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britomart_isEpilogue.
There are two stocky, no-nonsense women drinking antique Coronas in the booth by the door when the kid walks in, making this officially their busiest night since opening.
"Dude," Dean says. "We're cool. We're like a happening spot. We're legitimate business owners."
Sam rolls his eyes and sips from a can of Tab they found in the back closet next to a bag of pork rinds with a pull-date from 1982. "Pillars of the community. Sure they'll give us the key to the city as soon as they're through with the paperwork." Dean punches Sam in the arm. Sam grins till his cheeks hurt.
The young man is standing in front of the bar, staring at Sam. Dean doesn't like it when people stare at Sam. Sam watches Dean's hand casually drifting to rest under the bar where the shotgun is. "I'd ask you for ID," Dean says mildly, "but I'm pretty sure you were a glimmer in the long-haul trucker's eye the last time anyone was issuing government ID. I can hook you up with a grape Fanta. It's a 1995, good vintage."
Sam wishes Dean wouldn't insult people's parentage, particularly since most people's parents are dead these days.
The kid visibly shakes his head as he snaps out of it. "Sorry. I came because I heard a rumor. Wow."
Dean stiffens. He doesn't like it when people hear whispers and come to try to shoot Sam in the back when he turns around to pour their drinks, either. Sam watches Dean's hand curling tighter around the shotgun and jostles him warningly with a knee. The kid's young, swimming in a coat three sizes too big for him, oughta be at some college party, or dragging all his laundry home over break to use his parents' washer. Sam leans over the bar, tries to look non-terrifying. "What can we help you with?"
"Actually, I've got something for you." When the kid reaches into his coat pocket, Sam's afraid Dean'll shoot him, but the kid produces a harmless scrap of paper. A photo. He hands it to Sam. "I thought you'd want this back."
By the time Sam breaks out of his trance, the kid's gone.
"What is it?" Dean asks suspiciously.
"I don't know," Sam says, handing the snapshot over. "I don't remember it."
Sam watches Dean take in the photo, bites his lip at the softening of Dean's facial expression. Dean looks up suddenly. "Where'd that guy get this?"
Sam shrugs. "Don't know. Glad he gave it back. I like it." Sam takes the picture back, lovingly straightening its dogeared edges. "We look happy."
Dean wraps his arms around Sam's waist from behind as Sam turns to face the back of the bar. "We're happy now."
Sam smiles broadly as he tucks the snapshot into the frame of the mirror that spans the wall behind dusty whiskey bottles. "There."
In the photograph, a garish monument looms with styrofoam solemnity in a grassy field. A man, young and momentarily untroubled, smiles bashfully. There's a sun in the sky, and a bird perched on the Welcome to Foamhenge sign. And there are two brothers, together.
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no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 09:29 am (UTC)"You just wanted me to be him so much." - My heart broke when I read this line.
Dean, did you die?
Yes.
Why?
Because I loved you. - The utter simplicity of this yet it speaks volumes.
Very powerful read. Sad, heartbreaking, hopeful and beautiful all at the same time.
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Date: 2010-07-20 06:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 11:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 02:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 02:20 pm (UTC)This is what it's all about. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!
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Date: 2010-07-25 02:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 03:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 02:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 05:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 02:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 05:16 pm (UTC)A wonderful fic with a great concept and...wowza. You really, really write fabulously.
This was really heartbreaking but Dean was so hopeful and patient with Sam. You really showed the codependency and love here. The pace was perfect. And the little hints of exactly how bad Sam had gotten were kind of shudder-inducing (which is a very good thing). They were more powerful for what was left unsaid than they would have been all spelled out.
On top of it all, this is amazingly re-readable. SCORE! I can't tell quite put into words how much I love this fic, but I hope some of it gets across. Thanks SO much for this. Wowza.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 02:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 07:12 pm (UTC)Where to begin? This is wonderful. I kinda wish there had been a camera on me as I read it, because my responses were CLASSIC. I gasped, I started, I threw my hands up over my mouth... Amazing. You surprised me so many times with the plot, the turns, and the emotion. I got teary more than once.
Beautiful characterizations, perfect pacing, and SAMNDEEEEEN. The best way to
wastespend time at work EVER.Great job!
(Edit for LJ thinking I was done before I was. Dammit.)
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Date: 2010-07-25 02:18 am (UTC)Glad it entertained you at work!
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Date: 2010-07-09 10:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 02:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 02:08 am (UTC)The language you used was absolutely brilliant and fit the mood of the story so well. It felt like I was in Dean's head, reading this thoughts. The imagery was wonderful.
I don't think I can adequately describe how awesome this fic is and how much I loved every word of it! :D
♥ ♥ ♥
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Date: 2010-07-25 02:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 04:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 02:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 05:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 03:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 07:06 pm (UTC)No words, just wow. An excellent story, thank you! *hugs*
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Date: 2010-07-25 03:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 08:29 pm (UTC)So I guess this was like what the future would be like if Dean never went to the future and never reunited with Sam, but of course 'the end' didn't turn out the same because I can bet Zachariah messed around with it, and Dean did manage to stop Lucifer. (I liked Cas's little cameo)
There were many heartbreaking moments, but I am so glad that things turned out happily for them.
It's sad that Sam never got his memories back, but fitting I suppose.
You never did go into exactly why Sam said yes. I like it that way. I think he did it because he was alone for so long, and it only took one moment for him to give up-he forgot what life was about, why it mattered- and even after that he wanted to take it back, but it was too late.
Keep up the good work.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 03:12 am (UTC)I'm glad it worked for you that we never learn exactly what happened with Sam - I knew that would be potentially frustrating for people, but felt it was important! So it's really, really lovely to hear your thoughts on that!
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Date: 2010-07-10 11:13 pm (UTC)oh Sam. oh Dean. brb so much sobbity.
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Date: 2010-07-25 03:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-11 03:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 03:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-11 08:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 03:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-11 09:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 03:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-11 09:32 am (UTC)You present things in a way that makes it so easy to feel like there is nothing left and get a snapshot almost of what is happening rather seeing what happens at the end of the end.
This story reminds me of 'The last outpost of all that is,' you mastered the bleakness of what was left so well and i really did like how it ended.
Thanks for sharing!
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Date: 2010-07-25 03:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 03:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-11 08:18 pm (UTC)Beautifully written.
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Date: 2010-07-25 03:22 am (UTC)I totally get that.
And yes, just remember that this didn't happen!
Thank you so much for letting me know your feelings about it. <3
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Date: 2010-07-12 03:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 03:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-12 04:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 03:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-12 02:09 pm (UTC)THIS is the level at which I desperately strive to write. It was PERFECT. Thank you.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-25 03:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-12 08:09 pm (UTC)A quick question, how did you get your story to be formatted like that, with the wider margins? I like the look of it a lot, which is kind of a silly thing to comment on, but I think I'd like to use it with my own stories. I thought it made it much more read-able on my wide monitor. Thanks.
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Date: 2010-07-25 03:27 am (UTC)And no, that's a great question! Sorry it took me so long to respond! I use the [blockquote] tag - you just put one at the beginning of the indented section and an ending [/blockquote] at the end. And you can nest multiple blockquotes for a more extreme indent, like I have here.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-13 12:12 am (UTC)This is a sucker punch and a half. Love the sense of length the lack of time indicators gives it - just one event bleeding into the next until you can't imagine that things were ever different. Watching Sam find out what's left of himself makes my heart clench, especially when he's so desperate to remember for Dean's sake even when he can't.
Like the circular structure with the kid and the photo and the way that the people in the photo aren't named, because that's not really who they are any more. Sort of like Dean calling Sam 'it' for so long until he had proof that he wasn't just a body (and how much does it break my heart that Dean still couldn't bring himself to do harm to Sam even then? Gah).
Cas on the radio was a neat little addition (oh, Dean, protecting Sam from everything he can), and it makes a great deal of sense in this world that they're never going to go back to what and who they were before.
This story is going to stay with me, I'm very certain. Thank you for sharing it with us!
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Date: 2010-07-25 03:32 am (UTC)WORD. Story of our show.
A pleasure to read your thoughts on the story, thank you so much for the feedback! Put a big smile on my face.