Idea…so what would have happened if Osiris had taken Dean's tongue in episode 'Defending your Life' From Season 7.

Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing Kirpke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure.

Please Review: They help shape the story. I do not have a Beta, all mistakes are mine...and unintentional.

This chapter contains graphic imagery throughout, to include hell!torture. Don't like...don't read. Could have a slightly AU feel to it, if you squint.

Not Slash

Chapter 13

Secrets My Brother Keeps

Dean could barely see in the narrow hallway…it was so dim and frankly his eyes weren't functioning all that well at the moment. What little light there was happened to be that sickly red color and it seemed to fade in and out as he struggled to remain conscious. His body was raging against the continued movement, his feet sliding on the blood running past the sheet to puddle on the floor. He swallowed hard and then turned to lean against the wall as another wave of dizziness flooded his system. "Son of a bitch…" he mumbled as his teeth clamped together and felt his knees start to buckle. This was getting old, he had managed to get himself out of the room and he was making pretty decent progress...but he was having to stop frequently to steady his weakening body.

"Not doing so well are you Dean?" A voice asked from directly in front of him. Alistair stepped closer so that his face was somewhat illuminated by the low light. He was twisting a coin across his knuckles as he stared down at Dean in disgust. "I knew you were weak Dean…but…wow." He continued, the coin passing over his knuckles again.

"You try loosing…pints of your blood and see…how you feel…bitch." He bit out as he tried to push himself back up the wall. His face grimacing in pain as he glared at the demon. Alistair barked a laugh as he shook his head, flipping his coin into the air and grabbing it before clapping his hands together in applause. The look on the demons face could only be described as 'gleeful'.

"Maybe…you're not as weak as I supposed Dean." He drawled out as his eyes shifted from Dean's bloody feet to the sheet hanging loosely off his narrow waist. "But here's the thing there Dean-o…Sammy can't seem to find a way to get to you and he's running out of time to figure it out." He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes as the eldest Winchester continued to stare coldly at him. "And he's losing his grasp on reality…doesn't even know if this is real or just in his head at this point. So the chances are good that you'll be staying here with me." He grinned clapping his hands together again like a child at a birthday party.

Dean shook his head in denial, watching as the demon quickly closed the distance between them. He leaned as far against the wall as he could trying desperately to avoid even breathing the same air as the bastard. The demon raised the coin and held it in front of Dean, it was silver with a strange engraving one side and a head on the other, who watched with rising panic as the thing started to glow red. Alistair laughed at the frantic look in Dean's eyes; he reached out suddenly and laid the glowing coin against Dean's chest, watching with pleasure as the thing scorched its way into the tanned skin, marking the young man. Dean cried out in pain as his body was branded with something engraved into the coin…it left a sigil burned into his chest.

"There, now that's better Dean." The demon cooed. "I'll be able to control your pain levels better this way…" Confused green eyes latched onto white ones and the demon merely shook his head at the absolute stupidity of these creatures. He rolled his white eyes and flicked a hand up and watched as Dean doubled over, the pain in his body exponentially increasing as every nerve ending fired simultaneously.

Dean's mouth opened to cry out in agony…but he found that he couldn't even vocalize the amount of anguish flooding unchecked through his system. His eyes rolled back in his head and his legs gave out as he sank to the floor, his body seizing its chance to simply shut down.

The demon smiled and turned from the mangled wreck of a human body that had just collapsed at his feet. "You two are so much fun…." He whispered before turning and walking away, flipping the coin in the air as he rounded the corner.

XXXX

Sam's hands were fisted in his long hair as he leaned against the wall of the room that he had dubbed, 'the room from hell'. He was thumping his head against the cinder-blocks that made up the walls, and trying to figure out this twisted game. One that wasn't making sense to him the despite how much he thought about it…why were both Lucifer and Alistair involved in Osiris's 'trial'? He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees as he started looking at the problem from a more scientific point of view.

Okay, what do I know? He inhaled and licked his lips as he thought. I know that Dean is suffering somewhere down here…don't think about that Sam. He admonished. I know that he killed Amy…don't think about that either. Uh…he forgave himself for our father's choice. He has accepted the other death's as part of something that he had no control over. Sam inhaled as he tried to consider everything that had happened over the last few weeks. His brother's muteness…his inability to control the 'Lucifer' hallucinations and finally Dean's ready acceptance of this deal. Something wasn't adding up…but Sam was having a hard time pulling it out of his 'swiss-cheese' brain. It was frustrating to have so many holes in his thoughts…Sam had never had problems controlling his mind before and it was killing him slowly, from the inside out.

"Think Sam…think." He said quietly and banged his head against the concrete again. "What am I missing…." Me…I'm the missing piece. Dean hasn't forgiven himself for what happened to me. It wasn't Sam's death that continued to haunt his older brother it was that he couldn't stop Sam from being dragged into the pit. He hadn't been able to rescue his brother…and then he'd stopped looking for a way to rescue Sam from the cage. Dean had done exactly what Sam had asked him to…eventually. He had gone and gotten himself a normal life…and now that Sam was back he couldn't forgive himself for that choice. The damage that Castiel had done by collapsing the wall had compounded the problem…God…how did I miss that. Oh that's right…kinda going crazy right now.

Lucifer was standing in the doorway… "So you figured out the key?" He folded his arms and raised his eyebrows in question at Sam. "Like I said before Sam…your brother doesn't want to be saved. "

Sam raised his head and looked at the fallen angel a smile spreading across his lips. "That's why the rooms keep shifting and I keep winding back up here." Sam stated simply. He finally got it. He understood what his brother was trying desperately to hide from him. The smile died on his face as he shook his head in sadness. His entire life his older brother had been giving up pieces of himself to save Sam and it was time that he stopped. Sam needed Dean to know that he would be okay…the time in the cage…it had washed his sins clean. That was why he hadn't been targeted by Osiris…Sam didn't feel guilty anymore…except for the ongoing brotherly angst that was part of their daily lives.

He peeled himself up off the floor and ignored the gloating grin that spread across Lucifer's face. "Not giving up though are you Sammy…not in your nature…wait…it's exactly your nature to give up and run out on your brother." He chuckled as that drew a pained expression from the youngest Winchester.

"I'm not leaving without Dean." He growled as he walked past the angel without a second glance, turning right and heading into the darkness.

"Bye…." He heard as the voice faded into the background.

Sam walked, his ankle bothering him somewhat as he moved through the maze of rooms, he finally found a staircase and rushed through the doors…he felt like it was the first descent into madness. He inhaled deeply and pushed forward, the darkness alleviated only by the dim lights that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. He hadn't been turned back to the room yet, so he took that as a good sign…perhaps he had figured out the game and he was making the right choices after all.

A sudden scream echoed through the air and it brought him to an immediate halt as his knees wobbled and his heart stuttered as he recognized that agonized voice…Dean.

XXXX

Fire…it was burning its way through his body…singeing everywhere and flooding into every nook and crevice throughout his system. He couldn't hold back the agonized scream of pain that ripped its way up out of his chest, his throat raw from the forced sounds. Alistair had left a long time ago, he didn't need to be here anymore…the sigil was enough the keep Dean in a constant loop of immense pain. Somewhere over the cacophony of pain he heard something…something important…his name.

"DEAN!" Sam called as he raced toward his brother's voice. He slipped around a corner and a mound of something lying against the wall caught his attention. He angled toward the shadowed figure sinking to his knees as he recognized Dean's blonde hair. He reached out shaking fingers and pulled his brother's head toward him, exposing his neck so he could check for a pulse…because if he died in this realm…he died in reality.

Dean could hear his little brother's frantic voice calling for him…just like he had all those years ago when Sammy had gotten separated from Dean in a local mall at Christmas time. Just like then, it was a voice that Dean would never ignore. He pushed his heavy eyelids open a crack and was rewarded with the worried face of his little brother staring at him. His fingers gently gripping Dean's chin and pulling his glassy gaze in Sam's direction as he looked his brother over pulling in ragged breaths as he saw how much damage there was.

"Sammy…how did you…f'nd me?" Dean asked his words choppy as he tried to speak through the pain.

Sam smiled slightly. "I finally figured out the game Dean. I know how we get out here." His eyes flickered up to meet Dean's glassy green gaze as he reached out to take Dean's bloodied fingers gently squeezing them in his own shaking hand. There were so many things that he wanted to say to his brother, but first he needed to get them out of this hospital and back to the valley. That would allow him to initiate a protocol, that he hoped would get both himself and Dean out of this forced torture-universe. He glanced around looking for something to help light their way back through the levels...his eyes suddenly connecting with something that was watching from the darkness...yellow eyes that were imbedded deep within something that stood nearly five feet high. The slow steady breathing of the thing causing it's head to bob up and down as it watched the Winchesters intently. Sam inhaled sharply...whatever it was...it wasn't a hell-hound...but it was just as big. A low rumble from the yellow-eyed thing rippled its way through the air toward Dean and then the eyes were moving. Straight at them...and the son of bitch was fricken fast.

TBC…

Author's Note: Sam's figured out Dean's little secret how they get out. One last confrontation…Osiris and then the boys should be home free. Sorry had to pull the chapter and reload it due to a computer issue.

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