Chapter Ten:

Man is Born Unto Trouble

"There is only one road away from trouble, and this is along the straight and narrow road."

- Otto Wood

Dean checked over his weapons one last time, made sure that they wouldn't catch on anything when he tried to draw them, made sure they were sharpened, clean and loaded. He was only going to get one shot at this and he had to do it perfectly, he shuddered to think of what would happen if he failed. He hadn't had much time to devise a plan, Castiel had been there hours already and was running out of time. Dean hitched his horse to a nearby tree branch, steeled his resolve and began making his way down the hill.

He reached one of the mine buildings and took cover behind it. He had no way of know what lay on the other end of that mine shaft. There was nothing for it though. Dean took a deep breath and ran for the mine's entrance. He reached and his heart sank immediately. The pulley system had been replaced with an electric motor. Using the elevator would be too loud and would draw any nearby guards to his position. What little plan he had involved going unnoticed for as long as he could. He'd have to find another way down.

He entered the elevator and took a look around. It consisted of a metal platform with two metal beams welded to the sides of the platform. The beams connected a few feet above his head and the whole thing hung from thick metal cables. The platform, however was not as large as the shaft itself. He peered over the edge and found that there about a foot of clearance on each side. It would be tight, but he really didn't see any other way down. Dean unclasped the length of rope from his belt and unspooled it.

He fixed one end of the rope to the nearest steel beam and dropped the other end down into the shaft. Trying to ignore his deep seated fear of heights, Dean gripped the rope in his hands and stepped over the edge of the platform. Using the wall of the shaft to stabilize himself, he gently repelled down into the mine. His feet touched the ground a few minutes later and he breathed a sigh of relief. He slipped his jack knife from the sheath on his belt and crept forward, careful that his boots made no sound.

Dean moved silently down the narrow corridor in front of him, listening intently for any sign of movement. He heard nothing for several minutes when at last he came upon two guards. They were talking quietly and Dean crept up and crouched behind a nearby mine cart to eavesdrop. One of them, a woman with fiery red hair spoke first.

"He wants this shaft manned at all times." She said. "No one is to come through here, do you understand Zachariah?"

"I understand." The other guard replied. "Does Lucifer believe he'll come here? The Winchester?" Zachariah asked.

"Lucifer's thoughts are his own and his orders are yours to follow." The woman said. "Do not fail him."

With that, the woman was gone. Dean gripped his knife tighter in his palm and waited for her footsteps to die away. The man visibly relaxed once she was out of sight and Dean took this as his cue. He breathed deeply and in one swift movement, leapt out from behind the mine cart, grabbed the man from behind and deftly cut his throat. The man fell to the ground with a dull thud, he'd made no sound, having died too quickly to scream. Dean wiped the blood from his blade and continued on down the corridor in the direction the woman had gone.

He walked in silence for a few minutes when something suddenly collided with him. He reached blindly for it and realized it was a man. He raised his knife, ready to dispatch of him when the man spoke.

"Wait," he gasped, Dean's grip around his throat making speech difficult for him. "Don't kill me. I'm trying to save him too."

Dean loosened his grip slightly, but did not let go. "Save who?" he asked skeptically.

"Castiel." The man said. "I can't let them kill him."

"Who are you?"

"Gabriel." The man replied. "My name's Gabriel."

Dean let them man go, knife still raised. "You're Gabriel?" he asked.

"You've heard of me?"

"Cas told me bout ya. Ya helped im escape all this." Dean said. "He said you wasn't like the rest o' them."

"I'm not." Gabriel said defiantly. "And when did 'Cas' tell you all this?"

"Doesn't matter." Dean said. "We gotta find im." Dean set off down the corridor and Gabriel followed him, still talking.

"You're a Winchester aren't you?" Gabriel asked, recognition suddenly alighting his features.

"Name's Dean."

"Well how in the hell did you meet Castiel?"

"Long story."

"You two are friends?"

"Sorta."

"So you and he…?" Gabriel began.

Dean rounded on him. "Listen, this ain't the time," Dean said getting impatient. "If ya know where he is then say so, if not, then shut up."

"Sheesh, I wonder what he sees in you." Gabriel replied. "And if I knew where he was, then I wouldn't be wandering around in these tunnels, like you."

"A red haired woman came through this way, was talkin' bout Lucifer to another feller." Dean said. "Ya think she's headin' there?"

"Anna?" Gabriel asked. "It's possible, she's higher in rank than most of us. Even me, though I'm older. They don't really like me all that much."

"Then we're goin' this way." Dean said.

"Who was she talking to anyway?"

"Feller named Zachariah."

"Ugh, he's the worst." Gabriel said.

"He's dead." Replied Dean shortly.

"Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy."

They made their way down the tunnel together, Gabriel making more noise than Dean was comfortable with, but at least he'd stopped talking. A few minutes later, they came to a split in the tunnel. They stopped and Dean turned to Gabriel.

"It'll take too long ta search each one individually." He said. "You take right, I'll go left. Meet back here in ten and tell me what ya found."

"Got it boss." Gabriel said with an exaggerated salute and took off into the tunnel.

"An don't git yaself kilt, neither." Dean whispered after him.

"Will do." Replied Gabriel, too loudly.

Dean sighed and turned toward his own tunnel. He gripped his blade tighter and set off. A few short minutes later, he realized he'd gone in the right direction. He heard voices up ahead of him, the same woman as before and another man. Dean inched forward quietly and turned a corner to see nothing. He still heard the voices though, and moved toward them. A moment later he realized the tunnel branched off in another direction and the voices came drifting to him from somewhere to his left. He stepped closer, straining his hearing to make out the words.

"Lucifer is teaching our brother a lesson." Anna said.

"Lucifer is a fool." The man replied harshly.

"Be careful of how you speak, Michael." Anna warned. "He is our brother and our leader."

"He lingers here when the Winchesters may be on their way." Michael said. "It is not wise."

"Do you fear them?"

"They are skilled fighters, one's we should be wary of."

"I never thought you a coward, Michael."

"Hold your tongue, sister." Michael spat. "There is a difference between wisdom and cowardice."

"They are words, nothing more. You reveal yourself through your actions." Replied Anna. "Or inactions."

"This will not end well." Michael warned. "For any of us."

Dean heard footsteps receding down the hall and wondered which one had left. A second later he got his answer. Anna appeared before him and in in instant he brought the handle of his knife down across her temple. She crumpled to the ground, unconscious. He dragged her into the corridor she'd come from. He hogtied her and gagged her with his handkerchief. He'd not kill a woman, but he'd not let her escape justice either. He'd leave her for the authorities to sort out. Sensing that he was getting closer, he moved on, unmindful of the arrangement he'd made with Gabriel.

Anna's words rang through his head. They were hurting Castiel, he'd known they would, but hearing the confirmation sent a wave of rage through him. It didn't matter that he had no backup, he couldn't wait. He walked in the direction Michael had gone, sheathing his knife. He drew his pistol from its holster, certain that he'd need it before the day was out. He walked and walked for what felt like hours, there were no turns or other tunnels, so he was certain he was going the right way. Just as he was wondering to himself how long this damn tunnel could be, he saw a light ahead of him.

He moved toward it, spirits lifting slightly. Dean came out into a large well lit cavern. He looked around and found many passages leading off in several different directions. He was contemplating which way to go when he heard a gunshot, echoing loudly off the stone walls. Instinctually he dove for cover behind an overturned mine cart as another shot was let off. The second shot ricocheted off the mine cart and he peaked his head over the edge to get a look at his enemy. He saw nothing, but the shots continued from several directions now. He'd been made and now he was pinned down. If he could get to one of the off shooting tunnels he could try and lose them, but risk getting lost himself.

He looked to the center of the room where another upward shaft to the surface had been cut. Another bare cabled elevator sat below it, though this one was different. To Dean's relief he saw that it did not contain a flat platform, but a large bucket for hauling up raw material. The walls of the elevator were a few feet high and he knew if he could get there it'd be a better vantage point than the one he held now.

He leaned back on his haunches, preparing himself for the move, when he felt a hand grip his shoulder tightly. He turned to find Gabriel looking at him disapprovingly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He said. "Michael's a damn good shot, he won't miss."

"Well, I gotta git outta here." Dean replied, unconvinced.

"You should have met me back at the fork, I found a much quieter route. Not the damn welcome committee."

"Yeah, well hindsight's a bitch." Dean said. "What do we do now?"

"We have to fight our way out." Gabriel said.

"How we gonna do that, when the bastards are all hidin'?"

"We draw them out."

And without another word Gabriel was on his feet, standing tall seemingly without a care in the world. Dean had to hand it to the guy, he had guts. Luckily the firing stopped and he got to keep his guts a little longer. Gabriel looked around the cavern, as if bored.

"Really Michael?" he asked. "A trap? You know I never figured you for a coward, but maybe Anna's been right about you all along."

A bullet whizzed by Gabriel's head, almost deliberately, but he didn't move.

"You sit in you little cubby hole and fire your little shots and what? You think that's honorable? Stealing, killing? Our father taught us courage and honor and you and Lucifer have made damn sure we forgot every lesson he taught us. You are a disgrace to his name."

Another shot rang out in the otherwise silent room, coming close enough to Gabriel to ruffle his hair.

"Why don't you show yourself, all of you? Have some dignity for once."

The next moment several men revealed themselves from various hidy holes around the cavern. They did not look happy. A second later, the firing resumed with renewed vigor. Gabriel ducked down behind the mine cart once more.

"There," he said. "Now you can see them."

"Yeah, and now they're all pissed off."

"They were already pissed off." Replied Gabriel drawing a six shooter from the waistband of his trousers. "Least now we can kill em."

"Yer gonna kill yer own brothers?" Dean asked, slightly horrified. "Yer own family."

"Damn straight."

"Thanks fer the help."

And with that, both men stood each taking aim at a different target and fired several shots. Only a few seconds passed with each bout of shooting, but it felt like so much longer. Everything seemed to slow down, men moved as if through molasses and Dean felt his own arm heavy under the weight of his gun. When he pulled the trigger it was as if he could feel the bullet leave the chamber, could see exactly where it ended up, lodged in the stone wall, or in a man's gut, it was no different. Gabriel was almost as good a shot as Dean and he put two men down before reloading. Dean however found his mark with nearly every shot, not shooting to wound, or disarm, but shooting to kill.

Their enemies must have realized how foolishly they had reveled themselves and what remained of them scrabbled for cover as Dean and Gabriel continued to pick them off. Suddenly Dean saw movement out of the corner of his eye, he turned to look. Michael stepped from the mouth of one of the outer tunnels, a look of perfect rage on his face. He raised his gun and before Dean could get a shot off, he felt something hit him.

It was like a stiff punch in the arm, numbness spread from the wound and Dean had a hard time feeling his fingers. He dropped back behind the mine cart immediately, as did Gabriel. He took one look at Dean's arm and nodded.

"Got your shooting arm." He said. "He's toying with us."

"I kin shoot with both hands." Replied Dean, angrily switching his gun to his non dominant hand.

"As well?"

"We'll see."

They resumed the fight, Dean finding a little more difficult to shoot accurately with his left hand and he was forced to reload one handed, having lost the feeling in his right hand. They kept fighting though, Michael had disappeared again, but Dean did not forget him as he had foolishly done before. They finished off the rest of the gunmen and once more took cover. They shared a look, both knowing that Michael still lurked out there. They could not leave cover before he was dealt with.

"Where do ya reckon he is?" Dean asked.

"You're guess is as good as mine." Replied Gabriel. "He probably figured he had you beat when he took your good arm out. I doubt he expected you'd be able to keep fighting."

"I'm jus fulla surprises." Dean said with a grimace of pain."

Suddenly they heard footsteps nearby and then a voice.

"I really am surprised at you Gabriel." A cold sneering voice said. "Siding with the enemy."

"He's not the enemy, Michael." Gabriel said. "You are."

"You were always too strong willed, even for father." Michael said. "We should have killed you when we had the chance."

"Hindsight's a bitch." Gabriel retorted, mirroring Dean's words from earlier.

"So crass." Michael demurred. "And you have the gall to call me pathetic, call me a coward. You who stayed after what we did to you, too afraid to attempt escape twice. We all knew how you felt, knew you'd be a problem. I told Lucifer to deal with you, but he refused, foolish."

"He should have had you dealt with." Gabriel snarled. "Like he didn't know you covet his position."

"It is mine." Michael said. "It belongs to me."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that."

"I will." Michael spat.

There was silence in the room for a minute before Michael spoke again.

"Do you remember that girl?" he asked softly. "In Duluth, when you tried to escape? What was her name, Chrissy, Katelin?"

"Katherine." Gabriel said to himself.

That's it, Katherine." Michael said, having heard him. "You thought we didn't know about her, didn't you? We knew she was the reason you tried to leave; you and Castiel and your big plan. Noble of you to stay behind so that he could leave, and foolish." Michael paused a moment. "Do you want to know what we did to her?"

Dean could feel the rage radiating from Gabriel in waves. He put a hand on his arm. "Don't." he whispered. "He's lying. He's goading you into showing yourself. Don't fall for it."

Gabriel wrenched his arm away as Michael continued speaking. "She begged and cried, cried for you mostly." He said. "We all had her, I understand what you saw in her, she was sweet. That little birthmark on her ankle, looked like a little flower, sweet." He said again.

Gabriel had gone rigid, his face had lost all expression. Dean feared he'd do something foolish, but he did not move.

"After I'd finished with her, I cut her throat. She didn't cry anymore."

Before Dean could stop him, Gabriel shot upward and began firing. Several gunshots rang through the caver and before Dean could get his gun up to help, Gabriel was slumped backward, bleeding. Dean got him safely into cover before looking him over. He'd taken a bullet in his shoulder, it was bleeding heavily.

"Yer a lucky sonofabitch." Dean said. "Bullet jus missed yer heart. Ye'll be alright, jus wait here."

"He's hit." Gabriel said, face contorted with pain. "Finish him for me, will you?"

"I will." Dean promised.

Dean stood and scanned the room. A goading voice reached him a moment later.

"Ah, the famous Dean Winchester. Here to save his beloved Castiel, you're breaking my heart."

Dean fired a shot toward the voice, but missed.

"Are you sure you even want to save him?" Michael asked. "Lucifer's had him quite a while, what you get back won't be what you lost."

Dean listened closely to his voice, judged the direction as best he could and took another shot.

"I think he's trying to kill me." Michael said. "Aww that's sweet. You know, I'll think I'll ask Lucifer for the honors of killing our wayward brother. I'll make it nice and slow and I'll make sure you have just enough life left in you, so that you can see my good work before you die."

Dean closed his eyes and sent a silent prayer to anyone who was listening. He raised his gun again.

"Give it up." Michael sneered.

Dean pulled the trigger.

"You're never going to-"

Michael's words were cut short, Dean heard a thump nearby and opened his eyes. He made his way to where the sound had come from and found Michael, clutching at his belly while blood streamed from between his fingers. Dean raised his gun, leveling it at his head.

"I should leave ya here ta suffer." Dean said. "Like that poor girl."

"Then do it."

Dean shook his head and pulled the trigger. The bullet slammed into Michael's head, right between the eyes. He fell back, dead, a thin line of blood leaking from the hole in his head.

"Did you get him?" Gabriel called out.

"I got im."

"Good, Castiel's being held in a room to the east. Lucifer's alone, but he's smart. Be careful."

"I'll be back fer ya once I git im." Dean said. "Jus don't die."

"I'm working on it." Gabriel said. "And Dean, good luck."

Without another word, Dean headed for the easternmost tunnel, reloading his gun as he went. He walked for several minutes, the numbness in his arm giving way to a dull, persistent ache. About ten minutes later he saw light up ahead. He walked slowly toward it. A moment later he was pushing a door open, gun raised. He saw Castiel tied to chair, unconscious. There was no one else in the room. Unmindful of any trap, Dean rushed to Castiel's side.

"Cas." He said, taking Castiel's face in his hands. He was bruised and badly beaten, blood oozing from several gashes. "Aw Christ, Cas." He said louder and Castiel began stirring.

"Dean?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah it's me." Dean said. "I'm here. I'm sorry it took so long."

"Sok." Castiel said. "Where's Lucifer?"

"I don't know. Everyone else is dead, he's all that's left."

Castiel opened his eyes wider, his gaze losing the unfocused look. "Dean." He said, sounding frightened. "He's close, you have to."

"Easy Cas," Dean said, pulling out his knife to cut Castiel's bonds. "It's alright, I'll take care o' him later."

"No I mean he's here, it's a-"

"Trap." A voice finished from the corner of the room.

Dean froze.

"Stand up." The voice commanded.

Dean hesitated.

"Stand up, or I shoot him."

Dean stood.

"Turn around."

Dean turned to see the blonde man he'd spotted outside when he'd first arrived, his face even crueler up close.

"Honestly, I don't' understand what you see in him, little brother." Lucifer drawled. "He's not very bright."

"You sonofabitch." Dean spat, reaching for his gun. He levelled it at Lucifer's chest. They stood like that for a few seconds and Dean came to truly understand the term Mexican standoff.

"It's over." He said. "You heard me. Yer whole family's dead, jus let it go an we all walk outta here alive."

"I don't think so." Lucifer snarled, leveling his gun at Dean's chest.

"Let im go, at least." Dean said. "You had your fun an he ain't wronged ya like I have. Take me an let im go."

"How sentimental." Lucifer crooned. "But are you really willing to die for him, Winchester?"

"Damn straight."

"Dean no." Castiel said.

"It's alright, Cas." Dean told him.

"Fine." Lucifer said. "I kill you, I let him go."

Dean's heart skipped a beat, he hadn't expected that to work. He looked over at Castiel, knew that he would do anything to keep him safe.

"How do I know ya ain't lyin'?"

"You're just going to have to trust me."

Dean scoffed.

"Or I can shoot him here and now and you can watch him die before I do the same to you." Lucifer suggested. "Your choice."

"Fine." Dean said.

"No!" Castiel cried.

Dean couldn't look at him, it would make it too hard. He dropped his gun to the floor and stood straight backed and proud. He looked Lucifer in the eye, if he was going to die than he'd do it with his boots on and with dignity, like his Pa taught him.

"Do it."

Dean never heard the shot, just felt the warmth in his abdomen, spreading out from one point. Everything went a little fuzzy, he heard voices, but couldn't make out the words. He struggled to keep standing, but failed. He fell to the floor, vision clearing enough to see who stood above him, sneering down at him. Lucifer spoke and Dean heard his voice as if from a great distance.

"You didn't think I'd make it easy, did you?" Lucifer said. "That you wouldn't suffer?"

He laughed then and all Dean wanted was to see Castiel's face again. He tried to turn toward him, but moving was becoming difficult. Lucifer laughed coldly and raised his gun again. Another shot rang out, but not from Lucifer's pistol. He staggered back, a blossom of red appearing just over his heart. Dean finally managed to turn his head and saw Castiel, free of his bonds and holding aloft the gun Dean had dropped moments ago. Dean looked back at Lucifer who gazed at his brother, not with anger, but mild surprise. Castiel fired two more shots and Lucifer hit the floor with a dull thud.

The next thing Dean saw was Castiel, kneeling over him and he was glad. Looking up into that face he knew it was worth it. He opened his mouth.

"Cas." He said.

"Shh." Castiel replied. "Don't speak, save your breath. "I'm going to get you out of here."

"It's okay." Dean said. "Really."

"No!" Castiel said. "I'm not going to let you die, I won't."

Dean's breathing was becoming more labored, each breath he took rattled through his chest. He tried to speak again, but no words came out. He tried again, he had to.

"I love you." He croaked out.

Castiel was weeping, bitter tears dropping onto Dean's face, they were warm. Dean tried to lift his hand to wipe them away, but was unable to.

"Don't, please. I promise I'll save you, just hold on." Castiel said through his tears. "It's my turn, you saved me, now I have to save you."

"You already did." Dean whispered

Castiel was shouting, but Dean couldn't hear him. His vision faded around the edges, then went dark. And Dean knew no more.

A/N: There will be a short epilogue up in the next few days. Thanks for sticking with me this far.