Disclaimer: I don't own it or profit from anything Supernatural.
a/n: Am amazed I have actually posted this on schedule but must admit I haven't checked it as much as I normally do – too busy reading other spn fanfics for a change!. Any errors are my bad (hangs head in shame), and will no doubt come back to haunt me.
lb.
Divided They Fall Together
Chapter 3
Sam leant back against the closed door trying to get his breathing under control. Half of him wanted to hug his brother with relief for being real, for being alright. The other half, and maybe the more persuasive half right now, wanted to smack Dean in the mouth. How could his brother make him say it out loud, make it more real by sharing the details. He knew Dean had goaded him into spilling his guts, he had fallen right into that one. Stupid jerk.
Truth was, Sam was having trouble reconciling not only the fact that Meg had used him to hurt Dean but that Dean would do anything to save him, go to any lengths. He knew Dean had always tried to keep him safe, and as much as he hated to see the burden it caused his older brother he loved him for it as well. This time though, Dean was the one in danger but he wouldn't acknowledge it, he was still trying to save Sam.
Sam stepped away from the door, his fury dissolving enough to know he wasn't really angry at Dean, just angry. God the images had been so real, the baby lying on the forest floor. Dean screaming, the blood and…. Sam opened the door and walked quickly across the room turning the main light on and sitting at the table opening his laptop.
"The hell Sam?" Dean squinted as the harsh light assaulted his eyes and he moved from his brother's bed where he had just about fallen back to sleep.
"I saw you in a cave Dean. There was some kind of cave in the forest and dead trees."
"Okay, so we find the cave and we find our killer?"
"Well at least it's a start."
"I didn't mean to put you through that Sam. I just…"
"I know why you did it Dean okay, and it worked. But you're still a jerk."
"Yeah."
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They both got up at first light, neither boy having the stomach to do more than rest for a few hours. Sleep was fraught with too much risk, too much pain.
Sam hadn't been able to pinpoint a cave in the vicinity from anything on the web so they had decided to go back to the area where the body had been found yesterday. It was as good a place as any to start, their only immediate problem was how to fight this demon if they came upon it again.
"Do you really think the flamethrower is necessary?"
Dean paused looking at the device in his hand and then huffed dramatically, placing it back down on the bed. "I don't know Sam, be prepared. What the hell should we be taking 'cause I don't want a repeat of yesterday. At least we'll know to have the EMF detector out and on, get a heads up."
"If it even registers. This demon isn't like the ones we normally come across Dean. It's being used by someone, I'm sure there's no other way it would be here."
"Okay so we know it has a few personal favorites on its list of how and who to kill but what purpose would it serve for someone to summon it?"
"Well it, she, is, was, a demon God." Sam sighed at himself in frustration. "Lamashtu was also daughter of Anu the sky God so she's gotta wield some power."
"So, Godlike powers call for blood sacrifices I get that. Now we've just gotta find out who's reaped the reward here."
"Maybe we were asking the right people the wrong questions Dean. The town's not that big, we might need to mingle some more."
"First thing's first Sam." Dean zipped the bag and slung it over his shoulder, returning the flamethrower to their larger weapons bag which would remain in the Impala's trunk. "Let's go annoy a God."
'Well if anyone could do it Dean, you're the man."
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"Was wonderin' when you two'd show up again." It was a statement more than anything, no hint of surprise evident in his voice as Stephen Oliver stepped back and beckoned them into his cabin.
The brothers had decided to pay the retired logger a visit when they arrived back at the forest, thinking it may just save them some time to enlist the help of someone who knew the woods. Although he had made the call alerting the Sheriff to the trail of blood, it also wouldn't be the first time a killer had involved themselves in an investigation to become above suspicion. They would be on their guard. This would at least give them a chance to check him out.
"Well now, you sure don't seem too surprised to see us. Not planning on luring us into some kind of trap there are you Mr Oliver? How many other bodies you got hidden away in the forest?"
Sam's mouth dropped open as his brother spoke and if looks could kill, Dean was a goner. He had promised not to do this. Sam had actually, specifically mentioned that he should not do the whole terminator cop thing and try, just this once, the subtle approach. Maybe he should have also specifically mentioned that a sledgehammer was not subtle.
Sam's inner debate was interrupted by the sound of raucous laughter as Stephen belly laughed so hard Sam thought he was going to pull a muscle. Well either this guy had a sense of humour or he was a fine actor. Sam rolled his eyes when Dean gave him a smirk and a shrug.
"So you Marshall's honestly think that I'm the evil mastermind behind these deaths?" His tone now all business, the older man continued. "From the looks on your faces yesterday I think you know well as I do there's more going on here that meets the eye."
Sam and Dean shared a glance that spoke volumes. Do we trust him? Maybe, but not yet. Let's see what he knows, I've got your back. Right back at ya.
"So tell us what you think is going on here." Sam ventured.
"What I think is there's no bear and what I saw yesterday, well let's just say I didn't see anything. What did ya come round here for anyway, I'm too old for these games."
"This is no game. Do you know of a cave anywhere near here in the forest?"
"There're dead trees around it or nearby." Sam added trying to remember any other relevant details.
"So you do have a clue after all. Well thank the Lord Almighty. There's a few caves 'bout an hour or two in but there's only one with dead trees. Ya looking at about a three hour hike for the one you want."
"What do you mean? If there's something more you know, now would be a good time to share." Dean's tone was harsh. His head was beginning to pound from lack of sleep and he had had just about enough of the cryptic conversation.
"We only want to help get rid of this thing so anything you know…"
"Alright, alright." Stephen threw his hands in the air and motioned for them to sit. He clasped his hands together, his face going stony. "S'happened before, twice that I know of – this'll make the third that I've seen with m'own eyes."
"Okay so tell us what happened. Any detail, no matter how small, might help us here." Sam cajoled, not wanting to push too much now he saw the older man hesitate.
"Fourteen years ago it took my pregnant wife along with six others. Seven years ago it came back and took seven more. And now, well you've landed yourselves pretty much in the middle of killing season."
Dean shook his head impatiently. "And you've said nothing all this time, told no one?"
"Ya think I haven't tried? Twice now I been questioned by the police bout things I seemed to know 'fore everyone else. Even the Sheriff, God rest his soul, warned me to stop meddling. I figured I'd do what I could but it ain't made no damn difference."
"So every seven years it takes seven victims. Why hasn't anyone else noticed the pattern, what's been the cause of death?"
"Normally bear or cougar or whatever else rogue animal they want to blame. Ain't no different this time. People see what they want to, ya can't 'spect folks to believe in things that ain't real. Things that couldn't possibly be real."
'What makes you any different?"
"Well I know 'cause it's been in my head. And I've seen the lion woman."
After a few seconds of stunned silence, Sam found his voice. "What do you mean? Are you seeing these deaths before they happen, you've seen this thing?"
"Well judging by your question, y'already seem to know the answer there son. Yeah I see 'em. Not that it's done any damn good. The first few times I tried ta warn 'em but I was either too late or the order was all wrong like fooling me was part of the game. It kills 'em in different ways too and it takes the woman first but the last death, it's been the worst one."
"How could it get any worse?" Sam glanced over at his brother.
"I heard the Sheriff talking last time and he said the fella, a salesman from one of them city shops, tortured two girls before he cut himself up. I'm pretty sure the last to die both times were the only ones that killed folks 'fore they did themselves in, messy too. It's pretty hard to keep those kinda details quiet when everyone knows everyone.
"How did you know about the cave?"
"Wasn't 'till the last killing time when I started to see this cave with the dead trees so I figured maybe it holed up in there and I could kill it. I ain't too bad a shot ya know. I been loggin' a long time and come across my fair share of cougars, even bears."
"So you've seen the cave. Have you seen a witch?"
"Witch?" Stephen looked at Dean as though he had lost his mind.
"Yeah, we could be dealing with a witch here." Dean repeated. He figured this guy was for real and so far out of his depth already, a little more truth couldn't really hurt.
"I'm too old for all this nonsense. No I ain't seen no witch and I never did get inside the cave but I know there's something there." He paused sinking further back in his chair before looking at each boy and coming to some inner decision. He finally stood and retrieved a folded page and a pen from a drawer in one of the wooden wall cabinets and placed it on the table between them. "Here's where you'll find the cave and this'd be the best trail." He said making some marks on what was a well worn map.
"When my Bethany was killed carrying our baby I thought I was losing my mind. We had tried for so long to have children and then…I was left alone. They said it was a bear and her body was…I knew I had to kill it. I hunted for it day and night and finally came across another body, up near the cave so I figured it was holed up in there. That's when something came at me and I woke up hours later. Pain in my head got so bad, took me a good day to get back here.
I tried to go back after that and again the next year but every time, my head gets filled up with the lion woman and who she's killing. Hurts too much, she don't want me goin' near that place."
"What happens when it shows you these things, what's it like?"
Stephen turned to look at Dean and shook his head. "Wouldn't wish it on anyone, real painful is what it is. Nearly sent me blind in one eye last time but it's worse if ya fight it."
'Have you seen anything this time?"
"I saw things at first but it's gone. I think it's gone now."
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The brothers set out from the cabin following the marked map that Stephen Oliver had given them after they had finally convinced him to stay behind. They knew that he wanted to help, put an end to this killing that had claimed his wife and unborn child all those years ago but letting him come along was too risky.
"Why do you even think it shows someone what its doing?"
"I guess it's just arrogant, doesn't think it can be stopped and this is just part of its sick little game. Stephen was hunting it even though he wasn't really sure what he was after, and it had already killed someone before he got near it, just like us I guess." Dean shrugged.
"It must only be able to kill seven people each time but what, only one each day? Someone must be controlling it Dean."
"Okay so we've got the first victim Janice Reed, she died…" Dean closed one eye as he worked trying to ignore the dull headache. "September 15. Then her husband was the day we got here the 17th and yesterday that tourist guy."
"His name was Paul Barnes." No tone, no emotion just plain simple fact. How could Dean ignore it, just pretend like he wasn't in any danger?
"I know Sam." No anger just resignation. "Even if we follow the pattern of seven deaths…"
"The baby's dead too Dean, I saw it. She probably died the day after her mother and that would fit the pattern of one death a day that Stephen was talking about. The victims just aren't found right away which is why the time of death isn't always clear."
"September 21st." Dean paused shaking his head. "September 21st is also Mabon, Autumn Equinox - the day the last death should occur. Man, it's gotta be black magic. Just freakin' wonderful."
"Okay, if the equinox is figured in to the equation then this ritual is gonna be about restoring power or life force which also explains the blood sacrifices."
"So that leaves us with less than three days to find this thing and stop it. We gotta find this cave Sam it's our best chance."
"God Dean that baby was alive for a day, alone with this demon that tortured its mother to death."
Dean looked over at his brother and his blood ran cold at the thought of the child, the baby alone and scared. He took in the look of anguish on his brother's face that matched his own inner grief.
"We will kill this son of a bitch Sam, we'll find it and we'll finish it. I promise."
"I know we will Dean 'cause I won't let it take you."
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The terrain got rougher and more heavily treed the further they went, both alert for signs of what they hunted but also on the look out for the natural predators of the forest which could be just as deadly. They had been warned that this wildlife corridor was home to cougars, bobcats and the occasional black bear. The only sighting so far had been a small group of deer that had fled as soon as they had sensed company.
"We should be about half way but it looks like it gets harder from here." Sam looked from the map he was holding up at the steep incline they were about to traverse. He paused as Dean took the lead and began climbing.
"Dean."
"Yeah?" Dean stopped and looked back at this brother, noting the creased brow and set jaw. "You okay Sam? How's your knee?"
Sam shook his head dismissively. "I think you should stay back when we get to the cave okay. Cover me when I go in."
"What? No way. Why would you think I would let you go in alone when this thing's been in your head?"
'That's exactly why Dean. It showed me you, dead in the cave so why would we want to go and walk right into that huh? Is it so hard to let me try and look out for you for once, try and keep you safe? You might not give a damn about getting hurt or worse. You might not want to fight for yourself but I will Dean. This isn't always about keeping me safe, protecting me."
"I can't keep you safe Sam when these things get in your head. I'm fucking useless to you, we've both seen how that works out. How am I supposed to fight something, protect you, when I can't see the danger? When there's nothing I can do to help you. You might not want my help Sam but…"
They both knew the discussion was about more than this job. The words were laced with double meanings and fear and uncertainty that had been slowly eating away just beneath the surface for days. They had both been trying to avoid this, sidestepping the questions when they knew there were no real answers, no definitive right or wrong just get things done. It normally worked to a degree, more than this anyway. But lines had been crossed in Minnesota and there was no going back.
"How can you say that Dean? You're the one that keeps shutting me out. You think I don't know you're having nightmares every night? It's been getting worse hasn't it? You're back at Bobby's and I'm hurting you, I can see it on your face. How do you think I feel when you look at me like you're afraid of me? How the hell am I supposed to just move on when I remember every punch, every word I hurt you with? How the hell can I relax knowing if it happens again you're not even gonna fight back Dean?" How could I live if I had killed you?"
"Yeah, well how could anyone ever ask me to kill my baby brother Sam? But you and Dad both made me promise. How the hell am I supposed to live with that?"
Dean hated that his voice sounded cracked, emotional. He didn't want to yell at Sam, fight with him over this but here they were. He knew he didn't have the answers Sam wanted, the guarantees that he would have to give, hell he had nothing save for the here and now. Kill the demon, finish the job, move on. Look out for your brother, keep Sammy safe. Those words were a part of him, who he was, what he was and he would rather die himself before he would willingly violate them but Sam would never understand that, would never accept it.
Sam held his breath and watched as Dean's posture slumped with the weight of his words. Sam saw for a brief instant the damage that the promise had done to his older brother, the pain it had inflicted and he wanted to take it back so badly but he was so afraid. He felt like he had no control over anything, over his own fate or his brother's but worse than that was his fear that he could be controlled by the darkness. And the darkness always seemed to want to hurt Dean.
Whether it was already in him or whether it would just take him didn't really matter – he knew it wanted him for something. If it took him completely he would rather be dead. He just didn't understand, didn't accept that Dean would ever let him live if he became a monster. Sam also didn't accept the fact that Dean valued his own life so little in the great scheme of things. His stubborn, pig headed older brother always put himself last on the long list of who should get saved. Sam would not give in to that logic.
The conflict and the tension remained thick in the air between them. Dean broke contact first, turning back towards the slope, readjusting the bag over his shoulder and the EMF detector in his hand as he started walking.
"C'mon Sam." Simple yet effective.
Both boys knew this wasn't over, emotions churned wildly within each of them, crashing and deflecting like stormy waves over rock. Their divergence would be put on the backburner for now to blister and bubble like acid and they would pay for that later. For now though, Sam knew he had lost this battle to keep Dean out of harms way. However if nothing else, it increased his resolve to ensure he won the war 'cause he feared his brother's life was very much at stake.
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Another seventy minutes and Dean reached a small summit area glancing back at Sam who was following closely in his wake. He noticed his younger brother was now limping but hadn't decreased his pace to compensate for his earlier injury. He drew a water bottle out of his duffel and passed it to the younger man who took it without meeting his eyes.
"How's your knee?" Dean had spoken the words out loud before he realised that this was just about how their last conversation had started. God no please.
"S'okay. A little stiff that's all." Sam's urge to converse further was forgotten as he stared down the slope in front of them. A small stand of dead ponderosa pines stood out amidst the otherwise lush and coloured growth of the forest. "Looks like we're here."
Dean took a swig of water then packed it away, his hand re-emerging from the bag with several flasks and salt canisters. "Okay so our best guess is that this demon God or whatever, can become corporeal in which case we may also need these." He handed Sam a wooden stake and proceeded to put one down his own boot.
"If it's here of its own accord we can probably use the salt and a banishing spell. If it's been summoned it's gonna be more complicated. I'm hoping there's something in the cave that'll give us a clue."
Sam watched as Dean zipped the bag up and stood, patting down his pockets as if mentally cataloguing the assortment of weaponry stashed throughout his clothing. Sam placed a flask of holy water in his own back pocket and the salt in his jacket before breaking the barrel and checking the salt shots in his rifle.
"Dean…" Sam wasn't even sure what was going to come next but he felt he had to say something.
"Sammy, we do this as a team. Like always okay. Remember we're good at this shit."
"Is that the best motivational speech you've got?" Sam couldn't help but grin and be thankful for his brother's successful attempt to alleviate the tension between them, if only for the moment.
"Nah. I'm just saving the good ones for when we really need them. Y'know the one bullet left, no escape and twenty demons on our ass kinda situations."
"Oh, well in that case I guess I'm motivated." A second's pause. "Be careful Dean."
"Yeah you too."
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They made their way down to the dead pines, moving at an angle so they would come up just behind the area through the cover of the forest. They moved as quietly as possible, vigilant for any sign of danger but finding none. Dean frowned down at the detector in his hand and gave it a small shake as if to ensure it was awake but it gave no signal save for the green light indicating it was powered on.
Sam touched a hand to a piece of bark on the trunk of one of the dead pines and it crumbled in his fingers. He followed Dean who had walked to the middle of the trees and was turning in a circle.
"Six of them are dead and that one looks like it's on its way out. I somehow don't think this is a coincidence."
"It's gotta be connected but Stephen said they were already here fourteen years ago so they obviously don't represent each victim."
"No but they might correspond to each killing cycle."
"Dean that would mean this has been going on here for forty nine years. D'you think that's possible, I mean no one has questioned these deaths in all that time?"
'Well like the man said, no one wants to see it for what it is - hell we get that all the time Sam. Going back all those years there couldn't a been too many settlers round here and people disappearing without a trace…who's gonna know where to look in all this?" Dean waved his rifle to gesture at the forest. "Yeah I think it's possible and all the more reason to put an end to it."
"The cave should be up there through the clearing." Sam kept his voice even, hiding his growing sense of dread as he started walking ahead of his brother.
They paused at the cave's entrance, feeling the coolness even before they entered. Both felt edgy, the anticipation of something happening fraying their nerves to the point of almost distraction. Sam held his rifle poised as Dean grounded his bag and removed two flashlights and then the salt canister from his jacket.
"I'm gonna salt the entrance when we go in – it'll either keep something out or something in depending on our luck I guess but either way we'll be ready." He looked at Sam who was in full hunter mode, eyes intense, jaw set and body slightly crouched as he gave a small nod to indicate he was with the program.
They moved inside and Dean placed the EMF detector on a low rock beside him and started laying a salt line. Sam stopped about three feet away and scanned back and forth for any movement. He knew they were vulnerable here, the switch between scanning the brightness outside the cave and then the dimness within meant that his eyes were not adjusting as quickly as he wanted even with the help of the flashlight. He was relieved when Dean stood up and moved beside him.
Sam knew he was breathing too fast as his heart raced and he forced himself to focus. Forced the image of his brother lying here in this very place out of his head. Not gonna happen.
Shadows flickered and danced as their lights swept methodically from wall to roof to floor and back again alternating between front and back of their position. As they neared the back wall, the chill creeping right through their layered clothing, they discovered what looked like a natural rock platform about waist high.
"Check this out." Dean grimaced as he held up a jar of what looked like a gruesome assortment of teeth and nails floating in a yellow liquid. There were dozens more jars on the wooden shelving behind the platform. "Huh, just about everything 'cept a cauldron and a broom."
"Yeah well these herbs mean some serious black magic Dean. Digitalis, Thornapple, Henbane, Belladonna and the list goes on. I don't even know these others – this is some serious shit."
"Okay well I've also got arrowheads and oh, I think I've scored the bonus points here Sammy." Dean hefted something from beneath the rock and placed it none too gently on the top face of the raised platform. Dust and other particles billowed in the streams of light as the boys looked at the large and ancient looking book that now rested between them.
Sam moved his hand across the worn cover, grimacing at the texture beneath his fingertips as he opened the tome to a random page. The first thought that crossed his mind was the similarities to their Dad's journal, the scrawl and haphazard drawings and symbols. This however was much more malignant as he saw the contents for what they truly were as he turned more and more pages.
"Jesus Sam, I think it's written in blood." Dean leaned in closer to the page Sam had left open.
"It's a grimoire, it's supposed to be more powerful if it's written in red and bound with human skin. We need to take it with us, we're gonna need to reference the language to be able to read it. I can only recognise pieces of the text that look like Latin."
"Okay let's grab it and get outta here before our luck runs out. Y'know I'm pretty sure there's also some kind of link between a grimoire and its owner."
Sam quickly placed the book in his bag and they approached the bright glare that marked the cave's mouth. They paused long enough to put away the flashlights and Dean grabbed the detector off the rock near the line of salt.
"You think it's out there waiting?" Sam voiced his concern, knowing the answer before it was given.
"Probably." Dean looked across and held Sam's stare before he grinned. "And more than likely pretty pissed we've taken its favourite bedtime story book."
"Yeah I guess." Sam grinned back without really meaning to but his brother just had that effect on him sometimes.
"You ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
"Okay then, same time you head left and I'll cut around to the right so we can…"
"No Dean, we're not splitting up."
"Sam, we split up we're harder to track. We're gonna be like sitting ducks when we go out there."
"Dean we split up and one of us gets hurt, it'll be too easy to keep us separated. I'll go first, you cover my back but stay with me."
Sam knew he had no choice but to move and give his brother no more time to argue. He knew Dean wouldn't leave him unprotected and he felt a pang of guilt at exploiting that knowledge but his intention was to draw the first fire giving Dean a chance to get to safety. He would worry about the inevitable pissed off big brother factor later, when they were both safe.
Crouching low and sprinting away from the cave, Sam headed for the nearby cover of the forest, his rifle poised and his eyes trying to look in every direction at once. Sam heard Dean swear then follow swiftly, amazed at how his normally boisterous sibling always managed to move so stealthily when it mattered.
Sam dropped to a crouch several feet into the thicker underbrush and Dean was only seconds behind him. The older boy came to a sudden stop and then without missing a beat punched Sam in the shoulder. Hard.
"What the hell was that Sam? What are you trying to do, get yourself killed or just piss me off enough so I'll do it for you?" Dean's heart was hammering in his chest and he didn't quite realise what he'd said until the words had left his mouth and made a direct impact on Sam's face.
Sam knew Dean was just verbally kicking his ass, not really referring back to their earlier conversation but he also saw the change in those green eyes as they went from anger to regret. He paused as the words sank in and slapped him hard across the face, as he told himself not to react even when he knew it was too late. Everything that happened between them now, every comment made was a double edged sword that wavered shakily between inflicting a small cut or a mortal wound.
Sam took a breath, hating the look on Dean's face, needing to fix this, wanting to make things right. He thought it was odd however that he was suddenly sitting on the ground, his vision swimming as he squinted his eyes to regain some focus.
"Dean?" It came out more like a whisper followed by a groan of pain.
"Sam what's wrong, what is it?" Dean placed a hand on his brother's shoulder at the same time fully aware that he had to keep his senses about him. As Sam's head lolled to the side, he eased his upper body to the ground satisfied for the moment that he had just passed out. Dean then did a slow sweep of the area before placing fingers on the side of his brother's neck just to make sure.
"Jesus Sam c'mon don't do this, not now." Dean's nerves were so frayed they were humming. The anticipation of an attack had been hanging over their heads long enough for him to almost wish it would just happen already. He wasn't cut out for this waiting crap.
"Sammy!" It came out more of a command than anything, but Sam responded and Dean didn't stop to analyse how or why.
Sam groggily opened his eyes and struggled back up to sitting, hearing himself breathing harshly but unable to stop. "Stephen, it kills him Dean. We've got to get back now, we've got to keep him out of the forest, get him safe." Sam scrambled to his knees, looking around for his weapon.
"Okay Sam, just take it easy." Dean saw the look of determination in his brother's eyes. He stood, checking their surroundings again and held out a hand. He felt Sam's hand graze his own then fall away, he looked down in time to see his brother's eyes roll back in his head as he dropped back to the ground.
"Sam what…?" His concern was cut off as the younger boy's body suddenly arched off the ground as he cried out in pain. What followed looked like a convulsion, ending suddenly when Sam's hands flew to his head and his eyes opened wide.
"It, she can see us…God…knows we've got the book. Aarrggh. Dean?"
"Sammy you've got to break the link." Dean grabbed his brother's shoulders, not knowing what else to do.
"God it's in my head. Dean? Dean?" Sam was grabbing frantically at the arms that held him, his legs writhing as he tried to dig his heels into the earth.
"Sammy c'mon you can do this, you can make it get out." Dean could feel the panic in his brother's body as he tensed and gasped in agony. What the fuck was he supposed to do here when he couldn't see any enemy to fight. How was he supposed to protect Sam from this, save him from this?
"Help…me." Sam barely got the words out before arching off the ground again trying to claw at his head.
One hand still on Sam's shoulder, Dean moved another hand to his brother's forehead then face trying to calm him but he couldn't do this any longer. He couldn't just sit and watch as Sam struggled alone, couldn't sit idly by giving empty encouragement. Sam glazed eyes fell on him again - pleading, hoping for something, some reprieve. Blood trickled out of his nose.
"Sammy, God I'm sorry." Dean raised his fist and struck before he had time to feel too much. He hit the side of his brother's jaw with a snap watching almost in slow motion as droplets of blood flew off into the air. Silence.
Silence except for the sobbing gasps that he realised he was making as he watched the motionless form before him. He tentatively touched a hand to the unmoving face that still frowned with the echo of pain and wondered how long that look had really been there.
tbc…
