It's like being chained to a comment.
Isn't that what Jimmy said?
Sam can see the comparison. It's a constant struggle, a fight, against a will that is so much more powerful than your own. It's being dragged, and crushed, and thrown all at the same time. It's almost impossible to think, to see, to just pay attention to what Lucifer is doing with his body. But he has to. He has to keep fighting because maybe, just maybe, he can still stop this.
And now, standing in the cemetery with Michael, he fights harder than he ever has.
Through the rushing agony that is a mental fight with Lucifer, Sam can hear music.
Music?
Rock of Ages by Def Leppard?
"Howdy, boys."
It's the Impala. It's Dean.
"Sorry. Am I interrupting something?"
Sam feels a rush of happiness and relief; his big brother is here.
"Hey. We need to talk."
It gives him strength against Lucifer for a moment, but a surge of cold fire forces his will back.
Dean run, Sam thinks.
"I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to Sammy."
Here me too, Dean, and run. Please run, I'm not strong enough.
Sam screams and struggles in his mind, but it doesn't help. And Dean doesn't leave.
Leave, you idiot! Run!
And then Bobby and Cas are here. Michael is in flames. Sam gives a silent cheer until he feels Lucifer's rage freeze the breath out of him.
Snap!
No! Castiel!
Sam struggles, fights, rages, against the force restraining him.
No, Cas!
"Sammy, can you hear me?"
Lucifer throws Dean into the Impala.
No!
Bobby shoots, drawing Lucifer's attention.
Don't touch him! Don't you dare touch him!
Another snap, but not of fingers this time.
Bobby! Bobby! NO!
Sam hurls his will against Lucifer's.
They're my family!
He fights, but it's no use.
"Sammy, are you in there?"
He's being forced to hurt Dean now.
"Sam, it's okay. It's okay."
That's what Dean always says, and it always makes it okay, but it's not this time. How can it be?
"I'm here. I'm here."
Sam hates that he's still happy about that. That part of him wants so badly not to be alone while he's fighting the devil that he wants Dean here. He looks into Dean's bloody face, and thinks run.
"I'm not gonna leave you."
Lucifer looks up at the Impala, their home, and Sam can see the green army man. He remembers lodging it in the ashtray. He remembers carving their initial, and he remembers the rattle of Legos when they turn on the heat.
Dean's never left him. Dean's always been there. When they were kids, when Sam was a teenager, when he lost Jess, when he was tricked by Ruby, when they lost Dad, and too many more times for Sam to count them all. Dean has always been there.
"I'm not gonna leave you."
One last shove, and this one works. He's taken his body back, he has Lucifer, he has control!
"It's okay, Dean. It's gonna be okay. I've got him."
It's Sam's turn to make everything okay.
He throws the rings. Michael's back, but he can't stop Sam because it's his turn to save Dean.
It's okay, Dean.
"You're gonna have to make me!"
They're on the edge of the cage. The cage seemed so scary before. He didn't want to leave Dean. He didn't want to go to Hell. But it's okay now. He's saving Dean.
It's gonna be okay.
Sam leans back, and lets himself fall, taking Lucifer and Michael with him.