Chapter 3

It was bad enough that their lives were crappy and crappy when they found out that their lives were a story for entertainment. To hear that more of their lives were going to be put on display, it was enough for Dean. After the opening panel, Chuck disappeared for a few hours and he and Sam spent their time looking for him, not noticing that Angela was by herself and then suddenly surrounded by a growing group of fans. He was only out for Chuck.

Sam was equally annoyed. It was bad enough that his choices were out there for people to read. It made it worse because Angela read them and she lived through with them. He also didn't like the fact that there were allusions to her even though it was the truth. She had enough with her life being lauded from tomes and tablets and then that Shadow Chaser thing. He followed his brother's lead and tried not to encourage Becky once he realized that she was there with Chuck. Instead he focused on the conversation.

"In case you haven't noticed, our plates are kind of full, okay?" Dean hadn't meant to be gruff and he was concerned that Angela was going to show up and get all guardian on his ass. He continued though, "Finding the Colt. Hunting the devil. We don't have time for this crap."

Sam tried to keep his focus but it was a little bit different when a girl was staring at him and making him uncomfortable. He would rather have Angela give that stare that he hated than be… whatever it was called from Becky. He kept his attention on Chuck as the prophet protested, "Hey, I didn't call you. And I wouldn't have since Angie goes virago on anyone who messes with you whether imagined or not."

He had gestured generally at the Winchesters but was intending Sam. He had noticed the look that Angela shot at Becky earlier in the day and realized what was going on. He had seen what she could potentially do and he didn't want to be caught in the middle of something that could prove disastrous.

"He means the books, Chuck," Sam explained. He was trying to be the voice of reason but even his patience was a little thin. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a crowd but he wasn't sure what was going on a pointedly ignored it.

"Why are you publishing more books?" Dean looked down at Chuck with a firm look.

"Um…" Chuck looked for an answer and wished that Angela was around. "For food and shelter?"

Dean leaned forward, all niceties gone. If he wanted to be nice, he would have found Angela and dragged her there. "Who gave you the rights to our life story?"

"An archangel," Chuck countered feeling like he was being bombarded. "And I didn't want it."

"Okay, well deal's off," Sam said making a gesture to indicate that it was final. "No more books. Our lives are not for public consumption. And neither is Angie's." He looked firmly at Chuck but became distinctly aware that he was being watched by Becky and it made him nervous about that. He turned his focus back to Chuck.

Chuck knew that this involved a discussion that would require some privacy. He wished that Becky hadn't taken his phone and started this mess but now he was in the middle of it and he had to deal with it. Looking at Becky, he said, "Becky, would you just excuse us for a second?"

Becky was more than willing and Chuck sighed before leading the Winchesters to an area where they could talk. They ended up passing a small crowd that had gathered and people were getting excited about something. He ignored it and tried to figure out how to put this so that it didn't earn him an ass kicking. He wondered how Angela was able to do it since she seemed to be a natural with this kind of thing and she wasn't scared of getting a punch to the face by a pissed off Winchester.

Finding a room that was essentially empty, Chuck began by asking, "Do you guys know what I do for a living?"

Whether it was a trick question or not, Sam obliged and answered, "Yeah Chuck. We know." He gave a pointed look at Chuck to indicate he wanted to know where the conversation was going.

Chuck turned to face Sam and Dean head on and asked, "Well could you tell me? Because I don't. I'm not a good writer. I've got no marketable skills. I'm not some hero who can just hit the road and fight monsters. Hell I'm not even a hero with super cool freaky ass powers like pulling a demon and smiting it like that or becoming the vengeful virago because the person she cares about is in trouble." Chuck knew he was rambling and most of what he was saying was what he managed to look up of Absolution and from the tidbits he was getting with the current stories. He didn't want to let it slip that more about her was coming in but still enough to keep her a vague figure in their lives. He just continued on, "Until the world ends, I gotta live. Alright? And the Supernatural books are all I've got. What else do you want me to do?"

It was usually the cue for Angela to make some quip or even Dean but the Winchesters were silent on that. It was something to think about but on their minds were the fact that everything, the good, the bad and the ugly were out there and people seemed to think that it was… entertainment. For the most part, they were thought to be as fans since they were there and were dressed as they usually were and it…

The silence didn't last long when a loud scream was heard through the halls. It was first reaction and the Winchesters sped away towards the source not listening to Chuck's protests. They were joined by Cerebus, free from his leash, tearing up the stairs towards a maid that was on the ground. His hackles were up as he looked around giving a low growl while waiting for the Winchesters to catch up.

Sam was there and put a hand on Cerebus' back to indicate that he was there and to stay put while he asked the woman, "Hey, are you okay?"

"I think so," the maid, letting Sam help her up.

Dean came up right behind Sam and noticed Cerebus but no Angela. He wondered where the hell she was but kept his attention on the situation occurring, "What happened?"

"I saw a ghost."

"A ghost? Ma'am could you tell us what it looked like?"

At that moment Sam and Dean turned to see two guys coming up right behind them. Dean looked at them and motioned, "Leave this to the grown-ups, pal." This was business and they didn't have time to play around with kids.

The maid continued her explanation, "A woman. She was in an old fashioned dress. Really old. Like a school marm or something."

Sam was trying to listen to the woman but it was hard to when he had someone that wasn't either his brother or Angela was asking, "Did she say something to you?"

The maid though didn't care and she got this excited look as she replied, "Okay, gather close, everybody, for a terrifying tale of terror." She waved her hands to emphasize her point. "I saw a ghost. None other than the ghost of Leticia Gore herself. I was on the third floor getting ice for a guest…"

Sam couldn't resist the eye roll and moved away. He called to Cerebus who followed and on the dog's heels was Dean. This was the stupid 'hunt' that had been announced earlier. They had completely forgotten about it. When they heard the scream, it was an automatic response. Even Cerebus responded accordingly but Angela wasn't there. So there was annoyance and worry and mostly on Sam's end. Sam patted Cerebus who was still giving a low growl mingled with a harrumph. Dean said, "Yeah I feel ya too hell on four legs."

"The LARPing has started," Becky's voice entered as she caught up to them showing that excitement that Dean was certain going to have Angela probably rip her vocal cords out.

Dean looked at Becky not sure what she meant. "The… what is that again?"

Becky explained, "Live Action Role Playing. A game. The convention puts it on." She handed a flyer towards Sam, not even noticing that Cerebus was giving a warning growl low in his throat.

Dean did and used his knee to bump the dog. It wasn't really effective but he knew that the mutt was loyal to Angela and no doubt picked up that she wasn't happy Becky was here and in very close proximity to Sam. It worked though and Cerebus stayed where he was but was harrumphing disapproval. Oh yeah the mutt was definitely not happy.

In the meantime, Sam took the flyer to look at it. He heard Cerebus' growl and shifted to be a barrier of sorts though the dog could go around him if he wanted. He just hoped that the dog got the hint. He began to read, "Dad's Journal. Dear Sam and Dean, this hotel is haunted. You must hunt down the ghost. Interview witnesses, discover clues and find the bones. First team to do so wins a $50 gift card to Sizzler."

Sam tried to keep the annoyance and disdain out of his voice but it was hard. This was too much to deal with. While it was a pretty good incentive, he was not happy with the fact that it was centered around his and Dean's life since they knew that their life wasn't a game. The things they saw and did were very real. Some they still had trouble believing and it was because Angela knew about them and introduced them to it.

"You guys are so gonna win," Becky hinted at in an excited tone.

Both brothers couldn't really say anything. They waited until Becky left before heading back down to the main lobby. "Okay so fake hunt," Dean muttered.

"Yeah."

"We need to find Angie and go," Dean pointed out. He then looked at Cerebus trotting next to him and said, "And I thought you were supposed to stay with her hell on four legs."

"Dean," Sam said in a resigned sort of way. There was no point in going into that. Cerebus was probably under orders to go to him and Dean by her. For whatever reason was up in the air since they didn't know. It had him worried since she seemed a little off that day but how much trouble could she get into? He trusted that she knew how to compose herself and not get into trouble. She had taken care of herself long before she met him. He would just have to be patient and she would show herself.

They made it to the main lobby and watched a bunch of people dressed in cheap suits with fake badges flash them around the same guy that announced Chuck earlier. They listened with vaguely polite interest in the story that was being told about Leticia Gore and that she killed four boys and then herself. It was the kind of story that they would follow if they were on a job and if it were something that Angela dug up, it would have involved an ancient power or something that involved the Centurion dicks. That was a story… if it would be that.

"Well that's just about all the community theatre I can take," Dean grumbled as he turned towards Sam. "At least Angie is more convincing when she's messing with us."

"Yeah, this cannot get any weirder," Sam replied while watching. He didn't have to say anything about Angela's acting skills since he had seen them as well as Dean firsthand. She would be a better actress.

Sam spoke too soon however when the two guys they met earlier walked by. The one posing as Dean said, "Dad said… He said that I may have to kill you."

"Kill me? What the hell does that mean?"

"I don't know."

It was fairly accurate down to the words that were exchanged when Dean revealed what their father told them. It was good enough to drudge up memories but the way the two were talking. It was enough to question the sanity of things and ask if they really did sound like that. For Sam and Dean, they had seen enough and understood why Angela made her comment earlier. They turned to each other and said, "I need a drink."

A drink sounded like a good idea and they went to the bar with Cerebus tagging along. Whiskey or beer was the poison of choice and they were going to indulge. Dean went with the hard stuff. Sam was content with a beer and he was going to be on the lookout for Angela. He hadn't seen her since they went to talk to Chuck and then everything after that. He absently reached down and rubbed the dog's ears while taking a sip.

"Thought you'd want the hard stuff after this."

It was a constant game of hide and go seek as Angela moved about the hotel to find a place to hide from the fans that were Absolution worshippers. After her initial conversation with the guy she met earlier and his partner and then the crowd getting larger and questioning about her cosplay as they called it, she tried to hide but it seemed that people seemed to find her. There was always someone who wanted to know about her thoughts on Absolution and then they got insistent that she was Absolution.

That wasn't too far from the reality of things but she didn't want to gain attention since it could attract the wrong sort. So she answered like a fan would and then move to hide. Still they followed until she managed to hide in the main auditorium and lose them long enough to catch her breath. She opened the door and peered through and when she was certain that no one was watching, she slunk out with the goal of locating Sam and Dean.

She wandered through the hotel, using the skills she used back in the day before things like this and she was essentially a nobody. She stuck to the corners and managed to avoid detection from the attendees. She then took to concentrating on finding the boys using the least obvious method she knew and that was to sniff them out.

It was unexpected when she heard, "Princess?"

Angela blinked as she stopped and slowly turned. She blinked in surprise seeing the last person she expected to see at a Supernatural convention. "Kess?"

Kesset peered at Angela and frowned, "Why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Angela replied getting over her shock. "I wouldn't peg you to be at a convention."

"I was asked to come to this festival."

Angela felt her lip twitch at that. There was a reason she liked the young guard and it was his innocence when it came to all things human. She wasn't going to correct him since he was pretty close with his assertion. She was curious as to how he came to be there so she asked, "Okay so… who convinced you?"

"There you are. I went to get you a drink and then you disappeared."

Angela turned to see a woman walk up to Kesset. She had been half joking when she told Kesset to find a girl but she never thought that he would take her seriously. Then again she should have known. It didn't help that she didn't remember she was the one that set him up in the first place. She took a step back and said, "Oh. You have company."

Kesset nodded and introduced his companion, "This is Kate."

Angela extended her hand in greeting and introduced herself, "Hi. I'm Angela. A friend of Kess'." She stepped back and took a breath. "So you're here and with a friend. How and why?" She frowned a little as if trying to make sense of the conversation.

"The how," Kesset began, "I flew and the why…"

"I asked him to come. I'm actually a fan of the Supernatural books," Kate finished. "My favorite scene was when Dean spoke to Absolution before he went to hell. It made the character seem more real."

It took a moment to process what she heard and Angela leaned forward after glancing at the pair and asked, "You flew?"

"Yes," Kesset replied wondering what was wrong. "It is more practical than driving though I understand the necessity of it," he added much like a parent explaining things.

"Kess… you know…" Angela made a gesture to indicate she meant his wings. It was a risk revealing someone to the world she and Kesset were from. Once their eyes were opened… things changed. Sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.

"I know about Kess'… piloting skills," Kate replied not at all put out with the scene going on in front of her. "Believe me it was a relief to know that it wasn't the spicy food that gave me interesting dreams." She couldn't help but chuckle at that, putting Angela a little more at ease with the fact she knew a few things.

Angela read between the lines and understood that Kate knew that Kesset wasn't human. That was a relief since she didn't appear threatened by it. She replied, "Oh I've plenty of dreams and some brought on by what are considered the best films of the decade or something like that." She smiled to let Kate know that she was okay with it. "So you convinced Kess to come here?"

"She asked. I agreed."

"More like trying to explain what a convention was," Kate replied as she leaned forward ina whisper. "I got him hooked on festival."

Angela nodded at that. "Well I'm glad to hear that."

"You did say that I should go out on a date," Kesset replied. He had accepted the bottle of beer and took a tentative sniff of it. "This is beer?"

Angela couldn't help but chuckle. She knew that the Karnak idea of beer was a little bit or maybe vastly different from an outsider's idea of beer. "Yes it is."

Kesset eyed it, his reddish brown eyes looking at it like a bird of prey would. He lowered it after raising his brow at it and took a sip. "Not the best," was all he said. He took a closer look at Angela and noticed that something was amiss. "Is something wrong princess?"

Angela was about to reply when the scream was heard. Kesset narrowed his eyes and charged forward while at the same time Cerebus ran from the room. Kesset only paused a moment to say, "Stay here princess. Keep an eye on Kate."

Angela made a slight face as she watched Kesset leave. She was shocked that he unfurled his wings and continued to walk. Then she barely noticed the slight shimmer that occurred and when she noticed people didn't react, she realized that no one else could see him. She was still staring when Kate said, "Well at least no one will be freaked out by the sight of wings."

Angela turned to look at the woman, "You see them?" She raised her brow at the woman not certain if this was another small piece of weird like LARPing.

"He showed them to me," Kate replied, "It's nice to meet a guy that can be so brutally honest."

Angela couldn't help but chuckle at that. "That he is." She turned to look in the direction Kesset had gone. She could hear the murmur of voices but no further screaming or hysterics. It was then she realized what was going on.

"You don't have to worry about him."

Angela turned to look at Kate. The woman was giving a smile of reassurance. She replied, "In my nature. And he's supposed to watch over me."

"That much he told me." Kate looked at Angela and added, "He was worried about you after what happened."

"Can't expect anything less out of him. Much less his kind." Angela shifted on her feet. She wasn't going to run and find out what was going on now that she realized what was going on and relaxed a little. She turned to look at Kate. "Are you okay with that?"

Kate appreciated the directness of the question. Most people would give the 'don't hurt my friend' speech but she didn't. She just wanted to know how she felt about someone who looked human but wasn't really. She nodded, "I'm okay. Granted I thought I was going crazy when I saw him with wings in my dreams and I actually touched them. It felt real and… Then he shows up… I learned a bit."

Angela nodded. She didn't remember that she was the one that started the matchmaking process. She more or less told Kesset to go on a date when she wanted him to stop hovering. "It's a lot but the best source is Kess."

At that moment Kesset returned and ruffled his feathers angrily. "Strange humans. Don't they know that it is ill advised to cry wolf." He crossed his arms and huffed, rustling his feathers.

"It's called LARPing," Angela said as she watched Kate reach up and started stroking a few of the agitated feathers. "It's… a game."

"It's not a good one, Shifaa'." Kesset shifted on his feet and stopped rustling his feathers as Kate finished. He looked at Kate and his gaze softened, "Thank you."

Kate smiled back and replied, "Always. You need to…" She gestured at his wings. "I don't' know if anyone else can see them."

"Only you and the princess… and the Winchesters."

"Just only us?" Angela couldn't help but tease the Avian. It made her feel a little better about things going on and less inclined to pounce on Becky at first sight.

Missing the humor, much to Angela and Kate's amusement, Kesset replied, "Of course. Those that understand are not threatened by it."

"But you would blend in here," Kate muttered chuckling.

Angela couldn't help but chuckle along with her. Having Kesset around was like being around Castiel. The difference was that Kesset was learning more about human nuances than the angel but it was still quite funny. She sighed in content and said, "Kess, be like Cas and don't ever change."

Kesset nodded and gave a slight smile. He really did look like he belonged even though he was still sporting the same badass biker look or the typical bad boy girls fell for. His features did have a bit more of a haunted look at times and one couldn't blame him after everything that had happened. He took a moment to study Angela and was going to ask her a question but she turned and looked in the direction he had come and said, "I better go before I get a search party sent after me."

Kesset watched her leave and with a cautious air. He wondered if he was supposed to be following her when he felt a hand on his shoulder and Kate saying, "It's not the fan boys you have to worry about. It's more about her doing something to a fan girl." Kate was giving a knowing look when she said it as she guided Kesset through the convention.

In the meantime Angela was more or less tracking down Becky, not sure if she was going to vamp out on her or not and basically warn her to back off from Sam. She hated that since she was sure Becky was a nice girl. She just didn't like that she touched Sam and didn't like that Sam was made to feel uncomfortable with it. So she went about looking for the boys since by now they would have figured out that the scream was part of the role-play game. She did come across groups going through it and passed another group reenacting lines between Sam and Dean. They were so accurate that it was disturbing. She was going to follow through on her declaration of a drink and try to behave since the urge to chuck Becky out a window sans arms was great.

She found the bar and contemplated on if she wanted vodka or whiskey. Port sounded interesting too. She then spotted Sam alone with Cerebus and felt relief. She quietly walked up to him and said, "Thought you'd want the hard stuff after this."

A/N: Looks like the LARPing starts and a surprise appearance. This keeps getting better and better... sort of. Stay tuned for more There a Hunter in the House?...