Chapter 39

There were many things Addy never expected from life. One was her mother trying to kill her. Another was being able to fall in love despite the destiny she was given. A big one was being able to escape death but sitting across from Death himself casually eating pizza and surrounded by dead pizzeria staff members had a good shot at being number one on the list.

"Thanks for returning that," Death said, referring to the scythe he had taken from Dean and with it their last hope," The pizza's delicious. Took you long enough to find me. I've been wanting to talk to you."

Addy gulped and glanced at Dean who kept his eyes on Death, "I got to say I have mixed feelings about that. So is this the part where...where you kill us? Because please you can do what you want with me but let her-"

"You have an inflated sense of your importance. To a thing like me, a thing like you, well...Think how you'd feel if a bacterium sat at your table and started to get snarky. This is one little planet in one tiny solar system in a galaxy that's barely out of its diapers. I'm old. Very old. So I invite you to contemplate how insignificant I find you," he gestured to the pizza," Eat."

Addy shared an equal parts terrified and curious look with Dean as both of them took a slice of pizza. Dean took a bite but Addy put hers down, unable to eat with so many thoughts in her head.

"Good, isn't it?" he asked and noticed Addy's reluctance, "I'm sorry are you not hungry?"

"No," she said simply and Death stared at her as she stared back.

"I have to say I expected much, much less from Lilith's doppelganger," he said, wiping his mouth politely, "Lucifer is a fool to think you will be his obedient plaything."

"Um…thank you," she said with a frown.

"Don't get me wrong you're just as perceptible to evil," he said and she looked down, "but you won't be taking that route anytime soon. You are much stronger than Lilith was. I have to say out of all the ancestors of yours I have ever known I find you and your story the most…respectable. I almost think of it as an honor to sit with you."

"What happened to how insignificant you find us?" she asked as he took another bite of his pizza.

"I said almost, "was his reply and she smiled just a little at his sense of humor.

"If you've known all of my ancestors I have to ask. How old are you?"

"As old as God. Maybe older. Neither of us can remember anymore. Life, death, chicken, egg. Regardless at the end, I'll reap him, too."

"God? You'll reap God?" Dean asked in shock.

"Oh, yes. God will die, too, Dean," he said casually.

"Well, this is way above our pay grade," Dean replied.

"No shit," Addy mumbled.

"Just a bit."

"So, then why are we still breathing, sitting here with you? What do you want?" Dean asked carefully.

"The leash around my neck off. Lucifer has me bound to him. Some unseemly little spell. He has me where he wants, when he wants. That's why I couldn't go to you. I had to wait for you to catch up. He made me his weapon. Hurricanes, floods, raising the dead. I'm more powerful than you can process, and I'm enslaved to a bratty child with a temper tantrum."

"Well that's an amusing way to put it but what can we do?" Addy asked.

"Do you think we can unbind you?" Dean asked.

Death scoffed, "There's your ridiculous bravado again. Of course you can't. But you can help me take the bullets out of Lucifer's gun. I understand you want this. "

Death held up his pale hand, his ring in plain sight.

"Yeah," Dean answered.

"I'm inclined to give it to you."

"Give," Addy repeated, "As in you'll just let us have it."

"That's what I said."

"But what about-" Dean began.

"Chicago?" Death finished, "I suppose it can stay. I like the pizza. There are conditions."

"Okay," Dean agreed hastily almost as if the horsemen would change his mind, "Like?"

"You have to do whatever it takes to put Lucifer in his cell."

"Of course."

"Whatever it takes," Death repeated and that's when Addy understood his meaning.

"That's the plan," Dean said, still not catching on.

"Dean he means Sam," she whispered without looking at him.

"Precisely," Death said, "He's the one that can stop Lucifer. The only one."

"What you think-" Dean began but once again he wasn't finished.

"I know," he said sternly, looking between them, "So, I need a promise. You're going to let him jump right into that fiery pit."

"There has to be another way. You're Death. You have to-"

"I am telling you there is no other way. I really am truly sorry," he said sincerely and she looked down.

"No," Addy said, looking back up with fiery eyes, "Sam's not doing it."

"Adriana with all due delicacy to this situation…I'm not asking you," he said and turned his gaze from her to Dean, "Well, do I have your word?"

Addy looked to Dean shaking her head as he didn't meet her eyes and said, "Okay, yeah. Yes."

She stared at him as if he'd just slapped her in the face.

"That had better be yes, Dean. You know you can't cheat death," he said with a hidden threat behind his words, "Now, would you like the instruction manual?"

After that she didn't hear anything else. She completely tuned out and shut herself down as everything that had to be done came rushing to her. After all they'd done to get here, the planning, the plotting, the pain, the death, the loss and it had to end this way. Sam was going to say yes…and then he was going to die.

SUPERNATURAL

Bobby handed Dean a beer as he took a seat across from him in the garage.

"Check it out," he said, holding up the linked horsemen rings.

"So death told you how to operate those? The whole deal?"

He nodded, "Yeah. It's nuts. Of course, I got bigger problems now."

"Like?" the older hunter asked as he took a sip of his drink.

" What do you think Death does to people who lie to his face?"

"Nothing good," Bobby replied, "but I'll tell you something else. Death comes for you and you got Addy by your side you'll be fine."

"Yeah," Dean said half heartedly.

"What'd you say to him?"

"That I was cool with Sam driving the bus on the whole Lucifer plan," he confessed.

"So Death thinks Sam ought to say yes, huh?"

"I don't know. Yeah. But, I mean, of course he'd say that. He works for Lucifer."

" Against his will," Bobby reasoned.

"Well, I'd say, take his sob story with a fat grain of salt. I mean, he is Death."

" Exactly. He's Death. Think of the kind of bird's-eye view."

"Seriosuly?" Dean questioned.

"I'm just saying-"

"Well, don't. I mean, what happened to you being against this?"

"Look, I'm not saying Sam ain't an ass-full of character defects. But..." Bobby trailed off, unsure how to continue.

"But what?" Dean asked.

"Back at Niveus? I watched that kid pull one civilian out after another. Must have saved 10 people. Never stopped. Never slowed down. We're hard on him, Dean. We've always been. But in the meantime he's been running into burning buildings since he was, what, 12?"

"Pretty much," Dean answered, unwilling to face what he knew was the truth.

" Look, Sam's got a Darkness in him. I'm not saying he don't. But he's got a hell of a lot of good in him, too."

"I know," Dean admitted.

"Then you know Sam will beat the devil or die trying. That's the best we could ask for. So I got to ask, Dean. What exactly are you afraid of? Losing?" he began and Dean knew what he was going to finish with," Or losing your brother?"

Dean looked up to see Addy in the doorway and he met her eyes. Bobby looked over his shoulder and wordlessly understood they needed to be alone. He got up and walked past her, putting a hand to her shoulder in comfort.

"Still pissed at me?" Dean asked chugging the rest of his drink without looking at her.

"I'm always pissed at you…but not for this," she said, leaning against the doorframe, "This isn't on you and if you could stop this I know you would."

"What am I supposed to do?" he asked pleadingly, his eyes still on his beer.

She swallowed hard, "I wish I knew."

"Addy," he said simply.

"Yeah," she replied.

He finally looked to her with sad, broken eyes, "I need you."

She walked to him and wrapped her arms around him, his head against her heart. He gripped her waist as she kissed the top of his head.

"I'm sorry, Dean," she whispered, "I'm so sorry."

"I can't do this," he confessed, "I can't let Sammy go."

"I know," she said not knowing anything else to say as her own tears fell into his hair, "I know."