Hate is a four-letter word
Disclaimer: Nope still nothing but my fevered imagination working overtime as per usual. So Eric Kripke has the honour of owning Supernatural and the characters we all love to hurt.
Disclaimer Number 2: Very important, this story is going to contain hate crime I just want to say that I do not advocate any kind of hate crime ever, in fact it goes against all of my principles but it will be a very important part of the story. I am hoping that the ending will resolve issues brought up throughout the plotline.
Warning: Graphic violence and sexual assault if you are squeamish about these things then please go read one of my tamer stories.
Author's Note 2: I would also just like to apologise for not answering reviews, I appreciate each and every one, I save them to my own files as well as here on FF. Life is just so hectic for me that I am having trouble just keeping up with updates and figure that they are more important than anything else. So here is a big {{{{{HUGS}}}}}} to all of my reviewers and {{{{HUGS}}}} to those who like to read and lurk, your presence is just as appreciated.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Two Weeks Later:
Sam sat on the edge of his bed and tentatively lowered his feet to the floor, he had to wait for the dizziness to subside, and for his eyes to focus but when he felt settled enough he continued to manoeuvre himself into a standing position. Taking a deep breath he slowly straightened until he stood his full and impressive height, with a death grip on the bed end he closed his eyes and prepared himself for the next part of his little excursion, to take a step without anyone helping him.
'You can do this Winchester, suck it up.' He muttered to himself as he shuffled forward, two steps, pause, two steps, pause and then with growing confidence he let go of the bed end and continued his slow but sure movement towards the bathroom door.
Sam heard a slight noise and lifted his head slowly, determined not to lose his concentration or momentum, 'hey Dean,' he said almost casually.
'Hey Sammy, so whatcha doing?'
'Bathroom.' Sam grinned, 'lucky I'm not busting to go,' he added with a chuckle.
'Doing good there Sam.' Dean encouraged his brother, he fought his instincts of the protective big brother to rush to Sam's side and help him, he knew that this was something Sammy had to do on his own.
'So whatcha doing Dean?' Sam asked effectively startling Dean out of his musings, stifling another chuckle he rested a shaking hand on the bathroom door handle and looked at his older brother with a humoured look in his eyes, 'what's going on?'
'Oh, ah, Bobby he ah asked me to bring ya down for lunch.' Dean ran his hand across the nape of his neck with a sheepish look on his face, he hadn't meant to spy on his brother, but he was so proud of the progress Sam was making since his release from the hospital. 'So go on, I'll be waiting for ya.' He made a shooing gesture for Sam to continue into the bathroom, when the door closed however, Dean heaved a deep sigh of relief. The visit with the plastic surgeon was horrific to say the least, Sam was that terrified of the man he was virtually catatonic by the end of the brief examination. He informed the Winchesters and Bobby that if Sam wanted to go through with the reconstruction, it would have to happen over a series of surgeries, most of the cuts would have to be reopened and then would have strips of skin sewn into them. It also meant that for another six months at least Sam would have to stay put in hospital. After restraining Dean from hurting the pompous ass, Bobby sat the boys down and they made the decision together.
With Sam's back covered in layers of gauze, cotton wool, and bandages the brothers set off for a long drive back to Bobby's house. May not have been a long distance but it was a long, slow and painful trip just the same.
Wrapped in thick polar fleece blankets Sam rested while they drove, insistent on sitting shotgun, he faced Dean with pillows packed behind him and one under his head. For all intents and purposes he looked like an oversized papoose.
In deference to Sam's headaches, Dean decided not to play any music but as they drove away from the hospital Sam's hand snaked out to the cassette deck and pressed play, strains of Kansas, filled the car and only then did Sam finally relax enough to drift off.
Dean glanced over at his brother every so often, still unable to believe that finally, finally Sam was sitting with him again. They were back home, and they had survived.
S—D
Bobby glanced up from the foot of the stairs, his mouth dropping open in shock when he saw Sam walking by himself though Dean hovered at his elbow, taking a step at a time they made their way downstairs.
Sam swallowed deeply and forced the vivid memories back into the dark abyss, and smiled brightly at Bobby, 'hey,' he murmured softly.
'Hey son.' Bobby's voice cracked slightly and he coughed discretely not wanting to ruin the moment, 'you're lookin' good there kiddo.'
'Thanks Bobby for everything.' Sam said as he let Dean help him sit down at the table and was unable to hide his sigh of relief when he felt a soft narrow pillow slide down between his back and the back of the chair.
'So ready for lunch? Coz I'm starved.' Dean grinned rubbing his hands together, salivating at the thought of freshly barbequed hamburgers, and fried onions.
'Git yer brother a drink first, and then I'll feed that pit of a stomach of yours.' Bobby groused happy to have his boys back where they belong.
The lunchtime meal soon turned into a quiet conversation and light banter, giving Sam some normalcy for the first time in a long time. Even though he had barely touched his full burger, he had eaten, and kept it down. Tired but happy he sipped his coffee and listened to Bobby and Dean as they had another 'pissing' competition on which classic car rules the roads.
S—D
'Sam, Sam time for a bit of a rest dude.' Dean tapped his brother's hand when he noticed Sam drifting off at the table.
'Not bed Dean please, the couch will do.' Sam pleaded turning the full on kicked puppy look.
'Fine but ...'
'Yeah I know.' Sam smiled and let Dean help him up, 'thanks for lunch Bobby.' His smile deepened for a moment and then with a slight grimace at the pull on his still healing back Sam made his way to the couch. Asleep before his head connected with the pillows Dean draped a throw rug over his long body and stood watching him a while longer.
'He's doing better Dean.' Bobby whispered coming to a stop next to Dean and joined him in watching Sam sleep.
'Yeah, his nightmares aren't so bad especially when he's around us.' Dean nodded, 'I nearly died before when I went upstairs and found him walking on his own.'
'A milestone in itself.' Bobby agreed.
'Bobby he won't leave the house, I know they said to give him time but ...'
'Small steps son, small steps when he's feeling up to it we'll git him out to the porch and then ...'
'I just wish I knew what that Rodgers was up too.' Dean said following Bobby outside to help him work on his latest restore job.
'Caleb is checking things out for us, he had a lead on Clay and Will too.' Bobby glanced up at Dean before returning his attention to the motor in front of him. 'Will was spotted with Rodgers not long after Sam's release.'
'Damn it, Bobby were they in it all along? Were they that good?'
'Nah Clay was definitely possessed, and I reckon ... well I reckon the smoke might've gotten Will too, that boy was hurtin' pretty bad it wouldna taken much.'
'Yeah you're right Bobby.' Dean absently rubbed his aching side and stretched upwards trying to work out the kinks in his own still healing body.
'You okay there boy?' Bobby gave him an appraising stare, 'you're looking a bit peaked yerself.'
'M'fine.' Dean's automatic answer slipped out before he could stop it, 'sorry I'm a bit sore but I'm fine.'
'Yeah right, why don't ya go and git us a beer and check on yer brother?'
'Sounds like a plan Bobby, be right back.' Dean made his way back to the house when a car pulling into the salvage yard made him stop and adopt a defensive stance on the porch steps.
'Dean?' A young man stepped out of the car but stayed a distance from the house.
'Speak of the devil, what you doin' here Will?' Dean's frown deepened when he noticed that the young FBI agent showed no signs of his previous injuries, 'what do you want?'
'To talk.' Will took a few steps closer towards Dean but stopped when he felt the nuzzle of a shotgun press against the small of his back. 'Bobby.'
'So Will, where've you been?' Bobby asked easily disarming the younger man before he prodded him towards the house.
A fear filled scream from the house had Dean moving without uttering another word, he ran in to find Sam writhing on the couch in the grips of a violent nightmare. 'Sammy, hey dude come on time to wake up.' He gently shook his brother's shoulders trying to ease him out of the dream terrors. 'Sammy hey, hey that's it time to get up Sleeping Beauty.'
Tired, pain-filled eyes slowly opened and squinted up at Dean. 'De?'
'Yeah the one and only,' Dean smiled and helped Sam to sit up wanting to check his back before anything else.
'Where, where's Bobby?' Sam yawned and scrubbed at his eyes, 'm'tired.'
'I know kiddo but that was some nightmare ... care to share with the rest of the class?'
'Where's Bobby?'
'Outside working.' Dean said easily, satisfied with the way Sam's back looked he helped ease his brother back against the couch. 'So 'fess up what was the nightmare?'
'The same old same old.' Sam tried to brush it aside but when he saw the determined look on Dean's face, 'We were prisoners of Rodgers again.' Sam said softly, 'he was beating you and I couldn't reach you.'
'Ah Sammy ...'
'But there was something different this time.'
'What Sammy?'
'I – It felt like a vision mixed in the dream, like it was all happening for the first time, it hadn't happened yet.'
'How can you?'
'Clay and Will were standing behind Rodgers, dunno about Will but Clay ... Clay was the one who was beating you.' Sam dropped his gaze and fixed it on a small burn mark on the rug.
'Sammy?'
'Clay was laughing and enjoying it but ... it didn't sound like Clay.'
'Sammy?'
'They had you strung up, everytime I made them angry you got hurt.'
'Ah geeze Sammy ...'
'Will's here isn't he?' Sam asked lifting his head he met Dean's gaze and held it trying to gain strength from it.
'How? Yeah he is.'
'Don't trust him Dean, he's not Will anymore.' Sam whispered, 'please Dean don't.'
'I promise Sammy, I promise I won't trust him.'
'Don't want to see him ...' Sam tried to push himself deeper into the couch but only managed to wince with pain.
'Stay here Sammy, I'll be right back.' Dean said as he stood and went to go to the door.
'Dean?'
'Yeah Sammy?'
'It's never gonna finish is it? With them I mean.'
'Yeah it is Sammy, I'm gonna make sure of it.' Dean said as he closed the front door firmly behind him.
S—D
Will looked up from his seated position on the hood of his car, Bobby kept his gun levelled on the younger man while he waited for something to happen or for Dean to come back which ever came first.
'How's Sammy?' Will asked seemingly concerned.
'First you don't get to call him that, second you don't get to ask that.' Dean ground out his anger rising smoothly, rippling through his body as a separate but united entity.
'What's going on with Rodgers Will and why are you here?'
'I came to warn you.' Will said holding his hands up in a placating manner, 'I'm not here to cause any trouble.'
'Where did you go Will? You just disappeared.'
'I-I don't remember exactly.' Will dropped his hands, 'I still don't understand most of it.'
'Bullshit.' Dean ground out, 'hey Bobby how about a beer?'
'Yeah good idea son.' Bobby nodded and headed to the small fridge he kept in the workshop, quickly opening three bottles he passed one each to the two younger men and kept one for himself.
Dean took a sip of his but kept a trained eye on Will's face, Bobby sipped his and did the same but also kept looking over to the house keeping an eye for Sam. Will took his beer and with a small salute swigged a mouthful, the effect was instantaneous, his face became infused with a heated red rash, as steam hissed from his mouth, large drops of sweat tinged with crimson ran down his body, and an unholy growl came from deep within him.
Moving like one, Bobby and Dean grabbed the foul-mouthed, fuming possessed man and dragged him into the workshop, a devil's trap permanently etched and painted on the floor. they pushed him into the centre of it before standing back to catch their breath.
'Dean?' Sam's timid voice had the three men all turn to the doorway, 'Dean?'
'Stay there Sammy, we're fine.' Dean looked over at his pale and shaking brother, 'dude you made it all the way out here on your own?'
'Huh? Yeah I guess I did.' Sam leant against the doorway, a fine tremble ran through his overtaxed muscles.
'Well, well if it isn't the little slut, want to come back for some more?' the demon inhabiting Will's body.
'Go back to the house Sam.' Dean ordered his brother, before he turned back to the possessed man. 'What is Rodgers up to?'
'Why should I tell you?'
'Hmm coz I'll send ya back to the pit if you don't.'
'Yeah as if you could be strong enough ...'
'Try me.'
'The Master won't allow it.'
'Who is this Master?'
'It is his divine mission we strive to achieve.'
'Ah great we got evangelistic demons now.'
'The Master knows that the Arian way is the only way.'
'Got another story coz this ones getting old.'
'The true way is the Arian way, all others are not worthy and should be exterminated,' the demon sneered, Will's handsome face contorting evilly as it licked his lips and stared openly at Sam, 'of course there are a few exceptions, pets to play with.'
'Where is Rodgers now?'
'Where you can't find him, he is renewing the ranks, soon the Master will rise, and the ranks will fight alongside him in the apocalypse.' Pure fanaticism shining in the face and black eyes.
'What apocalypse?' Bobby asked stepping forward to get the demon's attention.
'The Master has had to reside below, but it is only a matter of time before he rises again and takes his true place, and then, then, only his faithful will be permitted to remain in his presence.'
'And by faithful you mean blond, blue-eyed-teenage-killing-machines?' Dean spat the words out, turning when he heard the anguished cry from Sam. 'Sammy what is it?'
'Dean?' Sam gasped for breath as he turned and stumbled away from the workshop.
'Sammy?' Dean hurried after him the demon forgotten in the moment as he watched Sam collapse to his hands and knees as a vision assaulted him.
Cradling his brother in his arms all Dean could do was make sure that Sam didn't injure himself anymore than he already is while Sam rode out the vision. Excruciatingly slow minutes passed before Sam slumped and clung to Dean as though he was his only lifeline. 'Sammy? Talk to me dude.'
'He – it is telling the truth.' Sam muttered clutching at Dean, 'so much blood ... so much pain ...'
'Sammy talk to me.'
'This Master, he – he can't be allowed ... have to stop them Dean.'
'We will Sammy, we will.' Dean kept his arms wrapped around his brother oblivious to the exorcism going on in the workshop.
