Title: Here We Go Again
Summary: Losing his brother to the trials in closing the Gates of Hell, has taken its toll on Dean Winchester. With nothing left to live for, a certain Prophet-slash-writer thought to be long dead, makes him an offer. Dean opens his eyes to the night he made Sam leave Stanford to find their dad, only this time, instead of waking his brother, Dean drives off into the night by himself. Years later...

Chapter 7

"-Sam..!" Darkness was surrounding him like a peaceful but heavy cloud, blurring his senses. All he was really aware of was that he was lying on something hard, cold, and slightly damp. His nose itching with the scent of sulfur and something metallic… like blood.

"Sa-!" There was a shove on his shoulder, persistent, annoying and in no way helping his throbbing head. He groaned in reply and almost immediately there was a feminine hand on his head, stroking back his hair and it helped ease the pain and clear his hearing a bit.

"Sam…" The woman was sighing in relief now, "Get up, this isn't the time to be sleeping. Once we get out of here you can sleep back at Dean's as long as you want."

Dean. That name startled him into slow consciousness, his eyes fluttering open in confusion as his surroundings began to bleed into his sight. He grumbled and placed a hand to his aching head, massaging it, "What happened?" He slurred as he looked at whoever was touching him. He blinked a few times, "Ellen?"

Ellen sighed, "Yeah, it's me. Really me this time."

Those words had the youngest Winchester blinking for a few seconds before he scrambled up in panic but wincing at the pain the sudden movement brought.

"Sam! Sam relax! It's me!" She said in a harsh whisper and the lawyer narrowed his eyes.

"You hit me!"

"The demon hit you!" The huntress said, exasperated.

"You still can't prove that you're really Ellen." Sam said, gritting his teeth. Ellen couldn't help but give him an exasperated smile.

"Looks like you're finally learning the hunter ways." She said as she took out a bottle of holy water from inside her bra, to which Sam politely looked away. She held up the clear liquid with a small cross inside, looking at him pointedly before uncapping the lid and drinking it half empty. She shivered, "There? Proved my point?"

Sam frowned but didn't dare further accuse her, "How'd you get possessed? I thought hunters had some sort of ward off against demons so that they wouldn't be possessed?"

The bar owner sighed as she placed the bottle in her jacket pocket and took off a thick bracelet covering her left wrist, "Anti-possession tattoos. Yeah, it's effective but I accidentally burned myself on the grill couple of days ago and forgot about getting another one." She said referring to the burn mark that marred the sign. "It was stupid of me. Demon got a whiff of me the moment I stepped out to get some more beer." She said with a dark look.

Sam frowned at those words, "It's not your fault, Ellen. I mean it was an honest mistake."

"No, Sam." Ellen said firmly, "My carelessness was what got you into this mess and thank the heavens that that bitch didn't touch any of the hunters or my daughter while it was possessing me. I'd never forgive myself if it did."

"I don't think you'd hurt anyone." The youngest Winchester assured her, "You're strong, you'd fight it off. I'm sure."

The woman gave the younger man a sideway glance and a small exasperated smile, "You're really too soft for this kind of lifestyle, Sam, but I appreciate it."

The lawyer opened his mouth to say something but then there was the sudden sound of a door opening and someone being dragged through the concrete floor before being thrown into the cell next to them.

"Come back here you damn-" The voice was familiar and gruff and Sam was scrambling up to look at who it was. "Come back in here and fight me like a man, you stinking demon!"

"Bobby?" Ellen was the one to voice out Sam's guess. Almost immediately the shouting stopped just as the door closed. Sam and Ellen could barely make out the figure of a chubby, old, hunter they both knew.

"Ellen? What in the blazes are you doing here, woman?"

"I can say the same to you, you old grump!" The bar owner chastised but there was some relief in her tone as well, "I thought you were raiding some demon-infested house, not getting locked up like vics!"

"I'd like to see you brave a demon-infested town-"

Ellen sputtered, "A town? Bobby what sort of mess have you boys gotten yourself into this time?"

Before Bobby could answer, Sam intervened, "Hey, calm down before the demon comes back to shut us up."

There was a beat of a silence before Bobby muttered a horrified, "Sam?"

For some reason, the ex-hunter felt shame at the fact that Bobby realized he had been captured too. "Uh, yeah, hey Bobby."

"Son of a- Dean isn't going to like this."

"Speaking of that boy, where is he? Is he alright?" Ellen asked worriedly and Sam leaned in attentively, concern flickering in his eyes.

The hunter sighed, "Some of us got captured. Wasn't expecting the whole damn town to be in on it, ya know? Resting up in a motel room then suddenly demons were swarming up our asses and we were trying not ta kill any of 'em people 'cause they're still inside their bodies. It was hard and we were eventually caught but I didn't see Dean on my way here so hopefully, the boy got loose."

"And Jess?" Sam asked, wondering if they spotted any signs of his missing wife since they were, after all, in this town believing she was there.

The tone of his dad's old friend seemed troubled, "Don't want to get yer hopes up, Sam, but I think I may have seen a blonde woman while I was being dragged here. But it could be any girl, boy."

A flare of hope ignited in Sam's chest and he leaned forward despite Bobby's uncertainty, "We have to get out of here."

"Ain't gonna be easy, boy." Bobby warned but didn't discourage the thought. "We have to at least wheedle through a hundred demons."

There was the loud creak of the door opening and they watched, mouths agape as someone came in, dragging the unconscious demon who threw Bobby inside.

"Then isn't it lucky that I'm here?" A blonde woman wearing a long sleeved button up jacket suddenly said with a sultry smile, "Hey, how's it hanging?" She blinked and her eyes turned pure black.

"Demon!" Ellen hissed immediately, form tensing. "Don't you come near us or I swear I'll-"

"Oh please," The blonde blinked and her eyes turned back to normal, "Don't be all racist on me. I do have a name you know," She licked her lips as she walked to their cells dumping the body on the floor. "My name's Ruby." And she smirked as she held up a ring of keys, "And I'm here to get you out."

"Whoa, back up." Isaac said as he placed a hand on Dean's chest and pushed him back. A demon passed by them, obviously a guard to see if anyone was skulking into their territory. He sighed when it passed and gave the hunter a look, "Cool down your jets, Winchester. Don't forget we're in enemy territory and outnumbered."

"Bobby and the other hunters are in there-"

"Which is why we have to keep our heads cooled or we'll be dragged in their too. And who'll save them if that happens?" His fellow hunter said with a frown, which was impressive in itself because everyone knew how intimidating Dean Winchester was. "My wife's in there and I ain't letting you come with me if you can't play by the plan and risk getting her and all of us in danger."

Green eyes looked into Isaac's dark ones and it almost seemed like an eternity before the other hunter deflated, "Yeah, you're right." He admitted, "We'll rescue them, Isaac."

"We sure as hell will." His hunter companion said as he mentally sighing in relief. Like everyone else who would be in his place he had been a tiny bit intimidated by this hunter. Then a familiar figure suddenly skulked a behind them. He was one of the people who weren't captured by the demon. The others were scattered out, trying to get a good grip of the place and find a way to sneak in to the building where they believed they could be hiding their fellow hunters in.

This was a search and rescue before it was a demon raid. Dean had been very clear of that.

"Henriksen." Dean acknowledge the cop who nodded at him, "Got anything?"

"Good news…" The cop said but then he frowned. "And a bad one for you, Winchester."

The hunter tensed ever so slightly, "Is it Jess? Did something happen to her?"

The cop shook his head and Isaac intervened, "Tell us the good one first." He said as Dean went back to looking to see if any demons spotted them.

"Found a sewage line that directly goes under that building where we think they're keeping hostages. It wasn't obvious at first and none of us would have noticed it if the Colorado sheriff hadn't accidentally knocked some boxes aside." There was exasperation in the cop's tone and Dean felt slightly amused and fond of that clumsy sheriff. But then a memory of another timeline passed through his mind, a possessed Henriksen shooting the sheriff who was setting them free. He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes and counting one to three.

Isaac let out a relieved breath, "That's good. Send a signal to the others and let's convene at that point to sneak in. We'll leave at least two hunters by the sewage entrance. For those of us going in, we should be prepared for any chance of demons keeping an eye down there."

Henriksen nodded, the same plan had been unfolding in his mind. He took out his phone an dwalkie-talkie, sending codes to the rest of the hunters. "Let's go."

"Wait." Dean said as he opened his eyes and finally got the memories locked down. He didn't look at the two with him, eyes fixed on a certain point ahead but not really seeing. "What's the bad news?" For some reason his inner instinct was ringing and that was almost never a good sign.

Victor Henriksen had a look on his face that said that he really regretted mentioning that now. "I'll tell you on the way there-"

"Now. Tell me now."

Isaac gave a 'just-get-on-with-it' look to the cop and Henriksen sighed.

"When you sent us out to scout, I noticed a familiar looking truck parked by the wire fence. I got curious and worried that maybe someone's been selling us out you know, so I followed them through and-" The bald man straightened, "Sorry Winchester, I saw them carrying him through and it was five against one, I couldn't do anything."

Dean's figure had completely tensed all throughout the sentence and Isaac looked alarmed.

The cop inhaled deeply before exhaling. "I'm sorry, but they have Sam Winchester."

The first thing Sam thought when this demon came in and started unlocking their cells was that she was completely nuts. She was in the room with two cells of two locked up hunters and one lawyer who can kick some serious ass if he wanted to, and she was setting them free.

Well, never let it be said that he would look a horse gift in its mouth. Besides, Ellen most probably had a knife up her boot or something, so she can gank this demon chick if she wanted to.

Then the locked clicked and Sam focused on the Ruby chick who gave him a smile, "Oh and just so you won't try anything." Her mouth opened and black smoke came out targeting a certain female huntress who backed up, her eyes wide.

"ELLEN!" Bobby yelled and pounded on the bars as the smoke forcefully entered the bar owner's body. Sam stared wide-eyed as eventually the black smoke was absorbed and the woman straightened wiping her mouth with her hand in distaste.

"Eugh, tastes like holy water." It still sounded like Ellen, with her usual accent and tone of voice, but underneath it, the words themselves and the way her eyed turned pure black said otherwise. Ellen or that demon chick Ruby gave Sam a smile, "Hey hotshot."

"Get out of her! Get out of her right now you bitch!" Bobby yelled and Sam frowned rushed towards her, restraining the woman that was so much like a mother to his older brother.

Ruby let herself be restrained without a fight as she explained lazily, "I can't, jackass. I know you hunters well enough by now that when some demon chick helps you, you gank her as a sign of thanks. Not cool by the way."

"Well what do you expect? Things like you just don't go and decide to help us hunters out of the goodness of your hearts!" Bobby argued and Sam frowned down at Ruby who rolled her eyes.

"Well this thing does." When she started to struggle, Sam tightened his hold on her arms, "Oh for fuck's sake- do you guys want to get out of this alive or not?"

"Why should we trust you?" Sam said angrily, "You guys took my wife and burned down my home. Actually, right now, the wise choice would be to exorcise you out of Ellen and get out since you've already opened the cell for us."

"You're a smart boy." Ruby said, impressed but not scared. "But if you do that, I'll harm this vessel I'm wearing while you're putting me back to hell and raise the alarm so you'll be forced to confront hundreds of demons with one burden of a huntress. And I'm sure you don't want that now, do you?"

Sam pursed his lips while Bobby cursed.

"Besides, I can take you to your wife." Ruby said and she smiled when Sam froze behind her. "I'll get you to her, help you escape, and get out of this body without harming her. Then I'll be gone before you know it. Easy."

"Sam…" Bobby warned when he saw the contemplating look on the other's face, "You can't seriously-"

"Well, what else do we do, Bobby?" The man unintentionally snapped at the person who was more of a father than his dad ever was. The hunter looked at him shocked. The events that had been happening for the past week had been building up his pent up frustrations and anger and he had never felt so helpless that he just wanted to explode. "We can't just- just sit here and wait for Dean to come and save us. I mean, what if he's out there and injured? What if he was killed? What if they're torturing him or Jessica right now and we're stuck here not being able to help or do anything?

"Sam-"

"I know what you're gonna say and I understand but we have to use everything we can to get out of here. We'll deal with what happens later." The lawyer said and Bobby looked at him hard a frown of disapproval clear on his face. He looked at Ellen's body and frowned harder and shook his head.

"It's your call Sam." The hunter said and Sam let the woman go with a sigh of relief. Ruby immediately pulled from his grasp and gave the two men a smile.

"Good call, now let's get out of this stink hole." The demon said as she turned to get out of the cell. She took out the keys and a knife from the past body she had been posessing before she opened Bobby's cell. The hunter got out, giving her a wary look as she went to the door.

"Now, I've scouted the whole area. We're on the third floor and they're keeping your wife in the floor below. It's best if we take the fire exit and you boys should hide your faces so they don't recognize you." Ruby said as she went out the door. She peeked in for a second and said, "Let's go."

Sam was about to follow but Bobby grabbed him by the arm and said in a whisper, "I want you to stay behind me at all times Sam. And if anything happens or things may seem to go wrong, I want you to run."

"What- Bobby-"

"The only reason I'm not ganking that bitch right now is because she's wearing Ellen and because of you. So you do as I say boy, or so help me I will lock you back up in that cell and exorcise that Ruby demon no matter what you say." The hunter said firmly and the lawyer closed his mouth and nodded reluctantly. The old man sighed, "Good." He said as he let go of the other's arm. "Let's go."

Victor Henriksen had heard once before about the frightening avenger that was Dean Winchester. A hunter whose mom was killed by a demon-caused fire when he was four and a father who died during a hunt after he'd sent his son on a false lead on Azazel when the truth was, he'd been gearing up to face the demon on his own. This was a hunter who'd lose everything that could be lost, who only had his little brother left whom he protected as best as he could, without the other knowing. He'd seen firsthand how Dean fought, so he knew that if anyone could protect said little brother from anything, it would be Dean.

And that little brother had currently been kidnapped by the demons.

Henriksen was currently witnessing what grief and anger did to a man who had lost everything and had only one thing left to protect. Right now, Dean Winchester was scarier than any demon, any monster, any avenging angel and Henriksen was glad that they were fighting on the same side for once. He didn't want to be in the brunt of all of that anger and hate.

"We should stop that moron before he loses too much blood." A hunter he knew by the name of Rufus grunted as he shot a demon with a stun gun and howled in delight before shooting another three. Isaac and the others were chanting exorcism rites while Rufus temporarily incapacitated the humans without hurting them.

"I don't think we can stop him even if we wanted to." Victor grunted as he kicked a nearby old man who had a knife before shooting him down with a stun gun too. He looked up and winced when Dean was stabbed by the arm but the hunter merely shrugged it off, shooting like an expert gunsman before ducking and taking out five, yelling exorcisms as he did so. "Kid's insane."

"We're all a little insane." Rufus said as he picked up a body and threw it at a demon who was limping towards them, "But yeah, I guess he's a little more insane than any of us. That happens when you've lost all that you could lose."

"He's lost his parents but everyone loses them at some point." Victor said with a frown, "He's still got Bobby and Ellen and all you other hunters, so what's the deal?"

Rufus shrugged, "Eh, I don't get it either. I'm just calling it as it is. It looks like to me that he knows what it's like to lose everything and he's doing his damnest not to do so again."

Victor turned back to the hunter who, against all odds, became his friend. He remembered looking at him and thinking he was a mass murderer before looking at his eyes and noticing how much older they were than how he actually looked.

"I guess the demons should be very afraid then." The cop said instead, not knowing what else to say. Rufus gave him a crazed grin as he looked at Dean who had cleared a path for them to the building.

"That they should."

"Sounds like a party out there." Bobby grumbled as Ruby kicked a door down. Someone suddenly jumped in front of her but she simply knifed the demon. Both men's eyes widened when the demon lit up from the inside, as though exorcised, and fell onto the floor in a dead heap.

"How did you-" Bobby gaped but then he frowned at the woman, "You can't just do that!"

Ruby in Ellen's body rolled her eyes, "You're welcome." She said as she continued walking forward.

"But- she just killed a demon!" Sam pointed out as he looked down at the dead young woman. His stomach turned in guilt and he kneeled down and respectfully closed the woman's eyes. She didn't asked to be possessed. "I thought you couldn't kill demons?"

"You can't." The hunter frowned, "That demon knows some dark tricks, we can't trust her. Do you understand, Sam?"

The lawyer looked up and then nodded.

"Good, now let's go before she kills anymore civilians." He grumbled as he forged ahead. Sam got up and followed in after him.

Author's notes: Thank you so much for all the support and the kind words! Sorry for the late update, I've been busy with exams and the Business Education week. Being in the student government is taxing XD Thank you and feel free to review, follow, favorite, and etc!