(Disclaimer: Don't own anything, story is all mine)

Battle Weary.

Chapter Twelve.

Dean and Jay sat like that for a long time, neither of them saying anything, both lost in their own thoughts, passing the tequila bottle back and forth as they tried to digest everything.

Dean wondered what he'd done to his brother. Sammy, whom he loved more than he could ever tell him, would ever tell him. Sammy, who trusted him unconditionally. And now he'd done the unthinkable. The unforgivable. And the woman sitting next to him, holding his hand…was in the same place as his brother. He was in the same place as hers.

He finally looked up at her "Why would he not want you to stop me? Why would he trade your soul? I didn't know what I was doing…he did" he paused "Aren't you pissed at him?"

She smiled "No. There's always been method to Zeke's madness. I have to trust that. There's more to it, I just haven't figured it out yet" she leaned over and looked at the mark on his chest "You did that? To yourself?"

He nodded "Had to"

"What else? I mean did you have to say anything?"

"No…I mean, you read the pact. It was just the mark…." he frowned slightly.

"But?"

"But…I remember saying something, whispering something….I can't remember what though"

"You need to remember" she squeezed his hand "I think it's more important than you realise"

"More important? I traded my brother's soul!"

"Shhh, Dean"

He shook his head and sighed "And what about you? What about your soul?"

"Still got it. Which means that Zeke's still alive"

"You don't know that"

She smiled "Yeah, I do. Zeke knew what he was doing. He wouldn't just hand over my soul, he'd die before he did that" she looked at him "Dean you have to understand that I know my brother.

"Which means they're using me and Zeke to get to you and Sam. To make sure they get the last of us"

She nodded "It's my fault. The healing thing. If I'd been an easy kill…then he'd never have had to do that and you and Sam wouldn't be in the shit you are now" she looked at him "I'm sorry"

He shook his head "Not your fault, like you said, you didn't ask for this" he looked at her "You're sure Zeke's alive" she nodded "Positive?" She nodded again, took the bottle and drank a large amount, he had to smile "So tell me, how could your brother possibly be in Hell if he's not dead?"

"That's the part I haven't figured out yet. But you need to get some sleep. You've got a big fight tomorrow, you need to rest"

"And you?" he asked.

"I'll read for a while, try and figure this out"

"I'm too wired to sleep"

"Dean…"

"No" he reluctantly let go of her hand, picked up the journal and started to read.

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Sam woke slowly and stretched. He looked towards the window, dawn…he could see the sun just starting to peek over the horizon. His stomach flipped as he thought about the day ahead, the day that would define both his and Dean's lives. He thought back to last night…oh, he and Jay would be having a serious chat about what was going on. He didn't care if he had to beat it out of her, she healed, she'd be fine…and it would make him feel a whole lot better as well. He turned his head and saw his brother's empty bed. Strange. Dean was never up at this time of the morning…but then again, today wasn't like any other day was it?

He got up, threw jeans and a t-shirt on and went to find his brother. He walked out and stopped. Dean was crashed out on the couch, Jay next to him. He quelled the anger that rose in his stomach at the sight of his brother with her. He noticed her open journal, lying pages down on Dean's chest. He crept over to them, looked at the three empty tequila bottles and innumerable empty beer bottles on the table. Oh, those two were gonna have the hangover from hell when they woke. He smiled to himself, although he now had the perfect opportunity to read her book. He gently lifted Jay's hand, slipping the journal out from underneath it and placing her hand softly back on his brother's chest. He saw Dean smile in his sleep and shook his head. Idiot. Didn't Dean see she was trouble…still, at least he'd got his rocks off before…yeah, well he got his rocks off.

He went to the kitchen table and sat down to read. He heard Gus get up a half-hour later, he put a finger to his lips then indicated the couch. Gus walked over and raised an eyebrow when he saw them. He went to the kitchen and poured himself a coffee.

He sat down and whispered "You find anything? Apart from that" he pointed to the couch "Which is seriously messing with my head"

"Yeah, I know" whispered Sam "But…she's figured something out. Something to do with this pact, it's not what it seems. She doesn't come right out and say it…but…there's something"

They turned quickly when they head Dean moan in his sleep, he didn't wake, just pulled Jay against him and settled back.

Sam shook his head "Weird" he turned to Gus "There something in here about her being 'sent' here. Doesn't say by whom, though" he read a little more. Jesus, she was writing in code too. He stopped, that was Dean's writing. She let Dean write in her journal? He read his brothers handwriting. Great. Now he was writing in freakin' code as well.

Sam read quietly for an hour, casting glances over at the couch every time he heard a movement or sound from either of them. Man, they were out. He went back to reading…or trying to decipher what he was reading.

Gus' gaze went between the reading Sam and the strange sight of Dean and Jay on the couch. He shook his head. Things just got weirder and weirder. He wanted to wake Dean, get him practicing, but however much he hated to think it, this could be the boys last day here. He sighed and decided to let him sleep. He glanced back at Sam and cocked his head. "What is it, Sam?"

Sam closed the journal slowly, put it down and got up from the table. Gus watched as Sam went into his room, his movements slow and determined. Gus reached over and picked up the journal, trying to find what Sam had just read. He looked up just in time to see Sam jerk Jay out of Dean's arms, pick her up and slam her against the nearest wall.

Gus jumped up "SAM!" he yelled as he saw the boy put a large hunting knife to the woman's throat.

Dean sat up groggily "What the fuck?" he looked around and saw his brother "SAM!"

Sam's face was inches from Jay's "YOU BITCH!"

"Easy, Sam…" Jay managed to choke out.

Sam pushed the knife against her throat "DON'T YOU FUCKING TALK!"

Dean ran over "What the fuck are you doing?"

Sam didn't look at his brother, his rage was focussed on Jay "YOU KNEW! HE KNEW! AND NOW…NOW…" he pushed the knife deeper and blood slowly seeped around the blade.

"SAM! PUT THE KNIFE DOWN! NOW, SAMMY!" yelled Dean.

Sam shook his head "Just because you banged her Dean, doesn't excuse what she did!"

"I didn't bang her, Sam!"

"Bullshit! You'll bang anything" said Sam.

"HEY!" yelled Jay "Watch your fucking mouth!"

"Jesus, dude. We still got clothes on! And put the fucking knife down!"

Sam leaned in close "You like how that feels? I know how to kill you, bitch! You've killed my brother and now I'm gonna kill you!"

Jay looked at Sam "Do it. Do it, Sam. I'm sick of this. I'm tired. You'd be doing me a favour" she looked at him, daring him "Do it"

"Don't you do it, Sammy. You don't know what you're talking about. Trust me on this. Put the knife down, okay?"

"I know! I read what she wrote and I read what you wrote. She used us. Used you to get to her brother" he pushed the knife in a little further "And now…."

Dean put his hand gently on Sam's arm "She didn't use me, Sam. Put the knife down and let me explain…let me and Jay explain okay?"

He shook his head "No…she…."

"She nothing, Sam. She didn't know what was going on. Trust me, okay?"

"Bullshit! It ends…"

Gus had finally taken it into his own hands and knocked Sam out "Jesus, Dean! Make him a cup of tea, next time!"

"For fuck's sake, Gus!" he went to his brother and rolled him over gently, pushing the knife out of the way "Sam…Sammy…." He patted lightly at his brother's cheek "Hey, Sammy…come on, dude"

Gus went to Jay "You alright?"

"Yeah, just peachy thanks" she put her fingers to her throat.

"Let me see" he lifted her chin "Shit, okay. You need stitches" he paused "but…do you need stitches?"

"Who the fuck knows, Gus" she slid down the wall and sat, her knees pulled up under her chin. She turned and watched Dean with Sam. This was turning into one big mess. Thanks very fucking much, Zeke. Gus returned with a towel and she put it to her throat. She sighed, on some level she wished Sam had followed through with the threat. She was tired. Tired of living on the road; tired of being alone; tired of not knowing; tired of chasing a ghost. She put her head in her hands to cover her tears.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, she didn't look up "I'm alright, Gus"

"It's not Gus" said Dean.

"I'm alright, Dean. How's Sam?" she asked, still refusing to lift her gaze.

"He's alright. He's coming round now. Let me see your neck"

"I'm fine. Self-healing and all remember?"

He put his hand under her chin and lifted it, he looked at her neck, it was slowly starting to heal. Very slowly. It had been at least ten minutes since Sam had cut her neck and the edges of it were only now starting to knit together. He frowned and looked at her "I hate to say this, but…" he grinned "I need to cut you"

"You need to?" she had to smile at him "You sick bastard"

He grinned "Shut up" he reached over and grabbed the hunting knife and turned back to her "Sooo, where would you like the scar?"

"You're hilarious"

"Jay, I need to check something. I wouldn't ask…" he raised an eyebrow.

She sighed "Voodoo-doll me, then" she pointed to the scar on her leg "Just go over that one"

He lifted her chin again, still closing slowly. He put the knife to her thigh and dragged it down, making the cut the same length as the one on her neck.

"Shit! Alrighty, then…" she gritted her teeth.

He looked up at her "Sorry" he looked at his watch and waited. It took three and a half minutes to heal. He cleaned her leg then looked at her neck again. It wasn't even half-way healed yet.

"What?" she asked him.

"You ever had a neck injury before?" she shook her head and winced "Your neck takes longer to heal"

"Vulnerable point" he nodded "Then you keep those bastards away from your neck, Dean" he grinned at her "Now get my jeans, I'm a little cold"

He grinned again "Awww…you're no fun"

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They sat at the table, another uneasy silence hanging over them. Sam was holding an icepack to the back of his head and Jay had a bandage around her neck. That wound was taking a long time to heal.

"So explain it to me, Dean? Explain to me how her brother, knew about us two fucking years ago! Explain to me how he's in Hell, but not dead…and how he needs you to go and get him!"

"That's not exactly right, Sam" said Jay.

"You shut the fuck up, bitch! I read what you wrote…Dean's gonna die this afternoon so he can go get your brother!"

"Back off, arsehole! You read fucking wrong! Shit!" she grabbed at her neck and went to the bathroom.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" asked Gus "I come out here this morning" he pointed to Sam "He's reading Jay's journal, which we know she hates" he turned to Dean "And you two are playing 'happy couples' on the couch! Then Sam goes all Rambo on her ass…."

"On my neck, Gus" said Jay coming out of the bathroom, a new bandage around her neck "And we weren't playing 'happy couples'…we just… fell asleep" she shrugged and sat down. She looked at Sam "I didn't bang your brother, okay? And if I had, it wouldn't have been any of your damn business"

"Just tell me what the hell you've done!" he yelled.

"I didn't do anything and Dean's not gonna die this afternoon. This fight has nothing to do with Zeke. Zeke is my business! Not yours. Not Dean's. And not Gus'. Mine."

"Jay…"

"No, Dean. Mine. You concentrate on your fight. That's what you need to do" she turned her attention to Sam "You're right, Zeke did send me here because your Dad wanted me here"

"Bullshit"

"No bullshit, Sammy" he picked up the journal and flicked through the pages, then went and got their Dad's journal from the lounge and opened it "Look at the dates…Dad and Zeke met, Sam. They understood what was going on and they set this in motion"

Sam shook his head "No way. Na-ah. Dad wouldn't…."

"Yeah, Sammy. He did" he looked at Jay "He did a lot more than that".

"What? What the fuck did he do?" asked Sam.

"Your Dad sent my brother to Hell!"

To be continued...