The French Mistake : Bizarro World

I do not own the world of Supernatural or any of its inhabitants.

Chapter 9

From a close but safe distance, Bobby and the boys watched as the lines were drawn between Raphael's warriors and the rebel angels they'd come to know. It was an unfortunate fact that the heavenly hosts were as prone to human vices, as the creatures who were known as the originators of those vices since the days of Adam and Eve. Angels, on the other hand, denied being anything so base as human-like. Yet here they were, petty, vengeful, and disobedient to their Father. The rebel angels seemed to embody the true essence of angelic existence comprising compassion and self-sacrifice, even if they, too, were viewed as disobedient. Their methods may be the same, but their goals were light years apart. The irony of all this was not lost on the mortals.

"Bobby, we have to do something to help Castiel," Jared whispered.

"What can you two idjits do? You're not even real hunters."

"Hey, we've been holding our own, haven't we?" Jensen retorted, albeit in a low voice. "We're not dead yet." He was pretty damn proud of how well he and Jared had survived their adventures since finding themselves in this alternate world.

The older man snorted his derision. It wasn't that he hated the two actors who looked like his godsons. It was their eagerness he objected to. It would get them killed, and he didn't want to see that happen. Bobby humphed at the Dean look-a-like, and made his way to the desk. Hoping the attacking angels weren't paying him any attention, he pulled a small knife from the drawer, and wincing, he slit his forearm. Watching the blood well up from the wound, he siddled back toward the wall, keeping his eyes on the attackers' locations. Quickly, and with the precision of an experienced hunter, he began to draw a warding symbol.

Meanwhile, Castiel and Bathalzar stood side-by-side in silence as they waited.

"You still haven't learned the error of your ways, Castiel. Raphael has given you many chances to swear your allegiance to him, and still you continue to defy him. He is your elder, and yet, you will not obey him. I don't understand how you've changed, brother, mingling with these...hairless apes. You were one of the most loyal and obedient of our brethren." The angel leader looked over at Balthazar, and glaring at him, went on. "We'd expect nothing less from you, brother, throwing yourself into the vices of humans."

"And with such gusto, don't you think?" the blonde angel replied unapologetically. "You really should try them sometime. It's not that bad. Quite wonderful, in fact."

The angel made a face of pure disgust. "We would not wallow with such filth. You and your brother Gabriel, both known for debasing yourselves by induging in sexual encounters with human females, drinking alcoholic beverages, and otherwise behaving in a less than celestial fashion. An archangel lies in non-existence now, due to such disobedence."

"In case you've forgotten, Nathaniel, it was Lucifer who killed Gabriel, not Raphael." Castiel felt a twinge of regret where his older brother was concerned. He had been angry at him for so long, for his continuing torture and interference of the Winchester boys. And yet, how could he hate the fallen angel who had given up his immortality in a last ditch effort to save the Earth.

"You may attempt to justify your actions and those of our rebellious brethren, but it will do you no good. Raphael won't be giving you any more chances."

"In case you haven't noticed, Nate, we're not exactly on bended knees asking for any consideration from your keeper," Balthazar said with contempt. Raphael's vision of Heaven would be Hell for him. Too many rules, no intermingling with women, and no liquor. He and Castiel would never swear allegiance to that archangel, and there were many angels in Heaven who felt the same.

Nodding at the others, Nathaniel gave the order to attack.

Castiel moved aside as an angel holding a blade lunged for him. She missed, a slice on her arm from Cas's blade her reward. Turning, she stared at the angel in the tan trenchcoat, fury in her eyes. "You can't escape, brother. Raphael will never stop looking for you."

Bright light replaced the fury as Balthazar plunged his blade into her back. Ducking a flash of silver, he narrowly escaped being done in himself. But Cas had thrown his knife into the attacker's chest. Bathazar grabbed it and tossed it handily back to his brother. "That's two," he said, smiling.

The two younger humans ducked down behind the desk, as bodies clashed into one another, blades flying. "What the hell are you doing, Bobby? What are those symbols?" Jared asked.

"They're special sigils designed to send angels away." Bobby continued his work.

"Right, right, we know about that from the show. But won't it affect Cas and Balthazar as well?"

"Well, that's a problem, but I'm sure they won't mind. For now, we have to disperse the others, if Cas can't get rid of them himself. I figure the odds are against them."

"I don't know. They look like they're doing pretty well," Jensen observed. Still..."Bobby, do you have any of those blades lying around?"

"Are you kidding? Those are special knives. You can only get one..." Just then a body flew over him, interrupting his explanation. "...from an angel." He had ducked, and making sure he wasn't the intended target, continued his drawing before the bloodflow of his wound stopped.

Feeling helpless, Jensen and Jared watched, both wishing they had weapons. But all they had were guns, useless against angels, and their fists.

Seeing Cas being approached from behind, Jared decided fists were better than nothing. He threw himself across the room, intercepting the suited man heading for Cas. Hitting him hard, he knocked the angel to the floor. Jared moaned from the pain of the impact, then gathering himself, punched the surprised face with a tightly clenched fist. Twice.

The angel shoved upward, turning Jared onto his back. He placed a hand on Jared's forehead, ready to drain the life from the human.

Cas, seeing what was happening, tossed his blade to Jared, who rolled over and stabbed the attacking angel in the heart with it. Bright light flashed from hollow eyes as he stopped moving. A wing-shaped outline of burned ash appeared on the floor beneath him.

Jared stood, and reaching down, pulled the blade from the still chest and tossed it back to Castiel. Breathing hard, he realized that he could be a hunter. It was much harder work than acting out the part he had played the last 5 years, but it felt good.

Jensen, feeling left out, decided to enter the fray. Channeling 'Dean', he tapped the shoulder of one of the angels who had fixated his attack on Balthazar. When he turned around, distracted from his attack on the rebellious angel, he found himself taking several blows to the face and stomach. Jensen gave the angel no chance to use his weapon as he pummeled the celestial being into a heap. Balthazar knelt at his side, and whispering "I'm sorry, brother", stabbed his silver blade into the other's chest. Not out of necessity, he closed his eyes against the bright light that signaled an angel's death. Looking up, he saw the last four remaining angels vanish in a wash of white light.

Bobby had finished his artwork-in-blood, and smacking his hand against the wall within the center of the sigil, sent the remaining angels, including Castiel and Balthazar, wherever it was they went. "Well that was something. You boys ok?" he said, wiping his arm and bloody hand on a small towel. The self-inflicted cut had already begun to close.

"Yeah, fine," Jared uttered, looking around at the scattered bodies with ashy winged outlines. "No problem, Bobby." He was still alive, thankfully. And so was his exuberant co-star.

"That was awesome, man!" Jensen said excitedly. "We whipped some ass there, J."

It was a few hours, when appearing from nowhere, Cas and Balthazar spoke with the three men, who in the meantime, had only the strength to sit back, catch their breath, and do damage to a few beers. "Thank you, Bobby, Jensen, Jared," Castiel said, nodding to each. He looked over at Balthazar, and nodded his thanks silently.

"I'm sorry, Cas. I knew you'd be affected too, but..." Bobby started to apologise.

"It's alright. We might not have been able to take them all down ourselves." Cas glanced at the bodies of his fallen brothers and sisters. He had always hated dissension, and it was painful when it involved his own people, but he had no choice. Raphael must never gain control of Heaven. Not only would Earth suffer, but he felt the heavenly host would suffer as well. Raphael was an archangel, a trusted member of Father's warriors, and a great leader. Once. Now he could no longer be trusted.

Walking between the bodies, Cas waved his hand over each, sending them into the ether that was non-existence.

Coming out of his own revery, Balthazar said, "Well, as much fun as that was, I think I need to go find a safe place to indulge in some of those human vices. Ta-ta, boys." With that, the roguish angel vanished, leaving behind a smirking human.

"I think I could learn to like him," Jensen whispered to Jared.

"Cas, do you think they'll be back?" Bobby asked, concerned.

"It's very possible. We would do well to put up a warding spell around this place." As if by magic, symbols appeared on the walls and windows of Bobby's house. Turning to Jared and Jensen, he said with determined emphasis, "I need to get you two back to where you belong, so I can get my friends back where they belong, here." Fixing his deep blue eyes on theirs, Castiel said, "I know you've tried to fill the void left by the real Winchesters, and you've done admirably. But staying here will only get you killed. And I need my...my friends...back." Announcing to everyone in the room, Cas said, "I'll go find Balthazar, and get him to return you home. Wait here. Do not go anywhere. It's not safe outside these walls." With the slightest whisper of flapping wings, Castiel was gone.

Jensen clapped Jared on the back as the two went over to Bobby's desk. "How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm, after they seen Paree?" he asked laughing, pouring himself an uncharacteristic drink.

Jared only gave him a definite roll-of-the-eyes in response.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Raphael fumed when he was told of the angels' failure to kill Castiel, Balthazar and their human pets. "Sending children to do my work was my mistake. I won't make it again." He paced the floor in his new vessel, a female relative of his previous vessel. His righteous anger grew to such proportion, that when he clenched his fists and shouted to the heavens, the ground shook in Afghanistan, causing an earthquake that measured 5.2 on the Richter scale. One town was severely damaged due to the quake. It was a good thing Raphael had controlled his fury, or that country may have been completely destroyed.

"Order Ouriel to come to me," Raphael told his right hand, Sarakiel. "You won't defeat me, Castiel. You're nothing compared to me. You and your pets will curse the day you ever defied me. I will destroy you and your followers. Then Heaven will be mine."

A/N: short chapter, I know, but it's been difficult for me to do much writing lately. I'm still here though.

Update 9.17.12 I had to delete this chapter to revise a piece. Someone pointed out a minor error.