Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters. I and am not making any money on this…I'm just having fun filling in the time until September!

Ghost Hollow

Chapter 12 – The Choice

Sam lifted the shot gun and started to head towards the hollow as the night swallowed his form, a soft cry could be heard coming from the back of the Impala.

"Sammy…Noooo!"

Dean jumped from the car frantically searching for the familiar figure of his brother. But there was no sign, only the whispering of the wind in the trees could be heard in the darkness. "Damn it Sammy!" Dean's anger was overflowing. He had reigned in his feelings since this began, knowing that Sam couldn't help himself. But this, this was too much for Dean to bear. "Fine, you're on your own Sammy…I'm done watching your ass!" Dean yelled into the woods, rubbing his sore jaw he started to get into the driver's seat. He just couldn't do it any more, it was bad enough trying to protect Sam from the evil that dogged their steps…but he couldn't protect Sam if he didn't want him to.

Dean put his head down on the steering wheel, his breathing and heart racing in pace with the anger that was roaring through his blood like a freight train. "Sammy, why can't you trust me?" Dean mumbled in a heartbroken voice, the tears finally falling. But in the silence of the Impala, his shelter…his home…Dean began to get himself under control. As he raised his head, he saw the white slip of paper on the dash board in front of him. Reaching over, Dean recognized Sam's handwriting.

Dean:

I know that you are mad, but I had to do this. I'm going to the Hollow to draw the ghost out into the open. I think she can lead me to where she is buried. I trust you to watch my back, but just in case something happens, remember this was my decision and not yours. None of this is your fault, you're the best big brother and I don't deserve to have you in my life. Just know that I appreciate everything you have done for me and when this is over, I might even let you kick my ass.

Love Always

Sam

Dean crumpled up the paper as the tears once again threatened to fall. "Damn it Sam, just when I think I can walk away, you go and do something like this!" Dean opened the door and headed for the trunk. He wanted to make sure that he had everything he needed, just in case Sam's plan worked. A few moments later, Dean was heading into the woods, smiling as he noticed that his little brother hadn't tried to hide his tracks. "Ok Sam, you lead and I will follow!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam walked slowly towards the hollow. He wanted to make sure that Dean would have time to start following him. Sam had no doubt that Dean was mad, but he also knew that his brother would follow him and if necessary be there to protect his back. He had meant what he had said in his note to Dean. He really didn't deserve someone like Dean in his life. His brother actually deserved so much more that to be saddled with the constant responsibility of looking after him. But Sam also understood that protecting Sam was ingrained in his brother from early childhood…it was part of what made Dean…well, Dean.

Sam's head jerked up as he heard the familiar sobbing on the wind. "Marie?" Sam called softly. He reached into his pocked and smiled as he felt the familiar outline of his journal. He remembered that he had been writing in the journal, but when he thought about showing Dean, the pain had started in again. He quickly opened the journal and began to scan what he had written. Some of it he had remembered. But as his eyes reached the end of his entry, he gasped. Marie had shown him where she was buried!

Sam looked around and when he saw no sign of Marie, he began to follow the directions he had written in his journal. He may not be able to give the journal to Dean, but he could use it to regain what he lost during his memory lapses. Walking more quickly, Sam headed towards where Marie was buried. He just hoped that Dean was close behind.

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean had caught up with Sam and was getting ready to run up to him when he paused. Sam was standing the hollow with his head tilted as if he was listening to something. Then he heard Sam call for Marie. Deciding that he may as well follow Sam to see what happened, Dean hung back in the shadows. He saw Sam reach into his pocket and pull something out of his pocket and after reading it, began to walk back towards the site of the old homestead. Dean had a feeling that Sam was on to something by the purposeful strides that his brother was taking. He made a mental note to check Sam's pockets later to see what Sam was reading, it looked like his journal.

Dean continued to follow Sam, keeping him in sight at all times. Sure enough, about 30 minutes later they were back at the old homestead. Sam paused looking towards the cellar, but after a moment he continued on to the hillside behind. Once again, Sam referred to the journal and jotted something down before he proceeded up the hill. "I'll be damned, Sam figured out a way around the curse…he's writing down what happens!" Dean thought to himself. He was proud of his brother, even with all that had happened; he was still using his head. "That's it college boy!" Dean said quietly as he skirted around the edges of the forest, staying in the tree line but close enough to help if needed.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam could feel something or somebody else was near. He just hoped that it was his brother. But a moment later, his hopes were dashed when he heard the sound of horse hoofs and the sobs from the heartbroken young woman. Sam quickly made his way to the top of the hill and looked around. There was no sign of a head stone to mark her grave, yet he knew that she was buried somewhere close by. As he turned, he saw Marie standing a short way off and next to her was someone else. He couldn't make the shape out at first; it was shimmering in the moon light.

"Who is your friend Marie?" Sam asked looking around for the horse. He didn't want to have any more surprised from the beast. "Where is your horse?"

Marie smiled softly. "I don't own the horse silly, the horse owns me!"

"What do you mean?" Sam asked confused by her statement.

"It doesn't matter Sam, the time has come for you to make your choice." Marie moved closer, pausing for a moment to look at an area of earth just to Sam's right.

"Marie, is that where you are buried?" Sam asked softly, hoping she would respond. Sam began writing in his journal as she answered.

"Yes, my father could not bury me in the church cemetery for I had committed a sin against God. He buried me here so that I could always see the sky above and the river below. I'm so sorry that I disappointed him…but I have paid for my weakness many times since." Marie began to move towards Sam once again. As she got closer, Sam could feel the cold penetrating his bones. His mind was screaming at him to shoot, but his body was refusing to obey his command.

"I have brought someone with me to see you Sam, unlike me you can be with the one that you loved, all you need to do is to follow her." Marie looked as Sam sadly for a moment as she stepped aside to reveal the figure that had been forming behind her.

Sam gasped, blinking rapidly as he dropped the shot gun. He placed the journal back in his pocket as he began to reach towards the apparition that had appeared in front of him. His mind telling him it wasn't possible, but his hands telling him that it was real. He could feel her and as he pulled her towards him, he could feel her as his mouth claimed hers. "Jess…how?"

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean had been watching from the tree line, he couldn't hear what was being said, but he could tell from Sam's reaction that something was definitely wrong. He wondered why Sam didn't shoot the ghost as she approached him, but then he saw his brother write something quickly in the journal and place it into his pocket before looking at something that made Dean's blood run cold. He began to quickly move towards his brother, afraid of what might happen if he allowed this to go any further.

"Sammy!" Dean yelled as he aimed at the spirit of Marie and took a shot. He smiled as the spirit disappeared with a loud shriek. But Sam hadn't moved from where he stood. Dean could see the figure of another woman caressing his brother's face. As Dean moved closer, his breath caught in his throat as he realized that the figure was an exact copy of Jessica.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam had heard the gun shot, but he was too focused on what Jess was saying to react. "Jessica, how can you be here? You're dead!"

"Yes, Sam. But I have come back for you. If you will follow me, you and I can be together forever. I have missed you so much Sam!" Jessica claimed as the tears began to run down her face. Sam reached over and brushed the cold tears from her eyes. Reaching in once more, he held her in a close embrace.

"I've missed you too Jess…I'm so sorry about what happened. I should have told you…I should have warned you!" Sam began to sob as the guilt and regrets that he had buried over the past year suddenly came back to the surface.

Jessica gently stroked Sam's hair the way she used to when he was upset. "Shhh Sam, none of that matters because we can be together again. All you have to do is choose to follow me…please Sam, we don't have much time. Come!"

Sam stood for a moment, the yearning clearly etched on his face. Suddenly the dream from last night resurfaced in his memory. He had seen this moment in his dream…or vision. As Jessica continued to walk towards him, Sam took another step back. "NO! I will not make that choice…I will not choose to go with you!"

The next moment a loud bang sounded through the forest as Jessica grabbed her chest and began to scream in agony. The love that had been present before was replaced with pure hatred. "You don't have a choice Sam…you must come with me now!"

Sam dropped to his knees as the pain in his head began to build once more. "NO! I will not go!"

"You are mine now Sam as I am yours…we belong together. You cannot fight destiny. Follow me and the pain will stop…follow me and you will be made whole again!"

"I don't think so…you heard the man, he's not interested!" A familiar voice spoke from behind the apparition. "It's time for you to join your friend Marie!" Dean remarked as he shot the figure of Jessica once again, this time grinning as the apparition began to fade from view in the early morning light.

"You will never be free from us Sam…never!" The voice of Jessica said as the apparition disappeared from sight.

Dean walked quietly towards his little brother who had remained sitting on the ground, his head in his hands as a soft sobbing sound filled the night air. At first, Dean thought it might be Marie, but she was no where to be found. As Dean got closer, he recognized that the soft sobbing was coming from his brother. "Sammy?"

Sam continued to sob into his hands, the pain in his heart almost equal to the pain that was pounding in his head. He knew that it hadn't been Jess, but for a moment, he had let himself believe. He had held her again and heard her voice after over a year. It didn't matter that she wasn't real…his body had remembered the love they had shared and it now remembered the pain that had been part of him since the day she died.

"Come on Sammy, let's get out of here!" Dean said quietly as he helped his brother to his feet.

TBC

Raven524: 22 hours and counting!