A huge red devil leans over an open book, flames licking the sides of the huge stone alter the book rests upon. "What the devil is your name?"
The small man in the comically huge cowboy hat stutters, "Sa-Sa-Sa-Sa-Yo-Yosemite Sam."
"Yosemite Sam!" the devil exclaims, eyebrows going up.
Dean looked around, completely dumbfounded. They weren't dead. They weren't in the convent. Lucifer wasn't here. It looked like… They were on a plane?
Piper was sitting next to him, looking a little dazed. He looked over her head at Sam, who looked just as confused as Dean felt. "What the fuck?"
Sam shook his head. "I don't know."
The intercom buzzed. "Folks, quick word from the flight deck. We're just passing over Ilchester, then Ellicott City, on our initial descent into Baltimore-"
Dean frowned. "Ilchester? Weren't we just there?"
The pilot continued. "So, if you'd like to stretch your legs, now would be a good time to-"
A massive column of white light shot into the air from the ground below them. Piper screamed a little as the plane was thrown off-kilter. Dean threw an arm over her middle to keep her in her seat as oxygen masks dropped down in front of them.
"Holy crap!" the pilot shouted.
A few moments later, though Dean would swear for the rest of his life that it was much longer than that, the plane evened out.
"Nothing to worry about, people," the pilot said over the intercom. "We've got everything under control."
Dean watched flight attendants rush up and down the aisles, helping people put the oxygen masks back, assuring people that panic wasn't necessary. My ass, he thought distrustfully.
Suddenly, small, warm hands were pressed into his chest and running down his arms. He looked down to see Piper frantically touching him, checking for injuries. Her hands moved down his stomach, then down to his legs. She nodded, apparently convinced he was okay.
Dean was struck by her, and before she could turn to check on Sam, he placed a hand on her face to bring it to his. Her soft whimper spurred him on, and he kissed her hard, trying to put everything he felt for her into his lips pressed against hers.
But when he released her, he wasn't satisfied. He had thought they were done for, and the last thing he had wished was that she had heard those words from him.
She was everything. She was his one good thing. She was the most beautiful creature who had ever walked the earth, as far as Dean was concerned. And she was looking up at him with those hypnotic eyes, worry and love shining through them.
And all of his fear dissipated. She needed to know.
"I… I love you," he husked, gazing into her face, his heart pounding in his chest.
Her breath caught, and her eyes widened. Dean didn't even have time to start to get nervous before her face broke into a grin. "I love you, too, Dean," she said softly. "More than anything."
xxxxx
Piper felt dread settle in her stomach when she looked at Chuck's house. It was destroyed. "No," she whispered, jumping out of the Impala and running toward the house.
"Piper! Dammit!" She ignored Dean's shouts to sprint through the door.
She looked around warily, listening for any movement. The only warning she had that Chuck was behind her was a soft scuff. She whirled and grabbed the plunger in his hands away from him. "God dammit, Chuck," she snapped. "What the hell are you doing?"
He looked shocked to see her. "Piper." His eyes flicked behind her. "Sam. Dean."
"Yes," she gritted out. Dean put a calming hand on her hip and guided her back against him gently so he could wrap that arm around her waist.
Chuck was staring at Sam. "You're okay."
Dean chuckled darkly behind her. "Hey, Chuck."
Sam looked at the writer. "I mean, the apocalypse and all-"
Chuck shook his head. "No, I mean, I mean, my… My last vision. You went, like, full-on Vader. Your body temperature was one-fifty. Your heart rate was two hundred. Your eyes were black."
Piper had truly believed she was beyond surprise at this point. She was wrong.
Apparently, Dean wasn't past being surprised, either. She felt rather than saw him turn to his brother. "Your eyes went black?"
Sam sounded unsure. "I didn't know."
Piper sighed. "Chuck, where's Cass?"
Chuck looked at her sympathetically. "He's dead. Or gone. The archangel smote the crap out of him. I'm sorry."
Grief tore it's way through Piper's heart. She put a hand over her mouth and leaned back into Dean's chest when he wrapped his other around her, hugging her tightly to him.
"You're sure?" Dean asked softly. "I mean, maybe he just vanished into the light or something."
Chuck's eyes flicked to Piper, then went back to Dean. "Uh, no. He, like… Exploded. Like a water balloon of chunky soup."
Her shoulders heaved and Dean pressed his lips to her hair. "Jesus," he muttered softly.
Sam motioned to his own left ear, wincing. "You got a-"
Chuck's hand flew to his right ear. "Right here?"
Sam motioned to the other side. Chuck reached up and felt his hair. "Oh. Oh, God." He pulled something out. "Is that a molar? It is. Do I have a molar in my hair?" He looked up at Dean. "This has been a really stressful day."
"Oh, God, Cass, you stupid, beautiful angel," Piper whispered.
Sam turned to look at her. "Stupid? He was helping us."
"Exactly," Dean snapped.
Sam shifted guiltily. "So, what now?"
Dean shrugged behind her. "I don't know."
"Oh, crap," Chuck groaned.
"What?"
"I can feel them."
Zachariah appeared behind them. "I thought we'd find you here."
Dean whirled, pushing Piper back behind him.
Zachariah smiled at Dean. "Playtime's over, Dean. Time to come with us."
Dean glared and pointed at the angel. "You just keep your distance, asshat." Piper peered over Dean's shoulder at the angel, wondering darkly if he had something to do with what had happened to Castiel.
Zachariah held his hands up. "You're upset."
"Yeah, a little," Dean snapped. "You sons of bitches jump-started judgment day!"
Zachariah shook his head. "Maybe we let it happen, but we didn't start anything. Right, Sammy?" Zachariah turned and winked at Sam. Piper growled in the back of her throat.
Zachariah turned back to Dean. "You had a chance to stop your brother, and you couldn't. So let's not quibble over who started what. Let's just say it was all our faults and move on. 'Cause like it or not, it's Apocalypse Now. And we're on the same team again!"
"Is that so?" Dean asked murderously.
Zachariah pointed at Dean. "You want to kill the devil," he pointed them at himself. "We want you to kill the devil. It's… Synergy."
Piper scoffed from behind Dean. "And we're just supposed to trust you?"
Dean nodded. "Yeah, go ahead and cram it with walnuts, ugly."
Zachariah's face darkened. "This isn't a game, kids. Lucifer is powerful in ways that defy description. We need to strike now, hard and fast, before he finds his vessel."
Sam frowned. "His vessel? Lucifer needs a meat suit?"
Ice touched the base of Piper's spine. This wasn't going to end peacefully. Thinking carefully, and moving very slowly, she pulled the knife out of Dean's waist band and ran it along her arm, swallowing her hiss of pain. If he noticed, he didn't make any indication. She slowly started smearing the blood on the wall next to her as the angel spoke.
Zachariah shrugged. "He is an angel. Them's the rules. And when he touches down, we're talking Four Horsemen, red oceans, fiery skies, the greatest hits. You can stop him, Dean, but you need our help."
"Listen," Dean snarled, "You two-faced douche. After what you did, I don't want jack squat from you!"
Zachariah stepped forward. "You listen to me, boy! You think you can rebel against us? As Lucifer did?"
Piper stepped forward to stand next to Dean, making sure her dripping hand was clearly visible. Zachariah zeroed in on it. "You're bleeding."
She smiled. "Oh, yeah. Little insurance policy, in case you bastards showed up." She slammed her hand on the sigil she'd drawn on the wall.
Everyone flinched as Zachariah vanished in a burst of white light. Piper's smile became fierce. "Learned that from my good friend, Castiel, you son of a bitch."
Chuck groaned and moved to sit on his couch. "This sucks ass."
xxxxx
They pulled into the motel, none of them saying a word. Piper went inside and booked two rooms for them. She wasn't going to make them talk to each other, not yet, not when she could barely speak herself.
She walked outside, keys in hand, to see Sam leaning against the hood, his bag next to him, and Dean leaning against the driver's side door, looking down. She walked forward and handed one of the keys to Sam. "This one's you, Sammy."
The pain etched on his face tugged at her heart. "Separate room?" he asked softly.
She nodded. "I think it's probably best."
He seemed to gather himself. "Piper, I'm so-"
She put a finger against his lips and smiled. "Shh, Sammy, I know." She sighed deeply, looking into those big brown eyes. "I know you were lied to, Sam," she said softly. "I know that bitch manipulated you, and played on your pride to get you to do… What you did." She stepped forward and went up on tiptoe to wrap her arms around his neck, smiling when he wrapped his around her waist and hugged her tight.
"We're okay, Sammy," she whispered into his ear. "I forgive you, and I love you, and we're okay. But Dean is going to need some time."
She came back down and patted his chest. "Go on, Sammy, go get some rest. Call if you need anything."
Sam nodded, grabbed his duffle, and walked away.
Piper turned and walked over to Dean. She sensed that he was on edge, so she just leaned against Baby next to him. "Hey, you," she said softly, looking over at him.
He didn't look up. "Hey, kitten. Sammy set up?"
"Yep," she said with a nod. "Let's go, baby."
xxxxx
Dean followed Piper toward their room, absentmindedly appreciating the curve of her ass as she pulled him toward the door.
Everything was just… Too much. Sammy lied to him. Lucifer had risen. Cass had died. And he had finally gotten up the balls to tell Piper.
Too much.
She opened the door and pulled him inside. As soon as the door was shut, his mind went blank, looking at her long hair, the elegant curve of her legs, the fullness of her lips.
Mine.
He stepped forward as soon as she turned around and placed his hands on her hips, pushing her back against the door. With a soft sigh, she submitted, satisfying his possessive need for control by wrapping her arms around his neck and running her fingers through the short hair at his nape.
He paused and pressed his forehead against hers, their ragged breathing the only sound he could hear. He didn't want to take her like he usually did, he didn't want to control her. Well, okay, yes, yes he did want to control her, but he wanted to show her how much she meant to him. And he couldn't do that if he kept slamming the poor woman up against walls and kissing her breathless.
"Dean, it's okay," she said softly, and he opened his eyes to find her looking at him. The heat in her gaze made everything low in him clench hard, and he was having a hard time breathing again. "Dean, it's okay, I don't want to go slow tonight." She leaned up and ran her teeth along his jaw, sending tension down through him. "Don't worry about it, baby," she whispered against his skin. "Let's just forget today."
He groaned, fighting with himself, fighting to give her everything she needed.
She grabbed his wrist and guided his hand up to cup her breast, where his thumb automatically ran over her hardening nipple. "Please, Dean," she begged softly, "I want you."
His control snapped, and he looked down at her slowly, his other hand pulling her hips tight against his. He smiled, watching her eyes darken with lust. "Whatever you say, kitten," he husked, then sent his lips crashing down onto hers.
xxxxx
He took her there, against the door, making her scream.
xxxxx
He took her in the bed later, taking his time, worshipping her with his hands and mouth.
God, I love you.
xxxxx
He took her in the shower, her raspy, over-used voice calling out his name, echoing off of the tiles surrounding them.
xxxxx
Once Dean had reduced her to a quivering, speechless heap, he finally let them go to bed. Piper was in pajamas, exhausted, staring at him. He was looking back, both of them too tired for words.
The world was going to shit, and Piper knew it. Tomorrow was going to be hard, facing Sammy, facing the world. And the next day was going to be hard. And every day until they cleaned up the mess presented to them.
But for now, Dean was looking at her like she was the only important thing in the world.
She smiled and moved forward to nestle her head under his chin, flinging an arm around his waist. "I love you," she whispered, already falling asleep.
"You, too, Pipes," his voice rumbled in her ear as she drifted off to sleep.
And for now, that voice in her ear was enough for Piper.
xxxxx
Hi everyone! Here's my notes:
I own only Piper Finley, the original character. I don't own Supernatural or the characters. (heartbroken)
Reviews, comments, and kudos give me the warm fuzzies and keep me going.
If there are any mistakes in continuity, canon, or geography, blame me.
**Guys, I have been waiting for this chapter since I started writing this fanfic. I knew exactly when I wanted Dean to finally say it. I love this chapter, so let me know what you think!
**Also, I'm sorry there's not more smut. The muse wasn't feelin' Dean and Piper fucking like bunnies in great detail after Lucifer rises.
