Okay, here is the next chapter as promised. I hope you enjoy.
Cindy.
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The door swung slowly inward, the bright path of sunlight cutting through the dark interior and falling upon the figure crouched on the floor, back leaning against the wall. The woman's head was down, forehead resting on her arms which lay across her drawn up knees.
Tara slowly lifted her head, her eyes squinting against the bright light that invaded the darkness she had been trapped in for the past two hours. Tara knew she deserved it, thought she deserved worse. She had done something so terrible to someone so good and kind. She did it because she was a coward; too weak to stand up to Gordon and to think for herself.
Tara watched as Bryan approached her, tray in hand. He pulled a box from against the wall and set it in front of Tara. He placed the tray on the box then sat crosslegged on the floor facing the woman.
"What's this?" Tara asked, eyeing the sandwich and bottle of water with confusion.
"Lunch," was Bryan's short reply.
"Why?" Tara queried.
"Because Dean said to," Bryan said shortly.
Tara looked at Bryan in shock. Why would Dean say to feed her, bring her water? Then it hit her. He was doing it for Sam. Sam, the one she poisoned, the one she tried to kill. She knew without a doubt that Sam had already forgiven her and that he would not want her to be denied the things she needed. She however didn't know if she could ever forgive herself. Tara was pulled from her musings when Bryan spoke.
"Why Tara? Why did you hurt Sam?" he asked, his eyes bright with unshed tears.
Bryan had considered Tara one of his closest friends in the compound. She was someone he thought he could trust and count on. She was an excellent cook and a fierce fighter. But now, she was the one who tried to murder his other closest friend. He stared at the woman who sat across from him, waiting for an answer as she struggled with her emotions.
"I let Gordon persuade me that Sam was evil, that he would be the one to bring humanity to it's knees," Tara said, her eyes dropping in shame.
"But you had to have seen how wrong Gordon was after coming here. Tara, you had to have known Sam could never be evil," Bryan cried, shaking his head in confusion and anger.
"I did Bryan. That's why I held off, but then Gordon shot Sam because I wasn't acting fast enough. I tried to tell Gordon he was wrong, but he wouldn't listen. I told him I couldn't go through with it, but...he said he'd kill me if I didn't," Tara explained.
"You could have come forward. You could have helped us take Gordon out," Bryan replied.
"I was scared. Gordon wouldn't think twice about killing me."
"I'd be more afraid of Dean than Gordon," Bryan said sternly.
"I deserve whatever he gives me."
"Tara, do you think we can take Gordon down? Would you be willing to help us?"
"If Dean will let me, I'll do whatever I can," Tara answered.
"I'll talk to him. We have to get Gordon out of the picture, or else he'll just keep coming after Sam," Bryan said as he rose and started for the door.
"Thank you Bryan. I know I don't deserve this kindness, but thank you," Tara said softly.
Bryan turned to her, his eyes distant. "You can thank Sam when you see him. That is if Dean lets you anywhere near him."
Tara nodded then dropped her eyes to the floor. Bryan stepped through the door, shutting and locking it behind him.
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Dean stood like a sentinel beside Sam's hospital bed, watching his brother as he slept. An oxygen mask covered Sam's nose and mouth and several tubes delivered needed medicine and fluids to the ill young hunter. A heart monitor beeped steadily, the sound assuring the older brother that the younger one still in fact lived. Sam lay so still, having been sedated so he could get some much needed rest.
Dean glanced up when Maggie quietly entered the room. She stepped up to the bed and checked Sam's vitals before turning her attention to Dean.
"I have spoken with Dr. Paulsen. Sam's test results came back and even though he did ingest a fair amount of arsenic, it wasn't enough to cause any long term problems. Sam should recover fully," the doctor explained, smiling as she watched Dean's tense stance relax.
"How long is he going to be here?" Dean asked, pulling the sheet further up over Sam's chest.
"With the fluids and medicines he's receiving, Sam could be heading home in a matter of a few days," Maggie replied.
"That's great news doc. Great news," Dean said, smiling for the first time since Sam fell ill.
Both Dean and Maggie glanced to the door when Bobby came in carrying three cups of coffee. He handed the cups out, then glanced at Sam's sleeping form.
"How's the kid doing?" he asked worriedly.
"Sam's gonna be okay Bobby. He should be out of here in a few days," Dean said happily.
"He's really okay?" Bobby queried, a hopeful look on his face.
"He will be. He's not going to feel perfect for awhile, and he'll be weak, but he'll be fine," Maggie said.
"Bobby, why don't you take Maggie back to the compound. Start talking with Jakota and Bryan. We need to take care of Gordon before he has a chance to hurt Sam again," Dean said as he dropped tiredly onto the chair beside Sam's bed.
"What if Gordon shows up here? Will you be able to handle it alone?" Maggie asked worriedly.
Dean chuckled before replying. "Gordon can try and come here. He won't get near Sam, I can promise you that."
Bobby clapped Dean's shoulder before turning for the door. "You take care of Sam and I'll be back in a few days, okay?"
"You know it Bobby," Dean replied and watched as the grizzled hunter and the doctor left the room.
Once alone, Dean turned his attention to his brother. He lifted his hand and rested it on Sam's head, his fingers brushing lovingly through Sam's hair. It still made him nervous to see how pale his brother was, but trusted that Maggie knew what she was talking about.
"You're gonna be fine Sam. In a few days you'll be back in your own bed and working at driving me crazy. And don't worry, I won't let Gordon or anyone else hurt you anymore," Dean whispered, smiling when Sam leaned into his touch, his face appearing to relax at the sound of Dean's voice.
Dean leaned forward and rested his head on his outstretched arm and within minutes was lightly sleeping, his ears however were attuned to any sound that did not belong in the quiet room. Dean would keep Sam safe at any cost. It was the only thing that mattered to him now.
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Gordon Walker lay stretched out on his cot gazing up at the ceiling of the rundown cabin he had taken up residence in. He smiled to himself, confident that soon he would be hearing the words he needed so desperately to hear. The words that would tell him that Sam Winchester was dead.
Gordon had originally planned on coming to the compound himself, sure that he could convince the Winchesters to let bygones be bygones. He truly wanted to kill Sam himself and had actually been glad to have that chance when he shot Sam. But the little bastard had not died. He had made it clear to Tara that she was to carry on with the plan or she would die herself. She knew he would follow through on his threat, so he was confident she would succeed, if only to save her cowardly skin. And if she didn't, he would kill her.
Gordon almost hoped Tara would fail. He couldn't help that little part of him that yearned to be the one to see the light go out in the youngest Winchester's eyes at his hands. He could imagine his hands wrapped around Sam's throat, squeezing the life from him, feel his struggles weaken until all movement from the young man ceased.
Gordon wasn't stupid however. That's why he elected to send someone else to do the job. He knew he wouldn't leave the compound alive if he killed Sam. Better to have someone else commit suicide than himself. So Gordon lay there, waiting for the news that Sam was finished. He almost felt sorry for Dean. Almost. But, Dean had humiliated him. He knew what if felt like to lose a sibling to evil, but in the end, he had done the right thing by killing his sister. Dean would thank him in time. Thank him for relieving him of the burden his baby brother had become. Thank him for lifting the burden of having to kill his brother himself.
Gordon fell asleep as these thoughts ran through his head. He dreamed of different ways to torture and kill Sam, smiling in his sleep each time Sam's life was extinguished. He didn't know that all of his carefully thought out plans had been blown out of the water and that his time to pay the piper was close at hand.
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Well, that's it until tomorrow. Please let me know what you think. Love to you all.
Cindy.