"If a frog is placed into a pot of boiling water, it will immediately recognize the danger and jump out… if it is placed into a pot of cold water which is then slowly heated, the frog will remain until it eventually boils to death."
Sam was sitting on his bed, trying to focus on his research for their next gig but the hurtful words he said to his brother kept spinning around and around in his head…
You're weak… I'm a better hunter than you are. Stronger. Smarter… You're too busy sittin' around feeling sorry for yourself. Whining about all the souls you tortured in hell - Boo Hoo.
After so many years of trying to get Dean to trust him enough to take off the mask, to show Sam what was truly in his heart - only to have said little brother throw it all back in his face… it was cruel and heartless and… and… evil??
He was pulled from his musings when he heard keys jangling in the lock and looked up just in time to see a drunk Dean open the door and stumble inside. Sam rose from his bed and rushed to his brother's side. But Dean shrugged off his assistance with a warning growl. The younger Winchester pulled back as if burned, watching helplessly as his brother collapsed fully clothed onto the bed closest to the door and passed out almost instantly.
Sighing deeply, Sam decided he wasn't going to be able to concentrate on his research tonight and went to the bathroom to get ready for bed himself.
Sam woke to the sounds of his brother crying out in pain. He sat bolt upright in bed and turned his head in the direction of Dean's bed - only to find Castiel blocking his view. The Angel looked down at him and, without uttering a word, he placed one hand on Sam's forehead…
The younger Winchester instantly found himself breathing in air that carried with it a searing heat and throat clogging ash. He coughed convulsively before looking at Castiel, a clear unspoken question in his eyes.
"This is your future."
"What?" Sam asked, looking around in confusion. He was sure he recognized this place, from hundreds of childhood stories, as well as various bible verses - "So, I really do go to hell when I die?"
"If you remain on the road you have chosen, yes. But this is not hell, Sam. At least, not in the way you think." The Angel paused, giving Sam a chance to mull this information over. "This… this is hell-on-earth."
"The Apocalypse?"
"Yes."
"Dean and I failed, then?"
"Dean failed. You succeeded."
"I don't understand."
"You're travelling a dark road, Sam. It won't be long before you and Dean have completely opposite goals."
"You mean, I… I created this?"
"Yes. But you had help."
Sam's eyes followed as Castiel motioned to their right with his arm.
"They won't be able to hear you," the Angel cautioned him.
Ruby is standing on the edge of a cliff next to a much darker looking Sam, both looking out onto a sea of lava. Behind them are two thrones, a hell hound on either side, standing guard. Holding hands, Sam and Ruby turn as one and return to their seats, their smiles calm and serene. As they sit, Ruby leans over and whispers something into Sam's ear. His grin broadens and he calls out, "Bring him here."
Two ogre looking creatures, each carrying a golden staff, drag a badly injured Dean out to stand in front of them.
"Kneel before me and my queen," Sam orders maliciously.
When Dean doesn't comply, one of the ogres slams his staff into the back of Dean's knees. The hunter cries out in pain as he falls to the ground in a heap. The other ogre grabs him by the hair, forcing him up to look at Sam and Ruby - each still wearing a smug grin.
"We have to help him," Sam told Castiel, his voice rising in panic.
"This is a vision of the future, Sam. You know as well as I do, you can't do anything while you're in the vision…"
"Leave us," Ruby says to the ogres.
They each bow. "Yes, my queen."
"Wow," Dean says, plastering on his trademark smirk, "you're really enjoying this 'royalty' stuff, aren't you? Well, don't get too used to it, bitch. My brother will catch onto you yet."
Ruby rises with exaggerated grace. "It's too late, Dean. My plan is complete. I inserted myself into Sam's life to replace you as his most trusted partner. You see, I knew he would defeat Lilith. I just had to ensure he did it my way so that I would be able to control him."
"You hearing this, little brother?" Dean asks, looking at Sam, unable to hide the sliver of hope in his green eyes.
This elicited an evil cackle from the demon-bitch. "Ever heard the saying 'love is blind'? Well, news flash, Winchester - it's deaf, too! Sam only sees and hears what I want him to. It's amazing how easy it was. A kind word, here. A soft touch, there. Sex… well, anywhere. He's mine, Dean. Forever."
Sam was unable to believe what he was hearing, his stomach roiled with nausea as he watched what was playing out before him. "But… how? I was so careful. I was saving lives, Castiel," he said, his tone changing his words to a plea, even as he noticed that he'd never actually voiced the Angel's name before - the word felt alien on his tongue. "Instead of killing the host, I… I was saving lives!"
"That's exactly what she wants you to think, Sam. This demon that you call Ruby, she doesn't care about you. She doesn't care about the hosts you save. She only cares about herself. When the evil inside you takes over, it's not going to be like the flip of a switch. She doesn't want you to be able to fight it. Instead, she is making it a slow and gradual process."
"Why?"
"You heard her. She wants to rule the earth but she knows she can't defeat Lilith on her own, so she is helping you to become king… so that she can rule by your side."
Sam could feel his nausea increasing, but forced it down. "Can we go now? Please?"
"Wait," Castiel says quietly. "There's one more thing you need to see."
The younger Winchester reluctantly turned to watch his future again.
Sam is now standing in front of Dean, only inches away from him, in fact. He reaches down and pulls his big brother to his feet. The older Winchester tries to hold his own weight but ends up leaning into Sam, the younger of the two taking the majority of the weight.
"Sam, you have to fight this. Please, Sammy. This isn't you. I know it isn't. You can still fight it. There's still time, Sammy."
Wrapping his arms around Dean's shoulders, Sam hushses him softly, walking with him, leading him away from Ruby and the thrones. "It's okay, Dean. I'm going to save you. I promise."
Sam felt his heart fill with hope - he was going to save Dean. He knew that, in the end, he could never truly hurt his brother.
"C'mon, Sammy. Let's get outta here, man. This bitch is trouble."
"Shhhh," Sam whispers again. "It's okay, Dean. It's okay."
Dean looks up at him, his eyes shining with tears. "I knew you couldn't do it, Sam. I knew it."
The kind smile disappears from Sam's face, replaced by a sneer of hatred. Dean notices the change but it's too late. He sees Sam's eyes move to the area over his shoulder and glances back… the sea of lava. "No! No, Sammy, don't do it. Don't do it, little brother."
"Goodbye, Dean," Sam says quietly, then shoves Dean backwards, watches as his big brother plunges into the fiery depths below, his scream fading with distance until it can be heard no more.
"NOOOOOOO!" Sam cried, his own screams mingling with those of his brother in his mind. He covered his face with his hands and fell to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Only you can change this future, Sam," Castiel whispered in his ear.
Sam continued to sob until he realized his face was in a pillow, and he could still hear his brother's cries of pain. He looked up and found himself back in the motel room, Dean caught in the throes of his nightmare on the bed a few feet away from his own.
Needing contact with his brother, Sam pushed himself out of his bed and stumbled over to his brother. Falling to his knees and grabbing Dean's hand in his own, Sam laid his head on the mattress and continued to cry. The bed jostled when the older Winchester changed position, moving onto his side, then Sam felt strong fingers comb through his hair. His heart swelled with a new emotion when he heard a mumbled "'s okay, Sammy," come from his still half asleep brother…
Both Winchesters fell back to sleep without another word.
The End
A/N I know, I still haven't finished "Controlled" but RL has been really hectic lately - seems I only have time for the occassional one shot/tag. Sorry. I will get back to it once things settle down. My concentration is just on other things, right now. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this. Please R&R? Thanks. ~Kelcor