Season 2 Chapter 1
In My Time of Dying
Word Count: 7,805
Content Warning: language and violence
DISCLAIMER: any words or phrases in bold in the story are not my own and are credited to the writers of Supernatural.
A no longer possessed truck driver went to the Impala in a panic. He didn't remember the crash. The man didn't remember anything since the last truck stop he had fueled up at. He fumbled for his phone to call for help.
The eighteen-wheeler was still pressed into the dent of the right side of the car. Baby's hood had been bent vertically and steam blew from the busted engine.
Sam's eyes fluttered open as he heard the trucker's cries. His head was throbbing, and his right eye was nearly swollen shut. Sam could feel blood dripping down his face. After he had finally overcome his shock, he was able to absorb what had happened. Pain rang through his body as he struggled to move.
"Dad…Dean…" Sam's breathing was ragged as silence filled the car as he pleaded for someone to answer. "Riley…?" He couldn't turn to look at any of them and feared the worst. A soft groan came from the backseat. "Rye?! Is that you?"
"Sam…?" Riley was barely alert and in a state of confusion. Before she could say another word, her blue eyes closed once again.
Tears flowed down the sides of Sam's face as his chest rose and fell rapidly in fear. "…Rye? Riley!" Choking on his sobs he yelled out, "Dean!"
—
The early morning light had finally found its way over the crash site. First responders surrounded the car as they had to rip off the doors of the wrecked vehicle to get to any of the passengers. A yellow emergency helicopter landed in the field beside them as the four were loaded onto stretchers.
"Significant passenger side intrusion. Unresponsive. BP is 180 over 60, heart rate 95, 95." The EMT gave John's medical stats as they rushed him to the helicopter.
Though he couldn't see what was happening, Sam cried out for answers. "Are they okay? Please. Are they even alive?"
"What's going on?" a groggy voice asked.
"You've been in a car accident, ma'am. We're taking you to the hospital."
Riley's eyes grew as she finally was coherent. "What?" She shook with an overwhelming amount of emotions and physical pain that washed over her. Riley screamed out in agony as she had no control over her abilities and could feel what her family was feeling. The pain between the four of them felt like she was being ripped apart.
"Riley?!" Sam yelled. "Riley is that you?"
"Sam!" she cried. "Oh my god, Sam." The restraints to the stretcher and neck brace held her still as she desperately needed to look around her. She ached for the comfort of her brother. Riley screamed out as another wave of torment hit her again.
"Hold still, ma'am. We need you still," the paramedic stated.
"No…no! Where's Dean?" Riley began to wail. "Dean!"
—
Dean woke in a hospital bed. It was quiet. Eerily quiet. Confused and unaware of his surroundings, he got up to look for the others. There was no one around and the hospital seemed nearly empty. There appeared to be no staff around as he shouted, "hello? Anybody?"
As he found the nurses' station at the bottom of the stairs, he asked, "excuse me? Hi. I—uh, I think I was in a car accident."
The nurse didn't look up nor did she respond in any way. Dean snapped his fingers in her face trying to get her attention when he realized, she couldn't hear him. She couldn't even see him.
He ran through the hospital hall as no one else seemed to notice him. The last thing Dean remembered were vague moments with Riley holding him in the car. The hunter tried to keep his nerve as he sought out answers.
Stopping in front of a room that seemed to call to him, he saw himself. His body was lying in the hospital bed. Dean was unconscious. Machines around him beeped as they monitored his status. A respiratory machine filled his lungs as the oldest Winchester couldn't breathe for himself. He was badly bruised and a gash on his head had been stitched shut.
Outside the room, the P.A. system in the hospital spoke over the slightly empty halls. Sam had left his room not being able to stand another minute away from his family. He hurried through the trauma ward as he looked frantically.
"Sam?" a familiar voice asked from behind him.
He turned in its direction to see Riley coming up behind him. She had a slight hobble and was still in her bloodied clothes. Her face was bruised, and her lip had a deep cut. They both hurried to each other and cried as they embraced. "Oh my, god…Sam."
Sniffling, he kissed her head. "Are you okay?"
She nodded. "Another concussion and a fucked-up ankle, but I'm fine. You?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm good."
"Where's Dean? He's alright, isn't he?"
"I don't know. We have to find him." Sam took her hand and they continued down the hall together. After passing a few more rooms, they both saw Dean lying on a bed through the window. A feeling of shock hit them both almost worse than the eighteen-wheeler did.
Dean grinned from ear to ear seeing his family up and about. He had been terrified for them both. "Rye, Sam–you guys look good. Well, all things considering," he chuckled.
"Oh, no," Sam's words leaked through his breath.
Riley stood frozen as her eyes filled with tears clouding her sight. The only man she'd ever loved laid there nearly lifeless. There were no thoughts, emotions, or pain coming from Dean. It felt like her feet were welded to the floor as she stared at him.
"Oh, man, tell me you guys can hear me," Dean grew more scared and worried by the second. He paused unsure of what to do. "How's dad? Is he okay?" After another moment of silence, he looked at them both with pleading eyes. "C'mon, you're the psychics. Give me some ghost whispering or something."
As Sam started to cry again, he wiped his eyes as the doctor joined them.
"Your father's awake now. You can go see him if you like."
"Oh, thank God," Dean exhaled.
There was a moment of relief for the young Winchester before he turned back to see his big brother barely hanging on. "Doc, what about my brother?"
"Well, he sustained serious injury: blood loss, contusions to his liver and kidney. But it's the head trauma I'm worried about. There's early signs of cerebral edema."
Finally, Riley felt the strength to move as she slowly stepped towards the hospital bed. She hesitated before sitting on a chair beside him.
"What can we do?" Sam asked desperately.
"Well, we won't know his full condition until he wakes up. If he wakes up."
"Screw you, doc, I'm waking up!"
Riley's hand found Dean's and she laced her fingers with his as the doctor went on. "I have to be honest. Most people with this degree of injury wouldn't have survived this long. He's fighting very hard. But you need to have realistic expectations."
"C'mon, Sam. Go find some hoodoo priest to lay some mojo on me. I'll be fine." Dean spoke sternly. He was adamant that it wasn't his time to go. "Sam? …Rye?"
"Uh–" Sam cleared his throat. "Thanks, doc." As the doctor left, Sam turned to look at his siblings. "Rye…" She didn't look away from Dean. "I'm gonna go check on dad. Are you gonna be good here?" Again, without moving her gaze, she only nodded her head. Sam sniffled and wiped his face once more as he left.
Riley's head fell onto the bed next to Dean, and she wept.
"Oh, sweetheart, don't cry. I'm here." Dean's voice broke as tears formed. "…I'm here."
—
In another room, Sam sat at John's side. He was bruised like the rest of them but recovering well and was fully alert. After a nurse had come and gone to take John's fake insurance information, he turned to Sam. "So, did the doctors give you an update on Dean? Is Riley okay?"
"Uh–Riley's good. She's a little worse for wear but we both know that's not gonna slow her down." Sam chuckled.
John nodded with a smile. "Ain't that the truth. And Dean?"
"Look, if the doctors won't do anything–then we'll have to, that's all. I don't know, I'll find some hoodoo priest and lay some mojo on him or something."
John's eyes grew soft as he looked at his son. "Yeah…we'll look for someone. But Sam, I don't know if we're gonna find anyone."
"Why wouldn't we? I mean, I found that faith healer before…"
"I'll check under every stone possible, but that was one in a million, son." John was trying to get through to him. But Sam could barely look at his father. How could he not be just as confident that they would find a fix? "…where's the Colt?" John asked.
Sam scoffed. "Your son is dying, and you're worried about the Colt?"
"We are hunting this demon and maybe it's hunting us too. That gun might be our only card."
"They dragged the car to a yard off I-83. It's in the trunk." Sam breathed through his frustration. "I already called Bobby. He's like an hour out and he's gonna tow it back to his place."
"Go get the Colt and you bring it back to me. Alright? And watch out for hospital security. "
"Yeah. I'll handle it." Sam got up to leave and headed for the door.
"Hey," John started as he handed he is son a piece of paper. "Here's a list of things I need. Have Bobby pick 'em up for me."
Sam looked over the list his father had written. "Acacia? Oil of Abramelin? What's this stuff for?"
"It's for protection."
Releasing a long sigh, Sam looked at John. "Hey, dad…you know—the demon. He said that he had plans for me. For children like me and Riley. You have any idea what he meant by that?"
John shook his head, "no…I don't."
As Sam had left the room, Dean had been listening to their conversation. The oldest Winchester looked at his father with his arms crossed. "Well, you sure know something."
—
Riley had climbed into the hospital bed at Dean's side. Her arm was wrapped around his waist. The doctors and nurses tried to get her out of the bed to give him space, but she wouldn't hear it. Riley's fingers traced over the hand she held as she laid on his shoulder.
She remembered the night in the motel room that Dean had played "Make My Dreams Come True" by Hall and Oates. How they had danced and laughed like the world had melted away. Riley smiled only slightly at the memory as a wet stream fell down her cheek. Turning their special song into a soft ballad, she sang slow and solemn in almost a whisper.
"On a night when bad dreams become a screamer. When they're messin' with a dreamer. I can laugh it in the face. Twist and shout my way out and wrap yourself around me. 'Cause I ain't the way you found me." Her voice broke and she sniffled. "And I'll never be the same, 'cause you…" Riley paused as her heartache took over and she cried through her words. "…you make my dreams come true."
Dean had been by the bed just watching Riley, wishing he knew how to tell her he was still with her. Fighting the urge to cry himself, he cleared his throat as he listened to her sing. "I could listen to you forever, sweetheart." Dean just studied her. He took mental pictures of every curve, laugh line, and strand of hair that fell in her face. "I don't know how, but I'm coming back to you. No way in hell is this the end for us."
—
After some time, John had asked for some time alone with Dean and Riley had left to get cleaned up. She didn't go easily, but in the end, she knew John deserved time him. John sat by his son's bed and watched him sleep. He didn't say a word or touch him.
"Come on, Dad. You've gotta help me. I've gotta get better. I've gotta get back in there," Dean pleaded. "I mean, you haven't called a soul for help. You haven't even tried. Aren't you going to do anything?" His voice rose. "Aren't you even going to say anything?" Dean began to pace to the other side of the bed never looking away from John. "I've done everything you have ever asked me. Everything. I have given everything I've ever had. And you're just going to sit there and you're going to watch me die? I mean, what the hell kind of father are you?"
Dean felt almost a sense of betrayal. He had spent his entire life sacrificing for his family. All he ever wanted in return was his father's love and respect. Watching him do nothing to save him made Dean wonder how much he really meant to his own father.
—
Sam marched back through the hospital with anger on his face. His brow furrowed and his breathing was shallow. Coming back into John's room, he slammed his bag down and turned to him with a huff. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out?"
"What are you talking about?" John asked.
The young Winchester was furious, and it rang through every word. "That shit you wanted me to get from Bobby? You don't use it to ward off a demon—you use it to summon one! You're planning on bringing the demon here. Having some stupid 'macho showdown'," he yelled.
With a calm voice, his father answered, "I have a plan, Sam."
"That's exactly my point!" Sam was screaming and couldn't care less who heard him. "Dean is dying, and you have a fucking plan! You care more about killing this demon than you do saving your own goddamn son!"
John's tone changed as he pointed at Sam. "Do not tell me how I feel. I'm doing this for Dean."
"How?! How is revenge gonna help him? You're not thinking about anyone but yourself! It's the same fucking selfish obsession!"
Matching his son's anger and volume, John yelled back. "That's funny, I thought this was your obsession too! This demon killed your mother, killed your girlfriend. You begged me to be part of this hunt! Now if you had done your fucking job and killed the damn thing when you had the chance, none of this would have happened!"
"It was possessing you, dad! I would have killed you too!"
"Yeah and your brother would be awake right now!"
"…go to hell." Sam was seething and felt the urge to hit John.
"I never should have taken you along in the first place. I knew it was a mistake!"
Dean's spirit had been there for the entire argument begging for them to stop. Finally, unable to take another second of their fighting, Dean screamed, "shut up!" His hand swung at the glass beside his father and brother as his rage had created enough force to send the glass to the floor.
As the glass shattered, the argument stopped. Sam and John looked at each other unsure of what to think.
"Dude, I full-on 'Swayzed' that mother." As Dean took a moment to realize what had happened, he suddenly felt strange. It wasn't quite a feeling of pain, but it was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Falling to his knees, his soul flickered.
After a team headed down the hall in the direction of his brother's room, Sam ran after them. Dean was flatlining and the staff was working to try to bring him back. Riley stood outside the door to be out of their way. Her hands covered her mouth as she sobbed.
"Clear!" The nurse shocked him trying to get a heartbeat.
Going to Riley's side, Sam felt sick to his stomach. Crying wouldn't be enough for the emotions he was feeling. He held her tight as she cried into his chest and he hid his face in her hair.
"Still no pulse."
"Alright, go again. Charge to 360. All clear?"
"Clear!"
With every shot of electrical current, Dean's body jolted up in response. The sound of the machines still flatlined.
"Still can't find a pulse."
"Again! Clear!"
As Dean could feel himself getting weaker and weaker, he had drug himself back to his room. He looked in to see a translucent creature hovering over his body. It had a strange colored hue to it and long flowing hair. "You get the fuck away from me!" he yelled.
"Still nothing. Starting compressions."
"I said get back!" Dean screamed.
Riley and Sam both could have sworn they heard Dean yell. But that wasn't possible.
Dean charged at the spirit and tried to take hold of it. The power of whatever it was, was too much for him and he flew backward. Its angry face looked at him and growled before fleeing from the room. Getting up as quick as possible, Dean ran after it.
The moment the entity had left the room, the doctors were able to find a pulse on the hunter. It was back at a decent rhythm. Sam and Riley sighed so heavily in relief that they nearly collapsed. Catching each other, they held on to one another for support.
Walking back into the room, Dean had lost the creature's trail and went to their sides. "Don't worry, guys. I'm not going anywhere." He paused to look at the people he loved more than anything. "I'm getting that thing before it gets me. I know it was some kind of spirit, but I could grab it. And we know, if you can grab it, you can kill it.
—
There was no sound in the room aside from the machinery around the couple. The tears finally escaped Riley's eyes again as she struggled to speak. "Dean…" she said softly. The stabbing pain in her chest overwhelmed her as she missed him with everything she had.
"I'm here. I haven't left." A sense of urgency came over Dean as he couldn't stand to sit in silence as she suffered. "Can't you feel me?"
"You have to stay with me, okay? We need you. I need you," she cried. "Dean. I–I need you to give me some kind of sign. Let me know you're still with me. Please…"
Dean ran to her side. He looked at her face and ached watching her cry. Everything inside him wanted to hold her close and tell her it would all be ok.
Something seemed to blow over Riley like a gentle and comforting breeze. It felt familiar; safe. She closed her eyes and whispered, "Dean…?"
"I'm here, Rye. Sweetheart, you gotta feel me." He crouched beside her and reached to touch her hand. Riley gasped and he smiled. "Hey, beautiful."
Her eyes shot open as Riley realized she had just heard his voice. Through her tears, a soft smile formed on her lips. "Dean."
Sam came through the door after taking a walk to clear his head.
"Sam!" Riley jumped up as she saw her best friend. "Dean…he's still here."
"What?"
Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and from pure exhaustion. She hadn't really slept since the accident. "Yeah, I felt him. I can't explain it, but he's still here. He's not gone, Sam. We can still bring him back."
Feeling as though his heart skipped a beat in hope, Sam motioned for her to come with him. "Let's go." He took her hand and they hurried back to John.
As fast as the words could come out of her mouth, Riley told Sam and his father everything.
John looked perplexed. "What do you mean you felt something?"
"I mean it felt like Dean! Like he was there but I just couldn't see him," Riley was riled up and her heart raced.
"Sam," John turned to face his son. "Remember what you said? About Riley's abilities being tied to the souls of others? I think you were right." Reaching out for Riley's hand, John pulled her close. "You–you brought me back."
With a look of confusion, Sam interrupted. "Wait, what?"
"Back at the cabin, I felt you when the demon had its hold on me. It was like you found me and pulled me to the surface–like you helped me fight him off." Sam's eyes grew as John softly grinned. "Riley, I was only able to regain control because of you. Thank you."
Dean stood to the side watching and listening. He was shocked but so proud of the woman he loved more than life itself. He smiled. "That's my girl."
"But why?" Riley asked. "I don't understand. My abilities aren't like Sam's. There's just so much and new things happening all the time. I don't know how to control almost any of it."
"I don't have those answers, Riley." John's voice was calm and soothing. "What I do know, is this fight needs you. And right now? My boy needs you."
For the first time, Riley decided to take her spot in the Winchester ranks. She looked John in the eye and humbly replied, "yes, sir."
"Rye," Sam added. "I think I heard Dean when the doctors were trying to bring him back. Like he was yelling something,"
"I think I did too, Sammy."
"Well, there's only one way to find out if he's really here. I'm gonna go get something and I'll come right back."
Dean clapped his hands together and rubbed them with friction. "Alright. Let's do this. 'Cause I am done with this whole 'Ghost' movie remake. I'm not making fucking pottery with any of you guys." Pumped with excitement, Dean's spirit headed back down the hall.
"Hey, Sam," John called as they turned to leave. "I promise, I won't hunt this demon—not until we know Dean's okay.".
With a nod, Sam and Riley left the room.
—
Riley sat chewing on a candy bar she had got at the vending machine. She seemed slightly more at peace by then and had kicked off her shoes to lay with Dean. Knowing he was still there, gave her a small glimmer of hope that she refused to let go of. Flipping through the TV channels, she stopped when she found "The Untouchables" was playing.
"Perfect," she said. "You love this one."
Dean stood against the wall in the corner and watched over her. Standing there, he could get an outside perspective for the first time. Watching her just be there with him, still just enjoying his presence, did something to him. Dean walked over to the side of the bed and sat in the chair next to her. With a breathy chuckle, he smiled at her. "You're it for me, Munroe. You're the one."
Sam walked in with a large brown paper bag and Riley sat up to greet him. "Hey. What'd you get?" She stuffed the last bite of candy in her mouth.
He sighed. "Don't make fun of me. Either of you," he added looking at Dean. "But we know he's here." Sam pulled out a brand-new Ouija board box. "Figured there's a way we could talk."
Rolling his eyes, Dean folded his arms, "oh, you gotta fucking be kidding me."
With a chuckle, Riley got up and went over to where Sam had sat on the floor. "You're right. He would give you so much shit for this." She sat across from him, cross-legged.
He let out a quiet breathy laugh as he set up the board. "Okay…" Sam exhaled through his lips. "Dean? Dean, are you here?"
Begrudgingly, Dean made his way over to the others and sat. "God, I feel like I'm at a goddamn slumber party." He sighed. "Alright, Sam. This isn't gonna work." As he humored his brother, Dean put his fingers on the planchette with theirs. He focused and could actually feel the plastic piece beneath his fingers. In curiosity, he began to move it to all the way to the word "YES". "Well, I'll be damned."
Riley and Sam both gasped at the movement. They were thrilled to see it working. Looking at each other, they laughed in excitement.
An exhale of relief came from Sam. "Oh, it's good to hear from you, man. It hasn't been the same without you, Dean."
"Damn straight."
Grinning from ear to ear Riley closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Dean, was that you I felt earlier?"
He moved the planchette to "YES".
"Oh my god. Honey, I miss you so much."
"I miss you more," he whispered looking into her blue eyes. Dean refocused to the board and began to spell something out. "H-U-N-T".
"Hunt?" Sam shook his head in confusion. "What? Hunting? Are you hunting something?"
Again, Dean guided the planchette to "YES".
"Dean," Riley started. "You're hunting something in the hospital? Do you know what it is?"
"One question at a time, sweetheart." Guiding the plastic piece, Dean spelled a word while he spoke. "I don't think it's killing people. I think it's taking them, you know—when their time's just up."
Sam read the word his brother had spelled out, "Reaper." He looked up at Riley who had begun to get obviously anxious before looking back at the board. "Dean, is it after you?"
"YES."
That small feeling of hope they had found seemed to flicker at that response. They could still lose him.
"If it's here naturally, there's no way to stop it," Sam admitted in a sound of defeat.
"Yeah, you can't kill death, can you?" Dean looked over at his brother and girlfriend and could see the pain in their eyes. "I'm screwed, you guys."
Shaking her head rapidly, Riley stood up. "Mm-mm. No. No. There's gotta be another way. There has to be."
"Dad will know what to do. You stay here with Dean." Sam scrambled to leave.
Riley crouched down to clean up the board and put it all away. Taking a sharp breath, she closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. "Dean, you fight that damn thing. I don't care if it's here naturally or not, you do not get to leave me."
"…I'll try, Rye."
When Sam reached his father's room, he stared at an empty bed. John was gone.
—
Pushing the squeaky door to the boiler room open, John entered. Over his shoulder was the bag that Sam had brought him as he made his way through a dark hallway. The soft hiss of the boiler and the whirring of the machinery played on as the sound of water dripping around him.
He came upon a clear space and placed the bag down. John still had his arm in a sling from the accident and used his good hand to pull out a box of white chalk. As he knelt down, he started drawing a large symbol on the concrete floor. In each of the circles along the edges of it, John placed a red candle and lit them. He crushed and ground the ingredients in a mortar bowl as he began to finally feel his nerves. The preparations for the ritual were almost complete.
With a blade in his good hand, John sliced the palm of his other while we began an incantation in Latin. He winced as he completed the cut. Striking another match, he hesitated before finishing the rest of the spell and dropping the lit stick into the bowl. At impact, a bright and strong flame was lit. It sparked and blazed on before quickly dying out.
John stood with trepidation and looked around him. He waited, but nothing seemed to have happened. It was still dark, and the room was still.
"Oh, John…" a sinister voice came from a shadowed corner. "Youconjuring me? I took you for a lot of things. But suicidally reckless, wasn't one of them." A man emerged from the shadows. His hair was shorter and slightly unkempt. The stranger's face looked like that of someone who had worked all his life. But the grin on that grew on him made it clear that the man that was once inside, was no more.
As he got closer to John, the Winchester drew the Colt from his pocket and pointed it. The man's eyes changed to a bright yellow that seemed to have a fog swirl within them. He looked back at the hunter who stood steadfast and ready to fire. "I could always shoot you."
"You could always miss," an evil chuckle came from the creature. "And you've only got one try one try, don't ya?" The demon winked at him and laughed. "Did you really think you could trap me?"
"Oh, I don't wanna trap you," John replied as he lowered the gun. "I wanna make a deal."
—
Still lost in his coma, Dean's body refused to come to. Riley and Sam sat with him after the young Winchester ended his search for his father.
Back in bed with Dean, Riley laid at his side. She tried to cling to the hope they had found but missed him more with every passing minute. Aching for his touch, his kiss, and his warm embrace; she felt like a piece of her was missing. The last year they had spent together made her realize how empty her life was before Dean. He completed her in a way no one ever had and filled a hole in her heart. He was her first real love and her best friend. Riley knew she needed Dean.
Sam sat at a small table in the room and flipped through his dad's hunting journal looking for anything he could find on reapers. He was desperate to find a way to save his brother but kept coming up empty-handed. Sighing heavily, Sam hid his face in his hands. He fought to pull himself together and looked to the couple on the hospital bed. It was his turn to save his brother. Sam didn't know how to live a life without Dean and the thought of it was enough to almost make him sick.
Dean wasn't in the room with his family. He had wandered off looking for the reaper and trying to grapple with his fear of death. With all he had been through and all he had seen, you'd think he would be ready. But he wasn't. Dean had people he loved too much to leave. He hadn't even really started his life yet and his work was far from done. He knew that.
Holding the blinds open only slightly, Dean gazed outside. He imagined what it would mean to die. What would be waiting for him? Would he miss his family? Would they be okay without him? Dean swallowed hard imagining not being with them every day. There were too many unanswered questions.
"Hi, Dean." The sound of a soft and empathetic voice caused him to turn. A beautiful woman with shoulder-length black hair sat on the bed looking at him. The woman's eyes were a unique hazel and she was wearing an all-black outfit that showed off her figure. She looked at him with kind eyes. "I'm Tessa."
Dean knew there was only one thing that could see him at that moment. "It's you, isn't it?" he asked. "You're a lot hotter than the last reaper I met."
"You saw my true form earlier and kinda flipped out. Hurt a girl's feelings. I knew this was the only way I could get you to talk to me."
"Okay, fine. We're talking. What the hell do you want to talk about?"
"How death is nothing to fear." The reaper walked to him and put a gentle hand on his cheek. "It's your time to go, Dean. And you're living on borrowed time already."
"Look, I'm sure you've heard this before, but… you've gotta make an exception, you've gotta cut me a break."
"Stage three: bargaining," Tessa replied.
"I'm serious. My family's in danger. See, we're kind of in the middle of this…war and they need me."
"The fight is over for you, Dean. You're not the first soldier I've plucked from the field. They all feel the same. They can't leave. Victory hangs in the balance. But they're wrong." Her tone was calm and soothing and completely genuine. "The battle goes on without them."
"My brother," Dean's voice broke. "…my girlfriend—they could die without me."
"Maybe they will, and maybe they won't. But there's nothing you can do about it." As Dean's eyes began to water, he turned away from her. "It's an honorable death, Dean. A warrior's death."
"I think I'll pass on the 72 virgins, thanks," Dean scoffed with a fake smile and a tear on his cheek. "There's no such thing as an honorable death." His tone changed as his emotions rose. "My body is gonna rot in the ground, and my family is gonna die."There was a pause as he shook his head. "So, no. I'm not going with you. I don't care what you do."
Tessa looked back at the lost hunter with a heavy heart. "Dean, we both know I can't make you come with me. There's always a choice. But look, you're not getting back in your body. That's just facts."She walked to him again to look him in the eyes. "So yes, you can stay. You'll stay here for years–disembodied, scared. And over the decades? You'll probably go mad. Maybe even become violent."
A confused and scared Dean looked back at the woman who would bring about his death. "What are you saying?"
"How do you think angry spirits are born? They can't let go and they can't move on. And you're about to become one. The same thing you hunt."
Dean's jaw clenched as his fear and sadness caught up with him.
—
At that same moment, back in the boiler room, John stood at a stand-still with the demon.
"Are you trying to trick me, John?" the demon asked as he taunted him. "It's very unseemly, making deals with devils."
"It's no trick. I will give you the Colt and the bullet, but you've got to help Dean. You've got to bring him back."
The creature snickered at the hunter. "Why, John. You're a sentimentalist. If only your boys knew how much their daddy loved him," he teased.
Trying to not let his words get to him, John kept his composure. "You know it's a good trade. You care a lot more about this damn gun than you do about my kid."
"Don't be so sure. He killed some people very special to me. But still, you're right, he isn't much of a threat. Neither is your other son or that fiery little girl that follows them around." John's head hung in sadness as the demon continued. "You know the truth, right? About Sammy–about Riley? And the other children?"
"Yeah," John whispered. "I've known for a while."
"But they don't, do they? You've been playing dumb." The demon mocked him and ached to get under his skin. "Do you know why Riley's so special? Why she's so powerful?"
He sighed and nodded. "Jackson told me the night he died."
"Ah, yes. Another desperate father such as yourself. Willing to sacrifice everything for your children." Shaking his head, the demon still smirked. "Shame I didn't have a hand in that one though."
John's fist clenched. His anger grew as the creature teased about his closest friend's death. John still mourned the loss of Jack more than he cared to admit. "So, can you bring Dean back, or not?"
"Not," he smiled. His yellow eyes almost seemed pleased with himself. "But I know who can. That's not the problem."
"Then what is?" John asked firmly.
"You gotta sweeten the pot a little, John." The demon's eyes stared the hunter down as he got close enough for John to feel his breath on his face. "There's something I want maybe even more than the gun." His voice was almost greedy as he spoke through his teeth.
—
Tessa still stayed with Dean as she kept trying to convince him to leave with her. They sat on the bed together as she stroked his hair in comfort. "It's time to put all the pain behind you."
"…and go where?" Dean asked quietly.
"Sorry, can't give away the big punch line." Taking her hand back she gave him a moment to think. "Moment of truth, Dean. There's no changing your mind later. So, what's it going to be?"
Full of fear and tears in his eyes, Dean turned to Tessa. Before he could answer her question, the hospital lights began to flicker. They both stood in a moment of fear.
Dean looked at her once again, "what are you doing that for?"
"…I'm not doing it." A black smoke seeped through the vent as it made its way towards her. She yelled, "you can't do this! Get away!" The evil cloud forced itself into Tessa's mouth as she screamed in horror. Once it had completely disappeared into her, Tessa's head snapped back at Dean. Her eyes were yellow. "Today's your lucky day, kid." Her hand reached out too quickly for him to react and she touched his forehead.
As if he had been shocked awake, Dean's body gasped for air. "Dean!" Riley yelled. Sam got up and hurried to his brother's side. He yelled for help as Dean began to choke on the tubes down his throat.
—
The doctor read the oldest Winchester's medical charts as Sam sat beside him. Riley had curled up next to an awake and alert Dean. Afraid to let him go, she held onto him tightly and he did the same as he kissed her head.
"I can't explain it. The edema's vanished. The internal contusions are healed. Your vitals are good. You must have some kind of angel watching over you."
"Thanks, doc," Dean said as the man left the room. "So, wait, you said there was a reaper after me? How the hell did I ditch it?"
Still badly bruised, Sam didn't have the answers, but the relief he felt in seeing his brother again was enough for him. He shook his head with a slight smile. "I don't know."
Riley looked up at Dean. "You seriously don't remember any of it?"
"No."
"Even when you reached out to me?"
"…I did?"
With a short breathy laugh, Riley nuzzled back into Dean. "A story for another time."
Consumed with worry, Dean's brow furrowed. "There's just this pit in my stomach. Guys, something's wrong."
A soft knock came from the doorway. John stood with his arm still in a sling. He felt like he had finally taken his first real breath since the accident, looking at Dean. "How you feeling, dude?"
"Fine, I guess. I'm alive."
"…that's all that matters." A small smile came over John seeing his boys.
Irritated, Sam butted in. "Where were you last night?"
"I had some things to take care of."
"Well, that's specific," the young Winchester scoffed. "Did you go after the demon?"
"No." John shook his head lightly.
"You know, why don't I believe you right now?"
Dean sighed feeling that same familiar tension again between his father and brother. Riley, of course, felt it more than anyone else. But there was more. There was something John wasn't telling them, and she knew it.
John walked in Sam's direction with a gentle face. "Can we not fight? You know, half the time we're fighting, I don't know what we're fighting about. We're just butting heads." He smiled lovingly at his little boy. "Sammy, I–I've made some mistakes. But I've always done the best I could. I just don't want to fight anymore, okay?" he pleaded.
"John…" Riley started as she sat up a bit. "Is everything okay?
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm just a little tired." Glancing over to Sam he asked, "hey, son, would you, uh, would you mind getting me a cup of caffeine? And Riley, would you mind asking the nurse if all the insurance stuff went through?"
Sam was still frowning but agreed, "sure. Yeah."
Riley kissed Dean even with her still healing lip as she held his face. Her thumb traced over his stubble. "Be right back." With another peck, she got up and went around the bed. When she was next to John, she reached a hand out to touch his arm. Flashes rang through her mind faster than she could register. There was darkness, intense feelings of sorrow and fear and a strange hue of yellow. Maybe even a thought about her father. It was too quick and too jumbled. Almost like something was blocking her. Riley took her hand off as she tried to steady herself and gave him a fake smile as she left. She decided to just bring it up later when things calmed down a bit.
John turned to watch them both walk away until they were no longer in his line of sight. He pulled up a chair next to Dean's bedside and sat down. Looking at him with love his smile grew. "You know, when you were a kid, I'd come home from a hunt, and after what I'd seen, I'd be–I'd be wrecked. And you–you'd come up to me and you'd put your hand on my shoulder and you'd look me in the eye." John's face twitched as he fought the urge to cry and his voice broke. "You'd–you'd say, 'it's okay, dad'." There was a pause where he just sat remembering the little boy Dean once was. Those memories were the ones he cherished the most. "Dean, I'm sorry."
The weight in the air was heavy on Dean's chest as he watched his father struggle for his words. He didn't understand as he asked in a hushed tone, "why?"
With a sniffle, John replied, "You shouldn't have had to say that to me. I should have been saying that to you. You know, I put–I put too much on your shoulders. I made you grow up too fast. You took care of Sammy, you took care of me. You did that." As he smiled, his jaw trembled. "…and you didn't complain, not once."He was betrayed by a tear that fell down his face to land on his quivering lip. "I just want you to know, that I am so proud of you."
All Dean's life, he waited for the words he had just heard from his father. There was never a moment that he didn't feel a consuming need to make John proud. Those simple words felt as though they had put bandages on broken parts of Dean's heart. Broken parts he'd held onto since he was a kid. His eyes welled with tears. "Is this really you talking?"
"Yeah…it's me." John sniffled.
"Why are you saying all this stuff?"
John stood and placed a hand on his son's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "I want you to watch out for Sammy, okay? And Riley. You be good to her, you hear me?"
"Yeah, dad, you know I will. You're scaring me."
As he continued to cry, John gave Dean a comforting smile. "Don't be scared, Dean." Leaning over Dean, John whispered in his ear. As he did, Dean's face changed. His eyes darted back and forth as he listened to his father's words. Finally, his head shot to look John in the face in shock.
Dean couldn't speak, and neither could John. They just sat quietly after the secret they had shared. Until, finally, John turned to leave with tears streaming down his face. His oldest son was overwhelmed with emotion and fear as he watched his father walk away.
A drained and broken John made his way back to his own room. He walked to a side table and placed the Colt down. With a sigh, he raised his head and pulled himself together. "Okay," he said to a shadow that stood before him. "I'm ready."
—
Sam made his way down the hallway with a hot coffee in hand. His mind was still spinning on where John could have been the night before. Sam wanted to believe what his dad had told him, but he knew there had to be more to the story. With John, there always was.
Something caught his eye and Sam turned to see his father on the floor. "Dad…" he whispered under his breath. Dropping his cup, the warm drink splashed on the floor as he turned on his heels towards John. He threw himself to his side and tried to wake him up as he screamed for help at the top of his lungs. Sam's cries were deafening as they echoed through the halls.
—
Moments later, the doctors and nurses worked to revive John. There was no pulse and they continued CPR. Riley guided a still weak Dean into the room next to Sam. They both watched as their father laid motionless and unresponsive. Riley, Sam, and Dean waited in shock as the scene unfolded. The monitors beeped as John continued to flatline.
"Okay, let's try again. An amp of atropine," the doctor ordered.
"Come on, dad…" Dean pleaded through a gasp.
Sam and Dean watched in anguish, desperate for the moment they would get their father back. John had only just come back, and they had finally started to be a family again. They weren't ready to let him go.
Shutting her eyes, Riley focused on John. She was determined to try to find his spirit again just as she had before. "John! John, where are you?" She reached out into the void in one last effort to bring him back. Riley's eyes filled with waiting tears as she realized there was nothing she could do. John's soul was already gone.
She stood holding onto Dean as she reached for Sam's hand. The boys' pleading thoughts for their dad to keep fighting spilled into her. Riley bit her lip as she fought to hold back the suffering that surrounded her. She had to stay strong for her family…they needed her.
"Stop compressions."
"Still no pulse."
"…okay, that's it, everybody. I'll call it." The doctor looked up at the clock hung on the wall. "Time of death, 10:41 A.M."
The hunters had lost…again, and it was more than they could bear. As the machines turned off, and the hissing of the air pump had stopped, all that was left was silence. The soft ticking of the clock kept on. Time would continue on, even without John Winchester.
—