Chapter 13

Sam shook his head at how crazy Sarah could be and chuckled. She was acting a little more like her old self. He was still smirking when he entered the motel room, but quickly faded as he saw Bobby on the floor bleeding and Dean being pulverized.

"No!" he yelled.

"Heya, Sammy. You miss me? 'Cause I sure missed you." A brunette woman said.

"Meg?" Sam questioned.

She grinned. Sam swung his fist at her but missed. Meg kicked him in the crotch and knocked him down. Dean managed to kick the feet of the demon that was beating him and grabbed the demon killing knife from Bobby's stomach before stabbing the demon. He then stood up and advanced on Meg. She backed up and smoked out of her meatsuit.

Dean and Sam rushed over to Bobby and carried him out to the impala.

"What do you want, Zachariah?" Sarah asked trying to control her emotions.

"Well, I was going to ask you where Sam and Dean are… but I have a feeling you would not tell me."

"You got that right."

"But it's a good thing, I don't need that anymore."

"Why?" Sarah asked warily.

"Oh because they are now coming to me." He said with a proud smile.

"What? No! They wouldn't."

"Oh I wouldn't worry about them yet. I'd worry more about yourself."

"Why's that?"

"Well, I now have time to… for lack of a better word… kill." He said with a laugh.

"But… you need me…"

"That's true, I do need you alive." He said appearing to think something over. "Do you really need all of your limbs though?" he said with a menacing look in his eyes.

"Need some help here!" Dean yelled as he and Sam carried Bobby into the E.R.

"What happened?" a nurse asked.

"He was stabbed." Sam answered.

"Can we get a gurney?" the nurse called out.

"Hang on, Bobby. Hang in there. You're gonna be okay." Dean said as he laid Bobby on the gurney. Bobby was then whisked away. The boys moved to follow when a nurse stopped them.

"Just wait here." She said.

"We can't just leave him." Sam told her.

"Just don't move. I've got questions." She told them before walking away.

"Sammy, we got to go." Dean said pulling Sam back toward the door.

"No. No way, Dean."

"The demons heard where the sword is. We got to get it before they do, if we're not too late already. Come on!" Dean pushed.

"What about Sarah? Are we just going to leave her too?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. Just text her to go to the hospital to watch over Bobby. We don't have time to go get her.

Zachariah walked over and moved Sarah's bloody face up to inspect it. "How's it feeling there tiger? Ready to cry out for mercy?"

Sarah spat in his face. He responded by smacking her hard across the face.

"Fine. Stay silent. I'll just have to turn it up a notch." Zachariah said walking away but not before twisting her insides up in an almost blinding pain.

When the pain lessened, she choked out some blood and said, "I've paid my dues. Time after time." Then choke up more blood.

"What was that?" Zachariah asked turning around to face her.

"I've done my sentence, but committed no crime." She continued.

Zachariah cocked his head to the side, "Come again?"

"And bad mistakes, I've made a few."

"Stop it." Zachariah said catching on.

"I've had my share of sand kicked in my face, but I've come through."

"Stop it or I'll…"

"We are the champions, my friends." She continued even when the pain rushed back. "And we'll keep on fighting, till the end."

"I said stop!"

"No time for losers. Cause we are the champions, of the world." She finished as he increased the pain enough to make her black out.

Dean opened the trunk and started loading guns with Sam, before approaching a storage unit. He unlocked the door while Sam stood watch. They entered the unit, shot guns ready, only to find a couple of dead demons sprawled across the floor.

"I see you told the demons where the sword is." Zachariah said from behind them with two other angels.

"And to think… they could have grabbed it any time they wanted." Zachariah said as he waved a hand to close the door. "It was right in front of them."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"We may have planted that particular piece of prophecy inside Chuck's skull, but it happened to be true. We did lose the Michael sword. We truly couldn't find it. Until now. You've just hand delivered it to us." Zachariah explained.

"We don't have anything." Dean said.

"It's you, chucklehead. You're the Michael sword." Zachariah said to a surprised Dean. "What, you thought you could actually kill Lucifer? You simpering wad of insecurity and self-loathing? No. You're just a human, Dean. And not much of one."

"What do you mean, I'm the sword?" Dean asked.

"You're Michael's weapon. Or, rather, his… receptacle."

"I'm a vessel?"

"You're the vessel. Michael's vessel."

"How? Why… why me?"

"Because you're the chosen! It's a great honor, Dean."

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, life as an angel condom. That's real fun. I think I'll pass, thanks."

"Joking. Always joking. Well… no more jokes." Zachariah said raising one hand, fingers like a gun, and pointed at Dean before shifting to point at Sam. "Bang." He said. There was a loud crunch sound as Sam fell to the ground unable to stand.

"Ah!" Sam yelled.

"You son of a bitch!" Dean growled.

"Keep mouthing off, I'll break more than his legs. I am completely and utterly through screwing around. The war has begun. We don't have our general. That's gad. Now, Michael is going to take his vessel and lead the final charge against the adversary. You understand me?"

"How many humans die in the crossfire, huh? A million? Five, ten?" Dean asked angrily.

"Probably more. If Lucifer goes unchecked, you know how many die? All of them. He'll roast the planet alive." Zachariah replied.

"There's a reason you're telling me this instead of just nabbing me. You need my consent. Michael needs my say so to ride around in my skin."

"Unfortunately, yes." Zachariah sighed.

"Well, there's got to be another way."

"There is no other way. There must be a battle. Michael must defeat the serpent. It is written." Zachariah said crazily.

"Yeah, maybe. But, on the other hand… Eat me. The answers no."

"Okay. How about this? Your friend Bobby… we know he's gravely injured. Say yes, and we'll heal him. Say no, he'll never walk again."

Sam glanced up at Dean.

"No." Dean replied.

"Then how about we heal you from… stage-four stomach cancer?"

Dean doubled over, coughing up blood.

"No."

"Then how about I give you the love of your life back." Zachariah said snapping his fingers. Sarah appeared behind him held up by the other angels.

Dean looked up and saw her try to say his name, but nothing come out.

"No." he said sending an I'm sorry look to her.

"Then let's get really creative. Uh, let's see how… Sam does without lungs." Sam began to gasp for air. "Are we having fun yet? You're going to say yes, Dean?" Zachariah taunted.

"Just kill us." Dean grunted.

"Kill you? Oh, no. I'm just getting started." Zachariah said.

Just then a bright light flashed behind Zachariah. He turned to see one of the angels that was holding Sarah up collapsed to the floor, Cas next to him. The other angel dropped Sarah and started to fight with Cas. They fought for a moment until Cas stabbed the other angel with his angel blade causing another bright light. Cas then walked forward.

"How are you…?" Zachariah said in shock.

"Alive? That's a good question. How did these two end up on that airplane? Another good question. 'Cause the angels didn't do it. I think we both know the answer, don't we?" Cas said menacingly.

"No. That's not possible."

"It scares you. Well, it should. Now, put these three back together and go. I won't ask twice."

Zachariah vanished. Sam looked up and around surprised. Dean and Sam stand up as Sarah rushed over to them.

"You three need to be more careful." Cas scolded.

"Yeah, I'm starting to get that. Your frat brothers are bigger dicks than I thought." Dean said.

"I don't mean the angels. Lucifer is circling his vessel. And once he takes it, those hex bags won't be enough to protect you." Cas said before placing a hand on both Sam and Dean's chests. Immediately the boys gasped in pain.

"What the hell was that?" Dean asked holding on to his chest.

"An Enochian sigil." Cas stated placing a hand on Sarah's chest and doing the Same to her. "It'll hide you from every angel in creation, including Lucifer."

"What, did you just brand us with it?" Dean asked.

"No. I carved it into your ribs."

"So I am hidden from the angels now?" Sarah asked in a wavering voice.

Cas looked blankly at her and stated, "Yes."

Sarah felt so overwhelmed with excitement that she rushed forward, grabbed Cas's face and planted a kiss on his cheek. He gave her a very curious look as she back away slightly. Dean & Sam also looked on mildly shocked.

After a pause, Sam asked, "Hey, Cas, were you really dead?"

"Yes." He answered flatly.

"Then how are you back?" Dean asked but Cas just vanished leaving the three alone. "I hate it when he does that."

They stood there looking around at the dead bodies before Sarah asked, "Where's Bobby?"