13. In which there are lies
"We need to talk."
"Ruby, are you okay?" Jo is the first one to say anything in the silence that has spread around the room. She's still aiming her gun at the invaders but her eyes flickers to the demon for just a second and said demon feels a strange kind of happiness at the hunter's concern.
Ruby just nods to answer her question, everything hurts, badly, but right now she's more interested in what the angels have to save. Yes, they have to be angels, she can see how they're shining through the people they're possessing, it's like nothing she's ever seen, glowing white light.
"So talk", Sam says and Ruby breathes a sigh of relief, maybe they can avoid more fighting at the moment.
"Perhaps you should greet us with more respect", says the dark skinned angel with a dangerous voice. Or maybe not, Ruby thinks as she slowly begins to struggle to her feet, maybe angels have a little more pride and vanity than she's anticipated, and this can only be slowed by fighting.
The moment is over quickly however because the other angel doesn't seem offended by Sam's somewhat rude approach, he sends his companion a warning glare before focusing his attention on Sam again.
"Why? I don't even know who you are, a little disrespectful to just march in here without an introduction don't you think?"
Ruby can see Sam's eyes flickering around the room, he's stalling, trying to find an opportunity, looking for an opening, something to fight with.
"They're angels, Sam." It's meant to be a warning, to make him realize what he's up against, keep him from doing anything stupid. What it really sounds like is something of a plea, filled with fear. Please don't piss them off.
"You will keep out of this conversation, demon, or there will be consequences", it's the dark one in the suit again, and this time there's no warning glare from the other angel. Ruby presses herself against the wall and considers just leaving, but she knows she has to be here for this.
"You're angels?" Sam asks in disbelief and Ruby is a little surprised he can't feel it, all that demonic power inside of him and still he is so human.
"Yes", the one in the trench coat says after a short pause. "I am Castiel, this is Uriel, we have a message for you." His eyes flickers around the room as he talks, and Ruby can't help but think that they linger on Dean a second too long, she hopes there's not going to be any demon killing.
"For me?" More disbelief and Sam seems to relax, Ruby's not really comfortable with that, he must realize that angels can't possibly be on his side, he is hell's chosen, working with two demons, they should be running now.
"You've been tracking a group of demons. They have six kidnapped children with them, it's of great importance that these children are not killed within the closest two hours."
"We kind of thought it was important that they weren't killed at all", Jo spits out and Ruby can't help but smile at her attitude.
"We are going there, we'll attack as soon as it's dark, we were just about to get a plan together", Sam says before Uriel has the time to say anything about Jo's comment.
"You don't have the time, these children will be sacrificed in a ritual before sunset, and you can't let this ritual take place, it's one of the sixty-six seals", Castiel says in his serious deep voice. Ruby groans, she's known of course, known it was Lilith's and Meg's plans all along, but she doesn't want Sam to know, if he'd known, then he wouldn't be hunting Lilith, then he'd try to save the seals, and she needs Lilith dead, that's the most important part.
"Sixty-six seals?" Sam says with confusion. Castiel looks like he's about to explain but then he changes his mind.
"We don't have time for this, by sundown six children will be dead, I suggest you hurry", he says, and with that the angels are gone, and two demons and two hunters are left in a silent room.
"We have to go", Jo eventually says and they all realize she's right, no matter how many questions they all have they have to go if there's even a chance the angels are right.
"Get your gear, everybody in the car in five minutes", Sam says and Ruby and Jo hurries to their room to get their stuff, they're in the Impala just two minutes later, wasting no time.
"What's the sixty-six seals?" Sam asks as Dean starts the car. Ruby considers the best way to answer, it's game over after all, he will find out sooner or later now that he's heard about them. She doesn't get to answer though.
"It's the locks on the devil's cage", Dean says with a neutral voice and Ruby realizes it's the first thing he's said since the angels crashed the party.
"What?"
"Lucifer is supposedly rotting in a cage somewhere, the story goes Michael the archangel locked him in there when he rebelled. The seals are said to be the one way to set him free, break the seals and the cage opens", Ruby says and Dean nods.
"Meg and… she used to talk about it all the time."
Ruby notices the pause, knows he was about to mention Alistair but doesn't bring anyone's attention to it.
"We forgot to ask them about the healing", Sam says after they all have thought about this little revelation that Satan is about to get out in the world.
"I don't think we should", Dean snaps and Ruby feels the disagreement from earlier fill her up with frustration. "We still don't know much at all about angels, we don't know which one healed me and more importantly, what do they want with you?"
They all consider this question for a minute. Ruby can't think of any reason the angels would want anything to do with Sam, they should want him dead, but then again, he is a good guy, maybe that actually counts for something. Then Ruby notices how Dean isn't thinking, he's watching the others, his eyes flickering from the road to Sam to the rear-view mirror to look at her and Jo in the back seat and then back to the road, what she can't figure out is what he's looking for, a reaction? Someone coming to a conclusion? Someone looking at him?
"I think we should ask them, now we have names, we can summon them", she says it mostly to see his reaction, and it's instant. He really is uncomfortable with it.
"It's not important."
"Not important? I personally would love to talk to the angel who healed my demon brother, imagine to have one of them on our team." Sam's voice almost trembles with excitement.
"Precisely", Dean responds, "they seem pretty powerful, I don't think it's the best idea to just summon them to ask nosey questions, they might get pissed off."
Ruby would have bought that as an excuse for Dean's unwillingness to approach these celestial beings, she really would have, if he is afraid that would explain why he's been unable to come up with a good reason. She would have bought it, but this also sounds like an excuse, it doesn't sound sincere, and Ruby doesn't believe it, she can't believe that Dean would be afraid of the angels.
He's hiding something, but then again, she already knew that. As she looks around the car she realizes they're all hiding something, and maybe, just maybe, she doesn't know as much as she'd like to.
Castiel watches as the car comes to a stop outside the demons temporary house, he watches Dean whisper something to the hellhound as he prepares to go in and wishes he could follow him inside. He can't of course, their orders are to let Sam take on challenges, watch his choices, see how he operates.
He thinks he might have gone in anyway, not to interfere, only to watch, so that he would be able to help if they got into real trouble… yes, he might have, if he had been able to. The house is covered in wards, invisible to the human eye, powerful wards, the kind that keep angels out.
"He seems different", Uriel says and Castiel is ripped from his thoughts.
"Who?" he asks even though he knows perfectly well who Uriel is talking about and his vessel suddenly seems cold.
"Dean, I've seen many demons but he is… strange somehow. He feels different, do you suppose it's because he once was such a special human?"
"Yes, I suppose that might be it."
"Should we tell anyone?"
"He's still a demon, and a weak one at that, I don't think anyone cares."
He can see Uriels doubtful look from the corner of his eye.
"I'll take care of it, I'll tell Zackariah", he says to calm his friend down.
He hopes that will keep Uriel from telling anyone himself, but he knows he can't rely on that and it start to be painfully clear what a dangerous game he's playing, all because of this demon.
He can see his grace flowing inside of Dean, a thin net of light surround the demon's soul, this must be what Uriel feels, but doesn't recognize. He has no doubts that if one of his superiors cared to examine Dean closely they would see what it was. It is a dangerous game indeed but he is unable to stop playing now, even had he wanted to.
"This will be interesting", Uriel says after a brief silence as Dean and the others breaks into the house from different entrances. Castiel just nods and tries to ignore the worry that starts to spread through him.
Yes, had he been able to he would definitely be following Dean inside. He wants to be there for this meeting, not because it will be interesting but because he feels like he could stop something really bad from happening. He wants to be there when Dean meets Alistair again.
I'll be away for the weekend so I'm not sure when I'll be able to update, but I shouldn't have to leave you hanging for too long. Review, please? You would make my day, I'm serious, it haven't been a good day...