Road Less Travelled

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

Disclaimer: Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do??? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

Author's Note: Sorry for the lateness of this update, what can I say? Real Life, Christmas, family visits, changing internet providers and hmm now a bout of tonsillitis so much for summer holidays! LOL

So to make myself feel better ... Winchester whumpage of the extreme kind is coming your way.

Warning: Mention of rape and extreme nastiness, if you're squeamish don't read for your own peace of mind. But remember you've been warned so don't come running to me!!

CHAPTER FOUR

Dean took a deep breath gave Bobby and the others one last glance and then moved into his final position. The small group Bobby had assembled were all hunters and fighters and all had dealings with Cornase in the past. All who wanted to end the demon once and for all.

A cold shiver passed through Dean as he moved stealthily into the compound, his favourite knife in his right hand, his gun snug in his waistband. He had two more knives hidden on him but preferred the lightweight hunting knife, a birthday present from Sam when Dean turned eighteen.

A soft thud ahead of him brought Dean out of his musings and he watched as two guards were silently despatched easily. Bobby gave him the go sign and Dean ran, testing door knobs but a feeling deep in his gut kept him moving drawn to one room in particular. He laid a shaking hand on the handle and tested it lightly before pulling out his lock picking set, glancing around he made sure that the only faces he could see were the others in his group, easily he opened the door and stepped into the sparsely furnished room.

'Sammy?' Dean whispered not daring to speak any louder, his gaze fell on the tortured body lying on the bed barely breathing and his heart shattered. Stepping closer he did a visual inventory of the external injuries, from the various cuts and bruises, the obvious swelling around his neck, the needle marks so blatant on the greyish-white flesh, the dribble of blood running from both ears, to the white plaster cast covering one wrist and hand, blue tinged fingernails poking out finished the macabre sight.

A black spongy bruise spread across the ribcage had Dean swallowing back on vomit and bile, he barely recognised Sam underneath the devastation.

'Sammy?' He whispered again laying a gentle hand on Sam's bare shoulder, one of the few places visible where he was injury free. Sluggish eyelids fluttered, in agonising slowness, they slitted open and a pair of glassy unfocused green eyes peered up at him, recognition came gradually as the mists cleared, a silent sob and a lone tear ran down Sam's face.

'Dean?' Sam blinked and then shook his head, 'no, just my dying ... wish I could tell you goodbye Dean.' Sam felt his eyes closing again when another squeeze on his shoulder made him react. 'Leave me be.' He wanted to cry out, so desperate to return to the nothingness of the drugs. But they wore off sometime ago and he drifted on only his fevered thoughts and foggy mind, the fog blanketing his pain for now.

Forcing his eyes to settle on the face hovering over him, Sam tried to reach out with a shaking hand and found it clasped in a warm familiar one.'Dean?'

'We've come to take you home Sammy.' Dean spoke as loudly as he dared but when Sam showed no signs of responding he felt his worry spike to the point, he thought that he was going to have a stroke. 'Sammy dude what is it?'

Sam grimaced as he swallowed letting go of Dean's fingers reluctantly and moved his own hand to his throat and then to his ear. The effort taking an obvious toll on him and his hand fell back to the bed.

'Oh Gods Sammy what have they done to you?' Dean cried out, unsure of how to get his critically injured brother out without hurting him even more in the process. 'Dude you need an ambulance.'

Sam tried to shake his head, just happy to have Dean with him before he died, he didn't care about anything else. A tinkling laughter exploded in his mind making him wince, Merci knows. Fumbling for Dean's hand Sam pulled on it trying to bring his brother closer.

Frowning Dean leant closer to Sam's mouth and watched as his brother tried to force one word out of his abused throat. 'Merci.'

Dean pulled back slightly to see Sam's eyes, 'Merci's here?'

Sam tried to nod and visibly winced and then he hit his head with his good hand trying to convey his desperation and fear for his brother, she could listen to all of Sam's thoughts.

'Sammy, Sammy hey it's okay I just want you to lie there and relax.' Dean couldn't believe the words coming out of his own mouth, 'I want you to think of nothing except staying alive and I'll get ya outta here.'

His silent reward – tears rolling down his baby brother's face and a look of utter devastation, Sam had already given up on living.

'No! No! Sammy don't you dare think you can give up on me and on Mickie. She's safe and that's because of you, she needs her uncle Sam, and damn it Sammy I need you too. So no more death wishes and no more chick flick moments we gotta get you outta here alive. No other option Sam.'

---------------

Bobby stared at Rafe in disbelief, he hadn't seen his old friend in twenty years and heard that he had died after the wrong deal went down. 'What the fuck are you doing here Rafe?' he rasped out the question, shock descending over him very quickly.

'Bobby, dang ... what the fuck are you doing storming in here?' Rafe sat up in the bed pulling the sheets over him and the young healer lying at his side, she watched the interaction between the men with intense interest she had never seen Rafe so frazzled before.

'You're working for Cornase? How? Why?' Bobby demanded levelling his gun at the young woman in the bed, 'and who the hell are you?'

'I am a healer.' She said softly, 'and Rafe's mate.'

'Mate? What kind of insanity is this Rafe?' Bobby turned his fiery gaze back to his old friend.

'I made a deal alright Bobby, but the contract was taken over by Cornase. Sweet work until now.'

'Whatcha talkin' bout?' Bobby glowered at the other man not really wanting to hear what the professional torturer and hitman had to say.

'He brought this banged up kid to me ... damn me Bobby I did what I had to but ...'

'Sam? You tortured Sam?'

'Oh fuck, Bobby do you know the kid?'

'Yeah and so do you, well you did.' Bobby pushed his cap back a little and scrubbed his hand over his face, this was getting into really weird shit. 'Sam, Sam Winchester ... John Winchester's little boy.'

'No, no the last time I saw Sam he was a cute dimpled three year old.' Rafe shook his head and refused to listen to what Bobby was saying. He had just tortured the little kid who used to sit on his knee and listen to his stories with wide-eyed appreciation. 'Tell me it aint ... what did Sam do to Cornase to do this to him?'

'He and Dean went up against Cornase when Dean's little girl got kidnapped, long story we aint got time for ... now you can either...'

'The little one, she's Dean's little girl?' Rafe interrupted Bobby, 'no, no this ... it aint right it can't be.'

'What the freaking hell you talking bout now Engles?'

'The mother, she's a demon a high ranking demon how did Dean?'

'She was no demon back then, she wasn't quite human but aint a demon till she got in with Cornase now looks like she had higher friends than we thought.' Bobby tossed a glance over his shoulder at the door knowing that they were wasting precious time. 'Look Rafe I don't give a monkey's uncle that you're here and working for the damned I am here to get Sam out and that's all. So if you're gonna fight me then I gotta stop ya right here and now.'

'Put the gun away Singer, I'm getting' dressed.' Rafe turned to look down at the still quiet healer, 'Arian look at me, you can come with me now and do something right or stay here but we'll have to tie ya up and gag ya.'

'You will need help with Sam.'

'What is it? What's wrong with Sam?' Bobby turned his full attention on the healer as well as his temper, 'what did they do to him?'

'He is near death, we have had a team of healers working on his injuries but ...'

'I don't have time for this.' Bobby raised his gun and aimed it at the young woman, 'what the fuck did they do to him?'

'They had battered him severely before they made Rafe interrogate him.' Arian said hanging her head low, 'and they have been ...'

'Getting him addicted to a drug.' Rafe finished for her handing Bobby a full syringe, 'dunno what it is but it's slowly killing him so if his injuries don't ...'

'The drugs will.' Bobby added, 'come on we're gotta go find Dean.'

'Bobby.' Rafe started but one glance at the thunderous look on Bobby's face, 'let's go.'

-------------------

Dean's trembling hands ran over Sam's face, absorbing every mark, every cut, the look of fading hope in the moss green eyes. 'Sam you gotta hold on for me okay.'

Sam nodded in Dean's embrace, feeling his brother's strength wash over him, Dean was here and now he could rest.

'Oh isn't this just so touching.' Merci laughed as she materialised at the end of Sam's bed, 'hi lover miss me?'

'What black hole did you squirm back out of Merci?'

'Oh Dean you wound me so.' Merci sighed dramatically, 'where is our daughter?'

'My daughter is safe.' Dean said making sure, he kept himself between the demon and his brother.

'Dean, Dean, Dean do you really think that you can keep her away from me?' Merci lifted her hand and watched smugly as Dean started to choke before flinging him across the room. Giggling she launched herself and landed on him straddling him suggestively. 'Ya know I have had a few enhancements recently.' She whispered suggestively in his ear, 'I have missed you lover boy why don't we make a brother or sister for Isabelle?'

'Get the fuck off me bitch.' Dean ground out pushing at the invisible hands tightening around his throat.

'Now, now nuff of the dirty talk Dean you're making me all hot and bothered.' Merci bent down and started to nip at Dean's chest, cruelly digging her nails into the soft flesh of his forearms, she pushed them above his head pinning him.

'No fair bitch I aint no toy.' Dean spat the words at her as he managed to manoeuvre his legs into position to flip her off when a sharp pain flared in his left hand leaving him gasping for air.

'Oh darlin' did that hurt?' Merci giggled as she conjured another knife and drove it into Dean's right hand this time eliciting an agony-fuelled scream. 'Oohh let me kiss you all better.' In the red haze of his pain, Dean felt his clothes disappear but his only thought was that Sam was watching. His brother was going to see him raped by a demon and there was nothing he could do about it.

His own body betraying him under her very skilful ministrations made Dean cringe and squeeze his eyes shut as she virtually impaled herself onto his forced erection. Manipulating Sam's perception Merci made it look like Dean was an active participant and not a victim of rape. Smiling sweetly she sat up and blew a kiss at the youngest Winchester as she rode his brother.

'Fuck you bitch.' Dean's anguished yell shattered the illusion and Sam saw the reality before he lost consciousness, shock and pain crept back into his awareness in sharp clarity, the last words he heard were Dean's incoherent screams of pain and humiliation.

'Thank you lover.' Merci said as she forcibly kissed Dean on the lips biting his lip enough to draw blood. 'Shame we gotta end it so soon.'

'Gonna kill you.' Dean stared up at the coldly beautiful face, murder flashing in his green eyes with intense colour making Merci push herself off him.

Footsteps in the hallway made her hiss as the door burst open and Bobby in one fluid motion lifted his shotgun aimed and fired the rock salt loads directly at her chest.

Screaming in rage Merci disappeared from view. Bobby pulled up and stared around the room in shock. Unable to wrap his mind around what he saw, Sam lay deathly still on the bed barely recognisable and Dean lay on the floor knives pinning his hands above his head, naked and trembling his eyes remained open but Bobby doubted he was really there. 'Healer get your ass in here now.' Bobby ordered dropping to his knees next to Dean carefully draping his own jacket over the young man's hips giving him a modicum of decency and privacy. 'Dean boy can you hear me?'

'B-Bobby?' Dean's head rolled listlessly wanting to turn away from the direct gaze of concern, 'S-Sam?'

Bobby glanced over at the bed and then back to Dean, 'he's alright Dean.'

'H-he s-saw ...' Dean felt the burn of tears and squeezed his eyes shut he wanted to fade away.

'Dean, son listen to me we have to remove the knives from your hands.' Bobby said tenderly, wracking his fingers through Dean's short spiked hair, 'I am so sorry.'

'D-Dad?' Dean blinked and stared unseeingly at Bobby, 'tired Dad.'

'Sh you can rest soon son.' Bobby said then he took a deep breath and cupped both hands around Dean's face before nodding to Rafe. The big man swallowed down on his rebellious stomach, for the first time in his debauched adulthood he felt guilt and it hurt. Carefully but swiftly he pulled the knife out of Dean's left hand first, watching as the young man bucked silently, he went to pull the next one out when he stopped and stared in horror.

'Arian get over here now.' He called for his mate.

'Rafe what is it?' Bobby looked up reluctantly taking his gaze from Dean's face.

'She just didn't stab this one in Bobby.' Rafe said jutting his chin to the bloodstained floor and skewered hand. Bobby followed the line of sight down until he saw for himself what Rafe meant. Dean's right hand was sliced almost in two, from between his index and middle finger through to the heel of his palm. It was not pinned but from the apparent damage, Dean wouldn't feel anything at all.

Arian wept openly as she lifted the destroyed hand and rested it on her lap, 'hold him.' she murmured as she pushed the two halves together again chanting as she did so.

Dean writhed violently under the weight of both Bobby and Rafe, his screams echoing through the now deserted compound.

----------------------

Cornase once again managed to avoid capture disappearing when the raid happened, happy in the fact that Merci was still no closer to finding her brat and he had a way of getting Sam back, even his tragically broken brother.

He watched the proceedings with detached glee, as she rode and milked the eldest brother in front of Sam, he had to admit even though she was a first class bitch she did have style.

An evilly funny thought crossed his mind and he immediately decided to act upon it.

'Sammy?'

'Who-who is this?'

'Your Master, I was just wondering how you're feeling?'

'Leave me alone Cornase.'

'Got the hunger yet Sammy?'

'Stop calling me that, only Dean calls me that.'

'So Sammy the fire starting to burn in you? Need some more yet?'

'Leave me be.'

'Ah I can feel it twisting inside of you, you need a fix don't you Sammy boy.'

'I-I don't need anything from you.'

'Oh yes you do, and by the time the drug has left your system you will be searching for me, coming to me of your own volition.'

'No, no I ... I don't need you or your drugs.'

'Oh poor little Sammy, it's already starting isn't it, the withdrawal?'

'Get out of my head.'

Cornase laughed and broke the connection, knowing he planted enough seeds for Sam to start following the trail back to him. Even though Sam was broken, he will still need his fix and Cornase will be there for him, yes for him and for much more.

--------------------

Sam's scream silenced everyone in the room, flailing his casted arm around he pushed at the sheets covering him and tried to climb out of the bed. Horrified Bobby left Dean with Rafe and hurried over to the youngest Winchester, just managing to catch the oversized younger man before toppled to the floor.

'No, no he's not supposed to make a sound.' Arian cried out as she carefully laid Dean's hand on his chest, a dark red line the only sign of the cruel slicing. Getting up she hurried over to Sam ignoring the pain in her own hand and the dizziness, Dean's injuries had taken more of a toll than she thought but she had to help Sam. She could never deny healing, it would kill her.

Sitting on the floor with her back against the bed Arian lifted Sam's head onto her lap, humming softly she brushed his long fringe out of his eyes and smoothed away the pain lines etched around his eyes. 'The drugs are calling to him, he craves them already.' She said in a soft singsong voice, 'his body can't ... we have to give him just enough Rafe.' Opening her eyes Arian stared up at her mate, 'we need to wean him from them or they will consume his desires and needs to the point where it will shut his body down and kill him.'

Bobby pulled the syringe out of his pocket and stared at it in horror, 'do you mean if we don't keep feeding this shit to Sammy?'

'He will kill himself by searching for it.' Arian said her fingers still stroking his face in soft sure patterns.

'Rafe?' Bobby looked at his old friend, 'what's in it?'

'Honestly Bobby I don't know, it is a concoction Cornase had developed no one was privy to it except the ones who created it.'

Sam writhed pitifully mewling from the back of his throat, tiny beads of blood dribbled from his lips as his maltreated throat rebelled from the sudden usage. He swung his casted hand wildly at an invisible force trying to fight demons only he could see. His good hand raked at the ones attacking from beneath his skin, scratching long welts along his thigh.

TBC
Author's Note: This chapter got away from me going to 22 pages so I decided to halve it and post both instead of one way too long chapter. Hope that makes sense, it has totally drained me! LOL