The Green Room

Heaven

"Why were we brought here?" demanded Dean, "it is Zachariah?"

"No," said a voice entering the room and becoming fully formed, "it is Michael."

Everyone turned and looked at Michael. He looked as smooth and professional as he had a few days ago at Stanford. He looked at all of them with keen interest and when his eyes rested on Jasmine, he bowed low.

"Thank you," he said, "you played your role beautifully." He raised himself back up and smiled at her. "You should call the hospital," he said, tossing her the phone, "they have some interesting information about your husband."

Jasmine looked concerned and immediately began dialing. She turned her back to everyone as she engage in conversation with someone. Michael walked over and extended his hand to Dean. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Dean drew back while Michael watched him patiently. Finally, he extended his hand and took Michael's. It was like shaking hand with glass. At that moment, Dean realized that what he was looking at was not real, but some sort of image Michael was able to project. Michael looked amused.

"This thing," said Michael pointing to himself, "is not the real me." He smiled. "If I showed you my true form, your entire body would explode." "This," said Michael, "is my vessel from about 20 years ago." He shook his head. "I know," he said sympathetically, "the look is so 80's."

Jasmine turned and looked at Michael. Her expression was furious and pained. "He's dead," she said gasping, "My husband is dead." She bent over as if she was in pain. Dean went to her and helped her sit in a chair. He turned to glare at Michael who shrugged. Jasmine looked up at Michael. "You promised me." She raised her hands to her face and they were shaking. "I betrayed my best friend."

"Oh details," said Michael dismissively, "he was going to die anyway." Michael sat on the table and cocked his head at her. "If I had saved him now, he was going to die in a couple of years after being attacked by Croats next to a camp where you were living." He winked at Dean. "Dean is your leader." "He tries to save your husband and can't."

"Oh God," moaned Jasmine and buried her face in her hands. Dean put his arm around her and glared at Michael, who seemed amused. He turned when he was tapped on the shoulder by Castiel. The punch by Castiel threw Michael across the room. Michael seemed stunned by Castiel's power and stared up at him as the angel stood over him with balled fists. Michael looked stunned. "Do you remember our history Castiel?"

"Get up," said Castiel tersely, "I may not win, but I'm definitely kicking your ass today."

Michael's stunned looked turned to admiration. "What a peculiar thing you are." Michael rubbed his jaw, which now had a huge crack in it. "You must have really loved her." Michael pulled himself up and looked at Castiel. "Still, it wasn't enough." Michael turned his head from one side to another. "You missed being an angel too much."

"Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself talk?" interjected Bobby.

"Bobby," said Michael, "don't deny that you wanted your legs back."

"I'm not you," said Bobby evenly, "I don't just think about myself."

Michael nodded in agreement. "That's true," he stroked his sore jaw, "and that's a lesson you imposed well on your adopted sons." Michael grinned at Sam. "At least, it worked on Dean."

"Listen to me," said Sam with his voice straining for control, "you think you are better than the rest of us, but you are the same selfish S-O-B."

"You listen to me, boy," snapped Michael finally becoming angry, "I bowed down before humanity when no other angel would; I sacrificed everything and for what?" His voice became louder and angrier. "I loved my father and he abandoned us." "I loved my brother and he betrayed me." "I loved humanity and they chose to embrace evil." He looked over at Castiel. "I loved a woman and she chose someone else."

"So that gives you the right to do whatever you want?" shouted Sam. "Well, let me tell you something, it doesn't." Sam was shaking and Dean could tell he was fighting for control. Dean left Jasmine and went over and stood next to his brother. Sam looked over at Dean and found the strength to go on. "I killed an innocent woman tonight." "I've done horrible things but I always thought I was doing it to help others not because I was selfish."

Michael went silent as he watched the brothers standing together. Despite his closeness to Lucifer, they never stood together. There was too much competition between them to find favor with their father. After Lucifer's fall, Michael was regarded with too much awe for other angels to become close to him. Michael spent the last 2,000 years alone until he met Alison, but not even her warmth and vulnerability could erase the coldness of his heart and he eventually pushed her away.

As Michael processed everything, Castiel, Jasmine and Bobby came to stand with the Winchester brothers. Michael smiled at them sadly. They were all destined to die horribly. Bobby would be shot in his wheelchair unable to defend himself. Castiel would go mortal and lose himself in a sea of drugs and woman until Dean betrays him. Jasmine would fall in love with Dean only to have him betray her too. Sam would say yes to Lucifer believing it would save them all only to have to watch himself kill his own brother.

"You will all die horribly," said Michael quietly. He turned to Dean. "If you say yes to me now, we can end this."

"You manipulated and ultimately killed an innocent woman," said Dean evenly, "I'll die before I help you." Dean stepped away from the group and stood face-to-face with Michael. "You talk about Lucifer and the rest of us being so bad, but you are just as bad if not worse."

"How so?" asked Michael.

"You did horrible things and allowed yourself to believe that you were justified in doing so," said Dean, "I believe that Alison called it the Lucifer Effect."

Michael stepped back away from Dean and looked at them. His face betrayed nothing. Then he focused on Sam and gave a sad smile, "Say hi to my brother for me." He bit his lip. "I believe you'll see him in a few months in Detroit." With that, the room spun into light and color and the group found themselves back in Bobby's repair shop.