In Between Moments
Ξ July 29th, 2008 | → | ∇ Supernatural, fanfic, gen, pg13 |
Title: In Between Moments
Author: astrothsknot
Fandom: SPN
Rating; PG13, Gen
Characters: Sam, Goddess and an brief OFC
Disclaimer: I don’t own a TV show. Includes two Clive Barker quotes
A/N Companion piece to Thrice-Raised Man. Just how did Sam get Dean out of Hell? pheebs1 beta’d
The ritual’s complete and for a moment, nothing happens. The smoke curls upward and the flame dies, the afterimage burned into his eyes as he looks at the wall.
He blinks. The afterimage should have cleared by now, but it’s still there, a white spot on the wall that grows larger. It fills the room with a soft white light. He’s dimly aware that he can’t hear anything from outside the room, or indeed, within it. Not the clock, not the steady breath of the girl in the bed.
It’s a tunnel, in the wall and leading off into the distance. A woman in white clothing walks down it, almost gliding. Sam scrambles to his feet.
Her voice is musical, filled with laughter, as if these are trifles for her and she’s only come for her own amusement. Not so far from the truth for something this Ancient.
You called me. I came, Sam, she says as she walks around the room as if she’s viewing it for purchase. She picks up the girl’s oddments here and there.
“You know me?” Sam doesn’t move. An odd calm fills him, the same feeling he always gets when he realises that this moment, this time out of time will be pivotal to the rest of his life. One way or another.
We all do. We admire your attempts to subvert your destiny, while your actions draw you ever closer to it. She’s still stalking the room. It’s dark, only lit by street lamps through the drapes, but he can see her clearly enough.
“I can’t open the Gates.”
Nor shall you. She puts down the ugly doll she’s holding and looks directly at him. It does not suit our purpose.
“I can’t open the Gates without you! I can’t get him back without you!” Sam hisses, Heaven knows why, no one can hear him in this space between tick and tock. He resists the urge to grab hold of her and shake her till she sees how much he needs this, needs his brother back beside him.
And if you could? Would you march into Hell for him? She comes to stand in front of him. There’s no mocking or scorn in her voice. She is merely stating the facts as she sees them. Committing once again the sin that laid you so low?
Sam takes a deep breath. “I’m not giving up. If you can’t help me, I’ll find someone who will.”
Every man is his own Mephistopheles. I’m no different. She’s begun to pace around him and Sam feels the skin on his back crawl.
“What? Ask. Ask and it’s yours. Just…” His voice trails off and he fights the urge to turn around with her. She’d knife him for the fun of it.
The point of Temptation is that the goods be worth the price. Her voice is close to his ear, he can feel the air she doesn’t have to breathe skimming his shoulder.
“My so-?”
Soul? What use do I have for souls? Souls are for the living. There’s disdain and …pity in her voice.
“Then what? I’ve nothing else to offer.” Sam turns his head enough to catch sight of her.
There will come a time when I shall ask something of you.
“I’ll do it,” he says, instantly and without any thought.
It will be done. The Thief gave you a name. She will do the rest. She tugs briefly on the amulet that Dean used to wear. This or the ring?
Sam unties the thong and drops it into her waiting hand. “When will I know that he’s free?”
Find the one Thief spoke of. She’s already passed from the room to the tunnel.
Sam yells after her, pounding the wall with his fist. “How will I know he’s free? Tell me, Goddammit!”
He rages at the wall, even as the spot diminishes and the clock begins to measure time one more and the woman in the bed wakes.
“What’s wrong?” She asks, groggily, a little afraid suddenly of the guy she’s brought home, that the air of danger she found so sexy might actually be real. She pulls the covers around her as she shrinks back against the headboard.
Sam ignores her as he gathers up his clothes. She doesn’t ask again, but breathes a sigh of relief when she hears the door lock behind him and the roar of the black car as it drives away.
