Chapter 11

The barn was old, abandoned and ideal as Angela had said. Dean was impressed with the place for a barn since it did look like the place to someone the mofo that yanked him out. He laid out the weapons from Bobby's arsenal from the trunk in organized rows while he chewed on another dog biscuit.

He had learned that Bobby learned to make them and his weren't that bad at all. They did lack the flare that was Angela's though. She just seemed to have a certain air when it came to food whether it was for humans or animals. He could recall the meatloaf disaster that had Sam retching and him sharing the dish on the sly with Cerebus.

He was aware that her nickname for him did have a bearing on the fact that he liked the mutt's snacks. She was like him though since he had seen her chew on the biscuits herself. It was one of those things that they shared and he was glad she hadn't lost. It was the little things that were apart from the hunting gigs that made her endeared to him and he had a hard time acknowledging that they had disliked each other in the beginning and he did remember what led to them being separated.

Off towards the door, he could hear Bobby spraying away on the ground. He really did buy out the whole store with the paint. He looked at the older hunter and commented, "It's a hell of an art project you got going there."

"Traps and talismans from every faith on the globe," Bobby replied as he joined Dean.

"Don't forget the few from a long time ago but not from a galaxy far, far away," Angela commented from her perch on the ceiling. She finished the last of the sigil she had put up.

The sigil wasn't really a protection type of thing. It was a summoning one. She didn't want to leave room for doubt in summoning him. She did take a few precautions with a few other sigils that she had picked up just in case she had to make seat of the pants decisions. She put the finishing touches on and surveyed her handiwork.

Dean turned to look up. He saw her holding herself between two beams and her hand while she was holding a spray can in one hand. "I'm not even going to ask how the hell you got up there."

"Where's your sense of adventure Dean," Angela replied as she moved her head so she was looking at Dean. He was upside down but she could see him. "Besides how do you think the Sistine Chapel got finished?" She grinned as she adjusted her position slightly. She knew that her position had him baffled and probably Bobby too.

"Yer not fricking Michelangelo," Bobby replied much to Dean's surprise.

"No but I did have to learn how to do this without a scaffold," Angela grinned as she just stood there.

"And in the process really play up Hollywood's version of Dracula," Dean replied. He was actually surprised that she was being more open with her abilities. First the handstand at Pam's and now her Spiderman act.

"Don't have nothing on Bram Stoker," Angela replied as she released what was helping to hold her onto the ceiling. It was one of her tricks she had learned a long time ago and had no intention of telling them… not yet.

Once released, she put the can in the small satchel she had put on to hold it while she climbed up. She released her hands until she was completely hanging upside down. She swung a little bit and released her feet. She let gravity carry her down and she flipped forward to land on her feet. With the grace of a gymnast, she stuck her landing and stood up straight sighing, "Good stick."

"Better than the landing over the banister?"

Angela looked at Dean. He would remember that. She replied, "That was better than the world champion."

Dean grinned, "Showoff."

Angela smiled and gave a slight hum as she walked over to the table. She put her bag of empty cans on the ground near the table and turned to take a look around. It looked like they were set. Her smiled disappeared as she surveyed the area. "Yeah."

Dean studied her and asked, "Second thoughts?"

"No," Angela sighed. "Just that feeling before the jump." She paused to think about something for a moment. She knew that they had every precaution. Mostly her apprehension at seeing him again was causing her to pause. To see him again meant that she was acknowledging what she had been dispelling notions of. "I'm going to check outside and make sure Cerebus is secure."

Dean watched her leave with concern. He had seen that look of apprehension on her face before and that was before he bought it. He looked over at Bobby who shrugged as she left. Dean had confidence that she would bury it and when the time came, she would be going strong. Even though she was a healer, he knew she was a warrior and when she was needed, she delivered. He turned towards the table lined with weapons.

Bobby waited until she was gone and asked, "How you doing kid?"

Dean checked off his list, "Stakes, iron, silver, salt, the knife and Angie's got her stuff. We're set to catch anything I've ever heard of. And for the things I haven't, Angie can take care of it with Absolution."

Bobby studied Dean and the weapons laid out. "This is still a bad idea."

"Yeah Bobby, I heard you the first ten times," Dean replied, not looking at the older hunter. He regretted sounding so harsh but he really wanted to find out what it was that yanked him out. "I know Angie's heard ya ten times."

"And she's usually the one who listens the first time," Bobby countered. "Dean, I think she knows what's going on and is waiting for it to show itself to take it on."

"You saying that she's being reckless?" Dean felt his defenses rise and this was against Bobby. It was force of habit that had been groomed from months on the road and meeting people that didn't seem to like his girl that much.

"In this case yeah," Bobby replied with blunt honesty. He thought she was being a bit reckless about this and her agreeing with Dean's assertions… that was unusual for her. He saw the warning look on Dean's face and added, "Dean, I know she's more than capable of handling herself. We've both seen it multiple times but this is something new and…"

"So you're thinking she's in cahoots with it?" Dean looked at Bobby with a look. "Bobby, she would rather have me and Sam cut her heart out than go in cahoots with a demon."

"So you're saying a vampire who used to work for the guy that held her is a step up?" It slipped out before Bobby could stop it.

Dean frowned, "What are you talking about?"

Bobby knew that he was walking on egg shells with this one and figured that she probably didn't tell them because of their reaction or she simply didn't think about it. Then she would say that they didn't ask the right question. He explained, "I did see her after she got out. She wasn't alone either."

"You mean the vamp right?"

"I mean that Dean. The guy used to work for the one that she calls the Old Man," Bobby looked at Dean hoping he would see implications.

Dean could see them just as well. He was suspicious of this partner Angela had that he hadn't even met yet. Still he was willing to trust her judgment on this one. She had been willing to work with Ruby when she was helping them and she looked like she wanted to rip her head off every time they were within speaking distance of each other. "I trust her Bobby."

"You didn't see it. They were pretty close."

"And she could have been playing an angle Bobby. You never met Cary but that little bastard is wound around her thumb." Dean paused to sigh a bit. "Look, you said it yourself that it's been a hard time for everyone. Can't you give her the benefit of the doubt? I made the mistake of not and look how that turned out."

"You were being manipulated that time."

"Yeah but I was well aware of what I was doing," Dean replied. He never really went into details about that with anyone. He did suspect that she always knew and being the person she was, she didn't say a word about it to the point where it didn't matter to her anymore. "I think she knew that too which was why she took off without waiting for me to say anything." He paused to take a breath. Not looking at Bobby, he said, "I know you think this is a bad idea and I'm sure she does too and I know you think she knows something. You want the honest truth? I think so too but I'm not going to grill her on it unless it becomes a problem."

"You would before."

"And she clams up but Sam figured that out faster than me. I figure that there are things she's not ready to tell us no matter how badly she wants to. I don't want to push her away. Not again. So if she knows this mofo then she does and she'll explain it when it shows up on our doorstep." Dean gave a slight smile and a hum. "She did say that you can't undo a few centuries' worth of habits overnight once. So I'm willing to try my hand at patience. I think that is worth more than trying to play Dr. Phil with her. Don't ya think?"

Bobby sighed. Dean was right. Angela had a lot of memories and probably most of them were the kind that she would rather forget but she would discuss them if it ever came up. That was if they came up. "Well that's a first for you but alright."

"Hey she taught me the value of patience after kicking my ass to make a point," Dean replied. It was like he told Sam earlier; take one job at a time. She needed time to get used to being back with them after doing her semi solo act and time in captivity. He needed time. He looked at Bobby and asked, "Whaddya say we ring the dinner bell?"

"Ya wanna wait for her?"

"She'll be here when he shows." At Bobby's look, Dean said, "She gave the okay Bobby." He made the sign for 'okay' to show that she had told him.

Bobby shot a look at Dean. He then looked down at the book he had and began the ritual. The Latin passed easily through his lips having been at this job the length he had been. It was still a bad idea but he was going to stand by Dean and not leave his ass flapping in the breeze.


Most of the time, a summoning had the apprehension of whether or not things would go right. That was normal at least in Angela's view. Having summoned beings before, it was pure cakewalk and she could do it with her eyes closed. However when she surveyed the art project she and Bobby conjured up, she felt a disquiet that was not a part of that usual apprehension. It was different and it put everything on alert.

She answered Dean's query easily enough but she had to get out there and check on what was going on. She said that she was going to check on Cerebus. It was the best excuse she could think of without alerting Dean and Bobby to what she was picking up. It certainly was valid since they agreed that it was best that Cerebus not be near the thing when it came since he was still recovering from his ear injuries. She left after signing 'okay' to Dean covertly. It was one thing she had taught him and the one thing he seemed to retain. Sam could carry on a conversation which they had done before. Dean said that being the 'finger man' was good enough.

She didn't doubt that Bobby would start in on the discussion about her. Bobby was that observant and she knew that he would pick up on the hints that had occurred ever since Dean was sprung from the pit. It was blaringly obvious that she heard and responded to the thing and she knew what it was. She told Sam and Dean that there were a few beings that could achieve that and that was true. She knew though what it was and she was too much of a coward. She had her suspicions and in her line of work true coincidence was rare.

It was no coincidence that she heard the voices and she had gone a bit overboard in her taking out Billy the Kid. At least his meat could rest in peace now. She had met the Kid back then and they had an interesting shootout… literally and it was on par with the O.K. Corral shooting in Tombstone. That would be a story to tell one day and hell her days during the Wild West would be gripping. She knew Dean's love of that era and she indulged him as he went on with Hollywood's interpretation of that era with a knowing smile.

Skirting around the old barn, she made her way to Lonelle Chevelle and peeked into the car. Cerebus was lying on the back seat and she could hear the distinct low growl rumbling through his chest. He knew something was up too. She reached in slowly through the partially opened window and rubbed his head gently. "Easy boy. Stay in the car."

She could take care of this. She looked around, her eyes taking in everything, and surveyed the perimeter. She moved slowly and cautiously like a predator sniffing out its prey. She stuck to the shadows, grateful that she stuck to wearing her chocolate brown jacket and black tank top with dark jeans. The darker the color, the better she was able to blend in the shadows and allow her to sneak up on whatever was here. In reassurance, she reached and touched her chakram and knife at her belt. The comfortable weight of Absolution on her back also helped.

Damn it, Angie. Do you have to do that? You know you look sexy slinking and creeping through the shadows like that.

Her lip curled at the approval Dean gave her the few times she popped up unexpectedly behind him, Sam or Bobby. Dean always seemed to approve of her abilities but he seemed to think that it was a bad thing for Sam and she wasn't going to touch that until the issue came up. For the time being she could bask in the feeling of acceptance by the elder Winchester who was more like her in more ways than one. It was the kind of thing that could be considered a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you looked at it.

That they were alike could often spell for disaster in terms of bone headedness but they understood each other quite a bit. They were both fierce protectors of what was theirs and both had this guilt complex that would make a shrink's day… well her more than Dean. That was their bond aside from a few other things that Dean made a point of showing. Certainly their conversations had gone better over the past year.

A noise caught her attention and she shrank deeper into the shadows and crouched down. It would look weird to some but it was part and parcel of scouting and sneaking around. She looked like a duck waddling as she stayed low and moved. Once she hit open field that was another story. She stood up and looking around, she started walking forward. Once she was completely out, she stopped and looked around, her hand resting near her hip. She then moved her head slightly and giving a slow grin she said, "You really need to work on your stealth." She turned around to come face to face with a demon.

The demon stood where he was and he began clapping slowly and in a mocking fashion. He smiled and hummed a bit in laughter, "You are good. Better than the last time we met."

Angela stood looking at her opponent. She remembered him well. "At least you look better Alighieri."

Alighieri chuckled as he closed the distance between him and Angela. It had been a long time. Cold Oak was a fluke in that it was just to get the queen to move in the right direction. It seemed that she had and the fun was going to begin. "Well pretending to be one of the fledglings that you have a soft spot for was hardly the time or the place to brush up old memories. We had our parts to play then."

"I would say that you were trying to piss me off but I had you figured then in Cold Oak." Angela stared at Alighieri with a look that indicated he was lower than scum in her view.

"I always wondered how you were able to figure it out. You appeared far too trusting then and even when the two cadets showed up, you didn't bat an eye. Still using the innocent as bait?"

"We all have hard choices to make. I made mine and here we are," Angela replied as she gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. It wasn't a surprise really that he showed his face. Lenya always preferred Alighieri in her games when she wanted a little more than simple fun. It was almost akin to Lilith's idea of fun. She stared at the demon with her hand within reach of her knife. It would be a standoff if this got ugly.

"Indeed. I do have to admit your attention to the Kid's funeral was rather exquisite. The messiness was to die for."

"Poison has to be drawn from a wound," Angela countered, recalling what she said when she did the act.

Alighieri chuckled, "Oh I agree with you on that. The Kid was getting too big for his britches." He clicked his tongue and said, "So the great Absolution rises from the dead. The funny thing is you have been very much alive so how could you arise from the dead?"

"I see you still like to argue semantics when you try to agitate someone," Angela replied with a slight smirk on her face as she crossed her arms over her chest. "And all you're doing is repeating what I've heard. It's nothing but bits and pieces of nonsense."

"You keep telling yourself that love," Alighieri replied as he pointed at her while he started pacing in front of her. "Ever since we met and you claimed that blade of yours and bested me, you've been in denial of what you are. You still are."

"And what do you think I am in denial about? I'm what I am, a dhampir who has a preference for kicking the crap out of demons and other fuglies that threaten humans," Angela replied as she started circling with Alighieri. Her spine and muscles tensed as she walked, ready to spring into action.

"Official party slogan bullshit. You know what I mean. Surely you must've had signs. Nightmares, visions oh and hearing voices?" Alighieri threw a taunting smile her way. "Oh and surely you are aware that the Kid's sun tan was felt?"

Angela made a slight twist of her head as she narrowed her eyes while circling her opponent. No doubt it was as well as the Monument thing. She had no idea that there were still a few of the small fry that still remembered Cold Oak. "I'm aware of it. Interesting how pain and taunting work hand in hand. I guess I learned a few things."

"Still turning everything into a joke now huh? I wonder if you'll find it a joke when your blindness forces the vulnerability your little pets have out in the open."

It took a lot not to react on that alone. Angela knew that the B-side of the tracks knew that Sam and Dean were her weak spot. She had learned though that she had to be smart about her attacks. "You keep saying that I don't know who I am. Are you saying that is bad?"

"Don't be a smartass, Bitch. You know damn fool well that it is bad. Then again maybe you might want them vulnerable. You always did like it when you could be depended upon," Alighieri replied. "After all I trusted you with my back and we were friends in every sense of the word. Though I really couldn't get you to go further than that." He frowned as if he were puzzled by that. He then cast a sly grin at her and added, "But friendships do come to an end; especially if one thinks that the greater good is more important."

Angela felt her chest constrict. He wanted to bring that up? "You know that I never saw it as that."

"I'm sure you didn't. After all you were young… well young is relative in our case. Sorry it didn't work out but karma is like that. It comes back to you huh?"

"Actions have consequences," Angela allowed. It seemed that Alighieri was going to go down that lane.

"Indeed. You let one die and death steals one away from you," the demon mocked with a jeering look. Failing to elicit a response but he knew the wound had been opened. It would make for an interesting tidbit. "And now you're here trying to find out what it was that pulled your elder pet from the fire. Or maybe you do know."

"I know things just like anyone else," Angela replied. That last remark smarted since there were times she convinced herself that it was her fault things happened the way they did. She still felt responsible for a few things that she felt were under her control and she failed. It was one of the thing that the Old Man tried to exploit. It hurt and pissed her off.

"And I wonder if Deano boy knows what you know especially about the little signs that have been occurring around you? Maybe I should tell him before I send him back to the pit." Alighieri turned to walk towards the barn when he felt himself being tackled from behind and pummeled to the ground.

"You will not touch him."

Alighieri growled and with a push of his hands, he righted himself while at the same time sending Angela flying through the air. He turned to see her land on her feet even though they skidded in the ground. He nodded, "Impressive. I shall enjoy this." He launched forward with the intent to kill written on his face.

Angela knew it was a hard landing and gave a slight grunt as she skidded. She felt her feet dig trenches as she gained her footing. She felt her fangs elongate as Alighieri charged straight at her. Putting an extra spring into her muscles, she leapt forward, dodging the initial strike by rolling forward under the swing. At the same time she kicked and knocked the demon over.

They were both back on their feet and swinging their fists and feet at each other. Angela blocked and countered when she had an opening. She landed a few punches to Alighieri and took in the pleasure that she made him grunt. It only seemed to fuel him and he came at her harder and actually gave her a backhand.

The backhand offset her and allowed him to pin her to the ground. Her face was planted in the dirt and she felt his weight on her back. Then there was the breathing on her neck and the seductive whisper, "You really are so much fun to play with love. Still denying what you are and that is what makes you weak." Then there was a slight touch of a nose on her neck. "It doesn't have to be like this. Join with me and you won't have to suffer anymore. Hell I'll even take care of the Winchesters. Dean already served his part but Sammy. I think I might have some fun…"

Angela had enough. Reaching deep down, she channeled her power with the help of her tattoo. Up above the sky began to crackle with lightning and thunder and her eyes glowed the darker amber gold that spoke of power. With a roar, she pushed up from the ground and leapt high up flinging the demon off in the process. Not even allowing him to recover she flung his body into the nearest tree and then to the ground and walked slowly forward.

Alighieri was laughing as she approached. "You are quite powerful." He noted the weather change. "Still control issues but this is going to be fun." He got up and dusted himself off. "It has already begun sweets. I look forward to this new set of games." Then he was gone.

Angela toned it down and the weather reverted back to normal. Taking a few deep breaths she looked around. He was gone. Sudden she heard the wind picking up. Recognizing it, she headed back to the barn.


A/N: They set up to summon Castiel and Angie meets up with an old nemesis and does some fancy power work. Stay tuned for the conclusion of Absolution Rises...