Life is a series of reactions. Chemical reactions, physical reactions, emotional, meta physical, and so. Being dead, one might assume, in contrast is a lack of reaction. Death is the final note a person gets to play before they're removed from the chain of living, breathing reactions.

But then what?

That's the big question for most of humanity.

Most people don't know, or didn't know there was an apocalypse. Past tense. They don't know that some hunters cross the boundaries of life and death and bounce back again with a definite answer about the afterlife.

But perhaps it was better that way.

Harry had always assumed as much. He didn't feel that life's greatest mystery deserved spoiling. He himself was intimately familiar with the answer anyway and it wasn't all that impressive if he were being honest.

He was, in fact, trapped in said afterlife at the moment. And trapped was really the only way he could think to describe it. He hadn't died. Even after the portal nearly ripped his soul from his body when it made an attempt to remain on the far side of said portal. The damned thing had been brutal, but at least it had gotten the job done.

The bloody Earth was safe again. For the moment anyway. Assuming Michael wasn't throwing a bitch fit about Lucifer disappearing. But the plan was a success. And he was stuck in Hell… again.

He hadn't liked his last tour. Hadn't really thought he'd have to stick around longer this time.

But the cage presented an entirely new problem than Hell had. Hell was guarded by a series of demons who were, frankly, pretty bad at their jobs. The cage was different. It was designed to keep things in. The more powerful the thing inside was the harder the cage fought it. He'd found his way into a binding circle and the dick of an angel that had been dragged in with him knew he was stuck. So Lucifer had bided his time. Harry's magic couldn't hold out forever.

Harry'd screamed himself hoarse when it finally faltered. His magic had held out for a long time. Years, even. But he was one man and the devil is just as patient as they make him out to be in all those myths.

It was a quiet moment now. One of those times when Lucifer got bored with tormenting Harry and turned his sights elsewhere. Harry sucked in the air greedily from his chains as if the stale gas alone could sustain the mortal body that had been pulled into the pit. His latent magic was the only thing knitting his torn body back together at this point. He lacked the energy to direct a healing spell consciously.

"I might have thought to find you in a more dignified position."

Harry had heard many voices during his stay in the cage, but this wasn't one Lucifer had tried yet. He managed to lift his neck and glimpse the suited legs in front of him, slim as ever.

"Let me… pour some… champagne." Harry got out wheesily between his battered ribs and parched throat.

"I believe I owe you a secret."

Harry's head jerked up at that statement, and though it hurt immensely he kept it aloft so he could hold the gaze of the being in front of him. How could Lucifer know about his arrangement with Death? He stared into the cool black eyes in front of him that regarded him passively.

What was something Lucifer couldn't know? It had to be something from before his time. Harry's mind was slow to dig up old facts that had long been buried in the recesses of his mind.

"What was… the name of… my headmaster?"

Death's eyes glinted first in annoyance and then in understanding. "Albus Brian Wulfric Percival Dumbledore. A bit of a mouthful really. I don't understand the need to name someone four times."

Harry snorted but held Death's gaze fast.

"I've come to escort you back."

"I had… it under… control." Harry wheezed again.

"I can see that."

Death reached forward…. And then there was nothing. The heat and the weight of the chains disappeared and Harry had the distinct sense of falling and then floating. It was peculiar to say the least. And then, out of nowhere, he was kneeling in the middle of a street.

The ground was wet and storm clouds rolled overhead. The air smelt of fresh rain. It was all so real, so overwhelming. It felt like an eternity since he'd known the world.

The first of the storm's drops hit him and he closed his eyes so he might enjoy the first bit of water he'd felt in years. The sky opened and a torrential downpour hid him from view. He took a few moments to enjoy the sensation before he glanced down and noticed his tattered clothing. He supposed the rain was a blessing in more than one way. He must be quiet the sight to behold.

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Rain soaked the streets of Beaver, Utah where they landed. The small town itself was almost dead thanks to the hour.

"Utah." Gabriel muttered. "He's really slumming it now that he's back isn't he?"

Cas shot his brother a reprimanding glance. Gabriel responded with a shrug. "Let's be quick about this…" Castiel said scanning the hazy streets. "If we felt his power…"

"Chances are the douche brigade felt it too." Gabriel agreed. "Would it kill you to enjoy the moment though?"

At the sight of Castiel's still impassive face Gabriel decided to abandon the jokes for a moment.

They wandered down the street in the near blinding rain. Castiel stopped in front of an antique shop and turned questioning eyes on Gabriel. "Can you sense him?"

Gabriel let his grace slip out inquisitively before quickly pulling it back in with a shake of his head. It was with that movement that he caught sight of the bus stop down the street. The sheltered bench in front of a map was completely empty, but just a few feet away sat another at the mercy of the elements. Seated on its weather beaten wood was a man.

Gabriel made his way forward with a curious Cas trailing right behind. Just a block away Gabriel could see that the man had his head tilted to the sky so that the rain pelted against his face. His clothes wouldn't even pass inspection for a hobo and he was looking a great deal thinner than when they'd last met, but the shaggy mane of black hair, now a bit longer, was unmistakable.

"Out for a lovely mid day stroll?" Gabriel asked when he stopped just feet from him.

Tired, green eyes opened and shifted in his direction. There was a hint of amusement in their depths. "Wouldn't you… know it, got caught… by the rain."

But the energy consuming statement seemed far from a complaint.

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"Lovely." Bela commented as the shifter child burped up on Dean's jacket. Dean scowled at the thief and shifted toward the car seat by the exit so he could set the child down.

"You sure she's legit?" Sam asked Ellen for the hundredth time but his eyes followed his brother's movements.

Ellen shot the tall man an annoyed look.

"Well I never pictured either of the Winchesters as far material." Bela said with a smirk in Dean's direction. "But we'll find a home with someone in the know. My network extends pretty far. I'm sure there's someone out there who'd be overjoyed to raise a shifter."

"Any word from Patrick?" Ellen cut in before Sam could object again.

"A bit." Bela admitted. "He's narrowed it down to a pretty small slice of Utah. He's doing a locating spell as we speak. Or trying to at least. Finding the right words to use can be difficult when you're not really sure what to call someone's species."

She paused as if expecting a laugh, receiving nothing but blank looks she continued. "We should have a town by the time you the border if you want to head out."

Ellen glanced at Sam who shrugged, indicating it was her call. She turned and approached Dean. The man was rocking the car seat absently to keep the baby from fussing.

"We have a lead on Harry. Are you coming?"

Dean hesitated.

"You said you wanted your brother back Dean. He's right there."

Dean shot her a glance that was loaded with unspoken words. He opened his mouth, then his gaze met Sam's and his jaws clamped shut again.

Ellen didn't like keeping secrets, especially from family, but she needed to know what Dean's issue was.

"Why don't we step outside?" she offered.

Dean gave her a hesitant nod but followed quickly enough. As soon as the door closed she rounded on him.

"What's going on?" she asked. "You've been acting odd around your brother."

Dean cringed. "That obvious?"

Ellen gave him a deadpan 'yeah' look.

"He's just… different since he showed up. I can't put my finger on it but he's just not the same Sammy."

Ellen nodded understandingly as she processed his answer. "Did you ask Sam about what happened last year?" Dean took a step back guiltily. "Some things change a person Dean. Maybe he just needs someone to talk to about it."

"Then why stay away for a year?"

"Guilt?" she shrugged. "A false hope that you could be normal maybe."

"False…" Dean's tone shifted from confused to angry in seconds.

"You can't get out Dean." Ellen crossed her arms and stared him down. "Not now. You've pissed off too many people, made it on to too many hit lists."

Dean opened his mouth to defend himself.

"Promise or not." She continued before he could pipe up. "You know it's not that simple. Hunters don't get to just stop being hunters when life gets too hard. The bad things've got your card kid and they're gonna come knocking whether you're ready for them or not. And that girl and her kid don't deserve to be dragged into this war with you."

She turned back to the door before she offered him a sympathetic gaze. "If you don't cut ties they're gonna get hurt Dean." She put bluntly finally relieving something that had been building in her since she heard Lisa's name. "And no amount of well wishing is going to change that."

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"We lost him sir." The angel knelt in front of Michael, eyes averted reverently. "We scoured every inch of the forest and town but we couldn't find him."

"Clearly you didn't do a good enough job then." Michael snapped, half tempted to take his irritation out on the bearer of bad news.

"We've faced this problem before."

Michael's attention snapped to the angel who'd been standing in the corner all morning. She rarely spoke in his presence except to relay something she might have overheard on angel radio while he was lost in thought.

"He's crafty. He's always been able to avoid our sentinels in the past." She reminded him. "I don't think it was a lack of effort on our part."

"Then what?" An irritable Michael snapped.

"A lack of skill perhaps?" she suggested. "Most of our brothers and sisters were born long after his kind were wiped from existence."

Michael dropped into the chair behind his desk gracefully. "The real problem isn't Potter." Michael admitted. "He's a relic of a time long past that would best be laid to rest, but it's Lucifer that concerns me."

"Lucifer sir? Is he not still in the cage?"

"The wizard's ability to escape the cage raises into question Lucifer's ability to do the same."

"You doubt god's handiwork?"

He turned cold eyes her way but she held her ground admirably. "I know my brother's… ingenuity."

"Do you think Lucifer might have found a way out as well?"

Michael shook his head. "I will know when or if he escapes."

There was a beat of silence. "Then I'm not sure I grasp your concern."

Michael himself wasn't sure. There was just… apprehension there. He'd been told for millennia he'd have to fight Lucifer but now that future was uncertain, even unlikely. He was moving unscripted now. It was frightening, but it also made him feel powerful.

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Castiel wasn't sure what they were meant to do now. They'd found Harry after so long on just a fluke. His mind seemed… relatively okay considering he'd just escaped centuries of torture in Hell. But his body was definitely suffering some set backs.

Harry was dangerously thin and covered in more wounds than Castiel had ever seen on a single person. To top it off they'd barely made it through thirty seconds of conversation before the wizard's eyes had rolled back in his skull mid sentence and he'd pitched face first toward the ground.

He was definitely far from the picture of health. Castiel assumed it was his magic that both kept him from starving to death but also adversely kept the sort of stasis in Hell at bay.

Castiel stood watching the wizard sleep, rather fitfully if the grimaces and twitching were anything to judge by. It was to be expected though, surely. One couldn't walk away from Hell without a few nightmares.

"Stop staring at him." Gabriel snapped in Cas' direction from his spot by the table.

The archangel was flipping through a newspaper and intermittedly circling names. He'd said it was research when Cas asked earlier.

The younger angel didn't bother defending his actions. They'd been together for nigh on a year now, far long enough for Gabriel to grow accustomed to Cas' peculiarities and vice versa. Cas knew his brother would laugh off his concerns. Sometimes he envied his brother's carefree nature. Other times it befuddled him.

A knock interrupted the gloomy silence of the room. The angels shared a look and with a blink Gabriel was sending a copy of himself to answer the door. It swung open to reveal a slight man. He was perhaps 5'5" and of a thin build He offered the two angels a charming smile despite their obvious and immediate distaste. "Afternoon gents. Thought I'd pop by to see an old friend."

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"Did you find him?"

"No." The woman shook her head in disappointment. "The angels beat us to the town and we had to pull out of the forest soon after to avoid confrontation."

The man nodded staring at the book in front of him. "It's a shame. We may not even have had to go through with this plan if we could get his help."

"You think he would?" she asked with surprise.

The man shrugged and delicately shut the small book. "He is a relatively neutral party in the matter."

"Still," she countered. "The angels."

"There's no helping it." The man agreed. "If they knew we were seeking him they might join the fight as well."

"And we're barely managing a one front war." The woman replied flippantly.

The man stroked the book's spine affectionately. "Not for long."

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"So, unfortunately…"

"What?!"

"Turn around…"

"What?"

"Patrick just got a fix on the location and… well… someone moved him. Not far thankfully and they didn't quite get around to blocking him so it's probably not our pals from upstairs, but…"

Ellen heaved a sigh but wheeled around anyway motioning for the Winchesters to do the same.

"How far back are we talking?"

"Not far as long as you weren't speeding too much." Bela assured her. "They're just West of the border."

Ellen punched the accelerator and watched the impala behind her match speed.

"I'm texting you details. Try not to read it while driving." Bela said with a hint of amusement.

"Thank you Bela."

"Not a problem." Bela replied, though she made it sound far from the truth. "I'll be going off the grid for a while now. Send my love."

The line went dead and Ellen set the phone on the seat beside her to reference whatever Bela sent her. Ahead the road forked and Ellen veered right to head West. Her phone dinged cheerfully signaling the arrival of Bela's instructions. She caught sight of the town's name before the screen was filled with a notice for an incoming call.

"Ellen?" Dean's voice blared a bit too loudly. "What's up? Why the sudden direction change?"

"Bela finally got back to me with a location and he's moved. He's in Pioche. That's as much info as I got before you called."

"Pioche?" Dean blurted, confused. "I thought she said he was in Utah."

"He's moved apparently."

There was a pause, then a sigh. "Alright, we're following you." And the line disconnected.

It didn't take them long to hit the border Utah, Nevada border and from there even less time to make it to Pioche. The little, ramshackle town barely stuck out amongst the white washed rock of the Nevada desert.

Slowing into the town's speed limit Ellen grabbed her phone and found the name of the motel they were looking for. It wasn't particularly hard to find. Pioche didn't have enough square mileage to make circling an issue. The motel was tiny and couldn't have had more than twenty rooms on hand. It didn't seem the type of place Harry himself would have chosen. She parked in the spot closest to the room number they were looking for and watched as the brothers pulled in beside her. Each had insisted they bring their own car… Men.

"This the place?" Sam asked, having approached first. He was eying the numbered doors warily and fingering a knife in his belt.

She nodded her confirmation and waited just long enough for Dean to join them before she set off after room number thirteen. She stopped right outside and hesitated a moment before knocking.

There had been a casual murmur of voices behind the door but they stopped suddenly at the noise. Moments later the door swung open to reveal Gabriel's tense face. The scowl lessened somewhat when he saw her, but came back to its full intensity when he caught sight of her company. He let out a petulant groan but opened the door wider for them anyway.

"Don't look so happy to see us." Dean quipped as he elbowed past the door. It slammed behind him.

The inside of the room was… different than any of the three had been expecting. It was obvious the trickster had redecorated. They were standing in a multiple room suite. The room they were standing in was a small dining/kitchenette area.

"Cas?" Sam asked in surprise, catching sight of the two men who were standing near the doorway to the next room.

"You!?" Dean said in the same shocked tone but he pointed rather rudely at the man next to Castiel. He was the only one in the room Ellen didn't recognize.

"It's fantastic to see you again too." The man replied with a decidedly Irish accent.

"Patrick, right?" Ellen asked, recognizing the voice. The man nodded, switching his attention her way. "You two know each other?"

"To an extent." The man spoke over Dean's flustered noises. "We met briefly a few years back."

"On a case." Sam butted in. "The guy's a witch." It was obvious the tall man was itching to put a bullet in said witch.

"I've always found that term objectionable." Patrick conceded.

"I thought everyone here was past the whole 'kill anything that's not entirely human' urge." Gabriel cut in with a harsh look in Sam's direction.

"It's not really the 'non-human' part I'm trying to get past." Dean admitted.

"Are you still on about nearly dying Dean?" Patrick asked with mock surprise. "I thought we'd gotten past that. Your brother here won back your years after all. And it's not my fault you're a terrible poker player."

Dean tensed.

"It's not important." Ellen cut in before Dean could put his foot in his mouth as he was apt to do when matched in a battle of wits. "As long as no one is actively trying to kill anyone else I think we can let it slide for now." She fixed a serious gaze on Dean, daring him to object.

"Right," Gabriel said with levity. "Everyone here's tried to kill someone else here at some point, right?"

Ellen gave him an irritated glance and he shrugged with a grin.

"Where is he?"

Gabriel nodded to the small doorway leading to the rest of the suite. She was through it in an instant but came up short when her eyes landed on Harry.

His face was lax with sleep, smoothing out the stress lines she'd grown used to seeing. The edge of a tattered dress shirt poked up just beyond the edge of the blanket that was covering him. Only his face could be seen but even there she could see the sunken cheeks and dark rings under his eyes. She hadn't expected him to be asleep. She'd half expected to walk into the room and find the same old Harry sitting there sipping whiskey and cracking wise.

"How long has he been like that?" she asked, acutely aware that someone had followed her.

"Nearly a day now." Came the gruff reply.

She turned startled eyes to Castiel. She hadn't expected it to be him that had followed. Of all the people in the hotel room, excluding perhaps Patrick, she had the least in common with the overly serious angel. But he stared at her now with the piercing blue eyes like he could see through her tough front straight to her very soul.

"What?" she finally snapped when he said nothing on his own.

"Maybe he's wondering what you're doing here." A familiar British lilt answered.

Ellen's head swung back to the bed so fast it popped. A single green eye peeked at her from under heavy eyelids and she felt a jolt of relief so strong her legs nearly gave out beneath her.

Slowly, the wizard peeled open the other eyes and pushed himself up with a groan and quite a bit of visible strain. His body protested and he ignored it.

Ellen rushed forward to push some pillows behind him so he wouldn't fall backward, noting every sharp knob of his spine in the process.

"Not that I'm not grateful." Harry nodded to the pillows. "But I thought you got out of all this."

She offered him a wan smile as she back out of his personal space. Leave it to Harry to cut right to the center of something. She took a seat at the end of the bed. "I had a lot of time to think while I was away." She started. "About me, about… about Jo, about this life.

Harry nodded obviously willing to let her talk. She had her suspicions is was so that the attention would not shift his direction.

"I thought for a while that I would give it up… could give it up. I moved up North. Small town. Everyone knew everyone else. Everything went well for a few months… then something started attacking people in the next town over. I ignored it. I told myself some other hunter would deal with it. No came. Three weeks later that thing ended up in my town. Of all places…" she shook her head and gave and exasperated huff.

"It's not easy to leave the life behind once you know what's out there." Harry conceded.

"I see Sleeping Beauty's finally awake." Gabriel's voice called jovially from where he stood, shoulder leaned against the door frame. "Did prince charming give you a kiss?"

Harry gave him nothing more than a raised eyebrow at the comment. His eyes slid past the arch angel to the three waiting to enter the room behind him. His eyes slid past Dean and Patrick and locked on Sam. A small frown played across his face.

Silence rippled through the room.

"I'm not sure why you're all here if you intend to mimic paperweights." Harry finally snapped when he'd had enough of their staring.

Ellen snapped out of it immediately. "Sorry." She said. "It's just, I've been looking for a way to find you and then get you out of Hell for months. It's sort of weird to see you here so suddenly."

"Months for us…" Dean butted in. "Which means decades for you." He looked as if he were sizing Harry up, perhaps using his own stay in Hell as a sort of reference for how bad it must have been for Harry.

"Nearly a century, give or take a few years." This earned uncomfortable looks from just about everyone in the room. Dean just looked wary. "Not nearly as long as my first tour in hell, mind you. So you can drop the 'is he a demon' pretense. It's not appreciated."

Somehow the words were less than reassuring to the paranoid hunter.

"Honestly though…" Harry continued, trying to diffuse the tension. "I'm curious how you managed to get us back. No one sold their soul, did they? I don't want to have to make a trip back downstairs any time soon just to break a contract."

"What do you mean 'us'?" Ellen picked out the oddity in his statement from a mile off and was utterly lost by it.

Harry blinked a few times as if trying to pick apart his statement or hers. A frown tugged at his lips. "What do you mean?" he finally shot back tone just as confused as hers, as if the answer were obvious.

Everyone was tense at Harry's confession that more than just himself was brought back. Dean's and Sam's fingers twitched unnecessarily close to their weapons.

Hardened green eyes surveyed the room's occupants before coming to a rest on Sam. He stared intensely for a long moment before understanding lit his features. It was immediately followed by something akin to guilt. He shook his head. His eyes locked with Sam's.

"I guess you didn't make it back."

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Sorry, sorry, sorry. This was meant to be up ages ago. Life has a way of knocking down my plans though. Three girls at work were fired and another got bit by a snake so everyone's been extra shifts to keep the store running. It's been tough to do that and write. Something had to give. Unfortunately it was the thing which I enjoy more but don't get paid for. ^^;

Still, it's here now. Right? Right? *sigh*

So, a few things will pop up canon but for the most part expect a derailment from the normal plotlines.

Also, good call from everyone suspecting Sam's soul was gone. I wasn't trying to be overly subtle in this chapter but last chapter I didn't realize I let enough go for anyone to catch on.

Thank you guys for the lovely reviews and all the favorites and follows I received last chapter. There was a MASSIVE influx of them. It was a little scary to be honest but I'm very appreciative. You guys are fantastic. Thanks for reading!

~Kanathia