Chapter 17

Remember when I found you in the storm.

Sam's eyes shot open and he gasped for air. He looked around wildly trying to figure out where he was. The last thing he saw was Angela touching his temple and telling him to remember. Then wherever they were started to collapse and then there was nothing… like falling into a chasm.

"Calm down Sam."

Sam stopped and turned to see Dean looking at him with a firm look that held worry and a demand to know what happened. He looked around and found they were still in the motel room. Austin was helping Hibah who was looking a little disheveled but composed and giving him a knowing look. He pushed at his brother's hand, "I'm okay."

Dean wasn't so sure. He had watched as his brother's eyes were moving a mile a second under his lids and he didn't like that Hibah was so calm, a complete contrast to his brother. He knew the dream realm was intense. It felt very real the last couple of times he had done it. "You sure?"

"Yeah. It was just…" Sam shook his head. He knew that it wasn't probably like that all the time in Angela's head but it was concerning enough for him. He thought his nightmares were bad and Dean's were probably worse but hers… "It was… something."

"Did you see her?"

"Yeah." Sam wasn't sure how Dean would take in his description of her. "She is fighting."

It wasn't exactly informative and Dean let it be known, "You know where she's at?"

"No. She woke up before she could give anything more."

Dean wasn't sure whether or not to curse at that. "Well that worked well," he grumbled in his gruff manner. He started pacing and looked at Hibah, "So what now kiddo? Thought this was supposed to help find her."

"Dean," Sam said more to stop the attack on Hibah. "It was hard finding her. I think she was drugged because she ran away from me." It was a bit of the truth since he wasn't going to go into the talk he had with Hibah.

"Drugged?"

"Her body is still human."

"Glad you noticed."

Sam frowned at that and shook his head. Yeah he knew she was human for the most part but he knew what his brother was digging at. He was just not going to acknowledge it in front of him. He stuck to the topic at hand, "She was confused and… it scared her."

"Angie don't scare easily," Dean pointed out though he could see how Sam could come to that conclusion. "So how'd you convince her you weren't a figment of the imagination?"

Sam wasn't even sure how he did that. All he did was… "I just talked to her. The rest she managed to figure out." He offered a shrug as he looked at Hibah who was strangely quiet and not contributing at all.

Dean seemed to accept that, "She usually does. So what now? She say anything?"

Sam thought about that last moment before being shot awake. It seemed that was the most clear moment for her since she took in the situation. He had to admit it went like those movies where everything was just about to go to shit since everything was crumbling around them and there was that last minute whatever before one of them escaped. She was looking around as if trying to make sense or thinking. He didn't say anything and it felt like it was the right thing to do. Then…

It was the look she gave him. It wasn't like when she was trying to be firm and say something important like when she scolded him a few times. It was different and maybe it was because of whatever drugs they injected into her. Yet something told him that it might be different… more like the time when they talked after that night he set Lucifer free. The way she touched his hair and then his temple… "Remember when I found you in the storm," Sam repeated her words.

"You wanna run that by me again," Dean asked.

"Just what she said before I woke up." Sam frowned as he considered her words. Then it hit. "She was reminding me when I called her when you're leg was bad."

"Why would she say that?" Dean was confused. As used as he was to Angela's subtleties, he sometimes was at a loss to what she did.

Sam shrugged at that, "I don't know except that I remember not telling her where we were and she found us anyway."

"How'd she do that?"

"No idea."

"Obviously it wasn't her nose," Austin pointed out. For the most part he had been quiet through the whole thing. One of his assets was the ability to observe and listen and then give his opinion after considering all the facts. "Even I couldn't track in a flood with my nose."

"And the mutts are out." Dean paced around thinking out loud with Austin. Then it occurred to him. "That was also when you got yourself poisoned." He pointed at Sam.

"I didn't do it on purpose."

"At the time you were…" Dean gave a look. He didn't want to air their past problems in front of the vampire even though he suspected that he knew what it was about. A thought then struck him. He looked towards Austin and asked, "Would Angie ever make a reference to a past whatever to give a clue?"

"You mean like to who might have done this?" Austin thought about it and then nodded, "Pretty much. Why?"

Sam gave a nod at Dean to explain and went to follow Hibah. She had left the room while they had been discussing things and he wondered if she was going to leave without saying good bye. He also had questions but he wasn't sure if he should ask them. As it turned out, he didn't have to go far; she was just standing outside and looking up at the sky. He ventured, "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Abba."

It sounded like how Sam would try to blow off Dean and Sam understood the feeling since Dean was the same. It was just them. "Really? Habibiti?"

Hibah turned to look at Sam. "Just bothered that Ima has seen so much and it is being used against her." She glanced at nothing in particular and added, "And I feel that maybe the idea was a wasted one." She slowly turned to look back out at nothing. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave a slight sigh.

"It wasn't wasted," Sam countered. He took a step forward to stand by her. It was still something to wrap his mind over that she now looked like a young adult and not the nine-year old he remembered. "It only confirmed what I knew; that Angie is alive. Maybe not completely okay but fine and we talked."

"Not what I was trying to achieve." Hibah looked at Sam. "Maybe the bonds did weaken over time. It has happened before."

Sam knew this had to be hard on the girl. She wanted to help and had an idea and felt that it didn't do what she wanted it to be. It was a good idea and it did work. He got to see her though he suspected it bothered Hibah more that Angela was not in a state to recognize what was real and what wasn't and she was not what the girl remembered of her. Yet he got the feeling that there was more to what Hibah's intentions were and he sensed that she was disappointed with him. And that hurt about as much as when Angela was disappointed with him.

"Perhaps the vampire would be able to figure out a means once Amitz gives him details about Ima's clue."

Sam looked at Hibah. She was only talking more to fill silence and not because she wanted to. He wondered who she picked that up from since it was similar to Angela but not quite. Maybe they should have a little talk about things. They hadn't really had the chance to do so. "Maybe. Look… Hibah… Can you explain more what you thought was supposed to happen?"

"I could but… It's my fault. I made assumptions." Hibah looked down, reminding Sam like a little kid getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "One of the reasons why I wasn't to leave Karnak. I make assumptions."

It was hardly inadequate and the manner in which Hibah was hiding told Sam quite a bit. It wasn't her fault since all she had was her memories of her time with them. He couldn't fault her for that and… Sighing he said, "It's not your fault. You were only working with what you had."

"But we are supposed to see the bigger picture." Hibah looked at Sam and added, "You and Ima are lucky that you don't really have to. Ima just does because that's who she is and she thought it was all she had."

"I know."

It was all Sam could offer and he was astute to realize that Hibah was trying to draw the attention away from her. He couldn't imagine her life since she was from two 'races' of beings that had their own standing but Angela could and he liked the idea that was why Wosret trusted her with Hibah even though it was more because they were like sisters. He didn't want to change subjects though and said, "I get why you assumed certain things and… well… you are right."

Hibah looked at Sam with a raised brow. "Right about what? I am still young and inexperienced."

"But you aren't wrong about… us." It came out awkward and Sam was still reluctant to voice his feelings. He didn't even know how Angela felt and honestly wouldn't blame her if she didn't return them. "I mean… me."

"You don't have to try and fix the rose tinted glasses."

"I'm not trying to. Just…" Sam knew he could say it. Hell he told Kesset and asked him not to say anything even though the guard wasn't bound to obey him anyway. He considered it practice for when he eventually said what he wanted to say to his brother. "You are right Hibah… about a couple of things." He paused when she turned to look at him. "I… do have feelings for Angie. And I think for a long time just…"

It was a little uncomfortable with Hibah staring at him the way she was. It also felt like the stares Angela gave, the ones that he really hated. He wasn't going to get upset since he realized that she was giving him her full attention. It was evident when she said, "Didn't see it did you?"

"No… just… I was looking out for her. That is what I told myself and…" Sam wasn't sure what else was there. "I just know that… when Angie was shrunk by that witch and what happened then… the way I got…" He looked at Hibah and almost whispered, "I realize that… that I… love her."

Hibah stared at Sam as he made his confession. She thought it was the case and she knew that Angela loved Sam. Her surrogate mother was easier to read than most people thought. To hear that it was reciprocated even if not openly confessed… it gave a bit of hope. She had read his heart correctly. She swallowed slightly and then replied, "Then use that. There is more to bonds and to be honest it isn't always recognizable."

Sam looked at Hibah not sure what she was getting at. He did know that there were some things she couldn't go into detail about since she was half goddess and the 'rules' that concerned that. Ever since she arrived though, some of the things she had been suggesting were… they were a little strange to him. "I thought…"

"That discovery helps a little more," Hibah offered. She wasn't one for revealing things that should be revealed by the rightful party. "Hopefully the vampire will be able to help but should you have to go in blind… just remember this discussion."

Sam would have said something since this was turning into a bizarre conversation but at that moment Dean poked his head out and looked at the pair of them saying, "Hey, Austin may have found out where she's at. And we know the guy."

"Great. Who?"

"Some guy named Carter."

Angela has been rudely awakened before and she had a way of reacting. When she first joined the Winchesters, Dean had gotten the brunt end of that. It was pretty funny to think about how she would tackle him and in the end he would make an innuendo that had them both laughing. This was a bit different. She had been forced out of a dreamscape and she was damned lucky that she hadn't been turned into a vegetable. She was also lucky that nothing happened to Sam.

Even though her mobility was extremely limited, she would have fought harder than tooth and nail if something happened to Sam because of that rude awakening. She had to admit that seeing him there startled her but also revived her. She knew that the boys would be looking for her but seeing Sam and talking to him, the way he asked her for any input as to where she was.

She didn't know why she gave the phrase she did. All it was ended up being a reminder about the first time the Winchesters met the renegades. Partially she wanted to give encouragement since she found them without direction and believed that they could do the same. Partially it was because she knew that Sam would give the details of everything to Dean and Dean would remember that. He would remember Cal's group. So in a way she was giving a hint.

She didn't doubt that they would find her. Never did. And she didn't blame them for this but she knew how it was going to work when they did find her. All she had to do was to hold on and… She looked up when she heard noise and her eyes darted around.

She was back where she had been strung up. She knew that because her arms were stretched over her head and her legs felt like they were being pulled downward and it didn't help the breaks that were painful or the dislocated knee; it felt like dead weight. She was starting to feel the throbbing from being punched, kicked, hit, shocked and she shivered. She was still wet from her dunking and her head throbbed.

You can make this easy you know.

Angela looked around. She was alone… at least she thought she was. She didn't smell Carter or his goons and that was probably the only sense she could rely on since it wasn't as fucked as her sight because of the drugs making her hallucinate and touch since everything hurt and she wouldn't be able to tell if it was the opposite. She looked around and saw him.

It had been a long time since she had seen him… almost a year or two. She had given up ever seeing him again because she knew that the way she learned was on that slippery slope she had been treading almost all her life. She blinked and snorted, "You're not real."

"And why is that?"

"Because the last thing on this earth I would hallucinate about is you… Crowley."

Crowley gave a slight smirk at her as he straightened up and walked up to her. He didn't quite believe it but ever since he got the report from Cary, he had to try and see for himself. He had to admit that the renegades did a pretty good job. It allowed them to have their way for a long time. Of course now that he saw her in this state, he was bothered.

Angela narrowed her eyes as she hung there. She really was going full throttle on the crazy train. They probably gave her a fresh dose of hallucinogens when she was knocked out or something. She really wouldn't have imagined Crowley though maybe her mind did think about the demon. He was the one she had been chasing after all when she was trying to get Dean's deal rescinded. He was the king of the crossroads and she had decided to grab the bull by the horns. Now she was paying the price. "Well I guess I'm in for a bigger punishment… and I'm going crazy."

"Oh you're not crazy, love," Crowley replied as he stood there like it was a regular conversation. "I am here because there are rumors that the pain in my arse is torturing my sweetheart." He grinned at her scowl. "And I'm here to help."

"Please." Angela made a rude sound as she rotated her wrists slightly. They burned a bit since the skin was chafing but the limb was falling asleep. She needed to wake it up. "The Crowley I know wouldn't help me. He'd want to make a deal."

Crowley had to admit that she had a point there. "True since everything is a business transaction. Something you want for something I want."

"And the answer is the same: no way. I agreed to let you teach me. Nothing more and I would teach queen bitch a lesson."

"And look what happened there."

Angela scowled at Crowley as she swayed gently. She was balancing on the tips of her toes; they had strung her higher and she felt like she was being drawn and quartered. Not that she would know what that felt like since she was still alive. She had seen it done though and it wasn't pretty. "What the fuck do you want?"

"Like I said: I'm here to help."

"And why would you want to do that?"

Crowley made a slight face like he would when he was giving a whimsical answer. "Call me sentimental." He ignored the ugly look he was getting from her and continued, "You were my star pupil. I taught you everything you know about deals and I know you've been using those skills. Word gets around you know."

"It would, considering that I would rather stave off disaster if I could."

"No kidding." Crowley made an 'oh well' gesture since there was nothing he could do to change her nature. It was annoying since she was such a goody two shoes about everything even though she could be ruthless. But he liked that about her. She held strong and fast meaning that she wasn't a pushover; she was a horse you wanted to back in a big stakes race. "It's why I like you."

"Pfft."

"No seriously. You're annoying with the whole gotta do good thing but I kind of like it because it's not sugarcoated. You throw in a little physical violence, that righteous anger from the Winchesters… and there you have it."

"So it's all entertaining to you? Whoopee."

There were worse people her out of sync brain could conjure up and this was mild compared to the things she had seen in hell. Crowley was not the worst thing ever. Hell her conversations with Lucifer were not as bad… at least the ones she held of her own volition and not drug induced. She looked at the demon with a slightly bleary look and said, "So what do you want to do? Torture me with Dean's death because that still gets me."

It was sarcastic and she knew it. She was firm in the belief that the demon in front of her was a product of her imagination. She could even tease him about a deal… not that she would agree to one. She may be addled right now but she wasn't stupid. She chuckled at her statement like it was funny. She thought she was crazy. Why not?

Crowley studied her. He had heard the reports and he knew what was behind it. It had him… well he didn't want to voice it in front of her but it was true. He was sentimental about her. But she was also a valuable commodity especially in the fight to come. He liked to hedge his bets so he was fixing things to get the outcome he wanted and everyone would be happy. The problem was she thought he wasn't real. "I am being serious, love. I'm here to offer an incentive."

"And fuck that since you know I wouldn't sign a deal over requisitioning paperclips from you."

"At least you know this is business."

"It's always business with you. Duh."

Crowley was tempted to get a little physical with her. It would remind him of the few lessons he had to get physical with her. It was nothing major; just a hard grip here and there, on the chin or arm and even a slap once if only to gain cooperation. It was mostly to get her moving. It looked like he was going to have to do it here again. He reached up and grabbed her chin.

Angela started laughing. This was too good. She really knew how to torture herself. Morpheus always said that she used her talents to torture herself. Her mind was good getting it down to the details of the grip and the look Crowley was giving her. It was starting to become hilarious.

"Get a grip, sweetheart."

"I would if I had my hands."

Crowley made a face. Whatever they were using was taking its toll. He shook her chin and harder than necessary. It quieted it her and she looked at him. He knew he had her full attention. "That's better." He released her face. "Now I am here to help you."

"You said that before." Angela realized that she may be seeing the real deal since Crowley shook her harder than usual. He had threatened her at one point that he would up the ante if she did anything to make him that angry. She must have done so now since she had never done so previously and she had always been able to shake him off. "By the way, how did you get in here? This place is warded to the nines. And the only way I know that is because my spidey senses are tingling."

"Nice description," Crowley huffed, "But even you should know that I am the king of the crossroads and was once Lilith's right hand. You don't get to that position without knowing how to even the odds… sidestep a few landmines if you catch my drift."

"All business for you." Angela snorted slightly. "Yeah I know. Just like I get into the jams I'm in now because I and one seriously messed up individual." She gave a slightly crooked grin to emphasize her point.

"But you also get out of them. Some with a little more help than others and is what I am offering to you." Before she could protest, he raised his hand to add, "I'll say it right now that it is because I am sentimental about our relationship that I am not going to make this into a hands tied deal."

"Any deal with you is a hands tied deal. What makes this so different?" Angela was no fool. At the look he gave her, she explained, "You said it yourself, you taught me everything I know about making and breaking deals. Loopholes was your favorite chapter."

"Fine." Crowley wasn't going to argue since she was right on that account. "But I am serious. I'll help you get out of here by pointing them in the right direction. No doubt they are using everything and a little more helps."

"And what do you get in return?"

Crowley smiled slowly at her. He knew she would go for it and he would keep his word. There would be no fine print or anything. He leaned closer and started whispering in her ear, taking pleasure in being close to her again.

A/N: Well looks like the Winchesters have a plan what did Sam say? Where did Crowley come from? Keep watching for more To Hell and Back...