Something I've been mulling over for a while now. First fic sent to the lovely BianquiW, my beta. So this one is dedicated to her. Thanks for the confidence to post this.

Warning: Wincest. Sorta, eventually. Nothing to graphic as far as that goes. This will have religious themes, so watch out for that.

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Dean sighed as he tried to relax. They had finished a hunt at one of their old high schools about a month ago and Sam's words wouldn't get out of his mind. 'I'm not evil Dirk. I'm not.' Sam had sounded so broken and defeated, like he was trying to convince himself as well. He knew the kid was blaming himself for the harm done by Dirk, but he didn't know how to help him. Hell, Dean didn't know much anymore. He knew there was a rift between them, but he didn't even know where to start to mend their broken relationship. He loved his brother, and nothing could change that. But he was scared for him as well. He had said things he hadn't meant, trying to help his brother and bring him back, but he had only pushed him further away. 'If I didn't know you, I'd want to hunt you.' How could he have said that to his brother? Dean felt like such a dick for that one. Ever since Sam had found out about his so called destiny he'd done everything to stay on the right path. Dean knew that, really, he did. But he just couldn't understand Sam anymore. And it looked like Sam was beginning to give up on understanding Dean. Dean ran a hand through his hair and went back to channel surfing. His thoughts were doing him no good, he'd save them for after they stopped the damn apocalypse. 'Speaking of,' Dean thought, 'Haven't heard from Cas in a while. That good or bad?' Dean was interrupted by the shower turning off. He turned off the TV and waited for his brother to get dressed. They were in Conde, South Dakota looking into a possible haunting. Conde was little more than three hours from Bobby's, who had told them about the hunt. Typical abandoned house, a couple of kids got spooked, but no one had been hurt, so it wasn't that pressing. 'What's taking Sam?' Dean wondered, standing to check on his brother when a painful "Dean!" found it's way to his ears. Rushing to the bathroom and throwing open the door Dean found a sight that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Sam was holding his hands up, staring at them in wide eyed horror as blood poured from them and dripped onto the bathroom floor. Dean immediately reached for a towel and wrapped it around his brother's hands. "Sammy? What happened?" Dean asked as he got his shaky brother to set down.

"I..I don't know," Sam took in shallow breaths, "I just felt this…this sharp pain, and then they just appeared. God, it felt like a nail driving through my hands, but the pain is gone now, can't feel a thing."

"Okay Sam," Dean said, "I need you to take nice deep breaths, we'll figure this out." Dean watched as the blood just soaked through the towel, not slowing in the least. Dean grabbed another towel and added it to the bundle. "I'm going to go get the first aid kit, okay?" Dean asked Sam, "I'll be right back. Just stay here." Dean ran out to the impala and popped the trunk, quickly grabbing what he needed and rushing back to Sam. "Here, let me see," Dean took Sam's hands in his, the second towel also beginning to soak with blood. He pealed back the towels as carefully as possible, expecting the blood to have begun to clot. To his horror Dean noticed nothing of the sort. The blood just kept flowing, no sign of letting up. Dean swallowed against the lump in his throat when he noticed the shape of the wounds. Sam had two perfect crosses in each palm and on the back of his hands. Like a cross shaped nail had pierced them both. "Shit," Dean breathed as he poured peroxide over both the wound, trying to keep them clean. He put two gauze pads over each side of the wounds and then wrapped both of Sam's hands in several layers of gauze. The blood began to soak through in spots, leaving spotted crosses on both sides of Sam's hands, but seemed to stop there. Dean tentatively touched one of Sam's palms, expecting to feel wet blood, but it felt dry and his fingers came back clean.

"Dean? What's happening to me?" Sam asked brokenly, confusion and fear in his wide eyes.

"I don't know Sammy, but we'll find out," Dean vowed, "I'm gonna call Bobby, you want some Advil?"

"It's fine," Sam replied, "It doesn't hurt anymore. At all." Sam stood on shaky legs and made his way to his bed, sitting down and staring at his hands. "I'm…I don't know, I guess I'll do some research."

"Take it easy Sam," Dean sighed, "I know you're not fine, just try to relax, watch a little television. Try to take your mind off of it while I call Bobby, 'kay?"

"Yeah, I'll…I'll do that," Sam replied, gingerly taking the remote, obviously trying not to either dirty the remote or hurt his hands.

"You sure it doesn't hurt?" Dean asked, wondering how it could possibly not be painful.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Sam replied with a weak smile. Dean nodded and called Bobby.

"Hello?" Bobby asked.

"Hey Bobby, it's Dean," Dean answered, "We need your help. Sam's, well, something happened?" Dean didn't know how to describe what had just happened.

"He alright Dean?" Bobby's voice sounded worried, but firm. Ready to help.

"I…I don't know," Dean answered, "He had just gotten out of the shower when he yelled my name. When I walked into the bathroom his hands were bleeding, I couldn't stop it, it just flowed through two towels. When I removed the towels there was no sign of it slowing, but I got a look at his hands. It was like someone took a cross shaped nail or small cookie cutter and cut a cross out of Sam's palms and the back of his hands. Doesn't look like it went all the way through, but it looked deep. I poured on some peroxide and covered them with two gauze pads and a ton of gauze. It's bled through the gauze in spots, but if you touch it, it feels dry. Sam says it doesn't hurt, but it obviously hurt when it happened."

"He have any other marks?" Bobby asked, voice sounding troubled.

"No, just his hands," Dean answered, "Bobby do you know what happened?"

"It sounds like a stigmata Dean," Bobby answered.

"A what?" Dean didn't like the sound of a stigmata.

"The wounds of Christ," Booby sighed, "Some people get wounds where Jesus was crucified. Bleeding palms from the nails in his hands and feet. Wounds from the crown of thorns, whip wounds on their back. It can manifest itself in many ways, but it's very rare."

"So how do we get rid of it?" Dean asked.

"It's a damn stigmata Dean," Bobby sighed, "You can't 'get rid of it'."

"What?" Dean was real worried now.

"Look, I can't know for sure without seeing him," Bobby said, "You're only three hours out, come here and let's figure this out. Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, we'll do that. See you in a few." Dean said before hanging up the phone, "Well Sam, looks like we're heading to Bobby's."

"He know what's going on?" Sam asked with pleading eyes.

"Maybe, he wants to see for himself," Dean answered, not having the heart to tell Sam it may not have a solution, "Let's pack up and head out." Dean began throwing his stuff into his duffel when he felt a breeze behind him. Turning around he found Cas. 'This can't be good,' Dean though. "What is it? We have our own problem to deal with." Castiel looked him over before turning his eyes to Sam, widening when he saw Sam's hands.

"Your problem is bigger than you think," Castiel said, walking towards Sam, "There are only four seals left Dean, and when the last seal breaks Lucifer will be free. He'll need a vessel, I came here to give you the signs to watch for when looking for his vessel, but it looks like I don't need to. Lucifer's vessel will be Sam." Sam eyes widened in shock and his body went stiff.

"What?" Dean growled at the angel, moving to place himself between the two.

"Sam's hands, they started bleeding recently, right?" Cas asked.

"What do you know about it?" Dean asked, rage in his eyes.

"It's a sign, your brother has been chosen Dean," Castiel answered, "This must have been Azazel's endgame, Sam is their sacrifice. The marks are proof of that. They must not have him. No matter what."

"Why Sam?" Dean questioned the angel before him.

"Because I have demon blood in me," Sam sighed behind him, "That's it, isn't it?"

"Most likely," Castiel answered, "Which is why we have to get you somewhere safe. Somewhere no one can reach you. If Lucifer finds you earth is doomed. As long as he has no body he is weakened greatly, but with a vessel, especially one like Sam, he'll be unstoppable."

"What if we destroy my body?" Sam asked quietly.

"Don't even think about it!" Dean growled, "Nothing's going to happen to you. So don't even think about it."

"Dean, I'm not going to be used to bring about the apocalypse!" Sam argued.

"I'm not going to let them kill you," Dean argued back, "You got that Sammy?! Not happening!"

"It wouldn't do us any good," Castiel stopped Sam's argument, "He'd be able to put you're body back together, even from ashes."

"So what do we do?" Dean asked.

"Get Sam to Bobby's safe room and reinforce it however you can," Castiel said, "We'll do what we can, but our numbers are beginning to dwindle. For each seal broken another wound will appear."

"Why are the wounds appearing in the first place?" Sam asked, staring at his hands.

"Lucifer's way of spitting in our father's face," Castiel answered, "Now go, and be careful. Evil will begin to be drawn to you, the pull stronger with each broken seal."

"What do we do if the last four seals are broken?" Dean asked, wanting to be as prepared as possible.

"Keep Sam away from Lucifer until we find a way to destroy him," Castiel answered, eyes dark, before vanishing.

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Yay cliffy, hope to have next chapter up soon. Hope you enjoyed. Reviews make me want to work more. (Subtlish hint, no?)