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 Note: 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.

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CHAPTER 7 Look what they did to my song ma!'

Jo finished writing the note and left it on her bed for her mother; she basically knew how to get to Bobby's, but decided to lift a car and follow John just to make sure.

Shoving a full bottle of Vodka in her bag, Jo cast one last look around her room and then slipped out the back door. She heard the low rumble of voices coming from the bar even though it was no longer open for the night.

Taking a deep cleansing breath in the night air Jo moved quietly through the car park, a couple of cars abandoned by drivers too drunk to drive, smiling she jumped in the front seat of one and went to feel around for the wires to hot wire it when she saw the keys still in the ignition.

Smiling at her good luck and not really thinking too much about it she scooted down in the seat a little so she could wait and watch for John to leave.

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'You sure about this Ash?' John growled disbelievingly.

'As far as I can man.' Ash drawled flicking his hair over his shoulder he regarded the hunter with a slightly blood shot stare, 'but Dean has to do it exactly the way it is written and in that exact order or it aint gonna work.'

'Thanks.' John mumbled shoving the treasured piece of paper into his jacket pocket, 'anymore information on Decebal?'

'Yeah well that is a different story altogether, that dude is one seriously evil demon, he is worse than an incubus. He gains power from pain caused by sex and pain, the more he inflicts the stronger he becomes.'

'I could've told you that.'

'What you don't know is that ... this Decebal he has direct links to the higher levels.'

'Meaning?'

'Since you guys tangled with him last time he has moved upwards, taking over from the other ... dude he's stronger now than the yellow-eyed bastard, and gaining strength constantly. Especially since he's hooked himself up with a dominatrix and her dungeon.'

'That's who he gave Sam to.'

'Dude he's freaking sick, but hey you already know.'

'What do you know Ash?' John growled menacingly.

'Nothing dude, just what I found in the research ... with my magic fingers doin' the walkin' on the keys, making music dude.'

John opened his mouth to snap a retort worthy of Dean's repertoire, but instead simply shook his head and walked away. Ash watched John walk away a smirk forming on his face and his eyes flashed black for a second before he sauntered back to his room.

'John.' Ellen's throaty voice broke through his guilt ridden musings as he finished his beer and stood to leave.

'Ellen look I'm sorry about everything, what happened with that girl Jess, and then with Jo I really am sorry.'

'Wow.' Ellen said genuinely surprised.

'What?' John grumbled his glare darkening.

'Nothing, just wow thanks for the apology not needed but thanks.' She said before smiling up at her old friend, 'you flying solo these days or still?'

'On my own as always.' John said a hint of regret threaded through his words.

'Oh, do you have to go now?' Ellen asked wrapping her arms around John's neck she pulled him down into a deep sensual kiss.

'Ellen I ah ...'

'Sh John, it's just us, no one else is around.' Ellen said running the tip of her tongue across his lips, 'just us.'

'Ellen I have to ... what's wrong with me?' John asked swaying slightly he blinked owlishly at Ellen as she seemed to suddenly change and morph into another woman.

'Ellen?'

'Sorry Lover, Ellen is rather indisposed.'

'Who?' John asked his knees buckling as he collapsed to the floor striking his head on the bar as he fell.

'Just me lil darlin'' Ruby grinned crouching down next to John she ran her fingernail down his cheek leaving a blood trail in its wake. 'Time to play Johnny boy, time to see what your son enjoyed at my hands. I have a feeling you're gonna be pleasantly surprised ... nope scratch that painfully surprised.' She giggled waving her hand at the winged demons hovering in the darkened room, 'bring him.' She ordered, 'I have one more stop to make.'

Whistling happily Ruby strode out of the roadhouse and headed towards one of the cars remaining in the carpark.

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Standing in front of the mirror Dean stared in horror at his body, the giant tattoo covered torso completely. From his shoulder blades to his hips, the dragon now covered every inch of bare skin front and black. The only really, interesting thing was that it was only the dragon now, the demon and the woman disappeared off the body-art. Breathing slowly and deeply he moved away from the mirror and turned the shower on as hot as he could stand it. The heat from the water doing nothing to ease the chill in his bones. His muscular body shook with the silent sobs, his tears mingled with the steamy jets of water as he finally let his emotions explode.

His grief for Sam and the loss of his last remnants of innocence ripped so violently from him, his grief for himself and the fact that this maybe the thing that finally kills him, he grieved for their father and his continued stubborn resistance to his son's needs especially Sam's. His grief twisted and grew, changing into self-loathing and guilt. He could save Sam, his Dad, Jo or anyone Decebal touched all because that freak of a demon lusted after him. a shudder past through him, tensing his lean legs and hips, demon lust made him feel physically ill.

A muffled cry brought Dean back to his reality and after quickly drying off and dressing he ran back to the bedroom he shared with Sam. 'Sammy?' he called finding Sam's bed empty. 'Sammy where the hell?'

'Dean?' Sam cried out, his voice hoarse and scratchy sounding.

'Sammy? Oh God Sammy what is it?' Dean found Sam huddled between the two beds, his bandaged hands stained red. 'What happened dude?'

'Blood, so much blood.' Sam whispered, 'I saw ... vision ... Dad ... blood.' Sam shook his head trying to clear his confusion.

'Deep breathes Sammy, deep breathes.' Dean coached his distraught brother back from the brink after an apparent vision. Helping him up Dean guided Sam to the bed and sat him down before taking a seat next to him, 'what happened Sammy?'

'Vision.'

'And?'

'Dad, I saw Dad in Ruby's dungeon, he – he was standing next to her while she sat on her throne.' Sam rambled his thoughts still to fractured to make complete sense, 'he had a collar and chain on ... Jo sat her feet ... Decebal licking blood off ... pain so much pain ... betrayal ... Ash ... Ellen need help ... pain ... blood Dean so much blood can't get it off me.'

'Sammy slow down and take a few breathes before you pass out.' Dean counselled his younger brother, 'okay you saw Dad and Jo with Ruby? Prisoners?'

'I – I don't know, I think so.'

'Okay and then Decebal feeding off who?'

'You.' Sam said simply, 'Ash and Ellen need us Dean they are ... Decebal and Ruby were at the roadhouse.'

'Damn it, okay Sammy I want you to sit back against the pillows for me please?'

'Owkay.'

Dean glanced at his brother worried about his sudden compliance but had to swallow it down when he saw the blood seeping from his hands. 'Sammy what happened to your hands?'

'I – I don't remember.' Sam said staring down at the ruined bandages with a curious stare.

Shaking his head Dean stood up and went to the bathroom, coming back with a bowl of warm water and some soft cloths. Tenderly he undid the bandages and tossed them in a plastic bag, then dipping a face-washer in the warm water he cleaned the puncture wounds. Wincing inwardly when he saw the crusted entry and exit points. 'Damn it, they're not healing.' Dean mumbled wincing he felt the tightening of his tattoo, 'not now.' He muttered pushing the sensation to the back of his mind; he had to tend to Sam first.

Using just the pad of his index finger Dean applied antiseptic cream to Sam's hands, gently massaging the ointment into the infected skin before redressing them with clean bandages, 'there we go good as new.' Dean grinned rolling his eyes up to look at Sam's face, 'hey Sammy you in there dude?'

'Huh? Oh yeah sorry Dean.' Sam blinked and stared down at his freshly bandaged hands, flexing them slightly, 'thanks.'

'It's nothing, so feeling better?'

'Ah yeah thanks, Dean we have to get to the roadhouse.' Sam said urgently, 'Ash and Ellen.'

'Whoa there Haley Joe, you're not going anywhere until I finish checking the rest of your injuries.'

'Dean!'

'Sammy!' Dean stared Sam down, and got his way forcing his younger brother to sit still while he painstakingly checked each wound individually.

Sam endured the fussing in impatient silence; he could see everything happening in his head just when he tried to explain it he couldn't. The main thing he could tell Dean was the fact that their Dad and Jo looked happy with Ruby.

'Okay you're not going anywhere.' Dean declared, 'I mean it Sam.'

'And who's gonna stop me?'

'Try and get past me.' Dean said evenly.

'Don't make me Dean!'

'You're not going, Bobby and I will check out the roadhouse.'

'I'm not staying here alone Dean I'm coming don't make me leave you behind.'

'Boys!' Bobby broke the argument up appearing in the doorway, 'I can hear you downstairs what's wrong?'

'We have to get to the roadhouse now Bobby.'

'Sam is not well enough to go anywhere Bobby.' The two brothers spoke simultaneously neither willing to give an inch.

'Boys.' Bobby yelled again, 'Sam why do we have to get to the roadhouse?'

'I had a vision ... Ash and Ellen need us now.'

'Okay Dean?'

'His hands have been bleeding Bobby, he's got an infection, and a temperature he's not well enough to go anywhere.'

'And you are?' Sam sniped, 'tell me painted man has the dragon started on your legs yet?'

'Enough, you're both staying put.' Bobby declared.

'What no! Bobby we have to get over there.' Sam protested.

'Nope, I'm going you two are going to stay here and if I have to cuff your asses to your beds I will. Neither one of you is well enough to leave this house,' Bobby put his hands up to silence the burgeoning protests from both Winchesters. 'Ah, no Dean you're barely standing and breathing without the tattoo getting to you now, and Sam you can't even stand up without help and I agree with Dean you have a temperature but I agree with you too Sam, Dean is not in any condition to go anywhere until we get that tattoo fixed.'

'Bobby!' both exclaimed together.

Bobby pulled two pairs of cuffs out from behind his back and held them in front of the brothers, 'what's it to be boys?'

Sam sat back down on his bed and stared at the floor; Dean moved to his own bed and laid back against the pillows, glaring defiantly at Bobby. The older hunter grinned and chuckled to himself as he watched the two of them sulk.

Though not liking to leave the brothers alone and vulnerable, Bobby sighed and left them alone shutting the door behind them, he chuckled all of the way downstairs a plan forming in his thoughts as he went.

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'It's all your fault Sammy.' Dean grumbled rolling onto his side facing away from Sam.

'Yeah right Dean, I'm not stopping you from going, but you can't stop me from going either.'

'Dude that doesn't make any sense.'

'Dean.'

'What?'

'Did you see what just happened?' Sam asked Dean a grin pulling on the ends of his lips.

'What?'

'Dude Bobby just locked us in our bedroom like we're kids or something and he was laughing at us.'

'Oh he is so dead!' Dean exclaimed going to stand up and go find Bobby when a wave of dizziness flooded through him and he had to sit down to catch his breath.

'Dean?' Sam asked watching his brother drop back on the bed suddenly.

'I ah have to go.' Dean mumbled standing slowly he shuffled out of the room leaving a stunned Sam staring after him.

'Dean!' Sam called when he didn't get any response he managed to clamber to his feet and lurched towards the door, suddenly realising just how weak he really was. 'Dean!'

He called again when he saw Dean disappearing downstairs.

Sweating with the effort Sam managed to get to the top of the stair just in time to see Dean pull a gun on Bobby. 'Dean don't!' Sam cried out swaying precariously on the top step.

'Sam stay there.' Bobby yelled holding his hand up in a stop sign hoping Sam would listen to him he kept his gaze fixed on Dean. 'Dean son why don't you put the gun down.'

'I can't do that.' Dean mumbled, his toneless voice sounding less like Dean's own.

'Why?'

'I – I have to go.' Dean said levelling the gun at Bobby's chest. 'I am needed.'

'Who needs you Dean?' Bobby asked calmly, feeling partially relieved for deciding to call for help and not leave the brothers alone.

'Decebal he needs me.'

'Why?'

'I am his.' Dean mumbled raising his chin slightly he stared at Bobby, 'help me.' he cried out in a strangled voice, with a trembling hand he dropped the gun, his inner turmoil showing on his face as he fought to regain control.

'Dean you're strong you can fight this.' Bobby said keeping his voice low he enunciated his words and spoke slowly as though he was talking to a small child. Inwardly he raged as he watched the tattoo staining more of Dean's body before him.

'Dean think of Sam he needs you.'

'I – I have to go.' Dean lifted the gun but could barely hold it up his strength wanning rapidly.

'Dean?' a whispered cry from the top of the stairs made Dean drop the gun and turn to stare at Sam, his eyes widening when he saw a shadow standing behind his brother.

'Sammy watch out.' He called but a shadowed pair of hands rested on Sam's shoulders for a few seconds before shoving him viciously.

Bobby pushed past the weakening Dean to try to stop Sam's fall but he was too late and Sam tumbled bonelessly down the short staircase.

'Did you really think you could hide from me forever you luscious thing you?' Decebal appeared directly in front of Dean, 'oh my darling, what have they done to you?'

'Fuck off.' Dean ground out trying to push past the demon to reach his fallen brother.

'Not so quick darling you're mine, body, and everlasting soul.' Decebal grabbed Dean and held him tight against his chest, 'ooh I have missed this.'

'Get a life.' Dean grumbled and tried valiantly to break the demon's grip but the last thing he saw was Sam's face filled with fear, pain, and utter despair before he lapsed into unconsciousness. Decebal laughed blew a kiss at Sam and then disappeared taking Dean with him.

TBC