Hell

Alex jumped up the staircase, wings flicking as embers flew with each step. Behind her, the stairs stretched downwards, the bottom so far away that the darkness obscured it — even if her deal had let her look back, Alex would no longer be able to see the fire that encircled Lucifer's cage. Torchlight guided her path as she ascended higher and higher. Doorways broke the stone walls every few steps, leading to flickering hallways that twisted out of sight. Such offshoots grew increasingly rare as the air grew colder, and Alex drew in a deep breath as the scent of sulfur began to fade. A doorway appeared in the distance, and Alex jogged the last few flights to stand beside the wooden door. "Fuck." She bent over, her breath a low wheeze. "Put in an elevator, Crowley."

She rapped upon the door — when no answer came, she knocked harder — and after a second, it unlocked with a heavy click. A woman stood on the other side, dark eyes watching her beneath dark, thick hair. "What do you want?"

"It's Billie, right?" Alex pushed past the reaper with a disinterested flick of her wings. "I'm just coming back up to take care of some business." She heard Billie close the metal door, which creaked in protest, and added, "I'll be back in a couple hours. Where ... where did this door take me out?"

"You're in Kenesaw, Nebraska." Billie's voice was cool, dislike and disinterest mingling in her eyes, and Alex turned away with a grunt. "That a problem?"

"No. It's just ... not where we came in." Alex crossed the room to exit through the second door, and her eyes narrowed at the bright sunlight that met her. She was standing in an alleyway, a cracked sidewalk beneath her feet, and the angel hesitated, unsure which direction to go. Her eyes swept from one side of the street to another, and then quickly back. That was — no. How?

Castiel's golden Continental sat on the street and, as Alex watched, the car door opened to reveal the seraph. "Alex." Broken wings unfolded from his shoulders, and Alex cast a quick glance behind her before she hurried towards her mate.

"How did you find me?" Her own wings briefly stretched downwards, matching his greeting before she pulled them back up. "I gave you the wrong address — not on purpose," she hurried to add.

"A demon told me where I might find you." Castiel's answer was vague, and Alex narrowed her eyes, but she kept her grace from probing for the truth. "I got a call from Dean. He said he tried to reach you and Sam, but neither of you answered."

"Call?" Alex dug her phone out of her pocket, eyes stretching wide. "I — I didn't get anything. Maybe hell has bad cell reception." She shoved her phone back into her jeans as Castiel opened up the driver's side door to his car, and she hurried around to the passenger side, frowning at the worried spark in her mate's grace. "Crowley sent me topside to find Dean. Where is he?"

"He's near Lincoln, Nebraska."

"That — that's impossible." Alex's head recoiled. "We left him in Massachusetts. How did he get all the way over here?"

"Amara." The Continental's engine coughed as Castiel started the car, and Alex watched him grimace — at the Darkness or at the car, she couldn't tell which. "Dean said that they spoke, but three angels interrupted them. Amara killed all three."

"And ...?"

"And then heaven struck her down with everything they could muster." The car jolted forward as they set off down the street, and Alex cast a glance back towards the shop where the gate to hell lay. "Amara sent him away, but from what he says, he was still close enough that he may have suffered from the blast."

"Suffered ... how?" Alex's attention dropped back down onto her phone as it vibrated, a notification for a missed voicemail popping up beside Dean's name. "Cas, is he okay?"

"Ane teloch." The Enochian words rolled smoothly over the seraph's tongue, a striking contrast to the darkness in his eyes. "Considering he was alive to call us, he'll be fine, but depending on how close he was, he'll be showing symptoms soon. We should get to him as soon as possible." His blunt fingernails dug into the beige leather of the steering wheel, and Alex turned her eyes out the window as she felt his discomfort grow. "How close have they come to summoning Lucifer?"

Alex hesitated, her thumbs drumming against her thighs as she thought. "Rowena's already completed the spell," she finally admitted, "but I ... Crowley didn't keep me around long enough to catch more than a glimpse of him." Castiel's wings stiffened, and Alex shifted in the seat. "I'm just worried about Sam. I don't like leaving him alone in hell. Not — not like that."

"Crowley sent you away to avoid Lucifer?"

"To find Dean," Alex corrected crossly. "Sam promised him that he'd wait to go to hell until Dean was back, but when we couldn't get a hold of him ... we just couldn't waste time we didn't have, Cas." She settled down into her seat as Castiel guided the Continental onto the highway, sighing as she tucked her phone into her jacket pocket. Castiel didn't continue the conversation, so after a second she asked, "So, how was Gaza?"

"It was a waste of time." Castiel's frustration returned, and Alex reached out to put a hesitant hand on his thigh. "There was nothing about the Darkness, and there was nothing new in regards to your deal. Dean told me about how Crowley treated you —"

"I can take a bit of embarrassment. Don't worry about that." Alex scoffed, her tone harder than she had intended. "You heard about what Amara did at that church, right? Sam called it a massacre. That should take priority." Castiel inhaled, but Alex broke into his protestations. "We're having to summon Lucifer, Cas. That should tell you how freaking important this Darkness is."

"The Darkness isn't more important you," Castiel retorted, and Alex dug her nails into her palms.

"The Darkness is going to destroy a whole hell of a lot more than my deal will if she isn't stopped! Come on, Cas! Get a grip on reality, won't you —" Realizing that she was shouting, Alex cut off, but it was too late; Castiel visibly winced, his wings drawing in close, and Alex dropped her eyes to her lap. "Sorry," she murmured. "I didn't mean it like that." One wing shifted outwards, the sharp, broken vanes brushing against his. "I — this whole thing has me stressed —"

"I understand." Castiel's voice was hollow, and Alex's nails dug into her palms as she cursed under her breath. "You've made your position clear before, but it still won't change my answer."

"Okay, how about the fact that Crowley knows that you're looking for something, and he doesn't care?" Alex's voice sharpened again, but she kept it quiet. "He knows you're not going to find anything in — in Athens, or in Alexandria, or anywhere else you want to go!" Her nails dug in tighter to the point of pain, and she drew in a deep, harsh breath. "I don't want to fight, Cas —"

"Are you sure?" She felt the seraph bristle as he spoke, his voice tight. "Because it's all you seem to do." His eyes stayed focused on the road, his jaw clenched, and Alex snapped her mouth shut. She crossed her arms, choosing silence as her answer, and she leaned up against the side of the door as the conversation was swallowed up by the tense air.

The radio hummed through the broken speakers, a quiet, haunting tune that Alex didn't quite recognize. Her fingers drummed on her thigh, moving along to the melody as she stared blankly out the passenger-side window. Castiel sat beside her, as still as a stone. Some of the tension had left his wings, but he had reconstructed the wall around his grace, the knot tied tight with his frustration — because of her deal, he had claimed. Alex heaved a sigh, shifting so she could press her forehead up against the cool glass. Her deal was pressing up against her chest, urging her forward to find Dean. It thrummed, a building, anxious pressure, and she almost threw open the door when the Continental rounded the bend in the highway. "Cas, there."

The Impala was on the side of the road, the engine still roaring, and tires squealed as Castiel slammed on the brakes. He pulled the Continental off the pavement, and Alex jumped out as soon as the car came to a stop. "Dean?"

The Winchester was on the ground, his back up against the sleek black body of the car as he retched. "Dean." Castiel echoed her, slamming the car door behind him, and Alex rushed up to the hunter's side. "I came as soon as you called. Are you alright?"

"C-Cas?" Dean lifted his head, his eyes narrowed against the light, and Alex dropped down in front of him, taking his head in her hands. His pupils were dilated despite the sun, and she shifted back as Dean emptied his stomach onto the ground once again.

"You're not alright." Castiel put his hand on Dean's shoulder as the Winchester wiped his mouth off on his sleeve. His hand moved up to Dean's forehead, his grace slipping inwards before he pulled Dean's eyelid up with his thumb.

"What are you doing?" Dean asked, his words slurring, and his green eyes flickered over to Alex.

She shrugged, but Castiel ignored the question with a disinterested flick of his wings. "Stick out your tongue," he ordered.

Dean did as he was commanded, his tongue flattening so Castiel could peer at the back of his throat. Castiel frowned, and Dean snapped his mouth shut. "Alright, are we done?" He struggled to sit up further, but Castiel held him down.

"Let me take your temperature —"

"No." Dean knocked Castiel's hand away, and his skull collided with the Impala as he jerked backwards. "That's not going to happen." He rubbed at the back of his head with a scowl, and Alex gently nudged Castiel aside so she could take his place.

The seraph settled back onto his heels with a frown. "How far are we from the event?" he asked, his head craning upwards as he looked back up the road.

"You mean the angel nuke?" Dean snapped, and when Castiel nodded, the hunter scowled. "Ground zero is about a mile away." He jerked his thumb off to the left, and Alex hesitantly probed her grace outwards into Dean. She put a hand on his solid chest, an avenue for it to permeate past his skin, but she pulled back when Castiel touched her shoulder.

"You can't help him," he murmured. "Smiting sickness," he explained when Dean made a questioning sound.

"Ane teloch," Alex quickly added."It sounds better in Enochian."

"The angels ... what they did ... it released a tremendous amount of energy and there's fallout, so this whole area is poisoned." Castiel's grace twisted through the air, crackling with displeasure. "Not even I can heal you, and the closer you get to the blast site, the worse your sickness will become."

Dean groaned as another wave of nausea swept over him and he retched, but nothing but bile came up. "How worse?" he asked as he wiped his mouth off with his jacket.

"The last time there was a smiting of this magnitude ... Lot's wife turned to salt." Castiel's forehead creased as he looked down at the Winchester, his eyes darkening with concern.

Dean groaned again, a softer, subdued noise, and Alex's fingers curled into fists. "Dean, I need you to come with me," she burst out. "Rowena found the right spell, and everyone's in hell. Crowley sent me to —"

"Hell." Dean straightened up, and his voice sharpened, losing some of the raspiness that it had held before. "Sam's in hell. Right now."

"With Lucifer." Alex moved backward as Dean pushed himself to his feet, steadying himself on the Impala as his legs shook. Castiel jumped up to help him, his hand wrapping around Dean's bicep to keep him on his feet. "Yes. I'm supposed to take you back there."

The Winchester hesitated, his eyes turning back down the road. "We — we gotta see if ... if Amara is alive or dead," he started, but his fists balled at his side. "That son of a bitch ..."

"The fallout doesn't affect angels." Castiel began, and Alex stood up, her wings drawn in close. "I'll go in alone."

"I have to get you back to hell," Alex quickly added. "Those are my orders, and I have to follow them even if that means throwing you in that damn trunk." She shifted impatiently on the gravel as Dean hesitated once again. "Now, Dean."

Dean reached for the car door, and Alex hurried around to the passenger side. "Hey, Cas?" Dean turned back towards the seraph. "If it did work and she is dead, bring her body out."

Castiel paused, his face blank and expressionless. "And if she's not?"

"Run."

Dean slid into the car with a grimace, and Alex's fingers wrapped around the door handle before she hesitated. "Cas," she started, and the seraph's eyes swung onto her. For several seconds, she just stared at him, her tongue suddenly thick and awkward in her mouth. "Uh ... be careful," she finally said, and she quickly turned away and climbed into the Impala. A quick glance in the rearview mirror showed that Castiel had returned to his car. "We're headed for Kenesaw," she instructed. "Do ... do you want me to drive?"

"No." The Impala lurched forward down the highway, and Alex tucked her legs underneath her as Dean scowled. "You let Sam go to hell? What the fuck, Alex?"

"Hey!" Alex's broken feathers puffed out in indignation. "What did you want me to do, Winchester? Sam was too determined to go, Rowena doesn't give a shit about what I say, and I have to do whatever Crowley tells me to. Hell, you're lucky that he actually sent me after you, because otherwise I'd still be in hell and you would have no idea where we were."

"What?" Dean recoiled in surprise. "Are you defending him?!"

"No! No way." Alex pinched at the bridge of her nose, her eyes screwed up as her deal pulsed. "Something ... something's wrong. I'm doing what he wants, but it's not getting better." Her hands moved upwards, gripping at her head. "We need to get there faster."

The Impala's tires squealed as Dean slammed on the brakes, and Alex rolled out of the car, her wings shaking out as soon as her feet hit the pavement. "This way." She waved Dean on towards the small shop set into the wall. She knocked on the metal door, her grace slipping out to unlock it, but a force stopped her. "Hey." She pounded on the door again, her voice rising. "Billie, let us in."

A metal slot slid open with a clang, and dark eyes peered outwards. "What's the password?"

"Seriously? I was just here two hours ago." The slot slammed shut, and Alex rolled her eyes. "Come on, Bille! I swear, if you don't open this up, I'm going to have Crowley kick your ass!" No answer came, and the angel shifted impatiently on the sidewalk.

"Just give her the password," Dean hissed, and Alex shoved her hands into her pocket.

"Fine," she retorted, and she used her grace pound against the door once again. "Come on, Billie. Camptown ladies sing this song, do dah, do dah," she recited. "Now open up."

The metal slot slid open, and Billie peered out through narrowed eyes. "Sing it."

"That's all of the song I know," Alex snapped. "Now open up this damn door or I swear to God I'm coming in by force."

She pushed her grace up against the door to prove her point, and it shook under the force. A moment later the lock clicked open, and the metal door swung open to reveal Billie, her arms crossed. "You must be Dean," the reaper began, and Alex slipped past her with a shake of her head. "I'm Billie."

"Demon?" When Billie shook her head, Dean frowned. "The reaper?" He hesitated on the threshold, only moving forward when Billie stepped out of the way to give him space. "My brother says you want to kill us."

"No." Billie closed the door behind him with a chuckle. "I'm just gonna make sure that when you die, you stay dead. Subtle difference."

Alex stopped in her tracks. "Sam never mentioned a reaper to me."

"It's not important." Billie brushed aside her question, and Alex's lips pursed, but her impatience didn't let her push the subject. "Here." The reaper held out a flat wooden box towards her. "For the Limey."

"What is it?" Alex's grace probed inwards as she took it, and she ran her palm over the smooth lid.

"That's none of your business," Billie promised, and when Alex's wings rose, she held up a finger. "Ah. You work for Crowley. I work with him. I believe that puts me above you."

"How about I kill you, and when we'll see —" Dean's hand on her shoulder had Alex falling silent, and she forced her wings down. "Just open the damn door to hell, okay? We're on a schedule." She shook off Dean's touch as she walked over to the warded door, her fingers tapping impatiently along the side of the box. Billie stepped up beside her, placing her palm against the metal. The white chalk wardings sparkled like embers, and the door clicked as it opened. A staircase unfolded behind it, stretching downwards into the shadows. "Watch your step," Billie warned. "It's a long way down."

Alex started down the stairs, glancing back to make sure that Dean was following as the door closed behind them. "Come on. We've got a long way to go."

"How far down are we going?" Dean lengthen his stride to pass her, and Alex awkwardly tried to tuck the box under her arm before she returned to pressing it up against her chest.

"I stopped counting at two hundred. So pace yourself." Her deal rose as she spoke, and the angel struggled to keep it under control as she hurried after Dean.

The further they descended, the hotter the air became, and the wretched stink of sulfur began to drift up from the blackened air. Every few seconds a scream echoed off of the walls, sometimes distant, sometimes too close for comfort, and Alex found herself falling behind as Dean hurried down the smoldering steps.

The staircase curved, and the first landing came into view. Crowley stood at the bottom, his foot tapping against the stone as he waited. "Welcome to hell."

"Where's Sam?" Dean stopped in front of the demon, his eyes probing the darkness beyond them.

Crowley let out a quiet scoff. "Don't you worry about Sam —"

"I'm sorry, have you met me?"

"Sam happens to be in the cage with Lucifer. I know, I know," he promised when Alex's eyes stretched wide, "a small hiccup, but don't worry. Lucifer needs the moose. He's not going to kill him. Probably." Dean opened his mouth, ready to yell, but Crowley cut in with a click of his tongue. "You versus the devil — trust me, there's easier ways to commit suicide. And I'm not letting you anywhere near him," he added to Alex. "What we need to focus on is Rowena."

"Sam's in the cage. With Lucifer." Alex prayed her voice didn't tremble as she spoke. "Do you — you think Rowena botched the spell on purpose?" When Crowley nodded, Alex reached back for her weapon, balancing the wooden box in one hand. "Okay, great. Then I'll kill her."

"Easier said than done, I'm afraid." Crowley reached for the latch on the box, and Alex reluctantly let her weapon go to instead support the box she held. "And we need Mother to slam the devil back into his hole."

"Well, is she going to play ball?" Dean's foot tapped impatiently, and Alex tried to peer around the lid to see what lay inside the box.

"She doesn't have a choice." From within the box, Crowley removed a thick iron ring, the inner side laced with pointed iron spikes. "It's called a witchcatcher," he explained, and Alex's stomach sunk as she realized what it was. A collar. A leather strap lay inside the circle, designed to protect the neck from the pointed ends, and from the back dangled a long iron chain. Crowley hefted it with a thin smile. "Most of them were destroyed after the Inquisition, but, ah, Billie came through."

"Yeah, she's a peach," Dean agreed sardonically. "What does it do?"

"You're going to love this." Crowley motioned off towards the ground, and Alex obediently leaned the box up against the wall behind her. "Come with me." He started off down the hall, and Alex fell in step behind him as Dean walked at his side. "It's a witchcatcher," he began. "Does exactly what it sounds like." He turned it over in his hands, his fingers running across the spikes. "It subdues and compels them to do whatever the person who holds this leash says."

"And how do we get it on her, huh?" Dean's step faltered slightly as Crowley handed him the device, and he glanced back at Alex with a frown.

"You'll see. Stay outside until I speak with her. Alex, with me." He beckoned her forward with a finger, and the angel obediently followed him down the hall. A metal door lay ahead, arching high and carved with intricate spires and whorls, and Alex couldn't help but let her grace trickle out to feel the room that lay beyond.

Crowley led the way through, and Alex paused at the threshold, letting her eyes turn across the stone room. The ceiling stretched high above her head, the stone so high that the torchlight failed to reach it, and Alex had to let her grace rise up so she could see the slanted tops. An oak table sat as the centerpiece to the room, complete with two skillful iron-wrought chairs. Rowena stood just beyond them, her eyes on the flickering fire that danced in the large fireplace. She didn't turn as they entered, choosing only to sip her tea before asking, "How's Dean?"

"Pardon?" Crowley's steps faltered, and he glanced back at Alex with a tight-lipped frown; the angel hardly paid attention, her eyes still taking in the darkened room around her.

"Little tip, love," she heard Rowena say. "The next time you go about making secret plans, check your pockets."

Crowley reached into his jacket pocket, his shoulders tightening as he pulled out a small, thumb-sized hex bag. He studied it for a moment before he tossed it to Alex, and the angel let her grace flow through her hand and into bag. It exploded into flames as it fell to the ground, and she ground out the embers with the heel of her shoe. "You heard?" Crowley asked.

"Everything." Rowena sipped her tea as Crowley walked up to stand at her side, and she turned her head to watch Dean stepped into the room, witchcatcher in hand.

"Not that it matters," Crowley continued, and Rowena turned back to him with a small smile.

"What does that mean, big boy?" she asked as she watched Alex approach, and the angel kept her chin raised high, her hand ready to draw her weapon should the need arise.

She glanced at Crowley from the corner of her eye, but the King of Hell didn't bat an eye at Rowena's scorn. "A little tip, Mother. Never accept a cup of tea from someone who loathes you."

Rowena chuckled, but the sound turned into a hoarse cough, then a breathless choke. The teacup slipped from Rowena's hands and crashed to the ground, and Alex shifted back as the porcelain set shattered, sending shards in every direction. The witch's eyes grew wide as she doubled over, gasping for air, and Dean surged forward, unclasping the collar and wrapping it around her neck. Rowena screamed as it closed, and she strained towards Dean. "Get this bloody thing off of me!" Her nails clawed at the iron, her face red with rage, but the iron latch refused to budge.

"I would," Crowley said, "but this 'bloody thing' makes you my slave." He held up the small chain leash, and Rowena scoffed at the idea. "Hop on one foot."

Rowena's eyes sharpened at the command, and she drew herself up as tall as she could. "Please, Fergus. I don't know what kind of Oedipal Fifty Shades you think you're playing at, but if you think for one second ..." She trailed off slowly as her body moved against her will, and Alex couldn't help but grin as horror spread across the witch's face as she looked down to see that she was slowly bouncing up and down on one foot. "Bollocks."

"Yeah, welcome to my world," Alex muttered, and she turned her attention onto the empty table behind them. "Time to work on that spell."

"You —" Rowena drew in a ragged, fierce breath, and the angel cast a glance over her shoulder. "You think Lucifer would ever allow that?" She lifted her chin as Alex turned fully to face her, and Alex's wings twitched.

"Doesn't matter," Crowley rasped. "Get started." The firelight caught in his eyes, and Rowena scowled as her body moved her forward against her will. With a wave of Crowley's hand, the Book of the Damned and the codex appeared on the polished wood table, and Alex moved so she was standing across from Rowena.

"So you're actually working for Lucifer, huh?" she asked, a side-long glance cast in Dean's direction as the hunter circled around past her, his eyes flickering across the dark stone walls. "How'd that happen?"

"Lucifer came to me in a dream." Rowena held her head high as she spoke, even as her hands moved to turn through the Book of the Damned. Alex stiffened, and the witch's lips curled into a smirk. "Don't act so entitled, dear. He didn't mention anything about you."

Out of the corner of her eye, Alex saw Dean pause, his head turned to listen to their conversation, and the angel shook out her wings with a thin scoff. "I don't know what you're talking about," she retorted. "Come on, Rowena. So you're just gonna let some guy waltz into your dreams and tell you what to do without a first date? Seems a bit sketchy to me."

"Lucifer is no 'guy.' " Rowena's eyes dropped down to the Book of the Damned as she spoke, but she drew herself up taller. "He's ... perfection. Why do you think I let Crowley's droogs find me? It was all part of Lucifer's plan."

"Right. Because his plans have always been in the best interest of everybody." Dean returned to the table, his brow creased in anger. "You know he's just going to kill everyone, right? What's in it for you?"

Rowena didn't immediately answer, her finger leisurely tracing the lettering on the page before her. "Well," she finally began, "he'll stop the Darkness, for one. And once Lucifer's won, he'll ascend to his throne in Heaven ... and I'll be by his side, a loyal follower."

"You'll be dead before you even get there." Alex's palms pressed into the wooden table as she leaned forward, her wings arching high above her head. "And on the off-chance Lucifer doesn't kill you, I will."

"You really think he's going to choose you over me?" Rowena's eyes flashed with indignation, and she leaned forward to meet the angel's challenge. "And what exactly have you done for him, hmm? He came to me, remember?"

"That's enough," Crowley ordered, and Rowena moved backwards, her eyes turning back onto the Book as if nothing had happened. Alex remained still, her broken feathers raised threateningly, and Crowley cleared his throat. "Alex, I said that's enough."

Alex pushed herself away from the table with a quiet snarl. She lifted her wings, ready to shake them out, but they stayed high at the sight of Crowley's smirk. "You think this is fun?" she spat.

"Having both of you under my thumb?" Crowley tugged slightly on the iron chain, and it jingled. "Yes. Absolutely." Alex's wings stretched higher, and the King of Hell clicked his tongue. "Ah, ah. Unless you want a matching leash, I suggest you stay quiet."

Despite his light tone, the threat in his words were clear, and Alex forced her wings to lower into a neutral position. Satisfied, Crowley turned his attention back onto Rowena, and Alex stepped away with a scowl. "Finding anything, Mother?"

The witch hesitated, but the collar compelled her to answer. "I think I've found it," she reluctantly announced, and Alex watched her turn the page of the Book. "I'll need a few things."

"Such as?"

"Aconite, dogwood, and ..." Rowena's gaze dropped back down to the book before she sniffed. "Lotus."

With a snap of Crowley's fingers, three jars appeared on the table. "There. Now get to work."

Rowena tsked at his tone, but she reached for the jar of dogwood without hesitation. "So this spell is supposed to slam Lucifer back in the box," Dean began, looking up from where he was pacing near the fireplace. "How long's this gonna take?"

"About five minutes." Rowena peered inside the jar at the ingredients, her eyes unreadable as she studied the dried, pressed leaves. "Unless Sam says yes."

"And if he does?"

Rowena swirled the bottle of suspended locus leaves, ignoring Crowley's sharp words. "If Lucifer finds a vessel," she began, stifling a smile, "he'll be anchored to earth. The incantation won't work."

"And then we're screwed." Dean's boot scuffed against the stone in an act of agitation, and Alex turned, ready to answer, but the sound of rushed footsteps had any thoughts of a reply leaving her mind. Two sets of footsteps, one familiar, one not, and Alex's eyes swung towards the open door.

A demon hurried through, his breathing hard and fast. "I-I'm sorry my lord," he gasped, "I tried to —"

Castiel shoved his way past him, his eyes dark and his chin angled down, and Alex felt herself shift backwards, surprised by the intensity in his gaze. A thin sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead, catching in the flickering torchlight, and his white shirt was unbuttoned, the tie nowhere to be found. "Oh good, the angel is here," Crowley muttered, but Alex barely heard him.

"Cas?" She rushed forward, her wings curling past her to reach for him, but the look in the seraph's eyes had her drawing up short just in front of him. "H-How did you get here so fast? Where — is Amara...?"

"She's ... she's alive." The seraph rasped out each word as he fought to catch his breath, and his eyes moved past Alex to seek out Dean. "She ... she sent this message." He pulled open his shirt to reveal his bare chest, the flesh mutilated in the shape of grotesque letters.

" 'I am coming,' " Crowley read. "Is that a threat?"

"Or a promise," Dean added darkly, and Alex ghosted her hands over the carved letters, her grace dancing lightly across the flesh. She felt Castiel's grace rise up to meet her as he took her wrist in her hand, and Alex's gaze sharpened as he pushed her help away. He readjusted his shirt, fingers fumbling with the buttons, but a scream had both him and Dean freezing.

"Sam!"

Dean rushed past Alex, almost knocking the angel off balance in his haste, and Castiel wheeled around to follow. "Don't!" Crowley's shout stopped Alex from following, and she looked back at the demon, her wings raised high in alarm. "Don't you dare," he snapped. "It's suicide."

"He's going to kill them." Alex hurried back over to the table, her eyes stretched as wide as she could get them. "Crowley, please! Let me go. Maybe — maybe I can t-talk with him, you know, distract him until Rowena finishes."

"You think that I'm letting you — you — anywhere near Lucifer?" The table shook as Crowley planted his hands upon it, and Alex dug her teeth into her cheek to avoid from flinching away at his anger. Rowena looked down at her spell to hide her smirk, and the King of Hell scowled. "What is it with you women? You're both delusional."

"Please! I — I'll promise anything you want, just —" Her wings trembled as she heard Dean shout. "I can't just stand here a-and do nothing!" Alex watched as Crowley circled around the table, and she pressed her grace up against him, tugging desperately at the deal. Her wings fell down, a submissive, pleading gesture, and she felt her knees shake as he gave pause.

A pained shout echoed through the room — Sam or Dean, Alex couldn't tell — and Crowley's fingers grasped her chin, his skin hot and dry. "Go," he instructed, "but you will not let him out. We'll talk about reparations afterwards." The glint in his eye had Alex's grace quiver in fear, but she managed a faint, determined nod. Crowley dropped his hand, and Alex tore out of the room and down the hall.

Her shoes slipped on the worn stone as she turned the corner, and her broken wings beat once to try and propel her faster down the stairs. The flat plain stretched out before her, broken only by the silhouette of the iron cage. It writhed with movement from within; one figure was slumped in the corner while three others were locked together, grappling for control.

The tallest one — Sam — hit the ground, and Lucifer's wings stretched out as he slammed Dean into the side of the cage, holding him there by the throat. "Hey!" Alex pushed her feet harder, and Lucifer's head turned, his wings arching high as he caught sight of her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Alex saw Castiel surge forward, and the two angels fell, wings flashing as they fought for the upper hand. Dean collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as he pulled himself towards his brother, and Alex slid to a stop beside the table, suddenly frozen in place. Lucifer had Castiel pinned against the cage, one hand on his coat, the other wrapped around the seraph's throat. Castiel's mouth hung open, his eyes stretched wide at the pressure against his trachea, but Lucifer's attention had turned away from him. "There you are." His voice rumbled, a pleased purr, and he chuckled as Castiel tried to pry the hand away from his throat with a breathless gasp. "What was that?" The devil leaned forward, his ear close to Castiel's lips, but his eyes never left hers even as he spoke. "I, I didn't quite catch that."

"Lucifer ..." Alex forced her legs to move her forward. "Let — let them go." Her eyes flickered down to Sam and Dean, but they, against her will, sought out the archangel once again. "I —"

The cage exploded into a bright, light white, and Alex jumped back with a wordless shout. The impact knocked her legs out from under her, and she hit the smoldering ground, instinctively covering her head with her hands. Then, as quickly as the flash was there, it was gone, and the hellish heat that had been sucked away returned. Alex scrambled to her feet, eyes wide as she searched the cage, but Lucifer was gone.

Her chest twisted, and the angel's hands went up to press against her ribs. They weren't bruised from the fall — was that disappointment? Dean groaned, and Aex grit her teeth as she shoved the feeling down.

She pushed herself up onto the platform and slipped through the bars, eyes sweeping across the three in front of her before she finally dropped down next to Sam. Blood flowed freely from a cut above his eye, seeping through his fingers as he tried to staunch the flow, and Alex knocked his hand away to replace it with her own. The cut healed beneath her touch, and Alex pulled away only to slap the Winchester across the cheek with the same hand. "You idiot!" she exploded. "What were you thinking, going into the cage with him? You could have been killed! This is exactly why I said you shouldn't do this!"

Sam touched his cheek, stunned at the blow, and Alex grit her teeth to quell her anger as she looked over at Dean and Castiel. The seraph was staggering to his feet, his hands feeling at his chest as if to confirm that he really was there, and his broken blue wings trembled as he leaned against the cage to support his weight. Their eyes met only for the shortest of seconds before he broke away, his eyes darting down to the ground.

"I didn't ..." Sam's words had Alex turning back to him, and he scowled as he rubbed at his stinging cheek. "I didn't want to come in here. He ... Lucifer must have ..." He heaved himself to his feet, panting at the effort, and Alex rose up alongside him.

"Yeah, we know." Dean spat onto the ground. "Rowena did it on purpose." He slid through the bars and dropped back down onto the ground, hissing in pain at the motion. Alex nudged Sam after him, and Castiel took up the rear, hesitating momentarily in the cage before he slowly followed.

"Hey. You okay?" Alex curled her wings towards him, concern sharpening in her tone, and she reached out, but Castiel quickly shied away from her touch.

"Yes," he promised, his grace drawn in close, and Alex frowned as he hurried after Dean. She fell in step beside Sam as they moved away from the cage, eyes turned towards the stairs where two figures were hurrying downwards. They reached the landing before Dean and Cas reached them, and Alex watched how Crowley's eyes turned past their party towards the empty cage.

Rowena stood by her son's side, a smile that didn't reach her eyes decorating her face. "You're welcome ... anyone?"

"Bite me!" Dean snapped, stopping in front of them, and Alex frowned to see him favoring his right leg.

She slipped past Sam as the demon motioned her forward. "I can have her do that," he joked as Alex settled at his side, her wings drawn in tight against her back. Her eyes flickered onto Castiel, but the seraph refused to look in her direction. His grace was knotted tightly against hers, pushing back to keep her away, and Alex probed angrily at his grace, colder than she remembered.

"So, what now?" she heard Sam ask, and she turned back to the Winchesters with an angered sniff.

"About the Darkness?" Crowley shook his head. "No clue. But this has been a horrible train wreck, so we're done. Team up over." He watched as Sam and Dean exchanged looks that quickly flickered over to Rowena, and he twisted the thin chain in his hands. "She stays," he promised. "The rest of you lot ..." His voice rose, his anger finally spilling over, "get the hell out of hell!"

He pointed up the stairs, catching Alex by the jacket collar as she turned to follow Sam and Dean upwards. "We'll talk about what you owe me later," he warned, his frustrations compressed into a low growl. "Don't go far."

He released her, and Alex hurried after the Winchesters and her mate, her wings tucked in against her back at his tone. She paused a flight up, glancing back over her shoulder towards the empty cage, and her grace twisted within her chest. "Stop it." Alex hissed the words out, pushing down the disappointment that had wrapped itself around her heart, but the words only had it tightening further. She willed her feet to move and her eyes to turn away, but it took several seconds for her to work up the courage to turn her back to the cage and continue up the stairs.

The uphill climb was silent, the only sounds the weary thud of boots on the worn stone steps. The higher they tread, the cooler the air became, and Alex heard both brothers draw in deep breaths as they reached the last flight of stairs that lead up to the gate to hell.

Billie was there when they emerged; the reaper was reclined in the corner, a book in her hands, and she barely spared them a glance as they stepped out into the crowded shop. Alex shook out her wings the moment they crossed out onto the street, trying to force the anxiety and disappointment out of her body. "You alright?" Dean's voice stirred her from her thoughts, and she glanced towards him to find his attention focused on Castiel.

The seraph had stopped outside the shop, his face screwed up in a mixture of confusion and discomfort. He looked up as Dean spoke, and his face quickly snapped back into its stony, expressionless look. "I think so," he began before nodding. "I will be."

"You want me to give you a lift?" Dean jerked his thumb back towards the Impala, but Castiel shook his head.

"No, you three go on ahead." His eyes moved past Dean and landed on Sam, skipping over Alex completely, and Alex's wings bristled. "I'll catch up."

"Okay." Dean turned away, and Alex only followed when Sam's hand brushed across her shoulder, gently tugging her after him. She flicked a wing in Castiel's direction, a sharp, silent gesture, before she followed Sam back to the Impala.

"Is he alright?" he murmured, pausing by her door, and Alex glanced up to find his head ducked so he could look her in the eyes. "He seems ..."

"I don't know." Alex shook her head, unsure what to say. "He won't even let me near him." She cast a look behind her towards Castiel, but the seraph refused to meet her gaze, his navy wings drawn in tightly against his back. She climbed into the back of the Impala with a frustrated sigh, and the door slammed shut behind her.

"I don't know." Sam responded to a question Alex didn't hear, and she turned her attention onto the brothers. "I mean, what ... what if Lucifer was telling the truth, you know, what if he's the only ..."

"No." The engine started, and Dean firmly shook his head. "Dude, the Darkness is bad. Her and the devil, that's a nightmare."

Alex tuned his words out, focusing her attention on her grace. She could feel Castiel's grace within hers, straining at the knots that bound it to hers as he tried to pull away. She probed at it, surprised at its sudden coldness; Castiel's grace had always been so warm, like a sunny day, but now it felt like fall breeze. Chilling, biting. Unpleasantly unfamiliar. It kept growing colder and colder with each passing second, and when Alex pushed back against it, it snapped. It shattered into a million pieces, leaving behind nothing but ice.

No. It couldn't be.

The Impala's tires screeched as Alex threw open the car door, sliding to a stop in the middle of the street. "What the fuck?" Dean threw the car into park as he twisted around, but Alex was already out of the car.

"S-Sorry," she hurriedly apologized. "I can't stay. I — I have to go to Cas." She could still feel Castiel's grace, but it was just a whisper of a touch, tucked away in the corner of her being. "Something's up, a-and I should be there for him." She hesitated, grey eyes flickering between Sam and Dean as she waited for their approval; the moment Sam nodded, she slammed the door and took off down the street.

Castiel was gone from the alleyway by the time Alex reached it, and she slid to a stop in front of the small locked shop. "Cas?" Alex stretched her grace out, searching for her mate, but he was nowhere to be found. "Billie!" She rapped on the metal door, her foot tapping impatiently as she waited for the reaper to answer.

The eye slot slid open, and Alex straightened up under Billie's scrutinizing stare. "I figured you'd be back." The door unlocked and swung open, and Alex hurriedly stepped through. "You're looking for him, aren't you?" The door slammed shut behind her, and Alex's eye scanned the small, crowded shop. Billie crossed over to the warded door, and it opened beneath her touch. "Go on."

Alex pushed down an anxious twinge before she swept forward, her feathers rustling nervously as the heavy door slammed shut behind her. The coldness against her grace was welcome against the heat of hell, and Alex lifted a prayer as she rushed down the stairs. Cas? What — what the hell's going on?

No answer came, and Alex jumped down the last few steps, landing on the stone floor with a thud. "Hey!" A demon hurried forward, his eyes flashing black at the sight of her. "You —"

In one fluid motion, Alex drew her angel blade and lunged forward; the demon collapsed to the ground with a shout, a clean hole through the center of his vessel. A second demon confronted her, following behind the first, and Alex deflected a punch and pushed him up against the wall with a quick jab of her palm. She brought her other hand up to rest on his forehead, her grace snapping outwards, and he too died with a strangled cry.

She pushed her way into the hellish room she had been in before, but it was empty. Only the fireplace still danced with life. With a frown she moved onwards, not sure where she was headed, but the ice inside her drew her down the twisting halls. A large set of iron double doors lay ahead of her, and Alex forced her way through, her wings flaring out wide as she took in the room, an exact replica to Crowley's throne room on earth. Demons scattered, leaving a single figure standing in front of the iron throne. Familiar blue eyes twinkled, but large, crimson wings flicked in annoyance. "Was killing my demons really necessary?"

Alex lifted her chin even as she felt her wings fall low with a tremble. "They got in my way," she defended.

Lucifer chuckled, and he glided forward across the stone to stand in front of her. "Come on," he said with a small, mocking pout, "don't be that way. It's just little old me." His hands grabbed her hips, tugging her closer to him, and his head dipped as he whispered, "Aren't you going to ask how I got out?"

"Where — where's Castiel?" Alex's good eye flickered up and down Castiel's — Lucifer's — form, and she pressed her grace up against him as his trench coat brushed against her chest. She probed forward, searching for Castiel, but all she met was Lucifer, a familiar rush of cold stronger than she had ever remembered. "Is he okay?"

"Castiel is fine ... for now." Lucifer's teasing words were overshadowed by his hand that came up to cup her cheek. His touch was light, almost reverent, and Alex's wings dropped even further. "He's tucked away in here, safe and sound. Can you feel him? Because I can feel you." The ice inside of her jumped, and Alex's grace recoiled in surprise as his grip on her chin tightened. "You took him as your mate. I can feel your bond."

"He ... he was there for me." Alex's jaw twitched at the pressure, and she prayed her words didn't shake as she spoke. "You were in the Cage."

"And now I'm not." Lucifer fell silent for a moment, his fingers drumming curiously on her jaw as he studied her face, and Alex felt her cheeks flush as his blue gaze lingered on her blind eye. She tensed, expecting questions, but the archangel simply clicked his tongue. "You could feel it the moment I took control, couldn't you? That's why you came running." His fingers paused, and his voice darkened. "You should be my mate."

Alex blinked, her face hardening as the moment was lost. "Wow. Really?"

Lucifer grinned. "I'm bigger," he reminded, his crimson wings stretching out emphasize his words, and Alex used the distraction to slide out of his grasp.

"I chose Castiel." She pressed her grace up against him, trying in vain to feel for him. "I — I'm loyal to my mate." She pushed harder, but all she felt was Lucifer.

"Alex. I am your mate." Lucifer's voice deepened, his shoulders hunching as his whole demeanor changed. He straightened up when Alex frowned. "Ah, come on! I thought it was pretty good."

"You're doing it wrong," Alex snapped. "T-The voice, you don't sound like Cas." Her wings were still down — Alex quickly drew them back up against her back. "How ..."

"How did I jump ship, catch a ride out of the Cage?" Lucifer tapped his chin as he thought, his eyes still locked with hers, and Alex couldn't look away. She could feel that there were others in the room — she could feel that Crowley was nearby — but she couldn't tear her eyes away. "Well, my plan was to ride on the Sam-train, but Cas ... he all but threw himself at my feet." He sidled forward with a grin, once again pushing himself into Alex's personal space. "He knew I could fight the Darkness and take care of you, everything that he couldn't."

"Sam's —"

"His visions?" Amusement sparked in Lucifer's eyes, and his tongue darted out to lick at his lips as he grinned. "That was me. You see, when the Darkness got loose, the impact on hell was massive. The Cage was damaged. And through those cracks, I was able to reach out wherever I wanted. And I found Sam."

"And Rowena." Alex spat out the name, and her wings rose angrily. "Speaking of, where is she? I've got a few scores to settle with your 'queen.' "

Lucifer chuckled, a low, quiet sound that rumbled through his chest. "At least I still have your jealousy," he teased, and the pads of his finger dusted across her cheek as he leaned forward. "Rowena was the only one who could open my Cage again. So .... I killed her."

His teeth flashed in a grin, his breath cold against her lips, and Alex put a hand on his chest. She meant push him away, but she couldn't muster the strength; instead, she just pressed against his shirt, fingers curling in the cold fabric. "You killed her," she repeated, and Lucifer nodded. "You killed the — the one person who could read the Book of the Damned? That — it had spells about removing the Mark and opening up your Cage, so don't you think there's something about resurrecting your old vessel?"

"Nick?" Lucifer's head tilted. "He wasn't strong."

"We could make him stronger. But you, inside Cas?" Alex jammed her forefinger into his sternum. "The Winchesters are going to know something's up. We should get you out and away from their suspicions." She reached up to pinch at the bridge of her nose. "You killed her," she repeated. "Where?"

"In some room." Lucifer dismissed the question with a shrug.

"The ... the one down the hall. With the fireplace and the table with all of Rowena's spell stuff." Alex watched Lucifer nod, and she pursed her lips together in a frown. "What did you do with the body?"

The archangel shrugged. "Just left it. I'll have someone else take care of it."

"Okay, well I was just in that room ... and it's empty." Alex shifted backwards so she could cross her arms, and the slightest flicker of surprise passed across his face. "Are you sure ..."

Lucifer's head tipped back in a scoffing laugh. "Are you suggesting I don't know how to kill someone?"

"Alex." The sound of Crowley's voice had Alex jumping back, and she tore her gaze off of Lucifer in search of the demon. He was kneeling in the corner of the room beside the black throne, forced onto his hands and knees by the iron collar around his neck. "Do something!" he hissed.

Fear sparked in his eyes as Lucifer turned, and Alex felt her deal rise within her, but it felt dulled, almost distant beneath Lucifer's grace. "Ah ah." Lucifer clicked his tongue. "What did I say about speaking?" Crowley hunched over even further, and Lucifer turned back to her. "Now, Castiel mentioned something of a little deal." With a snap of his fingers, the deal rose up, and Alex tried to hold back a gasp as it surfaced, the black letters of her contract prickling at her pale skin. She watched as the flickering candlelight played across the elegant, sweeping script; with it pulled upwards, she could acutely feel Crowley's terror thrumming through her veins. Lucifer tsked again, and his voice grew dark. "Crowley, Crowley, Crowley. I thought I made myself clear last time that should keep your hands off of my things."

"Luce ..."

A flick of his grace had Alex falling silent, and her eyes darted down to Crowley. His mouth was parted as he searched for an excuse — any excuse — to Lucifer's statement. His eyes locked with hers, a desperate plea upon his face, and Alex felt her deal urge her forward again, stronger than before. The feeling, however, disappeared when Lucifer reached down to flick Crowley in the forehead. "Stop it," he chastised. "You took my throne, and you took my mate." Crowley's mouth fell open, and Lucifer tucked a thumb under the demon's chin to close it. "I know exactly what you've done. The moment I left, you chased her halfway across the country. You've trapped her, pawned her, and now you act like you own her." He grabbed Crowley's short hair and yanked his head up. "All while knowing that she is mine."

"Hey!" To her surprise, Alex's broken feathers ruffled angrily, and she took a step forward before halting as the archangel turned. "I don't belong to you!"

The archangel chuckled at her indignation, his blue eyes alight with humor. "Oh, le enay, you have always belonged to me." He snapped his fingers, and Alex's deal shattered.

Millions of tiny shards exploded outwards, and the blackened letters fractured and dissolved, leaving her skin as clear as it had ever been. She drew in a deep breath, gasping for air as if she had broken through the ice that had trapped her underwater.

An angel blade fell into Lucifer's hands, and he twirled it casually before he held it out, handle first. "Go ahead." He flicked a wing towards Crowley, his eyes glinting with dark amusement. "Do the honors."

Alex's fingers closed around the warm metal, but she hesitated, her eyes locked upon Crowley. The demon was cowering on the floor, his face broken and bloody, and despite everything, the angel felt a twinge of pity deep within. "No." Her fingers moved to Lucifer's wrist, staying his hand. "Don't kill him. He's ... grown on me. And I think he'll be of use."

She looked up into the devil's face, wings curling forward as she readied herself to explain, but Lucifer shrugged, and the weapon vanished back up his sleeve. "See, this is why we're such a good team." He ambled over to the throne and dropped down, one leg draped casually across the armrest. "You, me, just the way it should be. Now, come on." He tapped his temple with a grin. "I've been rummaging around inside here, but I want to hear your side of the story. Tell me everything that I've missed."