Fic: Second Chances - Chapter 11
Title: Second Chances
Authors: princess_schez and gidgetgal9
Rating: PG-15; language, violence, sexual situations, AU. 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.
Chapter 11
Sam hurriedly drank the blood, as though he were a man dying of dehydration in the middle of a desert. Ruby smirked as he went for more. She ran her free hand down his body again, feeling him tense as she did. Her hand slipped between his legs, holding him, massaging him. Sam felt a burning desire grow inside him again, but she finally moved her hand and pulled her arm away.
"You're going to bleed me dry," she smirked. "Besides, it's best not to take it all at once."
He stopped, blood dripping from his mouth, like some kind of morbid beard. It dripped slowly onto his naked body, then onto ground. He wiped some of the blood off with the back of his arm, staining it crimson.
Taking a couple of deep breaths, he steadied himself. His body was aching for more; he wanted more. Ruby sensed this need and pulled her semi-dressed self closer to him, licking the little bit of blood off his lips.
"It doesn't have to end now," she whispered. She made to undo her jeans again as she pulled closer to him. He wanted this, needed this, but a voice in the back of his mind that was telling him not to go forward spoke up. The voice strangely reminded him of Melinda. At the thought of her, he remembered something. This right here, what he was doing with Ruby, was something he had always wanted to do with Melinda.
Pulling back, he made to reach for his clothes so he could dress again. He needed to go back inside the house.
Ruby knew it was over. She watched Sam as he dressed, taking in all his glories.
"I guess I'll be seeing you around more," he said.
"That's if your brother doesn’t kill me first."
"Dean'll behave," Sam assured her. He gave her a final look and then walked back into Bobby's house. He wasn't sure what he should've been feeling; he just knew he wasn't feeling much of anything at this moment. The anxiety, at least, was gone. He wondered if the demon blood had some sort of calming effect to it.
He also knew that what had transpired between him and Ruby was something he could never tell anyone. Not that he was ever the kiss-an-tell kind of guy, but he knew Dean would probably explode if he found out. And Melinda... sweet Melinda. He didn't think he could bear the look on her face if she knew.
He would never tell anyone - especially her.
Sam felt something in the pit of his stomach that he knew hadn’t been there earlier. Was it guilt?
He turned back to face Ruby, who smirked at him and said, "I'll be back tomorrow. Don't bother telling the others what I'm teaching you. They wouldn't understand."
In a blink, she was gone.
-0-
Ring around the fire
A pocket full of ashes;
Apocalypse, Apocalypse
All stand still.
Lucifer has sent his daughter,
To fetch the boy wonder;
Apocalypse, Apocalypse
All fall down.
The demons upon the steeple,
Stand high above the people;
Apocalypse, Apocalypse
All kneel down.
Dis's bells are ringing,
All the demons are singing;
Apocalypse, Apocalypse
All fall down.
The next morning, Melinda awoke to the sounds of Sam tapping away on his computer on the kitchen table and not to entire world annihilation. Her dream was probably just an after effect of having been recently possessed by Lilith, she reasoned. Pushing the dream out of her mind, she smiled when she looked over at Sam. Getting up from the couch, she made her way over toward the table.
"Good morning!" she said cheerfully.
He didn't hear her coming, and it startled him. Turning around quickly, his eyes grew wide.
"Oh! Um, g-good morning, Mel," he replied, voice slightly shaky. Seeing her cheerful face brought out a fresh wave of guilt. He suddenly thought about last night.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Melinda suddenly looked anxiously at him, like she wasn't sure if he was going to have a melt down on her or not. Why did she seem to always have that effect on him?
Sam seemed to regain some of his composure and gave her a weak smile. He had been fine the whole time he was awake - calm, collected, ready to tackle the day - but the moment he saw her, it almost crashed down around him. His stomach gave a painful pang....
"Did you sleep well last night?" she asked.
Sam faced the computer again. He couldn’t bear to look at her. "Yeah. How about you?"
She nodded. "Pretty good."
Sam went back to typing on his laptop, and sensing he was uncomfortable with her near by, Melinda headed into the kitchen and began making some fresh coffee.
-0-
A little while later, the rest of the crew came grumbling into the kitchen. Chris and Wyatt each took a seat at the table as Sam closed up his laptop. Dean slumped into his chair and complained that morning came too damn early.
Bobby eventually greeted them, hobbling in and complaining about his arthritis.
By then, breakfast - fresh, homemade waffles - was finished and waiting for everyone at the table. Melinda went to grab a seat after pouring herself a second cup of coffee, but the only seat available was next to Sam. Quietly, she sat down, hoping not to freak him out. If they could just get through this difficult time, she would be gone - out of his hair for good.
"Look," Dean said, finally speaking up after a quiet few minutes, "I know the following isn't a topic considered tolerable for meal conversations - trust me, I know - but this needs to come out. Last night -"
Sam nearly choked on his breakfast, fearing that Dean had saw him and Ruby together.
"- I was thinking about what Ruby had said. She has it all wrong. We will be prepared this time - without her help. And if she shows her face around here again," Dean slid his finger across his neck, "it's curtains for her."
Sam had to force down the bite of food he had in his mouth. His heartbeat was quickening, and he knew this topic of conversation was dangerous - one that he needed to steer clear from. Melinda watched Sam; the topic of Ruby seemed to bring on a clear panic attack.
"Well, I don't think we'll be seeing any more of her," she said, trying to be helpful. "With our combined knowledge, we don't need her."
"Hear hear," Dean replied, mouth full of waffles. "Oh, and Mel, would you mind cooking for us full-time? These are damn good."
Melinda blushed. "Thanks, I'm glad you like them."
Wyatt and Chris hadn't stopped shoveling food in long enough to reply. Mom always hated when they did that, always commenting how they were going to wind up choking. It brought a small smile to her face. Bobby nodded in agreement with Dean's assessment.
She turned to Sam, who was unusually quiet. "What do you say we go and practice again today?"
Sam felt his heartbeat quicken even more. Ruby might be coming back today, and he needed to make sure they could practice without anyone noticing. He would have to leave Bobby's house in order to achieve this. He looked up at Melinda thankful she couldn't read minds. "I was actually thinking of going into town today," he began half truthfully. "Alone," he added.
Dean gave his brother an odd look. "It's not safe to be on your own with all the demons crawling around as of late."
"I really would like to just clear my head. These last few days haven't been easy for me."
"Dean's right," Wyatt spoke up. "We shouldn't split up. Safety in numbers and all."
Sam knew it wasn't going to be easy to convince everyone to let him go on his own. Under normal circumstances, he would've agreed with them. But these weren't normal circumstances, and until he had Lilith's bloody head on a platter, they would just have to understand.
"Look, I appreciate your concerns and all, but I'm a grown man. I can go out on my own. I've dealt with demons before and know how to protect myself. I'll take a few salt rounds with me if it makes you guys happy."
Dean didn't like it, not one bit, and Sam could clearly read the look on his brother's face.
"Well, do you mind if I tag along?" Melinda asked, breaking the staring contest between the Winchester brothers. "We need to do some grocery shopping."
"Fine, but I'll drive," Dean replied, still giving his defiant brother a glare.
-0-
Dean got into the driver's seat of the old black Impala, patting the dashboard with a gentle touch. This car, God bless it, still worked after sixty-some odd years. Granted, he’d had to rebuild and replace the engine and all the other parts too many times to count, but it was a labor of love for him. Beside him, Sam slid into the front seat, Melinda got into the back.
Chris and Wyatt stared at the classic car in reverent man awe. "Dude, that's one cool car!" Wyatt exclaimed.
The Glow-worms admired his baby. It made Dean proud.
As they drove away, the proud feeling slowly left Dean.
"Look, I might check in with Donna, 'kay? That's not gonna ruin your whole clearing-your-head-while-alone-thing, is it?" he asked with a slightly sarcastic tone.
Sam rolled his eyes.
Bobby leaned into the car and tapped on the backseat window. Melinda rolled it down as he handed her some money.
”I appreciate you doing this, and I’ll keep your brothers line, so don’t you worry. I've got a lawn that needs mowing.”
”Thanks Bobby,” she said. "And I'm sure they appreciate the work."
-0-
Upon arriving into town, Dean dropped Melinda off at the market. He told her to be careful and that he would be back in a few hours. Sam watched her as walked through the sliding door, also warning her to be safe. He was worried about demons attacking her, but he knew she had powers to protect herself. It took some of his worry away. Not to mention she was in a crowded place. Demons rarely attacked when there was a large group of people around.
He silently wondered if one of her brothers should've gone with her. But Mel had been insistent that she would be fine, and instead ordered her brothers to make themselves useful around the house. Thinking about it made him smile. She could be just as stubborn as he was. God, they would be so perfect together.
"What the hell are you smiling at?" Dean asked, breaking Sam's concentration. It was rather unusual as of late for Sam to smile, so Dean - his big brother genes kicking into overdrive again - got worried.
"Nothing."
Dean wasn't sold on Sam's answer, but he didn't want to press further.
Instead, they rode in silence as Sam stared out the passenger side window. Driving passed an old building. Sam saw a familiar face staring at him through the windows of the deserted building. Ruby. She was looking at Sam, smiling that knowing grin of hers. She backed away from the window, disappearing into the darkness completely.
"Let me out here," Sam said suddenly.
Dean shot a look over at him. "What?"
"Let me out here."
"Dude, I can't just stop in the middle of the road..."
"Stop when you get the chance," Sam replied.
That came when they reached a stoplight, not far form where he saw Ruby. Sam got out of the car, much to Dean's surprise. Pocketing a gun, some extra rock salt ammo, and a small vial of holy water, he turned and looked at Dean.
"I'll call you when I need you to pick me up," he said, to which Dean just mumbled darkly.
He watched as Sam walked down the sidewalk and rounded a corner. If there was one thing Dean knew about his brother after having spent most of their lives together, it was that he could sense when Sam wasn't being completely truthful. And now he was getting that feeling. Call it a sixth sense if you will. Dean shrugged and drove on. He silently came to the conclusion that he would give Sam time to tell him what was really going on. If not, he would get the truth out of him one way or the other.
-0-
"Didn't think you were going to make it," Ruby said, by way of greeting Sam. She had unlocked a back door and let him in. Giving him a warm smile, she touched his arm. "It must've taken some convincing to get your ball and chain to let you out on your own."
"Dean's not a ball and chain. He's just worried about me. And if it wasn't for the fact that by training with you, I can finally go after Lilith and make sure nothing bad happens to anyone I care about, I wouldn't even be here."
Ruby studied Sam for a moment. “You really care about her, don’t you?”
At first, Sam wasn’t sure who she was talking about, and then it hit him, the words coming quickly out of his mouth before he could stop himself. “Yes, I do.”
She didn’t say anything in response to that, only following with, “Look, today we’re going to practice on a real demon and not one of those fake cutouts my goody two-shoes cousins whipped up. I also know right where we can find one, too.”
Sam wasn’t sure, but he was getting the distinct impression that Ruby might’ve been jealous, given the tone in her voice.
He followed her into a dark corner where she had supplies waiting for their target.
”Let’s go demon hunting,” she said.
-0-
Dean drove down into the residential part of town, following a familiar path to Donna’s house. Parking the car by the curb, he stepped out and sighed. He hoped Sam and Melinda were all right. There were just too many demons crawling around for his liking. Thinking of this, he opened the back door and pulled out a hidden shotgun. Checking to make sure there was enough ammo, he also grabbed a small thing of holy water and tucked both into his back jeans pocket.
As he locked up the car, a whoosh of air blew by the back of his neck. Dean spun on the spot, pulling out his gun and pointed it not at a demon, but an angel.
Castiel looked solemnly toward him. “I can’t stay long, but I need to tell you something.”
Dean groaned. This was all he needed now. If he thought before things couldn’t get any worse, they just hit the bottom. Lilith, Ruby, and Castiel - oh my!
”It’s about the breaking of the seals…” Castiel began.
”You know, you’re a little late on that. Info must take ages to get to anyone up there,” Dean cut in, feeling himself getting into his stride now. He was about to lay in again, when this time Castiel cut him off.
”We’ve known for a while what has been transpiring.”
”Well la-de-freaking-da for you guys,” Dean said curtly.
”You were misinformed about some … crucial information,” Castiel continued, ignoring Dean’s sarcasm. “You were told that the righteous man who broke in hell was supposed to have been you.”
Dean felt a twinge of something in the pit of his stomach.
”I shouldn’t be telling you this, but I am already on the outs. You were that man, Dean.”
Dean stared blankly at Castiel, clearly not following. “What?”
Castiel’s dark eyes darted toward the ground, as though he were anxious to get this done and over with.
”You were the righteous man who broke in hell, the breaking of the first seal. You don’t remember because when Lilith returned your soul, she returned it without the memories of hell, per your brother’s request.”
A coldness passed through Dean; he felt like the blood in his very veins had turned to ice. If what Castiel was saying was true, then he had brought this upon himself. Upon Sam. The Apocalypse had begun because he had broken the first seal.
No, this couldn’t be, he reasoned. But since when did he ever remember Castiel as the joking type?
“I know that it’s hard for you to hear this.”
”Like you have no idea!” Dean shouted. “Why - why would I need to know that? No one should have to know that!” He lowered his voice. “No one should know that they alone started this shit-fest!”
”You have to know the truth. Making peace with the truth will help when the time comes,” Castiel replied as calmly as ever.
Dean raked his face with his fingers, trying to swallow this horrible truth.
”Why didn’t I know this sooner?” he said quietly.
"The others didn’t want you to know, but I thought you should know."
His head was swimming as he tried to process this bombshell. Closing his eyes, he didn't see when Castiel disappeared.
-0-
Bobby sat on the porch with a beer in hand watching the Halliwell brothers tend his lawn. This was the good life. He always felt guilty having most of the manual work fall on Dean, but now he could relax and let the young whippersnappers get their exercise for the day.
He was brought out of his peaceful thoughts by his phone ringing.
“Singer.”
“Hey Bobby, it's Jefferson. Josh and I have a lead on the big, bad demon. She's seems to be making some noise not far from here. Our thought is that she's trying to lure Sam out for a showdown.”
“Probably. Keep an eye on her, but keep your distance. You two are definitely not equipped to take her on.”
“Don't worry about us. We didn't live this long by being stupid.”
Bobby chuckled. “I hear ya. Sam is still working on getting strong enough to have a face off. I can't have him going off half-cocked, so for now we'll just play the waiting game. I wish I could just talk the fool boy out of a showdown.”
Jefferson sighed. “I do, too, but I don't think the bitch is gonna leave him alone. She'll force his hand some how. Meanwhile we'll keep tabs so she can't just do a sneak attack.
“Appreciate it. You boys stay safe.”
“Will do. Later.”
Bobby snapped the phone shut and sighed. Things were going to come to a head soon, and he just prayed that they had a chance.
-0-
Ruby had showed Sam to a warehouse where a demon was tied up and under a demon trap. It had taken quite a bit out of Sam, but he had pulled the demon from the meat suit. He was very pleased that the victim lived through the whole ordeal.
They helped him to the curb and called 911. Watching from a distance, Sam was happy when the EMTs arrived shortly after the call.
Sam sagged against the brick wall.
“Need a snack?” Ruby asked.
Sam glared. “I don't think it's such a good idea. I just need some rest, and I'll be good.”
“Whatever floats your boat. But... Ruby reached into her pocket and pulled out a flask. “Take this in case you change your mind.”
Sam reluctantly took it. He was on an emotional roller coaster. Part of him was so disgusted over what he had done, but another part of him knew this was really the only path that would lead to a success. His past experiences haunting him and driving him towards Ruby.
“Ruby, I need some space. I'm tired and I just...”
Ruby raised her hand to stop him. “Say no more. You need to head back anyway before that brother of yours comes a looking.”
Sam sighed and nodded. He took his phone out to call Dean for a ride.
-0-
Ruby was on a high. She almost had everything she wanted. In her mind, only one thing stood in her way: Melinda.
The way Ruby saw it, Sam should be hers and hers alone. It was time to do some damage control and take what was rightfully hers.
-0-
Melinda had all her groceries picked out and was ready for check out when she was stopped by a not-so-friendly face.
Ruby stood in front of her cart, blocking it. “Hey, cousin, fancy meeting you here.”
Melinda glared. “What do you want, Ruby?”
Ruby's smirk turned serious. “Sam's in trouble. I need to share some info with you.”
Melinda rolled her eyes. “Then come out to Bobby's and share with the class!”
Ruby huffed. “I'm not welcome there, and none of them will listen. All I'm asking is for someone to listen to me for five minutes. What you do with the info is your business.”
Melinda reluctantly nodded. “All right, spill.”
Ruby looked around suspiciously. “This is not the place. Come with me.”
Melinda sighed and slowly followed Ruby to the back of the store. Before she knew it, they were in the storeroom in a dark corner. The hairs on Melinda's neck stood up.
Waiting to get this done and fast, Melinda spoke, “Spill.”
Ruby smirked. “The only way for Sam to defeat Lilith is to drink demon blood.”
Melinda blanched at the thought. “No, there are other ways.”
“But they won't work. You are holding him back with all your goody-two-shoes mumbo gumbo. He respects you so much. It would be a great benefit if you would support him in his choice to use it.”
“His choice - you say that like it's already happened.” Melinda felt the anger boiling up in her.
“Huh, I did, didn't I? I do speak the truth, but he is now beating himself up over the whole thing. But with you in his corner, he could do this!”
“Not gonna happen. In fact...” Before Melinda could continue, Ruby moved. She reached her arm out and pulled the possession charm off Melinda, wincing as it burned her hand. Melinda watched in horror as the charm hit the floor, and Ruby kicked it away.
“Now, it’s time to get real close, cousin.” Before Melinda could react, she found herself being assaulted by black smoke.
Her last thought was dear God, not again!
-0-
Ruby was ecstatic. Her plan had gone off without a hitch, and now she had the means to get Sam right where she wanted him.
Using her cousin's magic, she put a glamour on the meat suit she had been using. Magic should keep the body hidden in the dark corner until she needed it again.
She then strolled confidently towards the front of the store and the discarded cart of food. Time to put her plan in motion. Ruby relished listening to her distant relative’s desperate pleas in the back of her head. It was music to her ears.
-0-
A very tired and distracted Dean pulled over and picked up Sam. He was caught up in the information that Castiel had shared until he got a good look at his younger brother. Sam looked like shit.
There were remnants of a nosebleed, and the kid looked really pale. Not good. It sent Dean into protective brother mode.
“Sam, are you okay?” Dean tried to keep the panic from his voice. But there was a real fear that Sam was experiencing a setback from the healing.
Sam gave a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. “M'fine. Just tired. Really tired.”
Dean watched as Sam gingerly sat down in the passenger seat and closed the door.
“Sam, you really don't look good. Should we head to the doctor’s office?” Dean could tell he was pissing his stubborn brother off, but he didn't care. His brother's health came first plain and simple. Dean had been reluctant to trust the whole healing thing, and now he was afraid it was coming back to bite him in the butt.
Sam sighed. “I was just being stupid, Dean. Really. For the first time in years, I could go for a walk. A walk, Dean, and it was such an awesome and freeing feeling. I didn't realize how trapped I felt living in this broken body. And with everything going on, I haven't been able to enjoy my mobility.”
Dean sighed and fought the tears. “Shit, I guess I hadn't thought about how the healing has changed a lot of things for you. It still doesn't explain to me why you look so bad, Sammy.”
Sam smiled a bit bigger. “I pushed it too hard, Dean. That's all. I'm not as young as I used to be, and I thought I was up for more than I really was. Being old sucks.”
Dean relaxed and chuckled at that. “Tell me about it. So the nosebleed?”
“I think it's allergy related. My sinuses are dry from the weather, and then after I over exerted myself...” Sam stopped, blushing.
“Yeah, okay. Just don't do that shit. I can see you’re stiff as hell by the way you limped into the car. You can't be wearing yourself out - not with the threat of demons about.” Dean started the car and before Sam could speak Dean's cell rang.
Dean took it out and answered. “Hello?”
“Yeah, be there in a minute.”
Dean turned to Sam. “Time to pick up Melinda, and then we head home. You need a nap.”
“I'm not five anymore, Dean.”
“Yep, but you whine like a five-year-old, bitch.”
Dean was happy to see the playful bitch face back as his brother replied. “Jerk.”
Chapter 12...
Previous Chapters
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Authors: princess_schez and gidgetgal9
Rating: PG-15; language, violence, sexual situations, AU. 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.
Chapter 11
Sam hurriedly drank the blood, as though he were a man dying of dehydration in the middle of a desert. Ruby smirked as he went for more. She ran her free hand down his body again, feeling him tense as she did. Her hand slipped between his legs, holding him, massaging him. Sam felt a burning desire grow inside him again, but she finally moved her hand and pulled her arm away.
"You're going to bleed me dry," she smirked. "Besides, it's best not to take it all at once."
He stopped, blood dripping from his mouth, like some kind of morbid beard. It dripped slowly onto his naked body, then onto ground. He wiped some of the blood off with the back of his arm, staining it crimson.
Taking a couple of deep breaths, he steadied himself. His body was aching for more; he wanted more. Ruby sensed this need and pulled her semi-dressed self closer to him, licking the little bit of blood off his lips.
"It doesn't have to end now," she whispered. She made to undo her jeans again as she pulled closer to him. He wanted this, needed this, but a voice in the back of his mind that was telling him not to go forward spoke up. The voice strangely reminded him of Melinda. At the thought of her, he remembered something. This right here, what he was doing with Ruby, was something he had always wanted to do with Melinda.
Pulling back, he made to reach for his clothes so he could dress again. He needed to go back inside the house.
Ruby knew it was over. She watched Sam as he dressed, taking in all his glories.
"I guess I'll be seeing you around more," he said.
"That's if your brother doesn’t kill me first."
"Dean'll behave," Sam assured her. He gave her a final look and then walked back into Bobby's house. He wasn't sure what he should've been feeling; he just knew he wasn't feeling much of anything at this moment. The anxiety, at least, was gone. He wondered if the demon blood had some sort of calming effect to it.
He also knew that what had transpired between him and Ruby was something he could never tell anyone. Not that he was ever the kiss-an-tell kind of guy, but he knew Dean would probably explode if he found out. And Melinda... sweet Melinda. He didn't think he could bear the look on her face if she knew.
He would never tell anyone - especially her.
Sam felt something in the pit of his stomach that he knew hadn’t been there earlier. Was it guilt?
He turned back to face Ruby, who smirked at him and said, "I'll be back tomorrow. Don't bother telling the others what I'm teaching you. They wouldn't understand."
In a blink, she was gone.
-0-
Ring around the fire
A pocket full of ashes;
Apocalypse, Apocalypse
All stand still.
Lucifer has sent his daughter,
To fetch the boy wonder;
Apocalypse, Apocalypse
All fall down.
The demons upon the steeple,
Stand high above the people;
Apocalypse, Apocalypse
All kneel down.
Dis's bells are ringing,
All the demons are singing;
Apocalypse, Apocalypse
All fall down.
The next morning, Melinda awoke to the sounds of Sam tapping away on his computer on the kitchen table and not to entire world annihilation. Her dream was probably just an after effect of having been recently possessed by Lilith, she reasoned. Pushing the dream out of her mind, she smiled when she looked over at Sam. Getting up from the couch, she made her way over toward the table.
"Good morning!" she said cheerfully.
He didn't hear her coming, and it startled him. Turning around quickly, his eyes grew wide.
"Oh! Um, g-good morning, Mel," he replied, voice slightly shaky. Seeing her cheerful face brought out a fresh wave of guilt. He suddenly thought about last night.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Melinda suddenly looked anxiously at him, like she wasn't sure if he was going to have a melt down on her or not. Why did she seem to always have that effect on him?
Sam seemed to regain some of his composure and gave her a weak smile. He had been fine the whole time he was awake - calm, collected, ready to tackle the day - but the moment he saw her, it almost crashed down around him. His stomach gave a painful pang....
"Did you sleep well last night?" she asked.
Sam faced the computer again. He couldn’t bear to look at her. "Yeah. How about you?"
She nodded. "Pretty good."
Sam went back to typing on his laptop, and sensing he was uncomfortable with her near by, Melinda headed into the kitchen and began making some fresh coffee.
-0-
A little while later, the rest of the crew came grumbling into the kitchen. Chris and Wyatt each took a seat at the table as Sam closed up his laptop. Dean slumped into his chair and complained that morning came too damn early.
Bobby eventually greeted them, hobbling in and complaining about his arthritis.
By then, breakfast - fresh, homemade waffles - was finished and waiting for everyone at the table. Melinda went to grab a seat after pouring herself a second cup of coffee, but the only seat available was next to Sam. Quietly, she sat down, hoping not to freak him out. If they could just get through this difficult time, she would be gone - out of his hair for good.
"Look," Dean said, finally speaking up after a quiet few minutes, "I know the following isn't a topic considered tolerable for meal conversations - trust me, I know - but this needs to come out. Last night -"
Sam nearly choked on his breakfast, fearing that Dean had saw him and Ruby together.
"- I was thinking about what Ruby had said. She has it all wrong. We will be prepared this time - without her help. And if she shows her face around here again," Dean slid his finger across his neck, "it's curtains for her."
Sam had to force down the bite of food he had in his mouth. His heartbeat was quickening, and he knew this topic of conversation was dangerous - one that he needed to steer clear from. Melinda watched Sam; the topic of Ruby seemed to bring on a clear panic attack.
"Well, I don't think we'll be seeing any more of her," she said, trying to be helpful. "With our combined knowledge, we don't need her."
"Hear hear," Dean replied, mouth full of waffles. "Oh, and Mel, would you mind cooking for us full-time? These are damn good."
Melinda blushed. "Thanks, I'm glad you like them."
Wyatt and Chris hadn't stopped shoveling food in long enough to reply. Mom always hated when they did that, always commenting how they were going to wind up choking. It brought a small smile to her face. Bobby nodded in agreement with Dean's assessment.
She turned to Sam, who was unusually quiet. "What do you say we go and practice again today?"
Sam felt his heartbeat quicken even more. Ruby might be coming back today, and he needed to make sure they could practice without anyone noticing. He would have to leave Bobby's house in order to achieve this. He looked up at Melinda thankful she couldn't read minds. "I was actually thinking of going into town today," he began half truthfully. "Alone," he added.
Dean gave his brother an odd look. "It's not safe to be on your own with all the demons crawling around as of late."
"I really would like to just clear my head. These last few days haven't been easy for me."
"Dean's right," Wyatt spoke up. "We shouldn't split up. Safety in numbers and all."
Sam knew it wasn't going to be easy to convince everyone to let him go on his own. Under normal circumstances, he would've agreed with them. But these weren't normal circumstances, and until he had Lilith's bloody head on a platter, they would just have to understand.
"Look, I appreciate your concerns and all, but I'm a grown man. I can go out on my own. I've dealt with demons before and know how to protect myself. I'll take a few salt rounds with me if it makes you guys happy."
Dean didn't like it, not one bit, and Sam could clearly read the look on his brother's face.
"Well, do you mind if I tag along?" Melinda asked, breaking the staring contest between the Winchester brothers. "We need to do some grocery shopping."
"Fine, but I'll drive," Dean replied, still giving his defiant brother a glare.
-0-
Dean got into the driver's seat of the old black Impala, patting the dashboard with a gentle touch. This car, God bless it, still worked after sixty-some odd years. Granted, he’d had to rebuild and replace the engine and all the other parts too many times to count, but it was a labor of love for him. Beside him, Sam slid into the front seat, Melinda got into the back.
Chris and Wyatt stared at the classic car in reverent man awe. "Dude, that's one cool car!" Wyatt exclaimed.
The Glow-worms admired his baby. It made Dean proud.
As they drove away, the proud feeling slowly left Dean.
"Look, I might check in with Donna, 'kay? That's not gonna ruin your whole clearing-your-head-while-alone-thing, is it?" he asked with a slightly sarcastic tone.
Sam rolled his eyes.
Bobby leaned into the car and tapped on the backseat window. Melinda rolled it down as he handed her some money.
”I appreciate you doing this, and I’ll keep your brothers line, so don’t you worry. I've got a lawn that needs mowing.”
”Thanks Bobby,” she said. "And I'm sure they appreciate the work."
-0-
Upon arriving into town, Dean dropped Melinda off at the market. He told her to be careful and that he would be back in a few hours. Sam watched her as walked through the sliding door, also warning her to be safe. He was worried about demons attacking her, but he knew she had powers to protect herself. It took some of his worry away. Not to mention she was in a crowded place. Demons rarely attacked when there was a large group of people around.
He silently wondered if one of her brothers should've gone with her. But Mel had been insistent that she would be fine, and instead ordered her brothers to make themselves useful around the house. Thinking about it made him smile. She could be just as stubborn as he was. God, they would be so perfect together.
"What the hell are you smiling at?" Dean asked, breaking Sam's concentration. It was rather unusual as of late for Sam to smile, so Dean - his big brother genes kicking into overdrive again - got worried.
"Nothing."
Dean wasn't sold on Sam's answer, but he didn't want to press further.
Instead, they rode in silence as Sam stared out the passenger side window. Driving passed an old building. Sam saw a familiar face staring at him through the windows of the deserted building. Ruby. She was looking at Sam, smiling that knowing grin of hers. She backed away from the window, disappearing into the darkness completely.
"Let me out here," Sam said suddenly.
Dean shot a look over at him. "What?"
"Let me out here."
"Dude, I can't just stop in the middle of the road..."
"Stop when you get the chance," Sam replied.
That came when they reached a stoplight, not far form where he saw Ruby. Sam got out of the car, much to Dean's surprise. Pocketing a gun, some extra rock salt ammo, and a small vial of holy water, he turned and looked at Dean.
"I'll call you when I need you to pick me up," he said, to which Dean just mumbled darkly.
He watched as Sam walked down the sidewalk and rounded a corner. If there was one thing Dean knew about his brother after having spent most of their lives together, it was that he could sense when Sam wasn't being completely truthful. And now he was getting that feeling. Call it a sixth sense if you will. Dean shrugged and drove on. He silently came to the conclusion that he would give Sam time to tell him what was really going on. If not, he would get the truth out of him one way or the other.
-0-
"Didn't think you were going to make it," Ruby said, by way of greeting Sam. She had unlocked a back door and let him in. Giving him a warm smile, she touched his arm. "It must've taken some convincing to get your ball and chain to let you out on your own."
"Dean's not a ball and chain. He's just worried about me. And if it wasn't for the fact that by training with you, I can finally go after Lilith and make sure nothing bad happens to anyone I care about, I wouldn't even be here."
Ruby studied Sam for a moment. “You really care about her, don’t you?”
At first, Sam wasn’t sure who she was talking about, and then it hit him, the words coming quickly out of his mouth before he could stop himself. “Yes, I do.”
She didn’t say anything in response to that, only following with, “Look, today we’re going to practice on a real demon and not one of those fake cutouts my goody two-shoes cousins whipped up. I also know right where we can find one, too.”
Sam wasn’t sure, but he was getting the distinct impression that Ruby might’ve been jealous, given the tone in her voice.
He followed her into a dark corner where she had supplies waiting for their target.
”Let’s go demon hunting,” she said.
-0-
Dean drove down into the residential part of town, following a familiar path to Donna’s house. Parking the car by the curb, he stepped out and sighed. He hoped Sam and Melinda were all right. There were just too many demons crawling around for his liking. Thinking of this, he opened the back door and pulled out a hidden shotgun. Checking to make sure there was enough ammo, he also grabbed a small thing of holy water and tucked both into his back jeans pocket.
As he locked up the car, a whoosh of air blew by the back of his neck. Dean spun on the spot, pulling out his gun and pointed it not at a demon, but an angel.
Castiel looked solemnly toward him. “I can’t stay long, but I need to tell you something.”
Dean groaned. This was all he needed now. If he thought before things couldn’t get any worse, they just hit the bottom. Lilith, Ruby, and Castiel - oh my!
”It’s about the breaking of the seals…” Castiel began.
”You know, you’re a little late on that. Info must take ages to get to anyone up there,” Dean cut in, feeling himself getting into his stride now. He was about to lay in again, when this time Castiel cut him off.
”We’ve known for a while what has been transpiring.”
”Well la-de-freaking-da for you guys,” Dean said curtly.
”You were misinformed about some … crucial information,” Castiel continued, ignoring Dean’s sarcasm. “You were told that the righteous man who broke in hell was supposed to have been you.”
Dean felt a twinge of something in the pit of his stomach.
”I shouldn’t be telling you this, but I am already on the outs. You were that man, Dean.”
Dean stared blankly at Castiel, clearly not following. “What?”
Castiel’s dark eyes darted toward the ground, as though he were anxious to get this done and over with.
”You were the righteous man who broke in hell, the breaking of the first seal. You don’t remember because when Lilith returned your soul, she returned it without the memories of hell, per your brother’s request.”
A coldness passed through Dean; he felt like the blood in his very veins had turned to ice. If what Castiel was saying was true, then he had brought this upon himself. Upon Sam. The Apocalypse had begun because he had broken the first seal.
No, this couldn’t be, he reasoned. But since when did he ever remember Castiel as the joking type?
“I know that it’s hard for you to hear this.”
”Like you have no idea!” Dean shouted. “Why - why would I need to know that? No one should have to know that!” He lowered his voice. “No one should know that they alone started this shit-fest!”
”You have to know the truth. Making peace with the truth will help when the time comes,” Castiel replied as calmly as ever.
Dean raked his face with his fingers, trying to swallow this horrible truth.
”Why didn’t I know this sooner?” he said quietly.
"The others didn’t want you to know, but I thought you should know."
His head was swimming as he tried to process this bombshell. Closing his eyes, he didn't see when Castiel disappeared.
-0-
Bobby sat on the porch with a beer in hand watching the Halliwell brothers tend his lawn. This was the good life. He always felt guilty having most of the manual work fall on Dean, but now he could relax and let the young whippersnappers get their exercise for the day.
He was brought out of his peaceful thoughts by his phone ringing.
“Singer.”
“Hey Bobby, it's Jefferson. Josh and I have a lead on the big, bad demon. She's seems to be making some noise not far from here. Our thought is that she's trying to lure Sam out for a showdown.”
“Probably. Keep an eye on her, but keep your distance. You two are definitely not equipped to take her on.”
“Don't worry about us. We didn't live this long by being stupid.”
Bobby chuckled. “I hear ya. Sam is still working on getting strong enough to have a face off. I can't have him going off half-cocked, so for now we'll just play the waiting game. I wish I could just talk the fool boy out of a showdown.”
Jefferson sighed. “I do, too, but I don't think the bitch is gonna leave him alone. She'll force his hand some how. Meanwhile we'll keep tabs so she can't just do a sneak attack.
“Appreciate it. You boys stay safe.”
“Will do. Later.”
Bobby snapped the phone shut and sighed. Things were going to come to a head soon, and he just prayed that they had a chance.
-0-
Ruby had showed Sam to a warehouse where a demon was tied up and under a demon trap. It had taken quite a bit out of Sam, but he had pulled the demon from the meat suit. He was very pleased that the victim lived through the whole ordeal.
They helped him to the curb and called 911. Watching from a distance, Sam was happy when the EMTs arrived shortly after the call.
Sam sagged against the brick wall.
“Need a snack?” Ruby asked.
Sam glared. “I don't think it's such a good idea. I just need some rest, and I'll be good.”
“Whatever floats your boat. But... Ruby reached into her pocket and pulled out a flask. “Take this in case you change your mind.”
Sam reluctantly took it. He was on an emotional roller coaster. Part of him was so disgusted over what he had done, but another part of him knew this was really the only path that would lead to a success. His past experiences haunting him and driving him towards Ruby.
“Ruby, I need some space. I'm tired and I just...”
Ruby raised her hand to stop him. “Say no more. You need to head back anyway before that brother of yours comes a looking.”
Sam sighed and nodded. He took his phone out to call Dean for a ride.
-0-
Ruby was on a high. She almost had everything she wanted. In her mind, only one thing stood in her way: Melinda.
The way Ruby saw it, Sam should be hers and hers alone. It was time to do some damage control and take what was rightfully hers.
-0-
Melinda had all her groceries picked out and was ready for check out when she was stopped by a not-so-friendly face.
Ruby stood in front of her cart, blocking it. “Hey, cousin, fancy meeting you here.”
Melinda glared. “What do you want, Ruby?”
Ruby's smirk turned serious. “Sam's in trouble. I need to share some info with you.”
Melinda rolled her eyes. “Then come out to Bobby's and share with the class!”
Ruby huffed. “I'm not welcome there, and none of them will listen. All I'm asking is for someone to listen to me for five minutes. What you do with the info is your business.”
Melinda reluctantly nodded. “All right, spill.”
Ruby looked around suspiciously. “This is not the place. Come with me.”
Melinda sighed and slowly followed Ruby to the back of the store. Before she knew it, they were in the storeroom in a dark corner. The hairs on Melinda's neck stood up.
Waiting to get this done and fast, Melinda spoke, “Spill.”
Ruby smirked. “The only way for Sam to defeat Lilith is to drink demon blood.”
Melinda blanched at the thought. “No, there are other ways.”
“But they won't work. You are holding him back with all your goody-two-shoes mumbo gumbo. He respects you so much. It would be a great benefit if you would support him in his choice to use it.”
“His choice - you say that like it's already happened.” Melinda felt the anger boiling up in her.
“Huh, I did, didn't I? I do speak the truth, but he is now beating himself up over the whole thing. But with you in his corner, he could do this!”
“Not gonna happen. In fact...” Before Melinda could continue, Ruby moved. She reached her arm out and pulled the possession charm off Melinda, wincing as it burned her hand. Melinda watched in horror as the charm hit the floor, and Ruby kicked it away.
“Now, it’s time to get real close, cousin.” Before Melinda could react, she found herself being assaulted by black smoke.
Her last thought was dear God, not again!
-0-
Ruby was ecstatic. Her plan had gone off without a hitch, and now she had the means to get Sam right where she wanted him.
Using her cousin's magic, she put a glamour on the meat suit she had been using. Magic should keep the body hidden in the dark corner until she needed it again.
She then strolled confidently towards the front of the store and the discarded cart of food. Time to put her plan in motion. Ruby relished listening to her distant relative’s desperate pleas in the back of her head. It was music to her ears.
-0-
A very tired and distracted Dean pulled over and picked up Sam. He was caught up in the information that Castiel had shared until he got a good look at his younger brother. Sam looked like shit.
There were remnants of a nosebleed, and the kid looked really pale. Not good. It sent Dean into protective brother mode.
“Sam, are you okay?” Dean tried to keep the panic from his voice. But there was a real fear that Sam was experiencing a setback from the healing.
Sam gave a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. “M'fine. Just tired. Really tired.”
Dean watched as Sam gingerly sat down in the passenger seat and closed the door.
“Sam, you really don't look good. Should we head to the doctor’s office?” Dean could tell he was pissing his stubborn brother off, but he didn't care. His brother's health came first plain and simple. Dean had been reluctant to trust the whole healing thing, and now he was afraid it was coming back to bite him in the butt.
Sam sighed. “I was just being stupid, Dean. Really. For the first time in years, I could go for a walk. A walk, Dean, and it was such an awesome and freeing feeling. I didn't realize how trapped I felt living in this broken body. And with everything going on, I haven't been able to enjoy my mobility.”
Dean sighed and fought the tears. “Shit, I guess I hadn't thought about how the healing has changed a lot of things for you. It still doesn't explain to me why you look so bad, Sammy.”
Sam smiled a bit bigger. “I pushed it too hard, Dean. That's all. I'm not as young as I used to be, and I thought I was up for more than I really was. Being old sucks.”
Dean relaxed and chuckled at that. “Tell me about it. So the nosebleed?”
“I think it's allergy related. My sinuses are dry from the weather, and then after I over exerted myself...” Sam stopped, blushing.
“Yeah, okay. Just don't do that shit. I can see you’re stiff as hell by the way you limped into the car. You can't be wearing yourself out - not with the threat of demons about.” Dean started the car and before Sam could speak Dean's cell rang.
Dean took it out and answered. “Hello?”
“Yeah, be there in a minute.”
Dean turned to Sam. “Time to pick up Melinda, and then we head home. You need a nap.”
“I'm not five anymore, Dean.”
“Yep, but you whine like a five-year-old, bitch.”
Dean was happy to see the playful bitch face back as his brother replied. “Jerk.”
Chapter 12...
Previous Chapters
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10