Dean was already trying to think of every possibility of how his meeting with Death could go. But walking into the pizza place and feeling the rolling anger from Death was not something he expected, especially as there was nothing in Death's face to show his apparent anger. Dean couldn't even guess why Death would be angry with him in the first place but steeled himself for the conversation as he slid into the booth across from an angry horseman.
"It's very rude to sit down without being invited to. But there aren't much in the way of manners for you are there, Dean Winchester." Death said as he looked straight into Dean's eyes causing a shiver to run down Dean's spine. "I also believe you have something that belongs to me."
Dean started before he lifted the scythe and slide it across the table to the man. He didn't know what was going on, but he was honestly scared shitless because it seemed like another one of those times where nothing went right for any Winchester. He watched as Death picked up the scythe, inspected it, and with a wave of his hand, it disappeared. It took everything for Dean not to show any outward sign of how that reminded him of someone he'd once loved and then killed. He shook his head of thoughts on emerald eyes and messy black hair before opening his mouth.
"Give me one good reason why I should give you, my ring?" Death asks before Dean can let anything apart from his breath leave his mouth.
"To help stop Lucifer and put him back in his cage. Make this apocalypse end." Dean says wondering why it seems like there is something major he's missing.
"I know all that. I'm asking why I should specifically give you, my ring? Why should I give Dean Winchester, my ring to help with Lucifer?" Death asks as he brings a hand up to tap his fingers on the table.
Dean stares at Death and then the hand that wears the ring he's after. He definitely knows that he's missing something big with the venom he could hear in Death's words. He doesn't understand though why a horsemen would be speaking to him with such venom on seemingly such a personal affront though. Whatever is going on seems to indicate that he's done something that's angered Death enough that the anger has been festering for some time. He can't for the life of him figure out why or what it could be that he's apparently done to piss of Death. He knows he's never going to hear the end of it from Sam and Bobby if he manages to make it out of this alive. He continues to stare at Death in growing apprehension and confusion before he sees Death smirk and snap his fingers.
The door behind Dean opens and closes telling him that someone came in and is walking towards the booth he and Death occupy. As the person stops, he turns to them and feels his breath leave him. Dean stares into emerald eyes he's dreamed about for years after he watched the body, they are in die in his arms with the knife he'd stabbed the man with. He doesn't know what to think as he stares at the man he once loved (he refuses to acknowledge that he still mourns for him) stands next to Death staring at Dean without any trace of familiarity whatsoever. He startles as Death snaps his fingers and the scythe reappears in his hand.
"This was so kindly returned to us." Death says as he hands the man next to him the scythe.
"Is that so?" the man says as he takes the scythe in his hands, turning it over before snapping his own fingers and letting it disappear again. "So, what do you need me for?"
"Dean Winchester wants the ring so he can take care of Lucifer and end the apocalypse. However, he hasn't given me a good reason on why I should give it to him. What do you think, Harry?" Death states to the man, Harry, without ever taking his eyes off Dean.
Dean gulps as he tries to figure out what the fuck is going on. He remembers killing Harry, ignoring the part of him that still hurts and mourns what was lost due to that, but now he's staring at his ex as if it never happened at all. He doesn't know what happened, what's currently happening, but he knows that he's now doomed for sure. This really isn't good, and he curses thinking that he very likely is going to die.
"I see nothing's changed, not that that's all that surprising though. And Lucifer, is it? I'll be back." Harry says before disappearing.
Dean stares where Harry once stood before turning back to Death to now openly seeing the hostility that he could feel in Death's anger still very confused in how everything is connected.
"You hurt Harry and I'm still debating on whether I should just kill you now or let you continue to suffer until you finally die." Death states tapping his fingers on the table.
Dean gulps once again wondering what happened that Death is apparently fond of Harry and by Dean killing him upon discovering his magic, he's royally pissed off the horsemen. Before he can even think of a response of any kind apart from fear there's a pop next to the table where two bodies appear. Harry stands unruffled, while the body with him is sprawled on the floor, causing Dean to gape when he realizes that Lucifer is groaning on the ground.
"I will kill you." Lucifer says groaning as he pulls himself up to his feet.
Harry snorts as he moves to stand next to Death once more, crossing his arms in front of himself. He lets his eyes wander up and down as he looks at the man currently housing Lucifer not terribly impressed. "This is the one that attempted to summon you? For a fallen archangel he's pathetic."
Lucifer turns his head to sneer but stops and lets his eyes widen upon staring at Death and the man standing next to Death. He doesn't even spare a thought that Dean Winchester is sitting across from Death. His focus is entirely on the man that grabbed him and brought him here. "You're the Master of Death."
Dean starts at hearing that from Lucifer. He turns his own wide eyes to look at Harry. He vaguely remembers Sam and Bobby mentioning something about a Master of Death when they were researching runes and wards and such before Dean killed Harry. He's only starting to understand what that means for him and the fact that his ex that he killed for his magic, is standing alive in front of him and next to Death. Now he's definitely starting to understand why Death seemingly wants to kill him and the anger that is palpable. He's so fucked.
Harry doesn't respond to Lucifer, but instead lets his smile turn feral causing Lucifer to take a step back. Death sports an amused look as he looks between Lucifer and Harry before settling on a fond look to Harry. Dean hasn't taken his eyes off Harry since hearing the words Master of Death. Harry snaps his fingers, and the scythe appears once more in his hands. He turns it in his hand before fixing his stare on Lucifer.
"Thanks to Crowley, oh so kindly making sure that we got our scythe back, I could use it to take care of you. However, I think there's something even better that I could use. You attempted to summon my friend here to try and control him. That's not looking very good for you, is it? You wanted to use him to help you with your temper tantrum with your brother. I just can't allow that to happen. That would be very remise of me to do so." Harry says as he stalks forward to Lucifer who continued to step away from Harry as he spoke. "Now now, don't walk away when I'm still talking to you, that's very rude you know. Didn't your father ever teach you and your siblings any manners?"
Lucifer stares with horror as fingers are snapped causing the scythe to disappear and a blade to appear in its place. The horror increases when he realizes that that blade is his own that's to be used against him. He briefly thinks about how he turned Gabriel's own blade against him even though he really didn't want to kill his brother. His horror once again increases when he realizes that the Master of Death is directly in front of him, and he can't move or even leave. He always thought if he was actually going to die it would be due to his fight with Michael, not to the Master of Death that he apparently pissed off. He spares a glance to Dean Winchester who sits across from Death whose focus seems to not actually be on Lucifer but the one in front of him.
"I look forward to also taking care of Michael. Enjoy nothing Lucifer." Harry says smiling as he brings the blade to stab up into Lucifer's chest, straight to his vessels heart.
Dean covers his eyes with his arms as bright light leaks out of Lucifer as the blade strikes and stays wedged inside until there's no body. The blade doesn't clatter to the floor as Harry scoops it up, twirling it around before snapping his fingers and making it disappear. He walks back to the table as Dean settles his arms on the table and gulps when the piercing emerald eyes stare at him for all of a second before turning to Death.
"Well done, Harry. That was brilliant as always." Death says as the fond smile on his face grows.
"You make it seem like I'm constantly killing archangels. Though we do have Michael to go pay a visit to now. Maybe afterwards we should pay one to Crowley to thank him for returning us the scythe."
Dean feels a shiver down his spine as he stares at the feral smile that graces Harry's face again upon mentioning both Michael and Crowley. He doesn't even know what to say and do before he sees that Death is standing up from the table causing him to scramble up as well.
"I suppose I can let you live for now. Just know that the next time you and your brother die, it's permanent. I'd change career paths as I don't particularly want Harry to see you again so soon. I'd prefer if he never sees you again. Now let's go pay those visits Harry." Death says to Dean before turning to Harry.
Harry huffs out a breath before linking arms with Death and the two walk out of the restaurant. Dean stands there lost and surprised that he's still alive because he honestly thought Death was going to kill him.
-----------------------
Dean arrives back Bobby's still lost in head. He only vaguely goes through the motions as he steps into Bobby's house. He sits down on the couch staring into space before he is pulled out by Sam smacking him in the head.
"Did you get the ring or not?" Sam asks as he, Bobby, and Castiel look at Dean expectantly.
"No."
"No. No. What do you mean no you idjit?!" Bobby yells.
"I mean no I didn't get the ring from Death. I'm still trying to grapple with him not actually killing me like he wanted to." Dean says as he focuses once more on the three in front of him. "Lucifer is dead by the way. Michael and Crowley I'm pretty sure are about to be too. At least I think Crowley might be, not really sure there."
"What?" Sam and Bobby ask at the same time.
Castiel tilts his head looking at Dean. "What do you mean Lucifer is dead, Dean?"
"I mean Lucifer is dead. I watched him get ganked I think with his own blade right there in front of me and Death."
"What?!" Sam and Bobby once again exclaim at the same time.
"That's not possible is it Cas?" Sam asks then turning to Castiel who still has his head tilted as he stares at Dean.
"Who was all there at your meeting with Death, Dean?" Castiel asks as if he's starting to have some picture in his head.
Bobby and Sam turn to Castiel confused on what he's trying to say. Dean, however, thinks that Castiel knows what his answer is going to be.
"What are you trying to say Cas?" Sam asks starting to realize Castiel seems to know something him and Bobby don't.
"First it was just me and Death then someone else shows up, disappears and reappears with Lucifer and I find out it's the Master of Death apparently." Dean says trying to keep down the fact that the Master of Death is Harry Potter, his ex that he killed.
"The Master of Death." Sam and Bobby say before Bobby starts swearing out of nowhere.
"Bobby?" Sam asks confused but Dean thinks that Bobby connected that with when it came to Harry.
"You mean all those years ago, your boyfriend that you found out had magic and then had me help research so you could kill him, Harry Potter, is the Master of Death? You are the dumbest fucking idjit I have ever met Dean Winchester." Bobby says as he stares at Dean fuming.
"Wait, wait, what? Harry is the Master of Death? Dean what the fuck is going on?" Sam asks as he turns back to stare at Dean.
Dean, however, is looking at Castiel. Castiel who looks like he doesn't seem to know Dean anymore, which Dean has a feeling is going to end badly.
"How long ago did you know the Master of Death?"
"Castiel?" Sam asks as he seems to realize that the man actually looks bothered.
"Years ago. A couple before you showed up. He said something that stuck with me, and I realized he had magic. I got Sam and Bobby to help research so we could contain him somewhere and then I killed him. I injured him before I caught up and killed him. I burned the body afterwards and went on with my life, or so I acted like. Some part of me always hurt and feared what I did because I truly loved Harry. Then I see him in that restaurant with Death looking the same as he did before I killed him." Dean says as he stares up at the ceiling briefly before looking at Castiel.
Castiel doesn't say anything but shakes his head and disappears. Sam looks at him stunned while Bobby looks almost as angry as Death did when he walked into that restaurant. Castiel appears again and throws three books at Dean. Dean looks down at them and notices that they're similar to the ones used to research all those years ago but still different. Sam sits next to him as he also looks at the books.
"You are extremely lucky to be alive right now Dean. Death would have made sure you suffered for eternity if he had killed you." Castiel said as he stared at Dean. "I'm going to Heaven because it is very likely that Michael is already dead or about to be." Castiel says turning to Bobby before disappearing once more.
"Tomorrow you can leave. Right now, I want to kill you myself. Maybe someday I'll be able to look you in the face again but for now I can't. When you're done, leave my books on the desk in the study. Fucking idjit." Bobby says to Sam and Dean before heading outside.
Sam stares at Dean wide eyed. The two then turn to look down at the books before opening them up.
Later that night Dean is out on the porch with a bottle of alcohol he picked up on the way back from Death. He drinks straight from the bottle as he looks out at the salvage yard. He thinks to how him and Sam are probably going their own ways in the morning. Sam is rightly pissed at him just like Bobby, Castiel, and Death are. Reading those books that Bobby must've picked up after finding out about Harry makes him wonder how Bobby could look at the two, especially Dean, after everything happened if he did read them after getting them. He doesn't even want to look at himself in the mirror after reading those. The books all stated that they were as accurate as possible as any previous versions apparently only had what was falsely told to the public. One of them was even written by a friend of Harry's for fuck's sake. As Dean finishes the bottle, he wonders why Death let him walk away with his life when he should rightly have been killed. If he'd been in Death's position, he would have killed himself. He would've done exactly what he did to Harry to himself.