Keys To The Kingdom
Summary: Lucifer reveals secret truths to Sam. In the hope that he can regain one thing that he lost when he was banished. Spoilers for season 5 premiere. AU to season 5
Disclaimer: Supernatural belongs to Kripke and the WB (or CW). Either way I'm not getting anything from this. Although I will gladly accept a gift wrap Sam and Dean Winchester
A/N: I am really hoping that I pull off this chapter because writing a hunt was one of the hardest things to do. I am unsure about this chapter and I don't feel that it is my best work.
Chapter 6: Tug Of War
Dean didn't like Nick and the feeling he could tell was mutual. Since he came in last night Dean felt as if he was in a never ending glaring contest with Nick. Which wasn't true of course because the glaring would only happen when Sam's back was turned. Dean has never felt this level of competition with anyone before over Sam and it was pissing him off. This was worse then Ruby and that was saying something but then Sam didn't care for her as a person, which she wasn't, but what she could provide. Nick on other hand Sam seems to generally care for and have an easy way with.
Dean stared as Sam and Nick exchanging a word or two able to communicate fine without the need of full sentences as they gather all the information they had to show him. Dean thinks how Sam should only be able to communicate so wordlessly with just him. It makes him wonder if Sam felt something similar to this back when they first met Gordon. Dean's thoughts are interrupted when Sam begins explaining the case.
"Children have been taken and the only evidence the police have found is clay and dirt. The last victim's father walked in while his daughter was being kidnapped and tried to fight back. He ended up breaking his hand when his punch hit and was then knocked out when he was thrown against a wall by the kidnapper. None of the children have turned up since being kidnapped."
Hearing about the involvement of children made Dean eager to get the case solved, "Where will we begin?"
"I'll start by checking out the homes of the kidnapped victims and interviewing the families."
"What will Nick here be doing while we are off checking the families?" Dean asks.
"Don't you mean what you will be doing while Sam and I are investigating the homes?" Nick snaps back.
"Actually neither one of you will be going with me."
"What!" Dean and Nick say at the same time.
Sam gives an exasperated sigh pinching his nose. "We will cover more ground if we split up the work. You two will go to the police station and learn what they know. We can then regroup afterwards at the hospital to meet the father who fought with what took his daughter."
"Why do I have to go with him?" Dean looks at Nick when he says this.
"I am not picking between the two of you, I can't. With you two partner together you two can get to know each other."
At least Sam hadn't chosen Nick but Dean wonders at why Sam is unable to pick his brother over someone who wasn't even family. He may not like the situation but he can use the opportunity to grill Nick for information.
With Cas Dean could pretend that everything was fine but having Nick in his brother spot brought it all in to glaring focus at how wrong it was. It should be his brother by his side no one else but of course nothing was going the way it was suppose to. Nick look just as unhappy about being stuck with him as he was.
Getting the police reports and talking to the cops had gone down without a hitch. Dean was surprised by the success they had. He had feared that the tension between him and Nick would give them away. Instead Nick manages to pull off a performance belying the feelings of animosity between them. Dean would never admit it but he was impressed at how well Nick had handled the police and not given anything away.
The tension had eased off a bit after that and they had managed a civil conversation since. It had been mostly about the case but now Dean was going to ask the questions he be dying to get answers to, "So when did you join up with Sam?"
Nick looks up from the police report he had been going over. "Some hunters had attack Sam. I didn't agree with what they were doing and so I came to Sam's help. After helping Sam recover from his broken ribs we started hunting together."
Dean stiffens gripping the wheel tightly at hearing of Sam's injuries. Wondering if that would have occurred if he had been watching out for his brother.
"What happen to those bastards?" Dean asks already planning what he would do if he meets them. As he thinks up plans he sees Nick give him a look of understanding and he thinks approval like Nick knows what he is thinking.
"Sam let them go. After everything they did he forgave them." A hint of annoyance and frustration seeps into Nick's voice.
Dean snorts. "Of course Sam let them go. He is way too forgiving when it comes to someone hurting him. Especially if he thinks the person who hurt him is misunderstood or if he thinks it is one big misunderstanding."
"Sam maybe forgiving but not much to one who hurts someone he cares for or an innocent." Dean gives Nick a hard look at his statement not because it is untrue but how spot on. Dean didn't think that Nick could have gotten to know Sam that well but he is starting to think otherwise.
"Yeah that is Sam one big mess of contradictions."
The conversation dies off there neither one sure what else to say to the other. The rest of the way to the hospital is filled with silence. When he pulls in to the hospital Dean hopes that Sam is already there.
Inside the hospital they find Sam talking to a doctor. The doctor leaves before Dean and Nick walk up to Sam.
"So how did it go for the two of you?" Sam asks looking over the both of them just to check to see they didn't break out into a fight and are now hiding the signs of it.
"It went fine we had no problem with the police or each other" replied Nick.
Hoping that Sam is not just going to take Nick's word at it, Dean is relieved when Sam gives him a look that asks if it is true. "Nothing bad happen but I have to say where the hell do you get your ideas for names to fake ideas. Nick said that you picked the name for his badge so I have to ask what kind of name is Louis Cypher?"
Dean wants to lighten the mood with his question so when Sam smiles back it fills him with a sense of accomplishment. "It comes from a character in a movie and I thought it would suit Nick."
Before he can tease Sam about his name choices or ask the meaning behind it the doctor returns. "You have a few minutes to see Mr. Loew."
They go into the hospital room flashing their badges to the man in the bed. They see his right arm is encased in a cast and he has bandages wrapped around his chest.
"Hello Mr. Loew we are from the FBI and we want to go over the details about your daughter's kidnapping. I know this is hard and you already went over this with the police but there maybe some detail that was missed that could help us." Dean said.
"I was awakened by a noise during the night. Instead of going back to bed I went to check on my daughter Sophia. When I got to her room I saw a giant man standing by my little girl's bed. I rushed him but when my hand hit I felt like I was hitting stone. I was so overwhelmed by the pain from my hand that when the man turned around I was unprepared for his return attack. It felt like I was being knocked back by a wreaking ball."
"Can you describe what he looked like?" Sam asked.
"You are not going to believe me, the cops didn't. They think I am confused because of my injuries or that my mind is making things up because they think I didn't get a good look but I know what I saw."
"We are not the cops and we want to know what you thought you saw." Sam assured the man.
"When he had turned around I saw his face and what I saw was a face that wasn't flesh but of stone. It had the basic features that a human face would have: mouth, nose, eyes. I know it may seem weird but I am sure that I was staring at was the face of a statue and not some mask."
"Are there any other details that you can tell us?" Sam asks.
"I think I saw writing on his forehead but I couldn't make it out."
"Alright that is all for now but if we have any other questions will be back."
The man suddenly reached out and grabs Nick who was standing by the bed. "Please you have to get my little girl back she means the world to me and a pat of me will die if she isn't aright."
Nick has a deer caught in the headlights look on his face. Unsure what to do he tries to reassure Mr. Loew. "We will do everything in our power to make sure your daughter is returned safely." Mr. Loew gives an appreciated nod and lets go.
Leaving the hospital Sam stares at Nick sensing that something is bothering him. Even Dean noticed that something was off with Nick. "Are you alright?" Nick looks at Sam in surprise at the question.
"I wasn't expecting how much he cared for his daughter. The love he has for her is so deep. I never thought it possible that anyone besides," Nick hesitates for a second remembering Dean is also listening, "my own father could have that level of love."
Nodding in understanding Sam doesn't push it further. Dean looks at Sam and Nick wondering what is not being said because he knows that there is a deeper meaning to that conversation. With the curiosity comes also the jealousy at seeing them have a conversation that only they fully understand.
Dean thought the drive back to the motel would be peaceful with Sam sitting shotgun and Nick brooding in the back. Instead the moment Dean gets a conversation going with Sam Nick gets out of whatever funk he was in and starts butting in. Next thing Deans knows he is competing with Nick at who can hold Sam's attention the longest. Sam managed to split his focus between the two fairly evenly but Dean swears he thinks Sam was going to snap at them both if they hadn't finally arrived at the motel.
"So I think we can all agree on what is taking the kids." Sam says once they go over all the new information.
"A Golem, a gigantic artificial humanoid made of clay and brought to life by the use of holy letters written in Hebrew." Dean quickly answers before Nick could, throwing Nick a smug look as he says it.
"Well it is obvious that we are dealing with a golem but the real question is who is controlling it." Nick snaps back.
"I think I have a lead on that. All the families purchase art from Gustav Meyrink a local artist whose specialty is sculptures." Typing away at his laptop Sam pulls up information on Gustav. "Check this out Gustav is the son of Rabbi. He did not follow in his father's footsteps but he did study theology while getting his art degree."
"Well let's go check out Gustav he appears to have a good background for crafting a golem and see if he has one hidden in his attic. If he does all we need to do is change the word on the golem's forehead to death."
"It may not be that simple." Sam tells them.
"Of course it can never be that simple can it" Dean states in frustration.
"What you said is true and the most well known method for dealing with the golem. If it has the writing on its forehead then we have to deal with getting close to the golem which is extremely difficult when it is awake. When you do manage to get close to change the writing on its forehead from Ameth to meth, meaning death, then there is still the risk of being crushed by the golem. When the golem loses its power it collapses and breaks apart killing the person in front of it."
"Where else can the writing be besides the golem's forehead?"
"In some legends the golem is not brought to life with the writing of Ameth, meaning truth, on its forehead but written on a Shem tablet placed under its tongue. The tablet is removed to put the golem to asleep because the golem would not stop if left awake. When that is forgotten the golem will go on a destructive rampage. Removing the tablet causes the golem to shrink into a little clay image. Inscribing the word Meth on its forehead while in that shrunken state prevents the golem from coming to life again. Another way says destroying the tablet causes the golem to disintegrate into a pile of dust."
"We either have to deal with a giant statue ready to crush us or go looking for a shrunken version in a place where there are hundreds but also find the Shem tablet that brings it to life. On top of that we will need to deal with its creator. This should be no problem at all" Dean stares as Nick declares it should be no problem.
"Are you trying to jinks us you never say the hunt will be easy."
Sam hopes Dean is wrong but just incase Sam sends a silent prayer that the hunt doesn't descends to the point where he or Lucifer would have to use there powers. Because Sam knows what Dean's reaction would be if that were to happen.
A/N: I wanted to use something from Czech and my favorite choices were the Golem, the Codex Gigas aka the Devil's Bible (which isn't in Czech but has it origins from there) or The Sedlec Ossuary (bone chapel).
The next chapter is making me frustrated. I know what I want for after the hunt but getting there is the problem.
Happy Thanksgiving