Strange Relations

Chapter 28

Noah stood back, arms folded over his chest as he listened to Dean. When he finished Noah nodded. "She said exactly that?"

Dean nodded. "Yes."

He nodded again before turning to walk away.

"Whoa, big guy, that's it? Nothing to say?"

He turned back. "She's safe, at the moment, and she's going after Micahel."

"What in the hell does that mean?"

Noah pinched the bridge of his nose. "The tulips phrase is what we came up with to let the other know we were fine. If she used it she wanted to let me know not to worry. She's up to something, plain and simple."

"You're certain about that?"

He nodded and left the room.

Laurel slapped the table. "I knew she wouldn't desert us for that jerk!"

Dale sat back. "Growing attached are we?"

She shrugged. "No, but it pays to have an archangel on our side."

"We still have Gabriel."

"Gabriel? All he does is swig Dr. Pepper and watch TV."

Wyatt sniffled. "She's supposed to protect me, now I'm on my own,"

Sam rolled his eyes. "You'll be fine, Wyatt, you've got us."

"But you aren't an all powerful archangel." He sniffled again and sank in his chair.

Dale sighed. "No, but we are the Winchesters, don't worry we won't let anything happen to you."

He sank further in his seat. "I guess."

Phinnie patted Sam's shoulder. "I know you're upset too, Sammy, it's okay, I'm here for you."

"Right ... um thanks." He looked at his brother. "Now what? She may be an archangel, but Michael is more powerful than she is, he could kill her without batting an eyelash."

"I'm sure she knows that, Noah seems to think we should trust her, so let's give her a little bit. If nothing comes of it then we go in after her." Dean shrugged.

"In? As in, we go to Heaven?" Laurel asked.

Stephanie sat forward. "If there's a back way in Gabriel will know about it, it would mean avoiding Michael and the rest of the angels." She'd emerged from her movie watching in Gabriel's room when Noah told her Aramintha went back to Heaven with Michael.

Dean drummed his fingers on the table. "Will he help us?"

Stephanie smiled. "I can convince him, trust me."

Dean rapped his knuckles on the table. "Right, until we know differently we assume Mintha has things handled. The moment we know she's in danger, we find a backdoor into Heaven and get her out."

Stephanie rose. "I'll start working on Gabriel." She headed for Gabriel's room.

Phinnie grinned. "Oh, I totes ship Stephanie and Gabriel. They are adorbs!"

Everyone chose to ignore her comment.

***

Mintha had a serious urge to run. Run like hell and get as far from Heaven as she could, but she squashed it. This was where she needed to be, beside Michael figuring out what he was up to.

"Welcome back, I suppose you'd like to get settled into your old office."

She would, but not while he was watching. "Yes, but first I'd like to take a moment, soak it all in. I'll be in the garden if anyone needs me." She strode away and left him standing in the center of the corridor.