February, 1st 2014

I don't own any of the characters, CW and Eric Kripke do!

Beta for this Chapter: Ashqtara

A/N: Hey there my loyal readers :)

Guys, this chapter may be what you've been waiting for ;P Also, Fanfiction insider joke ahead ;D

Yes, these three people below are the only ones who wrote a review D: I'm really sad, guys, if you don't like what I did you can just tell me ;_;

I don't bite, I promise!

...

Ky111: Yeah, I loved Crowley and Dean together, it was a sass fight till the end *grins*

LegendaryArimaspi: Yep, that's why. And as I answered you, don't worry. It's all gonna be there later :) Just read on!

thenick10841: Aww, thank you so much! 8D I hope you'll like this one as well! :3

Now please enjoy :3

Chapter 12

Hey young blood
Doesn't it feel
Like our time is running out

"No…" he breathed, letting go of Sammy. But his brother wasn't fighting anymore. He was staring at Crowley, then at Dean, his face as white as Dean's felt.

"What? What is it?", Abby asked. Lisa nodded, apparently the same question on her lips. Dean shook his head, indicating that they could talk about this later.

"We have to stop him." He urged. Suddenly, his heart was hammering against his chest. But he had already changed the future, right? Things were different. He couldn't let the illness spread. No, not like this, it couldn't end like this. If he didn't stop it, the future he saw….Sammy… he shot his brother a panicked glance, holding the gaze of hazel that met his and increased to be more worried by the second. Crowley narrowed his eyes at him, as if trying to read what he was so panicked about. He hated that bastard more by the second, especially while seeing his true face behind that mask.

"Dean? Dean, are you okay? Calm down, breathe." A soft voice was suddenly there, stroking his back and whispering soothingly. Lisa. God, why was she still here? This all had to scare her to the bones. But she had her hand on his arm now, the other one on his back and somehow, she seemed to get through this discussion better than he was. Then again, she hadn't seen that future. She was probably dead in that future. Well, that wasn't going to happen. That, and Sammy certainly was not saying yes in Detroit. Determination filled him and he took a deep breath, driving his beating heart to slow down.

"Okay. What's the plan?" he said, standing up straight. Sam still seemed worried, but he turned back to the demon.

"Well, that's your issue. I'm not going up against that bastard. There's demons there. That's dangerous." He coughed. "I…may have been traced back to that incident with the colt. Now all of hell is after me so, thank you but no thank you. I'm providing information. Then I'm leaving." He hesitated, then gestured at Dean. Or more than just him, as probably just Dean understood.

"And I would prefer to be nowhere near you, anyway." He clarified, proving his earlier assumption about Crowley knowing. The older Winchester suppressed a sigh. Great. Make it even more obvious and I can give the memo to Sam as a gift card.

"Right back at ya.", he returned with a warning glare. Sam looked between them with a confused expression that was by now edged into his face, Abby and Lisa didn't look much different. But Crowley just glared at him, his eyes in slits.

"So, if you're so keen on leaving, what's the information?" Sam finally broke the silence and reluctantly, Crowley talked.

~.~.~.~

"Just promise me you'll be save." She whispered, still both arms around Dean, her eyes shot tight. The hunter squeezed her and nodded against her shoulder.

"I'll try. But you have to promise the same. Leave the sigils, check the salt lines and the devil's trap." He took a deep breath, now pulling away from her a bit. "I'm still really sorry I got you into this mess. Please, call me when something's not right, doesn't matter when and-"

"It's okay, Dean. We'll be fine." Lisa reassured him, hands stroking his cheek and his neck. She leaned in to kiss him and he returned the gesture, just short and gentle. Then she smiled and pulled away, letting Ben forward. Dean leaned down and gave him a hug too. No kiss on the lips of course, just a stroke through his hair and a grin, which he returned. He didn't say anything but the words of his mother suddenly floated through his head.

Angels are watching over you.

He shook it away. In this context, that would have a rather strange meaning. So he left the words hanging in his head, echoing there without having a positive meaning at all. But Michael had promised they would leave Lisa and Ben alone now. So the watching over was really just for their safety. He still didn't trust the angels though, leaving the sigils was just staying on the save side. One thing was bothering him: he could get in and out of the house fine. So when he really…why wasn't it working on him? Something was still extremely messed up here, something he wasn't getting behind.

The three of them finally left the Braeden's house, him, Sam and Abby. They had stayed only to formulate their plan but crossed out the few days of break in the favor of stopping Croatoan from spreading. Which was probably better, considering what Dean had seen of the possible future. Then again, Sam didn't know about that. And Dean didn't plan on telling him very soon. That future was done for anyway, right? Right?

He sighed while he got into the Impala. His baby purred when they were driving off, Sam chatting with Abby over his shoulder. Well, at least these two were getting along fine.

Crowley hadn't been sure if Pestilence was in town personally. His information had been about the Croatoan delivery only but he had insured them that if the laboratory was there, Pestilence couldn't be that far. Actually, it wasn't even that far from Cicero, only a couple of hours of driving to do. He had tried to call Cas again, tell him about the information but apparently, Cas hadn't been reachable. So he'd left a mailbox message with the brief coordinates, hoping the angel would get it and understand it. That had been yesterday evening and the guy still hadn't called back. Damn, he hoped he was alright. If any demon or enemy-angel had gotten to him in this state, he was screwed. And Dean tried to not think about the fact that indeed, that could be his fault. Cas had used that sigil thing on himself to fix his mistakes. And now he was suffering. One more thing on his plate, then.

After several hours of his rock collection and chatter about random stuff with Abby and Sam, they finally arrived at the warehouse. Another warehouse. He slowly began to really hate those. First Gabriel, then the Beautiful Room, now Pestilence…there was something that was just not good about these places. Outside of the city, far away from normal people, only employees around (maximum), perfect for evil doings. He got out of the car and slammed the door shut with the typical screeching noise, Sam and Abby did the same. They had thought about meeting up with Bobby for this, since it was more than just an easy job. But they had decided against it, considering Adam would be into it then, since Bobby didn't want to risk leaving him alone at his house, not knowing how long the sigils would hold against powerful angels or even archangels. And he couldn't very well lock Adam into the panic room either. So he had decided to further train their half-brother and just helped with the planning and research on the 'case'. Dean couldn't call anything a real case these days, since it was really all just about cleaning up this big mess that was the Apocalypse. What happened to hunting Wendigos? He had actually enjoyed those jobs sometimes, small tasks, just him and Sammy. But noo, of course it had to get complicated.

With a huff, he shut the trunk after getting out his shotgun.

"So, let's get this thing started." He said, Abby and Sam nodded at him, both with a serious expression on their faces. This wasn't a joke, Dean got that from the name of the damn illness. Or virus, or whatever it was. He didn't care. The only thing he knew was that he didn't want it to spread anywhere. He turned around and glanced at the warehouse. They had parked just out of view and Dean now scanned the surroundings and compared them to the map they had found over the internet. Looked about right.

"So, Croatoan. Sam explained to you what it is?" he asked Abby. The huntress nodded.

"Yep. Makes the infected lose everything that's human about them and gives them more strength and agility. They want to kill everything around them. Sounds like a zombie movie reject to me, really." She smiled and Dean huffed a little while Sam shook his head, trying to maintain serious.

"Damn right. And it spreads?"

"Through blood. So we stick to long range weapons and shoot everything that looks infected. You see it in the eyes." She gestured to her own dark brown orbs and Dean nodded. Wow, he was really warming up to her. He just hoped they weren't in over their heads here and something happened to her or Sammy. Though with demons, he only had to worry about them abducting Sam like the last time. But he had been almost dead there and he wasn't going to risk that again, couldn't go through that again if he could help it.

"So, we split up, take out as many demon guards as possible. You all got enough rock salt, iron and your exorcisms?" both of them nodded in a 'yes sir' gesture, short and efficient and Dean checked his mental list for more.

"Maybe you should teach us that exorcism you put on Baal?" Abby suddenly asked. Dean's eyes widened and he glared at her in a 'why the hell did you say that!?' manner. Immediately, she looked guilty.

"What do you mean, what exorcism? What was different about it? Dean?"

"Doesn't matter, Sammy. It was the normal one from Dad's journal. Abby must've heard wrong." He dared her to contradict but she just nodded. Until now he had been so glad that she had been playing for his side. But then again, that question was valid. After all, they could use an exorcism that wasn't taking ages to perform. It only took seconds to say that one sentence and it had been so much more effective…

"Then let's do this." He interrupted Sam, who had opened his mouth to protest further. Dean cut into his words by suddenly having his arms around his little brother, hugging him like he hadn't for a while.

"Be careful." He said and Sam seemed frozen under him, shocked. Dean knew that the sudden calmness inside him was probably fake and that the ability to relax probably wasn't of his own design but right now, he didn't care. Finally, Sammy squeezed back and Dean smiled, letting go.

"You too." Sam pressed out, his voice tight and suddenly tired.

Then the older Winchester walked away with his weapon in hand, and when he looked back, Sam was looking after him with an unreadable expression on his face, puppy dog eyes shining.

Dean smiled to himself. He had this feeling in his gut. The feeling that in this ware house, everything they ever knew would change.

And he wasn't sure if it was for better or worse.

~.~.~.~

"Please, Abby. You have to tell me. What did he say?" Sam asked for at least the tenth time in a row now.

"Like I said, I don't know! I didn't even know the language. But as soon as he finished one sentence, Baal was spitting his guts out." She paused, looked at Sam verily. "Besides, I don't think Dean wants to talk about it, maybe he doesn't even know what he did himself. It sure seemed like it. Baal was talking some shit about angel blood and how that was protecting him and he seemed like he didn't have a clue what the hell the demon was talking about. Believe me, I don't know more than you do."

"Angel blood…" Sam whispered. They were talking quietly while making their rounds in lookout for demon guards. So far, nothing. "but angels don't bleed. Only their vessels do." He breathed, deep in thought. He remembered all the times an angel had been hurt while he was present and tried to remember if there had been blood. Meaning not the blood from their vessels, 'cause that didn't count. Did angels bleed? That was actually a really good question. But it was beside the point here.

He knew that something was going on with Dean for some time now. It could be good or bad but there was something off, something Dean wasn't telling him. Something that gave him the ability to recite exorcisms in a language he didn't speak. Something that gave him knowledge beyond his reach in the attempt to find Sam and get him out of Lucifer's grasp. Something…Sam didn't want to think about. But it wasn't possible, just not possible. Surely Sam would have noticed, right?

And angel blood? Where the hell did that come from?

Okay, now his head was spinning.

"Sam! Over there." Abby was nudging his arm and pointing over to the warehouse. They were sitting in some bushes right now, having a better overview of the building without really being seen. There was indeed a guard. But was it a demon? One way to find out.

"You say Christo, I walk around and get him from behind with the knife." Sam explained. He looked around if there was anything the demon could use to alarm others. There was a button on the wall but he hoped that he could defeat the thing before he even had the chance to get there. Abby nodded. She stood up while Sam crouched to the side.

"Hey, you! Christo!" she half whispered, half shouted. The guard whirled around when Sam was already half way. The man was in his mid-40s and had black hair and a beard. His eyes gleamed black upon hearing the words. Sam was almost behind him.

Suddenly, everything spun out of control. From around a corner, another demon arrived. It noticed the commotion that was going on with two quick glances and even if Sam had managed to stab the first demon from behind, the second one was ringing the alarm bell before the hunter could even reach it. It was already too late when he sunk the demon knife into its side.

"Damnit." He growled when the alarm sounded and the building was obviously shutting down.

"Come on, we have to get inside." He yelled and Abby made a sprint for him. Together, they ran around the building as fast as they could, trying to outrun and dodge the demons that were now after them. At least they didn't know about Dean. One thing they had up their sleeve, at least. Dean should already be inside, Sam figured. So when they reached a giant doorway that was shutting down from above, slowly rolling down the security door, Sam and Abby rolled beneath it like professionals, only to find themselves at the feet of even more demons. They fought as best they could but these monsters were prepared now. There were three of them and they quickly overwhelmed them, even if Sam was able to kill one. He tried to fight the grip but felt his own blade at his neck, the demon grinned.

"Sam Winchester. What an honor." He snarled. Sam fought again but it was just no use, the demon was stronger. He threw curses at him but felt that they were moving now, being led into a certain direction.

"Well, it's really nice to see you and all, but would you just tell us where you hid your brother, mh? We know you practically never separate. And who's the nice little girl you brought?" the demon asked. They were walking around boxes of what appeared to be vaccine but was probably croatoan virus in a bottle. Great. Both demons were careful not to let their charges slip out. Abby tried to lash out.

"Nice little girl my ass." She grumbled. Then she stunned even Sam.

"I'm Dean." She said as if it was a grave confession. "A witch got to us and apparently she thought it was funny." Her voice was so serious and annoyed, an almost perfect imitation of Dean, Sam might have even bought it. The demon stared at her with wide eyes, maybe not sure if to laugh or tear her apart. He settled for the laughing, loud and clear, sounding over the still ringing alarm.

"Oh, really? Now that's just priceless. Deanne Winchester, huh? Oh, our master will be so delighted to see that." He was barely able to catch himself at the thought. Though if Sam was honest, the mere thought of Dean being a woman would crack him up for days, too. Fortunately, the demon didn't seem to be the smartest of the pack and his partner, the one holding Abby, wasn't much better, either. They were still dragging them along, boxes and boxes of vaccine piling up around them. Finally, they came to a kind of clearing.

"Look who we have here. The mighty Sam Winchester. Isn't this fantastic?" a voice sounded. There were at least five demons and, eyes black, being pretty obvious and confident, and driving maybe ten humans together, who were all staring at their eyes in horror. They were holding their arms or shoulders as if something had wounded them.

That was when Sam noticed the empty syringes on the floor.

"No.." he breathed, looking at those innocent people. Soon, they wouldn't know that they were innocent anymore. They would start slashing and killing without stopping until somebody put them down or they spread the virus on and on and on…

Dean hadn't wanted to talk about the future Zachariah showed him (hadn't even wanted to tell him he was send to the future at all). But on the way here, he had assured them that croatoan was the end game. That it was the final downfall of humanity. Making this the turning point. This encounter, in this very ware house, could decide the fate of all of them.

How the hell hadn't he realized this before. Suddenly his brother's show of affection made sense. Dean had figured it out long before him –which was strange enough. This was it. This could be it.

This could even be goodbye.

The heart of the younger Winchester was racing now. But no. He was being too over dramatic. Dean had been far calmer for some time now, more content, at ease. Another thing that was strange. Not that he didn't want that for his big brother. No, it was all he ever wished for him. But in the middle of this war, it was rather…strange to be this, well, collected.

Determination filled him and he shot Abby a glance. The demons that were holding them had driven their attention over to the humans. Sam had been surprised they hadn't been stripped off their weapons yet. Big mistake. Sam lashed out, targeting Abby's demon with his long legs. The huntress took her chance and threw the monster over her head, getting out the angel knife she got from Dean and slashing it deep into its heart. Sam chose that moment to turn the tides with his own demon, whirling him in front of him and slitting his throat with the demon knife. He grinned at Abby for the short lived victory, before the other demons attacked them in the next wave of opponents…

~.~.~.~

"What the hell?" Dean thought as the alarm went off. He'd been in the middle of the hall, successfully dodging (or killing) the demons that were watching the entrances. The boxes around him had been opened and he had tried to pour as much gasoline as he could all over them. As soon as they got that done and had the innocent people out of here, they could set the place aflame, ruining any chance of this vaccine getting out in the world. Crowley had ensured them that this was the only storage place, seeing as the laboratory which produced it was in this town. He damn well hoped that the demon was right with that, because this virus was really something he could live without, thank you very much.

What had Sammy done to pull off the alarm like that? They had hoped to get through this without alerting the demons to their presence. Well then that was out of the window now, huh?

"Dean?" a whisper behind him startled him. When he whirled around, he had the angel knife in his hands, being completely bewildered to have anybody be able to sneak up on him, especially with his new found hearing. He stood to his full height and had the knife at the throat of the newcomer.

He blinked, startled, when he found himself face to face with Cas.

"Cas? What the hell are you- did you make them pull the alarm?" he asked, suspicious. Cas was stepping away a bit now and Dean was looking him over. The angel looked completely beat. His trench coat hung from his shoulders and his normally half way decent suit was completely dirty and ruined.

"How did you even get here?" he asked, speaking quietly to not draw any attention to them. Cas shrugged.

"Took the bus and asked for a ride. Sorry I couldn't answer your call sooner."

"It's okay, Cas. It's fine. You're here now."

"Dean, I-" he interrupted himself, eyes suddenly going wide, all color drained from his already pale face, staring at him. Or behind him? Dean whirled around but there was nobody there.

"Cas, what-" when he was back to facing his friend, the angel was suddenly on the floor. No, on his knee. He was fucking bowing.

"Cas, what the hell are you doing? Get up!" he bellowed. It dawned on him what was happening here. But they didn't have time for this discussion. Not now. They had to find Sam and Abby.

"But-" Cas protested when he was dragged off the floor and back to his feet.

"No buts, we'll talk about this later. No time. Have to find Sam and Abby. Guess the demons might have gotten to them. You still have your sword?" he asked, frowning at the angel. Cas still seemed in the mood to protest, to talk about this, but finally let it go, nodding.

"Good. Let's go."

They crouched the rest of the way, hearing noises echoing through the ware house, voices, to be exact. Some were whispering, fearful whisper, sometimes screeching. Then there was the noise of fighting rising up, of blades clashing and Dean crouched faster.

The scene came into view and Dean almost did a double take. There were Sam and Abby, going up against far too many demons that were wearing blades as well as syringes as weapons. Oh no, they weren't going to do that. One of them was getting awfully close to Abby from behind while the huntress was still fighting another. Dean decided to be blunt and just threw his angel blade at the guy, impaling him right in the back. The demon fell to the ground, dead, and Dean ran over, pulling the knife and diving into the fight with the next one. Cas came up behind him but it almost wasn't necessary. Three hunters and the Ex-angel took care of the demons in record time, leaving them with the scared people from the middle and a few wasted syringes. Dean sighed. Oh no. Those poor souls….

"Who of you got infected with this stuff?" he asked, wanting to pick up a syringe. Sam held his wrist before he could touch it though.

"Dean! Don't just touch it!" he warned. Dean wanted to protest, say that he would be fine but he saw the fear in his brother's eyes and so he nodded, understanding.

"Alright. Who got pinched with it, mh?" he asked. From last time, he remembered the virus taking a while before it affected the humans. But they might have perfected it. It might only take minutes now. He was proven right when the first victim attacked him. Not in the normal I'm-afraid-of-the-strange-man-who-killed-all-the-other-men-and-I'm-gonna-make-my-attack-be-my-defence-way but in the croatoan way, like an animal, bold and bloody, using the teeth as a weapon as well as everything else. Another fight broke loose. Everybody was confused and Sam and Dean had a hard time finding out who the hell was infected and who wasn't. Finally, they decided to just wait a few minutes and let those go who didn't show any of the signs.

Finally, they moved on to the inside of the building. Well, the inside of the building that was next to the warehouse. Apparently, it had a miniature laboratory integrated. So they searched it, finding frightened professors under tables and harmless cleaning staff in the wardrobes, hiding from the alarm and the screams and the crazy people with black eyes that were running around with syringes. They all seemed clear so the hunters let them go.

Dean just cleared out another female professor hiding under her table, telling her that it was fine and she could run as far as she could, when he suddenly felt a wave of nausea running over him. The professor was just out the door, when Dean himself suddenly collapsed.

"Dean! Dean, do you also…oh, crap." Sam's voice sounded from the hall. He didn't sound so good himself. Dean stumbled back to his feet, barely being able to stand, and they both made their way down the hall, having to support each other along the way, trying to get back to the ware house.

"You think it's him?"

"What else would it be?" Sam countered to Dean's question. Of course. What else could hit them like a wall in the face, making them sick and throw up green goo in the middle of the hallway?

"We have to get back to Abby and Cas." Dean whispered. He just wasn't able to raise his voice more.

When they finally did get back, bleeding from the mouth and beaten by illnesses they hadn't even heard of before, their two companions were on the floor and there were demons all around in a circle, bodies cleaned up but blood still there. And the boxes. Oh yeah, the boxes were still there, too. Damn it. They should have just set fire to the damn hall, the rest of the people would have fled. But then they wouldn't have been able to check them over for the virus. He hated his life sometimes…

"Pestilence." Dean breathed heavily by now but he was better on his feet than Sam was and he was dragging his brother along without complaint, taking most of the sashquash's weight onto his own shoulders.

"Nice to finally meat you, Sam and Dean Winchester. I've already made friends with your two companions here. I'm afraid you all won't hold out much longer though. My presence is after all deadly poisonous." He gestured to Abby and Cas with a laugh, who were struggling to get up off the floor. Demons came over to the brothers, moving as if nothing affected them (which it probably didn't) and pulled them apart. Dean tried to hold onto Sam but he couldn't, his body too weak to function.

"Let them go, you bastard." Dean growled, fighting against the hold of the two demons behind him. "Your damn business is with me. Leave the others alone." He growled as deep as he could, trying to hold eye contact with the horseman. He couldn't believe he was actually here. The third horseman. Right in front of him. His eyes checked him over. The guy looked like a normal and kind doctor, except the expression didn't quite fit, seeing as his face was cruelly forced into a sadistic smile and the ring at his finger was glistering was a bit too much force. If he could only get over there…

"Dean, don't." Sam breathed, barely able to talk at all, sweat dripping down his face. But his gaze was pleading and he shook his head. Dean shouldn't take the blow for him again, he didn't want him to, couldn't let him. But he got Pestilence' attention. Good. Now he just had to get closer…

"Oh, don't even bother. Why would I have business with you of all people? Why would I even bother to be in any of your presence? I'm a horseman. You are just humans. You are nothing, you hear me, nothing." He laughed, pointing at every one of them. "The huntress over there, who's keeping a secret even she doesn't understand. The fallen angel. Aww, you poor thing, Castiel. But you are no threat any more. Then there's the vessels, the oh so glorious vessels. Weak in my presence! Laughable!" he grinned, coming a bit closer to the brothers but carefully keeping his distance. Thankfully, because Dean could feel the illness, the nausea getting stronger as the horseman approached. It was hopeless, everything was hopeless. They could never do it, never stand up against this horseman, let alone Death or Lucifer or any other hell knight they would summon. How were they supposed to do this, what hope was there? Right in this moment, none of them had any idea if they would even make it out of the warehouse. Though Dean had that nagging in his head for several days now. And he knew that he would have to answer it very soon.

Pestilence chuckled. He didn't say anything to them anymore, as he said, they weren't worthy of his words. But apparently and naturally, he kept his eyes on Sam. The horseman had a plan and dread filled Dean upon realizing just that. Pestilence now waved his demon to do something. Light panic formed in Dean's throat as a syringe was brought to his neck but not put in yet, his head drawn back. His green eyes widened. No, not this…he struggled but it wasn't any use, the demons were too strong against his sick body.

"NO!" Sammy screamed, weakly struggling against his hold. "No, DON'T. Please, please, not that…Everything but that…" he saw the tears in Sam's eyes, the desperation. Croatoan wasn't anything you would wish on anybody. Sam was immune and Pestilence probably knew that. So Dean was the way to go, the way to torture his little brother. When this virus affected him, he would attack…and Sam would have no choice but to kill him. It wasn't something he wished for Sam, either. Not at all. In fact, this scenario was turning out like a nightmare more than anything else.

"I was told that this would give you an idea of what your world would soon look like, Sammy Boy. Lucifer sends his greetings. When you have to put down your own brother in a few minutes, let's see what your fighting spirit looks like." He grinned. Sam shook his head and Dean snarled.

"You bastard. Leave him alone." The older Winchester growled. But Pestilence just went on, enjoying his superiority far too much for Dean's taste. He came closer to Dean now and the older Winchester felt the sweat running down his face, felt the blood on his lips and the sickness all over his body worsen. Sam shook his head, the tears running freely now but he wasn't saying anything, just stared at Dean as if he wanted to will him to get better, to stand up and wash his pain away. And the older brother wished he could, oh he really wished…

"Say yes. Just one little word. Yes. And all your pain will go away. Just like that. Come on, Sammy. Do it. One little word." Pestilence cooed. He was closer to Sam now, looming over him. His little brother looked over to Dean, to the syringe and for a second, he might have even thought about it. No, no this wasn't happening!

"Sammy, don't." he warned with as much force as his voice could find, the blood making his lips sticky. Pestilence glared at him. And before he knew, the demon to his right had pinched the syringe into his neck, putting the full load of croatoan virus into his system.

"NO! Dean! DEAAN!" Sam's voice was so weak and so desperate, but it still sounded through the whole building. Dean felt his vision blur on him, felt how he got dizzy. There had to be more in there than croatoan. Oh, this was bad, really bad. His gaze lazily wandered over the others on the ground, Abby, coughing up blood but it was clear she was crying, looking at Dean with big dark deer-like eyes and shaking her head, devastated. Castiel stared at him, shocked, frozen but not sure what to do. Not that he could do much. But Cas knew, right? Cas knew about what Dean could do, for days now. Maybe he should. Finally, Dean Winchester understood. Or at least he hoped he did. Inside him, it clicked. A light flooded his consciousness. Great, this was it, then. Croatoan had found him, his consciousness was going nuts on him.

He felt his eyes close shut and how he went limp, sinking to the floor, landing with his knees on the cold ground that was still covered in blood, felt the liquid soaking his jeans. Sam was whispering now, pleading, his name on his lips, begging his brother to be okay, begging Pestilence to make the pain stop, begging for god to be there for him. Praying. Still with the faith. Always.

Maybe it was his turn to believe now.

Out of the blue, something inside him stirred. Something tried to heal his wounds, heal the illness. Something…something he might be able to use now. What had been changing him over the course of the last few days may be the only answer now. Like on call, the voice in his head spoke again.

Do not be afraid.

I'm not. Do it. Was his simple answer, solid as stone. He knew what he had to do now.

So this is your 'yes', Dean Winchester? Was there mock in that voice? Huh, angels had a sense of humor?

Yes.

Very well…

"Tell me, what would you of all people, be able to hold against me?" Pestilence stood before him, not afraid at all, convinced he was the superior, convinced that there was nothing on earth that could actually threaten him. Convinced that soon, Dean Winchester would be nothing but a mindless zombie. Oh, he would prove him wrong, so wrong.

It was time now.

"Oh, I actually have quite the great idea." Dean's full lips suddenly grinned. He was still kneeling on the ground, the demons loosely holding him. From his body, the signs of wounds slowly disappeared. The blood on his chin evaporated, the sweat on his forehead steamed away and he stood, slowly but stable, while the demons behind him burned to the ground in a blink. Shadows spread from between his shoulder blades and he felt something in his right hand, something that was longer than a normal angel blade. He looked down, discovering a golden arch angel blade, decorated with elegant golden ornaments and glowing slightly in the almost dark ware house. A deafening noise was filling the room as he reached full height, took a step forward, his body moving differently, his expression inhuman, almost, and his green eyes literally glowing in the whitest white that could be seen on earth.

And just as quickly as all of that happened, there was fear in the eyes of the horseman before them. Pestilence, the mighty mighty beast, stumbled backwards in pure horror.

"Michael." It breathed.

~.~.~.~

Hey young blood
Doesn't it feel
Like our time is running out
I'm gonna change you like a remix
Then I'll raise you like a
Phoenix

~ Phoenix, Fall Out Boy

Yup. This is it. The moment you've all been waiting for, am I right? ;P And I even picked the most fitting song that is out there :D How do you like it? I tried to build up the tension to the very end, that's why there was no Michael when Sam was healed or when Dean was in Lisa's House. I'm going to make a flashback thing because this way, it's just that much more exciting to wait for the moment he enters. Or did I get it wrong?

Cas is back! And Deanne Winchester, anybody? Who got that joke? x'D

Also, MICHAEL! FINALLY :D

What do you think? PLEASE tell me, all reviews are love :3

*Does Sammy's Puppy Dog eyes*