With The Coming of the Dawn

Summary

The hunters become the hunted when a creature stalks a remote community, and one of the brothers has a choice to make. Will both brothers survive the hunt and the decision of the other?

Disclaimer- still don't own anything Supernatural and definitely don't own the boys - still none to happy about it! Only thing that is mine is my freakish overly active imagination and of course the obsession for all things Supernatural – but at least I am in good company! Just keeping myself amused and from going into complete SN withdrawal until Kripke takes pity on us. Also my bank manager has confirmed that I am definitely not making any money from this so lawyers please note.

Author's Note

Please accept my apologies for the delay – life overtook me a little. But I am holiday for the next week so hope to be able to write at least several chapters and if lucky complete this one.

Also, thanks to all who have read and reviewed – you have been wonderful, and your enthusiasm helps me through those pesky times when my plot bunnies run off with my muse! Hope you enjoy this next chapter.

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Chapter 8

The sound of Elsie's phone ringing roused Sam from his pouring over the laptop. He had been staring blankly at the screen for some time now, his mind circling around one heart shattering thought.

Dean is dying…

He had protected the house as best he could though he could tell Elsie had practically made a fortress of it already. Asides from the various wardings; protective vigilant spells laid upon and around the house, even the garden provided a veritable treasure trove of protective herbs and trees. Through the window in Dean's room he could see a rowan tree, some birch and elder. He had also noticed vervain and balm when he had been in Elsie's kitchen earlier – he had already borrowed some of Elsie's birch candles which he had lit on the windowsill and she had laid branches of Rowan across the thresholds of the house as an added barrier to spiritual attack.

Sam had salted the windows and doors and laid a circle of salt around Dean's bed, had added charms, even a dream catcher, everything he could think of to keep his brother as protected as possible.

But he knew he was basically locking the stable door after the horse had bolted. Dean was already hurt, his life-force slowing ebbing. The leech-stone had bought him some time but not enough. The sites he could find gave detailed enough reports of attacks matching the ones in this town. There were descriptions of any number of creatures and countless theories on the how they came about - but not a single confirmed recovery of the victim. Any victim who survived these attacks died in agony, driven to the edge of madness with pain and hallucinations, in the end not knowing those around them. But the most compelling similarity he could find was that the vast majority fled from their homes or hospital beds, and most were never found. The few found had obviously been fed on by animals. Never…

Sam growled in frustration – he had to do something. He leaned back against the bed, listening to the familiar sound of his brother sleeping. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend that this was just another of his nightmares, that he would wake up and Dean would be spouting off some smart ass comment about his freakish brother. God he would give anything to hear Dean bitching about his driving or his taste in music right about know – anything to silence the treacherous voice in his mind

Dean is dying…

With each breath he took, Dean slipped that tiny bit further away from him. He was losing his brother with every beat of his pulse, a fractured heart beat at a time. The leech stone had obviously provided some comfort to him, Dean's pain weary face had smoothed slightly and he was breathing easier, his muscles had relaxed and he was no longer stiff and twisted in pain. But he knew it was only a delaying action and not a reprieve – his brother was worryingly pale, his cheeks flushed with fever. And although the nagging sense of pain that Sam had been feeling in Dean's presence had also eased somewhat, it was there. He could still pick up his brothers confusion, the terrifying distance slowing growing between them, and a whisper in his mind…

He will leave…

Sam's head shot up. "Dean?" He whispered…

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Elsie moved quickly to answer the phone, wanting to not disturb the brothers too much. She passed the door of her son's room and glanced in. She could see Dean sleeping quietly, the flickering light of Sam's laptop catching the crystal in the leech-stone – it had obviously worked, though she had had no doubt given Sam's abilities that it would. Sam himself was sitting on the floor next to his brother, his head resting back and his eyes closed. Even with her limited empathy she could feel Sam's fear and pain at the thought of losing his brother. He was bone tired, but determined, as was Dean. They would not leave each other without a fight.

Elsie picked answered the telephone.

"Elsie, honey, you there" a familiar voice asked with some concern.

"Missouri, thank god. I have been trying to ring you for the last 4 hours…"

"What's happened to my boys?" Missouri interrupted, "I had such a terrible feeling, a glimpse of claws and flame…"

"It's Dean, he was scratched by the beast. He was close to passing over Missouri, poor Sam is completely distraught, he won't leave his brother's side" Elsie's eyes were sad recalling the forlorn and weary brother.

"You say was" Missouri never was a one to miss anything, "you used the leech-stone."

"I had no choice Mizzi" Elsie fell back to her old name for her friend. "I couldn't let that boy die, it would destroy his family"

"It would certainly destroy his brother." Her friend agreed. "That was a generous thing you have done Else, you know the stone can only be used the once, and how draining it can be"

"I'm getting old, Mizzi, and I never leave this place anyway. You protected it well; it never could get back in"

"How are you feeling Else? That incantation would have taken a fair bit out of you?"

"Oh I didn't do it, Sam did" and Elsie smiled, Sam had been so eager to do something, anything for his brother.

"What!" Missouri's voice rose in shock, "What an earth possessed you to do such a thing?"

"Missouri, what's wrong. You told me that the stronger a person felt about the one who needed it, the more powerful the incantation and the quicker it worked. Those boys are incredibly close and utterly devoted…and it is working. Dean is holding his own."

"Sam is psychic" Missouri hissed, how could she have failed to mention this, Missouri's heart was beginning to pound, Oh God, if the creature's master found out…

"I know, you told me" Elsie retorted, alarmed at Missouri's response. "Missouri, what did I do wrong, tell me"

Missouri leaned back against the wall in her hall, the phone cradled by her ear. She steadied her breath.

"We had several problems Elsie. I never mentioned this before as normally it wouldn't matter, but as usual the Winchester's never take the easy route. How good people can be so damn unlucky is beyond me." She sighed. "Sam is an exceptionally powerful psychic, but he cannot control it and as such is vulnerable to psychic attack. He is unique, as is his brother. There is something about the pair of them that I cannot put my finger on. They have a connection, a bond of sorts already…"

"The leech stone absorbs a little of the life-force of the person who performs the incantation, it brings it to life so to speak. Normally you wouldn't miss it; it only takes about an hour from you. That is if you were a normal person. Even psychics like you and I would lose little more, as we at least have practiced and learned to shield ourselves somewhat. But Sam, because of his abilities and the fact that it is Dean, well he cannot turn it off. Not that he would want to if he knew. He will have a permanent connection to the leech stone "

"Will it keep draining him?" Elsie asked fearfully.

"No, not unless…The stone hasn't changed in any way has it?"

"No, it looks the same as before"

"Then no. It will tire him a little and will help Dean fight for a lot longer, but no, it won't hurt him unless it goes on too long. However it does leave the psychic channels wide open. Asides from Sam picking up future echoes from who knows how far ahead, or pick up on things you probably forgot years ago, he will be wide open to psychic attack. Many creatures pick up on psychic energy, some good, most not. He was bad enough before. Normally supernatural beings seem to be attracted to Sam like moths to a flame - that leech-stone just turned him into a lighthouse."

Elsie sank into her chair her hand to her mouth - "Oh Missouri, I didn't know"

"I know, honey. But Elsie, do not let Sam leave the house, not until I get there. He must not leave the protection of the house. If whatever is controlling the creatures can get to Sam, we will have more than its beasts to worry about. Now, John's with you now I know, but I always had trouble picking up that man's state of mind when he was in the same room as me, is he there with his boys"

Elsie's eyes darkened a moment – there was something nagging at her about the elder Winchester, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Although she didn't know the man and from what Sam had told her, she guessed he wasn't exactly over-emotional or a man who showed his feelings freely, there was a distinct coolness in his demeanour towards his youngest son. Even with Dean, his responses appeared mixed and jumbled.

Elsie sighed in relief. Thank heavens Missouri was coming. She started to fill her old friend in on what had happened so far.

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A.N. – Sorry this is a little shorter than normal but seemed like a natural place to stop. Please let me know what you think of this so far, all comments gratefully received and appreciated. Will try to respond to each one – that is if course if I get any and this doesn't suck – out loud even!

Will try to post the next chapter on Monday. – don't want to tempt fate though so not promising! ;)

Thanks for reading. – Dream