A/N Hey there! A surprise for Dean in Hell in this one, and not a good one. And this is where the hurt him starts, just so that you know. (Well maybe not starts, it gets worse!) The three stoogies, sorry musketeers, that are left try to figure out how they get their man back.

Quick question - If you leave a review, can you let me know if you want this to end with Dean's rescue or for it to take a little while for him to recover - physically at least - and then end? I'm happy either way so, just let me know. Mary xx

Dean didn't want to open his eyes, didn't want to acknowledge where he was. What he'd done.

It was the voice that chilled his heated skin and caused his eyelids to flutter open. "No, you can't be here."

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in." The grinning face of Alastair appeared in front of him, confirming that the nightmare was worse than he ever thought it could be. "Welcome home Dean." The demon smirked at the shock on the face before him. "What? Did you think that little brother had actually killed me? Killed ME? Almost but not quite, not like he fried Lillith. Still, hurt like a bitch though." The laugh made Dean's bones rattle in his skin as the hand reached down and pulled him from the floor.

"No, no, no. He did me a favour Dean. He didn't kill me, he got me banished back to Hell for all eternity, even if it wasn't all in one piece." Dean felt his nausea rising as he got a better look at the arm and hand that held him, twisted and misshapen from the elbow down. "I can't seem to fix this but then again, I never have to go back topside, so every cloud….. And now, look who I've got to spend eternity with? Who says that there isn't a God?"

Dean screamed as Alastair raised his free arm and drove the hook in it's hand down into the hunter's shoulder, pulling him along the ground by it. "It's been a while since we decorated in the room Dean. Never really liked white, how do you fancy blood red?" He grinned back at his catch that flailed against the tug of the metal. "Not sure? Let's use your blood Dean and see what it looks like eh?"

"Please." Dean forced the word out and Alastair stopped.

"Begging already Dean? That's good." Alastair reached down and lifted his head up grinning manically at him. "So how do you intend to get out of here this time Dean? Hear your angel buddy isn't flying so high these days."

The hunter tried to summon up a brave face. "No friggin' idea. Getting me out, wasn't the plan."

"Might have wanted to work that one out before you got here. Such a long time since I've seen the boss that annoyed at anyone, so much so that he's going to come by and say hi, thank you personally for dragging him back down here. I wouldn't want to be you Dean, I really wouldn't." There was a madness dancing in the demon's eyes. "I've got some old friends in here too Dean that will be delighted to see you again. A little warm up act for the main event."

Dean took the little comfort that he could from his plan having worked before he was dragged into his own personal chamber of horrors and the door slammed shut behind him.

----

Sam was sitting in the room, unsure of what to do next. Somehow, the thought of burning his brother's body when his soul was probably burning in Hell didn't seem quite right, and it felt like giving up.

"You ok?" Bobby asked as he walked into the room and handed the younger man the whisky bottle.

Sam shook his head at the offer and in the negative for how he felt. "No," he confirmed. "Where's Cas?"

"Trying to see if there's anything he can do to get him back. I think he feels kinda guilty, even for an angel." Bobby took a long slug from the bottle.

"We got the Colt, Ruby's knife……" Sam put forward. "We could go in after him."

"And just how do you expect to get him out Sam? You of all people should not be the one to march into Hell and ask for your brother back. Anyhow, even if by some miracle we could get his soul back, how the heck do we put him back together?" Bobby waved the bottle in his hand in Dean's general direction.

"Maybe Cas would know how?" Sam was desperate.

"I'll go in." Both men turned to see the angel standing in the doorway.

"Forgive me for stomping on your parade, but ain't you a sandwich short of a picnic when it comes to your demon dealing angel powers?" Bobby shook his head. "What is it with you guys. It's a bad day when Dean was the one that's managed to come up with the best plan outta the lot of you and it still stunk!"

"If I go in through the Gate I should still have enough power to pull us both free. That and I have this sword and I can take the Colt."

Bobby lifted his cap and scrubbed at his forehead. "You're as crazy as he is." He gestured to the dead body on the bed. "One angel, a sword and a gun against the hordes of Hell? Go knock yourself out."

"Well, what then?" Sam rounded on the older man. "At least let him try. We can't just leave him there!"

Bobby reached down a hand. "I know. He looked over at Cas. "Maybe your plan doesn't stink quite as badly as I thought. If you get his soul out, can you put it back in him?"

Cas nodded. "Sam can you fetch me the Colt?"

With a nod Sam stood and went to bring the weapon back.

Cas waited until he was gone from the room and turned to Bobby, concern written on his face.

"What? You gonna hit me with that bad news you've got written on your face?" the hunter asked gruffly.

"Lucifer was in Dean. It wasn't very long, but still." Cas shot the door a worried look. "Even if we find his soul in one piece, the body might be broken inside beyond repair."

Bobby gave him an 'are you kidding me' look and huffed worthy of Sam. "One humungous problem at a time please. Let's find the pieces of the jigsaw first 'fore we worry that we might not to get 'em to fit back together and make the right picture."

TBC