This is it, the second finale, answering the last pending questions, but maybe not the ones you thought. Be aware it contains spoilers about Supernatural season 13, if you've not seen it yet.

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Chapter 20: In the beginning...

Epilogue

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"I think people come here to reinvent themselves. And that's why you're here. To reinvent yourself" (Linda Martin)

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CASTIEL

Somewhere, in another universe

Castiel wasn't dead. Close call, though.

In the Apocalypse World, the struggle against angels was already lost for humans. Over there, he had to fight a nasty Nazi version of himself. He was less surprised to discover his local counterpart was an evil minion of an all-powerful Michael; than this other version of himself had exactly the same vessel: Jimmy Novak. Puzzling, at least.

Castiel wasn't dead. But losses were high, because Gabriel was. As usual, the Trickster had been stabbed and left for dead, from the ever-traitorous hand of their bad old Lucifer. The last archangel on Earth and it was the worst of them. Sickening, to say the least.

Castiel wasn't dead. But no sooner had they arrived, Sam died too. Outnumbered in the middle of a fight, the younger Winchester had been bitten by unknown rabid vampires hunting them in a cave. Life quickly flowed out of his friend trough the horrid open wound on his neck; his empty blue green eye had stayed open widely. Maybe it was surprise, maybe it was fear.

In his pocket, Castiel had immediately felt for the gift another (nicer) Lucifer had given to him. Yet a sore shame and despair had hit his chest when he discovered the letter… had disappeared. He saw himself as a failure for being distracted, for not having been able to save one of his most cherished humans on Earth. Dean being too shocked to think clearly, the angel had to take the harsh decisions for their entire group. They couldn't afford to mourn here, they had to move on and go quickly before other pest could gather.

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Coming in this ruined world, the Winchesters had not much hope, and neither did he. Without crying it loud, they knew they were a suicide squad; they knew some of them if not all, would stay down. So when Sam suddenly stood in front of them, the angel was genuinely stricken. He was more than dead, how could he be alive? Yet the boy still had traces of red blood on his neck, collar and coat. Far from the happiness he should have been displaying, his face was just shame and sorrow. Castiel understood why when he realized who was on his steps, a false grim on his sly face: his own Lucifer, trying to make amends for their help, by bringing the "gift" of a resurrected Winchester – supposedly by his grace.[1]

The others were still reeling, Castiel was able to think. To open a portal between worlds, a reluctant and trapped Lucifer had been drained of his last drop of grace. There was just one way the archangel could have cured Sam: by stealing the white pure feather. How had he achieved that? Castiel had no clue. Maybe the letter had something special his loathsome brother could sense as his belongings and maybe he took it by curiosity...

Walking along the dull white walls of Paradise, Castiel couldn't really be sorry to have been deceived. He would have used the feather on any Winchester, or dear friends. His regret was "his" Lucifer had thus more opportunities to cause havoc and pain.

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Since Castiel survived, he had some pressing duty. This was the reason he was walking along endless corridors full of white doors. The angel stopped abruptly in front of one, labelled 'Lilith FTOW': Lilith from the other world. Things had to be crystal clear if he was killed one day. She had earned the right to remain peacefully here.

He opened without knocking and gingerly stepped in, to find himself in a city. It was night time. The place was familiar and true to his memories: Los Angeles, also from the other world. Now that he was thinking about it, this choice was pretty obvious.

Thanks to the well-lit shops, the streets were shiny. People were beautiful and happy to live. At least, some of them were. He scrutinized everything in awe: the buildings, the trees, the bicycles zigzagging between slowed vehicles... The reconstruction was perfect.

He turned his head around to find what he expected.

Few foots farther, in a close quieter street, a black Dodge Charger was parked along the sidewalk. A young-looking woman was leaning backside against it. He could say she was quite tall. She had long and fair unleashed hair, amazing thin eyebrows, and quite interesting pink lips. Despite her sheer beauty, she was clad with simple clothes not too conspicuous, but a bit classy: high heels, fitting trousers, nice silky shirt and black jacket. At her waist, something was catching the lights.

She noticed his presence and smiled nicely as if she knew him. In all honesty, Castiel was starting to soften up about being constantly mistaken with this actor... Pushing herself from the car door, she walked in his direction and greeted him with a tiny playful wink of her blue eye:

"Here you are! I've been missing your trench coat, Castiel."

For the lack of any witty answer, he just said: "Lilith, I presume?"

"In the flesh! What do you think of this?" She turned around to let him see the look she had chosen for her after-life.

"Stunning, as usual. But with a different touch. Something more..."

"More what, my shy angel? Do tell me."

Castiel was hesitating. "Sensible and sweeter. You look like someone I would be pleased to meet."

She laughed and her throat was exposed, eyelids thinned by joy. "I have no doubt about that. Are you finally admitting you fancy me? Too bad I won't remember this."

"You won't?"

She smirked, grabbing his good old tie, just for the fun to embarrass him by her shameless closeness. She knew with him, this game was too easy. But in no time, the game will end. "We had a deal, remember? You promised to erase my memories."

"I did. But... why this?" he asked, gesturing around them. "Why not something new? You could have anything you wanted here, any beautiful place in the world."

"I have. This is indeed the most beautiful place in the world to me..."

She lifted her chin to show him a busy street not far away. At the beginning, he saw nothing special, excepted pedestrians were faster than cars stuck in the traffic jam. Soon though, a couple caught his eye. A tall male in an expensive tuxedo was walking side by side with a blond woman. They were laughing and muttering secrets to each other. She had a very strange coat, all white and fluffy. But again, who was he to give fashion advice? He played dumb. "What should I understand?"

"Look at him better..."

Actually, Castiel hadn't to. No need to be a genius to guess who the guy was impersonating. It was so evident. The black-eyed charming bachelor was a perfect fantasy, the shadow of someone she had loved and lost.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"More than ever. Could you do the erasing now?"

"Really sure?"

She took him by the shoulder, coming to contact, and teased his cheekbones with the back of her delicate fingers. She whispered into his ear: "Don't make me beg. Or I would think you changed your mind and want now to keep me all for yourself?"

Somehow she had also missed his panicked look and couldn't help to kiss him lightly on his rough cheek. "That's what I thought."

The angel frowned above his blue and concerned eyes. "Don't you have any questions? Are you a hundred percent ready for this life of oblivion?"

"Now, now. Where is the confident and resolute cherubim, promising me some thorough slaps on my butt, if I wasn't well-behaved? Was it all mouth and no trousers?"

"If I recall, I kept mine, you kept nothing..."

"Ah, so you do remember..."

"No I don't; it's not appropriate to th..."

Playfully, she shushed him by circling his waist and muttered in his neck a breathy "Liar!" He tried ineffective stoicism as she went on: "I know you do. They all do. That's my power, but I guess you are a complicated one..."

He fell into her eyes. She was very pretty, and less frightful like this. However, her cocky smile and sensual sparkle in the eye were just the same.

"Oh, you're right. I've just thought of something. What about my wings? Will they pop if I need protection or if I climax?"

Castiel blinked, hearing again those libertine words in her mouth, proving – if he could have ever forgotten – she was indeed belonging to the otherworld. "I suppose... I can make you forget this ability and thus block their use for a while."

"Good. And will I be immune to Lucifer's trick too?"

"He's not the real Lucifer... Oh... don't give me this look... No, he's not..." She had a very innocent smile and he choked: "What did you do? No, wrong question: how did you dare?"

"I had wondrous children with him a long time ago. I may have kept one secretly in my loin... As I'm partly angelic and he was completely, it wasn't very difficult to recreate him from his genetic material in this lighter plane where he belongs. So the trick… Yes or no?"

Castiel was balancing between sickness and admiration. She was powerful. He shouldn't have been surprised. Hybrids or Nephilim abilities were incredible, maybe too close from God's ones. Yet he couldn't help noticing she wanted to use her tremendous powers in the name of love. Selfish love, but love anyway. Here, Lucifer and Michael were still fighting for dominance over the ashes of a ruined world, perhaps over the ruins of Earth soon. Their passion for destruction was not quenched.

"I withdraw my rhetoric question. Lord... what should I say? If your creation is mostly angelic too and if he had equal powers, there's no way he could use his trick on you. You would be immune, at least not much subject to it. And the reverse is also true. He will be drawn to you by an irresistible pull, but..."

In a nearby street, gun shots were fired and they both turned to see what was happening. She was trembling with impatience. "It's my cue, I guess. Imprint this: I'm a police officer and my name is Cleo something... No, I know... Chloe Dancer[2]. Can you not wipe this out? I want to forget some things but not enough to me considered as a weird case of amnesia."

He nodded. "I know what you want. What I don't understand is why you never say Dad like him, but only 'God'."

She grinned again because his was observant. "Can you keep a secret?" He found himself quite eager to hear it. "I don't say "Dad" because He's not my Dad… I come from another world, another universe, I don't know, somewhere else. He's a traveler; He simply brought me with Him, just like you did. I'm a nomad entity, going from world to world, where I am deeply needed or desired."

Castiel was astonished but she touched his arm, gently. "So, this is the end of Lilith again. Time for me to be his fascinating future instead of his unwanted past... Can you also give me a touch of 'hard to get'?"

He sighed and nodded again. "Yes, I know what you want."

"Then goodbye, sweet angel."

"Yes, I suppose so… Goodbye… Lilith."

With two fingers, he touched her forefront; she blinked twice and watched him with surprise, probably not knowing why she was here or who he was; just a passing guy.

"Didn't you hear those gunshots over there?" She stood on the tip of her toes, trying to see better. "II think there are two people on the ground..."

She blinked again. "Sorry, I have to go. I'm from the LAPD, and since I am already here, this will be my case!"

She looked impatient and happy. He gave her an awkward smile to express his understanding and watched her rushing to climb in her unmarked police car. One hand on the wheel, the other took the radio and she went into the traffic to join the crime scene.

By the time she arrived, Lucifer's double had sat, a bit shaken and surprised. Castiel saw him from afar touching the still warm cheek of his dead date, blood staining his incredulous hands.

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"CHLOE"

She walked in the poorly lit place and looked around with an unveiled disdain. What was this name? The Lux? Everybody knew the word was spelled "Deluxe"… There were just a few patrons here and there. Maybe the sight of a dead body and police "do not cross" line were repellent, who would have guessed? She smirked.

She found her witness sat at a piano, playing an unrecognizable tune, and seeming completely unfazed. She hated this. A friend had just been murdered just under his nose and he had not even the slightest sorrow in his eyes. Let aside he had not the slightest scratch too. She had sized him immediately; he was one of those handsome idle rich Daddy's boys.

She lowered her head in searched for her notepad, trying not to look him in the eyes… and give away how outraged she was by his behavior. Keep your distance.

"So... Lucifer Morningstar... Is that a stage name or... something?"

Amused, he gazed at her with a smile and flattering dark brown eyes, gliding along her legs. Correction: along everything.

"God-given I'm afraid..."

His grin was puzzling as his fingers were still running softly on the keys. And she was craving to punch him in his stupid teeth, to wipe out his cold-hearted smug smile. He paused to consider her more carefully.

"Huh, you look familiar. Have we met before?"

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THE END
AND THE BEGINNING

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Author's notes

[1] Canon compliant with Supernatural's plot, season 13

[2] Chloe Dancer was the first name of the character, in the very first unaired pilot. Lauren German presents her this way on very early panels.

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I want to thank anyone who read this fanfiction, particularly those who followed, faved or reviewed. I started this, one year ago. Regarding to this epilogue, I must say I had plotted this finale as soon I knew Lilith, as an OC, was not meant to live and threaten our beloved Deckerstar. I hope you will not be too disappointed.

Take care and I have still time to wish you a happy devilish new year.