Title: The Council of Elrond…er, Bobby. (Possession 'Verse)

Fandom: Supernatural

Genre: Romance/Humor

Pairing: Sam/Dean

Rating: PG-15 (I know, again, no porn. Blame the plot.)

Disclaimer: I pawned my textbooks to pay for gas (seriously!), so suing me wont do much good…

Spoilers: all knowledge through "In Jus Bello" is assumed.

Summery: "One does not simply walk into Hell." Hey Sam, Does that make you Frodo?

AN: The cracky Lord of the Rings references were just too hard to resist! XD Anyway we get to find out a bit more about Dean's time in Hell…not much but it's a start.

They all sat around Bobby's worn and much abused kitchen table. Ruby was on Sam's left and Bobby on his right. They were all silent, the tension in the air palpable, and even Dean seemed to be waiting for someone else to speak first. It was Bobby who finally took up the task.

"You're going to need a plan," he said. "One doesn't just walk into Hell."

Sam felt the tension snap and he couldn't help the laughter bubbled out of him at Bobby's word choice.

Both Bobby and Ruby turned to look at him incredulously.

"Sam?"

"You…Mordor…holy fuck!" Sam gasped out between laughs.

Lord of the Rings Sam? Dean asked echoing his amusement at Sam's train of thought. Does that make you Frodo?

Dude, I'd be the tallest fucking hobbit ever. Sam sniggered. 'sides that would make you the One Ring. That's pretty girly, being a piece of jewelry.

Shaddup. Dean grumbled.

"Sam?" Bobby asked again.

"Sorry, Bobby." Sam said, getting control of himself. He turned to Ruby. "So what do we know?"

"Well, they are keeping his body under guard in the City of Dis." Ruby began.

"Really? That's a real place?" Sam interrupted.

"Well you sure wont be the first human to walk into Hell," Ruby said pointedly. "He took a lot of artistic license but the basic idea is there."

"See," Sam grinned at Bobby. "Someone else made it there and back again."

Dean chuckled in his head. You really are Hobitzilla.

Sam bit his lip to keep from laughing again. "Okay, so they've got it under guard, but why not just destroy it? I mean, they have to know I'm going after it now." He asked.

Ruby looked at him but Sam knew she was looking for Dean's approval of her next words and not his.

Go ahead. Dean said shortly, all humor gone from his tone.

"Because they can't destroy it; not if they ever hope to get their claws in Dean. He has to be the one to destroy it. It's the Final Act." Ruby said.

"The Final Act?" Sam repeated. He felt Dean draw back and curl in on himself a little.

Ruby sighed. "No matter what type of deal you make, how you promise your soul the Final Act that binds you fully to them, destroying your body, has to be willing. It's always been Free Will. Even we can't get around that. We can twist you, torture you, until you'd give us whatever we want but in the end it's always your choice."

Sam blinked. He'd learned more about demons in the last five minutes then in the last five years of hunting.

"We busted Dean out before it came to that, but they have to keep it safe if they want him back."

"At least according to that bounty hunter guy they do." Sam said.

Ruby snorted. "Of course they do, Sam. Control your brother, control you. They all know that. They just didn't count on Dean getting out and finding you first. Of course the reverse is true but they didn't figure that out until too late either."

"What do you mean?" Sam frowned.

Dean curled in on himself a little more.

"How do you think I kept Dean mostly in one piece?" Ruby asked. "I used you, Sam. I threw every memory of you I could dredge out of his head. I had to give him something to hold onto, remind him that there was someone who needed him Topside."

"Oh." Sam wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to that. He gave Dean a mental nudge. Dean?

I'm still not talking about it. Dean said firmly.

I know. Sam replied, but he didn't like the way Dean had retreated. Dean moved in close again but Sam could still feel his brother's tenseness.

"Anyways, I can get you to the City. As long as Dean stays in control and you keep your face covered, I think we can get that far without anyone realizing who you are." Ruby continued.

Sam? Dean said suddenly.

Yeah, Dean?

We don't have to do this. You don't have to….I don't want you in Hell, Sam. Dean said at last.

Dean, we discussed this. I appreciate that you want to protect me, but I'm going to save you this time. Sam said flatly. So don't even start.

Dean sighed. I just don't want you to have to know what it's like down there.

Then let's get in and out as fast as we can.

"The biggest problem, besides actually getting at Dean's body, will be getting into Hell itself." Ruby said. "You'll have to use a Gate if you want to go in corporeal, which you'll have to be to haul his body out."

"Well, I've got the Colt, right? That should open the one in Wyoming." Sam reasoned.

"Wait, just a damn minute!" Bobby interjected. "You can't just open a Devil's Gate, Sam! You're gonna let more things out then just Dean's body."

"We don't have a choice. Ruby and I will go in. We'll leave the Colt back with you and you can close the Gate behind us." Sam was deceptively calm. Bobby recognized the tone: it was the same dead, almost complacent, voice Sam had used when planning out the battle against Lilith.

"And how do you plan on getting out again?' Bobby asked carefully. He also remembered how dangerous and unpredictable Sam had been then.

"We set a time limit. You open the Gate to let us out only then. If we aren't there…" Sam shrugged. "We didn't make it."

Dean snarled his own protest at that. You are getting out. I don't care about what happens to me but you will get out again.

Dean, I know the risks. Sam said, his voice laden with emotion for Dean alone. I won't go back to what I was before. I wont survive losing you again.

Dean grumbled at the implied 'end of discussion' in Sam's tone but he wasn't about to test Sam's mood right now either. He knew better then the others exactly what Sam had been like before. Sam and Ruby settled back into a deep discussion about possible routes to take as Ruby gave a vague description of the landscape of Hell. Bobby made himself known with several more objections but Dean remained silent; only half-listening to a conversation that should interest him deeply.

Instead his mind turned, unwillingly, back to his time in Hell. He remembered the tortures, the heat, the pain. He remembered the screams and the smell of blood, bile and death. But mostly he remembered Ruby's near constant, hidden, presence and the memories she flung at him.

One memory in particular that he had latched onto. It had been his secret before; the one thing he'd never told another living soul. It was something he always kept all to himself and he had used it to remember what he was.

&x&

Late that night Sam lay awake in bed, sleep an elusive companion at best, and was troubled by Dean's continued silence. He knew Dean didn't like the idea of Sam going into Hell, no matter how bad he wanted his body back, but even that didn't explain his sudden withdrawal. It was most likely that Ruby's talk about Hell had opened some wounds and Sam was at a loss as how to help.

Dean? He sent another mental nudge at his brother.

I'm not really in the mood to talk Sam. Dean replied.

I told you I'm not going to pry and I wont, but I don't like to feel you hurting. Sam replied, knowing he was going to get called a girl.

Stop being such girl, Sam. I'm fine if just a little off balance at the moment. Dean replied.

Suffer the chick-flick, dude. I just want to know if there is anything I can do to help. Sam said.

Dean was quiet again for a moment. Sam, do you remember that summer we spent at Pastor Jim's? You had just turned fifteen. Dad was working some long complicated job and I had screwed up my leg pretty bad so he left us both behind.

Sam wasn't sure where this was going but he went with it. Yeah, you were really pissed about not being able to go and I spent a month buried in my books hoping to get a head start for the next school year. Why?

Dean snorted. Remember the big church barbeque?

Sam made a face. Yeah, I was in charge of keeping track of all the food and donations. I think that was because no one trusted you not to run off with the money.

Dean chuckled in amusement. Probably a valid fear. Anyway remember that stupid dance thing they had that night?

I remember it being a square dance and me hating every second of it. I had to dance with all the little girls while the pretty older ones fussed over you and your 'heroic wound.' Sam said, amused.

Heh, yeah. You were really pissed at me up until I stole a couple of bottles the sacramental wine. You and I snuck off and drunk ourselves silly.

I do have a few vague memories of singing show tunes to the stars, yes. Sam said still unsure of why Dean was brining this up. Why? You want to repeat our dreadful duet?

Oh, God no. Dean said. I just wanted to see if you remembered it is all.

Yeah. That was one of my favorite summers. I ignored my books after that night and you stopped moping about being left behind. We did a bunch of stupid, normal, teenager stuff. It was the closest we ever had to a proper childhood. Sam replied. There was no bitterness there anymore just a sense of wistfulness and memories.

It was one of mine too. Dean said quietly.

There was a bittersweet note in his voice that Sam couldn't quite understand, but he got the feeling that his and Dean's reasons for remembering that summer were completely different.

Why was it yours? Sam asked, knowing he probably wouldn't get an answer but, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Dean was predictably evasive. No reason in particular. He snuggled in close to Sam again as he always did at night now. Get some sleep. We have to nail down the specifics of our plan yet. It's going to be a long day.

Sam yawned, his mind eased now that Dean was no longer brooding just out of reach. Ok. 'Night, Dean.

Dean waited until Sam was asleep before replying to the earlier question he had dodged. That was the summer I fell in love with you. He said, mostly because he'd never really said it before, especially since Sam couldn't hear him. But that's my secret, Huh?

AN: wow I didn't really expect a chance to work on this so soon. school is really hectic but I found some time this weekend. go me! more will be forthcoming...when I get another break in my school work.