Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war …

A pre-series story: Dean is 20 and Sam is 16

Warning: This story does contain violence and subjects of sensitive natures so if you find yourself offended by this please go read some of my more gentle/general stories.

S—D

"And Caesar's spirit, raging for revenge,

With Ate by his side come hot from hell,

Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice

Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war,

That this foul deed shall smell above the earth

With carrion men, groaning for burial."

Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony):

Julius Caesar Act 3, Scene 1

S—D

09/09/1999: The day the world ended.

Chapter 14:

Then:

Two days later, two very tired hunters and one still unconscious arrived back at the command centre. The resistance commander for the area stood in the doorway watching the dark car swerve and skid dangerously as it sped towards the compound. The order given to allow them access allowed him to stay where he was and to wait for them, this time as a distraught father and not as a commanding officer.

Behind him stood Rufus and Bobby, all three seasoned and hardened hunters waited nervously as they watched Caleb get out of the car and open the rear passenger door for Dean.

Seconds later Dean emerged from the vehicle, swaying from weariness and worry and carrying a very precious bundle in his arms. Moving ever so slowly Dean paused briefly to look up at his father, 'he's alive dad.' He managed to whisper before his own knees buckled and his eyes rolled upwards. John managed to take Sam into his own arms, as Bobby caught Dean and with Rufus' help carried him inside.

John followed close behind his gaze fixed firmly on his teenaged son's face, he looked so fragile and small as he cradled Sam to his chest, 'ahh Sammy, what did they do to you?' he whispered. How little Sam weighed now was testament to what he had been forced to go through, the guilt John felt weighed on him more than what Sam did.

Now:

I had rather have
such men my friends than enemies.

(Julius Caesar 5.4.28)

S—D

Dean sat by his brother's bedside watching impatiently for any sign of Sam's waking from his apparent catatonia. However, it seems that Sam has other ideas and remained blissfully unaware and unconscious for the last three days.
'You have to get some sleep as well Dean,' John said as he stood in the doorway and looked down at his two sons.

'Yeah I will dad,' Dean replied without turning around, 'just as soon as Sam wakes up.'

'And what good will you be for him if you're too sick to be around him?' John asked carefully knowing full well that he was treading on the proverbial thin ice with his question.

'Just what do you mean by that?' Dean snarled turning angry eyes towards his father, 'you're not keeping us apart.'

'No but you will be, remember Dean … Sam will wake up with the need to heal you, he'll know if you're not up to par and he'll try and heal you.'

'Dammit dad,' Dean said as he seemingly deflated in front of his father, 'I can't leave him not until I know he's alright.'

'I know son, but you can lie down in your own bed just there and sleep, I'll keep an eye on him for a while.'

'Yeah but you have the command…'

'Bobby's holding the fort and he has the others, I'm taking time for my boys for a while,' John said with a gentle smile, 'sides I can finally catch up with some news,' he added as he produced a rumpled newspaper and the mug of steaming coffee from behind his back.

'Is that what I think it is?' Dean asked licking his lips with the sweet smell of coffee invading his deprived senses.

'Yep and there's a whole pot of it upstairs in the kitchen along with a couple of sandwiches, some clean clothes are in the bathroom for you and oh yeah I think that there's a nice piece of peach pie.'

'You'll call me if Sam wakes up?' Dean asked as he glanced back at his brother and then up at his father's grinning face, 'promise me?'

'Promise now git outta here and let me have five minutes of peace okay?' John said showing an uncharacteristic gentler side he kept in reserve for his two boys.

'Thanks dad,' Dean grinned as he hurried out, his mind filling with thoughts of getting back to Sam as soon as possible but also with thoughts of hot coffee, food, clean clothes, a shower and of course pie.

S—D

'Dad?' Sam whispered as he tried to fight his way back to consciousness, at first he had thought it was Dean sitting there but he recognised the masculine scent he had associated with his dad ever since he could remember; a mix of whiskey, cologne and something that was quintessentially John Winchester. 'Dad?' Sam called out again this time a little stronger, his body felt so strange as though it wasn't his and didn't want to respond to his thoughts.

'Sammy?' John's dulcet tones connected with Sam's innermost thoughts and emotions and helped bring him closer to full wakefulness. 'Come on son wake up for me.' John said as he watched Sam try to bring himself out of unconsciousness, part of him wanted to call Dean immediately but the other part, the slightly more selfish part wanted to keep this moment for himself.

'Dad … where? How? Where's Dean?' Sam whispered his voice sounding so strained and dry; weakly he ran the tip of his tongue along his dry lips in a vain attempt to moisten them.

'Easy Sam I've got some water for ya,' John said as he picked up the glass of water by the bed, and then gently cupped his hand around the back of Sam's neck, 'easy son just nice and slow sips don't need ya throwing it back up.'

Sam gratefully sipped the cool fluid and blinked blindly towards his dad's voice, 'thanks,' he croaked as he pushed the glass away from his mouth, 'dad where's Dean?'

'He's showering and having something to eat,' John said sitting back he took in his youngest boy's appearance especially his unfocussed and glassy eyes. Aside from his blindness, and the myriad amount of injuries Sam had sustained there was the emotional toll and his so-called empathic gifts.

Sam frowned and tried to "listen" terrified that his father had left him alone, the room was so quiet it was becoming unnerving, although as he made himself calm down Sam started to hear the steady thump of a heartbeat outside of his own body. Tentatively he reached out with a shaking hand until he touched a limb, with warm skin and firm muscle beneath. 'Dad?'

'Huh? Oh sorry Sammy I must have been lost there for a moment,' John said as he tried to gather his thoughts, 'how you feeling son? Honestly mind you.'

'Um okay I guess, I mean I hurt like ache but not sharp pain, my left knee is stiff and kinda sore and my left hand is still numb … I feel like I was run over by a ten tonne truck.'

'Do you want me to go and get the Doc for ya?' John asked his voice tinged with the deep seated worry he tried so hard to ignore.

'No! I mean no I'm okay for now dad, just s-stay with m-me pl-please?' Sam said stammering slightly as he eased himself back onto the pillows, 'dad where's Dean?'

Frowning at his son's apparent lapse in his short term memory, John reminded Sam that Dean was showering and getting something to eat before talking Sam into having a nap until his brother came back.

'Dad?' Sam's plaintive voice startled John breaking him out of his own sleepiness, 'dad you still there?'

Wincing at the neediness in Sam's voice, John cleared his throat and placed a warm hand on his son's leg, 'm'right here kiddo.'

'Dad I kinda f-f-feel weird…' Sam admitted scrunching his face as a wave of pain seemed to pass through him, 'not … my – my p-pain.'

'Sammy? Hang in there kiddo,' John said knocking his chair over in his rush to stand up, 'Dean get your butt down here now!' he bellowed as he crouched next to Sam's bed and ghosted a hand over Sam's face not sure on what to do, 'just hang in there for me Sammy.'

'Wha' wrong?' Dean gasped through a mouthful of pie crust as he rushed into the room, coughing down the last crumbs he swiped the back of his hand across his lips and then joined his father at Sam's beside, 'what is it Sammy?'

'I gotta go find the Doc,' John said almost absently, 'stay with your brother Dean,'

'Aww dad you know you don't have to say that,' Dean snapped, 'think I know that by now.'

'Not now Dean, your brother's in pain and it aint his.' John said without thinking, 'just stay with Sam.'

'Yes Sir!' Dean sat down next to Sam's side and ignored his father as he started to take stock of his brother's condition. If dad wants to be a dick then…

S—D

Sam internally sensed his brother's presence and instantly relaxed slightly, the pain still rampaged through him but it seemed to be a little less terrifying with Dean there, 'D-Dean?'

'Hey bro, so you still doin' ya channelling shtick are ya?'

'Ye-yeah I g-guess I – I am,' Sam said shivering as another wave of pain crashed through him this time taking his breath from him, 'why-why m-me De-Dean?'

'Dunno kiddo but we're gonna get ya through this,' Dean said as he wiped Sam's face with a damp cloth, 'I'm right here with ya Sammy aint going nowhere.'

'Th-thanks … argh hurts so-so much!'

'Doc'll be here soon Sammy just hang on for me,' Dean said not caring if he sounded like he was pleading.

'De-Dean … sh-shot … b-been sh-shot in stomach, sc-scared … alone … cl-close by … help th-them,' Sam wept clutching at Dean's shirt front. 'Callum … De-Dean th-think it's Call-Callum' Sam gasped out as he tried to ride out the pain in his abdomen.

'Dean what's going on?' Rick asked as he ran into the room with John close behind him, 'is it Sam?'

'No, no he's feeling … he thinks that it's Callum … been shot in the stomach area.'

'Sam himself?'

'He says okay, aching and stiff but not too bad until this but then again…'

'Yeah with Sam who knows.' Rick said with a grin, he hadn't known the brothers all that long but he had already worked out their "martyr" complexes and tendencies to underplay their own pain and issues in order to put someone's needs ahead of theirs.

'Sammy … Sam hey the Doc is here, Rick's here,' Dean said as he tried to get Sam's attention.

'Kay,' Sam finally pushed the word out as the phantom pains threatened to take him over the edge.

S—D

Armed and surrounded by Rufus and Caleb, Bobby ran towards the rear sector of the property where the sounds of gunfire had been reportedly heard. Callum and his ragtag group had been patrolling the area and as they neared the fence line and first rows of barricades Bobby's heart thudded painfully when he saw the body of young Luka draped over one of the barricades, a gaping hole in his back the telltale sign of his violent and senseless death. The blast had killed him instantly, cowardly shot from behind as the youngster had tried to get away. With a sinking feeling the three seasoned hunters and fighters slowed their gait but continued with a grim determination to find the rest of the child brigade and their leader Callum.

Seconds later the sound of gunfire has stopped and the sound of wailing and pain replaced it, 'dammit idjits where are ya?' Bobby mumbled as they searched the tree line, 'ahhh shit over there Rufus.'

Rufus stopped and focussed on the spot Bobby was pointing to, two slight bodies lay side by side in a pool of glistening blood, so concentrate and deep it gave the appearance of a black mirror rather than a pool of body fluids.

'Callum and Max by the look …' Rufus dropped to his knees next to the fallen teenagers and placed a shaking finger on Callum's carotid artery and then he checked Max's pulse, 'they're alive, dunno how but they're still alive Bobby!'

S—D

Sam screamed, his back arching as he fought to maintain control of the burning pain sensations assaulting his stomach, Rick watched over his patient as he prepared a mild sedative injection for him, worried that this latest empathic episode would shoot his blood pressure to worrying heights again Rick chose to err to sedation for Sam rather than let the already traumatised teenager to suffer through someone else's pain any longer.

'What's that for Doc?' Dean asked Rick as he put a restraining hand on the doctor's arm.

'Just a mild sedative to take the edge off for Sam, I don't want his blood pressure to balloon out of control again, this'll just ease things for him.'

'Won't knock him out?'

'Nope it's not strong enough to do that.' Rick assured Dean as he continued to give Sam the small injection.

'Rick I need you back in the clinic now,' Debbie puffed out as she rushed into the small bedroom, 'we got incoming.'

'What is it?' Rick asked as he finished giving Sam a cursory exam after the sedative had time to take effect, 'who is it?'

'Bobby radioed in, Callum and Max have both been shot … Luka's dead.' Debbie said softly as she glanced down at Sam, 'it's bad.'

'What kind of gunshot wound Debbie?' Dean asked, grasping Sam's limp hand tightly in his own.

'Stomach … both of em.' Debbie replied before she left with Rick leaving the Winchester men alone in the bedroom.

Sam was lying so still on the bed Dean was tempted to check his breathing and pulse points to make sure that he was still alive when he saw a lone tear escape from the tightly clenched shut eyes of his younger brother. Ahh Sammy…

'De-Dean … D-Dad?'

'Yeah Sammy?' both John and Dean answered in unison.

'C-can you t-take me t-to them?' Sam opened his sightless eyes and rolled his head towards the direction of their voices, 'pl-please?' Even blind Sam still managed to give them a full version of his puppy dog eyes.

'No Sam it'll kill you,' John said as he traded glances with Dean, 'you're to stay put son, and that's an order!'

'B-But d-dad…D-Dean?'

'No I'm with dad on this one Sammy … Rick'll be able to save them so don't worry bout them.' Dean said as firmly as he could.

S—D

Dejected and with lingering phantom pains still burning in his stomach Sam rolled over onto his side with his back to his family. He knew that they were right but that didn't make things any better for him. The call to heal was eating at him from inside out, gnawing away at him, both physically and emotionally.

'Sam please don't …'

'No leave him Dean, if he wants to sulk then let him,' John said a little harsher than he intended but it had the desired effect and he saw the fire start to kindle in Dean's eyes again.

'Let me go to them please?' Sam whispered tearfully, 'make it stop please … let me go to them.'

'Sammy it'll kill ya, I can't do that. Call me selfish but there is no way I'm losing you now.' Dean said as he levelled his gaze at his father, 'and dad why don't you go and do what you do best … Commander Winchester!'

'Watch that tone with me Dean you're not too old…'

'To what dad? Be put across your knee?' Dean sneered and let his anger snake into his tone of voice.

'Don't tempt me Dean!' John spat back.

'Stop it both of you!' Sam yelled as loudly as he could and turned himself to face his family, 'quit fighting …' though his words were quickly drowned out by the sounds of giggling and outright laughter. 'What the … what's funny?'

'We got ya kiddo!' Dean said between laughs, 'ahhh it worked.'

'That … that was … just mean!' Sam said mortified at how they had easily had him strung along, 'take advantage of the blind guy why don't ya?'

'Hey Sam … listen to yourself.' Dean sobered enough to take Sam's chin in his fingers anchoring his face close to his, 'you're not stuttering, you sound better and you're not writhing in pain.'

'Dean … Dad!' Sam whined stubbornly refusing to accept the fact that they had helped him without doing anything else except treating him like normal. Especially for Dean, pranking his younger brother was one of the small delights he could still relish.

S—D

A month later:

Dean sighed heavily and dropped himself into the empty chair in front of his father's desk, his frown deepening when he wasn't able to elicit any response from his father, taking a deep breath he sighed again and then twitched an eyebrow at his parent.

'What's wrong Dean?' John asked finally tiring of his son's attention seeking antics.

'I'm bored,' Dean sighed again and fidgeted in his seat before starting to move the papers on John's desk around.

'Where's your brother?'

'Working with Pastor Jim and that psychic again to help him meditate and to control his empathy.' Dean mumbled, 'or something like that…'

'So?'

'So I'm bored, they work at it all of the time!

'You can go and do some laps?' John suggested as he took the papers from Dean and reorganised them again. 'Or go and do some training with the kids.'

'Been there done that,' Dean said as he started to flick the spare pencils across the desk.

'What about Caleb? What's he doing?'

'Recon in Colorado, remember you sent him!'

'Dean!'

'Well send me somewhere then…'

'And have an APB put out on you by your brother?' John chuckled and glanced down at his watch, 'they should be finished with their training so why don't you go and see if Sam's feeling up to doing some exercise with ya?'

'I guess we could go for a walk, and there are some new nurses at the clinic with Rick and Debbie…' Dean's voice trailed away as he started to imagine hot nurses in skimpy uniforms and warm stethoscopes.

'Or you could go and raid the kitchens?'

'Huh sorry Dad, might go and see if Sammy's feeling up to a walk,' Dean stood up and ran his fingers through his short spiked hair, 'you should clean your desk once in a while dad … it's a mess!'

S—D

Dawn cracked slowly over the compound, red and orange strands snaked across the horizon bathing everything in a soft golden hue; one could almost be forgiven in thinking that there was no war.

The whistling sound of a missile broke the early morning calm, it landed in the centre of the compound exploding into millions of shards delivering death to those closest to the impact zone. Screams and shrieks of shock and horror filled the atmosphere drowning out the call of the last few ravens.

John felt the tremors in his office and felt his stomach drop, the time had finally come and he had no way of contacting his sons, he just prayed that they were somewhere safe as he armed himself with the last of his ammunition, knives, a machete in its long sheath fixed to his back by a leather harness, two guns and his salt round shot guns.

'You ready Winchester?'

John turned to look at his old friend and fellow hunter, 'yeah are you Singer?'

'Always…'

'So this is…'

'We gonna go out with a bang or what?'

'That's the plan…'

'Where are the boys?'

'Safe I hope, Rufus?'

'He's waiting downstairs with the platoon, Caleb's gone to the clinic to evacuate them…'

'Always wanted to go out with the big guns blazing…'

'We're too fucking old for this…'

The two men laughed and clapped each other on the shoulder before heading out to fight the last and biggest battle of the war.

S—D

Dean kicked the flat tyre of the van and cursed for the tenth time, something was up he was sure of it and he had a feeling that Sam knew more than he was letting on. They were on the way back to the compound after taking Pastor Jim back to Blue Earth and the battle scarred few remaining there.

Sam had a slight control on his empathic powers, to the point where he could go amongst people as long as he wore gloves and long sleeved clothing to prevent skin contact and was able to find a place in his mind to go to when the call became too loud and he had to answer the pain and anguish.

He had a handle on his blindness as well now, or rather hid his insecurities a little more from his brother. In other words Dean knew when Sam was hiding things but he kept quiet and gave Sam the space and respect he needed to re-establish his independence and confidence.

Dean glanced over at his brother and had to have a small gloat and feel the swell of pride for the teenager, he had overcome so much in such a short amount of time and was still conquering more than anyone else they knew could handle. Frowning Dean stared a little harder at his brother and then started to run when he recognised the telltale signs of a vision.

'Dammit Sammy not now.' Dean said as he ran to his brother's side just in time to catch him, 'when did you get so tall kiddo?' He mused as he lowered his sibling to the ground, 'damn you're a sasquatch and a half now.'

S—D

'Dad! Bobby!' Sam screamed their names as he sat up and stared blindly around his hands groping for the only anchor he had in his dark reality; Dean.

'Hey, hey Sammy it's okay … you're okay I gotcha.' Dean said his patented reply as he caught Sam's hands and held them tightly until Sam had control of his breathing once again. The pattern so familiar now Dean felt as though it had been set in stone a millennium before they were born.

'The command … an attack Dean an all out attack … Dad and Bobby they were … they were … we've gotta go now!'

'Whoa slow down a little Sammy, take a breath and tell me exactly what you saw.'

'A-A dirty missile or bomb whatever landed in the compound, it was loaded with Croat-infected chunks of meat and bags of blood. It went everywhere and then the demons broke through … so many bodies Dean but – but I think that Bobby and dad were taken…'

'They're still alive?' Dean nodded and swallowed deeply that was something, 'anything else? What about Caleb and Rufus?'

'No, nothing on them don't think they were there.' Sam said as he paled and moved to the side just enough to vomit without splashing his brother.

Dean pulled out his cell phone and prayed for a connection while he rubbed Sam's back and kept a watchful eye on him, 'come on, come on,' he muttered as he hit the speed-dial for Caleb, 'answer me you fuck… Caleb is that you?'

'Yeah what's …'

'Shut up and listen Cal, Sammy had a vision … can you get back to command ASAP?'

'What's wrong Dean?'

'Sam had a vision that the attack happened on command, dad and Bobby were taken…'

'We're on our way now should be there by tomorrow morning.'

'Sam and me'll be there by tomorrow night at the latest okay … oh and Caleb?'

'Yeah dude?'

'Stay safe.'

'You too dude, you and little dude.'

TBC