Disclaimer: I really don't own the Winchester brothers, Lucifer or Bobby. That's the honor of Eric Kripke and lately Sera Gamble! Though I do own the plot!

A.N: Nothing of substance to say.

Summary: AU after 5.4 The End. He had to endure so much in his young life, but now he may not have the strength to fight any longer. Would he accept the end or would he find the strength to endure? MajorLimpSam, FatherlyLucifer, LaterProtectiveDean

Chapter 9: Angel on my right, Devil on my left

Sam breathed out a nervous breath as he twitched about.

"Sam, it'll be okay", Dean nodded trying to sooth his little brother.

It was close to being 24 hours later now. Currently, they were standing out on the porch, both waiting for Lucifer to show up and the closer it got, the more nervous Sam got. Bobby was in the house with a rifle, that probably wouldn't do much against Lucifer but it made all of them feel better, as he looked out the window, the curtains shielding him from view. He still could not believe only a day earlier, Lucifer was standing in his kitchen and had given back his legs. Bobby was very happy when Sam and Dean had found him and told him that Sam decided he would fight still. Bobby is not a huggy man by any means but he did pull Sam into a fierce hug behind that. Sam had given him his shy smile. And now both of those he consider his sons were gearing up to face Lucifer.

And Bobby didn't like it one bit.

Not one.

Sam blew out another breath, "I dunno, Dean." He shifted from one foot to the other.

Dean stepped in Sam's way of pacing and put his hands on his shoulder, looking into his eyes. "Sam, you have to believe that we'll get through this. I know this is hard and downright terrifying but you have my support and Bobby's. Utilize that and remember that, okay? Never forget that, okay?"

Sam nodded jerkily, "Yeah. Yeah. You're right."

Dean gave a small smile. "As usual."

And before Sam could say anything to that, a smooth voice cut in, "Are you ready, Sam?"

Both Winchesters ripped their heads to the bottom of the porch where Lucifer stood with a smile.

"You like to come and go, huh?" Dean snarled, "Just pop in, whenever you feel like it."

"Sam and I had an appointment", Lucifer stated simply smiling up at Sam.

"I'm afraid that's canceled", Dean shot back.

Lucifer glazed coolly at Dean. "I like you better when you don't talk."

"And I like it better when you aren't around", Dean shot back.

"Don't freeze him." Sam ordered softly anticipating Lucifer's next move.

Lucifer looked back Sam, "Oh, I see." He nodded slowly, "You want him to suffer. Let him try to stop you, he won't succeed."

"Of all the arrogant..." Dean started but before he could get started, a hand was in his face making him pause. He glanced at Sam who had not taken his eyes off Lucifer, but only briefly to dart his eyes towards him. Dean gave the smallest of nods, allowing Sam the chance to take the lead.

A part of him, objected but another part of him, a stronger part, knew that Sam needed to do this for him. But that wouldn't stop Dean from supporting him. Lucifer looked between them as Sam took a step down and another until he was standing in front of Lucifer. Dean came down quickly and stood behind Sam, back him up all the way as he glared at Lucifer.

"Well, Sam. I sense that you are more at peace. That's good. That means you have come to terms with your choice. Allow us to do this thing." Lucifer smiled.

Sam swallowed to steady his nerves remembering Dean's words. Dean was watching him closely. From his angle, he could see Sam's face and pride shined through him as Sam lifted his chin.

"No." He stated simply.

Lucifer's smile drop as he blinked and for all the world, looked confused. "I'm sorry, what?"

Sam wavered once on his feet but his voice was just as firm. "No. That is your answer, Lucifer. I won't become your vessel. I don't want to. That's my choice."

Lucifer eyes slowly settled, unblinkingly, on Dean who couldn't help his small victorious smirk to show plainly on his face. His eyebrows shot up when Sam stepped in front of him blocking Lucifer's glaze.

"You once said, you'd do anything to see me happy. Don't mess with my brother." Sam stated,"It won't make me happy."

Dean felt himself unexpectedly warm at that.

"Oh, Sam", Lucifer sighed after a moment of studying Sam, "I see he managed to put you on a leach like a dog...again." He glared at Dean who had stepped out a little.

Dean could not let that go. "I don't consider my little brother a dog, nor do I have him on a leach." he hissed.

"You can call it what you will, but the truth still remains the same." Lucifer said coolly looking his nose down at Dean before looking back at Sam imploringly, "Can't you see? Only I offer you true peace and freedom. Dean can't do that. He can't do that." He took a step forward and almost purred, "My son…"

In a flash, Sam had a gun pointing in his face, but Lucifer was undisturbed by this. Dean followed his lead and pulled out his own gun pointing it at Lucifer as well.

Sam's eyes flashed. "Here's the next thing. I am not your son! Why do you continue to call me that?"

Lucifer smiled gently, "Because I consider you to be so. We are the same, you and I. We understand each other."

Sam shook his head, "No." he wavered once but came back stronger, "No we aren't the same."

"You can deny it, but it won't change what is."

"No." Sam borderline growled.

Lucifer cocked his head, "My son, why do you go back? Why? You've been down that road and you know where it ends."

To Dean great distress, Sam lowered the gun slightly as Lucifer continued, "You know where it ends. This you know. And now you allow Dean to pull you back into the fray like that? Why? You know what you need. You need an end. For it to be over. Not another fight. A fight you know you will lose. Don't let Dean do this to you. Not even him. Do this for you. Do it for you."

"Don't listen to him, Sam!" Dean hissed glaring daggers at Lucifer, "He's playing you. Twisting his words to suit his purpose."

"I am not. I'm just stating facts. You are tired, Sam. You can't change that, you've been through too much. I'm just offering you rest. That's all rest. Just rest."

"Sammy, we talked about this remember. It wouldn't be you to just give up like this. You can't just go out like this."

Lucifer snorted, "You'd have him fighting for the rest of his days. You think he can just continue and not get tired. That's not possible, Dean."

Sam lowered the gun and flopped bonelessly on the porch, holding his head. Dean sat on his right side quickly, "Sam, you can do this. I know you are tired, but you have fought this long. Don't let the Devil of all people take away your fight for something superficial."

"You call eternal rest superficial?" Lucifer snorted.

Dean glared at him, "If it means giving up so easily then yes." He turned back to Sam, "Humans are born to fight. I know we have to fight harder than most. But you can't give up." He remember some of Bobby's words, "What if I decide to give up? Huh? Since you want to give up, maybe I should and then if I do, Bobby does and then if he does, maybe some chick across country will decide to off herself and then some dude in the next state...Sam, we could get really stupid here. Angels already think humans are worthless, don't prove them right. Prove that we are made of something. Don't let him, take away your fight."

Lucifer quietly took a seat on Sam's left. "Son, I'm not trying to take away your fight. I'm giving you a reason not to have to fight anymore. Think about it, Sam. All your life you've been running and running and what has it got you? Look at you. I just want you to be happy."

"Lucy's", Dean snorted, "...reason here...is not a good one. You can't just give up and go to the dark side like this! You've fought that all your life, never wanting to go dark side. You told me, you didn't want to. Sammy, I don't say this to hurt you, but if you go with him, that is exactly what you'd be doing. You'd be giving up and walking into the arms of the dark side. Do not go Darth Vader on me!"

"Dark is relative. Honestly, you are already in the dark. I'm just trying to make it bearable."

"And I'm giving you the light itself, only if you can see that."

"How many times has that light failed you? How many times has the bulb broke?"

"And how many times did we change the bulb and keep going?" Dean was matching Lucifer point for point. He would not lose this. "You are tired, but remember what I said. If you need strength, then you borrow mine. You break awhile but then you repair and keep going."

Lucifer snorted, "Dean here has left you. I would never do that. I would make sure you are alright, through thick and thin."

Something snapped in Dean.

"Don't you dare sit there and talk about going through thick and thin!" Dean roared, glaring ferociously at Lucifer. He ripped his hand up and pointed his gun in his face, "I've been there with him since the day he was born", he hissed, "I practically raised him. I took care of him. I cleaned his cuts and stitched him up. I was there when he cried and I was the one that protected him. I went to hell and back for him. What did you do?"

Dean screamed, "What did you do, you #^*! Nothing! Not a darn thing! You can't come in here pitch some song that sounds good but has no merit. I've proven my merit over and over. Yes, I made mistakes. Yes, we've both made mistakes, but still we rose. And we will always rise in one form or another, because it's what we do! We are not playthings and that's exactly what you are doing! This is just a game to you, a game of chess to get to what you want! Well you aren't gonna take my king, that's for darn sure!"

"So tell me, Devil!" Dean spat, "What have you done? Nothing but cause grief and suffering! What have you done for Sam in any aspect of his life? Absolutely nothing! You just gotten risen a few weeks ago and you think you know Sammy? You think you know him, like I do? You know nothing! Alright sure, you might have some psychic connection, but it all pales to the 27 years of life we shared, thank you very much! All you are is a belly to the ground snake. No, more than that a leech, a jacked up parasite! And guess what, I won't let you take Sam. I will fight to the death for him! You can't have him! Over my dead body!"

Dean slowed down, panting, his face red with anger. He kept shaking as well.

Lucifer looked at him amused and said nothing for a long moment. "And once again I ask, what has that done for Sam?" he finally inquired, "Look at him now. Strength waning and you are selfish enough to not allow him to go into the light."

"You aren't light. There is nothing about you that is light. You are called the Devil for a reason."

"Still doesn't change that you're selfish."

"Maybe I am! But that doesn't change the fact that you are a lying, two-timing…."

"Enough!" Sam cried pushing Dean's arm out of his way to stand up, "Both of you!" He spun around to face the two of them sitting on the porch.

Dean re-raised the gun to Lucifer's head even as he looked at Sam.

"Both of you keep talking and talking and…." Sam sighed. "Both of you each state truth."

"Sam", Dean cried, "He is lying. That's all he does!"

"No, Dean. Truth has two sides."

"Sam, please, you aren't buying this", Dean stood up, his eyes beseeching of his younger brother. He thought they had made progress. He could not lose to Lucifer now.

Sam closed his eyes, "Both of you have a point somewhere, that much I will say. But….." Sam raised the gun and pointed it at Lucifer once again as he opened his eyes.

Dean just stood staring at Sam, still in shock. This roller-coaster ride he been on for the last long while, had finally caught up with him and he couldn't help but to just stand there, barely breathing.

Sam moved closer to Dean, "But, Dean is right. He has more merit than you'd ever have. I had forgotten. And you were no help in remembering, Lucifer. You were playing me, twisting your words. They sounded good, and some of it was truth and I agree, but when it came down to it, I'd choose my older brother if still wanted me for a younger brother. " Here Sam's voice wavered as he glanced uncertain at Dean.

Dean snapped out of it and added his own gun to Lucifer's face and smirked at Sam, "You know I do. Don't ask stupid questions." He felt the relief flowing off of Sam as he moved to stand by his side, placing his hand on his back, trying to will strength into Sam, to enhance the strength growing now.

"I'd be selfish if I left. After everything my brother has done for me, I'd be selfish to leave. He's right, we have to fight. It's selfish to give up when there is even one person that is still around. Your actions has consequences and can impact everyone around you. I had forgotten but I'm remembering now. I'm slowly remembering..."

Lucifer sighed, "For once, my son…."

"Call me that one more time, I'll put a bullet in your head", Sam growled and if the situation allowed it, Dean would have whooped.

Lucifer continued, "For once, think about yourself. Think about what you need and want now what others want and need of you."

Sam paused here a moment and Dean patted his back letting him know he was there. Sam glanced at him, thoughtfully. Dean hoped that is what it was and the Lucifer wasn't getting through to Sam anymore.

"I think…." Sam stared slowly, "I think that….humans, good humans, should by nature have some level of caring within them. If they are…good humans, just humans in general then it shouldn't always be about them. They should care enough about others to continue to fight and in the process, maybe they would get some of the things they want and need. Humans are usually connected and it would selfish for one whole human to stop the chain..."

Dean smiled at this. He knew what Sam was trying to get at. Granted Sam had to think through that, and it came out muddled, but Dean knew what he was trying to say.

Lucifer looked between the brothers before he gave a mocking smile that seemed to make his eyes flat as his true nature seemed to come out. The so called warmth he had seemed to have before disappeared, "This is touching. It really is. The Winchester brothers back together again."

Sam raised his chin and glared coolly down at Lucifer, "Yea, we'll get through somehow. But it's my choice. This is my choice and I choose to stay and make this right. I choose to fight. I choose not to let you tear the only family I got apart. I choose, this. Me and no one else."

"I am your family, Sam."

Dean growled at this and Sam stated, "I don't accept that. I won't. You have done nothing for me. You didn't raise me. You weren't there when I was sick or hurt or upset or anything." Millions of memories passed through Sam's head as he spoke, his eyes misting over in memory. And it didn't hurt so bad to think of them, "You weren't there. You didn't do anything. Therefore you aren't family. Not like Dean or Bobby. Family is more then blood."

Dean couldn't help the proud smirk that played on his face.

Lucifer studied Sam for a long moment before his eyes switch to Dean's who glazed at him coldly. Slowly he stood and dusted imaginary dust off of him. Sam and Dean moved back as Lucifer stepped onto the ground but neither weapon trained on him wavered.

Lucifer slowly nodded. He looked up his eyes cold, "Very well, Sam, but mark my words. You will say yes. It may not be now, or soon but it will be. I'm patient, I've waited this long. I can wait a little longer. Trust me, Sam, you will come to me. This I guarantee."

"I got one for you then." Sam stated softly.

"Yes?"

"I won't say yes, but I will find a way to shut you down. That I guarantee."

Lucifer gave a smile of patience and in a blink of an eye he was gone. The brothers stood rooted for a long moment. It was Dean who finally gave a sigh and dropped his hand abruptly, breathing hard. He looked at Sam who seemed frozen.

"Sam, Sam, it's over now." Said Dean who slowly reached up and took the gun from Sam and lowered his arm.

"What did I do?" Sam whispered forlornly. He had to crash on the steps before he fell down. Dean sat next to him as he asked again, "What did I do?"

"You found your strength. Told off Lucifer." Dean answered with a smirk.

Sam looked at Dean and asked smally, "I did the right thing?"

Dean threw an arm around his younger brother, "Yes, you did. You really did."

"Then why do I feel drained?" Sam sniffed as he reached up to wipe his face, trying to stop the tears before they got started.

Again.

Dean sniffed and blinked rapidly, "You just stared down Lucifer and won. That would make anyone drained."

"You boys okay?" came a gruff but concerned voice as the door eased open.

"Yeah", Dean nodded to Bobby to join them.

Said older man took a seat on the other side of Sam.

A long still moment passed as they each just sat, saying nothing and all thinking about nothing in particular.

Just sitting and enjoying each others company.

It was Dean who finally spoke, his voice husky from emotion as everything finally sunk in. "You made a choice. You did. No one else. You made a choice", he murmured quietly.

Sam looked shyly at Dean with a small smile, "I had help."

Dean smiled. "Yeah, you had help."

TBC…..

A.N: Whoo! The stare-down with Lucifer even made me tired.

Sadly we are almost finished! (Yet on the flip side that might be a good thing as I'm sure, many are tired after reading this ride.)

Next and final, the epilogue!