Circa 1718, Crowley overhears Gabriel announce Aziraphale’s to be promoted back to heaven. What’s a demon to do but thwart the plans of heaven?

“You’re young,” Alex says bluntly. “Younger than me, even, and no one thought me any good until I’d proven myself in battle. And those of us who study the sword have many more opportunities to prove ourselves publicly--you lot are all shut away in your cloister, how would anyone even know?”

“It’s not like they thought anything of me there either until the first Trials,” Thom says, a touch bitter. “I am so tired of proving myself.”

“I would be too,” Alex says. “I’d look for something decisive. That’s not to say you have to do what Delia says, of course.”

“You don’t seem to doubt me,” Thom says, something odd in his voice. He knocks his shoulder against Alex’s, carefully.

Alex means to use Thom of Trebond to further his own plans. It doesn't turn out that way at all.

Piper was gazing into the bubbling depths of her champagne as though its very existence underwhelmed her. At such an early stage, Greenmantle was not yet to know that everything underwhelmed Piper; that Piper suffered, in fact, from a chronic lack of whelm. “I’m sick of this place," she said, with sudden vehemence. "I’m sick of all these men. I’m sick of all of it. Everything. Don’t bore me.”

Greenmantle told her, “I’m congenitally incapable of boring anyone.”

“Prove it,” said Piper.

(Nothing in the world has ever proved quite as difficult to obtain as Piper.)

“Barton has clearly imprinted on you,” Fury starts, and keeps talking right over Phil’s knee-jerk, horrified, “He has not,” to seal Phil’s doom by saying, “so I’ve decided that you’re going to take primary responsibility for him from now on.”

“Oh, god,” Phil says, faintly, before he can stop himself.

//

In which Clint rejoins SHIELD, has a series of agency-sanctioned adventures, and despairs of ever getting Phil to notice him romantically. He might have known Phil better before he knew so much about him.

Derek and Laura, six years, three cities, one car.

[1] The man tells him how joining up is like starting a whole new life, becoming a better person. He talks about incentives, career opportunities, health care, and saving plans, but Jake can’t stop staring at the picture of a man and woman looking proudly at their daughter in uniform.

[2] Cougar keeps popping up next to Jensen after that. And much like Jensen’s sudden influx of facial hair, Jensen decides to keep him.


Derek begins. Stiles begins. And wild things must always have a king.