Disclaimers and warnings: See chapter one
Chapter seven Day five- Day of full moon- Bad moon rising.
By dawn Dean was fully asleep with Sam's hand on his head. Since Sam hadn't slept much John and Bobby left them asleep while they made breakfast. When Sam woke at nine John was happy to see Dean open his eyes for a moment and they were Dean's normal eyes just a little more vivid like they had been the previous day. Dean didn't take any food that morning but he did take a little water and went out to the tree with Sam midway through the morning. Dean looked a mess this morning with his long sweaty hair and his eyes sunken in his face. The growth on his face was quite long this morning reminding Sam of when John let his beard grow but blonde and grey. The cuts and scrapes he had done to himself were not healing very well and were red and raw with bruising around them. Even Sam could see how much weight Dean had lost through his t shirt out in the rain. Dean's pants were in danger of falling down. He was lucky he had sweats on because jeans would have been around his ankles by now.
Dean didn't want a shower that day instead, preferring to stay under the bed seeming to know he would need all his strength for the coming full moon. John and Bobby discussed what they would need to do that evening but since the situation was unique there was very little they could do except for bashing in a post in front of the cabin in the clear area where they normally parked their cars. There was little to no blocking of the sky from trees here so Dean should get the moonlight falling on him which as far as they knew he would need. At least there wasn't anyone around to get hurt if Dean got lose tonight.
John and Bobby stocked up on darts and made sure the guns were loaded as preparation. John found a heavy stainless steel chain to chain Dean to the pole not knowing or wanting to find out if iron would hurt him. The afternoon dragged on with tension so thick in the air they could almost see it. They all worked hard to keep Dean comfortable but he clearly wanted to be left alone, occasionally letting Sam pat him from above but growling if the others got close.
When the moon started to come up as the sky darkened, John helped Bobby move the bed from over Dean. Sam coxed him out of the covers dismayed at his worsening appearance. Dean had clearly been scratching at his skin leaving red welts and in some places bleeding skin. Sam wrapped the heavy chain over the chain of the handcuffs and removed the cuffs on his feet at John's instruction before they both held the chain, leading him toward the front. Dean hung back a little as they neared the front door making John frown. He thought the kid would be happy to get rid of the creature inside him but the closer he came to the steel pole the slower he got until he was barley walking. Sam slipped the chain over the pole while Bobby and John hung back. At least it had stopped raining for the moment.
Knowing he was taking his life in his hands but knowing Dean and wanting to show him support, Sam squeezed Dean's shoulder before moving off. The hunters formed a loose circle on the edge of the clearing as they waited nervously. As the moon came out Dean started pacing up and down and pulling at the chains. Sam took a step forward but John was there with a hand on his shoulder to hold him back. John could see what was making Sam step forward. Dean's wrists were already a mess as he moved around the pole yanking the chains.
The hunters watched anxiously as Dean paced around, steeling glances at the moon, his eyes purposefully off his family. Sam didn't like the way Dean was looking like he was waiting for something worse to happen. Something worse than having an Adjule inside him? As soon as the moon was full Dean stilled and fell to his knees. Sam could see him visibly shaking as he stared up at the moon. For a full minute Dean howled making all the hunters clap their hands over their ears. Sam's eyes watered as he watched Dean's mouth with wide eyes as he howled. Dean's teeth were so big they shone in the moon light. Sam swore Dean's fingers were getting longer and more pointed. Dean's eyes were glowing white and bright when he stopped howling and fell to the damp earth. On all fours Dean raced around the pole he was tethered to in a pertfect circle. Bobby saw that the chain had snapped that connected the cuffs was now broken but the cuffs themselves were still on his wrists.
John wanted to breathe a sigh of relief that they had just tossed the chain over the pole and not tied him to it but his mouth was hanging open watching Dean kicking up great clods of dirt as he ran. Bobby stared back at John with wide eyes watching with fascination as Dean continued to run and growl at the same time. Sam was at a loss at what to say as Dean's speed increased to a rate they could barely see. Sam could make out pieces of Dean's clothing on the ground however and when he focused hard he saw Dean was indeed down to just boxer shorts. The reason it was hard to tell Dean was half naked was because he had splashed mud on himself as he ran. There was soon a foot deep rut around the pole
John pulled out a dart gun from his back with a sigh and Dean screeched to a halt. At first Sam thought Dean was reacting to John but he stood tall and howled again without looking at him. As soon as Dean stopped howling he fell to the ground and seized like he had when he had first been infected. Bobby, John and Sam ran to Dean's side not being able to do anything but wanting to anyway. The glow from his eyes slowly faded the longer his body slapped the muddy ground. This time the seize lasted a good minute and a half before Dean slumped into unconsciousness. There was a thick ozone like crackle in the air that faded up into the sky. As soon as Dean was out the heavens opened up once again. Sam held Dean's face in his hands and called to him while Bobby and John took off the handcuffs and chain.
Sam used the cuff of his shirt to wipe the blood away that was flowing out of Dean's nose. Dean came to slowly groaning and clutching at his head.
"You okay Dean?" Sam asked.
"Get the number of the truck?" He muttered. "Head hurts like a bitch."
"Dean." John warned.
"At least I'm being honest." Dean held a hand out for Sam to help him up.
Sam could see under the full moon that Dean's hair was still long as was his facial hair but the rest of him seemed to have gone back to normal. Sam helped Dean to his feet and stayed at his elbow as he swayed at being upright.
"You okay Dean?" Bobby asked.
"Starving." Dean mumbled with a hand on his belly.
Bobby was kind of surprised Dean was on his feet at all given the condition he was in. Even in the moonlight he could see Dean's spine and ribs sticking out telling him that the run around the pole had taken even more out of him. Dean walked slowly to the cabin leaving the older men in his wake.
Dean stopped on the threshold of the cabin and looked back at John with big puppy dog eyes equal to Sam's.
"What's wrong Dean?"
"Dirty." muttered Dean.
"Don't worry about it son, we will clean up later. "
"We're wet to so no big deal," added Bobby.
Dean continued his slow shuffle to the bathroom blinking at the bright lights with his eyes like slits due to his pounding head. He felt mentally and physically drained and wanted to lie down pretty badly. One foot in front of the other was quite the task.
Sam, John and Bobby could all see Dean's thin back clearly under the bare bulbs of the cabin and were dismayed at the red, bleeding scratches all over him that could only be from long claws. John looked down to see more on his legs and had a feeling his body would be littered in them. He hoped like hell Dean didn't get an infection from them as he had enough to deal with at the moment. Under the stark lights Dean's eyes looked more dark and sunken than ever before.
Dean moved to the shower only to find Sam still at his elbow.
"It's okay, Sammy. I just want a quick one before I demand some food. Any chance of some clean clothes buddy?"
It was Dean's way of asking for a little space and Sam gave it to him. When he returned with a set of dry clothes Dean was kneeling in the shower, the spray flying off his bent head. Sam poked his head in with concern.
"You okay Dean?"
Dean nodded. "Yeah, Sammy. Be out in a minute."
Sam left Dean to help the adults cook Dean a feast and Dean sighed with relief. What he needed most was some time to rebuild his walls. They had slammed down when the Adjule disappeared leaving a sensation in his brain like it had been washed out, with steel wool and acid. Dean felt like his walls had been scratched and bitten from the inside and needed major repair work. His brain felt like it had an out of order sign on it at the moment so he hoped the others wouldn't ask too many questions. He had seen the pain in the eyes of his family as he had battled the creature and the worry hadn't left them yet. It was up to him to do that. His skin stung with the cuts all over him and his head still hurt a bit but he was in one piece at least physically.
Dean staggered into his clean clothes feeling like a strong wind could blow him over. The upside to that was he could get Bobby to cook for him for a few days, well one at least, before John dragged them away. Sam was waiting outside the room for him and remained at his elbow as he crept into the main room with his head down not feeling too great about how the last few days had gone. To his great surprise his dad grabbed him up in a hug as soon as he saw him enter. Dean returned the hug feeling it was just what he needed with his wall in such a state of disrepair.
"You did great, son." John said in a soft voice in Dean's ear startling him. "Just concentrate on getting better. Until then we've got your back."
"Thanks, dadaad." Dean stuttered shocked but appreciating that his dad understood.
Bobby served Dean up a plateful of bacon, eggs and pancakes and Dean ate unit his belly groaned, which was less than half the plate.
"Sorry, Bobby. My stomach feels as big as a pea at the moment."
"No problem, Deano, next time."
"We need to clean those cuts before you go to sleep Dean."
"Yes, sir."
Sam had been watching Dean closely as he ate, rubbing his eyes at the same time. It was after midnight so Dean took pity on him and they headed to bed. Dean knew what Sam was like when he had returned late or injured after a hunt and let Sam crawl into the bed with him once John and Bobby changed the sheets and set the bed up properly. Sam hugged his brother hard and fell to sleep with his head on his chest after telling him what a great big brother he was. Dean didn't feel like a great big brother he felt like he had done something wrong and was waiting for the punishment from John for disobeying his initial order.
John and Bobby approached the bed as Sam nodded off and Dean lifted his head seeing the first aid kit held in John's hands.
"Just lay still, sport. We're going to dress these wounds. You must be tired so just rest."
Dean nodded even though he wanted to draw the covers up and forget the last few days. John and Bobby carefully and gently applied antiseptic after washing the wounds in holy water and dressing any that needed it. Dean's wrists and ankles were wrapped lightly since they were bruised and cut. Dean fell to sleep as John drew the covers up over them both and the men crept out of the room. John and Bobby set to work removing the pole from the front,filling in the rut, washing any of Dean's dirty clothes and getting rid of any evidence so Dean would be comfortable when he woke. Just as a precaution John slept in the chair in the room with the boys but it was quiet and trouble free.
TBC
