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phantismaTitle: Running at the End of Time
Fandom: Supernatural
Artist:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
inanna_maat
Author:phantisma
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 5339
Summary: Set toward the end of season 5, Dean is tired and he knows the end is coming. When the Trickster shows up, warning him that they are running out of time, Dean doesn't know how to react. He does know one thing though, when the Trickster's around, things are never going to go as planned.
Warnings: Some violence, implications of torture.
Link to Master Art Post: http://inanna-maat.livejournal.com/83599.html
It was two in the morning and Dean couldn't sleep.
Not for a lack of trying. Not because he wasn't tired, he was exhausted. So exhausted he was going to get himself hurt if he did anything other than sleep. He lay on the motel bed, staring at the water stains on the ceiling, listening to the sounds of trucks on the highway, the drip of the faucet. His body ached, nothing seriously hurt, but not an inch of him that wasn't sore at least a little. He shouldn’t be here.
”Are you gonna do something stupid?” Sam had asked. “Like Michael stupid?”
Dean had denied it, but if Sam had let him out of his sight, he would have bolted. He was pretty sure they were out of other options.
He sat up and reached for his phone, flicking it open and pressing the button to listen to the voicemail message one more time.
"Hey, Dean…I, uh, okay, I’m not going to lie to you. I’m pretty sure you’re two steps out the door on me here, and I can’t let you…Look, I’ve got a line on something. Just sit tight for me. A few hours. Give me a few hours, and if I don’t get back to you…Just don’t do anything stupid.”
He huffed and put the phone down. It had been twelve hours since Sam left the message and disappeared. They were in the middle of the freaking apocalypse, they were losing, people were dying and Sam wanted him to wait.
Dean sighed and stood up. He paced the space between the beds.
"You should sleep." He whirled at the sound of the voice, then froze.
Sitting on the end of his bed was the Trickster…who it had turned out wasn't a trickster after all, but a rogue arch-angel on a bender. "What do you care?" Dean asked.
"If you don't sleep, you're going to die."
"And again, what do you care?"
"I'm hurt." He stood and turned to look at Dean. Something wasn't right about him. His demeanor had changed, his voice wasn't its usual annoying flippant tone. "You think that just because I torment you and your brother that I don't care?"
"Actually, yeah, that's exactly what I think." Dean responded. "Now, what do you want?"
"To help you. Time is running out."
"Time? Time for what?"
Gabriel stepped closer. "For you to save the world, Dean." Suddenly his hand shot out and two fingers touched Dean's forehead and everything tilted, Dean dropped into sleep.
Gabriel caught him and lowered him to the bed, arranging him, then removing his boots before pulling a blanket up over him. "You sleep. I'll keep watch."
He stepped away from the bed, going to the window to peer out on the night. He'd risked a lot coming here, more than he would ever let Dean know. Things were not right, and the comfortable place he'd built for himself was in jeopardy. He didn't want to get involved…swore he wouldn't.
But that was before the others found him. His hand moved to his side, pressing in on the wound that he couldn't seem to make go away. It was draining him slowly. Before long, it might end him…and that was something he had never contemplated before.
Dean woke with a start, jumping up and looking around the motel room for Gabriel. He was alone, with the sun streaming in the window. His duffle bag sat on the end of the bed, all packed, with his jacket laid across it and his keys sitting on top of that.
“Nice, douchbag. Where is it you think I’m supposed to be going?”
The bathroom door opened and Gabriel stepped out on a plume of steam, his hair wet, though he was, thankfully, fully dressed.
“Ah, good. You’re awake. About damn time. I was getting bored.”
Dean shook his head. “Why are you here?”
“How about some breakfast? Coffee?” He snapped his fingers and Dean had a large cup of coffee in his hand and a stack of pancakes was on the nightstand next to him.
Dean put the coffee down and turned to the archangel. “How about you answer the question for a change?”
Gabriel shrugged. “I came to help.”
“Help what exactly?” Dean asked. “The last time we saw you, you were trying to convince me to just give up.”
Gabriel rolled his eyes and turned away. “Well, I’ve had time to think.”
“Bullshit.” He stalked toward the angel. “I want a straight answer.”
To his surprise, Gabriel didn’t just vanish. He inhaled, then turned to look Dean in the eye. “My brother came to see me.”
Dean stopped in his tracks. He could almost believe the bastard was being sincere. “Which one?”
“Michael.” Gabriel didn’t look away. “Let’s just say that he convinced me that sitting this one out is not in my best interests.”
“How…” Dean frowned at him.
Gabriel smirked. “What, you think that just because you won’t say yes, he can’t find a way to come visit his little brother?” Gabriel shook his head. “Hell, it’s part of how I know things are so fucked that nothing is going to put it right. Time was one of us would never take a vessel that wasn’t the vessel…the things it does to them.” Gabriel shuddered. “The honest truth is, Dean, my brother? He’s off his fucking rocker.”
Gabriel pulled the chair out of the corner and sat, wincing a little.
Dean frowned at him. “Are you…hurt?”
Gabriel made a face. “What? I’m an arch angel, I don’t get hurt.”
“I know that face.”
Gabriel sighed. “I’m fine. We’re wasting time.”
Dean wasn’t sure he believed him, but he backed off and sat on the bed to put his boots on. “You seem awfully concerned about time, for an archangel. Mind telling me what it is you think we’re going to do?”
He looked up when Gabriel didn’t answer right away, then snapped his fingers when it seemed he had drifted off on some thought. “Earth to Gabe.”
He snapped his head up. “Don’t call me that. Eat your breakfast. I’ll be back in a bit.”
And just like that, he was gone. “Fucking lunatic.” Dean muttered, reaching for the coffee, not sure if he meant Gabriel or himself. After a moment’s hesitation, he picked up the plate of pancakes. No sense letting them go to waste.
His phone rang and Dean glanced at the caller ID before picking it up. “Where the hell are you?”
“Hello to you too.” Sam said dryly. “I’m a few hours away.”
“What was so all fired important you had to take off without telling me?”
Sam sighed heavily. “I just…I needed to see someone.”
“I don’t like it, Sam. We’re staring down the barrel of pretty damn big gun and you’re off dicking around?”
“I’m not dicking around Dean. I’m not you.” He could almost see Sam’s expression. “How are you?”
“I’m just peachy Sam, what the fuck do you think?”
“So, still ready to give yourself to Michael?”
“You got any better ideas?”
“Look, I’m just going to be a little longer. I may have something that can help us.”
“Yeah well, just so you know, the apocalypse didn’t get the memo that you needed a few days off.”
“Something happen?”
“I had me a personal visitation from our friendly trickster last night and this morning.”
“Gabriel?”
“Yeah, apparently we’re running out of time, and he wants me to go somewhere with him.”
“Where?”
“You know him, can’t get a straight fucking answer out of him.” Dean shoved a bite of the pancakes into his mouth.
“Can we trust him?”
"No, of course we can't." Dean answered around the food in his mouth. "But he's hurt and he's worried."
"Don't go anywhere. I'm on my way back."
"Not sure I'm going to get a say in whether or not I go somewhere." Dean stood, jumping when Gabriel was suddenly right in front of him again.
"Dean?" Sam's voice sounded strained. “You can’t—“
"I gotta go."
"He's there?"
"Yeah, Sam. He's here."
"Tell Sam I said hi." Gabriel said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "And let's go. We're wasting time."
Dean heard Sam talking to someone. "Give me a minute. Sam, who's with you?"
"No one. Look, I'm on my way. Don’t say yes. To anything. Seriously, just a few hours."
Gabriel grabbed his arm. “You coming?”
Dean nodded and opened his mouth to say something, but before he could he was in the car, on the road and Gabriel was plucking the phone from his hand. "You shouldn't talk and drive."
"What the—" Dean shook his head and tried to figure out where they were. "Mind telling me where we're going at least?"
“If I found you, the others can find you.”
“How did you find me?” Dean asked, because now that he’d mentioned it, Dean realized he shouldn’t have been able to.
“Castiel.” Gabriel responded. “I mean, I love him like a brother, I do, but he’s not exactly stealthy.
“Cas?” Dean frowned at him. “I haven’t seen him in…”
“Well, he’s seen you. Who do you think Sam was talking to?”
Dean pulled the car off the road and put it in park before turning to look at him. “Are you telling me that Sam is with Castiel?”
Gabriel held up both hands. “I followed him to your hotel room. He and Sam left a few minutes later.”
Dean’s face hurt with how hard he was frowning. “What the fuck are they up to?”
“Can we focus please?” Gabriel asked, snapping his fingers. Suddenly they were in a room, in soft bathrobes, surrounded by beautiful women with food and drinks. “Oh…” Gabriel sank back into a plush couch and opened his mouth for the cake one of the women as feeding him.
“Really?” Dean asked. “Seriously?”
“What? This? Accident.” Gabriel insisted. “Sit, relax.”
“You’re the one all hung up on us being on a schedule.” Dean said, though he let his eyes drift when one of the women approached him with a slice of chocolate cream pie. “Is that…pie?” She smiled and kept coming, crowding into him until he sat. “Wait.” He pushed her away. “Enough of this trickster crap.”
Gabriel groaned and tilted his head around the woman in his lap. With a snap of his fingers they were alone. “You are a killjoy.”
Dean rubbed his hand over his face. “Just tell me what the fuck you want with me so I can get back to—“
“To not fixing anything?” Gabriel asked standing. His face was red as he crossed the room and his robe gapped open, letting Dean catch a glimpse of the wound in his side.
Dean stood too, about to light into him when the building started to shake. “What the—“
“Door.” Gabriel said, shoving Dean toward a door that hadn’t been there before. “I’ll hold them off, you go.”
“Them who?”
“Guessing from the noise, I’d say Raphael. He’s got a true vessel to play in.”
“So, snap us out of here.” Dean argued, grabbing at his shoulder.
“He can’t.” Dean whirled, only to get punched in the stomach hard enough that he was sure the fist was going to come out the other side. He hit the floor and groaned as he looked up. Raphael had Gabriel on his knees, his hands bound in front of him…but Gabriel was still behind him.
Dean rolled clear and got to his feet. It didn't make sense. The logical thing to do was run.
Dean headed for the door, only to pull up short as two more angels took up positions on either side of it. “Shit.”
They came at him and Dean ducked and dodged, only to be caught between them, and grabbed. They forced him to his knees and pulled his head back. The Gabriel on his knees was bloody and wouldn't look at him.
“Stop!” Dean yelled as Raphael pressed the point of his blade into Gabriel's shoulder.
Raphael turned to look at him. “I will deal with you in a moment, Dean. I need to teach my little brother a lesson.”
“I got him here.” Gabriel said, his eyes snapping to Dean’s. “Like you wanted.” The second Gabriel shrugged and disappeared.
“You son of a bitch!” Dean snapped, pulling against the angels that held him. “You fucking, arrogant, junkless son of a bitch!”
Raphael crossed to him, setting the point of the blade on Dean’s shoulder. “Michael did offer you forgiveness and a chance to come home if you brought him to us so we could turn him.”
Dean seethed as Raphael crossed to him. He grabbed Dean's chin and tilted his head back. "Are you in pain?"
"Nothing I can't handle." Dean growled, struggling to pull free.
"We'll see about that." Raphael's fingers tightened and Dean gasped as every bone in his body seemed to press in against organs and veins. "I promise you, I know ways of causing you pain that you can not begin to fathom."
"What happened to not damaging the vessel?" Dean gasped when Raphael finally released him.
"Oh, I can kill you and bring you back, I can damage you so badly your own mother wouldn't know you…and restore you and start all over again."
Dean's mind filled with memory of Alistair doing the exact same thing to him in the pit and Raphael chuckled. "Who do you think taught those vermin how?"
Raphael snapped his fingers and something reminiscent of a dungeon appeared around them. The angels holding him dragged Dean to a rack. "I finally convinced Michael that the only way to convince you is the same way Alistair did."
"So…I can go now…" Gabriel stood, brushing at his clothes as Dean was locked down to the rack.
Raphael turned, waving a hand in his brother's direction. Gabriel was caged instantly. "Come on!"
Raphael raised an eyebrow. "He hasn't said yes yet, brother. When he has, you can stand before Michael and see how he feels on the matter. Until then, be still."
"You're going to make me stand here and watch?"
"Close your eyes." Raphael turned to Dean and grinned. "Now then…where to begin…"
Dean opened his eyes, realizing suddenly that he wasn't being torn apart or tormented with burning irons or any of the other things Raphael had subjected him to. In fact, the room was silent.
He lifted his head and slowly realized he was alone, and no longer bound to the table. He sat slowly, wincing as the pain started to make itself known. Clearly Raphael hadn't bothered with the healing him part of the process before he ran off.
He was panting by the time he got upright, panting and ready to pass out. His torn shirt hung from his shoulders, bloodied, though there were no open wounds on his chest anymore. His left arm hung limply at his side though and Dean didn't even want to think about trying to move it.
Something wasn't right inside his stomach he realized as he eased off the table…and two seconds too late he realized that there was something very wrong with his right leg as he crashed into the floor.
"Fuck. That hurt."
He crawled away from the table, toward where he remembered there had been a door, not that he expected it to be that easy. A groan drew his attention back toward the cage. Gabriel was still inside it, looking like Dean felt. Dean shouldn't care. The asshole had set him up. Still, he crawled toward the cage, reaching in to poke him.
"I want some answers."
Gabriel's eyes opened, then closed again. "I can't help you."
"Can't?" Dean reached through the bars again.
"I've had my wings clipped." Gabriel held up his hands, bound in gold. He put his bound hands down on the floor of his cage and pushed himself up. He spit blood onto the floor and looked over Dean's shoulder. "As long as I'm wearing these, I'm little more than human."
"Why?" Dean asked. "Why did you drag me here?"
"I didn't." Gabriel said. He sat back against the bars and closed his eyes. "Well, I did, but not because I wanted to."
"So help me, if you don't start giving me some straight answers…"
Gabriel looked at him. "Really, Dean? What kind of threat can you make here?" He shook his head. "I meant what I said when I came to see you. I got a visit from big brother, took a hit, but thought I'd gotten away. Figured maybe I could…I don't know…" He sighed. "It doesn't matter. They followed me, grabbed me…"
"And to save your own skin, you brought me here to be tortured. Great."
"No. Look, they wanted you here because here is someplace your brother and Castiel can't get to. I only got you into the car. Raphael brought us here once we were out of the motel room."
"It wasn't even you." Dean argued, pulling himself up to his feet.
"No, it was a copy…He wouldn't let me go myself."
"Why not just yank me here himself?" Dean asked. "Why the game?"
Gabriel shrugged. "He's insane? He's lost it? Well, that and Castiel had secured the room. No one but God himself could pull you out of there without your permission. Raphael knew there was no way you would leave with him."
"He couldn't wait for me to go grab a beer?"
Gabriel chuckled. "Yeah, well. I mean Castiel had you locked in Dean. The only way out of that room was on the Angel Express, and only if you agreed to go."
Dean tested his leg, shifting his weight slowly. It hurt, but didn't buckle. "So, he needed you to convince me to leave with you."
"Which you did. And I figured Castiel would have locked down the car too, but apparently I was wrong."
"You expect me to believe that you didn't mean to trade me for your freedom?"
"Does it matter?" Gabriel stood. "He'll be back, and there will be more torture for both of us and eventually you'll give in and Michael will head out to settle the score with Lucifer. Everyone dies, paradise is reborn…yadda yadda…"
Dean limped over to the place where there had been a door. It was solid wall now. "So where is this place?"
"This place doesn't exist." Gabriel responded. "Which makes it impossible to find."
"Stop with the games."
Gabriel sighed. "It's a…place outside of everything. It isn't on Earth, it isn't in heaven or hell. It's kind of a hide out. I found it when I first left heaven. The normal rules don't exist here."
"So how do I get out?" Dean asked, looking at him.
"You?" Gabriel laughed, then coughed and grabbed the bars with his bound hands. "You don't. Unless you got the keys to this little cage and the Holy Handcuffs here."
"Right, like I'd spring you."
"You did before." Gabriel said. "You let me out of the circle of holy fire."
"That was before you betrayed me."
"I didn't betray you. Your brother did."
"What did you say?" Dean limped back to the cage, grabbing him through the bars. He got a hand on Gabriel's shirt and dragged him closer. "What do you mean?"
"Sam…and Castiel…they snuck off and left you locked up in a motel room. You haven't even asked yourself why."
Dean let go of him and slowly slid down the bars to sit. "Sam's…different." Dean looked down at his hands. "Or maybe I am. I don't know."
"No offense, but if you're about to start talking about your feelings, I might puke."
Dean shook his head. "I don't expect you to understand."
"No? Here's what I understand: Sam is out there trying. He knows there isn't much time. He knows the end is coming, and he's still trying. You don't even seem to give a damn anymore."
"Yeah, that's rich." Dean said, scratching the back of his neck. "Coming from you, that's really rich."
"This all started because you Winchesters can't stop sacrificing yourselves. Your father dies so that you can live, because he thinks you're going to be better at keeping Sam from going dark side than he could be….and really? Your mother sealed that deal before Sam was even born, didn't she? And for what? Your old man?"
"Shut up."
"And then Sam dies a nice, righteous death that got him out of the whole Lucifer's vessel deal, only you had to go and sell your soul to get him back…and still that deal Mommy made came back to bite you in the ass, and Sam fulfilled at least part of his destiny."
"I said shut the fuck up." Dean turned to look at him, but Gabriel wasn't done.
"And now, you're all moping about thinking the only way this is gonna end is for the both of you to just let it play out, but Sam? He's the one out there trying to find another way. Him and Castiel. Go figure."
"You got something you wanna say?"
Gabriel came close to the bars. "Your mouth keeps saying no, Dean, but your entire soul is screaming yes. You're tired and you're hurt and you can't see anyway out."
"Isn't that what you want? Wasn't that the whole point of your TV land stunt?"
"What I want? What I want is to go back to a time when my brothers weren't at war and my father still answered phone calls, but we all know that isn't happening…so I suggest we focus on getting us out of here before Rafael and his friends come back."
"You're the one who said I couldn't get out."
"You can't, but I can. All we have to do is get these cuffs off me."
“And how exactly do you expect me to do that?”
“I suggest you use the key, moron.” Gabriel said. “I had a pair of these myself, once upon a time. There’s a key hidden here somewhere.” He moved to the opposite corner of the cage and gestured with his chin. “Over there, where the buffet table used to be.”
“What makes you think it’s still here? Your brother redecorated.”
“It’s still here.” Gabriel said, gesturing now with his bound hands. “He just rearranged, he didn’t take anything out.”
“Might help to know what I’m looking for.”
“Just move stuff around. You’ll know it when you see it.”
Dean thought the trickster had actually lost his marbles, but he limped over to the spot where a buffet table had been. Currently a rack of weapons stood there, some of which Dean didn’t even want to guess about.
“Not to rush you or anything….”
“Shut up.” Dean moved stuff around, lifted weapons, but nothing stood out.
“You’re running out of time. They’re coming back.”
“I said shut up, let me think.” Dean grabbed a knife from the rack and sliced his hand, drawing the angel banishing sigil on the wall.
“Come on, you think that’s going to work?”
“Only one way to find out!”
There was a fluttering sound and the room tilted and Dean slammed his hand against the sigil. The room lit up and the air seemed to be sucked out of it, then slammed back in with a boom, and he was alone. Even Gabriel was gone.
The door that hadn’t been there was open and Dean limped slowly across the floor, peering out into a setting sun in the middle of nowhere. The impala sat waiting for him and Dean limped to her, half expecting the angels to come roaring back at him.
When they don’t, Dean climbed into the car and brought the engine to life, peeling out in a spray of dirt and grass. He had no idea where he is, or where he’s going, he just needed to get away.
Gabriel wasn’t wrong. They were running out of time.
Dean had known that before Gabriel showed up to remind him.
Maybe it was time.
If he just said yes to Michael it would be over.
But he wasn’t going to do it because of torture, or without a few guarantees.
He found his way onto the highway, and found himself a few miles away from Cicero, Indiana. He nodded to himself. The end was coming, and it was time to stop pretending they could end it any other way.
He sat outside the house for a long time. His phone rang again and Dean looked down at it, hitting the ignore button when he saw it was Sam. Again.
He got out of the car and walked slowly up to the house, knocking after only a slight hesitation. He almost walked away before the door opened and Lisa smiled at him softly. “Dean.”
He inhaled and let it out. “Hi, Lisa. I didn’t have your number, uh, so…” It was awkward, because he had this whole built up idea of what might have been in his head, and for all he knew she had moved on, found a man who would be there, take care of her and Ben.
“No. No, it’s okay. I’m—I’m…just surprised.”
Dean nodded and looked past her into the house. “How’s Ben? “
“Good. Good. He’s at baseball.”
“You moved. It’s a…nice house.” The small talk was killing him. He wanted to hold her and tell her that he missed her and say goodbye like a man, but he couldn’t.
“Dean, you didn’t come all the way here to talk about real estate. You alright?”
“No, not really.” He was so far from alright that there was no coming back. Not ever.
“Well, what is it?” Her arms were crossed as she leaned on the door frame, her eyes warm and affectionate as she looked at him. He wanted to believe that in another lifetime he could have something that beautiful, that real, that normal.
He knew the truth though. He knew he would never have that. “Look, I have no illusions, okay? I know the life that I live, I know how that’s gonna end for me. Whatever. I’m okay with that. But I wanted you to know…that when I do picture myself happy…it’s with you. And the kid.”
She stood up straight, uncrossing her arms. “Wow.”
“I mean, you don’t have to say anything.” He didn’t want her to say anything. It would make it too real, too hard to walk away.
“No, I…I mean, I know. I know. I want to. Come inside. Let me get you a beer.”
“I wish I could. Take care of yourself, Lisa.” He offered her a tight smile and turned to leave.
“No, wait, wait!” She had stepped out onto the porch. “You can’t just drop a bombshell like that and then leave.”
“I know. I’m sorry. But I don’t have a choice.” He kept his back to her, afraid that if he looked at her it would all come crashing down around him.
“Yeah, you do. You do.” Her hand on his shoulder made him turn, though he kept looking at the ground. “You can come inside and let me get you a beer. We can talk.”
He shook his head, and took her hand. “Lisa, just…wait a minute. Things are about to get really bad.”
She ducked her head to get him to look at her. “Like how? Like your kind of bad?”
If only it was just that. Ghouls, vampires, ghosts, he’d take any of those things over what he was facing now. “Worse. Next few days, the crap you’re gonna see on your TV, it’s gonna be downright trippy. Scary. But I don’t want you to worry, because I’m making arrangements for you and Ben.”
“Arrangements?” Her voice was tight, high. As if she wasn’t sure whether to be angry with his cryptic answers or afraid of what he might mean.
“Whatever happens, you’re gonna be okay.” Dean would make sure of it.
“What do you mean? What are you talking about?”
He exhaled slowly and took both of her hands in his. “The people that I’m gonna see next, they’re not gonna get anything from me without agreeing to a few conditions.”
He could feel the panic as she pulled on his hands. “Just...just come inside. Please. And whatever you’re thinking of doing, don’t do it.”
He shook his head and kissed her hands. “I have to.”
“Just stay an hour. At least say bye to Ben.”
“It’s better if I don’t.” He pulled her close and kissed her. It was nearly over. Time was winding down. “Bye, Lisa.”
He glanced up as thunder rolled. Storm clouds were gathering. He just had a few more details to take care of. Come morning it would all be over.
It took him a lot less time to be done than he thought. The box was remarkably light for it to contain what was left of his life. He folded up the jacket and put it in, then added the note on top. It wasn’t much, but Bobby deserved to have something.
He taped it shut and lifted the bottle of Jack, taking a hit off it. He aimed to get good and drunk before this went down. One final, last rebellion. He scribbled Bobby’s name on the box and lifted the bottle again.
“Sending someone a candy-gram?”
He didn’t even look up, somehow not surprised that Sam had found him, and gotten in the door. “How’d you find me?”
“You’re going to kill yourself, right? It’s not too hard to figure out the stops on the Farewell Tour. How’s Lisa doing, anyways?”
Dean shook his head and swallowed. “I’m not going to kill myself.”
“No? So Michael’s not about to make you his Muppet?” He stepped closer, arms out. “What the hell, man? This is how it ends? You just…walk out?”
Dean held up the hand with the bottle. “I wasn’t the one that walked out, Sam. You’re the one that left me in lock down, remember?”
“For your own good, Dean. Come on. I was trying to keep you from…from this. Is this really how you’re going out?”
“Yeah, I guess it is.” Dean walked away and put the bottle down. He couldn’t expect Sam to understand.
“How could you do that?” Sam’s voice was bitter, cold.
Dean turned to look at him. “How could I?” He shook his head. “All you’ve ever done is run away.”
“And I was wrong. Every single time I did.” Sam put his hand down on the box. “Just…please. Not now. Bobby is working on something.”
He was reaching for straws, Dean knew that. There was no other solution. “Oh, really? What?”
Sam looked away, not really answering.
“You got nothing and you know it.”
“You know I have to stop you.” Sam responded, looking up at him.
“Yeah, well, you can try. Just remember: You’re not all hopped up on demon blood this time.”
Sam nodded. “Yeah, I know. But I brought help.”
Dean turned to find Castiel behind him and before he could do anything, Castiel’s fingers touched his forehead and Dean slept.
"We're running out of time." Sam said to Castiel. "Maybe…"
Castiel lifted Dean over his shoulder. "No, we are not there yet."
Sam nodded. "Bobby's?"
"It does seem the logical choice."
Sam snorted and shook his head. "I don't know about logic, but yeah. We can regroup."
"And drink copious amounts of alcohol."
"What do you think happened to Gabriel?" Sam asked, leading Castiel out to the car.
"My brother clearly indicated a wish for it to be over. Perhaps he has gone home."
Sam shook his head and helped Castiel lay his sleeping brother out on the back seat. "No, I don't think we've seen the last of him yet."
"I wish I had your faith." Castiel replied, making Sam look at him. "In anything anymore."
"One thing at a time." Sam responded. "Let's just get to Bobby's."
Fandom: Supernatural
Artist:
inanna_maatAuthor:
phantismaRating: PG-13
Word Count: 5339
Summary: Set toward the end of season 5, Dean is tired and he knows the end is coming. When the Trickster shows up, warning him that they are running out of time, Dean doesn't know how to react. He does know one thing though, when the Trickster's around, things are never going to go as planned.
Warnings: Some violence, implications of torture.
Link to Master Art Post: http://inanna-maat.livejournal.com/83599.html
It was two in the morning and Dean couldn't sleep.
Not for a lack of trying. Not because he wasn't tired, he was exhausted. So exhausted he was going to get himself hurt if he did anything other than sleep. He lay on the motel bed, staring at the water stains on the ceiling, listening to the sounds of trucks on the highway, the drip of the faucet. His body ached, nothing seriously hurt, but not an inch of him that wasn't sore at least a little. He shouldn’t be here.
”Are you gonna do something stupid?” Sam had asked. “Like Michael stupid?”
Dean had denied it, but if Sam had let him out of his sight, he would have bolted. He was pretty sure they were out of other options.
He sat up and reached for his phone, flicking it open and pressing the button to listen to the voicemail message one more time.
"Hey, Dean…I, uh, okay, I’m not going to lie to you. I’m pretty sure you’re two steps out the door on me here, and I can’t let you…Look, I’ve got a line on something. Just sit tight for me. A few hours. Give me a few hours, and if I don’t get back to you…Just don’t do anything stupid.”
He huffed and put the phone down. It had been twelve hours since Sam left the message and disappeared. They were in the middle of the freaking apocalypse, they were losing, people were dying and Sam wanted him to wait.
Dean sighed and stood up. He paced the space between the beds.
"You should sleep." He whirled at the sound of the voice, then froze.
Sitting on the end of his bed was the Trickster…who it had turned out wasn't a trickster after all, but a rogue arch-angel on a bender. "What do you care?" Dean asked.
"If you don't sleep, you're going to die."
"And again, what do you care?"
"I'm hurt." He stood and turned to look at Dean. Something wasn't right about him. His demeanor had changed, his voice wasn't its usual annoying flippant tone. "You think that just because I torment you and your brother that I don't care?"
"Actually, yeah, that's exactly what I think." Dean responded. "Now, what do you want?"
"To help you. Time is running out."
"Time? Time for what?"
Gabriel stepped closer. "For you to save the world, Dean." Suddenly his hand shot out and two fingers touched Dean's forehead and everything tilted, Dean dropped into sleep.
Gabriel caught him and lowered him to the bed, arranging him, then removing his boots before pulling a blanket up over him. "You sleep. I'll keep watch."
He stepped away from the bed, going to the window to peer out on the night. He'd risked a lot coming here, more than he would ever let Dean know. Things were not right, and the comfortable place he'd built for himself was in jeopardy. He didn't want to get involved…swore he wouldn't.
But that was before the others found him. His hand moved to his side, pressing in on the wound that he couldn't seem to make go away. It was draining him slowly. Before long, it might end him…and that was something he had never contemplated before.
Dean woke with a start, jumping up and looking around the motel room for Gabriel. He was alone, with the sun streaming in the window. His duffle bag sat on the end of the bed, all packed, with his jacket laid across it and his keys sitting on top of that.
“Nice, douchbag. Where is it you think I’m supposed to be going?”
The bathroom door opened and Gabriel stepped out on a plume of steam, his hair wet, though he was, thankfully, fully dressed.
“Ah, good. You’re awake. About damn time. I was getting bored.”
Dean shook his head. “Why are you here?”
“How about some breakfast? Coffee?” He snapped his fingers and Dean had a large cup of coffee in his hand and a stack of pancakes was on the nightstand next to him.
Dean put the coffee down and turned to the archangel. “How about you answer the question for a change?”
Gabriel shrugged. “I came to help.”
“Help what exactly?” Dean asked. “The last time we saw you, you were trying to convince me to just give up.”
Gabriel rolled his eyes and turned away. “Well, I’ve had time to think.”
“Bullshit.” He stalked toward the angel. “I want a straight answer.”
To his surprise, Gabriel didn’t just vanish. He inhaled, then turned to look Dean in the eye. “My brother came to see me.”
Dean stopped in his tracks. He could almost believe the bastard was being sincere. “Which one?”
“Michael.” Gabriel didn’t look away. “Let’s just say that he convinced me that sitting this one out is not in my best interests.”
“How…” Dean frowned at him.
Gabriel smirked. “What, you think that just because you won’t say yes, he can’t find a way to come visit his little brother?” Gabriel shook his head. “Hell, it’s part of how I know things are so fucked that nothing is going to put it right. Time was one of us would never take a vessel that wasn’t the vessel…the things it does to them.” Gabriel shuddered. “The honest truth is, Dean, my brother? He’s off his fucking rocker.”
Gabriel pulled the chair out of the corner and sat, wincing a little.
Dean frowned at him. “Are you…hurt?”
Gabriel made a face. “What? I’m an arch angel, I don’t get hurt.”
“I know that face.”
Gabriel sighed. “I’m fine. We’re wasting time.”
Dean wasn’t sure he believed him, but he backed off and sat on the bed to put his boots on. “You seem awfully concerned about time, for an archangel. Mind telling me what it is you think we’re going to do?”
He looked up when Gabriel didn’t answer right away, then snapped his fingers when it seemed he had drifted off on some thought. “Earth to Gabe.”
He snapped his head up. “Don’t call me that. Eat your breakfast. I’ll be back in a bit.”
And just like that, he was gone. “Fucking lunatic.” Dean muttered, reaching for the coffee, not sure if he meant Gabriel or himself. After a moment’s hesitation, he picked up the plate of pancakes. No sense letting them go to waste.
His phone rang and Dean glanced at the caller ID before picking it up. “Where the hell are you?”
“Hello to you too.” Sam said dryly. “I’m a few hours away.”
“What was so all fired important you had to take off without telling me?”
Sam sighed heavily. “I just…I needed to see someone.”
“I don’t like it, Sam. We’re staring down the barrel of pretty damn big gun and you’re off dicking around?”
“I’m not dicking around Dean. I’m not you.” He could almost see Sam’s expression. “How are you?”
“I’m just peachy Sam, what the fuck do you think?”
“So, still ready to give yourself to Michael?”
“You got any better ideas?”
“Look, I’m just going to be a little longer. I may have something that can help us.”
“Yeah well, just so you know, the apocalypse didn’t get the memo that you needed a few days off.”
“Something happen?”
“I had me a personal visitation from our friendly trickster last night and this morning.”
“Gabriel?”
“Yeah, apparently we’re running out of time, and he wants me to go somewhere with him.”
“Where?”
“You know him, can’t get a straight fucking answer out of him.” Dean shoved a bite of the pancakes into his mouth.
“Can we trust him?”
"No, of course we can't." Dean answered around the food in his mouth. "But he's hurt and he's worried."
"Don't go anywhere. I'm on my way back."
"Not sure I'm going to get a say in whether or not I go somewhere." Dean stood, jumping when Gabriel was suddenly right in front of him again.
"Dean?" Sam's voice sounded strained. “You can’t—“
"I gotta go."
"He's there?"
"Yeah, Sam. He's here."
"Tell Sam I said hi." Gabriel said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "And let's go. We're wasting time."
Dean heard Sam talking to someone. "Give me a minute. Sam, who's with you?"
"No one. Look, I'm on my way. Don’t say yes. To anything. Seriously, just a few hours."
Gabriel grabbed his arm. “You coming?”
Dean nodded and opened his mouth to say something, but before he could he was in the car, on the road and Gabriel was plucking the phone from his hand. "You shouldn't talk and drive."
"What the—" Dean shook his head and tried to figure out where they were. "Mind telling me where we're going at least?"
“If I found you, the others can find you.”
“How did you find me?” Dean asked, because now that he’d mentioned it, Dean realized he shouldn’t have been able to.
“Castiel.” Gabriel responded. “I mean, I love him like a brother, I do, but he’s not exactly stealthy.
“Cas?” Dean frowned at him. “I haven’t seen him in…”
“Well, he’s seen you. Who do you think Sam was talking to?”
Dean pulled the car off the road and put it in park before turning to look at him. “Are you telling me that Sam is with Castiel?”
Gabriel held up both hands. “I followed him to your hotel room. He and Sam left a few minutes later.”
Dean’s face hurt with how hard he was frowning. “What the fuck are they up to?”
“Can we focus please?” Gabriel asked, snapping his fingers. Suddenly they were in a room, in soft bathrobes, surrounded by beautiful women with food and drinks. “Oh…” Gabriel sank back into a plush couch and opened his mouth for the cake one of the women as feeding him.
“Really?” Dean asked. “Seriously?”
“What? This? Accident.” Gabriel insisted. “Sit, relax.”
“You’re the one all hung up on us being on a schedule.” Dean said, though he let his eyes drift when one of the women approached him with a slice of chocolate cream pie. “Is that…pie?” She smiled and kept coming, crowding into him until he sat. “Wait.” He pushed her away. “Enough of this trickster crap.”
Gabriel groaned and tilted his head around the woman in his lap. With a snap of his fingers they were alone. “You are a killjoy.”
Dean rubbed his hand over his face. “Just tell me what the fuck you want with me so I can get back to—“
“To not fixing anything?” Gabriel asked standing. His face was red as he crossed the room and his robe gapped open, letting Dean catch a glimpse of the wound in his side.
Dean stood too, about to light into him when the building started to shake. “What the—“
“Door.” Gabriel said, shoving Dean toward a door that hadn’t been there before. “I’ll hold them off, you go.”
“Them who?”
“Guessing from the noise, I’d say Raphael. He’s got a true vessel to play in.”
“So, snap us out of here.” Dean argued, grabbing at his shoulder.
“He can’t.” Dean whirled, only to get punched in the stomach hard enough that he was sure the fist was going to come out the other side. He hit the floor and groaned as he looked up. Raphael had Gabriel on his knees, his hands bound in front of him…but Gabriel was still behind him.
Dean rolled clear and got to his feet. It didn't make sense. The logical thing to do was run.
Dean headed for the door, only to pull up short as two more angels took up positions on either side of it. “Shit.”
They came at him and Dean ducked and dodged, only to be caught between them, and grabbed. They forced him to his knees and pulled his head back. The Gabriel on his knees was bloody and wouldn't look at him.
“Stop!” Dean yelled as Raphael pressed the point of his blade into Gabriel's shoulder.
Raphael turned to look at him. “I will deal with you in a moment, Dean. I need to teach my little brother a lesson.”
“I got him here.” Gabriel said, his eyes snapping to Dean’s. “Like you wanted.” The second Gabriel shrugged and disappeared.
“You son of a bitch!” Dean snapped, pulling against the angels that held him. “You fucking, arrogant, junkless son of a bitch!”
Raphael crossed to him, setting the point of the blade on Dean’s shoulder. “Michael did offer you forgiveness and a chance to come home if you brought him to us so we could turn him.”
Dean seethed as Raphael crossed to him. He grabbed Dean's chin and tilted his head back. "Are you in pain?"
"Nothing I can't handle." Dean growled, struggling to pull free.
"We'll see about that." Raphael's fingers tightened and Dean gasped as every bone in his body seemed to press in against organs and veins. "I promise you, I know ways of causing you pain that you can not begin to fathom."
"What happened to not damaging the vessel?" Dean gasped when Raphael finally released him.
"Oh, I can kill you and bring you back, I can damage you so badly your own mother wouldn't know you…and restore you and start all over again."
Dean's mind filled with memory of Alistair doing the exact same thing to him in the pit and Raphael chuckled. "Who do you think taught those vermin how?"
Raphael snapped his fingers and something reminiscent of a dungeon appeared around them. The angels holding him dragged Dean to a rack. "I finally convinced Michael that the only way to convince you is the same way Alistair did."
"So…I can go now…" Gabriel stood, brushing at his clothes as Dean was locked down to the rack.
Raphael turned, waving a hand in his brother's direction. Gabriel was caged instantly. "Come on!"
Raphael raised an eyebrow. "He hasn't said yes yet, brother. When he has, you can stand before Michael and see how he feels on the matter. Until then, be still."
"You're going to make me stand here and watch?"
"Close your eyes." Raphael turned to Dean and grinned. "Now then…where to begin…"
Dean opened his eyes, realizing suddenly that he wasn't being torn apart or tormented with burning irons or any of the other things Raphael had subjected him to. In fact, the room was silent.
He lifted his head and slowly realized he was alone, and no longer bound to the table. He sat slowly, wincing as the pain started to make itself known. Clearly Raphael hadn't bothered with the healing him part of the process before he ran off.
He was panting by the time he got upright, panting and ready to pass out. His torn shirt hung from his shoulders, bloodied, though there were no open wounds on his chest anymore. His left arm hung limply at his side though and Dean didn't even want to think about trying to move it.
Something wasn't right inside his stomach he realized as he eased off the table…and two seconds too late he realized that there was something very wrong with his right leg as he crashed into the floor.
"Fuck. That hurt."
He crawled away from the table, toward where he remembered there had been a door, not that he expected it to be that easy. A groan drew his attention back toward the cage. Gabriel was still inside it, looking like Dean felt. Dean shouldn't care. The asshole had set him up. Still, he crawled toward the cage, reaching in to poke him.
"I want some answers."
Gabriel's eyes opened, then closed again. "I can't help you."
"Can't?" Dean reached through the bars again.
"I've had my wings clipped." Gabriel held up his hands, bound in gold. He put his bound hands down on the floor of his cage and pushed himself up. He spit blood onto the floor and looked over Dean's shoulder. "As long as I'm wearing these, I'm little more than human."
"Why?" Dean asked. "Why did you drag me here?"
"I didn't." Gabriel said. He sat back against the bars and closed his eyes. "Well, I did, but not because I wanted to."
"So help me, if you don't start giving me some straight answers…"
Gabriel looked at him. "Really, Dean? What kind of threat can you make here?" He shook his head. "I meant what I said when I came to see you. I got a visit from big brother, took a hit, but thought I'd gotten away. Figured maybe I could…I don't know…" He sighed. "It doesn't matter. They followed me, grabbed me…"
"And to save your own skin, you brought me here to be tortured. Great."
"No. Look, they wanted you here because here is someplace your brother and Castiel can't get to. I only got you into the car. Raphael brought us here once we were out of the motel room."
"It wasn't even you." Dean argued, pulling himself up to his feet.
"No, it was a copy…He wouldn't let me go myself."
"Why not just yank me here himself?" Dean asked. "Why the game?"
Gabriel shrugged. "He's insane? He's lost it? Well, that and Castiel had secured the room. No one but God himself could pull you out of there without your permission. Raphael knew there was no way you would leave with him."
"He couldn't wait for me to go grab a beer?"
Gabriel chuckled. "Yeah, well. I mean Castiel had you locked in Dean. The only way out of that room was on the Angel Express, and only if you agreed to go."
Dean tested his leg, shifting his weight slowly. It hurt, but didn't buckle. "So, he needed you to convince me to leave with you."
"Which you did. And I figured Castiel would have locked down the car too, but apparently I was wrong."
"You expect me to believe that you didn't mean to trade me for your freedom?"
"Does it matter?" Gabriel stood. "He'll be back, and there will be more torture for both of us and eventually you'll give in and Michael will head out to settle the score with Lucifer. Everyone dies, paradise is reborn…yadda yadda…"
Dean limped over to the place where there had been a door. It was solid wall now. "So where is this place?"
"This place doesn't exist." Gabriel responded. "Which makes it impossible to find."
"Stop with the games."
Gabriel sighed. "It's a…place outside of everything. It isn't on Earth, it isn't in heaven or hell. It's kind of a hide out. I found it when I first left heaven. The normal rules don't exist here."
"So how do I get out?" Dean asked, looking at him.
"You?" Gabriel laughed, then coughed and grabbed the bars with his bound hands. "You don't. Unless you got the keys to this little cage and the Holy Handcuffs here."
"Right, like I'd spring you."
"You did before." Gabriel said. "You let me out of the circle of holy fire."
"That was before you betrayed me."
"I didn't betray you. Your brother did."
"What did you say?" Dean limped back to the cage, grabbing him through the bars. He got a hand on Gabriel's shirt and dragged him closer. "What do you mean?"
"Sam…and Castiel…they snuck off and left you locked up in a motel room. You haven't even asked yourself why."
Dean let go of him and slowly slid down the bars to sit. "Sam's…different." Dean looked down at his hands. "Or maybe I am. I don't know."
"No offense, but if you're about to start talking about your feelings, I might puke."
Dean shook his head. "I don't expect you to understand."
"No? Here's what I understand: Sam is out there trying. He knows there isn't much time. He knows the end is coming, and he's still trying. You don't even seem to give a damn anymore."
"Yeah, that's rich." Dean said, scratching the back of his neck. "Coming from you, that's really rich."
"This all started because you Winchesters can't stop sacrificing yourselves. Your father dies so that you can live, because he thinks you're going to be better at keeping Sam from going dark side than he could be….and really? Your mother sealed that deal before Sam was even born, didn't she? And for what? Your old man?"
"Shut up."
"And then Sam dies a nice, righteous death that got him out of the whole Lucifer's vessel deal, only you had to go and sell your soul to get him back…and still that deal Mommy made came back to bite you in the ass, and Sam fulfilled at least part of his destiny."
"I said shut the fuck up." Dean turned to look at him, but Gabriel wasn't done.
"And now, you're all moping about thinking the only way this is gonna end is for the both of you to just let it play out, but Sam? He's the one out there trying to find another way. Him and Castiel. Go figure."
"You got something you wanna say?"
Gabriel came close to the bars. "Your mouth keeps saying no, Dean, but your entire soul is screaming yes. You're tired and you're hurt and you can't see anyway out."
"Isn't that what you want? Wasn't that the whole point of your TV land stunt?"
"What I want? What I want is to go back to a time when my brothers weren't at war and my father still answered phone calls, but we all know that isn't happening…so I suggest we focus on getting us out of here before Rafael and his friends come back."
"You're the one who said I couldn't get out."
"You can't, but I can. All we have to do is get these cuffs off me."
“And how exactly do you expect me to do that?”
“I suggest you use the key, moron.” Gabriel said. “I had a pair of these myself, once upon a time. There’s a key hidden here somewhere.” He moved to the opposite corner of the cage and gestured with his chin. “Over there, where the buffet table used to be.”
“What makes you think it’s still here? Your brother redecorated.”
“It’s still here.” Gabriel said, gesturing now with his bound hands. “He just rearranged, he didn’t take anything out.”
“Might help to know what I’m looking for.”
“Just move stuff around. You’ll know it when you see it.”
Dean thought the trickster had actually lost his marbles, but he limped over to the spot where a buffet table had been. Currently a rack of weapons stood there, some of which Dean didn’t even want to guess about.
“Not to rush you or anything….”
“Shut up.” Dean moved stuff around, lifted weapons, but nothing stood out.
“You’re running out of time. They’re coming back.”
“I said shut up, let me think.” Dean grabbed a knife from the rack and sliced his hand, drawing the angel banishing sigil on the wall.
“Come on, you think that’s going to work?”
“Only one way to find out!”
There was a fluttering sound and the room tilted and Dean slammed his hand against the sigil. The room lit up and the air seemed to be sucked out of it, then slammed back in with a boom, and he was alone. Even Gabriel was gone.
The door that hadn’t been there was open and Dean limped slowly across the floor, peering out into a setting sun in the middle of nowhere. The impala sat waiting for him and Dean limped to her, half expecting the angels to come roaring back at him.
When they don’t, Dean climbed into the car and brought the engine to life, peeling out in a spray of dirt and grass. He had no idea where he is, or where he’s going, he just needed to get away.
Gabriel wasn’t wrong. They were running out of time.
Dean had known that before Gabriel showed up to remind him.
Maybe it was time.
If he just said yes to Michael it would be over.
But he wasn’t going to do it because of torture, or without a few guarantees.
He found his way onto the highway, and found himself a few miles away from Cicero, Indiana. He nodded to himself. The end was coming, and it was time to stop pretending they could end it any other way.
He sat outside the house for a long time. His phone rang again and Dean looked down at it, hitting the ignore button when he saw it was Sam. Again.
He got out of the car and walked slowly up to the house, knocking after only a slight hesitation. He almost walked away before the door opened and Lisa smiled at him softly. “Dean.”
He inhaled and let it out. “Hi, Lisa. I didn’t have your number, uh, so…” It was awkward, because he had this whole built up idea of what might have been in his head, and for all he knew she had moved on, found a man who would be there, take care of her and Ben.
“No. No, it’s okay. I’m—I’m…just surprised.”
Dean nodded and looked past her into the house. “How’s Ben? “
“Good. Good. He’s at baseball.”
“You moved. It’s a…nice house.” The small talk was killing him. He wanted to hold her and tell her that he missed her and say goodbye like a man, but he couldn’t.
“Dean, you didn’t come all the way here to talk about real estate. You alright?”
“No, not really.” He was so far from alright that there was no coming back. Not ever.
“Well, what is it?” Her arms were crossed as she leaned on the door frame, her eyes warm and affectionate as she looked at him. He wanted to believe that in another lifetime he could have something that beautiful, that real, that normal.
He knew the truth though. He knew he would never have that. “Look, I have no illusions, okay? I know the life that I live, I know how that’s gonna end for me. Whatever. I’m okay with that. But I wanted you to know…that when I do picture myself happy…it’s with you. And the kid.”
She stood up straight, uncrossing her arms. “Wow.”
“I mean, you don’t have to say anything.” He didn’t want her to say anything. It would make it too real, too hard to walk away.
“No, I…I mean, I know. I know. I want to. Come inside. Let me get you a beer.”
“I wish I could. Take care of yourself, Lisa.” He offered her a tight smile and turned to leave.
“No, wait, wait!” She had stepped out onto the porch. “You can’t just drop a bombshell like that and then leave.”
“I know. I’m sorry. But I don’t have a choice.” He kept his back to her, afraid that if he looked at her it would all come crashing down around him.
“Yeah, you do. You do.” Her hand on his shoulder made him turn, though he kept looking at the ground. “You can come inside and let me get you a beer. We can talk.”
He shook his head, and took her hand. “Lisa, just…wait a minute. Things are about to get really bad.”
She ducked her head to get him to look at her. “Like how? Like your kind of bad?”
If only it was just that. Ghouls, vampires, ghosts, he’d take any of those things over what he was facing now. “Worse. Next few days, the crap you’re gonna see on your TV, it’s gonna be downright trippy. Scary. But I don’t want you to worry, because I’m making arrangements for you and Ben.”
“Arrangements?” Her voice was tight, high. As if she wasn’t sure whether to be angry with his cryptic answers or afraid of what he might mean.
“Whatever happens, you’re gonna be okay.” Dean would make sure of it.
“What do you mean? What are you talking about?”
He exhaled slowly and took both of her hands in his. “The people that I’m gonna see next, they’re not gonna get anything from me without agreeing to a few conditions.”
He could feel the panic as she pulled on his hands. “Just...just come inside. Please. And whatever you’re thinking of doing, don’t do it.”
He shook his head and kissed her hands. “I have to.”
“Just stay an hour. At least say bye to Ben.”
“It’s better if I don’t.” He pulled her close and kissed her. It was nearly over. Time was winding down. “Bye, Lisa.”
He glanced up as thunder rolled. Storm clouds were gathering. He just had a few more details to take care of. Come morning it would all be over.
It took him a lot less time to be done than he thought. The box was remarkably light for it to contain what was left of his life. He folded up the jacket and put it in, then added the note on top. It wasn’t much, but Bobby deserved to have something.
He taped it shut and lifted the bottle of Jack, taking a hit off it. He aimed to get good and drunk before this went down. One final, last rebellion. He scribbled Bobby’s name on the box and lifted the bottle again.
“Sending someone a candy-gram?”
He didn’t even look up, somehow not surprised that Sam had found him, and gotten in the door. “How’d you find me?”
“You’re going to kill yourself, right? It’s not too hard to figure out the stops on the Farewell Tour. How’s Lisa doing, anyways?”
Dean shook his head and swallowed. “I’m not going to kill myself.”
“No? So Michael’s not about to make you his Muppet?” He stepped closer, arms out. “What the hell, man? This is how it ends? You just…walk out?”
Dean held up the hand with the bottle. “I wasn’t the one that walked out, Sam. You’re the one that left me in lock down, remember?”
“For your own good, Dean. Come on. I was trying to keep you from…from this. Is this really how you’re going out?”
“Yeah, I guess it is.” Dean walked away and put the bottle down. He couldn’t expect Sam to understand.
“How could you do that?” Sam’s voice was bitter, cold.
Dean turned to look at him. “How could I?” He shook his head. “All you’ve ever done is run away.”
“And I was wrong. Every single time I did.” Sam put his hand down on the box. “Just…please. Not now. Bobby is working on something.”
He was reaching for straws, Dean knew that. There was no other solution. “Oh, really? What?”
Sam looked away, not really answering.
“You got nothing and you know it.”
“You know I have to stop you.” Sam responded, looking up at him.
“Yeah, well, you can try. Just remember: You’re not all hopped up on demon blood this time.”
Sam nodded. “Yeah, I know. But I brought help.”
Dean turned to find Castiel behind him and before he could do anything, Castiel’s fingers touched his forehead and Dean slept.
"We're running out of time." Sam said to Castiel. "Maybe…"
Castiel lifted Dean over his shoulder. "No, we are not there yet."
Sam nodded. "Bobby's?"
"It does seem the logical choice."
Sam snorted and shook his head. "I don't know about logic, but yeah. We can regroup."
"And drink copious amounts of alcohol."
"What do you think happened to Gabriel?" Sam asked, leading Castiel out to the car.
"My brother clearly indicated a wish for it to be over. Perhaps he has gone home."
Sam shook his head and helped Castiel lay his sleeping brother out on the back seat. "No, I don't think we've seen the last of him yet."
"I wish I had your faith." Castiel replied, making Sam look at him. "In anything anymore."
"One thing at a time." Sam responded. "Let's just get to Bobby's."
