Catching Up, Season 2
Chapter 18 – Houses of Holy
"Sam and Dean investigate the murders of several people by individuals who claim they were visited by an angel and were carrying out God's will. After the brothers learn that the victims actually were secretly guilty of crimes, Sam begins to believe the angel really does exist. But Dean maintains his stance that a demon is behind the slayings—until he sees something even he can't explain." Mary reads out. "Well um do you think angels exist? I mean personally I have my doubts."
"Jury's still out for me," Dean smirked at an eye-rolling Cas. "Sammy?"
"You know I haven't seen much evidence to support it." Aha I see what you did there…jackass.
"There's going to be a lot of this isn't there?" Crowley groused.
"Once or twice." Dean pressed play and the show opened on a woman watching television when suddenly her lights began to flicker. The TV flicks on to a televangelist delivering a sermon while the woman's apartment shakes. Then a shining entity appears in her hallway right before the title card.
"One of yours?" Rowena asked Cas.
"Definitely not, no chance a human could withstand the divine light."
"Man the things I'd wish we'd known back then," Dean shook his head. When the episode came back, the woman was now being held in a mental institution with TV!Sam posing as an orderly. Turns out, her 'angel' ordered her to kill a man it said was 'guilty to his deepest foundations'. And she obeyed.
I am horrified by this representation. "Like you give two heavenly shits," Sam snorted over his onscreen brother's enjoyment of a vibrating bed. The TV!Winchesters discuss the case, the woman, Gloria, was the second person to claim that an angel had ordered her to kill. Then of course TV!Dean said it -
"Angels don't exist. How many times can you put your foot in mouth Dean?" Cas pondered. "I certainly don't appreciate keeping company with unicorns and bullcrap."
"This entire spiel is karmatic gold in the making," Rowena crooned. "Really dear, even at that age, you should've known better than to hold such strong opinions on reality."
"I'm older and wiser and Cas, do you have fluffy white feathers? Please say yes."
"Sorry Dean, they're more of a shiny blue-black," Cas's expression became unreadable, "like the truest night sky."
Dean carried on obliviously, "Man I wish I could see them."
Cas shook himself out of it. "One day many years from now, when you reside in Heaven, I will show them to you."
Aw how sweet. "What?" You won't get it. Sam shrugged while he and his brother investigated Gloria's victim's house. Remember the foundation comment, they look through the cellar leading to the discovery of remains buried there.
"So it was right?" Mary mused. "Maybe a demon? These people's deals are up and it's just being creative on how it reaps a soul?"
"Too loud," Crowley replied. "The whole idea is for us to not attract attention. The ambiguity makes it more tempting. It would be bad for business if it got out that God will actively punish them for their deals."
Just then the 'angel' visits another person, a man this time, apparently delivering instructions. This time the show follows as the supposed angel leads him to a house and he promptly kills the man at the door. "Cas sweetie please tell me angels were never ordered to actually do something like this," Mary squirmed.
"I won't lie and say never but it was very rare that we interfered, some cases excepted," the angel tacked when Dean went to open his mouth. "There was a time when Heaven took more of an active role in the governing of humans but since Lucifer's fall and the war following, we've left them largely on their own while alive. Only judging their souls once they pass on."
"Hang on," Dean paused the show. "A war?"
"Dean, you know I used to be a part of a garrison. You even witnessed my promotion to seraph."
True but he was always an honoured soldier. One of the bravest and brightest. Castiel would be a highly decorated officer on Earth. "Really? He never really talks about his time up there." He wouldn't.
"-Heaven has fought many battles against Hell." Cas was saying. "After Lucifer fell, he built his legions and Heaven - under Michael - mobilized us. Once Lucifer was locked in the cage, the fighting stopped but we maintained ranks."
"How come?" Dean asked.
"Before I used to think it was prudence, being prepared for the next fight. Now I see that Michael simply enjoyed power and authority."
Having nothing else to say, Dean continued the show as the boys investigate the second victim only to discover he was preying on a 13 year-old girl whom he would've met with that day. TV!Sam insists it's the work of an avenging angel but TV!Dean is still unconvinced.
"Ah the harbingers of God's justice on Earth. I have always wondered what became of them," Crowley shot the celestial a look. "There are whispers about them but no one ever knows enough."
"Those whispers know more than I do," Castiel answered stiffly.
Do me a favour, find a way to hug Cas after this. Meanwhile, the TV!Winchesters investigate the local church and Team Free Will had to clench their jaws at Michael's overly indulgent description. "Bastard," Cas growled. The TV!Winchesters almost left empty handed when they found that another pastor had been murdered right on the steps of the church. TV!Dean zeroes on this as cause for a possible vengeful spirit but TV!Sam is still holding out for an angel. Things take a turn when in the church's crypt when appears again in front of TV!Sam.
"Felt so real at the time," Sam whispered. "Hadn't felt that peaceful in forever." Here… A warmth glowed in his chest and he relaxed into it, letting it spread to his fingers and into his head. Everything slipped away and Sam was floating in nirvana. Sadly, far too soon, it faded away, leaving him soft and satisfied. "Wow." Anytime smexy.
"I wasn't wrong about the angels," Mary commented, bringing Sam back to the room, still watching the show. "Wish they were more of a help - you excepted of course Castiel."
"Thank you Mary," Cas half-smiled. Onscreen, TV!Dean was showing his brother all the evidence pointing to the murdered pastor being a vengeful spirit but given his experience, TV!Sam was doubtful. So obviously the solution was to hold a seance in the church. "Dean…" Cas sighed. "Occult rituals on sanctified ground?"
:"Cas…" Dean imitated. "Killing on sanctified ground?"
"...That only happened a few times."
In the show, TV!Sam gets the sign from the 'angel' pointing to a man - someone they were certain was going to do something bad. The brothers split up; TV!Dean would tail the mark and TV!Sam would go on with the seance. TV!Dean watched as the man picked up and drove off with her. At the church, TV!Sam performs the ritual when he is caught by the other priest. He was about to be kicked out when the vengeful spirit appeared. Oddly it wasn't attacking or even angry in the slightest. It believed itself on a mission of good, acting on the will of God. Between the priest and TV!Sam, they were able to actually get through to the former pastor.
Meanwhile, the man TV!Dean was tailing, attempted to assault his date but fortunately the older Winchester was there to stop him. While tending to the victim, the would-be rapist drove off and TV!Dean gave chase. Back at the church, Father Reynolds administered last rites to Father Gregory and the spirit passed on into the light. "That was the calmest exorcism I've ever seen," Mary remarked.
"Too bad they can't all be like that," Dean shook his head while his TV!self ran down the rapist. After a lengthy chase, the most remarkable freak accident occured. A pole for an utility truck fell off and crashed right through the man's windshield, piercing his heart. just as Father Gregory had commanded his people to do. TV!Dean is shaken by the events while TV!Sam despairs over his "So was he really ordered by -" Mary cut her eyes to Cas. "No…"
"It would explain why it did behave like a typical vengeful spirit," Sam chipped in.
"It is highly unlikely that Heaven would recruit a mortal soul to bring justice on Earth," Castiel denied, hunching his shoulders. "It doesn't work like that."
"At any rate, it's getting late," Dean sat up and stretched. "We missed lunch, how about an early dinner and call it for today?"
Your brother is more perceptive than I've given him credit for. Back him up on this one Sam. Sam was baffled but complied. "Yeah I can get behind that. I'll help my mom."
"Good I'll just - yeah…" Dean scratched his head and the room dispersed.
Sam turned a corner and whispered, "What was that about?" Nothing you need to worry about, promise. Somehow he didn't believe that.