A/N: To my guest Anko, thank you for both your reviews, for this fic as well as Backwards. I'm glad you're enjoying all of my fics! :D And kitsune911 if you read this, thank you for your review on Three Angels Walk Into a Bar! :)
Okie dokie. This scene is an alternate version of the scene in 11x18 where Crowley goes into Cas's vessel to try to convince him to evict Lucifer. Creepy Lucifer... Though I have to admit, I couldn't believe how easy Lucifer was taking it on Cas. I sorta imagined it way worse than that (which ended up being an entire fic, Three Angels Walk Into a Bar). But this is just the one scene that doesn't REALLY have a happy ending, but we all know it works out in the end ^_^ Enjoy!
Castiel propped his chin on his hand, staring vaguely in the direction of the TV but not really paying attention to whatever comedic show was supposedly running. It wasn't real, anyway. Though, he mused, what the TV showed wasn't all that "real" in the actual world, either. So what difference did it make?
The difference was, he ought to be paying closer attention right now, the angel reminded himself with a self-chastising frown. With Lucifer at the helm of his body, Castiel was only getting snippets of information regarding what was happening out there. The Devil was keeping a tight hold of Castiel's consciousness lately, probably afraid he would try to take over again, and the angel was getting frustrated at the lack of visibility. If he was lucky, or if Lucifer got lazy, he might catch a glimpse through the television.
And if he did see something he didn't like?
Castiel slumped back, expression drooping as weariness and defeat settled on his shoulders like a lead weight. It wasn't like he could fight Lucifer. For Castiel, the battle was already over. It was up to his devilish older brother to defeat Amara, the whole reason he'd let Lucifer in, and after that it would fall to the Winchesters to defeat him. They'd find a way. They had to.
So fretting was useless; Castiel was done.
And yet, he kept his eyes glued to the television. Only just a moment ago, he would have sworn he'd seen Dean through the electronic screen, but then the image was gone and had yet to reappear to offer any clarity on the matter.
"Castiel?"
Well, this was an unexpected detour from the monotony. Castiel half-glanced at the newcomer, not entirely convinced it wasn't a hallucinatory trick. Though this would be an odd torture indeed if it was Lucifer's doing.
"Oh, Crowley," he murmured. "What are you doing here?" In other words, are you even real?
The demon's expression of confusion seemed genuine and lifelike, gazing around the scenery before demanding, "Is this the Winchesters' kitchen?"
Castiel turned back to the TV with a glum nod. "You should go, if you're really you," he advised, though he doubted it was. Why would Crowley ever take it upon himself to possess the Devil? Could Lucifer be possessed? Three entities in one body… well, why not? It had worked on Sam. Castiel sighed; if by some miracle he survived this, his vessel would never be clean again.
There was a short pause, then a suspicious, "What's wrong with you? What's Lucifer done to you?"
Hmm. If Castiel wasn't mistaken, there was a trace of actual concern in the question. Would Lucifer know how to fake that? It was difficult to say for sure. Deciding to play along for now, certain his brother would get bored of the game eventually if this was a masquerade, Castiel shrugged.
"Well, he mostly just leaves me alone," the angel replied, which was mostly true. As long as he behaved, Lucifer didn't seem to care about him one way or another. It was only when he tried to intervene that he ended up on the receiving end of the Devil's wrath.
If Crowley picked up on the word "mostly", he didn't comment. Instead, he gestured towards the exit and snapped, "Do you know what's happening out there? The Winchesters have trapped the abomination so that you can expel him so that they can put him back in the Cage!"
"Well, that doesn't sound like a very good idea." Castiel's pulse quickened, though, hoping this wasn't Lucifer testing him, waiting to see if he would attempt to take control. If that was the case, the angel didn't dare act like he would even consider it.
The shove came without warning, knocking Castiel from his seat onto the kitchen floor. Memories of previous punishments from Lucifer came flooding back, and the angel scrambled backwards to put distance between himself and whoever this was.
"Snap out of it!" Crowley snarled, advancing on the angel. "He's really got his hooks in you. It's like you don't even care about your own darling Winchesters. Get yourself up, Castiel!"
"What-"
"Get up!" the demon repeated, gesturing with a cool glare. "Get off your feathery ass and fight him!"
The angel stared at Crowley, confusion building. This… this couldn't be a part of the façade. This was actually Crowley, using the demon's own words. "You're real," Castiel blurted out. He shook his head. "And… you're serious."
Heaving a sigh that was clearly laden with exasperation, Crowley nodded. "Of course I'm real, you twat!" he snapped. "Now listen. I know you think Lucifer is the only one who can take on Amara, but he can't. Believe me, I heard it from his own mouth—your own mouth, as it were—that he tricked you into thinking he could beat her so that you'd let him in."
Castiel's head spun with this horrifying revelation, still gaping at the demon. Mutely, he shook his head.
"Believe me, don't believe me," Crowley snapped, twisting now to cast an anxious look over his shoulder. "But if you don't trust me, trust your boyfriend. Dean's been itching to get Lucifer out of you, and now you've actually got a chance."
The angel swallowed. "That was Dean I saw a minute ago, wasn't it?"
"Yes!"
And yet… Lucifer was so much more powerful than Castiel. They still stood a better chance against the Darkness with the archangel in control, even though every moment was a torment. Didn't they? Even if he tried to expel Lucifer, would he even be able to? Castiel looked away. He couldn't even leave this false Bunker, locked down as tightly as it was.
"You need to go," Castiel murmured, shaking his head. "Run, Crowley."
"What? No! Not until you expel Lucifer. Now, before it's too late!"
"It already is," a cold, cruel voice interrupted from the doorway.
Castiel closed his eyes in dismay, dread trickling down his spine and leaving him paralyzed in the face of his brother's reappearance. His usual stoicism wasn't enough to quash his terror when Lucifer's malice wafted across the artificial room. Beside him, Crowley shouted with pain a half-second before a crash echoed off the bare walls. Castiel opened his eyes in time to see the demon slide down to the floor, only to be tossed aside once again by the wrathful Lucifer.
"Lucifer," Castiel whispered. He wet his lips and tried again as Crowley screamed in pain. "Lucifer, stop."
His brother's only response was to flick a careless hand at Castiel, snapping the angel's face sideways and leaving a red welt along his cheek. Castiel bit back a cry, focusing on the demon who was getting even more vicious treatment.
Picking himself up, Castiel stumbled back to the table and grabbed the TV in both hands. In one rushed motion, he slung the heavy appliance around, bashing Lucifer's head in so that the archangel fell to the floor. Castiel was already on the move, racing to grab Crowley by the shoulder and take off running down the halls of the Bunker.
This was bad. This was very bad. A thrill of fear nearly made Castiel freeze in his tracks, but their only hope now was to hide; the Devil wouldn't stay down for long.
"Left," he ordered sharply as Crowley dashed along beside him, breathing heavily with exertion. The demon wrenched open the door that Castiel indicated. Together, they shifted into a large, walk-in pantry and shut the door.
For a second, the only sound was their gasps, desperate attempts at muting the noise unsuccessful. A furious bellow reverberated through the faux Bunker, heralding Lucifer's recovery. Castiel shuddered, clenching his eyes shut and turning from the door. He was going to pay for this, he knew.
"Great," Crowley muttered from beside him. "That's the last time I stick my neck out for you."
"You're possessing my vessel right now, aren't you?" Castiel whispered back, opening his eyes to shoot the demon a quizzical look. "Just leave. Help Dean and Sam. When this is over, I need you to kill him. Even if it means killing me."
"Believe me, it'll be my pleasure," Crowley hissed with a scowl. "But don't you think if I could 'just leave', I already would have? He's locked me in somehow! I escaped him once… care to consider the odds of it happening again? Not good!"
Part of Castiel wanted to be annoyed with the demon for being so self-centered. As if Castiel had not also been made to suffer at Lucifer's hands. As if so many others hadn't. As if Crowley was the only one to have been personally victimized by the archangel.
On the other hand, it was a credit to Crowley's fortitude that he was still alive at all. Castiel had still been able to watch what was happening, all through the horrific torture sessions Lucifer inflicted on the demon, and the humiliation he'd been subjected to afterwards. That Crowley had remained unbroken was… impressive. But of course he didn't want to go through it again.
Oddly, Castiel didn't want Crowley to suffer that fate a second time, either, though why he should be concerned was a mystery to the angel.
"I tried to stop him." The words came unbidden, unplanned. Castiel frowned, not sure why he'd admitted to that, and even Crowley twisted to raise a questioning brow. "Lucifer," the angel clarified. "When he had you chained up like a dog."
Crowley hissed in displeasure at the reminder, but his face just as quickly scrunched up in confusion. "What?"
"Unsuccessfully," Castiel amended, though it was hardly necessary. An icy touch gripped his heart, remembering the moment Lucifer had finally snapped at him. He shook it off. "And before, when he was torturing you. I told him there were more important things to be focusing on. Once, I tried to take back control."
Only once.
One time too many, as it turned out. That beating wasn't one he would soon forget.
Crowley was still just staring at him, confusion and derision mixing with something else Castiel couldn't identify. "Why?"
The bluntness of the question didn't bother the angel much. He shrugged. "Like I said… I need you to kill him when this is over. Sam and Dean… they might need help." They might hesitate because it was Castiel. But one second of hesitation would be enough for Lucifer to escape, and Castiel couldn't have that.
The demon regarded him for another minute, then he shrugged. "And like I said… I'd love to. But first I need to get out of this bloody meatsuit. Don't you have an escape hatch?"
Castiel looked around, snorting. "Lucifer created this space from my memories of it," he pointed out. "Nothing gets out that he doesn't want to. I told you that you shouldn't have come here."
"Well, give that angel a biscuit," Crowley snapped with a glare. "Half a mo, think I've got an idea."
Whatever the demon's plan was, they had both run out of time. Castiel and Crowley jumped as the door smashed in, splintering bits of wood that rained down on them. The doorway framed Lucifer's livid form, his expression set in a cold smirk that sent Castiel back several steps.
"Castiel," the Devil sneered. "Getting scrappy? And here I'd thought I'd whipped that out of you. As for you," he went on, pointing at Crowley. The demon was sent flying into the wall of the pantry, knocking over a shelf that collapsed on top of him as he crumpled to the floor.
"Lucifer, stop!" Castiel shouted. It did no good.
"Defending the demon again?" the Devil demanded with a snort. There was no mistaking the light of hatred in his eyes. "He's scum, Castiel. Lower than even humans, if you can believe that's possible. And clearly a glutton for punishment."
He raised a hand again; this time, Castiel sidestepped in front of his angry brother and held up a hand, though his heart quaked in fear. "Wait," he pleaded. "Just wait."
To his surprise, Lucifer did pause, eyes shifting between Crowley and Castiel with increasing rage and incredulity. The seconds ticked by, none of them moving, until Lucifer snorted with angry laughter.
"Castiel," he said. "Not even you could have sunk that low." His gaze slid between the two again and he sidled closer. Castiel took a step back, stealing a glance over his shoulder to see Crowley watching from the floor with wide, dismayed eyes.
"I… don't know what you're talking about," Castiel tried, but his brother cut him off.
"Are you making friends with demons now?" Lucifer demanded. "With these disgusting, filthy, mutated wretches?"
"What? No," Castiel protested. The rage in Lucifer's eyes intensified, and the angel gulped. "We're not friends."
"No, we're not," Crowley agreed. "I loathe the bugger. Honest."
"But, he could be useful, that's all," the angel hurried on, hands still spread wide, desperate to convince his brother. "Against Amara. We need him-"
"We really don't."
Lucifer took another step forward, but Castiel only sidestepped again to more fully block the archangel's path. His heart hammered in his chest; resistance was likely to be futile anyway.
The tremor that shook even the sturdy walls of the Bunker took Castiel by surprise and, judging by Lucifer's face, the archangel as well. Castiel thought he heard the echo of Sam and Dean's voices, the familiar Latin words seeming out of place until a quiet pop from behind him made it all fall into place. Of course… clever. An exorcism to remove Crowley from the vessel and return him safely to his own, though now Castiel was left alone with Lucifer once again.
He could see this entire revelation cross his brother's face in stages. First, surprise as Crowley disappeared. Then, dawning rage as he realized the demon had escaped his grasp. And finally, as Lucifer's eyes trailed back to regard Castiel, cool iciness that frightened the angel more than his brother's anger, because it made him all the more unpredictable.
"So," the Devil murmured, advancing on Castiel as the angel backed up until he ran up against the closet wall. Lucifer reached out and took him by the lapels, moving slowly but with unbreakable force. His fists clenched in the material and Castiel swallowed.
"Lucifer-" he started, but cut off as his brother shook his head.
"Shh," Lucifer shushed. "Shh… Castiel. Little brother. I'm disappointed."
"Lucifer, please-"
"Ah, ah." They were inches apart now, close enough for Castiel to see his own pale face reflected in Lucifer's ice cold eyes. "You're becoming a problem, Castiel."
The angel shook his head, mute with trepidation, hoping his brother just left him alone again. Surely whatever was happening out there would be requiring his more immediate attention? If Sam and Dean had him trapped…
But he knew it was just as likely that the archangel had frozen everything happening out there, buying time in their head to make sure Castiel was punished for letting Crowley escape. There was no chance that Castiel was getting out of this now.
If Crowley could help the Winchesters, though, then Castiel regretted nothing. If the demon helped put an end to both Amara and Lucifer—and he certainly seemed motivated to—then it didn't matter what happened to Castiel.
Lucifer was still regarding him, but smiled now with wolfish intent as he asked, "I wonder, does this Bunker happen to have a dungeon?"
Castiel swallowed, looking away. Lucifer had already pored through the angel's knowledge of the place, easily smashing through any walls Castiel had tried to construct to protect the information. He knew very well that there was, so lying would only make things worse now.
"…Yes," he admitted through gritted teeth.
The angel flinched when Lucifer raised a hand, but it was only to give him a condescending pat on the cheek.
"Good boy," Lucifer murmured. He jerked Castiel away from the wall, one fist still gripping the angel's coat. "Let's go."
Sam… Dean… I'm sorry, Castiel thought as his brother shoved him out into the Bunker's halls, heading for the dungeon. He doubted he would ever be leaving it again.
Crowley… don't let me down.