Chapter 14: The Plan

It was about 1am and Sam was still awake, sat on his bed dressed with pajamas pant and a t-shirt. He knew he couldn't sleep, he was too stressed and his heart was beating too fast for him to be able to sleep. All that because of Lucifer… the idiot, self-sacrificing Devil. But hell, Sam loved him that way. And wanted him that way, safe and sound. Maybe it was silly such worry after a powerful angel, but Sam couldn't help it.

Sam got up fast, trying shake off his worry and he approached Aurea's crib. She also had had an unusual behavior; the whole evening she had been agitated, sometimes she even let out little sobs. Sam wondered if she had sensed something happened to Lucifer or if it was because he was uneasy himself. Either way, Sam thought it was best she didn't sleep in his bed. Sam looked down at his daughter half uncovered and he wrapped her with the blanket. He smiled a little and exhaled; at least one of them was resting. But the happy moment was replaced by worry again.

"Will you calm down a little? You're driving me insane."

Sam startled with the sudden voice and figure in his room, then he looked at Lucifer in a mix of surprise and relive. Sam didn't know what Lucifer was talking about but he didn't care, he just hugged him tight. Lucifer hugged him back, placing his arms around Sam's neck and caressing his hair. They stayed like that for a while, as Lucifer felt Sam relax in his embrace. "Now, that's better."

Only then Sam stepped away. "What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"Well, I was feeling what you were feeling. Usually I can know what anyone's feeling if I want to… but with you, it's different. It's more intense and I could feel it anywhere in the universe. It was like warning signs in my head, and I couldn't turn it off." Lucifer exhaled. "After a while it gets a bit… disturbing."

"… Sorry." Sam said a bit guilty. "I was a bit worried."

"Yeah, I got that." Lucifer got closer to Sam with an amused look and kissed Sam tenderly. "Sorry about the delay, I was in the other side of the universe and it took me a while to get here. I still had to heal myself…" Sam looked to Lucifer's body and there were no wounds, no blood or light. But his clothes were still ripped. "I'm fine now." He reassured Sam.

Sam was calm and he began to feel a bit tired. "I guess I should explain about the situation about my brothers…" Lucifer started.

"Later." Sam interrupted him suddenly. "Now we're going to bed." It sounded like an order.

Lucifer looked at him in surprise and then he smirked. "Sammy, I get all tingly when you take control like that."

Sam rolled his eyes. "To sleep." He thought it was best to point it out.

"Obviously." Lucifer already knew what Sam meant; he was just messing with the human.

They got in bed, Lucifer with only a t-shirt and boxers. Sam snuggled to Lucifer and soon he fell asleep. Lucifer kept making soft massages on Sam's hair for the rest of the night. But he wasn't the only one. In the next room Castiel was doing the same as Dean slept with his head on Castiel's chest. Both angels could sleep if they wanted to, but Castiel didn't want to risk having another nightmare and Lucifer just liked to watch Sam sleep. That was the way they passed the night, each angel with his hunter.

Dean woke up, feeling Castiel's breathing on this head. He trembled a little, which let Castiel know he was awake. "Good morning, Dean."

Dean rolled a bit and blinked a few times. "Good morning, Cas." Facing the angel, Dean kissed him softly. Then he let himself fall on Castiel's chest again. "What time is it?"

"Almost 10 o'clock." Castiel told him.

"Really?" Dean found it odd; he usually didn't wake up so late. But usually he didn't sleep with an angel at his side. Since he started to sleep with Cas, he was waking up later all the time. But Dean didn't complain, in fact he didn't remember when had been the last time he had slept so well. "Come on, we've got to get up." Dean stretched. "Sam must be needing help with Aurea."

"He already has a helper." Castiel told him. Dean sat on the bed with an interrogative look. Before he asked, Castiel told him. "Lucifer returned."

"When?" Dean asked.

"In the middle of the night. I sensed him." Castiel explained as he sat too.

Castiel stared at Dean for a while and Dean broke the silence "What?"

"You're not very happy…" Castiel's words sounded like a mix of pointing and accusing.

"I didn't say anything." Dean said in defense.

"You don't have to." It was clear as water that Dean wasn't pleased with the news. Anyone could see that, and an angel could see it even better. Dean sighed and looked away. "Just try to be nice to Lucifer." Castiel suggested. "He's important to Sam."

Dean closed his eyes. "I know," he recognized. He saw the way Sam had been the day before, worried about Lucifer's safety. Sam didn't say anything that day, but he didn't have to; Dean knew what was going on in his brother's head. It was in that moment that Dean realized it was too late to take Lucifer away from Sam, it was only going to hurt his brother.

Still… his feelings for Lucifer hadn't changed. Castiel kissed Dean's cheek tenderly, which made the hunter smile. "Let's go." Castiel encouraged him.

Dean took a quick shower and got dressed. Then he and Castiel went to join Sam and Lucifer at the kitchen. Sam was preparing breakfast while Lucifer was leaned against the wall facing the stairs. Castiel appeared first.

Seeing his brother, Lucifer said "I see you're an angel again." Lucifer sounded glad.

"Yes…" Castiel said, approaching him. "Thank you for bringing my grace back." He said grateful.

Lucifer nodded slightly "You're welcome, brother." Only then he noticed Dean. "Hello, Dean."

For a moment Sam thought Dean was going to start insulting Lucifer, maybe even start a fight, but for his surprise Dean only said "Good Morning." He said politely.

Lucifer was even more surprised because he could see Dean was upset about him. "Sorry about bringing that mess yesterday. I couldn't have done it all by myself." Lucifer said as Sam joined to the reunion.

Dean wasn't sure of what to say. But then a subject came to his mind. "One question, couldn't you have killed the other angels?" Dean asked.

"I could. I just chose not to." Lucifer said to everyone's surprise. "Too many angels were killed already. During the Apocalypse, the civil war…" He explained. "And I'm going to need them."

"Need them for what?" Dean asked suspicious.

"I've got a plan."

"Great. The Devil has a plan. Why I'm not surprised? I told you-" Dean started shouting, but he was interrupted.

"It has nothing to do with you, so shut up!" Lucifer told him. Dean was ready to reply, but Lucifer continued. "Don't worry, it isn't settled yet." He said in a calmer voice. "In fact, the final answer won't be mine." Then Lucifer turned to Castiel. The Winchester brothers looked at him too. "I'm going to need your help." Lucifer said to his brother.

"With what?" Castiel asked in surprise and also a bit afraid.

"Restoring Heaven." He merely said. But Castiel knew what he was talking about.

"You plan to make our brothers return to Heaven." At first it was supposed to be a question but then it turned into a statement. Either way Lucifer nodded. "How?" Castiel sounded more interested.

"By talking to them. We're all in the same boat; we're all losing our powers… I don't think they'll refuse." Lucifer said confident.

"So why do you need me?" He still didn't know what exactly his role was.

"To keep the peace. Our brothers have different believes and I have to make sure they don't try to kill each other when they met in Heaven and after that." Lucifer explained but Castiel still looked clueless about what it meant. "There are only two types of angels. The ones that are loyal to me, and the ones that are loyal to you."

Then Castiel understood Lucifer's plan. "And you need me to make my followers trust you." Lucifer nodded at him and Castiel was thoughtful for a moment. "After what I did, I don't think they even trust me anymore." Once again the guilt was audible in his voice.

"Between me and you, who do you think they'll trust?" Lucifer tried to give some confidence to his brother.

"And then you'll become God." Dean said to Lucifer with a glare.

"You don't know God, I do. And trust me; I don't want to be him. Because no one can be him." Lucifer told Dean.

"Still, you'll be giving the shots." Dean insisted.

"No. We will give the shots." Lucifer pointed to himself and Castiel, still talking to Dean and then he turned to Castiel. "That is the condition. You're in, or there's no plan."

For a moment Castiel didn't say anything. "There is another way." He wasn't suggesting it, it was wrong. He was just surprised that Lucifer hadn't considered it.

"Yes, I could threaten them. I'm sure they would do whatever I wanted… But what I want from our brothers is loyalty, not fear." Lucifer had tried that way with the Demons and it didn't go well. "I can't take the chance of some of our brothers turn against me later. Not now, that I have things to lose." He didn't specify, but a word to the wise is enough. For a long time he didn't have anything he feared to lose, not even his freedom, but now, he had Sam and Aurea and he couldn't lose them.

Castiel was in silence, with a lot of thoughts and emotions. He didn't know what to say, it was a tough decision. So he was relieved when Lucifer said "There's no rush. Just think about it." Castiel exhaled. "Well, I have to go now. I'll be in touch." Lucifer gave Sam a kiss before disappearing, leaving the house with two stunned humans and a confused angel.