Title: Cycle

Author: Demira_Watson

Fandom: Supernatural

Pairings: Gen

Warnings: Character Death, Spoiler's for 5x22

Disclaimer: The characters in this fanfiction belong to Eric Kripke and the Supernatural team. Unrecognizable characters belong to me and can not be used without permission.

Rating: PG-13

Word count: 325

Prompt: #27 - Deal

Summary: It's the Winchester cycle…And it never ends.

Cycle

The bite of the cold wind forces Sam to dig faster into the centre of the crossroads. It's a clear night with the stars twinkling above him as he's knuckle-deep in gravel, the blood from his shredded fingers pooling in his metaphorical grave.

His sobbing breaths make tiny fairytale clouds that disappear when his hiccups another violent cry that shakes his entire frame. If Dean were here (but he's not) he'd make another comment on how Sam's a little princess. Sam would shove him and with a hidden smile say Jerk and Dean would reply dutifully with a soft Bitch.Then Dean would make everything better.

But Dean's not here and Sam's nostalgic smile falls away.

He's too old to turn to Dean to make everything better. He's a fully fledged adult. He can take care of himself. But the thing is…and this is the truth and core of Sam's being…he doesn't want to be an adult. Sam doesn't want to take care of himself.

Because that's Dean's job. And he's become so dependant of Dean being there that even if he has the muscle memory of how to keep going, keep eating, keep hunting…it's not the same without Dean. It's empty and cold and dark and…

…And Sam would rather go to hell (again) then face the world without his big brother.

So he buries the little box with strange ingredients hidden inside and he waits for that red-eyed bitch to turn up.

There's frost on the ground and Sam's hands are coated in warm blood. But he's feels numb and hallowed out standing in the middle of bumfuck nowhere with the Impala at an angle behind him and Dean's rapidly cooling bloodied corpse in the back-seat.

"Well, well, well…You boy's just can't get enough of the party downstairs, now can you." The smug drawl of a female voice coming from behind Sam drags a relived sob from his chest.

…and the cycle continues…