[AU] dark gonna catch me here

[gavemea_45]

Not two seconds after the door closed, Dean started demanding answers. Sam explained pretty much everything, although he glossed over the part where Wynonna'd threatened to shoot him, and for the most part Dean took it pretty well.

Until he made the suggestion of bringing Wynonna - and Peacemaker - to a crossroads and forcing the demon there to give up Dean's contract.

By the time the fight's over, Sam's certain of two things. First, that Dean's not willing to listen to reason because he doesn't want to risk Sam. And second, that he's not going to let his brother go to hell.

He makes sure Dean thinks he's asleep first, and waits until he hears his brother start snoring... then waits another half hour to make sure. Once he's certain Dean's not faking, Sam sneaks out and borrows the Impala.

There's a crossroads three miles north, an isolated one with an abandoned gas station nearby that he can use to get to the bar.

It'll do.

Comments

[gavemea_45]

"I mean, hopefully not. You sure don't need any more trouble. But maybe just in case."

The fire's starting to burn lower and Sam studies it with a critical eye. "I'm going to get a tarp and shovel. We should be able to bury her soon."

[pacificator]

"Even if we don't overlap, might be worthwhile to take a trip up to the Ghost River Triangle in your world, anyway," she points out.

"Maybe whatever supernatural boundary is around it in my world exists here, too."

[gavemea_45]

She's not wrong, little as he likes to think it. "Yeah, guess we should." Sam goes over to the car and pulls what he needs out of the trunk.

[pacificator]

She watches the makeshift pyre burn. It's the least she can do for the poor woman who – probably, hopefully – never asked for any of this. "Need a hand with any of that?"

[gavemea_45]

"No, I got it. Just ... stay with her while I get things ready," he calls.

There's a drainage ditch a little ways away from the side of the lot. Sam works on making it wider and deeper - deep enough, anyway.

[pacificator]

He asks her to stay, so she stays, trying not to think about the horror that would fill Waverly's eyes if she heard about this and trying not to listen to the scrape of the shovel as Sam digs the woman's unceremonious grave.

"You probably deserved better than this," she tells the dead woman. "I'm sorry about that."

[gavemea_45]

It doesn’t take him all that long to get the impromptu grave ready. Sam sets the spade aside and comes back with the tarp.

“I can take it from here,” he murmurs. “If you want to wait in the car.”

[pacificator]

In answer, she holds her hands out for a couple corners of the tarp.

It's nice that he's trying to spare her, she guesses, but they're pretty far past that point.

[gavemea_45]

Sam studies her expression, then gives a tiny nod and passes over half the tarp. When it’s stretched out between them, he lifts it a little, indicating they should place it over the body, smothering the last of the flames.

He tucks his side under the body and rolls her under into it, wrapping her inside the tarp while Wynonna holds the other side to keep it from dragging.

[pacificator]

Between them, they smother the flames and wrap the smoldering remains tight. At his signal, she moves to one end of the body and reaches down to help carry it.

A roadside ditch. Kind of where she thought she'd end up, if she's being honest.

[gavemea_45]

They lay the body in the grave and Sam starts shoveling dirt. It patters off the tarp at first with a soft hissing sound before he gets enough in to cover.

He keeps going until there’s no more dirt remaining and the ground is more or less even, it’s new secret concealed.

Jaw set, he goes to retrieve the gas can and puts it and the shovel back in the trunk, then turns to Wynonna. “I can open the door back for you from here.”

[pacificator]

Even her enjoyment of that sexy-ass car is dulled a little by what they just heard and did. She nods, but meets his eyes.

"Coming in, too?"

[gavemea_45]

“I should get the car away from here first. Just in case. Time’s not supposed to pass, but…” He shrugs.

“Then I can.”

[pacificator]

"Yeah."

There was this one time, before the Seven, when she and Waverly had accidentally broken the mantel clock. She can still remember Waverly, all of five years old, trying to shoulder the blame. "How about I come with you first, then."

[gavemea_45]

That level stare of hers is entirely too familiar. Is that just a trick all older siblings know?

"You don't have to," Sam tries.

[pacificator]

"This is going to be a lot easier for you if you just give in," she points out.

He's pretty tall, but she's will to bet she could get him in a headlock if she really tried.

[gavemea_45]

"You really are like Dean," Sam mutters. "Come on, then, if you're coming."

He goes around to the driver's side and slides behind the wheel without waiting for an answer.

[pacificator]

Her mouth twitches, but hey – he's not fighting her on it. Wynonna slides into the passenger seat, running her hands lovingly over the dash before she settles back. "Ready when you are."

[gavemea_45]

Sam turns the key and the engine roars to life. He pulls out of the lot fast enough to spray a little gravel behind them, and swings onto the road, headed south.

"The motel's about three miles from here," he mutters.

[pacificator]

"Cheer up, cupcake."

She leans her head back against the seat, watching the dark night go rolling by, enjoying the smooth ride. "I'm gonna start thinking you don't enjoy my company."

[gavemea_45]

"Cupcake? Really?" Sam slants her a look.

"Anyway, it's not that. You know that, right?"

[pacificator]

"Yeah, I know."

But all she can think is that she wouldn't want Waverly to be alone, if it were her. "I walked into this with my eyes open. I'm not looking for an excuse, or an out."

[gavemea_45]

He darts another look at her, and whatever he sees - well, it doesn't make him feel any better, but maybe a little less alone.

"As long as you're sure."

The neon of the cheap motel's sign flickers ahead at the side of the road, and Sam slows to make the turn into the parking lot.

[pacificator]

When Sam pulls turns the engine off, she reaches for the the door handle and pushes her way out. It's not until she's closing the door behind her that she realizes one of the motel room doors is similarly open, a solid-looking guy leaning against the frame with his arms crossed, watching them.

"Let me guess," she mutters. "That's Dean."

[gavemea_45]

Fuck. "Yeah, it is." Sam mutters back. "Here we go."

He circles around in front of the Impala to put himself between Wynonna and his brother, and tosses the keys to him.

Dean snags them one-handed and glances past Sam to the car. "You better not have hurt my baby." It sounds a little absent, probably because the look he's giving the two of them is anything but. "Who's this?"