Chronicles of Absolution: No Man's Land

Chapter 1

One Year Ago

… High noon didn't look like the high noon shown in the movies. The sky was gray outside and seemed to reflect the mood of what was to come. Lucifer looked around at the brush and the tombstones. Humans were such delicate and fragile things and they had a fascination with death. They spent more on funerals than they did on anything else.

"It's mostly because death is the great unknown. They don't know what happens afterwards."

Lucifer rolled his eyes as he looked at Angela. She was merely standing there as she looked around the cemetery. She had an almost peaceful expression on her face as she closed her eyes and let the wind touch her face. She had opened her eyes slightly and shot him a wry grin like she knew something he didn't. He retorted, "And you do?"

"I died and almost died multiple times. The last time I remember quite vividly."

… "Stop, Lucifer. You know you can't hurt her." Michael held up his hand in a placating gesture. "You can't kill her."

"Why not?"

"You know why."

… Dean wanted to rush over to Angela but given what he had seen Lucifer do in Sam's body… it made him nervous but he was determined. He looked at his brother's body, "Sammy, can you hear me?"

Lucifer, still on his high of being pissed slowly turned towards Dean. "You know, I tried to be nice. For Sammy's sake." He walked up towards Dean trying hard not to get overexcited. "But you… are such a pain." He put his fingers on the lapels of Dean's jacket. "In my ass."

… Lucifer had turned to see the juju witch powering up. He raised his hand to give her the same treatment he did with the old man when his wrist was grabbed. He turned to see Angela looking at him her teeth showing like she was heaving but her eyes were narrowed and glowing. She looked at Lucifer and said, "You will not touch her."

Lucifer was surprised at the reaction and even more so that she had been able to do that and fling him back. It wasn't far but it was enough to make him land on his behind. He sat up and looked at her and grinned, "I always knew you were capable of more than you ever showed. And it's wasted on them."

"Maybe," Angela replied as she let her power recede, "But your beef is with me and Dean and the man would like to talk to Sam."

Lucifer got to his feet grinning. "You really shouldn't have let go of your power."

Angela stood there. She had heard it before and took the sudden punch that came at her. She had moved enough to avoid what would be considered a death blow but it was enough to knock her down. She countered by sticking out her leg but Lucifer grabbed it and brought his elbow down on her thigh and she grunted out before he flung her leg aside and moving her body along the ground. She watched as Lucifer grabbed Dean by the leg and pull him off the car while at the same time giving Haley a backhand that knocked her over when she tried to stop him…

… "Too bad because I will make Sammy suffer your death at his hands. I know about you." Lucifer whispered the last bit. It gave what he needed and he shoved her hard. She literally flew into the side of the car, hitting her head. He looked at her and advanced towards her and was surprised that she managed to move and pull herself towards Dean. "Fine. Have it your way."

… "It's okay. I'm here. We're here." He looked up at his brother's possessed body and said, "I'm not leaving you. Me and Angie are not leaving you."

Angela looked up and stared at Lucifer. She had one card left to play. She took a breath and channeled her power creating a slight breeze. She pushed herself to a kneeling position and stared at Lucifer long and hard as he raised his fist. She stood up and he backed away as she held up her hand and looked at the angel. She looked at him and said, "Sam, remember, no matter what happens… I forgive you. Always and forever."

Dean watched as his possessed brother stepped back the moment Angela stood up. He saw the glowing outlines of her tattoos and felt the breeze. It was calm, gentle but there was power behind it. Lucifer had to feel it since he was moving backwards. The fist was still raised like he was going to punch and she was in the line of fire for a killing blow. Was that her plan?

… There are three great things in life my little bambina. You are capable of all three but the greatest comes from your heart and soul.

It's your greatest weapon Cat.

Nothing means anything if you can't forgive yourself.

… Dean watched as his brother fell in but it was Angela that caught his attention. He watched as she walked towards the edge of the hole with her hand outstretched. She looked determined. "Angie," he called out.

Angela paused and turned to look at Dean. She took in his broken appearance but that didn't matter. Looking at the man that was her big brother she gave a full genuine smile before turning back and with a spring, she leapt into the hole with her arms spread wide like she was going to fly, eyes closed. She fell with a smile on her face…

… So I make this promise to you, brother. Sam will never be alone while in the cage. I will stay by him and maybe find some way to come back to you without setting the devil free. I know that it may seem selfish and that would be right but… I am doing this because it is right. I choose you, Sam, my family and in the end… maybe that is all that matters.

So don't worry about it. It's going to be okay. That I promise with all my heart to you, Big Brother.

Love from your Sister,

Angela

Now

Sam gasped for breath as she did. Panting and grinning he rolled onto his back pulling her to lie on top. He took deep breaths as he looked up at her, her breaths matching his. He reached up and ran his fingers through her dark locks, feeling the softness. His fingers then moved towards her face, caressing her cheek.

She closed her eyes in contentment as her breathing evened out. "I love you," she murmured softly.

Sam hummed and pulled her down to kiss her full on the mouth. His hands drifted towards her back. The moved down lower. "I love you," he murmured into her ear.

She kissed him back. She felt his hands go lower until it brushed her lower back, that part of her body that was sensitive. She hadn't meant to hiss but she did. She did and she hurt him. She was tired of doing that to him.

"What is it?"

"A scar."

He asked if he could see it. She nodded and slid off his body so he could prop himself up. She rested her head on her forearms as Sam inspected her back. He found the first scar right in the middle of her back. "This one?"

"When I first died."

It was unexpected and soothing when he leaned over and gently kissed it. His fingers lightly caressed the rough skin and traced the line that was unmistakably from a knife. His fingers moved south, down her spine. It produced a shiver but the good kind until it stopped on the right side of her lower back, where her kidney was. He fingered it gently and asked, "And this?"

She held her breath and swallowed slightly before replying, "The day… the day that I almost died… and when Jess died." She closed her eyes and buried her face.

She didn't expect him to tenderly rub the area, feeling the jagged edges. She let out the breath she had been holding when he kissed it, lingering longer than he did the other. She felt his warm breath caressing it as he gently suckled the skin and her breath came out almost a slight moan.

Suddenly Sam shifted and was on top of her, kissing the back of her shoulder where the "ink" in Gabriel's sigil changed crimson. It was like he was kissing away all her pain that she had been carrying all these years. She heard him murmur that he was glad she was in his life or something like that. She was basking in the feeling his touch evoked.

That is all a lie, love.

He couldn't love a creature like you. A monster.

I know what you did and I'll enjoy choking the life out of you and making Sammy watch.

Her eyes snapped open and she rolled over in a flash, her hand gripping the knife she slept with. With deadly precision she sank it into the thing that was almost upon her. Her eyes narrowed as she watched it as it squealed in pain and fall off her knife. She then sat up and looked around to see if there were any more. She gave a warning look at nothing in particular before she sat up and inspected her knife.

At that moment she was joined by a familiar four legged friend and she gave a wry look at him. "You're supposed to be the biggest badass in Tartarus. What the hell was that?"

Cerebus gave a homely look before coming over and laying down to put his head in her lap. Angela couldn't help but smile slightly as she sighed. Absently she began petting his head as she looked around, grateful for the light of the fire she had made for the night. That is if it was night since time passed differently here.

The craggy surfaces of the outcropping that she was taking refuge under provided adequate shelter but that was hardly reassuring since there were things that came out at night that liked to hunt. She was lucky to get as many hours as she did at night to sleep. This night was a mild one and she was actually glad that something woke her up.

Looking at her knife, Angela worked to clean it off. It was therapeutic and worked to keep her calm while facing out into the darkness. She checked her blade and made sure it was in working order. It was hard to keep clean in this place since she was constantly on the move but she made do. It just wasn't like the old days when she would travel from place to place. It was different here but it was as she remembered so long ago.

She was in hell. And not just hell but the cage, the very cage that Lucifer has been cast into, released from and then put back in. She winced slightly as she remembered how that all played out. How she just let Lucifer take her with him… She sighed at that memory and the look on Dean's face when she told him that she wasn't planning anything.

She had always been told she was a master of deceit. When she had to do the need to know thing, she kept at it unless she wanted someone to know and always in subtle ways. This time… she wished she had done it better but she didn't want Lucifer to figure things out through Sam and Dean… The small comfort was that she had left him a letter explaining her reasons for this. It didn't make things better but she hoped that he wouldn't be too upset.

Sam had told her not to go poking at the cage once he jumped in. Made her promise and she had every intention on keeping that. She had figured that would be the case before he came to her that night since she wasn't going to let this whole thing go. She had to make changes along the way when he made her promise but… now she was here. She was back in hell and it wasn't like the last time.

When she jumped in after Sam, Lucifer, Michael and Adam, she expected to land in the same place. She knew enough about hell that there were certain appearances to the place and it didn't generate the need to want to take a vacation there. However, this was a prison and yet here she was in the middle of nowhere. It actually looked like those desolate places with the rocky craggy structures they used in space movies and post-Apocalyptic deserts.

When she landed, there was nothing in sight. She was in a canyon of sorts but at least she wasn't alone. Cerebus had come with her as was planned. She looked down at the hell mutt and rubbed his head, gently brushing the fur and rubbing his ears. She had asked this of him when she made the preparations with her blood for Sam and he agreed.

It is only right the alpha fights for her mate.

Angela hummed a chuckle as she looked up at the sky. She wasn't sure about exactly how late it was but it was better that she was awake even though she was having the most wonderful dream, a memory of that night. It only started turning into a nightmare when she recalled what Lucifer told her; that he knew. Just thinking about it shot fear down her spine, mostly about what Lucifer would do to Sam if he actually knew.

Cerebus gave a low moan and it distracted Angela. She looked down at him and said, "Sorry boy. Another one of those dreams." She looked up and sighed as she continued to pet her dog on the head. She thought about what she had been doing ever since she got there. "Ever since we've gotten here it's been constant fighting terrors and trying to follow that tick I know is Sam."

The first day she landed, she was assaulted by those dark creatures. She couldn't really see what they were but they moved like demons. She killed them but it kept her on alert as she focused on finding Sam. She used that trick Gabriel taught her and she hoped that by drinking her blood that it would amplify or at least give her a constant signal to track him down. It was all she had and she used it to move forward.

It was like the old days when she literally was the definition of a drifter. She had wandered from place to place, never making friends but helping out whenever there was trouble. It wasn't always about the supernatural then but she did come across it when it popped out. She was on the road and on foot and making her way through a cavern with a hell hound. It was hardly like the old days in that it seemed like every few turns she was attacked by something or she was confronted by things she had done in the past.

"Well, we are in Lucifer's playpen. Michael may be in here with him but ultimately…" Angela looked around to make sure that nothing else was around.

If there was one thing for certain, this reality was how the owner shaped it. She had a fight on her hands but she wasn't going to give up. She wasn't going to leave Sam alone here and if she found Adam, she wasn't going to leave him alone either. The problem was that she had a mass of… no man's land between her and them. She had already spent… she wasn't sure how many days she was here. If she had to guess… It felt like a century or so.

That was one trap she fell into and was trying to keep straight. She knew time passed differently in hell. She had spent enough time in the sanctuaries to know that as well. She wasn't sure how long she had been there. The days had blended with the constant walking, wandering, following the trail and then fighting off the past and whatever the mooks that jumped out were. It occurred to her that Michael and Lucifer were working together since there was nothing but each other to gripe at.

Knowing that there was nothing much else to do, Angela huddled over Cerebus and hugged him. She cuddled him close and breathed in the smell of his fur. Another night that was being spent out in the middle of whatever Lucifer had cooked up. Looking up at the night sky she shouted, "You're gonna have to do better than Lucifer! Michael! You hear me? I won't give up!"

It made her feel better even if it was the most stupid of things she had done. Taking a deep breath, she readjusted her body and laid beside the dog. She wrapped an arm around Cerebus and had a hand grip on her knife. Absolution was on the ground near her and her chakram was within easy reach. She looked like one of those magpies or hoarders that slept with the things she collected like it was a nest but given where she was at…

Angela managed to get a few more hours of sleep and woke up feeling a bit rested. IT had her suspicious though since up until then it had been a constant barrage of the fighting and the mental and emotional torment. This was highly unusual and she wondered if it was a means to throw off her game. She thought about that as she made sure her gear was strapped to her person. She pressed a hand to her stomach and sighed as she focused once more on the tick she had been following. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

Has to come from the heart Cat. That's how you'll find whatever the most important thing to you is.

Opening her eyes, Angela turned in the direction that she had been heading in the last few days. She looked down the path that looked like it was lit for her. Running a hand through her dark hair she sighed. She looked at her locks and noticed that they were even longer than before. It was now down to the small of her back. Seeing that, she started braiding it to keep it out of the way. She heard Cerebus harrumph at her and she said, "Oh please, it's not like I've been able to pay attention to it before. Fighting ring a bell?"

Cerebus harrumphed at that as he trotted forward to sniff the air. Angela rolled her eyes as she finished braiding her hair. "You're really a mutt," she said as she finished tying back her hair. She kicked at the ashes from the fire to cover them and took a breath. "Well I guess we better get going." She looked at her person.

She was still wearing the same thing she had worn when she jumped it. It was a modified version of what she had worn at Karnak. The thin fabric still had not torn and she wondered what it was made out of. She looked at her gauntlets that held the sigils that denoted what she was to the people. She wasn't the hero they thought her to be. Hell she had left them to follow Sam because she loved him. It was selfish of her but…

Cerebus barked and Angela looked up. She narrowed her eyes but couldn't see anything. Yet she trusted the hell hound's senses if hers were failing. "Alright, alright. Let's go. I know you want to see Sam too."

Jumping down from her look out point, she stepped onto the road that she had been following. She started walking down the path, her boots crunching on the gravel as she traveled at a casual fast pace. Her arms swung at her side as she walked, keeping pace with Cerebus. She occasionally would leave it to climb higher to scout the way ahead.

The sun was relentless even though the overcast was grey. She could feel the rays beat down on her as she shielded her eyes to protect them and to see better the landscape even though it hadn't changed much. She was wrong though and what she saw surprised her. She had to blink to make sure that one too many days hadn't addled her brain though it probably already did. Looking ahead she said, "I don't know whether or not to trust my eyes or not, Cerebus."

Cerebus barked from below. Angela looked down and saw that he was pointed in that direction. His feet were dancing, itching to go forward. She clasped her hands together behind her head and looked forward at what she was seeing. Sighing she lowered her hands, "Well… the way forward is that way. Sam is in that direction."

Leaping down, she landed gracefully and started walking. She called Cerebus to her side and took strong strides. It seemed that something had changed. For the better or for worse, she didn't know. All she knew for certain was that Sam was in that direction.

I promise you Sam. You will never be alone. I'm coming.

~0~0~0~0~

"I don't know what you plan on doing with her brother."

Lucifer looked at the image he was watching. His lip twitched in a slight smile as he watched her. He knew she had been there in the cage the moment she crossed the threshold. He knew that she wasn't going to let this go. If she wanted to follow him into hell then she would suffer the consequences. He replied to Michael's query, "I plan to have a little fun with her."

"You can't kill her," Michael pointed out.

Lucifer looked at his brother before giving him a hard punch that sent him flying backwards. "Don't tell me what to do. Besides I have no intention of killing her."

Lucifer didn't expect the tackle from his brother and was knocked to the ground. Michael looked down at Lucifer and gave him a punch for good measure. "You know not to harm her."

"Please." Lucifer used his powers and sent Michael back. He held his hand up to keep Michael from doing anything foolish. "I don't intend to kill her. If she dies here it is because she is too weak. And it's not like you went easy on her in the first place." He gave a wry look at Michael before turning away.

Lucifer walked towards where he had been viewing to take a good look. He saw her looking ahead and he marveled at her resilience. It was why he had tried getting her to come to his side. She was beautiful.

Michael got to his feet and followed Lucifer but kept out of reach. "And you think the mind games are any better?"

"Oh they are. She's far too strong to take mere physical toll" Lucifer grinned in admiration before turning to look at Michael. "You forget, you left her in hell for nearly a year topside. It had to take our troublesome brother Gabriel to get her out and that was after the miscreant worms helped her to escape."

"She got out. That is all you need to know," Michael insisted. "And physical pain is just as good."

Lucifer chuckled at that. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Why don't we put that to the test like we have since she got here?" He turned and walked away and reached out to grab something in the shadows. "After all there is only one reason that she is here." He pulled it out into the shadows.

Michael took in his brother as he pulled out the bloodied head of Sam Winchester by the hair. His lip twitched as he recalled the last beating he gave the insolent Winchester. He got some satisfaction but he didn't get the same satisfaction Lucifer got nor the same reaction. He watched as Sam twitched and whimpered.

Lucifer knew that Michael was jealous about the reaction he got from Sam. Well, he knew a thing or two and had some 'fun' with the younger Winchester. "Oh yes. She's here for Sam. You won't believe what I found out."

"Leave… leave… her… alone."

Lucifer looked at Sam before adjusting his grip and grabbed Sam hard by the chin. His eyes glowed almost demonically as he looked at him. "Don't think you can make demands. I've been easy on you but far worse awaits the moment she even succeeds to make it through this little game."

A/N: Here we are a year later and Angie is in the cage, fighting her way towards Sam and it seems that so far it is a game to Lucifer. We'll wee how it goes next time on No Man's Land...