Training with Anna was like nothing Spencer could've prepared himself for. None of the physical training he'd had in the past even came close to comparing to this. She wasn't easy on him, as he'd been afraid she might be. But nor was she too hard. She had a way of getting him to do things that always made him feel as if she was never going to ask him for more than he could handle. Like she had absolute faith in him the entire time. That was a heady feeling that left him constantly wanting to do more, to try harder.
On top of that, she also did exactly what Spencer had wanted – she trained him not just as an angel, but as a human as well. Half of the time they worked on his angelic half and the other half they worked with his human half.
"Best to be prepared, just in case you're ever in a situation again where you can't rely on your grace to fight." She looked at him and Spencer knew she was thinking of the event that had started his whole adventure. Memories of the panic room came to the forefront of his mind and Spencer tried not to shiver. Being able to fight then would've been a good skill to have. If he'd been able to fight, he would've used that skill and gotten himself at least out of that room. Once out of there, he would've found his grace again even if he hadn't known that at the time.
What surprised Spencer was the amount of instinctive knowledge that he already seemed to have hidden inside his grace. When it came to fighting as an angel it seemed like there was so much he already knew even if he had no idea how he knew it.
"It's part of being an angel." Anna told him on their second day of training. "Besides which, you've shared grace with an archangel. There were things you were bound to pick up from there. But most of it comes simply from having grace. There are things in our grace – things we know, things that are just a part of us. When God made us, he gave us the ability to know these things. It's just a part of who you are. When you embrace your grace while fighting, you seem to reach into that part of yourself. It's a good thing. It means you'll learn angelic combat a whole lot faster." Then she'd paused and given him a firm, serious look. "It doesn't mean we can slack off, though. You use it shakily, almost like you aren't sure. We need to get it instinctive. And we need you trained enough that you can do those moves when you aren't accessing your grace."
Every chance they got, the two worked together, putting Spencer through a training unlike anything he'd known before. Anna had him running, exercising, running through fighting forms – everything he'd heard Derek talk about serious fighters doing. The only difference was that he had some advantages where human fighters didn't.
Balance didn't seem to be an issue. Even with his grace suppressed down as best as he could manage it, it had still changed his body somewhat. He was more graceful, easily maintaining balance as he moved through the forms that Anna put him through. He also healed any injuries gained pretty much the instant he released his hold on his grace. It would swarm back in and heal his injuries, wash away most of his fatigue, and take away the ache of training the muscles of his – well, his vessel, really. Though it was strange to think of his body like that.
The only thing that Anna didn't train Spencer with was his own blade. "You haven't drawn it yet and that's not something I'm comfortable teaching you." She'd explained. When Spencer asked why, she'd been straightforward and honest with him, a trait he respected. "You're young, Spencer. Young enough that I have to fight my instincts as it is to simply teach you how to fight, or to teach you with the spare blade that Gabriel's given you. Most angels don't learn to draw their own blade until their much, much older than you are. If you're going to learn to do it early, it's better it comes on its own or Gabriel teaches you, not me."
He could respect her reasoning. Spencer let it go and instead focused on the training that Anna was willing to give him. Every day Spencer trained with her. It was hard, often painful, and sometimes discouraging. But Spencer was determined. He was going to do this. He was going to learn how to fight so that next time something happened, he wouldn't be such a victim. He'd be able to defend himself. If words didn't work, he was going to be prepared to do whatever necessary to keep himself and his friends safe. He wouldn't be a prisoner again.
With the new physical training with Anna, almost every hour of Spencer's days seemed to be full. It made the time pass ridiculously fast. Two weeks passed like this in what felt like the blink of an eye. Each and every day was full of training his powers, training his body, reading through scores of books to try and find a hint of this dark, and trying to squeeze in time with Derek to make sure his friend was settling in okay.
It felt like they finally settled into a comfortable, albeit exhausting, routine for all of them. For all that Spencer was being trained, he knew that Derek was being trained as well. His friend sometimes seemed just as exhausted as him when Spencer came to visit at night. "Dean's tough." Derek told him. Then he'd flashed that grin of his that always made Spencer want to smile back at him. "But so am I."
Things went a little easier than they could've been. Spencer was a bit embarrassed to admit it, but the fact that the other archangels seemed to be staying away was probably a big contributor to that. Not having Michael and Raphael there breathing down his neck made him and the others quite a bit more relaxed.
It was the absence of Lucifer that seemed to cause troubles. It was something that was worrying on all fronts. Though, it worried different people for different reasons.
For Spencer, he worried about the archangel who was essentially alone, left to deal with Hell to try and gather them together for a fight entirely different from the one they'd been preparing for, all the while still cut off from his family or from anyone good.
For the Winchesters, their concerns were quite a bit different. Dean was the one to finally bring it up just a few weeks after their arrival at the bunker. Like usual, he brought the subject up in that straightforward way of his. They'd been talking about the archangels and Dean bluntly asked "Where's Lucifer at?" his question brought everyone's attention over to him. He, Sam, Spencer, Derek, Gabriel, Castiel, and Anna were all curled up in a room that had been designated as the 'living room' of the bunker. Gabriel had even snapped up a TV for them so that they could watch some movies for a while. "I mean, he's just sort of vanished on us. Isn't it a bad thing, just letting the devil run free?"
Gabriel, who was sitting between Sam's legs and leaning back against his chest, a giant ice cream sundae in his lap, didn't even bother to look up from licking his spoon as he answered the hunter. "He's not just running free."
That perked up more than a few of them. Castiel sat up straighter, eyes sharpening a little as they settled on Gabriel. "You know where he is, brother?"
"Mm hm." Gabriel scooped up another bite and lifted it, holding it over his shoulder for Sam. The younger hunter rolled his eyes, though he had an indulgent smile on his lips. Gabriel fed him the bite and beamed at him before he turned back to the others. "Lu needed some time away from our brothers, so I let him borrow one of my little hideouts. You guys gotta remember," Another bite lifted, this one into Gabriel's mouth. He simply spoke around it, the spoon coming out to wave around in the air. "He's been gearing up for this fight for, well, pretty much ever. Just cause he understands he can't have it right now doesn't mean it's all just gonna shut off. He needs time."
It made sense to Spencer. For ages Lucifer had been trying to prepare himself for this fight. He'd had all that time in the Cage alone to plan and prepare. Now he was out and the thing he'd been preparing for was suddenly off the table. It made sense he'd have to adjust. Not just to that but to other things as well. Coming out of Hell itself, whether or not stories painted it as his home, had to be traumatic. Ages spent in isolation like that would've done quite a bit of damage. Spencer couldn't imagine being alone like that. No friends, no family. No grace to reach out to. Just the thought of it was enough to have his own grace wanting to reach out for the family members around him. His wings, which he'd taken to letting free again so long as there were no other archangels around aside from Gabriel, gave little twitches as they reached out for his family.
Gabriel must've been able to sense or hear how Spencer's thoughts had gone. One of his wings came out and reached to Spencer, playfully swatting and tangling with his for a moment before curling around him where he sat in his chair. Castiel reached one out as well, brushing it against Spencer's leg, the same as Anna did.
It would've amazed the humans in the room if they'd been able to see all the silent interaction going on. But none of them thought it anything odd at all when Spencer lifted a hand and his fingers obviously started to play with something they couldn't see. They'd grown used to that gesture from him and Spencer had grown a little less self-conscious about it. He threaded his finger through the feathers of Gabriel's wing and let it soothe him.
From his spot on the loveseat with Castiel, Dean spoke up again, switching their topic entirely. "You know, we've been holed up here for a while. I was looking around the web earlier and I saw something that might be a case. Maybe we should go and check it out."
A case? That had Spencer perking up. Sam and Derek, too.
"You found a case?" Sam repeated. "And you waited till now to mention it?"
Dean shrugged a shoulder. "It was more a 'maybe' than a 'sure'. But I been thinking about it. Figure we should probably get our new boy here out and get him some practical experience." He jerked a thumb Derek's direction. "All the training in the world won't do you any damn good unless you put it to use and see what you're up against."
"Bring it on, Winchester." Derek said, flashing a grin.
That was how they found themselves suddenly preparing for a case instead of enjoying a rare relaxing afternoon. Spencer went with Derek to his room to help him pack and to try and talk to him privately before they went anywhere. He knew his friend had been training with Dean for this, just as he knew that he had to let him fight. If Derek was going to be here he had to know how to hunt and things like that. He had to be able to handle himself as a hunter. That didn't make Spencer feel any better about it all, though. Leaning against the door frame of Derek's room, he watched the man reach down into the closet and gather up his newly packed go-bag – this one all stocked for a hunt.
Derek straightened back up and turned back towards the door. When he looked at Spencer, something in his face softened a little. "It's going to be fine, Reid. Dean wouldn't be trying to bring me along if he didn't think the case was easy."
"Yes he would." Spencer said immediately. If Dean thought it necessary for training purposes, he would definitely bring Derek along on a case even if it wasn't an easy one. Chewing on the inside of his lip, Spencer crossed his arms over his chest and drew in a little, his wings curling in close to his back. He couldn't stop his worry for his friend. Even knowing that this was why Derek was here, that fighting was what he was destined to do if he stayed with them, it didn't make any of this any easier for Spencer to stand by and watch. "I just…it's different, Morgan. Doing it, I mean. It's a lot different than just learning about it. Learning that monsters are real is one thing. Actually going out and seeing your first one – it's terrifying."
To his credit, Derek didn't try to deny the possibility of being scared. He didn't act like he was too tough for something like that to happen to him. But he didn't back down, either. He held his ground and gave Spencer a small nod. "I know. I know I can't really prepare myself for it. But I also know I can't hide here forever, kid."
"I just want you safe, Morgan." It was all he wanted for all his friends. Spencer wanted them safe more than anything.
Derek smiled, his look the fond one that had always sort of made Spencer feel like the family Derek claimed them to be. "Between you and the Winchesters, I think we got that covered."
That didn't really help Spencer's worry. There were so many things that could go wrong on a hunt. Things that couldn't be predicted, creatures that they might not know about, elements that couldn't be controlled. Going into a hunt meant carrying the knowledge that this could very well be the last thing you'd ever do. Looking at Derek, he knew his friend understood even if he wasn't showing it. Derek knew what it meant to go to work and know that there was a chance you wouldn't come home. Their last job hadn't been as risky as this, but it hadn't exactly been safe either. And Spencer had learned to live with the worry of keeping his friends alive there. He could do the same here.
Still, he made a silent promise to himself to stay close throughout this case. Between him, Dean, and Sam, they'd keep Derek safe.
Not everyone seemed to share that sentiment it would seem. When they reached the garage, Spencer was surprised to see both Michael and Raphael were there. Not just there but loudly arguing with the rest of their little group – almost all of whom were there. The only person missing was Lucifer.
Spencer furrowed his brows as he made his way towards the group. What was going on here? The group was clearly in the middle of an argument that Spencer had missed out on. It wasn't until he got closer that he was able to separate the voices enough to figure out what on earth was happening.
"…is not safe!" Michael was saying firmly. He had his arms crossed over his chest and his wings high and proud – a sign Spencer had learned meant he was trying to be firm and wasn't planning on backing down. "There is a much greater war we must prepare ourselves for that already holds great risk to those involved. There is no need to make the risk even more so by actively seeking out trouble. This is foolish and dangerous."
"So?" Dean fired back. "It's always been dangerous. We've done just fine before."
Raphael made a sound that Spencer almost would've considered a snort if it had been a human that had made it. The energy of his wings seemed to spark and crackle, shifting color just the slightest bit, and Spencer swore that if wings or electricity were capable of scoffing, that's exactly Raphael's wings would be doing. "Oh, yes, fine." Sarcasm dripped from each word.
It only set the Winchesters' backs up even more. Neither one handled criticism like this very well. They definitely didn't like being told what to do, either – especially by angels. "We don't need your protection!" Dean snapped.
The way that Michael turned to look at him said clearly that he was about to say or do something that would only offend the Winchesters. Spencer could see it. He knew it was coming. Not what, just that it was going to happen. So he did the only thing he could. He took a small step forward and cleared his throat, drawing all eyes towards him in a way that made his stomach clench nervously. Stuffing his hands into his pockets so he wouldn't wring them together, Spencer tried to keep his expression neutral and his wings settled. It wasn't easy. "We understand you're concerned and we appreciate the sentiment, Michael. But while your concern is kind, it's not necessary, not in this." Spencer snuck a look over at Sam and Dean, then at Derek, and then brought his eyes back to Michael. He bit at the inside of his lip for a second before he made himself stop. "Sam and Dean are two of the best hunters on the planet and fully capable of keeping themselves and my friend safe. On top of that, I'm going to be there, and while I may not be the most dangerous of beings, I've taken care of myself and others for many years. Besides, you know Castiel goes where Dean goes, and Anna…" He paused and drew in a breath, still a bit uncomfortable with this fact but slowly accepting it. "Anna goes where I go."
Every inch of Anna was radiating pride at his words. She straightened up and looked much happier and much more pleased by the conversation.
His words didn't seem to ease Michael at all. They did, however, help take away the sharper edge of Michael's temper. His grace and wings smoothed out into something that resembled calm. "It's not just the danger that's a concern here, Spencer. You know as well as I do that we have a much bigger problem on our hands than whatever this case may be. There are other hunters out there, capable ones, who can take care of this problem. However, there aren't any out there that can handle our problem. None but us. We need to stay here and focus on what needs to be done and leave the rest of it for the other hunters to handle. I'm sure a call to Robert would help find someone who is closer and can handle this."
The way that Michael was speaking to him threw Spencer just a little bit. This wasn't the condescending tone that he'd used on occasion, or the angry one. It wasn't the adult speaking down to a child. In a way, this reminded Spencer of when Aaron would speak with the sheriff or chief at one of the many police stations the BAU went to. Aaron was always polite, always ready to try and bow a little to get the locals to do what needed to be done, but he wasn't afraid to stand up straight if he had to and assume command if he felt it was right. That was the impression that Spencer was getting off of Michael at the moment. He was willing to let Spencer had a little lead, yet he was going to be ready to snatch back control if it proved necessary.
There were a few different ways that Spencer could respond to this. So far, he'd tried to either ignore Michael's attempts at control, or calmly and firmly override them. Maybe it was time to try a different route.
"They need this, Michael." Spencer said, his voice low and without any anger or hostility. His wings, freed from their usual hiding in preparation of the trip, spread out on either side of him, open and nonthreatening. A plea to be listened to. "I know you don't understand it, but humans need this. They aren't made like angels. They can't hide out from the world and lose themselves in research. On occasion they need to go out and do something. Interact with new people. They can't stay cooped up in here, especially not when they know there are people out there being hurt and there's something they can do about it."
"If it helps, think of it like a training exercise." Sam chimed in. "We need to see how well Derek's learned things."
For a moment Michael just looked at them all. He looked to Dean and Castiel, side by side as always, the both of them watching intently, one with a calm look and the other with barely contained annoyance. Then he looked to Sam and Gabriel, who were also side by side, one of Sam's arms slung around Gabriel's shoulders. Last, he looked to Spencer, Derek, and Anna. Derek stood tall, though he couldn't quite bring himself to stare down Michael of all beings. Anna had moved to join them, standing a little behind and to the right of Spencer, ready to step in at a moment's notice.
Michael brought his eyes up to meet Spencer's head on. Nothing gave away what he was feeling. "And if I said no? That it would be safer for you to stay?"
The calm question brought just as calm a response. "Then I would remind you that this is our home and our lives and, while your opinion is valued, the choice is ultimately ours. Informing you of our departure is a formality, nothing more. It isn't up for vote."
To Spencer's surprise, his words didn't seem to irritate Michael the way he'd been afraid they would. There was a brief pause as Michael watched him, reading something that Spencer couldn't see. Then there was a faint twitch by his lips and a low 'hmm' slid free. "Indeed." Uncrossing his arms, he dipped his head Spencer's direction. "Stay safe then, young one. I hope you don't find cause to regret your choice." With no more than that, he was gone, Raphael vanishing just seconds after him.
The garage stayed quiet for one single beat. Then, Dean scoffed. "All right, asshole, thanks for that." That said, he turned to the others. "So are we ready to go or what?"
Spencer shook his head and smiled while others laughed around him.
Saying that they were ready to go was a lot simpler than actually getting them out of there. For one, there were far too many people to all fit in the Impala, something that Dean was obviously unhappy about. The angels could've flown ahead, of course, and they could've taken all of them with them, but Dean didn't like flight. He was firm on driving – and he was also firm that the others weren't going to go ahead and get started without them. This was the chance for the Winchesters to work and for Derek to put to use everything he'd learned. That meant Derek had to ride with the Winchesters and get the whole experience, from discussing the case on the way up there and bouncing around ideas, to doing research and legwork once they got there.
That put Dean, Sam, and Derek all in the Impala. Two more could've fit in there, but it would've left one on their own. Castiel didn't want to stay behind or fly ahead, and Anna didn't want to go anywhere without Spencer.
Gabriel just sat on the sidelines and laughed at them all. Although he wasn't going with them he was still there for what he referred to as the 'entertainment of watching you bozos figure this out'.
It was Sam who finally had enough. "All right!" He called out, his loud voice gathering everyone's attention. When they were all looking at him he let out a sigh that showed just how annoyed with them he was getting. "Dean, where did you say the case was?"
"Over near Wichita." Dean answered.
Sam nodded and then turned to Spencer. "How far a drive is that?"
It only took a few seconds for Spencer to start to make the mental calculations. "If we get on the US-24 east and take it down to merge onto US-81 south, and then take I-135 south…it should take us just shy of three hours to drive there at average speeds. However, knowing Dean's average speed I'd cut that down to two and a half, maybe a little less."
For some reason Spencer's answer had more than a few people around him smiling. Why, he didn't know. He'd just given Sam the answer that he'd asked for. Spencer mentally shrugged it off and focused back on Sam. The younger Winchester looked annoyed still, but it'd lost some of its sharper edge. He was one of the ones smiling at Spencer. "All right. So anywhere from two and a half to three hours, give or take. Why don't we split up, then – angels and humans. You guys can go ahead and get us checked into a motel while we drive out there and let Derek try and build up the case? It'll give him a chance to work and maybe you three can take a look and see if you notice anything. If it's a simple case, we can let Derek solve it so he gets practice, and if it's worse you guys will know and we can be prepared for that. Does that sound good to everyone?" He waited for them all to agree before he nodded. "Good. Then let's go."
Gabriel gave a mock shiver and turned himself so that he could wrap arms and wings around Sam. "Ooh, Sammy, I get all tingly when you take command like that."
The younger hunter chuckled and wrapped one arm around Gabriel's waist. His other hand came up to thread through Gabriel's hair, pulling on it just enough to tip the archangel's head back a little. He bent low and Spencer deliberately made sure to not listen to the murmured words Sam growled out. There were just some things that he didn't want to hear or even think about when it came to his friend and his father figure. Whatever it was that Sam said that caused Gabriel to shiver like that definitely fit in that category.
Anna's hand on Spencer's shoulder drew his attention away from the two. "We'll see you guys over there, then." She said, smiling. With that warning, Spencer braced himself and gave his body over to Anna's flight, trusting her to get him to where they needed to go. The last thing he saw before they flew away was the disgusted look that Dean wore and the heated look Sam had as he stared down at his mate.