Chapter 24

In the attic, Tony was still trying to convice Sam that Dean was not the enemy and Dean was still sitting by the far wall, afraid to approach Sam for fear he'd freak out.

"Sam," said Tony, "if you think, you'll know that Dean is not doing this to you, ok? It's that demon." Sam didn't say anything so Tony continued.

"I want you to tell me one time Dean stood face to face to you and told you that you were evil and needed to die? One time Sam," said Tony. Sam cocked his head.

"This morning," he said. "I heard him. "

"No. Sam I'm not talking about that voice you keep hearing in your head, I'm talking about face to face. Has he ever said that to you face to face?" Sam thought a minute and then he said, "No, not face to face."

"Only in your head right?" asked Tony and Sam nodded.

"Did it ever occur to you Sam, that Lothos is putting that in your head, so you'll be afraid of Dean?" Sam looked at Tony and was confused.

"You know," he said. "This has happened before?"

"When?" asked Sam.

"Remeber you both told us the story of when you first faced Alanya? You said that Dean left that cave with Alanya, thinking he was you? He looked like you remember, and Dean didn't know you were still in those bars. Alanya told Dean that he could look like anybody and it liked to have killed Dean when he found out he left you behind. Remember?"

Sam looked at Dean, not sure if he was his enemy or not anymore.

"Sam," said Dean, "didn't you hear Lothos say that he could make himself look like anyone too. He said that was a gift that he and Alanya shared."

"I think I remember that," said Sam. "I just don't know." Dean was hopeful again. He slowly walked over to Sam and Sam jumped up from where he was sitting and glared at Dean.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME DEAN!" said Sam.

"I'm not the one trying to hurt you Sam!" said Dean firmly. "Lothos is doing this to you. You're not evil, you don't need to die, you're just being controlled. He is the one that is trying to convince you that you do. When he came in here it was him that looked like me Sam. I'd never hurt you!" Dean reached out to touch his brother, but Sam knocked his arm away and slammed him against the wall!

"SAM!" said Tony, and was about to come over when Dean stopped him.

"Don't touch me!" ordered Sam. Dean nodded. "Ok," he said. Sam let him go and walked away from his brother.

"Look Sam," said Dean. "The three of us, it's all we've got. It's all I've got. Sometimes I feel like I'm barely holding it together man. I can take you be angry at me and wanting to punch me, but I can't take you being afraid of me. That's about to kill me and Lothos knows it. I would never hurt you Sam." He came up behind his brother and tried to touch his arm. He needed something, anything, to let him know that he was getting through to him. Sam knocked his hand off again and backed away. Dean sighed.

"Sam please!" he said but lowered his hand and backed off. Sam grabbed his head and swayed. It was beginning to hurt bad again and he could barely stand up.

"Sam," said Dean concerned. He walked back over to him, but didn't touch him. "You're hurting again aren't you." Sam nodded. Dean wanted to reach out to his brother so bad, but was afraid too. Tony did come up and grab his hands, pulling them from his head. He looked in Sam's eyes. They were clear.

"Sam," said Tony. "Please let your brother touch you, ok?" Sam nodded and Dean touched his shoulders, then grabbed them and turned him to face him.

"I'm sorry," said Sam, and Dean let out a breath.

"It's ok Sam," said Dean and looked at Tony. "Thanks," he said. Tony nodded and grinned, glad to see that even though Sam was still a little nervous, he was getting better.

"Well isn't this just sweet," said Lothos coming back into the room. Nobody heard him enter. Tony jumped up. Dean whirled around and stood very close to his brother, prepared to fight if this bastard touched him again.

"Where's Jack?" asked Dean angrily.

"He's paying for attacking me. I'll be going back to help my brother soon. I just wanted to check on you. Hello Tony, I see you're feeling better. I'll be sure to fix that soon." He glared at Sam. "What are you doing Sam?"

Sam glared.

"Is there a problem?" asked Lothos. Sam didn't answer for a few minutes but he didn't have to. He knew just by looking at him that Tony and Dean were getting through to him.

Finally Sam did speak. "I don't think that my brother wants to hurt me," said Sam. Dean's head shot over to look at Sam. It was music to his ears.

"Really," said Lothos getting angry that he escaped his control once again.

"I think it's you. I think that you are the one that's doing this to me. I also think it was you that came in here looking like Dean. You're the one that put me in that chair. You're the one that is messing with my head not Dean," said Sam and Lothos laughed evily. Sam started toward Lothos. It was all coming back and Sam was beginning to remeber. Lothos took out a gun and leveled it on Sam. He stopped.

"Sam!" said Dean stepping up to him again.

"You're to smart for your own good Sam. He cocked the gun. Sam braced knowing that Lothos was going to kill him, but at least he'd die knowing that Dean wasn't his enemy after all. He looked defiantely at Lothos, which for some reason unnerved him, but the grin on his face was telling Sam, he was going to kill him anyway. Sam closed his eyes and waited, braced for the shot.