35

I blinked at them again and again. It wasn't possible that the baby I had held not even twenty-four hours ago was now an adult sitting before me. I knew Nephilim followed different rules than human children, and figured a Cambion would follow similar if not the same, but this was still too much. The adult that stood slowly, just a few inches taller than me now, with those beautifully mismatched eyes, could not be the child I had thrown at Cas to save. But when they walked up to me, their eyes kind but searching, I knew in my heart there was no other person it could be.

I gasped when their eyes held mine and their face changed, mirroring mine in almost every way. Their hair grew shorter, losing the hair tie and falling free around their ears. They smiled at me, the same smile I wore on my lips rarely these days. When their eyes shifted to Ketch, their face shifted once again, now to mirror his. Their hair grew shorter impossibly fast, their shoulders straightening as they looked him over. They even seemed to grow an extra few inches taller. Then it was over, and we stood there looking at an individual who was him but also was me, but somehow both of us at the same time. We stood there looking at Kore.

"I…how?" I tried first.

"When Castiel took me away…" They spoke with a voice I had never heard. Something equal between that of a man and a woman. As if two voices spoke perfectly at once. "He took me to Haven to hide me amongst the angels. While we were there, I realized how much danger I would be in if I remained a child. So I grew up."

"And this…" I searched for the right words. "Vessel. Can you look like anything? Anyone?"

Kore looked at me for a second, as if processing what I had asked. Then slowly, they became an almost exact image of Elly. The room beyond us stilled as they focused on Kore. The only difference between Kore and Elly was the grey and brown eyes in place of her brilliant blue. I felt my eyes going wide as they came back to their resting form. 

"That's…" I started.

"Fucking incredible…" Ketch finished, taking a step closer.

He reached a hand out and gently touched their face. Kore's eyes closed as they rested on his hand.

"You have no idea how worried I was when Castiel told me what had happened." They spoke softly. "I thought I had lost you both before I could ever meet you."

My heart broke. And then they were in my arms, wrapped tightly against my chest. I felt the silent hot tears as they slid down my cheeks. The fear, anxiety, and longing for this moment that had sat so heavy in my chest seemed to lift as I held them. Ketch wrapped his arms around us both then, and we stood there as one, silently thanking anything that we were all here. That we were all together at last.

It was hours later that Kore and I sat at the map table alone. Everyone else had left on their own adventures while we finished the last piece of our puzzle. Dean, Cas, and Sam were out looking for Gabe. Positive they were going to find him at the best poker hall in the US, they had taken the Angel Express to Las Vegas and hoped to be back in a few hours, the archangel in tow. Elly, Ally, and Lucifer had gone to track down Rowena to hopefully help in a tracking spell to find Michael. We had had no luck with the base magic Sam knew, so the hope was that she knew something a little more powerful. 

That had left Cael to be the one to track down and drag in Crowley. I wasn't sure we would need him for much, but if there was anyone who could keep Hell under control while we were doing what we needed to do, it would be him. And we honestly should tell him that we planned to close the doors. I would've felt more comfortable sending him with backup, but Ketch had said he'd had something important to take care of and run out just before I'd had a chance to talk to him. I wasn't going to question him on what was so important. We had done so good recently on the whole keeping secrets from each other thing that I wasn't worried about him for once.

"What if he was here? You said this was where he had lived once right?" Kore asked, pointing at a small town in Minnesota. I was still getting used to the way they talked, though the subtleness of the two voices together didn't catch me by surprise anymore.

"He could have, but that was more of an Adam thing than Michael." I pointed out. "I'm not sure how sentimental Michael is."

"So then he could be anywhere?" Kore questioned.

"Unfortunately." I sighed. "We know that Gabe is most likely in Las Vegas like the boys think. And Rowena has an apartment she rents out in Wichita." I pointed to each place on the map. "And thankfully, Crowley hasn't moved at all since the last time I spoke to him so he should be the easiest to…"

"Do not think of me as easy, little mouse." The demon's warm accent washed over me as the small brush of wings came from behind us. "I certainly did not make it easy on your angel."

I turned, rolling my eyes at him. "I'm sure you didn't, Bat."

He was still dressed in a red flower Hawaiian shirt and peach-colored khaki shorts. There were sunglasses on his nose, pulled down just enough to see the small smile in his eyes, even though his face didn't hold one. I smiled softly at him before taking a few steps to hug him.

"I missed you," I said softly, only for us to hear.

"You could've called me." Crowley said, "You didn't need to send the lap dog."

"I wasn't sure you would come," I responded, taking a step back but keeping my hand on his shoulder. "And I want to try and keep this off as much radar as we can. We might have pissed off God."

"I can see why." He said, eyes having drifted over my shoulder, to Kore. "I've never seen a Cambion live this long."

"Then it is a pleasure to have the opportunity to meet you," Kore said, coming to stand next to me and extending their hand to Crowley. "My mother has had many good words for you."

"I would assume so." Crowley chuckled softly and took their hand to shake. "I'm the reason she's alive. Which would mean you owe me for your life as well."

"I would hope not my soul." Kore smiled at him. "I know better than to make deals with cross-road demons."

Crowley snorted. "I should have assumed they would inherit your sass as well as your power."

"About that." I took another step back. "Is there anything else we should be expecting from them? We can't find anything on them. At least there was something with Nephilims, but there's nothing on Cambions."

"That's because, unlike angels who seem to fall in love with a human every few decades," He cleared his throat. "There has only ever been one other recorded Cambion. And he was not allowed to live longer than…mmm…three hours after birth?"

"So Kore is the first of their kind." I nodded, "So we're on our own."

Crowley shrugged. "You should assume the same rules of Nephilim apply to them. Their power will be at least double yours."

"Right, that was another question I had for you." I looked up at Cael, nodding my head towards Kore.

Cael nodded once and took Kore back to the map table while I took Crowley by the shoulder and led him to the other end of the room.

"What exactly did you use ot bring me back?" I asked once we were out of earshot.

"You know, the standard Frankenstein monsters sew you up and put you back together again." He answered sarcastically. "What makes you think I would know what my mother did?"

"Right. I knew she was there and did whatever to convert me to…this." I gestured to myself. "Do you at least know what spell she used? Or the soul at least?"

"You'll have to forgive me, I was a little busy making sure you didn't die again on my table." Crowley bit out at me. "Why are you asking me about this?"

"Because I've been hearing a voice in my head." I hissed through my teeth.

Crowley blinked. "What kind of voice?"

"The kind that sounds like it wants to do very bad things." I sighed. "I'm not sure why it's talking to me now. It's been silent for so long if it has been with me all this time. But it can't be good, right?"

Crowley nodded. "You'll have to ask the witch what she used. I just collected the ingredients she asked for with no questions."

"Wait. You let her use an unknown spell to what? Remake me?" It was my turn to be a little harsh.

"What did you expect me to do? I had a deal to uphold and no real way to do it without damning your entire soul." He put his hands up in defense.

"Great. That's…just wonderful. So you have no idea just how much power I have. Or what was used to bring me back." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Why didn't you tell me this before now?"

"You didn't ask and it didn't seem relevant." Crowley huffed.

"Right. So it wasn't…" I stopped as another rush of wings came from our right. 

I looked over and found Cas, Dean, Sam, and a disgruntled-looking Gabe in front of the table. He looked good, even with the small amount of grown stubble on his face. If anything, it added to the get-up he was wearing. An expensive-looking navy suit with gold accents, buttons, and cufflinks. A single diamond earring was also a new addition in his left ear. At least his style hadn't changed.

"Are you going to finally tell me why you dragged me out of the best poker game I'd had all night?" And neither had has personality. "I was going to win that hand!"

"And us the money for what? Another night in the penthouse sweet you could magic your way into anyway?" Dean chidded. "You'll have more fun with us anyway."

I smiled softly again before turning back to Crowley. "We can talk about this later when Rowena gets here."

The demon nodded in agreement before we joined the growing group.

"Alex!" Gabe said when he saw me. "Please tell me you haven't changed as much as they said you have."

I laughed softly. "I'm still the same Winchester you left five years ago. Just with a new body and a hell of a lot of new abilities."

"I only expect the best from you lot." He commented before pulling me into a hug. "At least you're not as prickly as Dean."

I laughed more, accepting the embrace before pushing away and directing the archangel toward Sam. "He can fill you in on the details better than I can."

Sam nodded and sidestepped to the table. "We should wait for the last group before we get started though."

"They should be here soon. I can't imagine she would be too much of a handful." I commented.

"It's Rowena, Alex," Dean said. "She's always dramatic."

And as if following a cue. The last pair of wing beats jostled the air in the room, and the devil, Nephiliam, the devil's bride, and witch came into the room. 

"Would you get your hands off of me!" Rowena scoffed, taking a step away from Lucifer. "I would have been perfectly capable of getting myself here."

"But would you have come as quickly as we needed you to?" Lucifer sighed.

"Depends on what you would have told me." The witch hissed at the devil.

I rolled my eyes. "Have they been like that the entire time?" I asked as Elly walked over to us.

"Unfortunately." She sighed.

"So she's in a wonderful mood." I pinched the bridge of my nose again. "Great."

"I'm always in the best moods for you, darling," Rowena said, her hand suddenly on my shoulder.

"You're too quiet in those heels, Ro," I said softly, my hand going to hers. "I need to talk to you when we're done here."

"About what?" Her hazel green eyes seemed to carry worry as they looked over me. 

"About what you did to remake me." I squeezed her hand gently. "But we can talk about that later."

We both turned to the table then the rest came to join. With us all in one room again, it felt like we could truly do anything. Even with the one missing piece. But I could fill him in later.

"Right." I started. "Let's get down to it."

Three hours. It had taken three hours to get through the talking, the arguing, and the questions. Three hours to narrow down a plan that was a half-decent way to find Michael and then find a space to do the ritual to close up Hell again. Three hours to come to terms with possibly sealing me away too. But I would do it to save the rest. That had never been a question to me. They were worth more, and Ketch would come to accept it eventually. He would have to.

And now, I stood looking over Rowena's shoulder as she cast the tracking spell to find Michael. She had been watching some dial on an ancient-looking map move across the board for several minutes now. It never seemed to stay in one spot longer than a few seconds before flying to another.

"What does this mean?" I asked.

Rowena sighed. "It means he's moving around a lot. Probably trying not to be found."

"But if he's moving around like this then we can't…."

"Child…" Rowena cut me off. "I am aware that his sporadic movements make it harder to get him here. Your obvious statements are not going to make this any easier."

I threw my hands up in defense. "Fine. Can I ask a few questions then?"

Rowena let out a deep sigh. "If you must."

"What did you use to remake me? Crowley said he only collected ingredients for some spell you performed." I asked.

The witch glanced sideways at me for a minute before going back to the map. "There wasn't a lot of your soul to work with, so we had to substitute in another to make you," She gestured at me with a free hand. "Possible."

"Right. I was pretty beat up. But what did you 'use'?" I asked again. A little more forcefully.

"Well, darling. I used what I had at my disposal." She seemed so focused on the map in front of her.

"And that was?" I pushed more.

"Honestly, sweetheart, I'm not exactly sure." She sighed.

"What do you mean, 'you're not sure'?" I refused to believe she had no idea what she had done to me. 

"I only had a few souls in my possession to choose from." The witch shrugged. "And out of those, there were only two that would work for the spell. A newer one I had gotten from winning a game of poker with another coven." I laughed a little at the thought of souls being wagered in a game like that. Even though I had seen worse done to souls. "And the other was so old I couldn't remember where I had gotten it from. But there was so much power that came from it I was sure it would work and make you into something incredible."

"So you gave me a demon soul that you know nothing about?" I stated more than asked.

"If you want to look at it that way, then sure. I used a soul I knew nothing about to save yours and make you into the lovely badass you are." She scoffed. "I think I deserve a thank you for that."

"Uh-huh." I rolled my eyes. "That doesn't explain what it is or what it wants with me."

"Have you considered asking it?" Rowena suggested with a shrug.

"You're saying I should willing to talk to the thing that is offering me abilities that sound too dark to want?" I asked. "Because that has ever been a good idea for anyone, let alone my family."

Rowena shrugged. "Just give it a shot, love. The thing is going to know more about itself than we do. And it's already willing to talk to you, so why not?"

I sighed. "You have a point. But I'm only talking to it to get information. I'm not accepting any deals with it."

"I didn't say you had to, darling." Rowena smiled softly. "Why don't you go find a quiet place to speak with it then? This is probably going to take me a while longer."

"You just want me out of your hair." I teased.

"A Winchester bothering little old me? Why…I would never think they were capable." She laughed softly.

I rolled my eyes but pushed off the table and began to walk away. "Alright, alright. I'll go. But let me know what you've got him."

"You know I will." She said as I started to drift down the hall.

I went to the only quiet spot I knew would be enough for me to relax enough to talk to the thing. When I threw the door open to my room, I took a long, deep breath. I could still smell Ketch' cologne as it drifted through the air. I smiled, thinking how ridiculous he would think I was being over something like this as I sat on the edge of our bed.

"You are being ridiculous," I said to myself. "It's just a voice in your head. Not like this is the first time you've dealt with that."

I sighed and laid back on the bed, sinking slightly into the soft covers. I stared up at the plain brown wood ceiling before I closed my eyes and tried to sift through the fog of thoughts that clouded my mind.

'Do I just try to think about it?' I thought.

'That would be the start.' The dark voice responded.

I jumped a little. 'That didn't take long.'

'I would never take long to respond when you are searching for me child.' There seemed like there was almost a smile behind it's voice.

'Right.' I sighed. 'What are you?'

'I am a piece you you, child.' It said.

'I…' It would be like that then. Only specifics would do. 'What were you before you were a part of me? And before you were a soul in Rowena's possession.'

'I went by many names. The Dark One was very popular, but my favorite was The Scaled One.' The voice seemed to sing the last name through my mind.

'Why did they call you that?' I asked.

'Because of my appearance, child.' It said matter of factly.

'Right. And what did you look like? What was your story?' I sighed again.

'There it is, child. There is the right question.' It almost seemed to laugh at my frustration. 'I was a demi-god of sorts before I perished. Much like your friends, I came from another world with my people. We were built to look like what your species called 'snakes'. Scaled skin and all. Though we stood on two legs like you do. And we had come to take over your world.'

'You were a demi-god?' I asked.

'Of sorts, child.' The voice huffed. 'I was more powerful than the rest of my race that had come through. When we came to take your world, I was their leader. Strong enough to take over countless other worlds and make them ours. But we underestimated your kind. And I was left alone after only a few short years of war.'

'Am I supposed to feel sorry for you? You wanted to take over my world.' I said.

'Do not pity a god, child. Even a one of smaller power.' The voice hissed. 'I could grant you abilities far beyond your belief if you would take but a fraction of what I have.'

'Right. What happened to you after the rest had died?' I asked, ignoring the sudden want of power from this thing.

'I was stripped of my immortality by that red-headed annoyance you call a witch.' The thing spits the words in my mind. 'Stripped down to nothing more powerful than the things you call vampires. I was forced to resort to eating human children to extend my life.'

'You went around killing kids?' I asked it. 'That's fucked up.'

'Ha!' The thing barked. 'It is no worse than what the monsters of your world do day to day. Do not judge me for what I had to do to survive.'

'It obviously didn't work. Or you wouldn't be here. So what happened next?' I continued with it.

'Like most mortal things. I died. Starved to death by a world that could not sustain me as a mortal.' I could feel its anger bubble up within me. It felt so similar to my own. 'And then that damn witch came for my soul. And I was trapped with her until she used me for you.'

'And you've what? Just been sleeping inside of me until now?' I asked it.

'I have been waiting until you needed me, child.' It scoffed.

'Right. So what makes me think I need you?'

'Why else would you have called out to me when you did?' It asked.

I felt my eyebrows gather together in question. 'I called for you?'

'I would not have woken up otherwise, child.'

'Then you know what's going on, and what needs to be done?' I asked it. 

'I have been aware of everything you have been since I awoke, child. I know the ways of your heart and the world it yearns to beat for.' It stated.

'Can you help us then? Give me something more I can use to do what is right? Or maybe just tell me if there is anything more I can do? Something I can get?' I felt like I was almost pleading with it.

'The only thing I can offer is more of my power, child. To let you access more of myself.' It seemed to stir more at the thought of that. 'But that would come with a consequence.'

'A consequence for power seems pretty on par.' I chuckled. 'It can't be as bad as giving up my soul. Been there, done that.'

'You simply need to tell me yes, child.' It said.

'I'm not here to make a deal with you. Not yet.' I told it firmly. 'I just needed to know what you are.'

'Then you will know where to find me when you are ready, child.' It seemed to accept that answer and withdraw a little. 'They will be looking for you soon. Your angel has been found.'

I opened my eyes again as a knock fell on my bedroom door. I breathed out a breath I felt like I had been holding for too long, and got from the bed. I took a few steps to the door and opened it to find Elly.

"Where is he?" I asked before she could say anything.

"Cairo. Egypt."