The Shaytan swooped towards Dean, knocking him fast into the hard concrete wall. A wave of her hand slammed Sam into the side of the while she placed both hands on Dean's chest and began pushing him back, black tattoos surging forward. Sam pushed himself up again, grabbing for his knife and throwing it to send it slicing past her arm.
She let Dean drop for a second and he opened his eyes to hear Sam yell his name and heave himself in the way of the creature returning to his older brother. The Shaytan willingly indulged Sam's invitation and slashed another gash into him before digging in for her meal, one hand now squeezing around his neck. Ignoring everything else, Sam's eyes stayed on Dean, watching as his older brother began to dip out of consciousness.
"Dean!" He choked out angrily, anxiously, somehow still hoping that Dean would get out okay.
But all was lost. Dean was down and out of action and Sam was slowly fading.
Then the spirit screeched, a bloody knife stuck out of its back, put there by a small strong hand. The Shaytan let Sam drop and he gasped for air, watching as the spirit writhed and screeched and then stopped existing in an explosion of light.
Behind where it had been, stood Dove, holding the knife with a calm expression.
"That was for Diana."
:~~~~~:
Outside Dove's house, Dean and Sam stood stiff and sore and moderately bandaged. They had been able to hide most of their cuts and bruises underneath their jackets, but they nevertheless looked damaged enough that a family crossed the road rather than walk past them on the street.
Diana was waiting outside. It was a hesitant but then unconditionally joyful reunion that Sam and Dean watched from a distance, leaning against the Impala.
"Do you think she'll be alright?" Dean looked away as the 'roommates' sunk into a passionate kiss. "I'm pretty sure there's some severe emotional damage there."
"Dove or Diana?"
"Both. Who knows what that thing made her do. That's gonna suck."
"Possession is never fun Dean."
Dean watched Sam from of the corner of his eye.
"She has someone to look after her, she'll be fine."
Sam half-laughed, "I think she can look after herself."
Dean raised his eyebrows into a 'true' expression.
"Well you're not wrong. She definitely saved our asses."
They turned back to the Impala, Dean taking the drivers seat.
"It's nice to have someone live for once."
Sam frowned. "Yeah. But you know Dean… We didn't even try to save her. We just went for the kill without thinking about it. If the bronze hadn't forced the Shaytan out, Dove would be dead and buried and we wouldn't have given it a second thought."
"That's the job Sam. We couldn't have known..."
"I know Dean, but in the old days we would have tried. The thought at least would've crossed our minds."
"Well a lot has changed."
Sam stared at him for a moment before tuning to face the front windscreen. Dean copied the motion.
"But you might be right," Dean continued, then paused, looking back to his brother. "And by the way…?"
Sam turned to look at him.
"Next time you play the hero and throw yourself in front of the bad guy for me; I'm going to kill you."
He started the engine.
Sam laughed incredulously, "Hey! I saved your ass!"
"Yeah well don't do it again." Dean pulled the car onto the street.
Sam smiled and stared out the window, "You're not the only one that gets to protect your brother."
Dean looked over to him, worry edging his small smile, before he broke the moment by reaching over to set "Stairway to Heaven" playing loudly through the stereo.
Sam chuckled to himself as Dean began swaying to the beat, muttering the lyrics under his breath. But the smile faded instantly when a voice only he could hear intruded from the back seat.
"Oooh Sammy! I love this song!"
THE END
Next: S7Ep16 "Out with the Old"
Authors Note: Woot go Dove! Yeah girl! Well there we go. That's the end of this little episode of Supernatural. Let me know what you thought!
