The Winchester Three (S1): The Beginning

Ch 10 Section 3

 Angel readied her guns as Sam entered the room with duffle bags that were filled with the weapons and supplies in the impala. Dean was on the other side of the room trying to get a hold of John but, like every other time, got his voicemail.

"We think we've got a serious lead on the thing that killed Mom. So, uh, this warehouse- it's 1435 West Erie. Dad, if you get this, get to Chicago as soon as you can."

When he hung up Sam looked over, "Voicemail?"

"Are you surprised?" Angel scoffed as she shook her head, "It's just... where the hells has he been all this time? He can't pick up the phone once."

"Ang..." Dean squeezed her arm, "He'll be here if he can be."

"Yeah... we'll see."

"You know... we could've used Asas help..."

She glared, "It's not his fight, Dean. I'm not letting this piece of trash take anyone else I care about. You two are lucky I didn't send you down the road with him."

"Alright, alright." Dean turned to Sam noticing the bags he brought in, "Geeze, what'd you get?"

"I ransacked that trunk. Holy water, every weapon that I could think of. Exorcism rituals from about a half dozen religions." Sam looked everything over, "I'm not sure what to expect, so I guess we should just expect everything."

Dean nodded and the three of them silently began to load their guns.

Dean nods and the three of them begin loading their guns silently.

Dean sighed as he loaded his rocksalt gun and shot a look to Sam and Angel, "Big night."

"Yeah."

Angel's eyes raked over her brother's faces, silently searching them, "You boys nervous?"

"No."

"Nah."

"Are you?"

"Not really, no."

Silence fell amongst them again before Sam broke it, "God, could you imagine if we actually found that damn thing? That demon?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, all right?"

"I know. I'm just sayin', what if we did? What if this whole thing was over tonight? Man, I'd sleep for a month. Go back to school- be a person again."

Dean's eyes cut to him, "You wanna go back to school? "

"Yeah, once we're done huntin' the thing."

"Huh."

Angels' eyes flicked between them as they spoke. She noted the disappointment and hurt in Dean's face. She knew what he wanted. She kind of wanted it to but it wasn't in the cards with their Dad and Sammy. Hell even Angel herself found it hard to get along with the man most of the time. Which was why she took a lot of solo jobs.

"Why?" Sam cleared his throat looking between them, "Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, Sam." Angel offered a tight smile before sending a dismissive eye to Dean, "That's great if that's what you wanna do. We support it."

He nodded but noted the tension between them that surfaced, "I mean, what are you two gonna do when it's all over?"

Dean got up from his seat, sending a look over his shoulder, "It's never gonna be over."

Sams brows furrowed, "What's he talking about?"

"The fact that the job is never over, Sam. We're never gonna be done." Angel reloaded her gun as she avoided his eye, "I mean, at least for me i know i'm not gonna be done. That's how the cards are laid out for me. I know too much about everything out there. There's gonna be others."

"Shes right." Dean agreed, "There's always gonna be somethin' to hunt."

"Wait- But guys there's gotta be something that you want for yourselves-"

"Yeah, Sam." Dean cut off irritatedly, "I don't want you to leave the second this thing's over."

"Dude, what's your problem?"

Dean stood silent for a second before he turned to Sam, "Why do you think I drag you guys everywhere? Huh? I mean, why do you think we came and got you at Stanford in the first place?"

"'Cause Dad was in trouble. 'Cause you two wanted to find the thing that killed Mom."

"Partly." Angel smiled, "Not the whole reason, though."

"It's more than that, man... You and Angel and me and Dad- I mean, I want us... I want us to be together again. I want us to be a family again."

"Dean, we are a family. I'd do anything for you. For both of you, for all of you, but things will never be the way they were before."

Dean looked at him with heartbroken sad eyes, "Could be."

Angel frowned as her heart broke from the disappointment in Dean's eyes, "Boys... just drop it."

"No wait." Sam looked between the two of them, "I don't want them to go back. I'm not gonna live this life forever. When this is all over... Both of you are gonna have to let me go my own way." He frowned at the look in their eyes but didn't concede, "I'm sorry but... that's just the way it is."

In the warehouse...

Sam, Dean and Angel climbed the elevator gate and reached the top room. Meg was standing at the altar, speaking in an ancient language. Quietly, Sam, Dean and Angel squeezed through the space between the gate and the wall. They drew their guns and moved to the other side of the room, hiding behind some crates.

"Winchesters." Meg growled causing the three to stop and look at each other, stunned, "Hiding is a little bit childish, don't you think?"

"Great." Dean scoffed, "Well, that didn't work out like I planned."

Meg turned to face them, "Why don't you come out?" The three obeyed and she instantly turned to smirk at Sam, "Sam, I have to say, this puts a real crimp in our relationship."

He scoffed, "Yeah, tell me about it."

"So..." Angel studied her and then their surroundings, "Where are your friends?"

"Around." She grinned at Angel before turning to Dean, "You know, that shotgun's not gonna do much good."

"Oh, don't worry, sweetheart." He cocked it, "The shotgun's not for the demon."

"So, who is it, Meg?" Sam asked, "Who's coming? Who are you waiting for?"

"You."

As she stared them down, the shadow demon began to form on the wall. It knocked Sam to the ground before throwing Angel and then Dean into the crates, incapacitating them. A claw-like scratch appeared on Sam's face before he blacked out as well.