I DO NOT OWN SUPERNATURAL OR ITS CHARACTERS.
Music Credit/Song Suggestion: "I Will Not Bow" - Breaking Benjamin

'Now the dark begins to rise.
Save your breath.
It's far from over.
Leave the lost and dead behind.
Now's your chance to run for cover.
I don't want to change the world, I just want to leave it colder.
Light the fuse and burn it up.
Take the path that leads to nowhere.

All is lost again, but I'm not giving in.

I will not bow.
I will not break.
I will shut the world away.
I will not fall.
I will not fade.
I will take your breath away.'

Chapter Eight:

Cas offered to stay with me, while I spoke to Sam, for moral support. I didn't know if I wanted him in the room or not. He went down to the diner, when Charlie had texted to say that they were parking to drop Sam off. My stomach was in knots and I had to focus on my breathing, so I didn't throw up my lunch. I knew that wouldn't help anything.

"Hey Dean, everything okay?" Sam asked, pulling me from my thoughts, as he clambered inside the apartment and shut the door behind him.

I sighed and beckoned for him to join me at the small dining table in the kitchen. He immediately looked concerned and suspicious. He's a bright kid. I can't fault him for it. I would be doing the exact same, in his shoes.

"We need to talk, Kiddo." I told him. His eyes scoured our surroundings. His eyes landed on the things that I had packed for him, and new phone I bought for him, right next to mine, from Alastair.

"What's going on? What did Dad do?" He demanded, sitting down across from me. I took a deep breath and fought to keep my tears at bay. I hate this. I fucking hate this.

"Just let me get this out, okay? You can say whatever you need to, once I'm done. I will hear you out. I promise. I need you to know that I've exhausted every option and every possibility and that this is happening, even though neither of us want it to. And I want you to know that you will be safe. I will see you as often as I can." I tried to explain, as my voice broke. I hastily wiped at the tears that slipped down my cheeks. Fuck. "I'm going to do my best to make sure that I'm safe, and that Dad won't be able to interfere with either of us, and that the only person he'll be able to hurt, going forward, is himself."

My eyes searched Sam's face for a reaction. He looked devastated. He knows that whatever news I have is bad. I know that nothing I tell him will make him feel any better. I waited for some kind of acknowledgment. Sam gave me a curt nod and kept his lips pressed in a firm, thin line. I looked up and curses under my breath, as I used my shirt sleeve to soak up the rest my tears.

"You're going to live with Ellen and Bobby. Jo still lives there, so there will be someone closer to your age around. Dad told me that he gave money to them to help with any expenses for you. I really don't believe him or that. I haven't spoken to them, yet. But tonight, we will all sit down and discuss it, when I take you over there.

"I have money for you to keep with you. It's yours, for you, for spending money. Get things you like. Don't use it for something you need. You've never had that before. Okay? That's what this money is. I have money I'm going to give to Bobby and Ellen myself. Dad isn't to touch it.

"He doesn't need to know I gave you anything. We aren't going to tell him. I'm cutting him out of any decisions. If he comes to you or calls you and he's on his bullshit, you will know that none of it is true. If there is anything, you will hear it from me, or I will have someone I trust tell you.

"This phone is for you. I got you the best case for durability that I could find. Keep your prepaid for emergencies. This phone plan is in my name. Dad can't get access to it. Don't give it to him. He has your prepaid number, and if it's an absolute emergency, he can get a hold of Ellen or Bobby. I don't want him taking this from you. He has no right to it.

"I programmed my new number into it for you, along with the number to my prepaid. I have a new number from work, that will be my primary, but if it's something you can't say on there, text my prepaid. I have it and will check it. If there is something emergent, and it can't be explained on my work number, since I think that will be monitored, text 'Pennywise,' and I'll know. Okay?

"This is all happening, because Dad has been gambling. I didn't know about it. I didn't know that he got in really deep with Alastair at his clubs, gambling, but he did. Alastair gave Dad the option of giving me to him to work for him, and he took it.

"He didn't discuss it with me, first. I found out last night. I asked Meg to set up a meeting, so I could sit down and talk to Alastair myself. I spoke with him. He agreed to keep his dealings with me, only to me. If Dad causes anymore problems, he will be responsible, not us. He'll have to suffer whatever consequences.

"Sammy, if I don't do this, or if I run, they will kill you. I'm not trying to scare you, because I would never let that happen. Okay? You're safe. That's why all of this is happening now.

"I'll be tending to the bar at his clubs, and helping him run things. I'm guessing like a manager position or something. That's really all that I know there. But, I'll be living here. I'm not leaving. Dad ended the lease early and got the security deposit and two months worth of rent money back. He said that he gave it to Bobby, but I doubt it. When has he ever been forthcoming, right?

"I have a key for you, to this apartment. You'll be safer with Ellen and them. They've been hunters. They know what to look for. Don't take off your anti-possession charm, ever. Don't mention where I'm living. It's better, if everyone believes that you don't know. You can just tell them that when you're meeting me, you're meeting me at the diner. We're always there, so it's not too hard to believe. Alastair gave Dad a duplex. It was meant for one side to be his, and one side mine, but he agreed that I would be safer from Dad elsewhere.

"Meg, Cas, and Gabe all know everything, like all of it. They know I'm sixteen, and they know not to repeat it. I'm going to have to do things that neither of us likes, Sam. I can't avoid that. I have to play the part, until I can figure out a way to get out. Other than that, it's better that I don't give you any specific details.

"I'm so sorry that I couldn't figure a way out of us having to separate. It's the last thing I ever want to do, ya know? You're my baby brother, but you're my kid. I feel like I'm abandoning you, and I hate it. I love you, so fucking much. And I'm so damn proud of you, Sammy. God, if nothing else in my life ever worked out, I've always been fine with that, because you're safe, and I knew you were taken care of. I know that I don't do as good of a job as Mom would have, but I try.

"If for some reason you can't get to me, go to Gabe or Meg or Cas. Okay? I trust them. They care about both of us. We're gonna get through this. I don't know how, but we will. We're fighters, and we're gonna survive, just like we've survived everything else life and Dad have ever thrown at us." I explained, as I openly cried, unable to hide it. Sam was crying, too.

I got up and wrapped my arms around him. We shook together, until we were both cried out. I sniffled and wiped my face with my sleeves. He turned away and did the same.

"I'm mad, Dean, but not at you. I hate him. I hate Dad for everything. I hate this. Things were finally good. I won't do anything rash. I'll let you handle it. I hate it, but I can't make things worse for you. We'll get through this, right? I'm just as proud of you, as you are of me. I love you, Dean, more than anything. I always will." He promised. I did my best not to cry, again.

"Thank you, Sammy. Can you make sure you have everything you need? I'll take you over, after we say goodbye to everyone downstairs."

Things went as smoothly as they could go. As it turns out, there will a lot more tears. Everyone working at the diner cried. I cried. Sammy cried. Cas cried. The girls cried.

When we sat down with Bobby, Ellen, and Jo, we learned that my suspicions were correct. Dad hadn't given them any money. They promised not to give what I was giving them to Dad. I gave them a more abridged version of events, and they looked as pissed as I feel. I explained the phone situation to them and they took it in stride. They promised to keep Sam safe.

By the time I was driving back to the diner, I was crying so hard, that I had to pull over, before I could make it home. When I did finally pull up, Cas wasted no time in wrapping me up in his arms. I dissolved into a new fit of tears. He picked me up and carried me upstairs through the hidden entry to the apartment. We didn't say anything. He just took off my shoes and tucked me into bed, before crawling in with me.

I've been focusing on listening to his heartbeat and the sensation of feeling him breathe, to help center me.

Sam texted to let me know he was safe and okay. He sent pictures of his new bedroom, even though I had seen it, when I dropped him off. Bobby gave me a key to the house and strict instructions to use the guest bedroom at any time. That helped.

Rowena texted me, someone who works with Alastair, and she told me that she would be handling my training tomorrow. She let me know to come to Inferno at noon and to plan on being out for the day, whatever that means.

"You're thinking too hard." Cas rumbled. I sighed and just nodded, against his chest. I knew he was right. "You should try to sleep, Honey." He added. The endearment made my eyebrows rise, as I looked up at him.

"Because of the bees?" I guessed. The corners of his mouth quirked and curved into a soft smile that he seems to save just for me. "Only you could make bee vomit sound so sweet, Angel." I breathed. He leaned down and kissed me. I felt all of the tension leave my body.

"We should sleep." He said against my lips. I nodded and stayed wrapped up in him. He pressed his lips to my forehead, as I slipped a leg between his. Maybe with him here, I'll actually be able to rest.

'Watch the end through dying eyes.
Now the dark is taking over.
Show me where forever dies.
Take the fall, and run to heaven.

All is lost again, but I'm not giving in…

And I'll survive, paranoid.
I have lost the will to change, and I am not proud, coldblooded fake.
I will shut the world away.

Open your eyes.'