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 24 – Safe at Last

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.

Dean felt for his brother's pulse, but he couldn't find one. "Damn it Sam, you can't do this to me…I won't lose you too!" Dean started CPR, pumping Sam's chest and then breathing for his brother.

Sam was floating; in the distance he could see a bright light. He looked behind him and all he saw was darkness. He was so tired of fighting the darkness, his feet started towards the light. As he came closer, he saw a figure moving towards him. He blinked at the woman dressed in a white nightgown. He had seen her only once before…"Mom?"

"Yes Sammy, listen to me. It's not your time yet, you have to go back."

"I'm tired Mom, I can't do this any more. No matter how hard I try things go wrong." Sam placed his head on his mother's shoulder and for the first time, he felt her arms around him. She rubbed his back the way that his brother did when he was having a nightmare. Sam smiled, realizing that Dean probably was copying what he had seen his Mother doing when she was alive.

"I know son, but Dean needs you. Your job isn't done…I'm sorry son, but you have to continue the fight or many will be lost."

Sam could hear his brother's frantic cries in the distance. He watched as his mother began to fade along with the light. "What fight Mom…tell me, what am I supposed to do?"

"Follow your heart Sam…it will guide you to what needs to be done."

Dean no longer stopped the tears that were flowing down his cheeks as he continued to try to bring his brother back. Suddenly Sam's chest expanded as he coughed. Dean pulled Sam into his arms. "Sammy…can you hear me?"

Sam groaned as he opened his eyes, he blinked as he tried to focus on the face of his brother. He smiled as he realized that he could see…his brother's face was like a badly focused camera, but he could see. "Dean" Sam whispered, just the one word seemed to take too much energy. He was exhausted and wanted to sleep.

Dean saw Sam struggling to stay awake. "Sam, you need to stay with me for just a little bit. We have to get you to the car."

Sam blinked again and looked towards the door; he saw a figure lying on the floor unmoving. "Virgil..." Sam whispered again

"The demon is gone Sam, you did it. I don't know what you did, but you kept that bastard busy while I banished his ass back to hell."

Sam shook his head. "No, Virgil…ok?"

Dean groaned; leave it to his little brother to be worried about the guy who tried to kill him. Ok, technically, it wasn't Virgil, but Dean still couldn't get the picture of demon Virgil out of his head. "Ok Sam, let me check on him."

Dean moved over towards Virgil and knelt to check his pulse. As he touched the man, Virgil's eyes opened. "Sorry…so sorry."

"It's ok man, just relax I'm calling an ambulance for you." Dean reached into his pocket for his cell phone.

Virgil grabbed Dean's arm weakly. "Too late, too much damage. Tell Sam…tell Sam, I'm sorry…demon used my abilities…wasn't strong enough to stop him."

Dean patted the man on the shoulder. "It's ok, just rest." Dean watched as Virgil's eyes closed, his face finally peaceful as Virgil died.

"Dean?" Sam called again; he had heard what Virgil said.

"He's gone Sam…I'm sorry." Dean stood and walked back over towards Sam.

"He had abilities…connected" Sam mumbled as his eyes began to close. Another person was lost because of the demon. How many more would lose before this was through.

"Sam, stay with me bro'…we need to get out of here. I'll call later and let someone know that he's here."

Sam nodded, crying in pain as Dean pulled him up and placed his arm over his shoulders. Dean and Sam slowly left the warehouse and the results of yet another human being destroyed by the demon.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean paced outside the door of the cabin. Ellen had rented the cabin located over the border in Wisconsin. It had only taken Dean a few hours to reach the place, but by the time he had gotten to the cabin, Sam was unconscious and burning with fever.

"Dean, Dr. Murray will help your brother. He's the best…he'll let us know as soon as he's finished."

Dean paused and looked at Ellen, the haunted look in his eyes almost painful to see. "I can't lose him Ellen." Dean said quietly.

The door opened and the gray haired man of 50 stepped out onto the porch. "And you won't lose him Dean…he is a fighter and that will help him."

"How is he?" Dean asked, trying to see around the doctor and into the cabin.

"He really should be in the hospital Dean." Doctor Murray began, but seeing the resistance in the young man's face he continued. "But I've done what I can for him. Luckily most of the wounds while painful were minor. The burns on his arms and hands showed signs of infection, but I've cleaned them and they should begin to heal again. He was severely dehydrated and malnourished, so I've started him on an IV drip. But with time, I think he'll pull through. The next 24 hours should tell the tale."

"Can I see him now?" Dean asked impatiently.

"Sure, he's sleeping. I gave him something to help with the pain. So don't be surprised if he's a little out of it. I'll stay around to monitor him, just call if you need anything."

Dean nodded as he headed into the cabin. He moved to the bedroom quietly, his brother lying on the bed was almost too still. Dean moved closer, taking Sam's hand in his own; he watched the slow rise and fall of his brother's chest. "I'm sorry Sammy." He whispered.

"For what?" Sam whispered from the bed. He had felt Dean take his hand and heard his brother's confession. He wanted to stay asleep, but part of him needed to respond to the pain he heard in those three words.

"Sammy? Damn it, why didn't you tell me you were awake!" Dean really hated the new bandages that now covered Sam's face again.

Sam turned his head towards his brother's voice, sighing as he realized that once again he was in darkness. "Thirsty" Sam croaked as he licked his dry lips.

Dean turned and grabbed the water bottle that was sitting on the nightstand. Dean sat on the bed and carefully raised Sam's head. He helped his brother drink some of the water before gently lowering him back down. "There you go Sammy…the doctor says that you're going to be just fine."

Sam sighed; he didn't think he would ever be fine again. He couldn't get the vision of his father from his mind. The darkness that was his constant companion only making things worse. Closing his eyes once more, he let himself drift back into sleep.

Dean knew that Sam was upset and that something was bothering him. He thought back over what the demon had said about Sam and their father. As he wrung out the washcloth and began bathing Sam's face, he knew that somehow he had to get Sam to talk to him about what happened. "You rest Sammy, but once you're feeling better, you and I need to talk."

TBC

Raven524: Ok, there's one more chapter to go to tie things up. Thanks again for everyone who is reading and reviewing this story. Now on to the final chapter!