AN: Thank-you for all the wonderful reviews, they feed my muse.
Chapter three
To anyone else Michael would've looked fierce, powerful, determined, strong like he could tear down Hell despite his injuries. But we were once the closest of brothers so I saw the truth in his eyes. He was scared; not for himself, Michael would never fear for his own safety, he was scared he would die without fixing Heaven. He thought I would kill him, that I would rank escape above his life. I felt a bone-deep sickness rise through me.
"You're not going to die here, I won't let you." I promise him.
"No but you will, unless you surrender and give up this escaping foolishness." Michael responds in a harsh whisper, apparently the battle has already begun as he lunges violently at me. I easily side-step him and move to block the next blow, he was exhausted before he started but he still fights valiantly, until he falls down. I leave him there, I know the fight isn't over- not with Michael. But I really can't be bothered. He soon gets to his feet again. I move around him, but his words begin to anger me. When he falls the second time I laugh, loud.
"You try my patience Michael." I say as he rises once more. Twenty minutes later he has fallen again- this time from me knocking him down. I'm tired of this game. There's a world to be saved, I'm doing this for the right reasons. He is barely off of the floor when I deliver a swift kick sending him down for the fourth time. Michael gives me an incredulous look. I shrug, he wanted to fight. I still notice how pale he is, I decide to give him a couple of minutes.
Apparently those two minutes were all he needed because when he comes back again he fights like the mighty fierce Archangel he is. And then it is a real fight, quick and sharp, messy and precise. The hours drift by as pain wracks our souls, neither of us giving an inch. But Michael is still fighting with limited strength. When he finally falls for the fifth time, he stays down- gasping for breath.
"Please don't leave me again." He begs, and I realise I have made the same mistake I am doomed to make over again with my brother. He was not blindly following orders, he was fighting because he loves me, he was fighting for me. If I leave there will be no chance of me being let back into heaven, we both know this, but we also know there's a fight to be fought.
"Come with me." I reply, and I can tell that every fibre of him wants to agree, he's just waiting for the rationale. "You can keep an eye on me, like always, and we will be stronger together."
Michael struggles with his choice, the idea of giving up all his power to be made human makes him very uncomfortable. After an interminably long silence, he asks, where do we go? I point to Mary and he smiles. I watch him go, still five years 'til the deal comes due.
'Where are you?' he calls already beginning to regress. I'll be with you soon brother, five years, you'll be a kid, it will fly by. 'why?' Needed to keep you safe too, there're Hell's Angels at the door. You're always looking out for me brother, let me look out for you for a change. 'Change? you've spent the last four years healing me' Yeah, and you've been looking after me for the last few billion years or so. I know more about that than you think I know.
------
I watch my brother as a new-born babe, given the name of Dean. He grows fast, but then humans tend to do that. Whereas Heaven has children that are centuries old. Dean laughs and is happy and loved and no-one has any idea of who he is. I watch Mary and John and Dean. It is a good family.
Dean begins to walk and is already an adventurer, babbling his way through his story, and then- he hits two and like many re-born angels do he begins babbling about his past. Mostly it doesn't matter, parents either brush it off as a weird faze or send their kids to child psychologists, either way things turn out fine. But Mary is a hunter, from a long line of hunters, and she understands quickly what even most hunters would not.
I smirk as Mary says "Angels are watching over you." With a sense of irony she knows her child is too young to pick up on. And then for the first time in eight years, hits the research books.
Dean is just past three and a half, riding on his tricycle and half kicking a football, when it is time for me to join him. I take a deep breath, making one last check that no one can find us, before jumping right in. I lived my life, it was good and bad, and now we're here. Ready for the next chapter in the war.
-----
I sigh, as far as rituals go, raising death is a biggie. I smile at the demons too stupid to realise they're digging their own graves; yes, of course I'm raising death to kill the humans- I'm an archangel who could wipe them out just as easily myself but I've decided to go through the fun of the scenic route- jeez these guys are idiots- cruelty I understand, but how in Hell did I create such bozo's.
I smirk at Crowley, the first demon I've seen who sees me for what I am; even as he is fooled by the mortal coil I'm dressed up in, he knows- that I, Lucifer am a fierce Angel who is just using the cannon fodder falling at my feet. I will have to find him later and destroy him quietly, so no one – angel or demon or human- asks any questions.
For now though I have to lead myself to Carthage, the ritual requires much more strength than the tendril inside of Nick can provide.
-----
Hum, well this is unfortunate. Don't suppose you have any ideas? What do you mean just destroy the hellhounds? Remember Gabriel, someone is always watching, always- we pretend even as we sleep. Don't laugh, I know I'm the one who told Meg to do this, yes just desserts very funny, how was I to know the bitch would bring Hellhounds?
...
"Lucifer?"
...
"Lucifer... Sam?"
...
"You just killed that Hellhound didn't you?"
It went after Dean. Don't worry I covered our asses, a shame though, I liked Jo, I'll miss her- plenty of time to bring her back later though. Later I will dig a grave and chat to myself for the ears of anyone listening. Also brother, I have spoken to Castiel, there is truth in his soul, I believe he is not allied with the enemy, do you agree?
"I agree"
He won't believe us though, but it matters little, he is still here helping me- even if he doesn't realise it.
We have quite the audience at the moment; it's more than I could've hoped for. I'll say it all goes down in Detroit- the self-fulfilling prophecies are always the best, let them listen and inspect the place and crawl into my trap.