Chapter 12

"And that's all she said?"

"Yeah."

Dean looked at his brother and made a gesture, "So…?"

"Do what she asks Dean," Sam offered. He knew that what he was saying was not being received well by his brother and it was showing. Initially it had him upset as well but… When he calmed down enough, he took a good look at her and directly into her eyes.

He knew he had screwed up bad in the past with a few things with her but he had picked up on a few things and he had always been after Dean to listen to what she didn't say. He dampened his anger and studied and he asked her again and she repeated her answer a third time and looked at him straight in the eye. He knew then and there that she had something going on. He just didn't know what and he wasn't going to ask. It wouldn't surprise him if the place had been bugged or something like that.

He knew she didn't say things unless there was a purpose to it. Even if it sounded like the most ridiculous thing ever, she always had a meaning behind them when it was a serious situation on the line. So when he looked into her eyes as she repeated her request, he knew she was up to something. He couldn't put his finger on what it was she was up to but he knew she had some sort of plan. It was all he could do to keep that annoying calm demeanor on his brother.

Looking at his brother, Sam explained, "She said to do nothing because she has something planned. I don't know what but…" He made a slight shrug of his shoulders because he honestly didn't know.

"Oh she's planning something? What is it? What are we to do?" Dean looked at Sam and gestured at him, "I mean you are her arb… arb…"

"Arbiter," Sam supplied more out of habit. "Do what she asks and that is nothing." At the look his brother was shooting at him, he explained, "It doesn't mean nothing, Dean."

"Well then what the hell does it mean?"

"That we act like we normally would. I'll be her arbiter and you'll do what you were doing today." Sam made a slight gesture more to calm the situation but he wasn't sure if it worked. He was used to doing it but sometimes Angela was just better than he was at calming a situation. Angie, sometimes I wish that you would throw out a bigger bone.

Dean looked at his brother with a firm look. "And you have no idea what she's planning?"

"Dean…" Sam paused and thought about things.

Dean watched as Sam's face went slack into that face he knew well. It was the look Sam got when he was on a tangent; that the freakishly smart brain of his was working the gears and making connections. "What do you have?"

Sam thought about it as he stared at the ground. Was that the reason…? He pulled out his cell phone and looked for the number.

"Sam."

Sam held up a finger to signal that the phone was ringing. When it picked up he spoke, "Hey Kess… yeah I'm fine. We're both fine." Sam turned to look at Dean and mouthed 'Avian' and turned away to listen. "We can talk about that later. Listen I need to know: Did you make our room warded against… eavesdropping?"

Sam listened to the response. "Really?" He raised his brow at what Kesset told him. He turned to look at Dean and then said, "Well for that kind of thing you need to ask Dean." He made a slight gesture to try to appease his brother. "Yeah sure when we get back and I'll show you. I gotta go. You know."

If there was such a thing as a chatty Kathy, Kesset was the poster boy for it. But because he was so calm about everything, Sam knew that something was up on Angela's end. "Thanks, Kess." He hung up the phone and turned to Dean.

Dean had been waiting and had gotten bored and started rubbing Zeppelin's head. Now that he had Sam's attention, he gestured a little annoyed, "Well?"

"I was right. Something is going on but it isn't Angie."

"Angie's not planning anything?"

Sam put his phone back in his pocket and took a breath. "No, she's not. But she knows that everyone is watching what she says and does. That's why she's not doing anything."

"And how does that work for us?"

That was the sticking point since they really couldn't do anything that was going to help her except play their roles. Sam knew that it was going to test Dean's patience. He offered, "It doesn't really except maybe to get the people on our side."

It sounded lame to Sam's ears but it was the best he could do. After what Angela told him about people listening to what he was saying when he questioned in court… it was a confidence booster in some ways. But in this case… he just couldn't see how it would help except to get people on their side and protest if things went south.

Dean knew Sam was trying. It was just frustrating. They really couldn't do anything since they were being watched like they expected their girl to do something. There really was nothing to do. "I guess we keep going but uh… maybe we should…"

"What?"

"That girl you questioned."

"Raylene?"

"Yeah."

Sam thought about it but looked at his brother with slight confusion. "And why would we talk to her when she is the prosecution's witness and is determined to burn Angie?"

"Actually she doesn't want that," Dean corrected. He figured since they were on a sharing mode and maybe they could extend beyond the very small circle they knew wouldn't try to backstab them. "She wants to help but she's like us… stuck."

Sam stared at his brother processing what he just said. He started pacing sparing a brief glance at the three dogs on one of the beds. "Okay and why would she want to?"

Before Dean could answer there was a knock at the door. Both Winchesters looked at the door until Dena looked at his brother and warned him to stay put. He went to the door and opened it a crack. Upon seeing who it was, he opened the door and in came in Raylene saying, "So is everything good?"

"What?"

Raylene looked at Sam and then Dean. It then occurred to her that not everyone was on the same page. Looking at the elder Winchester, she asked, "You didn't tell him?"

"Tell me what?" Sam looked at his brother for an explanation.

Raylene pursed her lips before saying, "That I may have a way for you to help without seeming to. Though it would be more on Dean's end than yours."

"And how are you going to do that?" Sam looked at Raylene while ignoring his brother for the moment. "We're being watched by the very people that want to burn Angie."

"True," Raylene replied giving an acknowledging nod. She moved slightly to test the occupants. She hadn't failed to notice the three dogs. Two definitely had Wilder blood in them and the third she suspected but wasn't certain. It was a tricky slope since Wilders didn't really like her over much and there was a reason for it.

Sam shifted when she shifted, moving away from her when she moved closer. He looked at Dean. His brother was sending him a signal that she was to be trusted. It wasn't easy for him especially since it was Angela's life on the line. "So what good are you?"

Raylene eyed the dogs. The larger puppy lifted his head and was continually sniffing in her direction: tracker. The older one that didn't look like a Wilder was eyeing her with suspicion but protective of the other two: the hitter/protector. The smallest was not looking at her but at Sam, as if watching for her cues from him. Yet Raylene could see that the pup was not being like a 'yes man'… at least what she could see. That meant this pup was a wild card… possibly a harridan and that had her worried. Harridans were the worst to tangle with; they were more aligned to the nature of their hell hound ancestors meaning that once they had you in their sights… let's just say there was only one way to get them off your tail and she was looking at him. Just her luck that it was Sam Winchester the pup imprinted on.

Trying hard not to get too uncomfortable being that close to the dogs, she looked at Sam and replied, "Maybe you can't; they are watching you and they are going to make your life miserable through the whole proceedings."

"And why don't you tell me something that I don't know," Sam countered while still waiting for the explanation.

Raylene sighed to hide the tremble since she noticed the harridan's fur rise slightly. She cleared her throat and replied, "Meaning that not everyone is paying attention to your brother." She paused the moment the little harridan looked at her. It was an innocent expression on the dog's face but it was enough and she backed away. "Dean can help me rile up the crowds. Everyone knows that this is a kangaroo trial because the general is very good at doing what she does and doesn't deserve this. Could you please tell that dog not to look at… meep!"

It surprised both Winchesters when Zeppelin jumped down from his spot on the bed followed by his sister and approached Raylene forcing her to literally leap onto a chair. At the same time her eyes flared and she actually hissed like a cat at them. She was in a crouched position like she was going to spring away again or do something like attack.

The puppies were more or less curious and looked at her without fear but curiosity. Raylene was having none of it. "Please tell them to back off."

Sam looked at the puppies who were wondering what was up with the girl. He had seen the eye flare and the hissing from her was like that of a cat. It occurred to him that there was something off about her and they had a good reaction of it. "They aren't going to hurt you."

"Try telling that to the last one that looked at me like I was chow." Raylene looked at Sam with a fierce glower. "Tell them to get back or I'll start doing worse than what I have in mind for your brother to help."

Dean knew that Raylene was not human but to see it full on was a little mind blowing. He recognized the threat but it was more out of agitation. "Hey, Sam's right. They're babies and wouldn't hurt a fly."

Raylene shot Dean a look that would make lesser men whither. "Do it now or I walk out right now."

Sam actually wanted to keep at it but Dean waved him off. So he relented by picking up Moira by the scruff of her neck as well as her sibling and put them back with Xander. As much as he wanted to keep at it, he knew that she was the one that had a way for them to do more than what they were actually doing. "Alright, so what do you have?"

"Like I said, it's something Dean can do since they have cracked down on the prison."

Angela sat in her cell. It was like being in solitary in a prison but it was a bit more lavish in that the beds were comfortable. Every effort was made to make the prisoner comfortable and to make them forget that they were a prisoner for whatever crime they have committed. It was like the gilded cages metaphor and one she was familiar with.

She sighed as she leaned back against the wall with her knees drawn up. Her suit was draped on the chair she was allowed to have. Her shoes were on the floor leaving her in the suit pants and shirt she had worn. It wasn't too bad but it was frustrating since she was stuck in here and there was a lot she wanted to say to the people that mattered. It was really inconvenient timing but…

"You know all you have to do is ask and I can snap you out of here."

Angela gave a slight chuckle as she looked up at her visitor. Smiling she replied, "I know you would just do it on principle Gabe. Cas would debate the implications and ask."

Gabriel snorted at how she put their tendencies in a nutshell. "Well I'm here to ask you now. That's gotta be an improvement."

"It is since you ask now rather than do." Angela looked up at Gabriel with a smile. "And I kind of like it. It makes you less of the ass."

Gabriel couldn't help but blush. It was high praise coming from her. He cleared his throat a bit before taking a seat next to her. "So… what did you get yourself into this time?"

"Oh the usual," Angela replied humming a chuckle to herself as she made a throwing gesture, pivoting her elbow on her raised knee. "Doing my job and not making everyone happy with me. The usual."

Gabriel hummed along with her knowing that she was just being polite for the moment before talking. It was just how they talked before they got into the crux of the matter. He gestured at the room and asked, "So being thrown in solitary while undergoing a trial is the usual."

Angela gave a lopsided smile and shrugged her shoulders, "Might as well be. I always seem to get into interesting messes." She looked at Gabriel and gave him a pat on the knee. "So are you going to try to convince me to escape?"

"To be honest I'll break you out of here now since I know for a fact that the charges are crap."

Gabriel knew the score. He may be in his own personal witness protection program but he still had his sources in terms of getting what he needed to know. Plus he kept an eye on his Cat as much as Castiel did. They just had their own ways of doing it. He knew he had come a long way since nearly a decade ago he would have busted in and busted her out and with quite a bit of fanfare and smiting. Now he was all about subtlety and thinking before he acted. It was a testament to how much she changed him.

"You can't do that, Gabe," she replied softly. She looked at the archangel sitting next to her like a friend would. "Not with the way things are."

"And what am I supposed to do? I know Sam is miserable thinking he's screwing this thing up to get you off when this whole thing is rigged to make you guilty when you're not."

Angela said nothing about that. She knew the score with it and tried to help Sam as much as she could and trying not to reveal too much. She knew that they were being watched and she wasn't going to give the wrong people ammunition to use it. Her concern would always be for Sam and Dena and any other she felt close with. It was why she was, on some level, okay with the situations she got dealt. True her survival instincts kicked in with her desire to live when necessary but she never took things lying down.

Tapping her fingers on her knee, she said, "I've never been popular with those in authority with the order with the exception of a few. Most who like me on some level are the members. Kira, Chris… Austin was one of my firsts with the Slayer business…"

"You're pretty popular with the Seer."

"He recruited me, Gabe." Angela smirked at the archangel as she looked at him before looking at the wall she had been staring at. "He recruited me."

Gabriel waited a moment for her to continue. When she didn't, he prodded, "Sounds like there's a story there. And one that I missed."

Angela couldn't help but smile as she recalled the first time that she and Brendan met. She pressed her tongue against her teeth, making a slight sucking sound before she made her decision. "Brendan found me in London officially but he had been following me long before that."

"Sounds like someone I know."

Angela gave a friendly elbow to Gabriel's middle. It was always a wonder how she could punch or elbow the angel and not feel the pain that came with it since punching an angel was like punching a concrete wall. She never could explain it without coming off as insane. The simple fact was that it was because of Gabriel; she trained with him and he basically had her hit him until every inch of her body was sore. It was like the masters of old where they trained by kicking bamboo until their shins broke and the re-calcified bone became stronger.

It certainly helped when she kicked the crap out of Uriel the first time and he resented her since then. But he was always afraid of her. Most people were after they got a taste of what she could do. Master Ru said she was capable of much more. It was the same but it held a different verse at times. Still staring at the wall she continued, "It was right when I was on the Ripper job in London. I finally managed to catch that bastard and give him what he deserved. And almost got caught. Brendan led me out and it was on the rooftops where he proposed I joined. I told him to go screw himself."

Gabriel couldn't help but snort at that. "That is definitely you Cat."

"Yeah well I thought he was a nut case that just happened to be good at his job." Angela chuckled a bit as she enjoyed the memory. She sighed as she settled, thinking about the memory. "He was persistent and finally did his mojo. He even showed me the brand that was his family mark as proof of who he said he was.

"It took a little bit more to convince me to join but at first I liked him and it worked out. But he was the one that asked me to join and he didn't try to sell me on the whole honor thing." Angela played with her hands a little bit as she adjusted her position. "So I joined and somewhere along the line, I was his special go-to person. If it was asked and he requested me, he usually got it."

"Hey we know a good thing when we see it," Gabriel offered.

"Yeah and in return the people I met now form behind me. They would band to together and charge into battle if I asked it of them."

"It's only the honest truth about you, Cat. I mean because you do things without thought of reward and then risking everything to do what you do. On top of that you are a natural leader. And that is the honest truth."

"Then I believe you as I believe Sam."

"You know I won't ever lie to you about that. You are insistent that everyone tells it straight." Gabriel looked at her and watched as a look of contentment washed over her face. She wasn't scared of being in there and the fact that her life was on the line… He had known her a long a time and generally he could tell when something was up her sleeve but this was different and he wasn't sure of what to make of it. "You mean a lot to me Cat."

"Si. You are mio fratello," she replied putting the Italian emphasis on her words. "And nothing will change that."

Gabriel hummed at that before asking, "You sure you don't want me to get you out of here. I can and I will. Plus I can tell Wosret and the pantheon would step in."

"No they won't. You know it and I know it."

"There is always the exception and you usually are."

"But I am no different than anyone who goes through the process. We can't always make exceptions and you know I don't go for special treatment."

Gabriel knew that. Even when she was living with Satet and her family, she insisted on being treated like a normal person. She refused special treatment but that of course endeared her to the people more; she wasn't high and mighty as the phrase went. "I know you don't but there really are exceptions and this is one of them."

Angela sighed and adjusted her position as she leaned against the wall. "No it isn't Gabe. The gods are not to interfere in the daily affairs of the mortals." She saw the look on the archangel's face, and knowing his ability to find a loophole with most things, she cut him off, "I know that can be loosely interpreted and there were a few instance when the gods decided to have fun with mortals and I know you have your loopholes but that can't last forever."

"Cat…"

"Gabe, things won't change if something isn't done to show the system is wrong." Angela pursed her lips as she thought about what she was going to say. Finally she said, "I know that I don't have many friends high up and it has been used to stonewall me but those people down in holding… I can't let it continue. They are there because of trumped up charges and probably because it is damned by association."

"So your plan is make you a martyr. That's real sweet of you, Cat. The ultimate sacrifice so everyone else can be… whatever you call it?" Gabriel had stood up to rant a little. He wasn't worried about being watched by anyone or anything. It wasn't like they could see him and he did play his loopholes of keeping it looking like all his Cat was doing was sitting there on her bed. He was more concerned that his Cat was really going off the deep end with her generous nature. "What about the people that care about you? What about Sam?"

It was a low blow and Gabriel knew it. He had to make sure that she understood the ramifications. He had lost her and nearly lost her several times and it was painful each time. He loved her. It was plain and simple to him and one thing that he had a hard time speaking freely of at times. It was why he was an ass at time.

Angela knew that too. She looked up at the agitated archangel pacing and looking at her, trying to comprehend her decision. She replied, "I am thinking of Sam. And it's why I am doing this."

"And it's being elusive to me. I can't figure it out."

Angela studied the archangel and breathed contentedly. Finally she said, "Everything that I have done and things that have happened have been based on choices I've made. How do you think those choices get executed to the results they get?" When Gabriel didn't say anything, she continued, "Gabe, I have gone solo and I've worked with people. The things I do… part of it is planning. You ask me how I can allow what is going on to happen. Well, part of it is because I trust that everyone will play their roles as they receive them; play to their strengths and talents to get the job done."

A/N: The boys discuss strategy and meet Raylene while Angie reminisces with Gabe. Something's up so stay tuned for more Trial and Reckoning...