First things first, a few things you need to know.

PAIRINGS: Eventual Dean/Cas and Sam/Gabriel

SUMMARY: Sam is in Hell, Cas is in Heaven and Dean is stuck somewhere in the middle.

SPOILERS: Up through 5x22 Swan Song

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I pick and choose which aspects I go with and which ones I completely disregard when it comes to the finale. (Basically, I keep everything up to Cas returning as a fully restored Angel. He and Bobby are both brought back, but he's still mostly human.)

Enjoy

Sam said yes to the devil in Detroit. They had all finally agreed that it was the only chance they had, even if it was a far fetched one.

They had a plan. They had the four rings. Sam would say yes. He would battle Lucifer in his mind. He would jump in pit that Dean would open. That would be the end of it.

But, as usual, things didn't go quite according to plan.

The devil saw them coming. He knew about the rings. He knew their plan.

They went through with it anyway, because it didn't change things, Sam still had a chance, no matter how tiny.

So he said yes and Lucifer took over his body. The battle for control of the vessel waged inside for a few moments, then Lucifer won. Sam wasn't strong enough.

Four months passed, Lucifer in control of Sam's body. Michael had Adam and he didn't need Dean.

But for four months nothing happened. Lucifer ran about, causing random chaos. But the epic battle that was supposed to happen between he and Michael was still to be had.

Chuck said it had something to do with timing, that the battle was supposed to begin at a very precise moment in time. He didn't know when yet, but he promised to let Dean know the instant he found out.

They'd always been just a step behind Lucifer, but when it was finally time for the final battle to begin, Dean arrived just in time, Bobby and Cas right behind him.

He drove the Impala right up to Lucifer and Michael, blaring music he knew Sam hated.

Cas did something stupid to get Michael away long enough for Dean to have a chance to talk to Sam, and he got killed for his effort. Dean screamed as Cas was blown to bits. A moment later, he snapped Bobby's neck. He was freaking out on the inside, but he couldn't deal with it then. He had to help Sammy.

"I'm here Sammy," he began. He talked at him, while Lucifer beat him to a bloody pulp. He talked at him about nothing that really mattered, but he talked anyway. He had to give him strength.

He was pressed up against the car, barely conscious, when something caught Sam's eyes, a tiny, green army man shoved in the door. It had been there since they were kids. And it was enough.

He stumbled backward as Dean fell to the ground.

"It's okay Dean," he said, reaching into his pocket. "I've got him." He tossed the rings to the ground and opened the cage. With one last smile to his brother, he let himself fall in.

The cage closed and Dean wept for the three people he'd just lost, what had been left of his family: his brother, his father, and his angel.