Broken 10 The time has come
He floated aimlessly amidst the dark clouds. His body light and for the first time in a long time he was pain free. The pain of loosing Sam, the agony his body had suffered was washed away. He couldn't even remember his name. It was peaceful here, he wanted to stay forever!
Lying on his back he stared up into what passed for a sky. Shimmering bright lights danced across the heavens in an explosion of color that easily rivaled the Aurora Borealis. It was beautiful and serene and so not normal. For a fleeting moment he heard a familiar voice, his heart thumped madly, but he pushed it aside. He knew it wasn't real, knew he would never see that beloved face or hear his brother's voice ever again. Time for him had run out. He knew what lay over the horizon, what darkness would seep into his soul and take him captive forever. He had resigned himself to the torture the madness and the mayhem he would face in hell. It scared the bejeebies out of him, but it was a deal he would make again if push came to shove.
He wanted to see the sights the world had to offer before he gave himself over to the hell that awaited him. "Too late," he thought sadly.
He only wished he could have made their last few months on earth more enjoyable. Taken Sam and lived it up in Hawaii or the Bahamas, better yet, take a cruise, eat the food until he was fat, dumb and happy. Love a few women along the way and drink a few beers. It wasn't to be – he knew that, fat, dumb and happy wasn't anywhere in the Winchester's future now or ever!
The voice nagged at him again and he sighed wishing he could answer. The darkness held him tight, unwilling to let him go. As much as he might want to answer the call he knew it was hopeless.
Drifting toward the darkness a sudden warmth infused his body, somewhere in the vicinity of his heart as the connection was made. He gasped, his body trembling as the shock of Sam's tears tore through him.
The darkness faded, shattered by an explosion of bright spears of light. Blue and gold threads met and melded, lifting the dying hunter up. A sobbing breath shook his body as the sound of his brother's voice, needy and insistent crashed over him. "Dammit Sammy let me sleep," he growled indignantly.
"NO," the angry voice whispered back. "I'll never let you go," Sam insisted. "Now wake up and get your sorry ass back here where I can rant at you in person," the young hunter sobbed.
"Damn, you're grouchy in the morning. Have you had your coffee yet?" Dean chuckled.
"Yes, I've had my coffee, got a cup of Joe, hot and black sitting right here with your name on it, so come and get it," Sam chucked.
The hunter sighed and lay back. "Just let me sleep a little longer Sammy, I'm so tired, and it's so nice here," he sighed.
"I know Dean, but you've been asleep a long time. I need you," the aching voice whispered desperately. "Please Dean, I know it's hard, but you have to wake up. Please, do it for me," Sam whispered anxiously.
The hunter sighed knowing the voice would never let him rest. What would it hurt to answer now anyway? Besides, deep in his heart he already knew he'd do anything for Sam – had as a matter of fact. If Sam asked him to scale Mount Everest or jump over the moon, he'd give it one helluva Winchester try. "Dammit Sammy, I'm gonna kick your butt for this," he growled ungraciously.
"You can try big brother, remember the last time you tried, I had your ass laid out on the floor, and you were squealing like a girl," he chuckled.
"Hey," the hunter yelled indignantly. "I let you win that one, didn't want to embarrass you in front of your girl."
"Yeah right," Sam chuckled. "So what do you say ya big jerk, how about a rematch?"
"Sammy, Sammy, Sammy," Dean tsked, "Bitch you are so on, I've got twenty bucks says you go down in the first minute."
"I'll double that Deanie girl but it's you that's going down jerk. Come on buddy boy, come and get me, I'm waiting," the young hunter urged.
Dean snarled and sat up, his body loath to respond as he pushed himself to his feet. The ground beneath his feet seemed to rumble when he finally managed to stand upright. He swayed dangerously and staggered sideways feeling the earth rolling with each step he took. The soil was soft beneath him sucking him down.
Struggling he hissed when his feet sank deep into the murky darkness, dragging him down. "I can't Sam," he whispered as panic engulfed him.
"Can't," Sam scoffed. "Didn't know that word even existed in the Winchester dictionary. When did the great Dean Winchester ever give up on anything? Now, get your ass moving soldier," he snapped in his best John Winchester voice, praying it would get his brother moving again. "And quit crying ya baby and get back here," Sam urged, doing his best to keep his own fear and panic in check as he felt the angry darkness roiling through his mind.
"Yes Sir!" Dean growled low in his throat and yanked his left foot out of the black muck. With a triumphant cry he pulled his right foot free and rushed forward. From behind him he heard a snarl of protest.
Laughing at his sudden freedom he blew the darkness a butterfly kiss over his shoulder.
The ebony mist growled angrily as it rose up to give chase. Demons hated to loose.
The wind whipped through his hair and joy sang in his heart as he raced across the sky heading for home. Sam was waiting, Sam was home, the darkness and his deal be dammed.
A doorway loomed ahead, its surface shimmering with golden lights shot through with threads of blue. It was radiant and beckoned him forward. He didn't stop laughing as he leaped for the door and spun to face the darkness nipping at his heels. Like a kid playing at cowboys and Indians he lifted his hands and shot imaginary bullets at the lumbering form. Light flashed from his fingertips surpising him. "Yippee Kai Aye," he shouted when the ebony cloud shattered into dust before his body slid through the open door.
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His body burst upward through the dark haze of unconsciousness. Hissing as the agony of waking assaulted him. Sucking in a breath he felt the pounding ache in his skull tearing through him. Waking up after being injured in a hunt was always a bitch.
Groaning and growling at the same time his eyelids fluttered open. He wanted nothing more than to hear his brother's voice. Sighing he knew it was hopeless but he tried anyway, "Sammy," he cried.
The young hunter snapped upward his head spinning to look at his brother's face. Joy tore through him when he saw Dean's eyelids blink open. "I'm here Dean," the young hunter sighed breathlessly. "Right here," he whispered.
"Sam," the hunter whispered in shock, unsure of what he was really seeing and hearing.
"Dean," Sam whispered.
Emerald eyes blinked owlishly. A frown puckered the hunter's brow as he sought the familiar visage hovering above him. Confusion was written on his face as he stared at his brother. His voice was weak and gravelly, and hopelessness flared in his eyes. "You're dead Sam."
It was a statement that brought sadness to his eyes and a slight smile to the young hunter's lips.
"Not this time Dean," Sam chuckled.
"Yes you are," Dean pouted. "I saw you. You were all crumpled up and smushed. Your body was twisted up like a pretzel, I saw you die," he whispered tearfully.
"I know what you saw Dean it was in your eyes before the Demon struck, but I swear I'm not dead. The damn demon froze me, I could see what was happening but I couldn't move couldn't talk or tell you anything."
"That's a little off the wall," the hunter grumbled. His eyes widened. This was a dream it had to be. "Am I dead," the hunter asked in confusion.
"No Dean you're not dead either," Sam chuckled. "When the demon threw you, you hit you head pretty hard. Doctors said you cracked your skull. You've been in a coma for weeks."
"No way," he whispered quietly. Confused beyond words, he stared at his brother. "I talked to Bobby, he told me you died. He and Ellen burned your body."
"It was all a dream Dean," Sam whispered quietly.
"Huh…" he grumbled. Everything he'd thought, felt and experienced for the last few weeks had been played out in a dream. How was that possible, it had seemed so real?
Dean sighed, his hand reaching out to touch his brother's face. "Are you really here?" he whispered his voice cracking with emotion.
"Do you want me to pinch you to make sure," Sam chuckled.
"Pinch me and I'll deck ya Sammy," the hunter growled ominously.
Sam laughed with relief and threw his hands up in the air.
"I take that as a yes," Deangrumbled.
"Yes Dean, I really and truly am here, and so are you," Sam whispered brokenly. The young hunter sighed and plopped back into the gray hospital chair. Relief swept through him. Swiping at watery eyes he could feel the tears threatening to fall.
Dean sighed and lay back against the pillow. He was tired but afraid to sleep, didn't want to close his eyes for fear of loosing his brother again. Taking a deep breath he calmed his ravaged nerves. "Sam was here and he wasn't going anywhere," he told himself. "Everything was ok."
Relaxing into the pillow he searched his brother's face almost afraid to ask about the day he'd gotten hurt, but he had to know. "What happened out there Sam, who was the girl I saw you talking to?"
Sam sucked in a breath his brows furrowed in thought. "I don't know Dean, not really. Said she needed me but never told me her name. I've done some research but it's all pretty vague." His fingers played with the edge of his shirt thinking about the encounter. "She was powerful Dean, with powerful demons at her beck and call."
"Needed you? What the hell did she want?" Dean snarled.
"I wish I knew, but I think I pissed her off pretty bad when I threw the holy water in her face. She was evil, pure evil," he mussed quietly.
The young hunter coughed and cleared his throat before catching his brother's eyes. "The holy water blinded her Dean."
Dean's eyes widened. "Yup," he joked, "I think you definitely pissed her off."
The sat in companionable silence for a few minutes until Dean realized he was thirsty. "Where's my coffee," he snapped remembering his brother's promised treat.
At a loss Sam didn't have an answer, somehow in this dream he remembered telling his brother there was coffee waiting for him. "That had only been a dream, right?" he asked himself cautiously.
"You promised me coffee Sam" Dean growled quietly.
His mouth opened but no sound came out wondering how he was going to explain to his brother that he really didn't have any coffee. The offer had been the bait to lure him home.
Thankfully, at least to Sam's way of thinking the door behind him flew open and he heard his brother groan. Sam grinned at the distraction as two nurses and a doctor rushed into the room. Now he had plenty of time to find some coffee.
Dean grumbled beneath his breath at the sight, knowing exactly what was coming. "Damn!" he hated hospitals!
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Epilogue to follow, Please R & R for me, Huggers