I love this story...awesome!!!!

I also loved how John showed up!!!!

Author's Response:

Thank you, Impala. :) I'm so pleased you enjoyed it -- and that you liked the epilogue with John. Wasn't sure how that would go over when I first wrote it, but I'm glad I posted it now. :)

Slainte,

Gaelic

wow,what a fantastic story.really enjoyed it,the ending with john was just perfect,loved abe,going to start reading in the light.

Author's Response:

Hey! Sorry I missed this -- I didn't see an alert for it!

Thanks so much for reading, and I'm so pleased you enjoyed. I hope you're also liking In the Light... I'm hoping to post the next chapter tonight or early tomorrow as soon as my beta finishes with it.

I appreciate you spending time with me.

Slainte,

Gaelic

Another brilliant piece of writing.  Thanks for sharing, especially the epilogue because it was really  moving.  I am a huge fan of John and it was great to know that he did come to see his boys, even if he was too late.  I've read too many fics where John is painted as a monster, but you manage to keep him in the right light.  He's not perfect, because who is right, but he loves his boys and that much is obvious.

 Very entertaining, suspensful with just the right amount of action, banter and angst!

 Kate

Author's Response:

Hi Kate,

Thanks so much for reading and for commenting on the epilogue. I will admit that I've had my issues with John. He felt...familiar to me. I know I'm not the only one there. But as much as I wanted to strangle him at times, I knew he loved his boys and so I tried to paint him through the eyes of his sons.

I'm so glad you liked this story and took time to review. That means the world to me.

Best to you,

Gaelic

This was a nice ending to the story.  A great story, might I add.  Now that I know the character Abe, I'm gonna have to go back and re-read Into the Light (I think that's the name).

Thanks for posting this!!

Author's Response:

Thank YOU for reading! I really appreciate the multiple reviews and hope you enjoy other stories you choose to read. I've seen a lot of you lately and it's really warmed my heart. :)

Thanks again!

GS

Your ability to draw the reader in and totally wring out their emotions never ceases to amaze me.  It's almost like we're not aware of what's going on around us when we're reading these stories.  Well, it affects me that way, at least. While I can't speak for anyone else, I'm fairly certain they feel the same.

This just gets better and better.  BTW, I love the flashbacks to their previous hunts.  Nice insight.

Author's Response:

I'm really glad you liked the flashbacks. That was the biggest risk I took with this story. But they felt right.

And I thank you sincerely for telling me that you escape into my writing. That's the reason I write -- to give people a moment outside of themselves.

Thanks again!

GS

It was nice to see Dean and Sam sharing stuff that they'd kept hidden for a long time. 

Good stuff as usual.

Author's Response:

Yeah, I figured that despite the long hours in the car together, sometimes you have to get "out of the house" to find yourself in a situation where you can open up. Being trapped and wounded helps, too. :)

Hope you continue to enjoy.

Gaelic

Man, the boys were really put through their paces in this story. I loved it. It was so heart breaking to see the way that Dean continued to push himself until he was sure that Sam would be safe, not resting until his body physically shut down on him and gave him no choice.

The fact that Dean is so devoted to his brother is sweet, and sad at the same time. Especially since Dean could have easily died out in the woods when Abe went to take Sam on ahead to the clinic, but he held his own. Those two are fighters, no matter how injured they are they won't stop fighting.

 And the epilogue was amazing, I love how John actually showed up, just short of missing his boys so he could check on them. About time he did. But it was good to see him talk to Abe and find out how things had gone for his boys. Although if Dean hadn't made it I'm sure he would have been kicking himself.

 I loved all the flashbacks you put in there as well, those were enjoyable. Great story, I loved it.

Author's Response:

Hey! Thanks so much for reading and taking time to review. It's so appreciated. :) I'm glad you enjoyed this story and the interaction between the brothers. :)

Sorry it took me so long to reply -- I think the notices were delayed as I only just saw this. I'm currently writing a story called In the Light that brings Abe back to the brothers. If you choose to read, I hope you enjoy that as well.

Slainte,

Gaelic

This is an awesome epilogue. It is a perfect ending. I read the story long ago on ff.net. I just now read this epilogue. It is reall, really, good!!!!

Author's Response:

At the time I finished this story, I wasn't brave enough to post the epilogue on ff.net. I'm so glad I did here as it seems you've enjoyed it!

Thanks so much for reading -- and for dipping into the sequel, In the Light!

Best always,

Gaelic

Fabulous! I absolutely loved this fic. I read it in a day, I was totally hooked!

I just wanted to say that this fic made me remember what it's like to actually be a sibiling for the first time in many many years. My brother and I don't talk, or have anything to do with each other - clash of personalities, what can I say?

But reading the last few chapters of your story made me remember what a lovely feeling it is to actually be a sister, to have somebody else who isn't a parent or boyfriend or just a friend. It kind of gave me my brother back for a while. I know it'll never happen in real life, but you gave me a nice reminder of what being a sibling is all about. So thank you. Thank you a lot.

Wonderful fic, can't recommend it enough!

 Amy

Author's Response:

Amy,

Thank you so much for reading and for sharing something so personal with me. I have to say, I got a bit choked up reading this review. I'm thankful that you were able to remember being a sister while reading this. Eliciting an emotional response with words is the greatest compliment a writer can hope for.

I am the oldest of five and raised two of my siblings. Leaving them to create my own life was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. Being a sibling is probably one of the most painful and most fantastic gifts we ever get in life. I'm sorry you and your brother clash, and hope that maybe one day there can be some healing -- if only for a little while.

I am currently writing a "sequel" of sorts to this story, returning Abe Nakomis to the brothers some time later. It's set in Season 2, so the boys have a different perspective of life and each other, but I hope I can do their relationship justice. If you choose to read it, I hope you enjoy.

Best to you.

Slainte,

Gaelic

“Right here, people,” Dean ground out.

“Dean,” Sam leaned as close as his wheelchair would allow. “What’s wrong? What hurts?”

“God, Sam,” Dean groaned. “Arm… just… cut it off or something.”

Ouch!  like major league big time ouch!!

Oh I so like Abe, he's such a fine man,did you ever se Dances with wolves, i don't know his name but the native american guy who kinda adopts the kevin costner character - Abe looks like him for me. Those kind and beautiful brown eyes and that awesome long dark hair!

Loved Sam stopping Dean falling, bruisinf his arm holding him so tight!

Bev xx

Author's Response:

You're SO going to laugh, but since you mentioned bulletbabe already, I'll tell you that she said the same thing. Graham Greene, who plays Kicking Bird in Dances with Wolves, is indeed the perfect Abe.

In the "sequel" to this that I'm currently writing, I've brough Abe back and bullet graciously agreed to make the banner for the story, using Graham as my Abe and it's amazing. SHE'S amazing.

I'm so glad you liked him because with all OC's, I knew he'd be a gamble. But there are times when you like to see your hero's through someone else's eyes -- someone who GETS them, appreciates them, and helps you love them even more.

Dean’s eyes were open, on him, watching. Sam’s face relaxed into an immediate smile.

“Hey,” he whispered.

Dean blinked and in his eyes was a look Sam had seen before. It sucked the air from him and left a hollow around his heart. It was a look of unabashed relief at seeing Sam safe. It was a look of complete love for his brother. It was a look of goodbye.

“Dean?”

Dean blinked again, a small smile pulling up the corner of his mouth. And then on a brief exhale of air, his eyes slid shut. The shrill cry of the heart monitor drove into Sam’s head like a knife.

Been there, heard the noise of the monitors, felt the pain as your heart breaks.......so sympathetically written, well done!

bev x

Author's Response:

Talk about chick flick--I was actually inspired to write that scene by "Terms of Endearment"... if you've seen that movie, you know what I am talking about. But all I could think was that Dean was pushed beyond the limit and when he saw that Sam was okay, he didn't need to fight anymore.

Except... except that he did...

The other boy, though… he leaned forward carefully, not yet touching him. He was in a curled heap next to his brother, his head on the younger boy’s chest. He was bloody from back to front.

As he leaned in he could see a bare slit of green showing through thick lashes. He reached out to touch the battered face. The boy flinched, turning his head slowly. The green eyes caught sight of him and blinked. He could see they were glassy with pain and exhaustion. He started to open his mouth to reassure him, to let him know he was there to help. He wasn’t prepared for the word the boy uttered in a thin, broken voice.

“Dad?”

Oh that's just heartbreaking, where is that man when Dean needs him?  Never bloomin there that's what? 

And the still human speaking wendigo?  just plain scary- freaking me out!

Bev xx

Author's Response:

Don't make fun of me for this, but... I got teary a couple of times while writing this story. The end of this chapter was one of them.

And when I read that wendigo's were human once (well, they said it in the show, too, but reading about it in Native American lore was trippy) I knew I had to play that up somehow.

GS

"John wanted the bastard dead; Dean wanted to keep people alive."

That's so telling and so true and i've been trying to articulate what the difference in prime motivation for Dean and John was for ages and you've captured it in one sentence! Damn clever!

“We can never be this stupid again,” Sam declared.“We Oh, I’m pretty sure we can. We shouldn’t, but we can,”

This is lovely I feel like I'm sitting there on the dirt floor, watching their painfilled faces as they tease each other!

I really liked the explanation of why Dean hums and sings when he's hurting and that it come's from John, it was John comforting him and he uses it in turn to comfort Sam.  That's sweet.

Loving it Gaelic!  Reading on!

Bev xx

Author's Response:

*grins*

Thanks so much, Bev! I'm so pleased you're enjoying this! Hee.

*claps*

Gaelic