Protecting Angels
'Andy' stood behind the counter in the deli and ice cream section. Andy wasn't his real name of course. What idiot under his line of work uses his really name in the first place? He lifted his head as the sound of giggling children tempted his eardrums. A smile curved over his face, watching as a little girl skipped down an aisle. Her golden curls bounced the entire time. This was why Andy loved his job so much. He got to see beautiful children all the time. He'd always make sure to give them a treat when they came his way. He had his favorites of course. There was Monika. She was a cute little redhead, dimples, green eyes, and a spray of freckles decorating her smooth arms. She went missing November 3rd last year and died two days after at 3:10pm. Her parents are still searching for her. Signs with her cute little face are plastered everywhere. Dillan was another favorite. The boy had a cute button nose, blue eyes and smoky brown hair. He went missing two years ago, dying at 8:27am. Andy chuckled at the lovely image of the two. Children are such delicate creations. Unlike teens and adults, their skin is flawless and their eyes are the brightest of colors. Letting beautiful children like Monika and Dillan grow up to become hideous zit covered creatures is a sin. That's where Andy's job comes in though. He keeps them beautiful forever. Like freshly polished stones some would say.
"Hi, Andy!" called three heavenly voices. Andy's eyes found their way to thee perfect angels. One of the angelic boys had scruffy brown hair and vibrant blue eyes that one only god could have created out of the purest of starlight. The second was a blond angel with smooth rosy cheeks and the very last practically radiated energy. Yes, they were masterpieces waiting to be frozen in time like their predecessors. He had met them a month ago. In that small moment they met he began the process. He gave them free ice cream and made them laugh. He was soon on first name basis with them. Today was the day though. It was the day he added to his collection.
"Don't rob the guy of all his ice cream," the children's older brother Dean said as Sam and the creepy uncle began looking at the meat section. Andy forced a smile.
"It's no trouble, Mr. Winchester," Andy reassured him. The man didn't pay any mind to him, which Andy was pleased for. That just meant he could hurry up and get to business. Andy turned his gaze to the boys standing by his feet and smiled widely at them. "How are you boys?" he asked sweetly. Balthy and the smallest Castiel told him about their trip to the park the other day and the puppy they found. Apparently their uncle and Sam weren't so keen on keeping it until the boys showed them all the neat tricks they taught the puppy. Gabriel grew bored with the conversation about Bobby's reaction to the puppy and went over to Sam, who lifted the angel onto his large shoulders so the angel could have a good view of the deli selection. Andy held back a curse. Oh, well. Two was better than none at all. He could complete his collection later anyway.
"Where's the ice creams?" Castiel asked suddenly. Andy glanced down at the empty buckets, hiding his smile. Oh, it was all just too easy.
"OH! Silly me, I forgot it in the ice truck. Would you two strong boys come help me carry those heavy buckets in here? I'll throw in an extra scoop!" Andy tempted them. The boy's looked at each other excitedly scurrying towards the back door. Andy followed the boys, making sure the others had not noticed their absence just yet and followed them out towards the ice truck.
"I don't see any ice cream," Balthazar said in puzzlement when he and his brother climbed into the back of the truck.
"Maybe its behinds these sheets?" Cas, decided, pointing at two objects covered with white sheets and grabbing at the cloth. Balthazar grabbed the sheet too and together they pulled the sheet away. Their eyes widened at the sight In front of them. A girl no older than Castiel stood with a smile on her face. Balthazar touched her hand and pulled back, brows furrowed.
"She's stone!" Balthazar shouted. Castiel stumbled away from the girl, clutching at his brother.
"Andy, whys she stone?" Andy didn't answer. The man simply closed the doors behind him and approached the boys with a mad grin on his lips. "Andy?" Castiel tried again, watching every movement of the man in front of them.
"Beautiful isn't she? Her body is covered by a clear cement I polish to look like a perfect pearl," he told them. "Would you like to stay little forever too?" He didn't give them a chance to answer. Without a second to lose, he lunged at the angels, pinning them so they couldn't get away.
"Dwean!" Castiel screamed. "Dwean!" Andy slapped the boy, careful so not to leave a mark that would ruin his perfect masterpiece. "Dwean!" Castiel called, biting Andy and shrinking away from him. Balthazar stepped protectively in front of his brother once Andy's had dropped them from the bite and snarled.
"Stay. Away. From. Him," spat the middle angel. Andy smirked, hand darting out at the speed of lightning with a needle filled with a sleeping drug.
Smack!
The needle clattered to the ground and Andy stared wide eyed at the scene in front of him. Standing in front of the brothers was Gabriel. The only difference was that now golden wings stuck out from his back. Andy couldn't hold back the excited giggle building up inside him. Oh, this was going to be perfect for his newest collections!
"Leave them alone," Gabriel hissed. Andy didn't listen. He only continued cackling before lunging towards the needle again. Gabriel swooped towards the needle, beating his huge wings against Andy's frail body. They looked soft, but in reality the edges of the feathers were as sharp as razor blades. Andy cried out as he felt the feathers slice through his clothes and into his skin. Without thinking he swiped at the angel and sent him crashing into the floor. Cas and Balthazar scurried to their brother's side, trying to help him up and drag him towards the door, but Andy grabbed Balthazar's wrist. The angel screamed and kicked as Andy held him. Cas jumped away from Gabe and sunk his tiny teeth into Andy's leg. A cry left the mad man's lips and he shook his leg in attempt to free himself of the boy's grip.
"Get him Cassie!" Balthazar shouted, swinging around in Andy's grip in attempt to reach his attackers face. Finally, Andy shook the angel off and grabbed him by the throat, squeezing just enough to cut off air and still not leave a bruise on the fair skin.
"D…Dwean," Cas, choked. Andy smiled adjusting his other hand so he could squeeze Balthazar's as well. Gabriel picked his shaking body off the ground and attacked Andy again with his almost full grown wings. Andy's grip loosened slightly on the baby angels only enough to allow them to scream.
Dean, Sam, and Bobby burst through the truck doors, gun's raised at Andy after hearing the screams. Andy turned, glaring at them hatefully. Sam's eyes scanned the statues sitting in the truck and his face turned green. Andy gritted his teeth. Who could hate such art? This was beauty in its finest and he-
"AH!" Gabe stabbed him once again with his wings and this time Andy did let go of the angels. Cas and Balthazar rolled onto the ground, gasping for breath and shaking while they watched their older brother protect them.
Grrrrr! Everyone turned in time to see a puppy with glowing red eyes and black fur. The leash that had been keeping him tied down at home was snapped and dragging by his giant paws.
"Custos!" Castiel cried, a smile spreading across his face. The puppy looked him over growling at the faint bruises slowly appearing on his skin. Andy wasn't as careful as he believed. Andy frowned at the empty air everyone was staring at. For a moment he thought they were almost as crazy as he was, but that ended when he felt something slash across his chest. He fell backward as something heavy landed on top of him. Hot breath could be felt on his face, like something was breathing on him. Bobby took the distraction and bolted over, grabbing all three worn out angels and yanking them behind the two Winchesters with their guns ready. Custos glanced in their direction, waiting for an order to sink his fangs into this sicko's throat.
"Down," Dean, ordered in the enochian words Gabriel had taught everyone to use when ordering Custos. The dog gave him disappointed puppy eyes, but got off the man and pattered over to sit under Bobby's legs. Dean approached Andy, who was now struggling to get off the floor of the old truck.
"I'm sorry, dears, you won't be living forever," Andy whispered.
"You have no idea," Dean muttered, before slamming his gun against Andy's head and causing the madman's vision to go black. Dean turned around then towards the angels. Sam had already taken Gabriel from Bobby and was now cradling his bruised and bloody body. Dean stared at the angel's wings now glistening in thick red blood.
"It's not my blood. I'm just a bit bruised up," Gabe reassured the hunter. Dean let out a relieved sigh before taking Castiel from Bobby and checking the tiny angel over himself. The guy was more scared then hurt. Andy had been careful when handling the wee angels. The angels just didn't do the same back. "How's Balthy?" Sam questioned. Bobby gently rubbed the silver winged angel's back as Balthazar held onto Bobby's jacket with an iron grip.
"The idgit's fine," Bobby told the worried brothers, eyes turning to the stone children and Andy now laying in a bloody heap on the floor. Dean followed Bobby's gaze and grimaced. When Gabriel had bolted after hearing the screams they had thought Andy was a demon at first. He wasn't. Andy was a sick human being who stole children and turned them into fucking statues. Dean turned his gaze back to the quivering angels and a sick feeling washed over him. Demons weren't the only monsters out there they had to worry about. Humans were just as horrible sometimes.
"That'll teach them to mess with angels," Gabriel panted, smiling at his little brothers. Balthazar and Cas returned the smile. Custos whimpered slightly and Gabriel magiced up a dog treat for the puppy. "And kick-ass hellhound puppies," Gabriel added, making everyone in the room other than Andy laugh. Custos wagged his tail, barking happily and Castiel struggled out of Dean's arms and to his giant puppy, giving him a big hug.
"Now can we take him along when we leaves the house?" Cas asked, crawling up onto the dog's back and scratching Custos floppy ears. Bobby raised a brow.
"Course we are after that! You three find trouble everywhere. Balthazar grinned in Bobby's arms.
"There are four of us now," stated Balthazar, pointing at the dog. Custos barked happily again trotting out of the truck with Castiel on his back. Bobby and Sam followed with Balthazar and Gabriel in their arms. Dean followed them, taking one last glance in Andy's direction. Four little troublemakers. Well, serial killers and demons were going to have to try harder if they wanted to break up that team.
Thanks DragonsRme for the idea. It kind of turned out a bit creepier and darker than I had intended. That's what I get for watching Dexter while I write though. I got the children turned into stone idea from some movie I watched a while ago where the killer turned the kids into dolls somehow. Anyway, thanks for reading, reviewing, and all that jazz.