A/N: I tried to hold off posting my new story until I had the ending set. But the end is eluding me for now. I am hoping my muse will play nice soon. Sorry the first chapter is short. Later chapters will be longer. Let me know what you think.
Disclaimer: No Winchesters in my possession. Sad but true.
The day was gloomy, unseasonably cool for early fall in Central Texas. The sky was overcast, the smell of rain in the air. Weather to perfectly match the mood of both Winchesters. Loading the last of their stuff in the trunk of the Impala, Sam watched as Dean went to the motel office to check out, his slight limp the only visible reminder of all they'd endured on this hunt. Visible to the rest of the world that is. Sam could tell how much he was still hurting even if Dean thought he was hiding it from his little brother. They still hadn't discussed what happened. Knowing how the older hunter felt about "chick flick moments," it would be only after Sam screamed, begged and annoyed the truth from him, in that order. It always came down to being annoying. But Sam always won in the end. Stubborn idiot!
After one last sweep of the room, making sure nothing suspicious or incriminating was left to put the Feds on their tails again, he stowed his laptop in the front seat of the car. They hadn't found another job yet and Dean was anxious to get the hell out of Dodge, even without a specific destination in mind. This meant he needed to find another job quickly or spend several evenings at some dive bar while his brother hustled pool, hoping to avoid yet another bar brawl when he hustled the wrong local. Or end up in a motel room alone while Dean was otherwise engaged. Or both.
However, the sight of his brother walking back made him think maybe a distraction was what Dean needed right now. Head down, shoulders hunched, he wasn't his usual exuberant self after a successful hunt. Gone was the fire in his eyes and the smile that could charm every female in a room. In fact, he still looked exhausted. Though, truth be told, the older hunter hadn't been himself since their father died, trading his soul for Dean's life. He might never fully recover from that.
"The car's loaded. Any idea which way we'll head?" Did he just flinch? He can't even look in this direction.
"Not really. As long as it's not here, I'm good."
"Want me to drive?" Damn, he definitely flinched that time.
"Nah, I've got it. Maybe later though."
Sam was really starting to worry about his big brother, usually the stronger one. He didn't look up once and even seemed to shrink into himself a bit more with the last question. Usually an offer to drive his baby earned Sam a dirty look and a growl of irritation. He knew he'd have to find a way to fix this, to show Dean it was ok to trust again. And hope it was true.
A simple salt and burn. Like they ever had a simple one. Simple didn't exist for Winchesters. Something always went wrong. This time worse than Dean could've ever predicted. This simple salt and burn sent his world into absolute chaos, destroying his sanctuary. Wish we'd never taken this case.
Dean threw the last of his belongings in his duffel bag, trying to ignore the surreptitious glances from his little brother. He knew Sam was just making sure he was ok, but the constant mothering was stifling. He had to get a few minutes to himself even if it was just to check out of the motel. Heading out the door, Dean knew his brother was still watching, looking for any hint of a problem. He could hide everything but the pain in his leg. That would take much longer to heal and there was no way in hell they were staying that long.
Rounding the corner out of Sam's sight, Dean stopped to catch his breath, leaning on the wall for support. The short walk to the office took more out of him than he wanted to admit, even to himself. Even after two weeks in the hospital, he still had problems breathing and exhausted easily. A wave of dizziness made him realize being alone wasn't such a great idea. The last thing he wanted was to pass out with no help around. He checked out of the room and headed back, determined to put the hunt and all its complications behind him. He was tired and knew it showed, though he'd never say it to Sam. The kid had enough to worry about. Nothing like a warning you might turn evil to stress a person. Dean never wanted to tell his brother the secret their father burdened him with right before he died. But Sam used every trick in his arsenal to get the truth.
Dad told me to watch out for you. He said I had to save you. And if I couldn't, I …I had to kill you. He said I'd have to kill you.
Dean thought sharing the secret would make a lighter load, but he was wrong. It only added guilt to the fear. And agony as he watched Sam fight what he thought was his destiny. Sam had been pissed, more than Dean thought possible, that he kept something so important a secret. He made Dean promise to do as their dad asked if it looked like he was turning dark side, as he put it. In another moment of weakness, the older hunter did promise. But when Sam was possessed by a demon mere weeks ago, Dean couldn't do what he asked. Even took a bullet himself rather than kill his brother. In fact, the bullet wound in his left shoulder was barely healed before they started this hunt. It still hurt. But it hurt less than watching his brother pull the trigger, fire the shot that plunged him off the pier. Not Sam, that demon bitch Meg!
Dean watched Sam load his laptop in the front seat of the car and was glad he'd come out of this last hunt unscathed. Well, mostly unscathed. Sam managed to avoid a stay in the hospital. At least it hadn't been Sam that tried to kill him this time. That was worse than when the Yellow-Eyed Demon sliced Dean open like a Thanksgiving turkey while possessing their father, leaving Dean to beg him not to let the demon kill him. No, this betrayal was one he never saw coming. He'd lost the ability to trust the one constant in his crazy life.
This betrayal almost succeeded where his brother and father failed. Technically had since his heart stopped for a full three minutes on the way to the hospital. But the betrayal broke his heart in more than one way because it was his baby, his beautiful '67 Chevy Impala that tried to kill him this time.