Chapter 12: The changes upon us
"This is a bad idea." Dean said, shaking his head. He glanced at Cas to see a very bewildered look on the angel's face.
"This is a terrible idea." Cas corrected and Dean grinned up at him. Good old Cas. Only better and not old, but new and improved.
"See? Cas agrees with me." Dean motioned at the angel who just frowned at Dean's outstretched hand, aghast by the fact that Dean thought he was only saying it to side with Dean. Sam let out a heavy sigh and ran his hands through his hair, while Gabriel and Rowena just observed from the sidelines.
"We need him, Dean. We need Jack. And this…" he motioned at Rowena and the two heavy tomes sitting on the table "... This is how we get him. This is the only way I know."
As per Sam's request, Gabriel snapped the Black Grimoire and the Book of the Damned from their previous locations, ones which Sam provided; and any ingredients they might need. Sam was yet to let Rowena touch them, especially the Black Grimoire, but he knew he would have to let her unlock her powers soon. That was the only way to build that trust they had in the future.
Dean looked at Rowena who in return squinted her eyes at him, as if she was daring him to say something foul about her, or do something she would make sure he would regret. But instead, Dean turned back to Sam. "Am I the only one that is getting a sense of deja vu around here?"
"It's not the same and you know it." Sam replied. "Yes, we are gonna open the cage, and it will be the three of us plus Rowena and Crowley, but there will also be Gabriel. And we aren't the same." Whether Sam meant about them being wiser with age or about himself being connected to God, it didn't matter. This was still a bad idea.
"Who is this Crowley?" Rowena asked, and blinked in surprise at Dean's cold, growing expression. But it was Sam who answered, making her go from disgusted to bewildered to understanding.
"He's a demon. And he's your son. Fergus. We need him to lead the way."
"So. Back to Hell, huh?" Dean asked, not the least bit thrilled by the idea. Gabriel raised a brow and Cas shook his head, exasperated. Sam confirmed with a firm nod.
"Back to Hell."
Dean didn't like it, Sam could tell, but considering they tried to turn Michael around, make him, out of all people, question his father's wishes and actions, he had no business trying to dissuade Sam from not doing the same. He knew Lucifer best, knew what he was capable of, knew him inside and out., but more inside. Just like Dean knew Michael and his aspirations and knew how to use it to make his obedience waver, Sam knew, or thought he knew, the perfect arguments to lock Lucifer into helping them.
There was eerie silence accompanying them through Hell, it was not as he remembered it being before. It was as if every thing down there feared them, or feared what was coming. Who knew, maybe they even feared Sam. It wouldn't be such a stretch considering he killed Azazel and Alister and basically subjugated Hell's first demon. Speaking of Lilith, Sam did have a feeling as if they were being watched and his instincts, or the power within him told him it might be her.
Sam glanced back at Rowena and Crowley. They were eyeing each other, both too focused on the task at hand to continue to fight like they did when Sam summoned Crowley. Heck, even he cringed at the look on Rowena's face and on the disappointed tone in her voice when she asked "Fergus, my boy, what have you done to yourself?", and they promptly started arguing until Dean broke them apart. (Literally. He made them sit in opposite corners in the room.) Rowena glanced back at Sam, and he could see some reluctance in her eyes as if she was fighting herself, but then it vanished and she nodded, then glanced far ahead of them to the left. She felt it too. Crowley saw the exchange and followed her line of sight, then remained focused on the spot she was looking at. Gabriel remained as carefree as ever, sucking down his lollipop and looking around as if he came along for sightseeing and nothing else. Still, Sam suspected he knew well.
Sam could see Dean's hackles were raised, that he was extra vigilant, but as good as his instincts were, he couldn't know. But Cas knew, Sam could see it in his eyes, in his posture, in the way his invisible wings were curling around Dean protectively. Somehow , it seemed as if they could block anything, even a spell cast by Rowena.
With that thought, Cas gasped, and his eyes widened at Sam. It seemed Sam just gave him a new ability. And wow, that really was shocking, and Sam would have definitely stopped to discuss it, but they had no time. Up ahead a white figure stepped out of the shadows, remaining perfectly still while waiting for their approach. Both Cas and Dean were armed in an instant, and Rowena and Crowley were looking for escape routes, but Sam motioned for them to relax as he took the last few steps towards Lilith.
She had her head raised high, her eyes filled with defiance while she stood there, tense and with fists clenched by her sides. Sam watched her for almost a full minute, his expression unwavering until she conceded, lowering her head and her eyes for a moment, allowing his dominance. When she looked back up, there was something there, an emotion he hadn't expected to see in her eyes. Hope.
"Are the rumours true? Are you really going to set him free?" She asked and Sam considered her for a moment before replying.
"We are gonna talk first, see how it goes." Lilith nodded, then stepped aside, glancing at Crowley.
"I cleared the path for you. Just make sure you don't wander down the seventh corridor with yellow aragonite - that is a dangerous path that won't take you where you need to go." She said, eyeing Crowley suspiciously.
"I would never lead them there. Even I aren't that big of a fool." The demon replied and Sam scuinted between them.
"What is down there?"
"The Shedim rest there." Lilith replied, and she seemed to want to elaborate, but Sam already knew what the creatures were, so he simply nodded, and walked past, turning his back to her and showing that he had no fear and no interest in her anymore. Lilith remained motionless as they all walked past her, and stood there for a long time watching them as they disappeared into the depths of Hell.
Soon they arrived at their destination and as Sam, Rowena and Crowley started preparing everything, Cas and Dean watched the perimeter, even if Sam knew it wasn't really necessary. Still, he let them do it, Dean especially, because… You can take the hunter out of Hell, but you can't take the Hell out of this hunter. But as much as Dean protested it, both of them knew Sam would have to do this alone.
Not just because Dean was temperamental, and wouldn't refrain from threatening someone way more powerful than himself (he smashed Chuck's guitar for Heaven's sake), but because Sam needed to speak to the devil without interruption and distractions. Dean didn't like the plan, Cas much less so, but at least the angel agreed he would hold Dean down should the hunter decide to intervene unnecessarily. But then he added that, should it prove to be essential, that Cas would "storm the castle himself". Sam didn't know what made Dean laugh more - the air quotes or the fact that he used slang.
With everything ready, Sam took a big breath and stepped closer to the secondary cage as Rowena cited the spell that would make Lucifer descend down into the confined space that wouldn't hold all of the devil's power at bay. Sigils flared on the side of the cage and holy fire came alive all around it, just as it did a few years back when they first did this. Or would that be a few years into the future, now? Didn't matter. Unlike before, there was no lightning and thunder, no storm echoing in the distance. Just a cloud of dark ominous smoke descending down upon them, and before it cleared, Sam saw those dreadful red eyes, glowing in the shadows of the cage. The hunter boldly stepped forth.
Red faded into familiar blue that gazed upon Sam for a few seconds before sliding down to look at their rising hand, inspecting it curiously. Dark blond head turned back to the hunter and huffed, intrigued. "Interesting visage. People tend to see me with horns and a tail, so I must say - this? - is a pleasant surprise." Lucifer said motioning at his body that took Nick's form, most likely because that was always how Sam saw him - even when he was hallucinating. Sam only nodded, and stood there waiting for the inevitable question.
Lucifer made a face, but eventually his curiosity won over. "I didn't think anyone would have the power to summon me like this, so you must be either very powerful or…" Lucifer glanced behind Sam to see five figures standing there in the distance, and while he could probably feel some sort of power emitting from each and every one of them, Sam included, the makeshift cage prevented him from seeing just what kind of a power it was. "... you have some friends in high places?" Sam remained silent, staring back at Lucifer, still waiting for that inevitable question.
Lucifer was stalling, trying to find a way to free himself, a way to turn around whatever it was he thought Sam wanted from him and trick him into doing what he wanted. "Alright, I give. Who are you?"
"Your true vessel." Sam replied, and oohhh-hoho, did Lucifer's brows shoot up. His smile grew into a predatory grin, and Sam suppressed a shudder. No matter what Lucifer tried, Sam wouldn't let him, he knew all his tricks. Sam blinked and with a whoosh of air, he was there, inside the cage with Lucifer. He could feel his brother taking a step closer, but he held out his hand to show that he was okay and for them to remain back. Lucifer stepped closer and suddenly his face morphed into one of horror as he quickly scrambled back.
"No, no… You can't… You can't be Him…"
"I'm not." Sam replied and witnessed as Lucifer calmed slightly. It would make sense, God was the only one who had the power to manipulate the cage like that, but Sam just knew somehow that the devil believed him.
"What… What do you want?" from me was left unsaid, Sam wouldn't be there otherwise.
"I need you… Actually - I don't need you. I just need your grace." Sam said with a huffed smile, repeating Lucifer's words to his son back to him. Lucifer just stared at him with his mouth hanging open, confusion and a barest hint of fear in his eyes. Sam would be surprised if Lucifer wasn't at least a bit intimidated, he did snap Sam into the cage, but Sam didn't even flinch. He radiated strength and God power and was cool and collected. He had an offer to make. "But if you do want to help, I am prepared to give you that chance."
"Help how?"
"Help us take down God."
Sam didn't think he would see the day that Lucifer was so stunned to silence, rendered speechless, and he couldn't say that he didn't enjoy it. But that was not the point of all this. "He made you, he created you right after Michael and you were his favourite… You were his favourite until…" Sam paused, considering the words he was about to speak. He didn't know if they were true, but they did hold a certain weight behind them, and it felt that, if spoken out loud, they would become real.
"... Until he twisted what you were. Until he made you the ultimate evil, the monster behind every nightmare."
"You… you don't know me." Lucifer said, almost stuttering.
"But I do. I know you."
"Just because you are my true vessel doesn't mean…"
"I was. I was your true vessel. I already saw you - whole of you, even the parts you tried to keep hidden. You don't believe me? See for yourself." Sam offered, inclining his head. Lucifer reached, slow and steady and pressed two fingers to Sam's temple. He gasped, seeing all the versions of the future Sam saw, and in not one of them did he see himself win, or get what he wanted. Not even a proper apology.
But then the scenes changed and he saw that he was given the opportunity to do better, to be better than God. And he blew it. Jack was… He was such a perfect boy, something good and pure, even if it was created by him. Someone as dark and twisted and corrupted as he was managed to create something so beautiful. And then he managed to destroy it. He was no better than his own father.
"Like I said, I don't need you. I just need your grace to reach Jack and try and bring him back. But I am offering you a chance to do better this time around. This is our second chance and it could be yours."
"All I got to do is say yes, huh?" Lucifer huffed, making a joke, but when Sam did respond, he lifted his glare to the hunter and found that he was serious, too serious in fact. "Wait, really? You're just gonna let me…"
"No. I won't let you do anything. In here -Sam said pointing to his head - you'll be just as trapped as you were up there in the cage. The only difference will be that you'll get to see and be a part of the changes to come."
"I'd ask if you are sure you want me in your head, but I guess that was familiar territory, huh?" Lucifer asked, trying for a joke. Sam took a deep breath and released it. He knew what he was getting himself into, but he also knew this way they would get the best results. Lucifer being a part of this instead of just his grace, would ensure they bring Jack back. And besides, if they could have a second shot at this, why wouldn't Lucifer get the same?
"Who else is out there?" Lucifer suddenly asked, glancing at the figures in the distance.
"A very powerful witch. Rowena. And her demon son, Crowley. My brother Dean, Michael's sword. Castiel. And Gabriel."
"Gabriel? He's… he's here?"
"Yeah." Sam didn't have the heart to tell him that Gabriel wasn't really there for him, but because of them, as the youngest archangel sided with humans a long time ago. Lucifer remained silent for a few minutes, probably processing it all. Lastly, he huffed a laugh and turned back to look at Sam.
"You know, when you summoned me, I was immediately trying to find a way, any way, to get out of here and when you told me you were my vessel?... Pheww… But I gotta say, I did not see this coming." Sam let out a laugh too. He didn't either. In fact he never would have thought he would be willingly offering himself as the vessel for the devil, no matter what. But that was the point, right? He can't change the future without actually making some drastic changes. Don't get him wrong, he didn't trust Lucifer, not by a long shot. But thanks to the connection he had with the divine power, he knew he could contain him, destroy him even, eventually. That contributed to him making this decision and Sam was convinced it was the right one. Even if his brother won't see it that way.
"Alright." Lucifer sighed. "I'm game." Sam nodded, then just stood there, waiting. Lucifer frowned, then shook his head. "You know I gotta hear a Yes for this to work, right?"
"Right… Yes."
White light engulfed the room, but Sam could still see everything perfectly. He could feel the entity before him shift from one plain of existence to another and settle inside of him. He could hear his brother's shout, but before Dean could reach him, Sam stepped out of the makeshift cage.
"What… what happened?" Dean asked, but Sam just motioned for them to start walking back and out of hell.
"He agreed to help."
"Okay… Then where is he?" Dean asked, even if Sam knew a part of him already knew the answer. Sam tried to prolong answering it, but Dean grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back, turning Sam to face him. "Sam…" There was concern and warning in his time and Sam sighed. Better get this over with.
"He's here."
"Where here?"
"Here." Sam said, pointing at himself. He could almost feel the anger that arose inside of his brother and braced for impact.
"WHAT?! Are you out of your freaking mind? This wasn't what we planned, Sam! Shit! What the fuck's wrong with you, are you insane?" Sam let Dean tell, hiding his smile at Lucifer's comment.
"Wow, the mouth on this one. Are you sure you're my true vessel and not him?" The words echoed inside Sam's head, not to be heard by anyone else. When he wasn't being a brat or an evil bastard, Lucifer could be really funny.
"Awe… You luv me. You really luv me!""Shut up, Lucy.""Oh, and a nickname too? Gee Sam, you sure know how to make a girl feel special.""I said, shut up!""This is going to be so much fun."