AN: To anyone who is still reading this story, I am so, so sorry for the long wait. Lets just say life got in the way. I won't make any more excuses.
A word of warning, this chapter leans more towards dark and morbid. You've been warned.
Now, lets get started...
Chapter 9
"OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!"
"DAMN IT….!"
"WHAT THE HELL...!"
The quiet living room of Bobby's modest home erupted in a flood of crashes, yells and explosions. The occupants lunged at their weapons, still in shock from the sudden barrage of sounds that had startled them, and wildly looked around for the threat. The scene would almost be comical if they were not anticipating an oncoming attack. But someone apparently appreciated the humor of the situation and burst out laughing. The hunters turned towards the source of the laughter to locate the culprit.
"GABRIEL!"
The addressed archangel chuckled in amusement. "Oh, you should have seen your faces! Absolutely priceless. Playing tricks on you unsuspecting humans never gets old!"
"You've got to be kidding me." Dean groaned, slumping back in the chair now that they had identified their mystery attacker.
"Well duh! Trickster by trade!" Gabriel replied, eyes still shining with amusement.
Sam and Bobby recovered from the recent fright and put away their guns as well.
"I apologise for my brother's childishness. I tried to dissuade him from alarming you but my efforts were in vain." Castiel replied, having appeared in the room at the same time as Gabriel but went unnoticed for obvious reasons.
"You're no fun, Cassie." Gabriel pouted good-naturedly. "So, what trouble are you chuckle-heads brewing in this time?"
"You know, the apocalypse, Lucifer bringing about the end of the world, the usual." Sam replied nonchalantly.
Something flickered in Gabriel's eyes, an emotion that was cloaked too quickly for Sam to be able to identify it.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" Dean demanded, not willing to trust the flighty ex-archangel's motives without a good reason.
"Well, Cassie here, convinced me to become a member of Team Free Will so I thought I'd drop by to get my membership card." The Winchester's scrutinised Gabriel's expressions, wondering if he was being sincere, but Gabriel retained his ever-present carefree grin. Dean bristled at the angel's declaration and proceeded to voice his opinion.
"Right…You expect us to believe that you suddenly changed your mind; that you don't want the apocalypse anymore and you'll help us stop Lucifer?" Dean drawled out, sarcasm and disbelief evident in his tone.
"Okay, first of all, I never wanted the apocalypse. I just wanted Mikey and Luci to get it over with so the fighting would stop. And second of all, I still think you're all a bunch of idiots, little brother included, to still think that you can stop the Devil. But since the world is literally going to hell, and you two refuse to play your designated parts, I might as well help."
Castiel chose this moment to interrupt. "You're wrong, Gabriel. I refuse to give up hope yet. I still believe that we can defeat Lucifer if we work together."
"Well aren't you a bouquet of sunshine and optimism, little bro." Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Why don't you try to stop the Earth from spinning on its axis while you're at it?"
Predictably, Castiel tilted his head in confusion. "How does the rotation of the Earth relate to our quest of defeating Lucifer?" Gabriel just shook his head in mock grief.
"I worry about you, little bro."
"Do you really think that we are going to accept you with open arms after everything you've done to me and Sam; hell, after everything you've done to Cas?" Dean's voice was just a few notches below 'shouting at the top of his lungs' and was dangerously edging closer and closer to a full-volume blow-out. Gabriel's expression visibly darkened at those words.
Sam decided to interfere before his brother carelessly blew the fuse to Gabriel's wrath. After all, goading an archangel, no matter how justified, was hardly beneficial for his brother's health.
" If you don't think that we have any chance of succeeding, then why are you helping us at all, Gabriel?" Sam asked, curiously. He intuitively knew that the archangel had some unfathomable reason for agreeing to help them. Gabriel had made no secret of his reluctance to join in the fight, afterall. 'Then why is he suddenly so eager to help us?'
"Oh, I just thought that since Luci is going to destroy the world and everything in it anyway, I might as well spend my last days being entertained by my favorite pair of dim-wits." Gabriel replied with a wide grin. Sam made an effort to conceal his annoyance.
"Be serious, Gabriel."
"Dude, I don't think that's even possible." Dean muttered with an eye-roll.
"Anyway, so what's the plan to kill the big, bad wolf?" Gabriel asked, ignoring Dean.
"What makes you think we're going to tell you our plan?" Dean asked, his eyes narrowed in anger and distrust.
"So you don't even have a plan? Wonderful. Sure you'll stop the apocalypse. You're even bigger idiots than I thought!" Gabriel declared. A hint of frustration trickled in his voice. 'The fate of the entire world rests on these humans? No wonder the earth is doomed.'
Bobby decided that there had been enough childish arguments for the day and that someone had to be the voice of reason. Out loud he said, "Well, it's not exactly easy to stop the devil. If your feather-brain has some good ideas, I'm all ears."
"BOBBY!" The Winchesters yelled in surprise.
"Look, we ain't getting much far in stopping the devil ourselves. An archangel on our side would certainly help."
"But he can't be trusted!" Dean stuttered in disbelief. This time Castiel answered him.
"Dean, I understand that you are suspicious of Gabriel's motives. But he has given me his word that he will fight by our side. I realise that this is difficult for you; but I ask that you trust me. I will take full responsibility for my brother's actions."
And so Gabriel was admitted; although somewhat grudgingly; to become a member of Team Free Will.
Dean came to with a short gasp and then opened his eyes to try to locate where he was. Nothing. Dark. Pitch Black…. ' I can't see….' Panic started to settle deep inside his gut. He couldn't see anything…..…
It took him a moment to realise that there was nothing wrong with his eyes. The room was completely dark. There was nothing to see.
He took a deep breath to calm himself. His body was tense, ready to spring at the slightest hint of danger. His ears twitched, straining to hear the softest sounds in the eerie silence. His eyes prickled at the loss of vision.
His hands moved to the back of his waist but came up empty. He was weaponless.
Tentatively, he took a small step forward. Clenching his hands into tight fists, he called out. "Anyone there?...Hey..." No answer. Not even the whisper of the wind.
Absently, he wondered; He couldn't be here alone, where ever he was. Atleast Sam must have been with him.
"Sam…...?"
"Dean."
His brother's soft voice floated towards him. His heart clenched at the fear in his brother's voice. It was the voice Sam had used as a child, begging Dean to chase away his nightmares; when Dean was still the strongest person in the world to his little brother.
He looked around frantically, trying to reach Sam. His instincts screamed at him to find Sammy and envelope him in the safety of his arms; protect him from danger.
"Sammy…where are you?"
"Dean!"
Suddenly, as if someone had flipped a switch, the lights came on in a burst of power and illuminated the room. He flinched and shielded his eyes against the bright glow. Blinking furiously, he forced his eyes open. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust.
The vision that greeted him knocked the wind out of his lungs and forced his knees to turn to water. His heart skipped a beat; his breath escaping from his lips in a cry of abject horror.
"SAM!"
There he was; the sole recipient of all his love and affection. His little brother, whom he had sworn to watch over and protect for as long as his heart continued to little brother, who was currently tied and restrained on a cold, steel table. His little brother, who was staring at him through terrified, watery eyes; beseeching him to save him.
Dean willed his frozen legs to move but they remained unresponsive. He wanted to move; to help Sam. But his body refused to budge.
"Dean…" Sam begged.
"Sammy…."
"Don't do this. Please don't do this…."
"What…?"
"I'm sorry, Dean. I am. Please don't…."
He stared at Sam in dazed confusion. Sam's pleas churned in his head incomprehensibly. 'What's going on?'
A new voice sliced through his thoughts and cruelly yanked him back to the situation at hand. The voice was morbidly familiar .Cold, sharp, intimidating and deadly. It wafted through him and chilled him to the bone.
"Go ahead, Dean."
Alistair.
He shivered involuntarily. Abruptly, his hands closed around the hilt of a long, jagged knife that had materialized out of thin air. Alistair's message became hauntingly clear.
No…no….nonononononononon…..
"Do it, Dean." Alistair snapped authoritatively.
No…He couldn't hurt Sam….he wouldn't…..
"Do it now, Dean. Or you will suffer the consequences." The demon whispered in his ear.
"N…n..no…"
"No?"
"I can't….please….anything but that….anything….." He pleaded.
"Well, since you insist on disobeying me, you leave me no choice but to deal out your punishment." Alistair declared, with fake regret unsuccessfully masking his obvious glee.
And just as the notorious demon uttered those words, Dean found himself strapped to a steel table akin to the one his brother occupied. Panic struck him like a bolt of lightening. He thrashed violently, fighting against the bonds that pinned him. Fear….raw, primal fear coursed through his veins and threatened to drown him in it's terrifying intensity.
"Don't worry, Dean. I'm not going to hurt you yet. But since you so blatantly refuse to do as I say, I will have to do the established task myself." Alistair said, walking purposefully to his younger brother.
Dean choked in fear at the new turn of events. This was worse, so much worse than his earlier assumptions. The goddamned demon was going to hurt his little brother and there was nothing he could do about it; nothing but beg for clemency. And so he did.
"No….no…stop…please Alistair….don't….don't hurt him….please…." He pleaded shamelessly. Sammy was in danger. This was no time for his masculine pride. His pleas went unheard.
Alistair had reached Sam by now. The demon picked up a lethal knife and raised his arm. His heart hammered in his ribcage and then skipped a beat when he heard Sam's voice.
"No….no…Dean….help me….please….help me….."
Tears brimmed in his eyes as his brother begged him for intervention. But his body remained stuck on the wretched table; bound and useless. He had never felt more useless or hated himself more than he did when his brother's pained cry echoed throughout the room.
"Dean….do something….anything…..please…."
"I'm sorry Sammy….I am so, so sorry…"
"Argh….." Sam's scream, drenched in agony and distress, tore through him and shredded his insides. Burning moisture trailed down his eyes and saturated his face. He tried, but couldn't look away from the scarlet liquid coating his brother's body.
He had failed. He couldn't protect Sammy. This was the worse kind of torture. His brother was being hurt and he was helpless to prevent it.
"Please….Alistair….don't hurt Sam…please…do what you want with me…please…..let Sam go…" He sobbed out.
Alistair paused in his ministrations. "Hmm…..how noble. You want to take your brother's place on the rack. And pray why should I listen to your proposition?"
"Please. I'm begging you."
"You do make a splendid sight, I admit. Dean Winchester, groveling for his brother's life." Alistair cackled humorously and then his icy eyes lit up with an insane glint. "Very well, Dean. I shall grant you your wish."
Alistair stalked towards him, his knife covered in Sammy's blood. The demon caressed his cheeks. He flinched at the feel of claws raking at his skin.
He felt the sharp tip of the lethal knife digging into his shoulder. A cry sounded from his lips as the knife was dragged down, creating a crimson line on his chest. He felt the excruciating agony blistering just below his skin. The knife traveled deep into his chest and scratched against his ribs. It was his turn to cry out in pain.
Time lost all meaning. He had no idea how long it had been since the torture started. It felt like days, weeks, months had passed. The pain was his only constant. Everything else blurred into the background. Eventually, he lost the will to fight. He forgot the reason for his self-inflicted torture. He forgot the little brother he had vowed to protect.
"Stop…please stop…I'll do anything you want…..anything…..just stop…."
Alistair grinned triumphantly. "Well then, let's try this again." He was on his feet again as is restraints vanished. "Take the knife, Dean. Your victim's waiting."
As Dean walked up to Sam, the transformation was apparent. Gone was the happy, kindred spirit that had lived and died for his brother. Instead, in his place was a dark, morphed soul that had been irrevocably twisted and broken by hell.
"Dean….Dean don't….please don't…..don't hurt me….."
He didn't reply. His brain did not register his brother's voice. It only knew Alistair and the pain. And Alistair wanted him to cause pain.
"No…no…Dean….don't hurt me….please don't hurt me…you're my brother…" Sam pleaded.
He gripped the knife and proceeded to carve his victim.
Sam howled in pain.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO…."
Dean jumped out of bed in panic, almost falling out in the process. His racing breathing echoed loudly in his ears, drowning every other sound. After a while, a constant babbling became known to him.
"Dean…calm down….it's okay….it's okay….you're alright…please calm down…."
But Dean was too shaken up to pay his anxious brother any mind. His thoughts and fears circled his mind in a nauseating whirlpool. But despite the convoluted nightmare he had just had, of two things he was absolutely certain. One: His nightmares were not nightmares at all. They were some sort of projections that Alistair had slipped into his head with the objective of breaking his spirit. And Two: The message of his most reason dream-walk was clear; Alistair was not above hurting Sam to get to him.
Dean shivered at this realisation. The cogs of his mind, greased by a possible threat against Sam, worked overtime. He searched for some relief, some solution that would make everything alright. He didn't dare consider the alternative.
His brother's soft voice interrupted his reverie.
"Dean, what's wrong?"
Unable to find his voice again, Dean just shook his head. His thoughts ran a mile a minute, going through every possible scenario, trying to predict Alistair's next move, contemplating his counter-action. One thought remained foremost in his mind; 'protect Sam.'
"Dean, talk to me." Sam ordered, in a gentle but firm voice. The unexpected authority in Sam's voice caused him to snap his head up and look at Sam for the first time since he had woken up.
Sam's worried, concerned face hit him like a ton of bricks. Scenes from his most recent dream clouded his vision and left him staggering. Sam's scared face as he begged Dean to save him, Sam's pained cry as Alistair tortured him, Sam's hurt and disbelieving expression as his own brother took the knife to his body, Sam begging his elder brother for mercy….
Dean clamped his lips against the nausea building inside him and looked away. Oh God, what had he done? He had to get away. He had to get away NOW.
"Dean?"
No, Sam couldn't know. No one could know. He had to get away.
He lurched from his bed and stormed through the door, ignoring Sam's surprised exclamation. He ran down the stairs and grabbed his jacket and his keys from the living room table. Unexpectedly, Gabriel of all people entered the room through the kitchen.
"Where are you going, kiddo?"
Dean burst through the front door, taking no notice of his brother or the archangel, got into the impala, and drove away like there was no tomorrow.
AN: if anyone is confused, Dean's dream was Alistair's creation and not the actual reality. So Dean did not actually make the choice to hurt Sam. Nor does this imply that he ever will. That is just what Alistair wants him to believe.
So, if you're not too creeped out by this chapter, do leave me a review!