A/N: It's hard to believe that I've been writing Branded for nearly two years now! Every time I come back to write a new chapter, I get excited all over again and I can't wait to find out what happens next with Skylar and Dean's story. When will it end? I have no idea. I feel like I need to add another twist and turn with every step, including some steamy romance. ;) Thank you to those who have enjoyed Branded for as long as I have. I hope you will continue to read and review, along with those who have just begun! It means a lot.

"Maybe you should call her and apologize?"

"Why in the hell would I do that!?" Dean barked, gripping the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles were turning stark white.

Sam sighed, running a hand through his lustrous locks. "Because if you don't, you'll be pissed off and distracted the entire trip."

"I'm not going to apologize for trying to keep her safe," Dean muttered, grinding his teeth together in frustration, even though he knew deep down that Sam was right. "If she wants to throw a damn temper tantrum like a child, who am I to stop her? She should be the one calling to apologize to me."

"I'm not suggesting that you're in the wrong…but how does that saying go? Happy wife, happy life? You are a married now, Dean. It's your responsibility to grovel whether you like it or not."

"It'll be a cold day in hell before I take the blame, when clearly, Sky is being the irrational one. Women," he grumbled beneath his breath.

"Do you even have your phone on?"

Dean hesitated, darting his gaze to the side before answering. "Nope. Serves her right."

"Yea," Sam said, pulling his own cell phone from his pocket. "And she's being the child."

Dean watched as Sam checked his cell before sighing heavy and throwing it on top of the dashboard. The seconds ticked by in silence before Dean couldn't take it any longer. "Any missed calls?"

Sam chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "Nope."

Dean couldn't understand how his entire life had gone from blissful perfection, full of laughter and the best sex of his life (and that's saying a lot from a guy whose been around the block a time or two…or three), only to be turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Sure, Skylar was still his wife, and eventually, they would work things out. Somehow, they always have. They were too much alike sometimes; stubborn and pig headed. Both wanted to be right and found it incredibly hard to apologize. Usually, they would go about their lives and pretend like nothing ever happened. They would never mention their arguments after going months without speaking.

But now, circumstances were different.

He drove off without her, which he had done countless times in the past. But she was his wife now, not some kid who had been forced on him against his will.

Fuck.

Maybe he was in the wrong.

"Maybe you should call Bobby," Dean said quietly, never taking his eyes off the road. "Just to make sure she made it back to the house safely."

With brief hesitation, Sam reached for his cell. Dean knew that Sam hesitated only because he felt that Dean should make the call himself. Perhaps he should but swallowing one's pride was much harder than it should be. Clearly, he still had some inner demons of his own to sort through because his guard continued to firmly be rooted in place.

Sam began to call Bobby, placing it on speakerphone. The ringing appeared to mock him over and over. Ring…Ring…Ring….

Answer the phone, damnit, Dean thought, continuing to grip the steering wheel until his fingers became numb. Finally, on the fifth right, a faint 'hello' filled the silent vehicle.

"Hey, Bobby," Sam said, giving Dean a quick sideways glance before continuing. "We were just calling to make sure everything was okay. Did Sky make it back inside safely?"

The seconds ticked by and there was only silence on the other end. The silence had never been so deafening. For a moment, Dean swore that the call had been dropped until he could hear Bobby clearing his throat, stalling. His heart began to pump loudly throughout his body, causing a ringing in his ears.

"Bobby!?" Dean said harshly, gaining the attention. "Where is she?"

"I was just about to call you boys…" Bobby began, his voice full of dread, causing the hairs on the back of Dean's neck to stand on end. "Skylar never came back. I went to go look for her and…well, I found two set of footprints out in the snow behind that old shack. There aren't many, but it's there. It's like the tracks just – vanish out of thin air."

"What do you mean vanished out of thin air?" Sam asked quietly, placing his hand on top of the roof to keep himself in place as Dean shifted gears, the tires screeching loudly as Baby did a full U-turn in the middle of the highway. Sam didn't flinch at his older brother's sudden actions, but rather braced himself.

"Both tracks just…gone. I don't think she would leave. It's ten degrees outside and she has no money on her. I know she's stubborn as hell, but I have a bad a feeling about this one."

"We're on our way, Bobby. With the way Dean's driving, we'll be back in an hour tops. Keep an eye out just in case."

"You had one job, Bobby!" Dean barked, speaking for the first time since asking where Skylar was. "Keep an eye on my wife. How can you fuck it up two seconds after we leave?"

"Don't be yelling at me, boy! You're the one that left her behind. She's not made of glass, dumbass. If you weren't so overprotective, she'd be with you right now where she belongs."

The muscles in Dean's jaw began to work in overdrive. He was right. Fuck, he had made the biggest mistake of his life leaving Skylar behind, and now he may never see her again.

"We'll see you soon, Bobby," Sam said quickly, shutting his phone before any harsher words could be spoken that they both might regret.

Sam gave a heavy sigh, closing his eyes tight. "We'll find her, Dean. I promise."

"I shouldn't have left her. FUCK!" Dean screamed, hitting the steering wheel, unshed tears beginning to burn his eyes. His vision was blurred slightly, but he tilted his head back, refusing to let them fall. All the times he had lost Sam, never had he felt completely hopeless. Aside from the time his kid brother actually died, and Dean sold his soul to bring him back, Sam had always been able to take care of his own self in one way or another. But Skylar…

Maybe Bobby was right. Maybe she wasn't made of glass and would surprise the hell out of them by surviving her current ordeal. If, in fact, Lucifer had her within his clutches, he prayed that she would find some way to hold on until he could get to her. How do you defeat the devil himself? While Dean and Sam were on the road only moments ago to miraculously do the same thing, they had single handedly defeated ghosts, demons, monsters, vampires, shapeshifters, and even angels.

No matter how many bad asses they ganked, there was always that voice inside his head that screamed this could be it. This could be the final showdown where they wouldn't make it out alive.

"Call, Olivia," Dean spoke, wiping a tear that had succeeded in falling from his left eye. "Threaten the bitch until she tells us where my wife is."

Skylar looked out of the car window, several houses passing by. The Sky was pitch black and the stars were shining in all their glory. She wasn't sure what she was expecting. Teleportation like Castiel perhaps? Lucifer had tried but was too weak to complete the task. They didn't make it far. Apparently fallen angels lacked those of God's army because she was currently sitting in the passenger seat of a stolen Toyota with Lucifer at the wheel, driving through the one place that Skylar had always heard about, but never visited.

Lawrence, Kansas.

This was where it all happened. This was where it all began.

Dean rarely talked about his mother, but she knew that it pained him to think about that time, a four-year-old little boy losing his Mom to the yellow eyed demon as it set her on fire. That was the day that his innocents would be lost forever.

Skylar willed herself not to cry for the man she loved. The hard life he had lived made him into the resilient man he was today.

By now, they would have talked to Bobby. They had to know she was missing. A part of her wanted Dean to rescue her, while another part of herself willed him to stay far away. She would rather die than watch Dean come to that same fate. She couldn't bare surviving while losing him all over again.

Maybe she already loved him before he sold his soul to bring Sam back to life, and those four months without him had hurt like crazy. But now…now it was different. Skylar belonged to Dean in every way imaginable, body and soul. Losing him now would be like losing herself. And she couldn't bare to go on. It was best if he never found her. Skylar silently prayed to whoever may be listening that Dean never find out where she currently was.

Pulling up to an abandoned two-story building on hill above town, Lucifer began to speak. "We're here," he breathed, his smile deepening. The skin of his vessel had begun to peel in a grotesque sort of way. Skylar stifled a shudder as she slowly exited the vehicle, not bothering to run. What was the use? She could never outrun this monster, no matter how weak he appeared to be getting.

He grabbed a tight hold to her arm, jerking her harshly when she tried to free herself from his clutches. "Now, now, little one. No need to get feisty. This will all be over with shortly."

"What will be over?" Skylar huffed, pulling once more to try and break free. He held firm. "I'm a teenage girl in her junior year of high school. I don't hold the power that you clearly think I do. Why won't you stop being so cryptic and tell me what this big plan is that you have for me?"

Entering the dark building, Skylar willed her eyes to adjust to the pitch black. She felt herself being dragged up a narrow staircase, Lucifer's grasp remaining unbelievably firm. If by some miracle she made it through the night, she would have the deepest bruise on her left elbow and down her forearm from how many times he had grabbed her over the last several hours. It was becoming unnecessary and tedious.

Upon arriving at the second story, the moon filtered in from a nearby window, allowing some light to shine in. It was no longer pitch black, and Skylar could see the empty room, the walls made of cement – the floor beneath her feet wooden. It was unremarkable to say the least.

"What's so special about this place?" Skylar asked, unable to keep the condescending tone from her voice.

"Privacy," he replied absentmindedly, studying a nearby wall with intensity. He looked to be sizing it up, but from Skylar's point of view, it was bare and cracked, in serious need of repair. Giving a heavy sigh, Skylar folded her arms over her chest and moved to the nearby widow, staring down into the town below. It was late – well past midnight. The houses looked like a Christmas village, a few lights turning out in the process.

She half expected to see the Impala coming up the long drive like she had so many times in the past. Whenever she saw Baby, she knew that everything would be alright.

But not this time.

There was no Baby in sight.

Despite wanting Dean to stay far away, a pain of disappointment flooded her and the realization of never seeing Dean again began to feel surreal. She longed for him to hold her in that way of his that was strong, yet possessive. She wanted to feel his strong hands in her hair, pulling hard while his lips came crashing down on her own, resulting in a searing kiss. She wanted to feel his hands on her, making love to her in that tender way of his that sometimes sparked an animalistic reaction where he would hold her down and get a little rough while whispering the sweetest words.

"You know I can read your thoughts," Lucifer spoke, causing Skylar to gasp in disbelief, turning around to gaze at the form hidden in shadow. Skylar knew that her cheeks were burning, and she suddenly couldn't wait until the end came.

Lucifer chuckled. "Don't worry, I haven't been eavesdropping all day. But you were standing there so lost in your own thoughts, that I suddenly couldn't help myself. So, my key is no longer pure, I see."

"K…key?" Skylar stammered, tucked her long brown locks behind her ear.

"Your blood let me out, child. Do you not remember?"

"Because it called for a virgin. I was…I…"

"You were a virgin? Is that what you're trying to say?" Lucifer asked, clasping his hands behind his back and rocking back on his heels slightly. "Yes, you were. And I'm sure that little detail helped in freeing me from my prison. Millennium, upon millennium, I rotten away in my cage, engulfed in flames, because dear ol' Dad had to punish me for not taking a liking to you insignificant mortals. All I asked for was a little recognition…some positive attention. And what happens? He gets Michael to cast me out of heaven. My own brother," he said, walking towards Skylar with a deadly gleam in his red eyes that were becoming more and more visible with each step he took.

Grasping her upper arms in each hand, Skylar winced at the pain, releasing a small cry of discomfort. She quickly bit down on her bottom lip, refusing to let Lucifer see the discomfort she was in. He shook her slightly, releasing his grip somewhat at noticing the soreness he was inflicting upon her. "My apologies, dear. You will be in torment soon enough. No need to cause any serious afflictions beforehand."

Releasing his hold, he reached down to take her hand in his own, dragging her slowly towards the dark wall ahead. "Come with me, child. It's time."

Skylar hesitated, her mind continuing to scream, though the fear of Lucifer once again invading her thoughts. It was terrifying. With a firm hold, he placed her against the wall, her hands bracing the cold cement to keep from hurting herself at the, once again, harsh gesture. Her body must be black and blue at this point.

Taking each wrist in his hands, Lucifer stood behind her, breathing in deep. "Now concentrate," he whispered, humming lightly to himself. Skylar furrowed her brow, feeling uncomfortable at the close contact. Not to mention, Lucifer was acting like a total weirdo.

Groaning in frustration, he placed his hands firmly over the backs of hers and pushed down hard, causing Skylar to cry out in pain at the cracking sound that followed. "I told you I can hear your thoughts. Now concentrate a little more on the task at hand, and this process will hurt a little less."

"What am I supposed to be concentrating on?!" Skylar cried through the agony.

"When I was cast out of heaven, cursed to spend thousands and thousands of years endlessly roaming the earth," Lucifer began, whispering in Skylar's ear, his teeth clenched in anger, "Dad created a key for me. He knew this day was coming. Ten thousand years before the end was to come, I was locked away in a cage, centered in hell. I had to watch my own kingdom burning from the inside of bars, and I couldn't get out to inflict my own torture on those lost souls screaming around me. However, the only thing that kept me going…was you. You were down there with me – always."

Lucifer let out a low groan. From the corner of her eye, she watched the agitation on his face as he glanced away briefly, memories flooding back with a vengeance. "You were so far out of reach, tormenting me, sitting on a little pedestal just far enough to drive me to the brink of insanity. And then one day, nearly 1,700 years ago, you were gone," he snapped his fingers for effect. "Vanished into thin air right before my very eyes. It was in that moment; I knew you had been born and my agony would soon be over. I could finally be released and once again come face to face with my brother and finally get the justice I've deserved all along!"

Suddenly, Skylar's blood turned to ice as realization began to dawn. When she had been eavesdropping, she overheard Dean and Sam talking about being the vessels of heaven and hell. But something else passes their lips that she hadn't quiet understood until this very moment.

"I'm the key to hell?" she asked simply, her voice shaking with fear.

Lucifer laughed. "Now you're getting it, little one. And my job is to put you back where you came from. I must let my friends roam free before the end comes to fruition so that they collect as many souls as they possibly can. And the only way to do that…is for you to let them out."

Once again, Lucifer began to hold her palms against the cement, much harsher than before. Though she didn't concentrate on opening the portal, the walls began to shake and the cold underneath her touch heated up considerably, searing her skin, burning it like fire. It was the knowledge, knowing that she was the key, which seemed to work in creating an opening to the fiery pit.

"Stop!" Skylar heard herself screaming. She was crying in pain, but there was no one to hear her agony. The wall began to crack, splitting open beneath their combined touch. On the other side of the wall, a swirling black void met her vision. Skylar paused briefly, transfixed by the sight before her.

She held her eyes tightly together as the wall broke down completely, her hair whipping around her from the intense wind that shrouded them both. "Good girl," Lucifer praised, a look of joy on his malicious features. "Now all I need you to do is leap inside so that my friends can be released."

"Please!" Skylar begged, trying to hold her feet firm away from the ledge, but Lucifer's body held fast, pushing her farther and farther into the black void. She pleaded for her life, but to no avail.

"This is what you were made for!" he said with excitement, yelling over the loud whistling of the portal. And with one final push, Lucifer flung her forward towards the opening.

Skylar closed her eyes tight, preparing for the inevitable.

But nothing happened.

She was still standing on solid ground, the opening acting as if it were covered by glass. But that was impossible. She could feel the wind. She could hear the faint noises of hell drifting to her ears.

Judging by Lucifer's reaction, something told Skylar this wasn't supposed to be happening. "I told you it wasn't me!" she screamed over the noise, suddenly convinced that he must have had it wrong. There was no way she was the key to hell.

"Of course, it's you, you little bitch! The portal opened for you!" he said, no longer calling her 'little one.' He was pissed off, and that was apparent by the rage radiating off his melting outer shell. "What did you do?!"

"I didn't do anything!" Skylar demanded, taking this opportunity to back away from the devil himself.

Just then, he turned his head sharply, grabbing Skylar once again by her upper arm. His eyes bore into her, his brow furrowed in bewilderment. He seemed to be studying her, trying to figure out why she was broken. Why wasn't the portal accepting her? To him, it made little sense. To her, it brought relief that she had bought a little time.

Lucifer looked down, pausing in confusion. He slowly dropped to his knees, placing an ear against her flat abdomen amidst the continued rushing wind. No matter how hard she tried to back away, he held firm to her hips.

He stayed like that for a while, his ear plastered to her stomach. The seconds continued to tick by, one after the other.

After what seemed like an eternity, he slowly stood, inching his way up her body until his face was centimetres from her own.

"The portal will only accept the key before anything else," he growled, his lips curling back into an animalistic snarl. "And that bastard you're carrying is keeping me from getting what I want." Unable to register what he was saying before he backhanded her, she was sent flying through the air and onto the adjacent cement wall. Her head struck the harsh interior, instantly fading the world to black.