Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters

Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters. And I am not making any money on this…I'm just having fun!

Summary: Spoiler Alert: Takes place after 3:16. Sam has lost the battle and Dean has gone to hell but will he stay there?

Redemption of a Lost Soul

Chapter 1 – Journey Into Hell

Time had lost all meaning as Sam Winchester sat on the floor of the dining room, the lifeless body of his brother held tenderly in his embrace. Silent tears fell down ravaged cheeks as a soft keening noise echoed through the silence.

"No Dean—No—I'm so sorry…" Sam repeated over and over while rocking his brother's body. As he closed his eyes, he shivered for a brief moment as he felt something—a sharp pain in his shoulder, something tearing before an echo of a familiar voice went through his mind. "Saaammmyyy"

Sam jumped as another voice intruded on his sorrow. "You can still save him Sam—there is still time…" Ruby whispered as she pushed herself to her feet. She swayed for a moment before moving closer to the distraught hunter.

"No, it's too late—too little too late…" Sam remembered his brother's words after his father died. It was the story of his life. He always seemed to be doing too little, too late. "Go away Ruby…leave before I change my mind and send you to join…to join…" Sam couldn't get the words past his lips.

"Fine, but you do have the power to bring him back—just like you had the power to repel Lilith. Mark my words; you will regret not listening to me…" Ruby reached for the knife but stepped back at the look in the hunter's eyes.

"Leave it! I will find the bitch and I will kill her—then maybe you can have it back. Now leave!" Sam stood towering over the petite blonde. He shouldn't let her go, Dean would have—his gaze looked down again and wondered if maybe he should listen to her. But his brother's last words came back to him—a warning to not use the demonic powers that lay dormant inside him.

"Oh, you might want to do something about your friend Bobby—the holy water will only hold them for so long you know. I'd help, but then you're a big boy now…" Ruby held her hand out as Sam took a step towards her with the knife raised. "I'm going—and for what it's worth. I really am sorry about your brother Sam…"

Sam watched as Ruby stormed from the house. His eyes looked out the windows and saw the demons still milling around. He wondered how many of those people could be saved. He shuddered for a moment when the terrified eyes of the innocent girl appeared in his mind. If it hadn't been for Dean…

"Oh God Dean, what am I going to do without you?" Sam fell to his knees again beside his fallen brother. He gently reached forward and closed the eyes that no longer held any sign of life. The vibrant eyes that had gotten him through childhood, seen him through the loss of Jess, helped him when he was wounded and guided him when he was lost—all of it gone in an instant.

Tears fell once more as he gently removed the necklace he had given to his brother. He remembered the smile on Dean's face even though he'd known it was originally for his father. It was Sam's acknowledgement of who really raised him and a sign of his love for the one person who was always there for him.

Sam wiped the tears with the back of his hand and placed the necklace into his pocket. Dean had asked him to take it and to remember the good times. But right now, all he could see was the shredded remains of the ultimate proof of his brother's love.

"God, why?" Sam shouted as he looked skyward for an answer. It had been a long time since he had prayed. After the incident with the angel who turned out to be the spirit of a priest, he'd thought he'd given up on believing in a greater good. However while he was researching for a way out of the deal, he'd read up on other Supernatural beings—beings of good and light who were meant to fight the dark.

A prayer that Pastor Jim had taught him came to his mind. It was a prayer to the Archangel Michael, God's warrior against evil and according to legend, the one who took souls to be judged. It seemed fitting somehow to say it now over the best warrior against evil he'd ever known.

"Saint Michael the Archangel,

defend us in battle;

be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray:

and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,

by the power of God,

cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits

who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen."

Sam wiped the blood from his brother's face with a shaking hand. "I know you don't believe in prayer Dean, but I have to believe that somehow you will be saved. I remember Pastor Jim telling me once that the Righteous Man would be destroyed by evil, but eventually would find peace. I have to believe he was right…I have to believe…" Sam's voice shook once more with the emotions he'd been holding in for an entire year. He felt as if his world had ended and yet, the sound of raised voices outside could no longer be ignored.

"Stay here Dean and rest, I'll be back for you as soon as I kick some demon butt—you'd like that I'm sure." Sam stood and once more looked at what was going on outside. Without Lilith, the demons seemed to be confused but none of them were leaving. His eyes spied something that might work parked just a few houses down. "Perfect!" Sam muttered as he picked up the knife and began to search for what he'd need. A short time later he left with a small tape recorder in his pocket.

Maybe it was Ruby's mojo bag that he still carried and maybe it was whatever had saved him from Lilith's wrath—but somehow he managed to get to the ice cream truck without being seen. So far he hadn't seen Bobby anywhere, but then his friend was probably staying out of sight. He quickly placed a thick layer of salt around the inside of the large van, making a circle of protection around himself. He'd be screwed if the salt didn't stay, but then he really didn't care if he died anyway…

"Well Dean, I'm sure this plan is gonna suck, but then you wanted me to do it the way you and Dad would—so here we go!" Sam placed the cassette player next to the external microphone on the truck and pressed play. He turned up the volume as high as it would go and then pressed on the gas. Before long he was surrounded by the demon hoard as they tried to get to him.

A grim smile crossed his lips as he remembered what Dean said after the last time they were under siege. "Well let's hope this ends better than Dawn of the Dead big brother!" Sam said out loud, feeling some comfort just talking as if his brother really could hear him.

He heard the loud shrieks and watched as the people fell to the ground screaming. The Latin exorcism echoed into the still night air. Sam pulled the knife and waited, prepared if one of the demons broke through, but the salt seemed to be doing the trick. He watched as one after the other, the demonic black smoke poured from the mouths of the infected. Soon the air was silent.

For a brief moment a chill went down Sam's spine. He had just sent a new hoard of demons to hell—to torment his brother. He sat down heavily into the seat as the realization of what he was doing each time he sent one of the bastards to hell. How could he continue?

Sam jumped as something pounded on the driver side door. He turned, knife raised to strike. "Whoa there boy, why don't you put that pig sticker down…" Bobby gasped as he backed up slightly with his hands raised.

"Christo!" Sam said as he opened the door. He saw no reaction, but he still pulled a bottle of holy water from his pocket. Taking a deep sip first, he passed it to Bobby who also drank.

"Smart thinking boy—but how the hell did you get them all to come to you?" Bobby asked as he looked at the people around them. Some were beginning to stir and moan.

"Who cares Bobby—let's just get Dean and get out of here before we have to answer questions…" Sam stood and moved past Bobby, his steps hurried towards the house and what was left of his brother.

As the two hunters entered the dining room, Sam stopped dead. Bobby ran into him and almost knocked them both over. "What the hell Sam?" Bobby croaked as he righted himself.

"Dean—he was right here Bobby and now he's gone—I mean his body is…" Sam saw the outline of blood where the body had laid just a short time ago. His eyes grew hard as he quickly turned and began to search the house. However other than finding the frightened family in the basement, there was no sign of his brother's body.

"Bobby, what the hell?" Sam cried, looking to his old friend for some kind of explanation.

"I don't know Sam—I just don't know. But we gotta get before the cops come—come on boy, we'll figure this out later…" Bobby pulled at the young hunter's arm, guiding him back towards the area where they'd hidden the car and truck. "Come on Sam—won't do us any good to get caught…"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"So he's passed the test, how much longer will Dean have to suffer?" A soft feminine voice whispered on the wind.

"Our boys have done well Mary, don't you worry. It will all work out." John answered.

"I'm so sorry that Sam had to be the one—but without Dean, I'm not so sure he can resist going down the wrong path. The temptation to give in and allow his powers to fully emerge—to embrace them even in the name of good—most men would take the easy road John."

"Yes, but most men aren't Winchesters. We have to believe in our boys Mary—this is their fight now. Sam has too much good in him to let evil win. And Dean, well if things go as planned, he will be there to shield our youngest once more. Our time and our role are done. I just wish I had been able to tell them more…" John's voice broke.

"They know how much you loved them—as for the rest, they will find out just like we did, once their job is done." Mary grabbed her husband's hand in her own and smiled.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The hooks in his body were excruciating. Dean could feel them pulling at sinew and bone as he swayed over the empty black void. He could hear the sound of tortured voices below him as his own cries joined them. The voices of the damned—but surely there was more to hell than this?

Of course anyone who knew Dean would realize his fear of being alone. Maybe hell was each person's own making, maybe if he became afraid of hot chicks and warm beaches the scenery would change. Another scream broke free as tears coursed down his bloodied face. The pain was getting worse the longer he hung here. Why didn't someone come?

"Sammy! Please help me!" Dean cried again. He had to believe his brother would find a way to save him. It couldn't be too late—he refused to turn into a demon or worse. He wouldn't turn into something that may eventually kill that which he sacrificed so much to save.

He looked around again and wondered when the party would start. Dean thought for sure he'd see the bitch who sent him here or maybe Meg—she certainly had a score to settle with him. Hell, there were so many who had promised to tear the flesh from his bones, why wasn't there a line?

"Because Dean, you have yet to be fully judged…" A voice spoke quietly off to his right. Dean tried to look through the darkness, but he couldn't find the source of the sound.

"Great, now I'm hearing things…" Dean said as another scream was wrenched from his bloody lips. The hooks were being pulled further apart, tearing his flesh. "Oh God, make it stop, please…Sammy!"

"Now you might want to rethink who to call for here son. You have a chance to find peace, but only if you believe…remember Isiah 57:1 Dean?"

"The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come."

"What the hell does that mean? How about the cliff note version pal…" Dean ground out as he tried to ride out the pain in his body. He remembered Pastor Jim trying to get him to read the bible, but he never had the patience. He believed in what he could see…

He heard a deep laugh as the voice continued. "Even now you fight against evil, but for how long? Your will is strong Dean, but I fear hell will eventually beat you. As to what the verse means, let me see if I can put this in terms you'll understand." There was a slight pause which made Dean think the thing had left, but then the voice sounded again. "Oh yes, if you are judged to be a good man, a righteous man, you may receive a get out of jail free card…"

Dean groaned. It had to be another demon trick. "No more deals. You can do what you want with me—I won't give you evil sons of bitches anything else…"

"That's right, you're a realist. You can believe in the many different forms of evil in the world and yet you can't believe there is equal good?" The voice continued.

Dean thought back to the man who had been killed by the pipe. At that time, he had felt like there had been something good winning out over evil. He'd even told Sam about it when his brother was having his own crisis of faith. And then there was the whole good vampire, bad vampire thing. There were degrees of evil so maybe there were degrees of good. Unfortunately, none of that would help him now as he let another scream of agony past his lips.

"That's right Dean, you understand there is a balance and right now that balance has been upset. The war has arrived and your brother is smack in the middle of it. I wonder if he will survive?"

"Who are you?" Dean finally asked. He couldn't revisit the whole leaving Sam alone to fight evil thing. It was all his fault. He never thought his decision through when he made the deal. Bobby was right, nothing good ever came from making a deal with a demon.

There was soft laughter and Dean could have sworn the pain in his body lessened as he felt a glow of something caress his battered body. "You can call me Mike for now. I think you and I are going to become good allies Dean Winchester—yes, you certainly make things more interesting…"

TBC

Raven524: Okay here is the newest story. I've been in shock since the ending of Season 3, but I think I'm finally coming out of it (Not Dean!). I know this has been done, but thought I'd put my spin on what happens after Dean (sniffles) ends up in hell (damn Kripke). There is a slight religious overtone here in the beginning, but don't worry it won't be predominant in this story. I hope you all enjoy it!