Chapter 61
Dean drank the rest of his beer in silence. River watched as he held the Horseman's rings in is hand running his thumb over each bump and groove. "God damn it." He muttered shaking his head.
River reached across the table and folded her hands over his. "Come inside, talk to Sam." She told him. Dean nodded tucking the rings back into his pocket as they walked hand in hand back into Bobby's home. Castiel was still asleep on the couch. One arm thrown over his eyes to block the murky sunlight leaking in through the grimy windows. Bobby was walking up and down the stairs humming happily. They found Sam in the kitchen leaning against the counter drinking his own beer. River let go of Dean's warm hand and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek before drifting to Sam and giving the tall man a firm hug.
Sam cocked an eyebrow and set his beer down. "What's that for?"
"Just because," she shrugged. "I'm gonna get a shower and pack some clean clothes." She said leaving the brothers alone in the kitchen. Sam took another sip of beer and warily watched his brother.
Dean rubbed his jaw and stared at the ceiling for a few deep breaths. "Alright, I'm in." He said looking his brother in the eyes.
Sam set his beer down. "In with what?"
"I'm in with your 'up with Satan' plan."
Sam let out a deep breath. "You're gonna let me say yes?"
Dean shook his head. "I'm not letting you do anything. You're a grown, an over grown man. And I've spent my whole life watching out for you; trying to protect you. I don't know how to do anything else. But if this is what you want I'll back your play."
"Thank you, Dean."
He nodded, "I mean if anyone can beat the Devil it's you. If thats what you want-"
"I'm the reason he's out. I need to put him back." Sam answered.
"Alright."
After waking Castiel and waiting for River to get out of the shower they scoured through news articles and weather reports for signs of demonic nests. Sam needed to start leveling up as quickly as possible before he faced off with Lucifer. River found a two paragraph article in the Kenosha Tribune about a run of out-of-season thunderstorms and flooding. They decided it was as good a lead as any and headed for Wisconsin. They found four demons using an abandoned warehouse as their nest. And the demons soon enough found themselves trapped with three homicidal hunters and an ex-Angel. River was pretty proud of herself for only throwing up once after she slit the first demons throat. She and Sam collected the blood in empty gallon water jugs and left Dean and Cas to burn the bodies when the grim work was done. "So you want to go by the farmers market, pick up some spinach and strawberries blend this shit into a Demon Blood power smoothie?" River asked
"I like it straight." Sam told her. She tried to smile but her face broke and she pressed her palms into her eyes trying to stop herself from crying. "Hey it's alright. I got this." He told her setting the jugs of blood down and wrapping one arm around her.
She nodded, "I know you do." She sniffed and wiped her eyes.
Sam glanced over his shoulder making sure Cas and Dean were still inside the building. "I want to talk to you about something."
Dean and Castiel walked out of the dark warehouse a few moments later. River and Sam talked quietly, leaning against the trunk of the Impala. She had her arms wrapped tightly around herself, nodding at whatever Sam was telling her and wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her hoodie.
"They alright?" Dean asked Bobby as he walked towards him and his van.
Bobby nodded, "Seems like they're having a heart to heart. I'd give 'em a couple more minutes to hug it out." Dean smirked. "I got a couple ideas where we might find the man of the hour." He told Dean handing him a stack of newspapers. "These look like omens to you? Cyclones in Tampa, temperature drop in Detroit, wildfires in L.A…"
"What about Detroit?" Dean asked before Bobby could continue.
"Twenty degree temperature drop, but only in a five block radius of downtown Motown." Bobby answered sifting through the newspapers to find the particular article.
"Thats where he is," Dean said quietly. He looked over at his brother and girlfriend who had indeed ended their conversation with a hug. "We're wasting daylight. Lets go."
"Where we headed?" River asked him her voice still thick with emotion from whatever she and Sam had been talking about.
"Detroit." Dean answered.
River nodded, "Detroit of course. I'm gonna ride with Cas and Bobby."
"What? Why?"
"Cas is driving Bobby nuts with stories of his glory days on the Heavenly battlefield." River answered. "Or I can have Cas ride with you two if you want?" She said.
"No. You know what we're good." Dean told her.
She stood on her toes wrapping her hands in the soft leather of his jacket and kissed him gently on the lips. Dean smiled down at her running his thumb along her jaw. "I hear Detroit has good pizza too," She called over her shoulder as she walked towards Bobby's dinged up black van.
Dean pulled the drivers side door open, still wearing the same smile River left him with. He caught his brothers amused face in his peripheral vision and turned towards him. "What?" He asked the smile dropping from his face.
"Nothing. I don't get to see you happy very often." Sam told him. Dean rolled his eyes as he started the car. They drove in silence until the sun disappeared below the horizon. The green highway signs counted down the miles until they would reach Detroit. Sam shifted nervously every time another fifty miles evaporated under the wheels of the Impala.
"I got a bad feeling about this, Sam." Dean finally said.
Sam nodded, "I'd be worried if you felt good about any of this."
"You know what I mean. Detroit. He always said it was gonna be Detroit. Zachariah showed River Detroit and what happens, what might happen after…maybe he knows something we don't know. "
"I'm sure he knows a butt load more than we do, we just have to hope he doesn't know about the rings." Sam wiped his hands on his jeans and took a deep breath. He ran through the speech he had been practicing for the last several hundred miles. River had let him say his piece without arguing he wasn't sure his brother would be as cooperative. "Hey Dean, I got to talk to you about something."
"What?" He replied not taking his eyes off the dark road and the taillights of Bobby's van.
"If things go our way and I triple lindy into the box you know I'm not coming back right?"
"Yeah." Dean said quietly. "I remember how it works."
"You need to promise me something." Sam continued.
"Alright, what?"
"You've got to promise not to try to bring me back."
"What? No! I didn't agree to that," Dean shot back angrily. "You're going to Hell, Sam. You're gonna be trapped with Lucifer…I'm not fucked up enough to imagine what thats gonna be like for you. There is no god damn way I'm letting you stay down there."
Sam shook his, "Dean listen to me! It's too risky, you can't go poking around at the cage once its locked."
"No No no no no way. You can not ask me to do this."
"I am and you will. I'm sorry Dean but you have to let me go." Sam said calmly.
Dean shook his head running his hands along the steering wheel. "What am I supposed to do then? You're my family Sam."
Sam took a deep breath, "You take River and have a life with her. Pray that she's patient and dumb enough to stay with you once everything settles down and we aren't clawing for every inch. Pray that she never realizes what a jerk you really are." Dean couldn't help the annoyed smirk that pulled at his lips. "Marry her, god damn it. I should've asked Jess to marry me the minute we met. Instead I bought a ring and carried it around for months waiting for the right moment. That moment never came, Dean. Promise that you will live your life."
They arrived in Detroit a few hours before midnight. Once they pinpointed the center of the temperature fluctuation it was an easy step to find the building where a couple dozen demons were hiding out. "Looks like somethings up in there," Bobby murmured staring through his binoculars. "They got sentries everywhere."
Dean shoved his hands in his pocket, "He's in there. I can feel it."
River shuffled on her feet against the biting cold and apprehension shivering up her spine. She leaned into Sam trying to steal some of his body heat and gave Dean a small reassuring smile as he and Bobby walked back into he shadows of the alley they were hiding in. "Go time?" She asked quietly. Dean nodded. Sam stiffened next to her.
"See ya around kid." Bobby said taking Sam into a big hug.
"Yeah see ya around, Bobby." He replied grasping Bobby by the shoulders before turning to Castiel who stood unsurely to the side. "Take care of them." Sam said nodding his chin towards the to others.
Castiel's face fell, "That's not possible, Sam."
Sam smiled sadly, "Then just humor me."
"Oh!" Cas replied , "You wanted me to lie. Well, of course. They'll be fine. Everything will be just fine-"
"Cas, sweetie, quit talking." River told him patting his arm. "Why don't we go sit with Bobby for a while? You can finish telling us about the time you slew the demon Charun." She gave Sam a final hug and kissed him gently on his cheek. "Thank you, Sam. I promise I will take care him." She said just loud enough for him to hear. She hooked her arm around Cas's and led him towards Bobby's van as Dean opened the Impalas trunk and stared down at the jugs of dark red demon blood.
"Could you not watch while I do this?" Sam asked him quietly.
Dean nodded, "Yeah, theres an all night pawn shop up the street I wanted to check out anyways." He held his hand out to his brother. Sam grabbed his hand and was surprised when Dean pulled him in for a tight hug. "Be back in twenty." He said backing away from his brother.
"Where you headed hot stuff?" River asked as he walked towards the front of the alley.
"Goin' for a walk. Keep an eye on him for me. I'll be right back." He disappeared quickly around the corner and out of sight. River only half listened to Castiel's war story. She watched as Sam disappeared behind the Impala. By the third jug of blood he started pacing the small alley and muttering manically to himself. Even Cas stopped talking and warily watched him.
"If He Hulks our right now he's gonna kick our asses into next week." River said quietly watching as Sam gesticulated wildly at his own shadow. Dean returned from the pawn shop with his wallet lighter and his pocket weighed down by the small box he'd picked up just as Sam finished the fourth and last jug of demon blood.
Sam sloppily wiped at the blood rimming his lips and tossed the empty container aside. "I'm ready. Lets do this." He growled. His muscles twitched and jumped, his face flushed and he had a hard-on that was getting painful. He rushed past his brother and into the open street. Dean spared one finally look at River before jogging to catch up with his brother. "Hey assholes! I'm here! Wheres my welcome wagon?" Sam yelled at the dark building. Several black eyed faces appeared in the windows and banged through the door.
Dean smiled and nodded at the wall of demons that had appeared before them. "Hi kids. Is your father home?" The demons surrounded the brothers and pushed them back into the building.
"Fuck." River muttered from the shadows. "Cas this isn't right. None of this is right."
"I know." He replied stoically.
Sam and Dean were pushed up three flights of stairs. The temperature dropping with each step upwards. They were finally directed into a barren room at the end of a long, dark hallway. "Sam, Dean so nice of you to drop by." Lucifer cordially greeted them. His vessel, Nick, was even further along in decay since the last they had seen him. His eyes were covered in a cloudy white sheen, his face pock marked with open sores. "This a pleasant surprise although I have to admit this seems a bit suicidal on your parts."
"We didn't come to fight. I came to offer you the deal of a lifetime." Sam told him. The demons behind him snickered. Sam closed his eyes and with barely a flex of his fully charged psychic powers killed the Demons. They didn't even have to time to scream or plead. They simply crumpled to floor mid laugh.
Lucifer whistled in amusement. "Looks like someones been eating all his veggies."
Dean looked down at the dead bodies now littering the floor and back to his brother. Sam rolled his shoulders before looking the Devil in the eyes. "We get it ok? The train has left the Apocalypse station. We can't stop it. So we want an out." Lucifer raised his eyebrows and smirked. "I give you a free ride and when everything is done you let me go, you let us all go. We get to live our lives without Angels or Demons screwing with us."
Lucifer shook his head contemplating Sam's deal. "Sam, Sammy…I know about the rings. I know about your plan to force me back into the box," He sighed.
Dean tensed, flexing his fists. There'd be no point running or trying to fight. Lucifer could tear them apart with a snap of his fingers. "You know my plan. Doesn't matter. You want the deal or not?"
"Mano a mano in your head. No magic, no tricks. Me versus you. You win and we go back to the pit. I win and…well I win." Lucifer smiled. "I like it. I agree to your terms. What do you say Sam?"
"Sam-" Dean said reaching towards his brother.
Sams jaw tightened at his brothers voice but he wouldn't turn to look at him. "Yes," he ground out. Lucifer smiled and for a moment you could see the Angel he used to be. The room filled with a beautiful pearlescent light. Dean shrank away from the light throwing his arm to shield his eyes. The brilliant light illuminated the street outside exposing the three hunters in the dark alley.
"Balls." Bobby murmured as the light disappeared.
Sam twitched spastically. His limbs jittered under the layers of flannel and denim, eyes rolled up in the back of his head. Dean blinked trying to clear the black splotches in his eyes. "Sam…Sammy?" He stuttered. His brother didn't answer as the twitching continued. "Shit,shit,shit…" He muttered reaching into his jacket and grabbing the rings with shaking fingers. He threw the rings towards the nearest wall where they stuck and began chanting the spell Death had taught him. The wall cracked and broke as a swirling vortex opened up behind it. The ground outside trembled, car alarms were set off and dozens of startled pigeons took off from the roof.
Sam stopped twitching and grasped his head, "Dean…oh I can feel him. Oh god!"
Dean ran to his brother. "Sam, you have to go now! The cage is open!" He grabbed his brothers arm and led him towards the vortex. "Go! Now!" Sam staggered away from his brother and stared at the cold pit of darkness in front of him. He rotated his head slowly relishing the cracks and pops. "Sam?" Dean called over the rushing wind.
Sam turned to face him and smiled. "Sammy's long gone Dean. I was just messing with you, trying to up the drama a little bit." Dean shook his head in disbelief as Lucifer muttered the counter spell to close the cage. The wall rebuilt itself before their eyes and the Horseman's rings reappeared. He pulled the rings off the wall and held them in his hands. "I always told you it would happen in Detroit." Lucifer said before disappearing.
River grabbed onto Cas's hand, "Oh god did it work? How do we know it worked?" Castiel shook his head unsurely. The door banged open and Dean staggered out a moment later. "Dean!" she yelled releasing her grip on Castiel and running across the street. Cas grimaced and shook his hand trying to get the feeling back in his limb. Dean stared around the street his normal bright green eyes were dull and dazed. "Dean, baby did it work?" River asked running her hands along his jaw to shift his gaze to her.
He shook his head slightly, eyes filling with unshed tears. His mouth opened and closed several times before he could form words. "Sam…Lucifer is…he's gone. It didn't work." He choked out closing his eyes so he didn't have to see the look of defeat that rippled across her features. Her hands dropped from his face and she stepped back unsteadily into Castiel and Bobby. They slowly made their way back to their waiting cars. Dean sat heavily behind the wheel of Baby and started the engine not knowing what else to do. An emergency siren blared over the radio; "This is not a test. I repeat this is not a test. A 7.5 seismic event has been reported off the coast of California. A tidal wave of massive proportions is expected to make landfall in less than 15 minutes. Emergency evacuations have begun but the death toll is expected to be in the high six figures…We've just had reports of another earthquake in Venezuela and the Adriatic sea-" River turned the radio off before the next series of terrible events could be reported. Bobby leaned through her open window and shook his head.
"It's starting." Castiel grumbled from the back seat.
"What we do now?" River asked in a tiny voice.
The former Angel shrugged his shoulders. "I suggest we partake of copious amounts of alcohol. You two will probably want to have sex…"
"Always keeping thing on the bright side, Cas." Dean grumbled. "How do we stop it?"
Castiel laughed, "We don't. Lucifer will meet Michael on the chosen field. The fight will happen. The battle of Armageddon will begin and your world will end."
"Where's the chosen field?" River asked turning to face him.
"I don't know." Cas answered. Bobby pushed himself away from the window and walked back to his van.
"Bobby?" River called getting out of the car. "Where are you going?"
The older man stopped and turned to face her. "To get a drink. I think Cas has the right idea…there was never much hope anyways."
Cas and Bobby headed out of the alley in search of the closest bar or liquor store a few minutes later. "Someone has to know where they are...let's find another Demon nest. One of them will tell us where daddy is once we start lopping off appendages-" River muttered.
"Chuck." Dean said suddenly.
"What about Chuck?" River asked.
"He's a Prophet of God right? He saw when Sam let Lucifer out of the cage maybe…maybe he's seen where they're going. Where they're going to be?"
"Chuck hasn't answered any of our calls in weeks, Months. I think he's avoiding us."
Dean shrugged and pulled his cellphone out of his jacket. "Come on Chuckie. Answer-" He prayed as the phone range.
"Madam Magda? I knew you'd call back. I felt like we had a real connection during that last call you know before my credit card was denied-" Chucks wavering nervous voice echoed over the speaker and Dean couldn't help but laugh.
"No, Chuck it's Dean."
"Oh I um…I wasn't expecting you to call," Chuck said followed by the sound of shuffling papers.
"So, who's Madam Magda?" River asked.
Chuck laughed nervously, "Hello River. Magda's a close friend. A really close friend-"
"What about you and Becky? You crazy kids aren't goin' hot and heavy anymore?"
Chuck cleared his throat, "No. Me and Becky didn't work out. I have too much respect for her."
River snorted. "Well, that makes one of us." Dean shot her an unamused look. "What? You didn't hear her fanfiction. Don't let that socially awkward act fool you; she's 90 pounds of hardcore kink. Yes sir, Daddy may I, Winchester sandwiches, the whole shebang."
Dean sighed, "Chuck we didn't call to discuss your extracurricular activities…Sam said yes to Lucifer."
They heard Chuck take a deep breath. "I know. I saw it. I'm just writing the pages out now…I really think this book is gonna knock it out of the park. Stephen King can suck it-"
"Did you see where the title fight goes down?" Dean asked.
The sound of more shuffling papers echoed over Dean's phone before Chuck answered. "The Angels are keeping it very hush- hush. Top secret…"
"Damn it," River hissed.
"But I saw it anyways," Chuck said laughing nervously again. "Perks of being a Prophet I guess." River and Dean both leaned in towards the phone waiting for Chuck to continue. "Tomorrow High Noon at a place called Stull Cemetery."
"Ok, well at least we got a name." River mumbled.
Dean shook his head, "No, wait I know that place. It's an old cowboy cemetery outside of Lawrence. Why Lawerence?"
"I don't know. Maybe it has to end where it all began." Chuck answered.
"Chuck, do you know how we derail this? Anything?" River asked him.
"Besides the rings? No. I wish I did. But I haven't seen it yet."
Dean sat back heavily in his seat. "Yeah, well thanks Chuck. Good luck with Madam Magda."
Chuck laughed, "Good luck with saving the world."
Dean ended the call and tucked the phone next to the small box in his jacket pocket and scrubbed his hands down his face. "Fucking Kansas," he muttered.
"I've never been to Kansas." River said as she kicked her shoes off next to him, then took her hoodie off and tossed it in the backseat.
"You know we're probably not coming back from this?" Dean told her quietly.
"Always such the optimist." She said pulling her Black Sabbath shirt over her head.
"What are you doing?" Dean asked as she popped the buttons on her jeans and shimmied out of those as well.
She looked across the seat at him with an amused smile. "Last night on Earth? One last good memory to relive if we die again...And it's not like it's gonna take us 14 hours to drive to Lawerence," She leaned forward reaching behind her back to unclasp her bra and slid it half way down her arms, "Unless there's something or someone else you'd rather be doing?"
"No. I am exactly... well almost exactly what I want to be doing." He said smiling suggestively at her. She returned the smile and dropped her bra on the floorboard with the rest of her clothes waiting as Dean took his own jacket off, carefully folded it and tucked it on the seat behind him. River spread her legs enticingly letting one hand drift slowly between her breasts.
"Are those 'My Little Pony' underwear?" Dean taunted.
She blushed and crossed her arms over her naked chest, "I figured crotchless panties weren't really suitable for the Apocalypse. I can put my clothes back on if you want but it would be a damn shame because the end of the world has me all kinds of hot and bothered."
Dean pulled his shirt off and tossed it in a wadded ball at his feet. "Take 'em off," He told her. She ran her tongue over her suddenly dry lips as she lifted her hips to slide the ridiculously bright pink underwear off. He grabbed her by one ankle pulling her towards him so she slid to her back on the long black vinyl seat, pushing her thighs apart with his other hand as he settled his body on top of her. She pulled at him suddenly desperate to feel him as close as possible knowing this would probably be the last time. Their lips met with burning need, bodies pushing, pulling, grinding against each other.
Her hands left a fiery trail down his back as she pushed his jeans off his hips. "Need you." She murmured against his neck as Dean felt her hand guide his cock towards her hot center. He caught her moan in another bruising kiss as he pushed inside her. Their bodies pressed tightly together, lips and hands memorizing the way the other tasted and felt. Her fingernails dug into his back, begging him to go deeper, harder with every thrust of his hips. She came undone arching her body into his as she rode out her climax. Her hands relaxed leaving behind half-moon indents and red scratches as she melted into post-orgasm high, running her fingers through his hair chanting "I love you, I love you, I love you..." trying to fit in a lifetimes worth of the sentiment while he chased his own finish. He buried his face in her neck with a groan of pleasure, the rhythm of hips faltering with his orgasm grunting "Love you too" as he collapsed on top of her. Dean reluctantly dragged himself out from between her warm thighs after several long moments of laying tangled silently together.
"Should we try and track down Bobby and Cas?" He asked pulling his jeans on.
River shrugged her shoulders. "They'll be back soon," she replied slipping her underwear back up her legs. She felt around on the dark floorboards until she found her discarded bra and put it back on. She stopped dressing as a thought percolated, "We need Holy oil."
Dean cocked an eyebrow as his arms slid through the sleeves of his jacket and he patted the pocket making sure everything was still there. "Maybe Bobby knows a guy..." He waited until she fully dressed before opening the car door and stepping out into the cold night air. They did a quick inventory of their weapons; nothing had magically appeared that would help them win the coming fight. "Three dozen salt shells, couple of clips of silver bullets, gallon of holy water-" Dean listed off.
"So nothing that can even put a dent in an Archangel." River sighed as the door on Bobby's van slid open and he and Cas stepped out. "When did you two get back?" River called as they walked towards them.
"A while ago," Bobby answered tucking his hands in his jean pockets, "Figured we'd wait 'till the car stopped rockin'." River's cheeks flushed and she turned back towards the trunk. "You two plannin' something?" Bobby said to Dean as he River shared a silent look. "What are you two up to?"
"I'm going to go talk to Sam." Dean told him closing the trunk.
"Dean, you won't be able to reach him. Lucifer's strength will grow by the minute while he's in possession of his true vessel," Castiel said stepping forward.
"Then we've already lost and I have nothing left to lose. He's my brother."
Castiel sighed, "I want you to understand the only thing you will witness on that battlefield is Michael killing your brother."
"Well, then I'm not gonna let him die alone." Dean said quietly. He turned towards River, "You still with me?"
She took his hand in hers and squeezed it. "Until the very end," she smiled bringing his fingertips to her lips.
Dean rolled his eyes and muttered "Nerd" before turning and climbing back into the Impala.
River leaned against the rear bumper and raised her eyebrows in a silent challenge to Bobby and Cas. "We need Holy Oil, Papa Bear. The more the better."
Bobby readjusted his snug baseball cap and stared up at the stars breaking through the hazy layer of smog that perpetually covered the city of Detroit. "I might know a guy," he answered scratching his chin.
Lucifer showed up early. Not to get the jump on his big brother but to enjoy the fresh air and sounds of the birds and buzzing insects; the sounds of life in this forgotten acreage of death. So unlike Hell and its never ending cacophony of screams and thunder storms. A flutter of wings signaled his brothers arrival frightening a flock of Starlings. The brothers watched the birds soar following the air currents. "Hello brother," he said quietly laying eyes on his older brother for the first time in millennia.
Michael smiled sadly, "Hello Lucifer. It's been too long."
River and Dean spent the drive to Kansas listening to their favorite music and talking about all the places they'd never been and probably never would go. "Gabriel could've zapped you where ever you wanted to go. Why didn't you just have him take you to Roswell?" Dean asked looking over at her.
She sat against the passenger door, legs stretched across the seat, feet resting on Deans lap and shrugged. "I guess I was saving it."
"For what?"
She looked out the window briefly at the flat landscape rolling by. "For someone special. For family. For us." He watched as a series of emotions drifted over her features before she finally settled on a Poker smile. "Anyways, I figured you probably wouldn't want to check out Budapest or Ibiza 'cause we'd have to fly there. Figured we'd just stick to places we can drive to."
"You went to Ibiza?" Dean asked unable to keep the annoyance out of his voice.
River laughed, "Just for a few hours. Gabe wanted to check out this Foam and Bubble rave." Her laughter dissolved into a sad smile, "I think he just took me to all those crazy places because I'd never been. His favorite thing to do was to hang out in one of his hideaways , break out the Snuggies and have an 80's movie marathon. Honestly that was my favorite thing to do too; watch Molly Ringwald and forget the world was going to Hell…but I still want to go to Roswell."
"Well, I've been to Roswell. Dad had a job there when I was 13. The place is a tourist trap." He grumbled. John had dropped him and his brother at the local roach motel and chased a
Tlahuelpuchi, a ship shifting, blood sucking Native American witch while they spent a long weekend exploring the town.
"I like tourist traps," she countered as the car rolled past a weather beaten metallic sign telling them Stull Cemetery was less than a mile away. Dean pulled the car over just past the sign and watched through the rearview window as Bobby's black van parked behind him. Castiel and the older hunter climbed out of the van and waited in the late morning sun. River closed her eyes briefly a small smile forming at the corner of her lips as she sent a silent prayer to her dead friend. Before sliding across the seat and cupping Dean's face in her hands. "I love you Dean Winchester; you're the best bad decision I've ever made," she murmured against his lips. They kissed hard knowing this was the probably the last time they'd get the chance on this side of the Pearly gates. She climbed out of the car without saying goodbye and walked to Bobby and Cas. Castiel held a small duffle bag out to her and she slung it across her back before the three disappeared into the overgrown tangle of weeds and dead trees. Dean sat alone in his car for another ten minutes, gathering his thoughts and giving them time to circle to the back of the cemetery.
He chose Def Leppard's 'Rock of Ages' to make his grand entrance knowing it was one of Sam's least favorite songs. His brothers stood toe to toe in the center of the Old graveyard. A pang of anger and regret wrenched through his chest at the sight of his younger brothers, none of them had ever asked for this, they didn't deserve this fate, no one did. "Excuse me gentleman. Hope I'm not interrupting." He called genially stepping out of his car like he didn't have a care in the world. Michael and Lucifer stared at him with nothing but contempt. There wasn't even a shadow of his brother left behind the cold hazel eyes.
Lucifer smiled wryly, "Dean this is whole new mountain of stupid. Even for you."
"We need to talk." Dean continued leaning back on the hood of Baby and stared at Lucifer.
"You are no longer the vessel Dean. You have no right to be here." Michael cut in.
"Adam if you're in there I am so sorry." Dean told him.
Michael smirked through Adam's face, "Adam isn't home right now."
"Well, then you're next on my list buttercup. But for now I want five minutes with Sam."
"You pathetic worm. You aren't a part of this story." Michael growled stalking closer to Dean, his fists balled in rage, hateful energy rolling off him in waves.
"Hey Ass-butt!" Castiel's gravelly voice caused both Archangels to turn towards him. In the next second Castiel sent a flaming bottle towards Michael. The glass shattered spraying God's first born in a shower of burning Holy Oil. Michael erupted in flames, his screams of pain threatening to burst the humans eardrums. Then he was gone, nothing remained but a few whips of smoke.
"Ass-butt?" Dean yelled incredulously.
Castiel shrugged his shoulders in response. River clapped him on the arm, "Good job Cassie. That was a great first attempt at swearing."
Castiel gave her a half hearted smile and looked to Dean. "He'll be back and upset. But you got your five minutes." Lucifer stood still staring at the empty space where his brother should have been. Sam's deep hazel eyes swept over Castiel.
"Castiel. Did you just molotov my brother with Holy Oil?" Lucifer asked calmly. Cas shifted uncomfortably on his feet, nervously staring down the Morning Star.
"He sure as shit did asshat." River yelled back smiling like a maniac. "Told you it'd work like a fucking charm!" She called to Dean.
Lucifer sneered. "No one fucks with Michael but me," he said raising his hand. Castiel took a nervous step back and exploded into a gory red mess when Lucifer snapped his fingers. River spluttered in disgusted shock wiping chunks of Castiel off her face.
Dean's heart ratcheted around his chest and he swallowed twice trying to find his voice. "Sam-Sammy if you can hear me-"
Lucifer moved towards him shaking his head, "I tried to be nice. For Sammy's sake," he grabbed Deans jacket leaning down so their noses almost touched, "But you are such a pain in my ass." He tossed Dean ten feet back onto the hood of Baby. His head cracked the windshield and he lay their dazed.
"Son of a bitch!" River screamed. She was behind Lucifer, the Demon knife clutched in one hand and her shotgun in the other before her brain had caught up to her feet running towards Dean. She stabbed the knife through Sam's jacket and didn't stop until she felt the soft pop of flesh as the blade sunk in deep. Lucifer grunted turning his dark eyes down to her as she followed with a blast from her shotgun to his midsection . He didn't make a sound this time as he reached one of Sam's long arms behind and pulled the Demon Blade out of his back and swatted the shotgun of her hands. Dean dizzily pushed himself up to his elbows, shaking fragments of glass from his hair. Bobby fired his 9mm hitting Lucifer in the shoulder. The Devil glared down at the holes in his clothing, he had really liked Sam's jacket. River stumbled backwards towards Bobby as the other hunter re-aimed. They had more Holy Oil in the bag at Bobby's feet if they could just get to it. Their eyes briefly met then Bobby's head was wrenched 180 degrees in the wrong direction. The popping of his cervical vertebrae was drowned out by River's horrified scream. She collapsed to her knees still screaming.
"NO!" Dean yelled sliding unsteadily to the ground as Lucifer strode towards River. He stood in front of her, looking down through wisps of Sam's shaggy hair. "River run!" He screamed.
She took shuddering breaths and looked up at the big man in front of her, "Sa-Sam?"
"No." Lucifer answered tangling one hand in her and pulling her to her feet. "Tell me Dean," he said yanking back on River's hair causing her to yelp in pain, "did you really think this would work?"
"Don't-" Dean plead with the Devil. Lucifer smiled, his face hard and cold, as he sliced the Demon Knife across her throat. River's eyes bugged wide in surprise, hands clutching at the wound as hot blood flowed between her fingers and down the front of her shirt. She tried speaking but only a wet gurgling sound escaped her bloodied lips. Lucifer let go of her hair and she sunk slowly to her knees, her hands still weakly grasping at the mortal wound in her throat. Everything tingled painfully, the blood spurting from her neck grew sluggish as her heart failed. The last thing she saw was Dean before blackness engulfed her.
The next moment she found herself queued up in what looked like the worlds most organized amusement park line. Countless people stretching in front of her in one giant straight line. She pinched her arm willing herself to wake up. A low din of voices in every imaginable language bubbled up from the souls in front of her. She turned around looking for the exit when two dozen confused people appeared in line behind her. "Fuck this," she muttered trying to dip under the red velvet rope keeping the queue in line.
A smiling woman no older than she was appeared in front of her. "Please stay in line, the Virtues will be with you shortly." The velvet rope sent a sharp jolt of pain through her hands and River dropped it cursing loudly.
"What the shit is this? Is this Heaven?" The Angel smiled brightly and nodded her head. "Send me back now!" River yelled at the infuriating, emotionless Angel.
"Please stay in line. The Virtues will be with you shortly." The other woman repeated her smile never faltering. River growled in frustration and spun around staring at the bewildered faces piling up behind her. Every dozen feet on the right side of the rope more smiling Angels appeared.
"Ladies and Gentleman, we apologize for the line but due to the Apocalypse the wait times are longer than expected." The Angels spoke as one to the rapidly expanding crowd.
"Balls!" River heard Bobby's gruff voice through the restless babel. She stood on her toes searching over the heads in front of her and saw the brim of his dirty baseball cap fifty bodies up, he was leaning as far over the red rope as he could without touching it, yelling at his own smiling Angel. "Bobby! Papa Bear!" She called out. "Son of a bitch!" she cursed again as her voice was drown out by the fanatically singing end-times cult that popped up behind her. Avoiding the red ropes of zapping pain she pushed forward, elbowing her way through the throng of souls.
"Please no line jumping. The Virtues will be with you shortly." An Angel politely told River as she shoved past a bus load of Harikrishnas that had died when a freak tornado touched down in the center of Sydney, Australia..
"Piss off Bartelby." River snapped. She was a dozen people away from Bobby when a burning fish hook of pain ignited in the middle of her forehead. A hard jerk came from the other end of the hook and the red velvet ropes and Angels in identical monotone grey suits were gone. She was back in the deserted cemetery staring up at Castiel's bright blue eyes. "Cas?" she whispered one shaking hand going to her throat. "I-I…what? You exploded…"
Castiel pulled her to her feet. "Everything is as it should be." He said quietly.
River shook her head, "No. The Virtues will be with us shortly." Her brain rambled, visions of Heaven and the Present meshing together as she tried to make sense of what had just happened to her. " …Bobby and Dean. Dean! Where are they?"
"I'm here sweetheart." She spun around to find Dean helping a dazed and also newly resurrected Bobby to his feet. She ran to them pulling them into a fierce hug for several long seconds. Dean buried his face in her hair and kissed her forehead. No sign of what Lucifer had done to any of them remained on their bodies after Castiel's healing touch.
"What happened? I was dead… There was a line to get into Heaven. Lucifer killed me….Where are they? Who won?" River vomited questions as the severity of what had happened sunk in.
Dean left Bobby when he sure the older man wouldn't collapse back to the ground in shock. "We did." Dean took a deep breath willing down the pain for a little while longer. "Sam got control. He uh…he threw himself and Michael into the Pit. It's over-" He finished squeezing his eyes shut. River paled, suddenly dizzy and looked across the cemetery to a circular patch of trampled earth.
"Oh my god," she murmured. "How are we alive? Cas I was dead! Again! Did you get your Angel mojo back?"
He smiled and nodded, "Yes I did. I believe I have much, much more mojo than I did before."
"Are you God?" she asked in a hushed tone.
"That is very humbling but no. Although I do believe He brought me back." Castiel's blue eyes lit with pride and he looked Heavenward. "I think I'm going to stretch my wings," He said before kicking up a cloud of dust as he disappeared. River wandered away her hand once again feeling her throat. The burning pain of the knife and the freezing touch of Lucifer's hand still fresh, shadowed only by the haze of being resurrected again. A glint of shiny metal half hidden in the dead grass caught her eyes. The Horseman's rings were cold and heavy in her hand as she handed them back to Dean. He didn't want to touch them or think about what they represented as he dropped them into his pocket next to the small black box that had also made it unscathed from Lucifer's assault.
Bobby had had more than enough of his share of fighting and dying to last quite a while and after a brief farewell left for home. As if she'd only been trying to keep it together in front of Bobby, River finally broke down once the taillights of his van disappeared. Crying not only for Sam but for everyone else they'd lost since the beginning. Dean didn't know what else to do besides hold her until the worst of it was over and she could walk to the car. She cried for a long time, silently wiping tears off her face as Dean drove away from Stull Cemetery. Night finally fell and River drifted into an uneasy sleep leaning against the passenger door, tears falling even as she slept. Dean looked across at her, remembering what Sam had told him and second-guessing whether he should go through with his stupid half-cocked plan when Castiel reappeared in the seat between him and River. "Son of a bitch!" He gulped in surprise glaring at Castiel as River murmured something and shifted in her sleep, "You're gonna wake her up."
Castiel brushed his fingers gently across her forehead and she relaxed against the door. "She'll sleep peacefully…."
Dean rolled his eyes, "So what are you going to do now?"
"I'm going home."
"Heaven?"
"Yes. It must be complete anarchy up there. With Michael in the cage, Raphael will be lost. He's never had to truly lead."
"What your gonna upstairs and be the new Sheriff in town?" Dean asked.
Castiel nodded, "If my father wills it."
Dean laughed, "So Dad gives you a big shiny new set of wings to make up for missing Christmas and you're his good little servant again?"
Cas sighed, "You're angry."
"No. Nah why would I be?" He shrugged. "Of course I'm angry. That son of a bitch is the reason my whole life has been one pile of dog shit after another and no matter which direction I go I always end up steppin' in it."
"Maybe your path is clear now Dean." Castiel replied. "God helped us. Maybe more than any of us will ever know. I don't know if He will ever come home but I feel that I am needed in Heaven. That this is my purpose."
"Yeah, alright Yoda." He huffed, "What about my purpose, huh? What do I get out of all of this? My brother is in Hell…"
"You got what you desired, Dean. No Paradise. No Hell. Just more of the same, here and now. How you choose to live from now on is up to you." Castiel replied.
Dean ground his jaw tensely. "I made a promise to Sam. I made a promise to her. I plan to start keepin' my promises." He reached into his pocket and pulled the small box out. "I got somewhere to be before dawn. Can you give us a lift before you return to the Forbidden Zone?"
The bottle of Japanese Whiskey and the vintage Led Zeppelin shirt River had got him for his birthday where still safely tucked in the glovebox. He changed quietly, grabbed the folded blankets from the backseat and managed to get out the car with only a minimal of screeching door hinges. "Need to oil that damn thing," Dean thought to himself as River stirred in her sleep again. He slipped back into the car a few minutes later and gave himself another pep talk before waking her up. "Time to wake up, Princess. We're here." He said gently tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
She sat up stiffly, dazed from Angelic induced sleep and a cloud of grief. "Dean, what-?" She sat up straighter looking through the windows at the dark flat landscape outside of the car. She turned in her seat eyes suddenly searching the backseat only to find it empty. "Sam-" she started, her lips trembling again eyes threatening to spill more tears.
"Hey. No more crying sweetheart." Dean murmured kissing her gently.
She pushed her hair out of her face and looked back to the darkness outside. "Where the fuck are we? Can we just find a hole somewhere and get drunk?"
Dean smiled, "I'm trying to do a thing here. Could you just trust me?" She wiped her face again and nodded. "Alright. Well, get outta the car and come sit with me for a while." She complied, slowly getting out of the warm car and into the chilly night air. Dean had laid one of their flannel blankets on the hood and had another draped over his arm ready to cover them both once she climbed onto the hood. She leaned into his chest, hand running along the soft, well worn shirt.
"I knew this shirt would look good on you." She murmured.
He leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "Drink with me." He said twisting the cap off the whiskey and taking a deep pull from the bottle. He groaned, "God damn, baby girl, you got good taste."
She took a sip saying, "The guy behind the counter said it was the best bottle he had. Cost a lot of lap dances." Dean laughed, the sound vibrating through his chest where River laid her head listening to his heartbeat."What time is it?" She asked.
"Almost dawn," he answered. They sat quietly holding each other watching as the sky slowly lightened. The inky black night being replaced by the pale pinks and oranges of the rising sun. It took several minutes of the brightening landscape for River to realize where Dean had taken her. She sat up, fresh tears falling as she stared out at the Grand Canyon. The fresh light bounced off purples, reds, and browns of the giant opening in the Earth. Colors so bright and vivid no painting or photograph would every be able to truly replicate the amazing violent beauty of nature.
"Thank you," she said turning back to Dean. He smiled nervously, a tinge of nervous pink flaring across his cheeks as he pulled a small black box from his jacket pocket.
He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry and took another sip of whiskey. "I told you when I imagine myself happy I see you. When I dream of having a life and a future I see you." His fingers trembled and he cursed under his breath fumbling with the lid on the tiny box.
"Dean-" River canted her head, eyes darting between the box and Dean's forest green eyes.
"This is our chance to have that. A future and a life..." The antique sapphire ring Dean picked out shone brilliantly in the early morning light. The deep blue shifting and changing in the sunlight. The bright white gold flower-esque band was dotted with small sparkling diamonds. "Will you marry me?" River's mouth dropped open in a silent 'oh'. She took a long drink of the forgotten whiskey and wiped her mouth with a shaking hand. Dean shifted nervously next to her. "The ring...its uhm I thought you'd want something a little different and I had Cas check it for any bad hoodoo. It's all clear. No curses or Horcruxes..." Dean rambled as River took the ring out and held it disbelieving in front of her eyes. She slipped it onto her left ring finger and stared at it for several long seconds. "I had to guess the size." He mumbled rubbing his hand over the back of neck. Was it hot? He suddenly felt hot. Why wasn't she taking? Cas must've broke her with Vulcan mind meld nap in the car..
"Did you say you had Castiel newly-reminted-Angel of the Lord check it for Horcruxes?" she asked eyes not leaving the ring.
"Yeah. You know…can't be too careful with estate jewelry picked up at an all night pawn shop on the eve of the Apocalypse."
"You're such a nerd." She muttered finally prying her eyes away from the ring fit for a princess and not a bitchy f-bomb dropping hunter and stared at Dean's tense, nervous face. She'd watched him stand his ground in front of countless monsters and never before looked this on edge. "Yes." River said quietly.
"What?" Dean asked.
"I said 'Yes'."
Authors note: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to everyone that has read and followed this story. I love writing River. I love writing River and Dean. I am planning on continuing my series rewrite. Please read, review, critique. Thank you!