SPN Fic: Finding Elrond - Epilogue
Nov. 19th, 2007 05:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shallowzTitle: Finding Elrond
Author: shallowz
Fandom: Supernatural
Rating: PG13
Characters: Dean, Sam
Warnings/spoilers: Faith, Houses of the Holy, Born Under a Bad Sign (possibly others)
Word count: around 1,605
Disclaimer: This story is based on the characters and premises of many talented people. Essentially, not ours, no profit being made, etc. This is just for fun.
Summary: Sam has a leg wound that won’t heal, and Dean’s inspired by one of his usual resources for finding a cure.
Authors' Note: Happy Birthday,harrigan! This is for you.:) Many thanks to erinrua for betaing this fic!
Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five
Author: shallowz
Fandom: Supernatural
Rating: PG13
Characters: Dean, Sam
Warnings/spoilers: Faith, Houses of the Holy, Born Under a Bad Sign (possibly others)
Word count: around 1,605
Disclaimer: This story is based on the characters and premises of many talented people. Essentially, not ours, no profit being made, etc. This is just for fun.
Summary: Sam has a leg wound that won’t heal, and Dean’s inspired by one of his usual resources for finding a cure.
Authors' Note: Happy Birthday,
harrigan! This is for you.:) Many thanks to erinrua for betaing this fic!Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five
Epilogue
Sam’s progress continued at a pace through the week that pleased and astonished Elliot. While Sam slept with the determination of a man catching up for lost time, the wound had lost its putrid air, and the skin started knitting together in a pink, healthy fashion. Sam was a model patient.
And weaponry aside, Dean turned out to be extraordinarily handy about the house and yard. Elliot had quickly discovered that an idle, bored Dean was not a good thing, so while Sam recovered, Elliot recruited his restless guest, and together they set about repairing the damage the Landrys had caused.
-------
Sam was on the fourth day of recovery, and under his healer’s orders to remain in bed, when he heard a vehicle coming up the drive. Heard shouts. Not the happy kind. The angry, ‘I’m going to get you’ kind.
Where was Walsh?
Where was Dean?
He knew they had planned to work on repairing the front yard this afternoon.
Grabbing up his cell, he called Dean’s. With his free hand, he started feeling between the mattress and box spring.
Oh yeah, there you are. He loved his brother’s paranoia… or as Dean insisted, his tendency to believe that bad shit was always around the corner. Taking hold of his gun, he swung his legs over the side of the bed.
Come on, pick-
“I hear ‘em," came the clipped greeting. “I’ll handle it.”
Snorting, Sam continued his search between the mattress and box spring. One gun? Not likely. He grinned, pulling out his knife. Poor Elliot was going to freak. Adrenalin gave him the push he needed to get out of bed.
A sigh. “There’s a cane by the chair.”
“Where are you?”
“Out back, by the garden shed. Walsh was going to get us something to drink.”
Sam shot a look over his shoulder when he heard the shouts get louder and the sound of the front door opening. “Dammit, he’s going out.”
“On my way. Use the cane.”
“Yeah, yeah. Let’s hunt some orcs.” Sam grinned at the momentary silence.
“You’re never going to let that go, are you?”
“Not for a really long time.”
Sam chuckled, just a little, imagining Dean’s expression. Shoving the knife in his waistband with the hope that it just wouldn’t drop down his leg, he took his gun in hand and snatched up the cane. He wasn’t sure how long his leg would support him, and it just might come in handy.
As he passed his duffle, he saw the camcorder and grinned.
-------
Elliot stepped out onto the porch with no little amount of frustration. Big clods of dirt were being hurled into the air as the four by four ripped up the newly smoothed lawn.
He and Dean had just finished laying sod.
Elliot had found his equilibrium and no Landry was going to destroy the peace he had acquired since Sam’s healing. Having gone up against a supernatural bully, the Landrys seemed… mundane.
And sad.
Looked like the entire family came to call this time. Will Landry looked stiff and grim in the passenger side, while one of the sons was cranking the steering wheel to dig more furrows in his yard -
Okay, he may sympathize, but a Molotov cocktail being lobbed from the back of the truck and heading for his newly repaired porch was pushing it. If he wasn’t mistaken, that was Seth, the younger son, who tossed it.
Jesus, these people were nuts.
The bottle shattered as it was shot in mid-air to burn harmlessly on the driveway followed by a satisfied whoop.
Dean was an excellent shot.
“He’s going to love this.” Elliot was startled to find Sam leaning on the doorjamb for support, camcorder in one hand, and a gun down by his side in the other. “I got that on film. We’ll be watching that in slo-mo for days. How much you wanna bet?”
Shaking his head at the absurd turn his life had taken, Elliot waved to the Landrys as they aimed their truck toward the porch. Once he knew he had the Landrys’ attention, he hooked a thumb over to indicate Sam.
“Smile for the camera boys!” he shouted, and then laughed as Dean shot out the passenger side mirror.
-------
Elliot quickly picked up the ringing phone in his bedroom, frowning at the late hour. He didn’t want it to wake Sam. While his client was much improved, Sam wasn’t nearly at full strength. The afternoon’s excitement had taken a lot out of him. As it was, Sam hadn’t gone back to bed. Instead he and Dean had parked themselves in front of the TV to watch and re-watch what Sam had caught on film. Not that Elliot wasn’t guilty of more than a few viewings.
It was something to see the shots Dean made in slow motion.
Hearing the Winchesters’ commentary was in itself a new form of entertainment, and Elliot found it fascinating to watch a different kind of healing take place.
“Elliot, who shot at the Landrys?” A no-nonsense voice barked over the receiver.
“Not sure what you’re talking about, Ron," Elliot hedged, careful and somewhat surprised that the Landrys would admit to being at his place, much less go to the Sheriff.
“I’ve got a DVD here showing me that you know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“Oh.” Elliot blinked. So, that’s what Dean had been up to after dinner. “Some friends of mine.”
“That’s some dangerous friends you have there.”
“I could say the same.”
Silence.
“I’ll take care of them," Davis sighed.
“Please do.”
“We’ll call it even.”
“Fair enough.”
“Have a nice evening.”
“You too, Sheriff.” Elliot hung up the phone and turned to the shadowy figure in the hallway. “Thank you.”
“Least I can do.” Dean chuckled softly. “Besides, shots like those deserved to be shared.”
Elliot threw back his head and laughed.
-------
Eight days after they had arrived, Sam was standing on Elliot’s porch and shaking his hand with sincere thanks for all he had done.
Taking his turn, Dean said, “you come across anything that needs our kind of attention, call us. We owe you.”
“I’d say we’re even,” Elliot stated, thinking of the Landrys, and his renewed conviction in his work.
With a barely noticeable softening around the eyes, Dean responded, “not even close.” And then with a grin, he said, “Come on, Sam. We need to hit the road,” and he headed for the car.
“He’s right,” Sam agreed, about to follow when Elliot asked him to wait.
Walsh reached for a container sitting on the nearby table. Handing it to Sam, he said, “Bribe him for good behavior with one of these when he starts to get on your nerves.”
“Man, are these your caramel rolls?” Sam asked reverently.
Grinning, Elliot gave a nod.
“This is the first time I’ve ever hoped he won’t listen to me,” Sam with his own grin.
Then with a brief touch to Elliot’s shoulder, he was heading towards the Impala, but not before hiding the container within the folds of the jacket he carried.
Elliot was pleased to note that while the limp was still there, Sam’s gait was smoothing out.
-------
Once on the road, Sam glanced over to Dean.
“Nice job with the protection runes. Took me awhile to find ‘em.”
Dean grinned. “Because, I’m just that good.”
“He’s covered, right?”
“With every single thing I could think of and what I could dig out of Dad’s journal.”
“Good.”
-------
Settling on his front porch steps, Elliot surveyed his restored domain and reflected on the past week. Only a niggling little question marred his contentment.
Should he have said something?
Elliot never truly sat down with the Winchesters to explain how the healing worked. He would have, but there never seemed to be a good time. Sam was too ill to care, and Dean only cared that it worked.
Elliot’s belief system was a grounded faith. He believed there was a higher power, whatever you wanted to call it. He trusted that belief was enough, and because of that he could heal, but it was never himself doing the healing. He was just the conductor. He could call on the energy that existed, and with intent, direct it to where it was needed. If the client truly wanted to be healed, it would happen.
Sam had doubted. Doubted it would work, and doubted that he was worthy of it.
Dean thought otherwise, and there lie Elliot’s dilemma.
The energy Elliot had directed hadn’t come from his usual channels. Sam had rejected that.
No, that raw, desperate power had come from an outside source. Unrestrained and familiar, it had blasted through any doubts Sam had.
Dean had been afraid of losing his brother. He was also determined enough to not let it happen, and whatever he had let loose, Sam had not only accepted, but held onto it with a stubbornness that matched his brother’s.
As for explaining something like that to the Winchesters…
Someday, maybe. For now, he would remain their Elrond.
-------
“There’s no way you can hide those rolls from me. You’re still weak, and I can take you.”
Sam’s progress continued at a pace through the week that pleased and astonished Elliot. While Sam slept with the determination of a man catching up for lost time, the wound had lost its putrid air, and the skin started knitting together in a pink, healthy fashion. Sam was a model patient.
And weaponry aside, Dean turned out to be extraordinarily handy about the house and yard. Elliot had quickly discovered that an idle, bored Dean was not a good thing, so while Sam recovered, Elliot recruited his restless guest, and together they set about repairing the damage the Landrys had caused.
-------
Sam was on the fourth day of recovery, and under his healer’s orders to remain in bed, when he heard a vehicle coming up the drive. Heard shouts. Not the happy kind. The angry, ‘I’m going to get you’ kind.
Where was Walsh?
Where was Dean?
He knew they had planned to work on repairing the front yard this afternoon.
Grabbing up his cell, he called Dean’s. With his free hand, he started feeling between the mattress and box spring.
Oh yeah, there you are. He loved his brother’s paranoia… or as Dean insisted, his tendency to believe that bad shit was always around the corner. Taking hold of his gun, he swung his legs over the side of the bed.
Come on, pick-
“I hear ‘em," came the clipped greeting. “I’ll handle it.”
Snorting, Sam continued his search between the mattress and box spring. One gun? Not likely. He grinned, pulling out his knife. Poor Elliot was going to freak. Adrenalin gave him the push he needed to get out of bed.
A sigh. “There’s a cane by the chair.”
“Where are you?”
“Out back, by the garden shed. Walsh was going to get us something to drink.”
Sam shot a look over his shoulder when he heard the shouts get louder and the sound of the front door opening. “Dammit, he’s going out.”
“On my way. Use the cane.”
“Yeah, yeah. Let’s hunt some orcs.” Sam grinned at the momentary silence.
“You’re never going to let that go, are you?”
“Not for a really long time.”
Sam chuckled, just a little, imagining Dean’s expression. Shoving the knife in his waistband with the hope that it just wouldn’t drop down his leg, he took his gun in hand and snatched up the cane. He wasn’t sure how long his leg would support him, and it just might come in handy.
As he passed his duffle, he saw the camcorder and grinned.
-------
Elliot stepped out onto the porch with no little amount of frustration. Big clods of dirt were being hurled into the air as the four by four ripped up the newly smoothed lawn.
He and Dean had just finished laying sod.
Elliot had found his equilibrium and no Landry was going to destroy the peace he had acquired since Sam’s healing. Having gone up against a supernatural bully, the Landrys seemed… mundane.
And sad.
Looked like the entire family came to call this time. Will Landry looked stiff and grim in the passenger side, while one of the sons was cranking the steering wheel to dig more furrows in his yard -
Okay, he may sympathize, but a Molotov cocktail being lobbed from the back of the truck and heading for his newly repaired porch was pushing it. If he wasn’t mistaken, that was Seth, the younger son, who tossed it.
Jesus, these people were nuts.
The bottle shattered as it was shot in mid-air to burn harmlessly on the driveway followed by a satisfied whoop.
Dean was an excellent shot.
“He’s going to love this.” Elliot was startled to find Sam leaning on the doorjamb for support, camcorder in one hand, and a gun down by his side in the other. “I got that on film. We’ll be watching that in slo-mo for days. How much you wanna bet?”
Shaking his head at the absurd turn his life had taken, Elliot waved to the Landrys as they aimed their truck toward the porch. Once he knew he had the Landrys’ attention, he hooked a thumb over to indicate Sam.
“Smile for the camera boys!” he shouted, and then laughed as Dean shot out the passenger side mirror.
-------
Elliot quickly picked up the ringing phone in his bedroom, frowning at the late hour. He didn’t want it to wake Sam. While his client was much improved, Sam wasn’t nearly at full strength. The afternoon’s excitement had taken a lot out of him. As it was, Sam hadn’t gone back to bed. Instead he and Dean had parked themselves in front of the TV to watch and re-watch what Sam had caught on film. Not that Elliot wasn’t guilty of more than a few viewings.
It was something to see the shots Dean made in slow motion.
Hearing the Winchesters’ commentary was in itself a new form of entertainment, and Elliot found it fascinating to watch a different kind of healing take place.
“Elliot, who shot at the Landrys?” A no-nonsense voice barked over the receiver.
“Not sure what you’re talking about, Ron," Elliot hedged, careful and somewhat surprised that the Landrys would admit to being at his place, much less go to the Sheriff.
“I’ve got a DVD here showing me that you know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“Oh.” Elliot blinked. So, that’s what Dean had been up to after dinner. “Some friends of mine.”
“That’s some dangerous friends you have there.”
“I could say the same.”
Silence.
“I’ll take care of them," Davis sighed.
“Please do.”
“We’ll call it even.”
“Fair enough.”
“Have a nice evening.”
“You too, Sheriff.” Elliot hung up the phone and turned to the shadowy figure in the hallway. “Thank you.”
“Least I can do.” Dean chuckled softly. “Besides, shots like those deserved to be shared.”
Elliot threw back his head and laughed.
-------
Eight days after they had arrived, Sam was standing on Elliot’s porch and shaking his hand with sincere thanks for all he had done.
Taking his turn, Dean said, “you come across anything that needs our kind of attention, call us. We owe you.”
“I’d say we’re even,” Elliot stated, thinking of the Landrys, and his renewed conviction in his work.
With a barely noticeable softening around the eyes, Dean responded, “not even close.” And then with a grin, he said, “Come on, Sam. We need to hit the road,” and he headed for the car.
“He’s right,” Sam agreed, about to follow when Elliot asked him to wait.
Walsh reached for a container sitting on the nearby table. Handing it to Sam, he said, “Bribe him for good behavior with one of these when he starts to get on your nerves.”
“Man, are these your caramel rolls?” Sam asked reverently.
Grinning, Elliot gave a nod.
“This is the first time I’ve ever hoped he won’t listen to me,” Sam with his own grin.
Then with a brief touch to Elliot’s shoulder, he was heading towards the Impala, but not before hiding the container within the folds of the jacket he carried.
Elliot was pleased to note that while the limp was still there, Sam’s gait was smoothing out.
-------
Once on the road, Sam glanced over to Dean.
“Nice job with the protection runes. Took me awhile to find ‘em.”
Dean grinned. “Because, I’m just that good.”
“He’s covered, right?”
“With every single thing I could think of and what I could dig out of Dad’s journal.”
“Good.”
-------
Settling on his front porch steps, Elliot surveyed his restored domain and reflected on the past week. Only a niggling little question marred his contentment.
Should he have said something?
Elliot never truly sat down with the Winchesters to explain how the healing worked. He would have, but there never seemed to be a good time. Sam was too ill to care, and Dean only cared that it worked.
Elliot’s belief system was a grounded faith. He believed there was a higher power, whatever you wanted to call it. He trusted that belief was enough, and because of that he could heal, but it was never himself doing the healing. He was just the conductor. He could call on the energy that existed, and with intent, direct it to where it was needed. If the client truly wanted to be healed, it would happen.
Sam had doubted. Doubted it would work, and doubted that he was worthy of it.
Dean thought otherwise, and there lie Elliot’s dilemma.
The energy Elliot had directed hadn’t come from his usual channels. Sam had rejected that.
No, that raw, desperate power had come from an outside source. Unrestrained and familiar, it had blasted through any doubts Sam had.
Dean had been afraid of losing his brother. He was also determined enough to not let it happen, and whatever he had let loose, Sam had not only accepted, but held onto it with a stubbornness that matched his brother’s.
As for explaining something like that to the Winchesters…
Someday, maybe. For now, he would remain their Elrond.
-------
“There’s no way you can hide those rolls from me. You’re still weak, and I can take you.”
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-11-20 12:53 am (UTC)But I wanted to at least pop in to say THANK YOU from the depths of my heart for hitting all my favorite kinks so effectively!
The ending was so awesome that it just robbed me of coherent thought.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-21 10:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-21 03:33 pm (UTC)Random things I loved:
- that Sam could sleep, because Dean's touch made the burn go away. The way Dean protects Sam's head from getting whacked on the car door frame. All the ways you show us both nurturing-protective Dean and aware-and-appreciative Sam. Happy sigh.
- there are never enough stories where instead of a medical crisis that needs immediate action, there is a slow, painful decline where things just get worse and worse and the tension gets ratcheted up accordingly. I LOVE this!
- the word pictures you paint are so evocative... Dean's gritty exhaustion, Sam's fetid wound and wasting away ... all of it.
- Elliot! Squee! Great OC! (And he bakes too!!!)
- I love that there is a backstory to Elliot that gives us a little action/plot as well as the wallow in h/c.
- I know you know that I'm happiest when the wounded person is still in the game, and not just a victim. So yay! that Sam was alert and suspicious when they got to Walsh's place; I love that he took the initiative in applying the ultimate treatment; was gratified to see him on the phone with Dean and using a cane so that he could be part of the the final 'orc hunt' (hee).
- this is getting into the trivial here, but I was really glad to see the guys acting like guys in the shower department. Most guys don't really get all girly about being naked around each other, and your scene was just so matter-of-fact and believable. So I had to tell you I appreciated that!
- "Irony is a bitch." Oh Dean!
- "Sometimes our professions find us."
- Salt in the open wound! Yeah - that whole scene was nirvana for me.
- Loved the boys making a distinction between ghosts and vengeful spirits.
- But the ending? It really just took my breath away. How completely awesome that Elliot alone couldn't channel the healing energy. "That raw desperate power had come from an outside source. Unrestrained and familiar, it had blasted through any doubts Sam had." Just makes me all squeeful.
-- But ... it's gotta end with the brothers in the car! Right? And you did! Perfect Sam and Dean moment to wrap it all up in a shiny bow!
Thank you again! ♥ ♥ ♥
no subject
Date: 2007-11-21 10:42 pm (UTC)We're ecstatic that we hit your happy buttons effectively. That's wonderful and a bit of a relief to be honest. It's one thing to know what you like, but an entirely different thing to get it down. Took awhile, but it's done (oh yay!) and you enjoy your illustrated copy! Personally, we think that sleepy Sam picture is adorable.
Loved seeing your thoughts. Thank you!!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-22 03:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-22 06:39 pm (UTC)Thank you!!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-22 04:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-22 06:47 pm (UTC)Thanks so much.:)
a very sweet and touching end
Date: 2007-11-22 06:15 am (UTC)Re: a very sweet and touching end
Date: 2007-11-22 06:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-22 07:53 am (UTC)I'd love to see more stories in this 'verse.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-22 06:55 pm (UTC)Your welcome and thanks muchly for letting us know what you thought of it.:D
no subject
Date: 2007-11-22 10:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-22 11:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-23 12:27 am (UTC)*applauds*
Brava! What a wonderful story! Love all the interactions. Very good voices.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-23 05:45 am (UTC)Kidding aside, thanks for such wonderful comments.:)
no subject
Date: 2007-11-24 10:36 am (UTC)Shoving the knife in his waistband with the hope that it just wouldn’t drop down his leg, he took his gun in hand and snatched up the cane. beautiful mixture.
Very much liked Elliot's musing on how Sam was healed and the last line also.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-24 09:57 pm (UTC)This fic was a fun birthday present to give, and it is just as much fun to see others enjoy it. Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-26 01:52 am (UTC)I absolutely adored Elliot...he completely won me over with the understated, matter-of-fact way with which he approaches a very spiritual calling.
Finally, the end was superb. I appreciated the last glimpse into Elliot and how he heals.
Wonderful, wonderful story. :)
no subject
Date: 2007-11-26 03:28 pm (UTC)We're happy that Elliot is being so well received, and to see that we've gotten the characterizations of Sam and Dean right is always a thrill.:)
Thanks so much for reading and for your comments. It made us smile hugely!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-26 05:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-26 09:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-27 04:27 am (UTC)It was fun, and yay! Hurt... and comfort and joy! Yay!
Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-27 09:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-27 05:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-27 09:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-27 09:35 am (UTC)*dances*
no subject
Date: 2007-11-27 09:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-27 10:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-27 09:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-27 03:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-27 09:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-27 04:55 pm (UTC)Thanks for writing!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-27 09:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-28 01:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-28 03:53 am (UTC)Always happy to hear when a fic works, and thanks so much for letting us know it did for you.:D
P.S. Took a peek at your journal. Love that B/W pic!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-28 02:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-28 04:02 am (UTC)Thanks so much for your wonderful comments. Always fun to know when you get the characterizations right.:D
Whee!!!!
Date: 2007-11-28 02:44 am (UTC)Well, I guess you do now, and I knew this story was awsome, but it's so good to see my opinion confirmed and just ... *sniffle* I'm so proud of this fic! *HUGS you until you squeak*
YAY! *G*
Cheers ~
Erin
Re: Whee!!!!
Date: 2007-11-28 04:13 am (UTC)They let us know last night. Put huge smiles on our faces... and I loved the summary. Talk about keeping with the LOTR theme.:D
You should be proud. You played a huge part in making this fic what it is.
And Elliot came across well. Can't tell you how wonderful that is to have an OC accepted like he's been. Rather pleased with that.:)
Thanks again for making this fic all shiny. It was wonderful working with you!!
*Huge hug*
no subject
Date: 2007-11-28 12:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-28 07:26 pm (UTC)And thanks for reading and for all your great comments!!:)
no subject
Date: 2007-11-30 07:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-01 03:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-16 05:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-16 11:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 10:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 02:50 pm (UTC)Thanks for letting us know you enjoyed them. Always appreciated.:)
no subject
Date: 2009-07-22 01:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-22 01:33 pm (UTC)Been waffling on a sequel forever, and it is certainly nice to know this one is still being read.:)