Work To Do
Title: Work To Do
Pairing/Gen: mentioned Dean/Jake
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 6000+
Warnings: AU, Sam and Dean raised apart
Summary: Dean sighed. “Azazel told you about his big family, right? You want to survive, that means you have to fight. So all the special children that Azazel has been fussing about for years are all here and he wants us to be a family. So you call everyone a sibling and when he asks, you say “Yes, Father,” and you shut up about what family is supposed to be. That’s the number one rule here because while you might be able to hold your own against one of us, you aren’t ready to take on Father.”
Author's Note: Written for the super_disney challenge. The prompt was Sky High. It's far less porny than I thought it would be...
Work To Do
The town was quiet, eerily so considering everything that was about to happen. The wind blew through dirt streets and even the slow rolling tumbleweed seemed loud in his ears. He knew looks could be deceiving but it was hard to think about the quiet when he knew what else was out there; what he’d known was out there since he’d come to live with Azazel and his power hungry family.
A door banged closed a few houses down and Dean ignored it, knowing it was just another ploy from his siblings. He stepped down into the street and started walking to the dirt encrusted bell at the center of town. Dean had memorized the terrain long ago after having eavesdropped on one of his meetings with a lower level demon. It gave him the advantage now and he knew he’d need it. Before long, Azazel - or Father as he preferred to be called - would be back with their newest member. It was new terrain for all of them, but at least they knew what they could do. Dean almost felt bad for the new brothers and sisters Azazel brought them.
Dean wondered how long the peace around this one would last before Azazel threw him to the wolves. Sometimes the new kids were given a month or two to find their footing before the siblings were allowed to start pressing for an advantage. Sometimes they were given longer. Ava had been given a whole fucking year before they could touch her.
Dean had been there the longest of them all. He was the most scarred and had the most reason to hate the others and he was the reigning champion in their father’s never ending game of power.
“You seem tense today, Dean.”
Dean didn’t bother looking over his shoulder but his fingers clenched and unclenched making his fingerless leather gloves creak. “Father.”
Heat burned through his veins, ready for his call but Azazel just smiled as he turned to face Dean.
“Your new brother will be here soon. He’s got a day to learn the ropes. As always, I expect you to make sure your siblings stay in line.”
“Of course, but-” he stopped himself before he could voice his question but Azazel seemed to be in a good mood. He nodded, indulging Dean’s curiosity. “A day? He won’t last tomorrow night with that sort of lead in.”
“Oh, this one is different, Dean. His mother was precious, a hunter’s child. When she died his father became a hunter too, training him in their ways. He never knew his precious boy was one of mine.”
Dean dropped his chin to his chest to keep Azazel from seeing his smile. “And what happened to the father?”
“He died on a hunt two years ago. They tried to put your brother in the system and he ran from them, hit the streets, and never looked back. You’ll like this one, Dean. He’s even taller than your current boy.”
Dean smirked as he looked up at Azazel. Dean had never been subtle about his attraction to Jake and he wasn’t surprised that Azazel knew; just that he was commenting on it. “I do like them tall. Guess we’ll have to see if Jake eats him alive or not.”
“This one could give you a run for your money.”
“Thought you wanted me to keep the kiddies off his back for a day?”
“I do.”
“Might not be the best motivator.”
Dean watched the demon with a half-smile on his face, wondering what Azazel would do. He leaned in closer and Dean refused to step back or give the demon the satisfaction of seeing Dean sweat it, but he wasn’t sure what Azazel’s reaction would be.
Dean was in a place of power among the special children the demon had gathered over the years. His length of service and the strength of his talents gave him a certain leeway and Dean always pushed it. It was in his nature and he’d been punished more than once for it over the years.
“Oh Dean-o, I know you’ll do as your father asked you. You’ll be a good boy, won’t you? Or it just might be time for some of my friends to come for a visit again.”
Dean shivered against the memory. Azazel’s friends were cruel and demonic and very good at what they did.
“Of course, Father. We always look forward to a visit from your friends.”
Azazel reached out and ran a finger down Dean’s chest where a thin scar marked his last visit from Aleister, a demon that Dean feared and admired in equal measure. Aleister didn’t have the power that Dean did, but there wasn’t a demon on earth or in hell that didn’t fear him. Dean didn’t enjoy the feel of Aleister’s blade on his skin but he learned everything else he could; blade work, how to intimidate, and how to project menace were just a few of them.
“I bet you do.” Azazel stepped to the side then and started to walk away. “One day, Dean. One day you keep him safe. Then watch your ass.”
“I look forward to meeting him, Father.”
“And this one, Dean, he’s going to be gunning for you.”
“Why’s that?”
“He’s a Winchester.”
“What?” Dean didn’t know how to take that new bit of information. He never expected to see a Winchester; not on this side of hell anyway.
“Sam Winchester.”
“The baby?”
Azazel nodded. “The last of the Winchester blood line. Too bad his father died before he could find out the whole truth. I would have liked to have sent you to finish the family off. You did such a nice job with the mother, after all.”
Azazel walked away then and Dean was left on the side of the street wondering what would happen next. He closed his eyes, thinking about the Winchester family. He could remember the first night Azazel had taken him to visit, sitting in the nursery and watching the demon as he dripped blood into Sam’s mouth. He remembered his mother walking into the room and Dean telling her to go to sleep. She’d fallen asleep then and there and Azazel had been so proud of him, he’d let Dean look down on the baby. Dean had pulled out a small knife and slit his own wrist, Azazel watching in surprise as Dean smeared his bloody wrist over the baby’s mouth.
They went back for two years and once a month Azazel had Dean put the parents to sleep before their bloodletting ritual began again. When the bond between the baby and the mother was starting to be a problem, Azazel brought Dean to put an end to it.
It was Dean’s choice. He could make her forget the child. He could make her despise him. She had forgotten so much already though and in the end, that decided her fate. She had forgotten her oldest child and replaced him with a new one. As much as Dean loved looking down at his little brother, he could never forgive his mother’s betrayal. When she walked into the room that night, on Dean’s eighth birthday, he pinned her to the ceiling and let her blood flow. It was a baptism in blood for his little brother and Dean had kissed it from his forehead before he allowed his fledgling power to slide up his wrists to the woman above them. Fire licked her wounds and as she screamed Dean thought she just might have finally remembered him.
It was time to go then though, time for his other father to save his youngest son. This one hadn’t forgotten and had mourned him so Dean let him live. He was a bare slip of a man, alcohol-fed grief still blazed in his soul as it had since his first son went missing and his wife went mad enough to forget him completely.
Dean had watched his father and brother on the street later, John holding the baby like he was the only thing real in the world and Dean knew then it wasn’t the end of the story. “See you later, Sammy,” Dean had whispered into his brother’s mind. Sam had stopped crying in that moment. It was the first time Dean had kept a secret from Azazel as well. He knew that night that no matter what happened Azazel would have Sam as his own. And Dean knew that no matter what his new father planned, Sam Winchester was Dean’s - blood, bone, ash, and flame.
**
They were all given a variation of the same speech; the newcomers and their ‘welcome to the family’ spiel and the old timers with the ‘you hold off until I say so’ lecture. Even with that, Dean’s siblings didn’t always play fair. Sometimes they went for subtle methods that would send the new person packing but sometimes the fear and anger drove them to act quickly. Andy had barely shown up before Ansem was tearing into his twin. It was a good thing for Andy that Ansem was a lousy telekinetic. It was also a good thing that the first thing Andy had seen upon his arrival was another new guy, a talented telekinetic, who flipped out and started throwing shit at everyone. When Ansem didn’t respond to Andy’s commands, Max was unstable enough to be vulnerable to Andy’s powers. Max had pulled a rotting plank from a nearby step and impaled Ansem with it. It was the most eventful arrival and one Dean wasn’t particularly happy to see occur again. Dean liked Andy and they’d become friends once they realized they could both help one another out. Dean didn’t particularly care if the new ones lasted or not, but after Ansem’s disobedience, Dean had become Azazel’s enforcer. If it happened again, it would be Dean’s ass on the line and he wasn’t about to let that happen.
One of the benefits of being the eldest was that time and practice made a lot of things easier. Dean had come into the family with empathy and a hint of what would someday grow to become pyrokinesis. Now, Dean had developed all of his powers and he still had new abilities popping up every so often. He was, so far as he could tell, the first to have been able to conceal his presence from the others. It isn’t foolproof of course. Empaths could feel him there so he had to practice when they weren’t around. Dean knew when to keep his mouth quiet about his abilities and when to show it off. This new power was something to keep hidden until the moment to strike was on him.
It was a nice trick up his sleeve though when his siblings were rounded up to say hello to Sam Winchester. A murmur went up at the last name, everyone putting Sam and Dean together in their head even though the kid had no idea he had a big brother.
Dean watched Sam from the step of what had once been a store front. His siblings didn’t see him there and Dean was categorizing their reactions; from Jake’s friendly grin and handshake - just a little too much pressure to let the kid know about his strength - to Ava’s insane laugh as she made innuendos about the quality time they could spend together. Azazel walked away and the crowd dispersed, leaving Sam on the street alone. Dean felt a stab of concern for the psychic but pushed it away quickly. If Sam was as strong as Azazel seemed to think he was, he didn’t have room for pity.
Sam looked around distractedly and ran a hand through his hair. Dean was able to focus on Sam then instead of his sibling’s reactions and he had to admit there was very little left of the baby he’d been so fascinated with. Sam was tall, with strong muscles and an eye that was taking in the details of his situation - obviously someone used to being in a tough spot who knew to assess his environment quickly.
When he looked Dean’s way his eyes caught on Dean. Dean held his breath as Sam walked towards him, his eyes never leaving Dean. What the hell?
“Hi, I’m Sam.”
Dean let his power fall around him. No one could see them where they were but if one of his siblings came looking to see what Sam was up to and found him talking to the air they’d know something was up.
“You’re Dean, right?”
It wasn’t a question and Dean wondered what Azazel told the kid. “That’s me. I’m here to make sure the others don’t take a stab at you first day here.”
“Is that a literal concern?”
Dean shrugged. “Could be if you piss off the wrong person. Just a heads up,” Dean said, leaning in slightly. “We’re not the most stable family.”
Sam eyes turned cold as he took a step back. “This isn’t my family.”
The corner of Dean’s lips turned up and he stepped closer to Sam. “Isn’t it, Sam Winchester?”
He could feel something radiating from Sam, an answering heat to the fire in Dean’s veins and he wanted to push forward and into the warmth.
“I don’t have a family. And no matter what they’ve tried to tell you, Dean Winchester,” he sneered, “I don’t have a brother either. I don’t know why this demon thinks that I’ll just believe him, but I’ll find out the truth about all of it. I’ll find out who really killed my Mom and I’ll kill them. So how about you just drop the big brother act and we can move past whatever lies Azazel has in line next.”
Of all the reactions Dean had expected from his little brother, denial of who he was and what he’d done to their family had never figured into it. Sam was ballsy and damn intimidating with that muscled frame of his though and Dean switched gears. Sam could be an interesting ally if he could convince the kid it was worth an alliance.
He stepped closer and smiled at Sam, licking his lips as he brought a hand up to grasp Sam’s hips. “So, if I’m not your big brother, what should I be to you?”
Sam’s eyes lingered on Dean’s lips for a moment but then trailed down Dean’s body until his perusal finally made its way back to Dean’s eyes. “You should be out of my way.”
Sam pushed him back and then walked away, towards the center of town. Dean didn’t know Sam’s powers yet or how he’d managed to see through Dean’s invisible presence, but things were going to be interesting with Sam around. Dean laughed out loud, not bothering to hide his amusement. “Oh, Sammy, we’re going to have much fun.”
The Winchester didn’t even bother to look at Dean as he spoke, just kept walking back towards the center of town where he could get whatever supplies Azazel had left him.
“It’s Sam.”
**
The next time Sam found him, Dean was sitting at a corner table in the mess hall, keeping an amused eye on his little brother. Dean was pretty sure the kitchen staff was all demons but he’d spent his life surrounded by demons and he never thought twice about it. Sam looked ready to throw his tray in the face of the demon that turned black eyed around him though. The demon seemed surprised that he’d let it out like that and Dean figured it was something about Sam’s power that made him able to see people for what they were. Interesting side effect, but Dean hoped that wasn’t his main ability because they’d rip him to shreds if it was; hunter training or no.
The mess hall wasn’t big. Azazel only kept the strong with him so only a handful of his special children were around at any one time. He didn’t want them wasting time on something as mundane as everyday living so he had demons on a leash taking care of that for them. Apparently cooking was below them when they were supposed to be busy plotting each other’s demise.
“May I?” Sam asked as he came up to Dean’s table.
Dean nodded and Jake knocked his knee under the table, catching Dean’s eye and mouthing a “What the fuck?” when Sam was setting his stuff down.
Dean hadn’t told Jake about his meeting with Sam and he had no intention of it. Since the name Winchester had been uttered everyone had expected Sam to come gunning at Dean. Sam hadn’t made a move yet, though Dean didn’t discount that the kid might just be trying to gain his trust.
“The demon said I had 24 hours to get ready. Ready for what and 24 hours from when?”
Sam tucked into his food before Dean could answer. Dean figured Sam’s bluntness and unhealthy shoveling of food had to do with Sam’s past few years - fending for himself and never knowing when the next meal would come - so he didn’t take offense when Sam got straight down to business. Dean’s estimates of his survival notched up a slight bit at that.
“24 hours from his speech. So you have until around noon tomorrow,” Jake answered the last part of the question.
“As for what,” Dean looked at Jake and shrugged, “it just depends on what the siblings are throwing tomorrow.”
“The siblings?”
Dean sighed. “Other than the Winchester bit, Azazel told you about his big family, right? You want to survive, that means you have to fight. So all the special children that Azazel has been fussing about for years are all here and he wants us to be a family. So you call everyone a sibling and when he asks, you say “Yes, Father,” and you shut up about what family is supposed to be. That’s the number one rule here because while you might be able to hold your own against one of us, you aren’t ready to take on Father.”
Sam didn’t stop eating to listen, but he did look at Dean when he spoke. Jake was looking at him oddly too and Dean just shrugged. “What? Gotta show my kid brother the ropes, right?”
Sam shook his head and let out a deep breath as he set his fork down. “So how do I get ready?”
“Why are you asking us?”
“Because you’ll actually help me.”
Dean let a dirty smirk fall onto his face as he looked Sam over. “There might be something we could work out to make me want to cooperate.”
“Jesus, think you can keep it in your pants long enough for me to finish eating?”
There was nothing good in the look Jake was giving Dean and he threw Jake the same smirk. “Oh don’t be that way baby, you know I share my toys.”
Jake got up and walked away before Dean could say anything else. Sam just stared after Jake for a minute. “He’s actually a good guy.” Sam said uncomfortably, “underneath all this, I mean.”
Dean leaned forward, unable to stop the cold spot that started in his chest and worked its way through his limbs. “Listen Sam, none of us are good people. No matter what you think you know about us, we are killers. At the end of the day, we will always be killers. I was the first here. Jake came in two years ago. We’re soldiers and we kill where we are told to. I killed my own mother to take my spot at Azazel’s right hand. I may be willing to give you a few pointers, just to see how inventive you and my siblings get, but at the end of the day, I will be the one left standing. Don’t kid yourself about any of this. No one, including you, is a good person.”
Dean walked away from the table then, leaving his tray sit. He’d lost his appetite and he wanted nothing more than to take it out on Sam’s ass but they were still in the 24 hour window. Dean walked away to keep from touching the kid and Sam seemed smart enough not to push it. Not yet anyway.
**
In the end, Ava made the first move. The girl was batshit crazy and it seemed that she and Sam shared prescience as a first ability. It was about there that the likeness ended.
Dean watched as Sam settled himself down on the ground in the middle of the street. He’d been out there all night, digging in the dirt, doing something that Dean couldn’t see and it wasn’t until the sun was starting to lighten the sky that Sam sat in the center, eyes closed and in a seemingly meditative state.
Ava sidled up next to him and sat down with a smile on her lips. Sam kept his eyes closed but Dean was close enough to hear it all. Hell, everyone in the damn town was.
“Did you really think a salt line would work on me?” she asked.
Sam stood up then and smiled. “No, I really didn’t.” He was holding one hand over the other oddly but Dean couldn’t see why. When Sam backed away from Ava, he let go with the one hand and blood dripped onto the dirt street.
A flash of light blinded them all for a moment and Dean knew what he’d done; a protective symbol drawn into the sand with his own blood, set to entrap whatever creature was inside it when he closed the circle.
Ava screamed; any semblance of the sweet young girl she’d claimed to be stripped away in her fury. “This means nothing to me, Sam!” She yelled from her position in the circle.
Dean could see her demons circling closer and he thought about moving out of his hiding spot to help his brother but just as Dean was going to have to make a choice, Sam turned and looked at the childlike figures Ava controlled.
She couldn’t use her powers from inside the trap, but the demons weren’t just controlled by her. They were pets Ava kept on a tight leash, trained to protect her at all cost.
Sam didn’t even look surprised as he watched the acheri come closer. Sam closed his eyes, raising one hand up as he mumbled under his breath. Dean wanted to know what he was saying that he thought would keep one of the acheri off him, but to Dean’s surprise Ava’s two pets stopped.
Acheri weren’t demons in the sense that Azazel was. They were more mindless and didn’t need a human body to possess. There was no spout of black smoke when Sam was done with his recital, just the illusion of a soul unraveling before there was a sharp scream and implosion.
Ava shrieked but as Sam turned back around to face her, Jake had his long, strong hands on her neck before he snapped it in two.
“Sorry to interrupt your moment, but I’ve been waiting for years to take care of that little bitch.”
Sam looked at Jake for a moment then nodded. “Yeah, I can see why you’d want to do that.”
Sam looked around him at the rest of the town and Dean assumed he was trying to see where the rest of their siblings were. Sam rested his eyes back on Dean and Jake turned to see what Sam had his eyes fixed on. Jake didn’t see Dean there so he looked back at Sam questioningly.
Sam just shook his head as he wrapped one hand over the wound he’d used to close the circle. Jake took a step closer and Sam’s eyes widened. He didn’t know if Jake saw the way Sam’s hand went to the small of his back, but Jake slowed up as he got in Sam’s space.
“There are a lot of things that don’t make sense out here man. I’m always looking for people that don’t mind a little ‘you watch mine I watch yours’. The only thing we’ve got here are our allies. Anything steps up to the plate, Dean and I watch each other’s backs. I figure you might want in on that since he’s your brother.”
Sam’s eyes narrowed and even though Dean could see his body screaming ‘hes not my brother’ Sam didn’t say anything.
“You got that, right? I got Dean’s back, and he’s got mine?” There was a new note to Jake’s voice and Dean knew exactly what he meant by that.
Sam’s lip twitch for a second before he looked down at Jake. Sam looked amused and somehow more dangerous for it. “You telling me to lay off my brother? Staking a claim on Dean’s ass?”
“The only one that owns Dean’s ass is Father and you better remember that, Sam. But yeah, Dean and I have an understanding.”
Sam nodded, not bothering to hide his smile. “I’ll keep that in mind next time he propositions me.”
Sam walked past Jake then, keeping his head down until he rounded the corner where Dean was standing. Dean followed alongside Sam, wondering where the kid was going. “Nice bulldog you got there.”
“He meant it, about watching each other’s backs. We’re all brothers and sisters here and only our alliances with each other keep us safe.”
“And the part about your ass?”
“Well, we don’t need to let him know how misguided he might be, right?”
Sam laughed and Dean couldn’t help but smile with him. He’d just watched Sam take out Ava’s demons and he’d been ready to go against Jake. Azazel was right. Whoever Sam Winchester had been before he was dropped off in Cold Oaks, he was someone to be reckoned with.
Dean was just glad that Sam seemed to want to be on his side. When Sam finally realized the truth about who Dean was, all hell was gonna break loose, but he’d deal with it then. For now, it was kinda nice to have his baby back again.
**
Having been taken from his family when he was only four years old gave Dean a different perspective about family than other people had. Or maybe it was that a demon had raised him after that, always pairing him up with other children to see who would survive. Who knew? The point was that Dean looked at these siblings of his as cannon fodder to be laid down at his father’s feet come the end of days. He knew that Azazel was waiting for one of them to be his special little snowflake and fuck if Dean cared if he actually was one, just so long as he survived.
He was grateful that Sam had incapacitated Ava long enough that Jake could kill her. She’d been aiming at Dean for a while and every time she took out a new kid, she got this strange look in her eye when she smiled at him. Like she was saying ‘you’re next’. He’d been glad to see Ansem gone too because the kid was a psycho, right up there with Max. Hell, most of the kids Azazel brought were mostly cracked. Dean wasn’t much better; a shattered family that he’d helped to destroy and a baby brother he’d fed his own blood to in some fucked up idea of claiming him. He’d only been a kid at the time. He’ll he’d been eight when he killed Mary Winchester for forgetting him, for replacing him with a younger child.
Sam didn’t deserve Dean’s hate though and he never had. He could remember feeling Sam’s contentment when Dean was sitting next to him by the crib. He’d never felt that anywhere before or after. He was so screwed.
“No, really Sam. Lily made actual fireworks. It was insane.”
Dean watched Andy talking to Sam and he couldn’t help but want to interfere. Sam and Andy got along well and it made Dean’s skin crawl. Dean liked Andy. Hell, besides Jake - and he didn’t count Jake because they were fucking - Andy was his best friend. Dean had taught Andy the ropes, helped him survive when his mind control powers were all he had and they didn’t work against his siblings.
Andy was a pain in the ass but he made Dean smile from time to time and that was enough to work with. Watching Andy with Sam, watching Sam laugh at something Andy said, it made Dean want to fry him into a crispy critter.
“Dean?” Sam called his name as Dean came closer and his little brother’s smile was transformed into something a little warmer.
“Hey Sammy. Andy trying to get you in trouble?”
“Nothing like it,” Andy said with a grin. “Just telling Sam about some of the folks who’ve visited us before.”
“Greatest hits?” Dean asked.
“He liked Mandy best.” Andy grinned.
“Everyone liked Mandy best. The things she could do with her-“
“Dean. I see you’re taking care of your little brother.”
Dean and Andy stood up quickly, leaving Sam sitting at the table a second longer than he should have been. Sam had only been there a few weeks though and Azazel had been gone the entire time. It wasn’t a surprise that Sam didn’t know how to respond to the demon’s comings and goings.
“Father, yes sir.”
“Good. And how are you feeling Sammy?”
“It’s Sam,” Dean and Sam said in unison.
Azazel glared at Sam but his little brother held his gaze like it was nothing. In Dean’s twenty two years he’d never seen anything as glorious as Sam in his defiance. Azazel broke his eye contact and looked over at Dean who refused to do less than his brother. Dean had always pushed the boundaries of what a good son should be with Azazel and he wasn’t about to stop now.
“I’m settled in.” Sam said to break the tension.
“Have you had too much trouble with your siblings?”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
Azazel looked at Dean and he nodded. “Ava was the first. Barely waited the 24 hours before she came at him. Afraid Sam and Jake deprived you of your last daughter. Sam incapacitated her demons and put her on lockdown while Jake snuck up and killed her.”
“Ah, well there will be more daughters to come.” Azazel said.
“He was attacked by Scott, Tony, and Mike also. He tried to talk them down, Father, but none of them would yield so he killed them himself.”
Dean was proud of what Sam was willing to do to survive. When he’d first arrived and Dean started to get to know him, he wasn’t so sure Sam would be able to do it. No matter what else Sam was, Dean could feel the anger and pain at having to take a life. He wasn’t remorseful, didn’t sit around brooding about the men and women he killed, but he was still a decent person. Of all the people in Cold Oaks, Sam was the one with the most soul still left to sell.
Azazel clapped a hand on Sam’s shoulder and his brother grimaced slightly. “That a boy, Sam. You make your father proud.”
Hate sizzled in Sam so fast Dean had to take a breath to block it out. It’d been a long time since anyone else’s emotions had affected Dean so strongly. Empathy had been his first talent. It had come earlier than it should have, hitting when Dean was only four years old. He’d been unable to deal with it when Azazel had come and offered to help him. It hadn’t taken long for Dean to learn to control it, not with Azazel’s blood in his veins.
His connection with Sam was strong though and Dean couldn’t help but wonder if the blood in their veins tied them together in ways Azazel hadn’t counted on. It gave Dean a little hope, but he kept it tightly under wraps. If Dean could find a better way to survive - and keep his brother alive as well - he was all for whatever advantage his brother could give him.
“My father died two years ago,” Sam said as he took a step away from Azazel and moved closer to Dean.
Dean bit his lip to keep from smiling but he didn’t think he was fooling Azazel. He’d been with the demon for eighteen years after all. Then again, Azazel didn’t look all that upset about the way Sam seemed to be connecting to Dean. Azazel watched Sam with a sort of rabid fascination that he didn’t give his other children. Dean didn’t know what Azazel thought was so damn amazing about Sam, but if it meant Dean got to keep his brother at his side longer then he was all for it.
“Come with me, Dean.”
“Yes, Father.”
He didn’t look back to see what Sam was thinking. He could feel Sam’s anxiety enough as it was. Dean walked with a straight back until he and Azazel were out in the open street again.
“Tell me the truth, Dean. Is he a fighter?”
Dean nodded, unsure of what the demon wanted to hear.
“I need him in top form Dean. It’s coming. Any day now the storm will break and your brothers will fight for dominance.”
Dean looked at the demon and couldn’t help but be surprised by his animated features. “Father, he’s ready for a fight. His father taught him to hunt and he’s lived on the streets the last two years and had to fend for himself.”
Azazel nodded then. “Good. I try not to play favorites but I’m rooting for you and Sammy here.”
“Excuse me?”
Azazel smiled. “It was always Sam. I knew Mary would give birth to him but when I went to see her and saw you, I knew that you had to be mine too.”
Dean couldn’t feel anything from the demon, he never could except when Azazel let him, but he shivered at the words. There were a lot of reasons to stay out of a demon’s notice but to think that Azazel had targeted him all those years ago because of his little brother made him wonder just what the demon knew. There were other prescient creatures in the world and it wasn’t a large stretch to figure out that Azazel had seen something that made him want the brothers.
“Good to know I haven’t been a waste of space,” Dean answered when it seemed like the demon was waiting for a response.
Azazel smiled and his eyes flashed yellow for a moment. Dean felt the flash of emotion that normally came with the outward show of his demon. It didn’t happen often but there were times when emotion was too strong even for Azazel to control. There was pride and a demented sort of joy that Dean didn’t know what to do with.
“Never Dean-o. You’ve always been my go to guy. Now, just keep yourself and Sam alive through all this and we can finally get to business.”
“Yes, Father.”
Azazel walked away and Dean was just as confused as ever. He didn’t ask any questions though. The demon had given Dean all the information he was going to get. Dean just hoped he lived long enough to figure out the rest.
**
The showdown that Azazel had warned them about came without warning and Dean was still ringing from the explosion that had torn apart the building Dean had just jumped from. He hit the ground running, dodging when a fucking stake came out of nowhere and damn near took his arm off.
Fucking telekinetics. Fucking electro boy who seemed to have taken over Lily’s spot with his powers. Fucking Andy, wanting to be the boy wonder.
“Is that the best you can come up with Andy?” Dean asked. “After all these years, all this time as my friend, you really think a little electric shock and an explosion will get to me?”
“You’re all alone, Dean. I was your best ally and you never once knew that I was working against you all along. It’s actually pathetic,” Andy said as he came around the street corner. Dean could see him well enough from his hiding place among the buildings, especially since Andy still didn’t know that Dean could become invisible.
Dean didn’t say anything as Andy began walking forward.
“You really gonna try to take Dean on?” Jake said as he walked out into the street. Andy knew all the details of Dean’s relationship with Jake and Dean regretted how close he’d let Andy get. There had been a time when he thought Andy was mostly on his side. Dean knew how wrong he’d been since Andy had shown up with the rest of their siblings, ready to help Dean depart his mortal body.
Only Sam was unaccounted for and Dean prayed his little brother stayed out of it. Dean didn’t think he could hurt Sam, no matter what Azazel told him to do and he was afraid Jake wouldn’t think twice about hurting Sam to protect him.
“You can either help me or stand in my way, Jake. What’s it gonna be?”
Jake looked up and pretended to think about it. Dean could feel the strength of Jake’s conviction though. It was right there, right alongside Sam’s.
Dean hadn’t seen his little brother sneaking up behind the other group of psychics - Andy and a handful of newer recruits that he’d managed to win over.
“Do I get that choice too?”
Sam stepped up beside Jake and Dean wasn’t sure what the pair was planning.
“I think I like where I’m standing right now,” Jake said as he looked at Sam.
“Think we’re in the way enough?” Sam asked.
Jake gave Sam a small smile and then looked back at Andy. “Come on brother, let’s see who comes out on top this time.”
They both ran then, moving to different ends of the street as Andy’s gang began trying to tear them to pieces. Dean swore but he was moving before he could get hit by some stray lash of power.
Being invisible had its advantages and Dean was on Andy before the other psychic knew he was there. Of all the ways Dean knew to kill the man, he didn’t use his powers on him. He didn’t drop his shield of invisibility as he drove the knife into the small of Andy’s back.
Andy stumbled forward and landed face first on the dirt road. There wasn’t much of a fight after that, just Sam and Jake cleaning out the others.
Dean hated to kill people, hated to feel it when their desperation came, but he was more than happy to have ended Andy. And while neither Sam nor Jake were feeling upset about the deaths, he knew they weren’t doing cartwheels over it either.
“Dean?” Sam said his name, coming to stand right in front of him.
“I’m good, Sammy. You?”
“Perfect.”
Jake groaned as Sam and Dean both turned to look at him. While there was blood on his face, Sam and Dean had both seen him in worse states.
“I need a drink,” Jake said as he hobbled over to the stairs of one of the deserted buildings.
“Hell yeah,” Dean agreed as he and Sam sat with Jake.
It took a while before someone broke the silence, and it was Jake who did it. “So what now? Azazel is just gonna keep bringing in more kids to hurt.”
“Maybe,” Dean said with a determined look on his face. “Or maybe we stop him. I think it’s time we had a choice in how to use our powers.”
Sam looked at Dean then and smiled. “Hunting things. Saving people. It’s the Winchester Family business. You guys in?”
Jake nodded and then Dean laughed as he clapped Sam on the shoulder. “Sammy, it looks like we’ve got some work to do.”
Pairing/Gen: mentioned Dean/Jake
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 6000+
Warnings: AU, Sam and Dean raised apart
Summary: Dean sighed. “Azazel told you about his big family, right? You want to survive, that means you have to fight. So all the special children that Azazel has been fussing about for years are all here and he wants us to be a family. So you call everyone a sibling and when he asks, you say “Yes, Father,” and you shut up about what family is supposed to be. That’s the number one rule here because while you might be able to hold your own against one of us, you aren’t ready to take on Father.”
Author's Note: Written for the super_disney challenge. The prompt was Sky High. It's far less porny than I thought it would be...
Work To Do
The town was quiet, eerily so considering everything that was about to happen. The wind blew through dirt streets and even the slow rolling tumbleweed seemed loud in his ears. He knew looks could be deceiving but it was hard to think about the quiet when he knew what else was out there; what he’d known was out there since he’d come to live with Azazel and his power hungry family.
A door banged closed a few houses down and Dean ignored it, knowing it was just another ploy from his siblings. He stepped down into the street and started walking to the dirt encrusted bell at the center of town. Dean had memorized the terrain long ago after having eavesdropped on one of his meetings with a lower level demon. It gave him the advantage now and he knew he’d need it. Before long, Azazel - or Father as he preferred to be called - would be back with their newest member. It was new terrain for all of them, but at least they knew what they could do. Dean almost felt bad for the new brothers and sisters Azazel brought them.
Dean wondered how long the peace around this one would last before Azazel threw him to the wolves. Sometimes the new kids were given a month or two to find their footing before the siblings were allowed to start pressing for an advantage. Sometimes they were given longer. Ava had been given a whole fucking year before they could touch her.
Dean had been there the longest of them all. He was the most scarred and had the most reason to hate the others and he was the reigning champion in their father’s never ending game of power.
“You seem tense today, Dean.”
Dean didn’t bother looking over his shoulder but his fingers clenched and unclenched making his fingerless leather gloves creak. “Father.”
Heat burned through his veins, ready for his call but Azazel just smiled as he turned to face Dean.
“Your new brother will be here soon. He’s got a day to learn the ropes. As always, I expect you to make sure your siblings stay in line.”
“Of course, but-” he stopped himself before he could voice his question but Azazel seemed to be in a good mood. He nodded, indulging Dean’s curiosity. “A day? He won’t last tomorrow night with that sort of lead in.”
“Oh, this one is different, Dean. His mother was precious, a hunter’s child. When she died his father became a hunter too, training him in their ways. He never knew his precious boy was one of mine.”
Dean dropped his chin to his chest to keep Azazel from seeing his smile. “And what happened to the father?”
“He died on a hunt two years ago. They tried to put your brother in the system and he ran from them, hit the streets, and never looked back. You’ll like this one, Dean. He’s even taller than your current boy.”
Dean smirked as he looked up at Azazel. Dean had never been subtle about his attraction to Jake and he wasn’t surprised that Azazel knew; just that he was commenting on it. “I do like them tall. Guess we’ll have to see if Jake eats him alive or not.”
“This one could give you a run for your money.”
“Thought you wanted me to keep the kiddies off his back for a day?”
“I do.”
“Might not be the best motivator.”
Dean watched the demon with a half-smile on his face, wondering what Azazel would do. He leaned in closer and Dean refused to step back or give the demon the satisfaction of seeing Dean sweat it, but he wasn’t sure what Azazel’s reaction would be.
Dean was in a place of power among the special children the demon had gathered over the years. His length of service and the strength of his talents gave him a certain leeway and Dean always pushed it. It was in his nature and he’d been punished more than once for it over the years.
“Oh Dean-o, I know you’ll do as your father asked you. You’ll be a good boy, won’t you? Or it just might be time for some of my friends to come for a visit again.”
Dean shivered against the memory. Azazel’s friends were cruel and demonic and very good at what they did.
“Of course, Father. We always look forward to a visit from your friends.”
Azazel reached out and ran a finger down Dean’s chest where a thin scar marked his last visit from Aleister, a demon that Dean feared and admired in equal measure. Aleister didn’t have the power that Dean did, but there wasn’t a demon on earth or in hell that didn’t fear him. Dean didn’t enjoy the feel of Aleister’s blade on his skin but he learned everything else he could; blade work, how to intimidate, and how to project menace were just a few of them.
“I bet you do.” Azazel stepped to the side then and started to walk away. “One day, Dean. One day you keep him safe. Then watch your ass.”
“I look forward to meeting him, Father.”
“And this one, Dean, he’s going to be gunning for you.”
“Why’s that?”
“He’s a Winchester.”
“What?” Dean didn’t know how to take that new bit of information. He never expected to see a Winchester; not on this side of hell anyway.
“Sam Winchester.”
“The baby?”
Azazel nodded. “The last of the Winchester blood line. Too bad his father died before he could find out the whole truth. I would have liked to have sent you to finish the family off. You did such a nice job with the mother, after all.”
Azazel walked away then and Dean was left on the side of the street wondering what would happen next. He closed his eyes, thinking about the Winchester family. He could remember the first night Azazel had taken him to visit, sitting in the nursery and watching the demon as he dripped blood into Sam’s mouth. He remembered his mother walking into the room and Dean telling her to go to sleep. She’d fallen asleep then and there and Azazel had been so proud of him, he’d let Dean look down on the baby. Dean had pulled out a small knife and slit his own wrist, Azazel watching in surprise as Dean smeared his bloody wrist over the baby’s mouth.
They went back for two years and once a month Azazel had Dean put the parents to sleep before their bloodletting ritual began again. When the bond between the baby and the mother was starting to be a problem, Azazel brought Dean to put an end to it.
It was Dean’s choice. He could make her forget the child. He could make her despise him. She had forgotten so much already though and in the end, that decided her fate. She had forgotten her oldest child and replaced him with a new one. As much as Dean loved looking down at his little brother, he could never forgive his mother’s betrayal. When she walked into the room that night, on Dean’s eighth birthday, he pinned her to the ceiling and let her blood flow. It was a baptism in blood for his little brother and Dean had kissed it from his forehead before he allowed his fledgling power to slide up his wrists to the woman above them. Fire licked her wounds and as she screamed Dean thought she just might have finally remembered him.
It was time to go then though, time for his other father to save his youngest son. This one hadn’t forgotten and had mourned him so Dean let him live. He was a bare slip of a man, alcohol-fed grief still blazed in his soul as it had since his first son went missing and his wife went mad enough to forget him completely.
Dean had watched his father and brother on the street later, John holding the baby like he was the only thing real in the world and Dean knew then it wasn’t the end of the story. “See you later, Sammy,” Dean had whispered into his brother’s mind. Sam had stopped crying in that moment. It was the first time Dean had kept a secret from Azazel as well. He knew that night that no matter what happened Azazel would have Sam as his own. And Dean knew that no matter what his new father planned, Sam Winchester was Dean’s - blood, bone, ash, and flame.
**
They were all given a variation of the same speech; the newcomers and their ‘welcome to the family’ spiel and the old timers with the ‘you hold off until I say so’ lecture. Even with that, Dean’s siblings didn’t always play fair. Sometimes they went for subtle methods that would send the new person packing but sometimes the fear and anger drove them to act quickly. Andy had barely shown up before Ansem was tearing into his twin. It was a good thing for Andy that Ansem was a lousy telekinetic. It was also a good thing that the first thing Andy had seen upon his arrival was another new guy, a talented telekinetic, who flipped out and started throwing shit at everyone. When Ansem didn’t respond to Andy’s commands, Max was unstable enough to be vulnerable to Andy’s powers. Max had pulled a rotting plank from a nearby step and impaled Ansem with it. It was the most eventful arrival and one Dean wasn’t particularly happy to see occur again. Dean liked Andy and they’d become friends once they realized they could both help one another out. Dean didn’t particularly care if the new ones lasted or not, but after Ansem’s disobedience, Dean had become Azazel’s enforcer. If it happened again, it would be Dean’s ass on the line and he wasn’t about to let that happen.
One of the benefits of being the eldest was that time and practice made a lot of things easier. Dean had come into the family with empathy and a hint of what would someday grow to become pyrokinesis. Now, Dean had developed all of his powers and he still had new abilities popping up every so often. He was, so far as he could tell, the first to have been able to conceal his presence from the others. It isn’t foolproof of course. Empaths could feel him there so he had to practice when they weren’t around. Dean knew when to keep his mouth quiet about his abilities and when to show it off. This new power was something to keep hidden until the moment to strike was on him.
It was a nice trick up his sleeve though when his siblings were rounded up to say hello to Sam Winchester. A murmur went up at the last name, everyone putting Sam and Dean together in their head even though the kid had no idea he had a big brother.
Dean watched Sam from the step of what had once been a store front. His siblings didn’t see him there and Dean was categorizing their reactions; from Jake’s friendly grin and handshake - just a little too much pressure to let the kid know about his strength - to Ava’s insane laugh as she made innuendos about the quality time they could spend together. Azazel walked away and the crowd dispersed, leaving Sam on the street alone. Dean felt a stab of concern for the psychic but pushed it away quickly. If Sam was as strong as Azazel seemed to think he was, he didn’t have room for pity.
Sam looked around distractedly and ran a hand through his hair. Dean was able to focus on Sam then instead of his sibling’s reactions and he had to admit there was very little left of the baby he’d been so fascinated with. Sam was tall, with strong muscles and an eye that was taking in the details of his situation - obviously someone used to being in a tough spot who knew to assess his environment quickly.
When he looked Dean’s way his eyes caught on Dean. Dean held his breath as Sam walked towards him, his eyes never leaving Dean. What the hell?
“Hi, I’m Sam.”
Dean let his power fall around him. No one could see them where they were but if one of his siblings came looking to see what Sam was up to and found him talking to the air they’d know something was up.
“You’re Dean, right?”
It wasn’t a question and Dean wondered what Azazel told the kid. “That’s me. I’m here to make sure the others don’t take a stab at you first day here.”
“Is that a literal concern?”
Dean shrugged. “Could be if you piss off the wrong person. Just a heads up,” Dean said, leaning in slightly. “We’re not the most stable family.”
Sam eyes turned cold as he took a step back. “This isn’t my family.”
The corner of Dean’s lips turned up and he stepped closer to Sam. “Isn’t it, Sam Winchester?”
He could feel something radiating from Sam, an answering heat to the fire in Dean’s veins and he wanted to push forward and into the warmth.
“I don’t have a family. And no matter what they’ve tried to tell you, Dean Winchester,” he sneered, “I don’t have a brother either. I don’t know why this demon thinks that I’ll just believe him, but I’ll find out the truth about all of it. I’ll find out who really killed my Mom and I’ll kill them. So how about you just drop the big brother act and we can move past whatever lies Azazel has in line next.”
Of all the reactions Dean had expected from his little brother, denial of who he was and what he’d done to their family had never figured into it. Sam was ballsy and damn intimidating with that muscled frame of his though and Dean switched gears. Sam could be an interesting ally if he could convince the kid it was worth an alliance.
He stepped closer and smiled at Sam, licking his lips as he brought a hand up to grasp Sam’s hips. “So, if I’m not your big brother, what should I be to you?”
Sam’s eyes lingered on Dean’s lips for a moment but then trailed down Dean’s body until his perusal finally made its way back to Dean’s eyes. “You should be out of my way.”
Sam pushed him back and then walked away, towards the center of town. Dean didn’t know Sam’s powers yet or how he’d managed to see through Dean’s invisible presence, but things were going to be interesting with Sam around. Dean laughed out loud, not bothering to hide his amusement. “Oh, Sammy, we’re going to have much fun.”
The Winchester didn’t even bother to look at Dean as he spoke, just kept walking back towards the center of town where he could get whatever supplies Azazel had left him.
“It’s Sam.”
**
The next time Sam found him, Dean was sitting at a corner table in the mess hall, keeping an amused eye on his little brother. Dean was pretty sure the kitchen staff was all demons but he’d spent his life surrounded by demons and he never thought twice about it. Sam looked ready to throw his tray in the face of the demon that turned black eyed around him though. The demon seemed surprised that he’d let it out like that and Dean figured it was something about Sam’s power that made him able to see people for what they were. Interesting side effect, but Dean hoped that wasn’t his main ability because they’d rip him to shreds if it was; hunter training or no.
The mess hall wasn’t big. Azazel only kept the strong with him so only a handful of his special children were around at any one time. He didn’t want them wasting time on something as mundane as everyday living so he had demons on a leash taking care of that for them. Apparently cooking was below them when they were supposed to be busy plotting each other’s demise.
“May I?” Sam asked as he came up to Dean’s table.
Dean nodded and Jake knocked his knee under the table, catching Dean’s eye and mouthing a “What the fuck?” when Sam was setting his stuff down.
Dean hadn’t told Jake about his meeting with Sam and he had no intention of it. Since the name Winchester had been uttered everyone had expected Sam to come gunning at Dean. Sam hadn’t made a move yet, though Dean didn’t discount that the kid might just be trying to gain his trust.
“The demon said I had 24 hours to get ready. Ready for what and 24 hours from when?”
Sam tucked into his food before Dean could answer. Dean figured Sam’s bluntness and unhealthy shoveling of food had to do with Sam’s past few years - fending for himself and never knowing when the next meal would come - so he didn’t take offense when Sam got straight down to business. Dean’s estimates of his survival notched up a slight bit at that.
“24 hours from his speech. So you have until around noon tomorrow,” Jake answered the last part of the question.
“As for what,” Dean looked at Jake and shrugged, “it just depends on what the siblings are throwing tomorrow.”
“The siblings?”
Dean sighed. “Other than the Winchester bit, Azazel told you about his big family, right? You want to survive, that means you have to fight. So all the special children that Azazel has been fussing about for years are all here and he wants us to be a family. So you call everyone a sibling and when he asks, you say “Yes, Father,” and you shut up about what family is supposed to be. That’s the number one rule here because while you might be able to hold your own against one of us, you aren’t ready to take on Father.”
Sam didn’t stop eating to listen, but he did look at Dean when he spoke. Jake was looking at him oddly too and Dean just shrugged. “What? Gotta show my kid brother the ropes, right?”
Sam shook his head and let out a deep breath as he set his fork down. “So how do I get ready?”
“Why are you asking us?”
“Because you’ll actually help me.”
Dean let a dirty smirk fall onto his face as he looked Sam over. “There might be something we could work out to make me want to cooperate.”
“Jesus, think you can keep it in your pants long enough for me to finish eating?”
There was nothing good in the look Jake was giving Dean and he threw Jake the same smirk. “Oh don’t be that way baby, you know I share my toys.”
Jake got up and walked away before Dean could say anything else. Sam just stared after Jake for a minute. “He’s actually a good guy.” Sam said uncomfortably, “underneath all this, I mean.”
Dean leaned forward, unable to stop the cold spot that started in his chest and worked its way through his limbs. “Listen Sam, none of us are good people. No matter what you think you know about us, we are killers. At the end of the day, we will always be killers. I was the first here. Jake came in two years ago. We’re soldiers and we kill where we are told to. I killed my own mother to take my spot at Azazel’s right hand. I may be willing to give you a few pointers, just to see how inventive you and my siblings get, but at the end of the day, I will be the one left standing. Don’t kid yourself about any of this. No one, including you, is a good person.”
Dean walked away from the table then, leaving his tray sit. He’d lost his appetite and he wanted nothing more than to take it out on Sam’s ass but they were still in the 24 hour window. Dean walked away to keep from touching the kid and Sam seemed smart enough not to push it. Not yet anyway.
**
In the end, Ava made the first move. The girl was batshit crazy and it seemed that she and Sam shared prescience as a first ability. It was about there that the likeness ended.
Dean watched as Sam settled himself down on the ground in the middle of the street. He’d been out there all night, digging in the dirt, doing something that Dean couldn’t see and it wasn’t until the sun was starting to lighten the sky that Sam sat in the center, eyes closed and in a seemingly meditative state.
Ava sidled up next to him and sat down with a smile on her lips. Sam kept his eyes closed but Dean was close enough to hear it all. Hell, everyone in the damn town was.
“Did you really think a salt line would work on me?” she asked.
Sam stood up then and smiled. “No, I really didn’t.” He was holding one hand over the other oddly but Dean couldn’t see why. When Sam backed away from Ava, he let go with the one hand and blood dripped onto the dirt street.
A flash of light blinded them all for a moment and Dean knew what he’d done; a protective symbol drawn into the sand with his own blood, set to entrap whatever creature was inside it when he closed the circle.
Ava screamed; any semblance of the sweet young girl she’d claimed to be stripped away in her fury. “This means nothing to me, Sam!” She yelled from her position in the circle.
Dean could see her demons circling closer and he thought about moving out of his hiding spot to help his brother but just as Dean was going to have to make a choice, Sam turned and looked at the childlike figures Ava controlled.
She couldn’t use her powers from inside the trap, but the demons weren’t just controlled by her. They were pets Ava kept on a tight leash, trained to protect her at all cost.
Sam didn’t even look surprised as he watched the acheri come closer. Sam closed his eyes, raising one hand up as he mumbled under his breath. Dean wanted to know what he was saying that he thought would keep one of the acheri off him, but to Dean’s surprise Ava’s two pets stopped.
Acheri weren’t demons in the sense that Azazel was. They were more mindless and didn’t need a human body to possess. There was no spout of black smoke when Sam was done with his recital, just the illusion of a soul unraveling before there was a sharp scream and implosion.
Ava shrieked but as Sam turned back around to face her, Jake had his long, strong hands on her neck before he snapped it in two.
“Sorry to interrupt your moment, but I’ve been waiting for years to take care of that little bitch.”
Sam looked at Jake for a moment then nodded. “Yeah, I can see why you’d want to do that.”
Sam looked around him at the rest of the town and Dean assumed he was trying to see where the rest of their siblings were. Sam rested his eyes back on Dean and Jake turned to see what Sam had his eyes fixed on. Jake didn’t see Dean there so he looked back at Sam questioningly.
Sam just shook his head as he wrapped one hand over the wound he’d used to close the circle. Jake took a step closer and Sam’s eyes widened. He didn’t know if Jake saw the way Sam’s hand went to the small of his back, but Jake slowed up as he got in Sam’s space.
“There are a lot of things that don’t make sense out here man. I’m always looking for people that don’t mind a little ‘you watch mine I watch yours’. The only thing we’ve got here are our allies. Anything steps up to the plate, Dean and I watch each other’s backs. I figure you might want in on that since he’s your brother.”
Sam’s eyes narrowed and even though Dean could see his body screaming ‘hes not my brother’ Sam didn’t say anything.
“You got that, right? I got Dean’s back, and he’s got mine?” There was a new note to Jake’s voice and Dean knew exactly what he meant by that.
Sam’s lip twitch for a second before he looked down at Jake. Sam looked amused and somehow more dangerous for it. “You telling me to lay off my brother? Staking a claim on Dean’s ass?”
“The only one that owns Dean’s ass is Father and you better remember that, Sam. But yeah, Dean and I have an understanding.”
Sam nodded, not bothering to hide his smile. “I’ll keep that in mind next time he propositions me.”
Sam walked past Jake then, keeping his head down until he rounded the corner where Dean was standing. Dean followed alongside Sam, wondering where the kid was going. “Nice bulldog you got there.”
“He meant it, about watching each other’s backs. We’re all brothers and sisters here and only our alliances with each other keep us safe.”
“And the part about your ass?”
“Well, we don’t need to let him know how misguided he might be, right?”
Sam laughed and Dean couldn’t help but smile with him. He’d just watched Sam take out Ava’s demons and he’d been ready to go against Jake. Azazel was right. Whoever Sam Winchester had been before he was dropped off in Cold Oaks, he was someone to be reckoned with.
Dean was just glad that Sam seemed to want to be on his side. When Sam finally realized the truth about who Dean was, all hell was gonna break loose, but he’d deal with it then. For now, it was kinda nice to have his baby back again.
**
Having been taken from his family when he was only four years old gave Dean a different perspective about family than other people had. Or maybe it was that a demon had raised him after that, always pairing him up with other children to see who would survive. Who knew? The point was that Dean looked at these siblings of his as cannon fodder to be laid down at his father’s feet come the end of days. He knew that Azazel was waiting for one of them to be his special little snowflake and fuck if Dean cared if he actually was one, just so long as he survived.
He was grateful that Sam had incapacitated Ava long enough that Jake could kill her. She’d been aiming at Dean for a while and every time she took out a new kid, she got this strange look in her eye when she smiled at him. Like she was saying ‘you’re next’. He’d been glad to see Ansem gone too because the kid was a psycho, right up there with Max. Hell, most of the kids Azazel brought were mostly cracked. Dean wasn’t much better; a shattered family that he’d helped to destroy and a baby brother he’d fed his own blood to in some fucked up idea of claiming him. He’d only been a kid at the time. He’ll he’d been eight when he killed Mary Winchester for forgetting him, for replacing him with a younger child.
Sam didn’t deserve Dean’s hate though and he never had. He could remember feeling Sam’s contentment when Dean was sitting next to him by the crib. He’d never felt that anywhere before or after. He was so screwed.
“No, really Sam. Lily made actual fireworks. It was insane.”
Dean watched Andy talking to Sam and he couldn’t help but want to interfere. Sam and Andy got along well and it made Dean’s skin crawl. Dean liked Andy. Hell, besides Jake - and he didn’t count Jake because they were fucking - Andy was his best friend. Dean had taught Andy the ropes, helped him survive when his mind control powers were all he had and they didn’t work against his siblings.
Andy was a pain in the ass but he made Dean smile from time to time and that was enough to work with. Watching Andy with Sam, watching Sam laugh at something Andy said, it made Dean want to fry him into a crispy critter.
“Dean?” Sam called his name as Dean came closer and his little brother’s smile was transformed into something a little warmer.
“Hey Sammy. Andy trying to get you in trouble?”
“Nothing like it,” Andy said with a grin. “Just telling Sam about some of the folks who’ve visited us before.”
“Greatest hits?” Dean asked.
“He liked Mandy best.” Andy grinned.
“Everyone liked Mandy best. The things she could do with her-“
“Dean. I see you’re taking care of your little brother.”
Dean and Andy stood up quickly, leaving Sam sitting at the table a second longer than he should have been. Sam had only been there a few weeks though and Azazel had been gone the entire time. It wasn’t a surprise that Sam didn’t know how to respond to the demon’s comings and goings.
“Father, yes sir.”
“Good. And how are you feeling Sammy?”
“It’s Sam,” Dean and Sam said in unison.
Azazel glared at Sam but his little brother held his gaze like it was nothing. In Dean’s twenty two years he’d never seen anything as glorious as Sam in his defiance. Azazel broke his eye contact and looked over at Dean who refused to do less than his brother. Dean had always pushed the boundaries of what a good son should be with Azazel and he wasn’t about to stop now.
“I’m settled in.” Sam said to break the tension.
“Have you had too much trouble with your siblings?”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
Azazel looked at Dean and he nodded. “Ava was the first. Barely waited the 24 hours before she came at him. Afraid Sam and Jake deprived you of your last daughter. Sam incapacitated her demons and put her on lockdown while Jake snuck up and killed her.”
“Ah, well there will be more daughters to come.” Azazel said.
“He was attacked by Scott, Tony, and Mike also. He tried to talk them down, Father, but none of them would yield so he killed them himself.”
Dean was proud of what Sam was willing to do to survive. When he’d first arrived and Dean started to get to know him, he wasn’t so sure Sam would be able to do it. No matter what else Sam was, Dean could feel the anger and pain at having to take a life. He wasn’t remorseful, didn’t sit around brooding about the men and women he killed, but he was still a decent person. Of all the people in Cold Oaks, Sam was the one with the most soul still left to sell.
Azazel clapped a hand on Sam’s shoulder and his brother grimaced slightly. “That a boy, Sam. You make your father proud.”
Hate sizzled in Sam so fast Dean had to take a breath to block it out. It’d been a long time since anyone else’s emotions had affected Dean so strongly. Empathy had been his first talent. It had come earlier than it should have, hitting when Dean was only four years old. He’d been unable to deal with it when Azazel had come and offered to help him. It hadn’t taken long for Dean to learn to control it, not with Azazel’s blood in his veins.
His connection with Sam was strong though and Dean couldn’t help but wonder if the blood in their veins tied them together in ways Azazel hadn’t counted on. It gave Dean a little hope, but he kept it tightly under wraps. If Dean could find a better way to survive - and keep his brother alive as well - he was all for whatever advantage his brother could give him.
“My father died two years ago,” Sam said as he took a step away from Azazel and moved closer to Dean.
Dean bit his lip to keep from smiling but he didn’t think he was fooling Azazel. He’d been with the demon for eighteen years after all. Then again, Azazel didn’t look all that upset about the way Sam seemed to be connecting to Dean. Azazel watched Sam with a sort of rabid fascination that he didn’t give his other children. Dean didn’t know what Azazel thought was so damn amazing about Sam, but if it meant Dean got to keep his brother at his side longer then he was all for it.
“Come with me, Dean.”
“Yes, Father.”
He didn’t look back to see what Sam was thinking. He could feel Sam’s anxiety enough as it was. Dean walked with a straight back until he and Azazel were out in the open street again.
“Tell me the truth, Dean. Is he a fighter?”
Dean nodded, unsure of what the demon wanted to hear.
“I need him in top form Dean. It’s coming. Any day now the storm will break and your brothers will fight for dominance.”
Dean looked at the demon and couldn’t help but be surprised by his animated features. “Father, he’s ready for a fight. His father taught him to hunt and he’s lived on the streets the last two years and had to fend for himself.”
Azazel nodded then. “Good. I try not to play favorites but I’m rooting for you and Sammy here.”
“Excuse me?”
Azazel smiled. “It was always Sam. I knew Mary would give birth to him but when I went to see her and saw you, I knew that you had to be mine too.”
Dean couldn’t feel anything from the demon, he never could except when Azazel let him, but he shivered at the words. There were a lot of reasons to stay out of a demon’s notice but to think that Azazel had targeted him all those years ago because of his little brother made him wonder just what the demon knew. There were other prescient creatures in the world and it wasn’t a large stretch to figure out that Azazel had seen something that made him want the brothers.
“Good to know I haven’t been a waste of space,” Dean answered when it seemed like the demon was waiting for a response.
Azazel smiled and his eyes flashed yellow for a moment. Dean felt the flash of emotion that normally came with the outward show of his demon. It didn’t happen often but there were times when emotion was too strong even for Azazel to control. There was pride and a demented sort of joy that Dean didn’t know what to do with.
“Never Dean-o. You’ve always been my go to guy. Now, just keep yourself and Sam alive through all this and we can finally get to business.”
“Yes, Father.”
Azazel walked away and Dean was just as confused as ever. He didn’t ask any questions though. The demon had given Dean all the information he was going to get. Dean just hoped he lived long enough to figure out the rest.
**
The showdown that Azazel had warned them about came without warning and Dean was still ringing from the explosion that had torn apart the building Dean had just jumped from. He hit the ground running, dodging when a fucking stake came out of nowhere and damn near took his arm off.
Fucking telekinetics. Fucking electro boy who seemed to have taken over Lily’s spot with his powers. Fucking Andy, wanting to be the boy wonder.
“Is that the best you can come up with Andy?” Dean asked. “After all these years, all this time as my friend, you really think a little electric shock and an explosion will get to me?”
“You’re all alone, Dean. I was your best ally and you never once knew that I was working against you all along. It’s actually pathetic,” Andy said as he came around the street corner. Dean could see him well enough from his hiding place among the buildings, especially since Andy still didn’t know that Dean could become invisible.
Dean didn’t say anything as Andy began walking forward.
“You really gonna try to take Dean on?” Jake said as he walked out into the street. Andy knew all the details of Dean’s relationship with Jake and Dean regretted how close he’d let Andy get. There had been a time when he thought Andy was mostly on his side. Dean knew how wrong he’d been since Andy had shown up with the rest of their siblings, ready to help Dean depart his mortal body.
Only Sam was unaccounted for and Dean prayed his little brother stayed out of it. Dean didn’t think he could hurt Sam, no matter what Azazel told him to do and he was afraid Jake wouldn’t think twice about hurting Sam to protect him.
“You can either help me or stand in my way, Jake. What’s it gonna be?”
Jake looked up and pretended to think about it. Dean could feel the strength of Jake’s conviction though. It was right there, right alongside Sam’s.
Dean hadn’t seen his little brother sneaking up behind the other group of psychics - Andy and a handful of newer recruits that he’d managed to win over.
“Do I get that choice too?”
Sam stepped up beside Jake and Dean wasn’t sure what the pair was planning.
“I think I like where I’m standing right now,” Jake said as he looked at Sam.
“Think we’re in the way enough?” Sam asked.
Jake gave Sam a small smile and then looked back at Andy. “Come on brother, let’s see who comes out on top this time.”
They both ran then, moving to different ends of the street as Andy’s gang began trying to tear them to pieces. Dean swore but he was moving before he could get hit by some stray lash of power.
Being invisible had its advantages and Dean was on Andy before the other psychic knew he was there. Of all the ways Dean knew to kill the man, he didn’t use his powers on him. He didn’t drop his shield of invisibility as he drove the knife into the small of Andy’s back.
Andy stumbled forward and landed face first on the dirt road. There wasn’t much of a fight after that, just Sam and Jake cleaning out the others.
Dean hated to kill people, hated to feel it when their desperation came, but he was more than happy to have ended Andy. And while neither Sam nor Jake were feeling upset about the deaths, he knew they weren’t doing cartwheels over it either.
“Dean?” Sam said his name, coming to stand right in front of him.
“I’m good, Sammy. You?”
“Perfect.”
Jake groaned as Sam and Dean both turned to look at him. While there was blood on his face, Sam and Dean had both seen him in worse states.
“I need a drink,” Jake said as he hobbled over to the stairs of one of the deserted buildings.
“Hell yeah,” Dean agreed as he and Sam sat with Jake.
It took a while before someone broke the silence, and it was Jake who did it. “So what now? Azazel is just gonna keep bringing in more kids to hurt.”
“Maybe,” Dean said with a determined look on his face. “Or maybe we stop him. I think it’s time we had a choice in how to use our powers.”
Sam looked at Dean then and smiled. “Hunting things. Saving people. It’s the Winchester Family business. You guys in?”
Jake nodded and then Dean laughed as he clapped Sam on the shoulder. “Sammy, it looks like we’ve got some work to do.”