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

Do I really need to tell you? You know, I know, and am fairly certain Kripke knows that I don't own anything Supernatural. However if he ever wants to sell it to us, he knows where we are!

Authors Note

Again thanks for all who have taken the time to review. Please let me know what you think of this next Chapter. A little scared in case you don't like it as it's a little darker, and there is a bit of bad language, but justifiably so I think. This is a longer chapter than before, to be honest got a little swept up writing it. Ok, panic setting in…please R and R and let me know if I'm going wrong…

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Chapter 9

Unbeknownst to Elsie, someone else had been listening to her conversation with Missouri. The Other within John had been standing behind the doorway of the lounge, and was not at all happy with the news of Missouri's impending arrival. He could not let Missouri get here; she could interfere in his plans for the Winchester's. He smiled when a thought came to him. To get here Missouri would have to leave the protection of her home; this could in fact be a perfect opportunity to rid his kind of another thorn. He waited until Elsie had moved to the kitchen before heading towards Dean's bedroom.

Looking in he could see Sam sitting next to Dean's bed, his head resting against his brother's arm. "Sam?"

Sam's opened his eyes quickly and turned towards his father's voice. He saw that his father had his coat on and the truck keys in his hand. Sam recognised the look on his father's face that said - you're not going to like this but

"You're leaving?" His youngest son asked incredulously, his anger rising.

"Don't start Sammy-"

"Don't start? What the hell do you expect me to do Dad? In case you hadn't noticed, Dean is dying! What did another hunt turn up or something? Something more important than your son?" Sam's voice cracked in anger. I don't believe this; I can understand Dad leaving me but not Dean, not like this!

Dean moaned in his sleep, seeming to pick up the emotions bouncing around the room and Sam winced. So much for my good intentions and not arguing with Dad, surely Dean would understand my being angry this time though? Sam could feel Dean's distress at their arguing and quickly gestured with his head for him and John to take this outside.

John grabbed his son's arm as soon as they were out of earshot and pulled Sam into the kitchen.

"Don't you dare lecture me on leaving your brother. You have no right to cast judgement on any decisions I make in that regard. You left him for four years, with no contact. Dean could have died a dozen times and you would never have known!"

"That wasn't all down to me, you told me never to come back if I left. And who put him in danger Dad, you and your damned crusade! Mom would never have wanted this to be Dean's life…"

Sam was stopped when his father suddenly backhanded him across the mouth, "How the hell would you know what your mother wanted? You never knew her – don't ever use what you think your mother would have wanted, Sam! You think she wanted to die, burning on the ceiling. Do you think she would want her son's to forget the sacrifice she made, the sacrifice she made for you? You dare to question how much I value Dean? You walked out on him, not just me. You chose your normal, safe life and left us to fight the evil you knew was out there! Do you think your mother would want a selfish, ungrateful coward as a son? And let's not forget how Dean is in the state he is!" The Other was pulling all of the things he knew would hurt Sam the most from John's mind and twisting them. Inside him, John was begging, Sam don't listen to this son a bitch, I would never think that, please son, you must realise that this is not me.

Sam just stood shaking, pale and unbelieving, a small trickle of blood oozing from the side of his mouth. His father had never raised a hand to him in his life and to think that his father actually thought that of him. He always knew he was a disappointment but this level of disgust, tore his heart wide open. His soft brown eyes, wide with shock, filled as he started to back away from his father.

"Get back to your brother Sam," The Other continued in his father's voice. "For your information, I have a lead on something that could help Dean. I should be back in the morning, tomorrow afternoon at the latest. Now get out my way" The other pushed past Sam and made his way out the house and towards the truck.

The Other could barely contain his laughter. Oh that had been delicious; he could feel Sam's pain at what he thought was his Dad's feelings towards him from here. The complete devastation at knowing his father held him in such low regard. You bastard, I'll kill you! John was raging at him; I will tear you apart with my bare hands!

And how will you manage that Johnny boy hmm? Most of the time you don't even know I am here! Now to deal with that witch in Lawrence…

He climbed into the truck and started the engine.

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Elsie stood in the kitchen, her hand to her mouth. She had heard every word of the argument between Sam and his father. How could any father say such things? She heard the front door slam and the sound of someone crying softly in the next room.

She quietly walked into the lounge. Sam had sunk to his knees with his back to the wall. His arms wrapped around his legs and his head bowed over. His shoulders were shaking as he tried to hold back the sound of his crying. You poor boy, Elsie felt tears come to her own eyes as she felt Sam's distress at his fathers words on top of the worry and fear for his brother. She also sensed that Sam had been carrying a heavy burden of guilt and sadness for a very long time.

She knelt next to the youngest Winchester and hugged him to her. Sam resisted at first then laid his head on her shoulder and began to weep in earnest. "Sssh, sweetie – it's going to be all right" She rocked him as she used to rock her own son as a child whenever he was upset.

After about five minutes, Sam pulled away, embarrassed at his weakness. Elsie smacked his arm gently, "Don't you dare listen to that fool of a father!" Sam started in surprise,

"You heard?" Sam's face flushed in shame, God what would Elsie think of him after that?

"No less of you than before, Samuel" It was obvious what Sam had been thinking. " Though next time I see your father, I will have a word or two to say to him" Not to mention something heavy to whack off of that thick skull of his, she thought darkly to herself. "People say things they don't mean when they are angry and upset. And your father is no different" Elsie had her suspicions though. She needed to speak to Missouri desperately; there had been a deliberate cruelty in John's words to his son. Almost as if he intentionally wanted to hurt him, to damage him emotionally. Elsie's eye's widened.

"Sam, has your father ever said anything like that to you before?" Sam shook his head,

"We've had plenty of arguments about hunting but never like this. He hates me Elsie,"

"Oh honey, don't you ever think that. Your father and brother love you a great deal; you don't need to be psychic to know that"

"It helps" Sam murmured wryly, ""You would have as much a chance of discussing knitting patterns than for them to discuss their feelings."

"All that restraint has to find an outlet somewhere Samuel. Unfortunately, and this applies to most people, it is far easier for negative emotions to be shown than positive ones. I know I am asking a lot but promise me you will not take to heart what your father said"

How could he not? But Elsie looked so distraught on his behalf that Sam nodded his agreement.

"Now go rinse your face and check on your brother. I have a quick call to make and then I will make us a nice cup of chamomile tea."

She watched Sam rise and go to the door, his slumped shoulders belying the calm exterior he was clinging to.

She made her way to the phone and dialled Missouri's number,

"Mizzi? Oh Thank God!"

"What's wrong Else? Its only been half an hour…"

"Something happened after we spoke Mizzi" and she relayed the argument between Sam and his father.

"That's not the John I know, Else. He worships those two boys of his. He would cut off his own arm rather than hurt them. He can be single minded at times, stubborn and he's a hard man, but never cruel. And he's been avoiding my calls…" She broke off; "Else, I want you to strengthen those wards just in case. If John comes back before I get there, be careful. It's probably best not to say anything yet to Sam till we know for sure. I should be there by morning."

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Sam looked in on Dean, who was tossing and turning in his sleep. Dean's eyes suddenly opened as he awoke with a gasp. His moss green eyes searching for his brother, "Sam?"

Sam hurried over relieved his brother was awake though he didn't like the unfocused, glazed look of his brother's eyes. "I'm here Dean"

The look of relief in his brothers for once unguarded face startled Sam, "I thought you had left again" Dean whispered, not realising Sam could hear.

Sam flinched, his father's words coming back to him. "You can't get rid me of me that easily bro"

He could see Dean's mask fall back into place, "Yeah, I've known of stalkers who were put off easier then you! And that's saying something. It takes a lot to get a girl to give up on chasing the Dean!"

"I knew you were ill Dean, I just didn't realise you were delusional too! How are you feeling?"

"A little better than before, must be those damn fine genes of mine giving that infection hell! What is this rock doing round my neck by the way? Cheap costume jewellery is so not my style." He went to take it off.

"Leave it, Dean. It's there to help" At his brother's curious look, Sam filled him in on everything from the leech-stone to the history of the previous attacks. He didn't tell his older brother about what their father had said though.

"So where's Dad?" Dean asked a little hurt that his father wasn't there, though he would never admit it.

. "He's gone to look into something to help you Dean."

Dean could tell there was something his brother was keeping from him. "Did I hear you two fighting again?"

"Just a misunderstanding Dean, I thought he was bailing" Sam admitted

"You always think the worst of him don't you Sam" His brother said sadly, and Sam flushed slightly, opening his mouth to retort and then stopped. His brother didn't need to know what his father had said. Dean was ill, Sam hadn't told him just how ill, though he suspected Dean knew all the same.

"As I said dean, it was a misunderstanding, all sorted now. So tell me, what happened at the Mill?" Dean recounted what he had found after he had returned to the Mill, of how the creatures had attacked and of the deaths of Toby and Danny. He explained to Sam how the creatures seemed to be playing with him, herding him.

"But why did you walk back Dean?" Sam asked curiously

His brother's eyes widened as he remembered "Son of a bitch!"

"What's the matter Dean?"

"Some bastard stole my car!"

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Missouri had been driving for hours, she had a car on loan from Caleb, with the strict instructions that should she need any help, or if the Winchesters were in over their heads, to call him immediately. He was in the middle of a hunt himself or would have accompanied her then and there.

Missouri was debating on calling him now. If what she suspected was correct then the Winchesters were in a heap of trouble and possibly in over all of their heads.

She reached out with her abilities, desperately trying to pick up a sense of what was happening to the family she considered part of her own. John she could not sense at all apart from a deep anger and determination, but she could not get a firm read on him. Dean she could tell was in a great deal of pain, but somehow broadcasting his pain on a psychic level. There was a fleeting image of darkness around the elder brother and again a flicker of anger – something was trying to influence him in some way, but if she knew Dean, whatever it was wouldn't find that easy but she knew the quicker she got there the better. She could feel Dean weakening despite the leech stone.

She was very concerned from what she was picking up from Sam. As she had feared, he was lit up like a Christmas tree; you could spot his energy from miles away. She could sense his link with Dean through the leech stone, but she could also sense an overwhelming hurt and distress no doubt brought on by the argument with his father. His fear of losing his brother was heart breaking and the psychic could also pick up his feelings of guilt and knew that Sam Winchester was as close to breaking as she had ever seen. If anything happened to Dean…

She recalled her conversation with Elsie and again reached her mind out towards John whilst still watching the road. She could see a car approaching on the opposite side of the road. The eldest Winchester suddenly came through clearly and she could sense the entity within.

"Missouri - turn left NOW!" John's voice barked in her mind.

Missouri automatically turned the wheel. John's black truck smashed into her, swiping her car from the road…

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A/N – The cliffie is for Intra – I know she loves them really lol! Please let me know what you think of this chapter…pace, pace, turn pace, wrings hands, not a nervous wreck at all…..Thanks for reading, hope you are still enjoying this one, Dream