-1Once again thank you thank you thank you for your wonderful feedback for this story. And I must apologize for the fact that sometimes my computer seems to be putting quote marks in places where they do not belong I will watch more carefully for that I promise. Anyway as always please enjoy and let me know what you think, the good the bad and the ugly I want to hear it all.
-Part 3- Daddy's Here
Glancing over at the T.V. Sam looked at the bright green clock above it and frowned, it was now nearly four am, and he had managed to catch absolutely not a wink of sleep as he listened to his brothers soft sobs from the bed next to his…. He knew he was dreaming again and it would only be a matter of minutes before he woke himself up with a start for the twentieth time in the past four hours.
Sam could not help but wonder what exactly had happened to his brother inside that cave, what had that wretched old bag lady done to him to scare him so badly…. How had she taken his eyes? Did he suffer? Was he screaming for help? Was he calling for his brother? His Father? Or even his mother to come and protect him….. Had he given up hope? Had he thought Sam would never come for him?
Sam's self scolding session was interrupted abruptly by the loud shrill cry of his brother from the bed adjacent to his as he jumped to his feet and made his way quickly sitting down next to Dean and placing a hand on his sweat drenched chest.
"It's alright…." He spoke quickly his tired eyes examining the trembling man from top to bottom as his head moved wildly from side to side fighting to see something…. Anything, Dean's mind state slightly disoriented as growls irrupted deep in his throat fighting to keep himself from breaking any further.
"Relax." Sam's voice was more of an order than a request as he applied just enough pressure to his brothers chest to force him to lay back down. Tears welling in his own eyes at the pathetic sight of his older brother, the man who was always his protector… And how truly broken he now was as he found himself staring nearly mesmerized by the milky white lifeless eyes that were once, so deep. So brown.
"Sammy?" Dean finally spoke out his voice hoarse as his hand flew up to his brothers face his flesh shaking so hard Sam wondered if he was going into some sort of seizure…
"I told you I wasn't going anywhere." Sam whispered quietly as he fixed the blanket around deans naked torso ignoring the fingers now prodding at his face, this part was something he was never going to get used to… His brother, so stubborn so independent, now on a certain level, whether he was willing to admit it or not, was quite needy. And that scared Sam more than anything ever could.
After a moment Dean's breath evened out and his body relaxed back into the bed as sweat continued to pour from his forehead and bathe his face. "I'm really sorry about all this." His voice was slowly returning to its normal volume, that of a strong warrior being and not some pathetic weakling.
"It's alright…. Just try to get a bit more rest."
"I don't know if I want to…"
"Your body has been beaten and your mind is very tired, trust me if anyone knows about nightmares from hell it's me man but you have to try or you are never going to get your strength back and we are never going to be able to go back and face this bitch."
"I'll be alright." Was the only response Dean would give, he would say anything do anything to attempt to make his little brothers mind more at ease even if they both knew he was failing miserably.
- John Winchester looked at the clock as he pulled into the parking lot of the Lucky Star Motel he had been driving all day and all night, but he had finally made it… It was nearly 5 am but that didn't matter he was finally here…..
So why only now then had the fear taken over his mind and his body as he looked at the door to room 103? Why only now was the guilt gnawing at him like a pit-bull on a piece of fresh meat? He had let this happen to his s on, he should of never let his boys go off hunting on their own. Hell he never should have let them go hunting at all…. They should have been able to lead normal lives with schools, friends, and family…..
But John had become so obsessed with finding their mothers killer that he never took time to see what it was doing to his sons, the only things he had left in this world…. And now here it was 22 years later… And he stood only feet away from viewing up close and personal the aftermath of his mistake.
Wiping his hands off on his jeans he sighed and pulled the keys from the ignition before stepping out of the car and heading up to the door knocking softly.
Sam was now on his second cup of coffee… Well if that's what you want to call it anyway, from the small pot in there hotel room as he had now moved from his bed to the floor sitting Indian style by Dean's bed…. It just made it easier for him to watch over him this way….
Hearing the knock at the door he rose quickly to his feet and set the coffee down hurrying to look out the peep hole in the bright green hotel door. His entire body washed over with a slight sense of serenity to see his fathers figure standing on the other side, at least now he didn't have to face everything alone, there was someone there to help Dean, and to help him be strong.
"Dad….." The word could hardly be heard as he opened the door father… son… Face to face….
"Hiya Sammy." He whispered a little running a hand through his hair and rocking unsteadily on his heels.
"Shhhh…" Sam put his finger to his mouth before hesitantly looking back at his brothers sleeping form and then stepping out into the cold morning air closing the door behind himself.
"How is he?" John asked stealing a peek over Sam's shoulder as the door was closing.
"Sleeping…. But only for a few minutes here and there….He's having some pretty disturbing nightmares from the sound of them, not of course that he will open up to me and tell me what happens in them…. Or even what happened to him…."
"You're his bay brother Sam, it's his job to protect you…. Not the other way around, or at least that's how he sees it, he's not going to worry you….."
"All he keeps saying is he's alright…. He's alright…. But I know he's not… And I'm not to sure how to help him."
"I've got a few friends of mine looking for solutions as we speak to heal your brother and kill the thing that did this to him…."
"So there is a cure?"
"I hope so son…."
A loud crash from inside the hotel interrupted the silence that had fallen between the two men on the other side of the door followed quickly by another anguished sob from the older Winchester brother "SAMMMMMMMMMMMMMY NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"Dean!" Sam threw the door open to find the lamp from the end table by the bed over turned the base of it shattered into about 200 pieces. Deans weak hunched over form making his way aimlessly around the room as he sobbed inwardly hands out reached crying to himself…. "Not again…. Don't you hurt him again…. Not again…"
"Dean…." John Winchester mumbled to himself taking in the sight of his eldest son and finding hardly enough strength to lean against the door frame as he watched Sam lunge forward and leap into action.
As quick as a flash of light Sam was at his brother's side his arm's wrapped around his waist as he spoke… "She's not here Dean." He informed as he let his eyes fall to their father who was pale as fresh snow watching the scene unfold… "She's not here remember?"
"But she was…." Dean retorted defiantly snapping his head to the side away from his brothers grasp as Sam was now inspecting him for fresh wounds from the lamps glass,
"No Dean she wasn't…."
"YES SHE WAS!….I-I SAW HER!"
"You saw her?" Sam asked softly leading him back to the bed, "Dean you didn't see her man…. You didn't see anything…."
"Bullshit…She was here! She came for me…. And she was going to kill you again…"
"She never killed me the first time remember? It was all just a nightmare, she made you believe…."
"I know what I-" Dean voice faded as head snapping to the side to listen carefully shifting his face toward the door… "Whose There!"
A Chill ran up John's spine as his son's white eyes and pain filled face appeared to be looking right through him without ever even seeing so much as a shadow…. Taking a step forward John cleared his throat kneel before his son and placing his hands on his knees softly. "It's me Dean…"
Dean's body Jumped slightly his heart skipping a beat or two and his breath hitching…… "Sam!" He drew his lip into his mouth wanting reassurance from his little brother that his father really was here, and this wasn't just some figment of his tortured mind.
"He's here…." Sam crouched down a little and took Dean's hand placing it on their father's face gently.
"I'm here son." John confirmed himself putting his hand over his son's and taking note of how cold his flesh was as it wondered his face…..
"Yo-you didn't have to come you know?"
"Well…. I'm here now…." He slid his son's hand from his face and stood up going to the duffle bags in the corner and fishing through them finding a hooded blue sweatshirt he returned to his spot in front of his son and slid it carefully over his head. "You're freezing." He whispered hiding the pain from his voice and his expression…
"I'm alright, Will you tell Sam to get some sleep though? Stupid ass doesn't listen to a word I say, and I know he looks worse then I do.. I don't need eyes to see that."
"Don't worry about him right now, I'll make sure he gets plenty of rest, you just need to concentrate on keeping yourself healthy and your strength up…."
Dean let out a small laugh and the other two men both looked at him puzzled. "What?"
"You two are so much alike it kills me." He smirked.
"You need your rest…." John spoke picking his sons legs up and putting them on the bed covering him with the blanket careful to avoid looking at his face, at what he had allowed to happen.
"I'm not going to be able to…."
"Well… What should we do then?" Sam asked from where he was now kneeled picking up the shards of broken glass between the two beds.
"What do most people do when they wake up? What time is it?"
"It's just about five-thirty."
"Breakfast." Dean nodded and sat back up. "You cannot deny a sick man a meal now can you?" He grinned.
"You really are going to milk this while you can aren't you?"
"Milk what?" Dean quipped innocently as Sam now dug into the shirt Dean had previously been wearing the night before fishing for the sunglasses in the front pocket and then placing them on his face once more.
"Never-mind."
"No. Milk what?" Dean asked again gripping to his fathers arm as he felt Sam standing behind him when he rose to his feet.
"Nothing." Sam responded again… "Now please just concentrate on making it out to the car without face planting will you?"
"Pussy." Dean mumbled sliding into the passengers seat of the Impala after his father had made it into the backseat.
"Ass." Sam retorted closing his door for him and going around to the drivers side watching the smirk on his fathers face as he shook his head.
"You know if you wreck my car blind or not I'm gonna kick your ass." Dean quipped as Sam made a wide quick turn into the Denny's parking lot having nearly driven past it and almost missing the turn in.
"What is it you always told me about the passenger shutting his cake hole?"
"That's only when you're the passenger!"
"Yeah I'll bet."
The three men slowly made their way into the restaurant and were greeted by a young woman who Dean immediately noted smelled of Jasmine, something he probably never would of noticed had his eyes still been in working order…. "welcome to Denny's…I'll be seating you this morning."
"Is she hot?" Dean asked leaning into his brother a little more depending on him to be his eyes.
"Dude…." Sam chuckled to himself. "She's amazing man." He teased cupping his brother around the waist and whispering. "About six feet tall, long blonde hair…. Bright blue eyes, and a tan that says she's been in Hawaii for the past three months. I swear she should be in playboy or something bro."
"SAM!" John warned over hearing their conversation as the woman with the thick Kentucky accent stopped in front of one of the many vacant booths smiling at the three men.
"What?"
"Don't tease your brother."
Dean grunted and slapped his brothers arm hard as he helped him into the booth. "I'm serious!"
"No man…. She's working at Denny's… What do you think?"
"Well… You never know. It could happen."
"Would you two mind if we got down to a bit of business since your brother seems to be rapidly returning to his old self?" John asked interrupting his son's bickering that was now filling the silent air of the nearly deserted restaurant.
"Yes Sir." They both answered in unison as they immediately straightened up facing there father.
"Dean, I know it might be hard on you Son… But I need you to tell me exactly what happened in that cave, exactly what you saw…. And exactly what you heard…. Because from what I've found there is not a lot know about this witch of Pine-Forrest woods…. So anything you can remember anything at all that we can go off of might be the only chance we have of killing her and restoring your- you to your full health."
Dean's face paled slightly as his father spoke, the last thing he wanted to do was delve into the memory of that place while he was awake, wasn't it bad enough he couldn't sleep… his every dream and every nightmare revolved around it?
"Just try Dean." Sam spoke softly glaring at his father.
"Yeah… Sure I mean no problem right?" Dean forced a painful smile that made his cheeks ache. "That's the only way were going to catch and kill this wench isn't it? I mean you know-" Mid sentence Dean's head filled once more with the bright skull ripping light and he drew in a harsh shaky breath tilting his head back. "AHHHHHH" he groaned bringing his hands up to his head and gripping it hard.
Her image as clear as day, cold as stone and deadly as the bite of a poisonous snake as eyes bore into him like drills though his body embedding themselves into his soul.
"get her out…." He shrilled quietly
"Is he alright?" The young waitress asked softly now standing at the head of their table waiting to take their order.
"He-he'll be fine….. Just umm, can you get us some water and uh just a few more minutes to order please?" John asked trying to swallow the lump in his throat as he watched Sam trying to coax his brother out of some sort of painful trance .
"Of-of course sir" She nodded and scurried off quicker than she had appeared.
"Has this happened before?" He asked the minute she was out of earshot reaching across the table and placing his hand on his son's carefully… "Dean….Dean… You have to fight her son."
"Yesterday…." Sam nodded.
"She seems to have some sort of hold on him…." John stated as he watched his eldest finally breathe out a long releasing sigh… "Dean?"
"I'm alright." He snapped ripping his hand out from his father's hand and shifting away from his brother a tinge of fear detectable in his voice.
"Thank you." Sam smiled at the woman and took the glass of water as she approached. "Drink this." He placed the glass in his brothers hand.
Dean's hands contrary to his attempt to hold back were shaking so hard that the water in the glass was swishing up and over the edge as Sam firmly held tight to it even when Dean tried to pull back. "I SAI-"
"Drink." Sam's voice was stern even surprising his father whose eyes were wide. "Nice and easy…" He worked their hands up to dean's lips and the stubborn man drank greedily the minute the cold liquid touched his lips.