Broken by a Thought

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, that right goes to Eric, the cast, crew, and the CW.

This is chapter three in the story which if you're reading this you know is my take on an ending to Supernatural. This chapter will be a lead up to Dean and Sam's big decision and it's mainly just a play on that storyline. I hope you enjoy it and thank-you for reading, I appreciate it.

The sun circles the world

Cradling her in its warm embrace

I want to feel that warmth in my heart too

And I've dreamt of that world that welcomes me

But I know that the time will come when my thoughts won't lie

The Impala pulled up in front of Richford Medical Center, tires screeching on the pavement. Dean and Sam got out of the car and looked at each other briefly before heading for the front door. They walked up to the front desk, where a petite twenty-something with long blond hair and green eyes sat in front of a computer.

Dean grinned before stopping in front of the desk. "We're here to see an Andrew Cole."

The girl looked up at Dean, a small smile crossing her face. "I'm sorry but Mr. Cole doesn't take visitors."

"He'll see us." Sam stood next to Dean, looking down at the woman. "He's a friend of the family, tell him it's the Winchester's."

"I'm sorry sir but Mr. Cole was adamant that he have no visitors. I can't let you see him."

The woman shifted in her seat as Dean leaned down, putting his arms on the desk. He looked her in the eyes doing what Dean was known for doing. "Look sweetheart we just drove six hours to get here and it's very important that we see him. Could you please just tell him who we are and if he still says no we'll leave? I promise."

The woman looked Dean in the eyes, sighing softly. "I'll see what I can do sir."

Ten minutes later the Winchesters were walking down a white-washed hallway to room 415 where one Andrew Cole resided. People walked past them slowly as the whole world seemed to be at a standstill but for Dean and Sam.

Dean looked at Sam as they stopped outside Mr. Cole's doorway. Dean knocked on the door loudly, a small grumble of 'yes' vibrating through the walls as a reply. Sam and Dean exchanged a look as they opened the door. A blinding light filled the small room as a slight wind whipped through the window. A faint creak echoed through the wind as a man of about seven decades rocked back and forth in front of the open window.

An eerie feeling fell over the brothers, a feeling they couldn't quiet explain. It was like the man in front of them was more than human, more than just a man. All Sam had learnt about the man was that he had gone crazy making comments about angels and demons. Of course no one believed him, why would they? So they sent him to Richford where he'd been for ten years, still rambling about the end of the world.

"Mr. Cole?" Sam motioned slowly towards the man, coming up a few feet away. He couldn't see the man's face as it was turned away. All he could see was a scare running deeply across his neck and the back of his head.

Sam looked at Dean questioningly when Cole didn't answer. Dean just shrugged, urging him to go on. Sam returned it with a look that said, 'What the hell am I supposed to say?' and Dean once again just shrugged, his face saying 'It was your idea.' Sam huffed and turned back to look at the man who appeared to have stopped breathing. That or he had mastered the art of a statue.

"Mr. Cole..."

"I heard you the first time boy." The man's voice was rough and husky and it reverberated through Sam's body. A few seconds passed between them as a sigh passed Cole's pale life. "I never thought I'd live to see the day that I would meet the Winchester brothers." Cole stood up slowly, a quite creaking filling the air as the chair rocked against the floorboards. He grabbed a small walking stick that rested against the wall and began making his way towards a small table nestled in the corner of the room.

Dean and Sam followed, waiting for him to sit before they took the two chairs across from him. It was then that they saw his face. His skin was pale, lines of age crisscrossing against weathered skin. His features were angular and the set of them seemed to show that the man had seen a lot. Only the man couldn't see. His eyes were cloudy, a piercing white that sent creeping shivers over the brother's spines.

Cole folded his hands in front of him as he appeared to be examining Dean and Sam. A smile crept across his face and at a point Dean believed he would break out in laughter. But he didn't, he just smiled in a way that said he had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.

"So tell me boys, how has your father been doing?" Cole eyes remained set on them, crossing between Dean and Sam as he waited for a reply.

Sam and Dean exchanged glances with each other before Sam spoke. "He died a couple of years ago."

"I see." Cole nodded his head a few times in acceptance of the news. "And you two, how's the Apocalypse faring?"

Speechless fell over the brothers as they examined the man in front of him. Andrew Cole was mysterious and his every breath seemed to spell a man who'd been broken and out back together more than a few times. His essence seemed to express a man who'd seen the end of the world and lived to tell the tale. Dean saw a man who was maybe a little off his rocker but Sam saw a man who could tell them everything they needed to know to make it to tomorrow.

"What do you know about the Apocalypse?" Dean's voice was questioning but there was a warning tone in it, more implying how the hell the man knew anything about the Apocalypse.

A soft laugh escaped Cole's throat. "What do I know about the Apocalypse?" He paused slightly, tilting his head a few centimeters. "I know more than you two boys do."

"Can you tell us?" The expression on Sam's face was full of curiosity, his voice urging Cole to tell them all he knew.

"Just like your father, so eager to get the answers before you really know the questions. But, I'll tell you what you need to know if you answer my question first." Cole leaned forward, meeting his gaze mainly with Dean.

"What do you want to know?" It was out of necessity that he asked the question but mainly to get the man to avert his gaze elsewhere. Cole didn't. His eyes remained met with Dean's and they cut seamlessly through his soul. Dean felt like the man could see him, every part of him that even Dean couldn't. For a man without the ability to see he sure knew how to make a man see himself. Dean couldn't distinguish what it was that sent that foreign feeling over his body. It was the man but it was also a presence he emitted with every movement that was more than man but less than the world.

"I want to know if you've made your decision yet."

"My decision?" Dean had a feeling he knew exactly the decision the man meant.

"Yes, your decision Dean. What answer have you given Michael?"

That was Dean snapped. Why the hell were they even listening to this guy? All he was was a seventy year old man who had dropped his marbles and found leisure in staring out a window at a very polluted city. "Whatever answer I have or haven't given him is not important right now. What matters is that give us the information you know so we can get out of this town and try and stop the Apocalypse."

"Dean, please I didn't mean anything by it. It was just a question, and one I was curious about."

"Well screw your curiousity." Dean attained a reprimand from Sam but he ignored it, leaning back in his chair as he looked at Cole. "You say you know more about this then we do so you understand the importance even better. We don't have time to waste, so please whatever you can tell us would be greatly appreciated."

Cole leaned back in his chair, changing his gaze to Sam. "You found the numbers I'm guessing."

Sam nodded. "Yes, what do they mean?" Sam leaned forward, placing his arms against the table.

"They mean exactly what you think they mean Sam. And if my memory serves me correctly, I'm guessing you have a week."

"How did you know? The dates, I mean, how did you know all this was going to happen?"

Somehow Sam expected the answer but it still took him by surprise when the words slipped simply past his lips. "An arch angel." He paused. "A very important one." Cole broke his gaze for the first time as he stood up. Cole grabbed his stick as he crossed slowly to the window, staring engrossed out at the world in front of him.

"Michael?" Sam had already stood up and followed Cole to the window. Dean remained seated, turned towards the conversation.

"Yes, Michael. I was twelve years old when the angel came to see me. I still don't know why it was me he chose as I didn't even believe in God, but for some reason it was me he told this to. I like to think it was so that one day I could tell your father and in turn you. Rather that was the case or not, here I am and I'm telling you this information so you can save this world." He looked back at Dean who was now standing a few feet behind him. "It was always meant to end with you two."

"What did Michael tell you?" It was Dean who asked the question.

Cole turned back to the window. "He said that everything was not good in Heaven, that the brothers were fighting and there was division between the angels. Who knew angels could be disloyal? He said that the Apocalypse would come to happen and that it would be two brothers who would hold the world on their shoulders. He gave me three dates-the ones you know about- and he gave me a name, Winchester. Before he left he told me it was my duty to tell the world, to warn them. Too bad he didn't think about where that would land me." Cole paused.

"He said the eldest had to say yes as the younger would no matter what. He also made it clear that if the elder stayed form on no that his brother would rise and destroy the world and even God wouldn't be able to stop him. The Apocalypse-the end of the world because of two brothers. Friends, enemies, blood…humans. It would be because of them and not the angels or the demons." Cole turned to look from Sam to Dean, his voice searing through their bodies like acid.

Sam stood still against the white-washed room, emotion flooding through him. He had known it all along, had a feeling it truly would come down to this. The Trickster had already said it would be them but now it was truly from Michael's mouth. Michael had come to tell a human, to warn him so that he could warn others. Michael was trying to protect the world against his brother and he'd used Cole as fortification on letting the humans know.

Sam looked at Dean, but his brother's face was blank. He knew Dean was going through a roller coaster of emotion, the same as Sam was. Dean was set on saying no but he had known all along what would happen if he did. Sam wasn't going to say yes but Michael said he would, he said no matter what. Sam didn't want to think he could say yes, he just couldn't. What kind of person was he to say yes to the thing that wanted to destroy the world? It was a breaking feeling that haunted every inch of his being as he thought of the possibilities.

One week and it was all over.

One yes and they could save the world.

Two human-brother decisions would change the world.

Cole's words funneled through Dean's thoughts, tumbling over and under each other. Sam was always meant to say yes no matter what he did, that's what Michael said. Sam was destined to say yes in Detroit and let Lucifer rule the world. Dean didn't want to believe that there was no way he could change that outcome. But it was from Michael, straight from his mouth and who was Dean to deny an arch angels words, right? 'Yes'. It seemed like a word that had become a part of him. It was one three letter word and yet he ate, drank, and slept the word. If he said yes he could save the world, so why was he having a hard time saying it?

Cole broke away from the window abruptly. "Boys I think it's time you leave. I'm tired and I don't think I can talk much more about this unfortunate ordeal." Cole sat down slowly in his chair, his eyes closing softly. "Good luck." And the man was asleep. Just like that he had sat down and fallen asleep.

Sam and Dean exchanged a glance over the sleeping man before leaving the room. They walked down the hallway in an awkward silence, both in their own unclear thoughts. They reached the Impala still in silence and together closed the door behind them. They sat there staring out the window where they could see above them a faint outline of Andrew Cole from his bedroom, the light illuminating his small silhouette.

"Drive the car Dean."

Dean jumped. "Son of a bitch Cas!" Dean went to reprimand him again for forgetting to call when Castiel cut him off.

"Drive the car Dean."

"Look Cas I'm not in the mood to take orders from you right now…"

"There are angels and demons on their way for that man and they'll take you too if you're here. So I advice you drive the car now Dean."

Thrashing against the cold heart of man

Lies the truth behind their soul

Laden with lies their words are whispered

Broken like the forgotten winter horizon

But deep beneath they were just broken by a thought

Again thank you so much for reading this far and if you did please review. Good or bad any review is good critisism for a writer and I appreciate both. If you have any ideas about what you think will/should happen to the brothers feel free to post. Anything's appreciated. Once again thank you and if you enjoyed please keep reading, I'll post a new chapter as soon as I can.