Disclaimer: Again, I don't own the boys..Kripke does. But if you go back and read Chapter 3 you will get the gist of what I would do to them. Well, what I would do to Dean anyway. *evil grin..then runs to take a cold shower.
Far From Home
Chapter Seven
Sam finished pouring the gasoline on the body that he had just dug up. He lit the match and stepped back as the flames erupted. He watched for a minute, then turned and grabbed the shovel and his green duffel bag. He realized for about the hundredth time how sore he was. Digging up graves was so much easier when it was him and Dean. In truth it was usually him doing most of the work, but at least when Dean was there the time went faster. Listening to his brother regale his exploits of the current week had used to get on his nerves. But now he missed it so much. He wasn't just physically tired. He was bone weary. He missed Dean more and more everyday. His stupid pranks, his bossiness, his God awful taste in music. Hell, he even missed the damn car. The Impala had been really the only true home that he and his older brother had ever had. They had shared and seen so much in that car. Sam sighed as he walked across the graveyard. This last haunting had been a run of the mill one. The usual spirit that was pissed that it was dead. He had made short work of it. Always keeping under the radar. Even though he longed to see his brother, Dean finding out that Sam was back was the last thing he wanted. Dean deserved to live out the rest of his days in relative quiet. The man had literally been to hell and back. And Lisa could give him that. Not Sam. Not anymore. So everyday, even though it killed him inside, he stayed dead to Dean. It was the greatest gift he could give him after Dean had given his little brother so much his whole life. Dean was his father, mother, brother, best friend, protector and more times than not Sam's conscience. He had stood by him through the whole mess with Ruby. Listened to him when he needed to talk about Jess. Stuck up for him when his father, John, rode his ass too hard and kicked him in the ass when Sam needed it. Shit, the guy even went to hell for him. But the most important time Dean had been there was in Stull Cemetery. He had showed up blasting Def Leppard's "Rock of Ages" from the Impala. True to his form, Dean smugly told Lucifer to kiss his ass. Sam will never forget what he heard Dean say to him that helped him get clear enough to beat Lucifer back at the last second. When he was about to crush Dean's skull he looked up and saw the little green army man crammed into the ashtray. The one that his brother had refused to remove. And all his memories came flooding back. He told Dean he was okay, then took one last look and jumped. Adam, his younger half brother had become Michael's vessel and in trying to stop Sam, ended up falling in there with him. Then the night of his return, standing outside Dean and Lisa's house, he warred with himself on whether he should just go knock on the door. He stood out on the sidewalk for the longest time just watching through the front window at the family inside. Finally he decided to just walk away. To not complicate his big brother's life anymore. Yeah, he missed him, but it was for the best.
Sam finally reached the Jeep. As he was throwing the stuff in the backseat, he heard the familiar flutter of wings. He smiled to himself. "Hey Cas. Long time, no see." he said, turning around to face the Angel. "How've ya been?"
Castiel still hadn't changed a bit. He still wore the same shirt and tie. The same tan trench coat. Those piercing blue eyes still held so many secrets in them. His vessel Jimmy had been an average guy. Had a wife and a daughter, a house, a job. But he gave it all up to let Castiel take up residence inside his body. Once, when Castiel thought he was finished with him, he let the man return home. His family had thought him dead. He told them he was in a mental hospital. He was actually at the dinner table when the demon attacked in the form of his best friend. They took his wife and little girl. He did the only thing he could think of. He naturally called the Winchester brothers. Surely they could get them back for him. When one of the demons attacked his daughter it became quickly apparent that angel was now using her, something Jimmy couldn't allow. She was his light, his everything. So he sacrificed himself for her. He was dying anyway. He said his goodbyes and then it was over. His soul went to heaven but his body stayed down here to do the Lord's work.
"I have been fine. But this isn't a social call." Cas said finally.
Sam chuckled, "Is it ever?" Climbing into the Jeep, he smiled at the angel who had eventually become his friend. "Hop in."
Cas just shook his head. "There is no time for talking now. Sam, he is in trouble. He needs you."
Sam inhaled a sharp gasp of breath. He took a moment to collect his thoughts. Looking at the angel he finally shook his head. "I can't. I already explained why I don't want Dean to know about me being here." The younger Winchester had met with Castiel shortly after his return topside. Upon explaining his reasons for walking away from his brother, the angel simply nodded and told him that he understood. "Dean knows if he needs anything he can just call Bobby. Hell, he can call you if it's that bad. But I can't do anything but drag him back into this shit, and I don't want that Cas. I couldn't live with myself if I did that to him again. He deserves his rest."
"You don't understand Sam. He is facing something he isn't prepared for." Cas replied.
"Is he hunting again?" Sam was pissed. "God damn it Dean. You just can't leave well enough alone can you?"
The Angel simply nodded. "It isn't a hunt that he is having a problem with, but it is a demon. And it's powerful Sam. He does not realize just who she is." "As it stands, I believe that you are his only hope. It's you or me at this point. And believe me when I tell you, he will not like me taking care of it. It will break him." Castiel approached Sam and placed a hand on his shoulder. "His life is not as "apple pie" as you think." he finished.
Sam stood back up, and hit the side of the Jeep in frustration. Stilling himself, he took a breath. "Where is he?"
"He is at Bobby's." And with that Castiel was gone, leaving Sam to decided for himself the direction he would take. He knew that if he showed back up, Dean was going to be pissed at him. He knew that he would constantly question Sam's intentions. He knew that Dean would never trust him again after having had Lucifer take up shop inside of him. That he could easily live with. What he couldn't stand was the knowledge that even with all of that, Dean would still have some suicidal compulsion to protect Sam again. It had been most of the weight that the man had carried on his shoulders his whole life. The older brother didn't need his little brother around making his life miserable again. And Sam was doing better at being alone. He worked at a restaurant to make ends meet. He was even thinking about maybe going back to school to finish what he started so long ago. "Christ.." he thought to himself. It felt like his old life wasn't even real anymore. So many things had happened since the night Jess died. He had seen more horrors in this God forsaken world than any one person should in their lifetime. He still didn't understand why the big guy upstairs had pulled him out. Far be it from him to questions God's intentions with this. But until he got those answers, he would continue to do what came naturally to him. That was to hunt. But Dean didn't have to do that anymore. He was still pissed that his brother was doing this again. Why would he want to? Sam shook his head in frustration. He knew what was best for everyone. Struggling with his feelings, Sam climbed back into the Jeep and turned the ignition. Throwing the vehicle into gear, he turned and pointed it in the opposite direction from where he was facing. He sat for a minute longer before finally pressing the gas pedal down and driving out of the cemetery.