Shakily, Dean pulled himself up from the ground, his hands going to his chest where the hounds had just a moment ago torn his living flesh to shreds, but all he could feel was the familiar softness of worn plaid, with no tangible signs of what had just happened to his body.
"Sam, " he called out. "Sammmy!"
There was no answer, and honestly Dean hadn't expected one. After all, Sam was alive and Dean was dead. Things were as they were supposed to be.
:
He looked around, but other than the dirt road on which he was standing, he saw nothing but a thick grey mist through which the road ran like a dark ribbon.
Dean took a moment to consider his situation. He lifted a hand to touch the mist, but when he did, it felt more akin to a solid wall. It stretched along the sides of the trail as far as the eye could see.
"So, it's follow the yellow brick road then," he said, his spirits lifting a little.
Exploring the unknown was what he did, and anyway, whatever version of hell this was, for the moment, at least, he was being spared the torture the demons had promised he'd suffer.
"Emerald City, here I come!"
:
He strolled along the track towards a building he could see in the distance.
As he came within range, Dean frowned. It looked like Bobby's house, a facsimile of the familiar one in the middle of the junk yard, though this one sat in regal isolation, no old, rusty, auto carcasses to be seen, just the house nestled in the surrounding mist.
Whatever was happening, it was nothing remotely similar to what Dean had been expecting, but what did he know?
Maybe Lilith was fucking with him, giving him one last tour of Earth memories before impaling his body on a stake. He shivered at the thought, his ass clenching in empathy.
:
Aware his heart was beating like a steam engine, Dean approached the paint-encrusted front-door, hesitating, but then he shrugged.
What was the point? This was Hell, he wasn't the one in charge. He'd go along with this charade for now.
The door creaked open when he gave it a push, giving him a visual of the corridor beyond, leading into Bobby's sitting room.
Loitering on the doorstep for a moment to rally what courage he had left, Dean stepped in, making his way forward until...
:
:
"Dean. Come along. I've been waiting for you, " a droll voice called.
Fear thumped through Dean. So this was it. Lilith had been toying with him, before siccing her minions on him and getting down to the torture business.
"Are you hungry? I've plenty food here. I've heard you like your burgers with double onions and cheese, " the voice continued calmly.
What the fuck! Dean mused.
What was the evil bitch doing. Well Dean was a Winchester, and even if he was trembling in his boots, he wasn't going to give Lilith the satisfaction of seeing it.
:
In trepidation, he walked forward into the room, only to see a skeletally thin man, dressed all in black, surreptitiously licking his fingers, an array of diner food spread out before him on what looked like Bobby's desk.
"Ah, Dean. Finally. Take a seat."
Dean's gaze raked the room, but it was empty apart from the strange guy polishing off the last bite of his burger.
:
"Thanks," he said, his tone sarcastic, proud that his voice was steady. "But I'll pass. I'm anxious to get down to basics." He pointed a finger in the direction of the kitchen. "The torture chambers that way?"
:
The man wiped his fingers on a white napkin, leaving it stained with ketchup and grease.
He sighed heavily, as if he was used to dealing with the hunter. "Sit down, Dean. I only wish to talk. Torture isn't part of my agenda."
:
Dean wavered. He didn't want to sit, he didn't want to talk.
What he wanted was Sam, but that wasn't an option. He just hoped his sibling was okay. The last image he'd had of his baby brother was his distraught face gazing down at him, awash with tears.
"I said sit, Dean!"
"Fine," Dean shrugged, settling himself in the opposite chair.
"Now what? " he bitched. "Am I gonna get Hell 101?"
:
"First of all, you are not in Hell at this moment, " the being informed him.
Dean couldn't disguise the surprise. "Not in Hell?"
With a baleful stare, the man continued.
"I intercepted your soul as it pierced the veil, and brought you here."
"Here? Dean frowned, "and just where is 'here'?"
:
Once again he was treated to an intimidating stare and to tell the truth it kinda scared him. The being, though very understated, had an aura of unleashed power.
"If you stop interrupting then you will understand all the quicker why you are here."
Dean nodded. "Okay. Explain."
"It's simple, Dean, " he sighed. "You and your ridiculous compulsion to sacrifice yourself for your brother leads to many consequences, some of them...extremely...personal... to me. You going to hell starts your brother down a dark and dangerous road which leads to catastrophe. I have intercepted you to avoid the future that was fated to be."
Though Dean had said he'd be quiet, he couldn't contain himself. "You know the future? What happens to my brother? Does he go back to college? Live a life away from hunting?"
:
The being sighed once again. "You're not listening, Dean. Your brother chooses a dark path. He wants nothing more than to get you out of Hell and in so doing sets in motion the destiny which was designed for you both, leading to a conclusion I'd have preferred... not to have encountered."
"What does Sam do?" Dean asked, worried for his brother. He hadn't sold his soul for Sam just to have something bad happen to him. He'd done it so Sam could have a good, decent life.
:
"I will say no more about the future. What I will do is send your soul back to its body, destroying your contract with Lilith and thus reuniting you with your brother.
But I warn you Dean. Be very careful. There are forces in the universe which want to use you and Sam for their own ambitions.
That I am interceding at this moment in time does not mean there won't be other pitfalls for you Winchesters. If you truly care for your brother and for the fate of Earth, trust no-one, especially those who come bearing gifts or seem to want nothing more than to help out."
Dean huffed, his expression scornful. "The fate of the Earth! Sam and I are just two run-of-the-mill hunters. How can the fate of the Earth depend on us?"
:
"I would remind you to watch your manners, Dean. I don't allow anyone to show me disrespect.
Here I am doing you a great favour. Rescuing you from an eternity in the pit and sending you back to your brother, yet instead of thanking me you mock my warnings."
"Sorry, " Dean said, passing a hand thorough his hair. "It's just... I'm kinda freaked out. I was expecting hell-hounds and demons, not some old guy and diner food. And whatever your reason for interceding, I'm grateful. I didn't expect anyone except Sammy would care enough about me to save me from hell. So thanks."
"I did not do this for your sake only, " the man said gravely, inclining his head in acceptance of Dean's apology.
"As I said before, I have a personal interest in you Winchesters. But enough. It's time for you to be reunited with your brother before he does anything stupid. And once again Dean, be careful. Heed my warnings. Do not trust anyone, not even your own brother, for at times those we trust most can be the very ones who betray us."
"Who are you?" Dean asked.
But the black-dressed being merely stared at him. "Goodbye, Dean. I hope we won't meet again."
:
A second later, Dean found himself staring up at the ceiling in the room where the hell-hounds had ripped him to pieces.
"Sammy?"
He pulled himself up to meet the wide, incredulous gaze of his little brother crouched down against the opposite wall, the tears still trailing down his cheeks
"Dean!" Sam cried out pitifully at the sound of his big brother's voice, before leaping towards his sibling, gathering him in a furious, tight hug.
"Hey, it's okay, Sammy. It's okay. I'm fine."
But Sam wasn't listening, holding onto Dean as if he'd just come back from the dead, which was exactly what had happened.
TBC