The Amulet
Part 3
Other Side Off Heaven
I open my eyes slowly, breathing in dust as I wheeze coughing hard with the one action. As I frown feeling the warm heat of the sun high above and the cold hard fact I am lying on a dirt track or back road in the middle of no where.
As I cough again harder trying to breath deep something at last hitting home that I have been here before in another time only now I am completely alone as I shout out my brother's name:
"Sammy"
With their being no answer as I look around me trying to get my bearings looking at the rugged rural landscape that I find my-self in. The green but not overly lush fields as I fight back the growing paranoia and the feeling of déjà-vu.
As I slowly taking my time to stand up coughing again harder than before with that one action spitting blood now along with it. As I stumble and without thinking call my younger brother's name again.
The sound echoing in this peaceful grassland as I save my breath trying to remember how I got here in the first place and I have no answer to that one either. My gaze looking the other direction on this road the puzzlement growing - unease finding a new alcove plus I am almost certainly lost.
Even though the land seems somehow familiar as I feel fear take hold my walking pace none to fast as I keep going. Coughing again as I stop clutching my chest the palm of my left hand reaching out to touch the tips of the rustic long grass beside the road. As I glimpse something further up ahead as realisation hits to where I am…
…Surprise rooting me to the spot for it is where I first met Joe and Ellen and Ash with it being undoubtedly Harvelle's roadhouse. As the cough, which, had temporarily left, me returns full force blood splattering to the dusty ground directly beneath my feet.
With it not being that fact which worries, me the most that I know where I really am though it is strangely bright sunlight - and it can only be heaven. As I come nearer to the entrance that I am more than familiar with.
Which is not helping my now transcendent thoughts at this moment and what is obvious on a different front. No one is home or has been for sometime as I shout Ash's name first and then for the sake of it Joe and Ellen.
My underlying thoughts telling me I have been here before with Sam while being in heaven and unlike my very last visit to this holy place. There is no Ellen this time round that if anything it's the woman I hoped would meet who is here to greet me.
This place at least having one resident keeping it up:
"Dean"
As I turn around facing the blonde spunky beauty before me who always made my heart race:
"Joe"
Our gaze touching for a moment, as I cannot help but smile as she now quickly makes that smile disappear:
"Upsetting god and then landing yourself here is not one of your brightest idea's Dean."
With uncertainty over her words causing a frown to cross my features as she continues at her own pace:
"You have no memory of your last moments and unlike Sam, Michael still had possession of your soul when your little brother put things right."
This causing me to listen hard as I once more splutter blood onto the floor:
"Yeah and its why your coughing blood even now Dean."
Plus what I don't need told Joe is still for some reason mad at me as I try to get a word in:
"So can you elaborate a little more on how Sammy put things right and what are you not telling me sister."
With this causing Joe to give me a playful look her reply sharp and she has maintained her distance from me:
"Real nice Dean coming with the high and mighty sister act and thanks to Sammy.
Michael and Lucifer will be causing a little less of a headache on the god front and is that all you got to say Winchester."
As the tease full glance remains squarely on mines as I slowly break the distance between us my hand lightly reaching out to touch her cheek as she smiles warmly, breaking free of the intimacy and significance of that touch:
"This is not sooner rather than later and you need to go back home Dean."
The tone deadly serious her gaze no longer on me as I reply:
"It was only Ellen the last time I was here so what's different this time round and what if I don't want to go back Joe?"
With tears shining in her eyes as the hand links gently through mines love pulsing through every atom of me and I am completely at peace with that single action. The tone equally gentle:
"Sam and you changed the prophecy plus it makes it worthy of special treatment from those angel's you have got on your shoulder Dean."
As I shake my head not buying it as I hit her with the stark truth one I cannot help either:
"I don't work for them anymore Joe."
The smaller hand realising at that the hand touching my jaw line instead:
"Is that why your ignoring the fact Michael got what he wanted and the simple fact Sam thankfully saved you from him by sending you here."
With the hand departing our gaze equal my reply pretty much what she is expecting:
"Joe, are you telling me Sammy finished me off before Michael could and I cannot remember any of it."
Her full smile now enveloping me as I cough again her tone bringing me to a halt:
"It's not a memory you are returning to here and check your shirt pocket Dean Sam was wise in helping you on this side of heaven too."
As I go to reply thinking better of it by the look I am now receiving as I half-heartedly obey her. Drawing to my disbelief the amulet that Cas had borrowed and pretty much not gave back.
Or rather that he had bitterly returned only I had left with good reason in one motel room hoping never to see it again that it was for all intense purposes irrelevant to me or so I thought.
With my surprise pretty much showing as I am now clobbered with more information that necessary:
"That's what Michael used to get hold of your soul plus you'd already made a deal with death so you set the wheels in motion all over again.
Cas was also pretty much right about all the big mistakes you've made recently."
As I sigh looking at the amulet before closing my eyes before slowly opening them:
"It's just an old mythical piece of junk and are you not just glad to see me Joe?"
This causing a smile from her:
"Always sidelining the issue Dean for that amulet always meant more to you than that for it is linked to god and Michael still has hold of your soul if you have not noticed partner."
Our gaze jerking to that one as I jump in:
"Now you've lost me Joe you said Sam put things right and I missed you too sweetheart."
This causing a look of fire as I buckle under the look before lifting my head gripping the amulet tighter at the same moment, with Joe seeing right through it:
"He left his mark Dean much as Sam loosing his soul and as usual you're in way over your head."
As I grin awkwardly:
"We're both here Joe and only landing in hell would make it worse."
With it undoubtedly being the wrong thing to say:
"Well don't tempt fate for even though Cas and God are still angry with you, Michael is in a league of his own when it comes to you Dean."
The smaller hand now once more linking through mine the amulet remaining tightly gripped in the other. As I give in to her wrapping my arms gently round her delicate frame as our lips meet.
Tenderness and love taking over as I bring her ever closer getting lost in the moment feeling her quiver beneath as the love between us finds new depths, Joe's touch slowly leaving mines. Yearning taking its place instead as our hands remain linked the words tumbling out before I can even stop them:
"I cannot go back knowing you're going to be left here Joe.
Plus how can Michael still use me."
With Joe stepping to the side taking the amulet from me:
"Your in danger here Dean, the amulet can't protect you for much longer and there is someone who wants too see his oldest son too."
As our gaze welds to one her hand folding the amulet back into mines as I feel heat coming from the amulet confusion and fear gripping me as I look beyond her. The amulet now cold my confusion remaining as Joe whispers in my ear.
This bringing my first full smile since arriving here as I note the new figure in this bar, with it being a long time since we've seen each other. As I respond the only way I know how:
"Dad"
With him not moving or turning as I come closer to the bar the word's coming out as a stammer this time. As we turn at the same moment to face each other the dark eyes kind, his features more care worn than I remember as his features turn to a smile the emotion clear. His hand lightly touching my shoulder:
"Dean your not meant to be here son."
As the hand remains my tone harder than meant to be:
"You know this is not my first trip here and where is mum?"
The directness of the question also taking me a little by surprise with Joe placing two bottles of beer before us the hand releasing from my shoulder:
"Worrying about her eldest son Dean hence why I am here now."
His tone harsher than my own as I place the amulet down between us reaching for the beer gingerly starting to cough uncontrollably changing my mind on the beer as I look up to him, our gaze lingering for a long time. My father knowing my thoughts as the cough stops and I take a hard sling of the beer:
"Cat got your tongue Dean."
As I shrug looking his way:
"Is it really you not God or Michael?"
His smile broadening sensing humour in my words:
"No to both and your still picking up the pieces of everyone else's mess just like you did when you were a kid for me."
As I glance over his way:
"You did not come to talk about mum though."
The shake of the head confirming it:
"Sam took one hell of a risk sending you here but Michael was banking on him doing it."
TO BE CONTINUED