What if the angels brought John back to be Michael's vessel instead of Adam?
Dean finished writing his good-bye letter to Sam and packed up the box of all his possessions. It wasn't much. His leather jacket, his car keys, and a really old tape collection.
He took a last swig of scotch to fortify himself. He turned around and saw his brother standing in the doorway.
"So, you're just going to kill yourself," Sam said.
"I'm not going to kill myself," Dean defended himself. He was going to sacrifice himself to save the world. Michael was the only way. He knew that now.
"So, you're not going to let Michael jump your bones?" Sam asked.
"How did you find me?" Dean asked, avoiding the question.
"Not too hard to figure out the stops on the good-bye tour. How is Lisa anyway?" Sam asked.
Sometimes it was really annoying how well they knew each other, Dean thought.
"You know I have to stop you," Sam continued.
"You can try. But you're not all hopped up on demon blood this time," Dean said, referring to the last (and only) time Sam had managed to beat him up.
"No, but I brought help."
Dean turned around to find Cas. Cas touched him and the next thing he knew he was at Bobby's staring at his old friend across the desk. Seconds later, they were joined by Sam and Cas.
Sam sat down in front of Bobby, while Dean leaned against the wall next to the window. Cas stood next to the door keeping a wary eye on Dean. How had he allowed himself to place his faith in this fallible human?
"So, months of chasing our tails and screwing pooches, but tonight, tonight is when the magic happens," Dean said sarcastically.
"What's your problem?" Bobby asked, pissed off. Dean could act like a real baby sometimes.
"I'm just tired," Dean repeated for about the millionth time in the last few years.
"We're all tired," Bobby said. "I've been getting tired for a couple decades longer than you, boy."
Suddenly, Castiel doubled over.
"Are you OK?" Sam asked. He wasn't used to seeing the angel show symptoms of pain.
"Something's happening," Castiel answered and disappeared.
"What do you think that was about?" Bobby asked.
"No idea," Dean said as he started sidling to the door. Sam bolted out of his chair and inserted himself between Dean and his goal.
"Going somewhere?"
"Guess not," Dean said. He thought that with Cas gone, escape would be a cinch. He had forgotten how gigantor his "little" brother had gotten. Besides, he was kind of curious where Cas had gone off to.
SSS
Castiel popped into a little clearing in Missouri. He could feel a vibe coming from the ground. He leaned down and thrust his hand into the dirt as far as it would go and felt a hand grasp his. He pulled with all his might and a man came out. He was dirty, but other than that, as far as Cas could tell, he seemed OK. He wasn't sure why he had been alerted of this, but he decided it would be best to get him back to Bobby and the Winchesters.
He popped back with his new charge. Bobby stared in amazement. "John?" The last time he had seen John Winchester, he had crawled out of Hell to help save his boys from that infernal yellow-eyed demon. Now, he was standing in his living room, looking like he was about to conk over. "Boys, help," he called.
Sam and Dean ran in. "Dad?" they both said as Castiel lowered him to the couch.
"This is your father?" Castiel asked.
"Sure looks like him," Dean said. "What's going on?"
"I don't know. The one thing I do know is that we need to hide him," he said. He touched his hand to John's rib cage to carve one of his famous enochian sidgils. John screamed and sat up. He was fully awake now.
"Sam? Dean? Bobby?"
"That's us," Bobby said.
"What's going on, Dad?" Dean asked, not really expecting his father to know.
"I was in Heaven with your mother. We were reliving all of our best memories. An angel came to see us and said that I had to come back to save the world," John said.
"How?" Sam asked.
"I'm supposed to be the Archangel Michael's vessel and together we'll kill Lucifer," John explained.
"Well, we do know that Dad's his vessel," Dean said, remembering the little trip back in time they had taken.
"Does this seem right to anybody else? All the talk about fate and destiny and now they have a back up plan?" Sam raged.
"They must have thought Dean would have continued to resist them. They didn't realize how weak he had become," Castiel said pointedly.
"What do you mean?" John asked.
Dean ignored the jab. "I'm supposed to be Michael's vessel, but he needs my permission and I've been saying no."
"Why?" John asked. He certainly didn't want Dean to die, but Michael hadn't said anything about dying. Besides, Dean knew that protecting people was important. To protect the whole world from Lucifer was worth anything.
"Because, we'll lose half the planet in the battle," Sam supplied. "We're trying to find another way. Something that will save everyone."
"How's that going?" John asked. If anybody could do it, his sons could.
"It's not," Dean answered.
"Well, Dean, you don't have to take this on. I'll do it for you," John said.
"If Michael gets his vessel, Lucifer will redouble his efforts to get his," Castiel said.
Sam looked up sharply at that.
"Well, he needs permission, too," Bobby pointed out. It was one thing for Dean and John to give in to the so-called good guy of the story, but Sam would never say yes to Lucifer.
"Do we know who Lucifer's vessel is?" John asked, feeling like he was missing something.
There was a long uncomfortable pause. Finally Sam said, "It's me."
"Well, just don't say yes," John ordered.
"Oh, he's going to say yes," Dean said.
"Dean," Sam protested.
"He'll break you somehow. I don't know if it'll be another demon chick, or more demon blood, but they'll get to you somehow. They always do."
A lot of that made no sense to John. Demon chick? Sam wouldn't fall for a demon, would he? Demon blood? What did that even mean?
"Dean, you're not being fair," Bobby said. Dean had always been his favorite, but he recognized the fact that they were all (including himself) always harder on Sam.
"It's OK, Bobby. Maybe he's right." Sam felt weak most of the time. Like he wasn't sure how he would keep resisting. He couldn't think of one reason why he would say yes. On the other hand, before Dean had died, if someone had asked him if he would ever drink demon blood, he was pretty sure he would have answered with a resounding no.
Dean felt bad. He really did. He knew that Sam felt bad about drinking the demon blood and starting the Apocalypse. He knew that if he could go back and do it all over again, he would never have anything to do with Ruby. But, the one thing Dean had learned was, Sam might be really smart, but he didn't always use the best judgment.
"Dad, you can't say yes to Michael," Sam said. They were still Team Free Will. They were going to save the world without losing half of it first.
"I should do it," Dean said. "I was going to do it before they pulled Dad up. Maybe the angels are right and this is the best way."
Sam, Bobby, and Castiel all exchanged a look. They could tell they were fighting a losing battle. Now, they had two vessels they had to talk out of saying yes.
"You know, I had suggested to Michael that we put a couple of angels on stakeout here, because we know you boys turn up from time to time, but he said not to bother." Everyone looked up to see Zachariah standing in the doorway. "But when your father wasn't where he was supposed to be, this seemed the best place to look."
"I want to say yes to Michael," Dean said. For once, Zachariah showing up was actually convenient.
"Are you serious?" Zachariah wasn't sure if he should take him up on his offer or press the dad for a yes. He wasn't expecting a turnaround from the fiercely independent Dean Winchester.
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Dean countered.
"OK, then," Zachariah said and starting reeling off a chant to bring Michael down.
"Dean, no," Sam said,
Zachariah flung him against the wall and made him start bleeding through his mouth.
"Leave him alone," Dean said. "I'm doing what you want."
"Yes, but I've never liked him. While he's much more tractable than you, he's also an abomination with all that demon blood in him. I mean, he couldn't help the first dose when he was six months old, but to go back for more? Who does that?"
"Well, if he hadn't you would never have gotten your precious Apocalypse. Fix him," Dean said.
"After you say yes to Michael," Zachariah promised. He then proceeded to say the words that would bring Michael down. He had done it. He got the yes he needed. He was going to be promoted big time.
Dean looked over at Sam. Sam turned his gaze away. He couldn't watch his brother do this. He had made a lot of mistakes in the past couple of years, but he was hoping that Dean would learn from them.
Dean saw that Sam couldn't look at him. Sam was disappointed in him. The tables were turned. Now, Dean knew how Sam had felt the last couple of years. Sam had done a lot this last year to make up for all he had done. He couldn't let him down now. He caught Sam's eye and he winked at him.
The room started to shake. Dean knew he wouldn't have much time. He caught Castiel's eye and nodded while Zach's attention was elsewhere. "Of course I have a couple of conditions."
"What?" Zach asked. What was this stupid mud monkey trying to pull.
"There are a few people whose safety I want guaranteed."
Zach almost sighed with relief. "Sure, make a list."
"But, most importantly, I want Michael to kill you." Dean again cut a look to Cas. Cas gave him a slight nod back.
"Michael's not going to kill me," Zachariah sneered.
"Maybe not, but I will," Castiel said as he plunged his sword into him.
The room was still shaking. Michael was still coming. Dean ran over to Sam to help him up so they could get out of the house. Castiel rushed to help Bobby by pushing his chair. John was right behind them. When John was the only one left to exit the house, the door slammed shut. Lights were pouring out of the windows and the shaking increased.
"Dad!" Dean shouted. He helped Sam down to the ground and started trying to open the door.
"You'll not be able to open it, Dean," Castiel said. Sometimes he wondered at the number of things Dean did when there was no chance of success.
The lights died down and the earth stopped shaking. Dean was able to open the door. Bobby's living room looked as it always did. No sign of Michael or his father. Zachariah's body was also gone, which was good. Sometimes they got sick of having to bury bodies all the time.
"Where did he go?" Dean asked.
"Michael took him. He'll be trying to convince him to say yes," Castiel said.
"Why did you do it, Dean? You were going to say yes," Sam said still trying to catch his breath on the ground.
"I looked over at you and realized I owed it you. I'm your big brother. I'm supposed to set a good example."
The End.