The Fate That Binds Us

So this is the third part of my trilogy. The first story is Our Solemn Hour, and the second is In Darkness We Dwell. You need to read these stories before reading this one!

Neither Sam nor Castiel knew what to say or what to think. The cage was opened, and in any moment, its prisoner was going to walk out free. How different would Dean be? Did Hell change Sam's brother into something that not even Sam would recognize? The thought was terrifying to the hunter. Would Dean even remember Sam?

Anna held her breath as she waited to be reunited with Dean physically after all these years. She had missed him terribly, but she remained loyal to him throughout the years. And now their plan was finally coming to fruition.

Crowley was never going to admit that he was nervous. He attempted to usurp his king, and he knew Dean would punish him for his disloyalty. Still, maybe the King of the Crossroads could turn this bad situation in his favor; it was what he did best after all.

Finally, someone stepped out of the cage. First a brown boot could be seen, followed by a jean clad leg. It was Dean. The green eyed male wore the same clothes as when he was trapped in the cage… right down to his favorite leather jacket. Dean Winchester was surrounded by a dark aura that was chilling to others. His eyes began to glance at the other occupants in the room. The first was Crowley and then Castiel. His gaze softened when his eyes fell on the only female in the room. "Anna," he finally spoke.

Anna and Dean had been staring at one another for a baited breath. When she heard her name on his lips, she bolted into action. She all but ran into his open arms. As soon as his arms were around her, their lips met in a passionate embrace. Anna's eyes closed, and she focused on the sensation of his lips on hers. Finally they were reunited once more. All of their planning had finally led to this moment.

When Sam could tell their kiss involved some heavy tongue dancing, he cleared his throat. The younger Winchester had walked in on his brother enough times to know where this was going.

Reluctantly the two lovers broke away from their kiss. Dean still kept Anna close to his side though. At last green eyes locked onto his brother's hazel ones. "Sammy," Dean uttered. It was so good to finally see his brother in the flesh again. There was no unit of measurement to describe how much Dean missed Sam.

"Dean," Sam uttered his brother's name. It was him. It was actually Dean standing before Sam once more.

Then the two brothers moved and hugged one another tightly. Both Sam and Dean closed their eyes for a few seconds to absorb this moment. It was going to be so hard to let go, but Dean was the first to push away from his sibling.

Smiling his trademark smile, Dean commented, "You are looking good Sam. I see you still won't cut your hair."

Sam reluctantly laughed. His hazel eyes were watery, but he did not even notice. "I've missed you so much Dean," the younger of the two admitted.

Dean's smile weakened as he remembered how much things were different now. "I missed you too Sammy," Dean agreed, "but I was watching, and I can't tell you how proud I am of you."

There was some puzzlement on the taller man's face. How could Dean be proud of him when Sam was the reason Dean was imprisoned? "You mean…" the younger of the two began.

But Dean interrupted him, "I'm glad you made a life with Sarah. The two of you are meant for each other. And you got out of the life like you always wanted to." Dean was glad that Sam actually took his advice and made a life for himself.

Anna squeezed Dean's hand, which she had been holding since the brothers broke apart, tighter. Green eyes returned to her from, and once again he was at a loss for words. Without her, Dean was uncertain if he could have survived his imprisonment. Turning to her, Dean softly caressed her cheek, Anna's eyes fluttered at his actions. She just wanted to drink his presence in. "I can't even begin to thank you for all that you have done for me," he began.

Sam and Castiel glanced at one another. Clearly Anna had held back when she told them about her life since her own imprisonment. Would it have changed their perception of her if they had known she had been working with Dean? For Sam the answer would be no, but Castiel have been a different story. Once again, his sister was going against everything he knew and believed in.

Anna smiled warmly at her lover, who also helped her to keep it together after all these years. "I promised you that I would get you out," she reminded him, "and you have done so much for me." Once again their lips met. It was a slow kiss that conveyed the emotions they felt for one another.

When the two lovers separated, Dean turned to the only occupant in the room he did not have a personal connection with. Like the snake he was, Crowley was doing his best to escape without anyone's notice. There was not going to be and easy way out of this; Dean was going to make certain of that. "Crowley," the King of Hell called.

Reluctant brown eyes turned toward the dark Winchester. "Congratulations on your recent release," the demon spoke. He needed to keep Dean distracted as he planned his escape.

Dean glanced back at Anna. "Is this the one?" he asked. Anna signed Crowley's death warrant when she nodded her head. There was a wicked glint in the Winchester's eyes when he turned back to the demon.

Slowly, very slowly, Dean began to circle the demon. Crowley knew better than to try and fight his way out of this; besides, there was a part of his demonic essence that longed to follow the orders of his king. It was one of Dean's powers, his Thrall over his demonic subjects.

"I think simply killing you would be too easy," Dean mused aloud, "so what should be the proper punishment for your dissent?" The king planned to make an example of Crowley to remind all his demonic underlings what would happen if they ever turn against him.

The answer finally came to the Winchester. Turning to face the demon fully, Dean began to chant in Latin. The dark aura surrounding him emanated with power as he spoke the incantation. None of the others knew what was going on.

Crowley's eyes were forced to show his true demonic nature as something was pulling at his demonic essence. He groaned in pain and stood rigid with his arms pressed back. It was like something was being pulled out of his body. "What are you doing to me?" the demon managed to speak.

Dean finished the incantation, and Crowley collapsed to the floor. The King of Hell closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes and looked down at Crowley's crumpled form. There was a dangerous smile on Dean's face as he answered, "Found the perfect punishment for you. You are completely human now; you have now powers. If you ever want to feel a sliver of power again, you are going to have to damn your soul once more and start the process all over of becoming a demon. Just know that I will be waiting for you when you make it down to the Pit."

Crowley looked horrified and terrified at the same time. He had no idea that Dean was capable of such power. It made the former demon all the more horrified of if or when he returned to the Pit in the afterlife.

Dean then turned back to Anna. "I hope you find that a suitable punishment for his treachery against you," he spoke to her.

Anna nodded her head in confirmation. Dean kept his promise to do right by her, and she was going to do the same for him.

Castiel was finally out of his stupor. He took a step forward and pulled all the attention of those in the room on him. "What exactly is the nature of your relationship?" he asked about Dean and Anna.

Dean raised an eyebrow at his lover. "You never told him?" He was surprised by that fact.

The female angel shrugged her shoulders. "Was it any of their business?" she responded.

Her lover laughed at her words. "Would you to tell them or should I?" he politely asked her.

Anna moved back into his arms once more. "You go for it," she answered him.

Keeping his eyes trained on his lover, Dean explained, "After she got her grace back, Anna bonded her grace to my soul. It was another reason Lucifer's plan to change me worked… why I was able to accept his grace. She used to visit my dreams before she was sent back to Heaven. When I was trapped in the cage, we eventually found our connection again. She kept me sane in my imprisonment, and I sent the Knights to find her. When Abaddon uncovered Crowley's treachery, Anna told me all about Crowley's plan. We decided to use it in our favor to get me out of the cage."

Sam could not believe how much different his brother was. "I didn't think you could speak to the demons from the cage," the younger Winchester thought out loud.

Dean turned his eyes back onto his brother. "I am connected now to all of Hell's creatures. It is how I ensured no demon went after you and your family," Dean added.

The younger Winchester swallowed and wondered, "Is there any chance of turning you back human Dean?"

"No, there isn't," another male voice answered. Standing beside Castiel was the archangel Gabriel. The archangel smiled at the others. "It has been a long time," he added.

Anna swallowed nervously and held Dean's hand tighter in her grasp. She had lost all trust and faith in her siblings, aside from the only one to help her Joshua. "What are you doing here Gabriel?" she asked with more vibrato than she felt at the moment.

Gabriel smiled at his sister. He wished he had been able to save her. "I am here to remind everyone that there are certain rules that have to be followed," the archangel stated.

Surprisingly it was Sam who stuck up for his big brother. "What do you mean Gabriel?" the tall male demanded answers.

Sighing, the archangel answered, "You know you can't stay here on Earth Dean. There will be a prophesized time when you can walk freely, like Lucifer. But now is not that time. It's time to return the cage."

Dean's eyes narrowed in fury. "There is nothing more horrible than being stuck in that cage. It's like being trapped alone in the empty, and you think I'm going to just walk right in again because you and Heaven say so?" he replied incredulously.

Gabriel pointed to Sam Winchester. "You are willing to risk Sam and his family for this act of defiance?" the archangel threatened.

The air chilled in response to the King of Hell's fury. "Don't you dare bring Sam into this! My demons will never lay a finger on my brother. And the only reason I am trapped in a life away from Sam is because of your older brothers!" Dean seethed in a low and dangerous tone.

Anna was not ready for the possibility of Dean and Gabriel duking it out right here and now, and she was definitely not ready to imagine the slightest chance that Dean may lose the fight. Grabbing her lover's face, Anna forced his attentions on her. "You will never be alone again. I will always be by your side no matter what, even if we have to go the cage together," she promised him.

Dean's eyes widened in surprise. "You would do that for me?" he asked. It still stunned him when she nodded her head in agreement. But then he realized she did not deserve to spend her life in the cage; she deserved more. What he could offer was not ideal, but it was still the better option. "We are not going to the cage," he firmly stated.

When Gabriel opened his mouth to protest, Dean added, "I won't stay on Earth, but I'm not going back to the cage."

The archangel relented for the time being and took a step back. Then the two Winchester brothers focused on each other once more. "I hate that I have to say goodbye to you again," the older of the two admitted.

Sam breathed heavily as he nodded his head and agreed, "It's not fair." Once again the two brothers hugged each other tightly. Neither one was ready to let the other go.

"You keep thanking the stars that you bagged a chick like Sarah. She is hot, understanding, and perfect for you," Dean whispered in his brother's ear.

The younger brother closed his eyes and whispered back, "It makes me feel a litter better that you are not going to spend an eternity alone or with a demon chick."

Dean laughed at his brother's words. "I'll still be watching over you," Dean stated as they broke apart from their embrace. Grabbing Anna's hand, Dean turned to his brother one last time. "Goodbye Sam."

Tears were running down his cheeks as Sam said, "Bye Dean." Then and Anna and Dean vanished from their sights, leaving Sam with the two angels and a human Crowley. "Can you take care of him?" Sam asked Castiel in reference to the former demon.

Castiel nodded his head. "I will," he replied, "go home Sam."

The hunter did not need to be told twice. "Plan to," he replied before walking out of the house without looking back. Once Sam was in the Impala, he dialed Sarah's number. "Hey, it's me. It's safe to come back home now…. I will explain later when I see you….. Love you too. Bye." He was ready to forget this mess and return to the life he built with his wife.

~*SPN*~

There is an actual throne in Hell, and Dean Winchester sat on it. Beside him was his angelic lover Anna. Before them, demons bowed before their king. The couple was trying their best to make a home in Hell together. The demons were pleased to have their master with them at last.

Dean grasped Anna's hand in his and kissed her knuckles. "Thank you for coming with me," he softly spoke.

Anna smiled at her lover. They both knew they would do anything for the other. "I love you," she said the words for the first time.

He smiled so warm and brightly at her as he replied, "I love you too. You are it for me Anna."

A little while later, Dean turned to his lover. "I think I found a way to get back at the angels for all they have done to us," he began.

Anna raised an eyebrow in interest. She would not object to getting even with her siblings. "What do you have in mind?" she wondered.

"You ever hear about the angel tablet?"

THE END!

So that's it! The trilogy is complete! I hope you enjoyed this third and final part!