On the Wings of Vengeance
Summary:
Aurora Dilatos tried to live a normal life, as she had for many, many years. It just goes to show that no matter how hard a person tries, their past always finds away to climb out of its grave and stampeed through your life. She should have said no to the oldest Winchester brother. She should have told the angel were to shove his plea for help.
She should have just let Michael and Lucifer plunge the world into chaos.
Stupid human conscience.
Author's Note:
I'd like to first give a HUUUUGGGGEEEE thanks to my dearest friend winterfellsfallenangel, who gave me the horrid plot bunny to this story and my brain won't stop long enough for me to contemplate over my other stories. This story is a bit...darker than my other stories. Pairings: Cas/Aurora, Faith/Dean, Ikari/Sam...there are big reasons as to why these pairings are made.
Episode Spoiler: 'Fallen Idols'
Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural...let's just say it is a good thing I don't!
Chapter Three
Idolizing the Damned
Aurora glances up briefly as a sadistic, but gleeful, chuckle echoes in the hotel room, her green eyes catching sight of the two women sitting cross-legged on the bed. Waiting for the guys to get back from checking up on a homicide by the 'Little Bastard', the three women had decided to find ways of passing the time. While Aurora had chosen to get in contact with some informants she had made over the many, many years, still trying to catch a trace of Gabriel, her two friends decided to pass the time in a more leisure manner. Faith, being her abnormal self, had pulled out her tarot cards, wanting to give the fiery-haired woman a reading just for kicks.
"The Ace of Swords, reversed," Faith says as she flips over the first card, "Imbalanced and troubled," The second card is flipped over, "Queen of Swords, loyal and stubbornly committed, to a goal or to a person," The third card is flipped as well, "Strength, symbolizes fighting the good fight, standing against injustice." Ikari snorts, raising a 'fight the power' fist in a mocking manner, "The Lovers, reversed. Signifies control becoming an issue, not only through a relationship, but inwardly as well. You could have issues due to dysfunctional means, or misinterpretation," Faith flips over the last card, "Temperance, reversed, signifies an argument, a steady amount of friction between two people."
Ikari giggles, "So, I'm imbalanced, stubbornly committed, strong in character, but now I have control issues that will cause me to get into an argument at some point," Faith flashes a highly amused grin at the fiery-haired woman's summary, "Seriously, Fae, doesn't this stuff usually happen at least three times in a year? How is this a surprise?"
"It isn't one," Aurora comments, her gaze focusing on the screen of her laptop.
Faith begins collecting the cards as a knock sounds on the door, causing Ikari to roll off the bed lazily. Opening the door, she motions for the brothers to enter before slamming the door shut with a flourish. Aurora finally looks up from her screen as Sam sits down at the table across from her, setting his laptop on the table. He meets her gaze and a brief gleam of suspicion flickers through his eyes before he pastes on a fake, although convincing, smile. As he starts up his computer, Aurora pulls her attention to Dean as he asks about the cards Faith slips back into her bag.
"Oh? Those I do for fun. I used to do it for kicks during street festivals and block parties," Faith replies, smiling widely, "It helps me pass the time and it can be...curious at times."
"Curious how?" Dean asks.
Ikari rolls her eyes at the question, "Curious as in these creepy predictions hold some foundation nine times out of ten. So, what happened with the Little Bastard?"
Faith giggles as Dean's face pales, "Damn thing nearly fell on me. Hopefully, we get a match to the engine number and we can know if it is the real deal."
"Wait? Lincoln? As in the seventeenth President?" Ikari questions as both her and Aurora follow the guys up the entrance steps to a wax museum.
Entering the building, Ikari's gaze instantly searches over the wax statues, the near life-like quality giving her the creeps. Honestly, how could museum's like this garner any attention from the masses? Feeling a shift next to her, the fiery-haired woman glances over at the silent ex-angel, her green eyes moving over every figurine with a heavy degree of disgust and irritation. As the ruby-haired eyebrow begins to twitch on Aurora's face, Ikari realizes something is bothering her friend.
"What's wrong?" Ikari asks, her voice muffled between the two in a soft whisper.
Aurora flashes a tense smile, "Hopefully, this will be over quickly. My skin is crawling."
"Waiting for one to jump out at you?" Ikari teases, amused by her friend's discomfort.
"More like about to tweak out and burn the place to the ground," Aurora deadpans, earning a cocked eyebrow in response, "Ikari, this entire collection depicts people that are revered to the highest degree," At the mounting confusion in Ikari's gaze, Aurora sighs, "It's blasphemy, in the highest regard. These...humans are revered more than God by the masses."
"Right, because one does not put another being above the importance of God, Himself. Though, to be fair, I'd put my faith in you, before I would God," Ikari summarizes, nodding in understanding, "Well, just hold it together. The guys look like their about done."
Seeing Sam and Dean approach, the two women start their way out of the building, the tension receding from Aurora's body. The guys begin explaining a need for them to return later that night, after the museum closes. The idea that a ghost is taking shape of political and cinematic icons is an odd scenario, but it is the only lead they have.
Later that night, the four split up. Aurora volunteers to go check out the curator's office, see if he may have any kind of explanation for the sudden appearance of a spirit. With a flashlight in hand, Ikari moves through the wax museum, inwardly admitting to the creep factor of the statues being viewed in the dark. They are definitely creepy. Hearing a deep cry for help, the fiery-haired woman turns on heel and races down the hall to find Dean pounding his shoulder against the large, broad doors.
"Move!" Ikari commands curtly.
As Dean steps aside, Ikari places the palm of her hand against the door. Focusing, she visualizes the mechanics of the door lock and with an ease, she pictures the lock unbolted. Hearing the 'click' sound, she wastes no time in pushing through the door, Dean following in suit. At the sight of Gandhi grappling with a struggling Sam, Ikari's hand waves in their direction. Focusing, Ikari yanks her hand to the side, causing both Sam and Gandhi to fly in opposite directions.
"Now, Dean!"
Dean quickly grabs the glasses off of the face of the Gandhi statue and drops them into a trashcan. Lighting the items on fire, Ikari watches as the creepy thing fades black and disappears like smoke. Heaving as her lungs fight for air, she turns her attention on Sam as he pulls himself to his feet.
"You okay?" she asks, rubbing her palms together, her fingers burning with invisible energy.
"What the Hell was that?" Sam all but demands.
Realizing what she had done, the fiery-haired woman curses her lack of common sense and rubs the back of her head, "Dumb luck?"
"You threw him across the room with your mind!"
The words leaves Sam's lips as he follows the woman into the hotel room, the blonde woman inside immediately jumping to her feet at the irritated look on Ikari's face, "Oh, I'm sorry. Remind me to bring popcorn next time so I can stand by and spectate as you get your ass handed to you by a ninety-pound, diaper-wearing pacifist!"
Dean snorts, trying to smother his amusement at Ikari's words, but Sam seems to hold nothing back, "I'm sorry if I'm not too trusting on people I don't know, one of which has telekinetic abilities she failed to mention!"
"Because it is normal for someone with such abilities to go around announcing it to the whole fucking world!"
Faith places a hand to her forehead as Sam seems to grow more and more furious with Ikari's indifference to her abilities, "This is why I don't trust you, any of you! Your stories have more holes and none of you are even explaining why you are helping us."
"Last time I checked, you and your brother broke the fucking world and we are helping, in order for a chance for Rora to get her Grace back," Ikari fumes, her eyes bright with anger.
"Yes, because we can trust she won't turn around and throw us to the dogs like every other angel!"
Sam blinks at the heavy silence that falls over the room, realizing his words must have hit something sensitive. Before he can react, Ikari's fist connects with the side of his face, his cheek exploding with angered heat, "That was for Fae because I know she doesn't like confrontation," Ikari waves her hand in the air and Dean fights the urge to rush the fiery-haired woman as Sam is planted against the wall. As Sam opens his eyes, he tenses as bright blue glares hard in return only inches away from his face, "That was for me. If I ever hear you question the loyalty of Aurora I will TK your skull into the nearest wall," The low hiss causes the youngest Winchester to realize he had crossed a line, "Rora might have once been an angel, but she carries more humanity than anyone I've ever met, especially you."
A tense silence falls over the four before Ikari steps back, blinking and instantly Sam feels the unseen pressure disappear. Nothing is said as the fuming woman turns on heel and stomps out of the hotel room, yanking the door to come face-to-face with Aurora. Shoving her way past her friend, Aurora watches as Ikari disappears from the hotel.
"How long were you there?" Dean asks.
"Long enough," Aurora turns her attention to Sam, "Humans can be so...blind. I'm going to go make sure she is alright. Later."
The door slamming behind Aurora causes both brothers to turn their gazes on Faith, who flushes at the attention, "Rora can be so...odd at times. You really shouldn't have said that, Sam. Rora has done a lot for both of us and we wouldn't be here, or be the people you know, if it wasn't for her. Kari didn't ask for her abilities, but it is something we have tried to help her with."
"It's only logical to be weary of someone I don't know," Sam states, trying to get Faith to understand why he said what he said.
Faith's soft brown eyes darken briefly, "Your logic is invalid at best. You have yet to collect enough data to have come to such a conclusion. You have no proof Rora would act in such a manner, and I can tell you for sure, you will never find proof. If you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if you guys go."
An hour of lonely silence, Faith looks up as the door opens and the ruby-haired woman enters the room, a cigarette pressed between her lips. Seeing the contemplative look on her friend's face, Faith smiles sadly. To question Aurora's loyalty is to question if the Sun really burns. It goes without saying, without any serious need of proof, that the Sun burns, and it goes the same with Aurora's loyalty. Faith had never met someone as stubbornly loyal as her friend, either of them really, but Ikari is a different type of loyalty. It is damn near impossible for Ikari to trust someone even the slightest bit, and even then, she normally doesn't follow people on blind faith alone.
"How did it go?" Faith asks, pulling the thoughtful gleam from Aurora's eyes as the other woman looks up in confusion, "I said, how did it go?"
"Fair enough. Granted, I doubt anything will really come from it," her friend replies softly, shrugging her shoulder.
Faith smiles briefly, "That is oddly troubling."
"I agree," Aurora responds.
"To be honest, I was surprised you followed," the blonde comments, turning back to the television, "Usually when Ikari gets in an argument, you let her take off."
A thoughtful hum sounds from Aurora, "Ikari can be hot-tempered at times."
"That wasn't hot-tempered. Her fight with Sam over the use of her powers is one thing, but to bring your loyalties into question, it's no wonder Ikari nearly snapped," Faith says with a deep sigh. "Oh, the guys found out that we are up against some Pagan God, that people had once followed so closely and revered so deeply that people would willingly sacrifice themselves to it. We think this Pagan God is taking the form of people idolized by millions and using it to feed off of the dead. We are just trying to figure out-"
Faith's words stop suddenly when Aurora launches herself from her bed, "Fae! Go get Dean and Sam, tell them to get their asses to the museum."
"What's going on?" the blonde questions as Aurora shrugs on her jacket.
"Ikari," At the sight of Faith's confusion, Aurora pauses in her quick movements, "Fae. I just got back from the curator's office. I know nothing of some fight between Kari and Sam."
Faith's eyes widen in realization as the door is flung open, the doorknob cracking against the wall as Aurora races down to the Mustang. As squealing tires burn rubber against asphalt, Faith quickly stalks her way to the guys' room. Pounding on the door, Faith places a hand against her heaving chest, her breathing labored with anxiety and panic.
"What's wrong?"
"Rora...the Rora that went after Kari wasn't really her. It was that thing. It followed you guys back from the museum!" Faith gasps between breaths.
She jumps reflexively as Dean's hands gentle fall onto her shoulders, "Breathe. We got this. We'll get both of them back and send this sons o' bitch to Hell."
Nodding over-exaggeratedly, Faith huffs out a breath as she watches Sam toss Dean the keys to the car, "Be careful."
At the sound of grunts and muffled cries of pain, the Winchester's find themselves pausing in their pursuit through the fake jungle theme section of the wax museum. It wasn't the sight of Ikari, unconscious and bound to one of the fake trees, her arms raised above her head. It wasn't the sight of Aurora stumbling back after a sickening crack sounds, her hand covering her injured side. No. It was the second Aurora following the first, both of them similar in every fashion and equally sporting injuries.
The cocking of both guns causes both of the Auroras to look up, their eyes narrowing briefly before widening in the same fashion.
"Dean? What are we going to do?" Sam asks under his breath, his focus trained on one of the two ex-angels.
Dean thinks hard, before remembering his future-self asking personal questions, "Tell us something only we would know."
"You both are vessels of Michael and Lucifer," one replies.
The second Aurora shrugs her shoulders, "I don't really know you enough, so I've got nothing."
Sam lifts a finger in a suggestion for them to wait, his eyes trained on the second Aurora. Carefully rousing Ikari from her unconscious state, Sam watches as her eyes blink open, hazed over as if drugged, "Ikari, is there a question we can ask Aurora that only Aurora would know the answer to?"
"R-regret," Ikari's sleep-laden voice murmurs, "W-what d-does she r-regret most in life?"
Sam turns his gaze back to the two Aurora's, "You heard her. What does Aurora regret most in life?"
"I regret not being able to help people to the capacity that I should. I regret not being able to fix the tragedies I've caused people," the first Aurora states.
The second Aurora glares at the first, disgusted, "Are you fucking kidding me?"
Sam aims his gun at her, "Answer the question."
I regret-" the second Aurora pauses, her gaze flashing over to the groggy Ikari, before sighing, "I regret nothing, because I have nothing. Nothing to regret."
Sam shares a brief look with Dean, who nods, clenching the ax in his hand. Pulling the trigger, the crack sounds as Aurora stumbles back her hand raising to her left shoulder.
"Are you fucking insane?"
Dean shakes his head, "Aurora has killed tens of thousands of people in one swoop and you think she regrets nothing she's done?"
Green eyes flash dangerously, "I have never and will never regret anything I've done."
Lifting the ax, Dean gasps as he feels his body being forced to turn and face the other Aurora. Struggling becomes useless as Dean quickly brings the ax down, aiming for the first Aurora's head. She dodges it of course, demanding an explanation with a frantic gleam in her eyes. Struggling to stop himself, he releases the ax, and Sam reacts instinctively, catching the handle. Swinging it around, Sam brings it to the second Aurora only for it to stop inches away from the woman's throat.
"Wrong Aurora, assholes," Ikari's raspy voice hisses.
Inhaling deeply, Sam swallows back his own response, but a realization hits him. Taking Ikari's words, Sam turns his attention to the first Aurora, watching as she struggles to move from under an invisible force. Raising the ax, Sam swallows back his hesitation at killing a recognizable face, he brings the ax down swiftly. A tense moment passes before Sam turns back to them, only for Ikari's fist to connect with his cheek.
"That's for being a colossal idiot. Why would you ask a question where even you don't know the true answer to?" Ikari hisses, her gaze finding Aurora as Dean carefully helps her to her feet.
"I-It's alright," Aurora gasps.
Dean cocks an eyebrow, "Who knew an angel could bleed so much."
Aurora chuckles, groaning at the pain blossoming along her left arm, struggling to keep her balance. Dean and Sam both step forward to catch the woman as she staggers, swaying with her movements, but the ruby-haired woman raises her hand. Inhaling deeply, Aurora tries to ignore the sudden weakness flooding her body as she takes another step, her knees buckling under the weight of her body. The lean, stubborn arms of Ikari hooks under her arms, a hiss slipping past Aurora's lips as the jerking motion tugs at her wound.
"Stupid fucking humans," Aurora curses as Ikari shifts her hold, the two friends starting on the way to the car.
As Ikari helps Aurora into the passenger seat of the Mustang, the fiery-haired woman shoots an icy glare in Sam's direction before climbing into the driver's seat. Revving the engine, Aurora grunts as the car jerks in sudden motion as Ikari peels out of the parking lot and down the street.
Faith sighs as she smooths the white tape to Aurora's bandages, the blonde's face an unnatural pale at the sight of her friend's blood coating her hands. Pushing herself out of the chair, she glances over at the silent Ikari sitting vigil at their friend's bedside. Knowing Ikari will refuse to move from her spot, Faith moves to bathroom to wash away the crimson staining her fingers. Remembering the anxious appearance of the guys a few moments ago, before they were kicked out of the room by a furious Ikari, Faith decides to go let them know the ex-angel pulled through.
Stepping out of her hotel room, the blonde heads to the next room over and knocks firmly on the door. Dean answers, his green eyes sympathetic as they gaze on the somber blonde, before he motions for her to step into the room. Seeing a conflicted Sam sitting slouched in the hotel chair, Faith offers him a forced smile.
"So, how is Aurora?" Dean asks.
"She will be fine. She's strong. She's still not used to being completely human," Faith replies, running her pink-tinged fingers through her bangs. "You guys shouldn't be so hard on yourselves."
Sam's gaze snaps up at her words, "Shouldn't be hard on ourselves? I shot the real Aurora. This wouldn't have happened if you guys didn't hide so much from us."
Faith's brown eyes dim slightly, but she nods in comprehension, "Look, I get you guys have suspicions about us, but you will never have to worry about Aurora, or any of us, turning against you. Aurora gave you her word, and we will follow Aurora."
"Why do you guys follow her so blindly? What makes you think she wouldn't throw you under the bus?" Sam questions.
Instead of growing angry, Faith smiles, her eyes brightening, "Over a year and a half ago, there was a tragic accident and if it wasn't for Ikari, I wouldn't be standing here right now," The eyes of both brothers to widen in surprise, "We...we thought we were going to lose her. We tried everything humanly possible to fix it, to save Ikari. Then, about a year ago, Aurora had given up on human means and with a small window of opportunity, she used every last shred of her Grace to save Ikari, rendering her completely human," Faith's smile saddens slightly before she looks directly at a shocked Sam, "Aurora could have walked away. She could have let nature take its course, but she refused. When Aurora says she has nothing, it means she has nothing. She's given up everything in order to help Ikari and that is why both of us are loyal."
"I guess I owe them an apology?" Sam sighs aloud.
Faith snorts, earning a curious look, "I wouldn't bother. Ikari doesn't take well to insincere apologies," Seeing the youngest Winchester open his mouth in protest, Faith raises a hand to silence him, "Not that your apology wouldn't be sincere, but you meant ever word you said when you said it. Just...learn from your mistakes and move on. I should probably get back."
"Good night, Fae," Dean says, watching the blonde slip out of their room with a small smile on her lips before turning his attention to a dismayed Sam, "Dude, I get that neither of us are going to jump to trust everything about them, but we do need Aurora's help when she gets her Grace back. Cas wouldn't have mentioned her if she wouldn't be an asset."
"I know, something is off about them."
Alright. That's the end of this chapter.
Winter: Thanks for your review luv!
Until Next Chapter