A/N: Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites. I hope you enjoy chapter 2. As always, if you can take a moment to review at the end, I would be very grateful.
Sully walked into the bar anxiously, hanging back, nervously looking around at the inebriated patrons around him.
"Hey, what's up?" A man, holding a large mug of beer, asked him. "Dig the suspenders, dude."
Sully was taken aback. How could this guy even see him? He shrugged it off. He knew the guy was pretty out of it so maybe he imagined it. He spotted Sam seated at a table, a couple of large mugs in front of him, and another in his hand.
He tentatively walked over and sat down beside him.
"What do you want?" Sam asked, without looking up.
"Something is wrong, Sam."
"Yeah?" Sam taunted. "And how would you know?"
"Because I'm your friend. You're different."
"You haven't been my friend since I was nine. It's called growing up. I'll tell you one thing though, you were right."
"About what?" Sully asked, suddenly hopeful, even though Sam's words stung.
"About how much of a failure I'd turn out to be," Sam replied, chugging back the whole mug of beer in one gulp.
"I never said that, Sam. You know I'd never say that."
"You said when I went on my first hunt, you thought it was your biggest failure," Sam said, while drinking another mug of beer. "You could see I wouldn't make a good hunter, and you were right. I should have went for something else. Maybe I should have run away with you. Probably would have been for the best, for Dean, for everyone."
"But Sam, you're awesome! You saved the world!"
"Stop saying that!" Sam snapped. He looked up again to see eyes staring at him, but given the condition of half the people in the place, he really didn't care since he blended in with the rest of them. He waved his hand to order another round of drinks.
"Sam, a lot of people would be dead if it wasn't for you."
"And a lot of people would be alive too, Sully."
Sam's drinks arrived and Sully watched forlornly as Sam threw back shot after shot. Sully got quiet then too, thinking of Audrey, and his own failures. Once the drinks were gone, they sat there for several moments, unspoken words hanging between them, like a fog, obscuring their vision, causing them to not see each other quite clearly.
"Ever think...you're worthless?" Sam stuttered, finally. "That nothing is going to be okay ever again?" Sam finished, his mood changing, softening.
Sully looked up, poignantly at Sam, but he had his eyes turned downwards at the table, nervously scratching his thumbnail across the surface.
"I went back to the cage," Sam continued. "And I..." he said, unable to finish, choking back a sob.
"You did Sam? Even though you were scared, you did it," Sully said, proudly. "And you're here. You beat Lucifer again. You're going to get rid of the darkness and you're safe."
Sam shook his head, looking Sully in the eye, trying to hold back the tears.
"What happened Sam? You can tell me," Sully replied, leaning in closer.
Sam put his head down again, so his hair fell into his eyes.
"Did God-"
"God doesn't care, Sully!" Sam shouted, cutting him off. "I was wrong. No one does."
"I care, Sam," Sully replied, truthfully.
"No one cares," Sam said, wiping his nose on his coat.
Sully's heart broke. Sam looked just like a lost little kid all over again.
"I can't believe I fell for it," Sam continued, ignoring him. "I mean I actually thought that God...," Sam's voice dropped off. "I was such an idiot," Sam finished, finally, a sob wracking his body, as one hot tear slipped down his cheek. He sniffled trying to pull himself together.
"Heroes aren't perfect," Sully said, quietly.
"I don't believe that, Sully. I'm sorry," Sam admitted. "Look I have to go," Sam said, composing himself and jumping to his feet, ignoring the wounded look on Sully's face.
"But Sam..."
"It's late, Sully. It's after 7. Dean's pissed at me as it is. I didn't tell him where I was and I didn't bring my cellphone."
"But Sam, I have to tell you something. Something awful."
"You can tell me on the way then," Sam replied, exasperatedly. "Crap I don't even have a car. I guess I'll have to hotwire-"
"No, Sam! You can't," Sully said, clutching his arm. "You're too sick to drive."
"I'm not sick, Sully. I had a few drinks. I'll be fine," Sam said, bustling past him.
"No Sam, please! Something awful will happen and you'll never forgive yourself."
"Yeah well I'll never forgive myself when I have to hear Dean reminding me how useless I am for the rest of the night," Sam said, walking more briskly to the door, trying to make his way past the rest of the people in the place. It was getting more crowded now that it was later.
They were outside now and Sully could feel anxiety taking a hold of him, causing him to freeze in fear. He had to stop Sam now, before it was too late.
Sam eyed an orange car, a classic that was parked just at the corner.
"That one looks good," Sam said. However, then he saw a guy walking towards it, or more like weaving towards it as he appeared to have had a few too many as well.
"Damn it!" Sam cursed. He shivered, his breath coming in small puffs, that blew out in front of him.
"Look what you did, Sully! I take it back. I'm not sorry for how I treated you when I was a kid. You really are a nuisance. You're just as screwed up as me, and you make life worse for everyone. Even my imaginary friend is damaged goods too."
Sully felt his stomach drop to the floor. This couldn't be his Sam. However, had he succeeded? That had to be the important thing, that no one got hurt. Sam wasn't behind the wheel so he was safe and so were those people.
Suddenly there was a commotion.
"Look out!" Someone yelled, as the orange car sideswiped another vehicle. However, there was a couple now in the road, pushing a baby stroller. They saw the car but they looked like deer caught in the headlights.
Sully couldn't help the sickening sense of deja vu that washed over him, as he stood there terrified. The man pushed his wife aside, but just as he was about to push the stroller forward, the car was headed right for them. Sully knew there was no time, that both the father and the baby would be struck, just like in his vision. However, from the corner of his eye, he saw Sam jump into action. He ran straight into the street, giving the man a shove, enough to push him and the stroller forward. The baby rolled toward the side of the road to its mother and the man rolled on to his side, shaken but unharmed. Sam wasn't so lucky though. Sully could see that he tried to move himself out of the way too, but he was going to be hit anyway. He watched Sam whip around to face the car as if to see if he cleared it. Then, he watched a horrified expression cross Sam's face, in a split second as the car's headlights illuminated Sam's features. The bumper hit Sam with full force in the left side and he rolled up on to the hood of the car, his head smashing the windshield. The impact was so brutal that Sam rolled right over the hood of the car as it continued its momentum forward. He landed in a heap facedown on the ground behind it.
"Sam!" Sully yelled. He ran toward his fallen friend, even while everyone stood there still in shock.
No, no this can't be happening again, Sully thought. It's all my fault.
Sam's face was full of blood, his arm twisted unnaturally, tucked under him. He couldn't tell if he was breathing.
He placed his hand on Sam's bloodied forehead but he didn't know if Sam could feel it, and he cried.
"Help!" Sully screamed. "Help!"
He ran forward at the people staring at Sam on the ground.
"Help!" He yelled, in their faces. "Please!"
However, he realized no one could hear him, no one could see him.
Should he appear in front of everyone? There were so many people. He didn't think he had the ability to use his magic for such a crowd. He didn't know if that would be a good idea either as it might just distract everyone, when they could be helping Sam.
He knelt down beside Sam, watching the ground turn crimson underneath Sam's body.
"Sul...Sully," he heard a whisper so faint that he wasn't sure it was real.
"Are...are you there?" The voice asked again.
Sully realized it was coming from Sam. His cheek was pressed against the road, his eyes open but unfocused, as he struggled to speak.
"I'm here," Sully said, placing a hand on Sam's back, where he could feel Sam's breathing, jagged and irregular. "Don't worry. They'll get you help."
"Ever think...you weren't...going to make it?"
"Don't say that Sam. No, please!" Sully begged.
"P..please don't leave. I'm s..s..sorry," Sam said, tiredly, the words becoming even more difficult. "Tell...tell Dean...sorry," Sam gasped and coughed, as his eyes slipped shut.
"Sam! Sam, wake up! Please!" Sully begged, but garnered no response.
ooooo
Dean had gone out earlier and grabbed his coffee, even fetching one for Sam, as well as a couple of muffins. He supposed it was a peace offering even though he had no idea why they were fighting, really. He didn't blame Sam exactly, but at the same time, he didn't think his behavior was called for no matter what he was going through. When he got home, he was both relieved and angry that Sam was sound asleep. Eventually, he figured it would be for the best if he just went back out again and played a few rounds of pool to give them some distance. However, he'd been calling Sam nonstop for the past hour and got no answer. Despite everything, that worried him. However, he figured Sam was probably still sleeping it off. He was in a brighter mood since this morning because his hip felt better and he'd won a few rounds, so he hoped his good mood might be contagious.
When he walked into the bunker, he immediately spotted the muffin and coffee on the table, untouched.
Still sleeping then, he thought.
He headed straight for Sam's room but he wasn't there. The bed was a mess and there was no sign of him. However, his cellphone was just where he left it on the nightstand, a string of missed calls from him on it. Now he had to admit he was getting pissed again. His good mood dissipated quickly. He scanned the room and didn't see Sam's laptop around so he guessed he went out to research, at least he hoped so. He drove down to the closest library, within walking distance because he doubted Sam would drive. If he had more than one drink, he'd never get behind the wheel of a car.
Would he? Dean questioned it because Sam certainly wasn't acting like himself lately. He wasn't sure what time Sam had left the bunker. He'd left around 2 so surely Sam would have slept it off. Yet, he had a bad feeling.
He saw the library up ahead and parked. He got out and went in, scanning the room for any sign of Sam.
"You see a tall guy in here, shaggy hair, in need of a haircut?" Dean asked the woman at the front desk.
"You mean the one who talks to himself?" She asked, not looking up from her computer.
"Huh?" Dean asked, confusedly.
"He was on a laptop if that's any help," She said, finally looking up at him. "Brown jacket?"
"Yeah, that's him," Dean replied.
"He left a couple hours ago, still talking to his imaginary friend," She said, with a smirk.
Dean walked down the steps, totally confused. Talking to himself? Was this a new oddity to add to the list?
He was making his way to the car, when he saw something going on in the distance. He could see the sign for a bar and sirens dancing around it. His stomach lurched as he prayed that Sam was nowhere near the place.
He left the car parked, as the place was only a few yards away, and there was no way he could get through the parked emergency vehicles, as well as the crowds lining the sidewalks.
There was police tape around, and a young couple holding their baby was being interviewed by the police. There was some flurry of activity in the middle of the road but he couldn't make out a thing.
He tried to keep a level head even though he was pretty sure his heart threatened to pound straight out of his chest at any given moment. He needed to get information. He needed to find Sam.
As he tried to move forward, he was stopped in his tracks by-
No, it couldn't be.
Sully. It was Sam's imaginary friend. Again.
"Dean! Dean!" He yelled, tears streaked across his face.
He knew then it was bad.
"Wha...what happened?" Dean struggled to speak.
Sully let out a whining noise as if he didn't want to say the words out loud.
"Tell me!" Dean growled.
"It's Sam, Dean. I think he's dead," Sully said at last, collapsing to the ground at his feet.
TBC