"Sam?" the siblings were in a park, birds sand their chipper little songs in the background, "Is this really the answer? Is this what you want?" Grace looked mildly surprised as the bush caught fire.
"Well…that's…definitive. The only problem is convincing Dean…" Sam looked tired, anyone could see that, even from a distance. She held out a warm cup of coffee to her brother and smiled.
"He'll come around, though. We don't have many other options left."
"I know." He smiled, taking the coffee
"Dean's right about one thing though…We need to be careful."
"Because it's crazy, okay? And it's not gonna happen. How many times do I have to say that this is a horrible idea?"
Dean was furious, not that it was anything new, he always shot down Sam's seemingly crazy plans, until he could try and reason out a more rational one.
"About as many times as I have to say, okay, then what else we got? Listen I am all ears. Dean I'd ordinarily, I'd agree with you. But the visions only happen when I reach out to god. I asked him for a way to beat the Darkness, and the visions got more specific. And…I was in the cage."
"Yeah, with lucifer, the biggest monster ever hatched. Fan-freaking-tastic."
Dean looked at Grace to weigh in on their brother's insanity, but she jus shrugged her shoulder, stood, and went to grab a bottle of whatever from the fridge.
"Grace." She damn near almost dropped her beer as Chucks voice rang in her ear.
"Oh good…so I now know we have a telepathic link…wonderful."
"Don't get smart with me…And it's not telepathy, it's angel radio." The blonde rolled her eyes, popping the top off her bottle and taking a swig.
"Listen to me, I don't have a lot of time. But I'm not the one sending Sam visions." She almost choked, sputtering from a second, it seemed Sam and Dean were still arguing.
"Okay…well, if it's not you, then who is it."
"I'm looking into it, but for now you have to keep Sam out of the cage."
"I'll try, but once his mind is set…"
"Just, do what you can." The connection cut off and shesighed.
"So, god assured you of this, did he? Let's say you're making this up. I mean, I never thought of you as imaginative…" Crowley turned his attention to Grace who rolled her eyes at him.
"Her on the other hand…"
"We're not saying it's gonna happen. We just wanna know…"
"Theoretically…"
"If it's possible." Grace tugged her jacket tighter around her, Crowley looked less than impressed.
"The cage is a can of worms you do not want to open. I believe this conversation is over."
"Is it?" Crowley stopped to look at Grace, ready to pop out of there. "Crowley, you know that the Darkness is gonna pound on everything, that includes you."
"Yeah, you had a shot at taking her out when she was with you, but apparently, you thought sucking up was the way to go."
"And that didn't work out so well."
Sam and Dean both interjected, the blonde had a point, but Crowley had never been good at admitting his weaknesses.
"Because she chose you. And you couldn't control your girlfriend. What happened in that room? Why did she insist on sparing you? What is she to you?" Sam and Grace shifted awkwardly, she knew the truth already, Dean hadn't even had to spill secrets for that one, she guessed it was just the perk of being gods child.
"You wanna know what she is, Crowley? How about God's sister?" Crowley looked uncomfortable now, staring in surprise at the siblings now.
"God's sister? He has relatives? I had that kind of leverage under my thumb and I let it slip away." Grace frowned, rolling her eyes. She hoped now that Dean and Sam kept her secret, she did NOT want to be in Crowley's hands as some bargaining chip.
"Can we focus on the big picture here, okay? Can Sam meet with Lucifer or not?"
"In the cage."
"No, not in the cage. That's not gonna happen. I'll send Grace in there before I put you back in." Grace stared at her brother intensely, "I'm not going in there. Lucifer's a fucking psycho…dude probably tries to fuck anything that moves…" Dean did a double take at her words but shook his head, getting back on topic.
"Okay, then I don't meet with Lucifer. Dean, we can't let him out." Crowley looked contemplative as the two men argued.
"What?" Deans attention was draw back to the spaced out self-proclaimed "King of hell"
"There may be a way." There were a few moments of silence.
"Well…let's hear it."
"Clearly, if Sam enters the cage, he's gone. I mean, yes, its on my bucket list, but now's not the time to be selfish. Need a secure site, a way to neutralize lucifer's powers."
"In hell?" If she could she'd have smacked Sam silly, there was no way to bring Lucifer out of the cage without him figuring out a way of escape, not on the surface. It had to be in hell.
"Yes, in hell. So we have a modicum of control. You think I want that abomination running amok upstairs."
"Is it possible to control the situation? Because if Sam's not safe, it's not happening."
"Goodness mummy, loosen the grip. Theoretically, it's possible. There are challenges. I can arrange a transit into hell. Opening the cage, that's another matter."
"You're the king od the joint. Don't you have a key?"
"Dean!" Eloquence had never been the man's strong suit…once when she was little he flat out told her to go kick some kids ass for pushing her off a swing, now that didn't mean that wasn't exactly what she had done, but it had gotten him one hell of a fight with John.
"It was sealed by god himself, of course I don't "Have a key." The Mechanism is of divine manufacture. I believe it's secrets, along with the spells for warding Sam, are recorded here many such mysteries are found." The siblings shared a look, Sam and Dean did not seem to like where this was going.
"The book of the Damned."
"Please tell me you're not handing me over to them? It's beneath even you. They're your enemies as well." The red heads eyes landed on the blonde and she looked confused, but only for a moment
"All right, Rowena, we get it, we're all enemies. Okay? But right now, we got bigger fish to fry. Ten we can go back to killing each other." The witch smiled.
"Ah. The chicken's come home to roost. This ghastly force set free when the mark was removed."
"So you know?" something about Rowena set Grace on edge.
"I've heard whispers. As bad as they say?"
"Well, let's just say that everyone in this room might hold a piece of the puzzle to corking it back up."
"Oh, Really? And what happens to me once the danger's past? How do I know if I can trust any of you?" Dean cocked his head to the side, Grace shuffled her foot through some dirt on the floor.
"You don't. none of us do. It's a devils bargain."
"Can this be true? His sister? Oh, in my day we'd all be burnt at the stake for even thinking any of this."
"You see then, mother, the need for urgency."
"Well, if my deciphering of the book is so pivotal, I'd like to know what's in it for me." Grace rubbed her temple, there was some broadcast over angel radio and it was making her head hurt.
"Hey, you all right?" Sam's expression held concern, "Angel Radio again?" she nodded, though she didn't want to say anymore in front of Rowena, Sam pulled her away from the main conversation out into the corridor.
"Sam, I'm fine. Really. It's just a small faction of low ranking angels trying to stage some coup, I'm sure Cas already picked up on it." He still looked uncertain.
"Are you sure?" she smiled "I promise. Now we need tog et back to negotiating. I'm not anymore excited about this than the rest of you." Sam clapped her on the back as they stepped back inside.
"If you cooperate, I'll call off my assassins. No more looking over your shoulder…for now."
"I'll need the codex, of course. And the code breaker Charlie devised."
"Yeah, you'll get limited access. Supervised." Grace wondered.
"Maybe…Maybe I can be of use too." All eyes were on her now, "I mean…since I came back I'm kind of a plethora of universal knowledge, plus if she tried anything…" Dean looked interested in the proposition, he knew Grace had god-like abilities now, and despite not wanting her involved, it seemed the best option to keep Rowena in check,
"All right. We need to know exactly this—how to open the cage and how to protect Sam once it is."
"Just what's in this cage that's so dangerous?" there was silence, suffocating and mood killing…it was a minute before anyone responded.
"Lucifer." Rowena looked uncertain if she'd heard Sam correctly, this was already a bad idea as it was, and now one of the most powerful witches around knew the secret.
"Lucifer? The original Dark Prince?"
"Yes, an Archangel so badass that he was personally dumped into the cage by god himself." There was a stifled fangirlish squeal from the red head and Grace frowned, she was increasingly more uncomfortable with this plan.
"Let's get to it then."
"Hey, Grace. Sorry you got sucked into this…"
"It's fine, Dean. Really. At least we know the stuff we're looking for is definitely in the book." She scowled as Rowena tried to flip the pages and made sure all unneeded pages of the book stuck together.
"Hey! Hey, Hey, Hey! No snooping around in there. Focus." Rowena looked pissed off, yet curious.
"You find anything at the church?"
"Uh, just got here. The cops said that the, uh, the last time the vics were seen alive, one of them was a priest, they were talking to some mystery woman. She was not killed."
"Amara?"
"Yeah, I'm bettin'. Apparently, it's a massacre. The place is covered in blood."
"So, she's upping her game. She's gonna pass the point where we can deal with her."
"Listen, are you sure that you're…You're okay with this whole deal?" she sighed, her mind had gone over all of this probably a million times by now.
"No. not even a little. But what choice do we have, you know?"
"Okay, well for the record, I hate it. Just wait for me. Don't do anything until I get there." She smiled, almost laughing at his overprotectiveness.
"Well, right now it's just research, but you got it. Nothing without you."
"All right, Take care, Grace." She hung up the phone and turned back to the red head "You talk about trust" Grace ignored Rowena, ide chit chat with a witch was not on her planner for the day.
"You and your blood thirsty brothers say we're partners in this Holy war against Amara, and yet…" the chains are her wrists rattled, as if demonstrating a point. "Trussed like a chicken" Grace rolled her eyes, but finally looked Rowena in the eyes.
"How exactly did you get the pages to stick together?"
"Listen, Lady. You're sitting there with the Book of the Damned and the means to read every word, and you think we're just going to set you free? Do I look stupid to you?"
"Well, your family does have some unresolved issues. Like those domineering older brothers of yours. And the abandonment of your father." She knew what Rowena was trying to do, and if she knew the truth of who she really was…the woman would have a fucking field day.
"You know what? Just get back to work, all right?" Rowena chuckled, "We don't have time for your games, Rowena.
"Aha!" Grace turned, exasperated with the woman, "What now?"
"Well, I'll need some ingredients, go find Sam and then summon Fergus. And tell him to bring a handcart."
"A handcart?" she looked up, an almost dramatic expression on her face, "We are going to hell."
"Grace, Deans not picking up"
"Everything is in order. Fergus is coming."
"We promised Dean we'd call."
"I promised Lincoln a fun night at the theatre. Things change. It's now or never." Grace looked disturbed, what else had this woman done with famous historical figures? Scratch that, she did not need to know.
"Flop sweat, sonny? Dread of what's to come?" Rowena really had a knack for getting under someone's skin.
"Can it. Your barbs may amuse your circle of hags, but you have no idea what you're tempering with, what Lucifer is capable of."
"Well, dear, if you can't stand the heat, get out of hell. I must say, its not as scenic as I'd expected." The sound of thunder brought back many unwanted memories for Grace, but she kept them buried, couldn't risk Lucifer getting a look inside her head.
"We're in the furthest reaches of hell—limbo—where I send unruly souls for time outs."
"This is where we meet with Lucifer?"
"What it lacks in ambience, it makes up for in security." When the finally arrived at the end of the long hallway Sam looked put off and Grace just looked disgusted.
'God…it's like teenage deans room…but darker…' she tried not to laugh at the thought as Crowley spoke again.
"Makes your skin crawl, doesn't it? I get it. I'm the king of this place. Still not my cup of tea."
"I don't know, Crowley. I'd say it suits you. Dark. Empty." Crowley stayed silent, "Fascinating, the utter contempt, when I'm in the middle of saving the Winchesters' bacon. Again." The demon then turned to look at the blonde sibling.
"How about you weigh in on this, Angel." Blue eyes twitched, "Call me that again and I'll strangle you with your own tongue, and then feed you to your hell hounds. The point of all of this is to save everyone's bacon, not just our own, Crowley. Including yours, but I mean, if you're not interested…I'm sure we could arrange something."
"Ooh, the tiny ones are the feistiest, aren't they."
"That cell won't hold crap if the warding's not right."
"Don't you worry about me, Samuel. I'm a professional." At least the woman kept her pride, "You're certain you can do this without actually opening the cage?"
"We're abut to find out, aren't we?
"Foro dega la moray." Some symbols along the bottom of the cell began to light up "Mah ho tah!" flames encapsulated Lucifer's cage and it appeared the spell worked.
"Now…let's have a go at that cage. For eh say-lah!" the thunder in the area got heavier, putting Grace on edge, Sam put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"It begins."
As the flames grew stronger Grace could vaguely make out a silhouette, it had glowing red eyes as it peered out of the small expense of the cage.
"My old friend, Crowley." Lucifer seemed to ignore Graces presence, but another memory had pushed through, one she was confused about.
"A mere acolyte, carrying your torch." Lucifer chuckled before turning is gaze on Grace, studying her.
"Ah, so you've returned? The first, real creation of good old dad." Crowley and Rowena looked at the small woman, Rowena with mild surprise, that explained the book pages.
"God's beloved daughter." He scoffed in disgust. "What do you want of me?" Sam stepped back into view after regaining his bearings.
"Sam Winchester. My old roomie." Lucifer got close to the bars, his smile growing, "Hug it out?" now Grace scoffed, he was extremely childish.
"I gotta say, I'm a little in the dark about this meeting. Am I up for Parole? Time off for bad behavior? Did Little Avarin put in a good word for me with the warden?" Rowena and Crowley once again looked to Grace.
"Avarin?" the red haired witch looked mildly interested in the youngest sibling now.
"I don't really get visitors." He was like a cat with a ball of yarn, cunning.
"If it weren't for the crisis topside, you wouldn't be getting one now."
"Crisis? Did little Ava cause another 40 day flood?" he was trying to coax her into anger, and she knew why now, she could get him out of there.
"It's not going to work Lucifer. Let it go. You're aware of the darkness, right?" he looked like he'd been caught red handed stealing from the cookie jar or something as he inhaled sharply.
"Yikes. That—that doesn't sound good. Um…I'm aware of what she was, but that was eons ago."
"She's been released, so no she's somewhere…or everywhere on earth." The former arch angel bit off a little of one of his finger nails and spit it out, looking bored.
"However did that happen?"
"Look, Point is, she poses a threat to all that exists, including you."
"Hmm. Well, tat leads me to my next question. Where's the big burrito himself? Where's god in all of this?"
"All current indications of his presence are—"
"You don't need to know where he is, Lucifer. But he is around." Sam turned and looked at his sister in surprise.
"Of course he'd show himself to you…" There was a sinister, underlying message to the fallen angel's tone as he chuckled.
"Gods favorite creation, he even sent you to this hell hole to make sure you were kept "safe". You came before all of us, his precious little daughter!" She flinched
"Shut up." Graces tone was barely audible, and Sam looked worried. "He had to keep you safe, keep you from finding out the truth."
"The truth?" Sam looked confused, what exactly did Lucifer know?
"He didn't really send you here to protect you, you know? Not really. He sent you to earth, locked away all our memories and yours, because you were losing control. You were a liability!"
"SHUT UP!" there was visible flinching from everyone, but Lucifer himself, who stood, grin still etched on his face.
"And now he's caught the fun bus out of town. Figures."
"Grace, calm down, all right. Don't let him get to you." Sam's attention turned back to Lucifer, "Grace is not the only one he's reached out to. He's reached out to one other interested party."
"Who?"
"Me." Lucifer walked towards the front of his cell again, index finger jutted out, "You?"
"He answered my prayers."
"Did he now? Is that why little Avarin has her mojo back? Or was that because of you and your brother? What was dad's suggestion?"
"To seek out you."
"Get out of town." Lucifer bounced like a happy child on Christmas, "Seriously? Who'd have thunk it? I completely get why you came to me. Can't ignore god, right? God says "Jump" everyone says, "How high?""
"So does this mean you're on board?"
"Well…I did help dad seal up the darkness all those years ago. She's quite a force. Determined to take over everything even back then. Prone to tantrums." Grace had started to wonder if they were talking about Amara or Lucifer himself…
"I can see why pop is laying low. Now hat Sis is here, god's not the only circus in town."
"Is she equal to him in power?"
"Raw power? Sure. But she's got none of the…experience. God is a master strategist. That's why you two are here."
"And why's that?"
"Well, 'cause god needs me to help put the cat back in the bag. Can't do it by himself. Seen that movie. and Ava over there, while immensely strong, isn't going to harm Amara." What did that mean, she made a note to ask before they left.
"So…?"
"I need a ride out of here. I mean, I look swell in here and everything but I'd be so much smoke topside."
"You want a vessel." Once again Lucifer looked like a child, "One who's…strong enough to hold me, handy, and available now." He winked at Sam, and Grace moved in front of her brother, not that it did much to shield him since was at least a foot and half shorter than him.
"Catch my drift?"
"Did you really expect me to agree to this?" simple nods of the head were all Sam received as an answer, Sam scoffed.
"So, what, I just disappear, while you take my body and get set loose on the world again?"
"I know. I know, Sam. it's a lot to ask. But desperate times require desperate measures."
"That's not desperate. That's certifiable!" Grace defended her brother.
"Okay, hold on there a second, cowgirl. Take a breath."
"Screw you."
"You two have been working with Crowley. You passed certifiable three-off ramps ago. And look, I'm no fan of the ruler of the universe, but here I am, ready to pitch in. Sam, Ava, why do you think god sent you to me? To get my help, which I only now just offered." He leaned against the bars of his cage.
"Sam, your visions were the word of god. you can't say no to that. So, have you thought about it, Sam? Do I have an invitation to look forward to?" Sam looked down at Grace, then back at Rowena and Crowley before turning back to lucifer.
"No. I won't do it. There has to be another way." The warding around the cage wore off, and as the flames disappeared Grace felt a wave of nausea hit her, something was about to happen. And as the last of the flames died out she felt a pull. When she opened her eyes again she was inside Lucifer's cage. The Fear began to set it.
"Together again. Avarin, let me look at you, it's been eons." Sam pushed her behind him, instinctually.
"Miss me? I bet you did. I have to say, you—you two are extraordinarily calm given the circumstances."
"It's pretty much exactly how god told me it was going to be. Guess I just have to go with it and play my hand." Lucifer clicked his tongue, turning his back from Sam and Grace.
"And that would make so much sense if it was god that had done the talking. You see, Sam, when the Darkness descended the impact on hell was massive. The cage was damaged. Through the fissures, I was able to reach out. It wasn't god inside your head, Sam. It was me. So you see, he's not with you. He's never been with you. It was always just…me."
Lucifer chuckled, his eyes turning to Grace for a second, enjoying the terrified expression on her face as the news sank in.
"So I…I guess I am your only hope."
"It's never gonna happen."
"Ah. Well…settle in there, buddies. Hey, roomies…upper bunk, lower bunk, floor, or do you wanna share?" Sam kept Grace tucked behind him as Lucifer advanced again. The fallen angel looked like her fear was driving him absolutely wild.
"We're going to have so much…fun. Just like old times, Little Ava."
So. Finally ch. 8 is done. I really am sorry these updates are so slow. I'm losing steam on just about everything, school, social life, writing. It will pick up again though when I have less stress, I promise.
Anyways, how many of you have started piecing things together? am I making it too easy? if so Let me know in reviews, so I can start making things more confusing MUWAHAHAHAHAHA!