Chapter 18

"The hellhounds are up ahead of us," Castiel told Dean as he moved away from him and toward the animals.

The tunnel opened into another room, smaller than the first but it was empty. Castiel moved ahead of Dean and was almost to the other side when suddenly Dean was propelled across the room to hit hard against the stone wall, stunning him. A wall of fire suddenly sprang up in front of Castiel blocking his way back to Dean.

"Dean!" Castiel called to him as he saw the female demon walk slowly out of the shadows glaring at him in delight.

"I knew I should have chosen you instead of Sam," she addressed Dean, looking him over from head to toes.

"Go find Dad!" Dean grunted as he got up and shook his head trying to fight through the pain. He held himself up with the wall and finally was able to see the woman in front of him. "So, are you Alastair's bitch?" he asked boldly, blinking rapidly to clear his vision.

"He works for me!" she spat at him throwing him again.

Dean rolled and tried to cushion his blow as he groaned when his side made contact with a rock sticking up out of the ground. He looked toward the fire and saw Castiel finally turn and head down the tunnel in search of his father.

"Really, doesn't seem like the kind of demon that bows down to a lowly female," Dean goaded her. He wanted to keep her attention on him in hopes Castiel could get to their Dad.

"You measly little man, do you know who you're talking to?" she demanded raising her hand and lifting him off the ground to dangle in the air. "I am Lucifer's first born. I was freed to release him from his prison so he can take over the world. It will be ours to do with as we please."

"And how's that going for you?" Dean huffed as he could feel himself being dragged toward her. He saw the demon knife where he had dropped it. He felt the weight of the Colt in his jacket pocket but could not get his hands to cooperate to get it out. Dean felt a hand close around his throat and began to squeeze constricting his flow of air.

"You and your brother are going to pay for this. I will kill you and then I will go after your brother and nothing is going to stop me," she growled into his face as she sneered at him. She watched him struggling for a breath and his face turn red the harder she squeezed. Lilith grinned as she saw him gasping for air and try to fight her.

Without warning an invisible force suddenly slammed into Lilith making her lose her grip on Dean who crumbled to the ground coughing and choking. He wheezed in a mouth of air trying to stave off the blackness that was threatening to pull him under. With a shaky hand, he pulled the Colt from his inside jacket pocket and raised it toward Lilith.

"Screw you," he said in a hoarse voice before firing a shot.

Lilith was held in place by the hell hound who let go when she heard the shot. Lilith looked down at the hole in her chest and stared in shock at Dean as bolts of red and white lightening spread out from the entrance wound racing through her body destroying her very soul. She screamed her rage and tried to move toward Dean only to stumble and fall to her knees before dropping forward all life gone from the meat suit she was wearing.

Dean fell back against the hard ground trying to pull more air into his starved lungs. He slapped at the wet tongue that licked his face and the fetal smell that accompanied it. His entire body ached, and his head was pounding as he let the blackness take him away for now. The bitch was dead, and their father would be saved, were his last thoughts.

"Dean!" Sam yelled running into the chamber and looking around. He heard the whine of the hound and could see her shape as she nudged a body lying on the ground. He hurried over to the hound and saw Dean's unconscious body. "Hey man, Dean, are you hurt?" Sam checked his body and found scrapes, small gashes and the marks of a handprint around his throat. He felt for a pulse and sighed when one beat too fast against his fingers.

Juliet whined and pushed at Sam as she hunkered down at Dean's side. For some reason she took a liking to this human and wanted him to get up and scratch her again.

"Sam," Castiel called from a tunnel.

Sam looked up and saw the fire burning at the entrance to a tunnel. "Cas are you okay?" he asked leaving Dean for now. "Did you find Dad?"

"I have him. I have healed his physical injures but he is still confused. He thinks this is a trick."

"Dad, it's Sam," he called trying to find a way around the flames. "How do I put this out?"

"I don't know. Holy fire will burn out in time, but we shouldn't stay no longer than needed."

"Would throwing sand on it work?"

"I don't think so," Castiel replied. "Wait, the hellhound is doing something."

"What Cas?"

"He's peeing on the fire. It seems that will distinguish holy fire."

Sam watched as the flames began to die on one side of the tunnel allowing a small opening. He felt the hellhound pass him and looked on with anticipation as his father was pushed carefully along the edge of the wall toward him. He grabbed his arm and pulled him to his side wrapping him in a tight hug. He had the angel's trench coat draped over his shoulders since all that were left of his clothes were his blood stained briefs. Cas skirted the remaining fire and stepped into the chamber looking around.

"Where's your brother?"

"Over there can you help him?"

"I will see," Castiel stated walking toward the downed Winchester and kneeling by this side. He startled when the hellhound growled at him. "I am trying to help him Juliet."

She huffed a nose full of hot air at him but remained where she was as Jasper joined her sitting by her side.

Sam guided John over to them and sat him on a rock nearby as he stepped over to see what Castiel was doing. He was so tense and stressed, he thought he was going to explode. The powers inside of him were still running wild but he was slowly getting control of them.

Castiel laid a hand on Dean's chest and closed his eyes as he assessed the damage and let his grace flow into the young man's body. Bluish white light glowed brightly under his hand making Juliet bark and stand up, her face only inches from the angel. As the light faded, Dean suddenly drew in a sharp breath and opened his eyes darting around until they finally found his brother.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked when he saw the recognition in his eyes.

Before Dean could answer a wet, slobbery kiss was planted across his face making him push away at the invisible being and groaning in disgust, "That's just nasty," he complained trying to wipe his face on his shirt sleeve. "Dad? Where's Dad?"

"He's over here. Cas rescued him," Sam assured him.

"What's with this mutt?" Dean asked as he was butted in the head by Juliet until he finally reached up and scratched what he thought was her head to get a soft whine from her.

"It seems she likes your smell," Castiel offered getting a bitch face from Dean.

Dean grabbed Sam's hand to help him stand and looked over at their father. His body did not ache, and his head was not hurting like before he passed out, so he figured the angel had healed him again. "Is he alright?"

"He has sustained a tremendous amount of torture while here under Alastair's hands. His mind is trying to process and handle what it went through. It will take some time for it to heal," Castiel told them.

"I for one am ready to get out of here," Dean spoke getting everyone's attention.

"Me too," Sam agreed. "C'mon Dad, let's get out of here." Sam was gentle with him as he got John to his feet and steered him toward the way they had come.

"Alright, I hope you can lead us out of here. Go find Crowley," Dean told Juliet who woofed at him before both hounds trotted away.

"They are going that way," Castiel reported as he began to head the same way as the hounds.

"Let's go Dean," Sam nodded as he followed the angel.

"Right behind you," Dean grunted checking out John's appearance.

They had to go slow because of John but it seemed the hounds knew this and were going at an easier pace. Sam had them stopping for rest so he could give John water and let him catch his breath. He still had not spoken to any of them yet since being rescued.

Dean helped with John and mumbled encouraging words to him as he pulled the coat closer around his body even though it was not cold in the tunnels. He looked to Sam and saw he seemed agitated and jittery.

"Hey bro, you okay?" Dean asked looking him over.

"I'm fine," Sam insisted looking away from him.

"No, you're not, stopping lying," Dean told him.

Sam fidgeted for a moment before looking up at him and talking, "I'm still just on edge," Sam said.

"Hey, I'm here," Dean mumbled squeezing his shoulder and leaning down enough to get in Sam's line of vision. "I'm not going anywhere. It's over with and you can let it go. Don't take it with you."

Sam closed his eyes and pulled in some slow breaths pushing the power out and away from him. Most of it he had used to kill Alastair and what was left, he forced down and locked away. He could feel his brother's presence beside him and used him as an anchor to stay grounded. After a couple of moments, Sam opened his eyes and looked at Dean's worried face.

"I'm good Dean," Sam nodded as he let out the breath he was holding. "Thanks."

"Anytime bro," Dean whispered.

"Dean, Sam?" John called in a hoarse voice as he tried to find them.

"Dad, hey it's okay," Sam said quickly going to kneel in front of him so he could see him.

"Hey Dad," Dean added placing a hand on his arm.

"Is it really you?" he asked.

"Yeah Dad, we're going home," Sam assured him.

John only nodded and let Sam help him to stand and they continued going back through the maze of hallways until they were standing at the throne room door. Juliet pushed the door open and bound in going to Crowley and growling excitedly, followed by Jasper.

"Juliet, Jasper, I see things worked out," Crowley said. He watched the others enter the room and saw the additional body with them.

"It's done Crowley, your throne is safe." Sam stated.

"Good for you. Now I'm guessing you want a lift out of here."

"Yes."

Juliet ran to Dean and circled him, pushing at his hand until he scratched her head and patted it.

"Looks like she's taken a liking to you Squirrel."

"Name's Dean, Crowley."

"Whatever you say," Crowley replied. "See you later Moose," he addressed Sam before snapping his fingers and sending the three hunters and one angel out of Hell.

Juliet whined once and then trotted off with Jasper to other parts of Hell where their offspring were waiting. She would not forget the human's smell and would protect him if called upon again.

Crowley lounged on his throne thinking all was right in the world once again and it was better to have the Winchesters as allies than enemies. He saw what they could do against the worst of foes and seemed to come out on top every time.

A/N: One more chapter to go and this journey will be over. I hope you have enjoyed this trilogy and will come along on the next journey. Thank you to any guests who have left reviews. I do appreciate them. Reviews would be great. NC