Fic: Second Chances (Prologue)
Title: Second Chances
Authors: princess_schez and gidgetgal9
Rating: PG-15; language, violence, sexual situations, AU. Certain future chapters will be rated R. Also, does contain some spoilers for S4, even if the fic is AU.
Fandom: Charmed/Supernatural
Summary: A chance encounter and a spike in demonic activity reunite the Halliwells and the Winchesters in the future… with dire consequences.
Beta: My friend Lisa.
Characters: Sam and Dean Winchester; Bobby Singer; Piper, Leo, Phoebe, Wyatt, Chris, and Melinda Halliwell; Ruby; Lilith; Castiel; Anna; Cole Turner; Lenore
Disclaimer: We own nothing from either Charmed or Supernatural. Everything belongs to their respective owners. We're merely having fun with them.
The Road So Far: This is a sequel to the fic, Witches, Demons and Hunters - Oh My! It is recommended to read that story first, just so you’ll know what is transpiring here.
Prologue:
Her heart was telling her she needed to know what exactly became of Sam in her time in order to let him go and move on.
Piper gave Melinda a kiss on the forehead before leaving her bedroom.
Shortly after, Melinda headed up to the attic and began locating the tools she needed. Setting out a map of the world and a crystal, she began scrying.
Around and around the crystal twirled over the map, the seconds passing ever so slowly and painfully - stretching out to what felt like hours. It was torture, waiting for the crystal to drop and answer the burning question she longed to know.
But, there were no hits. Nothing. The amethyst crystal ceased to move. Dejectedly, she dropped the crystal on the table and stared blankly at the map. Maybe the map was too broad, she hoped. She only picked this map because... well, as twenty-something years had passed in their time, the Winchesters could’ve been anywhere in the whole damn world, she reasoned.
Pulling out a map of just the United States, she took a deep, steadying breath, and tried again - praying the crystal would drop on a spot, and she’d have her answer…. But if it didn’t drop this time…. Well, she tried not to think about it.
"C’mon, land," she whispered, eyes anxiously darting back and forth with the spinning crystal, as though trying to mentally make it land. Fear began to build up inside her. This was exactly why she had waited so long to look. In all honesty, could she really bear the horrible truth?
"Sam, please be somewhere." Those torturous seconds passed by again with no results. And just as she began to lose any shred of hope, it began to drift upwards, near the northern central states.
Melinda’s heart began to beat faster - her breath catching in her chest - until the crystal suddenly dropped on the map, startling her. A small part of her hadn’t expected it to do so.
Slowly, she felt her chest constrict as she leaned over and read aloud, "South Dakota." Finally, after all this time, she had her answer. As satisfying as it was, a part of her wanted to know more. Was he as she remembered? Did battling the supernatural take its toll on him? But pushing those thoughts out of her mind, she was just grateful she got an answer… and it was the answer she hoped for.
Her mother was right: Knowing the truth was better than never knowing. And while the rain outside continued to batter the old Victorian mansion, everything began feeling so much cheerier now despite the dreariness outside. Smiling, she pressed her fingers to her lips before touching them to the spot where South Dakota was marked in a kind of bittersweet farewell.
"I’ll never forget you, Sam Winchester."
Smiling, she left the attic, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from her. Downstairs, she knew there was a party waiting for her, but this was, perhaps, the best gift she could have ever received for her birthday.
"Melinda! Get down here! There’s cake to be had!" Chris yelled.
Yup, this was right where she belonged.
-0-
“I am Castiel, and you, Dean, are going to stop the Apocalypse.”
“Sammy, Castiel says Lilith is breaking seals. They took a righteous man's soul and he broke in Hell. That man was supposed to be me. We have to stop this.”
“Ruby says that Missouri can't make me strong enough to kill Lilith, but I don't believe that, do you Dean?”
“Sammy, Castiel doesn't think it's time to stop Lilith. But Bobby has a lead; he's been scrying.”
“Dean, I don't trust Castiel or Ruby. I think together we're strong enough to stop her.”
The building was empty or it seemed to be. They were ambushed. Lilith was lying in wait.
“Well, if it isn't the Hardy Boys! You're a little early to this party. I don't want to deal with you right now.”
Dean stood his ground, Sam at his side. “Well we're ready, so deal with it bitch.”
Dean held his ground, knife in hand, as Sam summoned his powers the way Missouri had shown him.
Lilith screeched. Her body started to convulse, and she fell to the floor. Her minions stood helpless to stop Sam.
Dean felt such pride watching his little brother take out their biggest enemy since Old Yellow Eyes.
Lilith continued to writhe around on the floor until she went still. Dean felt like victory was at hand, but then there was laughter.
Lilith slowly sat up, blood pouring from her eyes.
“Very good Sam, very good. You have gotten strong but not strong enough. You should have listened to that bitch, Ruby!” Lilith raised her hand and pointed her fingers at Dean.
The demon killing knife flew from his hands and he felt frozen in place. Lilith smirked.
“Your turn Sammy.” She pointed her fingers at Sam.
Dean watched in horror as he heard bones snapping in Sam's right leg, taking him to the ground. Soon Sam's left arm was shaking and Dean could see the bones break. Sam's screams filled the room.
Dean felt the tears fall as his brother was torn to pieces in front of him.
Lilith began to rip the skin from Sam's face. Small strips were torn from his left cheek, and his left eye filled with blood. The demon worked her way down Sam's body, shredding his left side. The whole time Sam was screaming for Dean.
Dean felt himself breaking. “Castiel, damn it, help us!”
Lilith stopped, breathless. “Damn it, I guess we're at a standoff. Maybe next time, boys.”
Dean felt himself finally let go. The demon bitch was out of juice. He quickly made his way over to Sam as Lilith's minions carried her off.
Sam had lost consciousness as Dean cradled his little brother in his arms. “It'll be okay, little brother, just hold on, please.”
Dean's voice shook, the fear of losing Sam again, overwhelming.
-0-
“Dean, wake up.”
Dean's eyes shot open, happy to escape from his nightmare. Only he hadn't really escaped.
Sam stood over him, cane in hand. His scarred face was hidden by his long hair falling forward.
“Sorry Sammy, I just...”
“It's okay Dean, that night will always haunt us.” Sam slowly made his way to the cushioned chair next to the couch.
“It's just after all the years that have passed, you'd think the pain wouldn't feel so fresh.” Dean sighed.
Sam nodded. “Yeah, well we're alive and that's something.”
“I know Sammy, I just wish you could have had the normal you wanted.” Dean hated watching Sam deal with the fears of that night. His once outgoing brother was now shy and reclusive. The mental and physical scars had taken quite the toll.
Sam wiped a tear from his eyes. “I have normal, well sort of. You work the salvage yard and Bobby and I keep house. It's perfect.”
“Yeah, I guess it'll do, huh Samantha?” Dean smirked. He would take this over having a life with no Sam in it.
“Bitch.”
“Jerk.”
Chapter One...
A/N: A huge thanks to my writing partner, who - without her help - this fic series wouldn't have been started. Cookies and special thanks should also go to our betas. :-)
This story is also being posted at ff.net by my friend, which I have linked to at the top of this page. Comments certainly aren't required, but are loved and appreciated. (Rude comments on either website will be mocked and/or laughed at, and Hellhounds will quite possibly be released. Fair warning.)
We'll both try and update once a week, unless RL gets in the way. :-) We hope you enjoy the story!