We're Family
"Dean?!" Sammy called, worry present in his voice. Dean looked up from what he had been staring at and turned ever so slightly to reveal the blood soaked bodies of all three angels. The angels lay in a naked heap in their own blood. They were no longer the cute little angels the hunters had taken care of now however. Each angel was back to being their original full grown selves. That wasn't the reason for the shock running through each hunter at the very second though. No, the shock was from something 100% worse. There laying in a bath of their own icy red blood and lifeless eyes open were the three breathless, cold corpses of their angels;
never to hold life again.
Continued now...
Sam and Bobby finally busted out of their chains, no thanks to Dean. They ran over to where the once baby angels now lay. Dean raised his tear filled eyes to Sammy, shaking his head.
"They….they're gone," Dean croaked, hands shaking as they held each angel's limp hand. Sammy's fingers found their way to Gabriel's neck and Bobby did the same to Balthazar, but the results were the same.
"No…" Sam whispered, tears flooding his own as he let his head drop down between Balthazar and Gabriel's heads while lacing his fingers through the hand Castiel had that was not in Dean's. Bobby simply stood, tossing his hat at the wall and swearing up a storm. Dean's tear filled eyes skimmed over the both of them and then trailed down to the now cold grey eyes of Castiel's. Blood was stained under his eyes and around his mouth from the spell, but Dean could also see the traces of salty tears under the angel's eyes. Dean felt his lip quiver as he thought about his promises. He had promised to protect them and he had promised never to leave them alone, but in the end they were. Those little angels were alone in the woods and alone when the demons killed them. A choked sob broke from Dean's lips. The image of the three angels huddled together in fear all by themselves in that dark scary woods made him utterly sick. 'She didn't get to live long or raise her kids, but you're doing that now for her. You're taking care of Sammy, me, Balthy, Gabby, and even Custos just like she would to you and Sammy,' Castiel's voice cooed in his mind. Dean's eyes widened in pain as he literally felt his heart shatter to pieces.
"I…I'm so sorry," Dean whispered, dropping his head down onto Castiel's naked chest and letting the tears fall fully. It was his mother all over again. He was never going to see Castiel's blue eyes again or cheer the angel up when his coat got lost or dirty. Never again would he chase after Gabe and scold him for blasting everything with his powers. Not once will he get the chance to attempt finding a new hiding place for Bobby's alcohol after Balthazar chugs a bottle or twol.
It was all over.
"Dw…Dean?" a raspy gasp croaked. Dean's head snapped up with Sam's and Bobby's and they looked down to see Cas' dead grey eyes suddenly turn blue with life and the majority of his wounds close as he took in a ragged breath. Two more gasps for breath echoed from the other two angels laying in the dirt. Balthazar and Gabriel gingerly sat up, weary and confused. Dean let out a happy sob enveloping all three angels in a tight hug.
"I'm sorry…I…I'm so, so sorry," Dean cried, clutching the angels tighter. The three brothers held him back, not saying a word and allowing the hunter to let it all out.
Dean draped Castiel's trench coat over the shivering angel now fully grown and clothes-less with a slowly healing hellhound puppy whimpering in his lap. If he had been standing in front of three naked angels a couple months ago he would be blushing and looking in every other direction, but now that was a different story after giving the three baths and dressing them. Plus, the angels were dead only minutes ago. The wings were gone from the angels' backs and their Grace were already healing their injured body. According to Balthazar their wings were healing as well.
"So what do you guys think happened?" Sam asked as he gave up his own coat to drape around Gabriel. Gabe looked up wearily at his brothers like he was asking them as well.
"We believe that the spell those creeps had chanted snapped the link keeping us infants after we 'died'. That's why after our bodies transformed to their correct age that our full grown graces came back and brought back our lives as well. I doubt we will remain in these forms for long however," Gabriel sighed, closing his eyes tiredly.
"I agree," Castiel joined in. "I can already feel my Grace slowly receding. The spell only shattered the witches curse momentarily because of our deaths. Now that we are living we should be expecting to become fledglings again soon," Dean ran a hand through his hair, glancing around the cavern.
"Better get out of here then," Dean decided. "If Crowley knows about you three we can't afford you guys going super baby right when he shows." The angels nodded in agreement.
"Where shall we go?" Balthazar questioned.
"Charlie's," the hunters all said at once. The angel's nodded, each reaching up and touching a hunter's forehead. There was a flutter of wings and before they knew it they were standing in Charlie's newest apartment. The redhead let out a yelp as three men, a hellhound, and three nude angels suddenly appeared in her kitchen.
"What the hell, Bitches?!" gasped Charlie, looking over the weary and bloody angels.
"Hello, Charlie," the angels murmured before sinking to the ground, powers draining them greatly. Charlie's eyes found their way to Dean's and one question popped out of her mouth.
"Clothes?"
After an hour of helping the angels get cleaned up and dressing them into some clothes Dean managed to steal from the laundry mat in the apartment the angels were now staring at the three hunters uncomfortably. Dean always wondered what their relationships would be like once everything went back to normal. He knew it wasn't going to be like it used to, but he had hoped that maybe it wouldn't be the six of them sitting around blushing and acting like they had walked in on each other during sex.
"You guys are starting to freak me out with this freaky staring and blushing shit," Charlie finally stated, immerging with waffles. All three angels stared longingly at the waffles Charlie was now stacking up for everyone. "Want some, Angels?" Charlie questioned, holding out a plate. All three looked like they wanted to, but each shook their head no.
"We have no need for food and an angel's taste can be…overpowering," Castiel explained. Charlie nodded, setting down the plate and taking a seat between Gabriel and Sam. Gabriel flicked his fingers, making a sucker appear in his mouth. Balthazar did the same, earning a glass of whiskey instead and Castiel simply snapped his fingers together to completely clean his trench coat. The angels smiled slightly, glad to have their powers back, even if it was only for a short time.
"So do you boys have any thoughts on how to keep you guys like this?" Bobby questioned, waving a hand at all three angels. The angels glanced over themselves before meeting each other's eyes again.
"Find the witch," Balthazar muttered. Dean rolled his eyes at him.
"Anything else?" Dean asked.
"Since we have our powers we can probably do a kind of curse tracking spell," Balthazar added. Charlie frowned, leaning against the table as she listened.
"A what?" she asked.
"We can do a spell to track down the user of curse emanating from us. It won't tell us where she is, but it will make it possible for us to feel when the owner of the curse is near," Castiel explained.
"Will this work when you guys go into baby mode?" Bobby asked. Castiel nodded.
"Yes, we believe so, but we need to be careful," Castiel stated, eyeing each of his brothers. "If her spell wasn't completely cut off because of the spell the demons used on us she is extremely powerful." Dean didn't like the sound of that at all.
"We better get started then-"
"No way, Angels!" Charlie piped up, slamming her hand against the table. The angels frowned at her. Charlie took her hand off the table, taking in a deep breath to calm herself. "You three apparently died. Finding that witch can wait till tomorrow. Right now you three need to rest and relax."
"Charlie, Sweetheart, we're angels. We-"
"Stronger than you look? Yeah, you three totally looked it when you crumpled to the floor after zapping here," Charlie interrupted Balthazar, giving him a stern glare. Balthazar shut up and Charlie glanced at the other angels, waiting for them to try and argue, but they simply sat back and kept their mouths shut. A triumphant look crossed her face then. "Good," she sighed, getting up from her chair and walking out of the room to check on the resting hellhound. As soon as she was gone the uncomfortable tension returned to the room. Dean scratched the back of his head, trying to think of some way to change the subject.
"So now that we're older at the moment…"Balthazar hummed, staring at his drink. "I'm placing my first order of business that you three stop hiding the damn booze!" snapped Balthazar after giving each hunter a look. Bobby rolled his eyes at the angel, leaning forward and snatching the glass of whisky from the grown angel. "HEY!" Balthazar shouted, trying to snatch it back, but Bobby held it away from Balthazar's hands.
"I'm not going to be the one rubbing your back in a few hours or whatever when you're a toddler throwing up this shit," Bobby stated, slurping down the angel's glass of whiskey himself. Balthazar crossed his arms, pouting slightly and Dean could practically see the baby angel in him again. Mentally and emotionally the angels don't seem to grow at all.
"Dean?" Dean frowned in confusion at the correct pronunciation of his name. That was going to take him forever to get used to again, but there was a small part of him that really didn't want to get used to it. He wanted to hear cheery little voices mispronouncing his name. He wanted to wake up to several wings hanging over his face as the baby angels slept in his bed. "Dean." Dean popped his head up to meet Castiel's deep blue eyes and Dean greeted them with a smile, forcing back his thoughts.
"What's up, Cas?" Dean asked. Cas nodded towards the other room and Dean nodded, getting what the angel was trying to say. Both he and Cas got out of their seats and walked into the small sitting room.
"Are you alright?" Castiel asked as soon as they were out of earshot from the others. Dean opened his mouth, but Cas gave him a stern look and the hunter snapped his mouth shut, looked deeply into the blue eyes. As he stared a picture flashed in front of him of grey lifeless eyes and a sharp gasp erupted from his lips. This caught Castiel's attention and before he knew it the angel was at his side, hesitantly holding out a hand, not sure what to do to help. Dean took in a breath, pushing Castiel's hand back and looking to the floor.
"Cas, I'm sorry."
"What for, Dean?" Castiel questioned, doing that stupid little head tilt again. Dean swallowed thickly, brushing a hand through his hair and breathing deeply.
"I broke my promise, Cas. I left you and your brothers alone. I didn't protect you," Dean said, forcibly pushing the words from his mouth. Cas' face softened, but he didn't say anything, just waited for Dean to finish. "I…you three died right in front of me. You guys screamed and cried but…" Dean swallowed as his voice began to tremble. "But I wasn't there and now all I can think of is your dead eyes and those silver, black, and gold baby wings. I feel fucking sick, Cas!" The tears were streaming and Dean could hear the talking in the other room halt at Dean's shout traveled to the other rooms of the house. "I let you three down! I let mum…I let everyone down."
"Says who?" Gabriel snapped from the doorway. Dean turned his head to see Cas' older brothers leaning on either side of the doorway with their arms crossed. "Look at your fucking wrists, Dean-o!" Dean glanced at his wrists. They were covered in thick bandages and some blood had speckled through the white fabric.
"You pulled so hard on the chains to snap them that you practically slit your wrists down to the bone!" Balthazar shot. "Don't you dare tell us that you are sorry or blame yourself when you tried so hard to rescue us in the end." Dean shook his head.
"You died-"
"So?! Sorry to break it to ya, Dean-o, but we're Winchesters now," Gabriel stated, a smile cracking across his face.
"It's going to take a lot more than a bunch of demons with some petty spell to stop us," Balthazar chimed in. A warm hand gently squeezed Dean's shoulder and the hunter turned his head slightly to look at Cas.
"Dean, you more than anybody I have ever met has taught me about the meaning of family. And if I… If we…" Cas waved a hand at himself and his brothers. "…had to choose our family it would be yours. Broken, cursed…we don't care. We're family. I'll stick with my brothers any day. All five of them," Cas said before pulling Dean into an embrace. After him followed Balthazar and then Gabriel until Dean was being held by all three of them.
"Looks like our Christmas card pictures are going to have three extra members," Bobby chuckled as he and Sam walked into the sitting room and plopped onto the couch with bellies full of waffles. "I'm adopting more sons than I anticipated."
"Yeah, but you love it," Sam said with a smirk before turning the TV on and flipped the channels. Dean swiped a hand over his eyes as the angels slowly pulled away and took a seat on Charlie's huge couch. Dean let his eyes swipe over his messed up family before sitting down next to the angels. Dean leaned back and wasn't surprised when the three leaned on him. Balthazar stretched over his legs while Castiel and Gabriel leaned on a shoulder. It was just like old times. Well, except now the angels were several times their baby size.
YAP!
Dean let out a gasp as Custos bounded into the room and jumped onto Balthazar, adding extra weight to Dean's already numbing legs.
"Custos!" the angel's squealed, petting the puppy contently. The hound yapped at them, licking their hands and faces. His super healing must have finally kicked in since all his innards were back to their correct places and his bones weren't sticking out from the muscle and skin.
"Hey, Bitches, thanks for stealing my furniture," Charlie grumbled as she came into the room shortly after Custos. "What we watching?"
"There's our little sister," Sam teased. Charlie flashed a grin at him before plopping down on his lap and stealing back the remote.
"Yep, that's me! In other words I get the remote due to the basic rule 'ladies first'," Charlie announced, sticking her tongue out at Sammy before flipping to HBO.
"Do you guys watch anything other than this?" Kevin asked as he walked into the sitting room and waved at the television currently playing Game of Thrones season 3.
"Kevin!" everyone except Charlie shouted as the kid announced himself.
"Since when did you get here?" Sam asked. Kevin nodded at the spare bedroom down the hall.
"Charlie and I are sharing the apartment since it's so expensive and we both need a place to crash," Kevin explained, plopping down on the Star Wars designed bean bag sitting on the floor. "When she called telling me that you guys popped in with three grown up angels I finished grabbing the groceries and hightailed it over." A chuckle rumbled from Dean's throat.
"Better add one more brother and a little sister to your list guys," he chuckled, glancing at the angels.
"Sounds good to us," the angels said in unison. Dean smirked again, glancing around the room and taking in the dream like scene. It was almost unbelievable to see them all together happy and laughing. Dean liked it. In fact, he didn't want it to end
Don't worry. They'll only be in their full grown bodies for a temporary time. Maybe 2 or 3 chapters tops before going back to their cute wee selves. The first two or three people to give a request for a chapter with the angels now being somewhat back to normal I will write. I would try to write more, but the title is The Wee Angels so best to stick to that. The requests that I don't choose I will still write, but they will be with the baby angels instead. Thanks for reading and happy Valentines Day!