"Yeah, no, this is good. Really. You know, eight months of turned pages and screwed pooches but tonight, tonight's when the magic happens."

Chrys growled and looked up from the book she was attempting to read to glare at Dean. "You're not helping, jackass, so shut up."

He shrugged from where he was leaning against the desk. "Yeah, well, why don't you let me get out of your hair, then?"

She shut her eyes to try to beat back the migraine in the base of her skull. Dean had been mouthing off since they'd found him and Castiel had knocked him out to bring him to Bobby's. Sam and Bobby were taking it rather well, but with everything that had happened in the last week, Chrys was in absolutely no mood to deal with him.

She slammed her book shut. "All right, Dean, you know what? Go fuck yourself."

His eyebrows rose, and he opened his mouth, but since she was still in no mood to listen to him, she interrupted.

"Go right on ahead and fuck yourself, Winchester." She stood and circled the desk to confront him. "Fuck you for giving up, fuck you for not believing we can beat this, and fuck you for abandoning Sam. Just… Fuck you."

His face darkened. "Hey, Sammy's been trying to abandon me his whole life."

She nodded. "Yeah, he has. And that's worked out so well for you two." She sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "And get over the Stanford thing, Dean. Sam wanted a life, and he had one, a good one, that you dragged him out of." She held her hands up when he opened his mouth again. "I'm not saying it was your fault, but Sam gave up a lot to be here with us, so shut the fuck up about Stanford."

He shook his head. "Chrys, you have no idea-"

It was her turn to raise her eyebrows. "I don't? I have no idea… About what, Dean?" He blinked at the venom in her voice. "No idea how it is to feel hopeless?" She nodded sagely. "You're right, because being the bride of goddamn Lucifer has never made me feel hopeless."

He winced, and she ignored him. "Or do you mean I have no idea what it feels like to think the whole thing is riding on your shoulders? You're right, because I've been talking to Lucifer since I was six goddamn years old, and I should have figured a way to kill him, or stop him, or something, but surely I have no idea what it's like to feel responsible for everything."

"Or maybe I have no idea what it's like to be someone who loves Sam more than he loves them. Because that has never been a fucking problem for me." She glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "So go fuck yourself, Dean. You're not the only one who's got goddamn problems, but you don't see me being suicidal, so shut the fuck up."

He stared at her for a second. "Chrys, I-"

"Ugh," she snapped, ignoring Cass as he walked in. "I don't want to hear it."

Castiel was frowning as he came to stand next to her. His eyes, without a bit of subtlety, were on her flat stomach. "Chrys, you should be-"

"Working," she said quickly, glaring at him. Goddamn narc. "I know. I'm done putting Dean in his place, so I should be working."

Dean was staring between them, brow furrowed. "What-"

Before he could finish, Cass doubled over. "Ah!"

Chrys put a hand on his back and bent to look at him. "Cass? Cass, what's wrong?"

"Something's happening," he ground out, before disappearing. Papers fluttered around, and Chrys groaned.

"I hate that fucking angel."


Sam walked into the study, frowning. He had heard Chrys shouting, but hadn't been able to make out the words.

He saw Dean leaning against the desk, looking guilty and defiant. He turned to Chrys and made a beeline for her the moment he laid eyes on her. Distress was clear in every line of her body, and in the way she didn't protest when he wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close. She just sighed and pressed her face into his chest.

"What's going on in here?"

"Nothing," she said softly, not moving away from him. "Cass just left for no goddamn reason, so that's fun."

Sam frowned. "Where the hell did he go?"

Bobby rolled in from the other side of the room, already glaring at the three of them. "What the hell is with all the damn racket in here?"

Before anyone could answer, Castiel appeared in the middle of the room. Chrys groaned and pressed her face into Sam's chest again. Shocked, he couldn't do anything but put a hand on the back of her head, staring at the angel and the man in his arms.

"Adam?"


Chrys was watching Adam eat in the kitchen and chewing on her lip. The kid's knee was bouncing and he was fiddling with his sandwich in a very familiar way.

She sighed and pulled one of the kitchen drawers open. She found what she was looking for, then turned and approached the kid. She sat across from him, watching him eye her warily.

"Do you need a cigarette?"

He blinked. "Uh… Uh, yeah, that would be awesome."

She crammed her own craving aside and smiled, waving the handcuffs she'd retrieved. "All right, Mulligan, you're with me, then."

Sam walked in as she was handcuffing herself to Adam. He blinked at her. "What the hell, Chrys?"

She turned and smiled at him. "Just going outside for a smoke, Sammy."

"Chrys, he can't-"

"Sam," she said sharply. "The only way they'll be able to drag him away is if Michael himself comes to get the kid, and I have my serious suspicions that that's not going to happen." She waved to him. "Hello, Sam, I'm Chrys, I'm immune to angel powers."

He glared at her. "God dammit, Chrys-"

She ignored him to pull Adam outside. Once there, she leaned against the wall, closing her eyes and pressing the back of her head against the house as Adam came to lean next to her. The flick of his lighter and the hiss of his first inhale woke the craving in her, but she just leaned against the wall, eyes closed.

She didn't know why she wouldn't smoke, it's not like she was going to live long enough for it to make a difference, but… The baby.

"So, do you not smoke?"

She turned to look at the handsome young man next to her. He was really only a couple of years younger than she was, but she had always felt older than she was, anyway, and he was so… Innocent, of the way all of this worked. "Uh, trying to quit."

"So why did you bring me out here?"

She sighed. "Because this is a lot to process. And if you don't believe us, which I would not blame you for, this has got to be annoying." She smiled. "And the Winchesters can be sanctimonious fucks about smoking, so I thought I'd cut you a break."

He nodded, taking a deep drag. On the exhale, "So, he pitched this whole dewy-eyed, bromance thing, but the truth is that I'm on lockdown, aren't I?"

She shrugged. "You're a flight risk, dude. The moment you're left alone, the angels are coming for you." She took a deep breath and held it for a moment, then let it out slowly. "Look, I just want you to know, however the chips fall… I hope it turns out all right for you." At his scoff, she looked over at him again. "I mean it, Adam. I think the angels are lying their asses off to you, especially Zachariah, but I hope they give you time with your mom, anyway."

He stared at her evenly. "Why do you care?"

She sighed. "Because, I am doomed to care about each Winchester brother, half siblings apparently included, for the rest of my days. It's the terrible curse I bear."

"Chrys!" Sam called. He ran outside and turned to look at her. "Dean's gone, and so is Cass."

She groaned. "Fucking Winchesters." She turned to look at Adam. "You included."


"Bobby, what do you mean, 'Adam is gone?'" Sam shouted, arms flung out wide.

"Should I say it in Spanish?" Bobby snarled.

"They're angels, Sam," Chrys said softly, standing between them. "He probably told them where he was."

Bobby nodded. "And watch your tone, boy."

Before Sam could respond, Castiel appeared in the middle of the room, carrying a bloody Dean princess style. Chrys jumped, then glared at the angel, then looked at Dean. "What the hell happened to him?"

"Me," Cass said coldly, depositing Dean on the floor gracelessly.

Bobby was staring at the angel. "How would Adam have even told the angels where he was?"

"I don't know. Maybe in a dream." Chrys answered, then she frowned. "But where would they have taken him?"


Chrys opened the door to the panic room slowly, peeking in to make sure Dean was awake. He was, sitting on the cot he was handcuffed to.

"How you feelin', tough guy?" she asked softly as she entered.

He looked up. "Word the wise: don't piss of the nerd angels." He sighed. "How's it going up there?"

She leaned against the table across the room from him. "The angels took Adam."

He frowned. "Where?"

She shrugged. "Sam says the room where they took you. Cass did a recon to make sure."

Dean nodded. "And?"

"Crawling with angels. Pretty much a 'no shot in hell,' hail Mary kind of thing."

He nodded. "So the usual. So what's the plan?"

She pushed off of the desk and approached him. "Well, first of all, we're bringing you with."

He blinked. "Excuse me?"

She leaned forward and unlocked the handcuff around his wrist. "There's too many of them, we need you."

He stared at her, but didn't move. "Isn't that a bad idea?"

"Castiel and Bobby sure seem to think so. Sam doesn't, though, and I don't either."

Dean scoffed. "Well, they're right. Because either it's a trap to get me there to make me say yes, or it's not a trap and I'm gonna say yes anyway. And I will. I'll do it. Fair warning."

She smiled. "You're all talk, Winchester. When push comes to shove, you'll make the right call."

He rubbed his wrist and watched her. "You know, if the tables were turned, I'd let you rot in here."

She chuckled. "I don't think you would, Dean. I think you'd do the same thing. At least, you would if it was Sam."

"I don't get it. Why are you doing this?"

"Because you're Sam's big brother. Because I think you may want to give up, but I doubt you're actually going to. Because you're a hero, you can't help it." She patted him on the knee and stood. "And because I don't think you have it in you to let Sam down. And Sam believes in you, so I do, too."


"Where the hell are we?"

Chrys looked around, her eyes landing on a rundown warehouse in the middle of what appeared to be a field. Fucking angels.

"Van Nuys, California," Castiel said calmly as they walked toward said warehouse.

Dean frowned. "Where's the beautiful room?"

Chrys pointed. "In there, I bet."

"The beautiful room is in an abandoned muffler factory in Van Nuys, California?"

"Where'd you think it was?" Cass snapped.

Chrys rolled her eyes. "Cut it out, you two. What's the plan, Castiel?"

"I will distract the angels," Castiel said evenly, pulling a knife out of his coat pocket. "You two go in and get Adam," he said, nodding his head to the Winchesters."

Chrys frowned. "What about me? And what do you plan on doing with that?"

He gave her a long look. "You'll be outside, Chrys."

She glared at him. "I absolutely will not, Cass."

He grabbed her arm and suddenly pulled her close to press his lips against her ear, banking on the brothers being a few yards behind them. "Chrysanthemum, you're pregnant, you're staying outside, or I will tell Sam and Dean," he muttered.

"Fuck you," she snarled softly, "I will do whatever I goddamn want." She yanked her arm out of his grasp. "And there's no point in telling them, Cass, not if Dean's giving up, anyway."

"Hey, what the fuck is going on?" Sam snapped, coming forward to put his arm around her shoulders.

She gave him a tight smile. "I'm going in with you guys."


Chrys entered the angelic green room behind Sam and Dean. Adam was on the floor, leaning against the farthest wall. Chrys hurried toward him to help him stand, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling his arm around her shoulders. "Adam, hey, you all right, kiddo?"

He blinked at her blearily. "You came for me."

She smiled. "You're family."

Adam looked over at the eldest Winchester. "Dean, it's a trap."

Dean nodded. "I figured."

"Dean, please," Zachariah said from behind him. "Did you really think it would be that easy?"

Dean smirked. "Did you?"

Sam came at Zachariah from behind with the angel blade. Zachariah turned and knocked it out of his hand and tossed Sam across the room.

Fear gripped Chrys's heart. "Sam!" She pulled Adam with her to go stand next to where Sam was down.

Zachariah turned around and looked at them. "You know what I've learned from this experience? Patience." He waved his hand at Chrys and Adam, but nothing happened. He glared at them again. "Lucifer's bitch." His eyes flicked down to her stomach. "Ah, and Lucifer's-"

She smiled tightly and interrupted. "Hi, Zach. Gonna monologue again before we get started?"

He opened his mouth, but Dean interrupted. "The answer is yes."

The angel whirled around to stare at Dean, and Chrys's heart sank. God dammit, Dean.

"Really?" Zachariah asked. "Just like that? How do I know you're not lying?"

"Do I look like I'm lying?" Dean asked, distress etched on his face. Chrys winced, knowing that it would pain Dean just as much as Sam if he said yes.

Sam came to his feet, his brown eyes begging Dean. "Dean, please-"

"Just call Michael down," Dean snapped, avoiding both Sam's and Chrys's gaze.

Adam was staring at him, too. "What the fuck?" Chrys squeezed his waist sympathetically, then nudged Sam and looked at the door. They needed to get the fuck out of there.

Zachariah looked up and spoke reverently in Enochian. "Zodiredo, noco, aberamage, nazodpesade… He's coming."

Chrys looked at Dean's face, a little heartbroken. Suddenly, he met her eyes and winked. Hope soared in her heart, but she didn't let her face change at all.

"Of course," Dean said casually, "I have a few conditions."

Zachariah looked down at him. "What?"

"A few people's safety you have to guarantee before I say yes."

Zachariah nodded. "Sure, fine. Make a list."

"But most of all…" Dean smiled. "Michael can't have me until he disintegrates you."

Chrys laughed out loud when Zachariah froze. "What did you say?" the angel snarled.

Dean stepped forward, his smile turning into a cocky grin. "I said, before Michael gets one piece of this sweet ass… He has to turn you into a piece of charcoal."

"You really think Michael's gonna go for that?" the angel asked incredulously.

Chrys laughed again. "I think so, yeah."

Dean nodded. "Who's more important to him now? You… Or me?"

Zachariah advanced on Dean. "You listen to me. You are nothing but a maggot inside a worm's ass. Do you know who I am after I deliver you to Michael?"

Chrys grinned ferally. "Expendable, ass-wipe." Dean shot her another wink.

Zachariah turned to look at her. "Listen, you little slut." He approached them, murder in his eyes. "Michael's not gonna kill me."

"Maybe not," Dean said evenly from behind him, "But I am."

The angel blade ran through Zachariah's throat. Light exploded from the angel's orifices, and Chrys winced and turned away. Before she could recover, white light was starting to shine from the ceiling, and an ear-piercing note resounded through the room.

"It's Michael!" she shouted, turning to Adam. "Can you walk? We have to go!"

He nodded and they started toward the door. As soon as Dean and Sam were through, it slammed shut, trapping Chrys and Adam on the other side.

She slammed on the door with her free hand. "Sam! Sam!"

She could hear him on the other side. "Chrys! It won't open!"

Dread settled in her stomach, and she turned and pushed Adam behind her, spreading her arms wide. "Stay behind me," she shouted, "Let me take care of the archangel."

The light got brighter, disappeared for a moment, then a man appeared in front of him. He was tall, with strong features, and the power rolling off of him in waves told Chrys she was staring at none other than the Archangel Michael.

"Chrysanthemum Summers, the bride of Lucifer."

"Archangel Michael, Head of the Douchebags."

"Chrys," Adam hissed from behind her.

"Shut up, Adam. Let me take care of this."

Michael was staring at her evenly. "Dean did not say yes."

She smiled. "And I hope he never does."

"Chrysanthemum, I must fight my brother."

She shook her head. "Not if you plan on taking half of the planet with you, you mustn't."

Michael tilted his head. "It is not my intention, but there may be some innocent casualties."

She glared at him. "Easy for an angel to say." She steeled herself to be smote. "Let me the fuck out of here, Michael, and let me bring Adam with me."

He shook his head. "Adam Mulligan has already given his consent for the use of his vessel. I'm just hesitant to go through you, Chrysanthemum."

She rolled her eyes. "Quit calling me Chrysanthemum, Michael. And why would you be hesitant to go through me?" She brightened. "I don't suppose it's because you can't?"

Michael smiled coldly. "I certainly can, Chrysanthemum. Lucifer's power does not eclipse mine. I have not gone through you because I do not know what the effect on your unborn child would be."

Fear chilled Chrys's heart, and she suddenly was struggling to breathe. "Oh."

He nodded. "Yes, Chrysanthemum, 'oh' indeed."

A hand on her shoulder had her turning to look at Adam. "You're pregnant?"

She nodded. "Um, yeah."

"And it's Sam's?"

She swallowed hard. "Yeah, yeah it is."

He looked at her for a long time, then nodded once. "Okay."

She frowned. "Okay what? Adam-"

He suddenly grabbed her and shoved her behind him, looking at Michael and blocking her with his body. "If you take me, you have to let her go."

She struggled against him. "God dammit, Adam, no!"

Michael nodded and raised a hand. "Very well, Adam."

Adam turned and gripped her arms. "Chrys, it's okay, just be careful, and don't let them win."

She shook her head, keeping her eyes on him. "Adam, please, don't do this-"

She was cut off by the world whirling away from her. She landed next to Sam, outside, next to the Impala, with tears already coursing down her face.

Sam grabbed her, his hands on her face and then searching down her body. "Chrys, Jesus, are you all right? What did he do to you?"

She shook her head, still crying. "Nothing, Adam saved me, he sacrificed himself for me."

He paused then wrapped his arms around her and tucked her head under his chin. "Fuck."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and whimpered into him, shaking like a leaf.

He sacrificed himself for me and our daughter.


**I'm back! I missed you guys!
**Feedback gives me the warm fuzzies and keeps me going.