based off 11.14

the vessel

~*~

It had been around a week since Juno had fully recovered. She still hadn't told Sam or Dean of the near death experience, and didn't plan on telling them anytime soon. It would be too much of a risk. She didn't need to burden them. Now, they were all looking through the Men of Letters files because Sam found something that the Men of Letters obtained.

"Who knew the Men of Letters had European chapters?" Dean said as he picked up a book from the shelf.

"Maybe it wasn't an entire chapter, just an asset, you know?" Sam stated as he glanced over at Dean.

"Yeah, and letting women join way back in the forties? I just never got the impression that they were so big on gender equality, you know, it's right there in the name," Juno said, motioning as if the title was in front of her.

"Well it was World War II. Kind of an all-hands-on-deck situation, you know?" Sam said, Juno shrugging in response.

"Yeah, Rosie the Riveter. Cool," Dean said with a smirk.

"Here we go. This report was written by Clifford Henshaw, a bunker-based Men of Letters back in 1943. It's the right era," Sam said holding up a book. "But it's in French." They each exchanged a glance, then Sam went and got their translator. Dean went and got two beers, then came back in minutes later, handing one to Juno.

"Well?" Dean asked.

"Hey. So it's definitely about Delphine. Her name's at the top of every page. Check this out," Sam said sliding the book to Juno. Dean peered over her shoulder as she looking at the writing. "Transcriptions. From transatlantic cables between Clifford and Delphine."

"What'd they say?" Dean asked.

"Give me a second. Web translation's kind of buggy," Sam said looking back at the computer. He watched as both Juno and Dean took a drink of beer. "Seriously? Guys, it's like noon.

"Uh, well you drank all the coffee, so what am I supposed to drink, water?" Dean asked sarcastically.

"And you know what they say, it's five o'clock somewhere," Juno chimed in. She held her bottle up, Dean clinking it with his. They drank again as Sam rolled his eyes.

"Look at this," Sam said as the page finally loaded. "They were making arrangements to get the artifact out of Europe to keep it safe. Henshaw pulled some strings with a Man of Letters in the OSS to requisition an active US submarine to transport Delphine and the weapon back to the States. Back to here."

"The Bunker?" Juno asked furrowing her eyebrows.

"Yeah," Sam said.

"So it's been here the whole time," Dean followed up holding his arms out. Sam searched for the ship, an article about it coming up.

"No. It never arrived," he said sadly. "The USS Bluefin came under German attack midway through its trip across the Atlantic, the sub was sunk, the ship and its contents haven't been recovered to this day." Sam sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Great. It's lost."

"Or is it?" Dean said with a slight smile.

"Yeah, I'd say so. I mean, tides took the wreckage, submersibles have been trying to locate it for years. I mean if James Cameron and his Avatar billions can't find it..." Sam said trailing off.

"Yeah, but - we have something James Cameron doesn't have," Dean said looking over at Sam. Juno looked between them, now very confused.

"W-What do we have?" Juno asked. "Lots of issues? Because I'm pretty sure James Cameron has no issues."

"No, we have time travel," Dean said with a smile.

"I'm sorry, time travel?" Juno asked raising an eyebrows. "You guys saw The Flash, right? You don't mess with the timeline."

"But we're only grab the Hand of God, then get back here," Sam explained easily. "It'll be an in and out job." Juno looked between them, then sighed.

"Alright, if you insist," Juno said standing from the chair.

"Alright, I'll call Cas. Give him a run down of the situation," Dean said beginning to back out of the room.

"Means we gotta put together a board," Sam said standing up.

"Like a project board?" Juno asked. Sam nodded in response. "God, I'm in high school again."

*****

"There were several God-touched objects, but it never occurred to me that any of them survived the flood, let alone the twentieth century," Cas said turning to face the three.

"Do you think we can use it against Amara?" Sam asked hopefully.

"It's perfect," Cas said under his breath. Sam, Juno, and Dean all looked at each other confused as Cas looked up at them again. "And I can get you back there."

"Without wings? Cas, you can't even teleport," Sam pointed out.

"Time travel, is a, it's a whole different system," Cas stuttered out.

"Told ya!" Dean said with a snap as he looked at Sam.

"So uh, these the last coordinates?" Castiel asked flipping through the pages. Juno furrowed her eyebrows at the way he phrased the sentence. It was... Short. And to the point. If you'd ever heard Cas talk, you would know he's never short and to the point.

"That's the Bluefin's last transmission to shore, yeah," Dean answered.

"Alright," Cas responded.

"Wait a second. Cas, aren't there still risks with time travel? I mean aren't there consequences?" Sam asked. Both Cas and Dean looked fed up as they turned to him.

"Sam, this is the ideal scenario," Dean said.

"What?" Sam asked.

"That sub is a tin can floating in the middle of the ocean doomed to go down, you can't really mess with history at 20,000 leagues. So we get in, get the weapon, get out. It's a milk run," Dean said as he leaned back again.

"Well that's not a very good plan," Juno said agreeing with Sam. "Wait, why aren't you stepping in on this?" Juno asked looking at Castiel. "Usually it's you two that stop each other from doing stupid shit all the time."

"Well, if things get outta hand, then Cas will just, zap me right back," Dean said with a shrug.

"You?" Sam asked raising an eyebrow.

"You're not going," Dean told him.

"I beg your pardon?" Sam asked leaning forward.

"You need to stay here," Dean continued.

"Stay here?" Sam questioned.

"Just in case things go sideways, somebody needs to be left standing to take care of the Darkness. We can't risk us both! And at the moment, I'm the least valuable player!" Dean exclaimed.

"Well-"

"Shut up, Juno. You three know that I can't kill Amara, so the least I could do is get the thing that we need so that you can!" Dean shouted.

"So you expect me to sit here and ride pine while you can Cas go play Jules Verne?" Sam asked angrily.

"Yes! No. I - who?" Dean asked confused.

"I won't let him out of my sight," Cas reassured Sam. Sam sighed, shaking his head slowly.

"You'll stay by his side the entire time?" he asked glancing at Cas.

"I will," Cas answered.

"Sam, let me do this. Okay, I need to do this," Dean said leaning towards Sam. Juno took her gaze to Cas who had a small smile on his face as if he was plotting something.

"Be safe," Sam said in a resigned tone.

"When am I not?" Dean asked. Sam looked up, not enjoying the joke. Dean nodded, hitting the table. "Let's do this, Cas." Cas took a step towards Dean, placing a had on his shoulder. "Bon voyage." Suddenly, they were both gone from the room.

"I'm gonna make a sandwich," Juno said with a slight nod. She got up from her chair, walking towards the kitchen. She ate, then went back out to the map table and read for a while with Sam. The door to the bunker opened, both Sam and Juno looking up. Cas came walking down the stairs, dripping water everywhere.

"Cas? Why're you - wait a second, where's Dean?" Sam asked sitting up straight.

"We made the leap, he got on, I didn't," Cas said stopping in front of the two.

"What?" Juno asked in a worried tone.

"I couldn't make it past the hull," Cas answered. He pulled off his trench coat, walking into the library. Juno and Sam started following as he was beginning to get angry. "Someone must've warded the ship!"

"Delphine? It has to be, I mean she's protecting the weapon, right? Cas, just go back to their last port, before she boarded! Leave a message so Dean knows!" Sam exclaimed.

"Where? Where would Dean see it that the crew wouldn't?" Cas asked turning to Sam. "He's as likely to find the warding as he is any message I'd leave."

"Then send me. You got Dean past the hull," Juno offered as Cas was rubbing his head with a towel.

"Right. We'll double down on what screwed us the first time. You're really bringing your A ideas today," he said pointing between the two. "I can't believe I lost it." Cas sat down with a huff, Juno raising an eyebrow. He was being very weird today. Cas seemed to notice the off looks Sam and Juno were giving him. "Him. Can't believe I lost Dean. Well, it's up to him now to find and clear the warding."

"No. We can help. There's gotta be something in magic or angel lore. Some way to clear the sigils from the outside," Sam said as he grabbed a book from the shelf. "Cas, don't worry. We'll bring him back." Cas rubbed his face, Juno furrowing her eyebrows.

"Sam, there's a helpful book I think I saw in the file room. Second row, third shelf under Bluefin, could you go grab it real quick?" Juno asked taking the book in his hands from him.

"Yeah," he nodded. Sam left the room, Juno turning to Cas. She pulled the chair adjacent from him out, then sat and turned to him.

"I'm not sending you back, Juno," he told her as he shook his head.

"Oh, I know," she said with a nod. "And you don't really care that Dean's left on that ship, do you?" Cas furrowed his eyebrows at her words.

"What do you mean? Of course I care," Cas retaliated. Juno laughed slightly as she shook her head.

"You're really gonna make me do it?" she asked.

"Do what?" he asked.

"Just say it now," Juno said leaning forward. "Who are you?" Cas studied her face for a moment, then broke into a smile.

"You caught me," Lucifer said holding his arms out. "You're good, I'm real impressed with you. What tipped you off?"

"Everything. Literally, everything," Juno shrugged. "It started in Clearwater because Cas doesn't really show emotions. Then it progressed when you said you took care of the angels the other day. But you really screwed up today with the the bad grammar and how short you were with your words. Then the small smile on your face when Sam and Dean told you you needed to go back and time. But what topped it was just now. It was so easy."

"But it took you this long?" Lucifer asked raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe, but you should work on your acting skills," Juno suggested. "At least the jig is up."

"Not quite," Lucifer said. Juno went to pull the knife from her boot, only to have Lucifer touch her on the head. Sam walked back in the room to see only Lucifer sitting there with the book in front of him.

"Where's Juno?" he asked holding his arms out.

"Said she called someone who might be able to help so she went out," Lucifer answered in Castiel's voice.

"Oh, well, if it helps," Sam said walking around the table. Juno stood on the side of the road as she looked around frantically. She turned to see a sign behind her, her stomach dropping.

"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered under her breath.

WELCOME TO KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

"He needed an hour," Juno muttered. She covered her face as cars drove by, none of them stopping. She sighed, looking at a road sign. She walked until she hit a gas station. She walked inside, turning to the clerk. "Can I use a phone?"

"Sure, after you buy something," he stated. Juno rolled her eyes, turning to the store. She felt her pocket, noticing her wallet wasn't there either.

"Dammit," she muttered as she walked outside. She looked both ways until she noticed a parked motorcycle. "Bless you, criminal Juno." She walked to the bike quickly, grabbing a few wires on the side. She broke them, then sparked them together. After a few seconds, the bike roared to life. Juno smiled, jumping on quickly.

"Hey, that's my bike!" the clerk said running out of the store.

"Sorry!" Juno waved. She back out, driving away.

*****

It took an hour for Juno to get back to the bunker. She was speeding down the highway, running lights and basically risking her life just to warn Sam that who he was with wasn't Cas. Finally, she made it to the bunker, then jumped off the bike. She broke the wires again, then ran to the door. She pulled it open, then pulled it shut as she turned to the second door. She swung that one open to see Sam and Lucifer talking.

"Sam, that's not Cas!" she warned him. Sam looked at Lucifer with wide eyes as the archangel flipped Sam onto the table. Juno ran down the stairs to attack when Lucifer extended a hand and kept her against the wall.

"I will touch your soul. Just because you asked so nicely, and I'll use your spell to blast through the warding and retrieve Dean and the uh, Hand of God, and then when Dean comes back and he finds this place decorated with your guts, I will tell him the truth, Sam. I'll just say, 'Dean - '" He paused, fixing his voice, "- 'Dean... he knew the risks. He wouldn't take no for an answer.'

"Lucifer," Sam stated.

"In the flesh," he said with a wicked smile. He reached his hand inside Sam, beginning to touch his soul. Sam screamed in pain, panic flooding Juno's system. She breathed heavily as she tried anything to move forward. Finally, the idea came to mind.

"Just scream, Juno. It's not that hard," she muttered to herself. She took a few deep breath's, then a high pitched scream came out of her mouth as she leaned forward. Lucifer pulled his hand out of Sam, grabbing his ears in pain. Sam fell to the ground, Lucifer letting go of his ears as Juno stopped. He heard a sudden angelic ring, standing up straight.

"Hello, Castiel," he grumbled. Juno stumbled into the library, going to Sam's aid as he was rolling on the ground.

"Sam, hey," Juno said trying to get him to get up. Lucifer turned to her, Juno immediately grabbing the gun that fell from Sam's waistband.

"No, Juno, it's me," he said.

"Cas? Why?" she asked lowering the gun.

"I wanted to be of service to the fight. And only Lucifer can beat her," Cas told her as he was struggling to choke Lucifer down.

"You chose this? You have to fight, Cas! Eject him now!" Juno yelled.

"I can't!" Cas yelled at her. "It's taking all my strength to keep him from killing you both. And besides, we need him!"

"No Cas, we don't. We'll find another way to stop Amara!" Juno begged him as she slid forward.

"We need him to save Dean," Cas told her as he was breathing heavily.

"You can't time travel," she stated with wide eyes. He shook his head.

"Only Lucifer can," he said with a frown. "And, Juno." She looked back at him as he was struggling to hold on. He leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers as he cupped her face. Juno slowly melded into it, bringing her hands up to his neck. As she pulled back slowly, the ringing in his ears stopped. Lucifer resurfaced as he tilted his head. "Aw, you guys got your moment." Juno's eyes widened as she went to shoot him. He disappeared, Juno turning to Sam.

"Sam, Sam get up," she said shaking him. Sam groaned as he began getting up. Juno turned as Dean and Lucifer appeared in the room, Sam looking at his brother.

"Dean..." Sam said sitting up. "That's not Cas!" Dean looked at Lucifer with wide eyes.

"Cat's out," Lucifer said with a shrug. He threw Dean across the table, Juno dodging him as he hit a column. "I feel a burden lifted. You know, this whole - deep cover thing - it just wasn't - it wasn't terribly well thought out. Donning this - this Cas mask? This grim face of angelic constipation? It just - ugh. And then, teaming up with you two. I mean, I thought you boys were insufferable as mortal enemies, but working with you. That's the soul crusher. Oh, but you, Juno. That was actually really fun. Saving your life, keeping the secret that you're a banshee from them? Real good." Dean tried standing as Sam was beginning to pain a sigil on the wall. "Why the faces, boys? You should be cheering. We have a common enemy. With this, she will be no problem. I mean, I will have killed you both by then, but still. Come on." He began unwrapping the Hand of God, Dean watching horrifically.

"No!" he yelled. Lucifer touched the Hand of God, beginning to hold it. "NO!" Lucifer tried using its power, nothing happening. The three hunters looked between each other with confusion. "It's kicked!"

"Well. Who'd've thought the Hand of God would turn out to be a one-hitter?" Dean questioned. Lucifer slammed the useless rock on the table, making his way towards Dean. Sam hit his hand on the sigil, Lucifer disappearing in a ball of light.

~*~

whoo! another chapter!again, i'll be going on spring break tomorrow!i'll update in the morning then that'll be it for a week.