* We've all seen Supernatural, so I won't be keeping every single dialogue and event for the sake of this being redundant. Wanted to have that known right now.
Muddled and dazed, Dean looked to the voice and squinted his eyes. A young figure was sitting upon the man's headstone, still waiting on a response, as if seeing the resurrected person was of little importance.
"Who," Dean began while attempting to stand as dirt and grime stuck to his skin, eager to make the task difficult. "In the fresh hell are You?"
The boy hummed and tilted his head, looking Dean up and down studiously. Had it been anyone else, Dean may have felt a tad violated, but now was Not the time to wallow in his embarrassment. Memories of Hell were still fresh, and he suspected this was another illusion. With a stronger voice, he tried again, taking a step forward. "I'm really not above punting a kid right now, so again, Who are you?" he tried his best to sound authoritative, but the panting hadn't stopped.
"Az is as much as I recall. Figured we came from the same place, though. Fiery pit, relentless screams; seem familiar?" the boy, hence after referred as Az, asked.
Dean shook his head before taking another step towards him, having his own turn to inspect the boy, and a boy he was. Az had to have been a good 2 feet shorter than himself, and far skinnier than appropriate. Unlike the older man, the short shit - newly dubbed by Dean until further notice–had no traces of earth on his skin, nor marks suggesting a fight to get to the surface. He figured it must have been a demon, or something in that infinite category, because there's no way a kid was handling this better than me.
"They sent a kid to hell? What, you steal a bunch of Blair's candy?" Dean gripped, suspicious and ultimately exhausted. Az merely grinned and plopped down from the grave, finally looking up in all his short glory.
"Never had any. Worth the trip downstairs?"
Dean just gave a blank stare. Az coughed awkwardly. "Too soon? Well…..Whoa," his eyes widened in slight alarm as the man fell to his knees. He rushed to prevent a hard smack to the ground and groaned at the resulting impact on his own person instead. "I am NOT a body pillow!" he huffed indignantly until he noticed Dean barely grasping at consciousness.
"Oh". Doing his best to stand back up while hauling someone twice, or maybe even thrice his weight, Az began to half carry the man down the only road in sight, hoping the direction he chose would lead somewhere.
After ten minutes of dragging him, Az nearly sighed in relief at seeing an abandoned gas station. He swiftly threw the man towards the window. "Go." he waved his hands to the objects inside. "Eat, drink, piss, whatever it is you do. I am NOT carrying you again!".
With slightly less effort than before, Dean gripped the edge of the windowsill and looked through the mirror, effectively punching through the glass and grabbing a water bottle, taking a swing and downing it in one. Sighing in relief, he takes another look and spots a newspaper, audibly reading the date.
"September 18, Thursday,"
"Really? Here I thought it was Friday" Az snipped sarcastically, still annoyed at having had to drag him. He regretted it when Dean, at last, seemed to snap out of his daze and stared directly at the boy with such anger and distrust. In two strides, he reached out and had him by the neck, easily lifting him up to his height.
"What are you? Bring me back for kicks, huh? Demons possessing ugly ass children now? What then?!" he screamed, having had enough of everything by now. Az squirmed and stared back with just as much anger, clawing at his arms.
"One, I'm whatever I need to be to not die within the next thirty seconds," Az began in a muffled tone. "Two, I don't even know who you are, so the answer is STILL no. Third, I look beautiful for my age, you asshat! So put me down!"
"Didn't answer the demon bit," Dean snarked, tightening his grip.
"Don't demons have horns or something? Spiky teeth? Ugly skin? Or….. hey, I Really can't breathe right now," Az began to stammer and slowed his resistance. Giving the kid one last look-over, he set him down, receiving a berate of coughs in response. He had more important things to figure out, namely what brought him back, and if he could convince Bobby to not immediately shoot him on sight. He began his trek around the store and started looting whatever he could find. Az trotted close behind in silence, rubbing his neck and cringing when Dean grins at an inappropriate magazine. Soon enough, he was done, and turned to walk out the door before a high pitch noise tore through the building.
While Dean collapsed to his knees and clamped his hands on his ears, Az merely blinked and looked around in awe. He didn't think he'd ever hear him again, after all. As the sound abruptly ends seconds after it started, he remained silent. He looked to Dean, seeing him get up and sweep his eyes around cautiously before settling on a phone booth, presumably in working order. His eagerness to ignore what had happened was almost commendable.
"Hey, listen, since we were brought back together, mind if I stick around? I doubt I have a place to go back to, and…." Az trailed off, looking down at his feet. To be frank, Dean still didn't believe the short shit was normal by any means, but seeing he hadn't done anything worth killing him over just yet (besides accidentally choking him once from exhausted rage), and the possibility of him truly being a confused 10-year-old….. he inwardly sighed.
"Touch nothing, don't wander off, and watch your language. When we get you back home, I'm not being held responsible for being a bad influence. Got it?" he demanded. Az noticed his assurance of finding his family and quirked his lips upward.
"Got it"
"Good, now," Dean pulled out an energy bar and handed it over. "Eat that and stay put. I have a phone call to make". He went to turn away before noticing the face Az made at the bar. "Oh no, you are Not getting picky on me!"
Az sheepishly went to hand it back. "Have anything sweeter? Chocolate maybe?"
Dean stared. Az stared back. He didn't have time for this. He rummaged through the bag and pulled out a Hershey's bar, snatching the energy bar back, annoyed. "There, now Sh!" he put one finger to his lips and stormed to the phone booth, muttering incoherently about annoying brats. Az smiled a full cheshire grin and began wolfing it down. Maybe this arrangement wouldn't be terrible after all.
This was a terrible idea. Az didn't know what to expect, but being dragged in a car and then subjected to the worst driving he'd ever experienced was not on the list. Truthfully, he didn't remember the last time he'd been in any sort of vehicle, but he imagined it was more enjoyable compared to this.
He didn't remember as much as he wished.
When they got to a run downed house, the speeding jerk instructed him to stay put no matter what happened. Az merely shrugged and complied, not wanting to endure whatever wrath the man seemed to prepare for. He watched Dean as he walked toward the front steps and was greeted by an even older gentleman. With a knife. Az stared with a blank expression. They continued their brawl until Dean shouted something at the other and proceeded to cut down his elbow with the knife.
Bobby stared in disbelief. "Dean?" he asked hopefully, standing up. Dean nodded.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you".
Bobby quickly closed the distance and embraced him, someone he considered a son. Dean returned the hug just as tight, the tension finally leaving his face. Bobby was the first to break the silence.
"It's….it's good to see you, boy"
"Yeah, you too"
"But…how did you bust out?"
Dean grimaced. "I don't know, I just, uh, woke up in a pine box," Dean said before Bobby cut him off by splashing holy water on his face. Dean didn't find it surprising, but he still remained unamused.
"Not a demon either, you know," he said flatly.
"Can't be too careful," Bobby reminded, but felt relieved all the same. Behind the wet hunter, he noticed a lone figure inside the car, and narrowed his eyes. "Bring a souvenir, did you?"
"What?" Dean turned around and deflated. "Oh. That. Long story…actually, not really. Kid says he came back from Paslm Beach with me," he explained, positioning himself to look at the boy as well.
"Any reason to believe him?"
"Nothing to suggest he didn't. Won't lie, wasn't keen on questioning him as much as I should of, but, well…" he trailed off, memories of fighting out of the coffin still fresh in his mind. Bobby understood, and motioned across to the boy to come on in. Az looked really hesitant, but complied. He stood before both men, looking up to get a better look at their faces.
"You aren't gonna try to stab me too, are you?" he asked hopefully, but by the stares he received back, he figured he'd have to endure something similar.
Great.
Az sat away from them both, making himself comfortable by the corner of the house far from the entrance. His bandaged arm still held a bloody mark, signifying his wound was starting to bleed through the wrap. Ignoring whatever the other two were talking about overhead, he curled in on himself, heavily annoyed at being trialed with a silver knife, salt, and holy water. To their credit, they looked regretful at realizing he was a normal kid. He didn't care; he was pissed.
Dean was upset that Bobby hadn't kept in contact with Sam and grew more so when he realized it had to have been Sam selling his soul to have brought him back. He ignored the kid's situation and chalked it to a third or fourth priority meeting, after he gave his brother a piece of his mind. He pulled out his phone and made a call. "Yeah, hi, I have a cell phone account with you guys, and uh, I lost my phone. I was wondering if you could turn the gps on for me." He waited a moment. "Yeah, names Wedge Antilles. Social is two four seven four. Thanks." And hung up.
Bobby raised a brow. "How'd you know he'd use that name?"
Dean gave him an incredulous look. "You kiddin me? What don't I know about that kid?"
Both men took a look at the address that popped up on the laptop screen. 263 Adams Road, Pontiac Illinois.
"Sam's in Pontiac, Illinois," he muttered out loud.
"Right where you were planted," Bobby added. Dean looked up, face hardened.
"Right where I popped up. Hell of a coincidence, don't you think?"
Both hunters were ready to depart to bring the youngest Winchester back, but remembered the cowering child in the corner. Bobby gave Dean a knowing look, while the other scowled. After a silent stareoff, he sighed and carefully made his way to the boy.
"Listen, we have to head out for a bit. Just stay HERE, understood? We'll figure out your family situation after. If you get hungry, there's…." He looked at the infinite amount of liquor bottles strewn around the house and gave Bobby a withering glance before returning to Az. He's amazed at having not noticed them before, but that was a discussion for later. "There's bound to be something in the fridge. Be good, or, else, " he stammered the last bit. He really couldn't handle children right now.
Az tilted his head, frown still set on his face, but nodded, and said nothing else. He turned away from them both and curled on himself again. Dean sighed but figured that was as much as the kid would talk, and left with Bobby seconds after. Az wondered what was so important about finding the man's brother.
Who cares if he sold his soul? Wasn't that a nice thing to do for someone else? But then he remembered his own family and sneered. No good deed goes unpunished, and just then he wished he'd stayed asleep; at least then he wouldn't endure what came next.
When all three came back, Dean nearly lost it when the kid wasn't in direct view. Turns out Az had indeed invaded the fridge and was snacking on everything sugar, behind the fridge and out of sight. Because 'You're all stupid and I wanna be alone'. Fair point.
Sam gave them a look. Dean shrugged. "That's the kid"
"Huh," and Sam just stared. Az stuck his tongue out in response.
After having a heart to heart and realizing Sam survived Lilith through unknown means and had not in fact sold his soul to save his brother (Dean was happier than a drunk man in a brothel at that), they decided to go and meet Pamela in hopes she could figure out who pulled both boys back from hell. Az had perked up at the mention of Lilith and Ruby but said nothing. At least until they were getting ready to leave. His eagerness to avoid them went out the window. "Hold on you two, I'm coming with!"
"No" was the immediate response from both men.
"No offense kid, but this is adult business, with adult responsibilities. If anything happened, we wouldn't be able to get you back to your family, so…stay put, alright?" Sam offered with a smile but noticed the distinct blank stare Az made at the word family. Weird.
"That douche," he pointed at Dean, ignoring the indignant 'Hey!', "Cut my arm with a knife, made me swallow a spoonful of salt, and threw a bucket of water on me! The LEAST I deserve is to come with! And," he raised his hand to stop the coming objections. "I can guarantee you won't be able to stop me if you try. So, easy way, or My way?" he grinned challenging.
Sam looked to Dean unimpressed. "You sure know how to pick them, don't you," he deadpanned.
"Shaddup"
True to his word, Az was a nightmare to keep away from the car. Nothing worked. They even tried handcuffs to no avail, which made Dean impressed, Sam exasperated, and Bobby suspicious. "Family teach you to avoid authority?" Bobby had asked, and received the middle finger in turn. Az didn't try that again though when Bobby had a private word with him. He thought a knife to the arm would hurt worse…..
Still, he grinned in triumph while laying across the backseat, listening to the men in front with little interest. Bobby was forced to sit in the back with him, but his small frame made it easy to still stretch without worry.
"So," Bobby began, turning to a relaxed Az. "Have a last name we can use?"
"Nope" Az answered immediately, eyes on the roof of the Impala.
"Where's your home?"
"Nope" he repeated, uncaring. Bobby's eye twitched.
"Family?"
Az remained quiet at that, eyes glazed over. It didn't go noticed. Sam turned his head back. "Family issues?" he asked gently. Sam was probably the only one to remember this was a kid they were dealing with, not a possessed demon. Kids were difficult, especially if the family dynamic was….less than idea. The boy shifted his gaze over to him.
"Something like that," he muttered, then went back to looking above. The car remained silent after that.
Pamela was not what Az expected, and the unsubtle flirting between her and Dean made the meeting much worse. He looked to Bobby and saw the same grimace, so at least he wasn't alone in that. It was when she turned to him and gave him that uneven smile where he felt his heart squeeze unpleasantly.
"And who's this little sweetheart? Didn't realize you were already a father, Dean," she teased as she kneeled before him, cupping his cheek gently. Az merely narrowed his eyes and stayed silent. Pamela hummed and ignored Dean's retort in favor of studying the boy's eyes. "Black, yet no trace of demonic intervention," she muttered, tilting his head further up, much to his annoyance. "As if the stars settled on a black canvas within a young soul," she continued, then promptly dropped his face and turned back to the men. They looked between her and Az, but neither seemed eager to talk about it just yet.
"Now then," she smiled. "Let's get a sneak peek at your savior, hm?"
"You're not gonna summon the damn thing here?" Bobby asked in slight panic, crossing his arms.
"No, I just want to get a sneak peak at it. Like a crystal ball without the crystal." She explained while prepping the ritual. Dean merely nodded.
"I'm game"
Minutes later, she had everyone touch each other's hands, minus the boy. Sam was adamant they didn't include a minor in their dealings, and the rest figured it wise. Az did as well, content to watch from another corner of the house, fickling with the bandage and dry blood on his arm.
"I need to touch something our mystery monster touched," she said, sliding her hand along Dean's inner thigh, making him jump. "Oops, my mistake," she said unapologetically, moving his shirt to reveal a brand. Sam and Bobby looked shocked, glancing at each other before looking back to Pamela. She began her chant.
"I invoke, conjure, and command you, appear unto me before this circle.
I invoke, conjure, and command you, appear unto me before this circle.
I invoke, conjure, and command you, appear unto me before this circle." she repeated as a television flicked on, static on the screen.
"I invoke, I conjure, and command…..Castiel?"
Az's head snapped up.
"No. Sorry, Castiel, I don't scare easy." She said out loud, prompting Dean to ask.
"Castiel?"
Pamela nodded. "Its name, its whispering to me, warning me to turn back." She began again, though Az suddenly stood from his corner.
"Hold on, you might wanna listen-"
He was unheard as she continued her chant.
"I conjure and command you, show me your face.
I conjure and command you, show me your face.
I conjure and command you, show me your face.
I conjure and command you, show me your face."
A white noise filled the room, growing stronger as the house began to shake. Bobby looked around, hand nearing a pistol in his holster. "Maybe we should stop," he said. Pamela merely shook her head.
"I almost got it. I command you, show me your face! Show me your face now!"
"Pamela!" Az shouted urgently, but it was too late. Candles flared several feet high in the air as the woman began screaming, eyes opened with a white hot flame shooting out. She soon collapsed as the noise and tremors died out, but the damage was done. She sobbed as Bobby caught her falling figure, Dean right behind him, only to reel back at the empty sockets where her eyes should have been.
"I can't see! I can't see! Oh God!" she wailed, hands shooting to her eyes. Sam immediately dialed 911, looking towards Az, who now really was huddling by the corner and gripping his arm tightly, the wound having opened up by unknown means. Az stared back with just a tinge of fear, but more worrisome, amusement.
Bobby had been instructed, unwillingly at first, to take Az back home until further notice, both Dean and Sam still disturbed by Pamela's butchered ritual. They'd talk it over at a diner, Sam particularly hoping some fellow demons would come around. He hoped for answers, and a way to approach Az's enthusiasm at what happened to Pamela. No one else had noticed, with Az feigning fright and following Bobby's shadow diligently after. Not a demon, not a shapeshifter, not anything known as of yet…still didn't mean the boy was safe, but he had to prove it.
Bobby was busying himself in lore books, particularly on whatever ritual Pamela had performed and what could cause such a reaction. The name Castiel wasn't lost on him either, but he didn't want to believe it. He had left Az with another chocolate bar, hoping the boy would be satisfied and calmed. He was half right.
"Sooo…..we going to a sermon, or?" he asked innocently, peeking across Bobby's shoulder at the book while finishing up the bar. Bobby glared and flicked his forehead, earning a yelp.
"Idjit"
"You mean idiot, right?" Az retorted immediately without thinking, regretting it at the scathing look he received. "Sorry, shutting up," he mumbled and sat back down beside him. "Still, maybe I could help?"
That earned him another raised eyebrow. "They put you in Sunday school enough to know this book?" he asked curiously, moving the massive bible between them. He didn't trust the kid – no one did – but they still had no proof to the contrary. Maybe he Did want to help.
"Well, something of that nature," he said half-heartedly, skimming the page and narrowed in on one word in particular. "Castiel, huh?"
"Name of the bastard that tore out the woman's eyes, yeah" Bobby flipped to the next page. "Doubtful it was an angel, but it's all we've got." That perked Az's interest.
"What makes you so sure it wasn't an angel?"
"They don't….uh…." he caught himself, looking to Az. While not religious himself, he couldn't outright tell the poor boy God and angels were crap. He really didn't want to deal with that repercussion if at the end of the day they found his family. "Angels are all kind hearted and saving people, and…..yeah. Wouldn't make sense to burn a lady's eyes out." He silently nodded to himself, proud to have avoided an awkward scenario. Az wasn't so eager to agree.
"Angels are known to be divine and harbor forms far too overwhelming for humans to process. Enough to burn their eyes out" he stated factually, leaning in to read along. "What else could pull a soul from hell back?" And Bobby had to agree from everything he'd read. That left a question though. "Must of pulled you out from Hell too, then?" But Az smiled bitterly.
"Distrust whatever else comes out of my mouth, but know this to be true; no angel would ever go out of their way for me, either in this life or the next. I'm dead to them." he said, no mirth behind the statement. He refused to elaborate or say anything else after that.
As usual, Bobby came to the rescue when a piercing shriek erupted in the other room where Dean had hunkered down for the night. Glass shattered, objects were thrown from their shelves, and the noise still wouldn't stop. Dean had half a mind to tear his ears out until it finally ended, along with Bobby slamming the door open. "Dean!"
Az had peeked in, raising a brow at the destruction. "And I thought I was a loud sleeper," he joked.
The three were in Bobby's car, heading out to figure out the questioning ringing once and for all, but not before calling Sam and letting him know they'd be gone for a beer. Sam hadn't fully bought it, even less when they mentioned bringing Az along, but the authoritative tone in Dean's voice had the discussion in his favor. Az noticed tension between the brothers and the older man, but figured it was just family drama. When Dean mentioned wanting to summon the thing that burned Pamela's eyes, he couldn't help but chime in with Bobby.
"He's right, that's a stupid idea."
"Nobody asked for the dwarf's opinion" was Dean's quick reply, eyes still on Bobby.
"We could choose life?" Bobby nearly pleaded, but he knew better.
"Bobby, whatever this is, whatever it wants, it's after me. That much we know, right? I've got no place to hide, and with the kid here we have another possible casualty if we don't solve this crap now. I can either get caught with my pants down again, or we can make our stand" Dean said, determined and sitting up straight, knowing they wouldn't be able to convince him otherwise.
"We could still use Sam on this. Better than the boy," Bobby tried one last time, to no avail.
"Nah, he's better off where he is. Besides," he turned to look at Az at last. "I have a feeling this one knows something we don't".
Az didn't have a response to that.
Both men were seated at the table with Az in his own chair a foot outward, just in case. All three were swinging their legs in a bored fashion, staring at the middle of the table with lessening hope.
"Sure you did the ritual right?" Dean asked, impatiently tapping his fingers on the table. How hard was a summoning spell? He noticed the look Bobby gave him and raised his hands in surrender. "Touchy touchy, huh?"
As if on cue, the roof began to rattle, and despite Dean's remark about it being the wind, the door burst open to reveal a man in a trench coat, casually striding in. The light bulbs shattered instantly in a beautiful display of sparks, but neither armed men thought twice and opened fire. It did absolutely nothing to the stranger ahead who continued forward. Az had quickly ducked behind a chair, eager to stay out of sight, and succeeded thusfar. Dean took his knife when the mystery man got too close and swung. "Who are you?" he asked, teeth clenched when the man simply caught the knife.
"I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition" they stated, a blank expression permanently on their feature.
"Yeah, thanks for that" came the sarcastic reply as Dean reared and plunged the knife to the man's heart, with absolutely no effect. The man merely looked down and pulled it out, unconcerned and dropped it to the floor. Bobby had tried to swing behind him but met a similar fate as the knife when the man unarmed him with one move and placed two fingers on his forehead, having him crumple to the ground. He turned to look at Dean, still having not noticed Az.
"We need to talk, Dean. Alone"
After ensuring Bobby was in fact alive, Dean glared viciously at the figure, prompting the man to assure his friend was in fact alive.
"Who are you?" Dean demanded, now standing but still hovering over Bobby protectively.
"Castiel"
"Yeah, I figured as much," he replied sarcastically, but still held his fierce stare. "I meant what are you?"
"I'm an angel of the lord" Castiel replied simply, as if nothing needed to be elaborated. Dean had a strange suspicion this would become a habit.
"Get the hell out of here. Theres no such thing" he scoffed. As if angels were real. Seriously. Castiel tilted his head, expression never wavering.
"That is your problem, Dean. You have no faith."
"Faith in what? You?" A younger voice at last jumped in, standing from behind the broken chair. Az couldn't help but shake his shoulders in silent laughter at the new man's expression. Despite still holding no emotion, anyone could tell something was clearly wrong. Something dangerous, even. Az placed his hands on his hips, the façade of the scared little boy now long gone. Here stood an equal amongst higher beings. "I've missed you, brother"
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