Chapter 2 – Don't fear the Reaper

Two weeks went by in the blink of an eye.
It was time and everything was set.
Without any discussion Castiel, Crowley and Meg helped the Winchester Brothers as good as they could to prepare everything for their D-Day. With the help of Cas and Crowley they had already managed to finish the first two parts of the ritual. Only the big Showdown was missing. And no one could help them with that.

"Alright guys, are you ready?" Dean asked them all.
It was the evening of the second November. Five hours left till midnight. The brothers had everything prepared in Sam's old bedroom. Their three helpers had only stayed to say their goodbyes.

"Are you sure that the Fantastic Four have left the building tonight?" He somehow couldn't stop thinking about sarcastic nicknames for their four opponents.

"Absolutely, Dean" Cas answered.
He didn't got that reference as usual.
"Okay, and your plan is also ready?"

"Yes, everything is set. As soon as you closed the gate, we will help the other hunters from Seattle to find all the remaining angels and demons on earth. They have the choice to become human or be destroyed immediately."

The three of them had made up that plan and presented it to Sam and Dean two weeks ago. As they were able to track down the likes of them, they would help the other hunters to free the earth from all remaining angels and demons.

"What about you guys" Sam asked.

"Well I myself" Crowley interrupted before Castiel could even react, "have more human then demon blood in my system at the moment anyway. It doesn't take much more to finish the transformation for me. It's too boring to stay in hell alone for all eternity. I go through this damn transformation and try to make it better with the second try. If I fail I already know where I will end."

"Okay, and you Cas?"

"I decided for humanity as well, Sam. The earth has so much more to give. Heaven is not what it used to be anymore. I also think that Claire might need me, too. I would like to be there for her. As soon as all angels are found I will separate myself from my grace for good."

"Well, this sounds like a plan. What about you, Meg?"

"Me?" she raised her eyebrows, grinned and turned her head to look at Castiel.
"I stay with my unicorn."
It was obvious that Castiel did understand that reference for once.
A little ashamed he looked back and forth between Dean and Meg while his ears turned crimson.

"Alright, this sounds perfect" Dean said while going to Meg to hug her.
"He needs someone to look after him. Take care that he'll never regret being a human."

"I'll take care of Clarence" she whispered in the neck of his jacket.

Crowley went to Sam and Dean.
"Well boys" he held his outstretched hand to them to shake it.
"It was my proudest pleasure to fight the two of you. You made the whole Hunter-Demon topic very interesting."
Dean took Crowley's hand and pulled him into a hug.
"Take care of you, man." Sam followed his brother's example. Crowley on the other hand tried his best to hold back the tears that stung in the back of his eyes.

Castiel didn't even try to hold back any tears at all. Dean took two big steps towards him and hugged him, too.
"Thank you so much for everything you've done for us in the last couple of years, Cas. We wouldn't have made it this far without you. You've always been like a brother to me, man. Do me one last favour and go live a really boring human life. With a white picket fence and a minivan and all that stuff, okay?"
Dean took a step back to look into Castiel's face while whipping his own with the sleeve of his jacket.

"I thank you, Dean. For everything. You taught me what living really meant. I don't understand why that fence has to be white but if you say it so I'll do it so. You two are heroes. Don't forget that."
Dean couldn't hold back the laughing.
Once an angel, always an angel.
Afterwards Sam said his goodbyes and the three left the house, Castiel and Meg hand in hand, leaving Sam and Dean alone after all.

Sam turned to his brother but before he could even open his mouth Dean raised his hand to interrupt him. "I will not say goodbye to you, Sammy. We will do this together now and see each other on the other side afterwards. Together till the very end. Do you understand me?"

"I wasn't going to say goodbye to you, Dean. I just wanted to tell you that I love you and give you this."
He held a little paper bag in his hands.
When Dean opened the bag, he found his necklace. The one he threw away all those years ago in the motel room after they couldn't track god down with it. A little taken aback to see it again he looked at Sam.

" I fished it out of the bin. I wanted you to have it."
Dean placed it around his neck and took his brother in his arms.
"Thank you, Sammy. I love you too, man. Now let's lock those bastards away once and for all and save that god damn world one last time!"

With those words, they turned around and started the last part of their rituals to close the gates to heaven and hell irrevocable. Ready to pay with their lives for it.