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The Supernatural characters belong to Kripke Enterprises and the CW, not me. No money is being made from this story. It is for entertainment only.
Winchesters in Hell
Chapter 38
The Children of the Garden
When the birth of the ultimate vessels was predicated, anticipated and adored a place had been made for those vessels in the Gardens of Hell. It was a perfect landscape under Hell's gaudy sky for children to run, play and grow. All was in place for the chosen successors of the Angels to learn the ways of God but the traitor Azazel, the fallen Angel, one of the leaders of the rebellious Watchers in the time preceding the flood, who had taught men the art of warfare; in his overwhelming hubris diverted the will of God.
The human aspects of the children were lost to the world of Men, given free will, the curse of man, and unleashed upon the world. In their confusion the children fought with their brothers, the Angels. The living children became the Winchester brothers and a different path to the future was laid down.
In the Garden however, the imprint of those children still existed, still wandered the paths of flowers. Their laughter echoed against the hills and in the haunted secret places of their intended but rejected nursery.
For these childlike spirits the changes in Hell had little impact. They had noticed Belial and Verrine in their new shining armor guarding the foot of the Axis Mundi. They had heard the voices of strangers wandering the pathways of the garden and passing through the gates that the children never challenged. There was a new and fresh breeze that blew through their garden when the strangers wandered by but for the most part the world of the children was unaffected.
Hell's new Masters had heard the children's laughter early on and had obtained glimpses of the little ones on various pathways, always just barely out of sight. For the most part however the children's world beat in time with the chiming of Hell's great heart, like crystals resonating with the sound of a great bell tolling.
Day after day the children lie sleeping under the great baobab trees, clasp in each other's arms and sweating under Hell's sun. They have only each other, each brother the entire world to the other.
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From Chapter 37:
Lucifer reached out his hand and wrapped it around the Scribe's throat. As Lucifer's fingers tightened, the Scribe's essence began to smoke.
"I'll tell you, Scribe, what I think," Lucifer said softly. "I think you deserve to burn but it would be a fate far too quick to payfor the damage you have done." With those words Lucifer tossed the damaged Angel to the floor.
"For poisoning my sweet brother Raphael you shall lose your poisonous tongue. For imprisoning the faithful in Heaven you have earned your own cage. For daring to look upon my face you shall lose your eyes. The next few eons you will spend in darkness and silence."
Lucifer turned to Satan, one of the New Knights of Hell. "Satan, my brother, please make it so."
As Satan made to drag the wounded Scribe from the room there was a loud whistle and a shout from the dais. With a thump Dean Winchester arrived and landed hard in the Consort's chair.
"Hi guys," he called out cheerfully. "Did I miss anything?"
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On with Chapter 38
Samuel sat on his throne, amused by his brother's precipitous arrival. Dean was always a loud noise in a small room, even when that small room was Hell in all its glory.
"I'd say you missed quite a bit, Dean." Sam smiled. "Heaven has been over thrown. Raphael has been cast down and Santanael now possesses him. Lucifer cleaned the streets of Heaven with his fire and destroyed Raphael's God awful castle to restore the Angel's Forum. We left Heaven with prisoners and so, yes, you could say we've had a busy day." Sam peered around the chamber. "What happened to your entourage, Dean? Didn't you leave here with various friends?"
"I certainly did, Sam but they all ran off and left me." Dean called out for Gilfoy to bring them drinks.
The obsequious Demon popped up out of his personal black hole and scraped the floor bowing. "Yes my Masters, immediately." He twirled the end of his ever growing mustache. "I assume you all would like cold beer?"
"Perfect," Dean responded. He didn't even try anymore to see where Gilfoy came from or went. Dean just wanted his beer and the mechanics of Gilroy's arrivals and departures were no longer of any interest.
"What do you mean they ran off and left you?" Sam dimples were on full display. There wasn't even the smallest touch of Lucifer in his eyes. The creature seated on Hell's Throne was pure Sam Winchester, Dean's little brother.
Gilfoy reappeared with a tray of cold sweating bottles. He moved from Sam to Dean to Castiel presenting his swag with his usual bow.
Dean drank than looked up at Sam. "Gabriel carried Rowena off. Told her he could take her anywhere, any place, any time that she liked and she folded. Up to that point she'd been playing a pretty good game." Dean waved his beer at a shocked Castiel. "Sorry Cassie. Your brother is a hound dog."
"I believe you may be correct," the Seraph stared back at Dean. "Gabriel has been separated from Heaven for far too long. He is more Loki now than Archangel."
Dean took another swallow of his beer. "You got me there, Cas. I have to admit though that I like Gabriel best of all your brothers."
Samuel cleared his throat, pulling back Dean's eyes. "So Gabe and Rowena are off possibly bumping uglies: that's an image I wish I could un-see. What happened to Adam? Did you ditch our little brother beside the road?"
Gilfoy appeared with another beer for Dean.
Dean was fascinated by Gilfoy's bouncing moustache He kept his eyes on it wondering if at some point it might not just separate from the demon and crawl off somewhere. With a blink and a shudder he pulled back from the thought. "Gilfoy, would you please ask Crowley to appear? I have a job for him."
Again Gilfoy's out flung fingers scraped the floor as his head dipped low. "Immediately, My Lord."
"Dean," Sam rumbled. "What does Crowley have to do with Adam? What have you done?"
"Now Sam, don't get your panties in a bunch." Dean replied. "I wouldn't hurt Adam. He's family."
"You better not," Sam growled. "Just remember who is King around here. " With a huff and a flutter he settled his wings. For a moment he had let them out. Only his brother could get under the Boy King's skin that fast. Family always knew how to push the right buttons.
Crowley high, piercing voice floated in from the side hall. "No idea at all, you buffoon..…" They could hear the King of the Crossroads berating Gilfoy. Everyone in the room knew that Gilfoy didn't give a crap anymore. He wasn't working for Crowley now; he was working for Sam.
One round of kissing Crowley's ass had been enough for the gentleman demon. Sam's Major-domo treated Crowley politely but just barely so. Gilfoy's antics amused the Winchesters and he knew exactly how far he could go. He was careful not to outright insult the former King of Hell. One never knew what the future might bring.
Crowley strolled in, as nicely dressed as ever, all in sleek black. The reddish glow of his eyes matched the subtle stripe in his tie. "Good evening gentlemen." He nodded his head slightly. "How can I help?"
There was a pause as Crowley enumerated the players in the room. "Excuse me, Squirrel," he said in surprise as he waved his ever present cut crystal glass of Craig in Dean's direction. "Didn't my mother go with you? Where is she? Don't tell me you have done me the great favor of cutting her throat?"
Dean leaned back in his chair. "I wouldn't do that, Crowley. You two are better than vaudeville. I enjoy watching you try to off one another. No fear, your Mother's alive. She's just off with her new boyfriend, making everyone uncomfortable."
Crowley gazed around. He snapped his fingers at Gilfoy. "A chair for me, please, Gilfoy. This looks like a more extended conversation than I expected."
Gilfoy materialized the requested chair and, after checking it for safety, Crowley sat down. "Now what's this about a boyfriend for my Mother?"
"Your Mother has taken off with my brother, Gabriel." Castiel answered, disgusted. "You would think that an Archangel would have better sense."
"Oh, really," Crowley's eyebrows almost disappeared. "Well played, Mother. " The demon King turned to face Castiel. "I do hope that there aren't any pockets in his Angel night gown for Mother to pick. She cannot be trusted, you know."
"Enough gossip," Sam scowled. "I believe that Dean has work for you, Crowley."
"What do you need, Squirrel?"
Dean licked the cool sweat off the lip of his bottle. "Two things I need from you, Crowley. First I left our little brother Adam at the University of Minnesota in his old dorm room. He's a good kid but he's more Mulligan than Winchester. I don't ever see him being happy in this life.
I need you to organize whatever Adam needs to get back into the Medical program there. He was studying medicine before he got swept up into the Winchester story. Use some of your crossroads demons to get him back on track seamlessly."
"No deal, then?" Crowley eyed Dean.
"If I catch wind of any tiny part of a deal, Crowley, your hide is going to be waving from a flag pole on top of the Castle. You go in, set Adam up and get the fuck out… Understand?"
"Seems a bit unfair," Crowley started but then Sam let Lucifer's fire appear in his eyes.
"Do as Dean says, Crowley" Samuel rumbled. "The flagpole thing will seem like a gift after I get done with you."
"That reminds me," Dean said. "If we don't have Hell Debit cards, get them set up. I can't have Adam working part time jobs to put food on the table. There you go, Crowley. I'm sure you can figure out some way to make the Bank of Hell pay for you. Just don't let us catch you."
Crowley shut up and considered the possibilities. Dean could see the wheels going around.
"Ok, I can do something with that," Crowley mused. "What's the other job?"
Dean spun his bottle. "That's actually more of a Sam job than mine. I'm still not sure that I'm going to be completely on board with it."
Crowley changed focus. "What do you want, Sam?"
Sam spread his dark wings, lifting and stretching them into the ceiling. It was very easy to see Lucifer in the vessel when Sam did that. He was larger than life and his wings danced with the torch light. Iridescent bands of color chased themselves over the flight pinions. He shivered and shook them closed again.
"What do you know of the Children in the Garden, Crowley?"
"That is an interesting question," Crowley leaned forward. "As I understand it they are aspects of you and Dean that didn't get integrated into your souls because of Azazel's interference in some great design. All of creation knows they are there, out in the garden. They are very much a part of Hell but on a different wavelength somehow. We don't bother them and they don't bother us."
"You are right, that's interesting." Sam murmured. "Have they ever been summoned?"
Crowley goggled. "What part of we don't bother them, did you not understand?"
Sam stood and stretched again. "If they are a missing part of us perhaps we should all meet. Dean, Cas, let's go for a walk in the garden and meet more Winchester brothers."
"If you say so, Sam," Dean responded and followed his brother down the stairs. Castiel also followed and Crowley lurked at the back. When Sam reached the gates to the garden he let Dean and Castiel pass in but raised his hand against Crowley. "You aren't family, Crowley. You stay here."
"Come on Moose." Crowley objected. "I've been in you, remember? What do you mean I'm not family? We're almost brothers."
San loomed over the shorter demon. Lucifer's Hell light shone in his eyes. "Are you sure about that Demon? Do you think you'd really fit into the family?" Lucifer breathed out softly and Crowley's lovely suit curled up and smoked, lightly toasted. "I'd give that a lot more thought if I were you."
The three Masters of Hell meandered through Hell's garden, Crowley firmly excluded. Hell's lemon yellow sun barely broke through the canopy of leaves high above. On the ground dark vegetation pushed its way towards the walkways concealing small scurrying things in the shadows. Heavy jungle flowers dangled from the branches overhead, drooping with scent and mystery.
They reached the heart of the Garde;, a pure clear lake and the waterfall that Lucifer regarded as his own. Castiel clenched his fists and stared, remembering the water pounding against his body while he floated in his brother's arms. The Seraph pushed the memory away and sat down on a wrought iron bench. The Winchesters also found seats and stared out over the tumbling waters. Samuel lowered his head and moved his wings forward, concealing his body and hiding his face.
No one spoke.
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After a long peaceful time laughing voices broke the silence; from behind the waterfall curtain two young men appeared. They were laughing and playing, dunking each other in the water then rising again and pulling each other down.
Theirs was the laughter that haunted Hell's Garden. The Masters of Hell sat and watched as their latest brothers approached. As the two neared the shore and the water receded they were fully exposed. Naked, pure and perfect they were the epitome of innocence. Their eyes, however, carried the weight of long, dark centuries spent in Hell. It seemed that their souls were older than their bodies.
They halted directly before Samuel, the shorter one wrapped in the taller brother's arms. Their skins still glistened with the lake's water and their skin glowed with Hell's sunlight.
The shorter brother spoke, "I know you." His voice was layered with meaning, dark and smoky while at the same time as pure and clear as the waters. "You are our lost brother Samuel and carry the soul of God's most beloved, Lucifer."
Samuel sat up straight and pulled his wings back. "And who are you?"
The shorter one laughed. "We don't have names, at least not our own. We are God's Nephilim; not Angel and human but Angel and God. We were the templates for what should have become the latest of God's creations. The plan was sabotaged by Heaven's traitors. God left and we were abandoned here, waiting for the universe to remember us."
Samuel got to his feet. "Perhaps that moment has come. I and Lucifer are the remaining fragments of a broken triumvirate. One piece of us has been left in Heaven and if you are as strong as you appear perhaps you can offer shelter to your Angelic brother, Lucifer. I, Samuel, will leave this place and return to Earth. Lucifer will rule in Hell with you."