First Solo Flight

Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I don't own the Winchesters, but since I created Christopher and Aidan does that make us in-laws or something? Really. I'll take anything.

A/N: Thanks for all the great feedback! You guys are really awesome! I got some requests for Dean!Torture and even though I hadn't planned on it, I added some to this chapter. Feel free to let me know what you think; I love the attention.

ooOOooOOooOOoo

Aidan sat on the bed across from Dean, watching him intently, while Christopher was out looking for what he needed. He told Aidan he was also going to try to get in touch with someone he thought might be able to help. Although the boys were unconscious, they weren't in eminent danger but their bodies would gradually wear down. Christopher realized they would have more time if they were taken to a hospital, but he also recognized the risks.

The door and the one window in the room were salted to keep other demons away. All of the servants were connected and the hunters feared that the massacre in Milton would draw more of them to the town to seek revenge on those who orchestrated it.

Aidan's thoughts wandered. Christopher accused him of keeping information from John but he knew that wasn't true. Christopher also said it was the servants who killed his parents – could that have happened? How could that possibly have impacted Aidan's research? He had no idea what killed his parents. John investigated, but it ended up being one of the few cases he couldn't solve. He searched for similarities between what happened in Connecticut and things that had happened elsewhere, but in the end he could only add the information to his journal and hope it would be useful in the future.

But Aidan had been alone in the house for at least a day, probably longer, before John got there. He didn't remember anything about that time; he'd never tried very hard to remember. Jim offered to use his resources, trusted psychics, to help him but Aidan always refused.

Aidan's thoughts were interrupted when Dean became restless.

ooOOooOOooOOoo

Dean could feel his arms being hoisted above him and he was connected to some type of device that hung from the ceiling. He'd been in perilous positions before, but not like this. He was completely immobilized and even if he hadn't been stripped of his weapons, he wouldn't have been able to get to them.

He had no idea what the things looked like that brought him here; all he could see were dark figures. They weren't communicating with voices, but somehow he could still hear what they were saying. He knew he was being prepared for something – but it was happening too fast. The information they had said the demons fed on their prisoners over a long period of time; how long had he been held here? He didn't think it was that long… if something had gone wrong, Aidan would have called John and his father would have rescued him. It wasn't supposed to happen this way.

He felt almost like he'd been drugged. He could feel the binding around his wrists, and even though his entire body was suspended, he felt no pain. The room was too dark to see much detail, but he felt like something was wrong with his eyesight because things looked so blurry.

The pain came suddenly and was more intense than anything Dean had ever felt before. It was coming from inside – but how was that possible? He cried out; he wasn't sure if it was more from the pain or the surprise of it. He felt like he was burning from the inside and when he thought he would pass out, the pain stopped.

He was limp against the bindings, sweat pouring off of him. It was hard to breathe, but at least the pain had stopped.

He couldn't cry out the second time the wave hit. If possible, it was even more severe than the first time. All he could do was ride it out. When it ended, again, he went limp. He was barely able to react when it happened for the third time.

"Dad –" Dean whispered before he passed out.

ooOOooOOooOOoo

John drove faster than was safe, but he made it the rest of the way to Milton in record time. He'd called Aidan from a few miles away and he was waiting for John when he pulled into the parking lot. He helped get Sam inside and settled him on the other bed. John sat next to Dean and put his hand on the side of his son's face.

"He's hot." the father commented.

"That just started. I got some ice and a wash cloth –"

John saw the ice bucket on the bedside table and reached inside. He gently touched the cloth to Dean's face, but there was no reaction.

"Dean," John whispered, close to his ear. "Dean, it's Dad. Sammy's here, too. It's safe to come back now, Son."

He turned to Aidan. "Where's Christopher?"

"Out getting supplies."

"What the hell happened, Aidan?" the older hunter growled.

"I don't completely understand it. The demons we – I – thought were responsible were really just servants. And the really bad guys start feeding a lot sooner than we – I – thought."

"They fed on Dean?" John asked, angrily.

Aidan nodded. "Yeah."

John turned back to his son. He was angry at Aidan for the faulty research, but more angry with himself for not finding the holes. He and Jim trained Aidan; he'd never made this kind of mistake before. John only fact-checked him; irritated that he didn't start from square one and confirm everything on his own. His mistake not only put Dean in danger, but somehow put Sam in danger as well.

"When is Christopher due back?" John asked after a few minutes.

"I don't know –"

"Call him and find out."

Aidan didn't hesitate.

ooOOooOOooOOoo

Christopher walked into the room a half hour later. In addition to the supplies he'd gotten, he brought coffee and food.

"John, this is Raven." Christopher introduced the elderly woman who followed him into the room. "I think she can help the boys."

"John Winchester." she said with a faint Jamaican accent. "Your reputation precedes you."

John took her outstretched hand.

"Christopher told me what happened; what he read from that monster. We've got our work cut out for us, but I think we can get your boys back. But first you men need some food."

"Raven –" John began.

"I have things to do and I don't need your help to do them. Eat."

Christopher smiled to himself as John did as he was told.

As the men ate, Raven set about mixing herbs and fussing over the young Winchesters. John watched every mood she made.

"You want to fill me in?" he asked Christopher.

The psychic glanced at Aidan. "There are still some holes in what we know, but I think Sam and Dean are together."

"How is that possible?" John asked.

"One of them has some psychic ability. My guess is Sam."

"He's never shown any psychic ability –"

"It might be something that hasn't really manifested yet. But I think the kid went looking for his brother; he somehow knew something was wrong and was drawn to him."

"So if we get Dean back, we get Sam back?"

"That's exactly right." Raven interjected.

John looked at her. "How do we get Dean back? What happened to him?"

"The demons fed on him before they started on their daily nap." Christopher said. "It's not a physical thing. For lack of a better term, they absorb the life force."

"So what do we do?"

"The herbs I'm mixing together are used to restore the life-force in people who have been ill. They'll help. But the real trick is going to be reaching Sam." Raven said.

"I thought we needed to get to Dean to save Sam."

"No. If Christopher is right, and I think he is, the boy was drawn to his brother. He's completely healthy, but tied to Dean. We need to help Sam help Dean."

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Sam wandered through the darkness. He didn't know where he was, or how he got here, but he knew he needed to find his brother. He could feel Dean, but hadn't been able to reach him yet and he was getting tired.

He didn't know how long he'd been walking; he didn't even know if he was walking in one direction or in circles. He couldn't see anything other than the fog that surrounded him and was surprised when he tripped over something on the ground.

"Dean." Sam whispered, knowing he'd found his brother although the fog was too thick to see him yet. He carefully scrambled toward the prone figure and put his hand on his brother's arm. "Dean?"

Sam sat on the ground and lifted Dean's head to his lap. "Come on, Dean, you gotta wake up, man." Sam put his hand on Dean's forehead. "Please, Dean?"

A moment later Dean's hand reached for him. "Sammy?"

Sam took his brother's hand. "Hey, Dean. You with me?"

"Where are we?"

"I'm not sure."

Dean opened his eyes, but he couldn't see anything but his brother's face.

"Where's Dad?"

"I don't know. I don't know what's happening. Are you okay?"

Dean tried to sit up, but fell back against Sam. "I don't think so."

Sam looked around. "I have to get you out of here."

"Do you even know which direction out is?"

Sam didn't say anything.

"Sammy?"

"I'll figure it out."

ooOOooOOooOOoo

"What happened to the boy's hand?" Raven asked.

"He cut it sharpening a knife." John said.

"It's bleeding."

John went to Sam's side and took off the bandage to examine the cut. "I don't understand. It isn't that bad a cut, but it opens up pretty easily and bleeds –"

"When did he cut it?"

"The afternoon before Dean left."

"Did he already know Dean was leaving?"

"No."

Raven looked closer at the cut. "Was he sharpening his brother's knife? Or one used by him most recently?"

John tried to remember. "I'm not sure."

She looked at Christopher. "Is there any way you can tell?"

"Is that important?" John asked.

"It could be." she looked back at Christopher. "Well?"

The psychic moved closer to the young man, searching for the information. "It was a knife Dean gave to Sam."

"You don't happen to have it with you, do you?" Raven asked John.

"I'll check the car." John said. Sam had insisted they take the Impala when they left for Milton.

John knew which knife they were talking about, but he didn't find it in the trunk. On a whim, he looked in Sam's duffle bag; it was wrapped in one of his brother's shirts.

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"Dean?" Sam could tell his brother was slipping away. "Don't go to sleep, okay?"

"I'm tired, Sammy."

"You're hurt. Do you know what happened to you?"

"No."

"I think maybe we need to start walking –"

"I don't think I can."

"You can. You have to."

Sam stood up and helped Dean to his feet. Although he was four years younger, a recent growth spurt made him almost as tall as his brother. He was able to support most of Dean's weight as they walked in the direction that Sam felt was right. It was slow going and Dean stumbled more than once, but Sam caught him each time.

"Any idea where we're headed, kid?" Dean asked. He was tired and weak, a sheen of perspiration on his forehead, but he tried to appear strong for his brother.

"Not exactly. I'm kind of winging this, Dean. All I know is it feels right."

"Since when do you feel things like that?"

"Since you told me you were going on a job without Dad."

"Huh."

ooOOooOOooOOoo

"What does the knife have to do with anything?" John asked, back inside the motel room.

"I don't think that it's the knife that's important." Raven said thoughtfully. "I think it's a representation of the bond between them."

"I found it in Sam's bag, wrapped on one of Dean's shirts."

"Is the shirt itself important?"

"It's one of Dean's favorites; some rock band."

"You came here in the Impala – " Christopher noted. He looked at Raven. "Dean's car."

"Was that Sam's idea?" she asked.

John nodded.

"You have quite a boy there."

"I don't understand."

"He's going to develop quite strong abilities, I think."

John wasn't sure he liked the sound of that.

"Let's get to work." Raven said.

TBC