A/N: This Chapter took a little longer than expected because of the holiday season, but I'm glad to say it's done at last. As always, HUGE thanks to LovinJackson for reading this for me...and Debbie too. I'd never get this done without you guys to bounce ideas off. I just hope I've remained true to Dean's character here, given the situation. Any mistakes are mine...because Spellchecker seems to miss them a lot. LOL
Anyway...on with the show...
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And I'd give it all away
Just to have somewhere to go to
Give it all away
To have someone to come home to
My December - Linkin Park
Medicine Bow, Southern Wyoming.
Hell was unleashed, pouring out of the depths of the earth like pus from a wound. Demons were bursting forth, rushing over the landscape and heading away from the Hell Gate, just glad to be free. Free to torment, to cause mayhem, to tear lives apart.
It was in the middle of all that chaos that John Winchester found his son, broken and crying over the body of the woman he loved. It was something John had never wanted his boys to ever know. Losing Mary had torn John's heart out and he knew within himself he wasn't the same man that he'd been before that night. Carrying that pain with you on a daily basis made you hard, drove you and left you with ugly scar tissue inside that would never fade, tainting even the fondest memories you carried of that person.
There were songs that were never the same afterwards for John, memories of holidays, birthdays…his wedding day…even the births of his sons. All memories that he cherished…and yet they all came with the sharp ache of loss.
Why did Sam have to lose Jess? Why did Dean have to lose Skye? How was it fair?
Stop. John knew he had to stop. It wasn't the time for mourning. That would come later. Had to come later. The Hell Gate was still open. They had to close it, had to stop Hell from emptying out onto the world completely. Maybe then, the human world could regroup, rebuild and be ready to fight the demons that were now unleashed amongst them.
Sam was leaning against his father, his stab wound wrapped in the remains of his shirt, a makeshift bandage to cut back on the blood loss and allow his body to start healing. The boy was paler than normal, pure adrenaline the only thing driving him since he had helped his father down from the fence he had been pinned to.
John knew Sam was spent, that he'd already asked too much of the boy in needing Sam to help him before.
"Dean…." John placed a hand on his son's shoulder, squeezing it softly. "Dean, listen to me."
The breath caught in John's throat at the lost look he saw as Dean looked up. For a moment, he wasn't looking at his grown son, but at the tiny four year old standing beside him at their mother's gravestone, looking up at him. His eyes just bright green pools, huge and full of pain. There was blood on his hands where Dean had tried to staunch the blood loss from Skye, even though he had already known it was a pointless. But it had felt wrong not to try, not to at least hope for a moment that he could have saved her. "I can't leave her….I can't leave her alone, Dad." Dean lowered his gaze to Skye again, one hand sliding up and down her arm in a soothing motion that Skye would never feel.
John swallowed thickly, feeling his emotions rising, before the marine within clamped them down and allowed him to take control of the situation. "Dean, we have to close those Hell Gates. Sam's hurt."
Dean's gaze lifted immediately, locking onto his brother as concern filled his face. "Sammy?"
"I'm okay, dude…It's nothing…" Sam assured Dean, lying through his teeth but not wanting to add to the pain his brother was already feeling. He knelt down beside Dean, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder, fighting back tears.
"He shot her, Sammy. He just shot her. I….I couldn't do anything. There was no time…" Dean's voice was small and broken as he tried to comprehend how everything had gone so wrong, so fast.
"I know, Dean." Sam's own voice was cracking as he spoke. "Dean, I'll stay with Skye. You need to help Dad." He gently reached towards Skye, unsure if Dean would relinquish his hold on her or not.
"Dean. Come on, dude. The job's not done. I need you. Now." There was more of an edge to John's voice as he spoke, knowing that he had to get through the soldier in Dean now. To his son's credit, the boy allowed Sam to take Skye, then got to his feet, wavering slightly as the shock started to sink in.
" I'm good." Dean shook himself, took a deep breath and headed for the gate. He took one door while John took the other, giving it everything they had until Dean felt for sure he would pop an artery before the doors closed. John dug his feet in, his wings beating behind him to give added force as the door suddenly gave an inch and began to slide. With a growl, John put his good shoulder to it, not letting up until the door clanked into place.
Dean's door had begun to move at the same time and the instant the doors met with a metallic clank, the lock spun back to its proper setting, locking again.
With an angry snarl, Dean slammed his fist into the door, feeling a knuckle crack in his hand and finding himself not caring. The pain was only there for a moment, before the numbness that had began to fall over him after Skye's death took it away again.
John watched his son, recognising that rage, that helplessness that was swimming within his eyes, pulsing through him with every beat of Dean's heart.
Looking over at his father, Dean could see the wounds on his arm and shoulder were bleeding again. "Dad, you need those wounds looked at."
" I know, I know. I'll be okay. Your brother comes first."
Dean's gaze shifted towards Sam, seeing him sitting with Skye as he had promised. There was movement beyond them, someone approaching.
Sam looked up at the sound of footsteps approaching and was surprised to see Andy Gallagher walking towards him, a look of devastation on his face. "I was trying to help her…I didn't know he'd do that, dude…"
"SON. OF. A. BITCH!"
Andy barely had time to register the rage filled face of Dean before the first punch slammed into his jaw and sent him crashing to the ground.
"Dean!" Sam was trying to get his feet, shocked at the way Dean had charged the younger telepath and attacked him. There was murder in Dean's eyes, Sam could see it and he knew he had to stop him. " Dean, don't!"
Andy put up no resistance as Dean hit him again, straddling the man as he grabbed his shirt front and dragged Andy up til they were face to face, his fist cocked back ready to strike. "You killed her! You made her open the gate! I should snap your fucking neck!"
"He was going to kill her if I didn't! I was trying to keep her alive!" Andy countered, waiting for the punches to start again, his lip quivering as tears filled his eyes. " I never meant for her to be hurt, Dean, I swear! I was trying to get her back to you, man…you and Connor were all she thought about."
Dean trembled with rage, seeing nothing in Andy's face to indicate the guy was lying. He wanted so very much to make someone pay for Skye's death, to vent all his rage and anger and despair that was boiling within him. Dean stared at Andy a moment longer, his nostrils flaring, lip quivering as he saw the same guilt and sorrow reflected back from Andy. He recalled the goofy little stoner that had saved his life from his brother…how Dean had wanted so badly to believe that Andy was a good guy and nothing like Ansem Weems or Max Miller; because then Sam had a reason to believe that not everyone the Demon was after was doomed to become a killer.
Andy wasn't the bad guy…even now. It was written all over his face.
"Get away from us, Andy." Dean said tiredly, letting go of the man. He had other things to deal with, people that needed him. " You've done enough…."
Sam had stayed with Skye when he saw that Dean wasn't going to dismember Andy with his bare hands. He recalled his own rage when Jess died. How he had felt so lost, barely treading water amongst the storm of his emotions. But there had been one constant for him…..Dean. His brother had kept Sam anchored and now he would have to do the same for him.
Dean stood up and walked back to Sam and Skye. He gently gathered Skye into his arms, a lump growing in his throat as her head fell against his shoulder. It was so easy to just imagine she was asleep.
Dean wanted to hear her stupid little laugh; hear that soft, gentle tone she had reserved for him when he would ring after a long, tiring hunt while Sam was asleep in their crappy motel room.
Skye had done so much for him, just by being there to listen when things went wrong, when the weight of Dean's responsibilities weighed so heavily on him.
And he had failed her.
It was slowly sinking in for Dean that it was over. They may not have won….but they had closed the Hell Gate, stopped what Yellow Eyes had been trying to do. Dad was hurt, but he would recover. Sam might take longer, but Dean had seen it for himself in his brother's eyes, that the kid would be alright in time. No one else was dying today…they'd lost enough already.
There were a lot of demons to hunt down. The world was scarred….but not irreparably. Bent…but not broken. It would heal in time….but Dean didn't feel like he would.
Shifting Skye in his arms, Dean's face was blank as he spoke, a part of him just shutting down and locking itself away. "I need….I need to take Skye home."
Dean set off towards the Impala, trying to think of what he was going to say to Connor, how he would explain this to him? He was a little boy. Just a freaking kid! Dean had been older and he hadn't understood why it happened, how things like this could be allowed to happen. He'd promised…he'd told Connor again and again that he was bringing his Mom home to him. But dead was never part of the deal, dammit!
"What'd you ask for anyway, Evan? Huh? Never need Viagra? Bowl a perfect game? What?"
God, he'd been so cocky at the time, so sure that Evan was just like every one else that made deals with a demon, for fame…for money. But no…the guy had made the deal so his wife would live and at the time it had hit Dean like a knife to the heart. Thinking about his father…about his suspicions of what Dad had done to save him in the hospital. Dean had been so angry at his father, so angry at being alive while his father was dead….but that had been the point. He was alive. That was all his father had cared about.
Things were falling into place, Dean starting to walk faster now, realising what he needed to do. How he could make this better. Skye would never understand and Dad and Sam would be furious with him when they found out, but Dean could live with that…..if Skye was alive. If she was there to raise her little boy and just watch him grow up.
A chance his own mother had lost. Dean could stop Connor from experiencing that pain and letting it change him, turn him into someone he didn't have to be.
"Dean!" John called, carefully helping Sam to his feet and slinging an arm over his shoulder. "Dean, get back here…..Dean!"
There was no response, no backward glance…nothing. Dean had made up his mind and he wasn't about to let his father and Sam stop him.
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Elise was watching the treeline for any sign of Sam, Dean or John returning. They had to be coming back soon, right? Everything was quiet now…the terrifyingly huge cloud was gone. There weren't even any crickets gently chirping again. It was unsettling to say the least.
Connor was sat in the backseat, quietly playing with both his toy Impala and the Mustang that Dean had gotten him back in Denver. He raced the back and forth across the leather seat, quietly making growling noises but always making sure the Impala won each race.
" Connor…want to help me pick the music?" Elise ventured as she leaned on the back of the seat. The little boy hadn't said a word to her since she had shot Lily and it worried Elise deeply. Was he afraid of her now? The same way he was still cautious around Sam?
A soft crack of branches being broken underfoot ended the silence outside of the Impala. Elise spun around and saw Dean emerging from the shadows with someone in his arms. " Connor…stay in the car, matey…I'll be right back."
She opened the driver's door and climbed out, still holding the now empty revolver Sam had given her earlier. " Dean? Dean, where's Sam? Where's John?"
Elise's heart was pounding as she saw the deadness in Dean's eyes. There was just nothing there, no emotion, no spark, nothing. They just seemed empty. He didn't answer her either, just continued to walk towards the Impala and alarm bells began ringing in Elise's head. She moved to place herself in front of Dean, blocking his way. "Dean…answer me, mate. You're scaring the shit of me with this silent act. What the hell is going on? Where's Sam? What happened?"
Looking down at the woman lying in his arms, Elise saw the blood that had soaked through the front of her blouse and a hand flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp of horror. "Is…is that Skye?"
"Dee! Mommy!!"
The back door of the Impala opened behind Elise and before she could turn to stop Connor, the toddler had ran past her and rushed straight for Dean. It was then, that Elise saw something in Dean, some flash of life. Pain and grief, so intense, so sharp…that she found herself taking a step back. They always said the eyes were windows to the soul….and right now Elise could see that Dean's soul was torn and bloodied, crying out in agony before her.
Dean jumped as though he'd been hit when Connor threw himself against his leg, hugging him tightly. " Dee back! Mommy back!"
The happiness in the little boy's voice was killing Dean as he gently pried himself away and knelt down. He turned Skye in against his chest more to hide the blood as much as possible, tears threatening to fall but not actually breaking the dam. Dean had to hold it together for Connor. That was who mattered here.
" Mommy?" Connor tugged on Skye's arm and stepped back a little, fear and confusion filling his eyes as it slipped loose and hung limply. He watched it for a moment, then looked up at Dean, his lip trembling. " Mommy got boo boo?"
Swallowing a lump his throat that Dean was sure he would soon choke on, he managed to shake his head and put on a shaky smile. "No…" His voice cracked on the word. Dean paused and fought to compose himself as he saw a tear slide down Connor's face. God, the kid knew…he knew his Mom was too quiet….too still. He didn't understand, but Connor still knew something was wrong.
"M-mommy?" Connor grabbed his mother's arm again and tugged it more sharply this time. " Mommy, wake up! Wake up!"
Elise choked back a sob, tears cascading down her cheeks. She still had a hand clamped over his mouth, her other arm tucked in around her as she watched everything unfolding before her. Dean looked up sharply at her and barely shook his head, silently asking her to hold it together.
Connor was beginning to cry, his lip quivering more now as fat tears welled up in his eyes and spilt down his cheeks as he continued to tug on Skye's arm. "Mommy, pease…pease wake up. Wake up!"
It was a desperate frightened plea that kick started Dean's brain at last out of the grief he was feeling and stirred into action the man who had looked after his little brother through the loss of their mother.
The lie came to Dean so easily. He wasn't going to break this little boy's heart. Not if there was a chance to fix all this. "No, Connor, listen to me, little dude. Your Mom? She's just sleeping. She…"
How was he explaining this? Did he actually dare do this? Take it this far? What sort of a bastard was he to lie to a child?
"leeping?? Mommy wake up oon?" Connor's tears had fallen away to erratic sniffles, the words tumbling out of him with such hope that Dean felt his heart clench in his chest.
"Yeah…she's just asleep. You see, there was this….this evil magician and he put a spell on your Mom. Just like in the fairy tales…you like them, right? Snow White and all that?" Dean had no idea what he was talking about…but he'd seen the Disney versions, they had to have some of it right, surely. The fact Connor nodded solemnly and was still listening with his eyes bright with hope, spurred Dean on further. "Well this spell means your Mommy's in a deep, deep sleep. But I'm going to make her wake soon…okay?"
" Dean!" Elise half gasped, half growled. She was stunned to think he was willing to lie to a little boy like that.
Dean glared at Elise for a moment, knowing he was damned for this. But he was damned anyway if he saved Skye so it didn't matter. As long as he had Connor hoping, as long as that little boy no longer had to think about his mother being dead, Dean would take anything they could throw at him. Turning back to Connor, Dean continued, "I need to go see a magic…uhhh…fairy! Yeah, see this fairy can fix your Mommy, okay? But I need you to be brave for me. Think you can do that?"
"Uh huh." Connor nodded, his voice small.
"That's it. That's my little guy. Now you scramble on into that backseat and we'll go see the fairy, okay?"
" Okay!" Connor spun and raced back to the car, clambering inside as quickly as he could, using the seatbelt to pull himself up.
Dean carefully stood up again, still cradling Skye in his arms. He walked around to the passenger's side and gently laid her inside, noticing Elise buckling Connor into his baby seat before she sat down in the back. " What the hell are you doing? Get out. Wait for Sam and Dad."
"What…and let you go off alone with Connor and his d--….with Skye like this? Feeding the kid bloody fairy stories and bullshit because you don't have the balls to tell him the truth?" Elise demanded angrily.
"Who said I was lying?" Dean arched an eyebrow, his face set in stone before he went around to the driver's side and climbed in. " Last chance, Elise…get out."
"No. You're not thinking straight, Dean!"
"Yes I am. For the first time, I'm thinking straight." Dean told her in the rear-view mirror before he turned the key and the Impala growled throatily into life. "Fine. Stay. But I'm warning you…don't get in my way."
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"Fuck!" John growled as he stumbled from the treeline with Sam still leaning heavily against him. The clearing was empty. No Impala to be seen anywhere. "What the hell is Dean doing?"
Sam felt panic fluttering in his gut. He'd seen that look before on his brother's face and he knew Dean wasn't thinking rationally. Where was Elise? Had she gone with him? How the hell would they find them in time to stop Dean from making a huge mistake. "You know what Dean's doing, Dad…you taught him about it."
"What are you….oh shit, he wouldn't…?" John scrubbed a hand worried over his face, smelling stale blood and finally realising how much his body ached, how badly he wanted to rest and make sure Sam's wound was tended to. But he didn't have time right now. Right now, he had to worry about his eldest son. Was Dean stupid enough to try and make a deal for Skye? "We don't know he's doing that, Sam."
"Don't we?" Sam snapped, turning on his father and feeling his legs trembling, his body still weakened and fighting to heal. "Cause I'm pretty damn sure you know that's exactly what he's doing, Dad! Dean thinks like you. Did you hesitate when it came to saving Dean?"
John reached out and steadied Sam with one arm, meeting his son's angry gaze and knowing he was right. The only thought John had when Dean was dying, was that he had to save him. Anything else was an afterthought. He'd known that it would hurt his sons, but it had still been the only choice he'd had. Losing Dean was just not an option….and he knew Dean felt the same way about Skye. Because if John had been able to spare Mary in return for himself, he would have done it in a heartbeat, the same way Dean was now. "Then we'd better haul ass and stop him."
"Well you're the one with wings…can't you just get airborne or something?"
"And do what, Sam? Carry you like a sea eagle with a fish?" John demanded dryly. " Besides…" He unfurled his injured wing slowly to reveal the ragged hole torn in it. "I'm not going anywhere right now with this."
"Shit." Sam bit off, feeling the panic surging in him again. " We have to find him, Dad. We've got to stop him."
"I know, Sammy, I know. We'll find him." John had no idea exactly how they were achieving that.
A set of headlights caught his eyes and forced John to throw his hand up to shield his vision. He gently pulled Sam back towards the treeline and behind him, already drawing his gun and aiming for the car that was pulling up in front of them.
"Whoa…whoa. It's just me! Andy… Andy Gallagher?" Andy had his hands raised as he climbed out of the car, watching John nervously. The man had never met him, but Andy wasn't about to mess with a birdman that had left Jake hanging from the fence like some sort of warning to a conquering army.
"Andy? What the hell? What are you doing here? We left you back in the cemetery." Sam couldn't believe their luck.
"Yeah, well…I owe you guys. I mean, you could have killed me there. But you didn't. So I want to help. I want to try and make up or what I've done….if…if you'll let me?"
John and Sam shared a look, before they headed for the car.
"Sam, you're driving. I'll take the backseat." John stated, opening the back door and climbing in with a bit of a struggle, trying to get his wings to fit. It was awkward to say the least, causing him enough discomfort to ensure his mood was even more sour by the time they hit the road. "Try reaching out to your brother. See if you can sense where he is, if he's close. We're running out of time….fast."
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Trampas Lodge, Medicine Bow, Wyoming.
The town was empty, just vacated and silent like a ghost town. Elise had been looking for signs of life since the Impala had rolled into town, finding the whole feel of the place un-nerving. Or maybe that was just because for the past 20 mins, she'd been watching Dean from the back seat, noting the way he had Skye's body nestled against him as though she'd fallen asleep during the drive. Every so often he would idly brush a stray hair from her face and Elise just wanted to scream at him to stop. It didn't matter anymore. Skye wasn't going to notice it.
Cars were still sitting where they had been abandoned. Screen doors were swinging slowly in the night wind. There was even a tumbleweed for crying out loud! Elise was starting to think this whole wild west deal was beyond a joke…and considering she had been going to visit the Museum of Oz…that was saying something.
The Impala pulled into a simple looking roadside motel called the Trampas Lodge. A cartoon cowboy greeted them from the sign. Elise looked at Dean as though he was insane…which she was beginning to actually consider. "What are we doing here?"
"It's a motel. You want to spend the night in the car? Be my guest. But I'm betting the beds in there are more comfortable." Dean explained casually before he opened his door and went around to the passenger side. He gently pulled Skye out and cradled her against his chest, waiting for Elise to help with Connor. " You coming?"
" I'm going to regret this…I just know it." Elise sighed, climbing out and unbuckling Connor from his seat. She held her hand out to the little boy, only to have him run around her and straight to Dean, grabbing hold of the corner of his jacket. Elise rolled her eyes and swore under her breath as she followed them, wishing Sam was here to knock some sense into his brother. Just what the hell was he planning on doing with a dead body? How was this doing Connor any good at all?
Dean walked up to the motel office, grabbing a set of keys to one of the family size rooms, off the rack hanging behind the desk. Connor followed along aside him without a word and the picture might have looked like any normal family, if not for one thing.
The room itself was plain and functional with a pair of beds, a TV in one corner, small bathroom and the basics of a kitchenette that allowed you to make coffee. Another bedroom, obviously designed to give the parents some space, was just off to the right through a doorway. Dean carried Skye through the main bedroom and laid her on the bed. He came back out and switched on the TV, finding the usual blank, snowy screens.
"Wait here…I'll be right back." Dean told Connor. He went out to the trunk of the Impala and retrieved Skye's laptop along with it's power supply and his duffle bag. Dean took the laptop back inside and plugged it into the wall, then let it boot up and began to look through the files, finding what he had hoped for. A folder full of music videos. "Connor…here you go. Come and watch this for me, huh? You want to watch Mommy's music?"
Connor ran over to the bed where the laptop was sitting and sat down in front of it, grinning. As soon as the music started up, his little head was bobbing to the music, body swaying.
"I'll just be in the next room…" Dean told Connor, catching Elise staring at him, clearly unhappy with things. He tried to ignore her as he took a small jug from the kitchenette and went to the bathroom, filling it with warm water. There was a wash cloth folded up beside the basin that Dean took too, heading back towards the bedroom. He paused in the doorway and looked back at Elise, unable to take the way her eyes were burning holes in his back. "What?"
"You're unbelievable, mate…"
"So I've heard." Dean shot back, his face cast in stone, his eyes hollow. He closed the door behind him and took in the sight of Skye lying on the bed, so still. Leaning back against the door, Dean let out a breath he hadn't even been aware he was holding. He could do this. He had to. There was no way he was leaving Skye covered in blood and looking like that.
Forcing himself to approach, Dean sat down on the edge of the bed beside Skye, putting the jug of water on the bedside table. She looked so pale now. No matter how much Dean wanted to lie to himself and say she would wake up at any moment, the pallor of her skin and the blueness of her lips told him the truth. Tears spilled down his face, the only concession he would give to his grief as he quietly took the washcloth and soaked it in the water.
Dean unbuttoned her blouse and gently lifted Skye up, undressing her. He couldn't help but think how only a couple of days before, he had been unbuttoning that same blouse for an entirely different reason.
"I'm sorry." The apology slipped out brokenly, knowing that Skye couldn't hear him now. "I screwed up and look what's happened. I know…I know it wasn't my job to protect you. You were always so independent, always telling me that you could look after yourself and Connor. But I still felt like it was, you know? You never asked me to do that for you. You never expected anything from me…and I loved that. I loved the fact you took me for who I am without question."
His hands ghosted over the skin around the bullet wound, washing away the blood, and letting Dean see the damage for the first time. " I'm sorry I let this happen. I'm sorry I didn't keep you safe…"
More silent tears spilt as he rummaged through his duffel bag and found one of Skye's t-shirts. Dean slipped it over her head and gently pulled her arms through, trying not to think of the coldness of Skye's skin. Laying her back down on the bed, Dean traced his fingers over her face one more time. " I'm going to fix this, Skye. I'm going to get you needs you back."
He scrubbed his hand over his face, rubbing away the hot tears that kept burning a trail down his cheeks. " I need you back."
Dean knew now that he'd been denying his feelings for too long. Scared to have his heart broken and locked into a life that didn't allow for a family or any of the normal things a person craved. The sort of life Dean had lost as a child.
He'd lost his chance now with Skye and it left an emptiness, a hollowness in Dean that was chilling him to the bone. It had been the simple things that he had loved the most. The excitement in Skye's voice when he had called her, no matter what time of night it was. Watching Connor play with his mother, the way Skye looked when she was asleep, curled up against his chest.
Dean wanted it back, wanted to touch that world again and be reminded that not everything in his world was death and destruction. Something to fight for. Dad and Sam were his family…but so were Skye and Connor. What the demon had torn apart, Dean was going to put back together.
Getting to his feet, Dean took one last look at Skye, and headed for the door. Elise was sitting with Connor, keeping the little boy company as he danced and bopped on the bed to the laptop. She looked up as Dean strode purposefully for the door. "Where are you going?"
"Out."
"Out? What the hell do you mean out?" Elise scrambled to her feet and ran a hand quickly over Connor's head. "Stay here, mate, don't move." She ran out the door after Dean and caught him by the arm. "Dean!"
He rounded on her so sharply, that Elise was forced to take a step back. With a look that could freeze the sun, Dean's gaze travelled down slowly to where she had hold of him, then back up at Elise. "You want to remove your hand from my arm?"
Elise released him, trying not to back down. "Dean, talk to me, mate. Where are you going? You can't bring us here, leave me and Connor with a dead--"
"Shut the fuck up."
"Why? It's the truth, Dean. She's gone, mate. You need to accept that and tell Connor the truth….you can't keep lying to that little boy!"
Dean's gaze was still positively arctic. "I wasn't lying. I'm going to fix this…I'm bringing Skye back."
"How?" Elise scoffed, wishing for all the world that Sam was here with her. She barely knew Dean, didn't know how to talk to him, make him see sense. It was beginning to look as though she was trying to reason with a madman and that scared the hell out of her. What was Dean capable of? "With your bloody magic fairy or whatever that bullshit was you told Connor? I'm not a baby, Dean. You don't have to lie to me. You can't fix this! Skye's gone."
"You have no idea." Dean informed her darkly, taking a step back and turning towards the Impala. " Just stay with Connor, keep him safe until I get back…"
"Dean!" Elise called after him, wondering what the hell he was talking about? There was an uneasy pit in her stomach as she went back inside the motel room, wishing she could contact Sam and John.
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The crossroads seemed more deserted than the first set Dean ever stood on alone. There was no little bar nearby where he could get a drink….and god, Dean wanted one right now. His throat was dry, his heart pounding in his chest as he looked around, waiting for the Crossroads Demon to appear. " Come on, you bitch. What the hell are you waiting for? I'm not getting any fresher!"
"Oh now don't sell yourself too short there, Dean Winchester. The smell of desperation is like ringing a dinner bell where I come from." The woman was dressed in a beautiful midnight blue dress that was slit up the sides to her thighs, and low enough in front to leave very little to the imagination….other than how her ample cleavage wasn't falling out. She sashayed up to Dean and laid her hand on his shoulder, sliding it across to the other shoulder as she walked behind him. " So what can I do for you, honey?"
Dean fought the urge to shiver at the demon's touch. He had to do this fast, before it was too late, before Sam and Dad found him. "You know what I want. Skye…I want you to bring her back."
"And why would I do that?"
"Because you get my soul. You bring Skye back…and you get to have me. All I want is ten years." Dean knew it wasn't going to be long enough, but as long as Skye was alive, he would deal.
The demon laughed mockingly at him, and raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "You're assuming you're actually valuable, Dean. You're not."
"Come again?" Dean had expected her to be cruel…but not to shut him down entirely.
"You're tainted, honey. Damaged goods now that you have demon blood in your veins. Your soul's worthless to me. I'd love to help you….but it's just not possible." The demon sounded genuinely disappointed. "Guess you came all the way out here for nothing."
"Give me five years."
"No."
"Three."
"Dean…you don't seem to understand my position here." The demon clucked her tongue sadly.
"One year.." Dean looked at the demon desperately. "Come on…one year and you can send your damn hell hounds after me. That's a good deal!"
The demon seemed to contemplate it for a moment, her eyes washing over Dean's body like a thirsty man spying an oasis. She leaned in close to Dean, pressing her body against his and smiling as her lips brushed against his cheek. "No deal. You're not worth even a year…"
Dean felt as though he couldn't breathe. He'd promised Connor he could fix this and get Skye back. This was supposed to have worked! But now he knew he was as worthless as the demons and monsters he slaughtered. Just a half breed mongrel with a worthless soul. It was like there was a hand squeezing his heart, the pressure just so intense and painful that it stole any air left in his lungs.
The demon backed away and turned her back on him. "Sorry, Dean…my hands are tied. I can't help you."
"Please…." Dean pleaded, too desperate to care now. He saw the demon pause and turn slowly, a cold smile on her face as she slowly walked back to him, tapping one long, slender finger on her jaw in a thoughtful manner.
"I really shouldn't be doing this. I could lose my job…and a whole lot more than that. But I just can't help feeling sorry for you right now. So I'm going to give you one year…that's it. One year and then your soul is mine. You try getting out of the deal? And Skye not only drops dead, but I will personally ensure she suffers in Hell."
Dean bristled at the thought of that, but the deal was on the table, on offer. "I thought you said my soul was worthless?"
" It is…but it seems you've got some collateral to back it up. Let's just say it's all in the fine print, honey and this offer is getting cold fast. Do you want it or not? Cause I'm walking away right now…."
Dean's mind was racing. Collateral? Was she talking about Sam? Was that it? They wanted to use him to get to Sam?
"Last chance, stud….make sure you don't use too many big words when you break the news to that little boy about his mommy being dead, I'd hate for you to make it any harder on him than it already will be."
"Alright!" Dean yelled, his shoulders sagging in defeat. The bitch knew exactly how to get under his skin. "Alright…whatever it takes. Just bring back Skye."
The demon spun on her heels and quickly crossed the space between them. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it? One year….one long year with the woman you love."
"So you'll bring her back?"
"I will."
Dean grabbed the demon and kissed her, his stomach recoiling at the way her tongue was plundering his mouth, her hands sliding around to hold him close.
Fifteen miles away, Skye coughed and jerked, her eyes snapping open and looking around the room in utter confusion as she sat up. Her hand rubbed at her chest, wondering why it was aching so badly.
What the hell had just happened??
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A/N 2: Next Chapter, we'll see more of Bobby and Missouri...not to mention see the fallout of Dean's deal with his family...