Dean crept into the parameter of the hospital. It was quiet, too quiet to be clean of traps. He heard Sam's sharp intake of breath as he stepped in something wet. "What is it Sammy?" he asked, voice low.

"Holy Oil," Sam replied. "They dosed the place in it. To get Gabe."

"Shit."

Crowley followed behind Dean, eyes flickering to the tall, dark windows several stories up. "There are demons here," he informed them. "Tons."

"That's your job to take care of," Dean said, tossing the knife over his shoulder at the demon. "Have fun and don't die, we might still need you."

"How sweet," Crowley hissed malevolently, moving out of the way of the blade. "Touches me right were my bathing suit goes."

"Shut it," Sam snapped. "We have bigger problems than Dean being a jerk."

"Bitch," Dean said back, out of habit.

Sam rolled his eyes, and froze. A soft moan dragged out of the highest floor of the building, carried down on a breeze to the ears of the trio. Dean shivered, it was a terrible, broken sound.

Quietly, they neared the single door. Dean crouched down by it, twisting the handle. "Locked," he whispered, pulling out a bobby pin and inserting it. "Got it. Crowley, watch for demon traps."

Crowley nodded once and disappeared into thin air.

"Ready?" Sam asked.

"As long as she dies," Dean said as the locked popped under his nimble fingered insertion.

The brothers crept into the still hall. It was freezing, Dean could see his breath and he shuddered, dropping the gun to wrap his jacket around him. Sam did the same. His face was apprehensive and nervous. Dean sped up to draw even with him. "You good?" he asked.

Sam swallowed, his lips pressed together in a tight line. "It just reminds me of Lucifer, the whole place."

Dean stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You can go back."

"I won't leave you to fight her alone," Sam said. "End of discussion."

Dean smiled and clapped Sam on the shoulder, secretly relieved he wouldn't have to go in solo. "Good."

They scaled the first flight of stairs before they heard a scream. Dean froze. "Demons, Crowley's got them."

The second scream was followed by a heavy thud and a burst of furious profanity in a British accent. "That what you get for plotting against me!" Crowley said, his voice echoing throughout the voluminous rooms.

There were several more shout and thuds before Crowley appeared behind them, covered in blood. "Not mine," he said in response to a questioning look from Sam.

"You did good," Dean grinned. "Can you tell if there are more?"

"No," Crowley said. "I could sense it."

"Scan the upper areas," Sam directed. "Report to us if you find anything even remotely fishy."

"Aye aye captain," Crowley said before disappearing again.

Dean grimaced at Sam and began to head up the stairs again. "If Amara doesn't know we're in here by now..."

"Yeah," Sam exhaled.

Dean tested the stair ahead of him, it was rusted and creaky and fell through when he put even a little weight on it. Raising his eyebrows, he stepped over it, making sure Sam saw it as well.

It took around ten minutes for them to get up the first three flights of stairs and another five to brave the rusted, falling, dilapidated ladders leading up the what they could only presume was the attic. Dean peaked around the corner, drawing in a sharp intake of breath.

Lucifer, clad in his old vessel, was hanging by his hands, bloody and bruised, torn up back facing Dean. Off to his right, a body lay. It was wearing a tan trench coat Dean found all too familiar as he had carried it around for ages after the owner had been presumed dead. "Cas," he breathed, resisting the urge to sprint over to the body and demand what had happened. "Dammit."

Sam let out a soft gasp when he saw Lucifer, his eyes scanning over Cas. His hands began to shake and fear was prominent in his hazel eyes, he doubled back. "This is as far as I'll go," he whispered. "I'm sorry but I can't."

Dean turned away, facing his brother. "I couldn't ask you to do more." He put a hand on his brother's shoulder and squeezed. "You know there's a chance I'm not coming out of this."

"Don't say that.."

"It's true, I'll fight Sammy, with everything in me but it might not be enough. I always put you first but it's getting harder and harder to resist her. She's one of the reason I fight day after day after day. I need to kill her but it almost feels like I need her."

"The other reasons?" Sam asked. He was certain he knew the answers but he needed to hear them from Dean's mouth.

"You, I fight for you Sam, to keep you safe no matter the consequences. Then," Dean's gruff voice broke. "Then Cas, he would always be second to you, even with how much I care about him, he would always come second."

"Promise you'll try and get out of this," he begged. "Don't use this as an excuse to die, I know you want too."

Dean wrapped his little brother up in his arms. "I promise. No matter how much I'll want to give in, I'll keep fighting for my baby brother, I promise you Sammy."

Sam buried his face in Dean's shoulder, breathing in the familiar sent of sweat, jerky, and the lingering tang of old blood. He blinked back against tears filling his eyes.

"Shh," Dean whispered. "Don't cry Sammy. Don't cry."

"You aren't going to come back this time Dean, if you die you're gone for good. I...I don't know what I'd do."

"I promised you I'd try and get out Sammy, and that's a promise I fully intend to keep. But in the event I do die, get out. That's all I'm gonna say, get out, settle down, get married and have ten kids, join a strip club, I don't fucking care. Just get out. Promise."

Sam swallowed. "I promise."

Dean visibly relaxed. "I...I love you little brother. And I've never said that to you before, but I do."

"I know Dean," Sam choked. "You never have to say that, not to me, but I love you too, you're my big brother, how could I not? Now go, be safe, come back."

Dean pulled away, looking up at Sam, memorizing his face. "We're family," he whispered. "And family's what keeps me sane against Amara. As long as I remember that I should be fine." He took a deep breath and steeled himself before walking into the tall, shadowy room.