Blood Bond
Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Supernatural…obviously.
a/n: Thanx again for taking the time to review, your comments are much appreciated. Lots more hurt and angst to come!!
Chapter 11
Sam limped alongside his brother, letting Dean set the pace. He could keep a better check on his older sibling this way rather than in front or behind, stealing glances at Dean's shoulder and general appearance. He could hear Dean's laboured breathing but there was little he could do for that except make sure his brother rested every now and again.
Dean had just about ceased talking, and Sam noticed he was beginning to hunch over more and more as they continued. They still had a couple of hours of daylight left but even Sam was ready to call it quits for the day. He had found a sturdy tree branch, several inches in diameter which was making a perfect walking stick and which helped ease a little of the pressure from his leg.
"Dean, why don't you use this until we find a place to set up camp for the night." Sam held his stick out. They were nearly at the bottom of the hill and could see glimpses of the river up ahead. Their goal had been to make it to the riverbank by nightfall and somehow they had managed to stick to the plan without any further mishaps.
"Sam, unlike you I'm not eighty and I still have some dignity."
"Fine Dean but don't complain about how bad everything hurts just to get out of setting up camp. We're closer to the water again so we're gonna have to get a fire going and make sure we have a bit of shelter." Sam's eyes swept along the tree line upstream. "Maybe those trees down there might be worth a try." Sam pointed off to the left and began making his way in that direction.
"Well college boy, you can do that but I would recommend my way." Dean began moving slowly straight ahead towards a small group of trees nearly on the riverbank.
"Dean, those trees aren't gonna give us much shelter…"
"No Sam they're not but the cabin in the middle of them just might. I for one would prefer to sleep indoors but if you want to rough it I'm not going to stop you. Just knock twice to wake me in the morning." Dean continued slowly on his way as Sam stared open mouthed at the wooden structure blended perfectly into the surrounding trees. He could see it now he was looking for it but otherwise he would have missed it completely. Damn!
Dean focused on getting to the cabin, knowing he wouldn't be able to continue much further without a break. His chest ached with every breath and the numerous gashes and bruises adorning his body were making themselves known. The wound in his shoulder where the creature had bitten into him was however by far the worst. It had begun to tingle and burn about half an hour ago and now his thoughts were becoming fuzzy and jumbled. He began to feel as though someone was in his head whispering things he couldn't quite understand. Suddenly he felt like he was trapped, he couldn't speak but then just as quickly the feeling passed. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs.
His mind cleared a little, and he was just relieved they would be able to have some shelter for the night. He glanced over at his brother. Sam looked tired and was leaning into the stick at every step favouring his injured leg.
"Nearly there Sam, how're you doing?"
"Okay, you?" Sam lied.
"M'fine." Dean lied back.
The brothers finally reached the small log cabin and found to their surprise it looked fairly well maintained, at least from the outside. It was set back about 50 yards from the river, with a peaked tin roof out of which jutted a small chimney. The front of the cabin, which faced the river, had a small porch at the door but no windows. The door had a length of wood across its middle, fitted into a metal bracket serving as a latch. There was also a metal bolt at the very top of the door.
Dean placed a hand under the length of wood and lifted it about an inch before it seemed to become wedged firmly in the bracket.
"Looks like the woods swollen Sam, you want to give me a hand here?" Dean moved further along one end of the timber whilst Sam stepped forward and grabbed the other end.
The wood finally lifted and Sam reached up and worked the metal bolt until it too slid across and the door finally opened.
The remaining sunlight that filtered through the open door illuminated thousands of dust particles disturbed by the movement of the air and gave the room an almost surreal appearance. There was a square wooden table in the middle of the room with stools on two sides, a fairly large fireplace fitted with several metal bars and a plate across the top for cooking purposes and a large metal sink with a crude looking tap attached. However, what had grabbed the attention of both weary boys were the two stretcher beds placed along the side walls.
Sam stepped into the cabin, barely able to contain his relief at the fact that they not only had shelter for the night but a bed each. Sam painfully slid the backpack and sleeping bags off his shoulders and dumped them unceremoniously onto the table. They would have to find some wood before nightfall and get a fire going, better check that tap too, if it didn't work they should haul some water in from the river whilst there was still light enough to see. Sam glanced over at Dean only to see that his brother had not moved from the doorway, he seemed to be staring into space, his eyes looking a little glazed.
"Dean, what are you doing, are you alright? Dean, Dean?" Sam reached out and gently shook his brother's shoulder.
"I can't hear what it's saying Sam, it's in my head but I can't hear it." Dean staggered forward a step and winced as he pressed a hand against the wound on his shoulder. Suddenly Dean turned around and began walking back out the door "We can't stay here, have to go to the river, get to the water…"
Sam had no idea what his brother was talking about but started worrying that Dean was becoming delirious. He quickly grabbed Dean's arm and guided him over to one of the camp beds and sat him down carefully moving his hand to take a look at the bandages over the bite mark. A little blood had seeped through but for the most part the bleeding seemed to have stopped.
"Personal space again Sam, what're you doing?" Dean asked suddenly as though he had just snapped out of a trance.
"Dean you were just mumbling to yourself about voices so yeah I was a little concerned. You seemed out of it, what's going on, man?"
"I…I don't know Sam. I'm just tired I guess." Dean shook his head. "I think I lost a few minutes back there – according to Mulder that's classic UFO stuff."
"Yes Dean and that would definitely be the most rational explanation. You must be delirious." Sam grinned, a little relieved that Dean was at least sounding like Dean again.
The brothers made slow progress but finally managed to bring in a good stock of kindling and wood for the fire and whilst the tap actually seemed to be working, just, they also drew a couple of buckets of river water to be on the safe side. Sam closed and secured the door using the same wooden plank on a set of metal brackets fixed on the inside of the door.
Dean had just got the fire going and was sitting cross legged in front of the fireplace looking too weary to move. Sam grinned, giving his brother a moment whilst he began to unpack their supplies and look around.
Dean could feel the warmth from the fire seep into his body warming him to the point where he almost felt too hot. After being cold and damp for long enough, Dean welcomed the change but knew he would have to move back before he became singed. He began to feel the painful tingling in his shoulder again and a buzzing in his head like a swarm of bees. I have to open the door he thought, need to open the door. He shook his head, trying to think clearly but there seemed to be a thick fog that was making it difficult to form his own thoughts. What? He silently questioned himself, why would I need to open the door?
The minute he formed the question, the buzzing in his head became a roar that seemed to travel down to his shoulder, lancing hot pain through the bite mark in his chest. His hands clawed at his eyes trying to stop the agony as he groaned then yelled without even realizing. He wanted to speak, tell his brother but he couldn't talk or move and he began to panic.
Sam had put down the contents of the pack he had been holding when he first heard his brother's breathing increase and become a low moan. As he quickly moved towards the fire, he saw Dean begin to rock back and forth muttering and seemingly in pain.
"Dean what is it, what's…? Dean's yell startled Sam into action, grabbing his brothers' shoulders and moving him backwards away from the heat of the flames. Sam then moved Dean's legs as well so his brother was lying parallel to the fireplace. Dean was still clutching his face but his cries of pain had been replaced by gasps for breath.
"God Dean what happened, can you hear me? Dean, you need to tell me what happened." Sam was becoming alarmed at the lack of response and quickly jumped up to wet a cloth with some cold water as he noticed the sweat on his brothers' face.
Dean reacted to the cold as Sam placed the cloth on his forehead, his eyes finally opening much to Sam's relief. "Sammy, there's something…something here. I can hear it." Dean was trying to sit up, one hand still pressed against an eye. "It hurts." He whispered, closing his eyes again.
"Dean there's nothing here. Your shoulder's probably infected and remember you've got a pretty nasty bump on your head. I think everything's taking its toll Dean and you need to get some rest." Sam held Dean's elbow as he eased his brother off the floor and on to one of the beds. Dean sat, eyes half closed while he tried to sift through what had just happened.
Dean knew there was more to it but he was too tired to argue. Sam looked like shit as well so he may as well get some rest and sort it out in the morning. His head pounded sharply as he tried to recall what had happened. Maybe Sam was right, he was just tired and hurt. Dean chose to ignore the nagging doubt in the back of his mind, he decided to go against his own ingrained intuition that had been finely tuned over the years even though he had a bad feeling about it.
He welcomed the distraction as he watched Sam rifle through the drawers and cupboards in an almost random search pattern. "Ha!" Sam declared as he placed a dusty tin on the table next to two worse for wear tin mugs. "We have coffee…I think. Wanna try some?"
"Okay, I think. Are you sure?"
Sam poured some water in a saucepan and balanced it across the metal rods that were placed low over the fire. He pried the tin open with one of the few utensils in the drawer and sniffed the contents. "I think we have caffeine." He declared quietly.
Dean chose to ignore the fact that Sam had to chisel the contents of the tin into the mugs and soon each of the boys held a steaming mug of evil looking black liquid in their hands. The coffee had a bitter acrid taste but neither brother complained.
Sam had also rustled up some bits and pieces from their supplies, knowing they had to keep their energy levels up to continue their trek in the morning. Sam finally eased himself onto the other bed and gingerly propped up his injured leg. The boys ate and drank in comfortable silence both hungrier than they had realised.
Dean drank the last of his coffee, careful not to swallow the lumps in the bottom of the cup. He looked over at Sam who was watching him over the rim of his own cup. Dean stood slowly so as not to aggravate anything that would cause pain, especially with Sam already following his every move. He grimaced when the change in altitude made his head pound a little more but was thankful there were no more voices in his head. If there ever was to begin with, he reminded himself.
"I think we may as well get some sleep Dean, so we can get an early start tomorrow. The way we're traveling, we still may have another day before we get out of here." Sam's concern showed in his voice and his face. He knew his brother was toughing it out, even more than he was, but even Dean had his breaking point and Sam really didn't want to see him pushed that far. Not after everything he had already been through. Not after losing so much.
Dean was physically strong but each time he was pushed to his limits, Sam was sure he lost another little piece of his brother. More and more Dean seemed to isolate himself and hide his feelings, with humor, with anger, with silence.
"Sammy quit staring, you are now officially creeping me out dude. Spill it, what's wrong?"
"I'm just tired Dean. How about we get the fire stoked up and see if there are any more blankets stashed around here." Sam stood and began placing some more wood in the fireplace, carefully stacking it so as not to extinguish the existing flames.
Dean found some dusty but intact blankets and covers and shared them amongst the two beds, making sure any pattern remotely girly looking was placed on Sam's side.
Sam had finished with the fire and was checking the door, making sure the wood was firmly fitted into the brackets. Almost as an afterthought, he slid the metal bolt across at the very top of the door, and then shuffled over to the empty bed. He paused before pulling the numerous covers back to climb in, shaking his head and grinning at the distinct floral pattern on the topmost quilt.
"Thought you'd like that one grandma."
Sam noticed the weariness in his brother's voice. Dean's eyes were already half closed as Sam pulled his own covers up. The flames cast odd shifting shadows around the cabin and the crackle and smell of the fire had an almost soothing quality. Sam sat back up, "Dean I forgot to check your shoulder, it needs…"
"Forget it Sam. I'll check it in the morning when I look at your leg. G'night."
"How's your head Dean, there are still some painkillers if you…"
"G'night Sam."
"'Night Dean." Sam sighed in resignation. He knew Dean was tired and being stubborn but he had nowhere near the energy required to argue with Dean and win. Pick your battles, Sam thought to himself. He was asleep soon after his head hit the pillow.
The cabin grew still save for the dancing shadows and the occasional crack and sputter as a dry piece of wood ignited in the fireplace. A low mist settled outside following the path of the river, covering the ground in a chilling dampness.
Hand like paws padded silently across the grass, body so low to the ground it's belly was wet with dew. Pointed ears were alert for any sound and its nose twitched in anticipation with the scent of its prey. It crept past the side of the cabin and down to the dampness of the mud by the river where it curled in on itself and began a low keening noise. It had work to do to avenge its mate and it would wait no longer.
Her poison had been given enough time to work, she could feel the contact earlier when she had tested the power. She had been in his mind but then his thoughts had become too strong to control. She wouldn't have that problem again, she could feel the fever starting to burn in him which would give her the advantage this time. She would really like to hurt the other one, the one that had used the fire but she had not bitten that one and her powers would not control him. Her mates poison would already be starting to weaken now he was dead. She would kill them both for that.
TBC…
