Chapter Twenty-Seven

Lucifer paced back and forth in the mouth of the alley. The promised twenty-four hours for Dean to retrieve Sam was almost over. He would soon have the man he loved back in his arms. When he did, when Sam was home and safe, he would never let him go again.

He felt an angel's approach and Castiel appeared with Bobby who looked around hopefully and said, "Anything?"

"It is not quite time," Lucifer said. "Soon though." It was a promise.

He was filled with shame for how he had reacted when Sam had been lost. He should have been there with them all, searching for a way to bring him home, not wallowing in his misery on the beach of Membata. It was ridiculous that the strongest among all of Sam's loved ones was the one that had given in and left him to his fate when the humans, the weak ones, had found a way to save him. He wondered if he would have the ability to look Sam in the eye again when he knew what had happened. And he would know—there were no secrets between him and Sam.

The reaper checked his watch and nodded. "It is time."

There was a collective sigh from those gathered and Lucifer nodded vigorously. "Go then. Bring them home."

The reaper seemed to hesitate on the verge of speech for a moment, and then he shook his head slightly and said, "I will return soon." He walked away from them into the alley and Lucifer closed his eyes. Had he been human, he would have sent up a prayer of hope, but he could not supplicate himself to the Father that had banished and punished him.

He clasped his hands in front of him and waited for his Sam to come home.


Dean couldn't hold onto his anger at Sam for long; he was just so damn relieved to have found him again. The trek through Purgatory had brought home to him in a hurry what Sam had been living with since his arrival—constant warfare against monsters. Of course Sam couldn't leave Madison there to that. His only worry was that when they came to the other portal, she wouldn't be able to pass through and Sam would tie himself in knots trying to find a new way to get her out.

He was worried about Sam's injury, too. It was a deep cut, and though both Sam and Madison assured him wounds healed fast in that place, he was relieved when, after a few hours of walking, Madison announced it was time for Sam to rest.

Dean hadn't thought of the mechanics of sleeping in Purgatory such as how to escape attack, but it became clear as they came to a tree and Sam sat down and slumped against it while Madison kept her feet and leveled her weapon over her shoulder, ready to keep watch. Sam's eyes fell closed almost immediately, though his fingers remained curled around the hilt of his own blade.

"You should sleep, too," she said to Dean.

"No need," Dean lied. "I slept plenty before I came here." He was tired, but there was no way he was leaving Sam's defense to anyone else in that place. He squared his stance and held tight to his machete.

Minutes passed in watchful silence before Madison spoke without turning. "I don't want this, you know. I want Sam to get out of here."

"I know. But he's a stubborn son of a bitch. He's not leaving without you."

She looked out through the trees. "He's going to have to."

Dean frowned. "What?"

"When we get to the portal, I'm not trying to go through. I'm not coming with you."

"Why not?" Dean asked.

"Because my life there is over. Everyone I know there thinks I am dead. I can't just slip back into my life again, and I don't have the strength to start a new one. And I am a werewolf. I begged Sam to kill me because I didn't want to take another life. I didn't want to live as a monster. I still don't."

"I get that, but, Maddie, you can't want this place more. It's Hell, and believe me I know what that's like."

He saw her shift in his peripheral vision. "No, I don't want this place. What I wish for more than anything is what I thought I was getting when Sam pulled that trigger—Heaven. I want peace. Heaven has to be the answer to that."

"There are no words for it," Dean said, remembering a conversation with Sam from a long time ago.

"What?"

"Sam went to Heaven once. There was an accident and he was killed. He went to Heaven and he said there are no words for it. He looked… I think it was a good place."

"And that's what I want," she said sounding sad. "Heaven. I can't have it though and, as bad as this place is, it's better that the hell I would live back on Earth."

"Heaven," a voice sighed behind them. Dean turned and saw Sam looking at Madison's back with an expression of such sadness it was painful. He got to his feet and approached Madison slowly and laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned, and Dean saw the tears streaming down her face. "We can get you there, Maddie," he said. "Heaven I mean."

"How?" she asked in a choked voice.

Sam smiled. "My lover is an archangel. He can do anything."

Madison looked doubtful.

"Please, Madison. At least let me try. Whatever happens, it's got to be better than Purgatory."

She nodded. "Okay. We can try."

Sam beamed at her, an innocent and exultant expression for such a dark place. "Thank you." He became businesslike almost at once. "Okay, here's what we're going to do…"


Bobby had prepared the house as best he could for Sam and Dean's return. There were clean sheets on their beds and the hot water tank was full. He didn't know if Sam would stay at his place or if he'd want some time alone with Lucifer, but he hoped for the former. After being without him so long, he wanted him around awhile before he disappeared again.

He knew Dean was furious with Lucifer for his abandonment, and he wondered if he had told Sam what had happened already. It would be pointless for Sam to know; it would change nothing in his view of Lucifer. They had the kind of love that forgave anything. Hell, when Sam had fallen for Lucifer it had been in the middle of an apocalypse. The fact Lucifer had lost his mind and given up hope without Sam wasn't going to come between them.

Lucifer was standing silent and still, almost looking like he was praying. Castiel was just as still. Bobby was the only one that felt the need to shift from foot to foot and nervously check his watch. It seemed to be taking too long. The reaper had barely been gone five minutes when he'd taken Dean in—it had been almost an hour now.

When the hour ticked past, Bobby cleared his throat and started to say, "Lucifer, it's been—" but Lucifer held up a hand and started along the alley. Bobby and Castiel followed. Bobby's heart was pounding. They were coming. He was going to get his boys back and then he was going to make sure they didn't disappear again—though how he'd manage that with them being the trouble magnets they were, he didn't know.

They rounded a corner and came to a large loading area at the back of a restaurant. There was graffiti painting the walls, and blue door that was spilling white light. Bobby's breaths came quick as looked at it. The tension in the air was thick. Lucifer stood a little apart from them, closer to the light, as if he couldn't even bear to be parted from Sam by a few feet.

The shape of a person appeared in the light, and Bobby felt a moment's thrill of excitement before he realized it wasn't Sam or Dean. The person was too short—it was Ajay. He walked out of the light, and then the most awful thing happened. The light disappeared with only one him there, no sign of Sam or Dean.

Ajay walked toward Lucifer, fear all over his face. "I am sorry."

"Where are they?" Lucifer asked through his teeth.

Ajay swallowed. "I don't know. I went to the place we arranged to meet, and there was no one there. I searched, but there is no sign of him. I'm sorry, but…"

"You don't think he made it," Bobby said in a breathless tone, his heart, racing until then, sinking to his boots.

"No," Ajay said. "I don't think he made it. I told him explicitly to be at the place of parting at the right time, and he wasn't there."

Bobby turned away, his eyes welling with burning tears. Dean, gone. Sam, gone. They were his boys. His, Had been since they were boys, and they were gone now.

"He might not be dead," Castiel ventured. "Perhaps he just ran out of time."

The result was the same though. They weren't there. They were dead or trapped in that pit of misery and pain. Either way, they were gone.

Lucifer was staring at the wall, a look of abject devastation on his face. Bobby felt the same way. They had pinned all their hope of Dean getting Sam out—on having them both back, and it was all in vain. They had failed.

Only… they might not have. Bobby rounded on Ajay and said, "Take me in!"

Ajay looked nervous. "To Purgatory?"

"Yes," Bobby said emphatically. "Take me through the portal. I'll find them and bring them back."

"Bobby," Castiel started, "if Dean couldn't manage to bring him out…"

"You think I've got no chance?" Bobby asked angrily. "I thought you knew me better than that, Cas. I'm not some doddery old man. I'm a hunter. I'll get them out or die trying."

"No," Lucifer said quietly.

"No?" Bobby gaped at him. Of them all, Lucifer had to want to get Sam back more than anyone. They were lovers, entwined in a way Bobby had rarely seen. Lucifer had lost his reason without Sam, so how could he possibly say no now?

"No," Lucifer said. "Sam would not want this."

"Who gives a damn?" Bobby asked. "This is about saving his life."

Lucifer shook his head. "Sam is not dead. I would feel it if he was. And I do not believe Dean is either. I think he is just lost. Neither of them will thank me if I send you in after them, risking your life in this way. I won't do it."

Bobby crossed his arms over his chest. "Then what the hell do we do?"

Lucifer turned back to Ajay. "You will go back in, do you understand me? You're not at risk from the monsters that inhabit that place, are you?"

Ajay shook his head. "No. I am not, but…"

"But what?" Lucifer asked menacingly.

"Nothing," Ajay said quickly. "I will find them for you and bring them back."

"You will," Lucifer agreed.

"And what the hell are we supposed to do in the meantime?" Bobby asked.

Lucifer shrugged. "Do what you will. I am going to stay here and wait for Sam." He turned to the painted door on the wall and sighed. "I failed him once. I will not again."


Sam felt it when they were getting close to the portal. It was like a magnet, drawing him on. From the look of relief on Dean's face, he thought he was feeling it, too. Madison didn't seem to. She seemed to be growing ever more anxious by the minute. She didn't have faith in Lucifer the way Sam did. She didn't know him. Sam did. He knew Lucifer wouldn't fail him, not something so important.

Their plan to escape using the portal was apparently evident to some of the other inhabitants of Purgatory, as they had to face more creatures than before as they drew closer to the north cliffs. With the three of them experienced fighters, they were able to take care of their attackers without anyone getting hurt, but when they were within sight of the cliffs, Sam's confidence wavered. There was a group of Leviathans there, seemingly waiting for them. Without a word, they came to a stop together, concealed by trees.

"Damn," Sam whispered.

"We're not going to be able to get around them. Look." Dean pointed at the spot at the top of a low ridge. The air was rippling, and as he watched, Sam saw a swirling vortex of light appear. It was the escape hatch, and it was reacting to them.

The Leviathans noticed, too. They looked up at it and smiled, knowing their prey was close.

"We'll go through," Sam said, forcing confidence into his voice he didn't truly feel. He glanced at Dean guiltily. He had come here to get Sam out, and now he was in real danger that he wouldn't get out again.

"Dean…" he started apologetically.

"Save it," Dean said. "Tell me when we're home." He smiled, taking the heat from his words.

"I will."

"Madison?" Dean asked.

"I'm ready," she said.

Sam tightened his grip on the hilt of his weapon and set off at a run. He could hear Dean and Madison behind him, racing into the fray.

The Leviathans saw them coming. They threw back their heads in unison, revealing huge mouths and teeth. Sam felt a quiver of fear at what he was facing, but he quickly forced it down and raised his blade. The first Leviathan came to meet him halfway, and Sam managed to part its head from its body with one swing, but the next wasn't so easy. He was forced back a few steps by a blow to his jaw. He kept his feet though and landed his own hit on the Leviathan's shoulder with his blade. It roared in pain and anger, and Sam quickly wrenched the blade free to strike again. The Leviathan came at him, and Sam took a swing at the side of its neck. The head fell to the ground with an anticlimactic thud. Sam looked around quickly, seeing both Dean and Madison locked in combat. Dean was facing off with a female and Madison a male. Pieces of Leviathan were scattered on the ground and there were none left standing.

Madison's attacks were carefully chosen whereas Dean fought with passion and fury—he was the one Sam worried about the most. He was the one Sam set out to help. He kicked the Leviathan in the small of the back, making its balance waver slightly. Dean took advantage of the moment to go in for the kill. As the head thumped to the ground, Sam turned to Madison. She was standing over the body of her combatant, eyes blazing with the fire of the fight.

Sam breathed a sigh of relief and turned his attention to the portal. "Come on, Maddie. Let's get this done," he said. He took the penknife Dean offered and cut across his forearm. Blood welled and dripped down to the ground.

Madison looked doubtful as Sam handed the knife to her. "Sam…" she started.

"No," he said firmly. "This is going to work. Come on."

"If it doesn't," she said. "If I can't be saved, will you do something for me?"

"Anything," Sam vowed automatically.

"Dump me in the ocean. Don't put me back in a body. I don't want that life again."

Sam closed his eyes, pushing down the swell of emotion her request triggered, and nodded. "I won't make you live it again."

She smiled. "Thank you, Sam." She cut across her arm and reached for him. He clasped his fingers around her elbow and she did the same to him. Linked, Sam spoke the words of latin Lucifer had taught him a long time ago. "Conjunti sumus, unum sumus." Madisonseemed to pour into the wound on his arm in a fiery light. Sam felt the burn of her soul as she disappeared into him. When she was gone, Dean wrapped a cloth around the wound while Sam stood motionless, absorbing the feeling.

"Let's go," Dean said, tugging on Sam's arm.

Sam allowed himself to be led a few steps and then he came back to himself and moved under his own power to up the ridge to the portal. When they were within a few feet of the light, Sam reached for Dean's hand and gripped it tight.

"It's okay, Sammy," Dean reassured. "It's going to be fine. I'll get you out."

They each drew a deep breath and stepped into the light.


So… They're on their way.

Until next time which will be the last time…

Clowns or Midgets xxx