A new beginning
The call had come late. Just as Sam and Dean were rolling in after a ghoul hunt that had left them both smelling like open graves and covered in fresh bruises. Sam knew something was wrong when Ellen couldn’t talk, couldn’t find words through her tears. Jared was gone. Dead.
Two days later, he’s standing over a fresh grave.
Dean had piled everything in the car after the call, driving for the rest of the night to get back to Ellen - to find out what had happened. It didn’t matter what happened in Sam’s mind. Rhys was dead and he hadn’t been there. Hadn’t been there to save him, hadn’t been there to even say goodbye. The grief was so profound it threatened to swallow him whole, so he shoved it aside, stayed on autopilot. He could shatter into a million pieces later. Right now, Ellen needed them.
It’s over now, and standing over that fresh earth, Sam can’t fight the grief any longer. Slowly he sinks to his knees and lets it come, lets it wash over him until the heaving sobs shake his entire frame and his fingers dig into the earth at his feet. He’s buried so many people that he cared about, but Rhys had always been there. He’ll never see that sly jackal grin, or feel those long fingers in his hair, his body pressed close to his.
Rawk
Blinking through his tears, Sam watches the raven light on the pile of earth before hopping closer, peering at him with bright eyes.
“Go on. Get out of here,” it’s a dull attempt to shoo the bird away, but it’s really all Sam can muster at the moment.
Rawk! A flap of wings and the bird landed easily on his shoulder, small claws gripping at the fabric of his shirt. Sam went completely still as the bird turned its beak into his hair and began.. preening. Like it was trying to tell him something. Sifting through his hair and chittering and Sam is pretty sure that normal birds don’t do this.
Was it a power? Magic?
The raven croaks again before nipping hard at his ear.
"Hey! Goddamnit!" Sam pulls away, grimacing as he feels blood where the damned thing had bit him. The bird dropped back to the earth and Sam stood frozen as he watches the bird.. change. Inky black feathers ripple and shift and become skin. Wings stretch out to become arms and tears fill his eyes again because it's him. It's Rhys. Naked, dazed, but alive and Sam can't even question how or why. Jared is alive and Sam is on his knees again, dragging him into his arms and crushing him close.
Two days later, he’s standing over a fresh grave.
Dean had piled everything in the car after the call, driving for the rest of the night to get back to Ellen - to find out what had happened. It didn’t matter what happened in Sam’s mind. Rhys was dead and he hadn’t been there. Hadn’t been there to save him, hadn’t been there to even say goodbye. The grief was so profound it threatened to swallow him whole, so he shoved it aside, stayed on autopilot. He could shatter into a million pieces later. Right now, Ellen needed them.
It’s over now, and standing over that fresh earth, Sam can’t fight the grief any longer. Slowly he sinks to his knees and lets it come, lets it wash over him until the heaving sobs shake his entire frame and his fingers dig into the earth at his feet. He’s buried so many people that he cared about, but Rhys had always been there. He’ll never see that sly jackal grin, or feel those long fingers in his hair, his body pressed close to his.
Rawk
Blinking through his tears, Sam watches the raven light on the pile of earth before hopping closer, peering at him with bright eyes.
“Go on. Get out of here,” it’s a dull attempt to shoo the bird away, but it’s really all Sam can muster at the moment.
Rawk! A flap of wings and the bird landed easily on his shoulder, small claws gripping at the fabric of his shirt. Sam went completely still as the bird turned its beak into his hair and began.. preening. Like it was trying to tell him something. Sifting through his hair and chittering and Sam is pretty sure that normal birds don’t do this.
Was it a power? Magic?
The raven croaks again before nipping hard at his ear.
"Hey! Goddamnit!" Sam pulls away, grimacing as he feels blood where the damned thing had bit him. The bird dropped back to the earth and Sam stood frozen as he watches the bird.. change. Inky black feathers ripple and shift and become skin. Wings stretch out to become arms and tears fill his eyes again because it's him. It's Rhys. Naked, dazed, but alive and Sam can't even question how or why. Jared is alive and Sam is on his knees again, dragging him into his arms and crushing him close.