Chapter 15

A/N: I'm just writing these all out and then I can publish them easily and regularly for you guys and save the stress of a weekly deadline – deadlines seem to crush my ideas for some reason. All response is wonderful, thank you for putting in the time to let me know what you think, please continue to do so! I love to hear from you guys and it's really genuinely helpful and exciting to get feedback! Let me know if you think you know what's going to happen, I want to know if anyone's guessed it yet.

Dinner.

At the head of the large hardwood table, naturally, sat Zachariah, undoubtedly in Michael's seat. On his left, Castiel sat uncomfortably close to his Uncle, and next to him sat Gabriel. Dean sat on Zachariah's right and Sam next to him. They'd been unconsciously divided. It made Dean uneasy and he could feel the tension rolling off of his brother as they sat in silence.

Anna sat on Gabriel's left and Lucifer was on Sam's right, much to Dean's displeasure. There were two empty spaces at the end of the table, presumably for Uriel and Raphael. No one mentioned their absence.

The dinner was some odd form of stew, a murky shade of burgundy sauce with chunks of unknown bobbing on and below the surface of the thick potion. The smell was somewhat sickly, so strong it filled the narrow dining room and had a sobering effect as it forced a harsh clarity on their senses. Zachariah had tucked in and had been making appreciative noises for a while but that only seemed to put the boys off further.

A starting problem that Dean encountered was the various sets of cutlery layering the edge of the plates, all bordered by a rich silver palette of show that radiated status. He glanced to his right and saw Sam hadn't picked up any cutlery either. He looked across the table to Cas for help and Castiel subtly pointed to the set he'd picked up. Relieved at guidance, Dean nudged Sam as he picked up the correct set and Sam followed suit.

Not wanting to piss off the major angel he was somehow sharing a family dinner with, he prodded a modest size of meat onto his fork and promptly put it into his mouth. The instant the meat touched his tongue he regretted it. Castiel and Gabriel seemed to look on in sympathy as he struggled to force down the offending piece of meat. It was Anna who came to his rescue and began talking animatedly about the weather and captured Zachariah's reluctant attention.

Dean allowed himself to grimace violently and made for the crimson liquid that had been provided in tall glasses but he caught Castiel's eye just in time to catch his dark look as he shook his head pointedly. Dean withdrew his hand, still stuck with the horrendous square of meat and/or tar clinging to his teeth. There was nothing for it, gauging the situation as safe as it was going to get with Zachariah's attention diverted, Dean took his chance. Quickly grabbing his still grossly, stubbornly solid mouthful, he launched it smoothly over his shoulder and resisted the urge to wince at the distinct splat sound that was heard from the wall behind him.

He expected all eyes to be on Zachariah but when he looked up to see Lucifer smirking at him he paled just like everyone else. So this was how he was going to die? For throwing his food at an angel's dinner party. His Father would be so proud.

"So, Castiel, I meant to ask-"

"Oh, Uncle," Lucifer interrupted smoothly and Dean daren't move as he wondered what he could even use to protect himself from the wrath of an angelic Jamie Oliver wannabe.

"We've yet to find out anything about our guests," He transitioned and Dean's eyes snapped up to meet Lucifer's as Zachariah asked a question. He narrowed his eyes at Lucifer and started when he was thrown a wink and clearly saw Castiel go rigid from the other side of the table.

"Dean?"

"Yeah, sorry, what?" Dean returned to the crazy Uncle angel.

"I asked what your parents do for a living." Zachariah prompted.

"Oh, uh, well, my Dad's a travelling salesman,"

"Ah, interesting. And your Mother?"

"Uncle, please-"

"It's okay, Cas," Dean shot him a look of reassurance.

"She died a long time ago."

"Oh, my condolences. Forgive me, how was it she passed away?" Something in his tone set Dean's nerves on end. It was the same harsh sensory overload he got on a hunt when he was missing something. Meeting Zachariah's eye, the glint it held made his teeth grind, it was like a silent mocking at his expense. Something he was missing.

"Car accident." He grit out and looked back down to his bowl, ignoring what Zachariah was saying. Sam elbowed him and looking up he met his brother's worried gaze and nodded, letting out a deep breath and trying to slow his pulse.

Another few brief conversations passed and Zachariah turned his attention back to the boys.

"So, boys, how're you doing at school? Grades-wise, I mean." His hawk-like gaze was not only unnerving but seemingly endless, did he ever blink?

"Sammy gets straight A's, plus he's on the debate team, they're thinking of putting him up a year." Dean countered and Zachariah nodded in approval. Sam ordinarily would've rolled his eyes but he'd known his brother long enough to know when something was going on and all the red flags were showing.

"Impressive. What about you, Dean?"

"Pretty much C's across the board, was failing Calculus until Cas helped me out." He added the last with a smile to his friend who returned it. Zachariah raised his eyebrows and let out a noise of disappointment.

"There's a dud in every family, Dean, I wouldn't worry. You don't need to achieve anything to have a good life. It's all just a case of wiring, yours ended up wrong, it's no one's fault and you should never feel like you're a failure. Your Mother, God rest her soul, would still love you, were she alive, wouldn't she?" A poor attempt at a kind smile seeped over his features and Dean smiled tightly in return.

"Of course she does." Sam said firmly, a challenge in his voice and Dean swelled with pride at his little brother. He vaguely noticed a look exchanged between Gabriel and Sam but avoided looking at Cas, he knew what he'd see and he wasn't in any humour to try to put on a brave face because Cas would see right through it. What he did see was Lucifer staring at him intently; a small smirk on his lips as he licked them and Dean looked away a little disturbed.

"Are you all too full to finish your food?" Zachariah asked the collective. Upon hearing no response he 'hmm-ed'.

"Well, me and Sam had better be going," Dean spoke over the tense silence and Zachariah turned to him, a look of surprise gracing his inelegant features.

"It's a Friday! Surely you could be spared to stay over here for tonight; after all it is dark already. Wouldn't you agree, Lucifer?"

"Absolutely, Uncle." He complied monotone with a slight edge as Dean glanced over at him again.

"Thanks for the offer but no thanks. We're staying at a friends' place and her Mum will skin us alive if we're late home." Zachariah laughed lightly but Dean simply stared.

"What a good idea," He commented idly and a chill ran down the backs of five people at the table as they interpreted his meaning.

"Well, perhaps I could call-" A loud crash interrupted him. The front door banged loudly, demanding their attention.

"Uncle!" Uriel and Raphael burst into the dining room, shirts dirty and blotches of what looked like blood covering them.

"Uncle, he's gone! He's gone!" Raphael reported, out of breath. Sam and Dean exchanged a well known glance with each other.

A thunder cloud with a migraine could've been less intimidating than Zachariah as he stood up from the table, outraged.

"You fools, get outside at once." He ordered and the two soldiers filed out quickly. Remembering himself for a moment he tried a blasé smile on for size, missing by a mile, as he looked at his guests.

"Excuse us, always a drama in this house," And with a forced chuckle he left the room and two seconds later the front door slammed. Dean was breathing hard; he knew staying in this house would lead to him doing something that could put him, or worse Sam at danger.

"Sam, we're going. I left my coat upstairs, let me grab it." He stood up from the table and left the room.

Lucifer was quick to leave the table too and instantly Castiel went to follow but Gabriel tugged his arm to sit back down.

"Gabriel, I think he's after something from Dean!" He snapped.

"I know, give it a minute and then follow and you might catch what that is," Gabriel pointed out and his brother blanched slightly but nodded, waiting a moment before quietly rising from his seat and leaving to investigate.

Sam was still trying to figure out what exactly was going on. It didn't help that he could see from a mile away that Dean was onto something. Nor that Gabriel had obviously been lying to him about something.

"Sorry you got dragged into this, Sam. It is nice to meet you though," Anna said kindly and Sam smiled at her. Though it was an odd introduction, she was pretty and polite and it seemed a shame that she was mixed up in whatever this was as well.

"It's nice to meet you too. Should we go and help Cas?"

"No, it's important we stay here." Anna said with finality. Sam wanted to ask why but, maybe because he had built up no immunity to the big sister 'my-word-is-law' routine, he kept quiet and accepted it, waiting patiently and trying not to catch Gabe's eye.

XXXXXXX

He'd just left Cas' room with his jacket now back on when he was slammed into the wall in the landing with a strong pair of hands and pinned there by an unfamiliar shape. It took him a minute to register that it was Lucifer and he tried to reach the knife lying in wait in his deep jacket pocket but it was impossible from the way his arms were pinned to his sides.

"What the hell are you doing?" He huffed. Lucifer chuckled and leaned in closer as Dean squirmed.

"Just looking at what's on the market." He laughed again and licked his lips as his eyes trailed up and down.

"Yes, I can see why he likes you so much; I could eat you up myself."

"Yeah, bite me. Wait, no, you actually might. Freaking angels."

It was the worst mistake he'd ever made to forget he was on a hunt. Strictly speaking, when Dean was on a hunt he was notoriously difficult to distract, eyes on the prize, no hesitation, shoot first, ask questions later. Never give anything away. However, this was different. This was messy and confusing and he'd personified his hunt and it was family and it was Cas and it was... Messy. He realised the gravity of his words even as he was saying them but it was too late and all too suddenly he'd given the game away.

"Well, well, well. So you know, huh? Oh Dean, that's very interesting, you know?" He used one hand to cup Dean's jaw and the other to trail gently down his body and as he struggled harder Dean realised it wasn't something he could fight that was holding him back.

"That means either, Castiel told you which means big trouble for our dear Cassie. Or, it means that you," He leaned in to put his mouth to Dean's ear and whisper.

"You are a hunter a long way from home," He grazed his teeth against Dean's ear and laughed at the growl of disgust it earned him.

"Oh, Dean, well done, you're really fighting those bonds, I can almost feel that!" His laughter was grating on Dean's long eradicated last nerve.

"What do you want with me, you freak?" He spat. Lucifer surveyed him with interest; eyes alight with something Dean didn't recognise.

"Now how on Earth did Cassie manage to bag you, I wonder? He's far too much of a goody-two-shoes to get you himself. You find out he was an angel, use him as a way in to the nest?" Dean saw straight through his attempts at ensnaring Dean through his words and kept silent. This seemed to excite Lucifer even more.

"Oh, you're pretty good, that just makes you so much more interesting," He grinned manically.

"Whatever, perv. Listen, hate to break it to you, I'm not interested, pal. The whole neurotic psycho thing you got going on, major turn off." Dean let his natural bravado take over and it seemed to be distracting enough to buy him some time. Time for what, well, he hadn't got that far yet, give him a chance; he only came up for a freaking jacket. Lucifer's face, at last, showed some signs of aggravation, like he'd been hoping Dean would play along with his sick little role play game. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Cas leaning around the corner watching. Cas was clever; he'd see what Lucifer's real end game was.

"You think you're in control? Huh. Can you feel this Dean?" An unspecified force closed around his neck, forcing out any oxygen as Lucifer moved forwards, hand in the air for a half a minute longer than Dean was comfortable with. He shook his head as much as he could to indicate for Cas to stay put as he could sense that he was becoming restless. Finally Lucifer he let go and Dean gasped in air laughing breathlessly.

"Use the force," He wheezed and Lucifer's glare intensified.

"Jeez, tough crowd." He choked and could almost feel Cas' incredulous eye roll.

"I can make you do whatever I want, Dean. You can't comprehend the level of power I posses." He inched closer and let the words puff out onto Dean's lips. Dean met his gaze levelly with a cheeky smile.

"Cas' is bigger." At last, Lucifer hit him. A swift punch to the gut. There was something satisfying in that he'd provoked Lucifer to use his fist rather than his power. Made him lose his control for a second. He knew his way in now too, under Lucifer's skin, and he was definitely going to exploit it. Clearly he was right, Cas' power was bigger. But if Dean was another thing that Cas had and Lucifer wanted, well, he'd use that against him too, dignity be damned.

"Wow, you suck at foreplay, pal. Cas knows just how to get me going, you know? Well, I guess you wouldn't know but trust me, he could break every bone in my body and I wouldn't give a damn because he tastes so damn good." He felt the incorporeal bonds on his arms weaken for a minute as Lucifer lot his focus but then strengthen even more than before.

"How about I break every bone in your body and we'll try the same test," He growled twisting his grip and Dean cried out.

"No!" Cas lurched around the corner but Lucifer only had to swat the air and he was slammed to the other wall opposite Dean.

"Ah, Castiel. Come to the rescue, have you? Pity seeing as you have no grace to use, or did you forget to mention that little detail to Dean? Seems there's a lot our boy here doesn't know, Cassie."

"I don't share." Castiel growled and even without grace it was intimidating to the point of predatory.

"Finally, I've found your vice, Cassie. Very possessive, aren't you? Hm, unfortunately for you, I'm the one with the power here. Maybe you need a little reality check." He smiled cruelly and turned back around before forcing himself onto Dean who squawked and kicked and flailed and when that did no good he bit down hard onto Lucifer's lip causing him to stumble backwards, lips stained with his own blood.

"He doesn't want you!" Castiel said with a breathless smile in Dean's direction, almost desperate relief that Dean had rejected him.

"Oh doesn't he?" Lucifer snarled and snapped his fingers. All of Dean's limbs went limp and his head lolled forwards.

"What did you do to him?!" Castiel roared, fighting his bonds uselessly.

"I'm showing him what he wants." Lucifer stated darkly and moved closer to Dean's lifeless body.

"Get away from him!" Never had Castiel felt so helpless at the mercy of his newly twisted brother. Zachariah had brought out a truly sick part of him.

Lucifer ignored him and closed the distance between his and Dean's body before slowly lifting Dean's head up with one hand and clicking his fingers with the other. The change was instantaneous. Dean's life returned to him and he threaded his fingers in Lucifer's hair and tugged him forwards into an angry kiss. Lucifer was more than happy to reciprocate and his hands wandered freely as he pushed Dean in the wrong places and kissed him with the wrong feeling. Castiel felt like all the air had been sucked from the atmosphere and he'd been punched in the gut to top it off.

He'd never felt anything overly akin to jealousy and didn't hold it in very high regard as a personal characteristic but this was something on an entirely different level. This wasn't jealousy, this was heartbreak. He was furious and forlorn and angry and devastated and a swirling mess of feelings were surging through him mercilessly.

"Dean," His voice was thick and he felt hopeless as he stared on.

"Dean," He said a little louder and was sure there was some spark of hesitation but Lucifer was quick to re-establish himself. Castiel couldn't physically move far enough to intervene, only his arms were free, but if he tried hard enough he could attempt to use his grace. It would hurt and would drain him but he couldn't find it within him to care.

He slowly tugged his grace from its cage, sliding the smallest part through the bars of severed power and bit back a cry as he snapped it away from the remainder of his grace and concentrated on Dean. He focused to the point where his head was pounding; his heart was a constant reminder in his ears as he pushed everything he had into it, feeling his body weakening around him. Just as he was about to give up he saw Dean's arm stretch out, reaching, just as he'd been trying to do. It stretched as far as it could go and Castiel caught up steadily as he remembered and used his remaining strength to reach out himself. He put every inch he could into closing the gap and by chance he brushed Dean's fingertips with his own. A spark of electricity.

Suddenly Castiel was on the ground and Dean was all action. He saw punch after punch and he must've caught Lucifer quite off his guard because no defence was put up. Dean stepped back to admire his handiwork. Lucifer glared up at him, spitting blood onto the floor.

"My Uncle needs me." He managed with a grim smile and he vanished.

Dean rushed over to pull up his fallen friend. Castiel had an unexpected surge of adrenaline as he was pulled to his feet and didn't quite feel the full extent of any injury to his grace yet.

"Cas, you okay?" Dean had his hands gripping Castiel's biceps and Cas growled as he cupped Dean's face with two hands and pulled him down for a kiss, determined to rid the remains of his brother from Dean's wonderful mouth.

"I don't share." He said raggedly as he pulled away and Dean nodded, keeping up admirably considering.

"I know, I'm not asking you to. I gotta' go, Cas." He needed to get Sam and get out before the Adams family got back. He turned to go but Cas held his arm, pulling him back.

"Cas, seriously, dude, I need to go,"

"I know, just," He leaned up and kissed Dean so gently it was almost more than he could bear. He slowly raked a hand through his hair and pushed his tongue at Dean's lower lip and Dean opened his mouth, moaning when Cas took full advantage. It was everything Cas could say in the most literal way and a way Dean would translate the most easily. He pulled away again, a little sheepish this time. Dean took his time to collect himself and groaned at the sight of Cas, red-lipped, messy hair and expectant expression and he couldn't help himself. He gave himself one more selfish passionate kiss before he really did pull away.

"I meant what I said." Dean added as he walked backwards and as he went to turn Castiel spoke.

"I love you." He said in a flurry, his eyes widening at his own words, like he hadn't meant to say them and Dean stumbled a little, regained his footing, took a visibly deep breath, and forced himself to walk away. He'd come back. He always came back.