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- Despite all my stalking, Kripke still won't give them to me – I just don't understand it! I was kidding officers, honest, look I'm in the UK right, so nowhere near them, I swear! Dragged away in handcuffs protesting innocence ooh, nice white jacket…

Author's Note

Um, I think you should just read while I sit here quietly freaking out…..oh and thanks for reviewing! It's not going to be pretty, you will forgive me won't you guys? And this one is dedicated to the faNily too...

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Chapter 19

"No!" Dean cried out as Sam closed his eyes and then nodded to the Other. A shadowy wisp billowed out and swirled surrounding Sam, drawing closer.

"No!" Shouted the amber eyed Demon and flames raised up around Sam, sheltering him, a barrier between him and the shadow. "This one is mine" and the flames flowed out towards the Other.

"No – he's mine!" Dean snarled furiously, reaching out he yanked his brother away from both flame and shadow.

"Damn you Sam – You're coming with me whether you like it or not" Holding tightly onto his brother, his thoughts turned to the one place that was home to the brothers – the Impala. The scene shifted and they were safely cocooned within the confines of the Chevy and the familiar smell of leather and petrol.

He turned to his brother. "You have got to stop blaming yourself for everything Sam. Apart from being complete and utter bullshit, it's damned arrogant. The whole world does not revolve around Sam Winchester." Sam looked across at his brother, stung. Dean took the opportunity of his brother actually looking at him. Earnestly he said "This is the Demon's fault, not yours. He started all of this when you were just a baby. He came after us. He killed Mom. He drove Dad to this life and made us virtual orphans and it was he that killed Jess – all of it. It never was and never will be your fault."

Sam was listening and that was more than Dean expected. "But I will never forgive you if you choose to leave this way, do you hear me? Never." He hated to play the guilt card, but he was desperate.

"It would destroy me and Dad, you know that – and that would be your fault. If you choose to surrender to either demon, that will be your choice and the consequences would be your responsibility" Sam seemed to shrink into himself. Damn…

"Do you trust me Sam?" It was emotional blackmail and Dean knew it. Sam looked mortified.

"Always De."

"Have I ever lied to you, when it matters, when it's important?"

"Never"

"Then believe me now when I tell you that what that bastard told you was all lies. Come home Sam, we need you to come home." I need you to come back Sammy. "We'll figure this out, just like we always do."

Sam hesitated, Dean simply held out his hand. "Don't leave me again Sam, I can't do this alone."

"Yes you can", echoing the night Dean came for him at Stanford.

"Yeah, well I don't want to." Dean smiled. Sam had never in his life been able to refuse anything when it came to Dean, and he knew he couldn't start now.

He felt Sam's fingertips brush against his own when suddenly he felt himself being yanked violently backwards.

"Dean!" Sam screamed - it was the Demon. He looked at Sam and grinned, eyes flaring. "Time for that decision Sammy boy."

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Dean woke with a gasp, thrashing. "Son of a bitch!" His eyes snapped open when he realised that his feet were dangling off the floor. He was pinned against the wall, held in place by a cat creature. "What the f-." Dean twisted in place, his stomach churning when he saw the Doctor. He was most definitely dead – there was no way anyone could survive those terrible wounds. The Doctor's chest and abdomen had literally been torn open. The entire room was spattered with blood, testament to the violence that had occurred there. Missouri too was down. He couldn't see if she was still alive, her back was to him but he could see that she was bloodied and battered. "Oh God no…"he whispered.

"God? I'm flattered Dean that you think that way but no." John sauntered into the room. "Close but no cigar son. And I've brought a friend too." He dragged Elsie into the room, shaking, terrified but still alive. "You just never know when a spare will come in handy."

"Mizzi!" She cried and ran to her fallen friend's side. Gently Elsie pushed Missouri's hair back from her face. "Oh Mizzi, I'm sorry I should have known."

"Is she?" Dean started.

"She's alive, but she's lost a lot of blood." She looked across at Sam and paled. "Samuel?" She reached out to touch him- he was so cold. "Dean what happened?"

"Your precious Samuel is dying – as will his brother- here, now, if Sam doesn't do what I tell him"

"You bastard" Dean growled.

"Do you want to end up like your Doctor friend Dean?"

"Why did you kill him, he was no threat."

"For fun, why else? That and someone else was already manipulating him. An old friend of your family I believe. He's been watching your family for some time. In fact you owe much to him – the exciting life you lead for example."

THE Demon, shit Sam was right. "What is it with you guys and this obsession with our family? – It's just not healthy. Hell I've attracted some bunny boilers in my time but you guys – you really should get professional help."

"Always the comedian." John shook his head with a chuckle, "You know it will be a shame to kill you Dean, I quite like you."

"I could live with that" Dean smirked.

The Other continued to chuckle and walked over to where Sam lay, and placed a hand on his forehead. "Time for that decision Sammy boy."

"You stay the hell away from my brother!"

John was seething - "Stay away from my boys!" The Other flinched, an expression of shock and pain crossing his face. How John had any strength to fight him was inconceivable.

He snarled, "Kill him!" to the cat creature which was salivating in anticipation of the kill. It growled deeply, its claws almost gently caressing Dean's cheek. It slowly pressed them deeper against the older brother's throat, drawing blood.

It suddenly howled in disbelief as it was flung across the room and cracked its head against the wall. Stunned it hesitated a moment. Dean had fallen to the floor, gasping as the pain jarred his already aching and tired body. What the hell? He looked around. Blood was trickling down from Sam's left nostril, tracking down across his mouth and down his neck. His brother's eyes were still closed and his body remained still and virtually lifeless. The creature made to attack the elder brother again but was once more smashed against the wall. The trickle of blood from Sam's nose became a torrent as it was joined by a second flow from the other nostril.

Dean's gun rose of its own accord from the floor and spun gently as it turned in the air to point at the creature that was now securely pinned to the wall. Eerily reminiscent of the scene in Max's house – Dean shivered.

Missouri stirred and groaned. She glanced around the room and began to pull herself towards Sam's bed with Elsie's help. "Missouri?" Dean crawled towards them, hell it's getting crowded over here, and hesitating between his father and brother. His father was still gasping and clutching at his head in agony. Dean knew his father was giving the demon hell in the inimitable way that only John Winchester could – keep fighting Dad.

"Are you doing this?" Dean asked quietly.

"It's not me Dean"

"Elsie?"

"I couldn't do this."

The creature whimpered, watching the muzzle of the gun as if hypnotised. "Please," It growled and it morphed back into human form. It was Danny.

"Please – please don't kill me." He begged, his eyes never leaving the gun.

"You tried to kill my brother!" Sam whispered hoarsely. All eyes in the room turned to the youngest Winchester. His white to the bone face twisted in a mask of fury and hatred, of fear and loathing. His eyes were bright and glittered with a barely suppressed rage. There was no sign of the normally gentle and forgiving Sam.

"Please I didn't have a choice!"

"You make a deal with the devil, what do you expect?"

"Please."

"You're a murderer."

"Yes- I made a mistake, one I have to live with the rest of my life."

"Don't lie to me- you enjoyed it! You lived for the kill."

"Sammy no, you'll never forgive yourself." Dean whispered.

"He killed the Doctor and countless others. He tried to kill you Dean!"

"You're not a killer Sam."

The Other within John snorted at that. "Not yet. You Winchesters have no idea what you are dealing with at all, do you?" It was regaining control. It rose and turned towards the brothers.

"Release Danny Samuel or I will kill your brother."

Everyone in the room flinched in shock when the gun fired and Danny crumpled to the floor.

"No more talking. I am so tired of your lies" Sam whispered. The gun slowly turned and pressed against John's temple – the Other stiffened.

"Now free our father."

"You would kill your own father?"

"Do you need another demonstration?" Sam's voice was unnaturally cold. "Either you free him or I will."

"Sam – no!" Dean yelled.

The Other straightened to its full height. " You pit yourself against me Samuel? And here I thought you were the bright one."

"If I was so bright I would have figured you out long ago. Instead I nearly let you destroy my family."

A wind was whipping up in the room and furniture began to shake. The heavy oak wardrobe banged hard against the wall and the bedside light flung off the cabinet and smashed against the Other's head causing it to stumble. Sam was now bleeding from his eyes as well as his nose, the red standing out starkly against the white of his face. The Other looked around the room as the storm of Sam's powers focused, became more intense.

"You should not be able to do this." It whispered fearfully. "You can't." It started to back away towards the door when the gun fired.

"Dad!" Dean screamed.

John had fallen to the floor – the Other was stunned; Sam had actually shot his father. It couldn't believe it. It reached out its mind towards Sam, and stopped in stunned realisation.

It was not ready for this. Sam's mind was a maelstrom of emotions and psychic power. Unleashed and unfettered by any regard of self-preservation, the power was wild and terrifying. Augmented by the leech stone, the blood magic and ironically by the very venom it had used to bring Sam to him, he was uncontrollable.

The Other knew that it was in danger. Sam's current torrent of psychic energy was far more powerful than it had ever encountered. Raw and untrained, it snarled and spat like a wild thing. The Other tried to drag itself out of the door, John was injured, not dead and the demon needed a host to survive.

"No you don't leech." Sam's voice was harsh and unyielding. "Get out of our father- now!" Sam's mind battered at the Other, pushing and exerting pressure. To the demon's amazement, the young hunter was actually gaining ground. This had never happened – it couldn't be happening. Just who or what was Sam Winchester?

"He's my son you bastard!" and John, in the Other's confusion and pain, yanked his mind free and reclaimed his body. The Other shrieked in anger and pain. Crimson stars surrounded by black mist rose from John as the Other was evicted from his body.

It screamed in rage and readied to flee, to seek a new host, but it was going to take what Sam held most dear with him. It flung its mind at Dean. Unprotected and shaken, poisoned by the venom, he was vulnerable to the Other's attack. His psychic channels still open; he was a tempting target and one the Other could not resist.

The demon roared in triumph as it poured its essence into Dean, who cried out in agony as it tore through his mind, a tendril of evil invading his soul.

"NO!" Sam yelled. "You stay the hell away from my brother!" Sam's mind reached out and grabbed tight hold of the demon's essence and tore it from his brother. He gasped in shock of pain coursed through him. It was like holding fire, grasping electricity.

He stiffened as the Other fought back, trying to pull away from the hunter but instead felt the hold grow tighter, drawing it further in, deep within the younger brother's mind.

A mist seemed to whirl around it and the room disappeared. It found itself back upon the precipice where it had spent so much time tormenting the youngest Winchester.

"Remember me?" Sam stepped out of the mist.

"Let me go and I will spare your family."

"I do not think that you are in a position to offer me anything, anymore."

"You cannot hold me forever."

"No, but I can hold you long enough." The Other started when it's form solidified.

"Long enough for what?"

"For me to die." Sam stepped closer to the demon and reaching out his hand, grabbed a firm hold of the Other's arm. "And I'm taking you with me." And started to pull the Other towards the edge of the precipice.

The Other knew that if Sam died, if it was still trapped, bound to Sam, than it too would be destroyed. For the first time in its life, it knew fear. This spurred it on, and gathering its full strength it caused its form to burst into flame.

"Do you truly think you can challenge me as an equal Samuel?"

Sam was tiring, and the flames licked towards him. Pain swept up his arm as the flames reached out to embrace the young hunter.

"Did you honestly think that I wouldn't fight back, you fool?" And Sam's world was consumed in fire.

Dean flinched at the agonised scream torn from his brother's throat. He grasped his brother as Sam stiffened, gasping, writhing, trying to escape the pain.

"Sam" he called. "Sammy!" His brother screamed again, blood flowing freely from his eyes, nose and mouth. Sam coughed and Dean recoiled as blood spattered across the bedclothes.

"Oh god SAM!" He grabbed a hold of his brothers twisting body and held him close to his chest. Sam's whimpers and moans of pain were intensifying, his brother felt like he was burning up from the inside out.

"What's happening Missouri?"

"Sam has trapped the demon in his mind. He's fighting to keep a hold of it. Unfortunately the demon is fighting back."

"What can we do?" Dean virtually begged.

Missouri's face was grim. "Whatever we do, we'll have to do it fast. He needs help."

John had staggered to the bed. "Tell us what to do. Please." For the first time in a long time, Dean saw real fear in his father's face and was terrified. If the great John Winchester was afraid and did not know what to do…

Sam's cries intensified and he bucked in his brother's arms, his breathing laboured and gasping.

"Sammy I'm here. Shhh Sammy, hold on". Dean was holding his brother tightly, his brother's head tucked beneath his chin, rocking him back and forth like he did when his brother was little, when he was sick or scared. "Please Sammy". Tears were falling freely down the elder brother's face. Sam was burrowing into him as if trying to escape the pain, clinging desperately to his brother in a bid to hold on.

Tears fell from Sam's eyes, "De, help me please; oh God De, the pain, it hurts so much! The demon, it's burning me...please De".

His brother screamed again, the scream fading to a rasping, grating whimper that tore into Dean like a knife. He knew that the memory of this would haunt him for the rest of his life.

The maelstrom in the room was rising rapidly in strength reflecting the torment of the soul in front of them. The wardrobe came crashing down next to John and he had to grab Missouri and Elsie out of the way and pull them to the doorway. They could hear the smashing and destruction throughout the house. Sitting in the midst of it all, in the very eye of the psychic storm, Dean sat cradling his brother to him, oblivious to the devastation around him. He burrowed his head into Sam's hair, weeping. "Hold on kiddo .I'm coming". He remembered what Missouri had said and closed his eyes and focused on Sam, picturing his brother whole and healthy, happy and safe. Sam he whispered.

There was a rushing sensation and a feeling of falling – a swirling of mist and smoke and the sickeningly sweet smell of burning flesh.

The nightmarish image of his brother wreathed in flames was before him. One hand still clamped firmly around the other's arm. Both had fallen to their knees on the ground and Sam was whimpering, weakly trying to pull the Other to the edge of the precipice – it wasn't far.

The heat of the flames battered at the elder hunter. He forced his body, or at least the memory of his body, to ignore the heat, It's not real he lied to himself. He instinctively knew that although it wasn't real to his body, the pain was real as would be the final result.

He could see what Sam was trying to do and although an anguished part of him was angry that his brother was trying this again, he understood what had to be done. He forced his way closer to his brother. "Sam" he called softly.

"Dean – leave me." A voice more like a sigh, and Dean had to strain to hear it.

"I'm not leaving you Sammy" He crouched and reached out to his brother. "I'm never leaving you."

"I'm dying De"

"I know Sammy." Dean sighed.

"Then leave. Please. I don't want you to see this" Sam whimpered, an agonised moan torn from him as a wracking cough shook his body. But still he held on to the demon. Dean had never been more proud of him in his life, had never felt so much sorrow that his brother had to show so much courage in the face of so much pain. "Dean if you stay, you'll die too. Please, leave."

"No, I will not let you die alone Sam." He reached out through the flames, ignoring the pain as the fire swept around him and drew the burning figure of his young brother to him. The flames subsided as Dean's spirit strengthened Sam so that he was able to force the flames back into the demon. Sam rested his head against his brother's chest and whispered.

"Help me get to the edge Dean. Please."

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A/N

Just so's you know – have no intention of creating a Super Sam here, his powers are strong because of the leech stone, the venom and the blood magic- though we never know where Kripke will take it…damn that man's inscrutableness (if that's even a word lol!)

Is it too much, too long, crap? Repetitive, boring, too bleak? Or is it actually ok? Please, please let me know what you think!

And how the hell am I going to get the guys out of this? Seriously, I really don't know…bugger….

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"Holy Chick Flick moment Batman! Surely Evil Fangirl cannot leave it there?"

"Yes she can Robin…that's because she's evil"

"But holy crispy hero Batman!"

"Enough Robin – to the Batmobile…we must save those intrepid heroes!"

Flaring of capes…Batmobile speeds off…

Evil Fangirl strikes again! Will Batman and Robin be able to thwart her dastardly plans for the duo?

Will she ever be able to write a chapter without a cliffhanger?

Just where did she put the Impala?

Does she have a plan at all?

Stayed tuned….