Chapter 3: Tomorrow brings Uncertainty

Summary: Set just after S8 x 23

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Sam rested his back on the Impala. The warmth of the metal was comforting against the cold wet ground underneath. His fingers curled around the small pebbles as his chest tightened. He gasped sharply and allowed the pain to pass through his body. He leaned his head back, closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip tightly. The pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced but the hard splashing noises forced his eyes open again. The night sky was suddenly alive with fire. The constellations he grew up loving were no longer familiar.

He glanced over to his brother who was also now leaning back on the Impala. "What's happening?" he asked.

Dean gasped at the sight. Giant balls of fire, like meteoroids were falling towards them. A thought crossed his mind... they couldn't be what his was thinking. They couldn't be what Naomi had warned them about but there was no other explanation. "Angels... they're falling."

They watched the spectacular event for a few minutes. Their heads tilted back further to try for a better view. Their silence was occasionally broken by a thud, crack or splash from a fallen angel. The fact that these angles could be falling to their deaths didn't take away from the dramatic show.

"Dean?"

"Yeah, Sammy."

Neither man could peel their eyes from the sky above.

"Is it wrong to say... this looks beautiful?"

Dean gave a hearty laugh and a quick glance downwards. "Yeah man, it's wrong on so many levels. Not only are angels are being kicked out of Heaven but your insides are going through a metamorphosis and the king of Hell is in the other room crying for mercy!" The both let out a soft genuine laugh. Surprisingly, neither man was nervous. They had been through worse apart but together they were stronger.

Then Dean rested his hand on his little brother's shoulder. "Tell me the truth, Sammy." His eyes asked the question his mouth was afraid to speak.

Sam nodded. "It hurts to even breathe," and he tried to fight back the tears as another wave of pain washed over him. He rubbed the back of his hand over his eyes but the tears kept falling. He thought sacrificing himself would wash him from his sins but all he needed was his brother's forgiveness. All he wanted was his brother's hand on his shoulder asking him how he was.

An angel passed by a little too close for comfort. Dean protectively covered his little brother from the fierce wind that passed over them. The angel landed in the water behind the Impala quenching out any flames. "We should get to somewhere safe," Dean lifted his head to look around. Although, the bunker was the safest place to be, he didn't know how safe it would be to drive there. He heard his brother cough underneath him and he moved away. There was blood on Sam's chin and more was coming up. "Dammit Sammy," he swore and grabbed a cloth from his inside pocket to wipe the blood away.

"Its okay, Dean. I'm okay," Sam pushed away his brother's hand. "I think I'm getting better." His voice was weaker than before but his smile was still the same. "It doesn't even hurt anymore."

But Dean knew that could only mean one thing. His body was giving up. He couldn't let that happen. He had left Cas to come back to the church to save his brother. He had given the speech of his life to stop his brother from completing the last trial. There was no way in Hell, or Earth, he was going to let his brother die in the middle of a road surrounded by falling death.

"No Sammy, you're breaking your promise, you know that right?" he shouted back trying to stop his brother from going unconscious. "You're supposed to die from something normal like a heart attack... in a warm bed... surrounded by a wife and kids. Not here... you hear me," he shook the man by his shoulders. "Not here!" Tears started streaming down his cheeks.

Sam gently pushed the man away. "I hear you Dean. I'm not dying, I swear."

Dean fell back a little as Sam began to get to his feet. He leaned his hand on the strong Impala for support. "But... but... I don't... what?!" Dean's stammering ended with a twisted face and questioning eyes. Could they really have caught a break this close to the end?

"Well, I'm not saying I'm cured or nothing," Sam tried to stand straight but the lightness in his head told him he couldn't. "My arms feel like they're being stabbed by a thousand needles and my head feels like I'm having the mother of all migraines. Plus every time I open my mouth, I don't know if words, blood or vomit is going to come out."

"Be careful of the upholstery," Dean noted to himself as he stood.

Sam laughed. "Play through the pain, right?"

"Yeah... right," Dean gave a fake quick smile. "Well, let's get out of here before God changes his mind." He opened the passenger door for him then walked around the back of the car to the driver's side. He stopped when Sam cleared his throat and looked up at the church when Sam nodded at it. "We can't leave him there."

"No, no, no! There is no way! No way am I giving King Vultan a ride. I don't care how sick you are."

Sam tried to defend his request. "But he really has changed, Dean. Things are different now. You may not believe it but he's become more... human."

"Get in the car, Sammy," he growled as the angels continued to fall around them. Sam did as he was told and painfully clipped the seatbelt in place. Just touching the leather seat felt like his skin was on fire. And every so often a wave of glowing light shot through his arms.

With disappointment, he watched the church grow smaller in the side mirror. Forest fires were becoming more frequent as they raced down the beaten road. Every so often, Dean would look into the skies and swerve to avoid being crushed by the falling missals.

Five minutes into the drive, the Impala suddenly screeched to a halt. Sam threw his hand on the dashboard to protect his dizzy head from hitting it. He looked over to the driver. Dean's knuckles were turning white he was holding onto the wheel so tightly. His lips were pursed and his jaw was clenched. He was thinking... angrily. Sam was afraid to ask what it was because, according to his face, Dean didn't like his thoughts. "God dammit," he locked the wheel to the right and turned the car around quickly. They were heading back to the church.

"Don't you look at me like that," Dean ordered. He could see Sam's eyes were smiling. "I'm not doing this for you," he tried to reason his actions with himself. "And I'm definitely not doing this for him." He rubbed his hands tightly over the wheel. "He might be useful, you know? Having control over him. He might be able to tell us things we don't already know." He paused likening his conclusion. "This could be a good thing for us... a good advantage."

Sam nodded slowly and smiled. "Yeah... okay."

His big brother rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "Shut up, Sammy!"

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AN: Okay so the chances of Sam walking away from this is pretty unlikely and the chances of the brothers actually catching a real break is unlikely still... but i live and hope! :) Thanks for reading.