A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I love to see others enjoy my writing. It is much appreciated and great for boosting inspiration. :)

Skylar's stomach dropped at the sensation of being teleported.

Zapping from one place to another was not meant for humans. Why would anyone wish for science to advance? If teleportation ever became a real thing, they could just count her out. But something told her she would have to put up with it in the meantime. Michael didn't strike her as the 'drive across country' type.

Angels didn't care if it caused you lightheadedness and constipation. They refused to use a damn car.

Holding her stomach, she walked from the parking lot to her motel room. She gasped when Michael appeared at the door considering he had been behind her only a second ago.

"You have got to stop doing that."

"Doing what?" he asked, clearly oblivious to his own distain for walking.

He turned the doorknob, stepping aside for her to enter first.

It was dark inside the room despite the sun beginning to rise. She reached out her hand, skimming it along the wall until she felt the light switch.

But they weren't alone.

She immediately saw Sam and Castiel standing across the room, a sigil written in blood.

"Hey! Ass cheeks!" Castiel screamed to gain Michael's attention, his hand raised in preparation to activate the defense mechanism used against angels. It was as if the entire situation moved in slow motion before her eyes.

Sam's gaze was narrowed while clenching his fists tight, fury evident on his features as he stared at Michael in pure contempt.

In return, Michael gazed back, an almost bored expression on his face. She could see the wheels turning inside his head. Sigils worked for no more than five minutes. Sam and Castiel were dead if they dared to use it.

"Cass! Don't!" Skylar screamed the moment his hand came in contact with the blood. A blinding light illuminated the room as she put her arm up to block it out.

As expected, Michael was gone.

She stared at the now empty spot in pure shock. What did she expect? Of course, the guys weren't going to take it well that Michael was now residing in her husband's meat suit, but they should have talked to her first. She could have explained the situation.

"Ass cheeks? We really need to work on your spur-of-the-moment insults, Cass," Sam said.

"Noted," Castiel replied, nodding his head thoughtfully. "It felt good though. You have no idea what that jerk wad puts us through in heaven."

"Hellooooooo," Skylar interrupted, waving her arms to garner their attention. "You just beamed a freaking archangel out of the universe, and you're talking about lame insults?"

"Right."

Snapping his head to attention at her obvious statement, Sam stepped towards Skylar with fresh determination. He grabbed her by the upper arm and began dragging her back to the door. She fought his hold, but it was difficult to gain the upper hand when a 6'4' sasquatch was manhandling you. "We need to run. Now."

"Sam, let go of me! I need you to listen."

"Sam's right," Castiel interrupted. "We only have a few minutes before he returns. Angel blades don't work on archangels. You and Sam need to start moving and I'll go back to heaven…see if I can round a small army to come back with me. Perhaps we can overpower him enough to release Dean. That's our only hope."

"I can't believe Dean would ever say "yes" to Michael. He gave me so much shit for bringing up the possibility of saying "yes" to Lucifer. When we get him back, I'm going to kill him."

"Will the two of you just stop and listen to me!"

Skylar yanked with all her might until Sam relented, releasing his hold on her. He looked at her like she had lost her mind. Apparently, they thought Michael had abducted her against her will considering how they were treating her.

She gave a heavy sigh.

"We've been running for months. We're all tired and out of answers. Dean did this because he knew that there was no other way to kill Lucifer. Michael is our only hope, and deep down, the two of you know this. He said that he wants to help. He wants to protect me. I don't have to die."

"And you believe him?" Castiel said, more anger in his robotic voice than she had ever heard before. "You have no idea what Michael is capable of. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Michael was God's first creation out of heaven – His secret weapon. He cannot be stopped."

"Then I should be safe with him," she said with determination, letting this new bit of information sink in before looking up at Castiel in accusation. "And where were you, Cass? Where were you when Lucifer took me? When I almost died?"

The angel looked down at this, guilt pouring out of him. When he spoke, it was a mere whisper of regret. "The other angel's blocked your prayers. I had no idea what was happening. You weren't supposed to make it out alive and I only learned of this recently. You were supposed to die so that…"

"…so that the apocalypse could begin," Skylar finished for him. "I know. Michael filled me in."

This seemed to take the boys by surprise, but not enough to sway Sam's determination. "We need to leave, Sky. No matter how bad things have gotten, Michael is not the answer."

"Dean trusted Michael enough to give himself over to him – to take care of us, Sam. I can't let his sacrifice mean – nothing. Besides…I can't just leave Dean behind."

"What?"

"Dean's trapped inside. I can't just leave him. I have no other option than to trust Michael, help him lock away Lucifer for good, and hope that he lets Dean go when this is all over. We're out of options, guys. I just need you to trust me."

"You should listen to the girl."

Three pairs of eyes quickly turned toward the voice that spoke. There he was, leaning against the wall, one foot crossed over the other. His cap was pulled low over his eyes, his head bent down. The muscle in his jaw was working furiously as if he was trying to control his temper with every ounce of restraint he possessed.

Something told her that restraint wasn't his strong suit.

It couldn't have been more than two minutes since the sigil was activated, and already, he was back.

"Castiel," he began, his voice low and melodic as he stood to his full height, walking towards them slowly. His strides were commanding, yet relaxed. Each movement caused her heart to race faster. "You've always been a thorn in my side, ever since the day you were created. Pointless and with zero purpose. And now it has all come down to this. Tragic really – how your death will be soooooo…meaningless, just like your existence."

Michael began to raise his hand. Was it really so easy? He could kill another angel without even trying? Skylar wasn't sure what she was expecting to happen after Castiel used the sigil. A full-on war perhaps? But not this. Castiel had no fighting chance.

Before she lost all nerve, Skylar rushed towards Michael, putting her hands on his chest in desperation. "Stop! Please! They…they just thought that they were protecting me. It was one giant misunderstanding. Right guys?"

She looked towards the boys, silently pleading with them. They both looked a little shocked that she would run up to Michael without fear. Sam stepping towards her slowly as if he could protect her. He couldn't, but it was a very Sam thing to do none-the-less.

Castiel looked shocked to still be alive. "Yes. One big…misunderstanding."

"See," Skylar said with a forced smile, relived that they had chosen life over death in that moment. "No harm, no foul."

From beneath his cap, Michael looked down at her, his face grim. He scanned her features, his eyes settling on her mouth for several seconds too long. Skylar bit down on her bottom lip, suddenly feeling vulnerable and awkward. She turned her head to the side, and it was clear that Michael's gaze hadn't gone entirely unnoticed. Sam was looking at her with a mixture of disbelief and anger.

Michael's focused had caught her off guard, too, but she couldn't think about that right now.

When Michael finally pulled his gaze from her and back to his adversaries, his words were chilling.

"If I ever see you again, Castiel, I will end you. Your services are no longer needed with the Winchesters. From this moment forward, your position has been terminated. Am I understood?"

"Michael," Skylar said in a hushed tone, not realizing until now that her palms remained flat against his hard chest. She risked a glance over her shoulder, the torment written all over Castiel's features. Aside from herself and Sam, the angel was her husband's best friend. "Castiel didn't mean to…"

"Am I clear?!" he roared, ignoring her pleas as his attention remained riveted on Castiel. Skylar shook at his rage, causing her arms to drop from his body. It was the same angry roar that she had heard so often from Dean over the years. She hated the sound.

Castiel never answered, but Michael rose his fingers once again and snapped them.

"No!" she screamed, panicked.

Castiel was gone.

"He's alive. I hid him from my sight since it's so important to you that he lives. But I meant what I said. If he makes his way back to any of you, I will kill him."

"Let Skylar and I leave," Sam interrupted, reaching out to her slowly, trying not to make any sudden movements. "You have everything you need to kill Lucifer. You have the vessel you've been wanting."

Before Sam could touch her, Michael reached out, grabbing him by the wrist. The pain on Sam's face was more than she could bear. He dropped to his knees in agony, screaming.

"Michael, stop it! Let him go!"

He ignored her cries.

"Skylar is our key. I need her to open the portal to hell – among other things. She is very much needed. I promised Dean that I would protect her and his unborn child. I intend to do just that. I can take care of her from here, Sam. You're no longer needed, just like Castiel."

"I…can't just leave her," Sam growled though the pain. "Dean would…kill me."

"Dean understands," Michael said with a wry smile. "He knows that I have her best interest at heart."

"Sam. Please, just go. I'll be alright."

Skylar couldn't help but feel horrible for her brother-in-law. He had tried so hard, only for it to come down to this. Michael wasn't going to allow him to stay. If he tried, he would kill him.

Michael released his hold on Sam, causing the younger Winchester to clutch his wrist as he breathed in relief. Slowly getting to his feet, Sam made his way towards the door, looking back at Skylar with sad eyes, defeat and regret written all over him. As he turned the knob, Michael's voice broke through the deafening silence.

"Oh – and Sam?" Sam turned, forcing himself to meet Michael's gaze. The archangel spoke, a small smirk lifting the corner of his mouth. "I'll see you soon."

Michael sat on the bed with his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankle.

He twisted the cap in hands, and for the first time, she could see him perfectly. His hair was slicked down, parted on the side. He looked every part of the perfect gentlemen, but deep down, he was a ruthless monster.

Just like the rest of them.

While she could appreciate his flawless appearance, it didn't make her forget what he had just done to Castiel and Sam. He sent them away, and something told her, he wasn't going to allow them to just walk right back in without smiting them.

Skylar now sat on the chair across the room, clutching the arm rests in nervous anticipation. She should never have underestimated him to begin with.

For some reason, the patience he showed her was not bestowed on others.

That much was apparent.

"You're afraid of me," he began, not bothering to lift his gaze from the cap he continued to turn in his long fingers.

"You didn't have to send Sam away," she answered quickly before she lost her nerve.

"Yes I did, sweet girl. He would have fought me every step of the way. I have big plans for you."

Big plans for me?

"I know," Skylar replied, picking at a loose piece of fabric on the chair. "I have to open the portal. I can do that. Lucifer showed me how. But now that you have everything you need…we can do it soon. Right? This will all be over with soon?"

With pure grace, Michael swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, tossing his cap down. The outfit he wore clung to his body, but it fit perfectly. She closed her eyes, shaking her head.

This wasn't her Dean. She had to stop noticing the little things about his appearance. It was getting creepy.

"I need you to come with me."

She furrowed her brow at the simple statement. "Obviously. If you haven't noticed – I'm kinda you're prisoner."

"Prisoner?" Michael chuckled. "You're no prisoner, sweetheart. Just a very special girl with very special talents."

"So I've been told," she said, thinking back to what Lucifer had told her about having the ability to bring the world to its knees and not even knowing it. "Where do you need me to go with you?"

Michael went to the large window.

He flung the curtains back, staring out into the parking lot riddled with dirty trash, a homeless man walking by while pushing a grocery cart.

"If we are to save the world, we need to start by asking the righteous, the sinners, and those who sin but feel that they are righteous…what do they want? How do they expect to restore humanity once they are left alone? My father no longer answers when He is called. Many have doubts that he ever existed to begin with. But Joshua, Metatron, myself, and Lucifer…have been the only angels to ever see God's face. His favorites. His most cherished creations. But he has turned His back on all of us, both angels and humans. We have all fallen from His grace. Simply put, He has given up on us. By saving the world, I'm turning my back on my destiny. So, you see, sweet girl, we have work to do."

Skylar took in his words. Those words that flowed from his lips like sweet honey. Anna once said that only four angels have ever seen God's face. And she was in the presence of one now. So, He did exist? There was no more believing on blind faith. It was a fact.

"You said that we would take care of Lucifer. Why do we have to wait?"

"You are I are ready to fight. My brother is not."

"But…"

"He needs his true vessel," Michael said, turning from the window to look at her.

Skylar's mouth hung open at this, panic coursing through her. "Sam."

"Indeed."

"You said you could save us! H…How could you just send Sam right out the door towards Satan?"

"Correction," Michael said, placing one hand in the pocket of his pants, sauntering towards her as if he didn't have a care in the world. "I said I will save you. When I promised Dean that you and his unborn child would be my number one priority, I never mentioned Sam in that deal. I promised Dean that the two of you would live a miserable human existence together, and I intend to keep that promise. However, he will have to live it without his brother. Unfortunately, there is no way around this. Lucifer must be put back in his cage, and with him, Sam will go."

"They were right. You can't be trusted," she said through clenched teeth, too angry to cry.

"I have my faults but going back on my word is not one of them. You can hate me all you want," he began, bending down with one arm resting on his knee as he searched through her fury. "Every great warrior needs an even greater weapon. And you, Skylar, are mine. You have so much power within you, child. Let me be the one to show you how to use it. Together, we can restore the world to what it once was. Take it from someone who walked the earth as the skies opened and it began to flood; who watched Sodom and Gomorrah burn to the ground. Eventually, every human will turn evil in their heart. It's only a matter of time. Only this time, we stop it before it is given the chance to begin."

"What do you want?" Skylar asked at this, his words weighing heavy upon her. He was so close to her, causing her body to tremble with unease. He gave her the smallest of smiles, but something more sinister was hidden in shadow.

"What I have always wanted…a better world."