Disclaimer: After a hundred of these things I should at least be able to borrow them for a while…

A/N: Hey y'all… a hundred one shots! Good God, I have no life… wow. This took a bit longer than I'd hoped to finish because I wanted story 100 to be something a little bit special. And if nothing else it is special in the fact that I have a new warning with this one. Ready? Here it goes… yes people, this is a death fic… but please don't go! Because although yes it is one, I beg of you to still read it. Even those that don't like death fics, I promise you won't be disappointed or hate me at the end. And if you're really hesitant to read it still, just skip to the end and read the last sentence… maybe that will help.

So yes… I hope you enjoy this story of mine, and I really hope you celebrate with me my lack of a real life and review story number 100!

Title: Life After Death
Genre: This is a little iffy… I guess it's got a bit of everything in it… I don't want to give much away.
Summary: Sam and Dean Winchester are hunters at heart, and fighting valiantly finally succumb to the evils of earth. But that doesn't necessarily mean that life is over.

Life After Death

Two and a half months had passed and Dean wished he'd never looked for Sam. Wished he'd stuck with the initial fear that Sam had died by some demon. Or maybe that he'd gotten sick and like a wounded dog had run off somewhere to die. Hell, Dean wished now that Sam had been taken by some evil asshole and was being used as a sickening bargaining chip.

Anything but this.

"Sammy!"

His brother lay on the floor in the old church barely supported by his weak arms. Wind and invisible screams filled the air and Dean ran as fast as he could to his little brother.

"Sam…Sam!" Dean lifted Sam's heavy head up to look into his partially closed eyes, "Sammy what did you do?"

That was a stupid question. Dean knew instantly what his brother had done. The nearby chair with a barely coherently conscious Ruby and the several books and needles nearby gave it away. Not to mention the noise and chaos which washed through the night air. Dean always figured it would be loud.

Sam had closed the gates of hell.

"Sam… hey, hey!" Dean attempted to support Sam's head as he feebly tried to blink the tears from his eyes, "Sammy… please. Look at me."

Sam's whole body trembled as sweat clung to his pale skin, "Dean…?"

"Yeah it's me Sammy," Dean swept his hand through Sam's hair, "I'm here."

Sam opened his mouth to speak, though nothing but gurgled sound escaped as blood trickled slowly from his lips.

"Sam…no… no, Sammy," Dean squeezed his eyes shut as he sat half crouched on the ground clutching the youngest Winchester, "Why Sam…"

No answer to the rhetorical question was given as Sam's body stopped moving and the noise in the room increased as several black entities swam around the old church. Dean's sobs escaped through him as he held tighter onto his brother's lifeless body.

"I'm sorry Sammy… I'm so sorry," Dean buried his face into Sam's matted hair and let the tears fall.

Sam was gone, and Dean knew even if the gates of hell were closed this was no longer an earth he wanted to live in. Angered cries of demon's whose portal was being permanently sealed were increasing and Dean quickly gave in to fact that the only thing that mattered was holding his brother close and letting the demons do what they'd been trying to do to him his entire life.

Dean would never know which one actually killed him.

"Dean…"

"Dean."

Dean could hear the voice but refused to open his eyes. If he opened his eyes then things would be real again. If they stayed close then he could pretend that everything had been a dream; that he hadn't just been holding Sammy's dead body as pieces of evil shot around him. Maybe if he pretended he was asleep whoever was saying his name would leave him alone.

"Dean, angels don't sleep. I'm not sure what you're trying to do…"

Dean recognized the voice of Castiel and slowly opened his eyes. Much of his surroundings were dark, though Dean was able to distinguish the fact that he was sitting in his Impala which was parked haphazardly on a dusty back road. His driver side window was unwound, and Castiel stood patiently outside looking in.

"Cass… I, umm—" Dean blinked as the words sunk in, "What do you mean angel?"

"They don't sleep," Castiel frowned, "I thought you knew that."

"Yeah I do," Dean quickly got out of the car, "Cass, am I an angel!?"

"Yes."

Dean looked around some more, and through the light of the car's headlights, could see that he was parked near some woods with the only other object in sight being a wooden door sitting unsupported in the middle of the road.

"What happened?" Dean's wide eyes finally landed back on his friend.

"You died," Castiel looked sympathetic, "I came to make sure you were okay."

"Okay?" Dean laughed in disbelief, "Of course I'm not okay Cass, I died! I gotta get back there… finish fighting, I—"

"Dean," a small smile creased Castiel's lips, "There is no war left to fight."

Dean frowned.

"It's over," Castiel explained, "I believe the saying is the good guys won."

"The gates closed," Dean breathed, feeling his head spin slightly, "It worked. Sam…" Dean swung his head towards Castiel, "Sammy… Castiel, what happened to my brother?"

"He came to heaven less than five minutes before you," Castiel supplied.

"Where is he?" Dean swallowed the lump in his throat.

"In his own heaven," Castiel motioned to the door, "We can go if you—"

Dean was already halfway to the door, and had it opened before Castiel even caught up. Immediate bright whiteness caused Dean to squint as he walked into a pristine hallway with back to back doors reading 'Dean J. Winchester'. His mouth a gap, Dean looked around in awe for a moment before being joined by his friend.

"This way," Castiel spoke softly as he placed two fingers gently on Dean's forehead.

Instead of previous experiences of a similar event in which Dean felt as if his whole body had been ripped viciously through time and space, Dean now felt a quick, simple warmth go through his body and a brief moment of darkness before once again appearing in a white hallway with doors all around him.

These ones read 'Samuel L. Winchester'.

"Sammy," Dean breathed, "Where…?"

Castiel wordlessly opened the door they were standing in front of, and Dean rushed inside. He immediately found himself back in the bunker; two beers sitting on a table, and football playing on the tv. Before he had time to register much else, he heard his brother's voice.

"Dean!"

Swinging his head around, Dean caught sight of Sam rushing over only moments before the youngest Winchester's large arms wrapped around him. Dean laughed and returned the hug with gusto; dead or not, Dean was happy to see his brother.

"Sammy," Dean's voice cracked as he moved back and placed a hand on the side of Sam's face.

Sam smiled, "It's good to see you Dean."

Dean cleared his throat, "You too. Are you alright?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah, you?"

"I don't know man," Dean laughed, "I mean… we're dead dude."

"Yeah," Sam was breathing hard, making sure to keep physical contact with his brother has he held tightly onto his shirt, "Did… did it work though?"

Dean smiled and silently nodded his head.

"What happens now?" Sam then whispered, forcing his voice calm.

Dean shook his head, "I don't know. Cass?"

Only as Dean said this did Sam notice the patiently waiting angel standing a few feet away. Castiel looked as if he was watching a curious event unfold and took a few moments to reply.

"I thought that would be obvious," he finally spoke.

"Cass give us a break," Dean sighed in exasperation, "We just freaking saved the world."

Sam laughed.

"Well I thought you'd want to go home," Castiel hesitantly suggested.

"Home?" it was Sam's turn to give the quizzical look, "I thought… we're dead, right? Like… dead-dead. I thought we couldn't go back down there."

"You can't," Castiel agreed.

There was a long awkward silence before Dean finally looked at Sam and spoke deadpan, "Do you think he does this to us on purpose?"

"Follow me," Castiel turned around and walked through the lone door in the middle of the bunker.

Sam and Dean quickly followed after, and Dean found them once again in the white hallway of 'Samuel L. Winchester's'. Wordlessly Castiel placed a hand on either brother and two felt a warm rush before being brought to a nearly identical hallway. These doors simply had the inscription of 'Winchester' on it.

"That one," Castiel nodded towards the closest and before either Winchester could speak he disappeared.

"C'mon Sammy," Dean stepped forwards after a split second of hesitation.

Sam followed and the two walked through the door; being welcomed by bright sunshine and a warm breeze. Sam frowned momentarily in confusion, however Dean immediately recognized the large house in front of him.

"Oh God."

"Dean," Sam felt his breath catch in his throat, "Dean, this… is this…"

"Home." Dean felt the warm tears crawl down his face as he sped towards the front door.

The two had just made it to the front steps when the door opened.

"Hi boys."

John's grinning face sparkled with unshed tears.

"Dad," Dean choked and took the three large steps to his father's opened arms.

John held tight to his oldest as he let the warm tears fall soundlessly down his rough face. He had both been looking forward to this moment and dreading it.

"Sammy," John finally spoke with a small laugh as he moved back and looked at his youngest son.

Sam's face was one of shock as, along with all other members of the Winchester family, tears slipped unnoticed down his face.

"It's okay Sammy," John nodded trying desperately to keep his composure, "Everything is going to be okay. We won't leave you again. I promise."

"We…" Dean whispered, catching onto the word choice.

Unbeknownst to anyone, another person had silently come out of the house and now spoke, "Yes Sweetheart."

Dean let out a strangled sob of 'Mom' before half collapsing into Mary's arms. Still, Sam refused to move from his spot, and with a light laugh John walked down to him.

"Sam," John spoke carefully and placed a hand his shoulder.

Sam's eyes squeezed shut at the touch and he felt his entire body tremble.

"It's okay," John extending the small physical touch into a full hug which he was relieved to feel was returned enthusiastically.

"Dad," Sam's voice hitched as he sniffled loudly and moved back slightly looking up at the porch, "Mom."

John smiled and nodded, "We've been waiting for you two. You guys did a great job down there, but it's time to come home."

"Let's go," Mary spoke up, "I was just making some lunch, and Bobby will be here soon."

Dean enthusiastically followed Mary back into the house, and with his arm around Sam, John followed suit.

The End.