Two Hunters and a Baby.

Disclaimer: Sigh no matter how hard I try I just don't own anything to do with Supernatural or the characters of the show. Although anything that comes from my fevered imagination is ... kind of ... that's my excuse anyway!

CHAPTER 8

Sam opened his eyes and squinted over at Merci and Isabelle, they sat on the floor just under the window, playing happily. Gradually as his awareness grew, he realised that they were no longer in the stark room he had originally gained consciousness. Now, now, they were in a bright bedroom, with twin beds and plenty of room for the cot, a large window complete with white lace curtains finished the picture-perfect scene.

'Ah Merci?' Sam said his voice barely above a whisper, 'where are we now?'

'They moved us while you were passed out.' Merci said as she picked up Isabelle and came closer to Sam, 'we're still locked in but at least it is a little more comfortable and bright, much better for Isabelle.'

The baby cooed happily, when she saw Sam reaching out her chubby arms for him to take her. Pale and shaky Sam managed to slide up in the bed a little to take his niece and prop her up against his pillows in the crook of his elbow. Having the baby in such close proximity made Sam feel a lot better already.

'Have they said anything to you yet?' He asked smothering a yelp when Isabelle slipped his finger into her mouth and bit down with her new tooth.

'No, they just came into the room and dragged us out, they picked you up between three of them and shifted us here, then they brought in the few things we had.'

'And no word at all?'

'Nope nothing, I know that they unsettled Isabelle just by being close to her.'

'Well that is understandable.' Sam smiled brushing a tender kiss on Isabelle's downy soft hair, 'ah Merci I think you had better take her.'

'Sam you okay?'

'Don't feel the best, that's all I might lie down again for a while.'

'Sure no probs.' Merci picked her daughter up and settled her in her cot with a bottle before going back to check on Sam. 'Oh honey you are burning up.' She gasped feeling his forehead, 'how's the head?'

'Foggy.' Sam tried to shrug it off but winced with pain instead.

Just then the door swung open and two large men strode in, they glanced at Merci and then over to the cot before coming to a halt next to Sam's bed.

'What do you think you're doing?' Merci demanded placing herself between them and the injured young man.

'Get out of the way bitch.' The one closest to her snarled sending her reeling backwards with a hard slap across her face, dizzily she sat on the other bed and tried to work out in her own mind what had just happened.

The two beefed up men roughly grabbed Sam by the arms and pulled him out of the bed, without another word or glance to Merci they half-carried, half-dragged Sam out of the room locking the door after them.

'Leave him alone.' Merci shouted banging on the door but stopped when Isabelle started to cry, scared with the noise and what had just happened. 'Sh it's okay Issy uncle Sam will be fine.' She tried to sooth the baby but wondered just who she was really trying to comfort, herself, or her daughter.

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Dean stared down at the package left for him at in the motel's reception, wrapped in brown paper it had his name and room number scrawled on it in pencil and that was it.

Sighing heavily Dean made his way back to his room, the package suddenly feeling like a ton of bricks in his hands.

'What is it Dean?' Azuraus asked when she saw his face and then the parcel in his hands.

'Not sure,' he muttered as he slowly sat down on the bed and turned the parcel over in his hands before opening it. As he ripped the paper a CD disk toppled out, coupled with a piece of paper and a map.

Moving mechanically Dean went to the laptop and slid the disk into the drive and waited for it to load, an image of Sam came into focus making Dean hold his breath and fight down his rising anger.

Sam appeared to be unconscious and lying in a bed with a blanket pulled up over him, the camera panned around the room and showed Merci and Isabelle playing quietly in the room. The image faded into another one then and he saw Sam again. This time his brother stood in front of the camera. His blue-green eyes blazing with anger stared into the camera lens defiantly. 'That's Sam.' He muttered softly.

The camera zoomed back a bit to show Sam's entire body, he stood swaying slightly with his arms stretched above him, ropes tight around his wrists and anchored in a large silver ring suspended from the ceiling. Dean's look of concern morphed into a mask of pure rage as he saw the bruises ringing Sam's throat. He had dried blood down the side of his neck and his hair looked matted in it.

'So Dean here is the deal.' A strange voice came from the disk, sounding tinny in the speakers of the laptop. 'We have your family, your brother here, your child's mother, and your child. Seems like we hold all of the cards. But do we? I am offering an exchange your family for your submission. Now I can hear you ask why ... why you? That I will explain at a later date, for now, you are the dangerous Winchester currently and for things to go ahead as planned we need you to be submissive and agreeable. If you have any doubt of our intentions please watch the little show we have for your viewing pleasure or displeasure whatever it may be. I will finish up now with this one last piece of information; enclosed with the disk is a map and further instructions for you. Tomorrow morning at 7am, you are to leave the motel and follow the instructions without deviation or contacting the police. I will know if you do.'

The camera zoomed in on Sam a little more, Dean watched in silent horror as a heavily-muscled man stepped into view, he stood close to Sam and ran his hand down his victim's bare chest dragging his nails through the tender skin. Sam visibly flinched and ground his teeth together to stop crying out.

Then the man moved around Sam, keeping his hand in contact at all times he stood behind the younger man and laughed deep in his throat. Smiling at the camera, he kept molesting Sam, letting his hands roam over the lithe form, caressing and teasing. Then he gripped Sam's hair and pulled back viciously, Sam's breathing started to become erratic as he struggled to free himself from his molester.

Dean wanted to throw the computer across the room and smash the disk, but he kept watching for Sam's sake, swearing revenge on all those who touch his family but especially the one who was on the screen tormenting and assaulting his baby brother.

His stomach started to somersault and threaten to expel its contents as he watched the man nip and bite at Sam's exposed throat while one hand twisted cruelly in hair and the other hand openly abusing him. Suddenly he let go of Sam and moved out of the frame, Dean watched fearfully and praying to all of the Gods, he could think of that, that was it but then another man moved in front of the camera and used Sam as though he was a punching bag.

The beating went on for what seemed like hours but was only a few minutes, then the camera zoomed up to Sam's battered face and closed in and up until his face was the only thing in focus. Sam stared deep into the camera with defiance still flaring in his sea-green eyes.

Dean slammed the laptop shut and picking up a chair he threw it across the room frustrated.

'Dean I ah can check on them for you.' The animal spirit said watching Dean fearfully.

Just then his mobile rang making both of them jump startled.

'What?' Dean growled as he clicked it open.

'Dean it's Merci again.'

'Merci are you alright? Issy? Sam?'

'Issy is fine, I'm fine but they have taken Sam away and I don't know where he is.'

'Listen carefully Merci, I just got a disk delivered, they showed the three of you together and then they ... they ... tortured Sam.'

'Oh Gods Dean, this is all my fault.'

'No, no it's not it's my fault Merci and I will get you guys out of this okay.'

'Dean they're coming I have to go.'

'Merci I ...' Dean started but the phone clicked and was dead.

'Dean what about the...'

'Where's the instructions?' Dean asked his voice still dripping with restrained anger.

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The two men dropped Sam onto his bed and without any acknowledgement to Merci or the baby, they left laughing softly.

'Sam?' Merci cried as she ran to his side, carefully helping him back onto the bed properly. He was covered in black spongy bruises, had long scratch marks down his chest and stomach but it was the vacant look in his eyes that worried her. 'Sam come on look at me, what did they do to you?'

'Merci?' He rasped, 'thirsty.' She carefully held a glass of water to his lips and cupped her hand under his head while he took several sips, savouring each cool droplet.

'I need to check you okay.' She said tenderly probing his injuries especially his original head injury. 'Oh Sam I am so sorry.'

'They, they did this to trap Dean we have to ... to get ... to ... him.' Sam finished speaking between gasps for air, 'damn ... it ... hurts.'

'Sam, I have your mobile ... we can call Dean back.'

'My phone?' Sam blinked and grimaced a small smile, 'where?'

Merci pulled it out from under her mattress and passed it over to Sam, who fumbled slightly and then managed to open it and hit the speed dial button for Dean's number.

'Dean?' He whispered hoarsely, not sure, if he heard Dean's voice or not.

'Sammy? Sammy is that you?'

'Yeah man ... you ... alright?'

'Me? Fuck it Sam what about you?'

'Be ... alright ... trap ... Dean.'

'I know I got their little message.'

'You ... saw?'

'Ah yeah I did Sammy, do you know who is running the show?'

'N-n-no ... s-s-stay ... in ... shadows.' Sam ground out, his frustration growing as fast as his strength was fading.

'Hang in there Sammy, we're gonna get you guys out of there.'

'No ... D-D-D-Dean ... trap.' Sam cried out but then the phone went silent.

'Sammy?' Dean cried out.

Just then, another voice sounded in the phone. 'I am sorry Dean but Sam seems rather tied up at the moment.'