SNSNSNSNSNSN

I faked all the signs of a poltergeist in my area. But all I got was those two stupid guys from Hell House! Um … does anyone know how to get rid of them?

I am astounded by all the reviews I am getting on this story. Thanks to all who took the time to review, it means much! A special thanks to all of you who have stuck with me from my last story to this one. It means the world!

Thanks again to my friend Charlene for all the encouragement! You all can hate her though, cause she gets a sneak peek!

Rated T for foul language and torture. Of course, there is Hurt, Limp, and Abused!Sam, Over Protective (with a bit of hurt!) and Fired up Pissed!Dean, and lots of angst in this story.

SNSNSNSNSNSN

Dean stood stock still for a moment, his mind processing all the information at once. The anger, while not gone, was suddenly vented toward something useful. It was as if a light bulb suddenly sparked over Dean Winchester's head before he moved to the table and sat between Bobby and Gary, though neither man got his attention … that went directly to Sam's laptop. The tapping of keys filled the room as all eyes were focused on the eldest Winchester, though Dean didn't seem to notice. Instead, he focused on his search.

"Huh…."

The sound was more to himself than anyone else as he stared at the most recent picture of one Daniel Murdoch. Staring a moment, he began typing again, his brows furrowing as he took on Sam's usual role … that of geeky investigator. After a few more clicks, he paused and stared, his face first furrowing in concentration, and then going lax as realization settled in.

"I know that man. Not only do I know him … but he's in town…"

He turned the laptop toward the other three, showing an older man than Dean remembered, but definitely the same man. The article in the local newspaper showing Murdoch's arrival, along with plans to restore and reopen Sunnydale Hospital.

SNSNSNSNSNSN

"Dean … ?"

"What Sammy?"

The last was said with exasperation, and Sam knew he was treading on thin ice with his brother. He'd already pushed his limits ten pushes ago, but somehow he just couldn't stop this one last shove.

"If you play ball with me, I won't tell daddy that you…"

But that was all Sam got out before his thirteen year old brother rose from the chair and towered over him. Being nine certainly had its disadvantages.

"Go away Sam!!"

"But Dean, I…"

"No buts! I don't want to play with you, I don't want you around. Sometimes I wish I never had a kid brother at all!"

"Breathe you bastard!"

Sam, somewhere above the level of little kid, but definitely lower than adult, or even teenager, couldn't stop the tears that welled in hazels eyes. His mouth opened, quivered with the threat of tears, and he turned and ran down the hall to the bedroom he and Dean shared, only to slam and lock the door.

"You don't get to die until I tell you to, breathe damn you!"

"Sam … Sammy wait!"

Dean, instantly regretting his choice of words, stood stock still for a moment before giving chase, but he wasn't quite fast enough as the door all but closed in his face. Grabbing the knob, he turned it, but again he was a second too late, and the lock clicked just an instant before his hand took hold. Hitting the door with his hand, he yelled.

"Damn it, Sam, open this door right now!"

"Allen, go get Doris. Now!"

Apparently threats were not going to work, and neither was losing his temper. Sighing, Dean breathed in and out, willing himself to calm, willing his heart to slow as the image of his kid brother's face flashed before his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't mean it…"

"One-one thousand … two-one thousand…."

"Come on Sammy, I … life would be pretty boring without you, you know that kiddo? In fact … I'm … I'm not sure I could make it without my geeky sidekick of a brother…"

Suddenly the door opened to reveal a teary-eyed Sam standing there, his lower lip quivering, his breath …

… sucked in suddenly in a gasp for air, a grasp for life. The sounds around him slowly swam in his head in a loud cacophony that was too much to handle. Turning suddenly onto his side, he coughed then threw up the crumbs that he'd managed to force down at some point, his chest heaving with the efforts before his head dropped to settle on his arm.

"Look at me."

Blinking, the sound of a voice filled his head, though he didn't make out the words, just the tone. It didn't matter; nothing mattered at that moment but sleep … pure blissful sleep.

"I said look at me."

Sam ignored it this time, the words echoing the demand in his head, a demand he refused to heed to. Sam hadn't even obeyed his father, so who did this bastard think he was? A grin curled his lips, then a soft chuckle emitted.

"I think he's gone crazy, Doc…"

But Sam had ceased listening; instead he fell into the lulling sounds of his own heartbeat, though the smile remained. Sam knew something they failed to see; even if they killed him, and they probably would, they were going to die … Dean would see to that.

Sam had never been surer of anything else in his life as he was of that.

SNSNSNSNSNSN

"So you're telling me this doctor's dead wife was the vengeful spirit?"

"Yup."

His word came at the same time as his foot pressed harder onto the accelerator.

"So the doctor, because his wife died, tries to find the key to immortality?"

Gary looked at Dean incredulously as they sped across the back roads of this one-horse town in search of a needle in a haystack. It was maybe a long shot, but the only shot they had at this moment, but a shot that Dean Winchester was grappling at just the same.

Following the black impala was Joshua's truck of the same color. The lack of color in both vehicles making them rather nondescript, something hunters craved. Gary tried drawing Dean out of the shell he was obviously in ever since realizing that the whacko doctor and the vengeful spirit's madman husband were one in the same. But nothing was going to lure Dean into pleasantries when he was close to finding his brother.

Nothing else mattered.

SNSNSNSNSNSN

The impala came to a halt along the side road that led to the hospital, Joshua's truck sliding in right behind it. Four doors opened at once, and closed just with one slam. The sun was lowering slowly across the sky, making the hunters drink in what they could of the landscape, though it went without saying that they would wait until the cover of darkness cloaked them in blackness and gave them an advantage over almost anyone.

"I'm going in first…"

Dean's head spun to stare at Joshua as if he'd lost what little mind he had left.

"You've got to be crazy if you think I … "

"Dean, if this is the madman that has Sam, he'll be expecting you to come charging in, guns blazing. Let's not give him that advantage. If he does have Sam, the element of surprise is the only thing we have."

Dean wanted to argue, in fact, his mouth opened to do just that, but closed just as quickly. No matter what his gut told him, Joshua was right … Sam's only chance stood on them taking them on by total surprise.

"Fine. I don't like it, but fine."

As Gary tugged out a map and the other three began discussing strategy in who was going in where, Dean stared at the building that, on inspection this close, was not so abandoned, what with the lights on and all. Hang on Sammy, I'm coming.

SNSNSNSNSNSN

"What are you doing?"

Daniel Murdoch was not shocked by much anymore, but two men at his wife's unmarked grave was enough to send him into panic.

"We're here to help, sir, if you'll just step back."

Suddenly there was a drop in temperature and an unearthly screech before the form of his beloved Clara took shape.

"Dean, rifle, now!"

A blast echoed through the night, the wail of his dead spouse all but deafening before it stopped altogether as she dissipated.

"All right, get the salt, I've got the gasoline."

"Got it, dad…"

"Wait … salt? Gasoline? You're going to … burn her remains?"

Doctor Murdoch was stupefied. In all the years of the things he's seen, the things he's done, this just mystified him.

"We're going to put her to rest."

"You mean kill her?"

That got him moving toward the pair of men that were covered in the dirt she'd been buried in. The elder one, the one the younger man called 'dad' was definitely in charge, though there was something burning in the younger man's eyes that Daniel would later recall on many a sleepless night.

"You can't do that!"

"She's already dead!"

Another wail began, and again the younger man, Dean aimed the rifle at his love and fired. He could hear her pain in the pitch of her scream and covered his ears. So busy trying to drown out the sound of his wife's pain that he didn't see the strike of the match until it was tossed into the grave. That is, until it was too late.

Clara's cry built to such a pitch he all but screamed himself as flames engulfed her remains.

"Oh God, you've killed her!"

"Sir…"

Daniel had been sitting in the room that held the youngest Winchester, staring at the man that would exact his revenge.

"Yes, Allen?"

He looked at his employee, the one that had nearly taken that away from him. Something had changed between them. It was indiscernible, but there just the same. Didn't matter, his plan was falling into place.

"Dean Winchester is here."

"Are you certain?"

Allen smirked, the look saying far more than any words could have. With that, Daniel smiled.

Moving right to Sam, he reached down and jerked his head up by a handful of shaggy brown locks, the groggy awakening of his young prisoner soon changing with the words he conveyed.

"Your brother is here."

Oh suddenly there was such hope in his eyes, it was so thick it was nearly palpable. Then, with a devious smile, he patted the younger man's cheek.

"Come boy, it's time to meet God…"

The look changed then, realization finally coming to the young Sam Winchester. Realization of what exactly the mad doctor had in mind.

"Nu…."

His throat was scratchy and raw, but the word came just the same as Sam struggled to move away from his captor. But Allen closed in, Sam's further protests thwarted as he was gagged before his arms were jerked roughly behind him, causing what would have been a yell from the man, as his wrists were bound.

It was then that Allen saw what he'd been longing for … fear. Grinning sadistically, he leaned toward the man's ear as the doctor moved toward the window to gaze out.

"Don't worry boy … it won't hurt … much.

SNSNSNSNSNSN

I had a really hard time with this chapter, so I'm really sorry if it's not my best. It was one of those things where I knew what I wanted to say, knew how I wanted it to go … but couldn't get it out just that way. But, despite that, I am posting it early, mainly because I took so long on the last three chapters. (I've actually been a chapter ahead throughout the story.)

I know that I skipped over what might have been said between the doc and Allen, but don't worry, that's coming. It was intentional on my part.

And again, thanks all for reading and reviewing, it means the world!

SNSNSNSNSNSN