I know it's been a long time! Sorry. So I couldn't find the international episode titles for season three so if anyone can find them for me, I'd appreciate it. I was gonna change the title but Jensen did an episode of Dark Angel with the same title. I matched it for the throwback. Shout outs to Elex Black, , Utterly Fabulous (I love your confidence), and Nari88 for the follows and favorites. I want to double thank Nari88 for following Honor Thy Father, along with callmeblueberry. Love you! Let's go!
It was oddly quiet in the apartment, the only sounds were the neighborhood kids running around outside at the communal playground. Considering it was a Saturday morning that didn't surprise me. What did unsettle me was the lack of hearing water being sloshed around the water bowl in the kitchen. The absence of jingling tags, clicking nails on hardwood floors and the obnoxious, repetitive squeaking coming from the stuffed octopus, corn on the cob, or any number of toys littering the apartment.
I'd never really noticed how empty my home was without Zane lounging on the couch or spread out in the middle of the hallway. Since adopting the large dog two years ago I hadn't let him out of my sight. Well, actually it was the other way around. Zane would go only as far as he could see me. If we were at an off-leash dog park Zane would run off to go play but would always look back at me. More often than not he'd stop mid-play and coming running back to check on me.
This time the reason for his absence was my doing. It was roughly a few minutes after eight-thirty and I had just walked back into the apartment from dropping off Zane at a doggie day-camp close by. Reason being, I was gonna be busy in the next couple of hours and figured he could go play with the other dogs while I was gone.
Three days had past since my last trip to Winchesterland and I was starting to get anxious. Sam hadn't died so Dean didn't need to make a deal but I was worried something would go wrong.
After sobbing for roughly twenty minutes I sobered up and got off the floor. Wiping away the remnants of tears, I armed myself with my wallet and headed out to the nearest Wal-Mart with Zane. An hour later I was sitting on my bed, Supernatural playing on the TV and a notebook opened on my lap.
That first day was spent in front of the TV, pen scribbling down information, rewinding and fast forwarding episodes as I wrote down meticulous details of each episode. It hadn't taken me long considering season three only had sixteen of them. I took a quick break from writing but my mind was still whirling. I was debating on what to research after writing out the episodes. One of the things that was bothering me was Bela.
I wasn't her biggest fan but she had been a desperate kid wanting out of a really bad situation. I couldn't fault her that. She wasn't too important that getting her contract voided should call attention to anyone looking, at least before she got too involved with Sam and Dean. It also would work to the boys' advantage. She'd owe a favor to the Winchesters in exchange for saving her life. And I knew she'd make good on whatever was asked. She seemed the type to hate owing anyone and I was working off of that. But they needed to get the contract broken as soon as possible. Maybe giving her a hex bag to hide her from Lilith and Crowley would help? That way they couldn't find her and coerce her into stealing the Colt. She already had the Devil's Shoestring so the hellhounds wouldn't be able to find her either.
If they managed all this then the events in Jus In Bello won't come to past. One thing that went right in that episode was Henriksen finding out the truth. Really, having a FBI agent know the truth might come in handy. But again that wouldn't happen if they broke Bela's contract. Either way breaking her deal would be one of the priorities.
The next day was spent on my laptop looking up weapons and anything else that could be used offensively and defensively using Supernatural Wikia. I had set up a notebook for different supernatural beings, making sure to fill out the demon notebook with all the good stuff. One of the first things I wrote down was the list of items used to make the hex bags that would hide you from angels and demons. That would need to be shared with Sam and Dean pretty soon. The ingredients for the demon bombs would have been nice to have but alas only two of the items were specifically named. Another thing to be written down was the Demon Cure, along with the Latin used by the priest to cure the demon and the Latin used to purify the blood Sam used for Dean's curing.
Writing down the reversal exorcism was next with a note on how it forced the demon back in the body. That could be useful later on. Another section was used for Devil's Traps. There was no way I'd be able to recreate the Key of Solomon so I kept to simple traps, writing down different details and how Henry used it on a bullet. I'd pass that little snippet on to Sam and Dean when I saw them. I paused. Maybe not, I don't know. That'd have to go on the back burner.
It took another notebook but I wrote up what I knew of the different demon rankings and used the internet to fill in the blanks. I nearly used up the whole notebook writing about the big wigs. Azazel, Lilith, Alastair, Crowley, Abbadon, and Cain. Lilith was an interesting entry. She was the last seal needed to get Luci out of his box. Which started another entry about the four rings of the horsemen.
Cain also took up quite a bit of paper since he was The Cain, the father of murder, wielder of the First Blade and bearer of the Mark of Cain. Yes, quite a bit of paper was used for that one.
Next was the angel notebook. Again the banishing sigil and angel proofing sigil were two of the first things I wrote down. I'd had to watch a number of episodes as there were at least three different variations of the banishing symbol and I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything. The angel proofing sigils were numerous and it took a little over an hour of episode hopping to get as many as I could.
I added a page for the reaper trap on the basis that reapers were basically angels that happened to work for Death.
Angel blades and angel swords held a place in the notebook, describing Crowley's use of melting them into bullets and making notes about the Grigori from the last episode that aired. I was careful to avoid any telling markers about the blades. The swords were designed a bit different from the blades so I wasn't super concerned about my crude doodle of a Grigori's weapon. Just as long as I was vague about the blades, I hoped no one looked too much at my own angelic shiv.
Monster-of-the-Week notebooks were basically me hunting down every episode having to do with that creature, writing down any folklore, and any of the weapons used in the episodes. I made sure to write down a reference to the Campbell's about the cure for the vampires in that particular notebook.
At the beginning of the third day I took time in the morning to leash Zane and hop onto the local bus to get to the dog park a few miles away from where we lived. Poor guy had been stuck in apartment the last two days with me so he needed this. I did as well though. With so much TV watching recently, I didn't feel like driving or really any kind of thinking. Nothing helped more than seeing the utter joy on dogs and puppies as they played. The antics themselves were enough to have me laughing for quite a bit. Of course that didn't last long.
It was two hours later on the bus ride back that I started to think about Bela again which led to spending the remainder of the third day writing down every person that had died or dies in each episode. The more information on each person the better. It wasn't until I was beginning season four did I remember someone who I really wanted to save. Well, he didn't die but I still needed to do something for him.
Nick, Lucifer's vessel, had been a distraught widower when he'd been introduced. His wife and baby had been murdered, by another human no less, causing him to be vulnerable to Lucifer's sweet words of comfort. Considering Dean hadn't made a deal, there would be no Lucifer but still, the man had basically lost his whole world. I wanted to do something for the man. There had been no specifics in the way Sarah and the child had died, only that someone had broken in one night and killed them. I'm assuming Nick hadn't been home at the time but they didn't mention what or when exactly it happened. If the season matched the year in Winchesterland, then it'd be sometime in 2009, just not sure when during that year.
There were a few things that could be used to help Nick's situation. A dog was one of the first things that went through my head. A big dog though, like Zane-size to make someone think twice. But not something like a Lab or Golden. They were nice and if it was a normal circumstance then I wouldn't mind but the fact that someone had killed a woman and her baby, a baby that was no threat, had me thinking big.
Zane himself was an Anatolian Shepherd, a breed belonging to a group of dogs called Livestock Guardian Dogs. Like the group name, his breed were used to guard livestock and not herd, contrary to what the breed's name implied. However, Zane's breed probably wasn't a good match but the reason that particular group of dogs came to mind was the fact that a majority of them were very gentle with children, which was important in Nick's case. But it'd have to do a lot of research on that.
Another idea was to somehow get them interested in guns. It could be self-defense for Sarah, a concealed carry course, something to get them interested enough to possibly buy a gun. It was a very long shot, the dog idea held more merit, but really that was all I could think off.
One more thing could be getting them a security system for the house. I didn't know much about them but I'd heard that it would only work if everything was locked up, windows included. Just one window cracked open and the system wouldn't work. If I could combine these three together, that'd be fantastic but again, I'd have to really think about it.
I shook my head, clearing out my thoughts and focusing back to my task. I was going to Winchesterland today. It had only been a few days but the time jumps freaked me out. I didn't know how far they would be in the third season and I wanted to help out. Stupid I know but really, how could I not?
The duffle bag I used for small road trips with Donny was stuffed with a few days worth of clothes and a few gifts for the boys. I wasn't sure if Sam would actually enjoy the presents but I knew Dean would. I had my med bag as well, filled with a small suture kit, dental floss for extra stitching, a few packets of Quikclot powder, antiseptic wipes, gauze, super glue, and different types of bandages along with butterfly stitches. Not only that I also had a few notebooks, all spanning the first several episodes of season three. That wasn't all though. In between two of the books was my angel blade. I was actually thinking about making some kind of holster so I could strap it on my forearm like the angels did. I just had to make sure I wore a jacket. It would make it easier to carry around for sure. The pointed end was already threatening to poke a hole through the durable canvas. Maybe I could get something to cover the tip with?
Last was the OWB holster. I figured if I was gonna be hanging around Sam and Dean I needed to look the part of some type of law enforcement considering that was one of the covers they used often. The OWB holster would carry the nine millimeter Donny gifted me a few days back. Just in case, I was also taking my Colorado conceal carry permit with me. It was expired here but since I was heading back to season three, it should be fine. At least for a cursory glance.
Now that I was put together, taking a few minutes in front of the mirror to be sure the nine was neatly covered, I was ready to go. Grabbing hold of the med bag and duffle I closed my eyes, breathing deeply.
For the past few days, when I wasn't watching TV I was practicing my two other abilities. The telekinesis was stubborn and complex in that it had to be wanting and second nature to me. I couldn't demand for something to come to me or move away. It had to be natural. I'd had some luck with small items like my comb, a sock, or a spoon but the larger or heavier items took a lot out of me. Even if I did move them, they only shifted an inch or two.
As for the teleportation, that one would take much longer. I had started out small, only wanting to move from one side of the room to the other but in the last three days I was only really able to jump a few inches to a couple feet away from my original spot. Of course the first time I moved even a foot I nearly vomited. Again I figured it was the same as my telekinesis, something that had to come natural and not forced. So trying to make a jump all the way to Winchesterland was going to be interesting.
I let out another deep breath, letting my mind calm and think about where I wanted to be. I had decided my best shot would be to think of the Impala when doing jumps. If I thought of Dean or Sam I could very well show up in the middle of a crowd or, worse, in the middle of a hunt. The Impala was best as it was more private and least likely to raise eyebrows.
Another deep breath and I started envisioning the backseat, the feel of the cushions against my spine, the scent of leather. The sound of Dean's music thumping loudly in my ear and the deep rumble of the powerful engine as it sent slight vibrations up my spin.
"Son of a -!"
The sudden lurching and braking had my eyes snapping open, my arms trying to find purchase to help soften my fall as I was flung off the seat and wedged in the foot wells of the backseat. I nearly giggled. I'd managed to teleport by will.
"Angie?"
Looking up, my face lit up with a wide smile of accomplishment as Dean stared down at me in disbelief. "Hi Dean."
~~~SPN~~~
Sipping at his coffee, Sam waited for Dean at the town dinner, eyes roving back and forth as he read his sixth news article. Already he knew the article he was reading wasn't a job but he'd read the whole thing just in case. There was one other possible article but he'd share them all with Dean to get his input. He'd woken up fairly early and gone for a quick run before taking a shower and walking over to the diner, leaving Dean to sleep for a few more hours. They'd gotten into town around two in the morning and Dean had just completed an eighteen-hour drive fueled by six different coffee refills. He'd let Dean sleep for as much as he could.
"You wanna another coffee?"
The red-haired waitress, Erin according to her nametag, had asked about his order when he'd shown up thirty-five minutes ago but he'd managed to hold her off with his coffee requests. Luckily Dean had sent a text ten minutes earlier saying he was on his way so he shouldn't be long.
He gave her a smile, "Sure and can I get a second one actually?"
She nodded, writing the order down and heading off to the counter. Sam could say she was attractive, definitely Dean's type. Granted he'd seen a change in Dean in the last year when it came to women.
Oh, he still flirted but it was more…innocent and he didn't take any offers. He would still take numbers but once they were on the road Dean would crumple the scrap of paper into a ball and put it in the small ashtray only to be thrown out at the next pit stop. Which had completely thrown Sam the first time he'd seen it happen. He'd stared at Dean in awe and disbelief which had caused his brother to get defensive. Sam hadn't brought it back up but he was sure constantly referring to a woman as his "girlfriend" had caused the decline in amorous encounters, to the point were Dean was starting to actually act a bit like a man with a girlfriend. The fact that they'd actually met Angie added more tinder to Sam's theory. Her being pretty also helped.
The jingle from the diner's door caught Sam's attention from his spot in the corner and he watched his brother come in, who nodded at Erin in greeting. Sam could see the red-haired woman was instantly enamored. He chuckled but the faint smile faded in slight surprise as his eyes grew wide when seeing the person trailing behind the hunter.
She flopped down next to Dean as his brother chose the seat across from him, her smile wide. "Hi Sam."
He was surprised but he recovered fairly quickly, smiling back at her with a quick glance at his brother. "Hi Angie, I didn't know you were coming."
Dean nodded his agreement. "Yeah, neither did I. She just showed up in the backseat of Baby and I mean that literally."
Before Sam could ask Erin was back with his order of two coffees but now he felt bad about not getting anything for Angie.
"Here you go." Erin placed the mugs down turning her eyes solely on Dean. "Can I get you anything with the coffee?"
Sam watched as Angie raised an eye brow at Erin's dismissive behavior. She didn't seem like the type to be bullied and she made her displeasure known.
"You know what, I'll have a large orange juice and an order of your Split Decision combo with scrambled eggs. Thanks." Angie spoke her order loudly, cocking her head slightly and giving a small smile bordering smirk as she thrust her menu at Erin.
Sam bit back the smile that he could feel trying to overtake his mouth but he triumphed, coughing to get Erin's attention. "I'll have your Simple and Fit Vegetable Omelet please?" This time he added a smile, more to soften the blow from Angie's display. Not that he was upset by it.
Dean cocked an eyebrow at Angie, who blinked back innocently, before turning to Erin. "I'll have the Garden Omelet with fruit, please? Thank you."
Once Erin had walked off Angie looked at Dean, an eyebrow raised. "The Garden Omelet? With fruit? Really?"
Sam smiled, watching Dean shift under Angie's scrutiny as he got defensive of his breakfast order. "What? I'm not big on rabbit food but I can't destroy my body with only eating junk food. Last thing I need is to have a heart attack in the middle of a hunt."
Angie tilted her head to the side, studying Dean before looking over at Sam. He could practically see the wheels turning before she shrugged. "I see your point. So where are we anyway?" Angie asked, her gaze bouncing around the establishment.
"Mount Vernon, Illinois actually. So Dean says you showed up in the Impala?"
Angie nodded, settling down when Erin dropped off her orange juice and continuing when she left, smirking. "I've been practicing."
Sam's eyes grew wide seeing the small plate of cream shots and a few sugar packets make their way toward Sam's coffee by themselves, without Angie looking away from Sam. Quickly he reached for the items, trying to cover up the distance they had traveled from anyone who had or might glance over.
Angie's eyes looked over at Dean, his coffee cup moving away from his hand while his fork and knife moved at the same time. Dean followed his example, grabbing his cup to bring to his mouth while rearranging his utensils.
"The small things are easier but big or heavy items take a lot of effort. As for the teleportation, that one's gonna take awhile. Although I was really surprised that I managed to get here in one condition. Maybe because I was focused on you and not the other side of my room."
"And you picked Baby because it was less conspicuous." Dean stated, speaking exactly what Sam was thinking. Having Angie suddenly appear in the diner would have made things impossible to explain away, no matter what they said. If someone suddenly noticed her in the backseat of the Impala, they could say she had been lying down the entire time.
Before anyone spoke, Erin was back with their order. Seeing the dishes being distributed, Sam's eyes widen when seeing the plates in front of Angie. She had one plate with two pancakes, another plate with two French toast triangles, and finally a plate with scrambled eggs, shredded hash browns, two bacon strips, and two sausage links. Sam glanced at his brother who also had seen the size of Angie's breakfast, his eyebrows raised.
Angie paused, her forkful of eggs inches away from her mouth. She glanced at the two of them before she spoke, "Don't worry, I got money."
Dean waved her words off. "It's not about the money Angie, no matter what you get we're gonna pay for you. Really, we're just wondering if you can eat all that?"
Sam nodded in agreement, seeing Angie take a pull of her juice. "Oh yeah, this'll all be gone. It's something I've noticed. I use up a lot of energy when I do my thing so really I'm just storing up energy. What I did just now didn't waste a whole lot of my energy reserves but what I'm eating now will just be converted and set aside for when I really need to use my abilities. At least that's what I've picked up since I started showing up around you two."
Angie shrugged her shoulders as she continued devouring her eggs and hash browns. Sam exchanged looks with Dean, both of them shrugging their shoulders and tilting their head. In a way, it made sense to Sam. Angie's abilities were born with her as opposed to Sam, who'd had his forced on him. Her body would have developed a system for the innate abilities to function peacefully and properly. The three of them ate in silence for a few minutes before his brother, taking a break from eating, nodded at the laptop tucked away on the chair next to him.
"You find anything?"
Moving his empty plate aside, Sam pulled the laptop back out, opening the lid and pulling up different articles. "Not much. A suspicious suicide in Center, Colorado. A guy fell on his own power saw in Cicero, Indiana. But there is a possible salt and burn in Yoncalla, Oregon."
During his speech Sam noticed the slight flinch Angie gave when he talked about the guy in Indiana. He also noticed the twitch in Dean's fingers when he said the words. Glancing over at Angie he could see her studying Dean from the corner of her eye as she ate. She was waiting for something.
Dean motioned for the laptop and Sam gave it up for him to look over, observing both his brother and their psychic friend. Dean's eyes roved back and forth, reading the articles while Angie tilted herself, reading over his brother's shoulder.
Sam watched the way Angie's eyes narrowed and he knew that Dean was on the article from Indiana. Considering her reaction Sam was willing to bet that there was a case in Cicero. She must have seen it in a vision. But he wasn't sure what kind of case. He hadn't picked up anything in the article.
"Well, let's get going. Hope you don't mind the car ride Angie. It'll take us over a day to reach Oregon." Dean decided, handing Sam back his laptop.
The tallest Winchester watched Angie's eyes widen at his brother's words before turning thoughtful, her eyebrows furrowed. She looked confused which meant that Dean had probably done something off script if she had already seen this happen.
"No."
Sam paused at her word, Dean also frozen as he looked over the petite woman next to him.
Angie finished off her orange juice, wiped her mouth, and pushed away her clean plate. "We gotta go to Indiana."
"There's a case, isn't there."
Sam's statement had Dean glancing between Angie and him. "There's a case?"
Angie nodded, tapping her temple. "I've seen it."
"How is everything?"
Sam glanced up at Erin, her smile not as sly and a bit subdued, no doubt thanks to Angie's stare from earlier. "Fantastic, can we get the check please?"
The red-haired woman nodded and left, letting the two men turn back to Angie who was popping the last bits of French toast into her mouth. She waved a hand at them. "I'll tell you in the car."
With that they paid for their meal, having to give back Angie's money when she tried to pay, and left the diner. Once Dean steered the Impala northeast, Sam turned to look at Angie in the backseat. "So the guy with the power saw?"
Angie held up a finger. "First things first. How did it go with Tamara and Isaac?"
Dean gave a huff from his spot at the wheel. "That Isaac guy's a dick."
Sam rolled his eyes but looked at Angie. "We put it together when that woman went postal for a pair of shoes. Watched the surveillance video and tracked down the man who spoke to her. He'd been missing for a week at that point, same night the gate was opened."
Dean took over. "With what you told us, we figured out quick that he was one of the seven deadly sins. Envy to be exact, live and in the flesh. Found the bar you mentioned, which turned out kinda like a base for them. We had a plan until those two showed up in the parking lot."
Sam continued when Dean had left off. "We busted in right before they gave Isaac the drain cleaner. We regrouped and took care of it."
"So Isaac and Tamara are okay?"
Sam gave a nod while Dean grunted his answer.
Angie nodded, satisfied before picking up a light green medic bag that had been lying on the floor and pulling out a notebook. "So, the guy with the power saw? A changeling did it."
Dean glanced in the mirror. "A changeling? Like evil monster babies?"
Sam was already opening his laptop. "Not necessarily babies."
From the backseat he could hear Angie flipping pages in her notebook. Sam tried not to be nosy but he couldn't help the quick glance. The notebook, an average black and white composition, was written line after line with strange characters he'd never seen. With all the languages he knew, this was one he was completely lost on. But Angie could read it as she finally found what she was looking for.
"'Humaniod with discolored skin, hollow eyes, and a round mouth with teeth.' They look like humans but their reflection in a mirror shows their real face."
Sam took over, reading off the computer. "They snatch the kids, assume their forms, and rejoin the family where they feed off everyone."
Dean nodded his understanding. "What and how do they feed?"
Angie flipped a page. "Kinda like a sucker fish. They latch on the family's necks and feed off the synovial fluid. Anyone who gets between a changeling and their food source end up dead."
"Like the power saw guy?"
Angie nodded. "The changeling probably saw him as some type of threat."
Dean tapped the steering wheel a few times in thought. "What about the real kids? What happens to them?"
Sam moved his mouse a bit. "According to the lore, they stash them underground somewhere. Not sure why but if that's true, they might still be alive."
Dean nodded, his eyes distant and Sam knew his brother was coming up with different plans. "And the only way to kill them?"
Sam turned back to his laptop. "Fire."
"Yes and no."
In sync with Dean, Sam looked over his shoulder at Angie. "What do you mean?"
She looked up from her notebook. "Light up the mother changeling and the kids die almost instantly."
Dean's eyes darted between Sam, Angie, and the road. "There's a mother changeling?"
Sam's eyes were wide as he started typing on his computer but Angie's voice stopped him. "Why do you think they stash the kids?"
Sam paused, looking over at Dean. "The mother changeling feeds off the kids while the changeling children feed off the adults."
"Yahtzee," chimed Angie from the backseat.
"You wouldn't happen to be willing to let us know who the mother changeling is, would you Angie?" Dean was smirking at Angie through his rear view mirror and Sam smiled at Angie's answering raised eyebrow.
"Willing but not able."
That piqued Sam's interest. He turned in his seat so he was facing Angie. "Does this have anything to do with Fate?"
Angie's mouth turned into a thoughtful frown. "Kinda. I don't wanna push my luck. I will say that the guy killed by his power saw was the only "accident" to make the papers. And that you should pay attention when you visit the homes of the accidents."
Sam nodded, turning to Dean who was giving him a pointed glance over his shoulder. He tilted his head slightly, barest hint of a frown pulling at his lips. Now that the topic of Fate had come up Dean wanted him tell Angie about Ash. He didn't want to but at some point she would find out so the question was when to tell her.
"You two done arguing?"
Sam blinked, turning to Angie who was watching them intently with another raised eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"You two are talking to each other, well arguing actually. Dean wanted you to say something to me while you didn't want to but then you looked thoughtful like you should but not sure how."
Sam hide his surprise well, glancing at Dean who was also surprised, shifting his eyes between the road and him. Now Sam had no choice. Looking for reassurance the younger Winchester got it in the form of a nod from Dean. He took in a deep breath. He did not want to have this conversation. "Listen Angie…"
"Ash is dead, isn't he?"
The silence in the Impala lasted for a few seconds before Sam gave a morose nod. "Yeah."
Sam glanced at Dean, his brother sharing a concerned look before watching Angie in the rear view mirror. Sam followed his example, eyes on their friend in the backseat. She was looking out the window, her hands tense and folded on her lap.
"When you brought up Fate, Dean's shoulders tensed a little and his hands gripped the steering wheel too much."
Sam was slightly surprised to hear that Angie found one of the very few tails that Dean had. He put that aside, instead focusing on Angie.
"I'm sure you've figured out why Ash is dead. Right?" Angie turned away from the window, her eyes darting from Sam to Dean.
His brother looked at him before turning his eyes to the road. "Ash was suppose to have died in that fire at the Roadhouse. Fate was simply fixing that."
Angie nodded at his words. "I thought about that when I went home. Can you tell me how he died?"
Sam shifted in his seat, not sure how to tell her. Angie had been happy to see Ash, happy she prevented his death. But it was all for not. Before he could say anything, it was taken away from him.
"The night the gate opened," started Dean. "After you left, we headed back to the church to grab Ash and get out of there but… when we got close enough, we could smell it. Feel it. The burning wood and heat."
"That bitch."
The words were said with such a growl that it surprised Sam. Angie didn't seem the type to get upset but the way she spoke told Sam that was not the case. Angie was looking out the window again, her hands clenched tightly together and Sam could see the faint shine in the corner of her eye, signaling a tear. He looked away, giving her privacy.
It was quiet in the Impala for a few minutes, the only sounds being the engine and Dean's music playing softly with the occasional sniffling from the backseat. It took another couple minutes before words were spoken.
"How long till we get to Cicero?"
Sam glanced at Angie who was quietly putting her notebook away, cheeks wiped clean of tear tracks. "Should be a couple more hours."
Angie nodded, putting her bag on the floor while moving to the center and peeling off her jacket. "I'm gonna take a quick nap. Wake me when we get there?"
"Yeah, no problem."
Sam's eyes widened when catching sight of the filled holster on Angie's right hip. From the looks of it, it was a simple nine millimeter, slate silver and flat black. Smith and Wesson. Seeing Angie bunch up her jacket into a pillow and place it on the far edge of the backseat had Sam easing his own off but Dean already had his arm over the front seat, his leather jacket an offering. He hadn't even heard his brother take it off.
Dean didn't say anything, just let his arm hang off the seat. It was a only a couple seconds before the jacket was grabbed. A faint "Thanks" from the backseat floated to the front of the car.
Sam went back to looking out the windows, the faint sounds of Angie getting comfortable rustled behind him. It was a few seconds later that Sam glanced over his shoulder to see Angie bundled up, eyes closed with dark brown spirals of hair covering her face and blending into the dark color of Dean's jacket.
Looking over at his brother in the driver's seat, Dean's face was calm as he drove, one of his fingers tapping out a matching rhythm with whatever song was softly playing. Sam knew his stare would get Dean's attention and it was only milliseconds after he thought this that his older brother glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, silently asking him what he was looking at. Sam's answer was a slight curling of his lips and a minuscule shake of his head. Sam turned back to the window, watching the scenery fly by.
~~~SPN~~~
Dean did another quick glance in his mirror, spying Angie twitching in her sleep, hair getting gradually wilder as she shifted. Overall her rest was peaceful so he returned his eyes to the road, pausing only to check on his brother in the passenger. Sam was quiet but in a comfortable sense, laptop open and eyes flickering across the screen. Ah, the little nerd. Pleased that his passengers were well Dean looked back out the windshield, thumb tapping out another rhythm as a new song started.
Dean had certainly not been expecting to see Angie suddenly show up in the backseat of Baby this morning. He could admit that he'd swerved and braked in surprise, only to become concerned when Angie let out a small yelp, no doubt from his driving as she thumped against the front seat when falling off her perch.
He'd been rendered speechless for a moment when he peered over the front seat, catching sight of the wide smile and bright eyes as she said hello. He'd then proceed to ask what she was doing here. She'd rolled her eyes good-naturedly at his question and answered in an obvious tone.
"To help, of course." She'd popped open the back door and made her way to the front passenger, smiling the whole time. He'd seen the slight budge on her hip indicated she was wearing a gun. He'd had a sharp retort on his lips that died. Instead he'd exited the car, grabbed her large duffle from the back, and stashed it in the trunk with Sammy and his bags. After that he'd gotten back in and drove to the diner, Angie smiling next to him.
During the drive to Cicero, Dean had felt two side of him at war.
Dean Winchester, son of Mary and John, didn't want Angie to come with. It was dangerous, she didn't have the training, he wouldn't be able to protect her. And what the hell was she doing with a gun strapped to her hip anyway? That thought pulled him up short. There were women hunters out there, some better then most men he'd met. Just look at Ellen and Jo. But he had no worries about them. At least not as much Angie. They had the training, she didn't.
Well, not quite. This was the hunter part of Dean speaking. Angie may not have hunter training but someone had trained her. This feral part of Dean recognized the look in her eyes when she'd faced off against Azazel. The way she'd squared her feet when pulling out his gun. Her grip steady as she squeezed the trigger multiple times.
He'd studied the damage on Gordon's face, the way he'd held his torso. Bruised or cracked ribs for sure. She'd given as much as she got. Until he'd pressed a blade against her skin. A flash of anger churned within him at the thought. Nonetheless, the hunter within Dean wanted Angie to come. She was an asset, an ally. She'd seen future events that would give Sammy and him an edge to their hunting.
Of course it was this skill that had him nervous.
When Sam had rattled off possible cases Dean knew his brother would notice his reaction to hearing about Cicero. He just didn't think Angie would notice. Or know why he'd flinched. At least he hoped she wouldn't know. He hadn't really thought about Lisa in several years, only looking back fondly. In a job like his, having a moment of contentment was rare. There was nothing wrong with that but it didn't help settle him.
He knew why his nerves were fraying the closer they got to their destination. He was bringing Angie, a woman they'd referred to as his girlfriend for the better part of a year, to the town where he had spent a weekend in another woman's apartment. It made him uneasy. He just hoped he could avoid her during the case.
He was also worried about what Angie saw the first time around. The cases that she'd been involved with had changed due to her influence but this case especially he was worried about. Thinking back, if Angie wasn't a part of their lives and if Sam had told him about those cases at the diner, Dean could see himself making some kind of excuse to drive through Cicero. She said she'd seen this play out before so he was worried about what she'd seen happen originally. What she'd seen him do.
He shook himself from those thoughts, catching sight of the welcome sign for the Indianan town in the distance. He didn't need to alert Sam as he'd seen the sign as well, putting away his laptop and starting to turn toward the backseat.
"Let's find a motel first."
Sam paused at Dean's words but nodded in agreement, facing forward again. Green eyes glanced into the mirror and Dean could see the slight twitch in Angie's eyebrow and he wondered how her visions worked.
Sam's had started in his sleep then transferred to waking hours, pinched eyes and growls of pain signaling their arrival. He wondered how Angie's worked. Maybe she was seeing them now. Did she only see the first version or was she getting revised ones as well now that she was involved?
Pulling into the Cicero Pines Motel's parking lot Dean gave it a cursory glance, checking the amount of cars and if there were any security cameras. Both elements were minimal but Dean felt it best to park away from the lone camera that sat at an angle on the manager's office. Last thing he wanted was Baby caught on film with Sam and Angie in view.
"I'll be back."
Sam nodded at his words, turning to wake Angie while Dean made quick work of the walk to the office. He was in and out in five minutes, room keys jingling in his jean pocket as he made his way back to the car.
"Nice nap?" Dean greeted the upright brunette as she gazed about the parking lot, hmming at his words. "We'll get settled and then start up the case."
Again it only took a few minutes before they were in the motel room, Sam completing the salt lines while Dean was taking out various weapons from one of the duffle bags.
Angie was poking around in her own bag, looking for something and Dean figured now would be a good time to ask. "What's with the gun Angie?"
She paused in her search, looking up at the brothers. "Well, I can't rely on you two all the time. At some point, something will happen where you won't be able to help or defend me. At least this way I'll have a back up plan."
Sam placed the salt canister on the bed. "You know regular rounds won't work, right?"
Angie went back to rummaging through her bag. "I know. Figured you two would be able to spare a few rounds. Besides, I've been shooting since I was thirteen, got a conceal carry permit and everything. I know how to handle a gun." She looked up at the two with a smile. "On that note, I brought presents."
Dean's eyebrows rose and he shared a look with Sam who just shrugged. Angie dug into her bag again before yanking it back out with a flourish, this time clutching something black.
She threw an item at Sam and Dean each, both brothers snapping it from the air. Dean's quick glance told him what it was. "A holster?"
Angie lifted a finger in clarification. "Not just any holster. They're called IWB holsters. They're used on the inside of your waist band. I wanted to get the standard hip holsters because really, how many FBI agents do you know tuck their gun in their pants but I figured you're use to doing it this way."
Dean turned the holster around in his hands, studying the brace that was attached to one side of the holster. It would be pressed up against his body to act as a barrier between himself and the gun, which would help with comfort and dispersing the weight of his gun across the entire holster. There were two clips that would latch onto his belt, keeping it in the place of his choosing. In a corner near one of the belt clips were the words 'ALIENGEAR HOLSTERS.'
Pulling out his colt from its hiding spot, he slid the firearm into the holster. He grinned at Angie. "Perfect fit."
"Thanks Angie." Sammy was smiling, tucking the concealed holster in the small of his back.
With a child-like grin Dean followed suit, maneuvering the brace against his skin and latching the clips onto his belt. The eldest hunter twisted and bent, getting a feel for the new hardware. It felt good. Once he had it placed where he wanted it, he added the gun. Oh yeah, he could fell the weight but it felt evened out now. At least this way if he was tossed around and landed on it, it would hurt as much. "Feels good, thanks Ang."
Angie gave a shy smile, her eyes bright, and Dean caught the barest hint of red on her cheeks. She seemed to notice her embarrassed state because she shook her head lightly and pulled out a notebook from her smaller bag. "Glad you liked your presents but let's deep-fry us a Momma monster, yeah?"
Dean nodded, settling on the other bed while Sam took a chair at the table near the kitchenette. "So you said there were other accidents that never made it to the newspaper?"
Angie was nodding, flipping through pages. "Yeah, people falling off ladders and drowning in Jacuzzis. Not sure which families exactly but I do know there's at least four." She paused on a page more than half way through the notebook. "There's one woman, Dana Keel, she knows that something's wrong with her daughter. She might need a talking to. She might even let us roast the changeling posing as her kid."
Dean nodded. They needed to track down these families and also find out where they were stashing the human kids. If anything they needed to get the kids out first and then go talk to the families, prove that the children they were living with weren't actually theirs.
Of course it would just be easier to kill the mother changeling. But that poses the problem of having the parents freak out thinking their children were taken if they suddenly disappeared. It'd be even worse if three strangers showed up at the house with their supposedly missing kid. Dean immediately dismissed that plan. Except for the frying the mother part.
They could round up the lost children, then gather the families with the changeling children in one location. Once they were together they could kill the mother changeling which, according to Angie, would prompt the others to combust. Granted they'd have to explain what happened but once that was done they could bring in their real children.
Actually they could somehow separate the adults from the changeling children, then somehow prove to the parents what was going on. Maybe have a large mirror covered with a blanket or something in the room that they could drop and show the true forms of the changeling kids. That would help them look less crazy then if they had tried to verbally explain everything. That plan didn't sound so bad. He'd keep that one in mind. But first.
"Alright, so Sam I say you go talk to Dana. If she already suspects something isn't right than it's more likely she'll tell us what other families had 'accidents.' I'll hit up a few stores for supplies to make ourselves some flamethrowers."
"What would you like me to do?"
Dean paused, looking over at Angie's slightly hopeful expression. Again the two sides to Dean were fighting. One side wanted to tell Angie to stay in the motel room, anywhere but to the home of a possible changeling or somehow coming across the mother changeling. Even worse, a small part of him didn't want her to leave the motel in the event she would end up coming face to face with Lisa.
The hunter part of him recognized that having Angie go with Sam would be beneficial. Sam could take of himself but having backup never hurt. Chances are Dean wouldn't be the one to encounter any changelings at the hardware store. It wouldn't hurt to have some kind of ace.
Dean glanced over at Sam who gave him a slight head tilt and shoulder shrug, meaning 'Sure, I got no problem with it.' He nodded back. "Well, having another female there could help Dana loosen up. You go with Sam while I'll whip us up some flamethrowers."
There was the slightest excited glint to Angie's eyes before she controlled it, nodding at him. Sam nudged him, quirking both an eyebrow and small smile before heading to his duffel bag. Dean smiled at Angie, remembering a quick conversation with his brother in the car earlier while Angie slept. "But first, there's something we gotta do."
Dean looked over at Sam, causing Angie to also look. Sam had a smile on his face as he waved a camera.
Angie's smile curled into a smirk.
~~~SPN~~~
Passing the sign announcing that the suburban development Sam was currently driving through was called Morning Hill, he kept his eyes open as he observed his environment.
Sam had been amused by Angie when taking her picture in the motel room. Considering she was committing a crime, she'd been far more excited by the prospect of having her own fake badge than anyone should be. Dean had made a joke about having her ID say something like Diana Prince or something with the last name Xavier.
However Angie had nipped that one fairly quickly, stating that it should have her first name so that them calling her Angie could be explained away but also a fairly common surname. She'd then proceeded to tell Dean and himself to stop the music or comic shout outs. It was only a matter of time before someone noticed federal agents named Stark and Banner, Aguilera and Spears, or Perry and Tyler. Once they noticed Dean's pattern, they could easily be tracked down.
It had made sense to Sam, though Dean had been a little put out, so he had made all three of them new FBI badges. Once again Angie had vaguely mentioned keeping track of the ID numbers and seals used since they sometimes change. Sam would have to look into that. For now Sam's new ID claimed him to be Special Agent Sam Davis while his brother was now Dean Wilson, who complained about the lack of creativity. The lone female of their group had strong Hispanic features from her mother's side so her badge had declared her Agent Angela Martinez.
As soon as they were done at Kinkos Sam had dropped the older hunter off at the hardware store before taking off with Angie to track down Dana Keel. She'd given him the suburban community where the young mother would be attending a birthday party with her changeling daughter. Angie suggested trying to talk to her after she left the party, that way she wouldn't be even more upset and cause someone to become suspicious.
So here he was noting the partially made houses and the completed homes with For Sale sign posted. Flashes of color caught his attention and Sam eased the Impala against the curb a house away, eyes trained on the balloons tied to the lamppost adorning the front lawn.
Sam glanced around before turning to Angie. "This the place?"
Angie leaned forward. "Yeah. Not sure when she shows up but she will." Her eyes narrowed slightly, the corners of her lips turning down as she glared at the home.
Sam noticed the change, shoulders tensing as he studied the cars and other houses for whatever had set off Angie's senses. "What's wrong?"
Angie frowned. "Not sure, something doesn't feel right. Whatever it is, it's fading away though."
Sam pursed his lips in thought. Maybe the changelings were near by, setting off her natural instincts or her psychic ability. Looking over at the house they were staking out Sam could hear the shrieks of children mid play, the roof of the castle bounce house that peeked over the fence thrashing around with movement, and the under tone of adults murmuring. It seemed like the whole neighborhood was attending, coming together to celebrate.
"It's kinda weird."
He took his eyes away from a father and young daughter knocking on the door to glance over at Angie. "What's weird?"
The brunette waved her hand at the house where a dark-haired woman was opening the door for the new guests. "Well, it looks like the whole community is here. I just think it's creepy."
Sam's eyebrows raised. "How? I think it's pretty normal. And nice."
Angie frowned. "Growing up we never really interacted with any of our neighbors. Mom and Dad had seen some things growing up and then there was Dad's military years so their distrust of people they didn't know really well was pretty strong. Because of that the only people we ever invited over for birthdays was the immediate family. And that was when I was little. Once me and my brothers hit our teens it was more private, just us and our parents giving presents and eating cake. These days we just go out to dinner and share a small cake with presents given every once in a while. Having this many strangers around freaks me out, especially for a child's birthday party. It's got all the makings of a Criminal Minds episode."
Sam furrowed his brows. "Criminal Minds?"
Angie glanced at Sam. "It's kinda like a cop show."
Sam smirked. "Dean hates those shows."
Angie nodded. "It's a bit different than the usual ones. It's centered on the FBI's Behavior Analysis Unit. They deal with violent crimes or the really coocoo people. They use psychology to figure out who the killer or killers are based on the nature of the crime scene or victims. They'll even figure out where the unsub lives based on certain locations like dump sights or where the crime scenes happened, making a geographical profile. I actually think you and Dean would do good at a job like that."
Sam chuckled. He wasn't sure about himself but he could see Dean as a cop or detective. The only problem would be the restrictions involved with a career like that. Sam was sure Dean would get frustrated with all the rules and procedures. In hunting, as soon as Dean figured out their monster he went after it. There wasn't any paperwork to fill out or warrants to wait on. Even worse was that in the time it took to file proper paperwork and get a warrant for an arrest someone else could be killed at the hands of the suspect. That was something Dean wouldn't be able to stand for.
He was broken out of his thoughts when Angie's hand clamped onto his forearm. Her eyes were narrowed and she was looked up and down the street.
"Angie?" Sam's hand twitched with the need to creep toward his gun.
"That weird feeling is back. It's less intense but getting closer." Angie's head than snapped around, looking behind them. "Get down."
Years of hunting had Sam following the command. Angie had fallen into the foot well, body tucked into the enclosed space while Sam was able to lay across a majority of the newly vacated bench seat. Mere seconds later, from his lowered position, Sam could see the roof of a red sedan pass by the Impala's window.
Slowly he eased upward allowing enough room for Angie to unfurl, stretching so that only her head crested the dashboard. Both of them watched as a young red-haired woman wearing a purple shirt paired with a maroon jacket and black pants exited from the driver's seat, a colorfully wrapped present tucked in her arms. She gave a quick cursory glance around the neighborhood before opening the back door to let out a young eight or nine year old girl wearing a pick cardigan. The girl had a blank expression on her face, definitely not the look of excitement a kid would have when going to a friend's birthday party.
Sam glanced at the brunette next to him. "How long before she leaves the party?
"Only a few minutes actually. She gets into a bit of an argument with her friend."
Dana was crouched down and speaking a few words to her pseudo daughter before standing and placing her hand on the girl's shoulder, guiding her toward the house. For the briefest second Sam saw wet hair and the flash of gray skin in the car window's reflection before the duo walked out of sight.
"Okay, we should be fine."
Sam popped open the door and met Angie as she rounded the hood. As one they started walking down the street, getting closer to the house. On the way to Kinkos they had discussed how to approach Dana and they'd agreed that Angie would be the one to talk to the mother. Angie had pointed out that she was less intimidating than Sam and being a woman would help Dana with her already fragile nerves. So at Angie's request Sam had made a couple of business cards to offer Dana that had the number of a burner cell that Angie would be using.
Reaching the front lawn the hunting duo watched as Dana appeared, tugging the changeling with her as she left the house. This close Sam could see how tired and paranoid the young woman was. Falling back a step he let Angie call out.
"Excuse me, are you Dana Keel or know her?"
Dana paused, head snapping up to them and Sam offered a reassuring smile to help ease her. He gave a quick glance at the changeling and he was surprised by what he saw. The creature-in-disguise was frozen, its eyes wide as it stared at Angie, ignoring him completely as they got closer.
"I'm Dana Keel."
"Ms. Keel, I'm Dr. Martinez and this is my associate…"
Sam came back to himself, again offering a soft smile and nod to Dana, reaching his hand out after Angie had retracted her own greeting palm. "Dr. Davis, ma'am."
Angie nodded, waiting until Dana let go of Sam before continuing their cover story. "We're trauma counselors from Child Services. The hospital called us in to offer you our help for yourself and your daughter."
At this Angie looked down at the changeling. Again Sam watched with curiosity as it flinched and shuffled back from Angie's stare, trying to hide behind Dana.
Dana nodded, patting the child on the head with some hesitancy. She knew. Sam wasn't sure how but Dana knew there was definitely something wrong.
"That's very nice of you. Um, I'll think about setting up an appointment."
Angie nodded. "Of course, let me give you my card." Angie reached into the pocket of the black blazer she'd picked up at the small department store down the street from Kinkos. "Call or text anytime Ms. Keel."
Sam watched as, when Dana tried to take the card, Angie tightened her hold causing the red-haired woman to pause as she looked up at Angie.
The brunette just smiled and kept eye contact, keeping her grip on the card as she said, "We're here to help you take care of your…daughter. We'll make sure you get your little girl back, Ms. Keel."
Dana inhaled sharply as Angie's carefully chosen words, her eyes wide as she looked up at Sam. Again he gave her a nod. Angie let go of the card, her sights turning to the changeling at Dana's side. Sam was fairly certain he saw a touch of fear pass in the changeling's eyes.
Dana looked down at the changeling tucked into her side and Sam could see her urge to pull away but the creature was clutching a fistful of her jacket. "Can you really get my daughter back?"
Sam looked over at Angie who raised her eyebrows. He'd have to make the decision. Considering the changeling had to know what was going on by now Sam wasn't comfortable leaving Dana alone with it. "Why don't we go somewhere to talk? There's lot to discuss."
Dana nodded, her movements slightly shaky. She pushed the changeling toward the car parked at the curb. Dana had reached over to open the backseat door when she hissed in surprise and flinched away from the creature, clutching onto Sam's arm for safety.
Sickly gray skin with limp wet hair, slits for nostrils, empty eyes, and a lamprey-like mouth with rows of sharp teeth stared back at Sam for a second before the changeling turned away from the window to warily glance at the three adults. Again Sam noticed the way it kept Angie in its line of sight. Next to him Dana was breathing quickly, close to hyperventilating. He needed to get her to calm down. Quickly he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Ms. Keel, why don't I tell you about the process to bringing your daughter back?" Sam caught Angie's eye and he tilted his head to the changeling. She gave a curt nod of understanding while he pulled Dana away a few feet. He could see how the changeling went to follow but Angie laid a hand on its shoulder, keeping it rooted to the sidewalk. This time the young monster was obvious in its display of fear as it looked up at Angie. Sam could nearly see it tremble.
"Wh-what is that thing?! Tha-that's not my daughter! That-" Dana was gripping Sam's jacket, her eyes wild and quickly filling with tears as she whispered to Sam.
Giving her a slight shake of the shoulders Sam made sure the young mother was looking at him when he spoke, "We know that's not your daughter. We know. We're here to help. We will find your daughter, your real daughter. We'll explain everything but for now you need to remain calm. That creature can be very dangerous and if figures out what's going on it could lash out. So for now try to be as calm as possible, okay?"
Dana had stilled when Sam had started talking but now she was nodding her head in jerky movements, a single tear tracing over her cheek. Taking deep breaths she wiped the salty droplet away, "What do you need me to do?"
Sam looked up to check on Angie who still had a hand on the changeling's shoulder but she was looking at the house, that same expression on her face. She was sensing something again. They needed to go somewhere private lest the other changelings or even the mother saw them. "Is there anyone at your house?"
Dana shook her head. "No, its just me and my…daughter."
Sam nodded. "We'll go there to talk more. Can you give me your address?" Taking out his phone Sam sent Dean a text about where they were going and what was likely to happen at Dana's house.
Walking back to the car Sam gave the red-haired woman a nod of encouragement. Angie raised her eyebrow at him and he gave a conspiring smile. "Dana just invited us over for a light lunch at her house."
Angie's face lit up at the mention of food. Sam wasn't sure if she really was looking forward to the prospect of lunch or if she was acting "That's so nice of you. Dr. Davis, can you grab my bag from the car? I think I'll ride with the rest of girls. If that's alright with you, Ms. Keel?"
"Yes." Dana's response was quick and she gave a nervous smile to Angie. "I have no problem with it."
Angie nodded at Sam and he was quick to grab the pale green medic bag that she had been carrying around with her from the Impala. Reaching his partner Angie smiled as she grabbed the bag.
"Let's get you settled Katie." Angie opened the back door and with some coaxing, maneuvered the changeling into the backseat. Again Sam noticed the way it flinched away from the brunette when she buckled it in. Angie shut the door and smiled at Dana. "If it's alright with you, I'll take the back seat."
Dana seemed to relax a bit at that. No doubt she had been worried about having the changeling sitting right behind her. Having Angie in the back would help make sure it didn't do anything to Dana, especially since Sam was pretty positive it was terrified of Angie.
Dana turned her scared eyes to Sam. Quickly he gripped her shoulders in comfort. "It'll be fine. Angie will make sure you're safe."
Dana nodded, taking another deep breath as she slipped into the driver's seat. Bending down Sam checked on the changeling and again he studied the way it was pressed up against the door, gripping the seat belt, its gaze locked on the psychic sitting only a couple feet away. Catching Angie's eyes Sam nodded to her. The brunette smiled back at him, her hand stuffed into her bag. He wondered if she was clutching the mysterious silver weapon.
Jogging back to the Impala, he turned over the engine and pulled away from the curb into the street, following behind the red sedan.
~~~SPN~~~
My grip on the angel blade never let up as Dana drove us the few blocks to her house. I wasn't stupid. The changeling next to me was freaked out. Absolutely terrified of me. That was fine. Hopefully it wouldn't do anything reckless. Hell, I wasn't even sure the blade would work on it. Doesn't mean I would let it get away with anything.
Looking over my shoulder out the back window I nodded at Sam who lifted a couple fingers from the steering wheel in a wave-like gesture as he drove behind us. By now Dean had to have finished shopping and I was wondering on how he'd be joining us. Either taxi or Sam would go get him. Chances are Sam would want to stay with the group and Dean would catch a ride. Glancing at the young changeling with its wide human eyes and death-grip on the seat belt, I was fairly certain I could cow and guard it for the ten minutes it would take Sam to go get Dean.
"We're here."
Dana was looking at me over the front seat, her eyes refusing to wonder to the creature next to me.
I smiled. "Thank you." Reaching the cushions I released both myself and the changeling from the seat belts, making sure to grab the elbow of its human form and tug it out my side of the car.
Sam was just pulling up to the curb when I turned to Dana. "Why don't you go ahead inside. I'll be joining you in just a second." The woman gave a jerky nod, her arms wrapped around herself as she escaped the changeling's presence.
The scrap of shoe on sidewalk alerted me to Sam walking up the driveway, his eyes watching Dana scurry into the house. "How'd the drive go?"
I shrugged. "Not too bad. Dean done yet?"
"Yeah, he's gonna finish at the store then head over to the hotel and grab our stuff."
I nodded. "With the right words we can probably crash here. You gonna go get him?"
"No, he said he'd take a cab."
I waved away his words. "Just go get him. We should be fine."
He raised an eyebrow. "Angie, I can't leave you alone. Dean would kill me. I'll stay."
I pushed him away with my free arm. "Just go. It'll be less suspicious without having to carry around a bag full of weapons. Just leave Dean to me. Plus, Katie's in good hands, right Katie?" I looped an arm around the changeling as it flinched at my touch, its shoulders bunching up in an effort to look smaller and defenseless. I smiled at Sam.
Of course he didn't look entirely convinced but finally he nodded, concern furrowing his eyebrow. "You sure?"
I waved another hand at him. "Sam, go."
He shuffled his feet for a second, conflicted about leaving me no doubt. "It'll only take about ten minutes, fifteen at the most."
I glared playfully, one eyebrow raised. Finally he admitted defeat, walking back to the Impala while rambling about calling him or Dean if I needed them for anything. I waved at him when he drove off, pulling Fish Face with me toward the house.
"Dana!" I called out, closing the door behind me. "My associate actually went to get another associate of ours to help…"
I froze in the entrance to the living room, my grip a little tighter on the equally frozen changeling. Except I was frozen in surprise, not time. She rose from her spot on the couch next to the suspended Dana, her sharp pale blue eyes on my form as she stepped closer and pushed her glasses back onto the bridge of her nose.
"Hello Angela."
You guys know who this person is? Guesses? Now I don't usually like to split up a chapter but if I didn't I felt this episode redo would have taken forever otherwise. So let me know what you guys think!