Chapter Seventeen

"Dean, Sam where are you." John yelled.

Evil's concentration was interrupted for just a millisecond when he heard the elder Winchester which was enough to seal his fate. Evil's time in this world was soon to end and he only had that same millisecond to realize the error in his thinking by allowing that damn gun to stay within reach of the Winchester boys. Overconfidence had spelled the end of more than one evil they had conquered in the past.

Dean's determination and single minded goal to save his brother was about to end this nightmare once and for all. All the anguish he had suffered at the hands of this evil would soon just be part of his memory, a nightmare only in his dreams. He'd had enough and when his chance came he would not let Evil survive another minute.

As his dad's arrival home distracted the evil creature Dean seized his opportunity to lunge for the amulet. His fingers wrapped around it and he felt his power return as Evil's control over him evaporated. He pulled the gun out of Sam's waistband, turned and fired three rapid shots shredding the heart of the evil bastard.

John entered the room to find his two sons with the dead body of the school janitor. Sam was waking from his nightmare, while Dean stood resolute with the gun still held out in front of him pointed at the dead form of the evil, watching for any sign of life. Relief still hadn't penetrated his dogged determination.

"Dean what happened?" John asked, relieved his two sons were safe and appeared unharmed. Silence followed his question and impatience got the best of him as he more forcefully repeated his question. "Dean what happened here?"

Dean was so focused on this evil that he appeared to snap out of a trance, brought back to reality by his dad's presence. His mind still not comprehending the situation was finally under his control. He lowered his gun and looked at his dad with relief. The serious look in his eyes finally seemed to wane as he felt the pressure of the last few weeks fall away leaving in its wake the realization his life was again his own. No one else would ever experience his nightmares; no one else would ever feel his terror. His pain was once more his alone.

"Dad. This was a dreamwalker. There were two of them." Dean answered.

Sammy was groggy from his dreams but he looked at Dean, quizzing him with his eyes. Dean placed his arm around his little brother and assured him it was over, Evil was dead and they were safe.

"Dean, is that what it felt like when the vampire shot you? Did you really see Mom when you were delirious? Is that how you felt when Mom died?" Sammy was drilling Dean for answers.

Dean asked his brother to tell him exactly what he saw in his nightmares. John listened silently as Sam recounted his dreams to his brother. The relief Dean felt when he knew they had not progressed to the night Mom died was overwhelming. Sam had been spared the worst of his nightmares. His secret was still his own and his family would once again be spared the anguish that knowledge would bring them.

"Sammy, remember they were just nightmares the evil son of a bitch invented to terrorize us. They don't mean anything." Dean hoped his casualness would deflate any further questions from Sam.

"Dad, why did you come home? How did you know?" Dean asked.

"I didn't. I tried calling and no one answered. I just had a bad feeling. I had to make sure my boys were OK." John responded with a weariness from too many close calls threatening his family.

Sammy settled down from his experience with the dreamwalker and it appeared he would not get any further enlightenment from his brother. Dean was ready to put this entire incident behind him; he certainly wasn't willing to discuss all the ramifications of his nightmares with his kid brother. After a few minutes of quiet reflection, John told Sam to go on up to bed. He still had school in the morning and he needed his rest.

Dean anxiously awaited the conversation he knew his dad was leading up to; Dad always wanted to review the mission after its completion. He knew his dad would have some final comment on this dreamwalker, he just didn't have a clue what that comment would be. John went to the refrigerator and took out two bottles of beer. He handed one to Dean and sat down in his chair to drink the other.

Authority figures would probably frown on a father sharing a beer with his sixteen year old son but considering how often Dean had already risked his life in their fights against evil, he could hardly be considered a typical teenager. John had proclaimed him a man on his sixteenth birthday and had treated him as an adult since that date. Besides, John no longer had much respect for typical authority figures; he knew just how clueless they were in this battle against evil.

The rules in the Winchester house were clear: no drinking when he had school the next day, no more than one beer unless John was present and never under any circumstance drinking to the point of drunkenness. John had always considered the drinking age an absurd notion: how could a country send its young men to war at eighteen and not let them drink until twenty-one? Being in the military he knew soldiers bent that rule and who could blame them?

Yes, tonight would be an exception since Dean did have school in the morning but considering what had just transpired John figured he deserved a break.

'Dean, talk to me. What happened here?" John took a drink as he intently watched his son.

"Dad, I had no choice but to give Sammy the amulet. Evil called and told me he would enter Sam's dreams if I didn't let him into mine. I thought if I was locked in the room I wouldn't be able to hurt Sammy. I thought he would be safe. I didn't know the amulet wouldn't protect him." Dean studied his dad's face for some reaction then took a swig of his beer.

"The amulet didn't protect Sammy?" John seemed puzzled.

"No. I don't know why exactly. Evil said once it was put around my neck it would only protect me. All I know is Sammy had it on and he was still controlled by this evil."

"Huh." John seemed to ponder this news with great interest. "Well son, it looks like that amulet is yours from now on. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't been able to retrieve it and shoot the bastard. You saved your brother." Dad seemed pleased with this resolution.

John and his son spent a quiet hour, drinking beers and contemplating the endless possibilities. They had achieved a positive result but any number of variables could have produced a different outcome and they were both painfully aware of that simple fact.

The amulet had given Dean the advantage he needed to overcome this evil. He knew from this day forward he would always wear it: not to protect himself, to protect his brother. He shuddered to think what fate would have awaited Sam if he had not regained control over his actions; if he had not been able to triumph over this evil. It was an advantage he could add to his arsenal of weapons to keep his brother safe.

TBC

One final chapter to go (Ten years later)