned up a bit of peas and put them in her mouth.

It was a frustrating answer since she was talking in that maddening calm tone of voice that could piss someone off or talk someone down. It seemed that the conversation she had with Sam didn't amount to anything but he had to admit that they had come in talking, maybe not animatedly but she had a smile on her face. He tried again, "Are you sure? I know you have your lesson plans but…"

"It's fine Dean," she interrupted calmly. She had looked up to look at Dean and reiterate that she was fine with it. "I know you're itching for a case. Better to move on and try and catch one." She then went back to eating her peas.

"And here I was thinking that you'd want to stay. Certainly seemed to want that a couple of weeks ago," Dean replied, ignoring the look Sam was shooting at him. He was risking a lot by bringing that up in front of Hibah.

"A courtesy," Angela replied as she put her silverware down. "It seemed the right thing to do at the time. You decided against it." She finished in a matter of fact tone that left little room for arguments there.

It was a good thing since her phone rang. Giving a final look at Dean, Angela fished her cell phone out and looked at the caller ID. There was no name but a number she didn't recognized. It could have been that someone switched phones and forgot to transfer the phone book over or however they did that. She did know that she only gave out her number to people that she trusted so it could be someone she knew. She looked at them and said, "Excuse me."

She answered the phone the moment she was halfway to the door of the diner, "Hello?"

I would think you would be more prompt in answering the telly the moment it rang. Or were you spending too much time with the Nanny?

Angela gave a slight smile as she walked to stand outside the door. "Nice to hear from you too Sherlock. Checking up again on your shields?"

As if I need to do that.

"You are checking up on them. I didn't know you cared considering you wanted me to get lost when I first brought her to you," she replied with a grin. She loved teasing her librarian friend since he never associated with the word friend. "Just to let you know, they are fine. She thinks the necklace is a present from Uncle Sherlock."

I highly doubt that 'it' would be able to know that and it was you that put it on her. I merely made the improvements.

Angela chuckled as she heard Sherlock huff at the other end. She was going to have to stop soon. If he got too flustered he would hang up. Besides, he only called if it was something serious and to check in per their agreement. "I know and I appreciate it. Tell me, do you have something for me?"

Your tone is something to be desired dragon lady but in response to your question, I do have something for you and of your usual repertoire.

"Meaning that it's a job."

Well I see your deduction skills have improved.

"Only because I have a very interesting teacher," Angela allowed in a slightly patronizing voice. "So what is it?"

I was contacted by an old associate who left the business to work at a resort. Actually he rather owns the place. Some merry little hamlet in Kentucky that's open during the ski season. Seems that he has a little pest problem.

"What? Are you talking about werewolves or Lupei? Sounds about the right conditions at least for Lupei since there's the Appalachians," Angela asked as she wracked her brain since it seemed Sherlock was going to pay her back by making her guess.

Not those kinds of pests.

"So vamps, ghouls…" Angela made a motion with her hands as if that would help in terms of finding out what it was.

He wasn't sure but whatever it is, it has been picking off guests.

Angela frowned at that. It almost sounded like a vengeful spirit. Those usually had a specific target group for the whole thing they did. It could be a chupacabra but then again it was a little cold for one. They typically inhabited the southwest and Latin American countries and they sucked the blood of livestock. "Something specific like a vengeful spirit?"

The bugger wouldn't say anything. Still has a bit of denial in him even though he helped on that vengeful spirit case while you were off gallivanting with the Nanny.

"It's Sam," Angela automatically corrected. It was an old habit. "So it's not a spirit and I haven't heard of anything regarding the abominable snowman."

I don't think you have to worry about the yeti. The majority of them are in the mountains of Nepal. You know that. This might be something else.

"Can you give me more?"

The owner is Larry Thompkins, nice bloke and more your type though not as tall as the Nanny. He noticed that a few of his guests left without paying the bill. They were mostly loners and he figured that they were drifters and used to skipping out on the bill. So they turned up missing but then Larry finds a few things that make him think that it's not skipping out.

"Let me guess: something big dragged them away like a bear?"

No need to be sarcastic. Anyway the last guest taken, he saw the thing but he said it moved too fast for him to catch. He did say that he saw claws.

That had Angela thinking. There were several species she could name based on that description alone. The trick was narrowing it down to a single thing and then it was easy to get what was needed to kill the bastard.

Of course the fool decided to go hunting for it. At least that was what he planned on doing. He must have otherwise I wouldn't have gotten a call from the place.

"He tried going after it?" Angela was a little incredulous at that. As far as she could tell, this guy had been on only one hunt. That didn't make him a hunter. It made him lunch with a name. Still she couldn't fault the guy for trying. After all he was trying to keep his guests safe.

Of course he did? Has your hearing gone as well as your usual good sense? Anyway I get a call from a very confused fellow by the name of Atkins and he said that they had been hiking up a trail away from the resort and then this thing attacked them. He got away but the doctors think that he's addled due to the concussion he sustained in the fall.

"So then your friend Larry must have tracked it… whatever it was. He was probably taking a friend up there so he had backup to shoot it."

Very good. I knew you were always superior in your deduction abilities when they are not concentrating on something mundane as taking care of 'it' or moping because of the Nanny and his promiscuous sibling.

Angela resisted the urge to correct Sherlock but he was right about Dean. She understood why he would call Sam a nanny but it seemed like it was another dig at his masculinity and he got enough of that from Dean. Sherlock's sarcasm was in full bloom and part of it was her fault for teasing him but she wouldn't have the manic depressive librarian any other way. "Okay so the guy Atkins is okay but what about your friend? Did he make it out?"

Larry is an old associate. There is a difference you know. As to answering your probie questions, the authorities didn't find a trace of Thompkins from where the poor sod Atkins said they fell. They did manage to find a rifle and that was the one Atkins had. Other than that… nothing.

"Okay so there is the assumption that Larry is missing but Atkins may have information that we may need to solve this."

Knowing you, you'll take it.

"I have to run it by my guys first and there is Hibah to take care of."

Ah yes, being mother always suited you and you still find time to jump on a case. Run it by the rat pack and then give me a call. You're not the first choice.

Angela pursed her lips in a wry grin. She knew the librarian didn't mean a word of it. He just wasn't big on showing his feelings for people. She had learned quickly to discern what he truly meant when he hurtled an insult in her direction. Well it was a compliment mingled with an insult. She could just imagine the day when she would probably have to introduce the librarian to the Winchester boys. She replied, "And I'm not the last either. This your new number?"

Yes. I figured I'd leave you wondering who was calling you by leaving off the caller ID. I would have loved to have seen your face.

"I bet you would, bloody librarian," Angela retorted in her usual fashion. She listened to the rough laughter on the other end as he hung up. She made a slight face that was a cross between annoyed and amused.

It really was up to the boys if they wanted to take it. She knew that Dean was chomping at the bit for one and she also knew that Hibah would renew her campaign to help out on the case. She had already gotten a taste for it by doing research that was highly supervised and the girl was clever enough to point out that she was practicing her reading and writing. Putting her phone into her pocket, she went back into the diner to find that the plates had been cleared and Hibah was enjoying her second ice cream for the day along with some pie. She was going to have her hands full.

Taking her seat next to Sam, she crossed her arms and said, "That was one of my old contacts. Thinks he has something for us."

A/N: Looks like Sherlock is back and he hs a job for the Winchesters and Co. Stay tuned for more on Solstice Beginnings...