The Family Business - Chapter 10
Dean graduates from Kansas University with a degree in exercise physiology and absolutely no idea what he’s going to do with it. He wanted a degree related to hunting in some way and discovered that he really loves his field. But the idea of getting a real job doesn’t appeal to Dean.
He always kind of assumed he’d graduate and start hunting full time. Dean really can’t imagine himself doing anything else.
Sam graduates at the top of his class on a gorgeous Saturday in May, a week after his eighteenth birthday.
After the ceremony Sam slides into the Impala with Dean for a family celebration before heading out to celebrate with friends later.
Dinner is laidback and comfortable, fun. Mary regrets not doing this more often when the boys were growing up. It’s nice. Really nice. But the boys are practically adults now. Sam will be heading off for Stanford on a full ride in a few months and Dean’s job-hunting in Palo Alto so Sam’s not alone. She and John could not be more proud of the men Sam and Dean are growing into.
After dinner Mary’s putting away dishes while Dean sneaks another bite of left over cherry pie, John’s leaning against the counter, laughing at Dean and watching Mary with that look in his eye that still makes her blush after all these years; Sam’s upstairs changing for his friend’s graduation party.
He comes down a few minutes later and starts trying to convince Dean to let him take the Impala tonight instead of barrowing John’s truck.
“No way man. Not a fucking chance.” Dean’s laughing and Sam’s pretty sure he’ll give in eventually. Sam never complained that he didn’t get is own car when he turned sixteen, Mary or John’s cars always available to him. But the Impala was so much cooler than John’s pick-up or Mary’s Toyota.
“You never treat her right.”
“What!?” Sam can’t believe it. The Impala has been roughed up a lot worse than anything Sam’s ever done to her. And it’s just a car.
“You’re always spilling shit in her Sammy. I’m worried about the upholstery.” Mary chides Dean on his language but she’s giggling too hard to really mean it and Dean’s smirk just makes her laugh harder, matching John’s deep chuckle.
“One time!” Sam’s indignant exclamation makes everyone laugh harder and he blushes crimson. “Shut up.” He mutters, trying but failing not to laugh with the rest of them.
It’s a perfect moment between the four of them.
Sam comes home around midnight, buzzed and happy. It was a good party, a last hurrah of the senior class before everyone started drifting away over the summer. He’s happy and buzzed, distantly horny and ready to crawl into bed with Dean for their traditional party post recap.
The driveway is empty which means Dean’s not home yet. Sam parks the Impala in Dad’s usual spot knowing Dean hates having to park his baby on the street.
Inside the house is oddly quiet. Usually John or Mary waits up for him to get home but it was a long day, maybe they both went to bed. He wanders into the kitchen looking for something to munch on before bed when he hears voices down in the basement. The door’s agar and Sam can see the lights on, Mom and Dad must be doing a late night research session.
Sam heads down to let them know he’s home, feet heavy on the stairs, not paying much attention to anything. He pulls up short, voice dying before he speaks. There’s someone else down there, a man he’s never seen before. His parents look furious, each pointing a gun at the man. But Sam can’t help notice that they both look a little scared as well.
Sam’s arrival draws their attention and suddenly Mary looks truly frightened. The stranger turns to Sam, a smile spreading across his face. And his eyes, his eyes are yellow. “Hiya Sammy.”
Sam’s never seen the man before, has absolutely no idea who he is but from his eyes Sam knows this is a demon. It’s the first demon he’s ever seen in person, the first he’s ever encountered outside of books or that one horrible nightmare with Dean. Sam wants to run, wants to turn around and run back up the stairs; wants a weapon or a book of exorcisms, something to give him some kind of defense against this demon who seems to know him.
The four of them are frozen for the longest seconds of Sam’s life. Everything seems like it’s moving in slow motion. He sees his parents’ stance change, sees them prepare to fight before time suddenly speeds back up and all hell breaks loose.
Mary meets John’s eye, their look saying everything they’ll every need to say, before John shouts for the demon’s attention before emptying the barrel of his shotgun into the bastards chest at point blank range. It doesn’t kill him but it gives Mary a chance to get around him. She runs for Sam, grabbing a handful of his shirt and running up the stairs, dragging Sam with her.
She knows they don’t have much time, knows that the chances of this ending well are slim to none. But she has to try, can’t just let that bastard have what he wants. She’s scared for John; well aware of the probable fate she left him to. But they made a decision when the boys were still young that they came first, their safety and their future were worth everything, even the ultimate sacrifice.
She can’t think about John right now, has to focus on Sam and trying to get him out of this. She gives a moment of thanks that Dean’s not home and prays he doesn’t come back till this is over. Whenever that is.
They make it to Sam’s bedroom, the safest room in the house thanks to the all the protective charms they put on it in an effort to protect Sammy from this very thing. But still, it’s not foolproof.
Mary forces Sam into his closet despite his protests.
“Stay in here. No matter what you see or hear stay here.” She knows he doesn’t understand, can see it on his face, can see his fear, but still he’s shaking his head, telling her no. He wants to fight by her side and Mary’s so proud she could burst. But no, Sam needs to live.
“Sam please. Please.” He stops fighting and Mary knows she’s won. “I’m so sorry Sammy. I love you.”
Mary takes one last look before she closes the doors. She can feel the demon approaching, knows he’s on his way up the stairs. Mary has just enough time to throw the window open and try to make it look like Sam escaped before the demon enters the room.
He’s there when she turns back to the door, angry and annoyed. There’s blood on his shirt and Mary feels her heart break a little. But it gives her the anger to fight and when she throws herself at him it’s nothing like that night eighteen years ago when she was scared and out of shape. She’s a hunter now, down to her bones, and she will not let this be easy for him.
But he’s still a demon. Still stronger and more powerful, still has the upper hand. He takes her punches and kicks, fights back just as fiercely. They’re bruised and bloody and finally the demon gets tired of fighting with her, his patients gone. When Mary steps forward to throw another punch he merely flicks his wrist and sends her crashing into the far wall. She hits it hard; her head rebounding back for a second blow. It’s just like that first night, trapped against the wall, unable to move with the demon stalking towards her.
“Azazel.”
“Mary! You know my name. I knew I should have killed you when I had the chance.” He tsks, mocking her, enjoying this.
“Yeah you should have. But it doesn’t matter. My boys aren’t afraid of you. And Sammy will never…”
‘Sammy will never what?’
“Sammy’ll never be what you want him to be.” It’s probably monumentally stupid for Mary to be so defiant but she doesn’t care
“You think so?” He’s laughing at her, so sure of his eventual victory. He has no idea what kind of man her son is, what kind of human being she and John raised Sam to be. Mary has no doubt that in the end the demon will fail.
The demon merely shrugs. “I guess we’ll find out.”
He raises his hand and Mary feels her stomach spark with pain and can’t stop the moan she lets out. She knows Sam can see everything that’s happening, knows he’s staring out through the slats, seeing her pinning to the wall, hearing her pain and she just keeps silently chanting ‘stay stay stay’, hoping that somehow he’ll hear her.
Except it’s not Sam she has to worry about at the moment because suddenly Dean is there, eyes wide with shock and surprise. Mary feels her heart sink. Dean’s name accidentally slips from her lips and Azazel turns, eying Dean. He starts chuckling again. “Well Dean…”
“Dean run!” Mary’s desperate for him to run. To get out. But the demon just clenches his hand and the pain Mary’s feeling turns to agony, as if he’s slicing her open, and Dean never could stand for her to be in pain.
Dean charges in, all reckless bravery and fierce protectiveness. The demon doesn’t even let Dean get close, just waves his hand and throws Dean into the dresser across the room. Dean hits hard, crumpling to the ground, slow to get up.
Dean’s lands one solid right hook before the Azazel has him around the throat, fingers tightening, closing off his airways. He tries to strike out, tries gouging the Azazel’s hand but nothing helps, he’s losing air, black spots beginning to swim before his eyes and Dean realizes that he’s going to die.
“Poor Dean. Poor desperate Dean. It’s a shame really, you had such potential.” The demon tightens his hand just a bit more and Dean’s windpipe closes off completely.
And Sam, who’s watched the entire scene through the slats of his closet door, can’t stay put any longer, not when it’s Dean who’s in danger.
“Stop!” Sam’s voice is loud and laced with something he’s never felt before, something powerful, something he feels through his entire body. It’s different from how he feels after his visions, disconcerting and scary, but whatever it is it’s just enough to get the demon to stop choking Dean.
He drops Dean and turns to Sam and while Sam wants to shrink back he can’t back down, not when Dean’s life depends on it.
“Sammy. I like it.” Azazel is smiling, big and bright. It’s a terrifying sigh. The demon takes a few steps towards him and Sam tries to find that feeling of power again, tries to stop the demon from advancing, even raising his hand like he saw the demon do earlier. He feels something flutter in the pit of his stomach, feels his heart speed up a bit, feels something course through him. But it’s not enough and has absolutely no effect on the demon.
Regardless, Azazel seems to like it, still smiling, his voice happy. “Keep it up kid. You got a bright future ahead of you. Can’t wait.”
And then, just like that first night, he’s gone. Disappearing into mid-air, leaving Sam and Dean to try and pick up the pieces.
Somehow, despite everything, Dean never lost consciousness. His throat burns and he’s groggy but he saw everything, saw Sam vibrate with a power he’s never seen before, a power that saved Dean’s life. Sam’s at his side immediately, checking him over. “Dean. God Dean. Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” His voice is wrecked and talking is agony but Sammy looks terrified and it’s his job to reassure Sammy.
They sit for a moment, letting Dean catch his breath. “I’ll get you some water.”
Sam turns and stops short. Mary lies on the floor, her white shirt soaking red with blood, her stomach gutted, her eyes open and staring, sightless and empty. Sam’s seen a lot of dead bodies since he started hunting but none of them were his mother. None of them raised him, or taught him how to tie his shoe or read Latin. None of them meant anything to him. He didn’t love any of them.
He feels Dean standing next to him, shaking; his voice a whisper when he speaks, full of agony. “Dad?”
“Basement.” Sam didn’t see it but he knows, probably knew the moment John shot the demon and he and Mom ran upstairs, he just didn’t want to think about it.
“Dean…what are we gonna do?” Their lives will never be the same: their parents are gone, there’s a demon hunting Sam and there are things going on their parents never told them about.
None of that matters to Dean. He’s the older brother, the adult now, he’s responsible for more than just Sammy’s safety and happiness, now he’s responsible for everything. And he knows exactly what they’re going to do.
“We’re gonna find that yellow eyed son of a bitch and we’re going to kill him.”
They call Missouri and Bobby to help them deal with all the details. John and Mary had lives, people who knew them and liked them, business partners and friends. They can’t just disappear off the face of the earth. But bringing in the police isn’t really an option. How do you explain that your parents were murdered by a demon and not get locked up in a mental institution?
It’s Bobby who solves all their problems, keeping the details to himself, letting the boys mourn. Missouri deals with Mike who is happy to buy the boys out of their share of the Garage, wanting to make sure his friend's sons are taken care of.
Mary and John left the boys everything, including the house. They definitely don’t want to sell the house, both of them liking the idea of having a place waiting for them when they need a break to regroup or heal.
Instead they lock the house up, pull the curtains and unplug the appliances, turn the water and gas off, secure the weapons and record a new message on the answering machine, directing everyone to call Bobby.
Their last day in Lawrence they pack the Impala with as many weapons as the trunk will hold. Sam shoves two boxes of books in as well. Their duffle bags get tossed in the back seat.
All the last minute details are taken care of - Sam’s deferral to Stanford, Dean’s turned down a job offer, the cover story of their road trip given to their friends - there’s just one thing left to take care of.
They drive out to a deserted field on the outskirts of town. Bobby’s waiting for them when they arrive, the supplies already laid out in the back of his pick-up.
It takes the three of them nearly two hours to build the pyre. They only need the one. They place their parent’s bodies on the pyre, taking one last long look before Sam sprinkles the gasoline and salt and Dean drops a match, sending everything goes up in flames.
They stand there and watch their parents turn to ash and it hits Sam, in a way it hasn’t before, they’re alone now, orphans, with no one to rely on but each other.
Sam looks over at Dean, his face lit by flames, beautiful. Sam doesn’t mention the tears they’re both shedding. Instead he reaches for Dean’s hand and twines their fingers together, gripping tight. Dean squeezes back so tight Sam thinks their hands might break.
The fire burns all night, burning itself out and turning the pyre to cinders, their parents ashes scattered to the wind. At dawn, when the sun is just breeching the horizon they finally step away, back towards Bobby and the cars. They stand around staring at the ground, scuffing their feet, uncomfortable with the naked emotion on all their faces. Finally Bobby speaks.
“If you boys need anything…” He can’t quite finish the thought; pretty sure they know what he’s saying. Instead he fidgets with his cap, pulling the lip up and down, still not looking at Sam or Dean. Bobby knows he’s the closest thing the boys have to family now and he’s happy to step in as a surrogate. He just doesn’t want to have to spell it out.
“Yeah.” Dean’s voice is gruff from the tears he won’t admit to shedding. “Thanks Bobby.”
“You boys be careful. And you know where I live.” Bobby doesn’t wait for them to reply before getting in his truck and driving off, waving out the window at he goes.
Bobby’s car is a speck on the horizon before they head over to the Impala, side by side.
They’re not exactly sure were they’re going, the demon seems to have gone to ground and all they have is a name and Mom and Dad’s journals. It’s not much to go on but it’s something. And both Bobby and Missouri are helping them search. They’ll find the bastard eventually.
But first they have a hunt over in Michigan, some guy from Sam’s vision who died of carbon monoxide poisoning because something - some spirit or being - prevented him from getting out of his car.
Dean’s doing one last check of the supplies in the Impala’s trunk, trying to resecure a sawed off shotgun when Sam’s voice breaks free.
“Dean…” He’s not sure what he was going to say: ‘we’re alone’ or ‘I miss them’ or ‘are you scared?’ What could he possibly say?
“Hey, come here.” Dean pulls him in, dropping a kiss to Sam’s forehead before tucking him in close and burying his face in Sam’s hair. They’re both shaking, hiding their tears.
“Everything’s going to be alright. I promise.” Dean looks Sam right in the eye and promises.
“You and me Sammy. Always.” Then he kisses Sam, sure and fierce and sweet all at the same time. Sam kisses him back exactly the same.
“Yeah okay Dean. You and me.”
“Okay then...” Dean takes a deep breath and drops the shotgun in the trunk before closing the lid.
“We’ve got work to do.”
Authors Notes and Soundtrack