HEARTFELT

Sam crumpled to the floor as the old overhead lights fell and knocked him out. Dean looked around and Arandi stepped into sight. The look on her face told him that she had heard him tell Sam to pull the trigger.

She picked up Dean's gun and checked it. She looked at him sadly when she found it loaded.

"I didn't think he would do it." He defended.

"By the looks of it if he could blast you with the fucking shotgun this was going to be pie to him."

Dean struggled to his feet. Pain searing through his chest and his head spinning but they still had work to do.

Sam pushed at the light on top of him trying to stand and Dean punched him knocking him out again. He picked up his duffle.

He didn't meet Arandi's eyes. He wouldn't be able to stand the anger or sadness behind them right now. Anger that probably had Ellicott itching to work his insanity against. Dean stumbled forward. He had to find the bones and end it.

He could tell Arandi that he had been under the ghost's influence also. She might buy it since she hadn't actually seen the files. He stopped walking when he saw a tuft of hair sticking out of a cabinet. He was doing great when he was thinking about lying to his wife.

He dropped to his knees and pulled the door open. He gagged when the stench of trapped body gasses hit him in the face. He didn't hesitate another second shaking salt all over the body and squirting a whole bottle of lighter fluid. He wanted this bastard to burn hot.

He was about to fling the Zippo when he heard Arandi gasp and she fell on top of him heavily. They both tumbled to the floor.

Dean opened his mouth and suddenly Ellicott appeared over them one hand on each of their temples.

Dean felt the current zapping through him. He could feel Arandi seizing beside him a blue current shooting through their heads.

"I'll make you all better." The ghost said calmly.

Dean felt his anger surge forward. He could just image how much disaster he could create if his inner turmoil was ever truly let loose.

Arandi wasn't exactly going to win Miss Congeniality.

There was just one thing the ghost didn't realize, all of Dean's anger was directed at him in that moment. Dean reached for the Zippo until his fingers closed around it, he flicked it and tossed it.

He watched as Ellicott caught on that he had pushed the anger out of the wrong person. He stared at Dean in shock even as he sparked up and vanished once and for all.

Dean fell back breathing hard. His vision full of black spots. Arandi had passed out.

He heard Sam beginning to stir again. He looked over to see Sam's confused eyes looking at him as he held his sore jaw.

"You're not gonna try to kill me are you?"

"No."

"Good because that would be awkward."

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Dean could play the macho card to the fullest when he had to so even though Sam didn't have a chest full of rock salt. Dean was still the one that carried Arandi out of the place.

With Ellicott burned away, the other spirits were able to rest and the doors were all wide open now.

Dean settled Arandi into the passenger seat. She was coming around by then.

"You guys watch horror movies?" He asked Kat and Gavin. Doing his damnedest to not show how awful he felt.

"Yeah." Kat replied.

"Do me a favor next time they tell you a place is haunted, don't go in."

Kat and Gavin smiled. "Thanks for everything." They walked to their car and drove away. For them that was it. They would file it away and go on with their lives.

Dean could feel Sam's eyes on him. He bit back the urge to scream for his brother to just leave him the fuck alone.

"Dean, you know I didn't mean any of that."

"Oh you remember all that."

"Do we…."

Dean lifted his hand. "Not in the mood for sharing and caring." He got in the car and gave Sam just enough time to get in before he zoomed away.

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Getting to their motel seemed to take hours. Dean knew he probably should have let Jade drive since she was the only one that hadn't been zapped or shot but he could be stubborn that way.

He parked with a jolt of brakes and stumbled out of the car. He forced himself to get the duffels and gritted his teeth the entire time. He was so very glad that they had gotten their rooms before the hunt.

Sam was standing by waiting to talk and Dean just couldn't handle that.

"Dean, this isn't something we can just let slide."

"Sam, if you don't remember I have a chest full of rock salt and a knot on the back of my head the size of a baseball. Your touchy feely 'let's make everything better with a hug' crap is going to have to wait for another day." Dean walked to his room with Arandi in front of him and slammed the door.

Sam stared at the door half tempted to push it but Dean was right, Sam knew Dean was hurting badly and not just physically. He had shot his brother without an ounce of remorse when he was under Ellicott's control and if not for Arandi he was going to shoot his brother in the head.

Bile rose up in his throat and he heaved everything up until he had nothing left. He felt Jade's reassuring touch on his back. She led him to their room and he prayed they could fix somehow.

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Dean cursed when he realized that pieces of his t-shirt were stuck to the wounds on his chest.

He had no idea how he even made the drive without screaming. Sitting had pressed splinters deeper than they already were. His head was going to explode, he was so ready to throw up, and then there was Arandi who hadn't said a word to him since.

He sat on the very tip of the closed toilet seat wondering where to begin when she came in to the bathroom. He had come pretty close to just crawling into a corner and curling up.

Quietly but with sure hands she began to take care of his wounds as gently as she could. Getting the bits of t-shirt loose from his chest burned like fire and Dean bit his lip bloody.

She helped him stand and he leaned with hands against the wall while she worked his jeans down. Getting the larger splinters as she went.

Once she had him naked she found all the splinters in his back and thighs, a few on the back of his arms. Thankfully most of them came loose with the removal of his clothes.

She turned the hot water on in the shower and stripped down herself. She led him under the water. The blessed feeling of sweat and dried blood swirling away as he leaned back against the wall because his legs were shaking like mad.

She cleaned his chest with a wash cloth and antiseptic soap until Dean was sure all the salt was gone and he wasn't going to pass out. He had a high tolerance for pain but damn.

She went over his entire body again making sure she didn't miss anything.

Then she washed his hair, minded his sore head and more blood swirled away. She washed him entirely before given herself a quick wash and rinse.

Dean didn't have it in him to help. She knew that, he hoped. A wide black bruise was on her back where she connected with Dean and then the floor but otherwise she seemed fine. Expect for the silence.

Out of the shower she dried them up and helped Dean into boxers. He could barely keep his eyes open. She slipped into a t-shirt and shorts. She led him to the bed.

"I can't give you anything for pain because of your head." She spoke finally. "I'll wake you in a couple of hours."

"Arandi…" Dean said tiredly.

"Not in the mood to share and care either."

Dean looked at her until his eyes refused to stay open.

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Arandi stood over Dean and watched him sleep. She was so tired but wide awake at the same time.

Dean couldn't even sleep peacefully. He flinched and moaned. She wiped the single tear that slipped down his face. What the hell had Dean been thinking?

She wanted to believe that Ellicott had influenced Dean too. It still didn't change the fact that if she hadn't decided to not listen to her husband he would be dead.

The thought made her nauseas. She started to wake Dean from his restless sleep but she changed her mind. If he was moving around he would be fine.

She rummaged through Dean's duffle bag trying to find something to help her sleep. She found a brand new bottle of whiskey. A glass or two would help her fine.

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Sometime during his sleep Dean tried to turn over on his stomach. Intense burning pain flowing through his chest reminded him why that wasn't a good idea.

He could tell some time had gone by and that Arandi had failed to wake him. He then realized that she wasn't next to him and a quick glance of the room told him she wasn't there.

He got up groaning. Every ache and pain screaming at him full volume. The room spun, his stomach surged, and his head kept rhythm with his heart.

It took him longer than he cared to admit to slip on some pajama bottoms and he quickly decided against a t-shirt. If anyone was outside at this hour they would just have to deal.

A quick scan of the parking lot showed him nothing and peeking into Sam and Jade's room through a small slit in the curtains showed nothing but dark.

She could still be in there but he doubted it.

The Impala hadn't been moved. He heard something scatter and come off the roof. He looked up and there was Arandi sitting up on a ledge at least two stories up. She had his large bottle of whiskey between her legs.

Dean moved as fast as he could to find where she had climbed up and he found the ladder that was pressed against the side of the building. He went up even as every bit of his body protested.

He didn't want to spook her. "Hey, baby, what are you doing?"

Arandi brought up the bottle in one hand his Smith and Wesson in the other. One look told him that she had polished off over half the bottle. "You told him to shoot." She slurred. "He was going to kill you and you were going to let him."

"I wasn't thinking, baby, I was…" Dean stopped moving his heart in his throat as Arandi cocked the gun and put it to her temple. "Arandi, don't…."

"Why not, Dean? Give me a good reason."

"Because I love you and I need you." He pushed out of his frozen lungs.

"Really? Because I love you and I need you too and you were ready to leave me behind."

"Arandi, you do this and I'm two seconds behind you. I swear." He said past the knot in his throat. Tears slid down his face. There was no pain in existence like this one.

That seemed to bring her around. She uncocked the gun and set it beside her. She stood up unsteady and moved towards him. "Don't cry." She said even as her own tears started to flow. "Please don't cry." She cupped his face.

Dean shook his head unable to say anything. He wrapped his arms around her. The pains of his injuries pushed back. He wasn't letting her go. No damn way was he letting her go.

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After two near falls he finally got her off the roof. It had been like a dance to get her back to where the gun was to retrieve it and then getting back to the ladder.

He was in so much pain he was sweating and seeing stars. He locked the door and set up a booby trap that would make a hell of racket if she tried to leave again.

He did the same to the bathroom window just in case while she threw up and he helped her clean up. He led her to the bed and got her under the covers. He stared at the pain meds. He really needed them.

He had the solution. He took the pills and let them take him under.

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Arandi's head pounded with every heartbeat. 'Someone shoot me.' She thought and a flash of memory made her sit up. Her arm yanked back painfully.

She nearly laughed. Dean had handcuffed her to him but then panic set in too. She had put a gun to her own head in front of Dean. Like he didn't have enough fucking crap to deal with.

But she couldn't forget how he had urged Sam to shoot him and Sam would have if she hadn't shown up when she did.

She tried to tell herself that it was just the situation. That Dean had been effected by Ellicott just being there.

Then she could blame her stupidity from last night on Ellicott too. Right now though she needed to empty her bladder because her back teeth were swimming.

She looked around and Dean had meticulously hidden everything that she could possibly use to open the handcuffs. He had even put the lamp out of her reach.

She had no choice but to wake him.

One touch told her that he was burning up. "Dean." She shook him. No response. "Dean, baby, I need to use the bathroom." Nothing.

It was then Dean's phone sounded. He didn't even stir. She reached for it and seeing John's name on the caller ID she quickly answered.

"Pops?"

"Arandi, where's Dean?"

"He took a blast of rock salt to the chest and is out of it right now. Very long story."

"Sweetie, I need you to hear me out. Your dad and I are on the demon's trail. That's why we haven't gone home. Please tell Dean and Sam to back off a bit. We need you guys to stay safe. Once we establish things on our side we will bring you all in."

"Where's my dad?" Arandi asked.

There was some whispering and then Jonathan came on the line. "Baby girl, it is so good to hear your voice."

"You too dad, mom, really is worried and misses you."

"I know, Arandi, but we stumbled onto some information that has us right on the demons tail without his knowing apparently. If we can get to it before it makes its move on Sam or Dean for that matter, we can finally live in peace. Tell your mom I miss her and love her and just a bit more time before we see you all again. John says to tell Mary the same. We love you all." With that the line went dead.

Arandi sat for a moment letting the relief of knowing their dads were ok sink in but that still didn't help her bladder.

She dialed Sam and explained her situation. Leaving out for the time being why she was handcuffed to her husband.

She had forgotten about Dean's craftiness and winced as Sam opened the door and all kinds of stuff crashed to the floor loudly.

Dean sat up then groaned in pain and made a mad dash for the bathroom and dragged Arandi with him.

Arandi peed in the tub while Dean's insides made their acquaintance with the toilet.

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Sam's eyes kept roaming to Dean's chest as his brother leaned back on a pile of pillows against the headboard.

It looked so painful and then he'd meet Dean's glare and looked away.

Arandi filled them in on the phone call. She hoped it would perk Dean up somewhat.

He drank a bottle of water and refused to eat. Every move he tried to make was painful.

Sam hadn't figured out the splinters until Arandi pointed it out. Which made him feel shittier than he already did.

Still he tried. "So what do we do now? Are we really backing off?"

"That's what they want us to do." Dean glared harder.

"The demon is after me so I want in I warned him to not interfere with my friends or family."

Dean huffed unbelievingly. "You don't know what demon killed your friends. FYI there are more than one and dad said we would be in when they found out everything. We can't just go running in head first and get them and all of us killed."

Sam was supposed to be making nice with Dean not pissing him off more. "Yeah, I guess." He bit off everything else. "So do I want to know why Arandi was on lock down?"

The look on Dean's face said that wasn't a good subject either so Sam decided to just go back to his room.

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Two days later Dean got coordinates on his phone. Still feeling a bit off, they had stayed put, to rest and recuperate. There was no choice when Dean knew he wasn't ready. His admitting that was a testament of how bad he felt.

Passing the news about their dads to their moms had been hard because both women were on the verge of going off on their own.

Arandi was getting them lunch at a diner across the road so he quickly booted up the computer and did some quick research on the coordinates and what might be going on in the area.

He wasn't going to tell anyone that he'd gotten the coordinates. He was just going to go with the 'guess what I found?' He deleted the message from his phone and waited for Arandi to return.

He knew that he couldn't keep up the curt speeches with Sam and that he and Arandi were going to have to talk about the other night. His head ached just thinking about it.

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Dean should have known that his brother was going to act like a pissy little bitch when he brought up the hunt.

He was bound and determined to look for their dad's even though they had been specifically told not to do anything but wait and keep saving people.

"You're a selfish bastard you know that?" Dean growled at Sam pulling back the urge to knock him on his ass. "I'll leave your ass here."

"That's what I want you to do." Sam said with a smirk.

Arandi looked at Jade who shrugged. They both followed their husbands regardless of how sometimes they thought they were just stubborn dumb asses.

Arandi got in the car and Dean was right behind her. He spun tires out of the motel parking lot.

Sam and Jade watched them leave and then moved on to find a car they could hot wire.

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"Whatever it is takes couples. That of which we are." Arandi stated as she went over the papers Dean had printed.

"Yeah, I just need to find a car to hot wire and we can go in."

"Why do you need to hot wire a car?"

"You don't actually think I will let some nutcase get under the hood of my baby?" Dean said appalled.

"Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking."

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The Impala hidden away. Dean found the perfect car that probably wouldn't be looked for, for a while.

The house looked like no one was home, given away by the piled up newspaper and the SUV sat with a for sale sign.

Dean wired it up and they headed to find a motel room.

"So what time you think is a good time to happen into town?" Arandi asked.

"Around dinner time or a bit before. All the missing couples were last heard from around that time."

Arandi nodded. They had a few hours to kill. She stood up wondering what to do then suddenly Dean was behind her arms wrapped around her like a lifeline.

"I don't know what to say to make things better." He whispered in her ear. "I don't know why I told Sam to pull the trigger but seeing you with that gun to your head just about finished me."

"You said you would be two seconds behind me."

"I couldn't even begin to face that I had pushed you to that. That you stopped breathing because of me."

Arandi spun to face him. "Someday we are going to die. One of us has to go first. I doubt karma will let us go together. I want you to promise me you won't do anything stupid if I go first."

Dean stared into her eyes. "Define stupid."

Arandi shook her head as she put her forehead to his. "Deals, spells, crossroads, crap like that and especially offing yourself."

"I…."

"Dean."

"I promise but only if you promise the same."

"Deal." She smiled.

"That's just rude." He smiled back.

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Faking the smiles was the hardest thing to do. The fake syrupy insincerity from the people of the town was nauseating. They filled them with food, bullshit stories, and a rigged up car to break down just within reach of their death.

How did these people live with themselves? Sending innocent people to their deaths for good crops? Really?

It was taking everything Dean had not to just shoot them all and let God sort them out.

They had managed to hide weapons in the doors of the SUV so they drove away with fake 'have a safe trip' ringing in their ears.

Weren't they going to be surprised?

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Sam stared at his phone, finger hovering over Dean's number. Ok so he had fucked up…again. Dean had been right; they shouldn't risk putting their fathers' in danger until they knew what was going on.

Sam hit dial and Dean picked up on the first ring.

A few minutes later Dean had filled him in on everything and that with a bit of fast research they had figured out that it was some pagan god that these towns' people were feeding in cycles.

Sam smiled. His brother was yammering away, about to be in mortal danger but he sounded happy, in his element.

"Sam?"

"Yeah, Dean."

"I hope you know that all my bitching and moaning…...well you know I…..."

"Me too, Dean. So hey, pretty good research skills."

"Without my geek college nerd brother. Arandi takes over. Just so you know little brother, she's much sexier than you."

"You break my heart."

"I hope you know that I've always been proud of you."

Sam felt suddenly alarmed. "Dean?"

"The way you stand up to dad."

"Dean, maybe you should wait until…"

"Sam, call me when you find dad."

The line went dead. Sam stood up where he was eating and looked for Jade she was talking and laughing with a short haired blonde.

"Jade, we got to go."

"Hey, babe, this is Meg. She needs a ride and I told her we could get her at least a hundred miles up the road."

Sam smiled. "Make that fifty, change of plans."

"I'll take what I get off my feet." Meg laughed cheerfully.

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"Over here you fugly, son of a bitch!" Dean yelled trying to get the killer scarecrow to follow him and not Arandi.

Killer scarecrow. Only in their lives.

Dean zig zagged through the trees. Sparks filled his head and a rifle connected with his face and he went down hard.

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Dean woke up. The first thing he realized was that his hands were bound over his head.

He turned his head when he heard someone struggling nearby sure he was going to find Arandi but instead it was the girl they had seen earlier at the garage where their car had been 'fixed.'

"Emily?" Dean asked.

"My aunt and uncle, they brought me out here and tied me up with you because they couldn't find your wife." Emily cried.

"Their sacrificing their own niece?" Dean spat unbelievingly.

"It's for the greater good." Emily's aunt appeared in sight.

"She's your family, your blood."

"We have to think of the town and everyone."

Emily's uncle appeared beside his wife. "I'm really sorry, Emily."

Other town's people appeared including the sheriff. Dean recognized the gun that had made him see stars.

"You're supposed to obtain the law." Dean accused.

"I haven't killed anyone." The sheriff muttered.

"You have more blood on your hands than you will ever admit to."

Suddenly the sheriff crumpled to the ground. "Put down your guns now." Sam growled his gun aimed at the nearest person.

Jade close by him with her gun trained too.

"Sammy, I've never been so glad to see you." Dean laughed.

"You can't do this. The scarecrow has to have a sacrifice or we all die." Emily's aunt cried.

"He just needs a man and a woman." Sam grinned wickedly. "Any man and woman."

Emily's uncle cried out as a scythe sliced through him and the scarecrow grabbed the hysterically screaming aunt and dragged them both away.

The rest of the people had scattered in fear while Sam worked to untie Dean and Emily.

"Where's Arandi?" Jade asked.

"I was hoping you would know."

There was a horrid scream of something not natural and flames shot up high into the sky across the orchard.

Dean laughed. "That's my girl." Somehow he knew that Arandi had figured out how to kill the scarecrow.

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Dean sat on the edge of the motel bed with an ice pack to his jaw. He was tempted to start keeping a list of all his injuries, it might come in handy once he couldn't remember shit from all the concussions.

Sam walked in and sat beside him. "The girls are making sure that Emily gets on the next bus out of town to some other family in Boston."

"That's good." Dean sighed. "Hopefully they won't sacrifice her to some pagan god."

"I still can't believe these people didn't see anything wrong with what they were doing."

"Some people have a backwards sense of right from wrong."

"That's a little more than backwards."

"Why did you come back?"

"Is that you're way of saying thank you?"

Dean only eyed him.

"Look, I let my temper get the best of me and you're right, putting our dads in more danger than they already are would be selfish. Besides my big brother needed saving for once."

"Whatever, dude, I had a plan."

"Sure you did."

"I am supposed to hug you now?"

"Would it kill you?

"Can't risk it, bitch."

"Bite me, jerk."

TBC

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Thanks for reading!