DISCLAIMER: Well, I was gonna come up with some creative and possibly humorous lie about how I own Supernatural and the boys, but the fact that I typed "disclaimer" so prominently at the beginning of this sentence kinda ruined the punch line…darn.
SPOILERS: Anything before Folsom Prison Blues has potential. As a reminder, this story takes place between that episode and Hollywood Babylon.
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My Strongest Weakness
PREVIOUSLY: Dean sighed wistfully and gently pulled the thin covers up to Sam's chin and brushed his bangs out of his eyes, not being able to hide the amused smile when the strands slid right back into place. "Everything's gonna be okay, Sammy," Dean whispered. "I'll keep you safe…I promise." Always. His own words of assurance fresh in his mind, Dean climbed into his own bed and fell into a fitful sleep.
Chapter 7
3:26 AM… The bright red numbers flashing on the alarm clock were the first thing to greet Sam as he was awoken by…well, he didn't know what, yet. It wasn't like he wasn't used to the scenario, hell, it happened just about every other night! But he was pretty sure what roused him from sleep this time was not a nightmare. His half-mast eyes sluggishly surveyed the room and eventually fell on Dean, and the mystery was solved. Okay, so it wasn't one of my nightmares, anyway. Sam opened his eyes fully and noted that Dean was moaning and squirming. It looked to be less serious than Sam's usual nightmares, but his gaze held concern nonetheless, though Dean couldn't see that. Sam was just about to go snap Dean out of it when the squirming escalated into thrashing and the moaning suddenly became coherent.
"Get off him, you bitch…don't touch him…I'll kill you if you do that to him…"
Sam sat back down on the edge of his own bed. He was fairly certain that he was the 'him' in Dean's ramblings, but he sure had no idea who the 'bitch' was. He wanted to do nothing more than end Dean's suffering, but he was also getting a sneaking suspicion that Dean was hiding something from him. He hadn't been 'touched' by anyone that could be considered a 'bitch' lately that he could remember…so what in the world was Dean dreaming about? And who?
"Sam…Sammy…don't let her do that to you…don't let her use you like that…wake up…Sammy, wake up!"
Okay, first suspicion confirmed…the dream's about me…and some woman. What does he mean by her 'using me'? And why won't I wake up…? Slowly but surely, pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall together for Sam. He recalled the confusion he felt when he woke up earlier in the night to find Dean staring at him, eyes filled with more worry than a headache could ever cause – well, a normal headache at least. And there was also that tiny niggling fact that he hadn't even remembered falling asleep. Yes, there was little doubt left that Dean was hiding something from him. And Sam intended to find out what it was."Don't do this to him, Odessa, please don't…he never did anything to you…don't hurt him, please, please don't…I was the one who wounded you, he had nothing to do with it…do what you want to me, just leave my brother alone…"
Sam sat transfixed. It sounded like Dean knew this woman – this 'Odessa' – from his past…apparently he had even wounded her. In a hunt? Was she supernatural? If it was from a hunt, how long ago did the hunt occur? Dean had said Sam 'had nothing to do with it'; maybe he had been at college? Or maybe it went much farther back… Whatever the case, Sam needed to know, not just for his sake, but for Dean's as well. Keeping the secret was obviously wreaking havoc with Dean's subconscious, as the nightmare now attested to.
"No, please, just leave him alone…oh God, no. Please don't hurt him…no, DON'T! Sammy, wake up NOW! SAMMY!" Dean bolted upright, panting heavily, eyes bright and sweat rolling down his flushed face. "Sammy, no…"
Upon Dean's broken last words, Sam rushed to his side, gripping his arms to hold him still and leaning in close to his face so that Dean could see he wasn't hurt…or worse. "Dean, c'mon, man, you're all right…I'm all right. I'm right here, it was just a nightmare," Sam softly soothed. He breathed a sigh of relief when his brother's green eyes met his and Dean shakily spoke his name. "Yeah, it's me, Dean. Who else would it be, right?" he said with a small smile.
"Oh, thank God," Dean exhaled. He brought a trembling hand up to clutch at Sam's wrist, and Sam knew it was no coincidence that Dean's fingers went right to his pulse point. "You okay?"
Sam looked at him incredulously. "Am I okay? I think I should be the one asking you that, big bro." It simultaneously amazed, frustrated, unnerved, and touched Sam that no matter how bad the situation was for his older brother, he was always Dean's first concern. Well, right now it was time for him to be concerned about Dean…and that meant getting the truth out of him, even if it took all night. "Dean…what was that dream about? Who's Odessa?"
Shit! I freakin' said her name?! Damn nightmare… Dean had intended to keep the entire Odessa incident a secret from Sam…in order to protect him, of course. But it seemed his subconscious had betrayed him. Dean didn't know just how much, but he was hoping it wasn't enough for him to have to completely spill the beans to his younger brother. He wasn't ready for that, not now, and maybe not ever. "Sam, I think we should talk about this some other time…" Like after I've wasted that bitch and you're out of danger.
Sam had been afraid he would say that. "Dean," he began gently but firmly, "I think we should talk about this now."
"Sam—"
"You're constantly making me tell you about my nightmares, Dean…I would hope you'd tell me about yours too," Sam lightly reprimanded.
"Yeah, well, sometimes your nightmares aren't just nightmares, Sammy," Dean countered quietly.
He's got a point there… "Yeah, I know. But that doesn't mean that dealing with your nightmares is any less important." That doesn't mean that you are any less important. "C'mon, man, I'm obviously involved with whatever happened in your nightmare, so I need to be involved in helping you deal with it." Sam looked his brother directly in the eye. "What aren't you telling me, Dean?"
Dean knew what was coming. He tried to duck his head down, but he wasn't quick enough. Sam's wide, pleading puppy-dog eyes locked with his and Dean's fortitude dissipated instantly. Sam had every right to know what had happened to him earlier that night. But Dean was going to be gradual about it. "Sammy…before you, uh…woke up and saw that I'd gotten back…what do you remember?"
Sam stared down at his hands as he searched his memory. "Um…I guess the biggest thing I remember is that I had that headache…and it was going away. I'd taken some more Advil for it…and I was thirsty and got some more water to drink. Stepped on some mystery substance on the carpet." Sam bit back a laugh as he saw Dean wrinkle up his nose in disgust at that piece of information. "Was thinking about doing some more research but afraid it might re-aggravate my head…" Sam paused and met Dean's attentive gaze. "That's about it. I don't remember falling asleep, but you said I had, right?"
Dean sighed heavily and then seemed to begin a search for the aforementioned spot on the carpet. "Sam, you were…asleep, yeah, but…you didn't really…fall asleep," Dean stammered out, still not meeting Sam's eyes.
"Whaddya mean I didn't fall asleep?" Sam questioned, clearly confused and increasingly nervous. "W-was I…drugged?"
Dean could clearly hear the fear in Sam's voice and would've done anything at that point to keep the terrifying truth from his baby brother. But he knew Sam wouldn't let up until Dean told him everything. This sucks out loud… "Um…sorta 'yes' and sorta 'no'," Dean cryptically answered.
What the hell did that mean? "Dean...I don't get it…what you said. Just tell me straight up…please. Whatever it is, we'll deal with it. Together." Sam put his hand on Dean's arm and found his eyes again. "Was it that Odessa woman?"
"Yeah," Dean told him honestly, knowing the jig was long past up. But, God, he really didn't want to tell him anymore…
"Dean…who is she? Or what is she? And…" Sam swallowed the lump in his throat. "What did she do to me?"
Oh God…anything but that last question…what didn't she do to you?! "She, um…she's one of those things called familiars, one of the ones Dad and I met on the hunt when you were ten, remember?" Sam nodded. "Well…I stabbed her with that special wooden spear we keep in the trunk, the only thing that can kill familiars, right?" Another nod. "Right…so, she went down, ya know? Dad and I were sure it had killed her, but…guess it's pretty obvious we were wrong, huh?"
"Guess so," Sam agreed sympathetically.
"God…so damn stupid," Dean cursed himself regretfully, earning him a pointed glare from Sam. He met it. "I only got her in the side, not in the heart or the stomach or someplace vital…I should've made sure she was dead."
"Don't," Sam said sharply. "If you're looking to get the blame for whatever's goin' on here, you're not gonna get it from me…alright?" He approved Dean's nod with one of his own. "Good. So, this whole thing…it's about revenge now?"
Dean looked down at the floor again, and then back up at Sam. "Honestly, I don't know for sure. But that's the most likely candidate, I suppose."
"Yeah. So when exactly did she show back up…and what did she do?" Sam wasn't going to let Dean of the hook when it came to the question he had been doggedly avoiding. It was the part that Dean most needed to get off his chest, obviously.
Dean sighed. Kid's like a dog with a bone… "Well, when I went out, I went to that bar…I met her there. Didn't know who she was at first, but she was pretty quick to remind me."
"She didn't hurt you, did she?" Sam immediately asked.
Dean's lips twitched into a small smile. "Nah, I'm good." It abruptly vanished upon his next confession. "But, uh…she…she told me that she was gonna hurt you…that she was…she was gonna come after you."
"Oh." It was Sam's turn to look down at the floor and then back up again. "And she did…right?"
"Yeah," Dean choked out. "I…I tried to get back here as fast as I could, and I thought I'd made it 'cause it looked like you'd just fallen asleep when I got here. But…" Dean swallowed thickly as Sam gave his arm an encouraging and reassuring squeeze. "But, she showed up. Said she'd already been here, and put this…this sleep spell on you."
"Sleep spell?" Sam repeated in shock.
"Yeah." Dean could feel his composure rapidly dissolving as Sam's complexion slightly paled upon the revelation. Sam glanced away from Dean as he tried to process what information he'd just been given, and Dean knew that his brother was trying to hide the fear creeping into his expressive eyes. "Sam…? You okay?" Stupid question… Apparently it was one that the kid hadn't heard, as well. "Sammy?"
"I'm all right," Sam squeaked out. He finally met his brother's questioning gaze. "So, did…did she do anything to me while I was…asleep?"
The apprehensive look in Sam's hazel orbs and the tremor in his voice threatened to break Dean's heart. God, why does it always have to be Sammy…? "Sam…we can…you don't have to—"
"Just tell me, Dean…I wanna know," Sam broke into Dean's last attempt to back out.
Dean swallowed. "God, Sam." Dean roughly scrubbed a hand across his face. "She pinned me to the wall, with her powers, ya know…and she walked over to you, you were just lying on your bed, out cold…" Dean suddenly slammed his fist into the mattress in frustration. "God, I couldn't stop her! She…she had her hands" – and lips – "all over you and there was nothing I could do about it!" Dean spilled out before standing up from the bed and walking to the middle of the room, his back to Sam.
A nauseous sensation came over Sam as words from Dean's nightmare, coupled with what Dean had just revealed, came back to him.
'Sammy…don't let her do that to you…don't let her use you like that.'
A chill shot up Sam's spine. He had to know… "Dean…did—did she…" Sam couldn't complete the question.
Stinging moisture blurred Dean's vision at the painful hitch in Sam's voice and he immediately returned to his baby brother's side. He knelt down in front of him. "Sammy, look at me." When Sam didn't raise his bowed head, Dean put his fingertips under Sam's chin and gently raised it for him until Sam's tear-filled eyes were looking into his. "Sam, no," Dean firmly assured. "She didn't do that, okay? She didn't." Sam exhaled shakily and closed his eyes in relief, causing a stagnant salty droplet to slip out. Dean gently wiped it away with his thumb. When his eyes reopened, Dean could tell all the worry hadn't yet gone out of them.
"Dean," Sam began. "You…you would tell me if—"
"She'd done it?" Dean finished for him. "Yes. Look at me, Sam," Dean commanded, wanting his brother to see the truth in his eyes. "I would tell you. She didn't do it," Dean reassured. "She…she mentioned doing it, one time, but I told her if she tried anything like that that I would kill her and then keep bringing her back so I could do it all over again…and you know I mean every word of that, don't you?"
"Yeah." Sam's response was somewhere between a sob and a laugh. "I know you do."
"Damn right," Dean said with a cocky smile and a comforting squeeze to Sam's shoulder. "Ya know, I think she knew it too…she didn't stick around too long after that," Dean said lightheartedly, and then grew more serious. "Sammy…she's not gonna live to see tomorrow, okay? I'll nail that bitch before she touches you again. I will."
"Dean, tell me you're not thinking of goin' after her alone…what's to say that she won't try to hurt you, too?"
"This," Dean answered bluntly, lifting his right leg to show Sam the symbol of Helios on the bottom of his foot. "Remember? Provides protection from all things familiar-related…except for the whole telekinetic powers thing, apparently."
"Oh…right. Forgot all about that thing," Sam said with a smirk, remembering how Dean had enlisted his help to make sure the tattoo went on the bottom of his foot and nowhere else.
"Ya know, ironically, so did I…till a few months ago, that is." He continued before Sam could ask what had happened a few months ago, as he still hadn't confessed to the kid about his impromptu late-night solo hunt. "Anyway, guess the tattoo still works…sooo…" Dean's eyes lit up and a wide grin crossed his face. "Guess what, Sammy-boy? You're gettin' one of your own later today."
Sam shot Dean an anxious look, opened his mouth to protest, and then closed it again upon quickly deciding the statement would be inarguable with Dean. Dean never lost an argument when it came to keeping Sam safe. Sam sighed in defeat and then turned his most imploring, wide-eyed gaze on his brother. "Can I get it on the bottom of my foot, too?"
Dean chuckled and playfully ruffled Sam's hair. "'Course ya can, kiddo, who would I of all people be to deny you that comfort?"
"Just checkin'", Sam muttered before flopping back down on his mattress.
"Right," Dean said, settling back down on his own bed with a mischievous smile on his face. "Sammy's gettin' ii-inked, Sammy's gettin' ii-inked…" The only response Dean's taunting tune got was a pillow launched in his direction – and a rather well aimed one, at that – accompanied by a muffled, 'Jerk'. Dean's mischievous smile melted into an affectionate one. "Bitch," he whispered back, and then fell into contented slumber.
TBC…
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A/N: So, LOL, if you're like my LLS, you're already cracking up at the implication that Dean is taking Sam to a tattoo parlor…what can I say? LOL. Continued thanks to all who are reading, to all that have added this to Favorites/Alerts, and to my rockin' reviewers, of course! Heehee, as the number at the tops of these pages keeps growing, so does my happiness! And a big muchas gracias to my LLS for the beta…'cause we were having fun testing our Spanish knowledge with each other last night on AIM. LOL. M'kay, that's it for now. Ya'll come back next chapter, ya hear? LOL. ;-)
