A/N: Well, this got a little more intense than I meant for it to be, so be warned.
Chapter Twenty One
Last time on 'I Wanna Know Why'…
"Get the hell away from me!" Sam threatened.
"Or what?" Lynn asked. Sam cocked his head to accentuate the gun in his hand. "What, you'll kill me?" she shrugged. "You hear that, Father? Sammy's going to kill me." Sam swallowed, risking a glance over his shoulder.
"Son of a…"
Sam shook his head in frustration, biting his lip. The tiny voice in the back of his mind kept saying 'told you so' in a singsong voice. Yeah, well, that's just freakin' great! Sam thought bitterly as he tried in vain to free himself from the wall where the Demon had him pinned, and not very gently.
He ignored the smirk on Lynn's face, promising himself he'll deal with her later. He ignored the smug look on the Demon's face, telling himself it had every right to appear smug. After all, Dean has been telling him over and over again how stupid it would be to go back. And here he was – up against the Demon, alone, and without the Colt. So how's that wonderful plan of your working so far, Sam? He hit his head against the wall a couple of times.
"Oh, come on, Sam. It's not that difficult." Lynn goaded him, smirking. "Here, I'll show you." Sam hissed in pain, his face scrunching up at the sharp pain in his head. It felt like someone put a hot poker through his skull, all the way through to the other side. And then the images came; the image of himself pushing effortlessly away from the wall, pulling the Colt from his waistband and putting a bullet through the Demon's head. And then having some wild, R-rated moments with Lynn. "See? Not too difficult, is it?" Lynn gloated. "And you had a vision about it, so it must come true..." she smirked.
"I am so going to kill you!" Sam breathed through the pain.
"Me?" Lynn asked in mocked shock, pointing at herself. She clicked her tongue. "But Sam, I'm human. You don't kill humans, do you?" she grinned, nearing him. "Besides, you know you think I'm cute." She whispered in his ear. Sam rolled his eyes.
"You know, we had Meg take a seven story nose-dive, and then exorcised." He noted. The lights flickered, and Sam could practically feel the anger radiating from the Demon. Oops.
"Well then, it must have sucked being Meg." Lynn quipped.
"Enough." The Demon's voice was reserved, but Lynn obeyed him immediately.
"Yes, Father." She said, lowering her eyes and stepping back, though still within earshot. Sam swallowed as the Demon neared him.
"It's been a while, psychic boy." The Demon grinned. "Missed me?"
"Apparently." Sam said, "I'll try to get a better shot next time." Sam snapped. The Demon cocked a brow.
"That was actually funny." It said, a ghost of a smile gracing its face. "I thought your brother was the funny one. How is he, by the way?"
"You leave my brother out of this, you hear me?" Sam demanded, making the Demon laugh.
"Leave your brother out of this? But what's the fun in that?" the Demon smirked and Sam narrowed his eyes. "So, tell me, Sammy, where's the gun?" the Demon demanded, all sign of amusement gone from its face.
"I don't have it." Sam said through gritted teeth as he felt the pressure pinning his body to the wall increase. It was getting difficult to breathe, and his head was still pulsing with the after effects of the vision, or whatever the hell it was that Lynn made him see.
"Aw, come on, Sam. You don't really expect me to believe that, do you?" the Demon scoffed. "You really expect me to believe you'd be stupid enough to come here without the Colt?" Sam swallowed hard. Okay, yeah. Stupid would be a good word to use, he figured. What the hell was I thinking, leaving Dean, coming here without the Colt? Stupid! "Come on, Sam. I've been patient." The Demon went on, and Sam grimaced as the pressure against his chest intensified. "Now, give me the Colt. I know you have it." Sam let out a short, hysterical laugh.
"What makes you think I'm here alone, or that I'm the one that has it?" Sam bit out, still laughing, panic rising in his chest. He had to keep cool, he had to stay sharp. He had to be realistic. Yeah, and pray for a freakin' miracle. Damn it, why did he have to split on Dean? Even if Dean will have found the motel room, there was no way for his brother to know where he is now. Sam cursed himself. Keep it cool, Sam. Dean would have.
The Demon motioned to Lynn, and she quickly disappeared among the crates. Sam swallowed as the Demon's eyes were on him again.
"Now, don't give me that crap, Sammy boy. I know you boys have the gun. Your brother had it back in Armain. I want it." The Demon demanded. Sam blinked. It took a second for the words to sink in. Ah huh! I knew it! I knew he'd be stupid enough to go against the Demon on his own! See, I do know you, Dean! What made you think you could pull it off? Sam could feel the anger beginning to bubble inside him. That is, until he remembered where he was, and what his current predicament was.
"Yeah, well, I want you dead. We all want things." Sam tried to quip. The pressure in his chest told him it probably wasn't the best of plans.
"I'm going to find your brother, Sam." The Demon said seriously. "I'm going to rip him apart limb by limb. I'm going to make him beg for his own death. And I'm going to make sure you'll be there to see it." It said.
"Why are you doing this? What do you want?" Sam cried out angrily. The Demon smirked.
"You, Sammy." and for some reason, the only thing Sam could think about was saying 'it's Sam!'. He figured Dean would have had a kick with that. Sam shook his head, glaring angrily at the Demon.
"Why?" he demanded. "I wanna know why!" he cried, "What is it about me? Huh? Why am I so special? What is it you want from my family, huh? Why'd you do it? My mother, my girlfriend, my family..." He shook his head again, the anger in him turning to rage. To hate. That son of a bitch killed his Mom. Killed Jess. It nearly killed Dean! And Sam wanted it dead. Now. Before it had the chance to hurt anyone else, ever again. But there was a part of him that still wanted to know, still needed to know why him.
"You wanna know why?" the Demon asked, a little amused.
"Yes!" Sam cried, and the Demon's smile widened.
"Haven't we done the whole 'I wanna know why' bit already?" it asked, clearly enjoying itself. "I'm getting a real sense of déjà vu here." It added. Sam let out an enraged cry.
"Answer me!" he demanded. The Demon stared at him for a moment, as if considering it.
"I did." It said at last, getting in Sam's personal space, its face ever so close to Sam's. "Because they got in the way of my plans for you, Sammy." It said seriously. Yeah, what else is new?
"What plans?" Sam demanded, "What plans!" he screamed when he wasn't answered. It only seemed to amuse the Demon farther.
"What, you haven't figured it out yet?" It asked with a smirk, backing away from Sam and leaning against one of the crates. "I thought you were supposed to be the smart one, college boy." It jibed.
"Tell me!" Sam yelled, glaring daggers at the Demon, who turned its back to Sam for a moment, walking over to lean against another crate, checking the dirt under its fingernails as it did. Sam didn't take his eyes off of the Demon.
"I must admit, I am a little disappointed." The Demon noted, "I was sure you would have figured it out by now, Sam. The clues were there." It said, looking at Sam. For a moment, there was silence between them, and then Sam raised a brow.
"You don't really have a plan, do you?" Sam asked, "You're just bored and you have something against me because I'm cuter than you, right?" Man, since when have I started channeling Dean? Sam thought to himself, wishing with all his heart that his older brother was there at the moment. The Demon stared at him a moment longer, and then grinned, nearing him again.
"You, and all the others." The Demon started, looking Sam up and down. "I have big plans for you." it said, "Especially you, Sam. You're going to do what I need you to do." it said.
"Oh, yeah? And what's that?" Sam demanded angrily, "Win the lottery for you? 'Cause I gotta tell you, if I could, I'd buy a hotel chain and sleep comfortably for once, don't you think?" he cried out defiantly. The Demon would probably kill him, Sam had little doubt about that, but it didn't mean Sam would go out without a fight. No, he would give such a fight it'd make Dean proud of him.
The Demon just stared at him quietly for a moment, amused, too close for comfort. And then it smiled listlessly, taking a couple of steps back.
"No." It said in a deadly serious tone. "You're going to do what I told you to do." It said. Sam blinked, a little confused. And then the past tense sank in. Did I miss something?
"What? What the hell are you talking about?" Sam demanded. The Demon smirked.
"You wanna know why?" it asked, "Fine." And something in the pit of Sam's stomach told him he'd changed his mind. He didn't want to know. What good was that going to do anyway? Dead is still dead, whether you know or not, right? And this wasn't a Bond movie, where the bad guy would tell you his evil plan and than his ridiculously redundant deathtrap would fail and he would break free in time to save the day. No, this was serious. And there weren't any hot chicks around. Yeah, he was making Dean proud alright. Sam swallowed hard as the Demon got in his personal space again.
"I killed them to destroy your family." It said in a low voice, and Sam wished he could put his hands over his ears and go 'lalalala' and pretend this wasn't happening. That his worst fear didn't just come to life. That the Demon wasn't saying these words to him. No, demons lie. It was lying to him, that's all.
"I killed them because of you," the Demon went on, "you and your brother." Huh? Wait, back that up a second, what did you just say? Because of Dean? What does Dean have to do with any of it? "I killed them because you were getting strong, and I knew killing them would destroy you boys." it finished, and then smirked. "Happy now?"
Sam glowered at the Demon, narrowing his eyes. He wanted it dead. He wanted it to sit through hours and hours of show tunes, and infomercials and elections propaganda, and then he wanted it dead. He shook his head, gritting his teeth, refusing to give it the satisfaction.
"I killed them to get a hold on you, Sammy boy." The Demon went on slowly, and the words sliced him worse than a bullet through the heart would, worse than dying. Worse than anything. Sam shook his head in disbelief. He tried to refute the Demon's words, but it just cut him off.
"I killed them, to destroy the chance you had of escaping me. So you will do what I want you to do." it said, and paused for dramatic effect. "So you will kill your brother for me." It said. Sam's heart missed a beat. He blinked, gasping, his stomach churning.
"What? No!" he cried, shocked, appalled. And then the Demon laughed. God, please let this be a joke. Please let it just be a way to taunt me… Sam begged, wishing as hard as he could.
"What did you think, Sammy boy, that it was all about you? A little selfish, aren't we?" the Demon laughed again. Sam couldn't find his words. He figured Dean would probably have something to say about that, too. God, Dean! Man, I'm sorry! I am so sorry I didn't listen to you! I wish you were here, big brother, I really do!
"If you wanted my brother dead so much, why didn't you just kill him? You had your chance, back at the cabin, you could have killed him!" Sam spat, shuddering at the visual image of his brother being ripped apart. There were plenty of opportunities for the Demon to take Dean, but it hadn't. Maybe it was lying. Maybe it was just toying with his mind… Dear God, please let it just be toying with my mind…
"Because I want you to kill him." The Demon said slowly, emphasizing every word, and it felt like each word was driving a knife through Sam's heart. He shook his head defiantly.
"I'll never do it! I'll never hurt my brother!" he yelled angrily. But that just brought a smile to the Demon's lips.
"Oh, really?" it asked, and the words and the amused tone made chills run up and down Sam's spine. He could taste the bile rising, gritting his teeth to fight the panic building inside of him. The Demon got nearer, and every fiber in Sam's body screamed at him to run, but he couldn't. "Because it looks to me you're doing a damn fine job, Sammy. Almost got the job done five years ago." The Demon said. No. That's a lie. Five years ago? No way. Impossible.
"What? What are you talking about? Five years ago? I didn't…"
"You left, didn't you?" the Demon interrupted him. Sam felt like he had been sucker punched. He couldn't swallow, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't think. The implication that his leaving had anything to do with a demonic plan, that by leaving he had left Dean wide open for the Demon to attack – it was inconceivable. It was impossible. He just left to go to college. People go to college all the time! Dean understood that. He had wanted Sam to be happy, he always said so.
Oh, please, Sam, he's totally playing with you, a voice inside his mind, his brother's voice, told him. If it'd wanted Dean dead, Dean would have been dead by now. Right? Right. So… why didn't it feel right?
Sam swallowed hard. He remembered that fight he had with his dad before he'd left for college. He remembered how angry he got, he remembered everything his dad yelled at him, but Dean… Dean was quiet. It was always a bad thing when Dean got quiet.
Usually, Dean would try to stop them, get in between and force them apart. But not that night. That night, he just sat there, quietly. Sam didn't remember him saying anything, didn't remember him looking up once. He didn't even look up when Sam stalked to their room, packed his things and walked out. But then he came running after Sam, trying to appease him, to make Sam change his mind. Sam insisted that he drove him to the bus stop. He didn't even say goodbye.
Sam's eyes watered. He swallowed hard, biting his lip, doing his best to stay in control. He shook his head, still refusing to give in. He was just going to college. "But…"
"And it was almost over." The Demon cut him off again, "Would have been, if you hadn't picked up the damned phone that time he called." It said, "He had the gun and everything, but did you do what you were supposed to?" the Demon paused for a second, and Sam couldn't hold his tears anymore. "No." the Demon went on, disappointment in its voice. "No, you decided to pick up."
Sam hadn't meant to pick up the phone that time, that one time he talked to his brother in the four years he was away. He had been expecting a call from his friends; they were supposed to meet up and study together. The phone didn't have caller ID or he never would have picked up.
Finding out it was his brother on the other side of the line was a shocking surprise. He wasn't sure if it had been a good surprise or a bad one. He'd worked so hard to stop thinking of Dean, he hated to be sucked back in, but on the other hand, it was a proof of life of sorts. Dean was still alive, and he was still okay.
They had a stupid, nonsense of a conversation, never getting past the small talk. Dean had asked how he was doing, if California was treating him well, if there were hot chicks around, if Sam was happy… He had said he just wanted things to be okay between the two of them. Sam told him they were, and that he had to go. Dean promised he'd call again, but Sam got caller ID and didn't answer his calls again.
"First and last time you answered when he called." The Demon pressed on, and the tears fell down Sam's cheeks, unchecked. He should have answered the phone, he should have talked to Dean more often. He should have talked to Dean. God, Dean, you kill this bastard! You finish this! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry I left, and I'm so sorry I left again, Dean, I really am!
"Still, kept the bastard going for a while." The Demon turned away and Sam closed his eyes, trying to block the sites and sounds away. "I must say, Sammy, I was a little disappointed in you." the Demon admitted, and then smirked. Sam shook his head again. He's lying, Sam. It's just trying to get to you. Don't let it get to you!
"No! No, I don't believe you! Dean would never…"
"Wouldn't he?" Sam fought with everything he had. He needed to get away from this wall; he had to get the hell away from here. He couldn't stay here, listening to this, for one more second. But he couldn't get free. "Your brother needs a reason, Sam. Something to give his life meaning, a reason to keep going. A way to make peace with his life, if you will. And for some stupid, sentimental reason, he chose you, Sammy. And that just couldn't have been better for us, could it?" it made Sam sick, the twisted pleasure the Demon took from it.
"Why are you doing this? What do you want from us?" Sam demanded.
"You know exactly what I want from you, Sammy." It deadpanned.
"Tell me what you want from Dean!" Sam screamed.
"He pissed me off!" the Demon snapped. Sam blinked. It took a moment for the words to sink. He blinked again, frowning.
"What?"
"Oh, come on, Sammy, your brother must have pissed off half of Creation, you can't be that surprised." The Demon said coolly.
"Because he killed your kids?" Sam asked in a small voice. The lights around them flickered, some never coming back on, and the room grew darker. Sam's heart was pounding hard against his chest. He didn't need to look at the Demon to feel the waves of anger emanating from it.
"And he will suffer for that." The Demon promised ominously.
"But that didn't happen five years ago!" Sam said a moment later, "It happened seven months ago!"
"Oh, he pissed me off long before that." The demon said in a quiet, lethal voice. "He pissed me off twenty eight years ago!" Sam frowned. It didn't add up.
"But… Twenty eight years ago he was just…" and then it clicked. "Oh." He added in a small voice. Well, he certainly did not see that coming, Sam thought to himself with a sigh, just leave it to Dean to piss off a demon at the tender age of six months. Good ole Dean, never fails to get on someone's nerves…
"No one escapes me. No one." the Demon said darkly.
"Actually, my brother did. Twice, now that I think about it. Oh, wait, I guess it was more than that!" Sam could feel the grin making its way to his face. His brain told him that being pinned to a wall, unable to move, with no weapon that would harm the Demon and with it standing right there, smiling was probably not the smart thing to do. But he couldn't help it. It was just so Dean…
"Maybe." The Demon scowled, "But not for long. Not anymore. You're going to take care of that." It said, pinning Sam with its gaze. Sam shook his head.
"I will never help you! I will never hurt my brother!" he promised. The Demon raised a brow, looking rather bored.
"Haven't we done that already?" it asked dryly.
"You'd have to kill me first!" Sam yelled. The Demon seemed to consider this. It bobbed its head in a yes/no nod.
"Now, there's an idea." It said, "See, it's not like I can't kill him myself. It's not that I can't send any of my children to kill him. It's not that we can't possess a pathetic semi driver into hitting him at full speed." The Demon didn't even try to hide its smirk. Sam gasped, his heart racing, and glowered at the Demon, fighting to be free from its hold so he could kill it, the Colt be damned. "But this way…" the Demon went on, it's smirk widening, "It's fun." It finished. Sam clenched his jaws, clenching and unclenching his fists, trying with everything he had to be free of his invisible restraints. "And if you die, if you die for him…" the Demon got dangerously close again, "Now that's something to think about." It said, and then took a couple of steps back, leaning against a crate again and visibly enjoying Sam's suffering. "Thing is, Sammy, you might just come in handy one of these days. Psychics are really fun to possess, you know? All those little abilities…" it smirked, and Sam imagined just how wonderful it would be to wipe that satisfied smirk off its face.
"I'll die before I'll help you!" Sam screamed at it, glaring so ferociously that, if looks could kill, there would be no need for the Colt.
"Oh, such big words, college boy. It's a shame you won't remember them. You didn't five years ago…" the Demon smirked, thoroughly enjoying the look of abject horror on Sam's face. "You'll kill your brother for me, Sammy, because that's what you were meant to do." it said somberly. The lights flickered again, this time completely dying out as the Demon approached Sam with a wide grin.
Sam screamed. The pain was blinding. No part of his body was spared the excruciating agony the Demon was inflicting upon him. He tried to fight, he tried to resist.
He blacked out.
Sam blinked a couple of times in the darkness. He was lying on something cold and hard, probably the floor. He grimaced as he pushed himself to his side, trying to get to his feet. The world was spinning too fast. Sam settled for a seating position as he looked around him.
There were huge crates and boxes everywhere. He figured it must be a warehouse of some sort. There were a few spots of light in the distance, a few light bulbs that hadn't burnt out probably, but their light was no way near enough to light up the large place. It was rather chilly, and smelled of damp, decay and neglect.
Sam struggled to his feet, blinking a few more times until the world stopped spinning. His stomach protested this sudden change in position, making its protest known by sending Sam back to his knees and reintroducing him to everything he had eaten in the past few hours. Sam coughed and spit a couple of times, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
Where the hell am I? Sam wondered, slowly climbing to his wobbly feet again. He called out for Dean. If they were on some sort of hunt, Dean probably won't be too far away. He called out for his brother again, grimacing at the soreness of his throat.
He startled when the cell phone in his pocket started ringing. Fishing it out with shaky hands, Sam stared at the screen for a second, seeing his brother's number flashing. Oh, good, Sam thought as he flipped the phone open.
"Sam? Sam, where the hell are you?" Sam ran his fingers through his hair, taking a deep breath. Dean sounded furious. Why did Dean sound so furious? "Sam, can you hear me?" Dean asked, and this time, there was worry laced in his voice along with the anger.
"Yeah, I think so." Sam said slowly.
"You think so? Where the hell are you?" Dean demanded. Sam looked around again.
"I dunno." He said.
"What?" Sam took a couple of unsteady steps, trying to get a better look of his surroundings. "Sam, can you hear me?" there was a stain on the floor not far from him. A large stain, a puddle really. "Sam, where are you?" Dean demanded.
"I'm not sure." Sam answered distractedly. There was something dripping from above. He raised his eyes.
He dropped the phone.
"NO!" he cried in horror at the site of Lynn pinned to the ceiling. Her eyes were open, a look of shock and horror frozen on her face, blood dripping from the large gash to her abdomen. And then the flames broke out, engulfing her body and quickly spreading.
"Sam? Sam, what's going on? Sam, are you there?" Dean was yelling at him from his discarded phone. Sam fell to his knees, watching in horror as Lynn's body was quickly consumed by the blaze. "Sam, answer me, Goddamit!" swallowing hard, Sam picked up the phone.
"I don't know." He whispered, "Dean, I don't know. It… it looks like a warehouse. I don't… Dean, I don't remember how I got here. And Lynn, she's up on the ceiling and there's fire everywhere…" Sam choked in a gravelly voice. "I was too late. God, Dean, I was too late…" Sam said hauntingly, tears streaking his cheeks as the blaze around him intensified.
"Sam, you get out of there, you hear me? Sammy? Get the hell out of that place! Sammy!" Sam nodded lightly, even though Dean couldn't see it, and stumbled back to his feet, walking dazedly this way and that, not even sure where the exit was. "Sam, answer me! Do you hear me? Sam!" his brother's voice barely penetrated the haze in his mind. "Sammy!"
"I don't know," Sam muttered, shielding his face as the flames danced around him.
"Don't know? Don't know what?"
"How to get out. I don't know which way…" Sam said.
"Sammy, listen to me, alright? Look at the smoke, is the smoke going anywhere?" Dean asked hastily. Sam looked up watching wisps of smoke making their way to his left. "Sammy?" Dean pushed on frantically.
"Yeah. Yes, I think so." Sam said thickly.
"Okay. Okay, that's good, Sam. Follow the smoke, it'll lead you out. Just get out of there, okay? And keep talking to me, don't hang up the phone."
"Dean, I don't know if I can…" Sam admitted brokenly, his eyes going to the blackened mass on the ceiling, the charred body that was once a woman.
"Yes, you can!" Dean said authoritatively, "Yes, you can, Sammy. You listen to me, and you get out of there, you hear me?"
"Dean…"
"I'm already on my way, Sammy, just get out of there and wait for me, okay? I'm coming Sam, just get out of there, now!"
"Okay." Sam said, choking on the smoke, and started looking for the exit. Dean was coming. Dean will fix this. Dean will make everything better.
TBC
A/N: Dean's back! And Lynn's gone :) One more chapter left, and then the epilogue. Please review!