Notes: I hate this chapter. It's uninspired, but what can you do? I should probably have taken up with my beta again when I realised the schedule had gone to pot. Oh, well.

Chapter 7.

A few hours later, in a motel-room smelling of sex...

After their second round, Eric had gone to get Sam a coke from the vending machine while the hunter lay in bed in only his boxers. He didn't look like he had just had great sex, though.

The hunter appeared pensive. He was waiting for something. He knew all he had to do was push the issue, but a part of him didn't want to, for fear that he was right. If he was right, however, then push was exactly what he had to do.

Sam watched carefully when the vampire returned. Eric wore only a pair of tight jeans, the bad lighting in the crap motel room making him look more pasty than ethereal. He came over with a smile, placing the coke can on the nightstand. Sam smiled tightly in gratitude.

'What are you thinking about?' Eric asked, tilting his head curiously. Sam glanced at him.

'Nothing special,' he muttered.

'You look like someone killed you puppy,' Eric remarked, going round to his side of the bed and slumping down on it. 'You know we still have time for a little more celebration...' Eric hinted. 'Lilith won't be in position until Friday. We don't need to leave here before tomorrow morning.'

'And how is it you know this again?'

'I have my ways.'

Sam's teeth ground together, but then he closed his eyes for a brief moment before turning towards Eric with a smile. He leaned down and kissed the vampire softly.

'I'm glad you're here,' he whispered.

'So am I,' Eric replied between kisses.

'I love you,' Sam murmured. 'Do you love me?'

'Of-' There was a flash of pain across Eric's face.

'Eric, I love you,' Sam repeated more insistently. 'I need your help.'

'What are you talking about?' Eric asked. He tensed. Sam rolled on top of him completely, taking hold of the vampire's wrists and placing them on either side of Eric's head, their faces nose-to-nose.

'I need you, Eric,' he whispered. He kissed him hard, but not harshly. 'Eric.' He allowed the vampire to roll them over, even though the jeans weren't very comfortable against Sam's crotch. They kissed and touched. Sam continued to whisper Eric's name over and over. 'Eric, Eric, Eric...'

Suddenly, the vampire went stiff in his arms, his face buried in Sam's neck, probably seconds away from biting.

'Will you just shut up,' he growled. He was about to say something else when his whole body shook. Sam held him tight, but had to let go when Eric pushed himself up abruptly, hands on either side of Sam's head. His eyes were intense and looked blood-shot, as if he had been awake for days.

'Sam-' he gasped. He squeezed his eyes shut, arms shaking. When he opened them they were black.

Sam gasped, reacting instinctively by pushing the demon with all his strength. Caught unawares, it flew backwards off the bed and hit the floor. Before it had time to get up, Sam sat up in bed with his hand raised.

The demon coughed at Sam's initial push of power, but it was strong. Sam grit his teeth as he focused.

'Don't be stupid, Sam,' it hissed. 'You need me, you know you do.'

'Let him go,' Sam growled.

'We're fused together,' the demon said, 'if you kill me, you'll kill him.'

'I don't believe you!'

'He's a vampire, his soul is mine!'

'If you get out of him right now I won't kill you,' Sam bargained, then added low: 'Ruby.' The black eyes flashed again.

'What gave me away?' Ruby asked, smiling and showing off Eric's canines.

'You mentioned the last time we had celebrated,' Sam said, 'that was before Eric exorcised you.'

'Ah,' Ruby nodded, 'a small slip of the tongue, but you have to admit, I had you going.' Sam grimaced at the truth of the statement. Ruby took the opportunity to rise to her-or his-feet. Sam held up his hand in warning. 'Come on, Sam,' Ruby insisted, 'you need me to kill Lilith.'

'No,' Sam shook his head, 'I'm strong enough on my own.' Ruby laughed, but stopped abruptly at the look in Sam's eyes. Just as she made to lunge at him, he redoubled his efforts. Finally, Ruby began coughing up black smoke.

It was hard; Sam was getting a massive headache very quickly. Slowly, Ruby sank to Eric's knees, hands desperately pushing in the black smoke. Sam's nose was bleeding, but he hardly noticed.

'You need me!' Ruby gasped.

'No!' Sam yelled.

XXX

A few moments earlier, a day's ride out from Bobby's, Dean was racing down the highway in the Impala, praying harder than he ever had.

'Come on Cas, I've finally found him!' he growled, gripping the wheel so tight he was getting blisters on his hands. He had been praying steadily all day. He didn't just pray to Cas, though. He prayed to God Sam would keep the demon in the same town long enough for him to get there. He had already looked the town up and found the cheapest motel. If only Cas could pop in so they could zap straight to Sam-

'I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner.' The angelic voice triggered an immediate reaction: Dean stomped on the breaks hard enough that Castiel actually hit his head on the dash. The angel didn't seem to mind that much, though. He merely gave Dean a concerned expression. Dean guided the Impala as far off the road as the terrain allowed before turning to the angel.

'I found Sam, you need to zap me there right now.'

'All right,' Cas replied immediately and Dean released a breath. A part of him had been scared Cas wouldn't be able to do it. The angel was more than capable once Dean gave him the address.

Once outside the cheap motel it was only a matter of taking in the layout of the place and finding which room Sam was likely to take. It was a one-story structure in the same of an L, with only a couple of cars parked outside, one by the reception and one at the end.

Dean knew it would be the last one on the block, with the beat-up old Cadillac outside.

He jogged towards the room, not even caring if Cas followed or disappeared. When he reached the last door he hesitated for a second. He had no idea what they would be doing in there-

'No!' Sam's yell spurred him into action and he just kicked the damn door open without a second thought.

The scene he was met with wasn't one he could have predicted.

Sam was on the bed, nearly naked, nose bleeding and hand outstretched towards Eric, who was spewing demon smoke all over the floor around him.

'You're-... not... strong... eno-' the demon tried to speak, but Sam gave a painful cry and the demon gave up its last essence. The smoke seemed to simmer around the vampire before burning away, leaving no trance of it.

Eric wobbled on his knees a bit, and then fell to the side with a dull thud.

Sam pulled himself off the bed and onto the floor, taking Eric's head and placing it in his lap.

'Eric? Eric! Please, please, no,' he whispered, sounding absolutely broken. Dean was so stunned by what he had just witnessed he barely registered when Sam looked up at him.

'Dean?' Sam asked, as if he wasn't sure Dean was real. The elder hunter shook himself and came forwards, dropping down to his knees by Eric's side. He placed his hand on Sam's shoulder, forcing Sam to look him in the eye.

Dean had another shock when he realized Sam had the same look he had worn on the day Jess had burned. That same hopeless, guilt-ridden look of grief.

'I'm here,' was all Dean could think of to say. Sam nodded tightly and looked down at Eric.

'I don't know if he- if he survived,' Sam whispered. Dean glanced over his shoulder, checking to see if the angel had followed. Sure enough, Cas stood in the doorway, a look of uncertainty on his face. Dean hesitated to ask if an angel could heal a vampire.

Then Eric opened his eyes. He didn't gasp for breath, which unnerved Dean more than he cared to admit.

'Eric,' Sam did gasp, tilting the vampire's face up so they could look directly at each other. Eric reached up and touched Sam's face.

'Forgive me,' Eric whispered. Sam shook his head several times.

'No, it was me. I-'

'Sam, look at me,' Eric instructed. Sam frowned, continuing to stare at the vampire. There was a pause before Sam stiffened. 'Let it happen. Your strength prevents me from forcing you, but you need to let me in,' Eric told him. 'I'm going to put you to sleep. You'll wake up somewhere safe.'

Sam took a deep breath and allowed Eric to glamor him. Dean watched, feeling unsure about a lot of things, but considering what he had just witnessed, he thought perhaps Sam taking a nap would be for the best. As Sam slumped, Eric moved quicker than a human could and placed him in bed. Afterward, he found his t-shirt and put it on.

'I'm going to dress him, and then we need to get him to Bobby's,' he said quietly, eyes on Sam. Dean watched the vampire, for what he wasn't sure. He felt like he should be having a massive reaction to all this, but he was numb instead.

'What happened?' he heard himself ask.

'A lot,' Eric sighed, 'I'll tell you everything once we have him in a safe location.'

'Ruby's dead, right?' Dean asked just to be sure.

'Yes, Sam's powers destroy the demons completely. I meant a safe location for him to detox in.' Dean swallowed at the thought. 'I think Bobby's panic room would be ideal.'

Dean nodded and decided to let Eric dress Sam on his own. He waited outside with Cas, who like him was silent. There was a strange feeling of relief and dread in the air.

Once Sam was decent, and Cas had zapped them all back to Bobby's (getting the car as well), Eric placed Sam on the couch temporarily. Bobby didn't ask, but showed them the panic room.

Eric stopped at the entrance, almost like a demon would when encountering a trap. Dean, who had entered first, turned and tensed with suspicion.

'What's wrong?' Bobby asked from behind.

'It would appear I need a separate invitation for this room. It is a house onto itself, self-sufficient.' Both hunters still watched with suspicion after Bobby had given the invitation, but Eric appeared to have no problem in the iron cage. He looked around, taking in the books and interesting posters.

'Everything must be removed,' he declared after a moment. 'Nothing but a bed in the center, with restraints.'

'Restraints?' Dean asked. Eric looked at him.

'For his own safety,' he murmured. Neither hunters nor vampire spoke another word as they made the room ready.

Dean stayed out of the way as Eric carried Sam downstairs. It was disconcerting to see the tall vampire sling the Sasquatch over his shoulder as if it was nothing. He watched as Eric strapped Sam onto the bed, softly pushing some hair out of the sleeping face before exiting the room. He didn't close the door, looking at Dean in a silent question.

'How bad is it gonna be?' Dean asked instead of going in. Sam looked almost peaceful, probably a result of the glamor.

'Bad,' Eric replied. 'Last time I offered to ease his pain with some of my blood, but he made me promise not to give it to him.' Dean glanced at him sharply.

'Vampire blood would help?'

'They have a canceling effect,' Eric explained. 'A mild one, but still there. That is why Ruby had such trouble possessing me at first.'

'Shit, that was Ruby in you? Bitch,' Dean muttered grumpily. He sighed a moment later. 'Could you tell me everything?'

'Of course.' Before they could turn and go upstairs, however, Sam made a noise within the chamber. Eric was by his side in literally the blink of an eye. Dean hurried to the entrance, but kept out of sight as Eric knelt by the bed.

Sam blinked his eyes open slowly, his eyes going from calm to anguished in increments as he remembered what had happened. He looked around, ending his inspection with a guilty look at Eric.

'You're in Bobby's panic room,' Eric told him unnecessarily. Sam nodded, pulling at the restraints to check on them. 'I thought it best to be prepared.'

'Yeah,' Sam whispered. 'Good thinking.'

'Do not blame yourself Sam. If anyone is to blame-'

'I drank the stuff, it was my choice,' Sam cut in, turning his head away to stare at the wall to the left.

'Only because I told you to.'

'I should have know it wasn't you.'

'I should have been able to take control.'

'Just...' Sam squeezed his eyes shut. 'Don't give me anything.' Eric hesitated. 'Promise me, like before.'

'You've drunk so much, a little of my blood could help-'

'I don't want it.'

'If this is some method of punishing yourself-'

'Just don't put anymore blood in me!' Sam bit his lip after his outburst. Eric nodded, leaned down and pressed a kiss to Sam's furrowed brow, and left. Dean waited outside, out of sight, and closed the door before Sam saw him.

He had to wait until he heard the whole story.