Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm still just having fun!
Home Sweet House
Chapter 12 – Party Guests
Dean watched in horror as Marie approached Nick. She placed her hand on his forehead, but this time there was no pain. Nick merely smiled as his eyes took on a vacant stare. Dean could feel himself tiring from both the physical pain and the emotional pain he had endured. He looked at his baby brother, as he lay moaning softly on the table. His eyes were closed, but the tears continued to flow freely down Sam's face.
"Sammy…it's over for now…can you hear me?" Dean asked quietly, afraid to draw unwanted attention back to his brother.
"Dean…I don't think I can take much more…Oh God, Dean it hurts!" Sam sobbed through the gag, hating himself for not being able to control the tears that continued to fall down his face; frustrated that he couldn't speak to his brother one last time. "I'm sorry Dean…I'm trying…"
"Sammy…shhh…it will be ok…just hold on for a little while longer!" Dean looked over at Nick again and noticed that he was now surrounded by globes of light. The young man stood serenely as the globes of light danced just within his reach. Dean was startled when he heard Nick speak.
"Go my friends…I command you to select your host. Bring them here…the ceremony must be completed within the next hour…Go!"
Dean watched as the globes of light shimmered for a few moments and then just as quickly as they had appeared…they were gone…all except for one that continued to float in front of Nick.
"Marie" Nick said softly "Cedrick here would like to take the body of the one on the wall…would you allow him his choice?"
Marie looked at Dean as if seeing him for the first time. An evil grin spread on her face as she replied "Yes, what better punishment for this one than to have him take the life of the one he tries to protect…order the spirit to take him!"
Before Dean could react, he felt a stab of pain so intense it caused him to scream once more. Dean fell unconscious…his body no longer able to withstand the torment it had been put through. Dean never heard his brother as he frantically tried to call to him "Dean…Oh God, not you…please Dean!" Sam mumbled through the gag…almost hyperventilating as the gag continued to restrict the oxygen to his lungs.
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Dean was floating, he wondered where he was. He felt no pain, only peace and calm…something Dean rarely experienced. For an instant he felt panic…is this what it feels like to die? He thought as he struggled to get past the gray fog shrouding him. "I can't leave…I have to save Sammy!"
"Then don't fight me…I am here to help you!" A voice from the fog sounded in Dean's mind.
"Who are you?" Dean asked, looking for the source of the voice. As the fog thinned, he could make out a figure of a young man about Sam's age.
"My name is Cedrick…Nick has sent me to you to help you and your brother."
"This is a trick…you are trying to control me…to make me hurt Sam…I won't let you hurt Sam!" Dean struggled against the presence in his mind.
"Stop! Listen to me! Unless you allow me to help you…you will lose your brother this night forever!"
Dean stopped struggling "Ok, I'm listening…but if you try to hurt Sammy…know this…I will fight you, even if it means my own death!"
"Noble…but foolish. You cannot win against Marie unless you are able to trick her. That is my purpose here. Nick has been able to fool her so far, but you must also do you part. If you don't allow me to take control…Marie will sense it and kill you. Believe me; if we do this right…I believe that Nick's plan will work."
"Nick's plan…you mean he is not under Marie's control? What is the plan…tell me!" Dean demanded, he wasn't sure he could do what the spirit asked of him. That would mean allowing some thing else to do his job.
"I can't tell you all…Marie might be able to read it in your thoughts…I sense that your mind is strong, but do you really want to take the chance?"
"Ok, what do I need to do?" Dean asked, seeing no other alternatives.
"Just be ready…you will know the time…be sure to strike true or all will be lost!"
Dean nodded as he felt the fog growing thicker again. Marie had watched the battle transpiring in the man in front of her. She felt the moment he had lost…at last she had the control she needed to end her misery.
Marie returned to the altar, looking down at Sam. "You are truly lucky…soon you will be able to be one with my master…soon I shall be free!"
Sam couldn't speak through the gag in his mouth, his body hurt in so many places; he was amazed that he was still awake. But each time he felt himself falling into darkness…something inside him pulled him back…he had to remain alert…he had to watch for his chance. He looked at the blank stare on his brother's face. He shuddered to think what would happen to Dean if Marie's plan worked.
Sam heard noises coming down the stairwell in front of him. Soon he saw a large number of people, all dressed in dark robes coming down the stairs towards him. As they surrounded the table, Sam couldn't help the shudder that went through his body. He tried to remain calm, but his breath continued to hitch in his throat. He tried to find his brother, but he couldn't see him through the throng of people who now surrounded him.
Marie approached the altar with a large bowl that appeared to contain water and rags. "We must cleanse the body to prepare it for the sacrifice. Quickly, help me to prepare him!" Sam felt the cold water on his skin as some of the mob used the rags to begin cleaning his body. He closed his eyes, trying not to feel the touch of the hands, the roughness of the cloth as it touched the welts and burns on his body. The pain increased as they continued to scrub at his skin. Sam groaned, trying to move away from the unwanted touch on his body.
Finally, the torment stopped as Marie was apparently satisfied with the job that had been done. Sam shivered from the cold, his body now damp, allowing the coldness of the chamber to seep into his bones. He could feel his teeth begin to chatter as his body tried to warm itself up.
Marie appeared in front of him again, this time with the book she had before, she began another chant. After a few moments, the others in the room joined in…Sam couldn't understand the words, his mind was becoming numb from the various attacks on his body. Shaking his head once more, struggling to remain alert, Sam noticed that the crowd had pulled back to allow another black robed figure to enter the ring. The figure stood next to Marie, staring straight ahead. Sam couldn't see the figure's face, but something about it was familiar.
Marie pulled out a large ceremonial dagger with strange symbols on the handle. She passed the wicked looking knife over Sam's body before making a quick incision into Sam's stomach…she quickly carved the a symbol into the skin as Sam once again yelled in pain…feeling the blood seeping from the wound. Sam glanced at Marie and read his death in her eyes.
He watched as Marie handed the dagger to the robed figure standing next to her. "Reveal yourself so that the sacrifice might know the face of the one who will join him with the master!"
Sam held his breath…knowing in his heart who he would see and dreading it. The figure slowly reached up and removed the hood, revealing the blank face of his older brother. "Dean…please…no...Dean! Sam screamed through the gag. As the mob continued to chant; Dean raised the knife for the fatal blow…Sam looked into his brother's eyes and said "I forgive you Dean!"
TBC
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Raven524: I know it's mean...but I just had to end in a cliff hanger...hopefully the sight will allow updates later...remember, reviews do make the chapters flow quicker!