Chapter 14

Kesset looked around his cell. It had been awhile since he had a visit from his father. He couldn't deny that it was his father. Deep down he knew it. It just hurt that his father was essentially being forced to do the bidding of demons. He knew it beforehand and Gabriel confirmed it when he talked to him in his dreams. Then he sought out the princess and found her… and it seemed she hadn't given up on what she started previously.

As much as he was grateful that there was someone tall enough to soothe his agitation but it was awkward having the human woman there. He had no idea what was going on in his charge's head and he had no idea what to do about it. The nice thing about it was that the woman Kate didn't seem too put out. It did occur to him that his charge might have been playing around with him. She always liked to do that and his pleas to Dean hadn't helped.

Kesset paced around, enjoying the little freedom that he had now and trying to figure out what was going on. After waking up he heard a ruckus and found that his father wasn't there in the cell. It didn't take a genius to figure out that a plan was being set into motion and if anything, this was going to be a respite from whatever the demon had planned.

He kept coming to the door to try and hear what was going on. He really couldn't see since his 'leash' wasn't that long for him to work with. He heard murmurs but for the most part he was isolated. All in all it was like being in the dungeons of Karnak. At least they were better maintained and didn't leave room for the possibility of infections forming from injuries. He shook his wings for reassurance, grateful that he could move them again.

There was noise but it was too far to hear. His Avian hearing didn't allow for him to pick up much. It was just a little above that of a human's. His eye sight was vastly superior. His night vision was what allowed him to hunt at night and he had some successes at hunting down the creatures that he had been sent after in terms of his training. It wasn't going to do him any good now since there wasn't that much to see.

He paced about thinking of what to do. His options were limited since he was being held by iron. Gabriel said that he couldn't be found because of warding. The only thing he had was brute strength working for him and he could rip his leash out. He wouldn't even mind the burns from the iron if he happened to cut himself. Now that he didn't have to worry too much about his broken wing he could look at a means of getting out, warning Sam and Dean and go from there. He continued to pace while occasionally glancing at the door to see if anyone was coming. Sometimes he played with the chain attached to his collar. It was boring work but he was building up his tolerance to touching iron and working with it.

"So you're the bird boy that queen bitch has been complaining about."

Kesset paused and turned towards the door where the voice came from. He saw someone looking at him and they were wearing a bored expression. He didn't sense a demon but that didn't mean whoever it was got off scott free. Those rogue hunters and the one… He gritted his teeth at that. He looked at his visitor and replied, "I think there are a lot of complaints about me."

"Wouldn't surprise me considering."

Kesset inched his way forward with his eyes narrowed suspiciously, "What do you want? To torment me before the demon comes here with her ugly face?"

"Wow. Another who agrees with me! At least I don't say it to her face if your face is any indication of her temper. Still… nice work."

Kesset frowned at the stranger. This was obviously the strangest person he had ever met and he wasn't one that was out to kill him or beat the hell out of him. "Who are you?"

"The name is Nick." Nick peered through the bars of the door. He thought the whole dungeon thing was too much like his father's old garrison. "I would shake your hand but I can see you're on a short leash. Iron too."

"It's not a problem. I'm just biding my time." Kesset turned to look off in a direction but mostly to look at where his leash was attached to the wall. "I can yank it out."

"But you can't do much in terms of flying or any mojo you possess because its iron." Nick gave a knowing look at Kesset. "Always has to be the iron… or the silver. You know I actually tried to figure out why those two metals are used to keep the creatures in check?"

"Don't really care." Kesset was beyond being polite with anyone. He was a prisoner and he was annoyed with person who seemed to have the goal of annoying him. "Now if you have nothing else to bore me with, you may leave."

"You're rather polite for an Avian but you are how Angie described you."

Kesset turned sharply to face Nick. He narrowed his eyes at his visitor. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh." Nick acted like he had forgotten everything and was just recalling it. "Did I happen to mention that I know Angie? Do you know her?"

"You better leave the princess alone," Kesset growled. He felt the feathers on his wings become agitated.

Nick raised his brow at the reaction Kesset was giving. It was sort of but not quite to the reaction that Sam gave when he teased him about his own relationship with Angela. "Wow. There is only one other person that reacts like that and he always seems to have a stick up his ass. I guess there is one more for the completion: Sam, me and now you."

"You are delusional if you think my affections are as such for the princess," Kesset spat back as he crossed his arms over his chest. His wings had flapped slightly even though one was broken, more in reaction to his increasing agitation. "And you should not toy with her suitor." Once Nick revealed he knew Sam, he recognized his visitor

"Toy with her suitor? What? Has Sam finally laid claim to her?" Nick made a slight face at that. "And here I was thinking that he wasn't a pervert."

"Cease this you insolent spell caster!" Kesset bellowed loudly and his wings flapped. It agitated his injuries but he was pissed. He knew Sam would hold his temper but this was uncalled for and it was his duty as the guardian to the princess and what was hers. He tugged hard against his bindings and ended up pulled the length of chain out of the wall with the added force of his wings flapping like they were trying to lift him. He was at the door in an instant in Nick's face. "You so much as toy with him or her, there will be hell to pay."

Nick was impressed. At least one obstacle was taken care of. He didn't have the means to get inside the cell and unlock the collar. He just had to push to get Kesset to do it. He hated doing it because he saw that the guard had been injured on his wings. As a healer, he could pick up on things. Unfortunately he had to rile up Kesset to get him angry enough to pull himself free from the wall. It wouldn't stop him from teasing Sam but he would be wary about Kesset. With a straight face, he said, "Wow. That was impressive! And you were restrained by everything made of iron. You do got some fight in you."

Kesset was huffing in anger. "You… did that… on purpose?"

Nick altered his features into a truly contrite one. "Yes and I am sorry. I don't have the key to open this door and my lock picking skills are abysmal. The only way to remove that iron collar was for you to pull yourself free. I have the key for that."

Kesset was still huffing angrily and glaring at Nick. He saw the logic but that didn't make it any better. He was still angry. "For that… you have my thanks. But what purpose does this bring?"

"Let me explain after I get this off." Nick stuck his hand through the opening and muttered the incantation. The iron collar fell away with a clang. "Oh don't worry about this getting back to queen bitch. She'll just think you did it yourself… like you got pissed, which you did, and you pulled your chain out and managed to get the collar off. She'll be impressed."

"Irrelevant. What is the purpose to this?" Kesset rubbed his neck feeing the heavy weight being removed and he felt freer. His neck was sore since it have been clamped on his neck and chafed but it was irrelevant.

"I'm getting there." Nick liked the guard every minute more. Sam was right in that this guy would do anything and if it involved keeping Angela out of trouble, he would do it. He only hoped that Sam's idea would work. He got the feeling that this was going to put the brother's at odds but they would do it and only because it was for her. Taking a breath, he continued, "Look, don't get mad but Lenya has Angie. She bound the rogue hunters that captured you and sent them to retrieve her. They had one guy with them in a black hoodie."

Kesset rumbled in his chest. He looked at Nick, "Did he have a pendant? Describe it."

Nick thought it strange but decided to cater to the guard's request. If it was going to garner his cooperation, then so be it. He described it and noted that the guard was getting angry but he was keeping it calm. Apparently the pendant held some meaning to him and it wasn't the good kind. He looked at Kesset and said, "Focus. He's long gone by now but the point is that Angie is here. Lenya has her prisoner and…"

"She'll torment her for the location of the heart and Eye."

"And not to mention to torture Sam." At the look he was getting Nick explained, "I see things too. That's why it's fun to tease Sam. My only aspirations with Angie is that of friendship… from one healer to another."

"You have a funny way of showing it and it is not humorous."

"Everybody's a critic," Nick deadpanned. He cleared his throat slightly and continued. "Since I'm here, I can keep an eye on Angie. I'm undercover here. Part of another case I was working on."

"So you pretend to be this demon's ally when it is your intention to kill her."

"That and exorcise her minions. The meat suits they're possessing, their families asked me to try and get them back but you know some demons ride them pretty hard." Nick gave a slight shrug. That was the nasty part of the job; when an innocent ended up dying. "So I'm your inside man as well as the Winchesters."

"The Winchesters are coming?"Kesset perked up at that but not in hope. It was alarm. "They must stay way from here."

"Yeah no kidding. Being an intimate with the queen bitch here, I know she wants both Angie and Sam." Nick leaned in close to whisper, "I know that Sam is Lucifer's vessel."

"If he comes here, there is nothing to stop the demon from using the princess as a shield," Kesset replied as the realization came upon him. "He will give himself up for her." Part of that realization had a little bit of pride run through him since he had not really seen what was obvious to everyone in the royal family. He was familiar with familial displays of affection and it had been like what siblings or a father-daughter relationship would be. Looking at Nick he said firmly, "That can't happen."

"Which is where you come in," Nick replied, pointing at Kesset to emphasize his point. He looked around to make sure that no one was coming. He would be hard put to explain what he was doing there unless he was taunting the young guard. That was viable and it would suck… like everything about this job did but he made the most of it. He looked back at Kesset, "You are going to make sure that doesn't happen."

"And how am I supposed to do that?"

"Fly Angie out of here."

Kesset thought about it for a moment. His wing was broken and he wasn't even sure if he could fly. If he could, he wouldn't be able to go far and there was the danger that he could get them to the middle of a place that would equally bad. Still this was for the princess. He looked at Nick, "That won't be a problem."

"You're pretty good at fibbing."

"I don't fib. It won't be a problem."

"Fine, fine." Nick waved his hands to indicate that he was going to go with it. "Look the plan is to get her out. I'll do what I can to get this door opened but considering who it is…"

"We cannot compromise your position," Kesset interrupted. He had thought about it and while it was risky and certainly the Winchesters would have something to say. Still it could work and in the end their goals would be achieved.

"I think by the time we…"

"The princess will help." Kesset looked at Nick in the eye. He wished to convey that he was being serious. "She can help."

Nick stared back as an idea began to form. There were not going to be happy campers but screw that now. They were in a serious position. It seemed that Kesset saw it too. "I like how you think. I think I have an idea."

"Elaborate."

Nick checked to make sure no one was around. He didn't have much time left to be away so he had to make it quick. "Okay here's what we're gonna do…"

Angela looked around the room she had been left in by Nick. She didn't like that she was in a place that had the mean lady with the white eyes but she agreed to listen to Nick. Sam told her to listen to him and if Sam said to, then she would follow. It was like when Dean told her about rule number one for the Impala. She was to listen to them and do what they told her to do. Sometimes she didn't want to but she followed because they knew better. That was what Bobby said and he was included in that as well. So she would listen.

The room looked big. Everything in the room looked big. All the furniture was big. The bed was big… it was big and it looked ugly. She sat on the middle of the bed not moving and looked around. She didn't know what to do and she had been told to listen to Nick. She would do that and then Sam and Dean would come for her. Then she would go home.

Angela sat there with her hands in her lap, wishing that she had Samadean with her. It was like having the brothers there since the bear looked like the both of them. It even had Dean's amulet hanging around the neck and wore Sam's colors in flannel. It had the best things of both brothers. Sitting there she sighed, dreading that she would have to see the lady with the white eyes again and wondering when Nick would be back. She wanted to go home.

Her hands being bored, she gripped her necklace, her little hand covering the pendant and held it in her fist. It was soothing and she started murmuring for Sam, Dean, Castiel, Bobby… anyone to come. Her eyes closed and out of habit she started to rock in her seat. Her little fist was next to her mouth and her lips were moving but barely a sound was coming out.

Hey Cat.

The sudden hearing of a thought that wasn't hers in her head, snapped to attention. She almost fell backwards onto the bed but actually bounced to stay upright. She looked around wide eyed. "Whose there?"

It's me Cat. You remember?

Angela did remember. She said out loud, "The angel that smells like sugar."

Okay. That will work.

"Where are you?"

In your head kiddo. You probably shouldn't be talking out loud. People will think you're crazy.

Angela crawled on her hands and knees over the bed since it was pretty bouncy. She didn't see anyone but she could hear the angel that smelled like sugar. His name was… Gabe. She then remembered how she talked to Sam in his head. She frowned. "Why youse in my head?"

Cause I look after you like Kess and Cas. It's a thing we have because we like you a lot. You're special Cat.

Angela wasn't sure about that but she was willing to go along with it. "Okay. So because Sammy looks after me, talks in my head too?" She still spoke out loud. It sounded better and she didn't know how to do it in the head. With Sam it was easy and she just did it.

Sure thing kiddo. Now are you okay?

"Uh-huh. The mean leady with the white eyes brought me here. Nick is looking after me. He told me to stay put." Angela managed to slide off the bed and started walking around. She didn't touch anything but looked at it.

So the warlock is there. Okay, just listen to him.

"Sammy said the same thing n he said that he was coming. He was coming to get me."

That's… good. Keep it up but I want you to do something for me. Do what they say but you need to get next to Kess.

"How?"

Do what Nick tells you to do. It should be okay. He'll get Kess out. Also one more thing.

Angela looked around the room when she felt a breeze enter it. She frowned as she looked around. She remembered Dean telling her a ghost story and how the ghost made itself known by making it cold in the room it was going to appear it. It had her wondering if that was going on here. She pulled on the ends of her flannel shirt to wrap it around her. It was her favorite because it looked exactly like Sam's and the t-shirt underneath had the picture of the Impala on it.

Cat?

Angela looked around. She didn't like that it felt cold in that room. She wanted to make sure that it was okay there. Everything looked big and creepy. She walked around feeling the cold and it got colder as she approached the window to find that it was open. At least she knew where it was coming from.

Cat? Are you okay?

"I'm okay," Angela said as she looked around before wandering back to the center of the room. She found herself standing on what appeared to be a fur rug. She looked at it and sat down in the middle and ran her fingers through the fur. "It's cold n it's coming from the window. It's okay now," she said as she sat on the floor.

Okay then. Now I need you to do one more thing.

Angela gave a yawn, "What's that?"

Get angry. Whatever happens you need to get mad.

"Why?"

Because you have to. The bad people there… they are going to try and hurt Sam and Dean when they come for you. You need to get mad.

Angela frowned at that. She didn't like when Sam or Dean got hurt but the angel was telling her to get mad. It didn't make sense. "I don't get it."

You will kiddo. When it happens you will. Just make sure you only get the bad people.

"Okay?" Angela was confused. She knew she had bitten the man because he wouldn't let her go and he had hurt Sam. This was like being asked to be mad for no reason. It sounded strange to her.

Don't worry about it. You'll know. Just do whatever the warlock tells you to do and stay with Kess when you find him.

Angela would have asked more but the angel was gone and she was left alone. She looked around before lying down on the fur. She didn't sleep but stared at the door, waiting. It was where Nick found her when he came back from his conversation with Kesset. She immediately sat up and looked like she was waiting to be told what to do. "Sammy come now?"

Nick looked at the little girl sitting on the fur rug. He knew that she had feelings for Sam so it was no big surprise that she would ask for him or about him. He nodded, "Sam is on his way with Dean. They have to do what they need to do. We have to do what we need to do. Okay?"

"Uh-huh."

Nick would have said more but his cell phone started ringing. He looked at the little girl as she yawned and pulled out his phone. He knew the number wasn't Sam's but he answered it anyway, "Hello?"

Took you long enough.

Nick recognized the voice of his old mentor. He didn't know whether or not to call it perfect timing or what. It definitely wasn't something he was expecting and he had made it clear that he had been pissed with the whole situation regarding Angela. It was more because Sam and Dean were pissed that he was willing to tear the old coot a new one. "How did you get this number?"

Do you really want to waste time asking dumb questions or would you like to hear what I have to say?

"Not particularly since the Winchesters are inclined to make your mess my fault."

Technically it is since you brought them to me.

Nick rolled his eyes at that. Leave it to the old coot to throw things back onto him. He put a hand on his hip and replied, "Whatever. Look, I'm in the middle of job. You know doing that thing that gets me in trouble with my dick ass brothers and my bastard of a father. I don't have time to be playing around."

I know you don't. I also know that you are playing a dangerous game ingratiating yourself to a demon. Of course it's your skin off your ass. You wanna play with fire that is up to you but you better make sure that you at least try to make things run smooth.

"I know how to work undercover. So are you going to tell me what the hell you want?" Nick glanced at Angela and noted that she was watching him but gave no indication that she had heard or was even listening to what he was saying. "I don't have a whole lot of time…"

Yes, yes I know. Now you know what it's like when you mess around with a certain Winchester we know.

"You've made your point. Now spill."

I'm guessing you have something in motion so I won't bore you. What I have to say involves something else.

Nick knew he was asking for trouble if he catered to the old coot. He had long given up on trying to figure it out. It was better to go with it. He shifted on his feet and replied, "Tell me what you have in mind… and no side trips."

A/N: Nick is working on a plan with Kess and seems that Gabe is tossing his hat in and Angie is caught in the middle... again. Stay tuned for more Memory Resolved...