Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters. I and am not making any money on this…I'm just having fun filling in the time until September!

Double Trouble

Chapter 21 – Hidden Pain

Dean watched as Sam's body fought the fever raging within. He was getting worried, Sam's fever seemed to be climbing with each hour. "Sammy, you need to wake up bro', I need to get some more of this fever reducer into you."

Sam opened his tired eyes, he was having trouble focusing between the pounding in his head and the pain in his side. "Hurts Dean…why is it so hot in here?" Sam moaned as he tried to sit up and gasped as the pain in his side increased.

"Sammy…what hurts? Your head?" Dean was worried, the last thing they needed now was for Sam to get one of his damn visions. He saw Sam wince and immediately calmed his own feelings.

Sam didn't respond but closed his eyes once more as the fever, pain in his head and side drove him back into the darkness. Back into the nightmare that wouldn't let him go.

Sam was back in the cellar, only this time it was him hitting and torturing Missouri. He could feel the blows and see the pain reflected on the woman's face. Sam tried to stop, but it was if his body wasn't his own anymore.

Sam tried to push the nightmare away, but instead it only shifted. Now he was in a strange home looking down at a young woman who was terrified. He knew what was coming, he tried to stop it. But once again his body would not obey. Afterwards, Sam felt sick as he saw the broken young woman beneath him. He wanted to reach out and soothe her, but instead when he reached out, a knife appeared in his hand. Before he could stop, the young woman was dead…her throat slashed.

He could hear the young woman's voice in his head. "Why, why would you kill me?"

"I didn't want to…it wasn't me!" Sam pleaded with the young woman

"Monster! You have become what you have always hunted…now you will be hunted!" A shrill voice in his head screamed.

Sam moaned on the sofa. "My fault…monster…no….not me….sorry…please don't!"

ooooooooo

A dark shape hovered outside the home. It had been drawn by the pain it felt. As it came closer, it could feel the turmoil from the young psychic. His father would be so proud. Especially if he was able to do what his predecessors had not been able to do…take down the great Sam Winchester.

The demon could not enter the home, and it sensed that the charms surrounding the young hunter would help him resist his presence. No, he needed to just bide his time and then he would strike. Afterall, the demon had learned patience during his long life and in the end it would be patience that would get his father's prize. For now it would enjoy messing with the young man's mind…a mind too weak to even tell he was there.

ooooooooo

Dean wrung out the wash cloth he had been using to cool Sam down and placed it on his brother's face. He gently wiped the sweat and tears from Sam's face as he tried once again to wake his brother. "Come on Sammy…if this keeps up, I'm going to have to take you to the hospital…open your eyes for me little brother!"

Missouri walked into the room for the first time since Sam had been brought home. She was concerned by the emotions that she was sensing from the boy. "Dean, we need to cool him down, the fever is making your brother worse." Missouri winced as the thoughts from Sam slammed into her mind, but this time she was prepared and managed to deflect most of them.

"I know Missouri, but he won't wake up to take the fever reducer. I checked the knife wound in his side and it looks like it's infected. His fever is climbing…we need to get him to the hospital."

The emotions that Dean had been trying to keep at bay all night were finally bubbling to the surface. Dean seeing his brother wincing in pain, quickly got up and left the room.

Missouri followed Dean into the hallway. Dean was standing with his head bowed, taking shallow breaths as he tried to get his raging emotions under control. Once again he couldn't protect Sam, he felt totally useless. His brother needed a doctor and he needed Missouri, but Dean felt like he was stuck on the sidelines.

Dean jumped as he felt a gentle hand on his arm. "Dean, you are more important to that boy than you will ever know. You are his way back home…without you, your brother would soon be lost to the darkness that is always trying to get him. You keep that darkness away, can't you see that?"

"But, I can't fix this, he needs to be in the hospital, but I can't take him there because he'd be too exposed. And then there's his psychic powers…how the heck do I fix that? I'm not even sure what they are or how to help him." Dean punched his fist into the wall.

"Boy, you put a hole in my wall and I'm going to pound you!"

"I'm sorry, I just hate to see him like this." Dean ran a hand through his hair and looked at Missouri thoughtfully.

Missouri watched as Dean once again placed his emotions under control and started to address the problem at hand. She shook her head at the strength of the young man standing in front of her. She wondered why he couldn't see his importance, but then she remembered who his father was.

Dean started walking towards the bathroom. He had to get Sam's fever down and fast. He started to run the cool bath water while he tried to figure out how to get Sam from the protected parlor to the bathroom and keep him protected. He started out of the bathroom and ran into Missouri walking quickly towards him.

"You're gonna need me to place some charms in the bathroom. The house itself has some protection, but not enough to shield Sam. You go get your brother and I'll have this room done by the time you get back."

For once Dean was glad that Missouri had read his mind. Now all he had to do was get Sam into the bathroom and into the tub…which was going to be tricky with his ribs and broken arm. Dean knelt down beside Sam and tried once more to wake his brother.

"Sammy, we have to get you cooled down. Do you think you can help me get you into the bathroom?" Dean watched as Sam tried to open his eyes. He smiled as he saw the tired eyes of his brother looking into his own.

"Dean…you need help?" Sam squinted trying to see what was wrong with his brother. Then he remembered, Dean had been hurt and he was supposed to be taking care of him. Sam sat up, ignoring the pain in his body and tried to stand. He would have fallen, but Dean placed a steadying hand around his waist.

"Dean, lean on me…I'll help you." Sam stumbled again, gasping as they entered the hallway. It was as if someone turned the volume up on the radio…only there was more than one station playing at t time. Sam grabbed at his head, reeling with the emotions pouring into him. He paused as something else appeared in the midst of the noise, he sensed something…something was coming for him…no, wait something was already here…he had to warn Dean!

"Hold on Sammy, just a few steps further…here we go, just have a seat here while I get things ready for you." Dean had noticed Sam's pain as they walked the short distance in the hallway. He knew for sure now that Sam would never survive a trip to the hospital, much less staying in one for any length of time.

Missouri appeared at the doorway with some towels. She looked at Sam and shook her head. The boy looked to be in bad shape. "Dean, you need to get him undressed…I'll help you get him into the tub. You'll need these when he comes out. While you are working with him…I'll finish getting the bedroom ready across the hall. He needs to be in a proper bed."

A few moments later, Missouri returned to help Dean. "Thanks Missouri, let's hope this works!" Dean grunted as he and Missouri gently lowered Sam into the cool water. Sam began to struggle as the water hit his heated body. "Sammy, you need to calm down and let us help you. You have to stay here for a little while so we can get your fever under control."

"No Dean…listen…something's wrong…you need to…" Sam began to shake and his eyes rolled back into his head as he began to have a seizure.

TBC

Raven524: Sorry about the delay in posting, but my writing muse took a little vacation on me and the site must have gone with her…I have her back in tow and the site is being nice to be today, so the next chapter should arrive soon. Of course, reviews always help!