Chapter 13:
"Why do you keep calling me Madonna?" Mary suddenly blurted out.
It was Raphael who answered her. "It is because you are the mother of the Boy King of Hell. The Blessed Virgin is called the Madonna of Heaven because she gave Birth to the Messiah. Sam here, is his counterpart in Hell. That kind of makes you the Madonna of Hell."
"Wait what?!" John asked, his face twisted in anger.
Gabriel, for it was him – the golden eyes were a dead giveaway – snapped his fingers and John fell silent. He attempted to speak once more but found out that he could produce no sound. The angel then turned to Mary and said " I won't kill him because that would be a punishment for you and Dean and an easy escape for John. But I will put him through Hell, maybe mot literally but still, till he sees the error of his ways. Do you accept?"
"Will he be unharmed?" she asked.
"Physically, yes. Mentally, he will be a bit shaken."
"If that's what it takes for him to be a proper father to all four of my children, then go ahead." she replied. She looked pale, but was determined. Gabriel nodded and then snapped. John disappeared from where he had sat, leaning against the wall heavily.
"Wait, what are you going to do with Dad?" Dean asked quietly, too quietly.
"Put him in one of my pocket dimensions as long as it takes for his lesson to be driven into his thick skull." His expression softened a bit. "Dean-o, had your Daddy insisted on following the path he was on, he would have turned into a demon, like that Gordon Walker who killed everything that he thought was wrong. There is still time for him. If he changes his path now and repents, his soul would be purified, washed of the stain of his many sins. I don't want Sam to be the one who have to deal with his soul in Hell, either. He might not see John as his father, but it will still hurt him because it will hurt you and the Madonna if John is sentenced to Hell. You don't want that do you?"
"No. So what am I supposed to do now? Dad's stubborn. It's going to take him years to understand whatever it is that he is supposed to learn."
"It will take him years, yes. But to you it will be only long enough to finish a meal."
"Huh?"
Raphael snapped her fingers and the hospital room turned into a long hall.
There was a door at the other end of the hall. Raphael went through it after gesturing at the others to follow her. Sam and Adam went next chatting amiably the entire while. Castiel offered Mary his arm and then escorted her like a proper gentleman. Dean hesitated for a while but then decided to follow them through the door. The moment he stepped through the door, Dean was assaulted by mouth-watering scents. He found that he was standing in a large dining room with a table laden with all sorts of edible items. He was rather surprised by the fact that the table was still standing and had not collapsed under the weight of all the food and drinks it held. Then he remembered that he was currently in a pocket dimension where Gabriel decided the rules and he should really stop staring and take a seat. He took a chair to Sam's right while Adam was seated towards his left. At Dean's right was his Mom and beside her was Castiel. A brunette he vaguely recognized was sitting next to him, their hands entwined. At her side sat a British looking blond who was chatting animatedly with Castiel while the woman joined them once in a while adding comments of her own. Raphael completed the circle, leaving a chair between her and Adam empty.
Once they were done with a very delicious meal, a door which Dean had somehow missed yet stood directly opposite the one through which they had entered was flung open and John stumbled out of it. He was breathing heavily as though he had just finished running a marathon or something. Judging from how Adam's eyes had started glowing gold, Dean was willing to bet on the something. Raphael set a plate at the empty chair beside her and forced John to sit and eat. Once Dad had managed to force down a sandwich and a glass of orange juice while the others had watched on silently, Gabriel turned to his father and asked "Anything you want to say to the others, John?"
John took a few steadying breaths and then answered "I'm sorry. I've been horrible to both of you boys and even to you, Mary. Sure, I took Mary's death badly but that was no excuse for the hell I put you boys through." He paused again taking in a shuddering breath. "I shouldn't have made you raise your brother, Dean, no matter how good you were at it. I shouldn't have dissected every action Sam ever took and seen it as a result of the demon blood nor should I have tried to fit both of you boys into the same mould. Dean might have comparatively speaking, thrived in the hunting life but I should have seen how badly it affected you, Sam and no matter how good Dean became at it, I shouldn't have turned both of you into hunters at your age. I … I screwed up big time boys, will you ever forgive me?"
Dean looked stunned at his admission while Sam seemed to be coolly analysing his words. John did not like to admit it but, their reactions hurt him. They shouldn't have been so surprised at the fact he was apologizing nor should they be checking his words for falsehoods. But this was the result of his mistakes and it was high time he paid for them.
He turned to face Adam and Stella next. "I don't know if you can hear me, Adam, but it was my hypocritical wish to have some place where I could pretend that hunting was not really my job and be normal for a day or two that got you and your mother killed. That and my arrogance. I have been a poor excuse of a father to you and I have got no excuses for it. I know Stella has moved on but please, if you could pass on my apology to her as well. My hubris killed her parents and ruined her life and all I can do is to ask for your forgiveness. Both of yours."
Adam [it was definitely not the angel that possessed him, the way they held themselves were different] merely watched on with a blank face while the angel in Stella nodded and said "I will pass on your words, but do not expect instant forgiveness."
"I won't." he promised, even though it was a bitter pill to swallow.
"Mary, I messed up with our boys and still had the gall to be upset with you over something you had left behind and had no way of convincing me of the truth. I have been behaving badly to you. I am sorry."
Mary considered his words for a while and then answered "You are not getting off the hook just like that, John. Actions speak louder than words. Prove through your actions that you truly mean what you are now saying and then we will see about forgiveness."
"The fact that you are giving me a second chance is more than what I deserve, thank you."
A few moments later, Gabriel clinked his spoon on a wineglass and once he saw that he had everyone's attention, he said "Now that we have got the sharing and caring out of the way, let's get onto the more interesting stuff."
Raphael stood up with a slight smile and said "I've no idea what I am supposed to do but I will try my best. Castiel and Meg, do you promise to love and cherish each other, to stick with each other through thick and thin and remain loyal to each other no matter what?"
The two shared a smile and then answered as one "We do."
"Good." Raphael continued. "Balthazar, the rings please?"
The blond produced an ornate looking box from thin air and presented it to the couple. They took out two rings, simple yet beautiful to look at, and slipped it onto each other's fingers.
"And with that I proclaim you lawfully wedded." Raphael concluded while the others burst into applause.
Dean felt a twinge of loss but smothered it seeing their happiness. Once the clapping died out, Sam spoke up "I have got a confession to make."
Everyone or more accurately the remaining three humans turned to face him with confusion evident on their faces while the others settled back to watch.
"I am leaving for Hell immediately."
"What? Why?" Dean asked worry colouring his voice.
"You are smarter than that Dean. I am the Boy King of Hell, remember? I am apparently supposed to rule Hell in Lucifer's place. I will be back for the weekends though. Think about it Dean, I can control the exit and entry of souls into Hell, make sure that no one who does not deserve to be there doesn't wind up there. Sure it's an administrative nightmare there at the moment but given enough time, I could fix the place up. Besides time moves faster in Hell. That means within one or two Earth years Hell could be functioning smoothly and no one will have to deal with demons anymore."
"Sam you spend ages in Hell as Lucifer's bunk buddy. Are you sure you want to go back?"
"I am, Dean, This is something I can do. If no one else has to deal with what we had to growing up, then it's worth it."
"You don't have to justify anything to me, Sam. If you are sure about it then go but you better show up on the weekends or I will come down there!" He added sternly although the effect was ruined by the badly contained snickering.
"Thanks, Dean. What do you think of it, Mom?"
"What he said." Mary answered, pointing at Dean with a smile. Sam returned the smile and then turned to John with an eyebrow raised "Anything you want to add?"
John sighed and then replied "If that's what you want then go ahead."
"Alright, then. Meg, I am appointing you as my ambassador to Heaven. Basically you do whatever you want as long as it doesn't break any rules and doesn't draw any unwanted attention to yourself. When I need a message passed, I will send for you."
"Thanks, boss."
Raphael hummed a little and then said "That's a nice idea, Sam. Castiel you can be the ambassador to Hell, and your duties are exactly the same as Meg. Is that acceptable?"
"Thank you, brother."
"Well then, now that all is said and done, toodles." With that Gabriel snapped his fingers and Dean, Mary and John found themselves standing in the same motel room they had rented at the beginning of the case.
Mary found a note on her bed and read it out aloud.
See you next weekend.
-Sam.
The End.
A/N:
1. Special thanks to Zeus Lord of the Sky and Cricket Dancing.
2. I thank everyone who has read, reviewed, followed or added this story to your favourite list.
Good luck and good bye.