TEN
Highway To Heaven
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Dean barrelled into the staff room door, sending it flying. Chuck and Becky gasped in surprise. Katie and the others stared. Dean crossed the room to a chair. He ignored everyone to grab the backrest and pull it across the floor, standing it on the carpet and climbing up on it. He searched his person for something, his hands running over every pocket in every piece of clothing he wore.
"Harry?" Katie asked, unsure.
"Damn it!" He looked over at her. "Anyone got a lighter?"
The room exchanged worried glances before Katie went to the cupboards behind her. She opened one and fished around, finding a small lighter and carrying it over.
"Don't look at me like that," she said nervously. "I quit smoking a year ago. I just forgot to remove all the stashed equipment."
Dean grinned, crouching on the chair to take it from her. "Thanks," he nodded. He straightened up again, flicking the lighter on. He stretched upwards toward the ceiling.
"What are you doing?" she asked, backing up a step.
Dean's hand and the naked flame went toward the small round item embedded in the ceiling just as the door wanged open again. Sam appeared with a very white Martin, the taller Winchester shepherding him through the door.
"Cas ready to fly the coop as soon as they're both free?" Dean asked.
"He knows what to do," Sam nodded.
Dean's hand waved slightly. The flame spread over the nub and suddenly a piercing shriek rang out.
"Oh no - no!" Katie cried, raising her hands over her head. The next moment sprinkler systems kicked in and the fire suppression system caused the Heavens to open. Water sprayed down around the room.
Chuck and Becky jumped to their feet, Chuck trying to cover her head with some of his jacket. She squealed and tucked under his arm. Sam kept a good hold on Martin's shoulder as he watched Dean jump down from the chair. He kicked it aside and looked around.
"Right, everyone out!" he shouted.
People did not need telling twice. They ran from the room, hands over their heads.
"What the Hell are you doing?" Katie shouted in anger. "You already got the part, dumbass!"
Dean ignored her. "Chuck! Chuck, get your sorry ass over here!"
"Wha--?"
"Now!" Dean raged.
Becky grabbed onto him more tightly as he shuffled across the room, the picture of nervousness. "What now?" he managed.
"Any minute now an angel is gonna come through that door!" Dean called through the pattering of cold water. "When he does, you make damn sure he sees you!"
"How?" he cried nervously.
"I don't care! Call him names, offend his delicate sensibilities! Anything!"
"Alright! Just don't shout at me!"
Dean grabbed the jacket over his shoulder, wrenching him away from Becky. "Hey!" she protested angrily.
"Sweetheart, get over there," Dean growled, giving her a shove. She felt a hand on her arm and Katie was pulling at her.
"These people are nuts!" she hissed. "Let's run while we can!"
"Not without Chuck!" Becky cried, but Katie pulled and she ended up with her in the far corner of the room.
Suddenly the door flew inwards, blown clear of the jamb. Everyone ducked in fright and surprise. A man barged in, his hair plastered to his head in sopping wet patterns.
"Ha! Divine intervention put your little fire out!" he spat at Dean.
Dean's dripping arm raised the lighter innocently. "God is in the lighter fluid?"
The angel Ramiel growled and drew in a deep breath.
"Hey! Uhm, angel!" Chuck called.
The man's head whipped around. "You!" he gasped, surprised. "You are safe?"
"I am," Chuck swallowed. "So far--"
"Look again, pal!" Dean shouted, making Ramiel turn on him. "Look at Chuck real careful - is it really him? Or is he a demon now?"
The angel advanced on the writer, grasping his shoulders. He stared. "No!" he pronounced, gripping him more painfully. "How did they get to you! The demons must be stopped! They will not have the Winchester gospel!"
The angel's eyes began to glow and he put a hand up toward Chuck's forehead. The room began to shake slightly. Cups tinkled and doughnuts wobbled. Dean gestured at Sam. He dragged Martin with him toward the doors.
"Incoming! We gotta get out!" Dean called over the growing thrumming noise. "Get the girls!"
The Winchesters turned and ran for the two women. They pulled on limbs and simply ran as fast as their legs would carry them, Martin already out of the door. They pounded down to the stairwell.
"You think it's Raphael?" Sam panted as he herded Katie down in front of him.
"Who cares?" Dean snapped. "Just go!" He put an arm round Becky's waist in front of him and lifted. She squeaked as she was thrown over his shoulder in a fireman's lift. Dean started to jump two or even three steps at a time with the bannister for support, Becky screaming the entire way.
By the time they had reached the ground floor, she had passed out.
.
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Dean hefted the unconscious girl onto the boot of the Impala. He held her up with one arm, fishing in his pocket for the car keys with the other. Sam pulled Katie after him by the hand, keeping a watchful eye on Martin. He appeared rather quite dazed by it all, as if Saturday had just followed Wednesday due to Thursday and Friday filing vacation forms without his knowledge.
Everyone but Becky turned to look at the office building behind them. All was silent.
"Are you sure an archangel was coming?" Sam asked quietly.
"Shut up," Dean groused. "He was on his way, alright."
Sam bit his lip nervously. "Uhm… For the record, I can't believe we just left Chuck there."
"Oh come on, it's an amazing plan," Dean shot back. "Cas is out of here, the archangel's either gonna wipe Ninja Angel out or simply take him home, Chuck will be fine, and all this will be set straight."
"Hmm," Sam mused, still staring at the eleventh floor of the building. "Still no archangel light, dude."
"Maybe he's not smiting him."
"No activity at all."
"And?" Dean challenged. "Did you have a better idea?"
Sam huffed the great snort of the unjust. He felt Katie's fingers tighten round his hand and looked down at her.
"Luke?" she asked quietly.
"Yes."
"Are you high? Because, if you are, I just want to--"
"No, I am not high," Sam sighed.
"For once," Dean muttered, apparently to himself.
"Hey," Sam snapped in protest. Dean glanced at him before doing a double-take and shrugging it off.
Katie cleared her throat. "Cos I was going to say, if you are, then--"
"I'm not!"
"But if you were, I really wouldn't care." She blew out a long sigh. "This has been the craziest week."
"Tell me about it," Sam mused, his eyes back on the building.
There was a sudden blinding flash. Everyone jumped and blinked. Dean's phone began to ring and he held onto Becky while searching for it. He pulled it out and flipped it open.
"Yeah'ello?" He nodded in relief and looked at Sam. "He got him. Everything's clear? Right. And the vessel dude, is he ok? What about Chuck?" He paused to listen as a police siren wailed past in the distance. "That is all we need to know. Good work, Clarence. Gotta go, I hear a bell ringing." He pushed the phone closed against his jacket front as he beamed at Sam. "Clarence says Ramiel's gone. Clarence is up there with Chuck right now - they're both safe, everything's fixed."
"Great," Sam sighed, nodding in relief. He looked at Martin. "Hey. You ok?"
"Yeah, yeah," Martin managed. "I think." He turned and began to walk back to the building, his face a picture of confusion.
Sam turned to look at his brother. "You think you can get Becky back up there?" he asked.
"Easy," Dean said, reaching over and slapping lightly at the girl's face.
"Dude!" Sam protested.
Dean simply held onto the girl to stop her from sliding off the polished metal boot. She grabbed onto the hand and arm round her side, looking around wildly.
"Oh! It's you!" she gulped. "I didn't know where I was for a second there!"
"You ok?" Dean asked, leaning closer to peer at her pale face.
She looked at him. "Yeah of course I am, I'm--… fine," she managed, staring back into his eyes and showing disturbing signs of melting. "Hmm… The… freckles… The eyelashes…"
"Right, well, let's get you--"
"Suddenly I feel a little faint," she feathered.
Katie tutted and rolled her eyes, pulling on Sam's hand to walk them back toward the offices. Becky clutched at Dean's arm as he guided her off the car and to her feet. She gasped and wobbled and he caught her before her knees discovered the pioneering way how far it was to the asphalt. She gripped his upper arms through his jacket, smiling.
"Ooh, thanks," she grinned, lifting one hand to wave it at her face. "I don't know why I just passed out like that."
"It was probably something to do with - uhm - air," Dean nodded uncomfortably. He moved to let go of her but she clamped her hand round his right arm.
"Don't let me fall," she squeaked. She leaned on him as they began to walk across the car park, her hands securely round his upper arm with more staying power than Superglue. "Ooooooh," she breathed to herself.
"What?" he asked, worry more than just a fleeting thought.
"You're so hard," she managed, her voice only just managing to break a whisper.
"Oh God," Dean groaned with feeling, walking them faster.
.
.
"Don't worry," Chuck said, wringing his hands at the two Winchesters, "there is no way in Hell I'm publishing any more after this giant near-pooch-screwing."
"We're glad to hear it," Dean nodded. He cast a sly glance at his brother, twenty feet away. Sam was putting his hands to Katie's face gently as she laid her hands on his front. Dean looked back at Chuck. "And the sooner you kill this TV project the better. We still got guns."
"Oh, I hear ya," Chuck said quickly. "And I think this network is going to have a few problems for a while. Martin quit," he nodded.
"Fantastic," Dean grinned. "That'll definitely send this pilot of theirs down the pan."
"Won't it," Chuck sighed. Dean's head tilted and he cleared his throat. Chuck looked up at him. "I mean, yeah, great, I'm so glad it will," he nodded quickly.
Dean put his hand to his shoulder and patted. "Well I would say look out for yourself, but seeing as you got an archangel on your shoulder, I don't think I'll bother," he smirked. "But keep Becky out of trouble."
"I'll try," he said, tipping two fingers to his forehead before sidling off. He walked quickly and quietly to the girl watching shyly from Chuck's car bonnet. Dean's gaze followed the writer until Becky appeared in his line of sight. She blushed and lifted a hand, rippling her fingers at him.
Dean blinked, bemused, but waved back cheerfully before the two of them ducked into Chuck's car.
"There you are," said a voice, and he turned to see Martin coming at him.
"Hey. I hear you quit," Dean smiled.
"You hear a lot of things," Martin smiled back. "You know, I've been thinking…"
"You don't want to go doing that," Dean said dismissively.
"And I've been thinking that maybe Luke and you really are Sam and Dean after all," he added slyly.
"And how would you prove something like that?" Dean asked suavely, his most charming smile spreading over his face like oil on water.
"And that," Martin grinned, pointing at his face, "that is the shit-eating grin from page three hundred seventy-nine," he chuckled.
Dean laughed, he couldn't help it. "Whatever," he allowed. "If you get wherever you're going and you're stumped for a six-pack, let me know. I could find something."
"Thanks, man," Martin said, his smile shrinking to a look of honest surprise. "I guess you have less friends than even I do to put yourself out like that."
"Occupational hazard," Dean shrugged.
"Because you two are Sam and Dean!" Martin accused, pointing at him again. "And I'll prove it - I'll call Sam's number and Luke's phone will ring - you watch me!"
"Knock yourself out, man," Dean allowed, waving a hand beyond him in the general direction of Sam.
Martin pulled his phone out of his trouser pocket and pressed buttons quickly. He and Dean turned to watch Sam as they both heard Martin's line open. Sam was lifting his head from Katie's, obviously loathe to let go of her, as she grinned. She leaned up on tiptoes and kissed him briefly, again obviously not for the first time, and he said something that sent her into a fit of chuckles. Suddenly there was a beeping noise and Sam let her go, putting his hand in his pocket.
"See!" Martin crowed victoriously, pointing. "What did I tell you!"
Sam, oblivious to the bet going on, didn't check the screen of his Blackberry before answering it. "Hello?" he asked clearly. "Oh, hey, it's you," he smiled.
Martin's face dropped so fast it was a wonder his muscles didn't suffer whiplash. He pressed the cancel key on his phone, watching Sam talk away at someone.
"Who is it?" Dean called with a truckload of satisfaction. But the passenger seat of the truck held a tiny bag of sympathy for Martin, who was still staring with disappointment.
Sam looked up. "It's B--. It's - uhm - ah - Uncle Jim."
"Your Uncle Jim?" Martin replied. "Oh, you mean Harry's dad?"
The two Winchesters looked at each other for a long moment, not knowing whether to die of embarrassment or laugh.
"Y-yeah," Sam managed. "Hey, Harry, say hi to your dad," he grinned maliciously. He walked over, Katie's hand in his still, as he passed the cell phone to Dean.
"Yeah, hi, uhm, Dad," Dean havered. "Oh, nothing, we're good," he said. "Yeah, my idiot cousin is just setting himself up for a good old-fashioned ass-whu--. What? No! Would I?" he spluttered in apparent indignation. "Yeah, ok. Well we'll just tidy a few things up here and we'll be on the way down to you. You need anything?" He paused, eyeing Sam before putting his attention back to the phone. "Ok. You'll have it tomorrow. Bye Dad," Dean nodded, pulling the phone clear. He pressed the red button and handed the phone back to his brother. "Dad says you gotta watch your mouth," he grinned maliciously.
"That's Uncle Jim, cuddly as ever," Sam replied politely, his mouth stretched wide into an unctuous smile.
"Well anyway, guys - thanks for everything. I think," Martin said. "I'm going to move to Kansas where people don't believe in angels and demons," he sighed.
"Good luck with that," Dean smiled. "Give us a call if you need something."
"Thanks," Martin managed. He patted Dean on the arm before nodding to Katie and Sam. "Bye, Miss Frye."
"Bye, Martin. Thank you. For everything. Life won't be the same without you keeping it order," she smiled warmly.
"Thanks." He simply walked around them and across the parking lot.
"Man," Dean breathed at Sam, "am I glad we've changed phones like sixty times in the last few months."
"Time for me to go too," Katie said. "Harry? A pleasure," she nodded. She stretched her hand out and he shook it firmly. "And you," she said to Sam, pressing her hand against the front of his shirt, "seriously have to call me so we can get together this weekend."
"You know, we should definitely do that," he grinned. "But won't you be too busy now you're like higher up the food chain?"
"Oh no," she said, "Fox are plunging into hard times. I'm moving networks," she added. They ambled after her as she turned to her car.
"Well it's a real shame they wouldn't go for your show," Dean shrugged. "It sounded… kinda cool."
Sam shot him a glance but he ignored him. Katie grinned as she unlocked the door and got into her car.
"Oh, don't be," she said. "I just got a call from this guy… what was his name… Crabtree? Cripptree? Something like that. Anyway, he's invited me over to Warner Brothers, and he's hot for the show after all."
"What?" the boys blurted together.
"You're cute when you do that," she winked, pulling her door closed.
"I thought it was all off? I thought Chuck had left the building and you had no actors?" Dean cried, confused.
"Well he did and we didn't… but then Becky called to say she's got this wonderful idea, and she's already lined up two guys for the leads."
"What?" the boys blurted a second time.
"Oh yeah - she says the little guy from Dark Angel? He's all grown up in a good way and apparently, he could be exactly what we're looking for. And we have a guy from Gilmore Girls to be the emo brother. It's all falling into place!"
Sam.
Dean.
Sam and Dean.
Car park.
Breeze.
Imaginary tumbleweeds.
They were sucked into the largest, most incomprehensible whirlwind of absolute shock, up against the tallest, most insurmountable fence of incredulity they had ever encountered.
They were still standing with their mouths hanging open as she waved at them, turning the engine over before driving off.
Eventually, Sam turned to look at Dean. His eyes darted over his shoulder. "Uh, hey Cas," he managed.
"Sam. You are intact," the angel acknowledged.
"Kinda," he offered, his voice high and on the verge of breaking under the load.
"What has happened here?" Castiel asked quickly, walking round Dean to look at his face and finding it similarly tasked with looking troubled in as confused a way as possible.
"We're not quite sure," Dean admitted, blinking at his sibling. "Did she just--?"
"Yeah."
"Is she going to--?"
"Yeah."
"Crap!"
"Crap."
"Drink?" Castiel offered.
The Winchesters turned and looked at him as if he were wearing the loudest Hawaiian shirt in existence.
"What?" Dean asked in befuddlement, his eyebrows adjusting themselves into a low huddle whose fortitude would have rivalled the All Blacks haka ritual.
"In situations such as these, you normally resort to alcohol. So we should find some alcohol," Castiel said seriously.
"Amen to that," Dean nodded. He walked toward him, patting him heavily on the shoulder and turning him round.
Sam took a deep breath, straightened up, and felt for the Blackberry in his pocket. He smiled as his fingers connected with it, thoughts turning to the new number safely stored within.
Then he followed the angel and his brother to the Impala.
With perhaps just the smallest spring in his step.
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FIN
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And that's a wrap, folks! Hope you liked it, cos I really enjoyed seeing your reactions to it and I have to say, I had a whale of a time writing it.
Full reference list follows:
Katie Frye, named for Kayleigh Frye of Firefly fame.
'Tell Alan he's fired' - Alan Sugar of The Apprentice.
'Get Sera to get a think-tank and episode thrashing crew ready'- Sera Gamble, of course.
'We were on a break' says Dean - á la Friends.
Raelle and Cathryn are of course named after Raelle Tucker and Cathryn Humphries.
Harrison - after the family name the Winchesters were originally to have in the pilot script - and Luke and 'Han'/Harry - Star Wars' Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.
Bob Pattinson - A.K.A. Robert Pattinson from the 'Twilight' saga.
Clarence - the angel from It's A Wonderful Life, obviously!
Novels Without Pity - taken from 'TV Without Pity', Supernatural Bookcase - taken from , SPN-Obsessed - taken from the ning site of the same name, and of course SupernaturalVille: The Vaults.Had to be done. :)
Captain Manners - named for the irreplaceable Kim Manners.
Traci, Amy's assistant (named once), named after Traci Dinwiddie.
Dean refers to Martin as 'Radar' - the faithful magic-man from M*A*S*H*.
Phil the tour guide, named after Phil Sgriccia.
Fox 'hating' Nathan Fillion: is trufax!
Mr Beeson who works on the 14th floor: Charles Beeson.
The two men who die before the boys arrive, 'Charles' and 'Eric', are named for Charles Beeson and Eric Kripke (of course!).
Steve Jobs and the iPad being a tool of the Lord gag - shout-out to Tiny_Winchester from Twitter. See? I promised it would be in there!
Luke's 'Uncle Jim' is of course named for Jim Beaver!
'The little guy from Dark Angel' who will play Dean? Jensen Ackles.
'A guy from Gilmore Girls to play Sam'? Jared Padalecki.
Warner Brothers TV and Mr 'Crabtree' are probably who will decide to make these books into a show after all. If we're really lucky!
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