It was late. Like, past the nighttime television shows late. Most of the vessels in the room had fallen asleep. It was day three in Factory Hell, as Claire had begun calling it. So far, they seemed to ignore Dean. At least they didn't kill him.

"Hey Bitch!" He would egg Meg on. "Where's your dad? I want to talk to him about your attitude."

"Really?" She would answer with a pout. "I was going to ask him if you could take me to prom."

Yesterday another woman was brought in, she was crying and screaming. They took her kicking and fighting through the red doors. They brought her back out in a body bag. She didn't last long against a demon possession, or she pissed one of them off. Most likely Meg. She looked at Dean with a stiff jaw and a sigh of frustration every time she walked through the room, like she was upset that daddy took her toy away.

Dean thought she was still a bitch.

Last night Claire mouthed off, as prisoners tend to do every now and then. She said something along the lines of; 'Bitch, your hair looks like shit,' and Meg had a knife to Claire's throat in an instant. All the other adults in the room immediately began pleading for her life, but Dean was impressed that Claire held her own and stared Meg down.

"I swear those eyes look familiar."

"You've been saying that for a week now, Bitch."

Claire didn't have a slit throat, but she did have a black eye and a busted lip. It looked like little Claire had a little fight in her, after all. Dean was impressed. And apparently, so was Ben.

"Claire!" He exclaimed after all the demons had made their way into the other room. "That was so badass!"

She smirked, "Thanks."

"I agree, Claire." Dean adjusted against his handcuffs. "But you need to be careful. She gets pissed off easy."

"I know," big blue eyes turned and met Dean's for the first time since he was thrown down here. Dean had a sudden longing for Castiel. He shook it off. "That's what makes it fun."

He couldn't argue there.

Ben was taken through the red doors that afternoon. He was in there for over an hour, an hour which Dean spent yelling every insult and cat call he had thought up in the last two days trying to distract them from him. He came back quiet. He didn't say much that evening. He fell asleep fast that night.

But now it was late, and Dean was still awake, worry from Ben's time behind the red door still running top speed in his veins. Damn adrenaline. Sometimes it really sucked.

Then other times, like late at night in a kidnapee-holding cell where demons were suddenly up and moving around like the Queen of England was about to walk through the door, the adrenaline came in handy.

"Hey!" He nudged Father Thomas with his foot, trying to wake the old man. He stirred. Dean nodded toward the red door. The light was on and there was a lot of movement through the small window. "They're doing something. They all keep going in and out."

Thomas turned to his cousin and woke him up. Dean turned to Claire, who was already wide eyed and working on waking Alicia.

Ben rolled up with a yawn and looked around, "What's going on?"

"I don't know, but I'd want to be awake," Dean told him. His gut was right, as the next moment, Lucifer popped in. Damn flutter of wings and everything.

Adrenaline started pumping double time.

Lucifer turned, looked down at Dean, and smiled. "Hello, Dean."

"Hello Asshole," Dean greeted. Thomas and Smith both had confused looks on their faces.

Lucifer sighed and kneeled down at Dean's level. Dean felt his jaw clenching. "You are going to be useful."

"Sam won't say yes."

Lucifer nodded, "Yes he will."

"No he won't. He's stronger than you."

Lucifer frowned, looking genuinely sad, "No he's not. Just like you aren't any stronger than Michael."

"Why don't you just kill me? No vessel for Michael, no need for the ultimate showdown!"

Lucifer stood, still looking sad, "It doesn't work that way, Dean. I need Sam. He is the only one capable of holding me. And he will say yes." He pulled out a cell phone. "This is your phone. I do love these flip phones. I find them entertaining." He flipped it open and as it lit up, he smiled. Like a goddamn kid on Christmas morning.

Dean suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

"But I've been listening to your voicemail, Dean." He started to play with the buttons. "Your brother is worried about you."

"Bitch is gonna get wrinkles. You don't want that, now do you? Let me go and I'll save you both the vanity issues."

Lucifer ignored him. "It's interesting how often you call him. Once per every six calls to Castiel. Now Dean, do I need to sit you down and have a talk about your intentions with my little brother?"

Dean didn't say a word.

Lucifer hit another button, leaned back down to Dean's level and met his eye line before he held the phone up to his ear. Dean could hear it ring, once, twice, and then he could hear Sam.

"Dean!" He could hear Sam's frantic voice coming from the tiny speaker. "Where are you? We've been looking everywhere! I'm so-"

"Hello Sam," Lucifer interrupted.

Sam's voice darkened. "Where is my brother?"

"Oh, he's right here. Do you want to talk to him?" Lucifer held the phone to Dean's ear. They stared at one another for a moment.

"…Sam?" Dean asked.

"Dean?" he sounded so relieved.

"Hey Sam. Do me a favor?"

"Yeah Dean?"

"Don't do anything stupid."

Sam laughed. "Okay, Dean."

"And tell Lisa I found her son."

When Sam was thirteen, fourteen, he was obsessed with a book series called "Goosebumps." They were scary and sometimes supernatural and easy to read. He could finish one in a couple of days if his dad's hunts didn't last long. Every time they were on a short hunt, he would go to the library while his dad did research and sit and read a book.

Every library usually had every copy.

His favorites though, were the ones where you got to choose your adventure. It made him feel in charge of the story, like he was a hunter in this "Goosebumps" world, and he was on a job. It was silly, but he kinda looked at it like hunter's training. To see if he made the right decision and lived, or the wrong one and died. That was like hunting.

Except it was a book. If he chose wrong, he could just go back a couple pages and try again; know better for next time.

But his life wasn't a book. He wasn't even sure if it was a "choose your own adventure" or not.

"Twenty four hours or he'll start killing vessels?"

"I have to let Heaven know," Castiel trailed. "They should know. If Angels do not have a means of walking the Earth, then this war cannot be fought!"

"You are not going to Heaven when you are enemy number two!"

If Castiel knew how to pout, he would be doing it. He knew Sam had a point. "What do you suggest we do?"

"Storm the factory?" Liz suggested.

"With Lucifer and a dozen of his favorite demons guarding the doors?" Bobby asked, adjusting his hat. "Not my favorite idea."

"Well, what do you suggest?" she yelled right back at him. He widened his eyes at her and she backed down immediately.

"I'll go. By myself. Trick them somehow into letting them go."

"They'll end up tricking you into saying yes."

"I'm not that stupid, Cas."

Castiel stood up, "You're not going."

"Who says you get to decide what I do?" Sam asked, leaning against the back of the couch.

"I am only saying what Dean would say. No. Hell no, would be more his words. It is too dangerous for you to go."

"Why?" Liz asked.

The three of them stared at her. They had forgotten that she didn't know the whole "as it is in Heaven" prophecy.

Castiel started, "As Dean is Michael's vessel Sam is-"

"I'm Lucifer's vessel!" he shouted. "Okay! I'm the meat suit for bad guy number one!" He threw his hands in the air, "Me and Dean are the damn fire and oil, okay?"

"Okay…" Liz said softly. She stood and placed a comforting hand on Sam's shoulder. "I'll go."

"What?"

"Yeah. I'm not wanted, not really. I can do some recon; get the lay of the land. If you don't hear from me in a few hours, you know I've been caught."

"No." Sam said. "It's too dangerous."

"Cas here is the most powerful weapon this side of the war has, so he's not going. No offence Bobby, but you're not going. You are too important to the other side to be going. I'm a nobody to these people. I'm dispensable! I'll go."

"Liz!" Sam exclaimed. "No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"She has a point, Sam." It was Bobby that spoke up.

"Bobby, do not encourage her!"

"She's a good hunter, Sam. Trust her instincts on this. She's right."

Castiel nodded his agreement. "I agree with Bobby."

Sam shook his head, the room getting smaller around him. "I'm not going to let another person die because of me."

"Too bad," Liz said. "I'm leaving at dawn. Now, I'm going to get a few hours sleep and maybe take a shower. You guys do whatever you want." She turned toward Sam, finger in his face, "Except going to that factory on your own." She stood turned and started walking up the stairs to the guest bedroom she had commandeered.

"Sam," Bobby started as she disappeared at the top of the stairs.

"Yeah?"

"Told you she was awesome."

"I don't know what prompted you to go after that," Sam said to Castiel, back in the motel room. Claire and Ben had made their way back into the first room. They had folded out the fold-out couch and made a pallet of pillows and blankets and had settled into listening, adding in a few things every now and then.

"I obviously wanted to save everyone the trouble."

"I don't know why you went, but I understand."

Ben stirred from under his mountains of blankets, "Thing was, you weren't the first one with the idea to go on your own. My mother had overheard the whole thing. She took it upon herself to try to save me." He got really quiet and then his face tore.

All eyes were on Ben. The boy climbed out of his cocoon, Claire reaching out after him, and made his way over to Dean. Dean opened his arms and Ben dived in, climbing on and trying not to sob into his neck. Over Ben's head, Dean gave Castiel a look that Castiel read as 'He needs me. That's why he's mine.'

Castiel felt a deep longing, similar to the one he felt when he thought of home or Ellen or Jo. He was feeling sympathy – something that was extremely unusual – for Ben. He had known this child for less than a day and yet he was feeling sorry for him. His emotions were moving quickly.

"We can skip over that part, if you want Ben." Castiel offered. Dean looked grateful.

He sniffed and pulled back from Dean's shoulder, "No, it's okay. Can I tell it?"

"You sure, Ben?" Dean asked. "You don't have to."

"I want to."

It had been a few hours since Lucifer hung the phone up on Sam. Dean had explained that the new man was not just another demon, but the Devil himself. Father Thomas and Father Smith both had miniature panic attacks and started praying the rosary.

It was about the third time through the beads when Lisa was thrown in the room by a couple demon grunts.

"Mom!" Ben yelled, excited.

"Ben!" She yelled back, jumping to run towards him. One of the demons grabbed her and pulled her back. She let out a small cry.

Meg stormed into the room, "Who's this?"

"She was skulking around outside. She said she knew we were here."

Lisa struggled against the larger man. "I'm here for my son."

"Lisa, no!" Dean argued.

"Shut up, Dean. He's my son!"

Meg looked from Dean to Lisa, and then to Ben. "Is he Dean's son?"

"No!" Dean said immediately.

Meg smiled a crooked smile, "You said that a bit too fast there, Dean-o."

Lisa shook her head, "Why should it matter?"

"Your son is a vessel for the Host of Heaven." Lucifer spoke, red door swinging closed behind him. He walked smoothly toward Lisa. "Every Angel has a couple of bloodlines that are unique to them. If your son is Dean's son, then Michael has two possible vessels walking the Earth."

Dean's heart rate sped up. He had thought about that during his musings about the kid. "He's not mine, you son of a bitch."

Lucifer walked over to Ben, who scooted away as much as he could. "I don't know, Dean. He looks a lot like you. Same nose if I'm not mistaken."

"Get the hell away from him!" Lisa shouted.

"You wish to barter for his life?" Lucifer asked.

Lisa blinked for a moment, "I have a little bit of money saved up…"

Meg burst into laughter, "Oh Sweetheart, that just made my day! Money in the bank isn't what he's talking about!"

"Lisa!" Dean started. "Don't do it. There are other ways!"

Dean's outburst was rewarded with a backhand across the face from Meg. "Shut up you Chatty Cathy!"

Lucifer sauntered across the room, and ran a single finger down Lisa's chin. She shivered and shut her eyes.

"No!" Ben and Dean exclaimed at the same time. "Get away from her!"

"You know," Lucifer smiled with his back to the protesters. "I could use a little life force." He ran a hand along the peeling skin on his face, "This poor vessel could use the boost."

Lisa blinked and quickly glanced at Dean, eyes flashing with fear.

"How about this, instead." He turned and considered Ben for a moment. "I'll free your son, untie him and not force him to stay here, and in exchange, I get your life."

Lisa's mouth fell open and she took a sudden step back.

"Don't do it, Lisa," Dean pleaded.

She ignored him, "You swear to let my child go? And that you will not harm him?"

Lucifer leaned forward, as if he was going to tell her a secret. "I swear to God."

Dean could have punched him.

"Then let him go, and you can have me."

"Mom!" Ben howled. "No!"

"Lisa!" Dean cried. He was hit again. "Stop doing that, you bitch!"

Meg leaned down, gag in hand and got to work at shutting Dean up.

Lucifer stared at her for a moment, placing his hands on her shoulders. She took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry for all the pain this has put you through. You will be at rest soon."

"Free my son first."

Dean swore he saw Lucifer's jaw twitch. "So be it." He motioned to one of his goons to untie Ben.

"Please let me say goodbye," Lisa pleaded. "You already have my life."

His jaw twitched again.

"Mom!" Ben whined; tears already running down his cheeks, as his bounds were loosened. "Mom, don't do this!" He ran to her arms. "Please don't do this. I don't want you to do this."

"Sweetie," she whispered. "You are my everything."

"What am I supposed to do?"

She wiped his cheeks of tears, and more just replaced them. "You live, Baby. And know that I love you, and will always love you."

"I don't want you to die!"

"Honey, it's okay." She nodded, trying her best to soothe him. "It's okay. This is okay."

"No it's not!" he argued.

She pulled him into a fierce hug, face tearing where he could not see it. Ben clung to her, losing this battle and realizing this might be the last time he hugged his mother. "What's worse would be something happening to you, and me not doing anything about it. Especially when I could."

"But Sam could still-"

Lisa shook her head, "This way I know that you are safe. I am certain that you will be safe."

"Momma, no," he moaned into her shoulder. She ran a soothing hand up and down his back and rocked him for a moment.

"Baby, it's time to be strong." She squeezed him tighter. "I will always be with you. Don't forget that. Ever."

He nodded and she started to push him away. Tears started running down her face as she stood and he clung. Ben let go reluctantly and stood like he was collapsing in on himself.

"Don't watch, Ben," Lisa said sadly as Lucifer took her shoulders again. "Look away."

"Ben!" Claire called. "Look away!" She knew what it was like watching your mother die. It was not something she wished on anyone.

Dean joined in, a muffled "Bhen!" to get him to look away.

Ben turned, eyes staring straight into Dean's. He shuddered when he heard his mother's body hit the floor. But Dean did not look away. He rushed into Dean, crushing himself against him. Dean tried to comfort him as best he could without his arms.

Looking up at Lucifer with deadly eyes, Dean watched as parts of him healed. And then he frowned to see his skin was still peeling, that he still had most of his wounds. "She was not enough…" he mused. "Too bad."

"Yoh shnon ohf ah betch!" Dean said against the gag.

Lucifer's jaw twitched a third time as he stared down at Ben, crying against Dean, and then he walked away.

Ben was hiccupping as he finished his telling. Dean was rocking him. No one said a word as Ben cried himself to sleep.