Even Heroes Have a Right To Bleed
Dean and Sam sat side by side in the interrogation room, each trying to figure out how they were going to escape this one. So far the cops hadn't run their fingerprints, but the brothers knew that once they did, they were in trouble. They were safe as long as the police thought they were dead, but if they didn't figure out how to get out of the police station soon, they were going to be in a world of trouble.
Sam bumped his shoulder against Dean's and smirked, Dean scowled, as he didn't see anything funny about the situation they were currently in.
"What the hell is so funny Sam?"
Sam smile just widened as the door swung open and Caleb Reaves stepped through, dressed in a suit with his black, beginning to grey, hair slicked back. Dean's jaw fell open, as it appeared that Caleb was making casual conversation with the police. Caleb turned back towards the Winchesters and smirked.
"Hello boys, I am James Connor your public defender."
Dean attempted to hold back a laugh as he reached out to shake his best friends hand. Caleb turned back to the cops in the room and nodded politely.
"I need a few moments with my clients, private moments please."
The police nodded and walked out of the room leaving the three men alone.
"What the hell are you thinking Caleb, you could get in serious trouble." Sam said.
"I'm afraid that's the least of our concerns Runt, it seems like you have been recognized."
Sam snapped his head up and looked at the two-way glass, as if trying to see the people on the outside.
"So… the cops know who I am then… what about Dean have they ID'd him yet?"
"Don't think so, but as soon as they pull your file they are going to know it's him, you two tend to get into trouble together."
Sam sighed.
"Well then get him out of here now."
Dean slapped Sam hard across the back of the head.
"No way in hell, if we leave we are leaving together."
Sam's eyes went blank for a second before bursting back to life.
"Lets just figure out how we are gonna get out of here okay?"
"Well… we could just walk out the front door." Caleb said.
Dean scoffed.
"Yeah… the cops arrested us for breaking and entering I doubt they are gonna let us go with an 'I'm sorry', plus if they already know who Sam is…"
Caleb shrugged.
"It isn't the first time you guys have broken out of custody. We might have to knock a few cops out, but just add assault to your long ass rap sheets and we will be fine."
Sam sighed.
"Fine, cops are coming in now though, so we should probably wait until they leave interrogation again, I am not looking to get shot…"
Sam was right; a tall fair skinned police officer entered the room and sat down across the table, staring Sam down before he opened the file in front of him, which had a mug shot of a much younger Sam.
"Sam Winchester…I'm Lieutenant Sawyer, and I must say you looked pretty good for dead kid."
Sam smirked.
"Yeah… gotta say when I die it uh… doesn't seem to take."
Dean rolled his eyes at the honesty behind the statement but the cop obviously thought Sam was just being snarky.
"Don't get smart with me boy, do you understand the kind of trouble that you are in?"
"Yeah its been explained to me once or twice. What are you charging me with?"
"Breaking and entering in this state, you and Dean. Yeah I know this is your brother, does crazy just run in the family?"
Sam and Dean both cleared their throats and said nothing to that.
"Are they being tried? Or are they being extradited to the other states where they are wanted?"
Sawyer turned towards Caleb and flipped some pages in his file.
"They have warrants in eight separate states, Dean will be extradited to Missouri for the murder wraps in 2005, hopefully give some closure to those families, and Sam is being sent to California."
Sam stared hard at the cop and Dean could do nothing as old scar tissue began to ooze.
"Why California?" Sam asked through gritted teeth.
Sawyer smirked and threw a file in front of Sam, which held a picture of his burnt out apartment, and a picture of a smiling Jessica Moore. Dean swore under his breathe, and Caleb tried to hide his anger behind his fake lawyer front.
"This case was reopened a couple years ago, seems they no longer believe it was faulty electrical wiring, and it has been ruled arson. Back then the police believed you were nothing but an innocent college student, but after discovering who you really are, they took a look farther back into your history. Seems your mother died the exact same way… so what? Did daddy dearest mess you up that bad, that you had to kill an innocent girl?"
"Sam don't answer that." Caleb said.
Sam was breathing roughly, and Dean couldn't believe this was happening again. It had taken Sam a long time to accept Jessica's death, and even longer to believe it wasn't on him and Dean could see all that work unraveling as Sam sat staring at the picture of the girl he had once planned to marry.
"It's weird to me though," Sawyer continued. "You seemed to really love this girl, but then your Dad seemed to really love your Mom too… so happened? Did she cheat? Did she decide she didn't want to be with you? So you decided she would never be with anyone."
"Enough!" Dean yelled.
"I didn't kill her…" Sam whispered.
Sawyer looked back at Sam and held up another picture.
"What about this girl? Did you kill her?"
Sam glanced up at a picture, it was Madison, and the night she died replayed in his head.
"Alright enough of this." Caleb said. "Get the extradition papers ready, and lets get on with it, he is done talking."
Sawyer smiled.
"Whatever you want sir."
Sawyer stood and walked out of the room leaving the three men alone in the room. Caleb and Dean watched as Sam clenched and unclenched his fists, before he stood at turned back towards them.
"Time to go." Sam said evenly, slipping into his hunter's persona so that he wouldn't crack under the pressure.
"Sammy-" Dean started, but Sam just shook his head.
"Don't… Not now.
Dean nodded, Sam was right; they had more pressing issues at the moment.
It was a small town, and the few cops who noticed their exist were quickly incapacitated, they would be tied up until the next shift came in, but they were alive, and according to the media, the Winchester's weren't known for leaving people alive. They took the files and any other evidence of their presence in the town, hoping that without proof, the arresting officer would keep his mouth shut, and not tell anyone they were here… maybe now they would start to get lucky.
Once they were in Caleb's truck, and on their way to the place Caleb had hidden the Impala, Sam pushed himself against the far side of the truck leaving maximum room between him and Dean who was sitting in the middle. The drive was silent; Dean was trying to figure out what is going on with his brother, while Caleb sat trying to ignore the feelings of hate and depression leaking off the younger Winchester. Sam held it together until he climbed out of the truck and held onto the back of the Impala throwing up the little bit of food that was in his stomach. Dean sighed and walked over to Sam putting a hand between the younger man's tense shoulders.
"You okay there kid?" Caleb asked from the other side of the car.
Sam spit into the dirt and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand.
"Yeah I'm good..."
Dean smiled sadly.
"Are you sure Sammy?"
Sam frowned.
"Yeah… why?"
"Well… cause you don't have to be… that was a rough day…"
Sam laughed and leaned back against the side of the Impala.
"Everyday is a bad day…"
Dean nodded.
"You know Runt, Jessica and Madison… that really isn't your fault, Madison was a monster, and Jessica… well that's on Azazel. " Caleb said.
"I know."
Dean quirked an eyebrow at Sam.
"Then why are you throwing up all over the place?"
Sam smiled up at his brother, and shrugged his shoulders.
"Don't you find it funny, that the only two deaths that aren't on me, are the only two that anyone is blaming me for? I mean, I'm responsible for a whole lot more destruction and death then that."
"Jesus Christ Sammy…. You paid your debts for all of that… I mean, you went to Hell for that, you let Lucifer possess you and you jumped into the pit to save the world." Caleb said.
"Yeah, I mean… you're the hero of this story kiddo, not the villain…" Dean said.
Sam's eyes were watery, but no tears fell as he shook his head at his brother.
"I'm not the hero… I'm the Kryptonite… I'm poison."
Caleb's heart clenched at those words, because in his mind it couldn't be less true. They had all made mistakes, but Sam was in no way poisonous.
"Hey kid." Caleb said. "If you tell anyone I said this I will kick your ass but… you aren't poison, damn kid you are one of the good things in this life. You kept us together so many more times then you hurt us. You healed us Sammy, that isn't poison."
Dean nodded.
"It's true Sam, I don't know who I would have been coming back from Hell without you, you mended me when my soul was broken… so if you are gonna fall apart now, I'll hold you together, but you are not poison."
Sam wiped his hand down his tired face and sighed.
"Lets go back to the farm for a few days, we gotta lay low anyway… and I kinda want to be home…" Sam said.
"Okay, I'll follow you guys." Caleb said.
Caleb got in his truck and watched the Winchester brothers climb into the Impala, and he pulled out behind them and onto the dark road. He ran his hand over the dash of his truck the one that had once belonged to John Winchester.
"Damn Johnny," Caleb whispered. "You've got some resilient kids there… and they are the best of all of us. If you can hear me, you gotta help me and Dean fix Sam… because he may not be poison, but that guilt he is carrying may just end being his kryptonite."
Title is from the Song Superman by Five for Fighting.
This was not one of my favourite stories I have ever written, but I didn't want to delete it either…. Anyway hope you enjoyed it.