The Fall

AN: I would once again like to extend mega thanks to Ridley C James and Tidia for creating this wonderful universe, and for allowing us mere mortals to play in their sandbox. I can only hope I've stayed true to the characters they and Erik Kripke created.

AN: It's 3am, so this isn't my best work, but should you happen to forgive me and continue reading, please know that the story is finished (and the sequel started). I love hurt Dean, and I love freaking out worried Caleb, so there's a lot of that in here. Minor warning for language.

SPN FW BR SPN FW BR THE BROTHERHOOD SPN FW BR SPN FW BR

"Damien, if you keep staring at me, I'm going to start spreading some really nasty rumours about your sexuality," Dean growled, feeling the heat of his friend's eyes on him once again.

"So that's it? Just like that?"

"We have our orders," Dean sighed, accepting that Caleb was pissed, but also knowing there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. "It's our fault anyway. If we had just told him we had plans, instead of trying to sneak out-"

"Johnny would still have us out here, digging around a building that passed ancient a few hundred years ago," Caleb finished. "Fun isn't in the great Knight's vocabulary these days."

Dean turned his flashlight to his current tormentor. "What do you want me to say?" he demanded. Because he would love to know. Reaves lived in a world of choices- something completely foreign to Dean. He did what he had to to survive in his own world. He didn't have to like it- but he did have to live in it. Something he'd thought his best friend understood.

Caleb winced at the turmoil of emotions running through the younger man. Okay, so it wasn't fair to take his frustrations out on Dean. He was angry, but that was no reason to make Dean feel like he had to choose between his father and his best friend. He'd already been forced to take sides once and it had nearly destroyed him. They were just finally starting to get him back.

"You have anything on the EMF?" Caleb replied, his own personal brand of apology.

"You have anything on that psychic radar of yours?" Dean carefully accepted the olive branch Caleb was offering. "We both know this place is a bust, so let's just check out every square inch like good little soldiers then get back."

Caleb nodded, not liking the resignation in the normally fiery teen's demeanour. He grinned. "We could always skip out."

Dean snorted, turning away, not even bothering to respond. That would have them both running manoeuvres with full gear for a week, full fledged hunters or not. While it might have been worth the risk at one point, he wasn't willing to push his father these days.

"Why don't you go check out that corner, over by the conveyor belt?" Dean suggested, determined to get this so called hunt over with. His father had heard about it from the locals. It didn't seem to fit with his current hunt, and Caleb had made the unfortunate mistake of showing up looking for a good time.

While they hadn't actually tried to sneak out, Caleb had made it clear he was ready for some action, and needed his wing man along. It was the end before the beginning when he'd stated to Dad that Dean was coming with him.

The ensuing fight had been loud, and it had drained what little energy Dean had been able to muster after two days without much sleep. Dad was being tight lipped about his hunt, and to be honest, Dean hadn't been much more than back up. Still, the threat to Dad's authority had been clearly registered.

In an effort to to garner peace, Dean had agreed to check out the old factory, while Caleb could continue with his evening out. He'd understood Reaves had felt betrayed, but he didn't understand. Dad had been going through a rough time of late. They all had their own ways of dealing with Sam's departure, and subsequent lack of communication. Going extreme commando on anything evil was John's. Even as he'd said it, he'd known Dad would let him go, if only to make Damien feel guilty. It didn't matter. Both boys had known the minute John put out the order that they'd go. Dean preferred to do it with as little attention as possible, while Damien preferred to make his defeat as dramatic as possible.

"Deuce?" Caleb placed a gentle hand on his friends shoulder, narrowing his eyes when slightly unfocused green eyes met his. "Where were you? You kinda phased out on me there."

Snapping himself out of his thoughts, Dean offered a thin smirk. "As far away from your prattling as I could get. Come on." The teen moved away from the touch. He really just wanted to be done and hopefully in bed within the next hour. Lucifer would just have to have his fun without him. He wouldn't be great company anyway.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Damien, quit your blubbering."

"The only reason you're not crying with me is because you didn't see the hotties I had lined up for us tonight," Caleb winked. "Ignorance being bliss and all that."

"If anyone-"

"Deuce, you continue that and I won't ever buy you dinner again!" Caleb growled.

"Dude, privacy!"

"Like I have to be in your head to know what you're going to say."

Dean paused, then turned around and grinned. "Does that mean you're buying me dinner after this?"

"Don't I always? There's a couple of steaks with our names on them just around the corner." Johnny's order to report back be damned. Deuce needed some time away from the man.

He wished he had shown up sooner, in fact. The dark circles under the pale man's eyes were clear signs that John was pushing him hard. Caleb mentally swore at his mentor. He understood John was running- was determined to keep the one remaining son tightly reigned in. He knew equally that it wasn't necessary- that Dean wasn't going anywhere.

If he had to be honest, if only with himself, Caleb was a little scared for his friend. He wondered how many times John could break the boy before there was nothing left of him. Sam leaving for college had ripped out of huge piece of his heart and soul. He didn't even have to use his abilities to know Deuce was barely holding it together, and as much as he wanted to, Reaves really had no idea how to help.

Jim and his father were in the same boat. They could see as clearly as he what was happening, but were helpless to help. John didn't want it, and if they pushed too hard, that threat of the Winchesters simply disappearing was even more dangerous now than it had been. John wouldn't hesitate, and Dean- Dean had nothing left to fight with.

The old building groaned, bringing his attention back to the task at hand. As Dean had said, there weren't any ghosts here. This recon mission was a waste of time. Winchester was just being pissy.

"Deuce, let's go get those steaks," Caleb suggested. "We're done here."

Dean took one last glance at the dead EMF reader in his hand, and nodded. If there had been something here, Reaves would have picked up on it. "Yeah, all right." He took two steps forward, ready to do one last sweep, when both boys froze at the 'CRACK' that rumbled through the old factory. They tensed when that loud sound echoed out and they could hear smaller cracks making their way through the floor.

Caleb glanced down, seeing the splits in the concrete were spreading out from where Dean was standing. The factory was old enough that a lot of the floor support could have fallen into the basement.

"Don't move," he ordered, throwing up a hand to stop the hunter.

"Yeah, I got that," Dean answered tensely, his eyes following the zig zagging lines. They were spreading out in all directions. It didn't take an architect to know he was screwed. Even if the floor underneath him continued to hold his weight, one wrong move and that hole would open up. It likened to standing on a landmine.

And he figured his chances were about as good.

"Deuce!" Caleb growled, licking his lips, sensing the younger man's thoughts.

"Now might be a good time to get out your cell, Damien. We both know I'm going down any minute now. Having someone know we're in trouble would probably be a good idea," Dean answered calmly.

Caleb snapped open his phone, hitting the speed dial hard, as if it would make the call go through faster. He closed his eyes in frustration when John's voice mail picked up. "Johnny. We're at the factory. There's trouble." He hung up, furious that the Knight had sent them out and didn't bother to monitor his cell phone as back up.

"You need to go," Dean spoke up.

"What?"

"Those cracks are heading right for you. If you won't go we'll both go down and then we'll really be fucked," Dean pointed out. He felt the floor beneath him give a little. It wasn't going to hold for much longer. He was familiar enough with how these old factories were built to know that once the floor actually gave out, the whole building wouldn't be far behind. He met the amber eyes and didn't need to be psychic to know what Reaves was considering doing. "Don't even think about it, Damien. This whole floor is about to go. Even if you got me off this spot, there's nowhere safe to land."

Caleb hated how calm Dean was being. His own heart felt like it was running a marathon. Dean was right, of course. There was nothing he could do- no benefit to staying with the younger man. At least if he went for help, they'd be able to get medical attention sooner.

But it went against every instinct he had. He understood it was the smarter thing to do, but, damnit, it just wasn't in him to leave a Winchester in trouble. Especially not Dean.

He winced when he felt acceptance rolling off his friend. Dean expected to die here, tonight- and was pretty okay with it, even a little relieved. His only concern was for Caleb, of getting him out of there before the inevitable happened. Dean was willing to let his father ruin his life- but he wasn't willing to sacrifice anyone else's just so John could prove a point.

"Don't you do that, Deuce," Caleb snarled, furious with the young man for his thoughts, for his total lack of self preservation and unyielding loyalty to an ass. He swore then and there that once they got out of here, he owed John a fat lip, Knight or no.

"You have to go," Dean repeated as he sank a little lower. One more would see him going right through. "We don't have time to argue."

"I'm not leaving you," Caleb hissed, desperately looking around for anything to help.

Dean assessed the situation, frantic now. Caleb was still standing on relatively solid ground. It wouldn't be for much longer. There was a small chance still to save his stubborn ass of a best friend.

Jade eyes met amber, and Caleb shook his head even as Dean pushed his weight down, the floor giving way under the applied pressure.

"Dean!"

But it was too late, the whole building shook and rumbled as the concrete floor disappeared- taking Dean with it.