[A/N: *fades in from the void* Um….hi? I am….so sorry? Is anyone even still following this I will be truly amazed because it has been literal years and even I am a bit shocked that I am back to finish this garbage heap, but...well. Here we go. This was written at one in the morning rather impulsively, so I'm sorry for errors or general badness ;-; I have no explanation or excuse for my absence, only a (long-awaited?) new chapter to offer up as penance.]

[Just for clarity's sake, when it jumps to Dean's perspective in italics it reverts to back before the epic battle between Gabriel and Lucifer to get a bit of perspective on what was going on with him and Castiel. After that tidbit from Dean it goes back to being basically where the prologue was.]

Chapter 9

Gabriel

It had been eons since Gabriel had seen Lucifer. After fleeing Heaven, he would often remember his eldest brother and feel sympathy for his plight, and Lucifer was one of those he missed most after fleeing the garrison. He'd always felt closer to the Morningstar than to those tight-asses, Michael and Raphael.

Seeing what his brother had done to his lover, Gabriel felt none of the sorrow he had expected.

No, what he felt was the rage of an archangel coursing through his grace, making it swell like a lightning bolt that lashed out and struck Lucifer directly in the chest. Briefly, Gabriel winced knowing that Sam would feel that pain - but if he wanted to win this fight, and he could not afford to lose, then he could not be merciful or gentle.

As he slowly sat up and fixed eyes shining red like hellfire on his face, Gabriel knew that Lucifer certainly wouldn't.

"Castiel," Gabriel spoke in a low voice without ever breaking his gaze from his brother's, "go. Get to Dean. We'll need him."

He didn't wait to hear Castiel's agreement, flaring his wings out and flying into battle. Demons swarmed him, but he smote them with his Grace with minimal effort, they were nothing and he had only one goal. Anything in the way of that had to be crushed, and Gabriel cackled gleefully as he eliminated every obstacle until he stood before an achingly familiar form - both Sam and Lucifer, he knew and loved them both, and seeing them like this, it hurt Gabriel in ways he couldn't describe.

Lucifer watched him with a sardonic smirk. "I'd heard you were dead."

"You heard wrong," Gabriel replied coolly, trying not to show how much this was bothering him. Wrong, wrong, wrong, Gabriel wanted to scream, that's not how Sam looks or acts - you are not him! Sam's soul had always been bright - with Lucifer's Grace mingling in, it was blinding, dazzling, but...Sam's brightness had been clean, pure, whereas Lucifer's flickered with red and yellow sparks like fire, like hell, and it was so wrong seeing that in Sam, so similar to a demon's visage, it made Gabriel sick.

"So it would seem. You don't have to do this, you know," Lucifer told him with false sorrow. Gabriel knew it had to be false, because he was standing in the way of what Lucifer has wanted for centuries now, and Gabriel had learned almost everything he knew about deception and trickery from him.

"I wish that were true, but you want to hurt those I love. I'm done running away."

"That's a shame." Lucifer shook his head - and fluid as a snake, he struck, a tendril of his grace lashing out at Gabriel like a whip. His wing flared out to block the attack, and the sound reverberated in the clearing like a clap of thunder. Pain lanced through Gabriel's Grace but he was swift to retaliate, and they fought in a deadly dance. Grace spiraling and spinning and tearing at each other, lights flashing as they tore at each other.

Gabriel fought with everything he had. But Lucifer was older, stronger, and far more cunning, much as he was loathe to admit it. And when he called further demons in for backup, Gabriel knew all was lost. Far sooner than his pride could be happy with, Lucifer was tearing his wings to shreds while he screamed, careful to contain the sound of his true voice so he didn't accidentally kill Dean or Castiel in his weakened state.

Lucifer chuckled quietly. "You fought well, brother, but this was inevitable." Gabriel wanted to protest, but he was weak and shivery, his throat torn raw and grace oozing out of him from the wounds Lucifer had inflicted. Everything pulsed with pain and he screwed his eyes shut as the final blow came down.

He was only vaguely aware of Lucifer's fist punching through his vessel's chest and leaving a gaping, weeping tear that oozed Grace and blood, his consciousness rapidly fading to hazy blackness as Lucifer tossed him aside to desperately cling to life, hoping what was left of his Grace would be able to heal him.

Sam...I'm so sorry...was the last thing he managed to think before the blackness took him.

Sam

He was helpless. Helpless to watch, awe-struck and terrified, as Gabriel's gorgeous wings flared out and tried vainly to protect him from Lucifer's onslaught. Horrified as wound after wound was inflicted, blow after blow rained down by his fists and the Grace holding him hostage in his own head. Grieving and bereft as that last blow as dealt and Sam screamed but was unable to do so much as twitch his own finger.

Helpless as he watched the archangel he loved tossed aside like a rag doll and turned away so he couldn't even watch him in his final moments, couldn't tell him I'm sorry, I never wanted this, Don't leave me, I'm so sorry...

Helpless as Lucifer turned his gaze on Dean half-carrying Castiel, clearly trying to escape.

No... He tried to plead with Lucifer. Not them, too. You promised. You son of a bitch, you promised!

Lucifer gave no indication he heard Sam as he struck up a lazy stroll, though Sam could feel his own lips curling up in a cold smile.

Dean

Dean was...sleeping? That didn't seem right. He was in darkness, and he couldn't see any which way or move and he felt an immense pressure all around him, squeezing, crushing, trying to compress him out of existence and no matter how he tried to struggle he remained still in the darkness as panic tore at him-

"Dean." A voice, warm and melodic, called to him. "Dean, it's time to come back. I...I'm afraid I've failed in my destiny..."

Dean knew that voice, he was sure of it. He couldn't...seem to place it just now, but it echoed from all around him and it made the darkness press in tighter around him until he cried out in pain.

"I'm sorry, Dean. I wish I could have done better...I have just enough strength to do this last thing for you. Once you're healed, you'll have to fight, as you've never fought before. Good luck...I hope you can save my Father's world."

As the voice faded, the darkness receded and the pressure eased, replaced by a different, lighter darkness and a heaviness that Dean slowly came to realize was his body, laid out on dried grass in a clearing. He ached, but the aches were fading into tingles even as he struggled to open his eyes. He realized dimly that his ears were ringing as he squinted against overcast daylight before his vision was obscured by a face.

I know that face, Dean thought, blinking lazily. Blue eyes bored into his own and the mouth moved desperately - Dean thought he might be saying his name from the shape of his lips, but the ringing was too loud still to be sure - and his skin was wet with tears. The sight made something in him ache and he lifted a hand, heavy as lead, to brush away his tears. "Don't cry," he said, or tried to say - his throat felt raw so he's not sure if the words actually made it out.

A flash of light streaked across the sky and Dean's ears cleared abruptly, allowing him to hear what sounded like a thunder storm ripping through the clearing despite the sky being clear of storm clouds.

"Dean,"the man sobbed, reclaiming his attention. "Dean, you're alive." He was wrenched upright as the man - Cas, Castiel, Dean remembered - pulled him into a crushing hug. He just held Dean for a few moments, rocking him as his shoulders heaved with sobs. As the heaviness faded from his limbs, replaced with a wonderful warmth and lightness that left him feeling energized and strong, Dean returned the embrace.

"Cas," he murmured. "Cas, I told you I'd come back, didn't I?"

Cas thumped his fist against Dean's shoulder as his response, then pulled back and held his face fiercely. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, do you hear me?"

Dean felt a cocky smile curl his lip up. "Yes sir." And then his lips were being claimed in a hungry, demanding kiss as Castiel pressed 'I love you's against his lips, his jaw, his throat, everywhere he could reach, the words whispered into his skin like a prayer as Dean shivered and blushed. "Cas - I -" His tongue felt clumsy, his face hot and his throat tight. His memories abruptly returned and he straightened, eyes wild with panic. "Cas. Sam. What-?"

Cas' face crumpled with sorrow. "Even with Michael, you were unable to defeat Lucifer...he killed you. I was sure you were dead, I don't know how..."

"Michael." Realization and horror dawned on him as he remembered the hazy darkness. "He killed Michael, and Michael...he used his dying moments to preserve me, to heal me, to give us another chance to fight him." Dean squeezed his eyes shut. "What chance do we have..."

"What does that matter?" Cas snapped, shocking Dean so his eyes popped open wide. Cas' eyes blazed like they used to when he was all mojo'ed up and ready to smite someone, and the sight set Dean's pulse racing with adrenaline. "You've never let insurmountable odds stop you before. We will fight, and we will stop this Apocalypse."

Dean swallowed. "Right...you're right, Cas, of course." Dean nodded, and grasped Castiel's hand when he offered it, getting to his feet. Looking around, though, his heart sunk. Gabriel was fighting Lucifer, but demons were surging in and it didn't look good. He exchanged a look with Cas, squeezed his hand, before letting go and racing into the fray.

Castiel

He followed Dean into battle as stalwartly as he'd once followed his garrison. So long as they both breathed, Castiel would follow Dean to the ends of the universe, he knew, and if he died with him, well. He had lived, and loved, and been loved in return (perhaps Dean hadn't said it, but Castiel knew now that his feelings were reciprocated). To die at Dean's side, knowing that his existence had had some meaning, would be an honor.

That didn't mean he wasn't unhappy when a demon got the better of him. He was unable to stop his cry as the demon's blade pierced his side, and stumbled to his knees when it shoved him harshly with a laugh. He distantly heard Dean call his name, but he couldn't afford to look over. Digging his nails into the wound and gritting his teeth through the pain, he drew a symbol in the dirt with his blood in the grass. Reciting an incantation in guttural Enochian, Castiel knew his eyes were flaring white-blue as he slammed his palm down on the sigil. All the demons were immediately banished from their vessels with flashing and Castiel collapsed into the dirt, too weak to hold himself up any longer.

He listened to the fight continue around him, and hoped Dean was alright as his eyes fluttered shut.

He wasn't sure how long passed - not long, probably, since he didn't seem to have lost too much blood and the wound had only just begun to knit back together - when Dean was shaking him, carrying him away. Castiel dragged heavy eyes open to see Lucifer's red eyes watching him from Sam's face with cold amusement. His mind was sluggish, he was only vaguely aware of Dean's vow to go down fighting, and agreeing to go with him.

He was so, so tired.

Yet there was Dean, beautiful, brave Dean, standing tall against the devil inhabiting his brother, proud and strong. Castiel noticed a faint tremor to his hand, so he slipped his fingers around Dean's and squeezed. Startled jade eyes flashed to his before something exquisitely tender filled them as he squeezed back. Their joined hands were steady as they turned back to Lucifer, ready for their final battle.

Right before Lucifer's angel blade clashed against Dean's demon-killing knife, there was an explosion of light. Lucifer was screaming in agony and rage as the point of a blade protruded from his - Sam's - chest. The blade twisted and Lucifer let out one last anguished cry, the earth shaking and an icy wind tearing through the clearing as the shadows of six wings flared out from him before ripping apart in a blinding display of light. Castiel shielded his face against Dean's shoulder and heard Dean's muffled cursing against his hair. When he finally dared to look, Lucifer - Sam - was face down in the grass, three sets of wings charred into the ground around him.

Gabriel stood over him, golden eyes dark and brimming with tears as a bitter smile curled his lips. "I kept my promise."

[A/N: I also did some teensy edits on chapter one, nothing super major just little things and that's the only change I've made.]

[Thanks for reading~ 3]