Catching Up
Chapter 4 – Regroup

All in all, not one of the Winchesters' better cases. Sam was drained, Mary was withdrawn, and Dean had been on edge the entire time but especially after they had wrapped everything up. The whole drive back from Minnesota was dominated by silence and tension. Things only got worse – for Sam – when they finally reached the Bunker. Mary quietly excused herself to go lie down and Dean grabbed his little brother by the arm none too gently. "We are going to talk." His tone barred any argument as he unceremoniously dragged him to one of the rooms, well away from Mary's.

"Dean we should really check on mom," Sam tried weakly.

"Later." Dean slammed the door shut. "What the hell is going on Sam?"

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked honestly.

"Ever since London you've been weird," Dean began to pace. "Muttering to yourself and being shady. At first, I told myself that you were trying to get over the kidnapping, that you were scared of the Men of Letters coming back. But I heard you talking to someone on the phone and during the hunt -"

Sam inhaled sharply, he knew what Dean saw.

"Dean…she's possessed." he whispered. Mary's eyes were leaking black as she faced them. Dean took a run at her but she threw him back. Then she grabbed Sam by the neck and held him up against the wall. His airway constricted under her hand, he kicked feebly. "Mom, fight this."

"Mom," Dean pled.

As Sam attempted to pry her fingers from his throat, his hands suddenly felt stronger, surer and he himself was stunned to see and feel his mother's grip slacken, giving him enough room to headbutt her back. Suddenly the gun slid across the ground to near his feet and he didn't hesitate to pick it up and point it at Mary. "Dean get to the basement! Burn the bones!" Dean was stock still, the blood drained from his face. "Dean, don't worry I got it. Just go! GO!" At last Dean moved, his gaze never leaving them.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sam shook his head.

"Sam I'm not stupid," Dean said lowly. "Even if there was a way for you to power out of that death grip, I saw that gun move. Now tell me the truth. What is going on?"

Dammit I'm sorry. Just keep saying the gun was there. Jedi mind trick style. "I don't know how I got out of the chokehold, I just did. But I swear the gun was there the whole time."

"I know what I saw," Dean insisted. "Are you back on demon blood?"

"WHAT?! NO!" Sam yelped. "Dean I didn't do anything back there, you have to believe me. When would I have gotten demon blood?"

"With the Men of Letters," Dean threw out. "You never did say what they did to you. Maybe they gave a shot of the stuff just to mess with you. That's why you don't want to run into them again, why you've been so on edge."

"They didn't give me demon blood," Sam assured him.

Dean clearly didn't believe him but decided to move on. "Alright then, who were you on the phone with?"

Sam fell back against the wall. There was literally no way he could get out of this one and judging by the lack of disembodied advice, the other one knew it too. "I can't tell you everything but I will tell you the truth."

Dean crossed his arms, "I'm waiting."

"When I was taken by the Men of Letters, I wasn't just left sitting there. Someone helped me get out."

"Wha – are you serious?" Dean gaped.

"Yes. They actually had me locked down every way to Sunday; wards, chains, bolts, you name it."

"So who sprung you?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?" Dean demanded.

"I know you like I know myself Dean. You're going to want them out of there or doing stuff for us and we can't, we just can't."

"We know them don't we? Someone we know is a Man of Letters."

"Technically speaking, they're undercover in the MOL," Sam corrected him. "They needed…some stuff from the Brits and have been hiding out there for a while."

"And if their cover gets blown -"

"They die." Sam finished for him. "I've been in contact with them sporadically. Keeping an eye out for us but that's literally the limit of what we can ask for."

Dean frowned, "You're really worried about them."

"Truth?" Sam slid down the wall to sit on the ground. "Terrified. Part of me wants to go back to London and get them out of there." Sam…

Before anything else was said, they were interrupted by a knock at the door. Mary peeked in, "Boys? Cas and Crowley are back. Rowena is with them." She spotted Sam on the ground. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah mom," Sam said quickly, getting up. "Let's go figure out the situation with Lucifer."

*CU*

"The bottom of the ocean?" Dean and Sam repeated together. Oof he is gonna be PISSED when he gets out

"If I could have sent him back to the cage, believe me I would have," Rowena rolled her eyes.

"So we're in the clear right?" Mary surmised. "If he's stuck at the bottom of the ocean in a degraded vessel, he's done."

"He's still the most powerful angel in all the Host," Cas pointed out. "I wouldn't count on this holding him for long."

"He always finds a way," Dean took a swig of beer. "Maybe we should have gone through with the Apocalypse."

"Which one?" Sam, Cas, Crowley AND Rowena chorused.

"I think Supreme Ruler Castiel had its merits," Dean replied honestly.

"I'm flattered," Cas returned dryly.

"Well while we're waiting for Satan to rise up once more, how about we continue with the show?" Mary proposed. "I want to see Supreme Ruler Castiel for myself. I feel kind of left out of these apocalyptic conversations."

"Won't last for long," Dean smirked. "According to Law of the Winchester Universe, you're due for one yourself."

"Well technically since I gave birth to the two of you, you could consider the mother of all the apocalypses." Mary paused. "I get the sense that there was a little too much truth in that."

"Oh Mrs. Winchester you have no idea," Crowley rasped.

"You going to stick around?" Dean asked.

"Why not," Crowley shrugged. "I haven't anything better to do."

"Yeah it's not like you're in charge of Hell or anything," Sam scoffed.

"A Hell that knows Lucifer is still around and recalls him treating me like a dog," Crowley rejoined curtly. "I'd rather not be anywhere near that place. Mother?"

"I think it'd be rather nice," Rowena acquiesced.

"Guess that settles it," Mary pronounced.

A/N: Hey guys, I hope everyone had a great holiday season. Happy 2018 to you all. Until next time, ENJOY! R&R PLZ!