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Nick inhaled sharply and pressed even closer back into pitch-black darkness and eerie, cold emptiness. He felt nothing behind him, and it was terrifying. But so was what stood in front of him: the fires of hell and torment set aflame by hordes of demons all too powerful and all too vicious to be held back by mere desire for safety or survival.

His vision blurred, and for half a moment, he was in a burning red landscape, set afire by the searing flames of the Dark Lord’s fury and hatred, burned alive by what he saw in Nick and what he meant to tear apart.  “Die!”  The Dark Lord roared, and his voice rang in his ears, almost making him move and give his hiding place away, as had happened the last three times. But that had been lesson enough, and the wounds on his body were mere warnings of what awaited him should he be fool enough to succumb. He had not escaped from Lilith before she could enact revenge on his body to let demons have it, after all, and not even a mind half ravaged by Lucifer Morningstar (creep that he was) would convince him of that.

“You are a pathetic fool!”  Lucifer hissed, quieter but no less venomous.  “Your fate only serves one end: your death and my release. The longer you take, the more torturous your eventual stay in my realm, Nicholas Scratch.”

Nick tried not to listen. He really did. But all his life, he’d grown up believing in the Dark Lord’s commandments, worshipping his unholiness, memorizing and internalizing his scriptures like no others. Sabrina may have made him question the bastard, but that very bastard had always had a role in Nick’s upbringing.

The thrum of slight satisfaction from the depth of Nick’s flesh prison resonated, and he couldn’t help the gasp that escaped-

“THERE!” A voice shouted, and the growling and thumping grew louder by the second. They were converging on Nick, he knew, and he had no other option. Meet his doom at the hands of the hordes of hell as the human prison of the Dark Lord of hell, or-

“NO-”

Nick smirked. Well, if the Dark Lord doth protest… then the black it shall be.

He let go and fell, having absolutely no idea where he was going.

It felt like eons, but when Nick woke up - and yes, it turned out that the black had forced him unconscious; he was only glad it hadn’t messed with something inside him, like, say, a certain archangel trapped within - he was still in a dark corner, a version of black behind him. But there was something different about everywhere. For one, there were no demons shouting wildly around him trying to capture him, and considering he was still free, they hadn’t found him, either.

Secondly, the… air was different. 

The place he’d just come front had reeked of death and plague and fear and hatred and everything mixed together into a disgusting cocktail. The place he was now in was less death and plague. It had fear - oh, it had fear to spare - but it was fire and fury that rose from the ground and perpetuated the air all around him, heavy and hard to breathe as it was.

One thing was the same, though. Sabrina’s dad (Satan dammit, that was still so disgusting, and  wow,  he needed to change his entire unholy way of thinking because Lucifer? Definitely not the ‘Lord’ he wanted to follow, especially not when he had him trapped within his body. Ugh.) was yelling insults in his head, and they were  loud. “FOOL! MORON! Do you even know what you’ve done, you idiotic boy? You’re messing with forces you have no control over! Should have expected this of anyone my traitorous daughter considers  good- ”

Nick rolled his eyes.  Thanks for the compliment,  He shot back, incurring a round of expletives he tuned out. Honestly, he’d heard worse with the Judas Society. Heaven, they had bloody filthy minds. He’d been glad when Sabrina had given him an excuse to create a distance from them, though he hadn’t been happy when he’d realized that had doomed Ambrose to suffer a worse fate.

He grit his teeth and yanked his head out of the hiding place, looking around to find which part of hell he was in. He’d gone into the hidey-hole near the forest of torment, and he knew that somewhere to the side of it stood the cliffs of damnation and, next to  that,  a sea of blood. He was nowhere near the castle, though; he knew that. Well, sure, magic and all, but it wasn’t like the black was some kind of teleportation device, right?

Lucifer grumbled at his thoughts, though there was a certain hysterically mocking quality slowly overcoming his fury that Nick definitely did not like. Then again, what was there to like about the monster?

The point was, though, he stuck out his head, and he was nowhere in any of those spaces he’d just mentioned. Instead, he found himself somewhere he’d never seen before, and while there was a castle to the side, it was nothing like the one he knew stood in the center of hell, mostly because it was not, in fact, in the center. It stood to the side, nearly mixing in with black, smoky surroundings. 

Otherwise, there were dungeons and chains and hellfire, something much more in line with what Nick had always imagined hell to be like. Cackles rose in the air, pure exhilaration mixing with utter despair. Right in Nick’s line of sight was a pair of what could only be demons (but ones more humanoid than any he had the displeasure of seeing before that) cutting into the flesh of a screeching mortal soul. Nick could practically feel the evil oozing out, though no doubt the mortal deserved it - for why else would they be in hell? - he had to avert his eyes because even for his experience with the Dark Lord’s ‘commandments’ back under Blackwood, this was too much.

“I warned you,”  Said Dark Lord snarled.

Shut up!  Nick shouted silently and slipped out, ignoring the affront and fury that spiked in his mind. He managed to make his way through the demons and the torturees, somehow being mistaken for a demon, no doubt, possibly because he was free, but more likely because he had the actual King of hell trapped inside him, and that kind of thing left a mark on a person. 

He could only hope no one figured it out because there were a  lot  of demons, to be very honest.

In any case, as he walked, he thought about going to the castle. But he still had no idea if this was an illusion or something cooked up by Lilith or the bloodthirsty demons of hell he’d tried to leave behind, so he wasn’t going to make it at all easy for the monsters.

‘Monsters’. Ha! Wasn’t he one of them, now?

“You wish, Nicholas Scratch,”  Lucifer sneered.  “You are barely worth the dirt on my shoes. I do not know what my pathetic daughter sees in you, but it must be because you’re both fools!”

DO NOT CALL HER A FOOL!  He roared and could feel both himself and the archangel shudder involuntarily. But the Devil recovered quicker than he would have expected, and it was as if he hadn’t been ruffled at all. 

“Perhaps you are less of a numbskull than I had imagined,”  He mused.

Nick tried to ignore him, ashamed of the explosion. He wasn’t ashamed of defending Sabrina - he’d never be ashamed of that - but he knew how fragile the human body–

He forced his thoughts to shutter.

“I know exactly what you intended to think, Scratch,”  The Devil drawled.  “I was here when the mortal body was constructed, remember? I know more than you of your weaknesses and flaws. And believe you me, I shall dismantle you from the inside.”

Just try,  He murmured and returned to navigating this new version of hell. He bypassed the castle, thought about the rest of the sides since they’d most definitely have a lot more places to hide, and then his attention zeroed in on the coldest part of hell, smack dab in the middle of the pits of smoke and ash and fire, and yet the only area with no demon in sight. It looked absurdly small from where he stood, no doubt because it was absurdly far, but the cage that hung there, chained to the edges of hell, apparently, was a lure Nick really couldn’t resist. He’d always had a thing for dangerous destinations (back on Earth, that had been Sabrina because, despite his declarations of wanting ‘normal’, she’d been the most trouble-making and trouble-attracting person he’d ever seen).

“Do not,”  Lucifer warned quietly, sounding more confused than fearful.

For a second, Nick stilled. And then his expression grew even more stubborn because fuck if he listened to Satan himself anymore.  ‘If Satan sayeth no, then Nick sayeth yes’  was hereby going to be his new motto.

Okay, so maybe it hadn’t been his best decision, going towards the cage in the middle of this very new version of hell. He stared at the side, where edges of dark forests that were most assuredly not the forests of torment covered the places where the dungeons and torture and flames didn’t touch, and wondered whether he could change his destination.

Then he felt yet another thrum of  “YES”  come from inside his mind, and he stuffed the idea down if only to be contrary.

His steps quickened, even as the very air around him started to cool and frost and small puffs of air formed as little white clouds every time he exhaled.

“Turn back, fool. This is not something you are capable of handling!”

I’ll decide for myself, thanks.  It wasn’t like he’d ever thought of doing so before, but now that the Dark Lord was closer than he’d ever been, it was somehow easier.

Lucifer growled. Nick ignored him. The air, seemingly in response, grew colder. 

There were no demons around him now, just plain blank empty space and a level of foreboding Nick had only felt in the moment before they’d entered the academy to try and trap Lucifer with Sabrina’s plans. He could feel it thread under the edge of his skin and sidle up, resting against his beating heart. 

But the Dark Lord didn’t want him to go there, and Satan forbid he  not  do it. 

The air grew even more chilly, and he had to whisper a spell to conjure up a warm coat to make sure that he didn’t get hypothermia or something. Who even knew what would happen should he grow weak enough? Would the Dark Lord be able to take over his body even without him being actively dead?

Would Sabrina be in trouble?

“She will stay alive,”  The Devil promised, but there was nothing kind about his voice.  “Alive to watch her world burn around her. She will be able to do nothing, save  no one.  And you, Nicholas Scratch, will bring about her doom as you did the last time.”  His laugh echoed inside his head.

“SHUT THE HEAVEN UP!” Nick shouted, Sabrina’s face seared in his mind, her tears flowing freely and her eyes the most betrayed that Nick had ever seen them be, and it  broke his heart-  “SHUT UP!”

Lucifer didn’t stop laughing, his maniacal voice resonating within Nick’s mind, making spikes of pain shoot through his head. He didn’t- he  couldn’t  give in, though.

More importantly, he was distracted.

“Who-” The new voice coughed. “Who’re you talking to?”

Nick flinched, realizing he was near the cage now. Near enough to see its vastness and blurry edges and its placement within a dimension within and yet without the actual location. He frowned. That was some high-level magic…

But that’s not what he should be focused on, he realized. His eyes rose up to meet the curious, slightly dull expression of a man slumped to the side of the cage, a younger man’s head in his lap. One of his hands curled protectively around the sleeping body, but the other was fisted and tense - ready, Nick realized, to shoot out in response to anything bad happening to either of them.

Who were they? What had they done to deserve a cage, even within the cage of hell?

“Ignore them!”  Lucifer barked.  “They’re inconsequential.”

So no, he wasn’t going to ignore them.

At least Lucifer’s scowl of dissatisfaction was proof he still hadn’t realized Nick was wont to do exactly the opposite of what the Devil wanted. 

“Nick,” He introduced himself, then wondered whether that was a demon-enough name not to be called out to demon cops. Or whatever the equivalent was. “My name’s Nick.”

The man (demon?) didn’t seem to care. “Who were you talking to?” He repeated, firmer this time. “Is there anyone else there?” For some weird reason, he was pointing towards the nearby interior of the cage, which, as Nick was pretty sure the person himself could see, was empty. 

Nick blinked, then shook his head. “Uh, no one,” He said. “There’s no one there.”

The man relaxed. “Right,” He murmured. “Okay.”

Nick stepped closer. “Who are you?” He asked.

The man laughed. “Like you don’t know,” He said bitterly. “If you’ve come here to make fun of me, then don’t bother. I don’t have enough energy to retaliate.” He scowled. “And, what, you got the short straw? Coming here? Crawl back to your stupid demons and tell them Sam Winchester is not yet broken enough to spill his fucking life to bastard demons.”

Sam Winchester. Okay, at least he had a name. “Not- not with the demons,” He managed to say. “Guessing you aren’t, either?”

Sam scoffed, then the words probably registered because he stilled, and the hand absently stroking the hair of the boy leaning against him stopped moving. “Did… did Dean send you?” He asked, voice hoarse and filled with a terrible mix of hope and despair.

Nick hesitated. “... No,” He said. 

Sam exhaled sharply but didn’t reply. “Still,” He insisted. “You need to leave. If he finds you here-”

“If who finds who?” A new voice asked, playful but disturbing all the same. It made the Dark Lord bristle and Nick’s blood freeze. “Well, isn’t this cute?” He asked, coming out into the open, behind bars but still absolutely terrifying. He was smiling happily as if he wasn’t caged within the bowels of hell. “We have a guest! Isn’t this just adorable, bunk buddy?” He asked, gesturing towards Sam.

Sam flinched. “What do you want?” He asked. “You were fighting Michael.”

The other guy hummed and shrugged, throwing what seemed to be a rock over his shoulder. But it vanished in mid-air, so perhaps it had been something else. “Oh, I got tired of messing with brother dearest. He’s very boring now, you know. And I figured I might as well see what the fuss is about - you both protecting that measly little baby soul in your lap.” He smirked, and his eyes burned red.

Sam bristled. “Don’t you fucking come near my brother!” He hissed. 

“Oh, are you volunteering? Because you know I love playing with you, Sam, but you have to learn to share.”

Sam growled.

The evil guy seemed to ignore it and turned to Nick instead. “But it seems we have a guest! You’re the first guest I’ve had in… what, a million years? Huh, I lost count. No matter! Which demon are you? You seem  familiar. ”

Lucifer seemed to be concentrating very intently on the conversation. Nick wondered if he was against telling the guy, but even if he was, Nick couldn’t stop the automatic shiver through his body, and sometimes, trusting your instincts was what got them through the day. “I’m new,” He said thickly, hoping it would work.

The guy’s smile turned into pursed lips. “Explains your presence here,” He murmured. “But not your familiarity.” He narrowed his eyes. “Pray tell, little demon, why you reek of mortal flesh and do not bow down before your king?”

Nick’s back arched, and the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach intensified.

“A King trapped within his own kingdom,”  Lucifer mused.  “How… Echoing.”

But if this was hell,  another  hell, and this was the  King  of hell…

“I did warn you not to enter. You only have yourself to blame.”  Lucifer’s eyes gleamed, and his words shook Nick’s composure.  “But this is turning out to be very, very interesting. I wonder how this version would react to  me.”

Nick’s lip trembled, and horror overtook him, long enough for Sam to have to look between him and this version of Lucifer, almost… worried. Worried? About a thing he saw as a demon? Nick didn’t know who this Sam was, but he was starting to look like someone way more humane than many actual people he’d ever had the displeasure of knowing. “No,” He whispered and then steeled himself because while his years of fealty to the Dark Lord yelled at him to kneel,  Sabrina  told him to be strong. To fight for himself and stand up against what was evil. 

And Sabrina, lately, was the only reason he needed.

“No,” He repeated. “I will not bow down to you, Dark Lord. Satan dammit, I   will not yield. ”

Sam’s eyes widened, and he stared at Nick with what seemed to be respect and confusion, but it was Lucifer whom Nick was looking at.

Lucifer stared without emotion for a second, and it seemed as if the subversion had stunned him out of words. But it was never enough. It would never  be  enough because then the Devil raised his hands, and Nick’s world was engulfed in pain. “I AM LUCIFER!” He screamed, his words tearing through the distance and piercing Nick’s ears like his magic pierced his body. “THERE IS NO DEMON WHO WILL DENY ME!” 

“Stop!” Sam shouted, but Lucifer couldn’t care less, and he twisted, and Nick’s heart squeezed-

And then, suddenly, the pressure was gone, and Lucifer was staring at Nick in disbelief. “No,” He said. “It cannot be.”

Satan (for there were two, now, and one had to be renamed. That it was the one trapped within him was a far easier renaming option) grit his teeth.  “For now,”  He promised as if Lucifer could hear him.  “But I shall break out of this plebeian prison and break you,  slowly. ”

“You…” Lucifer stepped back. He actually stepped back, and Sam had to shoot him a surprised look. “How have you trapped…?” He turned around and fled, and a shout of “MICHAEL!” was the last thing they heard before he disappeared to what was probably the other side of the cage.

“What the hell?” Sam asked blankly. 

Nick sighed and slumped on the ground, all the energy leaving his legs. The explosion of pain had left him seared and weak, and even though he ought to run like there was no tomorrow - because with two Lucifers, there may as well not be - he physically couldn’t force himself to. “Unholy shit,” He muttered. “Fucking unholy shit.”

Sam snorted involuntarily, then shook his head in mystified wonder. “Seriously,” He said. “What the hell just happened?”

Nick swallowed. “Uh, I have no idea,” He said. 

Sam glanced at the darkness on the other side of the cage. “So you aren’t a demon,” He said slowly, trying to compound together the information. “Lucifer said ‘mortal flesh’.”

“Mhmm.”

“So, how are you in hell?”

Nick grimaced but then realized that Lucifer knew anyway. “Satan,” He answered. “I’ve got… well, I’ve got a version of Lucifer trapped inside me.”

Sam’s eyes widened. “A  version  of Satan?” He repeated hollowly. “There are other versions of him?” He sounded like he was about to be sick.

Nick didn’t feel much better. “That’s what I’m assuming,” He whispered. “I- I think I traveled to another dimension, coming here. I was in the hell of my world, and now…”

“Now you’re here, and there’s another Lucifer,” Sam concluded. “Fuck.”

“Yeah.”

Sam shook his head. “How do you have Lucifer  trapped?”  He asked. “Lucifer takes over your body and controls  you,  not the other way around.” He sounded like he was speaking from experience.

Nick didn’t want to ask. “Um, I don’t know how it works in your world,” He admitted. “But the human body was the only prison complex enough to hold the Devil. I… well, I’m well versed in conjuring and transmogrification, which is why I was able to bind him within, and, well, now I’m trying to  keep  him within.”

“... You’re a warlock.”

Nick nodded, slightly bemused at the newly wary look in Sam’s eyes but putting it behind him.

“Maybe that’s why…” Sam murmured, but the rest of his words were inaudible. He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter,” He said, finally. “You need to get out of here. You’re able to trap your Lucifer, but we have no idea how that coexists with my world’s version of him. And trust me, you do  not  want to be in reach of him.” He frowned. “I didn’t even know he could affect the world outside. This cage is supposed to be impenetrable…” He devolved into muttering under his breath, one hand still carding through the hair of the person in his lap.

“... You said he was your brother?” Nick asked uncomfortably, pointing. 

Sam blinked a few times, refocusing. His hand still didn’t stop, even as he looked down, and his gaze softened. “Hmm? Yeah, this is Adam. It’s hard to sleep in hell, especially- especially here, so I’m trying to let him get every bit of rest he can.” He laughed self-deprecatingly. “And I know we don’t exactly need sleep, as souls, but…” He shrugged.

“He’s asleep?” Nick repeated. “But- but Lucifer was  yelling.”

“Mhmm,” Sam said. “Why do you think I’ve been rubbing his scalp so long? Turns out being in hell doesn’t make you powerless. I’ve got the embers of, well, magic. I guess. I used to have a version of it back…” He gestured vaguely upwards. “So I tried it out, and, well, it worked.”

That made sense to Nick, considering the transmogrification  he  was using to keep Satan at bay (no matter how subconscious it was) was still working. He shuddered to imagine what would have happened if that had gone wrong. 

“Stupid child, you wouldn’t have been alive long enough to find out!”

Go away,  Nick thought.

“I would, but I find myself in an uncouth prison.”  Satan shot back mockingly.

Nick grimaced. 

“You… don’t like magic?” Sam tried, sounding considerably surprised. 

“What?” Nick’s eyes widened. “No! I was-” He pointed at himself. “It was Satan. Interrupting my conversations.”

“I was merely replying to  your  query, mortal. Don’t be so dramatic.”

Said the King of Drama.

Sam, again, looked like he commiserated. “He sees everything? Must be horrifying.”

Nick nodded, then shot the guy a similar look because if it was bad for  him,  who was the one in charge, how bad had it been for Sam, in whose world, if the Devil took over, he retained control?

“I should have been born in that universe.”

Unholy shit, if only.

Then again, Nick wouldn’t wish the bastard on his worst enemy. 

“Sounds like it was worse for you,” He said out loud. “Being the opposite.”

Sam didn’t react too much, but his eyes definitely darkened, little that Nick could see them. “Yeah,” He said. “It was… bad.” He smiled sadly. “But I was the one who said yes.”

‘Yes’?

Sam seemed to understand exactly what was going through his mind because he continued. “Demons can take control of someone’s body without permission,” He explained. “But angels have to ask. And Lucifer, for all that he’s the Devil himself, was born an angel.”

“Father Dearest’s greatest folly, no doubt.”

“So he couldn’t possess my body unless I said yes.” He laughed, and it was completely and utterly full of self-loathing. 

Nick was morbidly fascinated. “Why’d you say yes?”  Were you fooled?  He wanted to ask but couldn’t voice it for fear of seeing himself.

Satan laughed inside his mind.

Sam hesitated, looking over his shoulder to the darkened smog of the cage, and waited. 

He was probably looking for the Devil if the way he relaxed the tiniest bit when nothing happened was any indication. “It’s a long story.”

“And you have so much time, don’t you?”  Nick’s captive muttered sarcastically.

“I have time,” Nick said.

Sam snorted. “Don’t we all?” He asked. “Caged for eternity and all that.” His eyes flickered to the back again, and he sighed. “Though you might want to come back later. I don’t know how far Lucifer’s hold will extend on you since he was able to affect you even outside the prison.”

Nick frowned. “He shouldn’t be able to?”

“No, that’s why the cage was created.” Sam shifted uncomfortably. “Of course, I haven’t exactly seen anyone come near enough to confirm that hypothesis.”

Nick gave a sharp nod. “When should I come?”

Sam tilted his head again. “He’s about to head on over,” He said, sounding as if he could practically predict the monster’s actions. Nick shuddered to consider how long he’d been there for that to happen. “So it might take a few days for his anger to abate. Maybe check in after that?” 

“Oh, what a pity. Aren’t we staying to watch this guy be tortured? That’s my favorite part.”

Nick’s eyes flared.

Satan cackled.

Nick spun on his heels and ran.

Nick’s travels through the hell of this place weren’t as bad now that he actually knew he was in another dimension and wasn’t as scared as he had been. Their Lucifer, after all, was in a cage - like his, he knew, but it wasn’t the same. It didn’t seem like this universe’s Lilith had taken up the lead, at least not to hunt him down. 

Satan kept interjecting with annoying remarks every now and then, most of them grumbling about the hell itself, but Nick ignored him, taking the time to– well, not  appreciate  it, but observe.

The fact that he was free and not hiding ended up working in his favor, too, because the first few demons who came across him, though suspicious of him at the beginning (because, he was guessing - very sarcastically - he reeked of ‘mortal flesh’, but he flowed past that with the unprompted suggestion by one of the first demons, who asked if he’d just come in from the torture wrack. He said yes), and he was quite willing to let go of the suspicion and just gossip. 

If they weren’t exactly swimming in evil and shit, Nick might even have ended up liking a few.

Still, he learned quite a bit from these chats. 

One, the current King of hell wasn’t the fallen angel trapped inside a cage in his own kingdom - it was a demon called Crowley, who Satan sputtered at the mention of, so Nick automatically liked him better. 

Two, Lilith had died at the hands of Sam Winchester, something which made the man rise even higher in Nick’s estimations. 

And three, Sam Winchester was simultaneously the most loathed human in hell… and the most respected.

Because, from what Nick could glean, it had been more than a century since the guy had been trapped in that cage with Lucifer fucking Morningstar, and he was still sane. And if not sane,  fighting.  He hadn’t broken, he hadn’t bent, he just kept standing, kept taking it. 

Kept screaming, kept dying, kept being tortured, and still. And still.

Dean Winchester,  they said,  broke after four decades. 

Sam Winchester,  they continued,  might even last forty. 

The delight and disgust in their tones were horrifying. The reality of Sam’s story? Nick stopped listening as they began to tell it, unwilling to hear the story of a human from a demon who hated him (adored him (despised him)).

Because before all of that, Sam Winchester had also been slated to become the next King of Hell, groomed by Azazel himself.

Nick barrelled forward and asked, instead, how the above lands were going.

That started the demons in on another round of complaining, and boy did demons love to gossip. Really, Nick could take advantage of this ten ways to– heaven.

“Once I get out–”  Satan said. 

You won’t,  he replied.

‘“Shut up”,  Satan said.

Nick smirked and started listening to the tales of Crowley, the human-obsessed King who loathed hell. Oh, yeah, he was definitely liking that guy. They told him he used to be the King of the crossroads demons and that demons made literal contracts was such a hilarious idea to Nick that he couldn’t hold back the snicker. Because demons made deals, that was inevitable. But paper contracts, signatures, the whole shebang?

Don’t forget the Kiss,  one of the demons told him.

Nick burst out laughing.  Really,  He thought to Satan.  I’m seriously loving this world. 

Satan just sent him angry emojis (honestly, that was the only way Nick could even describe it, it was that petty).

Regardless, he spent the few days he’d been allotted roaming around the lands, exploring this hell he wasn’t used to and everything better than his world.

(Not everything was great. There were screams around every corner, souls chained up to every wall, screaming for release and penance and a forgiveness Nick couldn’t give. Maybe wouldn’t give, if he could. There were instruments of torture in every area, every room, and most of them Nick couldn’t even recognize. Satan could name every one. Nick tried not to puke and left, his neck pricking with the weight of a thousand stares as the souls realized that maybe, just maybe, he was someone different.)

And then, three days past the time he’d left Sam to his fate, Nick decided to return, his feet aching and his body strangely devoid of requiring sustenance. He wondered if it was hell. He didn’t really care.

He slowly walked to the cage, spotting Sam sitting a few inches away from the spot he’d first found him in. This time, his brother wasn’t asleep - rather, he was hovering over him, hands wavering and his eyes narrowed, even as he didn’t touch the older man.

Sam himself was leaning back against the bars, his eyes closed and his face almost disfigured. Something close to blood tricked from every cut and wound and bruise, and there were so many, Nick couldn’t even bring himself to count.

Blood,  he thought in disbelief.  From a soul.

“Serves him right,”  Satan said.  “Thinking he could go against Lucifer himself.”

“... Sam?” Nick called out hesitantly.

Adam looked up first, the expression in his eyes moving from worry to fear and then horror and terrified courage. He scrambled up, trying to hide his brother from the new arrival, glaring. “What do you want?” He demanded.

Nick raised his eyebrows. Adam looked closer in age to him, in fact, but somehow, Nick still felt a closer bond with Sam, for all they’d met for a few minutes before he’d had to vacate. “Hi,” He said blandly.

Sam, behind Adam, blinked tiredly, then got up, towering over Adam and easily spotting their visitor. “Nick!” He exclaimed, and the warmth in his voice almost made Nick blush at the idea that  anyone  could be this nice in hell. “You’re here!”

He waved. “I’m here,” He agreed. “You said a few days, so…”

Adam flinched. “A few…?” He shook his head. “Never mind. Who’s he?”

Sam cleared his throat. “Right,” He said. “You were asleep the last time around.”

Nick inclined his head. “I’m Nick,” He introduced. “Nick Scratch.”

“And he’s from an alternate universe,” Sam continued. “He’s…” He grimaced. “He’s got his version of Lucifer caged inside him.”

Adam’s eyes blew wide open and he fell, scrambling back and back, looking to Nick every second to make sure he stayed away.

“No!” Sam said loudly. “Adam, he’s a friend.”

“He’s got  Lucifer–”

“His world works differently,” Sam said quickly. “In his world, the human isn’t the vessel, they’re the cage.”

“How do you  know?!”  Adam demanded, and Nick couldn’t help the wince because the guy was right. What proof had he even given that he wasn’t a liar? A swindler? A fraud who maybe was Lucifer from another world trying to get this Lucifer out of the stupid cage?

But Sam didn’t waver, didn’t flinch. He just smiled bitterly, something agonizing curling around him. “I know Lucifer,” He said simply, like it was the most obvious and the most detestable thing in the world. (Worlds.) “When he met Nick, he reacted in a way that only made sense with Nick having told the truth. And when he was–” He broke off, eyes flickering from Adam to Nick, and then down to the ground. “When he came by next, his rage at the topic was obvious. He’d talked to Michael about it, and…” He shrugged. “He said the same thing. That a version of  him  was trapped.” He grimaced. “The cage isn’t endless,” He said to Nick. “It looks like this, but it can also look like a one-room apartment.” 

Adam snorted without humor. “Living in a one-room apartment with my brother, the devil, and an archangel,” He said loftily. “How fucking brilliant.”

“Language,” Sam said.

Nick raised his eyebrows.

“We’re in hell, and you’re worrying about my  language?”  Adam sputtered. “I hear worse from Lucifer on a daily basis. In Enochian, too, and that’s supposed to be the purest fucking language in existence!”

“... Enochian?”  Satan asked, sounding puzzled.

Why? You jealous?  Nick shot back without even bothering to understand. 

Sam grinned weakly. “I mean, I missed out on those years of being an older brother. Might as well do it here.”

Adam crossed his arms across his chest. “You’ve been trying to make this excuse float for a century,” He said blandly. “It’s not working.”

“Maybe one day.”

Adam rolled his eyes, then got up and turned to look at Nick again, far less cautious this time. “So, not entirely the Devil, then.” 

Nick gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Whatever tipped you off?” He asked sarcastically because he couldn’t help it.

Adam smirked. “Alright, maybe having you around’s good. Breath of fresh air.”

“Hey!” Sam protested.

“A  century,  Sam,” He pointed out.

Sam opened his mouth, then closed it and shook his head. 

“Enough of this pandering!”  Satan screamed suddenly.  “Ask them what they mean by Enochian!”

Nick winched at the sound, even if it was more brain-piercing than eardrum-ripping.

Sam noticed. “You good?” His eyes narrowed. “It’s him, isn’t it?”

Nick gave a short nod. “And– and yours?”

Sam gestured to the shadowy end of the cage. “Gossipping with Micheal about you,” He said without shame.

“Ah,” Nick said. 

“What did your… devil say?” Adam asked.

Nick sighed. “He was demanding to know what you meant by Enochian.”

Adam and Sam exchanged looks, then nodded. “Yeah,” Sam said. “Compared to how the–  our  version of Lucifer reacted when I first learned a few words, that’s pretty tame.”

“What did he do?” Nick asked morbidly.

Sam shifted uncomfortably. “Uh–”

“We’ve been stuck with Enochian-speaking angels in a cage for  years,”  Adam said, cutting him off. “Why wouldn’t we have picked up a few words here and there? Especially when they consider human language beneath them most of the time.”

“Ah,” Nick said.

“Still!”  Satan complained.  “Learning Enochian is not so easy that a pair of stupid  humans–”

All I’m hearing is you complimenting them,  Nick said immediately, and if that didn’t shut Satan up faster than anything Nick had tried before…

He cleared his throat. “Okay,” He said, not following up on the question he’d asked moments ago. “Now that  that’s  over with, how about that story you promised me?”

Sam tilted his head. “I did, didn’t I?” He didn’t sound like he wanted to share.

“I mean,” Nick said. “Either that, or I could tell mine. I’ve been dying to complain.”

Adam chuckled. “Honestly, I won’t say no to free entertainment. I’m already half-crazy, what’s wrong with adding a few more wonky tales to the mix?” He made the swirling gesture around his head, and Sam’s frown became more pronounced.

Nick decided to just start. 

He told them a little bit about his story and the Chruch of the Night, with a little less emphasis on the before-Sabrina and a little more focus on the after-Sabrina.

“The reason why she shall see you die before her first,”  Satan promised.  “You will feel every betrayal and every second of pain immortalized.”

Nick had honestly heard it all before and continued, telling them of Lucifer being brought to Earth and trying to marry his own daughter–

“Wow, I didn’t think he could be any more horrifying,” Adam said, shuddering. “I stand corrected.”

Nick smirked. “Good thing we trapped him,” He pointed out.

“You did,” Sam agreed. “The human body as the most complex trap, huh? God seems to be a little nicer there in your world.”

“I don’t know,” Nick said. “You got a cage. Back in our hell, Lucifer reigned free.”

“Point.”

“Not so cool when we’re trapped in it with him,” Adam grumbled. “But hurrah for everyone else.”

Nick cleared his throat. “Right.” He wracked his brain to consider what else to say. “And as for how I got here, apparently, the edges of hell - the darkest bits - blend into the different hells of different worlds. Or at least  this  world and mine. I don’t think anyone knows, really, because even Satan told me not to go through.”

“And you, as usual, ignored my wise advice.”

“And I,” He continued because, really, Satan should be expecting it by now - it was just stupid if he didn’t. “Was acting on my new motto.” 

Sam began to smile, as if he knew exactly what Nick was about to say.

“If Satan sayeth yes, Nick sayeth no!”

Adam laughed.  “Seriously!”  He exclaimed.

“Seriously,” Nick said. 

“You’re back,” Lucifer said. 

The laughter ceased instantaneously as if sliced off with a sharp knife. 

“What, not going to laugh with me?” He asked in mock hurt. “Pity. I was so looking forward to sharing in the joke.”

“Finally,”  Satan said in Nick’s mind.  “Someone sane.”

“What do you want?” Nick asked.

Sam shook his head rapidly. 

Lucifer raised an arm at Sam, and his mouth, open in what was obviously going to be a warning, pulled shut. His arms snapped to his sides, bound, and his body arched in forced puppetry, something resigned but with the edge of terrified bubbling in his eyes. 

Adam’s fists clenched, but he didn’t move - whether it was out of fear or helplessness, Nick didn’t know. Either way, he didn’t blame him because if he’d been in his place, there was little he could’ve done, and  he  was a Satan-damned unholy warlock. 

“Oh, me?” Lucifer asked, his voice lilting in innocence. “Why, nothing! I merely realized that you seem to have my twin on speed dial. A little awkward, you see, ’cause I didn’t know I had one.” His eyes narrowed. “And yet - he’s outside Daddy’s cage but not.”  

Nick took a step back.

Sam crumpled to the ground, and Lucifer instead raised a hand at him, and Nick’s lungs began to seize. 

“You see,” The Devil continued. “I don’t like not knowing things so I just  had  to ask my older brother. Who better to know whether I had a twin, yeah? And I found out the damnedest thing! Daddy dearest created different universes, and  you’re from one of them, aren’t you?”

“Of course,”  Satan said in Nick’s mind, though Nick couldn’t say a thing.  “Though it is stupid it took you so long to figure out. And you had to ask  Michael.  How embarrassing.”

Oh,  Nick thought. “Yeah–” He choked out. “I’ve got– I’ve got Lucifer trapped in me.”

Lucifer narrowed his eyes and let him breathe the slightest bit.

“And he says–” Nick coughed, using the chance to rip himself from the Devil’s hold and dive back, hoping, hoping, hoping there was a boundary line. “He says you’re the  inferior  version!” He shouted.

Lucifer’s eyes and self blazed with fury, and the cold turned to almost a boiling point of anger. Nick scrambled back further and then sent a quick goodbye to Sabrina just in case, unwilling to take back the jibe but afraid, too–

And then Lucifer swore - in English, in Latin, in another language Nick couldn’t recognize and assumed was Enochian because he could see Adam’s eyes gleam in that corner and the thrum of grudging appreciation from Satan - and stormed back into the dark ends of the cage just as he had the last time around.

Nick looked down and gouged out a spot in the ground to mark the safe distance.

“Holy shit,” Adam said. “You made Lucifer mad enough to run to Michael twice in as many meetings. Damn.” 

Nick thought back to the Devil within him and smiled wryly. “I really don’t think that’s as big an achievement as you think.”

Sam, rubbing at, well, his arms, his chest, his neck, got up from the ground, and the worst part was, he looked used to it. “It seems his power over you doesn’t extend too far. That’s good.”

“Ha!”  Satan murmured.  “Only until he figures out you’re a bleeding heart. If it was me, I’d have struck those deliciously perfect souls right there.”

“Yeah,” Nick said. “But–” He stopped. Nope, not putting it into words. At least Satan only he could hear. “Never mind. Where does he even go?”

“Remember the one-bedroom apartment?” Adam said drily. “He went into the kitchen.”

Sam snorted, then coughed as something caught in his proverbial throat. “Sorry,” He said. “But something like that. “Michael likes hanging out toward the middle of the cage. He doesn’t like seeing hell.”

“How  did  Michael end up in hell, anyway? Not that I’m complaining. I could always use some bonding time with my dear older brother in my realm. Dad knows we’ve had enough in his.”

Now  that  Nick was also curious about. 

But before he could ask, Adam continued for Sam. “Which is hilarious ’cause there’s nothing else  to  see.” He shook his head. “Even if it is towers of corpses and blood and fury and whatever else hell is famous for.”

“You’ve been here a  century,”  Sam said. 

“Eh,” Adam replied. “I hate hell.”

Understandable.

“This hell, certainly,”  Satan said, sniffing superiorly.  “Mine is far more eloquent and perfect.”

Which… wasn’t exactly a lie. This place was a little monotonous, but the hell back home had had forests and oceans and landscapes - sure, they were all  deadly,  but they were there. 

“The cage is a prison,” Sam began to explain while Nick was contemplating the differences between the two hells. “But it was also made by a father for his son, so I’m pretty sure god ended up making it a little more comfortable than needed, depending on who was using it. For us, it’s the same prison you probably see, and we’re relegated to the edges anyway because the angels don’t want us near them if they don’t initiate the tor–” He frowned.

“I know about the torture,” Nick said. 

“I know,” Sam nodded. “It just…” He shook his head. “Not the point. As I was saying, toward the middle, the cage kind of bends reality. I haven’t seen much of it ever since Michael declared it his realm–”

“Though, of course, Lucifer doesn’t really care for boundaries,” Adam tacked on.

“It is my kingdom! Why must I pander to fools who don’t belong?”

Because they’re your roommates for eternity? Doesn’t it get boring being superior all the time?

“No.”

Oh, go to hell,  Nick sneered.

“I will, as soon as you release the lock.”

In your dreams.

“Oh, my dreams are far worse, child. You are a mere drop of blood in the vast infinitude of–”

“Nick!” Sam said, and Nick blinked rapidly, focusing. He looked worried. “Satan?”

“Satan,” Nick confirmed. “Sorry about that.”

“So you speak to him all the time?” Adam asked, looking suspicious.

Nick got it completely. “Unfortunately. He’s been trying to get me to let him out ever since he was trapped.” At Adam’s expression, he snorted. “And no, I don’t plan to. I wouldn’t wish him on my worst enemy, and at this point, he  is  my worst enemy.”

“Yeah?” Adam grumbled, but he didn’t look too suspicious anymore. “I’d sic Lucifer on Lucifer, though.”

Nick let himself imagine that scenario for a second, of Satan in a cage that was not  him,  and trapped with another Lucifer, forced to suffer the company of the other for eternity. “Okay, yeah, maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “If only,” He murmured. 

Nick rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah.” He shifted. “Is he coming?”

Sam tilted his head. “Not yet. He might soon because he seemed really mad–” Because,  Nick read on his face,  I’m the one he lets out his anger on.  “But not just yet. But you’re right. You should probably leave.”

“Three days?” He asked. 

“Three…?” Sam frowned, looked at a confused Adam, then sighed and shook his head. “Better make it five,” He said.

Nick grimaced, gave a short nod, then hightailed it out of there again. 

The demons didn’t wonder why he wasn’t working. Nick assumed that  they  assumed he was. Still, he was getting used to talking with them and the way they spoke because he found out something else, too. Apparently, Dean Winchester had  retired.  King Crowley had demons keeping an eye on him, but the man had chosen to stop ‘hunting’ (whatever that meant, though Nick had a bad feeling it wasn’t just demons he hunted… he’d have to ask Sam) a year ago - in human time because hell time was wonky and didn’t work like that. He’d ‘retired’ (Satan, didn’t they get tired of all those quotation marks of mockery?) and had been living with a wife and a kid up there since Sam died.  We didn’t believe it at first,  the demons said.  Because who’d believe that a fucking Winchester retired? But it's true. Hasn’t been a single demon killed by Dean Winchester in months. None who weren’t stupid enough to approach him, at least. 

Nick filed that away to tell Sam and waited impatiently through the five allotted days, listening only with half a mind to all the gossip that the demons were sending his way. Satan kept grumbling in his mind that he ought to send them packing and do their work if they had the time to talk, but that only made Nick willing to listen to them more, even if he wasn’t exactly completely listening.

He  did, however, remember clearly the harrowing moment one of them had commented that the day - the fourth day - marked the 1000th being corrupted to a demon since Crowley became the King of hell, and Nick had almost fallen sick at the thought that all of these guys had once been human. 

Sure, it made a terrible amount of sense since hell had to be self-sustaining if there were hunters out there killing demons. Plus, Lucifer himself had been an angel corrupted into a demon. 

And yet–

It was far too harrowing to think about because a small part of him echoed that once upon a time, it would have been him. 

“Quite a pity, really,”  Satan said.  “Once upon a time, you would have been my greatest achievement.”  He laughed.  “After Sabrina, of course.”

Nick tried not to think of the way his heart pounded in fear as he made his way to the cage… and came face to face with Lucifer towering above a curled-up Sam. Adam was nowhere in sight. Nick’s breath caught, and his eyes raked the ground, only breathing in relief when he realized he was still at a safe distance.

“Oh, did you miss me?” Lucifer asked brightly, turning to him. “Why don’t you come closer for a better reunion?”

Did he really think that would work?

“Of course not! Inferior he may be, but he is no fool. Unlike you.”

Lucifer didn’t even twitch as Nick refused to move. “Oh, you wound me,” He drawled. “I was really hoping for a nice, brotherly chat.” He stalked to the edge of the cage, peering out with dark, glittering eyes. “So, my lovely self from that other dimension, what have you got for me?”

“A fool masquerading as a productive member of hell.”

Nick bristled. “I am  not  you,” He spat.

“I wasn’t talking to you,” Lucifer said. 

Satan cackled.

Nick narrowed his eyes. “Well, Satan can’t come to the phone right now, sorry. He’s too busy being imprisoned by a human.” He widened his eyes innocently. “Oh, I’m sorry, you are, too.”

Satan stopped laughing.  “You’ll regret this,” He promised.

Already regret you.

Lucifer’s mouth curled in a mirthless smile. “Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea the things I’ll do to you…” He smirked. “The things I’ve done to good ol’ Sammy.” He turned around and looked down at Sam, then laughed. “Oh, I’m sorry, Sammy’s a little too tired to talk to you today. Why don’t you come back in another few months– wait, never mind, he’ll still be here with  me.”

Nick’s mouth dried. 

“Told you,”  Satan said.  “I’d have gone for the souls.”

Nick tried to still his beating heart. “You think it matters to me?” He asked, amazed his voice wasn’t breaking. “I’ve served Satan my entire life. I really don’t see what’s wrong with a little torture.”

Lucifer stopped prodding at Sam’s body, which was inciting terrifying flinches and turned back to Nick, eyes narrowed. “‘Served’?” He asked. “And I suppose that’s what the cage is for?”

“Well, you know what they say. Never meet your heroes.” He smiled brightly. “They’re incestuous bastards with fetishes for teenage girls.”

“YOU BAS–”

“I’m sorry, what the fuck?” Lucifer demanded, taking a step back, his expression turning confused and weirded out. Huh, maybe  this  Lucifer hadn’t descended to the depravities Satan had. 

Nick kept smiling. “What, didn’t I tell you? Satan made a move on my girlfriend - and oh, look, she was his daughter. Why else do you think I flipped loyalties so easily? Sure wasn’t because of any morality, let me tell you that. Would I have survived in hell otherwise?” He laughed. “Even Lilith’s afraid of me!”

“Only because you trapped  me! ”

Shut up. I’m having a conversation.

He growled.  “With me!”

Whatever.

Lucifer took another step back, his mouth open. “That–” He looked at Sam, back at Nick, and then thought  something  because his eyes narrowed, and he relaxed, his smile returning. “How atrocious,” He crooned. “I would never. And he claims to be the ‘superior’ Lucifer.”

Wait, what was he…? “Right?” Nick murmured, taken off guard. His plan to annoy Lucifer had been momentarily successful, but it had been rushed, and now he had absolutely no idea what was going on. Unless…?

“Very much so,” Lucifer said. “Truly. It’s a shame  he’s  the one outside, not bound as a prisoner in his own underworld, don’t you think?”

Nope, he totally got what the guy was trying to pull. Centuries of entrapment must have addled his strategic planning - that, or he  severely  underestimated Nick.

“How dare he?!”  Satan scoffed.  “ I  was not the one fool enough to be trapped in a cage.”

Technically…  Nick began.

“In  my  kingdom,”  He finished. 

He had a point. Still, Nick wasn’t about to let it be known he had absolutely no inclination to change the status quo - not unless it meant putting Satan  with  Lucifer inside the cage. “Well, I wouldn’t say no to losing the passenger,” He admitted. “Honestly would be better off without him.” Also not a lie. 

Lucifer’s smile deepened. “If only there was a way to flip places,” He mused.

Nick stilled. “Why would you ever think I’d ever want to exchange one Satan for another?”

“Because, like you said, he’s a million times worse, isn’t he?” Lucifer said.  “I,  for one, have nothing against your lovely Sabrina.”

Sam twitched on the ground, a small groan echoing.

Lucifer’s smile was, for a millisecond, replaced with a scowl.

Nick took that for confirmation that he was an absolute and utter liar. “... You’re not wrong,” He said and hid his sarcasm because he’d already acted that much, why not a little more? “Unfortunately, there’s no fucking spell for that. And I’d know - I could practically get a PhD in Conjuration.” 

“Ha! You barely restrained  me.  You have no business proclaiming your proficiency in the art.”

So you’ll admit you got one-upped by a Satan-damned student? Didn’t know you had enough humility. I’m proud of you!

Satan didn’t reply. 

Nick tried to keep the smirk on the down low.

Lucifer inclined his head. “There may be one or two,” He said, humming.

Nick figured he might as well go the full route. “And what do you get out of it?”

Lucifer probably wanted to scream FREEDOM! but limited himself. “I would much prefer a varied landscape,” He admitted. “This cage doesn’t have much in the way of views.”

Which was totally deserved, but Nick just nodded. “Fine,” He said. “You find the spell, and I’ll get rid of this bastard.” He wrinkled up his nose in disgust - it wasn’t that hard to do. “Might as well go with the lesser of two evils.”

Lucifer’s smile was an inch strained, but he just turned and left for the apparently more preferable sights of the middle of the cage.

“Or to complain to Michael,”  Satan grumbled. He, of course, knew what Nick had been thinking, much was the shame because he didn’t even react (much) to the idea of exchanging Lucifers. Because he knew there was no chance Nick was letting either of them free, and whatever Lucifer came up with had a percentage of doing exactly that.

In the space left behind by Lucifer, Sam stirred, pushing himself up, ragged as he was. His face turned to Nick as he did so, propping himself by the cage bars, just as he had the first time Nick had come rolling around. For a few moments, he stared at Nick as if trying to figure him out, and then he huffed. “You know, tricking Lucifer isn’t as easy as you might think.”

“I have one in my head,” Nick said. “Tell me about it.”

He coughed, then laughed.

“But if I’ve got a chance to figure out how to get both of them in there…” He trailed off. “Well, only after we get you and Adam out.”

Sam didn’t even twitch. “That’s not possible,” He said. “Lucifer needed the demons– and  me  to break sixty-six seals and kill Lilith for him to escape the cage the first time around. With Lilith dead, there’s no way the cage is opening again unless god does it.” He shook his head. “And our lord creator basically left to buy a cigarette and never came back.”

Nick winced at the analogy. “There’s no other…?”

Sam rubbed the side of his arm. “I don’t think so,” He said. “Wouldn’t the demons have found out about it otherwise? Or even the angels? They’re the ones who wanted the stupid apocalypse.”

Nick’s eyes widened. “Wait, seriously?”

Satan laughed in his mind.  “Not such perfect entities now, are they?”

Sam grimaced. “Forgot you weren’t from our world,” He said apologetically. “Yeah, uh, the apocalypse almost happened because Michael and Lucifer wanted to fight and bring the world to an end.” He sighed. “Guess it’s time for that story I’ve got to tell you, right? Mind you, it’s not pretty. Dean and I’ve been through a lot.”

Nick remembered what he’d wanted to tell Sam. “Oh, right!” He said. “About your brother.”

Sam perked up. “What?”

Nick gestured to his back. “I was talking with a few demons - long story short, they think I’m one of them–”

Sam looked impressed. 

“–and they mentioned that Dean Winchester had retired.”

Sam’s eyes glistened. “... Yeah?” He asked.

Nick nodded. “They’ve apparently been keeping watch over him for a year in human terms because no one told me time worked differently here and all, and said that he’s settled down with a woman and a kid and that he hasn’t been ‘hunting’ for almost the entire time you’ve been…” He trailed off.

“Dead,” Sam finished for him, and then, to both of their surprise, a lone tear fell from his eyes. Sam blinked. “Oh,” He said. “Sorry, I just–” He swallowed. “I’m glad,” He continued. “I never… I’m glad he moved on. He deserves it. He deserves to be happy.”

“But you’re–”

“It was my choice,” Sam said.

Nick grit his teeth. Was it really?

Sam wiped away the tears. “When I was six months old,” He began. “A demon, Azazel, came for me.”

“Ah, storytime. I do adore those. And good old Azazel! I wonder how my old friend’s doing?”

Nick didn’t really care. 

“He…” Sam hesitated. “He fed me his blood, marking me for the future.”

Nick felt bile burn in his throat. He had nothing against blood - hell, it was part of so many rituals and magic, it wasn’t even funny! But the way Sam was telling this…

“And then he pinned my mother on the ceiling and burned her alive.”

Ah, there it was. 

“Classic Azazel.”

Shut the fuck up.

“Touchy, touchy,” Satan murmured, then thankfully stopped talking. 

Sam looked away. “Then, when I was in college, demons did the same to my girlfriend, and that brought me back into hunting, which was what Azazel wanted.” He laughed bitterly. “For me to be strong enough to become the ‘boy king of hell’, warming the seat for Lucifer to wear my shell and bring hell to Earth.”

“The apocalypse,” Nick said.

“Yeah.”

Nick bit his lip. “And… hunting?” He asked. 

Sam’s brows wrinkled. “You don’t have hunters in your world?” He asked. “But you said you were a warlock?”

Nick grimly made the connection. “We, uh, we call them witch hunters.”

“Right,” Sam said. “Sorry about that.” 

“You’re… one of them?”

Sam shrugged. “Was. But we only went after the supernatural creatures who murdered people,” He said. “Or, well, we tried to.”

Nick silently urged him to continue but breathed a sigh of relief that he wouldn’t have to completely run away from his new friend. 

“Anyway, a lot of things happened, but, basically, because of what Azazel did, I got these powers - but only if I drank the blood of a person possessed by a demon.” Sam huffed. “That’s what I mean by ‘tried to’ because I technically fall within the list of monsters to be destroyed. Or did,  at least.”

Nick felt the strongest urge to reach out and comfort the man, though his feet refused to move past the mark he’d made.

“That sounds delicious,”  Satan commented.  “No wonder that Lucifer prefers Sam. I would, too. At least over you.”

Glad we’ve got something in common. We hate each other. 

“Ah,” He said instead, and it fell flat, especially with Satan laughing at him in his mind. 

Sam chuckled. “Yeah, it’s complicated,” He admitted. “But, anyway, that led to me releasing Lucifer from the cage–”

“By killing Lilith,” Nick added, stuff starting to make sense.”

Sam nodded. “With the powers that Azazel gave me, though he was too dead to tell me that at that point. And, well, I didn’t exactly know it would free Lucifer… it’s no excuse, but–” He sighed. “Well, anyway, it happened because I trusted a demon.” He smiled blandly. “Fucking demons, am I right?”

“Fucking demons,” Nick echoed. 

Sam’s smile became a little more genuine. “So I had to fix it, you know? Got off the demon blood, realized my role in the whole situation, and, well.” He rolled his eyes. “Well, it was more complicated than that, but the end result was Lucifer got my ‘yes’ and took my body while Michael took Adam’s, and then I made everyone jump into the cage at the last moment to save the Earth from the monster I’d let out.” He shrugged.

Nick hummed. “Why you?”

“As a vessel?”

“Yeah,” Nick confirmed. “Why you and your brother?”

Sam looked back into the dark. “Adam wasn’t really Michael’s first choice,” He said, sort of not answering the question.

“Dean was,” Nick said.

“Yeah.” 

Nick just stared.

Sam huffed. “Archangels are pretty powerful,” He explained. “More than normal angels. They need vessels strong enough to hold their power, or they’ll wear them away faster than you can say their names. I was Lucifer’s fated vessel, and my brother– Dean  was Michael’s. Adam worked as a last-minute choice because he was from the Winchester bloodline, but Lucifer couldn’t have anyone but me. He was already wearing his old vessel thin–” A strange look crossed his face, and then he snorted. “What do you know? His old vessel’s name’s Nick, too.”

It was so stupid it made Nick laugh. “I guess Nicks are just that irresistible.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Seems like it,” Sam said. 

“You said yes?” Nick prompted.

“Yeah,” Sam continued. “I wasn’t in control most of the time, but, well, Dean and me, we had a plan, and when he brought the rings to open the cage to throw us in - one-way trip,” He hastened to add. “I managed to wrestle control for the one second it took to jump into the void.” He was quiet for a second. “Adam wasn’t supposed to be here, you know? But Michael was angry enough to jump in after us and he brought him with.” 

Sam blamed himself. Nick really didn’t see how, but he couldn’t exactly say anything because he had a feeling that Sabrina would be blaming herself back on his side of the multiverse. “Where  is  Adam?”

“With Michael,” Sam said. “At least he’s not a complete dick. He protects Adam when I can’t, and, well, Lucifer was in a rage.”

Nick flinched. “Sorry.”

“Wasn’t your fault,” Sam said immediately. “He would’ve been like that anyway. He’s got a short fuse.”

Nick shuffled. “Still,” He said.

Sam shook his head. “Nope,” He said. “I have decades more experience than you in dealing with demented demons, kid. Roll with it.”

Nick pursed his lips.

Sam straightened and turned serious. “You need to get out of here, though,” He said. “If you’re not taking Lucifer up on his offer, I can pretty much guarantee he’ll figure it out in a bit, and he’ll be angry. You don’t want to be there when he does.”

I’m not in the cage,  Nick wanted to say but couldn’t. 

“Sam is,”  Satan said for him.  “And other me has the same idea if his treatment of the human in front of you was any indication.”

What, helping me out?  Nick said sarcastically. 

“Merely incensed at that moron’s pathetic attempt at freedom,”  Satan replied smoothly.

“How?” Nick asked. 

“You could go back?” Sam suggested. 

Nick shook his head. “At least here, no one’s looking for  me  me. I can’t go back there until I have a way out of hell back home.”

“Only because you’re sure Satan won’t escape,” Sam finished drily. 

“Yep,” Nick said. 

Sam stretched his hands, looking like he’d already been stitched together. Nick wondered, idly, whether it was something souls did when shredded beyond comprehension (and whether he was even stitched back together  right).  “You won’t be able to be summoned,” He mused. “So you’ll have to figure out a different way if you’re planning to go upstairs.”

Nick snorted.

Sam grinned. “Yeah, the phrasing could use some work.”

“I don’t know, sounds good enough to me,” He said. “Your one-room apartment in the basement.”

Sam snickered. “Oh, I’ll have to tell Adam that,” He said jovially.

“You do that,” Nick said softly, then hesitated. “Hey,” He said. “If– if I do manage to get… upstairs in this world, do you– do you want me to say something to your brother?”

Sam stilled, stricken. Something warred in his expression, something desperate and fearful and longing all at once, but still, he didn’t move, didn’t edge. He swallowed. “... No,” He said finally. “You said– you said you heard Dean’s moving on. If he knew I was… here,  then he’d leave everything and try to bring me back.” He shook his head. “I don’t want him to give up his life for me. Not again.”  Not literally.

Well, he didn’t exactly say the last thing, but it made sense to Nick after everything he’d heard about the two from the demons, too. After the comment on ‘four decades’, which was starting to make sense as a story stitched itself into a picture in front of him. 

“... Okay,” Nick said.

“Seriously, Nick,” Sam said. 

Nick stared. “I still don’t know how to find the stairs to the first floor,” He pointed out. “Isn’t the point kind of moot?”

Sam raised a hand to cover his eyes for a few seconds. “Yeah. You’ll probably have to figure out some of the more illicit ways in and out,” He said grimly. “And I can’t believe I’m saying that about  hell.”

Nick nodded. “Sounds weird, not going to lie. But it shouldn’t be terribly hard. Apparently, the current King lives upstairs, too. Barely comes down at all.”

“Huh,” Sam said. “Didn’t think Crowley would have it in him.”

“Maybe he likes the human world better?”

Sam made a show of looking around. “I can’t imagine why.”

Nick laughed. “Yeah, yeah,” He said, then his smile turned pitifully sad, and he knew it. “You don’t want me coming back, do you?” He asked.

Sam clenched his fists, and his smile mirrored Nick’s. “No,” He said. I have a brother to protect,  He didn’t say.  I have myself to protect.

Nick heard it anyway. He nodded. “Okay,” He said. “And thank you, Sam, for everything.”

Sam inclined his head. “I wish I could’ve helped more,” He admitted. “At least then…” He trailed off, his eyes far, far away. 

Then, just as Nick was about to take one step back and away, Sam took a deep breath. “If– if you do figure a way out,” He said softly, quietly, and it sounded nearly silent even to Nick, who was straining his ears to hear. “Please, get Adam first. He deserves heaven. Michael took it from him.”

Nick snapped his head to look at Sam in the eyes and there was such resignation in them, such cracks within that he just  knew.  The demons said Sam Winchester hadn’t broken, but he  had.  He’d just had to pull himself together again and again and fucking again because he couldn’t let his little brother be next.

His lips trembled, and he nodded, though he had no idea how he would muster up the courage to do that without worrying about saving Sam, too, because once Adam was out, there would be nothing for Sam to hold on to, no reason for him to keep pulling himself back together, and pieces of his shattered soul would drift out into the ashes of hell, fading into memory.

The next bit was difficult. It wasn’t because Nick wasn’t ready or willing to pull the wool over the eyes of another battalion of demons - that was never the problem. No, it was because the realization about Sam had him trembling and Satan snickering, and he could feel his own doubts surge. 

But he soldiered on, for Sabrina, for himself, for  Sam,  now, and for Adam, whom Sam wanted him to save (if he could). 

He soldiered on, and he snatched the secret to a way out even as he couldn’t find the answer to how to pull Sam and Adam out of the cage. It was all the same - only god could, the demons said. Him or a power equivalent to that. 

That, or some seriously tricky spellwork, but that was more in line with getting Lucifer out since he was the one bound to the cage in reality. 

Nick didn’t have the spell at hand, but he made up his mind to figure it out if only to see if he could edit it a little bit, make it so it was Adam and Sam it saved.

The way out of hell, though, was apparently through a place called ‘Purgatory’, which was literally monster hell, but Nick wasn’t picky, and the reaper - because there were apparently reapers in this world who dealt with souls bound to hell and heaven, both - who Nick somehow managed to convince to get him out, though the terms of their deal weren’t worth repeating at  any  point in time, and he was just glad he completed them safely, pulled him through there and back into the human world scarce seconds before he was about to be mauled to death by a particularly vicious werewolf, with a fleet of assorted monsters on his heels, and  Satan dammit, he finally realized why this world needed hunters.

And then he was out, the reapers melting back into the shadows and Nick staring out at the graffitied wall that stood in front of him, breathing the frankly polluted air of whichever unholy town he’d landed himself in, and he took in a huge breath, and smiled because anything was better than hell.

And then he bit the inside of his cheek and forced himself not to cry because he was in the human world and he could never see Sabrina again - not  his  Sabrina - because this wasn’t his world.

“Can’t help Sabrina, can’t help Sam. What kind of warlock even are you?”  Satan mocked, and for once, Nick had no answer because he was right.

Still, he had at least one goal because he might have said ‘Okay’ about not telling Dean what was happening to Sam, but he hadn’t promised anything about seeing what Dean was up to. And if he ever saw Sam again, he wanted to have something  good to say about his brother. Maybe something that would give him peace of mind. RIP and all that. 

And that was what he decided to do - find Dean Winchester.

Two weeks later, Nick found himself in front of Dean Winchester and gaped as he stared at the man standing tall next to him, his eyes empty and unrecognizable - both ways. 

Fucking hell,  He thought.

“Well, this is getting interesting,”  Satan said.

” You’re supposed to be in the cage,” Nick croaked, staring at the  not-dead  face of Sam Winchester, a knife in his hand and detached murder in his eyes.