Plant Your Flag on a Fault Line by tripoli8 (pg)

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

Fandom: SUPERNATURAL
Pairing: none
Length: 5,865 words
Author on LJ: tripoli8
Author Website: tag list on LJ
Why this must be read:

This is a hilarious and heartbreaking story in which Dean, post-Jus in Bello, attempts to build a new identity for Sam, one that he can use safely once Dean is gone. The humor just makes the heartbreak sting that much more, and it's all the kind of stuff you can easily imagine Dean doing and saying.

"I'm going to keep Sam," Sam tells him.

"Okay," Dean says.

"You should keep Dean."

Dean rolls his eyes. Like he was planning to spend the next two months reminding himself to answer to Chet on a daily basis. Of course he's fucking keeping Dean.

Going through the trunk this morning to make sure the cops hadn't fucked anything up, he actually found an ID as Dean Allen Shaw, which is so old he doesn't even remember making it. All of Dean Allen Shaw's credit cards have expired and the picture on his driver's license looks like a twelve year old girl, but at least nobody is trying to kill him. Dean's trying to set him up with a life insurance policy, just something so Sam won't have to worry for a while, but he's never tried anything like that before and he won't know how it's going till they can check their Austin PO box in another couple of weeks.

"We should keep the same last name, too, just in case," Sam says, and pokes through a wad of cards in the glove compartment. "How about--"

"Yeah, whatever, fine," Dean says, mostly because he's in a shitty mood and they haven't slept since before they got arrested, and this doesn't need to happen right now. He reaches over to steal a bite of Sam's cheeseburger, and Sam bats his hand away. "Wait, what? No. What's it matter what we call ourselves? If they run our prints we're screwed anyway." With the right help and a lot of cash Sam can probably get their prints changed in the big databases, but not soon enough to make any difference for Dean. Right now, it makes more sense to use the time and money on building up a good, credible alias that Sam can use for the rest of his life if he wants, and not getting busted for grave desecration in Assgiggle, IA till America's Most Wanted is back out of reruns.

An alias to last Dean the rest of his life will run them six bucks and a trip to Kinko's, but they can do that when they get to Bobby's.

Dean's voice is spot-on, and the details tripoli8 uses are what make this story so powerful – the background Dean makes up for Sam, as well as the sorting through of the stuff they've accumulated over the years – the reality of their lives versus the story Dean is concocting. And the ending is like an unexpected punch to the gut. Highly recommended, especially if you like stories that leave you all achy in the chestal area. If you do enjoy it, please let the author know.

Plant Your Flag on a Fault Line by tripoli8

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Comments

[llivla.livejournal.com]

Oh man I am definitely checking this out; your summary makes it irresistible.

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

It's an awesome story.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

I'm ep watching like a mad thing - I'm up to 3x10, so not quite there yet! I've bookmarked this fic, though:)))

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

It's not terribly spoilery, but yeah, you should probably wait.