Author's note: This is an AU, which takes place right after All Hell Breaks Loose, Parts 1 & 2. It begins immediately after the gates of Hell open, and the demon army is released into the world. We are in the spring / early summer of 2007 – Dean is 28, Sam is 24. It's canon to that point, and then … well, you'll see.

The Road Thus Far:

"Dad's gone now. So we have to carry on his legacy. And that means hunting down as many evil sons of bitches as we possibly can."

- Dean to Sam

John tells Dean to kill Sam if he can't save him. Sam himself makes the same request.

Sam and the other "special children" were kidnapped to Cold Oak, where one was to survive to lead Azazel's army. Jake Talley killed Sam, but Dean made a deal with a crossroads demon to save him – Sam's life in exchange for Dean's soul, after one year.

"How sure are you that what you brought back is 100 percent pure Sam?"

- Azazel to Dean, at Fossil Butte Cemetery, before Dean shoots him with the Colt.)

Dean: "What the hell just happened?"

Ellen: "That's a devil's gate, a damn door to hell."

"I hope you boys are ready, because the war has just begun."

- Bobby

Chapter One

They had work to do.

It was a thirteen-hour drive back to Bobby's. It probably would have been prudent to find a place to sleep, but they wanted – they needed – to be in a familiar place to regroup and think.

They caravanned across Wyoming back to South Dakota, stopping only for coffee and gas. Sam and Dean took turns driving. The Winchester in the driver's seat concentrated on the road, and the Winchester in the passenger seat dozed. There was little talk, but there was plenty of thinking.

It was almost noon when the exhausted convoy pulled into Singer Salvage Yard. Although sleep should have been their first priority, no one moved toward a bedroom or a couch. Bobby put on a pot of coffee. Ellen came in ten minutes after the men, with a dozen donuts and a gallon of orange juice.

As the hunters put together their makeshift brunch, Sam used the bathroom, then splashed cold water on his face. He stared at his reflection, searching his eyes for flecks of yellow. Familiar hazel, tired and slightly bloodshot, stared back. His hand reached behind him, under his shirt, feeling for the scar where Jake had stabbed him.

"Sam?" A quiet knock. "You fall asleep on the can?"

Sam took a deep breath and opened the door to face his brother. "I need to tell you guys about Cold Oak."

Dean's brow furrowed. "Gifted kids, fight to the death, you win the generalship of the army … there's more?"

"There's more," Sam confirmed.

In Bobby's living room, Dean handed Sam a mug. Sam sat, took a breath, and began to talk. Bobby and Ellen already knew about Azazel's plan to have a chosen child lead his demon army, and his desire to have Sam in that role. What none of them knew, until Sam told the story to the floor, was that he'd been marked from birth. All the time John had been hunting the Yellow-Eyed Demon, the Yellow-Eyed Demon had had its eyes on Sam.

"He killed Jess," Sam said. "He said it was the only way to get me back into the life." He stole a glance at Dean. "He was probably right." He cleared his throat and said, "I – well, Dean knows, but … um … I have these visions sometimes. These premonitions. I dreamed about Jess dying before it happened. I thought it was just a nightmare, but then it happened. She burned on the ceiling like my mother did."

Sam had to pause to gather his thoughts. "So, the night Mom died …"

His voice faded and as he tried to steady it, Dean cut in, his voice oddly gentle, "Sam. We know how Mom died."

Sam shook his head. "You don't. He showed me. He brought me – back in time, or something, or into the memory, I don't know. But it was like I was there. I yelled at her, but she couldn't hear me." He scrubbed a hand across his face. "He was by my crib. He … he fed me his blood. I have … I have his blood in me."

The room was stone silent.

"Mom came back and caught him, and he …"

"That's enough," Dean said, his voice sharper than he meant. "We get it."

"Demon blood?" Bobby said, giving a little involuntary shudder. "Damn, boy."

Sam hung his head, and Dean shot Bobby a baleful look. "None of this is your fault, Sam."

"He said it was about me," Sam whispered. "Not Mom. Me. And Dean, there's more. She knew him."

"Who? Yellow Eyes? Mom knew Yellow Eyes?" At Sam's curt nod, Dean said, "You know that can't be."

"She came in, saw it was him, and said, 'It's you.' She knew him."

"Listen to me." The snap had left Dean's voice, replaced by urgent pleading. "I don't care what he showed you. It's not your fault. You were a freakin' baby. And hell, we don't even know if that vision is true."

"Demons lie," Ellen agreed thoughtfully. "But most of them are smart. What would there be to gain by showing Sam this vision?"

"And how can we use it," Sam said slowly. "What else does it mean? How does it fit?" The researcher in him was trying to be objective. "If Mom is connected somehow to Yellow Eyes, maybe there's something she knew, something that could help us stop this war." Restless, Sam stood and paced, finally stopping behind his brother's chair. "What if we work it like a job, like when we went back to the old house? We know Mom's ghost was there at least once, right? And she … shit. She told me she was sorry." He looked intently at Dean. "When we saw her, remember? She looked at me and said, 'Sam. I'm sorry.' I thought she meant for dying. But what if it was for something else?"

"I forgot about that," Dean said slowly.

"So maybe there's something there," Sam went on. "Maybe we can talk to someone who knew her. I mean, if she were alive, she'd be, what, 52? That's not old."

"Damn," Dean said. "She was only a year older than me when she died." It was a sobering thought. "But I follow you. She must have had classmates or neighbors or something that could help."

"That's not a bad idea," Bobby said. He sighed, looking pointedly at Ellen. "We can maybe point you in a direction."

"I don't know, Bobby," Ellen said quietly. "It's been a long time."

"I think she might want to," Bobby answered. "No reason, really, to keep her away now."

"Who? Who would want to do what?" Sam asked.

But it was Dean that Bobby looked at. "You could talk to Sarah."

Emotions ran over Dean's face like water – confusion, then shock, then sorrow, then … regret. He turned to his brother.

"Dean?" Sam asked warily. "Who's Sarah?"

Dean paused, as if hoping Bobby would answer. When rescue was not forthcoming, he answered. "She's Mom's sister. Sarah is our aunt."

Sam's mouth fell open. Dean might as well have told them they were related to wraiths. "Mom – what?"

There was a heavy silence.

"Dean. Jesus Christ. Mom has a sister? How in the hell could you never have mentioned her?" He whirled on the older hunters. "You knew? Both of you?"

"Not until after Mary died," Bobby said steadily. "Neither of us ever met her. Your father told us about her."

"Tell them the truth, Bobby," Ellen snapped. "John only told us about her so we wouldn't tell her anything about the boys. Just in case she tracked us down. Which, eventually, she did."

It was Dean's turn to gape. "You spoke with her?"

"Two or three times, until Sam was in high school or so. I never told her where you were. I never even gave a hint. I only told her you were alive and all right, and little things – like Dean being able to fix anything and Sam being so smart in school." Ellen sighed. "Almost every time I saw John, I asked him to call her. It broke my heart. But it wasn't my decision to make, so I didn't go against your father."

"My father's not around anymore," Sam pointed out. "And you still didn't mention it."

"I didn't think of it. I haven't heard from her in six or seven years." Ellen eyed the boys. "She lived in Minnesota then. She tried to leave me an address, but I wouldn't take it. I was afraid I'd slip it to you. But it was rural. Somewhere in the middle of the state, I think."

Dean stood up, but before he could speak, Bobby shook his head. "No. Not now. You look like crap on toast. Sleep, food, shower. It can wait a day."