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vrskaandrea: Thank you for the review
Divineoverseer: AU Michael is definitely twisted and sick.
This chapter is mainly focused on Nick. Michael and Dean will be back in the next chapter.
Pain. Pain was the first thing Nick felt after regaining consciousness. A groan escaped his lips. His groan not Lucifer's. He had control over his body again. Nick couldn't even feel the Devil's presence in him anymore.
Did he decide to leave?
Nick couldn't remember much. The images are blurry in his mind. A voice pops up in his disoriented memories.
"May you rest in peace brother."
Huh? Nick thought.
He moves feeling weird to experience movement again. The pain shoots up his body like a rocket. Nick winced and looked down where the pain was coming from.
On his shirt was blood. Lots of blood. The man hesitates as he carefully raises his shirt. What he saw completely horrified him.
What the?
He touches it and suddenly gets an image of a blade being plunged into his chest.
I been stabbed? Nick thought with horror.
He was not the only one who got stabbed.
Lucifer.
All the pieces came together. The realization shocked the man.
Lucifer is dead.
He touches his chest with disbelief.
How am I alive?
Nick's focus shifts on to his surroundings. Where ever he was it was dark. He heard what sounded like an engine purring.
Although Nick has been absent for a while he knew he was in some type of vehicle. Question is where is he going? Who has him?
"He...llo." He speaks his voice hoarse.
It felt strange to use his mouth. Feeling it go up and down. The jaw going side to side. It all seemed unbelievable.
"HELLO." He says louder this time.
He raises his hands and starts pounding on the lid of the trunk.
"HELLO."
The former vessel repeated the same word panic rising in his voice. The panic caused him to bleed out more. It made Nick wonder if he wasn't even going to survive after all.
The vehicle came to an abrupt stop. Nick froze. His mouth shuts. His eyes widen as he hears footsteps approach him.
The trunk opens and two people, one man, one woman look down at Nick speechless.
"I thought he was dead." The woman says.
"He was. Michael killed him." The man replies looking baffled.
Michael Nick thought.
Another image flashes across his eyes of Lucifer fighting Dean Winchester. Dean's eyes glow and swings a punch at the devil.
Nick gasps his chest heaves up and down. His heart jumped when the two people now had guns aimed at him.
"You move, we shoot." The woman warns.
"I'm not him. I'm not Lucifer. Lucifer is dead."
"So what you're the vessel?" The man asks.
Nick winced. Is this what he will be known as now, the vessel.
"Yes."
"Impossible. The vessel wouldn't be able to survive. You got stabbed."
"You think I haven't been asking myself the same question." The hunters still didn't look convinced. Nick clutches his chest. "I swear to you, I'm not him. My name is Nick and...Argh. I'm bleeding out. I haven't healed. If I don't get treatment, I will die. "
The hunters look at each other.
"What do you think?" The woman asks.
"I don't know. Seems legit but we need to make sure. We can take him back to the bunker. We'll see what the hunter and the angel have to say."
The woman nods. She gets out a pair of cuffs with strange symbols on it.
"What are those for?" Nick asks.
"Out." The man orders.
Nick sits up and swings his legs out of the trunk. He tries to stand up but his legs turn jelly and he falls into the hunter's arms.
The man pushes Nick off and pins him down to the car.
"Is this necessary? If I was Lucifer you would be dead by now."
The woman puts the cuffs on him.
"We are doing this for our safety. "She opens the car door. "Get in."
Nick slides in. The man goes round to the other side and gets in. He presses his gun at the former vessel's head. While having his gun pointed, the hunter gets out a first aid box and gets out bandages. He puts it on the wound. "Keep your hands on it. Maintain the pressure."
Nick nods and does.
"Shouldn't we go to a hospital?" He asked .
The woman slides in the front.
"Can't do that." she answers.
She starts up the engine and does a U-turn to face the opposite direction.
The hunter drove as fast as she can.
After a few hours drive, the hunters arrive at the bunker with the former vessel. Nick was close to passing out. He has lost too much blood now. He was so weak he didn't realize the two hunters are dragging him out of the car towards the entrance.
One of the hunter opens the door and escorts their partner in.
"WE GOT A PROBLEM." The man yells.
Mary was the first to turn. Her eyes widen when she sees who was coming down the stairs.
"Lucifer?"
That got everyone's attention.
"The hell." Bobby says.
Sam walks in wondering why everyone has gone silent.
"Mom what's going on?" He paused in his tracks when his eyes go on the face that has haunted him for years. "Lucifer?"
How? Sam saw Lucifer die. Michael killed him. The Archangel confirmed his brother's death. Michael wouldn't mistake that, would he?
The freedom and relief Sam experienced after the Devil's death suddenly wiped away replaced with fear. Nick weakly looks at the younger Winchester. He immediately recognized the face. This is the face Lucifer spoke about since he was let out of the cage and walked the earth.
Although everything else around him remained a blur, Sam was the only thing that was crystal clear to him.
"Sam."
The former vessel suddenly passes out in the hunter's arms. Sam's blood turned cold when he heard his name come from that mouth. Hearing the voice sent a shiver down his spine.
First his brother and the Archangel get sent to the other world and now the Devil has returned .This has turned into one of Sam's worst nightmares.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Did I miss something back at the church? " Bobby questioned. "Could have sworn Satan got killed?"
"He said he is not Lucifer. " The female hunter says. "Claims he is the vessel."
"Said his name was Nick." The other hunter adds.
Sam frowns.
"What?"
"I know we thought the same thing. " The man says. "But the guy needs surgery now. "
The hunters were about to take the unconscious man away but Sam stops them.
"Wait." He turns. "CAS."
The angel comes in with the nephilim by his side.
"Sam. What is it?" He asked.
"Lucifer?" Jack says looking shocked.
Cas looks at the vessel that contained the Devil. He walks up to Nick looking both shocked and suspicious. He places his hands on the man 's head and looks in. He digs through the mind trying to find Lucifer's presence. Sam held his breath hoping this is just the man who got tricked into saying yes to the Devil. He couldn't face Lucifer. Not now.
Cas let's go and shakes his head.
"Not Lucifer."
Sam sighs with relief.
"Ya sure? " Mary asks.
"I'm sure." Cas answers. "I can't sense his presence."
" So this is definitely the vessel? " The woman asks.
"Yes."
"Great. Now can we operate?"
Sam hesitates but nods. The hunters take Nick into the other room. They order some hunters to come in with them to help. The door gets shut before anyone can look in.
"I don't understand, how did Lucifer's vessel survive?" Mary asks looking puzzled.
"It is rare." Cas answers.
"Nick. He should have been dead long time ago. How has he survived all them years?" Sam says.
"I'm afraid I cannot give you an answer." The angel says with an apologetic look. "I will warn you Sam just because Lucifer is gone that doesn't mean Nick should be trusted. What Nick has gone through, would leave a human severely damaged and traumatized. Could even alter their personality. With Nick being possessed by Lucifer... "
"I get it Cas. But he could be useful. Nick might know things. He might know what the other Michael's plans are. "
"You have a point but Nick might not be able to give you an answer. Not yet anyway. His memories will come in bits. You have to give it time. "
Sam nods . "Right okay."
Hours later Nick laid in bed with his eyes closed. The hunters ensured the younger Winchester that the injured man is stable for now. Sam got Nick moved into a room with angel warding and other types of warding. For safety precautions.
Each day, someone went into Nick's room to change his bandages and check his progress. Mary, Bobby, Cas and the hunters took turns going in but Sam couldn't bring himself to face him.
One night, Nick woke up screaming.
Cas ran in.
"Nick."
Nick started screaming and blabbing words and phrases. Some in English some in Enochian.
"Nick ." Sam runs in. He paused and looked at the frantic man.
It's not Lucifer He reminds himself. Help him.
Sam goes to help the angel but suddenly gets punched by Nick. Fear returns to Sam's face as he sees the rage in Nick's eyes.
"That all you got Sammy?" Nick said with a smirk.
Cas sees the hunter become tense.
"Sam get out of here. I got this."
Sam opens his mouth but other hunters charge in and pin the former vessel down.
"Ain't got no big bro to help you now Sammy." Nick laughs. Lucifer's laugh.
"Sedate him." Cas orders.
The hunters inject the drugs into Nick. Nick continued laughing but eventually drifts off. Cas carefully puts Nick down on the pillow and puts the blanket over him.
"I'll keep watch."
The hunters nod and leave the room. Sam stayed put his hands clenched into fists.
Cas straightens up and looks at Sam with a frown.
"Sam. I'm sorry you had to see that."
"I'm fine." Sam quickly says. Slipping into his mask to hide his emotions.
"Sam. This is what I was warning you about. The damage Lucifer has caused. Me going into his head probably didn't help either. I do not know if Nick will ever get better. Recovering from something so big as this, it takes time. I understand you want answers. We both want answers but..."
"I know. I ain't giving up on him. He has gotta open up to us. He has to. It could give us a hint on Michael's whereabouts. Places he will likely be."
Cas nods but seemed doubtful.
As the days gone on, Nick's condition didn't change. He woke up screaming, having fits, becoming aggressive to others. It started becoming a routine. Nick wakes up, starts screaming, gets sedated, and goes back to sleep. Then the cycle starts again .
Weeks later, Sam started getting doubtful, the former vessel is being no help to them at all. Sam even questioned in his mind if there was even a point in keeping Nick alive. Maybe he is better of dead?
The day his mom came in to say he is awake did surprise the younger Winchester. For once, Nick didn't need to be put to sleep.
Sam asked his mom if Nick said anything but Mary admitted she didn't see him. Couldn't look at his face. Sam couldn't blame her even he still struggles to look at the face that has been the face of a monster.
When approaching Nick's room, Sam felt he had to do this alone. Confront the former vessel, face his fears. After Mary leaves, Sam opens the door and peers in.
Nick sits on the bed facing the wall. The last three weeks have been torture. The nightmares, memories have shaken Nick. Recently the nightmares, visions, flashbacks have slowed down and started getting better. The first time in ages, Nick was able to think clearly.
He hears the door open. Nick didn't respond assuming one of the hunters was coming to check on him.
"Hey Nick."
Nick frowns.
Is that who I think it is?
Nick turns round.
"Oh hey Sam."
Sam shifts side to side feeling awkward.
"Uh...How'd you sleep?"
"Uh, yeah. Um... Okay. I didn't wake up screaming, so that's a plus." Nick says with a small smile.
"Yeah. So, no more nightmares?"
"They're getting better."
"Good." Sam looks at the bandaging. "May I, uh...May I see it?" Nick stands up and unbuttons his shirt. Sam checks it over. "Oh, look at that. Looks like it's healing."
Nick scratches his wound.
"Yeah, it itches a lot. Doesn't really, uh..." He stops when Sam starts to disinfect the wound. Nick winced as the medical substance stings the wound. "Argh."
Sam looks up from the wound.
"Sorry."
Nick grits his teeth as Sam finishes up.
"It must be weird, you looking at me and seeing him."
Sam stops and stands up.
"Yeah." He paused. His eyes go the other way.
Look at him. It's not Lucifer. It's just a guy who got mixed up in Lucifer's sick games. His just a vessel like you were.
Sam looks back at Nick.
"But... I'm really glad it's you. I'm glad Lucifer is dead."
Nick nods agreeing with the hunter.
"Me to."
Sam decided to get the questions he been wanting to ask.
"You still, uh...Y...You still remember?"
"Just little bits and pieces here and there." Nick answers with a shrug.
"Michael. The alternative one. Did he tell Lucifer anything? Anything about his plan?"
"Umm...I remember him saying... he wanted to do it right this time."
"What you mean?"
"Not sure he also said something about rebuilding. Wiping the earth. Starting again. Don't know if there is a link."
"Michael wants to build a new world."
"Why?"
"From what I remember he believes we are corrupted. We don't deserve to live."
"This is from the Archangel Michael?"
"Yes."
Nick frowns.
"Sounds more like a thing Lucifer would do."
"Yeah."
Nick sighs.
"Sorry I couldn't be much help."
"Don't be sorry. You are still recovering. If you get something. Call one of us. Okay?"
"Yeah sure."
Sam nods.
"Great um...You must be hungry."
"Starving." Nick admits with a slight chuckle.
"I'll make you something to eat. You get some rest." Nick sits down on the bed. "I won't be long."
"Take your time."
Sam smiles a little and leaves the room. The smile drops from his face after stepping out and closing the door. He looks at his hands that trembled. Sam takes several breaths to calm himself down.
Although that was a simple talk, it felt so intense for the younger Winchester. He couldn't wait to get out of there.
Make him a sandwich. Give it to him then go.
Sam was about to go to the kitchen when suddenly his phone rings. He looks and sees Cas on the screen.
This better be good.
"Hey, Cas."
"Hello, Sam." A voice comes through that was certainly not Cas.
San frowns and brings the phone closer to his ear.
"Who is this?"
"Oh. I'm the boy who's got your angel. And if you want to see him again, you know, alive, we should probably chat."