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The Winged Curse

Chapter Five

Sam ran out of the cavern tears streaming down his face. He felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach. He dashed down the trail that led to where they'd parked the car. He slowed to a walk then stopped and fell to his knees as the reality of what had occurred struck him hard. He had failed his brother and in his failure he had lost him. Dean was gone. Evil had finally succeeded in taking him from Sam.

He sat there in the middle of the forest and grieved at the loss of his brother and he grieved too because he knew what he had to do now. It was going to kill him, but he had no choice. He could not, would not leave Dean that way. His brother would not want to live like that.

Slowly Sam got to his feet and made his way back to the car. He needed to get more weapons before he went back into the cave. They had spent every round they'd brought with them with the exception of the three rounds remaining in the gun Sam carried now.

Briefly he considered calling his father and asking for his help but he knew that was a copout. He had to handle this one on his own it was his fault, his mess. He wouldn't belittle his brother by handing the chore over to anyone, not even their dad.

Sam reached the car and opened the trunk. He leaned on the car and slowly, methodically loaded clip after clip. He kept his mind on the task of loading and preparing his weapons. He didn't dare think of what he had to do once he had his weapons ready. He ransacked the trunk grabbing several handguns, a shotgun and even a few knives. He knew if he had to fight his brother the battle would be fierce and unforgiving. Dean was an awesome warrior and if he retained any that knowledge he would be very difficult to handle.

Sam was about to close the trunk and begin his trek back to the cave. Another gun in the trunk caught his eye and he reached in and grabbed it. It was a one shot weapon but it would give him a chance he may not have otherwise. He decided to take it with him so he checked and loaded the weapon and put it in his belt behind his back before closing the trunk. Sam turned and headed up the trail towards the hardest hunt he would ever have to make.


Dean carried the injured creature up to the cave they had left earlier. The keening sounds she was emitting were flooding his mind with the need to protect her and blurring every other thought from him. The sound was loud and piercing drowning out his brother's screams.

Gently he laid her down on the floor of the cave. The pitch of her song changed, lowered and he felt the overwhelming necessity to help her. He ripped off what was left of his shirt and used it to stop the flow of blood from her abdomen where she had been shot. He used his long claws to pull out the bullet that had lodged in the thick muscles on the side of her abdomen. She screamed in pain as he slowly drew the offending object from within her. Then with one more soft crooning sound she slipped into unconsciousness. With what remained of his shirt he bandaged her wound then stood and backed away.

Silence filled the cave and the thick haze of need that clouded his mind began to clear. Something was wrong. He did not belong here he did not know what was wrong with him. He looked around the room spotted the exit and ran towards it. The floor fell away and he snapped his wings open and flew across the large cavern landing on a thick ledge above the main entrance. He could see the bright light from the sun below him and knew that was where he wanted to be but he couldn't. It was too late for him. The light was too bright for his sensitive eyes now. He was confused and unsure even why he was confused.

As he sat there above the entrance he watched cautiously, quietly as someone entered. He was familiar… someone he should know but… he shook his head trying to clear it. He wanted to know who it was. He knew it was someone important.

"Dean!" yelled the man on the ground. "Dean!"

He knew that voice, he knew the name he called was his. Silently he spread his wings and glided down to the floor of the cave landing behind the man... curious.

Sam spun around and looked at his brother and tears formed in his eyes. He raised his left hand in a classic stop sign while reaching around with his other hand to grip the gun he'd placed there behind his belt. "Dean," he said quietly trying not to startle his changed brother. "It's me, Sam."

The creature that was his brother took a hesitant step towards him and Sam backed cautiously away. Slowly he drew the weapon from behind his back and pointed it at his brother. The tears that had formed in his eyes began to fall as he spoke. "Dean," he said. "I'm sorry. I… I don't have a choice. I know you. You wouldn't want this. You would rather…" He couldn't finish. He made eye contact with his brother hoping for some sign of recognition some indication that he was doing the right thing but he found nothing. The red eyes that gazed back at him held nothing of his brother.

Sam sighed heavily as he pulled the trigger shooting his brother point blank in the chest.

The creature that was his brother screamed in pain and outrage as the shot sent him sailing backwards. Sam watched tearfully as twice the creature tried to stand and twice its legs crumbled beneath it before it finally stayed down. He dropped the now useless gun and cautiously walked towards his brothers still form.

The female chose that moment to come howling into the cavern from above. She dove straight at Sam forcing him to jump sideways away from his brother. He rolled sideways grabbing the shotgun from his back. He came up onto one knee raised the shotgun as she came around for another try. He fired at the beast and she swerved away. He pumped the shotgun again and fired again. She swerved quickly each time he fired. Within minutes the gun was empty and he tossed it aside pulling out a pair of fully loaded hand guns.

He stood in the center of the cavern and waited until she came at him again. She circled above him screaming out her rage and he watched with cold fury until she attacked again. This time he didn't miss. Shot after shot struck the creature as she flew straight at him. His eyes blazed as he thought of what she had forced him to do. He jumped sideways as she careened out of control in his direction and landed on the ground in a heap. He walked over to her and silently emptied both guns into her struggling form. The last shot he placed right between her eyes. She changed then as he watched regaining her human form as death finally took her.

Sam dropped his guns and as they clattered to the ground he turned to his brothers still form. He smiled then when he saw that Dean too had reverted back to his human form. Sam strode purposefully to his brother's side and dropped down next to him. He was tired. Bone weary tired. He leaned against the wall and pulled his brother's still form into his lap. Then he leaned down and pulled the dart from his brother's chest and checked for a pulse. A smile formed on his face as he found what he was looking for and he leaned back against the wall closing his eyes as exhaustion finally took him.

A/N Hope I didn't scare too many of you with what Sam had to do to Dean. (okay… so I lied). Anyway I hope you enjoyed it! Please review and let me know how I did. Also, should I end it here or do one more chapter to wrap it up?