When You Break, Post 1/1, PG-13, Dean, Sam, GEN

[gaelicspirit.livejournal.com]

Title: When You Break
Fandom: Supernatural
Author: gaelicspirit
Disclaimer: They're not mine. More's the pity. Story title from song by Bear's Den, as are the lyrics at the beginning and end of the story.

Summary: Missing scene from 9.18, Meta Fiction. Is there a moment you recognize the edge, or do you simply slip over, your exhale a helpless prayer that someone will be there to catch you and pull you back?

Author's Note: This might have been a bit more timely had I been able to write and post it directly after the episode, but life had other ideas for how I should spend my time over the last week. I'm not certain this hasn't already been written much better by someone else, but this moment wouldn't let me go, so I sat down this afternoon and decided to give it a shot. I wanted to try to see the scene in the abandoned factory – the aftermath of Dean beating Gadreel for information – from each brother's eyes before the die is cast in the final four episodes of this season. Turns out, it was a bit harder than I thought as Dean isn't completely Dean and Sam has chosen to hold himself apart from this brother. Still, I hope it resonates with some of you.

Also, this has not been beta'd. Or even given my friend's customary sanity read. It's first-draft raw. And…it's a bit angsty. And dark. You've been warned.