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 13 – Freedom for Marie

Sam closed his eyes…he couldn't watch his brother…the brother who had always been there for him…cared for him…now being forced to be his executioner. Sam wept for what he knew his brother would go through. He remembered his horror at the asylum when he tried to shoot Dean…he still had nightmares about it…had trouble forgiving himself for not being strong enough. Sam fought the urge to let go…maybe, if he could just concentrate…maybe he could get his powers to help him one more time.

Sam pictured the knife flying from Dean's hand. He could feel the pain growing in his head…but as quickly as the pain came, it was gone. Sam opened his eyes and was met with the vacant stare of his brother as he raised the knife higher…ready to strike at the moment the chanting stopped. Sam finally admitted defeat…once again, his powers had been useless. As Sam started to let his body slip into darkness, his last thoughts were of his brother and how much he would miss him. "I love you Dean." Sam thought as the blackness finally claimed him.

Nick watched as Dean prepared to strike the final blow. He moved carefully behind the crowd, towards one of the torches that gave the room it's eerie glow. He watched as Marie moved closer to Dean, almost too close…Nick tensed, ready to intervene…but Marie backed away slightly, a smile on her face as she anticipated the moment of her release.

As the chanting came to an end Nick heard Marie cry out "Be gone Satan…with this sacrifice may my debt be paid in full to you my master…I beg of you…allow me to flee this plane of existence!" Marie glanced at Dean, giving him a nod to complete the fatal blow.

Dean shook his head slightly and looked in horror at the scene around him…he almost dropped the dagger when Cedrick's words once again repeated in his mind…"You must strike true!" Dean quickly grabbed Marie around the neck and using the dagger he severed her head from her body. As her head fell to the ground, the mob quickly backed away. Dean saw Nick limping towards him with a torch in his hand. Dean ran to the young man and grabbed the torch. He returned to Marie's body and touching the torch to it set it ablaze.

A scream could be heard in the room as a large breeze blew through, blowing out the torch that Dean held in his hand. Dean moved quickly to place himself between the mob and his brother, wielding the dagger daring anyone to come closer. Dean watched as Nick walked slowly over towards him.

"You have done well my friends…thank you! Now we must get these people to safety…lead them outside quickly…I will join you as soon as I can!"

Dean watched in fascination as he saw the mob of people head quietly for the stairwell. "Ah…Nick, what about Cedrick…I mean is he still?"

Dean jumped as he felt a slight tingle and a chill run down his spine. He blinked as he saw a single globe of light floating beside Nick. "Hey…ah….I'm not sure how to say this…I mean…usually, I'm trying to banish your kind…but…Thanks!"

Nick laughed at the confused look he saw on Dean's face. "Dean…Cedrick understands and was more than happy to help. He is glad that the cycle is broken…that no more people will need to be lost to this house."

Dean jumped as he heard a low moan behind him. Turning quickly, he moved closer to his baby brother. "Sammy…Oh God…what have they done to you?" Dean placed his hand on Sam's forehead, pulling back as he felt the heat. He could see Sam's body shiver as his brother tried to fight his way back to consciousness. Dean gently reached over and removed the gag from his brother's mouth.

"Nick…do you think you could get the bag for me over there?" Dean nodded to the discarded Ghost Buster bag lying on the floor a few feet away.

"Sure…no problem" Nick moved slowly, his own body threatening to give out. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to move…now wasn't the time to give into his body's demands. There were still things that needed to be done.

Dean quickly released the manacles that were holding his brother's wrists and ankles to the altar. He touched Sam's neck, reassured by the steady heartbeat he felt there. "Come on Sammy…it's ok…your safe now…wake up!"

Sam moaned and tried to move away from the contact…his last memory still fresh in his mind. Sam struggled to get past the tiredness that was threatening to pull him back into the cozy darkness…a place where he couldn't be hurt any more. But Sam heard a voice…the only voice that Sam would ever obey without question. As Sam opened his eyes…he smiled as he looked into the clear green eyes of his big brother.

"Dean" Sam rasped, he couldn't speak, his mouth was dry and his throat sore from the gag he had been forced to wear.

"Shhh…Sammy…don't try to talk. Nick and I are going to get you something to help with your throat…just rest for a moment!" Dean heard another groan behind him. He looked to see the pain flickering across Nick's face as he bent to retrieve the bag.

"Ribs" Sam croaked as he looked in Nick's direction. Dean felt like an idiot…he was so focused on Sam, he hadn't realized that Nick was probably in the same condition as his brother.

"Here…let me get that!" Dean said quietly as he took the bag from the tired young man. "Nick…why don't you sit down. As soon as I take care of Sammy, I want to take a look at you."

"Sure…but have you seen yourself in the mirror lately?" Nick had seen the deep scratches that marked Dean's chest and back.

"Aw…those are just scratches…I've had much worse…believe me!" Dean shrugged his injuries off. He would deal with them later after Sam and Nick were taken care of and safe.

Dean reached into the pack and pulled out their first aid kit and a bottle of water. Taking the cap off the water, Dean held it for Sam. Sam drank deeply, thankful for the cool relief it provided to his raw throat.

"Thanks!" Sam croaked again, smiling at his brother.

"Hey…no problem…now let me look at some of those wounds…we need to get a few of them covered and you need to take these pills to help combat the fever." Dean started cleaning some of the deeper wounds, ignoring the hisses of pain from Sam as he touched the tender spots. "That will have to do it for now…the wound on your stomach is going to need stitches and I will need to do more with some of the other wounds and burns later…but for now…how would you feel about a change in costume?"

"No more gladiator!" Sam croaked as his body continued to shiver from the cold.

"But Sammy…you're going to make the girls cry" Dean backed off from the look his brother gave him. Holding his hands up in surrender, he pulled the robe he was wearing over his head. "Ok…so how do you feel about being a monk?" Dean smiled as Sam groaned and rolled his eyes to the ceiling.

Dean quickly got back to business when he saw Sam shiver again. "Come on little brother; let me help…there you go, better?" Dean asked as he slipped the robe carefully over Sam's head and onto his badly injured body.

"Itches!" Sam complained as he tried to get down from the altar.

"Bitch…Bitch….Bitch…next time I'll just leave you in your little towel…I'm sure the girls would like that even better!"

TBC