Author's note: Thanks so much to CassxDeano, Maknatuna, Maddy Love Castiel, Nicolene B, QuietCrash, AnninaSA, CherylB1964, Treeni, XxZessxX, keacdragon, LadyGrelka, Nyx Ro, Crazy as a Cheshire Cat, random yet lovable and LeeMarieJack for last chapter's reviews!

Special thanks to Treeni for beta-reading!

Come next week my posting day will be Saturday due to my work schedule. I hope to keep up the one chapter a week for now.

35

Bobby moved through the salvage yard stealthily. The hunter didn't get to be as old as he was by stomping around and letting every monster in the vicinity know he was there after all. Not that it was likely the demons would have heard him over the noise they were causing. It made them easy to locate.

The bullets in Bobby's gun and the salt rounds in the shotgun wouldn't do much to the demons, but if he could get them to follow him to the shed they would be met by a couple nasty surprises. It was the best plan Bobby had given the circumstances.

The old hunter aimed and fired at the demon closest to him, but to his great surprise the three men only turned around, their eyes flashing black, before they turned heal and fled. Bobby was tempted to follow them for a split second, but his gut feeling told him that something was wrong with the scenario. A group of demons wouldn't act like that unless...

Two shots broke the eerie silence that had fallen over the salvage yard after the demons left.

"Jody! Ellie!" Bobby yelled, though it clearly was too late already. Something had happened inside the house. All Bobby could do was to sprint back and hope that the shots he heard were a good sign. Like any hunter could be as lucky as that.

Apparently, Bobby's luck ended at his own front door which was not only locked, but also reinforced by some unknown force. The hunter threw himself against the wood a couple of times, but couldn't get it to budge even the slightest. His first two kicks didn't have any effect either, but with the third one the wood finally splintered.

The first thing Bobby saw once he managed to kick the door in was Jody's body slumped against the wall. The sheriff was clearly breathing though, which allowed the hunter to breathe a little easier himself. The feeling only lasted for a moment before Bobby's eyes fell on Eleanor.

"She's a real keeper. Shot the bastard twice before..." Eleanor wheezed as Bobby peeled back her jacket to check on the heavily bleeding stab wound, "A simple demon I could've handled, but the king of hell..."

"Just be still," Bobby stated in a gruff tone as he assessed the situation. The demons were gone. They had what they wanted. For the moment that wasn't what was most important though. Eleanor had lost -and was still losing- a lot of blood. She had to keep still and let Bobby...

"Like it makes a difference now," Eleanor huffed, "I've died before, Bobby. I know what it feels like."

"No, Ellie," Bobby replied, as he tried to apply enough pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding. The hunter knew that it was too late, but as long as Eleanor was still breathing he couldn't accept it. People who had been written off by everybody had made a recovery before, hunters knew that better than anyone and Eleanor wasn't a normal person to begin with.

"Just listen..." Eleanor stated. Her breathing was slowly getting labored, but she could force enough air into her lungs to say the last few things there were to say. "They need a virgin's blood and mine. I'd think they have both now. More than enough..."

Demons far less determined to do nefarious deeds than Crowley was had no troubles acquiring a virgin's blood after all. After Eleanor was gone, getting the blood of a purgatory native would be close to impossible. At least if Bobby and his friends managed to keep them from opening the gate.

"It... it needs to happen during a lunar eclipse," Eleanor added, before she sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a moment as her vision grew blurry, "I'm... sorry for not telling you earlier."

"What're you talking about?" Bobby asked with a slight frown. The hunter was sure that Eleanor had suddenly changed the topic she was talking about. The strangely intense look on her face that slowly gave way to a more vacant expression told him as much.

"You're right... it would've been common courtesy," Eleanor mumbled. She knew she was fading fast, but she had to clear this one last issue up before she returned to purgatory. It was ironic that Eleanor had never wanted to leave purgatory in the first place. A bunch of idiots and their ritual had pulled her to Earth and now a bunch of idiots and their ritual -their need for ingredients for said ritual anyway- would send her back.

"Forgiven and forgotten," Bobby promised, squeezing Eleanor's hand slightly. The old hunter meant it too. It seemed silly to be hung up over whatever exactly Eleanor was now. To be fair, Bobby probably would have never given her a chance to convince him that she didn't deserve to be killed if she had told him back in the day.

"Good," Eleanor breathed before she closed her eyes for the last time.

Bobby swallowed thickly and gently laid her body down before he went to Jody. The sheriff was already stirring by the time the hunter knelt down next to her.

Jody instinctively reached for her gun when she realized someone was approaching her, but aborted the motion when her head cleared enough to recognize Bobby. The sheriff was sure she hit the demon twice in the vitals, but the thing had been less than not impressed and had thrown her against a wall with a wave of his hand.

It took another moment before Jody's eyes fell on Eleanor's body. "I'm so sorry."

Bobby didn't reply and only pulled Jody into a tight hug.

"We have the blood of one of Crowley's victims," Bobby pressed through gritted teeth as he watched the funeral pyre burn, "And we have a day."

They had everything they needed to summon the demon in a way he couldn't ignore now. The old hunter put his hand over Jody's resting on his shoulder as he vowed that Eleanor's death would be what threw a wrench in Crowley's plans.

"I'll call my brothers," Gabriel stated before he stepped aside. The former archangel couldn't help from thinking that they weren't off to a good start here. Somebody already died, even if her death made it possible for them to finally summon Crowley.

"At least we still have enough time for them to get at each other's throats for a while before we can do anything productive," Gabriel added gloomily and mostly to himself. The former archangel had been somewhat optimistic when it came to Michael and Lucifer earlier, but that was before they arrived at Bobby's just to find death and destruction when just walking in the door. It was a very unwanted reminder that being lucky came very rarely for most hunters.

Then again, Sam's hand on Gabriel's shoulder came as a much needed reminder that Gabriel was the luckiest guy ever.

"Everyone thinks he's just a harmless, bumbling idiot, but I know how devious he can be," Otheos stated with a long suffering sigh. Balthazar -with a little help from Gabriel- had truly made a mockery out of him! Most angels looked at Balthazar and only saw the materialistic, responsibility dodging, flirty, but ultimately harmless idiot. Otheos knew better.

"At least you get to punch him every time you see him in the future," Hope replied with a shrug as she put a glass of orange juice in front of the angel. It would have felt weird not to offer the man anything, especially after Michael had to go and answer his phone, leaving Hope and Otheos by themselves. The young woman thought she could get used to their guardian now that she had met him. Maybe she would help him come up with ways to get Balthazar to pop in so Otheos could punch him. Chances were the angel would lose some of his bitterness once he had gotten the frustration out of his system.

"Michael?" Hope asked clearly alarmed when the former archangel finally joined them in the kitchen. The expression on Michael's face didn't exactly give the young woman hope that the phone call had gone well.

"Gabriel needs my expertise for something," Michael explained, forcing a small smile on his face. If Raphael and Crowley were truly planning what Gabriel said they were, they were about to face an Apocalypse of a different kind. Michael had a hard time believing that Raphael could have sunk so low, but everything Gabriel told his older brother could only add up to this blasphemy.

Otheos frowned and exchanged a quick glance with Michael before he disappeared. It seemed like the best course of action to check in with Castiel under the circumstances. He had been ignoring the angel radio since Balthazar had taken it over at random occasions to give "tips" about humanity and how to "fit in" amongst them. Only father knows why anyone let him be second in command.

"Okay," Hope replied with a frown, "You don't look like that's a good thing."

"Lucifer will be there," Michael sighed as his shoulders slumped visibly, "What... what do I even say to him after all these years? How do I look at him after..?"

Lucifer had undoubtedly changed his ways lately, but there was no way his younger brother had forgiven him. Michael had not had the chance to earn the forgiveness and it was doubtful that Lucifer would give him that chance. At the same time there were so many things Lucifer had done that Michael was still bitter about. The former archangel thought his doubt that Lucifer would even ask him for forgiveness was fully justified. How could the two of them be in the same room without things turning sour in a millisecond?

"Smile," Hope advised in a soft tone as she put her palm against Michael's cheek, "Just smile and say... it's good to see you,"

"Hope..." Michael groaned, but was promptly silenced when Hope put a finger over his lips. The former archangel wanted to express his thoughts about how a meeting could only end badly, but apparently she didn't want to hear any of it.

"Trust me, I know a little about meeting up with someone who is unpredictable... someone you have a difficult history with," Hope stated with a small smile, "If you go in there prepared for a fight, that's what you'll get for sure."

Of course, there were hurt feelings on both sides. Of course, there were justifications for actions that hurt the other deeply. Of course, the one never listened while the other never stopped to consider the other side. They both knew all that already and while they would have to talk about it eventually, it didn't have to be during their first meeting in literally ages.

"Just smile and see where it's going from there, you might be surprised," Hope shrugged as she removed her finger from Michael's lips. At least that way Michael wouldn't have himself to blame for the first harsh words that fell and sometimes just getting away with as much of a clean conscience as possible was the only thing you could do.

"What would I do without you?" Michael shook his head gently, before he leaned in to brush his lips against Hope's. The former archangel still didn't know how Lucifer was going to react, but Michael at least had a plan for how he would approach things. It was the best he could hope for under the circumstances.

"Run around like a headless chicken, I assume," Hope retorted teasingly, before she added seriously, "You know, maybe I should just..."

"No!" Michael exclaimed before Hope had a chance to finish her statement. It was a purely instinctual reaction, one Michael knew he shouldn't have given the moment he did it. It would be hard to convince Hope to stay behind now that he had given her reason to question why he wanted to keep her out of everything.

"Michael, what are you..?" Hope started to ask, but stopped when she read something in Michael's face she didn't like at all. She then straightened her back along with her resolve. "If it's too dangerous for me, it's too dangerous for you!"

"I don't even know if there'll be any danger at all yet," Michael stated in a placating tone. This far he had only been asked to help out with his knowledge about purgatory. Nobody said anything about getting anywhere close to where Raphael and Crowley would hold the ritual. Of course, it stood to reason that exactly that could happen.

"Fine, then I can come with you," Hope replied stubbornly.

"Hope, no," Michael said in a tone that didn't allow any objections. This once the former archangel knew what was best and he would get Hope to see it. Michael was prepared for a lengthy argument, but instead Hope wrapped her arms around him tightly. The young woman was not meeting his eyes, but the former archangel was willing to count it as a good development nevertheless.

"I... I just... can't lose you," Hope mumbled against Michael's collarbone.

"I will come back," the former archangel promised, as he held Hope close. They had some time before he was expected to meet up with the others and now that he didn't have to spend that time arguing, he could spend it comforting the woman he loved.

"You wouldn't be the first to say that and then just disappear," Hope huffed out a humorless chuckle.

It cost Michael quite some effort to let go of Hope enough so he could reach the pocket of his jeans. The former archangel never planned to reveal his secret like this, but it seemed like the best course of action given the circumstances.

"I didn't buy this not to give it to you," Michael stated seriously as he opened the top of the box to reveal the engagement ring he picked out earlier. Once the former archangel was sure Hope had realized what exactly he had just shown her, he closed the box again and put it back into his pocket. "But I'm not giving it to you now, so I will have to come back."

Hope blinked a couple of times before she nodded and leaned her head against Michael's shoulder. There was no doubt what she would say once he actually gave the ring to her and no doubt that he would try everything humanly -and beyond- possible to return.

"Don't be like that, Grace," Lucifer groaned when Gracie showed no signs of planning to let go of his leg anytime soon, "I might be back really soon, if Michael decides he cannot work with me."

The former archangel tried to pry the little girl off his leg gently and it seemed that she was about to budge after hearing that he might return very quickly anyway. In fact, the prospect that Michael might take one look at Lucifer and refuse his help -the help Gabriel asked him for- bothered him more than he was willing to admit. Of course, he would be back with his little abomination quickly that way, but Lucifer still loved his brother, even after everything apocalyptic and otherwise, and to be rejected like that would hurt.

"You tell Michael to be nice to you or mommy will sue him!" Gracie exclaimed heatedly, finally letting go of her angel's leg.

Not that Michael's rejection would matter too much when Lucifer clearly had people who stood behind him, supported him and loved him. There was no other way to take Gracie's words, Nadine's answering serious nod and Samandriel's slightly amused expression. In the end, if Lucifer was told to leave there were -for the first time in a very long time- people who would believe that it wasn't his fault. He would only have to make sure that it was in fact, not his fault.

"I'll do that," Lucifer answered with a small smile. The threat might not sound like much, but Nadine could be quite scary if she wanted and Lucifer wasn't the only one without celestial powers to protect them anymore.

"Call me to say good night?" Gracie requested with a small pout. It was late already. Chances were her angel would not be back before bedtime.

"Of course," Lucifer promised sincerely. He would probably call to say good morning as well. Lucifer had to remind Gracie not to take shit from anybody at school after all. Children could be cruel, but they had no business being cruel to Lucifer's little abomination. One day he would attend one of those parent-teacher conferences Grace told him about to let her teacher know how incompetent she was in his eyes for letting the little jerks tease innocent little girls like Grace.

"Mandy will take care of ya, right?" the little girl asked hopefully. Samandriel was an angel who still had his wings, so he surely could make sure that nothing at all could happen to Lucifer.

"Samandriel will come back to keep an eye on you and your mother," Lucifer answered, "For my peace of mind. The other angels can take care of our safety."

The former archangel didn't know any other angels he would trust with the safety of his little abominable family -since he had already included her mother in his statement- but he was sure Samandriel would give the job his all.

Gracie's pout intensified before she flung herself at Lucifer and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. "Don't die."

"Don't be silly, nobody said anything about dying," Lucifer retorted with a snort to express just how silly he found the idea, "Besides, I'll always come back. My home is here now."