Chapter 22

It had taken a while, but once Dean and Bobby had gotten Sam out of the panic room, they finally got the kid to relax a little. He was tired – Dean could tell from the bags under his glossy golden eyes as he sat on the couch with a thin green blanket wrapped around him. But he wouldn't go to sleep.

Dean wanted to ask him why, but considering what just happened in the basement, he could pretty much guess why Sam was fighting to stay awake.

He figured that Sam wouldn't risk falling asleep because he knew the thing – the animal that prowled around his mind was stronger than him now. So if Sam fell asleep, maybe the thing would take hold of his consciousness and devour everything in its path with Sam's hands…and jaws.

But this was ridiculous, Dean thought to himself. Not so much the idea of the thing taking over while Sam was asleep, but the fact that Sam was too afraid to fall asleep! He was running on fumes, and living off nothing else but meat and coffee.

If Dean was being honest, he could see why Sam wanted to give up. But at the same time, he wasn't about to let his little brother die like this. He was such a great kid; he didn't deserve any of this.

There was a loud clanging of pots and pans sounding from the kitchen, and Dean knew Bobby was making them lunch – which he was rather grateful for. He didn't feel comfortable leaving Sam again.

Suddenly, one of Bobby's many phones began ringing and telling from the high-pitched ring – Dean guessed it was his cellphone.

There was a loud crashing and the sound of more louder clanging coming from the kitchen, followed quickly by a stream of Bobby's impressive swearing.

"You need help in there?" Dean offered in a slight yell so Bobby would hear him. But all Bobby did was continue his endless string of curses.

Chuckling softly when he heard Bobby finally answer his ringing cellphone, Dean turned his attention back to his younger brother – who didn't seem to hear anything that just happened as his bleary eyes continued to stare into space.

"You alright?" Dean asked in a lower voice, keeping his eyes on Sam.

But Sam didn't seem to hear him, though Dean could tell this wasn't a matter to get worked up over. Sam was just tired, and deep in his own thoughts.

So Dean huffed an annoyed breath, and made himself comfortable in Bobby's desk chair, and brought it over to the other side of the coffee table that separated him from Sam, to get a better look at his little brother.

Finally, after a few minutes of doing absolutely nothing constructive, Sam lets out a weary sigh as he pegs Dean with a stern look.

"You don't need to babysit me, Dean." Sam assured as he reached forward toward the coffee table in front of him and retrieved his crimson mug filled with his steaming black coffee. "I'm not lettin' this thing knock me down just yet."

Dean offered a half smirk, and nodded in silent approval. It was reassuring to hear Sam say this, but Dean knew his brother was a world class liar. He could keep secrets, and lie like nobody's business. But Dean knew Sam better than anyone else did…he knew when Sam wasn't being completely truthful.

"That's good," Dean retorted, "because I'm not ready to let you go just yet."

Sam offered a lopsided grin, showing off his new set of teeth just barely. The sight sent a chill up Dean's spine, but he ignored it. Instead he turned his eyes downward to the space next to where Sam was sitting and saw as his naked tail flicked up and down in clear annoyance.

Dean suppressed a chuckle at the sight of his brothers' tail. He really should gain control of that thing if he was gonna bother lying to people. His tail moved on a subconscious level, Dean guessed – but it was a dead emotional give-away.

That moment was when Bobby decided to enter the room with swerving wide eyes going from Dean to Sam for a few seconds. Sam and Dean looked over at Bobby, both with twin looks of curiosity painting their features. In Bobby's hands, he held his cellphone in a death-grip – his knuckles white with effort.

"What's wrong, Bobby?" Dean finally spoke up, worriedly. Whatever had Bobby looking so freaked out could not be a good sign.

"Your dad's on the phone…" Bobby began, but his words choked off before he could finish his thought. He swallowed deeply to remoisten his mouth to finish his train of thought, "It's important."

Quickly, Bobby handed Dean his cellphone – Dean snatched it without a second thought and brought it to his face, his eyebrows rammed together upon hearing the static over the line, meaning his father was in motion and losing signal on his phone.

"Dad?" Dean asked urgently, "Dad, where are you?"

"Dean…I think we've been set up." John said sounding hopeless; his voice was thick as though he had been crying.

"What's wrong, dad? Where are you?" Dean asked sounding on the verge of panic. What had his dad and Bobby so freaked out?

"Ellen and I are headed to Minnesota. The demons have the kid, and told us where he is…in exchange for the Colt." John told truthfully, he practically spit out the last sentence as if it left a rotten taste in his mouth.

"You're gonna give the demons the Colt?" Dean wondered incredulously, but quickly pushed those thoughts aside. This was for Sammy. And if it came down to Sam's life and that gun, Dean figured it would be no contest.

"No." John choked out.

Well…Dean figured it would be no contest. Instantly, his eyes shifted over to get a look at Sam who was looking back at him curiously, an eyebrow quirked in suspicion.

Instantly, Dean filled his entire being with intense anger and protectiveness. How in the world could his father chose a gun over his son's life? It wasn't worth it! Was this why Bobby and John were so freaked? John won't give up the Colt in hopes that one day he'll finish his precious hunt, and avenge his wife – Sam and Dean's mother?

The cost seemed too great for Dean. With him, if it came down to the Yellow-Eyed Demon, and Sam…Dean would pick Sam, and pray that they'd never find the demon.

"You selfish bastard!" Dean swore furiously, "Why the hell not?"

Bobby's horrified look turned to one of confusion as he took in Dean's reaction, but still the elder hunter remained silent.

John took in a deep breath, and Dean could tell that he was crying again – which was a sound he never thought he'd hear. His father was the strongest man he knew. But if this decision was so hard on him, then why didn't he choose Sammy?

There had to be more to this, Dean decided as he took in a deep breath to steady himself.

"What's wrong, dad?" Dean asked worriedly.

John let out a final sob before finally answering. "We got an e-mail from Ash, just after the demons called about the ransom."

"Okay…and what did it say?" Dean prodded, trying to coax the information from his father a little impatiently.

"Jeremy Godrick is not a descendant of Elizabeth Godrick…" John finally said, sounding completely defeated.

Dean's breath froze in his chest as he fixed Bobby with a panicked look. "What the hell do you mean?"

"Jeremy Godrick was adopted by Melissa and Jerry Godrick when he was two years old. And telling from this file…Jerry Godrick has no blood descendant." John relayed miserably.

If Dean's last hope was made out of glass, his fathers' information was the hammer that just shattered it. Dean's mind was suddenly a whirlwind of thoughts and questions. He attempted to grip at some strand of an answer but came up empty.

"So you're gonna save this kid, anyway?" Dean finally asked, swallowing his river of thoughts as he prayed his father would just come home soon so they could discuss what to do next.

"We have to…" John admitted in a near whisper, "He's innocent in all this, so the demons took him for no reason."

"But Sammy needs you more." Dean quipped back, his anger suddenly rising again. He knew that his father was right, but right now his family needed him. Strangers be damned.

"I'll be back in a couple of days, Dean…tell Sam…tell Sam I love him, and that I'm sorry." John choked out. And Dean could practically hear John's fresh tears.

And just as Dean was about to swear his father out for ditching his responsibilities, John hung up the phone – cutting the call short.

"Hell no!" Dean screamed as he pulled the phone away from his ear and hit the redial button before replacing the phone to his face. But it was no use; John had turned his phone off now.

"NO!" Dean screamed in disbelief as he turned Bobby's phone off, and slammed it on the coffee table next to Sam's mug.

He looked up at his brother, and saw the despair clear in his eyes as he was looking off into space again. And Dean could tell, without a doubt that with Sam's now acute hearing – he heard everything he and his father just said.

"Sammy?" Dean said lightly, his voice sounding strangled as tears of his own threatened to spill out.

"Sam?" He tried again.

But Sam still made no effort to relay to Dean that he was listening, or even so much as in his own body. He just continued to stare away into the wall just behind Dean.

"We'll find something else." Bobby offered finally, "There's gotta be something else."

But neither Winchester replied. Sam continued to stare at the wall, and Dean continued to stare at Sam – silently willing him to say something to let him know he was still in there, still fighting.

However, after a few minutes of complete ear-splitting silence, Sam took in a deep breath and turned his attention to Dean intently.

"There's nothing else…" He finally said, his voice sounding small – but still stronger than Dean knew his was at the moment, "Just a matter of time."

And even though Sam said he wasn't giving up just moments ago, Dean could tell that he was right to think his brother a liar. He could practically feel Sam's will slipping, as he watched his brother lean his back against the sofa and close his eyes – finally surrendering to the deep sleep he fought so hard against.

Dean looked downward toward his brothers' tail for signs of another lie, but saw its droopy stillness and knew that Sam was being honest again.

Just a matter of time.

Am I absolutely horrible for leaving the chapter off like this? Now, if I were a REAL bitch - I'd end the story here. But luckily, I'm not - so I'll try to give you more tomorrow. :)

Sorry for the long wait, guys. Things have been a little hectic, but I'm trying to give you at least weekly updates. And as you can tell from previous stories, if I could give you all a chapter a day, I would. So please don't think I'm just being mean. I won't leave you hanging.

And sorry this chapter is a little choppy, or dicey. I wanted to get this chapter up soon to give you all at least something. So please, just tell me what you think...even if you just wanna cuss me out. ;)