Chapter 12: Purgatory

Like I said at the end of chapter 11 chapter 12 jumps forward to right after the season 7 finale, but it's still the same story.

Part 1

Right after Cas leaves Dean in Purgatory.

Hell.

Meg was hanging on a rack, cuts running over her entire body. A demon, assigned by Crowley, was curving and cutting in her naked skin. Her screams echoed in the entire Hell, while Crowley was watching.

"Mr. Crowley!"

Crowley groaned and rolled his eyes. "What?" he said short while turning around.

"I found an intruder" a demon said. He was holding Cas' collar and dragging him along. Cas looked up and saw Meg hanging, but he didn't pay much attention to it.

"Well, what do we have here?" Crowley said soft.

"I want to make a deal" Cas said.

Crowley looked at Cas for a few seconds. Then he signed at the demon to leave. "A deal, huh? What did you have in mind?"

"I want you to keep me here. You can do whatever you want with me" Cas started.

"In exchange for what?" Crowley asked.

"You let Dean out of Purgatory" Cas said.

"I don't know about that" Crowley said. "That Winchester has been a pain in my ass ever since I met him. Some time in Purgatory might do him some good"

"You don't want him. You want me. I betrayed you and you've been waiting for a chance to punish me. Well, here's your chance. Take it or leave it" Cas said.

Crowley thought about it for a few minutes. "What about your sweetheart up there?" he pointed with his thumb at Meg. Cas looked at Meg for a few seconds. "I don't care about her"

A big smile appeared on Crowley's face and he grabbed Cas' hand and shook it. Then he whistled. The demon who was torturing Meg came down.

"Hang this one next to her" he ordered.

The demon grabbed Cas' arm and jumped up.

Part 2

Purgatory.

Dean was all alone. Or at least he hoped so. Cas had told him that this was where all evil things go after they die, but so far Dean hadn't seen any and he hoped that it would stay that way until he found a way out.

'Cause that was one thing he was certain of. He was going to get out of here and then he would find Cas and kill him.

How could Cas do this to him? Dean had forgiven him for his betrayal, he had given him a second chance and what did Cas do to thank him? He left him at some dark place where he most likely would be 'ripped to shreds', to say it with Cas' words.

Dean heard a growl and he froze. He looked up and came face to face with a wendigo, standing a few yards away from him. Before Dean could do anything, someone grabbed his arm and pulled him behind a rock.

When he saw her face he wanted to kiss her. That's how happy he was to see her.

"Jo!" he whispered loud.

"Yeah, can we do the group hug later? Right now we need to get out of here" Jo said. She took Dean's hand and dragged him along.

"How long have you been here?" Dean asked.

"Since mom and I died" Jo answered fast. She braked in front of a cave of which the entrance was hidden behind rocks. "Help me remove these"

Dean helped her make a hole through the rocks, big enough to let them through. "You first" he said, acting like a gentleman. Jo crawled inside and Dean followed her. Once they were inside they closed the cave again.

"Guys, I'm back! I brought company!" Jo shouted. A few seconds later two people appeared from behind a corner. Dean had expected to see Ellen, Jo's mother, but not her.

"Hi, Dean" the red-haired angel waved.

"Hello, Anna" Dean said.

Part 3

Sam was back at Rufus' cabin. He walked back to the table where he lit the three candles. He picked up the knife and cut his arm. The blood dripped in the bowl that was still standing in the center of the table. He struck a match a threw it in the bowl and the flames rose up.

At first nothing happened.

"Crowley, get down here! Before I get angry!" Sam yelled furious.

"Alright, alright, don't lose your head" Crowley said. He appeared behind Sam and Sam quickly turned around. Crowley looked at his watch. "I give you two minutes. Make them count"

"Where's Dean?" Sam asked insisting.

"That's why you called me? To help you find your precious big bro? Sorry, Moose, can't help you, won't help you" Crowley said careless.

"And where's Kevin?" Sam wanted to know.

Crowley raised his eyebrows. "That's my concern. Besides, Kevin's having the time of his life" He made a few steps closer. "Listen, here's my offer. I won't tell you where Dean is, but I can get you to him"

Before Sam could take or leave the deal Crowley snapped his finger.

Sam looked around. He was in a dark, forest-like place.

Part 4

Ellen walked towards Dean and Dean expected her to give him a hug. Instead she slapped him.

"What was that for?" Dean exclaimed.

"How could you be so stupid to end up here?" she asked furious.

"I didn't do anything!" Dean defended himself. "Cas and I were taking down Dick Roman, next thing we end up in Purgatory"

"And where's Cas now?" Ellen asked, her arms crossed.

"I don't know" Dean said. "He ditched me. Bastard"

"Guys, I'm sensing something" Anna waved her hand to draw their attention. "Someone's here"

"Can you tell who it is?" Ellen asked. Anna closed her eyes and focused. She looked at Dean. "It's your brother, Sam"

"I'll get him" Jo sighed.

"I'll go with you" Dean said. Jo wanted to protest, but Dean stopped her from saying anything. "He's my brother. I have to go"

"Fine" Jo gave in. She searched in her bags and handed him a stake. Dean stared at the stake. "Take it. Guns won't do much good here, so we have to make our own weapons"

Dean accepted the stake and they crawled out of the cave.

Part 5

The demon who had been torturing Meg had left her and Cas alone for a moment, giving them, completely unintentional, the chance to say a few words to one another.

"Hmm" Meg sighed. "So…is this awkward or what?"

Cas didn't respond.

"Okay, listen up, I usually don't do this, so don't get used to it" Meg said. She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry"

Cas widened his eyes and rotated his head to Meg, but Meg was looking eyes front.

"You know, for lying to you and not telling you who you are" she continued, feeling Cas' eyes on her and so she rotated her head a well. "Believe it or not, I really was trying to protect you. And I hoped you would kill Crowley"

"I forgive you" Cas said.

"But what I don't understand is why you didn't say anything when you saw me with Dean" Meg said. "You know, when he found you in Colorado"

Cas looked down and up again. "I thought he was one of the men that were looking for me. You said that you and I just met that very moment and I assumed you lied, because you thought that if he knew we did know each other both our lives would be at stake"

"Good thinking" Meg said after a while.

They heard a cough and looked down.

"Don't jump each other's bones just yet"

The demon was back.

Part 6

The demon jumped up and floated in front of Meg.

"Missed me, pumpkin?" he smirked. He noticed Meg's clothes were restored and her cuts where healed. "We should do something about that"

He ripped her shirt open and Cas looked aside, something that didn't go unnoticed. "I think you've got yourself a spy, Meg"

"Leave her alone" Cas said sharp.

"Okay, because you ask so nicely" the demon said sarcastic.

"She's suffered enough. Take me now" Cas insisted.

Another smirk appeared on the demon's face and he averted his head to Cas. "Angel's being a little impatient, isn't he? You wait your turn, Cassie boy. Don't be scared, we'll give you an extra long session" the demon promised.

He turned back to Meg. "Now, where were we?"

He placed the knife on Meg's naked belly and cut.

"Ouch!" Meg exclaimed. She looked down at her hand. Cas was holding it really tight. She looked up and saw Cas hurt expression. She frowned and looked at her belly again. Even though cuts appeared on her body, it was Cas who was dealing with her pain.

She tried to free her hand, but Cas was holding her too tight.

Part 7

Dean an Jo had successfully brought Sam to the cave.

"You know, the goal was to get me out of here, not to get yourself in" Dean said and Sam shot him an annoyed glance. "Sorry. So, where's Cas?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen him. I thought he was here, with you" Sam said.

"Figures" Dean said bitter. "Son of a bitch doesn't have the guts to show his face anymore"

"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation" Sam said uncertain. He didn't want to believe Cas had betrayed them again. After all, Cas had healed Sam from his mental illness.

"Yeah, right now I really don't care" Dean said.

They were accompanied by Anna and Dean automatically walked away to Jo.

"He's still angry" Anna noted.

"It's not you" Sam sighed. "He's angry with Castiel"

"Cas, me" Anna summed up. She looked up at Sam. "Why aren't you angry with me? I tried to kill you"

"I am angry with you" Sam said. "I just refuse to put all my energy in it"

"Well, I'm sorry" Anna said. "I mean it"

"I believe you" Sam said. "Just promise you won't try it again"

Part 8

Meg and Cas were alone again. The demon had left to get the right material to torture Cas.

"I hope you don't expect me to feel guilty" Meg said. "You chose to take my pain. You can't hold that against me"

"I'm not" Cas said. "It was the right thing to do. You helped me through my mental breakdown. I should do something to show you my gratitude"

"Cas, I only stayed with you to gain your trust. I didn't do it because I care for you" Meg said. She couldn't have a fallen angel crushing on her.

"Well, congratulations, you have it. My trust, I mean" Cas replied. "I know you don't care for me. Not like a human can care. But the last few months you've been the closest thing to a friend for me. And regardless your intentions I am grateful for that"

"Okay, hold it, before I start shedding tears" a voice from below said.

An instant later a demon appeared in front of them. It was a different demon. He smiled evil and conjured an angel sword. Cas' angel sword.

"Your little girlfriend over here was so kind to hand this over. She believed it would be easier for us to have some fun with you if we have this"

He placed the point of the angel sword in the center of his thorax, stabbed in his skin and dragged it down, ripping the hospital shirt right down the middle.

Part 9

"There has to be a way out of here" Dean said frustrated.

"You think we haven't tried to find one?" Ellen fired back.

"Not hard enough" Dean snapped. He turned to Anna. "If a fallen angel who's lost his mind can zap himself out of here then why can't you do something?"

Anna frowned her eyebrows. "You are not putting this on me" she said angry. "Crazy or not, Cas is a lot more powerful than I am. But I don't think Cas actually zapped himself out of here. I think someone brought him back to earth. We can't all be daddy's favorite" Anna finished with a bitter undertone. Dean almost believed Anna was jealous.

Back on earth, in an abandoned and ruinous building someone drew a sigil on a wall with blood. Then he took a step back.

"Ianua Magna Purgatorii
Clausa Est Ob Nos
Lumine Eius Ab Oculis
Nostris RetentoSed Nunc Stamus Ad Limen Huius
Ianuae Magnae Et Demisse
Fideliter Perhonorifice
Paramus Aperire EamCreaturae Terrificae Quarum Ungulae
Et Dentes Nunquam Tetigerunt
Carnem Humanam Aperit Fauces
Eius Ad Mundum Nostrum Nunc
Ianua Magna
Aperta Tandem!"

The cave was filled with a bright light and Dean, Sam, Jo and Ellen shut their eyes, thinking something was wrong with Anna; they didn't want to turn blind.

Dean was the first to open them again. He blinked to make sure his eyes weren't cheating him.

"Guys, I think it's safe" Dean said.

They opened their eyes and Dean heard Jo and Ellen gasp.

"Are we back on earth?" Anna wanted to know.

"I would say yes" Dean answered.

"But how?" Sam wanted to know.

"The question's not how" Anna said. "The question's who"

Part 10

Back in Hell, Cas could barely keep his eyes open, but each time he was about to lose conscious the demon made another cut in his already mutilated upper body.

While the demon enjoyed his assignment Meg tried to free herself. Her wrists were pierced with hooks and they hurt terribly, but she figured if Cas could handle her pain and his own, she would be able to get through this.

"You're so awfully quiet, Cassie" the demon said. "Why so asocial?"

The demon pierced the sword in Cas' side, looking provocative at the angel. "Come on, scream or cry, I don't care"

Cas looked up with bloodshot eyes. He stared at the demon and spit blood in his face.

"Bad move, Cassie" the demon said. He waved with the sword and aimed for Cas' heart, when Meg swung one of her chains around his neck. The demon tried to pull it off, but Meg jerked it until she heard a snap. She let go of the chain and the demon hung on the rack.

"He's not dead" Meg said. She freed her other hand. She climbed towards Cas and pulled the hooks out of his wrists. "We have to get out of here before he wakes up or before Crowley knows what's happening"

She pulled Cas' arm over her shoulder and climbed up the rack, while supporting Cas.

"Going somewhere?"

Meg ignored him and climbed higher up. Crowley snapped his finger and Meg and Cas fell off the rack.

"I believe I asked you a question" Crowley said.

"I'm kind of tired of this place" Meg answered.

"Well, I'm kind of tired of you" Crowley said. "Maybe we should do something about that first"

Suddenly Cas felt a firm grip on his shoulder and he quickly grabbed Meg's arm.

The next moment they felt a cold wind. Meg opened her eyes and took a few fast breaths.

"We're free, Cas" she sighed relieved. "Cas?" she said when he didn't answer. She looked around, until she saw Cas' lifeless body.