A/N.. No angst just yet, more plot building, but trouble's a brewing, even if our guys can't quite see it yet. Thanks for being here with me...
Sam ordered Chinese food to eat in, and once again the hunters, and Angie, were in research mode when a
knock on the door brought all their heads up in once synchronized move.
"It's Nick" a muffled voice called from the other side of the door, so Sam got up "Chinese food is here, too" they heard Nick call out, and Dean pulled out
his wallet.
"I have money" Angie said, and grabbed her bag and pulled out a handful of crumpled notes. She leaned over to hand them to Sam, and Bobby got up
and opened the door to Nick and the take away delivery guy. Nick stood held a couple of six packs, and Bobby took them from him.
Dean had filled Nick in over the phone about their dealings with Arthur, and not being able to find the other guy. He'd also searched for their missing
paedophile, but no one had any luck in finding him.
He walked over to the small table where a lot of the research was laid out and picked up one of Bobby's books. "Any luck?" he asked.
"Not a lot. We still can't figure out if there's one, or two harvesters" Sam told him.
"I believe I might have found something" Angie called from Dean's bed, and they all turned to her as she got up, a bundle of newspaper clippings and
photocopied pages in her hands.
Nick gasped. Angie had kicked off her heels, but was still wearing the skirt and blouse, only now a couple of the tiny buttons had lost their battle to stay
fastened, and her hair had started to escape the braid. She looked like a naughty librarian, only the glasses were missing.
She took her pile of papers to the table and laid them out, arranging them in some kind of order as she tucked a stray curl behind her ear. Nick's
breathing became ragged, and Bobby cleared his throat.
"Um, Angie?" he caught her attention, and flicked his eyes at Nick. "Maybe you aughta get changed?"
She creased her brow, momentarily confused, then noticed the rapt attention Nick was giving her. She sighed, and disappeared. The sheriff nearly fell
backwards, and Dean caught his arm to steady him.
"Easy there, tiger. She'll be back in a jiffy"
Nick looked up at the faces of the hunters, and saw concern blended with amusement.
"Did I just embarrass myself?" he groaned.
"Damn close to it" Sam clapped him on the back, and opened up the Chinese food bags and placed the containers of food on the table away from Angie's
research.
Dean opened up the beer and handed it around then he reached for another for Angie and held it out in front of him, and she appeared, taking the beer,
as if they had planned the synchronized move.
"That was kinda freaky" Bobby said, and Dean just shrugged.
Angie went back to her papers, only now she was wearing a baggy sweat shirt and loose fitting jeans, her feet were bare. She looked around, and Dean
handed her a pen. This caused Sam to raise his eyebrows, and shoot a look at Bobby. The older hunter gave the tiniest nod to indicate he, too, had
noticed the unspoken communication going on between those two.
Angie circled something on every clipping of photocopy, and stepped back. "Okay, what've we got here?" asked Nick.
"Every man who was burned had something tragic, or sad, happen in his life." Angie explained. "See, here? The last one had a broken marriage, and was
refused custody of his children. The youngest child died without having seen his father for over two years. This one? His twin brother died of cancer. And
this one" her finger tapped each paper as she explained "lost his eldest son to cystic fibrosis. This one? Crashed a car killing his best friend. All of them
have had something bad happen in the passed year."
"Okay. Um, look, I have something ..ah..here" Sam pulled a book from the other side of the table and flipped it open to a page he'd marked earlier. "Says
here there are twelve different harvesters, and one of them" he turned the book around for everyone to see "Is a harvester of sorrow. I feeds off the
sorrow of its victims"
Dean leaned in. "Tasty. Anything else?"
"No. But now we have a starting point."
"Good work, Angie" said Dean, and clapped her on the back. "Now let's eat, I'm starved." He picked up one of the containers, and sniffed it. "Vegetarian
crap. That must be yours" and he handed it to the blonde woman. "Egg rolls" he said, picking up another container "That must be me" and he sat down
while he was stuffing his mouth full. "Dig in, Nick, you're more than welcome. Angie's shout"
Nick took a container, and sat at the table with the other men, Angie took her food and sat back down on dean's bed, legs crossed, chopsticks in hand.
"Why don't you sit with us?" the sheriff asked her. She smiled, a little.
"Four chairs" and started eating. Nick looked back at his companions, and realised they were all smiling at him. He shook his head, laughing, and joined in
the take away feast.
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The large horse shifted slightly as his owner brushed him, the long strokes against the sleek black coat comforting, and his nose drooped lower to the
ground. "Ahh, Tully, you are a big sook" the man with the brush soothed, and the horse nickered softly in response. The man pushed the thick mane
over, and started to brush the strong neck, the shine of the healthy horse reflecting in the dim stable lights.
It was soothing for this man, also, to spend an hour or so brushing down this huge, but quiet, beast. The horse had belonged to his beloved wife, and
she had treasured him, spending many long hours riding and grooming this gentle giant. She had often begged her husband to join her, but he'd had no
interest in horses at all.
Now, he spent more time with Tully than with anyone else. He loved this horse, as much as his wife had, and even though he would never ride him, he
would care for him for all the rest of his days. Just like he'd promised his wife he would. His heart felt heavy, and he swore Tully knew when he was this
sad. The big horse pushed his velvety nose into his sad face, hot breath a comfort he sorely needed. "I know boy, you miss her, too" he whispered, and
suddenly the horse's head flew back as he was startled, and a voice called out from behind the pair.
"I am sorry; I did not mean to startle him".
The man turned, and there, stepping into the light was a very attractive blonde girl, long hair in curls, her t shirt tied up under her bust line. He frowned,
even with her large sunglasses on, he knew this girl. His wife had given her riding lessons since she was ten years old. And two weeks ago, he had
attended her funeral.
"Virginia-Anne? Is that you" he whispered, stepping back. The horse started to stomp in place, he was tied up so could not move any further away, but
his agitation was obvious, and he snorted and swished his tail. He knew something was not right.
The man stepped back as Virginia-Anne moved closer. "I am not called that anymore" she said, and reached out her hand. Tully took this as an attack and
reared up, breaking his tether, then brought his heavy hooves down on the girl, and again, trampling her in fear and panic. The man stood back as his
wife's gentle horse fought to protect him, feeling almost as panicked as the horse.
The girl managed to scramble back, her body broken and covered in blood, one hand almost severed. The horse turned and planted a heavy kick into her
chest, sending her flying, and the man took off, running to the safety of his house and the telephone. As he grabbed the door knob, a bloodied face
reflected back from the glass pane, and he turned in horror. The thing that used to be Virginia-Anne removed what was left of her broken sunglasses,
and he screamed until he could scream no more.
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Sam had turned the computer to let Nick see and share their search, Bobby was copying a passage out from a book. Dean had another book open, and
Angie was lying on her stomach, still on Dean's bed reading yet another volume. The room was quiet albeit for the television on low in the corner.
The sudden blast from Nick's ringtone caught them all by surprise, bar Angie, who just continued to read. He answered the phone, spoke briefly then
closed it. Stretching his hands up above his head, he yawned "That was my deputy calling an all clear, at least so far tonight." A loud yawn followed. "I
think I'd better call it a night"
Sam walked him to the door and shook his hand. "Talk in the morning" he promised.
Dean looked at the girl on his bed, and then at his brother, eyebrow raised in a silent question. Sam shrugged an 'I don't know' and turned to Bobby.
"Angie" Bobby called out, and she raised her head. "You gotta place to sleep? We're all gonna call it a night, now"
She swung her feet around and sat upright. "I do not need to sleep tonight. I will not sleep for several weeks"
"Um, okay, but Angie?" Sam scratched his head "It's gonna be kinda weird if you stayed here, awake, while we slept"
She tilted her head. "If I stay here, and research, I can stop all of you from dreaming. And also Sheriff Nick will no longer suspect me as the harvester"
"He still suspects you?" Dean asked. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "He is not sure, but there is still doubt. As, I think, all of you might have, even maybe a little bit. I shall sit at the table quietly while you
sleep. You will not be aware I am here"
"What about when you wanna smoke? The door opening will wake us up" Dean argued. She smiled, and shook her head.
"Oh. Yeah. You don't need doors." He looked again at his brother. "It's still gonna be awkward"
Sam nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It will, but she's right. If she's here, then maybe Nick will clear her. And it would be nice to have a night's sleep with no
weird dreams"
Dean rolled his eyes and looked at Bobby. "You sure you wanna stay here with a bunch of farting, snoring guys when you could research anywhere at
all?"
She smiled, and walked to the table. "I will be quiet. You will not have to feel awkward or uncomfortable. I have kept watch on the armies of many a
great land without any problems, so I think three warriors can sleep while I maintain vigil. And if you dream, I can quiet that which bothers you"
Bobby looked back to Dean. "Well, then, who's for first shower?"
X
Angie stayed outside smoking while the guys showered and readied for bed, and it was only after Sam heard his brother's soft snore and Bobby's freight
train equivalent that he realised she had materialised back at the table, her head bent low to read in the dim light of a small lamp. She must have felt him
watching, as she lifted her face, her green eyes softly glowing in the barley lit room and offered him a comforting smile, before returning to her book. He
drifted off to sleep with visions of green eyed demons stalking the evil of the world.
X
Sam didn't know when he'd woken, he just felt Angie straddle his motel bed on her knees, one leg to each side of him as he lay flat on his back. She
smiled, and leaned forward to kiss him, her rich, warm lips tasting like candy and summer breeze. He responded, his body willing, then felt someone
beside him. He turned, and it was also Angie. She touched his forehead, and the woman atop him disappeared.
"Sshhh" Angie soothed, her finger to her lips, and he slipped back into a dreamless sleep, where he stayed until Bobby woke him the next morning.
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Dean pulled his car up alongside Nick's, there were several other vehicles, mostly police, one ambulance ad an animal control vehicle. The hunters and
Angie were in suits, still maintaining their FBI disguise for the sake of the other official personnel involved in the investigation.
The all got out of the car in one swift, seemingly coordinated move, Dean and Bobby from the front seat, Sam and Angie from the back. As soon as Angie
stood upright she sniffed, her brow furrowed. "I smell blood"
"Okay, creepy, and not something I wanna hear you say in front of the uniforms" Dean spoke low, so only the hunters and Angie could hear. "Is it human
or demon blood?"
She lifted her head, testing the air. "Dead human. Demon, maybe. And…horse"
Dean nodded, and they walked over to the house where the police tape had cordoned off a large area. Nick saw them coming and walked over to the
four.
"We got a burner" he said, then pointed to the barn "and something else, this time. Blood, and an injured horse" he led them over to a large, trembling
black beast, whose eyes were rolling and breath pumping like a steam train. "He's in shock, animal control think his heart will give out if they can't calm
him" he pointed to the mess on the ground. "Looks like he tried to fight off the, um" he looked around, but there were too many ears, too close by
"assailant" he finished. Bobby nodded and knelt to the concrete to examine the blood stains, then saw Angie walk up to the frightened horse.
The horse was huge, long black mane and tail, feathering at his feet, which he stopped and marched in place, his fear palpable, sweat rolling off him in
streams, his ears laid back. She raised her hand, and he snorted, half rearing.
"You'd better stand back, lady" the animal control officer called out, he himself a safe distance from the stallion.
Angie didn't even look at the officer, she just walked forward, saying nothing, and placed her up reached hand on the stallion's eye. He calmed
immediately, and lowered his head.
She stroked his neck, his face, not saying anything, and they could hear the big horse let out a large, shuddering breath, as he nuzzled closer into the
diminutive woman, taking comfort in her presence.
The animal control officer let out a whistle, and tried to approach the pair, but the horse raised his head in alarm. Angie held her hand put behind her in a
'stop' gesture, then turned to look at him. "Not yet. Give him a few moments" she whispered, and turned back to the horse.
Dean folded his arms over his chest. "Curiouser and curiouser"
"We always knew she had a thing for animals. That's how we met her, remember?" Sam reminded him.
"Yeah, but this? Kinda cool"
Angie had everyone watching her by the time she turned the horse over to the control officer, and she turned to see an audience. She ducked her head,
a little self conscious, and Dean cleared his throat loudly, drawing the attention away from her. "So, Sheriff Haliday, what are your theories here" he
spoke theatrically, and this had the desired effect of getting everyone back to their individual tasks.
Nick watched Angie walk back to their little group, her hips swaying, her heels clicking on the concrete. He offered her a bright smile, but she frowned at
his attention.
"I have good news for you" he said, and she tilted her head, saying nothing. "T.O.D. was smack bang in the middle of our Chinese feast."
She furrowed her brow even further. "How is the time of this man's death good news for me?"
"You're cleared as a suspect" he beamed back to her. Her expression darkened even further.
"I should never have been a suspect, in your eyes" she told him "What reason did I ever give you that I might hurt anyone?"
He looked stunned, not able to answer her anger; Sam grabbed his arm and turned him to the crime scene. Angie walked over to Bobby and Dean and
stood facing them, ignoring the sheriff completely.
Dean took her shoulders and turned her back to the blood stains. "Okay, your hissy fit is over. Take a close look at the blood and see what you can tell
me" he ordered her.
She frowned at him, but bent to the floor, and touched the blood with her finger. She sniffed her finger, then walked over to where the body had been
found, and did the same thing. The three men watched her, and one of the deputies walked over to her, but said nothing. She leaned in to the body, very
close, her nose almost touching the tarp covering it, and looked up to the deputy.
"There is something, here" she pointed, and he handed her a pair of tweezers. She picked up something and placed it into the evidence bag he held
open for her. She nodded, and walked back to the hunters and sheriff.
"Why'd you give that mook the clue?" Bobby asked her.
She offered him a little smile. "I gave him a strand of hair. We already know who it is from. While he was looking at that, I took this" she offered her hand
out, on her palm rested a small silver coin. Bobby took it, and turned it over, examining it.
"It looks old. Good clue. What about the blood?"
She wiped her finger on her skirt and shrugged. "Dead girl, and some kind of demon. Not sulphur, but something else. I could track it, based on this,
perhaps. But only if it was close, and moving over the ground."
"So, this helps us, how?" Dean asked.
"Well, I can smell if it is close, or has been somewhere. I have the scent now"
"That's very blood hound of you. Nick, have there been any other coins at the other sites?"
"None have been found" Nick answered back "But they may have rolled away, or just not been noticed. Do you guys wanna go back and check?"
"I will" Angie said. "I can get around easier, and I can tell now if the same creature has been at each site, or if we are looking at more than one."
"I'll come with you" Sam said. "Just let's get changed first. Blend into the scenery more"
Angie looked around, and when she was sure no one was watching, both she and Sam disappeared.
The animal control officer walked up to the Sheriff. "Where'd the lady FBI agent go? I was hoping for her help to get the horse onto the transport truck"
Nick looked at Dean, his eyes asking for help. "She had to leave, but the horse is calm, now. Why don't you try loading him up? I'm sure he'll be fine"
The officer walked off, and Nick let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, man. I didn't know you had any idea about horses."
"Dude, I know jack shit. What I do know, is how to lie"
"Well, I need to start researching this coin. Let's get back to the motel" Bobby said.
"Great, that's why Sam took off. He didn't want to research any more" Dean growled.
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Angie dropped Sam at the motel to get changed, and disappeared to wherever she kept her clothes. Sam had barley zipped up his jeans when she was
back, fully dressed, jeans, Led Zeppelin t-shirt and boots. Sam grabbed his button down shirt and quickly pulled it on. "You do dress like the harvester" he
said.
She looked down at her clothes. "Oh" she exclaimed then disappeared. She was back in moments, this time in sneakers and a plain grey t.
"Is this Better?"
"Yeah, Angie, I didn't mean you had to get changed" Sam apologised "But it's great. I've got a list of the various crime scenes on the table. Grab it, and
we can hit the first one."
"Okay, I am ready. I must warn you, that if there is anyone near where we will appear, I might have to wait until they are gone"
"What does that mean?" Sam asked her.
"It means we will not reappear straight away. Or I might have to make us appear a little bit away. I just wanted to warn you. It might concern you"
"Concern me, why? Will it hurt?"
She smiled at him. "Not much" and they disappeared.
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Nick leaned in the Impala's window, talking to Dean when one of his deputies came up to him. "We got a lead on the missing paedophile" he told Nick,
and handed a phone to him. He stood up and spoke on the phone, then handed it back to the deputy. "You wanna join me?" he asked the hunters.
"I wanna research this coin" Bobby answered, "Take Dean. I'll drive back to the motel"
Dean got out of the car, and Bobby slid over to the driver's seat, and gave them a wave as he drove off. He wasn't real keen on everyone splitting up,
but they could get a lot more done this way. Hopefully they could put this one to bed soon. Not that he wanted to jinx anything…
x
A/N...hope this meets expectations...angst will come, in a chapter or two. Update, hopefully, in a couple of days...reviews?
