Disclaimers: As always...don't own 'em no matter how many coins I throw in that damn fountain.
Summary: First, this fic is based on an awesome photo manip that was done over on deviantArt so if you have a chance I beg you to go to my page there and see it (same account name). It is dedicated to the maker of that gorgeous photo, NiKtaDark. Ok...spoiler alert... this is set at the end of Swan Song so be warned. It contains Character Death! Bring tissues...but read it! I swear it's good death...emm.. if there is such a thing. I've been reading a good deal of negative comments on Season 6 (which I happen to be loving) and I think maybe this is the ending of Swan Song that those people would have liked to have seen... let me know what you think... Reviews are Love. Thanks!
He shook his head has he sat up, trying to clear away the cobwebs from his mind. He was surprised that he didn't feel the typical aches and pains that always came after a job that was as physical as this one had been. Instead, he felt refreshed, for the first time in a very long time he felt rested and ready to take on the world. He glanced over to the matching bed on the other side of the end table and saw his brother still sleeping peacefully.
It had been a very long time since they had slept through the night without one, or both of them, waking, heart pounding from the shattered remains of some fading nightmare. For a moment he just lay in the bed, watching his little brother sleep, enjoying the sight of the relaxed expression that had been so long missing from his face. Glancing over at the bedside clock he noticed that it was well past noon. Again he was surprised. When was the last time the two of them had slept in? It wasn't really a luxury one had often in their line of work.
He thought about waking Sammy but decided to let him sleep instead. It had been a long night. Things had gone south quickly and he still wasn't completely sure how they had made it out in one piece, together. Going in, they had been sure that at least one of them wasn't coming back. His mind drifted back to the prior evening.
He could remember his trepidation as his brother agreed to Lucifer's request. He knew Sam's abilities had grown, knew he was stronger than even he wanted to admit, but still… This was Lucifer we were talking about. He hadn't been completely sure that Sam could win that battle and the thought of what would happen if he lost had almost turned him inside out with panic. Of course, he would never let Sam see that.
Not this time anyway. Sam needed his brother to believe in him. He needed to know that Dean would have his back, as he always had. He needed to see that this wasn't the Hail Mary play that everyone was saying it was. They could do this. Together they could do anything. Hadn't they proved that a hundred times before?
He remembered the moment that Sam had said yes. He could remember the hollow emptiness he had felt when he had finally realized that it wasn't Sam who was in control any longer. All of their hopes and plans had failed, in that one second, everything had ended. When Lucifer had taken his brother away he had been sure that that was the last time he would ever see Sammy and it broke more than his heart…it broke his very soul.
He heard his brother stir in the other bed and pulled his thoughts back from that dark place. When he looked over he was met with the steady gaze that had greeted him every morning for as long as he could remember. There was something different in his eyes…something softer and it made him look younger somehow. His shaggy hair was mussed, bangs falling into his eyes, and a quiet smile played upon his lips.
"Morning Dean." Two words he thought he'd never hear from his brother again. Two little words that started his day, that had always meant that they had survived one more time. Two words that said more than a Shakespearean soliloquy about who they were and what they meant to each other. Just two little words…that meant everything.
"Afternoon Sammy." He flashed his brother a grin and watched in amusement as Sam's eyes flicked to the bedside clock. He almost giggled as his brother's eyes opened wide in shock as his brain registered the time. Giggled…what the hell…he hadn't giggled since he was what…five years old? He half expected to see his brother's eyes bulge out like some cartoon character and that thought actually did set off a round of giggles.
Sam looked from the clock back to Dean and couldn't help but join in on the unexpected giggling fit. God, it had been so long since they had laughed like this. Once they had both gotten themselves back under control they automatically threw back the covers and slipped out of their respective beds. Sam headed for the bathroom as Dean went over to the in-room coffee maker to start their morning (afternoon?) brew.
This scene had played out so many times over their lifetimes that no words were necessary. There was no awkwardness…no getting in each other's way. It was all a smooth precision of movements that came from the practiced ease with which they had been accustomed. Again Dean found himself smiling as he heard the shower start and the familiar sound of his brother belting out some tune that had wormed its way into his subconscious.
He sat down at the kitchenette table to have his first cup of coffee and again his mind wandered back to the scene from last night. He now remembered his conversation with Cas and Bobby. He could remember the pure rage that he felt as he realized that they, too, had given up hope. The rage had quickly been replaced by desperation. Desperation to save his brother…and, if he couldn't save him, to at least be with him as he made what would be his final sacrifice to their cause. He knew he couldn't allow him to do it alone.
He had driven to the graveyard in a panic. He couldn't even remember the drive. Some part of his brain had gone on auto-pilot to get him there while his consciousness worked over a hundred different plans to fix the mess they had gotten themselves into. He knew it was hopeless but, damn it, that wasn't the Winchester way. Until Sam was locked into that cage there was still a chance and he was damn well going to find it.
His brow creased as he remembered the confrontation. He remembered Cas and Bobby showing up…how had they gotten there? He wasn't sure but he could also remember the sheer wave of gratitude he felt when he saw them. They hadn't given up…they were there…they would help him. Together they would find a way to stop this. A small spark of hope had started deep within him and he wasn't willing to let it go.
Then he remembered seeing Cas destroyed and his coffee cup slipped from his hand, shattering as it hit the floor. His breath caught in his lungs and his heart skipped a beat as he remembered seeing Bobby, broken, lying on the ground…just one more casualty of their war. He didn't feel the scalding liquid that had splashed over the skin of his hand…he no longer saw the motel room that he was sitting in… the only thing he could see was Sam's face as he begged him to hear him…swore that he would not leave him alone in this.
He could suddenly feel every excruciating blow that had landed on his battered face. He could remember the feel of his bones snapping as he was slammed into the hood of his beloved car. Ironic, that his prized possession would be used as the weapon that would ultimately break him. He remembered the moment that his brother took back control. Could feel the mix of relief and grief as he realized that they had won. Relief that his abuse would stop…grief because he knew what was coming and, in his broken state, was helpless to stop it.
The memory of his brother falling into that pit…dragging Adam along with him was seared into his brain. How could he have forgotten, even for one second? He jumped up from his chair and ran over to his jacket, thrown on the floor next to his bed. He reached into the left pocket and felt his knees give out as his hand wrapped around the cold metal of the rings…the rings that had sealed the cage…the cage that his brother had been locked inside.
He didn't remember sitting down but he could feel the wall against his back and the hard, unforgiving roughness of the garish motel carpet under his hands. He experienced a moment of déjà vu as he remembered sitting, just like this, back against the impala…broken…bleeding…dying… What had happened next? How had he gotten Sam out of that hole? How had they gotten back here? His panic was rising as he was met with nothing but a hole where that memory should be.
He jumped when he heard the bathroom door open. His eyes sought out some answer, some explanation on his brother's face but found only confusion and worry as Sam saw him sitting alone on the floor. Everything seemed to slow down as he watched his brother run over to him, reaching out, suddenly wary. He could see Sam's eyes automatically scan the room for intruders and some part of him felt sadness that he had been the one to ruin this perfect morning.
"Dean! What…are you ok? " He could feel his brother's hands on his shoulders and it took all of his willpower to tear his eyes away from those hated rings and look into his brother's eyes.
"Sammy…I think… I think I've gone crazy… none of this is real." A broken sob escaped as he again looked back at the rings in his hand. "You're gone. I'm imagining this. I saw it…" He couldn't finish the sentence…it was too much…
He saw his brother sit down heavily by his side. Saw the concern replaced with confusion… watched as that confusion changed to horror. He knew that Sammy was remembering now. He knew that he was right and yet…if he was right then why was Sam getting that look on his face? Shouldn't he be aware of the situation…after all he wasn't real; he was just a figment of his imagination.
"Dean…I was in the pit…it worked…I remember…what…how?" They sat together, lost in their own private misery, as they tried to sort through their memories.
It was only then that Dean heard something so familiar that it almost didn't register in his consciousness. He heard that soft flutter of wings that always accompanied Cas' arrival. Again, confusion threatened his reality. He had seen what had happened to Cas. He knew he was gone and yet, as his gaze traveled upwards he saw, standing before them, the Angel that had so become a part of their lives.
"Sam. Dean. Everything is ok now. You can relax. There is nothing to be afraid of." There was a calmness in the Angel's tone and a confidence that he hadn't seen there in a long time. It was Cas… but Cas was different… more somehow.
"Cas…What the Hell is going on? How can you be here? How can we? Yesterday… the pit… Lucifer?" Dean couldn't form a coherent sentence through the multitude of questions that were beating at his mind.
"Dean. It's ok. It's over. You have both done everything that was asked of you. Lucifer is caged. The threat is over. You can rest now…your work is done."
He could hear the words but he was having trouble making sense of it all. He could see that Sam was just as confused. How could their work be done? There was always some new evil waiting around the corner that they had to be there to confront. Even if Cas was right, even if somehow Lucifer was contained, their work would never be done.
He watched as a look of realization came over his brother's face. He had trouble following the emotional tidal wave that followed that look. First he saw fear…then anger…then finally a calmness replaced everything else and Sam looked…happy…somehow…
"I don't get it. Where the Hell are we Cas?"
"Dean…I think…we're in Heaven." He had never heard his brother use quite that tone before. It sounded almost like…awe…
"Heaven? But…that would mean…" It was all starting to sink in now. He suddenly remembered the feeling he had as he sat on the cold ground in that graveyard. He could feel the blood draining from his body…feel the excruciating pain of what had to be fatal injuries…no one survives a beating like the one he took…
"But… I mean… we're here… together… I thought that Heaven was different for every person. When we were here before that's how it worked. Is this real? Are we real?" He knew the question wasn't coming out the way he wanted it to. He needed to know if this was really Sam…His Sammy… or just some memory his mind had produced for him as a part of his perfect Heaven.
"You are both real Dean. After everything you have done how could we not give you both the Heaven that you deserved? You are together, for as long as you choose to be… No one will ever split you apart again unless you want them to."
"So…this is real…I mean…we are really in Heaven? No more hunting… no more losing everyone we… it's real?" He could feel the tears that were slowly slipping from his eyes. He looked over at his brother and saw the same emotion playing on his face… relief… it was over and they were together…
"Yes Dean. You can make this place anything you choose. Find anyone you want to see, do anything you have ever wanted to do. You have both earned this." He took the hand that Cas had reached out to him, allowing the Angel to help him to his feet. Turning back, he gave his brother a hand up from the floor, reluctant to release his hand once he was standing…afraid that if he lost that grip everything would go with it.
They walked to the door of the motel room together. As they approached it, it seemed to melt away before them. They found themselves standing on a road…so much like all the roads they had traveled over all the years before. He turned to ask Cas where they were and found that he was gone. Just like the Angel…he had never been one for goodbyes. Dean felt a sharp tinge of sadness at his departure and wondered silently if they would ever see him again.
Taking a deep breath he threw one arm around his brother's shoulders.
"Well Sammy…where to?" The tears were drying and, as he saw the smile on his brother's face, he felt his own heart lighten.
"Does it matter Dean? We're here…we're together…no matter where we go, that's all that really matters isn't it? Let's just take a walk… see where it leads us… maybe we'll find Dad… or… Mom… who knows? We have all of eternity to explore…" He could see the light in his brother's eyes and his heart welled up with emotion once more.
'Nope', he thought, 'not gonna cry any more… not gonna make Sammy cry… never make Sammy cry again… nothing but sunshine, rainbows, unicorns and…Sammy from here on out…'
"You're right. Looks like a nice day for a walk…"
Cas stood quietly behind an old Elm tree… watching as the two people who had given everything they had to give save a world that had never given them anything walked, together, down the highway into forever.