Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters. I and am not making any money on this…I'm just having fun!

End of Innocence

Chapter 4 – Missing Link

"ARGH…HELP ME!" Sam cried as he shuddered in Dean's arms. Dean watched in horror as he saw the skin on his brother's arm begin to blister. His brother was burning and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Sammy! You have to wake up!" Dean cried frantically as he watched his brother wreathe in pain on the floor. His brother's visions had never shown up physically before.

Nick had run into the bathroom and returned with a cool washcloth. He was applying it to Sam's arm, hoping that it would stop the blistering that had appeared.

Suddenly Sam's head snapped up, the fear in his eyes was almost painful to see. "DEAN!"

"I'm here Sammy; try to calm down Sam…Sam?" Dean watched as Sam's eyes began to close again, but he knew that he couldn't let Sam fall unconscious. Dean tapped Sam lightly on his face, hoping his brother would come back from where ever he had gone.

Sam groaned and opened his eyes. His arm hurt worse than before. Not to mention that his head felt like it was going to explode. The sweat was running down his face as he tried to get his emotions back under control. "Dean…I can't…I'm going to be sick…please..."

Nick seeing the problem placed a hand on Dean's shoulder as he ran to get the trash can. Dean helped Sam as he lost the little he had eaten a few moments before. Sam fell back against Dean totally spent. "I don't think I can do this anymore Dean…they all burned again and this time, he almost got me!"

"Who Sam…who got you?" Dean watched as Sam began to message his temples.

"I don't know Dean. The kids keep telling me that he's going to get me…they never tell me a name." Sam sighed. He was so tired, but yet he was afraid to fall asleep.

Dean helped Sam to his feet and helped him onto the bed before reaching for the bottle of pain pills. "Here Sam, you need to take these. I need to clean those burns before they get infected."

Sam looked down at his arm and winced. "How can this be happening Dean? I mean, it's almost like I'm actually there!"

Nick had been silent during the interchange. "You know…I wonder if…but I'm not sure, I mean I only started to look into the history of the kids who burned…" Nick paused, looking at Sam's computer. "Do you think I could use your computer for a minute Sam? I have a hunch."

Sam nodded as he closed his eyes. "Sure Nick…doesn't look like I'll be using it for a few moments!" Sam grimaced as Dean began to clean the burns.

"Sorry Sam, but you know that they have to be cleaned and bandaged. We don't need you to get an infection in them. Now hold still while I finish!" Dean hated that his brother was hurting. He wanted to smash something, but so far there was nothing to smash.

After Dean finished bandaging Sam's arm, he stood and headed to the bathroom to clean up. He looked in the mirror and sighed. He hated Sam's freaky powers, not because he was afraid of them, but because he couldn't protect his brother from their after effects. Dean quickly washed his hands and splashed some water on his face. He wasn't sure what was going on here, but whatever was doing this to his brother was going to pay!

Nick had been reading and taking down some notes before he turned from the computer with a smile on his face. "I think I have something here."

Dean walked back into the bedroom and after making sure that Sam was ok, walked over to look over Nick's shoulder. "What is it?"

"Ok, I've only looked up 10 of the kids who were killed in the fire. It seems that all of them had living parents. They were all sent to the orphanage because their parents couldn't handle their behavioral problems."

Sam opened his eyes and looked at Nick. "So you think they all had some type of ability? Like you and I?"

"I don't just think so, I know it. I first suspected it from some of the things Peggy told me. According to a newspaper article in the local paper, she was sent to the orphanage after her parents feared that she was setting fires in their home. They reported that whenever she was left alone, a fire would break out in the same room. They could never figure out how she was doing it."

Dean looked at Sam "Fire starter?"

Sam shrugged. "Maybe…but it fits with what the kids told me in that last vision…they said they were freaks that no one would want. What if Wendell was collecting kids with abilities?"

Nick looked at Sam with a grim look on his face. "I think that is exactly what he was doing. When those kids turned up dead, the autopsies revealed that some kind of experimentation was being done on the kids…their systems were loaded with different types of mind controlling drugs and it looked like there had been some surgeries attempted as well."

Sam's stomach clenched as he thought about the kind of monster that would be able to do that to an innocent child. "I wonder what he was after?"

Dean stood. "I don't care what he was after…we need to figure out what happened to the bastard and then get rid of him. I bet he's the reason those kids are still trapped in that damn place."

Nick nodded. "I agree, but as I said, there was no record of where he went after the state took over."

Sam sighed. "You know what this means don't you? We have to go there and check it out."

Dean looked at Sam and shook his head. "You're not going anywhere Sam…if you think I'm letting you anywhere near that place your crazy! Look at your arm Sam!"

Sam rolled his eyes at Dean. "Dean, it doesn't matter where I am, apparently this guy is using the kids to get to me. I've already had 3 visions Dean and each one is getting more intense…more real. I don't think it matters where I am, whatever is going on is still going to affect me."

"Sam's right Dean. I knew that I wasn't just dealing with a normal spirit when I entered that place. I mean the place just felt…well, I could almost feel the evil pouring from the walls." Nick shuddered as he recalled his brief visit.

"Fine, but I don't like it. Sam, you need to get some rest. Nick your welcome to use the other bed…I think I'll be up for awhile yet. We'll go visit the place tomorrow morning when it's light out….agreed?"

Sam smiled "As if I had a choice…why do you ask questions when you're going to just do what you want anyway?"

Dean slapped Sam lightly on the shoulder. "Keep it up smart ass!"

Nick hid a smile while he returned to Sam's computer. "You know what, I think I'll see if I can't find anything else out on our friend Wendell. He must be the key to what's going on there."

Sam was trying to keep his eyes open, but the day's events were finally taking their toll on him. He grabbed his brother's arm as he felt himself being pulled into darkness. "Dean…promise you'll wake me?"

Dean saw the fear in Sam's eyes. "Sure Sam, you try to get some rest and I'll keep watch."

Dean watched as his brother's eyes finally closed and his breathing evened out in sleep. He just hoped that Sam would get some peaceful sleep. He had a feeling tomorrow was going to be a long day.

TBC

Raven524: Ok not cliffie and I'm even giving Sam a little rest. See I can be nice to our boys! (LOL). Thanks to all of you who are reviewing this story…I loved to hear from the readers, so keep those reviews coming!