Let Your Grace Guide You: Chapter Six
Let Your Grace Guide You
Masterpost
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7
“You did what, kid?” Bobby leaned back in his chair and stared at Dean.
“Bobby, relax, I got it under control.”
“I don’t care how ‘under control’ you think you got it. Didn’t we just get done talkin’ about how we had to talk to each other before making big decisions? If I can’t bargain with my own soul without gettin’ your permission first, what the hell makes you thinking pumping yourself up with mojo without warning me is a good idea?”
Dean didn’t have a good response to that. Bobby had a point. Dean felt like a major hypocrite, but when it came to saving his brother he knew he didn’t think rationally all the time. It’s how they got into this whole mess in the first place. But this decision just made sense to him and he didn’t regret it. If it even gave him the slightest edge in getting Sam back it was worth it.
Meanwhile, Crowley laughed at the whole ordeal from the corner of the room while he scratched Growley behind the ears. The dog made a small barking noise and moved his head against Crowley’s hand, clearly enjoying the attention.
“Also, it’s really starting to creep me out that I’m the only one who can’t see this damn hellhound,” Bobby said gruffly as he crossed his arms and glared at Crowley. “I nearly tripped over him this mornin’ and hearing a hellhound growl at me is not my idea of starting the morning off on the right foot!”
“I’m sorry,” Dean said, bringing Bobby’s attention back to him. “You’re right, and I’m sorry. It was a quick decision. I didn’t stop to think about it but... but I don’t regret it. Bobby, I had to.”
“Are you still human, kid?”
Dean hesitated. “Probably not.”
Bobby shook his head, but instead of continuing to argue he just sighed. Dean could tell he accepted the situation, but that didn’t really fix things between them any. Bobby was furious at Dean’s double standards and Dean didn’t really blame him. Bobby had given so much for them and Dean just turned around and acted without considering him for even a second.
“Right,” Crowley said as he pushed himself off the wall and stepped up to Castiel. “We should leave soon, before Lucifer’s loyalist start to prepare for our next inevitable attack. I’m well known in Hell for not giving up. So are you, actually. They’ll be waiting for us.”
“Dean and I will go,” Castiel said. “You’ll stay here.”
“What? No,” Crowley said incredulously. “Why would I ever do that?”
“Because Dean and I can lay to waste the entire valley surrounding the cage. You would be killed in the process.”
“You might be able to do that, angel, but Dean, here is just as likely to fail on the battlefield. Do you think lover boy here will be able to control it when things get stressful?”
“I have faith in Dean’s abilities.”
“Faith. Oh angel, that’s rich. And hey, let’s give Dean here the benefit of the doubt. Even if he could control it, how can I trust you to keep me in on this deal? I keep my promises. It’s part of the gig. But you two? I don’t trust you to hold up your end of the bargain. I’m protecting my investment by being there. I hired a bodyguard. Not a partner.”
“Crowley, when this deal is done, I want you as the King of Hell,” Cas said as he stepped forward, crowding into Crowley’s personal space. “You are the only demon in power whose goals align with mine. We both want to prevent the apocalypse from restarting.”
Crowley crossed his arms and went silent as he looked Castiel up and down. It made sense. Though they were technically on opposing sides, their goals aligned and with the two of them in power there would be at least a truce in regards to the apocalypse. Even with Dean’s extremely hatred of the demon, he would rather have him in charge of Hell than almost any other candidate he could think of. It was a damn good deal.
“Fine,” Crowley said as he reached for the top button of his shirt.
“Um,” Dean said, unsure of exactly what the demon was doing. He knew the demon liked to kiss people to seal the deal, but this?
After two buttons Crowley made his intentions clear as he pulled out a golden pendant with three gemstones in a triangle pattern embedded in it. Dean recognized the colors; gold like War’s ring, a black gemstone like Famine’s, a green one like Pestilence’s, and the all too familiar white stone from Death’s ring. Dean knew the latter a little too well for his liking, but it at least allowed him to recognize it on sight.
“We buried those,” Dean said.
“Oh you did? I’ll file that bit away for later,” Crowley said. “But no, these aren’t the same, Deany boy. Cut from the same source material, yes, but not the same objects. There’s a lot going on in Hell neither of you even have a hint of knowledge about. There are other keys, guarded fiercely by those who possess them. There’s always been a powerplay downstairs. Ever since Lilith was created, those of us who were cast out of Heaven like Lucifer have been struggling to keep the playing field even.”
“And you’ve had one this whole time?” Dean snapped.
“Well, not this whole time. I acquired it relatively recently.”
“How... wait, you know what? I don’t care.” Dean held his hands up and shook his head.
“That’s the spirit,” Crowley said as he held out the pendant towards Castiel. When the angel reached towards him Crowley gripped his hand and shook it. “Don’t disappoint me, angel,” he said as he squeezed his hand firmly.
Cas took the pendant from Crowley and put it on with the same reverence that he once used with Dean's amulet, slipping it beneath his shirt and tie until it rested over his heart.
“Oh, and if you betray me? Growley will have Bobby a la mode for dinner tonight.”
“Hey,” Bobby said indignantly, but before Dean had a moment to respond Castiel had gripped him and teleporting them to hell.
-
They arrived on a bluff overlooking the cage. He felt even more comfortable in Hell this time, barely noticing the heat on his skin. The demons milling around the valley immediately took notice. Some began to flee while others prepared to fight. Dean felt ready this time. He was armed with Grace, not a flask of holy water or a magical weapon which may or may not get kicked out of his hand at any moment.
Castiel held his hand out and Dean took it. Cas was Dean’s anchor, a way to stay in control and focus on who and what he is amid the chaos. He needed that right now. He was about to utilize a part of him he’d only just begun to explore. Cas trusted that he could do it. And he trusted Cas. They could do it. They had to. Lives were on the line. Sam’s life was on the line.
Dean looked to Cas and nodded. The angel held his other hand out towards the valley and Dean mimicked him. Within a few seconds their grace was forming a powerful glow just in front of their palms. Castiel began to push his grace towards the crowd and Dean followed suit, tapping down into the Grace that’d settled inside of him. He felt Castiel pushing their Grace forward and he let himself be guided until their Grace drowned out the valley with light.
Demons began to scream as the holy light touched them. Dean could feel them burn as his grace decimated them, leaving only scorch marks on the ground or abandoned vessels in their wake. As their Grace rolled across the valley floor it left destruction, death, and a holy energy that was the antithesis of everything that Hell represented.
When he felt Castiel squeeze his hand Dean began to pull back. The sight before him was astounding. Together they’d burned a hole through the crowd. The demons that were left were fleeing the valley, running for their lives, clearing the area as quickly as possible. They clearly weren’t prepared for the power of two angels to drop on them. He and Castiel seemed to have taken them off guard.
“They’ll be back and in greater numbers,” Castiel said. “We must move quickly.”
Castiel took a step off the ledge of the bluff, still holding onto Dean’s hand. Dean went with the flow, knowing that falling from a great height wasn’t a big concern for him at the moment. With Castiel as a companion and with his grace inside of him, he felt safe. Their priority was getting to the cage and a ten story drop wasn’t going to stop them.
They landed on the ground hard, but Cas wasted no time grabbing the necklace from around his neck and handing it to Dean. The hunter tossed it at the door, grimacing as the pendant clanged loudly against the metal, and quickly chanted the incantation needed to activate the gems. The door vibrated, shimmered, and then opened without being touched. They’d done it! They’d opened the cage. His brother was just beyond that threshold and he just had to push himself forward and cross it.
Castiel had taken a protective stance behind Dean facing the few demons who still remained in sight, but as soon as the door was open wide enough he turned and stepped into the cage without hesitation. Dean took a deep breath out of habit, unphased by the sweltering air, and followed Castiel. He grabbed the pendant from the door and let it slam closed behind him.
Just on the other side of the door was small alcove sheltered by the red vines that were covering the outside of the cage. The shelter from the vines provided them a moment to get their plan of attack together. In the distance they could see bright lights shining through the twisted vines. He could recognize the light for what it- Grace - Michael and Lucifer in their true forms. They didn’t have faces like this, but Dean could sense that somehow they hadn’t been noticed their presence yet
They made their way towards them through the maze of red foliage that formed numerous corridors leading off in all directions. Thank God those pricks are lit up like Christmas trees, Dean thought. Cas made a small noise of amusement, but it was short lived. They both were too focused to enjoy the moment of humor for more than a few second
When they rounded a corner the giant masses of energy that made up Michael and Lucifer became visible. They were squaring off in a large open cavern, clashing in mid air in giant blasts of light and noise. Dean saw Sam and Adam lying on the floor motionless. With any luck they were unconscious. They had both been taken to Hell whole. Dean knew the pain that Hell caused the soul, but thankfully he’d never had to experience it on his physical body before Cas’ mojo started to protect him. He could feel the heat against his skin, smell the sulfur and rotting flesh, but the Grace saved him from most of the pain. Sam and Adam were completely unprotected.
I think we’re majorly overpowered here, Dean thought to Cas. They’d known that going in, but for the first time Dean actually let that realization sink in. He faltered slightly, staring at the battling balls of light in the distance with trepidation.
“We must act quickly,” Castiel said.
Dean felt Lucifer and Michael take note of them and watched as they ceased their fighting and stared at him and Castiel. Dean grabbed onto Castiel’s coat sleeve, instinctually needing to be closer to him, and braced himself for a fight. There was no turning back. It was him and Castiel against the two most powerful and most royally pissed angels in all of existence.
“Grab your brothers and get out,” Castiel said. He looked back to Dean and kissed him softly on the mouth. “Let your Grace guide you home, Dean. It’ll get you there. I have faith in your abilities. Save your brothers.”
“Cas?” Before Dean had a chance to think of the meaning behind Castiel’s words, the angel was glowing with Grace from head to toe and spreading his wings wide.
Castiel flew quickly towards the two archangels and when the Grace collided a thundering blast echoed through the room. The bright light emanating from the collision was nearly blinding, even with his new abilities, and Dean quickly shielded his eyes from the blast. Dean hesitated for a second before rushing out into the fray towards his brothers. He’d seen them before everything went white. He just had to make it to them.
The sounds of explosions above him and the blasts of light hindered him from finding them right away, but he soon tripped over someone. Dean landed harshly on the floor on the other side of the body. He scrambled to his feet and grabbed the person he tripped over. The body was far too small to be Sam. It had to be Adam. Dean lifted him easily by the back of his shirt and slung him over a shoulder as he felt around on the floor for Sam.
Then he bumped into the second body. He reached down and grabbed a hold of him, recognizing his giant moose of a brother immediately. He had Sam. He clutched onto Sam’s shirt and flung him over the other shoulder. He felt smug, finally able to lift his heavy ass without straining himself. He’d have time to gloat later. Now he was on a rescue mission.
With both of his brothers slung over his shoulders Dean dashed back down the corridor towards the door. Before he left sight of the cavern he paused to look back at the bright clash of Grace behind him. Somehow he could recognize Castiel’s form in the mass of light. The sparkle of colors was unique to him, even though the other two were nearly impossible to distinguish from each other. He wanted to rescue Castiel, too. One angel fighting the two most powerful archangels in existence on his own didn’t seem very hopeful, but he had two lives depending on him to get out of Hell. This is what he came for. He had to leave.
When he got to the door Dean threw the amulet against it and quickly read off the incantation. He squeezed through it the second it was large enough for them to fit through and dropped his brothers on the ground just outside the cage. He immediately flooded the surrounding area with his Grace, destroying the few demons that had ventured back to the area after he and Castiel scattered them the first time. Castiel was right. They were coming back looking for a fight. They had to leave now.
Dean had no idea how to get him and his brothers home alone. ‘Let your Grace guide you home,’ he remembered Castiel saying. But, his Grace wasn’t guiding him anywhere except back to Castiel. He needed him there beside them. All he could do was keep Sam and Adam safe until Castiel could join them and get them back to Earth. Castiel was insane if he thought Dean had enough control over himself to teleport without his help. He had no idea what he was doing.
When he looked down and his brothers he noticed the blood spilling from their ears. All of the Grace was damaging them even more, but he knew that pain couldn’t compare to what Michael and Lucifer must have subjected them to. The atmosphere alone had turned their skin into a permanent shade of sunburn. If destroying their hearing was going to save them from an eternity trapped down here, it seemed worth it. He just hoped they could get out quickly before they deteriorated any worse than they already were.
Dean waited for what felt like hours, but in reality had been less than a minute. He was torn between saving his brothers and helping Castiel, Dean knew that no matter how impossible the task seemed, he had to get them home. Cas would have to wait, Sam and Adam were helpless here. And every second they remained, body and soul, in Hell, they were being damaged, possibly permanently.
Dammit, Castiel, don’t you fucking do this to me.
Dean hesitantly pulled the pendant from the door and watched it close behind him. He felt like he was betraying Castiel. He was leaving him trapped in the cage with two of the most powerful beings in existence who had a very real reason to be mad at him. Cas was essentially taking Sam and Adam’s place.
With the door shut behind him and his immediate vicinity free of demons Dean knelt by his unconscious brothers and shut his eyes. Let the Grace guide you home. He laid a hand on each of his brothers and thought of Bobby’s house. He needed to get them there safely and he had to do it now. He had to get to Bobby’s.
He felt the Grace inside him expand and vibrate and he felt the familiar sensation of teleportation spreading across his skin. He could feel the air around him shifting, an electric sensation coursing through every cell of his body as a gap between dimensions began to open up at his will. Before teleportation had caused physical shock to his body, but controlling it seemed to energize him. He felt his Grace thrumming with excitement, performing a task that was familiar to it, even if Dean had never tried to use it before.
Then they slipped through the gap and teleported out of Hell.
Chapter Seven>
Masterpost
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7
“You did what, kid?” Bobby leaned back in his chair and stared at Dean.
“Bobby, relax, I got it under control.”
“I don’t care how ‘under control’ you think you got it. Didn’t we just get done talkin’ about how we had to talk to each other before making big decisions? If I can’t bargain with my own soul without gettin’ your permission first, what the hell makes you thinking pumping yourself up with mojo without warning me is a good idea?”
Dean didn’t have a good response to that. Bobby had a point. Dean felt like a major hypocrite, but when it came to saving his brother he knew he didn’t think rationally all the time. It’s how they got into this whole mess in the first place. But this decision just made sense to him and he didn’t regret it. If it even gave him the slightest edge in getting Sam back it was worth it.
Meanwhile, Crowley laughed at the whole ordeal from the corner of the room while he scratched Growley behind the ears. The dog made a small barking noise and moved his head against Crowley’s hand, clearly enjoying the attention.
“Also, it’s really starting to creep me out that I’m the only one who can’t see this damn hellhound,” Bobby said gruffly as he crossed his arms and glared at Crowley. “I nearly tripped over him this mornin’ and hearing a hellhound growl at me is not my idea of starting the morning off on the right foot!”
“I’m sorry,” Dean said, bringing Bobby’s attention back to him. “You’re right, and I’m sorry. It was a quick decision. I didn’t stop to think about it but... but I don’t regret it. Bobby, I had to.”
“Are you still human, kid?”
Dean hesitated. “Probably not.”
Bobby shook his head, but instead of continuing to argue he just sighed. Dean could tell he accepted the situation, but that didn’t really fix things between them any. Bobby was furious at Dean’s double standards and Dean didn’t really blame him. Bobby had given so much for them and Dean just turned around and acted without considering him for even a second.
“Right,” Crowley said as he pushed himself off the wall and stepped up to Castiel. “We should leave soon, before Lucifer’s loyalist start to prepare for our next inevitable attack. I’m well known in Hell for not giving up. So are you, actually. They’ll be waiting for us.”
“Dean and I will go,” Castiel said. “You’ll stay here.”
“What? No,” Crowley said incredulously. “Why would I ever do that?”
“Because Dean and I can lay to waste the entire valley surrounding the cage. You would be killed in the process.”
“You might be able to do that, angel, but Dean, here is just as likely to fail on the battlefield. Do you think lover boy here will be able to control it when things get stressful?”
“I have faith in Dean’s abilities.”
“Faith. Oh angel, that’s rich. And hey, let’s give Dean here the benefit of the doubt. Even if he could control it, how can I trust you to keep me in on this deal? I keep my promises. It’s part of the gig. But you two? I don’t trust you to hold up your end of the bargain. I’m protecting my investment by being there. I hired a bodyguard. Not a partner.”
“Crowley, when this deal is done, I want you as the King of Hell,” Cas said as he stepped forward, crowding into Crowley’s personal space. “You are the only demon in power whose goals align with mine. We both want to prevent the apocalypse from restarting.”
Crowley crossed his arms and went silent as he looked Castiel up and down. It made sense. Though they were technically on opposing sides, their goals aligned and with the two of them in power there would be at least a truce in regards to the apocalypse. Even with Dean’s extremely hatred of the demon, he would rather have him in charge of Hell than almost any other candidate he could think of. It was a damn good deal.
“Fine,” Crowley said as he reached for the top button of his shirt.
“Um,” Dean said, unsure of exactly what the demon was doing. He knew the demon liked to kiss people to seal the deal, but this?
After two buttons Crowley made his intentions clear as he pulled out a golden pendant with three gemstones in a triangle pattern embedded in it. Dean recognized the colors; gold like War’s ring, a black gemstone like Famine’s, a green one like Pestilence’s, and the all too familiar white stone from Death’s ring. Dean knew the latter a little too well for his liking, but it at least allowed him to recognize it on sight.
“We buried those,” Dean said.
“Oh you did? I’ll file that bit away for later,” Crowley said. “But no, these aren’t the same, Deany boy. Cut from the same source material, yes, but not the same objects. There’s a lot going on in Hell neither of you even have a hint of knowledge about. There are other keys, guarded fiercely by those who possess them. There’s always been a powerplay downstairs. Ever since Lilith was created, those of us who were cast out of Heaven like Lucifer have been struggling to keep the playing field even.”
“And you’ve had one this whole time?” Dean snapped.
“Well, not this whole time. I acquired it relatively recently.”
“How... wait, you know what? I don’t care.” Dean held his hands up and shook his head.
“That’s the spirit,” Crowley said as he held out the pendant towards Castiel. When the angel reached towards him Crowley gripped his hand and shook it. “Don’t disappoint me, angel,” he said as he squeezed his hand firmly.
Cas took the pendant from Crowley and put it on with the same reverence that he once used with Dean's amulet, slipping it beneath his shirt and tie until it rested over his heart.
“Oh, and if you betray me? Growley will have Bobby a la mode for dinner tonight.”
“Hey,” Bobby said indignantly, but before Dean had a moment to respond Castiel had gripped him and teleporting them to hell.
-
They arrived on a bluff overlooking the cage. He felt even more comfortable in Hell this time, barely noticing the heat on his skin. The demons milling around the valley immediately took notice. Some began to flee while others prepared to fight. Dean felt ready this time. He was armed with Grace, not a flask of holy water or a magical weapon which may or may not get kicked out of his hand at any moment.
Castiel held his hand out and Dean took it. Cas was Dean’s anchor, a way to stay in control and focus on who and what he is amid the chaos. He needed that right now. He was about to utilize a part of him he’d only just begun to explore. Cas trusted that he could do it. And he trusted Cas. They could do it. They had to. Lives were on the line. Sam’s life was on the line.
Dean looked to Cas and nodded. The angel held his other hand out towards the valley and Dean mimicked him. Within a few seconds their grace was forming a powerful glow just in front of their palms. Castiel began to push his grace towards the crowd and Dean followed suit, tapping down into the Grace that’d settled inside of him. He felt Castiel pushing their Grace forward and he let himself be guided until their Grace drowned out the valley with light.
Demons began to scream as the holy light touched them. Dean could feel them burn as his grace decimated them, leaving only scorch marks on the ground or abandoned vessels in their wake. As their Grace rolled across the valley floor it left destruction, death, and a holy energy that was the antithesis of everything that Hell represented.
When he felt Castiel squeeze his hand Dean began to pull back. The sight before him was astounding. Together they’d burned a hole through the crowd. The demons that were left were fleeing the valley, running for their lives, clearing the area as quickly as possible. They clearly weren’t prepared for the power of two angels to drop on them. He and Castiel seemed to have taken them off guard.
“They’ll be back and in greater numbers,” Castiel said. “We must move quickly.”
Castiel took a step off the ledge of the bluff, still holding onto Dean’s hand. Dean went with the flow, knowing that falling from a great height wasn’t a big concern for him at the moment. With Castiel as a companion and with his grace inside of him, he felt safe. Their priority was getting to the cage and a ten story drop wasn’t going to stop them.
They landed on the ground hard, but Cas wasted no time grabbing the necklace from around his neck and handing it to Dean. The hunter tossed it at the door, grimacing as the pendant clanged loudly against the metal, and quickly chanted the incantation needed to activate the gems. The door vibrated, shimmered, and then opened without being touched. They’d done it! They’d opened the cage. His brother was just beyond that threshold and he just had to push himself forward and cross it.
Castiel had taken a protective stance behind Dean facing the few demons who still remained in sight, but as soon as the door was open wide enough he turned and stepped into the cage without hesitation. Dean took a deep breath out of habit, unphased by the sweltering air, and followed Castiel. He grabbed the pendant from the door and let it slam closed behind him.
Just on the other side of the door was small alcove sheltered by the red vines that were covering the outside of the cage. The shelter from the vines provided them a moment to get their plan of attack together. In the distance they could see bright lights shining through the twisted vines. He could recognize the light for what it- Grace - Michael and Lucifer in their true forms. They didn’t have faces like this, but Dean could sense that somehow they hadn’t been noticed their presence yet
They made their way towards them through the maze of red foliage that formed numerous corridors leading off in all directions. Thank God those pricks are lit up like Christmas trees, Dean thought. Cas made a small noise of amusement, but it was short lived. They both were too focused to enjoy the moment of humor for more than a few second
When they rounded a corner the giant masses of energy that made up Michael and Lucifer became visible. They were squaring off in a large open cavern, clashing in mid air in giant blasts of light and noise. Dean saw Sam and Adam lying on the floor motionless. With any luck they were unconscious. They had both been taken to Hell whole. Dean knew the pain that Hell caused the soul, but thankfully he’d never had to experience it on his physical body before Cas’ mojo started to protect him. He could feel the heat against his skin, smell the sulfur and rotting flesh, but the Grace saved him from most of the pain. Sam and Adam were completely unprotected.
I think we’re majorly overpowered here, Dean thought to Cas. They’d known that going in, but for the first time Dean actually let that realization sink in. He faltered slightly, staring at the battling balls of light in the distance with trepidation.
“We must act quickly,” Castiel said.
Dean felt Lucifer and Michael take note of them and watched as they ceased their fighting and stared at him and Castiel. Dean grabbed onto Castiel’s coat sleeve, instinctually needing to be closer to him, and braced himself for a fight. There was no turning back. It was him and Castiel against the two most powerful and most royally pissed angels in all of existence.
“Grab your brothers and get out,” Castiel said. He looked back to Dean and kissed him softly on the mouth. “Let your Grace guide you home, Dean. It’ll get you there. I have faith in your abilities. Save your brothers.”
“Cas?” Before Dean had a chance to think of the meaning behind Castiel’s words, the angel was glowing with Grace from head to toe and spreading his wings wide.
Castiel flew quickly towards the two archangels and when the Grace collided a thundering blast echoed through the room. The bright light emanating from the collision was nearly blinding, even with his new abilities, and Dean quickly shielded his eyes from the blast. Dean hesitated for a second before rushing out into the fray towards his brothers. He’d seen them before everything went white. He just had to make it to them.
The sounds of explosions above him and the blasts of light hindered him from finding them right away, but he soon tripped over someone. Dean landed harshly on the floor on the other side of the body. He scrambled to his feet and grabbed the person he tripped over. The body was far too small to be Sam. It had to be Adam. Dean lifted him easily by the back of his shirt and slung him over a shoulder as he felt around on the floor for Sam.
Then he bumped into the second body. He reached down and grabbed a hold of him, recognizing his giant moose of a brother immediately. He had Sam. He clutched onto Sam’s shirt and flung him over the other shoulder. He felt smug, finally able to lift his heavy ass without straining himself. He’d have time to gloat later. Now he was on a rescue mission.
With both of his brothers slung over his shoulders Dean dashed back down the corridor towards the door. Before he left sight of the cavern he paused to look back at the bright clash of Grace behind him. Somehow he could recognize Castiel’s form in the mass of light. The sparkle of colors was unique to him, even though the other two were nearly impossible to distinguish from each other. He wanted to rescue Castiel, too. One angel fighting the two most powerful archangels in existence on his own didn’t seem very hopeful, but he had two lives depending on him to get out of Hell. This is what he came for. He had to leave.
When he got to the door Dean threw the amulet against it and quickly read off the incantation. He squeezed through it the second it was large enough for them to fit through and dropped his brothers on the ground just outside the cage. He immediately flooded the surrounding area with his Grace, destroying the few demons that had ventured back to the area after he and Castiel scattered them the first time. Castiel was right. They were coming back looking for a fight. They had to leave now.
Dean had no idea how to get him and his brothers home alone. ‘Let your Grace guide you home,’ he remembered Castiel saying. But, his Grace wasn’t guiding him anywhere except back to Castiel. He needed him there beside them. All he could do was keep Sam and Adam safe until Castiel could join them and get them back to Earth. Castiel was insane if he thought Dean had enough control over himself to teleport without his help. He had no idea what he was doing.
When he looked down and his brothers he noticed the blood spilling from their ears. All of the Grace was damaging them even more, but he knew that pain couldn’t compare to what Michael and Lucifer must have subjected them to. The atmosphere alone had turned their skin into a permanent shade of sunburn. If destroying their hearing was going to save them from an eternity trapped down here, it seemed worth it. He just hoped they could get out quickly before they deteriorated any worse than they already were.
Dean waited for what felt like hours, but in reality had been less than a minute. He was torn between saving his brothers and helping Castiel, Dean knew that no matter how impossible the task seemed, he had to get them home. Cas would have to wait, Sam and Adam were helpless here. And every second they remained, body and soul, in Hell, they were being damaged, possibly permanently.
Dammit, Castiel, don’t you fucking do this to me.
Dean hesitantly pulled the pendant from the door and watched it close behind him. He felt like he was betraying Castiel. He was leaving him trapped in the cage with two of the most powerful beings in existence who had a very real reason to be mad at him. Cas was essentially taking Sam and Adam’s place.
With the door shut behind him and his immediate vicinity free of demons Dean knelt by his unconscious brothers and shut his eyes. Let the Grace guide you home. He laid a hand on each of his brothers and thought of Bobby’s house. He needed to get them there safely and he had to do it now. He had to get to Bobby’s.
He felt the Grace inside him expand and vibrate and he felt the familiar sensation of teleportation spreading across his skin. He could feel the air around him shifting, an electric sensation coursing through every cell of his body as a gap between dimensions began to open up at his will. Before teleportation had caused physical shock to his body, but controlling it seemed to energize him. He felt his Grace thrumming with excitement, performing a task that was familiar to it, even if Dean had never tried to use it before.
Then they slipped through the gap and teleported out of Hell.
Chapter Seven>