On Our Own, 11B/11, PG-13, Gen, AU
And the second alternate ending. Click here for the ending where Dean chooses to go back and undo it all. Or, continue on for Sam's choice.
Title: On Our Own
Chapter: 11B of 11
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Through the end of season 5, though especially for 5x04.
Disclaimer: None of this is mine.
Summary: AU. When Sam is fifteen, his dad makes a decision based on a dark future he was apparently shown by an 'angel': split his sons up and abandon his youngest to keep that future at bay. Dean refuses to let it happen, but if they want to stay together, there's only one option: run.
Wordcount: This chapter, 1,092. Total: 33,467.
A/N: The boys have been given a choice: undo everything that's happened and look to the certain future, or disappear and face a new, unknown future. Make YOUR choice as to how you want it to end, or read both, as they're written to also work in continuity.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11A
Part 11B
Epilogue (to come!)
It happened in the blink of an eye, literally. For that split second, Sam was sure Castiel had disappeared.
But there he stood, same as before, not even a hair on his head standing a different way. He looked to Dean for a moment, gave a soft smile that Sam didn't understand, before turning away to face the bed where Sam sat. “Sam,” he said quietly. “It is your choice.”
His choice? Was he kidding? The opportunities that rose before him were way too vast to consider on his own, and, desperately, Sam looked to Dean for advice.
Dean only nodded. Whatever Sam picked, he'd do it, and go with it happily.
Like that helped.
It had to be quick, or Castiel wouldn't be able to hold back time anymore. But to make a decision this huge, to decide their future in the few seconds Castiel was giving them...
“Sammy,” Dean said, voice soft but carrying a level of urgency with it. Time to make up your mind, little brother. The guiding voice that had never steered him wrong, had always done right by him. The voice who loved him.
And in that split second, Sam had his decision. “Texas,” he told the angel, then realized he should clarify his answer. “Make us disappear, pull us out to Texas, please.”
Castiel tilted his head and looked far more like a puppy in that moment than Sam ever could. “Dean?” he asked, gaze still on Sam.
“Do it,” Dean said simply. “But take the Impala with us, if you could. Or can you only move us?”
“I can move you and your vehicle,” Castiel assured him. He seemed as if he was searching for something in Sam's gaze, and whatever it was, Sam hoped to hell that he was found worthy or had the answer Castiel was looking for or whatever the angel was looking for.
The angel blinked, then smiled slightly. Apparently Sam had passed scrutiny. “You're certain,” the angel said, but it was more of a statement than a question.
Sam couldn't help but turn towards the front of the room. His father, still frozen in time, looked every bit of unapproachable as he was. His back was ironically turned on them both, and would forever be that way. He'd probably never see his dad again, Sam realized. This was it, and there was no way to say goodbye.
Maybe it was for the better. Something inside of Sam's soul still felt broken, unrepairable. He wanted to know why his dad didn't love him enough to keep him, wanted to know what the hell happened in the future that had made his dad so determined, made Dean later want to cast him out and Dean now to keep him closer.
“You'll remember this,” Castiel told him, gentler than the angel had ever said anything before. “I would only have enough power to move you, not to erase your memories.”
“I can't go back,” Sam said, finally turning back. Dean was watching him with concern apparent in his gaze, and was completely unabashed about it. Sam shrugged helplessly. “I just...can't. Even if we went back and none of this had happened, Dad would still be Dad. The dad that...that's okay with letting me go,” he whispered, eyes cutting to the floor. The white bandage on his leg left his jeans rolled up and made him look all of six again, and for a minute Sam wished he could go back to that time, when he hadn't known about monsters, and Dad protected him from even the bedbugs at night.
He cleared his throat. “I couldn't let myself live with a man that would do that,” he added. “So...so this is better.”
“You don't have to explain anything to me,” Dean said quietly. “Ever. I told you the night we left that I'd stand by you all the way. I meant it.”
Sam let his eyes rise to where Dean was still watching him. “Texas,” Dean said. It was an offer and an acceptance, and Sam felt fresh tears of joy and relief and gratitude flood his eyes.
“Texas,” Sam managed to get out. Just the two of them for the rest of their lives. No Dad, no Bobby, no anyone. Only them. They were fully on their own.
They could manage it.
Castiel stepped forward and placed his hand on Dean's head. He turned to Sam, other hand outstretched to do the same, and Sam knew this was his last chance. He doubted he'd ever see the other angel after this, and all of his questions bubbled to the surface.
When he looked the angel in the eyes, however, only one thing came out. “Thank you,” he said softly.
Castiel actually really smiled, and it felt like a blessing. “You're welcome,” he said, and his hand fell on Sam's head.
When Sam blinked, Castiel was gone, and so was the room. They were on a dusty road that was empty of traffic. A road sign on the right side of the road said in bright letters, WELCOME TO TEXAS.
“Better than the postal service,” Dean said, and when Sam turned, his brother was standing on the opposite side of the Impala. “Or air mail, or whatever.”
They were home free. “Now we just find a town,” Sam said. Standing on his leg hurt like hell, and the bright sun wasn't doing anything for his migraine, but he didn't care. Not now.
“No, now we find a clinic and get you checked out,” Dean said, lips pursed. “Then we find a town with a good school system and get you graduated. Then...we go from there.”
“Okay,” Sam agreed easily. He didn't honestly care. Dean was there with him, Dean wanted Sam beside him, and Dad...Dad was going to be painful to think about. For a very long time, if not forever.
But they were on their own, and it felt good. Just the Winchester brothers.
“Ready?” Sam asked as he opened the passenger door. The inside of the car was surprisingly cool, and Sam felt like sending a prayer of thanks Heavenward.
Dean slid into the driver's seat, still looking worried, but he gave Sam a grin anyways. “Always, little brother,” he said. He turned the key in the ignition and the car roared to life.
Sam wondered how many miles there'd be between them and their settled down life, then realized he didn't care. They'd get there, and they'd do it together. That was all that mattered.
THE END!
Epilogue - follows this ending
~Nebula
Title: On Our Own
Chapter: 11B of 11
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Through the end of season 5, though especially for 5x04.
Disclaimer: None of this is mine.
Summary: AU. When Sam is fifteen, his dad makes a decision based on a dark future he was apparently shown by an 'angel': split his sons up and abandon his youngest to keep that future at bay. Dean refuses to let it happen, but if they want to stay together, there's only one option: run.
Wordcount: This chapter, 1,092. Total: 33,467.
A/N: The boys have been given a choice: undo everything that's happened and look to the certain future, or disappear and face a new, unknown future. Make YOUR choice as to how you want it to end, or read both, as they're written to also work in continuity.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11A
Part 11B
Epilogue (to come!)
It happened in the blink of an eye, literally. For that split second, Sam was sure Castiel had disappeared.
But there he stood, same as before, not even a hair on his head standing a different way. He looked to Dean for a moment, gave a soft smile that Sam didn't understand, before turning away to face the bed where Sam sat. “Sam,” he said quietly. “It is your choice.”
His choice? Was he kidding? The opportunities that rose before him were way too vast to consider on his own, and, desperately, Sam looked to Dean for advice.
Dean only nodded. Whatever Sam picked, he'd do it, and go with it happily.
Like that helped.
It had to be quick, or Castiel wouldn't be able to hold back time anymore. But to make a decision this huge, to decide their future in the few seconds Castiel was giving them...
“Sammy,” Dean said, voice soft but carrying a level of urgency with it. Time to make up your mind, little brother. The guiding voice that had never steered him wrong, had always done right by him. The voice who loved him.
And in that split second, Sam had his decision. “Texas,” he told the angel, then realized he should clarify his answer. “Make us disappear, pull us out to Texas, please.”
Castiel tilted his head and looked far more like a puppy in that moment than Sam ever could. “Dean?” he asked, gaze still on Sam.
“Do it,” Dean said simply. “But take the Impala with us, if you could. Or can you only move us?”
“I can move you and your vehicle,” Castiel assured him. He seemed as if he was searching for something in Sam's gaze, and whatever it was, Sam hoped to hell that he was found worthy or had the answer Castiel was looking for or whatever the angel was looking for.
The angel blinked, then smiled slightly. Apparently Sam had passed scrutiny. “You're certain,” the angel said, but it was more of a statement than a question.
Sam couldn't help but turn towards the front of the room. His father, still frozen in time, looked every bit of unapproachable as he was. His back was ironically turned on them both, and would forever be that way. He'd probably never see his dad again, Sam realized. This was it, and there was no way to say goodbye.
Maybe it was for the better. Something inside of Sam's soul still felt broken, unrepairable. He wanted to know why his dad didn't love him enough to keep him, wanted to know what the hell happened in the future that had made his dad so determined, made Dean later want to cast him out and Dean now to keep him closer.
“You'll remember this,” Castiel told him, gentler than the angel had ever said anything before. “I would only have enough power to move you, not to erase your memories.”
“I can't go back,” Sam said, finally turning back. Dean was watching him with concern apparent in his gaze, and was completely unabashed about it. Sam shrugged helplessly. “I just...can't. Even if we went back and none of this had happened, Dad would still be Dad. The dad that...that's okay with letting me go,” he whispered, eyes cutting to the floor. The white bandage on his leg left his jeans rolled up and made him look all of six again, and for a minute Sam wished he could go back to that time, when he hadn't known about monsters, and Dad protected him from even the bedbugs at night.
He cleared his throat. “I couldn't let myself live with a man that would do that,” he added. “So...so this is better.”
“You don't have to explain anything to me,” Dean said quietly. “Ever. I told you the night we left that I'd stand by you all the way. I meant it.”
Sam let his eyes rise to where Dean was still watching him. “Texas,” Dean said. It was an offer and an acceptance, and Sam felt fresh tears of joy and relief and gratitude flood his eyes.
“Texas,” Sam managed to get out. Just the two of them for the rest of their lives. No Dad, no Bobby, no anyone. Only them. They were fully on their own.
They could manage it.
Castiel stepped forward and placed his hand on Dean's head. He turned to Sam, other hand outstretched to do the same, and Sam knew this was his last chance. He doubted he'd ever see the other angel after this, and all of his questions bubbled to the surface.
When he looked the angel in the eyes, however, only one thing came out. “Thank you,” he said softly.
Castiel actually really smiled, and it felt like a blessing. “You're welcome,” he said, and his hand fell on Sam's head.
When Sam blinked, Castiel was gone, and so was the room. They were on a dusty road that was empty of traffic. A road sign on the right side of the road said in bright letters, WELCOME TO TEXAS.
“Better than the postal service,” Dean said, and when Sam turned, his brother was standing on the opposite side of the Impala. “Or air mail, or whatever.”
They were home free. “Now we just find a town,” Sam said. Standing on his leg hurt like hell, and the bright sun wasn't doing anything for his migraine, but he didn't care. Not now.
“No, now we find a clinic and get you checked out,” Dean said, lips pursed. “Then we find a town with a good school system and get you graduated. Then...we go from there.”
“Okay,” Sam agreed easily. He didn't honestly care. Dean was there with him, Dean wanted Sam beside him, and Dad...Dad was going to be painful to think about. For a very long time, if not forever.
But they were on their own, and it felt good. Just the Winchester brothers.
“Ready?” Sam asked as he opened the passenger door. The inside of the car was surprisingly cool, and Sam felt like sending a prayer of thanks Heavenward.
Dean slid into the driver's seat, still looking worried, but he gave Sam a grin anyways. “Always, little brother,” he said. He turned the key in the ignition and the car roared to life.
Sam wondered how many miles there'd be between them and their settled down life, then realized he didn't care. They'd get there, and they'd do it together. That was all that mattered.
THE END!
Epilogue - follows this ending
~Nebula