Okay so this is an AU where dean is the one who goes through the trials and this picks up in trial and error just before the fight with the hell hounds. This is my first ever fanfic so don't expect it to be great! I don't own supernatural.

CHAPTER 1

Dean approached the barn, trying to keep as still as possible. Truth was, he was scared shitless, I mean this was a frickin hellhound. He knows what those things can do, hell he's been torn to shreds by one but hey better him than Sammy. He knew Sam wanted to live, could still see a future. He had to keep Sam safe, even after everything he knew that was it, the only thing that mattered. He thinks about what Sam said to him earlier about doing the trials, "So you just up and decided it's going to be you." He knew it was more of the Winchester self-sacrificing crap but he didn't have the energy to care, he knew that if he was going to die he was going to go down swinging and this way he could close the gates of hell while he was at it.

"Well here goes nothing" he thought and slid the barn door open, praying for an easy fight. Immediately he could hear the familiar growling and snarling and gripped his knife tighter. He quietly treaded through the barn towards the open door; stealth at this point was probably pointless as the hellhound appeared in the door. "Oh, so YOU'RE Crowley's bitch. I guess pets really do look like their owners,"yelled Dean as he prepared himself for a fight. Dean saw the hound ran behind the farm equipment and turned to face it, watching it as it moved. "What are you waiting for? Come and get it!" A second later, Dean felt the hellhounds hot breath surge upon him as the beast charged and threw him against the wall. Dean slid down, dropping his knife as a white-hot pain erupted in his side. Instinctively he clutched his side with one hand while he reached desperately for the knife; there was no way he was going to get there in time. BANG. Dean watched as the creature staggered back, giving Dean just enough time to clasp his fingers around the knife and thrust it upwards straight into its heart.

Dean collapsed backwards, the wound in his side becoming too much for him. "DEAN!" he vaguely hears Sam call his name and he just about processes that it must have been Sam who had shot the hellhound. He sees the shaggy blurred figure above him, telling him to stay awake but the blackness was creeping in and he was just so damn tired…

Sam watched as Dean collapsed and frantically ran over to him, praying for him to be alright as he caught a flash of red spreading over Dean's shirt. "DEAN!" he yells, he could see Deans eyes fluttering and knew he was about to pass out. "Dean! You have to stay awake man!" Sam tapped Dean on the cheek, desperate to wake him up. "Come on Dean, you did it, you killed it! you're not going to make me carry you all the way back are you?" Seeing he was having no effect, Sam pleaded one last time, "You need to wake up! Now Dean!" but Sam knew Dean was out cold. With a last check that Dean was alive and breathing, Sam lifted Dean into his arms and ran as fast as he could back to the house.

Dean woke up gradually, he could tell something had happened to him. That was obvious from the ache in his side and the sound of Sam's encouraging words that he only gets when he's been banged up: "Just a bit longer now Dean," feel free to wake up any time" "Okay I'm nearly done." Okay so he was being stitched up then, damn it hurt like a bitch. "Guess you got what you wanted after all" Dean heard Sam say. huh? what was Sam talking... oh. It all came flooding back to him. The hellhound, the trials, getting ripped open by that fugly monster. He remembers now, Sam shot it, was he okay? what if he got hurt too? "uungghh," well that wasn't what he was supposed to say, he tried again, "Sssmm," there you go that was better.

"DEAN? Dean can you hear me?" Sam had sworn he'd heard Dean say his name,"Open your eyes Dean."

Dean heard his little brother calling to him, asking him to open his eyes. He could do that, he needed to check Sammy was alright. Dean blinked open his eyes and saw Sammy inches from his face.

"Dude personal space," Dean said weakly as he pushed his brother away.

"how are you feeling?"

"like i get torn to shreds by a hellhound" Dean rasped, "any chance of a drink round here?"

"Oh shit sorry" Sam reached over to pick up a glass of water with a little pink straw. "Here you go, take small sips"

"thanks Samantha!" Dean smirked as he saw the straw, no way was Sam getting away with this one, " really dude? pink?"

"it was the only ones they had," whined Sam.

"aw what's the matter Sammy, did they not have any barbies for you to play with?"

"shut up jerk" Sam pulled a face, though he was really just glad that Dean was up and making jokes, for a moment he could forget all about those damn trials, "and it's Sam," he added for good measure.

"yeah whatever bitch" Dean laughed, savouring every precious moment; every laugh, every love filled insult, even Sam's bitchface. These were the moments that reminded him that Winchesters got to stick together, family comes first. He knew it was only a matter of time before the trials killed him, that was if some demon or angel dick didn't get to him first but hell if he didn't know how to make the best out of a bad situation, he'd had enough practice and this was no exception; he was going to enjoy it as much as he could.

The next chapter will probably be a bit longer. i know it sucks but i tried so please review and tell me anything you would like to see happen! i really want some suggestions :) also constructive criticism is really helpful :)