A/N: I'm hoping AU. But, judging from the reveal of last night's episode, it may not be. But, please be AU (please, please, please). Anyway, spoilers for 5.3 and enjoy. (And some of you might remember that before I took down my stories and reposted, I wrote a very similar story.) Once again, not happy with my writing, but I'm my own biggest critic. But, I'm going ahead and posting it.

Brotherhood

Dean hesitated as he looked at the abandoned warehouse. The building was crumbling. He knew he'd be all right. He just didn't want to go in.

For many reasons.

He glanced over at Cas who must have flown in for the occasion. He nodded at the angel, his brother in arms.

It was amazing. He still felt like himself. Well, mostly. Except for the guilt that had been drowning him all of his life. That part was alleviated. But, his memories, his emotions, his core remained intact. It was weird, because he remembered Ralph's vessel. And Cas' warnings.

He made a mental note to let Cas know. It didn't matter now.

He just didn't want to do this. In spite of all the warnings he received from his father, he was hoping that all of this could be avoided.

Unfortunately, it was always inevitable.

"Dammit," he whispered. Cas turned to him, expectantly. Dean smiled. It had been a long time since anything he had said surprised the angel. Well, since his agreement.

He cocked the gun and watched Cas do the same with his gun.

"It's show time," Dean said. He stood up straight and marched in, knowing Cas was right behind him, just in case anything happened.

He was confident that nothing would happen. Nothing bad anyways. The only thing bad was that he could die. Again. Been there. Done that. Got the shirt.

Sam watched his brother and Cas go into the warehouse and admired the poise. He now respected his brother. A true hunter. A true protector. After all, he'd been through Hell and back and must have discovered himself.

Of course, dying would do that. Sam wondered if he had discovered himself at that time. Or was it when it felt he was free-falling?

He figured he would have time to figure it out. Just a few more minutes.

He looked over at his brother again. Dean must have known Sam was following him for a while. They just kept missing each other. He would leave somewhere before his brother showed up. Or he would arrive after his brother.

Parallels. He couldn't remember the last time he and his brother didn't parallel each other in some fashion. However, what one started, the other must finish, right?

He sighed. He didn't want to do this. But the time had come.

This time, he wouldn't fail again.

Dean walked through the dilapidated machinery and rusty hooks, gun at the ready. He was focused, determined.

This was going to end now.

A shadow caught his attention, and he peered at it, judging what it was. After a couple moments, he determined it was simply the sun peeking through the holes in the wall and was catching the dust and ash particles strangely.

He glanced over at Cas, who was walking towards a corridor. He appreciated the angel's help, but this was something he had to do. Both he and Cas were convinced that Lucifer would most likely kill Cas, but he was determined to be there, even when Dean told him that this was his job.

He didn't want Cas' blood on his head, though. Still, any help was much appreciated.

He moved toward another corridor where abandoned office rooms were. The blackened doors were rotten and hanging off their hinges, about ready to fall down. He heard glass crunch under his feet as he slowly walked through the corridor. The sun shining through the holes in the boards made long shadows on the burned floor.

He knew where he was going.

Sam eyed Dean coming down the corridor, stepping nimbly over the holes in the floor and the broken glass, gun drawn.

It was like he was floating.

Figures, Sam heard the word float through his head. He's such a showoff.

As if he knew where he was going, Dean glided into the room. "Freakin' showoff," Sam whispered out loud.

Dean trained his gun at the shadow he was crouching in. No… not Dean. Sam smiled as he recognized those eyes of his brother. He stood up, still letting the show envelope him.

It's show time, he thought as he stepped out of the shadow, his own gun trained on his brother.

Sam felt himself smirk as his brother focused his gun on him. "Hello, brother."

Dean barely acknowledged the greeting, but he nodded his head minutely.

"Has our relationship really gone this far downhill that you're coming after me with a gun?"

"You know what I have to do," Dean said, his voice eerily calm.

"Yeah, I know. I feel sorry for you. Is this because of Dad? He's gone, he's dead, and he's never coming back. Yet, you're still his perfect little soldier, aren't you? After all this time."

"Dad told me that if you go evil, I'll have to kill you."

"Well, you didn't all those years ago. I'm very sure you won't kill me know." Sam cocked the gun and took aim. "In fact, I'm betting that you don't have the nerve to kill me now. In fact, I might kill you first. I owe you for so much pain and misery. And for what? Because Dad said? All I ever did was love him, and he betrayed me! You betrayed me as well, my brother."

"This doesn't please me, brother." Dean nodded at the door, and it swung closed, locking it in place.

"Nice!" Sam said. "So, Mike, is Dean in there with you? When did he give you permission to enter? Do you have access to his memories? Because if you do, you know what Hell is like. Even for the Lord of the Demons."

"Is Sam in there with you, Lucifer?"

"Buried, but I let him out every once in a while." He smirked with Sam's smirk. "He's not aware that he's about ready to kill his brother."

"I am prepared to kill you. I made a mistake not killing you before. A mistake I won't repeat."

"And what does Dean think that you're about ready to kill his brother? Hey, Mike, you didn't answer my question: when did Dean give you permission? Because last thing that Sam remembers is Dean's insistent 'Screw you' to you guys." He paused. "You did ask for permission, right? Or are you disobeying, brother?"

"I didn't need permission to enter."

He smiled with Sam's smile again. "I should wake Sammy up, then. Because Dean's dead, right? Now, Mike, did you kill him? You must have been desperate."

"Dean died on a hunt. Alone. He didn't suffer. I took over his body just as his soul was leaving. His soul is finally at peace." Michael cocked his gun. "I'm prepared to put Sam at rest as well."

"You know, the last time we faced each other like this, we used swords."

At that, the door burst open, and Cas' head was briefly shown through the holes in the door.

The two brothers pulled the triggers of their guns.

End

A/N: Once again, not happy with this. I'm meaning to leave the ending like that. Let you wonder if Sam lived, because Dean didn't (I sadly think that Dean will become Michael's vessel. I also think that there is enough foreshadowing that implies that Dean probably won't survive this. I don't like killing Dean, but I also have to acknowledge what I'm seeing.)

Also, I know that referring to God needs to be capitalized. I'm taking creative license with this, and I hope He forgives me for this. I mean no disrespect.