Between Dusk And Dawn (BtVS/SPN)

[skylar0grace]

Now, you guys know that I hate posting unfinished fics because it is somewhat of a pet peeve of mine when I read a fic and it has been abandoned right in the middle of the good stuff but awesomegeek  asked me to upload this and I have every intention of finishing it because I think it's a great idea and needs to be finished. Plus it could have something to do with the OCD my hubby insists that I have :P   Either way, there should be updates but due to things happening in RL, they may not be as often as I usually update.

Title: Between Dusk And Dawn
Author: SkylarGrace.
Rating: M
Status: W.I.P.
Started: 27th January, 2010.
Summary: Two brothers, bound by tragedy and blood, will finally know where their lives have been leading – and how they will end.
Spoilers: To be on the safe side, I’m gonna say all of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Supernatural’.
Disclaimer: ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and all related characters are copyright Joss Whedon and ME. No infringement intended. ‘Supernatural’ and all related characters are copyright Eric Kripke, Kripke Enterprises & The CW Network. No infringement intended.
Notes: This is a response to a challenge awesomegeek  gave out at Paradise Lost but she told me about it so I decided to give it a shot myself.



Chapter One

Previously on Supernatural...

Dean ran down the corridor and gave a small cough as the smoke burned his throat. He spied his father coming out of the nursery.

“Daddy!”

John Winchester handed his youngest son to his eldest. “Take your brother outside as fast as you can! Don’t look back! Now Dean, go!”

He was scared and tired but something in his father's voice drove deeper than any emotion and he pulled Sammy closer to his chest, took a deep breath and ran as fast as his legs would take him.

-

Dean could smell the smoke in the living room and ran toward the closed bedroom door. Without even thinking, he kicked the door in and saw Sam lying on the bed, surrounded by flames.

“Sam! “

Sam continued to look at the ceiling and it was the name of his girlfriend escaping his lips that drew Dean's gaze upward. He held back the horror at the all-too-familiar scene playing out before him and ran to his brother's side. His cries to his brother remained unheard as Sam continued trying to reach Jess. Seeing no other option, Dean grabbed Sam by the lapels and hauled him from the room, ignoring his protests.

“We gotta get out of here.”

“Jess! No!”

The room became completely engulfed in flames and Dean dragged Sam out of the building and propped his grieving sibling up against the car. Sam continued to stare up at the building as a small explosion from their apartment sounded and glass rained down.

Dean left Sam to assess the situation as the emergencies crews arrived on the scene and when he returned he frowned in confusion upon seeing Sam loading a rifle by the trunk of the car. Sam looked up and met his gaze and Dean saw the moment his brother shut down and locked away the grief. Something he himself had been good at for many years but something Sam had never really managed to do – until now.

Sam sighed and nodded before throwing the rifle in the trunk. “We got work to do.”

-

“Dean, I'm sick. It's over for me. It doesn't have to be for you.”

Dean looked across at Sam. “No?”

“No, you can keep going.”

“Who says I want to?”

“What?”

Dean crossed to the opposing wall and put his gun to the side before sitting on the filing cabinet. If this was where it was all going to end...well...

“I'm tired, Sam. I'm tired of this job, this life . . . this weight on my shoulders, man. I'm tired of it. “

-

Dean closed his eyes in anguish before opening them and looking down at the cold stone in front of him.

“All of them. Everyone that you saved, everyone Sammy and I saved – they’re all dead. And there’s this woman that’s haunting me and I don’t know why. I don’t know what the connection is. Not yet, anyway. It’s like my old life is coming after me or something, like it doesn’t want me to be happy.

“Of course, I know what you’d say. Well, not the 'you' that played softball, but you’d say, “Go hunt the Djinn. It put you here, it can put you back. Your happiness over all those people’s lives? No contest.” Right? But why?” His voice broke and a tear rolled down his face. “Why is it my job to save these people? Why do I have to be some kind of hero? What about us, huh?”

-

“You know, when we were little - you couldn't been more than 5 - you just started asking questions. How come we didn't have a mum? Why do we always have to move around? Where'd Dad go when he'd take off for days at a time? I remember I begged you, "Quit asking, Sammy. Man, you don't want to know." Dean laughed softly at the conjured memory. “I just wanted you to be a kid... just for a little while longer. I always tried to protect you... keep you safe. Dad didn't even need to tell me. It was just always my responsibility, you know? It's like I had one job... I had one job...”

His voice broke. “And I screwed it up. I blew it. And for that, I'm sorry.” Dean wiped his face. “I guess that's what I do. I let down the people I love. I let Dad down. And now I guess I'm just supposed to let you down, too? How can I? How am I supposed to live with that?” Tears streamed freely down his face as he looked toward Sam's body for answers. “What am I supposed to do? Sammy. God. What am I supposed to do? “He lashed out in anger. “What am I supposed to do?!”

-

Dean looked toward the Crossroads Demon. “You'll bring him back?”

“I will. And because I'm such a saint, I'll give you one year. And one year only. But here's the thing. If you try and welch or weasel your way out, then the deal is off. Sam drops dead. He's back to rotten meat in no time. So... it's a better deal than your dad ever got. What do you say?”

Seeing no other choice, no other way to bring back Sam, he grabbed the demon by the shoulders and kissed her – sealing the deal.

-

Dean looked up as Sam handed him a wrapped gift. “Here. Take this.”

Dean shook his head. “No. No, it's for dad.”

“Dad lied to me. I want you to have it.”

“You sure?”

“I'm sure.”

Dean opened up the gift to reveal an amulet on a black necklace. He knew that Sam had meant it for their Dad and Dean had been hoping to keep the truth from Sam as long as possible. Dean had already had time to deal with the revelations of their father's shortfalls. Sam shouldn't have to. Not now. Not at Christmas.

“Thank you Sammy, I ... I love it.”

-

Sam looked at the clock incredulously. “It's Wednesday.”

“Yeah, usually comes after Tuesday. Turn that thing off.”

Sam threw off the blankets and pulled Dean into a hug. Dean stood still as Sam gripped on tightly before frowning in recognition.

“Dude, how many Tuesdays did you have?”

“Enough.”

-

“Why even risk it?”

“Because you're my brother. Because you did the same thing for me.”

Dean scoffed. “I know... and look how that turned out.”

Sam looked away and Dean pressed forward. “All I'm saying,” Dean said as he swallowed the small lump forming in his throat, “Sammy, all I'm saying is that you're my weak spot.” Sam looked up and Dean gave him a small smile. “You are. And I'm yours.”

-

Sam looked toward her panicked. “Well, there's gotta be something. There's gotta be some way, whatever it is, I'll do it.”

Dean grabbed his brother from behind.

“Don't Dean! I'm not gonna let you go to hell, Dean!”

“Yes, you are!”

Dean and Sam stared at each other and Dean took the opportunity to calm down.

“Yes, you are,” he said again, calmer. “I'm sorry. I mean this is all my fault, I know that. But what you're doing, it's not gonna save me. It's only gonna kill you.”

Dean's heart broke as Sam looked away with tears in his eyes. If he could have spared Sam this, he would have. But nothing was worth sacrificing Sam for.

“Then, what am I supposed to do?”

“Keep fighting. Take care of my wheels. Sam, remember what dad taught you... ok?” Sam nodded and Dean took a deep breath. “And remember what I taught you.”

-

“Slippery slope, brother. Just wait and see. Because it's gonna get darker and darker, and God knows where it ends.”

“I'm not gonna let it go too far.”

Dean smiled bitterly and walked away from Sam. His anger got the best of him and he lashed out, sending a lamp flying before crashing loudly.

“It's already gone too far, Sam. If I didn't you know... I would wanna hunt you.”Sam looked up at Dean tearful and nodded before looking down in shame. “And so would other Hunters.”

-

Dean hit Sam back in retaliation and knew he was losing the fight. Sam threw another punch, sending Dean to the floor and before he can get back up, Sam pinned him down and began choking him – cutting off his air supply in rage. He reluctantly let go before looking down at Dean, rage still obvious.

“You don't know me. You never did. And you never will,” he spat before getting up and walking away.

Dean sucked in what little air his lungs would allow and looked toward Sam, swallowing the blood in his mouth.

“You walk out that door, don't you ever come back.”

Sam stopped and looked back at Dean and Dean felt a small pang of guilt over using the same words their father had used all those years ago. He saw the emotion leave Sam's eyes and that alone was scarier than anything he'd seen before. Without a word, Sam turned around and closed the door after him.

-

Gabriel scoffed. “You sorry sons of bitches. Why do you think you two are the vessels? Think about it. Michael, the big brother, loyal to an absent father, and Lucifer, the little brother, rebellious of Daddy's plan. You were born to this, boys. It's your destiny! It was always you! As it is in heaven, so it must be on earth. One brother has to kill the other.

“What the hell are you saying?”

“Why do you think I've always taken such an interest in you? Because from the moment Dad flipped on the lights around here, we knew it was all gonna end with you. Always.”

Dean looked down as the words of the Angel sunk in before looking up and meeting the contemplative eyes of his brother.


Now...

“I guess it has all come down to this?”

Michael looked across at Lucifer. “You never could follow the rules.”

“The rules are bogus.”

“The rules are there to protect us. Only our Father knows all that has been and all that will be.”

“Your Father,” Lucifer spat, “I don't take orders anymore.”

Lucifer lashed out with his vessel's body and grinned as the fist connected with the face of the other man. A flurry of punches were exerted from both parties but Michael felt the wear and tear on his vessel's body more than Lucifer did. At least, he cared more.

His vessel, Dean Winchester, struggled within him and Michael fought to keep control. This fight, nay, this war, needed to end now and the only acceptable way would be with the downfall of Lucifer. As much as it grieved him to see a brother so fallen, God's will had to be done and humankind protected.

Michael pulled out the long, silver knife that had been given to him by his Father and Lucifer stepped back in surprise.

“You expect me to fall for that?”

Michael shook his head sadly. “It is no trick, no illusion. You brought this upon yourself when you rebelled and led others away. You must be stopped and there is no other way.”

“You would not sacrifice a human. He would not sacrifice a son.”

“It is sad indeed. But the vessel chose to be yours, just like this vessel chose to be mine. He knew where it would lead.”

“I can hear him screaming within you. He no more wants to be yours than this one does.”

“Not now. Not when they've realised where this will end. But they made the choice - they both knew the risks.”

Lucifer sneered and began circling around the blade. He pulled the knife from the waistband of his vessel's pants and lunged forward, the knife slicing through the elder Winchesters shirt and causing a deep gash along the bottom of his ribs. Ignoring the cry of pain, Lucifer lunged again but the move was caught by Michael and Lucifer fell to the ground harshly. He moved quickly to his feet and Michael looked across at him.

“You should have known you would never win. You were warned this would come to pass.”

“And yet, you are the one on the losing side.”

Michael shook his head and within his body, he heard his vessel's prayers for his brother not to be harmed. He closed his eyes in anguish and Lucifer saw it as an opportunity to strike. In a swift movement, he lunged forward again, the knife making contact with his opponents arm and slicing through the muscle, rendering it useless.

Michael swung just as swiftly and as his blade made contact with Lucifer's vessel, Lucifer screamed in fury. The blade had done its job and Lucifer struggled within his vessel. Michael wasted no time and plunged the knife into the heart of the now bound Lucifer. The blue eyes of his vessel opened wide in surprise and a warm light fell from above. Michael sagged as his Father finished the job and Sam Winchester fell to the ground free.

Michael smiled as he looked up and closed his eyes. A clap of thunder sounded and a blue light surrounded him. As the smile faded, Dean Winchester stepped back and blinked in surprise. The pain in his arm intensified as he tried to move his limbs. The registry of pain sparked another thought and he turned around in time to see Sam cough up blood. He fell to his knees beside his brother.

“Sammy?”

Sam's eyes rolled back in his head and Dean pulled him into his arms, ignoring the painwaves that blasted throughout his body.

“No Sammy, don't you do this again.” Sam lay still, his eyes closed and his facial muscles relaxed. Tears fell freely down his face. “Sam!”

He cried as he lay his brother back down on the cold ground and looked up at the sky.

“Why?” he screamed heavenward. “Why?”

The darkness seemed to envelop him and Dean closed his eyes in grief. He did what he was taught to do and he took a deep breath, pulling all of his emotions in and pushing them to the deepest recesses of his being. He opened his eyes and looked at his still brother.

Sam's face tightened in pain and Dean felt the air rush out of him. Without thinking, he pulled Sam toward him and saw Sam's eyes open and turn to look at him.

“Sammy?”

The blood from Sam's shirt began to lift and Dean noticed Sam's mouth open, a cough being draw into his mouth, taking the blood with it. Dean moved backward in horror and watched as Sam contorted in pain. As Sam began to lift up off the ground, Dean scrambled back.

“Sam?”

The whirring noise that had remained unnoticed previously became louder and Dean looked up in irritation. He saw, with confusion, that the world seemed to be spinning backward. When he looked back at Sam, he watched as the knife slid from Sam's chest. A deep laughter rang out and became louder and louder. Dean stood as he tried to locate the source of the laughter in what was turning out to be a very confusing situation and as he whirled around, he noticed a shadow nearby.

Stepping out from behind the tree, Dean watched as the man grinned a lopsided grin and he immediately felt like he'd been sucker punched.

“Well played Dean.”

Dean glared back.

“Alistair.”