The Reason
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
"My world imploded and I ran."
When Dean heard those words spoken by his little brother, something inside him had curled up and cried.
He wondered at himself; how crazy was it that when you disappeared from the face of the Earth, you expected your brother to go looking for you?
Normal people, knowing their loved ones were dead, grieved and moved on, so why did he feel so betrayed by what Sam had told him, when his brother had done the normal thing, dealt and moved on; got a job, met a girl, tried for a new life.
Dean knew the answer of course; because that's not what they did.
When one died or disappeared, the other moved hell and high heaven until they found their missing sibling. Sam hadn't done that; Sam had just driven off, not even tried to look; had given up hunting altogether, cutting all ties with his past life as if it had never existed, not minimally interested in where Dean had ended up; not even holding a séance to assure himself that his big brother was really dead and at peace.
"Well, you know what?" Dean found himself mumbling under his breath as he parked the Impala next to the door of the bunker. "That's freaking crap!"
Whatever had happened with Sam after he had disappeared into purgatory with Dick Roman, Dean couldn't know, but he was convinced in his heart that his little brother had been played.
Someone had done something to Sam, for there was no way he would just have gone off like that. There was just too much history, between them, too much pain, too much love.
x
Dean understood that he was being obsessive over this, but Sam's complete abandon of him had hurt deeply, though he had put on a nonchalant face to his brother.
In the end things had worked out peachy; Sam had passed a year away from the dangers of hunting, Dean had gotten out of Purgatory and he and Sam had paired up again. Things were back to normal, so why couldn't he just let it be?
Sam had told him what had happened in the Laboratory after he had disappeared; that Crowley had shown up, taunted him about being alone, taken Kevin and disappeared. The king of hell had been the last to speak with Sam before his life 'imploded', so who better to get info from than the demon himself.
Impulsively Dean turned the car around and made his way to an abandoned farmhouse not far from the bunker. In the trunk of the Impala, he had everything he needed for a summoning spell. He'd have a little tête a tête with Crowley and see what he had to say.
X
"Dean, Dean, Dean! Why are you disturbing me in the middle of a meeting? I've got a kingdom to run you know! I'm not your little errand boy." Crowley said, flicking a non-existent dust ball from his black coat.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Dean sneered." But just remember if you're still warming that chair in hell, it's because my little brother took out Lucifer, your biggest obstacle to the throne; so...Bitch, when a Winchester calls, you come running!"
Crowley rolled his eyes. "Let's get this over with then. Just what can I do for my lord Winchester today? Where's moose?" he added casting his eyes around the room. ""Missing, I see! Then I'd hazard a guess that you've got me here for some Sammy insight. Am I right, squirrel?"
"Shut up, Crowley. I'm the one asking the questions. You're the one with the answers. If I'm satisfied you get to go back to your little meeting, otherwise I leave you in that devil's trap to rot for the rest of eternity," Dean scowled, his eyes dark with menace.
"Now than we're done with the niceties," he continued. "Tell me about the laboratory. What happened after Dick dragged me off to Purgatory?"
x
Dean's focused gaze didn't miss the flicker of discomfort that flashed in Crowley eyes
"Something did happen, didn't it, you sleazy douche bag? Out with it or I swear to god, I'll plunge this knife into your putrid black soul and let your minions kill each other scrambling to take your place. Huh! Not a bad idea," Dean smirked. "Maybe I'll do it anyway."
Crowley doubted that Dean would go through with his threat, but the Winchesters were crazy, especially where their brother was concerned, so..."
"Didn't Sam tell you? You boys not talking then? Are things a little topsy-turvy in Winchester heaven? " Crowley baited.
Dean brandished the knife and stepped up closer to the devil's trap.
"No need to get unpleasant, Dean; nothing happened other than I grabbed the little prophet and had a chat with Sam about how big brother had disappeared. How he was all on his lonely now. Nothing else. I have to say though, he was really distraught. Sooo upset that you went off to who knows where. Even my non-existant heart felt sorry for him. Always did have a soft spot for big moosie, though, " Crowley simpered.
"That's it? " Dean declared." Nothing else? You just left Sam there and went off?"
"I don't know what more you want me to say, Winchester! When you came back from your little holiday in Purgatory, you found him healthy and happy didn't you? So! If we're finished here, I have other matters to attend to!" Crowley announced candidly, but Dean sensed that Crowley was holding back.
"Well, can't say it was nice seeing your ugly mug again, but you're not the only one who has stuff to do. I'll be off then," Dean countered, turning and walking towards the door.
"Hey, where are you going? Let me out, you steaming piece of crap," Crowley yelled, his kingly dignity forgotten.
Dean kept on walking.
"Al right, all right! I messed a little with his head. That what you want to hear? But so help me if you spill a word of this to anyone I'll take great pleasure in skinning you alive millimetre by millimetre," Crowley yelled after him.
Dean turned to face him, a smirk of triumph on his face as he waited for Crowley to continue.
"Listen, I don't expect you to believe me, but I do have a soft spot for you Winchesters.
Countless times I could have killed you both, yet I didn't. I could have gotten rid of Sam in the Laboratory too, but I felt I owed the kid one. After all thanks to you two, Dick was taken out.
So I implanted a little suggestion in his mind that there was no way of knowing where you were, and that he should have a go at doing something else other than hunting.
Sam isn't stupid. He'd have figured out you were in Purgatory and tried to get you out, causing who knows what world-shattering problems to us all. I figured if there was a way out, you'd find it eventually, and I was obviously right," he finished off, waving a hand towards Dean."Seeing that you're here busting my ass!"
"Well," Dean remarked, shaking his head, "Of all the things I was expecting, this has to be the weirdest! Out of the goodness of your heart you decided that Sam should have an apple-pie life. Un-friggin-believable!"
"So, now that you know all my shameful little secrets, squirrel. Let me go. You can ditch me here if you like but sooner or later I'll get out and I might change my mind about leaving you two goons alive," Crowley threatened.
Dean's voice took on a menacing tone again. "I'm just gonna say this once, Crowley. You keep away from Sam and if you ever try a little trick like that again, so help me I'll..."
"Oh, for heaven's sake., Dean! Don't worry, I'll not interfere with little Sammy again if you're gonna keep making all this fuss about it."
Dean made his way to the door, then turned back, a puzzled expression on his face. "You know Crowley, you're a weird one, I gotta say."
He took aim and fired a bullet into the outer ring of the devil's trap, breaking the circle before rushing to the Impala and setting off home.
X
Sam was sitting at the library table engrossed in a book, when Dean walked in.
"Hey!"
"Hey, yourself," Sam answered looking up at his brother. "I was expecting you back earlier; you meet some hot chick at the store or something?"
"Well, you could say I met somebody 'hot' but it wasn't a chick, it was Crowley."
Sam pushed back the chair and got to his feet, his face taking on an alarmed expression."What happened? You okay?"
His eyes scrutinized his older brother but he could see nothing out of place.
"Yeah," Dean said as he came right up into his brother's personal space, and to Sam's surprise pulled him into a hug, tightening his arms securely around his broad back.
"Dean...?"
"I've got a strange story to tell you, bro, " Dean said as he pulled back and held his brother at arm's length. "And I'm sorry if I ever doubted you, Sammy. I should've known better."
Sam stared at him perplexed, until Dean clued him in, leaving him to frown in confusion at his brother's reveal.
It had been Crowley's fault that he hadn't searched for Dean. Sam felt a weight lift from his heart; a weight he hadn't even been aware he was carrying.
X
The enD