Sorry about the delay. I was out of town and then dealing with a sick pooch. I don't normally thank specific people publicly, but this time, I feel compelled to offer gratitude to Ster1 and Relativity1953. I don't know who you are, but I do greatly appreciate your continued comments. I write for me, but we authors thrive on feedback. Thanks also to those quiet ones who add alerts. I assume it means you like something about the story!

Chapter Six

Sam moved his arm slowly across the counter for the second bowl of butter. He snatched it and ran into the next room to the other side of the table. "Here you go Agni. Here's your butter. Now go away like a good little god."

Sam imagined the running commentary his brother would have provided about the butter, had he been there. His heart weakened for a moment and then hardened. Dean wasn't here because of his screw up. If there was no amusing banter, it was his fault so he had to suck it up.

Sam inched back as the flaming entity consumed the bowl of butter in an instant. For a few brief seconds it flared even brighter and then returned to its original form. The black eyes then focused on him. Despite the heat emanating from the being, Sam shivered.

His body seemed to freeze in place. He found himself wondering if that's why the victims could be burned. Something about the Agni willed them in place. He was seriously beginning to think he should have waited for Dean's help.

The paralysis lasted only until the first tendon of fire lashed out at his upper body. He was certain the flame had seared his skin and it propelled him backward. As he moved butter sloshed onto his arm, but he ignored it, hoping to spread it into the couch, hoping it would then catch fire.

Supernatural

Dean opened the door to the room and slid out along the frame. He stood for a moment to get his bearings. He longed to rip the bandages off, steal a car and save Sam. It should have been that simple. What if he ripped the bandages off and couldn't see? Sam had argued that the doctor would control the environment. If there was still trouble he could treat it again and hope for improvement.

Dean decided he would just have to save his brother in darkness. He'd been in worse situations, right? It's not like they weren't used to working in the dark. It's just that this time, a flashlight wouldn't help.

He listened to the night and waited until he heard a passing car. He slid along the building toward the sound of traffic. The hotel office was at the end of the stretch of rooms.

He tried to count the number of doors he'd gone by, knowing there was a gap between the rooms and the office. As he passed what he figured was the last door, he slowed down and reached a toe out to test the space. He felt the ground slip away from him. He moved slowly and made the step down to the concrete.

He tried to picture the scene from when they checked in. He hadn't thought to pay attention to it then, but his memory was trying to reform the image for him now. He thought he had about fifteen feet to cover with nothing to guide him.

Dean nodded his head and shook off his worry. He took a tentative step forward and then added a few more. He forgot to figure in the size of his steps. The next thing he knew his shin bumped against the step and he went sprawling.

He growled as he picked himself up. At the same time the desk clerk came out to investigate the noise. "Can I help you?"

Dean looked up and revealed his bandaged face.

"Mr. Weaton? What's going on? Where's your brother?"

"You know me?" Dean asked, puzzled.

She was immediately at his side. "I checked you in."

"I didn't expect that. I thought Gina said…" Dean stammered.

The woman sniffed. "Not much good sitting around home crying. There's nothing I can do for Gina and there's only a few of us to work the desk." She coughed. "Thank you for saving her."

Dean shook his head. "We didn't."

"You did the first time it went after her." She tugged at his arm. "What did you need?"

"Listen, I know this isn't going to make much sense, but I need to get to Gina's house." Dean hoped maybe since they were cousins, the two women would have the same sensibilities.

"The thing that's plaguing this town? It's there?" She whispered. "But Gina's dead."

He nodded. "I know, but my brother is trying to lure it in so he can kill it."

"Can he?" She asked softly. It was hard to imagine the man before her was going to be of much assistance.

"Not without me. Look, I need a ride." Dean pleaded.

She glanced around the lot. "Hold on." She stepped back and locked the office door. "My name's Shirley and my car is around back." She grabbed his arm and tugged him.

Supernatural

Sam smashed against the wall as he attempted to outrun the latest talon of fire to seek him out. He ignored the pain that coursed through his body from the previous assaults.

He didn't like the direction his logical mind was bringing him. He couldn't get the Agni to attack anything else while it was still focused on him. In the split seconds he allowed his mind to consider the circumstances, one of the flaming arms whipped out and wrapped around his jacket in the precise spot he'd spilled the butter. He screamed at the pain and lurched away from it.

The flames resisted, but he dropped to the ground and rolled on his side in order to put the flames out. He didn't count as something that should burn. He coughed out the smoke in his lungs and made his decision. He wasn't ready for this fight.

He dodged an attack and made his way to the front door. Before he reached it, Agni blocked his path with a wall of white hot flame. Sam pulled back, hoping for a back door. He didn't get a chance.

Sam stood still, considering his options. If he wanted to get Agni to burn something other than him, he was going to have to be the bait. He eyed the couch with the fallen butter bowl near it. He knew he had no choice.

He could hear Dean yelling at him. He could imagine the ferocious phrases his brother would hurl.

He saw no other choice. "I'm sorry, Dean."

Supernatural

Dean could hear the sirens wailing behind them as they pulled up to Gina's house. Dean didn't wait for Shirley's help as he bounded out of the car, but fell as his feet hit the curb.

Shirley ran around to his side. "Dean, you can't." She tried to hold on to him, keeping him on the ground.

Around them chaos was erupting. The house was fully involved in flame. Dean didn't need to see it to know. He could feel the heat on his skin. "SAM! SAMMY!" He shouted to his brother over and over.

He grabbed at Shirley's arm. "My car, the Impala… is it here?" His heart leapt with the thought that Sam had already left.

Shirley paled, knowing what Dean was asking. "No, it's right behind us."

"SAM! SAM! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!" Dean struggled to rise to his feet again.

A fireman saw Shirley struggling to keep Dean back and came over to help. "Sir, we'll handle this. You need to stay back."

Dean looked to the sound of the new voice. "MY BROTHER IS IN THERE!"

The fireman's eyes twitched. "Stay here. We'll get him." He stepped away, but held an arm on Dean's chest. "WE'VE GOT A MAN IN THERE."

"Thanks, Scott." Shirley mumbled. She appreciated the support. The two watched as a fully geared-up crew stormed the house. Another crew ran hoses and began to pump water at the flames licking the night.

Dean's breaths came in gasps, but he continued to struggle against the two holding him. If he had his sight, he could have easily fought them both off, but now he was useless. Even if he freed himself, he didn't know where to go.

Minutes seemed like hours. Countless horrors went through Dean's mind as he waited. He envisioned the number of ways he was going to kill his little brother.

A cheer went up through the crowd as two firemen exited the house with a body slumped between them. "They've got him Dean." Shirley exclaimed.

"How is he? Take me to him. Is he ok?" Dean fired off one demand after another.

Shirley was about to propel Dean forward when she saw Sam's limp body fall to the ground. She gasped. She couldn't have stopped it.

"What is it? Is he alive?" Fear sent quakes through Dean's words.

"They're helping him." Shirley answered as she watched the medics swarm Sam.

"Let me go."

Dean's plea was low and guttural. The emotion ripped through the hearts of both people holding him.

"This way." Scott pulled Dean to within a few feet and stopped.

"What's going on?" Dean couldn't make sense of the garbled words he was hearing. He focused his ears to hear the medic's words when no one would answer him.

"Not breathing…

bag him…

watch out for those burns…

He's crashing…

Charging…"

Dean couldn't take it. "You hang on SAMMY! FIGHT THIS DAMN YOU!" The pressure was killing him. He pulled at the bandages around his eyes, clawing at them until they stretched enough to fall around his neck. Then he peeled at the shields on his eyes.

The medicine used to treat his eyes was gummed at his lashes, holding them closed. He tugged at one lid after another and then blinked several times. He looked to the direction of the voices reporting his brother's condition and gradually a picture formed.

He closed his eyes briefly, willing the scene to be different when he opened them. "No, Sammy… not like this." He whispered, just before reopening them.

Sam was splayed out on the ground, his shirt ripped open to reveal thick red burn welts. A medic was charging paddles and a second later applied them to Sam's unmoving chest. He watched in horror as Sam's body lurched into the air. As soon as he'd settled back down, another medic resumed pumping air into his lungs.

Dean's heart fell from him. His brother was dead.

The same thing happened two more times. Dean was positive his own heart didn't beat and his lungs had stopped working in sympathy. Desperation settled into his soul. "Come on 

Sammy. Fight this. You gotta breathe!" He had no idea where the oxygen for his words was coming from.

"Breathe, Sammy. Take the damn breath!" Dean pleaded more loudly this time. Then he pushed through and dropped to his knees at his brother's side. He slipped his hand in between the medics and clutched Sam's hand. "Breathe Sam. You can't leave me now."

Just before the medics would try one last time, Sam's chest lurched and he gasped in air. He wasn't conscious, but Dean's heart soared as he felt his brother's hand involuntarily grasp on to his for a brief second as he took in the breath.

"Let's load him up and stabilize him on the way."

Dean had no idea who said it. He didn't take his eyes from Sam's ashen face, but he moved when Sam did and without asking climbing into the back of the ambulance with his brother.

No one tried to stop him.