Chapter 14: Williams and Tells
Sam returned from the store a second time to find his brother and Cas fully dressed and sitting opposite each other at the small table in the motel room dinette. He'd left the provisions in the car-no need to take them into and out of the room when they'd be perfectly fine in the back of the Impala- and had instead simply knocked twice on the door to let them know he was back. He was greeted by a half-mumbled, "Come in." from Dean.
As soon as Sam entered it was evident that all eyes were on him to determine where to begin. Sam guessed that Dean still wasn't fully trusting of his willingness to accept his recent confession. He glanced around and saw that the bed had been made and the room appeared much like before he'd left the first time. If not for the brief interaction earlier when he'd forgotten the checkbook it would've been exactly the same. "I left everything in the car. No point in bringing it in when it's just going to end up back out there tomorrow." Sam commented as he set his jacket on top of his bed, trying to make small-talk to fill the silence that was surrounding the three.
Dean exhaled as he tried to avoid his brother's gaze, he's never going to be okay with this. Once he finds out everything…
The quiet returned for a moment before Sam spoke again. "Look, if you aren't okay with talking about it that's okay." Sam stated as he sat down, "I just wanted things to be honest between us. I get it, I lied about dad. You lied about you and Cas. If you don't want to explain it right now you don't have to, but I just want us to be truthful going forward. By the look of it we're on the edge of some major shit hitting the fan and given how we're going to be gunning for an angel tomorrow I wanted to make sure we were all taken care of." Sam paused, making sure to look as much like a wounded puppy as he could, "I just figured that you'd be willing to at least talk about some of it…"
Dean looked at his younger brother, the man who had once been the tag-along kid sitting beside him in the back of that god-forsaken business coupe. Sam had grown up, obviously, but it was clear that he still looked up to Dean. Even after all the shit that had happened… Fuck it. "I'm just going to start by saying that it wasn't on purpose. I didn't plan it." Dean exhaled, "It just sort of… well, happened."
Cas nodded before he continued where Dean had left off, "What your brother said is true. When he first summoned me it wasn't out of a sexual desire. It was out of a desire to find truth." Cas paused, "As you know your father breaking in hell was the first seal-a righteous man breaking and taking the ways of evil in the pit. It was supposed to be your brother. When he summoned me it was so that he could learn of his destiny. He was fearful of turning into a monster in his own way, as he had seen other hunters change… It was because of his purity of spirit that I came, the honest desire to be good despite the circumstances he was in."
Sam turned to his brother who had partially receded into his jacket. Flattery usually was something he didn't mind, but honest compliments, particularly from those close to him, caused the man to suddenly develop a sense of bashfulness. Or as he puts it-I don't do romance novel shit.
"It was that purity of spirit that made me desire to return, even after that encounter. That is when I met you." Cas nodded at Sam, "Over the next two years we grew closer, then…" the angel paused, "A more carnal aspect of that attraction arose. Your brother has honestly been considering how to tell you, but he was fearful of your reaction-despite my indications that you would accept him-as you currently are." The angel concluded, "In any case, given the task before us tomorrow I suggest that we come to terms with everything-we have somewhat aired our feelings and aspects of the reality we are dealing with. Tomorrow the three of us will be doing something never before attempted and it may prove a challenge. I will give the two of you a moment privacy to allow you to finish your conversation." And with that Cas blinked out of the room, likely across town to the nearest church to get some holy oil in preparation for the potential confrontation.
Dean was silent as he glanced again at the table. Sam sighed as he got up and took the chair where Cas had been. He sat down and forced his brother's chin up, looking him directly in the eye. "I said it before, I'll say it again. You're my brother. No matter what shit happens, you're the last family I've got. I know you don't do romance novel shit, but I love you-no matter who you find attractive."
Dean nodded, "Thanks Sammy."
"You're welcome." Sam replied before a thoughtful look crossed his face, "So, I noticed when I walked in you were the one laying down…" Sam paused as his brother frowned slightly and coughed, "Does that mean you're the girl?"
**SPN**
The next afternoon the three had entered McCarthy. The town was small, even by the standards that the brothers were used to. The entire population seemed to live in the three streets branching off a stretch of what might charitably called a main street. The few stores were one and two-story brick structures huddled closely together, as if they could feel the chill in the air. Beyond that a handful of matchstick homes were stood, most of which seemed in decent repair under the foot of snow that blanketed every surface. The home that Cas guided them two was a small single-story white house. It appeared no larger than a two-car garage, but was somehow the largest home on the block.
After pulling over to the curb and killing the engine the brothers stepped out of the Impala and trod through the slush on the sidewalk until they reached the small front porch. The nameplate beside the door read "Williams, 14 Pine Street" on a polished bronze finish. Sam stepped forward and knocked on the door. The brothers had discussed if Cas should ring the door and decided in the event that the angel was hostile it made sense to have him hang back a bit for his own safety, right now he was standing at the edge of the yard beside the mailbox.
A moment later a man appeared behind the glass of the door-mostly obscured by the gossamer drapes hanging over window-and after a brief click the door opened. The man was no taller than 5'7 and sported a set of large glasses-even larger than Sam's, which was impressive. He was wearing a red knit vest and a pair of tan slacks with loafers. "May I help you?" He asked.
"Hello Mr. Williams, my name is Sam Winchester and this is my brother Dean." Sam replied, gesturing to Dean. "We're with the CIA and we wanted to talk with you a moment." Sam pulled his badge from his pocket and Dean followed suit.
"And may I ask who the man standing at the edge of my yard is?" Mr. Williams pointed at Cas.
"He's another agent with us." Dean replied firmly.
"It's strange to have three American agents all the way out here." He replied, eyeing Cas closely.
"I'll be honest-what's your first name?" Dean responded.
"My name is Frank." The man replied, beginning to become visibly agitated.
"Okay, Frank-listen, we are with the feds, more specifically, we're with a group in the CIA that deals with stuff that goes bump in the night. And we have good reason to believe that you're an angel." Dean responded.
"An angel?" The man immediately seemed concerned. "A likely story. Get off my property."
"Omnipotentis Dei potestatem invoco…" Dean began causing Williams to immediately cringe.
Sam slapped his brother and shot him a look-we're supposed to be winning him over, not pissing him off! "Sorry about that." Sam huffed, "We aren't here to hurt you. We're here to recruit you."
"Well you certainly have a strange way of doing it. I suppose that is why you have an angel of your own-for muscle, right?" Williams looked at Cas and called out, "Get over here!"
Cas walked briskly to the door, "I apologize, but I do not recognize you brother."
The man rolled his eyes, "That isn't much of a surprise Castiel. Come in, all of you." He gestured them to enter into a small sitting room. "I don't know what you intend to recruit me for but I have no intention to speak to any of you further until I have more information. Particularly why a fugitive angel is standing before me and yet none of my requests to speak to the rest of the host are being answered."
"The host has cut off all ties to this world. After they shut the gates Raphael has ensured that heaven and earth are separated. They have ended all communication on the belief that earth is not to be saved from the impending demonic actions."
"Impending demonic… what are you speaking of? I have been on earth for the last millennia and a half as an intelligence scout, in that time I have never heard of any impending demonic actions." The angel was flustered.
"They have intentionally eluded us, and the reports that were made were likely silenced by the archangels. The demons intend to bring about the end and those in charge in heaven want it to come to pass." Cas grimly intoned.
The angel blanched, "You mean to tell me our superiors are intending for the destruction of earth?"
"Yes. So far the demons have successfully broken a third of the seals required. More are being broken daily, which is why we have come to ask you to join us and help stop the apocalypse." Cas responded.
"I'm not a warrior! I write reports and send messages. Granted, they seem to have not been going through as of recent, but there is no way I could fight. That and if you are misleading me-as heaven has implied by your status as a fugitive-if I work to aid you I could lose my position and far worse." He paused, "Though they never have said why you were considered a fugitive…"
"We aren't asking you to fight for us-you can still stick to research, but we need some eyes and ears on the ground telling us what the demons are planning so we can stop it." Sam replied, "And you wouldn't be working with Cas, technically you'd be working with the center-a human government organization that has been worked with in the past by other angels."
He appeared hesitant for a moment, "Okay, I will see what they are doing. But I will make sure that it is never mentioned that I met any of you in case this all goes poorly."
"Agreed." Cas nodded, "Brother, what may I call you so that we can be in contact if the need be?"
"Bartholomew." The bespectacled man replied, "Though as I said, I never met any of you."
After explaining where the center was and who to talk to Bart nodded and disappeared. The three returned to the car and drove to the only motel in town-a considerably less nice location than the previous evening. As Dean unlocked the door the phone began to ring. Sam picked it up.
"Well, it looks like I owe Board ten bucks. Good job on speaking with Bartholomew. We're in the process of getting him set up to do reconnaissance on a couple of suspected hot-spots. Your next set of wings to convince is in Tells Landing, Idaho. Good luck." And with that R had hung up, leaving the three with another multi-day journey to their next angel.
**Author's Note**
Hello everyone! Sorry about the delays between postings. I'm currently teaching virtually and it is taking a lot of my time and energy to do so. I promise that there will still be weekly posting on this, Best Left Untold, and the Henderson Journals. Thank you all for sticking with me. I normally don't ask this, but if you could review I would appreciate it-I've put a fair bit of time and energy into this fic and I'm feeling a bit burnt out with everything going out in Corona-land. If it isn't going in the right direction feel free to let me know, but I just want to make sure that people are reading. Anyway, sorry for the spiel, thanks again for staying with this!