Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or the characters thereof.

Warning: Wincest! Unrelated now but still is Sam and Dean. Sam/Dean. Some language, graphic imagery. Some hinted sexual Content. If you don't like Wincest, don't read! I get graphic with most of my Wincest and I don't want to offend you. Their souls share Dean's body now, Sam's soul is joined with Dean's but sometimes still control the body separately.

This is going to be a multi-chapter fic but different than I usually write. Each chapter will focus on the mating between an Angel and the Winchester they are meant to be with. Michael is to be with John first, then on and on, until they all are paired off. Not sure how many chapters it will take but I'll keep going until I get them all paired up, and by then I should be ready for our boys and Lucifer to have their own mating finally. I like making them wait for each other and woo, so to speak, don't you?

It's more of a romantic one with some hunts and stuff mixed in. It's going to focus more on the intended mates finding each other though, so enjoy. And I intend to make each mating different and go differently for each pair (but they all will end up happily mated…eventually; Zachariah's already planned but Raphael and Uriel still need some suggestions…hint, hint. So if you have any ideas on how they come together, send me the ideas, I'd love to hear them, I have four pairings to do, so I'm willing to get creative. All suggestions are welcome, fans!

Here are the pairings: Michael/John, Raphael/Bobby, Uriel/Ash, Castiel/Jo, Balthazar/Dante, Gabriel/Missouri, Zachariah/Dorian. The order is set in the next chapter and you will know what they will be in order from. Suggestions would be most welcome on how their courtships, however brief, may progress. Just keep in mind they will be brief ones and fall in love fast, feel for each other from the start and no being with others to make the other mate jealous enough to want them, that won't be necessary. I'll do quirky, funny, amusing, romantic, even downright weird if I get a good enough idea…so suggestions will be welcome!

Plot: The world didn't turn out the way Lucifer thought it would, and he regrets what he's done to it. It's time to wake the Winchesters and Bobby but he has to fix it first. Can he fix it or will they stay frozen forever? Maybe he could use a little help with that…like his Father's kind? Will he be too proud to ask for it? And can he do it alone?

And will he ever be able to convince Dean/Sam to be his after all he's done to them? And will they ever return his love if they let him show him he was truly sorry?

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucifer sat where he usually did most days, in the Cryo room, talking to Sam and Dean, and sometimes Bobby.

The world was ravaged and gutted. He'd tried to make it pretty again but the mindless beings left in it merely destroyed it again.

He pressed his head to the glass and stroked the glass over Dean's strong jaw. Sadness and loneliness assailing him again. 'Sam, Dean? You awake?' He sent to them.

'We're here.' Sam responded, concerned. Over the following months, Lucifer had talked to them more and they'd formed a loose camaraderie with him. They'd come to look forward to his voice calling to their souls to speak with him. 'You sound sad.'

'I am. The last human died today…the virus took them…I'm alone. Cas is dead; he died days ago. I was going to tell you, but didn't know how to.' Lucifer said. 'The world is destroyed, all of it is…all that's left is ugly.'

'The battle…' Dean asked, crying as Sam held him. Cas was dead…he hadn't thought that could happen. He was told he had stayed behind, trying to find him to get him to help but he hadn't been able to. Lucifer had tried to get him to understand but…Cas hadn't listened and had called Dean a coward. The words had hurt more than he'd thought they would. But him dead, he had never wanted that.

'Never happened, Michael and the Angels left. Cas stayed behind. I…stayed behind.' Lucifer said. 'I did this. I should have tried harder to reason with Michael. I just figured with you gone, he'd give up the idea of this apocalypse, which he did. But the horsemen…that's what really hurt it. They did so much damage to it, too. If I hadn't helped them, hadn't let them fuck with the seals, if this all hadn't happened…you'd have a world to awake to…and you'd have your own bodies still to live in rather than having to share Dean's.' He sounded so regretful they wanted to comfort him. They'd gotten close to him these past month, these years. They had no sense of time trapped in their body this way so they could only guess how long it had been.

Lucifer had kept them updated daily on what was going on, always saying he was watching over them. The Angels had searched for them and Bobby but had failed to locate them. To force Dean to be the vessel Michael wanted and to use Bobby to force them to do it. Then later to kill them for failing to do what they wanted. They had never known Sam wasn't in that body with Lucifer and Lucifer hadn't told them otherwise; he'd just let them assume it.

It was safer that way.

'You can fix it.' Sam said softly, 'Put it back the way it was before the horsemen and the virus came…if you chose to.'

'I don't have that power.' Lucifer said sadly, 'I tried that already. It didn't work.'

'Gabriel or Bal could help…' Sam offered. 'We forgive you. It took a lot of Angels to do this, not just you. Michael could have tried to save the world but he didn't…you tried to tell him this was the wrong thing to do…at least you tried…maybe he would listen now, your father, too?'

'Gabriel is dead, or I think he is. I killed him at the inn, remember? I regret that…I wish I could go back and change that, too…Balthazar is in Heaven, Michael, too. Father is…not on Earth. Don't know where he is anymore than I ever did; he doesn't talk to me, hasn't for years. It's just us now.' Lucifer said. 'Demons are gone, so is all the evil, but so is everything else.'

'So maybe for everything good that existed, evil had to exist, too?' Bobby piped in, he'd been listening in. 'Yeah, I heard you…idjit. I forgive you for this, too. You aren't so bad, you wore me down, you bratty devil you. So call your brothers, Gabriel might be up there, Balthazar, and God, too…ask them to fix it, tell them how you feel. It's worth a try.' Bobby said. 'That and get me out of this thing, let me live again.'

'Us, too.' Dean and Sam piped up.

'I can't, nothing can live here…the plants are gone what with the atmosphere being poisoned. There is no food or life of any sort left…you'd die if I did.' Lucifer said sadly, 'I put you in there to save you and let you see a better world…and now I can't let you out because there is no world to let you out to live in…I hate it.'

'Call for help, Lucifer. See if they will fix it…God loved this world before, he might still love it…and you.' Dean suggested. 'It's worth a try.'

'Okay, I'll try again…' Lucifer said. 'I could let you out if I could fix it back for you…we could be friends…maybe? I won't mess up again. I can't put Sam back in his body, it's bonded with me. But he's bonded with yours; you could share yours for Eternity…if you could handle that.'

'I could.' Dean said. 'I'm used to this with him by now…how long has it been? There is no sense of time passing in here, beyond speaking with you.'

'20 years, give or take a day. You haven't aged or seem to have shown any changes in your bodies from it…you are the same; it's the stasis.' Lucifer said. 'I…I never wanted this, I tried to avoid it…but my brothers let me believe I had to, that it was destined…but how could it be destined when it destroyed this beautiful world I once loved so much…I screwed it all up.'

'Get help, Lucifer. They might be more willing to help now to fix this world, once they see how devastated it is…the yard, it's gone, isn't it?' Bobby said sadly.

'No, I live there now. It's the only place that's been kept up…I kept it so you could, I mean they or we…could live there when you were woke up but I'm so afraid I'll never be able to do it now.' Lucifer said. 'It's the same, the only place that is really.'

'Thank you for that.' Bobby said gratefully. 'I miss that place…seeing it in my head isn't enough anymore…memories aren't enough. I'd be your friend. I see you are different. Just try, son, it can't hurt to just try.'

'I will.' Lucifer said and stood away from them again, kissing the glass softly where Dean's lips were. "I love you guys. I wish I could show you that it's okay to love me, too…if you could after all I've done…unlikely but I wish you could."

They couldn't hear him but he meant what he said. He loved them, had grown to over the years. Them being his only companions for years now and being so lonely had driven him to feel that way eventually. Lust had become need, and need had blossomed into love inside the Ruler of Hell, and he dearly wished they could love him back. Friendship was a good step, at least in human relationships, and trust, he'd earned that at least…maybe he could earn love, too?

Xxxxxxxxxx

He was prone and praying, hoping someone heard him. "Father, I'm sorry…please help me fix what I helped break, help me fix this world? I can't do by myself…" He prayed. "Forgive me, Father, for my pride and vanity. I beg you to help me fix this world, bring it back to the way you meant it to be…even if you must take my life to do it; I will pay that price if I must…gladly."

"Son." Came a voice behind him. "Stand, I heard you."

Lucifer quickly got to his knees and shuffled around to see a glowing old man and bowed immediately to him, face hidden. "I'm not worthy. But still I beg you."

"You are worthy enough, look upon your Father." God said and touched his chin to get him to look up. "I forgive you and my Creation is…bleak." His gold eyes swept around him and grew sadder. "My world, my beautiful world, it's all but destroyed."

"I'm sorry I let it happen." Lucifer said crying. "The Winchesters and Bobby, I can't even wake them up to live here… and I promised I would someday."

"You weren't the only one that broke my world, son. You are however the most repentant and the first one to admit that fact. So I will forgive you and grant you your prayer. But you will have to help to fix it, and I can't turn Time back too much. But maybe back to around when you froze them should do fine…and I'll take care of the horsemen for you. You will have help repairing the world. Those that also broke it will be responsible for fixing it…or else." He growled and waved a hand then four very shamefaced Angels, familiar ones, now stood by him and knelt at his feet. He didn't tell them to stand however; he was pissed at them still.

Three playful but still worshipful and reverent Angels stood in front of him as well and waited, kneeling but were immediately told to stand. Kneeling was for the repentant and they had nothing to repent for; those other four however did.

"I will fix it so that the others can wake up first. They have been locked up for far too long as it is." God said and waved a hand. The world spun backward it seemed and Time reversed itself. Evil was reborn and the virus was gone. Earth, trees, plants, food, water, people, animals, and all the Earth once held was restored. The air was fresh again and it was 21 years earlier. He even went as far as to remove 90% of the pollution from it and restored the Ozone Layer to the way it was before they'd destroyed most of it; a gift from their loving God himself. He handed them two boxes and waved to Lucifer. "Put these into the Winchesters and Bobby after they are thawed but right before he wakes them up." He pointed to Lucifer who explained they were cryogenically frozen nearby, in Bobby's Panic room actually. He'd made it his home there after he'd taken Dean's deal to save Sam from the cage and the battle so he could watch over them. Protect them.

"They are both in there but…the deal was I got Sam's body and Sam's soul would go into Dean's body to share his body with Dean's soul. I can't reverse it but they are both very much alive in there, trust me…they forgave me for all that I've done. They've been my only friends and companions all these years…they made it bearable by being kind to me, even when I didn't deserve it." He bowed at Gabriel and Castiel's feet. "I'm sorry I killed you, Gabe. I was foolish…let me make it up to you… and Cas, Dean is sad for you, and so is Sam. He will be so grateful you are alive."

"You kept them from me!" Castiel snapped. "You hid them!"

"I couldn't tell you! And I wanted to so badly! But the Angels were watching you, expecting me to do that. If they found them, they'd have killed them for refusing to let him make Dean his vessel…I promised not to let that happen. Or I would have told you, I swear!" Lucifer explained. "There was a bounty on their heads, Castiel; I couldn't risk Michael finding them!"

"You were going to kill my friends?!" Castiel said glaring down at Michael, who nodded, as did the others. "You bastards! First you take my Angelic powers away and make me human. Then you break my connection to Heaven and then you make it so I can't find the people I stayed behind to find, all for what? Revenge? Spite!" He lunged at Michael and them but was held back by his brothers. "How could you!"

"To punish you for not going along with our plans and to get you in place so that Lucifer would pity you and tell you where he was hiding the Winchesters, so we could kill them as well." Michael said and cringed at the fury in Castiel's shout as he fought to get to him; murder and death in his eyes for what he'd done to him and his Charges. "It was a good plan, but Lucifer figured it out and didn't do what we expected him to do. Which was go to you. That he never did."

"It wasn't safe, Castiel. For them or you. I did it to protect you both." Lucifer pleaded.

"You did the right thing." Castiel said. "You I forgive, them never!"

"I forgive you, too, Lucifer, I see you really are different than before. Surely it's not just because the world was gone…why are you really different?" Gabe said, noticing the truth and Lucifer smiled, knowing he always had that gift to always see through to the truth of the matter and discern what was kept hidden; even if he lied more often and better than Lucifer himself did.

"I love them, Sam and Dean. I fell in love with them while I was watching over them…didn't mean to. Started out as lust and just grew over the years. I want them to love me but they never will unless I free them and fix the mess I helped make. And the people, the animals, life on the World, all are gone because of a stupid tantrum. All because Father left Heaven and we got cocky. Such a stupid reason to destroy something so perfect and beautiful…" Lucifer admitted. "Maybe if they come out to see a good world again, they will someday see I loved them enough to…change it for them…change myself to be a person they could love in return someday."

"They will, Son." God said hugging him. "They were meant for you, or are now. Time is funny that way, I'm never sure what is true when I change it half the time. It's always changing that way; that's what makes it all so worth saving, you know. The uncertainty that the souls within it create each time we change something in it; for the better or the worse. I just know it is a good thing this time and you will stay good, too. And they will love you someday. I foresee it. So be patient with them and don't give up on them doing so. But for now, let's fix this world first."

It was still breaking. The weather was whipping around them and chaotic. People were panicked and scared. Evil was running rampant and demons were everywhere. The horsemen were killing people daily and it was a nightmarish place. "Keep them locked up for now, let's fix this first." God said as if rethinking it, "They don't need to see this disaster again."

"We agree." The Angels all said. All but the four kneeling still. Dean/Sam and Bobby were fine as they were for now; the world needed helped first.

"Michael, get the damn horsemen put back where they belong, locked back up. Death already has left and went back to sleep. So don't disturb him. He's pissed enough. Give him a few Millenia to cool off, shall we?" God said cringing. His brother had been furious but had agreed to sleep again, on the condition he was not disturbed by Angels throwing tantrums ever again! "Zachariah, you do something about this weather, fix it, you know you can. Uriel, you get busy on getting some of these services working right for the people again. I see water pipes and mains busting, electric poles and wires down…start with those." He looked at Raphael and glared. "You sat in Heaven and didn't once peek down to see what your damn plan was doing to my World, did you! You were selfish and petty and I am so ashamed of you…you were proud and cruel and that will be punished, but not yet. You help these people. You heal them! And all the life on this planet, you can do it, it's your gift…if you'd used it sooner, my world wouldn't be so fucked up, would it!" God growled and Raphael said he was right and went to do as he was told.

"Gabriel, put stuff back to normal. Fix the broken buildings and such with your power as much as you can; use the trickster ones, too. Castiel, go guard them at Bobby's. No one but us gets in, I mean it! A demon tries it, you fry him! Balthazar, use that Time gift and fix some of the events for me; the Croatoan thing especially. Go, meet us back at Bobby's when you are done. I will keep working here with Lucifer." God said and then they got busy helping people to shelter and putting cars back to right-side up. Boarding up windows and healing up wounded while also exorcising the many demon-possessed people they found and exterminating the evil as they found it.

As they moved around the world, continent to continent, they made it right again. It was no better nor no worse than it was before they had went into the Cryo stasis, and was even better actually. There was much less evil now but then again…all but them and the Angels would forget any of it ever happened. Their friends and fellow hunters were restored as well; Ellen, Jo, Ash, even John as an Archangel to help guide them. He was in Bobby's living room awaiting orders and eager to see his sons again. A little confused by the shared body thing but he'd accepted it before coming down to live with them. He'd stay down here and help them fight now. An Archangel in his own Right, just as they would be once they got his gift for them in them.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

With a nervous breath, Lucifer put in the combinations on the cylinders and made sure hot baths were made for them to thaw in further along with towels and robes. Clothes were laid out in their rooms. Medicines and vitamins awaited them as well, along with vaccinations needed to get them healthier. They were still twenty years older than before, despite the Time reversal. Only the world had reversed, not them. They were in the cylinders, frozen and Time was still passing for them. The outward reversing of Time hadn't effected them; the cylinders had been blessed. Lucifer had somehow locked them away from that. So they weren't reversed but everything else was.

They were in their sixties but looked no more than thirty or even late twenties; Bobby was the same, whereas he should be dead by now or around 80. Time had stood still for him, too…scruffy beard and ball cap included.

The gifts would de-age their insides to match their outsides finally, match them again, balance them out. Bobby would de-age a bit to nearly thirty like John and the boys but otherwise they would be fine.

Lucifer watched with concerned eyes as they slowly were de-thawed and their vitals got stronger; breathing a sigh of relief when the case opened. The Grace was shoved in and they glowed briefly then dimmed; Dean then fell as an uncoordinated heap into Lucifer's arms. Lucifer then kissed his temple and whispered. "I was so worried! Let's go get you warm, Baby." He held him close and carried him by himself up the stairs to the awaiting bath. Dean/Sam just eyed him with a confused look. "I'm just glad you're okay, ignore the sappy Archangel…I fixed it like I said I would try to; you're going to love what we did."

"We?" Dean asked hoarsely with a voice not used for years, still just getting used to talking again with his mouth. Finding it slower than the mental way he was used to. But sure they would get the hang of it again.

"Gabriel, Castiel, Balthazar are here, too. And a few others…" Lucifer said as he helped him into the hot tub and let him soak into it in relief and a look of bliss on his face. "We're still friends, right? I'm still forgiven?"

He didn't want to lose them this way, not find out it was all just a lie.

"Still friends. Good friends; you're still forgiven." Dean said with one hazel eye showing, one green as well. Both were speaking and he saw that. "You fixed it? It's not dead out there anymore?" He eyed the window uncertainly. "Where are we?"

"It's fixed and the World is healing, thanks to Father and their help. He's making the other Angels, Uriel, Michael, Zachariah, and Raphael fix it with us since they did help break it, too. It's alive again, like it was before you were frozen." Lucifer reassured them, running more hot water in when it got too cold for them after a bit, letting out some of the colder water to do so. "Can you move more? Not so frozen? We're at Bobby's where we always were. I was just hiding you in the Panic room here. Angels and demons can't see into it apparently, that's why they never found you. I wasn't aware of that until after I put you in there."

"Yeah, I can move more, not well, but my feet are moving at the ankles and the wrists. The rest of me is still catching up." Dean said then pointed to his knees. "Help me work on that, would you? Lift my legs and bend my knees for me please?"

So they did therapy for him and then Lucifer lifted him out after his legs failed to hold him up. He let him dry off sitting on the toilet and offered him the robe. He slipped it on and then let him lean on him to walk along the wall to the bedroom. "I need help dressing, do you mind?" Dean asked softly, ashamed he had to do this.

"It's only until you get used to moving again on your own. We have wheelchairs downstairs for you, the manual kind. We'll do activities to get your circulation going better every day, too. Plus the massages should get the blood flowing better. Two to three days, tops, I promise." Lucifer told him as he helped Dean work on his underwear and pants, then his shirt, which he mostly did by himself; Lucifer only had to help with the more intricate parts. His fingers weren't that coordinated yet. "Ready to go downstairs, Baby?"

"Again with the 'Baby', what's up with you? You never called us that before." Dean said, both eye colors showing again. "We're friends, you should tell me this."

"I…I did something foolish while you were in stasis." Lucifer said embarrassed as he let Dean use the banister and his arm to walk down by himself, stopping often to get his legs working again when they threatened to give way on him.

"You molested us, why you naughty thing!" Dean teased him with a smile.

"No, they were airtight, I couldn't have done that." Lucifer sputtered in embarrassment still. "I fell in love with you guys…shit, shouldn't have said that…forget I said it…I was going to tell you later, if you seemed receptive to it. I'm sorry, we'll just stay friends if you won't consider it…"

"We might…not saying we won't. Let's start with friendship first, work from there…don't push us, okay? It may get there, try saying it again when we act like we feel that way, too…that's the way humans do it." Dean advised.

"I don't know human. You will have to teach me." Lucifer said. "I can stay with you still, right?"

"What about Hell? Don't you need to Rule there?" Dean asked.

"Hell is…well, it's mine, but I can rule it from here. I never liked it there. Never cared for Demons or what they did; they annoy me most of the time. It's mine but a few trips from time to time will keep it managed. I find myself loathe to let go of you or to leave you for very long… I love you very much, you know." He looked down as he said this and Dean used his hold on him to lower himself to the seat of the wheelchair and got comfortable. "Can I stay with you?"

"You can stay." Dean said touching his face, touched he cared for him that way and was so gentle with helping with his care, which showed he did love him after all. Dean didn't love Lucifer exactly, he loved Sam; but there was an abiding affection between them. One that he knew could grow into love one day if given time to and nurtured with tenderness and care for each other. He was willing to try and he saw that Lucifer was desperate for them to try, too. "Sam and I are fond of you now and rather like having you around. You can stay near us, the room next door, if you like."

He smiled up at Sam's old face, and realized it was no longer Sam's face…it was different. It was more angular in places, rounded on some others. His hair was longer down to his lower back and straight but back in a ponytail at his neck and a darker brown, almost mahogany. His skin was darker, more tanned in appearance. His eyes were reddish brown, not hazel, with barely a pupil. He wasn't Sam anymore; somehow Time had changed that and remade his appearance into another man that just seemed to have a body like Sam's. Sam looked exactly like Sam inside their body and this difference made Dean smile more. "You are very different looking now, not like Sam at all… I like it. You are very handsome, Lucifer."

"Luce, please. Not Lucifer. I'm nothing like he used to be, like I used to be. I want to be Luce now, not Lucifer ever again; at least to you guys? Please?" Lucifer asked quietly as they walked and wheeled to the living room.

"Luce, I like it." Dean teased him and he smiled fondly back at the man; Lucifer squeezing his shoulder briefly before moving away. Dean's eyes lit up in shock as he spotted John on the couch and he teared up. Trying to get up, he nearly toppled onto his face and Lucifer caught him, helping him walk to his Dad and fall into his arms crying. "Dad!"

"I'm here, son. I'm back. There's a lot we have to talk about but it can wait…don't cry…I missed you boys, too. I love you." John said rocking him. Strange eyes greeted his and he smiled into them. One eye green, the other hazel, glowing slighting. Love shining out. "Hello, Sam, I see you in there, too. I know everything. It's fine."

"So you know we share Dean's body, our souls are joined?" Sam said using the mouth.

"Yes, I know. I'm not surprised Dean and you did this. You always were very close and self-sacrificing, like me. It's a family trait apparently." John said smirking. "So…how's this work?"

"Well, either one of us can be in charge of the body or both of us. When we both are in charge, we compromise…I get the right, Dean gets the left. We share the sex organs, the mouth, the nose, that kind of thing." Sam said. "But we're always both present and aware of what the body is doing, even if we're in the background while the other is using it."

"Your voice is different when you speak, almost like your own…when Dean spoke before, he sounded like himself. What is it like when you both speak?" John asked and they all listened.

"Like this." Sam and Dean spoke at the same time and he nodded, getting it now. It was like both of their voices combined to make one unique voice that like both of theirs at the same time.

Both were separate in there but also joined. "You lovers in there?" John asked to verify what he had heard.

"Yes, we are. Always wanted to be, too, but didn't because we saw it as wrong before. It's not when he's in here so we became lovers. It's how we joined so completely in the first place. We were soulmates." Dean explained and hugged him. "Thought we lost you for forever."

"Never that, You'd have seen me again." John said hugging him back, glad to have them back as well. Then he saw Lucifer eying them with love and realized he would need to accept him someday, too. He loved his sons and John swore to help Lucifer with that, too. Help them love him back.

It was because of him that Creation had been saved and fixed after all; no other Angels was willing to regret what they had done enough to even think it should be. He alone had missed the world and all that had once been it, over all the others. Except for Castiel and his brothers, who were their friends and allies from before, of course.

Lucifer wheeled his chair to him when Dean waved for it and he obediently helped him into it. Dean wheeled himself into the kitchen for a beer and got a bucket with some for the others, too. Bobby wheeled in beside him and pulled him into a hug, grateful tears on his face. "I missed you, boys."

"We're okay. Just one person now, but then again, we kind of were before…two sides of each other, you know." Dean said. "I see that now."

"Yes, you were." Bobby agreed and stole a beer from him. "Glad John's back though, he looks good…for an Archangel. Lucifer seems very fond of you boys…have you noticed?" He had to bring it up; they had a Right to know.

"He told us and I said we'd see, let it grow first between us from fondness for each other to love. He agreed to it." Dean told him. Looking down at his beer as it fumed briefly. "We have grown very fond of him over the years…very close to him as it is."

"I noticed, I heard your conversations. We still have that mind thing with him, do you think?" Bobby had to ask.

"We should check." Sam said speaking now and they called him in.

'Can you hear me?' Dean sent to Lucifer.

'Yes. Hey, our link is still up, yay!' Lucifer smiled happily at that.

'And me?' Bobby sent.

'Yes, and you. It's good that we can still talk telepathically, soul to soul…I was afraid we'd lose that.' Lucifer admitted. 'Call me Luce, Bobby, not Lucifer? You are close to me, the others are fine, but not you three, please?'

'Luce is fine.' Bobby said. 'Friends still, too, not to worry. You did bad things but it wasn't all your fault…others did them, too. At least you're sorry you did them. I've yet to hear a single apology from the others.'

'They don't see what they did wrong. I do, I did everything wrong and destroyed the world with them, I'm just as guilty here.' Lucifer sent.

'But you are trying to do better, out of genuine regret and realizing you messed up; and that counts more. So let it go and keep trying.' Bobby said. 'Tell you what, I'll make you a deal…you keep trying to be better, help with hunts, and I'll train you to hunt and fight as we do; fight with them, the boys, what do you say? I'll trust you and give you a chance…as long as you keep trying.'

He held out a hand and Lucifer shook it. 'I'll keep trying, friend." Lucifer sent back then broke the connection, taking a beer of his own. The others wheeled out first then he followed, sitting by Dean when he patted a cushion for him. Blushing as he realized Dean really did want him there. That he wasn't just doing it to be nice. "Thank you." Lucifer told him and was surprised by a peck to his cheek from Dean/Sam, shocking the room as well.

"You're welcome." Dean said then they got talking. The others seeing it would do no good to say anything so they let it go. And they got to the details they needed to know.

"You are Archangels, like John. I had Grace put into you when you woke up. It is also Grace that only I can remove, no one else. Not even Michael or the others, not like they did to Castiel…you will never be forced to be human again nor can anyone break your connection to Heaven or me. Only I can do that. You belong to me now, they can't touch you." God told them. He stood by the fireplace in front of them as he spoke. "I 'm leaving Gabe, Cas, and Bal with you four to help with your mission on Earth now. John, you will be my liaison. You will stay here when on Earth and in Heaven when called to. I will relay orders for them through you. Lucifer, you will stay with them as well but make sure to run Hell well or you will be required to spend more time there."

He then explained their friends were alive again, the World was back to its normal state as they used to know it, but with some less evil in it; he'd gotten rid of the worst of it for now himself while they got back on their feet. They were essentially still older, Dean and Sam in their sixties, Bobby in his eighties, but frozen in aging at thirty or the early twenties; Bobby as well. Just de-aged, Archangelic, and Immortal now.

Their mission was fairly simple, protect the World, his Creation, his humans and such, and don't let this harm come to his world again. That's why they would remember it; so it would never again be repeated. They weren't to hunt but guide the hunters, make themselves known to them if necessary. Help the psychic kids, some were still around. They were to round them up and move them in here, assimilate them with their people here. He would give them a list of the ones Azazel hadn't killed.

Vic, Nancy, Dorian, Dante, Ellen, Jo, Ash, Pamela, Missouri, and their hunter friends were to be brought up to speed and included in their mission; Grace and such would be given when it was time to. This was an order and they knew it. God meant for their friends and loved ones to join their fight.

"It won't be peace on Earth but it can be a better place to live, you will make it so." God said firmly. "My world is in your hands. I expect you guys to care for it better this time than my Angels did. Michael and them will not touch you again, I will make sure of it."

"What about an Apocalypse, what if they start another one?" Dean asked worried, they'd do their part but what about the others that had done it the first time?

"Oh, they won't be doing that…trust me." God said coldly, eyed flinty. "I bless your union already, Lucifer and Dean; when you decide to pursue it. You won't Fall, either of you, when you Mate, I promise." He went to pop away then held up a finger as if remembering something then tapped Gabriel's chest hard and sent him to his knees. "I prefer you as a Major Trickster god now. So I'm taking your Grace away. You are still my son, their brother, and I love you and will work with you. I just think the world would be a better place with you and your god powers watching over it, too."

"Yes, Father." Gabriel said, standing up carefully and groaning, glowing softly but otherwise okay. "You could have warned me first, that hurt."

"Now where would the fun have been in that?" God teased him and grinned. Gabriel nodded and agreed. He and his Dad shared the same sense of humor and this was one such moment it showed. "I will be watching you guys, make me proud." Then the glowing man was gone.

"So…how about a movie?" Dean suggested to relax them and alleviate the tension in the air. They could discuss the mission thing later, he'd decided. Then he glanced over and saw Lucifer's hand nearby, letting his hand hover near Lucifer's, as if unsure he should hold it or not. Lucifer decided for him when he gently wrapped his fingers around Dean's and smiled happily with a small smile down at their clasped hands.

"Sounds great, no 'end of the world' stuff, please?" Castiel said taking a seat by Lucifer, the others taking seats in chairs nearby. Bobby said he'd be back, he had some calls to make. John went to go help, in case he had to go tell them in person. The others settled into to watch some comedy about a guy trying live with a roommate that would have driven even a Saint to kill him…and then some.

"I'm betting he sleeps with the guy's girlfriend 'accidentally' in the first half hour…" Gabriel said in a sing-songy voice, "He seems the type, probably will say he was doing it to show him she was cheating on him or something…"

"And he did say it was his birthday… so he'll probably eat his cake on him, or sit on it." Dean pointed out. Guy was a real jerk, corn ball and all. He'd have punched the guy three scenes ago!

Right then the guy tripped and fell face first into it then had the nerve to say it tasted good! Dean just smiled smugly. The others just laughed.

He also scooted closer to Lucifer to rest his head on his shoulder and felt sleepy but tried to stay awake. Lucifer's arm went around him then and pulled him close, and soon he was out, exhausted from his still recovering from the stasis. He'd be tired for a few days like this and Lucifer meant to take care of him during that time. He'd also need to work on his muscle movements, get his body used to walking, and such again. Twenty years was a long time to stay still and he would need the help.

But he'd be fine in a couple days, God has reassured them.

So they let him sleep and watched the movie, just grateful they were together…

And the world was whole and better again, and much brighter and newer than it had been twenty years ago for them.

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(Weeks later)

(Epilogue)

Michael came into the room and John looked up from the couch, then down again, barely acknowledging him over the file he was reading. Reviewing it in case it required the boys being involved. Lucifer had taken the role as their hunting partner so they only got the worst cases. No need to send a nuclear bomb to nuke an ant hill, he thought in amusement. Michael saw he'd have to be less subtle.

He had to do this. He was sorry, he'd been foolish to listen to the others. He now saw Lucifer's point. He regretted destroying God's Creation that way, hunting down his most loved heroes, and basically becoming evil himself in the process. It was time he let them know he was.

Kneeling at John's feet, he lowered his head and waited for him to notice him again.

"Yes, Michael. Pretty as you are in that position, I don't think you understand or mean what you are showing with it. Speak and leave." John growled.

"I'm sorry, I should never have done what I did. I listened to the wrong people, was proud and got too full of myself. I hurt those that I should have protected. I'm so sorry and do regret what I've done." Michael said looking up now and was surprised to see John's eyes on his lips, a flare of desire going through them briefly before being gone. But he'd noticed it. And part of him had liked it.

The rest of him was too sorry to take notice of it. It just wanted them to know he wanted to do better now. "Father told us but now I get it…Lucifer was right. We should never have done anything that we did, to them or the world. I want to do better, be a better Angel like I should have been before. I just wanted you to know that and hope you will forgive me for it someday…I will earn it and I really need it. I'm so very sorry." Michael pleaded, eyes sweeping them; their eyes were tentative but Lucifer's were happy, glad he'd come to his senses. Raphael knelt by Michael as well, but John's eyes stayed on Michael and betrayed none of what he may be feeling. This made them both distinctly nervous. Michael's tongue crept out to moisten his lips nervously and John's eyes unwillingly followed it's journey. Michael watched this as well and his stomach did a strange flip at the strange flicker of desire that slipped out again then was gone.

Ignoring it again. He had no idea how else to deal with it.

"Forgiven, your Father said so. Now go do your part. Be better and…we'll see." John said quietly, eyes still locked on Michael's as if sending the message straight to him, not just both of them. "Be better and more will come for us."

"Yes, Sir." They both said but again Michael and John stared and he looked down to see John hard at those words as he said them. "We'll do better." Michael said for both of them.

John nodded wordlessly and knew he was really saying Michael would; and was happy for it. Raphael, too, but not quite in the same way.

"Go now, get to work." John ordered them and they stood, straightened their clothes, and popped away. John's gaze lingering over Michael's body as he left. Unwilling to look away until he was gone from sight. He was attracted to the Angel and smiled. He hadn't felt this way for a while so he was willing to wait to see where it led and savor the feeling of feeling it again. Sure he could claim Michael later if he wanted to but not yet.

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