SPN Fanfic: The Sticking Place

[caffienekitty]

Title: The Sticking Place
Warnings: MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR 3X16. Do not read this if you have not seen the episode, it will make even less sense. NOT HUMOR AND I CANNOT STRESS THAT ENOUGH.

Word Count: 200-ish words
Disclaimer: If I owned them, it would be Season 4 right now.
Rating: GEN, PG13+ for gore references
Characters: Other and Dean
Summary: Kind of a Coda for 3X16. Structurally odd.... Kinda arty, maybe? POV weird deliberately. Might make no sense at all. Arg.
A/N: Again, this is not humor. Pretty much the opposite of humor, really. But it just now roared up and bit me in the brain and demanded to be written down immediately.



The Sticking Place
by CaffieneKitty


The way you stop the pain, in Hell, is letting go. We all let go, Dean.

These hooks? They aren't in your shoulder, in your side. Your shoulder's back there in the meat-world, where you left it, covered in Hell Hound drool. If it's there, then it can't be here, and therefore the pain can't be here because you have nothing to feel it with. You have no shoulder, Dean. Let it go.

These chains holding you immobile, motionless after your life of motion? Dangling you over the wide abyss? Are attached to wrists and ankles you only brought with you in your memory. Want to be free? Want to be released? Forget you ever had arms. Forget your legs. They aren't here, Dean. You don't need them here, they only hold you back. They confine you. Let them go.

The blood and bone and flesh you feel is a lie; a figment of your life. It's the cage that keeps you in a place of torment. Forget it was ever there. Let it go.

Forget your name. Forget you were ever human. Forget you were ever born. Be like us. Let it go. Let it all go.

And dangling at your non-existent throat, this bauble? This trinket? It doesn't exist. Not here. You left it back there too, where the Hound left your body, soaking in your heart's blood and your brother's tears. A silly childhood gift. It's nothing but a delusion here. Worthless, useless. It traps your soul in agony. Forget it ever existed. Let it-

And Dean said "No."


- - -
(that's all.)

Comments

[kriptkeeper.livejournal.com]

Ooo, lovely. I really like this version of hell - that Dean can move once he becomes a formless soot-cloud, but he draws the line at losing the last momento of Sammy he has. Great job! *hands bandaid for bitten brain*

[ficwriter1966.livejournal.com]

Ooh.

I'm avoiding 3.16 fic because it'll get me all depressed, and I'm trying to be the Little Bunny of Good Cheer. But for you, okay. :) (It helped that it's short. I figured 220 words couldn't depress me THAT much.)

This is a nice mirror of what the boys told Molly (which I just re-watched last night) - about letting go. Let go, and you can move on. For good or ill, it would seem. Letting go will stop the pain.

I'm gonna disagree with kriptkeeper a bit - I got the sense that Dean is saying no to all of it (relinquishing his body, his humanity) and not just the amulet. But I do think the amulet is the key to *something*, because Kripke said we'd find out more about it.

What niggles at me a little is that Dean's *dressed* in Hell, but not in all of his layers. One would wish this were HBO, so what he's wearing would mean something. Is that more of his holding on to what he was/is? Keeping his boots, jeans, shirt, the amulet, all things that are PART of him? Or is it just that the CW won't allow nekkidness? Since we normally feel much more vulnerable when we're naked...

I'm blathering. But yes, this is very cool. Pat your Muse on the head. Well done!

[pinkfinity.livejournal.com]

Oh, gorgeous!

[caffienekitty]

Actually, I intended that he was saying no to everything. Arg. Thank you though.

[caffienekitty]

I got the sense that Dean is saying no to all of it (relinquishing his body, his humanity) and not just the amulet.

Yes! I'm so glad that came across. I worried about this being misunderstood. Things often seem really clear to me, but then no one else sees them. :-/

What niggles at me a little is that Dean's *dressed* in Hell, but not in all of his layers.

I think it's a CW issue, primarily, but meta-able as some remnant of Dean's humanity or his personal armor of snark and attitude. Still it's possible to make someone look naked on screen without actually showing anything (Ash). However, it, er, would have been tough in that position. I didn't think he had his boots, though. I thought I saw toes. Also, it would be a very Kripke thing to do to give a large percentage of fans what they want, (Dean naked) but in the worst way possible (he's in Hell, hanging from meathooks).

ETA:
I'm avoiding 3.16 fic because it'll get me all depressed, and I'm trying to be the Little Bunny of Good Cheer. But for you, okay. :) (It helped that it's short. I figured 220 words couldn't depress me THAT much.)

I know, and once my plot-bunnies stop being traumatized I intend to do the same. This though, I think of as hopeful in a weird way, because it's Dean not giving up, and clinging to his connection to Sam.

[caffienekitty]

Thank you!

[malevolent73.livejournal.com]

Awww Dean. Never let go baby, Sam's a comin'! And I don't know if my house is chilly but I've been sitting here perfectly comfy for the last hour but while I was reading this piece I got the biggest chill throughout my entire body. So, I'm gonna go with, nice job. :)

[kriptkeeper.livejournal.com]

LOL, I'm a little necklace-centric right now!!! (I told you I'd be having an explosion of theories!) I guess what I meant is that I like that he spoke up at the mention of the necklace - very Dean, to be silently resistant to threats to himself, then speak up at the mention of his family. I think we've seen this in the cannon...*searches* like in Nightshifter, on the phone with Vic. Anyway, it's haunting and creepy and oh-so-Dean, and I love it!

Wish

[(Anonymous)]

So I got that he was revoking everything--wish I could do that sometimes, let things go. Might sleep more:P Wonder what kind of music they would use to torment Dean--boy bands, Britney, elevator musak? Wait, Tom Jones? Sorry, just having random thoughts at work. Should probably do some of that too right? lol

Sharon

[gwendolyngrace.livejournal.com]

Yup - again, I'm so glad we saw the amulet on him in the floaty place (whether it's Hell or his hallucinogenic version of it) because I do hope it winds up being a lifeline of sorts.

Hope

[(Anonymous)]

Lifelines are important, however they appear--and considering how often I sign off emails saying I hope, must have that..lol Looking forward to seeing if they do anything with the pendant though--now must buy season two:)

Sharon

[iamstealthyone.livejournal.com]

Forget it ever existed. Let it-

And Dean said "No."

Oh, Dean. I like that he's able to hold onto his defiance, no matter how awful things are in hell. Nicely done.

[caffienekitty]

Ooo! I don't think I've given anyone chills before! Cool! Thank you!

Re: Wish

[caffienekitty]

Hee.

[caffienekitty]

Yus, exactly. I was thinking of titling this "Lifeline" actually but changed my mind and went with a Shakepeare ref, just 'coz.

Re: Hope

[caffienekitty]

Go ye forth and acquire! Actually, it should go on sale at Amazon or Walmart right before Season 3 is released in.... um... August, I think?

[caffienekitty]

Thank you! Yep. Dean's not doing anything without a fight.

[twasadark.livejournal.com]

ooooh!!! I likee. Especially the last line!

[caffienekitty]

Thank you! It's all about that last line, this one. :-)

[cawthorne.livejournal.com]

Oh, nice. I've been avoiding 3.16 fic (I really don't need to be more depressed than I already am about poor Dean), but I saw your name as author and took the chance. I like this -- perfect length and not overwritten, as you don't need to dwell on the horror and the pain much simply because it is already so horrific and painful.

I don't know if that made sense or not -- I'm just glad it wasn't an angstfest for the sake of angst. You had a very clear point and it came through so clearly. :) Now I think i shall go read something cheerful....

[i-speak-tongue.livejournal.com]

Oh, man. Awesome! See, I was all "Oh, yeah! Good idea... stop the pain by letting go of... Oh, no! Don't do it!"

Very clever and scary how we slowly realize who the speaker(s) is(are). Impressive and creepy and go! Dean!

[innie_darling]

That's amazingly effective for such a very short piece.

[julorean.livejournal.com]

This is really cool. I like how it tries to talk him through the process of becoming a demon, but he just refuses. Very cool. This totally happened.

[caffienekitty]

I kind of intended this to be hopeful, despite the general "Dean's in Hell etc" because he's still got something that for him is a connection to Sam, and I think he wouldn't let anything go and won't give anything up because he still has that connection. He may be in a really bad place and position, but he won't stop fighting.

[caffienekitty]

Thank you! I don't do a lot of creepy, so I'm glad this worked. And totally "Go, Dean!" *\o/*

[caffienekitty]

Thank you! I'm glad it worked!

[caffienekitty]

It totally did! *nods*

[brigid-tanner.livejournal.com]

*shivers* Love it! Dean won't give up.

[caffienekitty]

Damn straight Dean won't give up! :-D

[(Anonymous)]

OMG!! Dude that was FREAKIN' AWESOME!!

[caffienekitty]

Hee! Thank you anonymous person! :-D

[wynterwolf47.livejournal.com]

**shiver**

**hugs Dean rilly tight**

[caffienekitty]

I know. *clings*

[sadelyrate.livejournal.com]

This is probably one of the happiest fics/scenarios following 3x16...
And so very, very good.
I enjoyed the POV, its voice, the thought that this is how/why the demons' physical presentation is a smoke-like cloud. And the last sentence just pushes all the same buttons as the Show when it's stellar.

Thank You.

*smishes the ficlet*

[caffienekitty]

Wow, thank you! :-D

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

Devastating...and so epically Dean!

I need to go check out your fanfic!

[caffienekitty]

There's a lot of it, have fun!