Chapter 18
There was a soft wind that sighed amongst the tombstones. The three Winchesters carefully exited the crypt and breathed in the night air. The soft glow of the moon danced across their skin and illuminated the cut stretching across John's cheek and another patch of blood seeping through his clothing in the area of his right shoulder. In the moonlight, Sam saw just how pale Dean looked. The oldest brother's cheeks lacked any colour whatsoever, and his fever-glazed eyes shifted back and forth between the other two men. A thin sheen of perspiration was painted across Dean's forehead and it glittered in the light cast to earth by the moon overhead.
John's eyes wandered the graveyard, searching all the visible shadows for the demon. A simple shadow of movement ghosted amongst the tombstones and John instantly made his way toward it, Sam started to follow, but John hissed a sharp no.
"Take your brother back to the truck, Sammy." John replied, his gaze switching between his two sons.
"But dad." Sam began.
"Don't question me Sam, just do as I ask." John replied.
Sam's eyes stormed with shadows at the tone his father had taken, but he didn't say anything further. Instead he turned away and gently tugged Dean with him. Surprisingly, the older brother didn't resist and even allowed Sam to lead him, like a child, through the graveyard and back to the truck just outside the fence.
When the brothers had nearly gotten there a sharp pain lanced through Sam's head. He called out in surprise as the pain sent him whirling to his knees. Dean's blank eyes instantly switched toworry and he dropped next to his little brother. He pressed a hand against the other man's shoulder to keep the youngest from falling, but the hand being placed was just as much to keep him steadied, as it was to steady his brother.
Short seconds later, Dean heard something that sounded like the wind blowing. He felt cold spots break out all over his body and the next thing he knew, he was being forced away from his brother to sprawl uselessly on the ground nearby. He looked up from where he landed and saw a dark shadow kneeling next to Sam. He struggled to his feet and immediately jumped at it. The form was icy cold beneath him and it worked to free itself from the clinging Dean and tossing him back to the ground.
Pounding feet echoed in the Winchester brothers' ears. Dean looked up to see his father hurrying quickly toward them. The eldest Winchester held an iron pipe in one hand and his eyes flashed with determination. John watched Sam struggle against the demon; he heard his youngest son yell out in pain and jumped into action. He shoved the iron against the demon and it yelled out in agony while Sam toppled backwards, barely conscious.
Without looking to his youngest or his oldest boy, he went about what he had been intending to do. His mouth moved in a foreign language as he recited a banishing spell from memory, all the while he held the iron tightly against the howling demon. The creature's pinpricked eyes stared daggers at John, but the Winchester father didn't even flinch. He continued the recitation, but before he reached the ending, the demon pulled away and tossed John back. The father continued speaking the words, but they were taking less and less effect as the demon hurriedly backed away. The thing's skin was sickeningly illuminated in the soft light of the moon that brushed gently across the tombstones and touched the Winchester family without a sound.
The youngest man lay panting on the ground, trying to find the strength within himself to get to his feet and help his family. He couldn't find it, it refused to surface and instead he could only wait out the pain in his head that was now backing off. His eyes darted about the graveyard and watched the demon slink away into the shadows. It made no sound, and simply vanished into the night without so much as a sigh. John got quickly to his feet and went to drop next to Sam, who was working his way to his feet.
"Did you get it?" Sam questioned, taking the hand offered to him by his father to pull him fully upright.
John shook his head. "No, I didn't get it."
"Are you going to?" Sam asked.
"I'm sure as hell going to try, but first we have to get your brother to the hospital."
Sam's eyes widened and he shifted his gaze to Dean, who was just barely starting to sit up. The younger brother rushed to Dean's side and helped him, feeling the heat radiating from the older man. He licked his lips in concern and began to pull Dean up. The job got considerably less difficult as John moved around to the other side and reached around Dean's waist to steady him. The Older brother gasped suddenly and doubled in on himself, sending all three to their knees.
"C'mon, Dean, we've gotta get you some help." John spoke and hauled Dean upright again, Sam following closely behind. The oldest son tried his best to support himself, but his legs refused to do the job and he was left depending on his little brother and his father to help him to where the truck waited.
The outside world spun around Dean and he staggered on his feet. There was the sound of the door being opened and then he felt himself being gently lifted inside. He settled into the seat and moaned slightly as his stomach took a nauseating twist. As a precaution, he leaned out over the gravel shoulder of the road and breathed through the stinging sensation edging slowly up his throat. Somebody was rubbing his hand in comforting circles across Dean's back. He cast a look to the side and saw that it was Sam, looking very concerned and tight-lipped. Dean managed a small smile at his younger sibling and Sam returned it.
John kneeled to meet Dean's eyes and his face lifted into a look of worry. He pressed a hand against Dean's cheek, felt the heat, and his expression fell, just a little. He moved his hand from the man's cheek to his shoulder and grasped it tightly.
"You okay now? "John questioned warmly, and Sam's face blanked with surprise at the tone of his father's voice.
Dean nodded shakily and eased himself back into the truck where he waited for the door to close before leaning his head against the cool glass. The driver's side door opened and Sam slid in next to Dean, while John took up residence in the driver's seat. He cast his eyes to his sons and for a split second truly saw just how strong the bond between the two men was. He looked in Sam's eyes and saw nothing, but love for his older brother, then he looked to Dean and saw that the man was considerably more relaxed, knowing that Sam was with him and safe.
The truck was started and pushed into gear. The Winchester father eased the vehicle out onto the road and made his way to where the hospital emergency room waited for any patients that would come in the night, patients such as Dean.
In the cemetery, a dark shape watched the vehicle pull away and slithered back into the shadows, not sure what to do next. So, it simply watched in a silence that dampened the sounds of the night.
"Stop the truck." Dean's voice was urgent and shaky. John immediately did as he was told, pulling onto the shoulder of the road.
The passenger side door was opened and his oldest son's shoulders began to heave jerkily. Sam held tight to Dean and placed a touch on the other. The concerned hand of the young Winchester rested on his brother's back in a gesture of comfort as he waited for the heaving to subside. It did, slowly and Sam, who pulled the door shut again, helped Dean back into the truck. The oldest brother's eyes were fever-hazed and his skin was pale. A slick sheen of perspiration glistened brilliantly on the man's face and he leaned his weary head back against the seat that he was slumped in.
John reached to the floor and pulled a fresh bottle of water from the cooler resting at Sam's feet. He handed the bottle off to Sam, who opened it and handed it to his brother. Dean reached for it with trembling hands and sipped slowly at the beverage that washed the foul taste off of his tongue. When finished, he handed it back to Sam, who replaced the cap and settled it next to him, he looked to his father and nodded. Sam pulled Dean closer to him to keep the man from falling and Dean didn't resist. He only pressed his chin to his chest and closed his eyes to shut out the spinning.
John continued the remainder of the way to the hospital, casting occasional glances to his boys to be sure they were going to be okay.
