Chapter 24

Brooklyn

My hands slip another set of books into their spots on the shelf. After yesterday's little show, books had trashed the floor and Dean and I were voted to clean it up.

We just got married yesterday, shouldn't we be doing other things besides cleaning up Lucifer's mess? What is Sam even doing?

The sound of Dean's phone ringing made me stop my movements and look at him, noticing a sigh leave his lips.

"Who is it?"

"Crowley," Dean replied, getting ready to slip his phone back into his pocket.

"You should answer it, he may have something for us."

"Yeah, but usually his gifts aren't very helpful," Dean said before answering his cell and throwing it on speaker. "Whatcha got Crowley?" Dean asked setting his stack of papers on the table.

Crowley spoke up, sounding almost scared. "I found it, the thing that can solve all our problems. I just got away from Lucifer and-"

Quickly I spoke up, getting closer to the phone, "Wait, what?"

An annoyed sigh left Crowley, "Keep up, Brooklyn. I've got a solution to all our problems!"

"I don't jig. Now, how do I know you even escaped Lucifer and he's not making you say all this?" Dean asked?

"Honestly, you cynicism is depressing. Why would Lucifer force me to discuss the very means of his destruction?"

Dean and I looked at each other confused before Dean asked, "What are you talking about?"

"A weapon... one that channels divinity. Even powerful enough to help destroy a force like the Darkness, or Lucifer. Tell me you haven't been searching for such a thing."

"A Hand of God?" Dean asked?

"Of course we have," I finished.

Crowley hummed slightly, "Thought as much. St. Louis. The old post office on Beekman."

"Crowley," Dean said but the phone beeped and the connection is gone. A sigh left his lips as he slipped the phone into his pocket.

I smiled slightly as I looked at Dean, "Well, looks like this gift may be helpfully after all." I turn and start to head towards the hallways, "Sam! We got a surprise!"

After filling Sam in, the three of us headed to Crowley's location which was an abandoned warehouse. Cobwebs laid around like decoration, making me shiver slightly in response. I hate spiders.

I mean, I can deal with them, but this many defiantly put me more on guard.

Crowley stood, his hands in his pockets, waiting.

"Nice digs. The Crypt Keeper out of town?" Dean asked as we approached.

"I'm lucky to be alive. Lucifer had me trussed up like a dog in my own palace."

"Palace? Oh, you mean the abandoned nuthouse."

Crowley's voice grew, "He kept me in a kennel!" Dean and Sam both cracked a smile and I can't help but snicker slightly, causing Crowley to yell at us. "It's not funny! And he turned all his demons... my demons... against me. They scour the earth, day and night, looking to kill me. He has to be dealt with."

"Sounds familiar," I said, making Crowley glare at me. I sighed before shifting my weight, "So is this why you brought us here? Because you and Lucifer are in a pissy match?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah, where's this, uh, Hand of God you were talking about?"

"I'm getting to that. Your only hope of subduing Amara is to match the level of power that she possesses."

Dean's eyes went wide, "Yeah, no kidding. And?"

"And I have the Horn of Joshua."

My eyes brought together in confusion while Sam seemed to spit off about this guy, "Joshua? As in the Joshua that won the battle of Jericho?"

"Man, I need to re-read the Bible apparently," I mumbled.

Crowley nodded, confirming Sam's thoughts, "And I'm willing to entrust it to your capable hands." The three of us exchanged a look of suspicion, causing Crowley to ask, "What? I just said I'd give you the thing."

"If?" Dean and I asked at the same time.

A scuff left the demon's lips, "Is this how you say thank you? You think these things grow on bloody trees?" He yelled!

Dean glared slightly at Crowley, "Cut the crap, Crowley. With you, there's always an "if.""

"Fine. I will give you the Horn, if you help me exorcise Lucifer from Castiel's vessel and then return him immediately to the Cage."

"Oh, that's all? So, just another weekend night for us," I said, turning my body and looking at Sam and Dean. Sam nodded in agreement while Dean shrugged, "Okay. And where is this horn?"

"Safely hidden, naturally."

No kidding, where?

Sam sighed, "Crowley, even if we could exorcise Lucifer out of Cas, the Cage is damn near impenetrable. It took a spell from the Book of the Damned to spring Lucifer, and Rowena hid the book."

"And we would need both the book and her to even have a shot," Dean added.

"Did I say this would be easy? No. I did not."

It took every power in me not to just sucker punch Crowley right where he stood. But instead I let out an irritated sigh and asked, "Do you even know where Rowena is?"

"Rotting somewhere, I assume. Lucifer snapped her neck."

"Oh, was wondering when someone was going to do that."

Dean quickly waved his hands, "Hold on, okay? Let's just put it in reverse. We will put Lucifer back in the Cage after we put Amara back on ice. It has to happen in that order, otherwise there is no Lucifer, there's no Cage, there's no nothing."

Crowley's eyes went wide and his voice rose again, "He's spent years marinating in hate against us! He has to go."

Putting one hand up to calm Crowley I agreed with Dean, "Listen, I'm all for getting Lucifer as far away from us as possible but we need him." I paused for a second, realizing what I just said, "I can't believe I just said that."

Ignoring my last comment, Dean continued on, "He's been down this road with Amara before. He might be the only one powerful enough to use the Horn against her."

"He had me cleaning the floors with my tongue! He called me "puppy"! He made me beg!"

"All right. Come on. Is this what this is about? Huh? Your stupid ego? The fact that he dissed you in front of a bunch of stupid demons? You're smarter than this. Come on!"

Sam gestured to his brother, "Dean's right. Priority is to put the Horn in Lucifer's hands and set him loose on Amara."

"After we exorcise Lucifer out of Cas and put him into a new vessel," Dean added.

Both Sam and I looked at Dean, taken back by his words as Sam asked, "What?" and I asked, "Really?"

Dean looked at me for a minute before looking at his brother, "Yes, really. We're not gonna send Lucifer into battle inside Cas. What if he doesn't make it?"

Shifting to fully turn to Dean, Sam shifted a little, "Dean, it's a strong vessel. It's held Cas for years, and we know what he's been through. I'm guessing it can hold Lucifer."

"It? It's not an "it," Sam. It's Cas."

I put my hand on Dean's chest just to lower it after I got his attention, "But Cas wanted to do this. Where else are we going to get a whiling, strong enough person to hold Lucifer? And who's to say Lucifer doesn't drag Cas out with him?"

"Well-" Dean tried to speak but I cut him off.

"And if you say you or one of us I'm going to tie you up from one of those banisters and you can watch the show from a tiny crack in the wall."

Crowley smirked slightly, seeming to enjoy my words, "Oh, feisty."

"That's not what I was going..." Dean's voice drifted off as he realized that was what he was going to say and sighed. "If we let Cas do this it could kill him."

"It's killing me!" Crowley yelled, making us turn and look at him. "I would rather stick white-hot skewers in my eyes than listen to you three bitches bicker! I gave you the terms of my deal. If Lucifer's not back in the Cage, the Horn stays hidden."

Sam squinted at Crowley, "You know, this is a dick move, Crowley. Even for you. You're not being reasonable."

"I don't have to be reasonable. I'm the king."

Crossing my arms, I little smirked at Crowley, "Right now you're the king of nothing, Crowley."

Crowley's eyed glared harshly at me and I'm sure he's going to start yelling again, but a loud crashing coming from outside stopped him. We all turned towards the door, Dean being the only one to speak, "What the hell was that?"

"Probable nothing good," I mumbled.

We all walk outside, our eyes being drawn up at the sky, which is stormy looking. Lightning breaks through the swirling clouds, while thunder crashes.

"What is that?" Sam asked?

"Amara," I said, my shocked expression disappearing.

"And she's not happy," Dean added, both of us looking at each other.

Well, shit.

Quickly, before we all got struck by lightning or something worst, we headed back inside.

Sam spoke up, clearly angry, "Okay. So now we all just saw what happens when she's in a bad mood, which, apparently, she's been in since the dawn of time."

"I think she just rattled heaven with a flick of her pinkie finger," I said, leaning against one of the pillars.

Dean turned to Crowley, "That's not a big enough dose of reality for you?"

"Why are we arguing? We all know that he has to go back in the Cage."

"Yes, when it makes sense. Amara's the big picture here now, okay? Look, in order to take her out, Lucifer has got to have the Horn of Joshua. He does her, we do him. Check, please."

Crowley glared at us, "The crux of your dispute is your contention that Lucifer, and only Lucifer, can use the Horn to beat Amara, right?"

"Correct," I nodded.

"Well, that scenario only works if you actually possess said Horn, which you do not."

Frustrated, Sam said, "No, we don't. But you do, so..."

"Exactly!" Crowley yelled, making me grow more and more annoyed. "This isn't a negotiation. I have the high cards, and you have... Hold on. Give me a second. Let me have a look... no cards! My offer stands."

Pushing myself off the pillar and making my way up to Crowley, anger in my words and footsteps. "We all want the same thing, Crowley! Lucifer in the cage and Amara gone! So stop being a little wimpy Demon for five seconds and look at the bigger picture here, because if Lucifer isn't the one to stand up to Amara then you best believe that Amara is coming straight for you and whatever Lucifer did will seem like child's play!"

Crowley blinks in shock while Sam and Dean stood amused behind me. Dean looks past me and lightly crosses his arms at Crowley, "Now you know why I married her."

"Guys," Sam said and we turn to the wall were words are being burnt into it. "BACK FROM THE DEAD FERGUS!"

"Well, shit," I mumbled out at the realization that Rowena was now alive and this was her message.

Crowley smirked slightly, looking at me, "You were saying?"

I can't help the hard glare at Crowley before turning around and storming off. "I'll do it, but I won't like it!" I yelled behind me.

Sorry I haven't been writing a whole lot, but I'm hoping to get back into it and at least finish a few of my books before I leave for Texas at the end of October. Wish me luck!

I have the rest of this book planned out, it's just writing it, so hopefully my motivation stays and I can get some chapters done. Thanks for all the love and comments!