"Humans," Michael announced, "are absolutely impossible."

"I've always thought so," Raphael agreed.

"And Dean Winchester is more impossible than most."

Raphael didn't know about that. Dean Winchester had helped Castiel trap him in holy fire but clearly it was Castiel's idea as how would a little mud monkey even know about such things or get holy fire? He felt Dean was just representative of his entire infuriating species but he was the only human Michael actually needed something from.

"I don't understand why he is being so stubborn," Michael continued. "Does he want Lucifer to destroy humanity or something?"

"Somehow I doubt that," Raphael said. "He seems to be against the whole apocalypse in the first place."

"Well none of that is my fault," Michael protested, looking almost wounded. "Lucifer is the one who wants to destroy his species."

It was remarkable how quickly Michael managed to forget the part he played (or rather, had others play) in starting things off. Clearly, despite what Michael was constantly saying about how everything he did was destiny, he was a little less confident about aiding Lucifer than he pretended to be. Raphael understood the feeling but they would more than make up for helping to set Lucifer free by finally killing him once and for all.

Unbidden, thoughts of Lucifer danced through his head. He hadn't seen his brother for almost as long as his father had been gone. He was painfully aware of just how long that had been. What was he like? Raphael was well aware of just how much he and Michael had changed since then. Had Lucifer changed? Was he dark and demonic? Filled with hatred for his brothers and their father? Driven mad by the millennia of solitude? Did he no longer care about them? For all of the many, many things Raphael had felt towards Lucifer through the ages, indifference had never been one of them.

What if he was repentant? What if he wanted to come home? He hadn't approached them but would he, really? Even if he still wanted to destroy the humans, was that something heaven even opposed anymore?

What if he hadn't changed at all? What if he was as brilliant and beautiful as ever? Fallen but not fallen, magnificent and terrible, blasphemous and oh so tempting. That was the Lucifer he had last seen, mere moments before he had been sealed away.

It didn't matter.

The apocalypse demanded the death of Michael or Lucifer and Raphael would always, always choose Michael.

"Humans are flawed," Raphael said.

"He knows what's at stake," Michael said, frustrated. "Zachariah sent him to a future where he does not consent and so Lucifer wins!"

"Dean seems to dislike Zachariah," Raphael said. "Perhaps he would be more receptive to a different angel."

Michael thought about that. "He might be but I don't understand why he dislikes Zachariah. Perhaps he would dislike on principle anyone attempting to convince him to say yes."

"He did not dislike Castiel. Though he did corrupt him so that worked worse than Zachariah."

"Zachariah will never be corrupted. The only bearable thing about this entire situation is that Sam Winchester hasn't said yes, either."

It was a little petty to get hung up on that but Raphael was equally sure that there would be no living with Lucifer if he could take his true vessel and Michael could not, particularly since heaven had more time and resources to convince Dean Winchester to save the world while Sam would be signing on to destroy it.

"Perhaps you two could commiserate about the arrogant and unreasonable Winchester brothers," Raphael jested.

Michael smiled. "That would certainly surprise him. I-" he broke off.

"What?"

"Your idea may have merit."

Raphael blinked. "My…idea? Michael-"

"I do not have any better ideas."

"Going to complain to Lucifer is not even an idea!"

"Not complain," Michael corrected. He tiled his head. "Perhaps a bit of complaining. But I am going to see if he wishes to join forces in obtaining our true vessels so that we may begin our battle."

"You wish to…team up with Lucifer in order to bring about the apocalypse?" Raphael asked. That was, of course, nothing like their previous actions. They may have had similar goals as Lucifer but they hadn't worked with him and they certainly hadn't worked with demons. What Michael was proposing was madness.

"I am not making progress with Dean and by all accounts Dean is keeping Sam from saying yes. The apocalypse will happen but only once the Winchesters consent," Michael said. "Why delay it when Lucifer and I together will surely be more effective? I do not wish to have to continually bring our vessels back from the dead for hundreds of years before they finally consent."

Michael was not wrong. Not completely.

"You would only be working together so you could get around to killing him sooner."

"It may be a little…awkward," Michael conceded. "But Lucifer and I have been committed to our course from the very beginning and we will not falter." He almost sounded sad. "If he does not mind then neither shall I."

That wasn't quite what he had meant but Michael was notoriously difficult to reason with when it came to Lucifer or doing what he felt he had to do to be the good son.

God was dead but Michael would never believe it and, as God's successor, he never had to. And it was almost…nice to see Michael's continued faith, especially since his own had burned out years ago.

"If this all goes as well as I expect and you two end up cancelling the apocalypse or something, I want it known that I was against this."

Michael laughed. "You worry too much."

Lucifer was standing at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and appreciating the beauty all around him. It was even better for being untainted by human filth. His plans were progressing fine (with the obvious exception of Sam Winchester) and he was in no hurry.

He tensed when he felt Michael's presence. His brother hadn't taken a vessel but that made no difference; he was made of sterner stuff than the humans.

It was…unexpected.

He hadn't felt any trace of Michael since he had finally been cast out, so very long ago. It was so familiar it ached. He hadn't met many of his kind since being freed. And, true, it had only been a few months since he had risen triumphantly from the depths of hell but it had been so long since Michael had betrayed him. He had met with a few little angels who had realized that he was right all along but they were too awed and terrified of him to be of much interest.

Castiel, at least, was better on that front. One brave little angel, stolid and loyal, throwing it all away for the mud monkeys. The vessels, even. Rebelling against heaven but refusing to join the other rebels and have some sort of chance for success.

Honestly, Lucifer rather liked him. He was almost adorable. It would be unfortunate if he were forced to kill him.

He hadn't expected Michael. He hadn't expected Raphael and his unwavering loyalty to Michael or Gabriel and his inexplicable inability to choose, either, but certainly not Michael. Not yet. They weren't ready. And the vessels were off playing at monster hunting.

He didn't outwardly react.

"Lucifer."

Michael was killing the fish.

"We need to talk."

"I wanted to talk," he said casually, "but all you wanted to do was cast me into hell. Into hell, Michael, never to be freed until the end where I must kill or be killed."

Michael's discomfort was palpable. "I did not come here to discuss that."

Lucifer crossed his arms. It was a very human gesture but it made his point quite nicely. "I have nothing else to say to you."

There was so very much still to be said but how could any of it actually be uttered? Michael had betrayed him and thought him a monster (he never would have cast Michael out). The time was running out before they would kill each other. Lucifer couldn't honestly say that he was looking forward to it, even though winning would mean finally being allowed to eradicate the little insects. What sense was there in sharing what had happened since their last meeting? How could they casually discuss something else – anything else – with their fight hanging over their heads? And he wasn't about to apologize which was all Michael wanted.

"Be reasonable, Lucifer."

"Why should I when you refuse to?"

More fish died as Michael clearly held himself back. "Sam and Dean Winchester refuse to accept their destiny."

"That is humanity for you," Lucifer said. "Sam will agree. He has been being prepared his entire life. He does not want to play a part in destroying humanity but he is closer to saying yes than he would like to pretend. If you are having difficulty convincing Dean to aid you in destroying the devil and saving the day then that's a little pathetic."

"Sam will never consent so long as Dean is by his side," Michael said confidently. "And Dean doesn't trust Sam enough to leave him."

"Are you telling me that your incompetence may delay my obtaining my true vessel?" Lucifer asked politely.

Another increase in the intensity of light and vibration that accompanied a vessel-less angel manifested on Earth. Michael hadn't changed. Lucifer almost wished he had.

"The two of us have the same goal," Michael said.

"That would be a nice change."

"I propose that we stop dividing our efforts and attempt to convince Sam and Dean together."

Whatever Lucifer had been expecting, that was not it.

"You…want us to work together in paving the way towards our battle to the death because of our irreconcilable differences? Mostly those differences being that you believe Father wants you to kill me and I want to not be killed?"

"That is hardly-" Michael broke off. "You are a monster, Lucifer, and wish to destroy Father's work."

"I have some questions for you about how, exactly, my demons managed to break sixty-six seals right under your nose and free me," Lucifer said. "It never worked before."

"It is destiny," Michael said shortly. "Do not trivialize this."

"Oh, no, far be it from me to make the fact you want to kill me anything less than glorious purpose."

"Would you like to stop pretending that you are just going about your business and I have decided to randomly murder you?" Michael asked tetchily.

Lucifer tilted his head. "That does seem to accurately sum the situation up."

"No matter what I may want or not want, brother, the simple fact of the matter is that I cannot begin the apocalypse," Michael said. "I am to kill you during the apocalypse. Perhaps if you really feel that strongly about me not killing you you could try not meeting the conditions of our fight."

Lucifer raised an eyebrow mockingly. "What happened to grand destiny? How is it be destiny if I can just stop?"

"You won't."

Annoyed, Lucifer looked away.

"Since we've established that this apocalypse is happening and the only thing that is standing in our way are two self-important humans, will you bow to reason and work with me to further both of our goals? Or do you prefer to wait until a time that's convenient for the Winchesters?"

Michael did have a point about one thing. Sam and Dean did not want the end of their species and so were not about to just say yes if left alone. That was why Lucifer was working on his vessel and all of heaven was working on Michael's. Not that that was in any way an unfair advantage, no, not at all.

But working with Michael? When the end goal was to fight? Surely just one archangel (plus or minus all of heaven) was enough to persuade a human. And while it would be nice to see Michael again before the end, if he actually let himself remember why he had ever dared allow himself to think that the perennial good son might have stood by him it would only make it that much harder when that day came.

He was no fool. All of his brothers believed that Michael would win but what did that mean, really? All his demons believed he would triumph. Of course, they hadn't been around for the most part the last time this had happened and still hadn't picked up on how much they repulsed him so maybe they weren't the best judges. But the heavenly host wasn't unbiased either.

This was a ridiculous notion. He didn't need Michael's help even if Michael clearly needed his. Everyone knew that Sam would break first.

He should say no.

He should.

"I'll think about it."

"He is doing this on purpose," Michael accused.

Raphael had heard some variation of this more than a few times since Lucifer had claimed he needed to consider Michael's proposition but he managed to keep his boredom fairly well hidden and that was really all Michael could ask.

"It is rather an unexpected idea," Raphael said patiently. "How would you have reacted if Lucifer had been the one to approach you with the idea?"

"I would never have trusted him," Michael replied promptly. "But it's completely different. He is a monster and I am not."

"I do not disagree, brother," Raphael said. "Still…do you truly believe that is how Lucifer sees the situation?"

"Of course not," Michael scoffed. "He would never cast himself in a bad light. He probably still thinks I betrayed him. But how was I betraying him when he asked me to stand against Father? I did what I had to do. If he were not so far fallen he would have done the same. He should have done the same."

"And if Lucifer had been too eager to assist with your plan you would have suspected some sort of trickery," Raphael continued.

"I will probably suspect it anyway," Michael said. "This is Lucifer, after all. Though I do not know what he could possibly seek to do. There is little point in trying to kill me just yet because we will meet on the field of battle once this plan succeeds. No matter what he does to Dean, I can simply restore him. And surely he wouldn't be so foolish as to think he could get away with scattering my vessel's ashes throughout the galaxy."

"If you are going to be this suspicious, and I more than understand why, I must confess I have my doubts about this plan of yours."

"You had doubts before."

"More doubts, then," Raphael said.

"I don't need to trust him to work with him," Michael said. "It really is in both of our interests. He needs me to take my vessel for him to be able to take his."

"And yet you still feel his thinking over your rather revolutionary proposition is him antagonizing you."

"It is a simple yes or no," Michael said. "This is a power play, Raphael, you know it is. I presented my offer and now the impetus is on him. He can leave me waiting as long as he likes, especially since my even approaching him in the first place indicates a weakness in my position."

"You have time," Raphael said. "Let him be immature if he so chooses. This sort of power play is an illusion. If you do not get impatient his attempts will fall flat."

It was a little late for that, honestly, but it wasn't as though he needed to admit that, now did he?

Michael was about to reply when he heard Lucifer. "He's finally decided. He agreed."

The long-suffering look on Raphael's face was really quite uncalled for. "Where will you two be meeting? Of course you won't sojourn back to hell."

And the day that Lucifer was allowed back into heaven was a day Michael would certainly not live to see.

"He suggested a human establishment," Michael said. "I do not understand the point seeing as how he hates humanity and it is not as though the presence of human witnesses will prevent either of us from doing anything. More games."

"You don't have to go through with this."

"It was my idea," Michael said. "I can hardly refuse now."

Raphael hesitated. "I cannot help but think…Michael…"

"Speak."

"The two of you working together towards a common goal, even if that goal is the apocalypse and your destiny, it is not exactly what I would have expected. It's been a long time since the two of you were on the same side and, regardless of what he may say now, it is not as though either one of you wanted to fight," Raphael said carefully.

"What are you trying to say?" Michael asked.

"This might make things harder. With the two of you working together, perhaps getting a chance to sort out your differences while you work on the Winchesters, is the apocalypse even still going to be on?"

"Do you really think he would?" Michael asked. "Knowing Lucifer?"

"No," Raphael admitted. "But if I am worrying overmuch then I am worrying overmuch. But if something does happen, I want to know what you will do."

"I-" Michael broke off. "I will do my duty. You know that."

"But will it still be your duty if he no longer poses a threat?"

"He won't change, Raphael," Michael said tiredly. "He never has. Even when he rebelled, he didn't change, not really. It was only the situation that changed. That's why he will never be sorry and he will never stop and the apocalypse will proceed like it was always going to. Just, hopefully, a little faster than if the two of us had to do this on our own."

"Even if that's the case and nothing changes, actually spending time with him before your battle will only make it harder and it is already a heavy burden you bear, to be tasked with killing Lucifer."

"What of you, Raphael?" Michael asked. "You never have to see Lucifer again if you choose not to but you'll still know what's going to happen. You still know what I will do to him and what he will try to do to me. Do you have any doubts? Would you want to stop this if he finally saw the error of his ways and repented?"

It was a terrible thing to doubt. In the lower ranks it could not be tolerated and Michael did his best to remove any trace of it from himself. But Raphael was different. Raphael was the one of them who stayed. Gabriel's desertion was not as appalling as Lucifer's but it was desertion just the same.

Raphael was quiet for so long that Michael thought perhaps he wouldn't answer at all.

"I'm tired," he said finally. "I want this to be over. Father's gone and you know that I cannot share your belief that He will return."

"You do not even believe Him to still live."

"Perhaps that is me being optimistic and says something about the state of things if that is what optimism looks like," Raphael says. "To believe Father yet lives is to believe He abandoned us and leaves us lost and directionless still. It is better to believe that He died."

Michael didn't want to hear that. He didn't have any answers for his brother, much as he wanted to, and the things that comforted him (the knowledge that he still had his duty, the belief that it was all part of their Father's plan and he was always right, the hope that once this was over their Father would return) never seemed to help Raphael.

"You know it is Lucifer's fault he left."

"Perhaps," Raphael allowed. "But Lucifer had been imprisoned for a very long time and he still stayed away. One fallen angel and he would abandon us all. Lucifer remains the favorite after all this time."

That was another difficult truth. Michael had always done everything for the sake of pleasing Father while Lucifer wanted to destroy everything but somehow Lucifer was always the favorite. Their father was never wrong but it was difficult, sometimes, to understand.

"You didn't answer the question."

"I need things to change, Michael. I do not believe that Lucifer ever will. But if he does and we can have peace and Lucifer can yet live? I would accept it."

"It would not be God's will," Michael protested.

"If Lucifer does repent, after everything, then if He still lives it would have to be, wouldn't it?" Raphael asked. "It would explain why Lucifer wasn't killed back then and prove that He works in mysterious ways. You don't know."

The idea was terrifying. If Lucifer could be saved then how would he even know if it could be done? Would that make it his failure when Lucifer would not allow it? "But I know Lucifer."

"May you be granted all the patience you need for this," Raphael told him.

Michael managed a smile then went to meet Lucifer.

Lucifer was sipping something out of a straw when he arrived. A few patrons were staring at him but what did that matter?

"That is…not Dean."

Michael frowned. "Did you think that I would ask you to aid me if I did not need help in this? That I would show up to flaunt my success in your face?"

Lucifer just took another sip.

"Lucifer-"

"Don't 'Lucifer' me," Lucifer interrupted. "You want to kill me but you taunting me would just be going too far? You really need to sort your priorities out, Michael."

"Stop acting as though you won't be trying to kill me, too," Michael growled.

"Self-defense."

"You could make killing every human in here seem like self-defense."

The woman sitting closest to them quickly stuffed the last bit of muffin in her mouth and headed for the door.

"And if I were to just refuse to fight you I don't suppose you'd let me continue on apocalypsing," Lucifer said.

"Of course not."

"See? Self-defense. And, for the record, if you would like to hide up in heaven while I destroy these maggots I would be perfectly happy to let you so it's pure aggression on your part," Lucifer said.

Michael would never win a battle of words with Lucifer though they both knew that Michael was right. Or at least he hoped they both knew that. He didn't even know what he'd do if Lucifer was farther gone than he thought and actually believed the words that came spilling out of his mouth.

After a few minutes passed in silence, Lucifer sighed. "I was wondering at your having found a vessel so quickly."

Michael felt his temper flare up. "Was that your game, then? Ask me to meet you in this human establishment, with the expectation that I take a vessel, and then watch me fail?"

"If you couldn't find a vessel that was not on me," Lucifer said. "I managed to find one pretty quickly."

Michael eyed the mortal his brother was wearing critically. "Perhaps a little too soon. That one won't last you."

"Nick," Lucifer said, glancing down at his hands. "He doesn't need to. He does the best he can and no one but Sam Winchester would be better. I could, I suppose, start downing demon blood but I'd rather deal with the side effects of Nick hosting me than something of that sort."

Michael really couldn't blame him. "This is John Winchester."

Lucifer tilted his head quizzically. "The father? How did you ever manage to convince him to aid you in convincing his sons to take us as vessels? Or perhaps, if he could be persuaded, he does not believe it's the terrible fate our dear boys do. Or did you lie to him, Michael?"

"I did not lie," Michael said, offended.

"Then how?" Lucifer asked, leaning forward in an exaggerated display of enthusiasm.

"John is against the apocalypse but it is not his body I intend to fight in. He knows that I would have found a vessel one way or another and, unlike with his sons, he cannot even weaken me by refusing to consent. I believe he also wished to save his dead son from being brought back to serve as my vessel."

Lucifer looked almost wistful. "What it must be like to have a father concerned for your well-being."

Michael clenched his jaw. "If Father were not concerned for your well-being, you would be dead."

"And I suppose you would have killed me?" Lucifer challenged. "Like you're going to? He can't be that worried if that's really what he wants."

"He gave you thousands upon thousands of years. If you haven't learned by now, you never will."

"Be honest, brother, did anyone really expect me to learn anything while trapped in a cage in hell unable to communicate with anyone except in the rarest of circumstances?" Lucifer asked.

No, he honestly hadn't. But what else was there to do? Even a brief moment of communication with Azazel had led to Lucifer's freedom. And true Michael had done nothing to stop it but that was because this was something that needed to be faced and delaying it would do nobody any good. It really should have been handled long ago.

Michael closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I inhabited this vessel once before, years ago but very recently, when Anna went back to kill him and his wife to prevent the birth of Sam. He didn't remember afterwards but now he knows that I saved him, his wife, and his son exactly as I said I would. And he believes seeing me like this will have a negative impact on my efforts to persuade Sam and Dean despite their knowing this had to be voluntary. And there were…conditions."

Lucifer snorted. "There always are. Nick asked for his wife and child back but I told him there was nothing I could do there."

"That's not true," Michael objected.

"Perhaps not," Lucifer said. "But better to lie before taking a vessel than breaking a condition of the possession itself, is it not? What did he want? Nick settled for revenging himself against God for the loss of his family and, as that was my plan anyway, it shouldn't be too difficult. If John is anything like his sons he'll want the moon on a string."

"Maybe not as much as that," Michael said. "But he did want to be returned alive to this world when I am done with him as well as his wife, the mother of his third child, his dead son, and several hunters on a list he gave me. He wants Sam and Dean restored to life the next time either of them needs it following our battle. And he wants a guaranteed place in heaven for himself and his family. With Sam being what he is, I can see the sense in that."

Lucifer chuckled. "Is that all?"

"It's more than most think to ask. So many are happy to be doing God's work and aiding angels and some ask for healing or protection for their families and it is nothing to promise that. It is nothing for me to promise all of what John asked and at least I know that he will not fall apart on me even if he is not the one I truly want."

"You could have gotten consent for a lot less. For nothing, really, save what you already intended to do. Just tell them you need them to help save this world."

"I could have gotten a consent, yes," Michael agreed. "But I wanted this one. And when you are falling all to bits and I am not I think it will be worth the extra effort expended."

Lucifer merely shrugged. "So what did you have in mind? Surely you have some sort of plan."

"I have several," Michael replied. "None of them seem to be working. I think that this may be something we will need to meet to discuss more than once."

"You're full of winning ideas today, aren't you?" Lucifer asked sourly. "Now we need to meet to discuss how to best move forward on killing each other on a regular basis?"

Lucifer was going to insist on being difficult and refer to their unpleasant and painful destiny flippantly as trying to kill each other, wasn't he? Michael wished he could say that he was surprised.

"That or postpone it indefinitely until the Winchesters decide to accept their destiny. For Sam, especially, there is no reason to agree save his respect for destiny and I do not believe either one of them possesses much of that," Michael said.

Lucifer narrowed his eyes. "Why Sam especially? Do you really think Dean has more of a reason to want to help you kill his precious little brother? I've heard that some brothers are against that sort of thing."

Michael reminded himself not to rise to Lucifer's bait. He was better than that. "Sam aiding you, while destined, is evil. You are evil."

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "Oh, spare me."

"He knows very well that you will only try to destroy the world and kill his brother when he says yes. Consequently, I believe you will have the harder sell."

"You're not talking to your vessel," Lucifer said. "Let's not pretend that our battle won't end with half the population being destroyed, easily, even if you win and poor Sammy will die."

"That might be a good time to mention my promise to their father to bring Sam back," Michael mused. "But regardless, losing half the population – though Dean will not be happy about it – is better for him than losing it all which is what your victory will mean. And once Sam says yes, Dean will have little choice but to accept his own destiny."

"So let me get this straight," Lucifer said, stretching his legs out under the table. "Dean needs to say yes first because his presence is giving Sam the strength to resist. But Sam needs to say yes first because Dean will not accept the inevitability of the apocalypse until I'm possessing Sam."

"This is why I reached out to you," Michael said. "Although we may have some room to work if Dean believes that Sam will not be able to keep saying no, even if he has not actually given in yet. Or if Sam realizes that Dean does not believe in him. Either way, it's complicated."

"And so the two of us are going to become a team to ensure that we can eventually go back to fighting each other like we're supposed to."

Michael sighed. "Honestly, Lucifer, you sound like Raphael."

"Father forbid."

"You said you agreed. Are you taking that back?"

Lucifer shook his head. "I'm not, no. But I hadn't expected us to need to keep meeting."

"If this were going to be easy then we wouldn't need each other."

Lucifer sighed, conceding the point. "Well what do you suggest, then? It's not like I can just come visit you in heaven."

Michael rather doubted that Lucifer would, even if it weren't impossible. To return to a place where he was once loved and then cast out? Even though he had been greatly mourned, it had been necessary and Lucifer wouldn't know that anyway. Pride had always been Lucifer's failing. It was rare to find an angel who held humanity particularly dear but only Lucifer had been unable to just bow before them as Father had wished.

Only Lucifer.

How could any of it have been worth it?

"I will not venture into hell."

Lucifer snorted. "Not again, you mean. I heard all about your little foray into my domain to free your vessel's soul."

"Once was enough," Michael said. "It was more than enough."

Lucifer gave him an exaggerated pout. "You don't like hell? It's almost as though it's a terrible place an angel wouldn't like to go!"

Michael stared back unflinchingly. "You made your choice, Lucifer, and you knew there would be consequences."

"Answer me truthfully, brother, were any of us really expecting that?"

No. How could he have? How could any of them have? But it was merciful, in its own way. It wasn't the death that soon awaited him.

"Hell for you is not the same as it is for any other being," he said instead. "None can harm you there. The horrors it visits upon its inhabitants are something you only need witness and if you do not wish to see it you do not have to. There does not even need to be any pain or suffering there if it displeases you. Hell is yours."

"Let's not get all sentimental," Lucifer said, rolling his eyes. "So if not heaven or hell, where?"

Michael glanced around.

Lucifer laughed. "Here? Really, Michael? A coffee shop?"

"Earth does seem to be the neutral meeting point. It is where we will fight when the time comes and it is where our vessels live. We could meet anywhere on this world but I must confess to having no preference and no desire to waste time deciding where to go. Do you have any better options?"

Lucifer leaned back in his chair, looking terribly put-upon. "I suppose not."

"Then it is decided," Michael said. "I do have a few ideas for how to best persuade them but I would be glad to hear any suggestions from you."

"Why don't you go first?"

"First I suggest that we try the direct approach," Michael began.

"What, just telling Sam and Dean that we need them to be our vessels because only then will we destroy their world?" Lucifer scoffed. "That has worked out so well so far."

"Understandably they are…reluctant," Michael admitted. "Which is why it really needs to be pressed upon them that their destiny cannot be averted. Once they understand that this is going to happen, they will stop this foolishness and quit wasting time."

"Or they could just dig their heels in," Lucifer argued. "They're both stubborn and could easily take the 'the world is ending but every day I say no is another day that people get to live' approach."

That didn't make a lot of sense.

"What's one day?"

"Nothing, really, but you know how humans get."

"Perhaps," Michael said. "But I have only even spoken to Dean once and surely persuasion takes more effort than that."

"Maybe for you," Lucifer muttered.

Michael glared at him. "I'm sorry, did you just not try at all then?"

"Not properly," Lucifer said, annoyance flashing across his face too fast for a human to be able to pick up on. "I introduced myself and informed him of the inevitability of his destiny. Aside from that, I have been waiting for him to continue failing to stop this and to witness the rising death toll and come to understand that this is happening. I will not run begging to a human."

Michael nodded almost unconsciously. "Zachariah has been tasked with bringing Dean around but my vessel proves stubborn."

Lucifer laughed at that.

"What?" Michael demanded, narrowing his eyes. "Your vessel isn't even saying no of his own accord; he's letting my vessel do it for him!"

"Oh, it's not that," Lucifer said. "Though I think removing Dean's influence from Sam will prove easier than changing Dean's mind. Sam accepts me and Dean might come tumbling down as well."

It was one thing to work with Lucifer but Michael didn't want any of his crumbs.

"Zachariah is a hammer," Lucifer said. "He is very good at applying force but he wouldn't even know how to begin without that. And it can get results, I'll not argue that, but that's not really the right track to take with our boys."

Michael said nothing. It had never really fallen to him to convince anyone. The angels, for the most part, knew he was right. It was good to obey their father and they all knew that Michael was continuing to do what their father wanted. There had been dissent but, aside from the disaster with Lucifer, Zachariah or Naomi could bring them in line.

Well, usually.

Gabriel had gone missing impossibly long ago but trying to reign in a recalcitrant archangel had led to this mess and so long as Gabriel was keeping out of the way he could ignore it. Anna had somehow escaped and had a worryingly perceptive plan to halt the apocalypse by preventing Sam and Dean from ever having been born, thus preventing Lucifer from ever having been freed. If he hadn't been so alarmed and unwilling to give her the chance to escape again and succeed she could have been handled. And then there was Castiel but his grace was failing him and he could only do so much. He might have put more effort in bringing Castiel in line if one trip to Naomi hadn't proven rather quickly ineffective and their father hadn't made it clear that Castiel was worth preserving.

Lucifer had never done anything but persuade. He had almost persuaded Michael, once, though that was something Michael would never tell him. He had to be the good son no matter what it cost.

"Regardless, I believe the two of us should show up together and try and explain the situation to them and why they should say yes," Michael said.

Lucifer raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Do you seriously expect that to work?"

"Not at first, no," Michael said. "Though I would not complain if it did. We just need to keep working at them. I suggest we also try speaking with our vessels in private and perhaps seeing if we can make any headway with the other's vessel. Even if we don't, it should give us a better insight into the other Winchester so as to help us come up with a plan."

Lucifer looked distinctly unimpressed. "I can see why you called me in."

"What?"

"Your ideas seem to be all along the lines of 'just keep talking to them until they agree'," Lucifer said. "I know you can be annoying, Michael, but I really don't think they're going to give in just to shut you up."

Michel frowned. "And just what would you suggest?"

Lucifer shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Separate the two so Dean has to constantly doubt Sam's continued resistance and Sam's more vulnerable. Take them back to that alternate reality I heard Zachariah sent Dean to where Sam says yes and Dean doesn't to remind Dean that he really doesn't want to make you give up on our fight while Sam is faced with more evidence that he can't escape this. Maybe wait until they're having a really bad day and then show them the paradise this world will become if you win. Sam rooting for you while saying yes wouldn't bother me. Trap them in a room until they slowly go crazy and agree to anything to get out. Maybe erase their memories of angels."

"Why would I want to erase their memories of us?" Michael asked. He knew better than to try asking just how Lucifer had found out about one of Zachariah's attempts to persuade Dean. Chances were, Lucifer only even brought it up to make him wonder and he would not give his brother the satisfaction. "That won't convince them."

"Well, no," Lucifer conceded, "but it would at least give us a nice clean slate if they are too anti-angel at this point to consider becoming our vessels. Not that any of that is in any way my fault, but I have to deal with your mess there, too."

"How is that my fault and not yours?" Michael demanded. "You're the devil, Lucifer. We didn't interfere in their lives at all until Dean went to hell, that was all your people. Losing the mother, the obsessive hunting from the father, the death of the father, the corruption and death of Sam, Dean dragged to hell, Ruby and the demon blood…all of that was in the service of freeing you."

"Well, yes," Lucifer agreed amiably. "But that was hell and you kind of have to expect that sort of thing. I knew I'd have my work cut out for me with Sam. But angels who aren't me tend to have a much better reputation and they hate you, too. I wonder why that is."

"They don't approve of the apocalypse," Michael said. "They believe we shouldn't want it and should have done more to prevent you from being freed."

Lucifer laughed. "Done more? How about actually stopped it? We both know you could have. Even just allowing Dean to find Sam sooner or letting them know what the true final seal was would have done it, much less not allowing demons to break seals."

"You do realize that if we had you'd still be in hell, don't you?" Michael asked pointedly.

Lucifer nodded. "Of course I do. But there's a reason that they hate you. If we find ourselves absolutely unable to persuade them, perhaps making them forget would help. And it would separate them from Castiel, as well, who they would have no reason to trust over us."

"Over me."

"I am so maligned by those humans," Lucifer complained.

"Is it really being maligned if you view them as abominations who need to be wiped off the face of the Earth?" Michael asked.

"Yes."

"That might be an answer," Michael agreed reluctantly. "I do not like the thought of undoing all of our work but if there is truly no other way then it would give us another chance."

"There's not much progress to undo," Lucifer said. "And maybe this time you could not mention the fact that you're not the heroes they expect and want the apocalypse as much as I do."

He just kept saying that.

"I don't want the apocalypse, Lucifer," Michael said tiredly.

"Then I hate to tell you but you are really bad at this," Lucifer said bluntly.

"All I want is to obey Father and He is the one who wants me to stop you," Michael insisted. "Something that would not be necessary if you weren't such a monster."

Lucifer groaned. "Oh, spare me the noble purpose spiel. I've heard it before, Michael."

Michael pursed his lips but let it go. Somewhere, deep within himself, Lucifer probably already knew exactly what he was. And if he didn't it wasn't as though Michael really expected to be able to reach him.

That door had been closed a long time ago.