Author's Note - This follows the last six episodes of season three(minus Ghostfacers), I just added my own character into the mix and a few more things. I don't own any of the characters or the episodes, just Apple and the plot following the NRFTW. Let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Review please. (:

It's too late to fight, it ends tonight
Chapter Eighteen

"Alright, no matter what you hear. You, your husband, and your daughter stay in the basement." Dean ordered as he opened the basement door for Mrs. Fremont and her daughter and followed them down to check the salt lines. Apple, Sam, and Ruby stood in the hallway as they watched Dean disappear.

"Well, I hate to be a 'told you so.'" Ruby said with a slight grin.

"Alright Ruby, where is she?"

"I don't know." The group entered the living room and Apple sat carefully on the arm of the couch while Sam and Ruby stood face to face.

"Could she get past the sprinklers?" Apple asked.

"Her pay grade, she ain't sweating the holy water."

"Okay, you win. What do I have to do?"

Ruby and Apple looked at Sam questioningly. "What do you mean?"

"To save Dean." Sam asked as Dean appeared behind him. Apple knew this wasn't going to be good. "What do you need me to do?"

Dean grabbed Sam from behind in an attempt to turn him around. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Just shut up for a second," he snapped as he pulled loose from Dean. "Ruby!"

"You had your chance. You can't just flip a switch. We needed time," she answered simply.

Dean came up behind Sam once more and grabbed him. "Don't, Dean! I'm not gonna let you go to hell, Dean!"

"Yes, you are!" Dean shouted. Apple moved quietly from her perch and stood beside the men. "Yes, you are." Dean repeated, his voice much calmer than it had been before. The pair just stared at him. "I'm sorry. I mean this is all my fault, I know that. But what you're doing, Sam, it's not gonna save me. It's only gonna kill you."

Sam looked away from Dean, tears brimmed in his hazel eyes. "Then, what am I supposed to do?"

"Keep fighting," Dean turned to Apple when he said this. He made sure she knew this was for her as well as his younger brother. "Take care of my wheels, take care of Apple, watch after yourself, Sammy. Remember what dad taught you... okay?" Apple and Sam nodded. A tear slid down Apple's cheek as she listened to Dean. "And remember what I taught you, what I taught both of you, what I've told both of you..."

Tears built up in Dean's green eyes as the grandfather clock chimed, it let them all know midnight was there. Apple, Sam, and Dean stood silent as all three of them looked at the clock. Sam and Apple watched Dean, tears slid down their faces as Dean just gave a small smile and fought to hold back his own tears.

Apple couldn't let him go, she just couldn't. She wouldn't. With sure steps she made herself stand in front of Dean, her hand wrapped around the back of his neck as she pulled his face down to meet hers. Her lips crashed against his in an intense and urgent kiss. Her heart broke as he pulled away; it crashed to the floor and landed in a million tiny pieces.

"I'm sorry, Dean. I wouldn't wish this upon my worst enemy." Apple heard Ruby say, and another tear rolled down her already damp cheeks.

Dean's face fell as he heard the sound he knew only he and Ruby could hear. He turned and looked at the direction the growl had come from. "Hellhound," he whispered.

"Where?" Sam asked.

"There."

Ruby felt her own face fall as she finally looked at the dog. Seconds had passed, and finally all four bolted out of the room. They ran into an at home office and slammed the door in the face of the hound.

X - X- X- X

Dean removed a bag of gofer dust out of the pocket of jacket and began to spread the contents of the bag in front of the door. The ruckus the hellhound had made suddenly stopped and the group stood still. Dean tossed the bag to Apple who immediately began to pour it on the windowsill.

"Give me the knife, maybe I can fight it off," Ruby said to Sam who only gave her a confused sort of look.

"What?"

"Come on! That dust won't last forever!"

Dean turned around and looked at them from behind Apple. After a moment, Sam took out the knife and was ready to hand it over to Ruby when Dean called for him to wait.

"You wanna die?" Ruby asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Sam, that's not Ruby. It's not Ruby!" Dean said.

Sam turned to look at Ruby. She didn't even blink as Sam and Apple were flung hard up against the wall, pinned there. Sam dropped the knife that had been in his hands and watched helplessly as it slid to the floor. Ruby then turned to Dean who stared at her, shocked. She smiled slightly as she flung him onto a table and effectively pinned him there. Dean grunted as he held his head up to look at Ruby once more. Sam and Apple looked from Dean to Ruby.

"How long have you been in her?" Dean asked.

Ruby's entire face seemed to change; it became almost childlike. She shrugged her shoulders and smiled slightly. "Not long," was Lilith's reply. She looked down at the body she had possessed before she looked back up. "But I like it. It's all grown up and pretty." She looked at Dean, her eyes turned white before she looked at Sam and Apple.

"Where's Ruby?" Apple asked as she watched Lilith's eyes turn back to their normal color.

"She was a very bad girl, so I sent her far, far away."

"You know, I should have seen it before... but you all look alike to me." Dean said from his position on the table.

Lilith ignored Dean as she made her way toward Sam. "Hello, Sam. I've wanted to meet you for a very long time." She grabbed hold of his chin and forced him to look at her. Against his will, she pressed her lips to his. Apple could have sworn she heard a small sizzle as their lips met.

"Your lips are soft." Lilith muttered as she pulled away.

Sam moved his head up and to side as he attempted to get Lilith's fingers away from his face. Apple watched with pity and pure rage at the fact that she wasn't able to do anything but stay against the wall. "Right, so you have me. Let my brother go." Sam said as he looked down at her.

"Silly goose. You wanna bargain, you have to have something I want. You don't." Apple turned her gaze on Lilith finally, her eyes glared daggers into the demon. Lilith met Apple's glare and smiled. Her fingers ran gently over Apple's cheek and Apple shook her head in an attempt to get rid of girl's touch. "And you, you've been bad too. Helping the brothers out. Tsk, tsk. Shame on you."

"Yeah, you see, I would care but I just really don't like you." Apple said. Suddenly, Apple's heart began to hurt. It literally felt as if someone had put their hand in her chest and squeezed her heart in the palm of their hand. She let out a scream and wriggled around as she tired to get away from the pain.

"Hey! Blondie!" Dean called. Lilith turned to look at him, her gaze moved away from Apple. Dean watched as the brunette girl tried to steady her breath; her body shook, and even more tears ran down her cheeks. "So, is this your big plan, huh? Drag me to hell. Kill Sam and Apple. And then what? Become queen bitch?" Dean asked as he distracted the demon.

"I don't have to answer to puppy chow." Lilith answered. Lilith wasn't stupid. She knew Dean had only called to her in an attempt to get her away from the girl pinned next to Sam. To be honest, Lilith didn't care, she was bored of that anyway. Amusement was evident in her eyes as she watched pain flood Dean's eyes as he held himself up against the hold she had on him.

Dean's eyes followed the blond as she walked toward the door. Her hand grasped the handle and a small grin graced her lips. "Sick 'em, boy."

Sam snapped his head toward Dean as the words left her mouth. Apple had managed to get enough strength to do the same; her eyes locked with Dean's and wasn't even sure what emotion she had conveyed to him. They watched the gofer dust as it flew away from the door as something ran into the room. Lilith just smiled and laughed as she watched the hellhound run to the table.

The dog grabbed Dean by his leg and pulled the man to the floor. Dean screamed as it tore at his leg. Apple and Sam could do nothing but stare in horror, both felt helpless, scared, and panicked.

"No! Stop!" Sam cried.

Lilith just looked over at him and then down at Dean who struggled on the floor. The hound had finished it's work on his leg and attacked his chest. Another scream escaped his lips at it tore at him; he couldn't breathe, it hurt to much, everything hurt him.

"Stop it!" Apple managed to yell as tears poured down her cheeks.

Lilith just continued to watch with a smile. The hound slashed at Dean's back and shoulder. "No!" Sam yelled. He watched as his brother was flipped onto his back and the hound slashed at his chest once more as blood gushed out. "No. Stop it," he pleaded.

Apple's blue eyes watched in horror as blood poured out of Dean's chest. The screams had stopped and that chilled her to the bone. "No. Stop it." It was her turn to plead now. If Apple thought what Lilith had done to her earlier had been bad, nothing compared to what she felt now. Her heart seemed to have stilled in her chest, and every breath felt like ice cold air to her lungs.

Dean fought for his last breaths, he was tired; so tired. He couldn't fight anymore. His eyes barely made it to where Apple and Sam stood pinned against the wall. His eyes connected with Sam's, then at last they landed on Apple's brilliant blue eyes. They stood out more than anything else around him, he tried to hold on to her gaze; tried to hold on to the warmth they let off even though he was sure she didn't realize they still held warmth for him. Her eyes felt like home to him, something he had waited a lifetime to feel again. He blinked once, two tears ran down his cheeks. One, for the brother he had given his life for; he loved his brother, and if he had to do everything over again, he would. The other was for the girl he hadn't known but three months and it already felt like a lifetime; it fell for the girl he loved and hoped she knew he meant every word he had said. He sucked in one last, painful breath and exhaled it slowly.

"NO!" Sam and Apple cried as they watched Dean stilled.

Lilith smiled at the pair. "Yes," she said gleefully. She held her hand up and white light erupted all around them. Sam turned his head and Apple did the same, eyes shut tightly. Suddenly, the white light was retracted, Lilith's once pure white eyes turned back into their normal color. She looked at the brunette man and woman; a mix of confusion and shock on her face. Somehow, Apple and Sam had ended up curled up on the floor next to a cabinet. Sam's arm was drawn protectively around Apple while his free hand did its best to protect his face. After he noticed that nothing had happened and the light had vanished, he slowly took his hand down. He shook Apple lightly and she removed her head from the protection of his broad shoulder.

Sam stood to his feet and gently pulled Apple up with him. Lilith looked down at the floor, afraid. She held out her hand once more and stared. "Back," she commanded. "I said, back," Lilith repeated as Sam walked toward her.

With a determined look on his face, Sam bent down and picked up Ruby's knife. Lilith looked extremely afraid still, and he looked just as determined and hateful. "I don't think so."

He pulled his hand back, and motioned to stab her but Lilith suddenly exited Ruby's body. The black smoke shot out of her body as she screamed and exited through the ventilation in the roof.

Apple finally found the strength to join Sam, she stood by his side as they looked at the bodies of Dean and Ruby. She watched as Sam slowly walked toward Dean; he started to cry as he bent down next to his brother's still body. He picked Dean up, and held his head close to his chest. Apple was at his side in no time, her fingers trailed lightly over Dean's jaw as tears poured down her own cheeks.

"No... No... Dean..." Sam said, his voice choked with tears.

"Dean," Apple whispered sadly as she kissed his cold lips. "I'm sorry."

X – X – X - X

"Help! No! Somebody help me!" Dean yelled. He looked around and saw that he was alone, utterly and completely alone. A chill set in as he listened to thunder as it rumbled all around him.

He was stuck. Hooks were plunged into various parts of his body and any sort of movement ripped at him, slowly. He couldn't see where the chains from the hooks went; they seemed to go on forever into oblivion. He closed his eyes and felt pure loneliness. He wanted his Apple, he wanted his Sammy, he wanted his Impala; he wanted everything back. He missed his girl, and his brother. He, for what felt like the first time in his life, was completely terrified.

"Sam! Apple!" He screamed helplessly.

(chapter title: it ends tonight - all american rejects)