At first Sam was pissed. How could Dean do this to him? What made Dean think that Sam would be okay with him leaving? The whole go and live your life lecture did Dean think Sam was that stupid? Sam would never give up on his brother. Sam didn't want to have a life that didn't include his brother.
Eventually the anger turned into worry. Where did Dean go? Is he okay? What if something bad happens to him?
Sam's eyes widen with horror as he started to think of the worst case scenarios.
I gotta find him.
As Sam goes to his bag his phone suddenly rings. Sam quickly gets his phone out and presses the button.
"Dean?"
"Sam, it's Patrick."
"Patrick?" Sam clears his throat. "Is...Is Dean with you?"
A sigh came from the phone.
"He was with me yes."
Sam's hand tightens around the phone.
"Do you know where he went?"
"No, he wouldn't tell me. "
"What do you mean he wouldn't tell you? And why was he with you it's not his time yet? Patrick, what the Hell is going on? "
"Sam... " His voice trails off. "Maybe we should talk about this in person. "
"No...no you are gonna tell me right now! " Sam said his voice rising with anger.
Another sigh came from the witch.
"Fine. Sam I had no part in any of this I only just found out myself. What did Dean was his decision no one talked him into it. "
"Then why was he with you? "
"There was no arrangement between us. We bumped into each other. I knew something was wrong so I asked him and...he told me...everything."
"Right? " Sam nods. "Yeah sure he just told you of all people."
"It's complicated. "
"I'm gonna need more than that. "
"He...He was in a bad state last night. His decision it affected him massively. "
"Is he...is he okay? "
"Aye. I put him up for the night. Got the coffee down him in the morning and I ordered him a greasy fry up for breakfast. He's definitely sober now. "
"You said his decision affected him massively you just...let him go."
"I couldn't hold him hostage. We talked it over he was fine he wanted to leave so I let him. "
"You tell me this now? "
"He didn't want me to call you I shouldn't even be talking to you right now but I felt you had the right to know what's going on. As I said no one talked Dean into this he...He is doing this to protect you Sam. "
"Protect me? " Sam scoffs. "From what exactly?"
"You read the letter so you already know the answer to that question. "
"I don't need protecting! I know what I signed up for and I do not regret it. No matter what happens Dean will always be my big brother. "
"Of course. " The witch said with understanding. "But Sam, you might not see it now but eventually the age gap between you both will increase and the longer the age gap the more problems there will be Sam you can't hunt forever some day you will have to retire. What are you going to do? Be at home tucked in your blanket watching TV while Dean is out hunting? Dean is a hunter and we both know he is not going to give it up the apple pie life is not for him not now not with the Mark sticking round."
"Eventually your health will deteriorate." Patrick continued. "Your eyes, your hearing, your mobility all of it will..." Sam hears a snap of fingers from the phone. "It won't be the same. Your brother will have to be your carer he will have to look after you until the day you die. Do you really want to put your brother through all that pain? Do you really want Dean to see you slowly fading away? Dean wouldn't be able to cope without you the goodbye would be too hard for him the pain and upset will send him off the rails and he will hurt himself or possibly hurt someone else with the Mark anything is possible. My magic can only help him so much the rest is up to him that is why he made the decision to leave now so that way he can get used to being on his own he needs to learn to live without you. I know it's a horrible thing to say but it's true. Immortality comes with a price Dean is paying that price. So if I were you Sam I would take your brother's advice and go and live a full healthy life."
"Give me a game. " Sam cuts him off. "The deal you offered to Dean I want it to I'm all in."
"I can't. "
"Why? Cuz he told you? Huh? He told you to not give me a game Patrick I can make my own decisions and I want a game that way I won't age and I can be there for my brother. Please. "
"I'm sorry Sam but it's a no. Yes Dean did tell me to not give the deal but...I...my personal opinion I don't think the deal is a good idea."
"Why? "
'"As I just said immortality comes with a price, you lose your loved ones. Yes! You have Dean but everybody else they will die. You save lives it's your job but if you sign up for this you will lose more people than you would ever imagine and eventually the pain, the grief it will take a toll on you. That's why Lia gave up she couldn't handle it anymore. Do you think you can handle it? For Dean he has no choice but you...you have a choice you have the choice to live your life, you have the option to die and be at peace. "
"If you really think that then why are you still alive? "
"Because I have no one. " The witch sighs. "After Lia I...I carried on my own it's easier that way. What I felt when Lia died I...I don't ever want to feel like that again. I chose to be on my own. I been around for over 900 years Sam I can handle immortality I know how to live with it you but guys like you...You don't have the mentality for it. It won't be a easy journey for Dean but I can promise you we'll be there to help him. Me, the angel we will keep him on a good path I promise. "
It went silent for a few moments. Then Sam breaks the silence.
"I can handle it. I want the game."
"You're angry you're not in the right frame of mind to make such a life changing decision. How about this, I give you some time let you have some space to think things through if you still want the deal then...I'll see what I can do. "
"Believe me, I will find my brother and I will get that deal. "
"Dean doesn't want to be found. Dean is a exceptional hunter and if he doesn't want to be found...he will not be found."
" I guess we'll see. "
"Goodbye Sam...and good luck. "
Then the line went dead.
Business resumed as normal. Dean continued to see the witch every couple of years and he carried on hunting alone. He maintained contact with Castiel and assured him he was okay. Dean knew he couldn't contact Sam but he can let Cas pass on the message Dean might not be able to ever see his brother again but that didn't mean he wanted his brother to worry about him. Cas hated the situation and at times he asked Dean to consider going back to his brother but Dean said no. The angel couldn't argue with him once Dean made a decision no one is going to change his mind. Cas might not admit it out loud but deep down he knew Dean was right. One day Sam Winchester will die and Dean will officially be on his own. Cas had to be there for Dean as his friend. Right now Cas will do everything in his power to ensure Dean is okay. Cas' role is to protect the hunter and he will continue to do that as long as Dean is alive.
Crowley appeared whenever he felt like it. Most of the time to be nosy he even dropped in one of Dean's 'sessions' and called Patrick Dean's fountain of youth. That earned a chuckle from the witch while Dean rolled his eyes with annoyance.
One day Patrick received a call. He looks at the caller ID and presses the button.
"Dean."
"Patrick." Dean said his voice shaky.
Patrick frowns.
"Dean? What's wrong?"
"I missed the deadline. "
Patrick glances at the calender. He saw it was Dean's birthday. He is now the age he received the Mark. So this means...
Oh crap.
"Dean is the Mark back?"
"Yes! " Dean replied with a gasp. "I...I can't think straight. The urge it's back the Mark it's...Ahhh! "
A scream came from the hunter. The scream made the witch flinch.
That doesn't sound good.
"Dean, where are you now?"
Dean told him the location. Patrick scribbles the address down on a note pad.
"Okay I got it I'll try to be as quick as I can. Do you think you can hold on?"
"Yes." The hunter said his voice strained.
"You better I'm not helping you cover up a murder." The witch tried to joke. The hunter let's out another cry. Patrick grimaced at that. "Well uh...I'll see you soon."
Patrick ends the call. He cursed in another language before grabbing his jacket and leaving the hotel.
"Dean?"
Patrick taps on the door several times.
There is no response from the hunter.
"Dean?"
Patrick then sighs and steps back.
"Apertum!"
The door then unlocks and opens on its own. Patrick steps in. He scans the room. He then paused and his eyes land on a pair of cuffs that are cuffed to the radiator. As Patrick looked closer he noticed the cuffs are broken. The witch closes his eyes and sighs heavily.
"Ah crap!"
Suddenly the witch is slammed into the wall. The force of the hit knocked the air out of his lungs. Then a hand shoots out and grabs him by the throat. Patrick is lifted into the air. A chuckle came from his attacker. Patrick looks his attacker in the face.
Dean stared at him. His eyes are full of hunger and his lips are pulled back into a snarl. He looked feral, dangerous Patrick has never seen that look on him before. On the hunter's arm the Mark of Cain is angry red, it burned brightly it craved for blood.
"Dean!" Patrick gasps. "Stop!"
Dean again slams the witch into the wall. He tightens his hold on the witch's throat. Patrick's hands go on to Dean's. He tries to push the hunter off him but the strength from the Mark overpowered the witch. Dean wasn't going to stop until the witch is dead.
"Dean!" Patrick again gasped. "You can control this I know you can. Latch on to something, a memory, picture it in your head use it as your anchor. Come back to me Dean...COME BACK!"
Amusement flashed across those familiar green eyes. A smirk forms on the hunter's lips. The expression was so foreign to Dean's face. Patrick knew this isn't Dean this is the Mark.
The Mark has taken control.
"COME ON!" Patrick screamed. "YOU GOING TO LET THIS BASTARD TAKE OVER YOUR LIFE HUH? FIGHT BACK DEAN FIGHT BACK! SHOW THE MARK WHO IS BOSS! TAKE BACK CONTROL NOW!"
Just then Dean saw images of his brother. It is memories of Sam through the years all their moments together flashed through Dean's eyes. Dean's eyes widen with surprise.
"Sammy?"
Dean's vision became clear. The hunger and rage subsided Dean found himself in control again. His eyes then widen and he quickly drops the witch in shock. The hunter stumbles back a few steps wanting to put as much distance between him and the witch. He goes down by his bed and wraps his arms around his trembling body.
Patrick coughs a couple of times then he clears his throat.
"I have to say Dean you put me off breath play for life."
His smile fades when he saw the hunter's expression. The hunter is in shock, he is horrified by what he was about to do. A range of what ifs swirled in Dean's mind he thought of the worst possible scenarios. His thoughts stopped when a hand rests on his shoulder. Dean looks up and sees Patrick looking down at him.
"Dean, let's do the spell now okay?"
Dean gets to his feet. He follows the witch to the table and repeats the same process they do every time they do the spell. Once the spell is done Dean looks at his arm and sees the Mark is gone. He sighs and runs a hand down his face.
"I feel like a drug dealer." Patrick laughed. "I have to get you drugs to stop you from going into withdrawal if you know what I mean." He flashes a grin at the hunter. Dean wasn't laughing. The blank expression remained on his face. "Dean?"
"I almost killed you." Dean replied.
"The bruise on my neck can confirm that." Patrick joked. Dean cringed at that. Patrick sighs. "Dean it's okay I'm alive right?"
"What if I did kill you?" Dean waves his arms with frustration. "What if I killed someone else what if I..." He grits his teeth. The guilt showed in his eyes.
"But you didn't." Patrick nods. "You came back, you fought control you should be proud of yourself. Anyway...why were you late? You know the deal you know what would you happen if you missed the deadline... "
"I was on a hunt. Kids were being killed I...I couldn't leave until the case is done."
"Why didn't you call me? I could have come down and met up with you? "
"I...I guess I lost track of time."
"Okay." Patrick nods. "I'm changing the deal slightly from now on when it's approaching the deadline I will call you and I will come to you. No buts no excuses I will be there. If you are busy on a hunt... " He grins. "I can maybe help you speed up the process after all I been in the supernatural business much longer than you."
" You wanna help me on cases? "
"I just want to make sure that THIS does not happen again. Do you agree with the new changes? "
Dean shrugs.
"Sure, but don't get me in my way."
"Don't worry Dean." Patrick smirks. "I can defend myself. So...what are you going to do today birthday boy?"
Dean snorted at that.
"My birthday doesn't matter anymore."
Patrick shakes his head.
"You have a point but I think today we can make an expectation after all..." Patrick laughs. "I almost died I need to drink to that. Come on Dean I can show you the best places in town...I can get us into the VIP section. "
"How would you do that?"
"Dean." Patrick grins. "Welcome to my world."
Patrick managed to get him and Dean into this fancy bar and night club and they were both invited into the VIP section. How did that happen? Well Patrick had a few tricks up his sleeve. It amazed Dean how Patrick got away with it every time. Dean asked the witch but Patrick put a finger to his own lips and winked at the hunter. The witch is giving nothing away.
The hunter and the witch partied to the music. They both went through the shots and danced with the women. Dean flirted with the women while Patrick was more interested in stealing their bracelets he did also steal some wrist watches from the men while they were not looking.
Dean suddenly turns round when he hears his name being sung. A woman sways towards the hunter with a big grin on her face. In her hands is a massive birthday cake with Happy Birthday Dean written across it.
"Blow the candles out sugar." She purred at him.
Dean looks round with surprise. Patrick comes over and gives the woman a smile.
"Thank you Alexa." He takes the cake and nods to her. She nods back then she walks off. "Well? You going to blow the candles out and make a wish?"
Dean looks back down at the cake. His face is in childlike wonder.
A small smile spreads across his face as he leans forward and blows out the candles.
Few days later Dean couldn't stop thinking about the moment he attacked Patrick he couldn't get those images of Sam out of his head. Seeing those memories of Sam made old emotions stir up again and Dean found himself missing his brother all over again. It also made Dean curious he wondered what his brother was up to now. Cas and Crowley sometimes gave him updates about Sam but Dean wanted to see for himself he wanted to see his brother's face.
Dean sworn he would leave and never see Sam again but one look couldn't hurt right? Dean would be quick and he would make sure he is hidden.
Eventually Dean tracked down Sam's location. He parked few streets away and then made the rest of the way by foot. He goes behind these bushes and looks at the house across the street.
In the front of the house is a woman sat in a chair with her feet up. Suddenly a boy around the age of 4 or 5 came out and started running across the grass. Behind the boy is Sam.
"YOU CAN'T CATCH ME DADDY!" The boy screamed.
Daddy!
Sam suddenly goes down and scoops the child up. The boy squeals with shock as he is lifted off the ground.
"I caught you." Sam grins at the boy. "What were you saying about Daddy being slow? Huh?"
Sam starts tickling him. The boy cries out with laughter. He throws his head and laughs uncontrollably.
Dean watched the interaction with tears in his eyes. His brother is a Dad and that meant Dean is a uncle.
I'm a uncle!
Dean smiles at that. He did remember Cas telling him that Sam met someone on a hunt her name was Eileen Leahy the angel said they became really close she helped Sam through his darkest moments.
She helped him move on with his life.
They did that by starting a family.
"Alright Sam you made your point leave him alone now." Eileen laughed.
Sam puts the boy down.
"Dean time for dinner now wanna help me set up the table?" Eileen asks.
Dean?
The boy nods.
"Yes mommy."
He holds his mom's hand and goes inside. Sam stretches his back and looks round. He then looks over. Dean quickly backs away and walks into the next street.
Sam furrowed his eyebrows. He looks at the same spot for several moments until Eileen called him to come inside.
Dean rushes back to the Impala and gets inside. He rests his hands on the steering wheel and sighs heavily.
"I'll be Damm." Dean said to himself. "You actually did it you got yourself the perfect apple pie life." Dean smiles and nods. "I'm proud of you Sammy."
It was at that moment Dean knew his brother is going to be okay.
Shortly after dinner Sam goes into his bedroom. He opens a drawer and gets a box out. He opens it and takes a photo out. On the photo is him and his big brother. Sam stares at his brother's face. The former hunter then sighs and goes to the window. He looks up at the sky and watches the stars. He focuses on the star that is the biggest of them all. He grips the photo in his hand and takes a deep shaky breath.
I miss you Dean.
"Daddy! Can you read me a story?"
"Coming!"
Sam puts the photo back in the box and puts the box away. He forced a smile as he goes in his son's room.
"What are we reading tonight Tiger?" He asks.
His son shows him the book. Sam takes the book. He goes to open up it. Then he stops and has a thought.
"Actually." He puts the book down. "I'm gonna tell you a different story tonight. I'm gonna tell you a story about a real hero a hero who I looked up to my whole life. "
"Really?" His son looked curious. "Who's that?"
Sam smiles.
"My brother Dean."
"Brother...Do you mean Uncle Dean?"
"Yeah." Sam nods. "That's right Uncle Dean. Come here and sit next to me."
His son snuggled into his Dad's side. Sam wraps his arm around him and holds him close.
"You ready?"
"Yes Daddy!"
Then Sam begins to tell him the story.
Many, many, many years later.
"Hey Cas."
Dean opens the door and let's the angel in. Cas steps in his head is down. Dean closes the door and folds his arms.
"So what is it you needed to talk about Cas?"
Cas raises his head.
"I thought it would be better to tell you this face to face."
The angel suddenly looked emotional. Dean frowns.
"Cas? What's wrong? What's happened?"
Cas sighs. He again lowers his head.
"I'm so sorry Dean. Sam..."
He again sighs.
"Sam...He's dead. "