(Yes, second last chapter folks. I promise it will be all be finalised by Chapter 20. Enjoy.)

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(Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Story is mine though)

Battle Weary.

Chapter Nineteen.

Dean smiled as he stepped towards his fate. The fear now gone. This was what he was born to do and the primal instinct that was buried deep within him rose like a fire and consumed everything but what was needed for battle.

The demons saw the change in the man and looked at each other. This wasn't the same man they'd battled on their first attempt. This was someone different…it gave them pause. But they were here to do a job and nothing was going to stop them. Him and his kind would not be allowed to live. If they did, it would be the beginning of the end for them.

Dean waited…waited and watched. They would make the first move and he would take his cue from them. He smiled as the adrenalin kicked in, rushing through his veins in a torrent, his senses in hyper-drive as he took in all around him. He was in the zone and those fuckers didn't stand a chance.

A demon stepped forward, smiled nastily at him, drew his sword and struck. Dean had his sword in his hand in an instant. He blocked the blow, swung the demons sword round as he pulled his other sword from its scabbard, decapitating the demon. It had taken less than ten seconds. He turned his eyes to the rest of them.

"Next"

He swung his swords in an arc, grinning as he kicked at the head of the first dead demon. Another stepped forward, his sword already in hand. They circled each other, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. The two of them, demon and hunter…battling like their kind always had. To the death. The demon launched itself at Dean, bringing his sword down with as much force as it could muster. Dean crossed his swords above his head, blocking the strike and pushing the demon back. He advanced quickly, striking left over right, driving the demon back, his fury building with each swing of his swords. He ducked a strike at his head, dropped to his knees, driving one of his swords up through the demons chest before rising and slicing it's head from it's shoulders. Two down, six to go.

The remaining demons stared at the man. He'd killed two of their own without breaking a sweat. He was using as little energy as he could, keeping some in reserve, he understood he had to last through eight separate battles and he wasn't going to waste energy in unnecessary strikes. He wasn't even speaking. He was a warrior.

Dean watched as another demon stepped forward, this one had two swords…he smiled, now he was going to have a fight. He smiled at the demon, noticing how he slightly favoured his right leg. A weak spot. He circled to the demons right, making him use that leg to effect his first strike. He stepped forward, swinging at Dean's head with one sword, the other aimed at his stomach. Dean grinned, blocked both blows and the fight began. His swords swung, the light of the slowly setting sun glinting off them. The sound of clashing swords like lighting cracks in the still afternoon air. Dean advanced, making the demon use his right leg more and more. He could see him starting to favour it as they continued to fight and he struck hard at him, forcing him to take a step back. He threw himself to the side, slicing a long cut along the demons knee, forcing him to the ground. The demon struck quickly, catching Dean along the leg. The demon didn't have time to savour the small victory as his head fell from his shoulders.

"Dean!"

Dean turned and saw Sam running towards him. Shit! What the hell was he doing here? "Stay back, Sammy!"

He turned, instinctively blocking a strike at his neck. His eyes filled with fury and he jumped at the demon, slashing left and right, driving the demon back, his swords a perfect extension of himself, his feet perfectly placed to ensure each strike was made with maximum force. He didn't feel the slice to his side, he was intent only on killing. He hacked into the demon's shoulder, the arm falling from its perch, the demons scream cut short as Dean's sword cut cleanly through its neck.

"Dean, you're hurt!"

"I'm fine, Sam!" said Dean, his eyes never leaving those of the remaining demons.

"You're bleeding..."

"I'M FINE! STAY BACK!" he yelled at his brother. He could feel the wound in his leg had almost healed. The one to his side was slowly starting to knit together. He needed to kill the other four demons before they realised he could self-heal.

He looked at them "Let's get this finished" he pointed his sword at one of the demons "You" he pointed at another "And you"

"No, Dean!"

"Shut the fuck up, Sam!" he walked towards the demons "Come on, pussies. Two against one, what are you waiting for?"

The demons smiled and walked towards him…the warrior had made his first mistake.

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Jay sat in a chair opposite Gus', her arms leaning on it's back as she waited for him to wake. She waited patiently, she was good at that…it was part of the job. She sipped at her coffee waiting for the first murmurings of his mind returning. She'd stitched and wrapped his head and tied him to the chair that Sam had so recently vacated. Everything she needed was on the table to her right. Within easy reach.

She put her coffee down as Gus moaned. He lifted his head slowly, his eyes boring into hers. He smiled nastily at her and she smiled sweetly back at him.

"Well it's good to see you've finally made an appearance, Azazel. It's been a while" she said.

He sneered at her "You won't win and neither will those other two" he laughed "And no matter what your brother does, you'll never get to him!"

She reached over and slapped him hard, rocking his head sideways "Look down, Azazel. I'm not here to play games"

He looked down, finally noticing the symbol that surrounded the chair and he roared his rage at her.

She laughed "Yeah, not quite the devil's trap is it?"

"You're one of them!"

She laughed "Yeah, I am. Bet that surprised you" she cocked her head at him "Although you should have realised that after our last meeting" she smiled "But you were never really that bright. I'm guessing that's why they made you a 'sleeper'"

"Fuck you!" he spat.

"Now, now. Language." she got out of her chair and moved it to the side "Now I can't have you go back and tell your friends all about me, can I?"

"You exorcise me, he dies! You know that!"

She laughed "I'm not going to exorcise you, Azazel. You said I was one of them …. you know what it is that I do" she picked up her book and opened it to the page she needed.

He panicked "If you let me go…I'll help you get to your brother! You know I can! We'll...make a deal!" the fear was clearly evident in his eyes.

She smiled "Begging. The second stage. We had denial a little earlier" she grinned at him "You're just powering through this aren't you?"

"I can get to your brother! I can! You can't, but I can!"

She looked at him "I will get to my brother. I don't need anyone's help. Especially that of a piss-weak, second-rate demon" she smiled "Now on with the show…" she took her dagger from the table and cut the symbol she needed into the palm of her hand. She walked around the demon that inhabited Gus' body, speaking in the ancient language taught to her by her predecessor, the blood slowly dripping around the circle, hissing as it hit the symbol drawn on the floor.

The demon howled as he felt the lessening…he held tight to his host, knowing that once he let go, it was the end of him. There was no going back to Hell for him, he would be cast into oblivion, no chance of returning…ever. She was one of 'The Banishers'. One of the few that could kill the essence of a demon, ensuring they were lost, never to return. Once a demon was killed he was body was dead, but his essence, his being was never truly gone. It was held, waiting to be reborn. These were the only ones that could truly destroy them.

Jay continued the ritual, Gus' screams now mixing with that of Azazel's. The cocophany bouncing off the walls of the cabin as demon and host fought for possession of the body. She glanced at Gus, she could see the welts starting to appear on his hands where Azazel clung to him. It was only going to get worse but there was no other way. Once a 'sleeper' was in place there was only one way to get rid of them, The 'sleeper' would wait til Gus' mortal form died, then it would take over completely. This was the only was to save Gus. Unfortunately, it hurt like a sonofabitch.

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Dean was on his knees, breathing heavily, his head hung slightly. He forced his eyes up, two more…that's all…two more. He dug deep, the stab wound to his back was bleeding freely, the blood from the shoulder wound coursing down his arm, dripping from his fingertips.

"Dean, come on, dude…get up…get up…you can do it. Don't let those assholes get you!" urged Sam.

Dean rose to his feet, staggered a little, lifted his swords and readied himself for the next attack. He stepped purposefully towards the remaining demons "Lets finish this"

A demon stepped forward, grinning…Dean dropped his sword a little, shook his head and took a slight, awkward step back…

"DEAN!" yelled Sam.

The demon ran at Dean. Sensing he was weak from blood loss, he saw the man sink to his knees again and he laughed as he charged. He didn't expect the man to slice the legs out from underneath him, roll and come up behind him, decapitating him in one swift movement. It didn't even register that he'd been tricked.

Dean turned towards Lothar. This was it. After this, it was all over…what it was that would be over, at this stage, was anyone's guess. But he aimed to finish the job.

Lothar stared at the man. He stared long and hard at the warrior. He'd killed seven of his men, he was injured, there was no doubt, but his will to finish the job far outweighed any injury he had. The man was dangerous. Lothar had to kill him.

Lothar smiled "So it is down to you and me, Dean Winchester"

"Looks like. You want to say goodbye to your fuck-buddies over there before I kill you?"

Lothar glared "You make jokes, but you will NOT be laughing when we bring the old man from his cabin to join you in Hell"

Dean raised an eyebrow "His cabin? How would you know about that?" Dean saw the briefest flash of fear in Lothar's eyes before he regained his composure. He laughed, he had been cheating.

"There is nothing but cabins in this area" said Lothar.

"Yeah, you're probably right…but there's more to it than that, isn't there? You've been breaking the rules, haven't you Lothar?" said Dean as he circled the demon. He noticed the Watchers' interest peak at that. He drove the issue home "What is it Lothar? You been taking little trips to the past? Spying? Trying to see what it is we're up to? Cause you know that's against the rules"

Lothar roared and charged at Dean, his plan to bait the man into doing the wrong thing backfiring as he flew at him, hacking and slicing without thought to winning the battle, only wanting the hurt the man for guessing his secret.

Dean had done what he'd hoped to do, get the demon into such a rage he didn't fight properly. He was too overtaken with rage to think through his strikes, he was just hacking and slicing at him, trying to get to him. Dean was an exercise in studied calm, blocking each blow, parrying strike after strike, letting the demon tire himself out before making his move. He ducked under a strike, turned and sliced Lothar from hip to shoulder-blade, forcing a roar of rage out of the demon that echoed around the surrounding fields. Lothar turned, and ran…ran recklessly at Dean.

He looked down surprised as both of Dean's swords pierced his chest. He fell to his knees, dropping his swords. Dean crossed his swords around Lothar's neck, drawing only a small amount of blood, his intent abundantly clear.

He leaned in close and whispered "This is for me, Sam, Zeke" he smiled "and Jay" he saw Lothar's eyes widen "Yeah, that's right. She was with us the whole time. Go to Hell knowing that asshole!" and he closed the swords quickly. The demons headless body crumpling to the ground.

Dean re-sheathed his swords and turned to The Watchers.

Sam stepped beside his brother and stared at the two remaining demons "It's finished. You go and you leave us the fuck alone!"

One of the demons smiled at him "It doesn't work that way" he looked at Dean "Tell you brother what happens"

Sam looked at Dean, he didn't like the look he saw on his brothers face and it was time to put what Zeke had told him into play "What? Tell me, Dean"

Dean said nothing.

The demons laughed "Your brother traded your soul Sam Winchester. He lives and you come with us"

Sam shook his head "No….he wouldn't do that"

"Sammy…"

Sam looked at Dean "NO! You wouldn't DO that! You…." he stopped when he saw the look in his brothers eyes "NO! NO!"

"Sammy…please…" he took a step towards his brother.

Sam stepped away from him "YOU ASSHOLE! HOW COULD YOU??" he laughed "It's her isn't it! "

"NO, SAM!"

"Bullshit!" he laughed "Well if I'm going to Hell….I'm gonna go for a reason" he reached quickly into his boot, removed the dagger and slit Dean's throat.

He grabbed his brother, forcing him to look at him "I've killed you, Dean"

Dean reached up, grabbing the blood-soaked dagger, trying to speak to Sam, trying to explain but the only thing that came from his lips was blood.

"Now you kill me" he put his hand over Dean's hand and drove the dagger into his own heart.

Dean stared into his brothers eyes. The eyes were .where death began, as all hope slowly fades and fate is accepted. He saw the light leave his brothers eyes….he pulled the dagger free, the light leaving his own eyes moments later.

The Watchers screamed their fury at the men. They watched as they crumpled to the ground in a seemingly lovers embrace. The one thing that would break the pact, the one thing that would ensure they kept their souls, they had done. The only thing that had kept the pact intact had been broken when they'd broken the bond of brotherhood. The job had been done, yes, the warriors were dead, but their souls were their own. They had failed.

To be continued…..