Wednesday | Forgive and Forget

[guiltyreasons.livejournal.com]

Now that we’ve had our share of pet peeves it’s time to Forgive and Forget

Is your character holding a grudge? Now the time to have them let it go. Give forgiveness or let them receive it. Or give them Amnesia whatever floats your boat.

But remember:

No more than 5 prompts in a row, and no more than 3 prompts per fandom. If one of your prompts is answered, you can prompt again.

No spoilers in your prompts for at least one week after publication/air date. If there are spoilers in your story, you must warn in bold and leave at least 3 spaces.

And use the correct formatting. Examples:

Being Human, Goerge/Mitchell, After a full moon George feels guilty and Mitchell helps him forgive himself

Marvel, Deadpool/author's choice, It's all in the past....right?

Being Human/Torchwood, Jack/Mitchell, “Did you forget me so soon?”

[theme tag = "ForgiveForget"]

Comments

[guiltyreasons.livejournal.com]

Being Human, Goerge/Mitchell, After a full moon George feels guilty and Mitchell helps him forgive himself

[guiltyreasons.livejournal.com]

Marvel, Deadpool/author's choice, It's all in the past....right?

[psychedelicammo.livejournal.com]

Post coital bliss. Wade sighed happily, his body lax, but for his toes, wiggling happily beneath the sheets. The rest of his body was feeling pretty happy, too, happy, happy, happy. His yellow boxes were definitely happy, making all sorts of cheerful, sated sighing noises that Wade's own mouth couldn't possibly be emulating.

But beside him, Deadpool could hear the gears starting to turn in Cable's head and could predict the hiss as steam started blowing out his ears.

He turned onto his side, feeling slightly squishy and well used. "Hey, remember that time I shot at you?"

"Just the one?" Cable raised an amused eyebrow.

"Ookay, remember all the times I shot at you? Attempted to blow you up or otherwise demolish your smug, self righteous ass?"

"Successful or just attempted?" Nate asked, looking more and more smug, self righteous and amused with every word.

Wade gnashed his teeth, this conversation wasn't going as easily as he'd hoped. But when did Nate ever make anything easy? "D. All of the above."

"Yes, Wade, I remember. One doesn't easily forget picking buckshot out of their own forehead."

"Right." Wade scrubbed a hand over the back of head before pulling himself into a sitting position. Nate looked up at him, all huge muscles, technorganic mesh and soft facial features, his hair sticking up in odd tufts where Wade had pulled it a little too hard.

Wade's heart melted around the edges, almost as much as it had when Bea Arthur had accepted her last TV Land award.

"Wade? You still with me?" Nate prodded, his hand landing casually on Wade's thigh, as though this were a natural position for them both.

"All that stuff? It's all in the past... right?"

Nate smiled, even chuckled a little. Wade would have been offended if given half the chance. He was trying to indulge a rare serious moment and all Nate could do was giggle like Miley Cyrus in one of her shitty video blogs up on Youtube. But before he hand the chance to work up a real lather Nate grabbed his arm, pulling him flat to the mattress once more.

"Yes, Wade, I forgive you."

Nate kissed him, making a deep purring noise in the back of his throat. When they finally pulled apart Nate no longer looked like he was about to over think or say anything stupid, but Wade had the feeling he'd forgotten about something...

"Hey, wait. Aren't you going to apologize for all the time you shot at me, or lied or made some sort of dastardly plan behind my back?"

Nate's fingers plucked at his nipples before moving downward, kissing the sharp edge of Wade's jaw. "We'll talk later. Much later."

[guiltyreasons.livejournal.com]

Being Human/Torchwood, Jack/Mitchell, “Did you forget me so soon?”

Watching the Sunset

[hamimifk.livejournal.com]

(A/N: Haven't seen much of Torchwood (sadly) so my Jack may be OOC, but I really hope he isn't. Also, I don't know much about the English Channel, I just randomly chose it for a location so... yeah. This is set somewhere after episode 2 or 3 of Being Human, before Mitchell finds out what the vamps are up to.)
---

Mitchell shivered slightly as he stared out into the water of the English Channel. He's been walking for quite some time now, unaware that he'd been even doing so. Too many things weighed on his mind, primarily Nina and whatever the hell Herrick was currently up to. Things had finally began to settle and now Herrick was back, throwing a monkey wrench in his life. Why the man couldn't just let Mitchell be was another question that lulled through the vampire's mind as he wandered through London.

He'd been staring out into the water for a long time before he caught the sound of approaching footsteps. Looking up, wondering who it could be, he rolled his eyes and groaned inwardly - it was another headache approaching.

"My, aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" The approaching man said, stopping some ten feet away.

Crossing his arms, Mitchell stared at the man, waiting to hear why he was really there. Not missing a beat, the man posed his fists on his hips and gave the vampire a large, cheery grin.

"Did you forget me so soon?" He asked.

"No, it's impossible to forget a man like you, Jack Harkness."

"Ah, now that's what I was hoping to hear. So what brings you all the way out here, John? Or may I call you Mitchell?"

"How about you call me a cab so I can get away from you sooner?"

"It sure is beautiful, the Channel, I mean." Jack smiled, purposely ignoring Mitchell's remark.

Sighing, knowing he wasn't going to win, the vampire leaned against the barrier between the street and the Channel, watching the fading light of the setting sun. Jack moved closer to him and mimicked the vampire's actions. Together, they watched the sun set the rest of the way before either spoke again.

"Look, I know you're still sore about that time..." Jack started, not looking at Mitchell.

"What moment would that be? The one where we fucked and you left as soon as we were done or some other 'one time' I can't recall?" The vampire gave a small chuckle, but his face held no sign of amusement.

Hanging his head, Jack stared at his hands. "I was wrong, I'll admit it. I just don't think I was fully comfortable with you being a vampire and everything. Which is really saying a lot, all things considered."

"Is there anything Torchwood members don't climb into bed with?"

"Hard to say, we keep out doing each other so it's impossible to say." Jack said with a smile.

Relenting, Mitchell allowed himself to smile as well, eventually giving in to some laughter. For the first time all day, he felt at ease and it was a welcomed feeling. Jack turned away from the water, leaning his back against the barrier and grinned at Mitchell.

"Will you join me for a cup of coffee? I'll throw in a sip of blood just for you." He winked.

Jack really said, 'Am I forgiven?'

"I know a decent place, but unless you carry some blood in your pocket, I doubt you'll be able to sneak it into my drink. A raincheck perhaps on that?" The vampire smiled.

Mitchell really said, 'For the moment, just try not to piss me off again so soon.'

[yoruichiyoshi12.livejournal.com]

author's choice, author's choice, "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned."

Yami no Matsuei | Muraki/Tsuzuki | PG

[mtxref-fic.livejournal.com]

Wrote this for another challenge, but it fits the prompt in it's own odd way:

"Vampire's Confession" (http://matrixrefugee.livejournal.com/623812.html)

[trulybloom.livejournal.com]

Leverage, Eliot/Parker, he doesn't understand how Parker can so easily forgive and forget

angsty futurefic - warnings for non-happy stuff

[daria234.livejournal.com]

This ended up with lots of Nate in it, but the only pairing is P/E

It had started a few months after Eliot left the team. Nate had starting drinking again when his wife got remarried, and had started to just take on whatever 'bad guys' were featured in the newspaper that day, no matter how dangerous they were. Sophie got sick the change and left. Again. Which only made Nate worse. And he wouldn't listen to reason or objections to any of his plans, and three separate times, Nate had almost gotten shot while Eliot was way too far away to protect him.

So Eliot had left. After telling Hardison and Parker that it would be safer to stop helping Nate destroy himself. But he knew it would take something worse to pry those two away from him.

So when a few months passed and Eliot heard knocking at his door, he was surprised to find Parker when he opened it.

She stood there, looking small. Like she was afraid he would slam the door in her face.

So Eliot did his best to smile and say, "Thanks for knocking, darlin'. I know it's not your preferred way of entering a building."

She smiled then, as Eliot let her into his apartment. He had been cooking dinner, and she happily leapt up onto the counter to watch and ask questions as he continued to prepare dinner, now for two. They made small talk, or as close as Parker ever came to making small talk, and they ate. It was oddly pleasant, Eliot knowing that it was hard for to come here and making a special effort not to push her away, and Parker making a special effort not to breezily make the kind of comments that made Eliot the trained hitter scared to be in a room with her.

It wasn't until after dinner that Parker told him. Nate had made her leave. Even Hardison had had enough and had left, angrily. And Parker had tried to make him stay, even blackmailing him, but that just made Hardison more angry.

So Parker had stayed with Nate all by herself. She kept asking him to plan some more jobs, but Nate was just getting worse. When she finally decided to just steal all his liquor every time he brought some home, he had kicked her out. And said some things to her that even Parker didn't ever deserve to hear.

Eliot hated hearing it. Nate had become his friend and team leader, but to Parker, he was more like a parent or mentor. And he was probably the only stable person she had ever had, the only one who accepted her but also believed that she could be better.

Eliot could see Parker's guilt as she told him everything, her worry that somehow she was ratting out Nate. But at the end of her explanation she said, "So that's why I'm here."

And there it was. Eliot didn't have to ask to understand. Parker came to Eliot because she had no place else to go.

And though he knew he was going to regret it, though he was already thinking of all the horrifying results that might occur, he said, "Stay here as long as you like, Parker."

continued below

[trulybloom.livejournal.com]

Supernatural, Sam & Dean (or Sam/Dean), even now Dean still can't forgive Sam for choosing Stanford over him

the sound of silence screaming - gen, PG, season 1

[tigriswolf]

He knows that one day Sam will grow tired of this crusade, even if Sam won't admit it. He knows that Sam will go back to Stanford, pick right up where he left off, and be that perfect normal student again.

Sam hasn't apologized once. Hasn't asked Dean to forgive him for leaving, for abandoning them both, him and Dad. Sam doesn’t think he did anything wrong.

And maybe he’s right, Dean admits, watching Sam search through endless webpages for the one that’ll break the case wide open. Maybe leaving was what was best for Sammy at the time. Maybe he needed to try something new.

Dean knows he’s never getting out of hunting. Really, neither of them are. But he knows that Sam will try again, and then maybe a third time. For being a near-genius, Sam is blindingly stupid sometimes.

Sam hasn’t apologized once. Dean doesn’t ever expect him to. He’ll just brush it off if the kid ever tries, because Sam won’t really mean it. He can’t.

And Sam would say that it doesn’t matter, but they both know that it does. Just like they both know that even if Dean could utter the words I forgive you for leaving he wouldn’t mean it, either.

[mokusan.livejournal.com]

Star Trek (XI or TOS), McCoy & Joanna, after the five year mission McCoy asks his daughter to forgive him for leaving (bonus points if you include Kirk and/or Spock)

[mokusan.livejournal.com]

Glee, Puck & Finn, Puck decides to tell Finn the truth. He doesn't expect to come out alive.

(referring to events of 1x04, if that wasn't clear)

[dannysgirlsg1.livejournal.com]

SG-1, Daniel/Vala, forgiving the past

[daria234.livejournal.com]

NCIS, Gibbs/DiNozzo, forgiveness comes with one condition

[daria234.livejournal.com]

Leverage, any, learning to trust again after someone goes too far

SPN SPOILERS!!! It should have been long enough tho

[rhiannon-wing.livejournal.com]

Supernatural, Future!Sam, He wishes he could be forgiven for saying "Yes."

this is how it ends - gen, PG

[tigriswolf]

Late at night, when Lucifer stretches out on a worn blanket and pulls a beat-up leather coat over himself, Sam shares his memories.

They dream of flying through the cosmos, one of thousands, full and complete and legion. They dream of lucky charms and thundercats and a big brother who was cool and perfect.

One day, Lucifer always told Sam, as they rested together deep in Sam's mind. One day, he will come back to you and beg you for absolution. He will realize he has been wrong and will crawl to you, so very sorry.

Sam knows that won't happen. He knows that, if anything, he will crawl to Dean and sob at his feet.

And he knows that Dean will forgive him. Knows that Lucifer will take advantage of that, because Dean's is the last outpost of resistance in the world.

Forgive me, he whispers, trying to forget what his weakness has done. Dean, forgive me.

(He's not awake when Lucifer kills his brother, but he still feels it, and he buries himself completely in dreams of what they once had been.)

[museofspeed.livejournal.com]

DCU; Dick, Jason (Gen please); rebuilding bridges

Good Bridges Make Good Brothers (Dick, Jason; G/PG)

[schizoauthoress.livejournal.com]

(lots of dialogue taken from Nightwing #119)

Good Bridges Make Good Brothers

"Gloating in front of the guy who just saved your life?" Jason teased, smirking.

Angrily, Nightwing demanded, "Jason, what the hell are you doing in that costume?"

"Nightwinging, obviously. Somebody had to." His eyes narrow, and his right hand flashes out, butt of his palm smashing into the point of Nightwing's chin. "Where the hell you been for the last year, partner?" He backflipped away toward the middle of the roof before Nightwing could retaliate, "..Not pretending to be the Red Hood, that's for sure. Got tired of the outfit?"

"Yeah, well I don't loan-lease--" Nightwing retorted, giving chase, "...'specially to murdering misfits!"

"Jealous of my style?" Jason asked with a grin. "The public loves it! Always give the public what it wants, partner!"

Nightwing used his good hand to vault over Jason's body, grumbling, "There's that word again." He landed in a crouch behind Jason.

"Just doling out justice, pard, like any good Nightwi--"

Nightwing whipped up into a standing position, throwing a side-kick that impacted the small of Jason's back, right in the middle of his spiel. Jason grunted in pain and went sprawling. Nightwing followed, snarling, "Like slitting that kidnapper's throat? And probably scarring that poor kid for life?"

Jason rolled over onto his back and used his left hand to prop himself up, looking up at Nightwing with a smile. He shrugged with one shoulder and said, "Hey, I didn't wanna take your place, Dickster!" He reached out his free hand to Nightwing, "But now yer back-- I'm willing to be magnanimous! Fifty-fifty, all the way!"

'You're delusional,' were the first words that popped into Dick's mind. They were on the tip of his tongue, but somehow, he couldn't say them. Even with his eyes behind the white-out lenses of the Nightwing mask he wore, Jason's whole bearing radiated hope. The desperate, half-cringing hope of a puppy that's been kicked and abused all his short life, yet he cannot resist asking for kindness one more time. Nightwing reached out.

Bruce's voice, anger a thin veneer over the helplessness he feels, over the love and concern he can't conceal with the 'Batman voice'. "You know how I feel about killing, and you know why." Batman's inflexible code.

'But Jason... Jason knows that you won't kill. And he hates you for it because he doesn't know why.' Dick thought, as he took Jason's hand. 'I need to... I need to be my brother's keeper.' He pulls on Jason's arm, which tenses beneath his grip -- Jason wasn't expecting to be helped to his feet. "Jason..." Nightwing said gruffly, "If you're going to be my partner, there have got to be some ground rules."

It's slow to dawn on Jason that his offer had been accepted, but when it did... his smile was so bright and full of joy -- so unlike the cynical smiles that Dick remembered from the boy who was Robin -- that it made Dick's heart hurt. "All right!" Jason exclaimed gleefully, "Can you see the headlines? 'Double Threat! Criminals Beware -- The Nightwingers Are In Town!'"

Nightwing raises an eyebrow.

"Okay, the name needs work..." Jason admitted, slinging an arm around Nightwing's shoulders. "Maybe I could wear green instead of blue! You could call me 'Firefly'!"

'Maybe this can work.' Dick thought. Another look at how happy Jason was firmed his resolve. 'No. This has to work. Our family already failed you too many times, little brother. I won't fail you again.'

[museofspeed.livejournal.com]

DCU, Jason, Bruce (gen please!), apologizing for making him dye his hair.

[museofspeed.livejournal.com]

DCU; Damian, Tim; Damian doesn't know how to apologize, but he's still sorry about how things started with Tim.

Two Little Words, Tim & Damian, G

[ms-duck.livejournal.com]

He does not know how to apologize. It was not something he learned nor was it something he ever felt inclined to do. But even he felt bad sometimes.

Which brought him to his current problem. How would he apologize to Drake for... at least the stabbing thing. Drake did not like him. At all.

So he tried to brainstorm. But he was too preoccupied with everything Dick was making him do and the one time he saw Drake again, his and Dick's parents had come back to life.

It was as he was sitting in a box, he could get out of it whenever he wanted, in the cave that he heard the rumble of Drake's Ducati.

"Tim!" He heard Dick get off the top of the box and he opened the lid that he'd picked ten minutes ago. He peeked out quick enough to watch Drake stride towards the computers. His cowl was off and his hair was longer than it had been when he left.

He didn't pay any attention to their conversation and took a look over at the bike. It was absolutely drenched and he wondered if Drake would like him better if he dried it for him. So he got a cloth they used for the Batmobile and got to it.

"What are you doing?" His voice sounded horrible, like he had frog stuck in his throat.

"Drying it." They stared at each other for a long moment before Drake's mouth twitched and he put his cowl on. It made him wonder if he'd let anything show on his face.

"Thanks." He got his hair ruffled and watched Drake start up and drive off.

Somehow or other he felt he'd been forgiven a little.

[yoruichiyoshi12.livejournal.com]

Dark Angel(/author's choice), Mia (& author's choice), "Forget I was even here"

She is such a fun character, I wish she had been in more than one episode

[onceuponapillow.livejournal.com]

Stargate SG-1, Daniel/Vala, I know I didn't technically forget anything, time was reversed, so, I guess it never happened. It just feels like I'm forgetting something.

[odette-river.livejournal.com]

She obsesses over what she hasn’t forgotten because it was never hers to remember. She starts by doing this vocally, pestering Teal’c while avoiding why she’s really asking. Eventually Teal’c tells her to shut up. He doesn’t actually say that, of course, but that’s what he means. And then he lights a lot of candles. It’s obvious that she’s not going to crack him unless she resorts to desperate measures.

So instead she quietly obsesses. Lots of stuff happened. If it hadn’t, Teal’c wouldn’t be so secretive now. She doesn’t just mean lots of kissing stuff. Other stuff happened, too. Maybe she took up a new hobby.

That one actually seems like a good place to start, and she goes to ask Teal’c about that one. He won’t talk about that either. Typically.

She very carefully doesn’t think about Daniel and what he might have done. She tells herself that this is because she’s more interested in what she did. Which she is. But she’s also interested in what she did with Daniel. Though she doesn’t admit that part, because that opens up other questions that she doesn’t need to think about right now.

Then she just asks Daniel, straight-out. “What do you think happened to us then?”

He sighs, pushes his glasses around, messes with his hair, and says, “I don’t know. Does it matter?”

“It could be useful!” she says. “We’d know what we’re going to do later.”

“Not really,” he says.

“But sort of. You have to agree that we’d know sort of.”

“Vala…”

His voice has that edge to it, so she leaves him alone, but maybe she’s got him thinking about it. Probably not, though.

She’ll ask Mitchell to ask Daniel, or possibly even to ask Teal’c. Mitchell is always the easiest one to crack.

[yoruichiyoshi12.livejournal.com]

Glee, abusive!Puck/Kurt, no matter how much Puck hurts him, Kurt will always forgive him

[momma-66.livejournal.com]

Puck threw him into dumpsters, slushied him. He should have seen more coming.

And really, he had once high-hat the ones he would hear about in the news or through the grapevine. So, being one of Them himself, it was embarrassing. Embarrassing as he found it though he couldn't bring himself to tell Puck to fuck off.

Puck could punch him, kick him when he was down, call him all the degrading things he wanted - in which Puck was well learned. And still, without fail, Kurt would take him back every single time he came sobbing into his arms with the "It won't happen again"'s and "I really, really do love you"'s.

No matter the looks Mercedes would give him; she'd long ago gave up trying to actually talk to him. No matter how many times his dad would ask, "Are you alright?" and he knew if he told Burt... Puck would never be a problem again.

Even Rachel's hissed warnings that Puck would take it a step too far, one day. That he needed to get out while he could, like she had. It was in one ear and out the other.

It disgusted him, but knowing that Puck had once put his hands on Rachel only served to make him jealous, not scared. And thus, it made him even dumber.

Sadly, Kurt knows that no matter what Puck does to him, he'll take the other teen back. And it only bothers him a little.

[onceuponapillow.livejournal.com]

Veronica Mars, Logan/Veronica, If I said I forgive you, would you believe me?

[onceuponapillow.livejournal.com]

"If I said I forgive you, would you believe me?"

"Honestly? No. You've said it before, but you don't forgive Veronica. You store all that shit up for the next time I do something you disapprove of."

"Logan, I am trying."

"I know. It's just...it's going to take some time."

[onceuponapillow.livejournal.com]

House, House/Cuddy, I'd ask you to forgive me, but I'm not even sure I'm sorry

[onceuponapillow.livejournal.com]

Buffy, Spike/Buffy, I forgave you a long time ago

[fluffmonkey.livejournal.com]

(I've never read the comics, so forgive me if I blatantly cross some newer canon)

It's years later when Buffy and Spike run into each other for the first time. He can tell by the way she looks at him that no one ever told her that he was back. He never expected to get that particular gift. Now he can explain it to her his own way, the way he'd planned all these years without expecting to ever get to use it.
He starts walking towards her, half expecting her to run away. She can't seem to look away from him though, just standing there beside the grave of the vampire she'd just dusted. She looks good, even with the extra years. Still tightly muscled, still absolute poetry in a fight.
"Spike?" she calls, wild hope mixed with disbelief in her voice. She takes a few steps towards him, then freezes, clearly not believing her own eyes.
He smiles at her. "Yes, pet. It's me. Didn't anyone tell you I was still around? Half your friends know by now."
She shakes her head slowly. "No. Spike, you've been dead ten years."
"Only ten years?" He asked her, a small smile on his face. "Come on, Buffy, I've been dead for a lot longer than that."
She gave him a look much like the one she would have given him ten years ago. "You know what I mean. Sunnydale was ten years ago. Why didn't you tell me you were alive?"
He sighed. "That's a long story. For a while I was stuck with Angel because of the Amulet, then I saw you with the Immortal... Then after Angel went down I decided I needed some time, and so I gave you your space so I could have mine."
"You saw me? When?"
Spike laughed at the memory. "In Rome, a few months before... Me'n Angel had to get some business done there. We heard you were in town, so we followed you to some club."
Buffy laughed. "You two saw that? Not one of my shining moments. He dumped me a week later."
Spike winced. "Ouch." He looked at her face carefully and decided to press his advantage. "You know I'd never do that, right?" he asked her, leaning closer and brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
She looked away, took a step in the other direction. "Of course I do, Spike. You never did leave me. Not even when I deserved it. I've done a lot of terrible things to you."
Spike snorted and stepped forward to turn her back towards him. "I forgave you a long time ago. I got a soul for you, you know."
She smiled at him brightly, appearing as though his words had lifted a great weight from her mind. "I know."

[trulybloom.livejournal.com]

Dark Angel, Alec, he can't forgive himself no matter how hard he tries to forget

[onceuponapillow.livejournal.com]

Criminal Minds, Morgan/Garcia, I forgot how much fun it is...just being with you

[kasmodia.livejournal.com]

BtVS, Angel/Spike, "It wouldn't be fun anymore if I forgave you!"

[vampedvixen.livejournal.com]

Supernatural, Dean & Sam, forgiveness didn't mean forgetting everything

Supernatural, Dean & Sam, forgiveness didn't mean forgetting everything

[echoing-dream.livejournal.com]

He stands on the edge and watch as the whole world burns. Dean has long ago shut out the screaming, numb with the enormity of it all, blind to the flames that eat dry scrubland and broken cities alike. The sky is red, bleeding, clouds darkened with the smoke and still Dean watches, casts his eyes over the burning orange lights on the horizon, wonders vaguely about the sea.

He doesn't know how many survived, other countries, other people, maybe they escaped the flames. There's still time for him, roads that have burned already, black now, leading away from the destruction, but Dean doesn't want any of it now. It's over, and he is done.

"Hey." Sam's voice is cracked, a broken whisper that he shouldn't be able to hear over the crackle of the flames. But he knows that voice, it haunts his nightmares and all his waking dreams now, and he turns as surely as if Sam had grabbed him. He's smaller somehow, deflated, shoulders slumped and crooked, and in his mind’s eye Dean still sees the awkward teenager with his books and his sulking.

Maybe if Dad had been stricter, or if Mum hadn't died...

Sam can't even look at the fire, keeps his eyes fixed on the ground, on his hands, not looking at Dean, or the sky or the world he's destroyed. Dean wants to shake him, to haul him around and force him to look, to see what he has done, but his hands just settle on Sam's shoulders, rub in response to the shaking, soothe him the only way that Dean knows how.

"I'm sorry." Sam's face is streaked with tears when he finally looks Dean in the eye, broken and exhausted. Dean just shakes his head, scrubs at the cut on Sam's cheek because it seems that even Lucifer himself still bleeds. He can't blame Sam, because this is bigger than them, bigger than all of them, and Sam just wasn't strong enough. It's broken them, and Dean wishes he could have protected Sam, curled his body around his brother’s like he could when they were kids, fought off the whole damn world with just his fists. But he didn't, couldn't, and that wasn't Sam's fault at all.

The flames bounce off the Impala's paintwork, and Dean catches sight of himself reflected in her glass, turns away from the empty stare that colours his eyes and motions for Sam to climb in. The roads before them are blacked from the smoke, the world around them filled with shadows and smouldering wastelands, but Sam's asleep in the passenger seat and the Impala's purring away beneath him, and Dean wonders if it was always meant to end like this.