Another Life Chapter 5/9, Pg-13, Dean, Sam, John, Ruby, OC's
TITLE: Another Life
RATING: PG-13 (Just to be safe)
WORD COUNT: This part: 2738
CHARACTERS: Dean, Sam, John, Ruby, OC's
DISCLAIMER: Don't own them, only playing with them
SUMMARY: What if the boys lives had been switched? What if Dean was gievn a second chance?
A/N: Alt ending to season 3. Possible spoilers up to finale of season 3.
Door Number 1 or Door Number 2?
“You need to make a decision Dean. A rather important decision.” Ruby said as she stepped forward again, the man staying where he was, leaning against the door frame.
John stepped forward, putting himself between the demon and his boys. “What do you want hellspawn?” John demanded, his eyes warily watching the two new intruders.
“Just to help Dean make his decision.” Ruby said, as he eyes became their normal colour. “I don't want to hurt them John, I just want to help them.”
Sam snorted from his position on the ground, kneeling next to Dean and Rachel. “Like any demon would want to help us.”
“But you're wrong. I want to help Dean get out of his deal. You see Sam, I promised you that I could, and I'm a girl of my word.”
“Girl huh?” Dean said from his place on the ground. “What deal? I didn't make a deal.”
“Maybe not in this reality.” Ruby said as the man stepped forward and placed a hand on each of the boys heads. They were hit with a lifetime of memories, all from the other reality. The one where Sam went to school, where Dean stayed to hunt, where John gave up his life and soul for Dean, and Dean in return, gave up his for Sam. “You need to choose Dean, between this reality, and the other one.” The man then reached for John, and gave him the memories too.
“You sonofabitch!” Sam yelled, standing, as his memories came back. “Do you get off screwing with people's heads? After what you put me through before, you had to do it again!”
“Sam what are you talking about?” John asked, he'd never seen this man before.
“We said we'd leave you alone, that we wouldn't hunt you, but here you are again, messing with our lives.” Sam continued, stepping forward, trying to use his height and build to intimidate the man he was now towering over.
The trickster help up his hands, stepping backwards as he changed forms. “I was just helping the lady out. You know, tricksters don't really like demons.” he said, a smirk gracing his features.
“Oh, god.” Dean said as the memories hit him full force. He noticed Rachel's shaking had stopped.
“You need to help her Dean. You may have regained your memories, but time hasn't stopped. She's still dying.” Ruby said gently, as she crouched down next to Dean. Sam pulled his cell from his pocket, calling for an ambulance, as Dean looked into Rachel's face, his fingers searching her neck for a pulse, finding one as another breath was warm on his neck. Her breathing was shallow, her pulse weak and thready, but it was there.
“Will I need to give her up?” Dean asked quietly. “Will she die here, in this reality? Will I have to let her go no matter which one I choose?” Sam and John's hearts broke. Dean had never really asked for anything for himself. Even in this alternate reality, the only thing he had ever asked for was to go to college, and even then, he had needed to do it himself. His family had turned their backs on him. Again. It seemed like the only person who loved Dean for Dean, was lying, broken and bleeding, dying in his arms.
“I don't know Dean.” Ruby said quietly. “We don't have any sway over what happens. All we could do was put you here, see what happened, and give you a choice. You can stay here, in this reality, no deal, or you can go back to your reality, and go to Hell. I don't know what will happen if you stay here, but I can guarantee you that you will go to Hell, if you choose the other one.” Ruby said as she stood up.
“Then that's easy, he'll stay here.” Sam said with conviction. He knew that, no matter what façade Dean put on, he was still terrified of going to Hell.
“It's not that simple Sam.” Ruby said, as the trickster made himself comfortable on the bed, snapping his fingers as he heard the sirens approaching in the distance. Instantly, the dead bodies on the floor were gone, Rachel's blood staining the floor the only evidence that something had happened in this apartment.
“It never is.” Sam muttered under his breath, crouching down next to Dean, their shoulder's touching.
“It's not just Dean's life that this will affect. It affects yours, John's, everyone's. He needs to think about what this reality will cost people.” Ruby said as she sat in the seat at the end of the bed.
“How long do I have?” Dean asked quietly, as the paramedics ran through the door.
Ruby looked at him, his eyes searching hers for the truth he knew he'd find there. “2 days. If you don't decide to stay here, in 2 days the deal will be up, and you'll have to pay your debt.” She said as Dean moved aside to let the paramedics work.
One of the paramedics looked up as Dean moved away. “Winchester?” he asked, and Dean looked up sharply.
“Jesse,” Dean said as Jesse pulled him into a hug. John and Sam watched amazed as Dean returned it whole heartedly. “We'll take good care of her, I promise.” Jesse said as he let go of Dean and dropped to his knees next to his partner.
The paramedics worked quickly, and soon Rachel was on a gurney, being taken down the stairs, the Winchester's, Ruby, and the trickster on their heels. Dean seemed to have gotten a grip on himself, pulling out his cell as he went. He quickly dialled the numbers. “It's Dean, who's on call tonight?” He said after the call was picked up. “Tell him to be ready, I'm bringing Rachel in and it's not good.” Dean said before closing the phone and pulling his car keys out. They piled into the Impala, following the ambulance as it raced through the streets to the hospital.
The entourage ran in through the emergency doors, Dean continuing past the doctors huddling around Rachel, and into the locker room. He returned less than 5 minutes later, dressed in a pair of blue scrubs. John and Sam looked at him in amazement. Never in their wildest dreams had either of them thought that Dean would a doctor. Dean walked past them, giving them a small smile, as he walked up to the desk and asked for Rachel's room. He then walked back behind the doors.
When he walked into the room, there were people everywhere. “Dean.” Jake called out to him. “I thought you were on today.”
“I was, but I can't sit out there waiting for you guys to tell me what's going on. I'm not asking to be a part of the surgery, just this part.” Dean said as he walked up to the side of Rachel, a nurse handing him an IV needle. He swiftly inserted it into her right hand, as the surgeon on call took stock of all her injuries. Dean continued inserting IV's and hooking Rachel up to the machinery that was needed. But all too soon, Jake grabbed his shoulder and told him they were ready to take her to surgery. Dean nodded his head and let them past, planting one last kiss on Rachel's cheek before they took her to the OR.
********
30 minutes after Dean had disappeared behind the doors, Sam was pacing, his long stride eating up the small waiting room. John had just returned with more coffee for the two of them when the doors opened and Dean walked out. He was covered in blood, and looked a little shaken, but otherwise he looked like he was dealing. Sam walked over to him and pulled him into a hug. He was surprised when Dean sagged against him, wrapping his arms around Sam's back. “She'll be ok Dean.” Sam said quietly.
Dean took a deep breath and stepped back, out of Sam's embrace. He shot a small smile to his dad, then looked past him. “Ruby?” he said as he stepped toward her. Ruby put down the magazine she was flicking through and stood. Dean took a coffee a nurse handed him, the woman squeezing his arm quickly before going back to the desk. Dean stepped towards Ruby, and together they walked outside.
Sam went to follow them, when John's arm wrapped around his chest. “Let him go Sam. He needs to know everything, and he can't have you muddying the waters for him.” John said quietly as he directed Sam towards a chair. “He needs to make this decision himself.” John sighed as he sat down beside his youngest. He hated that Dean had to make this decision, that Dean had been put in a situation where this decision was even necessary. He closed his eyes and swallowed a mouthful of coffee, grimacing at the taste. No matter how many hospitals he had been in, he had never gotten used to the coffee. Sam copied his father, then leaned back in the chair, his head resting on the wall behind him.
********
Outside Dean and Ruby were talking. Dean leaned up against the wall, Ruby facing him, her arms crossed against her chest as the cool night wind blew through the thin clothing she had on. “What do I need to know?” Dean asked her, after taking a sip of his coffee.
“I told you already.” Ruby said, her eyes not meeting his. “You need to decide which reality you want to stay in. And you only have 2 days to do it.”
“What's the catch?” Dean asked. Ruby's head shot up sharply. “I've been around long enough to know there's always a catch. What do I have to give up to stay here? There has to be a catch, otherwise the decision's too easy.” Dean said, his eyes watching her as he took another sip of his coffee, the warm liquid doing nothing to ease the growing dread he felt.
Finally, Ruby answered him. “Your dad. I don't know how, and I don't know when, but he wont be around for long if you stay here. Sam can make a decision about whether he wants to stay hunting, or if he wants to do something else. You are free to do anything you want to. But John will die. And no, it wont be a deal, that much I can promise you.” Ruby said before Dean could ask. “He'll go down fighting Dean.”
“What happened to Rachel, in the other reality?” Dean asked, steeling himself for the answer.
“She went to school, that part is all the same.” Ruby said, carefully avoiding the question. She knew that wasn't what Dean meant.
“What about Caleb? That all happened.... before.... you know.” Dean said, still watching her.
“Your dad called her. Not long before he was taken from Lincoln. She was going to find the one you called Meg but.....”
“She found Rachel first.” Dean supplied.
Ruby shook her head. “No, Azazel did. He knew she was a threat, he knew that if she got back into hunting she would be a danger to the demonic world. He killed her.”
Ruby saw comprehension in Dean's eyes. “The same was he was going to kill her tonight.” Dean felt his whole world change.
“There was nothing left by the time the fire fighters got there. I'm sorry Dean.” Ruby said as Dean slid down the wall, his arms wrapping around his knees.
“So basically, in this life I have to give up my dad, who knows what will happen to Sam, and Rachel might not even survive. But in the other proper reality, Dad's dead anyway, Rachel's dead, and I'm going to hell, leaving Sam alone to fight the war without me.” Dean's tone radiated defeat.
“There is no proper reality Dean. This one is no less real than the one you lived before. We just took you to a crossroads in your life, and let you go the other way. This is still a 'proper' reality for lack of a better term. But yes, that's essentially the choice you have to make. Although on the bright side, no-one opened the gates of hell.” Ruby smiled.
“What's Sam's chances?”
“Of surviving?” Dean nodded. “I honestly don't know. I'm only privy to the information they allow me to see.” Ruby said, sitting next to Dean.
“Will we remember?”
“The 'other' reality, no matter which one you choose?” Again Dean nodded. “For a while, you will. If you stay here, you will still have the knowledge that you gained in the 'other' life. But after a while, the actual memories will fade. The same if you go back. You will remember for a while, but they will slowly fade.”
“Even Rachel?” Dean didn't want to forget how happy she made him.
“Will you remember her? I think I can arrange for you to remember her.” Ruby smiled a small, sad smile. “Have you made your decision?” Dean shook his head. He knew that his decision was resting on the outcome of the woman who was currently in surgery. He stood back up, wiping his hands on the scrubs he still had on. He looked at Ruby and tilted his head in the direction of the doors, then followed her back into the emergency room.
********
Sam was again pacing as Dean and Ruby walked back into the emergency room. John was sitting on a chair, his eyes half closed, following his son's pacing, the trickster stuffing his face with chocolate. Sam walked up to his brother the second he spotted him. “So, have you made a decision?”
“Not yet. I need time to think Sammy.” Dean said as he tried to side step his brother.
Sam wasn't having any of it. “How can you not have made a decision? It isn't that hard. Stay here and live, go back and go to hell.”
“It's not that simple Sam, and you know that. There are other things I need to consider.”
“Like what?” Sam was practically yelling.
“Like the woman currently in surgery Sam!” Dean was yelling. “I'm not making a decision until I know how she is!” Dean turned on his heel and walked away, slamming the door to the locker room as he walked in there, intent on changing his clothes.
Sam couldn't believe that, once again, he'd failed to take his brother's feelings into account. Rachel was the love of Dean's life, they were supposed to be getting married this weekend. Sam couldn't believe that he hadn't thought about that.
Dean walked out 15 minutes later, in his clothes, his hair wet from where he'd had a shower. He didn't say anything, just staked past everyone, into the nurses station and made himself a decent cup of coffee before walking into the doctors lounge, needing the space to think.
Sam, John, Ruby, the trickster and the nurses just let him go. The nurse that had handed Dean a cup of coffee earlier patted Sam on the arm. “Just let him be honey, he needs some time to think. It's not easy being the waiting one when you are usually the one helping people. Just give him some space, he'll come around in his own time.” She said quietly. “He's a good man Sam, let him be that man.” she finished before she walked away. Sam was once again astounded at how strangers knew his brother, when at times he was sure he didn't.
3 hours later, Jake and a man in green surgical scrubs walked out. They stopped in front of Sam and John. “Where's Dean?” Jake asked. Sam pointed to the doctors lounge.
Jake felt a hand on his arm as he turned to leave. “How's Rachel?” Sam asked.
Jake sighed. “I really need to talk to Dean first.” he said as he pulled his arm free, walking in the direction of the doctors lounge. “I'm sorry Dean.” Sam said as he put his head in his hand. He finally let the tears fall.
Chapter 6 here: http://bubbles759.livejournal.com/27468.html