A/N: Hey guys sorry this took so long! I have been working so much lately! And the girl that Bata's for me has been working on the VS for SNTV. Again sorry for the long wait! I will have the next chap up soon! Thanks for all the reviews! Also I dont own SN. I wish I did!
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Dean broke into a run when the scream penetrated the air, adrenaline urging him forward toward the sound in a dead sprint. The echoing shriek ended abruptly and all fell silent again, leaving Dean standing in the midst of a wooded clearing, his eyes searching desperately for the source of the frightened yell or his missing brother. The nagging hopelessness crept back into his heart and a pensive frown clouded his face as he resigned defeat.
Another shout from behind startled him, but the voice was familiar and for the first time Dean realized he had literally vanished from the girl's range of sight. With a muttered curse, Dean half-ran back to the sound of Candy's continuous call. As he neared them, he caught sight of Annie's form slumped against one of the trees and studied her closely.
"How's she doing?" Dean questioned warily to Candy and Nicky. When neither girl offered a worded reply, Dean knelt down along side the girl, and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Annie? Can you hear me?"
"Dean? …w-what?" Annie muttered softly, her clouded blue eyes fading back to a more crystalline luster as she became more coherent and aware of her surroundings.
Both Candy and Nicky raced along side their friend and offered words of comfort while Dean opened his mouth in attempt to explain exactly what was going on, but closed it quickly when the unmistakable snap of twigs from behind resounded in the still afternoon.
Slowly, Dean turned to see what new found horror awaited him. A white knuckled fist came to meet him like lightening and in an instant Dean was ducking and forcing his tight fist into his attacker's stomach while preparing to launch into the guy with all his might. The tackle worked to his advantage, but his enemy was prepared for it and issued a firm shove to his sternum, propelling Dean into the sharp bark of the nearest tree.
A loud thud accompanied his fall to the ground, followed by the shrill screams of his frightened friends. The attacker's voice commanded for them to shut up, and Dean used the diversion to struggle off the ground and shift back into fighting stance.
A raging fire in his shin stopped his movement, and for a moment Dean felt as though he was flying. The illusion of weightlessness ushered a fresh sensation of pain as it ended with a crashing halt into the packed dirt forest floor laced with rock.
Pressure increased on his chest, and it took the stunned Winchester a moment to register that it was a booted foot pressing down on his ribcage. Dean let his eyes follow up the man's leg and body until meeting the attacker's face. The unknown man sneered menacingly but the expression faltered when Dean's face mimicked it.
With rapid speed, the older Winchester grabbed the man's ankle and twisted it hard to the left, forcing the man to the ground along side of him. Dean rolled on top of the guy, positioning himself so that his knee was firmly in the man's chest. He felt strong hands try and grip him from behind, and swung an elbow back satisfied when the sickening crack of bone was heard.
Dean prepared himself for a second launch from the free attacker, but it never came. Instead, he turned his head to see the man's retreating form running off. Back to where he wasn't sure. Satisfied that his list of enemies had been lowered to just one, Dean gave the girls an assuring nod, before turning all of his attention on his blonde-haired, and oh-so-familiar attacker.
"Get off me!" the young man screamed, squirming and fighting Dean's hold which only made Dean buckle down harder.
"Like hell!" Dean replied heatedly, pressing harder into Todd's chest, and pining down his arms, "Where the hell is my brother?"
Sweat poured from Dean's tight angry face, and his eyes blazing rage as Todd struggled to reply. The wasting time did nothing but piss Dean off more and he yelled for the boy to answer him. Todd remained silent, his mouth working but creating no sound. The young man's only saving grace was the smallest whisper that vaguely resembled his name.
Dean snapped his head towards the girls, and his eyes widened disbelievingly when he saw Candy, Annie, and Nicky standing around a smaller boy--a boy who looked like his younger brother.
"Sammy?" Dean gasped, jumping off of Todd and rushing to his brother's side, "Are you okay? What happened?"
Dean watched a single tear trickle unhindered from his brother's chocolate eyes and the older brother's heart clenched. He pulled Sam into a half-hug, because full hugs were something men just didn't do, but Sam went all the way, burying his face in Dean's shoulder and smothering his hot tears.
"It's okay, bro. Nothing can get you now…" Dean comforted, rubbing his brother's back soothingly like he had when Sammy was a baby.
Both brothers nearly jolted back when Candy tugged hard on their Tees, informing them that Annie and Nicky weren't going to be able to hold much longer. Dean looked at her questionably, although he had to stop himself from laughing as he watched Todd struggle against the girl's hold.
"Let him go." Dean ordered, ignoring the 'you're friggen' crazy' looks he was getting from the girls. "I have Sam. I don't need Todd anymore."
The girls nodded their compliance and released Todd from their grip. Todd looked around cautiously before scrambling off the ground and sprinting back into the woods. Everyone was quiet until the last glimpse of Todd was nonexistent and it was Sam who broke the silence.
"I'm sorry." The younger brother mumbled to Dean, his large eyes damp with unshed wetness.
"For what?" Dean asked incredulously, trying to meet his brother's gaze although Sam refused to do so.
"For, you know….crying," Sam whispered to the ground, and Dean lifted his head to meet his eyes.
"Sammy, it's okay. Don't ever be sorry."
Sam shook his head in the affirmative, and Dean roughed his fingers through the younger's mass of hair, "Now, you think you can take me back to where they had you?"
"Yeah," Sam nodded, shifting at the proposition.
"Okay, then." Dean replied, turning his attention to the girls, "You guys should go back."
"No way in hell we are leaving you guys!" Candy argued.
"Whatever," Dean exasperated, rolling his eyes and gesturing for Sam to take the lead.
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It didn't take long. Sam's memory proved to be good, and soon the deteriorating cabin could be seen in the distance. Both boys crouched low and waited for the girls to catch up.
"Why'd we stop?" Candy questioned loudly, stunned when Sam and Dean both hushed her.
Dean raised a hand and signaled for everyone to wait for him before turning and heading off into the trees. He returned shortly, carrying seven sticks in his arms. Wordlessly, Dean handed each one of their group a stick.
"What are we supposed to do with these?" Annie whispered, clearly confused.
"Well, if I can't get the guy out into the day light then we can stake him if we have too." Dean clarified.
"Oh, okay, so what's the plan?" Candy asked, curiously studying her new weapon.
"I'm going in there, and you guys are staying out here." Dean's voice was strong and firm, and the girls didn't even bother to question him further. They could see he wasn't going to budge on that point.
"Fine, but if you get in over your head, we're coming in!" Annie stated authoritatively, accompanied by a flood of nods and agreements from the other girls and Sam.
"Alright," Dean conceded, although he really didn't think he'd need their help.
As he began to move towards the cabin a sharp tug pulled him back. Dean turned to see his little brother's wide eyes encompassed with fear. "Sammy, it's gonna be okay. I promise."
"I know, just be careful…those guys--"
"I will, okay?" Dean interrupted, "Don't worry. I'll yell for help if I need it."
With that, Dean ordered the girls and his brother to stay hidden and not to move until he gave the go ahead one more time before starting the walk to the cabin. It was open terrain but he made it there without a fight, and warily stepped inside all the while thinking the whole thing was just too easy.
He was right. A shadow moved along the cabin only seconds behind Dean's own footsteps.
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Ok so what you all think?