Chapter 10: The Case of Man Eating Candy Canes

After the fall out of the horrible nightmare, "Team Free Will" as Dean called us had become closer. In fairness Dean and Castiel could have already been considered a couple due to their "more profound bond". But it could not have been said that Dean and I were able to spend more than five minutes outside of a hunting environment. Now it was a different story.

When Sam was too immersed in research or was sleeping I would seek out Dean's company. When he and Castiel were not making eyes at each other, (read: eye sex), he and I would share a pleasant silence where I would read and he would ready the weapons. We would support each other, we would lean back to back. If I didn't understand something that would be more awkward to ask Sam about I would ask Dean, and with that came many entertaining conversations.

While we became closer we continued to hunt. We had taken out over the time of several weeks a shapeshifter who liked to impersonate their victims dream romantic partner and then kill them, a ghost who was obsessed with women's underwear, and curious case of a baby sea serpent who needed to be relocated before he starved to death and started to eat humans.

So far we were in the shining town of Celebration, Florida…I was scared. The total lack of change disturbed me in ways I hadn't felt in a looooooong time. We were here for one reason…giant, man-eating…CANDY CANES. What in my brothers name was going on!? I had started contemplating banging my head against the wall but had discarded the idea.

"Hey, Dean, didn't we kill a Trickster that had the same candy wrapper calling card?" Sam was holding a Snickers wrapper in one hand.

"Ummmmm, yeah. Think its another Trickster?"

"Yeah, what else could it be? Cause really? Candy Canes?" Sam had raised his eyebrow in challenge.

Dean sighed, "Well at least we know what we're dealing with."

I smiled at the disgruntled look on Dean's face, it looked like somebody had told him that pie would kill him. After that amusing thought I examined the scene of the crime and went over what we knew. It seemed that the local candy store owner had been killed by two giant candy canes that had literally eaten him, (we had to cut open the candy canes to see the remains…not pretty).

"Okay so based on a normal Trickster's M.O. they give 'just deserts' for something the victim did. What would this guy do that he would get this kind of punishment?" Sam had been thinking back on the case to try and track down this Trickster.

"I have asked around about him." Seems Castiel was back. "Seems he was very…"

"Very what Cas?" Dean raised an eyebrow.

Castiel's eyes shifted back and forth, refusing to meet his bonded's eyes. "Its seems he was…making candy canes using…human…parts."

I gagged, that was something I never wanted to ever hear in my life.

"So the red in the candy was blood?" Sam looked mildly disgusted.

Castiel nodded with a flash of disgust, "The peanut brittle didn't have peanuts in it."

Sam looked at him in shock and then threw up into a trash can that had been placed nearby. Dean had almost the same reaction, except he missed the can. I just tried not to die of the overload of stupidity from humans in general.

As I rolled my eyes I felt a strange presence nearby. Quickly I extended my grace and isolated the presence. As I examined the small sample I had managed to capture before the being's abrupt departure, my wings flared in shock and surprise. I realized that the presence was that of an angel. A very familiar angel. Gabriel.

"Castiel!" I spun around and grabbed his shoulders. "This is the work of Gabriel."

Castiel's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "But that is impossible! He fell before Lucifer was cast away."

"No, Gabriel left. He never fell." I started pacing back and forth across the blood spattered floor, candy cane fragments crunching under my feet. "We need to find him. Summon him." My wings were waving crazily behind me, showing my agitation. My eyes were shining as I turned back to Castiel. "Maybe…maybe he can join our flock?"

Castiel was about to respond when Dean cut in.

"Okay okay. What in the holy hell is going on!?"

Castiel turned to his bonded and took his hands, "Our brother Gabriel, he left heaven during the first banishment of Gabriel. We thought him dead but…if Lyn is correct…Gabriel is alive."

Dean's hard emerald eyes softened into a spring green at Castiel's happiness. He smiled gently down at him and squeezed the hand in his grip. But after a moment he frowned.

"But if this Gabriel guy is killing people…what are we gonna do? We can't let him continue that."

I waved my hand, "If we can get him to join us then we won't have to worry about that."

Sam had caught onto Castiel's words from a few minutes ago. "Wait…flock?" His eyebrows scrunched together. "What does that mean?"

I turned to him with a soft smile. "It means family. A flock is a group of a few sets of mates. Castiel and Dean are mates and we are their brothers so we are included. If you or I find a mate then they will become flock as well. Since Gabriel is both mine and Castiel's brother he is included as well."

Sam looked confused. "But if it includes brothers shouldn't Lucifer and Michael be included and such?"

I shook my head, "No, while they would when we were fledglings they are not now, they are not mated yet so they haven't started a flock yet."

Dean looked utterly confused. Castiel squeezed his hand. "Don't worry. It is complicated."

"No shit Sherlock."

Castiel frowned, "I don't understand that reference Dean."

Dean cringed, "We really need to educate you Cas."

"Of course Dean."

…

We had gathered the supplies required to summon Gabriel as well as holy oil to keep him in one place to be able to talk with him without him trying to leave and us just having to drag him back. He was going to be angry with us, he would hide behind his veneer of arrogance and bravo.

I carefully intoned the chant that would call Gabriel to us. My wings shifted uneasily as a wind picked up around the room. As I saw Gabriel appear inside the circle of holy oil I quickly ignited the circle. I was right, he was angry.

"What in my Fathers' name is wrong with you!?" Gabriel's golden brown eyes blazed with angelic fury, his six golden wings puffed up and extended in dominance.

Castiel's gaze was all happiness and almost gleaming with joy. Castiel's two jet black streaked with silver wings were lower in submission but were twitching with happiness.

Anticipating Gabriel's anger I had grown more wings as to be able to force Gabriel to calm down, I now currently had eight to his six. My wings were the color of the galaxies, of the first and last dawn, you couldn't really describe the color.

"Gabriel. Calm yourself." My voice was firm.

Gabriel took a deep breath and his wings lowered. "One, please tell me you didn't just do what you just did."

"I'm sorry. But I did."

Gabriel hung his head and just sat down in the circle of fire.

"Okay ya got me. Gonna drag me back to Mikey now?"

"No."

"No?" Gabriel's eyes peaked up hopefully, his voice tinged with hesitance.

"No. Gabriel, Castiel and I…we missed you…will—will you come home? Become part of our flock?"

Gabriel's eyes widened, his mouth dropped open. "Flock? With you? And Castiel?"

"Yes. Please Gabe…we missed you."

Gabriel's face was awash with happiness as he replied. "Yes."

Authors Note

As promised another chapter of Eden's Edge. :) Now I started another story in the normal Spn category its season 10 centric and its only one chapter now but I had to write it, its called "Loyalty to a Fault? Or a Fault to Loyalty?" check it out! Please with a cherry and Trickster candy on top! As always: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW if you do you get the wonderful feeling of a kitten loving you :3.