Disclaimer: refer to chapter one

NOTE TO READERS: Thanks for all of the reviews for chapter 25. I anticipate two more chapters after this one, and this story should be complete. Feel free to leave your reviews, comments, and thoughts! They are all appreciated and are great motivators. Thanks again! I'm posting a little early, but I doubt you'll mind.

Chapter Twenty-six

Rising Darkness

By Dawn Nyberg

"…Prick your finger it is done, the moon has now eclipsed the sun … the angel has spread his wings… the time has come for bitter things." excerpt by Marilyn Manson, Cryptorchid

John walked back into the kitchen with the cordless phone he placed it back down in its battery charger cradle with a heavy sigh. He kept his back to his boys. Dean was the first to speak.

"Dad? What'd Joshua want?" John's mind was at odds with his heart and he bowed his head without turning around. Dean cast a worried look to Sam who sat quietly next to him surveying his father's body language. The phone call had lasted over thirty minutes with most of it taking place out of their earshot, so both boys wanted to know what had been said. "Dad?" Dean asked again. John sighed again and turned around. He met his oldest son's eyes and then his baby boy's.

"Joshua and Jefferson are gearing up for a hunt," John paused. "It's a demon."

"A demon or the Demon," Dean asked with intense eyes. John shared his son's intense look.

"There haven't been the signs, so I'm guessing just a demon," John hesitated. "But, where's there's smoke there's usually fire," John hedged and Dean understood.

"Where?"

"Chanute, Kansas," John replied as he rubbed a hand over his face.

"You gg…going?" Sam asked with an unsure voice. John looked at his youngest son with warm eyes. He could see trepidation in his boy's eyes and he hated being the source.

"I…" he cast his eyes down. "I don't want to leave you boys, and I'd have to tell Dan that I need time off, it's…"

"Go Dad," Dean spoke calmly. "Sammy and I are good. We'll see you when you get back. And Dan will give you the time off." John looked from Dean to Sam and shifted his eyes to look out the window. "What? What else did Joshua say? I mean, if he's getting Jefferson in on this hunt it must be heavy duty." Dean commented as his mind went back to the first time he had met Jefferson Lucian, a forty-something professor of ancient mythology by day at a college in Arizona, and a hunter and expert demonologist in his second life, the one he hide from his day life.

"This demon crossed holy ground," John replied quietly as he continued to look out the window."

"Like the one that killed Pastor Jim?" Dean questioned with pained eyes as he remembered the kind man from his childhood. He hadn't allowed himself to think about Jim or Caleb, and in retrospect he never really had the time. His life had taken a precarious turn right around their deaths. Their father had been possessed, he himself had nearly been killed by the Demon, and Sammy… Dean turned his thoughts off. He didn't want to recall that moment he saw Sam slide to the floor right before everything changed forever.

"Yeah, like the one that killed Jim," John answered.

"Bb..but that was Meg," Sam began. "We exorcised her …sent her bb…back to hell." Sam struggled not to stutter at all, but his nerves were on edge and subsequently his words stumbled now and again.

"I'm sure it's not the same one Sammy," John answered. "Just another evil bastard that crawled its way out of hell."

"There's something else though," Dean hedged. "Right?" John looked at his son and nodded hesitantly. "What? What is it?"

"Joshua mentioned they really needed at minimum a four man team, and…" Dean looked from his father to Sam and back to his father.

"You mean Joshua asked if I could come, right?" John nodded.

"Dad, that's Kansas, that's at least a couple days away from here, and we can't leave …" Dean was cut off by his brother's voice.

"I want to go," Sam said with assertiveness.

"No way in hell Sammy," Dean answered so quickly it was as if it were a reflex. A knee jerk reaction and he never even blinked. "It's too dangerous."

"I can hunt. I haven't ff…forgotten Dean. I can do this," Sam replied. "You'll need a fifth pp…person anyway … Joshua said a minimum of ff…four, so ff…five is better."

"No Sammy," John chimed in. "Your brother is right, it's too dangerous."

"No more dangerous ff…for me than you and Dean," Sam volleyed back to his father. John's eyes were soft toward his youngest child.

"Sammy, please, you got to understand that I know you're capable, I do, but your seizures," he started. "What if you have one at a crucial moment or God forbid it's a more serious one that requires medical attention. This place is just outside Chanute in the boonies, at least a forty minute drive to the nearest medical center I won't risk your health."

"Dad's right Sammy. I know you've been working hard and say you can run and stuff, but he's right you could have a seizure."

"My meds keep them under control. They hh…haven't been bad. It's been over a month ss…since my last one," Sam answered with a hint of pride.

"And, that's great Sammy," Dean answered with an encouraging tone, "but you know that sometimes if you get worked up you set one off, and hunting is going to have you really jacked up."

"Sam," John spoke. "We can't be on this hunt and worry about whether you're going to be okay. I trust your abilities, I do, but your seizures are unpredictable."

"Nnn…not true," Sam stammered. "I ff…feel them when they are coming."

"Yeah, I know," John conceded the point. "But, the advance warning isn't much, and if it's a major seizure you have only a second or two, and you'll already be out of it and you'll be vulnerable."

"I want to go," Sam wasn't backing down.

"Look, Sammy, how about Dad and I drop you off in Lawrence and you stay with Missouri, and we'll pick you up on our way back from the hunt?" Dean offered.

"I don't nn…need a babysitter," Sam hissed.

"It wouldn't be like that," Dean offered. "You'd be going with Dad and me, but we'll just drop you off before we go to Chanute."

"Yeah, Sammy, how about that?" John asked.

"No! I can do this. Please, let mm..me."

John and Dean exchanged looks with one another. Both men knew that they couldn't leave Sam in Jefferson City, and Lawrence was apparently out of the question. They also knew they couldn't trust Sam to stay put and out of the fray. They both shook their heads in doubt and looked at the youngest member of their family.

"Fine," John answered begrudgingly. "But, you do whatever me or your brother say," John warned. "No questioning us on this hunt, understood?" Sam was beaming despite the reprimanding tone of his father's voice. "Deal?"

"Deal," Sam answered with a genuine Sam Winchester lopsided grin.

"We're serious Sammy, no questions," Dean reiterated knowing his brother's stubborn streak could and would most likely rear its ugly head no matter what the kid was agreeing to in order to appease them.

"I ss…said okay," Sam answered. "When do we go?"

"It's set up for this coming weekend," John replied. "So, we'll leave out on Thursday, and maybe we'll need Monday off the following week off, but we should have it done by Saturday and head back home late Saturday or early Sunday. Sam you'll need to miss rehab and work," John began. "You sure you're willing to miss them?"

"Almost done," Sam answered easily. "No more PT, only speech for two more weeks, and I still have my OT. And, the ll…library is flexible. I'll ask for Monday off. Yeah, I can mm…miss it."

"Fine," John said. "Dean, you should only need to ask for Thursday and Monday off, okay?"

"Yeah, Dad, I got it under control. I'll just tell Larry that we have an out of state family emergency."

"That'll work," John answered. Sam excused himself for the bathroom still wearing a smile on his face. John cast a concerned glance at Dean. "You going to be okay with this?" Dean rubbed a nervous hand over his face.

"Dammit Dad," he grumbled under his breath. "What if …"

"No what ifs Dean," John interrupted. "We'll make sure Sammy doesn't get hurt."

"But, Dad," Dean began. "We can't protect him from himself." Dean commented. He was genuinely worried that the hyper acute atmosphere of a hunt might trigger a seizure and the thought of losing his little brother to something they could have prevented scared him. "What if a bad one happens Dad? He could die."

"He'll be okay Dean."

"You really believe that?" Dean asked with worried eyes.

"I have to," John commented. "Because the alternative is unacceptable." Dean nodded in agreement.

Wednesday, the night before leaving for Chanute

"No April everything is fine, I promise. It's just a family thing I have to go out of town for." Dean assured on the phone. "If I get back on Sunday earlier enough do you want to get together?"

"You'll be tired," April replied. "We'll work it out. I'll miss you."

"Yeah," Dean said smiling to the phone receiver. "Me too." He felt the creep of a warm blush fill his cheeks and dissipate quickly. He was glad April couldn't see him right now.

"And, you're sure everything is okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"It's just there was something in your voice when you talked about going out of town."

"Everything is fine, April," Dean assured. He knew if they continued to see one another he had decided to share his family's secret with her, but not yet. He hated lying to her, but right now there was no other way.

"Okay, take care of yourself."

"Will do. I'll see you when I get back."

Sam sat on the edge of the tub in the bathroom with the door closed. He was nervous for the hunt. He felt like this was his chance to prove himself to his family and show them he could hunt. He didn't want to let them down, and a big part of him wanted to prove to himself that he could accomplish whatever he had to be done. He sat with his head in his hands trying to work through his rapidly cycling emotions. Sam knew if he showed one bit of nervousness toward this hunt that his brother and father would never allow him to participate. There was a loud knock on the door.

"Geez, Sammy," Dean called from outside the door. "Did you fall in?" Sam smiled slightly at his brother's words.

"Hey," Sam replied behind the still closed door. "Give me a minute. Don't get your boxers in bb…bunch." There was a long quiet moment.

"You okay?" Dean's voice was soft and concerned. Sam drew in a steadying breath looked in the mirror assuring he had the proper mask of assuredness showing and opened the door. Dean surveyed his brother for a long second or two and sniffed the air with a humorous look.

"What?" Sam asked with curious eyes. Dean snorted.

"Just takin' a whiff to see if I need to light a match," he said through a quiet laugh. Sam rolled his eyes.

"Bite me," he complained with a mild grin. Dean skirted around his brother and into the bathroom. Sam stepped into the hallway as Dean ushered him the rest of the way out.

"Not sellin' tickets man," Dean groused as he closed the door on his brother. Sam just shook his head and walked down the hallway.

"Sammy?" John's voice called from the kitchen.

"Yeah?" Sam replied as he walked into the kitchen.

"You know it's a different ball of wax when going against a demon," John began. Sam nodded. "Bullets won't work."

"I know."

"Can you recite Latin Sam? Is your speech up to that? Honest answer," John ordered softly.

"I'm not sure," Sam answered honestly.

"Okay, fair enough. Don't worry about it we got it covered. This exorcism is a two person counter assault. Me and Jefferson can do the ritual with Joshua and Dean as back up in the event we can't finish.

Rural area outside Chanute, Kansas

"John are you sure Sam can do this?" Joshua asked as he looked over across to a field where Dean and Sam stood.

"I have to believe he can," John replied.

"Look John," Jefferson began. "Josh told me about what happened to you and your family," he paused and glanced over at John's sons. "And to your youngest boy. Look, don't take this wrong, but what we're up against is one damn angry demon that's moved into that old abandoned church. If he's a liability you have to pull him from the hunt." John sighed.

"My son isn't a liability. He's saved my ass and Dean's more times than I can count over the years."

"That was then and now is an entirely different story." Jefferson replied.

"My boy will be fine." John answered. He wasn't sure he actually believed what he was saying, but at least keeping Sam near himself and Dean meant they knew the boy wasn't going off half cocked because he was sneaking in on the hunt. Jefferson gave John a clipped nod.

"Okay, then," Joshua added and John motioned to his son's to come over.

"Dean, Sam you boys know the drill," John spoke evenly. "Once inside things will probably start to go down quick. Be ready." John cast a look at his youngest. "You're sure?" Sam nodded. "Alright then," John shifted his eyes to his eldest child an unspoken command transferring between them watch out for Sammy and Dean nodded. "Let's do this," John asserted and turned toward the old church.

The abandoned church was miles from nowhere. The church itself had been vacant since the fifties and was mostly a run down dilapidated old wooden church. In its hay day had been a real bible thumping church where its parishioners would claim to speak in tongues and even used snakes in their services. Over the years the church had passed on from zealot preacher to another, and finally when the small town that had been just down the road a couple miles was wiped out from a tornado and never rebuilt the area just grew over to fields and pastures, but the church remained.

The hunters entered the church in a flanking deployment and Dean kept Sam close. "Keep frosty Sammy," Dean's eyes were intense.

Suddenly the room erupted into a cacophony of light and sound. "Show yourself!" Jefferson demanded. "The unclean cannot trespass on holy ground," he barked. The church fell into an eerie silence. The only sounds to be heard were the hunters breathing and the creaking wood sounds of the old church.

"Really I hadn't noticed?" A figure emerged from a doorway. The demon sauntered into the room immediately locating every hunter as he gauged their threat. John and the others looked at the demon there was something different about his demeanor and appearance. The sallow skin and blazing eyes shifting from red to a vibrant green flaming out into a yellow spray told him all he needed to know. This was not a man possessed, but a demon in his true form. And John realized in a moment of horrifying clarity that Joshua's information had been incomplete.

"Shit!" John hissed. "He's in true form," he shouted. Jefferson began throwing chrism oil, and Joshua began the first part of the ritual. The hunters had quickly changed their tactics. There would be no exorcism, but a banishing. The words of Latin burned the demon and it hissed.

"I grow tired of this," he complained. "I will pick you all clean. I will tear your souls a part," he bellowed.

"Stay back Sammy," Dean ordered.

"Dean," Sam began. Dean turned intense eyes to his brother.

"Dammit Sam you gave your word," Dean barked under his breath. "You follow orders. Stay here," Dean commanded before he entered the fray. "Cover me," he whispered as he reluctantly left his little brother. Sam gave quick nod, and raised the sawed off shotgun loaded with rock salt and cat's eyes shells. It would hurt or kill a demon, but it would slow it down for a minute, maybe.

Jefferson and Joshua recited their passages quickly and just as Joshua was about to deliver the final passage to banish the evil back to hell the demon stared them all down.

The demon leveled a hard look on the hunters flanking him. There words had him bound to the place he stood, and he couldn't disappear at will, and he was furious. "You stupid humans," it spat. "You have me bound to where I stand, but you do not have me bound," it said with a laugh, and suddenly there was an expansive invisible shock wave of energy that blasted the hunters and sent them flying with force against the distant walls. Sam had dropped and stayed close to the floor and when he raised his head he saw the crumpled and unmoving bodies of his family and the other hunters. Sam crawled toward the book Joshua had been reading from and grabbed it. The demon was struggling to leave his spot. "I will kill you all!" It screamed. "I will take pleasure in ending your insignificant lives with my own hands rather than my mind."

"Not so fast," Sam warned as he stood up from behind an old broken pew. The demon eyed Sam with an estimating gaze and then awareness dawned.

"You," the demon ground out. "There is no escaping your destiny," it hissed. Sam stared at the demon.

"You're not him," Sam answered with confidence.

"No, but I know what you and the others were meant for. You are no threat to him."

"Maybe I am and maybe I'm not," Sam hedged. "But you," he smiled wryly at the demon. "Are another story. I won't ll…let you hurt my family." He didn't have time to dwell on the demons earlier words about his destiny. Sam threw a pouch of herbs and oil at the demon and watched as it landed at the demons feet. It would bind his powers for a few seconds and that was all Sam needed. He steeled himself and looked at the passage that needed finished. He took a breath and calmed himself. The words had to be right or it would cost him his family's lives. "Attrahendum eos, ad constringendum, ad ligandum eos partier et solvendum."

"You little bastard!" The demon screamed as a strong wind filled the church and red smoke swirled around the demon opening a vortex of blackness that smelled of sulfur. A hot wind buffeted against Sam. The whirlwind gained in power and with a massive release of energy as it consumed the demon the wave hit Sam and he was thrown across the room his head clipping a pew on his way down sending him into unconsciousness, and it was over. There was the smell of ozone in the air as Dean surfaced toward the waking world with a groan.

"Dean?" John's voice was scratchy as he called out to his son lying next to him. Joshua and Jefferson were climbing to their feet. Both men were bleeding from various scratches. Jefferson had small laceration on his forehead. John helped Dean up. Both were still fuzzy on what had happened.

"I didn't finish," Joshua spoke. "It knocked us all out before I could, but…" The hunters saw and smelled the tell tale signs of a successful banishment. "But who…"

"Sammy," Dean breathed out with a smile as he met his father's eyes. "Sammy finished it while we were knocked out." John smiled and nodded. It was in that moment that all the men looked at each other and quickly surmised they were a man short.

"Sam!" John barked. "Son? Where are you?" The men began to fan out in search of the youth.

"Sammy! Answer us!" Dean yelled and pleaded all at once. Dean watched his father moving through the room quickly on the opposite side of the room doing an obvious search grid. The other two hunters fanned out in their own grid pattern and Dean did the same. While all the men called out for Sam as they looked. Dean saw his father abruptly stop and a look of anguish cross his face. "Dad?" Dean's voice was a mere whisper. He saw his father take off at a run and he followed suit. His father disappeared behind a short wall partition just beyond a row of broken pews. "Dad!" Dean called out as he rounded the corner and stopped instantly. His father was cradling his little brother's head gently, too gently, and tears were cascading down his cheeks.

Dean stared at his little brother's lax, pale face. There was a thick sheen of blood covering the left side of Sam's face. "Sammy, can you hear me?" John's voice shook. Dean covered the small distance and fell at his brother's side.

"Dad?" Dean's voice was panicked. "Is he breathing?" John was bending close putting the side of his face against his baby boy's mouth and nose. He waited for the feeling of his precious son's breath. Dean felt his stomach knot as he watched his father. John let out a quivering sigh.

"He's breathing." John assured.

"Here John, let me look at him," Joshua put his hand on his friend's shoulder. John complied knowing that Joshua was a well trained paramedic in his daily life when he wasn't hunting. And, just as Joshua kneeled over Sam they all saw the young man begin to stir, but his eyes remained closed. "Sam, its Josh can you here me?" He pulled a penlight out of his back pocket, "Knew this keychain pen light would come in handy some day," he offered trying to lighten the mood any way he could. He lifted each of Sam's eyelids and watched the young man's pupils react to the light beam. "Sam? Can you hear me?" There was still no response or additional movement from Sam.

"Come on Sammy," Dean spoke suddenly. "Open your eyes kiddo." Dean stared at his unmoving brother.

"Josh?" John's simple use of his name spoke volumes to the hunter.

"His pupils are equal and reacting John and that's a good sign. His pulse is strong and his breathing is a little shallow, but it's regular. He's got a good gash at his hairline," he said as he gently pushed away Sam's bangs covered and matted in blood. "Maybe seven to ten stitches," he observed. "Head wounds bleed a lot John you know that," Joshua encouraged. He knew his assurance wouldn't really help his friend who was a worried parent. "Sam?" Joshua tried once more to elicit some response from the young man, but still nothing happened. "Okay, sorry Sam, but I gotta do this," Joshua said quietly. He took his knuckles and vigorously rubbed Sam's sternum, and he watched Sam frown and unconsciously try to move away from the pain the sternum rub caused. "That's it kiddo, come on," Joshua replied. He rubbed Sam's sternum again and this time he groaned and his eyes began to flicker.

"Sammy?" Dean's voice was excited by his brother's movements.

"Son? Open your eyes," John leaned over his child. "Sammy, its Dad, open your eyes."

Sam surfaced slowly and opened his eyes to see Joshua looming over him. He quickly sought out his family's whereabouts as he turned his head slightly and he met eyes his father's tear filled eyes that looked extremely relieved. And, before he could look for his big brother he heard his voice. "Sammy?" Dean said excitedly as he moved closer to his little brother grabbing his hand and squeezing.

"Dean?"

"Right here kiddo," he assured. John moved nearer to both his son's and gently touched his son's right cheek that bared no blood. Joshua reached into his duffel he had carried into the old church and pulled out a gauze pad and applied it to Sam's forehead.

"He's gonna need stitches John and maybe a CAT scan to be on the safe side." John nodded.

"I'm okay," Sam spoke quietly. His voice sounding tired. "It's gg…gone. I Dd…did it?" John and Dean both smiled.

"Yeah, wonder boy you did it," Dean said proudly. "Saved our asses."

"You did good son." John smiled proudly at his youngest child.

"Yeah, Sam," Jefferson finally spoke. "I underestimated you, and I apologize. Of course, you saved our asses," he mused. "You're a Winchester," he replied bluntly.

"Thanks Sam," Joshua chimed in. "But, I think we better get you looked at and the nearest hospital isn't exactly next door." He went to help sit the boy up, but was politely edged out by Dean and John as they both put an arm around Sam and helped him stand. Both men supported Sam on either side as then began to walk out of the church and down the long dusty driveway to where the cars waited.

Joshua and Jefferson followed close behind and couldn't help, but observe the tight family unit's bond with one another.

"You doin' okay Sammy?" John asked as they made slow progress toward the cars in the distance.

"Yeah," Sam answered quietly. Dean squeezed around Sam's waist just a little more and Sam turned his head slightly and smiled at his brother. "I bet your gg…glad I didn't ff…follow orders and stay put this time, eh?" Dean just rolled his eyes at his little brother.

"Bitch."

"Jerk."

"Boys."

To Be Continued

Well, I'm still pretty confident I can get this done in two more chapters, so hopefully that doesn't change. I don't foresee any reason for it too. Thanks for sticking with the story, so far. I appreciate it and for taking the time to review.

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