Chapter Twenty-Two

Buffy paced back and forth in the living room, glancing nervously at the clock on the wall once again. The Winchesters and Castiel had been gone for an hour and a half now. She hadn't expected them to be gone this long. They had a teleporting angel, for crying out loud. They should have zapped there, killed Ruby and zapped back again, taking a half hour at most.

"They still not back yet?" asked Xander.

Buffy stopped her pacing and looked over at him in the foyer with all the others, shaking her head sadly.

"Does that mean they're…" began Dawn, unable to voice it.

"Maybe they're out celebrating," Anya suggested with an optimistic smile.

Everyone else stared at her.

"Or not…" Anya muttered.

"They're not answering their phones either," Buffy told them, lifting up her cell.

"It doesn't mean they're dead," said Tara. "Maybe they had to plan out the battle and they're still taking care of her."

"Yeah…" said Bobby. "I'm sure they're okay."

Dean and Sam suddenly appeared in the middle of the room, Castiel in between them with a hand on each shoulder. Dean and Sam breathed heavily as their eyes flew around the room, looking beyond spooked. But it was Castiel's face that drew Buffy's attention. The usually apathetic face was full of alarm and despair as he lowered his hands from the Winchesters' shoulders.

"Mostly…" said Bobby.

"You guys don't look so good," Buffy commented.

Dean and Sam exchanged identical looks of horror.

"I mean, we did win, right?" said Buffy. "Ruby's dead?"

Dean and Sam looked away from each other at the same moment.

"Oh, she's dead alright," muttered Dean as he stared at the floor.

Buffy's heart started beating again after the terror that froze it vanished. "Good." She breathed out a sigh of relief. "That's great."

"But so is Lillith," Dean interrupted her.

Buffy's heart froze once again in her chest, staring at Dean before looking over and seeing the worst expression of guilt on Sam's face. Lillith's dead. But she's the final seal, which means…

"What?" said Giles.

"They tricked us," Dean spat out in anger, "swapped bodies. After we thought we killed Ruby, the real Ruby showed up and told us we'd just killed Lillith." He sighed, still staring at the floor as he seemed to replay the whole thing in his head. "Then all hell broke loose…" he huffed out a bitter chuckle, "literally."

No one spoke for the longest time as the terror of their situation settled down on them all.

The apocalypse had started…

Demons were in full celebration…

Lucifer was free to roam the Earth…

Heaven was preparing for World War 3, angel style…

"Lucifer's really free?" asked Willow.

Dean nodded, still staring at the floor in thought.

"So, what do we do now?" asked Tara timidly.

Buffy's eyes slid over to Dean as he looked up at her, his gaze meeting her own and matching the downright stubborn fortitude on her face.

"What we always do," Dean said, a battle-ready smile showing up on his face as he looked over at Sam. "Hunt."

"How?" said Xander. "What do we have that can kill the devil?"

"The Colt," said Sam, starting to catch the tail end of Dean's thrill of the hunt.

"The what?" asked Buffy.

"Good Lord," gasped Giles. "You don't mean the actual Colt?"

"Hell yeah," replied Dean. "If anything can kill the devil, this is it."

"Can someone explain what this Colt is?" said Buffy.

"Back in the day, Samuel Colt made a special gun with special bullets for a hunter," Bobby explained. "They say this gun can kill anything. And it has."

"You guys have used it before?" asked Buffy.

"It's how we killed Yellow-Eyes," said Dean.

"Yeah, but you've forgotten one thing, Dean," said Sam. "Bela stole it, remember? How are we gonna find it?"

"We track it down," said Dean. "Someone's gotta know something."

"Where do you suggest we start?" asked Buffy.

"Well, her deal was with Lillith, right?" said Dean. "I'm betting a crossroads demon or two were in on that deal as well. I say we summon one."

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure they'll be lining up to talk to us," muttered Sam.

"Cas, you okay?" asked Dean.

Buffy glanced over with everyone else and saw Castiel still standing where he had appeared, but he was now staring at the floor in confusion, eyes darting back and forth. He seemed to be listening intently to something.

"Cas?" Dean repeated. "Is it the angels? What're they saying?"

"They're talking about you, Dean," said Castiel, still staring intently at the floor.

Dean frowned in bewilderment. "Me? Why?"

"I-I don't—" Castiel did a sudden double take, face freezing as he strained to listen before his eyes slowly widened in comprehension and alarm. "Of course…It all makes sense…"

"What makes sense?" demanded Dean, getting freaked by the look on the angel's face.

"The reason why Heaven saved you from Hell," said Castiel, finally looking up at Dean. "Why the angels are focusing on you…"

"You wanna share with the class there?" said Dean.

"You are the Michael sword," Castiel told him, a look of dread and yet awe on his face.

"The what?" asked Dean, the frown returning.

"The sword is Michael's weapon against Lucifer, and before defeating the serpent, he must gain possession of it," Castiel explained. He hesitated before continuing. "Inhabit it."

Dean's eyes widened in realization. "Whoa, are you saying I'm his vessel?"

Castiel nodded once. "In order for Michael and Lucifer to meet on the chosen battlefield, they must possess their true vessels."

"Okay, so…we've found Michael's vessel," said Dean. "What about Lucifer's?"

Castiel hesitated, seemingly not wanting to break this next piece of news to them.

"Michael and Lucifer are brothers who must fight in order that Michael may kill Lucifer," Castiel told them. He looked up at Dean. "As it is in Heaven…" his gaze moved to Sam, "so it must be on Earth."

Sam's eyes widened. "Me? I'm Lucifer's vessel?"

Castiel nodded as he turned his head slightly to listen to his brethren again.

"Okay, we need some angel possessions charms or something," said Dean quickly. "Cas, you know of something like that?"

"There is no charm, amulet or sigil that can prevent an angel from inhabiting its vessel," said Castiel monotonously.

"Well, then, what the hell do we do?" exclaimed Dean, obviously freaked by the thought of Lucifer showing up any second to take his little brother.

"An angel cannot take possession of a vessel without their consent," Castiel stated, still staring into space.

"So, they can't possess us until we say yes?" asked Sam.

"Yes," answered Castiel.

"Don't you think that might have been a good thing to mention earlier?" grumbled Dean.

"It might have lessened some stress, yes," stated Castiel.

Dean rolled his eyes and waved his hand at Castiel. "I swear, there is no talking to him."

"So, we're back to the Colt hunt," said Buffy. "Now…how do you summon a crossroads demon?"

A knock came at the front door, and they all simultaneously turned to look at it before glancing at each other.

"Who could that be?" said Xander. "We're all here. Well, except Spike, but he doesn't usually knock."

Buffy headed to the front door and opened it to find a girl her height with blonde-and-brown streaked hair. The girl had been on her tiptoes, trying to peer in the small glass windows in the door, but the second Buffy opened the door, the girl instantly eased back down to her feet. She stared wide-eyed at Buffy and had kind of a crazed look about her.

"Can I help you?" asked Buffy.

"They are here, right?" the girl asked.

"Excuse me?" asked Buffy.

The girl barged past Buffy and hurried into the living room.

"Uh, hello?" blurted, Buffy, letting the door slam and following her.

The girl froze as she spotted Sam and Dean, her eyes wide and a breathless gasp escaping her slack jaw.

"You okay, lady?" Sam asked her.

"Sam…" the girl gasped, a look of pure awe on her face, "is it really you?"

Sam's eyes widened, and he glanced at Dean in confusion. The girl stepped forward and put her hand on his chest. Sam jumped a little and looked down at her hand.

"And you're so firm!" the girl exclaimed.

"Uh, do I know you?" asked Sam.

The girl stepped back from him. "No. But I know you. You're Sam Winchester. And you're—" her gaze flew to Dean, who was staring and maybe even glaring at her, "not what I pictured. I'm Becky. I read all about you guys."

Buffy watched Dean roll his eyes as Sam huffed in annoyance, and she knew Becky was talking about the Supernatural books by Carver Edlund.

"And I've even written a few—" Becky broke off with an embarrassed, self-conscious laugh.

"So, this is one of the groupies from that prophet's books?" asked Xander.

"Looks like," muttered Sam.

"Anyway, Mr. Edlund told me where you were," said Becky.

Dean stepped closer to her. "Chuck?"

"He's got a message, but he's being watched," said Becky, smiling in a celebratory way. "Angels! Nice change-up to the mythology, by the way. The demon stuff was getting kind of old."

"Right," Sam brushed off. "Just, um…What's the message?"

"He had a vision," said Becky. She closed her eyes as she began to recite Chuck's message. "'The Michael sword is on Earth. The angels lost it.'"

Dean sighed in disappointment. "Yeah, we kind of already know that."

Becky deflated a little. "Oh…"

"Is that it?" asked Sam. "I have a hard time believing Chuck wouldn't have known we already heard that from Cas."

Becky shrugged. "That's what he told me to tell you. Well, that and a friend'll be dropping by later."

Sam perked up at that. "A friend. Who?"

"No clue," Becky shook her head. "He just said old friend."

"Well, you wouldn't by any chance know if that was literal 'old friend' or if it was one of those sarcastic 'old friend' that really means enemy?" Dean asked her.

Becky thought for a moment before shrugging.

"Well, that's just great," grumbled Dean. "For all we know, Yellow-Eyes or Alistair is gonna come busting through the door."

"Well, if they do, you'll just kick their ass," said Becky. "I mean, you are like Buffy now. Should be no problem."

"Whoa, how do you know that?" asked Dean.

"Well, he covered it in both series," Becky told him like it was obvious.

"Wait, both series?" asked Sam. "As in, another?"

"Yeah, the Buffy books," Becky told them.

"Uh, the Buffy, what now?" Buffy spoke up, stepping into Buffy's view.

"Chuck's other book series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Becky told them. "He wrote this one under the pen name Joss Whedon."

"He wrote a Slayer gospel?" asked Dean dubiously.

Becky nodded excitedly. "It spans from Buffy's arrival in Sunnydale to her sacrifice to close Glory's portal."

"Well, that's just great," Buffy muttered.

"By the way, I thought the break-up between you and Angel was so unfair," Becky told her. "If he thought he was so old for you, then he shouldn't have led you on in the first place."

"Alright, look!" Dean exploded. "We don't have time for Superfan22 to lecture us on why our life story sucks. We're kinda busy trying to track down the Colt."

"Oh, Crowley has it," said Becky.

Everyone froze and stared at her.

"What?" asked Dean.

"The crossroads demon Crowley," said Becky. "He has it."

They just continued to stare at her.

"In chapter thirty-three of Supernatural 'Time Is On My Side,' there's that girl Bela?" said Becky. "She was British and a cat burglar."

"Yeah, we know," Sam cut her off.

"She stole the Colt from you and then she said she gave it to Lillith, remember?" said Becky.

"Yeah…" said Dean.

"Well, you know she lied, right?" said Becky. "She didn't really give it to Lillith."

"Wait, what?" said Sam, he and Dean getting really interested now.

"Didn't you read the book?" Becky exclaimed. "There was this one scene where Bela gives the Colt to a demon named Crowley, Lillith's right hand man. And I think her lover, too."

"Crowley," said Dean. "You're sure?"

"Oh, yeah," said Becky, looking positively thrilled to be helping out the Winchesters.

"Alright, well, thanks for the tidbit," said Dean. "We'll, uh…see ya around?" The look on his face strongly suggested he hoped not.

"Okay," said Becky. She turned towards the foyer, stopped and then turned back to them. "Just…Can I ask you for one thing?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "If you want a freaking autograph, I swear—" He was cut off as Becky suddenly pounced on him, wrapping him in a big bear hug. He groaned as he froze, discomfort written all over his face.

Sam laughed under his breath at Dean's predicament until Becky released Dean and latched onto Sam. Sam closed his eyes as Becky squeezed him tight. It seemed to be lasting longer than Dean's had.

"Uh, Becky…" said Sam, "you think you could, um…stop hugging me?"

"No," said Becky, her hands starting to run down his back.

Sam looked over at Dean, mouthing "help me!"

"Okay," said Dean, prying Becky off of him. "Time to go." He began ushering her towards the front door.

Becky looked back at Sam as Dean opened the door. "I'll dream of you, Sam!"

Dean shoved her out the door and slammed it, leaning his back against it. "Whew! Let's hope we don't run into one of those again." He made his way back into the living room. "So…crossroads demon Crowley has the Colt. Let's hunt him down."

*****************************SPN/BTVS************* ************************************************** *******

Willow stepped out into the backyard the next morning, heading over to the garden bench where Sam sat. "Needed some air?"

Sam looked up at her. "A little."

Willow sat next to him. "You doing okay?"

Sam huffed out a bitter chuckle. "I can't remember the last time I could answer that with 'yeah.'"

"Tough few weeks, huh?" asked Willow.

"Try a tough few years," said Sam.

"Ever since Jessica, right?" asked Willow.

Sam nodded slowly. "It just gets worse and worse, like it's…it's building little by little." He sighed long and hard. "This? This is what my entire life has been leading up to? Yellow-Eyes gave me demon blood so I could free Lucifer and be his vessel?"

"But you have a choice," Willow told him. "You don't have to be his vessel. You're in control."

Sam stared down at the ground for a moment. "Last few months, it hasn't really felt like that."

Willow frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It didn't feel like it at the time, but looking back…" began Sam. "I kept telling myself I was the one in control, but the truth is…the demon blood was. And it was leading me down a path I didn't want to go." He looked up at her. "I just didn't know it."

"Sam."

Sam glanced up to see Bobby at the back door.

"We need you in here," said Bobby, heading back inside.

Sam nodded and stood as Willow continued to stare at where he had been sitting, thinking through what Sam had just told her: how the demon blood had given him a façade of control as it lulled him further down his dark path towards Lucifer.

****************************************SPN/BTVS** ************************************************** *************

Sam stepped into the living room, finding Dean, Buffy and all the others deep in discussion about the hunt.

"We'll have devil's traps set up," said Dean. "You guys will keep watch with salt and holy water. Only as a last resort should you exorcize him."

"Got it," said Buffy.

Dean glanced up at Sam. "Sammy, good, we were just getting to battle plans. With any luck, we'll have the Colt back in our grasp before the end of the night."

"And when are you two ever lucky?"

Dean and Sam startled, turning to see the person who had spoken leaning nonchalantly against the foyer entryway, arms crossed.

"Oh, my God…" breathed Sam.

"Please," the Trickster smirked. "Call me Loki."

You guys didn't think I would write an epic apocalypse story and not include Gabriel, did you?