Chapter 16

An open crypt, midway through the cemetery drew John's attention. It stood in the shadows in inanimate silence that made the older man suspicious. He could sense the presence of the demon; his trained senses had learned to pick the electrifying feeling up.

It was a feeling of complete stillness with a presence of evil lurking in the air, not necessarily watching, but well aware that it had been found. He tossed a glance back to Dean and saw almost instantly that his son was aware of the demon's presence as well. Dean's face was stormy, hiding his discomfort behind intense eyes. However, the pale appearance of his boy's skin sliced all of the falsifications that Dean was trying to pull off. His son was far from one hundred percent, but he didn't dwell on it for more than a few moments at a time. Dean wanted to help get Sam back and who was John to take that away from him?

The oldest Winchester was in the lead, keeping Dean safely behind him and he stepped into the open door of the crypt. He was immediately struck by the damp smell of old earth and crumbling cement. He set his face in a grim expression of determination and stepped forward. He felt Dean's presence behind him and heard a sharp gasp escape the man's mouth. He instantly turned to his son, his eyes glittering with masked concern and stepped in front of the pale man. He placed a gentle hand on his boy's shoulder and Dean nodded, speaking no words. Still, John's rough hand sought out his son's cheek and pressed gently against it, feeling the heat radiating from the skin's surface.

"Why don't you wait outside?" John suggested, not really expecting Dean to agree, but it was worth a try, because he could clearly see the man was getting worse.

Almost as soon as John's mouth opened, Dean shook his head in the negative. John saw a look of sharp hurt in the eyes of his son at what he'd just suggested. While his thoughts shifted to scolding himself for suggesting it, he thought it would be in his son's best interest to remain here while John went after the demon and Sam. A sharp look of determination remained on Dean's face and he locked eyes with his father.

"I'm fine, dad. I'm not going to leave without Sammy."

John decided to try one last ditch attempt at getting his son to listen to him.

"Dean, you know how much worse this is going to get."

Dean glared. "Yes, I do, but I want to get Sam back just as badly as you do. Besides, you need someone to watch your back."

John sighed, he should've known that Dean wouldn't listen. He nodded. "Stay behind me, and that's all you do is watch my back. I'll take care of the demon; you just get Sam back to the truck. You got that?"

"Yes sir."

The older man turned away with a stern expression, but once his face was out of Dean's sights, he smiled slightly. The bond between his sons was certainly one of a kind and he knew how strong it was. That knowledge made him proud. He knew that even though he wasn't around his boys very much, they were safe. They kept each other safe.

John continued to walk through the darkened crypt, not sure where to go. The crypt wasn't that large, but it may have gone downward under the ground. He just had to find the stairs, if there were any. His knee struck a solid object that he soon identified as the actual burial box or coffin of whomever had been laid to rest behind the walls. He heard a stumbling step come from behind him and whirled around in time to hear Dean curse for all that he was worth.

"Dean? What happened son?" John asked. His voice was whisperingly concerned.

A small light illuminated the confined area and Dean's pale face could be seen in its glow. However, the light didn't linger on his face for long. Instead it was directed downward and caught the edge of a hidden rope that was attached to the floor. Dean knelt down and yanked on the rope, a section of the floor raised and John smiled in the dark. There was an old ladder that hugged against the side of a shaft and it plunged down into darkness. He brushed gently past his son and began the decent without words; Dean followed behind him, holding onto the sides of the ladder with a straining grasp that threatened to let go at any moment. Luckily it didn't and Dean stepped onto the floor at the bottom with weak legs that wavered uncertainly. A strong grasp on his arm hauled him back upright and it didn't release until it was sure that Dean was standing steadily on his own. The son mumbled quiet thanks to his father, who returned it by tightening his grasp in an affectionate gesture.

"Let's go get Sammy." John whispered, his voice not traveling beyond Dean's ears.

Dean nodded and followed the older man, whom he called father, down a short corridor and to a tightly shut section of wall. It was dark, except for the tiny beam of light that Dean held his hand against to keep it from illuminating the entire area. In the dim glow, Dean's face looked whiter than before and John's skin was half illuminated and half in shadows by the weak beam that Dean allowed to escape. There was a shuddering sound behind them and both men immediately recognized it as the trap door closing. John shoved Dean behind him and readied himself with whatever weaponry he had brought along.


Sam's temples began to throb in time with his breathing. With every breath, another jolt of pain shot through him. He grimaced against the pain and watched the vision play out before him with wide, anxious eyes that were laced with confusion.

The sound of the trap door shutting jumped Sam and he searched the darkness eagerly to find the demon that he knew was there. John gently shoved Dean behind him, took a stance in front of the younger man, and with a look of sharp scrutinization, searched the narrow tunnel they'd just walked down. There was a silent, raspy breath that shocked the air and sent the Winchesters into full-blown alert mode. Even Dean, who looked so fragile in the dim light, jumped into action. He quickly removed his hand from the flashlight beam and directed it at the breath. Two pale eyes, pricked with green blinked harshly in the sudden flash. The light was thrown from Dean's hand to clatter to the ground where it immediately went out.

There was a rustle of quick movement and a sharp curse from Dean as something knocked him flat. Seconds later, a similar curse came from John. It was too dark to see anything, so Sam didn't know what was happening. He heard Dean yell out and heard an anxious voice from John asking if he was okay. A breathy 'yeah' was the answer from the man who had yelled.

There was a flourish of movement, combined with the sounds of harsh breathing and an unexpected scream. Sam didn't know whom it had come from. The scream had been short, sharp, and unidentifiable. Then there was silence and Sam came bursting back to reality with a sharp cry of 'no!' His head pounded and he struggled against the wires that only dug deeper into his skin. He called out in surprise at the sharp pain the wires forced upon him and breathed through it with deep, gasping breaths, struggling to fill his weary lungs with air.