Roads Untraveled ~ Sam Winchester

Chapter Eighty-Two - Horn of Joshua

Settling back into the Bunker again had been almost no hassle at all. Or, least, it was no hassle after they'd emptied one of the bedrooms to make a walk-in closet for Eden and all of her gowns.
"Why do you need so many of the same damn dress?" Dean had grumbled as he assembled an open closet.
"Because they're not the same dress. You'd see that if you didn't use your man-eyes." Eden had replied.
"It's all black, who cares?"
"How many flannel shirts do you and Sam have between you, do you think?" Eden cocked a brow at him as he fell silent. "That's what I thought."

"Sam! Eden!" Dean called out from the War room a few days later. "Get your asses in here!"
"If there's one thing I hate, its being summoned." Eden groaned, curling into Sam a little more in their bed. "If we find out that I can get prayed to, I might just turn this place upside down."
"Please don't." Sam chuckled. "We'd best go see what he wants. It could be important." He sighed, kissing her hair.
They reluctantly got out of bed, Eden taking the time to watch Sam get dressed, much to his amusement.
She then snapped her fingers and suddenly, she was wearing a black flowing maxi skirt with a black and silver corset.

"I do hope you have a valid reason for the rude awakening." Eden cocked a brow as she walked into the War room with a glass of blood.
Sam followed her in with a cup of coffee.
"Crowley called. Claims he's found another Hand of God." Dean told them. "And don't pretend you were asleep, I heard your morning sex from down the hall."
Eden smirked at him as Sam awkwardly cleared his throat, sitting down at the map table.
"So, what's the play?" He asked.
"Crowley gave me a location to pick it up. He's meeting us there, but he's gotta lay low 'cause Lucifer's got Demons on the hunt for him everywhere." Dean replied.
"So that's what he's been up to..." Eden mumbled into her glass before taking a sip.
"Drink up. We've gotta make a move." The older brother urged.

The location had been some sort of old warehouse. The place was dark, dank and covered with cobwebs - a few too many, of which, Sam accidentally walked into.
"Nice digs." Dean commented as they walked over to Crowley, who had situated himself in the middle of the main room. "Crypt keeper out of town?"
"I'm lucky to be alive. Lucifer had me trussed up like a dog in my own palace." Crowley growled.
"'Palace?'" Dean frowned. "Oh, you mean the abandoned nut house."
"He kept me in a kennel!" The King of Hell raised his usual gruff voice, earning smiles and chuckles from the Winchesters. "And he turned all his Demons - my Demons against me. They scour the Earth, day and night, looking to kill me. He has to be dealt with."
"Technically, Hell was his first. Can you blame him for taking back his domain?" Eden cocked a brow.
"Eden, darling. How nice to see you've re-joined the fight. Looking radiant, as ever." Crowley all but rolled his eyes as he gave a rather forced smile.
"So, is this why you brought us here? Some lousy grudge match with Lucifer?" Dean asked.
"Yeah, where's this Hand of God you were talking about?" Sam pressed.
"I'm getting to that." Crowley narrowed his eyes. "Your only hope of subduing Amara is to match the level of power that she possesses."
"No kidding. And?" Dean retorted.
"And... I have the Horn of Joshua." Crowley continued.
"Joshua." Sam repeated sceptically. "As in the Joshua that won the battle in Jericho."
"And I'm willing to entrust it to your capable hands." Crowley gave a single nod. The trio before him gave half amused glances to each other. "What? I just said I'd give you the thing."
"If..?" The brothers and the Angel of Darkness pressed.
"'If?' Is this how you say thank you? Do you think these things grow on bloody trees?" Crowley roared.
"Cut the crap, Crowley, with you there's always an if." Dean huffed.
"Fine." The King practically whispered. "I will give you the Horn if you help me exorcise Lucifer from Castiel's vessel and then return him immediately to the Cage."
"Oh, that's all. Huh." Sam shrugged.
"Okay. So, where is this Horn?" Dean smirked, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"Safely hidden, naturally."
"Yeah..." Dean mumbled, turning away.
"Crowley, even if we could exorcise Lucifer out of Cas, the Cage is damn near impenetrable." The younger brother pointed out. "It took a spell from the Book of the Damned to spring Lucifer, and Rowena hid the book."
"And we would need the book and her to even have a shot." Dean finished.
Crowley glanced to Eden with an amused look on his face.
"Not too quick are they, sometimes?" He asked.
"Apparently not." Eden smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Boys, could you repeat to me the events following my arrival to the Cage."
"You arrived, you got us out of the Cage, you tortured Lucifer- wait... You can access the Cage?!" Dean's eyes widened.
"Ding, ding, ding." The girl held a finger up, accompanied with a bright smile. "It didn't occur to you that, maybe, I have some sort of connection to it? You know, since the Cage was cracked open when Amara was set free and I was made by her." She shrugged. "Having said that, Rowena's spell was already beginning to take effect when I got there, so that may have been why it was so easy."
"Do we even know where Rowena is, just in case we need her?" Sam frowned.
"Rotting somewhere, I'd assume." Crowley replied, earning confused looks. "Lucifer snapped her neck."
"What about Alexander? He stayed in Hell with you, did he not?" Eden cocked a brow.
"Uh, yes..." Crowley looked to the ground uncomfortably. "I don't even know where to begin with that one. After Lucifer gave a rant about how the Vampire kept you from him, he... Went a little bit biblical."
"Alexander's dead?" Eden gasped, tears pricking her eyes.
"I'm sorry, little Bat. Unfortunately, he is."
The boys looked to the girl who appeared in a state of shock.
Sam went to reach out a hand to her.
"Excuse me." She whispered, turning and walking out just as the first tear escaped her waterline.