They step into the other side. Lucifer and Michael, and Sam and Adam. The tear in the cage could lead to somewhere, anywhere. It's not like they expected it to lead to earth.

"Lucifer?" Michael whispers. He could feel the air around him writhe. Adam nudged against his grace, calming the fire.

"Michael!" Lucifer finds them. He is bright, burning so bright and cold. The Morning Star. The Light bringer. Lucifer is glowing, and Michael is reminded of a time when they were young. The younger Angels avoided Michael, and even the Seraphs and Dominions were afraid to approach Michael, for he is vast and ancient and powerful. But they swarmed, oh they swarmed to Lucifer, so bright, too bright. The brightest ones always falls first.

"Where are we, Michael?!" Lucifer clutched at Michael's shoulders. Michael shakes his head. Adam's soul shivers against his grace. Agitated. He prods at the soul. Are you all right? What do you think? Adam snaps back, unnerved. Something is swarming against them, Michael realized. Something so pure and dark. It pulsed against his grace, and he could feel a dull itch against him. No wonder Adam is so irritated.

Lucifer? Sam asks from Lucifer's mind, soul nestled against his grace.

Sam? Lucifer answers, giddy with the feeling of connection to his true vessel.

Where are we?! Sam panics. Lucifer has a hold against him, the Devil's grace burning cold against him, against his soul. The worst thing is that it feels good. It feels right when it should feel wrong. Sam wants that feeling gone. Not on Earth! Lucifer tries to calm the soul inside him down.

Sam! Calm down!

"Get out!" Sam screams.

Lucifer rips apart at the voice, grace tearing away from the body. Michael jumps away at the bright streak of light, desperately trying to calm Adam's soul down.

"Get out." Sam whispers. "Lucifer?" He asks. Sam is slammed back into his own body, a slight coolness underneath his skin all there is left of Lucifer's presence. The fallen Angel was gone.

"What did you do to my brother!" Michael has Sam by his neck again.

"I can't feel him!"

"What do you mean you can't feel him?!" Sam panics a little. He only wanted Lucifer out of his body, not completely gone.

"He is..." Michael steps away, reaching out with his grace. There is only piercing blackness, and whispers of ancient evils here in this in-between world. No sign of Lucifer, except for an echo of grace within Sam. His brother is gone.

"Gone." Michael whispers. Michael? Michael! Adam reaches out for him, in his mind.

He is gone. Michael tells Adam. He just found his brother again, and now he is gone, and Michael can feel his wrath bubbling, burning, threatening to boil over. Michael always have a rather short temper. Adam whimpers a little, Michael's grace burning imprints into his soul.

Michael, stop! He reaches out. Michael burns like fire, too hot, too bright. The Archangel keeps his power in check for Adam, too not burn him out- now? He is too angry to even notice Adam. That hurt, because Adam loves, yeah, loves that bastard with a capital L. The world swims above his eyes, and everything hurts. It hurt even more than the time when he got eaten alive. This is like fire trying to eat through every sense of his being, right through Adam's existence.

He carves into Michael's grace with whatever this feeling is. He lets go when he cannot hold on anymore. Michael stops halfway through his tirade. Something is wrong.

"Adam?" He whispers. No answer. Michael reaches in with his grace. "Adam!"

Adam's soul is gone. Not gone. Burnt out. Nothing left but a small imprint on his grace. Words. A thought. A feeling. He could make out words. Love. Adam said he loves Michael. Michael screams, rage and fear and frustration.

"What happened to Adam?!" Sam runs to catch up with Michael. Adam is his little brother. Sam pulled him in. Sam is responsible for what happens to him.

"He is gone."

"Like, Lucifer gone?" Sam asks, guilt settling in his stomach. What if he managed to fling Adam along with Lucifer? What if Adam is left alone with Lucifer?

Michael shakes his head.

"No." He looks up, face frighteningly blank.

"He is gone. Burnt out."

"What did you do to him?!"

"I don't- I did not mean to." Michael thinks out loud. It does not matter. Adam is gone. And the foolish human loves him. Loved him. There is an ache in his chest. He reaches out with his grace. Nothing left, except for the hole in his mind and the word seared into his heart. His human loved him, Michael thought. Love. For all eternity all the love Michael knew of was the love for his father and brother. This is something more, and he burnt it all away.

"He's gone." Michael says, and Sam understands. That does not mean he accepts it. Winchesters do not accept death easily.

"Find him, then!" Sam pulls Michael up by his collar. "I help you find your brother- you help me find mine!"

"It's not that easy!" Michael shouts back. "I destroyed his soul! I cannot bring him back from that!"

"Then try. At least you have to try. Adam deserves that."

"I know." Michael nods. "He deserves more than what I can give. But I need to be at full power to even attempt to do so." Sam frowns.

"Full power?"

"I will need a vessel. One that is stronger than Adam." Sam understood. Michael's true vessel is Dean, but Dean is not here. They are of the same blood, and the next best thing here is Sam.

"You want me to say yes to you."

"Yes. Then I will find Lucifer, and save Adam, and I will return your body to you." At Sam's doubtful look Michael adds a grace oath. He preferred to be with Adam, but this is the only way they can find their lost brothers. He cradles the small echo of Adam's soul, weaving it into his grace.

Using Sam Winchester as a vessel felt strange, like he is wearing another's skin. When he united with Adam it was like wearing clothing a size too small. With Sam it is like wearing a strangers clothing. But they are so much more than just vessels. Michael moves to pick up Adam's body, so light and empty without Adam's soul or Michael's grace. He kisses his forehead and swears that he will bring him back.

A sharp scream pierces the void, assaulting Michael's senses. An Angel's true voice. In pain.

"Lucifer!"