FROM WITHIN

The pain of losing Arandi suddenly made Dean's dislocated shoulder seem like a pinch. He breathed evenly and blinked away the ache and knew he had to move or he wouldn't be the last man standing.

Tobian gave him the fuel when he whispered. "She's mine little boy." He had removed his mouth piece.

Dean grinned maniacally around his and with new found strength he pulled free.

The look on Tobian's face was priceless as Dean threw himself against the cage shoulder first, the shoulder popping back into place was loud to Dean even as his blood rushed in his ears. He didn't dare stop his momentum, he turned and lifted up into a beautiful kick that connected with Tobian's head and he went down hard.

Just like that Dean had the win.

His vision whitened out as Arandi flung herself at him forgetting about his still very sore shoulder. He didn't mind though. He had just kicked Tobian's ass injured as it were and he felt ten feet tall.

Not even Stepheno could stop him from kissing Arandi now.

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Dean had his shoulder completely iced down as they took a breather before they did the rest of the challenge. He wasn't looking forward to swimming with his shoulder being on fire.

He still couldn't believe he had gone barbarian on himself like that.

Sam sat beside him and handed him half a pill. "These are the pain killers they gave me for my broken arm. Half of one ought to ease the pain enough for you to finish this in one piece."

Dean was tempted but he didn't dare risk it. His body was funny with pain meds. "Thanks Sammy but I can't take the risk. I'll be fine."

"You have to be is so much pain." Arandi said.

Dean pulled her onto his lap and kissed her gently. "Nothing hurts as much as the thought of losing you."

"Can someone get me some insulin please?" Chris's voice rang out.

"Jealous doesn't suit you." Dean grinned.

"Well of course I'm jealous sugar, after all she got that fine ass of yours all to herself."

Mary walked in then with a bottle in her hands that Dean recognized as horse liniment. "Mom as much as the rumors abound I'm not a horse."

"No but you're a damn mule so what's the difference?"

Everyone laughed and Dean blushed red. In the end the liniment and Arandi's warm hands did wonders for his shoulder but he knew tomorrow would be a different story.

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Tobian had a prominent black eye but he showed hardly a sign that he had been knocked out. He still held himself regally.

Dean turned his shoulder back and forth hoping that it wouldn't work against him as he tried to swim. He set his mind to what he had to do, to him the hardest thing was behind him now.

Tobian and Dean stood side by side on the pier and waited for the signal.

"How is your shoulder?" Tobian asked smugly.

"My shoulder is fine. How's your head?" Dean replied just as smug.

Tobian only chuckled and then they were in the water.

They both gasped as the initial chill hit them but then they were swimming and on the move.

Every stroke was a pull of pain for Dean but he kept going. He set his sight on the other side and Arandi was there waiting for him.

They were both strong swimmers and they stayed neck and neck most of the way but Dean suddenly fell back. The pain in his shoulder was getting worse but he couldn't lose and he wasn't going to lose in something he was good at.

He pushed himself and soon was even with Tobian again. Somehow they reached the other side at the same moment so that didn't count for either of them.

Dean moved fast to change into his running clothes and slip on his running shoes and drink some water. They both shot off at the same time still slightly breathless from the swim.

Dean evened out his breathing as Tobian ran beside him. Dean tried not to smile to cockily. He figured that Tobian had no way of knowing that Dean had been on the track team his sophomore and junior year. He hadn't gone in for his senior year because he had hurt his leg on a horse.

Only his parents, Sam, and his friends knew that he had gone to state on the cross country team. Granted he hadn't trained in over year but he was still faster than anybody he knew.

Unable to help himself he winked at Tobian and then left him in his dust.

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Tobian wasn't as smug as they readied their rifles for the target shooting.

Dean tried not to be too cocky but it was hard. He was sure that Tobian was wishing that he had chosen a different round of challenges now. Something fancy like fencing.

"You go ahead and go first." Dean offered innocently.

Tobian eyed him warily but yelled for the pull seconds later. They were going for the most hits out of fifty clay pigeons.

Tobian hit forty seven by the time he was done.

Dean frowned a bit but then turned his back to Tobian and smiled hugely. He had grown up on a ranch. So yeah he'd learned to shoot when the rifle was still longer than him. This was going to really rub Tobian wrong and Dean loved that.

He had already told the guy pulling for him what he wanted. So when he yelled pull and five targets shot out at the same time he nailed every one of them with little effort.

The last five in the air Dean thought about missing one just to not make it so brutal. He changed his mind and hit the last target right before it vanished out of sight.

Dean turned to his dad. "I really need to practice. I'm rusty as hell." He said as he walked away.

John rolled his eyes but chuckled anyway.

Tobian was so tense he was nearly vibrating.

Dean lifted Arandi into his arms and spun her around. His shoulder was sore but he was too thrilled to care at the moment. He had the horse race in the bag with Winchester and his amazing connection with the animal. He knew he was going to win.

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Tobian's horse was nothing to laugh at and it stood as regally as its owner.

Winchester though was also a royal horse he seemed to sense that he was being compared to the cream colored stallion.

They flared their noses at each other and Dean instantly calmed Winchester.

"Dean, Tobian is an excellent rider." Stepheno told him.

"Does he tend to his own horses?" Dean asked.

"No someone like Tobian would never."

"Exactly so he doesn't know his horse at all."

Stepheno nodded.

"I have this Stepheno."

"Never underestimate." Stepheno warned.

Dean looked toward Tobian who was looking back with a smug look. Arandi stood by with Chris and Jeremy and Dean watched as Tobian fixed his gaze on her.

Dean's possessiveness riled up. "Let's get this over with."

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The horses ran like the wind and if it wasn't such a serious matter Dean would have been having the time of his life. He knew that Winchester was fast but he seemed to know what lay at stake.

Tobian though was an excellent horseman and they kept up nearly neck and neck the entire route.

Dean saw the jump that was coming up and smiled. He knew how to get Winchester to clear it perfectly, just like he had told Arandi what seemed like forever ago. The question was did Tobian have that knowledge.

Winchester cleared the jump like a dream and Dean spurred him on to get the lead.

Tobian just like Dean knew he would tried to force the horse to jump his way and they fell into a tangled heap.

"Yes!" Dean cried out and lowered his head to go for the finish line.

He heard a pained cry from Tobian and he turned to look and gasped. Tobian's foot was caught up in the stirrup and he was being dragged by his horse as he ran in an agitated state.

Dean stopped Winchester and he eyed the turn that would take him to the win and into Arandi's arms forever.

He spurred Winchester the other way to follow the other horse. Tobian might be a royal dick but Dean's parents had raised him right.

He managed easily to get the horses neck and neck again. He then jumped from Winchester to the other horse and tried to get him to stop but the horse was riled beyond control and not knowing Dean wasn't making it easier.

Dean leaned down and with everything he had yanked Tobian free and he fell away.

Dean didn't have a chance to right himself and he realized too late that the horse was heading straight for the incline that ended Winchester Haven property.

He tried to jump free but the horse turned at the same time sending them tumbling down the incline and into oblivion.

TBC

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Thanks for reading!