As soon as those words left Dean's mouth Cas immediately charges forward. His face is thunderous.
"No." He stops in front of the older hunter. "We're not doing that we're not putting Jack in the box."
"It can hold an archangel." Dean replied. "It should be able to hold a nephilim too."
"He is not going in there." Cas stated firmly.
"What's your plan then? Huh?"
"We can talk to him." Cas nods. "It's Jack he would never..."
"Don't even finish that sentence."
"He is not going in that box." Cas turns to the others. "There has to be another way. Sam?"
"Dean."
"You know I'm right Sam." Dean cuts his brother off. "We will get him down here, get him in the box then we'll call Rowena and we'll do this ritual."
"Castiel does have a point." Mary says. "Maybe we should talk to him first."
"The kid will not want to fucking talk. If he sees Lucifer is here." Dean points at the Devil. "He's only focus will be is to kill Lucifer he won't care about anything else. Having me and Jack in the same room will be a risk as well for all we know Jack could capture Michael and fly off with him somewhere. Can't you see I'm trying to protect you guys?"
"I see it." Anael nods . "And I agree with your plan."
"Thank you. Anyone else?"
"I wanna see it." Lucifer says. "I wanna see this box."
"I can assure you the box is in good condition." Dean says. "It will keep Jack contained."
Lucifer wanted to defend his son at this moment. It angered him how Dean was treating the nephilim but the logical side of Lucifer knew Dean was right they needed to keep Jack contained. Lucifer saw with his very own eyes how dangerous Jack has become if they don't act now many lives could be killed. Lucifer didn't want his son to become a murderer like him the kid is innocent Lucifer wanted Jack to maintain his innocence. There is one thing that still bothered the Devil.
"I'm not worried about him." Lucifer folds his arms. "I wanna know where I stand in this. For all I know once the ritual is done you could shove me right into that box."
"We won't." Mary assured him.
"I'm suppose to believe that?" Lucifer replied. " You guys have betrayed me many times. "
" No you are the one that has betrayed us! " Sam argued.
"Freedom." Lucifer says. "Once I help you and Jack is okay you let me go and leave me the Hell alone."
" You really think we will just let you go? " Cas says.
"Alright how about this I help you with Jack and I kill Michael and save Dean at the same time. My award for my heroic efforts will be freedom. Once I'm gone you can't track me down you can't kill me when I say leave me alone I mean leave me alone."
A silent communication passes between the brothers. Michael and Lucifer are only alive because they are needed for the ritual. Once the ritual is done the Winchesters will doing everything in their power to make sure the archangels do not leave this building alive.
Right now the brothers needed to keep the archangel happy so they both nodded and agreed to the deal.
"Fine." Dean says. "It's a deal."
Cas glances at the older Winchester. The angel knew that was a lie Sam and Dean would never agree to the deal. Cas decided to remain silent knowing that was the best option. Lucifer puts his hands on his hips.
"Hmm." He narrows his eyes. "You were quick to change your mind." Lucifer glances at his brother's tense expression. "I feel I should be suspicious right now. Butttttttttttttttt...there is no time to play THAT game my son needs me. So." He clasps his hands. "Let's get this started."
Sam let out a defeated sigh there is no way he is going to talk Dean out of this. Cas hated the plan. Part of Cas wanted to warn Jack so he could get away but another part of the angel knew that this plan needed to happen if this is the only way to save Jack then Cas will do it without hesitation Cas can only hope that Jack will forgive them afterwards Cas couldn't bear the thought of losing the kid who he saw as a son. No matter what Lucifer said Jack will always be Castiel's son. After all Jack chose Castiel not Lucifer to be his Father.
"We really have no other choice?" Mary asked.
"I'm sorry mom." Dean frowns at her. "But this is the only option ."
Mary runs a hand through her hair and she sighs heavily.
"That doesn't mean I have to like it." She muttered to herself.
"So how are we going to pull this off?" Anael asks.
"You said we needed the witch right?" Lucifer asks.
Lucifer leans on the table. A smirk forms on his lips.
"I have an idea."
Rowena makes herself a cup of coffee. Studying the map for a long period of time can be exhausting. She stirs the coffee with milk and adds a bit of sugar. She sips it and sighs. She needed a caffeine boost. She carried the cup into the living room. She heard the Prophet's soft snores coming from the bedroom. The witch decided to let him sleep he needed it.
Suddenly the phone rings. Rowena quickly gets her phone out and presses the button.
"Hello?" She spoke her voice low. She didn't want to disturb the Prophet.
"Rowena."
Rowena sits up straight.
"Samuel? Is Dean..."
"He's here. He's fine."
"Oh...But...But what about Michael?"
"He's...In the bar."
"A bar?"
"In Dean's head."
"Oh."
Only the Winchesters would have a bloody bar in their head. Rowena thought.
"Rowena I..."
"No." Rowena turns to the map with the phone still pressed to her ear. "I haven't found the boy yet."
"I wasn't calling about Jack." A sigh came from the phone. "Well I am but it's about something else. We found a way to save Jack."
"Really?" The witch said with shock.
"Yeah but..."
"Of course there's a bloody but." The witch huffed. "What is it?"
Sam again sighs.
"Lucifer is back...He is the key to saving Jack. "
It went silent for several moments. Sam is the first to break the silence.
"Rowena? "
Rowena didn't respond. Her nails dig into the phone and her eyes go as wide as saucers. Images of his face his true face flash across her mind. The witch started to lose her breath she felt a panic attack coming on. His laughter booms in her ears and she felt the heat from the fire creeping up on her.
No...No...NO!
"Rowena?"
Rowena gasps as Sam's voice breaks through the nightmare. The witch quickly composed herself and she takes a deep breath. Her shock then turns to anger.
"You brought him back! Samuel! We already had Michael to deal with now...now..."
"No nono nono. We didn't bring him back. "
Rowena frowns.
"Pardon?"
"He came back the same time as Michael and mom. "
"Your mother is back? Did Jack do this? "
"No."
Rowena shakes her head.
"Then how..."
"Rowena now is not the time."
"But if they are back, what about Fergus?"
"Rowena I'm sorry. "
"You promised!"
"We didn't promise anything. " Sam said sadly.
Rowena wasn't having any of it.
"If the bloody Devil can come back why can't Fergus? Your mother of course she gets a ticket out of there she's a Winchester. I told you Death let's you boys get away with everything. I...I have helped you boys many times but I get nothing in return...NOTHING! Now I'm helping you boys again." She laughs. "Funniest is no matter what I will never say no."
"Rowena."
" What do you need me to do. " Rowena cuts him off.
Now wasn't the time to discuss this Rowena knew if she didn't intervene there was a likely chance the Winchesters will make the situation ten times worse.
"Um..." Sam hesitates . "What we need to do is...HEY!"
Rowena moves the phone away from her ear.
"SON OF A BITCH!" Another voice cursed.
Rowena didn't need to guess who that was.
"What happened?" She asks.
"Lucifer is gone." Dean replied with a growl.
The sound of flapping causes Rowena to stand up. Rowena's eyes widen when she sees who is standing in front of her.
"Rowena you there?" Sam asks.
"Samuel." Rowena swallows. "Lucifer, he's right here."
Lucifer grins.
"Hello red." He takes several steps forward. Rowena backs away and her eyes glow purple. "Hey hey!" Lucifer raises his hands. "I'm not here to fight."
"He's telling the truth." Anael comes out and stands next to the Devil. "He's on our side."
Rowena points at her.
"You! You're...You're with him."
Anael looks at her brother.
"I told you we should have waited until Sam finished explaining the plan."
"I know but that would have been too time consuming. I thought it would be quicker if I came here just like we agreed and fill her in on the plan at the same time. Technically this is my plan so I should have a say in what happens." He looks at the phone that was still in Rowena's hand. He then waves and smiles. "Hey Sammy."
"Damm it Lucifer." Sam growled. "This wasn't the plan."
"Umm yes it is I just decided to speed things up." Rowena flinched when Lucifer appears next to her. He takes the phone out of her hands and puts it on speaker. "Now remember what I said once Jack is in the box you call me then I'll bring our little witch over and we will start the ritual. Any questions?"
"Luci..."
"Sorry Dean time has run out. Good luck boys you are gonna need it. Bye." Lucifer ends the call and tosses it on the table. "Now ladies." He gestures to the couch. "Take a seat." Rowena didn't move. She stood there with a stunned expression. Lucifer sighs. "Jo little help over here."
Anael puts on a smile.
"Hi I'm Jo. Rowena right?"
Rowena nods.
"Aye."
Anael eyes the witch up and down.
"For a witch you do have good taste in fashion."
Rowena's lips curl upwards. She then quickly frowns as a thought goes across her mind.
"Why are you here? I thought you wanted out?"
"Long story." She sits down on the couch. "We can talk about it over a drink." Rowena narrows her eyes with suspicion. Anael sighs. "I get it you don't like Lucifer you probably wanna be as far from here as possible but I'm afraid that can't happen we need you and we need Lucifer. Once this is over we can all go our own separate ways believe me I want out as much as you do. So why don't you sit down and let's try to get through this without a fight okay? That warning also applies to you. " Anael gives her brother a stern look as she said it. "Play nice." She turns back to the witch. "Both of you."
Rowena glances at the Devil. She then sits down next to the angel.
"Bollocks." Rowena muttered under her breath.
Lucifer smiles at his sister.
"I knew I could count on you."
Suddenly the door opens and Donatello comes running out.
"What is all that noise?" The Prophet then paused in his tracks and his eyes go wide. "You!"
Lucifer points to himself.
"Me?"
Donatello stumbles into the kitchen. He frantically opens the drawers and gets a knife out.
"STAY BACK!" Donatello aims the knife towards the Devil. "STAY BACK OR I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL HURT YOU!"
"You know knives have no effect on me."
Donatello laughs.
"You think you can just walk back in here and screw with my head like the first time? Sorry to say but you're wrong."
Oh I see what's going on here. Lucifer thought.
"Hey buddy." Lucifer laughs. "I'm not Nick I'm actually the next best thing. I'm your Savior."
"Savior? Seriously?" Anael frowned.
"I'm saving Jack and at the same time I'm saving the world. I think I deserve the title."
Anael sighs.
"Lucifer."
"Lucifer!" Donatello squeaks. "I have the Devil in my house!"
Lucifer sighs.
"See now look what you done."
"He would have figured it out eventually." Anael replied.
"It gets worse." Donatello winced.
"As they say it's get worse before it gets better." Lucifer says. "And I wouldn't do that if I were you." Donatello froze with his hand hovering over the telephone. "The Winchesters." Lucifer continued. "They already know I'm here."
Donatello lowers his hand
"They know you're here? What's next you're working with them?"
"Yes I am."
Donatello laughs. He laughed so much he had to lean on the wall to catch his breath.
"Of course of course the Winchesters have teamed up with the Devil why am I not surprised I mean this is my life now."
"Mr Redfield?"
"I'm gonna go back to bed." Donatello cuts Anael off. "I'm gonna forget this ever happened when I wake up I expect all of you to be gone so in that way I can just pretend this was all just a dream. A nightmare." He smiles. "I'm going to start right now goodbye."
The Prophet hurries back in his bedroom. He slams the door behind him.
"Rude." Lucifer plopped down on the armchair. "Didn't even offer us a drink."
Rowena looks to her left and sees Anael studying the map she then looks to her right where Lucifer is whistling a tune.
Talk about having the angel and the Devil on your shoulders. Rowena thought with a sigh.
"So." Rowena says. "What is this brilliant plan of yours?"
Lucifer stops whistling and looks at the witch with a smirk.
"Thought you would never ask. Okay ."
He sits up and slaps his hands down on his thighs.
"This is the plan."
Everything was set and ready to go. Sam removed his brother's cuffs. Dean became tense as the cuffs slip off his hands.
"Are you sure about this?" Cas asks.
Dean sighs and rubs his wrists.
"We gotta look normal. If it's just you and Sam here Jack will be suspicious. Besides I don't think Michael will try anything he is too busy getting wasted at the bar if he does try something..."
"We put the cuffs back on." Sam nods. "I know. I'll put them in my back pocket." Sam puts them in his pocket and takes a deep breath. "I still don't like this."
"I know." Dean says. "But it needs to be done."
Sam silently agreed with him.
Cas closes his eyes.
"I don't want to lie to him." He opens his eyes and looks at the older hunter "Jack doesn't deserve that."
"You wanna save him?"
"Yes I do."
"So it's obvious what you gotta do, you go along with the plan." Dean didn't mean to snap but he really wanted all this to be over. The hunter clenched and unclenched his fists then he takes a deep breath. "Okay everyone ready?" Everyone nods. Dean looks at his brother. "Sam?"
Sam puts his hands together and closes his eyes.
"Jack, I hope you can hear me I...we...we need to talk to you. Its urgent." Dean looks round the room so far nothing has happened. "Jack." Sam continued. "We know okay? We know some bad things happened. We're not mad with you we're not gonna do anything to you we just want to talk that's all. That's how we can all get through this. That's how we can all move forward. Jack please we need to see you." Cas shakes his head he couldn't sense the nephilim anywhere. "Jack, we just want things to be the way they were. We're family we never give up on family. Are you hearing this?"
Sam opens his eyes. He looks at the others and sighs.
"Guess he didn't hear."
"I heard."
Everyone turns round. Jack stood at the bottom of the stairs. He had a huge smile on his face.
"Sam, Dean, Castiel. It is so good to see you again."
Dean couldn't help but cringe at the formal greeting. Jack walks towards them.
"I really missed you guys." Jack beamed at them.
"Yeah us too. Right, Sammy? Tell Jack how, uh...how we want to clear things up, you know, between us."
" I know...I know things have been bad. " Jack quickly says. "And if it helps I regret it. The accident. "
Sam frowns.
"The accident?"
"What happened to Mary. I hoped it didn't have to come down to this I planned on bringing her back before you guys found out but it seems I'm too late you already know the truth." He then shrugs. "Oh well. I am sorry I never wanted to hurt her she just...she just wouldn't leave me alone she kept pushing me."
"Oh, so she made you do it." Dean says.
"No no I didn't mean that it's just..." Jack sighs. "...I snapped and everything went wrong after that. Do you know Lucifer is back?"
"I heard on angel radio." Cas lied.
"We must stop him." Jack nods. "I would be very grateful to have you all by my side in this fight."
"We will." Dean assured him. "But Jack first..."
"Ah Mary right" Jack grits his teeth. "Of course family is more priority. Which is a good thing." Jack forces a smile. "Saving Mary was originally my mission. I actually have some good news your mom is back and she's alive I have tried to track her down but so far I got nothing. If we work together we might find her. "
"No need." Mary steps into the room. She then looks at the nephilim. "Hello Jack."
Jack's eyes widen with shock.
"Mary?"
Well the Covid Jab didn't stop me from writing honestly I felt fine after having it I had no symptoms. We are approaching the big chapters now! I have some questions do you have a favorite character in this story? What do you think is going to happen next? And what's your thoughts on the new prequel about John and Mary?
Next chapter coming soon.