CHAPTER FOUR
"Where are you going, Dean?"
Castiel and Gabriel found the brothers packing bags.
"It's just a salt and burn, Cas. Me and Sam got it handled. You don't need to be there," Dean answered.
He answered a little too quickly for Castiel's liking. From beside his brother, Gabriel grinned.
"Good enough for me! Bye, boys. Come on, Cassie. Field trip!"
Gabriel clapped a hand onto Castiel's shoulder and was gone without another word. Sam shook his head with a laughing grin as he finished packing his bag.
"Hey, Dean. I was thinking we'd invite Kalen," Sam suggested.
Dean raised an eyebrow.
"I mean I don't know what she does all day. She might enjoy our company."
Dean waited long enough for his brother to start fidgeting under his gaze. He smiled. Sam glared.
I hate it when he does that, Sam thought.
"Sure. Tell her to bring the hound too. Never know. He might come in handy," Dean told him.
Sam pulled out his phone and sent Kalen a quick text message. By the time they made it to the car, she had messaged Sam back.
"She'll meet us in town."
"Not with that rust bucket station wagon, I hope."
Dean stared in confusion as his brother burst out laughing. Sam refused to explain until they reached the town they were meeting in. He was surprised when they pulled into the hotel parking lot and found Kalen leaning against a large dark colored truck. Marbles was sitting up in the bed with his head resting on the side railing.
"When did you get this baby?" Dean asked.
"Always had it, Dean. I merely made it so you could see my truck's true appearance. That junk heap you saw before was your initial perception of my vehicle. Like it?" Kalen responded.
"Make and model?"
"Toyota Tacoma."
Dean whistled. "You mind if I take her for a spin later?"
Kalen grinned.
"Sure, you can take Walter out," Kalen replied.
Sam laughed at Dean's affronted look he gave the female.
"Walter? You named your truck?" he accused.
Kalen raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, like you don't call your Impala a 'her'?"
If possible, Dean's face looked even more offended. Sam cracked up as he headed inside to check in to their hotel room. Kalen dropped the tailgate and had Marbles jump down. Once Sam returned, they moved their stuff into their hotel room.
Sam had already explained the case to Kalen so she was caught up to speed. They split up with Dean making a trip to the police station while Kalen and Sam went to the scene. It didn't take long for them to narrow down who the ghost was. The biggest problem ended up tracking down the last remnants of the ghost.
They were forced apart yet again. Kalen and Marbles played interference with the helpless victims while Dean found the final object and Sam readied the bones. They were finally able to get everything lit up but not before Kalen went flying over a headstone.
/…/
"That was fun," Kalen proclaimed, a big grin stretching across her face.
The hunters exchanged a look before shaking their heads. Dean unlocked the hotel room and they filed into the room. Sam plopped down at the table while Dean crossed over to the beds.
"Whatever you want to call it, sister. How's your arm, by the way?" Dean asked.
Kalen glanced down at her left arm where a large bruise was starting to form.
"I'll live," Kalen shrugged.
"You shoulda seen Cas on his first case with us. Dude held his badge upside down," Dean commented.
Kalen's chuckle died short. Her eyes suddenly darted to a spot behind.
Shit, Dean thought.
He knew even before he turned that Castiel and Gabriel had appeared. Taking a moment for his eyes to fall on the newcomers, Castiel leveled a glare across the room.
"What is she and that doing here?" he demanded.
Sam lurched to his feet and pulled Kalen firmly by the arm to partially shield her behind him. He took a defensive stance in front of the half angel. Dean glanced over his shoulder at them before turning back. Gabriel's gaze didn't shift from Sam and Kalen while Castiel turned his gaze momentarily to Dean.
"You know who she is?" he questioned.
"I know what she is," Castiel confirmed.
Kalen fired an annoyed look at him.
"Right back at ya, trenchcoat," Kalen snapped.
If possible, Castiel's look burned deeper. He growled something at her in Enochian. To everyone's surprise, Kalen replied back in clipped tones of the same language. Whatever she said must have struck a nerve. Castiel's angel blade suddenly slid down into his hand.
Kalen took a step back, despite Sam shielding her. Marbles stepped around Sam, growling deep and baring his teeth. Without warning, Gabriel's hand shot out to grasp his brother's arm in a tight grip. Castiel jerked his head to stare at Gabriel confused.
"That's enough," Gabriel commanded, turning his eyes to his brother.
Castiel growled in annoyance.
"It's the truth, Gabriel. She is an Abomination. Her kind shouldn't be allowed to exist. Death and destruction will only follow her."
Sam's head whipped around in time to watch Kalen's whole face crumbling. He hadn't realized how devastating an impact the word had on the half angel. Dean could swear he saw a tear run down her face. In the next instance, Kalen and Marbles were gone.
"Damn it," Dean growled.
Sam shot Castiel a withering look before snatching up the keys to the Impala. He mumbled something to his brother about grabbing food on his way out. Dean threw his arms up.
"Well, you really know how to clear a room, don't you, Cas? I can't believe you said all that and in front of Sam! You know that abomination crap is half the bullshit the angels threw at Sam!" Dean snapped.
Castiel's head drooped. He was at least ashamed that Sam had heard all of what he had said. Without lifting his gaze, Castiel spoke softly.
"She's not safe to be around, Dean. Kalen is a Nephilim. The child of an angel and human. She was born under a blood moon. She's able to hide herself from angels and demons alike. We don't know what she's capable of," Castiel explained.
Dean shook his head. He wondered for a moment how Castiel had known Kalen's name, but brushed the thought away.
"You don't think we know all that, Cas. She already told us all that." Pause. "Except that…blood moon…whatever shit. She's half angel. We ain't talking demon here."
Gabriel released his arm, allowing Castiel to step forward and raise his gaze. He was miffed when Dean took an equal step backwards.
"She can't be trusted, Dean. She could cause you and Sam great harm."
With a dry chuckle, Dean shook his head. He sat down on the bed behind him. It didn't escape his notice that Gabriel hadn't said anything more than scolding his brother.
"Do you know how Sam met Kalen?" Head shaking. "A few years ago, some lowlife asshole decided no meant yes. She may have angel blood, man, but she don't have your strength. Sam came to her rescue when he heard her screaming for help."
Castiel stared stunned.
"I saw the pain in her eyes, Cas. You can't fake that crap around me. Half of her might be angel, but the other half is human just like us."
Gabriel lost all color in his face. The usual sparkling trickster gleam in his eyes had disappeared. He glanced at Castiel before leaving.
Dean sighed.
"Sit down, Cas. We need to talk."
/…/
It wasn't hard for Gabriel to find her. Then again Kalen hadn't been shielding herself from him. Only Castiel.
Kalen smiled from her perch on a large log. Marbles was running through a field of flowers chasing butterflies and barking happily.
"It's good to see you, kid. You're looking well," Gabriel said.
"Thanks. You don't look half bad yourself. How have you been, Gabriel?" Kalen asked.
Gabriel shrugged. Kalen slid over to give him space to sit.
"I've been good. I suppose I have you and the muttonheads to thank for that," he answered, plopping down beside her.
Kalen chuckled.
"That's not a nice thing to call the Winchesters."
Gabriel winked.
"Oh, I've called them much worse. Especially Dean-o."
They lapsed into silence. They watched Marbles run around. It was only then that Gabriel noticed what the canine really was. He had been too focused on everything else in the hotel room.
A tame and disguised Hell Hound? This kid gets more interesting by the second, he thought.
"I'm sorry for what Castiel said to you. You should know not all angels think the same as him. Hell, I didn't even know the little fledgling knew those kinds of words. That muttonhead of his has been a worse influence than me," Gabriel said.
Kalen waved her hand at him.
"Forget about him. The only one who needs to apologize is Castiel and I only want an apology if it comes from him. Not a forced apology."
Gabriel made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat.
"You told Sam what you did for me, didn't you?" he asked, softly.
"I only told him about Lucifer. I didn't tell him about Loki and his sons."
Gabriel grinned. He remembered that day well. They had been in the middle of a party when she had appeared. The others had thought nothing of her. Gabriel had recognized her and had gotten a good chuckle when Kalen had broken Sleipnir's nose. Things had gotten chaotic after that.
"I don't want to know why you came there, do I?"
Kalen shook her head.
"And you won't tell me what you've done for the boys, will you? Or how you know when to help?"
"No."
Gabriel surprised her by smiling and snapping up a piece of candy. He stuck the lollipop in his mouth.
"Good. Contrary to popular belief, I don't need to know everything. Sam trusts you. That's good enough for me."
The dirty blonde turned her head to raise an eyebrow at him.
"What about Dean?"
"Ehh."
Kalen giggled.
"Thank you, Gabriel."
Turning his eye to her, Gabriel noticed the forming bruise on her arm.
"What happened there?"
Shrug.
"Ghost didn't wanna die. Threw me into a headstone."
Gabriel's eyebrows lowered.
"You don't heal?" Shake. "Let me try."
Kalen heard it for the statement it was and not a question. She held still as Gabriel reached up to tap his fingers against her forehead. His annoyed look deepened when the bruise remained.
"You are a curiosity, halfling."
"Well, that's a nice way of saying Abomination."
Gabriel glared. "Now you know that is not what I meant."
Kalen shrugged before standing and calling Marbles to her. The canine jogged over before plopping down in front of him. He sniffed curiously at Gabriel. The archangel watched him with a guarded look. Marbles must have liked what he found because he stepped forward and bumped his head against the archangel's hand until he started petting him.
"A Hell Hound asking for pets from an archangel?" Gabriel chuckled.
Kalen smiled.
"He's really just a big softie."
/…/
Sam and Dean were sitting at the hotel table eating when Gabriel popped back in. Spotting Castiel standing by the window, Gabriel didn't say a word as he made a beeline for him. He grabbed him by the shoulder and disappeared.
Dean raised an eyebrow at his brother.
"Well, that's going to be a fun conversation."
Sam nodded. "Yeah."
"Think I shoulda told Gabriel I already had the talk with Cas?"
"I don't think it would have helped. I've seen that look before."
That was the big brother look, Sam thought.
Halfway across the world, Gabriel landed and shoved his brother away. Castiel stumbled but caught himself.
"Leave the halfling alone, little brother. She's not to be touched," Gabriel warned.
"The world is in danger every second she is alive."
Castiel grunted as he found himself slammed up against a tree. The bark dug painfully into his back while his brother's hand clenched tightly around his throat. Gabriel's eyes glowed with barely controlled Grace.
"This is the only warning I'm going to give you, Castiel. The halfling is off limits. Clearly, she has Sam and Dean's protection and if she yelled, I assure you I would come running, too."
Gabriel gave his throat a warning squeeze when Castiel attempted to speak up. Castiel sent him a pleading look. Whether it was for an explanation or to release him, Gabriel didn't know nor care.
"I don't have to explain myself to you. If Kalen wishes to share with you, then she will. Otherwise…"
Gabriel stepped impossibly closer. His Grace buzzed in Castiel's ears. It forced a heavy headache on him.
"Leave her alone or you will answer to me. Do we have an understanding, Castiel?" the archangel demanded.
Castiel held his gaze for several tense minutes. Gabriel's grip tightened and his wings stretched up and above them. Castiel swallowed hard. He finally lowered his gaze. Content with that, Gabriel released him and flew away.
END OF CHAPTER FOUR