Legalities: Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure.

Idea: This little fiction has a story line, but it is unabashed hurt!Dean with extremely angsty!Sam and worried!John. This is purely a selfish little piece that I decided to share. I wanted to focus on Deans recovery and how one would come back from this type of situation. Especially when Dean would internalize everything...

Also, this is a very dark little piece of fiction, so please read all warnings at the start of the chapters and don't read it if you're not into that.

Synopsis: Third part in a trilogy, Dean has defeated the Pandora evil but he has lasting physical limitations as a result of the trials. Sam has graduated from high school and their father will be sending them on a hunt that will bring Dean full circle with where this trilogy started. Through this last hunt Dean will struggle to repair the damage to his body and Sam will struggle to save both of them from a creature that none of them saw coming.

Warnings: This story will contain everything from intense emotional situations, graphic depictions of present and past torture to intense angst. If you don't like this type of thing….don't read this story. I would suggest reading 'Gone Missing' and 'Missing the Hunt' first as they will set the scene for this story.

Please Review: Thanks to any guests and others that can't sign in...I really appreciate that you guys continue taking the time to let me know what you are thinking about the progression of the story.

WARNING...Mentions of violence and gore throughout, this might bother some people so consider yourself warned...there is quite a lot of ANGST in this story...as a matter of fact...I think all my chapters have a large helping of angst...and some hurt Sam and Dean...so be prepared...don't like...don't read.

Chapter 6

Field of Battle

Sam stared at his brother's confused and hurt expression as he felt his chest tighten painfully. This wasn't how he had planned on telling Dean about going to Stanford. He'd wanted to ease into the information, maybe get his older brother drinking...and now it was out there like a pale fat nudist at a ski resort…and he couldn't pull it back...no matter how much he wished he could. His blue-green eyes flickered between the sisters with a rising hatred, as his gaze landed on each of them in turn and he was forced to watch as their news struck Dean at his very core. Which, he was sure, was exactly what they had planned for the information to do. "Dean…" Sam started, he didn't even know how you apologize for something that he 'wasn't sorry for'...although the fact that it would hurt his brother...that pained him to his very core.

His older brother held up his hand and shook his head. "Sammy…it's okay." Dean said quietly. He schooled his expression to one of indifference and Sam cringed internally. It just didn't matter what he did…no matter how he rolled these dice it was going to hurt Dean…and that was the last thing on earth that he wanted. But the thought of staying in this type of life...that was such an impossible idea that Sam couldn't even entertain it.

"Okay….so I'm officially bored." Nosoi said as she stepped up and grabbed Dean's chin between the bruising strength of her fingers. He clenched his teeth at the unwanted touch and tried to pull his face away from her, his eyes shooting bolts of rage at her. She dug her finger nails into his skin and he groaned as small wisps of pain echoed through his face. "Dean…it's time to go." She said. Nosoi pulled him forward like a dog and Dean was forced to follow as the pain from her grip tightened.

"Wait! Where are you taking him?" Sam called as they approached the solid wall.

She stopped and turned to briefly look at the youngest Winchester… "To the field, Sam…where you were headed." Sam's mouth dropped open in a silent denial as she pulled Dean through the wall. He struggled against the restraints and felt the blood trickled further down his arms and onto his chest.

Sam watched as panic built in his chest as Dean and the dark haired sister disappeared. He scanned his now empty room. Wait, when did the other two leave? Okay, that doesn't matter, Sam…how do you get out of here? And how do I find Dean? His thoughts were pulsating with his rising energy as the image of Dean's disappointed and hurt eyes kept flashing through them. He hated that he'd managed to hurt Dean…again… He was thinking about how to approach getting free, when his hands suddenly dropped to his side. The instant pain, as pins and needles, flooded his veins had him gasping in surprise. He hadn't been ready and now as he glanced down at the ragged tears in his flesh, he was glad that he hadn't pulled harder against the restraints.

Sam pulled in a long breath and then reached up to scrub a hand down his face in frustration. He wasn't exactly sure what Dean had done to get the women to leave Sam alone…but he knew that any type of deal with a God or a monster…never ended well...especially when it involved Dean.

"Dean, I could have handled this." He muttered as he moved around the room, searching for a weakness in the walls. Trying to ignore the uncomfortable washing pain that continued to course through his body, it was a reminder that everything that he'd suffered so far…Dean would be subjected to on a greater level. Sometimes he really hated the differences in how he and his older brother had been raised. It wasn't that Sam wouldn't lay down his life for Dean's…but he understood that there were limitations to what they could do. But for some reason, Dean never got that memo.

Sam slammed his bloody fists against the solid wall where he'd seen Nokoi walk away with his brother only an hour before. "Dean!" He cried as desolation started to set in.

XXXX

The next coherent thought that stuffed itself inside of Dean's overly abused brain was…patters of pain. He was being shoved through the muddy field by an unseen force, his feet catching on the camouflaged rocks and roots. He'd already fallen down enough times that the knees in his jeans had been ripped out and there was rivulets of blood running down his shins and soaking into his socks. He bit back another pained cry as his ankle twisted and he nearly hit the ground again. He tried to right his balance and found that now he was now limping across the muddy field in stead of marching against his will.

Nokoi simply looked over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow in obvious disgust. "Seriously? How the hell haven't you managed to kill yourself already? You have the worst balance of any human I have ever dealt with." She sneered as she turned slightly and then simply continued walking.

The intense desire to grab a handful of mud and toss it at the back of her glossy black head was nearly over whelming. But then he remembered that she could ready freaking thoughts…

"That's right, Dean…I can. And if you throw anything at my 'glossy black head', I'll make this agonizingly painful for Sammy...as well as you." Nokoi, never even turned around as she simply threw the threat over her shoulder and continued stalking down the small path through the field.

Of course she would threaten Sam…he shook his head as the smoldering rage that had started several hours ago and built into a towering inferno of rage at this point. The mere mention of Sam had his thoughts shifting worriedly to his younger brother and just what exactly might be happening with him.

"Nothing…told you…you could take his place didn't I?"

"Okay, you need to stop doing that." He growled as he stumbled again.

"Really? And why is that, Dean?" She stopped and turned to face him, making him nearly collide into her perfectly clean body. Nokoi narrowed her silver eyes and glared at him in both challenge and slight irritation.

"Because….didn't your mother ever teach you that it's rude to read other people's thoughts without their permission? Or that with great power comes great responsibility?" He was feeling particularly snarky as he settled into a stance and folded his arms across his chest. The Goddess rolled her eyes and started walking again…Dean found that his body was pulled after her without his consent. "Hey!" He called indignantly as he stumbled forward into the mud.

"Just…you know...I think I liked it better when you stuttered and refused to talk." She said as she shot a poignant look over her shoulder. Dean clamped his mouth shut…he had no intention of giving them a reason to give him back the embarrassing stutter. He clenched his jaw and glared in her general direction. The pain from once again hitting the ground still tripping through his system in protest of this forced, now limping, march.

Kakoi walked out onto the path directly ahead of them and Dean found his legs being pulled along, even as he tried to stop and look at the other sister. He didn't know exactly what was coming and he was little scared to find out…if he was being honest with himself. They'd had no clue what they were getting into here…and now they were trapped in some sort of battle simulation that would probably claim his life…or god forbid…Sam's. His hawk-like gaze traveled from one sister to the other and then back again, he could see that they were still wearing the same clothing that they'd had on in the cement room. So chances are that neither of them were directly involved in what was coming.

Lugra then stepped onto the path. She however, was dressed in full battle regalia. The bright silver of her breastplate only reflecting the harsh glaring rays of sunlight, painfully, back into Dean's eyes and causing him to throw his hand up to shield his face. She smiled and then turned to her sisters, Dean's gaze traveled the length of the field and he was a little concerned…alright, maybe a more than a little…when he saw several large creatures waiting patiently off in the not too far off distance. Great…now I'm fighting….I like the movie Gladiator…never wanted to be a part of it though. Dean halted, un-expectantly, as whatever power had been compelling him forward, suddenly released him. He shifted his weight and then gritted his teeth as pain shot through his swollen ankle and had him shifting his weight to the other foot instantly. 'Son of a bitch...'

Lugra glared in his direction, before she stepped forward and handed him a net and a trident. "These are your weapons, try and stay alive…otherwise Sam will be facing these five beasts…alone." Her threat was not an empty one and it raised such a waling internal alarm in Dean that he literally saw red as he seethed inwardly. So, whatever I can't kill is going to be pitched at Sammy? He finally understood a little of what was happening here. The sisters wanted death and pain…but they wanted it on the battlefield. Their weren't going to simply torture the brother's to death…they were going to see that they were ripped to shreds…on a battlefield.

"Of course, it would be on a battlefield, Dean." Nosoi said evenly as she stepped up next to his taunt body and smiled coldly. "We cannot collect the souls unless they fall on a field of battle…the more violently they fall…the sweeter the collection." She leaned in and ran her fingers down his chest.

The shiver that ran through Dean's body was not because of sexual attraction, but because of the pain that followed that finger. Her nails had sliced through his shirts, cleanly, exposing his chest to the crisp cold air of a Colorado spring. She reached up and pulled the shirts from his torso and then raised an eyebrow in appreciation.

"Hey lady, 'no means no'…" Dean said over the pain as it receded slightly. He was now standing in the middle of muddy field of battle in nothing but his jeans and a pair of boots… Oh yeah…I have my trusty net and trident…which I have no clue how to use. She licked her lips and stepped away as he lifted the metal weapon and flipped the net experimentally.

"Such a shame…" She said as her fingers once again feathered down his chest and she patted his ass as she walked around him and headed toward her sisters… "Truly, Dean…a pity...you could have such other uses..." He huffed and closed his eyes in a silent prayer to anyone or anything that might give a rats ass about a small time hunter like himself…and Sammy…they needed help.

XXXX

Bobby gritted his teeth as he read about the seven deaths in Colorado. He knew that it would have pricked the interest of the hunting community…he had not, however, anticipated that John would have sent his sons after this one. It was so close to the ritual type of sacrifices that had gotten the boys into so much trouble more than three years ago, that he'd figured the marine would have steered his boys clear of this one...but no... So he'd done some digging…and Bobby hadn't liked what he'd found. This wasn't a routine monster; the patterns didn't fit with anything that he knew about. So, he'd put his feelers out into the hunting community…and what he'd learned had him searching for the new number that John was using. After locating the damn piece of paper inside a book on Werewolves and their lore, he'd dialed and waited impatiently for the older Winchester to answer.

"Hello?" Came gruff and somewhat slurred answer.

Bobby nearly swore over the phone. "John, where the hell are you?" He wanted to lay into the man…he'd sent his sons on a hunt that they had no hope of completing.

"Bobby?" John answered. He was sounding a little more alert, but Bobby was pretty damn sure that he'd woke the idget up.

"Yeah, who else would be calling your crazy ass?" He heard the other man sigh over the phone, so he pushed forward with his reason for calling. "So John, I know that you sent Dean and Sam after that case in Aurora, Colorado…"

John interrupted as a yawn escaped his lips. "Arg….Yeah I did. Why?" He said.

Bobby blew out a frustrated breath before answering. "Did you even research what you were sending those boys after?" He knew that he was playing with fire here…John was extremely protective of those boys, but he also hated being questioned…and that meant by anyone…not just his sons.

"Seriously Bobby? People were dying and I couldn't go. Sam graduated last week, so the boys had nothing to do…"

Bobby groaned. "Jeeze….you damn idget! You have any clue what they are heading into?"

John scoffed over the phone. "Yeah, a hunt."

"No…John, it was a set of Gods…not sure exactly which ones…but those people weren't just killed…they were sacrificed, to bring about something else. And Dean and Sam? They're smack in the middle of it….because of you." Bobby knew it wasn't completely John's fault. The information had been buried pretty deep, but the signs were there, if a person wanted to look for them. Which John never did. He was a strike first and ask questions later kind of guy. But that didn't work when it was Bobby's boys being sent out into the field of fire, without an extinguisher.

"Gods…? Are you sure, Bobby?" John was listening now. And he was kicking himself for not doing more research before sending the boys. He'd figured that they could handle it…and he really couldn't walk away from this hunt…not now…he was so close.

"Yeah…I'm just trying to narrow down the search of which ones are involved. I could use your help, John." He said as an afterthought. Bobby heard the slow intake of breath and knew that he couldn't expect help from the older Winchester for a while.

"I can't leave right now Bobby. I'll call Caleb and Joshua and have them hook up with you near Colorado…I'm assuming your heading out there?" The hopeful tone in John's voice, just made Bobby angrier as he wondered what the hell the man could be doing that was more important than his own sons.

He pulled off his baseball cap and slapped it violently against his thigh… "Yeah…whatever." Bobby hung up without even saying goodbye as he gritted his teeth and tried to calm the seething anger.

XXXX

Dean wasn't expecting the first blow from the Minotaur-type looking creature. It hadn't even telegraphed the movement…it had just launched itself across the field, a bellow of rage filling the stagnant air as it rapidly closed the distance between itself and Dean. He'd thrown himself to the side, but the horn on one side of its head caught him just beneath the armpit and raked along his ribs. Dean couldn't stop the cry of pain that exploded from his lips as he'd twisted and rolled across the muddy ground.

"Arrgghh…son of a bitch…" He'd groaned as he struggled to pull himself back to his feet and retrieve the fallen net and lethal looking three pronged spear. He pulled his left arm in and held it against his bleeding ribcage as the beast shifted its trajectory and swung around to make another pass. The only positive thing he'd been able to see at this point, since the beast was stronger and at least twice his size, was that the other four seemed content to watch until he either killed the beast…or it killed him…and his soul was carved from his flesh by the Keres sisters. Not good choices…either way. He thought.

TBC…

Author's Note: So the battle begins. Sam will be getting his fair share of 'ass whooping' in this story, he's just going to start in a different place than Dean…and he's going to have to convince his brother to let him take on some of the hordes that will be unleashed later. Thanks for the reviews, hope you guys can find time to let me know what you are thinking so far.

Please Review: They give me direction and motivation.