Chapter 4- the Fireman mystery
A rough clothed man lies sleeping in a motel room, his dirty blond hair sticking up in spikes. Every now and then he twitches in his sleep; his eyes disco dancing behind his eyelids with the force of a nightmare. His partner in crime is in the shower, ignorant of the terrors going on in the dreams of the man in the next room. The man in the bed suddenly jolts awake; his heart rapidly beating behind his ribs. After a moment his erratic breathing calms and he takes a deep breath; running a hand down his tanned face and letting out a sigh of relief. The blond glances over at the clock before groaning and pulling himself upright. The springs of the bed creak and groan in protest, but they are ignored.
Suddenly the door to the bathroom opens, letting the accumulated steam escape. The man standing in the doorway is tall; around 6'4" with shaggy chestnut brown hair slicked back and darkened with water. He is half dressed, only wearing a pair of dark blue but faded jeans. On his left pectoral over his heart is a pentagram outlined in ink black flames like a sun. His hazel almond shaped eyes are narrowed and his low brows furrowed in worry.
"Dean," he said his deep baritone voice slightly gravely after years of calling out to his brother in warning, "are you okay?" Dean looks up at his baby brother takes a deep breath and quickly puts on the mask of charisma. Dean throws him an unsure smile.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Sammy," Dean answers while standing up and stretching out his stiff joints. His spine crackles and pops as it realigns and his shoulders pop as his muscles loosen. Dean cricks his stiff neck before looking back at his brother who is staring at him with his patented bitch-face. No.22 he believed. That one showed up right after the event with the Raw-Head; the one that meant I'm worried about you, but I'm not going to make you mad. It didn't take that long for him to decipher that look. "Sammy, don't give me that look," Dean said and Sam's eyebrows dart up and he puts his hands up in a placating gesture. "So, what have we got?" Dean asks as he sits down at the small table, where their case notes are all laid out. Sam quickly puts on a t-shirt and sits down in front of his laptop. Sam brings up the internet browser and starts searching for anything unusual that would be in their line of work. While Sam searches, Dean picks up a bag of takeout food and starts munching on a breakfast sandwich. Suddenly Sam stops typing and his eyes go round. Dean sees the transformation and stops eating. "What is it?" he asks. Sam looks up and turns the laptop around to show Dean the picture in the article he was reading. Dean's eyes go round and he drops his breakfast onto the table the bite in his mouth shifting to his left cheek. "Son of a… Sam, where was this taken?" Dean asks as he swallows his bite.
"It was part of a news reel on a fire in Mitchell, South Dakota," Sam said, as Dean looked at the photo-clip before he reads the title of the front page article. Local Fireman possessed by demon exercised by fellow Fireman Joshua Alexander Michael-Angelo. Dean's jaw drops but then reads the subtext below it. Sprouting Wings like an angel after commanding a demon to leave its host, Joshua is in local hospital recovering. Dean is shell shocked. He cannot believe what he is reading, but the proof is right before his eyes in black and white text, accompanied by a color picture and a news reel clip of a Fireman screaming out in pain, jacket, shirt, and tank top removed; and a pair of large pin-feather covered wings ripping out of the flesh in his back. Dean looks back up at Sam, who looks at him with wide eyes; Dean gulps hard, and realizes they are way out of their league. "I think you should call your angel buddy, Dean," Sam says, with a frightened look.
"Yeah, I think so too," Dean says as he looks back at the video footage. "Cas, I think we may have an angel worthy case." Dean looks around. No Castiel. "Come on, Cas. We're gonna need some help with this one." Again, no angel; Dean takes a deep breath and stands up. He goes over to the bed and grabs his duffle bag. When Sam realized that he was packing his things, Sam quickly shuts down his laptop and does the same. When the two brothers have finished packing, Dean gives one last look at the room before following Sam out to the Impala. Dean throws his bag in the back, and starts the car while Sam goes to the office to check out. While in the Car, Dean has the time to think about what he had witnessed on the clip. The guy was huge, Dean realized; more than likely over 6'3". Dean wouldn't be surprised if the guy, Joshua, was taller than Sam. Dean shuddered at the thought. Sam was already a Sasquatch, and he didn't want to think about someone that towered over him. If that guy was as strong as his body suggested, and based on a height estimate, Dean knew he stood no chance in that fight, he would probably give Sam a run for his money.
His train of thought was interrupted, though, when Sam entered the car and slammed the door shut. Dean pulled the car out of park and peeled out of the parking lot with a squeal of burning rubber. Soon they were on the High Way and on their way back to South Dakota. The car was quiet for the first half hour before Dean switched on the radio and Turned up the music, ACDC blaring out the speakers. Sam grimaced when the music got loud, but Dean just smiled and tapped his hand on the steering wheel to the beat of the music.
After a while Sam finally spoke. "Maybe we should call Bobby in on this one," Sam said, as he looked at the map. "I mean, dad always said that an extra set of eyes made sure you didn't miss anything." Dean gave Sam a look but took out his phone and tossed it to Sam.
"Call him, and tell him we may have a biblical case, and to grab all his books he has on angels or anything related to angels," Dean said, not taking his eyes off the long stretch of black top High Way.
They stop at Bobby's place first to do some research, but Bobby didn't have much to begin with on angels. A day later and still no closer to finding out what they were dealing with the group of three hunters headed out to Mitchell, flying by the seat of their pants as to what they were going to do.
Dean didn't like going into this one blind but they didn't have a choice. Sam sat in the front seat with his laptop open and his new satellite Wi-Fi plugged in to get internet on the road. Dean didn't like paying the bill but Sam got the research done better on his laptop most of the time. Just as they were making their way into the town, Sam spoke up.
"Hey, Dean, I think I found something," Sam said as they pulled into a gas station. Dean put the Impala in park and turned off the engine. Sam turned to Dean. "I've been looking up some back history on this Joshua. Get this, he's adopted." Dean's eyebrows went up.
"Yeah, and?" Dean asked. Sam gave him a be-patient look before continuing.
"He was originally from Italy," Sam continued, and Dean's eyebrows went higher. He let out a low whistle. "Yeah, not only that he was an orphan found in the Sistine Chapel. The priest that found his didn't know where he came from, but he did state in his memoirs that he knew how to speak Latin, ancient Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and even some Babylonian."
"Wow!" Dean said, opening the door and getting out. Sam opened his door and set his laptop on the hood.
"Yeah, wow, and Dean that's not even the half of it," Sam stated as Bobby got out and stretched his cramped legs. "Jonathan, the priest, said on multiple occasions that Joshua would call Michael, that's the Archangel Michael, mother." Dean and Bobby both turned and looked at him as if he and grown two heads.
"Mother?" Dean asked a look of complete disbelief on his face mingled with confusion.
"Yeah, mother," Sam confirmed.
"Hold on a second, boy," Bobby interjected, "are you sayin' what I think you sayin'?" Sam nodded.
"Dean," Sam said a look of restrained excitement on his face, "I think this guy might be one of the Nephilim." Dean gave him a confused look.
"A Nepha-whoseit- what now," Dean asked in confusion. Sam shook his head put his laptop back in the car and leaned over the hood.
"A Nephilim," Sam corrected. "They're a half angel Human hybrid." Bobby nodded his eyes just as wide as Dean's.
"Yeah, they talk about them in the Bible, in Genesis," bobby said showing off the knowledge he had accumulated over the past months researching anything angel related. "Some were great heroes but most of 'em were big tall nasty giants that lorded over other men. The Bible tells us that some of the good ones tried to stop the giants but they were much bigger and stronger than them. It later says that they were so evil that God Himself decided to destroy them; Good and Bad. That's where the flood comes in."
"Right, right, I remember, God sent the flood to destroy man but saved Noah and his family," Dean said.
"Half right," Sam said, "God sent the Archangel Gabriel to destroy the bad ones. Now, from what I can figure, he somehow got the bad ones to go to war, but the good ones. Well because the mandate said all of them had to die, Gabriel set members of the Host down to gather the rest up and Kill them." Dean had a disgusted and sick look on his face at the thought. Dean was almost reluctant to bring Castiel in on this, if this guy really was half angel. Dean realized that they would have to meet this guy and get a judge of his character. Dean turned to the gas pump and started to full up the car.
"Why don't you go get us something to eat, Sam," Dean said, when he finished pumping the car and paid. "And see if you can find out if there's a place we can stay." Sam nodded and went inside the building. While he was inside he saw the article on the local newspaper. Sam went to the back of the store and grabbed some foodstuffs and some fruit filled pies for Dean. Dean would never forgive him if he didn't get him some pie. Sam snorted and smiled. Dean loved his pie. Maybe it was some left over memories of when their mom was still alive. He remembered Dean saying that he loved her pies. With how much sugar Dean would consume, Sam was surprised that his brother hadn't developed diabetes. When he was on his way to the checkout counter he overheard the cashier and one of the townspeople gossiping.
"Who would have thought," the lady said, "Jake possessed by a demon; it's almost unthinkable. He's such a good boy." The cashier nodded as she passed the items over the scanner.
"Yeah, well, it just goes to show that anyone could become possessed," she said. "Jake always did have problems with the vices. Pastor Owens will probably be preaching about the vices and staying away from the bars, for a month." The lady laughs as the Cashier lady puts the last of the groceries in a brown paper bag. Sam came up to the counter, his lips pulled in a tight smile. "Hi there," she said. Sam nodded and set the snacks on the counter. "Are you new to town? Don't think I've seen you here before." Sam nodded and pulled out some cash.
"My brother and I are just passing through," Sam said. He looked up and leaded on the counter. "Hey I could help but over hearing that someone was possessed. What happened to the guy?" the lady behind the counter looks him over before leaning on the counter.
"Jake Sorenson is one of the firemen at the county Fire Rescue. Jake has had some problems with drinking and the ladies for a few years. He's part Cheyenne Indian, and is an alcoholic. The poor boy had troubles in his teens with drinkin' but he had some friends that helped him get over the addiction but he still struggles." Sam nodded and tucked that little information away. The cashier finished putting the snacks in the bags and Sam paid for them before asking one more question.
"What about that guy Joshua? I saw the article in the newspaper and the clip, and I was wondering about him," Sam asked. The cashier looked back at him before looking around the store and looking out the window.
"Joshua is a hero in this town, and I don't want to speak ill of him, but some of the bureaucrats think he is dangerous and they are acting like he stared the fire and, I hate to say this, but they are pushing to have him incarcerated. Joshua doesn't deserve that," she said, and at this point she was nearly crying. "He saved my grandma from a Fire last year. He put his own life at risk to save her. He gave her his oxygen mask. He saved her life, and he was put in the hospital for weeks with smoke inhalation. Joshua doesn't deserve any of this." Sam nodded before thanking her and taking the snacks out to the car.
Dean and Bobby are waiting for him when he comes out. Sam throws the bag at Dean, who roots through the bag and grabs one of the pies. Sam sits down in the car and shuts the creaky door. Dean looks over at him with a large bite of pie in his mouth. "Well," he says, "what you find out?" Sam sighs, as Dean starts the car and pulls out on the road. They drive down the street to the motel two blocks away.
"Apparently the guy that was possessed had an alcohol addiction when he was younger, so there's the chink in his armor, and the guy Joshua is the town hero. Rumor is around town that the city officials want to have him incarcerated," Sam said, and Dean curses.
"Hell, that guy is in deep," Dean says as he pulls into the parking lot of the motel. Dean goes to the main office and checks them out a room with three twin beds. They enter the room and it is a bit better than the roach motels they have been to in the past. The walls had been recently painted and the carpet was fairly new. The beds were well made and looked as if a Marine had made all the beds, they were so neatly dressed. Dean tossed his bag on to the bed closest to the door and set the bag with his guns on the table. "Okay, I think we should visit both of these guys," Dean said and picked up his colt pistol from the bag and put it in the holster at his back. "Sam, I go talk to the victim of the Demon and Bobby and I will talk to Joshua." Bobby and Sam nod, and head out the door. Sam decides to walk to Jake's house, because it is only two blocks from their motel. Dean and Bobby pile in to the Impala and head off to the hospital.
While on the way there, Dean glances in the rearview mirror, when he sees Castiel sitting in the back seat. Dean jerks the wheel over from the start it gave him, but he corrects himself before anything happens to his car. Dean glares at the trench coat wearing angel. Bobby has one hand on the ceiling and the other gripping the seat.
"Cas how many times have I told you not to do that," Dean bites out. The angel in question tilts his head in confusion. "I am going to get you a bell." The angel looks back, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Why would I need a bell," Castiel asks in a gravelly voice. Dean shakes his head mumbling under his breath.
"Never mind," dean grumbles, "What do you want, Cas?" the angel doesn't say anything for a moment.
"I was told that you were investigating a demonic possession," Castiel said, his body rigged in his seat. Dean nods. "I was told to help you investigate." Dean looks back at Bobby before answering the angel.
"We think that it might have some merit to you angels too," Dean said and Castiel looks genuinely surprised.
"What do you mean," Castiel asked. Dean looks at Bobby, and the old hunter nods.
"We think we might be dealing with a Nephilim," Dean says, and looks back into the mirror and what he sees frightened him: Castiel looks stunned.
Joshua hates hospitals! Ever since he was little he has hated them. He feels trapped this time; being held against his will until the doctors and bureaucrats figured out what to do with him. It made him feel less than human. But right now they considered him less than human, and Joshua sat in his prison of a room, his fledgling Eagle colored wings flecked with emerald spots spread out behind his back. Jake came to visit him and even helped him groom his fledgling wings. The flight feathers were growing in and from the measurements the doctors were taking, Joshua estimated that his wingspan would be over 15', and that is including the space between his wings. Joshua really missed his mother. He missed the songs he would sing to him when he was afraid, and when he went to bed. Joshua could barely remember his face, but he did remember meadow green eyes, and his golden tipped Eagle wings. Joshua missed his father too. He missed Ezekiel and their family.
Joshua paced his room frustrated beyond belief. The guards at his door wouldn't let him out; they treated him like a criminal instead of the public defender he was. Joshua flared his wings out, and grimaced, still not use to the new muscles attached to his back. He slowly folded them back onto his back, flattening them and hiding them behind his broad shoulders. The feathers reached down to his thighs now. They were still growing so they would get bigger. Michael was special to him, but it was in the past. Joshua was afraid but he hid it well. Joshua sat down on the edge of his bed, and put his head in his hands. He felt like crying, but didn't he took a deep breath raised his head and looked out the door to his room. The guards were still there, and his shoulders slumped and his head sagged between them.
Then he heard new voices. He lifted his head and couldn't believe what he saw. Ever since the transformation he saw things differently; new spectrum's of color washed before his eyes mixed with the old but now he saw the true effect. The men before him were different than the others. He could see them as he used to but he saw an aura around them. One was an older man with a scruffy graying beard and an old trucker's hat. The aura around him was golden mixed with streaks of black and grey; like old and new scars clinging to his soul. But then there was the one in the trench coat, his body was slim but strong with Caribbean blue eyes and dark brown hair that was wild, almost like he had just got out of bed. But the aura around him was bright and white swirling with multiple colors, behind him were bright wings. They were black at the crown of the joint but they faded into dark blue, at the edge of the blue near the roots of the primaries and secondary's the color rapidly changes. There is a small streak of pale blue and then the wings bleed to pure silvery white. It is such a shocking change that he barely notices the small line of gold at the very tips of his flight feathers. Joshua stands up and stares at him, his jaw hanging open. This man is a Vessel and the being within that he is seeing is an Angel; a very unique one at that. He is so absorbed by the sight of him that he doesn't glance at the third man until he sees movement in the corner of his eye.
When he glances over at the third, just to see who it is and look back at the angel, but his eyes stop on the man and he is taken back at the sight. The man that he would normally see has dirty blond hair and moss green eyes; he is well built and has very plump lips. His aura although, makes him take a second look. The aura around him is immense and bright; almost as bright if not brighter than the angel's. White mingled with blues and gold and greens, swirl around in the aura. There are lines of black and grey marring the beauty of it, like scars marring flawless skin, and there are many, all over; running parallel and some intersecting. Joshua looks at him sadly; pitying the man whose beautiful soul is scarred almost as if against his will.
The man turns to look at him and sees his expression. The three of them come into the room and Joshua brings his gaze back to the angel; trying to put a name to an angel with such unique wings. Joshua hurls his memory back to a time when his mother would tell him about his brothers and sisters. He searches his memory and finally finds it; a memory of his mother telling him about the youngest of all the Angels: Castiel.
"Castiel," Joshua says in awe. The angel stops short and freezes. The young angel scrutinizes him for a moment before he comes forward to stand beside the bright man. Joshua smiles widely glad the angel just didn't smite him on sight.
"Nephilim," the angel says. Joshua deflates and sits down on the bed. The disgust and restrained anger in his voice is so apparent that it makes him feel worthless. Without realizing it his young wings wrap around his body to shield him from the angel's gaze. Then he hears said angel gasp. Joshua looks up and sees the shock on the angel's borrowed face. One of his hands in stretched out to touch his wings, and for the first time Joshua looks down at them, it is when he realizes that they look like his mothers, except his are flecked with emerald where as his mothers were flecked with gold.
"Holy Mother of God," he hears one of the other men say, and he looks up. The man with the trucker hat is staring. "I didn't think they were real," he says, Joshua sees an odd smile on the man's face, "but here you are; Half angel, half human, and the best of both." Joshua smiles hoping that his mother still loves him. The man beside him is staring but he has managed to keep his awe hidden. Joshua stands up and pulls his wings to his back; they flutter as they orient themselves to get more comfortable. The blond man's eyes widen as he looks up at Joshua. Joshua rolls his eyes.
"Go ahead say it," he says with good-natured laughter hidden in his voice. The blond man's eyebrows furrow.
"Say what?" he asks. Joshua very poorly holds back a smile behind his thinned lips.
"How's the weather up there, Goliath," Joshua suggests. The blond man laughs and the older man chuckles. The angel on the other hand gives him a puzzled look. "It's a joke, because I'm really tall." Joshua tells him but the angel looks even more confused. Joshua thins his lips before repeating the joke in Enochian. That time he got a response: the angel grinned and chuckled. Joshua holds out his hand to the angel. "I'm Joshua Michael-Angelo, Castiel. It's a pleasure to meet you," Joshua says as the angel takes his hand. "My mother told me about you. You are just the way he described." Castiel smiles, and for the first time Joshua feels like he has a family. The other men introduce themselves.
"Bobby Singer," says the older man with the trucker hat. Joshua shakes his hand.
"Dean," says the blond man. Joshua pauses.
"Dean Winchester?" Joshua asks. The man nods. Joshua shakes his hand and smiles. I'm not crazy. He thinks. He really does exist.
AN: there, new chapter. I want reviews, if I don't get them I don't update. please review. reviews are my muses