Hey, so I know I haven't been very active on here recently, but here's an AU for you guys. Basically, Jess never died, and she became a kickass hunter.

Enjoy, I guess.

Dean was here- actually here. Here. At stanford.

Sam couldn't believe it.

"Dad's on a hunting trip-and he hasn't been home for a few days."

Sam's jaw tightened as his gaze locked onto Dean's, and staying there until he spoke. "Jessica, can you excuse us for a minute. " He said tightly.

Once he had heard Jess pad away in socked feet he turned back to his brother.

"Dean... what's going on?" He asked, worry for not only his father but his brother making his fists clench slightly.

"It's just like I said, Sammy." Dean said cooly. "Dad's hunting, and he hasn't been back."

"Is he answering his phone?"

Dean snorted. "If he was answering my calls I don't think I'd be here asking for your help. We need to find him."

Sam rubbed his forehead tiredly. "Hold up, we? Dean... I can't. I have a..." He paused, scrabbling for another reason. He didn't feel like telling his big brother about the interview, not just yet. "...thing on Monday. I seriously can't miss it."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Sam. We'll get back in time for your...thing. I need your help. You are the brains of the family after all."

Sam shook his head. He knew that Dean was far more than capable of tracking down their dad on his own. "No, you don't. You can do this on your own." He said, narrowing his eyes at his brother. Dean looked mostly the same as when Sam had last seen him, only his hair was more ruffled and slightly longer. But there was something about his eyes that was different, something that Sam couldn't put his finger on, but it bothered him. He used to be able to read Dean pretty much perfectly, and vice versa.

But four years can be a long time.

"Okay." Dean said. "Maybe I can do this on my own. That doesn't mean I want to."

Sam sighed, looking down at his socked feet and quickly considering whether or not he should go with his brother. He hadn't realised just how much he'd missed Dean, relief flooding through him as he was finally back with his brother. It was like coming home for Sam. In the beginning Sam had missed Dean awfully, and he had ached to go and see his brother but fear of what John might do prevented him from ever going.

He thought that he had stopped missing Dean, but apparently he had just buried it under other, less worrying things.

"Okay. I'll come." Sam said, shifting from one foot to another. "But I really have to be back by Monday."

Dean grinned, stepping forward and giving Sam's shoulder a light slap. "That's my boy. I'll get you back by Monday, I promise. Now go tell your girlfriend that you're going with me. But not the reason why, of course."

Dean's voice took on a proud tone when he said the word "girlfriend," and Sam resisted the urge to roll his eyes with a smile, nodding and heading upstairs.

"What do you mean, you're going? It's three in the morning, Sam!"

Sam pulled his hold- all out from under the bed, quickly unzipping it and throwing in the first t-shirt he saw. "I'm sorry, Jess. It's nothing to worry about, I won't be gone for long."

Jess leaned against the edge of their bedroom door, her slender figure cast into shadow by the dim lamplight. "Sam." She began gently. "You can't miss your interview on Monday. You know how much is riding on it, and you need to be there so you can nail it and get the future we wanted. "

Sam roughly pulled on a hoodie, looking over to where Jess leaned, her face pulled into a concerned expression.

He walked up to her, gently brushing a stray lock of curly blonde hair out of her eyes. He leaned down, letting his forehead touch hers, and smiled. "I know. " he said fondly. "I'll get back on time, I promise."

Jess smiled. "Okay, Sam. Make sure you stick to your word."

"I always stick to my word." He said with a fleeting grin before stepping away and returning to the hold-all. "Jess, do you think you can get me my toothbrush."

He waited until he heard her mutter. "You could get it yourself, but sure."

He smiled. She always said that.

He waited again until he heard her walk across the hall into the bathroom, and ducked down quickly, lifting up the corner of the mattress under his pillow, pulling out a wickedly sharp knife, with a curve which veered away from the handle, which fit perfectly in his hand. There were spiralling patterns carved all down the side of the shining blade, which glinted as he quickly shoved it inside his case upon hearing Jess return.

"Here- got your toothbrush." She said, holding it out to him.

He took it with the hand that had held the knife, smiling at her before putting it in his bag, right next to the wicked dagger.

Dean was leaning against the impala when Sam approached. He opened the back door, putting his bag on the back seat and turning to Jess, who was shivering, one of Sam's hoodies hanging off of her small frame.

"I hope you guys find your dad okay." She said, shifting from one foot to the other in the cold night.

"I'm sure we will." Dean said confidently. "And I'll get Sammy back to you by Monday, and that's a promise."

Jess smiled at the nickname that Dean had so easily used as Sam stepped towards her, pulling her into a hug. "Go back inside now, Jess, you're gonna get a cold out here."

She smiled, quickly kissing his cheek and leaning in to whisper in his ear. "Have fun with your brother, Sam. I know how much you missed him."

Before Sam could react she had already flashed Dean a smile and treaded back inside, gently shutting the door behind her.

"Quite a girl you got there, Sammy." Dean's voice came from behind him, laced with pride.

Sam turned to face him, exasperated. "It's Sam. I'm not twelve anymore, dude."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Sure. Whatever you say, Sammy." He said with a grin, pushing himself off of the sleek black car and moving over to the driver's side, opening the door and disappearing inside.

Sam smiled as the passenger door creaked when he opened it. The noise brought back a lifetimes worth of memories, most of which involved him by his brother.

He slid inside the dark vehicle, suddenly overwhelmed by the familiar, comforting smell of the leather seats and gunpowder which was a scent which hung around not only the old car but also his older brother.

"So, this hunt." Sam began. "How much do we know?"

Dean started the car, pulling out onto the road. "Not too much. Got a recording of a voice which we picked up. A few people to talk to, a town to investigate." Dean grinned at his brother. "The usual."

"And you think dad is there already?"

"I'm pretty sure."

"I'm gonna need a little more than that, Dean. "

"Fine. I'm really pretty sure."

Sam rolled his eyes, wondering just how many times they'd carried out that thread of conversation.

"But for tonight, we'll just find a motel, get some sleep." Dean finished. "We can tackle the monsters in the morning."

Late Sunday night, Dean pulled up in front of the same door. The hunt had been mostly successful, with the only injuries consisting of a few bruises and scrapes, along with the holes that the woman in white had scraped into Sam's chest.

He winced as he got out of the car, the wounds being tugged and stretched painfully. He absently wondered how he would hide them from Jess, and how he should explain when she eventually discovered them.

He was almost at the door when Dean's voice appeared quietly behind him. "You know, we made great team back there."

Sam half turned, his eyes drifting over the car, where he had spent so many nights like this one stretched out over the backseat with his head on his brother's lap, and as he had gotten older nights spent curled up in the front seat, next to Dean, who was currently leaning towards the passenger's side to look at Sam through the rolled down window.

Sam almost went back to his big brother. He had had his regrets about leaving for stanford, mostly about how he had left Dean.

But he had to stay. He had just gotten out, and the interview tomorrow would settle it forever, and give him the life he had always wanted. Well, except for knowing that Dean was happy too.

"I know. " was all he said, with the ghost of a smile.

Sam gently put his bag down by the bed, careful not to wake the sleeping figure which was laid out over one side.

He smiled as Jess rolled over, opening one eye sleepily to squint at him. "Sam?"

"Yeah." He said softly. "I'm back now, you can go to sleep.

"Who's standing behind you?" Came the muttered reply, and Sam stood bolt upright, quickly grabbing his knife from his jacket and whirling to face the shadowy figure which blocked his bedroom doorway.

"Sam?" Jess was wide awake now, her voice scared but steady. "What's going on?"

Sam didn't reply, bending his knees slightly and adopting a fighting stance. He quickly ran through all the options he had, thoughts flickering through his mind with a breakneck speed. He didn't think trying to physically fight this thing would help, but he couldn't get Jess and go because it was blocking the doorway.

"Sam?" Once again, Jess spoke, and the fear in her voice made Sam's stomach clench. No, no, no. This couldn't be happening this was two sides of his life which he had prayed would never collide.

Before he could do anything, he was slammed back against the furthest wall, the wounds on his chest burning and his back stinging badly from the harsh impact

"Jess, run!" He yelled out, and Jess bolted up from her position of sitting upright on the bed. She backed away, quickly reaching Sam and grabbing his wrist.

"Don't worry!" He said as she struggled to pry him from the creatures physic hold on him. "It won't work, just go! Find Dean!"

"But-" she was cut off with a scream as she was torn from him, and slammed back into the wall next to him.

"No no NO." He shouted wildly, thrashing against the grip over him. "Please, PLEASE! Not her!" His heart pounded wildly in his chest, and adrenaline pumped through him, along with the icy grips of fear.

No no no no nononononono NO!

This couldn't be happening. Sam's breathing reached a dangerous pace. This isn't happening this isn't happening this isn't-

Jess screamed as she began to slide up the wall, her hands pinned to her sides.

Sam's heart thudded to a halt. He'd seen this happen before, so many times... he thought it had just been a dream.

Jes screamed again as flames blossomed from the ceiling, starting in the centre and fanning out. "SAM!" she screamed, and his chest constricted, his lungs closing up, the mantra of nononononono speeding up in his head until it was all he could think.

Just when he had reached breaking point there was a shout and the shadow in the doorway was doused in holy water.

An inhuman screech tore its way from the shadow and Jess' s ascent sped up, and Sam was thrown to the opposite wall, so that wherever he looked he could still see Jess.

His head cracked against the wall and he felt thick blood begin to trickle down his neck. His vision narrowed, and all he could see was the flames, and Jess sliding up towards them.

Suddenly time slowed down. Sam hadn't realised how fast everything had been happening, and time all but stopped. He could see the shadow figure, turned to face Dean who he assumed was in the hallway from the raged screams he could hear.

His eyes began to slip closed, but all of a sudden time sped up again, everything catching up to him in a rush as he was dropped to the floor.

He opened his eyes, stumbling blindly across the room to where Jess was held on the wall, mere inches from the flames.

Panic rushed through him and he grabbed her wrist, pulling. He cried out as she wasn't released but suddenly she fell straight into his arms.

Sam staggered back, the sudden weight and the shock of the situation bringing him quickly down to his knees.

He was dimly aware that Jess was crying, and he pulled her closer, his whole body trembling and shaking as he hugged her to him.

Suddenly he could feel Dean's hands on his shoulders, and his brother was crouching beside him. "Sammy? Sam? Talk to me dammit."

Sam wearily lifted his head, opening his eyes blearily and looking at his brother.

Dean's eyes skimmed over him, checking for any obvious injuries.

"Sammy, you okay? Can you walk?"

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. The shock of almost losing Jess was settling in and he pulled her closer, shielding her from anything else with his body.

Dean looked up sharply, and then back to Sam.

"We need to get out of here, right now." His voice wasn't devoid of gentleness, but it did have enough of an authoritative tone to make Sam nod and try to stand, pulling Jess with him.

He staggered to the side, and Dean quickly steadied him. "Come on, Sammy, we need to split."

He was dimly aware of Dean tugging him towards the doorway, and he let himself be pulled. Jess was sticking close to him, but she wasn't in his arms anymore as Sam turned back to look at their bedroom.

The flames were now licking rapidly down the walls, consuming his bedroom with no hesitation.

When they reached the impala, Dean turned to face Sam, his grip still tight in Sam'a jacket.

"Can you stand on your own?" He asked seriously, and Sam nodded.

Dean stepped away, watching Sam for a moment before whipping out his phone and dialing 911.

"Hello, yes? There's a fire in my brother's place. Yeah um the address is…."

Sam zoned out, leaning against the impala as Dean rattled off the address and other information.

He couldn't believe it. He had been so close, so close to getting through the night normally. He couldn't go to the interview now. He would never have the life he wanted.

God, the universe must really fucking hate him.

Next thing he knew he was being bundled into the car, he looked up at his brother, and Dean spoke. "We need to get you out of here."

Suddenly Sam felt like he was brought back to life, and the fuzz in his head subsided.

"No!" He said, fighting against Dean. He couldn't leave, couldn't leave his life behind. He'd so almost had it perfect. He wasn't letting it slip away. "I can't leave it!"

Dean held him where he was, not letting him go despite his struggles. "Come on, Sammy. There's nothing to leave, man. Let go." His brother's voice was surprisingly gentle.

Sam suddenly realised that Dean was still pushing him down, and his brother's broad shoulders blocked most of his view.

With a surge of energy Sam pushed against his brother, rising to his whole height and gasping.

Flames were rising out of the tall building, flickering high in the cold night's air. There were people filtering out of the buildings around them, starting in shock at the flames which were engulfing the large building.

The flames which were consuming everything which Sam had fought for for almost his entire life.

Looks like the fight was over.

He suddenly heard the wail of sirens in the near distance, and Dean pushed him back down into the seat. "Come on Sam!"

He nodded slowly. He decided to let Dean take him. It wasn't as if he had anything else to do, or anywhere else to go.

Suddenly Dean was sliding in next to him, and starting up the old car.

He shifted in his seat, turning to look at Jess, who was sitting in the back, huddled up, with her arms wrapped around herself. Her pale face was drawn up with pain and shock, and to Sam she looked tiny.

He reached back over the seat, taking her small hand in his. He couldn't tell which one of them was trembling, but their intertwined hands shook. He looked into her eyes, trying to summon up a reassuring smile. "It's going to be okay." He said gently. "You'll be okay."

She nodded, taking her other hand and wrapping it around his. "Okay." She said, her voice subdued, but not as weak as it should be, considering what she just went through. She leaned forward, looking terribly fragile to Sam, and squeezed his hand. "I trust you."