Chapter 8

"So you're saying that we would need a small army to go looking for her?" Dean looked at Ranger Wilkes trying to be clear on what the forest ranger was telling him.

"Mr. Scout is right. There are literally dozens of trails and not all of them on official maps that fall within the area of the attacks," Georgia replied trying to calm the man down. She could see that he was very worried and he had every right to be. The longer they sat on this and if their friend was in trouble, there was the high probability of hypothermia and worse.

"And you don't have the man power to search all of them," Dean replied trying not to be sarcastic. Ranger Wilkes had done nothing wrong. She knew the area better than he did and she knew what the job entailed when looking for someone.

"Budget thing and I don't want to go into that," Georgia replied.

"Well the horse came back. Could it… I don't know, lead the way?"

Georgia raised her brow at that. Did he think that horses were like dogs? Well she had heard of instances were animals other than dogs were able to find people. His idea did have some merit but there were problems with that. She replied, "It could work but horses aren't like dogs Dean. Even if the horse could pick up the trail, Starkhaven is not known for taking to just anybody."

Dean gave a slight toss of his head trying to cover for the slight embarrassment over the suggestion. "Well Sam and I can handle that. He seemed to like us well enough."

Georgia felt bad for Dean and she was worried too. She knew that Angela was capable of many things. She saw her tackle the werewolf that left her scarred. There wasn't much she could do except to tell him to narrow the search corridor. She did have one idea though she didn't know how well it would sit. She replied, "Well maybe that would help and maybe I can get the local PD to loan us their trackers. How well that would work, I can't say since it is expected to remain snowing the rest of the day and all night."

That wasn't what Dean wanted to hear. He and Sam were determined to find her and male sure that she was okay. That blood on the saddle and the small drops on the chakram were too much of a coincidence or whatever. "If we can narrow the search area, what would it take in terms of actually searching?"

"Well I know you and your brother will want in and I'll help plus I can bring one other. That should be plenty. You said Scout said you could borrow his mounts right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"While I can bring a jeep up, it would be a roundabout way and that could take some time especially in the storm. We can travel directly on horseback up," Georgia explained. She got the feeling that Dean was one operating on a sense of urgency and it gave her the feeling that he knew something that she didn't. She would do her best to accommodate him. At least he was cooperating with the forestry.

Dean shuffled on his feet slightly as he thought about his options. Sam was working on the search area right now. He wasn't completely thrilled at the prospect of riding a horse but if he had to he would. Maybe when they found her, they would have some laughs about him sitting on the thing. Right now it was the best bet. He looked at the ranger and replied, "We'll narrow it down and get back to you. Thanks Ranger Wilkes." He held out his hand.

Georgia took his hand and gave it a firm shake. "Georgia. Good luck Dean. We'll find her."

Dean had been leaving when she said that. He paused and turned slightly to reply, "I know we will." He walked out and headed towards the Impala rubbing his hands to warm them up. The temperature certainly was getting colder, certainly colder than the night he and Angela talked. She said it wouldn't bother her but if the temperature kept dropping… how much longer would she last? He hurried to get back to the inn and his brother.

It had been a long afternoon. After leaving the Scout property, they went back to their room to try and figure out where she might be up there. Sam wasted no time and grabbed his set of lock picks and walked with a purpose to Angela's room. Dean had been hard pressed to keep up since his brother had this determination set about his shoulders.

It had been easy to pick the lock and open the door. Dad certainly made them practice enough and they got it down to an art to make it look like they had the keys to the lock. Sam entered first and headed towards the standard issue table. Dean meanwhile stepped in slowly and took a look around the room. He had been in her room numerous times at the various seedy motels they stayed in but he never really got to look around. He heard somewhere that how a person keeps their things was a sign of their personality or something. He was curious about hers.

He noticed the made bed. She was so like Sam when it came to staying in a motel. Her bags were arranged in a certain order that Dean had picked up on when they were last at Bobby's. The room was neat and orderly and gave the impression of serious OCD but Dean knew that most of it was stemmed from the discipline of hunting and he could give a hand to her previous lives and the need for order etcetera.

The room looked like it was giving the appearance of someone living here but it didn't look like it. It made Dean wonder if that was how she saw herself. She lived but didn't set herself a part of that world or some philosophical shit like that. It certainly put into perspective how she interacted with others. Yet when she was with him and Sam, she made the effort to be a part of their lives and she always asked their opinions. It was strange and it was creepy that he could come to that conclusion. That stuff was usually Sam's territory and the thought occurred to Dean making him wonder if Sam was seeing what he was seeing.

In the middle of his thoughts, Sam interrupted him and pointed to the far wall that was near the door to the bathroom. It was covered with a large map and marked with circles in red. Next to it were some sketches from memory and some of those hairs that they saw at the coroner's. Her computer pad was propped up and facing outwards. Sam brought the computer out of hibernation and the last thing that was on it popped up. It had them both staring at the wall with a frown.

Dean had decided to leave Sam there to narrow down where she might have gone since there were circles all over the place. He went to the ranger station to talk to Georgia Wilkes. He figured that Sam needed the peace and quiet to do his Sam thing with computers and mapping. Plus maybe his brother could work out that tension that had built up on the way back after liberating her stuff from the horse.

Dean noticed the coffee shop and decided he needed coffee to warm up. He would bring Sam a cup too since he probably wouldn't think to make any. Thinking about his brother led to what happened when Sam rubbed the back of his head so viciously. His brother said that he had that feeling once before and that was at Cold Oak and that... thing. It was out of place but then maybe in the grand scheme of things it made some sense.

Sam was one of Yellow Eyes' psychics and he did have visions. Maybe it was residual of it or maybe it had something to do with energies of the universe. When he left, he called Bobby and explained what had happened. He took care not to mention what had happened and that they had 'lost' Angela. That would have probably sent the old hunter off and he would have ridden anything short of a tornado to get here and help. The grizzled hunter agreed to look into it and Dean thanked him. He had yet to hear back from him and if they went up there, he knew that he wouldn't get anything since cell reception was virtually nonexistent. He hoped Sam was having better luck.

Sam sat at the table studying the map but not really looking at it. He had been that way for the past hour, maybe two. There were attacks all over the place which made it hard to narrow down where Angela may have gone. "What did you see that I can't?" he muttered to himself.

Feeling tired and not willing to give up, he switched his attention to the database entry that she had last pulled up. A search revealed that she had been stonewalled like he had with the Bigfoot entries. However the last one looked serious but like the Bigfoot joke, it was completely out of place and Sam wondered how she came to that conclusion.

The database revealed that what caused the deaths was a yeti, a beast native to the Himalayas and there have been sighting in Nepal. They were hairy which explained the hairs and were pretty strong. There were no pictures but Sam had the sketches and he could conclude that they were Angela's own doing.

They were actually pretty good and she followed the details that Mr. Scout had given her when she questioned him. She wrote the description in her neat handwriting that looked like it was engraved. Even when she printed, it looked elegant.

Looking back at the map, Sam followed the strings that led to each of the killings. They all went to a set of notes she had taken from each of the reports. He looked at them and back at the map. "What did you see? Where did you go?"

As he stared at the map Sam got to thinking about his behavior. In light of everything, no matter what anyone said, it was ultimately his fault that she was out there alone. True he could make the case that she had gone off on her own and there were things she did on the side for those guys. However he knew he had been an ass and he could admit it.

Nick was right. It was a deep seated issue and the truth was that he cared about her like he cared about Dean. Age factor aside, she was like an older sibling who gave him the time of day no matter what was on her mind and she shared things like he did. She did the same with Dean and his brother may hotly deny it but Sam knew that Dean wouldn't allow just anyone to pinch his cheek or tousle his hair.

Seeing Nick kiss her and then the phone calls, Sam knew he had been a jerk and maybe it was jealousy since it took time away from anything they could be doing whether it was a job or a prank or just a bit of R&R. Plus he didn't like seeing her hurt and he and Dean both knew that she was new to completely opening up in a close relationship. Most people that she had met she was friendly but not close. When she broke down when she got shot… that was glimpse that she was vulnerable and she put up that shield to protect herself.

Sam sighed as he rested his head on his hand as he continued to stare. At least she was herself with him and Dean. That reserve came down about as fast as she could move when she applied her abilities and she would be laughing. Her reserve only went up when she was bothered by something so bad that she felt the need to protect them from it. The Sam saw it, she was family and granted that it was a bit of a short time, hell what was a year or so anyway, she meant a lot.

She was a good person. That much hadn't changed in Sam's opinion. She didn't deserve what he gave because Dean was right. She had a life before she hooked up with them and she was bound to meet someone who would spark her interest. He was just going to have to suck it up and be there if things didn't work out.

The cell phone in his pocket vibrated and Sam pulled it out. It was Dean. "Dean."

You figure out which way yet?

Sam looked at the map. "Not yet."

Sam we're running low on time. Georgia said that the snowfall was supposed to last into the night and the temperature will drop.

"I know Dean but there are a dozen trails she could have taken. People hike them for recreation." Out of habit, Sam shrugged his shoulders even though Dean couldn't see him. He flipped the webpage to the last page she had up and got up to stand back and stare at everything in perspective. Maybe he would get lucky.

I know that.

Sam heard the exasperated tone in his brother's voice. He figured he must have heard the same thing from Ranger Wilkes when he went over to the station. He steadied his voice so as not to fuel Dean's anxiousness, "Dean, I've been looking at the initial part that leads to the wilderness area. That's where it becomes tricky."

Well make it untricky. Better yet why don't you ask Scout which one would be most likely?

Sam had started pacing at this time. He knew Dean was venting. That was a Dean thing and if she were here she would have mollified him with a piece of pie and talk to him in a coddling voice. There would have been laughs all around. He turned and looked at the map again. His eyes drifted to where she had notes on the old man's attack.

Sam? Sammy? You still there?

"I'm here Dean," Sam replied as he looked at the map. That was it. She would have gone with the one thing that was different from all the rest. He couldn't help but smirk. It was almost like when she would purposely be evasive when she had made one of her culinary surprises just to only have it be something simple like mac and cheese.

Well you mind filling me in? The silence is deafening even with everyone here at this joint.

"Which should be loud enough for you," Sam replied as he leaned forward. He found where the actual wilderness area began of the Selway-Bitterroot area and then followed with his eyes and finger up the way. The trail passed by one of the more recent ones. She would have probably gone over the area and did her thing like sniff it out.

Very funny Sam. You're a regular comedian when you're not being an ass.

"Whatever, jerk," Sam replied as he finished following the trail. She may have reached the place where Mr. Scout had been attacked. She would have made it her business to make it there and see what was going on. "You're sense of humor stays in the gutter."

Fine, bitch. No coffee for you.

Sam gave a dry chuckle and a smirk. He knew that Dean didn't mean it. His brother would bring him coffee and make a mocking apology about how it wasn't the double latte with whipped cream or whatever Dean made it out to be. He always drank his coffee black when on a job since there were few places that could make a fairly decent cup of coffee. He replied, "You better bring it because I think I know exactly which way she went."

You found it? Sam? Sam!

Sam was half listening to his brother. He marked the area on the map. When his brother shouted on the phone, he replied, "Yeah I found it… well where to start looking."

That's better than nothing. I'm coming back.

"Yeah sure," Sam replied, not really paying attention. He was still staring at the map when he hung up. He turned and saw Absolution leaning against the wall. It almost seemed to gleam at him like he was making the right choice.

She wears a gown of silvered light And dances daintily as a sight…

Angela started up at the sky as she recited that poem she once composed off the top of her head when she actually went to college. She decided on history and art history for her major and she got pretty good laughs when she showed up the professors that were dicks. That poetry class though was an elective.

She was ready to graduate but she needed an excuse to stay in school. She was interested in an art class since she was a good artist. However the professor whose class she wanted to join said that she should expand her horizons. He had noticed that on occasion she would quote poetry when she painted and suggested that she take a poetry class.

So she signed up for the class. As it turned out, it was like her other artistic talents; she was a natural with it. So she did enough to get by in the class and she passed but those who actually hung around her knew the extension of her talent. That particular line was one she had begun composing about a winter's solstice night.

Angela sighed and said out loud, "It was one of those instances." She looked over at the bighorn that was still there. She glanced at her watch and it had been almost an hour or so she thought. Since the animal couldn't talk, she responded to the motions the animal made, "Like you can say anything about it."

The cold had started to seep in. Well she could feel it on her legs since it felt like they were being pressed into the snow. She was still mostly warm but she was no closer to finding a solution to getting out of her predicament. She closed her eyes and started humming a tune; a nearly lost and forgotten tune.

The lights were bright even though it was candlelight. Father had said that she would always have some sensitivity to light; a tradeoff for the ability to see at night. He did say that it would get better with time. As she got older, she would find less need to shield her eyes from the sun.

She blinked and squinted feeling a tender soreness in her back. Her eyes darted around looking for a familiar face. She looked for Father hoping to see that calm reassurance; that everything would be all right even if she was not completely human.

"Cat?"

She blinked slowly and turned towards the voice. That soreness was still there but her eyes lighted on a familiar face. "Mio fratello."

Gabriel smiled down at her but there was something off about that smile. He knew something and he was trying to keep it from her. Maybe she did want to know and maybe she didn't. She did know that if she pushed it, he wouldn't lie to her. He said, "That was a close call. They almost got us."

She looked around. Something wasn't right. Someone was missing. "Father? Where's Father?"

"Calm down Cat. You just woke up."

She was having none of it. She sat up and winced from the soreness in her back. Gabriel tried to get her to lay back down but she didn't want to. She looked around. He wasn't there. If everything was fine, he would be there. They were all they had since Mother died.

She swung her legs over the edge of the cot and stood up slowly. She winced as she went through the motions. Gabriel didn't try to stop her. He must have read something in her expression as she moved around the underground apartment that belonged to her and father.

She searched every room. Father should be there. He wouldn't leave her alone. She walked throughout the apartment and back to the room where Gabriel was waiting. He was looking at her with that intense look that was a mingle of that stoic angel face and one that betrayed his feelings. He knew what happened to Father. She walked up to him with an inquiring look that couldn't hold back an outpouring of emotions. She asked, "Where's Father?"

Angela opened her eyes and breathed slowly. Gabriel could never lie to her effectively when it was something important. He caved as soon as she asked the question. That was when she learned that she had died and her father gave up his life for hers. The sore spot was from when one of the demon bastards stabbed her in the back.

She began to chuckle. Was it an irony that her father gave his life so that she may live to eventually lose it in the line of duty? Well maybe it was considering that she did die again later and it was from suffocation. She told Sam the truth that she had been locked in a crypt but she said that she had been nearly suffocated. That didn't count the many times that she had nearly died, meaning that she had been caught in the world between worlds.

There was a slight snort and a bleating to her right. Angela looked over at the bighorn with a sarcastic expression. "What do you know about death?"

The animal snorted as it tramped over to another area. It looked at her with that stupid expression… well it did look stupid but she could hardly fault an animal for its appearance. She once told Gabriel that she thought the man upstairs had a sense of humor. When he asked her why was that she replied it was because of the platypus. She looked at the bighorn and said, "Yeah I know. You can't help the way you look."

The bighorn snort before it looked off in a direction. It darted its head around and then stopped in a certain direction. With a slight bleat, it sprang away. It headed into the forest making more noise going out than it did when it startled her.

Angela watched it go and then shouted after it, "Don't wait for me. It's not like I'm going anywhere."

The cold was getting to her and the snow wasn't stopping. It was like an annoyance and she was starting to wish for a hot bath. When the bighorn left, she chuckled at her bad joke when she heard something. Well she thought she heard something and that sharpened her focus a little.

It was in the back of her mind that the bighorn had run because it sensed something and probably a predator. She muttered, "Well I guess I can discount the moose." She reached into her jacket to check her gun moving slowly and feeling like she was underwater. "God I wish I was under my blankets."

She placed the gun in her hand and it flopped to her side. She breathed slowly in and out as she tried to listen for the direction she thought she heard the noise. She moved her head so she could tune her ear in the direction.

It was a dull crunching sound; like feet walking through snow. Her first thought was that the boys found her but she didn't hear anything. They would have been calling her name like crazy. This was something different and it sounded big. Maybe it was that moose; a very large moose… or elk and those guys were huge.

The crunch became louder and closer. Angela turned her head in the direction it was coming from and brushed the excess snow from her face. She took a few deep breaths to slow herself from panicking. The steps got louder and she could hear that it was big and there were a few grunts. She could make out a hazy outline. She recognized the shape and her eyes widened slightly as the shape appeared and looked down at her in the eye. Well she was either going to be food or freezer food.

A/N: Yay Sammy found a starting point! And the hits just keep on coming for Angie. What is it this time? Find out next time on Bitterroot Resolutions...