Empire of Dirt
AN: Hey! This chapter is getting up a lot more quickly than I had anticipated. I was home sick from work today and had a little time on my hands. I'll try to update fast like this, but it won't be like this always. I also forgot to mention that I took the idea of the "bad guy" from an episode of "Are you Afraid of the Dark" It's very loosely based off one of their stories. That show used to scare me so much, still does actually!!
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Still don't own them…damn
Chapter 2
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Sam!" Dean ran into their room with is gun drawn.
"Dean, help!" Sam was screaming. He was on the ground and the gerbil looking thing was chewing on Sam's leg.
"Hey!" He exclaimed. The thing look up at him, Sam's blood was dripping out of its mouth. Its eyes got wider and it hissed. Without hesitation Dean shot it. It screamed and suddenly disappeared. Dean didn't stop to worry about it though.
"Sammy!" He yelled rushing to Sam's side. "Sammy, are you ok?" He grabbed Sam's face in his hands. Sam's eyes were shut tight and he was breathing deeply. "Sam, open your eyes." Dean demanded. Sam opened them to reveal tears in them.
"I'm ok," He said breathlessly. "It just really stings." Dean nodded and gathered Sam up in his arms and quickly took him out to the living room. He used his foot to shut the door on the way out.
He gently put Sam on the couch and pulled up his pant leg to look at the bite. He quickly got up and grabbed the things he needed from the first aid kit in the kitchen and grabbed the holy water.
"It doesn't look like it needs stitches." Dean said wiping off some the blood.
"What was that thing?" Sam asked through clenched teeth.
"I don't know, but we'll find out ok." Dean opened up the holy water and poured it on the wound. Sam hissed at the pain and Dean unconsciously squeezed his hand.
"Do you think the rock salt killed it or just made it disappear for a little while?"
"I don't know Sam." Dean said a little edgier.
"Do you think…?"
"Sam!" Dean snapped. Sam looked taken aback and Dean's face softened. "Look, I don't know how to answer your questions yet." He said pushing Sam's sweat soaked hair out of his bloodshot eyes. "Let me get you fixed up and I'll call Dad ok?" Sam nodded and kept quiet while Dean bandaged him up.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Once Sam was taken care of, Dean went into the kitchen to call John.
"Dean, what's wrong?" John asked once he answered.
"Sam just got attacked by some crazy gerbil thing." Dean said quietly.
"What?" John asked. "Where are you?"
"In the house,"
"And where did this happen?"
"In the house," Dean said looking back at Sam who was starting to look more comfortable.
"And where were you?" John asked, his voice rising and Dean winced. If something ever happened to Sam, John always assumed it was because Dean didn't do something to protect Sam enough. It was always exactly what Dean felt, but it hurt when their dad would point it out.
"We were looking for it together and it attacked him." Dean explained trying to keep the guilt out of his voice.
"Is he alright?" John asked sighing.
"Yeah it wasn't too bad of a cut, but dad, he's also sick."
"What do you mean he's sick?" John asked lowering his voice for a second.
"He's got a high temperature, he's been throwing up, and he passed out in school today."
"Jesus Dean," John muttered.
"So are you coming?" Dean asked.
"Dean, I can't" That surprised him.
"What? Why?" Dean asked.
"I'm hot on the trail of this thing. I can't stop now. You seem to have it under control."
"Oh really," Dean said his own voice rising. "Two seconds ago it was my fault he got hurt in the first place."
"What did you say?" John was no longer using his father voice, but his general voice and Dean knew that meant he went too far.
"Sorry sir," He said quietly.
"You know how to handle this. Do the research, keep me updated and take care of Sammy." John said, his tone not changing. "Do you understand me?"
"Yes sir." Dean said. Then without saying goodbye, John hung up. "Son of a bitch," Dean mumbled and threw the phone on the kitchen table. He turned around to see Sam watching him concerned.
"Are you ok?" He asked.
"Yeah," Dean said walking over and sitting down on the couch.
"When is Dad coming?" Sam asked. Dean looked at him and bit his lip. Sam suddenly looked 3 years old again. He was pale and hurt and Dean just wanted to make it better.
"He's not coming." Dean said looking away from Sam so he didn't have to see the look he knew would be on his face.
"What?" Sam said. "Why?"
"He's really busy Sammy, he can't get away." Dean tried to explain. "It'll be ok, we've been on our own millions of times."
"Yeah, but Dad always comes back if one of us is hurt or sick. Why won't he come back now?" Sam was getting angry. "What could be more important?"
"Sam, please," Dean said rubbing his eyes. He didn't want to have this conversation. He just wanted to get Sam asleep. Sam starred at him for a minute and seemed to sense what Dean wanted. He nodded and lay against the pillows. Dean pulled reached over and turned off the light and they both fell asleep.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Dean woke to the sound of banging on the front door. He had fallen asleep at the end of the bed sitting up. The banging hadn't woken up Sam so Dean grabbed the shot gun and headed toward the door.
"What now?" He mumbled. He slowly opened the door, gun raised.
"Whoa, I surrender!" An amused voice said from the other side of the door.
"Put the weapon down kid, it's just us." Dean fully opened the door to see that Joshua and Caleb Back standing there laughing.
"What are you guys doing here?" Dean asked.
"We just finished up a job and decided to see what the three Winchester's were up too." Joshua said.
"Well Dad's not here, but I'm actually glad to see you." Dean said stepping aside and letting them in.
"Aw, you missed us kid?" Caleb said with a cocky grin. "That's so sweet." Joshua smiled and Dean rolled his eyes.
"Dean, who's here," Sam asked, his voice sounded rough and tired.
"Just Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumber," Dean said glaring at Caleb who just smiled back.
"Hey Small Fry," Joshua said going over to Sam and feeling his forehead. "You don't look so good."
"I don't feel so good." Sam muttered and dug himself deeper under the blankets.
"So why are you really glad to see us?" Joshua asked sitting next to Sam on the couch and gently rubbing his back. Dean smiled; Joshua was always really good with Sam.
"Something attacked Sam last night and I think it's still here." Joshua and Caleb shot each other a concerned look.
"What was it?" Joshua asked.
"Well, exactly what Sammy told me, a weird looking gerbil thing." Dean said and Sam frowned.
"Son of a bitch," Caleb muttered angerly.
"Caleb," Joshua said in a warning tone.
"What is it?" Dean asked.
"That bastard," Caleb said trying to keep his voice low. "He knew! He fucking knew!" Now Caleb's voice was getting louder.
"Caleb!" Joshua shouted standing up and going over to him. Sam shrunk back and Dean instinctively moved closer to him.
"What's wrong?" Dean asked. Neither of them acted like they had even heard him.
"Caleb, not now," Joshua hissed placing a hand on his brother's shoulder and forcing him to sit in an armchair. They glared at each other for a second.
"It just kind of sounds like something we've been tracking." Joshua said. Dean didn't buy that for a second but Sam's coughing fit forced his attention elsewhere.
"Sammy, are you alright?" He asked sitting next to him. Sam nodded and took the glass of water Joshua had quickly produced.
"Alright, so what was that gerbil from last night?" Dean asked once Sam had stopped coughing. "Better yet, how do we kill it?"
"Well the gerbil probably won't be back." Caleb said joining them. "It usually doesn't attack. It's kind of like a messenger for this spirit that may be lurking around." He explained.
"What kind of spirit?" Sam asked.
"Look, we'll tell you tell you guys more later, but I think it would be best if we got you guys out of here. Caleb and I are staying at the motel a block from here. Get you stuff and let's go." Joshua said.
"Do you think it's safe to go back in our room?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, Sammy" Dean said. "Caleb said it was gone." Sam didn't look too convinced. "I'll grab your stuff." Dean said giving Sam a smile and went off into the room. Sam sat up and started grabbing his shoes and Joshua motioned Caleb to the kitchen to talk.
"Keep your cool." He said softly.
"That bastard used them and you want me to keep my cool?" Caleb hissed.
"Yes, we can't let them know." Caleb looked through the door and over at Sam who was tying his shoes. Then he coughed a loud hacking kind of cough and Caleb clenched his fist.
"You're not mad at him for this?"
"You kidding," Joshua asked. "I'm beyond pissed, but I am keeping my emotions checked."
"Let's go," They were interrupted by Dean. He was holding two bags and helping Sam up.
"Let me grab a bag." Joshua said taking a bag and then tossing it to Caleb.
"Hey," He said. "You were the one who offered to help, not me." He said and Joshua smiled.
"Let's go," He said running out the door.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Let me know what you think!