Remember What You're Fighting For

By Visionairy

Coda to 6x08. S6 Spoilers. Crowley decides that Dean needs to be reminded of exactly what he's fighting for, and what he's risking by not following his rules. Follows directly after All Dogs Go to Heaven.

Chapter 2

Sam shuddered next to him, "Dean, I waited. I've been waiting and waiting for you and Dad to come get me, and all the time he .." Sam's head dropped to his hands and the sobbing took over again.

"Sammy," Dean gently urged. When he got no response, he started to pull over to the side of the road.

Sam's head flew up at the change. "Dean," he squealed. "No! Don't stop! Go .. keep going. You can't stop yet – you can't let him find us!"

Dean pulled back off the gravel and onto the road, picking up speed until Sam could breathe again. "Okay, okay … we're moving." He looked into his brother's panic-ridden eyes. "But Sammy, you've got to tell me what's going on."

Sam was practically hyperventilating. "Just get us back to Dad now! I'll tell you then – I'll tell you both then. I just, right now - I can't …"

Dean's features tightened. "Why are you talking about Dad?" John had escaped the pit five years ago. Dean depended on that. "Have you …," his voice dropped lower, "…have you seen Dad?"

"No ..." Sam shook his head, focusing on the floor, and the words began spilling out of him. "Look, I know I shouldn't have run away. It was crazy stupid. And I know … I know I brought this on myself, but … I've waited and I've waited … and he …" Sam's eyes slammed closed. "And .. he said you'd never come."

"Who, Sam? Crowley?"

"And …," Sam continued as another sob broke free, "… you never did. You didn't come …," Sam scooted closer, "… until now." He looked over at Dean to make sure he understood, "I promise Dean, I'll do everything you and Dad say. Everything! I'll never leave you guys again. Never! Just get me away. Don't ever let him take me back! Please."

Realization slowly dawned on Dean's face as he watched this familiar unfamiliar figure next to him. The shape, the size, was all grown-up Sam; but the voice, the words, the inflection - that he hadn't seen for years. Gently he reached over and rubbed Sam's back. "It's okay, buddy." His voice softened. "I got you now. I've got ya."

Pushing harder on the gas, Dean's hands tightened on the wheel. It may have taken a few minutes, but he knew what was what. There was the pit, and then there were the mental games they could put you through down there.

"Sammy, …" he gently squeezed his shoulder, "How old are you?"

Sam shifted, "What? You don't believe me?" Raising his voice, the octave went up again, "I didn't make this up, Dean! And I didn't hit my head, if that's what you're thinking." He glanced out the window. "Twelve, Dean, okay … I just turned twelve."

"Yeah, kiddo, I knew that." Dean sighed. "And it's okay. I got you now, and I can help you. Just relax. I'll get us somewhere safe, okay?"

Sam nodded tightly next to him and held on for all he was worth. The twelve year old gestures on a twenty-eight year old Sam were strange, but familiar. And no matter how he got his brother's soul back, he could work with it. It was still Sam. But at this point, he needed some help.

"Hey Sammy," He squeezed his brother's shoulder. "I'm going to call in some reinforcements to help us, okay?"

Sam nodded again, squeezing impossibly closer.

"Cas! " Dean yelled, "Cas! Seriously, get your angel wings down here. We need help, now!"

A voice immediately came to him over the back seat, "And such a shame ... must have been a bad connection."

"Crowley!" Dean pulled the car to a screeching halt and slid to the side of the road.

Sam took one look back at the demon and screamed, "No, Dean! No! "

"Time's up." Crowley smiled at Dean. "Sammy's got to go back now."

"Noooo," Sam wailed, "Dean, no! Please." He grabbed Dean's shoulder just as Dean tried to launch himself over the seat with a knife.

"Better listen to your brother, Dean," Crowley smiled and looked at his watch, "You've got less than a minute with him now."

Dean was torn between wanting to destroy Crowley and needing to reassure his terrified younger brother. And though it practically killed him, Dean knew instinctively which was more important.

Ignoring the audience, Dean grabbed Sam with both his arms and pulled him in tight, "If I can't stop this right now …"

Sam cried uncontrollably into his shirt. "Sam, listen to me." He pulled back so Sam could see his face, "Shhh… just listen." Sam quieted but pulled back in tight. "If you go back there, I will find you. I will never stop until I find you, and I will get you back."

Sam sniffed loudly.

"I will, Sam. Remember, this. Keep telling yourself this. I will never forget about you and I will never stop until I have you back." He gently shook his brother, "Do you understand? Do you trust me, Sam?"

He could feel a small nod against his chest. "Then trust this. You are a Winchester. You will survive this, and I will get you back. Don't you ever doubt that!"

Sam nodded again just as Crowley leaned forward. "Oh, now wasn't that just Lifetime-worthy. Suck it up boys, times up."

Dean launched himself over the seat at the demon, but by the time he reached the back, Crowley was already smiling at him from outside the door. And as Dean moved to jump out after him, Sam slumped limp at Dean's side.

"Sammy!" He grabbed his brother's shoulders and leaned him carefully back against the door. "Sammy?" He pressed his fingers against his throat and could feel a strong pulse there. "Come on, buddy. Wake up. Please, Sam. I gotcha'."

Sam blinked sluggish hazel eyes open.

Dean leaned forward, "Sammy, are you okay?"

Sam straightened up. "Yeah, I'm okay." His expression hardened, "But, you do realize Crowley's right behind you."

Dean shifted backwards. The deeper tone of his brother's voice had returned. "You're not Sammy anymore, are you?"

Sam shrugged his shoulders, "Sorry."

"Is he in there?" Dean prodded, "Can you feel him in there at all."

Sam was quiet for a moment, then actually had the nerve to look relieved. "Nope, no sign of the kid."

It was all Dean could do not to punch the flippancy right out of him. Flinging the door open instead, he barreled out towards Crowley. "Bring him back. You hear me! Bring him back now!"

"Oh, look at you. Always over the top with you, isn't it."

"I'm not anywhere near the top, Crowley. Bring him back now!"

"Sorry, Dean. No can do." The demon oozed smarm. "I only had him out on loan."

"But you've got him convinced he's just a kid." Dean swiped a hand across his face.

"Gigantor?" Crowley pointed to all 6'4" of Sam that was coming around to join them. "I don't think he was ever a kid."

"I swear, Crowley - if you don't …"

"Oh, I'd stop right there hot shot. You and I both know there's nothing you can do about it right now." He walked over and casually wiped a smudge off the black paint of the Impala's back door. "But bring me some nice Alpha's, and little Sammy can come back to play for good."

Dean's gut reaction to punch Crowley's nose out through the back of his skull was less than successful. His fist hit air and as he spun, the demon appeared behind him. Sam reached out to steady his brother, but Dean just backed away.

"You see, Dean, it didn't escape my attention that you had the chance to give me a nice Alpha puppy for the holidays. Even he was on board for it." He gestured to the taller Winchester, "Weren't you Sam?"

Sam just stared right back.

"But no. You had to go all righteous on me and you chose to kill the Alpha rather than giving him … to me." He shook his head as if greatly disappointed. "Such a shame, too. If you'd just brought him to me, little Sammy could be spending the holidays with you and 'Uncle' Bobby." Shrugging his shoulders at Sam, he turned back to Dean. "And now he'll be spending it back in the cage. But, you know, I'm sure Lucifer can come up with a few things for his entertainment." He smiled and stepped toward Dean. "There is a bright side, though. Lucky for you … he doesn't even know why he's still there."

He turned to the darker haired hunter, "Bet that'll teach you not to run away again, huh?"

Dean's insides twisted at the thought of a twelve-year-old Sam enduring what hell had to offer. "You Sonofabitch!"

"Careful, Dean. You know there are so many other scenarios we could provide for him." Crowley stepped close into Dean's personal space. "I just want to make sure you get my point. If I were you, I'd concentrate on bagging those nasty little Alphas for me." He shrugged his shoulders. "With any luck, you could still have the little brat back for New Years. Kind of poetic, that."

And Crowley was gone.

All the color drained from Dean's face as he staggered back and dropped into the driver's seat of the Impala. Crowley had made his point in the worst way possible. Knowing Sam's soul was out there, and that he needed it back was so much more esoteric than knowing that the part of Sam that was Sammy was still suffering in the pit. Crowley was right, he had lost focus.

And as he watched the shell of his brother casually walking around to get in on the other side, Dean vowed that whether this Sam really wanted it or not, he was going to get his brother - his Sammy - back. If necessary, he'd just have to be motivated enough for the both of them. After all, he'd promised. And this was one promise that he was never going to break.

The End

(Pleeease let me know what you think.)