Galatea’s Becoming by Gradiva.

Slash.

The boys encounter a modern day Pygmalion, where a statue brought to life for revenge keeps on killing those who fall in love with her. That’s the plot. What’s more fun is watching the boys fall in love with her, and jealousy ensues, and Sam, in particular, realizes that he needs to tie Dean to him in the very most fundamental way, so that when Dean is in hell, Sam will be able to find him.

Lovely story, low key, terrific analysis of Sam. Some great lines:

“hen he takes the keys from Dean, who is waiting impatiently outside the inn, and gets into the car, Sam clenches his hands around the steering wheel, breathing steadily. He needs to find a way to make sure Dean will remember Sam, will remember himself, until Sam can get to him.”

and

“Dean stares up at him, almost paralyzed at the revelation. Sam shakes his head, closes his eyes for a second in disbelief. After all this time, it’s still a contest between them, who loves more than the other, and Sam’s not allowed to win. In Dean’s head, Sam can never love Dean more than Dean loves Sam… it’s the axiom upon which hang the tatters of Dean’s soul.”