Chapter 7

… I can tell that Sam and Dean both have trouble believing me about hot spots. If Bobby's reaction was any indication then I should have quit while I was ahead. I know what I am talking about though.

I am certain that with the way everyone is feeling whether they are showing it or not, it is fueling the spirit's power. I know I have repeated it several times but it is true, emotions are powerful. The echoes didn't take Corbett. The badass feeding on the fear from the loops and the victims and that's the one that took him.

I know that it can sense my fears. Call me paranoid but I know it can and I have a feeling that it knows what exactly I fear which was why it didn't take me…

Angela rubbed her wrist as she followed Sam and Dean. It was still sore after her encounter with the spirit. At least it wasn't broken but badly bruised and probably to the bone. She did a good job hiding it from the boys and they knew not to make a fuss over her face. That wasn't important now. Right now they had to find something that could tell them about the reason for the echoes and a clue as to the spirit.

"Did the echoes take Corbett?" Maggie was asking the question as she followed behind Dean and Angela.

"Yes… No. We don't know what's doing what here. That's what we're trying to figure out," Dean replied. Well they did have some idea about what was going on thanks to Angela. They were dealing with a thing that was feeding on emotions and this place was a hotbed for it and that the missing people probably fueled the place. Of course why scare everyone needlessly? So Dean replied in his usual fashion and that was in a more or less rude fashion.

Sam though realized that the more calm everyone was, the better chance that they could get an edge on this or rather Angela would if she had to use her mojo. He was a bit uncomfortable being looked at through the camera and he was a nice guy so he explained, "Okay, look, um death echoes are ghosts, okay? Now ghosts usually haunt places where they lived or died."

"Except the echoes we saw didn't die here," Angela replied in her soft tones. She didn't like the camera either but in her experiences, sometimes it was unavoidable. She could name a few times where pictures were taken and she was in them and usually in the background. In the end she didn't mind that they existed but it sure created an issue in explanations.

"So what are they doing here?"

Dean couldn't help it, "Hey, give the lady a cigar." He turned and smiled at the camera.

Angela gave him a slight elbow and gave a wry grin as he grunted. He didn't even notice that she rubbed her wrist as she did it. She replied, "Now that means that either their bodies were brought here or something of theirs was brought here and hence the reason for the echoes. Other than that..."

Dean shot Angela a look and then looked back at Maggie holding the camera, "Seriously, does looking at this nightmare through that camera make you feel better or something? I mean…"

It made Maggie pause a moment and she replied, "Yeah. I think so."

Dean raised his brow. Okay whatever floated a person's boat that was his motto. He followed where Angela walked through.

"Um, does your friend need a flashlight to see where she's going?"

Dean looked ahead at Angela who was just walking like she would out on a sidewalk. She had nothing except the shotgun she was holding and he could see the bulge of her Beretta in the waistband of her jeans at the back. Sam was further up ahead and there was no one else around. He looked back at Maggie and replied, "Angie's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"It's fine. She can see where's she's going. Eye condition thing," Dean replied looking for an excuse.

Angela heard Dean's excuse about her not needing a flashlight. It might put attention on her and her eyes but he made it sound like it was a medical condition. She had to admit that it was a quick save. She decided to have a little fun with it. She stepped through a door and spotted something and grinned a little. As soon as she heard Dean's footsteps close in, she motioned with her fingers and said, "You might want to watch your step there. I thought I saw something that was rather hairy and squeaks." She knew the truth about the thing she was setting Dean up for and it might teach him a lesson about teasing Sam.

Dean damped down his fear and shown his light. He wanted to really get her back for that. At least it was a dead rat and not a live one. He began grumbling a little under his breath and glared when Angela started laughing to herself as she followed Sam. He was mollified when she said, "That was a nice save though."

They made it into what could pass for a study. Angela took a look at the stuffed and mounted animals with a slight look that was mingled with disgust. She had never seen the appeal of hunting trophies. She could understand the utilitarian purposes associated with things like shamanism. However, this was rather creepy. She ignored it and walked towards one of the cabinets to begin looking for something and anything.

… I have seen many things throughout my five hundred years of living, near dying and dying and it still surprises me at the sheer grossness of people. I guess I count myself lucky that I am not as freaked out by that in truth but I just can't help expressing it. At least I was right about the echoes… well partially…

"You said that Daggett was a hospital janitor right?" Dean asked Sam while he was digging through the metal box he found in the locker.

"Yeah," Sam affirmed as he glanced over to where Angela was studying the C-Rations. So far that and the pamphlet on how to survive an atomic blast were the only things she had touched out of the whole room. He got the feeling that she was onto something and more likely it was that hot spot whatever she was obsessed with.

Dean made a face as he picked up three pieces of paper. "We got three toe tags. One gunshot, one hit by a train and one suicide."

Sam didn't have to think too hard on that and simply said, "Ew."

Ed and Harry were looking at Sam and Dean with puzzled looks. "What's the big deal?"

Sam looked at them and started filling in blanks for them. "This is the reason for all the echoes. They're here because their bodies are here." He looked at them almost ready to motion with his hands to help them along in figuring it out.

They were still clueless so Dean filled in the rest, "Daggett, he brought the bodies home from the morgue… to play." He had glanced at the camera in his face and then back at Harry and Ed to see if they got it.

Finally they got it and said in unison, "Ewww."

Angela had looked up from studying the C-Rations and gave a slight chuckle. She muttered, "Still amazes me how humans can be just as perverted."

"What do you mean by that?"

Angela glanced up to see that Maggie had been watching her. She picked up the box of rations and replied, "Just the way I talk." She studied it and then looked at the pamphlet and gave a slight smile. "Huh, interesting."

"Rations and a book?"

Angela looked at Maggie. She might as well say something… at least what she knew about Daggett as a person. That was somewhat safe territory. She shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Yeah. The atomic age was really scary for most people. Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis was a year before Daggett died. Scary times."

"So?"

"The guy was scared. Probably lived in fear of nuclear attack and believed in the whole duck and cover routine they came up with for the kids," Angela added as she put tossed the box back on the shelf. "There were people who lived like that and that's on top of hunting for Commies in your soup."

What Angela didn't say was that the whole fear thing coupled with the guy's death created the hot spot that was giving her senses a jitter. Of course she wasn't going to say that she had a conversation with a reaper that told her to quit while she was ahead on her search for Lilith. Like she would say that to her boys when they didn't even know about the plans she had been making. Sure they knew something was up since she wasn't exactly being stealthy on it.

Maybe she did want them to ask about it. Hell Ellen dragged it out of her that she was toying with the idea of going into hell to fetch Dean if nothing could be done. Well she never specifically said that it was Dean. She just happened to mention that it was a friend who did something stupid and she feared the only way to actually save him was to go downstairs and dig his ass out. More or less that was it paraphrasing it.

Ellen sat across from Angela at the diner nearby and studied her. "You look tired."

Angela toyed with the mug that was filled with coffee that was slowly turning cold. She gave a slight smile and replied, "Been busy."

"Uh-huh like trying to get back on the horse after using my Jo to come back to life."

Angela chuckled knowing that Ellen wasn't that mad over it. "Something like that. Just trying to figure out how to help a friend get out of a situation where the endgame is in hell."

"Sometimes I wonder where you find time for your life Angie."

"Never had much of one except, eating, breathing, fighting and somehow living to tell the tale and do it all over again."

Ellen huffed a bit as she took a sip of her coffee. She knew that this was a brief visit and how Angela manages to disappear without suffering the Inquisition of the Winchester boys was something that she had yet to figure out. "Don't talk like it ain't nothing. Now you said you had a problem, why not ask for help?"

"Simply because the idea that seems the best way is considered stupid or will be considered stupid."

"That usually sounds about right especially if you told someone who cares about you." Ellen eyed Angela carefully to gauge her reaction. She could tell that was exactly what was going through the girl's mind. The things she did for people… "So what is this stupid idea?"

"Like I said, I have a friend who did something and he's going to pay the price by going to hell within two months."

"Why not go after the demon that set it in motion?"

"Been there, done that… well tried to. It's not possible. There is a catch and the consequences would devastate my friend. So in order to help, he goes to the pit and the idea is to go in after in him and bring him back."

"Now that is crazy," Ellen replied. She then narrowed her eyes in understanding, "But then I'm guessing that you know this and you know how to do it."

"Sort of." Angela saw the look and knew that she was not going to get away with just that so she added, "I remember a few things that I don't like to talk about. I don't like it but it's for someone important to me."

"Then you need help and I don't mean a shrink. You need to have someone else help ya with this." Ellen knew she was probably doing wrong by Angela by indulging but she knew that the girl was familiar with certain things.

"But who Ellen? There are people that I want to ask but…"

"Don't be afraid to ask for help Angie."

Angela flipped the manual back on the table as she thought about that memory. Ellen never really had to guess at what she was feeling or parts of her thoughts. That was the mom thing she figured but she was right. She had been afraid of asking for help and it was mostly because of what the emotional toll her idea was going to be.

She was afraid of asking for help. Never really before had she ever asked for help in anything on the job. She gave help but never asked and if someone happened to give a hand it was just a matter of a teammate watching her back. Now because she was asking it of someone she had feelings about, it was different. The last time she had feelings about anyone, they died and that seemed to be the case throughout her life. It was why she worked alone and lived alone but she wasn't alone anymore.

Nope, she gave that up the moment she walked into her boys' lives and then Bobby's. Dean and Sam stood by her on a lot of things and made her a part of their family. Ellen, Jo and Ash she knew and she figured she did a better job of protecting them from her interference. Plus she stayed away more often then. Now she felt like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop since she kept in touch with Jo and Ellen more and they had a standing arrangement at the new Roadhouse…

Angela turned and noticed that Maggie had started wandering off. Frowning in frustration from stupidity, she chased after her. She hissed at her, "What are you doing?"

Maggie had startled herself with the mirror and the stuffed bird and replied, "Um looking for Corbett."

"Closer to the herd alright?" Angela replied after blinking at the sudden showing of light in her face.

"Sorry. Forgot about the eye condition."

"No worries," Angela replied as she turned to guide the girl back. She caught sight of Dean and made a slight gesture with her head. This was going to be a long night. She said to Harry who was asking about Maggie and said, "She's fine. Now get back over there before I make ya."

Harry looked at Angela with a look, "You?"

Dean overheard and said, "Yeah she can and you don't want to piss her off." He gave a slight chuckle and a shoulder pat to her shoulder.

Angela knew that it was okay for her to have a little fun if she didn't get caught. However she wasn't in the mood to play around. Normally she would take delight in scaring someone that she was capable of being a badass but this time, with what she was assuming was Daggett's spirit calling the shots and in a powerful hot spot, she wasn't going to play around. "Just get over there," she motioned towards Maggie and Harry.

Sam came to stand by her and said, "That's twice you've wandered off."

Angela looked at Sam and noticed the concern. She couldn't help but reply, "Sam, you're not my leash. I noticed her wandering off and this time I have backup."

"I know but," Sam shut his mouth trying to think about what to say next. "I just don't want anything to happen to you."

Angela studied him a moment before replying, "You know that the injuries are part of the job and I do remember what I promised. I may have taken hits to the head but nothing has jarred what you asked out this grapefruit." She gave a slight sigh and continued, "You know I'm not going to let them do something stupid. You know I wouldn't let you or Dean do that either."

Sam nodded. They didn't always have to go into details about things. "We're merely the players on the stage huh?"

"More or less. Stupid is as stupid does," Angela replied being slightly humorous. She rubbed her wrist again.

Sam had been quick to notice that and reached for her hand. He noticed her wincing and loosened his grip slightly as he pushed up the sleeve of her jacket. Even with minimal light from the other lights all over the place, he could make out the hand shaped bruise on her wrist and it was nasty. "Spirit?"

"Yep," Angela replied. "I think he bruised the bone. Nothing broken." She tried to steady her breathing as she watched Sam inspect it. There really was nothing they could do about it but it didn't hurt for him to look.

"You put your yam on it?"

"In the car."

Sam nodded. As pissed and scared he was at being in this house, he felt at ease just assessing her injured wrist and making sure it wasn't more serious. It was part of the job they did but the fact that when she wanted to be, she was a good patient. Well she was much better than him or Dean and she was better at toughing it out. "Need some help?"

"Probably," Angela replied. She really didn't want him to stop touching her wrist but as she often told herself, good things did come to an end. She felt it linger long after he gently released her wrist and lowered it. Yep her life was so much more complicated now.

At that moment Ed started saying something about the EMF going off or whatever their gizmo was. They were babbling about something coming and that it was big. Well she didn't need to tell them that. Sam looked at her and she gave a nod, unaware that her eyes flickered and it had been caught on camera by Spruce who thought it was just a flare from her eyes.

Whatever was coming was big and Angela could feel it as she walked behind Sam to look around. This one was not like the echoes. She looked around as Ed said that it just hit eleven and was still rising. She knew exactly what it was and her hand went instinctively to her chakram while she held her shotgun ready to pull off a hipshot if necessary.

Dean tried to keep order, "Hold on, hold on. Stay quiet." He looked and saw Angela looking alert and her eyes were narrowed. He knew that she was sensing something that wasn't a harmless echo. This something else and probably that bad mother that had them trapped in that house. "Angie?" He shot a look at her.

Angela looked at him back and stood by Sam following instinctively Dean's house rules which was modified to her rules as she made adjustments. Sam noticed when he turned around and saw her ready to pounce and almost said something about being overprotective. He didn't though knowing she would just shoot him a gimlet eye and he would grow meek and apologetic. He wasn't alone with that since her limpid looks could make Dean cave. She muttered in the first language that came to mind and it surprised her that it was the damn language that Crowley was enforcing on her. She was muttering, "Oh so sly but so am I."

It was a phrase that she had heard from another hunter. It was more like speaking a challenge to the fugly they were hunting at the time. It just seemed right to say as she looked around. She could feel it coming and it felt like the hairs on her neck were standing up. She could feel the temperature change like it was nothing.

Sam watched her knowing that something was going on. He looked around not seeing anything but judging from the babbling that Ed and Harry were doing, it was coming and it was big. He heard Angela's muttering and asked, "Is it…?"

Angela felt she was trying to go fifty miles per hour in second gear. She gave a slight nod while adjusting her position to allow Sam's light to filter out and illuminate the room. She really didn't need it per se but it helped; sort of like how Maggie said viewing the whole thing through the camera made her feel better. She saw it in a split second out of the corner of her eye. She saw it again but realized that the others weren't seeing it. So it was playing the invisibility act and she was the only one that could see it. That was just perfect since she hadn't really said that she could see spirits in that mode. Just another little secret that she didn't quite think important at the time… well she did but she was more concerned that she would be a prime candidate for the nuthouse. She followed the spirit while trying not to alert the group. It appeared again out of the corner of her eye and she turned to get a hit but it was too late.

The spirit had shoved her down with a hit to the face effectively blindsiding her so she didn't see it coming. Apparently it learned from the last time and decided to take her out before she had a chance to interfere and this time she would have since it was Sam. She hit the ground just as Sam's light hit the ground with a clack. Just like that the sensation from the spirit was gone and with it so was Sam and she saw, or she thought she saw, him disappear.

"What's going on? Sam?" Dean walked over to where he last saw his brother. Seeing nothing and wondering where the hell his brother was, he looked down and saw the flashlight. He picked it up and looked around and called for his brother by name, "Sam? Sam!" He started moving and nearly tripped on something. "What the…"

It was Angela on the ground and she looked like she had taken a beating. Dean took in that fact and the fact that his brother was missing and put two and two together as he helped Angela to her feet. The bastard had taken Sam and she saw it but it got the drop on her. "Angie, did you see it?"

Angela took a moment to process the fact that she was back on her feet and was surprised that she hadn't let go of her weapons. She put the chakram back on her belt and began rubbing her head. That bastard blindsided her and it hurt like a bitch. She tried to figure out what went wrong because she saw the thing coming.

She went over it in her head. She had been able to see it since it was that spirit realm thing… It was loping like a predator. It ignored the others.

Angie?

It was looking at her or was it? It moved fast. It came right at them. She never saw it coming…

"Angie?" Dean shook Angela's shoulder knowing that he was risking serious injury if she thought he was something other than him. "Hey, you okay? How many fingers?" He waved his hand in front of her face since it was obvious that she had a head injury.

The last thing that Angela saw was Daggett behind Sam. He struck him and grabbed him and he just smiled at her. He also said something… Whatever it was Angela couldn't think of it because she was seeing fingers wiggle across her line of vision. She realized it was Dean and then blinked.

To Dean that was a start when he saw the blink. He watched as she looked around and then seeing the spot where everyone last saw Sam, he watched her eyes widen slightly and nearly panicked when they flickered. She looked back at him and said, "He has Sam."

A/N: Another Sam/Angie moment and Sam gets taken by the fugly. Not looking good since Angie goes on the warpath. Stay tuned for more on Leap Year Fears...