Disclaimer: No ownership to be found here, just obsession :p.

Two sets of footsteps in the snow. He followed them sniffing at the air. The iron in her blood, the faint scent of fire that she always carried with her. And them. Brian snarled. He contented himself with the knowledge that all three would be dead in due time. As soon as they reached the ritual site.


Jack dozed in and out of consciousness as they traipsed through the trees. She'd be lulled to sleep by Dean's steady footsteps and the sounds of Sam breathing a foot in front of her. All she had to do was reach out and she could touch his arm or back. It hurt to much so she let the thought soothe her. She'd be falling blissfully into a restless sleep and then….

"Yeah, baby…. fuck…..you little slut you like this don't you…" And she'd jerk awake again feeling the ghost of gravel under her knees and sweaty hands in her hair. Only to be shushed by Dean and have Sam's jacket pulled tighter over her so she wouldn't feel the chill of the air quite so much. The black would claim her again for seconds before….

"I love this. That someone as powerful and beautiful as can't move or fight back." Brian whispering it in her ear.

Those times she'd wake snarling like a wild animal fighting against its cage.

"We're getting there Jackie, its okay." Sam would stop them to tell her.


Dean tried not squeeze her too tight, she felt so fragile he thought she'd break. He kept one eye on their surroundings, making sure nothing jumped out at them and the other on Jack. She slept with her eyes open and sometimes they'd go wide with fright and others with a kind of loathing that was staggering in its intensity.

Images flashed in his mind. Blood and pain, mingling till he didn't know which were her thoughts and which were his. Confusing, frustrating and a relief because he felt that if he could see it then when they were away from here and Jack had to fight off these demons he could take some of the pain onto his own shoulders.


Sam's sharp ears picked up the crunch of boots on snow and he turned sharply to the right to avoid it. He slowed his gait to be closer to Jack and Dean as the three broke through the tree line to a small open space in the woods. Sam's heart sped up and he looked around him wondering why. His throat closed up with rage.

Standing not thirty yards from them was Brian holding a long machete in one hand and Jack's gun in the other. Behind him the ritual site, which they'd only been in time to see the remains of in the days before. Bastard must have been suicidal or stupid to think of taking them on now Sam thought. Brian gave a ghost of a smile and his grip tightened on the knife handle. Sam silently held one of the guns behind him for Dean to take. Retrieving the gun, Dean's hand hesitated on Sam's telling him to be careful. Sam gave an imperceptible nod.

Sam felt for the six inch blade on his thigh. The machete was a monster of a weapon, but Sam knew knives better than any other weapon. He could take this mother fucker.

"She's so pretty when she cries." Brian said. Sam lost it and launched himself at the man.

Jack tried to squirm out of Dean's grip but he stopped her, tightening his hold enough to force her to be still

"Put me down and go help Sam." Jack told him.

"I'm not putting you down." Dean ground out, period, end of story. He watched Sam and Brian face each other, wanting terribly to join the fight.

Sam barely dodged the long sweep of the machete in time. It caught his sleeve letting the cold air through to the skin. He barely felt it, countering the move with a low jab to Brian's stomach that didn't connect. Sam hurried to twist around so he wouldn't give Brian his back even for a second, he was that fast. Sam bent his knees and watched the cold blooded killer, saw a spot of blood on the shoulder of Brian's long sleeved shirt. He fixated on that one spot. He aimed low again with his blade trying to get to the spot in the man's side that would bleed out fast. Brian moved just out of reach, crouched and swung the machete catching the inside of Sam's shin. Sam pulled back firing a shot at Brian's shoulder. It didn't slow him down much.

The ritual too far along, he'd need a kill shot to bring this fucker down.

When Brian came for him again Sam lifted his knife to catch the sideways arc of the machete and countered Brian's weight to flip him over onto the ground. He landed with a surprised 'oof' and Sam was able to wrench the machete from his iron grip and throw out of reach. Sam brought his knife down aiming for Brian's throat.

Brian caught his arm with one hand, lifting his gun hand and pooping off a shot at close range. It sliced past Sam's wrist making him drop his knife. Sam fell back in the snow holding his bleeding hand with his gun hand.

"Sam!" Sam heard Dean yell.

"Dean." Jack said. Dean looked down at and then at Sam, who'd just been shot.

"I'll be fine." Jack said with resolve.

"Here." Dean said lowering her softly to the ground . He shucked his jacket and wrapped it around her for extra warmth and gave her his gun.

"You need it." Jack said trying to give it back to him desperately watching Sam and Brian grappling in the snow, each time one aimed at the other a punch would be thrown or an arm caught buying precious seconds for either opponent.

"Sam's got two more. And I'll improvise." Dean said and turned to run to his brother before Jack could protest anymore. Sprinting the short distance, Dean grabbed up a damp piece of fallen wood from the ground. He slammed it hard one handed into Brian's head just as he was about to train the gun on Sam again. That was for the hit Dean took to his head earlier.

"Payback you little bitch." Dean said as Brian rolled with the hit to the ground. Dean snatched up Jack's fallen gun.

"You okay little brother?" He asked Sam.

"Yeah." Sam said getting to his feet. Dean threw him his bandana to wrap around his wrist. He dusted snow off his ass and tossed an extra gun to Dean.

Jack silently fumed, hating herself for being too damn weak and injured to help. She hated being stuck on sidelines watching her boys fight without her. She looked at her aching, bloody feet and back at the fight. Sam and Dean stood a scant five feet apart from each other and about fifteen from Brian who had rolled back to his feet. A triangle with Jack to the side evenly distanced from both sides. A chill racing up her spine gave her an idea. If she couldn't feel maybe she could help some. She shoved her feet deep in the snow, fighting past the blinding pain to get to the blessed numbness underneath. When she tried to stand her legs collapsed under her in exhaustion and pain ripped through her ribs making her cough up a mouthful of blood.

Brian's head snapped in Jack's direction. Watching from a distance as her blood melded with the icy forest floor, turning white to red. His eyes darkened and a preternatural growl rumbled low in his throat. All he'd have to do is walk a few feet. But her two guard dogs were watching him watching her as he took a step in that direction.

"Move an inch and I swear to God I will do to you every fucking thing you've done to her." Dean said his voice thick with menace.

"I think we should do that anyway." Sam suggested with his gun pointed at Brian. Brian looked taller, stronger than the first time Sam saw him. His form was bent and too long, stretching to accommodate the change.

"You know you're not leaving this forest, right?" Sam asked glancing at Jack who looked up at him with blood on her bottom lip and pain in her eyes.

"Funny I was going to say that to you." Brian said and before Sam's eyes could track him he darted in the space between Sam and Dean till he was standing in between them.

The brothers turned their guns on him and in the process on each other. Brian growled in satisfaction and went for Dean's throat knowing Sam wouldn't fire on him and risk hurting Dean.

A shot rang out and Brian was thrown to the ground clutching his shoulder. His eyes went blood red, rage fueling him to jump up and look roar at his shooter.

Jack held the gun in a shaky hand, her vision was clouding again but she kept her finger on the trigger. Brian looked at her and his body twisted and convulsed, changing with the stages of the incomplete ritual. He ran stop motion towards her with a now clawed hand raised to rip her to pieces. She tried to hold on but another round of wracking coughs started and she dropped the gun. She was defenseless.

Dean and Sam had just enough time to register that the shot fired wasn't for them and then they were running after Brian, who was barreling towards Jack at an alarming speed. Sam tripped on his bad leg and went down hard, doubling his pain by catching himself on his injured hand. Sam bit down, willing the pain away so he could get the hell off the ground.

Dean threw himself at the things torso trying to bring him to the ground. His claws came around and dug deep into Dean's back, tearing through the layers ripping into his skin. Dean screamed in pain but held on. Brian drew his claws upward tearing through muscle and ripped them out painfully to drag himself across the ground towards Jack.

Sam stumbled to his feet and grabbed one of the guns tucked into his pants to replace the one he dropped in his fall. He forced his legs to move trying to get close. Everything felt too slow, too fast, too everything. His legs felt like they weighed a ton slowing him down, while Brian, with Dean pulling still trying to hold him back inched closer to Jack. Her eyes opened to look dazedly at the hand that was now above her head.

No fear registered in those eyes, just tiredness and something Sam couldn't fathom. Dean was screaming something that Sam couldn't hear.

"I'll kill you, you son of bitch!" Dean screamed. His back was clawed to bits and the monster was still going strong. He had a horrified moment when he saw that hand come down on Jack, Brian snarling and foaming at the mouth half animal, half man. Dean forced himself to look. He didn't want to ever forget this unforgivable failure.


"You can't have her." The whispered hiss cut through everything and Sam pressed the gun barrel to Brian's head.

Sam fired the automatic at point blank range and the man's head exploded. Bits of skull, brain and blood splattering over all three of them.

A moment of silence stretched. What remained of Brian's face registered shock. Jack looked up at Sam , at the gun and at Dean w ho was still holding onto the corpse. He looked down and quickly pulled back from the headless form, pushing it off Jack too. He kicked it to the side and crawled forward to pull Jack to him. Sam stood frozen in the same position, his eyes glassy and dark.

"Sam." Dean said starting to get scared at Sam's behavior. Sam's eyes flicked to Dean and then to Jack. She sniffled, shaking with shock and cold.

Sam nodded at them and swallowed. He walked to the body and emptied his clip in the dead body. He couldn't feel pain anymore and Sam was pissed it hadn't lasted longer for the bastard. Dean got up, wincing at the deep slashes in his back but he still carried Jack to where Sam was. His ears were ringing from the gunshot.

"Lets go, man." Dean said, nudging Sam. Sam nodded and limped behind Dean to the main trail so they could find their way back to the car.

"I'm gonna get the guns and take care of the body. Stay here with Jack." Dean said after placing Jack safely in the backseat of the Impala.

"I don't want you going in there alone." Sam said catching Dean's arm. He looked so young and scared to Dean in that moment.

"He's dead, Sam, you popped him yourself." Dean said putting his hand on Sam's shoulder, squeezing it slightly.

"I-I know." Sam said. He let go of Dean's arm.

Dean dug into his pocket and took out Jack's choker. He pressed into Sam's hand for safe keeping and opened the trunk. He dug out the supplies he'd need; gas can, salt, matches.

"Half and hour tops." Dean said.

Sam watched his brother go. He forced the anxiety back that was threatening to overwhelm. He got it. Fuck, he got it now. When he was taken by the Benders Dean had looked terrified and monumentally relieved when he found Sam. Sam knew the fear of losing people, but these past two hunts were just too close. He'd almost lost Dean in Tucson and Jack here. Sam felt burned out, afraid that if he took his eyes off Jack or Dean for more than a few minutes they'd disappear. He opened the door to the backseat and sat down carefully next to Jack.

"Sam?" She said in a small voice. He turned his head to her, he thought she was asleep again. Sam looked at the necklace in his hand. He'd give it to her later, when they were better.

"Yeah, Jackie?" He asked hoarsely.

"Thank you." Jack said using what strength she had left to move herself to lean her head on Sam's shoulder. "For coming for me."

"Of course we came for you." Sam scoffed. He pulled a bit of gore from her hair.

As promised Dean came back in half an hour. He put his things away, slid into the front seat. He glanced at Sam in the mirror, eyes half lidded and buzzing with tension.

"How's our girl?" Dean asked. Jack opened her good eye and lifted her hand to give him a thumbs up.

"She'll be alright." Sam said.

"I know." Dean said starting the engine.


The drive two towns over to the hospital was a haze. Dean barely registered anything beyond the two people in the backseat. Dean carried Jack into the emergency room with Sam limping along beside him. Every head in the hospital waiting room turned to gape at t hem as they limped, lurched and pulled themselves through the entrance.

"Hi, how's your night goin?" Dean asked the nurse at registration. Jack giggled that turned into a cough. The nurse's mouth fell open at the sight of them.

"You'll catch flies like that." Sam croaked. Dean slapped down three phony insurance cards that all held the same last name. The cards were about the only thing of theirs not covered in blood and gore.

The nurse closed her mouth and called for a stretcher, but the boys refused to let Jack onto it alone so they compromised by having Sam ride on it with her, since his leg was injured and Dean walked along side it past the triage to where the curtained off E.R. beds were.

"Just stitch me up doc, I'll be fine." Dean grumbled when the doctor made a strangled noise at the sight of his back. He wasn't fine, he was swaying on his feet from blood loss and not like the twelve+ feet in either direction between his bed, Sam's and Jack's. The three insisted on keeping the curtains open between their 'rooms', not wanting to lose sight of one another.

"We need to keep her overnight." Jack's doctor said when they cut her out of her jeans to get to all her injuries. Jack shot a look at Dean and shook her head as much as she could manage.

He tried to start forward and reassure her that him and Sam would be staying overnight there too but his doctor stopped him.

"You'll pull the stitches out if you move Mr. McGee." The doctor said.

"Yeah Bobby, stay still." Sam said from his bed where they were cleaning and dressing his leg wound. He flashed a grin at Dean.

Jack snickered from her bed. Her insurance card read 'Janis McGee', since the song only had two names, Sam's said John and he was thankful for that. Dean coughed to cover his smile and sat back on his bed. They'd be okay.

TBC……

AN: As you may know I've been terribly blocked for the past two or three days, which is like dog years for me. Needless to say it wasn't fun. But today I could write again. Yippee! Now aside from that some things about this chapter. This chapter went through many, many changes in my head as the story went. At first I had Jack firing the kill shot, a very 'get your hands off my boys.' Moment. Then it was Dean, because well….its Dean and that's what he does.

Then when I imagined Sam firing the kill shot it all clicked. Of course Sam would be the one to pull the trigger :facepalm: Duh! Unlike Jack and Dean, who communicate a lot through physicality and actions, Sam is more verbal (not that he's good at it but you know, he tries). But in moments like taking him to the healer in 'Faith' or in 'Scarecrow' when he stole a car to get to Dean, he's saying 'I care about you' in a way that Dean would understand better than words. That's kinda what I wanted to show in this chapter. I hope that makes sense.

Okay I promise I'm done rambling. Epilogue Next darlins, thank you for reading this, honestly it was the toughest for me to write and the story I'm most proud of.

AN2: I'm reposting this chap with this note because its been brought to my attention that the first time Jack dozes it can be misconstrued. Its a memory of her trick turning days, not her time in captivity.