Chapter 15

Bobby and John decided they didn't need to see Sam like this again; honestly it was more so that they didn't think they could bare it - so they went upstairs to go look for something else to try and help him. Bobby thought it best to give Ellen another call to see how far away she was.

Dean on the other hand, stayed in the basement watching his brother as he circled the room slowly for almost an hour and a half – looking for weak spots in his cage where he could escape from. Every time Dean heard 'Sam' give a frustrated growl he took it as a good sign.

During this time, after what seemed like forever – Dean noticed certain subtle physical changes happening with Sam, causing Dean's breath to hitch in fear.

First of all, Dean noticed that when Sam growled he bared his teeth at the invisible threat. His incisors had grown from normal sized sharp points, to relevant fangs that looked equally as deadly as his claws.

And then second, was the tail. This morning it was nothing more than a red, raw skinned, stub. But now, hours later it was a legit rat-like hairless tail that snaked out of the left leg hole in his boxers.

It seemed that thing was right last time when it said every time it was in control the transformation quickened, Dean thought to himself grudgingly.

Dean refused to think about the fact that Sam was beginning to look more like a wild animal than a human being.

Not much longer after giving up his searching, 'Sam' sat down on the cot with his legs folded beneath him as his intent golden eyes pierced the door where he knew Dean was watching him.

To Dean's surprise, 'Sam' actually sighed and then started talking to him. Instinctively, like Dean did with any creature he wasn't sure of – he put his guard up.

"You know I don't want to hurt you, Dean." 'Sam' said almost sympathetically, "I told you that I have the memories of my human side. You're still my brother."

"You're not him." Dean said flatly.

"This is stupid, Dean!" 'Sam' said a little louder, his frustration clear, "You know I'm going to win! Sam won't be able to kill that kid and you know it! So why don't the two of us just leave, get the hell outta here – start our own pack, just you and me!"

Now as tempting as that sounded, Dean had to admit – he knew that it was wrong. His hunter instinct won out over all as he glared at the monster wearing his brothers' face.

"We'll fix you." Dean replied sounding completely sure of himself.

"You can't fix this!" 'Sam' bellowed loud enough through his small prison for his voice to echo off the walls, "There's only one way to end it, Dean and I won't do it. So…do you have any other fantastic ideas?"

Dean gave the thing a defensive smirk as he leaned closer to the door. "Don't get too comfy in my brothers' head, you son-of-a-bitch…I'm gonna kill you."

"Now that I'd like to see." 'Sam' egged on with an eye-roll.

"You saying that I can't?" Dean challenged as he raised his eyebrows, tempting the monster.

"Dean, I said I didn't want to hurt you…" 'Sam' replied with a weary sigh, "Not that I wouldn't. If it came down to my survival and your life…I'd kill you without thinking twice about it."

Dean understood that, actually. Survival was the number one basic instinct of any wild animal. Some humans were able to repress it though if it ever came to a loved one or a friend in danger. Animals on the other hand, especially wild ones…not so much. Still though, Dean would be lying if he said that those words coming from Sam's mouth hadn't wounded him deeply.

But Dean knew there was nothing natural about this thing. It was evil, plain and simple. This was a curse, and once this animal had taken over completely, and Sam's body was completely changed…Sam would be trapped in there until The Beast that took his body and mind were dead. Sam's soul would be trapped.

The thought stuck in Dean's mind for a moment, making his stomach ache. Was the best way to save Sam to kill him?

Suddenly, Dean's attention was turned to the basement door, as it slammed open and a series of loud footfalls coming down the stairs echoed through the basement.

To Dean's relief, he saw his father, Bobby, and Ellen descend into the room a moment later.

"Hey Ellen." Dean called with a sigh as they came closer to him.

"Good to see ya, boy." Ellen replied, "Sam in there?" She asked motioning toward the large iron door Dean was standing in front of.

Dean nodded curtly, and stepped aside for Ellen to get a look at his little brother for herself.

She stepped up to the slot hesitantly, and her jaw went lax in surprise as she stared at what had become of Sam Winchester.

"Son-of-a-bitch." She muttered in surprise as his dark eyes watched her hungrily.

"Has there been any change?" John asked Dean soberly, his eyes piercing his eldest son with hard authority.

"No sir, not in his behavior…" Dean replied honestly, "His um…his teeth though – they've grown some. And his uh…tail."

"It's getting faster." John muttered to himself. Everyone knew all too well that he meant the transformation.

"John, I don't think we got much longer." Ellen informed as she tore her eyes away from 'Sam' to look back at John and Bobby and Dean, "Even with Jo, Ash, and I on this too. There's no way we can get this done before he's done…changing."

"Where is Jo anyway? I thought she was coming with you." Dean wondered aloud.

Ellen chuckled mirthlessly as she fixed her gaze on Dean. "She left, Dean. I called her – told her where I was going and what I was doing with you boys. I asked her to keep an eye out for anything that could be useful. But what she does is her business."

"She left? Where to?" Dean asked sounding surprised.

"Minnesota, she runs a bar down there." Ellen replied.

"Okay, back on point!" John snapped angrily, avoiding looking Ellen in the eyes, "Ellen, we need to know how you found out about this."

Ellen looked back at John, and then toward the iron door. "Rufus." She replied.

"Rufus Turner?" Bobby asked sounding astounded, "That son-of-a-bitch!"

"Why?" Ellen wondered.

"He told me he couldn't take any further part in helping us because of what was happening to Sam. He said that the kid was hopeless, and something to be hunted." Bobby replied, "You think he told Gordon too?"

"I don't know…" John admitted, his fury reaching blinding levels, "But I'm gonna kill him."

"I'm gonna go give him a call." Bobby announced as he jogged up the basement steps.

Once Bobby was upstairs and out of view, everyone's attention was suddenly drawn to 'Sam' when he sighed deeply as if bored.

"Hm…I'm hungry." 'Sam' called with a half-chuckle.

"You'll get something to eat when you give me back my son!" John snapped.

"But daaad!" 'Sam' drawled out with a half-smile – revealing his long fangs Dean had told them about, "I am your son!"

"Let me talk to your human side." John requested sincerely.

"You will soon." 'Sam' admitted with a long drawn out yawn, "This little visit took a lot out of me…but what can I say? I really missed hanging out with you guys."

"You bastard." John swore under his breath heatedly.

"I wonder what my body will be like for my next visit." 'Sam' asked aloud to no one in particular just to toy with John, "It seems every time I drop in, my body is just a little more adjusted to my way of life."

'Sam' chuckled, full of amusement as he finally got to his feet. "It won't be long now." He promised.

"That's not your body!" John told the creature fixedly.

"But it is my body!" 'Sam' promised threateningly as he slowly crept toward the door, "And sooner or later it'll be all mine!"

'Sam's' eyes suddenly fluttered, and immediately he stopped walking and staggered backwards as if he couldn't hold himself upright anymore. He gasped and grabbed at his chest with a clawed hand as a shooting pain swept through it.

John watched with great concern as Sam suddenly lost his footing while his eyes glazed over. Before John could get the door open to help his son, Sam had collapsed in a heap on the cold floor with a loud 'thud' that echoed through the basement.

Wide-eyed and full of worry, John made a grab for the handle of the large iron door before him, but stopped when Ellen's hand came down on his – causing him to halt and send her a intimidating look.

"That's my son in there!" John argued crossly.

"Maybe, maybe not. Do you really wanna take that chance with your life, John?" Ellen rationalized sincerely.

John gave Dean a pointed look, and in unison they both nodded – silently agreeing with Ellen. John sighed and removed his hand from the handle while Dean approached the door to take a gander at his brother.

In the room, it looked as if Sam was out cold. He wasn't stirring, but his breathing was normal – much to Dean's relief.

"Sammy…" Dean called but his voice failed him and cracked as his emotions got the better of him, leaving a trail of tears from his eyes, "Can you hear me?"

At first, nothing happened. Sam remained on the ground motionless as if he hadn't heard Dean's call. Dean kept his eyes fixed on his brother intently, silently willing him to move.

Then Ellen placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and tugged lightly. Obliging to her motion, Dean turned to face her – his face turning from pleading and heartbreaking, to hard and angry.

"You look like you could use a break." Ellen commented, "Go tell Bobby to put a pot on. I'll stay down here and watch your brother."

"Not without Sam." Dean replied sternly as he wiped the wet tracks his tears had left on his cheeks.

Suddenly to Dean's relief, as if he had heard his declaration; Sam groaned as his head whipped back and forth slowly, finally coming too.

Hopefully, Dean turned around toward the door upon hearing his brother stir. "Sammy?"

"Y-yeah." Sam muttered tiredly, his voice hoarse and slightly strained.

Finally releasing the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, John opened the large door and rushed into the room to his youngest sons' side with Dean at his heel.

"How're you doing?" John asked Sam as he helped him up into a sitting position slowly.

Once up, Sam grimaced as a throbbing discomfort shot through his newly elongated tail as he appeared to be sitting on it.

"Feels like I got hit by a truck." Sam groaned truthfully as he grasped his forehead, hoping the dizziness would fade soon.

"Can you stand?" Dean asked Sam with wide eyes as he held Sam's back to keep him steady.

"I think so." Sam murmured as his eyes scrunched together as he concentrated on moving with his brothers' and fathers' movements as they helped him to his feet at a slow and supportive speed.

Once he was standing upright, he finally laid eyes on Ellen. He looked surprised to see her in the doorway at first, then his cheeks gained color as his surprise turned to embarrassment.

"Ellen." He grunted in greeting.

"Hey, Sam." She greeted back with a nod.

Sam nodded toward Ellen curtly as Dean and John finally get him moving toward the exit sluggishly.

He remembered what happened while that thing took control of him. He wished he didn't, but it kept him awake – made him see and feel what it was feeling. Sam felt its ravaging hunger every time it glanced at his brother and his father. As far as it was concerned, they were just meat – food. But it had told Dean that he should run away with it. Sam knew it was a trick. This monster was a solo monster, and he felt it. It thrived in being its own animal in the darkness – he felt it.

Sam knew that if Dean had fallen for the beasts' words, it would have turned around and killed him. Thankfully, he didn't. Because Dean's not stupid, Sam thought to himself with a silent chuckle.

'It was worth a shot.' It retorted in his mind with a mental shrug as it disappeared into a dark corner of his mind – leaving Sam in charge again.

'And stay there!' Sam snapped at the animal mentally.

His words meant nothing though, and he knew it. This thing would definitely be back. It was only a matter of time.

xXx

It took a while, but finally getting Sam up the stairs and into the kitchen – John and Dean sat him down at the table so they could regain their breaths. Panting, they turned toward the threshold leading to the living room and saw Bobby staring back at them with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Got some weird news." Bobby informed, passively.

"We're listening." John assured, urging Bobby to continue.

"I just got off the phone with Rufus." Bobby admitted as he strode into the kitchen, scratching absently at his scruffy chin.

"And?" Ellen interjected.

"And Gordon's a damned liar." Bobby said with a mirthless chuckle.

"Gordon? How so?" Dean wondered aloud.

"Apparently the day Rufus called me and told me he couldn't help us with Sam anymore, was the day someone broke into his house and robbed him blind." Bobby said, his eyes shifting from Sam to John and then to Dean – expecting them to interrupt. When neither of them did, he continued. "Apparently he went out for a minute, and when he came back – most of his files had been cleaned…Sam's and Dean's included."

"I have a file?" Dean wondered with a smile on his face, obviously excited about the idea of having a file.

"Rufus has a file of every hunter, ya idjit." Bobby quipped back with an eye-roll. Dean visibly deflated at Bobby's words, for a moment looking truly disappointed.

"Anyway…" Bobby continued a little impatiently, "Gordon took out some of Rufus's security cameras, but didn't get a hold of the hidden ones…and Rufus wouldn't lie to me."

"So what you're saying…" John cut in – his face red as he held back his rising temper "is Gordon is the only one after Sam? Rufus didn't call other hunters to come after him?"

"I don't know if Gordon's the only one, John." Bobby admitted, "Maybe he called some of his friends. There's no way of knowing till someone else comes after us."

"But if Rufus didn't call anyone, then why'd he call me?" Ellen asked a little skeptically.

"Well what did he say to you, exactly?" Bobby inquired.

"He said it was important that I get to the Salvage Yard, quick. It's about Sam…then he hung up." Ellen recalled with a shrug.

"Maybe it was a warning about Gordon…maybe Rufus figured we'd need the back-up if Gordon came after us." Bobby wondered.

"Whatever this is going on with these hunters we need to figure it out and fast." Sam interjected, his strength returning slowly but surely.

"We are son," John assured Sam sympathetically, "We're doing this as fast as we can."

"But not fast enough." Sam replied miserably.

"What does that mean?" Dean demanded, suddenly getting defensive.

Sam looked up at his brother and then his father as unshed tears lingered in his eyes, held back by his guard that he desperately tried to keep up. "It means I was out of it for more than an hour just now, Dean."

"Yeah…so what? You still came back!" Dean argued.

"You need to be ready, Dean…" Sam replied, ignoring his brothers' argument, "I don't know if I'll be able to fight it back next time. It's already stronger than I thought. And it's a sneaky son-of-a-bitch. When it told you to let it go, and to leave with it…I knew it was going to kill you anyway."

"You remember that? You were awake?" Dean asked as his eyes remained fixed on his little brother.

"It made sure I was awake for it." Sam commented truthfully, "It doesn't have a problem with killing you…all of you."

"What are you saying, Sammy?" John asked, his voice cracking with held back emotion.

"It means…the next time this thing takes over – I'm not so sure I'll be able to fight it off." Sam replied as a tear slid down his cheek as his guard crumbled down, "We're almost out of time."

You guys still liking the creature!Sam? Hm...I know I am. :D

Heads up - there'll be some more angsty!John next chapter. Hehe.

What do you think so far?