Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Prologue

Ruby was outside in her yard playing when rustling in the woods behind her house first drew her attention.  There was something there, moving in the darkness in the trees.  She moved forward cautiously.  She had been told not to go into the woods on her own because it could be dangerous.  But her sister, Lilith, had said that that was just something adults said to keep them from having any fun.  So she moved forward slowly, trying to see what it was that was making so much noise.  She had just passed the tree line when she saw it, a large form hunched over.  She moved a little closer and she could see curled horns like a rams—a demon.  She had seen demons on nature documentaries on TV, but she had never seen one in person before.  Domesticated demons were kept as pets, but they were by no means as popular a pet as angels.  But this was a wild demon.  They were vicious, violent creatures and she knew that she should run before it saw her.  She started to turn away but its breathing was labored and by the way it clutched one hand to its side she could see it was hurt.  She was torn for a moment between running and wanting to help the poor animal.  She couldn’t just walk away and leave the creature like this.  She approached it slowly and its head snapped up at the sound.  Its eyes were solid black and it gave a low growl in warning.  “Shhh, it’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you.”  She kept her voice soft and soothing and did what she could to appear as non-threatening as possible.  She could see it was weak, and it allowed her to approach.  She had long suspected that demons were more intelligent than people gave them credit for and she wondered now if it could tell she only wanted to help.  Its eyes remained solid black, but it allowed her to examine its wound.  There was a gash along its side, it looked painful but it wasn’t deep.  She ran back to her house to get supplies and was gratified that the demon was still there when she came back.  She patched its wounds, but it was still weak and that would leave it vulnerable to whatever had hurt it in the first place.  She would have to keep it safe until it healed.  “Come on, you’re coming home with me.”

Chapter One

Ruby sighed. Sam was breaking her heart.  He was acting like they would never see each other again, but she was only leaving for a few days.  His eyes were solid black, and had been that way since he had figured out she would be leaving and he wasn’t coming with her.  She reached out and put her hand against his cheek and Sam whined, leaning into the touch. 

She hated seeing her demon like this.  Ever since she found him in the woods he had been her loyal companion and they were rarely apart for long.  His horns were covered in nicks and scars that told the tale of the life he had led in the wild before Ruby found him.  Demons bred in captivity had smooth, unblemished horns, seen as a mark of beauty of their species.  But she loved her demon as he was, scars and all.  

Leaving him was made worse by the fact that the kennel wouldn’t accept him unless he was wearing a collar that was engraved with sigils that would bind his powers.  Their companionship had started once he was already grown and she had never made any effort to collar train him.  But the kennel wouldn’t accept any pets without the collar in place.  She had had this one specially made.  It bore all the required sigils but it had a few flaws in it.  Suppressing his powers would be suppressing the very essence of what made him what he was.  The collar was for show only; it would do nothing to bind his powers

Angels were all the rage these days.  Everyone who was anyone had an angel for a pet.  But she didn’t get what all the fuss was about.  Angels were “gentle.”  Insipid if you asked her, and eager to please.  They were easily trained, since it was in their nature to follow orders and many believed that made them the ideal pet.  Many went as far as believing that demons shouldn’t be owned as pets at all.  It was like all the controversy over owning a pit bull.  But Ruby knew that was all ridiculous.  As far as Ruby was concerned demons made better pets than any other animals.  If she was being honest she preferred the company of her demon over most humans she knew.  Sam was the perfect companion, unfailingly loyal and protective of her.  She was never afraid as long as he was around.  Their first Fourth of July together he had spent curled around her, growling at the unseen threat every time a firework went off.

And now he was none too pleased that she would be leaving him.  She wished he could understand that it would only be a short separation, and then she would be back.  She knew demons were intelligent, but they were still animals and she could hardly expect him to understand.  All he knew was that she was leaving and he didn’t want her to.

“Believe me Sam, if I could take you with me I would, but I just can’t.  Besides, you’ll be very happy here, I know you will.  It’s like we’re both going on a vacation.  This place is very nice and they’ll take good care of you.”  It was a highly rated and expensive kennel for “exotic pets.”  It was far out of her price range.  Under normal circumstances, she would have never been able to afford putting Sam up in a place like this for even one night.  But her sister was paying, since it was Lilith’s idea that Sam be put in boarding in the first place.  Not that it would be a hardship for her sister.  Lilith was very successful in her job and her salesmanship skills were undeniable. 

Lilith had a beloved angel that hated demons.  As far as Ruby could tell, Lucifer hated everyone and everything except for Lilith.  That’s why she had offered to put up Sam in such an expensive place, just to ensure Sam wouldn’t come anywhere near her precious Lucifer.  It was probably for the best.  It was a big deal; their family hadn’t been together in years.  Their family dynamics were complicated and with so much in-feuding it was a wonder that everyone had actually agreed to get together at all.  They probably wouldn’t have if it hadn’t been for Azazel’s death.  The whole family would be coming together for his funeral, and more to the point, the reading of his will.  He had been extremely wealthy and all the vultures in her family were hoping to get a piece of his estate.  It would be a miracle if everyone made it out alive.  There would be enough fighting as it was, no need to make it worse by having an angel and a demon in the same space.

It was going to be difficult for her, too.  She wasn’t used to being away from him for long.  Most places allowed angels and demons to accompany their owners, as long as they were collared, so Sam was her nearly constant companion.  The thought of saying ‘screw it’, and skipping the whole thing was very tempting.  But she had to go.  She had promised and there were some members of her family she was looking forward to seeing.  Meg would be there, and they had always been close.  Of course Alastair would be there, too, and she had no desire to see her creepy uncle again.  She gathered her resolve before she had time to change her mind again.

“I’m sorry Sam, but this is the way it has to be.  I’ll be back before you know it!  You be good now, don’t cause any trouble for the nice people here.”  She tried to put as much enthusiasm into her voice as she could in an attempt to make him feel better about her leaving, but she could tell it wasn’t working.  There was nothing for it then but to just go.  She turned away and allowed the door to be closed and locked.  The room had looked more like a luxury hotel room than an actual kennel, and that made her feel better at least.  She knew her demon would be well taken care of in her absence.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine.  It’s always hard to leave them behind, but by the time you come back he won’t want to leave at all!”  The perky employee, who’d identified herself as Donna Hanscum, said.  Ruby knew it was meant to be comforting, but she also knew Sam well enough to know that wouldn’t ring true.  She just hoped he didn’t get into too much trouble while she was away.  He was a good demon, she was sure he would be fine.  With that thought in mind she left Sam in (she hoped) the capable hands of the people at the kennel.

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Sam watched as the door to his enclosure was shut, blocking him from view of Ruby.  He walked the room slowly, sneering at the oversized pillow and blankets that were supposed to be his bedding.  He didn’t like Ruby being out of his sight, out of his protection.  She was his to protect and if he wasn’t with her, he couldn’t protect her.  He considered following her, but the door was warded.  Nothing he couldn’t break, but it would take him a little time to do so.  She didn’t think he understood why she left him here.  But he understood better than she knew.  He can’t understand everything humans say, but he can understand Ruby better than most due to their connection.  He could feel the intent behind her words and sometimes he could hear the echo of her thoughts.  Humans are weak and imperfect creatures, unlike demons.  That is why he needed to stay close, to keep her from coming to harm.  Who knows what could happen to her without him near.  He knew she was going to be with family and that she felt like that was for the best.  He had felt her guilt and her sadness and he hated Lilith for making Ruby do this to him.  He had heard that name and could feel the ambivalence she felt towards the woman.  He paced from one end of the room to the other. 

Distantly he felt something press into his awareness.  It was something he didn’t often feel, but something he could never mistake.  It was the light that warred with his darkness, the grace of an angel.  There was an angel here, where his Ruby had been, where she would be returning to.  He knew angels; they were vicious brutal creatures, capable of great violence.  At least demons were honest about what they were.  But angels hid all that power and violence beneath the surface.  Their beauty and gentleness fooled many humans into believing they were good, blessed creatures here to improve the lives of humans.  But Sam knew better, and he knew Ruby did, too.  He knew she felt no affection for the creatures.  Many perceived them as creatures incapable of harming another.  But it had been an angel that hurt him, nearly fatally, the night Ruby found him.  There was an angel here and he would not allow Ruby to return here as long as that angel was present.

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Anna hated leaving Dean like this, but it wouldn’t be for long, and this place was supposed to be the best.  She had an appointment with an owner that had an angel that might be a good fit for Dean.  He was rare among angels.  He was a male carrier.  That, combined with his lineage, made him extremely valuable.  Dean was a direct descendent of one of the first domesticated angels, Michael.  Not that his lineage mattered to her.  His value had nothing to do with why she was trying to find him a mate.  Angels mated for life, forming deep bonds with their flocks and their mates.  Anna had raised Dean herself since he was a fledgling.  He was a house pet, through and through, and a pampered one at that.  Anna loved her angel and they shared a deep bond.  But it wasn’t enough.  He needed someone of his own kind to be with; her deserved to find a mate.  It wasn’t always clear why a particular angel accepted another as its mate.  Angels either decided to mate or they didn’t.  And Dean had rejected every angel he had encountered. 

She had to first make sure that whoever owned a prospective mate was someone she could stand having around, and that they would treat the angels and future fledglings well.  The last thing she wanted was to be entangled with someone whose only interest in angels was the money they could bring.  But, most importantly, Dean needed to make a connection with the one he would mate with.  The most she could do was find other angels and hope Dean chose one. 

Her family had been breeding and raising angels for generations.  They had made no small fortune from it and lived comfortably.  That was until her father had disappeared.  He had left instructions behind for his children and the care of his estate.  Anna had been a child at the time that her father abandoned them.  Zachariah was caretaker at the time, and handled the business side of things.  According to her father’s instructions he would be in charge until Anna was old enough to take over.  And that Dean, in particular, was hers to care for.  Zachariah had been openly disdainful of this arrangement, believing he should have been left the business, instead of Anna.  He had argued that Anna was too young to be bearing the responsibility of caring for an angel, especially one as valuable as Dean.  But Chuck, their family’s lawyer, had insisted that the instructions were very clear.  Dean was Anna’s and the decisions of his care were to be left to her.  At first it had meant the world to her that he father would trust her with such a beautiful creature.  In the beginning, Dean reminded her of her father.  She wanted to believe her father had, and still did, love her.  Dean had been a symbol of that.  He showed that her father cared enough to give her something precious before he left. 

When she was a child Anna had spent countless lonely hours wondering why her father would abandon her and her siblings.  She tried to pretend that there was a good explanation.  He was a god, forced to return to Valhalla, or he had a dangerous past and was forced to leave to protect them.

In time a different picture began to form.  The little stresses and mundanities had a way of building up.  She would sit through endless lectures by Zachariah on how, without his business savvy, their family estate would slowly be eaten away until there was nothing left.  He insisted that she needed him and that she should leave everything to him.  He would stress the importance of breeding Dean or selling him for the money they would get.  He tried to impress upon her, that as the eldest sibling, it was her duty to keep the family business going.  It was at times like those that she wanted to take Dean and disappear herself.  There was only so much one person could bear.  She wondered now if that’s why her father had left.  Not because of some grandiose reason, or because of some great epic adventure.  Maybe it was more that he was chipped away piece by piece by all the little things.  She would never know now, and she hated that.  She hated that he would leave her wondering, always to wonder, never to know.  What kind of father did that to his children?  Perhaps they were better off without him.

No matter what Zachariah said, she would never sell Dean.  She would never allow any of the angels in her care to go to bad homes.  She would vet every potential owner to make sure they would take good care of the angel.  She also made sure each angel bonded with their new owner before she would allow them to leave together.  Zachariah told her it was a terrible way to run a business, she had turned down more than one offer because she didn’t feel it would be a good fit.  But she didn’t care, the well being of the angels was far more important to her than money.  She was far fonder of Dean, and all the other angels, than she was of Zachariah, so ignoring his wishes was hardly a hardship for her.

This kennel was one of the best, and anyway, she wouldn’t be gone long.  She just wanted to meet with the owner of the angel, an angel named Samandriel, before she brought Dean to meet him.  And she couldn’t exactly leave Dean alone with Zachariah.

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It didn’t take Sam long to break the sigils.  He was resourceful, even by demonic standards, and he had the advantage of having access to his full powers.

Demonic hierarchy was established through violence and dominance.  Demons were largely solitary but when they do accept another into their pack it’s for life.  He had always kept to himself, his territory had been large and he had been considering beginning a pack of his own.  An angel had decided to it wanted his territory for its own flock and had attacked him.  If it had been just one he might have stood a chance, but he was ambushed by more than one and as it was he had barely made it out with his life.  He had been a bad one for him, he had been alone and damaged he had, by chance, encountered Ruby.  She was a young girl at the time and no real threat to him.  It was this that prevented him from killing her on the spot.  He had tried to warn her off, but she had persisted until he realized she intended to help him.  Her bravery impressed him, and if it hadn’t been for her he might have died that night.  Demons take care of their own and Ruby was his now, so he would do whatever it took to protect her. Right now that meant taking care of the angel that posed a clear threat.

He made his way down a corridor lined with doors identical to his, each one numbered.  There were labels next to each door identifying species of the creature inside, along with the owner.  The first held a kelpie—vicious man-eating aquatic horses.  He didn’t know why humans insisted on putting themselves in such close proximity to their natural enemies.  They thought they had control of their “pets” but had no idea how powerful these creatures could be.  Next was a selkie, an intelligent, gentle, shy species of seal.  The sound of feathers caught his attention, but it was a phoenix, no doubt disturbed by his presence.  Some of the other animals made a raucous at his passing, others remained quiet, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.  But all knew they were in the presence of a predator.  He made his way down the corridor until he reached an enclosure at the very end, the feeling of grace strongest here.  There was warding in place, but it was designed for angels, useless against a demon.

As he reached out a hand and touched the door, he could feel the locks turning and unlocking for him until the door slid open.

His eyes went black as he took in the angel.  He was as tall and beautiful as any of his kind.  He watched the angel stretch its wings out; glossy black feather’s puffing up, in a defensive gesture.  Despite his aggression he could feel the fear coming from him.  That was good, he should be afraid.  Sam took a step closer, and then stopped.  There was something about the angel that was unexpectedly appealing, the stretch of long black feathers and piercing green eyes.  But there was something more.  He didn’t understand at first, but his hatred was melting away into something else.

It was instinct that whispered mine when he saw the angel.  And in that moment he knew.  When demons meet their mate they know.  He practically purred with satisfaction as the realization came, angel or not, this was his mate.

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Dean had never seen a demon up close before.  And he was not at all happy to be seeing one now.  This was supposed to be a safe place to stay while Anna was away.  He was supposed to be safe from demons here, and from Zachariah, a man worse than any demon in his estimation.  But now there was a demon standing before him.  He puffed up, spreading out his wings, trying to hide his fear. 

The demon stepped closer and he took a step back, pressing his back against the wall.  The cool stone was pressing in against his spine and along his wings.  Don’t be afraid.  The words came pressed in against his grace.  He scoffed at that.  Don’t be afraid of a demon.

You’re mine

There was no malice in it, but it didn’t stop a shiver from running down his spine.  He didn’t know what the demon meant by that, but he didn’t like it all the same.

The demon took a step closer and another.  He didn’t try to attack, which confused him.  This wasn’t what he had expected.

Stay away demon  He put as much contempt into it as he could.  But the demon remained undeterred.

The demon reached out a hand, slowly, almost tentatively.  Dean stood still.  As long as the demon wasn’t being aggressive, he didn’t want to do anything to make him attack.  A finger reached out and gently stroked along the top of his wing, sending a shiver through his grace.  Something deep called to him at the touch.  He pressed his wing forward into the touch, wanting more.  He understood this time, when the demon repeated that word.

Mine

Yours

After searching for so long Dean had found his true mate.

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Sam thought back over a nature documentary Ruby had been watching on the mating habits of angels.  There was something about angels communicating through their grace and being extremely physical creatures.  They would usually stay with their nest mates and would engage in mutual grooming.  There had been something about angel wings.  He moved slowly, trying not to frighten his mate, now that he’d found him.

He moved his fingers moved through the angels wings and for the first time he was complete.  He didn’t understand how his mate could be an angel, but right now he didn’t care.  All he cared about was that he was here.  The angel pushed his wing into the touch, wanting more contact.  Sam fingers ran over the top arc of bone and down into his primary feathers.   The touch was unpracticed, but he could tell the angel didn’t mind.

The angel curled his other wing around the demon.  At the touch the Sam momentarily went rigid then relaxed and allowed him to be pulled forward until they were pressed together.  The angel put his other wing around them then, completely surrounding him in the soft feathers.  He nudged the demon with his nose, and then rested his head against Sam’s shoulder.

Yours the angel said again, not because it needed to be said, but because it felt right.

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Sam woke up to the unfamiliar, but not unwelcome feeling of being surrounded by feathers.  He had fallen asleep holding his angel while wrapped up in the other’s wings.  What was unwelcome was the noise that was cutting through the peace of the moment.  Humans.  He could tell they were upset, but didn’t particularly care.  He just wanted them to go away so he could enjoy being with his angel.  He felt hands trying to pull him up and away.  That just wouldn’t do.  He growled and pulled his angel in closer, curling around him.  When one of the men touched his angel Sam snapped at him in a bid to warn him away.  Something sharp pierced his skin and then everything went black.

He woke up in his own cell again, and he could overhear snatches of conversation.  He couldn’t understand everything, but he understood enough.  Apparently the people who ran the facility didn’t appreciate his breaking into an angel’s cell.  There was talk of whether or not the angel—Dean—was hurt.  As if he would ever hurt his mate.  Stupid humans, they didn’t understand anything.

He paced back and forth through his cell.  This was Hell for him.  He had finally found his mate and now they were forced to be separated.  The sigils were back in place, but he would be able to break them.  But if he did return to his angel now, the humans would only separate them again.  He had to wait until the facility was quiet, before he could sneak back into the angel’s cell to be with his mate again.  But the time stretched on without end.  Humans made everything so complicated.  They couldn’t see that Dean and Sam needed to be together, they thought that since Sam was a demon he would hurt the angel given the chance.  But he had had the chance and he had done no harm to the angel that should be evidence enough that Sam had no intention of doing so.  With angels and demons it was much simpler.  He didn’t know how his mate could be an angel.  Dean was his, and that was enough.  He didn’t need to explain it, they were meant to be together and that was all that mattered.

And endless eternity passed before the facility was finally quiet and he was able to escape his cell and make his way down to Dean’ enclosure.  Based on the reception he could guess that Dean missed him as much as he had missed his angel.  He never wanted to be away from his mate again.

But this time the humans didn’t wait until morning before they came to take him away.  Within hours they were there again to take him from his mate. Didn’t they understand?  They needed to be together.  He didn’t understand why they fought so hard to keep them apart.  After being drugged once more he found himself back in his own cell again.  This time the locks were more secure and there was no way for him to escape to return to his angel.

Chapter Text

Ever since they had come back from the kennel Sam had been agitated.  Ruby had thought Sam would be happy to be away from that place.  She had been happy when she was finally able to escape her family and return to get Sam.  It had gone pretty much as she had expected.  Alastair kept trying to corner her despite her best efforts to avoid him.  Lucifer wouldn’t anyone near Lilith, and Lilith kept giggling over how adorably protective her pet was.  Alastair had left the majority of his estate to charity, not because he was a charitable man, but as a way of saying “screw you” to the family he hated.  He would have the last laugh, from beyond the grave.  The only one he left anything to was Ruby, because as was explicitly stated in his will, “she was the only one he had ever liked.”  The money he left her would certainly help make life a little more comfortable for her and Sam.  But it also made the rest of her family resent her.  She had been only too happy to return to Sam, the only one who loved her unconditionally.

 And he had been happy to her too.  But since they returned home he had been acting depressed and spent most of his time pacing her small apartment.  He was on edge all the time.  She didn’t understand what had happened, but it was clear something was going on.  She intended to go back to that place and find out exactly what had happened while she was away.

She grabbed her keys and called Sam.

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When they pulled into the parking lot of the kennel she expected Sam to refuse to leave the car, or for his agitation to become worse.  She didn’t know what had happened while he was here, but she thought for certain he would have no interest in returning.

To her great surprise, and increased bewilderment, he seemed only too eager to get out of the car and go in.  Once inside he paced the confines of the office and kept scanning the area as if looking for something.

After quite a bit of stalling and attempting to give her the run around, Ruby finally got the receptionist to call the head of the facility.  The owner turned out to be a man named Crowley and Ruby took an almost immediate dislike to him.  After some hedging, and “it’s not our fault, these things happen,” he finally admitted what had happened.   Sam had escaped from his enclosure and found his way into the enclosure of an angel.  The angel—shockingly—was unharmed.  But the owner of the facility had thought it best for everyone if they separated the two and tried to pretend the whole thing had never happened.  He had been afraid of opening himself up to unwanted liability, and after all, nothing had come of it so what was the problem?  It wasn’t like anyone had gotten hurt. 

That explained quite a bit then, and while this hadn’t been what she was expecting, it did give her a pretty good idea of what might have happened.  After promising not to sue, and agreeing to sign a waiver to that effect, she was finally able to obtain the name and contact information for the owner of the angel.  It was a woman named Anna who ran an angel breeding facility nearby.  The angels name was Dean.

At the mention of the name Sam’s eyes went black and he gave a low whine.  “Oh Sam, I’m so sorry.  We’ll get this figured out.”  Stupid freakin’ bureaucrats.  They were so concerned with covering their own asses that they didn’t even stop to consider the harm they were doing.

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Ruby pinched the bridge of her nose.  She was starting to get a headache.  She had called the number provided for her to get in contact with the angel’s owners.  She had spent the last twenty minutes on the phone with a man named Zachariah and so far she had achieved nothing more than coming to conclusion that she hated Zachariah.  After explaining that she was Sam’s owner, and that apparently Sam and Dean had spent some time together at the kennel, Zachariah had become cold and started to stonewall her.  He had made a point of saying that he could sue her for damages to his angel but that he was magnanimously willing to forget the whole incident.  And further, it was better for everyone involved if they had no future contact.

“That’s not a good idea.  Angels and demons mate for life.  It’s harmful for them to be separated from their mate.  I know this is an awkward situation; it isn’t exactly what anyone had planned on happening.  But it did happen and it would be best for both Sam and Dean to be together.  I’m sure we can work something out.”

There was an icy silence on the other end, before finally, “I’m sorry, but it’s more complicated than that.  Dean is pregnant with his first litter.  Angel/Demon hybrids are exceedingly rare but highly valued.  If raised properly they have the best attribute of both species.  They can possess the obedience and demeanor of an angel and the strength and power of a demon.  I’m afraid the influence of their demonic father could only be detrimental and could make the pups harder to sell…I’m sorry.”

With that the line went dead.  Ruby wondered how someone could make “I’m sorry” sound quite so much like “screw you.”  Sam’s eyes were black and he whined and pushed in against her side.  She curled one arm around her demon and he laid his head against her shoulder.  The position was awkward, like a Great Dane who tries to crawl into their owner’s lap.  But she could tell Sam was upset and he had been staying close to her because of it.  He didn’t understand what was going on.  He just knew he had found his mate and now they were separated.  It went against every demonic instinct to be apart from his mate for long.  Zachariah was a bastard who was clearly more concerned with making a profit than he was with the animals under his care.  She could try to buy Dean and the pups.  She didn’t have a lot of money, and even with what was left to her from Azazel she doubted it would be enough.  But she was sure that Lilith would lend her the money if she asked.  Lilith was like that, she was only too happy to do Ruby, or anyone else, a favor, no matter how big.  But she always wanted something in return.  One way or another Ruby would end up paying back the debt.  But when she thought about how sad Sam was, and how hard it must be on both him and the angel she knew, no matter the price, it would be worth it.

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Anna was getting worried about Dean.  His feathers were dull and he was starting to molt, a sure sign of stress.  He had been listless and seemed depressed ever since she had gotten him from the kennel.  Samandriel’s owner had been kind and had passed all of Anna’s tests.  Anna had felt comfortable bringing Dean over to meet the other angel.  But Dean hadn’t let Samandriel anywhere near him.  There hadn’t even been a tentative period of wing touching that usually followed with an encounter of a new angel.  Dean flat out was having none of it and wouldn’t even allow Samandriel to approach him.  Anna had been disappointed, but if they didn’t get along then that was all there was too it.  She had taken him home but Dean had failed to show his usual enthusiasm upon seeing his brothers and sisters.  She was starting to wonder if he was sick.  The kennel had a good reputation but it was possible he had picked something up while he was there.  She called in their vet, a woman named Jess.  She had been Dean’s vet for some time and if there was something wrong with him Anna was sure she could figure out how to fix it.

Jess sighed, looking very tired.  “Anna, I’m not sure what you want me to say.  I’ve already gone over all of this with Zachariah.  Dean is in perfect health, nothing’s changed since the last time I looked at him.  Since you and Zachariah chose to ignore my advice I’m not surprised he’s only gotten worse.”

This was the first Anna was hearing about it, Zachariah hadn’t mentioned having the vet look over Dean.  She never left Dean along with Zachariah when she would be gone over night.  But it was possible Zachariah had brought in the vet without her knowing.  If he thought Dean was sick, and more to the point knew what was wrong with him, she didn’t understand why he wouldn’t have mentioned it.

“What, exactly, did you tell Zachariah was wrong with Dean?”

Jess’ eyes widened at that, “He didn’t tell you?  He said he was going to tell you everything as soon as I left.  I can’t believe he would try to keep this a secret.”

While Jess explained what she had discovered in her last examination Dean leaned into her.  She stroked his wings, and curled one arm protectively around him.  She hated that her angel was in pain, and she hated Zachariah for allowing it to continue, without telling, no outright hiding, the truth.  It made her wonder what else Zachariah wasn’t telling her.

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Ruby had just finished explaining the situation to Lilith.  Her sister was as understanding and sympathetic as always.  With her child-like demeanor and sugary sweet disposition few would ever believe how cutthroat Lilith really was.  When they were kids, her schemes would always get them into trouble.  But Lilith would always look sad and swear she was sorry and somehow she could talk her way out of anything.  It was a trait that made Ruby both admire and fear her sister.

“Of course Ruby, you know I’ll do anything to help.  I’m always here for you, no matter what you need.  Just tell me what I can do to help this terrible situation.”  Honey dripped from Lilith’s tone and Ruby was just trying to gather her resolve to ask her sister for money—and what she had to do in return—when she was saved by a knock at the door.  She jumped at the temporary reprieve.  “Hold on Lilith, there’s someone at the door.”

When she opened the door she found a red-headed woman with an angel behind her.  The angel pushed past her in a flurry of feathers, and straight into the arms of her demon, knocking him to the floor.  Sam wrapped his arms around the angel and started nuzzling along his jaw.  So that must be Dean.

“Hi, I’m Anna.  That’s Dean.  Zachariah’s an ass.”

Well then, that pretty much summed it up.  “Sorry Lilith, I gotta go, something’s come up."

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“The way Zachariah talked about Dean, it was all about the money.  It was a business transaction to him, nothing more!  He didn’t care if Dean was happy, or if he ended up in a good home.  All that mattered to him was making a profit.  People like that shouldn’t be allowed to own angels.”  Ruby was still upset about her conversation with Zachariah and Sam had decided he didn’t like the man either; he was responsible for keeping him from his mate for so long.

“I can tell you and Sam are very close.  That kind of bond is difficult to form with a demon.  It means you have been taking exceptional care of him.  I swear I just found out what happened at the kennel.”  Anna was sitting on the opposite side of the sofa from Ruby while they talked.  “And Zachariah won’t be a problem anymore.  After I found out that he was trying to hide Dean’s pregnancy from me I started to wonder what else he might be lying to me about.  He’s been embezzling from the business for years.  The signs were all there, I was just too blind to see it.  I have only myself to blame.  My father trusted him and I guess I wanted to as well.  My father left when I was quite young and having Zachariah around made me feel connected to him in some ways.  Zachariah had more stories about my father than I did; I guess I didn’t want to lose that.  But I should have gotten rid of him years ago.  I gave him a choice: he could pay back the money he took and never go near another angel or demon, or he could go to jail.  I know I’m better off without him, I’m just sorry it took so long to see it.”  Anna looked away, a small embarrassed smile turning up the corners of mouth, “I’m sorry.  I’ve known you for all of five minutes and I’m already giving you my life’s story.”

“No, don’t be sorry.  I’m glad you told me.  Zachariah’s a horrible human being, I’m relieved you’re not like him.  With the way things are now I have a feeling we’ll be spending a lot more time together.”

Sam was wrapped up in Dean’s arms, after so much pain they were finally back together again.  But there was a stranger in his home, talking to Ruby, and his guard was up.

Sam knew Ruby enough to tell how pleased she was.  The way she smiled, the lilt of the voice, her body language, she was interested in Anna.  He considered this development carefully.  Anna seemed kind enough, Dean liked her, and so far she had shown a genuine interest in the health of his mate and their brood.  Yes, Sam decided, he approved of her.  He would allow Ruby to pursue this relationship romantically, if that was what she wanted.  He had scared off more than one suitor who was unfit for Ruby.

Dean gave a hard nip to his jaw to indicate his displeasure at losing Sam’s attention.  He was only too happy to return his attention to his mate who was sprawled out beneath him.  He ran his fingers through the soft feathers while dean arched up into every touch.  He had never known, had no interest in knowing, how soft angel feathers were.  He started to explore each layer, feeling the soft down feathers down to the sleeker primary ones.  The angel ran his hand along Sam’s horns, following the curve, stopping over each scar and nick.  He wanted to explore every inch of his angel, and this time he wouldn’t let anyone take him away.

Chapter Text

Anna had agreed to let Dean stay with her and Sam until they figured out what to do long term.  Sam and Dean spent the night wrapped up in each other.  Ruby spent the night watching TV.  It was somewhat depressing that her pet had more of a romantic life than she did.  Still, the fact that Dean was staying with them meant she would have a chance to see Anna again.  It looked like Sam wasn’t the only one whose romantic life was looking up.

The next morning Ruby woke up to the unpleasant realization that she was nearly falling off the edge of the bed, Sam a warm familiar weight at her back.  It wasn’t the first time he had decided that he needed the majority of the bed and nearly shoved her right off.  She pushed back against him trying to make him move enough for her to have some room.  It was her day off and still early, she didn’t feel like trying to sleep balanced on the side of the bed.  Her only answer was a soft growl then silence.

“Come on Sam, move.”  She gave a hard shove and met a wall of resistance.  Something soft brushed against her bare arm and she could see the tips of feathers lying against her skin.  She roused herself enough to sit up and peer over Sam to find, unsurprisingly, Dean curled up on Sam’s other side, one wing stretched out to cover them.  She sighed as she lay back again.  She was going to need a bigger bed.

Since sleeping wasn’t an option she decided she might as well start the day, since she was up anyway.  She grabbed her phone from the night stand and discovered a text from Anna; just seeing her name come up made Ruby smile.  The text read: How’s Dean adjusting to his new life?  Any unanticipated issues?

She thought about that.  Overall it seemed to be going okay.  She was going to need a bigger bed.  Hell, she was going to need a bigger apartment to accommodate the three of them.  When it was just her and Sam it had felt small, “cozy” as Lilith had said, but they had made it work.  Now though, with an angel added to their little family it just didn’t feel like there was enough space to move.

She started to text back: So far everything is going well.  The main problem is the lack of space.  Any chance you’d have a room or two to spare?

She paused, and then erased what she had written.  As appealing as the idea was, she thought it might be a little too soon to joke about moving in together.

She typed instead: Everything is going great!  Strange having an angel around, but nothing I can’t handle.  Dinner tonight?

She pressed send and felt the seconds stretching out before she got the response: Glad to hear it!  Around 7:00?  I can’t wait to see you again.

Ruby gave a sigh of relief.  She could hardly wait to see Anna again.  She could only imagine how her Sam must have suffered being separated from his mate the way had been.  No one should be forced to live without the one they loved.

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Sam sat on the sofa with Dean by his side, as it should be.  Ruby was running around frantically trying to get ready for her date.  He could tell this one was important to her.  She had broken out the six inch stilettos and had changed her clothes three times.  She had even gone as far as attempting to desecrate the nest his mate had built by trying to take back the black silk dress that was now an integral part of the nest.  He loved Ruby, but that had been a step too far.  He was the Alpha of this pack, and she had stepped out of line by trying to take something from the nest, the very nest that his mate was building for their young.  He would have none of it.  He had ensured the fabric stayed where it belonged.  After a prolonged attempt on Ruby’s part to cajole and ultimately attempt to grab the material she had finally given up.  He didn’t understand exactly what her words meant, but he understood that she was frustrated and none too happy with him.  Which was fine, she could be unhappy with him.  What was important was that the sanctity of the nest had remained intact.

“Okay I’m going, I’ll be back later.  Be good while I’m gone.  I know this is the first time you two will be alone since we got Dean, so just try not to destroy the place.  And please, for the love of all that is holy, stay out of my closet.  I can’t afford to lose any more clothes.”

With that she disappeared out the door, leaving Sam and Dean alone in the quiet of the apartment.

Dean ran his hand along one of Sam’s horns, his fingers pausing over one particularly deep gouge.  What’s it like, living in the wild?  I was born in Anna’s house and I’ve always wondered what it’s like out there.

It’s violent and brutal and glorious….and lonely.

He told Dean about his past, about his dam and his sire and his siblings.  He told him what it was like growing up under the constant threat of other demons, angels and humans.  He told him how he was driven form his pack by his sire once he reached maturity, to ensure he didn’t attempt to take power by killing him.  He told Dean what it was like staking a claim on a new territory, and fighting to defend it, long days and nights alone.  As much as he had wanted a pack of his own every demon he encountered was a potential threat to what he had.  He told his mate about the night he was nearly killed by angels and how Ruby found him.  Through it all Dean watched him with rapt attention, enthralled by a life in the wild so unlike his own raised by Anna.

There is something to be said for the freedom of living like that.  But I wouldn’t give up what I have now for anything, especially if it meant never having met you.  He proceeded to show his angel exactly how glad he was to have him as his mate.

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Ruby and Anna came back late that night, crashing through the door, wrapped in each other’s arms.  They disappeared into the bedroom together.

I think the date went well.

Sam could feel how pleased Dean was.  He was pleased as well, Anna had treated Ruby well and he was growing to trust her.  It looked like his pack was going to be expanding.

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Ruby, Sam and Dean were staying the weekend with Anna.  It would be the first time Sam would be in Anna’s house.  Dean was a little apprehensive; Sam wasn’t used to being around other angels and Dean’s brothers and sister had free reign of the place.  But he had faith that his mate would warm to the others.  They were a part of Dean’s flock and he knew his mate respected that.

When they first entered the other angels stayed away.  He could hear the constant song of their voices echoing through him.  They were talking about him and his new mate.  Hannah was nervous about the idea of a demon in their home.  Uriel did not approve of Dean being mated to a demon at all.  He went as far as calling his unborn children abominations and impure.  He did so from a safe distance, though, not having the bravery to show himself when he said it.  Dean told Uriel, and the others for good measure, what he would do to anyone who dared insult his children or his mate like that.  They would need to find a way to get along, and if they didn’t, they would no longer be welcome as far as Dean was concerned.  The demon was his now, and he didn’t give a damn if anyone approved.

Castiel was the first to approach.  He dropped down from one of the high rafters, his snow white wings spread to slow his descent.

He landed gracefully in front of Dean, and openly studied the demon beside him.  There’s a tense moment for Dean while he waits, worried that this might go badly.  But Castiel reaches out one wing and touches it against Dean’s in way of greeting.

It’s good to see you again, brother, Castiel says, we were worried when Anna took you away.  I’m glad to see you well.

There is nothing but warmth in the sentiment and Dean can feel Sam relaxing beside him.  Castiel stretches out a wing to brush against Sam’s arm, mirroring the greeting he gave to Dean as best he can.

I was uncertain when I heard you had mated with a demon.  But seeing him now, I can understand the appeal. 

It was an olive branch, Dean could still feel an apprehension in Castiel, and he appeared ready to retreat if need be.  It was still strange for him and the others to be so close to a demon, but Cas was trying to show that Sam would be accepted into their flock.  Sam’s posture was still rigid, but he made no move towards the other angel.

Dean has spoken highly of his brothers and sisters.  You are important to him and that means you are important to me.

That was a lot coming from Sam, who wasn’t one to accept the presence of angels lightly.  Dean appreciated Sam’s willingness to accept his family.  He didn’t know what he would do if his mate and his family were at odds.

Hannah was the next to come down.  Her golden feathers glistened in the light as she found her way from her place in the rafters.  She stayed behind Castiel and smiled shyly at Sam.  Sam studied her for a moment and her smile faltered under the scrutiny of the demon,

You’re Hannah.

That’s right. She sounded uncertain how to take the fact that the demon knew her name.  Her wings spread slightly, preparing for flight if need be.

It’s good to meet you.  Dean has told me about you.  He told me how happy you were that you’re flock would be growing when you found out he was pregnant.  I’ve wanted to meet you ever since. 

There was a warmth in Sam’s tone that helped cut through some of the tension.  Hannah’s wings folded back against her back, no longer prepared for flight.  After that Hannah relaxed enough to touch wings with Dean, though she wasn’t bold enough to do it with Sam just yet.  She kept a safe distance from the demon, but she no longer looked like she might bolt at any moment.  The rest of his family stayed high up, slowly encroaching and dropping down to lower places to better inspect the new demon that was among them.  But few addressed Sam directly.  It was progress and Dean knew in time all his brothers and sisters would adjust to the newest members of their flock.

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Anna watched as Sam interacted with the angels.  She had been nervous bringing him in.  Just because he had bonded with Dean didn’t necessarily mean he would accept the presence of other angels.  But so far it seemed to be going well.  Most of the angels stayed at a distance, but no one was growling or trying to kill anyone else.  Overall she considered that a win.

“It looks like it’s going pretty well, all things considered.”  Ruby said contemplatively.  Anna had seen her tense up every time an angel came near her demon.  She could tell Ruby wanted to intervene, but ultimately stopped herself.  The angels and demon needed to feel each other out and so far no one had shown any aggressive behavior, so it was best to leave them alone.

“I love this place, by the way.  It’s really beautiful and I can see how well taken care of the angels are.  Dean has space to stretch his wings and fly, which he really can’t do back at my tiny apartment.  I know it’s good for Sam and Dean to be together, but I could tell he was starting to miss you.  I wish it could always be like this.”  Ruby’s words helped ease some of Anna’s anxiety.  She’d been wanting to bring up that very subject for some but she’d been too afraid to ask.

 “It can be, I want you to move in here.  It makes sense, there’s plenty of room and it’s already set up to handle angels.  I think we could all be very happy together.”

“I was hoping you would ask that.”  A smile curved at Ruby’s lips, and Anna thought she could get used to seeing that smile every day.

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Anna woke up wrapped in Ruby’s arms.  Dean was on her other side and Sam next to Ruby, boxing them in.  There was the familiar feeling of Dean’s feathers brushing against her arm, his outstretched wing keeping her warm.  It wasn’t exactly the kind of family she had dreamt of as a kid.  But she was happy with the way everything had turned out.  Not many believed that an angel and a demon could live together so peacefully, let alone be mated.  But it had all worked out so well for them.  And it wouldn’t be long until their family was expanding.  Soon enough they would have little half angel half demons running around.  Which, now that she thought about it would be a lot of work.  Dean was so gentle and quiet, but if Sam had anything to do with it, the pups would no doubt turn out to be little hellions that destroyed the whole place.  But she didn’t mind, not too much anyway.  It was a big place, and she knew that she and Ruby could handle anything together.  Everything was coming together for her, maybe not in the way she had imaged, but for the best.  It might not be the most traditional family, but it was hers, and she couldn’t be happier with them.  With that thought in mind she snuggled up into the warmth of her angel and went back to sleep.

Epilogue

Dean settled down in the middle of the nest he had built.  His two of his three children surrounded him, two boys and a girl.  All three had small soft downy wings and small horns.  They had their father’s black eyes when they felt strong emotion, but the boys took after Dean.  They were good to a fault.  The girl, though, was a little devil just like her father.  She was always getting into things she shouldn’t be and dragging her brothers along with her.  She was a bad influence on them.  But Dean and Sam loved all their children, even if they were a handful.  It was getting late and Dean could see how tired the kids were getting.  The boys had come when he called, already snuggled up close to his side, safe in their nest.  But his daughter had been more resistant.  She had refused to come to bed, not wanting to stop practicing unlocking doors with her powers.  She was getting quite good at it, and once she had it mastered there was no doubt she would show her brothers so they could more easily continue their adventures outside the house.  Sam picked her up and carried her, protesting weakly, to the nest.  When he set her down she yawned widely while insisting she wasn’t tired.  Dean grabbed her before she could make it out of the nest again, pulling her close to him.  Once all three children were settled in Sam laid down beside them, ensuring everyone stayed where they were supposed to be.  Dean wrapped his wings around his children, the edges of his wings brushing against Sam.  He settled in and fell asleep surrounded by his mate and his family, knowing everything was as it should be.