Time, Tattoos and Trouble.

Third in the Decebal Trilogy

Disclaimer: Not mine never was and never will be...sigh just my own fevered imagination and the odd original character.
Author's Notes: I have loosely based this small town on Sleepy Eye Minnesota, now I have never been there, or for that matter, I have never left Australia. So after researching the town etc, I have created one of my own based on it. If there is a Sleepyville in Minnesota or anywhere else that sounds remotely like what I describe then I humbly apologise...

I am also trying to use more Americanisms in my writing to avoid confusion, but please bear with me as I often get so wrapped up in my stories that I tend to use what I am used to, like Mum instead of Mom but I will do my best so here goes ...

One more thing ... I just want everyone to know, that even though I am using a rather strange tattoo as the focal point of this story I am not having a go at anyone with tattoos. I happen to like them, especially if they are very artistically done, in fact I have a fairy on my left ankle :0)

Chapter 2 Aint No One's Possession

Sam took a deep breath and glanced around before he moved to lift Dean's shirt, his worry meter rising immediately when Dean didn't swat his hand away. 'Damn Dean, the tattoo is growing and changing again.' He hissed through clenched teeth. His fingers brushing over the image, he could feel the heat radiating from his brother without touching him.

'What is it now?' Dean panted still unable to catch his breath properly.

'The dragon is complete, scales and fire and all. The demon is growing bigger.' Sam answered as honestly as he could, not wanting to freak Dean out anymore than necessary.

'What else Sam?'

'Nothing Dean, it's just...'

'Just what?'

'Another figure is starting to appear.' Sam sighed, 'not too sure what it is yet.'

'Fan-freaking-tastic.' Dean managed to get out before he lost his breath again.

'Dean listen to me we have to get you help.' Sam said, 'we're heading back to the motel packing and going to Bobby's.'

'What's Bobby gonna do?' Dean snapped peevishly.

'He might have more information on demonic tattoos.' Sam said ignoring Dean's temper. 'Will you please try to calm down; you're going to start hyperventilating again.'

'Yes Sir.' Dean gave Sam a mock salute before replacing his sunglasses and turning his attention to the passenger side window again, his hand moving unconsciously to hover over the tattoo.

Sam opened his mouth to say something but then changed his mind, pulled out of the car park and headed back to the motel. Half an hour later they were on the road again, Dean was sound asleep pressed against the door, his head resting on the cool glass. Sam sipped from his coffee and focused on driving, trying to push the image of the growing tattoo from his mind, but he couldn't rid himself of Decebal's face. Determined Sam decided on what he had to do, risking a glance at his brother he resolved to pull over at the next town and make a couple of phone calls before they reached Bobby's place. Now was the time for him to protect Dean, whether his brother wanted him to or not.

Yawning and straining to stay alert, Sam pulled over and left the motor and heater running while he got out and stretched. Dean's sleep worried him even more, there was no sign of his brother waking anytime soon, and something or someone was keeping him asleep that was for sure, Sam could feel it without having to look at him. Angrily Sam scuffed the rocks with his boot and paced next to the car, hoping the cold night air would wake him up enough to finish the last leg of the trip to Bobby's junk yard.

'Get a grip Sam.' He muttered to himself, 'gotta stay strong for Dean.' A loud mournful cry came from the interior of the car, racing back to the driver's side, Sam climbed in to check on Dean. Sweat rolled off his brother in large droplets of water, his skin radiated so much heat that it glowed red. Without too much thought to Dean's clothes Sam ripped the shirt open before yanking the T-shirt layers upwards.

The tattoo now covered the entire left side of Dean's chest, the image now held the dragon with fire exploding from it's jaws, the demon with Decebal's face and a young dark haired woman with red lips, kneeling submissively to the side of Decebal. Her face twisted forward to get the full face, dressed only in a skimpy bra top and what appeared to be a thong.

'Ruby!' Sam hissed his trembling fingers rose to check Dean's pulse, the rapid beats too fast to count thudded against his fingertips. Dean's face contorted with pain as his eyes shot open and his hand flailed trying to find something or someone to anchor to.

Sam took his hand and held it tightly, 'hey Dean ... its okay I'm here.' He said soothingly, cupping his free hand around Dean's cheek making sure that the connection between them was stronger than ever. 'We're going to get this fixed Dean I promise, that bastard is not going to win.'

'Sammy? It's burning me up, I can feel the flames.' Dean gasped, his body jerking violently in the grips of a seizure induced by his extreme body heat. Blinking back tears Sam tried to make Dean as comfortable as possible, turned back to the wheel and started the car, with a cloud of rocks and dust behind them and the smell of burning rubber he roared back onto the road, his foot steadily pushing down on the accelerator building speed. Sam had only one thought in his mind and that was to get to Bobby's as soon as humanly possible, speed limits be damned.

Skidding to a stop at Bobby's front door Sam ran around to help Dean out of the car, opening the door, he just managed to catch his older sibling as he tumbled towards the ground. Easily he slipped his long arms under Dean's shoulders and knees and carried him into the house. 'Hey Bobby.' Sam called struggling through the open door to the over-crowded living room.

'Put him on the couch Sam.' Bobby said appearing from the kitchen carrying a basin of water and clean cloths. 'Here, take his shirts off and start washing him down, I'll get your stuff from the car.'

'Thanks Bobby.' Sam said offering their life-long friend a small smile, feeling much better about ringing Bobby when they were only half an hour away. Some of the weight seemingly dropped away when he accepted the bowl of water and started to bathe his unconscious brother. Bobby deposited the boys' bags in the room they have shared since they were children visiting with their father or staying while recuperating from some injury or other. Hurrying back to the brothers, Bobby thought of ringing their father, sure that Sam would be too damned stubborn to do so. After leaving a message for John on his voice mail, Bobby went to find Sam and Dean. 'How is he?'

'Dunno Bobby, he's still so hot and the tattoo is still growing.' Sam sighed looking up at the older hunter wearily. 'I can't even rouse him now.'

Bobby bent over the couch and got a closer look at the tattoo, 'Sam can you pass me that magnifier please?' he pointed to the large magnifying lens on a frame with a light attached to it. Sam handed it to him and watched on in silence as Bobby studied the supernatural body art.

'What do you think Bobby?' Sam asked after the silence got the better of him.

'I'm sorry Sam, but I have never seen anything like this before, especially seeing it actually grow while I was watching.'

'Weird isn't it.' Sam managed a wry grin as he took a seat on the chair next to Dean.

'Hey do I get a say in this discussion?' Dean asked mockingly, a grin plastered on his face when he saw the shocked looks on the faces of both Sam and Bobby.

'Hey Dean how you feeling?' Sam asked trying to sound less worried than he felt.

'Well aside from being a walking work in progress, feeling like I am getting burned inside out and oh yeah have the bitchiest hangover ever just great, how about you Sammy?'

'Gee sarcasm now Dean, should I be pleased or even more worried.' Sam answered dryly.

'Hey Dean boy.' Bobby decided to interrupt the brewing argument immediately. 'Like the tattoo but don't ya think you've over done it a tad? I mean a growing one?'

'Yeah well, latest fad didn't you know Bobby.' Dean answered his green eyes stormy and filled with pain. 'anyway getting back to the subject at hand which happens to be ... oh yeah me.'

'Dean you need to tell us something about what happened when Decebal had you alone,' Sam said relentlessly pursuing his line of thought, 'I really do think that whatever happening now has something to do with what happened back then.'

Dean glared at his young brother, with tears glittering in his eyes he dropped his gaze first, unable to look at either Bobby or Sam.

'Look if you want I can leave the room while you two talk,' Bobby offered feeling the tension building again.

'No, no it's okay Bobby, I guess you should hear this too.' Dean sighed, 'okay the abbreviated version alright Sam?'

'Okay Dean, that's fine.'

'When Decebal separated us ... he ... he wanted me to submit to him completely.' Dean turned his face away from Sam's sympathetic look; he couldn't bear the sympathy especially the pity he knew was there as well. He didn't want to be pitied or have someone feel sorry for him, it happened and that was it, 'I refused his ... advances ... so he decided that I need a lesson in humility.' Dean stopped talking lost in his own memories for a few seconds, 'he strapped me down to a bed, with a blindfold on so I couldn't see who ... he was there the whole time while ... I have no idea on how many there were.'

'I am so sorry Dean.' Sam whispered when he saw the emotions flash across his brother's face as he fought to control them.

'The physical stuff I could handle, well kind of ... but it was the other stuff ... the mind games he played especially when he threatened to do the same to you Sam or worse. Then, then he said that you were dying and I was the only one who could save you. He told me if I agreed to stay with him and be his ... his ... then he would save your life. I didn't believe him and said no, and then he showed me your body Sammy. You were dead, lying on a metal slab and it was my fault I killed you.'

'But I didn't die Dean.' Sam said softly, reaching over to place a gentle hand on Dean's shoulder.

'He thought it was funny,' Dean continued hoarsely, 'said that Dad was next, if I didn't give myself to him completely. I almost did but ... but then I heard your voice Sam and I knew ... he thought he had me but I knew you were alive. He really did do a number that time on me.' Dean stopped talking and frowned slightly as a forgotten memory came to him unbidden and explosive. 'Fuck it Sam, fuck it.'

'What Dean? What is it?'

'He had a visitor for the night, one who was ... it was Ruby ... Sam it was Ruby, he wanted her to make me completely submissive.'

'She was a dominatrix?' Sam asked slowly putting the pieces together in his own mind.

'Yeah something like that, dressed in all of this weird black and red leather and well just say she knew what to do with a whip.' Dean dropped his gaze again, unable to look at Bobby or into Sam's puppy dog eyes. He was the strong one, he was the confident one, he was not a submissive to any dominatrix or demon, he was no bottom to anyone. Angrily he pushed himself upright, swinging his legs around to sit back on the couch properly he lifted his glittering gaze to Sam. 'That bitch is dead.' He said quietly but forcefully.

'Dean, I am so sorry that you had to suffer all of that coz of me.' Sam said his voice so soft and filled with emotion it was hard for Dean to hear him properly, 'if I wasn't so weak then you wouldn't have...'

'Don't Sam, don't even go there. Decebal would have done it no matter what, and no matter whom. He's a sick psycho bastard who belongs in the burning pits of hell.'

'Dean I ...'

'No more Sam, now we gotta work out how they did this to me.'

'What were you symptoms when you came out of it Dean?' Bobby asked his voice sounding matter of fact but tinged with curiosity.

'Pretty groggy, umm had trouble waking up and then didn't remember all of it to begin with. Had a mother of hangovers and then I threw up a few times.'

'How much did you have to drink?'

'Ah bout four beers that's all.'

'Any with her?'

'Yeah my last one.'

'Did you leave her alone with your drink at all?'

'Umm, yeah, yeah when I went to take a leak.' Dean blinked up at Bobby, 'she slipped me a mickey didn't she?'

'Yeah I think so, something strong enough for them to tattoo you without you realising it.' Bobby confirmed, 'but I bet any money you like that the drugs would have been out of your system before you woke.'

'Damn it, so what now?'

'We need to find the person who did your unique tattoo, not everyone can create a magical one like yours.'

'Oh that's a comforting thought.'

'Dean, ah while you and Bobby do that, I thought that I might do some research on the dragon, I mean I can understand Decebal and Ruby in the tattoo, but the dragon ...' Sam said softly, a thoughtful look forming on his face, as he thought of something that he didn't want to share.

'Yeah okay but don't ... just keep your cell with you at all times and report in every half hour.'

'Yeah okay.' Sam agreed too quickly for Dean's liking.

'Sammy?'

'I promise Dean, ahh can I take the impala?'

'The baby?' Dean asked in mock horror, 'don't scratch her.'

'Dean don't worry,' Sam grinned, 'I'll try not to do many burn outs.'

'Sammy!'

'What?' Sam smiled angelically at his brother and then turned back to Bobby, 'take care of him please.'

'You know I will.' Bobby said frowning at the younger Winchester, something felt off and he couldn't put his finger on it.

'Every half hour Sammy.' Dean yelled at his brother's back, the only answer he got was Sam's raised middle finger. 'That little bitch, flipped me the bird.' Dean grumbled, 'wait until he gets back.'

tbc