Let There Be Light
Sam jerked awake, Lucifer's mocking laughter echoing in his mind. For a moment, he lay still in the darkness, unconsciously rubbing the palm of his hand with his thumb. He realized his t-shirt was clammy with sweat, as were his sheets. With a grunt of disgust, he got out of bed. First, he reached behind his neck to grasp the collar of his shirt and yank it off. After he had used the shirt to wipe most of the sweat off his neck and torso, he lobbed it into the laundry basket. Then he stripped the bed and tossed the sheets in to keep his shirt company. A few more minutes of work, and the bed was remade. With a sigh, Sam flopped on the bed and placed his forearm across his face.
"So, God. I'm not getting it. I keep seeing the Cage, and Lucifer, but I don't know why. If I need to go back there…" he took a deep breath, "I will if it's the only way to defeat Amara." He paused, then added, "But I'm going to need you to break it to Dean."
He waited a few more minutes, hoping for either divine inspiration or sleep to strike.
Abruptly, Sam muttered, "To hell with it, I'm obviously not going to get any more sleep tonight." He sat up and turned on the light. That was when it hit him. He flipped the light on and off a few more times, just to be sure, then went down to the library to do some research.
Dean rubbed his eyes, muttering to himself about the stupidity of bladders that didn't know you were asleep, dammit. What was the point of waking up in the middle of the night to stumble blindly to the bathroom? Probably picking up a few bruises on the way. Only to empty your bladder, but then decide as you stood there in the dark that someone coated the inside of your mouth in fur or something while you slept; so you had to drink a glass of water, refilling that now empty bladder and restarting the whole stupid process.
He was still grunting and muttering as he walked past Sam's room. Where the door was open. And the room was dark and empty. Even after all these years, there was still that brief moment of primal fear making a tight, heavy fist in Dean's gut before his rational mind kicked in. Pretending to ignore it, he hurried to the first floor. The light in the library slowed his pace and he was calmed further at the sight of Sam sitting in front a few books. His brother was taking notes on a pad of paper, alternating between checking information on his computer screen and the book next to him. Sam didn't even look up as Dean trudged in.
"Hey. Couldn't sleep?" Dean asked in the trademark Winchester shorthand. He really wanted to know if Sam had another vision, or a nightmare, or if something else was going on.
Sam sort of shrugged and made a vague, 'meh' sound. He kept checking the book and the computer in front of him, scratching down notes. Dean could tell this wasn't Sam avoiding the topic. This was Sam rearranging information in his mind, checking facts and fitting pieces together. It was better to wait until he was done and get everything out of him then.
Dean went to make some coffee, since apparently he was done sleeping for the night. He got one for Sam too, and headed back to the library. When he set the mug in front of Sam, his brother said, "Thanks," but didn't stop writing.
About halfway through Dean's second mug of coffee, Sam pushed away from the table and leaned back. He took a sip of his own coffee, made a face when it was cold, and rose.
"Be right back."
Moments later, he returned from the kitchen with a steaming mug. He resumed his seat behind the pile of books and waited for Dean to speak.
He didn't wait long.
"So? What dragged your ass outta bed at zero dark thirty for research?"
"Lucifer, sort of."
Dean made a face. "Again? Rat bastard." He looked Sam over. "You okay? That's the third dream or vision quest, or whatever we're calling them, you've had this week."
"Fourth, actually." Sam stretched out his arms and rolled his shoulders. "I had one while you were out on a food run yesterday."
"I knew you were acting weird when I got back! Why didn't you say something? I thought we agreed…" Dean visibly cut himself off, scrubbing his hand across his forehead. "Later. Why are you researching in the middle of the night?"
Sam leaned forward and propped his elbows on the table. "I think I figured it out, Dean. How to defeat Amara. We'll have to check some facts, maybe talk to Cas. And there are some details to work out. Some major details. But if I'm right, we have a chance."
He looked over at his brother and pursed his lips. "Maybe."
Dean waited for Sam to continue. When he didn't, Dean said, "I take it you aren't giving me more details because you don't think I'm going to like it."
Sam nodded. "Okay, so hear me out. How do you get rid of darkness, Dean?"
"If I knew that, we wouldn't be having this conversation, now would we?"
"Not The Darkness. Just darkness. How do you get rid of the dark?"
Dean frowned at his brother. "You turn on a light. What does Idiot 101 have to do with Amara?"
"Exactly! You turn on a light. It hit me earlier. What if Amara being 'The Darkness' isn't just metaphorical? Maybe that was how she got trapped in the first place – by light."
"Okay, maybe. But where are we going to find a nuclear powered night light to fry her ass? Is that what you were researching?"
Chuckling, Sam shook his head. "Not exactly. Do you remember one of the first things it says in the book of Genesis, about creation?"
"I don't know where you're going with this."
Sam got his 'I think I figured out the puzzle' excited look. "Listen to this." He began to read from the notes in front of him, "darkness was over the surface of the deep… God said let there be light and… he separated the light from the darkness." He looked over at Dean. "That's from the book of Genesis. I think the darkness being described there is actually Amara. She was there during the creation, and for whatever reason, tried to take over. God used light to stop her."
"Great. So again, what light? Where do we get it?"
"Not it. Him. I think the light they're talking about? It's Lucifer."
Dean sat back in his chair so quickly it scooted a few inches away from the table. Before he could say anything, Sam continued.
"That's what Lucifer's name actually means. Brightness. Bringer of Light. He was the strongest, brightest angel before he fell. Full of light. That's why I keep seeing the Cage. That's why I keep seeing him. Somehow, Lucifer is the key to locking Amara back up."
"What then? We're supposed to let him out again, and ask nicely, with a cherry on top, if he'll defeat his auntie in mortal combat? And when it's all over, assuming he won and she didn't hand him his ass on a silver platter, what? He'll just politely go back to hell's ultimate penalty box?"
"I don't know."
Dean stood and began pacing. "Or maybe we're supposed to let him possess you again, so that he'll be able to defeat Amara. Does that seem like a possibility? Because bringing Lucifer into this is crazy, Sam! Like nine pounds of crazy in a five pound bag crazy! Forget about it!" He glared across the table at his brother.
Sam waited a beat, to make sure Dean was finished, then said, "I think I have to let him possess me again. Then, somehow, convince Amara to go for my soul. Except, instead of my soul, she consumes Lucifer. He lights her up and bye bye Darkness. The problem will be banishing him back to the Cage again."
"Are you even listening to yourself? This is not a solution. We are not doing this! You don't even know if any of it will work."
"Not yet. We'll have to do more research, and talk to Cas, and figure out some of the details. But if I'm right, Dean? If going to the Cage and getting Lucifer means defeating Amara, I don't think we have a choice. I have to fix this. We have to fix this."
Reluctantly, Dean sat back at the table. "A lot more research!"
Sam nodded.
"And a sure fire way to lock him up again as soon as he finished off the Darkness."
Sam nodded again.
"With a way for me to go with you. We do this together, or not at all."
Sam paused, thought, then gave a single nod. He pushed a book across the table at Dean, then a second notebook and pen. Sam typed at his computer while Dean idly flipped open the book in front of him. As he rifled through the pages, he muttered, "And a way to free Adam from the Cage too."
Without looking away from his laptop, Sam pulled a book off the pile and slid it to Dean. "I thought this book might help with that," he said.
They both got to work.