Chapter 14
"You are a wisch."
Nick turned to see Angela looking at him with a puzzled look. Her twin braids twitched like puppy tails as she looked at him. He was stuck on babysitting duty while Sam and Dean were conducting a supply run. They were late into their second day to where they were going to meet his old mentor. He had relaxed a little since there was a delay and he was certain that his mentor knew what to expect.
Looking at Angela as she stood looking at him with her little hands behind her back he stared at her. He replied, "What makes you think so?" It was a little adult in terms of the wording but that was his way.
"You play like a wisch," Angela replied using the words that she knew from when Sam explained things.
Nick was impressed by her deduction. He replied, "Well I do have abilities like a witch but I am not a witch."
Angela frowned a bit as she looked up at the warlock. She then pointed at her mouth and asked, "Have teeth?"
"No." Nick was a mused at her deduction. It was clever and was a good indicator of what had been 'tampered' with in terms of her being shrunk in mind and body. He could tell that he was going to have to explain a few things. He continued, "I am a warlock."
"Warwock?"
It was close enough. She did manage to pronounce 'witch' fairly well. He nodded, "Yeah. It is like a witch but not." He pursed his lips at the look of confusion on her face. He could understand now the difficulties Sam had in explaining things. He continued, "Like you are special, same here with me."
Angela looked at Nick and thought about it. When she came to a conclusion she nodded. "Sammy said I was special. Look." She rubbed her eye tooth like Sam did and let her eyeteeth elongate. "I gots teeth. You have?"
"No," Nick replied grinning. "I made the pretty lights for you. Do you remember?" He frowned trying to see if there were adverse effects since he expected questions.
"When you had me hold your hand," Angela beamed happily. She smiled at Nick. "You nice warwock."
Nick grinned, "Thank you." He looked around at the scenery as he lounged against the Impala. His motorcycle wasn't too far away and he saw people going about their business. He used to avoid people as a principle since he was a warlock and he had problems with hunters that preferred to shoot first and ask questions later.
"Why do you tease Sammy?"
Nick turned to look down at Angela who was staring at him with a solemn expression. Her tawny eyes flickered as she scanned his person. "What?"
"You tease Sammy. Why?"
It was a fair question. Nick wondered how much of it was from her observations as an adult and how much of it was from what she noticed from her current predicament. He looked at her with a clinical eye and replied, "Because I know it irritates him." It was blunt and to the point. It probably would piss her off but he was curious.
"That's mean."
"Maybe."
"It's mean. Sammy listen too much with head." Angela put her little hands on her hips. She looked stern but it was too cute and it was tempting to laugh at. "Not nice," she repeated.
"And what about Dean? He teases Sam." Nick looked at Angela. His tone was what he would have used if she was an adult. It would have sounded dangerous if she had been scared. To him, she wasn't showing fear. It looked like annoyance coupled with a need to know why.
"Deanie bwother. Happens. Sammy knows not mean… most of time." Angela frowned slightly as she wrapped her arm around Cerebus. The dog hadn't left her side since they took off from the Singer residence. She looked at Cerebus as he harrumphed and said to the dog, "I know Ceebee. Deanie is mad. Sammy is sorry."
Nick raised his brow at the little girl. He knew she was a healer and a very special kind of healer. He didn't need to run a diagnostic to figure that one out. He was always surprised to find out new things about her. The whole talking to animals was a new one and it had him wondering and curious since the only ones he knew capable were those that had animal in them like the werewolves and their offshoots. He looked at her and asked, "How do you know what Cerebus is saying?"
Angela diverted her attention from Cerebus towards Nick. She looked up at him and blinked. She replied in a matter of fact tone, "He talks to me. I listen."
Nick should have expected that. Even as an adult he knew her to be direct and act in a similar manner. It was part of her way to determine friend from foe. He realized though that this was going to be a little different since more likely it will be simple like that of a child. He nodded, "I see. So what has he said to you?"
Angela looked at Nick with a slight look. "You need to be able to listen. You can't. So I not tell."
It's going to be like that I guess. Nick wasn't surprised that she was going to be like that. His mentor was of the same way especially when he was learning to expand his talents. "I see. Then I guess it is something I should learn or let it be."
Angela merely stared at Nick. Her tawny eyes were wide eyed as she studied the warlock. Her gaze would have made people uncomfortable with it. It was like she was trying to determine if she should trust him or not and while they had built up a rapport over the past year Nick wondered if they truly were on a comrade level. It was a thought on his mind as he kneeled to be at eye level with her.
In all honesty she didn't have to trust him. Warlocks in general were the equivalent of human warlords and Nick knew at least two that were both and they were a bitch to handle. Their families were still in existence today but luckily they weren't causing too many problems. Still though, warlocks were not highly looked upon and those that did decide to use their powers for good were looked upon with suspicion and it took the equivalent of maybe two lifetimes, if you were lucky, to gain trust.
Nick felt the old fears rise up and he was concerned. A demon named Crowley hounded him when he was bored and he did have a few acquaintances that were in the category of evil things. He didn't break his gaze though turning it into a staring contest. It was a primitive thing but still the most effective method of determining intentions, strengths and weaknesses; staring down until one decided to make a move was probably one of the few things that connected humans to the animals. It was almost instinctual for him to engage in it.
It wasn't too much time since Angela stared and said, "Don't need to be scared. Youse a fwiend."
Nick blinked as he looked into the girl's eyes. She had a serious expression on her face but her eyes were gentle in their flickering. She gave a slow smile that was endearing at any age. She reached up with her arms and wrapped them around his neck and gave a hug. "Youse good Nicky. Youse a feiend."
Nick didn't know what to do and his expression showed it. He was kneeling with a little girl hugging him and he had no idea what to do. He looked around as if that would give him the answer. Then he heard, "It's otay Nicky. Just don't tease Sammy."
Angela released him and stood to look back at him. She repeated, "Don't tease Sammy."
Nick sat back on his heels and looked at her. He got a smirk as he watched her serious expression come across her face. He replied, "But it is fun."
"Makes Sammy mad," she replied in a matter of fact tone.
"Dean does the same and besides it is fun." Nick looked at her with his smirk back in full bloom. He noticed that she was a little bit accepting of it but wasn't completely buying it. He sighed and gave a slight smile and said, "I know why it makes Sam mad. I just want to see how long it takes for him to realize it."
Angela frowned. She wasn't even sure what Nick was talking about. She looked at him puzzled and her braids brushed against her back. Sam had braided her hair again into twin braids and tied her hair ribbons into them. She moved her head, not quite comprehending what the warlock meant.
Nick noticed the confusion and chuckled. No doubt the older version knew exactly what he meant. It was another indicator along with her other behaviors and he was anxious to know what his old mentor thought even though he wasn't looking forward to the inevitable meeting. He said, "It's teasing like what Dean does but I won't be heavy about it."
"Why still do it?"
"Because it's fun," Nick replied much like she would. He then softened his expression with a chuckle. "But while I'm here I'll try not to do it too much. Is that okay Angie?" He stood up and looked down at her.
Angela narrowed her eyes slightly at him. She moved her head like an inquisitive puppy trying to find if Nick was fibbing with her. Finally she replied with a mock look, "Otay. Don't tease Sammy too much."
It was a warning and Nick knew it. He knew she would defend both Winchesters with the ferocity of a wild animal. She wouldn't hesitate to get sharp with a friend if she thought that they were harming either brother. He mentally amended that to include Bobby and possibly the woman Ellen. She was someone that he didn't want to get on the bad side of. The 'interrogation' he had with her was mild he was thinking.
Looking at the little girl he nodded, "Agreed." His expression slipped into a smile as he noticed that Sam and Dean were coming back. "I promise not to tease Sam as much. Come on." He held his hand out towards her. He grinned as he took her little hand into his and walked her over to the boys. He couldn't resist giving a slight smirk at Sam and like previously the younger Winchester ignored it. Instead he watched as Angela ran into Sam's outstretched arms and grab on.
It wasn't until they were heading out that Nick took the time to pause. He waited for the Impala to get on the road since he teased Dean that he could catch up and pass his baby on his motorcycle. It was enough for the two of them to start a bet on who would make the next night stop first. It was also an opportunity for him to check their surroundings.
He wasn't like a dhampir, a vampire or even a werewolf but he could tell that something was off. He was aware that there was a guardian that followed them or probably was following them as Dean filled him in on. So being followed was to be expected but he got the feeling that it was something else. He moved forward straddled on his motorcycle and looked around.
The town was as he had observed earlier. People were minding their own business. A couple of cars were heading in the direction of the highway and some were going elsewhere in town. He sighed as he put a pair of sunglasses on and looked around. He didn't know why but he felt compelled to look in the direction of the motel that was nearby where they had parked. He scanned the area before turning on the engine and heading down the highway after the Impala. It was something he needed to bring up but later.
In the meantime after the motorcycle left, the person watching moved to see if they truly were following. He was wearing a dark grey hoodie pulled low enough so that the eyes were hidden from view and dark jeans. He was hidden still by the building so that no one noticed him. It was part of his training.
He was concerned with the presence of the warlock. They were an unpredictable set in general and for the most part he seemed helpful. The Winchesters… he needed to be wary. After what happened previously, he could understand the reactions that could arise. Right now his business was observation. If it came to it and he needed to reveal himself, then he would. He headed to where his transport was waiting.
"Sam, can we talk?"
Sam looked up at the warlock with a raise brow while trying not to feel anxious since he was spending the night with Nick, whom he disliked and he couldn't tell exactly why, and it was Dean's turn to watch Angela for the night. It wasn't that he didn't trust Dean since his brother would rather kill himself than hurt her. He was just…
Sam sighed and looked at the warlock and replied, "What about?" It was trying being in the same room but he could afford to be nice.
"Well for one you don't have to be nice in your tone to me," Nick said, hoping to get a rise out of Sam. He'd rather have the younger Winchester in the mood to hit something, namely him than be nice to him. Even he had to agree with Dean that this was weird though he was certain it had to do with a certain girl that was currently being babysat by her 'older brother'.
"I'm not being nice," Sam corrected. His tone took one that he used when they were on a job. "I'm being polite." He straightened from where he was checking his gear mostly for something to do and to avoid doing anything more than necessary since he was stuck there for the night.
Dean had insisted that he be the one to stay with Angie that evening. Sam wouldn't begrudge his brother company with her but it didn't stop him from feeling anxious. He tried to hide it lest Dean call him a mother hen or some such shit. Maybe he was acting like a parent but he had good reasons and mostly because he wanted to be close to her… as weird as that sounded even in his head but he knew what he meant by it. Besides after some thought, Angela said she wanted to be with Dean so now they were in the arrangement they were in.
Admittedly Sam was a tiny bit jealous that she wanted to be with his brother but that was squashed as being ridiculous. As far as he knew Dean was just a brother to her. Yet he knew she was purposeful with her actions. While it sounded ridiculous since she was a four year old, Sam was certain she had something in mind. It was a part of her nature and as far as he could tell, the spell may have altered her size and what she knew but personality… it was still the same.
Feeling like his usual self, Sam looked at the warlock and asked, "What do you want?"
"That's better," Nick replied with a smirk on his face. He took in the slight scowl that was forming and made a sound like he was amused.
"Now I know you are trying to piss me off so what do you want?" Sam didn't want to sound terse.
"Right because you don't want people to know that we're fighting again," Nick teased, remembering how the receptionist clerk at the front desk commented on him and Sam rooming together. It was classic and no doubt Sam and Dean got enough of that when they were going about business as usual.
"Are you going to tell me or do you want me to punch your face in?"
"Both actually since I really don't like the nice or 'polite' version of you," Nick countered while making air quotes to mock Sam further. "I prefer the jealous version."
"What?"
Damn. Dean is right in that he is clueless. It shouldn't have been a surprise but it took a moment for Nick to realize he misinterpreted the what. He saw that Sam knew exactly what he meant by that. So when did that happen? He countered, "You heard me. What are you gonna do about it?"
"Now I'm starting to wish I kicked your ass the moment you walked in the front door," Sam replied trying to keep his temper. He wondered if Nick was the weirdo ass or if he was since it was obvious the warlock liked it when he was less than civil.
"Good because at least you're honest when you're like this. This being polite… pfft," Nick countered, pleased that he got Sam riled up enough to have a fairly decent conversation. Yeah it was strange but whenever Sam was pissed he was more honest about things and Nick was used to the animosity since he did have a troupe of dick ass brothers and a bastard of a father that pretty much made his growing up like hell. Seeing that Sam was not in the mood for games, he got to it, "How much have you been paying attention the last couple of days?"
Sam had his eyes narrowed at the warlock. When he was like this, there was a point to it and even pissed off, Sam knew he had to listen. He knew what it was about, "That something besides your ugly ass might be following us?"
"Well you're not as dumb as I thought you were but yes," Nick replied in affirmation. He sobered slightly but kept his smirk, "I get the feeling we are being followed but it isn't threatening."
"Yeah," Sam more or less mocked, "Because the hell on four legs would have sensed it and gone after it."
"True but even you should know that not everything can be sensed by a hellhound or even that Wilder fur ball we left behind," Nick teased. He stood to look at Sam and noted that probably the younger Winchester did think about it and mostly from the years of practice as without thinking per se. "So…"
"Not going to say anything… for now," Sam replied as he went back to what he had been doing. "No sense in worrying if it isn't worth it."
"Logical, but what about Dean?"
Sam paused and looked at the warlock. He then went back to work. "He probably knows and is doing the same thing. I'm not going to mention it unless he does."
"Sounds petty but… okay." Nick went to sort through his own things. He dropped off casually, "Still I think it is better to be prepared. After all even with abilities a helping hand makes great strides." He didn't really have to say it and while he could have taken the opportunity to manipulate the situation so he had a chance with Angela, Nick wasn't cruel or callous. It wasn't in his nature and he knew better than to toy with people to that extreme. Besides thinking about it now, it wasn't the infatuation with Absolution but admiration and that was a kind of love too. He was content with being her friend.
Sam paused in his musing to look at the warlock. He had an annoying way of pointing out things that were obvious and right. Mostly it was because Sam didn't like him because he was annoying and that sounded weak but it was the best he could do. He mostly didn't like that the warlock thought he hadn't been paying attention to what was going on. He picked up on the fact that they were being watched and no doubt Dean did too. They weren't stupid and since Angela was made into her mini size, they were going hypersensitive on a lot of things. Besides Dean wouldn't want to talk to him about that since it was self-explanatory. A lot of things were.
Sam was finishing what he was doing when his hand brushed something in his bag and almost cut him. He frowned and peered looking for what it was that grazed his skin. He grabbed it and pulled it out revealing her chakram. He remembered putting it in a bag when they packed and he didn't like that they were keeping Absolution in the trunk but what choice did they have? He held it up and looked at it and twirled it in his hands more out of habit. At least he had something apart from the demon killing knife.
That was the next thing that came out of his bag and he looked at it. He ran his thumb on the sharpened edge and thought about when Dean first handed it him when they started hunting again. He actually thought Dean was going to make good on what he said until he handed it to him. Now Sam wondered if Dean was playing with him and making him get into a relaxed state before… He thought about how simple Angela made it sound and wanted to curse the fact that she was so observant about anything but he couldn't fault her for it. And he was glad she brought it up or anything that he would be reluctant to talk about. Granted she could guilt him into it at times it was… different and he really didn't want to lie or keep things from her anymore.
The evening was spent in silence except when Nick decided to poke the Sasquatch and Sam ended up leaving the room before he actually tried strangling the warlock. He probably wouldn't have succeeded since Nick had a few tricks up his sleeves with his powers and he wasn't going to count on him playing fair. Still he would have had the satisfaction of getting his hands on the warlock and doing what he wanted to do to him.
And he'll probably turn that into an innuendo.
Sam sighed as he looked up at the night sky at the stars. He could see what Angela liked looking at them. There was a sort of peacefulness looking at something like that. He searched and found some constellations and to his horror and slight amusement, he muttered the raunchy rhyme that went with it. He felt the slight burning of his ears but he couldn't help it. He found another and recited that one. He was glad Dean hadn't figured this one out especially with the astrological signs. It did calm him down and he felt elated slightly to beat the warlock at his own game.
The night wasn't to be a quiet one however when Sam picked up on someone watching him. He had the foresight to bring the demon knife with him and his hand was ready to grab it. He started walking towards a darkened end of the motel like he was heading towards the vending machines. And whoever it was still followed. He waited until whoever it was had gotten close enough and reacted.
For once he wished Angela was her normal size and he could joke about him not being an embarrassment. She had taught him that maneuver and he had his follower pinned against the wall. He demanded, "Who are you? What do you want?"
His follow stared back but it was hard to tell because he had his grey hood pulled low over his eyes. Finally he said, "Impressive move Sam Winchester. It seems our fears are ungrounded."
Sam raised his brow but didn't release his prisoner. He demanded again, "Who are you?"
"An observer."
A/N: Angie talks to Nick and Nick gets Sam back to 'normal' and looks like we got a surprise tagalong. What next? Stay tuned for next time on Two Brothers and Lil Angel...