Five
Angels and Demons cont'd



    Even though neither Sam nor Dean wanted to leave Mary so soon after returning to the motel in Minnesota, they still had six little girls who all needed to be returned to their parents. With Cas' help, they were able to get all the girls back to their parents, and since five out of the six sets of parents had never met Sam or Dean, Cas was able to convince the parents that he worked with the men looking for their children. There was one, however, that Dean wanted to do himself.

    Ava and Andrew Miller had been promised that their daughter would be returned to them if it was at all possible. And Dean was a man of his word. Dean told their daughter Annabeth that he was taking her home and that a special man would be helping them get to her house. She seemed to understand.

    It was an hour later in New York than it was in Minnesota, but it was still light out, and Cas was able to drop them a good block and out of the way from Annabeth's house so no one would see them. They'd since wrapped her in a blanket, even though she was still wearing the white gown she'd been dressed in days earlier. Dean was guessing her parents wouldn't care what she was wearing, as long as she came home.

    When Ava Miller answered the door and found Dean there with her daughter, she almost collapsed. Dean caught her quickly, walking her and Annabeth into the living room. Andrew Miller was nowhere to be seen, but Dean remembered them saying he worked all day, so he hoped Ava would call her husband as soon as she was calm.

    "It's okay," Dean told Ava as he sat her on the couch with her daughter. "It's okay. She's here. She's home."

    Ava took her daughter in her arms as soon as she caught her breath, and Dean could only smile. "Oh, thank God," she whispered. "Oh, thank you," she said to Dean. "Did you find the other girls too?"

    "We did," he confirmed. "They're all home now. It's over now. I promise."

    "Where did you find her?!" she pleaded, still squeezing Annabeth. "Was she nearby? Did the police miss something?"

    Dean inhaled deeply, having prepared himself to answer her questions. "Ma'am, are you sure you want the details? Your daughter's home. She's safe. I know you were worried, and I want you to know that I did everything in my power there was to do to stop the people who did this. But you want to remember this being good and happy. No one hurt your daughter. They never had a chance to lay a finger on her," he told Ava, which was true since Annabeth had been the last girl to disappear before Mary's parents had been killed. She would have the last to die, but since Dean had stopped the process from even starting, no one had died. Now if Adam would just get his ass back to the planet Earth, Dean could breathe again.

    Dean's words seemed to appease Ava as she still held her daughter. "Thank you," she whispered softly.

    Dean nodded. "You're welcome."

    Dean left just as Andrew Miller arrived home, and the distraught man actually gave Dean a hug – which was awkward enough. Dean nudged him away gently, stepping back to shake his hand.

    Cas was waiting where Dean had left him, and even though Dean knew he didn't have a lot of time, there was one last stop he had to make before they left the area for good.

    Sheriff Donald Harvey was coming out of his office when Dean stepped into the building, and based on the expression on his face, Dean was guessing the middle-aged man had not been expecting to see him again. Of course, it made sense. Four days had passed. But Dean never broke a promise, and the sheriff had wanted answers. Dean had his answers.

    "Well, I'll be damned," Sheriff Harvey chuckled. "I thought for sure you wouldn't be back." His smile faded, and he stepped in front of Dean. For several seconds, nothing was said, and then a spark of realization flickered in his blue-grey eyes. "The girls?"

    Dean nodded. "They're home. We found them. Just like I said I would."

    Harvey sputtered, glancing around as two of his deputies watched from about twenty feet away. "Where were they?" he asked Dean. "Who took them?"

    Dean inhaled deep, trying not to grin. "Damnedest thing," he said. "Found trace evidence of some occultist paraphernalia in a neighborhood across town. Led us right to the sons of bitches who took 'em. Never thought I'd ever see what I saw, but the important thing is that all the girls are safe. And the creeps that did this ain't gonna see the sun shine for a very long time. You got my word on that."

    Harvey tried not to smile, but he failed, reaching for Dean's hand. "I never thought I'd say this, son, but you boys finally came through. This town'll owe you a lot of gratitude. If there's ever anything you need, all you gotta do is ask. You hear me?"

    Finally, Dean smiled, grasping onto the sheriff's hand and thinking of what he and Sam had talked about before he'd left Minnesota. "Actually, there is something I do need," he began, adding, "something a little personal."

    Harvey didn't even hesitate. "Name it."

    Dean nodded, gesturing to the sheriff's office, and together, they stepped inside, closing the door behind them.





    Both Sam and Mary were asleep on a makeshift bed in the floor when Dean got back to the motel. Bobby was keeping an eye on them, sitting in a chair between them and the bed where Eleanor was now sleeping. Dean had been brought up to speed on her situation, and while he couldn't say he would have done what Sam did, it had already been done. Dean had just accepted it. Cas positioned himself by the window, keeping watch over the street in front of the motel. Crowley had since left the motel, saying he wanted to make sure things had gone back to normal. Dean didn't care either way, but he was grateful so many people had come to their aid.

    Dean resigned himself to an arm chair across the room from Bobby, finally for the first time able to sit down and take stock of what had happened in the last week. So many things had changed. People had died. And it felt like three years ago all over again. Dean was worn out, and he didn't like the way it felt. Even the "jolt" Michael had given him was starting to dissipate, but Dean could feel a small part of him hanging onto it by a single thread. He could still see the glow on his skin, and he thought for a short time that Michael had put something in him that wasn't going to go away anytime soon. And that surprisingly didn't bother Dean at all. Whatever Michael had done, it had allowed him to save seven little girls. And for that he was grateful as well.

    But Dean wasn't going to dwell on any of the bad things had happened. He wasn't going to think about any of the bad things that could have happened. He couldn't. Even with it feeling like it was really over, Dean didn't have time to worry. He had people who were counting on him, and he wasn't going to let them down. Not even Adam.

    It was dark when Sam woke, and by then, Cas had disappeared to do some kind of reconnaissance to make sure they were all safe. Dean had since positioned himself at the window to keep watch.

    "What time is it?" Sam asked softly, stretching his limbs and then rising from the floor to join his brother.

    "Almost seven," Dean told him. "Got some food for you," he gestured to the table where a few Styrofoam containers were setting uninvitingly.

    Sam just nodded, looking at Dean. "He's not back yet, is he?"

    Dean shook his head, silent as he stood with his arms folded over his chest. "Nope."

    Sam sighed heavily, looking around the room and seeing Bobby asleep in the chair between the bed where Eleanor was and the floor where Mary was. "That's not a good sign, is it?" he asked.

    Dean didn't say anything, moving away from the window and proceeding to pace the floor from there to the opposite wall.

    "I'm worried, Dean," Sam said softly. "We should have never brought him. It was too dangerous."

    Dean still said nothing, turning to face Sam and leaning back into the wall. "It's always dangerous, Sam," he said after a minute. "We risk our lives every day. We couldn't just expect him to not want to for us one day."

    "But how can we trust Michael now?" Sam asked. "After everything he's done. I mean, I know you said he helped. But that was just this once. How do we know he didn't do this so he could have Mary? And since he didn't get her, he's keeping Adam? How do we know?"

    "We don't," Dean stated, his voice slightly elevated. "Just be quiet, okay? I'm tryin' to think here."

    Sam stared at Dean silently, quiet for several seconds before he moved across the room to Dean's side. "Listen, I know how you're feeling. I do. But the truth is, we don't know what Michael's real intentions were, even if he helped you get her out of there. All we really know is that he didn't want Lilith to have her. And that says a lot more about him than it does about anything that's happened. You said yourself that he manipulated Mary's conception. Obviously, he's got a lot more invested in her than he's letting on. We have operate under the assumption that he's gone. And he's got Adam with him. And they're not coming back."

    "No," Dean said adamantly. "Okay? He said everything would be okay. I have to trust him. You might not want to, but I have to. For Mary's sake and Adam's. Sam, you took an evil bitch into your hands and gave her Angel blood! Just so you could find out where I was. How did you know you could trust her?"

    Sam inhaled deeply, his nostrils flaring gently, angrily. "I had to. Because she was the only one who could help me find you."

    "Exactly. Now, I don't like it. God knows I'm havin' some real issues with it right now as it is. But I don't have a choice. Michael has to have a vessel to walk the earth. Just like Lucifer. But I met the guy. The real guy. He was a real pain in the ass, but he's different now. I can't explain it. He's creepy as hell and even more evasive now than he was before. But he's not like how he was before. And I gotta trust that even if he did do something to make Mary be born, it was for a higher purpose than just ruining the world. And I gotta believe he wouldn't screw us over again. Because he needs us."

    "For what?" Sam asked incredulously.

    "For her," Dean insisted, pointing to Mary as she slept.

    Sam huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well, I don't have to trust him," Sam argued. "And I won't. Not ever. Not as long as I'm breathing."

    With that, Sam turned and left the room, slamming the door behind him. It woke Bobby abruptly, causing him to grab the revolver at the end of the bed.

    "It's okay, Bobby," Dean assured him. "Relax."

    Bobby replaced the hammer of the gun, laying it on the bed and slowly rising to his feet to stretch. "You idjits ain't fightin' again, are ya?"

    "So what if we are?" Dean shot back. "Stay out of it, Bobby. We'll figure it out."





    Sam paced outside the motel room away from where Dean could see him, fuming in a way he hadn't in a very long time. Whether Dean wanted to admit it or not, they'd allowed their little brother to get involved with this, and now he was God knows where with a damned Archangel using his body for God knows what. It wasn't right they had to go through this again! What right did Michael have putting them through this all over again, and for what? So Lilith couldn't get her hands on Mary?

    Sam admitted he didn't want Lilith to have Mary either, but there had to have been another way to stop her. Sam had to believe there was some other way. Was it right that they had to pay for this all over again?

    "You're not wrong about me, you know," he heard, recognizing Adam's voice and turning to see his younger brother standing in the middle of the parking lot. But it wasn't Adam. Sam could tell that much. Then he continued. "You shouldn't trust me. Because I do have motives that aren't always going to be to your liking. And I did try to kill you. So it's understandable for you to hate me. But hate is a powerful thing, Sam. Just like love. Usually, they counter each other to balance the world, but sometimes, one overpowers the other. And this is what happens," he said, gesturing to the space around him.

    "Like none of it is your fault," Sam bit back. "You knew you could have stopped this four days ago. And still, you did nothing. Like a coward."

    Michael's face turned cold, and he moved closer to Sam, looking up into his eyes unemotionally. "I know this is my fault," he stated. "But had I intervened when Mary was found, two things would have happened. Mary would have grown into a woman, and Lilith would have swayed her physically. Because had Lilith been allowed to live, she would have never stopped looking for Mary. None of them would have stopped. I had to put a stop to it now, while she was still young enough to survive. Her innocence is what makes her strong. It allowed you and Dean, and Adam to bond with her. So you can protect her."

    "Protect her against what?" Sam demanded. "If Lilith is gone."

    "Her sisters. Because I wasn't able to destroy the few left. I understand you've been able to hide Eleanor from them. I can guarantee you the others won't stop. And it'll be your job to keep Mary safe. So you can hate me all you want. But it won't change the fact that I want her safe. And all you really need to know is that I have a serious investment in her well-being. And as a result, yours along with hers."

    "And what about Adam?" Sam hedged. "If you're gonna be walking around, you're gonna need a vessel, right? That's why you haven't let him go, isn't it?"

    Michael inhaled, his eyes wandering and then he exhaled, smiling slightly. "Actually, I think Mary's in good hands for now. And I told Adam I would let him go when this was finished. As far as I'm concerned, we're done for the time being. But I will be watching her. And you. To make sure you don't make me regret leaving her in your care. I'll leave the details to you," he advised, indicating he knew something about what Sam and Dean were trying to do for Mary's future. "But I'll make it a little easier for you."

    Michael turned to leave, but Sam wasn't finished, speaking a little more gently.

    "Why do you care about her so much?" he asked the Archangel. "You're thousands of years old. She's eight. What significance could she possibly have to you?"

    A thoughtful look crossed Michael's face, and for a few seconds, it looked like he wasn't going to answer. Then he spoke. "She's special," he told Sam. "In her own right and in her own blood. And she deserves the opportunity to survive and to have a good life. I never thought that way until she came along. And she's changed the way I look at you. Leave it at that for right now. All right?"

    Sam sighed, bowing his head and then folding his arms over his chest. "What about Adam?" he asked again.

    Michael smiled widely, tilting his head back and turning his palms skyward. Slowly, Adam's body began to glow until his entire figure was engulfed in bright white light. Sam had to look away for the few seconds it took for Michael to fully manifest, and when the brightness dissipated, Sam looked at where Michael had been to discover his brother lying on the ground. Sam hurried forward.

    He knelt at Adam's side, touching his face and feeling his skin on fire. "Adam," he called to his brother's face. "Adam, come on!"

    Sam didn't wait, lifting Adam in his arms and carrying him from the parking lot to the motel room where Dean and Bobby were tending to Mary and Eleanor. "Dean," Sam yelled, laying Adam in the floor.

    Dean rushed to his youngest brother's side, arriving as Adam opened his eyes. "Adam," Dean said softly.

    "Dean," Adam gasped.

    "It's okay," Dean promised. "You did real good. Mary's safe. Everything's okay. Adam, are you okay?"

    Gently, Adam inhaled and then pushed out his breath, repeating the action several times as his gaze turned upward to where Mary and Eleanor were both sitting on the bed. After almost a minute, Adam looked at Sam and Dean, nodding quickly. "I'm okay," he assured them. "Help me sit up."

    Together, the two eldest Winchesters helped Adam sit up, and the room was quiet as they all sat together silently.

    "I didn't think he was gonna let you go," Sam said to Adam, leaning back to look at him. "But you're okay."

    Adam huffed softly, nodded again. "I'm okay," he repeated.

    "Are you hungry?" Dean asked. "It's been a couple of days since . . ."

    Adam smiled weakly. "Actually, yeah. I am kinda hungry."

    "Come on," Dean said, taking Adam's arm and helping him to his feet. Together, they sat at the table, and Dean opened up a random container which revealed itself to be barbeque with bread and pulled pork.

    No one said anything else. There was nothing left to be said. It was over. For now anyway.