AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, it's almost the end. One more chapter to go with this story, and then I'll be working on the next one in the series. Still not sure about doing an epilogue, so please give me your input.

Now, I have to issue a spoiler warning for this chapter, since there are things mentioned in here from the sixth season.

Two Minutes to Midnight

Part of the Winchester Family Curse was that no matter what stupid thing you did, somewhere down the line you would inevitably do something to trump that.

Until now, Dean had thought that Sam's demon blood issue was the dumbest thing his little brother had ever done.

And then Sam had told him about the plan to say 'yes' to Lucifer and then jump into the Cage.

It had taken every last ounce of self-control not to slug Sam right in the face and lock him up in the panic room.

Once again, Bobby's house was packed, and more and more, the grizzled old hunter wished this whole mess could just be over so he could spend some time alone with Ellen.

Dean looked at Fiona, Bobby, Ellen, and Jo and said, "You guys knew about this? About Sam's genius plan to say 'yes' to the Devil?" When everyone gave looks of confirmation, Dean gave them all a look of blindsided disbelief before he snapped, "Well, thanks for the heads-up!"

"Hey, this isn't about us," Jo snapped back, crossing her arms and leaning against one of the arms on the couch.

"You can't do this," Dean said, flatly, turning to Sam.

"That's the consensus," Sam said, shrugging.

"Alright, awesome," Dean replied, still wondering what his brother was thinking. "Then end of discussion."

Just as Dean's cell phone rang, someone knocked at the door and while Dean answered the phone call, Ellen went to get the door, looking only slightly surprised to see Gibbs, Gabriel, and Celeste standing there.

"Please tell me that you have some actual good news," Ellen said as she stepped aside to let the others in.

"Why, what's going on now?" Celeste asked as she joined Jo on the couch with Gabriel sitting on the other side.

"Sam's planning on saying 'yes' to Lucifer and jumping into the cage after we open it back up using the Horsemen's rings," Jo explained, leaning back.

"So what's the latest on your end?" Ellen asked, looking at Gibbs.

Gibbs sighed and shrugged. "Little of everything. Freak storms, weird deaths… Some idiot smuggled a koala onto a submarine, claiming the animal would protect him from harm."

"Well, it's nice to see that the world's losing its marbles," Gabriel said, sarcastically. Seeing Gibbs start towards him, he raised a hand. "Don't even try that head-slapping thing with me."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Looking at the kitchen where Sam and Dean had resumed their argument, he looked back at the others.

"Damn idjit is thinking about saying 'yes'," Bobby explained. When Gibbs gave him the silent questioning look of 'which idjit?' Bobby sighed and replied, "Sam. The plan is—Sam gives in to Lucifer and then jumps into Hell."

"And that's a plan?" Gibbs said aloud, giving the older hunter an astonished look.

"Hey, I never said it was a great plan," Bobby snapped, defensively.

"Bobby, we're heading out," Dean said, suddenly. Sam was right behind him, looking slightly worried. "Cas needs you to wire him some money. He's at a hospital. I wrote down the phone number and left it on the counter. Me and Sam are going after Pestilence."

"I'm coming with," Celeste said, quickly getting off the couch and following the boys out to the car.

Once the Winchesters were gone along with Celeste, Fiona ran a hand through her hair as she thought quickly. "Okay, assuming they can get the ring from Pestilence, we still need Death's ring."

"Oh, Bobby can help with that," Ellen said, crossing her arms and looking at the other hunter with a pointed look on her face. "Can't you, Bobby?"

Bobby looked dodgy as he looked from Ellen to Fiona. "Well…maybe."

"Bobby?" Fiona said, narrowing her eyes at the other man. "What's going on?"

"He had some help," Ellen explained, her eyes never leaving her fiancé's as she spoke. "From Crowley."

"Oh, please," Crowley said as he popped into the kitchen, not surprised when he found several guns pointed in his direction. "You give me far too much credit. I only did what any other self-serving demon would have done." Gesturing to Bobby, he said, "Go ahead. Tell them. There's no shame in it."

"Tell us what?" Gibbs said, giving the demon the full Gibbs-stare.

"Bobby here loaned out his soul towards a very good cause," Crowley explained with a smug look. "Namely, helping me find Death's location. I've nearly got him pinned down. Another two days at the most." Pulling a folded newspaper out from an inside pocket of his overcoat, he handed it to Fiona. "This is the more troublesome problem at the moment."

Fiona looked at the article in question and looked up sharply. "Son of a bitch."

When Fiona didn't share, Crowley looked at the others. "Niveus Pharmaceuticals is starting nationwide distribution of their swine flu vaccine. Of course, that's the marketing. The reality is that it's actually a demonic virus."

Gibbs stiffened slightly and pulled out his cell phone, bringing up a particular phone number on the directory.

"Maybe you didn't hear me when I said that this is a demonic virus," Crowley repeated, raising his voice. "Your puny team of federal agents won't be able to—"

Gibbs silenced the 'King of the Crossroads with one hard smack to the back of the head before he spoke into the phone. "McGee, need you to find out everything you can about Niveus Pharmaceuticals. Shipping schedules, distribution, everything. And then I need you, DiNozzo, and Ziva to grab your gear and get to the warehouse. Don't do anything till I get there." After getting McGee's response, Gibbs added, "It's a demon situation, McGee. Bad one."

When Gibbs hung up the phone, he found the crossroads demon glaring at him as he lightly touched the back of his head. "I never figured you for having a death wish, Gibbs."

"Don't you have something to do?" Gibbs said, coolly. "Like finding the last Horseman?"

"I'm sorry," Crowley said with a scoffing laugh. "But you don't get to order me around!" But before he could say anything else, he found himself staring down the barrel of a very old Colt revolver. More specifically, The Colt. When Gibbs cocked the weapon, Crowley froze and cleared his throat before asking, "Where… ahem… Where did you get that?"

"Birthday present," Gibbs replied, succinctly, flicking his gaze briefly to Fiona before looking back to the demon.

"Yes… Well…" Crowley knew when to run and when to fight and he knew that—end of the world or not—if he pushed Gibbs, the Senior NCIS Agent would make good on the threat to shoot. "If you don't mind, I have some business to take care of."

The silvery Cadillac pulled up along side the curb and stopped dead.

It was old… but clearly well-taken care of.

The man who emerged from the vehicle had an odd air around him. It was as if everything stilled around him as he seemed to glide down the sidewalk.

People avoided the figure, giving way as he walked past, out of some unconscious knowledge that he should be given proper respect.

As a man texted on his phone, he bumped into the stranger and turned as he said, "Watch where you're going, pal." But as the man kept walking, he felt a sudden pain in his chest and fell to his knees, his heart stopping as he collapsed to the pavement.

x

Death didn't stop and didn't look back as he continued down the street. He had business here, but that didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy a few things before moving on. He'd heard that Chicago-style pizza was something to be experienced and wished to savor the dish in its birthplace before decimating the city.

When Sam, Dean, and Celeste returned, they were joined by Castiel who looked like he'd been through the wringer, but seemed to have survived using himself as a banishment sigil.

"So, do we have any leads on Death yet?" Dean asked, dropping the newest ring on top of Bobby's desk.

"More than that," Bobby said, looking at the two Winchesters. "We've got a situation at the Niveus distribution warehouse. Looks like the demons are launching the Croatoan virus on a national level."

"Oh, great," Dean muttered sarcastically, grabbing a drink of whiskey from the bottle on the table. "Any idea when that's supposed to hit the streets?"

"Thursday," Bobby replied. He hesitated for a moment before he added, "Crowley left a message for you." He held out a piece of paper, reluctantly. "Chicago. Death landed there this morning."

Dean slowly took the paper and nodded. "What about Niveus?"

"I'll go with Bobby and Cas," Sam assured his brother. "Take Fi with you." The 'just in case' was unspoken, but Sam knew that Dean would need back-up and facing a crowd of demons armed with the Croatoan virus was a far more dangerous mission. Besides… if Fiona was killed, Sam didn't want his brother to see him say 'yes' to Lucifer.

The drive to Chicago was long and at first, there was very little conversation. Dean and Fiona took turns driving and catching up on much-needed sleep.

When they finally arrived at their destination—an abandoned warehouse on the edge of the city—they parked, looking around for any sign of Death, reapers, or Crowley.

"He's not in there," Crowley said, suddenly appearing in the backseat of the Impala. When he suddenly found guns pointed in his face, he went on, ignoring the murderous looks he received. "However, I do know where he is now," he clarified.

"Then start talking," Fi snapped.

Crowley sighed and rolled his eyes. "One of the reapers informed me that the Horseman has been camped out at a local pizzeria for the past day and a half."

Dean and Fi lowered their guns and exchanged looks before turning back to the demon. Replying in unison, they said, "A pizzeria?"

Crowley shrugged as Dean started the car again and headed back out onto the road. "Death doesn't get to experience food all that often. So when he lands in a particular spot, he likes to sample the local cuisine. I've been told he's also quite fond of Louisiana gumbo. Had his fair share before Hurricane Katrina hit."

xxx

The pizzeria was dead when Dean and Fiona entered through the back.

Quite literally, actually, since the few customers and employees were stone-cold dead, falling wherever they'd happened to be at the time of their demise.

"Dean, Fiona," said the one figure left alive. "I've been waiting for you. Join me, please. The pizza's delicious."

The two hunters sat down at the large table where the Horseman was sitting. There was an almost full pan of pizza along with a pitcher of soda and three glasses. "I have to say," Fiona said, looking at the pizza before helping herself to a slice. "Never figured you for the deep-dish type."

"The things you don't know about me could fill more books than you could read in a thousand lifetimes," Death replied, calmly, as he watched Dean take a slice of pizza and take a tentative bite. "Good, isn't it?"

"You said you were waiting for us?" Dean said, carefully, as he ate. "Why?"

Death ate in silence for a moment or two and finally, he replied, "I don't want to destroy Chicago. I've become quite fond of the pizza here." He held up his right hand, showing off the ring, and added, "I understand you want this."

"Yeah," Dean said, hesitantly.

"I'm inclined to give it to you," Death said, looking as casual as could be.

"Um…" Fiona was reluctant to ask the question, but sucking it up, she asked, "Why would you want to help us?"

But instead of being annoyed by the question, the Horseman seemed to almost smile. "I'm older and more powerful than you can imagine and yet Lucifer has me bound to him through some unseemly little spell. If I help you, then you can imprison him again." He removed the ring and held it out to Dean. But as the hunter stared at it, Death added, "There are conditions."

"Okay," Dean said, not really caring about that. "Like?"

"You have to do whatever it takes to put Lucifer back in his cell," Death stipulated.

Dean wasn't fazed by the condition and nodded a bit too quickly. "Of course."

"Whatever it takes," Death emphasized, fixing Dean with a look. He knew that the so-called 'Team Free Will' didn't have a set plan, only a pile of half-baked ideas. Sam Winchester was the only one who could stop Lucifer and the only one who could stop Sam was his brother. "You don't have a plan—not yet. The only way you will be able to stop Lucifer is to let your brother jump right into that fiery pit."

Dean hated that Death had brought up Sam's plan. And more than that, he hated that—more and more—it was looking like the only way to stop things. But as Dean thought about it, he realized that pretending to go along with the plan for the moment was the only way to get what he needed in the short term. "Okay. Okay, yes."

"You'd better not be trying to fool me, Dean," Death warned, dropping his ring into Dean's hand. "You know you can't cheat death." After the hunter pocketed the ring, Death looked from Dean to Fiona. "Now, if you wouldn't mind… I need a private word with Miss Brendon."

"No," Dean said, quickly. "No way."

"It's okay, Dean," Fiona assured him, even though her heart was pounding. Looking at Death, she met his eyes and said, "Besides… I've got a few questions for him."

Dean didn't like the notion one bit, but nodded and got up before heading for the door.

Once Dean was gone, Death gave Fiona a rare smile and leaned back in his chair, slightly. "Let me guess. You want to know why I took your mother before her contract with the demons came due?" he asked, with a smirk.

Fiona licked her lips and pushed her half-eaten pizza away before leaning forward and resting her arms on the table. Death seemed curiously interested, particularly when Fiona said, "I want to know… what you know about me."

The Horseman raised an eyebrow and nodded. "And how far back would you like me to go?"

Fiona nodded once and thought for a moment before she asked, "Well… How is it that I keep coming back? I mean, I should have been dead loads of times, and yet… here I am."

Death pushed his own plate aside and leaned forward as well. "You know that you were never meant to survive the crash when you were a child," he began. "But that is hardly the beginning."

"The beginning?" Fi repeated, straightening up a bit.

The Horseman nodded once, slowly, and straightened as well. "It starts almost 100 years ago, on a passenger ship crossing the Atlantic. Your great-great-grandmother and her daughter weren't supposed to survive. However, they did, which altered countless bloodlines."

Fiona thought about that for a while and asked, "So… the fact that I'm not dead…?"

"I have need of you," Death replied, quickly. "You see, Fate has been trying to collect you for some time—to correct the Natural Order." Leaning forward again, he added, "But without you, things would be far worse than your friends can imagine."

Fiona thought back and realized what Death was saying. "Pamela… Ellen and Jo… They'd be dead?"

"Along with countless others that you've saved in one way or another," Death replied, nodding. "And more importantly, without you, there would be no way to save Sam."

Fiona was confused about that. "Wait, you said that Sam had to say 'yes' to Lucifer and jump in the cage."

"I did," the Horseman confirmed. "But you have the ability to save his soul—"

"What does that mean?" Fiona said, her tone frustrated. "Everyone keep saying that but no one will explain just what that means!"

But Death was patient… in his current occupation, he'd learned that it was an essential characteristic. "Do you fully understand what it means to be someone's soul mate?" he asked, calmly. When Fiona gave him a look of bewilderment, he smiled slightly. "I didn't think so. Most humans believe that it is a term to two people meant to be together, but that is far from the truth."

"Then what does it mean?" Fiona wanted to know. She had a feeling that for once in her life, she was finally about to get some real answers.

"To be someone's soul mate," Death explained, calmly. "—means that you cannot be whole without them. You share their very essence because their soul is intertwined with yours."

Fiona considered that for a while, and although she found the explanation somewhat cryptic, she also found that she understood. "So even if Sam is down in the Pit… if he's truly my soul mate, then…"

"Then Sam's soul would be bound to you," Death concluded, grateful that the hunter had caught on quick. "Protected from the tortures of Hell." After a moment, he changed subjects. "Now… I presume you're going to want the instruction manual for the rings."

"How'd it go at Niveus?" Fiona asked as she sat on the porch steps of Bobby's house.

Next to her, Sam shrugged, not sure what to say. "How'd it go with Death?"

Fiona nodded, smirking as she did so. "Touché." Looking at Sam, she asked, "Really?"

"Gibbs and Bobby planted explosives and Cas, Tony and I took care of the demons," Sam replied, succinctly.

Fiona looked down at her left hand and the Claddaugh ring pointing towards her. "Did you know that this used to be considered an Irish wedding ring?" she asked, looking at Sam. "That if two lovers wear them, their souls are joined forever?"

"Fiona…" Sam said, not even sure what he meant to say. But he felt Fi take his left hand and when he looked down, he found a ring matching hers on his ring finger. Wordlessly, he put his arms around Fi and felt her wrap her arms around his neck.

They stayed that way for a long time, and when they finally pulled away reluctantly, Sam said, "I love you."

Fiona felt tears in her eyes and she found that she couldn't say it back to him. "I know," she whispered, nodding.

xxx

By the garage, Bobby found Dean studying the Horsemen's rings at the work table. "Beer?" he said, by way of greeting, holding out a bottle.

"Thanks," Dean muttered, taking the offered bottle and looking up as Bobby sat down. "You know what my first thought is when I think about Sam?"

"What's that?" Bobby asked, curious.

Dean gave a wry laugh and sighed before he said, "My dad handing a 6-month-old Sammy to me and saying 'Take your brother outside as fast as you can! Don't look back!'" Looking down at his beer, he went on. "I was four years old, Bobby. And Dad didn't even think before trusting me to protect Sam."

Bobby didn't say anything for a while, but finally, he said, "Look, Dean… when we were at Niveus… I saw Sam pull one civilian out after another. He must have saved 10 people—never stopped, never slowed down." Looking Dean in the eye, he went on. "We're hard on him, Dean. We've always been. But in the meantime… He's been running into burning buildings since he was, what, 12?"

"Pretty much," Dean admitted. He knew what Bobby was saying. He'd been thinking about it ever since he'd walked out of that pizzeria back in Chicago. In truth, he knew that Sam wouldn't give in to Lucifer without a fight, but Dean was more afraid than he could admit.

Bobby knew how hard it was for Dean to admit that his little brother had grown, but he knew that it was even harder for Dean to step away from being the protective older brother. "Look, Sam's got a darkness in 'im. I'm not saying that he don't… But he's got a hell of a lot of good in him, too."

"I know," Dean said, looking down at the table. He was reminded of one of the schools he and Sam had been in when they were kids. It was a Catholic school, and one day, the teacher had asked each student to write a one page paper on what they considered made someone a 'good man'. Dean had written some bullshit that the teacher had swallowed, but looking back now… If Dean had to write the paper all over again, he'd have written about Sam.

"Then you know," Bobby pressed on. "—that Sam will beat the Devil, or die tryin' That's the best we could ask for."

And there it was.

The thing that scared Dean to the depths of his soul.

That if Sam said 'yes'—win or lose—he would be gone.

Bobby knew it and he took a breath, waiting for Dean to meet his eyes before he asked the question. "So I gotta ask, Dean. What are you really afraid of? Losin'? Or losin' your brother?"