Chapter 21: The Devil Within part two

Kevin just stared at Daniel and disregarded the soup that was delivered to him letting it go cold. Daniel just calmly kept eating his dinner.

"Why would I want to join you?" asked Kevin after a while.

"Why wouldn't you?" he countered. "Do you want to stay with the Winchesters?" Daniel saw that Kevin wasn't speaking so he continued. "Kevin, if you choose to stay with them then I'm going to warn you ahead of time that you won't ever live out your full potential with them."

"What do you mean 'my full potential'?"

"You are a Prophet of the Lord Kevin. You were meant to serve and assist in safeguarding Heaven. The Winchesters will only keep using you as their own personal encyclopedia to abuse the balance and natural order, which I'm sure that they've already done to you."

"They haven't abused me," he defended. "Yeah, they aren't exactly care givers but they've kept alive."

"Yes, to use you. Kevin, the angels have fallen and we've learned that a Knight of Hell has returned and is starting a Civil War within Hell. Call me crazy but me, the Battalion and the Powers have a strong suspicion that the Winchesters had a crucial part in all of it. If they did then I'm sure that it was due to whatever they had you decipher from the two tablets that you've collected."

Kevin didn't want to say anything to confirm anything. The Fall of the Angels wasn't Sam and Dean's fault but Abaddon had been. Not to mention that Cain was also now walking the earth. The latter happening because Sam hadn't completed the third trial and Dean doing something to keep his brother alive despite the fact that he should've died after the third trial regardless.

"You don't know that for sure," he pointed out.

"I don't not know that," he said back. "Besides, we're talking about you, not them. Kevin, do you even have any plans for yourself? When the Words of God are finally translated, what will you do with your life after?"

"I…I don't know. I wanted to go to Princeton but now I can't. I can't go anywhere."

"Why not? The Battalion has connections and funding. We could help you get the schooling you want."

Kevin leaned back a bit. "You can?"

"They did for me. The Battalion helped pay for me to go to school for four years and I got my Bachelor's."

"But…you're doing all of this?" he said waving his arms around.

"Because I choose to. Before I even learned I was a Heavenly Saint I wanted to help. That's why I studied and majored in theology, history and philosophy. It's helped make my work in the Battalion easier. I feel it's what I both have to do and want to do. What do you want to do with the rest of your life? Do you want to be like Dean and Sam Winchester? Driving around in that car across the country and living in cheap motels and cut yourself off from people with only them and their issues being your main focus?"

"No I don't," he said quickly.

"Well that's what it could become. After you've translated the tablets for them then what use will you be for them after that? What will you do with the rest of your life? I'm sure that you don't want to hunt and fight monsters until one of them gets the drop on you, do you?"

"No," he said again a little louder and even hitting the table.

It drew some people to look at them forcing Kevin to settle down a bit.

"Then what are you going to do?" Daniel asked when they had their privacy again. "Have you even discussed your future with Dean and Sam?"

"That's not really the kind of stuff I can really talk to them about."

"Why not? Are you afraid that they won't help you with that? Or that they won't even care?" Again, Kevin fell silent. "I might be in this life but I still hope to find a girl and start a family one day. My brother hopes I do too."

"Your brother?" Kevin didn't remember Daniel mentioning a brother before. Or anything about his family. "Where's your brother in all of this?"

"He's my older brother and he's part of the Battalion, unofficially. He used to be a simple security guard but he feels that he's found his calling in all of this. I don't get to really speak to him very often but he and I are still close." His eyes showed off the fondness he felt at the thought of his sibling.

"Why? Where is he?"

"Oh he's off doing his own part for all of this. Look, the point is that we know and chose our futures. The Winchesters were forced on you Kevin. Now there is an alternative. You can help us with what we need to do with the Grail and anything else that you feel that you can and are willing to do for the effort afterwards. You're free to choose though. Isn't that what Dean Winchester always says? That we can choose?"

Kevin had to really consider this. He knew that he couldn't escape this life, he accepted that. But…did he want to live this life tied to Dean and Sam and Castiel for the rest of it? He saw that the three of them were miserable and haunted the more he spent time with them and the thought of that being him scared him. Yet, looking at Daniel, burdened by this amount of responsibility at his age, like him, and here he was looking strong and confident. He was whole and didn't seem to be clinging to his work like a lifeline. He made this life sound like a…career and not a ball n' chain.

Yet, if he went with Daniel then he would lose out on finally avenging his mother and Channing. Crowley was still their prisoner and he owed it to the two of them to stay and end the one who hurt and killed them and him and prevent anyone else from suffering the same. That itself was worth more than any secured future he could have. Then there was Dean and Sam and how they had still fought for him and the other prophets to save them from Crowley. Then how they saved him from Crowley again. Sure they had left him for a year but Dean had been away in Purgatory and Sam had thought that he was done for and he had forgiven him. If he left then he would be betraying them and he didn't want to do that.

"I don't think I can," he said.

Daniel nodded solemnly. "Like I said…it's your choice. I'll still be here till the end of the week if you change your mind."

Daniel paid for both their orders and wished him a good night. Kevin went to slurp his now lukewarm soup as he wondered if it was the right choice or not.

Abel was riding shotgun in a car as Nathaniel was driving the long van with their collection of Malachi's former followers. Another two vans were behind them carrying the rest. Abel had just called off the search for Castiel. With the lack of trails or traces on the mountain they had to rule him lost. He was just looking ahead with mild irritation. They were heading for Joseph's stronghold to present all these new angels.

A small ring sounded from Abel's pocket and he reached for his phone and the ID read that it was Joseph.

"Hello sir," he said as he answered. "I'm heading for you now with all of Malachi's former recruits."

"Good. Exactly where are you?"

"We're currently halfway through Tennessee."

"Excellent, I need you to make a detour to Poughkeepsie, New York."

"Sir?" he asked.

"I just received a report from Jedediah. It seems as if he and Daniel have located and retrieved the Holy Grail."

"They have?!" Abel said drawing in some curious stares from the other occupants in the van but he ignored it. "Then it seems we have cause to celebrate."

"We would if Jedediah didn't complete his report," Joseph said grimly.

Abel's grin fell. "What do you mean?"

"Daniel also located Kevin Tran. The two of them were speaking the other night when the both of them simultaneously felt a stirring in the world. It gripped the two of them quite hard. Daniel told Jedediah that they felt something had come. Something bad."

Abel was feeling disturbed. For both a Prophet of the Lord and a Heavenly Saint to both feel something that powerful then it must be serious. "Did we know what caused the stirring they felt?" he asked his superior.

"No, and that's why I need you to investigate. Nazareth is over at the west coast and Ezekiel is here with me so you are the closest to Poughkeepsie."

"And why do you believe that Poughkeepsie holds the answer?"

"That was where the Winchesters were last spotted a few days ago. There should still be a trail for us to pick up."

"What would they have to do with the stirring sir?"

"For Daniel and Kevin Tran to feel that strong a disturbance then it is something that could shake the stability and safety of Heaven and Earth. If there is anything that serious further threatening the stability of the world then I'm willing to bet those two are at the crux of it."

It was hard to argue with that logic. Those two have a knack for making everything fall apart. "I'm on my way."

Abel hung up and called the other cars to tell them of their new destination as he told Nathaniel that himself. Abel was upset that he was being further delayed in trying to track down his brother but he knew that this had to be handled first. He understood that he had to prioritize if things were to improve for everyone, unlike what the Winchesters have done in the past. Sometimes he wondered how those two could truly have any relation to him.

Dean was still frozen in place as he tried to not only contemplate that there might be someone that was thought to be an even more evil angel than Lucifer but that he was in his brother. While he was still staring off Castiel stood over to be directly in front of Gadreel across the flames.

"This changes nothing," he growled. "You still allowed the serpent into the Garden because of you being weak to Samael's tricks. You still failed Heaven with your blunder."

Gadreel tightened the hard look in his eyes as he locked with Castiel's eyes. "What right do you have to take that tone with me? From what I've heard Metatron say, he pulled you by the front of your nose in expelling all the angels from Heaven."

Castiel felt a sting at Gadreel's words. He actually fell back a step but still kept his glare on the renegade.

Gadreel continued. "I've heard that dozens of our brothers and sisters hadn't survived the Fall. Sophia, Randolph, Joshua to name a few. I may have failed Heaven in my duty but you destroyed it Castiel. Your crimes are far worse than mine ever was."

Castiel took a deep breath and exhaled harshly. "Enough," he growled silently.

Gadreel smirked as he saw that he was getting under Castiel's skin. He felt that it served him right. He wanted to twist the knife even deeper.

"Why? You seemed to want to throw judgments and accusations a moment ago? Or does it lose appeal when it is clear you won't win?"

Castiel wanted nothing more than to pound and kick all his own frustration out at Gadreel right then and there but it seemed that Dean had snapped out of his personal torment.

Dean took his gun and let a shot loose up in the air halting the two angels from quarreling any further. "Shut up! The both of you! Cas, there is bigger things going on then you two seeing who is the bigger dick here."

Castiel was still angry but a part of him knew that he would have to wait. They needed to find Samael and Sam first. For that, they still needed Gadreel. "Why did Metatron meet with the two of you?"

"I don't know," he said.

Dean let loose a shot at Gadreel which hit him in the shoulder. It didn't do any harm to him but Dean felt some of his own stress bleed out along with the angel's blood. "Don't give us any of that crap!" he snapped. "Now what the hell did Metatron want to talk with you and Samael for?"

Gadreel looked down at the bullet hole and then waved his hand over it to instantly mend it. "You are a complete savage Dean Winchester," he said looking over at him.

Dean raised the gun higher. "Let's see if you can heal one that goes right between the eyes."

"Dean!" Castiel shouted at him. "I understand and I know you're worried about Sam but shooting Gadreel will not get us any closer to doing anything for him."

For a few moments, it looked like Castiel's attempt at reasoning with him wasn't going to hold. Dean kept his aim locked firmly on Gadreel's head but silently cursed as he then lowered the gun.

Gadreel looked Dean up and down. "I have to ask you Dean Winchester; are you upset that you lost your patience or that you lost the chance to attack and torture me?"

"Cut out the third degree and tell us what we want to know already! What did Metatron want with you and that angel in my brother?"

"I told you already, I don't know." Dean looked like he would raise the gun again and shoot without hesitation this time but Castiel held his shoulder. "Brutalizing me or not wasn't going to change my answer. I truly don't know and causing me pain won't make me know what I don't. If you don't believe me then feel free to savage me. I will warn you that it will get you nothing." Gadreel was quite calm when speaking of being tortured by these two. Before the Fall, there were few days were he hadn't been subjected to brutality from the prison's guards. He is quite used to it and he doubted that this human and angel, as revered as they were, would give him anything that he wasn't used to.

Castiel leaned in to Dean. "Dean, I think he is telling the truth. He doesn't know Metatron's motives or plans."

"Then why are we wasting time with him? He's useless. Let's kill him and go find Sam. We have the guy's name, Samael. We could work some hoodoo and find him."

Gadreel straightened himself up. "I can't help but overhear you two. You two are free to kill me but let me point out that Samael is an archangel and one that is regaining his full power. He nearly has his wings back."

Dean was confused. "I thought all of you lost your wings."

"Samael has been rebuilding himself for months. His wings have nearly been fully rebuilt. He told me that they were a few weeks from being strong enough to use."

Castiel's face widened in horror. "No, that's not possible."

"Not in the vessel he is occupying," Gadreel pointed out. "The bloodline is directly descended from Adam and Eve's grace. Even if you do find Samael, you won't be able to hold him as easily as me with a ring of holy fire."

Dean remembered that Samael had said that Sam was a strong vessel and could help him heal. At the time, he didn't think much on it but it looks like this wicked angel wasn't just using Sam as a shell but a fortress. From Cas' face Dean saw that Gadreel's words had true weight behind them.

"No, we held Raphael in holy oil," Dean pointed out.

"Dean, Raphael's vessel was a secondary choice. If he had been in a stronger vessel then the holy fire wouldn't have held him. If Gadreel is right and Samael has regained that much strength then the holy fire would be as binding as masking tape."

Dean couldn't believe this. It's was as if every minute everything about all of this got worse.

"But there is a way," said Gadreel. "I know of a special enochian bind that can hold one of Samael's power for a good while."

"Good, what is it?!" Dean instantly demanded. "Give it to me right now."

"No," said Gadreel plainly. "If you want to have the seal then it will cost you."

Dean rolled his eyes. Of course there would be a damn catch. "What the hell do you want?"

"Freedom," he answered.

Samael was leaving the apartment of the stripper that he had managed to snag after his meeting with Metatron with a relaxed smile on his face. He began to walk down the street to where his car was parked in the lot by the building when the lights above him started to flicker. Samael stopped to gaze at them and then felt something cold materialize behind him. It was a demon. But not just any demon.

Samael was relaxed and put on a smile. "It's been a while."

The archangel spun around slowly and looked upon the image of Cain as he stood there before him with his hands tucked in his pockets. Samael could see the holster wrapped around his waist and saw the First Blade hanging off his left hip.

"Yes, it has Samael. It's good to see you again."

"And it's good to see you out and about without your chains weighing you down my boy."

"There's no way to confirm that," he pointed out but shrugged. "Not like it really matters to me. Either you or Adam, both my fathers left me to fend for myself."

"Are you trying to put your blame on me or your thanks? You're not being very clear on that Cain."

He just glared at the archangel. "What does it matter now is that I'm out."

"And do you know how it was that you are free Cain?"

"Honestly, I never tried to look my gift horse in the mouth."

Samael smirked at him. "That actually is a smart move for the most part. Yet, for things like this knowledge is power if you know where and when to use it."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll understand after you've heard what I've told you. But first, you should know that I'll be calling for your help."

Cain folded his arms at Samael. "Really?"

"Yes."

Samael laid it all down for Cain. The Winchesters and the trials of Sealing Hell that they failed to complete and resulted in his freedom. He also explained about the Powers and of a new Heavenly Saint trying to free Michael and the need for a new army to counter Michael's impending one.

Cain listened silently. He only spoke once Samael was done. "You do realize that if they are successful then this couldn't be at a more unfortunate time. There wouldn't be enough angels for your side. You'll be needing demons. A lot of them which won't be easy right now. Hell is currently in the midst of a war with Abaddon and King Crowley on opposite ends."

"Oh, I'm aware of that. If this plan is to work then we'll need for there to be a victor in that first."

"Yes, I'm aware of that."

"Then you should also be aware that even though Crowley's side is lacking enthusiasm with his captivity there is still a degree of fear to openly oppose him. Gathering followers from the existing demon populace is still proving mildly difficult. But Abaddon is compensating by twisting Heaven bound souls into demonic ones. Demons that know no other allegiance than to her and no fear. So far, she had a few dozen new dedicated demon soldiers made but there are more on the way. As long as both Abaddon and Crowley are about then it will be difficult for us to pull the demons attention towards you."

"You're right," Samael nodded. "Hell needs a clear winner and…the right one."

"I don't want to bother with a war within Hell. It's too unsatisfying to kill things that would rather die than go back to Hell."

Samael waved that off. "Don't worry about the demons Cain, I will handle that. You won't have to bother with them until after the civil war business is handled. In the meantime, you'll have your own personal mission."

"Oh I will, will I?" Cain's tone was condescending towards him but Samael didn't care.

"You will. Don't worry. It's one that I'm sure that you will find a degree of pleasure in. Who knows…you might even have some fun with it."

"What do you want me to do?"

Samael looked Cain straight in the eye. "Kill."

"What?"

"You heard me. Kill and open a certain hunter's eyes to the bliss that you seem to find in it. He has the potential that you once had. Help him reach it."

Cain just stared back at the archangel with a blank look on his face as his right hand went to grip the hilt of the First Blade tied to his side.

Dean and Castiel were in the car that as they were heading back for the Bunker.

"I can not believe that you just let him go," Castiel growled. "You do understand the trouble that he has caused, don't you Dean?"

Dean kept his eyes firmly on the road. "Get over it Cas. Gadreel isn't our number one problem right now," he growled impatiently. "It's Samael that we have to deal with first."

Castiel closed his eyes and let out a small gasp of stress. "You are right. Samael is the greater danger now." Castiel looked at the paper from which Gadreel had drawn the Enochian binding seal.

Dean saw Castiel studying it from the corner of his eye. "Is that the real deal? Will it work on Samael?"

"Yes…I believe it will. It won't be concrete but it should hold him long enough for us to expel him from Sam."

"Good, now let's find the bastard. You can work one of your spells to find him, right?"

He shook his head. "No, Samael is too powerful for the spell to work. No doubt that he would be hiding his presence from all other angels."

"Damn it," Dean grunted. "Then how the hell are we going to find him?"

"Settle down Dean," the angel urged him. "We will track him down like any other target. It may take time but we will find him. You have to have patience."

Dean tried to force the wave of stress that was gripping him. "I know Cas, it's just…he's in Sam and who knows what he is doing while he is riding him. We have to get him out."

Castiel hesitated on this part but it had to be said. "That's another problem."

"What?"

"Dean, even if we do find Samael and are fortunate enough to trap him, how are we going to go about in removing him? Angel possession is not like demon possession. You can't exorcise him with a chant of latin."

"Then how do we get an angel out of a person?"

"There might be something in the Angel Tablet but other than that, I only know one other way to evict an angel."

"On the off chance that God didn't put an eviction notice for angels on that thing, what?"

"Do you remember Samandriel, Alfie?"

How could he forget the angel of Weiner Hut? "Yeah, what about him?"

"When he was taken prisoner Crowley was able to tap into his being within his vessel. I won't lie Dean, it wouldn't be pleasant for your brother to go through. Yet, it may hold the key to removing Samael from Sam."

"Whoa, whoa!" Dean shouted as he held a hand out. "Are you saying that we have Crowley help us?!" He didn't want to let Crowley work anything on his brother.

"Believe me Dean, if I was sure of anything else than I wouldn't be even speaking of this. Unfortunately he might be the only one that can do anything against someone like Samael."

Dean gripped the steering wheel with a rock hard grip. He could already see the smug look on Crowley's face already.

"No, we'll ask Kevin. I'm sure that he's translated enough of the angel tablet to find something about expelling angels from it."

"And if he hasn't?" asked Castiel.

Dean glared at the road ahead of him as if personally offended him. What else could go wrong?

It was the middle of the following night when Gadreel managed to find his way back to the city and back to his car on foot. While he had managed to have Dean Winchester and Castiel release him, he had to return on his own. The distance didn't bother him at all but all this delay grated on his nerves. As he closed in on his car, he saw there were two angels waiting by it. They turned to look at him as soon as he set eyes on them and started to walk over. Gadreel turned to walk the other way but found three angels walking towards him from the other side. They were boxing him in.

Gadreel walked into the alley close by to find that the other side of it was blocked off by five angels. The path he came from had the five other angels blocking it and effectively trapping him.

"Surrender peacefully and there is no reason for any harm to have to come to you," said a distant voice to him.

"How am I to believe that?" Gadreel asked sounding braver than he felt.

The five angels behind him cleared a path and an angel walked up to him calmly. Gadreel hadn't seen too many angels outside the beginning generations but there was something about this one that felt familiar to him for some reason.

"I'm a man of my word, or at least I was when I was a man," he said chuckling at the afterthought.

That smile…he knew it. It was one from another human had that he had used to glimpse from afar.

"Abel?" Gadreel gasped out.

"Surrender?" Abel asked disregarding his shock.

Gadreel produced his blade which made everyone else draw theirs except Abel who just stared back at him blankly. Gadreel stared hard at Abel's gaze before he tossed his blade over at Abel's feet.

"I surrender."

Abel nodded. "Take him," he ordered as he picked up Gadreel's surrendered blade. "Gently," he barked when he saw the others getting rough with him. "We have much to discuss and I prefer him to be in a divulging mood. It's a long ride back to the Pavilion."

It took another day before Dean and Castiel reached the Bunker. Kevin was in the study with the Angel and Demon Tablets. He wasn't working on translating them but just staring at them as everything that Daniel said and everything he's been through constantly replaying in his head for the last day and a half. Kevin may not have wanted to betray Sam and Dean by leaving but Kevin also didn't want to betray Daniel by blabbing everything that they did and he said for the last couple of days. Kevin was mentally listing and categorically putting everything he learned in what was safe or not safe to share with Sam and Dean when the front door opened and Dean and Castiel walked in.

"Dean and…Castiel?" he said a bit confused. He thought that Castiel had gone off to be on his own. He kept looking expecting Sam but the closed the door after them. "Where's Sam?"

"Kevin, we need your help," Dean said going over to him.

"Sure, with what?"

"Is there anything in the Angel Tablet about getting an angel out of a vessel without hurting the person they are riding?"

"Um…I don't know."

"You don't know?!" he barked.

"Dean, you keep switching me to prioritize between the Angel and Demon Tablets like a pendulum. You and Sam asked me to look at the Demon Tablet to see if there was anything about Cain and Knights of Hell, remember? Then you asked me to look for the section where the spell Metatron used was on so I've been zigzagging between the two."

"And you found nothing yet? All this time and nothing?" he said a little agitated.

Kevin was starting to feel a little scared by the look that Dean seemed to have in his eyes. Castiel went over to stand in Dean's way.

"Dean, you have to calm yourself."

Dean ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "Yeah…look I'm sorry Kevin but it's not been a very good week so far."

"What happened? And where's Sam?"

"We don't have time to talk. Look…Kevin, I need you on the angel tablet right now and look for ways to pull angels out of people. It's important."

"Dean, why do you want to know that?" What was this all about? Dean seemed to make it sound like it was a matter of life and death.

"Damn it Kevin, just do it!"

"Okay," he said quickly holding his hands up in surrender. "I'm going."

He pulled the angel tablet and looked at it for an hour before Dean came back in the room having showered and changed his clothes.

"Anything yet?"

Castiel who had been sitting with Kevin stood up. "Dean, it's only been an hour. You have to give him more time than that."

Dean ran his thumb and forefinger across his forehead to try and pressurize the stress. They didn't have the time. It had already been over three days. He didn't want this angel to get too far and have his trail disappear completely.

"Cas, we don't have the time. You know that."

Castiel's face went grave. "If you can't wait then there is only one option left."

Dean then hit the table. "Yeah," he said before taking off.

Castiel followed after him and Kevin decided to get up too. The two of them looked like men on a mission and he was still lost on what was going on. This no doubt had to something to do with Sam but neither of them were saying anything. He followed them until they came up to the dungeon. They were going to see Crowley. Why?

Dean hated that he was running to Crowley to help him save Sam but it looked like they had no choice. He opened the dungeon and Crowley was there, still tied and bound like he left him but looked up at him with a mild smirk nonetheless.

"Hello Dean. Fancy seeing you again." He then looked off at Castiel and smiled at him. "Well, well, Castiel. You're glowing."

"What?" asked Kevin as he looked at him. "You mean…

He stretched his next two words amusingly. "He's back, " Crowley smirked. "So, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Shut up Crowley. I'm in no mood for your crap today."

"Ooh," he said sucking in some air and making an O with his lips. "Someone's touchy this morning. What's wrong Dean?" He then looked and saw someone missing from the collection of people that walked in. "Ah…did Moose prance off again?"

"We need to know how to remove an angel from their host," Dean demanded.

"Really?" Crowley said mildly fascinated. "Why?"

"Screw you, that's why. Just tell us how," he barked.

"Well…removing an angel is a science. There's a process and a procedure to the whole thing. It's not exactly something I can put on a flash card for you to study."

"Then give us the cliffnotes!"

Crowley smirked at him. "What's going on Dean? You look like you're ready to hang off my every word. Usually the only time you're this set on foraging for nuts from me is when you have no place left to go for them." Dean just glared at him but Crowley was able to put it together. "It's Sam, isn't it? You want to know how to remove an angel from their meatsuit because that suit just happens to be your brother."

"What?" asked Kevin. "Dean, is that true?"

His refusal to answer Kevin was the answer he needed. Dean just reached in his pocket and pulled out the knife and grabbed the scruff of his dress shirt and held the blade towards Crowley's throat.

"Just tell me how to get an angel out of him already," he spat at him.

Crowley just smiled at the threat of the blade. "Sorry Dean. Like I said, it's a process and every case is different. Some nuts are easier to crack than others. I can't tell you what to do if I don't see the patient."

"Well, we don't know where he is so you can't do a diagnosis. Just give us the damn recommended prescription."

"Oh, I may be able to help with that. I have someone that might be able to help track your brother down."

"Really?" Dean said doubtfully.

Castiel was off to the side. He had a feeling of where this might be heading. "What do you want Crowley?"

"You want to have my help than I want something. I've been throwing you treats for months and now I want something from you."

"What?!" Dean barked.

"I go free. Scot free."

"No way in Hell," said Kevin.

"Was I talking to you?" he said condescendingly. "I was talking to the Squirrel here. You want the nuts then you have to pay homage to the tree. You set me free Dean then I'll help you find and push the angel out of the Sam Winchester Penthouse."

Kevin looked to Dean who was just glaring at Crowley. He looked like he was actually considering this.

"Dean! Don't tell me you're actually thinking about this! We can't let him go!"

"Be quiet Kevin," he ordered.

"No! I won't be quiet Dean! What the hell is going on?!"

"Kevin," he tried again.

Kevin cut him off. "Why is there an angel in Sam? Why would he let himself be possessed? What is this really about? What happened to you this week that would have Sam say yes to an angel?" Dean didn't answer and Kevin was starting to put the pieces together. "It wasn't this week…was it? It was months ago, wasn't it? That's it! That's why Sam is still alive? You got an angel to possess him and now you want it out. That's it, isn't it?!"

Dean flinched so he knew he was right.

"Stay out of this Kevin," he warned him.

"No. I'm in this Dean! If Sam had said yes to being an angel's vessel then why would you want me to not say anything about why he had to die if he consented?" He was silent for another minute before that started making sense too. "Because he didn't consent. You forced that angel into him, didn't you?"

Again Dean flinched.

Crowley started to laugh to himself. "Wow…I'm impressed Dean. You sure know how to keep gluing humpty dumpty together again, don't you."

Dean growled and punched Crowley across the face but he didn't lose the smile.

"Can you really find Sam?"

"My associate knows how to find needles in haystacks. I can take you to her and she can lead us to Sam but she won't do it for anyone but me."

Dean turned around so he wouldn't face anybody in the room and just looked at the far off wall. Again, he had to make a bargain to let a douche go or risk losing Sam. He grit his teeth and made his choice. "Fine. But you don't lose those cuffs until after my brother is free."

"Deal," Crowley said.

Dean went off to go untie him when something collided with him. It was Kevin. He rammed into Dean and tried to go for his knife. Dean fought him off and pushed him away where Castiel grabbed and restrained him.

"Damn you Dean! You can't do this! He killed Channing! He killed my mother! Does that mean nothing to you?!"

Dean glared at the floor. He couldn't look at Kevin. "I'm sorry Kevin. But we have to think about the greater good here."

Castiel then dragged Kevin off where he tried to struggle against the angel's grip. He kept him pinned down until he settled down and Dean was ready to move Crowley out of the room. Dean and Castiel led cuffed Crowley with a bag over his head through the Bunker to the stairs where they would stick him in the trunk of the car that they warded. Kevin was at the other side of the room silently glaring and letting a tear loose at the sight of Dean just letting that killer demon free. Castiel opened the door and took the lead in escorting Crowley while Dean brought up the rear.

"Kevin," Dean said looking right down at him. "I'm sorry kid."

He then closed the door behind him.

Kevin kept staring out at the door that Dean, Castiel and Crowley exited for about half an hour after they left. He couldn't believe Dean. No, actually he could. After everything that Crowley did to him over the last two years Dean easily sided with Crowley over him. All because of an angel that Dean stuck in his brother made off with him and he needed the demon to help get him out. That was the King of Hell, the demon that took his mother, girlfriend and who knows how many others and how many others he'll take when free and he actually defended him against Kevin. It was always about the 'greater good', that is what Dean said, right? Dean put him through so many speeches about the greater good; making sacrifices and dealing with loss for something bigger than them but Dean couldn't do any of it himself. Did his 'greater good' mean everything gets lost so Dean wouldn't lose his brother? Wouldn't lose being able to keep having him in the front seat with alongside him in his car? Kevin lost his family, his future, a good degree of his sanity and now his chance to avenge his mother and girlfriend for that?! He chose to stay with them, not to betray them and instead Dean betrayed him in the worst way possible.

He couldn't do this anymore!

Kevin took his phone and sent a simple text to Daniel. It simply said, 'I'm in.'

It was a minute later when an address appeared along with a return message that read, 'Welcome aboard.'

He glared as he turned away and headed for his room. He took hold of the angel and demon tablets on his table and held them both in his hands. He moved them up and down as if weighing them before he put them in his back pack He packed his flashdrives and started taking all the notes that he made and scattered through his room. He went to the study and put an envelope right on the table. He took one last look at the place before he headed for the garage. He chose his favorite car and then drove off. He used the GPS on his phone to search for the address that Daniel gave him. After half an hour he found himself outside a motel. He saw that Daniel was waiting outside with a travel bag.

He went over as Kevin got out of the car and walked over. "What made you change your mind?"

Kevin stared at Daniel with a hard look. "I guess that I decided that I don't want to become another person in Dean's list that lost their life so he and Sam could have another few weeks in the Impala together. If I do stay…it will always start being about the two of them. I want my life to be more than that."

"It will be." Daniel nodded. "Alright then. Let's hit the road then. It's going to be a long drive."

"Mind if I drive?" asked Kevin as he helped put Daniel's bag in the trunk.

"As long as I chose the first song." Daniel said pointing at him.

They hopped in the car and Daniel went for the radio and tuned to where 'The Infection' by Disturbed was playing.

"Oh I love this song," he said as he settled back.

Kevin didn't mind as he let the song play out. A nice change from months of retro rock he had been stuck hearing in Sam and Dean's company. He took the turn for the Interstate as he left Lebanon and the Bunker behind him.

End of Chapter 21

A/N: It seems that Dean is rubbing quite a few of his friends the wrong way and he doesn't even see it as he is driven to save Sam from Samael. When he finally does, there is going to be a lot of fallout for him to navigate through. Also, there has been a lot of debate on whether Cain's true father might've been Samael over Adam as he inherited the wicked nature from him. Not even Samael is sure that he is his father or not. Also, Disturbed's song The Infection is one of my favorites so I decided to pay it a tribute and close the episode with it.

The next episode is Venom of God. Dean and Castiel use Crowley to track down Samael and to trap him. Kevin and Daniel go to the Paradise Pavilion where the Powers are overseeing their newest prisoner.