Chapter 39

Before Lucifer could re-gain control and crawl back out Michael whispered a few choice words and the gates to Eden relocked. He turned to Cas and Sam with an approving nod. "I must go. My brother's days of truancy are over."

"But you just closed Eden. How are Charlie and Dean supposed to get back?" Sam worried. If they'd gone through all of this just to have Dean stuck somewhere again…

"Don't worry. I will arrange for their safe return after the battle is over. You have done well Sam Winchester and while it is not prophesized that we will meet again I hope we do," Michael assured. "Castiel, my brother. Dean is wiser than anyone ever gave him credit for and I understand your reasons for disobedience. If you ever wish to return home I will arrange for you to be my lieutenant once more. Until then let it be known that you helped to save our father's children and any angel who touches you or the Winchesters will face my personal wrath."

Michael vanished with a flash and Castiel and Sam where left to wait for their family's return.

In Eden, Dean felt Michael land their body. Able to be free from his vessel Michael immediately followed through with his promise and released Dean. Shielding his eyes from Michael's true form Dean realized that the ringing no longer hurt and turned to look at Michael for the first time.

Dean never really thought about it, but the reason angels needed vessels was because they weren't exactly corporal. In his true form Michael was just a golden ball of light and power. He looked intimidating and clearly not human, but beautiful and perfect none-the-less.

Despite not having a definite head Dean could see Michael's nod of approval and thanks. Sighing in relief Dean understand the unspoken words Michael told his brother, who was still clinging to Charlie.

"It's no use brother. In this form I am infinitely more powerful than even Charlotte. Release her and let us fight as we did before."

"You'll just win, as you did before," Lucifer said sounding like a pleading child inside Charlie.

"Yes, I will." Michael affirmed not cruelly but with no sympathy for his wayward brother either. "But that was the choice you made when you turned against our family. Release her. I no longer have our Father to help me. This fight will be fairer than the last."

With hope for survival sparking within Lucifer at Michael's deceiving words he released Charlie smoking out in the light of a diamond.

Charlie fell to the ground beneath the angels and, despite the danger of getting hit by the fighting angels, Dean dashed over to his little sister as she weakly tried to crawl away.

"Shh, you're okay. You're fine." Dean comforted the shaking and sobbing girl as he carried her away from the deadly beauty that could be seen as the angel's lights tried to cancel out the others.

While she was still shaking horribly from shock Charlie's eyes cleared so she could watch the dancing angels. For a moment Dean understood where Lucifer had been coming from when he thought angels better than humans. When humans fought it was bloody, but when angels for in their true forms it was good trying to overpower evil seen in an incandescent ribbon.

"They're magnificent," Charlie whispered from the ground where Dean had rested her against his legs. "How can evil be so pretty?"

"There is no evil there," Dean comforted. "Evil does not exist, not really. There is just two siblings trying to do what they think is right. It's no different from when you thought freeing Michael was right and I thought doing the trials was right. They're just siblings on the opposite side of the war."

"He's dying Dean. Shouldn't we stop it?" At first Charlie's words caused Dean panic as he thought she meant Michael was losing. Then Dean realized everything was going as plan; Lucifer was fading. Why was Charlie so upset? "If I'm Lucifer and you're Michael then I'm dying. How is that right?"

Dean didn't even know how to answer so he just pulled Charlie into his chest so she wouldn't have to watch as Lucifer's light when out in a searing blaze.

The world was free. They'd won. Yet looking down at the shattered girl in his arms Dean wondered if this result really caused the least pain in the end.

True to his word Michael, before even grieving for his brother, came towards the vessels.

"Can't you do anything to help her?" Dean pleaded of his almost-friend in Michael.

"I wish I could," Michael, without a vessel, didn't speak with words. None-the-less Dean understood the thoughts floating on the wind. "Only time can heal her soul now. Time and her family."

Dean felt the cool Lawrence air coming through the window to the room Sam and Cas where occupying. Charlie was silent, didn't even protest, and Dean carried the girl into the Impala and settled her on the backseat with her head resting on Sam's lap. As they drove back to the bunker Charlie fell into a restless sleep as Dean described the events of the green room and Eden to his brothers.

"Do you think she will be okay?" Sam asked as he saw just how small Charlie looked in her sleep.

"Were you okay when you got your memories back?" Cas asked, "She wasn't being physically tortured so hopefully her mind isn't broken, but she's seen far more than anyone should."

"She's strong. She'll pull through," Dean muttered through gritted teeth. She would be okay; Charlie would be fine. There just wasn't another option in Dean's mind. Charlie had to be fine.

At the bunker Charlie woke just long enough to ravenously eat some chocolate before settling into bed in one of the unused rooms. "I'm going to stay with her tonight," Sam told Cas and Dean as the boys made their own way to bed. "I know I wouldn't have wanted to be alone."

Dean nodded. Sam was the only one who could even fathom what Charlie was going through. If she woke up he'd be the best one to be at her side.

And Charlie did wake up, but at that point an exhausted Sam had already fallen unconscious. Eyes fluttering open Charlie recognized the dark figure that stood in her room and a weak smile appeared on her face. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you."