The solution to all of the problems came surprisingly easily, not to say it was an easy decision for anyone involved because this involves Winchesters and nothing can be completely easy when it involves Winchesters. BUT the solution arrived surprisingly easily.

The idea was Dean's. Summon Death. The Angels were falling, Hell's king was officially barking mad and crying for love, Hell's Gate were still wiiiiide open, Cas was human, Sam was (for all intents and purposes despite the fact that Dean refused to accept it and Sam never talked about it) dying, Kevin was exhausted, Dean was exhausted, and even more exhausted were all other options the boys may have had.

So Dean called Death.

Turns out, Death was pretty exhausted too.

Hey, did anyone know that Horsemen could retire?

Well, they can. Death did. HOWEVER, there is one condition to retirement (actual retirement, not having your ring forcefully ripped off your finger *cough* WarFaminePestilence *cough* and turning into a vegetable, an actual retirement with a vacation house and benefits and the whole nine yards). The condition being that their ring, and all the power that comes with it, has to be left to an heir; one worthy of the title of Horseman.

Congrats, Dean, you worthy son of a gun.

Although, granted, Dean's really the only living being Death's talked to in many, many centuries so….

His perky nipples helped.

In any case, Death handed Dean his ring, his army of Reapers, and his ability to teleport freaking anywhere at the blink of an eye (which Dean thoroughly enjoyed much to the chagrin of his brother).

And Dean, however hesitant he was to accept this, ended up taking the ring. Because the world was ending. Because his brother was dying. Because his best friend was miserable and powerless. Because the prophet he was supposed to protect seemed to be in constant danger. Because his brother was dying. Because, really, what other choice did he have?

So the righteous man took the ring.

As Death, Dean was able to kill Metatron easily enough. A few celestial fists flying and one particularly nasty hurricane, but Dean did it. Even got Cas his grace back and everything.

With Metatron gone, shoving the angels back into heaven was a piece of cake. However, it did leave heaven back on square one.

No God. No order. No clue. Like a chicken with its head cut off.

So Cas stayed. E.T. finally went home.

Of course, with promises to check in at least every month, keep the boys in the loop, watch out for Bobby, and call with ANY complications.

Kevin was allowed to go home. Changed and twisted beyond belief, but thrilled all the same and every bit as smart and Harvard-ready as before.

But despite all the issues Dean was able to solve with his newfound title, there was no cure for Sam. Apparently, when God wants a sacrifice, he is highly thorough.

So then, if you can't beat the immortal beings, join them. And luckily for Sam, he had a blood claim (literally) to the throne of hell. And seeing as Hell's current king is, to say the least, out of commission, the throne was Sam's for the taking. Sure, some hopeful demons had tried their hand at ruling while they could, but once Sam walked in, it was all "Yes, Mr. Winchester," and, "No, Mr. Winchester," and, "Would you like some fries with that, Mr. Winchester?"

After all, who would fight with the boy whose big brother was Death?

And so the Pale horseman led the Boyking to his throne and set on his head, a crown of thorns. And as they vow to forever be at the other's side, their enemies, everywhere, die screaming, and the world falls to its knees.

And this? This is where it gets really good.