It was impossible for him to decide what was worse; the moments of still silence when his brother faded out of consciousness or the brief minutes of lucidity when Dean would cry out in pain and fight against Sam's efforts.

Stopping the bleeding was becoming almost impossible and Sam was fast running out of dressings. He'd gone through the gauze supply in the small first aid kit within seconds and was now down to items of clothing. The latest wad of cotton was Dean's faded, torn Metallica t-shirt and something told him he might just get his ass whumped for destroying it.

The dark, dried blood on his hands was sticky and itchy. And the smell was not something Sam was overly fond of either. Suddenly wondering quite what the appeal was to vampires, he sighed and pressed the quickly soaking rag of a shirt against the wound.

Bobby was on his way. He was trying to find a back route to the field in the middle of nowhere that Dean had cleverly chosen -- although Sam could let him off this once, knowing how much pain he was in and how it might just have affected his judgement. But Bobby getting here as soon as possible was not made easy by the amount of police in the area either and Sam hated that he could not call for help like any ordinary person; he would probably have a chopper landing beside them in minutes.

Blood. Sirens. Helicopter. It was all too painful a memory and Sam felt fresh tears building as he thought back to the last time he had seen his brother in such a mess, slumped against the leather of the Impala. He was sure he had lost Dean in that hospital. He said then that he could not handle the trauma of it all and now here he was faced with an almost identical situation.

Dean shuddered suddenly and gasped back to awareness, hands instantly grabbing for Sam and trying to push away whatever was stabbing into his back.

"Hey! Easy … come on … lie still … it's me." Sam chimed gently, much as he had every few minutes since he had called Bobby.

"Sam - ?"

"Yeah. I'm here."

"What - ?" Dean arched his back away from the pad of wet dressing and grabbed Sam's arm, his fingers sinking into Sam's skin.

"Wo!" Sam prized his arm free and held Dean's hand firmly. "It's okay." Leaning over him, he could see his brother's pain-filled eyes trying to focus and sighed in sympathy. "Bobby won't be much longer."

Dean frowned and stared unseeing up at Sam's worried face. "Where's Dad?"

Sam bit back on a sob and hung his head. Not again. And then Dean suddenly relaxed, his head lolling back down against the seat.

Sitting back on his heels, Sam raised bloodied hands to his face and pressed his palms over his eyes, letting a few dry sobs escape. He then looked back down at his brother and leaned closer to again check he was still breathing.

Sam had lowered the front bench seat flat and created an almost bed-sized area to lie Dean across. It had helped at first; getting Dean's head down and raising his legs had redirected his blood supply and brought him back round after he had faded out that initial time. But now there seemed to be nothing Sam could do to keep his brother with him and his aching chest was sure that at some point Dean would regain consciousness for the last time.

Dean's skin was hot and tense around the entry wound in his belly and Sam knew he was bleeding inside. His limited knowledge of anatomy gave him enough insight into how much of a mess Dean was in but not enough to do everything necessary to save him. Helpless and so very angry, Sam hung his head and just let the tears fall.

He heard the noise despite the pitiful sound of his own weary crying and Sam lifted his head, wiping his face with the back of his arm and suddenly very alert. His eyes now fully adjusted to the darkness around him, he saw the figure approach and made a quick check of his brother before clambering from the car.

"Bastard!" Sam spat in fury, launching himself at the shadowy figure. He knew it was a futile effort before he even passed through the apparition and landed with a thud in the grass, but it had felt good nonetheless.

Malphas watched in quiet concern as Sam clambered to his feet and brushed himself down. He then glanced inside the car and groaned softly in dismay. With the door open, the interior light displayed the full glory of the mess inside and he sighed as he turned back to Sam. "It was never supposed to be like this."

"What?" Sam couldn't help the icy laugh that gushed forth, "You mean I might have made a mistake? Already realized that, you son-of-a-bitch!" He glared, sneering at Malphas in disgust. "To think I almost trusted you."

"Sam - "

"Shut the fuck up!" Sam hissed, advancing on the demon. "In fact … Exorcizamus te, omnis - "

"No!" Malphas recoiled in fright and held up his hands, "Don't!"

"Give me good reason why not." Sam countered, hate sparking in his eyes.

"You'll set them free again."

Sam paused and frowned in intrigue. "Who?"

Malphas relaxed his stance and watched Sam timidly. "The other chaos demons." He saw Sam shaking his head in confusion and took a deep breath. "When you called on me, you opened the door for them as well. I can control them but - "

"Bobby!" Sam gasped.

Malphas nodded eagerly, "He weakened me and I had no hold over them. That's why they attacked the town."

Sam seemed to understand and nodded slowly. He then pointed towards something behind Malphas and gave a small, satisfied shrug. "Bobby."

With a gasp, Malphas spun and saw in the middle distance the dark shape of the truck against the night sky. "Shit!"

Sam saw the fear in the demon's face and could not contain his smile of pride as he considered how powerful their father's friend must be. Making a mental note to ask Bobby more about his past, Sam then peered into the Impala and saw his brother was shaking violently.

Scrambling back inside the car, Sam looked on in horror as the seizure passed as quickly as it had started and his brother was once again still. His vision blurring with tears, Sam reached out and placed his fingers against Dean's neck.

"He doesn't have long."

Sam spun and glared at Malphas angrily, not even wanting to know how the demon knew such a thing. His jaw tight in defiance, he watched Malphas peering inside the car and desperately wished he had never summoned him. He gasped as Malphas met his gaze and nodded in sympathy. "Oh, please!" Sam spat in open hatred, "Don't give me that shit!"

"I can save him." Malphas offered quietly, apparently choosing to ignore the obvious rage directed at him.

Sam growled under his breath and turned away from the demon in disgust. "Don't even try to use my brother to - "

"You need him."

Sam shuddered and felt the air around him grow cold. He closed his eyes and started reciting his own little mantra in his head, desperate to stay calm and in control and to not listen to the lies being whispered to him.

"I know of the plans for you, Sammy. Dean has to survive."

At this, Sam spun round and met nothing but the darkness beyond the open car door. Aware of his brother stirring, he looked back and saw Dean gasping for breath. He quickly grabbed Dean's shoulders and sat him up a little, feeling his brother trying to snake his body around the agony that twisted in his gut.

"Sa - mmy -?"

"I got you." Sam clutched his brother against him and could feel Dean trembling. He closed his eyes and buried his face into Dean's shoulder. "Stay with me, man."

"Tr - y -ing - "

"Good." Sam sighed, glad to hear his brother's more coherent -- if exhausted -- words. "You just hold on. You hear me?"

Dean groaned out a sigh. "Yes … sir."

Sam smiled and hugged Dean even tighter, now able to hear the gentle rumble of Bobby's truck approaching them. He could feel Dean's shallow breaths against his cheek and the effort each one seemed to take. Instinctively he began to carefully rock his brother's limp body and before he knew what he was doing he started humming quietly.

Dean gave the slightest moan of appreciation and what sounded like an attempt at a small chuckle. "Th - anks."

Sam smiled and hummed a little louder, wondering if Dean was going to remember this moment and rip him apart for it.

"Co - old."

"I know, dude, I know …" Sam wrapped his arms further around Dean's shoulders and gently rubbed his back. "Help is coming."

"Dark."

Sam froze. He leaned back from Dean and the orange-white glow from the interior light made the blue shadow around Dean's lips seem suddenly so obvious. "Dean?"

Nothing.

"Dean!" Quickly laying his brother back down and lifting his heavy booted feet up onto the dash, Sam waited for a sign that Dean was still with him. With shaking hands he checked his pulse and the air left Sam's lungs as if he'd been punched in the gut.

The sound of the truck was growing louder as Sam leaned his head down and lifted Dean's chin, pressing his lips around his brothers and blowing air into his mouth. Tears poured down his cheeks as he sat back up and placed his interlaced hands in the centre of Dean's chest, the Impala rocking wildly as he pressed down repeatedly.

His sobs loud in the confines of the car, Sam could almost feel his brother slipping away from him and it was ripping his heart in two. Suddenly he stopped the compressions and slumped back onto his heels, his body jerking with his desperate cries. And amid his hoarse pleading for Dean to just wake up, he called out a name.

Dean arched his back up from the seat and drew in a long, painful breath. Coughing dryly, he frowned in confusion and turned to look up at Sam.

"Dean?" Sam choked, aware of the voices calling out to him and the two people that frantically leapt down from the still-rumbling truck that had pulled to a stop in front of the Impala.

Sam watched as Dean smiled weakly and gave a small nod. He held his brother's determined gaze and sighed in relief.

"It's okay, Sam …" Dean whispered, his hazel eyes glazing over to become the darkest black. "I've got him."

Closing his eyes and sure the world had stopped spinning on its axis, Sam was vaguely aware of the door behind him being wrenched open. He heard the voice that called out to him but exhaustion and fear kept him from making any reply.

"Shit!" Bobby opened the passenger door and leaned inside the Impala. "Oh good god …" He reached inside and touched Dean's shoulder, as if confirming it really was him lying there.

"Sam?"

Pulled from his confused thoughts at last, Sam turned his head and met Ellen's tear-filled eyes. There was fear there and more than a hint of hesitation. Sam forced a smile to his dry lips and gave a small shrug. "Fucked up … big time …"

"Hmm." Bobby husked, "Well, there's no time to dwell on it now. We gotta get Dean to a hospital."

As if suddenly remembering his brother, turned back to see Dean lying quietly beside him. "FBI … gotta be careful."

"I know." Bobby nodded curtly. "But what choice do we have?"

And Sam gasped as the answer came to him. "You take him. I'll keep them distracted."

"What?" Ellen urged.

Bobby was aware of Ellen shaking her head at the idea but had to agree that it made sense and he watched steady determination fill Sam's pale face. "Keep 'em occupied." He offered quietly, "We'll get Dean to help."

Ignoring Ellen's protests, Bobby grabbed Dean's shoulders and began to pull him from the car. Sam followed closely, lifting Dean's legs and helping transfer his limp body across to the pickup.

"This is crazy!" Ellen insisted angrily, scurrying round the Chevy to help load Dean into the cab of Bobby's truck. "We need to stick together!"

"No." Content that his brother was safely positioned in the truck, Sam stepped back from the open door and turned to her. "They want him more than me. You need to get him clear."

"Sam …!" Ellen shook her head slowly and took hold of his arm. "What are you planning?"

He saw the fear in her eyes and knew that somewhere inside Ellen was now re-evaluating the danger that so many of the hunters thought that he could be. His heart sank and he stepped away from her.

"We need to go!" Bobby called, climbing up into the driver's seat of the pickup.

Ellen kept her gaze on Sam. "Please …"

"Just - " Sam's voice was tight and he cleared his throat. "Just save my brother. Okay?"