Calm Before the Storm
Summary: Our small group makes their way to the Men of Letters bunker and start to settle in, slowly making themselves at home while trying to prepare for what might be coming. Now that they know the truth about what's in their future, it's time to start gathering allies and making plans for what needs to be done. Spencer has to try to come to terms with the destiny that's foretold for him while trying to keep the peace in his new home. But can this group of individuals really learn how to work together, or are there just too many strong personalities to fit into one small space together?
This was just – amazing. It was simply amazing.
Spencer couldn't help but stare as he looked at the room around him. What had looked like a rather run down dump in the middle of nowhere from the outside was a veritable treasure trove on the inside. The young fledgling wasn't the only one who was standing there and staring. Even the angels seemed to look just the slightest bit impressed by what they were seeing. All except for Gabriel, who was naturally looking a bit smug, enjoying their expressions.
According to Gabriel, this was the bunker that had once belonged to the Men of Letters, an organization of 'preceptors, observers, beholders, chroniclers' who amassed knowledge of the mysteries of the supernatural, amongst other things.
They were also, it would seem, a part of the Winchester legacy.
That conversation hadn't been a fun one. Once Gabriel had mentioned the Men of Letters, he'd had to explain about them to the humans and then explain how they were connected to the Winchesters. Finding out that Sam and Dean's grandfather – John's Dad – had been a part of a secret organization of Men who had studied the supernatural had been quite a shock. Finding out that he'd most likely died in an attack that had wiped out pretty much the entire American chapter had only made that shock worse. There'd been quite a bit of arguing after that revelation came to light and Spencer hadn't been all that surprised to watch as Dean stormed out of the house, moving outside, and Sam had retreated upstairs. Unfortunately, that had meant that Gabriel had gone upstairs as well, and Castiel had gone outside, leaving Spencer alone with the rest of the angels and only Derek as backup – not exactly something he'd looked forward to.
To his surprise, there hadn't really been an issue. Not because Michael and Raphael hadn't tried to come forward but because Spencer, when he retreated to the kitchen under the pretext of finding food for Derek, had found himself with a silent shadow of a protector. One that he really hadn't expected to have.
As Spencer quickly retreated to the kitchen, he was surprised to see as Lucifer followed him and set himself up on one of the bar stools. When Spencer looked at him with open surprise, the archangel had given a small little smirk and a wink reminiscent of Gabriel. For someone who had been locked away in a cage for an untold amount of time, and who Spencer knew was definitely unhappy and uncomfortable with being here, he seemed so completely at ease in his vessel as he leaned forward and crossed his arms, resting his weight on top of them on the counter in front of him. "Human cooking has come a long way since I last walked the earth. This is quite an elaborate setup to prepare food in."
The easy words as well as the curious look around the kitchen piqued Spencer's interest. He latched on to the distraction being offered and found himself falling into a ramble amount, of all things, the evolution of human cooking skills. All the while he pulled out vegetables from the stock that was apparently in the bottom drawer. Gabriel always seemed to keep his places full of food.
About halfway through, Derek joined him in the kitchen. He avoided going to sit right at Lucifer's side. That was too much for him at the moment, Spencer knew. But it was kind of nice to have him settle back against the counter near Spencer. It wasn't the first time he'd watched the young genius cook something.
"Why is it you bother eating when you have no need?" Lucifer asked, once Spencer's initial ramble was done. He didn't seem at all bothered by the facts that had just poured from the fledgling. Instead he was studying Spencer in a way that made him feel like a bug under a microscope. Like he was something fascinating the archangel couldn't quite figure out.
A little uncomfortable, Spencer shrugged both his left shoulder and wings. "Habit, maybe? I've spent my entire life with the mentality of needing to eat to maintain my body."
"Except when you forget." Derek chimed in.
Spencer scowled at him. "Shut up." He cast a look over his shoulder at Lucifer, who was watching them curiously. "Ignore him. He likes to pick on me because I've always had a tendency to forget to eat when I'm caught up in other things. But, even then I still ended up eating eventually. It's part of being human. Just because my body doesn't feel the pangs of hunger anymore doesn't mean that I've lost the instinct to eat – or the desire. Food is more than just sustenance. It's a pleasure." That said, he shifted around the vegetables that looked to be done and then reached out at shut off the heat. A moment later he'd served not just one, but three plates, still pointedly ignoring the others in the room. One plate was handed to Derek, one was kept, and the other was set down in front of Lucifer. "Here. Try some."
"I don't need this." Lucifer pointed out, eyeing the plate of vegetable stir-fry that Spencer gave him. He looked at it the way a human might look if someone shoveled dirt down onto their plate.
Derek grinned and finally moved over to take a seat, albeit a little bit away from Lucifer, speaking up before Spencer could. His tone was light, if just a bit tense from everything. "Trust me, dude. You may not need to have Reid's cooking, but I guarantee you'll like this stuff. He's the only guy I know that can make all these vegetables taste this damn good."
And that was how Spencer got Lucifer to try his first bit of human food. It gave him a warm glow he didn't want to think about deep down inside his grace when he saw Lucifer perk up a little after that first bite. To hide it, he'd turned back to the wok he was using and busied himself with serving his own plate.
It took almost an hour for the Winchesters and their angels to come back. By the time they did, the food had been demolished – Lucifer ate two plates, thank you very much – and all cleaned up, despite any real efforts, tension had started to climb again. Derek had kept far more quiet than normal. Spencer knew his friend had all sorts of questions, but he also knew that he'd ask them later, when they were in private. For the moment he was a bit too intimidated by all the sheer power in the room.
Once they had everyone together again, things moved quicker. They'd gathered as a group and had flown here, to Kansas, to where Gabriel said the Bunker was. It took the combined efforts of Gabriel, Sam, and Dean to not just unlock the Bunker – which Gabriel said usually required a special key, one that couldn't just be supernaturally duplicated from the outside – but get the wards cleared enough for every member of their little group to step inside. Once in, it had been apparently simple for Gabriel to key the wards so that all any of them had to do was press their palm to the door and the magic there would recognize them and allow them entrance, as well as anyone they brought with them.
Now that they were actually inside, they were all free to see what Gabriel had been talking about.
Seeing it all was so much more amazing than hearing about it. Spencer stared at all the things around him, the multiple floors that it looked like this place had, the items hanging up here and there like they were nothing - and the books. Oh, the books! So much knowledge right there for the taking. Spencer wanted to dive right in and start reading immediately. He didn't get the chance, though. The sound of a snap had him and everyone else looking up quickly.
The next second each one of them held what looked to be a - map? Spencer arched his eyebrow at his guardian and then lowered his eyes to the paper. Sure enough, it was a map, though it looked to be a not-very-in-depth one.
"This is just the main floor here." Gabriel told them all, putting his hands down into his pockets and rocking back and forth on his heels. "Haven't had much of a chance to explore and label everything yet. This is sort of based off what little memories I have of this place. This shows the main rooms here, the kitchen, the garage, and the bedrooms. The rest of it we'll just have to fill in ourselves or hope the Men of Letters kept maps of their own someplace."
The idea of going through here and discovering it all, mapping it all out, made Sam light up a little in a way that had Spencer's lips twitching in a small smile.
The angels were wandering around, Michael and Raphael over by the bookcase, Lucifer leaning negligently against a pole, and Anna not far on Spencer's left standing at what Spencer almost thought of as 'parade rest'. Castiel was by Dean, of course, and Gabriel had an arm around Sam's waist. It was the humans who exchanged a quick look. Or, well, humans and fledgling. Spencer looked at his friends and knew they wanted to explore just as much as he did. But Dean shook his head, taking charge in that way of his that made him a natural leader. "We should find our rooms first and get those sorted out and squared away before we do anything else. The angels may not need it, but we'll need someplace to actually get some real sleep at some point."
"It looks like there's two halls to choose from." Sam said, tipping his map enough to show it to them all. Sure enough there were two hallways that were labeled as holding bedrooms.
Dean reached over his brother's arm to point to the one on the right. "Let's go on this side."
His quick remark had Sam arching an eyebrow at him. "Does it really matter?"
Without shame the older Winchester grinned at his brother. "It's closer to the kitchen."
The boys set off in the direction of that hallway, bickering all the way, and Spencer let them think that he was following, at least for a little bit. He managed to discreetly use a wing – which he was grateful Derek couldn't see and wouldn't recognize the feel of – to nudge Derek forward so he was more in front of Spencer than beside him. Only when he was sure that they were all a bit ahead of him and wouldn't notice his absence did he finally break free from the group. His feet carried him off in a different direction - towards the other hall. It was a smart plan, he knew, to keep everyone close together. Sam and Dean were used to sharing a room as it was, so naturally they'd want their rooms to at least be close. And keeping Derek safely set up near the experienced hunters was definitely a smart plan.
But none of that meant that Spencer wanted to share the hall with them. He hadn't been one to like the idea of sharing his space even before all of this. Now – now it just seemed better to him to set up away from the others. To have the privacy of his own hall where he could retreat as needed. Where he didn't have to worry about just how soundproof the walls were and whether or not he'd be able to hear the angels and their mates - something he was very much not eager to have happen - or whether or not they'd be able to hear him. He knew the others probably wouldn't like the idea too much. Hence why he was slipping away from them to do it.
Once he got into the other hall, he stopped for a moment to look at the doors for the rooms. Four on each side and one at the far end of it. The hall curved just the slightest bit to the left and, after a moment of hesitation, Spencer followed it down to the one on the end. He peeked in a room on each side along his way - they seemed simple enough. A queen sized bed, dresser, shelves, nothing too ornate. But the one at the end - as soon as Spencer opened the door he gave a small smile.
Obviously this was a room meant for more than just a simple member. A leader, maybe? Someone higher on the food chain in the Men of Letters? Either way, it was more than just a bedroom. It was a sort of suite. On the right half of the room was a king sized bed and a dresser set beside a large wardrobe. On the right, a sort of office area with two bookcases full of books, a desk set up between them. There was also plenty of empty space near that desk.
Spencer thought about it a second and then, because there was no one to see him, he shut the door behind him and focused on the space in front of him, thinking of what he wanted before snapping his fingers. A smile ghosted over his lips when the two comfortable armchairs appeared as well as a coffee table to sit between them. It took up the last of the space and gave the room a sort of filled in look, much less open and much more comfortable. Spencer could already see himself spending hours in one of those chairs reading one of the many books this place held.
There wasn't much that Spencer had to do to get his room set up. He'd never been one to be big on having lots of things. Lately, he'd been living off of the single bad he had as well as whatever he or Gabriel snapped up. Sure, he had things in his room at the island house, but Spencer was reluctant to bring anything from there. That was his and Gabriel's hideaway. It was their space where they could go to get away from all of this. He didn't want to take anything away from that.
So instead, he focused a little on replicating it. Or, at least, the bedding. The rest of it could come with time. The bedding? There was no way he was going to sleep on old, dirty, musty linen that who knew how many bodies had slept on. Spencer moved towards the middle of the room and focused and then snapped once more.
The dust from the room was gone and it was as clean as if he'd scrubbed for hours. The bed linens were gone as well, the mattress cleaned, and new comfortable linens put on. There. That was good enough for now.
"I don't know." A voice said behind him, making him jump and spin around. He found Gabriel lounging in one of the chairs Spencer had snapped up, sipping off a cocktail and looking around the room with an appraising eye. "You could've at least added a little more. Some clothes, some personal items, maybe a plant?"
Spencer stuffed his hands down into his pockets and cocked his head. "I have clothes, or I can snap up what I need, I don't really have any personal items outside of what's at my apartment, and I tend to kill plants. They don't do well when you're gone for long periods of time and don't water them."
"Imagine that." Gabriel said dryly. He was smiling, though.
It was hard not to be nervous as Spencer watched his guardian. Things had been so hectic recently and so much had happened, so much that they hadn't really had a proper chance to sit and talk about. It felt like it was right there between them now, this big pile of unsaid things, and Spencer hated that feeling. Almost as much as he hated the way his wings itched to reach forward for the reassuring contact he knew he'd find.
A soft look touched Gabriel's face. His wings, which had been hidden before, seemed to unfurl behind him. The middle right one reached out for Spencer and brushed lightly against his in a touch that was meant to offer both comfort and support. While Spencer might be able to fool the others here with a little effort, there was no way he would be able to fool Gabriel. The archangel always seemed to be able to see past whatever front Spencer put up. "Relax, Sparrow. I'm not here to yell at you for running off."
Spencer eyed him skeptically. "You're not?"
"Okay, that?" Gabriel lifted his glass and used it to gesture towards Spencer's face. "That doubt? Ouch. What have I done to deserve that?"
The mock offense in his voice was enough to make Spencer's lips twitch; most likely Gabriel's intention. Just a little more at ease, Spencer made his way over to the other chair, dropping himself down into it and curling up until his feet were on the seat and his body was neatly tucked in. They hadn't had a chance to talk really since everything had gone down – not without breakdowns and more bad situations cropping up – and Spencer had a feeling this might take a bit. Might as well be comfortable while it happened. Still, he wasn't ashamed of trying to stall a little bit first. "Did everyone else get settled in?"
"Pretty much. Mike and Raph went home for a bit to check on a few things, but they'll be back shortly. The Delightful Duo have their rooms - naturally, right across the hall from one another." A roll of the eyes accompanied that, as well as a twitch to those golden wings that Spencer had come to associate with an angelic version of scoffing.
The corners of Spencer's mouth curved up just a little more. "Naturally." Go figure the boys would not only pick the same hall, but pick to be that close to one another.
Gabriel snorted into his glass and then shook his head before taking a drink. "Luckily for them, the walls are soundproof for human hearing. I added on a little extra sound protection for the rest of us. Did it to your boy's room, too, once he picked one."
His boy? It took just a second for Spencer to realize what his guardian meant. Immediately his eyebrows shot up and his mouth dropped open. "My... what? No!" Blush heated his cheeks and his wings gave a twitch behind him. "It's not like that, Gabriel. We're not like that. He's my... he's like my brother."
All his stammering protests served to do was to make Gabriel laugh at him. The archangel shifted in his seat a little and kicked one leg up over the armrest, using his knee to balance his glass on. Amber eyes were twinkling with good mirth. "I know. I just like riling you up a little sometimes. You make it so easy."
Damn him. Spencer slouched down, very much not sulking in his chair, and he flicked one wing out to smack against Gabriel's.
Gabriel slapped back lightly. His eyes, however, stayed right on Spencer, and they seemed to soften and warm just a little until they kind of reminded him of melted caramel. His light slap turned into a sort of caress as he brushed his wing gently over Spencer's and curled in slightly, almost like a hand clasping lightly to another one. The playfulness faded away and Gabriel relaxed into that persona that Spencer had realized so few people got to see. "How you doing, little bird?"
Nothing else - no other questions or qualifications. No pointing out what had happened or asking what was going on. Just honest, open concern that took away any protests or lies that might've built on Spencer's lips and left him with only the simple, honest words of "I don't know."
"Things have been kind of rough for you lately an you've barely had time to rest before the next shitstorm was tossed your way. " The way that Gabriel looked at him made it clear how little he liked that. He had this look like he wanted nothing more than to gather Spencer up and tuck him away somewhere. The archangel snorted. "Don't tempt me. It's hard not to put you to bed and lock the door."
Honestly, that sounded appealing. Curling up in bed with nothing and no one to worry about. If Gabriel was locking people out, there was no doubt in Spencer's mind that no one would get in. They wouldn't be able to bother him for anything. He'd just finally be able to rest. No you wouldn't, his mind pointed out. Even his internal voice sounded exhausted. You'd lay in bed worrying and wondering and trying to figure out what to do. You wouldn't rest at all. Sadly, it was true. Spencer knew there was no way he'd be able to rest at the moment no matter how exhausted he was. The brief bit of rest he'd found with his friends at Derek's house would have to be enough. There was just, there was too much going on, too much ahead of them, and way too many things that needed figuring out. The list of things that needed to be done seemed to be growing by leaps and bounds. The more he thought about it, the more that was added on, and the more impossible it all seemed.
"I don't know if I can do this." Spencer admitted quietly. The words were pulled from him like they were something shameful. In a way, he felt like they were. Yet that didn't stop them from being true. This whole thing – he wasn't ready for it. He didn't know if he ever would be. Curling up in his chair, he brought his knees to his chest and folded his arms on top of them so that he could rest his chin there. Unconsciously, his wings tried to curl in as well, wanting to wrap protectively around him. In that moment Spencer really felt like the child that he was called. "I'm trying really hard here, Gabriel, but I just, I don't know. I've never been a fighter. I don't know how to do this. Half the time it seems like I can't even take care of myself, let alone save anyone else." How many times had he been kidnapped or hurt in his life? How many of those had happened just since he'd met the Winchesters? The memory of the carved shackles holding him, their binding keeping him in place, made Spencer give a whole body shiver.
There was a soft sound of movement that had him looking up. He saw Gabriel pushing up from his chair. Spencer had just a moment to decide if he wanted to move or not. It was an easy choice to make. He stayed in place and didn't flinch as Gabriel climbed right into the chair with him and gathered him up close. Spencer wasn't sure if he was hunched down really low, or if Gabriel had boosted his height by sitting on the armrest, or what, but he ended up at just the right height to be pulled in against Gabriel's chest with his ear over where the vessel's heart sat. Grace reached out for him and Spencer happily accepted that touch as well.
"You are absolutely amazing, little bird." Gabriel tightened his arms and pulled Spencer in closer, his wings curling around them both. "I know this whole thing, it's terrifying, and I'm so sorry that you've got to deal with it. But I know you can do it. I've got faith in you, kiddo. An I promise you, no matter what crap comes our way, you're not gonna go through it alone, do you hear me? I'm right here with you all the way."
Spencer didn't have the words to explain how that made this both better and worse. He was too afraid to try and do this alone, yet he hated the thought that being with him meant that Gabriel could be hurt.
For now, there was nothing that Spencer could do. Nothing except hold on to the archangel who had come to mean so damn much to him and pray to a being who'd walked out the door a long time ago. Please, keep them safe. Above all else please help me keep them safe.