Gates of the Crossroads

by Jourdana Standish

Jo and Ellen Harvelle find themselves guests of the Queen of Ebon Askavi. How will things change when Witch steps into the fight to end the apocalypse after seeing this tangled web?

Title: Gates of the Crossroads
Fandoms: Black Jewels AU/Supernatural
Summary: As an overdue Christmas gift for a friend of mine, here is my take on how Jo and Ellen Harvelle found themselves guests of the Queen of Ebon Askavi.
Author's Notes: This has mentions of a crossover with Star Wars OCs that another friend of mine and I play and how the two worlds combine due to the fact that when I created two of my worlds, I was heavily influenced by the Black Jewels world. When I began writing this story, I decided to name the Priestess after who I was writing it for. I had absolutely NO idea at the time that I decided to do that, that Mylia was in fact a Priestess IRL. So... yeah... apparently I had an inkling. Or something. LOL. The purge didn't happen in this AU on the Black Jewels side.

8*8*8*8

He felt her presence as he glided through the halls of the Keep. He could tell she was up to something because she hadn't come to terrorize him upon her arrival. Even Geoffrey had not seen her and he'd asked Draca. All the Keep's Sensechal had said was that "The Lady weaves a dream." Which could mean any number of things when it involved Jaenelle Angelline. The Queen of Ebon Askavi. Dreams Made Flesh. Witch.

He felt her just ahead, near one of the many rooms where she often spun her webs when she did not do so directly in Arachna with the Queen, the very one who taught Jaenelle how to spin a Black Widow's vision. He frowned when he felt her power shift and then he realized where she truly was.

Stepping into the Altar room, he could smell when both the Priestess and the daughter of his soul realized his presence. The two turned, one head dark, the other golden. Both watched him.

"Witch-child," he said.

"Papa," Jaenelle commented. She nodded to the Priestess to continue. Crossing his arms over his chest, he waited.

Saetan Daemon SaDiablo, the High Lord of Hell, Priest of the Hourglass, Steward of the Dark Court and former Warlord Prince of Dhemlan had lived over 50,000 years, but he had never gone through the vicious circles and leaps during those years that he had in the last twelve years since Jaenelle Angelline became his legal daughter. Not even his sons, Daemon Sadi and Lucivar Yaslana, the two strongest living males to ever walk the realms, did not trip him up as mentally as she did. Often times the things that Jaenelle did, the leaps she was able to make, made no sense to Saetan. Often times they made perfect sense... once his little darling explained it. Other times he was able to guess what her actions would lead to, but this... this was a first.

Curiosity finally got the best of him. "And what are you accomplishing today?" he asked, his tone casual but with just enough edge to show his daughter that he wanted a straight answer.

"Opening a gate," Jaenelle said, fluffing her golden hair.

"I gathered as such when I saw the Priestess," Saetan said dryly. "Going somewhere without an escort?"

"No," Jaenelle said. "Bringing someone here."

Something scraped, he could feel it, but he needed more information before standing up to his Queen. If necessary. "Who?"

"Someone too good to die," Jaenelle said.

"Jaenelle, where are you going?" Saetan said.

"I am going nowhere, as I said," Jaenelle commented, looking at him. "I'm bringing-"

"Someone here, yes, I got that," Saetan said, his tone snapping without realizing. He took a deep breath. This was turning into one of those times where the High Lord of Hell was going to need to nurse a headache from the mental leaps he had to make when verbally sparring with his daughter. "Details, please."

"It's one of The Gates," Jaenelle said. That got Saetan to snap to attention. Over the course of the past six months, a variety of gates had been discovered that led to alternate worlds and realities from their own. One even led itself to a world much like their own where, Saetan had discovered, was where Peyton SaDiablo and Ravenar Yaslana had disappeared to during the first war between Terreille and Kaeleer. Since then, Saetan had been spending time with his son, making up for lost times. Some of the gates had been sealed, others were considered moving gates and could not be sealed. Others such as the one on Nebula could be entered whenever they wanted to. Never had they opened one of the newer gates, besides that on Nebula.

"Why?" he asked, containing the anger that wanted to boil over.

"It is needed," Jaenelle said.

"Too much is unknown of those worlds, Witch-child," Saetan said. "You do not know what influence is there."

"I know," Jaenelle said. "In this instance, I know."

"How?" Saetan asked. "And I do not ask this as your father or your Steward. Not even as the High Lord. I ask this as the Priest of the Hourglass."

Jaenelle couldn't help the soft smile. The man before her wore many titles. He rarely pulled out his title as one of the only males of the Hourglass. It gave Jaenelle a clue that he realized the depth of what he was asking.

"A tangled web has many paths," Jaenelle said. "But sometimes they are wrong and sometimes the paths given are not the ones that should have been taken. Sometimes they can be changed and woven in a different way."

"And this web?" Saetan asked.

"Hunters," Jaenelle said, looking at the frame that held the web. Saetan finally looked at it closely, sucking in a breath when he saw a quarter of it was blackened. Indicating death.

"That should not look as it does," Jaenelle said, her voice carrying the softest undertone of her midnight voice. The soft blue eyes of his daughter were gone when she looked at him. In their place was the deep sapphire of his Queen.

"We never interfere," he reminded her. "Why is this different?"

"She was not meant to die," she said. "She was not meant to leave him alone to fight the battle in the end."

"So you bring them here? What if the fight follows?" He asked. "Do we subject Kaeleer to it?"

Jaenelle's mouth quirked upward. "No," she said. Any other man who was unaccustomed to Jaenelle's sudden change in direction would have been tripped up by her next words. Saetan, luckily, was easily able to make the mental sidestep in flow.

"Do you know why Lady Mylia is the Priestess of this gate?" she asked.

"Draca said Lorn assigned her to it," he said. "It drew her."

"Hm," Jaenelle said, nodding as she watched Mylia work. "A quirk in her training."

"A quirk?" Saetan asked.

"She's a talented Priestess, even with a solid gate," Jaenelle said, looking at Saetan again.

His eyebrow arched. "This is a moving gate?"

A slow nod. "Through a quirk in her training and her Jewel, Mylia is able to move the gate to where... and when she wants," Jaenelle said.

"You are dabbling in a place you should not be, Witch-child," Saetan warned.

"Not according to my tangled web," Jaenelle said.

"Explain."

"I see three paths," she said. "One that shows the death and it leads to him turning to death to wash away his pain. And the world ends. One shows her survival but still leads to his death, but the world survives."

"And the third path?" he asked.

"They enter Kaeleer and live their lives as they should have," Jaenelle said.

"Their world?" Saetan wondered, afraid to hear the answer.

"Survives. Because he is pulled to Kaeleer at the appropriate time. And only Mylia's gifts can help me accomplish that," Jaenelle said.

"Which path is the true path?" Saetan asked. "And the truth, Witch-child, not the path you want."

Jaenelle couldn't help but smile. Her father knew her too well. It took her three days to review the web closely before making the right decision. To truly know which path was in fact the true path.

"The third path."

"What needs to be done?" Saetan asked, ready to help his daughter and Queen.

"We're going to need something for me to put her on so I can heal her. Her wounds are bad," Jaenelle said. "Hellhounds. But not like those that Titian has." She saw the look on his face, knowing how the beasts are.

"Are you sure?" Saetan asked, needed to know. "Both they and the Harpies can often sense deeper than we do."

"I am sure," Jaenelle said. "These are hellhounds that are more likely to answer to Hekatah."

Saetan leashed himself so quickly that Mylia never felt it, but Witch saw and knew. He was leashing his anger so as not to taint the gate nor the healing web that Jaenelle was already setting up. Another influence leaking through, but how bad were things that creatures such as those who called Titian mistress would be tainted as badly as Hekatah.

"I've pinpointed the two times we need," Mylia said. She looked at Jaenelle. "It will take a day between to accomplish the task accurately."

"Good," Jaenelle said. "It will take a couple hours, most likely, to handle the healing."

"How can I help?" Saetan asked.

"Will you float the injured one out?" Jaenelle asked. "There will be another that is with her. Her mother. She'll need things explained while I heal her daughter."

"Floating and explaining I am capable of," Saetan said.

"The gate is ready," Mylia said, glancing over at Jaenelle. The Queen of Ebon Askavi glanced at the High Lord, who simply nodded to note that he was ready to assist.

"Open it."

8*8*8*8

Ellen Harvelle knew the end was near for her daughter. She could feel Jo's life slipping away as she held her close, but she didn't let herself cry yet. She hated everything about what was playing out now and a part of her wanted to hate the Winchester boys for putting them into this situation. But she couldn't hate them. The apocalypse was coming and it wasn't entirely their fault. The cards had been dealt and they were now falling where need be.

Her head jerked to a nearby shelf where four candles began to levitate and move towards where she and Jo where. Her heart began to pound in her ears as she tried to figure out what could have possibly gotten into the store with them. What demon was going to take them out before they had a chance to take out the hellhounds and buy Dean and Sam time to escape?

She frowned as nothing happened, except the candles moving into place. She jumped when the first one lit, then another, the next and, finally, the last. In an order she couldn't understand. Her eyes widened when a swirl of light began to form and three people stepped through. One woman with dark hair and dark skin, the second woman the total opposite with golden hair and sapphire eyes. With them was one of the most handsome men that Ellen had ever seen. She could see power in his body, but it seemed softened by the crinkle of lines around his gold... gold? eyes and the silvering at his temples.

"Get away," Ellen hissed, reaching for her shotgun when the blonde moved towards them. She saw the man's hand come up and flick it away, causing Ellen's blood to run cold. So this was their end.

Jaenelle simply arched her eyebrow at the woman, kneeling beside them. She parted the tattered folds of Jo's clothing to look at the wound that was gushing more of the precious blood she couldn't afford to lose. She cupped a hand over the wound and Ellen watched, fascinated, as the blood stopped flowing.

"How bad?" the man asked her. Ellen had to fight to suppress the shiver that wanted to engulf her as his voice washed over every nerve of her body in sensual warmth.

"Nothing I can't take care of," Jaenelle said. She lifted her eyes to Ellen. Ellen didn't know if she should cringe from the deep, wild sapphire depths, or stare.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice a mere whisper.

"Those who can help," Jaenelle said, the barest hint of her midnight voice coming through. Ellen blinked, this time unable to stop the shiver that started to go up her spine before steel replaced it when Jaenelle looked at the man and he started to move towards Jo.

"No!" she said. "Get the hell away from my daughter!"

"We are here to help," Jaenelle said.

"Nothing can help," she whispered.

"I can, but not unless you let her go," Jaenelle said. Ellen wouldn't budge and annoyance showed on Jaenelle's face. "If you don't let her go she will die."

"She's already dead," Ellen said dully. "Nothing can be done for those wounds."

"Are you always so pessimistic?" the man asked, his voice causing that shiver to race up her spine at the eroticism she suddenly felt. She looked at him, surprised.

"Lady," the other woman said. "The hellhounds..."

Ellen watched the blonde turn her head and saw her eyes narrow. She looked at the wires that led from the buckets that they had created as bombs till she noted the trigger in Jo's hand.

"You intended to die," Jaenelle said.

"It's the only way," Ellen whispered.

"There is another," Jaenelle said. "You are coming with us."

"Who are you?" Ellen asked again.

"Friends," Jaenelle said. "And I will explain further once we get you and your daughter out of here."

"Take her," Ellen said. "But I need to..." She looked at the trigger.

Jaenelle stared at the trigger so long that it unnerved Ellen, but then she felt something working around her hand, as if something was being set in place. She lifted wide eyes to Jaenelle.

"What are you?" was her new question.

"I will explain once we get you out of here," Jaenelle said.

"We aren't going anywhere with you!"

"Do you want your daughter to survive or not?" the man questioned.

"I want answers," Ellen said. Her head jerked down as she heard Jo give a soft noise of pain.

"You'll have them," Saetan said, his patience starting to grow thin. "But we must get out of here."

"The..." Ellen started, looking towards the doors.

"Triggers are in place to handle it," Jaenelle said. "The door will be released and the bomb will explode."

"But..."

"Are you going to continue to question or are we going to do this so I can save your daughter?" Jaenelle demanded, steel in her tone.

Ellen was torn. She wanted Jo to live, this should have been a no-brainer. But there was something dark about all three people around her, but safe at the same time. It was a series of contradictions that made no sense.

"Fine, let's go," Ellen finally said. Jaenelle looked at Saetan and he moved forward. He knelt and wove a cushioning spell around Jo's body before he put his arms around her. Using Craft to keep her comfortable and the blood from flowing, he lifted her. Turning, he walked towards the gate.

"This will..." Ellen looked to the trigger.

"It's handled. And we need to go," Jaenelle said. She took Ellen's arm and pulled her quickly through the gate. Saetan was already placing Jo onto a small bed, a loom nearby. Ellen tried to gain a closer look, but she couldn't see much of the fibers. Almost as if it were a loom with a giant spider web in its frame.

"Close the gate," Jaenelle told Mylia. She turned and snuffed out the flames, the gate closing.

One by one, the candles snuffed out on the other side just as the door opened and the growls of hellhounds filled the room, searching for their prey. They could smell the blood, but then they saw the trigger too late and the store exploded.

8*8*8*8

Dean and Sam Winchester stumbled from the blast, turning back to the store where they saw the flames licking the sky as they poured out of the windows. A coldness he never thought he would feel began to settle in his belly as Dean thought of the woman he was sure he had just lost.

8*8*8*8

"Where the hell am I?" Ellen demanded as she jerked awake. She swung her legs off the massive bed she was on and scrambled off.

"You're awake, good," a deep voice said. She spun around and saw the man who spoke. Saetan, he had introduced himself.

"Never figured the ruler of Hell would pick such a good looking person to inhabit," Ellen spat.

Saetan's eyebrow quirked. "I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or an insult," he said. "However, I am not the demon you equate to my name."

"You sent hellhounds after me and my daughter," Ellen snapped.

"If I wanted you dead, or your daughter dead, you would be but a whisper in the Darkness," Saetan said, studying his long black tinted fingernails. He lifted gold eyes to her. "Have you ever heard of such things as the Jedi?"

"Yeah, in the movies," Ellen said.

"They are real," Saetan said.

"Yeah right," Ellen scoffed.

"They are," Saetan said. He looked over as the door to Ellen's room opened. She stumbled back, trying to put distance as one man, a younger more beautiful mirror image of the man she was just speaking to walked in, followed by another attractive man that bore a striking resemblance.

"They will not harm you," Saetan said.

"Forgive me if I am wary of that," Ellen quipped.

"She's got spunk," the second man to enter said.

"That she does," Saetan said. "It's no wonder Jaenelle picked up on she and her daughter in the tangled web." He looked at Ellen. "These are my sons, Daemon and Mephis."

"You named your sons after different incarnations of your name?" Ellen asked. "How narcissistic are you?"

"Maybe too spunky," the beautiful man commented.

"Daemon," Saetan said, giving his son a look before focusing on Ellen. "Daemon is my mirror and the only son I fully burdened with my name."

"Mephis, or Mephistopheles is the fictional name given to a demon equated to the devil. Also known as Satan or Lucifer," Ellen said. "Though I'm sure you know that."

"Actually, I don't," Saetan said. "But you aren't going to believe me, so why should I bother?" He focused his attentions on his sons, Ellen's jaw dropping. Something felt off. This was a man that obviously seemed to dismiss her for the moment, but he hadn't tried to kill her, a demon was not inhabiting her body since she didn't feel trapped within her own mind. And he seemed more like a benevelont gentleman than the head demon meant to bring forth the apocalypse.

"Jaenelle sent us for you and the Lady," Daemon said, his voice much like his father's but it practically liquified Ellen's bones with sensuality.

"The girl?" Saetan asked.

"Is awake," Mephis said. "Currently very confused especially since she can hear Ladvarian and Vae without training." Saetan chuckled.

"The girl... you mean Jo? What about Jo? Is she...?" Ellen remembered quickly what had happened that brought them here.

"She's alive," Saetan said, looking at Ellen. "And from what my son has said, confused as to why two Scelties are probably yapping away in her head."

"As in... dogs?" Ellen asked.

"Yes, they are a breed of dog," Saetan said, mildly. "They are also Kindred."

"And that means what, exactly?" Ellen asked.

"Something better left explained after you see your daughter?" Saetan suggested.

"Fine," Ellen said. "But if you harmed her, I'll send you straight back to Hell."

"My dear, hardly necessary," Saetan said. "Especially since I can return to Hell whenever I wish."

"You've spent so much time trying to get out of Hell, why return?" Ellen quipped.

"Mother Night," Saetan said. "I swear those from your world never listen."

"My world?" Ellen demanded. "You're nuts."

"I assure you that I have not visited the Twisted Kingdom in a few thousand years," Saetan said. "Please, follow me."

Ellen was once again torn. Follow this man and see her daughter, a daughter she knew should be dead, or try and wipe him out while most likely losing her life in the process.

"You would never make it past his shields," the one named Daemon said too mildly.

Ellen jerked her head up to him, a frown crossing her features for two reasons. Both the man's comment and the reaction her body had to his voice. How did he possibly have the ability, again, to make her feel as though she was falling into a pool of sensuality with just his voice? "Wha..."

"You think too loudly," Mephis explained. "Not a smart thing around men such as us."

"You're evil," Ellen said. "That's all I need to know."

"You judge too quickly," Saetan said, leading her down the hall towards the room Jo had been put in after the healing.

"You keep saying that but a name says..." She trailed off as they entered the room and she saw Jo, healthy as can be, sitting on the edge of the bed. Standing beside her was the blonde woman Ellen remembered that said she would heal her and a large, dangerous looking man... with large membranous wings. Two dogs were also nearby, a younger one laying on the bed with her head in Jo's lap, its tail wagging enthusiastically.

"Mom!" Jo said, hopping up to run to her mother, only to find herself pushed back down by the man, both dogs growling as if in admonishment of Jo's quick movement.

"Jaenelle said that you might be healed but you still have to rest," he said with a deep voice that could make a woman's bones itchy, but not nearly on the same level as Saetan. Definitely not on the same level as Daemon.

"Lucivar," Saetan admonished. "I think allowing her to rise so she can greet her mother is acceptable."

"Not that fast," Lucivar said. "And her mother's got legs, she can walk to her." Jaenelle gave the man an amused look when she saw his wings shift.

"Get. Away. From-," Ellen started, panic starting to consumer her.

"He's not going to hurt me, Mom," Jo said. "Believe me, I've already had this struggle. He's not Lucifer. Besides, don't you think if he was I'd even be alive?"

"Considering the wounds you suffered, you should be dead," Ellen said.

"There's only one dead person in this room," Lucivar pointed out. "And he walked in with you."

"Prince, I suggest you leash it," Jaenelle growled when she saw Ellen pale considerably.

"Well it's true," Lucivar grumbled.

"Can *someone* explain?" Ellen demanded. "How the hell is my daughter alive and healed and why are there four men with the name of the devil here?" She snapped a look at Lucivar. "And what do you mean one dead person that walked in with me?"

"Papa?" Jaenelle said.

"Of course, Witch-child," Saetan said mildly. "I'll ask Beale to arrange for refreshments. Mephis, if you would carry the young lady to the sitting room, we'll all have a chat."

"This outta be interesting," Lucivar murmured.

8*8*8*8

Jaenelle tried to guage the expressions of the women sitting before them. Another sceltie had joined them, a mere puppy, and he had not left Jo's side. Its tail tick tocked a few times, then an anxious whine would escape at her despondent look. A quick stroke over his ruff would quiet him. Occasionally his anxious brown eyes would turn to Jaenelle, yappily asking in her mind if this human was broken.

"How..." Ellen started to ask. "You..."

"That's... a lot to..." Jo started. "Um..."

"It's a lot to take in and absorb, we know," Saetan said. They had been avoiding using Craft in any way in front of them till things were explained, but now... lifting an eyebrow, he floated two cups of tea to the women.

Ellen jumped, staring at the floating cup and saucer as if they would grow fangs and bite her. Her hands shook just a little as she reached to take them. "You have to understand how unbelievable this is for us," she said.

"Oh we do understand," Mephis says. "Jaenelle's explained to us what is going on in your world."

"How..." Jo started. She paused and swallowed, taking the tea and sipping it before she tried again. "How did you know where..."

"It's complicated," Jaenelle admitted. "Essentially I have the ability to see things in what is called a tangled web. Three paths were set before me in the web. One path was the right path to take but it required our intervention."

"You mean gettin' us out like you did. Healin' Jo's wounds," Ellen said, looking at the golden haired woman.

"Yes," Jaenelle said. "And..." She paused, noting Mylia had come into the room.

"Lady," she said. "It's time."

"Time?" Jo asked, glancing at Jaenelle. "Time for what?"

"To finish the correct path," Jaenelle said cryptically. She rose. "Please, excuse me." Before Jo or Ellen could question, she was gone.

8*8*8*8

"The gate is ready," Mylia said, glancing at Jaenelle. Her eyes shifted to just past the Queen of Ebon Askavi.

Jaenelle turned, sensing that they had been standing there. She arched a brow, noting how formidable the wall of men were. Saetan, Daemon and Lucivar stood, shoulder to shoulder, watching their Queen lazily.

"You aren't going through that gate," Lucivar said, his wings extending behind him.

"Yes I will," Jaenelle said.

"No, Lady," Daemon said in a purr that almost liquified her bones. They certainly liquified Mylia's. "You aren't."

Jaenelle stood straighter, lifting her chin in a rather defiant motion. "And who will?" she questioned, her midnight voice shining through.

"We are."

All three answered, all three smiled. Jaenelle let out a long, suffering sigh. It wasn't new to have the three men working in time with one another. She was lucky that Mephis, Prothvar and Andulvar were not there as well. Or worse, the boyos. There were times, however, she wished that their solidarity wouldn't be so solid.

"Do you really think this Lucifer person can stand a chance against all three of us?" Lucivar asked, that Eyrien arrogance shining through.

"Do you think he can against me?" Witch answered.

"Well we know he can't against you," Lucivar quipped. "But we also aren't letting our Queen go through that gate and onto a battlefield. We know better."

"I can-," Jaenelle started, annoyance starting to rise.

"Witch-child," Saetan said, his tone hardening.

"Papa!" she said indignantly, all ruffled daughter.

"Darling," Daemon purred, gliding towards her. "Considering we'd be riding the killing edge regardless of if we go or you go, it would prove more beneficial to allow us to go and focus that cold rage at an enemy over furniture or the walls." He reached up and brushed his fingers in a seductive manner against the hollow of her throat.

Saetan smothered a smirk when he saw Jaenelle shiver and Daemon move closer. His mirror lowered that dark head and brushed his lips along Jaenelle's neck, before caressing the shell of her ear. And whispered.

"If you go, we'll let you explain to Draca and Geoffrey when you return why they need to redecorate so many rooms in the Keep."

Jaenelle's head snapped back and fiery blue eyes met amused, lazy golden ones. Her lips lifted in a silent snarl, but Saetan knew his son had won this argument.

"Their names are Dean and Sam," Jaenelle said to Saetan, but her deadly gaze focused on her Consort. "Dean is the one meant to be with Jo and the most important to bring here. Sam should be brought too." She sent the mental images she'd gleened from Jo so they knew what the men looked like.

"You honor us, Lady," Saetan crooned, bowing to her before he walked towards the gate. Lucivar's wings spread wide before folding closer as he moved forward. He brushed a hand against Jaenelle's shoulder, glad to feel hot anger rolling off of her instead of icy cold.

Daemon held Jaenelle's gaze. A slow, seductive smile curled the corners of his lips and soon they were consumed by Jaenelle's. A hot lick of promise burned at his belly and it almost, almost knocked him from the killing edge. But not quite. As Jaenelle pulled back, she paused, her lip caught by Daemon's teeth as he caressed the skin with his tongue. She released a soft snarl, full of lust, desire and love. A soft chuckle escaped Daemon's throat as he released her lip and gave her a promising look before joining his father and brother.

"Open the gate," Jaenelle said, a bit breathless after the onslaught of his kiss.

*That's one way to get her to comply, old son,* Lucivar sent on a spear thread.

*It was that or tie her down,* Daemon returned. *But seduction with Witch is so much more fun.* Lucivar chuckled a bit as Mylia lit the candles.

8*8*8*8

"DEAN!" Sam yelled as he saw his brother go flying after receving a blow from a demon. He lifted his shotgun and let a shot go, driving the demon back from his brother.

"Sam, it is inevitable," Lucifer said as he walked towards the younger Winchester, strolling past demons that were fighting as if nothing was going on around him. The sky was darkening more and more as the fight grew stronger.

"Go back to hell, you bastard," Sam snarled.

"Sam," Dean called, getting to his feet. All three paused as they saw a set of candles moving from a nearby grave and were snuffed out before forming in a pattern. One by one, each was lit and a ferocious noise was heard.

"Sam, move!" Dean called, seeing the light forming behind his brother. Diving out of the way, Sam managed to get out of the path as three men stepped through the light. Dean rushed to Sam's side and helped him stand; both unable to take their eyes off the three men.

"That's them," Saetan said, nodding to Dean and Sam. His gaze shifted to Lucifer. "And you must be... Lucifer."

"I am," Lucifer said, lifting his chin. "What paudry attempt is this, boys, to prevent the inevitable?" While he looked at Saetan, his question was directed at Sam and Dean.

"Sorry, dude, this wasn't our mojo," Dean said. "But if they are on our side, we'll take it. If not, we'll take them down with you."

"You can try," Lucivar said, a feral grin forming.

"Lucivar," Saetan said.

"The fuck?" Dean murmured. He nudged his brother. "Two of them?" he hissed.

"He said Luci-var," Sam said in a low tone. "Slight difference."

"Close enough, man," Dean said. "This shit can't be good."

"What insanity is this?" Lucifer asked. "Some sad attempt by the angels?"

"Oh believe me," Lucivar said, his wings extending. "We're no angels."

"This is truly what Lady Ellen thought we were?" Daemon said, a lazy tone to his voice. "How insulting."

"Nothing to blame her for," Saetan said. "From what we know of their world, supposedly he holds great powers and malevolence. Trivial matters, really, though I do suspect that I'd rather not have my name or title associated with this creature."

Lucifer attempted to strike out, his anger rising at these puny mortals insulting him. But his strike never even hit any of them, it simply bounced off... something and ricocheted into one of his demons. His hand flew to his throat as he felt something close around it; something prick the skin.

"That wasn't particularly hospitable," Daemon said, still in that lazy tone.

"Daemon, release him," Saetan said. "Get the Winchesters."

"Don't you fucking come near us," Dean said, lifting his shotgun as Daemon and Lucivar turned to them. "Or I'll blow you straight back to Hell."

"What is it with you people and trying to blow or send us back to the Realm we can use a gate to get to?" Lucivar questioned. "First Lady Ellen and now you two asses."

"Prince, do as your Queen commands," Saetan said in a hard tone, his eyes still on Lucifer.

Lucivar's wings snapped open and closed in annoyance as he reached for Dean, only to have the man cock the weapon in his hand. "Boyo, you are getting on my last nerve," he growled. Dean noted a glow from the pendant on the man's gold skin, then suddenly his gun was gone and so was Sam's.

"The hell!" Sam asked.

"Duck," Daemon said, his hands in his pockets.

"What?"

"Duck." Sam frowned but lowered his tall frame and he heard something scream behind him. The turned and saw nothing but ash.

"How-," he questioned.

"We'll explain, but go through the gate," Daemon said.

"As if we're going to go anywhere with you," Dean said.

"Boyo, you are without weapons and we have Craft on our side to throw you through the damn gate," Lucivar growled. "So you can either explain to Lady Jo and Lady Ellen why your backsides are sore or you can go through willingly. Your choice."

"Jo? Ellen?" Sam asked, picking up on the names immediately. "As in Harvelle?"

Dean's face went stony as he stared at the men. "Don't you dare say their names," he growled at them. "Never say..."

"Get them out of here, Prince," Saetan interrupted, his gaze still locked on Lucifer.

"Dean, let's go," Sam said.

"Sam, they're demons!" Dean interjected.

"I don't think they are," Sam said.

"At last, one who listens," Daemon said. "Now go."

Dean narrowed his eyes. "Now wait just a- SAM!" he attempted to say before his brother grabbed him and practically threw him through the gate.

"Good move, that was my next one," Lucivar admitted. Sam couldn't help but smirk before he followed his brother through the gate before Lucivar decided to toss him through next.

Saetan hadn't moved from his spot, still watching the man he was so often confused with. He could sense some type of power from the man, but it was nothing like the power the Blood had. And it was somewhat similar to the taint that Hekatah and Dorothea craved. Oh this man, himself, may not be stronger than Saetan, but there was no way he would ever allow a being like him to remain in case Hekatah or Dorothea's minions made it to this world. *More than they already have,* he thought to himself.

"You should not have interfered," Lucifer said, his voice becoming slightly more demonic.

"I do as my Queen wishes," Saetan said lazily, his tone never changing. "Cheap theatrics will do you no good. I do not cower, especially not to meager fools such as yourself."

"Fool!" Lucifer bellowed, flinging his arm to send a wave of demonic power to Saetan.

With a flick of his wrist, it simply bounced away. Tsking, Saetan surrounded the man with Black binds, pinning his arms to his sides. "I am tired of being compared to a paudry excuse of existence. No longer."

"What are we going to do with him?" Daemon questioned, standing beside his father.

"We destroy him," Saetan said. "Jaenelle said this world survives. I refuse to leave him in place to change that."

"He holds enough power to do damage should he be destroyed," Daemon said.

"Layer shield," Lucivar said. "Red, Ebon-Grey, Black."

"I'll create the Red and Black," Daemon said. "Prick, if you'll handle the Ebon-Grey, I'm sure Father will take great pleasure in carrying out our Queen's command."

"Gladly," both men said.

"You will die for this," Lucifer hissed at them.

"You first," Lucivar said as first Daemon's Red shield, his Ebon-Grey and finally Daemon's Black shield snapped up around the man.

"I won't be able to take as much joy from this as I would like," Saetan said. "But I don't have the luxury of time." He slipped his hands into the pocket of his trousers, watching the man.

As Lucivar watched his father weaving the spell to destroy Lucifer, he finally, truly, saw how much of a mirror Daemon was to the High Lord of Hell. And it scared the shit out of him as he realized that he truly never wanted to piss his father off. He also realized, as he listened to what sounded like a melon smashed by a hammer against concrete as Lucifer's head exploded, that this was where he also got much of his darker side from. He may not be his father's mirror, but the power that held within him, the raw strength, came from this man. There was a reason why Lucivar Yaslana, Daemon Sadi and Saetan SaDiablo were the most dangerous men that walked the Realms. And there was a reason why the royal brothers of Nebula were so dangerous, being cut from the same cloth due to their ancestry beginning with Peyton.

"This job is done," Saetan said. "We have two men to deliver to our Queen."

Releasing their holds on the shields, Daemon and Lucivar turned on their heels, following their father back through the gate.

8*8*8*8

Jo couldn't handle the waiting anymore. Once she convinced Jaenelle that she was well enough to at least go outside, she made her way to the gardens. She couldn't think about Dean and Sam. She couldn't think about the possibilities that could be if they were brought here as Jaenelle explained was a possibility.

*The Lady thinks too much,* a teenaged female voice said in her head.

Jo looked down at the sceltie's head in her lap, the fluffy tail making a tick tock motion before pausing. She sighed a bit and threaded her fingers in her fur.

"My mom has told me that before," Jo said. "This all feels like a dream, Vae."

*No dream,* she said. *The Lady brought you here to live. You are safe here.*

"I'm surrounded by men that are meant to be dead, animals that can talk in my head and I was brought back from death," Jo said. "It just seems so surreal."

*The Lady brings us all hope. We wanted her to,* Vae explained.

"I don't know what that-," Jo started.

"Jo..."

Vae lifted her head from Jo's lap as the blonde twisted to look at the voice from behind her. Tears filled her eyes as she saw Jaenelle, Saetan, Lucivar and Daemon standing off to the side while her mother stood with Sam. And Dean.

*Your mate?* Vae asked.

"Vae," Saetan said quietly to the sceltie. She nuzzled Jo's cheek before rising and backing to a discreet spot to allow Jo space for movement.

Slowly, unsure if she was dreaming and they would disappear, Jo got to her feet. Dean made his way down the steps, stopping just shy of Jo, his eyes wide as he looked at her. He let his eyes roam over her body, immediately staring at her torso where she had suffered the hellhound wounds.

"She... she said you..." Dean couldn't take his eyes off her abdomen.

"I'm healed, alive," Jo said. "She really brought you here. You and Sam."

Dean laughed a bit. "Yeah..."

One minute they were staring at one another, the next Jo found herself wrapped in Dean's arms, her face pressed to his neck and his fingers tangled in her hair.

"God..." Dean whispered against her ear. "It's really you."

"It's really me," she whispered. Dean pulled back just enough to tip her head up and do the one thing he should have done when death wasn't between them. He latched his mouth onto hers and kissed her with every ounce of feeling that he could.

In that moment, he realized that nothing else mattered. From what was explained to him, he and Sam were in a new world where Jo and Ellen were alive; Saetan had destroyed Lucifer so their world was safe. But the only thing that mattered to him now was the woman in his arms. Till the voice came into his head.

*Does this mean they'll have puppies now?*