Brave and Crazy Part 2
OK Folks. So a while ago I posted the first part (and I'm talking a LONG time ago) to this story and have only recently been inspired to finish it. I wanted to get this done and out there before the season opener, and there will be a part three...which will be out before the premier. So yeah. Enjoy, Read and please Review. :D
Title: Brave and Crazy [pt. 2]
Rating: NC-17 (for language and violence)
Warnings: Character death (not permanant), Wincest, Language, Violence, Angst
Characters/Pairings: Sam/Dean, Bobby, Cross roads Demon, OCs
Summary: How far will Sam go to save Dean, and how far will Dean go to keep Sam from enduring his fate?
Sometimes I feel
Like an innocent one
To deserve this fate,
What have I ever done?
I know that I made all the rules
But time can even change,
the hopeless ways of fools,
I love you tonight,
Like I did yesterday,
I won't think of tomorrow
or the price I'll pay
"Come on Sam, they look good on you!"
"Dean you're crazy! They're women's!"
"Well so? If you look in any hip store now, you see the guys section looking a little more like the girl's section."
"That doesn't make up for the fact that you want to buy me women's sunglasses. I absolutely, positively refuse!"
"Sam, you gotta find some way to hide that cut," Dean snickered. "Besides, they look so fabulous with your hair."
Sam glared at him through the glasses, and lifted an eyebrow above the wretched things.
"See! Even that looks good."
"Ugh! I don't even know why I'm trying."
"So that's a yes, then?"
"You obviously have your mind set on this...freak."
Sam walked to the car, while a still smiling Dean paid the vendor for the glasses. Quickly, he looked to see if Dean was coming back yet, and pulled out a pocket mirror from his bag in the back seat. He looked at himself and smiled a little. The large frames with the slight tint of red, did look kind of good on him...not that he'd ever tell Dean that. Ever since the park, they'd been going places and doing things that people usually did in...pairs...like couples would do, Sam guessed. They didn't talk about it, but Sam knew it to be a mutual understanding that this was a relationship. At night, a second bed wasn't needed anymore. Once all the lights were off, so were all the bets. They could cuddle and kiss and grope...they hadn't progressed further than that, but Sam didn't care. He just learned to cherish every moment, every memory he had left to live out.
Don't mistake that for giving up. He still kept meticulous notes from what he'd learned about Tom. Especially what he'd learned about the woman he looked at walking away, before he'd died. His friends had described what little they could of her. Heigth, hair color, how she dressed. But they were also either stoners or bums. He'd even had to bribe one of them with food for information. Still he'd learned some things, and he wasn't giving up on the idea that they could beat this thing. He wasn't sure if it was the same demon who made Dean's deal, but if it was, he could make a plan to destroy her. Destroy her, and maybe it would destroy her deals. It was worth a shot.
Looking up at the sound of feet on pavement getting closer, Sam stared at Dean. Dean got in the car and stuck the keys into the ignition, and after wiping his brow to get rid of some of the sweat pooled there, he turned to look at his little brother before allowing himself to look a little lost.
"What?" he asked softly, questioning.
Sam just kept staring. It had been so easy for them to fall into this relationship...but Sam had to wonder if a storm wasn't on the horizon. There'd be moments, when he would look at Dean and his brother would look away guiltily, like he was ashamed. There would be times when he felt like leaning in for a kiss and Dean would stop him, with a slightly panicked look and a 'Dude, not here' on his lips. Times when he would cuddle into Dean and feel him go rigid for a few moments. Like a dog would, scared of being hit by it's owner.
"Nothing." Sam shook his head and let his hair fall over his eyes as he buckled his seatbelt. He wouldn't ruin this by thinking too much. Not when his happiness was so close. "Nothing at all." he whispered.
"Well then, let's get underway Sam. I know you still want to hit some sources today."
"Yeah...can we go back to the hotel though first?"
"Sure."
--
Once inside the room Sam slammed a very unsuspecting Dean up against the wall. While maintaining eye contact he reached over and slid the lock into place and then licked his lips. Dean's eyes were wide and his mouth in the shape of an 'O' finally understanding why Sam had wanted to come back. He let his head drop back against the wall and his eyes close with a hiss of his mouth while Sam pushed a thigh between his legs and shifted Dean wider.
"Sam....oh jesus, Sammy."
"Shut up."
Just like that, Sam's mouth was hot on Dean's. Teeth were bared, and saliva was exchanged...it wasn't pretty but it was real. It was hunger and passion and need, all in a sloppy lip lock. Sam's hips had been rythmically grinding against his brothers, and he could feel Dean's erection poking his leg as he did so. Due to the height difference he was sure his was poking into Dean's belly button, but he didn't much care right now. Friction tended to shut off a guys brain when it was applied in the right places.
He'd been giving this situation some previous thought, and Sam had decided he was ready to take the next step with Dean. Yeah they'd only technically been 'together' for a few days, but he'd felt the want for a lifetime. Felt like they should be fucking already, but didn't want to scare Dean. There were so many unknowns with this, but he couldn't truly care, not right now...not like this.
Suddenly, he felt Dean growl low in his throat, and it traveled through into Sam's mouth. They broke for air and Sam breathed in heavily. Dean still had his head propped back, eyebrows together in concentration, and mouth open and wet.
"Bed, Now." Sam ordered.
Dean really didn't have a choice, as he found himself being lifted up unceremoniously and thrown down onto the bed. He shuffled backwards, towards the headboard as Sam crawled slowly towards him, a smirk on his face.
"Sa--Sam."
"Hm?"
"What are you doing?"
"Just sit back, Dean. Sit back and relax."
"Sam will you tell me what's goin' on?"
"This."
Sam dove down to Dean's pants and he looked up while he undid Dean's belt with his teeth. Then he proceeded to do the same with his pants button and zipper. When his teeth had dragged down the cool metal piece, he grabbed a hold of Dean's pants and boxers on both sides and was about to yank them down, when rough callous hands stopped him.
"Sam."
There was no lust, or question in that tone. There was only reprehension, and Sam felt like a little boy for a second, like he had his hand in the cookie jar and Dean had just caught him.
"Yes, Dean?"
"You wanna tell me why you just tried to yank down my underwear?"
"Well I was kind of hoping that before I went to look into some more sources, we could mess around a little?" Sam responded, like a kid who knew he was about to get into trouble, trying to explain away a situation.
"Sam..." Dean let out an aggravated sigh.
"I just thought we were ready to take the next step is all..."
Dean peered at Sam like he just suggested they flap their arms and fly to the moon.
"Oh that's all? So you were just going to rip off my pants and have your way with me, and I wouldn't have any choice in the matter then?"
"Dean, you're making this too big of a deal, I just thought-"
"Well maybe you shouldn't just think. Maybe you should talk to me about things before you go and rip my pants off. It's called communication Sam."
That did it.
"What the fuck would you know about communication? You, walking around most of the time with a wall between yourself and the world, not showing even me how you feel unless I bug you about it. Yeah Dean, you're the poster child of communication."
"Screw you Sam!"
"I'm sure you would, but if I'm not good enough, I did see that vendor staring at you a little too much. Or would you freak out on her if she tried giving you a blow job too. I do think her chances might be better though, she does have the fact that she's not your brother going for her."
"What the fuck!" Dean pulled up his pants, and then ran his hands through his hair, giving off a frustrated sigh.
"How did this happen? How did we just get from hot and heavy to pissed off?" Sam asked after a moment. Lip trembling, he looked devastated.
"I...I don't know Sam."
"I was just going to give you a blow job...I thought...we might be ready."
Dean sighed, and then sat next to where his brother sat on his heels.
"Look Sam, I know we've been moving fast and stuff, but I don't think I'm ready for that yet."
small, meekly "But...I thought...you wanted to be with me."
"I do Sam!" Dean rushed to assure, "But I still need a little time ok? It's only been a couple days. This whole thing is still pretty new to me."
There was silence for a while, and Dean wondered what was going through his brother's mind. His stomach was boiling, twisting and turning like a pretzel, as he waited for Sam to say something...anything at all.
"Ok Dean. Yeah, sure." Sam sighed and got up. "Listen, I'm going to hit a few more sources. Maybe I'll catch you later."
With that, Sam was headed out the door. As soon as the door closed, Dean slammed a fist into the wall, baring his teeth as if fighting a nemesis.
"Shit."
He put his forehead against the wall and fell down onto the bed. Sam just didn't get it, and because he didn't try and understand what Dean wanted, he'd ended up getting hurt. Dean tried to slow his breathing and think about other things. No matter what though, he couldn't get the things his brother had been saying, out of his mind. He was right...Dean did put up a front. It wasn't like it was something he meant to do or even wanted to do. It was just the way he'd been brought up...conditioned to be emotionless, never showing anything, never giving an advantage to the opposition. When Sam had been about to pull down his pants, and expose him, he froze up. He knew what Sam wanted, and he wanted it too...but something inside of himself stopped anything from happening. Why couldn't he accept what was obviously a loving gesture from the man he loved? Maybe that was just it, he hadn't started thinking about Sam as a full time lover...still just his brother.
Dean sighed and got up. He needed to do something to get his mind off of this shit. Looking around the room he spotted the complimentary paper that had been delivered to their door this morning. Walking over to it, he undid the tie, and began to sift through the local happenings.
'Woman wins $20,000 in lottery' 'Governer promises more funding to public schools'
'Two more dissapear near Pire Place' 'Sewer System funding running low'
Dean read on about this 'Pire Place'. Apparantly teenagers had been going to a place somewhere secluded, a makeout hide away Dean suspected, and had been dissappearing rapidly in pairs and then reappearing with bite marks all over them. Of course most of them looked like love bites, but Dean suspected he knew why they called it 'Pire Place'. Vampires would be the most logical explanation. Simple. Dean would go in, stake the bastards while they slept, blow off some steam and be back at the motel in time for dinner.
Dean grabbed his keys and put on his boots. He smiled, his body already preparing for the upcoming fight.
Some very unlucky vampires were getting their asses staked tonight.
- -
Sam sighed as he put his red-tinted sunglasses on his face. He winced as they grazed the cut he got from being hit with the cross, and then he sighed heavily again before beginning to walk. What just happened with Dean, had so not gone how Sam had wanted it to. He didn't even understand what the problem was. Dean was always a sexmonger when it came to women...and maybe that's where the problem was. He didn't want Sam, he just wanted to make his little brother happy.
As the thought formed in his mind, bile scorched his throat. Sam stopped in the middle of the street and rushed to lean against a street lamp, his knees suddenly going weak. That was it! Dean didn't want to be in a relationship with Sam...he just wanted for Sam to be happy. It explained everything, the way Dean had just given in without arguing that night on the merri-go-round, and how he would look uncomfortable sometimes when they did stuff, and how it was just 'easier' for him to be with Sam when the lights were off. He probably imagined some whore he'd fucked in one of the millions of towns they'd been in.
Sam sniffed a little bit, and promised himself he wouldn't cry on the street in front of everyone. A new determination set in to find the demon, so that when he did kill her and break the deal, he could have the satisfaction of knowing that Dean Winchester would live to regret pretending this relationship. He got back up, brushed off his knees, and then set on towards his next source. The last person to see him before he gained his wealth, was his ex girlfriend. Someone named Linda. Reports described her as small, lithe, toned with a blonde head of hair, and green eyes to top it off with. She apparantly was a man-eater. Sam could understand why Tom might have dumped her.
He looked up from the pad of paper he held in his hand, detailing all the information from the police database, and saw the shabby looking appartment building in front of him. He shrugged to himself and then opened the door to the main office. He went up a few flights of stairs to the top until he circled around and then found appartment 1610. This was it...it was this lead or none. She was the last to see him, and she might know best what he had been up to. Slightly anxious, about who was going to open the door, he cautiously lifted his hand to knock. He didn't want a repeat of what he deemed 'The Barb Experience'. After a moment more, he silently shook his head and then went for it.
"Who is it?" Came a voice from inside. She sounded young, care free.
"Uh...I'm a journalist, and I was coming to ask a few questions about-"
"Tom?" She asked, opening the door. She eyed Sam with a smirk. "Figures."
Sam didn't know what she meant by that, but he waited anyway until she finished her appraisal.
"You're hot...in a geeky kind of way."
"Uh...Thanks. But as I was saying, I wanted to know if I could take some of your time to-"
"Whatever. Come in if you want." She cut him off again. "I'm Linda, by the way. In case you wanted to know for your...article."
"Fr- " He'd almost used the same alias with her as barb, but also deemed it a bad idea instead finishing with "-ed. I'm Fred."
"Well hello Fred. Like I said, come on in. Make yourself comfortable."
"Thank you. So..."
"Listen buddy, I don't have a lot of time for idle chit chat. I invited you in cause I wanted to get straight to the point, but if you're going to pussy foot around then I'll-"
"You were the last to see him."
She quirked her brow, but said nothing.
"You were the last person to see him before he gained his wealth. Is that right?"
"Oh that." She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I was. What about it?"
"Well I want to know if you know how he got his money. We'd gotten some leads down at the office saying he'd gotten it from relatives. Is that true?"
She snorted. "If my last name is Winfrey it's true."
Sam had no idea what her last name was...he hadn't bothered to take it down.
"It's not." She deadpanned.
"Oh. So do you know how he really did get the money?"
"All I know is, I followed him one night because I suspected he was cheating on me, and so he turns onto this deserted road right? And there's this chick there and she's all skanked out, like a real hooker you know? But she looked like one of those 'classier' ones...if those even exist. Anyway she was chatting him up and all the sudden they're making out like a couple of dogs in heat. Well in her case a bitc--"
"Yeah, I get the point...So did you ever happen to meet her by chance? Get a name?"
"Oh yeah, I invited her in for tea, and we chatted about Tom over crumpets and jam."
Sam held back the frustrated sigh he was about to heave.
"Well did you ever see her around him again? Recently?"
"You mean before he died? Yeah, almost all the time. He looked annoyed by just the sight of her. Kind of made me a little happy inside that he hated her now. Served his ass right."
"Do you remember...where, it was that you saw them meet up?"
"Past the wal-mart and the prison, down by the old VA, make a left and it should be right there...I think it was a --"
"Cross road."
"Um, yeah. How'd you know?"
"I'm just...familiar with the area." Sam lied.
"Well thank you for your time. If I have anymore questions, I'll stop by sometime."
"Or even if you just wanna play a little, because all work and no play makes Fred a square."
Sam faked a chuckle for the sake of it, and stepped out of the appartment. He knew where the bitch demon was likely to be now. She wouldn't come for Sam if he'd gone to the spot that Dean had sold his soul, so he was hoping she was still here from collecting on her deal with Tom. He would go to the cross roads with a bunch of fake stuff in a tin can and when she showed up, WHAM! She wouldn't know what hit her. Sam would be ready. For once he would be ready for her, and she would not win.
- -
"Mother FUCKER! WHY WON'T YOU DIE?"
"Because," the vampire currently sparring with Dean replied, "I'm already dead."
Dean lunged at it with a growl, and poised the hand he had a stake in. It was too quick though, and rolled around on the ground past him. It kicked the back of his knees and Dean fell with a thud. Thinking fast, he rolled to his side, just in time to see the vamp sink it's teeth into ground and howl in pain. Dean used this opportunity to attack. He scrambled up and then plunged the stake into the back of the vamp's chest. Again it screeched in pain, and Dean smirked in satisfaction.
"There's bound to be some splinters."
The vampire looked up, witheringly.
"You'll pay, hunter."
He grasped Dean's leg by the ankle and threw him against the cave's wall. Upon contact Dean heard the familiar crack of bone, and he knew instantly something was sprained...maybe broken, but the adrenaline was going too fast for him to really feel anything yet. Not even a moment later, the vampire was on top of Dean, and licking up his jaw line. Something Dean had gotten used to Sam doing, and he cringed at the wrongness of this situation.
"I am so going to enjoy this."
With that he bared his fangs, and the gleam in his eye grew fanatical.
Dean just smirked, and had the vampire not been so intent on killing Dean, he would have noticed. Instead he rushed forward, fully prepared to embed his fangs into the supple flesh of Dean's neck...but stopped just short of doing so, and let out an unnatural screech. Dean sat back and watched in fascination, as the vampire kept screeching in agony, and withering above him, then just as his comerades had; his body turned to dust and Dean spit it out and shook his head while still grasping the stake in his fist.
"So am I." Dean sighed.
Slowly, he tried to move and pain shot up through his left leg.
"Oh come on! Shit."
Dean grabbed one of the glowsticks from the package he had scattered on the ground while busting into the door. He checked for his phone and found that he had no signal.
"Fuck. Of course."
His thoughts turned to Sam. When the vampire had been licking his neck, he felt so wrong...not because it was a male doing it, or because it reminded him of Sam, but it felt like cheating. Dean kind of smiled at that a little. Maybe this wasn't going to be so hard. He already loved Sam, more than a brother, but then why had he freaked out so much when Sam tried to give him a blowjob?
Dean wondered if Sam was ok just now, and what he was doing. He sat there in the near-dark, just waiting...someone had to find him. What if Sam needed him? What if one of his sources had gotten rough again? Dean's body began to itch, and his brow was now sporting more than a light sweat. Shit Sammy, come on...find me little bro. Use those freaky mind powers of yours and find me...please...
- -
Looking left, and then looking right down the hall one more time, Sam saw that no one was there...still. For the past five minutes he'd been standing in front of his and Dean's motel room and wondering what was going to happen when he went in there. He sighed and shook his head. It didn't really matter, he had a job to do. He had to get the key's to the impala, and get some supplies from the trunk.
Finally, just deciding to get it over with, Sam used his key and opened up the door. He looked around and where he expected Dean to be sitting he wasn't. Sam looked in the bathroom and didn't see anything there either. Panic slowly starting to rise within him, he went over to the table, where he noticed the keys weren't there. His hands fumbled around the table, skewing up order-in menus, and hotel brochures, searching for a note Dean might have left him.
In frustration he flipped the table over.
"God damn it!"
He rubbed his hands over his eyes and then saw something on the ground, near where the table had landed on it's side. Sam pushed a chair out of the way and picked up the paper. Suddenly he doubled over in pain and his head felt like someone was pushing a needle into it, and injecting liquid.
Sam could see darkness...and an eerie light emanating from the ground around him. His vision flashed and he saw stalactites and heard dripping water. He dropped the paper and the vision ended. Breathing heavily, he sat back against the bed. Jumping into action he fished out his laptop and sat on the bed, not trusting the newspaper, he pulled up a map of the surrounding area, and searched for caves within 50 miles of the hotel room. Locating one particular place of interest he searched it in the news, double confirming that Dean must've went on a hunt.
"Pire Place...dissapearances?...Dean!"
Wasting no time, Sam turned on his phone, and called a cab. Then he remembered that the last time he renewed their phone service, he had the GPS trackers installed so that they would be able to find each other in situations like these. Normally he wouldn't have thought about it, but he didn't have the guts to get the impala low-jacked. Dean might have had his head.
Seeing the cab pull into view he ran to it and yanked open the door, sliding across the seat.
"Pire Place, and go as fast as you possibly can, please it's a matter of life and death!"
--
"Dean! DEAN?!"
Barely concious Dean groaned. Sammy must've heard it because the next thing he knew, large hands were cupping his face.
"Come on Dean, come on. Stay awake!" Sam began slapping the side of his brother's face repeatedly.
"Sammy...stop it...ungh."
"Oh thank god! Do you know how fucking worried I was? Do you know how dangerous it was for you to fucking go out on your on like that? Did you even think how terrif-"
"Sam..." Dean cut in weakly, opening his eyes, and fighting to keep them that way.
"Yes, Dean? I'm here." Sam replied softly, all anger leaving his voice.
"Lay off me alright? Just get me back to the hotel and you can lay it on me then."
"Alright...but don't think you're off the hook."
"Yes mother.." came Dean's bland reply.
Sam lifted Dean up and supported him on his shoulder. Slowly he helped Dean limp to the impala, his head lolling the whole way. Carefully as he could, Sam placed Dean in the front seat and then buckled him in. After, he ran to the other side of the car and got into the drivers seat.
"It's going to be ok Dean, I'll take care of you."
"mmm.."
Dean had his head resting against the back of the seat, and his leg stretched carefully outwards.
Sam looked over, and had to wipe his eyes, to keep his vision from blurring.
He turned the ignition, and stopped.
"Stupid asshole." he muttered through his tears, reaching over and caressing his cheek.
- -
"Fuck, be careful!"
"Well we wouldn't be in this situation if you hadn't have gone off on your own, now would we?"
"Sam." Dean replied warningly.
"What? You said I could lay it on you once we were back at the hotel. And we are, if you didn't notice."
"Look, just drop it alright? I'm sorry, but I was looking through the paper and I saw the opportunity and I took it."
"And what if I hadn't gotten to you in time? What if you had been severly injured? What if they turned you huh Dean? Did you think about what it would be like if I had to kill you?"
"You know I'm better than that. I've been hunting for-"
"I don't give a FLYING FUCK about how long you've been hunting, this is about your LIFE damn it!"
"Hunting IS my life! It's what I do, it's all that I have!"
"You have me." Sam replied, quietly but defiantly.
Dean just looked away, and laid his head back against the headboard.
He heard Sam sigh, and then footsteps walking away. Immediatly his head snapped forward, and Sam looked back at him.
"I'm going to go see if the front office has a first aid kit. I'll be back in a few minutes."
Dean stared at the door for a few moments after Sam had gone through. He slumped back and looked at the ceiling instead, just waiting for Sam to come back. There was a little voice in the back of his head, telling him that Sam might not come back. That what he had done was stupid, and maybe Sam had realized that he was better off without Dean.
That little voice materialized.
"Well well well, what do we have here? Dean Winchester, sad and alone."
His body tried to jump into action, but his leg screamed in protest.
"Don't bother trying to get up, pet." The cross roads Demon said. "You'll only make things worse for yourself."
"What do you want, you bitch? My time's not up yet."
"Tsk, Tsk Dean. Didn't your mother teach you to respect those who hold the contracts on your soul? Oh wait that's right, she never got the chance. You know, with being burned alive and all."
Dean had to stop himself from completely losing it, knowing it wouldn't do any good.
"What do you want?"
"Oh I already have what I want. I'm just paying you a little visit."
"Why?"
"You're doing something I specifically asked you not to."
"And that would be?"
"You're trying to get out of your deal Dean. Now what did I say about doing that, pet?"
Dean's eyes widened and darted towards the door.
"But...I'm not...I'm not trying to get out of the deal."
"No, but Sam is, and you know that he is. And you're not stopping him. Which is technically trying to find a way out of the deal."
"But I can't stop Sam. I can't just tell him to stop."
"That's a lie Dean. I've been watching you. I know exactly what you've been doing. Something tells me you could find a way to...persuade...him. And we both know the cost if you don't. After all, we sealed it with a kiss."
The cross roads demon leaned down for a kiss, and Dean turned his head, so that her lips landed on his cheek. She cackled loudly.
"He's only with you because he's lonely. You're all he has Dean. But if he had the chance he'd be right back at Stanford, probably under a tree with Jess somewhere, nibbling on an apple and reading a book while she fell asleep on his shoulder."
Dean choked, and he could see the image clearly in his head.
"He wanted that so much. And then you came and took it away from him. He'll leave you eventually, you know." She said, getting up from her position above him over the bed, and looking sadly towards the door. "He'll get bored with you, or frustrated with your stupidity and he'll leave." She snapped her fingers, "Just like that."
With the snap of her fingers, and the last of her words she disappeared, just as Sam opened the door again this time carrying a first aid kit.
"Ok, they had one but it's got limited supplies, we'll have to go with what we have."
Sam went over to the bed, and started unlacing Dean's shoes, after that he removed his socks.
"Can you move your toes?"
Dean shrugged and then watched as his own toes moved a little at a time. It was painful, but he could do it.
"Ok, then you're fine...I think you might've just sprained your ankle. Lucky for you."
"Just hurry up, will you?" Dean replied curtly and lay his head back on the headboard.
"You're really layin it on thick aren't you? I just saved your ass, and all because you got stupid."
"Ok Sam!" The nerve in Dean's jaw flared that told Sam he was treading on thin ice. "Just drop it...I have enough to deal with."
"YOU? Well Dean, that's nice. You get to sit around while I do all the dirty work, yeah that's tough."
"Sam..."
"No, you know what? I've had it! I'm trying to save you here Dean! I could use a little bit of your help. It's not easy starting from where I am, so late in the game. But if you hadn't been so stubborn in the first place you would've just let me die!"
"Yeah Sammy, and live without you the rest of my life? I don't think so."
"I don't care anymore Dean! You don't even know anything about how I feel do you?"
Stabs of fear pierced Dean. He knew Sam was hiding something, he'd known it, and that's why he didn't want things with Sam to start.
Sam had unshed tears pooling in his eyes, and his bangs fell around his face, hanging loosely like curtains.
"Why don't you just admit what you're really trying to do, Dean? You're trying to sabotage my efforts of saving you, by saying you're in love with me. You wanted me to be happy this last year you had and so you played part of 'silently-suffering-brother' perfectly. Convincing me that this is what you wanted. That you loved me like I loved you when in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Isn't that right? Isn't it?" Sam demanded.
All Dean was capable of doing was staring at his brother as if he'd grown two heads.
"I thought so."
Sam turned to leave.
"SAM! Wait! Look that's not what's been happening at all, where in all hell did you get that idea?"
Sam refused to answer.
"Look, I don't know what's going on in your head right now but I can tell you it's completely wrong. I do love you Sam. I love you with all my heart, but if this is what's going to keep happening to us, then I don't know if I can do this."
"You're leaving?" Sam's voice was laced with fear, and his eyes were widened.
"If you keep freaking out on me! It seems like I can't do anything right anymore. If you think this is hard for you, then think about what it's like for me. I'm going to fucking hell in less than a year Sam. Do you know how fucking terrified I am? But all I have to do is remember the reason I did it, and sometimes then I think it's not so bad. You know?"
Silence met Dean's question, and he could see the hurt in his baby brother's eyes.
Dean sighed and closed his eyes before looking back up at Sam and hobbling off the bed, heading for the door.
'He'll leave eventually you know.' 'He'll get bored with you, or frustrated with your stupidity.'
'Something tells me you could find a way to...persuade...him. After all we both know the costs if you don't.'
The words resounded in Dean's mind as he looked at Sam. He was doing the right thing. He had to push Sam away, or he would die along with him. All would be for nothing.
"I don't think we should be around each other right now Sam. I'm heading somewhere safe. I'll call if I need something."
With that Dean hobbled out the door, and closed it.
And even though he knew he shouldn't, he waited for Sam to come after him.
When he didn't, Dean knew he'd done what he had to.
It didn't make it hurt any less.
- * -
Your love was here
but now it's gone,
and your eyes no longer want me
and now I can't
hold back the dawn
and the truth that seems to haunt me
Light was the first thing that registered brightly in Sam's eyes as his head peaked out from under the rough covers. Morning had come and gone, giving way to the warmth and brightness of afternoon.
Sam groaned and kicked off the smoke-stained sheets and looked at the clock, and then again after wiping sleep out of his eyes. 12:00. It was noon on the dot. Sam had been sleeping for 12 hours.
A flood of guilt washed over him as he replayed events of yesterday in his mind. All those things he said...he couldn't stop them from leaving his mouth. All he could feel lately was anger, guilt, frustration and worry. Even when he could find moments of love with Dean, they never took his mind off of what was the inevitable. He'd been trying to save Dean, and he still felt like he was on square one. Still felt like he had lead in his body, stopping him from reaching the finish line.
What was worse, was the finish line was drawing closer for his brother, and he could do nothing to stop his speed.
After a few more moments, Sam thought about everything he'd learned. There were confirmations from family members and friends alike that the 'strange woman' was not of a worldly nature. He'd gotten her last known whereabouts from whatever her name was. Sam didn't care. So all he had to do, was pack up...er...a cab and go down to the cross roads. Once there he could kick demon ass and then go find Dean.
No matter what, he couldn't lose Dean. Especially not over this.
- -
After getting a quick shower, and all the supplies he found left in the room which included John's book, he headed down to the street corner and hailed a cab. The driver was a fat and balding man, with sweat dripping down his forehead, and staining his shirt.
Sam told him the directions, and made sure to let him know it was a matter of urgency. He'd gathered the little tin box of items he'd need, and now all he needed to do was get there.
Sam may have noticed all this about the cab driver, but what he missed, was the tint of black that flashed briefly in his eyes, and the small smirk that graced his lips as he pulled out of the parking place.
- -
The road looked like any other when they got there. A regular cross roads, to anyone else, but to Sam it was his destiny. It was here that he would have to stop the demon or lose his brother, an option Sam didn't even take into consideration.
grabbing a twenty out of his bag, Sam climbed out and waited for the window to roll down so he could give the cabby his money. When that didn't happen, Sam leaned in closer to the window to peer in, and then knock on the window. As soon as he lowered his head, the door flung open, knocking him on his feet and leaving a huge gash in his forehead.
"Christo" Sam muttered and tried to clamber away. He heard the demon yelp, and then it was back after him again.
Sam kept chanting the word over, like an animal backed into a corner, it was his only weapon.
"Christo, Christo, Christo."
Sam finally was able to see through the haze of pain in his head, and looked up where the Demon stood over him, the red fully in view now and the smirk still in place.
"Sam, Sam, Sam. I'm ashamed of you. I thought you could do better."
Sam spit near the demons foot, and all he did was chuckle.
"You should've known better Sammy. I was there all along. The elderly woman, the slut Tom used to be with. I really was rooting for you, but here we are. And you can't even do anything to stop me. I could kill you, right now. But I can think of so many sweeter things. So I'm going to preserve you. And then when it's time for your brother to die, you'll watch."
Sam fought as a glass case flew up from the ground and surrounded him. He would not be able to get out, it was thick.
"The one thing you were supposed to do that would change both of your lives for ever...your one chance to be his protector, and you failed." She laughed. "Your pathetic."
With the image of her waving goodbye as he sunk slowly back in to the ground in the glass prison blazed into his eyelids he swore the next time he saw her, she would die.
- -
He said there is a love
that is so hideous and destructive
we must drive it from earth to save all of our children
He must know it well in the night it's the hell that he speaks of
that keeps him awake, it keeps him awake.
20 days, 12 hours, 45 minutes, 30 seconds
"Bobby." Dean's voice was gruff, more tired and worn than the last time Bobby had heard it.
"Dean."
"Listen, I don't have a lot of time," Dean rolled his eyes at his own choice of words, "but I can't find Sam."
Dean predicted Bobby's sigh before he heard it across the line, and wondered if Sam wasn't the only one with this freaky psychic deal going on.
"What happened this time?"
"We got into an argument. I haven't seen him since, but it ain't for lack of trying on my part."
"Boy, when are you going to get it through your thick head that you're not the only one that's hurtin?"
"Bobby, scorn me later, focus now. Sammy, gone. I think somethings happened. Have you heard from him?"
"Nope. But I was expecting to."
"You mean, he arranged to come see you?"
"Well no, but I figured he was going to come and ask for help breaking your deal. He never showed."
Dean rubbed his hands over tired eyes, raw and aching due to lack of sleep, and placed his hands back on the wheel, sighing deeply.
"He might've gotten into some trouble...I don't know. But something tells me it has to do with the demon."
"The cross roads demon?"
Dean wanted to reach through the phone and smack him, but he refrained, instead gritting out through clenched teeth, "Yes."
"Well couldn't he have just gone somewhere to brood? We both know how much that boy likes to do that."
For the first time in what felt like forever Dean laughed. He honest to God laughed. He wished he could savor these moments. Fold them up and lock them away in some corner for later use, when nothing else could save his sanity, moments like these could. He could unlock, and unfold them and review them and then store them away for use at a later time.
"No, I don't think that even with a situation like ours, this amount of brooding is within his tolerance levels. Besides, Sam was never good at covering his tracks. At least not to me. I could track that boy ten ways from sunday, blindfolded and while hopping on one foot."
"I'm sorry I can't be of more help Dean, but I haven't seen him."
"Do you know anyone who can find him?"
Dean had already mentally checked off Ansem and Andy. And some of the other 'Children' they had met along their journey. Wishing now, for just a second that there was ONE of them that could have stayed alive.
"No. I could do some research. But it's a far stretch Dean, whoever it is might not want to help you, no matter how you beg for it."
"Just do it. Search for anyone within the surrounding states that had a mother die in a freak fire, and all that. You can brief me when I get there."
"Alright," Bobby replied tiredly, "But Dean. Did you ever stop to consider that maybe Sam-"
"Don't Bobby. If you know what's good for you, you won't finish that sentence."
------
"What've you got?"
"One case Dean, and it just barely fits."
"What do you mean? Either they fit or they don't."
"I don't know. There's no indication that their abilities are even there. For all we know it's a coincidence."
"You'd know if it was a coincidence Bobby."
"Maybe."
"Just give me the directions."
"There's just one thing. I couldn't find anyone in the neighboring states. It's farther up North than you have time for, on a gamble. You'll lose days Dean."
"If I don't do this, then I'll lose Sammy." Dean replied, desperation clawing out into his words. "At this point, I'll take what I can get."
-----
Dean grew skeptical of his plan as he drove up the gravel path to the beaten shack. He didn't know if it was possible for someone to survive in this place, and he thought about rechecking the directions, just another time to be sure. As he stepped out of the Impala, he thought back to all the crappy places he and Sam had to endure, and thought that maybe it wasn't so impossible for someone to live there.
He patted the back of his jeans where a gun and some holy water lay holstered, and then proceeded up the steps of the house. The air smelled of dust, and the heat of the day bore down on Dean like it was trying to bake him alive. Dean hated dust. He hated the way it smelled, and the way it tasted if it blew into your mouth, which it most often did, and he hated the way it covered every surface of a motel room if it hadn't been used for a while, or a house they visited on a case.
Wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve, he walked the last few paces to reach the door and then poised his hand to knock, stopping just short of doing so. He felt a little silly. Should he knock? He didn't know. What does one say to someone who might or might not know they have special abilities, and is the key to helping you find your lost (kidnapped) brother?
Sighing frustratedly, Dean knocked twice, curtly and politely and stepped back waiting for any sign of life to erupt from the structure. When none did, Dean presumed it safe to go in. And by go in, he meant kicking the door down and raising hell.
"Hello?" Dean called out. "Is anyone here?"
He looked left and then right, proceeding through each room of the lower level. It looked to be an old fashioned house, with a sitting room and a kitchen and dining room, and the rest of everything being upstairs.
"Hello? Is anyone there? I'm not going to hurt you!"
Like lightening Dean was up against the wall and gasping for breath, his hands grabbing panicingly at his invisible attacker.
"Its not my safety you should be worrying about."
A boy. It was a young boy's voice that said it. Dean sized up the bastard as he stepped into the room, directly in front of Dean's view. He was tall...just a little bit shorter than Sam, but still had the look of lost innocence. Like the world had forced him to grow up faster than he should have, and Dean couldn't help but soften at that. He knew what that whole wrap was all about. He wore raggedy clothes and his hair was a blonde mop of shaggy chaos.
"Stop, please...Can't breathe." Dean gritted out.
"Give me one good reason."
Dean was still grabbing at his throat, and just stared at the boy.
"Because...I...know what...it's like."
Just as suddenly as he'd been snatched up, Dean felt himself slide against the wall and down to the ground, freedom finally won and allowance to breathe gained. He took a couple of moments to just gulp the air before looking up at the boy.
"Nathan." He supplied.
"Dean. Dean Winchester. I'd say hello but..."
Nathan allowed a small smile.
"You said you knew what it was like. I've never heard that one before. Usually it's all 'Please,' and 'Don't do this'."
"Yeah well," Dean stood up nervously, rubbing the back of his neck, "People tend to grasp for straws when they think they're going to die."
Nathan regarded him with cool, calculating eyes. "What do you want?"
"I...This is going to sound crazy..."
Nathan snorted. "Try me."
"I need you to help me find my brother."
Nathan lifted a curious eyebrow.
"He was taken, I think, by a demon. I need you to track him for me. Some way, some how."
"Woah, woah wait. Demon?"
Dean smirked. The kid may be well versed in the world for his age, but he didn't know everything.
"Yeah kid. Demon...and one of the fuckers took my little brother. So I need your help. I know all about your ability, and if you can help me in any way, I'll find a way to repay you."
"First of all, it's Nathan. And second of all, even if Demons did exist, and they kidnapped your brother why do you care? I used to have a brother. Pain in the ass if you ask me. Right up until the very day my family left me here to die. Turns out not everyone is so accepting of this little 'ability'. A 'gift' it had been called by some. A curse. That's what this is."
"Well you seem to have gotten control over it."
"Some. It happens when you have a lot of time on your hands."
"Will you help me?"
A pause.
"I could kill you. I could do so many things to you. Melt your tiny little brain into puddy. And yet you came here...to find your brother of all things."
Nathan let out a bitter laugh.
"All my life, all I've ever gotten is rejection. My parents didn't want me, and the foster system was a joke. I've never even really had a real friend before."
"Kid...Nathan. It sounds like you've had a hard life. I know you don't want to hear this, but I know what you're going through. Maybe not exactly but I can get a general feeling. My mom died when I was a kid. She was pinned to a cieling and burned alive, and since then, it's been a life of living in shitty motels on the road with my brother and father. That's the only life I've ever known. It's the only thing I've got. My brother, he used to want this normal life, complete with the two story house, the wife, and 2.5 kids. But that was taken from him, and I had to drag him away from that dream. Since then he's learned to deal with the fact that this shitty life? It's ours, and ours to keep, but still he found a little peace, and Nate? If there's any way you can help me get him back, then you'd be welcome in our company any time you like."
"I don't want your pity."
"I didn't offer it to you."
Nathan looked at Dean speculatively and then shook his head, sighing.
"Do you have something of his? Something personal?"
"Well..I...I don't think so. He kind of took off, and took his things."
Nathan looked thoughtful for a moment. He bent over and pulled a small penknife from his boot. He went nearer to Dean, and Dean automatically went into a defensive stance.
"What are you doin kid?"
"I told you, it's Nathan!"
"Ok, Nathan, What are you doing?"
"You may not have one of his personal items but you do have something of his."
"Huh?"
Nathan grabbed Dean's hand and cut a small gash into the palm of his hand and encircled it with his own hands. Before leaning his head back and closing his eyes, he whispered.
"You have his blood."
-----
"Bobby, I've found him."
"It worked?"
"Yeah, he's at a crossroads somewhere in Texas. Christ Bobby, he's been there since god-knows-when."
"What do you mean? How is it that he's been there? You don't mean to tell me he died?"
"No Bobby. I'm guessing the cross roads bitch has him trapped there somehow. Look all I know is, Sammy's out there, and I gotta get to him."
------
Dean jumped out of the impala before he even turned off the ingition, scrambling out of the door and over to the middle of the cross road. He looked everywhere for Sam. Some sign that he had even been there.
"Come on. SAM! SAMMY!"
"SAM! SAMMY!" A voice mocked behind him, and then cackled at his side. "Oh Dean. I wish I could keep you around. Your entertainment value is almost worth your soul...almost."
"What did you do to him you bitch. I swear to God, if you hurt one hair on his head-"
"You'll what? Kill me? Exorcise me? Always a fighter Dean. Even when you know it's too late."
"Where is he." Dean ground out, wanting to hit her, knowing it would do no good.
"Oh he's...around." She grinned maniacly at that. With a snap of her fingers Sam's underground prison rose from the dirt, and Sam's figure could be made out curled up on the floor, clutching his sides.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Dean rushed over to the glass prison and banged on it, with all his might. The glass didn't give, one tiny inch.
"I wanted you to see Dean. I wanted you to see that I keep my deals when I make them. This way you'll know Sammy is alive and well before you go, and he'll know that I always keep my end of my deals."
"Sammy! God, no. Anything but that. Shit. SAM!"
"Plead all you want Dean. But I told you. You can't fight this. It's time."
"What? No. That's not right. I have time left. You're mistaken."
"Dean." She drawled, "Your soul is one worthy catch down there it seems," her eyes point south. "And I've been waiting to collect my bounty the moment we sealed the deal. Remember Dean?"
Dean grimaced and looked over to Sam's case, where Sam was now looking at the two of them. He was saying something Dean couldn't hear, but could tell by the formation of the mouth that he was apologizing.
"Sammy wasn't there Dean. We should show him, how it's done. How you and I seal deals."
She was tracing patterns on his back, and walking slowly around him as she spoke, and then she jerked her head towards his and invaded his mouth with her tongue. It was an intrusion. An infringement upon his personal freedoms, freedoms he no longer had. He was an owned man, still it didn't mean he was going to go quietly.
Dean shoved her head into the glass and pushed her away from him, spitting on her form before taking a couple of steps back.
She just laughed and brushed herself off while getting up off the ground.
"It doesn't matter what you do to me Dean. You can throw all the temper tantrums you want, but you're still mine. Two minutes and counting."
"But that's not right! I have more time!"
"Do you Dean? Let's see. You drove to Bobby's, then a couple of states....four actually, up north, and then back here. I'd say that took up about 19 of your days Dean. 20 by midnight." With that she winked. "I'd say that means I've given you as much time as I said I would."
Dean looked at his watch. She was right. He closed his eyes and repressed a shudder. For the first time considering bawling in front of a demon. He looked over at Sam and fell to his knees, crawling over to the case. He had about one minute left to say all he needed to, and then it was go time. Unshed tears blurred his vision as the dirt scraped his knees, and all of that didn't matter one bit. What mattered was Sam. Sam being here, Sam being with him when it happened. With Sam there he couldn't forget the reason why he did this. With Sam there he could endure a thousand eternities in hell.
"Sammy..." Dean stopped, not trusting his voice. But he had things to say. And so little time. "Sam. I love you. I need you to know that, Sam. I need you to know that no matter how selfish I've been about this, I only ever did it for you. Don't forget. Don't you ever forget."
Dean banged his head against the glass as he saw Sam shatter before him. His body screaming for Dean to help him, break the glass, free him so they can be together, hold eachother one last time. Sam's screams of agony could be heard through the glass, and Dean had to wonder if he'd heard a word he just said.
Sam's body was pressed up against the glass, when it happened. The first sign was his eyes going wide, and his body tumbling backwards, as if struck. He didn't even have time to look back before he felt their bite at his ankles. He heard more than saw a portal being opened up, and knew the hellhounds had come for their meal. He didn't fight, had no time for that, he just looked at Sam, hoping he realized why. And as he was being dragged across the dirt, he looked into his eyes, and he smiled. An old reflex, a gesture, to protect Sam from the pain.
I did this knowingly little brother. I did it for you.
And I'd do it again.
- - -
Part 3
A/N: So...THERE WILL BE A THIRD PART! IT WILL BE OUT BEFORE THURSDAY. Thanks.
-fanfic_addict04-
Title: Brave and Crazy [pt. 2]
Rating: NC-17 (for language and violence)
Warnings: Character death (not permanant), Wincest, Language, Violence, Angst
Characters/Pairings: Sam/Dean, Bobby, Cross roads Demon, OCs
Summary: How far will Sam go to save Dean, and how far will Dean go to keep Sam from enduring his fate?
Sometimes I feel
Like an innocent one
To deserve this fate,
What have I ever done?
I know that I made all the rules
But time can even change,
the hopeless ways of fools,
I love you tonight,
Like I did yesterday,
I won't think of tomorrow
or the price I'll pay
"Come on Sam, they look good on you!"
"Dean you're crazy! They're women's!"
"Well so? If you look in any hip store now, you see the guys section looking a little more like the girl's section."
"That doesn't make up for the fact that you want to buy me women's sunglasses. I absolutely, positively refuse!"
"Sam, you gotta find some way to hide that cut," Dean snickered. "Besides, they look so fabulous with your hair."
Sam glared at him through the glasses, and lifted an eyebrow above the wretched things.
"See! Even that looks good."
"Ugh! I don't even know why I'm trying."
"So that's a yes, then?"
"You obviously have your mind set on this...freak."
Sam walked to the car, while a still smiling Dean paid the vendor for the glasses. Quickly, he looked to see if Dean was coming back yet, and pulled out a pocket mirror from his bag in the back seat. He looked at himself and smiled a little. The large frames with the slight tint of red, did look kind of good on him...not that he'd ever tell Dean that. Ever since the park, they'd been going places and doing things that people usually did in...pairs...like couples would do, Sam guessed. They didn't talk about it, but Sam knew it to be a mutual understanding that this was a relationship. At night, a second bed wasn't needed anymore. Once all the lights were off, so were all the bets. They could cuddle and kiss and grope...they hadn't progressed further than that, but Sam didn't care. He just learned to cherish every moment, every memory he had left to live out.
Don't mistake that for giving up. He still kept meticulous notes from what he'd learned about Tom. Especially what he'd learned about the woman he looked at walking away, before he'd died. His friends had described what little they could of her. Heigth, hair color, how she dressed. But they were also either stoners or bums. He'd even had to bribe one of them with food for information. Still he'd learned some things, and he wasn't giving up on the idea that they could beat this thing. He wasn't sure if it was the same demon who made Dean's deal, but if it was, he could make a plan to destroy her. Destroy her, and maybe it would destroy her deals. It was worth a shot.
Looking up at the sound of feet on pavement getting closer, Sam stared at Dean. Dean got in the car and stuck the keys into the ignition, and after wiping his brow to get rid of some of the sweat pooled there, he turned to look at his little brother before allowing himself to look a little lost.
"What?" he asked softly, questioning.
Sam just kept staring. It had been so easy for them to fall into this relationship...but Sam had to wonder if a storm wasn't on the horizon. There'd be moments, when he would look at Dean and his brother would look away guiltily, like he was ashamed. There would be times when he felt like leaning in for a kiss and Dean would stop him, with a slightly panicked look and a 'Dude, not here' on his lips. Times when he would cuddle into Dean and feel him go rigid for a few moments. Like a dog would, scared of being hit by it's owner.
"Nothing." Sam shook his head and let his hair fall over his eyes as he buckled his seatbelt. He wouldn't ruin this by thinking too much. Not when his happiness was so close. "Nothing at all." he whispered.
"Well then, let's get underway Sam. I know you still want to hit some sources today."
"Yeah...can we go back to the hotel though first?"
"Sure."
--
Once inside the room Sam slammed a very unsuspecting Dean up against the wall. While maintaining eye contact he reached over and slid the lock into place and then licked his lips. Dean's eyes were wide and his mouth in the shape of an 'O' finally understanding why Sam had wanted to come back. He let his head drop back against the wall and his eyes close with a hiss of his mouth while Sam pushed a thigh between his legs and shifted Dean wider.
"Sam....oh jesus, Sammy."
"Shut up."
Just like that, Sam's mouth was hot on Dean's. Teeth were bared, and saliva was exchanged...it wasn't pretty but it was real. It was hunger and passion and need, all in a sloppy lip lock. Sam's hips had been rythmically grinding against his brothers, and he could feel Dean's erection poking his leg as he did so. Due to the height difference he was sure his was poking into Dean's belly button, but he didn't much care right now. Friction tended to shut off a guys brain when it was applied in the right places.
He'd been giving this situation some previous thought, and Sam had decided he was ready to take the next step with Dean. Yeah they'd only technically been 'together' for a few days, but he'd felt the want for a lifetime. Felt like they should be fucking already, but didn't want to scare Dean. There were so many unknowns with this, but he couldn't truly care, not right now...not like this.
Suddenly, he felt Dean growl low in his throat, and it traveled through into Sam's mouth. They broke for air and Sam breathed in heavily. Dean still had his head propped back, eyebrows together in concentration, and mouth open and wet.
"Bed, Now." Sam ordered.
Dean really didn't have a choice, as he found himself being lifted up unceremoniously and thrown down onto the bed. He shuffled backwards, towards the headboard as Sam crawled slowly towards him, a smirk on his face.
"Sa--Sam."
"Hm?"
"What are you doing?"
"Just sit back, Dean. Sit back and relax."
"Sam will you tell me what's goin' on?"
"This."
Sam dove down to Dean's pants and he looked up while he undid Dean's belt with his teeth. Then he proceeded to do the same with his pants button and zipper. When his teeth had dragged down the cool metal piece, he grabbed a hold of Dean's pants and boxers on both sides and was about to yank them down, when rough callous hands stopped him.
"Sam."
There was no lust, or question in that tone. There was only reprehension, and Sam felt like a little boy for a second, like he had his hand in the cookie jar and Dean had just caught him.
"Yes, Dean?"
"You wanna tell me why you just tried to yank down my underwear?"
"Well I was kind of hoping that before I went to look into some more sources, we could mess around a little?" Sam responded, like a kid who knew he was about to get into trouble, trying to explain away a situation.
"Sam..." Dean let out an aggravated sigh.
"I just thought we were ready to take the next step is all..."
Dean peered at Sam like he just suggested they flap their arms and fly to the moon.
"Oh that's all? So you were just going to rip off my pants and have your way with me, and I wouldn't have any choice in the matter then?"
"Dean, you're making this too big of a deal, I just thought-"
"Well maybe you shouldn't just think. Maybe you should talk to me about things before you go and rip my pants off. It's called communication Sam."
That did it.
"What the fuck would you know about communication? You, walking around most of the time with a wall between yourself and the world, not showing even me how you feel unless I bug you about it. Yeah Dean, you're the poster child of communication."
"Screw you Sam!"
"I'm sure you would, but if I'm not good enough, I did see that vendor staring at you a little too much. Or would you freak out on her if she tried giving you a blow job too. I do think her chances might be better though, she does have the fact that she's not your brother going for her."
"What the fuck!" Dean pulled up his pants, and then ran his hands through his hair, giving off a frustrated sigh.
"How did this happen? How did we just get from hot and heavy to pissed off?" Sam asked after a moment. Lip trembling, he looked devastated.
"I...I don't know Sam."
"I was just going to give you a blow job...I thought...we might be ready."
Dean sighed, and then sat next to where his brother sat on his heels.
"Look Sam, I know we've been moving fast and stuff, but I don't think I'm ready for that yet."
small, meekly "But...I thought...you wanted to be with me."
"I do Sam!" Dean rushed to assure, "But I still need a little time ok? It's only been a couple days. This whole thing is still pretty new to me."
There was silence for a while, and Dean wondered what was going through his brother's mind. His stomach was boiling, twisting and turning like a pretzel, as he waited for Sam to say something...anything at all.
"Ok Dean. Yeah, sure." Sam sighed and got up. "Listen, I'm going to hit a few more sources. Maybe I'll catch you later."
With that, Sam was headed out the door. As soon as the door closed, Dean slammed a fist into the wall, baring his teeth as if fighting a nemesis.
"Shit."
He put his forehead against the wall and fell down onto the bed. Sam just didn't get it, and because he didn't try and understand what Dean wanted, he'd ended up getting hurt. Dean tried to slow his breathing and think about other things. No matter what though, he couldn't get the things his brother had been saying, out of his mind. He was right...Dean did put up a front. It wasn't like it was something he meant to do or even wanted to do. It was just the way he'd been brought up...conditioned to be emotionless, never showing anything, never giving an advantage to the opposition. When Sam had been about to pull down his pants, and expose him, he froze up. He knew what Sam wanted, and he wanted it too...but something inside of himself stopped anything from happening. Why couldn't he accept what was obviously a loving gesture from the man he loved? Maybe that was just it, he hadn't started thinking about Sam as a full time lover...still just his brother.
Dean sighed and got up. He needed to do something to get his mind off of this shit. Looking around the room he spotted the complimentary paper that had been delivered to their door this morning. Walking over to it, he undid the tie, and began to sift through the local happenings.
'Woman wins $20,000 in lottery' 'Governer promises more funding to public schools'
'Two more dissapear near Pire Place' 'Sewer System funding running low'
Dean read on about this 'Pire Place'. Apparantly teenagers had been going to a place somewhere secluded, a makeout hide away Dean suspected, and had been dissappearing rapidly in pairs and then reappearing with bite marks all over them. Of course most of them looked like love bites, but Dean suspected he knew why they called it 'Pire Place'. Vampires would be the most logical explanation. Simple. Dean would go in, stake the bastards while they slept, blow off some steam and be back at the motel in time for dinner.
Dean grabbed his keys and put on his boots. He smiled, his body already preparing for the upcoming fight.
Some very unlucky vampires were getting their asses staked tonight.
- -
Sam sighed as he put his red-tinted sunglasses on his face. He winced as they grazed the cut he got from being hit with the cross, and then he sighed heavily again before beginning to walk. What just happened with Dean, had so not gone how Sam had wanted it to. He didn't even understand what the problem was. Dean was always a sexmonger when it came to women...and maybe that's where the problem was. He didn't want Sam, he just wanted to make his little brother happy.
As the thought formed in his mind, bile scorched his throat. Sam stopped in the middle of the street and rushed to lean against a street lamp, his knees suddenly going weak. That was it! Dean didn't want to be in a relationship with Sam...he just wanted for Sam to be happy. It explained everything, the way Dean had just given in without arguing that night on the merri-go-round, and how he would look uncomfortable sometimes when they did stuff, and how it was just 'easier' for him to be with Sam when the lights were off. He probably imagined some whore he'd fucked in one of the millions of towns they'd been in.
Sam sniffed a little bit, and promised himself he wouldn't cry on the street in front of everyone. A new determination set in to find the demon, so that when he did kill her and break the deal, he could have the satisfaction of knowing that Dean Winchester would live to regret pretending this relationship. He got back up, brushed off his knees, and then set on towards his next source. The last person to see him before he gained his wealth, was his ex girlfriend. Someone named Linda. Reports described her as small, lithe, toned with a blonde head of hair, and green eyes to top it off with. She apparantly was a man-eater. Sam could understand why Tom might have dumped her.
He looked up from the pad of paper he held in his hand, detailing all the information from the police database, and saw the shabby looking appartment building in front of him. He shrugged to himself and then opened the door to the main office. He went up a few flights of stairs to the top until he circled around and then found appartment 1610. This was it...it was this lead or none. She was the last to see him, and she might know best what he had been up to. Slightly anxious, about who was going to open the door, he cautiously lifted his hand to knock. He didn't want a repeat of what he deemed 'The Barb Experience'. After a moment more, he silently shook his head and then went for it.
"Who is it?" Came a voice from inside. She sounded young, care free.
"Uh...I'm a journalist, and I was coming to ask a few questions about-"
"Tom?" She asked, opening the door. She eyed Sam with a smirk. "Figures."
Sam didn't know what she meant by that, but he waited anyway until she finished her appraisal.
"You're hot...in a geeky kind of way."
"Uh...Thanks. But as I was saying, I wanted to know if I could take some of your time to-"
"Whatever. Come in if you want." She cut him off again. "I'm Linda, by the way. In case you wanted to know for your...article."
"Fr- " He'd almost used the same alias with her as barb, but also deemed it a bad idea instead finishing with "-ed. I'm Fred."
"Well hello Fred. Like I said, come on in. Make yourself comfortable."
"Thank you. So..."
"Listen buddy, I don't have a lot of time for idle chit chat. I invited you in cause I wanted to get straight to the point, but if you're going to pussy foot around then I'll-"
"You were the last to see him."
She quirked her brow, but said nothing.
"You were the last person to see him before he gained his wealth. Is that right?"
"Oh that." She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I was. What about it?"
"Well I want to know if you know how he got his money. We'd gotten some leads down at the office saying he'd gotten it from relatives. Is that true?"
She snorted. "If my last name is Winfrey it's true."
Sam had no idea what her last name was...he hadn't bothered to take it down.
"It's not." She deadpanned.
"Oh. So do you know how he really did get the money?"
"All I know is, I followed him one night because I suspected he was cheating on me, and so he turns onto this deserted road right? And there's this chick there and she's all skanked out, like a real hooker you know? But she looked like one of those 'classier' ones...if those even exist. Anyway she was chatting him up and all the sudden they're making out like a couple of dogs in heat. Well in her case a bitc--"
"Yeah, I get the point...So did you ever happen to meet her by chance? Get a name?"
"Oh yeah, I invited her in for tea, and we chatted about Tom over crumpets and jam."
Sam held back the frustrated sigh he was about to heave.
"Well did you ever see her around him again? Recently?"
"You mean before he died? Yeah, almost all the time. He looked annoyed by just the sight of her. Kind of made me a little happy inside that he hated her now. Served his ass right."
"Do you remember...where, it was that you saw them meet up?"
"Past the wal-mart and the prison, down by the old VA, make a left and it should be right there...I think it was a --"
"Cross road."
"Um, yeah. How'd you know?"
"I'm just...familiar with the area." Sam lied.
"Well thank you for your time. If I have anymore questions, I'll stop by sometime."
"Or even if you just wanna play a little, because all work and no play makes Fred a square."
Sam faked a chuckle for the sake of it, and stepped out of the appartment. He knew where the bitch demon was likely to be now. She wouldn't come for Sam if he'd gone to the spot that Dean had sold his soul, so he was hoping she was still here from collecting on her deal with Tom. He would go to the cross roads with a bunch of fake stuff in a tin can and when she showed up, WHAM! She wouldn't know what hit her. Sam would be ready. For once he would be ready for her, and she would not win.
- -
"Mother FUCKER! WHY WON'T YOU DIE?"
"Because," the vampire currently sparring with Dean replied, "I'm already dead."
Dean lunged at it with a growl, and poised the hand he had a stake in. It was too quick though, and rolled around on the ground past him. It kicked the back of his knees and Dean fell with a thud. Thinking fast, he rolled to his side, just in time to see the vamp sink it's teeth into ground and howl in pain. Dean used this opportunity to attack. He scrambled up and then plunged the stake into the back of the vamp's chest. Again it screeched in pain, and Dean smirked in satisfaction.
"There's bound to be some splinters."
The vampire looked up, witheringly.
"You'll pay, hunter."
He grasped Dean's leg by the ankle and threw him against the cave's wall. Upon contact Dean heard the familiar crack of bone, and he knew instantly something was sprained...maybe broken, but the adrenaline was going too fast for him to really feel anything yet. Not even a moment later, the vampire was on top of Dean, and licking up his jaw line. Something Dean had gotten used to Sam doing, and he cringed at the wrongness of this situation.
"I am so going to enjoy this."
With that he bared his fangs, and the gleam in his eye grew fanatical.
Dean just smirked, and had the vampire not been so intent on killing Dean, he would have noticed. Instead he rushed forward, fully prepared to embed his fangs into the supple flesh of Dean's neck...but stopped just short of doing so, and let out an unnatural screech. Dean sat back and watched in fascination, as the vampire kept screeching in agony, and withering above him, then just as his comerades had; his body turned to dust and Dean spit it out and shook his head while still grasping the stake in his fist.
"So am I." Dean sighed.
Slowly, he tried to move and pain shot up through his left leg.
"Oh come on! Shit."
Dean grabbed one of the glowsticks from the package he had scattered on the ground while busting into the door. He checked for his phone and found that he had no signal.
"Fuck. Of course."
His thoughts turned to Sam. When the vampire had been licking his neck, he felt so wrong...not because it was a male doing it, or because it reminded him of Sam, but it felt like cheating. Dean kind of smiled at that a little. Maybe this wasn't going to be so hard. He already loved Sam, more than a brother, but then why had he freaked out so much when Sam tried to give him a blowjob?
Dean wondered if Sam was ok just now, and what he was doing. He sat there in the near-dark, just waiting...someone had to find him. What if Sam needed him? What if one of his sources had gotten rough again? Dean's body began to itch, and his brow was now sporting more than a light sweat. Shit Sammy, come on...find me little bro. Use those freaky mind powers of yours and find me...please...
- -
Looking left, and then looking right down the hall one more time, Sam saw that no one was there...still. For the past five minutes he'd been standing in front of his and Dean's motel room and wondering what was going to happen when he went in there. He sighed and shook his head. It didn't really matter, he had a job to do. He had to get the key's to the impala, and get some supplies from the trunk.
Finally, just deciding to get it over with, Sam used his key and opened up the door. He looked around and where he expected Dean to be sitting he wasn't. Sam looked in the bathroom and didn't see anything there either. Panic slowly starting to rise within him, he went over to the table, where he noticed the keys weren't there. His hands fumbled around the table, skewing up order-in menus, and hotel brochures, searching for a note Dean might have left him.
In frustration he flipped the table over.
"God damn it!"
He rubbed his hands over his eyes and then saw something on the ground, near where the table had landed on it's side. Sam pushed a chair out of the way and picked up the paper. Suddenly he doubled over in pain and his head felt like someone was pushing a needle into it, and injecting liquid.
Sam could see darkness...and an eerie light emanating from the ground around him. His vision flashed and he saw stalactites and heard dripping water. He dropped the paper and the vision ended. Breathing heavily, he sat back against the bed. Jumping into action he fished out his laptop and sat on the bed, not trusting the newspaper, he pulled up a map of the surrounding area, and searched for caves within 50 miles of the hotel room. Locating one particular place of interest he searched it in the news, double confirming that Dean must've went on a hunt.
"Pire Place...dissapearances?...Dean!"
Wasting no time, Sam turned on his phone, and called a cab. Then he remembered that the last time he renewed their phone service, he had the GPS trackers installed so that they would be able to find each other in situations like these. Normally he wouldn't have thought about it, but he didn't have the guts to get the impala low-jacked. Dean might have had his head.
Seeing the cab pull into view he ran to it and yanked open the door, sliding across the seat.
"Pire Place, and go as fast as you possibly can, please it's a matter of life and death!"
--
"Dean! DEAN?!"
Barely concious Dean groaned. Sammy must've heard it because the next thing he knew, large hands were cupping his face.
"Come on Dean, come on. Stay awake!" Sam began slapping the side of his brother's face repeatedly.
"Sammy...stop it...ungh."
"Oh thank god! Do you know how fucking worried I was? Do you know how dangerous it was for you to fucking go out on your on like that? Did you even think how terrif-"
"Sam..." Dean cut in weakly, opening his eyes, and fighting to keep them that way.
"Yes, Dean? I'm here." Sam replied softly, all anger leaving his voice.
"Lay off me alright? Just get me back to the hotel and you can lay it on me then."
"Alright...but don't think you're off the hook."
"Yes mother.." came Dean's bland reply.
Sam lifted Dean up and supported him on his shoulder. Slowly he helped Dean limp to the impala, his head lolling the whole way. Carefully as he could, Sam placed Dean in the front seat and then buckled him in. After, he ran to the other side of the car and got into the drivers seat.
"It's going to be ok Dean, I'll take care of you."
"mmm.."
Dean had his head resting against the back of the seat, and his leg stretched carefully outwards.
Sam looked over, and had to wipe his eyes, to keep his vision from blurring.
He turned the ignition, and stopped.
"Stupid asshole." he muttered through his tears, reaching over and caressing his cheek.
- -
"Fuck, be careful!"
"Well we wouldn't be in this situation if you hadn't have gone off on your own, now would we?"
"Sam." Dean replied warningly.
"What? You said I could lay it on you once we were back at the hotel. And we are, if you didn't notice."
"Look, just drop it alright? I'm sorry, but I was looking through the paper and I saw the opportunity and I took it."
"And what if I hadn't gotten to you in time? What if you had been severly injured? What if they turned you huh Dean? Did you think about what it would be like if I had to kill you?"
"You know I'm better than that. I've been hunting for-"
"I don't give a FLYING FUCK about how long you've been hunting, this is about your LIFE damn it!"
"Hunting IS my life! It's what I do, it's all that I have!"
"You have me." Sam replied, quietly but defiantly.
Dean just looked away, and laid his head back against the headboard.
He heard Sam sigh, and then footsteps walking away. Immediatly his head snapped forward, and Sam looked back at him.
"I'm going to go see if the front office has a first aid kit. I'll be back in a few minutes."
Dean stared at the door for a few moments after Sam had gone through. He slumped back and looked at the ceiling instead, just waiting for Sam to come back. There was a little voice in the back of his head, telling him that Sam might not come back. That what he had done was stupid, and maybe Sam had realized that he was better off without Dean.
That little voice materialized.
"Well well well, what do we have here? Dean Winchester, sad and alone."
His body tried to jump into action, but his leg screamed in protest.
"Don't bother trying to get up, pet." The cross roads Demon said. "You'll only make things worse for yourself."
"What do you want, you bitch? My time's not up yet."
"Tsk, Tsk Dean. Didn't your mother teach you to respect those who hold the contracts on your soul? Oh wait that's right, she never got the chance. You know, with being burned alive and all."
Dean had to stop himself from completely losing it, knowing it wouldn't do any good.
"What do you want?"
"Oh I already have what I want. I'm just paying you a little visit."
"Why?"
"You're doing something I specifically asked you not to."
"And that would be?"
"You're trying to get out of your deal Dean. Now what did I say about doing that, pet?"
Dean's eyes widened and darted towards the door.
"But...I'm not...I'm not trying to get out of the deal."
"No, but Sam is, and you know that he is. And you're not stopping him. Which is technically trying to find a way out of the deal."
"But I can't stop Sam. I can't just tell him to stop."
"That's a lie Dean. I've been watching you. I know exactly what you've been doing. Something tells me you could find a way to...persuade...him. And we both know the cost if you don't. After all, we sealed it with a kiss."
The cross roads demon leaned down for a kiss, and Dean turned his head, so that her lips landed on his cheek. She cackled loudly.
"He's only with you because he's lonely. You're all he has Dean. But if he had the chance he'd be right back at Stanford, probably under a tree with Jess somewhere, nibbling on an apple and reading a book while she fell asleep on his shoulder."
Dean choked, and he could see the image clearly in his head.
"He wanted that so much. And then you came and took it away from him. He'll leave you eventually, you know." She said, getting up from her position above him over the bed, and looking sadly towards the door. "He'll get bored with you, or frustrated with your stupidity and he'll leave." She snapped her fingers, "Just like that."
With the snap of her fingers, and the last of her words she disappeared, just as Sam opened the door again this time carrying a first aid kit.
"Ok, they had one but it's got limited supplies, we'll have to go with what we have."
Sam went over to the bed, and started unlacing Dean's shoes, after that he removed his socks.
"Can you move your toes?"
Dean shrugged and then watched as his own toes moved a little at a time. It was painful, but he could do it.
"Ok, then you're fine...I think you might've just sprained your ankle. Lucky for you."
"Just hurry up, will you?" Dean replied curtly and lay his head back on the headboard.
"You're really layin it on thick aren't you? I just saved your ass, and all because you got stupid."
"Ok Sam!" The nerve in Dean's jaw flared that told Sam he was treading on thin ice. "Just drop it...I have enough to deal with."
"YOU? Well Dean, that's nice. You get to sit around while I do all the dirty work, yeah that's tough."
"Sam..."
"No, you know what? I've had it! I'm trying to save you here Dean! I could use a little bit of your help. It's not easy starting from where I am, so late in the game. But if you hadn't been so stubborn in the first place you would've just let me die!"
"Yeah Sammy, and live without you the rest of my life? I don't think so."
"I don't care anymore Dean! You don't even know anything about how I feel do you?"
Stabs of fear pierced Dean. He knew Sam was hiding something, he'd known it, and that's why he didn't want things with Sam to start.
Sam had unshed tears pooling in his eyes, and his bangs fell around his face, hanging loosely like curtains.
"Why don't you just admit what you're really trying to do, Dean? You're trying to sabotage my efforts of saving you, by saying you're in love with me. You wanted me to be happy this last year you had and so you played part of 'silently-suffering-brother' perfectly. Convincing me that this is what you wanted. That you loved me like I loved you when in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Isn't that right? Isn't it?" Sam demanded.
All Dean was capable of doing was staring at his brother as if he'd grown two heads.
"I thought so."
Sam turned to leave.
"SAM! Wait! Look that's not what's been happening at all, where in all hell did you get that idea?"
Sam refused to answer.
"Look, I don't know what's going on in your head right now but I can tell you it's completely wrong. I do love you Sam. I love you with all my heart, but if this is what's going to keep happening to us, then I don't know if I can do this."
"You're leaving?" Sam's voice was laced with fear, and his eyes were widened.
"If you keep freaking out on me! It seems like I can't do anything right anymore. If you think this is hard for you, then think about what it's like for me. I'm going to fucking hell in less than a year Sam. Do you know how fucking terrified I am? But all I have to do is remember the reason I did it, and sometimes then I think it's not so bad. You know?"
Silence met Dean's question, and he could see the hurt in his baby brother's eyes.
Dean sighed and closed his eyes before looking back up at Sam and hobbling off the bed, heading for the door.
'He'll leave eventually you know.' 'He'll get bored with you, or frustrated with your stupidity.'
'Something tells me you could find a way to...persuade...him. After all we both know the costs if you don't.'
The words resounded in Dean's mind as he looked at Sam. He was doing the right thing. He had to push Sam away, or he would die along with him. All would be for nothing.
"I don't think we should be around each other right now Sam. I'm heading somewhere safe. I'll call if I need something."
With that Dean hobbled out the door, and closed it.
And even though he knew he shouldn't, he waited for Sam to come after him.
When he didn't, Dean knew he'd done what he had to.
It didn't make it hurt any less.
- * -
Your love was here
but now it's gone,
and your eyes no longer want me
and now I can't
hold back the dawn
and the truth that seems to haunt me
Light was the first thing that registered brightly in Sam's eyes as his head peaked out from under the rough covers. Morning had come and gone, giving way to the warmth and brightness of afternoon.
Sam groaned and kicked off the smoke-stained sheets and looked at the clock, and then again after wiping sleep out of his eyes. 12:00. It was noon on the dot. Sam had been sleeping for 12 hours.
A flood of guilt washed over him as he replayed events of yesterday in his mind. All those things he said...he couldn't stop them from leaving his mouth. All he could feel lately was anger, guilt, frustration and worry. Even when he could find moments of love with Dean, they never took his mind off of what was the inevitable. He'd been trying to save Dean, and he still felt like he was on square one. Still felt like he had lead in his body, stopping him from reaching the finish line.
What was worse, was the finish line was drawing closer for his brother, and he could do nothing to stop his speed.
After a few more moments, Sam thought about everything he'd learned. There were confirmations from family members and friends alike that the 'strange woman' was not of a worldly nature. He'd gotten her last known whereabouts from whatever her name was. Sam didn't care. So all he had to do, was pack up...er...a cab and go down to the cross roads. Once there he could kick demon ass and then go find Dean.
No matter what, he couldn't lose Dean. Especially not over this.
- -
After getting a quick shower, and all the supplies he found left in the room which included John's book, he headed down to the street corner and hailed a cab. The driver was a fat and balding man, with sweat dripping down his forehead, and staining his shirt.
Sam told him the directions, and made sure to let him know it was a matter of urgency. He'd gathered the little tin box of items he'd need, and now all he needed to do was get there.
Sam may have noticed all this about the cab driver, but what he missed, was the tint of black that flashed briefly in his eyes, and the small smirk that graced his lips as he pulled out of the parking place.
- -
The road looked like any other when they got there. A regular cross roads, to anyone else, but to Sam it was his destiny. It was here that he would have to stop the demon or lose his brother, an option Sam didn't even take into consideration.
grabbing a twenty out of his bag, Sam climbed out and waited for the window to roll down so he could give the cabby his money. When that didn't happen, Sam leaned in closer to the window to peer in, and then knock on the window. As soon as he lowered his head, the door flung open, knocking him on his feet and leaving a huge gash in his forehead.
"Christo" Sam muttered and tried to clamber away. He heard the demon yelp, and then it was back after him again.
Sam kept chanting the word over, like an animal backed into a corner, it was his only weapon.
"Christo, Christo, Christo."
Sam finally was able to see through the haze of pain in his head, and looked up where the Demon stood over him, the red fully in view now and the smirk still in place.
"Sam, Sam, Sam. I'm ashamed of you. I thought you could do better."
Sam spit near the demons foot, and all he did was chuckle.
"You should've known better Sammy. I was there all along. The elderly woman, the slut Tom used to be with. I really was rooting for you, but here we are. And you can't even do anything to stop me. I could kill you, right now. But I can think of so many sweeter things. So I'm going to preserve you. And then when it's time for your brother to die, you'll watch."
Sam fought as a glass case flew up from the ground and surrounded him. He would not be able to get out, it was thick.
"The one thing you were supposed to do that would change both of your lives for ever...your one chance to be his protector, and you failed." She laughed. "Your pathetic."
With the image of her waving goodbye as he sunk slowly back in to the ground in the glass prison blazed into his eyelids he swore the next time he saw her, she would die.
- -
He said there is a love
that is so hideous and destructive
we must drive it from earth to save all of our children
He must know it well in the night it's the hell that he speaks of
that keeps him awake, it keeps him awake.
20 days, 12 hours, 45 minutes, 30 seconds
"Bobby." Dean's voice was gruff, more tired and worn than the last time Bobby had heard it.
"Dean."
"Listen, I don't have a lot of time," Dean rolled his eyes at his own choice of words, "but I can't find Sam."
Dean predicted Bobby's sigh before he heard it across the line, and wondered if Sam wasn't the only one with this freaky psychic deal going on.
"What happened this time?"
"We got into an argument. I haven't seen him since, but it ain't for lack of trying on my part."
"Boy, when are you going to get it through your thick head that you're not the only one that's hurtin?"
"Bobby, scorn me later, focus now. Sammy, gone. I think somethings happened. Have you heard from him?"
"Nope. But I was expecting to."
"You mean, he arranged to come see you?"
"Well no, but I figured he was going to come and ask for help breaking your deal. He never showed."
Dean rubbed his hands over tired eyes, raw and aching due to lack of sleep, and placed his hands back on the wheel, sighing deeply.
"He might've gotten into some trouble...I don't know. But something tells me it has to do with the demon."
"The cross roads demon?"
Dean wanted to reach through the phone and smack him, but he refrained, instead gritting out through clenched teeth, "Yes."
"Well couldn't he have just gone somewhere to brood? We both know how much that boy likes to do that."
For the first time in what felt like forever Dean laughed. He honest to God laughed. He wished he could savor these moments. Fold them up and lock them away in some corner for later use, when nothing else could save his sanity, moments like these could. He could unlock, and unfold them and review them and then store them away for use at a later time.
"No, I don't think that even with a situation like ours, this amount of brooding is within his tolerance levels. Besides, Sam was never good at covering his tracks. At least not to me. I could track that boy ten ways from sunday, blindfolded and while hopping on one foot."
"I'm sorry I can't be of more help Dean, but I haven't seen him."
"Do you know anyone who can find him?"
Dean had already mentally checked off Ansem and Andy. And some of the other 'Children' they had met along their journey. Wishing now, for just a second that there was ONE of them that could have stayed alive.
"No. I could do some research. But it's a far stretch Dean, whoever it is might not want to help you, no matter how you beg for it."
"Just do it. Search for anyone within the surrounding states that had a mother die in a freak fire, and all that. You can brief me when I get there."
"Alright," Bobby replied tiredly, "But Dean. Did you ever stop to consider that maybe Sam-"
"Don't Bobby. If you know what's good for you, you won't finish that sentence."
------
"What've you got?"
"One case Dean, and it just barely fits."
"What do you mean? Either they fit or they don't."
"I don't know. There's no indication that their abilities are even there. For all we know it's a coincidence."
"You'd know if it was a coincidence Bobby."
"Maybe."
"Just give me the directions."
"There's just one thing. I couldn't find anyone in the neighboring states. It's farther up North than you have time for, on a gamble. You'll lose days Dean."
"If I don't do this, then I'll lose Sammy." Dean replied, desperation clawing out into his words. "At this point, I'll take what I can get."
-----
Dean grew skeptical of his plan as he drove up the gravel path to the beaten shack. He didn't know if it was possible for someone to survive in this place, and he thought about rechecking the directions, just another time to be sure. As he stepped out of the Impala, he thought back to all the crappy places he and Sam had to endure, and thought that maybe it wasn't so impossible for someone to live there.
He patted the back of his jeans where a gun and some holy water lay holstered, and then proceeded up the steps of the house. The air smelled of dust, and the heat of the day bore down on Dean like it was trying to bake him alive. Dean hated dust. He hated the way it smelled, and the way it tasted if it blew into your mouth, which it most often did, and he hated the way it covered every surface of a motel room if it hadn't been used for a while, or a house they visited on a case.
Wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve, he walked the last few paces to reach the door and then poised his hand to knock, stopping just short of doing so. He felt a little silly. Should he knock? He didn't know. What does one say to someone who might or might not know they have special abilities, and is the key to helping you find your lost (kidnapped) brother?
Sighing frustratedly, Dean knocked twice, curtly and politely and stepped back waiting for any sign of life to erupt from the structure. When none did, Dean presumed it safe to go in. And by go in, he meant kicking the door down and raising hell.
"Hello?" Dean called out. "Is anyone here?"
He looked left and then right, proceeding through each room of the lower level. It looked to be an old fashioned house, with a sitting room and a kitchen and dining room, and the rest of everything being upstairs.
"Hello? Is anyone there? I'm not going to hurt you!"
Like lightening Dean was up against the wall and gasping for breath, his hands grabbing panicingly at his invisible attacker.
"Its not my safety you should be worrying about."
A boy. It was a young boy's voice that said it. Dean sized up the bastard as he stepped into the room, directly in front of Dean's view. He was tall...just a little bit shorter than Sam, but still had the look of lost innocence. Like the world had forced him to grow up faster than he should have, and Dean couldn't help but soften at that. He knew what that whole wrap was all about. He wore raggedy clothes and his hair was a blonde mop of shaggy chaos.
"Stop, please...Can't breathe." Dean gritted out.
"Give me one good reason."
Dean was still grabbing at his throat, and just stared at the boy.
"Because...I...know what...it's like."
Just as suddenly as he'd been snatched up, Dean felt himself slide against the wall and down to the ground, freedom finally won and allowance to breathe gained. He took a couple of moments to just gulp the air before looking up at the boy.
"Nathan." He supplied.
"Dean. Dean Winchester. I'd say hello but..."
Nathan allowed a small smile.
"You said you knew what it was like. I've never heard that one before. Usually it's all 'Please,' and 'Don't do this'."
"Yeah well," Dean stood up nervously, rubbing the back of his neck, "People tend to grasp for straws when they think they're going to die."
Nathan regarded him with cool, calculating eyes. "What do you want?"
"I...This is going to sound crazy..."
Nathan snorted. "Try me."
"I need you to help me find my brother."
Nathan lifted a curious eyebrow.
"He was taken, I think, by a demon. I need you to track him for me. Some way, some how."
"Woah, woah wait. Demon?"
Dean smirked. The kid may be well versed in the world for his age, but he didn't know everything.
"Yeah kid. Demon...and one of the fuckers took my little brother. So I need your help. I know all about your ability, and if you can help me in any way, I'll find a way to repay you."
"First of all, it's Nathan. And second of all, even if Demons did exist, and they kidnapped your brother why do you care? I used to have a brother. Pain in the ass if you ask me. Right up until the very day my family left me here to die. Turns out not everyone is so accepting of this little 'ability'. A 'gift' it had been called by some. A curse. That's what this is."
"Well you seem to have gotten control over it."
"Some. It happens when you have a lot of time on your hands."
"Will you help me?"
A pause.
"I could kill you. I could do so many things to you. Melt your tiny little brain into puddy. And yet you came here...to find your brother of all things."
Nathan let out a bitter laugh.
"All my life, all I've ever gotten is rejection. My parents didn't want me, and the foster system was a joke. I've never even really had a real friend before."
"Kid...Nathan. It sounds like you've had a hard life. I know you don't want to hear this, but I know what you're going through. Maybe not exactly but I can get a general feeling. My mom died when I was a kid. She was pinned to a cieling and burned alive, and since then, it's been a life of living in shitty motels on the road with my brother and father. That's the only life I've ever known. It's the only thing I've got. My brother, he used to want this normal life, complete with the two story house, the wife, and 2.5 kids. But that was taken from him, and I had to drag him away from that dream. Since then he's learned to deal with the fact that this shitty life? It's ours, and ours to keep, but still he found a little peace, and Nate? If there's any way you can help me get him back, then you'd be welcome in our company any time you like."
"I don't want your pity."
"I didn't offer it to you."
Nathan looked at Dean speculatively and then shook his head, sighing.
"Do you have something of his? Something personal?"
"Well..I...I don't think so. He kind of took off, and took his things."
Nathan looked thoughtful for a moment. He bent over and pulled a small penknife from his boot. He went nearer to Dean, and Dean automatically went into a defensive stance.
"What are you doin kid?"
"I told you, it's Nathan!"
"Ok, Nathan, What are you doing?"
"You may not have one of his personal items but you do have something of his."
"Huh?"
Nathan grabbed Dean's hand and cut a small gash into the palm of his hand and encircled it with his own hands. Before leaning his head back and closing his eyes, he whispered.
"You have his blood."
-----
"Bobby, I've found him."
"It worked?"
"Yeah, he's at a crossroads somewhere in Texas. Christ Bobby, he's been there since god-knows-when."
"What do you mean? How is it that he's been there? You don't mean to tell me he died?"
"No Bobby. I'm guessing the cross roads bitch has him trapped there somehow. Look all I know is, Sammy's out there, and I gotta get to him."
------
Dean jumped out of the impala before he even turned off the ingition, scrambling out of the door and over to the middle of the cross road. He looked everywhere for Sam. Some sign that he had even been there.
"Come on. SAM! SAMMY!"
"SAM! SAMMY!" A voice mocked behind him, and then cackled at his side. "Oh Dean. I wish I could keep you around. Your entertainment value is almost worth your soul...almost."
"What did you do to him you bitch. I swear to God, if you hurt one hair on his head-"
"You'll what? Kill me? Exorcise me? Always a fighter Dean. Even when you know it's too late."
"Where is he." Dean ground out, wanting to hit her, knowing it would do no good.
"Oh he's...around." She grinned maniacly at that. With a snap of her fingers Sam's underground prison rose from the dirt, and Sam's figure could be made out curled up on the floor, clutching his sides.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Dean rushed over to the glass prison and banged on it, with all his might. The glass didn't give, one tiny inch.
"I wanted you to see Dean. I wanted you to see that I keep my deals when I make them. This way you'll know Sammy is alive and well before you go, and he'll know that I always keep my end of my deals."
"Sammy! God, no. Anything but that. Shit. SAM!"
"Plead all you want Dean. But I told you. You can't fight this. It's time."
"What? No. That's not right. I have time left. You're mistaken."
"Dean." She drawled, "Your soul is one worthy catch down there it seems," her eyes point south. "And I've been waiting to collect my bounty the moment we sealed the deal. Remember Dean?"
Dean grimaced and looked over to Sam's case, where Sam was now looking at the two of them. He was saying something Dean couldn't hear, but could tell by the formation of the mouth that he was apologizing.
"Sammy wasn't there Dean. We should show him, how it's done. How you and I seal deals."
She was tracing patterns on his back, and walking slowly around him as she spoke, and then she jerked her head towards his and invaded his mouth with her tongue. It was an intrusion. An infringement upon his personal freedoms, freedoms he no longer had. He was an owned man, still it didn't mean he was going to go quietly.
Dean shoved her head into the glass and pushed her away from him, spitting on her form before taking a couple of steps back.
She just laughed and brushed herself off while getting up off the ground.
"It doesn't matter what you do to me Dean. You can throw all the temper tantrums you want, but you're still mine. Two minutes and counting."
"But that's not right! I have more time!"
"Do you Dean? Let's see. You drove to Bobby's, then a couple of states....four actually, up north, and then back here. I'd say that took up about 19 of your days Dean. 20 by midnight." With that she winked. "I'd say that means I've given you as much time as I said I would."
Dean looked at his watch. She was right. He closed his eyes and repressed a shudder. For the first time considering bawling in front of a demon. He looked over at Sam and fell to his knees, crawling over to the case. He had about one minute left to say all he needed to, and then it was go time. Unshed tears blurred his vision as the dirt scraped his knees, and all of that didn't matter one bit. What mattered was Sam. Sam being here, Sam being with him when it happened. With Sam there he couldn't forget the reason why he did this. With Sam there he could endure a thousand eternities in hell.
"Sammy..." Dean stopped, not trusting his voice. But he had things to say. And so little time. "Sam. I love you. I need you to know that, Sam. I need you to know that no matter how selfish I've been about this, I only ever did it for you. Don't forget. Don't you ever forget."
Dean banged his head against the glass as he saw Sam shatter before him. His body screaming for Dean to help him, break the glass, free him so they can be together, hold eachother one last time. Sam's screams of agony could be heard through the glass, and Dean had to wonder if he'd heard a word he just said.
Sam's body was pressed up against the glass, when it happened. The first sign was his eyes going wide, and his body tumbling backwards, as if struck. He didn't even have time to look back before he felt their bite at his ankles. He heard more than saw a portal being opened up, and knew the hellhounds had come for their meal. He didn't fight, had no time for that, he just looked at Sam, hoping he realized why. And as he was being dragged across the dirt, he looked into his eyes, and he smiled. An old reflex, a gesture, to protect Sam from the pain.
I did this knowingly little brother. I did it for you.
And I'd do it again.
- - -
Part 3
A/N: So...THERE WILL BE A THIRD PART! IT WILL BE OUT BEFORE THURSDAY. Thanks.
-fanfic_addict04-