'Our son... Save us!'

Dean smacked down on the ground, feeling like he got hit by a bulldozer. He scrambled up to his feet, eyes frantically searching everywhere for Allegra. But she was gone. So was the barn, the house, Crowley, the demons... He was back in the park in Oregon.

"Do you know what to do?"

He whirled round to see Turiel standing behind him, hands behind his back, awaiting Dean's reply. Still feeling the sting of getting zapped through time and landing on his ass twice, Dean just nodded.

"Good," said the angel approvingly. "Then I will take you to her. We must hurry; I fear there is already a change in the future you saw, and not to our benefit."

"Wow, wow, back up a sec." Dean stepped up to Turiel before he got zapped out again. "That boy, Allegra told me he's... he's our son?"

Saying it out loud didn't make it any less incredible. He, Dean Winchester, would have a son with Allegra. A son! If he hadn't seen the boy with his own eyes, if he hadn't heard the words come out of Allegra's mouth himself, Dean would've thought it was all a big joke.
Turiel nodded, a hint of sympathy (or was it pity?) in his expression.

"How?!" demanded Dean. "I mean, I know how, but..."

"From what I gather, you will broker a deal with Michael. You become his vessel on the condition that you are allowed one night with Allegra as yourself. He ensures then that she falls pregnant with your child."

Dean gaped at Turiel. He tried to wrap his head around the fact that Heaven's head douche-bag could control even that.

"It won't be until the boy's 13th birthday that it will be revealed he is not the Seraph of prophecy," continued the angel. "As Michael is not in control of you when you lie with Allegra, only her powers are passed on."

"Well, what the hell does your boss do to make sure Lucifer doesn't become a baby daddy to the real deal?!"

"Michael does nothing, you do. A small vial with a dark substance, which you keep for Allegra, I believe? You return it when you part with her. Michael warns her she will bare your child, so she waits until after the baby is born to drink it, thus ruining both Lucifer and his own chance of ever fulfilling the prophecy. In retrospect, it is the most desirable outcome for us."

Dean glanced at Baby. At where the vial was now. Anger rose inside of him. How?! Just how could it all get so screwed up?!

"And Lucifer?" He gritted his teeth. "If the kid isn't his, why doesn't he kill him? He holding him as leverage or something?"

"Perhaps against Allegra, to ensure she does not go to Michael's aid. Of course, it also helps that she gives no cause to make Lucifer believe the child is not his."

Dean felt his stomach churn. Just the thought of Allegra being with that bastard, doing all she can to make him believe he actually fulfilled the prophecy with her... It was sickening.

"So... So, you're really telling me that after everything you sons of bitches put her through, that is Allegra's future?! To be Lucifer's prisoner and his... his wife until he finds out she lied to him?! Until he kills her and my son?!'

"Dean, it is precisely because we don't want this for her that we decided to intervene. I wish we could do more; believe me, I do. But the sad truth is that there are simply not enough among the angels who wish to give Allegra a fair chance to shape her own destiny. I, for one, am confident that you play a great role in her future. Perhaps the prophecy may never need to be fulfilled after all. And who knows, perhaps there may even be a way for you and Allegra to have the son you saw in a regular way without needing Michael. But the one thing I am certain of is that if she remains within reach of Lucifer now, she will be corrupted. You have to stop that from happening. Or all will be lost."

Dean looked Turiel over. There was something oddly familiar about him, but he couldn't quite place it. He didn't trust the angel. Any angel, for that matter. But right now, Turiel was the only one on his side. He had no choice but to stick with the lesser of two evils.

"Take me to her."

***

"Why are you still holding back? Allegra is right there; you have her within your grasp! Stop treating her like she's a porcelain doll and just get it over with already! This goody-goody behavior is nauseating." 

Sam shook his head in an attempt to get Lucifer's voice out of his head. Allegra's shield around his mind had improved the hallucinations somewhat, and he hadn't seen the devil anymore, but there was nothing they could do to shut the goddamn voice out. It was driving him crazy.

"Come on, Sam, Allegra's a total babe who clearly wants a Winchester to pluck her flower. Loyalty is admirable, but it's time to look out for numero uno and forget about Dean. Older brothers are overrated anyway, believe me. I mean, what's Dean have that you don't have? Besides a bad attitude and grade-A jerk-ism, he's got nothing on you! You're tall, you've got brains, and do I even have to mention the hair?"

"Shut up."

"Dean and Allegra are done. He screwed up. Literally! She's never gonna trust his cheating ass again, but if you wait any longer, Allegra's gonna slip right through your fingers. So just do it."

"Shut up!"

"Do it, Sam!"

"SHUT UP!"

Sam hurled the glass he had been holding across the kitchen, smashing it against the wall. The whiskey spilled down on the floor, making the tiny fragments of glass glisten dangerously. He fell back against the counter, his head hung in utter defeat.

"Sam?"

Allegra's clear voice called out to Sam, a lifeline in the sea that was trying to drown him. But he refused to react to her presence in the room. He was ashamed of his outburst and didn't want to see the fearful look he was certain she bore. If she gave up on him as well...
A slender female hand gently caressed his face. The sudden unexpected touch made Sam look up. He met Allegra's gaze. She made her way over without Sam noticing it. All he saw in her brown eyes was concern.

"Deep breaths," she said encouragingly.

"Sam, think about this. Allegra chose you once before; she'll do it again. You just need to remind her what she's missing out on here. And the only way to do that is to take her in your arms and start smooching already! You can't get in a more perfect position right now; she's right in front of you!"

Sam's mouth twitched when he heard Lucifer's voice again. His hand reached up, gripping Allegra's wrist tightly. Holding her like that comforted Sam. At least she was real. But her being with him was dangerous too. Part of him just wanted to give in and do everything he had ever imagined doing with the redhead. But Lucifer would win then. Sam was sane enough to know he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't do that to Allegra. Not again.

"I keep hearing him," whimpered Sam. "I-I can't take it anymore, Allegra."

"Oh, will you stop your whining already?"

"You can't give up," urged Allegra.

"I just want it to stop." 

"I wish I could do more for you, Sam. I pushed Lucifer out of your mind before, but Castiel helped me do that. I doubt any of the other angels is willing to help me now... I can try awakening my grace again."

Sam shook his head vehemently.

"No, that takes too much out of you."

"Fine, then I'll... I'll kidnap an angel and force him to help me! I'm an Archangel, after all. I can do that. I think."

"Allegra, you can't put yourself in danger for my sake."

"Will you stop worrying about me and let me help y-..."

Sam's body suddenly moved on its own. His hands cupped Allegra's face, and his mouth crashed against hers, cutting her words short. Allegra was caught completely by surprise but recovered quickly from the first shock. Sam felt the palm of her hands against his chest, trying to push herself away from him. He knew he should let go. He knew this was bad. But for some reason, he couldn't step away from Allegra. It was like something inside of him had taken control of his body - something... or someone.

"Yeah, sorry, Sam, but I'm taking the wheel. Take some consolation in the fact that it's your body, at least. If only you would say yes to me. Oh well, enjoy the ride."

Sam tried to scream. He tried to pull himself away from Allegra and push Lucifer back into his mind. But it was no use. The Devil was too strong. 

"Lucifer!" Sam yelled soundlessly. "Goddammit, let her go!"

It was like a movie. He had become a spectator in the theatre that was his mind. Seeing and feeling everything, but absolutely powerless to stop any of it. He fought desperately for control but couldn't break through. How the hell had Lucifer gotten through Allegra's shield? Had she lowered her guard? No, Sam still felt it was up even now.
Lucifer made his body pin Allegra roughly against the wall. She cried out in pain. His hands held her above her head. The words came out in his voice, but it was Lucifer who spoke then.

"Come, come, Allegra, don't act like you don't like it wild. The one good thing about being with the other Winchester is that you're not completely inexperienced anymore. I'm still gonna kill Dean for getting to you before I could, but considering the favor he did me in this, I'll do it quickly. Oh, and in case you were wondering, Sammy's not available right now, so I'm in the lead."

Allegra's eyes widened.

"L-Lucifer?! How the hell...?! What did you do to Sam?!"

"Oh, he's still in here, watching. You wanna save him? You know the magic word."

"Screw you!"

"I knew you were warming up to me, sweetheart. Be a good girl now and say yes to me. I'll let Sam go once we're done, promise."

"Allegra, no!" Sam tried furiously to get his thoughts through to her. "Don't do it!"

Allegra struggled against the iron grip holding her. She kicked her leg, but Lucifer pressed Sam's body against hers. She was trapped.

"Lucifer, I swear if you don't let go of me right now!"

"You'll what? Hurt Sam?" He chuckled. "Don't make idle threats, Allegra. Besides, would being with me really be so bad? I never lied to you. I never deceived you. I never abandoned you. Michael, Gabriel, Castiel, even your precious Dean. Every single one of them betrayed you. None of them cared. You did what they told you, and where are they now, hm?"

"Right behind you, asshat!"

***

Dean pulled his brother away from Allegra, throwing him hard against the kitchen table. The momentary confusion provided him with just enough time to knock Sam out with a well-aimed punch. His body slumped to the floor. He was gonna have a killer headache when he woke up, no doubt, for which Dean felt a little guilty, but maybe now, Sam could regain control.
Dean turned round to check on Allegra, but she was already on her knees next to Sam's body. She placed her hands at his temples. A faint white glow appeared at her fingertips. Her hands trembled. Dean sank down beside her and put his own hands on hers. Their eyes met. The white glow shone brighter and brighter until it slowly faded away again. Blood trickled out of Allegra's nose. Her eyes fluttered. Realizing she was about to lose consciousness, Dean scooped her up into his arms to carry her to the bedroom. He would take care of Sam later; he was out cold anyway. Right now, Allegra was the one who needed him.

Dean placed her gently onto the bed, covering her with a blanket to keep her warm. He wiped the blood away and checked her pulse. Slow but steady. So was her breathing. He let out a sigh of relief. Allegra's powers always took a heavy toll on her, but it was even worse when she tapped into her grace (or tried to, anyway). Her human body couldn't fully handle the celestial part within her. If only those damn angels had helped her instead of using her!

"I'm here, Alley," whispered Dean as he carefully caressed her cheek. "I ain't going anywhere."

He leaned in.

"I love you," he breathed against her lips right before he kissed them.

***

Allegra awoke with a start. Her heart was racing, going a hundred miles an hour. It took her a while to see that she was in the cabin's bedroom. She was okay. She was safe. She wasn't in Hell. Still, it had looked so... vivid. The smells, the screams, even the blades and whips opening her back over and over again. Alastair's voice as he tortured her. Lucifer's voice as he tried to turn her to the dark side. Lucifer... Sam!
She scrambled off the bed and opened the door. A man's voice reached her from the kitchen. A sigh. Footsteps. Allegra hastened towards the sounds but came to an abrupt halt when she saw the man in the kitchen wasn't Sam Winchester. It was Dean.

"Dean? W-What are you... What are you doing here?"

She took a quick scan of the room. It was just the two of them.

"Where's Sam?" she asked.

Dean put his phone on the table. When he didn't reply to Allegra's question, she grew anxious.

"Dean, where's Sam?!"

"He's... in the hospital."

"The wha- I-I don't understand. What happened?!"

"Don't worry, he's good. Here, sit down. I'll explain everything."

Dean pulled her towards the couch and made her sit.

"You feeling better?" he asked as he sat next to her.

"Yes, I'm fine," answered Allegra impatiently. "Dean, what happened to Sam?"

"He got hit by a car. No serious injuries," Dean added quickly at Allegra's aghast reaction. "But Doc's keeping him in the psych ward."

"What?! Dean, how could you allow that?!"

"I didn't allow anything, Allegra. They're keeping him because of insomnia and whatnot."

"That's Lucifer's influence on him! The wall, i-it collapsed. Sam's been struggling more and more to fight him. I... I have to go to him. I have to see him!"

Allegra stood up, but the entire room started to spin around her. If it hadn't been for Dean catching her, she would've collapsed on the floor.

"You ain't going anywhere. You're still too weak."

"No... No, Sam needs me." Allegra tried to push herself away from Dean.

"Allegra, listen to me. Listen!" His grip on her tightened a little, and she stopped struggling. "You've been unconscious for almost 3 days. I'm assuming you've been using your shield on Sam to keep his soul and his mind from Lucifer, but you had to tap into your grace after he attacked you. At least that's what I think you did; your hands got all glowy. It took everything out of you. I love my brother, and I'm doing all I can to find a way to help him, but I won't risk putting you in harm's way. I know you care about Sammy, and I know you wanna help him, but you need to stay away from him. As long as Lucifer is still inside him, he won't stop trying to get to you. I may not get there in time to save you next time."

His words echoed through her. She wanted to help Sam. But she knew Dean was right. She was still too weak. Lucifer caught her off guard, and he could do so again. Too much was at stake to allow that to happen. 

'I may not get there in time to save you next time.'

Did Dean... He had, hadn't he? He knocked Lucifer out; he saved her. How had he even known she was in danger? And how the hell had he arrived at the cabin so quickly? The last time she tracked his soul, she found him in Oregon, near the park where they... where they... Allegra closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She couldn't think about that now. It was over anyway. Or wasn't it?

She stiffened as Dean placed a soft kiss on her brow. Something stirred within her. A warmth she hadn't felt in some time now. It filled her being, almost like it was strengthening her. Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself staring into Dean's emerald eyes.
Everything Allegra loved about him came flooding back. The memory of his words, his touch, his lo-... No... No, he never told her he loved her. He couldn't say it. Because she wasn't to him what he was to her. She wasn't his future. She never would be. There were only two paths Allegra could take. Which begged the question; would saying yes to Lucifer really be so bad?

***

Something was off about Allegra. Whether it was because she was still on a grace hangover, because she wasn't with Sam, or because she was with him now, Dean couldn't tell. He didn't trust her staying in the cabin alone, afraid she might go to see Sam after all, so Dean told her he needed her help in tracking down this healer named Emmanuel. A friend of Bobby's had called him back, claiming this guy healed him from being half-blind. Dean was desperate enough to try just about anything to save his little brother.

"Huh."

"What?"

He threw a sideways glance at Allegra. She was in the passenger seat next to him, concentrating on finding Emmanuel's wife, Daphne, who was their best shot at asking hubby to help Sam.

"I'm locked on the wife, we're on the right way, but this Emmanuel-guy..." Allegra scrunched her nose. "It's so weird. It's like I... I know him. The impression of his soul feels very familiar."

"The... Okay, you lost me there."

"Every soul leaves an impression. Kinda like a stamp or a mark. It shows where they've been and what they've been through. It's how I track them down. I search for the impression until I find the soul itself. It's... an angel thing, I suppose. Anyway, this Emmanuel, I feel like I've been in contact with him before."

"But you haven't?"

"If I knew about this guy, I would've told you, Dean."

"Right, sorry... This feeling you got, good or bad?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well, we'll have to see when we get there. Let's just hope this guy wants to help out."

"Don't worry; he will."

Dean turned his head to look at Allegra, surprised by the sudden change in her tone. She met his questioning gaze.

"You didn't think I was gonna give him a choice now, did you?"

***

The Impala pulled over at a house. Dean peered out and then glanced over at Allegra, waiting for her okay. She nodded, but just as he was about to open the door, Allegra put her hand on his arm.

"Dean, wait! I just picked up on something dark in the house."

"Ugh, great." He groaned and reached for the demon-killing knife. "Okay, you stay back just in case."

Allegra scoffed.

"Huh, yeah, that ain't happenin'."

"Allegra, I mean it. Stay in the car."

His serious expression paused her. She sighed. Dean took it as her surrender and got out of the Impala. Allegra watched him walk up the porch to the front door. A man opened the door, but she couldn't quite see his face. She grunted.

"Dammit, Dean, move."

When the man stepped out of the, Allegra saw it. A demon face! She hurried out of the car and ran over to Dean. But by the time she got to him, he had already knifed the demon. A light flashed from the bastard's eyes and mouth as he dropped dead.

"Dean, you okay?!"

"Peachy. The woman's tied up inside, we gotta..."

Dean's breath caught. He was staring at something behind her, his face in utter shock. She turned around, expecting another demon (or worse, a Leviathan), and gasped at the new player on the scene.

"Castiel?"