Happy Friday people. You are getting this chapter a day early thanks to JudyH — who offered me virtual donuts and pie for an early update. I've got a hell of a sweet tooth.

This chapter deals with some canon events. I tried to change it up as much as I could, but there is some dialogue taken direct from the show — thank you Supernatural Wiki.


Chapter Four

Anna sat on the bench, watching the children play. She was tensed and ready to flee at a moment's notice, as she always was these days. Life as a rogue angel wasn't exactly relaxing.

The angel chatter was a dull hum in her mind that she generally tuned out, but today she was listening hard. Since Sam Winchester had been saved and Lilith killed, the angels had been talking at length. She knew there was something she was missing, something vital, but they were careful not to talk about it; they knew she would be listening.

She heard a rustle beside her and she knew without turning which of her former family it would be.

"Hello, Castiel," she said.

"Anna."

"Have you come to drag me home for judgment?"

"No, I am here for… guidance."

She turned to face him and saw Castiel's usual mask of indifference was not in place. To see him and not know him, you would think Castiel was apathetic much of the time, but Anna knew it was an act. Castiel felt and cared more than was usual for an angel. He was devoted to their father though, and he hid much of what he felt as, for an angel, it was seen as a weakness.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Lucifer is risen," he said.

"I know."

"As is Sam Winchester."

She nodded. "I've seen him."

"How is he?" For the first time, there was inflection of emotion in Castiel's tone. It caught her off guard.

"You're worried about him?"

Castiel sighed heavily and looked out over the park, avoiding her eye. "I fear I may have done great damage."

"I think he'll be okay," she said. "He didn't believe he was back. He thought he was still in Hell."

Castiel looked downcast.

"Castiel, why did you save Sam?"

"Because I was ordered to," he said dully.

"But why? Of all the souls in the pit, why Sam and why now?"

"He wasn't supposed to be there. He was an innocent. He was there because of his deal to save his brother."

"Others are there because they chose to deal to save someone else," Anna said. "What makes Sam special?"

"Lucifer is risen."

"Yes, what does that have to do with… Oh." Anna's heart sank as she realized what Castiel was trying to tell her. "He's a vessel."

Castiel nodded. "Lucifer's. Dean is to be Michael's."

Anna felt the crushing weight of realization settle over her. After everything they'd been through, the universe was going to ask more of Sam and Dean Winchester. If anyone deserved to rest, it was them.

Then she heard it, like a voice on the wind. Dean was calling to her. She knew she should go to him, he needed her, but Castiel needed her more. She had a chance to get through to him, and she couldn't squander it.

Castiel stiffened for a moment. "Dean is calling to me."

"Are you going to him?"

Castiel shook his head.

"We must protect them," she said, getting to her feet.

"We cannot," Castiel said. "This is their foretold path."

"Like Dean freeing Lucifer was his path? You're wrong, Castiel. Dean was manipulated into doing that by angels and demons. If you had ever believed in the right thing, you would have warned Dean. Why didn't you?"

Castiel looked down at the ground. "I was not there. I was engaged in the battle to save Sam. I didn't know."

Anna's hands fisted. "What about the seals? Why weren't they better protected?"

"I did my best," Castiel said angrily. "I worked to save them. Our brothers and sisters died to save them."

"You didn't do enough," Anna spat. "I spotted the seal in Colorado and I warned Dean. Why didn't you?"

"I had no orders."

Anna understood. It wasn't Castiel's fault. He was just being a good little soldier. It was the archangels that were to blame here. "They didn't want to stop it, did they?" she asked. "They let Lucifer free."

Castiel bowed his head. "That, I believe, was their intention."

"They want the fight. They want Lucifer and Michael to destroy the world."

"To create a paradise," Castiel said. "We will live in a better time. You will be welcomed into the fold again, Anna, I am sure of it."

"You're wrong. There can be no paradise without humans. They are our Father's last and greatest creation, and you are going to see them destroyed! What about Sam and Dean?"

"They will be rewarded in Heaven," Castiel said doggedly.

"You can't believe that. You must know this is wrong. They have already given too much."

Castiel looked angry and Anna felt her own anger rise in her defense.

"Why have you come to me, Cas? You say you want guidance, and I am here to give it to you. Save Sam and Dean. Don't them be used for like this. Fight on the right side and save them from this fate."

"You would have me disobey?" Castiel asked darkly.

"I would have you do the right thing. You're an angel, Castiel, a soldier of God. Do what He would want and not what you are ordered."

She knew she wasn't getting through to him. He was still a good little soldier, even after all he'd seen. He would want to save them, but he would want to follow his orders more.

She turned away from him, distraught in her defeat. "Please, Castiel. Do the right thing." She looked back to see if her words had any effect, but he was gone, leaving her alone among the humans.

After a moment, she was gone too.


Sam was upstairs sleeping, and Dean was resisting the urge to fall asleep himself. He was physically and emotionally exhausted after the events of the last couple of days, but he knew he couldn't sleep. Sam might need him.

He got to his feet and poured himself yet another mug of coffee. He was just turning back to the couch in the library when he heard the rumble of an engine pulling up outside. A moment later, Bobby came into the kitchen and looked around. "Where's Sam?" he asked.

"Upstairs sleeping. He was kinda wiped."

Bobby looked disappointed but he nodded. "I guess he would be." He crossed to the counter and poured himself a cup of coffee. "You wanna sit down?"

Dean knew a heavy conversation was coming, and little though he wanted to, he sat down and braced himself for the onslaught.

He was prepared for questions about what had happened with Lilith, but Bobby caught him off guard. "How's he doing?"

Dean raked a hand over his face. "I don't know. He's better than he was, much better, but he's still not okay."

Bobby nodded thoughtfully. "I don't suppose he is. It's gonna take him time to be okay again."

"He's talking though. On the way back I told him about the angels and why we thought he was a demon."

"How'd he take it?"

"He already knew about the demon blood—Yellow-Eyes showed him when he had them all holed up for that death match. As for the angels…" Dean sighed. "I feel like a dick for telling him the truth. He had his faith before, but it sounds like he's lost it now."

"I doubt that was just the news of the angels that did that," Bobby said. "I imagine the last year did that to him equally if not more."

"Maybe. I still feel like a dick though."

Bobby scrubbed a hand through his beard. "How about the rest? Did you tell him about the seals breaking?"

Dean shifted uncomfortably. "No. I want him to have a couple days peace before I drop that bomb on him."

Bobby fixed him with an intense look. "What about me? Do I need a couple of days, too, or are you going to tell me what you meant about you killing us all?"

Dean cast his eyes down to the table. He knew he had to tell Bobby, he had to be warned, but he didn't want to admit what he'd done. He had to suck it up though. This was bigger than him and what he wanted; the world was at stake.

"I killed her, Bobby. Lilith, she's dead, but I screwed up. She wasn't breaking the last seal, she was the last seal. I killed her and I broke the seal. Lucifer was freed."

Bobby bowed his head. "Dammit, Dean."

"I'm sorry," Dean said plaintively. "I didn't know. I thought I was saving us all."

He was expecting Bobby's anger or even fear. He expected him to be ordered out of his house and life, but once again, Bobby caught him off guard. He just sighed heavily and said, "Tell me everything."

Dean told him it all. How Uriel had taken him to the chapel and instructed him to kill on sight. He told him how Lilith had taunted him, telling him that she had orchestrated Sam's deal. He told him the relief he'd felt as the blood had pooled around her that quickly turned to horror as Uriel had come again and told him what he had done. He told him about Anna killing Uriel and taking him away from the blinding light.

"And the rest you know," he finished.

Bobby got to his feet and picked up a bottle of whiskey from the counter. He poured a generous measure in each of their mugs and then took a deep swig from the bottle. "So, Lucifer is free," he said. "Don't suppose Anna had any idea of what he's going to be doing now he's topside."

Dean shook his head. "Nothing she told me anyway. I was kinda distracted."

"Okay," Bobby said. "We need to call her up again and get some answers. We need to know what the angels are doing about this. Lucifer is one of them, which makes this their problem."

Dean felt the first inkling of hope. Bobby was taking this much better than he thought he would, and he seemed to have something of a plan for dealing with it, too. Maybe this wouldn't be the end after all.

Dean raised his eyes heavenward and spoke softly. "Anna, it's Dean. I'm at Bobby's. I need help."

He waited, looking around the room, but no angel appeared.

"Maybe she's busy."

"You know what this means," Bobby said darkly.

Dean sighed, "Yeah, Cas. Let's hope he's not too pissed about the whole beaming-him-back-to-the-mothership thing." He cleared his throat. "Castiel, we need to talk." He waited but there was no fluttering sound and no one in the room but him and Bobby. "Damn."

"Okay," Bobby said. "That's the angel thing out. What else can we do?"

"We can try Chuck," Dean suggested. "He might have some insider scoop."

"You think?"

Dean shrugged. "He's the only lead we've got. He's the one with the prophet power-up. He might know something about Lucifer. I've been wanting to talk to him anyway."

Bobby looked at him darkly. "I get that you're upset, Dean, but you don't want to go pissing off the prophet. Don't forget he's got an archangel watching over him."

"I've not forgotten, Bobby, but I figure he owes us an explanation." He drained his coffee and got to his feet. "I'll just go check on Sam and we'll be good to go."

"You don't think we should bring him with?"

Dean shook his head. "Nah, let him rest awhile before we throw him back in at the deep end."

It was more than that though. He did want his brother to get at least a little rest, but he also didn't want to have to see Sam's face when he heard that the world he'd been brought back into was in a worse state than the crap-storm he'd left behind. There was no need to break him further. He had enough to be dealing with.

The bedroom door was closed and he knocked lightly. There was no response, so he eased it open carefully. Sam was curled into a ball on his bed, facing the wall, his breaths coming in slow sighs. Dean was glad he was getting some rest.

He didn't want to wake him, so he pulled an old motel pad out of his duffel and jotted a note down saying that they'd gone to see an old friend and would be back soon. Satisfied that Sam would be okay if he woke, he closed the door behind him and made his way back downstairs to Bobby, not seeing Sam's wide eyes or the tears that were still drying on his face.


By the time they got to Faith, it was dusk. It felt like the longest day of Dean's life. So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours. He felt like he could quite happily go to bed and stay there a week just processing it all, but his wants had never meant much, and there was a bigger picture here. He would do what he could to clean up this mess, just him and Bobby, letting Sam take what he needed.

They pulled up in front of Chuck's house, and Dean saw the curtain twitch. Chuck was obviously expecting them. He climbed out of the car and scaled the steps to the door. Before he had even raised his hand to knock, it opened.

Chuck looked much as he had the last time they saw him, though the scent of whiskey sweating out of his pores was more potent.

"Ummm… Dean," he said awkwardly.

"Chuck," Dean said darkly. "Can we come in?"

Chuck stepped back and Dean and Bobby made their way inside. Chuck shut the door behind them and shuffled into the lounge.

"Now, Dean," he began, "I understand that you're angry, but—"

"Angry doesn't even begin to cover it," Dean said, fisting his hands at his sides. "You know what happened to him, what he had to do?"

Chuck nodded. "I do, and I'm sorry, but I couldn't help."

"Why not?" Bobby asked. "Your phone broke? Or maybe you were going for literary symmetry. One brother drags himself out of the ground, it's only fair the other does, too."

Chuck shuddered. "No. Honestly. It was the angels. They wouldn't let me warn you."

"And they stopped you how?" Dean asked. "I see your limbs are all attached, so it couldn't have been that bad? What threat was big enough that you couldn't warn me I was going to jump start the apocalypse?"

"Now, Dean," a snide voice said. "Don't be too hard on him. Chuck was just doing as he was told."

Dean spun on his heel and saw a heavy-set man with sparse hair and a smug smile. He was wearing a tailored, black suit and Dean knew, even without his unexpected appearance and words, that he was an angel. Only angels could look that self-satisfied.

"Nice to see you again, Chuck," the heavyset angel said.

Chuck looked terrified. He backed towards the stairs.

"By all means, make your escape, Chuck."

Casting Dean and Bobby an apologetic look, Chuck scrambled up the stairs.

The angel turned his attention to Dean and Bobby, "My name is Zachariah. I'm sure Castiel's mentioned me."

"Not once," Dean said.

Zachariah shrugged. "It's no matter. We will become better acquainted now. I am Castiel's boss, and you and I are going to become very good friends."

Dean grunted. He didn't see that happening anytime soon.

"I see Castiel has been overstating your magnificent conversational skills. No matter, I don't have need of conversation now. I only need a favor."

Dean raised his eyebrows. "You think I'm going to do something for you?"

"Simple answer, yes," Zachariah said. "You are going to do exactly as we ask because that's what you do, Dean. We yank your chain and you run around doing what we want, even when you don't realize it."

Dean crossed his arms over his chest. "Last time I did what I thought the angels wanted, I let Lucifer free and screwed the world."

"You did," Zachariah said with satisfaction. "And for that, we thank you."

Bobby frowned. "You're thanking him?"

"Yes, Mr. Singer. I am. Thanks to your inherited progeny here, Lucifer has been freed."

Dean felt understanding creep over him. "You don't seem too bothered about that."

Zachariah smiled. "We're not. We're rejoicing. You're our new poster child, Dean. You have freed us all. We're going to have paradise on earth and it's all thanks to you."

Dean closed his eyes for a moment as he absorbed the truth. He had always known angels were dicks with wings, but he never imagined they would stoop this low. Now he saw it all, how they had orchestrated the whole thing. Everything he'd done, from the moment he'd met Castiel, he'd been manipulated into doing. That was why the seals broke, the angels weren't protecting them. That was what the bullshit about the righteous man was, a way to make him do what they wanted.

"I thought I was saving the world because of you. Cas told me the righteous man will finish it, I finished it. I killed her!"

"And for that we are all very grateful. We knew you would. We made you. Now, we have something else for you to do. We need you to lead our army against Lucifer. Well, technically, we need you to facilitate our leader, but the ends the same. You will save lives and defeat the bad guy. That's the sort of thing you live for, right?"

Dean started forward, wanting nothing more than to pound his fists against that smug face, but Bobby grabbed his arm and held him back.

Zachariah raised a finger. "You could try to attack me, but it wouldn't end well for you."

"What do you want from me?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"We want you to do us a little favor," Zachariah said. "Our general, Michael, has need of you. You are to be his shining stead into battle."

Dean looked at him blankly and Zachariah sighed heavily.

"It's not just your conversational skills that Castiel overestimated. He said you were clever. You're a vessel, Dean. The vessel."

"I'm an angel's meat suit?"

Zachariah nodded. "You're Michael's vessel. Now, say yes, Dean. Play your part. Help us to defeat the serpent."

Dean laughed as he realized what Zachariah was saying. "You need me to say yes, don't you? It's more than a case of hooking me up with your buddy Michael and watching the mojo happen, you need my consent."

"Them's the rules," Zachariah said with amusement.

"Well, you're not getting it. I am not saying yes."

"You will," Zachariah said. "Somehow, some way, I will make you say yes."

Dean shook his head. "I'll kill myself first."

"We'd only bring you back again. You know we can. We brought your brother back after all."

"Why'd you do that?" Bobby asked. "Why bring Sam out?"

"Call it a gesture of good will," Zachariah said.

Dean shook his head. "I'm doing nothing for you."

Zachariah sighed. "I had hoped it wouldn't come to this. Ethaniel, Uziah, if you would."

Two other angels appeared, locked between them was a struggling Sam. He looked pale and his eyes were wild. Dean cursed inwardly. The last thing Sam needed right now was to be hijacked from his home and dragged here by angels. He was just getting used to being back as it was.

"It's okay, Sam," he said, locking eyes with his brother. "They're not going to hurt you."

"Don't be so sure," Zachariah said dourly. "If you don't do as I ask, I will hurt him in ways not even Lilith imagined. Now, say yes."

Dean shook his head. "Never."

"Fine." He turned to Sam. "I didn't want to have to do this but your brother has forced my hand." He pointed his fingers at Sam like a gun and chuckled.

There was a sharp crack and Sam cried out in pain. He slumped in the angels' grasp and Dean saw that his legs didn't seem able to hold him. The angels released him and Sam dropped to the floor. Dean saw at once why Sam couldn't hold himself up. His legs were at broken, twisted into awkward angles.

"Sam!"

Dean and Bobby started towards him, but Zachariah stepped into their path.

"Now," Zachariah said, "say yes, or your brother will continue to suffer."

Dean looked at Sam. He was gripping his knees and drawing hissing breaths. Dean couldn't let him suffer more.

"What happens if I say yes?" he asked quietly. "What happens to the world."

"No, Dean!" Sam ground out through gritted teeth.

"Michael and Lucifer will fight," Zachariah said with fanatical enthusiasm.

"And how many humans die in the crossfire? A million? Five? ten?"

"Probably more," Zachariah said with complete lack of concern. "If Lucifer goes unchecked, you know how many die? All of them. He'll roast the planet alive."

Dean closed his eyes for a moment, absorbing the words. "There has to be another way."

"There is no other way. There must be a battle. Michael must defeat the serpent. It is written."

Dean shook his head. "The answer's no. I am not saying yes."

Zachariah smiled. "So be it." He pointed at Sam again, and the next second, Sam was mouthing wordlessly. He didn't seem to be breathing."

Bobby thrust past Zachariah and dropped to his knees beside Sam. He laid a hand on Sam's chest, but Sam continued to gulp for air that he couldn't seem to draw.

"Now, that is your brother without his lungs. Want to see how he does without his heart?"

"You son of a bitch," Dean said angrily.

"Say yes and I will fix all of little Sammy's ills."

Sam had ceased struggling for air now. He was lying supine on the floor with hooded eyes. Dean was frantic. He didn't know what to say or do. He couldn't say yes, that would kill millions, but he couldn't let Sam die, not again.

He almost said it, the yes was on the tip of his tongue when bright white light filled the room. It poured from the throat of one of the angels that had been holding Sam, where the tip of a silver blade could be seen. The blade receded and the angel dropped to the floor, revealing Anna.

"You!" Zachariah spat.

"Yes, me," Anna said with satisfaction.

There was fluttering sound and Castiel appeared. In his hand was a long silver sword.

"Castiel! Kill her!" Zachariah ordered.

Anna moved so fast Dean couldn't see how she managed it. One moment she was staring Zachariah down, the next she was sliding her blade into the gut of the other angel.

"Now," Anna said. "Fix Sam and leave, or I shall kill you next."

"Castiel," Zachariah said stridently. "Are you going to let this renegade bitch talk to me like that, to threaten me?"

Castiel looked at him serenely. "I believe the renegade bitch has given you an order." He lifted his blade. "It's best you do as she says."

"You! Of all angels, you're falling! For what?" Zachariah asked. "For her or for the humans?"

Castiel shook his head. "For our Father's creations. For the right thing."

"Dean!" Bobby shouted. Dean turned away from the angels and saw the look of horror on Bobby's face. He was kneeling beside Sam with his hand on Sam's chest, Sam's unmoving chest. Cold, hard terror gripped him and he crossed the room, not caring about the angels and their confrontation, only caring that his brother was on the floor and he wasn't breathing.

"I think he's…" Bobby began.

Dean shook his head jerkily. "He can't be." He tapped Sam's cheek. "C'mon, Sammy. You can't do this again."

Sam's head rocked to the side and his cheek came to rest against the dusty floor.

Coming to his through the mist of panic, he heard Castiel's voice. "Step back, Dean."

Dean couldn't move though. He couldn't take his eyes from Sam's lax, slightly blue face. He knew what had happened though he refused to accept it. Sam couldn't be dead, not now, just as he'd got him back.

Strong arms gripped him and pulled him away from his brother's side. He struggled, but there was no resisting the strength of his assailant. He watched as Castiel knelt beside Sam and laid a hand over his chest. Bright, white light poured from his palms and Sam's eyes snapped open. He drew a heaving breath and looked around the room with wild eyes.

The hands holding Dean released him and he dropped down at his brother's side again. "Sam! Sammy!"

"I'm okay. I'm fine," Sam said in a breathy voice.

Suddenly, the room began to quake and the lights flickered. Dean recognized the signs from the night Lilith had come to deal with him.

Chuck raced down the stairs, a bottle of whiskey clutched in his hands.

"What's happening?"

"Take them, Anna," Castiel said harshly.

"But you…"

Castiel's voice came out as a shout. "Take them."

Dean grabbed Sam's arm and dragged him towards the door, Bobby hot on their heels.

"What's happening?" Sam asked in a shaky voice.

"An archangel's what's happening," Dean said hoarsely. "Get in the car."

Dean threw himself in behind the wheel and gunned the engine. He checked that Bobby and Sam were in and then he slammed his foot down on the gas.


Sooo… I killed Sam… Again. In my defense, it wasn't my idea. Canon said he had to lose his lungs, I was just doing as I was told ;-) He's okay now though. All healed up and ready to go deal with the looming apocalypse… maybe… kinda… Okay, not at all. He's alive though and that's got to count for something, right?

As always, thanks for reviewing. I appreciate hearing from you and love chatting about PUTP.

I posted a one-shot during the week called Left Behind. If you haven't already, check out my profile for it — and seventeen other stories.

Also… (this is turning into a heck of an author's note, isn't it?) … I got a PM a while ago with a prompt for a story that the reader wanted written. I am working on that plot now and it got me thinking. How many of you have stories that are waiting to be written but haven't got off the launch pad for one reason or another? Are there any of you that want to pass on a prompt to me? I am open to all ideas so stick your idea into a PM or review and I'll see what I can do for you.

Until next time…

Clowns or Midgets xxx