Just a one shot. A really short one shot. It's been nagging me so here it is darn it before it drives me nuts - er nuttier.


Sam lay on his side in the bed, as the fever burned through him. His eyes were closed and his breathing came with pain filled gasps.

Cas lifted his hand from Sam's forehead and straightened slowly.

Dean had never seen Cas looking so stunned. "Can't you fix him?" he asked in alarm.

"He was here all the time and I never saw him," murmured Cas.

"Who?"

"Michael. Michael is inside Sam. Michael and Sam are one. Somehow."

"Michael is Sam?" Dean blinked. "No way! When?"

"I can't feel when it happened. It must have been long, long ago when Sam was little or ..."

Dean clued in instantly. "Michael was in my dad . He stayed in my dad until mom conceived Sam." Dean pulled blankets up over Sam's body as it started to shake and Sam's teeth started to rattle with shivering.

Cas was still for the longest time and then nodded.

Dean almost collapsed onto the side of the bed next to Sam. "Sam's supposed to be Lucifer's vessel and I'm supposed to be ... Sam's?"

"Michael knew what was coming. He thinks he found a way to beat Lucifer – by being Sam!"

"No wonder Lucifer wants Sam. He's always wanted Michael. This is so gonna give me a headache."

"Dean, think of the implications."

Dean closed his eyes. "You mean Sam will say 'yes' to Lucifer and then I'll say 'yes' to Michael – err - Sam and we'll all be one happy family inside the one body. No way."

"Or, you will say 'yes' to Michael/Sam first and when Lucifer comes – there will be no vessel for him to use."

"He'll have no choice. He'll have to go back to hell before the body he's in disintegrates."

Cas nodded.

"We've got a chance!"