Chapter 39

The ground began to shake beneath them. The demons started shrieking in terror and tried to run away. Sam and Bobby rushed to Dean's side while the hunter clutched Castiel's body to his chest.

"Dean! Dean, come on! We have to go!" Sam said as he tried to grab Dean's arm. "We can't stay here!"

Dean jerked away from Sam's grasp and shook his head furiously.

"I'm not leaving him!"

Bobby knelt down in front of him. "Dean… I'm sorry… but there's nothing we can do for him now! We have to get out of here!"

Dean shook his head stubbornly and held Castiel tighter.

"I'm not leaving him again!" He yelled furiously.

He looked up and saw Lucifer on his knees staring at Castiel's limp body. Dean filled with rage.

"You killed him, you son of a bitch!" Dean screamed at him. "You killed him!"

Lucifer shook his head slowly as if in shock. "I did not mean to… he wasn't supposed to die… we were to rise up together…" He said quietly.

There was a sudden flash of light on the stairs causing everyone to turn away from the glare. The demons' shrieks were immediately silenced. When they looked up they saw God still in Jacob's vessel calmly walking down the stairs. He looked over at the cowering demons and frowned. He gave a small wave of His hand and suddenly every demon disappeared. With a satisfied nod He walked over to where Sam and Bobby were standing, both staring at Him in awe. God smiled and held His hands out to them.

"Come," God said gently. "We must talk."

As if in a trance Bobby reached out and took God's hand and immediately disappeared. Sam, however, hesitated. He looked anxiously back at Dean who was still holding on to Castiel.

"I will take care of Dean, Sam," God said warmly. "You do not need to worry. Come with me. I have something to tell you that you must hear."

With still some reluctance Sam reached over and took God's hand and also disappeared. Now, there was only God, Lucifer, and Dean in the deserted lobby. God looked over at Lucifer, the smile fading. Lucifer cowered on the floor, hiding his face in his hands.

"My Father… please… I never meant to hurt him… I was trying to help him… I only ever wanted to glorify you! I love you! Please!"

God walked over to Lucifer and shook His head sadly.

"My Son… you have learned nothing in all these millenniums. And now you have taken the life of your brother in attempt to enact your revenge. For that you will be punished, although it breaks my heart to have to do this to you again."

God leaned over and placed His hand on Lucifer's head. Lucifer let out a gasp and then was gone. God closed His eyes for a moment before opening them and finally looking at Dean and Castiel.

"You lied to me," Dean growled before God could say anything. "You said I was going to kill Lucifer. You never said that Cas was going to die!"

"Those were not my words, Dean," God said quietly. "I said you would defeat Lucifer with the weapon I gave you. And that was done. Lucifer has been returned to the Underworld and he has been locked away once more. He was defeated by causing the death of his brother, someone who truly cared about. That was the only way to end this war."

"I don't care what you secretly meant!" Dean said furiously. "I don't care about Lucifer or the angels or the damn war or any of that crap! Just fix Castiel! Bring him back!"

Silence followed Dean's demands. When he looked up he saw God looking back at him, His eyes full of sadness.

"That is not how this is meant to be carried out, Dean."

Dean tightened his grip on Castiel.

"What are you talking about?"

God took a deep breath. "Order will be restored. The world will be as it was before you went to Hell. You will destroy both Lillith and Ruby the night the hellhounds come for you. The deal you made will be nullified and you will never go to Hell. Those who were killed in this war will have their lives restored. The demons and angels who were killed will not return, however, except for Castiel. He will become a leader amongst the angels…"

God paused as He looked into Dean's eyes.

"You will not know him. You will never know of his existence."

Dean stared at God in disbelief for a moment.

"You can't do that," He whispered in shock.

"That is the way it must be."

Dean finally let go of Castiel's body and rose to his feet.

"I don't freaking care how it must be! I just got him back! I had to cross two states, get chased by a freaking possessed cow, and then get my ass get by Lucifer! And Castiel has been through even more shit than that! And now when we're finally together, when there's finally no more secrets and we can actually be together, you're telling me you're gonna take all that away from us?" Dean stood in front of God defiantly. "Screw you and screw your damn plans!"

"Dean, there are reasons you cannot conceive of right now as to why it must be this way."

Dean shook his head furiously. "I don't care! Bring him back to life!"

God took a step closer to Dean and stared him in the eyes in a calm but firm manner.

"If I bring back Castiel as you ask me to, then all those who have died will remain dead. Your world will remain in chaos as a result of what Lucifer and the angels have done. Is that how you wish it to be?"

Dean felt his heart drop as he thought about all the people who had died because of everything that had happened. He tried to moisten his lips, but his tongue felt like sandpaper.

"Fine," He said quietly. "But you have to let me remember him."

God shook His head. "That is not how this works, Dean."

"But he'll remember me!"

"And he will follow the orders that I give him and if he is commanded to let you live your life without him, he will do that." God reached out and rested His hand on Dean's arm. "I am giving you a gift, Dean. You will not be haunted by your time in Hell. The nightmares that plague you will cease."

Dean dropped his gaze and thought about what God was saying. He wanted those who had died to be brought back. And he wanted to be free from the memories of Hell. He looked back at Castiel's pale and realized that as much as he wanted these things, he wanted Castiel more. He turned back around and met God's gaze.

"I'd go to Hell again if it meant there would at least be a chance Castiel and I could be together again," Dean said without hesitation.

God studied Dean carefully for a moment before nodding slightly.

"If I do this… the lives lost would be restored… you would have the memories of Hell… and you would be rescued by Castiel… but you will have no memory of him."

"But there would be a chance I would get to talk to him again?" Dean quickly asked, feeling a glimmer of hope rise inside of him.

"Yes, there would be that chance."

"I'll take it," Dean said quickly. "Just bring Castiel back. And just let us have that chance."

God nodded and Dean would have sworn that God almost looked pleased by the deal Dean had just made with Him.

"Very well," God said.

Before Dean could say anything God reached out and touched Dean on the forehead.

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One chapter to go, my loyal readers! : )