CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

Dean found himself behind the wheel in the Impala. His heart was heavy with emotion. His Baby survived! Sam fixed her up for him. He could almost cry. The sweet scent of its leather was pungent, the gears and the radio dials glistening as though it were just cleaned and waxed. She purred silently giving him a soft 'hello' and he briefly relaxed turning off the engine.

It looked like a rain shower had just transpired as the windshield was covered in dazzling droplets. He turned on the wipers and saw the lit "Hollywood" sign in the background. They must be at Griffith Park. The soft, rolling hills featuring the famous sign were to his right leading down overlooking the city of Los Angeles. Griffith Observatory were to his left, closed for the night. The parking lot was completely empty. It must have been very late into the night. He recognized this spot. He and Sam had been here before.

"Remember this place?" Sam asked quietly.

He startled. Sam was so quiet, he hadn't known he was there. He was staring out over the hills, reminiscing.

Sam continued, oblivious to the panicked individual next to him. "You brought me here after dad and I had that last fight. I had my first beer here."

He remembered now. They had been living for a brief time in San Gabriel County while on an extensive case. Sam had just been accepted into Stanford on a full-ride scholarship and John was none too pleased about it. As many times before, their father and Sam bellowed at one another in their tiny hotel room. It ended with John threatening Sam with the famous words "if you walk out that door, don't bother coming back". As stubborn as Sam was, he walked out and hadn't seen his father until the Daeva case years later. After the fight, Dean found Sam walking down the road and picked him up. He brought them both here to this spot and they shared a beer together in celebration of his achievement.

"I never really thanked you for that. I was so mad that night after Dad told me to get lost, I couldn't really think straight, but you made it alright."

Dean huffed. "Quit the trip down memory lane and cut to the chase, will ya? What are you?"

"I figured it would be obvious."

"So it's true? You're an angel now?"

"Sort of…"

"I thought that couldn't happen to somebody like you and me. So how?"

"It's a bit complicated…"

"I know complicated. Try me."

"It might be best if I showed you…" Without warning, Sam touched his forehead and Dean was thrust forward into darkness.

He and Dean were back at the suburban household in Jefferson City. Michael was across the room facing the two of them. He watched from afar as Michael easily flung him across the room like a potato sack. Dean flinched seeing his body smack into the wall with the broken TV. He remembered how it felt – like a ton of bricks smashed into his chest as he plummeted to the ground. Michael flitted over behind Sam and placed him into a trance.

Next Dean felt his body surge into darkness once more. He felt alone, disembodied. Did he have a body? It didn't feel like it. Perhaps only his mind – his drifted consciousness – was here in this oddly surreal place? His surrounding was solidly dark and silent, it made his skin crawl. "Where are we?" he meant to say out loud, only he had no voice.

Instead he heard his brother say inside his head, "You're in my head Dean. This is the part where Michael did a number on me. This is right before I made you think I went all Vader on you."

"Yeah…remind me to kick your ass for that," he said silently in his head. It was frustrating that he couldn't hear his own words out loud. However, Sam was able to translate.

"Okay Dean, I'll remind you," Sam replied nonchalantly.

He rolled his eyes, or what he thought were his eyes. He had no idea of what to make of his status. Something sounded off into the inky black abyss. It was a voice…not Sam's though…it was feminine. He knew this voice. Caroline?

"Sam? Can you hear me?"

He couldn't see her. It was her voice that echoed in the darkness. Sam answered, only it wasn't Angel Sam's voice. It must have been from his past, from before he seemingly gave in and went with Michael.

"What's happening? Where am I?" Sam replied.

"Sam, it's Caroline."

"Caroline?" He gasped. "Wait…How do I know it's you? You can be whatever Michael just did to me."

"You want an identity test? Fine. Remember that day in the park? I kicked the bully in the nads for you."

"Oh yeah."

"Did I pass?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Good. I'm in real bad shape and I need your help."

"Where are you? How can I get to you?"

"I don't think you can. Not right now. Michael has Gabriel and I held captive."

"I figured as much. We have been trying to call Gabriel all day. Caroline, they killed my parents and Michael did something to me. I don't know where I am."

"He placed you in a trance while his magic is working to break through what he thinks is a spell I placed on you."

"Why would he think I have a spell placed on me?"

"He thinks I did it to protect you from the demon. He thinks that's the reason why you haven't fallen under Azazel's influence and become a part of his army. I have to tell you it's not. I never placed a spell on you."

"Then why haven't I been tempted to turn? Everyone else has."

"That's because it's something else. I haven't been completely honest with you from the start. I didn't know if I could trust you fully with what I had done. It was too important to be sure."

"What did you do?"

"Remember when I told you about Aliyah and how she was Lucifer's second-in-command? After the battle, she came to Earth and became my best friend Sarah. She is the one who gave me the heart, the same heart I gave to you."

"Yes, I remember you telling me. What does that –"

"I lied to you Sam. I didn't give you the heart to save you…I gave you the heart to protect the Grace."

If Dean had a jaw, it would be slack. "That bitch!" he grumbled.

So that's what happened? That's why Michael went after Sam. That's why Michael used him as bait to catch his brother off guard…just so he could get a small piece. That piece is what nearly ended the world.

"What...what you are saying?"

Dean could hear the fear in Sam's voice. He knew what his brother had felt at that moment for he felt it too. Betrayed? Manipulated? They were still pawns on the Angelic Chessboard. God, he felt like a used condom wrapper.

"Lucifer's Grace. It is in you, in the heart you carry."

"I'm going to be sick." Sam said out loud in the void.

Caroline continued. "When I died as a human and Aliyah met me in Heaven. She told me everything. She told me how Michael ordered her to hide the Grace and he would come back for her when the time came. She told me of Michael's plan, but knew of Lucifer's plan as well. She was torn between the two as she did not want the Earth to be destroyed. So she hid the Grace in her own heart and gave it to me, not only to save my life, but to ensure the Grace was hidden for good to keep Lucifer locked away…"

"Why didn't you say no? I would have been pissed!"

"Yes, I was angry. I couldn't die in peace. I was now a target in this war of Good versus Evil. I knew it would be a matter of time before Michael figured out what she had done and would come after me."

Sam sighed. "So you gave it to me – someone they would least expect…one of the pegged demon psychics."

"I told you before I took a gamble in choosing you and I needed to see for myself if it will work. That's the reason I brought Dean back to life after he tried to sacrifice himself to save you. I knew he would do everything in his power to protect you. There was too much at stake. I had to do what I felt was right."

Sam did not reply. There was a long pause.

"Sam?"

Dean knew this pause. His brother was mulling over what the angel had revealed. He was contemplating his fate, formulating a plan. That's what Sam did. He analyzed his situation to find a way out.

Sam released his infamous Sammy huff and said, "I'm not going to survive this, am I?" He didn't sound defeated, merely pointing out reality.

"I don't know."

"You cursed me."

"I'm so sorry Sam."

"Just promise me one thing. You make sure my family comes out of this alive. I'll do what I have to do, but you give me your word that my family – and I mean every single one of them, even down to a damn dog and cat – are protected and left alone after all of this is done."

"Sam, I don't even know if I'm going to make –"

"Your word Caroline. You owe me that."

"Yes…I give you my word," the angel hesitantly replied. "Now give in to the rest of the power that was given to you. With Lucifer's Grace, you can control it rather than the other way around."

"I know. I can feel it."

Dean saw his surroundings begin to change. The darkness now became illuminated by a dull light; the light growing larger and larger until it was almost blinding. This must be the demonic psionic gift. Sam was gaining control over it. Dean partially felt it too. It felt amazing. He felt renewed, energized, and wrong at the same time. As the lighter grew larger, that feeling then became uncomfortable, heavy, suffocating, and he wanted to get out of there before it crushed him.

"Hang in there Caroline. I think I may have a plan. I need to get close to the Demon. I'll fill you in as I go along."

Dean was feeling breathless as the blinding white light surrounding him made him feel claustrophobic. Angel Sam seemed to have felt this and transported them to a new place.

He was whole again, in his body: tall and in his boots and denim jeans. He looked around. They appeared to be in a front lobby of an abandoned asylum. A large placard that read "Newsby Hospital" hung unhinged on its side behind a reception counter. The surrounding walls were a gag-inducing mustard color with dirt and rust stains with broken chair pieces along the walls – no doubt from bored teenagers.

Sam led him through a set of double doors and towards a back hall. There was a utility closet door at the end of the hallway. Two men in business class suits stood outside of the door. Dean knew they were angels from their soldier like posture and smit-trigger happy expressions. In the next second, Michael the archangel, had exited from the door. He was walking away when the Yellow-eyed Demon had appeared from the shadows. Dean's blood boiled at seeing the devilish evil eyes. He had hoped to never have seen them again.

Michael and the Demon began to chat. Sam walked past the two entities as though uninterested in their conversation. Dean wrestled with the decision to continue following Sam. He was far too curious to hear what the two beings had to say to each other. Sam halted in his tracks and turned towards him. He waited patiently for Dean to make his decision. Rolling his eyes, Dean followed suit. They wandered a bit past the demon into the dark hallway. It was there Sam from the past stood, quiet and waiting. He had his head turned towards the wall and Dean recognized that look. He was concentrating…but on what?

"What are you doing?" Dean asked Angel Sam.

"I'm talking to Gabriel who's inside with Maddie and the others."

Dean then saw that Past Sam was making a twisting motion with his hand. "What's with the twitchy hand?"

"Setting Gabriel free. His chains were covered in Enokian symbols. Watch. Any second now."

"What? What's going to happen?"

They heard the flap of wings and suddenly Gabriel appeared next to Sam in the darkened hallway. Michael and the Demon were still talking and had not noticed the Angel Prison Break.

"Nice one Sam," Gabriel said quietly. "Don't worry. They can't hear us even if you belt out Juke Box Hero. Am I safe to assume that Joanie and Chachi up there haven't picked up on your co-op?"

Sam shook his head. "No. We need to keep it that way up until the last possible second."

"Which is?"

"The second they figure out the Key is not going to work."

"That's a bit reckless Sam, don't you think?"

"What choice do we have right now?" Sam answered. "Caroline mentioned you have a squad on hand? Can they be ready?"

"You bet your sweet ass they can. They'll hold em' long enough to do what needs to be done."

"Good."

"Is Caroline aware of what you're up to? She ain't gonna like that first bit."

"She's aware, and she knows what she needs to do."

"You know Michael is gonna wig out once he sees that I'm MIA, right?"

Sam smirked. "Leave it to me. He won't even know you're gone."

"Pull the rug over his eyes? You can do that?" Gabriel rose an eyebrow and peered at the psychic rather peculiar, if not just a tad weary.

Sam returned his peculiar express with a confident smile of his own.

Gabriel took the hint. "Okay kid. A lot is riding on you. Don't miss," he said before leaving in the blink of an eye.

The demon had finished his conversation and turned to his subjugate in the dark. "Sam?"

Sam stepped forward. "It is time my son. Lead the way."

Dean backed up into the frayed wall and knelt his head in deep contemplation. This was a lot to absorb. Why did Sam think he could take on all this alone? Why wouldn't he trust him with his plan? He didn't want to continue on this tale-spin of a ride anymore. He wanted to go back home. Angel Sam seemed to have read his thoughts.

Suddenly Dean found himself back into the safe confines of his car. He took a gulp of fresh air, lightly tapping the steering wheel – glad to be back in his Baby. He lowered his head down onto the wheel and closed his eyes – finding peace in the space. "You could have told me. I would have been there for you," he muttered.

"I know you would. And honestly I still wouldn't have told you."

"Why?"

"Simple Dean," his brother began. "I was trying to protect you. You've looked out for me my whole life and I needed to return the favor this time."

Dean rolled his eyes, lifting his head off the wheel. He decided to change topic. "So that's what it felt like, huh? Your psychic…thing. I wonder if that's what Bruce Banner feels like when he Hulks out."

"Not sure, but it was incredible. All sorts of doors started opening and I could do all these kind of Jedi mind tricks. If I didn't have the Grace, I'm sure it would have taken me and we wouldn't be here right now."

"So what does that mean now? Do you still have it, Lucifer's mojo? Is that how you became a winged, sword-carrying Clark Kent?"

"That's exactly how I became a Clark Kent," he answered. "I don't know how to describe it except do you remember that part in Willy Wonka when they're riding the boat in the tunnel?"

"Yeah."

"That's what it felt like – like a kaleidoscopic acid trip. I felt myself die and sort of just went through this tunnel. When I came out on the other side, I felt different, like I had changed."

"Like a Transformer?"

"Sort of…but with less robotics," he paused searching for the words, "I knew…or I think I knew what had happened. It was very surreal. It took me a short while to understand what this was, what I had become, and figure out how to use it."

"But it's all over though, right? The demon's dead. The two angel pricks are locked away. Armageddon has been cancelled?" he paused at the solemn expression on Sam's face.

Sam quietly said, "Not quite. There's a lot left to do…a lot of cleanup on aisle 10 if you get my meaning. With Michael locked away in the pit and God still MIA, it's total chaos upstairs. There's some work to be done, lots we need to rebuild."

"So what, now you're the new sheriff in town?"

"You can call it that."

Dean straightened up, his gut roiling and on edge of panic. "Hold up. But you're…are you…you're coming home, right?"

Sam didn't answer. Instead he remained silent staring at the clean dashboard.

"Answer me dammit!" Dean said angrily. "You're coming home Sam. It's over. We can move on."

"Only you can. I'm sorry Dean."

"Shut that crap down right now! I don't care what you have to do. I'm not leaving without you!"

"You're going to be fine Dean."

"Shut up!" he was getting mad now. He wanted his brother to stop talking about this notion of leaving him.

But Sam didn't stop and went on to say, "You're going to live a normal life…something you can make for yourself. I've already gave Mom and Dad that chance."

"What are you talking about? Where are our parents? What happened to them after Operation Dumbo drop?"

"They're safe. They're home…or what they think is their home. After the bomb dropped, Caroline woke up and found them near her. She patched them up and brought them to a safe place until I arrived. I sent them to a new home nearby the house in Jefferson City."

"So that's it? They're going to live a cookie cutter life just like that after the fight. You know damn well they're not going to let that slide." It was then he picked up on his brother's guilty expression. "What did you do?"

"You're not going to like this next bit, but… I've wiped their memories."

"You what?" Dean nearly shrieked. "Why! Why would you do that?"

"It will be better for them if they don't remember their hunting life. I think after everything they've been through, they deserve to get back to the life they had before the demon broke into the house and killed Mom. They don't remember anything since before that year."

"Then how do you explain the last twenty-three years then? They what? Been working some cozy jobs pushing pencils and a calculator all this time?"

"Exactly. Dad has a job as a seasoned car mechanic with his own shop and Mom runs a music store. My guys are working out the details as we go along, but I swear to you they'll never have to worry about another monster as long as they live."

Dean did the math in his head. "But Sam…if they don't remember before…that means that's everything before you."

"I know. I've wiped their memories of me too."

Dean was feeling that sense of panic in his gut again. "Why are you doing this?"

"This way it will be easier for them and they won't feel guilty. Dean, I'm a curse. I've been cursed since I was an infant. As long as I'm around, something will always be after them…after you. At least this way, I feel we can right certain wrongs that happened to us. I can do the same for you Dean." He raised his hand.

"Don't you fudging touch me or I'll fudging kill you," he threatened. Tears threatened to spill from his lids.

"I promise you, it will be easier this way."

"Don't you dare dammit. Don't do that to me. I want to remember. You're my brother Sammy. I can't lose you."

"I'll check on you from time to time."

"Sam please! Don't do this. Not everything we've been through. Don't leave me here alone."

"You won't be alone, not anymore," Sam smiled, though it was a bittersweet one. Dean could see this was just as hard on his brother as it was for him. "Live your life Dean. I promise you'll never have to face another monster ever again. If I stay, they'll come after me and you."

"Sammy, no!"

"Goodbye Dean."

"Sam, please!"

He was gone. Dean patted the seat where his brother just left and felt that it was warm. This wasn't a dream or a hallucination. This had been real and he was gone. The car jostled a bit and Dean looked up to see the scenery had changed. He was no longer in Griffith Park, but in a driveway. It was the driveway to the suburban house in Jefferson City.

Closing his eyes, he knelt his head back onto the steering wheel and allowed the grief to pass over him. This was all too much. He felt like he was sucker punched in the nads. Not only would his parents be living a weird Truman Show lifestyle artificially created for them, but he would have to start anew? Really? How? All he has ever known was to hunt monsters…and now? Now he has to do this without Sam? Sam was the one constant in his life. Especially when the kid was sick with his heart condition, he had a purpose to keep going just for him. That purpose had literally flown out the window.

The light to the front porch came on. Maddie was probably awake and searching for clues around the house about how she had arrived. If anything, he did have a small comfort that she was inside waiting for him. Taking a deep breath, wiping the moisture off his eyes, he ventured out of the car and strolled to the front porch. He rang the doorbell. If Sam was smart, he would have that girl keep her shotgun and he didn't want to be blasted through the door if he came in unannounced.

The door swung open and Maddie leapt into his arms. They embraced and held onto each other on the porch for a long while. They had to start fresh and he was terrified, clueless on where to go or what to do …but at this moment, with this girl, in this house, it felt like a good place to start.


A/N: No, I'm not leaving it here. There is one more chapter to go.