Chapter 25: A Family Reunited

John Winchester was already pulling off his jacket, preparing to leap into the well after his eldest son, ignoring the pain in his wounded arm.

"Go get some rope from the trunk," he commanded Sam.

I'm going to kick Dean's ass, he thought angrily as Sam ran to the Impala, I can't believe him! The stupid boy. Always trying to be the hero.

"Here!" Sam cried, out of breath from his sprint to the car, as he handed his father the rope.

"Lower me down," John instructed, tying the rope around himself, "Then pull us both up."

"Dad."

"What?"

"Wouldn't it make more sense if I went down?" Sam asked, "I'm lighter than you."

John hesitated. Sam, as always, had a good point. But John didn't want to put the younger Winchester into any unnecessary danger, not after he had been shot. But Dean was the focus right now. Dean was in immediate danger.

"Alright, son, but my arm," John answered, "I may not be able to pull the both of you up."

"Pull us up one at a time," Sam replied.

John nodded reluctantly. "Alright."

Suddenly, the ground beneath them gave a lurch and they both stumbled. John caught Sam's arm to keep him from falling over and they both struggled to keep their footing.

"What the hell?" John asked as the ground jolted again.

"The gateway," Sam breathed, "It's opening, I think. We have to hurry!"

The well began to fill with all sorts of lights and sounds. Dean could feel the water churning around him as he struggled to get to the top, his lungs burning for air and every nerve in his body fighting to live.

Jessica, what's happening?

Mrs. Hoffkins. Her psychic soul is tearing the gateway open and releasing all the souls inside.

Despite Dean's efforts, the souls that cramped the well shaft prevented him from getting to the surface and getting air. Fear once again filled him. Was he really going to die this way? It didn't seem fair at all. In one moment he saw every terrible moment in his life that he had survived: his mother's death, being raised the way he was, Sam leaving him to go to college… He had survived so much, why couldn't he save himself this time?

"Be careful, Sammy," John said as he tightened the rope around Sam's waist.

"I will," he replied, "You don't have to-"

Sam was cut off by a sharp pain bursting through his skull that brought him to his knees. He cried out, holding his head.

"Sammy!" John cried.

A hundred images flooded into Sam's head at once, images of people dying and smiling and crying. So many voices seemed to be calling out to him at once and he could feel the ground trembling beneath his fingertips. So many voices, so many souls… But there was one voice in particular that seemed to be calling out above the rest, a voice that, despite its desperation, gave him the strength he needed to get to his feet, just like it always had before.

Dean. I need to save Dean. He needs me.

The world was becoming black around him. He couldn't believe that he was drowning again. No air, no escape… After all he'd been through, Dean Winchester was going to drown in a well. The last thing he could remember was a hand in the darkness, a firm hand grabbing his wrist and pulling him up…

Sam broke the surface of the water with Dean in his arms. His brother didn't seem to be conscious, which frightened the younger Winchester, but he had to focus on getting them out. There was so much chaos around them; Sam could hear and feel all the souls that were bursting from the well. Fingers trembling, he tied the rope around Dean so that their father could pull him out, praying that he had not been too late.

The rain seemed to beat down harder than ever as John Winchester struggled to save his eldest son. He could feel blood pouring from his wound and his arm felt like it was on fire as he pulled Dean up, but he was too determined to let it hinder him.

So [Imany times I wasn't there for him, he thought as thunder roared behind him, So many times I let him down. I won't fail you again, Dean. Never again. You need to know that you are just as important to me as Sammy.[/I

John rushed forward to pull Dean's limp body over the wall of the well, gently laying him on the ground. Now he had to get Sammy out of the well, too.

Sam was relieved once he had finally climbed out of the well, but the sight of his older brother lying motionless on the ground nearby sent fear into him like a knife. The rain had begun to slow and now fell softly. Sam and John both fell by Dean's side.

"Come on, son" John urged, laying a hand on Dean's chest to check if he was breathing.

The moment he touched him, Dean gasped and began to choke up water. John let out a heavy sigh of relief as his son's eyes fluttered open.

"Thank God," he croaked, tears threatening him.

Sam was shocked to see the emotion in his father's face, but then again, he was almost crying, too. The younger Winchester smiled in relief to see Dean alive and okay.

"Dammit, Dean," he said, "You scared the hell out of us."

Dean blinked to try to focus his sight. He felt numb and very disoriented, but happy to be alive nonetheless. He looked up into the faces of his family.

"Dad," he whispered, "You're bleeding."

"So are you, dumbass," Sam said with a relieved laugh. The bullet that had hit Dean, he noticed, had only appeared to have grazed the older Winchester's ribs, leaving a nasty-looking but not deadly wound.

John pulled Dean into his arms, wanting nothing more at the moment than to hold his son and thank whatever higher powers there may be that he was alive.
"I'm alright. Hey, I'm fine," Dean protested, though he made no move to free himself.

John ignored the comment and instead pulled Sammy into his arms as well.

"I am so proud of the two of you," he said, "and if you ever scare me that badly again, neither one of you will be able to sit for a month."

"Yeah, we love you, too, Dad," Sam replied with a laugh.