'Til Death

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own 'em and I'm still poor.

oooOOOooo

Is death the last sleep? No--it is the last and final awakening. --Sir Walter Scott

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Dean woke up with a pounding headache. He looked around; he appeared to be in one of the bedrooms, but he wasn't restrained in any way. Managing to get out of bed and holding onto the wall for support, he made his way to the door.

"Crap." he muttered, seeing the double deadbolts. "What the hell?"

He carefully turned around to examine the rest of the room. The one window was barred and he saw no other way out. "This is bullshit."

Knowing it wouldn't be there, Dean reached into his jacket for his cell phone. The pocket was empty. He made his way back to the bed and sat down. After a few minutes of rest, his head was more clear; he looked through every piece of furniture in the room for some way to pick the locks. He came up empty. Going back to the window, he noticed it faced the back of the property. There was nothing around but trees. He managed to get the window open and he started to examine the bars.

In the meantime, Sam was helping to load boxes into the van and trying to figure out what he was going to do. He didn't understand exactly what power Awena had over him, how she'd gotten him to do what she wanted earlier, but he was also somehow able to block it now. He didn't know how long that would last and he had to find his brother before Awena and her people left. He was afraid it might already be too late.

Sam walked back into the house for another box, but instead he slipped upstairs hoping Dean was being held in one of the bedrooms. He got to the top of the stairs before he was stopped.

"Sam."

He turned to face Awena.

"Shouldn't you be loading boxes?" she smiled.

Sam hesitated.

"I guess we don't need to play games anymore, do we?" she asked. "You're here for your brother."

"Where is he?"

"He's here. But you and I have some unfinished business to talk about."

Sam could feel himself slipping.

"My friends and I – we're leaving tonight. It's up to you whether or not we go to California." Awena smiled at him, her fingers on a pendant that hung on a chain around her neck. "You could have Jessica back tomorrow."

Something tore at Sam's heart. He saw Jessica's smile; he heard her laugh. He desperately wanted to put his arms around her and feel her warmth.

"A few short hours and she could be with you again." Awena said gently. "You could start your life over with her, settle down. You could go back to law school – obviously Jess can't go back to Stanford, but there are other law schools –"

Sam shook his head. "Where's my brother?"

Awena looked shocked; she rubbed the pendant more insistently. "Think about Jessica, Sam. She loved you as much as you loved her; she wanted to be with you forever. It wasn't her time to go, Sam, you said so yourself."

Sam knew he should be doing something else. This isn't why he came into the house, but he couldn't remember what he was supposed to be doing.

"So, Sam, why don't you load a couple more boxes so we can get out of here?"

He nodded and slowly went back downstairs.

oooOOOooo

Dean's head was still pounding, but he kept trying to find a way out of the room. One area of the bars was weak and if he had some sort of tool, he'd have no trouble getting it loose. Frustrated and feeling sick, he sunk back down on the bed.

"Come on, Dean." he said to himself, resting his head in his hands. "You are not going to let that bitch take Sammy. Think!"

He looked around the room again. It was empty except for the bed.

"If life hands you lemons –" he muttered as he stood up.

oooOOOooo

"Are we ready?" Awena asked as she joined her crew on the driveway.

"Everything is loaded." a young man said.

"Good. Thomas, Sam and I will follow in the car. The rest of you go ahead now. We'll meet up in a few hours. Does everyone know where we're going?"

"We've got the route."

"Excellent. I'll see you soon." she smiled and watched them get into the van. As the vehicles pulled away, she turned toward Sam. He was sitting on the porch steps.

"How are you?" she asked, as she sat next to him.

"I'm all right." he said, running his hand over his head.

"You look confused about something."

"No. Well, it's just –"

"Don't worry about anything. Just think about Jessica."

"Do you really think you can do it?" he asked softly.

"Well, it has been longer than normal, but I think so."

Sam nodded, staring into space.

Awena rubbed the pendant as she put her hand on top of Sam's. "Just think about Jessica."

oooOOOooo

Dean climbed out of the window, leaving the ruined bed behind him, and jumped to the tree nearby. He was dizzy and still felt sick, but he had to find Sam. He climbed down the tree and jumped the last few feet to the ground. He sat for a few minutes to get his bearings, then carefully made his way around the house. He saw the vans pulling out and hoped he wasn't too late.

"So what do you think you want to do with her first?" Awena asked.

Sam smiled. "I don't know."

"What kinds of things did you do before?"

"It didn't matter what we did. We just loved being together. A lot of times we'd just sit on the couch and study, but we were together."

"That's sweet." she patted his hand as her driver walked out of the house carrying the last of the luggage. "Well, it looks like it's time to go."

Sam stood up with her.

"Oh, there's just one more thing I need you to do before we go."

"What's that?"

She handed him a small black box. He took at it, but looked at her confused.

"Just press the red button when we get clear of the house." she walked away, but turned when she noticed Sam wasn't following. "Sam?"

"I –"

"Sam." Dean said as he came from the side of the house.

Sam whirled to face his brother. "Dean!"

"Sam, you've got to listen to me –"

"Sam, it's time to go." Awena said, touching the pendant.

"Sam." Dean said, afraid he was going to pass out. "Sam, you know this isn't right. You –"

"What was right about Jessica dying?" Awena asked. "If it hadn't been for your brother, Sam. you would have been there to protect her."

Sam looked back at his brother.

"You were happy at school, weren't you, Sam?" Awena asked. "You can go back – you can go back to school and you can have Jessica – you don't have to live this life anymore. You don't have to live in a car, going from town to town. You can have the woman you love back in your arms –"

Dean watched Awena, trying to figure out how she was manipulating his brother. More than once, Dean thought if he hadn't come for Sam that Jessica would still be alive. He knew that the thing that killed her would have won eventually, but maybe if he hadn't pulled Sam away to go look for their father, her death would have been postponed. Sam told Dean that he didn't blame him for Jessica's death, and Dean believed him, but he was afraid Awena was going to win this round.

"Sammy – " he whispered.

Sam stared at him with an anger Dean had never seen directed his way before. He saw Awena rubbing the pendant between her fingers. He took a chance and lunged forward, managing to reach her before anyone could react. He grabbed the pendant and yanked it from her neck. She screamed and tried to get it back, but even not at his best, Dean was faster than a fifty year old woman.

"Thomas!" she yelled.

"Sam –" Dean began as he collapsed to the ground.

"Dean!" Sam yelled, rushing forward. "Dean?"

"It's the amulet, Sam. She's controlling you with the amulet." Dean's eyes rolled back in his head.

Sam took the charm from him and slipped it into his pocket. Awena was rushing toward the car, Thomas behind the wheel. He had no hope of stopping them without some kind of weapon and he was worried about his brother. As the car left the driveway, Sam turned his attention back to Dean. His pulse was strong and his breathing steady, but he was unconscious. Sam managed to get Dean to the car and headed back to the motel.

At a red light, he pulled the amulet from his pocket to look at it. It didn't look familiar to him. He turned his attention back to Dean and checked his pulse again. It was still strong.