Author's Note: Thank you all so much for your reviews! As usual, they inspired me to keep writing. So here's the next installment. I hope you enjoy it as much as the first.
SPN
Sam woke gradually, stiff and cold from a long night on the forest floor. A thin layer of dew covered his face and clothes, making him shiver, and he wiped the sleep from his eyes with a trembling hand. Where the hell was he? Why did he feel so… nauseous?
"Morning, sunshine!"
The unwelcome voice sent ripples of dread through his body, and just like that, he remembered everything. His death. His resurrection. His close quarters with the devil. He clenched his eyes shut, cringing in fear and disgust. He had spent the night under the watchful gaze of a sadistic predator — one who had it out for him — and he didn't want to think about how Lucifer had passed the time.
Taking a deep, calming breath, Sam reopened his eyes and sat up. When he caught sight of Lucifer perched on a nearby log, his stomach churned. Everything had been going so well… When he first arrived in the apocalypse world with Dean, Cas, and Gabriel, Sam had been so excited. They were on their way to reunite with Jack… and their mom… They would finally be together again, and Sam could hardly contain himself — he had such a high spirit that Dean actually commented on it.
But now…
Every time. "Every time we get close, it always falls apart."
Dean was right.
But instead of sharing his brother's wrath, Sam choked back a sob.
No… Not here. Not in front of Lucifer.
"I wish I could offer you some breakfast, Sam, but… I don't have any food. I would've gone scavenging, but you looked so peaceful, I just couldn't take my eyes off you."
Sam flinched, but said nothing. Instead, he climbed to his feet and tried using the dew on his hands to wipe the blood from his neck.
"Yeah, that's not gonna work," Lucifer told him, feigning sympathy. "You're just spreading it around. But that's good! The bloodier you look, the more Jack will appreciate my intercession."
Sam moaned, glaring at him resentfully.
Lucifer smirked. "Come on. It's time to go. We have a lot of ground to cover." He sprang up from the log and ambled toward Sam, who backed away defensively. "I can feel it, kiddo! I can feel it in my bones. Today's the day I meet my son. What do you think I should say to him when I see him? I really want to make a good impression." He paused in front of Sam, watching him expectantly, waiting for an answer. His tone was friendly, but his eyes were dripping with malice, daring Sam to challenge him.
Instead, Sam ducked his head and scurried around him. He turned north, silently trying to reassure himself. Everything would be all right. He just needed to catch up to his brother. With Cas and Gabriel's help, they would figure out a way to kill Lucifer. They had to. For Jack's sake.
"So, how've you been, Sammy?" Lucifer asked as they resumed their hike. "I've been so focused on Jack, I didn't think to ask earlier, but we have a lot to catch up on. I mean, you got your mom back, and then you lost her to this place. You fostered Jack! And then you lost him to this place. Talk about a rollercoaster. But hey! At least they're still alive, right? It's a shame about Dean."
Sam's heart stopped, and he froze in place. No… His knees buckled; ice-cold terror filled his lungs, and he couldn't breathe.
"Oh…" When Lucifer reached his side, he took one look at his face and grimaced apologetically. "I'm sorry… You didn't think he made it outta that tunnel in one piece, did you? After watching his baby brother die? Hell no."
Sam felt his head spinning. Any replenishment he gained from a full night's sleep instantly evaporated, and he might have toppled over, but Lucifer caught his arm and held him up.
"If you ask me," he whispered in Sam's ear. "I bet Dean went full-kamikaze on those vamps, and it finally got him killed. He probably couldn't bear to face your mum with news of your death, so he chose the easy way out."
It couldn't be true… Sam shook his head. "You're lying."
Lucifer sighed. "Oh, Sammy… I wouldn't lie about that."
Shock gave way to panic. "No…" Sam glanced over his shoulder, back toward the tunnel. "DEAN!"
He tried twisting around, frantic, but Lucifer stopped him, grasping both his arms. "What do you think you're doing, Sam?" he asked sternly.
"Get out of my way!" Sam protested, trying to shake himself free. "I have to go back! I have to find him!" Lucifer rolled his eyes, refusing to let go. Sam pushed, fighting with everything he had, but the more he struggled, the more Lucifer held on.
"I don't think so, buddy," he chastised gently but firmly. "It's too late; we've come too far to go back now. Besides, you don't want to see him like that. It's kinda messy."
"Screw you!" Sam shouted. "DEAN!"
"Okay…" Lucifer reeled Sam in and wrapped his arms around him in a tight bearhug. "You need to calm down." Sam writhed desperately, but Lucifer didn't seem to notice; he manhandled him north with sickening ease. "You don't want to make this more difficult than it has to be."
"You could've brought him back!" Sam cried, tears brimming in his eyes. "You brought me back! Why didn't you bring him back?"
Lucifer scoffed. "Why would I want to? I'm trying to win Jack over, and I reckon a gift like you will do the trick, but I can't be spoiling the boy. You're all I need, Sammy. Same as always."
They walked like that for over a mile, Sam squirming in the devil's unyielding embrace. It was painfully intimate. As Sam grappled with his brother's death, he could feel Lucifer savoring the moment.
It wasn't right…
"Dean, we're going to that place, and we're gonna save Jack and mom… together. And, if something happens, we will deal with it together. And if we die, we'll do that together too."
They were supposed to die together. Sam was not supposed to come back — and certainly not alone.
It was devastating…
And Lucifer was getting off on it. "I know, Sam… I know how much you loved him. It's okay to be upset. He was your brother, and he meant everything to you. I understand. But think of it this way… Those vampires were ravenous. I doubt they took their time. If he suffered, at least it wasn't for long."
Gradually, Sam's resistance ebbed away, but Lucifer wasn't taking any chances. He kept an arm wrapped squarely around Sam's shoulder, possessive and controlling. "I know it's hard, kid, but you have to put on a brave face. You don't want your mom to see you like this, do you? What would she think? Then again, all things considered, it's her fault. I mean, she started it all, back when she bargained with Azazel. Maybe she should see you like this, so she can better appreciate what she put you through. I mean, she deserves to know, right? She deserves to know everything we did together."
The memories were threatening to surface… memories of indescribable pain.
Ice…
Fire…
Hooks…
Chains…
Nails…
Teeth…
Lucifer…
Always Lucifer…
Sam had to stop. He turned, doubled over, and emptied his stomach.
Lucifer took a step back, finally giving him room to breathe. "Honestly, Samuel. You're acting like he's never died before. It's a little embarrassing, don't you think?"
Sam ignored him. He sat in silence, overcome with grief. Dean was gone… while he was back where he never wanted to be… in the presence of Lucifer. It was more than he could take.
If he had known, back in that tunnel, that Dean was dead, he would have chosen the vampires.
Anything but this.
"All right, Sam," Lucifer said, grabbing his arm and hauling him to his feet. "Clock's a-ticking. We've got places to be, and family to find!"
They walked for hours; Sam thought it would never end. Lucifer spent the whole day talking, but Sam barely registered a word.
Dean was dead…
When they finally reached the outskirts of the rebel outpost, where they were met by a group of sentries, Sam felt completely hollow.
"Almost there, partner," his captor said eagerly. "You go first… be my herald."
There was no reason to refuse. Sam walked ahead, conscious of his appearance — the blood on his neck… the dirt on his clothes… the taint everywhere else. He wasn't clean, and now they would see. Jack. His mom. They would see his shame.
The sentries led him through the trees to a small cluster of shacks and tents, where survivors had gathered to build new lives for themselves, and to stand against the angels. Their resilience bolstered Sam, and he held his head up, searching for his family.
There.
He saw Jack first, standing with Cas and Gabriel. The young nephilim smiled, unable to mask his relief, while the angels watched in astonishment.
Then he saw his mom — safe — standing next to…
Dean.
When Sam met his brother's gaze, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. The tension eased out of his neck, and he almost relaxed. Dean was alive. Thank God! He breathed in, then out, a smile tugging on his lips.
But then Lucifer came sauntering up behind him.
Sam recognized the dawning realization — the horror — that poured out of his loved ones, and he dropped his gaze, shrinking in on himself.
Lucifer lied to him, used him, messed with him, and now they were all in danger… because of him.
"Hello, son," Lucifer called out to Jack, and there was nothing Sam could do to help him. He shivered, broken and riddled with self-loathing. This was all his fault; he should have just stayed dead.
But deep down, Sam knew death was a luxury he might not receive. Over the past two years, Lucifer had tried to kill him on multiple occasions, but from an archangel's perspective, death wasn't final.
And that scared Sam more than anything.
SPN
Thank you all so much for reading. This was a pleasure to write, and I hope you enjoyed it. Take care!