Vrskaandrea: I know where your mind tends to go and you may come out of the corner now. Dean has all Danas antics hidden safely away but Missouri probably could find them if she went searching but she promised she wouldn't.

Blondie 20000: The clue Missouri found is very helpful and Dean has learnt an important lesson about tromping over peoples gardens. ;)

Arsamandi1: I wish they utilised Missouri more in the show. She could have been such a supporting figure for our boys, mush like I've portrayed her here. The branding she found will go a long way to solving this little mystery, that is if she remembered it correctly.

VegasGranny: That she does ;)

CHAPTER 36

Sam watched with interest as Missouri reconnected with Deans mind. After an initial flinch Dean sat still, face passive. Suddenly she gasped and stiffened as if electrocuted. They two women at the table were torn apart by some unseen force and Dean was thrown back in her chair, slumping slightly with her head falling backwards.

"Dean!" He shouted as he quickly ran to his brothers side.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Missouri furiously scribbling in the note pad but Sam ignored her in favour of helping his sibling. He took Deans face in his hand and tried to make her wake up.

"Dean, Dean, open your eyes. Come on look at me!" Sam begged his unconscious brother. He felt around for a pulse and was relieved to find one beating strong, if slightly erratic.

"What happened?" He shouted at Missouri. "Missouri!"

The psychic looked up from her work. She stood and moved to Deans other side. She placed a hand on Deans forehead and held it there for a second, removing it before Sam could slap it away.

"Take Dean and lay him on the sofa in the sitting room." Missouri instructed.

Sam scooped his older sibling up and carried her into the sitting room, carefully laying her on the sofa.

"What. Happened!" Sam demanded. "You said she'd be fine!"

"I think it was the curse." Missouri explained, choosing to ignore Sams choice of description for his brother. "I saw the mark and when I tried to touch it, it threw me out. I think it was protecting its self."

She was being bombarded by Sams fear and anger so set a few psychic blocks to close the emotions out so she could concentrate on the situation.

"Protecting it's self?" Sam demanded. "What the hell do you mean?"

"I saw it there, in a dark part of his mind. It looked like a brand burned into his soul. When I got too close it pushed me away."

"It's burned into his soul?" Sam asked horrified.

"Yes." Missouri answered. "But I believe it can be removed. I copied down what I remembered of the brand. I will send it to Bobby. He should be able to track it."

"And Dean?"

They both looked at Deans unconscious form in the sofa.

"He's unconscious now but he will be okay. There was no damage to him. The curse protected him too."

•

Sam sat with Dean watching the reassuringly steady rise and fall of her chest. Finally after almost two hours she began stirring.

"Dean?" Sam left his chair and knelt beside his brother, placing a hand in her chest. "Dean, can you hear me?"

She moaned quietly as she tossed her head from side to side. After what seemed like an eternity she slowly opened her eyes.

"Dean, that's it. Come on brother, open your eyes." Sam encouraged her.

"S'mmy?" She slurred blinking slowly.

"Yeah, Yeah, Dean. I'm right here."

"Wha happ'nd?" Dean turned her head and tried to focus on her brother.

"The curse. It tried to protect its self."

"What?" Dean rubbed her eye and tried to sit up.

Sam reached out and helped her up, tucking cushions behind her for support.

"You okay? You want a drink or something?"

"Yeah, drink, please." She answered leaning forward and supporting herself with her elbows on her knees.

Sam returned quickly with a glass of water and handed it to Dean, not letting go until he was sure she had a secure grip on the glass. Dean drank deeply, then handed the glass back and leaned back against the cushions.

"So what happened? Last I remember I was sitting at Missouri's table, the next I wake up on the sofa."

"Okay, so Missouri found a...a brand on your...in your mind." Sam said not wanting to upset his brother by telling her that the curse had branded her soul. "When she found it, the curse threw her from your mind and you've been, were, unconscious ever since."

"There's actually something there?" Dean asked, sitting up and looking at her brother.

"Yes, but, Missouri is sure it can be removed. That the curse can be broken." Sam reassured his older sibling.

"Oh great." Dean huffed. "She's sure. So she knows what it is?"

"No but she was able to draw the symbol...kinda, and sent it to Bobby."

Dean groaned and leaned forward dropping her head into her hands.

"Dean." Sam reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you Okay?"

Dean nodded, her head still in her hands.

"Just my head, it hurts."

"You want something for it?"

Dean began to shake her head but nodded instead. Sam got up and went into the kitchen to find some Advil or something that would help with Deans pain. As he was rifling through the cupboards Missouri walked in the back door.

"Hey Missouri, do you have any pain killers?"

"In the bathroom." She said. "Deans awake."

The was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah, and his head is hurting." Sam replied.

"Go to your brother and I'll get the pills." Missouri instructed.

Sam returned to the sitting room while Missouri headed up the stairs to get the medication. She returned quickly, handing the bottle to Sam.

"I don't use medication much, these old but they are still in date."

"Thanks." Sam shook out a few pills then touched Deans shoulder. "Here you go Dean. Take these."

He held out the pills. Dean took the medication with a slightly trembling hand and dry swallowed them.

"Have some water." Sam said offering up the water.

Dean took the glass and had a few sips. She slowly raised her head.

"Thanks Sammy." She offered her brother a grateful smile.

Missouri reached out her hand to touch Deans head. Dean quickly pushed it away, wincing at the sudden movement.

"Woah, I think you've done enough." Dean said leaning away from the psychic.

"I just want to check you, I'm not going to do anything else." Missouri spoke in a soft, soothing voice.

Dean nodded slowly and sat straight again. Missouri reached out and placed her palm on the side of Deans face. She closed her eyes and nodded.

"You'll be okay, there's no damage that I can sense. You just need some more rest. Sam could you help Dean upstairs? I think you will be more comfortable in a bed."

Sam nodded and stood, helping Dean to her feet.

"I have a few clients this afternoon but feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen if you get hungry. Some food may help."

"Thank you Missouri." Dean mumbled as Sam helped her up the stairs.

•

The Winchester's stayed three more days with Missouri before Dean grew restless and Sam found them a possible case in Texas. Two young boys had been found murdered in an old abandoned house. Sam has found a pattern that lead back a hundred years so they sincerely thanked Missouri for her help and hospitality and took off.

•

"Says here two boys went in on a dare and never came out." Dean said reading from the article. "House was built in the 1800's, blah, blah, blah, okay, here we go, it was sold after the owners wife passed away. It has had quite a few owners, last ones were a couple who bought it early 2000's hoping to renovate it. They abandoned it when their son was badly injured. He claimed the 'lady did it'. House has been empty ever since."

"Does it say how the wife died." Sam asked, briefly looking away from the road to glance at his brother.

"No, not really, just a mention of her husbands legendary bad temper, but it does say the house has a history of accidents and deaths. Doesn't go into much detail though."

"Okay, so we're going to have to do some research. I'm thinking this time we go with either students researching a paper or reporters for some supernatural newspaper."

"Yep, either works for me." Dean said putting the paper down and stretching.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked with another glance toward Dean.

"Yep." She said sinking down in her seat. "Just gonna catch forty winks. Can see why you never bitch about riding shotgun."

"Well with exception of your music choices, it's not actually too bad."

Dean yawned and snuggled further down and closed her eyes.

"We're going to have to stop for gas soon. Pull into the next station." She murmured.

"How do you know how much gas we have?"

"Because Sammy." She began, cracking one eye. "This is my baby and I know exactly how long she can go with out a top up."

Sam looked at the fuel gauge and saw that they would actually need to stop for gas in the next hour or so.

"Sorry I questioned you." Sam said rolling his eyes. He continued to drive, keeping an eye out for a gas station while listening to the soft breaths of his brother sleeping safely beside him.