It's been a while. Happy new year! I have a little treat for you in the form of a Loki's POV chapter.


Chapter 14: Life Savers

Loki

Ridgeway, Missouri, USA

December of 1988

Loki didn't like what he was seeing.

Why in Father's name had John Winchester taken a little girl along with him to burn a ghost's remains in the middle of a snowy night? What was wrong with him? Loki had expected the man to look after her at least a little better. He had kids of his own after all- neither of which were there. Just the little girl. While the favoritism irked, Loki was glad the vessels weren't also there. If Loki had to get involved to keep them from getting killed by their idiot dad, his brothers might notice something he didn't want them to.

In this case he might still need to get involved… in a way that didn't make the paranoid hunter suspicious if he could avoid it. At least there were fewer chances of a sibling catching a glimpse of him. Maybe. Then again, they could have eyes on her, if it was the Host that had tried to kill her, and not just a rogue angel. The few times he dared to lurk in Angel Radio, he hadn't heard a thing about her, but he couldn't be sure it wasn't some hushed up operation. There hadn't seemed to be any other attempts on her life made, however, so it was his hope that whoever had tried it was under the impression that she was long dead.

But why would John Winchester bring such a young girl out on a hunt? She would be a liability more than anything. Loki wondered if John Winchester just didn't care as much, since the child wasn't his blood. Or had he found out about little Alexandria's- ah, pardon, Haven's- magic and decided that it was too useful to keep to morality? In that case, the hunter was an idiot. Her magic was wild and untrained at this age. It could maybe save her once or twice, but it could cause just as much trouble. Not to mention the fact that supernatural creatures were attracted to humans with magic. The Fae's Mark still on her just magnified that…

If John Winchester really was an idiot, it was lucky she was still alive. Loki had hoped a hunter could keep her safe, or at least bring her to the magical community who could do the same.

That's what he got for relying on others to do his work for him, he supposed. But all the same, if he stepped in… What to do, what to do…

He was snapped out of his pondering as the kid went flying through the air. The ghost was fighting back. She landed hard- a landing like that on a normal child would have broken something at least, but as she struggled up again, he noticed the magic that had cushioned her fall.

Stupid, stupid Winchester! It was unlikely they'd be so lucky a second time.

Thankfully he didn't end up having to make himself known as John Winchester was at least good at his job if nothing else. He had the remains lit up only moments later, before the bitch could attack either of them again. However, bruises were blossoming on Haven's skin and she was limping as she stood up and came to join the adult. That made the magic and grace in him thrum with righteous anger.

Loki couldn't just do nothing about this. They were lucky this time, but if this was how John Winchester valued the kid's safety, she was going to get killed before Loki could figure out what about her was so special. Before she'd ever have a chance to realize whatever potential she had that made Death take note of an infant. Loki had to figure out something. It had to be something that wouldn't arouse suspicion, but would protect her, even with her magic and the Fae's Mark drawing creatures to her for miles.

He popped one of his little hard candies into his mouth to suck on as he thought, sitting invisible in the backseat of the Winchester's Impala beside the little girl as they drove back to the motel they were currently staying at. What to do, what to do…

Ah! Loki turned to smile at the girl falling asleep against the window. The fae had marked her. Why couldn't he leave one of his own? Just a nice little mark warning everything that she was special to Loki, god of mischief. He had left such things before on little magelets to keep them protected until they learned to protect themselves. Humans with magic were danger magnets of the supernatural variety on their own, though magelets tucked into the magical communities were usually kept safe, and adults would have learned magic to ward off anything that wanted to try their luck at killing a wizard.

He carefully brushed her hair out of her face, letting gentle magic sink into her skin. It couldn't be seen, only sensed, so there was no danger of John Winchester sniffing it out, as mundane as he was. Well, maybe he'd be smart enough to figure out something was different when fewer things dared to approach her, but that would take time. Soon enough, Haven should be going off to be taught how to control her magic, where she would be kept safer.

John Winchester should be grateful Loki chose to protect her himself, instead of just smiting him where he stood. Alas, his finely feathered siblings might notice something then… It would just have to stay a pleasant fantasy.

However, if John Winchester was this careless, perhaps more was going on… maybe Loki should investigate further. That mark wouldn't save her from dangers that were human. Only things that could sense his magic. If the man put her in this sort of danger, then it was likely he didn't protect her from other dangers, either… or he was the danger himself.

Thus, Loki followed the pair inside a trashy motel room that stank of cigarette smoke and settled himself in to keep an eye on things.

The rest of the night was quiet. Boring, really. Just sleeping humans. He entertained himself by going through their things and… okay maybe setting up a prank or two. For the adult, of course. Just a little 'fuck you'. At least it wasn't a good smiting. The human should be grateful.

However, the next afternoon wasn't so quiet.

Loki had decided to follow after the children to school, just in case there was a human problem there. While Haven didn't seem to have any friends, she was left alone. Loki snuck candy into different backpacks to keep himself occupied during the day.

When the school day was over, he stayed a few paces back from the children walking back from school, keeping an eye out for a sign of his siblings. That was the last thing he needed. He'd mostly evaded them as Loki, since he didn't know how long his disguise would hold up under their scrutiny, if they noticed him around their vessels and got antsy about it. He didn't think they'd like the pagan god Loki around the vessels any more than they'd like runaway archangel Gabriel.

He was so focused on keeping an eye out that when Dean roughly grabbed Haven, it took him by surprise.

"You're hurt. I thought we were only supposed to be training! What happened last night?" the older boy demanded, letting go when Haven winced.

Haven yanked her hand back and kept walking down the snowy sidewalk. "I'm fine. Just a couple bruises. I helped John with a ghost, that's all. It was kinda cool."

"Why'd I have to stay behind with Sammy then? I'm older! And you're not better than me. You got hurt, and you're so little. Dad's always saying we're too little to help, so that doesn't make any sense!" Dean argued. He looked angry, but to Loki's eye, the kid seemed more worried than anything. That was good. At least someone had sense, even if it was just a kid. Haven had no business being involved in hunts. Self defense, sure, that was always good to know. But bringing her along?

Loki had to get another piece of candy to chew viciously on so he wouldn't go do something that might draw too much attention.

"What, are you jealous?" Haven replied in that childish flippant way. "Cause I got to go, and I might be better than you even if I'm small?"

"No! That's stupid. You're not better, look at you. It hurt you. I should have been there if you were. I shouldn't have been left behind."

Haven shrugged. "That's not up to me. Ask John. He decided I was good enough to go. And he gets hurt all the time, so it's not a big deal. It's normal. I didn't break anything, so it's fine."

"But it's my job to look after you. You're not supposed to get hurt," Dean said.

Haven stopped and rounded on him. "I don't need you to look after me! See? I'm fine! I'm good enough to fight, I'm strong enough. I'm not a baby. I can look after me! Mind your own business, stupid!"

What a foolish child. Though, Gabriel could still remember when he thought like that, and the times his younger siblings went through that phase.

"Fine! I won't help you ever, ever again!" Dean yelled back.

"Good! I don't want your help anyway!"

After those last words, Dean stormed off. Haven, of course, went in the opposite direction. Loki followed her.

Eventually Haven wound up at a park. She avoided the other kids, instead sitting on a park bench by herself with a pout and her hands stuffed in her pockets. It wasn't particularly warm out. While she had a coat, she might be a little cold. And lonely.

On impulse, Loki wandered a little away out of her sight, then snapping into place an illusion over himself as the invisibility faded. The illusion made him look like a kid about her age. He swaggered over to her bench and hopped onto it, popping a hard candy into his mouth. He offered another one to the girl as she glared at him.

"Want one?" He asked in a child's voice. "I got plenty. They're really good."

Haven hesitated, but took it with a grumbled, "Thanks." Candy always won. Loki kicked his feet cheerfully at the victory. Plus, it was in character. Kids loved candy.

"Whatcha looking so grumpy for?" Loki asked.

"I'm not grumpy!" Haven snapped through the candy.

"For someone who isn't grumpy, you sure look like it," Loki replied, digging a lemon candy out of his pocket. "You can have another piece of candy if that will help. Candy fixes everything."

"No it doesn't," Haven grumbled, but she took the candy anyway. He smiled at her, causing her to grumble more.

After she'd eaten her candy, the girl asked, "So what do you want?"

"To share candy and a bench. Maybe talk, if you feel like it," Loki answered. "Maybe if you talked about what's eating you, it wouldn't make you feel so grumpy."

"It isn't any of your business," she growled.

"Well, yeah, but what's the harm?"

For a little girl, she had one hell of a glare on her. She looked too much like an angry kitten for it to really work on a pagan god, however. He simply leaned back, kicking his feet, and waited in silence for her to speak again. He was sure she would. No one could resist his charms, even someone as prickly as she was. He'd met and charmed worse.

"I… I made someone… my brother angry. It's not that big of a deal, though. He's just jealous, that's all, so it's not my fault."

Loki hummed in agreement. "Big brothers are like that. I have a bunch. They always think they know what's best for you. The worst part is, sometimes they're right."

"Well he's not," Haven retorted defensively.

"They can be wrong, too," Loki continued agreeably, "And they'll be just as stubborn about it either way… but usually you at least know it's because they care about you."

"He's not my real brother, though… and he treats me like I'm a baby like Sammy. I'm not a baby. I don't need him to take care of me or anything," Haven said.

Loki turned to look at her. "But do you want him to?"

Haven opened her mouth to say something, before slowly closing it. She crossed her arms and looked away. Loki smiled. She was a cute little thing.

"You know, sometimes it's not so bad to be babied. Just sometimes. Even if you don't need it. I miss when my brothers would all take care of me." Loki's smile died. "That's the nice thing about having brothers to look out for you. Even if you can look out for yourself, you don't have to."

At least he didn't used to. Loki didn't need to tell her that things changed when you grew up and everything became more complicated.

"You miss it? Did something happen to your brothers?" Haven asked innocently, looking back at him. He was the one to look away this time.

"... Yeah… You know what, I gotta go. Here. You can have the rest of this. You should probably head home too, before it gets dark." Loki handed what was left of the candy over to her before hopping off the bench. This was getting a little too close to home, and he'd done what he had set out to do. Time to make a quick retreat. He waved cheerfully and scampered off until he was out of sight.

He'd checked things out and left protection on her, so it was time to get far away from here for a while.


Thank you for reading and bearing with my slow ass.