When Tomorrow Comes, SPOILER: Takes Place after 4.22

Disclaimer: I still don’t own Supernatural or its characters. I and am not making any money on this…I’m just having fun!

Summary: WARNING SPOILERS: This takes place right after Lucifer Rises in season 4. This is my take on what happened after the door was opened.

Raven 524: I know this has been done before but decided to go ahead and put my own spin on how Season five should begin. Of course, the boys will be jumping from the frying pan right into the fire—but I promise they will only be slightly singed when I’m through.


When Tomorrow Comes


Chapter 1 – He’s Coming


The blinding white light continued to build as the two brothers locked onto each other to ride out the storm. Sam gazed down into the growing hole with a mixture of terror and wonder on his face. Dean shook his head and realized this was definitely not the place to be. He reached over and grabbed his brother’s jacket more firmly this time. “I mean it Sammy—we have to go—NOW!”

He pulled and was rewarded with his brother following him. As they moved towards the doorway, the room began to shudder, stones fell and the sound of wood breaking seemed to bring Sam out of his trance for the moment. Dean no longer had to pull his brother along; they were both making a mad dash down the hall, past the dead bodies of Lillith’s followers until the door to freedom came into view. Sam slowed down and took a look back, his eyes filled with fear before he once more headed towards the door.

Dean could feel debris raining down on them. “Move it Sammy—this place is coming down!” As they neared the doors, the loud noise and rumbling that had been taking place stopped. Suddenly there was nothing but a deadly silence. As they stumbled through the doorway, they both looked back in wonder. There wasn’t a sound, not a cricket or bird could be heard. It was almost as if the world was holding its breath for what was to come.

“Dean?”

“I don’t know Sammy—but I say we get while the getting is good…” Dean looked around and saw an orange car sitting to the side. It must have been Ruby’s. Grabbing Sam’s arm, he dragged his brother towards the car. “Get in…”

Dean opened the door and smiled as he saw the keys in the ignition. He turned and watched Sam take a step back, his face pale. “No—no…” Sam muttered as he started to move away from the car. The older hunter quickly reached forward and grabbed his brother.

“We don’t have time for this Sam. You can grieve over Ruby later. Now we have to shake ass or we’ll be toast!” Dean manhandled his brother over to the passenger door and quickly shoved him inside. He slammed the passenger door shut and leapt over the hood of the small car before jumping into the driver’s seat.

He threw the car into gear and quickly headed towards the main highway. He gazed in the rearview mirror; his eyes growing wide as he felt the earth beneath the car begin to tremble. The little car bucked along the road but managed not to crash as Dean pressed down harder on the gas pedal. He glanced at Sam who sat like a statue in the seat next to him; his eyes were glued straight ahead. The hands holding onto the dashboard were white. Another violent jolt caused Dean to pay attention to the road once more.

Suddenly there was a loud explosion. Dean looked back and shuddered as he saw a cloud of debris heading right for them. “Hold on Sam, this might get rough!” Dean felt the little car quiver as rock and pieces of wood fell around them. It reminded the older hunter of pyroclastic clouds he’d seen one night on the National Geographic Channel. But he was sure this was more powerful than the largest volcanic eruption. As the cloud enveloped the car, Dean had all he could do to see the road in front of them.

He put on the windshield wipers to clear the dust so he could see better. The world around them was now gray, the moon and sky obliterated from view. Dean reached over and placed a hand briefly on Sam’s arm. He squeezed lightly before returning his hand to the wheel. At least if this was the end, he and Sam would be together.

Dean drove on, his eyes looking for the black road that meant they’d reached the highway. The air was still deadly quiet, but the road beneath them no longer shook. It seemed like hours but finally he felt the tires hit the paved road of the highway. Not caring which direction he took, Dean turned and gunned the little car forward. He really missed the Impala’s powerful engine as the car whined along the road. But then, maybe it was better that his car was safe at Bobby’s house. It at least would survive for a little longer…

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bobby Singer slammed down the phone. “Damn you Rufus and your stupid theories…” He paced and looked out the same window that Dean Winchester had been looking out of before he disappeared. One minute he thought he might be getting through to the boy and then he was gone. “Damn Angels…” He muttered as he headed back towards his library. He stopped to turn on the television. If something bad was going down, the news channels would pick it up.

He was sure this all had something to do with the apocalypse. He was also sure that his boys were being manipulated by both sides of this thing. As he pulled out a large volume, he began to read. The more he read, the more worried he became. None of the stories had a good ending. He gazed at the television screen and stopped, his eyes going wide when he saw a reported explosion at a convent in Ilchester, Maryland. As he stood and raised the volume his phone rang.

“Yeah, I’m watchin’ it Rufus. I know, you idjit, it’s probably the last seal being broken and I’m betting those two are right in the middle of it.” Bobby listened for a few more minutes as Rufus asked him what the Winchesters were doing in Maryland.

“I don’t know if they are, but if Armageddon is starting—those boys will be in the middle of it trying to stop it—even if it meant their lives. So don’t you go spreading any rumors or so help me you’ll be drinkin’ your booze through a straw.” Bobby slammed the phone shut and looked at the pictures of the convent.

It looked like an atomic bomb had gone off. The building had been leveled and even the trees had been flattened. The report was saying it was probably some kind of natural gas explosion caused by an earthquake that had registered in the area. Since the convent was empty, there had been no casualties. Bobby breathed a sigh of relief but wouldn’t rest until he managed to talk to the boys. At least he hoped they were together, if not—he didn’t want to think about it.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean’s hands curled around the steering wheel as they continued to barrel down the highway. He had no idea how long he’d been driving or where they were going to end up. All he knew was he had to get away from the convent—from Lucifer. Damn Zachariah and his grand plans for getting rid of Lucifer. Down deep, he had to believe that there was still some way to avoid the coming war, to save the people who would be caught in the cross fire of the Angel and Demon pissing contest. He didn’t care about them—Angels had turned out to be just as corrupt as Demons and proved to be just as trustworthy.

For a moment he wondered what had happened to Chuck and Cas. What he’d give to be able to read one of Chucks books to see how this all ended. But then, they’d already changed destiny hadn’t they? Chuck said he wasn’t part of the story but here he was running with his brother in tow. He may not have been part of the tale, but he was certainly in it now. He gazed over at his too quiet brother. “Sammy?” He tried to get his brother’s attention, but Sam continued to stare straight ahead. His hands were no longer digging into the dashboard but rested loosely at his sides. It was almost as if his brother had checked out.

Dean sighed. “Don’t worry Sammy, we’ll figure this out. No way I’m gonna let a little Angel on Demon action separate us. Do you hear me Sam, we will do this together.”

“Why?” Sam croaked, his eyes turning to meet Dean’s for a brief moment before sliding away again.

“Why what Sam?” Dean was thrilled his brother was at least responding. It meant he was still in there somewhere.

His little brother swallowed and looked down at his hands. “Why did you come back?”

There it was the elephant on the table. Dean wanted to find a place where they could have a long talk, but now wasn’t the time. They had to get someplace safe. So he decided to give his brother the best answer he could. “Because we’re brothers Sam and nothing will ever change that.”

Sam didn’t respond at first but after a few more minutes of silence he bit his lower lip before speaking so soft Dean had to strain to hear. “Dean—ah—do you think we could stop—we’re in a wooded area and—well—we have to—I mean I have to—she should be given a proper burial.”

Dean slowly pulled over to the side of the road before he turned to look at Sam. His brother was shaking, his head down so that his bangs covered his eyes. “Who Sam?”

“Cindy—she said—Cindy McCellan, wife of Matthew—Oh God—what have I done!” Sam dropped his head into his hands as silent sobs lifted his shoulders. Dean was at a loss. He figured this Cindy was somehow involved with what happened back at the convent.

“Where is she Sam?” Dean finally asked, almost afraid of the answer.

“She’s—she’s in the trunk—I tried, I really tried to save her Dean—but Ruby—ah God, why did I listen to her?” Sam gulped in air before he continued. “Ruby said we needed her to—to give me the final boost.” Sam turned and looked at Dean, hazel eyes full of despair and guilt glimmered with unshed tears. “She’s dead because of me Dean…”

Dean sucked in a breath before he slowly exited the car. He opened the trunk and looked inside. A young woman in nurses’ scrubs was curled inside. Her wrist was slit but otherwise she looked as if she were sleeping. He hung his head for moment before he moved towards the passenger door. He opened the door and leaned in. “She was possessed.” Dean said matter of factly. “Just tell me you sent the demon inside her back to hell…”

Sam looked down at the floor and sighed softly. “I didn’t take that much blood from her Dean. I mean, she should have survived. But when I finally killed the demon—she, she just died. The looks on her face Dean while I drank—Oh God—she looked at me like—like I was some kind of…” Sam stopped talking as if he couldn’t find the words to continue.

The older hunter wiped his hand over his face as he processed what his brother was telling him. He knew down deep that the host usually didn’t survive, especially with the stronger demons inhabiting them. It wasn’t fair, but in a way it was probably better this way. At least they wouldn’t have someone turning them in to the cops. Although, with Angels and Demons on their back, maybe the police would be a better alternative. A soft sob brought Dean back to the matter at hand. His brother was falling apart in front of him and he had to try to fix it.

“Sammy” Dean leaned in again and pulled his brother’s face over so that he could see his eyes. “She was probably dead before you bled her. I’m not going to say what you did was okay because we both know it wasn’t. But you didn’t kill her—the demon did.” Dean watched as Sam looked up at him, something he hadn’t seen in a long time reflected in his eyes—belief. It was the look his brother had always given to him when he was hurting, the look that said he knew Dean could fix it and make it better.

“Come on Sam, the sooner we get her taken care of—the sooner we can find some place to rest for the night. In the morning, we’ll figure out what to do…” Dean watched as Sam uncurled himself from the small car. Any other time, he would have laughed at the sight of his huge brother getting out of the toy car. But now wasn’t the time or place.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It took the boys over an hour to find an area where they could burn the body. Luckily, Sam had left his bag with some of their supplies in the back seat of the car. After they salted and burned the body, Sam stumbled off into the bushes. A short time later Dean heard the sounds of his brother getting sick; he waited a few moments before going in after his brother to help him. Finally, he managed to get Sam back to the car and they were once more on the road.

Neither one of them said anything as they put more distance between them and the night’s events. Suddenly Dean’s phone rang. He reached into his pocket and saw Bobby’s name on the display. “Oh crap, I should have called him…” Dean winced as he answered the phone.

“Dean, what the hell happened?” Bobby’s voice sounded over the phone.

“ah, well funny you should say that…” Dean paused as he looked at Sam. His brother was looking down at the floor, his shoulders hunched as if he was trying to disappear. Small tremors were visible even in the dim light of the car.

“Don’t mess around with me boy—is Sam with you?” Bobby asked impatiently.

“Yes, but Bobby—I was too late…” Dean said softly into the phone. He could hear the quick inhaled breath of his brother. “Lucifer is free…”

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam listened to the one sided conversation Dean was having with Bobby. He knew Dean had to tell their friend what happened but part of him had wished he could hide from what he’d done. As he pulled away from the shame he felt over what he’d done his mind flew back to the convent.

“You saved us—you set him free…” Ruby’s voice echoed in his mind. The rapture on her face as she looked at the widening hole in the floor was painful to see. He shivered as he remembered those last moments—the time he discovered he’d been duped by the demon he had come to trust.

“What did I do?” Sam’s voice pleaded.

“You opened the door and now—he’s free at last…” Ruby shouted with glee.

“No—no—Lillith—I stopped her—I killed her…” Sam pleaded with the demon as she continued to gloat.

“And it is written, the first demon shall be the last seal…”

There was no excuse, Sam had been wrong and Dean had been right all along. He should have known better, he was raised to be a hunter. Both his father and Dean had told him the dangers of dealing with demons, even Bobby had warned him. But he knew better, he had all the answers and in the end he chose the demon over his brother. He watched as Dean continued to talk to Bobby, but he couldn’t hear the words because his mind was shouting his own damnation.

“You’ve turned yourself into a freak—a monster…” Lillith’s taunts caused him to suck in his breath. She’d known all along what needed to happened. In fact, she had practically told him that night at the hotel. He should have sensed it then, but he’d been so blind, so full of anger and a thirst for revenge. Even Chuck tried to warn him when he told him drinking the demon blood was wrong. The man didn’t even know his books were real, and even he could see the destructive path Sam was spiraling down.

The demon blood, the source of his great powers—the means to stop the rising of Lucifer turned out to be the key instead. Sam closed his eyes as he realized he’d become exactly what he had fought so hard against—a monster.

“The blood—you poisoned me!” Sam glared at the demon in front of him.

“No, it wasn’t the blood. It was you and your choices. I just gave you the options and you chose the right path every time.” Ruby took Sam’s face in her hands. “You didn’t need the feather to fly, you had it in you the whole time Dumbo…”

The whole time he didn’t need the demon blood. He’d changed himself into a freak, into something his brother would have to kill. When all this time he’d had the power to do it on his own; his abilities were a part of him long before Ruby was on the scene. If he’d only listened, done more research—taken the time to think about what he was doing. Instead he took the easy way, the sure way to get what he wanted. He’d convinced himself that the ends justified the means. All he did was give control to the demon—he became her puppet and danced while she pulled the strings.

“Why—why me?” Sam whispered as he gazed out into the dark night.

“Because—because it had to be you Sammy. It always had to be you…” Ruby’s voice whispered back.

Dean had been picked by the Angels to stop the apocalypse while Sam had been picked by the son of Satan to release the ultimate evil into the world. As he let his head drop to his chest he couldn’t help but feel that the wrong person died in the nursery so many years ago. Gordon was right, he should have been killed because now he was no better than the filthy things they hunted—in fact he was worse.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean glanced at Sam as he tried to finish his discussion with Bobby. He could literally see his brother pulling inward. A single tear ran down his brother’s face as his lips moved silently. “Look Bobby, we’re going to find a place to stop and then I’ll call you…”

“You need to head back here Dean until we figure out what is going on. If Cas is still around, he’ll look for you here. Besides I’ve added some additional protections so that neither Angels nor Demons can get in here.” Bobby’s voice sounded worried.

“We’re at least three days out from you Bobby but we’ll head that way as soon as we can. In the meantime, start figuring out how we put this genie back in the bottle would you?” Dean saw a sign on the road indicating they were entering the Pine Barrens in New Jersey. But he didn’t see any signs for the nearest town yet.

“Sure, I’ll get right on that!” Bobby said sarcastically into the phone. Dean chuckled softly as he imagined the look on his friends face right now.

“Look we just entered some sort of forest called Pine Barrens. I’ll call you when we get to the hotel.” Dean knew he had to find someplace soon as both he and Sam needed some down time.

“Pine Barrens—as in New Jersey!” Bobby said urgently into the phone “You idjit get out of there…”

“What’s wrong Bobby?” Dean asked as he looked out into the darkness of the forest surrounding him. Suddenly something knocked into the roof of the small car. The wheel jumped in his hand as he tried to juggle the phone and the car at the same time.

“Watch out for the…” Bobby’s warning came a moment too late as the car was hit once again, this time Dean couldn’t keep the car on the road. As the small vehicle left the road Dean yelled at Sam to hold on before he felt something hit the car a final time. It was just enough to cause the car to flip before it headed for a large pine tree.

“Sammy!” Dean yelled before his world went dark.

TBC



Uhm, just a reminder--I didn't crash the Impala--so be gentle

oh wow, I'm really liking this story so far...very angsty and now a cliffy on the first entry lol how kind of you . I'm looking forward to what happens next!

Ooooo...evil cliffy right off the bat! Wonderful start. Can't wait for the update that 's coming real soon!

Cindy.

cool new fic,i am looking forward to this.Haven't had a new fic i liked in ages.

Lucifer rising!,possible hurt dean! cliffhangers! bobby! all good so far.

becs xx

angsty and a cliffy just like the other reviewer said...great start...look forward to more!
Lisa

WOW! I like it so far.
But you know those evil cliffhangers

Looking forward to more.

Right you didn't damage the Impala but you left us with an evil cliffhanger.

I will forgive for that if you update soon.

Just go on. It's awesome so far.

More, more, more!!!

One chapter and I'm already hooked.
Can't wait to know what happened to Dean and Sam.

GREAT START MY PARTNER IN CRIME


MY POOR BABY I'LL GIVE HIM A


GOTTA LOVE BOBBY


CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE OH, GLAD YOU GOT MY FLIGHT INFO LMAO MAYBE I'LL MAKE IT WITH NO ACCIDENTS THIS TIME


LUV YA

LORRIE

OMFG please please contine
i need more lol

Happy Independence Day to all who celebrate

Wow, you guys all rock! So many reviews, I hope you all continue to enjoy the story!

And so we continue with Sam and Dean after Lucifer has been freed...

Enjoy!




Chapter 2 – Monster in the Pines


The hunter blinked as he tried to bring the world back into focus. A spider web of cracked glass was the first thing he noticed as the sun glinted off of it. That was soon followed by the pain in his head and chest. He could feel blood running down the side of his face as he tried to straighten up. Just beyond the cracked glass he could make out the boughs of a large pine tree. The trunk of the tree was embedded in the front of the car. It was clear they weren’t going anywhere.

A soft groan escaped his lips as he did a quick inventory of his injuries. Definitely some kind of concussion as nausea rose in his throat at the slightest movement. He took a deep breath and moaned as his ribs complained. Okay, so ribs either badly bruised or cracked, but he was breathing without problems and couldn’t feel any rubbing of the bones—so not broken. He moved his arms and legs, but other than a slight twinge in his shoulder where the seat belt had dug into his flesh, nothing seemed broken.

All in all he’d been lucky. The car, not so much. He reached over to open the door and was rewarded with a loud creak as it fell off the hinges. “Piece of crap car.” He muttered as he slowly pulled himself from the crushed vehicle. The top of the car was crushed, but more than that were the indentations that also appeared where he’d heard the sound just before the crash. He fingered the strange marks and frowned. What the hell had made them?

As he stood, the world tilted for a moment before he managed to get himself under control. He took deep breaths to quell the queasy feeling in his stomach, his hand going to the side of his head and coming back with blood. He was still bleeding. Great, bleeding and injured in the middle of a freakin’ forest, some fuggly monster sneaking around and no town in sight. As he stared up the sharp incline the car had rolled down, he realized how lucky he’d been to even be standing here. If the tree hadn’t stopped him, he’d have gone further down the incline and probably been killed.

Rubbing his hand on the side of his head once more he bent down and gazed into the interior of the car. He snapped back up as he realized something important was missing.

“SAMMY!”

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Earlier that night…

Sam groaned as the world came back into focus. He was on his back staring up at the cloud filled sky. Thunder sounded in the distance along with occasional flashes of lightening. He wondered if it was just a storm or if it was something worse. As he tried to rise, he cried out in pain. His shoulder had taken the brunt of the impact as the car rolled. He could tell it was out of joint as the pain continued to race through his body.

The young hunter paused as he tried to get his bearings. Years of hunting took over as he immediately looked for the danger. Something had attacked the car just before they crashed. As he stumbled slightly his eyes fell on the remains of the small orange car. It had come to rest against a large pine tree about ten feet from his position. Somehow he’d been tossed from the car before it continued down the inclined.

As he took a step, he winced at the pain in his ankle. He could put weight on it, barely. His eyes searched and found a sturdy branch lying close by. He grabbed it and used it to support part of his weight as he slowly made his way towards the car. The closer he got, the more worried he became. The car was totaled. His heart raced as he realized he hadn’t heard anything from his older brother yet. He could see a silhouette slumped against the steering wheel. “God No!” Sam pleaded as he tried to get to his brother. He couldn’t be dead—not after everything. The young hunter reached in through the broken window and quickly felt for a pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt one. “Okay Dean, you’re going to be just fine…” Sam said more to assure himself than his unconscious sibling.

Suddenly the sound of large wings filled the night air. Sam reached for his gun but realized he wasn’t carrying one. He looked into the back seat, but his duffle was missing. It was probably thrown from the car as well. A loud thud sounded on the car roof as the creature landed. Sam looked up into the red eyes of the beast and took in a quick breath.

“You can’t be real…” Sam whispered as he backed slowly from the car. The being tilted its head and let out a blood curdling scream into the night air. Large bat-like wings beat the air angrily as the three foot monster moved closer to Sam. He’d read about it but never thought it was real. After all there hadn’t been a sighting in years but then he should have known with Lucifer free, things like the Jersey Devil would become more active.

He had no idea what to do. He knew what he was facing, but as far as he knew there was no known way to kill it. He tried to remember what he’d read, but his head was still fuzzy from the crash. The one thing he seemed to remember was it didn’t often kill humans—mostly livestock. For now it appeared to just be watching him. “Shoo!” Sam called out as he stepped closer, waving his good arm at the animal hoping to scare it off.

The beast screamed again and began to stamp its hoofed feet on the car roof. The car that his older brother now laid in unconscious. The car rocked dangerously as the animal continued to pound on the roof of the car. He had to get the beast away before it caused the car to slide the rest of the way down the hill; he couldn’t let it hurt Dean any further. But he had no weapons and could barely move himself. He looked down at the walking stick he’d found and a plan began to form. He would lure it away.

“Come on you bastard—wanna play fetch?” Sam called out as he moved towards the monster again. This time he raised the heavy stick and aimed for the thin legs of the animal. But the stick met with only air as with a loud screech the monster rose into the air. Red eyes glared at Sam as it circled him before diving at him.

He dove but not before the hooves hit him in the middle of his back. Before he could stop, he found himself rolling down the rest of the incline. As he came to rest about twenty feet below the car, he groaned. The small stones and other debris had left him bruised but at least nothing else seemed to be broken. His shoulder however was complaining about the poor treatment. Sam stood and swayed slightly as the pain in his arm and head reminded him he wasn’t fighting at a hundred percent.

The sound of wings filled the night again as he looked up to see the monster heading for him again. The head was shaped like a horse and the front arms appeared to be short and clawed. If it weren’t for the fact the beast had managed to make them crash, he’d laugh at the way the creature had been constructed. It didn’t look like it could cause much damage. But the sound it made was unearthly as it screamed into the night and it had already proven it unnatural strength. He had to find cover, had to lure it farther away from Dean. Taking an unsteady step, he winced as his ankle complained but held for now. “Okay you demonic son of a bitch—let’s see how well you play follow the leader!”

Sam moved steadily further into the dense forest with the Jersey Devil hot on his heals. Maybe if he was lucky he could lose it and circle back around to help Dean. As he continued to move further into the woods he wondered at the sudden appearance of the beast. It couldn’t be a coincidence. A memory niggled at the back of his mind, but he couldn’t quite grasp it. It didn’t really matter. Whatever happened to him, he’d accept it as due him for his own stupidity. He just hoped Dean would survive. If anyone deserved it—it was him.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


Dean looked around the car and saw signs that his brother had been here. As he looked closer he saw a large stick thrown to the side of the car. According to the footprints and the placement of the pointed end of the stick, it was clear his brother had been using it to walk. At least Sam had been able to walk. His gaze looked down the incline and he shuddered at the thought of his brother falling. The hillside was littered with stones and debris.

“Sammy!” Dean called out again as he circled the car and looked down where it looked like something large had fallen. “Hold on Sam, I’m coming!” Dean called as he turned back to the car. He glanced into the back seat but the duffle with Sam’s weapons was missing. “Just great!” Dean slapped the side of the car but stepped back as it groaned and shivered before stilling. All he needed was for the car to roll and either crush him or hit Sam.

He fell to his knees as another wave of dizziness assaulted him. The headache that had been building since he woke up intensified. He couldn’t stop the bile from rising this time as he finally got sick beside the dying hulk of car. As he finished the painful retching he sat back on his heals to catch his breath. As he looked up, he spotted the handle of Sam’s bag sticking out from under a low bush.

He tried to stand, but once again black spots danced in front of his eyes. He couldn’t give in, he had to find Sam. The injured hunter stood on unsteady legs and moved towards the bag. He stumbled more than once before with a sigh he managed to collapse beside the duffle. He looked up and saw the sun was higher in the sky than when he’d started. He’d lost too much time. As he reached for the zipper, his vision grew gray—his last thought as he slumped down next to the bag was about his brother.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bobby Singer paced at the entrance to the Boston Airport. As soon as the connection had been broken he’d high tailed it to catch the next plane to the east coast. Of course, he hadn’t been able to bring any of his weapons or other tools of the trade which is why he was now pacing impatiently outside the busy airport.

A moment later a red pick up truck bounced to a stop in front of him. An older man with salt and pepper hair leaned over to roll down the window and call out. “Singer!”

“It’s ‘bout time you got here Jason!” Bobby grumbled as he opened the door and jumped into the cab. He glanced behind the seat and smiled when he saw the locked case. “Did you get what I asked for?”

“Yep, but I still don’t believe you’re hunting the Jersey Devil. I mean, that’s right up there with big foot in the hunter’s guide.” Jason responded as he merged back into traffic.

“Yeah, and vampires aren’t?” Bobby smirked as his old friend shrugged.

“Well, I didn’t believe in them either at first.” Jason smiled as he managed to merge into the traffic leading to the tunnel beneath the bay. “So you need help on this one? I mean, if you think there is really a Jersey Devil loose in the Pines, I’d be more than willing to take a few days off from the mill.”

“Naw, you go back to your wife and kids. I’ve got this one. Besides, like you said—it might be a whole lot of nothing.” Bobby turned to gaze at the dark entrance to the tunnel. He didn’t want to say anything, but the thought of going through a small tunnel beneath a whole bay filled with water didn’t thrill him overly much. The vision of rats drowning in a tunnel was too real—especially now that he knew Lucifer was free.

Jason chuckled as he entered the darkness. “Hold on Bobby—it won’t be long before it’s all over.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of…” Bobby replied.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam sank down onto his knees, his breath coming in short gasps as he tried to figure out where the Jersey Devil had flown off to. He looked up at the sky and grinned as he realized dawn was breaking. Maybe the animal was nocturnal. It that was true, then he’d be able to rest a minute before returning to find Dean. He could see his breath in the early morning light as a shiver ran up his spine. It still got cold in the evenings this time of year. Right now, he wouldn’t mind being in a nice warm bed.

The hunter tried to stand but winced as his ankle finally gave up. With a slight gasp of pain, he fell back down with a large grunt. “Perfect!” Sam grumbled as he reached forward to move his pant leg up. He knew his ankle was swelling from the tight feel of his boot but he didn’t dare remove it for fear of not getting it back on. His injured arm hung painfully by his side as he tried to figure out a way to move without passing out.

After a few moments, the exhaustion he’d been holding at bay seized him. He fell sideways, his vision slowly going gray as he gave in to his body’s need for rest. As he fell further into the darkness his mind force him back to the events of the day.

Sam found himself back at the turnoff for the convent. He could hear Ruby pacing behind him—impatient as always. He could still hear the pounding from the poor woman in the trunk of the car. His heart went out to her. The confused hunter reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He looked down at the message light—his brother had called him.

For a brief moment hope flared. Maybe Dean still wanted him—wanted to fight with him by his side as they finally killed the demon bitch that had made their lives a living hell. Ruby called for him to hurry but he had to do this one thing. He had to hear his brother’s voice just to make sure. With a trembling finger he pushed the message button and listened.

“Listen to me you blood sucking freak! Dad always said I’d have to either save you or kill you. Well I’m giving you fair warning—I’m done trying to save you. You’re a monster Sam, a vampire—you’re not you anymore and there’s no going back…”

“NO!” Sam called out into the darkness as pain tore his heart into pieces. As he tried to fight against the hatred he heard in his brother’s voice. It warred with the concern he’d seen in Dean’s eyes when Lucifer was freed. But then, maybe his brother was just leading him on—taking him someplace to finish him off. Memories of the panic room emerged along with the fear he’d be confined again—alone with only his own mind to torment him.

“Now I’m asking you for once—trust me…” Sam heard his own voice begging Dean to understand, to accept what he’d become.

“No.” Dean’s face contorted with pain. “It’s not something you’re doing—it’s what you are…” His brother stopped and swallowed, unwilling to say more. But Sam refused to leave it there.

“Say it Dean…” Sam demanded.

“You’re a monster!” Dean replied.

“No! Please Dean, I didn’t mean any of it—I’m sorry!” Sam screamed but his brother didn’t listen as he turned and faded from his sight. In his place he saw Ruby’s triumphant face.

“You’ve saved us Sammy—You’ve set him free…”

“No—I couldn’t—I stopped it…” Sam pleaded once again in his mind. But the proof rose before him as a bright light seemed to pierce the darkness.

“Thank you my son…” A voice echoed from the depth of the light. “You shall be rewarded…”

“NO!” Sam screamed once more as he dropped down onto the floor and covered his head. “I don’t want anything—I couldn’t have…”

“But you did Sam Winchester. You fulfilled your destiny and set me free at last…”

Hazel eyes shot open and glared at the sun breaking through the trees. A shiver ran through his frame as tears gathered in his eyes. “I’m sorry Dean…” he whispered as he let his eyes close once more.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean walked along the wooded path, his eyes searching for the tall form of his brother. The forest was unusually quiet as if it was holding its breath. He shrugged off the oppressive mood and continued to move forward. “Sammy!” He called for the hundredth time—and yet he still didn’t receive an answer.

He gazed up at the blazing sun, amazed for a moment that the day felt just like any other. The soft spring breeze carried the scent of pine and decayed forest. It was almost peaceful.

“Help will come soon Dean…” Cas’s voice sounded next to him causing the hunter to jump.

“I swear! Next pet store I come to I’m buying you a cat bell.” Dean stopped and gazed at the rumpled figure beside him. “So you look good for someone who was set to stand up against heaven’s army.”

Cas shook his head as he continued. “Heaven is busy at the moment with other things…”

Dean shook his head. “Yeah, I imagine planning a war would take some time.” He couldn’t help the bitterness that seeped into his tone. “So how long before the world ends?”

“No one knows—it depends…” Cas replied.

“Great, care to share or are we back on the need to know crap…” Dean scuffed his foot against the dirt. When Cas remained silent he turned and finally asked the question he’d been wondering since the angel arrived. “So, how did you get out of there?”

“The Archangel and I came to—an understanding…” Cas simply replied. “But that is not why I’m here. I’ve come to let you know help is on the way.”

“Help?” Dean gazed around the forest and for the first time realized he wasn’t feeling any pain. “Right, this is a dream again…”

“It was the best way for me to reach you. But you must be careful. There are those who don’t believe you are the one and even more that fear what your brother may become…”

“Wait—you’re saying we’ve got both heaven and hell on our tails?” Dean had already guessed as much, but hearing it didn’t make him feel better. He thought it was bad when they were on the FBI most wanted list. Leave it to Winchester Karma to make the same list in both Heaven and Hell.

“Yes” Cas remarked as he turned and looked at Dean.

“But I believe in you—and there is still hope Dean.” Cas looked heavenward as if looking for something. “God still believes in you—and Sam.”

“So Sam can be saved?” Dean stopped and looked directly at the angel.

“Anyone can be saved Dean—even a drowning man.”

“Great, so how do I save Sam?” Dean asked as he placed his hand on the angel’s shoulder. His green eyes daring Cas to lie to him. He stepped back as the angel looked down at his hand before responding.

“I do not know Dean—but I do know all is possible…”

“You know Cas, I’ve gotten better answers from a fortune cookie!” The exasperated hunter proclaimed.

“You need to wake up Dean—wake and go to your brother. He needs you…” Cas spoke before he disappeared once again.

“Easy for you to say! But how in the hell do I wake up!” Dean called into the silence of the forest but once again, he was left with no answer.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bobby pressed harder on the pedal as he checked the map one more time. He’d been on the road since Dean’s call and was beginning to feel fatigued but he refused to give in; not while Dean and Sam were in trouble. He saw the sign telling him he was entering the Pine Barrens forest. It had to be the sign Dean had seen just before…

The experienced hunter was able to read the tell tale signs of a car going off the road. As he pulled the truck over to the side, he quickly stepped out and grabbed his duffle. He’d made sure there was a first aid kit along with his weapons and a few other things that might come in handy. The bag was heavy, but he didn’t even notice as his eyes followed the car tracks over the edge of the steep hill. Even in the early evening light, he could tell this was where he’d find the car. He only hoped he would also find the boys.

It only took him a few moments before he saw the body of Dean Winchester sprawled face down next to a bush. He moved quickly, but carefully down the steep incline. He could also see what was left of an orange car as it rested against a pine tree. From the shape of the car, he was pretty sure the boys would be injured. He knelt down beside Dean and placed his fingers against the unconscious man’s neck. A moment later he breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the steady and strong pulse.

“Dean?” Bobby said softly and he carefully turned the young man over. He could see the dried blood and the gash just beneath the hairline. Pulling out his canteen and a handkerchief, he quickly wiped as much of the blood from the boy’s face as he could. The wound on Dean’s head had clotted, but it would eventually need stitches. He grabbed the first aid kit and pulled out a couple of butterfly bandages along with a sterile dressing. It would have to do until he could get the boy to someplace safer.

Carefully Bobby began to run his hands down Dean’s body, assessing any further damage. A soft grunt of pain sounded when he rubbed his hand over the boy’s rib cage. He quickly pulled up Dean’s shirt and whistled at the rainbow display of bruises. It was clear he’d hit the steering wheel with his chest. He could also see a deep bruise on the boy’s shoulder, probably from the seat belt. “You are certainly a mess Dean…” Bobby said softly as he lowered the shirt. There was nothing much he could do for the ribs. From the feel of them, none appeared to be broken.

“Okay Dean, looks like we have bruised ribs and a concussion. So why don’t you rest here while I go see what’s up with that brother of yours…” Bobby used his own jacket to cover the unconscious man while he stood and headed down the hill towards the car. The light was quickly fading as he approached. “Sam?” Bobby called out as he peered inside the broken window of the car. But there was no sign of the youngest Winchester.

“Damn it!” Bobby looked back up at Dean’s still form. He’d said Sam was with him, the question was had the boy left on his own or with help.

TBC

Hmm shall I write exactly what I wrote on this story on FF.net...nah...maybe...
cool Bobby to the rescue...now all he has to do is get two hurt big guys out of the woods by himself...good update..(okay so I wrote the same thing!)
Lisa

What a gripping chapter.
Bobby found Dean, that's great, hope he'll find Sam before the Jersey Devil.
Can't wait to know what'll happen next.

LOVED IT. THE EMOTIONAL WRECK AND THE GUILT SAM IS HAVING.


HURT DEAN, NOW WHO CAN RESIST THE HURT BOYS


THE JERSEY DEVIL AWESOMEEEE!!!!! AND YEA BOBBY TO THE RESCUE.


LOVE YOUR STORIES SIS, TRY TO TAKE IT EASY THIS MONTH


LUVS


LUCY