Well, this is my first Supernatural fic - that I've posted anyway. Not too sure what I think of it, but I wanted to see what other people thought. Comments are appreciated, and I'll always reply to them.
A/N: This happens after the show finishes. In this story, Dean & Sam have banished Lucifer back to hell, and they are both still alive. There are still other demons in the world, but Sam decides this is a good time for him to finally be normal.
Other Things You Need To Know: In this one-shot, John was pulled out in season 4, when Sam and Dean were struggling to protect the seals. After he helps his sons, John disappears again. In this one-shot, the season 5 finale is when Lucifer is killed, but Sam doesn't die in that fight.
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural. If I owned the show, life would be a constant: "I own Supernatural" party. Until you get your invite, you know that I don't own the show.
Dean had never been silent in his life. He always had something he needed to say, and even when he didn't, he forced himself to say something. No one knew, but Dean Winchester was scared of silence.
Bad things happened when the world was quiet. When he and Sam couldn't find a case, it meant trouble was brewing. When Dean rung his Dad, and all that he could hear was silence, it meant that John was in the middle of a hunt, and his sons would probably never find out if he survived, because he wouldn't call back.
But right now, the silence is unbearable, and the thoughts that have been haunting Dean for weeks have also gone silent. And it's scary, because this thing he's wrapped up in is bigger than anything else he's ever seen, heard of, or known.
And all that he can hear is silence, and all he can see is Sammy's body. The blood has been washed off of him, but Dean can still see Sammy with blood all over him. The image is in his head, and it hurts. It looks like Sammy has spilled paint down himself, but Dean knows better. Because he is the older brother, and he always knows better. He knew as soon as Sam left that he wouldn't be coming back. Sam had finally realized that if he wanted to be normal then he couldn't travel with Dean anymore. Dean and normal don't go together.
So when Sammy packed and said he was going back to college, Dean didn't know how to stop him. He wasn't good with feelings; he didn't know how to express himself. So he let Sammy walk out of the motel room, and walk back into his old life, ignoring the thought that was buzzing around his head: Sammy would never come back.
And Dean was right; as always.
Bobby called two weeks, three days and seven hours after Sam had left, and said the one thing that Dean never wanted to hear.
"Sam was in an accident son... the funeral is in a week. Be there"
Dean had hung up the phone, and for the first time in his life, he had sobbed. Sure, he had cried a few tears before, usually tears that escaped accidently. But to cry like a girl was a sign of weakness, so Dean had never lost control of his emotions. Until now.
00000
The funeral was perfect for Sam. It was everything he ever wanted. His body wasn't being burned to get rid of spirits. It was a normal funeral, in a normal town, and Dean sat in the front row, Bobby next to him. John didn't show up, despite the fifty three messages Dean had left.
Bobby looked at the casket, and listened to the words that were being spoken. Dean refused to pay attention, and spent the entire service staring at the wall. He had already cried for Sam, and he couldn't do it again. He just couldn't.
But when it came time for the eulogy, Dean jumped out of his seat, and rushed out the back door; deliberately pushing the college friend that had obviously been nominated for that job. Dean wondered how anyone could become that close to Sam in just a few weeks, but realized that they probably knew him from the last time Sammy had been at school.
Bobby stayed where he was; he knew that Dean needed to be alone. When he came outside after the service, the Impala was gone. Bobby cursed under his breath, before turning and pushing himself back to the motel. It wasn't worth the hassle.
00000
Dean came back that night. Sam had been buried, but Dean dug him up anyway. As soon as the coffin was visible, he lowered himself down towards it, making sure that there would be a way for him to get out afterwards.
Dean lifts the lid of the coffin, and the silence overwhelms him. Sammy looks like he's sleeping, but Dean knows better. He always knows better.
And Dean regrets opening the lid, because now he can't get the sight of a dead Sam out of his head, and it's worse than the silence that he hates so much.
00000
He goes to the crossroads and summons the demon. The demon comes, and Dean tries to make a deal. This time, the demon won't give him a year. She doesn't want to give him anything, because the last time Dean went to hell, the angels pulled him out again. Then they somehow managed to banish Lucifer back to hell forever.
But Dean begs. "It's my brother. I'm nothing without him"
The demon doesn't know what to say. The legendary Dean Winchester doesn't beg.
"Six months. That's all I need", his voice breaks in the middle of his sentence, and the demon's eyes widened. She isn't one to be surprised, but Dean Winchester really is shocking her.
But she does her job anyway.
"Sugar, I already have one Winchester brother downstairs. Why would I trade, when I have to wait six months to collect?"
"I didn't get to say goodbye", he whispers, and a solitary tear rolls down Dean's face. The demon knows that it will deal. She pretends it's because she doesn't want Dean to bother her until she agrees, but really, it's because she can't stand the sight of that tear. But she can't lie to herself, so she makes her deal extra harsh.
"I can give you one week sugar. One week. Your brother will come back to life, and you'll get a chance to say goodbye, but at the end of that week, you'll be dragged back to hell. No angels will be able to pull you out again". She expects Dean to say no, but she's wrong. Dean throws himself at her, and kisses her; sealing the deal.
Dean knows what hell is like, and he doesn't want his brother to go through the pain. He doesn't care that Sammy thinks it's selfish to sell his soul, because he can't live without Sammy anymore.
00000
Miles away, Sam climbs out of his coffin and looks around, confused at his surroundings. When it clicks, he sighs in frustration, and curses under his breath. "Dean, what did you do?"
00000
Dean breaks the speed limit as he's driving back to the cemetery. When he arrives, he sees Sam sitting on the ground, his legs crossed and his fingers tapping in frustration.
Dean jumps out of the car, thankful that Sammy hasn't seen him yet. He needs a convincing lie, so he goes to the trunk of the Impala and makes sure that the Colt is so well hidden that Sam won't be able to find it until he's gone. Then he walks to his brother, blinking back the tears that are threatening to overflow.
"Sammy, you're alive"
"Dean, what did you do?"
"I traded the Colt for you", Dean lies. He hopes that his nostrils aren't flaring, because that will give him away. He's never been too good at lying to Sam.
Sam doesn't pick up on the lie. He just smiles at his brother. After all, they don't really need the Colt anymore. The yellow eyed demon is gone, and so is the devil. They are forbidden to use the Colt on anything smaller than that.
"So, ready to hunt some more?" Dean asks. Just because Lucifer is safely back in hell doesn't mean there aren't other demons to kill.
"Dean, I want to be normal", Sam reminds him.
"But you can't go back to Stanford. You're supposed to be dead"
"Well, I'll find another school. I'm done with hunting Dean, I'm serious. It's taken too much away from us. Jessica and Mum would have wanted me to be normal", Sam says quietly.
Dean doesn't bother to mention that he will be dead in a week. He doesn't want Sam to stay out of pity or guilt. Dean stays silent as Sam hugs him goodbye, and tells him that he'll speak to him soon.
A death experience obviously made Sam realize that he just wants to be normal. Dean and normal still don't go together.
00000
Six days later, Dean calls Sam. They chat about meaningless things. Dean tells Sam about some girl he met in a pub last week, and Sam is talking about how he's choosing a different course to study this time around. He wants to be a different Sam Winchester apparently. Dean reads between the lines; this Sam doesn't come with a permanent accessory in the shape of Dean. Sam and Dean are finally normal brothers in Sam's opinion.
When Sam has to go, Dean says "I love you, Sammy", as he hangs up the phone. Sam laughs it off; pretending that Dean is just drunk. After all, Dean never shares his emotions when he's sober.
00000
Dean dies alone. The hell hounds come, but this time, Dean doesn't try to hide. He knows that the dogs will find him anyway. And this time, Dean doesn't scream either. No one can hear him anyway.
00000
Once again, Bobby was the one to break the bad news. He called Sam, and told him that Dean had died. His body had been found by the motel cleaner.
It was just Sam and Bobby at the "funeral". Dean's body was burnt; this time, Bobby insisted. Sam didn't have the strength to refuse. After it was done, Bobby hugged Sam, and told him to stay in touch, before driving away.
Sam had got Bobby to pick him up for the "funeral", but he didn't need a lift back to school. He had the Impala now.
For some reason, Sam opened the trunk. He checked to see that all the weapons were hidden. One was in clear view, so he picked it up, and shoved it into a hidden spot. His hand came into contact with something cool; like metal, so he pulled it out.
In his hand was the Colt.
And that was when being normal went out the window. Dean had died for him, and he had left him alone to meet his fate, because he wanted to be ordinary.
Sam quickly counted back the days, and his heart stopped. Dean had swapped his soul for Sam's, and only gained a week. Seven days. A measly seven days.
Right then and there, Sam vowed that he would not go back to being normal. He would hunt. He'd kill every evil thing that lived in the world, and one day, he'd find the demon that could get his brother back, without sacrificing himself, because otherwise, there would be no point. Dean obviously didn't want to live without him.
Slamming the trunk of the car shut, Sam walked to the driver's side, and slid into the seat, before driving off into the night, the sound of Metallica breaking the silence.
Sam Winchester never knew that silence was what his brother was terrified of. If Dean had been there, he would have thanked his brother for ending the quiet.
Comments? Like it; love it; hate it; don't care either way? Please let me know! I'd love constructive critiscm. Flames are NOT welcome; constructive critiscm is!