Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm still just having fun!

Heart of the Protector

Chapter 7 – Captured

…all he could do was watch as the army of rats covered his body and began to feed.

Sam tried to throw the animals off, screaming as he felt the bites on his body. He had never seen so many rats in his life. Sam continued to roll on the ground, but the rats followed him. As he began to lose consciousness, he felt a rat bite deeply into his shoulder, turning his head; he was shocked to see a pair of yellow eyes staring back at him.

Dean groaned, feeling the blood on the side of his face he knew that the bear must have caught him. He opened his eyes, searching for the bear, confused when he didn't see it. He came fully awake when he heard a soft moan below him. Moving as quickly as his sore head would allow him; Dean slid off the hood of the car and cringed when he saw his brother. "Oh my God…Sammy!" Dean yelled as he headed towards his brother.

"Rats…why did it have to be rats!" Dean grimaced as he waded into the surging brown mass covering his brother's body. Pulling his knife, Dean began to grab the vermin from his brother and killed them. Some of the rats tried to attack him, but he simply kicked them away. Dean could hear Sam's moans as the rats on him continued to bite. "Hold on Sammy…I'm here…ouch…Damn rats…I hate rats!" Dean continued to kick, throw and stab the rats until the last of the pack ran for the forest.

Sam opened his eyes and looked at his brother, concern showing on his face as he noticed the blood pouring down Dean's face. The bear had left its mark on his older brother. "Dean…you ok?" Sam asked as he struggled to sit up, only to fall back onto the ground.

"Yeah, I'm fine…jeez Sam, the pied piper lead the rats away from the city…he didn't let them grab a snack along the way!" Dean could see Sam was struggling to stay awake. "Come on, lets get you inside and check out your newest set of wounds…if this keeps up, I'm gonna take out stock in a bandage company!" Dean helped Sam stand and placing his good arm over his shoulder, got him back into the cabin. He gently laid Sam on the bed and left to get the first aid supplies and some clean water.

"Dean…get them off…Oh God, I can't breathe…the eyes…their yellow…get them off!" Sam cried as he tossed on the bed, his eyes unfocused as he relived the nightmare. Sam's breathing became labored as his heart began to race. Dean realized that Sam was having a panic attack.

"Sammy!" Dean said quietly as he grabbed his brother's face in his hands, forcing him to look into his eyes. "You're safe, it's over. You need to calm down…listen to me, you need to slow your breathing down…that's it, you can do it." Dean watched as Sam's breathing began to slow and his heart returned to a normal rhythm. "That's my boy!" Dean said as he tried to get Sam into a more comfortable position on the bed.

"Damn it Sammy…why didn't you stay in here where you would have been safe!" Dean wondered if Sam realized he had been running around outside with just his briefs on…the thought of his brother taking on the bear left a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Ok Sammy, let's get you cleaned up."

Sam continued to stare into space, his eyes open, but unseeing. He moaned as Dean started to clean the wounds on his body. Dean couldn't believe the number of bites. It just reinforced his hatred of the little beasts. The fact that Sam was practically naked made the matter worse. There had been nothing to stop them from getting to his skin.

Dean cleaned each of the wounds with antiseptic and followed up with holy water just to make sure that there would be no surprises. Most of the wounds were shallow, but the wound on Sam's shoulder was deep and continued to bleed. It would need stitches. Dean finished as quickly as he could, worried as Sam's fever seemed to be rising again.

Dean went into the bathroom to prepare the bath just in case. He looked in the mirror and stopped to take care of the gash on his head. It looked like the bear just clipped him. He felt the lump on the back of his head and sighed. Luckily the windshield didn't break or he would have had more damage. Placing a butterfly bandage on his head, he swallowed a couple of aspirin and went out to survey the damage to the room and check on Sam.

Dean spent the rest of the day repairing the door, replacing the salt and protective symbols that were damaged and trying to get Sam's fever under control. His own body was crying for sleep, but he refused to give in. He need to make sure that Sam was back on the road to recovery first.

Dean had been dozing in the chair when he heard Sam cry out in his sleep. "Dean…gotta help…look out Dean! Bear…have to save Dean…Oh God, there are so many…yellow eye got me…have to warn Dean…" Sam continued to toss on the bed, the sweat pouring off his body. Dean placed the thermometer in Sam's ear and sighed when he saw that it was approaching 104 degrees.

Dean had to face facts, if he didn't get Sammy to an emergency room soon; his brother could stroke out or even worse die. Pulling out his phone, he cursed once again at the isolation of their location. He would have to load Sammy into the car and drive…it was the only way.

Dean jumped as he felt a soft hand touch his shoulder. "Perhaps I could help?"

A beautiful young woman was standing behind Dean. Her clear blue eyes, shining with concern as she looked at his younger brother. "Who are you? Better yet…how the hell did you get in here?" Dean knew the answer, but he wanted her to confirm it for him.

"You know who I am Dean. I am known as the Protector of the Forest. I sensed your need and decided it was time we met. If you will allow me, I can heal most of your brothers wounds, not all of them, but enough so that he will no longer be in danger."

"Why would you do that? Dean asked as he placed himself firmly between the nymph and his brother.

The nymph smiled as she recognized the power of protection emanating from the young man in front of her. She wondered if he even knew…it would be better for her if he was unaware of his power, it would be easier for her to control him later.

"It is not complicated; your brother was hurt due to my misjudgment. I should have disposed of the evil beast long ago, but I cannot undo what is done. However, I would like to help your brother. He does not deserve to suffer because of my mistake."

"So, you are going to heal him out of the goodness of your heart? Excuse me if I'm a little skeptical about your offer, but I'm still waiting to hear what's behind door number three!" Dean kept up the brave front, knowing deep down that there was probably nothing he could do to stop the woman from doing what she wanted.

Any further discussion was stopped when Dean noticed his worst fears coming true. Sam began to have a seizure, his body practically jumping off the bed. Dean turned his back on the nymph and gently rolled Sam over onto his side, holding him so that he would not hurt himself. He could feel the waves of heat rolling off his brother's body. For a brief moment, Dean forgot the nymph was there until he felt her hand on his shoulder.

Without another word, the nymph walked to the head of Sam's bed and placed her hands on his body; one hand laying on his head and the other covering his heart. Dean watched in amazement as a soft glow seemed to encompass his brother's body. Sam's seizure stopped as his body relaxed under the care of the nymph's healing powers.

A few moments later the nymph stepped back and fell to her knees. Dean moved to her side and helped her to a chair. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, it is just that I'm not as young as I used to be. My healing powers take a great deal of energy, as do most powers of the body and mind. Your brother's wounds are now healed, but his body will still need rest to fully recover." The nymph rose to her feet and turned towards Dean.

Dean stepped back, suddenly afraid of what the price would be for Sam's miracle cure. "I thought you only wanted to help…you've helped…now why don't you just fly on back to your home in the woods and leave my brother and me alone." Even though he was afraid, Dean still stood between the nymph and his brother.

"You misunderstand Dean, I was willing to wait until your brother was healed before coming for you…I need your help. I can no longer protect all of those who are under my care. I need someone to share the responsibility with me…you are that someone. But things have changed…I can no longer wait. You must come with me now Dean."

"Yeah right…so you think that I'm just going to abandon my brother and set up housekeeping with you. Sam will tell you, I'm not the white picket fence type. Thanks for the offer, but no thanks!" Dean stepped back as the nymph walked towards him.

"You have no choice in the matter Dean…your brother's needs are small compared to the needs of the many who are being injured in the forest…you will come with me now." Before Dean could stop her, she placed her hand on his head.

Dean felt himself falling away; suddenly he could no longer remember why he didn't want to go with her. In fact, he felt that his place was by her side. Without a backwards glance at Sam, Dean walked out the door into the late afternoon sun.

TBC

Raven524: Ok, the rats are gone for now…they're just a bad memory. Hope you like the newest chapter…next one will probably be tomorrow!