The last update got the fic over 340 views in one day. Guys. Guys, that's amazing for this thing. I love you all so much and thanks again for the reviews.

I have been greatly looking forward to this chapter since I started writing this. I do hope you enjoy it, too.

"I'll see you soon?"

Catherine slowed her speed and dared to glance behind her. This was stupid. This was so ridiculously stupid. He never wanted to split up. How did it suddenly begin to sound like a good idea when two archangels were after them?

She remembered what he tried to do at that hotel when they fought against the torrent of ghosts, but pushed the thought from her mind. Stupid, yes, but melodramatic was something that Balthazar was not. He promised it would be okay and he told her that they would meet up soon. He told her like an adult tells a child when they're all about to die, but she pushed that from her mind, too. It would be okay... and he wasn't stupid enough to act like a sacrificial knight or something. Not for a human that was there and gone again in the blink of an eye to someone so ancient. It had to be okay.

So, Catherine kept running for a little while more, forcing herself to trust him and not turn back, but a sound – a flourish of large wings – startled her into stopping completely. Cat tried to calm her breathing, but she could hear her heart beating so loud that it really didn't matter. Her eyes darted around through the darkness until they landed on a young man, younger than her, who wasn't standing there a moment ago.

"Hello, Catherine."

Balthazar stared at Lucifer, not daring to move or breathe. This was his goal, after all. Of course they would come for an angel so close by. Yet, as the silence wore on between them and the archangel pushed away from the tree, he realized that he never heard the sound of wings. Michael had yet to follow.

Lucifer slowly walked closer, rubbing his chin. "Wow," he breathed, voice rough as gravel, "The years have not been good to you, little brother. Your grace is weak, your wings are shredded, and you're running around with a human? You never liked them." He stopped about a foot away from the other angel and crossed his arms, as if looking for an explanation.

Balthazar just watched him closely and didn't even try to act lighthearted and friendly. It didn't work the last time he was in a dire situation; it certainly wasn't going to work this time. Instead, he chose to answer his brother, which was likely a wise choice. "I still don't like them."

"I've met a lot of people," the elder replied, shaking his finger to the younger one with a tiny smirk, "and you are still one of the worst liars I have ever seen." Balthazar didn't speak up, so Lucifer just tucked his arm away again. "I wouldn't worry, honestly. You can still save her life if you really wanted to, but I do hope you realized that acting all heroic wasn't going to be enough."

Answering the archangel was better than nothing, but lying to him? Balthazar knew he could see right through others, so it was best to try being honest this time. "She's not a part of this. It's my fault she's here at all, and she's weak. Ignorant of most of our abilities."

Lucifer just nodded back, making the younger catch the hint and stop talking. "You done?" the devil asked sarcastically. "You care about her. That makes her a part of this."

Yes, that was clue enough. The angel clenched his jaw, but didn't say anything for a moment. Lucifer watched him expectantly, tilting his head back slightly in wait with the same little smirk. Balthazar clenched his fist and relaxed his arm once- twice before finally asking, "What do you want?"

There it was. He could hardly contain a grin, but contain it he did. "You really have changed for the worst, little brother," he mocked, but wiped at his hands and moved a little closer, "but let's talk business. My demons are scattered. The angels are weak. I mean, we could still fight it out, but the whole thing won't really have that apocalyptic swing about it, you know? A war needs soldiers, but since there don't really seem to be any, we're going to have to make do with what we have." Balthazar still didn't speak during the pause, so he continued. "The only way to make this work is if we both have enough power to equal the armies of Heaven and Hell. It works out, doesn't it?"

"Why do you insist on taking the world with you?" Balthazar asked in a moment of courage and anger. "Why not just stab each other and get it done with? For pity's sake."

Satan's eyes flashed, but he didn't move. "Do you really think you're in a position to talk to me that way?" The other went quiet again and Lucifer waited for any further outburst, but there was only silence. "It's the apocalypse, Balthazar. It needs to be apocalyptic. We missed the schedule, so we might as well do a good job."

He paused again in his speech, not really surprised when the younger angel spoke up once more. "There doesn't seem to be a lot of incentive for me if you're going to destroy it all, anyway."

"There is. I promise." Lucifer gave him another soft smile. "You haven't even heard my terms yet."

Balthazar ground his teeth, trying very hard to stop himself from saying something that his brother would consider rude. He clenched his fist and relaxed another time, just opting to wait in silence.

Finally, Lucifer took a deep breath. "I want your grace, as structurally unsound as it is," he finally said. "Really, it's not even because I want it, but if I don't get it, then Michael will and then he'll be one step ahead me. I can't really have that." The angel just looked shocked, but still didn't say anything. The other shifted in place. "Right, my terms. Give me your grace, so that maybe I can get a little bit of strength out of the thing and I'll let her live for the next few months until the big fight. If you don't give it to me, then I'll just take it and drag her happy ass straight to Hell. She must be stubborn if she's been putting up with you and I'll need something to clear my head once everything's said and done."

Balthazar just stared at him for a long moment in shock and confusion. His grace? Again? Is that all these people wanted? "You really expect me to believe that I'll live to see you hold up your end of this fool's bargain?"

"Oh, no, no." Lucifer waved his hand shook his head. "Either way, you're dead. It all depends on her right now. You have to admit, it is a good deal." The angel just stared at him in disbelief again. "You should make up your mind quick. In case you haven't noticed, our dear big brother isn't here. I'm to assume that you're on a time limit."

For the first time, Balthazar looked away from Lucifer to glance through the trees. A beat of silence passed in which he couldn't see anything, so he slowly looked back to the archangel who had his arms crossed again, waiting patiently. He turned away again. There was at least a point here. He didn't have much time at all to decide on a choice and trying to do something different to save both of them would not turn out well. The choice was obvious, but aiding in the apocalypse and dying all in one fell swoop was not pleasing to the ear. Still... the choice was obvious and Balthazar, filled with terror, looked back up to his brother again.

The edge of Lucifer's lips twisted up for a brief moment, until they both heard the sound of wings and he frowned again. Balthazar's frightened eyes glanced over his brother's shoulder and Satan very nearly growled until-

"Bargaining with the lives of lovers is so sixteenth century, Lucy."

Correcting the statement was the last thing on Balthazar's mind as the one in question slowly turned around to face the new speaker. "Gabriel." He muttered the name beneath his breath and just took the moment to look his brother over, noting the drawn sword. "The fall wasn't very good to you either, I see."

"Neither was getting stabbed through the heart, you dick." There was no smile on Gabriel's face or in his voice as he spoke. He was completely serious this time, not that he could be blamed for it. While his wings were torn apart, they weren't nearly as bad off as most angels that had fallen, at least giving him the advantage of traveling short distances. It helped in getting ahead of the Winchesters, but they weren't going to be able to help now. Instead, Gabriel gripped his sword and motioned his head to the east, his eyes not leaving Satan. "Go get your girlfriend, Balthy. I got this."

Lucifer raised his hand. "No, Balthy," he mimicked, "Don't go."

"You have more to worry about now than just one angel's grace," Gabriel spoke up angrily and tilted his head to the younger angel again. "Go."

Lucifer lowered his hand to look at his brother in disbelief. It still took another moment before Balthazar did as told and began to run back the way he came. They waited in silence until he was well out of earshot before the devil talked again. "Do you realize how valuable your own grace is right now, brother?"

"Shut up," he growled back, hefting the short sword in front of him.

It wasn't that he was too far away to see Michael or that he was too weak. The archangel was hiding from sight, making finding his location impossible. What was worse was that he couldn't see Catherine's soul in all of this, which actually did attribute to him being too weak.

Balthazar ran through the trees, not really sure if he was going so fast because he wanted to get to her or to get away from them. Gabriel wasn't a match for Lucifer last time, but-

He eventually slowed, realizing that he should have spotted at least a glimpse of her soul by now. He had gone too far for too long, unless she left the wood entirely. With Michael around, he doubted that was the case. Then why couldn't he find her soul and why was the archangel hiding? Balthazar tried to swallow, the throat of his vessel having gone dry. He would have known if the worst had happened. He would have known somehow. She was too important, too special.

He continued moving again, but slower this time, listening to the world around him. Nature was still silent, still reeling from the overwhelming presence of all of these creatures in one area. It wouldn't be hard to hear a human... one would think.

His footfalls slowed again as he did begin to hear something through the trees, knowing he was close. Slowly, he changed his direction from east to north and listened harder for more sounds, eyes slowly closing as he allowed his senses to guide him. A light wind passing through the trees. The short rustle of dead leaves and grass shifting on the forest bed. Then the sound he had first heard, an intake of air, but this one was immediately followed by a very low choked sob.

Balthazar's eyes opened and he was running again. As much as he desperately wanted to call out to her, he knew that she was close and attracting possible unwanted attention would do no one any favors. So, he ran – practically flew – to the sound, but was forced to drive himself to a halt when a wall of flames suddenly rose before him.

The fire quickly died down to the height of his knees as he realized that it was no wall but a ring completely circling around him. Holy Fire. A trap. Balthazar looked up with the complete assumption that he would see his brother, but instead finally found Catherine. She laid on her back, hardly a foot away from him, with one arm gripping tightly across her abdomen and the other clawing into the already marred earth. She was covered in blood and he couldn't tell where the wounds started on her abdomen and arms or where they ended, but as much blood as there was pooling around her, she was still alive. So much so, that she twisted her head around far enough to catch sight of the flames licking the air.

Michael appeared between them, hands folded in front of him as he stood straight and tall, but it still took the other angel a moment to even glance to him. "Hello, Balthazar," he addressed his brother, but frowned at the hated and shocked look he was receiving. Michael glanced to his side at the human before looking back. "To my credit, if she had screamed like I had told her to, this wouldn't have had to go as far as it did... But here we are, anyway."

Catherine choked, blood pouring from the edges of her lips. She wouldn't look up to him – it was hard to see anything through the darkness except for the fire – but her hands still clenched for want of an archangel's neck. Less than a moment ago, the pain and will to keep quiet had stopped her from focusing on the rest of the world. Now it was the only thing distracting her. She didn't know what Michael had wanted Balthazar for, but it was nothing good. Yet he was here now, having not completely abandoned her like she had begun to think and secretly hoped for, so she waited for things to just run their course and get it over with.

"I see Gabriel's arrived," Michael spoke while waiting for Balthazar to calm down a bit and gain his senses. "I'm sure Raphael isn't too far away, as well. That's good. They can be useful." The trapped angel calmed enough, but still didn't speak. Right, well... he continued. "I'm sure Lucifer's filled you in. He does love to talk."

"Is this what you do now, Michael?" he finally spoke up. "Torture humans for your own selfish gain? Let her go."

"Selfish?" The other looked shocked by such an accusation for a moment. "This is for peace on Earth. Peace in Heaven. I will do what I have to for those goals to be met, you know that. Or have you enjoyed watching the world plunge into chaos? Seeing our brothers fall from our home? Watching them be slaughtered like animals? I will not let her go."

Michael waited, but no remark came. It looked like Balthazar was getting tired of all this, so he cut to the chase. "Give me your grace and I'll heal her- let her live," he offered, "Don't give it to me and, well, I'll continue what I was doing earlier. I won't kill her yet... I won't kill you no matter what you decide. If you choose to not give me your grace, I'll even let you go. I'd prefer no more angels die."

Catherine tried to look at the angels again, tried to focus on the two of them, but to no real avail. His grace? That's what this was about? That didn't even make sense. Worst of all, Balthazar was still silent and she couldn't see his features, not that she could tell on a normal day what he was thinking. Breathing alone had become a chore, but she tried to not make any sounds while he made a decision. It shouldn't be that hard.

Balthazar, on the other hand, glared back to his eldest brother for a long minute until he finally spoke, or growled rather. "You've spent far too long in Hell, Michael."

"No thanks to you, so I've heard," the other responded just as coolly as he had been the whole time. "Instead of waiting until after the war, I could choose to exact your punishment here, but I won't. I don't believe in forcing others to suffer for the crimes of the insubordinate, even if they are human. Consider this getting off lucky."

Something on this scale was certainly not unheard of by Michael, but it still felt wrong to go through this anyway. Balthazar continued to glare at him, but it was literally the only thing he could do about it. He could leave, of course, and try to hide from Lucifer, but they both knew who had won. Losing his grace wasn't something that... he had ever wanted to do by any stretch of the imagination. This called for losing more than just a part of himself, but while he was in the middle of thinking out the outcome, he had already reached out his hand to the edge of the ring. "Take it."

Catherine immediately shifted, reminding herself that moving right now was still incredibly painful. She bit the inside of her cheek as hard as she could, not for the first time that night, to stifle a pained whine, but she finally managed to at least choke out something. "No." She hoped he could understand or even hear her speak, if she was managing to speak at all and it wasn't just some hallucination. But he did hear and Balthazar's eyes glanced down to her in surprise, though she couldn't see it. After a breath of air that scraped against her raw throat, she tried speaking a little louder and clearer this time to no real avail. "No. Don't. Just-"

Her words were broken off by a scream, her body going into convulsions.

The archangel watched her tiredly, softly chiding beneath his breath. "Shhhh."

"Michael!" Balthazar yelled to his brother, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears.

"The adults are talking," he continued to mutter.

"Michael!" Finally, the archangel looked back to the other and Catherine's screams died down to sobs then silence as her eyes glazed over, body still twitching in convulsions, but unmoving. Her soul was still there, though, so Balthazar hardly wasted a second glance to her. "You can have it! Just take it!"

She couldn't even see the fire now, but she could still hear him. Her lips moved slightly, but it was the only objection she could manage anymore before slipping away to unconsciousness. A sign that the archangel no longer needed her.

The Holy Fire finally died down around him, but he still hesitated for a moment. Balthazar had no way of killing or harming Michael, but the urge to slam his fist through the archangel's chin was still quite strong. Instead, he jerked his hand out as the other took his sweet time approaching before clasping their arms together.

It took a moment before a white glow began rising from the lesser angel, slowly lighting up the surrounding area. With reluctance, Balthazar gripped his brother's arm harder and lightly tilted his head back to open his mouth, the bright white smoke quickly pouring forth. Michael took it in with one deep breath, but the power still flowing between their arms was too much to let go of right then. The grace was weak and wounded, so every ounce of power he could get was worth digging away despite how painful it probably was for the other. Eventually, the light began to die down, but Michael still didn't let go even after Balthazar fell to his knees. He allowed their arms to finally slip away from each other as the former angel fell to the ground.

Michael looked to his hand and then up to the trees to see Lucifer standing there in anger. Neither spoke a word until, at length, they both vanished.

The sky had started to change hues and the wildlife was finally beginning to roam the forest again when something finally shoved against the unconscious man's arm.

"Bal." Catherine's voice was still weak and raw, but Michael had more or less healed all of her major wounds. Still, she practically had to drag herself to get beside Balthazar when all she wanted to do was sleep. But her angel never slept. Cat flipped him over on to his back and shook him harder, voice more desperate this time. "Balthazar." He still hadn't moved and she was getting increasingly closer to slapping him. "Wake up! Balthazar!"

He jolted from her scream, but only frowned and moaned once he was awake. The pain was not nearly as intense as he remembered, but there was definitely a wound there, leaving him to feel only a deep chasm of void running through his body... His very heavy, weary, aching and cold body. After a few breaths of the rich air, he became aware of something touching him and he finally opened his eyes.

The world had changed. The stars were dimly lit in the sky above and he suddenly felt very claustrophobic and blind, but other things – more colors, deeper textures – were rich and vibrant as if he were seeing them for the first time. Then he looked to Catherine, immediately startled that he could no longer see the remnants of her bright soul, but he could see her body, face, eyes even more clearly than before. She was crying and, for a moment, looked as if she was going to lash out in anger, but her eyes closed and he couldn't read this different emotion.

Catherine slowly bowed down until her head found his chest and she stayed there, lightly shaking. Balthazar just watched her – skin and clothes still speckled with dead leaves and dried blood – before looking up to the brilliant sky again, his hand finding the back of her head and tangling into her hair.

Yep.

This chapter is significantly longer than the others, but it was totally needed and worth it. So, yes, feel free to send in all of your thoughts. At least the worst is over! For now. Also, next chapter might be a little bit later as I have an essay due, but we'll find out.

Happy Early Valentine's. :)

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