AN: Hey, guys, I'm back! Thank you Asya55, Stephanie Anne Cullen, Carver Edlund, superloudean, EvilAngelTeamGabe and angeleyenc for your reviews, you guys rock. Without further delay new chapter... :)
"Okay, kids, you need some rest." Suriel said once Leah cooled down a bit. "I managed to track down Death; his ring is the last one we need." He added, gaining all the attention in the room.
"What exactly is your plan? How do you think to bring down Lucifer and Michael?" John asked seriously.
"Well, we get the fourth ring; we have the key to Lucifer's cage. All we have to do then is lure him in." Dean said.
"You make it sound easy." John said.
"It's not but that's the only option we've got." Leah cut in from the sofa. "And we still need a bait." She said darkly.
"I think the best bait would be me." Sam said after long pause.
"Come on, Sammy, that's the stupidest idea I heard from you in my entire life." Dean protested first and then the others started as well before Sam cut them all off.
"I am Lucifer's true vessel. He won't be able to resist the idea." Sam said.
"That is absolutely out of the question." Suriel topped them all. "We didn't spend all this time hiding you two boys and hunting at the same time so you can just serve yourself to Lucifer." He added.
"Do any of you have better idea?" Sam asked and room fell silent.
"I do." Leah's small voice pieced the deathly silence.
She never liked being the centre of attention and the eyes staring at her now, plus the endless worry flowing through the newly reformed bond she shared with Castiel made her flinch a bit.
"What is it?" Alana asked, dreading the answer.
"It's a small blood spell. If we can lure Lucifer to come, I can mark him with the spell so when the cage is sprung open he will be pulled in and he won't be able to break the spell." Leah said.
"Do you realize what you just said?" Ruby asked, her voice mixed with fear and anger.
"Ruby?" Sam looked at her confused.
"I won't let you!" Ruby shouted.
"We need to be rational about this, Ruby. I'm not letting Sam do it and I'm sure as hell that I won't let anyone else do it." Leah said seriously.
All the time she spoke, Castiel remained sitting next to her, frozen from what he just heard. He understood Leah's reasons why she should be the one doing this but it did not relieve him of the endless pain and fear of loneliness again.
"Why do I have the feeling you didn't tell us something?" Dean fixed angry glare on his friend who let her eyes fix themselves on the carpet.
"I'll tell you what happens." Ruby said, still angry. "If she uses that blood spell, it will pull her in too because the spell will lock on every person that would be marked with blood." She added and Dean turned to stare at Leah.
"You can't do that, we just got you back. Have you lost your mind?" Dean asked.
"I made my decision, whether you approve it or not." Leah said and zapped out before anyone could shout at her again.
"Cass, can't you do something about it?" Ena looked pleadingly at the angel.
His eyes showed clear sorrow at Leah's decision and the pain he knew it will come the moment he loses her again.
"I can't. She will not listen to the word I say." He said in defeated tone.
"Shit." Dean smacked the cupboard and marched out of the house with Ena right on his heels.
The silence fell as they all retreated to their places, sadly pondering over Leah's decision to save their asses once again. Castiel spent several hours trying to find his soul mate through the dampened bond as she didn't want to be found. He found her sitting on the cliff on the east of Ireland, staring at the rising sun. The wind was bit cold but she didn't seem to mind as she stared blankly, soaking in the sound of her surroundings. Small, weak smile crept on her lips as she heard flutter of wings behind her.
"Came to talk me out of decision I made, my love?" she asked sadly as he silently sat down beside her, his hand sliding into hers.
"No, it would be pointless. I learnt already that once your mind is made up, no one can do anything to change it even though your decision is making my soul ache. I fear to lose you yet again, Leah. You've shown me everything there is to feel and yet you are soon to leave me. How can I possibly deal with that?" he asked as he forced her to look at him.
"I…" her voice was strangled as tears started to run down her face so he quickly pulled her into his tight embrace; he was hurting too but he didn't want to make her cry.
He sent a soothing feeling through the bond, trying to quell her guilt he felt coming in waves.
"I don't want to leave you but I can't let anyone else do it either." She mumbled in his throat where she settle her face.
It was still odd sensation to him to feel her tears soaking his skin but as the time passed, he got used to.
"I know." He murmured, staring in the sun with wind wiping away tears of his own which he didn't realize he had.
"Did my father say when he is going to try to talk to the fourth horseman?" she asked quietly.
"He said he will do it as soon as possible, probably tomorrow." Castiel replied.
"Then how about we enjoy the rest of this day on our own? I'm pretty sure they can manage without us for a day." Leah suggested whilst trying to control her reduced sobbing.
"That seems like a good idea." He replied and made her chuckle softly at the formality of his tone.
"How about we go some place else?" she asked.
He nodded, thought of some place they could spend all day and zapped them there. Meanwhile in Leah's house, Sam watched as Ruby paced their bedroom nervously, still fuming about Leah's decision. She understood it but couldn't come with terms of it. He had very little sleep since she spent the night crying silently. The day was pretty monotonous as everyone was still greatly affected by what happened last night. Suriel was nowhere in sight as he was trying to locate Death with Gabriel. Mary silently took over the small house chores, trying to occupy her mind with something whilst John was trying to settle the nerves of his sons. Brothers were distraught and sad as they faced the fact they are going lose Leah once again. It wasn't until late night that day did Castiel and Leah return to the silent house.
"Can I talk to you in private?" Ruby asked in faint voice.
Leah quickly kissed Castiel and with nod zapped herself and Ruby out of the room. They appeared in the small church in London, where Ruby and Leah liked to come when they were younger and lived in England.
"I can't change your mind, can I?" Ruby asked in shaky voice, willing herself not to cry, at least not yet.
"You know you can't." Leah placed her hand on her shoulder.
"And you know I won't let anyone else do it. Especially you." Leah added seriously.
"What do you mean?" blonde nephilim now looked at her best friend with honest confused look on her face.
"I think you do know what I mean. How long will you keep your secret from Sam?" Leah asked softly and warmly.
"I really don't know what you mean." Ruby replied, keeping steady gaze with her friend.
"You really don't, do you?" Leah asked, tilting her head aside a bit whilst Ruby shook her head.
"The little one in here." Leah said as she pressed her palm gently to Ruby's lower abdomen and small light shined beneath it, making Ruby gasp in surprise.
"You didn't notice?" Leah asked with concern.
"No. With everything that has been going on lately, I paid little attention." Ruby replied.
"Well then, now you know and you also know why you are the last person I would let do what I decided to." Leah said.
"But…" Ruby opened her mouth to protest but Leah silence her by placing her index finger on her lips.
"Don't. You'll only make this difficult for both of us." Leah said and warmly smiled.
"Now I think you should go and tell Sam. It is not good for you to hide this from him for long." She added.
Ruby let out a small cry, hugged Leah and then zapped out, leaving Leah alone in the small church by the altar where she quietly pondered her thoughts about everything that happened and what was yet to come.