Down the Rabbit Hole

Under Lock and Key Part 1

Lacey stood leaning against the wall in Bobby's basement. She watched Dean pace backwards and forwards before finally coming to a stop. He began tapping his foot impatiently.
"Dean?" He turned to face her. "Cool your jets. He'll be out soon." Dean sighed to himself and nodded. There was a scraping sound and the door to the panic room was opened by Cas who stepped out, rolling down his sleeves.
"Well?" Dean asked.
"His soul is in place." Cas noted.
"Is he ever gonna wake up?" The worry was evident in Deans voice.
"I'm not a human doctor Dean."
"Could you take a guess?"
"Okay, probably not."
"Oh, well, don't sugar coat it." Dean replied, sarcastically.
"I'm sorry Dean, but I warned you not to put that thing back inside him." Cas replied, sounding frustrated.
"What was I supposed to do? Let T-1000 walk around, hope he doesn't open fire?"
"Let me tell you what his soul felt like when I touched it. Like it had been skinned alive, Dean. If you wanted to kill your brother, you should have done it outright." Cas glared before disappearing.

Lacey sat cross legged in a chair in front of Bobby's desk, a book splayed open across her lap. At the sound of footsteps she glanced up. Dean sat down in the chair beside her, he rested his hand on her leg as Bobby poured him a drink.
"Like my daddy always said, just cause it kills your liver don't mean it's not medicine." Dean picked up the glass and took a sip. "Sam still asleep?"
"Yeah."
"He'll wake up." Bobby reassured him.
"Yeah." Lacey reached out and placed her hand on top of Dean's.
"Dean, he's been through how much?" Bobby pointed out. "Somehow he always bounces back."
"He's never been through this." Dean glanced down at the papers scattered across the desk. "Job?" He asked, indicating the newspaper.
"Might be." Bobby passed him the paper.
"Can I help? Send me to the library. Anything."
"Couple goes up in a light plane, wreckage was just found in the woods."
"Couple of Buddy Hollies? Doesn't really seem like News of the Weird?" Dean said, sceptically.
"Pilot was found 17 miles away. Flambeed. Girls just gone, nobody, nothing." Lacey glanced up from her book in interest.
"Okay, I'm not changing the channel."
"Dean." The two of them spun round in their chairs to find Sam standing behind them. Lacey stared at him, wide-eyed.
"Sam?" Dean put his glass down and got to his feet. Sam walked forward and the two embraced. Lacey scrambled to her feet, the book falling to the floor, unnoticed. As Sam and Dean broke apart Lacey practically barrelled into Sam. He let out a huff as the air was knocked out of him.
"Hey Lace." He smiled down at her. It was Bobby's turn next and Lacey went to stand beside Dean.
"Good to see you." Bobby said as he clapped him on the back.
"Wait, I saw you... I felt Lucifer snap your neck." Sam looked confused.
"Well, Cas kind of..." Bobby began.
"Cas is alive?" Sam interrupted, looking shocked.
"Yeah, Cas is fine." Dean nodded. "Are you okay, Sam?"
"Actually... I'm starving."

A short while later the four of them were sat around Bobby's kitchen table as Sam finished up his sandwich.
"You know I could have gone and got you something else." Lacey told him.
"Honestly, a sandwich is fine, but thanks." Sam nodded.
"So, Sam..." Dean started.
"Yeah?"
"What's the last thing you remember?"
"The field. And then I fell."
"Okay. And after that?" Dean prompted.
"I woke up in the panic room."
"That's it?" Bobby sounded surprised. "You really don't remember..."
"Let's be glad." Dean butted in. "Who wants to remember all that hell."
"Well, how long was I gone?" Sam asked as he finished up his sandwich.
"About a year and a half."
"What?" Sam looked shocked. "I was downstairs... I don't remember anything. So how'd I get back? Was it Cas?"
"Not exactly." Dean looked around shiftily.
"Dean, what did you do?"
"Me and Death..."
"Death?! As in the horseman?" Sam stared at him like he'd lost his mind.
"I had leverage, it's done." Dean told him matter-of-factly.
"You sure?"
"It's over. Slate wiped."
"Well isn't this just neat and clean?" Bobby asked, sarcastically.
"Yes it is, for once." Dean told him pointedly.
"Is there anything else I should know?" Sam asked, glaring between the three of them.
"I cut my hair." Lacey interjected as Bobby and Dean shared a look. Sam smiled.
"I can see that. It suits you." Lacey smiled back.
"Another beer?" Dean asked as he got to his feet.
"Yeah, sure."