Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural

Summary: AU. Dean and Sam don't get back together at the end of 5.04 The End, but they do meet on the battle field. Other characters: Cas and Bobby. Death!Fic. Oneshot.


Dean glanced nervously at a newly healed Bobby and Cas, he knew this was a stupid idea, they might aswell have signed their own death sentence. All they could to is waltz in between Michael and Lucifer and hope the colt could kill the devil.

They were standing just outside the cemetery where the battle that ended the world is suppose to happen, watching Dean and Sam's little brother, Adam or now Archangel Michael, speaking with Lucifer.

"Might aswell get it over with." Dean sighed as he moved round to the driver's door of the Impala, he received worried looks from his father figure and the angel "what?!" He snapped harshly "we know we're going to die, there's no point waiting for it!" he continued before getting in the car and slamming the door behind him.

Bobby looked at Cas and shrugged as Dean gunned the engine and drove into the cemetery. His eyes were stuck on the two men, no Archangels, as he drove closer to them.

He killed the engine and exited the car giving them a confident smirk as he got out. "Not missing anything am I boys." He smiled but he only received angry glares from Michael and Lucifer.

"You Winchesters never know when to give up do you? Sammy sure has given me a lot of hassle in the past months and now you." The devil scowled.

Dean cringed at the mention of Sam, he hadn't heard anything for the kid since Sam called to tell him that he was Lucifer's vessel, and that was months ago. He stared ar the Devil suddenly feeling worried... Worried that he had done something to Sam.

"What have you done to him?" Dean asked him.

"Oh not much..." The devil smirked before continuing "just taught him a few.. painful lessons. Why do you care anyway? From that I heard the almighty Winchester brothers haven't been together since I first visited Sam."

Dean gasped horrified "you've hurt him? But I thought you needed him!" He yelled.

"Ah yes, well I did but Sammy wasn't giving up as easy as I thought he would. After a while it started to get on my nerves so I decided to settle for this vessel and well... let's say... Take my frustrations out on little Sammy, he makes a good punching bag Dean." He grinned as he watched Dean's world crashing down around him.

Dean now felt angry, furious at himself. He had Sam go all them months ago, even when Sam begged for a second chance Dean had still turned him down. He hadn't even rang Sam since, hadn't even thought about him. If he was okay. If he was even alive. Bobby had contacted Sam occasionally, but Sam was pretty tight-lipped about how he was or where he was.

Now the nasty truth felt like a punch in the gut. Sam had been chased by the Devil, the freaking Devil, and hurt by him. He knew being tortured by the Devil would be far from fun, hell actually.

And then realization hit, he realized that Sam had been alone with no one to have his back, no protective big brother, no gruff but caring father figure.

"Where is he?" He asked quietly.

"Well here silly." The devil replied and stepped back to reveal a skinny, tall body lying face down in the grass. Dean gasped, he wouldn't have realized who it was if it wasn't for the shaggy mop of hair. Sam had lost a frightening amount of weight, all the muscle had gone and replaced with just skin and bone, it reminded Dean of the Sam he had picked up from Stanford all them years ago.

He suddenly found himself on his knees at Sam's side, he hadn't even noticed running over to his little brother. His hands hovered uselessly over Sam's frail, beaten body. He was afraid that if he touched Sam he would break him, well break him more than he already is. He gently grasped Sam's shoulder and pushed him over onto his back and once again gasped, this time at the state of Sam. Sam was covered in blood and dirt from head to toe, hair included. Dean couldn't even see where Sam's injuries were, his clothes were ripped and hanging loosely off the thin body, they were also covered in blood and dirt.

"Oh my God." He breathed as he brought his hand slowly up to his little brother's face and he touched Sam's neck looking for any sign of life in his brother. His heart clenched in panic and relief as he felt Sam's too weak pulse.

"Gosh Sammy... What's he done to you kiddo? God Sam I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." He whispered softly for Sam's ears only.

He heard a familiar flutter of wings and looked up to see Cas standing over them.

"Dean, get up! We need to finish this!" Cas yelled at him, but Dean shook his head. He didn't care about stopping the devil anymore, he only cared about Sam.

"Dean-" Cas started again but Dean cut him off.

"No, okay! No! Look at him Cas, look at Sam. I don't care okay. The only thing I'm going to do is get Sam out of here!"

"Dean don't be stupid." Bobby then spoke up "You have to do this or you won't have to get Sam out of here because we'll all be dead! Now get up!" Bobby ordered.

Dean stifled back the tears when he looked down back at Sam. He then stood and turned back to the Archangels who were strangely quiet while he was checking on his brother, and glanced at Cas and nodded held a bottle on fire in his hand that had appeared from nowhere and threw it at Michael, the archangel burst into flames and disappeared. Cas then did the same to Lucifer. But before Lucifer disappeared he glared at Cas and snapped his fingers and Cas' vessel exploded.

"Cas!" Dean shouted but it was too late, Cas was gone.

Bobby rushed forward to where Lucifer was just standing at started pouring sand like stuff on the floor "are you sure holy fire with work on the devil?" He asked Dean.

"Yeah I hope so!"

Dean pulled out the colt ready to shoot the devil as soon as he returned.

Sam suddenly moaned and called out for Bobby, Dean's heart broke when he heard Sam not call out for him.

Bobby finished pouring a circle and ran across to Sam "kid? Are you alright?" He asked concerned.

"Uhhh, no... Can you help me up?" Sam groaned lifting a shaking hand up to Bobby.

"Sure kiddo... I sure have missed you buddy!" Bobby laughed lift-heartedly and grabbed Sam's hand and pulled him up.

"Missed you too Bobby." Sam said as he stumbled to his feet.

I've missed you too Sammy Dean wanted to say wishing it was him having this moment with Sam instead of Bobby.

"Hey you're walking!" Sam smiled but then the smile quickly dropped and he got serious. "Bobby you've got to trust me and do what I say okay. The colt won't work on Lucifer okay? The only way is this..." He trailed off as he pulled out and wierd looking thing from his pocket, it was four metal rings connected together "this is the key to his cage. Please don't yell but I'm going to say yes and I want you to push me into the hole!" Sam said quickly before Bobby or Dean could say anything. Sam then pulled out a piece of paper and held it and the key out for Bobby "here this is the incantation you need to say to open the cage."

Silence. There was only silence. Bobby and Dean looked in shock at Sam.

"Sam no!" Bobby said pushing away Sam's waiting hand.

"Please Bobby it's the only way, please I've working hard for this over the past couple of months... Almost got killed for it a couple of times for it too... So please... Please do this for me, I know it's a lot to ask after what I did but... Please." Sam begged.

Dean felt the need to run up to Sam and hug the crap out of Sam but stopped himself when he saw the guilt and self-hatred in Sam's eyes. Sam was obviously still hating himself because of what happened. The most heart-breaking thing for Dean was that Sam thought he had to beg for him and Bobby to even listen to him.

Bobby was also heart-broken, he stared at the broken, hurt man in front of him and wondered where the puppy-dog eyed, shaggy haired, kind, sweet kid had gone that he'd met ages ago. He was surprised Sam had even managed to keep on his feet this long.

"Sam, this isn't the way! We can find another way... You, me, Dean and Cas can do this together."

"There isn't enough time Bobby they'll be back soon." Sam mumbled as he shoved the things into Bobby's hands.

"Look after-" Sam motioned with his head to Dean "for me okay." Sam pleaded to Bobby.

Dean saw the gesture and then it all clicked, Sam hadn't talked at him or even looked at him since he woke because he thought Dean still hated him.

"Sammy." Dean called and instantly caught the attention of his brother.

"Sam-" Dean said again and approached Sam "Sammy please just think about this okay? You'll be in hell." Dean grabbed Sam's shoulder needing to be close to Sam.

"I have thought about it Dean, I know what will happen but it doesn't matter. I let him out so I've got to put him back in."

"You don't have to do this alone Sam." Dean replied.

"It's a bit late for that don't you think?" Sam grumbled trying to avoid Dean's eyes not wanting Dean to see the tears in his eyes.

"I know and I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I turned you down when you needed me. I'm sorry that I cut you out of my life so easily."

"It's okay Dean, I understand. You have every right to be mad at me." Sam sighed and quickly wrapped Dean in a hug "goodbye Dean." He whispered into his big brother's ear. Dean clutched onto his brother, he didn't really want to ever let him go, knowing that he's about to lose him again. Sam released Dean from the hug and Dean reluctantly let go after a while.

Sam smiled softly at Dean, he had really, really missed his brother over the past couple of months, missed feeling safe, protected.

Sam then turned to Bobby and also gave him a hug "thanks for everything Bobby." Sam said.

"No need to thank me kiddo." Bobby said, his voice filled with emotion.

Sam stepped away and as if on que Lucifer arrived.

"Ah Sammy I see you're awake."

"Yeah and I'm ready to say yes." Sam's voice shook with fear.

"Well, well, well. With your family here? I knew you were my perfect vessel... Betraying them like I did."

Dean clenched his teeth in anger. Sammy is nothing like the Devil, he's going to sacrifice himself for the world.

"I'm glad you finally came around Sam." Lucifer smiled and them a bright light came from the centre of his chest and filled the cemetery. Dean and Bobby tried to shield themselves from the light.

After a second the light faded and everything went quiet, Dean looked around and saw Sam lying still on the floor, he knew it wasn't his brother anymore, wasn't Sammy anymore, it was the devil. He looked at Bobby "open the cage Bobby." He said as tears fell down his face. Bobby nodded with tears also on his face, and started reading the incantation.

Once Bobby finished the ground between Dean and Sam started to fall away revealing a dark hole with what looked like lava and fire at the end of it. Dean backed up slowly, his eyes trained on Sam, he blinked as the devil started to wake but before he could move he was swallowed by the hole. Dean's breath caught with sadness as he watched Sam's body disappear.

One thought screamed in his mind "YOU CAN LOSE HIM AGAIN! YOU'VE ONLY JUST GOT HIM BACK!" he couldn't just let Sam sacrifice himself like this, he couldn't leave him alone again.

He sprinted and leapt into the hole after Sam, as he was falling he could Bobby screaming out for him. Bobby's screams got quieter and quieter until everything went black.

THE END


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