Disclaimer: Darn the bad luck! I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. It's too bad really because I would like to own one or two… okay I'd take all three of those guys in a heartbeat!
Hunted
John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons.
Chapter Forty Five
As they drove through the night the demon delighted in telling John exactly what it planned on doing to Dean. The torture it planned for him both mentally and physically. It was going to make John watch as it used his body to slowly destroy his son.
After a while John discovered that while he couldn't stop from hearing the demon he could tune it out. He considered his options barely daring to think of what he had learned from the memories of the demon. What he had to do was find a way to make his boys understand what needed to be done. They would have the hardest part of the job and he was not sure he'd be able to convince them to do it. He had to try though because it was the only way to defeat the demon.
"You can not defeat me," the demon told him.
"Watch me," John told it firmly then closed his mind to the demon.
Dean drove them to a small rundown cabin in the woods somewhere. His boys carried him and the demon within him into the cabin. The demon pretended drowsiness as the boys laid him down on the dusty bed in the bedroom of the cabin.
Sam had recovered from the beating he had taken but his right eye was bruised and swollen nearly shut. It didn't stop him from helping with what needed to be done. He pulled out the salt and salted the windows in the room before moving to the main cabin. Dean followed and John could hear their voices but he didn't know what they were saying.
The demon in John stood and walked to the door of the bedroom to listen to the conversation between the brothers.
"You know that guy I shot?" Dean said to Sam. "There was a person in there."
"You didn't have a choice, Dean," his brother replied.
"I think it's time for some more fun," the demon told John. "I think your son shall soon get what is coming to him."
"You leave him alone!" John yelled at the demon.
"No," the demon replied. "It's too late for that."
"Yeah, I know," Dean told his brother. "That's not what bothers me."
"Interesting?" the demon said. "Perhaps I chose the wrong son? This one would have been easy to turn. Too bad he does not have the abilities of your youngest son."
"Then what does?" Sam asked.
"Killin' that guy, killin' Meg… I didn't hesitate. I didn't even flinch," he explained. "For you or Dad, the things I'm willin' to do or kill, it just…. it scares me sometimes."
"That's my cue," the demon told John then entered the room and said to Dean, "It shouldn't. You did good."
"You're not mad?" Dean asked his dad.
"Oh you have no idea how angry I am boy," he said silently but he was confused about why the boy would think his father would be angry with him so out loud he replied, "For what?"
"He's not a boy!" John said angrily to the demon. "He's a man!"
"Usin' a bullet," Dean told his demon possessed father.
"Dean," John thought hearing his son's reply. "You saved your brother's life. How can I be mad at you for that? I did the same thing?"
"Mad? I'm proud of you. You know, Sam and I, we can get pretty obsessed," the demon said laying it on thick. "But you… you watch out for this family. You always have."
"Come on Dean," John thought. "That's not me. You know me better than this."
Dean looked at John a bit confused and taken aback by his fathers reply. "Thanks," he said.
"Well," the demon told John. "He's not as stupid as I though he was. He is beginning to suspect something is wrong with you. I believe it may be time to end this nonsense."
John felt the surge of power that ran through the demon as the lights in the room begin to flicker. They all move to the window to look out as a strong wind begins blowing outside.
"What are you doing?" John asked.
"I am going to have a little fun before I deliver my promise to you," it told him. Then out loud to Sam and Dean it said, "It found us. It's here."
"The demon?" Sam asked worried.
The demon nodded, "Sam, lines of salt in front of every window, every door."
"Already did it," Sam replied.
"Well, check it, okay?" he told Sam. When he left the room the demon silently told John, "Ah, alone at last. Now I will get the gun and your son will suffer." The demon in him looked at Dean and said, "Dean, you got the gun?"
"Yeah," he replied.
"Give it to me," the demon demanded.
"No!" John shouted at his son. "Don't do it Dean, it's not me! You know it's not me, think about it!"
"Dad, Sam tried to shoot the demon in Salvation," Dean replied. "It vanished."
"This is me. I won't miss. Now the gun, hurry," the demon says to Dean.
Dean hesitated, holding onto the gun and John knew that things were beginning to fall into place for his son. Give Dean his due he may not pick up things as fast as Sam, but he did figure them out eventually.
"Son, please," The demon pleaded.
John laughed because he knew the demon had lost Deans trust. John would never have pleaded for the gun. He would have demanded it. He watched with a grin as Dean took a few steps back from him still holding the gun.
"Give me the gun!" the demon tried to change tactics but John knew it was already too late. "What are you doing, Dean?"
Dean looked at his father. "He'd be furious," he said quietly.
"What?" said the demon and John at the same time.
"That I wasted a bullet. He wouldn't be proud of me. He'd tear me a new one," Dean replied.
"Dean," John replied sadly. "I'm sorry I made you think that."
Dean suddenly raised the gun, pointed it at John and cocked it. "You're not my dad," he told the demon menacingly.
"Do it Dean!" John whispered, "Please, you can end this all just pull the trigger it's the only way to kill this demon."
"You are a fool John Winchester if you think either of your children could ever kill you. For some unimaginable reason they both love you even after all you have done to them," the demon told him then replied to Dean. "Dean, it's me," it said.
"I know my dad better than anyone," Dean said angrily. "And you ain't him."
"What the hell has gotten into you?" the demon asked.
"I could ask you the same thing," Dean replied as Sam entered the room.
"Now that's annoying," the demon said to John. "I wanted this done before he came back but perhaps I can work this to my advantage."
"Dean? What the hell is going on?" Sam asked.
"Your brother's lost his mind," The demon replied. "And he is going to lose a lot more than that!"
"He's not Dad," Dean told his brother.
"What?" Sam asked in confusion.
"I think he's possessed," Dean explained. "I think he's been possessed since we rescued him."
"You tell him Dean!" John said. "Come on Sammy use those extra senses of yours. You know your brothers right."
"Don't listen to him, Sammy," the demon said.
"Dean, how do you know?" Sam asked his brother.
He's… He's just different," Dean explained badly.
"You know, we don't have time for this Sam," the demon said. "You want to kill this demon you've got to trust me…" They watch as Sam looks back and forth at John and Dean. "Sam?" the demon asked.
"No," Sam said finally shaking his head and walking to stand beside Dean. "No."
The demon lowered his head in and pretended sadness. "Fine! You're both so sure? Go ahead. Kill me," the demon told them hanging his head in sadness. "NO!" the demon shouted at him and suddenly John realized the demon was worried. It was afraid that Dean would actually kill them.
"Yes!" John shouted. "Do it Dean. End this Now! John knew the moment his son realized he couldn't do it. He saw the gun dip and he knew that Dean could not kill him.
The demon knew too and as soon as the gun moved away from him he raised his head and power flowed through him. "I thought so," it said as it released the power and slammed Sam and Dean against the walls of the room. Pinning them there the same way he had been pinned at the warehouse. The gun clattered to the floor and the demon walked over to the Colt and picked it up. "What a pain in the ass this thing's been," he tells them.
"No!" John shouted uselessly knowing his worst fears had just been realized. "Let them go!"
"It's you, isn't it?" Sam said hate dripping from his voice. "We've been looking for you for a long time."
The demon smiled at him. "You found me," it said.
"But the holy water…." Sam asked.
"You think something like that works on something like me?" it told Sam.
Sam struggled to lift his head away from the wall but the power of the demon is too strong. "I'm gonna kill you!"
The demon laughed. "Oh, that'd be a neat trick. In fact, here," he told Sam placing the gun on a nearby table. "Make the gun float to ya there, psychic boy."
"Come on Sam," John urged silently. "You can do it!"
The demon laughed as it watched Sam try unsuccessfully to move the gun. "Well, this is fun. I could've killed you a hundred times today, but this…." He said with a sigh. "This is worth the wait."
The demon turned to Dean. "Your dad, he's in here with me… trapped inside his own meat suit," it told him. "He says "hi", by the way. He's gonna tear you apart. He's gonna taste the iron in your blood."
"Let him go. Or I swear to God…"
The demon interrupted what Dean was going to say. "What? What are you and God gonna do? You see, as far as I'm concerned, this is justice." The demon got in Deans' face. "You know that little exorcism of yours?" it told him. "That was my daughter."
"Who, Meg?" Dean asked surprised.
"The one in the alley? That was my boy," John could feel the hatred coming from the demon in waves. "You understand?"
"You've got to be kidding me," Dean said in irritation.
"What? You're the only one who can have a family?" it asked. "You destroyed my children. How would you feel if I killed your family?"
"You son of bitch," John replied to the demon coldly. "You destroyed Mary! You destroyed Jessica! Paybacks are bitch aren't they!"
Dean said nothing to the demon but it smiled wickedly at him and said. "Oh, that's right. I forgot. I did." It grinned and stepped back then continued, "Still, two wrongs don't make a right."
"You son of a bitch," Dean said.
"I wanna know why," Sam said attracting the demons attention again. "Why'd you do it?"
"Don't," John pleaded. He knew what the answer would do to his son. He knew it how bad it would make his son feel. "Don't tell him… please."
"He's going to find out sooner or later. I think I prefer sooner," The demon told John. Then it spoke to Sam, "You mean, why'd I kill Mommy and pretty little Jess?"
"Yeah," Sam asked angrily.
The demon looked at John before replying. "You know, I never told you this, but Sam was gonna ask her to marry him. Been shoppin' for rings and everything," it told him. He walked back to Sam. "You wanna know why?" it repeated. "Because they got in the way."
"In the way of what?" Sam asked.
"My plans for you, Sammy," it told him. "You… and all the children like you."
"No," John said silently as he saw the pain in his young son's eyes. It shattered his heart to know how much pain that comment had caused his son.
Dean must have realized to the damage the demon was inflicting on his brother without even lifting a hand. "Listen," he said drawing the demons attention back to him. "You mind just getting this over with, huh? 'Cause I really can't stand the monologuing."
The demon returned to Dean. "Funny. But that's all part of your M.O., isn't it?" it said. "Mask all that nasty pain. Mask the truth."
John knew he had to find a way to stop this. He had to find a way to release his son's so they could use the gun.
"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Dean asked.
"You know, you fight and you fight for this family, but the truth is….they don't need you. Not like you need them," it told Dean. "Sam… he's clearly John's favorite. Even when they fight. It's more concern than he's ever shown you."
"No!" John said. "You lying son of bitch. You know that's not true. I need both of them. I love both of them."
"Ah," the demon said. "But do they know that?"
"I bet you're real proud of your kids, too, huh?" Dean replied with a smirk. "Oh, wait, I forgot. I wasted 'em."
"Dean!" John said in fear. "No!" He knew his son had gone too far with the demon. Fury radiated from the creature as it took a step back away from Dean and lowered its head.
John felt the gather power and when the demon lifted its head he felt as the demon struck at Dean's chest with the power he felt the power squeezing Dean's heart. And he watched in horror unable to stop it as blood began to seep heavily from Deans' chest.
Dean screamed in agony as the power of the demon tormented him.
"Stop!" John pleaded. "Please!" He had to find a way to make it stop. He was out of time.
"Dean! No!" Sam yelled unable to help.
Dean's cries of pain and suffering continued as more blood poured out of his chest. He looked at his father and pleaded, "Dad! Dad, don't you let it kill me!"
John felt the demons power increase and Dean cried out again as blood began to pour from his mouth as well as his chest. "You're killing him! Stop!"
"That's the plan," the demon told him silently.
"Dean!" Sam said as he struggled both mentally and physically to break away from the demon. Through the demon John felt the power animating from his son. He felt it shove hard against that of the demon that held him to the wall.
"Dad, please," Dean begged before he finally lost unconscious and sagged against his invisible bonds.
"Dean!" Sam cried and struggled harder to free himself increasing the power he used unwittingly against the demon. "No!"
John did the only think he could think of doing. He reached though the brick wall he had used to surround himself he pulled the demon into the wall with him then he switched left the protective circle. "Stop!" he said tearfully and was surprised to hear his own voice. "Stop it."
He felt the power of the demon weaken as he held it within the wall of bricks. In his mind he reinforced the bricks with a ring of steel. He felt the demon pull back some of its power building its strength.
The force holding Sam to the wall was released as the demon battled with John. Sam rushed to the table and grabs the Colt. He pointed it at John.
With a sudden and ferocious burst of power the wall of bricks and steel that confined the demon was shattered and John was burning in a sea of fire. Through the torturous agony John whispered silently, "Do it Sam, Please."
The demon regained control of John. It looked at Sam who was kneeling on the ground but pointing the gun at John. "You kill me," it smirked at him. "You kill Daddy."
"I know," Sam said and then to the demons complete surprise he pulled the trigger. The bullet struck John in the thigh knocking him to the floor.
The mystical power of the shot drained the demon of its powers releasing both Dean and John. Dean collapsed to the floor and Sam rushed to his side.
John expected the shot to kill both the demon and himself but it didn't. It weakened the creature made it powerless. It tried to escape but John slammed the brick and steel wall around it. Holding it prisoner. He knew what needed to be done. He just needed to convince his son. He heard Sam talking quietly to his brother and was relieved to hear Dean's voice.
"Dad?" Sam said as he approached his father, "Dad?"
"Sammy!" John shouted at his son, "It's still alive. It's inside me. I can feel it." He prayed his son would listen. "You shoot me. You shoot me! You shoot me in the heart, son!" John's heart bled for his son, but he knew this was the only way. The demon could only be killed while it possessed someone.
He watched as Sam lifted the gun with tears in his eyes. John knew what he was asking his son to do but if he didn't do it the demon would come back. It would try again. Sam raised the gun and cocked it. "Do it, now!" John demanded.
John heard Dean tell his brother, "Sam, don't you do it. Don't you do it."
John could feel the demon fighting to get out of the cage he'd put it in. "You've got to hurry! I can't hold on to it much longer!" John cried. "You shoot me, son! Shoot me!" Demands were not working so John tried the only other thing he could. "Son, I'm beggin' you! We can end this here and now! Sammy!"
Dean lay on the floor and listened in horror to what his father was demanding, "Sam no," he cried.
John felt himself weakening as he fought the demon. "You do this! Sammy! Sam…" Suddenly he couldn't hold the demon any longer and he screamed out his fury as the demon erupted from him in a cloud of black smoke. It swirled above him angrily before disappearing through the floorboards of the room.
John looked at his young son tears of anger, sadness and regret falling freely from his face. He looked away unable to meet his son's eyes. He knew what he had asked of Sam. He knew how hard it would have been for him, but he also knew it would have ended the threat to his son's life forever.
Sam walked away from his father and went to his brothers' side. "Dean," he said. "Come on we need to get you to the hospital."
John struggled to his feet and silently helped Sam carry Dean to the car. They carefully put him in the back seat where he lay stretched out and leaning against the door. The trip to the car had been painful and exhausting for both Dean and John.
John sat in the passenger seat quietly as Sam drove as fast as he dared towards the hospital. They had been so close to destroying the demon. John sighed as he though of all they had gone through and he knew they would have to do it all again.
Sam mistook his sigh of frustration for a one of pain. "Just hold on, all right?" he told his father. "The hospital's only ten minutes away."
John shook his head at his son. "I'm surprised at you, Sammy. Why didn't you kill it?" he asked. "I thought we saw eye to eye on this. Killing this demon comes first. Before me, before everything."
"No sir. Not before everything," Sam replied.
And John didn't know if he should be glad his son didn't take the shot and kill him because it demonstrated his love for him or disappointed that he didn't take the shot and kill the demon. He just knew that now they were all still in danger. Maybe even more danger then before.
"Look, we still have the Colt," Sam told him. "We still have the one bullet left. We just have to start over, all right, I mean, we already found the demon…"
Bright lights engulfed the window and John turned in time to see the truck barreling down on the side of the impala. He didn't even have time to scream before the impact sent him spiraling into darkness.
A/N Okay it's done! Finally! Unless of course I decide to add tomorrow's episode to the story. I will need to see it first and see if it will fit with the storyline. If it does then eventually I will add it.
Hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to read it, now feel free to review too!
Thanks bunches!