Chapter Forty-Eight
Day One
Valerius Estate: August 3, 2010 – Afternoon
The whole plan to explore the vineyard was scrapped after Death's message arrived. Gabriel was working out what he needed to drag the property into a pocket dimension with Orion, Rowena, and Balthazar's help instead of taking a relaxing flight around the property. Marcus and Cassiopeia were stuck pealing through old scrolls that detailed who'd been assigned to the training post and when. Azrial was still trying to riddle out the best way to reach out to the souls who'd be willing to fight without tipping off all of Heaven in the process.
"Wait, I think I have an idea," Sam said.
Azrial paused her pacing and glanced over at Sam, who'd claimed one of the few library tables not covered in military scrolls. The more he thought about it, the better the idea sounded, and he grinned.
"We can ask Pamala and Ash to spread the word for us."
Azrial looked confused, but Dean clapped his hands together with a grin. "That's a great idea! They already figured out how to go from one part of paradise to another physically. Sending a message should be child's play."
"I have no idea who you two are talking about," Azrial said. "But if you're really sure they can help, I'll take your word for it."
Sam stared at Azrial, trying to comprehend the trust she'd just placed in their plan. She met his gaze and raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for him to continue his thought process. He cleared his throat and flipped open a notebook to start writing down his plan.
"So, we send someone to Heaven, preferably someone we trust to relay messages between us, Ash, and Pamala. They can start putting together the needed information and sending it out not only to the people that Marcus thinks would help, but their families, and even people in the hunter circles who could have useful information."
"Almost like a massive group chat," Azrial mused. "The people involved would need to understand the risks, though. Even if they come back to fight, they won't be able to stay once it's over. Especially those who have died in the past hundred years. I think the only reason Marcus isn't causing issues is because Death marked him."
"Wait, he did?" Dean asked in surprise. "I thought it was just a fluke with Bobby's deal."
Azrial sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I wasn't sure at first, but the longer I'm around Marcus..." she shrugged and shook her head. "It's not really important. If I'm wrong, he goes back with everyone else, if I'm right, well, I don't want to get my hopes up."
Sam hummed in understanding, and Dean let the subject drop. There was no way to know until all this was over anyway, and he didn't see Marcus causing any issues if the man did stick around. He seemed far too aware of the stupidity that could come from being reckless with his knowledge.
"So, who should we send to Heaven?" Dean asked. "I'd say an angel, but I don't want to put anyone here at risk."
"No, an angel would draw too much attention," Azrial said. "Let me talk to Thanatos. He may be willing to do it since he's staying when we lock down the property."
Dean laughed. "Oh, I'm sure Marcus will love that."
Azrial smiled, not bothering to stem her amusement. "He'll live. For now, Sam, can you get me as much information as possible on the part of Heaven that Ash and Pamala are hiding out in?"
"Can do."
"Awesome. Let me go find Than and see if I can blackmail him into being our messenger."
She waved to them and left the room. Dean sat down and gestured for a piece of paper.
"Let's both write down what we remember. Less chance of missing something important."
Sam hummed in agreement and passed his brother and pen and another blank notebook. This was starting to feel like a normal hunt with the amount of research and planning going on.
Line Break
Bobby dragged Crowley to one of the few secluded spots he knew about in the vineyard. It was one of three private gardens that the Valerius matriarchs had grown over the years. This one had stood out to him because it was blocked out on all sides with six-foot flowering hedges, and he'd noted the whole damn thing seemed to have a noise-dampening effect. He was betting magic but didn't have the time to really dig into it.
"Why do I have a feeling this isn't an impromptu date?" Crowley asked as he glanced around the garden.
"Because you're not an idjit," Bobby said. "What's your plan for the battle?"
Crowley raised an eyebrow at the blunt question and searched his eyes. "I have to be there, but I'm not exactly at my best like this." Crowley held out his arms, clearly indicating his vessel. "I don't mention it often, but this body was part of a contract I made decades ago. The entire time I've had it, there has never been a soul beyond my own in it."
"Doesn't that mean it's more attuned to your power?" Bobby asked.
"I can pull more than normal," Crowley admitted. "But at the end of the day, if I used all my power, it would burn to a literal crisp."
"So, you're just gonna go in your demonic form?"
Crowley nodded slowly. "Not that I want to, mind you. I've never really fought in that form beyond animalistic scraps when I first became a demon and had to establish dominance to climb the ranks. I much prefer not being a massive target."
"I need a favor," Bobby said softly.
Crowley eyed him, and he knew the demon already had an idea where he was going with this. There was a tinge of acceptance in his dark eyes.
"I'll never truly be able to say no to you, pet." Crowley titled his head in thought. "Are you ready to face the consequences of crossing our dear angel though?"
"I won't let my whole damn world go to war without me," Bobby said. "If that means being shoved into the preverbal doghouse, so be it."
Crowley chuckled. "I wouldn't count on it being preverbal if your plan involves fighting her. She is far from the forgiving sort."
"Well, here's hoping we can both take a beating then."
Line Break
"Of course I will go," Thanatos said. "Didn't I say you weren't alone?"
"This isn't a small ask," Azrial said. "If Michael catches you in Heaven-"
"He will do nothing. You worry far too much, sister of my heart."
Azrial grunted but didn't disagree. It also didn't help that it felt like something was going on behind her back. Not that it mattered. There were too many moving parts to focus on right now, and she couldn't be chasing shadows.
"Alright, Sam and Dean were writing down as much as they could remember about the paradise Ash and Pamala are in. They're also putting together descriptions of them."
"Understood," Thanatos said. "I'll leave as soon as I have those in hand; that way, I'm not holding up Gabriel."
"I haven't seen him since lunch," she said thoughtfully. "Hopefully, we'll be able to meet up for dinner and figure out how far we've gotten."
"What about your flock?" Thanatos asked softly.
Azrial didn't respond, and she doubted he expected one. That was a complicated situation, and as horrible as it sounded, she needed to focus on protecting the people here first. She'd made promises and she wouldn't fall short on them. A soft knock on the office door made her look up, and she smiled when she saw Crowley.
"Hey, ready to be ordered around?" she teased.
"Only if you tie me up first." He stepped into the room and raised an eyebrow at the antique atmosphere. "Seems nothing changed in here."
"Yeah, this was one of the rooms left alone." She ran her fingers across the wooden desk with a nostalgic smile. "I'll have to get Marcus set up in here before too much paperwork piles up."
Crowley's nose scrunched in distaste. "I'm truly not looking forward to all the paperwork it will take to fix Hell when this is all over."
"I will not envy you both," Thanatos said.
Azrial went to correct Thanatos' assumption, knowing Crowley could be a bit testy when people automatically assumed she'd be involved in the day-to-day tasks of Hell.
"I'll just make Azrial do it all," Crowley said dismissively.
"Excuse me?" she asked. "Paperwork is your deal. I'm just the hired muscle!"
Thanatos laughed and shook his head. "Well, I'll go see if I can lend a hand to the others for now. I'll see you both at dinner."
The door shut softly, and Azrial let her shoulders sag. She took a deep breath, trying to organize her chaotic thoughts. Crowley didn't interrupt her, taking the chance to walk around the office and look closer at some of the shelved items. She traced his movements, wondering what he was thinking about as she did her best to compile a mental to-do list. If she only focused on the war, it would slowly drive her insane.
"So, I'm stuck with the paperwork?" she asked.
Crowley snorted, shooting her an amused smirk. "Of course not, angel. I'd like to get the paperwork done in a timely manner."
She rolled her eyes but smiled at his teasing. "See, that's why you're in charge. You know if I did it, you wouldn't see it for a century."
He nodded solemnly. "At a minimum." He turned back to the shelf, picking up a small bowl to inspect.
"You're up to something, aren't you?" she asked quietly.
His back stiffened, and Azrial sighed. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. It forced him to relax, and she felt his free hand brush against her own.
"I won't lie to you," he said.
"Just don't do anything too stupid," she mumbled against his back. "I can't handle any more surprises."
"I'll do my best, angel."
She shut her eyes, breathing deeply. His cologne calmed her racing mind, and she took the chance to curl more of her grace around him.
"Possessive," Crowley muttered.
"Pot and kettle," she said flatly.
He chuckled, the sound vibrating through her body. In a strange way, it made her feel ready to face the rest of the day. Crowley seemed to realize what she was doing because he took far longer to look at the old piece of pottery than needed. Moments like these, she knew just how much he cherished her, even if the words were never said.
Line Break
Thanatos paged through the papers Sam and Dean had given him as he walked through the veil. He shivered from the sickly warm feeling it left on his skin. The thinner the veil got, the more uncomfortable moving between the planes would become. If this kept up, he wasn't sure how long anyone would continue to ferry souls. He glanced up and down the bright hallway, scrunching his nose at the overwhelming white of everything. He hated the newer parts of Heaven. It was too damn bright.
"Hmm. Which direction?" he mused aloud. He glanced to the right, reaching out his senses. "Ah, there they are."
He didn't bother to walk faster or with more purpose than he normally would since it would just draw attention. He only passed one or two angels the entire time, and none of them seemed overly surprised to see him. Once he reached the door he was looking for, he covertly looked around before pushing it open and stepping inside. The instant change of atmosphere was welcome as the bright light of the door vanished into space behind him. The dark lighting of the old roadhouse-style bar was a welcome reprieve after walking Heaven's hallway.
"Now what brings a handsome stranger like you here?"
Thanatos perked up at the teasing voice, confident now that he'd found the right paradise. He walked over to the bar, happy to see the dark-haired woman behind it matched the description he had from the Winchesters.
"I'm actually here on business," he said and sat down on the barstool. "You're Pamala, correct? A few friends of yours sent me this way."
The woman's face became serious, and she crossed her arms and leaned back against the bar counter.
"I am. Guessin' you're a hunter then?"
"Not quite," he admitted. He ruffled through the papers. found Sam and Dean's note, and handed it to Pamala. "I think you'll take this best from people you know."
She took the letter from him and began reading. He took the chance to look around the space but didn't see any signs that another person was there. The Winchesters had made it clear that the man, Ash, was their best bet to getting out a message. He hoped the angels hadn't punished the two human souls for helping their friends the last time they ended up here. If they did, neither may be willing to help. Or worse, they may not be able to travel between paradises anymore.
"A god, huh?"
Thanatos blinked and looked back to Pamala. "A death god, yes."
She put down the letter, eyeing him for several long seconds. She sighed and glanced toward the door leading to the backroom of the bar.
"Come on out, Ash," Pamala called. "Seems the Winchesters need our help."
He raised an eyebrow at the loud crash from the back room, followed by cursing. A moment later, a thin man with a mullet stumbled into the main door.
"Why am I the one who always has to hide?" the man whined, falling into an empty bar stool at the short end of the bar.
"Because you suck at lying," Pamala said. "This is Ash. The letter said your name was Thanatos?"
"Wait, like the purple comic book villain?" Ash asked in disbelief.
He chuckled, shaking his head. "That's Thanos."
"Oh right, right." Ash paused, frowning slightly. "So, wait, that makes you the Greek god of death, right? Why would the guys send you here?"
"It's a bit of a long story, but I think the letter does a decent job of explaining it."
Ash hummed and made a grabbing motion at Pamala. She rolled her eyes and handed Ash the letter before turning back to him.
"A lot must have changed since I last saw them," she said. "Bobby still around?"
Thanatos snorted, unable to stem his amusement. "He's around."
"Sounds like there's a story there," Pamala said.
"Oh yes, but sadly, we don't have the time." Thanatos turned toward Ash just as the man put down the letter. "Is what they're asking possible?"
"Oh, yeah. Well, probably." Ash rested his chin against his palm, staring off into space for a few moments. "It's gonna be a bit hit or miss at first though."
"How so?" he asked curiously.
"Because everything Ash does is hit or miss," Pamala drily responded.
"I resent that!" Ash exclaimed. "This time, I have a legit reason."
"And what's that?" she asked.
"Well, we need to push through something stupid like two thousand years worth of souls to reach some of these people. Until now, we've only been playing around with like the last thirty years, give or take."
Pamala frowned, seeming to consider his words. Thanatos glanced between the two of them, wondering how often conversations like this happened. They seemed far too comfortable with the idea of meddling with souls.
"Is there anything I can do to help you?" he asked.
"We've personally known a lot of these folks or met their family who've asked us to locate them..." Pamala trailed off, glancing at him. "What's the likelihood that you can sneak us someone who knows these people?"
Thanatos smirked, tilting his head. "I'm right here. I knew many of those in the Valerius family, and you'll find that that they, in turn, knew the descendants of those we are trying to contact."
Ash smiled lazily. "Well, that makes it easier. You'll be my nexus, then. Give me, like, two weeks and come back. By then, I should have worked out all the moving parts."
He nodded and stood up. "Very well. I'll let the others know. Thank you for your help."
Pamala waved him off. "Don't mention it. Happy to help keep the world spinning, and I'm sure there will be a few hunters here when you come back that will agree."
"Just make sure they are aware this isn't a ticket back to life," Thanatos warned. "Once the battle is over, they will return here. The soldiers will understand and respect that, but I don't know if your friends will."
"Leave that to us," Ash said. "Not like we're gonna bring anyone like Gordon in on this."
Pamala shuddered. "Yeah, we'll be careful who we tell."
"Then I'll see you both in three days. Stay safe."
Line Break
Gabriel happily fell into a chair at the dinner table, his back aching. He hadn't used his wings while in a vessel for so damn long that now muscles he didn't even know he had were throbbing. Azrial shot him a concerned look, but he waved her off as others began to join the table.
"So, how did everyone make out?" Gabriel asked.
"I made contact with Ash and Pamala," Thanatos said. "They send their well wishes, and Ash said he should have a workable solution in two weeks."
Dean snorted, grabbing a piece of bread. "Sounds like him. Did they take the letter okay?"
"Yes, no issues there. Pamala did ask about Bobby, though."
Bobby groaned, but Gabriel didn't miss the slight blush that overtook his face. Sam laughed as he plated up some food.
"Oh, I'm sure she did. Especially with only Ash as company."
Azrial snorted, gently poking Bobby with her elbow. "Must have been damn good to have you blushing like that. I'd like to meet her."
"Over my dead body," Bobby grumbled. "The two of you in the same room would be a disaster."
Dean snickered. "Only 'cause they'd probably hit it off."
Bobby glared half-heartedly, shooting Marcus a pleading look. "How did digging through the library go?"
"Well enough," Marcus said. "Going off memory, there are some people I have crossed off the list purely because I do not want to deal with them."
Azrial pointed her fork threateningly at Marcus. "Cassius better still be on there."
Marcus rolled his eyes, clearly amused. "Unfortunately."
"Beyond that, we are also deciding how many of our family to allow back," Cassiopeia said softly. "As wonderful as it would be to see everyone, it's not really the time or place."
"Yeah, Sam and I were talking about that earlier," Dean admitted. "It's hard to balance who we want to see with who will actually be helpful."
"How will you decide who should come?" Sam asked.
"Azrial and I will decide," Marcus said firmly. "It will come down to the skills and knowledge each can offer. When Thanatos returns to Heaven, he will have a list from me, which will be passed on to my sister."
"Who will be coming," Azrial said flatly.
Marcus looked ready to argue but sighed instead. "We will discuss it privately," he said.
An awkward pause overcame the table, not that Gabriel blamed anyone. It was never fun to get dragged into a couple's spat.
"Well, I have some idea about how much power it's gonna take to get us hidden away," he said.
Orion grinned. "Was a good way to spend the afternoon, and you're pretty decent company. Unlike Crowley."
Crowley made an offended noise but seemed too interested in his wine to be truly upset. Gabriel leaned back in his chair, picking up his own glass and sipping on it.
"So, what's it going to take?" Bobby asked. "I mean, this place is massive."
"Azrial, Balthazar, Castiel, and I will end up having to do it together," he said. "Cardinal points, pouring power into the center so I can mold it into the dimension we need."
"And it will not hurt anyone?" Marcus asked. "I do not want any harm coming to those who live here."
"Worst thing will be a headache if they are sensitive to our power," Gabriel said. "And if we know they are in advance, we can just put them to sleep."
"Something worth looking into," Azrial muttered. "I'll get on that."
"No, angel. I'll deal with it," Crowley said firmly. "You have enough on your plate."
Azrial looked ready to object, but Bobby placed a gentle hand on hers. She glanced over and sighed. "Fine, you're both right."
"Exactly," Crowley said. "Focus on being the muscle."
Azrial snorted and shook her head. "Yeah, I'll do that. Anything else we need to cover tonight?" After a few shared looks, it was clear there was nothing else important now. "Alright, then let's enjoy our dinner. Aim for a good night's rest, and we'll make a plan for the day over breakfast tomorrow."
When there were no objections, everyone dug into the food. Thankfully, day one of their plans was going okay, even if it started off a bit shaky.