Authors Note: Happy New Year to everyone reading. A big thanks to those who have read, reviewed and favourited this story. Here's chapter 7 I hope that you enjoy it.

PS: I just had a Supernatural Marathon of Season 5 with my daughter and niece over the last two days. We ate, drank, laughed and cried every step of the way with the boys. Sammy's heartbreak when Dean tells him he doesn't trust him get's me every time.

The Chosen – Part 7

A few hours later they pulled off of the main road on to the track that would lead them to Bobby's house; Sam turned in his seat and looked down at Zara who had fallen asleep and was now lying with her head against Cas's shoulder, her hands wrapped tightly in Dean's jacket. The long journey had done nothing to quell the rage inside him and he needed to get Zara settled so he could do something about it bashing the hell out of a couple of the old cars in the yard should probably do it he thought.

"She is deeply asleep. Do you wish me to wake her?" Castiel asked.

"No, she needs to sleep. We'll try to get her settled without waking her." Sam replied quietly.

Bobby was standing on the front porch as they pulled up in front of the house waiting for them. The brothers got out and Sam immediately opened the rear door and leaned in intent on lifting Zara from the car. As he reached in he looked at Castiel who sat motionless in the backseat, Zara still slumped against him in sleep.

"Hey Cas, can you make it so that she doesn't wake up whilst I move her?"

"I can take her straight to the place that she is to sleep." he replied simply as he glanced down at the sleeping woman.

"Okay, let me say hi to Bobby and find out where we can put her."

Walking to the porch where Bobby and Dean were talking Sam said "Hey Bobby" as he quickly climbed the steps pulling Bobby into a tight hug "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you to boy." Bobby said gruffly as he returned the hug. "So, where's Prophecy Girl?"

"In the car, she's asleep." Sam answered as he gestured back to the car. "Do you have someplace that I can put her?"

"Spare room at the top of the stairs. I made up a bed."

"Thanks Bobby." Sam said as he walked back to the car.

Bobby watched Sam as he walked back to the car and leaned in to talk to Castiel. He turned to Dean. "Something I should know about son?"

Dean glanced from Bobby to Sam and said with a sigh. "Nothing good Bobby, nothing good."

Sam watched as Castiel disappeared with Zara, staring for a long moment at the empty space in the back of the car, before slowly closing the door, retrieving their bags from the trunk and once again walking back towards the house. Leaving his and Dean's bags at the bottom of the stairs he made his way up to Bobby's guest room.

Castiel had laid Zara on the bed and covered her with a blanket, not bothering to remove her sneakers or Dean's jacket.

"I did not feel it proper to remove any of Zara's clothing." Castiel said as he stood stiffly beside the bed staring intently at the sleeping young woman.

"That's okay Cas, I'm sure Zara will appreciate that."

Castiel raised his eyes to stare at his friend; observing the tension in his body, the tension that he had sensed since the incident at the diner.

"Sam. Are you okay?" he asked, his blue eyes piercing in their intensity.

"I'm fine Cas." Sam replied not quite meeting the angels gaze; tension bleeding into his voice. Every one of the emotions running through him unknowingly conveyed to Castiel in those three words.

Knowing that Sam would say nothing more he looked at him intently for a few moments, blue eyes searching for unspoken answers. Looking down at Zara's sleeping frame he said "She is very lovely Sam. She does not deserve the fate destined to befall her."

"No... no she doesn't Cas." Sam answered brokenly, his eyes never leaving the face of the sleeping woman.

"You and Dean changed your destinies. Maybe with both of you on her side she has an increased chance of surviving and making her own destiny." Castiel said. He placed a reassuring hand on Sam's shoulder before disappearing.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed Sam reached over and lightly brushed Zara's fringe from her face before leaning down and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. Castiel had removed all traces of the injuries caused by Zara's brother but he could still see the bruises and the blood as it ran down her face. Clenching his fists at his side, anger rising in him again as he stood up and turned to leave, he had an appointment with Bobby's baseball bat and a couple of cars. He was so lost in his own thoughts that Zara startled him when she spoke suddenly.

"Sam, will you stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone." she asked softly her voice rough from sleep.

Staring into Zara's sleepy grey eyes, Sam fought the urge to comply. "I don't think that'd be a good idea Zara."

Closing her eyes; she tightened her hold around Dean's jacket before saying "Okay... I understand."

Sam stood for a moment longer before turning and walking out of the room; heading downstairs he didn't stop as he grabbed the baseball bat sitting beside Bobby's front door and stalked outside, long strides taking him into the depths of the salvage yard.

Dean looked up as his brother stalked down the stairs and continued straight out the door; He didn't get up instead he took a long pull from his beer and let him go, knowing that he needed some space to deal with his anger. He would give him some time, then go pick up the pieces.

"Okay Dean boy, you gonna explain to me how you two idgits got tied up with this girl and why your brother looks like he's ready to kill something?" Bobby asked as he watched Sam stalk out of the house and through the yard, carrying his baseball bat.

"I told you Bobby, nothing good" Dean replied before going on to tell him what had happened back at the diner. He didn't tell Bobby about Sam's attachment to Zara and how worried he was that Sam was going to get hurt, if not physically then emotionally.

The two men and the angel sat for a while going over what they knew about The Order and what they had learned about the purity spell. Bobby agreed to research the spell and attempt to find a counter spell which would enable it to be broken and Castiel agreed to stay stating that Heaven could get on without him for a while, that they had fought to hard for the planet and its inhabitants to allow The Order to use this girl to bring about death and destruction.

"Right, I'm gonna check on Sammy." Dean said after a while, as he grabbed a couple of beers from the Bobby's fridge and walked out of the house.

Dean walked slowly through the salvage yard until he found his brother sitting on the bonnet of one of the old cars, his hair plastered to his head and his body covered in sweat. What was left of the baseball bat littered the ground. Sitting down beside him he handed him a beer but didn't say a word. They remained silent for some time staring at the stars as they had done so long ago; each taking an occasional drink from their beer and relishing the easy silence in a way that they hadn't experienced with the other in a long time.

Sam was grateful for Dean's presence as he came down from the rage which had threatened to overtake him.

"You're right Dean." he said softly eyes staring unseeing into the darkness.

"About what Sammy?"

"Zara, she's not just a case...she never has been just a case." he replied softly, his voice thick with emotion "You saw how I was back at the bar that first night. I don't know what it was but ... I can't really explain it but I felt drawn to her in a way that I haven't felt since Jess. I've tried to keep my distance, told myself that she's a case, but nothing seems to work. I wanted to tear her brother apart with my bare hands today when I saw her face, when I saw that she had been hurt. Hell I was jealous when I saw you flirting with her at the motel."

Listening to his brother Dean's heart broke for him; his little brother who had lost the love of his life because of the demons, who had saved the world and still felt that he was unworthy of finding love.

"God Dean, I don't even know if I'm fully human anymore."

"Don't say that Sammy."

"Why not it's true, you saw the amount of demon blood I consumed before I said yes to Lucifer. Even Cas said that I'd be changed drinking that amount of blood and he's right, the anger that I felt before was nothing compared to now. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by rage and no matter what I try, the meditation, the hunting nothing holds it back for long and sometimes I feel like I'm drowning in darkness with no way out-" Tears seeped from his eyes as he fought against the tidal wave of grief flowing through him "but when I'm with Zara she makes me feel like a man again. I feel so drawn to her; she has this inner light that makes her shine. When she smiles I light up inside and when she cries I'd tear apart the world to make her stop. Do you know why I told her about the Apocalypse?... I told her everything because I hoped that it'd turn her away, but it didn't she said that she was sorry...that she was sorry!"

"Sammy, did you even consider that she understands because she's in the same place that you were in a year ago. She's facing the prospect of being used to destroy the world and instead of embracing it like her dick of a brother she's saying no to fate and a destiny that she was born into... remind you of anyone we know?"

"Yeah, I guess." Sam responded quietly.

Dean thought that it had been a long time since he had heard that tone come from his brother. It was the tone that said, I'm lost and scared and I need my big brother to help me.

"Listen Sammy, you don't have to spend your whole life trying to make up for the Apocalypse. Hell you paid that debt off in full when you jumped into the Cage taking Lucifer along for the ride. I hate seeing you do this to yourself." Dean paused for a moment, carefully considering whether he should say the words that he could feel forming inside him. He remembered his earlier words to Bobby about nothing good coming out of this mess, but instead of telling his brother to stay away from Zara, he heard words come out of his mouth that surprised even him.

"... Sammy I have seen you smile and laugh more in the last two days with that girl than I have in the last five freaking years. I've seen hints of the old Sammy, and I like it. So if you like this girl and she makes you feel more like yourself, then I say go for it."

"What!"

"You heard me, I said go for it. You deserve something more than the shitty hand that you've been dealt and just maybe this girl is your future. I've seen how she looks at you Sammy I think she's just as affected as you."

"Dean she's an innocent, I can't! Haven't you heard what I said?"

"Yeah I did and it's a crock of shit. Sammy you deserve more, hell so do I but, this girl is in your life now. You're an idiot if you don't at least see if there is something between you both worth fighting for."

Standing up Dean placed a hand on his brothers should and squeezed it gently."At least think about it."

Satisfied when his brother nodded his agreement Dean walked away calling back over his shoulder " We'll do everything in our power to keep her safe and stop those sons of bitches and her dick ass brother. Two weeks Sammy and then she'll be free. We'll also take care of that purity spell" he finished with a grin and a wiggle of his eyebrow.

Sam sat for a long time before getting up and walking back to the house. He lifted his bag from the bottom of the stairs and made his way up to Bobby's small bathroom. Stripping out of his clothes he stepped into the shower and turned on the water, the iciness of the water a shock to his sleep deprived system. He stood under the spray as the water began to heat and thought of all that Dean had said. Did he have the strength to take a chance with Zara and let his guard down with her? Dean had spoken about a future, man he'd only known her a couple of days, but his bad ass love em and leave em brother was talking about a future. Remembering Jess, he had thought that he could have it all with her. He had wanted a wife, a home and some kids but the Apocalypse had changed everything, taken everything that he used to be and changed it. His life was hunting now; he didn't see himself being anything other than a hunter. Could he pull an innocent woman into that world?

Dragging himself out of his thoughts, he quickly finished his shower and got out; drying himself and changing into a fresh tee and the sweat pants that he slept in. Towelling his hair dry, he walked into the room that he shared with Dean and dropped his backpack on his bed before going into the next room to check on Zara. Opening the door; he could see her clearly, she had gotten up at some point and changed, Dean's jacket was carefully folded over the chair at the side of the bed, her sneakers beneath it.

Closing the door, he paused for a moment, his hand resting on the handle as he remembered her request that he stay, that she didn't want to be alone. Walking slowly into the room he closed the door behind him and looked at the sleeping woman. He considered walking back out leaving her to sleep alone; shaking his head he realised that he had made the decision to stay the moment he had stepped into the room. Before he could debate further with himself, he walked over to the bed he got in behind her; pulling her into his arms.

"Sammy?" Zara asked sleepily, seeming to know instinctively that he wasn't a danger.

"Shush Zara it's me, go back to sleep I won't leave you alone." He replied softly into her hair, before placing a kiss on her head and closing his eyes to sleep. His last thought before drifting off was that she felt like home.

TBC

Thanks for reading. I hope that you enjoyed the Chapter. Please leave a review to let me know what you think. Anonymous reviews welcome, constructive criticism welcome no flames please. Next chapter up soon - Sam and Zara become closer as The Order tightens the net and closes in.