A/N: Fasten your seatbelts, we are pulling into the station. This is the end of our journey. I hope you have enjoyed the trip. Thank you for the reviews and hope you will join me for the next story. Reviews/Comments would make my day. NC\


Chapter 7

Sam gently kicked Dean's leg to wake him and spoke, "We need to leave."

"I'm up," he grunted pushing himself to a sitting position and rubbing his face with his hands. He used the wall to lever himself to a standing position and saw the kids were milling around nearby and glanced his way. Sam handed him a bottle that was a third full of water. He uncapped it and finished it off before crushing it into a small blob and handed it back to Sam to put in his pack. "Let's finish this and get out of here."

"We need to be as quiet as possible, so we don't attract anything's attention," Sam told the kids as they gathered close to him.

"You mean from the thing that got Kyle?" Stacey asked in a small voice.

"Yeah kid, there's no need to lie to you guys," Dean told her giving Sam a quick glance. "Your friend is dead, and that creature will kill us too if it finds us."

"Stay close behind me," Sam told the three teenagers before slipping back through the crack and checking the passageway to be sure it was empty. He stepped out and shouldered the pack once again, thankful it was lighter now. He motioned for the others to follow and stayed near the side in the shadows. He moved quickly checking his arrows each time he came to one to be sure they were going in the right direction.

They had been walking for a while when Sam heard something ahead of them and quickly looked for a place for them to hide. He pushed the kids into a tight crack, clamping his hand over one of the girl's mouths when it looked like she was going to cry out. Dean did the same with the other girl and hid her face in his chest so she couldn't see.

Dena and Sam held their breath as shuffling footsteps came their way and passed by them heading in the direction they had just come from. They hoped the creature kept on going and wouldn't turn back and follow them. They let their breaths out slowly and waited another ten minutes before squeezing from the crack and continuing toward the opening. Dean kept a close eye behind them for the creature as he urged the kids to move faster.

Sam had been counting the arrows and knew they were getting close to where the opening should be.

"It's down this passageway," Sam turned and told the others as he turned the last corner. Everyone was tired and it was showing as the kids stumbled and helped each other stay on their feet. Sam finally stopped and caught his breath as he looked up at the arrows and the rope attached to them.

"This is the place?" Dean asked stepping closer to look at the rope coming through the solid wall. He turned quickly when groaning noises at the end of the passageway got his attention. "Better hurry it up Sammy."

"Here," Sam replied handing Dean his pack with additional weapons in it. Sam grabbed the small pack and got ready to do the spell and reverse the opening. He sat the bowl in front of the wall and lit a match. As he dropped it into the bowl, Sam began to recite the spell and watched as the flames shot upward and a section of the wall suddenly seemed to be moving and swirling. He looked down the tunnel and could see the dark shape of the creature moving toward them.

Dean grabbing the bottle of lighter fluid and tore the lid off and moved down the tunnel before pouring it from one wall to the other. He took a road flare and lit it, dropping it on the flammable liquid and setting it on fire. Flames burned brightly, blocking the path for now.

Sam jerked the machete out and cut one of the ropes. He grabbed the guy and tied it around his waist and pushed the girls into his arms.

"Don't let go, hold on to each other," he commanded before shoving them into the blackness of the void and watched the disappear. "Your turn," he told Dean as he cut the other rope.

"I got this, go ahead," Dean insisted as he fired his gun at the creature making it shriek in anger. The shot echoed loudly around them making their ears ring. He backed toward Sam, not noticing what he was doing.

Sam snorted and grabbed Dean's arm and quickly looped the rope around it and pushed him into the blackness. Dean saw what Sam had done and grabbed a hand full of jacket and shirt to pull him with him. The creature was nearly upon them, and Sam pulled his gun and emptied it into the creature, barely slowing it down.

A sharp, piercing pain made Sam gasp as suddenly the blackness of the abyss engulfed him. His mind shut down and he felt nothing until he was falling before hitting something solid.

spn

"Mackie be ready," Bobby told him as he pulled on the second rope, hoping his boys would be on the other end. He saw a body beginning to emerge from the blackness and pulled harder until two bodies fell to the floor in front of him. "Now! Do it now!"

Mackie dropped the lit match into the bowl and pressed play on Sam's phone and Sam's strong, clear voice started reciting the spell to close the opening. As the last words died away, silence filled the room for a moment like a vacuum had happened.

Bobby and Mackie stepped to the closet door and saw something dark laying on the floor. Upon closer inspection, they realized it was the arm of the creature that had been cut off when the opening sealed. Bobby turned back to the brothers as Dean started to stir and carefully sat up to look around.

"We made it," he whispered with relief looking up at Bobby and Mackie.

"Are you okay son?" Bobby asked him. "How's your brother?"

"Sammy, are you with us?" Dean questioned as he reached to roll Sam to his back. "Hey bro, wake up."

Sam moaned and opened his eyes for a moment before squinting them shut again. His body ached and there was a throbbing pain in his left arm, but he didn't say anything. He pushed himself up with his right and tried to focus on the forms in front of him.

"Bobby?" Sam asked when his vision cleared enough that he could see. "What are you doing here?"

"Mackie called me," Bobby replied.

"I had to," Mackie added. "When you didn't come back on the second day, I knew I needed help, so I called Bobby."

"I got on the next plane, landed at the closest airport to the town, and made my way here. We've been taking shifts watching the bells and closet and waiting for everyone to come back."

"Wait, how long were we gone?"

"Well, it's been a week since Sam went through the opening," Mackie told them.

"Wow, it only seemed like a couple of days over there," Dean offered. He looked to the corner when one of the teenagers coughed softly. "What about them?"

"We'll take care of the kids and help them make up a story that the authorities will believe. We'll stress they shouldn't tell anyone what really happened because people will think they are crazy," Bobby assured him.

"Guess I should head out," Sam spoke up getting everyone's attention. "No reason to hang around any longer. Thanks Bobby, Mackie, for all the help." Sam turned to leave, and Dean grabbed his arm making him hiss and jerk away in pain, cradling his arm to his chest.

"What's wrong?" Dean asked when he looked at his hand and saw fresh blood on his palm. "You're hurt, let me check it out."

"It's okay, I'll take care of it when I get back," Sam replied, trying to hide his pain.

"I'm not letting you go anywhere until I look at your arm," Dean insisted. "Do you have a fist aid kit?"

"In the pack," Sam huffed knowing that tone of voice and knew it wouldn't do any good to argue with Dean.

"I'll bandage it and we're going to find a motel where I can doctor it and spend the night. Then, if I think you're good to drive, I'll follow you back to Palo Alto to be sure you get there okay."

"I'd listen to your brother Sam," Bobby told him. "He's got a point. Don't need you getting in a wreck son."

Dean pulled alcohol and dressings from the first aid kit and pulled Sam's jacket and shirt sleeve out of the way to see several deep gashes on his lower arm. He poured the alcohol over it making Sam grunt and try to pull away. He wrapped his arm tightly with the dressing to help control the bleeding.

"You're going to need stitches, but I'm not going to do it here. There is no telling what germs you could pick up. C'mon, let's go find a motel. I'm guessing you have a car here."

"Yes, and yes, I can drive," Sam noted before Dean could ask.

"I'll probably head your way afterwards Bobby, maybe see if there's a hunt along the way. Thanks for pulling our asses out of the fire."

"Alright Dean. Mackie's going to drive me home, once we've taken care of the kids. You just be careful, both of you. And Sam, stay in touch and I'll do the say."

"I will Bobby," Sam said shyly happy to hear him say that.

"We will Bobby, see ya Mackie," Dean told them. He looked to the kids and stepped to them before speaking, "Hey, you guys need to stay away from things you don't understand 'cause if there's a next time, I might not be there to save you."

"We will," Riley told him adamantly.

The girls just nodded their agreement as they huddled closer to Riley still in shock over what had happened to them. Stacey was devastated that Kyle was gone and wasn't sure how she was going to handle it. Hope tried to comfort her as best she could knowing they were lucky to be alive.

"Let's go Sammy," Dean said. He clasped a hand on his shoulder and steered him toward the door. They headed downstairs and out the front door. "Is my Baby still parked in the same place?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure you're okay to drive right now?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Sam answered, rolling his eyes at his brother.

After getting in their cars, Dean led the way to the main road and away from Paradise. He wasn't going to drive far because of Sam's injury. He kept an eye on him as he followed in his car and saw the car wander out of its lane a couple of times before correcting. Dean kept an eye on the road signs and finally saw one that had gas, food, and lodging a few miles ahead. He signaled his intend and made sure Sam followed him.

Knowing Sam wasn't presentable to go inside the motel office, Dean went in and got them a room. He came back out and they moved their cars behind the office to their motel room and parked. Dean opened the door to their room and set his bag on the bed nearest the door.

"Okay, take your jacket and shirt off so I can doctor your arm," Dean told Sam. "I'm going to wash my hands and get a wet cloth."

"Alright," Sam sighed, feeling drained now that the adrenaline rush had stopped. He took off his jacket and shirt and dropped into a chair at the table to wait on Dean. His arm was throbbing, his head was hurting and all he wanted to do was crawl into bed and go to sleep.

Dean came out of the bathroom and took out the first aid kit. He unwrapped Sam's arm and cleaned the blood away to get a better look. "It's going to need stitches." Dean got out what he would need and sat down in the other chair beside Sam. He took Sam's hand and placed it under his arm on his side so he could hold him still while he stitched the wounds. He took out the suture kit and carefully began to make small, tight stitches, closing the gashes. "Are we good now Sammy?" Dean asked as he felt Sam tense as he sewed the skin together.

"Yeah," Sam grimaced. "We're good."

"You never did tell me how you found me bro? Wanna enlighten me?"

"You'll think it's silly," Sam mumbled looking away and clenching his jaw with each stitch.

"Try me," Dean encouraged giving him a warm, brotherly look.

"I had a couple of bad dreams about you and couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened to you. I could feel it deep down in my gut. You know Dad always told us to listen to our gut feelings, so I tried to get in touch with you and you never answered. I used every number I knew and even called Bobby," Sam replied, gripping Dean's side with his hand as he fought the pain. "I couldn't let it go and started looking for you. I found the house and found your flashlight at the closet door. Luckily, I didn't get pulled into the opening too. I got the book the kids were using and found the spells, consulted with Bobby, who send Mackie to help me, and well, you know the rest."

"I don't think I told you thanks for rescuing me, Sammy. I would probably still be in that place being that creature's next meal if you hadn't trusted your instincts. You did good bro."

Once he was done, he applied cream and wrapped Sam's arm with gauze, taping it in place. "Done. You need pain meds and sleep." He dug around in the kit for the bottle of pain meds and shook two out for Sam to take.

Sam accepted the pills and dry swallowed them before getting up to go to the bathroom. Once he finished, he came out and saw Dean had turned his bed down for him. He toed off his boots and dropped his jeans before slipping between the covers. He watched Dean move around the room cleaning up and stepped into the bathroom to use it. He stopped by his bed and gently rested his hand on his forehead checking to be sure Sam wasn't running a fever. Dean brushed Sam's hair back from his face and pulled the covers up and tucked them around his body. Sam kept quiet and let him do this feeling the love his brother had for him. Dean sighed heavily as he crawled into his bed and collapsed.

"Nite Sammy," Dean mumbled.

"Nite Dean," Sam whispered. He let his mind shut down and drifted away into the clouds feeling safe with his brother nearby. That emptiness that he had felt for so long was gone now and he was content and happy. Maybe he would ask Dean to stay around in Palo Alto for a few days so they could catch up and he could meet Jessica. He wanted to reconnect with his brother and have him in his life again.

The End