What Would Be But Never Was (A Supernatural AU Fanfic)

Chapter 4 - The Great Gig In The Sky

        After picking up the prescription medicine from CVS, the Winchester family headed back home. The car ride there was filled with a calming silence - like the kind after a huge storm has ripped through a small town, flipping cars and tearing down power lines until there's nothing much left. People start crawling out from their safety chambers, and they make anew with what they have. That was the Winchester family now; picking their way through the wreckage.

        Once home, Dean carried his little brother into the house groom and bride style, and laid him gently on his bed upstairs. When he tried leaving the room, Sam awoke and called his name. Dean sighed tiredly, just wanting to go to his own bed and get lost underneath the soft, warm covers.

        "What is it, Sammy?" he asked him, heading back to the bedside and kneeling by Sam's side. Sam's eyes flicked around Dean's face as if they were looking, searching, aching to know something.

        "I remember in the hospital- you came into my room crying...what happened?" he asked innocently. Dean grinned sadly and took his little brother's hand in his own and squeezed it.

        "We'll talk about it once you've rested up more." Dean finalized the talk to a short sentence, leaving no room for argument. Sam opened his mouth to object, but closed it without a word, silently agreeing. Dean then patted Sam's hand he was holding and stood. Before leaving the room though, Dean turned back with a wistful look at Sam.

        "Oh, Sam...I know you were lying to the doctors about not knowing what happened to you." he noted simply. Sam looked taken aback and totally appalled.

        "What made you think that?!" he asked worriedly, shrinking back into his bed. Dean grinned sadly.

        "Mom and I heard you muttering in your sleep before we got to CVS." he chuckled, a hint of sorrow lining his voice. Sam pouted and Dean left the room, his grin turning into a fretted smile.

_______________________________________________

        Days passed before Sam was able to work up the courage to talk about what had happened to him that fateful night.

        "I had just gotten off the phone with Mom when something in my blind spot whacked me hard against the head." Sam said out of the blue a few days later while riding around in the Impala with Dean. It was the first in many days that he'd been able to get outside of the house. He'd secretly been aching for a chance to talk with Dean alone without their mother hovering over him every five seconds. Dean looked over at him quizzically, but nodded for him to continue.

        "The next thing I knew, I was being dragged down the embankment across from Edible Vibe and there were these people there that were...well, they had black eyes and were laughing at me and punching and slashing knives at me! I tried screaming for help and praying for them to stop but for some reason I couldn't make a sound and felt so helpless!! I thought that was gonna be the end of me, Dean, I really did. I could've sworn they were going to kill me and I had no clue what I'd done to deserve it.. But they didn't kill me. I'm here with you, and I still have no idea why they did it, and then didn't do it. It's like something stopped them..." he shuddered as Dean decided to pull the car over. They were surrounded by forestry which provided both ominous and calm feelings to the two brothers.

        "Its OK, Sam. You're here now, safe, and that's all that matters." Dean reassured him, turning to his little brother after turning the car off.

        "I know, and I can't believe it - though I'm thankful for it - I just-" Sam paused for a moment, wiping a small tear from the corner of his eye, "I just don't wanna live here anymore. Especially with what happened to E-" now he was the one to stop himself short.