A/N: Okay, here's the end of the road, folks. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed – you guys have been amazing.

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Faults by Starliteyes17

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Amelia had just finished administering some more medication when Dean entered the tent. Sam was already getting groggy, but he wasn't stupid. Dean's blank face said it all; he was hiding something. Considering all the chaos that had happened in the last couple days, though, Sam really didn't think it would be fair to jump on his brother about it right now. Not to mention the fact that Dean saved his life and all.

"Hey," Sam said, grinning, as Dean sat back down. "Who'd you call?"

Dean looked away from Sam briefly, smirking. "You get some of the good stuff, little brother?" he asked when he looked back up again.

"What d'ya mean, Dean?" Sam asked. How did Dean know that?

"You're slurring like a drunk sailor, man," Dean teased. Sam thought about saying something back, but nothing good came to him. Besides, Dean was laughing and his eyes were bright and he didn't look blank at all anymore, and Sam didn't want that to go away.

"You look happy, Dean," Sam said, smiling goofily.

Dean gave him a perplexed look, one eyebrow raised, as though wondering whether he should be concerned or amused, before mumbling something.

"Wha'?" Sam asked, rubbing his eyes.

Dean glanced up at him, the tips of his ears gone red, before leaning over and ruffling Sam's hair playfully. "Nothing, dude. Hey, what about that little lady of yours?"

Sam's eyes popped open and wide. "Jess!" Sam tried to smack himself on the forehead, but totally missed and hit his cheek instead. He didn't notice, though. "Oh man, Dean! My cell, I lost it. An' I dunno what her number is – it's jus' always been in there." Sam felt like crying. "What'm I gonna do?"

"Don't worry, little brother. I took care of it for you," Dean said, pulling a note out of his pocket, before grabbing Sam's hand and carefully placing the piece of paper in his palm, curving Sam's fingers around it. "Here, you can call her when you feel better, okay?"

Sam fumbled, but managed to open the note, barely noticing his name and address as he took in Jess' cell number. Sam looked back at Dean, his gaze full of admiration. "Wow, Dean, you're the bestest big brother a guy could have, really the bestest of the best. You have no idea dude how best y'are, I love – "

"Stop right there, Sammy," Dean said sternly, though his eyes were full of mischief and maybe, Sam thought, pride. "No chick flick moments, remember?"

Sam tried to remember, but he really couldn't, and everything was spinning now. "Oh. Yeah."

Slowly Sam registered Dean's hands pushing him back against his pillow, and as he closed his eyes he even thought he felt one on his forehead. Sam chuckled weakly. "Dean, you forgot!" he reminded him, swiping weakly at Dean's hand.

Dean laughed, and Sam was pretty sure he said something in response, but Sam was too out of it by now to catch it. The last thing that registered in Sam's mind was that Dean still hadn't moved his hand, before everything faded out and he drifted away.

---

Sam woke up just as they were transferring him off the helicopter. Dean stayed at his side only long enough to tell him what the plan was, before tossing his cell to Sam and abruptly walking away. Sam chuckled; Dean hated flying, and by the green tint to his cheeks Sam was pretty sure he knew why Dean had rushed off.

Sam memorized the number in one look before punching it in. There was only one ring on the other end before a beautiful, melodic voice said, "Hello?"

Everything in Sam melted at that moment. "Jess?"

"Sam! Oh my God, are you okay? What happened? Where are you?"

Sam sighed deeply, tears coming to his eyes, sending a small prayer of thanks that Dean had somehow met Jess. Dean had shrugged it off as mere coincidence when he'd explained what happened, but Sam could hardly believe that. Something good had planned it, he was sure of that. Thinking of Jess, he'd never been more sure of anything.

"I'm fine. I'm in Bakersfield with my brother; he found me down in Palo Alto. We're on our way to Needles, to pick up his car. Where are you?"

There was a pause on the other end, and Sam could tell that Jess knew he had left quite a bit out. Apparently, though, she was too relieved to inquire further for now, as she only said, "I'm in Needles right now, still trying to get in. God, Sam, it's so good to hear your voice. I thought... well, I didn't know what to think."

Sam could hear the tears in her voice, and smiled. "It's okay, babe. I'm all right. More then anything, I'm just thankful you weren't here when it happened."

Jess let out a sob. "I'd rather have been there with you, then here without you."

"What would I do without you?" Sam asked, trying to be playful, but even he could hear the truth in it.

Jess laughed. "Crash and burn."

---

It was nearly one o'clock in the morning when they pulled into the Sleep-Easy Motel in Needles.

Dean turned off the car right in front of room eight, looking away from Sam and into the shadows. Sam could feel the tension.

"Listen, man, you know how much I want to help you find Dad, but I can't right now," Sam tried one last time to explain. "Jess, who knows what she's been through in the last couple days. She needs me right now, you know?"

Dean nodded. "I understand, Sam. Even with what's happened, you still have your own life with Jess, and I get that, I do. I just... be careful, all right? You heard what Dad said."

"We're all in danger," Sam echoed softly, turning away to stare at the door to Jess' room. He thought about the families and friends and all the people who had lost someone in this tragedy. He hated that it felt like he was leaving Dean behind again. But it wasn't the same as last time - Sam wasn't going to let it be. "What do you think Dad was talking about?"

Dean shrugged. "I don't know. That's why I have to find him."

Sam took a deep breath, nodding. Silence fell between the two brothers again, but it was more comfortable. Winchesters didn't do goodbyes well, they never had, but this... this was nice.

Sam hardly heard Dean's whisper. "Hey, man, can I give you a call? When I get to Buffalo?"

Sam could tell this was Dean's way of asking for forgiveness. Even over a year later, he still felt bad about telling Sam not to call. The situation now was so similar to that one, but also different in the best of ways.

He turned to Dean, grinning. "You better call me. I don't want to have to return the favor and go get your ass out of trouble any time soon."

"As if you could, you scrawny geek," Dean scoffed. "Besides, I'm, like, invincible."

"Really? So you just had it all covered when that demon was about to split you in half, huh?"

"I'd have figured something out."

Sam laughed, shoving Dean in the shoulder. "Well, I think you're full of shit."

"Oh yeah?"

Sam had no time to duck before he was smacked across the head. "Ouch!"

"That's right, bitch. You better be glad I didn't throw you outta the car altogether."

"Jerk!" Sam answered, but he was laughing. Looking back at the door to number eight, he couldn't help but feel a little sad. It felt so good to just hang with his brother. But Jess was waiting for him.

Dean must have noticed where his gaze was, because he leaned over Sam and opened the passenger side door. "Go see your girl, hot stuff."

"Dean," Sam began, "I'm sorry, I really do want to go, but I just – "

Dean merely leaned over and flicked the tip of Sam's nose. "Jesus, Sammy, what are you, a broken record? I get it. Now get out of here, before I make good on my threat to throw you out."

Sam stepped out of the car, closing the door and leaning over to look in the window. "See ya, Dean. Don't forget to call, all right?"

"Yeah, yeah. 'Bye, Sammy."

Sam watched as the Impala pulled out of the lot, its tires squealing a final goodbye as Dean drove away. Sam watched until the car was out of sight, before turning to the motel room door.

He knocked, and when he got no answer, tried the handle. To his surprise, the door was unlocked. "Jess?" he asked, pushing the old door open.

The motel room looked just like a thousand others Sam had frequented in his life, except for one difference: a bag of new clothes sat on one the beds, along with a plate of what looked like chocolate chip cookies. Sam smiled appreciatively, loving Jess all the more, before taking note of the running shower through the open bathroom door.

Sighing, Sam walked past the bed with the bag and cookies, and slumped over on the other double, leaning back and closing his eyes. He had wanted to go with Dean, yeah, but sitting in this room, knowing Jess was here too, he could feel he'd made the right decision.

Something dripped on his face just then, and Sam winced before saying smirking slightly. It was probably just Jess, hair still wet from her shower, leaning over to surprise him. He waited for the inevitable kiss, but when it didn't come slowly opened his eyes.

He didn't recognize what he saw. He didn't believe it. Jess was above him, but instead of being inches away, she was on the ceiling, and how was that?

"Jess!"

Sam scrambled, barely taking in the silent scream on Jess's face before a huge wave of flames erupted from behind her body, cascading across the ceiling and down all the walls.

The horror of the image was incomprehensible. "Jess!" Sam screamed, trying to stand up, pull her down from there, oh god from the ceiling – "JESS!"

Suddenly there were arms wrapping around him, pulling him away, and Sam thought he heard Dean's voice yell in his ear but he had no time to think about that, because Jess, his Jess, his beautiful girlfriend was on fire, oh fuck she was burning, and Sam needed to save her, he needed Jess, oh god he needed Jess.

Sam was still screaming his denial when Dean finally pulled him all the way out of the room and to safety. His legs gave out and he cried, the air feeling cold now compared to the deadly heat that had encompassed the room. It did nothing to quench the burning in Sam's heart.

---

"Sam?"

Sam heard Dean, but he said nothing back. He could feel Dean's worried look, though. But he couldn't bring himself to answer. God, Jess. She was gone. She was dead. Burned alive, pinned to the ceiling, her beautiful body and life desecrated.

Sam closed his eyes, trying to fight the image away. But it wouldn't leave – it was just as burned in his mind as his love for Jess had been. Maybe stronger, even. Was this how Dad had felt, watching his house and the love of his life become nothing but ash and dust?

Because Sam had never known hurt like this could exist. He'd never known vengeance like this could exist, either.

Without looking at Dean, Sam swiveled and starting a determined walk back to the Impala. Ignoring the tears in his eyes and the steps of his brother following him, he opened the trunk and started looking through the weapons, mentally cataloguing what they were missing.

As Dean sauntered up to stand next to him, a question on his face, Sam only said, "We're low on lighter fluid."

"Sam –"

Sam shook his head, and Dean's jaw clenched. "No. Don't."

Dean slowly blinked, looked away and nodded. Sam felt his chin tremble, but fought it down and away, as deep as he could. He didn't have time to grieve. He had to find his dad. He had to get answers. He had to avenge Jess's death. He had to end this massacre in his soul. He had to... he had nothing.

"Sammy?"

Okay, maybe that wasn't entirely true. "What?"

"Let's get out of here."

"Okay." Stanford was gone. Jess was gone. This was all he had left, and damned if he was going to lose anything else. "We've got work to do."