Sorry this chapters once again a little short but it really was the perfect place to end it.
Chapter Four
"I know it wasn't you."
Sam spun around to glare at his brother "What! What the hell was that all about if you knew it wasn't me?"
"I can't explain it Sam, the thought just came into my head from fuck knows where and I couldn't stop myself, I tried not to say it, tried really hard but then this, this thing flashed through my head and it was as though I had no choice, I couldn't stop what came out of my mouth even though I knew it was the biggest load of crap I've ever spouted." Dean fidgeted with the hem of his shirt as he spoke.
Frowning, Sam slowly walked towards his obviously contrite brother "What d'you mean you couldn't stop it?"
"Just that; I couldn't stop it."
Both boys remained silent for a few moments, Sam having sat next to Dean, shoulders brushing before simultaneously swinging their heads around to face each other and mouthing in synch "The preacher."
"That sonuvabitch, I swear I am gonna enjoy sending that bastard back to whatever hell he crawled out of and I am gonna enjoy every fucking minute of it, no one, be it human, spirit, demon or any other fucking dumb ass is gonna get away with messing with my family, and that includes you" Dean raised his voice as he turned his attention to the surrounding trees "freaky ass preacher."
"You done?" Sam grinned at his brother's rant, glad that at least Dean was feeling well enough to vent his anger.
"No Sam I'm not done, I haven't even begun to be done yet, now c'mon we got a preacher to hunt." Forgetting about his injuries Dean sprang up only for his knees to buckle as the pain from his ribs jolted his entire body, reminding him that he had to take things a little slower for the time being.
"Whoa, steady there Dean." Sam quickly held onto his brother to stop him from crashing to the ground and further injuring himself.
"I'm good." Dean shrugged off his brother's support.
"We have to be extra careful Dean, if he got inside your head once he can do it again, we have to watch each other's backs, if either one of us thinks the other is behaving a little strange" Sam chuckled "or for some of us, stranger than usual, then we have to act quickly."
"Cute Sam real cute but you just wait till that freak scrambles your brain and see how you like it."
"Okay" Sam was all business again "I think we should move, maybe head to the cave where you found me, at least if we're in there there's only one way anything can come at us and besides there's obviously no point us sitting in a salt circle, it has no effect on him."
"You got any ideas on how we get rid of this bastard?" Dean inquired of his brother.
"I've got a theory, well kinda."
"You wanna share?"
"We know rock salt doesn't work and we know he can cross a salt line but maybe we should try filling him with lead or silver." Sam finished.
"Sam, he's a spirit, they won't have any effect and besides, Bobby told us that he and dad tried that but…"
"No Dean" Sam interrupted "Bobby told us the creature was unaffected by those things, he didn't say anything about the preacher. Don't forget Bobby and dad didn't actually get to see anything other than the creature and yeah, I get what you're sayin about him being a spirit but what have we got to lose, it's worth a try."
"So you think if we destroy the preacher it may take the creature out as well?"
"Like I said it's worth a try. It wouldn't be the first time we've come across something attached to a spirit."
"Well I'm game."
"Only thing is, we have to try and get them together, the preacher and his pet." Sam finished.
With each of them running the possibilities as to how they would put the plan into action through their minds Sam and Dean packed their few possessions and cautiously made their way through the trees, heading towards the cave Sam had been taken to earlier, the younger man taking care to surreptitiously check his brother was okay throughout their hike.
With the cave in sight Dean breathed a sigh of relief, he really needed to take a rest but didn't want to stop until he and Sam were in the relative safety of the cave so closed his mind as much as he could to the pain and walked behind his brother, that walk turning into an agony filled jog as right before his eyes Sam disappeared from view, the ground seeming to swallow him whole.
"SAM" Dean fell to his knees beside the huge crater and was relieved to see his brother sitting at the bottom looking none the worse for wear after his impromptu dive.
"S'okay Dean, just didn't see it." Sam called.
"I'll throw the rope down…"
"No need, I can climb up the sides."
Within minutes Sam was once again on the flat surface of the clearing and preparing to take the final steps to the cave.
Once inside their gloomy dwelling Dean fell back against the wall with a sigh, "Can you not do that again Sammy."
Sam looked puzzled "Do what."
"Disappear."
Sam chuckled "Sorry. Why don't you get some rest, I'm gonna go out and get some wood to start a fire."
"Not on your own you're not."
"Dean, I'll be fine, I won't have to go further than the entrance, the place it littered with kindling, now just sit down before you fall down."
Not having the strength to argue Dean slid down the wall and once seated closed his eyes, the exhaustion the journey had left him with getting the better of his battered body.
"Don't leave it all to Sammy, you're the oldest, you're the one I trained to look after him, not the other way around."
Dean's eyes sprang open, his dad's voice still echoing around the cave.
"You okay?"
Sam walked towards him, arms full of brittle wood.
"What! Yeah, why." Dean stammered.
"You just looked kinda spooked that's all."
"Think I musta dozed off for a minute, you made me jump." Dean explained.
"Nothing else?"
"No, why, should there be." Dean knew he should tell Sam what had happened but it was just a dream, nothing to worry about he reasoned.
Dean watched Sam set the fire, all the time the words replaying in his head. "I'm sorry Sam."
"For what" Sam twisted his body so he was facing his brother "did something happen?"
"No, I'm just sorry, sorry that I'm not helping much."
"You need to rest, don't sweat it."
With the fire set the cave began to warm up a little allowing both boys to relax whilst they ate a couple of granola bars and drank a little water.
"What I wouldn't give for a cup of strong black coffee right now." Dean mused
"You drink too much coffee Dean; you do know it's bad for you don't you?"
"Yeah well I'd rather the coffee get me than some damn do good preacher man." Dean groused back.
Fighting to keep the grin off his face Sam decided it was time they worked on a plan to lure the preacher and his winged friend out into the open and keep them there long enough to do what needed to be done to get rid of them once and for all.
"Help, somebody please help me, oh god help please." The terrified female voice echoed around the inside of the cave.
"What the hell?" Dean was on his feet, gun drawn and painfully making his way to the entrance.
"Wait, Dean you can't go out there, it could be a trick."
"And it could be real, we can't take that chance, we have to check it out." Dean whispered.
Hand on his brother's shoulder to stop him simply barrelling outside Sam nodded his consent, knowing Dean was right but insisting on going too. "We do this together Dean; don't take any chances, oaky. Okay Dean." The final two words spoken with emphasis.
"I hear ya Sammy, I hear ya."
The two hunters crept to the mouth of the cave, each scanning the surrounding land before stealthily, eyes peeled, creeping out into the open.
They remained shoulder to shoulder as they searched for the distressed female they'd heard only minutes earlier but could see nothing apart from tufts of grass and trees in the distance.
"You see anything?" Sam enquired of his brother.
"Nothin. You?"
"Nothing."
The two of them backed towards the cave, their weapons still held in front of them in case of attack by anything or anyone.
"Well that was weird." Dean spoke as he settled beside the fire.
"It musta been a trick to get us into the open." Sam spoke as if to himself.
For the next hour Sam recited the ritual Bobby had given them over and over again with Dean checking he was word perfect before either of them would stop, then they checked their weapons, made sure they were working perfectly and had ample ammo, each checked their flasks of holy water, made sure they had enough salt, lighter fluid, matches and a lighter, deciding to carry both just in case one or the other didn't work.
"Huh."
"Dean looked up from sharpening his knife "Something wrong."
"The wood I collected earlier, it's gone." Sam looked around the cave.
Dean looked to where the pile of kindling had sat "That bastard, it was a trick."
"Seems like it, but we need more, I'll go get some." Sam made to walk away.
"No, are you crazy, he's gonna be waiting out there for you to do just that." Dean groaned as he pulled himself upright.
"I don't even have to go outside, it'll be fine, relax Dean."
"I'm comin too."
"Dean."
"I'm comin."
Rolling his eyes knowing there was no point in arguing Sam simply nodded and lead the way.
"Dean, Sam, you here?"
The two hunter's eyes met "Bobby" they whispered to each other.
Sam quickened his pace leaving Dean to try and keep up as he made his way to the opening. Once there he waited for his brother, the two of them unable to believe their eyes at seeing the man who was always there for them standing in the middle of the clearing, a bewildered look on his face.
"Cover me, I'll go get him." Sam instructed his brother.
Simply nodding his consent Dean raised his shotgun, one eye on his brother and Bobby and the other on the lookout for anything suspicious.
0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0
"You boys are a sight for sore eyes, I was beginnin ter think I'd never track yer down." Bobby took a long pull on the bottle of water Sam had pushed into his hand.
"What're you doing here Bobby?" Sam questioned.
"Another body was found, late last night, a young woman and I was worried about you so here I am." Bobby looked from one to the other.
"Another body, you sure; cos we didn't hear anything." Dean asked, puzzled.
"Figured you hadn't when I didn't hear from yer, that's when I got worried, I thought maybe you were in trouble."
"We're fine but it's good to see yer Bobby." Dean smiled.
"You don't look fine boy, what the hell happened to you?"
"The freaky ass preacher." Dean replied.
"You've seen him?" Bobby's voice was incredulous.
"Yeah, we both had a run in with him."
"And did yer get rid of him?" Bobby asked.
"Not yet" Dean looked at his brother "but we're workin on it."
"Good job I got here when I did then. Now who's gonna get that there fire burnin again, its damn cold in here."
"I was just on it when we heard you, I'll do it now." Sam turned to fetch the wood.
"Sam, you are not goin out there alone." Dean made to rise.
Pressing a calloused against the young hunter's chest Bobby got to his feet "You stay where you are boy, I'll go with Sam." The tone leaving no room for argument. "Oh, and you might find something to your liking in there." Bobby winked as he hurled his duffle towards Dean before following Sam outside.
Dean fished a large flask out of the duffle and unscrewed the top, the aroma of coffee bringing a smile to his face "I've said it before, I'll say it again; Bobby you're awesome." Dean smiled as he poured a cup of the steaming liquid and was just about to take a gulp when a cry from Bobby had him scrambling to his feet and running as fast as his aching body would allow.
Tumbling through the opening of the temporary home he and Sam had settled in Dean found Bobby lying face down in the dirt.
"Bobby, Bobby, goddammit answer me" he called as he jogged to the fallen man's side, noting as he went that there was no sign of Sam.
Falling to his knees Dean placed trembling fingers against the older hunters neck, his world falling apart when he couldn't feel the thrum of a pulse "C'mon Bobby, you can't do this, please, just breathe" he rolled the man over and reared back in shock as the face that greeted him wasn't the familiar one he'd expected, instead the preacher smirked back at him.
0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0
"So what was in the bag?" Sam asked.
"Coffee, a huge flask of hot, strong coffee, just the way you boys like it. Bobby replied with a grin.
Sam's grin turned into a frown "The whole area's been swept, there's no kindling anywhere. Keep your eyes peeled Bobby, it has to be the preacher.
"What d'yer wanna do Sam, you wanna head back ter Dean or…"
"No, with the two of us we should be okay to venture a little further out and I'm sure Dean's okay back there, he's got a good view of the only entrance, besides if anything happens he'll fire a round off and we'll hear it. Sam cut in, remembering the conversation he'd had with his brother about Dean allowing Sam to take the lead now and again and this, to Sam, seemed to be a perfect opportunity to begin, after all Dean was safe in the cave with a flask of hot coffee to keep him company.
Side by side the young hunter and the man who had become a father figure to the Winchester boys since their dad's death continued cautiously forward, senses alert for anything out of the ordinary until Bobby broke the silence.
"Did I ever tell you about the time just after you were born and Dean came to stay with me for a couple of days?"
Sam shook his head, "No, I don't think I've ever heard that before. Why did Dean come stay with you? I always thought …"
"Thing is Sam" Bobby began "Dean was so used to being an only child he kinda took it bad when you were born, appeared to resent the amount of time your mom spent with you and couldn't understand why the two of them didn't do the things they used to as often anymore. I think the final straw came when one afternoon when your mom had an appointment with the doctor, just a check up as I understand and left your dad, who'd taken a couple of hours away from work, in charge of the two of you. Apparently Dean wanted to go outside and play catch but your dad said he couldn't because you were asleep upstairs and he didn't want to leave you alone in the house.
To cut a long story short, your brother showed signs of harming you and to take away the risk your mom and dad decided that a short time away, where he would be the centre of attention was just what Dean needed so sent him to stay with me for a while."
Sam could hardly comprehend what he was hearing, he knew without a doubt that mom and dad would never have dreamt of sending their eldest child away, that Dean had never, ever been jealous of him and certainly wouldn't have dreamt of hurting him, in fact Sam knew the opposite to be true, Dean was and had always been a protective brother for as far back as Sam could remember and recalled stories he'd heard from Pastor Jim and Bobby himself amongst others how it was Dean who was always the one to be able to settle his baby brother, even when mom and dad failed, the one who had always, always, regardless of anything else taken the utmost care and given so much love to his sibling, so why was Bobby saying these things, it just didn't make any sense; and then in a flash of realisation Sam twisted his body to face that of the Winchesters trusted and long time friend and recoiled in shock as the man standing next to him wasn't Bobby but the preacher instead.
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T.B.C.
Thanks for reading.
impalapal and sunnyjunedays.