Chapter 31. The Fire
Sam ran around to the side of the cabin and skidded to a stop at the sight of his father kneeling next to a not so healthy Caleb while pointing a gun, no not a gun, a tazor at his brother who was proceeding to stand up.
"… but I have no problem using this," Sam heard his father say as he felt Daniel come to stand beside him. He saw his brother hesitate a moment when he actually considered the John would actually have no problem shooting him with the tazor.
"Sam?" Sam looked at beside him at Daniel's quiet use of his name and then looked down at the ritual in his hand, "I guess it's now or never," Sam responded, quickly glancing at Daniel once more before looking back down at the piece of paper in his hands.
Taking a deep breath Sam began read, "Go, Go departed shades by Omgroma Epic Sayoc. Satony, Degony, Eparigon, Galiganon, Zogogen, Ferstigon."
Sam looked up and around him as wind began to pick up around them. Trees were sawing wildly and Sam's brown hair was flapping wildly like he was sticking his head out of a moving car.
John had quickly glanced up as he heard Sam's voice loud and clear and saw him reading off a piece of paper, "Good boy," he said not loud enough for Sam to hear over the roaring wind. He brought his attention back on his oldest son and saw that his full attention was now on Sam as he tried desperately to not let the wind blow him down.
"What the hell are you doing?" Tommy screamed at the youngest Winchester. Sam froze when he heard his brother's voice yell at him.
John still had his tazor trained on Dean and one hand on Caleb who had began trembling from his injuries or the sudden addition of strong winds he wasn't sure. He didn't like the sound of Caleb's harsh breathing and he just hoped that it was something superficial because when they got out of this Mac was probably going to kill him.
"Stay there!" John yelled at the spirit controlling his son's body when the boy looked like he was going to make a move on the still frozen Sam.
Tommy stopped when he heard John's voice. He didn't really want to be electrocuted but he didn't exactly like where his current situation was headed. Whatever the little Winchester boy was doing it couldn't be good if how he was feeling was any indication. The more words the boy had spoken the more detached he was starting to feel from Dean's body. He could feel his body start to shake and realized that somehow Sam must have found away to rid Dean's body of him and he couldn't have that. If he didn't move now, tazor or not he wouldn't be around for very much longer.
John could see Tommy prepare himself to go after Sam and looked over at his son, "Sam read!" he shouted over the loud roaring of the winds.
Sam jolted back to reality when he heard his fathers shout and it amazed him that as much as he resented his father sometimes, he still automatically jumped to attention whenever he heard his father raise his voice and he wondered if it was ever something that he was going to grow out of. He looked back at the page that was held tightly in his hand, keeping it from being blown away.
"I license thee to depart unto thy proper place and be there peace between us evermore." Sam looked back up as he finished shouting the last of the incantation and heard his brother scream as he fell to the ground, convulsing.
The wind continued to sweep through the forest wildly for a moment as Sam ran to his brother's side, "Dean!" he tried to hold his brother as his body continued to convulse. Sam was to busy concentrating on his brother that he hadn't felt John appear next to him until he felt his brother being take from his grasp.
Daniel was now next to him and the two teens watched on in horror and awe as a white mist seemed to pour out of the older boy's body only to evaporate.
John held on to his eldest as if his life depended on it. This was scaring him more than he willing to admit but he couldn't show his fear in front of Sam and Daniel and even Caleb who he had left lying against the cabin wall a couple of meters away.
The winds started to die down and as suddenly as the convulsions started, they stopped and Dean went limp in his father's arms. The only sounds that could be heard now were everyone's heavy breathing as they all tried to calm there nerves.
John repositioned his unconscious son so that he was lying on the forest floor and leaned over the teen and put his fingers to his son's neck to check for a pulse. It wasn't all that common for someone to die after having a spirit or demon exorcised but seeing his son convulsing had shaken him a little.
"Dean?" John asked quietly when he felt a faint pulse that was starting to get stronger the longer he had his hand there.
Dean remained unresponsive and John started to get a little nervous, "Come on kiddo, it's time to wake up."
"Dad?" John glanced up at his youngest son who was sitting opposite him with a scared look in his eyes but didn't answer him. He looked back down at Dean.
"Dean," John said a little more forcefully, lightly tapping his son's bloody cheek still not getting a response straight away.
Still cupping his son's cheek, John was still contemplating his next course of action, not forgetting that he also needed to get Caleb some medical attention and that there were still bones to be salted and bones, when Dean moaned and rolled his head towards his father's hand. John felt a little bit of relief float back into him at the sight of Dean actually moving.
"That's it Dean, now open your eyes!" John demanded softly and a few seconds later Dean's eyes fluttered slightly. John smiled in the knowledge that Dean would always try his hardest to obey John's orders no matter what they entailed.
"Come on Dean!" Sam pleaded, moving closer and John thought that if Sam got any closer he was going to be on his brother's lap.
John watched as Dean's head rolled back towards the sound of his brother's voice, "That's it Dean," Sam encouraged. A few seconds later Dean's eyes were fluttering again, but this time managing to stay open slightly.
Dean thought he could hear people annoyingly asking him to wake up. If the way he felt was any indication he didn't want to be awake right now. He had a headache the size of Texas, felt generally sore all over and the level of fatigue he felt was almost overbearing.
"Come on Dean!" Dean heard someone plead and wanted to continue to ignore it but then he realized that he recognized that voice. It sounded like Sammy. It was the same type of tone in the kid's voice that usually was accompanied by those big brown pleading eyes. A flash of the last time he had seen his brother flashed through his mind and found a sudden urgent need to actually see his brother but he couldn't open his eyes, "That's it Dean," he heard Sam's encouraging voice again and it took him a moment to realize that he had actually moved his head, him, not Tommy. That's when it hit him. He felt less crowded and couldn't help feeling some hope.
If Tommy wasn't around anymore then no-one was stopping him from opening his eyes if he wanted to so despite that his eyelids felt like they were made out of cement he made an effort to open them. They fluttered open at first before he actually managed to keep them open, only at mere slits but it was a great effort in Dean's opinion and apparently in Sam's as well because the kid had the biggest smile on his face that he had in a long time.
"Sammy," he whispered as he felt a wave of fatigue settle over him.
"You're okay Dean, it's gone." Sam beamed at him causing Dean to lift his lips up in a slight smile.
"Its okay son it's over," John assured Dean running his fingers over his son's messy and slightly dirty hair.
Dean rolled his head back to look back at his father, "Dad?"
John smiled a relieved smile, "What have I told you about getting possessed?" John joked.
Dean narrowed his eyes, "Don't?" he croaked.
"Yeah, something like that," John chuckled, "How are you feeling kiddo?"
Dean looked drowsily up at his father, "Tired." Dean's eyes suddenly began to feel heavy and they slid closed before he even realized it.
"Dean, Buddy you gotta stay awake okay, for now anyway." John slapped his son's cheek again to get his attention.
"John is he … aghh." John jumped at the voice that came from behind him and turned slightly to see Caleb trying to slide up the wall, in order to stand. The young hunter wasn't getting very far and was probably causing more harm than good on his already injured body.
Caleb had been sitting quietly against the wall holding onto his injured knee. His torso was sore; making him think that Tommy's blows had maybe even bruised a couple of his ribs and his head was pounding. He felt like he had been hit with a block of cement and as bad as all that felt, it was nothing compared to the painful throbbing of his knee. He had been waiting patiently while John saw to Dean but was never known for being very patient so dislocated knee be damned he was going to try and make it over to his friends and see for himself that Dean was Dean. He realized as soon as he attempted to stand that his need to see if his friend was alright wasn't going to be enough to get him very far.
"Caleb, what the hell are you doing?" John griped loudly looking exasperatedly at the psychic and then looked back down at Dean who had all of a sudden tensed in his arms. The boy's eyes were opened wide now and looked a lot more alert than before.
"Caleb?" Dean croaked, trying to sit up against his tired body's wishes, "Oh God."
"What's wrong?" Sam asked as John helped Dean into a sitting position.
"Is he okay?" Dean asked worriedly, trying to shrug out of his fathers grasp now that he was up and alert but John was having none of it. Dean's new found energy had more than likely been brought on by the need to know whether Caleb was okay and wouldn't last long as soon as that little bit of adrenaline left his body.
"Your concern is … " Caleb began but was interrupted as sharp pain in his knee made him hiss in pain again, " … touching Deuce," he finished, trying to put a light tone in his voice to let his young friend know that he was joking.
"Damn I thought …" Dean's voice trailed off not voicing what his fears had actually been.
"It's okay Dean, Caleb will be fine... if he stop's moving around that is," John told him and then looked pointedly at Caleb telling him with a look that he had better just stay still.
"That's right, takes more than a few punches from you to keep me down," Caleb joked but wasn't able to hide the wince as pain shot up his leg again.
"Sam I need to go set Caleb's knee back into place, stay with your brother." John patted Dean on the shoulder, "you stay here." One more look at his son and then stood up and walked over to Caleb.
He crouched down so he was eye level with his young friend and saw that Caleb was in pain but was trying to hide it. The kid looked like crap and sooner John got all three of his boys out here, the better.
"You ready?" John asked seriously.
"Your going to enjoy this, aren't you?" Caleb quipped then sighed when John gave him a withering look, "Fine get it over with will ya." Caleb braced himself. He could have easily put the knee back in place himself but he had only just managed the strength to sit up properly.
John didn't waste any time, quickly and efficiently popped Caleb's knee back into place. Caleb hadn't had any time to think about what John was just about to do and the expected pain came, almost bringing tears to his eyes. He shoved his fist in his mouth to smother his scream. He didn't want to sound like a total girl
"Son of a Bitch!" he cursed, breathing through the pain. He knew the worst of the pain was over.
"Are you seriously hurt anywhere else?" John asked him looking him over.
"What?"
"I said are you seriously hurt anywhere else?"
"Ohh umm I don't think so."
"Good, come on," John said, standing up and then held out his hand to Caleb and waited patiently for him to grab it.
Caleb stared at the hand for a moment and then gathered up his strength, wrapping his fingers around John's wrist, he helped John to pull him up by using the wall behind him for extra support.
John didn't miss the small whimper of pain that Caleb had tried to hide when he had lifted him up. He seemed to have drained of all colour now that he was standing and as soon as he was upright he curled the arm not wrapped around John's shoulders around his tender stomach.
"You sure you're okay?"
"Of course," Caleb panted.
John rolled his eyes at the stubborn fool he was holding up and began to slowly help Caleb over to the boys. Caleb's leg was still very sore and the movement was not helping it.
By the time they reached the boys John saw that Dean was standing, albeit a little wobbly and with a hand on his brother's arm for support. His son had dark smudges under his eyes and looked like he was about to fall asleep on his feet but he looked up when his father and Caleb approached.
Caleb looked up at Dean as they approached and saw the kid look at him with guilt in his eyes. The moron was actually feeling guilty for what happened to him. Was it obvious to everyone but Dean that he hadn't been in control?
"What's that smell?" Daniel asked looking up the sky, stopping any conversations that were about to begin.
Sam looked thoughtful and looked around, taking in all the different smells and just made out the unmistakable smell of smoke. Flashes of what he had seen when he had blacked out in the cabin came back to him, slamming into him. Making sure his brother and Caleb were alright had made him temporarily forget about what had happened. He saw it now in full colour and started to panic.
"Oh my god, that's smoke," he exclaimed, looking with frightened eyes.
"Sure smells like it," Daniel commented.
"Dad we have to get back to the house right now. The other students are in danger," Sam told his father looking directly at him.
"How do you know?"
I saw it … I don't have time to explain … just trust me okay." Sam took off towards the path leading back to the house.
"Sam, wait!" Dean yelled at his brother's retreating back and then took off after him.
John rolled his eyes at his sons for taking off half cocked and looked at Daniel, "Daniel can you help Caleb," he asked.
"Sure Mr. Winchester," Daniel replied nervously looking at the strange man who was being held up by Sam's father.
"Dude, I can make it myself, don't worry about me," Caleb protested as John situated Caleb over to the smaller boy.
"I don't want to have to come back and pick your ass up from the ground Caleb now don't argue with me," John told the younger hunter sternly and then quickly looked at Daniel again, "Don't take any crap from him kid." John turned around and raced off in the direction his sons had gone.
"John!" Caleb called out, "Damn bastard!" he cursed his friend when he was ignored and looked down at the young boy with glasses that was currently keeping him from falling face down in the dirt.
xxxxxxx
Stacey sat down shakily at one of dining tables. Things had just gone from bad to worse. Everyone in the room had started to panic a little after hearing Mr. Taylor's declaration about burning up in the house. All exits had been frantically checked by student after student in desperate attempts to break free. After they had been locked in windows had been boarded up leaving them no escape. It was already starting to get hot in the room, smoke filtering through under the locked door.
"Are you okay?" Stacey looked up from her seat and saw that Dane was standing there.
"I'm fine for someone who's about to die," she laughed.
"I'm glad that you finally came to your senses," Dane said as he sat down in the seat next to her.
Stacey raised an eyebrow at him, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Well you obviously got over your little infatuation with Winchester and came to where you belong." Dane smiled and put his hand on her knee.
Stacey jumped up and away from Dane in obvious disgust, "Oh my god. I don't believe you. You try to put a move on me right before we're about to die?"
Dane laughed and stood up, "You actually believe that bull. As if the teachers are really going to actually let us die."
"Dane, take a look around you, we're locked in here with no way to get out, smoke is filling to room here …," she said grabbing his hand and dragging him over to the door and placing his hand against it.
"Owww!" he yelped when his hand was placed against the hot door.
"See we are probably surrounded by fire by now you moron so please just grow up and get over yourself!" she yelled at him and then stormed off back to where she had been sitting before he had interrupted her dooming thoughts.
She watched as the students around her began to cough as they were all still trying to find ways to break down the doors or find some other escape while poor Miss. Northam was trying to keep people calm. Stacey put her head in her hands as the conditions inside the room got worse and worse.
She looked up again when she heard the roof beginning to groan and she realized that they had probably set fire to the top floor first if they wanted the whole place to go up in flames fast. Now that she had her head up she noticed that it had begun to get hard to see and there seemed to be less oxygen going around. /Oh My God/ she thought /this really is the end/ Stacey coughed when some smoke found its way down her throat. She looked over and saw that not far from her Dane had started to believe in his fate and was actually crying. She felt like crying herself but she was not going to on principal. She had no idea why she was feeling nice but considering they were just about to die she thought she should do something so she stood up and made her way, the best she could, over to where Dane was currently having a mental break down.
"Dane, it's going to be okay."
"What how can you even say that?" he practically sobbed.
She shrugged and then coughed, "I dunno but I couldn't think of anything else to say so …"
"Well don't say anything okay."
"Fine."
If he was going to be an ass then she certainly wasn't going to stick around and try to comfort him, she had her own feelings to deal with.
Light suddenly broke into the room when some wood boarding the windows was smashed into and pulled away.
Xxxxxxxx
Sam ran out of the forest and gasped at the sight that was before him. The entire back of the orphanage was on fire, as was the second floor, "Oh my God." He stood there for a moment just staring at the angry red orange flames consuming the old house.
"Sam!" Sam turned around to find his brother running towards him. The older boy skidded to a stop in front of his brother and Sam managed to catch him before he toppled over. Dean was breathing heavy with exertion and barely on his own feet.
Once he felt like he was able to stand without his over tired legs giving out on him Dean looked up at the chaos that had captured Sam's attention only moments before, "Man I hate fire," he almost whined as he caught his breath.
"Dean we have to hurry. The ghosts they locked the students inside the dining room." Sam grabbed his brothers arm and the two ran around to the basketball court was to get a look inside the windows of the dining room.
When they ran around the corner and onto the basketball court the site that greeted them had not been expected. Bodies of the possessed students and teachers were laid sprawled out like they had just fallen when they had been standing, like Dean had when Sam had finished the ritual.
"I guess that incantation was more powerful than we thought." Sam looked at Dean who stood staring at the building, "Dean? Are you okay?" he asked when his brother seemed to look lost.
Dean turned his head slowly to look at Sam and shook his head as if too clear it, "umm … yeah … umm we need to get them out."
"Yeah, but how?"
Dean rubbed the palm of his hand into his eyes as he spoke, "Umm I think I saw a couple of axes in the boat shed."
Sam looked at his brother in concern, "Okay Dean, hold on. You wait here okay? I'll be right back." Sam began to run to the boat but turned back to Dean. His brother was not looking good. In fact he looked dead on his feet and Sam thought that maybe he should give him something to do while he was gone to keep him awake.
"Dean, can you check out the people out here? Make sure they are okay?" Sam asked and waited until Dean looked up at him squinting as if he had a headache but he was satisfied when Dean nodded back at him.
"Good I'll be back in a minute." Sam sped off towards the boat shed, hoping that his brother would be alright while he was gone.
Dean stood still for a moment, all of a sudden feeling ill in the stomach. "Check people out," he repeated to himself and stumbled over to the closest person lying unconscious on the basketball court. He knelt down next to her and on closer inspection he realized that it was Lynda. He placed a shaky hand to her throat to feel for a pulse and let out a relieved sigh when he felt one.
"Lynda?" he asked tapping her cheek slightly, getting no response.
He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder and quickly spun around, causing him self to lose balance, "Whoa easy son, it's just me." John caught Dean as he nearly toppled over.
Dean found himself wondering what the hell was wrong with him if he hadn't even noticed his fathers approach. He stood up and was greeted with a wave of dizziness when he stood to fast. John reached out his hand again to steady his disorientated son, "Dean where did Sammy go?"
"He ah … he went to get … axes," Dean explained as he started to get his bearings back.
John looked back over his shoulder at the fire. If you listened carefully you could hear the sounds of kids panicking on the other side of the wall.
"Dad!" John heard Sam scream and turned in his son's direction to find Sam running back as fast as he could with two axes.
"Good work son," John praised as he grabbed the axe that Sam handed him.
"Where's my axe?" Dean asked.
John looked at Sam and nodded his head in the direction of one of the windows, telling the teen to go ahead and start and then looked back at Dean, "Let us handle it Dean," John told him and then thought of something and pulled out his cell phone and placed it in his sons hand, "Dean ring 911 and tell them we need the fire brigade and ambulances immediately, can you do that for me?" Dean looked down at the phone and then back up at his father, "Yes Sir."
John wasted no time in turning back around to start on the window next to Sam's. They would get people out of the building a lot quicker if they had more than one window to work with.
"Stay back," Sam screamed into the hole he had created with the axe when he saw the kids trying to get out.
Finally Sam had destroyed enough of the wood to wrench it totally away from the window. He smashed the window and started helping people through it.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Stacey couldn't believe it when she heard Sam's voice telling everyone to stand back while he worked the wood free from the window. She had really started to think that they were all goners.
"Oh my God, We're saved," she heard Dane say in quiet relief.
She looked over at the window and saw that Sam was starting to help people out of the window so went to move ahead when she was stopped by a hand on her arm. She looked at the owner of the hand and saw that it was Dane.
"Dane, what …" she began but was interrupted when he pulled her in for a kiss. She pushed back immediately and glared at the teen.
"What, It's romantic we just nearly died and I'm not allowed to kiss my girlfriend?" Dane asked incredulously, gripping her arm tighter.
"You're crazy oh and for the record we were over a while ago, now get away from me," she told him as she started for the window again.
"You don't mean that," he laughed and began to drag her back in for another kiss. She pulled away from him at the same time that he let her go and she felt herself falling backwards and hitting her head on an overturned chair knocking her out.
Dane stood their motionless for a moment and then quickly knelt down to see if she was alright. He moved her head to the side and saw that she was bleeding a lot from a gash to the back of her head where it had hit the edge of the chair. /oh my god I've killed her/ he thought and began to panic.
"Dane, come on lets get out of here before this place falls on top of us," Dane turned around to see his brother standing anxiously behind him.
When Dane turned around Mike saw Stacey lying on the ground with a small of blood coming from her head, "Oh my God what happened, is she okay?" Mike asked, walking toward the fallen girl.
Dane grabbed his brother by the arm and dragged him away, come on we gotta get out of here. Not a word to anyone brat … do you understand me?" he demanded, putting on his most threatening big brother glare. Mike nodded and let himself be dragged to the window that John Winchester was currently helping people out of.
Dean was pacing back and forth, back and forth. He had already called 911 and now was watching as his brother and father helped everyone out of the burning building. He was starting to feel very lightheaded and was sure that he was going to be sick soon. None of the previously possessed people had woken up and he felt useless standing around doing nothing.
Dean watched as his father helped Miss Northam out of the window as part of the burning ceiling crash down, "Is that the lot of them?" John asked. Miss Northam looked around at all the students that were sitting down away from the fire and noticed that Stacey was missing.
"Has anyone seen Stacey?" she called out. Dean jogged a bit crookedly over to where his father and teacher were standing. They didn't have to wait long for an answer as young Mike Baker ran up to them, "Ma'am she's still inside. She was knocked out."
Dean didn't need to hear anymore. He turned towards the window and climbed through it and into the hot, smoke filled room, ignoring his father's protests. Dean brought his t-shirt up to cover his mouth and nose as he walked further into the room, dodging the fallen part of the ceiling. The smoke wasn't helping with the dizziness he was already suffering from.
His foot connected with something that nearly sent him flying but he surprised himself by staying upright. He looked down and saw that it was Stacey's jean clad leg that he had tripped over. He bent down next to her and felt behind her head, feeling a sticky substance there that he knew without a doubt was blood.
He heard more creaking from the roof and started coughing as the smoke filled his lungs. They needed to get out of there and they needed to get out of there now. He lifted Stacey into a sitting position, placing an arm under knees and at her back and with a little bit of struggle with his weakening limbs managed to pick her up. He turned around and headed for the window that he could see his father beginning to come through.
"Dean!" John yelled trying to see his son through the smoke.
"Dad," Dean called out, "I'm coming." He coughed and a couple of seconds later John saw Dean emerge straining to hold a weight that usually would be no problem for his oldest son.
As Dean reached him John released Dean of his burden and immediately climbed out of the window Stacey held in his strong arms. He could feel the combined heat of the sun and the fires that were consuming the house. As soon as he was out of the house he ran a safe distance away before lying the teenage girl on the ground and leant down over her, pressing his ear to her mouth and groaned when she wasn't breathing.
As soon as his father had exited the building with Stacey Sam reached in through the window and helped his brother climb out. He kept his hands on his brother's arm even after Dean had managed to stumble out because he was afraid that he might pass out again. He was so pale the blood that was still on his face from the cut on his eyebrow stood out and he was still trembling.
"Dean I think you should sit down," Sam suggested, walking his brother away from the burning building.
Dean ignored him and continued his single minded trek to where their father was bent over Stacey. Mike was standing there next to Miss Northam along with a couple of other kids.
"Dad? Is she okay?" Dean asked as he reached the scene.
"Damn it she's not breathing," John cursed, not looking at his son, his concentration solely on the young girl in front of him.
Dean's eyes were frantic at hearing this news, "What?"
"Dean just come and sit down," Sam tried to urge but Dean just shrugged out of his grasp nearly knocking himself to the ground in the process.
Sam seriously wanted to smack his stubborn brother upside the head but didn't think that that would do any good. His attention was brought back to his father who was currently performing CPR and he had never been so happy to hear sirens in his life. Help was nearly there.
Dean stalked over to Mike and looked down at the younger boy, "What happened?"
"What?" Mike asked shrinking back from Dean who at the moment had the likeness of a madman.
"How did she end up with a bleeding wound in her head and why the hell did you just leave her there?" Dean shouted at the younger boy.
Miss Northam stepped in between Dean and Mike, "Dean, calm down."
"He just left her there," Mike mumbled as if in shock.
"What did you say?" Miss Northam asked turning around to face Mike.
"Dane … him and Stacey were fighting. I think she told him it was over or something and she slipped an fell and Dane told me to leave her there … he didn't want me to tell anyone … but I couldn't just let her die," Mike answered tearfully. Jacqueline realized that the boy wasn't just in shock because of nearly dieing but realizing that his brother who he considered a hero was very far from it.
"That bastard … that's it!" Dean yelled and turned around looking for the coward he was planning on killing. It only took a moment to spot the wimp standing with Kyle smiling. The kid was actually smiling. /well that's about to change/ thought Dean as he charged in direction of the two teens as a new anger filled energy surged through him.
Sam saw what was about to happen but wasn't fast enough to stop his brother from stalking over to Dane and Kyle. He had seen the look on his brother's face before he had taken off after Dane. He was beyond angry and Sam knew that he was planning on inflicting major damage and although from what he had just heard Dane did deserve everything he got it wasn't worth it if Dean did something he would regret.
"I'm going to fucking kill you, you fucking coward!" Dean yelled as he closed the remanding distance between Dane and Kyle.
Dane didn't have a chance to retreat or say anything before Dean swung his fist out and slammed it into the side of his face, sending him flying to the ground. Nor did he have the chance to get up as Dean's onslaught didn't stop there. Dean jumped on his prey swinging again only to be blocked by Dane's arm. He barely felt the sting when Dane punched him in the face in retaliation. Dean knocked Dane's hands out the way and gave him two quick punches to the face, causing blood to spurt from the teen's now broken nose.
He felt someone try to pull him off Dane and swung out with an elbow and then a fist, realizing vaguely that it was Kyle that he had just landed on his ass. Dane had had this coming for a long time and Dean had been stopped the last time he had tried to pummel him so nothing was stopping him from doing it this time. If anyone deserved to be hurt after all this it was the big jock. And that's what ran through Dean's mind as he landed a few more punches into Dane's bloody face. For a change in direction Dean stopped punching and stood up over the boy that was now cowering at his feet and started the lay kicks into him. Enjoying the feeling of letting out all his emotions he had been feeling since this whole thing had started. Dane was the perfect outlet.
"Dean, stop damn it!" Sam shouted at his brother, not too anxious to actually get within striking distance, incase Dean was in a zone and struck out at him, "You're going to kill him, now stop it!" he shouted.
Sam rolled his eyes as his brother ignored him and resigned himself to a physical altercation. He ran up and pushed Dean out of the way and once Dean stopped kicking and looked at him Sam placed his hands on his brother's heaving chest, "Dean stop it, you've kicked his ass, now let it go!"
Dean shook his head, "No Sammy." Dean went to push past his brother back to the whimpering form on the ground. But Sam pushed him back again, "Dean if you get put away for going too far, where would that leave me?" Sam asked looking directly into Dean's eyes, 'Are you really going to let Dad actually raise me by him self? God I might turn out like Caleb," Sam joked when he saw the anger his brother's glassy eyes diminish a little being replaced by tiredness again.
Dean looked down at his shaking hands and saw that they were covered in blood. None of it his, it was all Dane's and probably a little bit of Caleb's too. The thought of Caleb and what he had done to him made him feel sick with guilt.
"Damn it Sammy … you're a pain in the ass," Dean groaned as he felt himself relax a little.
"You wouldn't have it any other way," Sam smirked and felt relieved that Dean had actually listened to him He turned and pointed over to their father, "look the fire trucks and ambulances are here."
"Let's check on Stacey," Sam suggested taking one more glance at Dane who was still a whimpering bloody mess on the ground before looking back up at his brother.
"Yeah, you're right Sammy he isn't worth it." Dean walked off; Sam's guiding hand on his back to keep him steady.
When they got back over to their father the fire department was already going to work on the blaze and paramedics were checking over everyone who needed medical assistance. Stacey was being loaded a gurney and wheeled towards a waiting ambulance. Dean rushed forward but was stopped by his fathers arms on his chest.
"Dean, it's okay."
Dean tore his gaze away from Stacey and looked at his father, "She's going to be fine son."
"Really?" he asked hopefully.
"Yes Dean, now you need to sit down," John told him and began trying to lead him over to another ambulance.
"No I'm fine." Dean pulled away from his father.
"Dean …"
"Dad, there's Caleb!" John looked at his youngest son and then looked over his head to see Caleb slowly being helped by Daniel. John turned back to Dean, "You stay here ... that's an order Dean."
"Yes Sir."
John hurried over to Caleb and Daniel. Daniel looked like he was struggling with Caleb's weight so John moved in and took his place, "How ya doing kiddo?" John asked. Caleb still had his eyes closed and looked like he was concentrating.
"I feel great … thanks … for asking."
John smiled, "Come on, lets get you onto one of those ambulances."
"Do we have to?"
"Definitely."
"At least I'll get some happy juice," Caleb quipped as he let John take most of his weight.
Caleb concentrated on his breathing as he let John almost carry him the rest of the way. His leg was throbbing mercifully and not to mention that he felt like he had bruises on bruises. He had lost the contents of his stomach half way through the forest. He was glad that John or the boys hadn't been around for that spectacular display. He hated showing any type of weakness in front of anyone but it was better that it had been in a thirteen year old boy he didn't know.
"Almost there," John told him quietly. It sounded strange to hear John's voice so …soft. He hadn't heard that tone of voice for a long time, since maybe Sam was still really little, "Hey! I need a paramedic here!" John shouted to the nearest rescue person. /Well so much for the soft and caring tone/ Caleb mentally laughed.
Before Caleb even realized what was happening he felt hands on him and he was helped onto something soft. He realized he must have been placed on gurney. He hated going to the hospital but right now he didn't really care as long as he got some nice drugs to numb the pain in his leg for just a little while.
"Are you okay Caleb?" Caleb opened his eyes and saw that Sam and Daniel had appeared at his side. Sam was wearing a worried look so Caleb smiled to reassure the kid, "I'm fine Sammy."
Sam frowned, "You don't look it."
"I've had worse," Caleb pointed out.
"And is that supposed to make me feel better?" Sam asked raising one eyebrow. He realized that Caleb was right, he'd had worse.
"Probably not … is that big brother of yours alright?" Caleb asked, not being able to hold back the gasp of pain as the paramedic checking him over jostled his knee when taking a look at it.
"I don't know Dad is seeing to him … he's being stubborn as usual, you know how Dean is."
"Only too well. You better get back to him."
"Yeah see you at the hospital," Sam agreed, patted Caleb on the shoulder and then walked away to find his father and brother.
"I hope you feel better Caleb," Daniel told the hunter before turning to walk away.
"Hey kid … I just wanted to say … you know … thanks, you did pretty good out there." Caleb looked at Daniel sincerely.
Daniel smiled at Caleb, "No problem." Caleb gave a little wave before he was lifted into the back of an ambulance.
Sam found his father and brother not far from the ambulance Caleb had just been loaded onto. Before heading over to them Sam looked back at the building and saw that the fire fighters almost had the blaze under control. Sam shivered. He hated fire. His family didn't have the best memories revolving around fire. He was suddenly reminded about what had happened back at the cabin. It must have been a vision. It was the only thing that it could have been but then that didn't make much sense either. Caleb was the psychic in their little circle, not him. He had never experienced anything like that in his life and he hoped to god that he never did again. It hadn't been pleasant and he now had a new appreciation for Caleb's special abilities that he hadn't had before.
"No I'm fine. I'm not going to the hospital!" he heard Dean tell his father.
"You'll do as I say Dean."
Dean closed his eyes as dizziness swept over him again. He knew that he was running on empty now and hadn't been given the chance to properly recover from his possession. He had been running on adrenaline and now that everything had calmed down he could feel his body start to slow down but he'd be damned if he voluntarily went to a hospital. He just wanted for his Dad to get a motel room for the night and sleep until he didn't need to sleep anymore. He re-opened his eyes and blinked at his father when his vision blurred. "Dad, please. I'm just tired and I can rest anywhere with a bed … it doesn't need to be in a hospital ... please."
John let out a frustrated sigh. The boy was so stubborn and he often wondered where the hell he got that trait from, "Fine Dean, You make it back to the car and you don't have to go to the hospital."
Sam looked at his father shocked. His father usually avoided hospital visits unless it was absolutely necessary but in this instance he had been sure that his father was going to stick to his guns. Dean had a slightly shocked look on his face also but obviously wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Thanks," he said looking thankfully at John.
John turned around and looked at Sam, "Come on Sammy lets get out of here." John placed his hand on Sam's shoulder and led him away from his brother.
"Dad? Shouldn't he …" Sam began looking at his father like he was nuts, but was interrupted.
"Wait for it Sammy," John said quietly and continued to lead Sam forward. A few moments later they heard a thump and Sam whipped around to see his brother lying in a heap on the ground, "Dean!" he shouted and left his fathers side to go to his brothers. John was by his side in moments and turned Dean onto his back and checked his pulse and found it to be there and shook his head at the state his eldest son had gotten himself into.
"You knew he wasn't going to make it," Sam stated looking at John as his father lifted Dean into his arms, carrying him like a child.
"The human body can only take so much Sammy; it was only a matter of time … but try telling that to your brother."
Sam followed his father in silence and sighed as he realized that all of this wasn't over quite yet. They still had bones to bury, Mrs. Chipshaw and the authorities would no doubt want to talk to his father. He smiled ruefully, his father was just going to love that.
TBC ...
Okay now on to the very last chapter ... finally ...