Disclaimer: I own nothing in the following story. All recognizable characters and locations belong to Eric Kripke, the actors who portray them and everyone in between. No money was made and no offence was intended in the telling of this story. No Winchester or animal were hurt in the making of this story. All characters will be dusted off and returned after I have finished playing with them sometime in the very distant future.
Author's Notes: Thanks to lynxlan and Muffy for their help with betaing this story.
This chapter's warnings: Not much for this one. I think hurt boys goes without saying or this entire story but there's some language and a very angry Dean. Anything else would give too much away I think…
Shadows
By infinite shadow
Chapter 7
John's eyes went black. "Well took you long enough to grow a pair kid. I will finally have my revenge on John Winchester. Warming up with you has been fun Sammy, now I get to take on the whole family," the thing that possessed John's body said.
Still reeling from what he'd read in his brother's notebook Dean stood momentarily frozen at the black eyes and the hiss of words that came out of his father. A split second later rage fired through his body. Not only had his bastard father left him alone to die, had been hurting his little brother without his knowledge but he'd actually allowed himself to get possessed as well.
A small voice deep down inside that was trying to keep him from going totally crazy kept repeating that it wasn't his father that did that. It really wasn't his fault. It wasn't like his father had asked for any of this to happen.
Then a louder voice, angry and seething, spoke up reminding him he'd almost died probably before his father had been possessed. The quiet voice was silenced for a mere few seconds before his gut screamed protect Sammy.
Dean stepped back to box his little brother between himself and Bobby but he'd wasted a precious few seconds with his internal debate.
One second Sammy was behind him and the next he was flying through the air. Almost as if an invisible hand reached out, grabbed his brother and flung him off the porch.
Dean's carefully controlled anger quickly turned to uncontrollable rage as his little brother bounced like a rag doll on the ground in slow motion before skidding to a halt face down in the dirt. He began to hear a high pitch whine in his ears as his little brother didn't move. Sammy was never that still.
His gut churned, his breathing sped up and his hands clenched tightly. He began to shake slightly as his eyes shifted from his brother to his father.
"You son of a bitch," Dean growled. He was so enraged he didn't care that it was a demon in his father. He was so angry that it didn't matter. Dad left him to die. The demon had hurt Sam right under his nose. Both needed to pay and he had no problem how it happened.
He had no weapon except his anger and Dean knew without a doubt it would be more than enough. "I'm going to enjoy killing you."
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It took a lot to surprise Bobby Singer. And surprised he was as John's eyes turned black and Sammy was flung out into the yard. He quickly tried to figure out if there was a fast way to dispatch a revenge demon. He'd never fought one before and hoped it would be as easy as a regular exorcism to get it out of his friend.
The Latin rolled easily off his tongue saying the usual words that would generally cast out any demon he'd come into contact with. There were always exceptions, tweaks to the actual words that had to be said, or actual items that had to be used, but it was better than nothing.
He heard Dean growl something lowly then rush off the porch and attack his own father. Knowing the words wouldn't be enough and knowing the kid would leave himself vulnerable in his current enraged sate, he pulled a knife out of its leather holder on his side and rushed to join Dean on the ground below. The boy went down hard as John caught him with an upper cut and Bobby stepped into his place.
Bobby blocked a punch from John with his forearm which knocked the knife out of his hand. He bent back slightly as he dodged another punch. Swinging as he leaned back in, he connected hard with John's jaw. The hit snapped his friend's head back and he said a silent apology to the man trapped inside. An unseen force suddenly shoved him hard and he staggered back a few steps.
Shadow ran in and he'd not even realized the pup was there. The dog was so enraged that her muzzle was rippling and had splatters of blood on her maw. With the distraction from Shadow the pressure on his chest was gone and he rushed back into the fight. He saw the rents in John's jeans and knew that Shadow had bitten him several times.
He swung out and barely missed hitting John. Then he was flung back, this time with a stronger force, and hit a wall just below his porch. He struggled to take a breath where he was stuck. His feet couldn't touch the ground and his arms couldn't reach anything helpful. The pressure on his chest began to grow as if it was trying to force him through the wood paneling he was being squished against.
Bobby wheezed in a breath as he looked around for the boys. He couldn't move his head, but in his peripheral vision he could see Dean kneeling next to Sammy while he checked on him.
He quickly moved his attention back to John and hoped the demon would keep focused on him. Dean wasn't paying attention to what was happening around him at all, concentrating more on his brother. It left them vulnerable to the demon and no way for Bobby to stop it.
John was laughing. A deep belly laugh that he'd never heard before. "Pretty words but you already know they have no effect on me junk yard man."
Shadow jumped in once more and clamped her jaw just above his boots.
"Oh and this pretty little puppy that the boys love so much?" John said with a grin that spoke of nothing but evil.
"No don't," Bobby said his eyes wide and his stomach jumping.
John raised his arm and was about to bring down a fatal blow on the beloved dog when Dean screamed.
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Dean looked up in time to see his father talking to Bobby and raise his hand to the dog. "NO!"
The older teen jumped up, his face contorted in a mask of rage as he leapt towards his father and tackled him to the ground.
"You son of a bitch!" Dean screamed as his vision shimmered with a red tinge.
The demon shook his head in surprise as they landed hard on the ground.
"You've taken everything from me!" Dean screamed as he sat on John's chest and swung hard. Blood spurted out onto John's face and coated the teen's knuckles.
The demon raised an arm as it tried to ward off the next blow.
"You're not taking her!"
Lefts and rights in quick succession left a trail of blood from John's eyes to where it dripped down his chin and onto his throat.
The demon laughed even as John's body began to choke on the blood in his throat.
"I may be disposable to you asshole but Sammy isn't!" Dean screamed as the laughter enraged him further.
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Sam lifted his head slightly off the ground. He hurt everywhere and he could hear Dean screaming and Bobby yelling. Shadow was barking and growling. What was going on?
He glanced around without moving too much. He saw Dean hitting his father then being tossed aside as his dad laughed.
The young teen watched his father get to his feet, shocked to see his face a mess of blood and dirt.
His brother lay on the ground for a moment, not moving, as if he'd been stunned. Sam's breathing sped up slightly, fearing for his brother. Then a second later Dean was sluggishly moving, his arms taking a moment to get coordinated enough to get to his knees.
His father was watching Dean and smiled as he took a step towards him.
Sam wanted to warn Dean but he didn't have to. Shadow leapt in again and clamped down on his father's thigh making his dad curse.
Bobby suddenly moved away from the house and reached out in time to stop a heavy blow from landing on his brother.
He took a shaky breath. As much as he wanted to land a few shots of his own he would never have a better time to do this. Once he started he had to finish or they would all be vulnerable.
Barely making a sound and not moving an inch he began to speak the incantation he'd memorized just after Bobby promised to bring them here to safety. He reviewed the words every day in hopes of freeing his father and concentrated on getting the words out correctly without being seen. If he messed this up there wouldn't be another chance.
Even to his own ears the words were so soft he could barely hear them and still he feared that he'd be heard. But as he spoke the final words of the first part of the ritual his voice got louder. His possessed father turned to look at him.
"NO!" John yelled.
Their eyes locked as the final word was spoken.
John's head reared back as he roared. A red churning cloud erupted from his mouth and exploded above him into nothingness. Eerie silence settled around them for a moment as John gracefully collapsed to the ground.
Slowly Sam struggled to his feet and went over to his father. He swallowed heavily as he saw blood seep from open wounds and bruises were already forming. With a shaking hand he reached out and felt for a pulse. He closed his eyes in relief as he found a strong one but it was short lived as he knew there wasn't much time.
He looked up to Bobby and Dean who were hovering above him. He focused solely on Bobby not wanting to see the look in his brother's eyes. "We need to get him inside. He needs to be bound with rope dipped in holy water."
"What?" Dean gasped. "Sammy what the hell? Hasn't he been through enough? Dude I know about what he did to you, but it wasn't dad. You know that right?"
Sam didn't take his eyes off Bobby and saw recognition in the man's eyes.
"He's not finished," Bobby muttered.
"Finished what?" Dean asked looking from his brother to Bobby.
"I have to get some things," Sam said as he wearily stood up. He needed a few moments alone to settle himself down before getting to the next part. He wasn't sure he wanted to think too much about what he had to do next.
The boy felt the man he considered an uncle reach out and steady him. "Sam you know what you're messing with, right boy?"
Sam nodded. "Yeah. Make sure he's tied down real well. If I screw this up I can't contain him," he said as he made his way towards the house.
In his peripheral vision he saw Dean take a step towards him and then Bobby stop him.
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"Bobby?" Dean asked quietly as he watched his brother disappear into the house. He needed to go after him and make sure Sammy was ok.
"Shut up and help me," Bobby said.
Dean yanked his arm free. "What just happened here?"
Bobby took off his hat, scratched the back of his head as he looked down over John and placed his hat back onto his head. "Give me a hand Dean."
"No. Not until you tell me what is going on," Dean said with a decisive shake of his head. When he didn't get an answer he grabbed Bobby's arm. "Look I didn't know what was going on. You're right to be pissed at me Bobby I should have known. I should have known dad was possessed and Sammy was getting hit. But I didn't. You need to believe me. I would have stopped all of this before it got so out of hand."
Bobby looked at the boy. "I know Dean and I don't blame you. But this is some heavy shit your family is in and I don't have time to explain it to you."
"Give me the Coles Notes version then. Please Bobby I need to know what's going to happen so I can make this easier on Sam," Dean pleaded.
Bobby shook his head. "The thing is Dean you can't. He's started it and he's got to finish it. If he doesn't then the demon will be right back in your father stronger than before. Chances of getting it out a second time are . . . well there almost isn't one. Would take more than what little strength you or he has at your young ages."
Dean stared at Bobby for a second. "Wonderful," he said softly. Looking down at his own bloodied hands he wondered where all the anger had disappeared to now that the fight was over.
"Hey," Bobby said as he knelt down next to his father. "Could've been worse."
"Yeah?" Dean asked as he knelt down on the other side of his dad. He looked over the damage that he'd inflicted on his dad's face and was surprised at how much blood there was. He looked over at his friend and raised an eye brow. "How?"
"I thought you were going to kill him," Bobby said as he felt around John's neck to check his pulse.
"So did I," Dean admitted softly as he rested a hand over his father's wrist needing just a little contact. He gave a soft gentle squeeze as if to say he was sorry. And he found he truly was a little sorry and still very angry. He sighed at his confusing feelings and shoved them aside.
Bobby stared down at the unconscious form of John Winchester. The demon still resided inside of him even though it had been considerably weakened. The first part of the ritual had been completed. The easy part was over. The hardest part was still to come.
"Um, Uncle Bobby?" Dean asked uncertainly. The man was staring at his father and was making him feel uncomfortable. There was fear plain as day on the man's face, which he never showed. "What is it?"
"Grab his legs. Let's get him inside and get this over with," Bobby said as he stood up deliberately ignoring the question.
Dean nodded suddenly feeling numb and a little sick as he helped move his father into the house. He had a lot of questions, but now was not the time. They could wait. He had to take care of his family first. Then he would get the answers he needed.
