"Home at last!" Dean cheered sarcastically, pulling the tent flap open before ushering Sam and Castiel inside with a push. The little bird immediately took flight, examining the contents of the tent, curiously looking around. Dean chuckled at the little fowl's exploration. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but the little guy was kind of cute. And Castiel like him, so the little sparrow would be staying with them for a while.
The brothers removed their armor, placing the pieces in a corner to be out of the way. Stretching and cracking their backs, they sighed happily at being free of the overheated suits, allowing the cool air to dry their sweat.
"Aww! That's much better!" Dean huffed dramatically, dropping himself into a chair with a plop and leaning his head back to expose the length of his neck to the air. "I hate that armor. Why do we even need it?"
"You know why, Dean." Sam spoke as he knelt in front of the chest, whispering a spell to unlock it. Opening the lid, he was happy to see everything exactly where he put it. Shutting the lid, he stood up with a groan, looking at his brother's awkward position in the chair. Shifting his gaze, he watched with a smile as Castiel wandered the tent as he followed the little sparrow. It looked as if the sparrow was giving him a tour of the place.
"Alright! Let's go!" Dean groaned as he heaved himself out of the chair, drawing Sam's and Castiel's attention to him as he stood up to do some more stretches.
"Indeed. Cas, we would like to introduce you to some friends of ours and Bobby's." Sam smiled, waving the angel over as he walked towards the opening of the tent.
"I can't believe I have to give you my desert from Ellen." Dean sighed under his breath as he passed his brother and stood outside the tent, ignoring the whispering soldiers nearby. When Sam and Castiel exited the tent, the whispers stopped. Many of the soldiers observed the angel silently as he walked by with the brothers, some of them even bowing as they whispered the name 'Novak'.
"Obviously those asshats in the Commander's tent can't keep their mouths shut." Dean grumbled, growling at the soldiers who dared to venture close enough to touch the ebony as if he were some magical object they had to lay their hands on. Well, in a way, Castiel was magical.
The sparrow in the angel's hair glared at the soldiers as well, chirping unhappily at the men. Dean and Sam moved to either side of the ebony, linking their arms around his and sped up their pace to avoid the onlookers from thinking they could interrupt.
"Is this really necessary?" Castiel whispered, glancing between the brothers, noticing their clenched jaws and angry eyes shifting. "Of course it is, Cas." Sam whispered, tightening his hold on the angel's arm.
"I don't want these creeps touching you. I don't like the look in their eyes." Dean growled, his own grip tightening. With a sigh, Castiel accepted that he didn't have a choice. Though he was grateful of how protective these boys were of him. The only times he felt this safe was when Gabriel swooped in and smote anyone who tried to harm him in the past. With a smile, Castiel looked at both brothers as he walked between them. "Thank you."
"No problem, Cas." Dean beamed at the angel with a wink. "Uh, yeah. You're welcome." Sam nodded.
They continued walking until they reached a large tent, slightly smaller than the Commander's, at the very back of the encampment. Entering through the opening, the chatter inside died in an instant. Obviously they hadn't got the memo that the Winchester's weren't dead yet. A moment later, soldiers were winning or losing their bets on the Winchesters' survival. Dean and Sam chuckled, both letting go of Castiel's arms.
"Hey, where's Ellen and Jo!" Dean shouted to the partying crowd with a grin. "They're not here!" One soldier shouted from the back. "They went to pick up more ale from town."
"Better luck next time, I guess." Dean pouted, guiding Castiel towards the exit of the tavern tent, until he spotted a familiar head of hair. Elbowing Sam in the gut, he ignored his brother's bitch face in favor of pointing to the person of interest.
"Is that...?" Sam asked when he glanced in the direction of Dean's finger. Castiel followed their line of vision to see a head of messy dark hair resting on a nearby table beside a tipped tankard. The remaining ale created a stream that flowed and dripped onto the ground.
With a grin, Dean strode over the man, slamming his hands onto the table, making everyone in the tavern to jump and stare at him. Ketch bolted upright with a squeak, staring at Dean before squinting at him, then Sam. His hair stuck up, his jaw covered in stubble, and his eyes were surrounded by dark rings.
"I was wondering when you assholes would haunt me." Ketch slurred, his head dropping back onto the table. "Oi! Bastard! We're not dead!" Dean growled, grabbing a handful of Ketch's tunic from behind and dragged him up from his seat. Everyone watched as Dean hauled Ketch out of the tent, whispering to each other.
Dean dragged the man to a nearby water trough, throwing him into the cold water, watching the man bolt upright with a shout. His body was soaked, causing him to shiver as he sat up in the water.
"Why you sniveling...Dean?...Sam?" He fumbled at the sight of the Winchesters standing before him, slapping his face. "I'm not drunk enough. You're supposed to be dead." He mumbled, pulling himself to his feet and causing the water to drip back into the trough.
"We're roaches, remember?" Dean smirked at the man's shocked expression. Sam and Castiel stood to the side, giving Dean this moment.
"But...the light. The decimation of everything in that area. How?" Ketch stumbled from the trough, tripping over his feet and fell to the ground.
"Wish I could tell you, but I don't know." Dean wasn't lying. Castiel hadn't explained how they escaped.
"So...you're really...alive?" Ketch asked in disbelief, slowly getting to his feet. Walking forward, he outstretched his hand, lightly touching Dean's cheek, before pulling the man into a tight embrace. "I thought you were dead. Who would annoy me if you were really dead?" Ketch sniffled, squeezing Dean tightly as he cried.
Dean quirked an eyebrow at the words, rolling his eyes as Sam chuckled while leaning against Castiel. "Very funny." Dean grumbled, pushing the man away from him and slapping him in the face. "Snap out of it, you ninny."
"Quite right. I apologize for my behavior." Ketch backed away, adjusting his tunic as he stood tall, raising his head proudly. "Let us never speak of this again."
"Why? It's the perfect blackmail." Dean smirked, watching Ketch glare at him with a sneer.
"And here I thought you would have a heart in that dark abyss of yours." The man mumbled, brushing the soaked hair from his brow. Dean just shook his head with a grin. "Nope." Ketch turned his head to the side, noticing the younger Winchester.
"Ah, Sam. It is good to see you alive and well. We should play another round of chess sometime." Ketch walked up to Sam, shaking his hand, before looking towards Castiel. "And who is this?" His eyes glanced up towards the bird looking at him as if peering into his soul. He definitely wasn't drunk enough for this.
"This is James Novak. We met him when searching for the weapon. The demons captured him and were trying to torture him." Sam spoke, leaving out a few key details. The man's eyes widened at the name Novak.
"It is an honor to meet a warrior from such a paramount clan. I've heard the legends, but never seen a Novak myself. Welcome to our encampment. I do hope you find your stay here comfortable. Let me know when you get tired of these weasels." Ketch shook Castiel's hand, keeping their hands locked for as long as possible. He was thrilled to meet such a legendary bloodline. Sam and Dean eyed their hands, fidgeting in place as they grew more nervous.
"I thank you for your kind words. It is a pleasure to meet you as well. I have heard much about you from Sam and Dean." Castiel placed his free hand over their connected hands, gently patting the man's skin.
"I fear your judgement of me has been skewed. Anything coming from Dean's mouth is void in my opinion. He is quite the imbecile." Dean scoffed at Ketch's words, slapping Sam when his brother giggled. "Sam, on the other hand, I consider more wise and mature. I sometimes question the universe why he was not given the role of elder brother." Sam blushed at the compliment, ducking his head as he scratched the back of his neck.
Ketch was about to pull his hand from Castiel's, but noticed the amulet chain he had given to the brothers, knowing the amulet was hanging beneath the tunic. He figured it was because he was a legendary Novak, and wanted to be hidden from the demons. No doubt the demons would be interested in why the Novaks in particular were considered such a reckoning force above other clans. He too had often wondered the same thing. Pulling his hand away at the thought, he suddenly felt something brush against his fingertips, an odd sensation that he had never felt before. It was warm, and calming, but it also felt alive.
Sam and Dean's eyes widened at Ketch's look of surprise, Castiel's face holding the same expression. Jumping forward and scaring the sparrow, Dean grabbed Ketch's and Castiel's arms, pulling their hands apart, while Sam flung an arm around the man's shoulders, guiding him away under the guise of requesting to play another round of chess. Dean threw his arm over the angel's shoulder, practically dragging the ebony back to their quarters.
Ketch's eyes followed after them, curious about the sensation he'd felt, but allowed Sam to pull him towards the game. He could look into it later.
o0o
"Damn it, Cas! What the hell happened? Ten minutes hadn't passed yet." Dean growled softly as he pulled Castiel into the tent. "My apologies, Dean. My grace is not as strong as I thought it would be. I will be more careful next time." Castiel bowed apologetically, feeling the bird hop onto his shoulder and snuggle against his neck once more.
"I'm not mad, Cas. I'm just worried. I really hope Ketch doesn't try to 'look into it'." Dean raised his hands, making finger quotes as he spoke. "We'll have to make sure he doesn't have the chance to be alone with you. When he gets excited about something, he likes to experiment and test his limits. Damn it." He ran his fingers through his hair, gripping the strands anxiously as he plopped down in a chair. "Ketch is the wrong person to have your grace hiccup on. I really hope we didn't just expose you."
"Dean. Do not fret about me. I am capable of taking care of myself." Castiel knelt in front of Dean, placing a hand on the Winchester's knee, giving the appendage a comforting squeeze.
"But your wings, Cas. They're not healed yet. If something happens and you need to get out of here-"
"Dean. Calm yourself. You worry too much." The angel smiled with a sigh, reaching up to place his palm on the scarred shoulder, pushing a small amount of grace into the man and feeling Dean instantly relax. "If it should come to that, then I will do what I must. I want you to worry about yourself." Dean nodded, opening his mouth to speak only to be interrupted when Sam walked through the tent flap. Sam unconsciously tilted his head curiously at their position, but shrugged his shoulders, figuring Castiel was consoling Dean.
"That was a quick game." Dean grumbled, feeling cold when the angel's warm hand left his shoulder.
"Uh, yeah. I let him beat me quickly. I figured it would raise his ego a bit and distract him from Cas. He's going around camp now telling everyone he beat me." Sam smiled, walking up to Castiel, patting the angel's shoulder softly. "I wouldn't worry about Ketch too much. He's easily distracted, but we'll keep an eye on him just to be safe."
"Thank you, Sam. I am not concerned about that. I am more worried about Dean. He frets too much. He will give himself health concerns if he continues to stress about more than he should."
"Right? I keep telling him that, but he doesn't listen." Sam grinned, waving his hands towards Dean, ignoring his brother's scoff.
"HE is right here! And HE can hear you!" Dean grouched, his eyebrow twitching as Sam and Castiel laughed. "Then maybe you should heed our concerns, Dean." Sam slapped his brother on the shoulder, snickering when Dean pushed his arm away with a pout.
"You guys don't love me. Maybe I should just ride back to Bobby's and sleep in his secret chamber." Dean jumped from his seat, sticking his tongue out at them, walking past Sam until he found himself pulled into a head lock. Dean kicked Sam's legs out from under him, causing them to fall to the ground where they proceeded to wrestle amid their giggles.
Shaking his head, Castiel took residence in the now empty chair, watching the brothers play fight. The sparrow hopped onto the table, fluffing itself into a ball of feathers with a chirp. With a smile, the ebony brushed the feathers down with his fingers, humming softly to the bird, chuckling when Dean's and Sam's groans and squawks filled the tent.
o0o
Several Hours Later:
Sam sat at his desk, reading up on one of the books Bobby lent him. Castiel sat in another chair, reading another book while petting the sparrow as it hopped around the table. Dean lay in his cot, taking a nap, groaning and grumbling in his sleep while he rolled every ten minutes to get more comfortable.
"Out of the way, Shithead! Yeah, I'm talking to you!" A feminine voice shouted from outside their tent, startling them and waking Dean, who bolted upright with a snort. A second later, the flap flew open, revealing a young blonde woman storming inside the tent, followed quickly by an older red haired woman.
"Oh, Dean. Sam. Thank goodness you boys are alright." The older woman huffed from her run, before striding over to Sam and pulling him into a tight embrace, causing Sam to bend down awkwardly from where he stood at the desk. The younger woman ran up to Dean, wrapping her arms around him tightly, and nearly squeezed the life out of him.
"We heard that you boys made it back safely. We were so worried when you didn't return, and we didn't want to believe Ketch when he said you died." The blonde growled worriedly, pulling out of the embrace to slap Dean across the face. "Where the hell were you?"
"Uh...we were at Bobby's for a while, laying low." Dean rubbed his swelling cheek.
"That old bastard couldn't have sent a note?" The older woman grumbled, striding over to pull Dean into her arms, while the blonde hugged Sam.
"You know Bobby. He only sends notes if it's an emergency." Dean chuckled, backing away from the woman in fear of getting slapped again. With a huff, the woman put her hands on her hips, glaring at Dean, before she heard the little chirps of a bird. Following the sound, she noticed another person sitting in a chair nearby.
"Who's this?" She asked, eyeing the ebony up and down and humming at the sight of the handsome man. The blonde woman rushed up to stand beside her mother, smirking at the ebony. "Where'd you find this cutie?"
"Jo, Ellen. This is Ca-James. James Novak. James, meet Ellen and Jo. They run the tavern, and are like family." Dean introduced, walking to stand behind the ebony and dropped his hands onto the angel's shoulders.
"Ca-James? That's a funny name." Jo teased, chewing a bit of resin she snagged from a soldier on the way over.
"James is his pseudo name. His real name is-" Sam began, knowing he could trust these two with the angel's secret, until Dean interrupted him. "Sam! We don't know who might be listening." Dean whispered, causing Ellen and Jo to raise their eyebrows. Sam rolled his eyes and dramatically pulled out a piece of parchment and his quill from the desk. Slapping the parchment on the wooden surface, he quickly scrawled something down.
"Okay, you two. What's going on here?" Ellen narrowed her eyes as she put her hands on her hips, looking between the brothers. It was obvious they were hiding something.
"Read this." Sam handed the piece of parchment to Ellen when he strode over to them. Taking the paper, careful of the wet ink, she held it between her and Jo for them both to read the words.
His name is Castiel. He is an Angel of the Lord. We rescued him from the demons. He is the weapon the Commander wanted us to find, but we told him we lost it.
Both women looked up with wide eyes when they turned their attention to the ebony in the chair, who gently pet the little bird with a finger. Jo pointed a finger at him, but looked at Dean and Sam, raising her eyebrows. "He's an ANGEL?" She whispered. "They exist?"
Sam and Dean nodded silently. Dean then ruffled the ebony's hair, chuckling when a hand waved him off.
"You boys must be jesting. Everybody knows they don't exist anymore. Those times are long over." Ellen mumbled, having a hard time believing the boys. "Does Bobby know?"
"Yep." Dean bounced on the balls of his feet with a grin. He then slapped a hand on Castiel's shoulder. "Let them feel it, Cas." He leaned down and whispered into the angel's ear, earning a nod from the ebony.
Ellen and Jo watched curiously as the ebony stood up and extended his hand towards them. "I am pleased to meet you." He smiled at them gently, filling Ellen and Jo with a feeling of warmth. Ellen slowly reached out taking Castiel's hand into hers. Closing his eyes, the angel called forth this grace, causing the woman to gasp at the rush of power traveling up her arm and into her body. It felt amazing, and all of her aches and pains from the years faded in an instant.
"Incredible." She mumbled, looking at her hand when Castiel pulled away. When she looked up into his eyes, she saw the brief glow of a blue she had never seen before. Jo was amazed by her mother's reaction, knowing Ellen wasn't stunned into silence often. Taking a deep breath, she reached for the angel's hand, feeling the same power rush through her body, erasing all the pains of her laborious tasks.
"Wow." She whispered, her hand dropping to her side when Castiel pulled his hand away. She looked at Dean again in astonishment, pointing at the angel. "He took away my pain. All of it. Are you keeping him?" She smirked at Dean's wide eyes.
"He's not a pet, Jo." Dean grumbled, folding his arms across his chest.
"I still think you should keep him. Might come in handy with how klutzy you are, dumb-ass." She grinned at Dean, laughing when the man glared at her. Sam bent forward holding onto his knees as he barked out a laugh, while Ellen smirked with a huff.
"You are quite right, Madam. I have healed him on a number of occasions since we met." Castiel smiled, earning a pout from Dean, who muttered, "traitor".
"And how long have you known each other?" Ellen asked, glancing at all the boys.
"A little more than a week." Sam wheezed out, trying to catch his breath from all his laughter, causing Jo to throw her head back with a laugh. Dean glared at them and crossed his arms over his chest, while Ellen and Castiel silently observed the entertainment.