The Dream I Dreamed (A Dean Winchester Love Story)

Chapter 16: Soft As Thunder

Chapter 16 Soft As Thunder

Hope and Cas stood next to Sam's unconscious body, watching Dean pace back and forth across the room. "A demon and an angel walk into my brother. Sounds like a bad joke." He muttered.

"Dean, if this doesn't work..." Cas started.

Dean shook his head. "It'll work." He said firmly. Hope stepped up to him and took his hand, stopping his pacing. She squeezed his fingers gently.

****************

Sam sat at a table in the bunker, flipping through a book. "I mean, it just doesn't make any sense." He complained. "Why is this ghoul only chomping on dead cheerleaders?"

"Hey, you want a beer?" Dean called from the other room.

"No, I'm fine."

Suddenly, Crowley appeared in front of him. "Not bad."

Sam shot to his feet, shocked. "Dean? Dean!"

"Poughkeepsie." Crowley said.

"How do you know that word?" Sam asked warily.

"Because Dean sent me, Bullwinkle, the real Dean." Crowley replied matter-of-factly. "I'll make this quick--you've been possessed by an angel. He's got you packed away in some dusty corner of your own mind, and I'm here to break you out."

"Seriously?" Sam asked, his tone saying that he didn't believe a word of the demon's explanation.

Crowley shrugged. "Fine. We'll do this the fun way." He picked up Dean's gun from the table and shot Sam in the chest. The hunter looked down, shocked to see that he was not even bleeding. "See?" Crowley asked. "Not real. Like I said. I know how possession works, Sam." He insisted. "You've seen everything that he's seen, even if you can't remember. That's what I need you to do. I need you to remember."

Sam closed his eyes, concentrating. Memories from times when Gadreel was in control bombarded him; himself in a hospital bed, killing demons, talking to Dean, and, finally, burning Kevin's eyes out with his own hand. His face fell as he put the pieces together. "Did I kill Kevin?" he asked, his voice small.

"No, you didn't. He did." Crowley told him. "You need to take control, Sam. Blow it up and throw that punk-ass holy roller out!" Sam looked up to see Gadreel in his old vessel standing behind Crowley. "What?" the demon asked. "Oh, bollocks."

"Hello, Sam." Gadreel said.

Sam's brow furrowed. "Who are you?"

"His name is Gadreel, the original chump." Crowley answered.

"Was a chump." Gadreel corrected. "And now? I'm going to be a hero. But you, demon," he turned to Crowley, "for all your chatter, you will always be a coward." He said. "You should be running."

Crowley punched Gadreel in the face. The angel struck back, hurling him over the table. Sam rushed forward only to be thrown backwards over the table as well. Gadreel wrapped his fingers around Sam's throat, strangling him.

"Give up, boy." the angel spat. "You're not strong enough."

"Take control, Sam!" Crowley shouted. "Cast him out!"

Sam struggled to speak. "Get out of my-" he managed.

"Are you sure you want me to go?" Gadreel questioned. "Maybe I'm the only thing holding you together. I leave, you might die."

Sam flipped Gadreel off of him and stood, pressing his foot to the angel's neck. "I said get...the hell...out!"

A white light flooded from Sam's body and out the window of the warehouse, startling Dean, Hope, and Castiel. Red smoke followed soon after, pouring into Crowley's mouth. Sam gasped, regaining consciousness. Hope, Dean, and Cas ran to him.