§ Shut up, Dean. Playing the blame game isn't gong to get us anywhere. We can go over our mistakes another time! §
And he proceeded to tell Dean all that Death had said.
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Chapter Seven
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Uncharacteristically for him, Dean listened to Sam's explanation in complete silence.
§ Dean, what do you think? §
§ I think it's the most crappy, stupid, idiotic, imbecile idea I have ever heard. It's not so much the soul part as Death probably wouldn't double cross us anyway, 'cause if he wanted us dead, well…he is Death after all…..! So killing us would be like swatting a fly for him, but you'd be walking into the lion's mouth.
If Crowley gets a whiff of you being in Hell you'd be toast, and before you know it the C's would have cashed in on the Purgatory souls and I would have lost a frickin' stupid, always ready to throw himself into danger, little brother. §
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§ Dean… listen! § Sam's mind-voice insisted earnestly.
§ We don't know that Crowley and Cas will keep their word to let you go free even if they get my soul. I mean, why should they? Crowley already has you in Hell; once I'm gone all he needs to do is to throw you into the flames and toast your ass till you become a demon like all the rest.
At least this way we'd be going on the offensive; doing something instead of waiting for the axe to fall. Then if we go out; we go out together. §
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§ Listen Sam, I don't mind going out, but if they use your soul to open Purgatory, you will no longer exist at all; you'll disappear from creation.
I'm not going to chance that!
Just give them the friggin' location of the back door to Purgatory and let them do whatever the crap they want. You and I have given enough! I'm not losing you, Sammy. You got that. If you do somethin' stupid, I'll kill you myself! §
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Sam sighed. There was nothing to say. If the situation was reversed he would feel exactly the same, but the C's had made this close up and personal and Sam didn't want to give them anything. He didn't want to surrender; this time he wanted to win!
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§ I'll get back to you Dean. I'm gonna go and see what Bobby says. §
§ Sammy, promise me you will not do anything without telling me first. You know you can be a secretive little bitch sometimes. §
Sam heard the fear and affection in his brother's mind-voice and he solemnly promised what Dean had asked.
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"Well, boy," Bobby drawled as Sam closed the front door behind him. "That cold Dakota air out there clear your mind any?"
"I got a few things to tell you Bobby," Sam answered, nodding towards Meg."In private."
"Come on then, son. Ain't anywhere more private than downstairs."
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Inside the panic room, Bobby pushed off his cap, scratched his head and replaced the tattered headgear.
"You're intending go through with this, aren't you?" he grunted finally. "You're not asking my opinion!"
Sam pursed his lips together. "I'm fed up with it all Bobby. All these years; all the crap we've been handed out by these so called superior beings who haven't a crumb of humanity or pity in their bodies. All they think about is their own agendas and how to get what they want.
Dean and I, we've been through so much and yet they never leave us alone. They always want more and more!
There's no guarantee that they'll let Dean go free. I don't want to take the chance."
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"Okay, Sam. You always were a stubborn kid. What's the plan? I presume you got one!"
"Well, not really," Sam grimaced, guessing what Bobby's comment would be.
"I'll take Meg with me. She'll be my guide and then once I'm in Hell, I'll just sort of play it by ear," Sam answered reluctantly.
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"God save me from you Winchesters. You two are gonna be the death of me," Bobby snorted.
"Will Meg help you out? She's just after getting her ass out of Hell by the skin of her teeth. Don't think she'll care much for going back in."
Sam's face grew hard. "She either comes with me or I send her straight back to Hell anyway, gift-wrapped for Crowley."
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Bobby studied the young man seated across from him and was suddenly glad he wasn't on the receiving end of Sam's anger. Maybe the kid would manage to get Dean out after all.
"All right, Sam. Let's go see what her royal highness the ex-queen of Hell has to say."
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Meg had plenty to say, all of it about not setting foot in the Pit ever again.
"Either you come voluntarily and lead me to Dean, or I send you back. It's up to you Meg. I can't promise but I'll do all I can to pull you out with me and Dean if you collaborate."
"Apart from me, you do know that this is suicide, Sam?" Meg insisted. "There's no way you won't be recognised in Hell. As soon as you set foot in the place you'll be dragged off to Crowley."
"You just worry about getting me to Dean. I'll worry about being recognised. You told me you still had followers in Hell. That true?"
Meg nodded.
"Right, so we go tomorrow morning at dawn. Is this out of the way Devil's Gate you came through far from here?"
"No."
"Okay then, tomorrow it is!" Sam declared before heading towards the stairs
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He went upstairs to the room he shared with Dean, the same one they had used since they were kids. He threw himself down on the bed and opened the link to his brother.
§ Dean… §
§ You've decided to come in and get me haven't you Sammy? § Dean declared.
There was no need for Sam to answer. Their telepathic link was instantaneous.
§ There's nothing I can say to change your mind, is there? §
The question was rhetorical; Dean felt everything through the link.
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The brothers let their minds entwine as they comforted one another, dropping off to sleep lulled in their mental embrace.
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Bobby stopped the car in the shade of the overhanging mountains, the faces of the Rushmore Memorial towering above them.
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"Shit of a place for a Devil's Gate!" Bobby grouched as he set up the spell for calling Death.
Sam had been as irremovable this morning as he had been the night before, and Bobby wasn't going to waste any more words on the matter.
Before long the gaunt figure of Death stood before them.
"Sam. You have decided to go into Hell?" Death asked, as Meg looked on in awe at the exchange.
"Yes," Sam answered curtly, any qualms he had were pushed way down; he was doing this for Dean and his fear be damned.
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"Come on Sam,' Bobby said gruffly. 'Get your ass in the Impala; there's no way I can drag it in when you go downside."
Sam opened the back door of the car and stretched his body along the back seat, folding in his long legs.
Bobby recited the spell to open the Devil's Gate while Death placed his hand on Sam's body.
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A second later he was immersed in the sulphuric stink and red glow of Hell with Meg's smoke standing beside him. Sam looked down at himself. As far as he could see, he still had his earthly body.
"What do you see when you look at me Meg?" he asked, worried now that he would still look like Sam Winchester to any other demons they might encounter.
"Don't worry, Sam" she snarked. "If I hadn't seen it myself; I wouldn't have believed it. Your soul looks as black as all the others in here. No one could ever tell that you're the woobie, goody-goody, ethical Sammy Winchester"
He would brood about that fact later. Now they had to find Dean.
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Four demons souls approached them furtively from a side tunnel.
Sam huffed. "Don't tell me that four is the number of followers you had as queen, Meg. No wonder Crowley took back his throne as quickly."
"Demons are turncoats," she answered pissed. "As soon as Crowley showed his face they fawned all over him again!"
"Okay, we can debate demon loyalty another time. Lead me to Dean."
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Meg conferred with the demons.
"They have seen Dean. They can take us to him but we we'll need to be careful and keep to the back roads."
"Let's go," Sam ordered, indicating for Meg and her cronies to take the lead.
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§ I'm in Dean. I'm coming, bro. §
§ Be careful, Sammy. Be careful! §
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XXXX TBC XXXX