A/N: In my deepest dream I wish to own Dean, but unfortunately I don't own him and I don't own Sam or Supernatural… bummer.

Guys, I'm so so so so so so so … so so so sorry!! I know, it's been a month since my last update!! I'm aware, but I had a huge block and I was damn busy. So I hope you're all still with me and I hope this chapter make up for the wait.

Chapter 10 – Never walk alone

Marie ran and kneeled beside Dean who was breathing as deep and heavy as a pregnant woman about to give birth. His eyes were squeezed shut and he was making some effort… a big effort actually to ignore the pain.
"Dean, are you ok?" Marie asked holding her laugh, trying not to look mean. Just because it wasn't funny for Dean didn't mean it couldn't be funny for her, a cheerful person who liked to see the silver line in everything, even when someone was kicked in the nuts by his own possessed brother. And yeah, she knew that was a stupid question, no man in that…condition could be ok. It didn't hurt to ask.

Dean gave her a killing look that said it all, he wasn't ok, he was in pain and he'd sure need a couple more minutes, you didn't need to know someone for too long to recognize that look. "Just check on Sam". He said. That was not the moment to be getting all the attention. The recovery of such a blow was a delicate thing. Marie grinned getting his hint. There are times when you simply don't bother a man, just like after sex, when they tended to get sleepy. "Gotcha" She said and got up to check on Sam.

He was still on the floor, surely confused about what had happened. Sam was feeling like crap. His entire body hurt, even his bones seemed to hurt. Last time he had been possessed, Bobby needed to burn his arm and that bothered him for a few days, but it had hurt a lot at the moment the demon left his body. Coming back to reality after being possessed felt similar to what a lost child in a crowded amusement park felt. All he needed was something to focus.

"Hey there, are you with us?" She asked kneeling beside him. Sam was looking around, having flashes of the last thing he remembered, it was all kinda blurred and he could recall very little from his possessed hours. This time though, he knew something had happened and he hadn't had the control over the situation once again.

"Dean?" He asked frowning, hoping he hadn't done anything terrible . His eyes first searched the room for his brother.
"I'm fine Sam". Dean assured getting slowly to his feet. Sam eyed his brother from head to toe. He actually dreaded the day Dean wouldn't say he was fine.
"Liz?" Sam wondered about the spirit formerly possessing him. .
"Expelled from the house". Which didn't mean things were over, unfortunately.

"Are you ok?" Dean's concern was endless. Even when he was the one who got his butt kicked.

"I feel as if someone kicked my ass". He said observing as some fresh bruises started appearing on his skin.
"Well, Dean kicked your ass, he had to, but don't you worry, you already gave him a hell of a pay back". Just then, Sam noticed the strange girl beside him, and saw his brother's expression. "I hurt you again". Sam said disappointed with himself, at least he hadn't shot his brother this time, that was something.
"It's nothing". Dean tried to put up a macho man face. Like hell that was nothing. He was just trying to keep Sam from feeling even more guilty.

"I'm Marie by the way". Marie said offering a hand to help him up.

Sam ignored, other images came to his mind like a bad movie. He remembered his strong fingers around Rose's neck, and Dean coming into the room. That had been pretty much it. He had no recollection of fighting Dean or anything like that and he was glad Dean was well skilled when it came to fighting.

"Oh my God. Rose." He said getting to his feet without Marie's help, putting aside his own pain to check on the old lady. He ran to Rose's side. Marie looked at him astonished. "Sure, ignore me, no need to say thanks or anything". She said following Sam to the body on the floor.

Sam kneeled beside Rose and placed his fingers on Rose's wrists.
Dean saw his brother's face, the concern and the fear of having killed yet another person. In Dean's point of view, Rose could have been a senile woman, maybe crazy, maybe psychotic. If her heart held any kind of goodness, legitimate goodness, he wasn't able to tell. However, his brother's innocence, already so damaged, perhaps couldn't take the blame for taking her life. With lots and lots of difficulties, Dean walked very slowly and carefully near his brother.

"Sam?" He asked. It was double question. He wanted to know if Sam was ok and if the old creepy woman was ok as well. Not that he really gave a damn about her, but Sam gave a damn, and that was what concerned Dean. Sam hung his head low and let out a sigh.

"She's dead. She's dead!" Sam said using a cold tone of voice. Marie felt awkward. They had done all they could. Dean had tried his best, but sometimes things don't go as it's expected. If Dean had been the one possessed, this death would have been just one more job that went wrong, something he had no control over. Sad but inevitable due to the circumstances. After losing so many people, Dean was glad about the ones he had saved, and was glad about being able to keep his brother alive and safe.

"We can't save them all Sammy". Dean said in an apologetic way.
"I'm sick and tired of this Dean. These bastards keep using me and my shining against me and… she… this is just... I can't take it anymore. I don't wanna kill anyone else".
"You didn't". Did Dean's words really matter in that case? Could they make his little brother feel any better? Feel a little more comfortable? He had to try.

"That already happened before?" Marie asked. She had blindly helped the boys and had no time for questions. But the conversation was getting way too odd to keep quiet.
"We need to find the bones and send Liz away. I don't want her playing around anymore. She's gonna recover soon and she liked being inside of me. I felt it, she'll try again if we don't find that grave".

"I'm not going anywhere until you talk to me". Dean and Sam exchanged a look. Sam understood what it was like when he wanted answers and his dad got angry about it. Sometimes you just had to get the job done.

"Don't you get it? A person is dead! We gotta put an end to this before someone else dies!! The next could be anyone of us!" Sam shouted, surprising Marie.
"It wasn't your fault Sam! Don't do this to yourself". Dean told him off. Sam had a martyr inside himself. If he had an evil side ready to blossom, he also had a noble side, ready to get sacrificed, mainly when his guilt devoured him little by little every single night. There was no point in arguing. Sam knew that if he kept blaming himself it would only piss Dean off and scare the strange girl even more.

"We'll explain everything later Marie, but now we need to find a grave and burn the bones. Sam's right, she'll try again if we give her time to recover and you have to come along. It's too dangerous for you to stay alone".

"Where did you find her?" Sam asked trying to get filled in.
"As a mater of fact, I found him. I saved your brother". She bragged. Dean rolled his eyes, but what was he gonna say? She had saved his ass.
"Bigger picture here. This place is huge and we have a grave to find". Marie could brag about it later, preferably after Dean had thought about a few lines to say back.

"Rose mentioned something about a mango tree; she said there are two graves near one. A tomb she doesn't know and Liz's".
"Yeah, a mango tree, in a farm full of trees that'll be easy to find". Marie said crossing her arms in front of her chest, waiting for a bright idea.
Sam glanced at Dean. "Yeah, she's even more sarcastic than me if that's possible, get used to it". He answered Sam's silent question.

Their bright ideas were hardly that bright. They were usually last minute plan B when Plan A failed. Good for them, Sam and Dean hunting together worked as perfect as a rehearsed choreography. Perfect synchrony as they watched over each other's shoulder.

"She sorta explained where this tree is. We should go". Sam said heading to the door.
Marie looked undecided about what to do. She glanced at Rose's cold body on the floor. The violent marks around her neck and glanced at Sam. Not all adventures were worth it.
Sam could read her eyes. She was frightened and he didn't blame her.

"I'm not gonna hurt you. And if something bad happens…Dean will protect you. He always does". Sam assured her in a soothing voice trying his best to look harmless.
"It's ok Marie. We won't give Liz a chance to possess anyone else. You have to trust us"

Trust was hard to earn and easy to lose. Desperate situations called for immediate trusting. It was probably was better than staying alone with a dead woman.
"Ok". She agreed a little uncertain.

"The guns". Dean remembered, grabbing both guns from the floor, the one that had been there the whole time and the other one Marie had found.
"You had the rock salt one Sam". He said analyzing the bullets. Dean handed the gun back to his brother.

"Your gun is useless then. You take it". Sam said. The normal bullets in Dean's gun wouldn't do much if they had to fight Liz again.
"I'm older and I'm telling you to take it". Dean said in a firm tone. Sam rolled his eyes but took the gun. Dean sure loved his silly house rules. He always used that as an excuse to get Sam to do what he wanted with some humor. Time was running short and Sam knew arguing with Dean now would just waste precious time they didn't have.
"You don't get to use that excuse for the next five gigs". Sam said as he placed the gun at the back of his pants.
"I'll always be older, it's not an excuse". Dean said. Of course he would use that, as long as they hunted together.

"I'll just grab what we need in the kitchen. Be right back". Sam said leaving the room. Good thing about being unprepared in a house was, they could find salt and matches to burn the bones easily.

"Grab what you need?" Marie asked curious.
"No salt, no barbecue". Dean replied with a 'that's regular stuff' look. Marie decided not to ask anymore. Ignorance could be a blessing sometimes.

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Once again, they adventured themselves under the dismal sky and thick rain. The place seemed to be cursed by Liz's rage.

Sam took the directions Rose had said, keeping a steady rhythm, letting the water fall over his head and shoulders in a soothing way, as if that water could wash the blood on his hands, the heaviness in his chest, the guilty in his mind. He tried to focus on the job, and deal with his inner issue later.
Dean and Marie followed a few steps behind Sam. Dean watched his little brother like a hawk.

"Is he ok?" She asked. Sam's ashamed look had made Marie feel uneasy. Both of them had such burden to carry.
"I doubt it". Dean replied.

They kept walking in silence, only hearing their own steps and water hitting the floor, each one of them pondering about their thoughts, their lives. So many times they realized how short life can be, how fragile, one minute you were alive and well, the next you could be six feet under, it was too precious, too mysterious and too good to be wasted.
Sam watched for the trees as they entered an open space that could have been a pasture years ago. There were fewer trees as they went deeper.

"I think we're getting closer". Sam said trusting his instincts.
"Good. I'm freezing". Marie said embracing herself. She hated being wet.
"I can help with that". Dean said trying to break the bad tension.
"Wow, you really do that all the time. I thought it was just that moment at the slaughter house but…"

Marie's comment was harshly cut by a strangled half scream. Dean's smile faded as he looked back to see Marie thrown on the floor. Her back was touching the slimy dirt and there was a whip around her neck which she was trying to hold not to get choked on.
Liz was a few feet away holding the whip firmly, displaying a wicked grin. Things had happened so fast. Dean didn't even see when Liz appeared behind them, lacing Marie's neck with the whip like a snake grabbing a prey, sending her violently to the floor.

"Marie!" Dean shouted running to her side, helping her hold the whip. Sam heard his brothers scream and turned around to see what was happening.
"Dean…help me". She croaked. Despair began to take over as her wind pipe was being crushed. The melancholy of feeling your life being taken from you slowly. Marie had never been face to face with death, and her lungs never screamed so much for air.
"No! No!!!" Sam yelled. Not again. Chocking Rose to death had been enough. He had promised she was not gonna be harmed. No one else was supposed to die that day, or night. The sky was constantly to dark to tell the difference. He began to run toward his brother and Liz.

"No Sam! Go finish the job!" Dean shouted as he saw his brother running toward them. Liz wouldn't stop until her bones were on fire. She'd keep trying to slow them down, or kill someone else. Sam was the only one who knew how to get to her grave.
"Keep going!" Dean yelled with anxiety.
Sam stopped so abruptly that he skidded on the mud. For a second he was as petrified as a statue. Indecision. What should he do? What was the right decision? Liz's unmerciful attitudes disgusted him. The smirk on her lips. His body would shiver just by remembering such evil power, her thirst for revenge inside him.

"Sam!" Dean shouted bringing him back to reality. Marie was choking and that was not the time to zone out. "You gotta finish the job. Its ok, go!" Dean assured not exactly one hundred percent sure. Sam just needed a word to know he could give them his back and run to the grave. Even in the worst situation, when someone said things would turn out Ok, it seemed to have an impact, a relaxing impact. You had an extra hope that you could solve whatever problem there was.

Sam nodded his head and took off running as fast as he could.
Dean let out a sigh, he didn't like the idea of letting Sam do this alone, mainly because he was the one who had been possessed, but right now he had Marie's life in his hands. Using a big part of his strength, he held the whip firmly with his fingers, trying to give Marie some space to breath.

"Liz, let her go! Take me!" Dean shouted. Marie's desperation was also taking over him. He couldn't fight Liz and couldn't let go of the whip. Marie had some tears streaming down her eyes. She was pleading for Dean's aid.
"How noble Dean. But you already belong to me". She said full of herself, making Dean wonder.

"Don't …let her….kill me". Marie said with difficulty, trying to glance at Liz. She could see the ghost as it really looked. Like an ectoplasm rotting body, full of disgusting infected wounds in a dirty torn dress. She looked like a doll from scary movies.

"Don't waste your breath. He's mine". Liz said to Marie as she pulled the whip a little tighter. Death had advantages, having a supernatural power or influence wasn'tt everyone's privilege. She was having her fun with it.

"Dean!" Marie let out as she grabbed Dean's collar tightly. Not even Dean's effort was enough. "Help!". She said sucking in air, the little air that would pass through. If there was one thing she was always afraid of, it was to die like that or similar ways. Under the water, or suffocated in any other way. The inability to take a deep breath as your lungs run slowly out of air.

"Help". She repeated. Dean felt her fingers gripping his collar in the same way a child grab to his parents not to get lost.
"Dean….Dean" . She said pulling the piece of fabric she had grabbed strongly from his shirt as if that would help her breath a little more.
"Marie". Dean said swallowing hard. He couldn't remember being so close to someone who needed help, someone begging him to be able to breath, pulling him closer as if he was a hero. And there wasn't much he could do about it.

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Sam ran, as much as his long legs were able to go. Paying attention to every tree and every possible stone or something similar to a grave.
He had gone straight forward, following a steady direction, trying to be as faithful as possible to Rose's description.

"Come on!" He shouted taking a look all around him. He saw meters and meters of high grass, bushes and more bushes.
Taking a deep breath he continued running. His sore and weak body was begging for him to stop, but her ignored those requests, pushing himself beyond his limits, as he and Dean had done before so many times. Saving lives was all about that, going beyond your limits, hoping that the adrenaline will be enough to make you keep going until the job is done, until people are safe.

His breathing was heavy and loud, louder than the rain perhaps. He needed to inhale a lot more to support his lungs as he demanded himself to take one step, than another and so on.

"Mango tree". He said one more time, observing an abundant tree a few meters ahead of him. "Please be it, please be it". He repeated to himself taking an extra courage to run a bit more. Just a little more he hoped, and that whole nightmare could come to an end.
As he was slowly approaching the tree, he was able to notice the top of two suspicious stones, almost concealed by the bushes and grass around it.

"Thank God!" He said jocosely with an actual semi-smile formed on his lips. If that would save Marie and give a hand to his brother, than the job would have at least been worth it. With his strengths renewed he got to the graves, located practically below the big, old mango tree. The tree seemed to be the only thing alive in that place. It still had many green leaves and there were some fruits on the floor. The only color in miles of brown landscape.

Sam bent over and read the epitaph. "Loving daughter, rest in peace". Sam scoffed at that. A loving daughter and a loving family, that had to be a joke.
He looked at his hands and to the ground. If you didn't have a shovel, you could always do things old school, just like kids playing in a sand box, digging and playing with their hands.

"I hate this". He said getting to his knees next to the grave, pulling out the grass to reach the dirt. It was time to dig a chick.

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"I've already tasted you, in all the ways I wanted. You're a used toy Dean, we're already connected by blood, you're mine and you have nothing else to offer". Liz said in a disgusting way, still holding the whip firmly. Marie's hands wouldn't let go of Dean's collar.

"I do have an offer!" He said hitting a dead end. He hated last resources, but Marie's eyes were more of an incentive to a stupid decision than his fear of the consequences for the stupid decisions. Making deals with evil bastards seemed to be a curse in the Winchester's family.

"Is that so my puppet? What is it?" She waited anxious for his reply. It was a victory.
"You waited so long…for a man…" The words came out painfully and got confused on his lips. "A man to…be with you willingly. That's why you kill them right? They never wanna stay with you".

A satisfied smirk came to view in Liz's face. Dean swallowed hard again and gave Marie a comfortable look before he finished his thought, a look saying that she could relax, he would save her no matter what. That moment, Dean got Marie's trust completely, her eyes fixed with him. She was thanking him for the huge decision he was about to make.
Dean nodded his head to her and looked back to Liz.
"I'm here. I'll stay with you. But you have to let her go". He concluded his stupid idea, hoping of course, Sam would burn her bones and he wouldn't have to actually keep his part of the deal…hopefully.

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With his hands hurt, a few bruises opened, some blood shed, Sam dug her grave fiercely and non-stop. Luckily for him, the grave was home dug and wasn't as deep as it usually was in a regular cemetery. His clothes and his face were dirty and the rain had served for purpose, making the dirt softer to dig.

"A little deeper". He kept removing the dirt and tossing it aside.

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"Why would you do that?" Liz asked loosening the whip a little.
"Does it matter? You got what you wanted. I'm all yours. Just please, let her go now". Dean almost pleaded. He was also tired, exhausted and he wanted to put an end to all this mess.

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A few more handfulls of dirt removed and Sam reached a wooden base.
"Finally". Sam said as he touched the quite, rotten wooden coffin. He got the salt and the other things ready.

"Time to leave us alone bitch". He said as he opened the big box.

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"You're a persuasive man Dean, I like your deal, after all I never had a volunteer slave, one alive anyway. But for all this time, I need more than just one man I've already played with". She said disappearing out of the blue, just as she came, she vanished letting go of the whip that fell on the floor no longer harmful anymore.

"Where the hell?" Dean wondered worried. That had not been what he expected. Marie was still grabbing his collar, not so desperate anymore.

He removed the whip from around Marie's neck. She took a very deep breath, inhaling as much air as she could. That felt so good, it was such a relief. She wasn't gonna die after all. Being able to breath was never all that delicious.
"Are you ok?" He asked checking her neck.

"I'll live" She said rubbing her sore neck. "Is this over? Is she gone?" That was the first question that came to her mind after all the fear she felt. Liz was getting on her nerves and all she wanted was to go home and forget all this ever happened.

Dean let out a sigh as he put the pieces together. How dumb had he been?

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"Where the hell??" Sam asked as he glared at the inside of the coffin.

"Surprise surprise Sam". Liz said showing up behind him. "You seem disappointed. Didn't find what you were looking for?" She mocked him as he looked incredulous into the empty coffin. There were no bones to be burned inside that grave. The coffin was almost clean. Not as new as it used to be, but not even a single evidence that there ever was a body decomposing inside. Not even the regular putridity smell.

"Shit!" He said fast, reaching for his gun. It had all been a set up.
"Not so fast". She said using her supernatural ability to steal the gun from him. One second he was aiming it, the other Liz was aiming it to Sam's chest. He looked at his empty hand aware that he was in serious shit. He hated when the bastards cheated like that. Sam put his hands out showing a surrender gesture.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Play nice and I'll promise to be gentle". She said getting face to face with him.
"Those are rock salt bullets" Sam said trying to hide his fear, insinuating she couldn't kill him with the gun.
"You did come prepared". Liz saw the salt on the floor, some matches and a fluid. "Pity you won't be able to use any of those".

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"This isn't over. She went after Sam!". Dean said cursing himself as he helped her stand up.

"What do you mean? She disappeared! Wasn't that supposed to happen?" Marie questioned. After all Dean had made an offer which she was very grateful for, it saved her life. However she didn't want anyone getting sacrificed because of her. If she was leaving that farm, the boys would have to leave with her.

"That's not how it happens when we burn the bones. It's different". Instead of them distracting her so Sam could get to the bones, she had distracted them to get Sam alone.

"Dean, I know this isn't very helpful right now but, no one ever offered themselves to a dead chick for me. It was a stupid idea, but thank you for doing it. It was beautiful". She said offering the same look she had offered before, he had her trust completely and her gratitude as well.
"I was hoping you'd say heroic but beautiful is just as good". He joked back. "Don't take me wrong, but I really don't wanna spend my after life with that bitch, we'd better go find Sam". He said grabbing her hand. "Let's go".

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"I always get what I want Sam. You and your brother gave me problems enough. I'll have both of you, dead or alive". She aimed the gun to his right leg. The barrel of the gun was quite close to Sam's leg.
"What are you doing?" He asked. His heart accelerated and his mind begged for Dean to show up.

"I'll see you soon". She said pulling the trigger. The rock salt bullet hit Sam's leg like a razor, passing through his jeans and perforating his skin, opening a big hole. The salt hit his flesh burning it like acid.

"Arghhh!!" Sam let out a scream falling on his knees unable to support himself up. "Jesus!" He said placing his hand over the wound putting pressure on it.
"What the hell do you want??!" He asked furious.

"You know what I want". She approached him and grabbed him by his shoulder lifting him up. Her eyes looking deep inside his.
"You won't get what you want". He said through greeted teeth.
"I already did" Without hesitation she threw him inside the coffin.

"Liz??!" Sam asked really frightened. He could feel his heart beat in his throat. "Liz, don't!".
"Take a nap Sam". She said closing the coffin rudely, locking it.

"Liz!! Noo!! Noo!! Let me out!!! Liz!!" Sam agonized as he heard Liz's raillery laugh and the sand he had removed being thrown upon his new captivity box. He was being buried alive.

"Dean!!!!!!" Sam screamed at the top his lungs, hurting his throat. He squirmed inside the tiny space where he found himself confined, hitting the coffin with his fists.

"HELP!!!!!"

TBC…

Don't hate me, I needed a cliffie to keep you all interested lol :)

Once again, sorry for taking this long. Please review, it'll take you just a minute. Let me know if you liked this chapter or if you all wanna kill me. I'll update before July I promise! LOL! Joking, I'll update sooner if possible.

And if you can, I'm writing a silly fic, just for fun, I'd be glad if you wanna check ;)

Thanks for the lovely reviews!!

Kim: always thankful for the help!

Have a nice week!!

Lin.