Chapter Text
“Name?”
“Winchester. Dean.” An eager green eyed young man with a spattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose replied as he shrugged his backpack off and pulled out a heap of bent papers. The guard glanced at him with disinterest, then made a point of yawning loudly as Dean tried frantically to straighten the documents before handing them over. The other man snatched them out of his hands and flipped through them roughly. Dean gulped as he leaned to the side a bit so he could read the shiny name badge pinned on his chest.
“So, uh... Gordon? Nice day, right?” He tried his best to give him a winning smile, but the guard did not seem amused. After he finished flipping through the papers, he turned to his clipboard and scanned it carefully, then made a small note next to something Dean assumed was his name.
“Alright Winchester.” He finally said as he shoved the paper's back into Dean's hands. He nearly stumbled over as he scrambled to hold them all, and managed to get them back into his backpack just in time for Gordon to push a lanyard at him. “That is your ID and access badge. Don't lose it.”
Dean examined the small plastic card carefully. A portrait of himself was plastered onto the front in addition to his name and physical details. On the flip-side, the only thing was a black strip that he assumed was meant to be scanned. Gordon huffed impatiently, and Dean immediately put the lanyard around his neck.
“So this is how it is going to go,” Gordon began as he gave Dean a look that made the younger man gulp nervously, “you come check in with me as soon as you get here in the morning. You forget that badge-” he stared pointedly at the card on Dean's lanyard, “you aren't getting in. You hear me?”
Dean opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it, and simply nodded.
“Good. The front desk is in that building.” He motioned toward a large, fancy building, completely white an shimmering in the afternoon sun. “Give them your name and show them your card. Once you sign in, you will be escorted to the actual reserve.”
Dean continued to nod, rubbing his hands in excitement and anticipation as he took a few steps towards where Gordon had directed him. He immediately felt a tug on his arm and nearly fell as the officer pulled him back. “Not so fast kid. You listen to me, and you listen to me real good. I don't want any funny business, do you hear? I won't hesitate to cuff your ass and drag you to the local jail myself if you try anything... unsavory.”
Dean huffed slightly, pulling his arm out of the man's grasp. “I'll keep that in mind.”
Gordon stared intently into his eyes, finally seeming satisfied. He pulled back, smiling widely at Dean and then proceeding to give him an extremely rough slap on the back. Dean flinched. Gordon just grinned even more. “Atta boy. Now, you see anything... suspicious, you come to me, you hear?” Dean nodded quickly, rubbing a hand over his sore shoulder. “But don't even think about bothering me for anything else. Now scram.”
Dean obeyed immediately, scrambling toward the building before Gordon decided he wanted to yell at him some more. He hoped there was another morning guard. The idea of having to see the other man first thing when he arrived at the facility did not sound like the way to start his day.
The front lobby of the building was completely empty, probably because no one without permission was allowed past Gordon. Dean approached the counter apprehensively and tried his best to keep up a charming smile. A petite blonde was typing furiously on a computer, completely oblivious to Dean's approach.
“...Um, excuse me.” He started, fidgeting with one of the straps on his backpack. The receptionist still didn't look up front her frantic typing. If anything, it only increased.
“Uh, miss?”
“Just a sec!” She replied, not even turning to look at him. He felt a mild twinge of irritation, but quickly suppressed it. He wanted to make a good impression on his first day. No matter how excited he was, he couldn't let himself get too impatient. She continued typing for several minutes, the anxiety in Dean's gut twisting tighter in anticipation of his first actual encounter with an angel. After a small giggle and a sigh at something on the screen, she rolled her chair around to face him.
“..Oh!” She started, eyes widening as she took him in. A warm blush began to creep into Dean's cheeks as he realized that the secretary was actually checking him out. It wasn't like he wasn't used to being checked out; Dean was well aware that he qualified as good looking. He just wasn't expecting that here. After taking a moment to recover, he flashed her his signature Winchester grin. Dean could practically see her melting as she frantically stood up, jabbing her hand at him. “I'm Becky!”
He took her hand and shook it firmly, continuing to smile. “Hey, Becky. I'm Dean. Dean Winchester.”
Recognition at his name dawned on her face, and she immediately began to nod while flipping through a stack of papers near her computer. “Right. You're the behavioral intern?”
Dean nodded, flashing her the ID card on his lanyard. “That's me.”
“Great! I just need you to sign this waiver.” She handed him a form as well as a pen. “Pretty standard. Basically it just says that your family won't sue us if you get severely injured or die.”
Dean hesitated for a moment, looking back up at her with eyebrows raised. She just laughed nervously, fidgeting with her hands as she rolled back and forth in her chair. “Don't worry. We haven't had that happen for quite a while.”
He suppressed the urge to ask more about the incident. It was the first he had heard about something like that happening. Then again, this facility was kept as secret as possible and hardly any information was released to the public. The forced capture of angels for the re-population program was already controversial, an incident like that being made known would be a public relations nightmare. Dean could only imagine the effort that the organization must have gone through to keep something like that a secret.
“Ah, you must be the new kid.”
Dean straightened his back and turned around to face the newcomer. She was a petite woman, but the fire in her eyes more than made up for her small stature. Her dark hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and she was wearing enough khaki to make it obvious she worked outside.
“Dean.” He finally responded, reaching his hand out to her in a belated greeting. He couldn't help but smile at her as he did. She was pretty. Very pretty.
“Bela.” She countered, taking his hand and giving it a hard shake. “I hope you'll excuse my clothing,” she glanced down at her slightly dirty shirt, sighing. “I just returned from the field. Managed to bag another one. Honestly, this program would go completely belly up without me.”
Dean grinned; Bela's mirth was practically contagious. “Bagged another what?”
Bela just laughed as though he had said something infinitely hilarious, her shoulders shaking as soft curls fell in front of her eyes. She managed to reign herself in however, sizing Dean up as she placed her hands on her hips. “You really are new around here.”
“Yeah? Well, maybe you can show me around.” He shot back. She just smirked and rolled her eyes.
“Don't get your hopes up kid, I'm way out of your league.” She replied airily, looking down at the watch on her wrist and then groaning. “Ugh, I need to go. Apparently they are having trouble getting one of those feather-brains to behave.” Dean tilted his head slightly in confusion at her words.
“Feather brains?”
“You know; angels. Come on darling, use your upstairs brain. Think about where you are.” She teased, and Dean felt his face flush slightly in embarrassment. He wasn't used to people in the field of angelic conservation using such derogatory terminology. Then again, from the sounds of it Bela wasn't a scientist, she was a trapper. Trappers had a bit of a bad wrap in the field, rumors of the cruel methods they used to capture their targets ran rampant. He wasn't sure how much of it was true, but Bela seemed kind enough. He had a hard time believing she would be the type of person to employ such crude and damaging tactics, especially considering the fact she was trapping for a breeding program. Angels did not breed well in captivity in the best of conditions, and it was important to have happy and healthy specimens for there to be any real chance of success.
“Well, as much as I am loving our little chat, I had best be going.” Bela continued, oblivious to the discomforting effect her words had on Dean. “They are going to need me to give them a report on the capture of our newest edition.”
Dean nodded as she walked away, smiling despite himself as she flashed him a grin and a wink. He was still staring after her when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. Yelping, he turned around quickly and brushed the hand off. The man put his hands up and laughed, his eyes kind. “Woah there cowboy, you're more skittish than a wildlin'.”
“Sorry, you just startled me.” Dean replied, embarrassed that he had been caught so off guard by the other man. The man didn't seem to be put out in the least however, he just continued to grin as he looked at Bela's retreating form and then back at Dean.
“So, checkin' out Talbot? Can't say you have bad taste, brother, bet she told you-”
“-That I was way out of her league, yeah.” Dean finished, grinning widely and sharing a small laugh with the other man.
“Well, I'm Benny.” The man stated, reaching his hand out in greeting. Dean shook it heartily.
“I'm Dean-”
“Winchester, thought so.” Benny nodded. “You 'ave that look, like you don't know where to be.”
Dean's face flushed at Benny's words. It was true, he was incredibly nervous and he knew that he was coming across as way more awkward than normal. This was his dream though. The fact he got an internship here was almost a miracle. The facility hated letting outsiders in. He wanted to make sure he didn't do anything that might get him kicked out. “Someone was going to meet me here and show me around. I'm just waiting for them.”
“Well, I'm pleased to say you don't have to wait much longer, brother. That guide happens to be me. You get him all checked in?” Benny questioned, turning his attention to Becky. She nodded quickly, blushing as Dean caught her eye. “Alright then, ready?”
“As ready as I'll ever be.” He responded, feeling the nervous excitement swell once more in his chest. He was going to see an angel. A wild angel. Few people could claim that. There were a handful of angels in zoos, but they were all bred in captivity. Angels from the wild were much too dangerous to be around the general public, even with the extra security precautions taken.
Benny motioned for Dean to follow him as he made his way to the back end of the building and then through the set of doors that led outside. Dean looked around the area as he followed his guide, impressed by the massive forest that sprawled behind the facility. He assumed that was where the sanctuary was. Benny hopped into a small jeep that was parked at the edge of the forest, beckoning Dean into the passenger's seat.
“So, this your first time around angels?” He asked conversationally, putting the jeep into drive and easing it onto a small dirt path that wound through the tangle of trees. Dean nodded in affirmation.
“I've worked closely with the ones at the zoo here, but I know that angels bred in captivity are nothing like those caught from the wild.”
“They sure aren't.” Benny agreed, continuing to go slowly so that Dean could get a good look at all of the surroundings. He saw the edge of massive fences through the foliage, running parallel to the road. He assumed that they were there to keep the angels in.
“Angels nest in trees.” Dean began, confused about how those fences managed to keep them in. “Even though most can't fly, couldn't they just climb a tree and glide over the fence?”
“Excellent question.” Benny responded, taking a sharp turn left. “All of our angels are collared. They get too close to the fence, the collar gives them a nice shock- oh don't look at me like that.” He laughed at the horrified expression on Dean's face. “I know it sounds crude, but believe me. The reserve is huge. They have plenty of room for nesting and anything else. Only the new ones ever even attempt it.”
“That seems... a bit inhumane.” Dean replied, still uncomfortable with the idea of using physical pain to deter bad behavior. Benny sighed, nodding softly.
“I know brother, I don't like it either. But there isn't much else we can do. We have to keep them in somehow, and it's better than chaining them up.”
Dean nodded in reluctant acceptance, staring once more at the fenced off areas. “How close can they get before it... kicks in?”
“About 10 feet. Keep watching and you might see a few of them near the edges. They're curious creatures, that's for sure. They'll know you are new.”
Dean nodded, feeling a bit of excitement at the prospect of actually seeing an angel. Unfortunately, although he saw some rustling in the brush, he didn't manage to catch a single glimpse. Eventually Benny began to slow the jeep down, pulling into a small dirt parking area in front of another facility building. This one was much larger than the entrance building, and sprawled out instead of up. It was made out of wood, and blended well with the trees around it.
“Well, we're here.” Benny stated, turning the engine off and stepping out of the vehicle. Dean followed him immediately, still staring at the building.
“Is this where the breeding program is?” He questioned, following the other man towards the entrance.
“Breeding program, medical services and... behavior modification training.” Benny responded, scanning his badge at the door and pulling it open to let Dean through. Dean wondered briefly what behavior modification training consisted of, but decided that he didn't really want to know right now. “Your badge should grant you access into the building, but there are certain areas that are going to be off-limits to you.”
Dean nodded, suspecting as much. He wasn't even an employee, just a graduate student that ended up getting really lucky. He followed Benny out of the main lobby and down a side hallway, eagerly looking around at the various unmarked doors. “Most of those are storage rooms.” Benny offered, as though he could sense the curiosity of Dean's thoughts. “Medical supplies, trapping equipment... We keep them here instead of the front facility so they can be accessed more quickly.”
They continued walking, Benny occasionally stopping to point out what doors led where, and if Dean was allowed access to them or not. Eventually, they reached a set of large metal doors, and Benny turned to him with a large grin. “The medical facility is through here. Bela just captured an angel for our program, and she is probably in there getting her preliminary checkup and fertility test. Are you ready to meet your first angel?”
Dean nodded rapidly, feeling the excitement from earlier once again flutter in his chest. Benny scanned his card against the door once more, holding it open as Dean stepped hesitantly through.
The medical center was completely different from the rest of the complex, and Dean felt a bit taken aback by the sudden change in atmosphere. Instead of the sterile and colorless feel the rest of the building had, there were lots of small trinkets of decorations, and even magazines on a table next to some comfy looking chairs. The walls were painted a bright and cheery yellow color, and cartoon style feathers decorated the trim. He turned to Benny, slightly confused. Benny just grinned as he flopped down on one of the chairs and picked up a magazine. “Missouri hated the feel of the old clinic. When she was hired to replace the last doctor, she accepted the position under the condition she could decorate it however she wanted to.”
Dean shrugged his backpack off and sat down on one of the plush chairs, too nervous to bother trying to read.
Eventually, the doors opened and a frazzled looking redhead came stumbling in carrying a cup of coffee and a half eaten bagel. Her eyes darted frantically to the wall on the clock, then over to where Dean and Benny were waiting. “Ah! I'm so late!” She groaned, setting the food down and wiping her hands on her jeans. “Sorry about that!”
“It's no problem.” Dean quickly responded, standing up. “I'm Dean.”
“So you're the new kid that everyone is talking about.” She grinned, sizing him up. “I'm Charlie. I hope that Benny here hasn't told you any horror stories about me.”
“Dean here has never seen a wild angel.” Benny stated, and Charlie turned to stare at him in shock. “I figured the new one might be here for her checkup with Missouri.”
Charlie frowned, shaking her head slightly. “I don't think so. Missouri wanted my help with that one, she would have texted me in early. They are probably going to stick her in quarantine for 24 hours first. Apparently she is kind of sickly, and they want to make sure she doesn't have anything that might be passed on to the other angels.”
“What happens to her if she does?” Dean asked, curious. “Do you release her?”
Charlie's face immediately fell and she stared down at the ground, toeing at the floor sullenly. Benny placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and looked over at Dean with an equally pained expression. Dean felt something twist in his gut as realization hit.
“You euthanize them, don't you.” Dean said. It wasn't a question.
“We don't want to.” Charlie immediately responded, head snapping up. “We just don't have a choice. The organization has very strict policies about angels that aren't fit for the program.”
Benny seemed to sense the sudden tension in the air, and decided to change the subject. “Where's Missouri, Charlie? Doesn't she normally get here before you?”
“She's probably doing an exam in the back.” Charlie responded, picking her coffee up off the desk and taking a sip. “I can go back there and ask if it is alright for Dean to come watch. After all, it would be his first up-close encounter with a real angel.” Her tone had gone from sullen to teasing, and Dean was glad that they were able to move on from the previous somber topic.
Benny nodded, and Charlie gave them a small wave as she pushed through the rotating door that probably led to the back of the clinic and the exam rooms. After a couple of minutes, she poked her head back out and motioned for Dean to follow her. It took all of his willpower not to run as he followed, the excitement in his chest almost reaching a boiling point.
“Try to stay calm.” Charlie whispered as they approached the exam room, nudging him comfortingly. “Angels are very perceptive. He will be able to sense your excitement, and that might agitate him.” Dean nodded quickly as they stopped outside of the room, suddenly unsure. Charlie seemed to sense this, because she gave him a quick pat on the shoulder. “Don't worry. Inias is one of our most well behaved angels. You'll be fine.”
“Are you going to stand out there, or are you going to come in?” Dean heard a voice from the other side of the door chide, and Charlie rolled her eyes as she opened it and ushered Dean inside. The room was relatively large, and just as cheerily decorated as the lobby.
“Inias, this is Dean.” Missouri stated, motioning towards him. The angel that was sitting on the table lifted his eyes to meet Dean's, and then quickly lowered them again as his wings trembled and flattened against the table.
“Inias is a very submissive angel.” Charlie said to Dean, walking forward and examining his lowered wings. She frowned deeply and reached out gently, running a finger down one of the delicate bones near the edge. Inias tried to flinch away, but the leather cuffs that held him to the table didn't allow it. “Broken wing?”
“Unfortunately.” Missouri sighed, picking up a syringe that was filled with a clear liquid and holding it against the exposed area where his wing met his back. “Scuffle over dominance.”
“Ion again?” Charlie groaned, holding Inias' wing in place as Missouri began to wrap it carefully with gauze. The other woman just nodded. “That's the third one this month he has injured, all submissives. Why hasn't he been put in solitary yet?”
“Hester is carrying his clutch right now, you know that.” Missouri responded, rubbing Inias gently on the back as he moaned slightly in pain. “We have a better chance of a live hatching this time if we can keep her stress to a minimum. Locking her mate away is not the way to do that.”
“Could you put them in confinement together?” Dean suggested, speaking up for the first time since entering the examination room. Missouri didn’t look up from where she was carefully wrapping Inias’ wing, but she responded immediately.
“And take her away from the small amount of comfort she has managed to make for herself since being taken from her home and forced into a breeding facility? Really child? I thought you would be kinder than that. You of all people should know how hard it is for angels to be taken from their homes. You’ve spent the last five years studying them, right?”
Dean lowered his eyes to the ground, shame prickling the back of his neck. Missouri was right. Taking a pregnant angel away from her environment and forcing her to start her nest from scratch again, away from the comfort of her companions, was a horrible idea. Even if she was with her mate, it would do little to ease the stress from that kind of scenario.
“Now now, I know you meant well.” Missouri spoke again, her voice much gentler this time. “And it is true that something needs to be done about Ion if we want to prevent this from happening to more angels. Whatever it is though, it will have to wait until after the birth.”
Dean was troubled by the issue, but he had to agree with Missouri that there wasn't really anything that could be done about it right now. He winced in sympathy as Missouri finished wrapping Inias' wing and gave the angel a final pat on the back. He extended his bandaged wing slowly, staring at it in fascination as he moved it experimentally. His range of motion was severely impaired now, but it was obvious that whatever shot Missouri had given him alleviated much of the pain.
Inias looked between Missouri and Charlie, obvious relief and affection on his face. With his good wing, he nudged Charlie's shoulder gently and whispered something soft and somewhat guttural. At first Dean was confused, but immediately fascination took hold as he realized what had just happened. “He- he's speaking in Enochian!”
Charlie laughed at Dean's obvious excitement, absentmindedly petting Inias' wing as the angel crooned and leaned into her touch. “First time hearing it?”
“In person.” Dean admitted, silently hoping that Inias would say something else. Once Missouri finished putting the leftover bandaging materials away, she turned back to Inias and stuck her hands on her hips, speaking firmly but gently.
“We're trying to get him to use English. Inias, say “thank you” in English, not Enochian.” Inias immediately flattened his wings, gazing up at Missouri and then looking away as he fidgeted with his hands.
“Why can't he use Enochian?” Dean questioned, feeling a twinge of sympathy in his chest for the obviously uncomfortable angel in front of him. Charlie smiled sadly at him as she picked up the empty syringe and tossed it into the wastebasket.
“We've had Inias for quite a while, but he seems to be having a harder time picking up English than many of the other angels. We aren't sure if this is due to inability or reluctance, but practice seems to be the best way to try and help him along.”
Inias looked up at Dean with a slight blush on his cheeks, holding his gaze for a bit longer than he had the first time. “Th..thank you.”
It wasn't perfect by a long shot, and if Dean wasn't already aware of what he was trying to say he might not have caught it, but he couldn't stop the thrill that the words sent through him. An actual angel, one caught directly from the wild, had spoken to him in a language that he could actually understand. He was so caught up in his excitement that he missed the knowing looks Charlie and Missouri were sending his way.
“I think he likes you.” Missouri finally said, and Charlie had to bring a hand to her mouth to try and hide her slight giggle. Dean noticed it anyways, but he was still confused.
“Well, that's good right? I want to get to know all of the angels here.” He crouched down so he was at eye level with Inias, smiling at him and reaching a hesitant hand out to stroke his uninjured wing. The angel didn't want to wait for him though, and pushed the ridge insistently into Dean's outstretched palm. Dean stroked his wing gently as the angel sighed happily, in awe of how soft the feathers were.
“No, Dean. She means he really likes you.” Charlie managed to get out between giggles. Dean jerked his hand way immediately as he realized what Charlie was implying, earning him a dismayed whine from Inias. He felt a bit of a blush begin to creep into his face when he noticed that Inias' wings were hanging low and wide, quivering slightly and ruffling the tawny feathers. He knew that form well from his studies and was a bit embarrassed he hadn't noticed it before. Inias was posturing for him as a potential mate.
“Oh, um... S-sorry.” Dean began, standing up and backing away from the angel. “I'm not-I mean I'm flattered but-” Inias seemed to understand the gist of what Dean was saying, or at least that it was a rejection, if the way his head dropped in defeat and his wings folded back in was anything to go by.
A light knock on the door distracted him from the awkward situation as Benny stuck his head in. “You ready to go, brother? Hate to cut it short, but there is still a lot to show you.”
“Good timing, Benny.”
Charlie grinned, her laughing fit finally settling down. “Seems like Dean is going to be rather popular around here. First day and he already has an admirer.”
“Is that so?” Benny laughed as he gave Dean a hearty pat on the back. “Well, wait until you meet the rest of them.”
“Are we going to do that now?” Dean questioned eagerly. Benny just grinned and nodded.
“Well, thank you ladies.” Benny said to Charlie and Missouri. “I'm afraid I'm going to have to steal Casanova here though.”
“Come see us again boy.” Missouri said warmly, pulling Dean into a tight hug before releasing him. “You're practically family now. You ever need anything, and I mean anything, Charlie and I are here for you.”
“I'll keep that in mind.” He responded, feeling something warm settle in his chest. His first day jitters were beginning to die down. So far, everyone was incredibly accepting. He had been worried he would be seen as too much of an outsider to be accepted right away, but so far his fears were turning out to be completely unfounded.
“Bye, Inias.” Dean called to the angel as he followed Benny through the open door. Inias looked up briefly and smiled, then gave him a small farewell wave. Dean liked Inias. He was nothing like the wild, dangerous angels he had heard rumors of. Then again, submissive angels were rarely violent, even those taken from the wild.
“So, ready to take a look at the breeding program?” Benny questioned as he led Dean out of the medical facility and back into the hallway. Dean nodded eagerly, clutching the straps of his backpack as he followed Benny down the hallway and towards another set of large doors.
Benny scanned his card once more and pushed the doors open, causing sunlight to filter softly into the hallway. Dean was surprised that the breeding facility was outside, but it made sense. The more closely that they could imitate an angel's natural habitat, the more likely it was that there would be a successful breeding. Keeping stress down was essential.
“This is the breeding facility.” Benny stated as he led Dean down the cobblestone path and towards an area with several enclosures that were sectioned off with chain-link fence. They were much smaller than the ones he had seen on the jeep ride, probably only about a hundred feet wide and completely square. Each one had a couple of large trees for nesting and a small stream and pond for grooming.
“How do you decide which angels to bring here?” Dean questioned as they passed a young female angel with wide eyes who stared at them as they walked by. Her gray wings were set in the same low posture that Inias' had been, and she pressed herself against the bars in a way that looked almost painful.
“Angels in their heat come here. You know what happens when an unmated angel goes into heat, right?”
“The dominant angels will fight for the right to breed, right?”
“Bingo. Looks like that college paid off.” Benny teased, stopping as they reached a small, circular area with benches facing the different enclosures. “Normally the alpha keeps the peace, and is the one who intervenes when there are scuffles.”
“But you don't have an alpha,” Dean sighed, frowning slightly. Alphas were extremely rare. They were infinitely more powerful and thus more dangerous than regular angels. Myth and legend often said that alphas were the original angels cast out of heaven, which explained their seeming agelessness and almost supernatural abilities.
“Well...” Benny seemed to be at a loss for words, and Dean's curiosity was immediately piqued.
“You-you have an alpha?” Dean spluttered, stunned. No one, to his knowledge, had ever managed to successfully trap an alpha. Almost nothing was known about the mysterious leaders of the handful of known wild angelic clans. One being captured was huge. The sheer amount of information that could be learned from was staggering.
“Why don't I show you?” He offered, and Dean found himself nodding rapidly. Benny just laughed at his enthusiasm and motioned for him to follow.
Dean could barely keep the skip out of his step as he followed Benny past the breeding pens. Eventually they stopped near an isolated enclosure, set a good distance apart from all the others. Dean couldn't even see the breeding pens anymore through the thick trees. It was easily three times the size of the enclosures behind him, and instead of chain-link there were thick iron bars encircling it. They were spaced quite close together, with only enough room to stick a hand through at the most.
“Don't get too close.” Benny warned, stopping a good ten feet in front of the cage. “And whatever you do, brother, don't stick any of your limbs in there. He'll rip them off faster than you can blink.”
Dean gulped, anticipation and a bit of fear coiling tight in his belly. Benny motioned for Dean to stand still, then took a couple of steps closer to the cage. Dean tilted his head to the side and strained to see anything in the cage. So far, nothing.
“Castiel!” Benny called, voice loud and firm. Dean held his breath in expectation, but nothing happened. Benny sighed and called once more. Still nothing.
“Someone is being antisocial today...” He groaned. “Castiel! There is someone you might like to meet!”
Dean held his breath as he kept his eyes on the tops of the trees. The alpha, Castiel, must be up there somewhere. It was the only area in his enclosure that was completely hidden from view. Benny continued to yell, and after several minutes Dean saw some of the branches shift minutely. He wasn't sure if it was the wind or the alpha, but he felt his heart jackhammer in his chest anyways.
“Castiel, come on.” Benny practically pleaded. “Dean's a nice kid. You'll like him. Now get down here.”
Dean yelped as a massive dark shape darted out of the canopy and landed on graceful feet. The figure now standing before him was like no angel he had ever seen before. Black wings, the darkest he had ever seen, extended out impossibly wide and arched high in a threatening stance. His icy blue eyes were scathing as he trained them on Dean, and Dean found himself taking a fearful step back despite the distance and barrier between them.
Benny managed to stand his ground, but Dean couldn't help but notice even he was a bit unnerved. “Castiel, be nice.” He warned, and the angel instantly tore his eyes away from Dean and back to Benny. “Dean is new here. He wanted to say hello.”
Castiel did not look amused, and giant feathers twitched in irritation as he carefully folded his wings back in. Without them splayed out in aggression, he was a bit less intimidating, but only just. Benny motioned for Dean to come stand next to him, keeping his eyes on Castiel.
“Hey Castiel.” Dean started nervously; shifting his weight from foot to foot subconsciously as he tried, and failed, to maintain eye contact with the angel. Regardless of his obvious discomfort however, Castiel refused to take his searing gaze off of him.
“Don't worry brother, you're safe.” Benny laughed, obviously noticing Dean's anxious fidgeting. “See those?” He motioned towards the thick collar around Castiel's neck and the matching ones on his wrists. “Power limiters. They don't work perfectly, but they at least keep him from breaking out of the cage.”
Castiel narrowed his eyes at Benny's words, clenching his fists tightly in what Dean assumed was rage. Despite the alpha's aggressive and intimidating behavior, however, Dean couldn't help but be in awe of him. His messy black hair matched his wings almost perfectly, and there was something feral about the way moved and acted.
“Well, Castiel, you better get used to Dean. You're gonna be seeing a lot of him.” Benny said in a matter-o-fact voice, earning Dean another glare from the alpha.
“Why do you have him in isolation?” Dean questioned, flinching slightly from Castiel's venomous glare. The alpha seemed to be doing everything possible to let Dean and Benny know that their presence was not welcome.
“Too dangerous.” Benny sighed, shaking his head and looking away as though trying to push something out of his mind. “There was... an accident not too long ago with one of the handlers. If he had been any other angel they would have euthanized him.”
“But because he's an alpha, they decided to just lock him up instead.” Dean replied. His excitement at being given the opportunity to study such a rare and mysterious angel was tempered somewhat by the sobering knowledge of just how dangerous the alpha really was. This close, even the thick iron bars and the power limiters almost didn't seem like enough of a barrier. His instincts told him to back away, but his curiosity urged him to take another step forward.
“None of our behavioral specialists have been able to make any progress with him.” Benny lamented. “Truth be told, I'm not sure how much longer- well, never mind.” Benny suddenly looked very uncomfortable, and Dean wanted to ask what he was about to say. Before he got a chance to though, the man forced another smile onto his face and ushered Dean back towards the main building.
“I think that's probably enough for today. You know your schedule?”
“Yeah.” Dean nodded, looking behind him at the motionless angel. Castiel continued to stare at him as they walked. He finally turned back to Benny and pulled out a small packet. He flipped through a couple of pages before finding the spot he wanted. “Um... Wednesday through Friday after school, so one-thirty to six. Saturday and Sunday six to four.”
“They're sure putting you to work.” Benny whistled, climbing back into the jeep and waiting for Dean to follow. “Did Gordon give you your badge yet?”
Dean reached down into his shirt and pulled the lanyard out, then held it up for Benny's inspection. The latter nodded his head in approval and put the jeep into drive, pulling back out onto the dirt path. “I don't think he likes me.”
Benny's just shook his head; laughing and giving Dean a sympathetic look. “Don't worry about it, brother. Gordon doesn't really like anyone. He's reliable though, and that's what matters.”
“I guess so.” Dean mumbled, still unsure about the brusque and intimidating guard. “Are you going to be supervising me?”
“'Fraid not.” Benny frowned, giving Dean a mournful look before turning his gaze back to the road. “I'm not a scientist. They'll probably have one of the behavioral experts do that. Don't worry, they're all pretty friendly. 'Cept Alastair.”
“Alastair?” Dean questioned, curiosity flaring.
“Well- nah don't listen to me.” Benny shook his head, face suddenly becoming uncharacteristically neutral. “He's a professional, just like everyone else here.”
Dean wanted to ask Benny more about this Alastair, but he could tell from the man's expression that the conversation was effectively over. He could only speculate on what could have caused Benny, who hadn't had a bad word to say about anyone, to single out that particular name.
Benny remained quiet the rest of the ride, and Dean could tell that he was regretting his earlier words. Maybe he was hoping that Dean would forget; or maybe he was trying to make sure he remembered. Either way, as he waved goodbye to Benny and Gordon (the guard just ignored him), his apprehension was quickly replaced by overwhelming excitement. Tomorrow was going to be his first official day. He would finally have the chance to study wild born angels, and Alastair was the furthest thing from his mind.
When Dean finally unlocked the door to his twelfth floor apartment, he was so exhausted that he was tempted to collapse into bed with his clothes still on. Tomorrow was Saturday though, which meant he had to be at work at six in the morning. A shower was a necessity.
He quickly plugged his cell phone into the charger. It had died while he was getting his tour. Six new text messages popped up on the screen, and he groaned as he flipped through them.
Good luck Dean :)
Dean? Are you still at work?
Jess and I were thinking about stopping by later. You up for it?
Your phone died again didn't it
Call me when you get these Dean
If you don't answer this I'm coming over there
Dean immediately scrolled down to Sam's number and pressed call, laying back on his tiny bed and staring at the ceiling. The phone barely rang once before Sam's worried voice came on.
“Dean! What the hell man? I've been calling you for hours.”
“Sorry Sammy.” He yawned, closing his eyes.
“Did you want me to come over? Talk about your big day?”
“Nah, that's fine.” He responded, rolling onto his side so he could stare at the window. The city was bright and vibrant like always. He hoped it wouldn't be too noisy while he was trying to sleep. “I go in at six tomorrow. Gonna head to bed early.”
“Six?!” Sam sounded shocked, and Dean chuckled.
“That's right.”
“Well... I better let you go then.”
“Take care, Sam.” Dean said, earnest now.
“I will. You want to grab dinner with Jess and I tomorrow night? I want to hear all about your new job.”
“Not a job yet, just an internship.”
“Well, that's the first step. Goodnight Dean. Remember, tomorrow night.”
“'Night Sam.” He replied, ending the call and then forcing himself up into a sitting position. Tomorrow was going to be his first official day. Today had been amazing, but it was just a tour. He couldn't wait to get a chance to meet more of the angels; and he definitely couldn't wait to get another chance at observing Castiel. Hopefully he would actually be able to take notes this time.
He continued to think about the alpha while he showered and put his pajamas on. He wondered if the angel was always so hostile, or if it was just because he was upset about being in isolation. Dean couldn't help but sympathize with him over that. Angels were such social creatures, keeping one away from the rest of its tribe, no matter how dangerous it might be, just seemed cruel. He sighed as he settled down onto his pillow, falling into a fitful sleep. His dreams that night consisted of glossy black feathers and piercing blue eyes.