When The Past Returns To Haunt You.

Summary. . . . . . . . . What if the rabbits foot wasn't the only thing taken from John's Storage unit? What if something that haunted Sam so long ago was taken also? Something with a lust for revenge, and a need to finish what he started all those years ago. An AU sequel to The Nutcracker.

Disclaimer. . . . . . . . . If they were mine they'd still be together! Okay, well I can't use this disclaimer anymore. All things recognizable belong to Kripke.

A.N. . . . . . . . . . Sorry for the delay, my muse has decided to travel south with the geese looking for the better weather. That being said I hope that you enjoy chapter 5. Catch you soon, Peanut x

Dean slumped against the bathtub as soon as the words had left Sam's mouth, visions of the past coming back to haunt him, assaulting his mind with images of chilling creatures and visions of a terrified, clinging, and viciously hurt Sam; but that thing couldn't be back, could it? Their Dad had assured him it was destroyed, and Sam didn't even remember the damn thing, or the terror it had created. Maybe Sam dreaming of one, and his own thoughts suddenly drifting back to that time were just a coincident? Who was he really kidding though? When had anything in their life ever been just a coincident? He tried to straighten his features as he saw Sam begin to panic at his reaction, sticking his game face back on, even though inside he was mixed up bottle of emotions.

"Dean? You okay man?" Sam rasped attentively out, his nightmare pushed back but not quite forgotten as he watched his brother try to school his reaction.

"Yeah Sammy, just reeling from the smell that's all. D'ya think you've finished for now?" Dean replied turning the focus back onto his brother.

Sam though was unconvinced, and the usage of his childhood name did little to quell that feeling. Something was wrong. Something was going on that Dean was unwilling to talk about, and Sam knew he would have little chance of finding out what now that Dean's defenses were now firmly in place. He would have to bide his time, wait for the right moment before he struck. He turned his thoughts away from his sibling and internally gauged his stomach, trying to judge if he was willing to leave his position in front of the porcelain god. His stomach lurched as his mind wandered back to his dreams, and the disturbing images and unnerving voice that whispered to him, but he managed to resist the urge to heave once more and with effort forced the thoughts to the back of his mind as he pushed his tired and aching body to his feet. "I'm good, cold but good."

He flushed the toilet, sitting on the closed lid as Dean offered him a glass of water to swill with. "Wait here." His brother spoke before leaving, coming back a few seconds later with a clean dry tee, sweats and a hoodie for Sam to change into. "Get changed whilst I take the wet sheets off the bed." Dean added, his mother hen mode kicking into full swing causing Sam to be concerned even more. Sam stood and stripped out of his sweaty dampened clothes, quickly changing into the clean tee and sweats his brother had provided. He wanted to question it, to find out what was so wrong it was frightening his brother so, but the lingering effects of the previous days, coupled with the nightmare and sickness were beginning to take their toll, and Sam found he could barely manage to keep his eyes open, the lids closing and his head drooping to his chest, one arm still stuck inside the hoodie, Dean finding him that way ten minutes later.

Once he had found the trail, following the smell had been easy, the aroma sweet and luscious and intoxicating against the back drop of grime and filth and pollution, and the smell of the common folk that riddled the air otherwise. As he drew nearer he found himself salivating at the thought of just touching his prize once, becoming aroused at the realization he was so close to achieving his goal once more after all these years, and this time he would not fail. He trembled with anticipation as he ordered Grossman to pull into the lot of the Days Inn, his oaky eyes recognizing the classic car that was positioned outside one of the rooms, having spent hours traveling in it, bound and chained within a wooden box. The smell of his prey was overwhelmingly strong, the prize was so close, but he knew from the past he could not just rush in. He knew he would have to meticulously plan his heist, for there was another smell lingering, a smell that brought fear upon him, a smell that could destroy all his hopes and dreams; the smell of the protector. He would have to plan his strategy well, the boy's father had thwarted him last time, he would not allow the elder child to do so this time.

He demanded Grossman book a room, thrilled when the one next to his prizes turned out to be available. He allowed himself to be bundled into a blanket for the journey from the car to the room, it wouldn't do for his prize or the protector to see him just yet, trusting in Grossman's fear of him that the thief would do him no harm. Once inside he forced the man to push aside the furniture so that his bed was positioned against the wall that separated his room from his goal, the headboard of his bed perfectly aligned with the one in the next room that held his prize. Controlling Grossman, he forced the man to sit at the rooms small table, demanding through fear that he keep him safe whilst he drifted, his thoughts easily breaking past the thin walls of the room and finding their target, a shiver of lust pulsating through him as the prize began to feel his presence, the shiver turning to intense pleasure as the boy whimpered at the intrusion to his dreams.

Pulling his presence back, he turned his glossed over eyes back to his puppet, disgust at the wailing form finding it's way to his wooden face. He sneered maliciously as he clambered off the bed before speaking, the words laced with malice. "Your time on this plain is drawing to an end, but I still have work for you to do my puppet." Silencing the man's protest, the Nutcracker spoke words that would ensure his captive's stillness and brought his fingers up to the man's throat, the limbs seemingly enlarging in size so that they could encircle Grossman's neck, the hands the limbs belonged to flexing and crushing tissue and bone with ease, the Nutcracker gaining strength as he robbed the man of his life. He stopped crushing as he watched the light leave Grossman's eyes, foreign words leaving his mouth once more, words that would ensure that the dead man would be unable to find rest even in death, ensuring the nutcrackers hold over him, ensuring that he would still bow down to him and do his bidding. "Go out now, seek the helpless and make them fall to your feet. Create enough destruction so that the protector will be alerted. I will rest and await your return. Go now."

Dean sighed in relief as he finally managed to sit back down at the room's small wooden table. He'd returned to the bathroom after a few minutes expecting Sam to be dressed and ready to return to bed, his worry about his brother increasing as he stepped past the door frame and caught sight of Sam slumped to the side, his head resting against his chest, one arm still captured beneath the folds of his hoodie. Walking the few steps to his brother's side, he attempted to awaken his sibling, the worry increasing as all he garnered in return was a mumbled groan of "leave me 'lone." Placing his siblings unencumbered arm across his shoulders, Dean gently started to lift his brother, taking a few seconds to steady them both before dragging Sam back into the main room and depositing him gently on his rearranged bed, releasing his captive arm and tucking him under the covers before he felt he could relax.

He booted up Sam's laptop looking for Bobby's message, needing something to do to take his mind of things. He opened up the message and began to read the research the older hunter had sent him, getting halfway through reading about a disgruntled spirit before Sam's whimpers reached his ears. He looked up at his brother, saddened to see a sheen of sweat glistening across his features lightened by the soft glow of the lamp on the nightstand. He rose once more and made his way over to where Sam lay fidgeting, caught in what seemed like another nightmare. He sat on his siblings bed and slowly carded his fingers through Sam's sweat soaked hair, the motion silencing his brothers cries and stopping his movements almost instantaneously. Dean sat for a few minutes more, his mind racing as to what could be going on. Once he was sure he stood and made his way back to the laptop, reading the rest of the research even though his mind was made up. Deciding it was still too early to phone Bobby back, he sent the older man a quick e-mail instead, speaking of his disappointment at having to turn down the hunt, but there was something wrong with Sam, something that needed to be sorted out first. He left out the details not wanting to worry the man further, just telling him that Sam was unwell; little knowing that by staying quiet he was keeping out someone with information that could help.

To Be Continued. . . . . . . . . .

A.N. . . . . . . . . . . Well I hope it was worth the wait? Will be back soon with more, thanks as always for reading, Peanut x