Back in the park where she dumped him, Dean quickly called his brother. This time it was Sam who didn't pick up.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"No," Dean rectified staring at the screen, a stream of curses supplementing the two-letter word. "There's no way Sam's gonna pick up because - there's- no- fucking-signal! Damn the crazy little shit. What's he gone and done now!"

"He promised he'd wait, " Dean added running towards the Impala. "When I get my hands on him, he'll be chow meat."

The car's tyres screeched with the force of Dean's take off from the side-walk. The elder Winchester loved the Impala but when it came to her or Sammy, there was no contest. "Sorry baby," he cooed. "I'll make it up to you after I get my hands on my freaking, stubborn, promise-breaking, moron of a little brother."

He feverishly scanned his options.
Sam's phone not having a signal could be caused by a variety of reasons...
Could be his sibling was in a dead zone that wasn't covered, but in any case it still meant Sam wasn't in the bunker waiting for his big brother, which was where he SHOULD have been, Dean seethed, hissing through clenched teeth.

He wanted to fuel his anger because it was so much more comforting than the panic which was gripping him at the thought of Sam at the mercy of Rowena's powerful magic, and if the spell worked, at a tête-à-tête with Lucifer.

Dean knew how much Sam had been affected by his time in the Cage, the hallucinations had almost killed him, so there was no doubt in the elder Winchester's mind that Sam was terrified at the idea of finding himself once more in Lucifer's presence.

:
"That's why you were supposed to wait for me, doofus, " Dean snorted, his foot pressing hard down on the gas.

Like a whirlwind, he stormed through the bunker's door only to have his fears confirmed by the empty echo of his voice as he vainly called out his brother's name.

:

Thanking his lucky stars that he'd held on to Crowley's number, he quickly dialled it only to find that like Sam's, there was no signal.
"Nothing beats the hands-on approach," Dean muttered, quickly gathering the ingredients for a summoning.

:

"Where is he?" he growled when Crowley's compact figure appeared in the circle.

"Dean, nice of you to call... " Crowley ventured but Dean was in no mood to play side-kick to the demon.
"I-said- where-is-Sam?" he repeated, emphasising each syllable.

"About that, " Crowley replied searching for the right words. "There's been a slight 'hitch' in what was a well-oiled plan."

"Take me to my brother—now, " Dean ordered, an angel sword held loosely at his side. "That is if you don't want to join all the other demons who've disintegrated into nothingness with a hilt flush to the stomach."

Crowley swallowed.
He was in a seriously inferior position at the moment and even if Dean was no longer a demon, the elder Winchester was a still a very, very dangerous being.

Holding up two conciliating hands, Crowley hummed. "Uh, Sam's in hell. The safest place to have a friendly chat with Lucifer."

:

A flood of memories washed over Dean. He'd never been back to hell and he certainly didn't feel the need to visit, but if that's where his baby brother was then that's where Dean was going.

One positive was that Alastair wasn't around any more.
He shivered at the horrendous tortures the vicious demon had subjected him to. He'd sighed in relief when Sam had killed him tho' he couldn't be happy about Sam having been hyped up on demon blood at the time.
Whatever, that was in the past, Sam needed him now.

:

"Don't try any tricks, Crowley or I'll turn you into a pin-cushion. We clear?" Dean asked, rubbing a foot over the line of the devil's trap.
"Dean... we've been best buds, it hurts how little you trust me," Crowley scoffed.

"Sam better be okay, or you and that skanky mother of yours are dead and buried," Dean threatened before the bunker disappeared and Hell's dark walls took its place.

"Move."
"Come on Dean. We're all in this together. You're in my territory now and if I wanted you dead, you'd already have a reaper at your shoulder."

"We'd go out together then," Dean jeered, wiggling the sword.

:
Crowley sighed and moved forward until man and demon entered the chamber where a make-shift cage had been set up. Two figures were visible inside its dark surroundings.

"Sam, " Dean yelled, running towards his brother.
Sam turned at the familiar voice, his face breaking into a smile. "Dean". He came to the edge of the cage, hands gripping the bars.

Dean experienced the same liberating joy he'd felt when he'd found his baby brother in the Bender's barn; only they had been simple humans, the shadow at Sam's back was just a 'touch' more dangerous!

"Sammy. You okay? "
"Yeah, for the moment," was the cryptic answer.

Now that Dean had Sam whole and unharmed in his sights, he let loose. "What the fuck were you thinking coming here on your own. You were supposed to wait, bitch."

"I..uh..." Sam flushed. If he ever got out of this iron box alive, he'd let Dean heap all the wank he wanted on him.

:

"Why Dean, where are your manners? Don't you say hi to old friends?" the mellifluous voice of the devil purred.
He came up behind Sam, and Dean could see the scared expression on his sibling's face at Lucifer's proximity.

"Get away from Sam, " Dean growled. "I don't know how he got in there but you'd be wise to let him out."

"Tch, tch. Well now, instead of taking it out on poor little me, you should be turning your attentions to a red-headed witch. Afraid her warding was rather... how can I say... incomplete?"

"I wouldn't worry, I'll deal with her in good time, " Dean sneered. "Right now I want Sam on this side of those bars."

"Sorry Dean, but it was Sammy who came asking for my help and I'm SO willing to give it."
"Yeah, I bet! In exchange for what ?" Dean huffed.

"Well just before you barged in, Sam and I were coming to a gentleman's agreement..."

:
"No, we weren't " Sam butted in, backing as far away as possible from Lucifer. "I haven't agreed to anything and I'm not going to."
"Not even to save the itty bitty world, " Lucifer taunted moving towards him again.

"Stay away from my brother, " Dean yelled, circling the cage, following them.

Lucifer turned, staring into Dean's eyes.

"Sorry Dean, but I have the winning hand. Sam can't get out of here unless I let him and I won't if I don't get what I want."

Dean gritted his teeth. "And that is?"

"Oh, nothing much. You see I'm kinda limited here, I need a vessel to come top-side and if I don't come top-side, then I'm afraid I can't be of help to you in your little crusade to stick the darkness back where it came from. Sorry. " Lucifer pursed his lips in a mock-apologetic curl.

Dean's face paled. "No fucking way! Tell him Sammy. There's no fucking way he's gonna make you his vessel again."

He caught his little brother's eyes. They were wide with fear yet Dean could almost feel the self-sacrificing vibes that emanated from him. The moron was actually considering it.

"Sam...?"

" Maybe if we take precautions..."

"Precautions!" Dean let out a huff. "Seriously. What 'precautions' could we ever take to contain Lucifer. Once he's inside you Sam, you're never going to get rid of him."
"It's all my fault, Dean. I let the darkness loose. If I have to die to fix it..."

:

Just then Rowena's high pitched voice echoed through the chamber. Her limbs were shackled and she was surrounded by demon guards.
"Get those wards back up mother, " Crowley shouted. "Or I swear I'll let my favourite hell-hounds tear you to shreds."

"Oh, Fergus. You are SUCH a disappointment, child. You don't understand how things work. I was just teasing. I was sure Lucifer and Sam would have enjoyed a little meeting face to face to clarify their past differences."

"Shut your mouth and get the wards back up. If Sam agrees to let Lucifer use him as a human condom that means trouble for me too. So get him out of there, " Crowley bitched.

:
If looks could kill, the glare Rowena reserved for her son would certainly have done so, but nonetheless she uttered some undecipherable words and the wards began to pulse red again while the fire resumed its crackling around the contours of the cage.

:

When Sam appeared next to his brother, Dean grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug.

" You do something fucking stupid like that again and I swear I'll chain you up in the bunker's dungeon and throw away the key."

:

"Don't thank me, " Rowena sniffed as she watched the brothers embrace. "I could have left dear Sammy in that attractive devil's company for a lot longer."

Dean lifted his head and nailed her with a gelid stare. "Your time will come witch, word of Dean Winchester. Crowley get us the hell out of here. Now!"

:

"Don't you want my help then? "Lucifer asked sweetly. "What about saving the world?"
"We'll do it without your help, fucker, " Dean managed to retaliate before he and Sam found themselves above ground.

The end.