Red Rover

By: Amy Jonas

Rating: FRT-13 AKA PG13

Summary: A nightmare or a vision And is there a difference?

Disclaimer: They're mine. Bought their souls from Ol' Torchy himself.

Six year old Sammy Winchester woke suddenly and sat up in bed, his heart pounding painfully in his chest.

Something was wrong. He could feel it. Had something evil gotten into their current apartment? Gotten past his father? Past Dean?

"Dean?" He called out tentatively, his voice trembling. He said his big brothers' name again, louder. "Dean!"

A heavy, unnatural silence answered him.

Tears welled in his eyes as terror clutched at Sammy's heart; a deformed, clawed hand, squeezing painfully. Desperate for his brother, he scrambled out of bed and ran to his brother's room. He stopped dead in his tracks at the entrance; his heart plummeting to the pit of his stomach.

Dean's bedroom was empty. No bed. No dresser. No clothes scattered across the floor. No full sized poster of Ted Nugent staring down his place on the wall.

But more importantly, no Dean.

Frantic, Sammy raced from his brothers' bedroom to his fathers'. Nothing. He raced through the small apartment, searching each room in turn. The bathroom, the living room, the kitchen.

Nothing. All their possessions were gone.

His daddy and Dean were gone!

His mind whirled chaotically. Had something bad gotten them? But his next idea that rose above the maelstrom was scarier. They had left and forgotten him.

No, he thought fiercely. They wouldn't forget him. Dean wouldn't forget him. The thought, however comforting still didn't change the fact he was frighteningly alone. Sammy didn't know what to do.

Dean had drilled into his little head exactly what to do in a lot of situations; most having to do with the various ghosts and demons they encountered and the occasional social worker who asked dangerous questions about bruises he wasn't supposed to talk about.

Dean had never told him what to do if he found himself inexplicitly alone.

Sammy

"Dean!" Sammy whirled, doing a 360 before realizing it was coming from outside.

He ran out, expecting to see his big brother but again there was nothing.

No houses, no trees, no streets.

Just an endless desert.

He could hear Dean's voice riding the wind, calling him. There were other voices strangely familiar; other words he couldn't make out. Hope and relief propelled him forward where he was sure he would find Dean.

After what felt like forever he saw them. They were all standing in a straight line holding hands. He realized he knew these people. There were his friends from Stanford; Zack and Becky and everyone else. His dad stood next to his mom only she wasn't dead anymore.

And in the middle of the long line of people were Dean and Jessica. Jessica wasn't dead either.

They were saying something to him and Sammy had to strain to hear what they were saying.

"Red rover Red rover Let Sammy come over!"

Sammy stared at them in bewilderment as they watched him expectantly. Waiting.

Jessica smiled at him. "Come on, Sam. Get a move on already."

He saw Jess and Dean's linked hands and understood. All he had to do was break the chain and he could join them. He would be where he belonged.

Dean smirked. "Move your ass, little brother."

He did then, running with all his might, pumping his little legs as fast as they would go. Faster and faster he ran until he was like the very wind itself.

And he grew. He was twelve and a chubby little boy. He was tall and lanky fifteen. He kept running and growing. When he reach 22 he plowed into Jessica and Dean's clasped hands. He felt their hold slipping and his heart sang with joy; imagining taking his place between the woman he loved and the big brother he idolized and adored.

And then he was flung back like a stone in a sling shot.

Dazed and hurting, Sam got to his feet, searching out Jess's gaze.

Wearing a pained look, Jessica raised her and Dean's joined hands. "They super glued out hands together," she said tearfully.

Sam turned pleading eyes to his brother. "Dean?"

"You have to go back, Sammy." Dean's eyes shone with unsurpassed fury.

At first Sam thought Dean was angry at him for being unable to break the line but then he noticed his brother's gaze was directed somewhere behind him. He turned slowly around, fear masticating his insides.

There was another line that hadn't been there before. Or maybe it had been there all the time and he had turned a blind eye to it.

The line consisted of all the Supernatural beings and ghosts he and his family had gone up against through the years. His soul went cold and he became dizzy with fear when he saw what stood in the center.

It was a dark form radiating energy that was pure evil.

It spoke; its words dark and ominous. "Red rover."

Sam heard a heart wrenching scream behind him. He turned just in time to see his mom burning; his father yelling her name as he tried to save her.

"Red Rover."

"Sam!"

His gaze snapped toward Jessica's anguished cry just in time to see flames engulf her.

"No! Jess!" Sam screamed and tried to get to her but his limbs refused to obey his commands. He could only watch, horrified as she died all over again.

He sought out his friends but one by one they turned their backs on him as they faded away. Desperately he sought out Dean and his father but the eldest Winchester had vanished.

Only Dean remained.

He went to Sam's side. "I'm right there with you, little brother," he whispered.

The shadow pointed to Sam. "Sam Winchester come over."

Sam jackknifed in bed, barely suppressing a soul shattering scream from his lips. It came out a terrified whimper. Hands touched his shoulders and he shrank from them.

"Hey, easy Sammy." Dean said gently, cautiously.

Sam blinked and peered into his brother's worried expression. "Sorry I woke you," he mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Woke me?" Dean's chuckle couldn't hide his concern. "It's 3:30 in the afternoon. You fell asleep while I was researching our next gig."

Dean's intense stare made Sam uncomfortable, as if he was a bug under a microscope. He swung his long legs off the bed and stood up. "You ok, man?"

Sam cleared his throat. "I'm fine." Maybe, he thought, if he said it enough it might become true.

Suddenly feeling claustrophobic with the stale, recycled motel room air, Sam went to the door and pulled it open. He stood in the door way drawing in lung fulls of fresh, sweet air. The sound of children playing helped to bring him back to reality. Their laughter was somehow cathartic. As is their innocence could cleanse him of the ugliness that always remained after he woke up from his nightmares.

"They've been pretty loud," Dean said, referring to the children. "They've been playing outside the motel all afternoon."

Sam watched the group of children as they broke into two separate groups. His stomach tightened as they formed two distinct lines fifty feet apart. One side began shouting as loud as they could.

"RED ROVER RED ROVER! LET SAM COME OVER!"

A little blond haired boy broke from the other line, grinned at his teammates then raced like the wind toward the children. Sam could see the children tense, preparing for the onslaught.

Fear arced through Sam like a lightening bolt across the sky. Just before the little boy reach the line, Sam shut the door far too hard. He could feel his heart racing like a Thoroughbred in his chest.

"So…did you have a nightmare or one of your freaky visions?" It was said with a casual flippancy but Sam could see the uneasiness in his brother's eyes.

Sam leaned against the door and heard childrens' laughter. It sounded faintly ominous and he was sure he heard them calling his name again like malevolent demons calling him home.

"Sam?"

Sam looked up and realized Dean was waiting, watching him just like in his….

Nightmare? Vision? Was there a difference anymore?

He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart and pushed away from the door. "I don't know," he whispered.