Stepping into the line of fire

Chapter 8

The compound was buzzing that night. Sam and Dean were playing pool in the bar area and Dean was on his third beer when he spotted a flash of blond hair in the corner of his eye.

"Ange!...Ange!" he literally run up to her, which was not a cool move in Sam's eyes. "I thought ya' were coming tomorrow?" He grabbed her by the waist and twirled her around joyfully.

"Dean! Let' me down…everybody's looking…Dean…please!" Dean suddenly became conscious of the room and let her down gently. He kissed her on the mouth with a degree of force though, which made her blush. Angela's eyes sparkled as she told him that her parents had dropped her off early so that she could put her stuff and clothes away in her new room and get her bearings before the first day tomorrow. They had paid one month's rent in advance which had delighted her. Angela was really looking forward to this new job and she would be close to Dean. Not as close as she would like to be… but close enough.

Sam, who had witnessed the scene, went up to his brother with a degree of trepidation. "Dean this isn't The Ange?...is it dude?" Dean looked at his brother sheepishly and nodded yes. "Dad's going to flip Dee!...he's going to go ape shit!". Dean did not deny that truthful affirmation but he took his brother to the side.

"Sam, we've only got ten minutes before we've got to go back. You go and tell them that I've met a girl and that'll be in later and not to worry. "

"Are ya' crazy?"

"No. I'm nineteen dude I can meet a girl and stay up late. Just don't say it's Ange that's all."

"You're asking me to lie again, aren't ya'? They're going to find out. How did Ange know we were here? You told her didn't ya'? That's why she's here isn't it?"

"What do ya'think? Of course, I told her… She's got a job. We'll meet up when we can. I couldn't let her go littl' bruv."

"You're a dumbass Dean. OK I'll tell them but it's your ass on the line. Ya' know what the ol' man said about lying to him again?"

"Yeah…I know… but I'm nineteen dude… he won't whip' me… he'll kill me with PT, chores and restrictions though…but he'll never find out. He's never seen her…it'll be just fine…you'll see." Sam did not feel in the least reassured about what his older brother had told him. Dad would kill' Dean. Dean knew it too…he was just not seeing things straight. Sam gave his brother a hard punch on the arm and made his way back to the cabin. He did not even acknowledge Ange. She would be after all, the object of his brother's imminent destruction! What a shit shower this was going to be…he may only be fifteen but he felt a lot more mature than his stupid idjit' of a brother.

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As Sam opened the door he was immediately greeted with "Where's your brother Sam?" from his father. Bobby was just sitting there nursing his Jack with a small grin on his face.

"He's at the compound sir."

"Yeah…and?" John shot back

"He's with a girl dad. He met this girl…they sort of got on…ya' know…they're having a conversation…ya' know dad, don't ya'?"

"I know all right! Get to bed we have a long day tomorrow." John ordered. Sam said goodnight to Bobby and made his way to the bedroom. He didn't really want to be there when the shit hit the fan anyway. He took his clothes off but kept his t shirt and briefs and slipped sensually into that fabulous bed.

John turned to Bobby and smiled. "We've all done it haven't we? Besides, she might help him forget that Angela girl. As long as he gets back before daybreak I'll cut him some slack". He poured himself and Bobby another finger.

"Who's this Angela John?" Bobby enquired.

"Dean fell in love with a girl in Jamestown, he was losing concentration. His head wasn't on the hunt Bobby. I was worried. We had a talk though and he saw it my way."

"What sort of talk John?"

"Well I told him that in our line of work we can't involve civvies. He understood. He's a good boy." Bobby took a long sip of his whisky and digested what he had been told. He was not entirely convinced though. He knew Dean would not have confided this personal stuff to his dad if he didn't really love the girl. Bobby just thought that John had sort of bullied him into agreeing with him. John always had this effect on his eldest son. Dean worshipped him and he played on that. It was not right. Bobby had always felt sorry for Dean.

"John I'm turnin' in for the night. We'll brief the boys in the morning. There's lots to take on board…Comin'?"

"Yeah I'm beat. See ya' in the morning Bobby…the birds will wake ya' I won't need to!" John took his whisky and went towards his room.

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As the night progressed Dean had ended up in Ange's bed. It had been so intense and yet surprisingly romantic. When he took a look at the time it was four in the morning. He needed to get back. "Ange…darlin'…I need to go…Ange…wake up sweetie…" Angela stirred but didn't wake up. Dean gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead and made his way out of her room back to the cabin. He slipped the key as silently as he could into the lock and tiptoed to the room which he shared with Sam. Dean took his trousers off but kept the led zeppelin t shirt he had on. He slipped inside his bed and waited for the dawn chorus. It was John who woke both boys that morning. He went from one bed to the other pulling the covers off and bellowing "Rise and shine! Dean! Sam! Time to get up." The boys gradually opened their eyes and Sam looked surprised but relieved to see his brother in the other bed. "Dean you fix breakfast. Bobby and I are going to take a shower. Go on get to it boys! You help him Sam. Lay the table."

Dean took a quick look at his dad and sat up to obey the instructions. "Yes sir…I'm on it dad."

"Yeah… you better be on it son!" John replied giving his eldest a smile. Dean had not expected that. No siree! He thought to himself that the ol' man was either possessed or that the holiday vibes had definitely got to his drill sergeant of a father. As he pulled the covers off and stood up, his dad slapped his ass quite hard. Dean definitely felt the sting but said nothing. He just gave an embarrassed little smile back. No… dad was definitely dad… but it could have been so much worse. Sam just observed the scene in front of him open-mouthed. He was astonished at his brother's good fortune. He was never that lucky!

Breakfast was not a silent affair. Dean had made very tasty blueberry pancakes. There was a pitcher of maple syrup and all the men helped themselves generously to the delicious sweet treat in front of them. Sam had brewed some excellent coffee and all was well in the Winchester world. Bobby started to brief them all…

"Nearly all balrogs are extinct now but one escaped. I think we're looking at the balrog, Ugoliant. He's been spotted quite a few times but people don't really believe what they see. Sometimes because they fly in the clouds people' think they're seeing a trick of th' light or some strange cloud formation. Sometimes people' disappear and it hits th' news and I know that what witnesses are describing could only be a balrog. I've kept a record of all balrog suspected activity."

"What are balrogs Bobby?" asked Sam.

"Well Sam… Balrogs hav' their own mythology in Tolkein's Middle-Earth. You may hav' read the book. It's quite long but full of lore… They're called "demon of might". They're fire spirits, but also shrouded in darkness. Balrogs will fight anything or anyone who comes in their way. They carry whips of fire and a flaming sword according to Tolkein who is a hunter himself." Bobby took a deep breath. The men were all taken by at that announcement… "Most Balrogs though, died in the great battle but a few survived by hiding in the depths… Ugoliant is a balrog who escaped his native land. His demonic powers seem invincible but… I think it is here, hiding in Icelandic State Park and I know how we can hunt it down…" Dean interrupted Bobby at that point.

"Bobby…is that what that sword is about on the coffee table?" Dean had spotted the beautiful weapon as soon as he had entered the living room on the way to the kitchen.

"Yeah. It's called Narsil. It's very powerful. Some say that it's enchanted. We'll see."

"So we use the sword to kill the balrog?" queried Sam.

"No it'll not kill it as such, it'll just weaken it so we can move in. We need to trap it in that forest where you smelled the smoky dill. We need to draw it into a magic circle. I have all the spells. I also have the ancient stones. One of us will've to act as bait and then leave the circle at the last minute before the final stone of Palantir is laid. There are seven stones of palantiri. If we can get him back to middle earth we may not have to kill it."

"When it's trapped Bobby. How do we kill it if we can't get it back?" Sam questioned.

"What do you fight fire with boys?" asked Bobby.

"Water!" Sam and Dean exclaimed in unison.

"Your' right boys…but ordinary water won't cut it with a balrog…"

John then said what they were all thinking… "We need holy water."

Bobby nodded solemnly and the hunters finished their breakfast in pensive mood.

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