"Sammy!" Dean called, his voice filled with relief and hope and maybe a tad bit of fear. Sam wanted, more than anything, to run to his brother and set him free, to calm any fear that he had. It had been so long since he saw his older brother – since he saw any of his family…
But he couldn't offer them any more comfort than his presence at the moment. They were still in danger, and a timer had been set at their arrival.
The other teens in the room were tense, their eyes flickering between him and the man behind him. Judging from the looks on their faces, they had heard the rumors of what Sam had been doing while on the run…
Sam moved his hand, the two knives following his movement as they turned to Max and Ansem and backed them up to the far wall of the room. Max's hand twitched, his fingers stretching out and curling back in as subtly as possible. Probably from the sting of losing control of his telekinetic objects. Sam knew the feeling far too well from his own training.
"I thought we had made a pretty clear point to Azazel that my family was off limits," Sam started, stepping into the room. "And yet you bring them to a ghost town on Christmas Eve and try to kill them under his orders? All while forcing Ava to unleash a power that she's not been trained in? Are you trying to kill her too?"
No one answered him, though Scott did seem guilty as he looked down at Ava. There was promise to Scott… Sam could remember the fear and regret he felt when Azazel forced him to kill the neighbor's cat. Scott had a pretty good home life too, his parents had posters put up all over town and were still searching for him after almost a year when even the police had given up. As long as he held onto that feeling, then he should be fine.
Ansem seemed to snap out of the shock from their entrance first, his face twisting into a glare. "Where's my brother?"
"Safe from you."
"I'd never hurt him!"
Sam rolled his eyes and scoffed. "You already tried. You almost framed him for murder."
"I never would have let him get caught-"
"Ansem, shut up." Max snapped, his eyes never leaving Sam.
"But-"
"Shut up!"
With a reluctant sigh, Ansem fell quiet but continued to glare at Sam. Sam's attention went to Max as he pushed the knife away from him.
Max had changed since Sam first saw him, since the Demon had first found him. That quiet and scared boy who was abused had grown, his body more muscular and his stance more confidant. It was obvious that working so closely with the Demon had given him a confidence boost. But one thing that still remained the same were those dead eyes. The life had been beaten out of him long before the Demon got ahold of Max, Sam knew that, but it was still so eerie to see the blackness behind them even as he tried to pretend to have all the same emotions a normal person would.
"Sam," Max started, trying to hide his unease with a smile. Sam almost smiled in return at the idea that Max felt threatened by him, that Max honestly thought that Sam would take his place as leader of the demon army. "We weren't expecting you to show up so suddenly. And with your guard dog."
"Ooh, what's wrong, fellas?" The man asked with an easy smile in his voice. He stepped forward and placed a hand on Sam's shoulder, "Worried that we're going to ruin the party?"
"Considering that you've been killing demons and kidnapping kids, yeah, I'd say we're a little worried. It is only natural that a bunch of demon kids be worried about an angel, after all."
Sam heard his family gasp, glancing over at them to see the awe on their faces, but none of them really looked shocked. After Nathaniel attacked them, they probably figured out who the other side of the fight was… It still shook Sam up that an angel had come so close to ending his family. He didn't know what he would've done had they been killed…
The man behind him started to chuckle, leaning against Sam, and getting louder as Sam chuckled too. They shared a look, his smile wide as he looked back to the teens.
"You think I'm just an angel, huh? How cute… It's been a long time since someone thought I was just an angel."
"It was what?" Sam asked, eyes up in thought. "4 BC last time?"
"Oh please, it wasn't that far back. Actually, just last year there was this one blonde I met in a bar that swore I was an angel…" A smirk spread across his face that Sam scrunched his nose at. "Man, she was fun."
"Gabe…"
He rolled his eyes but sighed, letting go of Sam's shoulder. "You're no fun… But I suppose I should introduce myself." Golden eyes scanned over the people in the room, taking in the equal parts awe and fear. He stepped in front of Sam, arms held wide before flourishing them in a dramatic bow. "The Archangel Gabriel, Samshine's loyal 'guard dog,' the pleasure is all yours."
In true Gabe fashion, he let his Grace burn in his eyes, the outline of golden wings just barely visible in the dark room. The boarded up windows began to rattle, the floor shook, and thunder rumbled outside. Sam could almost feel the fear from the three boys, their eyes wide and jaws slack as Scott took a step further back. Sam didn't blame them for their fear, he had almost the same reaction when he first witnessed the power of an archangel as well – especially with Gabe's dramatic flair.
"Holy shit…" Dean muttered from his chair. Though he didn't look scared like the other boys, he was more in awe of the sight of Gabriel. So was his mom, who sat there with what he could only assume were tears of happiness in her wide eyes. She had always believed in Heaven, Sam remembered. Dean had mentioned how she would always say angels were watching them when they were kids. Sam wondered how long that admiration would last once they actually got to know Gabe.
Sam's had lasted a week.
Gabriel stood back up, his blade manifesting into his hand. He glanced back at Sam and gave a nod that Sam returned. Time for them to move on with the time limit.
Sam pulled his knife from his waistband and hurried to his family, going first to his dad and beginning to cut the ropes that were holding him down. For some reason that he didn't want to think about, Sam had trouble looking his dad in the eye. He had disappeared on him with no warning for several months, then showed up again with the ability to lift things with his mind. He really didn't want to know what his dad thought about him now-
As soon as his first hand was free, John wrapped his arm around Sam and pulled him into his chest for a tight hug. His hand ran up and down his back, his arms, ruffling the hair on the back of his neck, anywhere that he could reach while his face buried in the top of Sam's head.
Sam was frozen for a moment, eyes wide and unsure what to do. His dad never showed this kind of emotion, not even when he was in the hospital. How was he supposed to respond to this? Some part of Sam thought that it might be some kind of test.
But the tears started building in Sam's eyes against his will the longer the hug went on, and soon he let out a quiet sob as he dropped his knife and wrapped his arms around his dad. His hand clutched onto his dad's shirt, his face buried in his shoulder.
"You're okay," John muttered, his voice hoarse. "You're alive…" He pulled back, his hand going to Sam's cheek as his eyes bounced around Sam's face like he was trying to memorize it. It was then that Sam saw the wetness in his dad's eyes as well, the desperation at seeing his youngest son almost enough to make Sam break down again.
"I'm okay," He said instead, smiling at him. "I'm alright. I'm here now, I'm back. I'm going to get you out of this." He reached down to pick up his knife. "We don't have much time though; we have to hurry before Azazel gets here."
"You won't make it," Ansem called, his eyes filled with hatred as he stared at Sam. Guess he never got over Sam hiding Andy from him. "Azazel will know what you're doing, he's probably already on his way here now. And favorite or not, he's going to kill your family for this."
"Hey, you know what happened last time a guy I didn't like kept talking?" Gabe asked, his eyes filled with fake innocence. "I took his voice away for nine months. You want to find out what that feels like?"
Ansem's eyes flickered back to Gabe, hatred still burning in them, but it was overpowered by his fear. It was so nice to have an archangel on his side.
Sam finished cutting his dad free, nodding over to where Max stood as he moved over to Ellen so John could stand up. "Get Max's knife and help me get everyone out. And don't worry about him, Gabe won't let him try anything."
Max's face was schooled, a perfect mask of stone that didn't let anyone know what he felt. Sam got the feeling that he was much more dangerous than he let on… Azazel had to have been training him in more than just his powers.
Ellen was almost free when John came back, starting on the other side of the line and cutting Mary free. Sam didn't miss the brief kiss they shared, hiding his smile behind a cough as Ellen cupped his cheeks with her free hands.
"It's good to have you back, Sam." Sam opened his mouth to respond, but her hand went up and whacked him on the back of the head. "Don't ever scare me like that again."
"Ow…" Sam mumbled petulantly, rubbing the back of his head, but he couldn't keep his smile off his face. "I missed you too, Ellen."
She kissed the top of his head as she got up, sending a wary look to Ansem but walking as confident as a mother on a mission to get Ava from his feet.
Finally, Sam moved over to Dean, smiling up at his big brother.
"Looks like I'm saving your ass again," Sam let out a little laugh, "We have to stop meeting like this."
Dean let out a wet laugh, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, that's a great idea. So why don't you stop disappearing on me then, little brother?"
Sam looked back up at him, a knot forming in his throat. He smiled and nodded his head, cutting through the last rope. "I'll try."
They both stood up, Dean rubbing his wrists gingerly as he looked at Sam. It felt strange… The last time Sam had seen his brother, he reached up to Dean's chest. Now he was at eye level with his shoulder. The whole time he was with Gabriel, his mind still pictured Dean as the giant he remembered… He was willing to bet that in a year or so, they'd probably be the same height.
With no warning, two arms wrapped around him and pulled him hard against Dean's chest, head resting on his shoulder. Sam's hands instantly moved to wrap around Dean as well, closing his eyes as he held onto the back of their dad's jacket. Dean's body tensed for a moment before forcing himself to relax, which sent an alarm through Sam's head. But one of Dean's fists clenched in Sam's jacket while the other tangled in his hair, which stopped all thoughts of getting out of the hug. Dean needed this hug as much as Sam did. So who was Sam to stop him?
They stayed like that for a moment more before Dean patted his shoulder, clearing his throat as he stepped back. He looked at Sam, his eyes red and hand still on his shoulder, and he smiled at him. There were so many things hidden in that smile, and Sam was able to see every one.
"I missed you too," Sam said, smiling back at his brother. Dean's face broke for a moment, trying to hide his emotions at Sam being able to tell what he meant, but of course Sam saw those too.
Dean took a step back, letting Mary step forward so she could hug Sam as well. And wow, if he thought being almost as tall as Dean was shocking, he was now just an inch shorter than his mom.
"Look at you…" She whispered into his shoulder, her hand petting his hair. "You've grown so much."
"Yeah…" He chuckled, resting his forehead on her shoulder. "I guess I did."
She turned her head to kiss his cheek, hugging him tighter for a moment more before letting him go with tears on her cheeks.
The moment she stepped away, something hard hit him in the shoulder, forcing a cry out of him as he rubbed it. "Ow!"
"That's what you get for not contacting us for seven months, loser!" Jo yelled (oh man, he was taller than Jo now), her eyes holding an anger that Sam knew all too well. Past that anger though, he saw the tears that she was trying to hold in.
"Sorry, Jo, I didn't mean to be gone for so long. But hey, I made it back in time for Christmas." He gave a small shrug and a sheepish grin, knowing how susceptible she was to them. Some of the anger faded from her eyes just like he had planned, a pout forming instead.
"Just don't do it again. Or you're not getting any presents."
"Yes, ma'am."
Sam looked over their little group, seeing that everyone was freed and his dad carrying Ava's unconscious body. Gabe would have to heal her later… The toll it takes to summon a demon with no training and no spells hurts both physically and mentally. Her body would heal on its own in time, but Gabe's way was always easier.
He sent a glance to Gabriel, who looked back at him. There was an urgency in his eyes and a tick in his brow that let on to how little time they had left.
"Okay, time to go." Sam placed one hand on Jo's shoulder and the other on Mary's and started leading them to the doorway. "Now. We need to leave."
"Wait, Sam," Jo tried to slip out of his hold, but he readjusted his hand and gave a more meaningful push to the door. "There's an-"
"Gabe already took care of the acheri, so it's just a short hike through the woods back to civilization. Which we should all be doing right now."
They seemed to pick up on the urgency, panic crossing Jo's face as she hurried behind her mother to the door. They went out first, getting quite a few feet away from the building before turning back to look, Ellen's hands resting on Jo's shoulders. Mary kept her hand on John's back, making sure he went out with Ava before her. He didn't look happy about it, his eyes lingering on his wife and sons, but with Mary right behind him out the door, he didn't protest. Then Dean was-
Where was Dean?
Sam's heart stuttered in his chest when his brother wasn't right behind their mom, quickly turning around to find Dean behind him instead.
"Dean, we have to get out…!" Sam urged, going to grab Dean's arm. Dean ducked him though, raising his eyebrows in a knowing look.
"And we will. You first."
"Dean…"
"Sam."
"Boys?" Mary called from outside, her eyes curious and concerned as she started to walk back to them. Sam's panic was building. This was bad. This was beyond bad.
He grabbed Dean's arm and, using a bit of his mental abilities, pushed Dean towards the door.
"Whoa! Sam, damn it!" Dean struggled against Sam's hold, but he couldn't get free. The clock was ticking down, they only had seconds at this point… Sam had to get him out of-
Sam's back stiffened, a small gasp leaving him a moment before the door slammed shut with Dean still inside. There was a coldness, an evil, spreading through the building like a fog. The smell of sulfur was suffocating as if filled every corner, Sam almost gagging.
Slowly, Sam turned to look back at the room. Max, Ansem, and Scott were looking up, a smile spreading across two of their faces as Ansem started to laugh. Gabriel looked back at Sam, then to Dean, his eyes losing the last of the teasing spirit that he was trying to hold onto for Sam's family.
They were out of time.
"Sam, what's happening?" Dean asked, shifting slightly so he was in front, ready to defend Sam from whatever evil they were going to face. Sam couldn't help the unconscious step behind his brother as he reached to hold onto Dean's jacket sleeve.
"I told you!" Ansem shouted, his eyes wild with his twisted sense of justice. "I told you that you wouldn't make it, that he'd come! And now he's going to take your brother from you, just like you took mine!"
Sam almost pointed out that Andy was still alive, that there was a very large distinction between the two. But he held his tongue. The last thing they needed was a pissed off psychic while a Prince of Hell descended upon them.
"Sam?"
His hand tightened in Dean's jacket, swallowing deeply. "Azazel is here."
The words felt like a death sentence. Like the swing of the axe with their heads on the chopping block. Sam had expected and accepted this for himself, he knew that he would have to face the Demon when he came to rescue his family. What he hadn't planned on (but really, he should've) was Dean's determination to stay by his side. His brother probably would even follow him to Hell at this rate.
The temperature dropped more, a shiver going down Sam's spine and goosebumps rising on his skin. His eyes flickered to the dark hallway, waiting with batted breath. Gabriel slowly started backing up to stand in front of Dean, his Archangel Blade held up in defense.
Sam snuck a glance over at the other three boys just as heavy footsteps were heard coming down the hall. Max and Ansem looked ecstatic, while Scott held fear in his eyes. It seems that he never grew to trust the Demon like the other boys… A part of Sam wondered how Azazel even let Scott be a part of this when he so obviously didn't trust him.
A slow clap sounded between the footsteps, drawing Sam's attention back to the hallway. His heartbeat thundered in his chest, his anxiety rising. This is what he had prepared himself for, all these months away from his family, this was what he trained for. He needed to be strong now, now more than ever.
"Well done, Sammy-boy," A gravely voice spoke from the darkness. "You managed to overpower Max's hold over his knives and protected your family from Ansem's control. You've improved faster than I thought you would. The things you're doing…" A dark chuckle sounded, "I didn't plan to start teaching you without the help of some… extra nutrition."
Sam shuddered, knowing exactly what he was talking about thanks to Gabe's explanation of the events that were supposed to happen. Events that no longer would if they had anything to say about it.
"I decided to get off your game plan," Sam said, his voice surprisingly steady. "I didn't like how you wrote it, so I decided to write my own."
"How cute." The footsteps stopped; the outline of a man just barely visible in the dark but his yellow eyes were an eerie contrast as it watched them. "I see you've brought your new coach and a cheerleader with you too. Are you trying to make me jealous, Sam?"
"Jealous?" Gabe interjected, his blade twirling in his hand. "If you're jealous over a kid that told you no, then you have bigger issues."
"Hm." The Demon chuckled again, his eyes flickering to Gabriel. "It took me a while to figure out who you were, it's been a long time since angels were down here that I'd forgotten all of you. But that sass… How could I forget? It's so similar to my father's. You were his favorite brother, after all. Now I can see why."
Gabriel stiffened, Sam wincing in sympathy. Gabe's family was always a topic that he avoided as much as he could. Having a demon bring it up couldn't have felt good, especially if it was the demon that had taken Lucifer's place on the Throne of Hell.
"Azazel," Ansem called, drawing those yellow eyes to him. "Stop teasing them and kill Dean now…! You promised to make Sam feel the same way I felt about Andy! Kill his light!"
It was silent for a time, Sam feeling as even the air became tense. Ansem had guts to speak to Azazel like that… It was disrespectful in a way that Azazel wouldn't find amusing. Not that Azazel found many things besides Sam and his family amusing. Which really didn't make Sam feel better… It actually made him feel worse. Having a psychotic demon obsess over your family and finding them amusing was an unsettling concept to many. It made Sam want to-
Ansem slammed against the ceiling, his mouth open in a scream that wasn't allowed to come out. Scott jumped back, his eyes wide and a cold sweat breaking out across his skin. Even Max looked shaken as he watched.
"Someone has gotten a bit ahead of themselves." Azazel stepped out of the shadows and went to watch Ansem, showing off the thirty-something man he was riding in. Sam could see the demon smoke inside him, curling and twisting in his chest like a monster from a movie, hiding the brightness of the man's soul. "All those extra lessons went to your head, Ansem? Made you think you were more important than you were? Or maybe I just never explained to you how expendable you all are to me? I only need one psychic to lead my army, the rest of you are all spares."
Ansem fell, landing hard on the floor at Azazel's feet, crying out in pain. He tried to push himself up, his arms shaking underneath him, but Azazel placed a foot on his back and forced him to stay flat against the floor. "M-Master, please…! I'm sorry!"
The Demon crouched down, keeping his foot on Ansem's back, and lowering his voice. "Too bad I don't believe in second chances."
"No! Master, I'm sorry! Please, I'll be good-"
Ansem's head snapped to the side with just a flick of Azazel's wrist. His dark eyes stared at Sam, unseeing, lifeless. He should look away, Sam knew that there was no saving Ansem now and that he shouldn't keep looking at the boy, but he couldn't help but stare. Ansem just wanted his brother… He honestly wasn't too different from Sam. He had been separated from his brother for most of his life, then when they're finally reunited, something happens to separate them again. Ansem just wanted to be with his other half, whatever means necessary. Sam could relate to him all too well. And the Demon had killed him without a second thought… No hesitation, no remorse for the child he had spent the last seven months raising and training. Just like the monster that he was.
From the corner of his eyes, he could see Max and Scott staring at Ansem's body as well, both paler than normal. It seems that Max just figured out how ruthless the Demon really was.
As Azazel turned to look at them, Dean's arm reached back towards Sam, his hand grabbing Sam and keeping him close. Sam latched onto Dean's arm, both for his own comfort and in case the Demon decided to send Dean flying as well. His brother didn't seem to mind, his hand tightening around Sam's arm. They both decided to ignore the tremble that went through Dean's hand.
"Now…" Azazel smiled to himself, those ominous yellow eyes raking over their little group before landing on Dean. "The cheerleader, always so bold and loud when it comes to protecting little Sammy."
"I'll be as loud as I want, you're not touching my brother! Especially after you just killed one of the kids you took in!"
A dark chuckle left the Demon as he took a step closer to them, not even sparing Gabriel a glance as he shifted his blade towards him. "It's cute that you think you have any control in this situation, Dean."
Dean's chin lifted in defiance, his shoulders rolling back as he stood to his full height. "Then I'm going to be real friggin adorable when I kill you."
Azazel's head tilted, a smile spreading across his face as he watched the elder Winchester. It unnerved Sam… It was how he imagined a psychopath would smile at an insect trying to fly after removing the wings. That look directed at his brother was the last thing Sam wanted to see.
"You know, I was wrong, actually," Azazel said, suddenly turning on his heel and beginning to pace leisurely in front of them. "You do have some control here, Dean. You hold quite a bit of power, more than you even know." Yellow eyes flashed to Sam before looking back to Dean. "Sam knows though. Sam has thought about that power many times, even before I started giving him visions of the other children.
"You're special Dean. The influence you have over Sam is… It's something. From the moment you two met in that roadhouse, your words gained impact on Sam's life. That's why I decided to act after Sammy had left; you were a danger to my plan. And Sam showing up that night just proved how right I was." Azazel stopped, staring at the wall, his hands going into his jacket pockets. "You see, Dean, you are what I would call Sam's light. In all the darkness I've shoved him into, all the hatred and pain I surrounded him in, you came onto the scene like the sun. All that I did, everything I worked for, you dispersed of it in the span of less than a month. You gave Sam something to look forward to, you gave him the family that he so craved – the family that I starved him of until my perfect time. You became what I was supposed to be to Sam, and you stole him away. And not only that, but then you started becoming a light to John as well…! You made John Winchester remember what it was to be a father! Fifteen years of my hard work, gone, just like that," He snapped his fingers, smoke puffing up from them as he started to chuckle; his head bowed low as he looked at Dean from the corner of his eyes. "You are dangerous. And therefore you can't be allowed to live."
That was the only warning they got as Azazel rushed towards Gabriel, catching his hand with the Archangel Blade and shoving the angel backward and against the wall. Dean let out a shout, instinctively taking a step towards them to help when movement from the corner of Sam's eye caught his attention. He only had a split moment to put himself in between the crowbar and Dean, throwing his hand up to stop Max from hitting them.
Dean let out a curse as he turned to see the crowbar hovering in the air, straining under the mental tug-of-war that the two teens were doing. The crowbar pressed closer, Sam's eyebrow twitching at the added force against his mental barrier. He spared a glance at Max, seeing the fear that was in his eyes, and Sam suddenly knew that their fight meant more than just 'good versus evil'. Max was scared. This fight had his life on the line, if he was defeated then there was no doubt that Azazel would kill him like he did Ansem. Whatever task he had given Max (most likely to kill Dean), Max had no choice but to complete.
He was more dangerous now than he had ever been.
Which meant that Sam had to be just as dangerous if he wanted to protect his brother.
Sam's eyes narrowed, his other hand coming up and shoving the crowbar more than halfway back to Max. The boy's feet slid against the ground, sweat breaking over his pale skin but his eyes darkened. Sam didn't see as a knife was thrown towards Dean, but he felt it just before it hit and threw his hand out to catch it.
Multiple objects were not Sam's specialty, never had been. While he could deal with them, it drained him far faster than visions ever did. Gabriel hadn't pushed him too hard with training his telekinetic ability, explaining that Sam's powers were focused on the future and seeing things in places where he wasn't. He said that while Sam had overwhelming psychic power and could use that power for more than one ability, it would be better for his mind if he only focused on training what he was meant to use.
Sam almost wanted to curse Gabe for how caring he was about Sam's well-being.
Sam's limit was five objects. Who knew how many Max could lift… Well, might as well test it out.
Sam's consciousness felt around the room, sensing one of the chairs that had once kept his family seated at the boys' mercy, and lifted it into the air to hurl at Max. His eyes widened as he shifted, catching the chair and straining under the added weight. Which… didn't make sense. Max's ability was lifting objects. Azazel should have trained him to withstand more than Sam, he shouldn't be anywhere near his limit.
Testing the idea, Sam sent another chair at Max, all the objects gaining significant ground against him.
This wasn't right… A glance to Gabe and Azazel showed that the archangel had the upper hand still, keeping the demon pinned. There was something wrong with this whole fight. It shouldn't have been so easy for Gabriel to overpower a Prince of Hell, and Sam shouldn't have been better than Max at his own power. There had to be something else at play here, something that Sam couldn't see yet. Something that Azazel was planning. It couldn't be so easy…
His eyes widened, a gasp leaving him as he turned to his brother. Dean stood behind him, a hand on Sam's back and eyes wide as he watched the fight. The Demon wanted Sam, he knew that Sam would've stayed to fight, there was plenty of time to let Dean escape before locking the door… unless Azazel wanted Dean there.
He had practically said it himself, that he saw Dean as a threat. That Dean needed to be killed. Dean was the reason that they were holding back, for whatever that meant.
Dean met his eyes, seeing the worry there and frowning himself.
"Sam? What's wrong?"
"You have to get out… You, he's after you-"
Gabriel let out a loud curse, drawing everyone's attention as the objects Sam and Max were holding fell to the ground. Gabe's Archangel Blade was in Azazel's chest, but the man's head was tipped back as black smoke poured out of his mouth and into the air, twisting and turning as it glided along the ceiling.
"No…!" Sam yelled, trying to push Dean out of the way. "No, you can't have him!"
A heavy force slammed against Sam's body, forcing him flat to the floor and helpless to watch as that wicked smoke swirled around a struggling Dean before entering his mouth.
It was quiet. Far too quiet for his brother being possessed. There should have been thunder outside, howling winds, cursing from Dean as he tried to fight. But it was just… nothing. There wasn't a sound as the Demon entered Dean. Sam's world felt like it was ending, and it was quiet.
Once all the smoke had entered his brother, the pressure holding Sam down disappeared. Even with it gone, he stayed on the floor until he felt a warm hand on his shoulder pulling him back. Gabe kept his eyes on Azazel as he put distance between them, his guard up for both him and Sam. Sam couldn't move though, could only watch as his brother's eyes opened to show a pus-yellow instead of emerald-green.
"Ah…" Dean, Azazel, sighed, chuckling quietly as he looked down at Dean's arms. "Now this is what I call a body. So young and strong, so perfect for getting away with things." His eyes flashed dangerously before looking to Sam. "Now that big brother is out of the way, why don't we have a little talk, Sammy?"
"Get out of him," Sam whispered, barely able to contain the fury inside of him. No one touched his brother… It would be the last mistake that this demon made.
"Sam…" Gabriel tried to calm him, a hand rubbing against his arm in what was normally a comforting gesture but now it only made Sam even angrier. That was his brother being used as a meat suit! Why should Sam be calm about anything in this situation?
"Aw, c'mon, Sammy," Azazel softened Dean's features, his head tilting in sympathy. "I just got here; don't you want to hang out for a little bit?"
"I want my brother back!" Sam shouted, his fists clenching as he shoved Gabriel off of him. "So get out of him now or I'll make you! I did it before, don't doubt I'll have it in me now that I've been trained."
"If you try, I'll drag Dean's soul down to Hell with me." Dean's face twisted into a wicked smirk. "I can give his soul to Alistar, let him get put on a rack. I'm sure that will definitely help my cause. Having someone as righteous as him in Hell will work wonders for us."
Sam's heart stuttered in his chest, tears springing to his eyes about the idea of his brother being the First Seal. The things he would have to go through… The torture, torture from Alistar no less. Sam had heard many things about that demon while traveling with Gabe. The thought of Dean at his hands was too much, too real of a possibility. "What do you want?" He found himself asking in a weak voice.
"Sam, no…!" Gabriel reached for Sam's shoulder again, but Dean's hand lifted and sent the Archangel flying to the back wall furthest from Sam. He landed with a grunt, struggling to break free as he opened his mouth to start shouting. The Demon snapped his fingers and all noise from Gabriel went quiet.
"Let's talk business," Azazel smiled, bringing two chairs over with another wave of his hand. "Sit, please."
Sam slowly lowered himself into the chair, watching as Azazel slumped into his seat as well. Sam hated it, he hated how perfectly the Demon was able to mimic Dean's posture. If he didn't look into his eyes, Sam was positive that he wouldn't even be able to tell the difference between the two of them.
And how dangerous was that? Because if Sam could believe that it was really his brother asking it of him, there was nothing he wouldn't do.
"Well, Sammy, things seem a little simple to me." Azazel started off, giving one of Dean's easy-going smirks as he propped his arm on the back of the chair. "I want you, you want your brother… There's just one little word you have to say and I'll let Dean go."
Sam's eyes narrowed, his arms crossing over his chest. "You said you wanted to kill Dean before. You really think I'll believe you'll just let him go if I agree to go to Hell with you?"
"Silly boy… Dean is only a threat to me while you're topside. Once I have you in Hell where you belong, he can't touch you. Plus having him alive would be a good incentive for you to stay loyal to our cause…"
"Meaning if I decided I didn't like ruling Hell, you'd kill Dean to make me behave?"
"Precisely. And hey, once everything is said and done, and you realize how much power you hold, you can even request to have Dean by your side. Big brother can come to visit you, like his own little summer vacation down south. Or if you want, he can stay with you permanently." Azazel shrugged like it was the easiest thing in the world. "You would be the ruler of Hell, you can have whatever you want. Once you proved you deserved it, that is."
Sam swallowed thickly, turning in his chair to look back at Gabe. The Demon put Dean's foot on Sam's chair and kicked it, jarring Sam back into sitting up straight. "Don't look at him. That little angel can't help you now. Sure, it might have been a close fight before, we would've been considered equals on opposite sides. But I've been the current ruler of Hell for a long time… That kind of power comes with some bonuses that tree topper can't even hope to compete with."
With Gabriel's guidance out of the picture, Sam instead looked deep into Dean's eyes, trying to see the green behind the yellow.
"Can I talk to Dean?"
"No can do, Sammy. I need you to agree first. Then I'll be oh so kind and let you say your goodbyes."
Frustrated tears built in Sam's eyes that he stubbornly refused to let fall. All this planning… Everything he trained for… And Azazel was always a step ahead of him. If he had been faster with pushing his family out of the building, if he wouldn't have hugged them all and focused on the mission, none of this would have happened. Dean would be outside, banging against the door like his parents no doubtedly were doing now. But Sam had to be selfish and indulge in the physical comfort his family offered and now they were stuck.
Sam's eyebrows pushed together, drawing in a deep breath as he looked past the Demon and into Dean. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Dean."
Something went through Dean's eyes that almost looked like sorrow before his face twisted into a wide and chilling smile. "That's my boy. Now, just say the magic words and we can get somewhere."
Sam's shoulders rolled back, taking in another steadying breath. I'm sorry, Gabriel, He prayed, I know this isn't what we planned, but I can't let Dean get hurt. Aloud he said, "Azazel, in exchange for Dean, my parents, Gabriel, Ellen, Jo, Bobby, Ash, and Pastor Jim's safety, I will-"
There was an explosion behind him, Sam's hair blowing into his face. He started to turn to see what had happened, but a blinding light took over the room and forced Sam to close his eyes.
"No." A thundering voice commanded, the walls shaking in response. Sam hurried to cover his ears, trying to protect himself from the true voice of an Archangel. "I won't allow it."
"Stay out of this, angel." Azazel hissed, his chair scrapping against the floor as he stood. There was pain in Dean's voice, Sam hoped that his brother wouldn't have any lasting damage from Gabe's voice.
Suddenly there was a presence behind Sam, a heavy hand on his shoulder and pulling him backwards. Sam knew the hand, the motion, well enough to easily follow with his eyes closed as Gabriel stepped in front of him. "I won't let you have Sam for all the candy in the world. And if I'm as similar to Luci as you say, then you should know how much I hate to lose."
There was a loud thud, Sam's eyes flashing open before he could think better of it. But the blinding light of Grace was gone now, allowing Sam to see as Gabe pinned Azazel to the floor with his foot, much like how Azazel had Ansem pinned.
The Demon turned over, grabbing Gabriel's leg and dragging him down to the floor as well, rolling on top of him and sending a punch to his face. Gabe's hands came up to block him, attempting to roll them again. Azazel used his free hand to hold Gabe down.
The fight didn't look good if Gabriel couldn't subdue Azazel. If he hit the Demon too hard, he could give Dean a lethal injury; it was best not to even risk it. Their only choice was to use non-violent methods.
Sam looked to the corner of the room, seeing Max and Scott watching the fight with wide eyes. He spared Gabe and Dean one last look before jogging over to the boys, swiping his hand as they raised theirs in defense and forcing their hands back down.
"Max, Scott, please, I need your help." He said as he got close to them. "You two were with him the longest, you have to know of some weakness Azazel has."
"And why should we help you?" Max asked, his eyes narrowed and fists clenched. But his skin was still pale and his hair was hanging in his face. He almost looked like the boy that Sam had first seen in his father's basement, begging for forgiveness…
"Because you saw what he did to Ansem, and you have to know that you'll be next. Azazel is a demon, he doesn't care about you. You're only pawns to him…! And if he wins, then he won't hesitate to kill you and all the other psychic kids he has hidden in Hell! You heard him! He already has a demon army, he just needs a leader, me!"
The two shared a wary look, but Max just shook his head. "He promised me-"
"What did he promise Ansem?" Sam shouted, pointing to the lifeless body of the teen. "He called you spares! Isn't that proof enough that he doesn't care about you?"
Scott stepped forward, his head lowered. He placed a hand on Max's shoulder and gave the boy a small nod before looking back to Sam. "What do you want us to do?"
"Does he, does Azazel have any weakness that you know of? Anything I can use to save my brother? Holy water and sacred ground don't work on a Prince, but there has to be something. Anything he acted different around when you were with him?"
The boys went quiet in thought, the only sounds coming from the grunting of the two supernatural beings fighting behind Sam. He looked back at them briefly, almost immediately wishing he hadn't.
Azazel had pinned Gabriel on his stomach, Gabe's Blade in his hand as he used it to cut into something on the Archangel's back that Sam couldn't see. But he knew. Gabriel's wings were being destroyed by his own weapon… Gabriel was being hurt because Sam wasn't strong enough.
"He…" Max started, "I don't know if this is anything, but when he was in my f-… father's basement, back when I first met him, I accidentally knocked some tools off the wall. One of them was a crowbar…" All three of them looked back to the tool that laid a few feet away from them. "It landed on his foot, he seemed like he was in pain from it. I didn't know what he was at first, so I thought it was normal and lifted it off of him. But now that I know, and I've seen what he can do, it seems really weird…"
Sam held his hand out, the crowbar flying into his palm as he examined it. It was almost like a light went off above his head. How could he be so stupid? "It's iron. Of course it would affect him, it's a pure metal." He looked back to Max, his eyebrows pushing together and tears springing to his eyes as he heard Gabriel yell in pain. "Max, I need your help to push this at him. I'm not strong enough to do it myself if he stops me. I need you."
"No, no, I can't." His eyes were wide as he shook his head, taking a step back. "He'll kill me. He already will if he knows that I'm telling you this!"
"He's going to kill you as soon as he gets his hands on me, so what does it matter?"
Max's face went blank for a moment, his eyes searching Sam's face and his head tilting. There was something that flickered in his eyes, something that unnerved Sam, something dark.
"I will never be as good as you…" Max murmured, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. "You think that you'll always be better than me."
"Max…"
"You'll always be his favorite, his chosen one, while I'm nothing more than spare parts in case you fail."
Scott took a step back, his eyes flickering between Sam and Max. "Max, man, c'mon, we've always known…"
"But that doesn't make it fair." Max's fists clenched, the floorboards crunching where Sam stood. He quickly jumped out of the way before he could fall through, eyes wide as he looked to Max. "I finally had a place to belong, someone who was proud of me and praised me, and yet you think you're so much better than us that you don't even want his praise! You think you're so special, just because both of your parents are alive and love you! You're no different than me! I worked hard to get Master's approval, I work hard and I sacrifice and I do everything for him and yet you're still his favorite! It's not fair!"
Sam slammed into the wall, some of the floorboards flying up and pinning his arms to his sides. Sam struggled to get free, his chest straining to draw in air under the force of the wood.
"Max," Sam groaned, "Please…!"
"Enough!" Another board flew at Sam, causing him to cry out in pain. "Tonight I'm going to prove to Master that I'm better than you!"
Faintly, Sam was aware of Azazel stopping his attack on Gabriel to watch them with a curious smile. If they had attracted his attention, then it would be near impossible to send a surprise attack on him now. Maybe though, maybe Gabriel would have enough time to recover and start his next attack and give Sam time to get free.
All of this would have been so much easier had Sam just been able to exorcise Azazel. He had managed to do it a few times before with Gabriel's help, but those had all been low-level demons… And he'd never had one threaten to take their human host with them to Hell. If Sam could only know if that was possible or not… If he had some kind of assurance that Dean wouldn't be harmed, Sam wouldn't hesitate to use all his power to yank Azazel out that instant. But he wouldn't risk Dean like that.
He grunted as one of the boards shifted to press against his neck, cutting off his already thin air supply. Sam's vision swam and his body started to shake. He had to get out, now, or he wouldn't be able to save Dean. He had to…
"What an interesting turn of events," Azazel chuckled, twirling the Archangel Blade in Dean's hand. He went to stand next to Max, placing his free hand on the boy's shoulder. "It seems that we may have a new contender for our King."
"I want to be the best," Max said, his eyes never leaving Sam. "I'll do whatever I need to do to become what you want me to, Master."
Azazel stared at Sam with that wicked smirk, his hand bringing the Archangel Blade to an abrupt stop and holding it out to Max. "Alright then. Let's see what you can do, Maxy."
Max's eyes went wide, his hand hesitantly reaching for the pure silver Blade. "Master?"
"Go on, Max, take it. Let me see your craftsmanship. If you're willing to do anything to be my top choice, then carving up your competition won't be an issue."
Max gulped, looking between Sam and the Blade, but then his eyes hardened, and he grabbed onto the hilt. Then his brows furrowed as he tried to tug the Blade to him, but Azazel wouldn't let it go.
With his concentration divided, Sam was able to push the board away from his throat just enough to let him take in a breath and get a better look at what was happening. Sam looked to Azazel to see a sweat breaking out over his skin, his jaw clenched, and his eyes flickering from yellow to green.
Hope sparked in Sam's chest, his own eyes widening. "Dean…?"
It took a second, a vein starting to tick in his neck, but soon those eyes turned green and stayed. Sam let his eyes drift down, concentrating to see that the black smoke of Azazel was being suppressed by the brightness of Dean's soul. And oh, Sam could cry as he saw that familiar warm smile. He did it. Somehow, Dean was able to overcome Azazel's possession all on his own.
"Heya, Sammy," Dean said, tears filling up his eyes.
Everything was going to be okay. If Dean was in control, then Sam would be able to get Azazel out and know if he was hurting the soul within-
Dean suddenly pulled the Blade away from Max, turning it within his hand and-
Sam's breath caught in his throat.
The blade plunged into Dean's stomach.
The sparks of hellfire flashed in Dean's eyes, smoke and blood sputtering out of his mouth as he coughed. As if in slow motion, Dean dropped to his knees, his smile never leaving his face even as his eyebrows pinched together and pain started to take over his features.
Heat began to build in Sam's chest, rolling upward to his throat and beyond. In his right mind, he knew that he should be scared of it, scared of what he could do. But all his eyes could see was the Archangel Blade sticking out of his brother's stomach, glistening with his blood. The blood that kept Dean alive. The blood that Dean willingly spilled to save him.
Sam didn't hold back as that heat bubbled in the back of his mouth. He screamed, his head tilting back and his chest burning. The floorboards that held him to the wall went flying outward, becoming a projectiles as he overcame Max's power. He landed on his feet with his voice still going strong. It felt like an explosion had left him, a freezing bubble expanding outward from him yet somehow keeping him locked inside. A part of him was aware of the building violently shaking, all the loose objects going flying (including Max and Scott) and crashing into the back walls; the candlestick chandeliers, held up by rusted chains, strained against the ceiling, sending dust downward that only ended up getting blown back, along with some of the candles that were shaken loose. The boarded-up windows rattled and broke open, sending light into the room. When the front door slammed open, Sam's scream cut off.
He dropped to his knees, his hands going to the ground to keep himself up, but his arms shook harshly. Sam panted, a sob in the back of his throat cutting him off as he finally opened his tear-filled eyes to look at his brother.
Gabriel was crouched over Dean's body, having shielded him from Sam's outburst. He looked ragged himself, his skin pale and his eyes bloodshot, but Gabe looked at Sam with a concerned question on his face.
Sam ignored the unspoken question as he crawled to them, his eyes desperately searching for the rise and fall of his brother's chest. Gabe slowly got off of him, setting Dean gently to the ground and letting his hand hover over the Blade that still protruded from his stomach.
Sam swallowed thickly, hot tears rolling down his cheek. "Is he…? Gabe…"
"Oh ye of little faith, Samshine," Gabriel gave an easy smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I may not keep a lot of promises, but this is one that I can guarantee you." He nudged Sam's shoulder with his own. "Your brother will be fine."
"Dean?" A feminine voice called from behind them. Sam looked up, seeing his mom running into the room towards them with the rest of their family behind her. "Oh, my God…! What happened? Dean!"
"I'm sorry…!" Sam cried, his voice cracking. "I'm so sorry, I tried! I really tried to protect him…! I swear!"
Mary came to kneel next to Sam, her arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulling him tightly to her. "I know you did, I know, Sammy. It's not your fault. You did your best."
"Can you heal him?" John asked, standing behind Gabriel with Ellen next to him. Jo was holding tightly onto her mom's jacket, tears in her eyes as well.
Gabriel's eyes followed something that Sam couldn't see through the air, a smile playing on his lips. "Deano will be just fine." He said at last, grabbing the hilt of the Archangel Blade and pulling it out. "A little feathered friend is keeping him protected." With the hand that wasn't holding the Blade, Gabriel brushed over the hole in Dean's stomach. Light seeped out of the wound as it closed up without a scar, the blood absorbing back into his body.
Sam watched with bated breath, not even daring to move as he watched his brother. Time stretched on with nothing happening, Sam's heart beating louder and louder in his chest as he grew more frantic. Why wasn't anything happening? Why wasn't he breathing yet? Why wasn't Dean awake-
A sudden gasp was the only warning they got as Dean jack-knifed upward, almost colliding heads with Gabriel. His hands went to his stomach, pressing against it with wide eyes as he looked around.
"Hey, you're okay, big guy," Gabriel said, backing off a bit so that John could kneel. "Take it easy before I have to repair your lungs for overexertion."
Dean looked to Gabe, confusion crossing his face for a moment before he whipped his head around to see Sam. He let out a disbelieving huff of a laugh before grabbing Sam's shoulders and pulling him into a tight hug.
Sam's hands fisted into the soft leather of their dad's jacket, burying his face in Dean's chest as he cried. "You idiot…!" His voice was muffled, but the way that Dean's hand went to his hair told him that he was heard. "You moron! What were you thinking? Why would you do that? You stabbed yourself with an Archangel Blade! You could have died!"
Dean let out a softer chuckle, the side of his face pressing against the top of Sam's head. "I learned from the best, I guess." The chuckle died off, Dean letting out a sigh as he pulled back to look into Sam's eyes. "I could hear him in my head, Sammy. He was going to make Max gut you. I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't let him kill you. I figured that while I had that blade, I might as well do what I could."
"You're still an idiot," Sam sniffled, rubbing the back of his hand roughly over his eyes.
"Yeah, but I'm your idiot." There was a smirk in Dean's voice that brought a small laugh out of Sam, smiling at his brother.
"Jerk."
"Bitch."
The tension in the air released, John and Mary putting their hands on both boys and bringing them into a hug. Sam stiffened for a moment; he had already gotten a hug from his dad before, it was unusual to get another so soon… But he didn't hate it. Gabe had told him that his dad had changed while he was gone, and Sam was looking forward to getting to know him.
Wrapped up in the center of a hug that Ellen and Jo were soon dragged into, Sam could feel himself relaxing after so many months of being on the run. Finally… Finally, he was with his family again. His family that was alive and whole and safe.
Sam was safe.
Tears built in his eyes for a completely different reasons, swallowing thickly as he held on tightly to his family and tried to shove the tears down. He had cried so much already today; he was sure that he must not have had any tears left in him. But of course his body proved him wrong as he felt the hot tears rolling down his cheeks. Oh, how he waited to be back with them again…
"You know," Dean started as they all pulled away from the hug, "That was pretty badass of me to overpower a demon possession. I think that makes me the greatest Hunter alive now."
A laugh broke out among the group as they all started to stand, John and Sam making sure to help Dean get to his feet safely when he started to wobble. Gabriel let out a small laugh (a sucker predictably in his mouth) as he once again watched something that Sam couldn't see, his eyes tracking it around the air surrounding Dean. Sam was about to ask what he was seeing when Dean's strength came back in full and he was able to stand on his own. Sam decided not to comment on it then, if it was important then Gabe would tell him later.
With a soft smile, he looked around their little group.
He was home.
A/N: Merry Christmas Eve! I hope you all enjoyed the final battle! I thought about splitting this into two chapters, but it was already too late if I wanted to keep my original idea of having the last chapter on Christmas. Which is tomorrow... Wow... I still haven't wrapped any of my presents yet. I haven't even finished the embroidery I'm making for my mom. I should really get on that...
I hope that all of you have a wonderful day and that the stress that comes with the holidays isn't too much for you. The aftermath of the battle will be posted tomorrow, and it'll have some extra fluff as a present to you all!
Oh! And I forgot to mention in the last chapter, but I made a little artwork for the last chapter's ending scene! It's on my twitter account, _karmitara_