Note: I don't own the boys or anything involving the supernatural world. All props go to Eric Kripke! I originally wrote this when the episode premiered. I am a little late. Sorry!
Summary: The boys, Ellen, Jo, and Castiel arrive in the town where Lucifer was last spotted. Castiel has vanished and Meg is back in action. This time around she came bearing gift of hell hounds. Will they escape?
Chapter 1
Meg: Well hi there boys. Did ya miss me?
Dean: Meg…what the hell are you doing in town?
Meg: Why Dean, is that the way your mommy taught you to treat old friends?
Dean seethed at Meg's mention of his mother. She had no right to bring her into this. Now Dean was getting pissed.
Dean: Just tell us what you want. We are all in kind of a rush, so we'll have to cut this reunion short.
Meg: All work and no play. Now that's the Dean-o I know. I was here on a little business trip with my father, but he had an appointment to keep. So I am alone for now. Let's have some fun.
Hellhounds can be heard snarling and growling; remaining invisible to the human eye. Dean's eyes widen, clearly fear has ripped right through him. In the past moment, he relived his death. He remembered every detail of the hounds viciously ripping and carving his chest into ribbons. They destroyed him and made him a human chew toy that night resulting in his 40 year hell ride.
Dean put his hand out to stop anyone from making any wrong moves. Then he yelled back for them to make a run for it.
Dean: Run! Run! Don't look back!
Ellen and Jo were out of there. As soon as Dean said to go, they turned around and booked it. They were followed closely by Sam, but Dean was way in the back and that's when they heard him cry out.
Dean: Aah!
Dean was running when suddenly a greater force knocked him to the ground. He smacked his head on the gravel road, creating a huge gash on his forehead. He went to get up, but the hellhounds got to him first. Suddenly Dean felt sharp claws buried in his side, blood pouring out of him. He tried to roll away from the hellhound but it only followed after him. He felt the other set of claws bury itself in his back. He screamed out; in pain, bleeding, dying.
Sam: Dean! Hang on Dean!
Dean: (raspy voiced) No….keep going!
Sam shot at the hell hounds until finally he'd heard the bullet hit it as it ran off to lick its wounds. He knew that the hounds would be back soon, so he ran to Dean's side and scooped his brother's body into his arms.
Dean: Sa'…u cam'…ru'.
Sam: No Dean. Just hold on to me. We are going to fix you.
Dean: Sam…you need to ta' Ellen an' Jo…find Lucifer…forget me. It's for the best.
Dean reached slowly into his jacket pocket digging for something. Finally, he pulled the Colt from his jacket and tried to hand it to Sam. Sam isn't having any part of his brother's "last requests". He would never just leave his brother bleeding.
Dean coughed violently and his entire body shriveled up into a ball of pain. He coughed up blood and that's when Sam realized that his lungs had been damaged. He was choking on his own blood.
Sam: Dean, don't be ridiculous. You know I would never just leave you behind. Just hang on! I am going to help you. Jo! Ellen!
He shifted his brother slightly in his arms to maintain a stronger grip. The last thing they needed was for Dean to fall out of Sam's hands. Jo had stayed back and waited for the two boys to come around the corner. When they did, she pointed them to a convenience store Ellen had found that they could use for a "safe house".
Jo: Dean! Oh my god! That's a lot of blood…what can I do?
Dean coughed up more blood and it just dribbled out, over his lips and down his chin.
Sam: Jo, for now, I need you to just direct me to a place we can hide for now. There will be jobs for everyone once we get Dean someplace safe.
Jo: Okay…um, my mom found an abandoned convenience store that we can take him to for now. It's fully stocked still so there should be enough supplies to help him.
Sam: Good. How much farther?
Jo: Just right around the corner.
Ellen saw the boys and Jo approaching the door rapidly but they did not appear to be running from the hell hounds currently.
Ellen: Sam! What happened! Bring him to the back room. I have it under full hound protection.
Sam: Thanks Ellen. Alright, I need you to call Bobby. Tell him what's happening and see if he knows anything else. Jo, I want you to find me any supplies you can. Then, come help me with Dean.
Dean moaned in Sam's arms, but did not move at all. He needed help and fast.
Jo: Sam…I found bandages…and a suture kit…is he okay?
Sam: He'll be fine…but he is bleeding pretty badly. I have to go take care of him.
Sam brought Dean to the back room and laid Dean down gently. He made sure not to jolt Dean's side too much. Dean's whole body was on fire. An infection had clearly set in.
Sam: Dean...Can you hear me? I'm going to fix you up. Just hang on and stay awake for me…okay.
Dean: Sa'my…can…stay…
Sam: Yes you can, Dean. Just hang on man…I'm going to fix you.
Dean passed out from the blood loss and Sam knew that this meant he needed to move fast.
Jo: Sam…we should start working on him. He's bleeding pretty badly.
Sam: You're right…if I need something, I'll call for you. Make sure your mother speaks with Bobby. He'll want to know.
[On the other side of the room]
Ellen waited anxiously for Bobby to pick up the phone. He said he was going to sit right next to it, in case of something like this. He finally picked up.
Bobby: I knew you idjits would need me eventually….what's…?
Ellen: Bobby? It's Ellen…we ran into some trouble.
Bobby: oh hell….what happened?
Ellen: Meg showed up….with a posse. Hellhounds Bobby…Dean made the rest of us run ahead…but he…
Ellen could barely finish her sentence. She couldn't believe that it was happening again. Dean could die…again, all because of some crazy bitch and her untrained dogs. She could not let it happen. Not again and most certainly not to Dean.
Bobby: Ellen!
Ellen jumped at the tone of Bobby's voice realizing that she had spaced out and let her thoughts distract her.
Ellen: I'm sorry Bobby. I let my mind wander…what do we do?
Bobby: How bad is it? He's not…is he?
Ellen: He's alive…for now. There is a lot of blood Bobby. Sam is working on him, but I don't know if he'll make it.
Bobby: Tell Sam to just stay calm and do his best. Ellen, I hate to even think this but…if Dean doesn't make it…I need you to bring Sam back here. Don't let him do anything nuts…just come right back here.
Ellen: I promise Bobby.
Bobby: Thank you. I couldn't stand losing both of them…wait! Where the hell is Cas? He came with you for a reason.
Ellen: Cas disappeared. He saw all these reapers…dozens Bobby. Then he was just gone.
Bobby knew this must be devil related.
Bobby: Ellen, go check on Dean's status and I will get back to you. I just have to check some facts.
Ellen: Alright Bobby. Goodbye.
Bobby: And Ellen…don't forget what I said.
Ellen: I won't
Ellen hung up the phone and raced back to where Sam was working on his brother.
Jo's hands were covered in Dean's blood as it poured over her hands. She tried to apply pressure to slow the bleeding, but it seemed to only increase.
Ellen: Sam? How is he?
Sam: He's bad Ellen…his side is torn to bits, he has an infection, I can't get the bleeding to stop. I don't…at this rate he will not make it.
Ellen: Sam…I am so sorry.
Sam: I tried so hard to protect him…but the demons won again. This will be the 2nd time I let the hell hounds take him from me.
Sam could no longer hold back his tears. They had been fighting to flow down his cheeks since Dean got hurt, but now it was like an endless river that could never be repaired or redirected.
Jo: Sam…Sam, Dean's awake.
Sam: Dean?
Dean's eyes were open so slightly that he still looked asleep. He could barely move his head because the blood loss made his whole body weak. Sam sat behind his brother and lifted his head up against his chest. He didn't care if Dean's blood was all over him. He just needed that contact with his brother.
Ellen: Sam…I will leave with your brother and give you guys some time alone. Jo…come with me.
Sam: Thank you…for everything.
Sam lowered himself closer to Dean because it was hard to hear him at times. His voice was just above a whisper but groggy.
Dean: Sam…I want you…to take everyone…take the colt…and go.
Sam: No, Dean. I am not leaving without you. You are going to be…
Dean: I think we both know that the only way I leaving this town is in a body bag. It's okay…I'm ready…You have to let me go Sammy…keep fighting.
Dean broke into a coughing fit. Sam raised a towel to his mouth and when he removed it, there was so much blood covering it.
Sam: Easy Dean…calm down…
Dean: Sam...I am so tired…sleep?
Sam: Yeah Dean, sure. Just try to get comfortable. I'll be right here.
Dean's body released the tension it had possessed and Dean leant back into his brother's chest feeling his much needed comfort.
Jo suddenly re-entered the room, but stayed close to the door
Jo moved a little closer to Sam, who was rocking Dean back and forth while humming Metallica for his brother.
Jo: Sam…here's a blanket, in case Dean's cold. I brought one for you too. I also found some pillows. I figured then you guys could at least lie down.
Sam just stared at Jo trying to take in all the things she just said to him.
Sam: Thank you Jo…can you just help me move him?
Jo: Sure thing.
Sam lowered himself and his brother down onto the pillows making Dean as comfortable as he could. Jo helped to turn his body onto his good side so they have easy access to it.
Night turned into dawn, which turned into a new day.
The scraping of the hounds at the doors had subsided sometime during the night.
Sometime during the night, Jo had wrapped herself into Dean's body offering extra warmth for him.
Sometime during that same night…a warrior gave his life for his family.
The great Dean Winchester had died…again. This time possibly for good.
Sam refused to admit to anyone out loud, but everyone in that convenience store knew what happened.
The afternoon rolled around and that's when Ellen intervened. Jo and Sam had taken up refuge next to Dean's body. Sam still held his head in his lap, running his hand through his brown spikes.
Jo continued to lie next to him, her head buried in his chest, hoping he will wake up.
Ellen leaned down next to her daughter and tearfully tried to pry her away from Dean's body.
Ellen: Jo? Honey? He's gone…honey. Dean's gone…we have to take him back to Bobby's place.
Sam: We can't bury him.
Ellen: Sam…
Sam: No…I am going to fix this. Just help me get him to the impala.
Ellen: Ok Sam…let's just get him out of here.
[Bobby's Yard]
Bobby comes out of his garage, solemnly, knowing what all the long faces on his family meant. It meant that Dean, his "oldest son" was dead at the hands of a demon again.
Bobby: No…not Dean…Sam?
Sam: I am sorry Bobby…he was…I couldn't…I'm sorry.
Sam threw himself at Bobby's feet, sobbing inconsolably. Nothing anyone said would bring his brother back to him. He knew what he had to do.
Bobby: It's okay son…let's just get him inside.
Sam: Why Bobby? Why him? Dean has already sacrificed himself for me. Why is he dead now?
Bobby: I don't know son…because your brother loves you so much, he just wants to make sure you stay safe.
Sam stood up and shakily approached the impala, his brothers pride and joy, and removed Dean's body from the back seat. He carried him into the house and laid him on the couch.
Bobby watched as Sam took up his place right by Dean's side. He sat there for hours saying his final words to his brother. It was the saddest sight to watch. He had seen his own share of pain and suffering and blood and death in his time as a hunter. Hell, his own wife was killed because of demonic possession. These two boys have been through so much and he has been right there with them. Now he has to bury his eldest "son" for the second and hopefully final time.
Dean will finally get that rest that he has been talking about.
The End.