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 9

'I am gonna kill you fuckers nice and slowly, bring you back and then kill you again.' Dean yelled into his mobile, 'put Sam back on the phone.'

'Sorry no can do Dean my boy, just do as we told you and nothing more will happen to dear Samuel, your daughter or her mother.'

'You bastard.'

'Takes one to know one, and Dean we know we don't have to tell you no cops or feds don't we.'

'Cut the bullshit, I know what I have to do.' Dean snarled as the phone went dead.

'Dean?' Azuraus asked timidly not wanting to be at the end of the human's explosive temper. 'Dean what happened?'

'They found Sam with the mobile.' Dean grunted still staring down at the small device in his hand. 'We have to find them before the morning Az, can you do your thing and see if you can find out exactly where they are holding them?'

'What are you going to do Dean?'

'Get ready.' Dean looked up at the spirit, his face devoid of any emotion, his eyes flat and dull as his rage focused inward. From the view of any observer he looked completely calm and in control all except for the small nerve ticking next to his eye and the slight tremor running through his fingers.

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Merci stared miserably at the empty cot, she clutched her baby tightly to her breasts, terrified that if she let go then someone would take her away for ever. Isabelle seemed to understand exactly what was happening and cuddled deep into her mother's shoulder trying to comfort her the best way a five month old could.

Sam watched the scene silently, his arms cramped and ached with tension he couldn't release, this time they tied his hands behind his back with sharp thin wire, if he struggled it cut into his skin like a knife. His ankles trussed together with the same wire also had a weight tied to them and hung over the end of the bed, effectively holding him in place.

'We're gonna get out of this Merci.' He whispered not daring to speak any louder, 'Dean will find us.'

'I don't understand any of this, they want Dean but they took me first and then Issy, it's almost like they just want to set him up and then...'

'Yeah I get that feeling too, there's a reason why they targeted Issy, I mean it's not like everyone knows that Dean's a daddy.' Sam agreed thoughtfully, he felt a shudder of relief flood through him, finally being able to focus on something more than the pain and discomfort roaring through his tortured frame.

'Why Sam? I mean Issy is only a baby, she's just a baby.'

'The demon, the one that killed my mum, he attacked the day I turned six months old, then there were others targeted all on the day they turned six months ... just like Issy next week isn't it?'

'Oh Gods Sam they're not going to use Issy are they? I mean summon the demon or something using her like that?'

'Not sure but it is plausible, I still don't understand how they found out about her.' Sam shook his head wincing with the flash of pain accompanying the movement.

'What are we gonna do Sam?' Merci wept her tears falling onto the baby making her whimper as well.

'Hey Issy baby it's okay, we're gonna be okay.' Sam called over to the infant, her little head lifting and turning at the sound of his voice.

Merci stood up and carried her over to Sam, laying her gently onto the bed next to him, propping her up on the pillows so her head rested on his shoulders. 'Thanks.' Sam murmured brushing a kiss on Isabelle's downy soft hair.

The door swung open just then startling all three of the prisoners, 'well, well aint this a pretty sight.'

'What do you want now?' Sam snarled his hazel green eyes flashing with defiance.

'Doesn't concern you Winchester.' One of the guards snapped as he grabbed Merci and dragged her out of the room.

'Sam?' she cried twisting her head to stare at the young man and her child, 'Sam?'

'Shut up and get moving.' A large hand cuffed the back of her head dazing her.

One of the others strode over to the bed where Sam lay and stood next to it staring down at the baby with a thoughtful look and then he shook his head and reached across Sam removing the wire from his wrists.

'Thanks.' Sam ground out as pins and needles shot through his released arms, but before he could react, the man gripped his left wrist and fastened it to the bed-head with the wire.

'Can't have you trying to do anything stupid, but well the baby can't do much can she without you being able to use at least one arm.'

'Gee you're all heart.' Sam glared up at the man before turning his attention to his niece. Merci watched the two of them with a blank look on her face as they led her out of the room and locked the door behind them.

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Merci shook her head and smiled at her men as they walked into the living area, stretching she rubbed her head, 'did you have to hit me so hard?'

'Had to make it look real Merci.'

'James, Don you guys ready? Dean will be here before the deadline to save his precious brother.'

'And child, how did you do it Merci? Drug him?'

'Ha! You doubt my feminine wiles that much?' Merci laughed, 'I need a beer.'

'So what's the plan?'

'The Master needs the baby, but he wants the two Winchester sons, to possess them and turn them to him. Make their father suffer before he kills them. Well Dean and John he has plans for Sam.'

'Can you really hand your own kid over?'

'To the Master? Yes, she is special just like her Uncle Sam, but this way the Master will be able to oversee her training.'

'And you will be there by his side all the way.'

'That's the plan.' Merci took a long drink of her beer savouring the maltiness as it slid down her throat, 'man I needed that.'

'So what about now?' James asked, 'you gonna go back to the kid or what?'

'Hmm maybe I should stay out for a while, let him stew over what you could be doing to me.' Merci grinned her eyes glowing with an eerie red, 'I could do with a shower and some sleep actually.'

'What about the kid?'

'Which one?' Merci laughed.

'The boy, he's still got fight left in him.'

'No one is to touch him until I give the word; I want to create the perfect scene for the boys' reunion.'

'Damn you are one cold hearted bitch aint ya Merc.' Don said his voice full of admiration.

'You better believe it Donny, now while I have a shower I want you guys to take some food to Sam, and a bottle for Issy as well, if he asks about me, tell him that it's none of his business what you're doing with me.'

'Oh I like that!' Don grinned flexing his muscles, 'and if he gives us too much lip.'

'I have already said that no one is to touch him until I give the word Donald.' Merci flicked her fingers and the big man went flying backwards crashing into the wall. 'Is there anything else?'

'No Ma'am.' James and Don said in unison.

'Good, now scat and make sure you don't doctor his meal either.' Merci said over her shoulder as she sauntered off to have a shower and work out the next part of her trap. She also had to check in with her Master, it was all going so beautifully, even the nine months of suffering, through a human pregnancy was worth it. Everything is coming together as planned.

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Sam watched Isabelle as she slept soundly cradled in the crook of his arm, in the few days since she came into their lives, the little bundle of soft unconditional love brought meaning to the lives of both Winchester brothers, her father and her uncle.

'Got some grub for ya kid, gotta keep your strength up.' James said as he stood in the doorway staring down at them on the bed, wearing the same look he had before.

'Thanks.' Sam muttered not looking at the man or the tray of sandwiches, 'coffee?' He looked up recognising the familiar scent.

'Yeah, thought you could do with some.' James stepped closer and put the tray down on the end of the bed. 'Um do you, would you mind if I held her for a minute?'

Sam glared at the man staring deep into his eyes but, he couldn't see anything malicious, cautiously he nodded. James slid his hands under the infant and cradled her against his massive chest, surprising Sam with his gentleness after the bullying and display of strength he had endured.

'I got a daughter.' James said barely audible, 'she'd be six now.'

'Where is she?'

'The mother took her when I was locked up, haven't heard a word or seen em since then, be oh I guess four years now.'

'That's bad luck man.' Sam said not sure of how to react the new kinder version of his captor.

'Yeah, her name was Maggie, what's this one's name?'

'Isabelle, we call her Issy.'

'She is a cutie,' James said as he laid the baby back down on the bed next to Sam, 'there's a bottle of formula for her as well.'

'Where's Merci?'

'She's ahh, nothing for you to concern yourself with Winchester, just eat your grub, and feed the brat.' James said as he stood in the doorway, 'no more lip or I will give you something to think about.'

Sam stared at him in shock, the look on James' face belied the tone of his voice, perhaps he had an ally finally something may be going his way.

'Thanks James.' He said quietly his voice just loud enough to carry to the man. Nodding his head slightly James span around on his heels and strode out of the room not willing to turn and look at the prisoners again.

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Dean sat at the small table in the motel room, a steaming mug of coffee next to his hand as he methodically cleaned his guns and other weapons. His face a mask of concentration as he deftly checked and cleaned each one.

Azuraus shimmered into view just in front of the table, her face filled with a mixture of fear and sadness.

'So Az, what's the news?' Dean looked up as his fingers kept working on the gun in his hand.

'I ah have news for you and it isn't good.' Azuraus said unconsciously starting to fade.

'Stop that and come back here, freaks me out when you fade like that.' Dean snapped finishing the gun he put it down and took a sip of his coffee. 'Talk.'

'Okay I tracked my link with Isabelle and found where they are holding Sam and Issy.'

'Yeah? And? Hang on what do you mean Sam and Issy what about Merci.'

'That's the bit that's not so good.' Azuraus said as she flashed into the form of a large mountain cat and then back into her human form. 'Merci tricked us Dean.'

'What do you mean by that?' Dean growled.

'Merci isn't who she seems to be.'

'Will you just spit it out?' Dean said forgetting his mini arsenal he picked up his coffee and stood pulling himself up to his true height of six feet one, not as freakishly tall as Sam but tall enough to intimidate when he needs to.

'I found Isabelle with Sam, they were on a bed, and there was no sign of Merci so I decided to go looking for her.'

'Go on.'

'Well I found her in the living area with two big men, the ones on the disk.'

'The ones who hurt Sam? What were they doing to her? Torturing her?'

'No, that's just it Dean, she was sitting down and talking to them while drinking a beer. She laughed and joked with them and called them by name.'

'And?' Dean's asked his voice cold and empty.

'She was the one giving them instructions and talking about your family and the Master Demon.'

'The Master Demon?'

'Yep, she's the Master's mistress, she planned everything including seducing you and getting pregnant. She's going to offer up Isabelle to the Master on the day she turns six months old. He wants you and Sam as well, but ... if he gets Isabelle now while she is so young ...'

'He would be able to control her.'

'She is special like Sam, she has the gifts.'

'I – I thought so, but why me? Why did he want my child?'

'Think about it Dean, a child with your DNA, your strength and compassion. Your warrior's heart, mix that with her uncle's gifts and abilities. Blood is blood Dean, and blood calls blood. She is a Winchester.'

'Fuck ... and you say that Meredith – Merci is his mistress?'

'She has fooled us all Dean, I have been with Isabelle since birth. Merci knows of me and we have spoken I never once suspected. I would have been able to do something if I did before all this now.'

'It's not your fault Azuraus; she's fooled the lot of us. Fuck, she seduced me just to get pregnant.'

'We have to save both Sam and Isabelle I don't think we can save Merci.'

'Does Sam know?'

'From what I can tell, no.' Azuraus shook her head and started to fade again.

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Sam left his food barely touched but he drained the coffee cup dry, he managed to feed Isabelle with the bottle awkwardly at first until he worked out how to manage one handed. She suckled away happily playing with his fingers as she watched him with her large luminous eyes.

'I have no idea where your mummy is Issy, so it's just us for now.' Glancing down Sam noticed that James left a nappy and change of clothes on the dresser in reach; taking a deep breath, he proceeded to try to change the wet nappy with one hand. Isabelle seemingly understanding what he was trying to do lay quietly with her legs up enough for him to manoeuvre the disposable under her.

'Thanks Issy.' He grinned tickling her belly. Isabelle gurgled happily and reached up to touch his face, her tiny chubby fingers patted his cheek and nose, and then she let him slide her around until she could snuggle up against his chest. Happily, she lay there until she dozed off again, with her thumb fixed firmly in her mouth and the other hand gripping Sam's thumb tightly. Grunting, Sam blinked furiously, and then tried squeezing his eyes shut but to no avail. The vision came violently and without warning.

He felt the chains digging into his flesh, his own blood dripping freely from his wrists as he pulled at the restraints in a futile effort to gain his freedom and save his family.

The room looking like a baby's nursery smelt of baby powder and vanilla, the walls painted soft pink and a mobile of butterflies hung over the crib. He screamed in frustration as he saw the sleeping baby in the cot, but nothing would wake her.

Pain filled cries caught his attention and he lifted his head, he saw Dean suspended over the sleeping child, blood seeping from the deep cut in his abdomen. The demonic laughter filled the rooms as the flames started to lick around his brother. 'No!' he screamed as he felt the brands burning into his chest again, but he tried to focus all of his attention on Dean and Isabelle as the fire consumed them.

'Now you are mine Samuel Winchester, body and soul.'

Isabelle whimpered in her sleep and moved closer to the safety of Sam, he would protect her as her own mind tried to assimilate the images flooding her baby dreams.

Both Uncle and Niece lay trapped in their own versions of the same vision, one a twenty-two year old man and the other a five month old baby. Locked in the invisible terrors of their minds.

James opened the door to check on them when he saw the two writhing on the bed, the baby flushed and crying in her sleep, the young man pale with large black bruises surrounding his eyes, the starkness of his lack of colour against the multi-coloured bruises eye-catching. Sam's breathing came in short sharp breathes and sweat beaded on his forehead.

Then as he watched both of the prisoners snapped their eyes open and took tremulous breathes. The tiny fragile body and the long emaciated body both shook and moved towards each other searching for comfort, any comfort that they could find.

'What the fuck is going on?' James breathed, letting his breath go when he realised that he was holding it. 'What are you two?'

'Family.' Sam replied sounding shaky his voice hoarse, 'we're family.'

TBC