CHAPTER THREE

DETROIT, MITCHIGAN

They travelled with the car. Dean thought that it was better if Victoria didn't know about Cas' ID. She was trying to talk to them but they always gave short answers so the travel was pretty quiet. After 1 hour of silent, Victoria's cell rang.

"Hey Emily!"

Dean gasped. Could she be the same?

"I'm travelling! I will be back in a week." She hanged up quickly.

She sighed. "My sister. She came with me here. She doesn't know about hunting though…So"

"Is she in your height with red hair and blue eyes?" Dean asked in curiosity.

The girl's eyes widened. "You know her?"

Emily was her sister. That's why he saw that resemblance. But that got him more suspicious than before. It couldn't be a coincidence. He looked at Cas who seemed not to paying attention to the conversation.

"Yes, I met her a week ago." He answered at last. "What a coincidence huh?" he mumbled.

They finally arrived at Detroit. It seemed too normal, too peaceful. That meant that Lucifer wasn't there yet.

They went to Sam's supposing motel room. Dean knocked the door. Victoria was hidden. He answered immediately. He seemed drunk. When he saw them he gasped.

"Dean? What are you doing here?" he whispered awkwardly.

"What are you doing here?" Dean asked angrily pushing Sam inside and after letting Cas and Victoria to come in, he shut the door.

"Where in the hell were you? I was gone for a week, I was in a hospital and you didn't even worried! And why you had your fucking cell phone off?" Dean yelled, forgetting they weren't alone.

Sam didn't answered. When he saw Victoria he gasped.

"Victoria?"

"Oh, hi darling! I'm home" she said sarcastically.

"Let me explain" Sam tried to defend himself.

"Would you mind explaining to me?" Dean yelled getting in front of his brother.

"I have nothing to explain to you Dean. It's none of your business." He said flatly.

Dean's eyes were full of rage now.

"There we go again! Are you gonna make the same mistakes again? You said that you've learnt your lesson. Fucking lies!!!" he yelled.

Sam smirked. Cas sighed knowing what is gonna come ignoring Victoria's silent pleading to leave them alone.

"I learned my lesson Dean. But not the one you wanted. It wasn't a mistake that I didn't ask permission from you." He said.

Dean shook his head in disappointment. "Then why you wanted to join me?" he asked quietly.

"Why do you think?" he asked and laughed. "The same reason you did. I was afraid of Lucifer. And because I thought that you would change."

Dean closed his eyes. "So that crap about you are sorry was lies too?" he asked but he didn't want to hear the answer.

"I said I was sorry for starting the Apocalypse and for drinking the blood. I never said that I was sorry for what I-"

"Enough!" Castiel cut him off, getting between him and Dean. "Enough."

Sam smirked looking behind Cas' shoulder, to his brother like he wanted to finish the sentence.

"I think I am gonna have a drink." He said instead. "Keep the room" He walked to the door hitting Castiel with his shoulder.

Victoria was looking down awkwardly. When Sam left, Dean was about to leave too. He wanted to leave this town as soon as possible. Like if he left the town he would leave the sorrow behind.
"Sam came here for a reason." Castiel said and he looked down knowing that he should say something else to make Dean feel better. But he didn't.

"A reason that he apparently doesn't want to share with us." He sighed sadly. "I am staying in the town. I know that I can't leave him alone. Not here" he said sadly.

Cas nodded.

"I just need to walk." Dean whispered. He hid his sorrow with a failed smile.

"Be careful. Demons maybe around" Cas advised.

"Why do you care anyway?" Dean asked sadly "Oh, yeah I am a fucking vessel!" he answered to himself.

Castiel nodded again. "If that was the reason, I wouldn't say anything." He said but Victoria was sure that he wanted to give another answer.

Dean smiled with Cas' answer. When the angel wanted to express some general emotions he usually was straight. But he never talked about the people closed to him open. Not about his missing father, the loss of his family, or Dean. That kind of answers was Cas' way to say 'I care about you but don't make a big deal of it'. Dean liked that kind of answers, because he didn't have to say anything that would show caring or anything like that.

Then he left. Castiel was looking at the closed door sadly.

"Why didn't you say what you wanted to?" Victoria's words broke the silence and made Cas to flinch.

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you want to seem so cold? I know that you are not" she said warmly.

Castiel came closer to her.

"How could you possibly know me when I don't know myself anymore?" he whispered to her ear and he walked pass her, out of the room

Victoria sighed and she left too.

The next morning Victoria got back to Sam's room. Knowing that he was there she knocked the door heavily. After a couple of minutes, her husband opened the door, narrowing his eyes and holding his head. He had certainly had a hangover. For some reason that made her happy. She invited herself in.

"Morning sweetheart" she said as calmly as she could.

"Victoria? What are you doing here?" he asked yawning.

"I just wanted to see my lovely husband again" she answered.

"Oh, I really forgot it, Victoria….A lot of things happen in my life the past months and…" he started to complain but she cut him of

"So you destroyed my future! I lost a job because of you idiot!" she yelled. "What in the hell was so important that you forgot to go to the fucking lawyer?"

"I learned that I am Lucifer's vessel" he said and the smirked.

"Satan's vessel. Right. I have to admit this isn't a common excuse."

Someone knocked the door. Sam headed to the door but Victoria stopped him.

"Let me! It must be Jesus." She said sarcastically and she went to open the door.

Sam couldn't see who it was since a wall was separating the bed where he was from the entrance.

"Oh, it is Jesus" She yelled sarcastically.

When Sam saw who it was, he smiled. He came closer to their visitor

"Hey babe" she said and she kissed him.

I am in Bobby's house. I hear Bobby's voice from the next room. He was begging someone not to kill him. I run to him and I see Raphael and….myself standing in front of Bobby.

"Let him go" I scream but they don't hear me. They can't even see me. I am invisible.

"Just say yes, Dean. And your friend will live" said Raphael with a desperate tone. "Just say yes"

The other Dean looked at Bobby. His gaze was sad.

"I'm so sorry Bobby….I can't." he whispered. He turned to the archangel. "No."

Then Raphael raises his hand.

I want to move, to do something. To save him, but once again I can't.

A bright light flatters the room. After a minute the light is gone, so as Bobby. He's…dead. He's dead too. That brought tears in my eyes. I close my eyes again. This can't be real.

When I open them again I am not at Bobby's house anymore. I was at a motel room.

This time I saw me and Sam. We are arguing.

"I am not doing it!!!" Sam yells. He seems furious.

"Why not? Just because I'm the one who told you to?" the other me replies.

"I told you I can't stand telling me what to do!" my brother yells again

"Well, do you want to go? Be my guest. But don't run to me again when you are afraid!" myself replies, in the same tone.

"I am tired of all of this Dean! Is it that difficult to understand?" he says a little bit calmer this time.

"And just because you are tired, you are gonna give up? Just because you are tired you'll end the world?" Dean yells.

"Just because you were fucking tired you broke the first seal. So set the fuck up and let me go!"

I freeze at my brother's words. Who was he? He can't be him….he wouldn't tell me something like that. Or would he? I am not sure I know him anymore.

"Just don't end the world because of that" Dean says.

The other me just stares at Sam.

"Goodbye, bro" Sammy says in a sarcastic tone.

"You know I am right" myself yells but he ignores me.

"Who are you?" I whisper slowly, but I know that I won't take any answer.

Then Sam picks his bag and gets out of the room, leaving me doing nothing but stare.

I don't know why, but I follow him. Just like something is pushing me to do it.

Sam goes to the parking lot. When he opens the car's door, we suddenly appear to a garden.

"Hello Sam" Lucifer says with a big grin to his face.

"I will let you in, only if you promise me that she will be fine" Sam says in hurry.

"Have you lost your mind?" I yell but once again nobody hear me.

He can't be Sam. He can't...

And who is she? Why is she more important than me? Why is she more important than the whole damn world?

"Of course. I promise you that she will be fine. More than fine. She will be like queen." Lucifer says with bigger grin. "We are going to clean up this world."

"I know…that's why I am doing it" he mumble.

Lucifer smiles again.

"Ok, then. YES" Sam says

"NOOOOO!" I scream.

Then I felt dizzy. I fell.

I stand up a few moments later. He said yes. My broth- No. He wasn't my brother. Not anymore. But who in the hell was she?

Dean woke up in the Impala. He was sweat and he was feeling tired although he was sleeping for 12 hours straight. He had seen this nightmare before. It was shorter now…Thank God for that!

He got out of the car to get some clean air.

As he was looking the view over the isolated bridge he was, he suddenly felt really cold. He turned around and he show Raphael. He rolled his eyes as he had get used to the archangel's visits and he turned his back on him.

"Say yes" Raphael demanded. His voice was angry but not more than the usual. "If you don't say yes Michael won't fight."

"Yeah I got that" Dean said without looking at the archangel.

Raphael stayed silent. Dean turned around. The angel was just staring at him.

"Look, I don't wanna make an occasion here or anything but I am dying to ask…" Dean said in hesitation. "Why is Cas still alive? I mean you were really angry with him"

"We have different priorities now" Raphael said stiffly.

"Oh, yeah? You really found the time the first time! Are you afraid or something?" Dean said. He knew that he was pushing his luck but….that's part of who he is.

"Everyone serves even unwillingly an important purpose" Raphael responded in Dean's surprise.
"How come and Michael didn't appear on me and ask me by himself?" Dean asked again politely.

"He doesn't agree to the policy."

"What that's supposed to mean?" Dean asked, but he got no answer as Raphael had disappeared.

"I start to get used to that kind of policy" he murmured to himself

He called Castiel. The angel appeared immediately.

"Are you ok?" he asked, again with the 'I don't care at all' tone.

"Yes. And you are ok too…" Dean confirmed.

"And…you don't like that?"

"Of course I do" Dean cleared his throat. He forgot his rule no 1: Whatever you do, don't show that you care "…I mean not that I would have a problem if you were not or nothing, but….you shouldn't be with Raphael free. It is strange."

" Indeed"

"Hell everything looks too weird these days. "

They both stayed silent for a moment.

"Hey Cas…I.."Dean said awkwardly

"Yes…"

"I never actually…you know….I….you know…"

Castiel was waiting gently for Dean to finish his sentence.

Dean was looking down smiling still awkwardly. He cleared his throat "I never actually thanked you"

"For what?"
Dean rolled his eyes " For everything. You helped me when nobody else did…So…Thanks. You may try to seem a dick like your brothers but I know that you are not…"

Castiel made an attempt to smile. "You are welcome." He closed his eyes like he was thinking about something. "Dean…The angels will continue to press you and I wanted to know if you…."

"If I'll say yes?"

Cas nodded.

"No…I mean…I don't know"

"What if I told you that you don't have to?"

"What?"

"Every powerful archangel has an alternative vessel, less compatible than the original. He can be defeated more easily" Cas spoke like he was quoting a Bible's camp line.

"So does Michael!" Dean grinned.

"Yes. And I finally managed to trace him"

"Really? Awesome!" Dean's grin got bigger. "Wow…I don't want to look ungrateful or something but why Michael didn't go to him before?"

"I am not sure. He began to surround him the last week. All we have to do is to persuade him to say yes"

Dean eye's suddenly got darker. "We are not gonna sacrifice anyone else for me"

Cas knew that this was coming. Unfortunately Dean wasn't that selfish…

"Do you prefer to sacrifice yourself?"

"I don't-….I…" Dean's voice broke.

"We are going to try. We are not going to push him. Maybe he doesn't even know what Michael is supposed to do. There are possibilities that he wants to contribute to the death of the Devil." Castiel said warmly.

"Ok…" Dean answered in a sad way.

Cas put his fingers in Dean's forehead.

They appeared in a department with modern decoration.

"His name is Dave. He has already met me" Cas informed him.

"Cool" Dean said. He obviously didn't like what they were doing but since he had no choice…

"Oh, hello Castiel" a male voice said.

A short brown hair boy, around 18 came out of the next room. He was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt. He seemed really comfortable with Dean and Cas' appearance. Uncomfortably comfortable.

"You brought a friend, nice" his voice was too deep for his appearance. It didn't match him. "So I am seeing two angels now. Great! And my brother was telling me: 'stay away from the drugs' "

"I am not an angel….I am just a human" Dean said. "You think we are illusions?"

Dave laughed. "Well, I talk to angels….so….yes."

"We are solid. It's the truth. Now…have you consider my proposal?" Castiel said formally.

"You have already told him? You said" the Winchester argued.

"Not now Dean." the angel cut off.

"And tell me why should I do that again?" Dave asked and took a bottle of whiskey from the table. He sat on the kitchen's table and waved to his visitors to make themselves comfortable.

"Michael is the only one who can beat the Devil" Castiel explained gently.

Dave laughed nervously "Oh, right! The Devil! I forgot about him" then he mumbled something that neither Cas or Dean could understand.

"I don't know even if this is real…" Dave said.

"It is. You have chances to save the world" Cas pressed him.
"Cas? Can I talk to you for a minute?" Dean said kindly.

"I am going to bring a beer from…my room" he said as he understood Dean's message "I can't believe I am letting my illusions have some privacy" he murmured.

When Dean made sure that he couldn't listen he whispered "We are not doing this, Cas. He doesn't even believe we exist."

"Dean…" Castiel attempted to disagree.
"No! We are not going to doom him. No." he whispered angrily "How could you believe that I would let him say yes?"

"Dean…"Castiel paused like he was searching the most proper words to use. "There isn't any other way."

"I don't care. I am not doing it. Neither you do" Dean said and he left, shutting the door behind him.

He was driving the Impala when his cell rang. It was Sam.

"What?"

"Hi Dean. Where are you can we talk? Please."

"About what?" Dean said coldly.

"I am so sorry about last night. I was drunk, I didn't know what I was talking about. Please just come over to talk…ok? I am in the same motel. Please, Dean, please!" Sam said guiltily.

"Ok"

A couple hours later, Dean was at the café Sam had told him. He was already there.

"Hey, Dean!" he greeted with a guilty smile.

Dean just waved his hand and sat down.
"What do you want to talk about?"

"I am so sorry"

"Sorry doesn't make things right Sam. Especially when it's overused" Dean said coldly, staring out of the window.

"I know, but it's the truth…Dean…."

Sam's broken voice got Dean's attention. He looked at Sam's eyes and he saw that he had regretted what he said. He slightly smiled to him.

"It's ok…Just don't drink that much" he advised his little brother

Sam showed a forced smile on Dean's face. He smiled back still sadly.

"Got it…do you want to know why I came here?" he changed the subject.

Dean shrugged.

"I met someone!" Sam smiled.

"You did? That's great! Wait…it's a she right? It isn't a dude?" he joked.

"Funny. Yeah and she is nothing supernatural"

"Wow that's a progress bro! Where is Victoria by the way?"

"She left."

"Good cause-"

The rang of Dean's cell interrupted him.

"Sorry"

He picked it up.

"Dean…He said yes. But there is a complication" Castiel's voice was sounding worried.

"What? He what? I told you not to" Dean yelled.

"I didn't do anything…Where are you?" he obviously was in a hurry.

"I am with Sam where we were before"

"Go to the motel room. I'll find you there"

Dean explained the whole story to his brother.

When Dean and Sam arrived to the motel room Castiel was already there. But he wasn't alone. Dave was with him. He didn't look very different. Just confused.

"Is he...?" Dean asked.

"No. I am not. Not completely." Dave responded. His voice sounded slightly different now.

"What do you mean not completely?"

Dave didn't respond. He was staring at nothing, like he was hearing something

"Michael is in me but he can't take the full control of my body and brain" He finally said.

"What?" Dean and Sam said in the same time.

"That's the complication. He still have some powers but he is not able to be in a battle now. He is mortal too. We have to protect him. And there is something strange here…" Castiel said.
"Really? What makes you say that?" Dean said sarcastically.

"Sam stay with him. Dean come with me." Castiel demanded.

"Ok" Sam agreed quickly as he didn't want to be in trouble with anyone especially now.

"Where?" the other Winchester asked in disbelief.

"To find someone. Please, trust me"

Dean looked Cas in suspicion and then he nodded.

They appeared outside an isolated warehouse.

"Ok, what the hell did you tell him to say yes?" Dean hissed

"Nothing. You told me not to and I didn't. I left too. But then he appeared in front of me and he told me the whole story. We have to protect him, Dean. The demons will try to kill him"

"But they can't right?" Dean added

"No, but they can torture. And the host isn't that strong. Michael can get killed by angels from any garrison. That's my definition of mortal." Castiel answered.

"Great. And what are we doing here?"

"I needed to talk to you alone. In addition we have to check something. What exactly did you see in your dream?"

"Why?" Dean asked again in suspicion.

"It may be more than an angels' trick. It may be a vision" Cas' voice was low, like he was afraid of something.

"What? I don't think so. Why do you think that?" he asked wary.

"You were right. A lot of strange things do happen lately. It might be bigger than I thought. I heard something really odd yesterday after your departure from Dave. There is an informant and…" Cas stopped talking and stared at something behind Dean.

Dean turned around. He saw Emily. His eyes got widened.

"Emily? What are you doing here?"

"Dean we have to" Castiel said terrified.

Emily looked really angry.

"He is the one, Victoria" she yelled to her sister who was hidden.

"What the hell is going on?" Dean yelled.

"Why don't you come inside and talk?" she asked in fake politeness.

"No, thanks. Tell me what the hell-?" Dean couldn't finish his sentence as she shot him and Cas with anesthetic.