Chapter 10

"Wake up."

Sam wasn't asleep. Not really. He had his eyes closed since there was nothing else to do but he wasn't truly asleep. He was ready to spring to the ready and fight if the need arose. It was something he had to learn when he was taught to be a hunter. That and for some strange reason he felt that he had done that recently even though they really hadn't been on a case that would involve that. He could force the issue and think about it but he wasn't going to press since that would be scratching the wall and he gave his word to Angela that he wouldn't do that.

He had done the same to Dean but it was more along the lines of what he had said after the job in Oregon in that if he came across something from his soulless days, then he had to make it right. It was the right thing to do. As much as he wanted to believe his brother in that it wasn't him doing those things, if you thought about it… he did. He wasn't possessed by anything and made to do it. He had done those things.

Besides he didn't have to think so hard on this one. Since he couldn't recall that sort of feeling and they hadn't done anything that would require such wakefulness, excluding Angela's restlessness, he concluded that it was related to his stint in hell. At least what his soul went through. It made sense since hell was nothing like being topside. He wasn't sure but Angela knew and from his observations and recalling what his brother had done after his time in hell… there wasn't much room for error there. Right now though was not the time to analyze that.

Looking up, he saw the woman Izhu ambling towards him like she was going to wake him up and rather rudely. His muscles tensed and he moved instinctively away, mindful of his boundaries. He stood up and kept the distance between him and Izhu. "What do you want?"

"Just that I want you awake."

"I was not asleep."

Izhu chuckled at Sam. She was amused by his defiance and his attempts of gaining some semblance of control. He also had her curious since she had heard things and from what she had discovered… It would be interesting to explore and she had some ideas to punish Shifa'. It would probably draw her wrath but it was worth it and it wasn't like she wasn't prepared for it. "So you say, little thing."

Sam snorted at that reference. He was hardly little. He rolled his eyes slightly as he looked around the room and noticed that a few things were rearranged. Maybe he had been asleep and missed things but he wasn't that asleep. The arrangement had him wary of what was going on and he had the briefest of moments thinking that she was going to do something and it wasn't him that was going to get the punishment. The physical part anyway.

Izhu watched as he looked around and teased, "Noticed a few things have you? Well it's for the fact that Shifa' thinks she can rescue you by coming to where she thinks I am."

"Angie will find you no matter what."

"Oh that I don't doubt." Izhu chuckled at Sam as she walked over to the giant water bowl. "See?"

Sam inched forward but stayed well out of grabbing distance to take a look at the bowl. It was full of water and when Izhu swiped her hand, it rippled to reveal an image. He knew the basics of witchcraft that in lieu of actual crystals or mirrors, water was the best to reflect and project. He blinked as he saw his brother come into view and could find words to say except for maybe teasing and blackmail material later.

He saw Dean wearing a deer hide shirt and had his face smeared with something. It looked like paint but Sam was willing to bet that it was blood and it was arranged in a pattern on his head. Dean also looked like he had spent a week tramping through the forest. Had he really been there that long? He didn't have time to think about that as his brother moved forward and a few other people were with him before it shifted to Angela. He blinked at what she was wearing and he saw the look. She was on the hunt but she also looked nervous about something.

"Shifa' is already on the move and no doubt she convinced them that she had the authority to lead them."

"Angie doesn't force people."

"That's what you know," Izhu snapped as she glared at Sam. She then straightened up and scrutinized him some more before saying, "Did you know that she once took over leadership, took it from Inola against a raiding band?"

"I know she would offer advice."

"Oh but she took control and led our warriors against the raid. In the end we lost two and others were injured. The two killed… one was my brother."

Sam blinked at that. So this was revenge. He knew Angela wouldn't deliberately send someone to their deaths. She would offer the best solution knowing that in a battle or war people died. She just tried to have the least amount of death. She was not a cold blooded killer. He replied, "It was a raid. There is always the possibility."

"No. She sent them in knowing what the odds were. She sent them to their deaths."

Sam refused to believe that. "Not if they had a choice. She wouldn't do that."

Izhu paused and peered at Sam as he looked at the reflection of Angela in the water mirror. She knew that he cared for her. She knew that it was more than simple caring given what she saw on his shoulder. It would be interesting to see what would come of it. "You really believe that don't you? That she is this saint."

"Not a saint. A good person." Sam was well aware that he sounded stupid with the gross simplification. But what else was there? "Better than I deserve."

It was a mistake to say that and Sam realized it once Izhu looked at him like the cat that caught the canary. He got a sick feeling in the put of his stomach, not liking what he was seeing. Izhu said, "Better than you deserve, eh? And I wonder…"

Sam gulped as the shamaness swirled her hands around and muttered something. The water mirror changed and he saw himself when he was hopped up on demon blood, the things he'd done. It also showed other things he felt guilty for and then it showed things he had no idea what they were about. He could only surmise it was when he was walking around without a soul and almost gaped when he saw himself having sex with a woman that wasn't Angela. Okay that was something he didn't know and couldn't remember so…

"Ah, I see the guilt." Izhu hummed as she looked at the images and gauged Sam's reaction. "You betrayed her and yet she still comes to you. Interesting."

"Stop," Sam demanded. He paused when he saw his worst nightmare come to life. It still plagued him on occasion because he always felt that it wasn't the monsters or the job that was going to get her. It was him. He would be the one that ended up killing her and it was because she loved him as he loved her. He felt his chest tightened as he watched his evil doppelganger squeeze on Angela's neck before snapping it. That was a mild one. There were other versions as well. "Stop," he demanded again, trying not to sound like he was pleading.

Izhu looked at him and an idea came to her. She wanted to inflict as much pain on Shifa' and destroy her resolve. What better way than to use what she had? She advanced towards Sam, amused as he backed away. It was no use as she used her power to force him to step towards her. She grasped his chin and said, "I have an idea and it would give me immense pleasure. We'll see if Shifa' is what you say."

"Don't," Sam said through gritted teeth as he tried to resist and was failing.

"She will fall and it will be all because of you, Sam," Izhu said sweetly as she roughly released him and went to getting her spell work ready.

Sam fell and landed hard on his behind. He grunted since he landed on his tailbone and it shot a spike of pain up his spine. That was going to leave a bruise and no doubt it was already agitating Angela. They had experimented when Dean wasn't looking but most of it was a result of the jobs they had been on. He was not looking forward to what was going to happen when she got here. But this…

Sam clambered to his feet as Izhu continued chanting. He looked around and noticed the fog rolling in. He looked around and then at Izhu when he felt pounding in his head and put a hand to his forehead. It felt like when Dean gave him a punch across the face when he was super pissed. He groaned and slumped slightly. "What…"

"As I said, Sam. You are the one who will make her fall," Izhu said as she gave a sort of waddle towards him waving her arms. She then made a pulling gesture like she was grabbing something. "And it is all from inside your head."

Sam grunted since it felt like something was being driven into his skull. It forced him to his knees and all he was thinking about was that Angela was going to tear someone's limb off or leave a trail of destruction on poor hapless trees because of this. That he was hurting her in some way. He rubbed his hand on his head, trying to lessen it but it only seemed to get worse. His eyes were watering as he gritted his teeth. He would be lucky if he didn't break a tooth from all of this. He cried out, "Stop."

"Just a little more."

Sam felt like his head was splitting in two. He put a hand on the ground to stabilize himself but the pain in his head was excruciating. Then came a final jerk, like yanking a band aid right off. It stung and he ended up yelping, falling forward as his arm gave out. He lay face down on the ground trying to breathe since his head was throbbing.

"Ah. That will do."

Sam looked up and glared at Izhu who was paying him no mind as she chanted something about spirits or other. He blinked as a throb pulsed through his head. He took a couple of deep breaths before getting back to his feet.

"You are resilient. I'll give you that," Izhu acknowledged. "But how resilient are you when you have to watch yourself do what is your worst nightmare?"

Sam blinked at that as he was forced to watch the water mirror. It changed to reveal Angela and Dean traveling with a bunch of people. It focused on her as she looked around telling everyone to stay still as he looked around. He watched as she led the charge against guys that appeared out of nowhere until he saw the one that Izhu pretty much killed and… That wasn't him.

It was like watching his nightmares occur but this time he couldn't wake himself up. He was very much awake as he watched his doppelganger round in on Angela. The appearance of his double had startled even his brother but it was made very clear that it wasn't him. This one… It sent a chill down Sam's spine seeing himself with the pitch black eyes of a demon.

"Of course she is seeing memories but not hers. They're yours." Izhu watched Sam being tormented before looking at the mirror. She frowned and said, "Let's add a little more. How about she remembers her legs being broken."

Sam's eyes widened and he charged forward. His eyes were narrowed as he said, "Don't." He had forgotten about the ward and ran right into it and was thrown back."

Izhu laughed at him just as Angela fell to the ground grabbing her leg. "Oh it's not really broken. But it certainly feels like it. Along with a… broken hand."

"Angie!" Sam watched as Angela grabbed her hand. She was grimacing in pain as she was trying to fend herself off from his dark double. She really couldn't get up because she was feeling the broken leg but she was giving it her best. Hold on. Hold on, Angie.

Izhu watched the helplessness cross Sam's face. This proved to be more entertaining. She turned to watch and it was in time to see a man appear. She didn't recognize him but he seemed to have a grasp of the situation. He put himself between Angela and Sam's double and held out something. It ended up chasing away the others and her bound spirit. The double of Sam seemed to disintegrate. She growled in frustration, "No, no, no, NO!" She knocked over the bowl leaving Sam to feel tortured because he couldn't see what was happening. She looked at Sam who was sitting there trembling slightly but trying to keep the brave act all the same. "You may have won this one, Shifa' but you know that the worst is to come."

"You alright?"

Angela rubbed her neck again and twisted it to ride out the throbbing that was occurring. She looked at Dean who was looking at her with concern. She remembered that he didn't know about hers and Sam's marks and what they did. She replied, "I'm okay. Just a little stiff."

"And that there was a lie," Lucifer said, smirking as she continued to walk.

Angela ignored the fallen angel and focused on Dean. She repeated, "I'm okay. Like I said. It's a little stiff."

Dean looked at her with a raised brow. It wasn't that he didn't want to believe her. He did but he got the feeling that she was keeping something from him and it had her nervous as hell but the only person she confided in was Sam. He let it go since that was better than nothing and he couldn't hold it against her since she was still working on coping being back topside. "Okay. Thought you had that shaman mojo thing going."

"Not really but I am keeping an eye out. Izhu was sneaky about a few things," Angela replied as she looked around. Her gaze fettered onto Quentin. So far he had shown that he had promise as a leader.

"I see where you get it from," Dean teased.

"Well it's true," Lucifer replied with a shrug. "Had to learn it from somewhere."

Angela wished she could kill the devil so he would go away but it seemed that he was here to pester her this time around. She was just going to have to cope and hopefully he would go away. So far it wasn't a problem but she was going to have to nip it in the bud before the Winchesters or Bobby caught on. She didn't need to burden them further. She looked at Dean and ignored Lucifer and said, "I'm my own style of sneaky."

"Yeah and it's sexy," Dean teased back. He gave a reassuring smile to Angela. He knew it wasn't easy with this and he figured she was never going to say anything about Sigrid giving her authority from beyond the grave. His girl didn't like making waves and only stepped up when she knew that she was probably the best chance of getting things to work out.

Angela gave a slight smile as she shifted to look forward. She sighed as she looked outward. She figured that Izhu would be in that direction and they had managed to gain that much from the prisoner they set free earlier. She looked at the warriors as they walked along. She wasn't sure if they fully trusted her. They trusted Quentin for sure and were following his lead as well as Nanuq's and she wasn't sure she liked that Quentin ratted her out but it did reveal something about him.

So far they had not encountered anything serious except the animals. Zeppelin and Moira were on alert for anything but so far nothing. Still she was uneasy. If Izhu was anything like she was then and changed and not for the better. She trudged ahead after patting Dean on the shoulder to take stock of the road ahead. She paused and scanned the landscape. There was a light fog but for the most part everything was clear.

"You are peculiar."

Angela shifted to see Quentin standing beside her. She replied more out of habit, "No more than you. You haven't taken the journey yet."

"True. I was told that it wasn't my time."

Angela mused on that. There was one reason why the shaman wouldn't have gone with Quentin on his journey. She had her suspicions but she reserved them. "Everything has its own time."

"And each has a role to play," Quentin replied as he knew the answer to that. "If you know this, why do you constantly run from it?"

Angela turned to look at Quentin with a raised brow. "I haven't ran from anything. Not for a long time."

"And this?"

Angela glanced at Quentin before stepping forward to look at the field that they had come across. She held up her hand to indicate for everyone to stop and be quiet. She twisted her head slightly to listen. She heard it first from Zeppelin and then Moira as they stepped forward. She gestured to everyone to be ready and stay put as she took a few steps out into the field. She scanned the area and listened. She narrowed her eyes as she flexed her fingers before letting out the war cry that scared and stunned people and charging forward.

They appeared almost out of nowhere, Izhu's men. Angela led the charge as she sprinted forward. She didn't pull her blade, preferring not to kill anyone and she was in the mood to deal hurt since the twinge didn't go away. She reached the first of them and started swinging her fists and feet as they in turn swung at her. She gave her war cry again to rally the warriors into the fight. She knocked aside attempts to kill her since they were using their weapons until she came face to face with the one that she had sent back to Izhu.

Right away she sensed that something was off about it. She sensed that it wasn't the same man… that it was… Her eyes widened slightly as the thought of possession crossed her mind. What had Izhu gotten herself into? She didn't have time to process it since the man attacked and she had to focus on it. There would be time to look at that later. She blocked a swing and countered with a hard punch and the guy was down. She frowned when he didn't get up. What is Izhu's game here?

"Sam?"

Angela looked up and blinked when she saw Sam standing there. Something was off and she could tell Dean was thinking the same thing. Then it hit her. She remembered.

Izhu looked at her as she said, "What better way to exorcise your demons than to fight them head on?"

Charging ahead she got between it and Dean much to Dean's confusion. She said, "Back away Dean."

"What are you talking about? It's Sam."

"It's not Sam. It's…"

There was a sharp pain in her side. She was also treated to the memory of that injury. She gritted her teeth against the pain and turned to see "Sam" charge at her. She pushed Dean back and brought her arm up to block the overhand strike. She punched in return and sent the fake Sam flying. She knew that Dean was wondering what was going on but she couldn't stop now since fake Sam was on his feet and standing there. She paused, wondering what he was going to do when he smiled at her and snapped his fingers.

She heard the break and saw it in her mind and she felt it; the day Zachariah broke her leg. She went down even though it wasn't broken in reality. But it sure felt like it. And it distracted her to allow the fake Sam to charge and beat on her. Somehow she managed to get to her feet despite the pain she was feeling and defend herself until she felt a sharp pain in her left as the memory of when she broke a bone in her hand from it being slammed by a car. She hissed in pain as she looked at the fake Sam.

You can expand what you see but it works both ways.

Angela hissed as she felt the pain in her nerves even though her bones weren't broken. She felt like her leg was going to give way and she wasn't getting any help from Dean since he was occupied by the guy that she had knocked out with one punch. She hopped on her good leg and tried to blow the downward blow from the fake Sam. It was hard and caused her bad leg to buckle and it felt like she was working on a broken leg even though she wasn't. She felt a blow across the face that was from fake Sam but it felt like one from when Sam was housing Lucifer and she caught a flash of that moment when the blow hit. It forced her to the ground.

Angela couldn't fathom this. She looked up at the fake Sam. She knew that it wasn't the real Sam. She could sense it. How, she couldn't say but deep down she knew it wasn't her Sam. So it didn't bother her that Sam was causing her injuries. There was only one reason Izhu would use this talent of hers and that was to hurt Sam. Unfortunately she couldn't sense anything through her pain and she didn't have time for it since the fake Sam was advancing on her and he was going for the kill. She didn't have time to protect herself sufficiently but just enough to maybe avoid death.

All of a sudden the fake Sam was thrown back and Quentin came into her vision but not before he was knocked aside by one of Izhu's men. Fake Sam was back on his feet in record time and was rounding in on Quentin. Angela scrambled to her feet and yelped from the pain and managed to get in between the fake Sam and Quentin. She had her arms spread and she was determined to fight. She went on the offensive, not noticing that there was a sort of glow coming from the tattoos on the undersides of her wrists. She was moving faster than before and it was sort of like when she got Sam to spar her as long as her face was covered.

It was at one point she kicked with her bad leg, ignoring the pain until fake Sam grabbed it. He drove his elbow into it making her yelp. Another memory flashed through her mind and it disoriented her as she staggered that she didn't see fake Sam pull a knife and come at her. She was blinking to clear her head.

"I don't think so."

Angela blinked as a flash of lightning occurred and she opened her eyes to see the wings of an angel but it wasn't her angel and it wasn't Kesset. She frowned as the light seemed to wash the field, hitting fake Sam and it seemed to dissolve him into black essence before it dissipated but she heard the faint cackle of Izhu. She took a couple of deep breaths as she got to her feet. She could still feel the throbbing but at the moment her attention was focused on the angel that arrived.

"Well now I didn't expect our first meeting to be like this." The angel turned and looked at her.

Angela looked at him, "Do I know you?"

"Sorry. Where are my manners…"

"Balthazar."

Angela looked at Dean who was walking up to the angel. She looked at the angel while trying not to wince. She sensed some bad blood there between Dean and Balthazar but that was not the issue. She looked at the field and the spirit warriors looking at her wide eyed and with amazement. That was going to go over well later. She looked at the angel who was ignoring Dean and looking at her. She looked around and said, "Thanks."

"No problem," Balthazar replied with a smirk.

Angela nodded and looked around. She ascertained that Quentin was okay but she couldn't bear the throbbing anymore and winced and bent over to rub her leg.

"You okay Angie?" Dean had a worried look on his face.

"No," Angela replied, "I'm not okay." She straightened out still wincing. "We need to rethink this. Seems Izhu knows how to make you relieve past demons and not necessarily your own." She panted and looked at the distance. "We're going to have to go in all the way."

A/N: We have the first skirmish with Izhu's forces and it looks like Sam is being tortured again and Angie is going to have to make some changes. And it looks like we have an unexpected visitor. Stay tuned for the next episode Redemption of the Soul...