Chapter 10: There is Always Death in the End
"One day God decided to make a being in his image. He told his children, his angels, to accept these beings and love them unconditionally." Dean was cold. His whole body was shaking. Each breath felt like ice being shoved down his throat. His blurred vision went in and out as did his consciousness. "You see… I couldn't do that. I don't see how my brothers ever could. You creatures-" Dean felt a kick in his side, "-are vile-" another kick, this time harder, "-unsavory-" a rib cracked and each breath Dean took shot fiery pain to shoot through Dean's chest, " -wastes of space!" The final kick flipped Dean over on his back. He sputtered for breath. His green eyes strained as he clenched his teeth in pain. Standing just beside his broken body was Lucifer. A wild grin graced his face. "Now Dean, when my brother gets here, you have two choices. Either say yes, and live a life as a meat suit for Michael and eventually die by my hand. Or say no, and still die."
"Bite me." Dean managed to growl out. His vision slowly cleared up, although his body still shook with pain. He glanced around the room, noticed several people just watching. Two of which were the girls he was ambushed by. He figured the rest of the gang was demons as well. Lucifer lifted Dean by the collar of his shirt. Dean's feet left the ground as Lucifer raised him up higher, choking air from Dean's sore lungs.
"Would you like to try that again?" Lucifer asked, glaring straight into Dean's mossy eyes. "I don't see why Castiel wants to save you so badly. You're just a mere soul. Nothing special. There are millions of souls out there." Lucifer threw Dean to the ground and his ribs gave a loud crack. Searing pain crippled Dean. It was one of the worst pains he had endured in his life. "Although, you are supposed to be a large part of my little brother's future. Daddy's plan and all, but unfortunately I'm going to end that here.
Dean thought about Lucifer's words. The random images flooded his mind yet again. "How do you know that?" He sputtered. A small amount of blood dripped from his lips. His lungs were on fire, and it was getting harder to breath. "How?" He asked again before cringing at the pain of his splintered rib hitting the soft tissue of his lung.
"A cool thing about being an angel, we can see the past, the present, and the future." Lucifer waved his hand in the air gracefully. He flooded Dean's mind with the same images he had been seeing when Castiel was near. "And with you still being alive, the future you now hold, is filled with images of him." Lucifer cut the images off just as quick as he allowed them into Dean's head. "But you shouldn't worry about that, because none of it will happen." He let out a loud cackle. The skin at the sides of his mouth cracked, much like the rest of his skin.
Dean spit out what blood was in his mouth. "That body is falling apart on you, dude." Dean would have added another snarky comment if his lungs hadn't protested him after the first comment. It would have been something along the line of how Lucifer looked like he had gotten into a fight with a cheese grater or something along those lines. The small laugh he added to his remark turned into a wheeze that caused him to hold his side.
Lucifer laughs got louder. "But you see, Dean. That's what we have Sammy for!" Lucifer clapped his hands together and the lights above their heads flickered at the room began to shake. Lucifer sidestepped and dramatically gestured towards the door. The door then burst open, a bright light accompanying the figure stepping into the large room. "Ta Da!" Lucifer jazz handed and grinned wickedly.
Michael walked into the room. Or at least thought it was Michael. The crazy look in the woman's eyes suggested the greedy angel overtook her. Dean also realized that she was dragging something behind her. Once Michael was fully in the room, Dean's eyes widened. "Sam!" Being dragged behind Michael by the rim of his shirt was Sam. Dean had begun to worry. Sam wasn't responding. He wasn't fighting. He was just limp. "Sam!" Dean fought his way to a sitting position, he was almost ready to get to his feet when Lucifer kicked him down and held him down with his foot. Dean gasped, feeling a piercing, hot stab in his lung. "Ah-!" He laid there on the ground, taking in short, and shallow breaths.
Michael frowned at the situation. "I see you had your fun with my vessel." He dragged Sam over to the center of the room. The demons all around stood at attention, ready to protect their father if the need arose. "Shall we get to this?" Michael reached under Sam's arms and raised him from the ground. Lucifer ordered his demons to do the same with Dean. Both brothers' heads hung low past their shoulders. "Now all we need is a little persuasion." Michael snapped his fingers and Sam groggily came back to Earth. "Now Sam, you're just going to sit tight. No harm will come to you if we just get the right answer."
"Dean?" Sam looked up, his shaggy hair covering his tired eyes. He felt a pressure in his body, like he was going to explode.
"I'm right here, Sammy. Don't you worry. I'll get us out of this. Don't you worry. Dad put me in charge. So I'll get us out of this mess." Dean struggled with the grip of the demons. Each word he said and each breath caused insurmountable pain. He gulped down the sick feeling he had in his throat and kept his eyes locked on Sam. "Sam, just don't say anything, don't think anything. You hear me?"
"Alright, I've had enough of this. Sammy? Lets see if you change your mind when I do this." Lucifer waved a hand over at Dean and a slice of air cut through Dean's shirt, cutting the flesh beneath and leaving a long gash in Dean's chest. Lucifer waved again, the motion continuing. Blood splattered to the floor. "Now, Sam?"
"D-don't you dare say anything or so help me I will get dad on your ass about this." Dean gasped; it was getting harder to breath. And with a combination of blood loss, Dean was due to pass out soon. He gulped, the motion sending waves of pain through his body.
Sam squirmed in Michael's arms. "Dean!" He kicked back, hitting Michael's vessel over and over again. Michael did not falter. He did not budge. He just watched Lucifer intently, making sure his vessel wasn't damaged all too much in the quest to get an agreement out of Dean and Sam. Lucifer ran his hand over Dean's wound, the older Winchester growled in pain. His eyes were watering from holding in his painful yelps.
"Sammy, keep quiet." Dean's voice cracked. Blood was now falling from a cut in his forehead. He used all his strength to raise his head and look up to his bother. "It'll be alright." Lucifer ordered his demons to let Dean go. He dropped to his knees, arms slack at his sides. His clothes were soaked in his own blood. He went silent, and that scared Sam to his core.
"So Bambi. What's the result?" Lucifer pet Dean's head, raising a golden eyebrow at Sam. Sam was in tears. Dean was strong. Dean was his idol. But Dean was broken down and in trouble. All Sam had to do was say yes. That was it. That's all he had to do to save his brother from any more torture. "Eh, Sammy?"
Sam snuffed his nose and looked Lucifer straight in the eye. "Just don't hurt him anymore." Tears fell from his hazel eyes. "Please, just let him be." Just then, Sam saw his brother's hands move. He watched the movement while keeping Michael and Lucifer preoccupied. "I don't care what you do with me. Just let Dean-" Sam stopped mid-sentence. Dean looked up at Sam. A glint of light caught his green eyes. He then looked down at his masterpiece. Before him, caught in the shadow of his body, was an angel banishing sigil. He smirked at Sammy, and as he was just about to press his bloody hand to the sigil, he was stopped. Lucifer held Dean's arm high above his head. "You forget that we are angels. We practically see everything." With just a twitch of his wrist, Lucifer snapped Dean's arm. The crack was sickening to Sam's ears. Dean crumpled to the ground, letting out a deep yell.
"That's enough, brother." Michael growled, gripping Sam a little tighter until the younger Winchester winced in pain. Lucifer hissed at Michael. He was about to kick Dean to the side when Michael barked his order again. "I said that is enough!" The sound of his voice vibrated the walls around them. A few demons on Lucifer's side had to high tail it out of there because they were so afraid. "You've done enough to my vessel."
Lucifer smirked. He spit at the ground next to Dean. "But I was so close to little Sammy giving me his answer." Lucifer's eyes glowed with a fiery intensity. Sam squirmed a little more in Michael's arms, but his effort only tightened Michael's grip on his arms. He looked over at his brother, crumpled to the floor. The blood was starting to pool around Dean; soon he was going to lose too much. Sam was terrified at what had happened. He shook uncontrollably.
"Please." Sam begged. Michael loosened his grip only slightly. "Please."
"Please what? Bambi?" Lucifer chuckled. "Please stop hurting my brother!" Lucifer imitated Sam. He then laughed harder. "Just one simple word. All you have to say is yes." Lucifer skipped on his feet back to Dean. He kneeled down and grabbed a fist full of Dean's hair. He lifted the older Winchester, bloodied and bruised, from the ground. Michael hissed at Lucifer's actions.
"Brother." Michael growled. "There is no need for this. If you go any further to harm him I will have to take action against this." Sam could feel Michael's womanly vessel snake her arms away from his arms and to his neck. Sam could feel his lungs already start to struggle for air. "Two can play at this game."
"D-dean!" Sam choked out. Dean didn't move from Lucifer's clumped, hair grip. Lucifer just eyed Sam, waiting for a response and standing at high alert in case Michael tried choking Sam out until there was nothing left in his lungs. Sam felt defeated. He clawed at the hands around his neck, but nothing could be done. He stared at Dean, hoping his brother would just wake up and save the day. After a moment of eerie silence, Sam let the tears fall from his face freely. "Y-yes."
Lucifer perked up. He dropped Dean to the floor with a thud. "What was that?" He took a step forward. Michael was displeased that Sam broke down first, but this meant Dean was sure to follow his brother into the fire. He let the younger Winchester go and walked over to Dean while Lucifer grinned wickedly at Sam. "What did you say, Sam?" Lucifer cupped Sam's tear streaked cheek in his cracked hand.
Sam would have fell to his knees if Lucifer hadn't held him up. "I s-said yes-just no more- please just no more." The room around them began to shake. Sam closed his eyes after taking one last look at his brother. Maybe this will save him. Sam thought. An overwhelming heat filled his body as Lucifer's vessel in front of his vanished into the air and he felt an intruding presence. Sam screamed, his throat almost tearing from the shear strain. His body glowed. The screaming continued, terrifyingly loud.
Dean stirred. His body was in shambles. His lung clearly punctured by his broken rib. All he could hear were screams, blood-curdling screams. He raised himself slightly from the floor, trying to figure out what was going on. His blood loss made his vision blurry, but the intense light was something he couldn't miss. Then the screams became familiar. "SAM!" But the thing standing on the other side of the room wasn't Sam anymore. Sure it looked like his brother, but Dean knew. He knew that his little brother had made the wrong decision. Every nerve in Dean's body was on fire. With all of the strength left in his body, he lunged forward, towards his brother. "Dammit Lucifer! Get out of him!" Dean was choked back when Michael grabbed the collar of his shirt.
"Your turn." Michael's vessel grinned widely. The woman was already falling apart and just waiting for Dean to see that there was no hope in saving his brother from the devil. That he might as well join the bandwagon. "Don't want to leave Sam all alone in this, now do you?" Michael wiped Dean's streaming tears away from his face. "Now what do you say, Dean Winchester?"
Dean gulped; the pain in his body was overwhelming. He looked over at his brother, glowing from the demon inside. Sam's body looked strained. Dean just couldn't imagine the pain his brother was in. It sickened him. "Sammy…" He croaked out before falling before Michael. "Why Sam? Why him?" Dean bit his bottom lip. Contemplating his next move, but there was nothing he could do. He could only oblige. Save the world the trouble and let it burn to the ground. After all, Sam was gone. There was nothing left in the world for Dean, not even Castiel. The damn angel never showed up. "He never…." Michael smirked, placing a hand on Dean's head. Dean closed his eyes solemnly. He let his thoughts run free. Let him mind go loose. "Y-"
Just then a bright light filled the room. It wasn't like the light that had taken over Sam's body, the light that Lucifer emanated from his new vessel. It was something pure. Dean felt it in his bones. He felt it in his wounds. They tingled like they were healing. When Dean looked down at his chest, the cuts were healing themselves. His breathing came easier. Dean looked around the room. The demons had all scattered. In the light stood three figures facing Lucifer. The lights overhead shattered, sending sparks all around. Dean saw their wings. The figures were angels, and one of those angels was wearing a familiar tan trench coat.
"C-Cas?" Dean blinked, the figures becoming clearer to him. One was definitely Casstiel, the other two were a bit older, once with longer hair pushed back and the other had short hair and wore a weird V-neck shirt. Castiel glanced over his shoulder at Dean. He nodded at the older Winchester, and then barked out orders to the other.
"Get him out of here." Balthazar moved swiftly, but Michael was on his toes. He grabbed Dean forcefully, choking him with one arm and keeping Balthazar at bay with the other. Balthazar stopped immediately, worry in his eyes as he watched Dean claw at the arm around his neck.
"I don't think so. Dean is staying here until I get what I want." Michael growled, crushing Dean's throat with every passing moment. "I suggest you leave, brothers." Michael stared Balthazar down. The British angel took a step back, looking back to Castiel quickly so that he could receive more orders. After all, Castiel was the one with the powers. Castiel knew that Lucifer was still in transition, and that he had a few moments to spare before the work could be done with the devil. He turned quickly on his feet, angel blade ready in his hand. "You think that can kill me?!" Michael's voice boomed. His vessel was ripping apart at that moment. "You really think you can best me, dear brother?" He threw his head back in laughter. Castiel was mere inches away when Michael did the unexpected. "Do you think that there aren't any other Winchester's out there? That I can do this?"
"NO!" Castiel yelled, reaching for Dean. But it was too late. Michael yanked his arm, which was holding Dean by the neck, back. The loud snap and thud to the ground sent Castiel over the edge. Dean laid lifeless on the cold ground as Michael laughed maniacally. "MICHAEL!" Castiel lunged forward, past his perfect, human's body. He drove the angel blade right into Michael's abdomen. The glow from his body traveled to Michael's and the room exploded around them. "Go back to heaven and receive punishment for your sins!" With that, Castiel used his god given powers to send his older brother back to the heavens. When all was done, Castiel dreadfully looked back at Dean's body. Balthazar was there, holding the older Winchester. Angel tears fell from Balthazar's cheeks. Castiel kneeled down and placed his forehead on Dean's. He gently placed a kiss on Dean's cold lips. The tears fell from his eyes and dripped to Dean's face.
"Better get over here, Castiel." Gabriel shouted.
Lucifer had fallen to his new vessel's knees. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck. The transition was done. Lucifer stood up. Immense power leaked from his body. He stared at his hands and was pleased with himself. "Ah, wonderful." Lucifer grinned wickedly. "Absolutely wonderful." Gabriel stood tall and defensive. He had his angel blade in hand. Lucifer merely laughed at him. "I am invincible now. That tooth pick won't do much."
Castiel rose to his feet. The tears still streamed down his face, but the expression he held was not one of sadness. It was anger. He was furious. He was vengeful. "Balthazar, take him away from here." Castiel ordered. Soon the fluttering sounds of wings were heard and Balthazar was gone with Dean's body. Castiel stomped forward at Lucifer. "You will leave that body, now." Castiel's voice was not his own. "Lucifer, I named you. You must obey my every command." The room shook as the voice of God was spoken from Castiel's lips. "Michael is no longer around. He is with me. And you-" Castiel rose his hand, obeying the will of God. "-will be thrown back into the pit of hell for what you have done."
A light shot from Castiel's hand, piercing Lucifer in the chest. He screamed with Sam's already torn vocal cords. Light burst from Sam's mouth, eyes, and chest. Gabriel shot forward and caught the young Winchester before he fell hard to the ground. Castiel stood tall beside them. Tears were running down Sam's features, but his voice was still Lucifer. "Father." The light still poured from his chest. "Father, I only ever loved you." He held tight to Gabriel's sleeve, holding himself up.
Castiel shook his head. "You must love me and all of my children." Castiel leaned down next to Gabriel and Sam's body. Lucifer was hanging on by a thread. "In time, I will allow you reprieve from your actions, but you must let go." Castiel touched Lucifer's forehead, as was the will of God. The last of the light poured from Sam's body and seeped into the ground where it fell to the pit of hell where it belonged.
Sam slumped in Gabriel's arms, completely exhausted. Gabriel smiled down at Sam, finding that he liked the small human in his arms. Sam's eyes fluttered open. The hazel surrounded by blood shot white. "Wh-who're you?" Sam asked. Gabriel smiled introducing himself as Sam's guardian angel, the archangel Gabriel. Sam merely, nodded, too exhausted to say anything back. He rolled his head back and passed out from all the commotion that had happened to him in such a short time.
"W-we need to go." Castiel swayed, holding his head. "I need to get to Dean. Dean is-" Castiel frowned. Gabriel stood up, Sam in his arms and nodded at his brother. He placed a hand on Castiel's shoulder and they both disappeared from the battered and broken room. Castiel stumbled forward once they transported back to the Winchester's motel room. Balthazar was there, sitting next to the bed where Dean laid, cold as rock. "Dean." He breathed; Balthazar gave him room, stepping away from the bed. Castiel took his place and took Dean's hand into his.
"I couldn't do anything to-" Balthazar paused. "I'm sorry."
"No." Castiel whispered, kissing Dean's hand. "No." He intertwined his fingers in Dean's. There was not human warmth left, just cold, lifeless fingers. "Dean." Castiel whispered into Dean's hand. "Come back. This is my entire fault. Come back, please." Castiel kissed Dean's hand again, this time, his tears falling to his skin. "It wasn't an accident. I wanted to." The tears pooled in Dean's palm. No matter how much Castiel's begged, no life came to the Winchester. He sat back and trembled. He didn't know what to do with all the emotion he held in his body. He didn't even know he could retain so many human qualities in such a short amount of time. But it was all thanks to Dean's Winchester. The human he cared about. The human he-
You love him.
"Yes." Castiel prayed.
You would protect him with all of your grace if you had to.
"Yes, I would."
Then I will give him back to you on one condition.
"Anything, please." Castiel stared upwards, towards the heavens. His brothers stood back. Gabriel held tightly to Sam in his arms. "Please, just tell me."
Let him forget the pain, the memories of the past, visions of the future. Let him forget.
Castiel nodded, silently accepting his father's words. He leaned over Dean's body and kissed him for the last time. When their lips parted, Castiel could feel the warmth of air come from Dean's mouth. His chest rose and fell. Then his eyes fluttered open, revealing emerald green irises. "Goodbye, Dean." Castiel took a step back, and before Dean could sit up, the angels were gone with a flash of light. The room was sound; the Winchester brother's were safe. Dean looked over and Sam was fast asleep in the chair by the small coffee table. He held his chest, wondering why he was sore, but there was no visual damage to his body. He rubbed his neck and yawned, cracking his jaw.
"Hey, Sammy. Wake up kid." Dean shouted, waking his brother up instantly. Sam fell out of the chair, freaking out on the way down to the floor. "Dork."
"Well if you hadn't scared the crap out of me then I wouldn't have fallen to the floor." Sam growled, rubbing his backside as he stood up. "How long have we been asleep?" He asked, pulling at the blinds and squinting at the sun outside.
"Don't know, but it looks like morning and I feel like crap." Dean swung his legs over the side of the bed and placed his feet to the floor. Something caught his eye on the floor between his feet. He leaned down and picked it up. It was a single dark feather, too large for any bird.
"Time for school?" Sam asked, gathering his books and things and placing them in his bag. Dean nodded, playing with the feather in his hand before placing it on the nightstand. Sam ran a brush through his hair before speaking again. "Do you think that weird guy will be there today? What was his name…Castiel?"
Dean shrugged. "Well I would assume so. Cas is a student there after all." He stood up from the bed and wondered why everything felt so strange. He picked up the feather from the nightstand and ran his finger over the tiny, soft strands.
"When did you start calling him Cas?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow at his brother.
"I don't remember." He said solemnly, grabbing his jacket and pulling his arms through the sleeves. He placed the feather inside his pocket and walked towards the door. "Come on, or we'll be late." Sam rushed out the door. Dean stared inside the room for a moment before shutting and locking the door.
Castiel wasn't at school that day.