by Amelia Esla
Castiel hesitated before replying, "You'll get him, too, Dean. I'll make sure of it."
"WE FOUND HIM!" Megan's voice rang out, disrupting their heartfelt conversation. She appeared in the middle of the room, with a somewhat- discombobulated Bobby. "Castiel, you're awake!" Megan added after seeing him up. "How are you feeling? "
"I'm fine- you found Sam?"
"We sure did. Or rather, Megan did." Bobby explained. "But they're leaving, soon. They're going after Lilith, to kill her."
"Which starts the apocalypse?"
"Which frees Lucifer from his cage, and then he starts The End."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Dean asked standing. "Let's go!"
Megan frowned. "I don't think that's a good idea."
"Why the Hell, not?"
"Because you're not ready, yet, boy!" Bobby answered. "You're not healed yet, and neither of these knuckleheads are strong enough to fix you right now. They gotta focus on Sam and Ruby and Lilith."
"I'm fine!" Dean argued. "It doesn't even hurt!" Dean glanced over at Castiel, who knew Dean was lying. Castiel did not say anything, though. He just watched the others argue. "You guys are not leaving me out of the boss fight. And you are certainly not going against my brother without me there!"
A tense silence fell over the room as everyone thought over their options. "You're right, Dean. You should go." Megan said, finally, although she didn't quite sound like she believed it. "But you have to take it easy, okay?"
Dean grinned. "You know me. Easy is my middle name."
…
Ruby cut a thin slice through her arm, letting blood flow out. She laid on the bed, motioning for Sam to come.
Sam crawled on top of her, taking her arm. She put his lips on the cut, sucking up the powerful blood.
This was it. This was the end. Sam only needed this little bit more power before he would be able to kill Lilith- without even touching her. It was her fault so many innocent people had died, and it would be her fault if they all died at the hands of Lucifer. And it was her fault that Dean suffered in Hell for so long, that he became just like her. She had to be stopped.
And he would be the one to stop her.
24- Sam
Lilith didn't want to die, but she knew it was inevitable. When she began her epic search for Lucifer, she had no idea that her death was the final key to freeing him.
She would go through with it, anyway. She was the first demon- the first human soul Lucifer twisted for his own pleasure and revenge. She was special to him, and he was everything to her. If this was what it took to free him from his imprisonment, then so-be-it.
When Sam Winchester entered the abandoned church she was staying at, she wasn't the least bit surprised. She knew he was coming.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Sammy Winchester, Boy King." She sat on the steps to the alter, watching him walk in. Ruby trailed behind him. Ruby and Lilith met eyes, and Ruby nodded behind Sam's back. Lilith knew what that meant. Everything was ready. It was time to die.
"You must be Lilith." Sam spat, clutching a blood-caked blade.
"Indeed I am." Lilith snapped her fingers, and several demons appeared beside her. "You must be here to kill me." She continued, tilting her head. "You won't do a very good job of it with that thing. I can smoke out of here at any time, you know."
Sam smirked. "I won't be needing this for you," He let go of the blade, and it fell to the ground with a thunk. He lifted his hand, concentrating.
Lilith felt it- the power running through him. It shot into her, shaking her from the inside. It felt like her body was melting, but not just her human vessel. Her soul, or what was left of it, was being pulled apart inside her. She was paralyzed.
"Sam! No!" Sam felt someone run into him, breaking his concentration, and his grasp on Lilith. Lilith was let go, alive, but she fell to the floor in agony.
As soon as the ritual was interrupted, the demons attacked. They ran at the four new-comers, knives out and ready.
…
Bobby held Sam down, and was terrified to see that Sam's eyes were briefly back. "Bobby?"
"Sam, you can't do this. You can't kill Lilith." Bobby begged for him to listen, to understand. "It won't work, trust me."
…
"Sam!" Ruby went to grab Bobby, but Castiel got to her, first. He pulled her away, dragging her to the center of the room where Dean was standing.
"Hiya, Ruby. Nice to see you, again." Dean grinned.
Ruby screamed. "I left you for dead, you bastard!"
"Yeah, about that..." Dean pulled out a blade, shoving it into her. "That's for my brother, you bitch."
Ruby gasped as Dean turned the blade inside her. "You're too late... Dean..." She paused, trying desperately to breathe. "I still beat you. Your b-brother is... is l-long... g-gone..." She slumped forward, and Castiel let her fall to the ground.
…
"You don't know what you're saying Bobby. I have to kill Lilith. The angels are tricking you!"
"No, son, you listen to me. Ruby is manipulating you. If you kill Lilith, the final seal will break."
Sam's eyes widened as he took in this new information. "What?"
…
Dean and Castiel were fighting Lilith's minions, side-by-side. "Where's Megan?" Castiel yelled.
Dean shoved a blade into one of the demons, and threw the body at another running at him. "She's after Lilith. As soon as she kills her, these guys will scatter."
Castiel took a hard hit to the face, but Dean managed to ram into the demon and kill it. "We gotta get out of here, Dean. We can't be be here when Megan kills her. There may be... casualties."
Dean nodded. "Not without Bobby and Sam."
…
Lilith sat up, breathing heavily. Sam Winchester was trapped by what she could only assume was a hunter. Ruby was... dead. Killed by Dean Winchester. Figures he'd show up. She was about to stand, when she felt a blade tip against her back. "Don't move."
Lilith grinned. "Is that an Angel of Freedom behind me?"
Megan pulled Lilith up by her arm to face her. "You're damn right. You can call me Megan."
"Well, Megan. I assume you're going to kill me, bypassing the seal and keeping Lucifer locked away." Megan didn't respond. "And I also assume that your angel-friend over there didn't tell you what would happen to you when you kill me?"
Megan paused. "What do you mean?"
Lilith grinned. She knew it. That Castiel never told her the truth. "When you destroy me, you destroy both of us. Neither of us will make it out of this alive."
…
"You're crazy!" Sam shouted, throwing Bobby off of him. "Ruby wouldn't..."
Bobby grabbed onto Sam's arm, but no longer aggressively. "Sam, please. You can trust me. And you can trust your brother. He's no demon, Sam. It's really him."
Sam's head was spinning. He had always known Ruby was shady. But she couldn't have lied to him... not all this time... He looked around but he couldn't find her. All he saw was a dead body on the floor. No...
"Sam, listen to me. Come with me. We can help you." Bobby pleaded, one last time.
Sam hesitated a long while before nodding. "What about Lilith?"
"Megan will take care of her. She's the only one who can."
Bobby and Sam ran to Castiel and Dean. Castiel immediately zapped them away, to safety.
Meanwhile, Megan had a decision to make.
25- Dean
They were in the only place they had called home for a long time.
"Sammy?"
Sam turned to see his brother up close for the first time in months. "Dean..."
Dean wrapped his arms around his gigantic little brother.
"I'm so sorry, Dean. Ruby said-"
Dean pulled away, shaking his head. "Don't worry about it, Sammy. I know it was all Ruby. But it's okay. It's all over now. Megan is going to get rid of Lilith once and for all, and then this will all be over."
Castiel's face dropped, and Dean saw it right
away. It was the same look he had the day he rescued Dean. He knew something. "Cas... is there something you want to tell me?"
"Megan... Megan can destroy Lilith, but..."
"But what?"
"Megan will die, as well." Castiel was never going to mention this. Never. But he had grown so attached to the Winchesters, and to Megan and Bobby... he couldn't lie to them anymore.
"What?" Bobby exclaimed.
"And somehow you failed to mention that all this time?" Dean yelled. "There's got to be another way!"
Castiel shook his head. "There isn't. That's why I never said anything. I knew you wouldn't agree-"
"Damn right I don't agree!" Dean would not let Megan die. Not after all of this. There had to be something else they could do... "Take me to her."
"Dean, no!" Sam protested. "You'll get killed!"
Bobby nodded. "Sam's right, Dean. There are way too many demons there for us to hold off long enough for you to get to Megan. And if you manage to stop her from killing her, Lilith will most definitely kill you. It's too dangerous."
"We can't just let her die!" Dean grabbed Castiel's arm. "I swear to God, Cas. You take me back there. I need to talk to her."
Castiel gave him a troubled look. This was most certainly a suicide mission. For anyone who went. He wanted to say no, especially since he could feel Bobby and Sam staring at him, waiting for him to agree with them. But... maybe Dean was right. Maybe they could save Megan. "Fine. We'll go."
"Castiel, no!" Sam grabbed out to reach him, but they both disappeared before he could stop them. "Dean! " Sam called. Bobby put his hand on his shoulder. "Dean..."
…
They landed in the middle the church, where Megan was currently fighting off demons. At the alter, Lilith was laughing. "Just beam out of here, Megan. You'll never work up the courage to kill me, anyway."
"Megan!" Dean and Castiel started to help kill the last demons there. With three of them, it was easier. Lilith stayed on the steps, obviously confident that Megan would never go through with it. She continued to taunt them.
"Go ahead, kill them all. I don't need them. All you are doing is postponing the inevitable."
With the last demon slayed on the ground, they were able to get to her.
Megan was in tears, and as soon as they got to her, she ran into Dean's arms. "I don't want to die, Dean..."
Dean ran his hand along her back. "I know... I know..." He had planned on taking her away from here, and figuring out a new plan. But as he looked at Castiel he knew it was useless.
If they didn't kill her now, Lilith would just find another way. They had to do this now, or never.
"I know, Megan... but... you have to do this."
Megan looked up, upset and shocked. "What?"
Dean bit his bottom lip, trying to stop himself from crying the same way. "I know I told you not to do anything you didn't want to... but this is the only way, Megan. The only way to stop her."
Megan closed her eyes. She knew he was right. She had to be strong, now. She had to do this.
"You're not going to do this alone, Megan. I'll stay with you."
Both Megan and Castiel, who had stayed silent until then, asked "What?"
Megan continued, "Dean, I can't.. I can't let you do that..." Anyone inside the church would most certainly die when she killed Lilith. Her power would wipe out the whole place. If Dean stayed behind...
Dean shook his head. "Look... When Sam and I escaped into that liquor store, I had no idea what we were getting into. I had no way of knowing that I was going to meet you. Megan, you are a part of my family now, as far as I'm concerned. And I take family very seriously. I will not leave you here to die, alone. I won't do it."
Castiel stepped forward. "Dean, please... you don't have to do this. Think about Sam-"
Dean put his hand on Cas' shoulder, stopping him. Tears were flowing freely now as he accepted his death. "I'm always thinking about Sam, Cas... look after him for me, okay?" Cas started to shake his head. "Cas, please... this is my choice." Dean paused. "Thank you, for everything. You... you mean a lot to me, man..."
"Thank you, Dean..." Castiel thought, for the first time ever, he was going to cry. "Don't worry about Sam. I'll look after him."
Dena nodded. "You should get out of here, buddy."
Castiel disappeared.
"What, is your little huddle over so soon?" Lilith called. "So what? Are you going to do it, or not? "
Megan turned to Dean, grabbing his hand. "You got this, Megan." Then, after a pause. "Don't worry, I'll be here to protect you."
That line was not lost on Megan, who smiled through her tears. "Pssh. Yeah, okay." They both then turned to Lilith.
"You're going down, bitch."
Megan focused all her energy on destroying Lilith completely. Lilith could feel it, and it felt different than with Sam. It felt absolute.
Dean couldn't tell exactly what was happening. Megan's eyes were closed, and she was squeezing his hand with such force he thought she would break it.
Lilith was obviously effected, as she was writhing on the floor, screaming.
A light was coming from Megan, a blinding white light. Dean just held onto Megan, trying to shield his eyes from the light. But he knew, soon, it wouldn't matter.
In a great big explosion of light and energy and angelic grace, the entire church was destroyed, leaving nothing behind.
No signs of what may have caused it. No bodies. No nothing. Anyone who wandered across it would have no idea what happened. Have no idea of the apocalyptic events that almost transpired here.
But Castiel, who stood not too far from the wreckage, knew exactly what happened. He watched it explode, knowing full well at what cost.
A tear fell from his eye, which felt so foreign to him, but he just wiped it away. All the while he couldn't stop thinking one thing.
What was he going to tell Sam Winchester?
26- Epilogue
"Heaven would never be Heaven without you." ―Richard Matheson
...
Castiel listened to the rumble of the engine, and somehow this all felt so familiar.
The Impala's tires rolled down the gravel road, which led to nowhere in particular. The sun was down, leaving the air a crispy dusk, which was Dean's favorite time to drive.
Dean sat beside him, in the driver's seat. He looked better than he had in a long time. He looked healthy and happy, and (ironically) full of life. The amulet Sam had given him all those years ago bounced up and down against his plaid-clad chest as they drove down the bumpy road.
Dean reached forward and turned down the radio, which was currently blasting at full volume. "So, Cas. Where do you wanna go?"
Castiel smiled, glancing over only briefly at his friend. "It's your Heaven, Dean. I have little control over where we go."
After the apocalypse never came to be, the Angels in charge of the rebellion fled. The others pledged their loyalty to God once again, and promised to be faithful.
They Angel's that had followed him against the apocalypse wanted Castiel to lead them, now that Heaven was united again. Yet Castiel declined. He had other plans.
Dean.
Dean shrugged. "Yeah, I know. I just figured you might be bored of fishing trips and strip clubs." Castiel didn't reply, and they were left in a comfortable silence that was only broken by the question Dean always asked. "How's Sammy?"
Castiel focused in on Sam Winchester. He had been keeping tabs on him and Bobby ever since he had to tell them about Dean. They were both devastated, of course, and angry. But Sam especially. He was angry at Dean for going, and at Cas for taking him. But mostly, he just wanted Dean back.
Castiel assured him that there was nothing he could do- that Megan's blast was permanent. Of course, Angel's could bring people back to life under special circumstances, but Castiel didn't mention that. There was enough going wrong without them bending the rules.
Besides, Dean didn't seem to mind. He was content in his own person
al Heaven, with Cas, traveling through his best memories.
Over time, as the world was starting to put itself back together, Sam slowly let it go. He was still angry, Cas could tell, but he knew it was never up to him. Dean had made his own choices, and there was nothing he could do about that.
Castiel had been paying special attention to Sam's energy. He knew from Bobby that Sam's eyes had gone black in the church. Luckily, it didn't seem to effect him now. Still, Cas just wanted to make sure Sam kept himself out of trouble, and he knew Dean would appreciate that.
"Sam's fine. Things are almost... normal down on Earth."
Dean nodded. "Good... is he still hunting?"
"Occasionally. He's going back to school, soon."
Dean smiled. Sam was moving on. Finally. "Could you, like, take a message to him for me?"
Castiel frowned. "I'm not sure that would be appropriate. "
"Of course..." Dean sighed. "What about Megan? Have you got any leads on her?"
Dean and Castiel had been searching for Megan ever since she, too, died. It was unclear what happened to angels when they died. It was possible that they disappeared forever, and that there was no one beneath God himself who could bring them back. That answer, though, was not good enough for Dean.
Castiel shook his head. "No, unfortunately. I told you it was unlikely we'd find her, Dean. She may be lost. Forever. "
"Never say never, Cas." Dean hit him playfully on the shoulder. "We'll find her."
Dean was happy. Sam was safe and sound on Earth, and now he could live the life he was always meant to have. He and Cas were hanging out in Heaven, and could go wherever they wanted. And he knew, deep down, that they'd find Megan. They had to.
"Now, as I was saying.. where do you wanna go?"
THE END