Chapter 7

It was cold and wet and it was in her ear and it was moving. It was enough to wake Angela from the slumber she had been forced into and have her stare at the pup that she was certain had gone from mean old bastard to cute and adorable. She narrowed her eyes slightly and muttered, "You've gotta find a better wake up call, Xander. The wet nose is getting old."

Xander whined at that and nosed her chin. Angela couldn't help but smile at that and she nuzzled the pup in reassurance. It was all she could do since her hands were tied behind her back. She discovered the uncomfortable feeling in her shoulders and rolled her eyes slightly. This was not going to be an easy thing to get out of.

She opened her eyes wider to get a better look at where she had been placed. She made a slight snorting sound once she realized where she was. "Seriously? A broom closet? So clichéd." She hummed as she looked around.

It seemed that Ganesh was a part of something that would involve the Winchesters. She didn't have to guess what it was about since there was one thing that was one everybody's mind. The problem was that there were a hundred little things that were wrong about this picture. Number one was the fact that she was locked in a broom closet and she had been put there by the eldest son of the two gods that called her beloved.

She knew that Ganesh didn't mean any harm. True he had betrayed her a long time ago but she saw in his face that he had regretted it since then. He had only done this because he knew that what was going to go down would be bad and she could be caught in the crossfire and that would be pretty much a PR nightmare.

Angela knew that there were certain treatises between the gods regarding members of the families. She was very familiar with the one regarding members of the warrior royalty. Kesset was proof of that since he was ready to destroy angels just for touching her and she said she didn't like it. In truth, she didn't know how many were in affect and regarded her and if they contradicted each other… it was stalemate and it could get nasty. So Ganesh was just protecting what had been established by his parents.

"But that still doesn't help since I have a few things I can do, Ganesh," Angela muttered as she made the effort to get herself to a kneeling position. She started working on trying to escape her bonds and it wasn't going to be easy. "And you just had to use zip ties didn't you? Seems like you picked up a few things."

Angela knew how to escape bonds fairly well since she had to do it a few times. And she had it perfected when she met Harry Houdini. But like all things with locks and chains, finding the way out took time. Sometimes you could do it fast especially if it was a matter of life and death and sometimes you had to take it slow especially if there was all the time in the world. She also knew that her wrists weren't going to look pretty after she got out but that was a moot point.

Sitting on her knees, she looked at the door to her 'prison' and started working to get the zip ties off. She had to get free and get into whatever was going on. She was probably up against more than just Ganesh and it was probably foolish of her to act alone but she had to stop what was going on and it wasn't because of some old treaties.

In another life or a couple of decades earlier even, she wouldn't think twice about going in and preventing a war. That was what she did. Her duty was to the people she swore to protect and she did it without compunction. There was no emotion attached to it even when it came to people like the Harvelles and Mary. She loved them yes but she was always able to walk away.

Then came the Winchesters. True she had met them when they were younger and helped them out then but even then she just did the job and walked away. Then she just had to demand that job with Suarez and since then… She didn't regret it at all. It ended up with her finding the one thing she knew was worth holding onto.

Now her reasons for stopping whatever was being planned were more personal. She knew she was setting herself up for pain for making it personal but she learned something in all her years. Keeping that in mind, she kept her gaze on the door as she worked on getting her wrists free. Her lips twitched as her teeth gritted from the friction and pain coming from trying to take apart the zip ties. "Damn these things are worse than iron."

She finally managed to get herself untied and spent a few minutes rubbing her wrists. She examined them and noted the redness. Rug burn markings and she wryly thought that Sam was going to go all inquisition on her and insist on patching her up. Not that she would mind that really. It still hurt though and it was a pain in the ass. And it also delivered the sucker punch of feeling vulnerable and she hated that feeling.

Satisfied that she was free from the ties, she rubbed Xander and checked him out for any injuries. She marveled that the pup wasn't hurt and she figured that Ganesh didn't want to incite her wrath by hurting her dog. Or it could have been just the fact that he was too small to do much damage and it wasn't like he knew what a god smelled like. Well up until now at least. She gave him a pat before turning to the door and tested the knob.

"Of course it's locked."

The door was indeed locked and presented another obstacle and she could guess there was another one on the other side of the door meaning like a chair or the key broken in the lock. There were possibilities and she had used them herself. She debated on how to do this when she felt a chill run down her spine and paused.

Angela had learned to trust her instincts and Gabriel encouraged her to develop them. Looking up she studied the ceiling and well aware that her eyes were flaring. She could sense them. They were… "Oh crap."

"Oh crap is right."

Angela turned to see Gabriel standing really close to her. She actually yelped and tripped over a mop bucket. She was saved from a face plant when Gabriel grabbed her by the wrist and held onto her. It looked like one of those dance moves where the couple was extended before the twirl or the lift or something.

Gabriel grinned at the stunned look on Angela's face though it surprised him that he actually made her yelp. The last time he did that was when she was a young girl. Since then she always seemed to know it was him. Still, he might as well enjoy it while he could since her surprise often showed how she truly was feeling at times. He said, "You know I think this would be better if it were Sammy boy but…" He tugged and pulled her to her feet and grasped her by the waist. "This is pretty good."

Angela blinked when she realized that Gabriel was holding her and replied, "Um…"

"Still stunned, Cat? That is not like you." Gabriel tried pouting. He had never seen her this speechless. It was almost too cute for words and he thought it a shame that Sam wasn't witnessing it. As much as he was annoyed with the Winchesters, he was rooting for his Cat and Sam and after what she revealed in not so many words, he was happy. Sam had taken his advice and ran with it. Granted it was slower than he was used to it worked.

Recovering from the surprise, Angela squeaked a little once she realize Gabriel was close to her and backed away. She shook her head and apologized, "Sorry Gabe. You startled me." She looked away blushing.

"I only startled you once and that was when you were first getting used to me," Gabriel corrected. He held up his finger to emphasize his point and then used it to gesture at their surroundings. "This is more like turning up when you least expect it and getting a result that I can only dream about."

Angela looked at Gabriel and noticed the smirk that was almost sinister, like he was going to play a trick on her. She narrowed hers in response but her cheeks were still flushed. "You don't think of me that way and you know it."

"True. You're like a sister but more," Gabriel admitted as he relaxed his features. "You know?"

"Il mio fratello," Angela replied as hers softened. She held his gaze for a few moments to let it sink in. She then sighed and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Helping you."

Angela shot him a look. She was about to speak when the archangel held up his hand to silence her, "Ah. I think this will be better somewhere else other than a closet."

Angela still had her mouth open when Gabriel snapped his fingers and she found herself in her room. She looked around and found all three dogs looking at her. Zeppelin and Moira looked like they had been going mad with worry and they were instantly comforted when Xander trotted over and started licking around their ears to reassure them. She looked up to find Gabriel looking at her with a smirk as he lowered his fingers. "Gabe…"

"That's better."

"Gabe."

Gabriel pointedly ignored her as he took a look at her wrists. He then waved his hand over them and the redness disappeared. "There. Can't have Sammy go crazy now."

"Gabe!"

Angela knew that the archangel was stalling and for some reason she was certain had to involve with what was going on. She didn't mean to shout but she needed his attention so they could get down to brass tacks and not beat around the bush. She apologized by putting her hands reassuringly on his upper arms and smiling slightly.

Gabriel knew that what he had to tell her wasn't going to sit well. He was playing with fire since he knew the consequences if she perceived something that would end badly as in possible possession to death and from his SOB brothers. Still, she had a right to know and if he knew his Cat, she would have figured something out since she was acquaintances to friends with various gods and goddesses. He took a breath and said, "I'm here because there might be some trouble."

Angela knew that the archangel protected her in his own way. Some of it was not really the best of ideas but he tried on his end. And he delivered in more ways than he knew. It was why Sam and Dean couldn't understand her mere annoyance at what he did when he stuck them in TV land. They thought she should be pissed and willing to stab him in the face. She just knew better. She asked, "What kind? Is it something to do with the gods?"

"Yes," Gabriel admitted reluctantly. He looked away and sighed. There was a reason he was here and not Amitiel or Caleb or any others that were on her side. He looked back at her. "There are some gods who are planning to… use the Winchesters as bargaining chips."

"Not exactly original but go on."

Gabriel eyed her warily as continued, "They want to use them yes. In fact this whole thing was to lure them here. And they have a bunch of humans in the pantry downstairs."

Angela made a slight face since she knew what that entailed. She shook her head and muttered, "Please don't tell me you sided with them Ganesh."

"How did you know…?" Gabriel raised his brow in question at her.

"I saw Ganesh and it isn't hard to pick him out of a crowd," Angela offered in a slightly flat tone. She stared at the wall more to think things through. "So that was what you meant when you said it wasn't safe for me."

"Well you can't blame the guy for keeping ya safe now. He's not that bad Cat."

"I know that." Angela looked back at the archangel. "And I know you know what he did to me and… I have no resentment. Though I do find it insulting that he locked me in a broom closet." She gave a slight smirk at that.

Gabriel chuckled in response. He knew she forgave the Hindi god. She never was one to hold a grudge and she probably saw it as her fault anyway even if she did nothing to garner attention. "Well I can say that some good came out of it," he teased as he waggled his brows at her. He gave a hum and sobered, "Look Cat, it doesn't look good. I'll go in and try to help them out."

"Great and I can walk in…"

"Not this time, Cat."

Angela paused and eyed Gabriel with suspicion. "What do you mean? I know that there are several treatises concerning me and some on the royal family and that alone would give them pause."

"I know that but… not this time." Gabriel held up his hand to stop her. He looked at her with a piercing gaze and continued, "They know that too but you were never one to invoke them. In fact, you avoid it all cost with the exception of the kid though I think Satet already had him on the way when you summoned the Guard. The point is… You think you have to do this on your own and you'll do it again."

"Not if I tell them that they are violating the edicts about gods interfering in mortals' lives."

"More like guidelines than actual rules, Cat."

"Doesn't matter. I will not let them harm Sam or Dean."

"Which is why I hate to do this."

It was a snap and Gabriel was gone. Angela gritted her teeth and growled at him. He was doing it again. She marched over to the door and tried to open it. Twisting the handle, she pulled but the door wouldn't budge. She tried again only to find that it wouldn't move. She tried a few more times and stepped back growling in frustration. He had to ward it didn't he.


Sam kept looking around trying to find the clerk before heading up to find his brother and report what happened. He wasn't looking forward to telling Dean that he lost their creepy front desk clerk and he was definitely going to get a look if he happened to mention that Angela was walking the halls with an elephant that surprisingly managed to fit. There was also the fact that he ran into Morrighan, a goddess of justice, and that she seemed to think that something was out of place or she knew there was and was just amusing herself at their expense. He was inclined to think the latter though she did say that she wasn't out to hurt him.

He headed towards the elevator and pressed the button while fishing out his phone. He guessed that Dean would head back towards the room but he might as well text him. He heard the elevator ding and the doors opened to reveal his brother and… "Julie?"

"Hey Sam. How have you been?" Julie smirked at Sam as she added, "The last time I saw you, you looked a little constipated. Must be all that worry you keep bottled up."

Sam made a slight sound at her comment and was rendered speechless for a couple of seconds. Finally he managed to get out, "And you're still the same annoying personality."

"Now come on. Isn't that any way to treat a girl?" Julie grinned as she teased Sam, "Especially one that saved your girlfriend?"

Sam couldn't argue with that since Julie did give up her immortality to make that happen. He was saved from speaking when Dean turned towards Julie and said, "Alright, we get it, Jules. Just… not now you know?"

Julie hummed at that and smiled, "Oh I agree. I was just having fun." She sobered and said sincerely, "It is good to see you Sam. I was particularly concerned when the rumors started going about two guys taking you two out."

"You heard about that?"

Julie gave a half smile and a shrug of her shoulders, "Just because I'm not immortal anymore doesn't mean that I don't pay attention. Besides a few hunters came through and one of them was talking about a pair of hunters saying that they killed the Winchesters." She paused as she studied their faces and she knew it had been true. She then added, "Then I hear this rumor that there is a warning out there and a particularly vicious one."

Dean gave a slight movement of his head and glance at Sam. They both knew to some degree what that meant. In truth, it didn't surprise them and Dean especially. Dean knew that Angela would make it clear that no one was to hurt Sam especially and that was even before she knew the reasons why. Sam was certain the reasons but he wanted to know what was said, "And what was that?"

"Something along the lines that anybody who shoots first and asks questions later or not at all will receive the business end of an ass kicking," Julie replied making it as light as possible. She wasn't going to go into detail unless it was asked but looking at the brothers, it seemed that they knew exactly what she meant even if she was beating around the bush a little. "And it seems that most got the memo," she added with a smile.

"Yeah," Sam replied before clearing his throat. He had a pretty good idea what that warning entailed and it was pretty easy to visualize. He looked down before changing the subject, "So uh… I kept up with Norman Bates and then I lost him. He rounded a corner and then vanished."

"Vanished?"

"Yeah."

Dean could be upset about this but it was really moot and he really had to tell Sam what happened with him. He started waking, "Yeah well you're not gonna believe this I saw an elephant in a room."

Sam thought he had heard plenty of strange and funny especially given the way Angela would drop a zinger every now and then. This though… Maybe he wasn't crazy as he thought when he thought he saw Angela with an elephant. "You're kidding me. An elephant?"

"Yeah," Dean replied still not believing it himself.

"Like, an elephant?"

"Like full on Babar."

"It's true. You should have seen his face when the door slammed in his face."

Both Winchesters turned to look at Julie. She stared back at them and asked, "What? I was particularly amused. It was like when I closed the bathroom door in his face when…"

"Okay," Dean interrupted, not willing to go into it. Even though he liked grossing Sam out with details of his sexual conquests, he was a little reluctant when his partner of the time decided to give the details and had a devilish streak like him with storytelling. "Enough of that."

"Spoilsport," Julie pouted.

"Well at least you're not the only one," Sam admitted. He saw that Dean was looking at him to explain. "I thought I saw Angie walking down here with her hand on an elephant."

"You saw Angie? What was she doing?"

Sam shrugged, "Walking and talking to it. It was only for a moment."

Julie listened to them and surmised that they both saw the same person. She had a good idea who it was they saw and she knew Morrighan made herself known to Sam. "And let me guess, they rounded a corner and then poof like your concierge."

Sam gave a slight shrug of agreement. "That and Morrighan was here."

"Who?"

Sam looked at his brother and Julie answered, "Morrighan. Celtic goddess. Primarily associated with justice and is the goddess of fate."

Sam gestured at that, "Yeah. That."

"An elephant and a goddess," Dean listed. It almost sounded like the beginnings of a very bad joke. "That's a joke I'd rather not hear."

"Yeah," Sam agreed, "So what the hell is…?"

They had made it back to the lobby then and they noticed that it was empty. There were no guests, no anybody. Julie scanned the scene and tensed. So it seemed that there was something going on. That was just perfect.

"Where is everybody?" Sam asked as he looked across the lobby before heading towards the door only to find them locked. He tried jiggling them just in case.

"It's locked, Sam," Julie said before looking around.

"So what the roaches check in but they don't check out?" Dean asked the question as he looked around.

Sam tried again quietly while he thought about the events that led them there. He finally spoke up, "Think about how we got here. That detour on I-90? The frigging hurricane?"

"Sounds like you boys were led here and I was caught in a serious of unfortunate acts," Julie surmised. "Like rats in a maze." She gave a pointed look the moment the Winchesters looked at her. "Don't look at me, I'm caught in this too. I know it seems convenient but I was on vacation and then this so I'm stuck too and I'll give you a hand since we seem to have a mutual acquaintance wandering about somewhere."

That sparked the Winchesters into action. Since there was something funny going on, they knew they needed to regroup and find Angela. Things always worked better when they were a team and they stood a better chance against whatever it was.

They stayed on the first floor since that was where Sam saw her and they looked around. Splitting up didn't seem like a wise idea so they stuck together. At one point, they entered the kitchen to find that empty too and it was quiet. Too quiet for anyone's liking. In fact, the only thing that was making a sound was the boiling liquid on the stove.

Dean was the first to notice it and peered into the pot. He found red liquid boiling and he thought there was a peculiar smell to it. Reaching for the ladle, he prayed, "Please be tomato soup. Please be tomato soup."

"Motel Hell," Julie said after turning away from the eyeballs that Dean fished out of the "soup". All three had turned from it. "I haven't seen anything like that since… never mind." She turned away and cleared her throat.

She paused and stared. Sam noticed and followed her gaze to the door of the walk in fridge. He glanced at Dean and took a breath as he edged forward to take a look. It was then that he noticed that the door was locked. He reached out for the lock when a hand and then a face of a civilian pressed against the glass and begged for help.

That sparked Sam into action as he pulled out his set of lock picks. He was pretty fast at getting locks undone but even then it was trying with a hand banging on the door with Dean and Julie telling him to hurry up. He managed to grunt that he was going as fast as he could but stopped and straightened up and stared at the two guys behind Dean and Julie.

"There's somebody behind me, isn't there?"

Julie reacted first and pulled out a knife she had on her person and took a swipe. Her wrist was grabbed and she was given a backhand and crashed into a shelf. Dean tried to help her but was grabbed by one of the two guys and Sam was grabbed by the other and they were forced to leave Julie behind on the floor unconscious and dragged to the grand ballroom and shoved in.

They were greeted by a group of people that definitely weren't part of a Shriner convention and it didn't take a genius to note that they weren't exactly human as one called Baldur announced, "Ladies and gentlemen. Our guests of honor have arrived."


A/N: Well looks like Angie gets rescued by Gabriel and is locked away... again. Sam and Dean are the guests of honor but it doesn't look like a Shriner convention. Stay tuned for next time on Twilight of the Gods...