Fallen Angels

Grantsburg, Wisconsin

It's the dead of night and the animals seem to be going crazy on a farm, one being slaughtered by something obviously. That' when someone runs from the barn and into the woods, where the owner of said farm chases them, shooting a gun off when they get the chance. The guy reaches a road and ends up being hit by a car, that man being Garth. We obviously heard the news, Dean and I were already there of course. Sam had shown up just a while later.

"Afternoon. I'm looking for a John Doe that was admitted here a few days ago. He's a uh...skinny...Ichabod Crane-looking kind of guy."

"I know just who you mean. Room 113, agent."

"Alright, thanks."

"Sure is a popular fella."

Just as Dean was going to inject Garth with adrenaline, with the needle he had in his hand, Sam walked in. It's silent for a while, too silent. Cut the tension with a knife as you would say.

"Would someone say something?"

"Saw Garth's John Doe on the police wire. You?"

"Yeah. Where you comin' from?"

"New Mexico."

"Well, that's a haul. Especially considering that we got this, uh...pretty much covered. So if you want to..."

"Dean..." I give him a look.

"You spoken to him yet?"

"No. Assload of painkillers. He's been out since we got here."

"What's he being charged with?" Sam asks when he notices the handcuffs.

"Killing a cow."

"Why?"

"I was about to see if we could find out. Lock the door."

"Whoa. Hey. What is that? Adrenaline?"

"Yes sir."

"You trying to jump start him or kill him?"

"That's what I said." I add.

"I want some answers. He walked out on Kevin. He walked out on us. So if you got a better idea..." Dean trails off, and Sam slaps Garth across the face, initially waking him up and he screams.

"Dean? Brooke? Sam? What is this? A hospital? Wait. Am I in Heaven?"

"Alright, take it easy Garth. You're in Wisconsin."

"You were hit by a car. Do you remember anything?"

"I uh...vaguely. What's with the hardware?" He asks about the handcuffs.

"You tell us. And while you're at it, why don't you give us the lowdown on why you went awol for the past six months? Only way we tracked you down is that you offed a cow."

"Offed a...what?"

"You apparently killed a cow."

"I...I...I was on a hunt."

"Hunt for what?"

"I...oh no. Oh, get back. Ohh. Oh, god." Garth says, rushing out of bed and into the bathroom where he initially throws up.

"Good thing I didn't give him the adrenaline."

"No kidding."

While Garth is still in the bathroom puking his brains out as many would say, we're left out in the room by ourselves as we wait, and after a while he's still throwing up.

"How long do you think he'll be in there?"

"Who knows. So, anything on Gadreel?" Dean asks Sam.

"Actually uh, yeah. Turns out he uh, he left some grace in me before he bolted."

"You know how wrong that sounds right?" Dean asks and I snicker a bit.

"Wouldn't worry about it. Cas took care of it."

"Hmm."

"What?"

"Nothing. We're gone for two weeks, and you're like an episode of 'Teen Mom'. Just breathe Garth. Work it out."

"What happened to your arm?" Sam questions.

"Oh. It's a...gift from Cain."

"Like...the wrestler?"

"I wish. That would be awesome. Uh no. The uh...the old testament dude. He got all biblical on me and gave me his mark."

"What does it even mean? How...how did that happen?"

"We and Crowley found him, and he gave me this so that I could eighty-six Abaddon once and for all."

"You worked a job with Crowley?"

"The devil you know..."

We then notice that it's gone silent and Garth has stopped throwing up but hasn't come out of the bathroom.

"Garth?"

"What?"

"Shit." I remark an we rush to the bathroom and open the door to find Garth gone and he's escaped through the window.

"Son of a bitch." Dean says and we quickly leave the room and head outside.

"Why would Garth run from us?"

"Why haven't we heard from him for the last six months? Did you test him?"

"He was unconscious. No, I...he steal a car?"

"Did he...steal a car naked?" Sam asks as we see Garth's hospital gown on the ground.

That's when Dean notices the security camera outside on the roof.

"Brooke and I will see what we can find on those cameras. Why don't you go talk to Farmer Brown, see about that cow?"

"Yeah."

That's exactly what he does, going to the farm where the incident with Garth happened.

"Last week, it was a couple of chickens. Goat the week before that. So when I saw that boy tearing out of my barn, hell yeah I was gonna ask questions later."

"Now, the animals...were they all killed in the same manner?"

"More like sacrificed."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Their organs was ripped clean out. Only the organs. If this wasn't some kind of devil worship thing, I don't know what."

"Mm. Well thanks."

After that he gets back into his car and heads back to the hospital. He calls Dean while we're just leaving the security office with the camera still shots of Garth.

"Yeah?"

"So, the cow wasn't just killed. It was eviscerated."

"Well, why was Garth there?"

"He said he was on a hunt right? Maybe he was hunting whatever killed it."

"Why would he run? This whole thing's starting to stink. You know that right?"

"Yeah. What about you two? Any luck?"

"Uh, nada. Cameras were pointing in the wrong direction." Dean states, clearly lying and I give him a look for it.

"You're kidding."

"Wish I was."

"Hmm. So..."

"So Garth's a hunter. If he wants to stay gone, he's gone."

"We got nothing?"

"Well, what can I say Sammy? We lost this one. Send me a postcard."

However, little did Dean know, Sam was coming in our direction from another end and caught him in his little lie, taking the camera shots from him.

"Wow. Make, model, license plate. Really Dean?"

"I told him not to hide it from you." I state.

"I told you we can't hunt together. It's for your own good."

"I hear you. And after we find Garth and get to the bottom of this, I'm gone. But until then, no more games."

"Ride belongs to a girl names Bess Meyers. She lives in the next town over."

"Well let's go then. Let's not waste any time and go." I state, and that's what we do.

When we do get there, the door instantly gets kicked in and we come in with guns out, ready to shoot.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Whoa, whoa! Hey guys. I can explain. Everything's cool. Just a simple misunderstanding."

"Who you talking to?"

"What?"

"The girl?"

"What...what girl?"

"Well..." I trail off, but Dean picks up a bra from the table before I could finish.

"What the...what now?"

That's when Dean motions us to spread out to investigate.

"Alright alright. Guys, everyone needs to take a chill pill and put their guns down. You see? Let's all be grown ups here and have an adult conversation."

That's when the girl comes out from the closet, and she's a werewolf. While Dean tries to shoot her, Sam pulls out his knife an Garth stops Dean from shooting her. Sam ends up cutting her arm and it starts to burn.

"Sam! Sam please...don't hurt her."

"What are you doing?! She's a werewolf!"

"So am I."

"What? You're a werewolf too? How? And why didn't you tell us?" I question.

"I'll explain in a minute. Just let me help her. It's okay baby. Hold it like that."

"What are they doing here Garth?"

"They're friends. I promise."

"They're hunters."

"Alright. We've all gotten off on the wrong foot here. So let's do things right. Guys, this is Bess...my beloved. And Bess, that's Dean. Now, he could start a fight in an empty house, but deep down inside, he's just a big ol' teddy bear. And that's Brooke, now she's not Dean's beloved, but they are together. Nothing really bad about her. She's as sweet as they come. And Sam here...Sam can be a bit insecure at times, but fro good reason. Bless his heart."

"That's sweet. Werewolf?"

"Alright guys look...about six months ago, I was outside Portland, Maine hunting this big bad wolf. I took him down but...he bit me in the process."

"And you didn't call one of us?"

"And tell you what? That I messed up? No, I..I knew the deal. There's no cure, so I accepted my fate. Ate my favorite dish of egg fu yung, watched the world's greatest movie 'Rocky III', and then...was ready to eat a bullet, when Bess here found me."

"And how'd she do that?"

"Smelled him. How else?"

"Yeah. She talked the gun out of my mouth, and as they say, the rest is history. We've been married for four months now."

"You're married?"

"To a werewolf."

"Yes. And my pack has taken him in as one of our own."

"Guys it's not what you think. We don't hurt people."

"No, you just go all wolverine on cattle."

"Yeah."

"At least he's not eating human hearts. Do you have any idea how hard it is for a bitten to control his instincts like Garth does? How well he's doing?"

"Thank you baby."

"Well it's the truth honey bunny."

"Wait. A...a bitten? You're all bitten."

"Not at all. You're either born to it, like I was, or you're bitten, like Garth."

"Hold on. You said you were...you were born a werewolf?"

"Second generation."

"Didn't even know that was possible." I say in awe.

"Garth, can we talk to you for a sec? Alone?"

"Honey, why don't you go find some ointment for that arm? Okay?"

She nods and goes off to do so.

"What the hell?"

"Look, I know you guys want to shoot first and ask questions later, but I checked everything out. This pack is clean. Everything's kosher."

"Right. Uh, minus the part where your wife attacked me."

"Yeah, because you three came busting in here like a house on fire. Guns waving, the jawlines and the hair from you two...it's very intimidating. What'd you expect? Dean, no one wants any trouble. You got my word on that."

"Oh no. That ship has sailed. We're gonna need a hell of a lot more than your word."

"Okay. Okay. Tell you what. You want proof? Come pray with us."

The next day, I decided to go with Dean to see the pack as they're called while same went to the Sheriff's Department.

"You there?"

"Yeah, we just pulled up. Nothing too sketchy yet."

"That's a good thing right?"

"Not betting on it."

"Or are we just that jaded? I mean, maybe Garth's right."

"Well, ain't you a glass half full. Any luck with the cops?"

"Uh, sheriff should be rolling up any second. Be careful."

"Yeah."

As we reach the front of the house, Dean stops as we hear singing coming from inside.

"Oh come on." I scoff, walking up to the front door with Dean following, before I knock.

"You must be Dean and Brooke. I'm Joy, Garth's mother-in-law. Uh, stepmother-in-law. Which I always thought sounded so silly. Please come in. We're just finishing up."

"Why don't you just tell Garth we're here?"

"Dean don't be rude."

"It's alright sweetie. Dean, you have my word...you're safe under my roof. I only ask the same in return. After all...I'm not the one carrying silver."

He gives in and we walk in, standing in the doorway of the living room and watch the whole pack sing.

"Uh...thank you brother Garth. Wonderful accompaniment, as usual. And I'll see the rest of you in the pews...9am, sharp. No stragglers...sister Amelia."

"Oh. Hi." Garth greets us. "So, what'd I tell you? It's all good, right?"

"Everyone here's a wolf?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, not all good."

"Oh come on Dean. You just got to meet them. That's Russ and Joba, Bess' first cousins on sister Joy's side. That's reverend Jim, Bess' dad...leader of the pack and a good man."

"Dean and Brooke isn't it? Welcome. Jim Meyers. Folks usually call me..."

"Reverend Jim. Yeah, I got it."

"Oh. Uh, my bad. Dean's got this crazy fear of germs."

"I understand your apprehension Dean. Hunters and our kin don't have the best history together."

"But I think you'll find we're not much different from you."

"Oh sister, I highly doubt it."

"Why don't we break bread and see?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Dean."

"What?"

We then of course join them for lunch, where Dean and I get cooked steak while the rest of them eat it raw along with animal hearts.

"Now everybody eat up. But make sure you leave room for pie."

"Sister Joy's pies are famous throughout the badger state."

"Mm. Dean loves pie."

"Don't you guys say some sort of a grace or something?"

"We're more spiritual than we are religious. We believe much like the American indians did, that nature and man are one."

"Yeah, really worked out well for them."

"Dean...stop it." I mutter to him under my breath.

"So, why are a bunch of werewolves wearing silver bullets around their neck?"

"Sorry Dean, but we don't use the 'W' word around here. We prefer the term Lycanthrope."

"We?"

"He's entitled to his opinion Garth."

"Many of our kind see themselves as indestructible. This is a constant reminder of how precious our lives truly are."

"Yeah, but it's silver. I mean, doesn't it burn?"

"Yeah it does a bit, but that's kind of the point. It reminds us of our fragility."

"My daughter Bess, was born a Lycanthrope. It was one of the proudest days of my life. Which soon turned tragic...when a hunter killed my wife. Believe me when I tell you, I wanted to make someone pay. Then I looked at Bess, and I realized the road to revenge is a dark and lonely one, which you never get off. And that hole in the pit of your stomach, you never fill it...ever."

"Hey, no, I get it."

"So, I chose to look forward, not backwards. And the minute I did that, the powers that be brought this beautiful, compassionate, amazing woman into my life. And she helped me raise a little baby girl as if Bess were her own."

"I can't take all the credit. Daddy had a hand in it too. He saw your potential."

"Daddy?"

"My father...bless his soul...was the previous reverend of our church, the third generation in our family to serve."

"So you're fourth-generation werewolf?"

"Yes."

"Look, the good reverend Jim and his family are all a little new-agey and hippie-dippy like, but they're clean as a whistle and pillars of our community. Why is the FBI even interested in them?" The sheriff asks Sam.

"I just go where they send me sheriff. Truth be told, I'm more interested in uh...murders and 'X-Files'-y stuff. Anything of that variety around here?"

"No sire. We're just a small town. Not much crime of any to speak of. I'm sorry agent. I wish I could be more help."

"Ah, that's alright. But if you do think of something, give me a call."

"Will do."

Dean however, after lunch, went into the kitchen to investigate, but Russ and Joba were right here after he got out of the fridge.

"Still hungry?"

"Yeah, I was just uh...seeing if you had any beer."

"The sooner you realize that all is good here, the sooner you both can go."

"Don't you two have a chew toy or something to go play with?"

"Hey guys. You mind if I grab a second with Dean here? Why are you being so hard on everyone?"

"Because there's no way that all of this is what it looks like. No way."

"Why not?"

"Come on man. I know you drank the Kool-aid, okay? But come on."

"Look, Amigo...I know this all looks nuts, but I found it. Love and a family? Who cares where that comes from?"

"I do."

"I get it. When I first got here, I couldn't let go either. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. But when it didn't, I had to accept the truth."

"Well, I got another truth for you...we were all left in the dark when you went awol. We didn't know whether you were dead or worse. You should've reached out and sent someone a message."

"And said what Dean? That I was a werewolf? I was embarrassed. I thought it best for everyone if I just stayed away. But that doesn't mean that I didn't think about and miss you, Brooke, Sam and Kevin."

"Kevin's gone."

"What?"

"Gone for good."

"What happened?"

"When he needed me, I wasn't there. That's what."

Dean and I spend the rest of the day there until we meet Sam somewhere off the property, watching over the house.

"Okay Dean, they gave you guys lunch, they gave you pie. Why are we still here?"

"He thinks something is still not right with them." I remark.

"Yeah, you're right. But Garth's good. You want to hit the road, it's square by me."

"Look, I'm just saying, this wouldn't be the first time we came across a friendly monster. Or a...a family of friendly monsters...w-whatever this is." He says before his phone goes off. "Agent Perry. Sheriff. How can I help you? Really? Okay."

He signals for us to get into the car and then we drive to where the sheriff was. When we get out and approach him, we see a dead animal, a deer to be exact.

"Oh jeez."

"Well, you wanted weird Agent. You tell me what tore up that deer. Nothing that runs in these parts."

"Fresh blood."

"Yes it is."

"Still warm. That means it died after we got the call."

"The sheriff's a wolf." I state before we turn around to face him quickly.

"Couldn't just accept that all was good and move on, could you? You have no idea what you've walked into, do you? No matter. You won't be walking out."

Before he could shoot any of us, Sam threw the silver knife into his heart.

"Hey. Look at this." Sam says as he pulls off a silver bullet necklace.

"We've seen that before. Yeah, that is a favorite accessory of the good reverend and his flock."

"Ragnarok?"

"Yeah, that's uh, Thor, Loki, Odin stuff right?"

"Yeah, it's Norse Mythology's end of days. But why is it etched onto a bullet?"

"Who knows."

"Who cares? We got all the answers we need."

"I don't know Dean. I think we need more."

"Oh what? Sheriff Andy Taylor here wasn't good enough for you?"

"Enough to kill Garth? Come on man, let's do this right."

"Alright fine. You two clean this up, grab Garth, lock him up until we figure out what's what. I'm gonna go check out that church."

We do that while Dean goes to the church alone, pulling up and then getting out and walking inside. He turns on a flashlight to see where he was going and also to investigate the church as well. Sam and I go back to Garth's place. When we get in we see the place a mess.

"Garth?"

Dean however reads this whole book on the wolf legends at the church and searches it on the computer, particularly Ragnarok.

"Hey. Did you find the lovebirds?" Dean says as he answers his phone.

"No. Place is a wreck. No Garth, no Bess."

"What, they were taken? Well, that's fan-friggin'-tastic."

"Tell me you got something."

"Well, this uh...Ragnarok, end of days crap...star of the story is a wolf named Fenris, who kills the god of Odin before the world ends."

"Okay. And that helps us how?"

"There are cults that consider Fenris a wolf deity and worship him. They call themselves the Maw of Fenris."

"A cult of werewolves? What do they want?"

"Well, Ragnarok is not just a bible story to these nutjobs. It's an action plan...human extinction, total and complete werewolf domination."

"And...what? This is the...the ground zero for their movement?"

"Freakin' Wisconsin man. Well, time for reverend Jim to go down."

"Yeah. Need any help?"

"No no no. I got it. You two just uh, you find Garth."

"Alright." Sam states.

"So?" I ask.

"Dean's got it all taken care of. We just have to find Garth and Bess."

"If he says so." I nod before we head out of the room.

Sam heads out first, and I see him get knocked out. That's when I see Joba and Russ with a tire iron in hand. I put up a good fight for a decent amount of time, but initially I'm knocked out as well. Just then Dean hears a car door close and he leaves the office of the reverend and tries to sneak up on him.

"It's no use Dean. I can hear your heartbeat. You must've done this countless times, yet you still get nervous."

"Nothing wrong with a little fear. It's what makes us human."

"Fear is not a purely human instinct. Even monsters know fear. I came to work on my sermon."

"Well, why don't you start by preaching to me about the Maw of Fenris? Yeah, that's right. I know all about you and your pack's little plan."

"I assure you, we are planning nothing."

"No? Well then, why did I read about it in your good book?"

"Because generations ago, that hate and misplaced anger was part of our beliefs. But ever since I took over here, I have eradicated it from our congregation."

"Yeah well, apparently some of them didn't get the word...like the good heriff, who just tried to off me, my girlfriend and my brother."

"Sheriff Pat?"

"Let me see your bullet. Where is it?"

"Where's what?"

"Ragnarok."

"What?!"

"It was etched into the Sheriff's bullet."

"That's impossible. The Maw is dead."

"Yeah, well tell that to Garth and your daughter, who are missing."

"No."

After Sam and I were knocked out, we were brought back to the house and tied up in the barn, alongside Bess and Garth.

"Sam. Brooke."

"What are you two doing? Russ? Joba?! Mom? What is going on?"

She just smirks and slaps her across the face.

"Hey!"

"First off, I'm not your mother."

"You leave her alone! You hear me?! You want to hurt somebody, you hurt me!" Garth exclaims.

"Oh, that is so sweet. But I am going to hurt her. And him, and her too. But especially you, for bringing these hunters here. I'm gonna hurt all of you."

"I'm sorry."

"Sam...Brooke...one of you pick up, damn it!" Dean says after he tries to call both of us, but we don't answer.

"Please...don't do this. Not to Bess. She's your daughter..."

"How many times do I have to say this? Stepdaughter! I'm the last of my bloodline, thanks to you and your kind out there."

"They're awake."

"Well, don't you two just look good enough to eat."

"Why are you doing this? I mean, us, I can understand, but these people are your family. Your pack."

"Exactly. We're hunters, they're not."

"Last winter, my little brother Charlie, was killed by a hunter. My husband counseled patience, restraint. Just as when he took over our beloved church, he preached a new direction...Lycanthropes and man would co-exist. Peace was more important than dominance. I tried so hard to make his way work...to be a preacher's wife. But then...Charlie was murdered. and I couldn't help remembering my Daddy's sermons. And by golly, turns out he was right. As long as there is a man, there can be no peace. Because man destroys. And I for one, am sick of it."

In the meantime, Dean had gotten back to the house and snuck up on one of the brothers and killed him.

"I get it now." Sam scoffs. "Why co-exist when you can rule?"

"Bingo. But my husband doesn't see it that way. See, he was bitten, not born into it, like I was. He still holds on to his humanity. Which is why I am so pleased it will be his claws that start Ragnarok, not mine. Your brother, his girlfriend and you coming here was a blessing from Fenris above. The three of you cornered Garth here, and then when Bess came running in to see what the fuss was about...you killed her."

"No!"

"Here. Silver to the heart."

"You're gonna frame us." I state.

"Frame their murders on us." Sam adds.

"My husband turned his cheek once. I don't think he can do it again."

"Hey! Get away from her!"

"Killing you gives me no joy, but Ragnarok...it's bigger than all of us."

"You're sick."

She then steps back to shoot Bess, but Sam is able to kick the gun out of her hand.

"You're just dying for me to get my claws dirty, aren't you?"

Dean at that time comes in, but is attacked by the other brother, but that brother soon gets killed as well, while Sam and I are trying to get out of the ties.

"Wearing Russ' coat to hide your scent...smart."

"Oh I'm full of surprises."

"As am I."

She goes for her gun and Dean goes for his, and he gets the shot first, killing her. Dean then comes over and gets Sam free and then myself.

"You okay?"

"I'll be fine." I nod as he gets me free.

We then help and get Garth and Bess free before leaving the barn and going into the house where the reverend meets us after coming back from the church. We spend the night to make sure everyone was okay, before getting ready to leave the next day.

"Be good. Hear me?"

"I will. Thanks Sam." Garth nods and they hug before Sam leaves. "Sorry for getting you into this mess." He adds, to me.

"It's alright. It's part of the job." I say before I get a hug as well, and I head out myself.

"How's he doing?"

"He's taking it pretty hard. Feels like he should have seen the signs earlier."

"Yeah well, maybe you were right. Yeah, he seems like a good man...considering."

"Yeah. And you were right. Everything around here wasn't copacetic. I screwed up again. First Kevin, now this."

"Hey. Kevin? That's on me. I'm the one that pulled him into all this. I'm the one that should've been there to protect him."

"Well...I guess there's enough of that blame to go around then. Dean."

"Yeah?"

"Um...I know this may sound a little crazy, but...maybe I could come back and hunt with you. I mean, with my werewolf mojo, we'd have an advantage."

"Yeah, look Garth..."

"No Dean. I want to make this right. I never should've left you guys, especially Kevin. Kevin was my friend. Friends don't do that."

"Well hey, you said it...you know, who cares where happiness comes from? Look, we'e all a little weird, we're all a little wacky...some more than others...but if it works, it works. You got something here. Okay? Even though they are werewolves. Lycanthropes...whatever. Don't let that go. Okay? You'll never forgive yourself. Besides, somebody's got to live to tell this damn story someday, and who better than you? Now shut up and come here."

"Really?"

"Hurry up before I change my mind." He says before they hug.

After that, Dean leaves and he gets into the car where Sam and I were waiting. From there we head back to Garth's apartment complex where Sam and I had left his car last night since we were attacked by Russ and Joba.

"I'll send you that postcard."

"Yeah."

Sam gets out of the car and Dean sits there for a bit before getting out himself. I choose to stay in the car, while he has a talk with Sam, brother to brother.

"Hey. Uh, listen, that night that, uh...you know when we went out...our separate ways..."

"You mean the night you split?"

"Fair enough. I was messed up man. Kevin was dead and I...I don't know what I was."

"Okay."

"Hell, maybe I still don't. But uh....I know I took a piece of you in the process, and for that...somebody changed the playbook man, you know? It's like what...what...what's right is wrong and what's wrong is more wrong and...I just know that when...when we rode together..."

"We split the crappiness."

"Yeah. So..."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"But something's broken here Dean."

"I'm not saying that it's not. I...I just think maybe we need to put a couple W's on the board and we get past all this."

"I don't think so. No, I-I wish, but...we don't...see things the same way anymore...our roles in this whole thing. Back in that church, talking me out of boarding up Hell? Or...or tricking me into letting Gadreel possess me? I can't trust you...not the way I thought I could, not the way I should be able to."

"Okay look. Whatever happened...we are family, okay?"

"You say that like it's some sort of cure-all, like it can change the fact that everything that has ever gone wrong between us has been because we're family."

"So, what...we're not family now?"

"I'm saying, you want to work? Let' work. If you want to be brothers...those are my terms."

Dean just nods and Sam comes and gets back into the car and so does Dean. Then we pull out of the apartment parking lot and get on our way.