God's not (really) dead

by raven1101

Dean followed thru on the plan to kill Amara at the end of season 11.

Authers note: to those who have read this already, sorry i posted the wrong version. i couldn't continue the story with so much time past. I needed Sam to be able to keep up with Dean, plus my brain kinda fried at thinking of Sam as so much older than Dean. couldn't do it. My Muse flat rebelled. So here is the New version of the story. also, i tried really hard to be fancy and post chapters, but im not that tech savey so here's the entire story. Read and Review... love to know what you think.

Chapter1

The End...ish?

When Dean got close enough that he was sure the blast would take Amara out, He took a ragged breath and sent a silent prayer to Cas. ::Take care of my baby

brother, old friend. You are the only Brother he has left:: He put every emotion that he suppressed, all the love and devotion he felt for both his brothers into that

prayer, Than he looked at Amara and touched his fingers together 'just so'. Amaras eye's grew wide as she realized what that power was and what Dean had done.

She reached out as if to grab Dean by the throat, eyes wide, mouth forming the word 'no'. But it was to late.

Dean wasn't sure what to expect. All of his experiences with dying had yealded a great deal of pain. This time he felt a huge pressure in his chest and a warmth that

grew until it was almost unbearable, Then he jerked awake. He looked around, chest heaving and then looked down at himself, smacking his chest and legs and

stomach, taking stock in his body. There was no injury, he was fine. Better than fine actually. "well I hear this is your final trip here huh?" the familiar voice beside him

made him jump and slam up against the drivers door. He relaxed as he recognized the owner. "Ash?" he asked incredulously

The red neck just grinned and nodded. He pointed to the steering wheel and said. "well don't just sit there looking all slack jawed and crap, drive man!

There's a party at the road house and a hell of a lot of people waiting to see you again."

Numb, Dean did as he was told. The road house wasn't far. And Ash jumped out of the car almost before it stopped and looked back at Dean who was still sitting in the

driver side, in shock. "well com'on! Don't keep ms Ellen waiting Dean!"

Dean got out of the car and walked slowly up to the door. Ash opened it up with a flair and shouted. "hay hay hay! guess who finally made it!" Deans eyes took a bit to

get adjusted to the gloom. When they did, the first thing he saw made tears well up in his eyes. "Bobby?" The man in question grinned and pulled Dean in for a hug.

After a few seconds he wrapped his arms around his father figure and squeezed hard. "you did it son, you saved us all.. again." the next person said wryly. Dean froze

and looked over to his right. Standing off to the side were his mom and his dad. "in spite of ourselves" His mom added with a smile. Dean could only stand rooted in

shock. As the realization of what all this meant dawned on him and the shock dissipated slowly. "I'm in heaven?" he asked incredulously.

Ellen laughed at him from behind the bar. "Of course you are you nit wit." She said fondly as he was engulfed by his parents in a huge hug. "we are so proud of you

son," his dad said with emotion in his voice. Than the rest of the people in the bar started to come up and hug him. He recognized all of them, Jo, Charlie, Keven,

Gwen, even Jimmy and his wife were there. And... "Adam?" Dean asked? "ya, its me." The boy said with a grin. "but we thought you were still.." "Naw, I came up here

after that angel of yours mozeltof'd my body at Stull.. That's why Sam never saw me there." Dean felt something in his chest un-clench at the knowledge that no, they

Didn't leave Adam in the cage after all. Then Jo handed him some whiskey and he was swept up in the well wishers and the celebration. He couldn't help but think

during all of this though. How was Sam holding up, and how much he already missed him and Cas...

As they sat in the bar, Sam was tied up in his grief. He had said good bye. He had promised Dean not to try to bring him back. He would live out his life, find a girl,

"Become the new Bobby, baby brother." Dean had told him. "you love all that research crap." Sam had smiled at that as he hung on to Dean in one last hug. He would,

he decided as they all waited for the inevitable, what ever that was. God was dying, the fate of all worlds held in the balance. And all they could do was wait.

He looked over to Chuck who was sitting on the floor propped up by the wall and their eyes locked. He saw in them only peace, tranquility and... just a hint of a

sparkle? As Sam opened his mouth to speak, Chuck gasped and then glowed white hot for a moment. Then was gone. Everyone looked at the spot where he had

been dumbly then Sam realized the sun was hot on his face. Every one rushed out to look at the sky, the sun was bright and hot. "he did it!" Roweena gasped in awe.

Sam looked down at the woman and then over to Cas who had tears in his eyes. His heart broke.

When he and Cas returned to the bunker, he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, or he would have noticed something was wrong. And Cas, bless him, was

being an over bearing friend and talking about support and being there if he needed to talk. Basically Sam had tuned him out. Than the strange British woman had

been there and zapped Cas away to where ever it is they go when that spell is done. Than the bitch shot him in the leg. "You shot me you crazy bitch!" Sam yelled.

She smiled thinly at him and aimed another gun at him and fired. He registered the dart in his shoulder just before he passed out.

When he woke up, at first he thought he was in the bunker dungeon, but then he realized it was slightly different. He took stock of his body and discovered his leg had

been taken care of, but he realized then that she hadn't just shot him in the leg, she had blew out his knee. Other than that he was unharmed. Someone cleared his

voice and Sam looked over. There was a man standing on the other side of the bars. "The Men of Letters counsel of elders will see you now." he said in a stiff British

accent. He held up some manacles with runes he had never seen before on them. "You think i'm some kind of monster or something?" Sam asked as he slowly stood

up. "No, you are Sam Winchester, and very much human. These are protected against being picked." The man said dryly. Sam gestured to his knee. "i doubt very much

I will be able to use this leg with out crutches." Sam said. In response, the man pointed to the wall beside the bed where there was a single crutch. "make due." was

his reply.

Sam used the crutch to pull him self up to a standing position and going very slow was able to move to the door and put his hands in the slot so he could be cuffed.

The man opened the door and gestured for him to proceed in front of him. ::I wounder what the counsel of elders wants with me? And why have we never heard of

them till now?:: Sam thought as he very painfully and very slowly moved forward. At least his guard was patient.

Sam sat in front of the counsel of elders and waited as the head of the group spoke. "Sam Winchester, my name is Edward. I will be speaking on the counsels behalf

and you will address any questions you have to me." "Why have you kidnapped me?" Sam asked angrily, "and why am I chained up like some kind of prisoner when

your lady there shot me, in my home?" Sam nodded to the corner of the small room where the lady from the bunker had shot her.

"First off, Mr Winchester, The bunker belongs to the men of letters, not you. Secondly, you are a prisoner, a criminal of war so to speak.?" Sam looked at the man like he

had grown 2 heads. "how do you figure?" Sam asked. "if your not police, or FBI, or Interpol, how am I a criminal to the men of letters and I am a legacy. According to

the records the only legacy left in America so by your own rule book, the bunker is my domain. And why am I a criminal?" "don't try to play lawyer with us Mr

Winchester. You will lose. You are a legacy, true, but by the same rule book a legacy can be revoked. During times when said legacy has committed a grievous crime, or

become a monster. You sir, have done both. Several times and on several different occasions.

Not only that but you have brought the supernatural out to the public. And this latest disaster, what ever this sickness is that is spreading across the world. Has you

and your late brother written all over it. You released the darkness, an evil beyond all other evils, one that we have no information on, and now the world is dying. You

sir, will be held responsible and you will be punished. Your legacy revoked and you will be locked away for the rest of your natural life."

The old man stood up and began reading from a paper as Sam sat speechless from what the man had said. " for the crime of releasing Lucifer from eternal damnation

and all of the destruction that followed you are found guilty, for the crime of bringing the laviathins into our world and all the pain and suffering that it caused, you are

found guilty, for the crime of exposing the supernatural to the world time and time again, you are found guilty, for the crime of consorting with demons and the king of

hell, repeatedly, you are found guilty, for the crime releasing the darkness, an evil that the world cannot destroy due to it being before any records that we have, you

are found guilty, for attempting to destroy the sun, you are found guilty. For these crimes, you will be imprisoned here, at the British capital of the men of letters for the

rest of your natural life. Do you have any last words sir?"

"Ya I do, you pompous ass." Something snapped in Sam's head and he felt a rage he hadn't felt in almost 6 years. Sam struggled to a standing position. "One, my

brother and I were manipulated from the time I was 6 MONTHS OLD! by demons and angels alike so that they could have the apocalypse they wanted. I dare any one

of you egotistical son's of bitches to tell me that you could have done any better given the circumstances, secondly, we locked Lucifer back in the cage, at the cost of

me. I spent 150 years in hell being tortured by both Lucifer and Michel. 150 YEARS! And while my soul was being tortured, my body was up here, soulless, still working

to make the world safer, It was an angel and the king of hell that released the laviathins, not me or my brother. We also tried to stop that when we discovered it, not

that you would care since you seem to only focus on small pieces of the picture. Did you guys do any research on these charges at all?" Sam shouted the question.

"We took care of Abbadon, something your precious American men of letters let loose in the world, how in the hell can an entire group of men of letters not notice

when one of their own is possessed? We were killed, numerous times and sent back to help this world. Now why would the angels decide that if they didn't think we

were the only ones that could do it? We may have let the darkness out, but we had no idea that would happen, we were only trying to fix Dean after he took on the

mark of Cain, something HE only did because it was the only way to kill the Knight of Hell that YOUR people let loose in the world! How DARE you even hold this Farce of

a counsel! You better look at yourselves before you start judging me! MY brother just Sacrificed himself to destroy the darkness, Successfully I might add if you hadn't

noticed. The world is safe. If you think that revoking my Legacy is going to Hurt my feelings you've got another think coming! As for locking me up? I dare you to keep

me here against my will." Sam stood there, chest heaving, anger in his face, shoulders shaking in rage.

"He's got you there gentlemen." A female voice said in an amused draw. Sam looked over at the voice. "Dorthy?" he said in astonishment. "Haya Sam, hows it

hanging?" She winked at him and slipped him the keys to the cuffs. "Young Dorthy! Not that it isn't good to see you but this meeting..." "Dont 'young Dorthy' me

Edward, I changed your diapers remembers?" Dorthy admonished him. As for the rest of you, shut up and listen carefully," She dropped a book down on the table, dust

flew up and the two men closest to her coughed. "I don't know when the men of letters became such a pompous high and mighty judgmental group of son's of bitches.

But before you start passing judgment, maybe you should read the Winchester gospels.

That was just the first 5 years. These boys have done more for this world than any other hunter or legacy and I dare you to contradict me." Edward stood up angrily

and took a breath to speak. "just because you were to cowardly to be a hunter Eddy, does not give you the right to judge one." Dorthy said sternly before he could

make a sound. You and I both know that my father modeled the cowardly lion after you, should I start to tell stories?"

Edward sat down abruptly with a huff and crossed his arms. "Furthermore, this entire proceeding is highly illegal. None of the proper protocols were followed and you

all damn well know it! You took advantage of this man's lack of traditional training and that, gentlemen is appalling at best, traitorous at worst." Dorthy stood up and

crossed her arms staring at each one in turn. From the guilty looks on their faces, Sam could tell she was telling the truth.

"As the senior Legacy in the room, and a full fledged member of both the British and English counsel, I declare this meeting to be over and all charges against Mr's

Winchesters to be dropped. No record will be made of this circus and it will never be spoken of outside of this room. Is that understood?" There were some mutinous

glares but faced with the rule book and protocol list in the book that Dorthy had brought there was nothing they could do but agree. "Just because you are scared and

feel the need to place blame, does not give you the right to charge this man with what you have tried to charge him with. Now Mr Winchester and I will be returning to

America so I suggest there be a jet ready to take us when we arrive at the air field."

With that, she turned on her heels and walked past Sam telling her to follow him. Which he did after flipping the whole counsel the bird.

Once they were on the plane, Sam turned to Dorthy and said quietly, "Thank you Dorthy, I really don't know where I would have ended up with out you. How did you

know I needed help?" Dorthy smiled, "I came back after I felt Charlie die. I had set up a spell to let me know if something ever happened." Sam started to apologize for

that, he still felt tons of guilt over her death. "Don't, Sam, She knew what she was doing, she left me an email before she left your little group to go to the hotel in case

something like that did happen."

Dorthy's eyes got the far away look of someone remembering something. "she always was stubborn, her death wasn't your fault Sam, She knew the risk of leaving the

safety of your little group. But that witch was driving her to distraction and she felt she needed the quiet. She would just be devastated if she knew you had so much

guilt over her death." Dorthy mentally shook herself out of the depressing subject. "so what are you going to do now? The bunker and all of its goodies are yours now,

I saw to that before we left. You are senior legacy in America now. I am going back to Britain for a while and then, back to OZ I think."

"I don't really know Dorthy, Now that Deans gone," His breath hitched as he fought to keep back the tears. Dorthy got up and patted him on the shoulder. I'm going to

go check to see that the pilot got the right coordinates and that there is a proper doctor waiting for you at the landing place." When the door to the front of the plane

closed, Sam finally let the tears come. He sobbed into Deans jacket that he had been wearing when the brit girl kidnapped him until he fell asleep.

American bunker 6 months after Dean's death...

Sam took a final look around the bunker and locked it up. He stood for a moment then headed out the the little grave yard they had found on the property. He had

buried Deans ashes beside Henry's and the other men of letters. He knelt down and brushed off the leaves and opened the lid to the little rune covered box

embedded in the headstone. Inside he placed Deans pictures that had helped turn the tide when Dean was going to kill him. The amulet that Chuck had brought them

back when he showed up and one of the army men that for some reason had finally fallen out of the ashtray after Dean had died.

He was quiet for a moment then said. "I am shutting down the bat cave for a while big brother. Not for ever, I don't think, just for the time being, Cas and I redid the

protections that Amara burnt out so it's safe again. We did add one so that Cas could come and go as he pleased. I'm giving the Key to Cas also. I'm going back to

school. Not Stanford, I couldn't handle that I don't think. I applied to Yale and got in, can you believe it? Dorthy some how made everything on us disappear. All of it. So

I am going as myself. Maybe after that, I will become the new Bobby," He shifted and was quiet for a while. Then continued. "I heard Garth took over again and is

quote, just holding it till i'm done in school. End quote. The irony right?"

Sam shook his head and stood up. Kissing his fingers he laid them on the headstone. "take care of mom and dad k? Tell them I love them. Miss you Bro."

Sam then turned around and limped away to the impala.

Yale 2 years later...

Sam Threw his cap in the air with the rest of the class with a grin. He had finally done it. Finally after all these years, all the pain and sorrow. He had got his degree. As

he limped slowly out into the crowd he saw Claire waiving at him furiously and chuckled, She was growing up so fast. She was finishing her first year of college, still

undecided, but going. And becoming a damn fine hunter also. He put more weight onto his cane and limped a little faster over to where Jody, Alex, Cas and Claire were

waiting and almost got bowled over by Claire and Alex's huge group hug. "We are so proud of you Sam." Jody said with a grin. Cas smiled and agreed. Sam looked at

him and smiled, they had worked together for while. Doing a few cases in between classes, and he too was becoming a good hunter.

"So Cas and I are going out after your congratulations dinner." Claire said. "There's a case in Ohio that looks simple enough. A possible ghoul infestation, don't worry,"

She said, interrupting What Sam was going to say. "we are stopping to pick up a few more on the way. I think a group of 4 hunters is enough and with Cas, as long as

we watch ourselves and don't get be-headed, we will be ok." Sam smiled and nodded, "Just be careful." he said. Jody threaded her arm into Sam's as Claire and Alex

chatted away at Cas. "Dean would be proud of you Sam, I'm sure he's watching us from heaven now."

Sam smiled thinly, even after 2 years, even a mention of Dean made his chest hurt. "I hope so Jody, Cas told me that when he went to try to see him, heaven has

locked him out. Said he was tainted now that he had said yes to Lucifer. Nothing that was done matters, just their biased ideas. Wouldn't even tell him whether or not

Dean was there." He just shook his head.

Jody nodded firmly. "I know he is." Was all she said on the matter. "So you got any plans as to what your going to do with that degree?" She asked. "Yes I do." Sam

said. Jody raised an eyebrow. "After what the men of letters did to me and reminded me of our younger days running from the law as well as angels and demons, I

decided I was going to set up as the new Bobby slash Lawyer for the victims of any case that needed it, or any hunter caught like we were." Sam laughed, "we could

sure have used it during that Levi murder spree all those years ago." Jody snorted. "I never understood how people could think that was you. I always knew better."

Jody and Sam walked in silence for a while listening to Claire and Alex arguing about something. "By the way, Donna says Hiya and congratulations." Jody spoke up

suddenly. "Says she would like your number in case she needs you.

Sam found a cabin in the woods of Montana and began to set up shop. It only took a few weeks for the word to get out thanks to the hunter community and Sam was

amused and surprised at how many Hunters called needing his research services, and the fact that the whole vessel of Lucifer thing was forgotten. He Kept his cabin

secret and asked Cas to take care of Claire and Jody.

He became something of a hermit, hidden away, answering phones and helping Hunters and Victims alike. He would only show up if actually needed in court, otherwise

just do research and send it out. Using everything Charlie had taught him, he became a ghost. He didn't do it on purpose. He just didn't realize how few hunters

needed his law services and how many needed his Phone services. Than he looked up one day and realized what he had done, and just couldn't find it in him to care.

Present time...

Sam hit send on the computer and sighed, enough research for one day he decided he needed wood for the week and he was stiff from sitting all day. The information

that he had sent Santana would help him find the changeling he was looking for. And so far no one had needed a lawyer yet. He turned on the Tv and got dressed for

the cold outside. As he was pulling on his boots, he finally listened to the tv. And his head came up sharply.

"He just went mad! Started yelling and screaming, these black veins going up his neck. Then he just ran out into the street in front of that bus! Oh my god it was

awful!..." The woman speaking was fluttering her hands as she spoke, then the news anchor began to speak.. "To recap, a deadly plague has hit the town of

Krongree, Minnesota. No word yet on if it's air borne or just by touch. A group of seniors at the local center were infected. Symptoms range from murderous rage to

insanity. We will keep you updated."

::Oh no, please no, please no,,:: Sam thought as the camera focused on one of the corpses being wheeled out in a stretcher, the arm fell out and Sam gasped. It had

the same black veins going up the arm. It was Amara's plague all over again..

Heaven...

Dean got in the heavenly baby. That was what he had named this version of baby. He knew it wasn't here, it was with Sam back on earth. He went on his normal

rounds of visiting everyone and then headed to the garden. It was his favorite spot. Joshua had told him that he was always welcome there and they would just sit

and talk. He had grown to really like the old angel. They would walk around the garden and Joshua would keep him appraised on how Sam was doing, things Ash

couldn't really get from his set up. The kid had gone back to college. He had taken Deans advise to heart and really had become the new Bobby, with a twist. Now he

took cases where someone had died strangely and helped the bystanders when it looked like they had done it. Dean would tell anyone who listened, as many times

as they would listen how proud he was of Sam and everything Joshua would tell Dean, Dean would tell the road house. And they always listened because Sam was

family.

Today was particularly bad though, he had really started to miss Sam. And Cas too. Cas wasn't allowed in heaven. Dean had fought hard for a century to get the

angels to change their minds about Cas. He had begged, pleaded, threatened. But they still barred Cas from Heaven. They didn't care that he had helped save them

by saying yes to Lucifer. Or that Chuck himself had made up (sort of) with Lucifer. They only cared that Lucifer was evil, so Cas was tainted. Unforgivable. Something

Dean had tiraded at Joshua about. Joshua would listen sympathetically, but he was only the gardener. And he refused to leave the garden now that Chuck was gone.

Had become pathologically stuck to the damn thing actually.

Dean was getting antsy. And kinda board, truth be told. He often would think of this going on for eternity and would shudder, at least Sam would be with him. Even

though he had found out with Ash's help how to be re incarnated. (Ash had called it Gods back door for the souls that found heaven boring) He had promised to be

there when Sam arrived and that wasn't for another 5 centuries the way Dean figured the math. Unless Sam got back into the active hunting part of the life. But that

probably wasn't going to happen.

As Dean drove down the old familiar road to the road house. When he got there Ellen greeted him with a smile and a beer. Bobby and Henry, were playing cards with a

few of the newer hunters to show up. "where's Ash?" he asked Ellen. "in the back watching that computer thing of his." She said with a sigh. "Hasn't come out all

week" Dean raised an eyebrow at that. And took the beer and headed to the back of the road house. Waving to everyone in response to the hi's that were sent his

way.

"Hay Ash! Ellen says your acting weirder than usual! What erguhhh." Dean found himself yanked into the room and the door shut. "Quiet!" Ash whispered fiercely. "ok..

what gives man?" Dean said as he wiped beer off his shirt, grinning as the wet spot dried, no stain. No laundry too. Always a plus in Deans book. "Com'er man look at

this!" Ash had a frantic sound to his voice, intense like when Zach ass-hat had been after him. Dean hurried around the table and looked at the computer that held

squiggly lines and weird symbols "Still can't read this man, Being dead in heaven doesn't make me a geek." He grinned at the man. "Ok, so look, See here? These are

heavens and this is the blue print of all the heavens right?" Dean patiently nodded and took a sip of his beer. "Ok so this," Ash pointed to the blueprint "this is what

heaven looks like now, huge and kind of pin wheel shaped. Always growing as people die and heavens are added. With me so far?" Dean nodded slowly. "Looks huge

right?" Ash asked. Dean nodded again.

Ash pulled up another screen and put it side by side with the current one. "this was the same picture of heaven last week." Dean looked at the two blue prints side by

side and felt his heart drop into his stomach. "Its missing parts of it." He said softly. "Exactamundo my friend. Heaven isn't getting Bigger, its getting smaller. At this

rate, it will be completely gone in about 4 centuries. Up here time that is." "could this be because of Chuck, you know dying?" Dean asked as his mind moved at a

furious rate, "how long has this been going on?" "Don't know bro, that's more your kind of thing. And from what I could extrapolate, its been going on since about 5

years after you got here man, heaven time."

They told the core group at the road house. Ellen, Jo, his mom and dad and Bobby, Rufus and Henry. "So Heaven is dissipating one Heaven at a time and no one

noticed this?" Bobby asked. "Looks like it Bobby, and I'm gonna go figure out what happened since It started right after I got here." Dean said grimly, "That doesn't

mean its your fault son." John said to Dean. "I doubt that its a coincidence that it began right after I blew up the darkness dad," Dean said wryly. "But just in case, i'm

going to go see Joshua about it. So far its just the outskirts and with people coming up here on a regular basis, they are continuing to add heavens but we are loosing

them faster than we can make them according to Ash." The guy in question threw his had up as a sign that he was listening to the conversation.

"Its not just heaven!" Ash added. "Its everywhere! Hell, purgatory,earth. All of them are showing signs of infection." Bobby spoke up. "the question is if it's been going

on for that long, why hasn't at least an angel heard about it?" Everyone got quiet at that. "you know," Henry said. "If they locked them self's away the way your angel

friend said they did, maybe that's why?" Bobby snorted. "I keep forgetting that you were in the 60's or something while we dealt with them, No the angels know, if not

all of them, than at least a few. They're just not saying anything for some reason."

The group made a plan to meet back here at the end of the 'day'. The majority of the group decided to do recon and broke up in pairs to go look at different spots of

heaven, Ellen and Mary were going to go to see the angels and ask them if they knew about it and why they said nothing if so. Dean got back in baby and continued

to the center of Heaven.

Joshua was trimming the flowers around the tree of life, he had been talking to it, Dean shook his head. The angel was cool, but even in heaven, a tree didn't talk

back. "Hay old angel! Hows it hanging man?" Dean asked brightly. "The exact same as the last time we spoke dear boy." Joshua said lightly with a small smile. It was

the same greeting every time he came by. Dean smiled and handed Joshua a pepsi. The old man had a thing for pepsi. And since Jo's favorite was the same, he would

get her to bring him some every time he would come visit.

They sat under The Tree of Life in companionable silence, drinking their pepsi's. "This place is definitely my favorite, next to baby of course." Dean said quietly. Joshua

just kept drinking. "it always feels comfortable, you know? Like here, everything I have ever done bad in life doesn't matter." "it doesn't" Joshua said with a smile.

Dean reached out and patted the trunk of the tree. "no matter how much I tell myself its a tree, I always feel like it's a friend." he looked sideways at Joshua who was

smiling that secret smile of his he always had. "but its still a tree and never talks back." he said, hiding a grin. Joshua just shrugged and took another drink.

"Joshua, there's something going on in the outskirts of heaven and I need to know if you know what it is?" Joshua looked over at Dean, "Like what?" he asked, a

puzzled look on his face from the change of conversation. "Heavens shrinking." Dean said bluntly. A look of complete surprise crossed Joshua's face and he looked back

at the tree. "you didn't know?" Dean asked. Joshua shook his head, and stood up. "your sure?" Joshua asked. "as sure as I can be trying to understand Ash's

computer stuff." Dean said as he too stood up. "Show me." Joshua said urgently, surprising Dean and honestly worrying him.

"Take me to Ash's computer stuff." Joshua told Dean.

Dean took a surprised moment to register that Joshua was leaving the Garden. Then he nodded sharply and they went out of the dome. Joshua turned around at the

entrance and said to the garden. "i will return." and locked the door. Deans eyebrows began to take residence in his hair line. "you want to clue me in Old Angel?" he

asked once they were settled in the car. "after I see what I need to see." Was all Joshua said. Dean sat for a moment then started the car and headed to the road

house.

The scene when he got there was pure chaos. Ellen and Mary had drug one of the lesser angels back with them and were pointing to Ash's computer, arguing with her.

The rest of the group was talking animatedly to each other. "Enough" Joshua said. Effectively silencing the room with just that soft spoken word, "Gardner, what are

you doing out of the garden?" The angel said reproachfully. "when that becomes your business, child angel, than you will be told." Joshua said mildly.

The angel in question flushed and had the grace to look chastised and slightly embarrassed. Henry and Bobby smirked behind their beers. "May I see this computer

information that you have gathered please?" Joshua asked Ash. Ash just for his part gestured to the screen. Joshua looked for a moment, going thru the data on the

computer. When he was done. He told Dean and the group, "this is very bad."

"What is it old angel?" Dean asked. "it would seem that a piece of the power Amara wielded here in heaven during your battles was left behind when she was

defeated and now it is infecting Heaven." There was stunned silence as the implication set in. Dean spoke up first, voice cracking. "So it was all for nothing?" "I will

return to the garden and meditate on it." Joshua said. "Return to me in one day and I will have an answer for you." With that he disappeared. Dean stared at the spot

he had been in and thought to him self, ::Oh Sam, Cas. We didn't win after all.:: He went to the bar where Ellen gave him the bottle of jack.

The next day Dean headed to the garden with John, Bobby and Rufus. When they got there, only Dean was allowed into the inner sanctum where the tree was. He

smiled an apology and headed to the Tree. Joshua was sitting on the wall surrounding the tree with a small bag of supply's speaking lowly to someone.

Joshua stopped talking as Dean approached and offered Dean a small welcoming smile. It only slightly put Dean at ease. Only slightly. "So whats the buzz, Josh

buddy?" Dean asked. "Well it is not as bad as I had feared, but it is still bad." Joshua said. "Well that's something right?" Dean asked with a smile of relief. "We can

handle bad." Joshua shook his head and looked at the Tree. He sat down and Dean sat beside him. "What I am about to tell you goes no further than you. You can tell

no one, save only Sam." Dean sat up straighter at that. "Sam? Is he here?" Dean asked worriedly. "Oh not yet. But you will see him soon." Joshua said quickly. Dean

relaxed a bit but looked at Joshua with a calculating look. "Why do I feel like your going to ask me to do something I probably won't like." Joshua just smiled and

began. "first, I must tell you the true story of the creation of your world, slightly abridged for time." Dean chuckled.

"When God created the world, he created the garden for Adam and Lillith. The rest of the world he allowed to evolve on its own. But the Garden was a sanctuary for

his creations, the first humans." "Wait, did you say Adam and Lillith?" Dean asked incredulously. "yes, Adams first mate was Lillith, but she saw herself as Adams equal

and Adam saw himself as her superior as God had made him first." Joshua said. He added almost under his breath, "It would seem that Adam had a bit of a ego

problem long before Lucifer stepped in." Dean sat bemused at this information, He had heard the sunday school version of course, but hadn't paid it much thought.

Joshua continued his tale. "So Adam complained to God about Lillith when she refused to lie beneath him." Dean snorted, "what an idiot, every one knows that a

woman on top is great in the sack." Joshua gave him a mild look and Dean looked down and smirked. "Sorry." he muttered.

So God spoke to Lillith and She still stubbornly refused to be subservient, Claiming that she was made from the same earth as Adam and so, his equal. So God cast her

out into the world." Dean snorted. "Figures" Joshua shook his head. "now your bible and lore states that this was when she became evil. But it wasn't as cold hearted

as it seems. What isn't recorded was that God made Lillith a mate and allowed her children to follow her if they chose to.. Lillith was grateful to our father for she saw

it as Him granting her the same status and freedom as Adam and that is how the Caininites were made. It was only when Lucifer was cast down and corrupted Lillith

at her vulnerable moment after the loss of a child, that she turned to him."

"Meanwhile, God took one of Adams ribs and made Eve. It was then that he decided he wanted a connection to the Garden and attached a part of his spark to a seed

and planted in in the middle of the Garden." Dean looked back at the familiar Tree in the middle of Heaven. Joshua smiled. "God's not dead, not really. As long as the

Tree of Knowledge is alive and well, so is the essence of God." Dean looked at the Tree again and said, "you sly old bastard." and then he could have sworn the tree

laughed at him.

"So what do we do about Amara?" Dean asked Joshua. "Oh this isn't Amara. Amara is dead. That's the good news. All we have to do is gather up the remnants of her

darkness that is here and lock it away again. This time, its just negativity, no real conciseness, so the key can be locked in a special box and brought up here to be

kept safe and allow the balance of dark and light to co exist."

"great! So get some cosmic brooms and mops and we will all pitch in to clean heaven." Dean said brightly. "if only it were that easy." Joshua said with a laugh. "no, we

must find God again, because only he can do it." "But you just said God was a tree." Dean said in frustration. Joshua laughed again. "God created a blood line, you

knew him as Chuck. Well he had been Chuck for about 5 millinia, So what you need to do is find his descendant on earth and bring him or her up here. Once we bring

him close to the Tree he will merge with his spark and become himself again, memories and all."

Dean bit his bottom lip and said. "kinda like we did with Anna all those years ago." "Much the same." Joshua agreed. "Great," Dean said. "So lets get this info to Sam

and when he finds Chucks new suit, he can pray to you and let you know." Joshua shook his head, looking Dean in the eye.

"I have to go down and tell him, don't I?" Dean asked a thrill going thru his body. Finally, some action! He was gonna get to see Sam again. He nodded his head

eagerly in acceptance. "One more thing." Joshua said. "Someone in heaven has been keeping this a secret, that's the only way it could have gotten so bad, so fast.

That's where your friends come in." As Dean left, a thought occurred to him. "him or her?" he asked Joshua. Joshua smiled a full toothie smile and said, "Dogma was

Chucks favorite movie." Dean left laughing his ass off.

Back at the road house, Dean informed the gang of what he could about the situation. They promised to look into the heavenly traitor, all of them angry that their

eternal bliss was threatened by some nut-bag allowing heaven to be corrupted. Even the angel, who's name was Armisael, was truly afraid by the news and promised

to do all she could to help.

Dean set up the spell that Joshua gave him to make him corporeal again, since Sam had given Dean a hunters funeral, and send the bag of supplies down with him. He

was so excited that he was bouncing on the balls of his feet in impatience. His Mom and Dad Jo, Ash and Bobby where their to see him off. "Tell Sam how proud we all

are of him Dean" his mother said as she gave him a hug and a kiss, John and Bobby gave him hugs and stepped away. "Be careful," Dean said. "You got about 3 years

earth time before we hit the inner circle and our heavens." Ash told him as he hugged him. "I guess this wasn't your final trip after all," he said laughing. "Can't keep a

Winchester down." Dean agreed.

"Just remember, Things are gonna be real sharp this time when you get back after being here for so long. Kinda like walking into the sun after being in a bar." Jo told

him. Dean smiled his thanks and hugged her. Dean finished the circle and stepped into the spell with his bag. The gang began to chant as he did a counter chant. Then

there was a sharp tug and he was standing outside. The smell got to him first, It was putrid, sickly sweet and rotten at the same time, he sneezed, covered his nose,

sneezed again and squinted, eyes streaming as he waited for his eyes to focus. He was in a field full of cows. ::figures:: he thought. This had to be Ash's fault. ::At

least i'm not digging out of my grave this time:: he thought with a huff.

Sam had given him a hunters funeral so first he had to see what he looked like. ::I hope i'm not some poor fugly bastard, don't want to scare the girls down here, that

would suck:: He finally was able to see again and saw a sign on a road about a half mile away. He was in planes country. Mid America he figured. He hitched his bag on

his back and started walking. The sign said Caraway 10 miles. "Well lets go to Caraway then and find out what state i'm in." he said to himself, more for the sound of

his voice. It sounded the same to him. ::hmmm.:: he thought.

After about an hour of walking, Dean heard a car, he stuck his thumb out to hitch a ride. The car passed him and thin slammed on its breaks. Dean paused, then

shrugged and jogged up to the car. The windows were up and tented, "Hay, buddy, can I bum a ride?" Dean asked as he tapped on the glass. The door to the driver

side opened slowly and a familiar blonde climbed out of the car. "Clair?" Dean asked.

The woman in question, cuz wow had she grown since Dean saw her last, didn't say anything, just walked around the front of the car, staring. "Wow you sure have

grown up! How long have I been gone down here?" She stood in front of Dean just staring, "Wow am I like really ugly or something? Look its M.." there was a loud

click and Dean had a gun in his gut. "Who or what are you and why are you wearing that face." Her voice was low and deadly.

"Clair," Dean said slowly, wow how did he not see this coming, he really was out of practice. Not having to do anything like hunting for, wow he had no idea how long

he was in heaven. Well, Clair looked like she was in her early 20's now so at least 4-6 years, earth time. "Clair, its me, Dean Winchester. Really, there are tests for this

remember?" "You don't get to say that name." Clair hissed in fury. "Clair. Really. I get that..." "Shut up!" She yelled, shoving the gun further in his gut. "Don't move you

monster, I want to know what you are!" Clair pulled out a silver blade, and Dean slowly held out his arm, palm up to her.

Clair looked at him with suspicion and made a shallow cut on his forearm. When nothing happened, she took out a vile and splashed him in the face with water. Again

Dean just wiped his face. Clair then took out what looked like a rune stone. She grabbed his hand and placed it in his palm. The sigils glowed slightly than went dark.

"So you are human." Clair said with a neutral voice. "I could have told you that Clair." Dean said amusingly. The gun went back to the gut. "So who are you and why

are you wearing Deans face. Dean patted his cheeks, "so I still have my old mug. That's cool." Dean sighed at Clair, "You know the last time I came back, Sam and

Bobby accepted my story after the tests were done."

He straightened up and said, "I know, Call Cas, he will be able to tell, as long as he's still an angel," he looked anxiously at Clair. "He is still around right, I know he

was barred from heaven and all, but Chuck left him an angel." Dean could see disbelief in her eyes warring with hope. "It's really me Claire, I'm back." Dean said softly.

Finally after an age of just staring into each others eyes, Claire searching, Dean waiting patiently. Clair made a decision and threw her arms around him in a huge hug.

Dean wrapped his arms around her and patted her on the back. After a few moments she pulled away. She had grown up so much!

She looked at Dean again and then concern flooded her face, "please tell me you got thrown out of heaven for being to rowdy. Cuz otherwise it means something

horrible is about to happen." Dean smiled grimly, "well it wasn't for being rowdy." Clair nodded a short nod, all business, and said. "Well come on then, I got water in

the car, and I just picked up a cheese burger from the local fast food joint back there," she hitched a thumb behind her. " I'll get you caught up while you eat." Dean's

mouth watered as he realized he felt hungry for the first time in who knows how many centuries. "I'm not going to eat your food Claire," He laughed. "Nonsense, I

know your hungry, I heard your tummy growling, so eat. I'll get something later."

Dean looked at her after they got into the car and she shoved the bag into his hands. Finally he dug out the cheese burger and unwrapped it. He positively moaned as

he tasted it. It tasted like nothing he'd ever ate before and he knew once he got used to earth again, it wouldn't taste this good again. "your supposed to eat it Dean,

not make love to it." Clair said wryly. Dean almost choked on his laughter remembering the last time Sam had said that. "You sound just like Sam." He said.

Dean sobered up and asked Clair, "How is Sam anyway? Where is he, and Cas, how is Cas." Clair frowned, "I am actually on my way back to Jody's, We can see if she

knows where they are, Last time I saw Sam was at his graduation. He went back to college you know." Clair said proudly. "He got his Law degree and set up business

somewhere. No one knows where, he just shows up when a victim of some supernatural crap gets blamed or some hunter gets to close to the law and bales them

out."

Dean grinned. "Ya I know, Ash has been keeping track of him for us." "Ash? Like in the books?" "You've read them?" Dean asked with a groan. "Ya most of us have."

Claire said with a chuckle. Dean just shook his head. "After you, you know, Jody made sure all of us 'young impressionable hunters' read them to make sure we 'truly

understood' what hunting was about." She grinned, "Got to say though, i've seen quite a few 'gung ho wanna kill monsters' types decide that once their case was

over, they would go back to their old lives with just a little more knowledge to protect themselves and their family's after reading some of the more gruesome books

over the last 5 years." Dean perked up. "5 years? That's how long I've been gone from here?"

Claire looked over at him for a second, "ya Dean, you've been dead for 5 years." They dove in silence for quite a while after that.

As they got closer to Jody's Claire gave Dean the wheel and called her. "Hay Jody! Yah i'm fine! Case closed, vamp nest dust. Hay, listen I got some huge news, ya, I

need you to keep an open mind and just remember, I have already did every test I know to do." Claire got quiet for a bit and said. "you sitting down?" another pause,

then all in a rush. "I kinda found Dean on the side of the road and picked him up and i'm bringing him home with me."

Dean heard very clearly on the other side of the line. "WHAT?!" Then Jody's voice going ninety miles and hour. "Look, I haven't really interrogated him Jody, no don't

use your mom voice, it doesn't work on me anymore, remember? I'm sure he will tell every one all about it when we get there. No Jody, JODY! I already tested him,

Silver, holy water, I said cristo, yes I even used the rune stone that Dorthy gave us all. It's really him!" Claire gave Dean a huge grin. "We will be there with in the hour.

NO! Wait! Jody don't tell him yet." lets surprise every one at once so we only have to tell the story the one time k? Ok, love you too. Bye"

Claire hung up the phone and said with a grin. "Be prepared to be tested." Dean looked over and said. "Don't tell who yet?" Claire frowned and said. "Cas, he's grilling

outside and I don't want him to drop everything and just pop in when we will be there in about 45 minutes." Dean looked shocked. "Cas cooks?" Claire looked out the

window. "Ya he cooks. Real good to, Jody taught him. After Sam decided he was best on his own and asked Cas to look after me while he disappeared for a while."

She looked over at Dean. "it was to keep him distracted so he wouldn't dwell on the fact that Sam ditched us all."

"Ditched you? How?" Dean asked. "Well, not really ditched us, ditched us. But he kinda became a hermit, no one knows where he is, just a number to get a hold of him

for references, if we need his law knowledge, ect. No one's actually needed him to show up for a while, since he would send info via email when one of us got in

trouble. Cas can't find him, since he's warded to the gills now. And well, like I said, he's become a hermit and he ditched us. Used to he would even do cases once in a

while."

"We would even invite him to dinner and all and he would just decline more and more, you know work and all. Jody says its because your gone, were gone, and he's

just coping till time for him to join you." Claire sighed. Dean pulled up to Jody's house and turned off the car. "Well, I went and got him the first time, I can do it again I

suppose." He said with a grin. "What part of 'no one knows where he is' don't you get?" Claire asked with a laugh. Dean grinned, there ain't nothing I don't know

about that boy." He went to turn around found himself slammed against the car with a very angry angel holding him. "What are you and what do you want with this

family." Cas growled, Dean was reminded of the first time they met. His hair was wild, eyes reflecting power. There even was a thunder storm brewing above them.

"Whoa, Cas, its really him! I did all the tests my self!" Claire ran around the front of the car. Dean held his hands up and waited patiently, staring into those blue eyes.

If there was one thing being in heaven had taught him, it was patience. "Look at my soul Cas buddy, you can see for your self." Dean said quietly. He waited while Cas

squinted a little and then placed his hand on his shoulder. That familiar jolt when Cas covered his hand print with his hand told Dean the connection to his angel was

still there. He watched as Cas's eyes grew wide, and then the emotions that flew thru them before they got just a little moist and he was enveloped in a huge angel

hug.

After a few seconds Cas pulled away. "How is this possible? Why are you here?" he asked. "That brother, is a good question and a story for when all have gotten here.

Sam?" Dean asked. "I did as you asked Dean, I stayed with him until he decided that it was more important for me to take care of Jody's family. After he graduated. I

cannot find him, I searched for years. Finally he prayed to me and told me to stop looking. Just let him be. After that, I have only heard about him thru others."

Claire had already gone inside once she realized Cas wasn't going to kill Dean. When they walked in, Jody looked over at Cas and when he nodded, Jody wrapped her

arms around Dean. "It's damn good to see you young man. I never thought I would have the pleasure." "I missed you all too." Dean said. Jody pulled back wiping

tears from her eyes. I left a message for Garth, He's the one that gets a hold of Sam. Now lets go eat, I saved the burgers from burning Cas."

Crowley was walking thru the corridors of hell, just taking in his kingdom. Ever since squirrel had saved the world, again, things had gone back to some semblance of

normal. Hell had averaged out on souls and Heaven was getting a share of the action as well. Hunters were sending monsters back to purgatory. Crowley stopped as

the doorway to the next section of torture rooms was missing. ::Strange, I could have sworn this led to another hall way.:: he pulled up the schematics of hell and sure

enough, there should have been an iron door. "Where is my door?" he asked the minion that had followed him. "I don't know, my lord." Crowley glared at the young

demon, "But I will look into it right away." He said. "Good minion. Hop to and find out who has been stealing my door." The demon vanished and left Crowley to stare at

the stone wall and muse to him self...

Benny ran as fast as he could to the meeting place. As he came up a werewolf pounded up from the opposite direction. Out of habit, Benny raised his weapon, Deans

old one he had left behind in the cave they had slept in one night all those years ago. Well Dean slept, Benny stayed watch since he didn't need to. So he was a

sentimental fool. Benny huffed a laugh at himself. "It's happening in the east and the south." Benny said.

The wolf panted to Eve, who was standing on the bluff overlooking the falls. "Same in the West and the North, everything swallowed up by darkness, what ever enters

never comes out." Benny replied evenly. Eve turned around and looked at the group that gathered around her. "What do we do mother?" One of the Dragons asked.

"We need to send someone out to the world to see if its an attack on purgatory and who is behind it." Eve said. "Benny, you will go. Find the Winchesters, if anything

is happening,they will be at the center of it. And you have a connection to them." Deans huge gorrilla monsters grunted a protest. "I have made my decision, if you

disobey me than you will be thrown to the darkness."

She gazed at the Gorrilla monster and it looked away. She handed a covered pouch to Benny who opened it to find 12 viles of blood. He looked at her in question.

"once you get back you will need to feed again. One of these viles of my blood, taken during the blood eclipse, will last you a month, if you don't get seriously injured.

Human blood will help heal you in between if you need it but once you drink from them, you must drink a vile to regain the month you lost. Once you have drunk the

first one, all you need to do is drink a vile and then you may last 6 weeks, un injured. With out having to feed." Benny nodded his head.

Then she handed him a hex bag. "with this you may send a message. Burn a pinch of the contents with a paper with the message written on it and I will get it. If I do

not hear from you once every 4 weeks I will assume you have failed and we will begin to leave to hell." Benny shuddered at the thought of all of purgatory monsters

that Eve called children invading hell. Then most likely earth.

The blood moon was the only one that showed in purgatory, after Benny drank a vile, (it was the awfullest tasting crap he'd ever drank) He felt it go thru every vein

and artery and burn like a bitch. Than nothing. It was business as usual.

Eve chanted as he walked up to the portal's location. Just as he got there, it opened and he stepped thru. The next thing he knew, he was in the forest. ::First got to

find a phone and figure how much time i've lost:: he thought as he tucked everything away in his pants. After about 6 hours of hiking he came across a campsite, the

owners were fishing by the sound of it. He snagged a back pack a compass and a phone and headed out at a fast trot to the nearest road. He looked at the new

phone and figured out how to turn it on. ::Hm 8 years or so, now to find Dean, I really don't think Sam will welcome me:: Benny chuckled. The numbers he called were

out of service though, all of them. ::now that's real strange:: Benny thought. He decided to head to the Dakotas, maybe if he began at that place Dean told him about,

the Singer salvage yard, he could track him down.

Sam was packing the last of his bag when the knock came on the door. He looked out the peep hole to see Garth standing there. He opened the door and asked. "how

did you find me?" Garth looked at Sam with a serious expression. "We never lost you bro, The loss of a pack member is a serious thing man, we've kept and eye on you

for the last 5 years." Sam just shook his head and Stepped aside to let Garth in. He continued packing as Garth watched the tv. "Pretty scary stuff. Huh?" Garth said

quietly.

Sam nodded absentmindedly as he gathered up some jugs of holy oil. Garth said "Uh Sam can you like come sit down for a second, I got something to tell you. Its kind

of a game changer." Sam looked up at Garth for a second then said. "ok shoot," As he sat down at the table. "ok, well, umm See I know how bad you were for the few

months after Dean died and all, and I get that man, I mean Dean was awesome. We all loved him. But see, now." Garth took a breath. "uh

Deanscomebackandhe'satjody'sinsouthdekotaandweneedyoutogothere," Garth said it so fast that It took Sam a full 30 seconds to separate the words. When he did it

took another minute for them to sink in. The he exploded. "Dean's back? Is he ok? When did he get back? Only Dean would get thrown out of heaven. He was in

Heaven right? Why did he go to Jody? Are you sure it's really Dean? Did Jody do all the tests? Did she do them right? Why hasn't anyone told me? Deans back?" He

sunk back into the chair as Garth chuckled, "How about I tell you all about what I was told as we drive down?" Sam nodded dumbly and grabbed his duffle and went

out the door to the impala. Garth closed and locked the door behind them.

"Wow! You've kept this thing in great condition." Garth commented as he climbed into the passenger seat. "Its what Dean would have wanted." Sam said. "Although,"

he plugged his i-pod into the cig lighter. "I still 'douched her up', as Dean would say." Sam continued with a short laugh.

The got on the road south to Jody's house and after about 20 min. Sam said. "Now tell me what you know."

By the time they pulled in to Jody's, Sam was a bundle of nerves. Dean met them on the front porch and stood quietly as Sam limped up. They stood there, just looking

at each other for a full 3 minuets. Then Dean said softly. "hiya Sammy." Sam broke, tears streamed down his face as he grabbed his brother in a tight hug. Everyone

went inside to give them their moments. Neither wanted to let go of each other.

When they finally separated, Deans face was just as wet. "You were in heaven right Dean? When you died, you went there?" Sam was desperate to know. "Ya Sammy

I was in heaven, I got to see everyone, Mom and Dad send their love and want me to tell you how very proud they are of you." Sam's breath hitched as his chest

loosened for the first time since the explosion. They sat side by side on the porch swing as close as they could get. Shoulders and knees touching.

"Ellen has the road house set up for all Dead hunters now, Bobby, Rufus and Henry play cards most days and Ash, well he's been keeping up on you for me, us,

Missouri says Hi and so does every one else." Dean looked over at Sam, who was quietly absorbing everything. His face at peace in a way that Dean hadn't seen in a

long time.

Then Sam looked over at Dean. "You didn't get thrown out did you?" Dean could tell he was only half joking. He laughed out loud and punched Sam's shoulder. "No

Bitch, I didn't get thrown out." "then you must be here because of Amara's plague." Sam said quietly. "She's back isn't she. We did it all for nothing, God, Chuck is dead

and she survived."

"Nope! Baby brother, that's my good news for the day. And I will tell you that story when we are alone, surrounded by spells to prevent ease dropping. But lets go

inside, I'm starving, Cas, it turns out is an awesome cook and I will tell the abridged version over dinner. Than you can tell me about the leg." Dean got up to go and

Sam grabbed his wrist. "I missed you big brother." "I missed you too baby bro." Dean said with a grin. "now no more chick flick moments! Lets go eat! The food on

earth is ever so much better than Heaven could ever be!" Sam laughed, his soul feeling lighter than it had in years. And followed him into the house.

Dinner was a light hearted affair, they joked and kidded back and forth. Everyone told Dean how things had been going. And Dean told them about heaven. What to

look for when they arrived and all about the road house. After dinner, they went to the living room and the conversation went to what brought Dean back to begin

with. "So this isn't Amara, this is more like residue?" Claire asked? "Yah, the only issue is that we have to find the next, um, prophet to clean it up."

"The next Prophet of the lord, huh? Well ok, so how do we do that?" Jody asked. "Well that's the hard part, apparently when God uh, i'm not sure really that

possessed is the right word, but i'm gonna use it." Dean said slowly. "Anyway, when God possessed Chuck. It was kinda like, a lot of centuries ago. And as such, Chuck

the human had been married and had kids, so there are descendants. We have to find one of those. And this is what we find it with." Dean opened the bag Joshua

had gave him and pulled out a bag with several rings. "This will tell us when we have found him or her. And then Sam and I will take them, whoever they are to heaven

and that's where they have to start. I guess they will know what to do, like Keven knew how to read the tablets."

Sam looked at Dean. He knew that particular tone. Dean was holding something back. But Dean had promised him the whole story later, so he waited patiently for

when they were by them selves. Jody, Claire and Garth agreed to help search. Dean looked at Cas who just smiled. "I will always help the Winchesters Dean, you

know that." "Great! So I have a friend that is studying genealogy in college, so how about Garth and me go see her tomorrow?" Claire said. Garth nodded excitedly.

"Sounds awesome Claire, thanks." Dean said with a grin. "Sam and I will head for the bunker and get it up and running again.

With that, Sam and Dean said their good-byes and every one hugged and wished each other well. Dean handed Claire a ring. "not sure exactly how it will let you

know, but the amulet really lit up when we were close to Chuck, till he turned it off anyway." Dean said with a chuckle. More hugs and good-byes and then the boys

were off to Kansas.

As they pulled out, Dean said to Sam in a deceptively calm tone of voice, "So why don't you tell me what happened to give you that limp baby bro, and why Cas never

fixed it?" Sam let out a sigh that ended in a small laugh. "well after you self destructed," Sam had to pause for a moment, "Cas and I went back to the bunker. I was

kinda out of it, ya know? And wasn't paying attention real well, Cas was chattering some thing about being there for me, really don't remember what exactly he was

saying." Sam was quiet for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Well in my defense, she had a key." Dean waited as he gathered his thoughts. "Any way, so she was

waiting for us, this woman of letters from the British chapter." Dean looked over in surprise. "British chapter?" He asked. "Ya." Sam said shaking his head. "They'd been

watching us since the first time we got arrested all those years ago, following our movements. They decided after Amara cracked the sun that enough was enough and

everything bad that happened to the world was our fault. So they sent her to bring us in."

Sam rubbed his bum knee unconsciously. Just thinking about that night made it ache. "So anyway, She was waiting for us with an angel banishing symbol and used it

as we got to the bottom of the stairs." Sam laughed suddenly. "cut Cas off mid stream, must of hurt to considering the noise he made as he vanished." Deans jaw

started to tick. "So I tried to talk her down then everything just came to a head and I mouthed off something about how we both knew she wasn't going to shoot me

and she called my bluff. Shot me in the knee and then shot me again with a trank. When I woke up, I was cuffed to a table in some court room themed joke with a

bunch of counsel guys blaming me for everything." Sam shifted and got quiet, looking out the window.

After about five minutes, Dean asked, "So you gonna make me ask?" Sam looked over to Dean and sighed. "Sorry, lost in memories. So after they laid the 'charges' on

me I went off," Sam looked over to Dean and grinned. "Came to some conclusions about who's fault everything was then, and unloaded everything on to them. Really

cleared the air, with me anyway." Sam laughed again. "So after I was finished, then out came the final surprise for the day." Sam shook his head at the memory.

"Dorthy showed up." Dean's eyebrows felt like they were taking residence in his hair line. "Dorthy, from OZ?"

"Ya, apparently Charlie sent her an email right before she ran off to the Motel. She came back once she knew Charlie was dead. Don't ask me how, its a magic, slash,

technology thing. So she came back and showed up to defend me. Turns out, She's like head shit on the counsel, even though she doesn't use it a lot. So she pulled

out the rule books, rolled it up, rubbed the counsels nose in the bull shit and swatted them with it." Dean laughed out loud at the descriptive imagery Sam had just

spouted.

"So that's where I got the idea for the type of Law I wanted to do. And Dorthy made me the Senior American Legacy and made sure the bunker was in my name. Then

went back to Britain and made sure they left me alone. I think she went to OZ about two years ago." Dean was quiet for a bit and then said. "that doesn't explain why

Cas never fixed your leg." Sam shrugged. "I never asked him to. The spell the girl used was pretty powerful. It took Cas a full week to come back from where ever she

sent him. Cas said it knocked him on his ass big time. And by then I had been in and back out of the hospital and things just got away from us."

After about twenty minutes Sam said. "Ya know, I guess, in the back of my mind, I figured, Ya know, Cas was your angel, not mine, so it never occurred to me to ask for

help." Dean looked over to Sam and said. "The last time Cas and I were together by our selves, I told him he was like a brother to me, to us. The last thing I did, was

pray to him to take care of you, that you were the only brother he had left. Sam he's as much yours and he is mine, and when we see him again, he is going to fix that

knee. You have suffered with it enough." Sam just shrugged his ok and went back to quietly looking out the window.

"What do you mean, Hell is dissipating? Where is it Dissipating too?" Crowley bellowed at the minion, who cringed visibly. "I I don't k k know my king, iiiit's justs gone,

swallowed up by the darkness, iiiit looks like that lady, Amara's back." Crowley felt his gut wrench at the words the minion uttered. A hold over from the moose's

attempt to make him human again. ::bloody hell!:: he thought to himself in disgust. ::bloody stupid squirrel blew him self up for nothing! And now my world is in danger

by the bitch again.:: He sighed and dismissed the minion with a flick of his wrist and watched as it skittered out.

Crowley mused to himself, it had been centuries down in hell, but 5 years topside. ::i wonder what moose has been up to? Haven't heard about him lately. Went back

to school and then he kinda disappeared, not that I've looked for the stupid git lately, perhaps it's time I payed an old friend a visit.::

As if just thinking about the Winchesters had brought it about, another demon came in and waited to be acknowledged. "What is it?" Crowley growled, as he got

ready to get back topside. "i bare news my king." Crowley rolled his eyes at the pause, "well are you going to tell me or make me pull it out of you?" The demon visibly

swallowed and said, eyes cast down, "news is the oldest Winchester is back from the dead sir." Crowley felt like he had been punched in the gut. Not because squirrel

was back, no he wasn't surprised, given the history of the boys. It was because if squirrel was back..it definitely had to do with hell being eaten by that bitch Amara.

Yes, It was time to pay the Winchesters a visit.

Sam and Dean had just passed into Kansas from Nebraska and decided to pull into a trucker station, Sam got out to get them some road food and Dean was pumping

gas. Sam texted him a question, so he didn't feel the presence until he heard a voice he never in his life (or death) expected to hear again. "Seem's like providence, me

runnin' into you like this brother, see'n as I was lookin' for you anyway." The southern drawl was unmistakable and Dean's head whipped around to gape at the

Vampire standing behind him. "Benny?" Benny nodded and Dean wrapped him in a hug. "My god its good to see you!" Dean stood back and looked him up and down.

"Thanks man! I never thought I would get to tell you what you mean to me and how much I owe you for what you did to help me get my brother back." Dean smacked

him on the shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.

Benny grinned and then looked over Deans shoulder, his face sobered up. Dean looked behind him to see Sam headed towards them, a look of concentration on his

face, bag of groceries in his hand. The walk was casual to the outward observer, but to Dean, Sam was in yellow alert. Dean stepped in front of Benny casually, asking

quietly, "you clean Benny?" "as ever brother," was the same soft reply, Dean relaxed a bit as Sam came up and stopped.

He stared at Benny for a bit, eyes going back and forth from Dean to Benny. Dean knew he had checked out Deans neck for signs of a bite already. Then he stuck out

his hand to Benny. "Hay Man, Hows it going?" Benny looked at Dean and raised an eyebrow. Dean just grinned. Benny reached out to shake Sam's hand, only to have

the latter grasp his fore arm instead. "I never got to tell you thanks, for getting me out. I really wasn't sure you had made it. Those levi's looked overwhelming. So,

Thanks Man, I owe you."

"Any time," Was Benny's answer. "So how did you get away, man?" Dean asked, as they finished getting gas and got in the car. Benny waited till they got rolling and

said. "This little bit of a girl, called her self Eve came along and slaughtered them like they were nothing. I thought for sure I was a gonner. Than she gave me a look

and walked away. Didn't see her again, until this last 6 months."

Sam turned around and stared at Benny when he said Eves name. "You met Eve? And she saved you?" "you've had some experience with her, yes?" Benny said with a

laugh. "she's the one who sent me to find you actually."

Dean caught his eyes in the rear view mirror. "Why would Eve, send you out of purgatory to find me?" he asked. "Well see, I'm here on a mission, brother, We've got

ourselves a problem in purgatory and she figured you would be the best to ask for help."

"Do Tell," Sam said. So he did. And when he was done, he could tell by the looks on the guys faces, they had some idea already. "You mind fillin' a fella in guys?" he

asked. So Dean and Sam spent the next few hours to the bunker filling the Vampire in on the last 4 years up to the point where Dean played bomb.

Benny was silent for a while as they pulled into the garage at the bunker. Sam jumped out to unlock the doors. Benny asked Dean. "what arn't you tellin that boy?"

Dean ducked his head and smiled, "Never could get one over on you Benny, even when it worked on everyone else." Benny just waited. "I don't think i'm gonna be

allowed to stay, you know, when its all over. I thought I'd be alright with it, but now that i'm back, I don't want to leave again. I want to start over, have a life, hell

even have a kid maybe."

Benny nodded his head thoughtfully. So all that time in heaven made you realize what you had missed. Now you want what you never got a chance to have." Dean

nodded, "I want it for Sammy too. Ya know, watching him from heaven, I realized that you can have both, ya it's dangerous, but hell, with the way things were going,

before this whole plague thing, the world was actually a safer place. I mean, Sam had found a way to kinda get out of the hunting part, now..." Dean shrugged, "I

mean, I kinda feel like we deserve it, ya know?" Benny just smiled and patted Dean on the shoulder and got out of the car.

They got everything unloaded and powered back up the bat cave, with Dean saying.. "honey we're hoooommmmeee." Sam and Dean gave Benny the tour and a room

beside theirs. "So Benny," Dean began as he helped him get sheets for the bed, "How are you handling the food issue?" "Ah mon ami, Eve gave me several viles of her

blood, said each one will last me up to 6 weeks, provided I don't get hurt." He showed Dean the packet with the viles. "So as long as I don't get nearly killed once a

day, I will be fine." Dean stared at the viles and wrinkled his nose. Then chuckled. "did she tell you how she knew us?"

Benny shook his head, "I assumed you defeated her since she was back in purgatory. But she didn't elaborate, and one doesn't just ask. It's considered rude,

although, to say you were killed by a Winchester is actually a point of pride now." "You guys have rules and manors?" Sam asked having come up just in time to hear

Dean's question. "we have an entire social system Sam my boy." Benny said with a laugh.

So they ordered pizza and told Benny stories about their fight with Eve and the Jefferson starships. At one point in the story, Benny asked Dean, "did you name them?"

"yup" Dean said proudly. "figures." Said Benny with a laugh, which caused Sam to laugh. "hay whats that supposed to mean?" Dean asked indignantly. But Benny

never told him.

The first thing Dean did when Cas joined them at the bunker was ask the angel to fix Sam's knee. Cas looked at Sam and shook his head as he did as he was asked.

Sam just looked sheepish as Cas said "Sam, why did you not ask me to fix it?" Sam said, "it never occurred to me to ask." Dean just grumbled to Cas, "He never should

have had to." Cas agreed with Dean and apologized to both of them. Sam just waived it off. "It's not like those first few months we were thinking straight Cas." and

then it was forgotten.

The next week was spent researching the prophets' blood lines back as far as they could. Turns out there wasn't a lot of lore on the prophets blood lines. Cas gave

them the names of all of them up to the present year, Chuck, it seemed was a ghost, no parents, no bloodline, no paperwork. Not that anyone was surprised. The

angel that had agreed to help them from upstairs had visited them once with a message that no one knew anything about the blood line to a certain prophet. Than

she stated that maybe the cupids could help and then left again saying she would keep looking for the traitor upstairs.

Dean was buying some jeans and shirts when the cashier did a double take and her eyes grew big. Dean looked around to see what the cashier saw and no one was

around. Dean looked back at the cashier and said. "What?" "Your Dean Winchester!" The girl hissed quietly. Her eyes flipped to solid black then back again. Dean

backed up slowly, putting his hand on the handle of the knife that Sam insisted he carry. "Relax, i'm not going to do anything to you," She said disdain in her voice.

"The boss has been looking for you. Says he needs to speak to you about the darkness problem you failed to fix."

Dean snorted and crossed his arms as the demon finished his transaction. "Tell your boss I did fix the problem, five years ago, this is just the after affects. If he's

having issues with the darkness then he can come and ask for help like a good little doggy. I'm home now." She looked at him in disdain and said. "That will be

132.95." and waited, arms crossed. Dean rang up his card and then took the receipt with a snatch and looked around again. "By the way..." He began reciting the

exorcism ritual and the demon gave one murderous screech and shot out of the meat suit and back thru the vents.

Dean waited until the cashier came too and reassured her it had all been a bad dream. And then left telling her she may want to go to the dr if she's passing out in the

daytime.

That night, Sam, Benny, Cas and Dean all headed back to the local bar in Lebanon. Benny challenged Cas to a game of pool and Sam and Dean were watching when

Crowley showed up. "Hello Boy's" The British accent still put Sam on edge and made his leg twitch, even when he knew the accent came from Crowley. Dean and Sam

turned around and just looked at Crowley. "Shall we have a seat? I believe we have a mutual problem to discuss." Crowley continued.

They sat down at the table, Benny and Cas watching carefully around their pool game. "Crowley, can't say its good to see you." Dean said. "Same to you squirrel,"

Crowley replied. "But right now, I have a bit of Amara left- over's currently eating its way thru hell, so you got to put up with a bit of unpleasantness I suppose to get

anything done." "couldn't have said it better my self," Said Sam.

"So lets get straight to the point shall we?" Crowley continued. "What is this left-over that is currently occupying my kingdom?" Dean shook his head. "Its left over from

when Amara was attacking heaven and earth, trying to get God's attention. She sent it to destroy heaven and when she died, apparently, it just started eating it's

way thru everything. Its every where, heaven, hell apparently and purgatory." Dean took a drink and Sam continued. "We have to find the latest Prophet to clean it up.

And to do that we need to find out the descendants of God's last meat suite, apparently he had a family before becoming God's meat suite."

"Well that should be relatively easy to figure out." Crowley said. "Let me do some digging, I'll get back to you." With that, he disappeared. "Do you think he can do it?"

Sam asked as he and Dean turned around to watch Benny beat Cas for the second time. "He is nothing if not resourceful." Dean said.

Southern LA...

"Hear you go sweet heart, just remember, you are never alone, angels are watching over you always. If you need anything at all, just let us know." Sera handed the

elderly woman her weekly bag of groceries with a smile and the woman thanked her and moved on. It was the last of people in her line and she wiped her hands and

started cleaning up. "So hows it going Seraphina?" Seph asked her. Sera looked up at her N.A. sponsor with a smile. "its just Sera, Seph, remember? I never go by my

whole name." "I do apologize, Sera" Sephtis said with a very rare small smile, "its simply a mark of professionalism, there is no offense meant." It was an old

argument, Sera just shook her head, both of them knowing that Seph would continue to call her that.

"I have something for you Seraphina." Sera finished wiping the table and gave Seph her full attention. Seph handed her a folder. "Congratulations, my dear, its been

three years since you checked yourself into the rehabilitation center." Sera looked at the certificate in her hands. "Three years? Really?" "Yes ma'm it has." Seph said

with a neutral face. "You have also reached another milestone today." Seph handed Sera another folder. This one had some legal paperwork in it. Sera looked up at

Seph. "Is this my release papers?" "Yup," Seph said. "Today you are a free woman, no more probation, no more required N.A. Meetings, no more community service,

you may do as you please, you have satisfied both the court and my requirements. Congratulations."

After the day had wound down and the food pantry had closed for the night and Sera sat on her bed in her little studio apartment looking at the two files spread out in

front of her. She thought back to her life, what little she remembered of it, and what she had been told. Five years ago today, she had woken up in the ICU, with no

memories. Her Dr's filled her in on what they had been told, her parole officer gave her the rest. She had been a hooker apparently, and a heroin addict. She had the

scars to prove it.

She gathered up her files and put them away, ::got to get to that meeting with the new girl:: she thought to her self. :: This doesn't change a thing, I still have work to

do.:: She got her coat and headed to the YWCA.

Sera walked in to the YWCA and Rachel, the receptionist looked up and waved a greeting. Sera waved and smiled back. Rachel pointed over to the couches on the wall

where a sullen looking young lady sat in leather, and eyeliner and spiked everything. Sera laughed inwardly at the ridiculous attire meant to look tough. Outwardly she

headed over completely composed. "Are you waiting for your sponsor?" She asked the girl. ::god she can't be more than 17 years old.:: She thought.

"Who's askin'" the wanna be rebel asked defiantly. "Well my name is Seraphina, but you can call me Sera. I'm your new sponsor." "Well you can just turn your old ass

self around, cuz I don' need no sponsor." the young woman said with her chin up. "Sera shrugged and said, "suite yourself," she turned around and said across the

room to Rachel, "Rach, call the parole office, apparently there has been some sort of clerical error and this young lady was not supposed to be released on probation

since a sponsor is a requirement of probation."

Rachel nodded in agreement and began to type on the computer and made to answer the phone. Both Sera and Rachel knew she was in fact playing candy crush. But

the youngster didn't. "Wait, wait! Hold on, I didn't say I wouldn't do it. I just said I didn't need one." the youngster said in a hurry. Sera looked back and waited while

the girl caught up with her.

"what's your name youngster?" Sera asked with a barely hidden grin over to Rachel who winked at her. "Angela" muttered the now sullen again youngster. "Well

Angela, what do you say we go get some hot wings. I'm starving and I love hot wings." The 5'6, 110 pound kid perked up at the mention of food but muttered "ya,

what ever." like Sera couldn't hear her stomach rumbling like she hadn't eaten in weeks. ::which she probably hasn't, at least nothing substantial.:: Sera thought

ruefully.

They sat at the local wings place and ate, well Sera nibbled a little while Angela ate. Sera was taken back to when Seph had done this for her, three years ago. "So

whats your deal?" Sera was shaken out of her memories with Angela's question. "beg your pardon?" Sera asked. Angela snorted. "What's your deal? Why are you a

sponsor? What do you get out of it?" Sera smiled. "its kind of a pay it forward type of deal kiddo." "How? You mean you were hooked too?" Angela asked in the artless

way of street kids. "yup, heroin. What's your drug of choice." "Coke." Angela said after a bit. "and alcohol. Can't stand needles." Sera laughed. Well consider yourself

lucky, Heroin is much more of a monster than coke and alcohol. If you stick with this, you'll be cleaned up in no time." Angela snorted. "What if I don't want to be

'cleaned up'. Did ya ever think that I like this?" Sera looked at Angela and said. "Oh im sure you do. Makes you feel like your in control doesn't it? Like you're a big girl

right? Screw the rules!" Sera made a fist and thumped it lightly on the table. "Damn straight!" Angela said.

"Hmm. So riddle me this bat girl, if your so in control, why do you crave it so much when you don't get it? Why do you never feel right until you've had a snort, or a

drink. I don't think uncontrollable shakes until you get high is a very good sign on control, seems like the coke and alcohol has the control don't you? If you don't feel

normal with out them?" Angela stopped mid bite as she stared blankly at Sera. "but who am I to tell you what to think right?" Sera said. "I'm sorry, I won't talk

anymore about it. Just enjoy your food." Sera went back to watching the karaoke singers. For some reason she loved to watch bad karaoke but couldn't figure it out.

About ten minutes passed as the teen chewed on the chicken and the comments Sera had made. ::this one's a thinker.:: Sera thought with amusement. "what about

you?" Angela asked a little while later. "Whats your story?" Sera looked at Angela for a few heart beats. "I'll tell you what, i'll tell you mine if you tell me yours, deal?"

Angela looked at her for a little bit, Sera could swear she heard wheels turning. "Deal." Angela said.

"It was about five years ago that my life turned upside down, or should I say right side up?" Sera began...

She had woken up in the icu, tubes coming out of everywhere. Even places she didn't used to have holes. She had no memory of her previous life, no memories of

anything save her name. The nurse came in to check on her and got the dr when she saw she was awake.

According to her Dr the only id they had on her was what she said her name was, she was in the records a jane doe. The police came by and filled in the blanks. Her

name was Seraphina, thats all they had. She had been on the streets of L.A. For at least fifteen years according to her rap sheet. No one knew where she came from.

According to dental records she was around twenty eight. She had sold out her john because she had witnessed a murder. The cop she was talking to had said that

she told him.'drugs and sex are one thing, killing another human being is something else.' so she had agreed to testify

Problem was her pimp new people, and his contacts got him out and the first thing he did was beat her till she couldn't walk, than shot her. The paramedics said she

had been dead for 20 minutes. Than they brought her back. Not sure how, the medic had decided one last time to check her pulse and found it.

So two weeks later, here she was at the hospital, with no memories of any of this. The good thing was her pimp was told she was alive and tried to kill her again in the

hospital and the cops were waiting. So they got him on attempted murder anyway. But that didn't change anything. She started feeling the pull again about two days

after being discharged. See they had stopped the methadone. So she went looking again, she went hooking again to pay for it.

Three years ago she overdosed. When she woke up the same cop was waiting on her with her new sponsor, Seph. It was either agree to check into a clinic or go to

jail, dry out the hard way and spend the rest of her life in a cage. So she decided to check in because she would rather not live in a cage thank you very much. That

was how she met Seph. That was how she stayed clean, and the court ordered community service and mandatory NA meetings and a job. So she became a social

worker technician. She couldn't get her license with a rap sheet but L A had a program where she could do the schooling and get a technician certificate. She would

always have to work under a social worker, but she was basically a paid sponsor. It worked for her, gave her a job and a purpose in life. She found that helping people

really helped her as well. And Sephtis was her Social worker.

After she finished she looked at Angela who had wide eyes. "You're still a minor sweet heart. After you turn 18 the court will seal your records and you have the whole

world before you. You can do anything. Sera payed the bill and they got up to leave. At the halfway house that Sera had set her up with she stopped Angela before

she went inside. "Heroin isn't something you normally start with Angela, its something you work your way up to. I have no idea what I did before that. But Coke and

Alcohol are pretty light weight compared to whats out there, think about it, ok? Please?" Angela pulled away from Sera, but it wasn't belligerent like in the beginning.

She just nodded and went up the stairs and into the house.

After another three weeks they had zip. Dean was getting frustrated and Sam kept reminding him that they had three years before it got bad. Cas's list had dwindled

to nothing, they had visited every prophet on that list, including a baby that had been born just a week before they visited. Nothing not a peep. The Angel upstairs

said the Cupids were "working on it." Even Crowley had been having trouble keeping up with the Prophet Chucks descendants. Finally Sam came to Dean and said,

"Look, Dean we got bupkis, I found a case, well Claire found a case for us in LA. I think we should check it out. It looks like one of ours." Dean sighed and ran his

fingers thru his hair. "Well, fine." He sighed. "Maybe it would be good to get out of here for a while I guess." "Great! I'll go get packed, we can leave tomorrow." Sam

said.

They pulled into South LA about 6 pm. Dean checked them into the motel while Sam unloaded the car and started setting everything up. It was the first regular hunt

they had been on since the whole Amara thing. Sam was actually looking forward to it. Some time with big bro with out the end of the world staring them in the face.

Well they could pretend anyway.:: I wonder what its gonna be like once we fix this.:: Sam thought to him self. ::once we find God again, and he cleans everything up, I

wonder if we could both simi retire?::

Sam had thought about that a lot recently. After all, he kinda did. And he still has his law practice to take care of. He laid the salt down in the windows and enjoyed just

walking with out that constant nagging ache in his leg anymore. He'd even taken up running every day again. He shook his head at himself for living with it for so long

instead of just asking Cas to help.::dumb ass:: he thought to himself.

Dean came in and helped as they set up the job board and time line together. "just like we never stopped eh Sammy?" Dean asked as they looked over the finished

board. Sam smiled and smacked Dean on the back. The knock on the door distracted Sam and he went to open it. "Haya Sam!" Claire said with a grin. "Dean!" She

hugged them both, Dean maybe a tiny bit longer. "So whatcha got Claire bear?" Dean said with a grin. Claire hit Dean in the arm, "only Cas gets to call me that

douche" Dean held up his hands in surrender, grin wide on his face.

"K hears what I know, Something's killing girls at a halfway house here in southern LA." Claire handed out folders with paper clippings in them. "Looky you all

organized and professional." Sam said admiringly. "Hush, its the only decent thing college taught me." Claire said in mock seriousness. Dean laughed. "ok so three

victims so far, my contact said that the last victim, a girl named Angela was the one that caused her to call me. She had just turned 18. and was out celebrating in town

with some friends from the halfway house when they were attacked. Angela was grabbed and drug off some where and the other girls were screaming something

about a wolf man."

"All the victims were drained of blood and their hearts missing." Dean said. Sam paused, "that sounds familiar," He punched up something on the computer, Dean

looking over his shoulder. "Oh nice job on that online monster mash up you did by the way." Dean said. "I looked at it a week or so back. You've really out done your

self on that one, everything we know of that the hunters or letters have faced all at your beck and call, if your a hunter or a letter." Sam smiled his thanks as he looked

up the weather. "thought so, there will be a solar eclipse tomorrow. Sound familiar?" "Were-Pire's" Dean said enthusiastically. Claire groaned. "So we have to catch

and kill a demon/were-wolf hybrid?"

"Yup, We've faced one before, won't be too awfully hard, silver kills them so pump them full of silver rounds and then behead them to be sure." Sam said as he closed

the lid. "K, I'll tell my contact, He's a social worker at the local office. You guys want to come meet him?" Claire asked. Dean shrugged, "why not?" Claire headed out the

door. "I'll go get him and meet you at the Bar on 18th and southern. K? Got to feed the guy if you want to talk to him." Claire laughed as she shut the door. "Sounds

like you." Sam said with a laugh. "Hay! I resemble that remark, bitch!" Dean yelled as he went to get baby. "Jerk." He heard muffled as he shut the door.

Sera wiped her eyes as she exited the church. There was no way It could have been an open casket funeral, so the coroner had just cremated the body when he was

done. This was more of a memorial than a funeral. ::Angela, poor Angela, you were showing so much promise, already off the coke and alcohol, had a job, doing good

and only a month into the program. My first real sponseree and she was killed before she could really get going, at least you are now in heaven.:: She knew with out a

doubt that's where she was. She headed back to the office but her boss sent her home. Seph said he had a meeting with the feds and she needed rest. So home she

went. Once she got there she didn't know what to do, so she went out to the skate park, she loved to watch the kids skate, they were so talented. Plus one of them

was teaching her how to skate, ::it may take my mind of things for a bit:: she thought. She paused once outside her door to look up at the sky. It was noon, the solar

eclipse was going to happen at 1:30 this afternoon. A complete and total one this time. ::should be interesting to see how well I skate in the dark.::

Sam and Dean got to the Bar around noon. It opened around 11 for the lunch crowd. The sign on the door proclaimed the best fried pickles this side of the continent.

Dean paused and read it then chuckled to him self. "What?" Sam asked as he noticed Dean's attention somewhere else. "Have you ever wondered what happened to

Death? I mean, he was DEATH, so did I really kill him? And for that matter, why did he think, by telling me if I didn't kill you that day, he would, would work? After all we

had been thru together, didn't he realize the fastest way to snap me out of any trance was to threaten you?"

"you know, I did wonder that exact thing when he said it, come to think of it, but I was a bit preoccupied at the time so it was kinda a random thought that left as soon

as I thought it, ya know? Than you went and stuck his scythe in him so, ya know, that was supposed to be the only way to kill him. Remember? When Lucifer let out

the four horsemen? That was the whole point of you trying that first time to kill him with it." Sam said. "What brought that stroll down memory lane on?" Dean pointed

to the sign on the wall. "I can't think of fried pickles with out thinking of him." Dean said with a crooked smile. Sam smiled and patted Dean on the shoulder as they

walked in to the gloom and let their eyes adjust. "I kinda miss the guy, ya know?" Sam said softly, "He was pretty decent for a horseman, and kinda not really a

monster so much as a force of nature, necessary if slightly unwanted."

Dean nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat at the reminder of the time he almost killed his baby bro. They walked in and saw Claire speaking with a guy with

his back to them. Claire waved them over and stood to introduce her contact. "Dean, Sam, I want you to meet Sephtis Jones, my contact. The hello's died on both of

their lips as the man turned and offered them a small smile with his hand out. They stood there in shock as they came face to face with a very much younger version of

the persona of Death.

Sera was sweating already, her instructor, one of the Kids that was at the halfway house because his parents were dead not because of any drugs or other issues,

was encouraging her to do one of the more challenging jumps. She started just as the eclipse did, kicking her board and tipping down the ramp towards the jump at

the edge of the park. She launched and kicked the board just as the world went dark as the moon covered the sun to the cheers of the kids watching her. Then she

was hit from the side and felt a sharp pain in her left ribs as she was taken off of her board and her head snapped back at the impact. She felt her head hit the side of

something and then a sharp pain shot from her head down to her hip, then blackness.

"Sephtis?" Sam said with a hard swallow. "My fathers idea of a joke I suppose," Seph said with out any sign of humor, "Its Hebrew for eternal death, my mother died in

childbirth, so i've been told." Dean and Sam looked at each other then at Claire who had recognized the shell shocked look on their faces. Claire was buzzing with

curiosity as they all sat down and Seph offered Dean and Sam some of his fried pickles. They politely refused. "Suite yourselves," Seph said with light humor, "more for

me. I adore fried pickles, Sera once asked me if I was pregnant because of it." He said with a small laugh. " A protege of sorts," he told them at their blank looks.

Claire's phone chose that moment to ring. "Hello? Ya its Claire, What? When? We are on our way! No Mike DO NOT go after her! I've got back up. Stay put!" Claire

looked at Sam and Dean. "Another girl has been grabbed, during the height of the eclipse, some worker named Sera was boarding with the kids and got grabbed by a

'gimongous furry monster, mid kick flip!' end quote, Lets head to the park! Its only 5 min from here." Claire said as she gathered her stuff. "Did you say Sera?" Seph

asked anxiously.

"Ya why, Ya know her?" Claire asked "Yes!" Seph said. "and if this crazy serial killer has her, i'm going with you!" He stopped their objections flat. "I will go with or with

out you, she is a co worker and a friend. You cannot stop me. And if you accost me, I will sue your asses for assaulting a social worker, feds or not!" Dean looked at

Sam who shrugged and said, "ok, but don't say we didn't warn you." they all raced out to the impala and Drove to the park, Sam called Cas on the way and told him

where to bring Benny.

Cas and Benny met the group as they pulled in and all piled out. Cas saw Seph and opened his mouth to which Dean grabbed his arm and shook his head. "Cas, this is

Sephtis, he's here because the latest victim was a co worker named Sera.." "Seraphina, her name is Seraphina." Seph said as Dean opened the trunk. Cas made a

strangled noise in his throat as Seph said the name. Sam looked up and Saw Cas had the strangest look on his face.

"Cas looks like he just swallowed a frog." Sam said in a quiet aside to Dean who had just opened the false bottom of the trunk. He nodded to Sam and started

handing out silver knives and machetes to all. Then stopped as Seph slowly reached in to grab something, like what ever it was, would bite if he wasn't careful. "I'll

take this one," he said in a far away sounding voice. Dean looked and watched in fascination as Seph reached for Deaths scythe. "i didn't know you kept that, I

thought you left it at the building where you killed him," Sam whispered in Deans ear, Dean gave Sam a look, "when have I ever left a weapon behind?"

'

After Seph grabbed the scythe everyone held their breaths. Finally Seph said, "arn't we supposed to be going after the Thing that grabbed Sera?" The group mobilized

again and headed off in the direction the kids pointed out to Claire at a run. Cas and Benny scouted ahead tracking the thing. Benny shouted when he grabbed the

scent. "I don't know what I was expecting to happen when he grabbed it. " Dean panted as he ran. Sam just kept his mouth shut and ran.

Sera woke up, everything hurt, pain screamed at her from her head to her toes, she took stock before she opened her eyes. Then slowly sat up. Once the dizziness

faded she opened her eyes. She was seeing two of everything. ::ok, so concussion, so lets take stock. Two beds, two sinks, two buckets,::.. she screwed up her nose

at what that was supposed to be for. She went to get up and promptly threw up. ::ok so no movement::

She heard footsteps coming close to her and saw two guys coming at her. ::one, there is only one:: she told herself. "I don't know who or what you are.." the voice

began as it came close to her and grabbed her neck "but you are the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. Way too good to just eat up all at once,." Sera had

enough time to think, "what the hell?" and then pain as the guy bit into her neck with teeth way to sharp to be human. Then blackness, chasing the thought of "oh

god, i've been captured by vampires."

Benny found the old house she was drug to, but warned the guys when they caught up, "she's lost a lot of blood mates, I don't know how much longer she can hold

on." "Is she in there?" Seph asked. Dean noticed he wasn't even winded. "Yup and a monster i've only heard of in purgatory mate, they call it a whisper," "part

werewolf part vampire that moves like a demon, ya we've ganked one before brother." Dean said between breaths. "Than lets go." Seph said. "I'd wait a second if I

were you mate." Crowley appeared out of no where. "She's about to be eaten alive, Crowley". Dean growled, "we can't wait." They ran into the house, and began

searching the rooms. "Down stairs" Benny growled low. Cas went down first, followed by Dean.

So when the beast jumped them, Cas took the brunt of it. The fight was brutal but Cas and Dean took it out. Dean sounded the all clear and headed into the Next

room. Thinking they were going to get the girl. But Crowley appeared in front of him. "Wait, Dean." Dean stopped short, "this better be good." "As much as it would do

my heart good to let you waltz in and get slaughtered, there are, were, two of them, and the second one has drank from the girl, who is the last direct descendant of

a certain prophet, so it will be much stronger. Possibly able to take the two of you on."

The rest of the group caught up in time to hear the last of what Crowley said. "Her? She's the prophet we've been looking for?" Claire asked. "I've talked to her

several times over the last week and that ring never lit up not for a second." "I can't help it if you've got your selves a dud prophet finder. I can only tell you after

weeks of jumping thru time, finding the damn cupids, getting dozens of naked hugs mind you." Dean and Sam snickered at that. "this girl is the last of them." "So if she

dies, so does our chance of cleaning up the Darkness residue! So move out of the way Crowley! Cas said with an angry growl as he shoved the king of hell to one

side.

The group filed into the last room in the basement, only to see the girl they had come for piled in a heap in the middle of the floor, surrounded by blood. The monster, a

weird human/wolf mixture, wiping his mouth. "Just in time guys. I was getting ready to eat the heart. Care to join?" he gestured at the pile of woman on the floor. "Her

heart is still beating fellas", Benny whispered "but just barely."

"A demon, an angel, a vampire and some humans walk into a dungeon,, sounds like a bad joke." The wolf man said. "We're here to kill you, so don't mind us. Why

don't you die like a good little doggy huh? Like your friend back there." Dean pointed behind them with the machete.

The wolf man grinned showing huge fangs and said. "you first" and launched himself at Dean. Benny met him half way and the fight was on. If they thought the fight

with the first one was brutal, This one made it seem like a piece of cake. This thing was fast. It was all they could do to keep from getting gutted themselves. And that

was with 6 people fighting. Then it got a good hit on Claire, slamming her up against the cage door. She was only knocked out for a second. But when she came to.

She saw where she was. She tried to get up and found her ankle was broken, dangling uselessly. She caught Deans eye and He nodded to her as he fought to keep

the things fangs off of Cas until he got back up.

Claire crawled over to the girl and turned her over, she couldn't feel a pulse any more. And the ring wasn't doing anything. On a whim and a last ditch effort, she took it

off and put it on the girl. When nothing happened she hung her head in defeat. She crawled back out and saw the wolf swipe at Sam's back, She heard it crunch as

the blow connected and Sam grunted and fell, paralyzed, to the floor. Dean screamed Sam's name and threw a punch at the thing that missed but Benny connected

with his silver blade to the leg. The Wolf screamed in rage and back handed Benny across the room. Cas tackled it and was about to stab it with his angel blade when

the whole room moved. The wolf threw Cas against the wall hard enough to make a Cas shaped hole and the room moved again. Throwing everyone to the ground.

Crowley took advantage of the distraction to drive a silver spike threw the beasts head. Driving is into the concrete floor, pinning the beast to the floor with it. He

stood back wiping the dust off of his vest. Cas crawled out of the hole in the wall and over to where Dean was holding Sam's head up so he wouldn't choke on his

blood. Sam coughed and said, "at least It doesn't heart Dee." Dean just choked up a laugh and said "shut up bitch and let Cas heal you." Cas set to work while Benny

went to check on Claire. Seph went to check on Sera who was starting to move. "Your ok?" Seph said in surprise.

"What happened Seph?" Sera asked as she came to. Than her memories came flooding back and she sat straight up. "what the frick, Seph, this thing grabbed me,

than I was here and it was EATING me! Like I was some kind of filet minion or something!" Seph just awkwardly patted Sara on the shoulder while she took in the

scene around her. "Who are you guys?" She asked in awe at the carnage around her.

After Cas was done fixing everyone, they all piled outside and were met by Armisael, who touched Cas and restored his energy. "Thank you sister." He said. She

nodded her head to him. Then turned to Seph and Sera and said, "We have been looking for the two of you for several years. You will accompany us to heaven where

you will fulfill your destiny and destroy the last of the darkness." Sera and Seph looked at the Winchesters in confusion and Dean stepped in. "Woha woha! You guys

have got to work on your people skills. You still haven't gotten the concept of free will have you?" "They must come with us Winchester, they are needed in heaven, all

of creation needs them. You of all people know this." "What we know, is that God made free will for a reason and if these two, of all people, can't choose their own

destiny, than what is the point of free will?" Sam said angrily.

After some discussion in Enochian, which Cas interjected something very angrily that made them pause, the turned back to the group and Armisael said. "I hope you

know what your doing." and they left. The group went back to The motel and piled into Sam and Deans room. They had taken turns telling Sera about her being

chosen as God's prophet and what she needed to do to clean up the Amara left overs.

"This is an awful lot to wrap my head around, guys Can I think on it?" Dean smiled and nodded. "ultimately the choice is yours Sera, so think about it, you can always

come with us and talk to Joshua, if you need some more information." Sera nodded and her and Seph left. Dean and Sam went out to get food while Claire called Jody

to catch her up. As they drove, they talked.

"So do you think that Seph is Death?" Dean asked Sam. " I really do, Dean." Sam said. "After all he is Death, if God made a loop hole, why couldn't death? I mean,

that's what he does." "I wonder what she's going to decide. I get the feeling what ever she says Seph is going to follow." Dean commented. Sam said. "You know Cas

told me what got him today, when he met them." Dean looked at Sam and waited for Sam to continue. Aside from what Seph's name means, Seraphina is just a fancied

up way of saying Seraph. Its what Cas is." Dean smiled and they drove on.

They had to wait 2 days before Sera and Seph showed back up. "We have decided what the hell," Sera said. "There's no one else here, the halfway house was closing

down anyway and our jobs was being phased out due to budget cuts." "So here we are." Seph said. Sam and Dean welcomed them back and Cas called to Armisael,

telling her that they were ready. Everyone was surprised when it was Joshua that answered the call. "Brother, I thought you never left the Garden!" Cas exclaimed.

"For this momentous occasion, I have." Joshua said as he held his hands out to Sera. "MY dear you look wonderful." "do I know you?" she asked. "Not Yet, but you

will." Joshua said.

Sam looked over to Dean as all this was going on. It was almost over. Dean had finally had the chance to tell him the whole story. He wondered, after it was all over,

how he was going to function without Dean again. He walked outside as everyone was getting everything wrapped up. He took the duffles to put in the car so Dean

wouldn't follow him outside, thinking something was wrong. But some one did follow him. "What's on your mind brother?" Benny asked from behind him. Sam stood up

and shut the door, he'd grabbed an extra beer when he heard Benny's voice from the cooler in the back seat and handed it to Benny.

Sam sighed and sat against the impala. " i'm not sure I can handle Dean being gone again." Benny just took a drink and leaned up against the impala beside him,

waiting. "i knew once I heard the story that this was just temporary, that once we were done, i'd have to let him go again. But I didn't figure it would be this hard.

Knowing where he's going back to. Ya know?" Benny just nodded. "and you man! You have to head back to purgatory after this, don't you? Or can you find a way out

of it?" Sam continued. "Well now, all I was told to do was report using the message system She gave me. Which I have, and she gave me 12 viles of blood, each

lasting 6 weeks provided I don't get to injured. Of which I had to use one after that fight. So I have at max 66 weeks before I have to go back to robbin' blood banks."

"I can help with that, if you want." Sam said after a while. "i mean if you want to stay up here, I have a friend that works at the Red cross. She's knows what we do so

I figure she wouldn't pitch a fit to bad, hell maybe you could get a job sortin the blood types or something." Benny looked at Sam and smiled. "I think maybe I will take

you up on that offer Sam. As long as you promise to do what you need to should I slip and fall." "Deal" Sam said with a smile.

Dean walked out looking for Sam and found him drinking a beer with Benny. ::Wow have we ever changed:: thought Dean with a smile. "come on guys, we're headed

upstairs now." Sam came up to Dean and gave him a huge hug. "I love you big bro, take care k? And send my love to everyone." Dean hugged him back and pulled him

away, looking at his baby brother with some amusement as Sam wiped his eyes. "Its not good bye just yet, unless your tired of me already," he said with a laugh.

"Josh has invited everyone." Sam looked surprised and Dean smacked him on the arm. "Com'on douche, lets go. You to Benny, want a glimpse of heaven?" "Sure, why

not, in for a penny.." Benny said as he tossed his beer bottle.

They all went inside and once they were settled the sound of wings was heard and the familiar (to most) disorientating feeling of being somewhere else all of a

sudden. They were in the garden. Seph ;and Sera gazed around in awe and then Josh called them over to the tree, "just like we discussed Sera, touch the tree and

then you will remember who and what you are." Dean looked over at Sam and grinned and rubbed his hands together. Sera looked at Seph and Josh for a second then

touched the tree. At first nothing happened then Josh touched Sera and a bright light emanated from the tree.

It quickly became so bright everyone had to close their eyes, then nothing. When they opened their eyes again, Sera was still there, sitting on the bench next to Josh.

Seph had changed to his usual suit and was standing beside Sera while they talked to Joshua. Everyone blinked and let their eyes adjust

"Sam! Dean! You came thru again. Just like I knew you would!" Sera came over to Sam and Dean and gave them hugs. "Chuck? I thought you would be back to your

old self for some reason." Sera laughed. "No this is the new me, the me that you knew as Chuck is dead and gone. I have all his memories, because, well frankly he is

me. But now i'm me, as I am now. And i'm back for a while, oh ya. That reminds me, I have some cleaning up to do."

Sera pulled her hands together and concentrated for a few seconds. Than a big ball of darkness began to form in the middle of his hands. She gathered it all up and

placed it in a box and locked it. The familiar mark branded on the top and sides of the box. "good bye sister dear, rest in piece." Sera said with a sad smile. She then

handed it to Seph who took it and nodded to the group. "it seems you did come thru after all," He said. "I owe you a debt, although I would just say we call it even

since it was you that killed my last form to begin with?" Dean and Sam nodded vigorously and waved their hands saying together that yes, calling it even was fine with

them.

"Ok, well I have work to do now, so let me send everyone back where they belong and thank you so much for your help." Sera waved her hands and Sam found

himself back at the Bunker, in the front room. He looked around to see that Benny was with him but that was all. He stood there for a bit and let his shoulders drop. He

walked to his room and got ready for bed.

Dean found himself at the road house. Everyone was there talking about how the darkness had disappeared and then Jo noticed him at the door. "Dean! Your back!

You did it, the darkness is gone, rumor has it God is back." Dean smiled and nodded. "Can't help but notice that your less than enthusiastic about being back, son."

Bobby said to him. "I was kinda hoping I could stay with Sam." He said softly. "Not that i'm not happy to see you all again." Mary smiled and said "we get it son. We all

can't wait to see him again." Dean smiled and nodded, Ellen gave him a sympathetic smile and handed him a beer just as Cas walked thru the door.

"Cas! Your allowed back! Hows Sam!" Dean exclaimed. He didn't notice the amused smiles behind him as the first thing out of his mouth was Sam. "I don't know Dean,

I came here first after speaking with Father. Or should I call him Mother now?" Ellen laughed out loud. "Poor Cas you look so confused." Cas just shook his head. "i

have come to see if you have said all your good byes. And to take you back to earth." It took a few moments for what Cas said to sink in. "What? I'm going back?" "Yes

Dean, that is part of your reward for helping Chu.. er Sera get back who she is. So long as you don't sell your soul, or do anything really horrible, you will come back

here after a hopefully long life."

"Wonderful news Son!" Mary said with a clap. "Go give me some grand children to meet someday." Bobby, Henry and John all roared with laughter at the look on Deans

face in response to his mothers request. Dean said his good bys and Cas took him by the shoulder, the Jolt making itself known. Dean looked at his best friend and

guardian angel and said, "Lets go home"

There was silence in the road house after they left. Then John said. "i guess you were right Mary, our boys do have angels watching over them." Mary just hugged her

husband and smiled.

Dean re appeared in front of the Bunker. "It's been a week Dean, just so you know." Cas Said with a frown. "whats wrong now?" Dean asked worriedly. A lot can

happen in a week. "Sam has become quite depressed. Benny is trying to cheer him up by taking a case, but Even though he's functioning, Benny is worried he's not

coping. "Where are they?" On their way back from the case, Sam got distracted and is bleeding but nothing serious." "Benny's doing ok with that?" Dean asked

sharply. "Oh yes, Sera made Benny human again as a reward. So he is only hungry for food now." Cas said with a smile.

"Wow, ok, so what did she do for you?" Dean asked as they went inside to wait. "i was allowed my place back in heaven and given a garrison to command should I

wish it." Well, we've come full circle haven't we my friend." Dean said. "Well, I declined." Cas said with a smirk. "i decided my place was here, with my brothers, fighting

side by side with them." Cas said looking Dean in the eyes. Dean felt his eyes get moist and fought back the swell of emotion. "Its good to have you back brother."

Dean said, hugging Cas.

As Benny pulled in, Sam slept in the Back. He was making a valiant effort, but Benny could see losing Dean again had taken its toll. He had mentioned to Sam that

Dean kept coming back, he could just be a little late. Sam had brightened at that but it still was wearing on him. As he pulled into the garage at the bunker, the lights

came on and Benny's breath caught in his throat. He felt a huge grin stretch across his face as he pulled the impala to a stop. He got out quietly and gave Dean a hug.

"Good to see you made your way home brother." He said. Dean hugged him tight. "Nice to see you've warmed up a bit." he replied with a grin. Benny laughed and

jerked his head to the car. "He's asleep in the back." Deans face grew serious. "thanks for taking care of him for me." "That's what Brothers do isn't it?" Benny fired

back. Dean grinned again and smacked his shoulder. "It sure is man," He walked over to the open back window and leaned in, watching his baby brother sleep. The

stress was evident on his face even in his sleep.

"Wake up Baby bro. Your home." Sam swore he heard his brothers voice in his dreams. He woke up slowly, taking stock before he opened his eyes. Arm was hurt but

not bad. Nothing a few stitches wouldn't cure. And Benny was good at that. He opened his eyes and the blurry figure of Benny swam into view, but it looked like Dean.

He closed his eyes again and sighed. He was seeing Dean everywhere, it was like when he lost him 5 years ago all over again. "Open those eyes sleepy head and get

out of the car." Sam's eyes snapped open. Despite everything, Benny had never actually sounded like Dean.

"Dean?" he asked fear and hope in his voice. "Get out here Bitch, and give your big brother a hug." Sam scrambled out of the car and stood up. Dean was standing

right in front of him, his eyes laughing at him. "Dean? Your back? For good?" Sam wrapped his arms around Dean, hugging him for all he was worth. "ya Sammy, i'm

back for good." Sam kept his arm around Deans shoulder as they walked back into the bunker. "we got years together baby bro, and Mom says she wants Grand kids

some day." Sam looked at Dean in shock. Then grinned as they walked into the bunker. Maybe now they could have a simi-normal life.

"So how do you propose we do that?" Sam asked, "well Sammy, when a guy meets a girl..ooff" Dean grunted as Sam elbowed him in the ribs. "You know what I mean,

Jerk." Benny went to the kitchen to get beers, laughing. "I figure we do what you were doing while I was upstairs all those years. We can be the new Bobby, and you

can continue your law stuff but from here instead of Montana." "How'd you know where I was?" Sam asked. "Dude, heaven, and Ash equals I know every bit of your

life while I was up there." Dean replied.

"Sounds good Dean" Sam said with a grin. "Lets start tomorrow." "Nope, first, we are having a real vacation. No hunting nothing supernatural at all." Dean said. "Then

we will get started." Benny came in and gave everyone a beer. And they all toasted to the future. Up in Heaven, Ash smiled.