Well my fellow travelers, the journey is over. My writer demon took me in an entirely different direction and I don't know if I like it or not. Let me know, I may rewrite, but for now we come to the end and the light shines brightly in our faces. I hope I have not disappointed you, please review good or bad, it's what keeps my writer demon around.

NC

"I guess we should get some rest, I need to talk to my brother and start my research first thing."

"That's the spirit." she said getting up off the bed.

"I think I'll stay here just a few minutes more." he said glancing around at his brother's room.

"Ok." she said patting him on the shoulder. "Try to get some sleep."

"I will." he said listening to her leave. He stretched his body out on Dean's bed and closed his eyes remembering when his brother had taken care of him when he was sick and when he was injured in a hunt. Yes, he would find a way, he would get his brother back.

Chapter 5

Sam jerked awake, quickly searching the room trying to figure out where he was. He had fallen asleep in Dean's bedroom after talking to Jodie. She must have come back to check on him because there was a blanket draped over his body. He got up and sat on the side of the bed, willing his body to wake up. The breakdown last night had taken a toll on him, but he couldn't let that stop him from doing what he need to do.

"Sam." Jodie said softly when she looked up to see him making his way into the kitchen.

"Hey Jodie." he mumbled grabbing a cup and pouring some coffee.

"How you feeling?"

"I don't know." he answered honestly.

"Do you want me to hang around today?"

"No, you need to get back to your job. I'll be ok and thanks for all you've done and for last night."

"I'm a phone call away. I'll get my things and hit the road then." she said heading out of the room.

Sam went to stand by the steps wondering if he would see her again. She came back out carrying her bag wanting so much to stay, but knowing Sam had to do this on his own.

"You take care now, tell Dean I said good-bye." she said giving him a hug. "Don't be a stranger."

"You too and I'll call." he smiled weakly watching her walk up the stairs and out the door.

The door to the dungeon seemed to get heavier each time he opened it. Sam stood in the doorway for a moment letting his eye adjust to the dimmer light. His brother was laying on the cot with his headphones on listening to music. Sam carried the chair and two cups of coffee into the room.

He waited for Dean to acknowledge his present before sitting down. Dean looked over at the door when he smelled the aroma of coffee. Sitting up he saw Sam standing by the table waiting for him. He noticed a subtle change in his brother. He also noticed Sam had sat the chair closer to his at the table.

"Dean we need to talk." Sam said quietly.

"Talk about what?" Dean asked moving to the chair and sitting down. He picked up the coffee and took a cautious sip watching Sam's every move.

"About us, about what's be going on between us."

"What is there to talk about?"

"Dean, I was wrong to tell you we're not family and that you are not my brother. I should never have said that." Sam said looking down at the table. When Dean didn't say anything, he continued. "I've been cold, indifferent, a complete ass toward you and I want to say I'm sorry. You ARE my brother and always will be and I want my brother back."

"Wow nice speech there Sammy." he mocked.

"Remember when Lucifer possessed me, and Adam and I were to fight at Stull Cemetery. How you rolled up in the Impala knowing you would probably not make it out alive?" Sam questioned.

Dean looked at him with a puzzled look. He frowned as the memory of that day flooded back to him. He went to talk to Sam, to let him know he was not alone and to forgive him.

"I was awake when he was beating you. I felt every punch the threw, I fought, I fought so hard…" Sam said with a hitch in his voice. A single tear made its way down his cheek. Dean tilted his head slightly as his brow inched together. "I knew he was going to kill you, then that flash of sunlight hit my eye and you know what I saw?" Sam paused and pulled something out of shirt pocket. He sat it on the table close to Dean.

Dean focused his attention on a small, green, plastic, army solider, the one from the ashtray of the Impala. That little toy had been a part of the Impala almost their entire lives. He remembered the day Sam had shoved it in there, he was like three or four, said it was for protection and that is where it stayed up until now.

"I saw this toy solider and memories began to flood thru me so fast I could hardly see them all. And it was those memories of everything we had been thru, everything that was thrown at us, everything we had overcome, that let me take control. I was able to push Lucifer down and take back my body. You were there for me Dean, like you always have been." Sam paused.

Dean had not taken his eyes off the toy sitting there in front of him. He reached out a shaking hand and grasp it between two fingers. He bit his lower lip as he looked up into his brother's eyes.

"I know it's my fault you took the mark, I pushed you away, made you feel alone, lost and that was never my intention, yes I wanted to hurt you, but never like this. Dean you are the strongest person I know. You have overcome everything that these bastards have thrown at you. Don't give up now, I don't want to lose you again. Please forgive me, I love you." Sam stopped and sat back in the chair allowing the tears to freely fall. "I am going to find a way to help you."

"What if I can't stop?" he asked pushing the cuff down off the raw marks on his wrist still holding the toy solider.

"I will help, I'm not leaving you. Man, your wrists are raw. I need to put something on them." Sam said concern showing on his face. He looked up into this brother's eyes and asked. "Dean, if I take them off are you going to attack me?"

Dean looked into the soulful eyes of his younger brother and saw the raw emotions playing out. He blinked several times trying to pull himself back, knowing he was supposed to care. He pushed hard to focus on the here and now. He needed to control it. He needed to pull that inner strength from the bottom of his soul and use it to keep control.

"No Sammy, I won't hurt you." he said slowly letting the pent-up breathe out in a sigh. Sam reached over and unlocked the cuffs watching Dean as he did. Dean let them drop off his wrist but didn't move. He sat there hashing out what Sam had told him.

"Come on, let's go clean your wrists up." Sam said getting up and waiting for Dean to follow. Dean stood up slowly and took a step toward him and to Sam's surprise pulled him into a bear hug. Sam grunted at first by the force of the hug and then almost fell as his legs weakened. He returned the hug not realizing how much he missed this one little gesture. They stood in each others embrace for a few more seconds before breaking apart.

"We need to tend your wrists." Sam said breaking the silence between them as he wiped the tears.

"Sure Sammy."

Sam was doctoring Dean's wrist when his cell began to ring. He glanced at the caller id and saw it was Cas.

"Cas?" Sam answered. "Yeah, hold on, I'll let you in."

"What was that about?"

"Cas is outside, I'm going to let him in." Sam said getting up and heading up the stairs. Dean finished wrapping the gauze around his wrist and taping it down.

Sam and Cas walked back into the common room as he was packing the first aid supplies.

"Cas, what's going on?"

"Dean, I've come to get your help."

"With what?"

"Metatron, had spies within the angels that were following me. He convinced some to be suicide angels and kill themselves. He said I ordered it. He also told them about my stolen grace and how it's burning out." he said sadly.

"So what happened?" Sam asked.

"They wanted me to cut all ties with you two, I had to choose the angels or you." Cas said looking up at the two of them.

"So what did the angels do?"

"Metatron offered them amnesty if they would come to his side, and they did."

"So it's Team Free Will together again." Dean said sitting back. "The three of us saving the world."

"Cas, how bad is it with your grace?" Sam asked quietly.

"I hope it will last until we take Metatron down." he stated. "But we may have an alley in Metatron's ranks."

"Who?" they asked together.

"You're not going to like this, Gadreel."

Dean's eyes grew dark and his body tensed that feeling trying to surface again as he pushed it back. Sam stood up straighter and clenched his jaw. That was the last name they wanted to hear from Cas. Neither brother had any wish to work with him.

"Will you at least hear him out. He was deceived just like I was by Metatron. He sees him now for who he really is and does not like his methods. He told me about the angels that Metatron brainwashed to kill themselves. He told me he knows where my grace is and he knows where Metatron is." Cas tried to explain hoping to convince them to at least meet with him.

"Cas how can you even think we would work with him after what he did." Dean growled.

"He made mistakes, but it's not like we haven't made out fair share of mistakes too." Cas pointed out to each of them. Both brothers looked down knowing this was true.

"Dean, I don't like it, but Cas does have a point, if we know where Metatron is, we may be able to stop him and open the Gates of Heaven again. Then the angels can go home and the souls can be delivered to Heaven." Sam tried to explain. He remembered back to when Gadreel had possessed him, it wasn't like being possessed by a demon or Lucifer. He never felt threatened by him, more like they were sharing his body.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." he said turning away and taking a deep breath to steady the pull.

"You ok Dean?" Sam asked slowly hoping he wasn't slipping away again.

"Yeah Sammy, I got it." he said turning back around to face them. "Lets do this."

Cas glanced at Sam a knowing look passing between them. Both would be watching Dean closely, even without the blade, he was a bomb waiting to go off if provoked. They followed him out of the bunker and to the Impala.

The meeting went as well as can be expected with Gadreel. He agreed to help them, even after Dean threw some punches before Sam and Cas could stop him. After tempers were calmed, they worked on a plan to take Metatron down.

Sam, Dean and Cas returned to the bunker and Gadreel to Metatron's hide out.

"Sam, you do know for us to have an edge, I'm going to need the blade." Dean told him as they sipped a beer.

"I know Dean." Sam said reluctantly. "I know."

"One last time, and then we destroy it."

"That may not break it's hold, I've been reading some of the books I brought back from Sinclair's. It may not be that easy. I don't know if it can be destroyed."

"Let's deal with Metatron first and if we live thru that, we'll deal with this."

"How much of a chance do you think we have?"

"Little or none, but that's not stopped us before." he stated tilting his bottle toward Sam.

"I have food." Cas stated coming in with bags in hand. "You need to eat, we may be going to our deaths tomorrow."

"Thanks for not sugar coating it there Cas." Dean commented as Cas removed burgers for Dean and salad for Sam.

"Thanks Cas." Sam mumbled not really interested in food.

The three were each lost in their own thoughts as afternoon gave way to evening. Dean and Sam wrote letters to several people and sealed them in envelopes. They would leave them in the Impala, along with the keys and text Jodie the location with instructions if they don't contact her within twenty-four hours, to come and take it. Dean knew she would give it a good home, without the boys, it would be time for her to retire anyway.

The brothers knew they needed sleep, but neither wanted to admit it. Cas urged them to rest while they could. The brothers walked slowly toward the bedrooms.

"Sam." Dean paused in his doorway.

"Yeah." he yawned stopping beside him.

"Want to join me?" he offered nodding to the bed. "Like when we were little?"

Sam arched his eye brows staring at the bed and then at Dean. "Sure." he said following him into the room.

Dean sat on the side of the bed closest to the door, while Sam went around to the other side. They both kicked off their shoes and laid on top of the covers fully clothed. Just the closeness of his big brother eased Sam's mind enough that he drifted to sleep. Dean lay there listening to Sam's slow steady breathing wondering if any of them would be alive this time tomorrow. He closed his eyes and let sleep sneak in, willing himself to rest. If this was their last night on earth, he wanted to spend it with his brother near by.

The next day dawned warm and clear. Team Free Will piled into the Impala and headed for the coordinates agreed to. Gadreel and Castiel would create a diversion and go after his grace and Dean and Sam would go after Metatron.

"Sam, before we go in, I want to tell you something." Dean said as they waited at the door of the building.

"What?" Sam asked checking his watch.

"I wanted to tell you, I'm sorry and I forgive you." he said. Sam froze and looked at his brother seeing how serious he looked.

"Thank you." Sam whispered knowing it was now right between them.

"When we go in, stay out of my way. I want you behind Metatron as back up." Dean said holding his hand out for the blade.

"Dean are you sure? We can try another way." Sam questioned holding the blade.

"Sam, we finish this now, I know what I'm doing." Dean said putting a hand on his shoulder and taking the blade with the other.

As soon as the blade was in his hand, he felt the surge of power thru every fiber in his body. The mark glowed lightly as he became one with the blade. Sam watched fearfully as the blade changed his brother. Dean opened the door and slipped inside, followed by Sam. They split up as each became the hunter and warrior they were intended to be.

Yells were heard on the other side of the building as Cas and Gadreel started their part of the plan. Dean made his way thru the shadows looking for signs of Metatron. He hugged the wall as several angels ran down a hall ahead of him. He headed on down the hall and into a large room seeing a large desk. He scanned the room carefully looking for any threat.

"Dean, Dean" Metatron said walking out of the shadow to stand by the desk. "I assume that the commotion is your doing?"

"It ends today, your reign is over." Dean growled as the mark glowed burning red. He advanced toward Metatron blade ready.

"Now we can't have that." he said putting his hand up. Dean stopped, shook his head and took another step. Metatron frowned as he pushed harder. Blood began to drip from his nose as he fought thru the pain. He saw his brother sneaking up behind Metatron angel blade ready.

"You'll have to better than that." Dean coughed blood trying to keep Metatron's attention on him.

"Look out!" Gadreel yelled to Castiel as an angel tried to attack him. Gadreel used his angel blade and stopped him. "Your grace, hurry." he called to Castiel as they ran for the next room. In the middle of the room, on a table under a glass case was Castiel's grace shining brightly.

As they made their way toward it, they were jumped by guards. Castiel was wrestled to the ground and Gadreel was stabbed in the side. He threw the attacker off and fell toward the table knocking the case over and picking up the vial holding the grace.

"Castiel!" Gadreel screamed as he threw the vital to the ground at Castiel's feet. A bright burst of blinding light filled the room as Castiel embraced his grace taking it back. Standing his full height, he healed his body and threw the last guard to the corner. Gadreel looked up at him from the floor as he held his side. Castiel leaned down and touched his forehead helping Gadreel heal himself.

"We must help the brothers." he said pulling him up. "They're in trouble."

Sam stabbed down with all his might into the back of Metatron. The angel grunted in pain and turned using his power to toss Sam across the room into a stone pillar. His body crumbled to the ground as blood began to drip out of his mouth. The breaking of bones rang on Dean's ears causing total release of his power.

"NO!" Dean yelled making one more surge reaching Metatron as he turned back toward him. He stabbed him in the heart with the first blade. His smirk turned into total shock as he looked down at the blade sticking out of his chest. In one last effort he grabbed Dean tossing him near his brother as his life light drained out of him leaving a dead body.

Dean pulled his broken body toward Sam, as Sam tried to move his head to find Dean. He caught sight of his brother and with the last of his strength he reached out his bloody hand to grasp his brother's hand. Dean felt the grip and held tight as he saw the life force leave his brother and laid his head down on the cold floor not fighting the need to follow his brother.

Sam and Dean slowly woke in a white room. They stood up and looked around with surprise on their faces.

"Welcome home my wayward sons, your time is over, you have done good. You can come home now." a soft, gently, male voice said as a door appeared in a wall in front of them. It slowly began to open letting a warm, peaceful glow wash over them filling them with peace, happiness and love. Without hesitation, they walked thru the door.

Jodie waited twenty-four hours and didn't hear from the brothers. She had a friend take her to the location and found the Impala sitting in the sun shining in all her glory. Jodie ran a hand over the top of the car as she lets the tears fall.

The End.