March 2010
The moment Dean saw the demon swing the narrow and rusted pipe towards Teyla, the world around him seemed to slow down. As his own demon fell to his feet, instantly dead, all he could do was stand frozen to the spot as he watched the pipe pierce through his friend's abdomen and the look of shock spreading across her face. The demon stabbing Teyla continued to jab his crude weapon further into her flesh, the force behind it strong enough to lift her off her feet and leave her suspended in the air. With a gurgle, blood began to pour out of her mouth and out of the pipe.
"NOOO!" Dean screamed, rushing forwards, Ruby's knife in hand as he charged at the demon, stabbing him through the back and straight to the heart. In a flash of dull orange light and a crackle of energy, the creature's grip on the pipe lodged in Teyla's abdomen lessened. With a grunt, Dean twisted the knife in its new sheath, earning a brighter flash before he yanked it out, allowing both the demon and Teyla to drop to the ground. Jumping over the body in front of her, Dean ran to Teyla's side, gently sliding his arms under her to cradle her close. Despite not trying to jostle her, she still gave a great cry of pain at being moved.
Wincing at this, he eyed the pipe in terror, worried about what it had done to his best friend. "Hey, just hang in there, okay?"
Screwing her eyes shut, she nodded slightly. "It hurts." She whimpered, making his heart stop. The fact that she freely and easily revealed this information showed the depth of the situation. Any injury she had sustained in the years he had known her she wouldn't bat an eye at.
"Dean! Teyla!" Sam's voice was faint from across the large lot as he called out to them.
Snapping his head wildly, Dean's grip on her tightened slightly. "Over here!" He shouted, looking back down at the woman in his arms. "Just hang in there, hon." He told her quietly, brushing her sweat-soaked brown hair away from her face.
Opening her dark green eyes, it took her a moment to focus on him before she nodded. "Uh huh. She choked out, blood trickling down from the corner of her mouth.
"Dean!" Finally Sam ran around the corner and was faced with the bloody image of their best friend impaled and lying in his brother's arms, making him freeze to the spot before he was finally able to move again and run to them, then dropping to his knees. "What happened?" He asked, taking Teyla's hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze.
"I missed." Teyla gurgled quietly, violently coughing afterwards.
"Demon got her." Was all Dean said before reaching into his coat pocket with shaky and bloodied hands to withdraw the Impala's keys. "Listen, go get the car and bring it around. We need to get her help."
Dropping her hand, he nodded. "Got it." Sam snatched the keys and scrambled up, running towards where they had parked earlier.
"Dean..." After a moment of silence, Teyla whined softly in protest. "Don't bother."
"No." He told get flat out, his grip tightening as he pulled her closer to his body. "No, you're going to be okay. We'll get this thing taken out of you and you'll be fine. You have to be, I need you to be." He whispered the lady part.
"Really?" She managed a weak smirk. "Why do you need me to be?" When he gave her a peculiar look, she shrugged slightly. "I'm on my death bed, humor me."
"You took care of me when I was alone, and even after I wasn't." He admitted. "You try and keep me sane, you tell me when I'm being stupid, when I'm being hard on Sammy, and that I'm going to get us all killed; even going as far as to say I told you so when I do. You're there when I've needed and when I thought I didn't need to talk to anyone. No matter what you've helped me in one way or another and…" Here Dean trailed off from his rant, his throat tightening.
"Hey," Teyla reached up to brush his cheek lightly. At the contact his eyes slid shut as he revelled in her touch. "I fell in love with you too, dumbass."
Sighing, he leaned forwards to press a kiss to her forehead, a single tear dropping on to her skin. "We'll figure this out."
"Mhhh… You keep saying that." She hummed.
Drawing back, Dean looked her straight in the eye with the utmost determination and sincerity. "Because we will." He said, leaving no room for any argument.
At this, all Teyla could do was stare up at him in wide eyed wonder, a smile forming on her lips before she erupted into a fit of coughs, effectively ruining the moment. Once again blood began to thickly pour from her mouth, running down her chin and her already stained front. Turning her head to the side, she tried to move her body to lie sideways, however Dean held her still, not permitting her to move an inch. "Dean!" She gasped between each body shuddering cough. "I can't breathe!"
Watching her struggle for air, he sat there extremely conflicted. "But if you lie on your side, it's going to start coming out of the pipe."
"I don't care! Bleeding through a pipe is a hell of a lot better than the hell that is internal bleeding!" She argued hoarsely.
"Alright." He nodded before slowly moving her off his lap so she could lie on her side on the cold and wet cement. As soon as she was on her side, blood gushed forth from both Teyla's mouth and the pipe. As her wet coughs grew into retching as she tried to clear her airways, Dean could wince at each gasp for breath she took, leaving him to only comb his fingers through her hair and whisper empty promises he desperately wanted to believe in.
After what felt like a millennia, the roaring of the Impala could be heard getting closer and closer. Soon enough Sam whipped the car around the building and sped across the lot towards them, then coming to a screeching stop. Jumping out, he made his way to Dean who was gathering Teyla back into his arms and slowly getting to his feet. "How's she doing?" Sam asked, eyeing the large and sinister puddle blood on the pavement and covering the two of them.
His face paling at Teyla's cry of pain at being cradled, Dean shook his head as he hurried to the backseat. "Not good," He said as Sam opened the door passenger side back door. "She couldn't breathe for a while."
"Dean, I think she's lost too much blood…" Sam slowly, eyeing all the blood once more.
"It's okay, she'll be okay." Dean repeated the sacred mantra, bending down to slide her into the back. As he began to move away, she weakly grabbed his jacket, making him stop and look at her in pure worry.
Slowly opening her eyes, Teyla looked up at him pleadingly as tears pooled in her jade orbs. "Please." Was all she was able to breathe.
Grabbing her hand, he looked down at her despairingly before speaking, never tearing his gaze from hers. "Sam, you're driving." He ordered then which he closed her door then ran around the vehicle and climbed into the back with her, gently lifting her head so he could sit behind Sam and have her head rest on his lap.
"Got it." Sam said without hesitation, throwing himself back into the driver's seat and throwing the car into gear, swerved around and sped through and off the lot onto the forest framed barren highway.
"I should be dead by now." Teyla mumbled, her eyelids drooping slightly as she struggled to breathe.
"Hey, don't talk like that." Dean was immediate to shush her, stroking her hair soothingly.
"It's true though."
"Well, if we didn't know that Angels were dicks, I'd say maybe one is watchin out for you." He tried to joke uselessly.
"Not all Angels are dicks, Dean." She sighed tiredly.
Suddenly, the Impala rocked violently as it went over a large pothole in the road, jostling its passengers and making Teyla cry out in pain, her back arching as she screamed. "Sam!" Dean shouted in annoyance.
"Sorry!" Sam apologised, stepping on the gas even harder. "How's she doing?" He asked, glancing back at them through the rear-view mirror.
"You need to go faster." Was all Dean replied with.
October 2002
He hit the brick wall hard, leaving him in agony and seeing in doubles as he tried to get up, but it was no use. Putting a hand to the back of his head, Dean winced as he felt blood ooze from the broken skin. At this point he could only hope he didn't fracture his skull and at the very least have gotten a concussion instead. In this particular moment, that was the less of his worries. Looking up, he tried to focus on his father who stood over the grave they had been digging at. It was supposed to be a simple salt and burn, but of course it didn't turn out that simple. The ghost had finally made an appearance after the coffin had been busted open, and for sure, it had been pissed. So while John worked on salting the bones, Dean tried to distract the damn thing, which had resulted in him getting thrown across the yard and into the wall he now leaned against.
In the dim light he could make out John's form as he lit a match, but that was quick to go out before he too was thrown away from the grave. "Dad!" Dean shouted out, weakly trying to move before the ghost turned to him, moving quickly to stand before him. It started to bend down towards him patronisingly slow, its hand reached outwards to his chest when a shout caught everyone's attention.
"Hey! Asshole!"
Looking to the grave, Dean could make out a slim form standing in front of the gaping hole. Suddenly, in a whoosh of flames, fire spat downward, licking at the salt and gasoline covered bones. In a scream of agony, the ghost disappeared in an explosion of embers, the danger finally surpassed. Sighing, he allowed himself to relax as he heard the sound of boots smacking the ground getting closer. After a moment the figure dropped to their knees in front of him, and focusing on them, Dean saw it was a young woman his age that looked at him with concern. Dropping her lighter and hairspray can to the ground, she pushed her bangs out of her jade eyes and gently ran her hands over his cuts and bruises. "Hey, pretty boy. You okay?" She asked, her dark brown ponytail blowing in the wind.
She was pretty, he thought, studying her face as he shifted. "Sure thing, sweetheart." He groaned, trying to move.
"Take it easy." The woman ordered, pushing him back down gently. "You got thrown pretty hard."
"Yeah, you're tellin me." Eyeing the can and lighter, he smirked at her. "Nice flamethrower." He commented.
She smirked back. "Saved your ass, didn't it?" She retorted.
Oh yeah, he liked her. "I'm Dean Winchester." Dean introduced himself.
"Teyla Nolan." Teyla introduced herself with a wide genuine smile at him.
"Aw, crap." Sam muttered under his breath when red and blue flashing lights appeared behind them accompanied by a wailing siren.
"Son of a bitch." Dean swore when he turned around and saw the police car.
"Sammy," Teyla panted. "Pull over."
"But-" Dean started to protest, looking at her wildly before being cut off by her hand brushing his cheek.
"Pull over." She said firmly, never looking away from the older Winchester.
"Okay."
As Sam began to pull over, Dean stroked her clammy forehead as his other hand intertwined her cold fingers with his warm ones. "But you could die..." He mumbled sadly, bringing their joined hands up so he could press his lips to her fingers.
Teyla's head lolled slightly as the car came to a gentle stop. "Then I die." She replied with a cough, blood dribbling down her chin. Instantly he wiped her mouth and face clean.
Seeing the older officer approach his side, Sam rolled down his window. "Where you goin in such a hurry, son?" The man said in a kind but authoritative tone, bending down to see him.
"Look, I'm sorry but it's our friend." Sam started to explain in a distressed rush.
"Quick to pin the blame, Sammy." She mumbled teasingly, only to be ignored by Sam and hushed by Dean.
"We were out exploring the outskirts when we got jumped. She got stabbed with a pipe and she needs help now."
When this was said, Dean rolled down his window as well so the cop could see Teyla for himself. "Please," Dean begged. "She's already lost a lot of blood."
Peering into the backseat, the officer's eyes widened when he saw the long and thin rusted pipe protruding from the young woman's abdomen. Nodding, he looked between the two Winchesters. "Right, I'll escort you there so you won't have any stops. I'll also call ahead to let them know we're coming."
"Thank you, thank you so much!" Sam said, rolling up the window and rushing to bring the Impala roaring back to life. Behind them, the police cruiser's red and blue lights began to flash while the siren began to scream. Once it pulled off the side and started to fly down the road, Sam tore after him. As they sped into town, Dean kept Teyla's hand tight in his.
"Don't you dare die on me, Teyla Nolan." He whispered to her, leaning down to kiss her forehead.
"Dean?" Teyla mumbled, her eyelids fluttering.
"Yeah?" His grip on her hand tightened.
"You know that song I'll sing to you when you have nightmares?" She asked.
Tears began to well up at this, Dean's mind flashing to all the times Teyla had stayed up with him to sooth his worries whenever the nightmares became too much for his unconscious mind. It had especially become more frequent after he came back from Hell. The first night Hell had invaded his dreams and he had woken up with a cry of fright, she had gotten out of her makeshift bed on the couch to crawl into his without a word and drawing him into her, casually having him rest his head under her chin as she sang to him quietly, running her fingers through the hair at the back of his head as she sung. Teyla had never said a word about it or asked what he had dreamed of; she had already guessed what it was. Every time whether she awoke at his discomfort or he woke her up just to keep him sane, she would sing. It was a song, she had told him, that was from a TV show she watched and the character that had sung it had the same name as her. She had found it sad and soothing, being quick to learn it for her benefit, which eventually came to his as well.
Nodding, a tear slipped down his cheek and onto hers. "Yeah. Yeah, of course I do. Why?"
"Sing it at my funeral pyre, eh?" Teyla smirked slightly.
"Don't talk like that." Dean sniffed.
"Humour me." Her body relaxed slightly.
Thinking and unable to come up with an argument, he played along. "Cummon, Tey. You know I can't sing worth crap. I wouldn't be as good as you. Hell, I'd probably raise the dead just trying. You might just have to come back to get me to stop-"
"Dean?"
He stopped his rambling. "Yeah?"
Despite her body language, which was limp and unmoving, her green eyes were penetrating as she met his gaze. "Shut up and kiss me."
Giving her a sad and watery smile accompanied by a shaky laugh, Dean leaned down to gently press his to Teyla's. Underneath the heavy scent of her blood, he could smell the familiar green apple of her familiar perfume. The feeling of euphoria was not to last however. Hearing and feeling a sigh escape from the woman lying in his lap, he gave a muffled sob as he pulled back to see her peaceful expression.
"Sam!" Dean cried out in strangled terror.
"We're here!" Sam responded, pulling up to the hospital's emergency doors and clambering out.
"Don't leave me, Teyla." Dean whispered to her body as he finally began to cry.
"Over here!" The officer ran out of the emergency doors followed by several paramedics wheeling out a gurney, all hurrying towards the Impala.
As everyone outside rushed to the driver's side, inside Dean sat stuck to the spot, placing his hands on either side of her face and stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. "Teyla..." He whispered again as his door was opened.
"Dean!" Sam called to his brother after opening the door, trying to get his attention but to no avail.
"Sir, we need to get her out now if we're going to help her." One of the paramedics said gently but urgently, putting a hand on Dean's shoulder. Snapping his head up and around to look at the woman who spoke, he nodded and unwillingly withdrew his hands from Teyla's skin. "Yeah..." Leaning down, he pressed a final and fleeting kiss to her forehead before carefully slipping out from underneath her and out of the car. The moment he stumbled back and away the paramedics converged on the Impala, all working together to carefully get Teyla out, put onto a gurney, and then ran her into the hospital. Behind them Sam and Dean ran close behind, trying to follow their friend as she was wheeled away, but however was stopped in the middle of the hall.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen, please!" A doctor stood in front of them, his hands raised in protest. "There's nothing else you can do for her. You brought her to us, now let us do what we can to try and save her."
"So you think you can?" Dean asked, looking between the doctor and the hall Teyla had been taken down. "Do you think you can save her?" When this was asked, the doctor's face fell. "I'm not sure, son." He said honestly. "That pipe looks like it's in there pretty good. We'll have to see what we can do, and trust me, we will try our best to save her."
"Thank you." Sam spoke for the both them.
"I will however, need one of you to give me your friend's medical information."
"I'll do it." Dean said instantly.
"No, I will." Sam stepped forward before turning to Dean. "Look, you know what happened, that officer is going to want to know what happened out there, and because you were there, he'll want to talk to you. You go talk to him, and I'll talk to the doctor, okay?"
Looking at the cop who stood a respectable distance away, Dean looked back to Sam. "Yeah, okay." He mumbled before taking a longing look down the corridor and finally walking back to the officer.
For eight hours the Winchesters sat in the waiting room, sitting in useless hope for a word on their friend. Dean had instantly taken to praying to Castiel for help, but he still had yet to hear from the Angel. It was however at 7:30 in the morning did the doctor they had first spoken to appeared in the hall and walked towards the boys. Seeing the man get closer, Sam mugged Dean's arm, making his head snap up from prayer in fright. Instantly both were up on their feet and met the man halfway.
"How is she? Is she okay?" Dean asked quickly.
Glancing between the two, the doctor nodded slowly. "Teyla made it through the surgery and blood transfusions; however, she is still unconscious. We still aren't sure if she'll pull through as she's still teetering between life and death." He gave them an apologetic look. "We've done all we can, anything that happens from now on is in God's hands.
"Alright, thank you." Sam nodded before trying to pull Dean away, but it was no use.
"Can we see her?" Dean wrenched himself from Sam's grasp.
The doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry, but no. She's been moved to intensive care, so unless she wakes up or is moved out of there, you will have to wait."
This made Dean scoff. "Sure." Was all he said before walking away.
Jogging to keep up, Sam looked around them as he spoke quickly and quietly. "Did you try Cas?"
Dean looked at him oddly. "No. Of course I did! But obviously, I got nothing."
When they reached the chairs they had been sitting in desperately for hours, they faced each other. "Dean, it'll be okay." Sam tried to convince them both, yet they both knew it was most likely false hope.
November 2005
"Listen, we can't do this alone." Dean pleaded.
"Yes you-" Sam stopped suddenly, his brother's words finally registering. "Hold on a second, we?"
"We is right, Winchester." A feminine voice piped up from the open passenger window of the Impala. Next a young woman swung herself out of said window to sit on its ledge while meeting his stunned gaze cheekily with a nod.
"Umm... Hello." He waved slightly in confusion.
"Sammy, this is my friend Teyla Nolan." Dean introduced. "Teyla, this this is my brother Sammy."
"Sam." Sam was quick to correct his brother before looking at him. "Friend?" He repeated in disbelief.
"What? I can't have a friend that's a girl?" Dean asked.
"You? No." Sam answered honestly.
"Aww cummon, Sam!" Teyla cried, fully pulling herself out of the car to join them. "We've only banged a couple times!"
"Oh, dude!" Sam expressed in digest.
"Yeah, cummon, Sam!" Dean repeated, smirking as he threw an arm around Teyla's shoulders and drew her close.
"I see you found your match, Dean." Sam looked away, rolling his eyes.
"I'm only joking, Sam." She leaned forward to punch his arm playfully. "Dean isn't getting a piece of this sweet ass any time soon."
"Yeah?" You aren't getting any of this," Dean paused to gesture up and down his body. "Any times soon either."
"Besides, I hear things get weird when you screw your best friend." Teyla added on thoughtfully.
"And in this job, we don't need that." He agreed.
"Oh hell no."
"So, how did you two meet?" Sam asked as Dean walked away to the trunk.
"We met on a case two after you left." Dean called over the creak of their trunk lid.
"Saved mine and Dad's skins."
"And I've been with 'em ever since." She declared proudly with a wide smile.
"Good thing too," Dean said as Sam and Teyla joined him, casually slinging an arm across her shoulder once more. "Don't know what we'd do without her."
In her hospital room, Teyla lay pale and exhausted on the lumpy bed, hooked up to various machines complete with a tube down her throat. Suddenly, her fingers twitched slightly, her eyes opening to lift her gaze to the ceiling pleadingly. Gabriel. She thought, unable to speak with the tube in her throat. With that she gave a final sigh and relaxing completely. Around her body the machines started to wail and beep incessantly, signifying the loss of life from the room.
Down the hall, heads snapped up at the sound of mechanical beeping. Both Winchesters jumped up uselessly as they watched doctors and nurses run into Teyla's room, making their hearts sink in despair. Finally, after 5 terse minutes the doctor emerged from the room. Making his way to the brothers, he glanced up at them apologetically, confirming their worst fears.
"I'm sorry to say that at 8:30 AM this morning, Teyla Emilie Nolan died due to extensive internal damage. Condolences on your loss." He said before leaving Sam and Dean to stand in the small waiting room shell-shocked.