Chapter 7

"No."

"Come on Angie," Dean wheedled feeling like an idiot. "Can you please come over here?" He was trying to coax her to come near Nick but she refused to move, preferring to stay near Sam and holding onto Cerebus by the neck.

They had come back from their trip to the grocers, which hadn't been a pleasant experience. For the most part Dean managed to ward off the redhead who was trying to solicit her services and Sam and Angela slipped away to the fruit and vegetable section where Sam tried to find everything on the list that Ellen wanted. It wasn't that hard since he was into eating healthy. The trouble that occurred was something that didn't have to do with the supernatural.

Maybe it was Winchester luck at work but while they were in the store, two asshats came in with shotguns and attempted to rob the place. They were wearing ski masks and the shotguns were 12-gauge. They shot a couple of shots in the air and told everyone to get down. Sam had gone with first instincts and grabbed Angela and pressed her to his body and went to find a place to hide her.

Dean played the whole situation coolly. He did have a shotgun pointed at him before and he had things far worse sent his way. Hell he had a hell hound on his ass that sent him to hell. Death didn't scare him but he had to play it cool since his little brother and his now little sister was in there as well. He knew Sam would protect her but knowing that kid… He had to make sure he was okay. He motioned for the lady that was whimpering to do what the guy said and get down.

Dean followed his own advice and got down to avoid getting into trouble but already his mind was coming up with something. He looked at the guy with a defiant look and made him actually squirm while he kneeled. He only hoped that Sam was doing what he could to keep an eye on their girl. And if he knew Sam, he would do whatever he could to protect Angela.

Sam had managed to find a place to hide Angela. Well it wasn't much of a hiding place but it provided cover and no one would have noticed her. He told her that she had to stay put and not make a sound. He even used the shushing gesture to make it clear that she was to be quiet. It was a means of protecting her from anything and he was prepared to be a distraction so she wouldn't be noticed. She readily complied and crouched down where he put her. Sam turned so he was facing outwards and his back was to her.

To make a long story short, the two guys would have gotten away with whatever money was there in the registers. What they hadn't counted on was getting stopped by the least likely of sources. One of the robbers thought that Sam was being too slow and ended up giving him a hard hit with the butt of the shotgun. It was a hard hit and Sam was down on his knees.

Dean had been trying to find a way out of this when he saw his brother being hit from behind as he was being pushed towards the others. Angela wasn't with him and he could only guess that Sam had her in hiding. He tried not to overreact when he saw his brother go down. He didn't need to. The guy that hit Sam ended up getting hit by what looked like a cantaloupe.

A few more things flew and the douche looked around for the source. What put a look of horror on Sam and Dean's faces was four year old Angela holding what looked like an apple in her little hand. She looked angry and if it hadn't been a serious matter, it would have been funny to look at. As it were the two Winchesters were concerned that the two idiots robbing the place would do something they would regret if they hurt her.

"You don't hurt my Sammy!" The little girl was livid as she threw with surprising accuracy the apple. At the same time other things from the shelves flew at the would be robbers hitting them.

In the end the robbers tried to leave but the police had already arrived and were getting the situation well under control. The Winchesters managed to avoid attention and grab Angela and get out. There was no way they would be able to explain what their girl just did. So they left and managed to make it out with the Impala without anyone seeing them. They got out but there was no way they were going back to the house without something on the list.

They managed to find a small grocers store and get most of the things that were on the list. They made it back and for once Ellen wasn't upset about them missing a few things. Her attention was directed at Nick. However that was not the reason Angela was deciding not to go near Dean and Nick. She looked at the adults as Dean wheedled for her to come closer. She took a look and then turned and ran before anyone could stop her. Cerebus was the only one to follow her.

Sam was on his feet, "Angie?"

He was held back by Nick and Sam ended up shrugging him off angrily. Nick though was impassive about it. He took in Sam's glare and knew that the dislike was still there so he said in a calm voice, "Let me try."

Sam looked at Nick like he wanted to punch him. He failed to notice Dean's pained expression that clearly said that this wasn't the time to be exchanging punches. Sam, surprising everyone, calmed down and said, "Fine."

Nick looked at Sam and said, "We were all that age once Sammy. Think about it." He gave a slight smirk and started out leaving Sam to watch.

Ellen waited until Nick was gone before asking, "Now what did happen?"

In the meantime Nick wandered through the salvage yard. He was familiar with the place even though he had only been there once. He recalled the training area where he had seen Angela and the Winchesters play with Cerebus by throwing that strange weapon of hers. Right now he had to find the girl and find out what is going on. It seemed that the longer she was like this and no answers, they were all agitated.

He passed by what looked like another house on the property. He had not noticed it the last time that he was there and it was a curious thing to him. He paused and heard some sounds coming from it. He approached cautiously and kneeled when he caught sight of who he was looking for. He smiled softly and studied the pair before saying, "You know running is not always a good thing."

There was no sound but Nick could see Angela hugging Cerebus who was doing his best to be comforting. She was hiding her face in his fur and occasionally peeking out. Nick said, "Angie?"

"Did a bad thing," she finally said.

Nick adjusted his position so he wouldn't fall over. He wanted to be able to see her. He asked, "Why do you think you did a bad thing?"

"Not supposed to throw things."

"Why did you throw things?"

"They hurted my Sammy. No one hurts my Sammy." Angela lifted her little face and looked at Nick. She still hugged Cerebus who was making a couple of noises like a dog would and there were tear stains on her face. "No one hurts my Sammy or Deanie."

Nick thought about it. Certainly her protective nature was still intact. That was one clue in his diagnosis of the situation. He nodded and agreed, "That's right. No one hurts them because you watch out for them right?" When she didn't answer he tried something else, "Sam and Dean aren't mad at you Angie."

Angela looked at him and held onto Cerebus. "Ceebee says that I am alpha. I do what alpha does."

Nick had no idea what she was talking about but he was willing to go with it. He was curious about this talent since he sort of tapped into it and was curious to her extent of her abilities. He replied, "Cerebus told you that?"

"Ceebee is the master of pups and the baddest one from hell," Angela replied as she gave the dog a loving hug. She was rewarded with a nuzzle and an appreciated moan. She looked at the dog and said, "I have to tell the twuth Ceebee. You are the bestest."

Nick watched as Angela and the hellhound conversed. He clicked his tongue to get Cerebus' attention and asked him a question. He was surprised and yet not surprised at the hellhound's answer. He nodded and said, "Well it seems that you are the alpha Angie."

"Ceebee says that and I did what I am supposed to do. I pwotect my alpha… my Sammy."

So it was out at least in front of Nick and no doubt to everyone in the house but Sam. It made his entertainment potential more captivating. It was going to have to be something for later though. Right now he had to convince Angela to come back inside so he could conduct his diagnostic on her. He looked at her and asked, "Why did you come out here Angie?"

"Not supposed to use head throw. Peeples don't understand and could bring the baddens."

It was very articulate for a four year old even though it was simple as it could be coming from a four year old. Nick couldn't recall being that articulate at that age but he had been precocious as a child and kids could be surprising. Most adults assumed they were too innocent to understand much but they could see and hear things. Nick though could see that while Angela couldn't understand much of what was going on she was acute enough to know that certain actions caused consequences. Another clue to take into account.

He shrugged his shoulders to adjust his position and looked at her and asked, "What is head throw?" He had an idea but he wanted to get specifics and make sure certain things were clear and he didn't have to stop and ask a lot of questions.

Angela looked at Nick and replied, "Throw things." She then tapped her temple.

Nick understood. So she still had faculty of her powers. An interesting conclusion since his basic knowledge of the dhampirs was that their abilities didn't surface until puberty and the whole change thing. He was looking at some sort of spell that didn't have a complete reversal of time. It gave him some idea of what he should be looking for. He nodded and replied, "I see and you used a head throw to help Sam and Dean right?"

Angela nodded. "They are mad. Not supposed to use."

"They aren't mad at you," Nick said with a shake of his head and a gentle smile. "They were worried that you would be hurt." He hadn't asked for details but he surmised that whatever happened, it was what would usually happen if she were her full size. "They aren't mad. Come on out."

Angela sat where she was looking at Nick and holding Cerebus. She looked at the dog and asked him, "Ceebee?"

Cerebus gave a gentle woof and nudge her with his head. She nodded and looked at Nick. "Why are you here?"

Nick wasn't going to lie, "Sam and Dean wanted me to check you out because somebody did something to you."

"Bad?"

"No," Nick replied honestly, "But we want to make sure that it isn't anything bad." He held out his hand. "Can you come out?"

Angela looked at Nick and then his hand and then slowly started crawling out from her hiding place. She took Nick by the hand but didn't let go of Cerebus' collar. His tags clinked as he moved showing the sigils used in summoning as well as protection. She held on as Nick stood up and took her by the hand and started walking her back to the house. She asked, "Sammy and Deanie not mad?"

"No. They care about you," Nick replied with a smile. He didn't know how they expressed their affection and voted to play it safe. "They just want you to be safe."

It seemed to work since he led her in. Once she was inside, he watched as she ran straight towards Sam. Nick watched as Sam enveloped her in a hug and noted the look of relief. Everyone else was visibly relieved that she was okay. Nick though was glad to see Sam that responsive he had changed quite a bit. He clapped his hands together and said in his usual manner, "Well that was easy. Can we get started?"


"Fascinating."

Nick watched as he gave Angela free reign to use her abilities. He was surprised at her level of ability. She was always so circumspect when it came to using them. He had always suspected that she was more powerful than she let on. After all she wasn't called the Malachi of Absolution, the earth born angel, the warrior princess and all the other names associated with her for nothing. He watched as she 'played' with the toys he set out for her.

"What?" Dean was watching his girl play with the blocks by making them fly through the air.

"The amount of control for one so young," Nick commented. "It's like the descriptions I've read of the old time warlocks and witches and the control they had over their powers." He wasn't looking at the group that was watching her but watching her make the blocks dance in the air. "I just barely figured out the intricacies and I'm the older one."

"Any idea who did this?" Ellen's voice pierced the admiration that had been filling the room. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she waited for the verdict. She wanted to know who did this so she could hunt them down, make them change her girl back and then gank the bastard. She wasn't into wasting time.

Nick wasn't paying attention but observing Angela. She had found the puzzle he had set in there and started playing with it. It was an adult level one but she just played with it. It was more of those accidental guessing type of things but he had his suspicions. He was just enthralled with what she could do even in a small body. He was brought out of it by Ellen calling to him in her no nonsense tone and demanding he give an answer. He looked at her and said, "Hey, I'm working."

Dean gave a slight eye roll as he downed a beer. So far it seemed that Nick was just giving Angela free reign and he had no idea how that was supposed to help. He was in the same mindset as Ellen in wanting to find the freaking witch that did this and make things right. He asked, "And how is this supposed to help figure out who did this?"

"Do I tell you how to make rock salt shotgun rounds?" Nick looked at Dean with a raised brow. It was habitual to retort like that and he wondered how it was when Angela tried something that was new to them.

Sam surprisingly was mild mannered and asked, "Can you explain why you're having Angie play?"

Nick looked at Sam and was surprised at his choice of words. He didn't let it show as he studied the younger Winchester and came to a few conclusions. He replied, "To be like her, everything has a purpose. I merely want to see what she has left if anything is taken. Observing interactions… It all contributes to my analysis."

Sam looked at Angela as she stopped to stare at them. She looked at them, curious about what they are talking about. She didn't say anything but continued to look at them until Nick turned his attention to her. She then said, "Play now?"

"You are free to do anything as long as you stay in the circle," Nick replied.

"Wants to play with Sammy and Deanie," she countered. "Pwease?"

Nick studied her for about a minute and then said, "Okay. But I need you to do one more thing for me. Can you do that Angie?"

Angela nodded. Her pigtails flapped like puppy ears. She went to sit across from Nick and waited. "Play?"

Nick felt his lip twitch. He had observed quite a bit and Sam had filled him in on a few things. The last thing he needed to do was a sensory spell. Then he would have some idea of what they were up against. He then smiled and replied, "Sort of. I want you to put your hands on top of mine." He held his hands out palms up.

Angela looked at his hands and then at Sam and Dean. They both nodded it was okay. She then looked at Ellen and Bobby and got their answer. Slowly she reached out and placed her hands in Nick's. She didn't flinch when he put his thumbs on the back of her hands. She looked up and asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Watch," was all Nick said.

It was actually a visual diversion while he reached out to sense the source of the spell. He used his party trick to keep her attention and he watched as she became enraptured with it. He was done in about ten seconds and he released her hands and said, "Okay. You can go play now."

Angela beamed and went to go find Cerebus and Sasha. She even coaxed Setna to follow her as she went outside to play. It was still a strange sight for the adults who were used to a full grown Angela; a woman whose idea of play was a prank.

Dean waited until she was out of sight and not too concerned since she had the dogs and the claws of doom with her. They would guard her with her life and then the whole thing with Kesset and Castiel… He turned towards Nick and asked, "Okay you did your thing. What the hell now?"

Nick had been watching and finding it very endearing to see Angela like she was now. He noticed that Sam was in a similar disposition and so was Ellen no matter how matter of fact and tough she was. It was a mom thing he conceded. He replied, "I don't know what to tell you."

"Well any ideas?" Bobby groused in Ellen's stead since she went to follow Angela and make sure she didn't get into any trouble. "Is it a damn witch or not?"

"It's difficult to say," Nick offered after a pause. "It definitely has the properties of a regression spell similar to what…" He gestured to indicate the last time he was there on a regression case. "But it also has hints of like… harnessing a vampire's mental ability or something like that. From what Sam described, memories of what she should know are suppressed. She may say something but not know where it comes from… like amnesia."

"So… what the hell is it?"

Nick looked at Bobby and turned to mutter all the 'symptoms' to himself, "Regression in age with regards to size, powers are still intact, memory suppression with the exception of those closest to her and signature not that of…" He put it together and slowly said, "I think we are dealing with a regression spell."

"Well thanks for the obvious Sparkle-fingers," Bobby retorted. He grabbed a bottle of whiskey and took a swig. This was going to be a long and difficult curse or whatever.

Nick shook his head at the older hunter and looked at the Winchesters who were looking at him to explain what was going on. He took in their expressions and explained, "It is a regression spell but the signature indicates something older and powerful. To be honest I have never encountered this kind of spell before. A counter spell would probably not be the best idea."

"So you're saying that there is nothing you can do?" Dean wanted to know the nuts and bolts of the whole thing. "Is Angie going to be stuck like that?"

"I didn't say there wasn't anything to be done," Nick countered, "I just merely said that I never encountered anything like it and I am nine bloody hundred years old and studied most of the bloody spells that are older than me." His European accent started to come through since he was a bit frustrated that he couldn't give more than what he did.

Dean was ready to get into a shouting match and Bobby was pulling the nearest book to do some research. Sam was still surprising everyone and said, "So there is something we just have to find it."

Nick looked at Sam and nodded, "Usually is the case." He couldn't help the snarky tone since that was how he always interacted with Sam.

Sam chose to ignore the tone. At this point they had to find a source or a clue or something. He didn't mind looking after Angela since she rarely if ever let people do that. It took begging when she was recovering from hypothermia and even then it didn't quite work out the way it was supposed to since… But still she deserved some sort of kindness for the abundance she gave to everyone. He looked at Nick and asked, "So you have any idea where to start looking?"

Nick was surprised that Sam was willing to forgo the usual. Maybe there was hope for the guy who was so insistent that he was just being 'an older brother'. He looked at Dean who had visibly calmed down and then at Bobby who had the right idea. He glanced back at Sam and said, "I may know someone who can point us in the right direction. If it is as old as I am thinking, then he will know."

"Anything we can do here?" Bobby had looked up from his books and looked at the warlock who was mentally making a list.

"Look and see if you can find something… business as usual," Nick replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "There's not much you can do at this point unless the witch or warlock decides to show up and explain themselves though that is highly unlikely." He looked at the Winchesters with an almost apologetic look that he couldn't do anything else.

Dean was the first to say something to that, "Need a hand with your end?"

"Not the first time," Nick replied after thinking about it. At the look Dean gave him, he explained, "The person I'm thinking of… he's a little quirky."

"Meaning he's a crazy old coot literally," Dean supplied. He gave a slight eye roll at that but didn't complain too much. They really didn't have much in terms of options now did they? "Okay so what's the deal?"

"I gotta find him first," Nick replied almost wincing at the chore that would be. "He has a habit of changing a place of residence in irregular patterns. It may take a while."

"So…"

"Just enjoy being with here. Shouldn't be that hard to keep her entertained since she is pretty much a child."

Dean would have said something but at that moment Angela came bursting in. She made a beeline to him and asked, "Play with Impa, Deanie?"

Sam couldn't help but twitch his lip at that. As much as he didn't like the guy, he knew Nick was right. He said, "Alright. Do it."

Nick nodded and gave his farewells to everyone. He was surprised when Angela held out her hand. He offered his and she said, "Be careful."

"I will."


A/N: Well Nick is here and he has an idea but looks like Angie will be stuck the way she is for a while. Keep watching for more Two Brothers and a Lil Angel...