Disclaimer: Don't own them.
Chapter 1
Sam closed his eyes as he fell further away from where he could hear his brother screaming for him, a few tears falling. He would never see Dean again never be called Bitch affectionately or have Dean dump cold water on him when he tried to sleep in. It hurt so much, more than when Dean had died since he had always held out hope for Dean getting out. But there was no way out for him, not without breaking the Seals again and freeing Lucifer. He could feel the angel beginning to regain control and didn't even bother to fight him, what was the point? It would probably be better having him in control in hell after all. He could feel Michael falling somewhere nearby and felt a little bad for Adam but he had said yes, had wanted to fight. But he could feel something else…Lucifer was doing something, building power. And then the world dissolved in pain and heat.
Sam gasped and writhed as his lungs struggled to pull in air. He coughed and rolled onto his side, curling into a ball as he whimpered in pain. Everything hurt….even his hair! He lay there, shaking and trying to breathe normally. It seemed to take forever but finally the pain began to fade and he forced his eyes open to find himself in a familiar graveyard. He uncurled and pushed himself into a sitting position only to find he was totally naked except for an intricate and rather delicate golden chain around his neck. He pulled it up to stare at a rather interesting vial, one that looked scarily like the one Anna had been looking for. He closed his eyes and found he couldn't hear or feel Lucifer and yet he still felt…different. The vial only pulsed very dimly, as if there was only the tiniest amount of Grace within. But how had it appeared in the first place. He tried to remove it but it would not come off. He sighed and looked down to find his tattoo still in place at least. He staggered to his feet and looked around, there was nothing to suggest a battle for humanity had ever taken place or any sign of how he had somehow been brought back. He took a deep breath, seeing it mist in the air and frowned, if it was that cold he should be shivering and yet he didn't feel cold. Nevertheless he needed clothes and fast, the thing he needed was to be taken in for public nudity. And then he stared down in shock as he found himself fully dressed though still unarmed.
How was this possible? He swallowed in fear and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath even as he searched within himself. Surely only an angel could do that but he still couldn't find a trace of Lucifer's presence. So how had he done that? He swallowed and fought to remain calm. Dean, he had to find Dean but was that safe? What if he had come back wrong or something? Okay so no Dean…Bobby; he would go to Bobby's. He would be able to test him and figure it out. He'd had the books on angels after Dean came back after all. Getting to Bobby's would require a car which he didn't have so he would have to hotwire one, that was always more Dean's thing than his but he could do it.
Sam pulled into the familiar scrapyard and stopped the car, staring around in confusion. What the hell had happened? Where were all the wrecks? He and Dean used to play in those when their Dad left them with the hunter but now the yard was clear except for the old shed. How long had he been gone? He felt a thrill of fear, what if it had been decades or more? No, he couldn't think like that. He got out of the car and took a deep breath before heading for the house. Someone was home and he smiled as he spotted Bobby's car, hopefully that meant it was still him living there. Sam hesitated before finally moving to knock on the door, heart pounding in his chest. He strained to hear any movement and was surprised to find he could…feel someone moving around inside. Soon that presence reached the door and Sam steeled himself for the worst but was utterly relieved when Bobby was revealed behind the door. "Hey Bobby." He managed a shaky smile for the older hunter only for a shotgun to come up in his face. He backpedalled, hands up in surrender. "Bobby…"
"You damn monster! How dare you look like him." Bobby snarled.
"Bobby no, it's me. It's Sam." He told him, he wasn't sure what a shotgun would do to him now and wasn't all that eager to find out. "Do any test you want but it's me. I know I should be dead but I'm not."
"Sam Winchester is dead you bastard." Bobby denied.
"Soak me in holy water, cut me with silver, anything. Please, give me a chance. I don't know what's going on." He pleaded and saw the slight hesitation in Bobby's eyes. "Please Uncle Bobby." He hadn't called the man that since he was about twelve. That made the gun waiver slightly.
Bobby stared at the being on his doorstep. He wanted to believe this was Sam somehow returned to them but that was impossible. The dead didn't just suddenly rise without something like a demon deal or worse. But looking into those familiar hazel eyes he couldn't deny that he acted like Sam. Every instinct he had said to shoot but his heart said no. He took a deep breath; it was offering to undergo testing but was that just a way to get close? "Don't move." He ordered and it nodded, lowering its arms to hang by its sides. Bobby edged back inside and grabbed a flask of Holy Water, tossing it over him. He closed his eyes to avoid getting water in them but other than that didn't react. "Walk inside slowly and get in the there." Bobby indicated the trap and it slowly moved inside.
"You want me to show I'm not trapped or just stay in here for now?"
"Stay." He ordered, going to silver and some other things. He had it extend an arm and gave the skin a shallow cut, watching as human red blood seeped out. Then he went to work with the really in depth testing only for all to show the same result, human. "Step out of the circle." He finally said and watched as it did so.
"Any other tests?" Sam asked, feeling a little achy from everything. Obviously something about him had reacted a little too at least one of them but not enough to show him as more than human.
"This is…..Sam?" Bobby asked and Sam nodded.
"It's me Bobby." Sam smiled at him and then cautiously took a step towards him. Bobby watched him warily, tensing slightly but then Sam hugged him, shaking slightly. Bobby waited for something bad to happen and when it didn't he hugged back.
"This is….you died Sam, I saw you die in Dean's arms. How is this possible?" Bobby asked as he stepped back and Sam frowned.
"Dean's arms? Bobby what do you mean? I jumped."
"Jumped where? That bastard Jake killed you!" Bobby snapped and Sam's eyes went wide even as he stumbled back.
"What? No that was years ago. I jumped to stop Lucifer killing Dean. Bobby what year is it? Where's Dean?" Sam demanded in fear.
TBC…
