Hey Gabe. I'm kinda having a hard time right now with my family and I was wondering if it'd be okay for me to come and hang with the flock for a bit. Just need to get away for a while.
“Sweetheart, you are welcome to drop by our Hunter’s Haven anytime! That’s what we’re here for--rest, relaxation, renewal...umm, other ‘r’ words that I can’t think of at the moment. Even if you aren’t a hunter, I won’t tell anyone. Your secret’s safe with me.”
Gabriel winks and grins in delight.
“We’ve got everything a weary soul could want. A kitchen with two head chefs who are in constant competition for making the biggest, bestest meal. The ultimate Healer who can help with physical, mental, and spiritual wounds. Word of warning--don’t try to tell him you’re ‘fine’ because that will send him into overdrive and you’ll be fussed over for days.
“We’ve got a giant dog who likes to snuggle folks by the fire. And by ‘giant’ I mean ‘pony-sized.’ Look out--he also likes to lick.
“The rest of our flock is pretty special too. We’ve got pranksters and mother hens all over the joint. You should be able to find anything you need. So, feel free to stop by anytime!”
Gabriel grows sober, his gleefulness turning solemn.
“Seriously, kiddo, we’ll receive you with open arms and wings. No judging. No pressure. No hate or anger. Just a lot of love and food and healing. You are welcome to stay as long as you wish.”
A/N-Last part of this story but Mac and Amanda will be around. Mostly because ever since I found out Crowley’s real name I’ve wondered…
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They loaded Mac’s body carefully into the back of Cat’s van. Without a word she handed the keys to Sam and got into the passenger’s seat grabbing her phone out of glove box. Sam looked at Dean, who just shrugged his shoulders, closed the door and moved towards the front of the van. Cat ended her call as Sam adjusted the seat and mirrors to his liking.
“Dan’s sending a clean up crew so we need to get moving.” she said in a flat, emotionless voice, “Dean can meet us back at the Haven and I’d like both of you to leave your guns in Baby.”
Both men opened their mouths to protest but Cat cut them off before they could speak, “Just this once don’t argue. Let’s go Sam.”
Sam headed for Hunters Haven without another word, Dean following in the Impala. Cat made a second phone call and the half of the conversation he could hear left Sam with a lot of questions.
“Amanda, it’s Cat.” her voice warmed just a little and she smiled, “Good to hear your voice too. You in town? There’s a problem with Mac…yep and the Winchesters were with us…no,but he asked me to tell them…I do, I’d like to have someone to back me up…cool. See you in a couple of hours.”
Cat ended the call and spent the rest of the short ride staring out the window. Sam glanced her way a couple of times but something in her body language kept him from asking his questions. At her direction he parked the van at the northwest corner of the building. Up close he could see a door hidden by a clever paint job. Cat opened it with her key revealing an elevator. Feeling like he was in Weekend at Bernie's he and Dean got in with Mac’s body between them. Cat shut the door and started it up.
Looking at the floor, she spoke so softly they almost couldn’t hear her, “There’s only five keys to that door: mine, Mac’s, Amanda’s, Fitzcarn’s and yours.”
The elevator stopped and she opened the door, “Mac’s room is the first one on the left. After you put him to bed there’s a suite across the hall you can use to get cleaned up. Meet me in the kitchen when you’re done.”
With that she darted down the hall towards her room. Sam thought he heard a strangled sob as she ran away but he’d never know the truth.
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An hour later the three hunters were sitting at the kitchen table with a bottle of whiskey, a bottle of Irish cream and several beers in front of them. Cat was staring into her third mug of coffee all of which had been liberally laced with the Irish cream when Dean couldn’t stand it any more.
“Look Cat, you need to tell us what’s going on or tell us to fuck off and kick us out. Just don’t leave us hanging here any more,” he said more sharply than he’d intended.
Without looking up Cat asked, “Will you promise not to say anything until I’m finished? I want to hear you say yes or no.”
Sam didn’t hesitate, “I promise.”
Dean took a little longer to think about it. Finally he picked up a beer and leaned back in his chair, “I promise, too.”
Cat drained her mug, then refilled it with Irish cream. She took a deep breath and started speaking.
“Mac was born in Glenfinnan, in the Highlands of Scotland in 1592. He was raised the son of the clan chief and trained to be a leader. He died for the first time in 1622 after taking a mortal wound in battle. When he rose hale and healed his father called it the work of a demon, disowned him and banished him from the clan. Two years later he was taken in by a distant cousin, another MacLeod who’d gone though the same thing a hundred years before. He explained that Duncan was an Immortal and the rules that allowed them to live safely. He came to the States in 1817 and splits his time between here and Europe. He’s my mentor, my teacher and, most importantly, my friend. He asked me to you this, to trust you with his secret.”
In the silence that followed Cat finally looked up from her mug, her eyes begging them to believe she was telling them the truth. Sam looked like he was mulling things over but Dean slammed his bottle on the table making Cat and Sam both jump.
“How about no, I don’t believe you.” he said, “Do you realize how bat-shit crazy that story sounds?”
“As crazy as chasing vampires and demons around the country,” asked a new voice.
Three heads snapped around to face the newcomer and Cat breathed, “Amanda, thank the Goddess.”
She stalked towards the table. Amanda was just a little taller than Cat, with black hair styled in a pixie cut, wearing a white blouse, jeans and black boots. Her brown eyes regarded Dean with a mixture of anger and interest, he stared back unashamedly.
“I’ve seen and killed those.” he replied, “But a man that’s 424 and died several times? I find that hard to believe.”
“How about a woman who’s more than 1,900,” Amanda shot back at him taking another step forward.
Cat jumped out of her chair and got between them, hoping to keep this at words. She shot a look at Sam begging him to help her.
“Dean, your best friend is an angel. Don’t you think you should wait for proof,” he asked his older brother keeping his voice even, “Cat believes what she’s saying and doesn’t have any reason to lie to us.”
Dean turned to his brother, disbelief and a little betrayal in his face. When Sam stared him down, he threw up his hands and stormed out our the kitchen. Cat sighed, got Amanda comfortable with a drink, then went and pulled what looked like a couple of softballs out of the freezer. She unwrapped them, tossed them into a couple of metal bowls and then into the oven with a pan of water. At Sam’s questioning look she grinned.
“Homemade pizza dough. Mac will be hungry when he wakes up.” she answered his unspoken question, “In case you haven’t figured it out this is Amanda. ‘Manda Sam Winchester, the jerk is his brother Dean.”
Amanda shook hands with Sam, “Good to meet you finally. Cat talks about you all the time. I’m not usually that big a bitch.”
The smell of fresh pizza drew Dean back to the kitchen. He’d spent the last hour and a half listening to laughter and singing while they cooked. He wasn’t really jealous but he was too proud to join them because he hadn’t heard Sam laugh like that in a long time.
He peeked in too see for pizzas cooling on the marble counter next to the oven. He tried to snag a piece as he grabbed a beer from the fridge and got a wooden spoon across the back of his hand for his trouble. He shot a glare at Cat as Sam laughed at him.
“We’re waiting for Mac,” she told him her eyes sparkling.
Dean shook his head, starting to wonder about her sanity. He tried to get away from the temptation and ran right into Mac. Dean’s beer hit the floor and he felt like his jaw wasn’t far behind. He saw the flash from someone’s camera out of the corner of his eye as Mac reached out a hand to steady him.
“I’m Duncan MacLeod of the clan MacLeod.” he said with a huge grin, “I’m 424 years old and right now I’d kill for a piece of Cats pizza.”
