So here's the next chapter. Technically the last since the next is an epilogue but whatever. So this is the final scene from 3.16, in my POV anyway. And yes, I know the word in the title is spelled 'Know' but that is the way the song by one of the best bands in the world, Kansas, is spelled. So, with that, ENJOY!!
P.S.-As I've said before, I put up a poll on my bio about my next SN story. Unfortunately, I already told a few people that I'd write a sequel to my other story for Saiyuki so I'll write that first then start on the next SN one. Please vote so I know what you guys want! (I'll most likely do all of them but I just want to see what you guys want next :D )
Dean tensed where he stood, a grandfather clock chiming twelve and the sound of howling dogs in the background. "Sam what are you talking about? How can you can see…" He stopped and a light started to come on and different pieces of the long term puzzle began to fit into place.
Sam closed his eyes, knowing that the time for secrets had now passed. He turned his head back to see his brother looking like he had been betrayed in the worst fashion. And it killed him inside. "Dean, I—"
Before he could finish, they were thrown away from her, Sam against a wall, Dean on a table-top. Lillith then stretched her neck from its ordeal. "Well, you found me out," she said as she stepped closer to Sam. "I guess I should have expected as much. I mean, what with your so called 'powers' and such. Oh wait, you don't have them anymore, do you?" She pouted and stroked Sam's hair almost lovingly. "It's all locked away in that complex ball of mush you humans call a brain. Too bad. You just might have had a chance otherwise."
"Get off of him, you filthy whore!" Dean screamed. He was livid at the very sight of a girl all over his Sammy, demon or no.
She pulled away from Sam and turned her attention to the elder Winchester. "Such language. And from such a pretty mouth. Mmm, you look so tasty." She sighed and backed away from him. "Too bad you're off the menu for now."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Dean growled.
Lillith then looked from brother to brother, an expression of joy crawling over her features. "You haven't told Dean?" She laughed. "Oh, this is just too good! Even I wouldn't have had the creativity of having you keep such a big secret from big brother."
"What are you talking about?" Dean looked to Sam with shock and panic, hoping that waht he was thinking was completely wrong. "Sam, what is she talking about?"
Sam lowered his head, too ashamed and guilty to look at Dean.
Dean shook his head. "No. Oh, God no. Sam, please tell me you didn't do anything stupid."
Sam tried to open his mouth but his tongue felt completely dry. Lillith answered for him.
"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out by now," she said as she giggled. "For a Winchester, you're pretty dumb. I mean, if you can't figure out something as big as your little brother selling his own soul in a trade for yours, then—"
"What?!" Dean yelled as he looked to Sam again. "Sam you didn't. Please tell me you didn't!"
Sam couldn't even bring it upon himself to bring his head up. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just—"
"Hurt me? Hurt me? Sam, how could you?! Why would you do that?" he asked, tears of fear, anger, and terror welling in his eyes. "How could you be so stupid, Sam?!"
"I was trying to protect you!" Sam yelled back.
"That's my job, damn it! I'm the oldest! It's my job to protect you!"
"Not always! Not this time."
Dean turned to Lillith with a glare. "Switch it back. Now! Take me instead!"
Lillith shrugged. "No can do. Sammy upgraded his deal so no matter what anyone does, his ticket is completely permanent and completely one-way."
Dean turned back to Sam with a panicked and scared face. "Sam…why—"
"I couldn't do it, Dean," Sam interrupted. "I couldn't watch you die for me. Not for me." He smiled sadly. "You have so much more to offer than I ever did."
"What are you talking about?!"
"I know you've been thinking it and so has everyone else. My very existence will destroy the world. I mean my destiny since I was six months old was to bring hell to Earth, Dean. But you…Dean, you are one of the best hunters out there. You were meant to protect people. It's what you were born to do and you love it. I know you do."
"The only person I want to protect is you," Dean forced out. "That's why I made the deal, Sam. Why can't you see that?!"
Sam nodded solemnly. "I do know that, Dean. I know that you've been watching over me since before I was born. It's…" His voice caught in his throat. Now was the best time to tell his big brother his biggest secret, even if, Sam somehow lived through this ordeal, it meant Dean's resentment in return. He looked Dean in the eyes and said firmly, "It's one of the reasons I fell in love with you."
Dean's eyes widened as his jaw came loose of its hinges. Did Sam just…Had he really just said what he thought he had said? Did he just say that he was in love with him? No, that couldn't be. He was just in too much shock. It was impossible. But when Dean looked back at Sam and saw that look in his eyes, that look of pure honesty and vulnerability and trust and most importantly love, he knew that he had heard correctly. Sam, his little brother whom he loved more than his own life, had just said that he was in love with him…after he admitted that he had sold his soul to the devil. His swollen heart cracked in extreme ecstasy and utter grief. How could this be happening?
Lilith drew the boys' attention back to her, now at the main door to the room, as she heaved a dramatic sigh. "As touching and gross as this all is, I'd like to get down to business now. I have other people I need to kill, you know."
Dean's heart came crashing back to reality. "Please. Don't. I'll make another deal. I'll do whatever you want. Name it."
Lillith seemed almost to think it over before she smiled. "No, I like the whole Sam dying as you watch bit much more." She reached down and took the handle to the door in her hand then and twisted, a sadistic smile on her lips as she said in a sing-song voice, "Sick 'em, boys." She opened the door and the faint snarling sounded louder than before.
Dean started to struggle against his invisible restraints. "No! Sam! No, stop!"
The nails of the dog clicked on the wood floor as it stalked up to Sam. He stared at it with mostly fear, but there was a bit of stubborn determination there as well. He swallowed hard as the creature slowly made its way to him.
"Sam! No! Please don't!"
The dog snarled and then took a running start for its pray, barking and roaring all the way.
"NO!"
Sam closed his eyes and turned his head to the side out from instinct. But when the attack never came, he was hesitant to open his eyes.
Dean was breathing very heavily, looking terrified and confused, the only one in the room not able to see the creature and what it was doing. "Sam, what's happening?" he asked urgently.
Lillith was also confused as she stared down at her beast, up at Sam, then back. Pointing at Sam, she yelled, "Kill him! Tear him to shreds! I order you!"
But the beast didn't move. It merely stood at Sam's feet, staring up at him, its ears back and its tail not as high as it once was.
Sam opened his eyes fully and tentatively looked down to the hideous form below. It did not meet his eyes, however. Instead, it lowered its head and shoulders and whimpered as it slowly started to back away from Sam.
Lillith was furious. "Kill him! I said kill him! Why are you afraid of him?!"
Sam was also confused until he realized that it was because of Azazel's blood in him. The hellhound was able to sense it and knew he was much more powerful than it. Sam resisted the urge to chuckle as he looked back up to Lillith who now had steam streaming from her ears.
Dean's breathing was still uneven but it was part in relief seeing that Sam's flesh was not sprawled across the floor.
Sam smirked. "Looks like your guard dog's been neutered."
"I don't understand," Lillith shakily said. "You made a deal. It's supposed to drag your soul to hell. The contract is iron-clad!"
"What can I say? I'm not one for hot weather."
Lillith shook as she glared fire at him. "Fine," she hissed out. "I'll just have to get my hands dirty and kill you myself."
Dean's heart rate picked right back up as he watched her eyes roll so only the whites of her eyes were visible. She lifted up her hand and faced it Sam's way. "…no…"
"See you back in hell, Sam Winchester."
Sam was confused at her choice of words but decided it was something to think about at another time."I would, but there's one more thing you don't know about me."
"I doubt it."
Sam then broke the bind she had on his body and wiggled his fingers to show his newfound control. "I learned a few new tricks."
Lillith's mouth dropped open as did Dean's. However, where her reaction was in shock, Dean's was in a mix of shock, anger, and pride. If they both got out of this alive, he was so kicking Sam's ass.
"Sam, what the hell else did you do?!"
Sam turned back to Dean with an almost guilty expression. "I'll explain later."
If there is a later, they thought simultaneously.
"How did you do that?" Lillith asked venomously.
Sam smiled. "Let's just say a little birdie filled me in."
Lillith looked baffled for a moment before realization dawned on her. "Ruby. That pain in the ass."
Dean made a mental note to also kick her ass if he ever saw her again, but for the moment, he was a little more focused on that his neck was starting to burn from holding it up from the table and as his head felt like a tennis ball the way it was bouncing back and forth between Sam and Lillith, his nerves completely on edge over the outcome. After all that's happened that day alone—and with the way his baby brother and one of the most powerful demons, both supposed underworld leaders, were staring each other down; Lillith with a set glare, Sam with a mocking smile—he didn't know what to expect.
"You think you can stop me with your little parlor tricks? I've been at this much longer than you ever will, light weight. You are so dead," Lillith said with a smile, though slightly uneasy.
"Go ahead and try, bitch."
Dean tensed as Lillith lifted her hand and surged it forward toward Sam.
Who didn't even flinch.
Lillith's surprise returned as she tried the maneuver over again, repeating a single word. "Back. Back. Back!"
He just walked toward her as she stepped back.
Sam's smile degraded into a grin as he looked to the side and eyed a dinner chair. As his eyes moved, so did the chair as it slammed into Lillith so fast, she didn't even have time to defend herself. She fell to the floor and scrambled to get back up, more afraid than before.
"How did you do that? How did you learn it?!"
"How did you learn that?" Dean added in.
"Not now, Dean," Sam reprimanded.
Lillith growled. "Now I'm pissed. No one gets away with making me pissed!"
Dean struggled against his bindings, trying desperately to get to Sam. He looked to his brother's reaction and was shocked to see him standing there indifferent. In fact, he even looked asleep. His eyes were closed, his body was still, and his breathing was steady. Dean didn't understand. He wanted Sam running out the door. Wanted him far away from here and from that demon wench.
A sudden wind started to pick up in the room whipping around each body making hair and clothes fly up.
"Oh, that so cannot be good."
Sam remained calm and tried to remember everything Ruby had taught him.
Keep relaxed. Don't think. Just do. Feel everything around you and know your surroundings. Know what can be used against you and use it to your advantage. Understand your enemy and most importantly, know your own limits.
Sam felt a warmth start in his brow and spread over his skull and face, down to his neck and further still to his shoulders and chest. And with that warmth came the pain, the memories. It was difficult to keep his mindset where it was supposed to be but he had to stick it out. He couldn't stop now. If not for himself, than for Dean.
Sam then reached out his mental hand, felt for the single source that was the most powerful, and locked onto it. Just as his fingers wrapped around the source, he felt his brain start to sizzle. But he didn't let go.
Dean watched as Lillith suddenly started to gasp for breath and clawed at her throat as the wind died down a bit. He couldn't understand what was happening until he looked to Sam and saw him cringing in what he knew was pain. Unfortunately, he had seen that exact expression on his little brother a little too often and every time, it killed him a little bit more. This time was no different. He knew it was Sam that was doing…something.
"Sam!" Dean shouted as he resisted his bindings again.
Sam heard his brother's call but he ignored it, trying desperately to concentrate. If he let go now, he'd never get this chance again.
That was when a steady stream of blood started dribbling from Sam's nose. Dean's eyes widened in fear and panic. "Sam, don't! You're killing yourself!"
Lillith's complexion paled as she urgently tried to get the upper hand but she just couldn't over power Sam. He was even keeping her from leaving the body. She was trapped.
"Stop! It's not worth it!" Dean's lungs were aching as he kept yelling but he felt like he just wasn't being heard and it was paining him to see his world suffering like this. He closed his eyes and lowered his head against the table-top as tears he had been trying to hold back trickled from the corner of his eyes. "You bastard," he tried to yell but he no longer had the strength. "You selfish, lying, manipulative son of a bitch. You can't do this. You can't do this to me. You can't!" Finally, he used what little energy he had and screamed as loud as he could.
"SAM!!"
Sam's eyes shot open as his breath stopped. What was that? Was that…Dean? No, it couldn't have been. The his voice sounded so desperate and…Oh god, he had passed his own limits and was hallucinating. He didn't know how much more his body could take.
Lillith saw and felt that Sam had been distracted for just a second, but it was enough that she was able to break his hold of her as she stumbled back a few steps, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. He fell back against the wall, sliding to the floor, coughing.
"This isn't over," she said, her voice raspy and weak. Just as Sam attempted to use his power again, she opened her mouth and screamed as black smoke came up her throat and out of the used body only to leave the house via the air vent right above her.
Sam knew he could contain her but he didn't have the strength. He'd have to work on the whole tolerance thing.
As all of the demon smoke left the girl's body, it fell to the floor limply and stared at the ceiling, relieved of its final burden.
The silence was nearly deafening as Sam and Dean just gazed at the escape route almost in awe.
However, it didn't last long as Sam started with the coughing again, though this time, it was accompanied with blood.
Brought back to reality, and wondering why the damn restraints hadn't gone away with Lillith the Bitch, Dean vainly fought to free himself once again. "Sam? Sam! You okay?"
Sam looked over to his brother. His eyes were teary from all of the coughing, but he could see that, thankfully, Dean didn't look hurt. Extending his arm, he moved it in a sideways motion before falling onto his arms so he was supported on all fours, still coughing.
Dean's arms and his legs were released as the bindings broke. He looked at his limbs in wonder for only a moment before he jumped from the table and raced to Sam's side, kneeling beside him. He took Sam's face in his hands and forced it up to look at his face.
"Sam, open your eyes for me, please. Sam?"
Sam let out one final cough, splattering the floor with red, before he licked his lips and opened his eyes to meet his brother's. His smile was small and mixed with pain and exhaustion, but it was there. "Hey."
Dean, though happy to hear Sam's voice and see his beautiful green eyes up close, couldn't find it in him to smile. Not just yet. "Are you okay? Where does it hurt?"
Sam attempted a laugh but it came out as more of a choking groan sound that Dean didn't much care for. "I'm okay, Dean. Just a little tired."
"Do you need a doctor?"
"No. I'm okay."
"Yeah? 'Cuz I think you need and X-ray of your brain."
"That's an MRI," Sam tried to tease, "and I'm good. Really."
"You sure?"
Sam nodded getting some of his strength back slowly. "Yeah."
Dean nodded back. "Okay." Then he drew back his arm and punched Sam right in the mouth.
Sam fell back and held his already aching jaw before he looked up to his now standing brother with an accusing glare. "What the hell was that for?!"
"What the fuck did you do, Sam?! Huh?! What, you go behind my back and switch the deal, something I explicitly tell you not to do?! You want to go to hell that badly, is that it?! Or maybe you just want to kill yourself by melting your brain! I can't believe you let Ruby teach you that crap! I told you it was bad news! I mean what the fuck?!"
"I saved your life, didn't I?" Sam yelled back, now also standing. "It's like I told you! You have more to offer."
"Oh don't give me that bull crap! You know you have just as much and more!"
"Right, because it wasn't my destiny to—"
"Stop! God damn it!" Dean yelled as he lowered his head and tried to breathe through his anger, his hands on his hips.
Sam just stared at him with a mixture of annoyance, guilt, and relief. It was over, mostly, and they were both alive. His head felt like a tossed out punching bag and a tour concert of Motor Head was blasting in his ears, but they were alive.
Dean was trying to sort through so much crap that his brain even felt jumbled. However, even with everything that had just happened and was just brought to his attention, there was one in particular that was nagging at him the most. Slowly, he brought his head up and stared at his brother who looked to be struggling just to stand on his own. After nearly a full minute, he finally built up the courage to ask something that had been eating him away for months.
"Sam." When his brother looked his way, he took a deep breath and asked with a shaky voice, "Were you telling the truth?"
Sam looked to be a little confused at the question. "Of course."
Dean was shocked to hear it come out so decisively. It made his heart speed and—
"I never meant to hurt you. I was just protecting you. Why would I lie about that? You're my brother."
Dean's heart sank lower than it had been before as he let out a frustrated breath. He should have known it was too good to be true. Looking back on it now, he might not have been so subtle about his feelings as he thought he had been and maybe Sam had picked up on it merely saying something he knew Dean had wanted to hear.
He shook his head and turned toward the door, his chest aching and the rest of him still plagued with anger. "Never mind. Let's go."
Sam watched Dean take a few steps in the other direction and closed his eyes knowing he was making a big mistake. One, he decided, he wasn't going to have to live with anymore.
"I also was telling the truth about the other thing."
Dean stopped walking and rubbed his brow in exasperation. "What are you talking about, Sam?"
"About my being in love with you."
Dean's whole body froze for several seconds before he turned to face Sam. "What?" he whispered.
Sam nervously shifted from foot to foot, and didn't have the courage to look his brother in the eye. "It's true. I uh…I'm in love with you." He let out an airy chuckle though there wasn't any humor in it. "I've been in love with you since high school. Tenth grade, actually. Right after you beat up that Klien kid after he called me a—"
"Skirt wearing pansy," Dean finished, still shell-shocked.
Sam nodded hesitantly before he finally looked up but only at Dean's shoulder. "Dean I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I know that that was something you had never expected or maybe even wanted to hear from me, but there it is. And I know that you think it's wrong and terrible…hell, you probably think I'm wrong and terrible, and I can understand if you don't want to talk to me again or—"
"Shut up."
Sam's jaw locked at those words waiting for the next punch.
Dean just stood there staring at his little brother's shaking form before he tentatively took the four steps so he was standing right in front of him. He remained there until Sam finally maneuvered his eyes so they were staring at each other in the same way. "Don't you ever say that," Dean hissed. "Don't ever just assume that I'd toss you out and never want to talk to you. You're my brother, Sam. I would never do that to you no matter how pissed off I am."
Sam smiled a bit, holding back the tears. That wasn't exactly the reason he had wanted to hear. "So you are pissed at me," he said softly, slightly regretting it after he said it and hoping Dean didn't hear.
"Hell yeah I'm pissed." Sam cringed, but the expression on Dean's face softened. "But not about that."
Now Sam was outright shocked. "You're not? Why?" Oh, great question!
Dean tried to come up with the words until finally he lifted his arms in a helpless shrug before letting them drop back to his sides and looked up to Sam vulnerably. "Because I'm in love with you, too."
Sam blinked rapidly in surprise. "W…What?"
Dean took in a deep breath, held it for a second, his mouth open, and repeated, "I'm in love with you."
Sam, again, was speechless…for a moment. "You are? Why? Are you sure? How? Since when? What—"
"Whoa, slow down there, Curious George. I can only processes one at a time. Yes, what the hell kind of question is that, yes, how the hell should I know, and…" He shook his head helplessly. "Sometimes it feels like forever. But I didn't realize until a few months ago."
Sam let out a breath of shock. "So, all this time, we…the both of us…how we felt...and neither of us saw it."
Dean smiled shakily. "You make us sound oblivious and a little crazy when you put it that way."
Silence enveloped them as they both tried to wrap their heads around…well, everything. Eventually, however, the silence started to get to the both of them, Dean in particular who started to fidget after enough time. Finally, he couldn't take any more.
"Listen, Sam. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's the adrenalin rush from the little scene a few minutes ago or us talking about this now but…I don't think I've ever had the urge to kiss anyone, much less you, so much, and that is really saying something. So, would you mind if we passed the whole awkward formal thing and…"
Sam took that last step, took his brother's face in his hands, and crashed their lips together. Dean made a surprised noise before he overcame his initial shock and wrapped his arms around Sam tighter than he thought he should.
Skipping chaste, they both opened themselves to each other and started their long overdue explorations. Sam's wet muscle was using every scrap of energy to map out the other's mouth for future reference, and Dean's was just in it for the taste of his little brother and dear lord, but nothing tasted so sweet.
Just as that valuable thing most people know as air started to run low, they pulled away from each other but remained in the other's arms. Their eyes still closed, they basked in the amazing sensations just discovered.
"That was…"
"Yeah," Dean finished, licking his lips.
Sam's smile was watery as he stole a look into Dean's eyes. Up close, they were so much more beautiful than his dream could ever imagine. "I love you, Dean," he whispered out as a single tear escaped down his cheek.
Dean's smile was a little more reserved as he just basked in the feel of Sam's skin on his. "I love you, Sammy."
Sam's smile grew as he leaned in for another kiss...until he missed completely. Just as he was to make contact, his breath hitched and he started coughing again leaning on Dean for support he no longer had.
"Whoa, whoa," Dean warned as he tried to catch him but having to kneel on the ground. Taking Sam's face in his hands, he looked into his face. "Sam? Sam, talk to me, dude. You okay?"
Sam's answer was an unconvincing shaky nod and another series of coughs which made the blood come up again.
"Shit. Alright, c'mon, Sammy. We need to get you some help." Dean threw Sam's arm over his shoulder and hauled him up with what strength hadn't been zapped from the life-changing emotional rollercoaster they just departed and headed for the Impala.
Okay. Just the epilogue left and then we're done. And btw, the epilogue is where we get the Wincest and some...adult material. Excited? You should be. See you soon!
