Disclaimer: Do not own
Warning: This contains spoiler up to the episode Changing Channels. This may seem similar or close to Changing Channels, however, this fic was written right before this episode! Hope you enjoy!
Special thanks to: Beta'd by V.R. Jennings with much thanks. Challenge requested PennyFireFly for song fic.
Thank you to a wonderful beta: V.R. Jennings
Homebound
"Once a hunter is no more, returns to civilian lifestyle. Evil visits, the mark is made. The ex-hunter's spouse shall seek revenge and become a hunter."
Fate and destiny planned together, together they planned the years carefully.
Come down off your throne
And leave your body alone
Somebody must change
You are the reason
I've been waiting so long
Somebody holds the key
Mary Campbell was an extraordinary hunter, but she wanted normal, she loved John Winchester. When a demon destroyed her life in one night, taking her parents and John, she made a deal without knowing what it was. This deal would be due in ten years. John was brought back to life, she gave up hunting, and for ten years, she forgot about her past. Her past returned when the deal was up.
Azazel, the Yellow Eyed Demon, fed his blood to the youngest Winchester as he lay in his crib the night of the ten year anniversary. The YED had an interest in this child, this child held true to the prophecy so far. His mom had been a hunter, but gave it up for normal. He made sure that the ex-Marine, John, saw his wife pinned to the ceiling, only supernatural things could do this, and he made sure the remainder of the family survived. This was so that John would seek revenge and become a hunter. His mark was made through the mother's brutal death. John Winchester became one of the best, most ruthless hunters of his time. John took his sons with him, raised them as hunters of the supernatural.
Now only two people could stand a chance at ever being a vessel so far, the children: Dean and Sam Winchester. This is where the prophecy separated into two, so that each side could have a fair but tough chance at gaining the vessel.
HELL: "Death must occur, but a soul exchanged for their life so that their life is returned. They shall have unholy powers that in the end make the final seal break. He who breaks the last seal is the true vessel for Lucifer, the Lord of Darkness and Fallen from Grace."
HEAVEN: "An exchange for a soul out of grief and love does death bring. Thy tortured role shall reverse upon the offer after the 30th year. Once the role does change, the enjoyment comes. This shall be the breaking of the very first seal and their Soul shall be free, life returned, but not without grief."
Heaven and Hell had to make the decision of who they wanted to become their vessel. Heaven focused on the non-believer, Dean. They wanted to make him realize that good did exist, that the world was worth saving. Hell focused on the believer, Sam. They wanted to break him, make him realize that the world was not worth saving.
Come down off your throne
And leave your body alone
Somebody must change
You are the reason
Both brothers were forced into the middle with reasons they did not create. They had grown up with each other and not much else.
I've been waiting so long
Somebody holds the key
They had sacrificed all they could for each other: childhoods and dreams, their life and soul. It was the reason they were in the current mess in the first place.
But I'm near the end and I just ain't got the time
And I'm wasted and I can't find my way home
Dean gave up his childhood to become his father's soldier, but most importantly, his brother's nurturer, friend, mentor and guidance. All he did, he did it for Sam. Dean had given Sam protection and support when no one or nothing else would or even could. He had let Sam go to Stanford so that Sam would be happy and live in normal –which wasn't meant to be. He has to look out for Sam. The night Sam died; Dean was left with grief, distraught and somewhat angry-because he had not stopped it from happening. He had left to make a deal, not because he couldn't live without Sam, he could have just pulled the trigger on himself, but because Sam deserved to live, and he felt like his time should have been up anyhow. He lost his soul with grief in his heart and a kiss to his lips. In one year, he died in place of Sam, and he went to Hell. This was where he was tortured for 30 years, until he gave in and took over the torturing himself. The scary part was he actually enjoyed the screams he inflicted. And so the first seal was broken as his hand returned to the stranger's skin, knife in hand, screams filling his ears, smile on his face. After ten years of inflicting torture he was suddenly returned to his own body, back to Earth; but grief filled his heart when he realized what he had done in Hell.
But I'm near the end and I just ain't got the time
And I'm wasted and I can't find my way home
Sam had been left to carry on without Dean. Sam had kept Dean from loneliness during his childhood and he had unknowingly given Dean a purpose. He had eventually learned to love what he hated most thanks to Dean. He had left hunting in the first place because he had thought this would help Dean focus more intently on the hunt. This way Dean would not be distracted by him and would reach his full potential without getting injured for protecting Sam or for acting recklessly. He returned out of sadness due to loss and to give Dean his alliance, but also to help the both of them out. Turns out Dean needed him there with him to stay focused, because Dean would now know exactly how Sam was. When Sam found out about the deal, he was devastated to learn what Dean had done for him. They were brothers, they were blood; they were supposed to look out for each other. Sam didn't think selling your soul counted, because now Dean was going to die. When the deal came due and no way out had been found, Dean died. Sam became obsessed with revenge and grief. He used his demonic powers more and more, seeking revenge. He lost his soul with revenge and grief in his heart, the taste of blood on his lips. All of this to get Dean out of Hell, and all to destroy the demon that had placed Dean in Hell: Lilith. When the Angels returned Dean, Sam still sought revenge for the pain, but he lost his purpose. He killed Lilith out of vengeance, breaking the final seal and freeing Lucifer.
Somebody must change
You are the reason
I've been waiting so long
Somebody holds the key
"The sooner you give yourself up, the sooner it'll all be over. It'll all be over. It WILL happen eventually anyhow, it may as well be now. Let me in, say YES to ME, and your worries are over. Stop refusing me."
Angels of the Lord-Zachariah-and Satan, Prince of Darkness-Lucifer; both sides eagerly wanted the chosen vessel to accept so they could take control of the war and win.
Who was going to be the first Winchester to agree, give in, and become a vessel?
Each brother had freedom of choice and decision, that much is certain. They both must willingly agree to become a vessel on their own accord. However, each side may taunt, trick, bribe, or even forcefully persuade the Winchester into agreement: the whole 'stage 4 stomach cancer', 'bring you back from death if you kill yourself', and the ever popular 'we will always find you…somehow' had made that much clear.
But I'm near the end and I just ain't got the time
And I'm wasted and I can't find my way home
All that is left was for one or both of them to agree, to just say yes.
"The Apocalypse has begun. You MUST accept me so that I can defeat him, so that everything will be okay. You are the key, the vessel, you can finish this now!"
But I'm near the end and I just ain't got the time
And I'm wasted and I can't find my way home
Time is running down, what decisions will be made?
Dean: 'Is this too far gone? Am I too damaged for anything else? A vessel for an Angel of the Lord?...Doesn't seem right, kind of ironic. If I say yes, do I go back to Hell once this is all over? I broke the seal that started this anyhow, and I tortured and enjoyed it. Will I go to Heaven since I agreed to be the vessel…they would owe me, being the vessel to the Angel.'
Sam: 'Have I gone too far? Am I too damaged to be worth anything other than a vessel to Lucifer?...I should have seen this coming. What is the right choice? Will I go to Hell for being the vessel to Lucifer, for drinking all of that demon blood? Or will I manage to go to Heaven since the Angels wanted this to start and they can now end it once and for all…I could help them end it.'
I've been waiting so long
Somebody holds the key
What if the side they chose lost? What would happen to them then? What if they both said yes and ended up fighting against each other after all they'd been through for each other?
But I'm near the end and I just ain't got the time
And I'm wasted and I can't find my way home
Would Dean become tired of the constant hiding from the demons that wanted him dead so that no vessel for Michael existed? Would he think of what his future might be in five years and decide it wasn't worth it? Would he decide he was tired of fighting and allow the Angel to take over, to fight by becoming a vessel? He couldn't kill himself without being brought back, they needed him. He couldn't get away. Would this end the war he's been a part of since he was four?
But I'm near the end and I just ain't got the time
And I'm wasted and I can't find my way home
Would Sam grow tired of hiding from every Angel apart from Castiel, from the demons who would report his location to Lucifer, from hunters who either wanted him dead or used for their own personal weapon to be disposed of after the Apocalypse was over? He was already cursed with the blood. Why not get this over with? Would he grow tired of all the draining midnight 'visits' from Lucifer to convince him to accept his fate and become a vessel? He couldn't kill himself without being brought back, Lucifer needs him. He couldn't get away. Would this end the war he's been a part of his entire life?
You are the reason
I've been waiting so long
Dean had begun believing and saw that humans were worth fighting for, but not at the cost of millions. Sam began questioning his faith and saw that most humans were greedy, but he knew that was a part of humanity.
How would Heaven and Hell find the right words to get Dean to sacrifice millions? How would Hell find the right words to give Sam so that he could once more lose sight and allow the destruction? Heaven and Hell knew that one way to do so would be to tear the brothers apart, since they balanced each other and kept each other going.
But I can't find my way home
With all of this, Dean and Sam had forgotten just how much they had given up for each other.
And I ain't done nothing wrong,
How much they had sacrificed.
Still, I can't find my way back home…
Forgotten how they were each others' lives, their home and their heart.