Previously:
"You are also charged with the brutal murders of Kyle and Joseph Berg," Bracken announced.
Sam gasped in pain as the hunter's cruel fingers dug into the bloody lacerations and finger painted the viscous fluid seeping out of them, down his back. Sam's pained expressions were once again absorbed by the dense fabric tape that sealed them in.
"How does your despicable, evil ass plead?" Bracken questioned mockingly as Derek wiped his bloody fingers on Sam's cheek.
Derek raised his whip before Bracken had even finished the question, not caring to hear the answer or give Sam the dignity of a muffled response.
Sam, hopeless, helpless, and devastated dropped his head and closed his eyes, once again anticipating the excruciating pain he knew was coming. His only hope was that the two whippings might somehow claim his life as he longed to join his brother on the other side.
Chapter 2
Dean grew anxious as he checked his watch. It had been almost an hour since he and Joshua had left the apartment to head for the warehouse in hopes of rescuing Sam in time. Each minute had ticked by slowly and painfully, as thoughts of what might be happening to his little brother tortured his worried mind.
He had no idea how many hunters were involved. The thought of Sam facing a warehouse of hateful, malicious hunters torturing him was terrifying. Bracken had used the word 'partner' back at the apartment and Dean could only hope that it was just he and Derek who had taken his little brother.
Dean checked his watch again. One hour. Damn it. Part of him hoped Bracken and Derek did an inquisition first, at least that would buy he and Joshua time to get to Sam before they sentenced him to death, and part of him feared that his brother might not even make it through an inquisition. Sam was stronger, but his strength and stamina were far from normal and emotionally the kid seemed to be doing pretty well, but this situation had to have thrown his brother into one hell of an emotional tailspin.
After what felt like an eternity to Dean, Joshua finally pulled off the highway and headed down towards the bay. As they began their ascent towards the warehouses and the waterfront, Dean was able to get a good feel for the layout of the area. There was a main street that paralleled the water. Its pot-holed, single lane road was surrounded on both sides by warehouses. Some appeared to be in good shape and still in use, others were clearly abandoned and in disrepair. For an industrial area in early afternoon, the place seemed almost deserted.
To Dean's relief, Joshua finally pulled into an unpaved parking lot between two abandoned warehouses. Dean followed close behind along with a large cloud of dust that was tailing him. He leaned forward toward his front windshield and quickly scanned the warehouses before him, hoping to catch a glimpse of his brother through a window. The sun reflected off the broken panes making them impossible to see through.
Joshua skidded to a halt. Dean spun his wheel and skidded up beside him. The cloud of dust that had been following continued on, wafting over both cars as it made its way to the pier before being swept ten feet downward by a slight breeze coming in off the bay. Both men hopped out of their vehicles and circled around to their hidden arsenals. Within minutes, both were ready, duffels filled, and weaponry in hand.
"The warehouse is one block north of here," Joshua explained as he leaned over and drew a rectangular diagram in the dirt . "It's empty, been cleaned out. One main door, two side entrances, three loading docks," he added as he pointed out the location of each in the dirt. "There's an office section with four rooms here," he pointed to the upper section of the diagram. "It's a bit of a maze, but all the hallways lead to the main part of the warehouse through these doors," he added pointing to the two short lines he'd placed in the middle of the dusty drawing. "The rest of the building is completely open with broken windows all around the top. Based on what I saw, they'll be in the main part of the warehouse over here." Joshua pointed down to the lower left, near one of the side doors.
Dean nodded. "What did you see?" he asked anxiously, having just heard the hunter declare the warehouse was empty.
Joshua sighed. " Weapons, cuffs, chains, a list……."
"A list?" Dean interrupted curious the hunter would mention it. "Of what?"
"The hunters that were killed at the roadhouse and the hospital. Gordon's name was on it, Jake's, Tommy's. There were fourteen in all."
Dean's blood chilled. "You think, what, that they're…"
"I think they're gonna punish your brother for all fourteen deaths," the hunter flatly stated.
Dean's eyes doubled in size as the thought of his brother suffering the revenge of fourteen killed, burned anger in his heart. "Sons of Bitches! Dean infuriatingly declared. "Bastards beat the shit out of him, nearly kill him and they're blaming him for fighting back?"
Dean looked briefly away not wanting Joshua to see the tears of fear that stung in his eyes.
"This ends today," Dean ordered through clenched teeth. "I want them taken out! No jail, no mercy, just taken out!" the oldest Winchester growled.
Joshua studied Dean for a moment fully aware that the hunter was going against Sam's wishes.
Dean looked at Joshua defensively. "If we let them live, they'll always be a threat to him and he'll never be safe," he stated clearly, wishing he had made Joshua take the two out right from the beginning. He loved Sam and his compassion, but by holding back and waiting for the hunters to make their moves, his little brother was once again thrown into their grips, a position Dean could not allow to happen again. "Whatever it takes, this ends today."
Joshua nodded in complete agreement.
"You ready?" Joshua asked wanting to know for sure Dean's mind was clear and in the game. To hunt emotionally impassioned can be a help or a hindrance. Rage and anger can make you stronger, but they can also cloud your vision.
"Let's do it!" Dean stated adamantly, fully aware of the effects emotions can have on a hunt. He understood the hunter's question and knew he could keep his emotions under control.
Dean quickly rose and took off in the direction Joshua had indicated. The oversized man hoisted his duffle strap higher on his shoulder and took off behind him.
oooOOOooo
As the two hunters reached the next block, Dean slowed and waited for Joshua to point out the right warehouse. There were two side by side, both appeared abandoned based on their broken windows, rusty exteriors, and the mess of dumped trash and broken crates stacked and scattered along the sides.
Joshua fingered the second and the two hunters moved in immediately and cased the place. Everything was exactly as Joshua had described. Neither hunter could get a clear visual on the area Joshua had indicated Sam would probably be in, so they decided to approach from the opposite side of the building by the office area, hoping it would offer them cover as they attempted to locate Sam and Bobby and rescue them.
Using a pocket knife, Dean slipped the blade between the window frames of the front left office and turned the lock open. He tugged on the window to open it, but it refused to budge, having been painted shut years earlier. Dean pushed harder along the edges of the unyielding frame and it eventually let go with a loud crack. Both Joshua and Dean paused, leaned back to the outside wall hidden from view and shared a nervous look. They waited for a moment, but when there was no indication that anyone was investigating, they returned to their positions and slid the window open.
Dean entered first, silently scaling down the wall to the floor. He did a quick scan of the room and then turned to receive his gear. Joshua passed the overstuffed duffle through the window. Next the hunter dropped his gear down to Dean. By the time the older hunter's foot touched the floor of the office, Dean was armed and making a visual on the hallway.
He turned and gestured towards the right as he could hear voices off in that direction. The voices paused and a loud crack suddenly split the silence. Dean couldn't place the sound, but it was familiar and ominous. Whatever it was, a voice began furiously cursing, only moments later to be silenced.
Dean and Joshua's pulses raced as they recognized the voice to be Bobby's.
Dean looked over to Joshua, who was now armed and zipping up his duffle. The hunter slung it back over his shoulder and prepared to follow Dean out into the hallway.
The two men bolted down the hallway, desperate to get to the main room. The hallway suddenly split in two directions. A fire plan on the wall indicated that both lead to the open space Joshua had indicated Sam and Bobby would most likely be. Dean gestured that he'd go right and that Joshua should go left. He held up five fingers indicating that they would both do surveillance and return to make a plan in five minutes. Joshua acknowledged and headed left while Dean disappeared off to the right.
On their way, both heard voices again, but neither of them were Sam's or Bobby's.
Dean crouched down as he neared the end of the hallway. A door with a broken window stood between him and where he wanted to be. Wanting to gain an understanding of how many hunters were involved and his brother's predicament, he laid low and waited, straining to listen. So far he counted two voices, one of which he recognized as Bracken's, the soon to be dead conspiracy theorist.
"...charged with the brutal and vile murders ...vile murders...vile murders...of Kyle and Joseph Berg... Berg...Berg! How does your evil, despicable ass plead...ass plead...ass plead?" an unfamiliar voice questioned mockingly.
Chills ran up his spine as he heard the accusing words shouted out in a mock trial form and returning over and over again in an echoed chorus. He knew they were aimed at his brother and it infuriated him. He strained to hear Sam's plea of not guilty and it terrified him when it didn't come.
"crack"
"What the f….?" Dean whispered when he heard the ominous sound. "Shit!" Horrifying anguish enveloped him when he finally recognized the weapon's sound. It was unmistakable. The way the nine knotted ends cracked within seconds of each other…Dean knew it was a cat-o'-nine tails.
He frantically threw his back flat against the wall and stealthily slid upwards to take a look. He didn't care if there were a hundred hunters in the damn place, he would not allow his brother to suffer the severe physical torture of a Cat. He held his weapon tight to his chest and blinked repeatedly trying to clear the panicked tears that stung in his eyes.
What he saw steeled his nerves and shattered his heart. The scene looked like something from one of Dean's nightmares, only this time, it was real. His little brother was suspended off the cold cement floor, shirtless and bound, streaks of torn flesh ran from his right shoulder down to his left jean belt loop, crimson blood dripped in tiny, river like-paths down his back and pooled on the waistband of his jeans. Sam was facing away, but he could see his brother's head was down on his chest and not moving. His eyes searched his brother's sides to see if could detect his ribcage expanding to indicate he was breathing. If Sam was, the movement was undetectable.
He quickly surveyed the warehouse and to his relief found only the two hunters. Bracken was standing beside Sam with a long chain partially wrapped around his fisted hand; Derek stood with the Cat-o'-nine tails in his hand behind Sam, the throngs of which were slick with his brother's blood. He quickly scanned the rest of the place, but could see no sign of Bobby from his position. Unaware of Joshua's position, he was hopeful that the hunter could see and cover Bobby.
He quickly glanced at his watch. Two minutes left until he was supposed to rendezvous with Joshua. Dean's eyebrows furrowed. He didn't dare leave his position for fear Sam would suffer another flogging in his absence and he hoped Joshua had decided the same thing.
Dean steadied his piece preparing to take his first shot. He aimed for Bracken's head hoping to have a more personal confrontation with Derek later, one that included forcing the bastard's face through the back of his head after turning his own Cat on him first, one strike for each Sam had suffered and then a couple of more.
"He pleads guilty...guilty...guilty!" Bracken declared cruelly mocking his helpless prisoner.
Derek raised his arm up preparing to wield the multi-tailed implement of punishment at Sam.
Dean acted on instinct. No thought was involved.
"ffffftt,
Hanging with his eyes closed, waiting for the double strike he knew was coming, Sam heard the familiar sound of a .45 discharging, followed by a gasp from behind him and the boneless thump of Derek's lifeless body against the cold cement floor.
Rapid fire exchanges followed as Dean and Joshua moved in on Bracken. The rescuing hunters' gunfire was suddenly halted when Bracken dove for a position behind Sam, attempting to use his hanging prisoner as a shield, while continuing to fire on Dean and Bobby. Both hunters dropped flat to the floor with their weapons trained, but neither could take a shot without hitting Sam.
Dean felt pure fear as he watched helplessly as Bracken stopped firing and placed his piece up against Sam's forehead while still remaining shielded by his brother's damaged frame.
Sam felt the hot metal barrel, that had been recently fired, burn as it was butted up against his skin. He squeezed his eyes shut anticipating the shot and couldn't help but wonder if he would even hear the blast before his tore through his skull.
"I'll shoot him...shoot him...shoot him! I swear..swear...swear! Drop your weapons...your weapons...your weapons, now..now...now!" Bracken's voice boomed out, his threat echoing over and over within the walls of the warehouse.
Dean grimaced and looked frantically over at Joshua who was already looking at him as the remaining echoes dissipated.
The seasoned hunter gestured for Dean to wait in the hopes that maybe the eldest Winchester could take a shot as Joshua openly surrendered. He laid down his weapon dramatically and slowly rose with his hands up and out to show Bracken he was no longer a threat.
Unfortunately, Bracken would not be distracted, instead he held his position and threat over Sam's life.
"Eeeeeasy," Joshua's deep voice called out soothingly, trying to keep the hunter from killing Sam.
"You too..too...too!" Bracken called over to Dean who was desperately trying to get a clean shot.
Sam lifted his head slightly and opened his eyes when he heard the mention of another person. He had recognized Joshua's voice and dared to hope the other person with him was Dean. He strained to hear through the frantic thumping of his blood rushing through his ears for that one voice that could make him dare to hope to live another hour.
The eldest Winchester finally set his piece on the floor and rose slowly with his arms gesturing surrender.
"Kick your weapons forward…forward…forward!" Bracken's voice commanded. .
Dean eyed his piece and reluctantly kicked it forward. Joshua did the same.
"Turn around...round...round, both of you,..you...you, backs to me...me..me," Bracken ordered demandingly.
Both hunters hesitated.
In anger, Bracken struck Sam on the head with the butt of his gun, shoved the now cooler barrel to his chest by his heart, and reiterated his command.
"No..no...no!" Dean called out angrily when he saw his brother brutalized.
Sam's head was thrown back, ice cold pain spread across his face traveling upward, outward, and through to the back of his skull. A brief wave of dizziness disoriented him.
Though the assault should have brought devastation and despair to the already tortured young man, it didn't. Instead, upon hearing his brother's voice, Sam's hopelessness, which had been paralyzing, suddenly mutated, taking on a new form…one of purpose, to make sure his greatest fear didn't become a reality. He had lost his brother once today, he would not lose him again. He mentally grabbed hold of his spinning world and stilled it, then looked directly at Bracken and began calculating.
Bracken shifted nervously when he saw the change in Sam's demeanor, but his arrogance, as well as the weapon he had trained on his prisoner's chest, offered him a false sense of security, one that would ultimately lead to his undoing.
Dean and Joshua turned, not wanting Sam to have to pay for their hesitations again.
Dean bit his lip nervously as his heart beat frantically in his chest. He had no idea what the sadistic hunter would do. Surrendering didn't guarantee the bastard wouldn't shoot Sam out right or that he wouldn't take Joshua and him out, leaving Sam alone to be tortured to death. He waited in fear as he anticipated the hunter's next action.
Confident that he had once again disarmed and subdued the mighty Winchester brothers, Bracken removed his weapon from Sam's chest deciding he would bind the two additional hunters and give them front row seats for the trial and execution of his captured demon soldier.
The second the barrel cleared Sam's body, the wounded hunter grabbed onto the rope above his bound hands, and with all the abdominal strength he could muster, raised his legs up, placed his feet on the center of the distracted hunter's chest and shoved with all of his might.
While Sam's hanging position made him absorb some of the force causing his body to swing painfully backward, the majority of it went forward propelling the arrogant hunter into the air, off his feet, where he slammed into the unyielding wall that shadowed him.
Bracken's weapon flew out of his hand, skidded across the floor, and smacked into the exit door a few feet away, finding a stopping place just inside the frame.
Sam tried to holler out to let his brother know he could recover his weapon and defend himself, but the duct tape refused to cooperate. Fortunately, a muffled sound somehow escaped through the unforgiving utility fabric and tipped Dean off to make his move.
Bracken frantically attempted to regain his footing, but ended up on the floor in a heap. The panicked hunter quickly scrambled to retrieve his fallen weapon by the door and began firing at Joshua and Dean who had recovered their pieces and were putting the hunter in their sights. He was too far away to shield himself behind the tortured Winchester, and as the bullets threatened to fly, he ducked out the side door to disappear into the warehouse district just beyond it.
"He's mine," Joshua growled as he took off with lightening speed through the door, knowing Dean would want to tend to Sam and Bobby.
oooOOOooo
"Sammy?" Dean called out as he bolted to his little brother in record time.
Sam hung helplessly, unable to respond, and waited for this brother to appear.
"Aw, no," he sighed deeply distressed when he saw his brother's bloodied face and mouth taped shut. It wasn't so much that the tape was offensive. Dean had considered taping Sam's mouth shut a couple of times before. It was the symbolism…the idea that Sam could not defend himself in the trial nor that he had a right to, that Dean found incredibly disturbing.
When Sam first saw his brother, his eyes instantly teared up and he began trying to talk through the duct tape. His mutterings sounded like muffled sobs, though they were actually words of relief that his brother was alive.
Dean misunderstood Sam's reaction to be that of pain and despair and his heart ached to see his little brother so emotionally distraught.
"S'okay, Sammy," Dean cooed softly. "Easy, now. You're alright."
"Let me get this off, okay?" Dean offered tenderly as he slowly removed the tape, trying not to pain his brother more than necessary.
Sam's eyes continued to tear as the relief, fear, and pain he was enduring surfaced and took him. The tears that had been pooling finally flooded his eyelids and rained down his battered cheeks.
Dean placed his hands on either side of Sam's neck and gently moved his thumbs across his jaw bone as his eyes soaked in his brother while trying to comfort him. "It's okay, little brother," he tried to assure his momentarily broken sibling. "You're gonna be okay," Dean whispered gently as his eyes searched back and forth between his brother's trying to reach inside to his spirit and offer his little brother comfort and hope.
As Dean tried to reach into Sam's soul, he found his little brother searching him as well and, overwhelmed with emotion, his eyes soon became blurry with tears too. He moved his hand up to his brother's cheeks and wiped his tears away with his thumbs and sniffed.
Sam's body, cold and in shock, trembled. The shiver caused him to wince in pain as it twitched the sliced muscles in his damaged back. Sam, his face still in his brother's hands, squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to ride out the pain.
Dean winced sympathetically. "Easy, Sammy," Dean cooed again feeling helpless as he removed his hands and looked up to see how he could free his brother and ease his pain.
Sam reopened his eyes, looked at Dean and tried to speak.
"I th-thought you w-were d-dead," Sam whispered out shivering.
Dean glanced back down at his little brother. Sam's bloody lip, swollen nose and pain filled eyes pulled on Dean's heart.
"You know me, Sammy. I don't die that easily," Dean quipped with a crooked smile.
Sam nodded. It was true. Dean had escaped death more times than he could count.
The eldest sibling once again began studying his brother's situation trying to determine the best way to get his little brother down. The ropes were tightly bound, cutting deep into Sam's wrists as gravity used his weight against him.
A shudder passed through Sam, jostling his torn back and reopening the little capillaries that had been willing to close. His back burned unbearably. Had he not had the company of his brother's presence, he would have given in to the pain and allowed it to consume him dragging him into an unconscious nothingness. Instead, Sam tensed and tried to ride out the pain.
"Easy," Dean offered sympathetically when he saw his brother suffering from his injuries.
Sam gasped as a sharp, searing pain took him.
"I know," he added placing his hand back on his brother's neck, hoping to let his brother know he was not alone in his anguish.
"Let's get you down, huh? Take a look your back?" Dean offered hoping that somehow he might be able to do something to alleviate his little brother's suffering.
Dean reached up and gently testing the ropes to see if there was enough room to slip the blade between Sam's wrists and hands without cutting them.
Sam's hands were cold to the touch and discolored from the lack of circulation and he found them painful to be touched. Sam flinched when his brother's fingers made contact as they tested the bindings.
"Hurt?" Dean asked as he winced with his brother.
Sam nodded as the painful prickling continued long after his brother had ceased his contact. Sam tried to wiggle his fingers, but this time they wouldn't respond.
"I'm gonna cut you down, okay?" Dean explained almost apologetically knowing it would be very painful for his little brother.
"G-Go check on B-Bobby, first," Sam whispered. "He's h-hurt, Dean."
"I'll check on him in a minute, okay. I want to get you down first," Dean explained.
"No D-Dean, now. They b-beat him c-cuz of m-me," Sam offered sadly. "I n-need to know if –f he's o-okay."
Dean frowned at his brother's selflessness and hesitated. Dean was concerned about Bobby, but his priority was Sam. Bracken could come back any minute, and his little brother's helpless position would make him an easy target.
Sam's pleading eyes offered Dean little choice.
"Okay," he signed, "but I'll be right back."
Sam nodded.
Dean ran and checked Bobby over quickly. The hunter was unconscious, clearly bruised with a few possible cracked ribs, but his pulse, respirations and pupils looked good. Nothing appeared life threatening and he quickly returned to Sam.
"He's hurt, but okay. We'll get you down and then take care of him," Dean instructed.
Sam nodded in relief as another wave of cold shivered through him.
Dean removed his knife from his wrist sheath, reached up, and slipped it under the rope between his hands, being careful to avoid his brother's exposed wrists. He slowly began sawing the blade back and forth pulling outward to cut the fibers. He applied enough pressure to make progress, but not enough to slice through quickly, fearing to do so would drop Sam to the floor before he could catch him and ease him down.
Sam shivered and gasped periodically as waves of pain washed over him. Through it all, Sam remained unusually quiet as he waited to be freed.
"You okay?" Dean asked worried about the unusual silence his brother was projecting.
"Th-they s-said you w-were d-dead, Dean…" the youngest sibling's voice hitched as he still felt the despair, from the perceived loss, lingering even though Dean stood right in front of him.
Dean paused, nodded with understanding, and rested his forehead on Sam's, trying to offer his obviously troubled brother a moment of comfort, recognizing the agony Sam had suffered when he believed his big brother was dead. Dean had felt the sting of that same fear so many times himself and knew it lingered and played with your mind.
He pulled his head away and smiled.
"Not me little brother," Dean softly reassured as he looked directly in Sam's troubled eyes. "We got a mountain to climb together, remember?"
Sam whispered a laugh and smiled, relieved that things had not ended in tragedy like he had expected. "J-Just bad l-luck again?" Sam questioned as he shivered from the cold and his body being in shock.
"Yep, this time they had Bobby," Dean explained as an excuse as to why they were once again in a nearly screwed situation. He returned to sawing his brother's bindings. "And there won't be a next time. Me and Joshua will make sure of that."
He tugged at the ropes to gage his progress and accidently bumped against Sam, jostling his body and tortured back.
Sam gasped and closed his eyes as the pain caused a wave of nausea and lightheadedness to wash over him.
"Damn, Sammy, I'm sorry," Dean whispered as he angrily cursed himself for not being more careful.
Sam remained silent with his eyes closed as he tried to manage his pain. His complexion paled considerably and Dean knew the pain was near overwhelming for him.
"Hey little brother, stay with me, okay?" Dean encouraged when he saw his brother fading. He began sawing more aggressively trying to get him down before he lost consciousness.
"Can you talk to me? Huh? How's the back?" Dean asked as he continued struggling to free his traumatized brother.
Sam opened his eyes and looked at Dean, but didn't answer. The answer was obvious.
"Hurts like hell," Dean sighed as he answered for his little brother.
Sam nodded and looked at his brother's bloodied face.
"D-Did Bracken d-do all th-that?"
"Bastard got lucky," Dean joked wishing he could get lucky and get the damn bindings to give so he could get his little brother down and more comfortable.
Dean circled around behind Sam to work on the ropes from a different angle when he was unable to saw all the way through from the front without cutting him. The height made it difficult for him to get a good amount of pressure to speed the process and there was nothing available to climb on to get better leverage.
His stomached sickened when he took in his little brother's mauled back.
"Jeezus," Dean whispered as he laid his hands gently on the unshredded skin on either side of the bloodied trails that traveled endlessly down Sam's back.
Sam flinched when his back was touched, not because Dean had hurt him, but more as a reflex.
Dean instantly removed his hands. "Sorry, little brother," Dean apologized.
Sam nodded. His brother owed him no apology nor would he ever. He was too thankful that Dean was alive to ever take offense with anything he ever did again.
Dean wiped his face. "We're gonna need to do some serious stitching when we get back, kiddo."
"Y-Yeah," Sam answered finding that talking and even breathing tugged savagely on the torn skin as it expanded and contracted with the movement of his ribcage.
Dean returned his attentions to the task at hand and finally found a spot where he could get some leverage to pull the knife through.
Sam's body was trembling uncontrollably not only from the lingering pain and bone chilling cold, but in reaction to the trauma he had suffered and Dean worried that Sam's unintentional movements might cause him to slip.
"Easy, Sammy. You think maybe you could try to be still. I don't want to accidently cut you," Dean asked sympathetically.
Sam nodded and tried to still his body, but he could gain no control over it.
Dean recognized it was not possible and he put his hand gently on his brother's shoulder for a moment. The quiet, gentle touch seemed to still him some. Dean then made his way back around to the front of his brother to finish off the final cuts to get his brother released.
"You know…I'm th-thinking bad l-luck doesn't usually s-strike in the s-same place this m-many times. M-maybe I'm c-cursed," Sam whispered out with a slight upward turn of the corners of his mouth.
"You and me both little brother," Dean jested back as he felt Sam's ropes finally starting to give.
One last cut and the bindings gave way. Dean caught his falling brother in his arms, locking his elbows to hook under Sam's underarms so he could gently ease him down. He was careful not to touch his damaged back.
Sam allowed himself to fall into Dean's embrace and the two lingered for a brief moment as if in a hug. Both brothers smiled, relieved the other had survived the horrible ordeal.
Seconds later, Dean moved Sam gently back and lowered him to the floor eager to assess his brother's condition.
The younger sibling gasped and winced with the changes in position as he was eased down onto his side by his brother.
Dean leaned down and looked in his eyes. "You okay?" he seriously asked.
Sam took a strained breath and with teary eyes, nodded. He rubbed his painfully sore wrists and tried to get the blood circulating back into his fingers.
Dean joined in trying to help Sam. The blood rushed in and intense pain soon followed. Sam quickly withdrew his hands wanting to avoid having them touched until the feeling returned to normal because it was too painful.
Dean noticed his withdrawal. "Hurts?"
Sam nodded. Both brothers knew once the blood settled in, the pain would subside. Sam was surprised his left hand could feel any pain and though it wasn't pleasant, he couldn't help but be somewhat pleased.
Sam shivered again.
Dean offered his jacket, but Sam declined knowing it would be too painful to put anything against his back.
After regaining the feeling in his hands, Sam attempted to sit up.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you stay down. Let me look at your back," Dean directed as he placed a firm hand on his brother's arm to keep him down.
"B-Bobby," Sam shivered back.
Dean hopped over his brother and began to take a closer look at Sam's back. "We'll check him in a minute." His fingers ghosted over the gashes not wanting to make contact for fear of paining or infecting the open wounds. He eventually laid his fingers along side each one and gently separated the flesh to gage the damage.
Sam hissed in pain and shook when each of the nine lacerations were inspected. He closed his eyes and bit his lip to the point of drawing blood trying to allow his brother's examination.
Dean felt waves of nausea as he struggled with seeing the intensity of the damage on his little brother's back and knowing he was causing his brother such pain.
Dean sat back on his feet, wiped his hand across his face, and sighed.
"W-well?" Sam shivered out.
Dean frowned not really wanting to tell his brother he was screwed and due for stitches and more months of recuperation and therapy, but he circled around in front of him, crouched down and reported what he saw truthfully, knowing Sam had a right to know.
Sam raised his head slightly and looked in his brother's eyes. He could tell the news wasn't good.
"One just broke the skin, two went pretty deep... to muscle, three went through the muscle, and three look like they went to bone in some places," Dean described painfully as his stomach turned in knots. He was amazed his brother was even conscious with the amount of pain he had to be suffering.
Sam laid his head down on the cement floor, closed his eyes and nodded trying bravely to receive his brother's diagnosis. The pain matched the intensity of the injuries.
Dean put his hand on his brother's head and stroked it once.
"We need to get you to a hospital, kiddo," Dean concluded.
"B-Bobby," Sam whispered out again as he raised his head back up. "Help me up, okay?"
"What?! Sam, no," Dean cautioned not wanting his brother to be moving around further damaging his already mauled back.
Sam rolled over onto his stomach and attempted to push himself up. Blood bubbled out of his wounds with his movements.
"Damn it, Sam," Dean hissed as he reached out and helped his stubborn brother to his feet. He knew it was pointless to try to prevent his brother from going to the family friend.
Sam swayed a bit, but steadied fairly quickly and, with Dean's help, the two made their way over to Bobby who was still unconscious on the warehouse floor.
Sam chose to stand above the hunter not wanting to bend or move in any way to aggravate his back. Dean crouched down and began to check the hunter out again.
Bobby stirred upon contact and, though a little disoriented, appeared to be okay.
Upon seeing the boys alive, Bobby's pained face broke into a broad smile and his sense of humor came pouring out.
"Aw, hell," the hunter boldly quipped as he looked at the two boys with great relief.
Both Sam and Dean were surprised by the hunter's first words and looked at him with raised eyebrows expecting an explanation.
Bobby smiled. "I was hoping to die and go to heaven, not hell," he clarified affectionately as he looked upon the wonderful faces of the boys, alive, and free. "Looks like I missed my stop."
"You're too damn grouchy to make it to heaven," Dean teased back as he began to cut the sarcastic hunter's bindings.
Sam smiled, amused by the friendly banter and glad to see the family friend was okay.
Bobby separated his freed hands and began working them to get the circulation back. He glanced up at Dean.
"Damn, Dean. You're a hell of a lot better looking as a dead guy than you ever were when you were alive," the overly happy hunter muttered out finding the young Winchester a sight for sore and black eyes. He was relieved as all get out that he hadn't lost the boy.
"I can tie you back up, smart a.."
"Dean," Sam whispered not wanting to allow his brother to disrespect the older hunter.
Dean frowned and rolled his eyes at his brother's interruption. He moved in to check out Bobby's wounds, but the old hunter brushed his attentions away.
"You okay?" Sam asked with concern.
"Been better, but m'good. You?"
Sam nodded
"Like hell you are," he muttered sadly. His eyes shone with sympathy and he turned to Dean. "Is he okay?" he asked seriously. He'd seen the whipping and feared for Sam's life. It was taking him a moment to reconcile what he expected to see with what he was seeing.
"He's in pain, seven lacerations need stitching, three went to bone in some places," Dean answered honestly, jumping right into his and Bobby's 'take care of Sammy' mode.
"Damn, Sam. I'm sorry son," Bobby offered in sympathy.
"He needs medical attention," Dean added letting the hunter know just how serious Sam's injuries were. Bobby nodded in agreement as he attempted to stand up having been freed from his bindings. Dean offered him a hand, but he used the wall to rise instead.
"Like you don't," Sam muttered back not wanting to be the topic of discussion..
"Oh great, you girls are at it again. Sheesh. What's a hunter got to do to get some peace?"
'Definitely don't hang out with us," Dean declared as he eyed his family before him, thankful all were alive. Sam was hurt, but okay for the moment, Bobby was even better. Both were capable of defending themselves if needed and Bracken was still out there. Dean knew Sam would have no peace if the huntsman was allowed to get away and he was determined not to let that happen.
"Can you handle him?" Dean questioned Bobby sincerely with his hand gently on his brother's shoulder. He hated to leave Sam while in such pain.
Sam and Bobby nodded. Each thinking Dean's question was addressed to him. Both were focused more on the other's injuries over his own and both were willing to do whatever was needed to protect the other.
"Stay here and lay low. Me and Joshua will be back and get you both to the hospital. Anybody comes through those doors except us, you shoot first, ask questions later. If I'm not back in thirty minutes, take Sam and get the hell out of here," Dean insisted as he threw his piece to Bobby and took off with his duffle towards the door.
"Dean, no!" Sam called suddenly realizing his brother was going after Bracken. At first he had thought his brother's instructions were for them while Dean got the Impala and returned. When he realized his brother was going to be gunning for Bracken, he began to panic.
"Gotta Sammy," Dean winked apologetically. " You stay with Bobby. I'll be right back. I promise," Dean answered and slipped out the door.
"Damn it, Dean," the young sibling despaired. He had just discovered his brother was alive and he didn't want to take a chance on loosing him again.
"He'll be okay," Bobby offered as he walked over to check out Sam's back. The older hunter knew that Bracken could not be allowed to live and that Dean, being an excellent hunter motivated by his drive to protect Sam, would take the bastard down.
Sam shook his head. "I gotta go," he whispered apologetically as he studied the room looking for another weapon. He wanted to leave Dean's with Bobby.
"No, Sam," Bobby offered sympathetically. "You need to wait here with me. Bracken's out there gunning for you and Dean's safer if he keeps his mind in the game, not worrying about you."
"I'm sorry, Bobby, I can't just sit here and allow Bracken to take Dean's life," Sam explained hoping the hunter might understand.
Bobby frowned. He could tell the kid was determined and he moved towards Sam to hold him back.
Sam stepped away and headed over to the Derek's duffle searching the bag for a weapon. The painful movements brought on waves of dizziness which threatened to topple the hunter, but he pushed on passed them with his mind totally focused on helping his brother.
"Sam, you're in no condition to be out there!" Bobby tried again having seen the youngest Winchester sway and groan from his injuries.
Sam found several weapons in the bag, but not a single handgun or gun of any kind. He made his way over to Derek's dead body.
Bobby had half a mind to aim his piece at Sam if he thought it would have done any good to force the hunter to remain with him. "Damn it, Sam, don't do this," Bobby begged.
Sam ignored the worried hunter. "Stay here and be careful in case he doubles back," Sam warned as he slowly eased himself down towards Derek's dead body. His movements were clearly hampered by his torn muscles and he found his world spin slightly from the pain as he moved them to lower himself down.
"What about you! You can't just go out there unarmed," the concerned hunter questioned, hoping to dissuade the determined young man with reason.
"I'll take Derek's," he called back as he removed the discovered piece from under the deceased hunter's belt.
Bobby watched helplessly as Sam slowly and painfully grabbed his shirt, which had been taken off him for the trial, and struggled to put it on, wincing as he moved his arms through the sleeves. He gritted his teeth and gasped several times when the fabric first laid on his open wounds and tugged at the shredded edges when he buttoned it. Sam's blood was quickly absorbed by the fabric and the shirt quickly glued to his back.
Sam checked Derek's piece for ammunition and when he discovered it to be fully loaded, looked at Bobby one more time to be sure the hunter was okay, and then took off out the door.
"SAM!"
TBC
Author's Thank You!
Thank you all so very much for your generosity in taking the time to review Ambush! I've been touched by your kindness in responding to my writing and it has been tremendous fun for me to interact with you as you move through the chapters! I was overwhelmed to reach more than 1,000 reviews and wanted to say thank you! You have inspired me to go where I would not have thought I could have gone! Chocolate hugs to all! Rachelly