AN: Once again, I clearly write because I hate myself. This came from the fact that in 'The End' when present!Dean comes into the courtyard where Lucifer has future!Dean down on the ground, future!Dean closes his eyes before Lucifer snaps his neck. So. Fic happened. Title came from the Strong Arm Steady. Unbeta'd as always.

Dean entered the courtyard and stopped dead in his tracks. He had known exactly what he was going to see but that didn't make it hurt any less. "Sammy," he whispered brokenly. The tall figure in the white suit turned to face him, sending a sharp spike of pain through Dean's heart. It looked like Sammy, it moved like Sammy, it even had floppy emo hair like Sammy, but he was anything but.

"Sorry Dean. Little bro isn't home," Lucifer said with a cold, malicious smile. "But I'll be sure to pass along a message if you like."

"Shut the fuck up," Dean growled, gaining some of his confidence back. This was an abomination that just shared his brothers face, he had to remember that.

"Now, now, Dean, is that any way to talk to me?"

"I said shut the fuck up," he ground out, jaw clenched tightly in anger.

Sammy - no, Lucifer - smiled and took a few steps towards Dean. "Are you here to kill me, Dean? Because if that's the case you're a bit too empty of a certain archangel that was supposed to… What is it you say? Wear you to the prom?"

"Yeah well, I proved too expensive for that feathery dick and he decided to skip the prom altogether. So it's just you and me Lucy."

"Lucy? You sound like my brother Gabriel. Look Dean, I admire your efforts, I truly do, but you're a gun with no bullets," Lucifer took a couple more steps, bringing himself within two feet of Dean. "You're a chained dog."

Dean glared at Lucifer, refusing to acknowledge that fact that the devil was right. "Who says my gun doesn't have any bullets?" he asked smugly, pulling the Colt from his waistband and training it on Lucifer's chest.

Lucifer broke out into a big grin before letting out a harsh laugh. "Dean that may as well be loaded with rock salt for all the good it's going to do you right now."

"Yeah? My guess is you're bluffing right now." Lucifer pursed his lips and cocked an eyebrow at Dean's words. Wordlessly he spread his arms out in an open invitation.

"Do me a favor, Dean. Don't miss." Dean stared at him, hand shaking like it hadn't done since Dean had ganked his first fugly. He furrowed his brow and lowered the gun, sighing in defeat. Lucifer smiled again. "Can't do it, can you? You can't shoot your brother in the heart."

"You are not my brother."

"No, but I do bear a striking resemblance, don't I?"

"Shut the fuck up," Dean said again, but it had lost all it's vehemence, all that was left was a quiet defeat. "Just. Don't talk anymore."

"Dean, I could give you what you want."

Dean's head snapped up, meeting his brother's hazel eyes, not even bothering to pretend they were Lucifer's. They were Sam's eyes. "No you can't," he said, voice husky with his effort to keep everything under control. "You can't give me Sammy."

"You're right. I can't. But I can give you that one last touch you've been yearning for all these years. Like I said, it's a striking resemblance."

Dean clenched his jaw so hard he was surprised a tooth didn't snap. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Lucifer laughed again. "Dean, it's the end of the world, we don't have time to play games. The relationship you and your brother shared was anything but secret, why do you think demons always used your codependency against you? No one was ever under any illusions." Dean looked away, not wanting it to be true, although he'd always known. "Especially not Castiel."

That got Dean's attention again. "Don't talk about him."

Lucifer smirked. "Why do you care? You just sent him to his death. Some thing to do to someone that's catered to your every need for the last few years. I'd say it's downright cold. So, tell me Dean, was Castiel just your willing stand in for Sam? You couldn't have your brother so you just buried yourself in the nearest fallen angel you could find?"

Dean couldn't take anymore and launched himself at Lucifer, aiming to tackle him to the ground but his anger made him sloppy. Lucifer easily sidestepped him, grabbing his shoulders and using his momentum to throw him onto the ground. Dean twisted and landed on his back, finding Lucifer's foot pressing down on his neck.

"Castiel is dead. Just so you know. He may have long since lost his grace but he was still my brother, and I felt it when he died." Dean didn't even blink. Lucifer had been right, Cas had only been a replacement for Sam. "It's a shame there will be no one to feel it when you die," Lucifer said with a hint of amusement.

Dean looked up into Lucifer's eyes and felt everything in him give up. He was about to die, at the hands of his brother's body, and he didn't care. No, that's not true. He was grateful. He didn't want to fight anymore. He felt all his muscles relax, even his body understanding that it was over, that it didn't have to worry about anything anymore.

There was a slight noise to his left and he turned his head, numbly taking in his past self. Maybe he could do things better. Dean closed his eyes and waited, ready to embrace his death.

It was fast. Just a quick twist of Lucifer's ankle and the bones in his neck snapped. He felt it, there was pain, but then there was only darkness.