DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction using characters from the Supernatural/Ladyhawke universe. I do not claim any ownership. This work is solely for entertainment purposes and is not considered film or tv canon (not by a long shot).
Sam rode Impala into the wood, following the trail of the hunter. His heart was pounding in his chest. He hadn't seen a black wolf pelt in the pile that had covered the horse's saddle but he was not going to stop until he made sure. Besides, Sam had an uneasy feeling it was no coincidence that a wolf hunter with that many pelts was in this part of the wood.
Seeing the hunter's mounts, Sam reigned in Impala and slid off to the ground. He held the sword before him as Dean had taught him. He moved silently over the leaf-strewn ground. The recent rain had muddied the scents of the wood but Sam thought he could easily track anyone with such horrid body odor.
The hunter watched the tall man moving between the trees and he smiled, remembering the Bishop's words.
... tall and stately ... delicate features with golden eyes that glow with the light of the sun ... look for the black wolf that calls him brother ...
Azazel watched the boy with eyes that reflected a demon's heart. The boy was indeed a beautiful sight but he found the soul burning behind his golden eyes far more enticing. Azazel wondered how long it would be before the Bishop's attentions tarnished that bright and wonderful orb. He knew the elder brother had visited a crossroads demon to try and confound the curse. Of course he was denied because Azazel wished it so ... still he wondered if what it would take to collect the Winchester brothers' souls. A dark smile crossed the demon's human face.
Sam turned when he thought he heard a twig snap. He strained his ears for any other sound and then another twig broke nearby.
"Show yourself, coward!" Sam yelled.
Laughter echoed through the mist filled woods. "Frightened, boy?"
"I'm not frightened of a pointless use of air such as yourself," Sam snarled. "Show yourself, oh killer of innocent creatures."
"Innocent? Innocent?" Azazel laughed. "I doubt the villager whose baby was eaten last winter would call these beasts innocent!"
Sam pursed his lips. "That you kill one or two is logical ... but this? This is a slaughter!"
"Ah, but the Bishop pays so very well, boy," Azazel taunted.
"The Bishop? What does he have to do with this ... no! He is trying to find ... "Sam broke off, realizing he had walked into a trap of a different sort. This man knew who he was and was no doubt under orders to bring him back to the Bishop. Sam remembered the eerie, inhuman yellow eyes – it was rumored that a demon had given the Bishop the ability to curse himself and Dean. Sam's blood ran cold and he began to walk backwards toward Impala.
"Ah, Samuel ... you are a quick one, at that. What a waste to give you to that twisted man," Azazel said, his voice drifting into Sam's thoughts. "Perhaps ... perhaps you'd rather come with me ... end this nightmare for your brother, Dean ... "
Sam blinked. The demon's voice was soft ... his offer compelling. Sam found it hard not to listen even though what it was offering was no less than damnation. He shook his head.
"Silence, hell-spawn – and yes, I know that you are the creature that granted the Bishop this travesty of power." Sam said. He gripped the sword tightly, turning slowly in place, trying to pinpoint the voice's origin. "You are a coward, then?"
Azazel stepped out into the open. Sam inhaled sharply at the yellow eyes that regarded him with an unspeakable knowledge of what lay in the very pit of Hell. He took a step back and froze when the demon's voice raised in a hiss.
"Careful, boy ... you must step lightly in these woods. You never know when you might find something you don't want ..." Azazel said with a grin. The grin widened as they heard the snap of a trap and the pained yelps of a dying wolf.
Sam's heart seemed to grow cold in his breast as he heard the beast die. He could not know if it was Dean or not. The hunter ... demon, rather ... had disappeared and Sam moved cautiously after him. Coming into a faint clearing, Sam saw the man opening a trap to remove the dead wolf. The pelt was dark, but not dark enough to be Dean. Sam felt his breath return to shriveled lungs and he pulled his dagger from his belt. The man stayed hunched over as he reset the trap. Sam heard a warning growl behind him and turned to see an emerald-eyed wolf standing, hackles up and teeth bared.
"Dean ..." Sam whispered.
"The black wolf, eh, little Sammy?" Azazel said.
Sam did not waste his time wondering. He turned and threw his dagger. It struck the wolfhunter/demon square in the chest, throwing him off-balance and into the trap he'd just reset. There was an inhuman screech and Sam stared. He could have sworn he saw a dark, smoke-like shape emerge from the body twitching in the trap, but he couldn't be sure in the dark. The man in the trap was dead now but Sam wondered – had he killed a demon or just the body of the poor sap it possessed?
Castiel ran through the trees just then, his breath coming in short gasps. "Sam!"
The wolf that was Dean had disappeared into the woods. Sam stood staring at the body in front of him and winced when he heard the desolate howl drift through the mist. "What did I do, Dean?"
Castiel looked at the man in the trap. "You did what you had to, Sam." He looked up at the younger Winchester.
"He ... his eyes wereyellow, Castiel. Yellow ... I think ... I think he was a demon ..."
Castiel regarded the body. "Perhaps ... the Bishop's deal is not known but to curse you both the way he did ... it would not be a surprise."
Sam looked at Castiel in shock. "You ... you do not think I have committed murder?"
Castiel stood and looked around. Picking up a handful of rocks, he began tossing them into the leaves surrounding them. One by one, a circle of traps was revealed. Sam blinked with each heavy metallic snap. When he was done, Castiel brushed off his hands and met Sam's eyes.
"You did what you had to do, Sam. If you had stepped into any one of those, you would have been at his mercy. God forbid you had tripped and fallen into one as he did. If it was the demon ... you saved this poor soul from further torture. I doubt he would lay blame at your feet." Castiel said. "The Bishop is the one who called the imps of Hell for his revenge ... the Bishop is the one who will pay for his sins."
Sam sighed. "I want to go now, Castiel. Somewhere else ... anywhere else."
Castiel nodded and they walked back to where Impala was hitched. The rain had finally stopped.
Early the next morning, Castiel lay curled into a ball on a branch of evergreen he'd laid down as a mat of sorts. Sam had a similar bed nearby. They'd walked until Sam declared them far enough away from the mist-laden woods. It was a makeshift camp, but it was enough for the night. Castiel was exhausted after the night's events and he did not even register when his bed began to move.
Dean had awakened to a cold world. He sniffed the air and knew snow was coming soon. He sighed and dressed quickly before building a campfire. Looking down at the sleeping thief he'd decided that a good breakfast was in order. He was not hungry and wondered if somewhere in the wood the wolf had taken down a deer. It sometimes did and occasionally Dean would awaken with blood on his lips or a savaged carcass lying nearby. He was far past being distressed about it.
After a moment longer of watching the man sleep and trying not to imagine him asleep in an actual bed beside him, Dean went to the river with his crossbow. Carefully sighting along the quarrel, Dean fired once, twice and came up with two fat fish. He smiled and went back to the fire. After cleaning and spitting the fish, Dean dragged the branch Castiel lay on to the fireside. He waited and after a moment, a sleepy Castiel opened his blue eyes to the world. Dean looked away trying to hide the way his breath caught in his throat.
"Good morning," Dean said gruffly. "You looked ... pale ... I thought you could use a good meal."
Castiel rose and stretched stiffly. "Oh what a night ..."
Dean looked over as he turned the fish. "What happened?"
"Oh ... nothing I couldn't handle, captain," Castiel said with a faint smile.
Captain? Dean wondered. What aren't you telling me, Cas?
The hawk called overhead and Dean smiled. He stood and raised his arm in anticipation of the bird's morning greeting. Instead, the hawk flew past him to land on Castiel's arm. The thief started and looked at the hawk in alarm.
"Uh ... willful little bird, isn't he? Go on ... go to your master ... Sam ... go on," Castiel pleaded.
The hawk did not move and Dean raised an eyebrow. "So tell me about last night, Cas."
"What's to tell?" Castiel said, shaking his arm lightly. "We ran into a bit of trouble on the way to an inn ... go on, you stubborn beast ... go!"
"An inn?" Dean said, alarmed. "You took Sam to an inn?"
"Well, after a stop at a stable," Castiel continued. He looked at the bird miserably. "Would you go?"
"A stable? What the hell were you doing together in a stable?" Dean snapped.
"Nothing! We changed clothes!" Castiel cried nervously. "Not together of course!"
Dean stared at the rapidly protesting man. If Castiel had been paying attention, he would have noticed the way Dean's eyes were crinkling at the edges. Dean did not think Castiel would attempt anything untoward with Sam. Nor did he think that Sam incapable of stopping the thief if he did, but it was fun to tease the anxious man.
"You left Sam alone?" Dean snarled, making his voice as angry as he could.
"No!" Castiel pleaded.
"So you did change clothes!" Dean accused.
"Take him!" Castiel shouted and handed the fluttering hawk off to Dean. The elder Winchester took the raptor and turned to hide his amused grin.
Castiel walked away to the fire before pausing and looking back at Dean. "Your brother ... he's grown into quite a wise young man. I think you would enjoy his company these days." Castiel paused. "I won't lie ... well, not about this anyway ... I do happen to find ... men ... males ... attractive. And your brother is a very handsome young man."
Dean bristled. The joke was suddenly not so funny. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Castiel. The man had regained a bit of his composure and he met Dean's eyes. "I can see easily why the Bishop desired him, but he is not the Winchester I am drawn to – do with that what you will." Castiel sighed. "Besides ... all he did was talk about his beloved older brother. He admires you and looks up to you a great deal, Dean. He is a good man."
Dean blinked. He glanced at the hawk and then looked back at Castiel, his shoulders relaxing. "Every minute you spend with him, Cas ... I envy you. I miss my little brother more than you know. He ... I used to think he was such a pest ... now I'd even put up with his snoring if he was just here again."
Castiel chuckled. "I'm not sure how you miss that noise, but I understand, Dean. I miss ... I miss my family too. But none of them know where I am and I'm not so sure they would care regardless."
Dean looked at Castiel. "I don't know how anyone could not miss you, Cas. I certainly would ... if you weren't here for whatever reason."
Castiel blushed and Dean walked over to him after setting the hawk on a nearby branch. "You can tell me, Cas – tell me what Sam said ... but ... the truth. I will know if the words are his."
"He talked ... he talked about your father ... he showed me the journal. Sam was sad when he spoke about your childhood."
Dean swallowed hard. He hadn't spoken to anyone of his childhood – ever. Sam knew because he was there, but even so, Dean thought that Sam felt as his father had – that Dean was only good as a soldier. He would never have the intelligence his little brother possessed. The one charge his father had given him he had failed at ... bitterly. He looked up as Castiel snorted.
"Sam said you would believe only the worst about yourself. You should have more faith. You are a man worth saving, Dean Winchester. A man worth ... worth almost anything ..." Castiel said. He had taken a huge risk revealing himself to Dean this way.
Dean looked at Castiel. "Sam always did think more highly of me than he should have – at least until this."
"He still thinks highly of you, Dean. You are a warrior and a hero in his eyes ... and he loves you more than life itself. He's had to."
Dean sighed. "Castiel ... there is so much you don't know about me ..."
Castiel took his opening. Walking up to Dean he looked into the hazel eyes for a minute before reaching up and pulling the dark blonde head to him. Their lips pressed firmly together and for a moment, Castiel thought Dean would pull away. A heartbeat passed ... and then another – Castiel felt Dean's tongue gently brush against his lips and he relaxed, opening to the kiss and allowing it to deepen. The caressing of tongues was gentle and unhurried. Castiel smiled when Dean put his arm around his waist and pulled them flush to one another. The need for air was the only thing that could have separated them in their tiny shared blink of time. Breathing heavily, Dean pressed his forehead to Castiel's.
"You never cease to surprise me, Castiel the angel," Dean said hoarsely.
"Good ... I would hate to be predictable."
Dean looked at him for a moment and then laughed. It was a sound that Castiel longed to hear over and over again. A shadow passed over his face as he considered Dean's current path but all thought fled his mind as Dean pulled him into another kiss.
God, why bring this man to me now of all times ... when I may lose him too soon? Too soon. Castiel questioned silently.
Plundering Castiel's mouth, Dean felt his heart crack with the knowledge that it could never be more than this. He was going to face the Bishop and end Sam's torment and then his own.
It isn't fair, Lord ... I think ... I could truly love him ... but why now? WHY?
The sky remained silent as the sun rose and light haloed the two men lost in a world consisting of only a kiss.