Chapter 1

The lawn in front of the house.

"I'm so glad all of you could make it." said Lucifer in a drawling voice.

"Satan! You son of a bitch. What is the meaning of this?"

"Careful now Dean. You might want to rope in your anger. Good to see you, Sam." said Lucifer nodding his head towards the younger Winchester brother.

"Will someone explain what's going on?" said Bobby

"Ah, Bobby!" said Lucifer, smiling.

"Okay, listen here Lucifer. Why have you brought us here? Of all places?" said Sam earnestly. He shot a quick look at Dean, making sure that his older brother was standing firmly next to him.

Dean clenched and unclenched his fist, sweat gathering on his brow. He had a very, very bad feeling about this.

"This is a little farewell party I've organized, if you may. What better place to host it than where it all began?" said Lucifer.

Dean and Sam looked up at their childhood home, dark and desolate. It looked like it had been uninhabited for years.

"So," said Lucifer clapping his hands together, "here's what we're going to do. You and I are going to walk inside that house, Sam. And then Dean here, will follow like a good boy."

"What makes you think we're going to do that?" spat Dean.

"My brother, Michael will come after us, soon enough," said Lucifer, rolling his eyes, pretending to ignore Dean, "and then, it shall all begin."

"You're telling me that you are going to fight Michael tonight? In that house?" asked Bobby.

"Yes, and I need my boy Sam, here for that. This vessel will be of no use."

"And you just assume that Sam is going to say 'yes'?" said Bobby.

"Yes." said Lucifer simply.

"And you're confident that Michael is going to show up and that Dean is going to say 'yes' to him as well?" asked Bobby.

"Yes. Bobby, I've done my homework." said Lucifer, cracking his knuckles, "now, boys, why waste time? Lets get this party started. Sam, after you." he said showing him the front door entrance.

"Give me one good reason Lucifer," hissed Dean, "one good reason why we should take one step through that door."

"It's enticing! Every demon, witch, ghost, ghoul, every single miserable, soulless, dark creature to walk your planet has been gathered tonight, inside that house," said Lucifer pointing to it. "It's the last fight boys, and I'm all in!"

Dean looked at Sam. Sam looked equally confused, his brow furrowed.

"Not convinced yet? No? Lets put it this way. I've raised the stakes against you boys."

"Raised the stakes, how?" said Sam, his voice faltering.

"Human leverage." said Lucifer, digging dirt from under his fingernail, "there's a surprise waiting for you in there, Dean."

The colour drained from Dean's face.

"Remember Lisa? And Ben? You son, Ben Winchester? They're waiting in there, right through those doors. I got them to fly out to Kansas today, for this specially. Thought they might add some colour to the party."

"My son? No, you have it all wrong. Ben Braeden is not my son." protested Dean frantically.

"Oh how adorable, is that what she told you? Smart girl, Lisa, I must say. Hiding Ben's parentage from you. After all, who would want you for a father?" said Lucifer snidely.

"Watch your mouth!" snarled Sam.

"Well, what difference does it make really? You can stand here and watch them die, or you can follow me inside and hope to save them, somehow." Lucifer shrugged.

Dean looked at him, ashen-faced. His face was wrought with anger and pain and yet he didn't take his eyes off the devil, not even for one second. After a minute of glaring at him with pure loathing, Dean gave him the slightest of nods.

"Warming up to the devil now, are we, Dean?"

"You monster!" yelled Sam, "The kid's barely five!"

"So?" Lucifer shrugged nonchalantly.

"What do you want me to do?" said Sam.

"Boy, you've gone slow Sammy. I thought you were a smart kid. What happened? Slumming it with Dean, his stupidity rub off on you?" said Lucifer, smiling lazily.

"Just shut up and tell me what I have to do!" yelled Sam.

"No!" said Dean. "It's too much of a risk Sammy."

"So what, you're just going to let them die?" said Sam incredulously.

"I…just…" said Dean, his voice choking, his brain whirring with alternative possibilities, each appearing unlikelier than the last.

"Look, Sam, there's a chance they're going to die anyway." said Bobby softly.

"I'd appreciate it, just a little bit, if you kept shut, Bobby" said Lucifer in a dangerously soft voice.

"No." said Sam decisively, turning to Lucifer, "I'll go with you."

"And I'm coming along," said Dean, packing his revolver.

"Alright" shrugged Lucifer.

"Count me in." said Bobby, picking up his shotgun.

"I wish you wouldn't come along Bobby, it might get too crowded." said Lucifer.

"Yeah, you keep wishing Satan." Bobby snorted in reply.

…

In the yard, behind the house.

"What was the point of dragging us down here?" said Raphael, looking around the yard, wearing a bored expression.

"It's the final battle. Didn't think you'd want to miss the show!" said Gabriel smiling, rubbing his hands together gleefully.

"I must say, this is quite, all of a sudden, isn't it?" said Joshua softly.

"What can I say, our brother has quite the talent for surprising us." Gabriel replied.

"I'll have to agree with that." said Raphael, "Is that it? I thought more of us were coming."

"Isn't Lysander going to…" asked Uriel nervously.

Gabriel shot a quick look at Raphael's face, now wearing an acutely sour expression and said, "No, turns out he is busy."

"Pity." clucked Uriel.

A man wearing a fawn coloured trench coat over a black suit appeared out of nowhere and began walking towards the back gate.

"What is he doing here?" said Raphael angrily, pointing a finger at the newcomer.

"Ah, Castiel! How nice of you to join us." said Gabriel.

Castiel did an about turn and walked up the yard, "Where's Michael?" he asked, sounding out of breath.

"Slow down brother, Michael will come when he has to." said Gabriel smoothly.

"No! You don't understand, he has to be here now. The Winchesters are going to go inside any minute." said Castiel, a hint of panic in his voice.

"Why do you care?" said Raphael scathingly.

"Gabriel, please, listen to me. Michael has to be here, now. Before Lucifer can get Sam to say 'yes'." said Castiel urgently, ignoring Raphael.

"Castiel, my hands are tied. I cannot force Michael to come here against his will. He'll come when he wants to come, if at all." explained Gabriel.

"If at all? IF AT ALL? Do you understand what is at stake here? Can you even comprehend…"

"Shut up rebel! We can comprehend far more than you can possibly imagine." snapped Raphael, advancing towards Castiel, his hand raised.

"No!" said Uriel stepping in between, shielding the smaller angel.

"You dare?" said Raphael in a deathly whisper, staring down into Uriel's eyes.

Uriel did not flinch, neither did he look away.

"Come now Raphael, be nice to your brothers. No roughhousing." an unfamiliar voice said from behind.

Raphael stepped away from Uriel and turned to face him.

"Michael?" he asked, his brow furrowed.

"Yes, new vessel." he said, shrugging in response.

"Michael." Castiel pushed past Raphael and Uriel and approached him.

"Hello Castiel."

"We have to go in there." said Castiel without preamble, pointing towards the house.

"Yes, we do. I presume you have a plan?"

"Yes."

"I see. Lead the way then."

"Woah, woah, woah. Just hold on a second. You trust him? This murderous, rebellious traitor? You're going to take his advice on how to fight the final battle?" Raphael intervened.

"Raphael." said Gabriel in a warning voice.

"He's a smart kid. He's lived with humans for some time now. I've seen him best angels and demons alike." said Michael, looking at Castiel as if sizing him up, "Besides," he added, a steely edge to his voice, "he's got personal motive."

"Raphael's got a point you know, brother. Isn't it too much of a risk, both of you traipsing in after those pieces of scum?" asked Balthazar shrewdly.

Michael narrowed his eyes. "I've already made up my mind, boys. And let me assure you, I have thought this through."

"Oh well, go on then." said Gabriel.

"Godspeed." murmured Joshua.

"If you need us brother, we'll be right here." said Uriel, gently placing a hand on Castiel's shoulder.

"You don't have to fight this battle." Castiel replied mechanically.

"I know. But I'd still join in if you asked me to, in a human heartbeat."