Chapter 4: Fates Plan

Balthazar was never really good at surprises, let alone- surprising the very people who didn't exactly mourn his death or much liked him while he was living. So he supposed his presence, no matter how they liked their coffee, wasn't going to make this situation easier on any of them.

He smiled thinly up at Dean, his legs outstretched on top of the crumbling table, coffee in hand. "What? I thought all you hunters survived on coffee-binges? If you want, I'll make a trip to the local stop'n'rob and get you something to sweetin' it up."

Dean's frown, if possible, deepened. "Why are you here? How are you here?"

Balthazar resisted the urge to snap at the hunter. Out of the two, Dean had always been his least favorite. Mostly because he was a stubborn little shit that trusted no one outside the family and who had some serious daddy issues. Balthazar smirked as he realized then that he and Dean had more in common than he originally thought. Except Balthazar's jokes were better- oh, and so were his looks.

"I'm here to help cure your case of black gooey stuff that I heard were currently swimming your pipes. Don't worry- I don't plan on staying long," Balthazar explained.

Dean shook his head, his face stony, "You know what- I don't care. You can take your song-and-dance somewhere else, Balthazar. I don't want to get involved in your crap because with you, it ends up rolling down hill and all over us. So take your fancy coffee and vanish."

Balthazar turned his gaze then to Sammy. The absurdly attractive man had a pensive expression on his pretty face. He liked Sam. He'd admit it now. He always had. Ever since he saw the human, trapping him a fiery circle and threatening his life. Sure it was soulless Sam he first encountered, but that didn't take away from the physical appeal. Sam was an incredibly attractive hunter. One in which Balthazar would gladly do many naughty things to. That is- should Balthazar ever get the chance.

Then he met the real Sam. The one with a soul- who acted like a mother hen when confronting Balthazar about that boat. Soulful Sam had been determined to right the course, willing and ready to save thousands of strangers' lives, no matter how impossible. And to Balthazar's disbelief, he liked him even more. There was just something about Sam Winchester that Balthazar felt… drawn to and he couldn't explain it.

Balthazar tilted his head slightly, realizing Sam had something to say to his big bro.

"Dean…" Sam began cautiously, "we should at least hear him out."

Dean instantly huffed out a curse.

"Seriously, Dean. I mean, without him- we wouldn't even be standing here right now." Sam said determinedly. "He helped us out last year, hell he died trying to help. The least we can do is listen to the man."

Dean let his feelings known by shooting an irritated look at his brother. But after a full minute of a staring contest with Sam, Dean finally relented. He puffed out another curse and snatched the coffee from Balthazar. "This had better be good," he grumbled under his breath as he sipped the coffee and waited for Balthazar's explanation.

"Me or the coffee?" Balthazar asked innocently. When he got an angry glare from Dean he winked. "Aw- c'mon, I know you missed me. I just wanted to remind you why."

He heard Sam snort out a slight laugh. Sam then curiously took a quick sip of coffee, attempting to hide.

"All right, to business, shall we?" Balthazar said with flourish. "Now- I've been told that vicious, man-eating creatures from Purgatory are stomping around on earth. And you've been doing what about it exactly?"

The brothers exchanged looks before Sam answered, "we haven't discovered how to kill them yet…"

"We're still workin' on that," Dean interrupted defensively.

"Right," Sam said with a nod, "But we did figure out how to slow them down for a while. Cutting off their heads or burning them with cleaning solution works."

"Cleaning solution?" Balthazar stared in wonderment at the Hardy Boys. My God, he thought, what had he gotten himself into. "I doubt I want to know how you two figured that out." He sighed, desperately wishing he'd asked more questions of the Fates while he was up there. Or even listening to them… but they just bickered and blathered on for so long that Balthazar nearly threw himself back into Limbo just to get out of that bloody room…

"Balthazar," Sam began stepping forward to the table with clear authority and intent, "tell us why you're here?"

"Starting with how you found us?" Dean snapped.

"Easy- the Fates told me where you would be. They have quite an extraordinary GPS system up there."

"They sent you here?" Sam asked curiously.

"Yup," Balthazar replied, getting to his feet. "Wings and all."

"And vessel," Dean muttered.

Balthazar gazed over himself, noting his lovely new boots, and designer jeans. "Aw yes, I got to keep it. Sentimental value and all that."

"So what? The Fates brought you back to do they're biding?" Sam asked, perplexed. "Couldn't they do that themselves, or at least get someone else…?"

Balthazar gasped dramatically, "What? You don't think I'm worthy enough to bring back from the dead? Aw- that hurts, Sam."

"I didn't mean it…"

"I know what you meant," Balthazar countered. "And I can understand your questioning. The Fates are powerful beings, why would they ever ask a dead angel for help? Well apparently, they need an angel and the one they wanted, well- I believe he is MIA."

"What angel?" Dean asked abruptly.

Balthazar frowned, "You know- I'm not sure. The Fates never did tell me that bit."

Dean remained mysteriously silent. Sam noticed this too and sent his brother a bleak look over his shoulder. Dean shifted uncomfortably against the back wall of the kitchen.

Balthazar wondered if Dean had been asking him about Castiel. It made sense. Castiel had become the Winchester's friend and favorite angel. But Cas had betrayed them, Balthazar included. Cas was his personal Brutus. He would have never guessed that Cas be the one to kill him. He didn't think he had the guts. Now he knew the truth. Cas had been capable of anything and everything. He proved it.

But Balthazar didn't know the brothers situation with the angel and felt it was best to keep his nose clear away from it. Personal business such as betrayal was a touchy one and these boys tended to hold grudges.

"All I know is what they told me, which wasn't much unfortunately." Balthazar continued, "I know that I am here for a reason- to stop the Leviathans at all cost with you simpering idiots. After we clear up this little mess, I get to keep my new life and all that entails." He grinned, "So- let's get started."

"Hang on there, Skippy," Dean retorted. "Why do the Fates want you to work with us? We haven't made much progress on killin'em or even friggin' stoppin' them at this point."

Balthazar racked his brain, trying to remember something the Fates told him. But he was at a loss. He was here now, with them- that should be enough. "I'm not sure on that either…"

Sam and Dean frowned, both looked unconvinced. He couldn't blame them. Balthazar didn't have much from the Fates. Well they did tell him one thing that was useful…

"I do know what we can use that might, possibly kill these badies," He said hopefully.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"Well, there's a catch."

Dean snorted, "There always is."

"It a weapon, an angelic one. And it's been missing for centuries." Balthazar waved his hand dramatically, "we just have to find the long-forgotten weapon and maybe be able to kill these things for good. Problem is- we just have to find it and hope it turns on when we do."

"Turns on?" Sam questioned.

"Aw- yes," Balthazar paced slightly. When the Fates told him what weapon that might possibly work on the Leviathans, he doubted it. Last time he heard this weapon actually working was from a story. A story which was legendary and mythical even to the angels.

He looked at the brothers, hesitant. He doubted the power of this angelic creation, how was he suppose to make them believe it and then go hunting for it?

He sighed, "Do you have something I can draw on?"

Sam nodded, grabbing the duffle bag from beneath the kitchen table and opening it up. He pulled out a gun, knife, his laptop and then a battered old journal, and finally a notebook. Balthazar took it and sketched the weapon. It was an amulet, one used either on the heads of staffs or worn as a necklace. Either way, it was small, made of solid gold and had a diamond in the center. "It's an amulet. It's the symbol of the earth with a diamond in the middle. It's ancient, really. Quite out of style with the latest designs, but none the less, powerful- well, apparently."

Balthazar handed Sam the picture of the design, "What's it suppose to do?" Sam asked.

"Kill anything and everything. Including your sticky black creatures, I believe."

"So what? We find this lost thing- hope it works, and then find out if it can actually kill the Leviathans?" Dean asked drily.

"Oh- don't forget the guardian." Balthazar retorted casually, taking a sip of his own delicious cup of coffee.

"The guardian?"

Balthazar pursed his lips, "Yes- the guardian angel that can harness the power of the amulet."

"The guardian angel? Oh Jesus, those things exist?" Dean asked incredulously. "I thought that was just some fairy tale mom told their kids before they went to bed."

"You know what they saw, Dean- that fairy tales had to come from somewhere," Sam turned his gaze to Balthazar then, "where did it come from?"

Balthazar resisted the urge to sigh. Bloody hell, it felt like the inquisition with all these questions. "Do I look like your angel encyclopedia?"

Sam crossed his arms over his broad, muscular chest and cocked an arrogant eyebrow at him. "What did you expect Balthazar? That we'd just let you waltz back in here without an explanation?" He shook his head, "we barely trusted you before- did you seriously expect us to just jump on board to your Fates story without a little proof?"

Balthazar was momentarily taken aback. The brunt had the nerve to call him out on trust issues! "Look sweetheart, I don't need to convince you or anyone else for that matter. I'm here to do my job. And that's to help you meat-heads on stopping these blood thirsty creatures. Now- you either believe me or you don't. Either way, I'm sticking around whether you like it or not."

Dean opened his mouth to retort when Sam cut him off, "Fine. You can stay- but that doesn't mean we get some lame ass story. You tell us everything you know, starting now." Balthazar noticed then how incredible his eyes were, but weary. Intelligent. Knowledgeable. A dark brown color, flecked with gold.

Balthazar smirked coolly back at the demanding hunter. When did Sam grow balls? And when could he grab a hand full of them? Balthazar let his gaze slide quickly up the man, realizing then how incredibly sexy he was when he got angry. Maybe it was the masochistic part of himself but he strangely liked it when Sam yelled at him. It got him a little stiff in his new jeans, which were already stiff enough. He shifted, acutely aware of Dean in the room. Too bad he couldn't zap him out of the picture and let Sam yell at him some more. Oh well, he thought with a flush.

"Alright you win, Sammy." He leaned against the crumbling kitchen counter and hooked his thumbs into his jeans pockets, relieving the tension. "You boys keeping up with your history lessons, I take it? Well- you clearly know the story of a guardian angel- a being that watches over a mortal, preferably an angel. Over the years it's been fluffed and lovingly told by parents and elderly around the world. However the true story of the first guardian comes from a little book written by a man named Dante."

Sam's dark brown eyes widened in understanding.

"Dante had a guardian while he walked through the Inferno and Purgatory. His name was Virgil, the first known sentient being to protect and guide a mortal. Their bond was forged through the fires of Hell, literally- which connected them on a level none of us had anticipated or expected. Virgil branded Dante when he lifted him from the pit…"

Dean's face turned deathly white, "Branded…?" His hand crept toward the burnt hand print on his shoulder. Balthazar knew instantly that was from Castiel. Realization suddenly dawned on him. Now he knew who the Fates truly wanted for this mission. A proven guardian. One who could use the weapon should they find it.

Balthazar saw the hurt and loss reflected on Dean's face. He never liked the sod, but in that moment, he felt immense pity for Dean.

"Right… well," Balthazar said awkwardly, "from what little the Fates told me- I know now that Castiel had originally been intended. He was a proven guardian. Not me. I'm not a guardian."

"Then why send you?" Dean asked, snapping out of his grief, a burning anger flashing in his eyes.

Balthazar raised his hands in a defenseless gesture, "I don't bloody know. All I know is that we have to find the amulet first. It's our best and only bet at this point in the game, boys." He stepped forward, determined. He wanted to keep his new life and felt that the only way to do that was finding this bloody thing. And he knew all too well that sometimes the first step was the hardest. He just had to convince them that he was trust-worthy and gave a damn.

"We find it and then we find our guardian to harness the power of Heaven and smote these gooey bastards." He shrugged, "Again, that is- if this amulet actually works."

The Winchester's looked positively pessimistic. He smiled arrogantly at this, ready for a good challenge, "So… are you in or out?"

Sam stared curiously at him, "You're really sure about this, aren't you?"

Balthazar's voice was soothing, "like I said- it's our only bet. We play it, or not. Either way, Fates wouldn't have sent me if they didn't a little faith in the plan. And you know what they say about Fates plans…"

"Yeah, she screws you when you least expect it," Dean grumbled.

Sam stepped forward and held out a hand to Balthazar. "Count me in," he said firmly.

"Sam…" Dean began warningly.

But the hunter interrupted, "What choice do we have, Dean? We're out of options and have no new leads. I want to take these sons-of-bitches out yesterday. Balthazar has a plan. More than we do."

The brothers exchanged brief looks. Dean rolled his eyes and walked out of the room hotly, "whatever, but this plan better pan out or we back to square one with nothing to show for it but a wild goose chase."

Balthazar returned his gaze to Sam and took his outstretched hand into his. Sam's hand was calloused and warm against his. He gripped it tight and pulled him in close, the only thing separating them was the worn down table.

"To make it more official, I think we should seal it with a kiss," Balthazar said softly, deliberately.

Sam glared back, "I could seal it with my fist in your face, how's that for official like?"

Balthazar pretended to blush, "Darling- I just love it when you flirt. You make me feel all warm and tingly inside."

"Are you trying to ruin this deal, Balthazar?"
"Are you trying to play hard to get, Sam?" He leaned closer seeing Sam's dark gaze leapt to his face. Color crept up from his neck, tinting his cheeks. Balthazar felt his stomach clench excitedly. Sam responded to him. "Because I'm really good at reading tells and yours…" he hummed, licking his bottom lip as he let his hungry gaze linger over Sam's sensual mouth. "Is all over your mouth…"

Sam opened his mouth to retort but nothing came out except air. He looked startled by Balthazar's such forward flirtations.

Balthazar felt it in his gut that Sam felt the snapping electric sizzle between them. It couldn't just be one sided. For a moment, Balthazar could only stare breathlessly at Sam. More than that though, his soul seemed to reach for his. To recognize his. His breath stilled in his body and he couldn't think. Only how Sam's skin would feel beneath his. Writhing and sweating, hot and hard. He could never imagine not being able to touch him. Never feel his skin beneath his fingers, his mouth crushed to his. The image was so vivid he could almost taste Sam on his lips. Even his hair begged to be touched, a thick mass of shiny silk just asking for Balthazar's fingers to run through it. He felt a sudden desire to really shake Sam up, get past his cool demeanor just once and see if fire burned beneath that ice.

Balthazar gripped his hand tighter, pulling him in inch by slow inch. Sam stared in awe at what was happening, but never once did he try to run. Heat and mingled breaths pulsed between them. Balthazar never felt this sexually aware in his entire life. His flesh ached, his body hummed, his cock was rock hard… all because of Sam-bloody-Winchester.

"Sam! C'mon- let's load the car. I wanna get some breakfast," Dean shouted from the front door of the house.

Sam jumped back, nearly falling all over himself in the process. He acted like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Balthazar smiled cockily at the flustered hunter, "are you all right, darling?"

Sam's jaw clenched furiously as he picked up the duffle bag from the table, quickly shoving items back inside. "Yeah, I'm fine," he replied curtly. "It's you that needs to focus."

Balthazar snorted, "Please. This is my second chance at life, Sam. I plan on finishing this job so I can enjoy the world's decadence and jump on the bed of life." He smiled devilishly at the hunter, "and you're more than welcome to jump on the bed with me."
Sam sent him a scathing look, tossing the bag over his shoulder, "don't bet on it, Balthazar."

"You know me. I have weakness for gambling on a risk."

He watched as Sam strode out of the room, without looking back. Balthazar was beginning to wonder if Sam could be his momentary distraction while they looked for the amulet. After all, he was forced to bare the Winchester company. He might as well make the best of it, he thought, a smile spreading over his lips. A little game of seduction mixed in to their adventure sounded like the best plan he had all day. And oh- how he planned on making the formidable Sam Winchester surrender to him.

TBC

**Long chapter- lots of detail & story. I did my own take on angel history/lore to fit with my storyline. Again- creative liberties. I liked the idea of a guardian angel so i wrote it in. If you have questions - dont worry! they will be revealed in due time! in the meantime, the boys are now in league with a devilishly-handsome-snarky angel & after a precious amulet to yet again, save the world. gah! im sooo excited! plz comment! luv to hear ur feedback!**