These Broken Roads

The Last Winchester Standing

This is my first fanfic and it's a little rough but I hope y'all like it anyway. The story started out canon for the season 11 finale but then it kind of took its own path.
I might write more chapters and if I do they will be very close to the actual events in the beginning of season 12.

Walking away from everyone and everything Dean had ever known. That was the task Dean was faced with. As hard as it was, Dean still went, bright with the light of a thousand souls. The place they sat within him burned with an ache so deep Dean could barely keep his legs from buckling. Which would send him crashing to the ground, and promptly end the world.

Dean knew he couldn't show how much it hurt though. He had people who care about him and there was no way they would let Dean suffer alone. But they won't be coming, if Dean had anything to do with it. He had to do this alone.

The souls in Dean's chest pulse. Once. Twice. Three times. Each time he stumbled, a wave of pain almost making him black out. Dean banished the darkness to the edge of his vision though. Dean sure that he was watching.

Sam Winchester. Sam, Sammy. Dean's baby brother. He is the reason he was doing this. The rest of the world can burn for all Dean cared. It never loved him. Never gave him anything. The world never caught him when he fell and showed him the light. As much as Dean gave, the world never gave a crap.

Sammy seemed to thrive in this world however. Sammy could get married, have a couple kids, a real job, and a white picket fence. Heaven knew he deserved it. Dean chuckled dryly at that, it was funny because angels were the last beings in Heaven, or Earth, or Hell that could ever understand his brother, let alone Dean himself. Except Castiel.
   
Cas. He was doing this for Cas too. He'd made plenty of mistakes before but he had always made up for it. Because of that Cas deserved to be happy too. Dean sincerely doubted that in all his eons, Castiel had ever had much fun. Dean couldn't let him die either.
   
Now Dean was sure the souls were getting brighter. Maybe getting closer to detonation. Dean could feel Amara's presence close by. Dean glances back, suddenly desperate for a last look at Sam but his brother was too far away to be seen. Although, Dean knew Sam hadn't driven away yet. After all his running, Sam wouldn't turn his back now, even if that was exactly what Dean was doing. Sacrificing himself by escaping the horror and trauma of their cruel fate, and leaving Sam to go it alone.
   
Sam would try to resurrect him. Dean was sure of it. But they were old friends with Death and last time they met, Dean made Death promise. Promise to keep him gone. That was how Dean had known he wouldn't make it through this one. It was why he could barely look Sam in the eyes before he left. The poorly concealed hope in his eyes had hurt like hell because Dean wasn't coming back this time and he'd had no idea.

Dean was so close to Amara that he could see her now. Her back was facing him but Dean was sure she knew he was here regardless. The souls had reached their peak of brightness and the pain of them was almost unbearable now. Dean didn't know how he was still moving. Duct tape and safety pins he guessed.

Dean was only three feet away from Amara when she finally turned around.

"Dean," she said, face devoid of any emotion. Unexpectedly, her eyes widened when she realized what Dean was carrying. Maybe she just hadn't been paying attention. The shock soon morphed into fear though. Not fear for herself but fear for Dean. He knew because he saw it Sammy's eyes everyday.

This wasn't right. Dean was here to lock her up so why was she afraid for him? Dean remembered the way Sam was after the cage. He would kill to not have to go back. Surely Amara was the same.

"What are you doing?" She held out her hands as if sudden moves would make Dean go boom. It probably would.

"You can't do this!" All of a sudden, Dean was pissed. Pissed at Amara for taking him away from Sam. Pissed at the world for continuously throwing him under the bus. 

"You know what? Yeah, I can! You're destroying the world and no matter how terrible it is and no matter what you went through, you have no right to do that to innocent people!" Dean got in her face then and Amara took a step back her fear nearly tangible.

"Dean, you don't understand! If you do this you are dooming yourself to the cage with me. It is no place for a mortal body. You'll be ripped to shreds over and over again!" Dean stumbled back, the desperation in her voice made sense now.
 
"No matter what you think Dean, I cannot let you go through that kind of torture- I can't watch such a pure man experience that." Dean blinked at her choice of words. He wouldn't use the word pure to describe himself. Despite his hesitation, Dean was still worked up.

"Well, I can't let you destroy the world!" Dean couldn't stop the venom from seeping into his words; couldn't help the rage he felt every time he thought about Sammy dying. Even after nearly a decade, Dean could still feel Sam's cold body in his arms at Cold Oak.

"Okay, Dean, if you promise not to do this..." Amara still held her hands up like she was approaching a spooked animal and Dean could see her physically pushing down her need for retribution. That sight made it easier for him to believe her next words.

"I-I won't destroy my brother's creation. I promise it on my own freedom. Just please, let me take the souls out of you, please..."

Too shocked at her promise to say much, Dean decided to take her words as truth. As he nodded slowly Amara reached out with equal caution and put a hand on his glowing chest. The strong glow pulsed once and then faded.

"I returned the souls to heaven. They are at peace."

"Thank you." Dean's voice was thick with emotion but he managed to get out those simple words of gratitude. Not only had Amara put the souls to rest, she had given it to Dean and his brother too.

Dean wouldn't have to die knowing how Sammy would feel when he found out that he couldn't bring his brother back, and Sam didn't have to be the last Winchester standing.