Author's Note: Hey guys! So me and jensensfreckleddick (my boo from tumblr- go check her blog out!) have decided to join forces and create our own version of what the ending of season 9 and the entirety of season 10 would be like. This is in no way shape or form close to what the writers have in mind, and this is just for fun. So please don't accuse us of copyrighting. And if the authors do happen to have similarities from our storyline they are completely coincidental (and we cool for figuring them out). If you guys would want to give us feedback on any of our chapters, please do. It would help us improve our writing and story lines! We made this story for our own personal pleasure and hopefully yours, but please no suggestions for us, for we have most of this planned out ourselves. We hope this goes well and you guys can enjoy! Thanks ya'll!
CHAPTER 1: Wanted Dead or Alive
SAM POV:
It takes hours for Sam to drive back to the bunker after the events that have just taken place at the homeless camp with Metatron. It was a moment of celebration for everyone, everyone except Sam. There was only one casualty. The only casualty that mattered to Sam more than anything, and he witnessed it with his own eyes. His brother was dead. Leading up to that moment, Sam refuses to let himself think that this would be how his big brother would really go, and now there he lay in the back of the Impala cold, unmoving, and lifeless.
Once Sam reaches the bunker, he climbs out of the front seat and approaches the back door of the Impala. As soon as the door is propped open, he carefully removes Dean's still body from the leather seats. He carries him into the bunker and heads straight to Dean's room, not caring about his own brother's blood staining his clothes. On the way, he realizes how quiet it is and how he will never be able to hear his big brother's voice again in these very halls.
No more bickering over the music in the Impala. No more demands for pie. No more sarcastic comments coming from the eldest Winchester. No more Dean. He was completely alone. Holding back tears, Sam lays Dean onto his bed and begins to clean his body of the blood that is covering him. It hurt him to look at his brothers battered body, but touching his cold skin and stiff limbs only made him feel worse. Once finishing this dreadful task, Sam leaves his brother's room, but not before giving the body one last hopeless glance.
At this point, Sam can't do anything, except drink. Drink until he becomes numb and unable to think coherently. Before he knew it, many hours had passed. Somewhere between his third and fourth bottle of liquor, the very person who got Dean into this whole mess suddenly pops to mind-Crowley.
Sam storms into the dungeon with the ingredients in hand for a summoning spell. Upon entering the dungeon, Sam sees the remnants of the summoning spell Dean had used to call the very same demon who helped him escape. His face scowls in concentration as he places the various herbs and pieces of supernatural lore into a bowl before taking out a packet of matches.
"Damn it, Crowley. You got him into this mess. You will get him out... or so help me God," He declares with venom in his voice before striking the match against the tinder, causing it to light and throwing it into the bowl offering.
As soon as the objects in the bowl aflame, the paunchy King of Hell pops into view, the devil's trap keeping him confined in the room and unable to escape.
"Hello, Moose. What shall I do for you and squirrel this time?" Crowley questions with a slight drawl to his accent, his scruffy face adorning a smirk.
His smug demeanor caused Sam to grow even more furious.
"Cut the crap, Crowley," Sam demands and glares at him relentlessly.
"What are you talking about?" Crowley asks, staring at the younger Winchester in mock confusion and innocence.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Sam proclaims, his fists clenching in anger.
"Oh. Do I?" The King of Hell prompts with the cock of his eyebrow, pretending to notice that the elder Winchester was no where in the room. "Where is squirrel by the way? I've barely seen you both apart, you're practically conjoined." He asks, his eyes scanning around the room.
"Dean. Dean is dead. And it's all because of that damn mark that you pushed him to get!" Sam spits, his face clouded with grief and hate as he stares at Crowley with lifeless eyes.
"Dean Winchester finally bites the dust eh? Now let me guess...You want to make a deal to bring him back?" Crowley asks, seeming as if he hasn't already discovered Dean's fate as he eyes Sam pointedly.
"I'm not here to make a deal, Crowley. You got him into this mess and you're going to make damn well sure he comes back," Sam crosses his arms in finality, growing more annoyed with Crowley's phony act. He recalls the smell of sulfur after returning from the search for Gadreel that only Crowley had to have left behind in order for Dean to escape the bunker.
"What makes you think I can? I told Dean that taking on the Mark of Cain would have consequences. He should have listened before rushing his merry way killing everything in his path like a bloody lunatic," Crowley raises his voice, throwing his hands up in deliberation.
"You're the freaking King of Hell, Crowley!" Sam yells in frustration with a tinge of desperation in his voice , "There has to be something you can do! There has to be some way to bring Dean back. He can't be dead, not like this."
"Oh, Moose. What's done is done. Even I don't have the power to take on something as powerful as the Mark." Crowley tries to reason with Sam, while still being truthful.
"I don't believe that." Sam's voice chokes up with emotion, "I can't."
"I'm sorry Sam, truly, I am," Crowley replies genuinely, his human emotions betraying him for a short moment, "This is not what I wanted for your brother either, but you have to accept that Dean is gone."
Quickly becoming desperate, Sam pleads, "When has there never been a way for us!? Dean and I have always found a way back. This can't be any different from what we normally face!" Hysteria raises in Sam's voice, his eyes pleading.
"Not this time, Sam," Crowley confirms his worst nightmare, "There is no bringing back your brother now. The Mark, it changed him, and not for the better. Your brother is better off-"
"Don't," Sam cuts him off, "Don't you dare finish that sentence." His voice sounding in a lower octave than normal; his gaze so menacing that Crowley even takes a few steps away from him, "You and I both know that through all the crap we've been through, he deserved better. Anything would be better than going out like this," his eyes bore into Crowley's with severe hatred, "And I swear to god, if there is something you aren't telling me, you better start running because when I find you, there is no power in Hell that can stop me from killing you."
"Duly noted." Crowley eyes him smugly, "You even got me all hot and bothered about it, but if you don't mind I do have some business to attend to, like you know ruling hell," He glances pointedly at the devil's trap that surrounds him, "Now that Abbadon is dead, I have unfinished business to deal with so we can continue this little date later?" He asks arrogantly, causing Sam's glare to deepen, "Come on, Moose, chop chop! I don't have all day!" He claps his hands at Sam mockingly.
Sam keeps his furious gaze on him a moment longer before bending down to break the devil's trap. As soon as the circle breaks, Crowley disappears from sight. Sam glances once more at the empty trap in fury before he storms out of the room, knocking a chair over on the way out.
It has been two hours since he last spoke with Crowley, and during that time, Sam resumed in silently drowning his sorrows. A huge pile of empty bottles in front of him. Once a bottle is drained he moves onto the next, always having a glass of whiskey accompanying him. It isn't until after his sixth bottle he notices a form suddenly in the room with him.
"Sam," the raspy voice of Castiel greets him, causing him to jump in surprise.
"Oh!" Sam's head jerks at the sudden sound of his voice, looking up at the angel standing over him, "Castiel. When did you get there?"
"I'm sorry for interrupting you. I would have been here sooner if I-if me and Gadreel didn't have trouble dealing with Metatron," He stutters over his words, avoiding Sam's gaze, "We reached the portal to heaven, and Gadreel pretended to take me as a captive to gain their trust. We thought we had the upperhand, but we were deceived. We did manage to trick Metatron into playing his own game and stopped him before he caused any more damage. I have him locked up in heaven, however Gadreel sacrificed himself in order to finish the mission," He announces with sorrow, "It was his last request, and it seems he has finally redeemed himself."
Sam slowly nods his head in understanding, taking in the information silently before asking the question he dreads to know the most, "So d-do you...know? About Dean?" He questions, his eyes shining with unshed tears.
Castiel finally meets his eyes, his jaw clenching with tension before answering, "Yes, I was told by Metatron himself. I'm so sorry," He declares, his eyes full of regret, "If only I had broken the tablet sooner, Dean would be alive and with us right now."
Sam furiously grabs another unopened bottle of alcohol. He pops it open not bothering to use a glass and takes a swig from it as Cas watches on in guilt. "Sam not to be of annoyance but, you need to take better care of yourself. Dean wouldn't want-,"
"Well, Dean isn't here Cas!" He shouts, slamming the bottle back onto the table . He takes a deep breath before speaking again to calm himself after his sudden outburst, "He's dead, my brother is dead," he states blandly.
"I'm so sorry Sam. I failed you both and take full responsibility for his death," Castiel apologizes with a somber face.
Sam sighs, tipping the glass bottle still in his hand on it's side. "Look man, I'm sorry for yelling. I'm not mad at you." He pinches the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "I'm actually mad at myself," he declares, causing Cas to squint his eyes in confusion.
"And why is that? I'm sure you did all you could Sam," Castiel questions.
"I should of known he would try to protect me before himself. He always did despite being a dick about it," he states aloud, looking into the glass, talking more so to himself than to Castiel, "He went in there without me. The bastard knocked me out before we even got to Metatron. He went in alone and as soon as I came to Metatron-he had already pierced a blade through his chest."
A single tear streams freely down his face before he roughly wipes it away with the back of his hand. "The look I saw on his face when he died, Cas, I should have been there with him. I should of ran faster. Maybe I could have even stopped him and he wouldn't have-he'd still-"
"I understand," Cas clarifies, not wanting to see him struggle for the words, "but you did what you could Sam. At least Dean died doing what he thought was right- to save people, like you and him have always done." He gives the younger Winchester a small smile.
"Yeah and look where that got us,." Sam sighs deeply, staring at the empty bottles piled before him.
"I- I don't mean any disrespect," Cas interrupts his brooding, "but if I'm not mistaken, those people you have saved are alive because of you." He places a comforting hand on Sam's shoulder. "I believe that is something to be proud of Sam and I'm sure Dean would have felt the same," He states honestly.
Sam stays silent, his mind flashing back to his brother's final words before he collapsed in his arms.
Cas clears his throat loudly as the silence lengthens. "May-may I see him?
"Huh?" Sam asks, shaking his head clear of the tragic memory.
"May I see Dean?" Castiel asks again more confidently this time.
"Yeah, yeah I'll walk with you," Sam states while awkwardly climbing out of his chair.
Sam slightly wobbles as they both walk down the corridor, every step closer to where Dean's body was laid seemed to tauntingly echo their footsteps. As soon as Sam and Cas reach the door to his room, Sam shakily grasps for the doorknob and gently pushes it open, finding Dean's bed completely empty.
"What!?" He jumps back in surprise before rushing into the room. "I-I left him in here!" He states in panic, mindlessly searching around the room for any sign of his brother.
"Are you sure?" Cas asks, his eyes scanning the room as well.
"Yes Cas, I'm pretty damn sure I remember where I put my dead brother." Sam states sarcastically. There is no way he could've been moved Sam declares in confusion before his face instantly frowns into an ominous scowl, noticing the smell of sulfur"...unless...Crowley, that son of a bitch! I knew he was hiding something!"
"Wait, what does Crowley have to do with this?" Cas questions, looking at Sam with a confused expression.
"I summoned him to find a way to get Dean back, but he was acting shady, like more than usual. Like he was hiding something." Sam recalls his shifty demeanor while in the devils trap a few hours ago. "Who knows what he's up to?! We need to find him before he does anything to Dean's body." He quickly rushes out of Dean's room and into his located right across the hall with Cas following close behind him.
"Sam, we don't even know where to begin. He could be anywhere, and my grace it's burning out. My powers will be of no use," He proclaims as he watches Sam grab a duffle bag, shoving clothes and weapons into it.
"We're hunters, Cas. We will find Dean no matter how long it takes." He rushes out of his bedroom, walking towards the way of the bunker's garage.
"Sam wait, how will we go about this?" He halts Sam in his tracks with a firm hand on his shoulder, his eyes stern. "We need to think this plan through before mindlessly acting on it."
"Well...," Sam falters until a plan begins to form in his mind "it won't be easy, but the only thing we have right now are the rumors from the demon community so, we have to keep our eyes open for any signs of demonic activity in the area," He explains as he pulls the strap of his duffel bag onto his shoulder. "Meanwhile, we need to start asking around to see if anyone's seen Crowley, maybe even take some in for questioning."
"Alright, then we could use all the help we can get," Cas replies as Sam continues his trek towards the garage. "I'll have Hannah and the others help us with our search. Call me if you need anything," Cas adds before poofing out of sight with his limited amount grace.
As Sam reaches the garage, he pulls the Impala's keys out of his pocket and unlocks the door to his brother's favorite possession. He jumps inside, throwing his bag into the back seat before revving up the engine. "I'm gonna get you back Dean even if it's the last thing I do." Sam declares before placing the gear into drive and speeding away from the bunker.