Sam sprinted from hospital that housed Dr. Benton's office, making his way to the Impala. His heart was heavy that his brother was not waiting for his this time. He flopped into the driver's seat. The odd sensation of being behind the wheel filled him, feeling almost like a betrayal to Dean.

Thinking of where to go next was frustrating. The possibilities of where Dean could have hidden himself were endless. If Dean knew one thing, it was how to hide. Sam was relying on his own ability to lead the way. If Dean was going anywhere, he needed transportation and that was a start. Sam spotted a payphone across the street. Jumping from the Impala, he hustled over.

Dialing the local police station, Sam slid easily into the con game. "Yes, this is Detective Tristan Ross with the FBI. We have a BOLO out for a suspect. His getaway car was found near your area and I'm looking for a list of cars reported stolen in the past 24 hours….It would have been near the Eastern part of town."

Sam ripped a page from the phone books front and scribbled down the information. "Oh… Badge number…..oh, sorry." Sam pulled out his wallet and quickly thumbed through the multiple IDs. "Badge number 03011978..." The long pause on the other end started to make Sam nervous. When the voice started again, Sam let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Only three! …..a Mustang,…..a BMW,….. and a Pacer?. And you're sure, that's it?" Sam paused. None of the cars seemed to be Dean's taste. "Only three… Have any been accounted for?...The Mustang, okay… and the others?...the Pacer was seen at a gas station going east… no other info on the BMW… got it…...okay… which gas station was the Pacer seen?...Marv's Last Stop …..Thanks, you have been very helpful."

Hanging up the phone before the voice on the other end could say goodbye, Sam sprinted back across the street to the Impala. He leaned into the driver side window. Hoping to use the hospital's wireless connection, he grabbed his computer to search for Marv's Last Stop. He pulled up a map of the Eastern part of town, finding the gas station about an hour outside of town. "So you left town….ummm.." Sam thought aloud. His scrunched his lips and bit them as he pondered how Dean would think. He had a start now. If Sam knew his brother, Dean would pick some place remote. Sam started to wonder what abandoned structures were near Marv's Last Stop. He typed in "a" and the automatic complete feature showed a search for asylums. "What?...uhh." Confusion filled Sam as he hadn't used this new computer to search for that. He quickly checked the internet cache and found a website. "You used my computer, Dean!" Sam exclaimed in reflex. Sam closed his eyes in optimism and shook his head for a second. "Got ya!" Pulling the cord harshly from the socket, Sam lobbed his prized computer into the back seat. Jumping quickly into the Impala's driver seat, Sam couldn't help but say it. "Dean, you're a sneaky bastard".

-------

The lime green pacer lurched over the broken pretermited road that had not been utilized for several years. Wavering back and forth, Dean steered uneasily. His blood shot eyes were no longer able to judge perceptions and distance. His head flopped down and his eyes glazed. He had made it for the hours to get here, fighting of the Sandman. The toll it took on him was great. His body racked with pain and he needed sleep to recover.

"Dean," the Sandman taunted. His form visualized in the passenger seat. Removing one hand from the wheel, Dean swatted at the air above the passenger seat.

"No…. on… ummmm." The voices in his head became a turbulent jangle of noise. Pushing the voices back, Dean attempted to recite an exorcism. "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus. His hands become loose on the wheel and his body refused to obey his simplest commands. Somewhere in his mind, Sammy's voice came through- a memory of a time Sam had uttered the same Latin words.

"Dean, you can't keep me away forever."

"No!" Dean screamed pushing back with whatever muster he could. "Exocizamus…spiritus." His arms became languorous and fell to his side. Dean's head flopped upon the driver's head rest. Crashing into the Buxton House sign, the Pacer lurched to rest. Dean's head mashed into the steering wheel. Dean's head jiggled back as he attempted to focus. "Oomnis infernalis" His hand fumbled as he attempted to open the car door. Finally, Dean stumbled out of the driver seat onto the ground. He grabbed his head in agony as the multitude of noises and voices grabbed at his mind, pulling him in. He strained to stand, leaning heavily on the Pacer. Pressing his temple, he tried dominate the voices and regain control.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus". His feet moved in cumbersome uneven strides. Each step caused Dean to groan from fatigue. His mind was a lassitude wasteland- caring for little except for protecting Sam from this Sandman's folly. It was this thought only that propelled Dean forward, despite his mind and body wanting to relinquish. The ability to fight was weakening with each burst of effort. "Oomnis satanica potestas", he uttered as another clumsy step thudded. His knee buckled and almost sent him back to the ground as the Sandman's voice became clearer. "Dean…….Dean…." a taunting laugh filled Dean's head. Dean forced himself to focus. He grabbed his screaming, aching head. His breaths became deep pants.

"Oh God….Omnis….. incursion……………….. infernalis." Dean took another step and finally found entrance to the Buxton House. Dean breathed a sigh of relief as he crossed the threshold of the abandoned mental hospital. He stumbled through the hall, desperately trying to find a room to lock himself into. His journey was tortuous and he his steps were serpentine causing him to fall into either side of the wall as he progressed into the dim expanse. "Adversarii, omnis legio….." His muscles threatened to give out and collapse after a few steps. "No…just a little more….Omnis congregatio, et secta diabolica." Trembling, Dean screamed in pain. His face contorted with the agony pumping from every fiber of his being. "Perd…itio…nis ven..enum……hum….anae….. sa….lutis." The treat of losing himself or hurting Sam, pushed him forward to a room Dean had prayed for. Dean lurched his body through and collapsed on the padded floor. He jostled his remaining energy to slam the door shut. A strange sense of satisfaction emerged in a small smirk on Dean's face. He had won this battle; the only one he cared enough not to lose. All that remained would be between him and the Sandman.

"Dean… oh… Dean. It's sad that you find such satisfaction of keeping me at bay. With each passing minute, I am getting stronger and you are getting weaker. You have been my best opponent yet. Sadly, even that gets old. I'm tired of playing games with you. You're psyche is a much darker place than any terror I could ever hope for."

Dean stood face to face with the Sandman in his mind. Dean's bravado had escaped him and no snark passed his lips. "It doesn't …matter. Sam is safe……... That's enough… for me. Whatever you do to me, it was worth it."

"I think it's time you faced the truths you keep hidden behind that mask of lies. The things that creep in the back of your mind. No more games Dean, just pain!" The Sandman's image faded and the image that replaced it filled Dean's heart with longing and pain.