It had been three weeks since Michael-Dean had disappeared. Not long after Dean bailed, I did the same. Nobody questioned it because they didn't realize who I was. Even though I hadn't told anyone the truth, Dean saying yes to Michael and then bailing really did a number on me. It was like I was so close to having him back and then he was ripped from me a second time. I had gone back to stealing beer from closed stores and hiding away in the woods where I sat and wallowed as I got drunker and drunker.
As I opened my third bottle in the six pack, I heard the fluttering of wings and looked up to see Dean. Or rather, Michael wearing Dean as a meat suit.
"What are you doing here?" my words were just barely starting to slur, but not quite.
"I'm here to ask you the same question I've been asking everyone."
"And what's that?"
"What do you want?"
I studied the angel thinking over the question. It was a simple one, but one that most people never answered truthfully. I figured that's why he was going around asking it to people. To separate the honest from the dishonest.
"Well?"
"Well, what?"
"What do you want?" he repeated.
"You know, Sam's been looking for you for weeks now," I slurred, not answering.
"I am well aware of the attempts that fool has been making. You however, are avoiding my question."
I continued to study the angel, taking a long drink from the bottle in my hand.
"Interesting..." Michael muttered.
"What?" I asked.
"He seems to recognize you but can't figure out where from..."
"He recognizes me?"
Michael nodded, cocking his head as he studied me. I returned the gaze, not breaking eye contact for a second.
"Return to the Bunker. Tell Sam to back off if he knows what is good for him."
"You're leaving?"
"I'll be back. You still need to answer my question."
With the flutter of wings, Michael had disappeared.
XxX
I woke up in a bed. As I looked around, I realized it was the room I had been given in the Bunker. I wasn't sure how I had gotten there, but something told me Michael had something to do with it. He had given me a job. Leaving the room, I headed in the direction of the War Room where hunters from both worlds were bustling about.
Just then, Sam walked through the door, walking down the stairs.
"Sam," Mary greeted her son.
"Hey, Mom," he replied, hugging her.
"How was Atlanta?" she inquired.
"It was, uh... It was a bust. The woman who claims she saw an 'angel'... was..." he snorted, "Let's just say I think she had one too many hits of the brown acid, you know?"
"Sam, we're going to find him. Ketch is working on that thing in London. Castiel is in Detroit. I know it's been three weeks since Dean..." Mary paused briefly. "Something will break. It has to."
"Yeah. Yeah, you keep saying that," Sam replied with a yawn.
I took that opportunity to approach the mother and son.
"Sam?"
The pair looked over at me.
""Didn't you leave a while ago?"
"Yeah, well... I was told I needed to deliver a message to Sam."
"What is it?"
"Michael says back off if you know what's good for you."
"You talked to Michael? You know where Dean is?"
"Yes, I talked to him. No, I don't know where he is."
Sam stifled another yawn.
"Have you slept? At all?" Mary interjected, "Sam you need rest. Go and lay down."
"Mom-"
"Chief," another hunter greeted Sam.
"Hey."
"Good to have you back," the man handed him a bowl of soup.
"Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet. Word is we got some vamps heading East on I-90. Gypsy types. Pickin' off truckers mostly."
"Last body was drained and dropped just outside La Crosse six hours ago," another hunter chimed in.
"Okay. Um... All right. Gets me teams of two. I want watch points every 50 miles. If you see something, say something. Maggie, can you hack the traffic cams on the freeway?"
"Um... no," Maggie replied to Sam.
"Right. Right. Of course. Sorry. Um, I got it. Thank you."
Sam handed the bowl of soup to Mary, sitting down at his laptop. Anyone with half a brain could see how exhausted he was, and yet he continued to work, giving more instructions.
"Uh, please. Would you call in Sharon and her crew? We're gonna need all hands on deck here."
"Yes, Sir," a hunter responded, hurrying off.
As Sam began tapping away at the laptop, Mary approached him once more. She put her hand over his and he looked up at her.
"Sam-"
"I'm good," he reassured her.
I slipped away then, escaping the Bunker and heading out in the cool morning air.
"You're stronger than others like you at this age," my father spoke.
I looked up at him. We had spent nearly a year together in hiding while he trained me how to control the demon and angel inside of me. Apparently I was a natural.
""You're nearly ready."
"Ready for what?"
"To come out of hiding."
"Are you going to come with me?"
"No, little one. I have to go back to Heaven. They need me to lead them."
"I understand, Daddy."
"Good... Now, there's one last thing we need to do before it will be time..."
I stood in the shadows at the back of the small chapel, watching as the devotees left slowly. One couple stopped to talk to Sister Jo before following the crowd outdoors. I watched as the angel finished up and gathered her things. I followed her into the streets, making sure to maintain my distance. Sure enough, a moment later we were joined by Michael.
"Hey, Jo," he greeted the other angel.
"Who are you?" she inquired.
"You don't recognize me with this pretty face?"
"You're not- You're not Dean Winchester. You're..."
Sister Jo trailed off, as she perceived Michael's true form.
"Oh, God," she breathed.
"People keep calling me that," Michael huffed, annoyed.
Jo turned back in my direction, trying to walk away.
"Ah, ah. We need to talk," Michael stopped her.
"You're the Archangel Michael, from another world, possessing Dean Winchester," Jo stated matter-of-factly.
"Sounds more complicated than it is."
"Why would he say 'yes' to you?"
"Love," Michael replied, stepping toward her.
"Really?" Jo laughed, "That's very Hallmark Channel. I'm going to go now."
"No, you're not. Not until I ask you... what do you want?"
"I don't know. Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton."
"You think this is a joke?"
"I don't know what this is. You asked, I answered. We done?"
"No. I asked, you lied."
I gulped, realizing my original assumption was correct. I backed further into the shadows as Michael turned his head ever so slightly at the sound.
"I didn't," Sister Jo told him.
"I know about you, Jo. Because he knew about you. You're the rebel, the angel who doesn't like playing by Heaven's rules or whatever. You pretend to care about these things- pretty things. But that's all it is- pretending. These trinkets, they don't make you happy. They just pass the time. They're not what you really want."
"And if you're so smart, what do I really want?" Jo countered.
"Love. To belong, to have a place- a home, a family. It's very human of you. And so so disappointing," Michael began to walk away, continuing to talk to Jo. "I can sense how many angels are in this world. There aren't many left. I thought... maybe I could help. But if they're all these sad, lost, fallen things- things like you- maybe they're not worth saving either."
They both fell silent, and then Jo disappeared. Michael looked back, right at the place I was hidden, then disappeared as well.
XxX
"You know, it's not very good manners to eavesdrop."
I whirled around to see Michael standing there, studying me.
"What do you want?"
"Funny, I was just about to ask you the same thing," he chuckled.
"You can't give me what I want."
"How can you be so sure of that?"
"Because what I want requires you to release that vessel."
"Ah," Michael smirked. "I see how that could be an issue."
I rolled my eyes, turning away and starting to walk off.
"Now, hold on just one moment."
Michael reappeared in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. His eyes traveled the length of my body, giving me a once-over.
"He still hasn't placed it... However, that's not what interests me."
"And what is it that interests you, Michael?" I spat his name.
He walked toward me, lifting my chin so I had no choice but to maintain eye contact.
"You're a powerful little thing, aren't you?" he breathed.
I shivered involuntarily at his tone. He smirked, letting go of my chin and turning away.
"You may come in handy later, little one," he stated, before disappearing into the night.