Chapter 3: Stanford
Stanford University 31 Oct 2005.
Present Day
"Come on Sam, we were supposed to be there fifteen minutes ago." A beautiful young brunette woman says with a pout.
"Do I have to Jane?" Sam asks her, still laying on the bed.
"Of course you do, all our friends are going, it will be fun. You wouldn't send me out there alone would you?" She asks him with a sweet gentle voice as she sits on the edge of the bed next to him in a vampire costume.
'Like you'd need any protection, Ruby.' Sam thinks to himself.
Sam raises his hand and and playfully plays with her hair, "You know how I feel about Halloween Jane,"
"Come on, Sam, I'll make it worth your while," She says with a seductive look as she slowly runs her hand down his chest.
As Sam sees her stop right above his crotch and take her hand away he sits up and brings her into a kiss, as he pulls away he tells her, "I may be the law student, but don't let anyone tell you aren't good at driving a bargain."
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At the Bar - at Night, Song Gasoline blaring
'It's been four years now, Azazel should be making his move soon.' Sam thinks to himself as someone in a ghoul costume approaches him.
"Hey Sam! Congrats on your LSAT score! Heard you got a one seventy four!" He says as he puts a glass of Soda in front of him.
"A glass of Soda, no alchohol since you don't like it."
"Thanks Luis, but its not that big of a deal," Sam answers as he takes the glass, without anyone noticing checking it with his psychic capabilities for any tampering. Not finding anything he drinks it.
"He's just being humble, that's a scary good score. Any law school would welcome him with open arms." Jane says as she wraps her arms around Sam from the back, laying her houd on his shoulder. Sam fights himself not to tense, since he knows who- no, what she is.
It's been a year since Brady introduced Jane to him, who in actuality is Ruby in disguise, wearing the 2nd vessel she had in the show, the one in season four. The poor coma girl named Jane Doe, which she has taken the name of.
Though, the coma in this world never happened. From what Sam can reason is that Ruby possessed the girl right after the crash. A way to make sure if he investigates her background that he doesn't find anything suspicious by some coma girl from years ago, joining Stanford and then approaching him, becoming his girlfriend.
Though that is what should have been the case, if he wasn't who he was, knowing the big points of the plot against him.
He's been honing his psychic capabilities for years now, and could see that the vessel she had had been dead for years, the year of the crash he assumes. He let her be his girlfriend, because the saying goes, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
He had plans for Ruby, plans he constantly thought about. He had been for years researching through lore how memory manipulation worked in this world and why the archangels and demons in the show never did it to the canon Sam and Dean to get their consent and he found out something quite interesting.
In the world of spells, seals, magic, etc. It seemed that when it came to pure choice that the manipulation of memory negated that. So from this it stands to reason that for breaking the seals on Satan's Cage, the consent to becoming vessels, it needed to be well, pure choice and the manipulation of memory would've made that impossible.
Though it does seem that it is allowed to manipulate the memories before the specific moment of need for that pure choice, but with the condition that it is only for a day and that the memories return thereafter. For example, in the show Zachariah, the seraph, manipulated Sam and Dean's memories,
making them forget who they were and set them in some company for them to work until they came into contact with a ghost which they both had to work together to fight which eventually triggered their memory return.
They still had their full memories when it came the time for consent to be vessels so they had pure choice, but the limit seems to be, again, around a day.
This opened quite the doors for him, because it meant the demons and angels fear to mess around with their minds which meant they didn't need to fear that they were being intruded in their most safe place and wouldn't do so unless absolutely necessary.
Though, Sam, still for precaution left most information out when planning with his father and brother, because him being psychic still gave him a far better defense, because he would know if his mental barriers were by passed or being probed at.
"Sam!"
"Huh?"
"You okay there Sam?" Asked Jane as she put her palm against his forehead.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"You spaced out there for quite a while man, been calling you for a hot couple seconds." Answered Luis.
"Sorry, I was lost in thought." Explained Sam.
"Thinking about your interview coming monday?" Asked Jane
"No, I was... I was thinking about my family." Answered Sam while thinking, 'Among other things.'
"Oh yeah, how'd that brother you talk about sometimes react when he found out about how genius his little brother is?" Asked Luis.
"Uh, he doesn't know. I haven't told him."
"Why not?" Asked Luis in confusion
"He didn't quite take it well when I left for college, felt I was abandoning him and dad."
"Sheesh, that sucks, but hey, hopefully things will work out between you two."
"Hope so too." Answered Sam
"Okay, guys, enough of the depressing talk, let's party in honor of Sam's awesomeness!" She said as she raised her glass, and their friends who overheard also raised their glass.
"Oh, What would I do without you?" Sam said in a fond tone as he pulled Jane to sit on his lap, making her give him a kiss.
"Crash and burn," Jane answered as the kiss broke, though unknown to her a glint appeared in Sam's eyes at that, 'Oh you have no idea.' he thought to himself.
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Apartment, Bedroom, Night
As Sam and Jane heard movement through the apartment outside the room, Sam held her tightly and whispered into her ear, "You stay here, I'll go and check it out." causing Jane to nod in worry, worry Sam easily saw through as nonsense. Not because Ruby didn't care for Sam, oh no, Sam's been playing the long game, if Azazel is gonna put a piece in his own field, he'll turn that piece into his own.
After all, in this world demons can change and gain a sort of goodness, just look at Crowley and he knew that canon Ruby had feelings for Sam and truly believed she was doing what was best for both of them.
Ruby simply instantly knew that who was outside was Dean, because she could see his soul outside the room. It was very bright and flaming, in contrast to Sam's who was the brightest in all of creation, but also very cold. She assumed it was because he's supposed to be their father's destined vessel, which the thought of these last months had been causing a gnawing feeling to fester in her heart, especially knowing what should happen coming sunday night.
As she heard the fighting stop, she headed outside the room, hearing the last comment, made by Sam saying, "It seems I'm still the better one at hand to hand combat, big brother." She could practically hear the smirk in his voice.
There she saw Sam looming over Dean who's been pressed onto the grounnd, "Yeah, yeah, no get off me giganto." Dean said as he tapped the ground in surrender.
"Sure," Sam answered in amusement. "Though I do expect an explanation why you broke into my apartment at 3 in the morning." Sam told him in a tone, that tried to be stern yet filled with fondness that couldn't be hidden as Dean stood up.
Though as Dean got a look at Jane, he let out a whistle, "whew, you are way out of my brother's league, hi, I'm-" Though as Dean tried to approach Jane to introduce himself Sam shot out his arm pushing him back where he was, "I'm still waiting for that explanation Dean and for your information, I don't appreciate you trying to flirt with my girlfriend."
"Wait, Dean, as in, your big brother Dean?" Ruby questioned, the perfect image of confused cute and only in private sexy girlfriend.
"In the flesh." Dean answered with a mock bow.
"As for the explanation, well..." Dean said with a look towards Sam and then a side glance towards Jane.
"No, whatever you want to say, you can say it in front of her." Sternness in his voice, the perfect image now of younger brother, angry at his family, no longer lost in nostalgia as he approached Jane and hugged her side towards him.
Dean sighed and then looked him dead in the eye, "Dad hasn't been home in a few days."
"So he's working overtime at whatever job he has. Wouldn't be the first time he ignored us." Sam answered with bitterness in his voice.
"No, Sam, dad's on a hunting trip and he hasn't been home in a few days." At this Sam's face becomes far more serious, but also concerned.
"Jane, excuse us. We have to go outside."
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"You really expect me to uproot my whole entire life that I've built here to look for a man whose been missing for days if not weeks multiple times in our entire lives and always came back, now? Seriously? After what he said? After what you both did?"
At his Dean winced, he knew Sam was acting because they couldn't be sure what was watching, especially since Sam a couple months ago set this date for whatever reason that he wouldn't explain.
But man was he convincing.
He knew this bitterness couldn't be faked. Sam was probably pulling it from what he felt many times, but never voiced.
"Sam, it's dad man, I know you both had your issues since that day, but-"
"But what Dean? You still haven't told me why this time is any different than any of the other times."
"It's because this time Sam, he directly went after the thing" At this whatever retort was on Sam's tongue instantly seemed to die down.
"You sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure man, and you know if it's because of that, I'll need whatever back up I can get man. Like come on man, its been two years, in these two years, I've never asked you for a damn thing man. Left you alone just like you wanted. Please Sammy, I can't do this without you."
It indeed has been two years, since they last met. Not four, they still needed to establish a way of contact and the best way was finding a hunt near Stanford. Dean came for his routine check up that was 'hidden' from Sam and then found a some werewolf hunting near Stanford because of it being such a hotspot for people.
At this Sam's jaw tightened, "Yes you can." Sam retorted.
"Well, I don't want to." Dean retorted himself, and let no one tell you that only Sam has good puppy eyes, because Dean can practically melt anyone's heart with such a sad and desperate look.
Sam sighed, "Fine, but we need to be back by monday. I've got an interview that day."
"Why? Is it a job interview? Skip it."
"No, its not a job interview Dean, you would know if you weren't so against me leaving," Sam said bitterly, "It's a law school interview and its my whole future on a plate."
"Law school?" Dean asks in surprise, because he knew Sam needed to act the part for this plan of his, but somewhere deep down, he feared that his brother would for real leave them after this whole thing was done and over.
Sam nodded, "Now, we got a deal or not."
Dean bit the inside of his cheek, but reluctantly nodded and as he did, Sam nodded himself too and went inside to give an explanation to Jane and prepare somethings.
Both knew though, from this day forward, nothing will remain the same.
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(Author note: Hello guys, hopefully you liked the chapter. I know it is a lot like canon right now, but I need to establish the basis of difference before we hop in to the real deal.
Hopefully you guys enjoyed it and if so please leave a comment, it motivates me to continue.
Well see you around,
Bye!)