Chapter 4... Hopes into flames
Previously...
"Now...back to you." She leveled even glares and threw her head back.
Air whooshed past them, then lightning pain ignited his bones, He saw Sam drop his eyes with renewed pain and felt the shake when Bobby too hit the wall.
Tamera dropped dead with a snap.
"I never liked her." She smirked. "a waste, really...Now to get started on my real plan." She walked seductively forward, each step adding pressure they already had pushing on the wall, after three steps, Sam cried out, his ribs couldn't take much more, breathing wasn't as easy...
Bobby felt guilty, but at least his friend was with her husband now, and hopefully at peace.
Now he had to make sure the only surviving Winchesters...well survived.
That didn't bode well for Sam right now...her sights were set on him.
Dean growled...this was getting old.
NOW...
"So...you crawled outta hell...got Sammy...now you're back for what? You couldn't get enough last time!" Dean said angrily, sick of his head being smashed into every damn wall when they encountered demons.
"I didn't get what I wanted last time Dean." Meg drawled, a new body, a new look. A whole new way for torturing a Winchester.
"Well you never had the guts to kill your own brother. And I never got through my list of hunter friends to kill, I had all these ways of murdering every last one...and you messed it up!" She spat at the floor. Smiled toothily.
Sam whimpered not far from Dean, arms bent at his sides level with his shoulders, fingers clenched into fists.
Dean swallowed, Sam was hurt bad with what the demon did, and what Dean hadn't seen when they made the drop on him. He couldn't handle much more of this.
Sam's head tried to sink lower to his chest, but the force Meg kept upon them made it extremely difficult, more painful.
His head sunk slightly, with a flick of her wrist his head shot back eliciting a cry of pain from a semi-conscious little brother.
He'd been hit there with a few more walls then this today and it was really starting to annoy him.
Pained and dilated hazel eyes glanced at Meg, then Dean and Bobby from Dean's view. "What's the plan?" he croaked, avoiding the intense glare of the demon.
"Sammy..." Dean sighed whole heartedly, he honestly had no idea out of this mess.
"You've got something, right?...'cos I gotta' tell ya', being like this-" he gestured to their forced and limited movement "Gets boring after awhile." Sam smiled, though his glazed eyes told of concussion and Dean paled ever more at the realization.
"Nah. I'm working on it. Just hold on for a while 'kay?" Dean nodded as much as his position allowed.
Sam blinked hard, sighed and turned his aching neck toward Meg.
"What are you gonna' do?" He asked pleadingly, the clear defiant tone from earlier left with his adrenaline.
Meg smiled at his weakness, Now Sam was down for the count, she could easily manipulate Dean...the eldest hunter didn't matter-just another tool, another way of hurting the Winchesters, after all her game plan was to exterminate every last friend or known alli they had ever come in contact with, she could start with him...
Ignoring Sam, and facing the bearded hunter she coyly asked. "Singer?..is it?"
"I'd imagine you'd know." He sniped, the Winchester attitude having found some of his own senses to change.
"Now now...Bobby." She waved a finger angrily, and tutted. "I hold all the cards here...you wouldn't want nice little Sammy to be all hurt again from your mistake would you?...Dean maybe?" She twirled a finger through her short dark styled hair.
He growled along with Dean muttering something like 'gonna kill you' or it could have easily have been 'fuck you' she didn't catch.
A large intake of breath and a few echoed footsteps had her evil smile too close the Sam's innocent face, still bloody and pale.
"I warned them Sam, but as we both know ...boys will never learn now will they?" She deadpanned.
Swallowing thickly he awaited the punishment she told of.
But it never came.
Opening his eyes, he saw she'd laid a hand on his chest, gentle and soft yet cold.
"Wha..." he stuttered, glancing to Dean, mirroring his confusion, wasn't she going to knock ten kinds of shit out of him again?
Smile turn frown, she felt around for the last piece Bobby ever gave him and snapped the metallic possession charms the wise hunter had bestowed in his reach.
Frown turning to anger, she turned over his wrists revealing the two drawn devil's traps. Growling she lifted a small, appearing rock carved knife, but Sam felt the familiar slash just enough to break the trap's power from the knife he'd seen her use to slit so many throats, he felt nausea rise in the back of his throat and managed to hide the hisses of pain.
Bringing an empty hand to clasp Sam's forehead he flinched and gasped at the swiftly icy tingle her firm touch brought with it.
Cocking her own head to the side, she lifted the just used scalpel sharp knife and brought it across her own hosts throat.
Releasing the bond between the meat suite, her still connected hand formed a new bond with Sam.
Eyes widening and fear coursing through him enough to make him tremble and thrash for escape the black sulfur scented smoke flowed from the girls now pretty yet lifeless face, eyes turned blue with sadness and centered toward Sam.
The body dropped, the hand fell away yet the demon knew whom to make it's new host.
Sam gasped, he was still pinned in place, position having no give, just how powerful had Meg gotten?
Dean forced himself to look away he didn't want to see Sam get possessed, he'd seen it leave him before-the pain it left and brought. Sam just couldn't handle that right now.
Tears building, Sam shook his head. Never once allowing the demon access, trying to hide into himself and not be chosen.
Catching his breath from the laboring lungs, and sore ribs. The smoke fluttered in anticipation to enter a new host, to control a lot more then just this body, maybe even Dean's perception and the other hunter's will. She could have anything. Power spiked the air in a rush when it pelted forward, Sam turned away but the smoke engulfed his dying breath and squeezed down his bruised neck and into another living, human.
Eyes squeezed shut in pain, breathing barely under control when his throat expanded for the new arrival, he could feel it settle inside him, she could feel his memories, find the pedals and ride the gears-just like riding a bike possession, she had to find the controls first.
"Sammy..." Dean's eyes watered, he had to witness Sam being used like bait again-why couldn't one of the big and uglies just go for him anyway.
Even though Meg had swapped hosts, her power on the three still held them in place, even her control over this new body, of Sam's.
"Ow." Sam smiled faintly at Dean, all ghosted eyes.
"Sammy man, you ok?...are you...you?" Dean feared this was all another trick, but Sam seemed sincere enough.
"No...I mean, I can feel it inside me...but...she isn't fighting yet..." Eyes drooped a moment, then blinked rapidly. "Ahhhh..."
"SAM!" Dean yelled, straining, nearly dislocating his shoulder he reached for his baby brother. Everything had it in for him today!
"Dean...she's fighting me...I can't control her!...AHH!" fists clenched, eyes squeezed, head thrown back the pain lines and sweat were more pronounced.
"Fight it Sam, you can win this." Dean and Bobby coaxed, it was their slim chance, if any other demons turned up, they were screwed- If Meg took over Sam, they were screwed.
"I won't let you win!...Get out!" Sam screamed, adrenaline temporally given out for the fear and Dean's worry of the situation.
Silence deafened the room.
Sam's inner battle and turmoil with a Meg face-off began.
With a final scream of agony, Sam slumped. Head resting on his beating chest, hands and arms limp by his side.
Dean only hoped when he opened his eyes again, they weren't being used by something else.
Sam shifted, groaning low in his throat.
Dean felt the hold on him start to weaken. He pushed against it, anxious to get to Sam.
Sam gasped, his body tensing and his head slammed back into the wall, his eyes squeezed shut.
"Sammy!" Dean shouted.
Sam moaned again, his head shaking side to side.
Dean struggled against the power pinning him and he felt it give a little more.
Sam choked out a breath, blood started to trickle from his nose.
"No! Sam!"
Sam looked like he was struggling to get his eyes open, they were moving under his lids and he pushed his head forward with great effort, eyes opening to slits as he gasped, searching for Dean.
"Sammy?"
His little brother grimaced, pushing himself forward like he was in tarr, back leaving the wall he hunched forward, all the while reaching out for Dean.
"Ngh!" Sam cried out, collapsing forward but still trying, still moving.
Dean felt his arm freed from the force holding him.
The realization hit Dean like a blow. Sam was fighting her, and her hold was weakening and Sam looked beat to hell but he was still moving forward, slowly, on the floor, still moving toward Dean like he was a beacon.
"Sammy!" Dean shouted, pushing himself forward to meet Sam in the middle. "Keep doing whatever you're doing! It's working! I'm nearly free!"
Sam cried out, and Dean saw a few drops of blood hit the floor under Sam, his splayed hands against the floorboards shaking.
Sam's hair shielded his face from Dean but he knew Sam's nose was bleeding more. He didn't know what kind of damage Meg was doing to Sam but he desperately needed Sam to fight her a little longer, just enough to peel himself from the wall.
"Nuh!" Sam sobbed, the pain in his voice raw. "D'n..."
It was barely audible but Dean heard it, super big brother hearing zooming in to Sam's distress, his whispered name falling from Sam's lips.
"C'mon! C'mon little brother. You can do this! Kick her demon ass! Just a little more! Just a little more Sammy c'mon!"
Dean pushed with new determination to get to Sam, to get that pain out of his voice.
Sam dragged himself forward, hands reaching out and clawing the floor, he grunted, sagging forward, head nearly hitting the floorboards, but he stopped, heaved a few painful breaths and pushed on.
Dean had never been so proud.
"Sammy! Sammy hey, look at me! Look at me, please-you can do it, please!"
Dean felt awful, using his voice to plead with Sam, make him look up, despite the pain Sam was already in but Dean knew it would work, it was the only way to get this done faster.
Sam slowly and jerkily lifted his head, his eyes pinched with pain, blood had dripped from both nostrils, over his lips and chin. He looked like he was about to break.
"D'n." Sam whispered, blood flecking from his lips. But he still looked up, eyes opening a little more. "Dean." He said a little stronger.
"That's it Sammy! Just reach a little more-keep looking at me. C'mon, you can do this."
Sam pushed forward, limbs awkward like he was running on fumes. As soon as his fingers brushed Dean's jeans the hold on the hunters dropped and Sam sagged forward, exhausted.
Dean didn't waste a second reaching for his brother, turning him over and looking into his eyes.
"Sammy? Hey...hey."
Bobby was already running forward and with Dean's help they dragged Sam into the hallway, into one of the intact devils traps. Dean all the while keeping Sam's open and on him, hands cradling Sam's face.
"It's okay. It's okay Sam. Hold on."
Sam winced, forcing his eyes to stay on Dean. His throat bobbed as he was jostled and as soon they crossed into the devils trap Sam seemed to melt.
"Sammy! Sammy? Hey...hey..."
Dean held Sam close, didn't care if he was in the trap with him. He glared to Bobby and the older hunter knew instantly what to do.
Still holding Sam, Dean wriggled into his jacket pocket, pulled out a marker and bit off the lid, spitting it out behind him.
He drew anywhere he could, anywhere Sam's flesh was exposed. Protective runes, devils traps as detailed as he could manage, pentagrams, sigils, all the while Bobby spoke rushed Latin.
Dean's jaw tensed as he felt Sam stiffen in his arms, saw the trembles start in on his hands. Sam swallowed, eyes boring into Dean.
Dean nodded at Sam, never leaving his eyes. "I know, I know...you can do this, I'm right here. Just hold on. I'm right here."
Sam whimpered, brows furrowing up at Dean as he swallowed.
They'd never done this before, never expelled a demon from a host in control. Dean honestly didn't know what Sam would have to go through, what he'd feel when the demon was ripped from him.
Dean listened out for Bobby, he only had a few verses left.
"Ugh!" Sam grunted, eyes snapping closed, his neck strained as he clenched his teeth, his body shuddered.
"No, no, Sammy. Eyes on me, c'mon. Just a little more, just a little more." The words rushed out of Dean's mouth, tumbling into each other.
Dean tightened his hold on Sam and leant closer, his breath ghosting Sam's face.
Painfully, Sam pushed his eyes open and Dean could feel the strain it took.
Sam's hand weakly found Dean's sleeve and he squeezed.
Sam began to pant, his chest rising and falling jerkily and he could tell the pain it was causing Sam's ribs by the little choked sounds that escaped his lips.
Dean nodded at Sam, knowing Bobby was a few words out.
"You're okay, you're okay...I'm right here." Dean muttered, inches from Sam's face.
When Bobby finished, Sam felt like he jolted in Dean's arms, like he was being electrocuted.
Sam cried out, body struggling, his mouth opening as he screamed and black smoke began to pour out.
Dean waited until the last second, the last spec of black to leave Sam's lips, he jerked his brother and himself back, out of the trap.
Sam tumbled into him, limp, as the demon erupted in fire on the ceiling.
Dean heard the roar of flames and smelt the burnt ozone, but he didn't watch even though he would have with satisfaction. His only thought was his brother, limp and pale and way too still in front of him.
Bobby hovered over Dean, hands resting on the older boys shoulder.
"Dean..." Bobby started gently.
Dean was already lifting Sam up, Bobby helping him take the brunt of Sam's weight and they dragged him down the hallway and down the stairs.
Sam needed a hospital, they both knew that. They didn't know what kind of damage Meg had done, not to mention how much Sam fought her, and just what damage that had done, he'd been stabbed and choked and punched-
Dean paled.
Sam had been way too still for too long, too quiet during the exorcism. Like he didn't have the strength to even speak.
"Bobby-" Dean grunted under Sam's weight.
"He's gonna' be fine. We're gonna' get him to the hospital, they're gonna' fix him up and then we're gonna' thank this boy for saving our damn lives by holding off a damn demon while he was beat to hell. He's strong Dean. He will be okay."
Dean nodded, repeating Bobby's words in his head like a mantra.
They got Sam in the car and raced off to the hospital. Dean cradled Sam to him in the backseat, hands wadding his shirt to ball against Sam's still bleeding shoulder. Sam's breath was raspy, his face so pale. Worry gnawed at Dean.
Bobby didn't follow a single speed limit until the neon lights of the hospital came into view.
Dean was already pulling the door open before the car had skidded to a stop and he dragged Sam out, screaming into the night until his voice was hoarse as staff started to run outside.
They piled Sam onto a gurney and rushed him off, Dean and Bobby following close behind until they were stopped by a woman with a clipboard, and Sam was raced off down the hallway, disappearing from view.
Dean didn't fight her, he knew they needed some information from him, and he knew Sam needed professional help on this one.
Dean didn't realize he was staring through Bobby until the elder hunter snapped his fingers in Dean's face.
"Son." Bobby asked gently, laying a hand on Dean's shoulder. "We'll be waiting right here, and soon, it won't feel like soon, but...eventually they're gonna' come and tell us he's okay and we can see him." Bobby tried to smile. "And he'll kick up a fuss if you drop out on me now. He's okay." Bobby nodded.
Dean clenched his jaw, staring into the older mans eyes. "Okay Bobby." Dean whispered.
x0x0x0x0
It was a good hour or so later, when someone in a lab coat was wandering down the halls flicking over a chart and came to a stop in the waiting room.
Before the doctor even spoke, Dean was standing and striding toward him.
"Sam-my brother Sam- how is he? Can I see him?"
The doctor easily brushed off the surprise and warmly smiled at Dean.
"Sam is resting, as you can imagine, he's been through a lot." The doctor nodded, his eyes crinkling. "It's really good you found him when you did, we managed to stabilize him quite quickly, and he is going to be fine. A little sore, for a while, but he will make a full recovery."
The relief hit Dean like a rug that had been pulled out from under him.
Bobby smiled, patting his arm on Dean's back with a slap.
"Can this idiot see his brother?" Bobby asked as Dean heaved in a breath.
"Of course, follow me."
The hunters followed the doctor to a small room at the end of a long hallway, and he paused at the door, hand on the door knob as he turned to Dean and Bobby.
"Just, don't be worried when you see him, he has been through a lot. He's just resting, sedated for the pain but he will wake up soon, he'll be a bit groggy."
Dean nodded, the pictures flashing in his head for the last two hours a far worse reminder of what their lifestyle could end up like. Dean shook the bloody image of a torn up Sam from his mind as the door opened.
He'll admit, the sight before him wasn't great, and it stole his breath away as he looked over Sam, pale and still on the bed. His shoulder wrapped and padded with layers of stark white bandage, his chest wrapped in what looked like a support bandage, several wires sticking out of him feeding to the machines around him beeping softly.
The doctor smiled at Dean.
"He looks worse than he is, I promise." He flipped open the chart and flipped through a few pages as they moved to the foot of Sam's bed.
Dean instantly sat in the chair to Sam's side and carefully reached for his brothers hand, careful of the IV.
The bruises were harsh against Sam's soft skin, a little too painful to look at but Dean stared. He wasn't going to forget everything that had happened to his little brother tonight, and he wasn't going to forget how much he was going to thank him for saving all of their bacon.
"His ribs will heal, a few were broken. The stab wound was deep but thankfully didn't hit anything vital, his shoulder will be sore for a few months but there isn't any muscle or nerve damage. Rest will be the best fix for that, a sling if you are moving around just to keep it stable. The internal bleeding was-"
Dean snapped his head to the side so fast the doctor winced.
"Internal bleeding?" Dean said, voice tight.
"That was our main worry, and there wasn't a source to it which did complicate things. It's identical to a blunt force trauma, but there isn't any bruising or swelling anywhere on his body that would indicate that kind of internal injury. Luckily, you found him quickly and got him here in time. You saved his life."
Dean didn't speak.
No, Sam had saved theirs at the risk of his own.
Internal bleeding...Jesus.
Bobby thanked the doctor and lead him out into the hallway to talk, leaving Dean with a very quiet Sam.
Dean spun back to his brother, his hand tightening around Sam's.
"C'mon Sammy...come back to be bud. I need to see those eyes." Dean whispered softly. "I need to see you're okay."
Sam's arm twitched, like Dean's voice was enough to reach him, even in the deepest unconscious.
"That's it Sam, just follow my voice. I'm right here. Not leaving you brother."
Sam's hand squeezed around his gently.
Dean let himself lean forward, some of the weight leaving his shoulders leaving him weak.
x0x0x
Bobby crept in sometime later, and Dean hadn't moved from Sam's side. If anything he'd got closer.
"Son? How's he doing?" Bobby asked gently appearing at Dean's side.
"He's coming back slowly, but he's coming..." Dean squeezed Sam's hand and felt the small push back.
Bobby smiled at the tiny movement.
"He's a fighter alright." Bobby grinned, some of the sadness leaving his face.
"Spoke a little more to the doc'," Bobby said, softer. "Said Sam's internal injuries were almost like he was fighting something trying to get out of him, like it ripped him up from the inside."
Dean caught Bobby's look. He swallowed.
"That was from Sam fighting her wasn't it? Keeping a hold of Meg?"
Bobby smiled sadly.
"She was fighting him just as hard. But he held her...he did it."
"Yeah but at what cost Bobby?- it could have killed him."
"He sure as hell put up a hell of a fight. I don't know how he had the energy to be upright, hell, forget taking on a demon with his own body."
"...f' D'n..."
The words were so quiet Bobby wasn't sure he heard right, but Dean's head snapped back to Sam and he squeezed his hand tighter.
Sam's lips parted.
"Sammy?" Dean asked, urgency and concern lacing his voice.
"...for Dean..." Sam said a little louder.
Slowly, Sam's eyes fluttered open, pain lines still tight on his face. He slowly caught Dean and let his fingers encircle Dean's hand holding his.
"...do it again...'n a heartbeat..." Sam whispered, his voice hoarse.
Dean grimaced, glancing to the ugly purple bruising covering Sam's throat.
Sam blinked, like he couldn't keep his eyes open.
"Hey, take it easy...just rest. M'not going anywhere..."
Sam frowned.
"I mean it. You need to rest."
Sam heard the brotherly command in Dean's voice, how it was said from worry and he nodded, letting his eyes shut, his breathing evened out.
"Speaking of rest..." Bobby started, giving Dean a look.
x0x0x
Sam stayed in the hospital for all of 4 days before he'd had enough and pleaded with Bobby to get him out, Dean adamant he wasn't leaving that bed until he could stand on his own, which wasn't out of order, but it was nothing to ease Sam's anxiety about wanting to and then.
Bobby agreed, much to Dean's annoyance but offered a compromise.
"You're not walking out of here, and when we get to my place, you're on bed rest for two weeks at least. No negotiating."
Sam pleaded with his puppy eyes.
"That's the deal Sam." Bobby shrugged.
Sam sighed, licking his lips.
"Fine. Two weeks."
Dean smiled. "At least. And I will be making sure you stick to that."
Sam rolled his eyes.
"Fine. Just...can we go?"
"I'll get the wheelchair." Dean smiled, happily walking to the hallway to bring it in.
Sam glared at Bobby with his best bitch face.
"Don't look at me like that, I'm not the one who face planted every time they stood up."
"I can walk." Sam argued, sounding petulent.
"Yeah, I know. But you should take it easy, more than you have."
Sam sighed, the annoyance melting from his face.
"I know, I just...I hate being useless." Sam used his good arm to signal himself, his other arm bandaged and in a sling.
Bobby laughed.
"What?"
"Boy- you saved our asses- and how I don't know. You shouldn't have been able to stand up, but you took on a damn demon with your mind and won." Bobby beamed at Sam. "You were the only thing stopping that thing from killing all of us. If that isn't useful, I don't know what is."
Sam let his lips curl into the smallest smile. He remembered having Meg inside of him, the feel of her, her presence. How she'd wanted to rip into the hunters like an animal. What she was going to do to Dean.
All he knew is he couldn't let that happen, he couldn't let her hurt people using him again, he couldn't let her near Dean and he'd managed to hold her, even though it felt like he was on fire from the inside.
Dean whistled as he wheeled in the chair and presented it to Sam like an award.
"You ready there shuffles?" Dean asked fondly, jazz handing the chair.
Sam's lips thinned. He was not impressed.
He turned to glance at Bobby.
Bobby just shrugged, hands in his pockets with a small mischievous smile of his own.
"Humor us."
Sam sighed.
"Fine. I'm coming."
x0x0x0
The few weeks at Bobby's had been a welcome break. Sam did technically rest for two weeks, but he still got up and moved around, maybe more than he should have been. Dean had made him swear to keep the sling at least until he could lift his own arm, and Sam had agreed.
Bobby worked on fortifying the house, adding to his devils traps already inside and expanded from the house to set a devils to fully surround it. He'd called it back up, back up. And hey, it would come in handy if they were ever rushed by a horde of demons again.
Whilst being on rest lockdown, Sam had done his fair share of reading and had figured how to make a few charm bags to keep on them that would protect them a little more, even made a few extra for their car.
It wasn't until a week after that, that Sam was up and about and his nearly normal self that Dean had dared to ask.
They were sat around the table, digging into one of Bobby's famous thick soups when Dean asked the question and Sam nearly dropped the spoon in his hand.
"How did you manage to fight off Meg for so long?"
Sam swallowed, his brows furrowing as he thought over Dean's words.
Bobby stopped eating as he watched.
"Uh...I don't know how I did it. I just...I knew I couldn't let her hurt you. She was going to..."
Sam paled.
"Sam?"
"She was going to rip you apart. And she was looking forward to it. I couldn't...I couldn't let her use me like that-not again." Sam licked his lips, suddenly staring into his steaming bowl, spoon still in his fist on the table.
"How was...what did the exorcism feel like?"
Sam's eyes slid side to side. Like he was avoiding Dean's gaze.
"Dean..." Bobby started, annoyed, clearly he was making Sam uncomfortable.
"Sorry Bobby! I just, wanted to know, y'know -what he went through." Dean defended. "That hasn't ever happened before- not like this. Sam was awake-aware-of everything."
Bobby didn't speak, Dean was right though. It hadn't and they were damn lucky that's the way it happened.
Dean glanced back to Sam, still holding his spoon in his fist on the table.
"Sam? You alright?"
Sam shook himself. "Yeah-yeah. I'm fine."
"You can talk about it you know?" Dean said softly. "It was a heavy night."
Dean looked down to his own bowl for a moment.
"You haven't said much about it at all, actually. That's not like you."
Sam swallowed, his eyes suspiciously wet.
Sam put the spoon down softly, sat back in his chair.
"Uh...I don't really have the words for it." Sam shifted uncomfortably.
When neither other hunter spoke, Sam cleared his throat. "Um, I could feel her...fighting me, like she was pulling at my arms to move-my body but...I was pulling back. I could feel her anger...she hated us. She wanted to kill you both slowly...make me watch..."
"But you managed to fight her off." Dean said proudly.
"I could feel her, getting angrier when I pushed against her and then...you were reaching out for me, her hold was slipping somehow- and I went with it. I just focused on your voice- on getting to you. That was all that mattered."
"I'm guessing she didn't like that."
Sam shook his head.
"It pissed her off so much more and...the moment I felt her realize she wasn't going to win..."
"She took it out on you." Dean said, voice thick. "She tried to tear you apart from the inside to stop you."
Sam didn't speak.
"What about in the devils trap? Did she feel weaker?"
Sam winced. "Sort of, it was like she was more confined then but she didn't stop fighting. Then when...when Bobby read the exorcism..."
Dean leaned forward, Bobby watched intently, none of them eating their soup.
"It uh...it felt like, like...she was glued to me and the words were pulling at her until she couldn't hold on. It felt like...I was burning up, from the inside, like I could feel her pain. Like every time she tried to cling on, the words...burned her...somehow, off of me...and then...nothing, until the hospital."
"Remind me, that is something in life, I don't ever need to try." Dean muttered.
Sam shook his head. "I don't recommend it."
"You okay though?" Dean asked gently.
"Yeah. Yeah." Sam fidgeted with his spoon, this time diving into the cooled bowl and brought a spoonful to his lips.
"I know I've said it before, and I'll say it again, " Bobby said gruffly. "You saved our bacon, against all odds. We wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you."
Sam quirked his lips into a small smile.
Bobby held up his beer. "To Sam." He cheered.
Dean mirrored the elder hunter as they both took a drink.
Sam laughed lightly, frowning.
"Yeah- thanks guys but, if it's alright with you, I won't be doing that again. Like ever."
Dean scoffed. "That's fine by me."
"Well actually boys," Bobby tossed an open book into the middle of the table with a thud. "I have an idea on just that..."
The brothers looked at the pages, the detailed pentagram with rays of light in a circle around it, then the smaller symbols of small tear drops with an emblem in the middle.
"Bobby-what are these? Charms?"
Bobby grinned. "Not exactly, I was thinking something a little more permanent and harder to lose."
The second book Bobby tossed them detailed how to bless certain herbs when burnt into an ink, and how to tattoo that into a protective lock, that could keep demons out.
The brother looked up again at Bobby, their eyes wide.
"Ever got ink done?" Bobby scoffed.
Thank you for reading lovelies! And for sticking with this story, I hope you enjoyed.