Chapter Forty
All Roads Lead to Rome
TW/CW: None
Bobby's House: July 27, 2010
Bobby really should be used to chaos at this point. Yet when he arrived back at the house with Crowley and Marcus in tow, he was surprised by the laughter and light hearted heckling.
"Come on, Dean," Sam jeered from the porch. "She's not even moving!"
"Easy for you to say!" Dean shouted, wobbling uncertainly in the air. He was white knuckling a wooden dowel rod likely nabbed from the basement. Despite the massive white and soot stained wings holding him up, Dean didn't look pleased to be in the air.
"It's just like driving a car," Azrial said from her place hovering in the air. "You just need practice."
Bobby hummed at her gentle tone. He'd half expected her to be a taskmaster when she mentioned training Dean. He made his way to the porch and raised an eyebrow when he saw all the seats were taken.
"Do ya'll really have nothing better to do?" Bobby asked.
Sam snorted and took a sip of his beer. "Honestly? No. Phones have been quiet today."
"I can read just as easily out here as inside," Rowena said. She hadn't bothered looking up from her book, so Bobby took her word on it.
"This is hilarious," Rufus said. "Enough reason for me."
Bobby rolled his eyes at the predictable response and glanced toward Balthazar and Gabriel.
"What about you two?"
"We're healers?" Gabriel half-heartedly asked.
"Uh-huh," Bobby said. "How long they been at it?"
"About an hour," Sam answered. "It took half that time to get Dean off the ground."
"He looks very uncomfortable."
Bobby glanced at Marcus, unsurprised to see the man staring up at Dean and Azrial. Dean had attempted to lunge forward and hit Azrial, but missed by half a foot.
"Try again," Azrial said. "You were closer this time."
"This is dumb." Dean huffed. "Why can't I just keep my feet on the damn ground?"
Azrial sighed, but didn't try to argue. Dean lunged again, and this time grazed Azrial's arm.
"Better!" she praised. "Once you can land an actual body blow, we can start on moving targets."
"Well, at least he's flying," Crowley said. "That's...progress."
"She is being too kind," Marcus said. "He will not learn like this."
Sam hummed in agreement, watching the pair in the sky.
"She is being really careful," Sam admitted. "Dean can take a hit, especially with Cas backing him."
"Just hit him," Gabriel shouted. "Also, your lover boys are back and they brought company!"
"Must you?" Crowley demanded.
"Oh, I must." Gabriel chuckled. "You both make it too easy."
"Welcome back," Azrial offered without looking toward them. "And I'm not hitting a child, Gabe."
"I'm not a damn child," Dean snapped as he aimed a hit at Azrial's side. She easily caught the rod and pushed Dean back.
"You're the equivalent of a toddler to me," Azrial laughed. "And that's if I average your age and Castiel's."
"Otherwise you're a sperm!" Gabriel cheerfully pointed out, causing Sam and Rufus to laugh. Bobby even caught Rowena smiling slightly.
"Then that makes you a cougar for sleeping with Bobby!" Dean yelled.
He shifted, aiming for Aziral's other side as she laughed. She still managed to stop it from touching her, but just barely.
"I thought you didn't want to know about our sex life?" Azrial teased which seemed to relax Dean.
Bobby felt pride well in his chest as he finally landed a hit. It wasn't strong, and Bobby knew damn well Azrial could have dodged, but given Dean's fear of heights this was massive progress.
"Hah!" Dean exclaimed, grinning ear to ear. "Got ya!"
"Don't get cocky. Isn't it like I said?" she asked, amusement dripping off her voice. "No different from learning how to drive."
"I guess," Dean said as he glanced at his wings. "Cas said I need to trust that they can support me."
"That's true," Azrial agreed. "It's meant to be instinctive, like when a baby bird is pushed out of the nest."
"Oh." Dean sighed. "Guess I'm too old for that approach?"
"I mean, I could try shoving you off a cliff," Azrial offered. "But it probably won't work."
"Yeah, probab-WHOA!"
Dean barely managed to dodge Azrial as she went to punch him in the chest. Bobby sighed and turned toward Marcus.
"This is probably gonna take a while. Hopefully they'll come down soon."
"I could get them down," Marcus offered.
"That I'd like to see that!" Sam laughed. "They've mostly been ignoring us." Sam smiled and offered his hand to Marcus. "I'm Sam, by the way. You a friend of Bobby's?"
Marcus shook Sam's hand. "A friend of sorts," Marcus agreed. "You are Bobby's youngest, correct?"
Sam looked surprised and Bobby went to correct Marcus. Sam chuckled and gave a careless shrug before he could.
"In all the ways that matter," Sam said. "Though Jo may fight me for the title of youngest when she's around."
"I see." Marcus turned to Bobby. "I did not realize you had taken in so many children."
Crowley snorted at Marcus's curious, ablate surprised, tone. Bobby shot him a warning look before turning back to Marcus.
"It doesn't have the same implications you're used to." Bobby paused, searching his mind for a title Marcus would know that would be similar to his current situation. "I think you'd find my situation has more in common with a pedagogus than with a paterfamilias. 'Cept Sam and Dean needed someone to remind them to be kids more than tutoring."
Dean's laughter and cursing hammered home Bobby's words. Sam glanced between them in confusion, clearly wondering why Bobby was using outdated titles to describe their relationship.
"But you are still head of your family?" Marcus clarified.
"Yeah, it just don't mean much these days," Bobby said with a shrug.
"These days?" Sam pointedly asked.
"Oh, are we finally acknowledging this Adonis isn't from our time period?" Rowena asked as she shut her book.
Marcus chuckled as Sam's eyes widened. Gabriel muttered something about hypocrites and magic, but was too focused on Azrial and Dean's spar to care.
"You flatter me with your words," Marcus said to Rowena. "And you are quite correct that I am not from this time."
"Bobby, what the hell did you do?" Sam asked.
"Crowley's the one who brought him back," Bobby said.
"Don't lay this at my feet," Crowley snapped. "You made the deal to fix the bloody bracelet."
"You're the one who couldn't send him back to Heaven!"
"Not for lack of trying!" Crowley defended. "I stabbed the bastard half a dozen times."
Bobby bit back a snarky remark about trying to recreate Caesar's assassination and chanced a glance at Azrial. Between Dean's loud cursing, her cheerful teasing, and the pair's laughter, she clearly hadn't heard what was said on the ground. Probably the only thing protecting him and Crowley from getting their asses chewed out.
"Sounds like ya both fucked up," Rufus casually pointed out. "Also sounds like Azrial's gonna kick your asses, and I've known her for like a week."
"Butt out Rufus," Bobby said. "We're already aware."
"Just making sure!" Rufus laughed. "Hope ya like sleeping on the couch."
Bobby rolled his eyes before turning to Marcus. "You said you could get them down?"
Marcus hummed and stepped toward the edge of the porch. He was watching the spar with a sharp eye, clearly waiting for something. Bobby was about to ask what for when Marcus cleared his throat.
"Has a spar really distracted you from me?" Marcus's voice carried, and the result of his question was spectacular.
Azrial spun around, searching for the source of the voice. At the same time, Dean landed a blow square against her ribs with a triumphant yell. She went crashing into a narrow space on the ground between two stacks of cars.
"Fly you crazy bastards, fly!" Gabriel dramatically shrieked.
Dean's face was an odd mixture of awe and fear. Bobby winced when he remembered what happened to Castiel once he managed to land a blow on Azrial during a training session.
"You should dodge," Balthazar calmly advised Dean.
Dean barely moved in time as a hubcap came flying at his face. Another quickly followed, and Dean managed to slam it away with the dowel right before another smacked him square in the back of the head. The blow sent him to the ground with a loud crash, car parts falling around him.
"Huh, two out of three isn't bad," Balthazar mused.
"We should probably help them up," Gabriel said. "I think Dean managed to clip her wing."
"That would explain the three hubcaps," Sam said.
"I was not expecting such a disaster," Marcus admitted. "His blow was stronger than I predicted."
"Dean and Cas are both deceptively strong," Sam explained. "Together they seem to struggle with regulating their power."
Gabriel was about to walk off the porch when Dean came racing toward the house, followed by a hubcap flying at his head.
"Stop throwing shit at me!" Dean yelped as he flew higher to avoid the projectile.
Azrial came storming toward the porch, her right wing bent at an awkward angel. She was white knuckling another hubcap and didn't look to be calming down anytime soon.
"You damaged my wing! Be happy I'm not coming at you with a blade."
"You told me to hit you!" Dean yelped as the hubcap almost hit his shoulder, but he managed to dodge at the last minute.
"So you decide to hit me when I'm distracted by a stupid prank?"
"You told me to do what I had to!"
Azrial went to grab Dean's foot, but he flew out of her reach and batted her hand away with the dowel.
"Get down here and face me like a man, Winchester!"
"There isn't a man alive who'd willingly fight you. You're fucking terrifying, Azrial!"
Bobby snorted, rolling his eyes at the bickering. The two were so absorbed in their argument they had yet to notice everyone watching them. He caught Marcus frowning out of the corner of his eyes, but wasn't sure why. Marcus shot forward without warning, grabbing the dowel out of Dean's hand. Dean wobbled in the air, his eyes wide at the intervention. Marcus moved with the same speed Bobby had seen when the man was alive and Azrial took a startled step back to avoid a precise blow to the chest.
"Perhaps you should admit your own failings in that exchange," Marcus suggested.
His calm words were met with silence. Azrial was staring at him in shock, clearly not processing what he'd just said. Gabriel let out a low whistle, eyeing Marcus thoughtfully.
"Look at the balls on this one," Gabriel said. "You gonna let that slide, sis?"
Azrial's face became carefully blank and her blade fell into her palm.
"Fuck this," Dean said. "I'm out."
To Bobby's amusement Dean flew up to sit on the roof rather than the crowded porch.
"If this is a prank, I'm going to maim whoever had the damn nerve," Azrial softly threatened.
Marcus hummed. "Only one way to find out the truth, goddess."
Azrial launched at Marcus, her blade going straight toward his jugular. Bobby winced at the furious look in her eyes. He wasn't sure if she'd be any calmer once the truth came out. Marcus used the pole to catch her wrist, twisting it down so Azrial was forced to center herself. Her injured wing was proving to be a liability, but she refused to let them vanish. She was probably worried about the injury getting worse before Gabriel looked at it.
"I had considered several reactions to their meeting," Crowley mused. "This wasn't one of them."
"He's making her work for it." Balthazar sounded impressed, which made Bobby glance at the angel. "How is he managing that?"
"She's injured," Rowena pointed out.
"Still, he's making it look easy!" Balthazar argued. "I've only ever seen Michael and one of Azrial's seraphs, Mora, manage that."
Gabriel hummed in agreement. "He's reading her moves," he explained. "He's purposely choosing the easiest way to deflect her hits."
"How?" Sam asked.
"Because they've sparred before. He knows her moves." Gabriel leveled a mild glare at Bobby and Crowley. "Who is he?"
"You should know him," Crowley huffed. "You sent us to his time period for two weeks."
"Holy shit!" Dean yelped from above them.
Bobby looked back to the spar just in time to see Azrial bringing her fully transformed scythe toward Marcus's throat.
"Dodge, you crazy bastard!"
Marcus ignored Dean's suggestion. The man brought the dowel level with his body, letting the tip of the scythe sink into the wood. Azrial let out a stream of curses, pulling her blade back and breaking the pole in the process. Marcus let half fall to the ground, quickly stepping into Azrial's face and putting the butt of the other half to her neck.
Bobby was pretty sure he could hear a pin drop. Everyone was silent, taking in the fact that Marcus had pushed Azrial to a draw. Her scythe was poised against his back, meaning if they both had weapons neither would be able to move.
"How?" Balthazar demanded. "Even with her injured wing he shouldn't have been able to do that!"
Bobby watched Azrial's reaction carefully. She never said out right what happened leading up to Marcus's death. She'd been quick to change the subject, and it left Bobby thinking the man hadn't simply died of old age. He'd tried asking Marcus, but the man brushed him off. It was the only time he'd seen Marcus annoyed since being brought back, so didn't push. It added to his theory though.
Marcus smiled softly before breaking the silence. "Fierce as I remember, dearest."
Azrial was pale and looked a touch faint. She hadn't said anything yet, and Bobby was starting to worry. He turned toward the others on the porch with a frown.
"Right, that's enough gawking from you idjits. Go find something to do."
Thankfully everyone read the room and started to disperse. He even heard Dean take off from the roof, though the man didn't come inside. Once it was clear he turned back to Marcus and Azrial. She'd put away her weapon, but was still staring at Marcus like she'd seen a ghost.
"How?" Azrial finally asked.
"It seems the Fates were not quite done with me," Marcus said.
Azrial collapsed to her knees with a choked laugh and shook her head. Marcus looked startled, not that Bobby blamed the man.
"I let you die," she rasped. "I let you die, and now you're here."
Bobby's eyes widened, but stayed silent. Now wasn't the time or place to question either of them. Marcus knelt down, gently lifting Azrial's chin.
"You did not let me die," Marcus said firmly. "I was happy to take your offer and face the world with you, but the Fates had other plans. Are you not happy with your amortors?"
"Of course I'm happy!" Azrial sounded offended, and Bobby heard Crowley snort.
"Then it is as it should be." Azrial looked ready to object, but Marcus placed a finger on her lips. "My death is not your burden, dearest. It never was. Those to blame are long dead."
"But if I hadn't left -!"
"Were you to disobey your pater?" Marcus asked, his voice rising slightly. "The fault is on those who attacked me, Azrial. Have you truly held on to this misplaced guilt all these years?"
Azrial didn't respond, instead throwing herself into Marcus's arms with a frustrated sob. The poor bastard clearly wasn't expecting it because he fell on his ass. Marcus glanced at him and Crowley in confusion, even as he rubbed comforting circles on Azrial's back. Bobby decided to take pity on the man. He pulled out the fixed arm band from his jacket and walked toward the pair. He knelt down next to them with a half hearted sigh.
"I guess this is a bad time to tell you we got your arm band fixed?"
Azrial pulled away from Marcus to turn toward him. Her confusion melted into a soft look of awe as she gently took it.
"How?" she asked. "It was completely cracked."
Bobby chuckled. "Well, keep that happy feeling when we explain how Marcus got here."
Azrial narrowed her eyes, glancing between him and Crowley.
"This has to do with your deal, doesn't it?"
"I initially planned to make the deal so we could get someone to fix your arm band," Bobby admitted. "Then I realized I could use it as protection, like I told you."
"What does Marcus have to do with that?" she asked. "He's not exactly a blacksmith!"
Bobby raised an eyebrow and Marcus actually blushed. He snorted, and gestured for the man to explain.
"I failed to mention I started in the army under a blacksmith," Marcus said. "It was not until I showed my skill during an ambush that I became a legionnaire."
"You made this?" Azrial ran her fingers over the raven relief. "You never mentioned that."
"I was far more concerned about receiving a positive response to explain," Marcus teased. He gently took the armband and picked up Azrial's hand. "Do you remember my question?"
"Of course," Azrial said. Her voice cracked with emotion and she cleared her throat. "You and that dangerous silver tongue of yours."
"Only you seem to believe that," Marcus said. "Would you allow me the honor of returning this to its proper place?"
Azrial offered her arm and Marcus gently slid the armband into place around her bicep. She ran her fingers over it with a bright smile.
"Thank you," she said and then looked toward Bobby and Crowley. "All of you."
"Don't mention it," Bobby said. "Not like I really did anything."
Crowley huffed. "Bringing him back was hardly difficult."
"About that," Azrial began. "Not that I'm ungrateful, but why are you still here?" she asked Marcus. "Once the armband was fixed, the resurrection should have faded since Bobby's deal was complete."
"That's actually what we wanted to talk about." Bobby sighed. "How bout we get off the ground and go sit on the porch?"
Azrial got to her feet, and offered Bobby a hand up. The four of them made their way over to the porch and sat down. By the time the three of them finished filling Azrial in, the sun was starting to set. She had been silent through most of the explanation, only speaking to ask clarifying questions.
"So you really think if we brought more soldiers back we'd run into the same issue?" Azrial asked.
"Won't really know till we try," Bobby said. "But that's the theory."
"I doubt they'd follow me." Azrial chuckled. "They were Marcus's men, not mine."
"You forget how much they appreciated and respected you." Marcus's firm tone made Azrial sigh.
"That doesn't mean they'd follow a woman into battle," Azrial countered. "Unless you know something I don't?"
"Are you aware whispers of you still spread through Elysium?" Marcus asked.
Azrial raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't, but angels are known to gossip."
"Those whispers spoke highly of you and your flock. The men who were unaware of just how talented you were soon learned."
"I doubt recent rumors are as kind," Azrial said quietly. "Especially considering everyone knows about Crowley and I now."
"They are more mixed," Marcus admitted. "But my men hardly care for your love life, and if it truly became a problem they would follow me and you know I would follow you."
Azrial hummed thoughtfully and seemed to consider Marcus's words. This was further than Bobby expected to get with this conversation, so he allowed her time to think and turned toward Marcus.
"How many men are we talkin' about?" Bobby asked.
"Near two thousand," Marcus said.
Crowley chuckled, though it was a touch strained. "Well, that solves our army problem, doesn't it?"
"And creates a whole new issue of where the fuck we would house that many people," Bobby said. "You ain't keeping a damn army on my property."
"We were going to have to consider moving soon anyway," Azrial said. "Your house is too crowded, and the more people who sign on the larger target we become."
"What do you suggest then?" Marcus asked.
Azrial sighed, and stood up stretching her arms above her head. "I've had an idea rolling around in my head the past few months, but didn't want to bring it up right away."
"Why's that?" Bobby asked.
"Because, it would look like we're giving up," Azrial said softly. "It was meant to be a last ditch effort option that would get us all out alive to fight another day."
"Why bring it up now then?" Crowley asked. "Our odds are better than ever."
"Because the place I had in mind can easily house that many soldiers," she said. "It's already done it once before."
Bobby inhaled sharply. "You ain't serious?"
"I am," Azrial said. "I told you on our way to Italy that I bled for the wards that protect my arsenal. What I didn't mention was the immense amount of warding that sits around the entire property. With Gabriel's help we could even pull it into a pocket dimension, separating everyone inside from the real world until it's safe again."
"You were planning a damn ark?" Bobby asked.
Azrial snorted. "I guess I was," she admitted. "But we can alter the plan, make it fit these new circumstances while still protecting people."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Bobby demanded. "Let's get started!"