Season 3/4 AU: Sam saves Dean

[themegalosaurus]

Hi! I was talking to a friend on Tumblr about the Season 3 storyline that never was and they were wondering about fics where Sam saves Dean from going to Hell. (I'd also take fic where Sam rescues Dean from Hell.) I know I've read loads of really great ones but I'm terrible at keeping a record of my reading and so I'm hoping you guys can help. I

Comments

[acqiel]

Hell yes. I have a tag solely dedicated to fics with this trope. But my reccommendations:

Sam breaks the deal and saves Dean:

Until the End of the World by geminigrl11
He finally gets a look at his brother and Sam is...Sam is laughing. Pained, raw, gulping laughter that's verging on hysteria. Dean can't get his head around it. "What did you do?"

Small Clause Out by authoressnebula
There's a way out of the deal, one that'll have Dean back at Sam's side. Problem is, it isn't going to really be the same; not with Sam now the oldest between them.

I'll Keep You Safe Inside Me by flawedamythyst
So, the thing is, there really is no way to break a deal with a demon without consequences that even Sam isn't willing to consider. Sam has had to accept that and move on, looking at new areas of research, about souls and hell and the way demons get one into the other. It isn't until the fourteenth time that he reads 'demons can't touch a soul while it still has a body protecting it' that he really understands what it means.

I Am the Very

[gilesbabe]

This is my favorite Sam saves Dean fic: it's funnier than all get out. 'Do Not Pass Go' by insomnia_geek. Summary: It wasn't as if Sam expected it to work. Even the most ironclad contract can have hidden escape clauses, exploitable with proper documentation.

http://insomnia-geek.livejournal.com/3931.html

[jennytork]

Of course, I can't find the links when I need them, but I love these two.

"No Stop Signs or Speed Limits" -- Sam breaks Dean out -- with the help of a friend.

"The Devil and Samuel Winchester" -- they wait together at a church for the crossroads demon-- but something goes sideways.

[daedricwitching]

This one is for Sam pulling Dean out of hell:
What He Was Taught by authoressnebula
Summary: Sam was taught not to give up, and that family means everything.
It's also part of a series, if you want more:
Where He Was Changed
How He Was Loved
When He Was Strong
Why He Was Shaken

This one is Sam saving Dean from going to hell:
Everyone Plays by authoressnebula
Summary: "Sam finally stopped in the middle of the dirt road, tears streaming down his face as the Impala and Dean disappeared into the night." Sam offers a plan; Dean's far from interested, but the crossroads demon is.

[morgana_st]

Free and Clear by Molly
Summary: "You don't even know what you're thanking me for."

One King And A Colt by Apetslife
Summary: A followup to the S2 finale. They spend the first few days after killing the demon with Bobby, resting up. He'd taken one look at the both of them, said something gruff about the "walking dead" (which wasn't as funny as it should have been), and dragged both of them back to his place. (I realize this says season 2, but read it anyway because it's excellent.)

Everything, After by destina
Summary: Everything's different, after.

pick a star on the dark horizon (and follow the light) by javajunkie13
Summary: One month, and it's still a little overwhelming to have Dean back, still a little unbelievable.

The World's A Small Child in the Dark by stele3
Summary: Post-AHBL II. Dean made his deal: he's got a year. This is that year.

Threefold Path to Redemption 'Verse by rei_c
Summary: Sam finds a way to keep Dean from going to hell: he'll go in his brother's place. He knows it's going to be bad and that he'll emerge changed. He never knew how much. (First,