Chapter 6! N-joy--

6

Sam walked carefully through the thick woods. Lauren told him where to look, she said to be careful where he walked. He pointed his flashlight beam in all directions. He had wanted to go get Dean with her but... The way she explained it, Sam didn't want to see his brother right now.

Sam looked down and saw a large square hole. About five feet deep, four feet wide. Sam carefully lowered himself down in it. He shined his light around, and almost puked. Blood covered the walls. The rain poured down the sides and ran it into the puddles of water below.

Oh my god, he thought. That's Dean's. Sam's head swam for a moment, he reached his arm out to steady himself. He breathed deeply and walked toward one of the corners. He bent down, and found what he was looking for. Dean's clothes, or what was left of them. He pushed past the remains of his t-shirt and found his necklace. Sam picked it up and stuffed it in his pocket.

He stood, anxious to get out of this place. He pulled himself out of the hole and opened his phone, dialing his fathers number. He shut it angrily as the voice-mail kicked on.

"Where the hell are you?" Sam whispered. He looked up, for the first time in three days, the rain had stopped. Sam started walking back the way he came.

Lauren walked back over to Dean. She bent down and hugged him close to her.

"Unn." He moaned softly. Lauren kissed his forehead.

"Shhshhh," she said. "It's okay baby." Dean leaned in closer to her, trying to get warm. She looked at him more closely. His once bright green eyes were red rimmed, bloodshot and dull. Blood and water drenched his body. Large dark purple bruises covered most of his torso, along with many deep, infected cuts. His back was dotted with tiny slits from the barbed wire.

Lauren pulled a white hanker chief out of her pocket and wiped the blood off of his face. He winced when she wiped the cut above his eye. Lauren wished she'd brought a water bottle. She put a hand on his forehead.

"God Dean you're burning up." She said. Dean shivered.

"Ahhnss." Dean cried, tensing his body. Lauren gently rocked him back and forth. He was so weak, there was no way he could support himself to get out of here. She pulled her phone from her pocket.

"Sam, I need you to come help me." She said calmly.

"What's wrong?" Sam said worried.

"Calm down everything's fine. I can't carry Dean out of here by myself, I need you."

"Give me five minutes." He said. Lauren closed her phone. She hugged Dean tighter.

"Sam's comin' baby." She whispered. "Just a few more minutes Dean. Just a few more." Dean shuddered. Lauren bit her lower lip, tears flowing from her eyes.

"Lauren?" Sam's voice said. Lauren turned around.

"C'mon. We gotta get him outta here." Sam walked forward, bracing himself for the state Dean might be in. Five years of preparing couldn't have readied him. Dean looked so weak, helpless. Sam had never seen him like this. He was always saving him, not vise versa. "Sam...It's alright, c'mon." She said softly.

They laid Dean down carefully on the bed. Lauren had tried to get Sam to take him to a hospital, but she guessed stubbornness ran in the Winchester blood. Lauren knew enough medically to help him, she was just scared she'd miss something.

She told Sam to get the first aid. She got a bottle of water and opened it quickly. She carefully tipped it into Dean's mouth. The cool water hit his dry throat and he began to drink rapidly. Lauren pulled it back.

"Slow down baby, slow down." She whispered. Dean relaxed. After the bottle was almost empty, she started wiping the blood off of him, which turned out to be a longer task than she anticipated.

Sam stood against a wall. He felt numb. He couldn't take Dean to a hospital, too many questions. They didn't have insurance cards either. Maybe if dad were here...Yeah right. Who was he kidding? Dad was probably hundreds of thousands of miles away. He probably hadn't listened to his messages and didn't even know Dean was hurt.

After Lauren had cleaned Dean up in the best way she knew how, she went over to his bag and grabbed a pair of boxers and sweat pants. Once he was dressed, she checked his temperature. 103.6. Five degrees too high.

"Sam I need ice." Lauren said abruptly. Sam looked at her curiously. "Trust me Sam I know what I'm doing." Sam ran out and came back quickly. Lauren wrapped up the ice in towels and laid them under Dean's arms, under his neck and around his legs.

"Mnn," He groaned. The ice was so cold it hurt. Lauren caressed his forehead.

"I know it hurts Dean," she soothed. "We gotta get your fever down okay?" Dean nodded. A light knock reached her ears. She looked up at the door. Sam opened it.

"Dad." He breathed.

--More soon. I think that's enough for today. Oh, before you go...can you push that pretty purple button down there? It would make my day! ; )--