Once Upon a Supernatural

Chapter VIII: An Angel of the Lord

"Dean, what happened?" Sam asked, meeting Dean and Castiel by the entrance by the sheriff station. He was carrying Henry's book and a police walkie-talkie. "Emma just stormed past me dragging Henry behind her. He broke free and ran over to me, giving me these. He said to read through the book and keep this on in case he wanted to get a hold of us."

Dean reached over, picking up the machine, "A walkie-talkie? Man, that's awesome! This kid is the coolest. Hey Sammy, maybe we should get these!"

"Dean, concentrate! What happened? And where did Cas come from?"

"I called him to try to convince Emma that our job was real. But, uh, she kind of freaked out when Cas showed up in his angel-y fashion. She still doesn't believe me about what we do and she definitely doesn't believe Henry's fairy tale stuff. I mean, I can't say I really blame her. It's pretty farfetched, even for us," Dean explained.

"It's true," Cas spoke up. "This entire town is full of latent magic. Magic that isn't found in this world."

"Magic, Cas? Really?" Dean asked, still disliking the taste of the word in his mouth.

"Where do you think some of the stuff you hunt comes from Dean? There are many other universes out there, pressing up against each other. Some have magic and some don't. And sometimes, on very rare occasions, magic seeps through that thin line and ends up here. This magic, though, was brought here. It had to be have been a very powerful curse by a very powerful creature. Emma definitely wasn't born in this world; she very powerful and full of untapped magic. I don't think she even realizes it. It might explain why she's rejecting the entire idea of magic," Cas stated, looking around at his surrounding and he did so. "If what the boy was saying is correct, Emma definitely has the power to break the curse. She has a destiny."

Dean tensed at the last statement. He and Sam knew all too well about destinies. "How is she supposed to break the curse?"

"Henry thinks the first step is to get her to believe in magic. At least, that's what August said," Sam answered finally speaking up.

"August. That's why I was running so late. On my way out of the hotel room this guy cut me off and said he knew I was going to meet up with Emma. He was very defensive when he asked what business we had with her. I told him that we were helping her and her kid out with some problem. He asked if it was about the curse. I didn't answer him right away, asking what we meant," Sam paused. "Get this. The guy is Pinocchio. Turns out that when he was like 7 years old he went through the portal with the task of helping Emma break the curse. But they both wound up in the foster care system and got separated. He said he tried to keep an eye on her and stuff, but 'the desires of this world were too overwhelming' or something. Dude is a super drama queen. I could barely take him seriously."

Dean thought this over. What scum, he thought. If he was supposed to take care of Emma and help her with her curse he sure did a crap job. "So how can we believe him?"

"Well, that's what I was thinking. But then he showed me his leg. Dean. It's completely wooden. And it's not like just a prosthetic wooden leg either, I mean he showed me where the wood met the skin and everything," Sam explained convincingly. "She doesn't know who he is though. He said he was going to tell her tonight, and try to get her to believe. But we were getting in his way."

"What a dick," Dean breathed. He didn't know why, but he didn't like anyone who would abandon someone like that. Especially someone like Emma. He paused, since when did he care this much about he'd just met? He'd known Emma for what? A day? And yet felt more of a connection to her than he had with anyone in years. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. "She's not going to believe him. There's gotta be something more we can do. Cas, do you think there's any way you can help in getting her to believe? At least a little?"

Cas disappeared.

"Son of a bitch," Dean said under his breath.

***

Emma sat on the kitchen bar stool nursing her glass of whiskey. Mary Margaret had gone out against her will at Ruby's request. Widow Lucas volunteered to watch the baby tonight, so Ashley, Ruby, and Mary Margaret all went out for drinks and a movie in celebration of girls night. Emma declined the offer; drinking alone was more of her style anyway. Plus she was spent from the long day.

"Hello Emma."

Emma jumped and spun around, knocking her glass and shattering it. She pulled her gun from her back pocket and aimed it the intruder. "You," she whispered when she recognized Castiel. "Listen halo boy, I don't know how you're doing this- I don't know what trick you're pulling. But you are breaking and entering into my home. Give me one reason I'm not blowing a hole in your foot and throwing your ass in jail. And don't even think of pulling that angel crap because I'm not buying it."

He looking down, an odd smile forming on his lips. As if he were recalling a fond memory. "Your threat would throw me off; but I've been around Dean long enough to understand it. You two are a lot alike."

"That's not what I asked. Why and how are you here?" she said more aggressively. She tried not to think about what he'd said, but it latched on to her on to the back of her mind like a leech.

"I am an angel, Emma."

"Oh, yeah? Prove it," Emma dared.

Castiel frowned, then looked down taking a deep breath. When he looked at her, the lights in her apartment started to flash. Her electronics fritzed and her bulbs blew. Her windows filled with light from outside: lightning. A second later thunder shook every window, followed by more lightning, By now she'd already dropped her arms to the side, trying to figure out what was going on. When she looked back at Castiel, her mouth dropped and she fell to the floor.

The lightning behind her created a shadow behind Cas's body; but not just his body. Two gigantic shadows in the shape of wings coming from his profile covered the back wall of her apartment. They stretched and fluttered a little.

Castiel closed his eyes and lifted his head. The storm outside ceased and what lights that weren't blown out flashed back on, along with her other electronics. She noticed he was looking down at his feet, almost as if he were ashamed of himself.

"I'm sorry. I know that can be a bit frightening for some people; I don't want to frighten you," he said calmly.

Emma couldn't find her words. She was in shock. She had to be seeing things. She had to. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and her throat was dry.

"I thought this would help you believe. Dean asked me to help. I'll just-" and he was gone. Disappeared right in front of her eyes.

An angel. An actual angel. So, Dean was telling the truth.

Suddenly there was a knock at her door. She jumped, realizing she hadn't moved from her spot on the ground since that... that angel was here. She got off the floor and found her balance, wondering who it was now. If this is August telling me he wants to show me some kind of freakin' big picture I'm going to lose my mind, she thought, walking to the door and opening it.

Her mouth dropped for the second time that night in surprise.

"Dean?"