Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters. I and am not making any money on this…I'm just having fun!
Blind Faith
Chapter 7 – Sacrifices
Dean checked his gun as he moved to the front window and peered outside. He saw at least 3 shapes in the shadows and knew that there were probably more hidden around the house. "Shit!" Dean exclaimed as he tried to figure out what his next move should be.
Before Dean could react he heard glass breaking in the back of the house. Looking at Ellen and knowing that she would guard Sam, he headed for the back of the house. Moving quietly, Dean looked around and saw the shattered glass. He whirled around as he sensed someone standing behind him. He felt the fist hit his sore shoulder as he ducked; the white hot pain caused him to pause just long enough for the man to follow up with the butt end of his gun. As Dean crashed to the ground, his last thought was that he had failed Sam.
Ellen watched in fear, but her hand was steady on the gun. As the door slammed open, Ellen took aim and prepared to fire. "I wouldn't do that if I were you Ellen. This doesn't need to get ugly; all I want is an answer to a simple question."
Ellen blinked as she recognized the large man standing in the door frame. "Jim Monroe, what the hell do you think you are doing shooting up my house like this?"
Ellen stood and planted herself between the bedroom and the man who calmly entered the house. "Stay right where you are Jim, I'd hate to have to shoot you." Ellen said between gritted teeth.
A moment later Ellen gasped as another man entered and dropped Dean down on the floor in front of Jim. "Is this the one you saw Jim?"
"Yep, that's him Stan. Take him outside to the others."
Ellen stepped forward. "I will shoot you Jim and you know that I will. Now why don't you tell me what this is all about before I have to shoot you and Stan here?"
"You heard about Steve?"
Ellen nodded. "Yes, I heard…and I'm sorry, but what does that have to do with me and my friends?"
"Well, I received this interesting call…the gentleman on the other end claimed to be a hunter and was warning me about a renegade hunter that was out to kill other hunters. He didn't give me a name or description, but I got a little suspicious when I saw you leaving the road house real sudden."
"Did it ever dawn on you that I might be coming to help out a friend?" Ellen looked sideways at the other hunter holding Dean. "Seems to me when you needed help Stan, I came and gave it to you, no questions asked."
Stan looked away, a moment of shame showing on his face. Jim moved forward in an instant and quickly knocked Ellen aside, grabbing the gun from her hand. He looked over in the corner and shook his head. "Don't be a hero Ash; I know that you and Ellen had nothin' to do with this."
Ellen glared at Jim. "I don't know what you think happened Jim, but I can tell you this boy had nothing to do with it. Now you and your friends get out of here…or next time one of you gets shot up, I'll make sure you get the same reception you are givin' right now."
Jim sighed. "Ellen, we are only going to talk to the boy. If he didn't do anything, then there is nothing to worry about. Now stand still. I'm just going to tie you up for a bit until we get this all straightened out."
"Like hell you will Jim Monroe!" Ellen moved closer, mad enough to spit nails. Jim saw the pure anger in her eyes and stepped back.
Sam had heard the whole conversation and realized that there was only one solution to the situation. He couldn't let Dean take the fall for something that had been done by his own hand. Struggling to his feet and swaying, Sam placed the gun Dean had given him on the bed. He pulled on his jacket and moved quietly to the door. He smiled as he saw Ellen facing the men down. But his gaze hardened as he saw his brother lying unconscious on the floor, the wound in his shoulder bleeding once again.
"I was under the impression that in this country, a man was innocent until proven guilty. What proof do you have that my brother did what you said?" Sam asked quietly.
Ellen looked up and shook her head. "Sam you stay out of this."
Sam stepped further into the room. "Well, I'm waiting for your answer Jim…since when do hunters kill innocent people…I thought our job was to kill evil?"
Jim looked at the solemn young man standing in front of him. The kid looked like he was barely able to keep himself standing, yet here he stood ready to take on two fully armed men. He had to give the kid credit for being gutsy.
"Like I told Ellen, we only want the truth of what happened. Once we know that, we will leave you all in peace. Now you can understand why we would want to know that, right son?" Jim slowly moved the gun in his hand to cover the young man.
Sam shook his head. He had to get the men away from Ellen, Ash and Dean. Jim seemed like a reasonable man; maybe if he went with him, he could talk some sense into the hunters. "Well Jim, if you take that man with you…you'd be taking the wrong man. You see, he wasn't there, in fact he wasn't even in the area when Steve was killed."
Jim looked at the young man and saw the determination in his eyes, but he also saw something else, he saw guilt. "You…you are the one?"
Sam nodded. "Yes, I was there…well sort of…look; I'll go with you and your friends. We can sit down and talk about what happened. I'll tell you whatever you want to know. I only ask one thing. Don't hurt the others…there's been enough violence."
Jim raised his gun; the temptation to fire was so strong that he had all he could do not to pull the trigger. But he couldn't do it, something didn't feel right. Besides, he didn't want to do anything in front of Ellen. She had been too good a friend for too many years. "Fine, you go calmly with Stan here. He will take you to my farm. Stan, you and the others wait until I get there, you understand?"
Stan nodded as he moved to lead Sam away at gun point. Sam turned to Ellen and said softly. "Thanks Ellen and don't worry. It will be ok…tell Dean…tell him…Thanks, but it's my turn now." Sam turned and walked out into the night.
Ellen heard the trucks and cars leaving as she stared at Jim. "You don't know what you have just done Jim."
"Ellen, I promise you…the boy will get his say."
"And who will decide his fate…you Jim? You sure you can control your boys? Who else do you have with you?" Ellen was trying to get as much information as she could so that they could track them down.
"I only have a few others with me Ellen, don't worry I can control them. Now I'm going to tie you and Ash up, then I'll make sure that our friend here doesn't bleed to death." Jim moved towards Ellen once more but as he passed by Dean, a hand grabbed his ankle and yanked him from his feet.
Ellen ran and grabbed the gun as it skidded across the floor and aimed it at Jim's head. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now Jim…why I shouldn't treat you the same way you are treatin' that poor boy."
"Ellen, put the gun down. If I don't join the boys within the next hour, they will kill that boy…you remember Rafe?"
Ellen's hand shook slightly as a look of horror washed over her face. "Why would you bring Rafe into this?"
"He was close by and offered to help. I needed muscle if I was going up against a hunter good enough to take down Steve." Jim shrugged. He turned as he saw the other man stagger to his feet. He flinched at the raw hatred he saw in the man's eyes.
Dean moved and took the gun from Ellen's hands. "Well let me tell you something Jimbo…first, you got your facts all mixed up, Steve wasn't killed by a hunter…he was killed by a demon that had possessed a hunter. Second, no one threatens Ellen or Ash or any other hunter who is fighting against evil without incurring my wrath and third…"
Dean used the butt of the gun to hit Jim on the side of the face. "No one and I mean absolutely no one messes with my brother and lives…and if you don't believe me, why don't you talk to the bitch that I sent back to hell after she possessed my brother!"
Jim sat back, his head spinning from the blow to the head. He looked over at Ellen and saw the tears in her eyes. He shook his head. "But he admitted to killing Steve, I saw the guilt in his eyes…"
"You stupid bastard!" Ellen spat as she moved in on Jim. "That poor boy was possessed by the demon for over a week. He has had his system pumped full of drugs and was probably tortured before the demon was able to possess him. She made him watch as she forced him to kill and hurt people including my daughter and his own brother. And yet even though we have all told him that he is not at fault, that boy feels guilty. If that boy dies, I just hope you can live with the guilt of not only killing an innocent man, but probably our best shot at being able to fight the damn demons that are out there."
Jim looked at Ellen, horror crossing his face as he processed what she was telling him. "Oh my God!"
Dean knelt down and looked directly into the man's eyes. "God won't be able to help you or any of those other bastards who have my brother if he is hurt. You see, while my brother is the forgiving kind…I'm not…now where the hell have you taken my brother."
TBC
Raven524: So once again Sam had sacrifice himself for the others. But Jim is believing him right now...so everything should be ok with Sam right? Can I see a show of hands out there as to who thinks it will be that easy? Guess we'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out LOL
