Welcome to the story sendintheclowns, criminally charmed, renniespice, RhianaStar, Samastar and supernatural16. So, great to have you along for the ride. I actually enjoyed writing this chapter, but then, it's always nice to get back to the whumpage action. Bah – must be cos BlueEyedDemonLiz is clearly a sick puppy ; D

Chapter 10

Dean turned from the window to meet Sam's gaze. "You don't have to do this," he said as he reached for his leather jacket.

Sam shrugged "it's dad, of course I do".

They left the room hastily and crossed over to the motel parking lot. There wasn't a huge choice of cars and Dean disappointment was evident as he cast his eyes over the sparse selection. Sam jabbed him hard with his elbow and Dean grunted finally moving over to an old Ford pickup. He jammed the lock with ease and they climbed in. "Does no-one look after their cars anymore?" Dean griped settling in the driver's seat, which was covered with dirty ripped upholstery. The car spluttering to life as Dean continued to grumble, swiping at the empty candy wrappers on the dashboard.

Snow was coming down hard now, a cruel wind picking it up and whipping it into a blizzard, the pickup's old wipers were working overtime to clear the snow from the windshield. Sam reached over from his seat and cranked up the heating, shivering despite the blasts of warm air. He thought of his dad out there with Nathaniel and Anna and shivered again.

Reaching for the bag beside him, Sam removed a long machete, turning it slowly in his hands. John had often told his sons that life as a hunter meant 'kill or be killed' but that didn't mean Sam didn't struggle with it. They hunted the supernatural but when the supernatural came with a human face, Sam found he was confused and hesitant when he had to deal a killing blow. Even though in his heart he knew that a human face worn by a shapeshifter, demon or vampire was simply the mask which they used to conceal the malevolent evil beneath. As he sat there holding the machete tight in his hands, he felt surprisingly different. Tonight he wanted to feel it slice through skin and bone, wanted to see blood pool from a wound he had inflicted. More than anything, he wanted to see Anna and the white haired man dead. For everything they had done to those children, to their families, to his family. He wouldn't doubt his actions, not for a second, were he to take their heads.

Sam dozed fitfully as the pick-up drove though the night. He dreamed, dark dreams of screaming children with blood soaked faces and woke with a start when Dean nudged him gently, his hand resting on Sam's arm. "Sammy?" Dean's voice was soft and Sam opened his eyes to find Dean's concerned face leaning over him.

"What's up….we here?" Sam asked as Dean shifted his hand away awkwardly.

Dean's concerned look faltered and was quickly buried by a rueful grin "just mopping up your drool".

Sam lent forward trying to see through the windscreen, which was partly obscured by a build up of snow. Parked by the side of the road, on the edge of a forest, he could make out the Impala, shadowed by trees. "Guess we gotta walk" he said climbing out of the pickup and pulling up the hood of his jacket against the cold.

"People do this for fun?" Dean mumbled eyeing the beginning of a hikers trail which led off through the trees. He reached for his torch and cast the beam so that it lit up the bare spidery branches, sending sinister shadows dancing on the snow.

Dean took the bag from the passenger seat and removed a gun, slipping it in the back of his jeans before also taking out a machete, similar to the one Sam was holding. They trudged forward making their way to the trail, which would lead them down to the lake.

"You okay?" Dean asked nonchalantly as they walked.

"I'm fine, you?"

"Yep, fine."

"Not scared?"

"Takes more than a few freaks with a serious overbite problem to scare me" Dean replied mirroring the smile, which briefly filled Sam's face.

The rest of the walk was done in silence, each brother keeping their eyes open for any sign of danger. Eventually the trail led them down through an opening in the trees so that they found themselves stood at the top of a hill, the lake visible below them, a huge stretch of glimmering ice. Sam took a breath and reached out suddenly to grab Dean's jacket, pulling him down so that they were laid out on their stomachs in the snow. Sam indicated at the lake where on the bank, silhouetted by the moonlight, he could see their father. John's arms held out by his sides as a sign of his submission.

SNSNSNSNSNSNSN

John held out his arms, then turned in a circle slowly, lifting up his coat to show he carried no concealed weapons. Anna slowly made her way out from between the trees walking towards him, carrying something in her hands. John went cold. She was holding Mike Baker's head like it was a trophy.

"You said if I did what you wanted…" John began.

"You're not the only one who can cheat John" Anna's eyes danced as she purposely dropped the severed head so that it rolled, coming to a stop at John's feet, dead eyes staring blankly skywards.

John yelled something unintelligible and bent down, thrusting his hands deep into the snow, grabbing for the axe, which he had hidden there. He raised it, swinging wildly. Anna's eyes were fearful but only for a moment, as three vampires rushed from the shadows of the trees and John collapsed under a flurry of vicious blows.

On the hill, Dean and Sam watched as Anna came into view walking towards their dad. As she held out the severed head, Dean dragged Sam up and they made their way cautiously down the hill, trying to stay behind the cover of the trees. As they got nearer they could hear Anna talking and the sound of her voice made Sam recoil despite himself. They took up position ready to attack but just at that moment, John yelled out and grabbed an axe from the snow. Dean felt fury spur him forward but someone had grabbed his coat and was pulling him backwards, he turned to find himself face to face with Nathaniel. Dean's eyes flicked to behind Nathaniel where he could see Sam was on the ground, struggling against the weight of a huge vampire, who was pushing his knee into the centre of Sam's back. Sam yelped as his broken wrist was pinned behind him.

With Dean momentarily distracted Nathaniel thrust his fist out, punching Dean so that he fell face first onto the ground, his machete flying from his grasp. Dean could hear Sam screaming his name as Nathaniel's foot came down cruelly on the back of his neck, pressing his face into the snow.

"Do you know what dead man's blood does to a vampire?" Nathaniel asked coldly, pressing down harder with his foot. "It makes you feel weak, makes taking each and every breath a struggle. Kinda like what you're feeling now, right kid?"

Dean tried to answer, to take a breath, but found he was sucking up snow and dirt. Dead leaves clogging in his mouth, pressing against the back of his throat making him gag. He could hear Sam, his cries becoming muffled. This is it Dean thought as his head began to pound from lack of oxygen, I'm going to die and they've got dad, they've got Sam! The realisation making him sob, taking in another mouthful of dirt and snow. His body writhed under the pressure of Nathaniel's foot, sapping all his dwindling strength as he tried to push his face up. Then Nathaniel's rough hands grabbed him, heaving him up so that Dean was back on his feet, gasping in lungfuls of cold clean air and coughing hard.

"Anna wants to watch" Nathaniel said reluctantly as Dean and Sam were hauled in the direction of the lake.

As they came to stand before the ice covered lake, Nathaniel stopped and stared into the darkness, towards two figures that were stood amongst the trees. Whatever signal he had been waiting for must have arrived for Nathaniel bent down. He picked up a heavy stone and without warning, struck Dean in the side of the head so that his body dropped bonelessly to the ground. Sam roared in fright, his fists thrashing out blindly against the vampire that held him back. The vampire let him go and Sam ran forward, falling to his knees at Dean's side, his brain telling him that Dean was surely dead. Sam let his head drop and started to cry. Hot tears stung his cold cheeks as he covered his face with trembling hands and despair ripped his composure to shreds. He didn't notice as more vampires joined Nathaniel and began to gather around him.

SNSNSNSNSNSNSN

Anna smiled as she watched John's motionless body being dropped at her feet. She took his head in her hands and roughly slapped his face. John's senses returned to him with painful lucidity, his body felt battered and he knew the punches and kicks he'd received had done damage to his ribs. He opened his eyes, to see Anna looking at him. He stood up unsteadily, fearfully anticipating her next move.

"You really should take better care of your young" Anna smiled, raising her arm and pointing at the lake beyond him.

John doesn't want to look, doesn't want to lose eye contact, doesn't want to give her the chance to get the drop on him. But those are his boys she's dangling in front of him, his babies she's taunting him with so he turns slowly and stares through the trees………

-0-

Woo hoo - we're finally back where it all started, chapter 11 will pick up where chapter 2 left us. I'll update in a couple of days, just need a little time to do the next chapter justice, I owe you guys that much.