Chapter Text
Over the last few weeks, Sam and Dean have been hunting and trying to figure out what was going on, so far they've been avoiding any angel activity until they were okay without their powers fritzing out. They battled a ghost sickness less than a week ago, something that Dean refuses to speak about, and now they were dealing with Halloween. Dean's favorite holiday. And right now they had a case, that was quite odd.
"H-how many did he uh-" Sam trailed off.
"He ate, uh, razor blades?" Dean asked, not sure how to phrase it right either.
"Four of them." The wife, Mrs. Wallace, sniffed as Dean nodded with a wince and gently started to look around. "How can someone eat four?"
"Mrs. Wallace," Sam started his conversation as Dean looked around. He checked the kitchen as Sam kept her distracted, smiling softly at a few kid designs, checking under a few things as Mrs. Wallace would look if Dean almost bumped something.
"Candy was never in the fridge," she spoke suddenly as Dean felt the need to check the item when he spotted the black mark on the floor.
"We just like to be thorough, Mrs. Wallace," Sam claimed softly, not wanting to upset her more.
"It's just, I can't get it in my head. How can-"
"We wish we knew Mrs. Wallace, believe me," Dean softly interrupted as he stood from the floor before a wail made them all pause.
"Excuse me," Mrs. Wallace walked off as she got past Sam to go to her son.
"So?" Sam asked once the wife disappeared.
"Hex bag." Dean showed the item as his brother sighed.
"Of course. How else does someone swallow razors?" Sam huffed as Dean shrugged, clearing his throat as the mom reentered this time with a small child.
"Every time, it's always nothing." She smiled at her giggly baby. "Sorry." She got a smile from the brothers.
"No, it's alright," Dean reassured, waving to the mesmerized child. He just stared at them. Eyes wide which made them shift uncomfortably, but his mother did not see anything wrong with it.
"He just loves watching everyone," she grinned, softly bouncing him as Dean paused, digging into his pockets.
"I, uh, I got a bag of gummy worms," he sang as Mrs. Wallace gave a playful gasp to the happy boy when the man showed the unopened bag.
"Your favorite!" she gushed as the boy took two.
"Here you go," Dean allowed the tot to take the bag as Sam smiled. Knowing his brother hated upsetting kids and would try to get them to laugh or smile. Remembering Lucas' attachment to Dean when they hunted that lake spirit, the boy had even clung to Sam at the end.
V
"It's official, kids love you," Sam grinned as Dean drove back with a small smile.
"You notice how he looked at us?" Dean asked as he thought back to the kid's reaction.
"Yeah, I noticed that too. But he's probably a year? Two, maybe? So most are curious by that age. Mrs. Wallace didn't see anything wrong," Sam surmised as Dean hummed softly.
"It's just, it didn't feel like a normal stare," he shook his head as he pulled up to their motel to check out their newfound hex bag. "So find out anything in the bag?" he asked as Sam shook his head.
"No, uh, this one plant, I'd need to research it," he showed the strange plant to Dean as he studied the dried bulb with a frown.
"You do that. I'm going to go get some stuff," Dean spoke as Sam nodded as he left the car and went into their motel room. Dean drove to the nearest gas station, filling up his tank, he quickly went inside. "Alrighty," he muttered to himself while scanning for food. He was unaware of someone watching him, the kid had made him self-conscious. He wished he could see what the kid was thinking, the way he stared at both brothers.
"Ya alright son?" A man's withered voice asked from behind as Dean turned. For a moment, Dean thought he recognized the man before shaking his head.
"Uh, uh yeah, thanks," he offered a smile as the man watched him curiously.
"Alright. Just looked like you had something on your mind," he offered as he examined the shelves for something.
"Do I?" Dean asked, grabbing a 6-pack and a thing of water for Sam, he scoured the food items.
"Or could just be the father in me. Quite a few siblings and a couple of kids just makes you try and see everything like a parent," the elder shrugged as Dean smiled softly.
"Nah, it's, uh, a-a case I'm working," he showed the badge as the trucker 'ahhed.' "Guy chokes down four razor blades. Right around Halloween too," Dean muttered the last part.
"Poor family," the man claimed sadly, he grabbed a small thing of jerky. "And you're still going to eat candy? Okay." When Dean froze, he turned to realize the man was gone. He didn't mention the candy to the old man, he carefully looked around to see if he could find the man. No sight of him, Dean carefully walked back to the register with his beer and water, he grabbed a few last-minute register items that he added.
"Is there anything else I can get for you?" the young woman asked softly. She was a young woman resting her feet while sitting on a stool, he spotted her growing belly as she laid her hands across her stomach after he paid.
"Yeah, I was curious, do you know Luke Wallace?" Dean asked as he grabbed some bags and checked to make sure he didn't make a line.
"I did, he was a nice guy. Always came to this gas station because it was on his route, even if he didn't have to go to work, he still would come by," she smiled. "Can't believe he's gone, he was going to be a big help when my baby came," she sniffed as Dean frowned.
"I'm sorry," he offered even if he did not need to.
"No it's-" she sniffed, and took a drink of her water real quick. "-it's not your fault right? You didn't stuff those razors down his throat," she shrugged, shaking her head. "I just can't believe it, he was a good guy. Why is it always the douchebags that live?" she asked with a sigh.
"I noticed," Dean spoke up with a light tone as she smiled with a giggle as the man grinned. Happy to make her laugh, he was about to leave when he waved before pausing. "I have a question. Did an older gentleman just leave before me?" he asked as she paused.
"No, I-I don't think so, sorry," she shrugged as he waved it off with a smile.
"Nah, it's okay," he winked as she laughed with a bright smile.
"Happy Halloween, hun," she bid when he left, a smirk on his face. Dean's drive made him think of the kid and old man, he didn't think he said anything about the candy. It was only then that he noticed he didn't grab any other candy, he shrugged before continuing the drive back.
V
Dean entered the room as Sam looked at a flower on his laptop. He spotted the open hex bag as he frowned.
"What the hell is all of this?" he asked as Sam looked up.
"Okay, we've got an herb that's been extinct for a good two centuries," he laughed before showing a beat-up silver coin. "This? Celtic," he scoffed as Dean looked surprised. He noticed the charred item and almost grabbed it before Sam stopped him. "That is a, uh, metacarpal bone-" he swallowed, "-of a newborn baby."
"Ew," Dean made a face as he backed away.
"Well, it's like over a hundred years old," Sam offered as Dean looked.
"Is that any better?" he asked, redundant as the bones of any child are unacceptable in his case.
"Of course not," Sam spoke quickly as he continued. "All these are odd, like centuries-old each, it'd take a pretty powerful witch to do this," he added as Dean opened a beer.
"Witches man. Friggin' skeevy as hell," he shook his head.
"Yeah, tell me about it," the younger muttered. "But this is the most powerful one I've seen, we've never gone against something with this much juice," Sam claimed as he leaned back. "What about you? Anything on Luke Wallace?" he asked, hoping for something.
"This guy makes vanilla look spicy, I will go ahead and tell you that," Dean answered as Sam sighed, the no leads were driving him crazy. "I couldn't find anything that would make someone want to kill him," Dean frowned before Sam asked for a beer, both hoped they'd find this bitch.
V
Dean was trying his best to not comment on the situation, the cheerleader and zombie were being talked to as Sam scoured for a hex bag. Dean carefully approached after receiving a look from Sam who mouthed 'jailbait' before resuming his search when his brother shrugged him off. The moment Dean looked at her he clamped up feeling a very odd, chill, before frowning. He shook it off and came closer. No way could a demon join in a witch case.
"Did your friend know Luke Wallace?" he asked, showing his badge to the cop who nodded. The girl looked confused and a bit started to have to talk to a different person.
"Luke, who?" she asked, confused.
"Wallace. Could she have maybe babysat for him?" Dean clarified as the cheerleader paused.
"Uh, no. I don't think she did," she gave a small smile but Dean noticed the shift in her eyes. "Who is he?" she asked as Sam produced a hex bag from the couch as Dean sighed.
"Did Jenny have any enemies?" he asked softly. This witch was pissing him off.
"Um, no actually. She was an awesome person," the girl cried as her zombie friend hugged her in comfort.
"Who is that Wallace guy?" he asked Dean who paused in leaving.
"Someone who died yesterday," Dean answered while the girl frowned.
"No, none of us did," she answered as she cried, her guy friend shushed her softly.
"I'm very sorry for your loss," Dean said softly, touching her elbow before frowning as he left. He joined Sam who hid the bag in his pocket.
"You okay?" the taller brother asked as he noticed the weird look.
"Yeah. So, same as the other?" he asked as Sam shrugged.
"I think so," he claimed as they walked out.
V
"I'm telling you, man. Why are squeaky clean people getting ganked?" Dean asked as Sam scoured the books when he entered with food. "Seriously, sexy nurse, Jenny, helped volunteer at old folks' homes and Luke Wallace donated," Dean showed statements.
"Maybe because it's about Samhain," Sam gave the book over as Dean frowned.
"Halloween?" he asked confused. That was the old name for the holiday.
"No," Sam sighed. "It's a ritual, a blood sacrifice to summon the demon, Samhain. He's the damn origin of Halloween" Sam explained as he took the book so Dean could also put the food down. "It says here he was exorcised centuries ago, but the ritual was that every year on the 31st of October, the Celts believed that the veil is thinnest between the living and the dead. It was Samhain's night; masks, blood orgies, sweets left on doorsteps to appease him and pumpkins with faces worshipped him," Sam explained as Dean sighed.
"Even though he took a trip downtown, the tradition still stuck," Dean commented as Sam nodded. "But instead of sacrifices and blood orgies, it's all about the candy and costumes. It became more for the kids rather than the witches," Dean scoffed under his breath about witches ruining a holiday he used to enjoy.
"The spell I found can only be done every six hundred years by a powerful witch. The ritual is a heavyweight spell, three deaths, three nights before midnight on the 31st-"
"-and Halloween night, the last sacrifice right?" Dean's question got him a nod. "And the six hundredth year is this one right?" Sam's sigh was his answer. "Naturally," he growled while looking through the book that depicted a demon holding a severed head, he stood on top of a mountain of bodies. "He likes company, with all the destruction that this shows," he motioned as Sam nodded.
"Yeah and when he's risen, he'll do some raising on his own," Sam informed his brother who looked up.
"So what? Ghosts and ghouls?" he named a few off as his brother gave another nod. "Leprechauns?" he grinned as Sam glared.
"Dean, this is serious!"
"I am serious. Those little guys are scary, small hands," he motioned as Sam took the book back.
"Those are just a start. By midnight, everything that we've gone against will be all in one place, they follow him like the Pied Piper," Sam told his brother.
"It's gonna be a slaughterhouse," Dean spoke, horrified at the revelation as Sam nodded.
Hours later, Dean was sitting in front of the Wallace House, bored out of his skull as he looked at the candy for the moment before his phone rang.
"Yeah?" Dean asked as he fingered through some candy Mrs. Wallace offered when she and her son ate some. Instead of payment, she joked, when he had driven by just as she returned home. He had helped her put up groceries when she had her son glued to her hip. It was during this that she explained how their little town loved Halloween so much.
"Hey, anything yet?" Sam asked as Dean dropped the sugary treats.
"No, I talked with Mrs. Wallace, nothing new. Did you know that this town has a strong connection to Halloween? Yeah, she told me it was very popular throughout this town," Dean commented as Sam scoffed.
"Of course, but anything about the killings?" Dean frowned in thoughts, that man yesterday kept him thinking.
"No, nothing that connects the two," the elder Nephilim revealed. He sighed and smiled at seeing the mom and son duo while she talked with him.
"Someone had to have planted those hex bags in both houses. So they have to have had access to both," Sam tried as Dean groaned.
"I hope it's soon, I'm getting sick of sitting her-" he stopped when he did a double-take. "Holy shit," Dean cursed as Sam tensed on his end.
"Dean? What's wrong?" he asked, wishing he'd gone as well now.
"It's the damn cheerleader," he cursed before watching as Tracy greeted a smiling Mrs. Wallace who passed the baby off as the blonde cooed to the child. Dean felt his instincts flare up as his radio flickered but the hybrid ignored it in favor of glaring at the cheerleader who paused and turned for a moment to look around as Dean hid his face, Tracy ignored the pull as she turned back. A bright smile in place as she went inside.
V
"So our apple-bobbing cheerleader? The one who cried over her friend?" Sam asked, wanting to be sure.
"Yeah," Dean hissed as he threw the motel key onto the table, having gone to grab food for them as well.
"You okay?" Sam asked worried, he felt the tension as he noticed his brother's fingers twitching.
"Fine," he answered, grabbing a beer and taking a deep swig. "You know when I touched her arm when I grilled her, giving her 'comfort' I got a weird feeling-"
"-like chills and skin crawling-you-almost-want-to-vomit, kind of weird feeling?" Sam asked wincing as he did so making Dean pause.
"You know this?" he asked.
"It's why I can barely tolerate touching Ruby sometimes," Sam claimed as he remembered driving through the sudden repulsed feeling after his brother's death when Ruby had touched him. He would feel that weird tingle in the back of his neck and his stomach clench like he'd get sick.
"So what? We have evil radar?" Dean asked unsure as his brother shrugged.
"I don't know," Sam shrugged. "I had pulled up that witch's student file. She was suspended for fighting with the teacher," he clarified.
"Let's go talk with the teacher," Dean ordered as Sam nodded, grabbing their fed suits and IDs.
V
Dean looked around as they entered the school's art room that Tracy was once a part of, he looked around and spotted a kid attempting to put his piece of pottery in a kiln.
"That looks vaguely familiar," he grinned as Sam scoffed before looking around as Dean focused on the masks, frowning. Flashes of hell came through with screams before Sam gained his attention.
"You okay?" Sam asked worried, he felt the anxiety in his brother rise slowly. Despite his attempt to hide it, he could still spot it in Dean.
"Y-Yeah," he looked to his brother who frowned. "I'll tell you later. Let's just… finish the case, 'kay?" he asked as Sam thought before nodding.
"Got it," he agreed.
"Gentlemen!" a man's voice made them turn around and spot a teacher carrying a box with a coffee cup balanced on top. "You needed to talk with me?" Don asked as Dean paused when Don shook his hand while opening his office, Sam held it for him so the man wouldn't lose his grip on his things. "Thank you," he smiled and shook Sam's hand and Sam repressed a shiver.
"Here, let me, Mr. Harding," Dean offered as he helped the man who smiled.
"Oh, thank you and please. Call me, Don," the teacher requested. "Even my students call me, Don," he grinned as Dean nodded.
"Yeah, we got it, Don," Dean said as he pulled his badge. Sam doing the same.
"Agent Getty, this is Agent Lee. We just had a few questions about, uh, Tracy Davis." Dean and Sam watched as he sighed. Sitting on his desk, Don started up.
"Uh, yeah, Tracy, uh, bright kid, loads of talent. It's a shame she got suspended," he spoke, sounding remorseful. Dean thought he sounded like a good teacher, despite the altercation.
"You two had a… uh, violent altercation," Sam spoke up as he nodded.
"Yeah," he winced. "I was originally just trying to rap with her about her drawing. Honestly, if the principal hadn't walked in, the girl would've clawed my eyes out," he chuckled softly as Dean watched him surprised at his laid-back attitude about an aggressive student.
"What was the problem?" Dean asked.
"It was just disturbing. Detailed images of killings, gory, primitive, and she would depict herself in the middle of them, participating," he revealed as Dean frowned, listening.
V
Dean sighed as he came inside after giving his remaining candy to the astronaut kid. Sam playfully teased him about it, both nearly pulling their guns before recognizing Castiel who was sitting on Sam's bed. But it was the new angel that made the boys tense. The angel was in the vessel of a dark-skinned man in a dark suit.
"Castiel," Sam greeted with caution as he looked to the other angel with an odd look. He was nervous around them after learning they knew about his demon blood and told Dean.
"Sam," Castiel smiled softly. "I am glad to see you have decided to stop your indulges of demon blood," he praised as Sam held his growl of irritation while Dean put his bag down.
"Who's this clown?" Dean asked as the angel turned with a glare.
"Mind your manners boy," the strange angel snarled while Castiel frowned.
"This is Uriel. He is our specialist in situations," Castiel revealed vaguely.
"Specialist?" Sam questioned, confused. "May I ask for what?" he was nervous around them and decided to be polite if it got them out. Being in a small space with them made him nearly skittish.
"This the raising of Samhain, have you stopped it?" Castiel asked in response making the boys frown.
"Why?" Dean questioned, setting his bag down.
"Dean, have you located the witch?" Castiel repeated as he sighed.
"Yes, we've located the witch." Castiel nodded at his response.
"And is the witch dead?" The angel inquired to their hesitance.
"No, but we know who it is," Sam offered as the brunette angel sighed, walking over to the table by one of the beds.
"Apparently, the witch knows who you are too," he said, tossing a hex bag to Sam who caught it.
"A hex bag," he hissed at Dean.
"This was inside the wall of your room. If we hadn't found it, surely one or both of you would be dead. Do you know where the witch is now?" Castiel asked.
"Look we're working on the case, what's the big deal?" Dean asked as Uriel turned with a glare.
"You, uh, both of you, you need to leave this town immediately," Castiel said to Dean's confusion and hesitance.
"Why?" the elder Nephilim asked.
"Because we're about to destroy it," Castiel revealed when the brothers froze.
"You're gonna smite the whole friggin' town?" Dean questioned, anger filling his voice as Castiel winced.
"Dean, we are out of time. This seal must be saved, the witch has to die," Castiel said, his voice leaving no argument.
"There are a thousand people here." Sam hoped to appeal to the good in the angels, they were meant to protect humans.
"One thousand two hundred fourteen to be exact," Uriel smirked with an all-knowing smirk. It angered the brothers quickly as Dean tried to dampen down his irritation.
"And you're willing to kill them all?" Dean asked, wishing he could kill this son of a bitch.
"This isn't the first time I've purified a city," Uriel claimed, finding no issue with this.
"Look, I understand this is a regrettable situation," Castiel started trying to get the hunter to understand. Though some odd warning bells were going off in Castiel's mind, telling him to leave along with dragging Uriel back.
"Regrettable situation?" Dean questioned, becoming irritated.
"We have to hold the line. Too many seals have broken already," Castiel fought back.
"So you screw the pooch on some seals and this town has to pay the price?" Dean snarled.
"It's the lives of one thousand against the lives of six billion. There's a bigger picture here," Castiel sighed, his tone becoming angry. He would do it.
"Right, 'cause you're bigger picture kind of guys, right?" Sam snarked as Dean chuckled.
"Lucifer cannot rise. He does and hell rises with him. Is that something that you're willing to risk?" Castiel questioned, seeing the anger rising in Uriel from their disrespect.
"We'll stop this witch before she summons anyone. Your seal won't be broken and no one has to die." Sam was desperate for them to do this. If this apocalypse was anything like what Pastor Jim used to tell him, he was desperate to help ensure Lucifer didn't rise.
"We are wasting time with these mud monkeys, Castiel," Uriel said as Castiel turned away from Dean to Uriel. "We have to execute our orders."
"I'm sorry, but we do have our orders Dean," Castiel said, hoping that would do it for them.
"Well, sorry boys, looks like the plans have changed," Dean smirked as Sam chuckled. It drew irritation from Uriel within seconds as he approached them.
"You think you can stop us? You?" the mocha-skinned angel asked Dean who starts over to stands in Uriel's face.
"No, but if you're gonna smite this whole town, then you're gonna have to smite us with it because we are not leaving," Dean declared to the anger of both angels at his disregard for not only the Winchester's own safety but the safety of the seal.
"See, your bosses went to the trouble of busting him out of hell. We figure he's worth something to the man upstairs. So you wanna waste us, go ahead, see how he digs that," Sam snapped, an angry fire in his eyes. His once hopeful illusion of angels came crashing down at Uriel's attitude and Castiel's disregard for anyone else.
"I will drag you out of here myself," Uriel started before another voice cut them off.
"Enough!" A third voice spoke up as the two angels froze. Both turned to stare at a young brunette man, he seemed a bit older than Dean who flashed back on a younger John Winchester, the man's emerald green eyes shining with hidden grace. For a split second Dean felt the urge to bow his head down as Sam took in a shuddering breath. The look on his face was one of awe and slight hesitance. "You two were meant to come here and ask about the situation not lose your tempers over Dean's informal sayings. That's the thing about humans, they are not like us," he compared as he leveled Uriel with a look.
"I know that," he spoke, his much softer and eyes still focused downward. "I did not mean to disobey your order, Commander Michael," Uriel spoke respectfully, bowing his head before looking up while the Commander sighed.
"Go home, brother, rest. If it is not handled, I will call you personally," Michael ordered, his own tone a bit softer, though Dean could hear the command in it. Uriel nodded and with a flap of his wings he was gone.
"Commander," Castiel greeted as he stepped forward, respectfully bowing his head.
"Castiel," Michael responded, eyes meeting Castiel's when the young lifted his head. "Have you told them everything?" he asked.
"No, they have just told me that they know who the witch is," Castiel quickly responded like he was debriefing his boss.
"Okay," Michael nodded once Castiel told him everything. "Dean, Sam. The reason we're trying to stop the rising of Samhain is that it is a seal," Michael revealed as Dean cursed.
"Son of a bitch," he sighed. "Let me guess, one more death and that's another chain freed from the cage?" Dean asked with an irritated look.
"Yes." Michael's curt answer seemed to irritate Dean, though Sam spotted the amusement in the elder's eyes.
"Wait," Sam stopped them as Michael looked to Sam quickly for his question or statement. "Are you… the Archangel Michael?" he asked, truly curious as Dean felt his insides freeze. Archangels were deadlier than regular angels.
"Yes, I am, Sam," he smiled. "You know your stories well," he praised as Sam gave a small chuckle.
"We knew a lot of priests, they taught us about the angels and archangels mostly," he claimed when John and Bobby had them go to Pastor Jim, the only non-hunter to truly know the 'blessed boys.' Jim never once called them abominations, he claimed they were gifted children, to be the children of angels. He treated them with care and affection during their time at his church when Bobby and John both went on hunts.
"That's good, most hunters rarely have a faith, nor know strongly of one." Michael's smile was one with contentment at their knowledge. "Now, back to the witch. You know who she is, yes?" he questioned.
"Yeah, some blonde cheerleader," Dean answered, not mentioning the odd feeling around her teacher.
"Nobody else?" Michael asked him, narrowing his eyes softly. As though sensing the shift in Dean.
"Well," Sam trailed off as Castiel looked at the younger secret Nephilim.
"What is it, Sam?" he asked.
"We think her teacher, might be one." the younger spoke as Dean sighed.
"But we're not positive, the only reason we suspect cheerleader is because she had access to both locations," Dean said as Michael smirked.
"You should still follow up on urges, Dean. They do come in handy," Michael suggested before sighing. "We should go."
"Okay before you go, why don't you tell us where the witch is, we'll gank her and everybody goes home," Dean smirked as Castiel glared at him softly.
"We are not omniscient. This witch is very powerful, she's cloaked even our methods," Castiel revealed as Michael nodded.
"Okay, well we already know who she is, so if we work together maybe we can stop her," Sam suggested as Dean laughed.
"How, Sam? Just as Castiel said, she's powerful, very. She planted a hex bag in our room," he scoffed as Michael looked to Castiel, a guarded look as the younger angel nodded. He pointed to the hex bag still laying on Dean's bed as Michael snagged it, growling softly before urging his brother to follow.
"We will try and use this to track her down, but if you boys could keep an eye out and tell us if you find her," Michael ordered. And to Dean, Michael's words sounded more human than his brothers, so Dean instantly assumed Michael has been on Earth.
"Alright, we'll try and make sure she doesn't raise the dude," Dean said as Castiel looked at him.
"Samhain cannot rise, Dean!" He spoke firmer as Michael sighed softly.
"Castiel, they said they will try and find her. If she knows who they are, the boys must be careful about proceeding. To need their help, we need to trust them to handle this. I'm sure they know to stop her before he rises," Michael said as Sam nodded.
"Yeah, we'll start tracking her down. Don't worry," Sam said as Michael nodded.
"Come brother, let's go," Michael ordered, grabbing the trench coat to ensure he followed.
V
Castiel was confused as to why Michael flew them to a playground. His eldest brother looked beyond upset, pissed off in human words.
"Why the hell was there a hex bag in their room?! Uriel was meant to ensure they were protected, that's why I had you and him guarding them Castiel. What happened?" Michael asked, burning the offensive object in his bare hand.
"I don't know, Uriel has been very melancholy about guarding 'mud monkeys,'" Castiel repeated as Michael growled.
"Mud-monkeys or not they are to be watched, if we want to stop this apocalypse then we must work alongside the Winchesters," Michael said as he looked to the playground, he's enjoyed watching the human children play. Their older siblings would look out for them or help them in some way. It brought forth a familiar pang of a missing piece from his heart. Lucifer, missing his brother still hurt the eldest Angel in creation deeply. But he had been following God's order, he always told himself that.
V
"Dean, that Hex Bag the angels found wasn't from Tracy," Sam said after breaking into the teacher's room.
"What are you- the teacher, Don," Dean cursed under his breath. "Pointed the finger at his former student, cold," Dean commented
Sam notices a bottom drawer of Don's desk had a latch. Dean sees it too, Sam grabs a hammer off the table behind them and kneels down to hit the lock until it breaks free. He opens the drawer where there are bones in a bowl, one charred, the others not. Sam straightens up.
"Oh, God, those are all from children," he noticed, feeling nausea settle in his stomach.
"And I'm guessing he's not saving them for the dog," Dean growled softly, a snarl growing on his face before he kicked the drawer closed.
"Come on," Sam urged, bolting out the door as Dean followed.
V
They came up to a house to see Don dragging Tracy inside. Dean frowned as he noticed her struggling, to anyone else it would look like the teacher, but he had an idea.
"Remember that feeling when we greeted Tracy?" Dean asked as Sam nodded.
"Yeah. You think she's one too?" Sam questioned as they quietly walked after them.
"I don't know. Come on." They quickly shot into the house, unaware of the being watching them with a growing smirk. He sighed before allowing himself to follow the boys at a slower pace, staying invisible to them.
Sam and Dean quickly shot down the stairs as Don started to do an incantation. Dean was fast to shoot him a couple of times as he dropped to the ground, Tracy smiled as she tried to entice them to untie her. Sam was fast to raise his gun and shoot her three times to ensure she was dead. The brothers stood and waited to guarantee both were dead as Dean looked to see the setup before sighing with a small chuckle.
"I think we actually stopped this one in time," he gave a small grin as Sam gave a weak smirk back.
"Yeah, so should we go tell them?" Sam asked before a voice surprised them.
"No need," Michael's voice surprised them as he stood there with a smirk. "I've decided to stay a bit closer to you boys in case you needed help," he offered to Dean's confusion. Castiel originally said they weren't there to sit on the human shoulders, but the archangel seemed to have different ideas. "Congratulations on saving the seal, boys," he praised as they both paused. Not usually given praise unless from other, older hunters.
"Uh, glad we could save it," Sam smiled as they all decided to leave. Leaving the two bodies down there as Michael ensured nothing had been raised from Hell.
V
Dean smiled when he saw the kids play on the playground, originally he felt weird when he used to always watch other kids since his own childhood. But Pastor Jim had told a fifteen-year-old Dean that it was his angelic nature to watch over those who cannot protect themselves. As Dean now thought about it, despite them being dulled. He knew his reflexes were faster than most hunters, his angelic side must have given him that little edge to fight.
"Some seal," he muttered.
"But you protected it." A voice startled him to see Michael standing nearby with an amused smile.
"Oh, hey," Dean greeted, relieved that Michael assumed he meant the seal to Lucifer's cage and not the thing that was meant to keep his powers in check. "So, yeah. We saved the seal or whatever?" Dean asked to Michael's nod in confirmation. "Cool," he nodded. Michael sat beside Dean as they watched the playground, Michael smiled at seeing older kids helping the younger ones, watching out for them. "You're that Michael aren't you?" Dean asked, surprising the archangel.
"Excuse me?" He blinked.
"The Archangel who cast Lucifer into Hell? Or the cage, now that we know," Dean corrected himself as Michael looked away, a bit irritated now.
"Yes. I am that Michael," the archangel confirmed while Dean chuckled softly.
"Damn. Harsh family, man," Dean commented lightly. Voice holding slight judgment.
"Are you judging me, Dean?" Michael questioned, feeling his anger rising.
"It's a human thing, sorry. Really, I understand why though. An old pastor I knew taught Sam and me all these things about the four original archangels; Michael, Lucifer, Raphael, and Gabriel. Then God created man and wanted you and your siblings to love or cherish us. One way or the other, Lucifer disobeyed and said no, and either before or after he fell he corrupted Lilith. The psycho demonic bitch who ganked me," Dean said as Michael looked at him as he continued with his rant. "And if I'm thinking right, God ordered you to cast Lucifer into Hell for his crimes. You being the good son, obeyed, it's what being a good son does. But sorry the older brother in me is also the one that is judging, again, sorry," Dean apologized, not really wanting to piss the archangel off. But it was the opposite. Michael was amazed that Dean, was boldly telling a creature stronger than himself what he truly thought of something that was millennials old and now destined to happen.
"I'm not angry, Dean. I'm proud of your decision to not leave nor allowing this town to be destroyed," Michael praised once more which made Dean unsettled. Once was fine but twice was making him uncomfortable.
"Okay, what is the deal with that? Your buddies earlier were prepared to haul Sam and me out and smite this entire town. What the hell is going on?" he asked as Michael chuckled.
"Sorry, my brothers are both young, and Uriel I will admit is very-"
"Dude with a stick shoved up his ass?" Dean asked, causing Michael to laugh, it surprised both as Dean was not expecting that noise but still was happy to see another reaction from an angel. "And Castiel?" he added.
"Cas is actually still very young, he was born well after Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden, so he is a bit younger than humanity but still much older if that makes sense," Michael chuckled with Dean nodding.
"No, it does," Dean understood. Castiel wasn't as old as some of the other angels. "So why are you here, Michael? You're guys never really explained, Uriel threatened to drag me out," Dean questioned as Michael sighed.
"Our orders were to do whatever you told us to do," Castiel's voice made Dean jump while Michael looked behind them to see Castiel standing there, watching them.
"Jeez!" Dean nearly cursed about the younger angel's presence when he leaped from the bench.
"Michael, Raphael has requested to talk to you," Castiel delivered his message to his eldest brother.
"Very well. Thank you, Cas," Michael stood as he joined Castiel. "And Dean, we are glad of the decision you made to save the town, regardless if you had failed or succeeded," Michael said as the young hunter looked up. "And if you ever have questions or concerns, please call us," the archangel requested as Dean spoke before he could stop himself.
"How?" Dean asked, not understanding why he had asked.
"You pray, Dean." Castiel's simple phrase made the hunter nod as though it was so simple.
"Right. You got it guys," Dean promised before watching them fly off. He was curious if he or Sam could do that too when their powers advanced. But he smiled when he realized they stopped a seal from breaking, hopefully, they could stop the rest like that too.