Chapter 25

Four hours into their journey, Castiel caught up with Oree and questioned her, "Shouldn't you stop and rest for a few minutes?"

"I'm fine." she said brushing her dirty hair back out of her sweaty face.

They had come to another fork in the tunnel and she took a left following it a short distance until it opened up into a larger chamber.

"He's right little lady, don't want to wear yerself out before we get to where we're going. You'll wanna be at your strongest I would think." Benny added making her pause.

"Alright, we'll take fifteen." she said sitting on a rock and taking out the last of her water. After downing the water, she let the bottle fall to the dirt floor beside her. The force that was building took away her hunger, thirst and tiredness. She drew in a few deep breaths stilling herself as her mind raced through her plan once again hashing out the details one by one.

"She ok?" Benny whispered to Castiel who stood a short distance from Oree watching her.

"I don't know, something is happening to her, I'm not sure she knows what it is." he replied frowning slightly.

"You two ready, we need to get started again." Oree called to them getting up and slipping her pack back on. The hounds were by her side in seconds ready to continue their trek.

"He turned off the road up ahead." Sam guided as he watched the monitor before checking ahead of them.

"I need to stop and gas Baby up before we get any further from civilization." Dean said signaling to stop at a mom and pop gas station. "Go grab some waters why don't ya."

"Hurry it up, don't want to lose him." Sam urged getting out and heading for the store.

Sam grabbed the waters and some power bars before heading to the register. He paid for the items and turned to leave only to be hit with a scene right our of the worse horror movie. Blood dripped off the walls, off the ceiling, off items on the shelves. Sam fell back against the counter, dropped his bag while sucking in a deep breath as he tried to control what he was seeing.

"Hey buddy you ok?" the older man asked him trying to see what he was seeing.

"I'm fine." he croaked out picking up his bag and running from the store. He hurried toward the Impala, throwing opening the car door and scrambling into the seat and closing the door. "Go."

"Sure, wanna see if you can find him again?" Dean asked giving him a what the hell is going on look.

"Looks like he stopped up ahead, he's waiting on us." Sam said watching the blip monitor remain still not wanting to go into detail about what he had seen.

Dean turned out of the parking lot and heading down to the next side road on the right. He would let whatever happened go for now, but it wouldn't be forgotten. The hardtop turned to gravel and eventuality to the dirt of a logging road as they traveled deeper into the mountains. Dean drove slowly trying to dodge large pot holes as the road became rougher.

"Looks like we'll be hiking soon." Dean said checking the road ahead of him. "Start looking for a good place to pull over."

"How 'bout up there?" Sam pointed to a clearing off to the right that looks useable.

Dean pulled the Impala as far off the road as he could before stopping behind some bushes to hide it. He got out and looked around to be sure it couldn't be seen.

"Help me get the stuff and we'll divide it up. Bobby threw in a small tent in case we needed it." Dean instructed his brother as he began to pull things out of the car.

"He's stopped up ahead waiting on us again." Sam said laying the monitor on top of the hood while he strapped a sleeping bag to his pack and picking up another bag before retrieving the monitor.

"Lead the way Daniel Boone."

Sam looked up at him for a moment rolling his eyes as he headed into the forest. Dean adjusted his packs and set pace with Sam hoping where ever this hell gate was located, it wouldn't be too far.

Oree slowed her pace after a steady six hours of marching down one tunnel after the other, through large and small caverns being careful to avoid the stray demons they came across. There were not many this far down into the pit and none wanted to be near the cage. The closer they got, the colder the air around them became. Many thought that Hell was a raging hot inferno, but at this level and this close, it was starting to get much colder. Oree pulled her extra shirt free and slipped it on before making her way to the next level.

After another two hours of walking, Oree stopped at a rock wall and surveyed it carefully. Castiel and Benny moved up beside her and watched with interest. She took a hand and touched the rough wall in front of her. She felt the coldness seep into her hand and make its way up her arm before she took her hand away rubbing it absently. This was it, she had found the last barrier.

"I have to go on from here alone." Oree told the two standing beside her.

"No, I can't let you do that." Castiel argued.

"I have to Angel, only I can enter, you must guard the entrance so I have time to do what needs to be done."

"Little lady are you sure 'bout this?"

"Yes Benny, Juliette and Marcus will stay here to help guard. This is how it must be."

"Then we will wait here for you, please be safe."

"If anything happens, they will lead you out and tell my brothers..." she started as her voice broke. "Tell them, I love both of them so much."

"Hey, you'll be able to tell them yourself." Benny insisted trying to lighten the mood.

Oree turned and walked up to the wall and slipped into a crack that was barely visible to the naked eye. Ellie and Jasper followed on her heels disappearing with her. The going was slow and Oree had to squat to get under fallen rocks. Thirty minutes later she pulled herself through the crack on the other side. Ellie and Jasper came out and shook themselves off before looking around at the cavern.

"Is he still moving?" Dean panted as he used a tree for support.

"He's just ahead of us." Sam answered trying to make out a distant shuffling in the leaves ahead of them.

"Did I tell you how much I hate hiking." he grumbled as they started out again.

"He's stopped about a mile ahead. Come on let's get this over with." Sam grunted as Lucifer stuck his head out from behind a tree.

Dean mumbled under his breath as he followed Sam down a small hill and through some thick brush before the trees began to thin. Sam jumped when a high-pitched scream echoed through the woods. He looked quickly looked around for its source as Dean stepped up beside him.

"What's going on?" Dean asked following Sam's lead and looking around the forest too.

"Did you hear anything?" Sam questioned as he fought back the panic.

"No, just forest sounds, why what are you hearing?"

"Nothing, he stopped up ahead." Sam said trying to change the subject before Dean questioned him further.

It didn't take them long to reach a small clearing that had a rocky outcrop taking up most of the space. They stopped when they heard the growls and huff of the hell-hound as it lay in front of the rocks. Dean took off his pack and dropped them to the ground giving the area a once over. There was room off to the right to set up the tent which he wanted to get done before the darkness settled in.

Explosions shook the area as Sam dove to the ground covering his head. He looked up to see Dean looking at him with gun drawn trying to determine where the threat was coming from. He looked down at Sam with concern and worry.

"Sammy, talk to me."

"He's here." was all Sam would say as he got up jerking from the sound of gun shots behind Dean. Sam cringed with each shot trying to still himself against them, but wasn't having much luck.

"Look, I'm going to get the tent set up before dark, why don't you grab a rock?"

"I'll get some firewood." Sam decided as he faltered in his step from the banshee scream. He stepped out of the clearing looking for wood for the fire. He gathered an arm full before heading back toward camp when a large constrictor slipped down from a tree in front of him. Sam froze clutching the wood in his arms as he worked his way around it. He saw another slithering through the grass and hurried back toward the clearing and Dean. He didn't like snakes, but they weren't there, he had to believe that, they weren't there.

The tent was up and Dean had the sleeping bags rolled out inside. He had dug a small pit for a fire, lining the edge with rocks and sitting a beat up coffee pot on one. Asteria had sent some of the special tea she mixed and he was going to make Sam drink some in the hopes that it would help with Lucifer's fake images. He looked up as Sam stumbled into the clearing, obviously shook up by the look in his eyes. He kept looking behind him as if he were being followed.

"Stack it over here and I'll get a fire started." Dean said waiting for him to put down the wood.

"Ok." Sam mumbled dropping the wood like it was on fire when it turned into withering snakes in his arms. The wood scattered around his feet as he looked up hopelessly at Dean. "Sorry."

"It's ok Sammy, go sit down, I'm making you some of Asteria's special tea." he replied stacking the wood by the pit. Dean gather some of the smaller pieces for starter as he pulled his lighter from his pocket. It wasn't long before he had a nice fire going and was heating the water for tea for Sam and coffee for him.

Sam sat on a rock by the tent trying to rein in his emotions when the hell-hound moved closer to him and laid at his feet. Sam could feel the pressure of its head on his leg. He absently began to scratch his head as another vision slid across his mind of Castiel and a stranger standing in front of a rock wall in what looked like a cave. Oree was not there and that worried him. He saw a hell-hound standing nearby guarding. That was strange to see him, maybe it was because he was looking through another's eyes.

Night was coming quickly to the forest as the huge limbs of tree blocked out the last rays of the sun that were sinking slowly below the horizon. Insects began their nightly songs and other animals make their way out of hiding to search for food. A lone hoot owl called in the distance and a coyote's mournful howl echoed off the hills to be answered by another farther away. Leaves rustled around them as creatures scampered in the tree tops curious about who these two strange beings were invading their home.

"Here, it's hot, be careful." Dean offered the cup to Sam who had tuned everything around him out as the vision played again in his head.

"Wh-what." he stuttered realizing Dean was standing in front of him.

"Drink." he told him. "You wanna talk about it?" he asked him softly.

"I'm fine." Sam got out before taking the cup and holding it in both hands to steady it and for the warmth. He didn't realize how cold his hands were until he took the cup.

"San, don't lie to me, you're anything but fine. I know you don't like to talk about it, but you know I'm here if you ever need to."

"Thanks." Sam whispered as Dean got his cup of coffee and sat down near him.

"Got the sleeping bags ready if you need to rest."

"Not just yet."

"Is Rover still here?"

"Yeah right beside me at my feet."

"Any idea where the gate might be?"

"Not really, but it has to be here or he wouldn't have brought us here." Sam responded jerking his shoulders as a fire cracker popped loudly behind him. As soon as the noise started to die away another one went off louder than the first. He tried to drink his tea without spilling it from his sudden movements. He hoped it would allow him some quiet and maybe some down time for his mind.

The temperature of the tea was cool enough for him to drink it with ease. Dean had added some sugar to cut the slightly bitter taste from the herbs. He looked up when movement in the woods caught his attention. A shadow passed along the edge of the clearing causing him to sit up straight. He sat his cup down and watched Dean feed more wood into the fire before straightening up.

Without warning, Sam slammed into him knocking him to the ground covering him with his body. Dean lay there for a moment trying to get air into his lungs and get his brother's heavy body off him.

"What the hell Sam?" Dean exclaimed when he was able to breathe. Dean pushed his brother's body off his and made to get up.

"Stay down." Sam insisted as he looked around for the danger he had seen. "There's someone out there."

"Where?" Dean asked rolling to a crouch and drawing his gun searching the area carefully.

"I-I-I saw it over there." he pointed toward the far edge of the clearing.

"Stay put." Dean ordered getting up and making his way toward the trees looking for anything out-of-place.

He checked around the camp not seeing anything that would pose a threat. "Sam there's nothing here."

"You mean I'm hallucinating again." he said dejectedly. "I'm sorry Dee."

"Hey, it's ok, come on, why don't you lay down for a while." Dean said helping Sam to his feet and steering him to the tent. He knew Sam thought there was something there, his mind was playing games again with Lucifer's help, and Sam was losing his grip on reality.

"Sorry..."he mumbled as Dean got him in a sleeping bag and covered. Dean could hear a small sob escape Sam's lips as he curled in on himself feeling so lost and alone.

"Get some rest Sammy, I'll be right outside." Dean whispered rubbing a hand down his cheek trying to give him comfort. Sam leaned into his hand for a moment before wadding the upper part of the sleeping bag in his fists and pulling it to his chest. "I'll leave the light on low for you." he told him sitting the light over to the side.

Dean knew these hallucinations were driving Sam toward the brink of a breakdown. He sat down on a rock by the fire hoping they wouldn't have to wait too long. He felt the hot breath of the hell-hound on his hand and felt a weight lean against his leg as the hound settled down beside him.

Dean was about ready to lay down too when a gun shot from the tent caused him to jump and rush to the tent. He threw back the flap to find Sam sitting up in his sleeping bag holding his fired gun out in front of him for protection. Dean followed where the gun was pointing and saw a hole in the middle of his sleeping bag.

"Sammy, why'd ya shoot my sleeping bag?" Dean asked slowly looking back to Sam who was still holding a wavering gun in front of him. "Let me have the gun, ok Sammy."

"It was there!" he stuttered out looking at Dean wild-eyed.

"What Sammy, what was there?"

"A-An- evil clown, it was a damn clown." he cried pointing the gun toward Dean unaware of his action.

Dean carefully pushed the gun to the side and removed it from his brother's shaking hands.

"Oh my God, what if you had been lying there, I could of shot you!" Sam whimpered covering his face with his hands.

"It's alright Sammy, I wasn't, so don't worry, I'm just going to put this over here for now, lay back down, I'll be right here." Dean encouraged him pushing him back down on the bag. He moved to the other one, looking at the gun shot hole, before sitting down on it and looking over at his brother's trembling form. He reached over and jerked the other bag closer wrapping an arm around Sam's body holding him close.

Sam stiffened from the sudden movement and then let himself relax as his body recognized the feel and smell of his brother, accepting the comfort offered. He wiggled closer in Dean's embrace closing his eyes and accepting the safety and warmth. Dean pulled the sleeping bag around Sam being sure he was warm before settling down himself. Movement outside the tent let him know the hell-hound was still there and settling down for the night. The ground was hard and uncomfortable, but Dean didn't mind hoping Sam would get some much-needed rest. Neither had been sleep much lately and he knew it was taking its toll on them. He could take down ghosts, vampires, werewolves, demons, but he couldn't help his little brother with the hallucinations torturing him. He had never felt so useless as he did now, he hoped his sister knew what she was doing and could help Sam. He could feel Sam relaxing as he let sleep overtake him.

Thank you for all the kind reviews and I'm so glad you are liking the story. For those who are following, have favored, have review and who are just reading thank you for the support. Would like to know your thoughts, please review.

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