Chapter 5: Hi and Tech:

Neither Winchester particularly liked doctor's offices. For the brothers a visit to the physician was only done as a result of a life threatening injury or some particularly grievous bodily harm. Dean in particular didn't care much for them, as the most vivid of his memories of the all-too white and sterile rooms were associated with the time he'd been in the navy and had caught some tropical virus he hadn't known the name of. Being stuck in the over-starched and scratchy white sheets as he felt like his head was on fire and his body couldn't stop shaking was bad enough, but to add the nausea and vomiting with a weakened body on top-it was something he'd never forget in the worst possible way. While he was only seated on a bench in an exam room as opposed to a proper hospital bed the same apprehension arose as he waited for the doctor to come in. As he glanced anxiously at the wall clock and bounced his leg up and down he tried to steady himself with a deep breath. Mercifully the door clicked open and a doctor walked in.

"Good evening Mr. Winchester." He said as he sat down at a wheeled stool and pulled out a pen to start making notes on his clipboard. "My name is Dr. Strauss and I'll be doing your entry physical. Before we begin with the exam I have a few questions. Please answer honestly, as these will be part of your employee record."

"Alright." Dean shrugged as he tried to stave off the anxiety.

"On average how much alcohol would you say you consume per week?"

"A few drinks a day, more on weekends." Dean shrugged. You have to when you're in this business. Whiskey does a helluva lot better job at numbing the pain than aspirin.

"Could you give a number?"

"I dunno, 18 drinks per week?"

"Okay. And how about tobacco use?"

"I'm down to a pack a day."

"No chewing tobacco?"

"God no, I can't stand that shit." Dean crinkled his nose. He'd tried it exactly once when he was 14 and had hated it. Granted, he hadn't known that he had to spit it out, but even so, he couldn't stand the smell of the stuff even to this day.

"And one final question, are you sexually active?"

"No offense doc, but that's a bit personal." Dean straightened slightly as he tried to avoid the dark eyes of the doctor peering out from his heavy coke-bottle glasses.

"I realize it might seem so, but I can assure you if I didn't have to ask it I wouldn't."

"And why do you have to ask it?"

The doctor rolled his eyes, "You were in the navy, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Same reason. Instead of docking and finding some girl in port you're on the road and meet some girl in a bar. We honestly don't care if you're having sex, but if you are we can make sure we give you the stuff you need to be in the clear."

Dean huffed. "Fine. Yes."

"Very good. Now we're going to begin the physical portion of the exam." He gestured toward a changing screen. "Please disrobe and change into the smock provided."

**SPN**

Twenty-six awkward minutes later both brothers exited their exams and rejoined Cas, who had been waiting in the commissary for the brothers to rejoin him.

"Did the guy who did your exam have hands that were freakishly cold, or is it just my luck that I always get the one doctor who had his hands in the Kelvinator for an hour beforehand?" Dean said as he and Sam walked toward Cas.

"No, mine had hands that were normal."

"Figures." Dean commented as he placed his tray on the table.

"How has everything been?" The angel asked as Sam too sat down at the table.

"Not bad, mostly just tedious. Who knew that after all the paperwork there'd still be more bullshit." Dean noted as he took a scoop of his potatoes.

"It's been okay, and considering it's a top-secret government agency I'm not too shocked at the level of security and screenings we've gone through." Sam added and smiled slightly at Cas. "So, how's your day been so far. Any paperwork to do in order to join as an angel agent?"

Cas shook his head, "No. They seemed to respect my wishes to not have to do so. All I have to do is get my photograph taken later for an identification badge."

"Consider yourself lucky." Dean groused as he tried to distance himself from the doctor's office.

"I do not believe luck was in play. Due to my being part of the host they exempted me from the standard enrollment procedures. They seem to have a healthy respect for angels, which is an appreciated change from what I am used to."

Sam and Dean reddened slightly. While they certainly were on good terms with Cas now, it hadn't always been like that. In fact, when they'd first met Dean had made sure to constantly ward the room so that Cas couldn't enter without their approval-for fear that angels would prove to be just as dangerous and manipulative as everything else they dealt with. Though with time the paranoia had been disproven and the three had come to an understanding and partnership, though Cas had been told to avoid telling other hunters about himself due to the possible reactions to a non-human.

By the time they'd finished talking and eating it was nearly 6:15 which meant that they had to find R's office in order to meet with him. If not for the earlier room number being provided by Board it would have been impossible to find. The single grey door to enter was just one of many in a seemingly endless hallway of identical doors with numbers printed on them. Room 37101 was between two other doors, each with similar black numbers etched into gleaming silver plaques fastened to their surfaces. The entire corridor seemed almost inhuman in how clean and quiet it was. There was near total silence aside from the occasional mumbling of someone from behind one of the other doors.

Sam knocked on the door twice.

"You may enter." A voice spoke from within as the door swung open inwards.

The brothers exchanged a quick glance as they stepped inward. The office was much larger than the hallway had implied. The floors here were stained a dark mahogany and there was paneling with deep pockets that reached to neck-height before an intricate gold and ivory floral patterned wallpaper continued upward to the trim surrounding the top of the room. There was a single large desk in front of bookcases that filled the entire rear wall of the room. Most shockingly, however was the large bank of windows on the left wall that seemingly showed an early-evening sky outside.

Dean stared at the windows a moment before he spoke, turning to see the man sitting in the scarlet leather chair in behind the desk. "Lovely, aren't they?" He smiled slightly as he gestured toward them, "We found them in a little house in Maine where a witch had gone and blown herself up. No matter where they're installed they always show the same scene. Some little hill in the countryside where it's always summer. Shame they're hexed to kill anyone who tries to go through them, but as long as they're sealed shut it's a gorgeous sight." He stood up and revealed just how large he was.

Sam was not usually intimidated by others, but seeing a man who was easily a half-foot taller than him was a rare sight. He blinked as he tried to process the man standing in front of them. "Wow. You're tall." He mumbled without thinking before he cleared his throat and tried to correct himself, "That is, it's quite impressive… your height, and all."

R grinned good naturedly, "Don't worry, I'm used to it. I'm sure there're plenty of people who are surprised at how tall you are. Have a seat, I just wanted to talk a bit before everything's finished up."

The two brothers and angel sat in the three chairs facing the desk as R sat back down.

Dean glanced at the nameplate and saw that it was engraved only with the single letter, "So, is R a code-name or something?"

"You could say something like that." He shrugged slightly.

"No offense, but I like to know the people I'm working with. Can I at least have a first name?"

R's smile faded slightly as he replied, "I don't believe you could handle it."

"Really?" Dean raised an eyebrow.

"Unless you'd like your soul forcefully ejected from your body I'd recommend not pushing your luck." R remarked.

Sam and Dean both blinked. "What?" Sam flatly asked.

He sighed, "While I would love to explain everything about myself I cannot, primarily for your own sakes. But be aware, some things exist that humans and angels alike have never encountered. That is all I am going to say."

Cas was puzzled, it was clear that this man was not in fact a man, but what he was he was unable to deduce. For now it was clear that he was working on the side of good-given everything the angel had seen in the building-but he was not going to trust the man beyond what he knew.

"In any case, I want to welcome you to our agency. The two of you will be made official agents once you've been added to the system, at which point you'll be given access to technology you never imagined possible to hunt monsters. You two will still remain partners, but you are expected to hunt the cases appointed to you. I do not play favorites, and as such, you will be doing as you are asked. You may do it in your own way, but I expect good things from you all given your histories."

"What about Cas?" Sam asked as he tilted his head toward the angel.

"He will also be part of the agency, but given his angelic status he will be more of a consultant than an agent. Understandably he cannot be expected to work every instance with you, but he will be allowed to come and go as he pleases." R concluded. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting in a few moments and I need to prepare some things. If you ever have any questions feel free to reach out and I'll try to get back as soon as I can."

And with that the meeting was done.

**Author's Note**

Sorry this chapter took so long to post! I ended up rewriting the whole meeting with R and it ended up changing quite a bit from the initial idea. I promise the next chapter will be out a lot sooner!