August,8th 2015

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 :)

Sooo...I'm still alive?! :D

God I can't tell you how sorry I am for this long pause...it's been almost a year!? But I have to tell you that Supernatural kind of frustrated me in the last months, especially the tenth season. I mean...come on, a 10th season?! For me Season 5 is still the really worthy ending (even if some things in the last seasons were cool, what they made of it was just frustrating for me).

Also, I hold this philosophy about my writing: If I can, I will write to my best abilities and I want what I publish to be to my own liking (so in short, I'm a perfectionist). So since I was so frustrated with spn, what I wrote wasn't really satisfying me and I couldn't get into the story as well. So what I would have published would have been bad content and I didn't want that. I'd rather take a while and make it good that post some spam that I'll want to delete a day later. What do you think about that?

Anyway! As I promised, I will never let a story stay unfinished so this is going to be something that might happen in the future. I don't know if anybody still wants to read this but in the end I might just end it for my own personal satisfaction :) Answers will be at the end of the chapters so you don't all have to scroll so much. Prepare for heartbreak and a few surprises this chapter :D

Enjoy~ :3

Chapter 23

Darkness fall here comes the rain
To end it all the blood and the games

Australia was a beautiful country. In fact, it was even better than he had imagined it. This abandoned house at the beach was his new home now. Not that anybody wondered why a kid was living here alone. And even if they did, nobody approached and asked.

The boy sighed. At times, he was indeed a bit lonely, even with the beautiful view over the sea. Although creating friends was not a problem in theory, he had resigned to not draw attention to himself by using his powers too obviously. After all, he didn't want any more demons on his doorstep. Or hunters. Or angels. In fact, he had planned on waiting this Apocalypse out right here, at the beach in Australia where he had always wanted to go. From time to time he checked on his parents and made sure they were safe (salt was apparently a very handy tool to have and he once met this guy that had scribbles of strange signs that would keep angels away). His little hut on the beach was adorned with these protections as well. Signs on the walls and salt at the doors and windows. Devil traps under the door. He didn't have a weapon though.

But the Antichrist didn't need one.

In fact, even the protections were just a precaution that wasn't even that necessary. No angel or demon could find him, it was truly a miracle that the Winchesters once did.

His feet dragged over the sand and he now lifted them upwards on the porch. The sun was setting and it was probably time to get inside and make some dinner. So he turned around slowly to do so, when a presence made him stop immediately. He was frozen on the spot by the overwhelming light that reached him from behind. His eyes wide, he quickly lowered them to slits and turned around sharply, a hand raised. He had felt something like this before.

An angel.

Never mind how the hell he found him but he didn't want to risk being killed again after all. So he channeled all his power and at once, turned it on the angel in front of him before he even really saw him.

"I'd really think about that first, Jesse."

The voice was strangely familiar. He lowered his hand upon seeing who stood before him in the sand. Unaffected by the power he threw at him, there stood Dean Winchester, relaxed posture and cocky grin in place.

"Dean?" Jesse asked, bewildered. Then his expression changed to mad again.

"You bastard, did you possess him? I'd advise you to let him go and get away because I really don't want to hurt his body if I don't have to." A pause. Dean didn't answer and Jesse glared at him some more. "How did you find me, anyway?"

Finally, Dean's smile changed. He was no longer cocky but warm and kind, stepping a few steps forward. At his side, there was an impressive longsword and when he concentrated, Jesse could see the wings behind him, folded together after his landing.

"Do not worry about Dean. Angels cannot possess humans, this union is purely by will." He stepped even closer but Jesse raised a hand to warn him about getting any closer. The angel stopped, apparently not worried. This one was so…different from the last one he met. His feathers had been darker and he had been troubled and desperate, even. This one was just so…calm in his presence. His wings were golden and perfect. He was not afraid at all but not in a cocky way, more in a way that calmed you as well. It was a little unnerving, how bright his presence was. Jesse looked him up and down, frowning.

"Who are you?" he asked, the question implying that he meant more than just his name. His posture was still guarded, ready to attack. People on the beach didn't really seem to notice them. Not that there were many, the half-demon had deliberately chosen a rather empty one.

"My name is Michael." He provided. Jesse's eyes widened.

Oh.

That explained things.

So this was him…the oldest archangel, the big brother of Lucifer. The leader of heaven's mighty army. He had read up on all the lore, of course. Some things were hard to understand but he adapted pretty quickly. He swallowed thickly, suddenly nervous. Before, he had been sure of the higher ground. But now…

"Are you here to kill me?" he asked, hand shaking as he lowered it. It would be understandable. After all, the antichrist was destined to help Lucifer in the Apocalypse. He was the one to bring down the heavenly host with 'just a word'. And Jesse had no doubt he could.

But he didn't want to.

He never wanted any of this. Not this power within him, not this burden on his shoulders, not this so called 'destiny' looming over his head.

"No." the angel shook his head calmly. He walked over to him now, carefully. He didn't near him any further but sat down on the porch several meters away from him.

"This is a nice place you got yourself." He commented, looking out on the beach. Jesse wondered in secret if the archangel could see what he saw, or even more. Energy flows, light and dark spots in the people around, memories of old. His power had grown so much over the last weeks he didn't think at times that he could keep his sanity much longer. But Michael's presence calmed him. He relaxed a bit when the angel said he wasn't here to kill him and sat down also, staring at the sun setting over the ocean. He didn't answer to the angel's compliment, just nodded his thanks and waited for him to speak further.

"I'm sorry but you could never hide from me even if you wanted to. I've known where you were all your life." Michael said. It was still unnerving to see him in Dean's body. But it wasn't the same as it was with the other angel. His vessel wasn't just a numb shell. Jesse could still see Dean in there, even feel his presence together with the angel, mingling, dancing around each other.

"Why? Why would you allow me to live when I'm destined to destroy what you love?" he asked, still not looking at him but at the setting sun. The angel chuckled and that was how he knew that it wasn't all Michael but really Dean as well, even his conscience.

"Dean was right. You are clever for a kid your age." He paused, calming down before speaking again, this time seriously. "Honestly? I seized to believe in the 'big plan' that was written down so long ago. Maybe my father had this all planned out but right now, he is not here. I stopped to believe that there even is such a thing as destiny" A sigh escaped the angel's lips and he closed his eyes for a second before continuing. "And I think that I already changed the way it's supposed to be by listening to my own vessel, even working with him. It's funny how he opened my eyes even though his life span is so fragile and short. So now that it's getting down to the real fight, I thought 'traditions be damned' and decided to come here to see you myself." He looked over to Jesse now.

"What for?" The boy asked. It was astonishing, what the angel said. He didn't believe in destiny anymore? It sounded a bit like what Sam had said to him. How his future was shaped by him, not by the people who wrote this story down hundreds of years ago. If the angel believed in that too, then…

"I want you to fight for me instead."

Jesse's eyes widened. His eyes let go of the sunset now, staring at the angel instead, bewildered.

"What?" he asked sharply. "But…I'm half demon. Why would you want me to fight for you? For heaven? I'm said to destroy it, not save it." the cambion was completely taken aback by this proposal. Dean just shrugged.

"I can use every force I can get. Plus, there's this wise sentence I love to tell all of you doubtful people so much." He leaned forward with a smile.

"It doesn't matter where the power comes from, it matters what you make of it." He leaned back again and turned to him more now, one of his legs on the porch in front of him and his back leaning on a pillar. Jesse wondered if it hurt his wings to lean on things with his back.

"So, what do you say? Kick some demon ass with me? After all, when hell wins, this world won't be anything like you know it anymore. Not even all those charms can protect you then. Or your parents." He lifted Dean's eyebrows and Jesse pressed his lips together.

"If I do go with you, will they be safe?" he asked. He didn't care about himself anymore. If he was a half demon, then maybe his right to live wasn't as important as others were. But his parents were good people. They never did a wrong in their lives and they didn't deserve to live on a planet succumbed by evil. Michael smiled kindly.

"Of course. There will be angels protecting the house 24/7, just like the houses of all of the people Dean chose to protect. He had a list." Michael seemed amused by this and Jesse smiled too. Alright…if they were safe and he could help keeping them that way…

Why the hell not?

"What do you want me to do?"

Surprisingly, gathering an army wasn't as hard as you would think it was. Just as Lucifer had his loyal demons, the angels agreed upon fighting with Michael in a heartbeat, even with Michael's unconventional methods in mind. The heavenly host was with them and Sam had never felt as optimistic about the end of the world as this time.

Bobby had assembled a few hunters as well that wanted to assist them in ridding the world from evil.

"It's our job anyway, right?" was their answer most of the time. Michael was pleased with their presence. After all, his plan of uniting the forces of hunters and angels had been a priority from the moment he had joined Dean's body.

From time to time, Michael would bring in stays, forces forgotten to even the oldest of angels. When he brought Jesse Turner, Sam had almost fallen to the floor from astonishment. He was glad the kid was safe but he yelled at Michael!Dean for dragging him into this.

"I agreed to it, Sam.", Jesse interrupted their argument. Sam stared at him, bewildered. "I want to help keep the world save as it is." Sam nodded slowly, still staring. Then he laughed and hugged the boy to him. He had been worried that he had been found by demons, consumed by darkness. So seeing him well and not at all in the shadows was good news for the hunter.

"He's a half demon? The Antichrist?" Abby asked when they had found a room for the boy. They were still camping out in the middle-of-nowhere-motel Gabriel had teleported them to. Bobby had constantly nagged about his library and his house so Michael had send angels to make sure the location was safe. They were waiting for the okay before they got back to Bobby's place.

"Yeah. He was prophesized to be the Anti-Christ and destroy heaven's host with one word." Sam explained. Abby's eyebrows raised high.

"And Michael still wants him here? Isn't that…risky?" she inquired. Sam sighed and pressed his lips together.

"Yeah, that's what I told him. Then again.." he paused, suddenly looking guilty. "He still keeps me around so I guess there's not much of a difference." He sat down on the bed. Abby placed herself right next to him. They had become closer over the last few days while organizing the troops. It was busy but a bit uplifting too. Now she frowned.

"Why?" she questioned, now puzzled again. Why would he think this lowly of himself? Dean was his brother after all and Michael seemed to love and admire him just as much.

"Well because this whole mess started because of me." He explained, hands wringing nervously, shooting her a glance.

"Because you freed Lucifer?" she asked. "But I thought it was established that that wasn't your fault?" she leaned forward so she could meet his gaze since he was avoiding it.

"Well….that's not the whole story." He said, sighing. "Please, don't freak out, okay?" he asked. Abby nodded, sure nothing could shock her. She smiled and took his hand. They were alone in the motel room, everyone else had jobs to take care of or was in another room or organizing something else.

"I won't. Because I know."

"What?" Sam's face was suddenly panicked. He took away his hand from hers and scooched away from her a bit, bewildered and seemingly scared.

"Don't worry. They told me everything back when you were possessed by Lucifer or whatever happened there."

"Who did? Bobby? How could he- what-" Sam was distressed. He got up and walked around the room nervously. "And you're still talking to me?!" he suddenly asked, his voice louder than he intended. "I drank freaking demon blood!"

"It doesn't matter, Sam. It's in the past. It wasn't your-"

"YES IT WAS!" he suddenly yelled. "Of course it was! It was my choice that drove me, it was my decision. How could you just take it in like that, like it was nothing? How would you know something like that doesn't happen again? How would you-" he was still shouting, still angry –probably mostly at himself but also at her. But he was interrupted very quickly and just as loudly, by Abby herself.

"BECAUSE I'M IN THE SAME SITUATION, OKAY?!" she shouted. Her voice was desperate and she was breathing heavily, her heart racing from nervousness. She hadn't talked about this to anybody in years. Suddenly, Sam was calm. He was also breathing heavily but he stared at her. She had gotten up to yell, fists at her side, determination on her face.

"What? What do you-" he took another breath. "What do you mean?" he asked. Complete confusion adorned his handsome face. Abby closed her eyes to calm herself.

"Please…sit down?" she asked, falling onto the bed again. He nodded slowly and followed her, sitting on the bed opposite of her so he could look at her directly.

"You never asked my story." She began, looking at her hands, nervously playing with her fingers. "How I became a hunter." Sam laughed.

"No, I didn't. We kinda refrain from doing that as a rule. It's mostly painful to talk about for all of us." He said, smiling. Then he leaned forward a bit so she would look at him. "But you can tell me, if you want. Since you apparently already know my story so well." He said. He couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice but he dismissed it quickly, signing her to continue. She smiled apologetically and nodded.

"Sorry. Yeah well…I guess I'll start with the beginning." She sighed. "My parents couldn't have kids, you know? They adopted a child, a girl, early on in their marriage but it never worked out with one of their own. One day, they met this man, a doctor. He said he had something that could make the pregnancy work. Like magic. He put it as a joke, said all he needed was a promise, a pill and a kiss from both of them." She gave him a meaningful look and his eyes widened, colour draining from his face.

"Oh…damn. Oh god Abby I'm so sorry." He said. Abby smiled, shaking her head. That wasn't all.

"Well, they did have a pregnancy then so they were happy. It was later, 10 years later that the trouble began. I grew up with a bigger sister, nice parents and a strange uncle. The whole package. Yard, dog, everything. So, nine months before my 10th birthday, the doctor came to our house. Only of course he wasn't a doctor but a crossroads demon. And he had come to collect his prize: me." She saw Sam's face getting even paler. This was too familiar. Far too familiar. He shook his head. Was she…was she one of them? One of the children of Azazel? He was about to ask but Abby stopped him with a hand.

"My parents had no idea at all. He killed them both for being in the way, my sister too. He burned down the house, he already had me in his hands. But I…I flipped out. Seeing all that, seeing my family die and not being able to do anything..well, I panicked. And suddenly, the earth shook." She stuttered and looked down, not wanting to see his freaked expression. "I caused the house to collapse, it fell right on top of the demon and almost on top of me too. But I could keep the parts from crushing me with just pure will. They avoided me and I got out. Damn, I was so lucky my uncle Larry came by. Until a few days ago I didn't know he was really my uncle and you know that but…well, he took me in, he banished the demon to hell. He even taught me how to suppress my powers." Her lips were pressed together thinking about Larry. It still hurt to do so. Sam was pale as a sheet.

"So you're.." he swallowed. "You're like me. You're one of Azazel's children? I thought they were all dead back when Azazel collected us all, how..?" but Abby shook her head. She looked up to him now.

"No, his name wasn't Azazel, that much I know. And I also wasn't fed demon blood as a child, at least I don't believe I was. As far as Larry gathered from the demon before he exorcized it, I was an experiment. An experiment on the way to their goal. An experiment on the way to the Antichrist." She looked him dead in the eye now. It was hard, the way he was staring at her like that. "I was born because of a crossroads deal and even if I'm the child of my parents, I'm also, in a way, the cursed child of a demon." Sam shook his head in disbelieve. She blushed, afraid he wouldn't speak to her anymore now. Just like her boyfriend so long ago…

"But I'm sure you're not the first child to come out of a crossroads deal. How come you have powers? What makes you cursed?" he asked, his voice level but curious. He wasn't freaking out….good. That was good.

"Well, Larry and I gathered that the demon must have thrown something in the mix. Maybe it was blood, maybe a part of his essence or soul or whatever. But I can barely control the powers I have. They're bound to my emotions. You had premonitions?" she asked. Sam nodded.

"Yeah. And you have…Geokinesis?" he asked, considering the earthquake she talked about. And he remembered how the earth shook when Baal was killed. That must have been her power, too. Now he felt blind for not realizing it sooner. There had been so many hints… But Abby shook her head and smiled.

"Not quite. Telekinesis, I believe. But it's very hard to control."

"I once met a guy with that power.", Sam said. "He seemed to be controlling it just fine. He was also a child of Azazel like me." Abby shrugged.

"Maybe it's different with you guys but I can't use my power without causing massive damage to everything. Well, until a few days ago." Her fingers stroked over the necklace at her collarbone and she smiled. Sam frowned, his gaze questioning.

"Michael gave me this, I told you. He said it could help me control my powers. I sure hope he is right. He says I should use them in our coming battle."

"He does? Huh…" a smile spread across his face "But that's great, isn't it? That means nobody has a problem with you, not even the holiest of holy angels. So why are you still so ashamed? I mean, look at me. I'm not much better." Sam stepped forward, carefully placing a hand on his shoulders, unsure of what she would tolerate. Abby sighed again and then smiled at him.

"I guess, yeah….It must be the long time I've been hiding it from the world, trying to meditate the memories and emotions away." Sam smiled back at her and she leaned forward to hug him tightly and melt into his broad frame.

"This is all pretty confusing and all messed up." Sam continued, head still in her hair that smelled of wood somehow. "Demonblood, Angelblood, Antichrist and now the Hunters are thrown in the mix…" he breathed out heavily and Abby lifted an eyebrow, separating from him so they could lock eyes.

"Yeah….what was that with the Angelblood anyway? We never cleared that up, did we?" she asked and Sam's eyes widened. He let go of her, suddenly very curious.

"DEAN?" he shouted through the parking lot. They were still outside but farther away from Jessi's Room so he wouldn't hear their conversation. Immediately, Dean appeared next to them with a noise of feathers rustling.

"What?", he asked, eyebrow raised. This is handy, Sam thought. Just summon your brother to your side immediately. He grinned at the thought and turned to his newly appeared sibling slash angel.

"We were wondering…Michael said that you had angelblood or something in that direction? You wanted to explain that and maybe that would be good to know before…you know, the Apocalypse." Sam frowned as Dean's eyes widened.

"Right! I wanted to explain that." Michael said. He motioned for them to get inside and disappeared again.

"He's overdoing that.", Sam commented quietly and Abby nodded, smiling.

"But be honest, wouldn't you? If you could teleport?" she asked and tucked her arm under his while they walked over to the room they occupied. Sam still shook his head, feigning annoyance.

"Still." He protested as they walked in. Michael!Dean was sitting cross-legged on the pillow end of the bed, motioning for them to join him.

"Sit. I'm going to show it to you." At these words, confused glances were shared between Abby and Sam. The huntress frowned at the angel.

"What, me too? Isn't that a bit private?" she asked, trying to hide her embarrassment at being thrown into this situation. Dean shook his head and smiled.

"It's alright. It is not a secret and I will be assuming to call you part of the family soon as well so do not hesitate." At those last words, Dean winked in Sam's direction, who suddenly blushed furiously and shook his head at his brother. A roll of his hazel eyes followed and he dragged the huntress over to the bed with him, sitting across from Dean and looking far out of place with his giant limbs taking in so much space there. Abby sat down with her weight on her lower legs and she took the hand Michael offered her. Sam did the same and the angel closed his eyes, motioning for them to follow his lead. Abby felt another hand in her own and instantly knew it was Sam's. She didn't argue about it but rather had to suppress a smile.

Their vision begin rather unspectacular. They looked to be standing in a pretty regular children's bedroom. There was a crib there with no baby in it and a few seconds later they found out why: It was not born yet. A blonde woman walked through the door, humming, placing items from her arms in strategic places of the room, obviously still decorating it and giving it the last touches before the big day. Her belly was swollen quite impressively, probably in the 7th or 8th month. Sam beside her stiffened, his hand tightening around hers.

"Mom." The younger Winchester whispered and Abby nodded in understanding. If she squeezed, she could see where Dean got his blonde hair, big green eyes and full lips from. The blonde now placed her final item, an angel figure, upon the crip of her future baby. She smiled at it, turning it into position, when suddenly a loud screeching sound and a flash of light made her whirl around. Despite her swollen belly she suddenly seemed alert, prepared to fight. The reflexes of a hunter. But as she saw who stood behind her, she seemed to relax a nodge.

"John? What-" so this was Dean's father. Abby recognized him from the form Michael had taken at Bobby's house. That made sense.

"No. My apologies, Mary Campbell, but I had to borrow your husband for a moment." It was John's voice, yes. But the way he held himself and the way he spoke was certainly not what Mary was used to. They way he said her name seemed to make her flinch slightly. She tensed and crept closer to the wall, grabbing for something behind her. Did she have a weapon hidden somewhere? She certainly looked ready to throw something?

"What are you? Get out of my husband or I will make you." She demanded in a steady voice, not scared at all. Abby as well as Sam had no reason to believe she would not go through with her threat. But the angel shook his head, not moving an inch.

"Do not fret. He will not be harmed. I am not a demon." He clarified, making Mary blink in surprise and raise her eyebrows at how offended by that accusation the creature seemed. Her eyes narrowed and she didn't relax.

"Why should I believe you?" she asked. "You're obviously possessing him." The angel smiled.

"Because you are a smart woman. And you know that where there are demons…there are angels." A smug smile on Michael's lips certainly didn't help his case as Mary now openly glared at him.

"There is no such thing as angels." Abby suddenly heard Sam beside her chuckle at these words. It was similar to something Dean had once said to him a few years back. Michael simply raised his hand. Mary was ready to pounce but as Michael rotated his fingers, her expression suddenly became different. Aware. She remembered.

"You're the one that saved us from that red headed nightmare. Me and- oh god, those were my sons, Sam got stabbed, are they okay-"

"Shhh. I will explain." Michael soothed her and Mary now relaxed an inch, letting her hand fall beside her again. Her eyes still showed her alarmed she was however, watching his every move suspiciously.

"You erased my memory of them…why?" she asked. Even though in the presence of an angel, the one who had burned another angel right before her own eyes, she was still calm and collected, asking the right questions.

"It is dangerous to know the future.", the angel explained. "And yours in particular." His gaze fell to her swollen belly, as if analyzing it. "Dean will face much hardships."

"But I don't want him to. I want my kids to have good lives. To be safe. Not become hunts, constantly in danger, constantly in fear." She bit her lip, taking a step forward. "If you are really an angel…a good and just spirit…can't you prevent that future for them?" it was clearly strange to her to be talking of two kids when she was just pregnant with the first. But if she was thinking of the future, even without her memory of that incident, she had always known there would be a second. The angel's gaze softened. He had appeared cold, like last time they met but as he looked at her calmly, he seemed to gaze into her soul.

"I am afraid that is not in my hands." He admitted. "Fate has plans for him, for both of your children. They are special." Mary's infuriated gaze clearly told that she didn't want special children. She just wanted normal, she just wanted safe. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Sam's fate is not for me to decide." He clarified, then again looked at her pregnant lower half. "As for Dean….that is a different matter. It is why I have come to you personally. To ask for your permission."

"Permission to what?" she asked. A distant memory of a yellow eyed demon asking her similar questions came to her mind and she was suddenly wary again, untrusting.

"To protect your son from harm." He clarified.

"Your subordinates killed one of my sons the last time I saw you." She suddenly spat, pure vile in her gaze. Michael briefly closed his eyes before looking at her again.

"That was a misunderstanding. He is well again, do not worry. What I mean is actually something you would have in your own hands. Your own decision to make." He clarified, slightly shifting his stance as if he tried to keep a normal human appearance. The way he held himself was still unnatural and Mary didn't lose her temper even for a second. Sam frowned. Dean had briefly told him about Michael's speech and how the angel had told him free will did not exist. Why was he telling Mary it was her choice then? Was it just another trickery or had Dean stirred something up already?

"What will befall Dean is his path to take but in the end, it will come down to me and you to ensure he lives on happily." He further explained, staring her directly in the eyes. It seemed Mary saw flashes of things happening and her face softened in slight understanding though she still seemed unsure.

"What do I have to do? Will you also come by in ten years, just 'visiting'?" she asked with a mockery in her tone that made the angel raise an eyebrow.

"No, actually. I do not share any quality at all with that particularly foul creature." He pursed his lips in anger and Mary nodded, content with the answer.

"Good."

"I will come by your bed during the rest of your childbearing and I will bring you something to drink. If you chose to aid me, you just drink the liquid. It will feel weird but I assure you that it is fine." He explained. Still suspicious, Mary nodded. That sounded like a reasonable choice.

"I'll probably inspect it…thoroughly" She warned. The huntress she was, born and raised, made her suspicious of anything a supernatural being offered her. Even an angel. Michael now managed a small smile.

"I would assume no less. You may do as you wish with it." A nod from Mary assured him that she understood.

"What does the liquid…do?" she asked cautiously. Michael let his gaze wander outside for a second before answering that question.

"It will be nothing that directly alters him. It is going to sleep inside of him until needed. Unlike other….unholy methods it will not harm your child or alter his perception but simply guide him and aid on his path." He sold that point rather well. Too well for Mary's taste.

"And it will serve your own purpose as well, I assume?" she asked, lips pressed together in dismay. She was used to sweet talk from demons and just assumed that angels could be just as manipulative, if not worse. Sam had to smile, secretly proud of his mother's wits. He expected Michael to react with anger but the angel simply nodded. He seemed to possess this inner contentment, completely calm and still.

"That is correct, yes. But the initial choice whether he will help us or not is going to be up to him. If he does not feel the need to, I cannot make him. That is not our way." With a small nod, the angel was preparing to leave now but something halted him.

"One more thing." Mary stopped him, stepping forward. He raised an eyebrow at her as a motion to make her continue.

"Promise me that even when you cannot interfere, you will watch over him. Over them both. Swear it. Assuming that means something to angels." She had a finger pointed at him bluntly, already like a chastening mother. Michael, despite himself, smirked. He had known this conversation would not be easy but she was really getting out of it what she could. In fact it was a surprise she did not ask for aid in a particular situation. So he nodded. Watching was something he could do without interfering. Watching would be possible without defying any orders in particular, any part of the big plan. So he tilted his head slightly in her direction, a hint of a bow.

"As you wish, Mary." He said. The way he said her name made her frown a little again. It was spoken in familiarity, as if there was another person on his mind at the moment. Michael performed another gesture with his fingers, the same one as before, just reversed. He left only the promise of angels watching hanging in her head, the faint memory and her own task of drinking what was set to her bedside. Then the angel left, leaving the young woman alone in the room while returning her husband to work faithfully as to not cause any further confusion.

This flashback ended there, with Mary absentmindedly stroking her belly and smiling.

In Sam's head, this scene gave him so many reasons to fume. Even before Dean was born, the angels had known of their future. Even before his brother had seen the light of day, the angels were already manipulating him, no, even their mother. Even though his opinion of the current Michael might have changed, their manipulative ways were still something he could not oversee. His hands shook slightly at the thought but the next flashback made him relax slightly, not wanting to interrupt Michael yet as Dean pressed his hand with the intent to calm him. There were flashes of a glowing liquid, of Mary running tests with said liquid in a dimly lit bathroom. She drank it after that, her belly swelling more and more during the following months but the liquid she got made her stomach calmer in the mornings and seemed to even stop her swelling feet, so she did not complain at all.

After Dean was born, strong and healthy and crying for attention a lot, Mary seemed to have a special bond with him. As soon as his mother was near the babe would stop crying and instead smile a lot and warm all hearts that were close. Once, Mary found another round of glowing liquid in her room, this time it was filled into a feeding bottle. It took the young woman quite some time to decide whether to feed her child with it or not. It had been different when it was her body. She would have felt any negative consequences. But now it was just strange, the memory slowly fading from her mind as to why she had even drank that stuff. She had hidden the bottle somewhere John would not find just to one day walk into the room to see that Dean, the crawling one year old baby, had found it and was already drinking it. With a gasp she rushed over. In the past days Dean had run a slight fever and should be in bed, not drinking angel liquid he was never supposed to receive. But as soon as Mary picked him up and took the half empty bottle away from him she saw, or rather felt, that he was already better. His fever was gone and a smile was back on his face. He cooed, grabbing for the bottle and Mary stared at the liquid in wonder. Well, it made sense, sure. After what she went through in her pregnancy it just fit that the liquid also healed her little baby boy. Still…why would angels have to heal her child?

"There will be many demons trying to harm him." A voice in her head cautioned. Mary whirled around to search for the source when suddenly, the angel was back, again in her husband's body. The memories rushed back to her mind in a flash and the blonde blinked. She sighed and hoped that at least the creature brought John back to work without anyone noticing he was gone.

"What do you mean? He's just a baby, why would demons be after him?"

"I told you. Your sons are special. The demons know that and they will try to block their path. Dean's especially." Mary sighed and decided to change topic. He would not give a clear answer anyway.

"Did you make him drink this?" she asked accusingly. "You said it was my choice." The angel shook his head.

"In this case I guess it was his own choice. He must have sensed that it would help him."

"Again, he's just a baby. He's not sensing anything." Dean in her arms struggled, obviously having recognized his dad and pointed to him.

"You would be surprised.", Michael assured her and for the first time, looked Dean directly in the eyes. The baby's struggling halted and he stared, eyes wide, at the angel. He relaxed and leaned against his mother's chest, obviously deeply content with his situation now. Mary frowned, feeling her son's temple again for the fever but it wasn't there.

"But you've been keeping your promise of watching over him?" she asked now, looking back up. The angel was still there and he nodded.

"Yes." He answered shortly.

"What's your name?" she asked, curious. She was not quite sure if she remembered what the red headed angel had called him.

"Michael."

"Like the archangel?" she inquired, eyebrows raised in question, obviously astonished. The angel showed no way of reaction and suddenly, his gaze shot up, as if listening to something.

"I must leave you now."

"But-" and before she could ask further questions to his cryptic answers, the angel was gone again. The memory in her mind faded out as well and she sighted, feeling like she was getting a headache. She looked down to Dean, who was now squirming again to be let down. A smile crossed her lips and she pressed a kiss to his head.

"Sssssh. Angels are watching over you, Dean." The whisper left her lips like it was something she said often and Dean giggled when her breath tickled his ear. She walked over to the angel statue she had placed there so many months ago, setting it straight.

"Angels are watching over you." she said again, this time louder. In her tone, there was this strange feeling…as if she knew something was coming. As if she knew that maybe the angels were watching her son….but they were not watching her.

This is a call to arms
Gather soldiers
Time to go to war

This is a battle song
Brothers and sisters
Time to go to war

Did you ever believe?
Were you ever a dreamer?
Ever imagine heart open and free?

Did you ever deny?
Were you ever a traitor?
Ever in love with your bloodlust business?

Here we are at the start
I can feel the beating of our hearts
Here we are at the start

Far, far away in a land that time can't change
Long, long ago in a place of hearts and gold

~Vox Populi, 30 Seconds to Mars

Sooooo. Yeah, that's it for now :) I hope the Mary-Michael interactions weren't too awkward...and I hope I'm not overstepping any personal boarders with my Sam-Abby shipping here. I just really think Sam deserves to be happy and in good honest truth a woman who can fight for herself would be absolutely right for him (which previous occasions have shown. Just that there were other...factors that made the person..unfit. Being an evil-demon-bitch for example)

About the song: I think this song fits the chapter since it both sings about going to war and golden times gone by, covering Michael finding soldiers as well as the peaceful flashbacks to the pregnant Mary Winchester. I loved writing Mary btw, I really love her :)

Anyway! Now for the review answers :)

harrylee94: Aww, you're too sweet :) I hope you liked how I described part of the recruiting. I didn't want to write out all of it in fear that it would get boring xP

Leandra Falconwing: You're right, we indeed are nearing the climax. I thought there was still that much to write out but it turns out I could have just gotten it into much shorter space. I may be getting better at not beating around the bush so much x'D And you're also right about Lucifer...you'll see in further chapters ;P

Guest: No, the men of Letters are probably not going to be in this since I write on the canon of Season 5 and the men of Letters were a thing of Season 8 (I think?) and in my opinion also not really executed probably. So if they would exist in this universe, including them now would be a bit of a stretch. Maybe they are stuff for another story though ;P

Pjofandom: Well this comment ended in the wrong fanfic..xD. But to answer the question: No, I don't think so. I might add a little bonus chapter I've been thinking about though ;P Since you're on anon and don't seem to care about this story though, this will probably never reach you..x'D

Guest2: I would really advice you to get an account on ff net and just follow the story. this way you don't have to check every day and you get an e-mail whenever I make an update :). It'll save you a lot of stress and inpatient waiting. Even if you held out until now (which I doubt since it's been almost a year..), I doubt that you'll be too happy with what I did. But oh well..I'm trying my best ^^"

Anzhela D Asura: Sorry for making you wait (in case you are still interested anyway x'D)! x_X Thank you and yes, I will be writing this till the end, even if it may take me longer than normal writers. I have some stuff going on irl and spn is slightly frustrating me. But I WILL finish, so don't worry, all I ask for is patience ^^""

Everyone else: Thank you so much for all the compliments :3

As always, I'll be looking forward to ANY reviews, even if the're just a word short.

I'm curious if anybody is even still interested in this story...x'D