Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters. I and am not making any money on this…I'm just having fun!

Ties that Blind

Chapter 23 – Sacrifices

"Ok Sam, what say we get you ready to get out of here?" Dean started to stand when the door flew open, "You're not going anywhere Dean Winchester. I have to thank you for saving me the trouble of coming to get you…Since Sam couldn't be convinced to trade his soul for your Daddy, maybe he'd be willing to trade it for your life…what do you say Sammy?"

"Well I'm always happy to accommodate." Dean said as he placed himself between Sam and the demon. "Besides, I owe you for what you did to my little brother here."

Virgil strode confidently into the room laughing. "I'm going to enjoy killing you Dean…but I'm afraid it will have to be slow and painful. Since your brother can't see, I'm going to let him listen as I kill you slowly."

Dean heard Sam suck in his breath. "Dean, get out…please leave me!" Sam struggled to sit up and cried in pain and frustration as he fell uselessly back onto the floor.

Dean knelt beside Sam and placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. He realized that Sam had no idea what he had planned and could kick himself for not filling his brother in. "Don't worry Sammy…this guy is going down." Dean watched as Virgil walked a little further into the room, "Gotcha" Dean thought as he saw the Demon cross into the area under the devil's trap.

"Of course, your brother really is selfish Dean. I gave him the opportunity to trade his life for your fathers and he turned it down…I guess you really did hate your father Sammy. After seeing your father's current condition, you still refused our offer." Virgil watched as tears began to stream down Sam's face, his head hung in defeat.

Dean heard the hitch in Sam's breathing but he had to concentrate on getting rid of the demon before he could help him. His green eyes turned cold as he faced the demon. "Don't listen to him Sammy…he's lying. Dad is dead, end of story."

"That's where you are wrong Dean; my father is keeping him as his own personal pet. The once proud John Winchester reduced to no more than an errand boy at my father's beck and call. Tell him Sam…tell him what we showed you."

"No!" Sam whispered. He would never tell Dean what he had seen. He knew that his brother's guilt was already ripping him apart. He had to stop this before the demon destroyed his brother. "Stop it…just stop it…I'll…" But before he could finish he heard the demon curse.

"What the hell! Release me Winchester or I'll kill you where you stand!" Virgil screamed.

"I don't think so…now who is afraid? You like your daddy so much, how about I send you back to where he came from!" Dean opened his father's journal getting ready to read the ritual when he heard a soft sound behind him.

"Dean, what's going on?" Sam tried once again to sit up, this time succeeding but the pain in his body was threatening to force him back down.

"Just relax Sam…Virgil here just stepped into a devil's trap. Now I'm going to send him where he belongs." Dean patted Sam on the shoulder to reassure his brother.

Sam nodded as he fought to keep himself awake. He blinked, was he imagining things or was the darkness that had plagued him since the accident getting brighter? He squinted, trying to break through the gray fog that was floating in front of his eyes.

Dean began to read the ritual, smiling as the demon cursed and flinched as each word caused him pain.

"Did you think it would be this easy Dean? I may not be able to leave the trap, but it can't contain my powers!"

Dean felt the book yanked from his hands and fly across the room. "Son of a bitch!" Dean yelled as he raced to recover the book. He pulled out his gun and shot the demon in the leg, trying to distract him long enough for him to get to the book.

"Dean…what's wrong" Sam yelled.

"Stay where you are Sam…whatever happens, don't move!" Dean flung himself towards the book and almost made it when he felt himself lifted into the air. His gun falling from his hands as he was slammed against the wall. Dean grunted but continued to fight against the force holding him captive.

Sam sensing that the demon was using his powers to hurt Dean began to chant the ritual, softly at first, but getting louder as he heard Dean's grunts of pain.

The demon glared at Sam. "Stop it now Sam or I will kill your brother!"

"You'll kill him anyway…you've lost Virgil…say hello to your father!" Sam continued to calmly recite the ritual. He could feel objects blowing around the room and fell as something glanced off his shoulder. But still Sam continued to recite.

"Fine, you can say goodbye to your brother Sam…I've got his gun pointed at his heart…you have until I count to three to stop and release me!"

Sam blinked; he could see a fuzzy shape that had to be his brother and in front of him was floating his gun. "I am so sick of you and your demands…let my brother go you bastard!" Sam yelled.

"Sam don't worry about me…you have to finish the ritual…do it!" Dean yelled as he saw Sam stagger to his feet. His arms outstretched as he moved towards Dean's figure.

Sam moved until he felt his brother, then turning he placed himself in between the gun and Dean.

"Sammy what the hell are you doing…get out of the way!" Dean cried as he saw the gun hovering in front of his brother.

But Sam ignored Dean and began to finish the ritual. He could feel the anger of the demon as he screamed his hatred.

"Fine, you want to sacrifice yourself…be my guest!" Virgil screamed as he pulled back the hammer on the gun and started to pull the trigger.

Sam could hear the click of the gun getting ready to fire. Sam closed his eyes and concentrated, tuning out everything but the gun. He didn't need to actually see the gun with his eyes; he could see it in his mind, cool silver with the bone handle given to Dean by his father after his first hunt. He had to keep the demon from using his powers against them, Sam began to push with his mind, feeling an opposing push, he continued. He couldn't see what was happening but he could feel, he could sense and he could give Dean the time he needed to finish the ritual.

Dean watched in amazement as the gun slowly turned to face away from them, the bullet firing harmlessly into a crate. Suddenly he felt the invisible hand that was holding him release. Dean dropped to the floor. As he looked up he could see Sam standing between him and the demon. His unseeing eyes glaring straight ahead and body trembling with the effort he was exerting.

Deciding that he needed to end this now, Dean moved quickly to retrieve the book and once again began reading. Dean saw Virgil twitch, but he remained strangely silent, his eyes focused on Sam.

Sam heard Dean reading the ritual off to his left. He turned his head and saw the fuzzy shape that had to be his brother. Moving carefully, Sam stepped so that he was once again between Dean and the demon. He would not let anything get through; he was tired of being the demon's pawn.

Boxes began to float in the air, heading for the Winchesters, but Sam stood tall and unflinching. He ignored the pain that was building in his head as he continued to push back at whatever force the demon used. The boxes dropped short of their target as the silent battle of wills continued.

As Dean came to the final line of the ritual, he heard the demon cry out. "This is not over Samuel Winchester, you may have won this battle but the coming war will be long and bloody. In the end, all that you have fought for will be gone and you will be left with nothing do you hear me…nothing! Arrrgghhhh!"

Dean closed the book and watched as the demon left Virgil's body. "Don't bet on it demon...SAM!" Dean cried as he saw his brother's body begin to sway and then crumple to the ground. As he gently turned his brother over, he stopped…Sam wasn't breathing.

"NO! SAMMY! You can't leave me…I won't let you leave!" But Sam remained silent and still.

TBC

Raven524: So, Sam almost gave in and he did place himself in front of Dean as a human shield. I also decided to give Sammy a little more power…he was able to deflect the psychic powers used by the demon, much the same way that he was able to resist Andy's mind control. Not sure that it came across, but I tried. Hope you all liked it…now on to the next story (err chapter?) Don't forget to let me know what you think!!