Chapter 20 - Burning Sensations

'Any last words Dean?' teased Aaron. The nerve of this guy! Dean just growled angrily in response. He tried to shift his head, anything that could help him escape. But he was helpless, and he knew it.

'Countdown from three,' he heard Aaron announce. This was getting serious. 'Three…'

'Dean!' he heard Sam scream. He wished he could console his brother. Dean couldn't even begin to understand what Sam was going through. If Sam were in his position, he would be hysterical.

'Two…'

'No!' he heard Sam scream again.

'One…'

'PLEASE!'

His brother was frantic; he could tell by his voice.

'It's ok Sammy…' Dean thought. 'It'll be ok.'

In a way, he hoped his brother could hear him; could understand.

'Zero!' yelled Aaron.

Dean closed his eyes as he heard the ropes that held the sharp blade being cut, and he wait for the blow. Everything suddenly went silent. Sam's screams faded, Aaron's evil laughter went away and the comments of the others disappeared. And still, he waited for the blow.

'This must be one slow ass guillotine,' Dean thought.

Finally sick of waiting, he summoned up the courage and cracked an eye open.

'Am I dead?' he wondered as darkness greeted his vision.

He slowly opened the other eye. At the bottem of his vision he could see a sliver of light, and suddenly realized his hands were free. Reaching up, his hands trembling slightly, he pulled the bag from his head, along with the gag. A groan of relief and disbelief escaped his lips as he realized he was in that damn room, lying on that damn bed, that damn shackle secured around his ankle.

Was it a dream? It had felt so real. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and settled back against the soft pillow. There wasn't much he could do right at that moment.

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From his collapsed position on the ground, Sam still sobbed quietly over his brother. How could Dean really be gone? He'd almost lost him once, but that could be cured…this time, he couldn't just magically make it all better. It was the real deal. A hand gripped his shoulder, trying to pull him away, but he shook it off angrily.

'LEAVE ME ALONE!' he screamed hysterically. 'DON'T EVEN TOUCH ME AFTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE!'

A second set of hands grasped the other shoulder, and they mercilessly pulled him off the ground, dumping him back in the chair. Aaron stepped in front of him, blocking off the view of Dean's body on the ground.

'It's just you and me Sam,' he said, couching to his currant height. 'Dean is dead. He ain't coming back. Sam trembled angrily, his eyes never breaking from Aaron's stare.

'I'm going to kill you for what you done,' he said in a low voice.

'That isn't going to bring him back,' laughed Aaron. 'Frankly, I don't care if I die; I've caused you enough pain to last the rest of your life.'

'Eat shit!' Sam spat out venomously.

Aaron stood up, his face cold and hard. He backhanded Sam hard across the face, busting his lip, and causing an even deeper glare from Sam.

'Take him back to his room,' ordered Aaron in disgust. 'I have business to take care of.'

He exited the room.

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Dean looked up sharply as his door was swung open and Aaron entered, closing the door behind him.

'Hey Dean,' he said. 'How are you feeling?'

'Fine,' said Dean through gritted teeth.

'No headaches? No neck pain?' mocked Aaron. 'Does it feel like you have all your body parts?'

Dean was confused. A moment ago he had been convinced that he had dreamt everything…but how did Aaron know?

'It wasn't a dream,' Aaron said, reading his mind. 'It happened…except I cut you a lucky break.'

'What do you mean?'

'That blade was inches from cutting your head off,' Aaron said simply. 'But with a easy click of my fingers, you came here, and a certain body took your place. Sam had his eyes closed so he didn't see it; he wouldn't have anyway, it happened to quick.'

'A certain body?' Dean asked angrily.

'Oh, yeah, well, you uncle is dead, so we didn't think he would mind.'

'And Sam…?' Dean had already figured this part out. But he wanted to hear it; it would make killing this asshole easier.

'Thinks your dead. Opened his eyes and what does he see? A body, your build, wearing your clothes…'

It was then that Dean realized he wasn't in his normal clothes.

His face marred with anger, teeth gritted, he said: 'so what your basically telling me…with a click of your fingers, I disappeared from the guillotine, my clothes were magically transferred, and another body…' he gulped. 'Lost its head?'

He couldn't bear to say his uncles name.

'Yep, that's what I'm saying,' Aaron said with a grin. He had moved within Dean's grip. 'Wonderful isn't it?'

In a flash, Dean was upon him, his hand around Aaron's neck, the chain stretched taut from the bed.

'You're a sick bastard,' Dean hissed. Aaron just stared defiantly at him, his eye's twinkling, and suddenly Dean was gripping Dean.

'You really think you could strangle me to death?' Aaron asked from behind him with a laugh. Dean whirled to face him, and went to grab him again. Aaron reappeared by the door, leaning casually against the doorframe, out of Dean's reach.

'Think again.'

Dean attempted to curl his hands into fists, and it was then he realized how sore his hands really were. They had gone hard; they wouldn't even bend much. The burn had begun hurting more too…funny how you forget these things when your angry or in danger.

'Dean, have a nice night…make sure you listen out for your brother's screams,' said Aaron, and shut the door firmly, clicking the combo lock back onto it.

He wandered down the hall to an identical door that was also locked. He spun the dial casually, and Jacob appeared beside him as he got the lock off. Jacob had a small medical kit with him.

'Sam…what am I going to do with you?' asked Aaron innocently.

Sam was lying down, facing the wall. He had silent tears running down his face, and he'd be damned if he wanted that thing to see him cry! But hearing the demon get closer, he quickly wiped them away and propped himself up.

'Just leave me alone,' he said, hoping his voice wouldn't crack.

It wavered slightly instead. Jacob whipped all the blankets off the bed, and with Aaron's help, they forced Sam to lay down flat on his back. Handcuffs were produced and Sam's hands were cuffed down by his sides to the bed.

'This wont hurt…much,' muttered Aaron as he watched a struggling Sam. Jacob opened his medical kit and pulled out a syringe and a bottle of liquid.

'Let me go!' yelled Sam.

He still had a leg free and tried to kick Jacob, in hope the needle would fly somewhere and never be found. Another pair of cuffs was produced and Sam's leg was locked down tight. He fought hard against the restraints, as Jacob got close with the needle, his eye's never loosing site of it.

'I can't put it in if he's moving,' Jacob complained.

Aaron immediately reared his fist back, and punched Sam as hard as he could across the face, again and again, until Sam lay still, dazed. Jacob inserted the needle carefully into the crook of Sam's arm, and stepped back in anticipation.

Sam began sweating profusely almost immediately, he began panting, and his body bucked and heaved against the restraints as a fiery sensation burned through him. It was so painful. Finally a loud scream of agony escaped him, which was music to Aaron's ears.

Somewhere down the hall, Dean shot up in bed as screams reached his ears. A worried look was etched onto his face; never had he heard Sam in that much pain.

'Nothing's gunna happen to you as long as I'm around.'

His promise to Sam echoed through his head, and he shook his head sadly, a whisper of a tear on the tip of his eye.

'I let you down Sammy,' he whispered. 'I'm sorry…'

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I hate to say this, but i wont be on for a few days. i've come down with the flu, and feel really sick...i'm lucky i could get this up for you. sorry.

cya later

Nikki