13. Plan C

Lugging in Sam's body is the worst part, because he's so big. Top that off with the fear of having the angel wake up before we've set up.

I'm Crowley's guard as Castiel and Dean help strap Sam's body down into a chair. He's got warded cuffs on, so any power that he has won't help him here.

"What's that?" I ask as Sam's head is garbed in some weird headgear. His head and chin are restrained. It doesn't look painful, but it doesn't look like sunshine and unicorns either.

"You'll find out soon enough, Josie," says Crowley. He's in a chair opposite Sam.

"I want to know now. It doesn't look good."

"It's how the demons got their information out of an angel a while back. Besides, who said anything about torturing being good?"

"You mean this is a torture weapon?" I look at Dean. "Uh-uh. We can't let this happen to Sam when he doesn't even know what's going on!"

"Look, I'm not happy about this either, but it's the only shot that we have right now," says Dean.

I scowl.

"Welcome to the party, pal," says Dean as Not-Sam starts to come back to us. "Cas, how we lookin'?"

"Most of Sam's internal burns have healed," Castiel reports. "I should be able to fix the rest." Momentary silence. "What's your name? I thought I knew every angel in Heaven, but I've never seen you."

"Why would I tell you anything?" hisses Not-Sam.

"Well, I don't give a damn who you are," Dean snaps. "You need to get out—now!"

"And if I don't?"

"Then you and I will have a lovely little playdate," Crowley murmurs.

"Even bound, I can rip this body apart. Tell them, Castiel."

"You do, you die," I say threateningly.

"You want this to end? Go ahead. Put a blade through your brother's heart. If it makes you feel better, I have Sam locked away in a dream. As far as he knows, the two of you are working a case right now—something with ghouls and cheerleaders. As far as he's concerned, his sister is out of the picture."

"Why are you doing this, huh?" asks Dean. "We fought together. And I trusted you. I thought you were one of the good guys!"

"I am doing what I have to do."

"Well, so am I." Dean nods to Crowley.

Castiel holds me back when he notices my jump at Crowley grabbing a large thick needle from the tray we set up.

"So am I," murmurs Crowley.

I don't know how I watch as Crowley sticks the needle into Not-Sam's temple, starts moving it around. When Not-Sam screams, I'm so convinced that Sam is the one being hurt, not the angel inside of him.

"It has to be done," Castiel tells me as Crowley sticks another needle into Sam's head. This time, it's the forehead. Not-Sam continues to cry out and grunt in pain. Each noise I hear, I think it's my brother that's being hurt.

It brings me back to the question: what did we do to deserve this? Why did I bring myself back into this?

Crowley continues to push needles through my brother's forehead and his other temple. Castiel has me restrained. I want the in-pain noises to stop, but they don't. It's almost like the angel wants me to hear it, the pain. Like he wants to unsettle me as much as possible.

Well, he's doing a fine fucking job of doing that.

Beside me, Dean can't take this any longer. He slinks away, and I hurry after him, ready to take the same route. I hear Castiel following the both of us. But I can still hear the screams in my head. Screams of no progress. Screams of agony.

"I can't watch that anymore," says Dean. He's on the verge of tears, I can see it. My brother has rarely cried in front of me since I've known him. He's come close many times though. This time is no exception, and I don't blame him one bit.

"I understand," says Castiel. "It's not Sam, but...It's still Sam."

"That doesn't really help," I whimper, biting down on my thumbnail. "I just wish this was over and we had him back."

"Pretty much, yeah." I think this is Dean's response to Castiel, not me. "How are you doing?"

"You want to talk about me now?" asks Castiel.

"I want to talk about anything that's not a demon sticking needles into my brother's brain." Dean looks out a window. The tears are more evident now in his eyes. "Yeah, humor me, man. How you doing?"

"Uh...I'm okay."

"Good. Good. That's, uh...So, what, you just change the batteries out, power back up? It's that easy?"

"It wasn't easy, but I didn't have a choice."

"Yeah. Well, that's how it usually goes. Cas...I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"Kickin' you out of the bunker. That's, uh...You know, not telling you about Sam."

"You thought his life was at stake."

"Yeah, I got played."

"I thought I was saving Heaven. I got played, too."

Dean, surprisingly, gives a weak smile. "So you're sayin' we're both a couple of dumbasses?"

Castiel smiles back softly. "I prefer the word 'trusting.' Less dumb. Less ass."

"I disagree," I say teasingly. "You both seem like a couple of dumbasses to me. I can't say that I'm not either, I'm back in this bullshit."

"Laverne! Shirley! Get in here!" barks Crowley.

I'm glad I'm left out of the rollcall. The three of us head back in, and I can barely stomach the sight of Sam's head speckled with long needles.

"Pinhead's out cold, but watch this." Crowley moves two of the needle's in Sam's left temple.

"Zir noco iad Gadreel. Zir noco iad Gadreel," comes out of Not-Sam's mouth.

"What's he saying?" I ask.

"His name," says Castiel. "Gadreel."

"Does that mean something to you?"

"Well, it's why I've never seen him. He's been imprisoned since the dawn of time. Gadreel was the sentry who allowed Lucifer into the garden."

"My, my," Crowley comments. "A celebrity."

"Wait, the garden?" asks Dean. "Like Eden? Adam and Eve? Fig-leaves garden?"

"It's his fault—all of it," says Castiel. "The corruption of man, demons, Hell. God left because of him. The archangels—the apocalypse. If he hadn't been so weak, none of it would have happened." He suddenly gets angry, taking a hold of the unconscious Gadreel and shaking him violently. "You ruined the universe, you damn son of a bitch!"

"Hey, hey!" I say, helping Dean pry Castiel off of Gadreel. We direct him so that he's facing away.

"Dean, Josette, he—"

"We get it," says Dean. "But you got to chill."

I cringe as I see Crowley touching the needles in Gadreel's head again. "What's taking so long?" I ask.

"Other than the fact that I'm trying to unravel a living, multidimensional knot of pure enough, not much," mumbles Crowley.

I look hopeful as I hear a gasp of breath. I look at Sam's unconscious body, hoping it's him breaking through...

"It won't work," says Gadreel. I feel my own cauldron of hot anger rising inside of me now. "You will never find your brother. Go ahead. Poke and prod. I can sit in this chair for years and watch you fail over and over again. I've endured much worse than this, Dean. So...much...worse. And I have all the time in the world."

"Shut up!" Dean bellows. "All right. Plan 'B.' Cas, you got to possess him."

"What?" I ask.

"Do it now! Get in there, tell Sam what's going on, and help him kick that lying son of a bitch out!"

"It might work," says Castiel carefully. "But I can't possess a vessel without permission."

Crowley clears his throat, turning our attention to him. He's got his hand raised, as though he's....

Volunteering.

"No," I say coldly. "Not happening."

"Don't be daft," Crowley tells me. "Demons can take what they want. I can burrow into that rat's nest of a head. I can wake Sam up. Just call me plan 'C.'"

"More like plan 'D' for dumbass," I mutter.

"You can't—" Castiel begins.

"...you got a better idea?" This comes from Dean. Dean looks at Crowley. "What about the angel?"

"I'll work fast," says the demon.

"And if he finds you?"

"I'll run. I'm not dying for you lot. Of course, if I do this, you're gonna have to..."

"Take off the leash. Yeah, I know."

"And it stays off. I save Sam, I leave here a free man. Do we have a deal?"

"Cas, burn off Sam's tattoo."

"Dean," says Castiel.

"Do it."

Castiel walks over to Gadreel, pulling down the shirt collar. I look curiously at the tattoo. I wince as Castiel removes the tattoo with a flash of light. Whatever that helped Sam with, it's no use now.

"If you mess with Sam," I warn Crowley. "If you try anything—"

"I keep my bargains. Besides, I don't want to be in your brother any longer than I have to. I'm not one for sloppy seconds."

"When you find him, say 'Poughkeepsie,'" Dean tells Crowley. "It's our go word. It means 'drop everything and run.'"

I can't remember if we had code words when I was still around with my brothers. It's been over a decade since I've been with them, and with Dad.

"Fine. While I'm gone, hands off the suit."

"I will destroy you," Gadreel growls.

"Eat me."

I step back as a red cloud comes out of Crowley's mouth, shooting into Gadreel's. Crowley and Gadreel both slump forward, once again unconscious. I swallow. Now it begins. Crowley better pull this off.

We wait by the bodies. Dean can't stand still, his pacing only makes me worry for Sam more.

"A demon and an angel walk into my brother," Dean says. "Sounds like a bad joke."

"Dean, if this doesn't work..." Castiel begins.

"It'll work," I say strongly. I don't want to think this will end badly. I don't want Dean and me to lose Sam.

I can't lose Sam. I can't lose my baby brother. My baby brother who I looked out for when I couldn't hunt and when Dean was out with Dad. My little brother who always snuck into my bed when storms came around so he'd feel safe. My little brother who never wanted this life just as much as I never did.

Suddenly, the red cloud flies out of Sam's mouth, throwing itself back into Crowley. Sam shoots awake, and Dean, Castiel, and I all surround him.

"Sam!" I gasp. "Cas?"

"I'm fine," Crowley says indignant. "Thanks for asking."

Castiel removes the needles from Sam's head. "Sam, are you okay?"

"Cas?" asks Sam. "Josette?"

"I'm here, Sammy. I'm here."

Castiel leaves Dean and me to get Sam out of the restraints. I look over my shoulder to see him peeking out a window.

"It's Abaddon," he says.

"Who's Abaddon?" I ask.

"Now isn't the time for a story, Josette."

"Go," says Crowley. "The back door. I'll handle this."

"Oh, 'cause you're such a good guy?" Dean retorts.

"Right now, I'm the goodest guy you got."

"This don't make us square. I see you again—"

"I'm dead. Yes, I know. I love you, too."

"Come on," I say hurriedly.

Castiel and Dean help Sam out the back door, while I run ahead of them.