Freedom. He had not been free to walk the Earth in centuries, trapped first within a fiery prison on the plane of Hell, and then in some odd dimension between the two, where the power of the witch-girl finally woke him. He'd gotten closer, so close, when they performed the first ritual only to be stopped by the limitations of the canine mind. Without a human host he could not fully enter the world.

But now...

Lisa freed him from his bonds. He bent to kiss her, touched her in a place of promises, a place that made her gasp. His lips brushed her cheek as he pulled away and left her trembling.

"Later, love," he whispered, and she believed him. Oh, he would take his pleasure of her later, when his job was done here, but he doubted she would find it to her enjoyment. His pleasure was her pain.

For now, there were more pressing matters and he turned to attend to them. Lisa remained behind him, standing before the witch-girl still caught up in trance. The threads of power still connected him to her, and through her, the boy. He could feel his own power begin to reawaken. It was time.

"Kokobiel!"

He stopped as a figure emerged from the darkness. It was, he sensed, another of his kind, and it came to stand before him, blocking his way. He could not continue until he confronted this other demon. This would take up valuable time and energy he did not wish to sacrifice. He had to prepare the portal now, while he still commanded the girl and the boy. The additional boost of power would be all that he needed to free the spirits of his army. The humans were already weakening, and would not survive the ritual. It would burn them out, leave them mindless and all but dead – a pity - but some sacrifices must be made. He needed to move quickly before they weakened any further.

This intrusion, this delay, was more than irritating. Hadn't he been patient enough, barely surviving months trapped inside the instinct clouded mind of a dog? A DOG! When he was finished here, Lisa would indeed pay for that foolishness.

"Rameel," he said, acknowledging the other's presence.

The other demon's eyes flared golden. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Freeing my comrades." Kokabiel nodded his head toward the doorway. "When one cannot open a door, one must make a new one. Isn't this your plan, old friend?"

"No. It is not. My plan is to open the gate. Colt's gate."

Kokabiel laughed."With what?" He threw a hand back behind him, gesturing toward the boy. "That? Your children? You'll still need the key, Rameel, and that you do not have."

The yellow-eyed-demon approached slowly. He'd taken an man older than the body Kokabiel now wore. If things got physical Kokabiel would have the advantage. He clenched his fists. He would have a distinct advantage. This boy's body was familiar with hand-to-hand combat.

"I don't have the key, but it will be found very soon, and I will not let you destroy our means of using it."

"Is that a threat?"

"Yes." Rameel raised a hand. "It is."

He was surprised at the other demon's power. It twisted his body around and slammed him into the side of the barn with enough force to crack some of the siding beneath his back. He could not move. An attempt to draw more power burned out one of his sources. The girl shuddered, and fell limply to the ground. The boy moaned as Kokabiel tightened his grip on him and pulled more energy. In response he he felt the mind of the one he possessed stir within him.

Sammy!

With brutal force he shoved it back down. He didn't bother to shout a warning to the other girl, Lisa, who had cried out his name and rushed forward. A flick of the wrist and Rameel snapped her neck. She too fell to the ground, limp and lifeless.

Yellow eyes flared bright. Rameel's anger was palpable. Kokabiel gasped as he felt his power being drawn away from him. He grew weaker and weaker. He took again from the boy, soaking up his psychic energy, and moving on to drain his life force until, suddenly, the connection was severed. He gazed at his adversary in shock.

"How...?"

Rameel sneered at him. "You've struck out, Kokabiel. You could have never opened a portal. You haven't the power, and his..." He nodded toward the boy. "Belongs to me."

"You selfish bastard." Kokabiel's anger disguised his fear. He was outmatched, and he knew well this one's reputation for ruthlessness.

The other demon grinned. "That's right, I am. I've walked this plane for very a long time, old friend, and when the time comes, I will be its master. I've more than earned that right."

"He will have something to say about that."

Rameel's grin broadened. "He does. Who do you think guides my hand?" He took a step back, and raised his chin. "And he has requested your presence. There are some past indiscretions on your part that he wants to discuss." With a chuckle, he added. "Go to Hell, Kokabiel, and stay out of my business."

Pain. It was a burning agony that shot fire through every nerve. It twisted his muscles into knots and tightened ligaments until he felt as if every bone in his body would snap in two. As soon as the pain and pressure slackened, nausea sucker-punched him in the gut. He fell to his knees, retching, clutching his stomach as he dry heaved into the dirt. A horrid, metallic taste filled his mouth. He spit, and caught the scent of sulfur on his breath.

Groaning, Dean collapsed against the side of the barn, unable to get his legs beneath him again. For several minutes he could only sit there panting. Sweat beaded up on his forehead. He wiped it away with his sleeve. Dizzy, sick and aching, he had to wait until his vision cleared before he could get up again.

"Sammy..."

No sound came out. His throat was raw. His voice was just a breath. He crawled on hands and knees toward Lisa but he knew long before he reached out a hand to check her pulse, that she was dead. Her head lay at an unnatural angle to her body. Her neck had been broken.

Afraid of the worst, Dean painfully regained his feet and stumbled toward the table where his brother lay motionless. Sam's hair was wet with sweat but when Dean touched his pale white face, his skin was cold to the touch.

"Sam? Sammy!"

He dropped his hand to Sam's throat and found a weak pulse. He was barely breathing, barely alive. Something had to be done, and quickly.

Missy lay at his feet. He knelt unsteadily. She also lived, barely. Dean searched her and Melissa for the key to the chains holding Sam. He found them on Lisa, tucked into the pocket of the frumpy sweater she'd been wearing. Another search for their cell phones was unsuccessful, but he did discover the Impala parked behind the barn. He'd have to get Sam to a hospital himself.

A wave of dizziness struck him again as he hurried back to free his brother. He had to stop and steady himself on the corner of the barn. It took him a minute before everything stopped spinning and he found his strength again. When he did, he looked up to see Missy on her feet, standing over Sam.

"Get away from him!" Dean staggered forward, slowly gaining momentum. Reaching Missy he wrapped his hand around her arm and spun her around to face him. "I said leave him alone!"

"You don't understand..."

"What don't I understand? You did this!"

"I didn't want to! Please!" Missy pushed her tangled blond hair back from her face. Her mascara had run, making the tracks of her tears clearly visible down her cheeks. "Lisa...she was not what you think. She protected me. I thought I would go crazy. She taught me how to live with these...gifts." She shook her head. "No," she amended. "This curse. But it all changed. When the demon came she changed. It was the demon! She...she wasn't what you think! "

"You know what, screw you. Tell your sob story to someone who cares." Dean abruptly let her go and began unlocking the chains around Sam's wrists and ankles. "You're not the victim in all this, and neither was she. Don't try to play me, I know better."

"I'm not saying that!"

"You've killed innocent people," Dean growled.

"Then let me save one!" Missy cried.

Dean hesitated. He glanced from her back toward Sam. The rise and fall of his brother's chest was barely discernible. His pallor had increased and his lips bore a distinct blueish tinge.

"You'll never get him down this mountain in time, Dean. The nearest hospital is miles away. He'll be dead long before you get there." Missy clutched at his sleeve. "Please. I can help him."

There was, Dean realized, nothing to lose. He wasn't sure he trusted her, but she was not lying about Sam's chances. Dean knew she told the truth in that regard. Sam was dying, and even as fast as the Impala was, there was no way Dean could save him.

"You do anything but heal him, and I'll put a bullet in you, I swear to God." Dean moved aside, allowing her within reach of Sam. "You got that?"

"Got it," Missy said softly. She closed her eyes, and put her hands to Sam's chest.

She was exhausted. It showed in every line in her face, and that convinced Dean of her sincerity - that she would save Sam despite the risk to herself. It took her longer to go into trance but somehow she managed. A faint, very faint, greenish glow enveloped her hands once again and this time it slowly spread through her fingers down into and around Sam. Neither one of them appeared to be breathing. Everything around them became unnaturally still.

Dean could only watch, and wait. He leaned heavily against the other table, and flinched in surprise as he felt something brush up against his leg. In all the excitement he'd forgotten about the dog. Looking down he saw Derek standing beside him.

The shepherd lowered his head, put his ears back, and pushed his long nose beneath Dean's hand. There was a kinship between them, he thought with a small smile. They'd both been possessed by the same demon.

"Good boy," Dean murmured, and felt an odd sense of relief as he stroked the dog's broad head. He would not to have to wage his vigil alone. Slowly he slid to the ground, unable to continue standing. His gaze remained on Missy, as she silently poured her healing power into Sam. Derek lay next to him, and together they waited.

"Come on, Sammy. Hold on."