Disclaimer: I don't own them. Sadly. Cause Dean has a nice ars - …. Um, butt, he has a nice butt.
Warning: Again, when it changes perspective, it goes back in time a little. Sorry, if that's a little confusing. On the other hand, there's no gore, no language… well, a little language.
Author's Note: Okaaaaay, second last chapter peoples. Glad you're liking it!
Chapter 10: Demon's Purpose
Dean's stomach flipped. Looking about, he found something suitable.
"Sasha, take the rope end and tie it to the bar on the window." When she had done as ordered, Dean stood. The demon followed suit, a glare planted on Sam's face. But it stayed still as Dean backed up.
He took the piece of paper. It was indeed a letter from Sam, only short.
Dear Dean,
If you're reading this it means the demon got me. Killed or possessed, it doesn't matter. What you need to do applies to either.
Firstly DO NOT BURN THE BODY! The demon didn't die when Dad tried to kill it. Its body is its last link to this world. If you burn it, the demon won't die, but will take a stronger hold on whomever it's possessed. If the body remains the demon can be forced back to it. Once there, it can die, or be killed. Again, do not burn the body unless the demon is in it.
To help you in this, go to Archer's house. There are a few friends there that can help. It's their justice. Go to that room. You know which one. Take the demon's body with you.
Lastly, and it's just as hard to write this as say it. I love you. Be safe. And please do this. Goodbye. Sam
Dean forced back tears, but allowed himself to scrunch the letter up. He was shaking, angry and horrified, and terrified.
"You bastard!" he screamed at Sam. At Sam, not the demon. "You knew this would happen! You knew this would happen and you still came!"
Sasha was suddenly there, pushing him back, though he didn't realize he had been moving forward.
"It's okay, Dean. We can still save Sam. We just have to get him to Mr. Archer's house."
He looked at her, dumbfounded. She didn't get it. But he nodded. Sam wanted him to do this, so he would.
"Fine, we go to Archer's house."
What Sasha didn't get was that 'Goodbye', from Sam, meant exactly that. That his brother didn't expect to come out of this alive.
The drive to Archer's house began in uncomfortable silence. Dean drove though he couldn't help checking the rear view mirror for a look at Sam trussed up and sedated on the back seat. He was glad he had had the stuff, but was desperately wishing he hadn't had to do it. However, after ten minutes of struggle the two of them - Dean and Sasha - hadn't moved the demon more than an inch, while they were sporting various cuts and bruises even with Sam's hands tied. Dean didn't want to know what the drugs had done to Sam's fight with the demon, whose body was curled up in the trunk.
Sasha sat in the passenger seat. She looked pale and tired, but she had refused to go home. She watched her town go past quietly.
It was 12:30, and Dean was sick of the silence.
"So how much do you know about us?" Dean asked Sasha.
"Everything the demon knew. That was one of the problems, it said. The person being possessed could see all its thoughts as much as it could see their's."
"And what do you know about it?" he asked curiously.
"A little. I know it's been hanging around as a spirit since your dad got it. It couldn't exactly go back to its body because the moment the body was inhabited again, the… cocoon, I suppose – it's a tight wrapping of air – would fail and the body would die."
"So what does it want in this town?"
She looked at him, startled. "This town? I can't believe you haven't seen it yet, Dean. This town was nothing, just a means. It was you and Sam all along. This town, the murders, were all just bait. Since your dad destroyed its body, it has wanted revenge. What better way to do that than to kill his family with his family."
It fell into place in Dean's head. "So it planned all along to possess Sam, and make him... kill me and Dad. And that's why Sam's been having its dreams, the ones where it kills, and the one of Dad killing it first," Dean said, putting it altogether in his mind. "But why Sam?"
"Because he's psychic. A very strong psychic. It can't use its powers except in another psychic. I know it had to try hard to bar the dreams from visibility, and that was because it was using me, and I'm not that strong yet. I mean, it couldn't actually stop Sam dreaming, but it could stop him from seeing them. Imagine what it could do in Sam's body. Though I think it underestimated him."
"Why do you say that?" Dean asked, checking the rear view mirror, again.
"Cause Sam's blocked its abilities from it. That's why it can't use them. It's why we're still alive." She shook her head. "He's unbelievable. I've never met someone so strong. Potentially. He's scared of it obviously. But every psychic in town would have felt it when he used his gift to find you."
Dean forced the glare from his face. She had no right to assume anything about his brother. But she hadn't finished. Turning away, she half-muttered, "He's got to accept it. That's why he gets headaches."
Dean let the glare drop. She shouldn't know that.
They pulled up outside Archer's house. It looked ominous against the night sky. Dean didn't get out immediately, but took a few deep, calming breaths.
"It's okay. Sam's strong. He'll get through this." But he caught sight of her letting go of her lip.
"What is it?" he asked. Would his stomach ever stop flipping?
"Nothing." She said it far too quickly
"Tell me, Sasha."
"I just... I know why he's been tired. Ever since Sam got within twenty miles of this town, the demon's been feeding off his energy. Not just his, every psychic in the town. But Sam's tired, so..."
Dean knew the end of her sentence. Sam was physically weak. So his chance of surviving the demon went down.
He swallowed. "We have to do this," he muttered, getting out of the car. Sam didn't know everything; he could be wrong and had been wrong before. He grabbed his brother while Sasha went to the back door, which she found open. At least this way Sam had a chance. He wasn't going to let his brother continue being possessed.
Inside, Dean noticed her rub her arms. "What is it?" he asked, wishing for a free arm so he could use the gun. Just in case. She turned to him, smiling.
"We're not alone."
Dean wondered whether it was Sam's 'friends' she was talking about. He didn't linger on the thoughts too long, but groaned when he saw the stairs and remembered where the room was.
"Almost wish I hadn't told you to eat more now Sammy. Almost," he grunted as he stopped to catch his breath halfway up the stairs. His back was still hurting from being shoved into the metal table more than once.
"Come on Dean. Almost there," Sasha encouraged from the top of the stairs. He reached her a minute later, and stumbled to the room.
He lay Sam's body down on the carpet.
"What now?" he asked, turning to Sasha. She shook her head.
"You're the ghost hunter, not me." She cocked her head as if listening. "But I think we're only spectators now."
And she pulled him back as two spirits came racing in, aimed for Sam's lolling body.
From the backseat of the car Sam could feel his jaw aching. Dean had a strong arm.
He felt like crap. No, that was an understatement. He felt really, really bad, exhausted and limp. He couldn't hold on much longer. And the demon sharing his body knew that.
Not long now, Sammy, it whispered audibly. Why don't you give up? Just give up. It would be so much easier.
Never, Sam spat viciously. I'm not letting you hurt anyone else.
He tried to fend off the demon as it made yet another launch for that bundle of powers Sam still held.
Sam seized them, but couldn't stop the demon from taking a hold as well. He grunted with the effort as the contest went on. And then the demon let go, laughing. Sam just retreated to a corner of his mind, hiding the bundle from its view.
He was exhausted. I can't wait until my brother kills you, he muttered. It was all he could manage. The demon laughed again.
Earlier it was 'me and my brother'. What happened Sammy? Sam didn't answer and it laughed. It's all right. I know anyway. You've accepted it. That you're going to die if he does this.
I've accepted that you underestimated my brother. You, a super-psychic demon, caught by a human. He gave a short laugh. Now that is something.
You don't have to die, the demon whispered seductively. Just give me my powers and you'll live forever.
That's not going to happen.
The demon actually screamed with sudden anger, and lunged for its bundle. Sam latched on, barely, and again began that relentless struggle. Only this time the demon didn't let go. It kept on pulling and pulling. Sam could feel the powers slipping...
A change shocked the demon into letting go. Sam, who had felt it before, sighed in relief. Finally.
What's happening, boy? the demon demanded. Sam was only too glad to answer.
We're at Archer's house. In his room. Just like my note told Dean.
The demon screamed again. A second later Sam was too, as it turned on the pain in his head, just like it had back in its lair. He felt his body whimpering.
And then two somethings hit his body, and he and the demon both were screaming.
Dean watched on, horrified, as Sam's body kept on bucking. The two spirits were all over him, tearing away at nothing, pulling at nothing. And as they tore the two spirits began to turn from wisps into ghost-like forms. He recognised them now. Archer and O'Conner.
He wondered if Sam had recognised them. Or realized that the two spirits would be restless, vengeful and uncaring of anything in the way in their lust for justice on the demon.
Sasha was partially holding him back; partially he was too stunned to do anything. The two spirits were screaming wordlessly and silently, and the room felt far too quiet for all the visible commotion. At least to him.
"They're so angry. So loud," Sasha suddenly whispered, her voice trembling.
"You can hear them? What are they saying?"
"They want revenge. They call it justice. They're telling Sam to get out the way or die." She swallowed.
Dean wanted to hit something and felt his fist clench before he forced it to relax. "He can't. How can he do that?"
Sasha shook her head. "I know that. But they don't."
"What are they saying now?"
"The same. 'Our revenge, our justice. Move boy. Accept the inevitable, murderer.' It just repeats. And they scream."
She shuddered, but her words reminded Dean of Archer's letter. Make him accept it... He could get Sam out of this alive.
He ran forward, shaking off Sasha, to land on his knees beside Sam. He placed a hand on one of Sam's shoulders, flinching as the spirits passed through him, ignoring him as they continued to tear at something inside Sam. They didn't hurt him, but the feeling was incredibly weird.
"Sammy can you hear me?" He was afraid to shout it - the room was so silent. "Sam, you have to accept it. Allow your ability in. You can do this, Sam."
Inside his own mind Sam was in agony. It was all he could do to hold onto himself. Never before had he felt such pain. The struggle in his head raged.
The two spirits were trying desperately to rip the demon from Sam, fighting to exorcise him. The demon held on with all its might, held onto Sam, who felt it all.
And then the pain suddenly lessened. It still hurt like hell, but it wasn't blinding, mindless pain. He felt a comfort on one of his shoulders. It had to be...
Dean's voice broke through his sub-conscious.
Sammy, can you hear me? Sam wanted to shout yes. Sam you have to accept it. Allow your ability in. You can do this Sam.
Let it in? After months of keeping it out? After years of trying to be normal, he was just supposed to bring it in? Let the freakiness be a part of him? No way in hell. He shoved it further away without thinking.
Suddenly the demon cackled. It let go of its precarious hold and snatched back its powers. Immediately Sam saw his mistake. It had been his powers holding its and now that he had shoved his away, suppressed his ability...
The demon laughed as the pain stopped, or nearly did. Sam could still feel the pain, but it was like a memory, or an echo.
And it didn't hurt so much as the fact that he was again a prisoner in his own mind.
NO! he screamed, clawing his way back up. The demon just laughed.
Thank you Sammy, it said as it shoved him back down.
Dean jumped back as Sam opened his eyes. His cold, triumphant eyes.
"Hello Dean," the demon whispered. Then, "Back off!"
Dean flew backwards onto the floor, twisting his already sore back and landing on it with a thud.
He and the demon stood at the same time. Dean's heart was like ice. What had happened to Sam?
He saw Sasha flinch as one of the spirits opened its mouth in a scream. Dean couldn't see it but the hairs on his arms stood up. The spirits appeared to be doing nothing to the demon anymore.
The demon glanced at the door. Dean looked that way too and then ran to step in front of it.
"You're not going anywhere 'til you give me my brother back."
The demon smiled. "And how are you going to stop me?"
Dean snarled. He wasn't going to. Sam was.
"Sam, I know you can hear me. Fight it. Get your psychic butt into gear."
The demon laughed. "He can't hear you." In a fluid, unhuman movement it stepped over its hands. And then, in a massive show of strength, tore the rope in half.
"And you can't stop me, human." And it flung its arm out.
Dean went flying into the wall. He heard Sasha move and then her scream was cut off as she too crashed into the wall. The demon's footfalls were soft.
Dean struggled to his elbows. "Sammy, stop. You can't let the bastard win!"
The demon continued walking to the door.
Sooooooooo….. How'd you like it? Good cliffhanger? Tune in tomorrow for the last chapter… will Sam survive? He he he.
