White lights, the blurred shapes of people moving back and forward flitted through his vision, blinking slightly he tried to focus his eyes, attempted to strain them against the swift movement around. They failed. He was standing, dressed in blood covered clothes, dried blood cracked in the creases of his hands. He watched the doctors as they tried to work on his sister who had still not regained consciousness. His eyes stung, this was his entire fault and he wouldn't be able to live with himself if she didn't come out of this alive. What were her chances? He could hear himself ask.

"Jim?" he heard the familiar voice of his mother and turned to see both his mother and father approaching him. Slowly they did so, as if approaching a wild animal.

"They don't know if she's going to pull through…" Jimmy said hoarsely due to the sheer fear he felt, it had nothing to do with the deep gashes across his neck. Looking at the floor he couldn't even bare to look up at his parents. Sally finally let the tears cascade down her cheeks as she looked at the bloodied form of her son and reached out wrapping her arms around her son crying freely. Her grip was iron, tight, needing. Michael put a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder trying to remain strong himself. It wasn't easy. The rock of a man too was beginning to crack.


After another hour the doctor finally emerged from the room instantly Sally stood up watching him, her eyes red raw, puffy from crying her whole body tense, fearful, braced for what she was likely to hear. Jim sat on one of the seats his chin resting on his bruised knuckles, his eyes flickered up to look at the doctor.

"She's lost a lot of blood but she's stable for now…but" but the one word anyone would fear to hear from a doctor. "She had suffered severe trauma to the head…she has cerebral haemorrhaging in the medulla oblongata," the doctor said slowly. Sally gasped and knew it was probably the worst thing that could have happened and she visibly began to shake as the tears began to reform. Michael quickly stood up and supported her before looking to the doctor.

"So what does that mean…?" he asked quietly. Jim looked at the doctor still remaining seated he didn't know what to do with himself but he knew what ever Cora had was bad.

"Bleeding in the brainstem is almost always fatal the most she has is two days…I'm sorry..." the doctor looked from the parents down to Jim and gave a solemn half smile before turning and leaving to attend to Cora and 'make her comfortable'. Jim would make the bastard who did this very comfortable soon. Sally's cries grew louder and she buried her face into her husband's chest and for the first time that night Michael let the tears fall as she howled in pain not willing to believe it. The sound shredded Jim's heart.


Leaning on his knees he looked at the quite form of his sister. It was strange she was usually so cheerful and loud and now there was nothing cheerful nothing loud about her she was still, quiet. Almost as if she were already... His mother was asleep in a chair on the opposite side of the bed while his father had left to retrieve coffee. Jim reached up and took hold of Cora's hand; it was cold making him frown slightly before looking back up to her pale face.

"I'm going to get you out of this…" he said his voice cracking slightly. "I'm not going to be responsible…it should be I wasn't watching the road-I was going to fast-and I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You warned me about that woman, warned me about that highway," he sniffed slightly before standing up from his seat and striding to the door. He ran his sleeve over his eyes. He paused only to glance back over his shoulder towards her and then his mother he quickly composed himself before leaving the room and starting down the corridors.


Rounding the corner Michael saw Jim disappearing down the corridor and frowned slightly, where was he going?

"Jim?" he called after him but there was no response. It slowly hit him and his eyes widened as he looked after where his son had disappeared to, there had been a certain look to his son that Michael had seen before and he wouldn't allow himself to loose his son, not after everything. Dropping the coffee's he turned and bolted through the corridors trying to find his son, he'd loose him if he didn't catch up to him.


Jim strode outside only to be hit by cold rain. It pelted and stung his wounds. He glanced around before his eyes caught sight of a car just parked on the sidewalk a man helping a woman out of the passenger side. Without even so much as thinking he strode forward and sat into the drivers seat instantly the young man and woman started gasping and shouting out to him. Closing the door he started the engine, it roared to life, before he pulled away from the curb the wheels squealing against the pavement. Michael left the entrance only to see his son stealing a car and disappearing. He cursed and looked around knowing that wouldn't go down well, if he was right then Jim couldn't spend much time in the pen after all his time was limited or was going to be.

The car skidded to a halt and instantly the door cracked open before Jim stepped out looking around the night air his eyes running over everything and nothing. There wasn't much around a few sign posts but other then that it was a crossroad with fields on every side. He glanced around his breath cold and the rains still trickling down his face he squinted slightly to try and see a bit better but it did no good. Between the rain and blackness he had no hope of seeing anything. Grabbing hold of the box from the passenger seat he moved to the centre of the road and buried the box, he didn't care he wanted to get Cora out of this situation. He waited a moment his vision blurred because of sheer fatigue and the blood he had lost from the crash. He looked around for a moment hoping something would appear but as he tried to rise he almost collapsed barely catching himself on the bonnet of the car.

"Surprised?" a sultry voice sounded through the air before a woman appeared her flowing long curls hung loosely over her shoulders her body hugged by a tight small black dress. Her red eyes watching him as he slowly looked up to watch her gathering himself he pushed himself off the bonnet and stood tall.

"By a demon? No," he growled.

"Well now I thought you'd be a bit nicer seeing as you have a deal to make…I could just walk away…" she said turning on her heels. Jim looked towards her and paused for a moment wondering if it was right to make this deal…Cora never had to know they could just go on for however long they had and before his time did come he'd say he was going on a hunt. Still though the prospect of the hellhounds wasn't a welcoming thought…

"Wait!" he said sharply making her stop and slowly turn to look at him. "My sister…she's dying and it's my fault…my life for hers," Jim said in a heavy breath. The demon smirked slightly before stepping cautiously towards him and nodding slowly.

"That can be arranged," she whispered stepping closer to him, "But…are you really willing? I mean it's only your sister and besides maybe she's just meant to go. At least it would be one less hunter to deal with." Jim lashed out grabbing the demon and slamming her into the signpost.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that. She's only fourteen years old and I won't let her die because of my mistake," he snarled.

"Well then maybe you should have been more careful," the demon smirked. "What was it that got you? Ghost?" Jim let go of her and growled to himself leaning down on the bonnet of the car his vision spinning. He could feel her hand running across his back and he couldn't help but shiver under her touch there was a malevolent feel to it. "Shall we get on with it?" she whispered into his ear making another shiver vibrate through him. He looked across to her and slowly moved towards her. Slowly both their lips connected with each other. There was no going back now, Jim had made his decision his sister was far more important she would live on not die at the age of fourteen he'd made sure of it. He would watch over her ten times as carefully he'd sooner die then let his sister. It felt like years, when it had only been seconds, before he pulled himself away from the demon his gaze swimming once more as he shook his head.

"It's been a pleasure…Jim," she smirked. He looked to her but she was already gone. Collapsing down he slid slowly to the floor. The rain continued to pour, his dirty blonde hair stuck to his brow. If the rain offered nothing else, at least it cooled his wounds.


Slowly he made his way through the hospital corridors his eyes looking at the floor everything about him was somewhat defeated. He despised demons and he especially hated dealing with them and now the clock had begun to tick. Ten years from now and he'd be hunted by the murderous hellhound's which would chase him until they had torn him apart…limb from limb...those thoughts could be left until another time right now he wanted to see Cora. Finally her room appeared and the happy cries from his mother could be heard right away and he smiled to himself. The doctor was standing outside the room speaking with the nurses clearly baffled making another small smile crossing his features before he slowly looked up to see his father standing there waiting for him. Jim saw the look, he had gotten it plenty of times before and his jaw tightened as he stopped in front of Michael who looked down at him. Always looking down.

"I know what you did."

"I don't know what you're talking about-"Jim began.

"Don't try and play games. Cora suddenly happens to wake up and there are no signs of anything? She has a clean bill of health after you left? You made that deal didn't you?"

Jim said nothing his eyes flicked down to the floor and his jaw tightened. "I wasn't going to let her suffer for my mistakes" he muttered quietly. Michael slowly moved forward and embraced his son another tear rolling down his cheek.

"I want you to know I've never been more proud of you. How long do you have?" he asked before pulling away.

"Ten years." his father simply nodded and turned when he heard more talk from Cora's room. "Don't let her know..." Jim said looking to his father who nodded slowly. Stepping past him Jim moved into the hospital room to see the smiling form of his sister and gave her a faint smile in return.

"They said it was a miracle, must have a guardian angel," Cora smirked her brother only gave a playful roll of his eyes

"Must have," he muttered.

"Told you they were real Jimmy!" she teased. Moving forward he sat on her bedside and watched her as she began to babble on. The water built in his eyes but he quickly blinked it away and nodded every so often as she spoke for a moment he had wondered weather it had been the right decision to make that deal and now he knew. It had been right. Fuck the consequences.