Two Hunters and a Baby.

Disclaimer: Sigh no matter how hard I try I just don't own anything to do with Supernatural or the characters of the show. Although anything that comes from my fevered imagination is ... kind of ... that's my excuse anyway!

CHAPTER 25

'Dean?' Sam asked frowning as he took in his brother's stance, the rigidness of his back and neck and the blankness in his eyes, 'Dean you okay?'

'Do I look okay?' Dean asked raising an eyebrow, 'so far I have had the shit kicked outta me, been drugged, brainwashed and oh yeah kicked the living daylights out of you…I am just peachy keen.'

'Just checking.'

'Ah just checking are you Samuel you don't think that I can control myself do you.' Dean snarled stalking closer to his younger brother, 'what's the matter Sam you're looking a little pale there. Oh poor Sam has he got a booboo?'

'Dean what's going on?' Az asked as she moved to stand in front of Sam blocking Dean's access.

'Nothing, never felt better,' Dean grinned rubbing his hands together, 'so when do we go and pick up Isabelle?'

'Oh God.' Sam breathed visibly paling, he stepped back and glanced down at the handcuffs still lying on Dean's bed, just out of reach.

'Don't even think about it Samuel.'

'Dean listen to me, you don't want to do this.' Sam said, 'look at me, it's me…it's your Sam…' Before Sam could finish uttering the safe word Dean launched himself at Sam passing through Az completely as she disappeared in terror. Sam slumped against the bed and shook his head trying to clear his jumbled thoughts, dean had his hands holding Sam's head in a vice like grip, as though he was trying to bore into his skull and mind. 'What's the matter Sam? You lost for words all of a sudden? Come on geek boy let me know your latest theory.'

'Dean…please….kill…kill…killing me.' Sam tried to force the words out, he felt like sharp knives were carving his brain into tiny slivers, 'Dean…I love…you.'

Dean hesitated slightly, loosening his grip but then the blackness flared again and he kept the pressure up, he started to laugh until he saw the light fading from Sam's eyes.

'Deanie…love…you…Sammy.' Sam managed to ground out as his eyes rolled upward and his head slumped against Dean.

Dean dropped his head and his body shuddered with a violent cry, 'No!' he laid Sam down on the floor and stared at his lifeless brother, 'no Sammy, please no.' He cried as he started to do CPR on his sibling.

'Dean what did you do?' Az asked as she blinked in and then started to fade again when she saw the look in Dean's eyes.

'Az go to bubby, look after her and don't what ever you do let me near her please until this is over one way or another.'

'Dean I ….'

'Damn it Az please just do as I say and go.' Dean spat out as he resumed his attempts to revive Sam. His thoughts already moving to the gun he had under his pillow, knowing that if Sam dies at his hand then he will not live another moment longer than necessary, Belle would be better off without him, hurting her too.

Sam coughed and gasped for breath frantically, he grasped Dean's hand like an anchor and pulled himself back, 'Dean?'

'Oh Dude, you don't know how good it is to hear your voice.' Dean wept brushing Sam's forehead, 'ah Sammy you're burning up again.'

'I'll be fine please Dean, as long as you're…'

'This time was too close Sammy, too close altogether.'

'What happened in the bathroom Dean?'

'I – ah threw up a few times…and I remember washing my face and then I looked up at the mirror and everything went black.'

'He knows where we are,' Sam said accepting Dean's proffered hand to help him up to a more comfortable sitting position. 'Fuck Dean he knows where we are.'

'Okay so we have to get outta here and away from…'

'We can't leave bubby like that Dean, she won't understand.'

'So what do we do Sam? As soon as I hear my daughter's name then I go all incredible hulk on you.'

'So we make sure that you don't hear the trigger word.'

'And just how do we do that Sherlock?'

'First we have to name bubby with a name neither Merci or Cornase will even think of and that stops the trigger, then we regroup, rest and get well again then we go and get that mother of a demon and his whore.'

'Sam is that you talking?' Dean managed a weak grin, 'okay so I can name my daughter this time?'

'Dude no …. Nothing to do with heavy metal please.'

'Damn it Sammy you take the fun out of everything, so we can't use Mum's name or Jess' coz they are well known in our family history we need … what about Mikhalia?'

'Mikhalia? Wow where did you get that name from?' Sam asked surprised.

'Dunno I've always liked it, but we call her Mickie for short.'

'Sounds good to me, Mickie Winchester it is then.' Sam grinned, 'okay so we need to bring Az up to date with what we're doing.'

'Sam do you really trust her?' Dean asked suddenly.

'Who Az? Yeah why?'

'I dunno it just seems that every time Merci or Cornase finds us Az is with us.'

'Dean I don't think…'

'Maybe not intentionally but what if…what if Merci can link with her like you can.'

'Then Merci could track Az just as easily as contact her.'

'She'll inadvertently lead them straight to Bubby.'

'Fuck Dean.'

'I told her to stay with … Mickie and not let me near her but…'

'Come on Dean we have to go…'

'I'm not sure I should go with you Sam.' Dean hesitated, 'what if I go all hulk on you again?'

'Not gonna happen Dean, I won't let it.' Sam said with a small tight smile, 'coz no one can mention that name to you and while I am around I am gonna make sure of it until we can kill that demon's ass all the way back to hell.'

'That's my boy!' Dean grinned.

Although Sam felt as though his head was going to split in two, and his body protested loudly every time he moved, he drove the impala letting Dean rest next to him. The shadows around Dean's eyes seemed to grow by the second, the tight lines of stress and pain made him look so vulnerable.

Az, please if you can hear me don't make a sound just listen. We think that we have worked out how they can track us and you, we're coming to you now. Az please this is important, please let everyone know that bubby's name is Mikhalia now…Mickie for short, her other name is never to be mentioned again. As long as we keep to that Dean will be fine, I will be fine. We're about an hour from you so hang tight and have Mickie ready to go as soon as we get there.'

'Hey Sam are you okay?' Dean asked touching Sam's arm gently.

'Yeah sorry, ah we're nearly there Dean. I've let Az now about Mickie's name change.'

'Cool thanks.'

'Dean it's going to be okay…'

'Ya think?'

'Yes I do, but…'

'Save it Sam, we do that later, no chick flicks now please.'

'Okay but no do-overs either!' Sam said grinning at his brother briefly before making turning off the main road.

'Thanks Sam, for everything.' Dean muttered under his breath as he focused on the dirt road ahead of them.

'Dad-dad,' Mickie cried out when she saw Dean step out of the impala, her little hands held out to him as she tried to escape from Rachel's firm grasp.

'Mickie.' Dean whispered taking his daughter into his arms he held her tight burying his face in her silky soft hair, hiding his own tears, 'baby girl, daddy's here.'

Sam stood back and watched Dean cuddle his daughter, clutching her tightly, the glow hovering around them only seemed visible to Sam and he wondered if he picked up on their combined auras.

'Sam…she's – grown so much.' Dean said his voice thick with unshed tears.

'She sure has and missed her daddy.' Az said smiling at the small reunion in front of her.

Sam limped over to his brother and niece, his heart heavy for some unknown reason, when the baby saw him she smiled brightly and held her hands out to her uncle. He took her and held her tight as well, feeling the warmth of a child's unconditional love sweep through him. 'Sa-ammee,' she cooed and then looked back at Dean, 'dad-dad.'

Sam passed the baby back to Dean with a regretful sigh, swaying he started to limp back to the car when everything started to go out of focus, the void opened in front of him and the blackness snared him before he could stop himself.

He heard Dean's hoarse cry coming from a great distance, he felt hands prodding him, rolling him over but he couldn't do anything to stop them. His body felt like it was floating and no one could pull him back.

He wanted to call out to Dean, but his mouth was sealed he couldn't open it to speak, he couldn't open his eyes and his mind splintered sending all coherent thought scattering into the abyss.

'Sam no!' Dean cried out as he passed the sobbing baby back to Rachel as he dropped to his knees next to his fallen brother. 'No damn it Sam, not now…you can't leave me now!'

TBC