I am a lying liar who lies, aren't I? To be fair though, I did actually have the chapter done by Sunday but I HATED it. I couldn't post it and thought that I could write a new one real quick since I knew what I wanted to do. Nope! I got distracted after one page of writing by another idea for an original story I'm writing. My bad. Apologies.

R&R!

Dean woke up from his impromptu nap feeling refreshed, clear-headed, and completely and utterly pissed off with God. Yeah, he said it. Who's gonna call him on it? He has every right to be pissed off but this time it's far more personal. His son is in danger, and like hell is he going to sit around waiting for Sam and Chuck to think of what to do next.

For him it's simple: he's going to do whatever it takes to get his son back.

His cellphone clock said its a little after 8 in the morning. Dean very quietly rolled out of bed and snuck out of his room, skirted around the library where Sam and Chuck are holding council. He can sneak out the garage and hot-wire some car down the road.

He can find Amara. He can physically feel where she's at, like how a bird or whale can sense where the magnetic North is, he can sense where Amara's at. She's his North. For now.

When he gets back, with Ben in tow, Dean is going to slap Sam upside the head for his negligence on keeping watch. Little brother should know by now that anything concerning the safety of his family; Dean's not the most rational person and can be quite impetuous, as Sam knows from a lifetime of experience. The only difference now is that it's his son that's in danger instead of his brother.

Different scenario, same reaction.

Dean's as predictable as the rising sun.

...And there's Sam waiting on the other side of the garage. Well, guess Sasquatch does actually learn from the past.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" thundered Sam, pulling himself up to his full height, towering over Dean. He slammed his hands on the hood of the Impala making Dean wince then glower dangerously at his little brother, who ignored it.

"I mean it, Dean. Where the hell do you think you going without me and God - Chuck?"

Sighing, Dean walked to Sam, shoving him away from Baby to inspect the hood for any dents. He procrastinated by wiping off any little speck of dust he saw on his precious car's hood, barely reacting when Chuck suddenly appeared next to Sam without making a sound. Sam, however, jumped a mile high, damn near hitting his head off the top of the cathederal ceiling that housed the garage. Any other time, Dean'd be laughing his ass off.

"Nowhere," he mumbled petulantly, already devising a way to escape them better later.

Chuck sighed and said, "Don't even, Dean. I know what you're thinking."

Scowling, Dean stomped off to war room to try and find The Darkness, only to stop when he saw Amara appearing before him, a smug smile on her face then a look to her right, and Dean saw a beat up Castiel looking bloody and exhausted. He took an instinctive step forward only to stumble when the image changed to Ben sitting scared with his arms wrapped around his legs and trying so hard to look brave.

God, he looked like Lisa.

"Ben," he whispered in a barely audible voice. Heart ache, guilt, relief and bone-liquifying terror swept through him at the sight of his son seemingly sitting mere feet in front of him looking unharmed, if a bit wan, but otherwise fine.

"Come to me, Dean, and you'll see your son again. I've kept him unharmed, even protected him from my fog," Amara told him with a proud smile. "We miss you." There's a beat when she looks down at his son with an almost soft expressioin before saying, "I know my brother is here. He let me take your son and he's letting me hurt Lucifer and your angel Castiel. This is all his doing. He's allowing this to happen, and other things. Come to me and be with your son again."

She faded away, leaving Dean feeling like the ground is swept out from under him and he's falling thousands of feet at a hundred miles per second and he's having a hard time taking a breath.

Chuck is there, one hand pushing his head down so it's between his legs while the other hand is rubbing soothing circles on his back until the attack passes. He has a frown on his face but also resignation. He remains next to Dean, Sam nowhere in sight.

He pointed towards the library, silently asking where his brother is.

"Sam's cooling off in his room. I told him I'd check up on you," Chuck answered distractedly. "She was here, wasn't she?" Dean nodded. "Kinda figured she'd know I was on Earth now. What'd she want?"

"You and me."

God hummed then walked away deep in thought out of the war room and off to the living quarters of the Bunker, leaving Dean alone with his turbulent thoughts. Amara has his son but he's okay. Cas is not okay but he's still alive.

It just begs the question as to how they're going to save them.

Dean sets up in the war room and spends the next couple of hours trying to find a way to save his son and Cas without getting killed in the process, or in Dean's instance, being absorbed into Amara's being for eternity. Neither option is appealing, but if being one with Amara saves his son, Dean's all for it. He'd agree without hesitation because he knows Sam'd take care of Ben for him.

Sam appeared, apparently calm for the moment, and started his own research on Amara sitting on Dean's right. They were lost in their own worlds for a few minutes when Sam couldn't help himself and started talking about how amazing it is to have God on their side now.

He nodded and played along. Dean's not sure how he feels about God showing his face right now. All he can see is Ben. His little boy is all grown up.

"I saw Ben," Dean stated, and Sam shut about God taking long showers and dressing like a college slacker. "And I saw Cas. Amara showed them to me."

Sam swallowed thickly as his heart rate picked up. Carefully closing his laptop, Sam shifted his full attention to his floundering brother, and no matter what he's feeling, Dean has to be feeling far more than he is. His best friend and son at the hands of a being that he's drawn to, yeah, Sam doesn't envy his brother.

"Cas - Cas doesn't look good. She's hurting him. Or Lucifer. And, um, and Ben looks unharmed. Scared." Dean closed his eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. "He looks like Lisa, Sammy."

Hands clenching, Sam shook his head and waited for Dean to continue. His heart ached for his brother, and grief welled up inside of him. He never knew Ben. Hell, he never bothered to learn about his only nephew. It never occured to him to do so. It feels like Fate is having a good laugh at him. "Oh, you want to get to know your nephew now? Ha! Sure, go ahead. All you have to do is steal him back from God's sister. That's all you have to do, buck-o!"

Shifting his attention from the war table, Sam saw Dean barely holding it together. With shaking hands, hell, his entire body is shaking with powerful emotions, Dean slammed his hands on the table before getting up and stomping off to his room.

Sam let him go. What the hell is he going to say? He's not even sure Chuck would know what to say to give Dean hope. They need a Hail Mary. Usually that's Cas. That's not an option right now.

Sighing, Sam scrubbed his face, exhaustion all of sudden weighing him down, but he gave himself a good shake before pulling his laptop close to him again and opening it. He's not going to stop until he finds something that'll get Ben and Cas back. There's only so much Dean can take before he breaks and Sam is determined that this won't be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Plus, he wants to get to know Ben. The kid's family. He's their legacy, as Dean mentioned earlier, and Sam would like to leave something good behind after they're finally dead and gone.

Pulling out his cellphone, Sam called Jody. She picked up on the second ring.

"Sam?"

"Yeah. Are you and the girls okay?"

There's a sigh that sends static over the phone. "We're fine. This fog can't seem to get inside. Or the Marks'. Or anyone's really. It's like there's a barrier around all the houses here but the streets are filled with the fog."

Sam nodded even though he knew she couldn't see.

"That's good."

"Sam, what's wrong?" Jody demanded, her 'Mom radar' pinging loudly. "Sam! Tell me what's wrong right now or so help me..."

"We found Ben," Sam told her. "Amara has him."

The sound of a loud clatter and three panicked shouts of Jody's name told Sam that Jody dropped the phone and there are three girls with her. It confirms Chuck's story that he dropped Krissy, Ben's hunting partner, off with Jody and the girls.

Sam hung up. He said what he planned on saying. There's no point in staying on the line. He just thought Jody should know about Ben.

It's not like she can help. She's trapped by Amara's fog, seemingly protected by Chuck, and even if she found a way out of the fog and came to Nebraska, it's not like she can actually help. She might even be a hindrance ... or she might be what they need to keep Dean from doing something stupid and self-sacrificing, which would make their work load that much harder trying to save Dean's dumbass on top of getting Ben and Cas back.

Chuck came walking into the room holding a carton of Chinese food in one hand and chopsticks in the other. He looked at Sam, then at the cellphone before turning around to look in the direction of Dean's room. He grunted to himself and took a bite.

"So, what's the plan?" he asked as he plopped down into Dean's empty chair.

"You know about Cas and Ben, don't you?"

Chuck nodded. "I sensed her briefly. I imagine she showed Dean two-thirds of his family as an enticement to join her. Or an incentive," he shrugged at the last part.

"What I don't get is how Amara got Ben. She had all this time to find him but only recently got him somehow. What caused her to find Ben now?" Sam mulled aloud, not really expecting an answer from Chuck.

This is the perfect opportunity to 'fess up on his part of Amara finding Ben, but Chuck chose to keep his silence. Now is not the time to unburden his conscience.

The Almighty got up and left Sam to his thoughts.

He looks like Lisa, Sammy. Dean's words echo in Sam's thoughts. God, that must be a punch to the heart to see. Sam never knew if Dean regretted leaving Lisa and Ben for him. Sure, he had been soulless at the time but Dean could have gone back once he got re-souled. Dean could have had his dream family back and Sam could've continued hunting with the Campbells, you know, once they got the demon out of Christian and Samuel quit hiding secrets from him.

Pretty sure Grandpa Henry would have had a field day with Grandpa Samuel. He probably would have kicked the other man's ass for putting Sam and Dean in danger just on the possibility of getting his daughter back. Grandpa Henry would have never done that to them. That's a real grandpa.

Nah, that wouldn't have happened.

Cas was in cahoots with Crowley, which lead to two big heartbreaks for his brother. First Castiel lies to Dean, betrays them, something that hit his brother hard, and the second was Lisa and Ben being in danger because of Crowley, Cas' partner. Lisa and Ben get their memories erased and Dean tells Castiel to choose and the angel does not choose him.

Things just went absolutely FUBAR that year.

And this year isn't any better. Not even close. Nothing can top this year. Nothing. They just have to survive it and put it behind them as their most emotional and bizarre year ever.

"Don't worry, Ben," Sam said aloud, "your dad will come save you. Me, too. Nothing'll stop him - us."

Reclining back against his chair, Sam let his head lean forward until it rested against the war room table, closing his eyes tightly against the glow of the table. He should randomly tap a place on the map and that's wear he and Dean will take Ben and Cas. Do something family-like and going on a family vacation would be amazing for all of them after they handle this year's big bad.

And it would be a real vacation too. No monsters or ghosts or demons or rogue angels to hunt. Just them and fun in the sun. They deserve it.

With Chuck with them now, they have a real chance at getting Ben and Cas back, and stopping Amara. All that's left now is a plan to do so. Chuck's their heavy hitter. Only to be used as a last resort.

At least that's what he was thinking until Metatron phoned them for a meet and they find out Chuck has no intention of fighting Amara but instead is going to offer himself up as a sacrifice. Dean had not been happy to learn that. He took off not long afterwards and Sam knows he'll be confronting God later about his decision.

Sam is staring at his laptop, steadily not thinking about how if Dean doesn't pull a hail mary with Chuck then they are going to have to possibly face their death. His heart twinged at the thought of Ben dying so young. Of Claire and Alex and Krissy.

Determination sang through Sam's veins. No. Not going to happen. They'll have to find a way. Ben and those girls will not die young. Not on his watch.

BW

Dean met Chuck at a park. Anger and fear fighting for dominance in his body.

Chuck is going to throw in the towel and just let Amara kill him? What the fuck? No! That can't happen. Amara won't just stop at killing Chuck. She'll want to destroy everything Chuck once held dear. His son is not going to be collateral damage between the two powerful beings' drama.

He listened as Chuck waxed about the optimism of the children playing in the sandbox, of rebuilding every time the child's tower is torn down. It lead Dean to say, "If so, then why are you bailing?" And eating popcorn while watching children? That's a little creepy.

Chuck sighed and stopped eating his popcorn to look at Dean. "Metatron." He ate more popcorn then said, "Loose lips. You think I'm a dick, what do you care?"

"My son," is the response.

God sighed again. "I'm sorry, Dean, but you did the exact thing I did. You left your kid to live a life of his own, to forge his own destiny. I did the same, but you think I'm a dick for doing so. Well, Pot, I'm kettle."

"That is not the same! My son was in danger from the things I hunt. You just got tired of all the drama your kids were stewing. What I did was to protect Ben, -"

"-You abandoned him the same way I did the angels," Chuck cut in. He got up, the popcorn disappearing and he seemed to loom over Dean despite being a good foot shorter than the hunter. "You do not get to take the high ground with me, Dean Winchester. What I did to the angels, you did to your son. You let Sam kill your daughter. You left Lisa and Ben unprotected while you were off hunting with your soulless brother. You chose Sam over them." He stabbed Dean in the chest with his finger to compound his point.

"You will always choose Sam over Ben, Dean. It's what you were taught. Sam first. Everyone else last, including yourself. None of this would have happened if you had just let Sam die in Cold Oak. You still would have run into Lisa and met your son. The only difference would be that you never left Cicero. You retired from hunting and devoted your life to Ben."

Dean staggered back from the jab and the words spewing from Chuck's mouth.

"That could have been your future, if you had just let Sam stay dead," Chuck whispered tiredly. He scrubbed his face then beard of any errant popcorn kernels. "You can't judge me for my choices as a bad father and not be called a hypocrite in return, Dean. You are just as bad as I am."

"We're not the same," Dean spat back, denial screaming in his head. They're not.

"Yes," Chuck said, "we are." He got up and walked along that path that cut through the small park. Dean automatically followed. "Our children, they - they have an amazing capacity for forgiveness for out failings, Dean. My children, they would welcome me back with open arms and forgiveness at the ready because I am their father. They think they cannot do things on their own. They followed prophecy to the letter and it bit them in the ass.

"It was too late to bestow upon them free will, not like you humans who were born with it. Only a select few learned and embraced it. Sure, they, most of them at least, did not do the right thing with free will but Castiel, my little seraph, is the one that truly embraced the concept." He grinned before sobering. "Well, almost. He changed is loyalty and fealty of me," Chuck let the sentence trail off for a second then continued with, "to you, Dean Winchester. And then to Sam. But you, he will never leave again."

Dean frowned. He's not sure about that. It sounds too far-fetched...and worrisome.

Chuck flicked his hand and a beautiful purple flower blossomed in the middle of the foot path, sprouting up proud and strong in the compact dirt. It's brilliance made everything else in the vicinity look drab and colorless. Another flick and the flower grew to knee length.

They walked around it while Chuck picked up where he left off.

"Your son will forgive you as long as you come back to him," he sighed again, this time sounding ever more weary, like he's giving up with every breath, then he grinned. "Just like how you forgave your dad at his every failing. We are all completely and utterly fallible, and despite knowing this, our children see us as anything but."

Dean rolled his shoulders to get rid of the prickly, uncomfortable feeling settling there. He's not sure how he feels about sharing any similarities with God or his dad.

Chuck took pity on him and went back to their original topic of conversation.

"It's why I feel confident in my decision to give myself up to Amara. I'll strike a deal with her that if I give myself over to her, she'll leave Earth, and my angels, alone."

"I know Amara, Chuck. She's not going to just leave everything alone. She's going to destroy everything you've ever made and held dear," argued Dean. They are a self-sacrificing bunch. Geez. "You letting her kill you won't do anyone good."

"I'm not going to let her kill me. I'm going into the cage. That'll be the deal," Chuck replied. Like that was any better. "She'll have to take it."

Dean felt like pulling out his hair and screaming in frustration. He's not listening. God, this must be what Sam feels like when he gets into his 'This-is-my-fault-I'm-going-to-fix-it' moods. He has never felt more sympathy for his little brother.

"She won't. She's going to kill you and then the rest of us. Without you. We can't win."

Chuck stared at him with a sad expression. Almost pitying.

"This is my choice, Dean."

Dean scowled at him before stomping off. Chuck watched him go, regret and sympathy for the hurting and scared hunter seen clearly on his face, if only Dean would look back but Chuck knows he won't. Not Dean Winchester. Only a select few get that look back. His son Castiel being the first non-family member to get that treatment.

They're not talking. Not by a long shot. Chuck knows Dean is going away only to regroup for a second attack, and it'll most likely sway God and he'll fight because that's what the Winchesters want.

They are born fighters. Raised as warriors, protectors. It's not in them to just give up, despite they're low points over the years. Sometimes they just needed a kick in the pants to think of other solutions, ones they had already discarded at too far-fetched or dangerous. Maybe that's what he needs but Chuck seriously doubts it. He's been around for a long, long time and he thinks he deserves rest or even death. His children are ready to be on their own, especially the angels, even if they don't think it.

His wondrous humans have been on their own for most of their existence. They'll keep Earth going, if they don't destroy it first.

BW

Ben glared at Lucifer to shut up. He's been taunting Amara all evening and Ben's nerves are frayed. The Darkness will snap and just kill Lucifer before she had the chance to use him to hurt her brother. He can't let that happen. Not for Lucifer's sake but for Castiel's. That's his vessel the Lightbringer is in. His dad would be pissed if Lucifer got Cas killed because he can't keep his mouth from running and riling up God's sister.

"Shut. Up," Ben hissed the second Amara stormed off to god knows where, but Ben swore he saw a smile on her face before she left. Her entire face brightened and she looked excited.

"Hush, Junior," Lucifer shot back, "I'm having fun. Like hell am I going out with a whimper."

Snorting, Ben drawled sarcastically, "Uh-huh, sure, Luci."

Thankfully, after shooting one last glare, Lucifer shut up so he could rest now that Amara isn't around anymore, not that the douchebag would say he needed it but that last batch of torture had been bad. His face looks messed up and his words are starting to slur. Ben is seriously worried for Castiel's safety.

Ben crawled behind the wooden stand that Lucifer is tied to and resting against it. He's so tired. Adrenaline has completely left his body and Ben sagged heavily as he battled to keep his eyes open.

A few minutes later, Lucifer's voice pulled him out of the light slumber Ben had fallen into.

"Oh, goody. Larry, Curly, Moe. Search and Rescue?" Lucifer quipped as Ben shakily got to his feet. "Oh, wow. One of dad's favorites."

Ben tuned the Lightbringer out when he saw his Uncle Sam standing there with two old men, looking worried. They locked eyes, and Ben immediately started to cry, much to his horror. Sam shot forward and pulled Ben into a bone-crushing hug that lifted Ben completely off the ground, not that he noticed.

"Where's dad?" is the first thing out of his mouth.

Sam frowned and shifted a little guiltily. "He's distracting Amara while we get you and Lucifer out of here." Flicking his attention to said angel, Sam says in a voice that brooks no argument, "You're going to help us stop Amara, and if you don't we'll leave you here in Abu Ghraib."

"No!" Ben shouted. Sam's hand came to rest on his shoulder and shot him a reassuring look. Ben calmed down and noticed in shock that he's level to Uncle Sam's jaw. He only has to tilt his head a little bit to make eye contact.

"Look at what she's done to me," Lucifer hissed through clenched teeth. "I will have no problem taking her down."

"You do realize that means working with your father, right?" asked Sam. He kept a firm grip on Ben.

"That's family. This is bigger," came the reply.

"So, you'll table all the old stuff?"

"What happens in Heaven, stays in Heaven," assured Lucifer.

Nodding in satisfaction, Sam pulled Ben in closer, irrationally afraid his nephew will get ripped away from him, and waited for Metatron to get Lucifer unchained. Enochian floated around them as Metatron flowed from spell to spell to find the one that'll free Lucifer from Amara's bindings. Worry ate at him. They're taking too long and Dean can't stall Amara forever, and he can't voice that because he doesn't want Ben to freak out.

Minute tremors wracked Ben's body as anxiety started to build in his stomach. He leaned in closer to his uncles's body, desperately seeking comfort.

"I wanna go," said Ben. "I wanna go now."

Sam tightened his hold on Ben and made a soothing noise.

"Hurry up, Metatron," Sam urged, Ben's anxiety infecting him and the prophet Donatello. Even Lucifer is starting to get that look in his eyes.

"I'm narrowing it down. Shut up," Metatron snapped.

Finally, Metatron found the right spell and the bindings on Lucifer fell away and the Lightbringer collapsed to the ground. Urgency filled the air as Sam told Lucifer to fly them out of there but Lucifer didn't have the power to do so.

Now seriously worried, especially since Donatello said he can feel Amara coming, Sam shot forward and pulled Lucifer to his feet, reaching out and grabbing Ben with his free arm because like hell is he going to risk Ben for Lucifer. They started to leave but the Metatron told them to go on without him.

"I got this," the former angel said.

Sam looked torn but he nodded, shoving Ben in front of him as Donatello took up the rear.

Ben high-tailed it out of there, pausing momentarily when he saw the Impala.

"Ben, move," Sam ordered. "Donatello, move your ass!"

The young hunter raced to the back and opened the door for Sam to shove Lucifer onto the seat, the prophet hopping in on the other side. Ben took shot gun.

"Uncle Sam!" Ben cried. Fear ran rampant through his body. "Gogogogogo!

Sam turned the ignition on and they peeled out of there, fishtailing wildly in the process. Ben hung on for dear life. They barely made ten miles down the road when Amara appeared in front of them, stopping them in their tracks. The look on her face had Ben reaching out for his uncle.

"You really aren't worth saving," Amara said darkly, her eyes landing on Ben. "None of you." She tilted her head back and spread her arms, calling some arcane power that'll kill them all.

"Sam!" Ben screamed, closing his eyes. It's not fair! He didn't get to see his dad.

Sam gunned the Impala in hopes to somehow get free of Amara's power, only to come to a rough landing in the bunker between one breath and the next.

Ben's hands digging into his arm registered dimly but relief and surprise overrode everything else. They're in the bunker. They're safe.

"We're safe," Sam breathed out. "We're safe," he told Ben, pulling his nephew into another hug. "We're safe."

They got out of the car and walked up the small slight of stairs and ended up in the war room. Ben's grip on his wrist a comforting weight as his heart rate dropped down to normal levels. Chuck comes waltzing in with a six-pack of beer.

"Occasionally, I do answer prayers," he told them.

"The Dude," Ben said. "You're God? I knew it."

Chuck smiled benevolently at Dean's first born. He nodded his head as he did a little bow, then his gaze shifted to Lucifer, his once favored son. Guilt swamped him at seeing Lucifer hurt. A snap of his fingers and the angel is healed, and Castiel is resting peacefully inside, no worse for wear. They'll need to rectify that soon. Dean will not tolerate Lucifer being inside his friend's vessel for long.

Oh, that reminds him.

Making eye contact with Ben, he gave a little smile as he snapped his fingers again and Dean is standing next to his son.

Ben jumped at someone all of sudden standing by him, only to freeze. His dad has a confused look on his face before lighting up at seeing Uncle Sam unhurt before looking around, taking in Lucifer (an unhappy frown at seeing it's still Lucifer looking back at him and not Cas), and resting his gaze on Ben. His dad went rigid and he didn't blink, ice prickled at Ben's heart. What if his dad doesn't want him here? What if he sends Ben away?

Clenching his fists, Ben waited for his dad to make the first move even as his body started to tremble. Blinking rapidly, he couldn't figure out why his vision is all of a sudden blurry and a sob escaped.

Strong arms wrapped around Ben tightly as the smell of leather and gun powder invaded his nose, triggering memories that broke Ben and he let out a loud wail, an ululation of sorrow and grief that didn't seem to have an end. The arms tightened around him and he felt something wet drop on his face in a steady flow.

A sensation of flying and Ben is in a room that has a single bed with a bookcase headboard and guns on the dressers, and a old box TV sitting on another dresser. He's in his dad's bedroom.

"It's okay, Ben. I'm here now. You're safe," his dad soothed in a thick voice. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise." He kept up a steady stream of comfort until he felt Ben relax and the sobs abated, but the second Dean pulled back, Ben let out another wail and hugged him tighter. Dean soothed him again all the while praying for Chuck to magic them a bigger bed. He has a feeling Ben won't let him out of his sight. Not that Dean would leave Ben on his own. Probably never again. They've spent too much time apart as it is.

A queen sized bed replaced the single and Dean carefully manuevered them until they were laying on the bed comfortably. It's been so long since Dean held his son, he doesn't think he'll ever take that for granted again.

Ben sagged against him and when Dean pulled back, he saw that Ben is asleep. Dean carefully extracted himself from his son's embrace and got to work carefully and gently removing Ben's shoes and belt buckle, and slowly took off Ben's coat and flannel. The kid layers up like he and Sam does, a life time of habit. The more layers of clothing, the harder creatures have to dig to hurt them, and it saves on constantly having to replace their clothes.

Lifting the covers, Dean carefully covered Ben and crawled on top of the comforter, curling around his son. Sleep tugged at him and he didn't have the energy to fight it.

His son is home and safe.

A tear leaked out and Dean let them fall silently as he breathed in the familiar and unfamiliar scents in his son's hair. He's safe.

...Ben is safe.