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 29

'Dean please leave go and protect your daughter,' Sam snapped deliberately turning his back on the demon he faced off with his older brother, 'and what is this crap about your dying?'

'I got in first Sam; you can't die here coz I am.' Dean said his anger building by the second.

'Fuck Dean, why can't you just let me go?' Sam snapped, 'I am so freaking tired of being a freak. You have a chance to have a normal life and to raise your daughter; you can't tell me that you don't want that.'

'Not without you in our lives, face it Sam you're stuck with us.'

'Well if I'm stuck with you then you can't die you ass.'

'Bitch.'

'Jerk.'

'Ready?' Dean grinned.

'And waiting.' Sam replied matching his older brother's grin.

Moving as one the two brothers circled around the demon, the kept each movement slow and deliberate. Cornase turned in a circle trying to keep an eye on both of them, suddenly Sam was no longer ill and Dean looked healthier than ever, this was not how he planned things.

With an imperceptible nod for Sam Dean launched himself at the demon sweeping his legs out from beneath him. Cornase fell heavily to his knees, watching the Winchester brothers circling him.

Sam launched the next attack, with blinding speed he connected the demon's jaw with his fist and then was back circling in a macabre silent dance.

Cornase roared angrily and flew at Sam, considering him the weakest of the two.

Clinging to Sam's shirt they skidded along the ground, coming to a sudden stop Sam lay there desperately trying to breath. Cornase straddled his hips and wrapped his hands around Sam's throat.

'Sam!' Dean lunged and managed to pull Cornase away tossing him across the floor so that the demon lay stunned this time.

Rachel and Danny watched as both Dean and Sam's bodies jerked with each blow and movement. They could tell that the two brothers were engaged in a life and death struggle but they were unable to help them with anything except to watch and wait.

Dean watched Sam manage to get to his feet before he attacked the demon again, 'damn it Sammy,' Dean muttered, dizzily he waded in again until the three of them lay in bloody piles trapped in the metaphysical world of the demon's creation.

Sam crawled over to the demon and stared down at him, his green eyes flashing with unadulterated rage, fisting his hands together he brought them down with all of the strength he could muster on the demon's jaw, Cornase's head jerked and then he lay still. Panting heavily Sam turned and saw Dean waiver and fall to his knees.

'Dean!' Sam cried out and lurched towards his brother, 'Dean!'

'We fought a good fight didn't we Sammy.' Dean smiled, coughing up bubbles of blood.

Mickie sat up and started crying, she stared down at her daddy and wailed inconsolably, 'Oh God Dean,' Rachel cried out in horror as she saw Dean cough up the blood, 'Az take Mickie please,' she ran to Dean's side and quickly checked his vital signs.

Tears fell down Sam's face, escaping from his tightly closed eyes; his breath came in wheezing gasps.

'Damn it Dean you can't die,' Sam wept cradling his brother close to his chest, 'I can't do this without you man, who's gonna keep me from turning dark-side if you die.'

'Sammy ... listen ... to ... me...' Dean panted out each word his awareness slipping with each breath, 'take ... care ... of ... M-Mickie.'

'No Dean no!' Sam cried as Dean's head slumped to the side and he stopped moving.

'Dean?' Merci's voice startled Sam, blinking through his tears he stared up at the apparition.

'Get away from him Merci.' Sam growled ready to pounce on the woman.

'I am so sorry Sam,' Merci wept as she dropped to her knees by Dean's side, 'I truly love my daughter and ... Dean.'

'You tried to kill them, hell you had a hand in torturing Dean and now he's gone...'

'He's not gone yet Sam,' Merci said taking Dean's hand in hers, 'I know this won't atone for what I have done to you, your brother and my daughter but perhaps it will buy me a little redemption.' Holding Dean's hand she pressed it to her lips and then to her chest, she kept it pinned there with one hand and placed the other one just over Dean's chest. 'I can bring Dean back before his soul leaves Sam, is this what you want?'

'What I need ... what he needs and what his daughter needs.' Sam said quietly.

'This is my gift to my daughter; make sure she doesn't think of me as a complete monster.' Merci said, bending down she kissed Dean on the mouth, his lips tinged with blue and dry to touch. She stayed in that position and breathed into Dean's open mouth. As she breathed her body started to dry out, her skin flaked as her hair fell down around her. Sam's eyes widened in surprise as she breathed life into Dean and let hers escape. Within moments, her skin crumpled and her bones became dust as she disappeared, leaving behind a small pile of ash. A soft wind blew around them caressed their cheeks and then took the remains of Merci away.

Cornase screamed hoarsely and disappeared, vowing that he will return for his vengeance on the Winchester brothers, that he will have their lives.

Sam lifted the gun and fired just as Cornase vanished unsure if he hit him or not Sam tossed the gun to away and crawled back to his brother, wrapping his arms around Dean he drew him onto his chest and laid back exhausted. 'Bring us home Az.' He whispered as his eyes fluttered shut.

'Hey Dad, Cornase is gone,' Joey yelled excitedly, 'just like that he turned into dust and vanished.'

'Danny, they're both breathing,' Rachel said her voice filled with wonderment and confusion, 'I really don't understand but Dean's breathing.'

'Az?' Danny looked up at the sprite who only smiled and shrugged.

'I dunno Danny; I dunno what happened, but ...'

'But what?'

'I brought em back ... but they haven't woken up yet.' Az said staring down at the two unconscious hunters.

'Joey do you wanna go up and see how things are up above?' Danny said to his eldest son, 'don't take risks though Joey.'

'Hey Dad look who you're talking too.' Joey grinned and disappeared upstairs.

'Az any sign of change in the boys?' Danny turned to the sprite, 'Az no time to disappear I need you to focus.'

'They're no worse.' She said with a small smile coming back into a solid form.

'Honey we need to get them into beds, is it safe?' Rachel asked her pretty face filled with concern.

'Joey?' Danny called running up the stairs to find his son, minutes later he returned with a big grin, 'all clear, Rachel honey you and Az take the kids up and get them organised and Joey and I will take care of the brothers.'

Two hours later they had the children settled in having a quiet time in the living room or in their bedrooms, they put Dean and Sam in a small guest room they keep for the new kids passing through. Comfortable with two single beds and bright morning sunshine they figured it was also the quietest part of the house.

Mickie refused to leave her father and uncle, if anyone tried to take her out of the room she screamed until she was returned safely to their sides. Az and Rachel took turns sitting with the baby and watching over the brothers.

Neither brother stirred for the next five days, both locked in their own private worlds where no one else could even visit. Az and Rachel played with Mickie on the floor laughing at her antics, giggling happily Mickie looked up at Dean's bed, 'Dadda?' she gurgled getting up on her chubby legs she took a wobbling step towards him.

'Daddad.'

'Az did you see that?' Rachel said with a little giggle, 'she took her first step.'

'Straight to her father,' Az smiled, 'no surprise there.'

'And why not? After all look who her father is.' Dean's voice floated up from the bed.

'Dean?' Rachel immediately appeared at his side and took in his appearance. Still pale and drawn but smiling and certainly looking a lot better than the death warmed up look he had going.

'Hey Rachel ... Sam where's Sam?' he asked panicking suddenly when he could see his brother's face, 'where's Sam?'

'Just in the bed over there,' Rachel said putting a gentle hand on his arm, 'he's still asleep.'

'Okay ...' Dean said but refused to sit back down, instead he pushed himself up to sit against the headboard and held his hands out to Mickie, 'where's my girl?'

Mickie wriggled impatiently until Az placed her on the bed next to Dean, with an excited squeal she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him big sloppy kisses on the cheek.

'What's she doing wearing pink?' Dean grumbled inspecting the frilly little dress with distaste, 'where's her jeans and T-shirt?'

'Calm down Dean, she soiled them so I had to put her in something, it's one of Em's dresses, and I think it looks cute on her.' Rachel smiled.

'Hey is this a private party or can anyone join?' Sam asked though his voice barely carried it was so weak.

Rachel moved to his side and frowned when she saw the blue tinge to his skin and lips, 'hey Sam how you feeling?' she asked with a small reassuring smile.

'Hurts to breath,' he whispered not wanting the others to hear him, 'my, my throat ... can't ... swallow.'

'Okay Sam I'm just going to have a look at your throat, can you relax as much as you can.' She felt his glands and neck thoroughly before taking a small flashlight from her medi-kit as well as a tongue depressor.

As well as the bruises ringing his throat and trailing down his chest, his throat itself was almost completely swollen shut, 'okay Sam you are going to have to undergo another tracheotomy just to relieve the pressure in your lungs, and no talking at all until your throat starts to go down.' Rachel said holding a hand to his lips when Sam went to speak, 'uhhuh what did I just say, no speaking whatsoever.'

Sam stared at her with a lost puppy look but Rachel just smiled and patted him on the shoulder, 'honey I'm immune to that look, haven't you noticed how many kids are running loose around here?'

'So how's Sammy going?' Dean asked breaking the silent dead lock between the paramedic and the hunter.

'No talking at all until his swollen throat goes down,' Rachel said firmly keeping her eyes fixed on Sam's, 'and he needs another tracheotomy to ease the pressure or he is going to choke to death.'

'No talking for Sammy?' Dean grinned at his brother, enjoying the look of annoyed frustration, 'not a word? Sweet!'