DISCLAIMER: If I did then I don't think they'd like me very much after this next chapter.
SPOILERS: As I've said before anything goes. I intend to bring some stuff up in this chapter.
A/N: I hope you've stuck with me so far. This is the one that I've been looking forward to (and dreading writing at the same time) since I began.
Chapter Eight
The first thing Dean was aware of was pain. That was an all too familiar feeling. His head was pounding, he could tell the head wound had opened up again because he could feel blood tracing it's way down his face to drip from his chin. His ribs were screaming, in fact he was struggling to breath past the tightness there. His wrists burned and he felt like his arms were slowly being pulled from their sockets.
He slowly opened his eyes and waited for the room to stop swaying. He looked down and saw that his feet were a good few inches from the floor. Well that's not right his confused brain told him. Looking up told him everything he needed to know. A rope descended from the rafters above his head and was looped tightly around his wrists. His arms were pulled tightly above him supporting his full weight. With nothing else holding him in place he was swinging slightly from side to side. This didn't look good he decided.
He hung there for a minute trying to think past the fog in his brain and remember what had happened.
"SAM" he yelled at the top of his voice as it all came flooding back.
"SAMMY" he yelled again when he didn't get an answer.
He swung himself frantically around, ignoring the burning pain in his arms that this caused. He caught a glimpse of the students stood together in a huddle facing the stage. The stage he just happened to be hanging in the middle of. Great, he thought, I'm the star attraction. Just then he spotted a familiar form crumpled against the far wall.
"SAM" to his relief he saw his brother slowly raise his head.
The kids had watched in horror as the two men had flown across the room in different directions. Then they'd watched in disbelief as a rope had descended from the ceiling to loop itself around the shorter of the two's wrists and then drag the unconscious man first to his feet then higher. All of this seemingly of it's own accord. They had instinctively huddled together . They stood now, lost, and watched the drama unfold before them.
The first thing Sam was aware of was his brother calling his name. The second was pain. He'd landed badly on his right wrist and recognised from the familiar pain that he'd broken it again. He raised a shaky left hand up to the back of his head and winced when it came in contact with an egg sized lump. Bringing his fingers in front of his face he was relieved to see no blood there.
"Sam" his brothers frantic shouts drew his attention to where he hung suspended in the middle of the stage. He could see the blood that ran freely down Dean's face to drip onto his shirt. Dean's eyes met his and Sam saw the concern that he felt reflected there.
"Dean." Sam pushed himself to his feet and started towards the other hunter. He only got a few steps before an invisible force slammed him back against the wall. He winced as his broken wrist made contact with the hard surface at his back.
"Yeah, not so fast there Sammy" a voice said,then the last person he would have expected walked towards him, grinning evilly.
Dean watched in disbelief as Mrs Johnson, his Mrs Johnson, stalked towards his brother.
Sam tried desperately to pull himself away from the wall. How did he always seem to end up in this situation he thought to himself as Heidi got closer. He gulped slightly when he saw what she had in her hand.
"God you boys really are stupid " she said twirling the screwdriver in her hand menacingly.
"Hey bitch" Dean tried to get her attention away from his brother.
"Witch, Dean get it right, I'm a witch" and with that she rammed the screwdriver straight through Sam's right hand, pinning it to the wall.
Dean pulled desperately on the ropes binding his wrists, drawing blood, as he listened to his baby brother scream in pain.
"Don't worry Dean, he's not really the one I'm interested in hurting. I just wanted to make a point."
"Oh and what's that." Dean said between gritted teeth watching in horror as Sam's head slumped forward and he took great gasps of air.
"Don't underestimate what I'm capable of."
Dean risked another look at Sam's pain filled eyes before nodding to let her know she'd made her point.
She walked away from Sam and towards the group of students who stood looking between her and Sam with fear in their eyes.
"Sit" she barked at the kids and as one they fell to the floor, whether by supernatural means or just the force of her voice was unclear but either way it had the required result.
She gave Steven a kick where he lay prone on the floor. " Pathetic" she spat out. She raised her foot as if to kick him again.
"Leave him alone, he's just a kid." Dean yelled at her, stopping her foot mid swing.
"Don't you ever stop." she sighed looking at him. "Must you defend everyone. Who made you the ultimate self-sacrificing hero. Oh yeah that's right…" she paused and smirked" Daddy dearest."
Sam gritted his teeth against the pain and watched as Heidi walked towards Dean , taunting him.
"Shut up bitch." Dean snarled.
"Don't you know any other words Dean. Maybe I need to teach you the manners that poor dead mommy never got to."
Sam felt an invisible band start to tighten around his neck and he was soon gasping for air.
"Stop" Dean screamed out as he watched Sam's face starting to turn blue.
"Stop what…." Heidi continued to smirk.
"Stop…please." Dean pleaded.
"That's better."
Sam immediately felt the tight band release and he took in great gulping breaths of air.
"You never could bear to see Sammy hurting could you." Heidi had now made her way up onto the stage and she got closer to Dean with every step.
"He's my brother." Dean explained, stating the obvious.
"Yeah but the things you did for him, much more than a big brother would normally be willing to do. And all that time you never once told him how much pain you were in did you, a long as Sammy was okay that's all that matters, isn't that what you used to say to me."
Dean closed his eyes as this woman who had trusted with some of his innermost secrets ripped his soul apart for everyone to see. Her words ate into him and he could feel her breath on his cheek. He opened his eyes and she was stood so close he could see his own distorted reflection in the emptiness of her blue eyes.
"Dean never told you any of this did he Sam." Heidi called over her shoulder to where Sam stood listening. "How much he sacrificed for you. You make fun of him for being greedy but did you ever wonder why he loves food so much? Do you know how many meals he missed just so that you didn't go hungry."
Sam looked sharply at his brother, waiting for him to deny what she was saying, but the betrayed look that he saw there told him the truth of her words.
"I had to listen to him whine every lunch time that summer. I wish Mom wasn't dead, I wish Dad would stay home, I wish Sam would stop asking questions." Heidi put on a mocking whiny tone that had Dean glaring at her. " I can't do this anymore" she revealed what Dean had said to her all those years ago." If it hadn't been for me Dean would have done a Celia over there." she nodded to where the girl sat with the others watching in shock. "Except you probably would have used a gun and done a proper job, unlike her." she sneered at the girl.
"I was never suicidal." Dean said, his voice hard and uncompromising.
"Really?" Heidi raised her eyebrows at him." What would you call making a deal that means you'll die in a year in exchange for your brothers life Dean?"
"Being an awesome brother." Dean immediate bit back.
"I'm glad you're finding this so funny. That's about to change." she whispered in his ear.
"Why are you doing all this?" Dean asked unable to reconcile the image of the kind, understanding woman he'd once known with the crazy person in front of him.
"Because it's your fault he's dead."
Dean reared his head back in shock. His first thought was that she meant his dad, the familiar surge of guilt surfacing again, but then he realised that that made no sense.
"Oh, that's right." Heidi said on seeing the look of confusion on Dean's face. " Sammy was always the smart one. Isn't that right Sam?" she turned and looked at where the younger Winchester stood watching, still pinned to the wall.
Sam looked at the screwdriver that had impaled his hand and looked away slightly sickened. His eyes glassy with pain he spoke." Your husband."
"Not bad." she whistled, impressed that he'd worked it out so quickly. " You were right about him."
"You see" she went on. "You piqued my interest with all your tales of the supernatural. I wasn't sure just how much I believed at the time but after you left I started to do my own research. I couldn't believe what was out there. It took me a while but I finally plucked up the courage to try a few little spells myself. Thing is though Dean you never really did get across the point that this stuff was dangerous, you always made it sound so exciting."
"I was sixteen." Dean interrupted.
"Don't interrupt Dean" she said her eyes flashing." It's my turn now. Anyway I found the spell that summons the Githra about a year ago. It looked harmless enough. I felt I deserved to make my life a little bit more interesting, after listening to all these whining kids all day I deserved a little indulgence. I was just an English and Drama teacher, no chance of promotion, my husband was starting to lose interest and so I did it. In fact I did it in this very theatre a year ago today. "
Dean shifted slightly trying to ease some of the tension in his burning shoulders, but found the movement just caused his side to scream in agony, stifling a groan he continued to listen to how his former friend had descended into madness.
"It was great at first" she said " I got the job I'd always wanted, you know as principal you don't have to spend as much time with the kids, which was such a relief. My husband got a promotion as well and things were really starting to look great for us. I look like I did ten years ago and my husband became very attentive if you know what I mean." she leered at Dean in a way that made him feel very uncomfortable.
"So what changed?" Dean asked finding that he really wanted to know the answer to that question.
"About six months ago" Heidi walked away from Dean but continued talking. " we were having this stupid argument, over what drapes to buy of all things. Anyway it got a bit out of hand and I ended up screaming at him "I wish you'd just drop dead" she paused and Sam saw her take a deep breath before continuing" and he did."
She spun around so she was facing Dean again. "He just dropped dead right in front of me, no warning nothing. So you see why this is your fault don't you. If I'd never met you Jeff would still be alive. You need to pay for that."
Dean swallowed and closed his eyes as her words sunk in. She was right, he realised, this was his fault. He looked into the eyes of the woman he'd once loved and his guilt consumed him.
Snsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsn
TBC
A/N: I know this is a bit short but I kind of wanted to end it there, I hope I didn't scare anyone off by hurting the boys. I'm hoping you're all as warped as me and secretly like it a little bit.
