Author's Note: First, let me sincerely apologize to all those who were following this story. Once Dean died and went to hell and then came back, I kind of lost my momentum for the story. Then I was kinda disappointed in the direction of the show over the last few months and started writing in another fandom. However, Kripke has renewed my enthusiasm with the last three shows and then when I saw the preview for next week, which seems to indicate the introduction of a third brother, I thought, Hey - I've got to finish mine first so here it is. It is complete except for the epilogue and I will be uploading over the next three days. Again, I apologize to those who were faithfully following the story and I hope it was worth it.

Part 3 Chapter 8

Jack nervously glanced up again at the angry clouds that swirled above the fields. He had seen a twister or two in his time but never out of a clear sunset and never without the accompanying rain and hail. The lightening that shot through the clouds was eerily silent without the thunder that was supposed to follow and Jack felt fear trickle down his spine like cold sweat.

"This isn't natural, is it?" he asked Bobby, already knowing the answer.

Bobby grimaced as he pulled the truck over to the side of the road. "Nothing about this is Natural," he asserted as he yanked the door open and gathered together the gun and tools from the back. "Now here's the plan . . ."

SPNSPNSPNSPN

Dean wasn't sure what had happened. One minute there was only mind-numbing fear and pain and the next there was a reprieve from the onslaught. Gasping for breath, desperate to stay conscious, Dean laid in the road for a moment marshalling his strength. When he as able to beat back the roar in his ears, he cracked his eyes open and his worst fear was realized. There, standing between him and Lilith, was Sam. Nausea rode through his stomach as he tried to make it to his feet, listening to the banter between Sam and the Demon. Sam's attention was so intent on Lilith, he didn't notice Dean struggling to rise.

"Sammy Winchester," Lilith cooed. "So good of you to finally show. I thought I was going to have to hang his guts from the tree-tops before you would crawl out from under your rock."

"I was never hiding Lilith – just biding my time. I've been patient and now that patience is about to pay off. I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away. Dragging a Winchester to Hell is just too much of a coup for you to sit it out."

Lilith circled to Sam's left trying to maneuver her way back to Dean, who was still struggling to rise. "Why Sam! You would make Azazel proud. Using your own brother for bait – just so you can face me. I'm . . . . flattered. It takes a true bastard to use their own blood like that."

Sam circled with Lilith, always staying between the demon and his brother. The storm had picked up in ferocity and lightening shot from the sky at an alarming rate. It was hard for Dean to catch the conversation over the sound of the wind but he was sure he knew the gist of it. He tried to get to his feet but the wound from the hellhound had sunk deep and he was unable to get his legs to cooperate. Just as Dean was attempting to pull himself up again, a startled "Oh Shit!" came out of his mouth as a piece of derelict farm machinery flew over his head and smashed on top of Lilith.

Sam narrowed his eyes and the tractor burst into flame as Dean covered his head. The resulting explosion sent a plume of debris and black smoke into the air. Before Dean could recover, he felt a hand under his arm, hauling him up. Looking up, he saw his brother and was both horrified and relieved. Relieved that Lilith was gone and Sam was safe; horrified that his little brother was now looking down on him with eyes of orange flames.

"I totally Wicked Witch of the West her. You okay?" Sam asked grinning, as if it had been any other hunt.

"I . . .I . . ." Dean stuttered but didn't finish as he felt himself get torn away from Sam's supporting hand. He cried out in terror as Sam was thrown thirty feet, landing on the hood of the Impala, smashing the front window.

"Sammy!" Dean started crawling to his brother's side but was stopped by the gruesome picture before him. Lilith, walking through the flames, - a walking, charred corpse of a child. Her voice echoed through the trees. "I have spent an eternity in the fiery bowels of hell, Samael. You think a little diesel fuel is going to slow me down?"

Sam rolled off the hood of the car to his knees. Spitting blood into the dirt, he looked up at Lilith and sneered. "Just wanted to give you a little taste of what is coming." Sam jerked his head and the blackened corpse went flying off into the field behind Dean. Sam scrambled over to Dean, once again helping him up. "Come on," he said looking around for Lilith's return. "I have to get you someplace safe."

"Damn It Sam! No!" Dean tried to pull his arm away but Sam's grip tightened. Frantically struggling to come to a stop, Dean tried to reason with him. "I won't let you die for me. I Won't!"

"You worry too much! I have her right where I want her."

Dean grimaced as his wounded leg gave out again. "Yeah, I saw that when she threw you into the windshield."

Sam pulled him up again and dragged him over to a ditch on the side of the road. Dean was amazed when Sam actually smiled at him asking, "You pissed about the Impala?"

"What! No! I'm pissed . . ."

Dean never finished his sentence as a rusted truck hurtling past them suddenly tore Sam away. Before he could move, Lilith was by his side, holding him from behind by the neck. Dean struggled but his pain combined with the stench of burnt flesh made his knees weak and Dean fell again to his knees.

"Well, so much for little Sammy Winchester." Dean felt the will to live drain out of him as the old Ford slammed down on his brother, crushing him to the ground.

"Just get it over with," he ground out. He didn't hear Lilith's reply as the sound of shrieking metal filled his ears. His eyes widened as he watched the mangled truck move from the ground and forced to the side of his road by his brother. He had no idea that the demon inside Sam had made him that strong.

"Let him go Lilith!"

"But he's so pretty. I want to chain him up and beat him into submission like the bad little puppy he is." Dean could feel her grip adjusting, getting ready to tear his head from his body and he closed his eyes, not wanting to see the look on Sam's face when he died.

SPNSPNSPNSPNSPN

Jack had been able to move around the flying debris and farm equipment to get close enough to almost hear the two combatants. Peeking over the top of an old truck, he was startled by the hand that snatched him back down. Ruby put her finger to her mouth signaling quiet as she leaned in close to Jack's ear.

"I'll see if I can distract them, you get the knife where it needs to be."

Jack closed his eyes and counted to ten, trying to keep from vomiting. It was the same plan he and Bobby had when they had split up – both of them ending with the same outcome – Jack stabbing Dean to keep his brother's soul from hell. Opening his eyes, he grabbed Ruby's arm and whispered urgently, "Wait, do you think you can get close enough to kill Lilith with that."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "I doubt it very seriously but I'll do what I can – what needs to be done. Just like you will, right?"

Jack couldn't keep the shaking from his voice and gripping the athame tightly he stuttered, "Right."

Jack heard Sam demand that Lilith release Dean as he and Ruby separated. Jack knelt down and watched as Ruby took a deep breath and strode onto the road.

"So!" Ruby announced her presence "Clash of the Titans, huh? I got to tell you Dean, you're no Harry Hamlin – though I would love to see you in that loin clothe."

Lilith's eyes swung around to take in the rebel bitch that had eluded her time after time. "Ruby, my dear! Just couldn't stand not being invited, could you?"

"You know me Lilith, I just love to be where the action is."

Lilith shifted her eyes between her two adversaries. Backing up and pulling Dean with her, she taunted, "Once I finish with my little Deanie boy and his big bad protector, you're next little girl. I'm going to make you scream."

"This is the last mistake you're ever going to make." Sam said stepping forward. Dean looked up and saw that Sam's eyes had returned to their natural blue-green color. He knew it was just temporary but somehow he felt just a little stronger. He watched as his brother's eyes met his, glanced down and then back up at Dean's.

"Don't you mean that that will be the last mistake I every make," Lilith asked sweetly pulling Dean back another step.

"No, I mean this is! Down!" Dean suddenly turned his head to the side and let his body go limp. He thought for a minute that his head was going to come off but then the pressure was gone and he slipped through Lilith's arms. Once again Sam's eyes burst into flames as a bolt of orange lightening shot from the center of his body, slamming Lilith up against a tree. Ghastly screams tore from the child's body as it was incinerated in the blast of Sam's power.

For a moment, there was no sound. Time slowed and the being that was Lilith erupted into a fireball that shot straight up into the sky, releasing a sonic boom that rattled the ground, throwing all the combatants back.

When quiet descending once again, Dean shoot his head, trying to restore his hearing. The movement made him dizzy as spots swirled in front of his eyes. Slowly he rolled onto his stomach and forced his arms to push him up. As he did, he scanned he road and what he saw had him scrambling.

"NOOOO!" Dean screamed knowing he would not be quick enough to stop Ruby as she plunged her knife into Sam's back.