Chapter 41

"Sit down," said Dean. Sam did as he was told.

"Take off your shoes and socks."

"What for?"

"Just do it," said Dean beginning to get agitated. Sam didn't want him to get mad because he didn't know what he'd do, so he took off his shoe's and socks. Dean inspected both of his feet, but there was no sign of burn marks.

"What are you looking for?" asked Sam.

"How did he do that," wondered Dean, looking a little perplexed.

"Do what?" Sam was puzzled. He didn't know what Dean was talking about.

"How did he burn you and then make the burns disappear?" Sam shook his head. "Dean," he said. "He didn't hurt me. He didn't burn me. What are you talking about?"

Dean looked down at his little brother and said, "Get some sleep Sam." He walked over to the door. Sam got up.

"Dean please let me out of here. Please don't keep me locked up in this room. Bryan didn't hurt me." Sam walked over to his big brother. At first he thought that Dean was just going to let him walk out the door, but he grabbed him and shoved him backward into the room.

"Dean let me out. Bryan hasn't done anything to me," said Sam and then looked at Dean. "Wait a minute. You didn't hurt him did you?" Suddenly he was afraid He took off running back over toward the door but Dean grabbed him again and pushed him back.

"Dean!"

"Why are you siding with him over me Sammy," he asked, his voice dead calm. It scared Sam even more.

"I'm not Dean but he hasn't hurt me! Neither have Tony, Brad or Jack. You've got to let us help you."

"I told you what I would do if you tried to get out of this room again Sammy," said Dean. He took out a pair of handcuffs. Sam looked at them and shook his head.

"Dean don't please," he said but he shoved him backward toward the bed and then pushed him down onto it.

"Dean no!" yelled Sam, as Dean took one of his wrists and cuffed it to the rails.

"Get some sleep Sammy. I'll take them off in the morning. It's okay. I won't let anybody hurt you. I know you just don't remember." He walked to the door.

"No Dean please! Don't do this!" yelled Sam but Dean left and locked him back inside. Without breaking his stride he walked over in front of the fireplace and removed the poker once again and then he approached Bryan.

Bryan shrank back against the pipe as best he could. Dean brought the poker close to his face. He eyed it warily. "Dean," he said softly.

"How did you do it?" asked Dean.

"Do what?" asked Bryan.

"Make the burns clear up so fast?" Dean replied. Bryan blew out a breath exasperated and said, "I did not burn Sam! When could I have done that? Dean I'm tied up!!"

"I know what I saw," answered Dean dangerously.

"No you don't," said Bryan. "It's another one of those false memories I was telling you about. Dean you were having a nightmare. Nemesis manipulated your dreams and made it a memory instead. It's what he does. You know I could not have hurt Sam, even if I had wanted to." Bryan winced as Dean brought the poker closer.

"I know what the hell I saw Bryan. I saw Tony, Brad and Jack at his head around a pit of fire. You were at his feet with one of these," he said gesturing toward the poker. Bryan shook his head. "You burned his feet with it. I heard him scream! I smelled his flesh, so I'll tell you what, from now on whatever I see you or the others do to my brother I'll do to you! How does that sound?" yelled Dean and went down to his feet.

Bryan braced knowing what was coming and trying his best to talk Dean down before it did.

"NO Dean!" he yelled. "Please! I didn't hurt Sam! I would not do that and I know that deep down inside you know that too! Come on!" Dean looked up at Bryan. He continued talking.

"If there is even the slightest doubt in your mind Dean, I'm asking you not to do this," he said. "Please. You know I would not hurt you or your brother. You know it!" Dean shook his head and blinked his eyes. "What if he was telling the truth," he thought. What is he was being manipulated? What if he had been brainwashed?" He shook his head again. He would know if he had, he thought, but he put the poker back in the fire. Bryan let out the breath he was holding. Dean walked up to him and grabbed him by his hair, slamming his head back against the pipe causing him to see stars. Bryan winced. Dean got in his face.

"You're lucky this time Bryan," he said. You won't be next time." He let him go.

"Dean," said Bryan cautiously.

"Shut up!" yelled Dean. Bryan did as he was told and closed his mouth, the look on Dean's face telling him it was not the time to talk.

At the other end of the woods, Nemesis stood in the middle of his living room. Lamps and chairs flew through the air to crash into the wall. He was very angry.

"That won't do Dean," he said. "That won't do at all. Looks like I'm going to have to fix you." He picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hello," said Langston.

"Dean is slipping," stated Nemesis. "Get him and bring him to me."

"Yes sir," replied Langston. "What about his brother and Bryan?"

"Keep them there until I'm ready for them. Dean will do as he is told. He will kill his friends and deliver his brother to me. That is what will ultimately break Sam. If he needs to be tortured again then so be it."

"Whatever you say," said Langston. "You're the boss."

"Yes I am," replied Nemesis, "as Dean will soon find out."

"What are you two talking about?" John walked over to the table. Then turned and looked at the two doctors. They had been arguing about something for about 15 minutes and he was getting tired of hearing it.

"Jack can talk to Sam in his head," said Brad. "Maybe he can tell us where he is at."

"That's a good idea," answered John. "You've done that before."

"But now is not a good time. Nemesis is already messing with Sam's head. He doesn't need a voice in there on top of everything else."

"He'll know your voice Jack. He did before," said John. "If he can tell us where there at then we can go get them and bring them back here."

"I could astral project," said Brad.

"What?" asked John.

"No. Absolutely not," said Jack. "Not with Nemesis out there."

"Wait a damn minute," said John. "You can astral project?" He was astonished.

"Yeah I just found out recently," answered Brad.

"It's not going to happen," said Jack. "Nemesis can capture you that way."

"You'll be there to pull me back," said Brad. "I can get to Sam and find out where Dean is holding them and then we can go get them."

"It's dangerous all by itself, but with an immortal on your ass it's very dangerous Brad and he'll know the minute you leave your body," said Jack.

"Then try to talk to him Jack. We've got to do something. I've got a bad feeling." Brad was nervous all of a sudden and shaking inside. Something was going to happen and soon.

"Jack please. They're my boys. They're both in trouble. We don't know where they are. Dean is holding his brother as well as a very close friend of his hostage. We've got to get to them before he does something he'll regret later. We can deprogram Dean but we have to find him first. If he hurts his brother again he'll never forgive himself." John was scared. He was afraid they'd be too late.

Jack looked from Brad to John then took a deep breath. "I'll try," he said.

"Thank you," said John. Jack nodded and went to sit down. Tony came upstairs. "I haven't had any luck," he proclaimed a little irritated.

"Jack is going to try to talk to Sam," said John.

"How," asked Tony and then stopped and stared. "Oh," he said. John grinned. "I forgot about that," he said.

"Me too," said John. Jack looked at them both. "I'll try," he said again, "but I'm not making any promises." John nodded.

"I understand. They're my kids Jack," he said. Jack nodded and closed his eyes so that he could concentrate.