Memories & Demons

Chapter Seven

"Yeah, like you'll get Sam's body in my lifetime,"

The softly accented voice that spoke took nearly everyone off guard except for one person…Dean Winchester. While he wasn't surprised, it did just take his panic level up another notch. "Morgan, no."

"So, any chance of convincing you to just go crawl back under whatever icy rock who crawled out from?" Morgan Harrison asked as she stepped into the barn fully, voice level and not showing any indication of concern over backtalking the Devil. "Oh, and since this is mine I'll just be taking it back, thanks."

The knife easily went from its spot on the floor to her outstretched hand and the way it shimmered when her hand closed on the hilt caused Lucifer to gaze at her with more interest while Zachariah's face took on an even more outraged look.

Taking another look at the soft blue lights that seemed to be protecting Sam Winchester, Lucifer looked at the pale auburn haired young woman who had just interfered in his plans. "The newest and most current Mistress of Shadow and Light, I take it?" he mused, glancing at Dean to read his eyes before nodding. "Imagine that, a hunter actually involved with a witch such as you. Doesn't that go against their handbook?"

"You seriously want to name call right now?" Morgan snorted, hoping that damn Angel in the trench coat got his ass in gear before it became too plain how hard keeping that shield up was becoming. "I got about fifty I could lay on you, slick, and that doesn't include the good half a dozen I'm about to call you if you don't back the hell off the Winchesters."

"Ohh, God," Dean groaned under his breath but not from the pain he was in but from the fact that his friend was mouthing off in ways that not even he'd attempt.

"She is quite a lot like you," Castiel spoke from where he'd just appeared next to the elder Winchester, quickly taking in the scene around them to Dean's injuries before starting to lay his hand on him only to have Dean stop him. "I'm supposed to get you out of here, Dean." he replied, guessing that he shouldn't have assumed that this part of Morgan's plan would go off smoothly.

Knowing that would have been Morgan's first order to Castiel, Dean shook his head firmly. "I'm not leaving here without them, Cas," he refused straight out, motioning to the Angel to help him up. "I need to get Sam out of here and are you the only backup?"

"Dean, let me get you away from here and then I'll help…" Castiel began when he caught sight of two of Zachariah's enforcers moving their way. "Stay here while I deal with them."

"Yeah, right," Dean rolled his eyes, attempting to move but felt white hot pain shoot up his leg until a softer feeling of warmth took its place and slowly he could almost feel the shattered bone mending. "Shit! Morgan, get Sam outta here!"

Splitting what power she was pulling in too many ways was making staying on her own feet dubious but she shot a quick 'yeah, right' look at Dean before giving Zachariah a dark look. "You, get the hell away from my friend," she moved a finger to take an honestly started pudgy Angel off his feet and a good two feet from Sam. "Cas! Grab Dean and Sam and get the bloody hell outta Dodge!" she snapped, eyes not leaving Lucifer's calm gaze even as she fought to ignore every curse she could feel from Dean.

"I should have let them kill you!" Zachariah snarled, jerking a hand in motion to one of his goons to attack. "You aren't supposed to interfere in this! This is none of your business!"

"You should've thought of that before you went after them, baldy," she tossed back, not giving the enforcer a chance to come close since she wasn't certain she could maintain control of the shield if she got into a physical confrontation.

Twisting her free hand, the lunging Angel in a cheap Blue's Brother's suit went down in a screaming light but that tiny slip in power also caused the shield to weaken. "Damn it, Cass! Get them out! I'll handle this!"

"I'm not leaving you here alone!" Dean snapped, seeing that Castiel had dealt with the first enforcer with ease but this one seemed to be giving him a harder time. "Focus on keeping Sam safe and I'll deal with the dynamic douchebags here."

"You know I could kill him," Lucifer sighed, no longer finding this amusing. He honestly liked Sam's brother since he admired Dean's devotion to his little brother but now, when he was so close to gaining his true vessel, he was willing to forget that. The girl, on the hand, was another matter to him. "You have both ability and a blade to kill Angels, impressive," he nodded before smiling. "You're also down to your last ounce of power. What do you really think you can do, Morgan?"

Hating to have her thoughts read by anyone, the British woman scowled. "I can keep you from getting your hands on my friend," she replied simply, cocking her head curiously. "I wouldn't cast stones about my power either since while you might be the King of Hell, your host there ain't lookin' so good."

"Heh, that's funny," he admitted, taking a step closer to her while moving a hand to block Dean from getting near them. "I'm honestly surprised Sam grew up as polite and well mannered as he is considering the effects you and his brother must have been on him."

"That was a case of 'do as we say and not as we do' when Sammy was a kid, slick," Morgan shrugged, refusing to show the fear that having him this close was now causing. "You can kill me, but I'll have them far away from here before I take my last breath," she warned, seeing that Castiel was busy and trying to gauge if she had the strength to make a teleport spell of such a distance.

Gazing down at the smaller woman over to Dean, Lucifer's gaze shifted between them for several seconds as if guessing the mental argument that was probably ensuing between them. "You know, it amazes me the self-sacrifice you mortals are willing to make for one another," he mused. "I thought that was only something Sam and his brother were good at but then…I see you're also very well versed in self sacrifice since you very nearly sacrificed yourself to save Sam from his father back…"

Temper flared as power surged in her eyes when Morgan's hand moved without thinking to shove the smirking fallen Angel back a good two steps. "Shut. The. Hell. Up." she gritted, refusing to allow this thing to bring that up or to even have him mention it near Sam or Dean. "What do you know about self-sacrifice you arrogant son of a bitch? You want to give me the usual pity rap that you're only crime and the reason you were banished is because you loved God too much? Cause that's bullcrap and you know it. You fell because like any jealous little brat you couldn't stand when Daddy started giving all his attention to something else!"

"Morgan," Dean whispered, feeling the edge in the barn grow darker even before a sharp crack seemed to envelope the run down barn as fury seemed to pass over Lucifer/Nick's normally calm face and the young hunter caught the look of real fear on Castiel who had just heard the exchange.

His hand moved in a blur to grip her throat only to jerk it back as it burned and she felt a small burst of relief that her power could still do that. "I don't know if you're stupid or insane for talking to me like that," he remarked tightly, still feeling his anger at a mortal saying such things to him.

"I'd vote for the second choice if she didn't sign my paychecks and I didn't want flash fried once she's back to full power now step back or I do more permanent harm to that vessel than you've already done to him," Jack MacShayne snapped from where he was leaning against the barn wall behind Dean. "Oh, and Zachariah? I owe you for touching my boss in the first damn place so burn," he growled, throwing a blue sphere toward the bald Angel who dodged it barely but before he could respond, the young mystic had moved from where he stood to next to Dean. "Get to your brother, her shield won't repel you and stay there," he warned harshly, praying he could do this.

"I thought you'd left," Dean replied sarcastically, blinking when he found himself moved from where he'd been to inside the now flickering shield next to his still unconscious brother. "I hate it when he does that," he muttered, catching Morgan's eyes to see the inner struggle and knowing she was going to crash soon if she didn't stop using the amount of energy she had been. "Hang on, Sammy. We're getting out of here real soon."

"Jack," Lucifer didn't seem too surprised to see the young mystic as he held up a hand to stop Zachariah from moving. "I didn't expect to see you here, considering your powers seem to be waning somewhat."

Sneering, the mystic strolled up to keep himself between the one relative he honestly never wanted to face and Morgan. "Yeah, well what can I say? I'm just a glutton for punishment," he shrugged, blue eyes sharpening as he took in the enforcers. "Zach, you'd do your best to take what's left of the goon squad and hit the road while I'm busy dealing with this one here."

"You don't have the current range to take everyone on, Jack," Zachariah was certain of this, eyeing the Winchesters with disdain. "I can still hand Michael his vessel on a silver platter once you're dealt with."

Grabbing for Morgan before she could attempt a spell or throw the knife at Zachariah, Jack tightened his grip on her arm almost painfully. "You have one shot at all of you walking out of this still breathing but you have got to keep your damn temper and move at the right time," he warned in a harsh whisper, whirling back to hold up a hand to stop Lucifer from stepping back toward the Winchesters. "Back off the mortals, Unc. You can't touch Sam Winchester's body without his verbal consent…his fully conscious, fully coherent verbal consent and thanks to Zach's overzealousness that might be the one thing that no one, not you, not his brother, will ever have or see again," he declared firmly.

"Sam's not brain dead, Jack, "Lucifer informed him, sure of this. "True, Zachariah did do more damage to Sam's mind than I like but even a mentally regressed Sam can give me consent and that's what I will…Jack…" he narrowed his eyes as the boy smirked when he sent a wave of energy into the ground between the table and Lucifer.

"When was the last time you read the by laws of taking a vessel, dude?" Jack wondered, snapping his fingers to make an ancient looking text tablet appear in his hand. "According to the rules, a true vessel, not one taken out of emergency or necessity, needs to be of the current century's legal voting age inboth mind and body. He or she also be fully in control of his right head at the time of consent or the agreement is null and void," smiling with more cockiness than he truly felt, Jack snapped his fingers to make the tome vanish again. "That being said, since Sam Winchester's mind is currently not in it's full twenty seven year state, you can't touch him and if you try, I will toss Zachariah's butt back to the Garrison so fast his bald head will spin."

Something about that last comment made Dean frown as he met Castiel's grim eyes but then he was forced to concentrate on his little brother when he felt Sam's pulse jump under his hand. He knew that Morgan had also felt the change as her eyes seemed to lose focus for just a moment but the scariest thing was Lucifer's sudden laughter.

"Jack, my God you do have Amelia's sense of humor," he finally managed between laughs, laying a ice cold hand on the young mystic's shoulder as he struggled to stop laughing. "Even at your full power range, you don't have the strength to take me on, much less keep me from claiming my vessel or killing your friend and Dean. You barely have the strength to singe me much less hurt me, boy," he told him but slowly sobered when he caught the amusement in his nephew's eyes. "What? You find it amusing that I could destroy you with a thought or…"

"No, the part where you missed me saying that I was going to knock Zach's fat ass back to the Garrison is funny," Jack grinned, keeping a hand on Morgan's arm as he went on. "I never said I was going to deal with you, Lucifer…in fact, I'm not stupid enough to think on my best day that I'd even stand a shot in…well, Hell against you," he admitted easily a second before his voice dropped dangerously low and his smile turned feral. "I don't have to. He will," he jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Took your own sweet time, didn't you…Ethan?"

"Not really. I've been here since before you decided to show up actually," Ethan MacShayne replied calmly, having more of some type of accent than his brother.

The eldest son to a fallen Angel and a semi-high ranking demon, his power and age showed in the way his sharp blue eyes shimmered as he entered the barn, dressed in black jeans, a crisp white shirt under a black leather jacket. His black hair was worn much shorter than his brother chose to wear his and light seemed to shimmer on the wedding band he wore.

"You were…" Jack began in outrage before choosing to settle that with him later, grabbing Morgan's arm to move even as Lucifer's hand was lifting. "Shit, this could be bad…"

A shift in power along with a gust of wind blew in, taking the King of Hell surprisingly off his feet. "Jack doesn't have the power to face you, Lucifer. I, on the other hand, do," Ethan shot back evenly, power surging from his hand to distract Lucifer who had to turn his attention to his elder nephew or face real damage to this vessel. "Jack, give Morgan to the mortal with the attitude and then send Zachariah packing. One pain in the ass Uncle is enough to handle today."

"You're still too bossy, Eth," Jack muttered in mock disgust but was quick to throw a massive energy sphere to take out six enforcers. "Stay with Dean, try to get the kid awake because teleporting is bad enough conscious. If he's hurt too bad, it could be dangerous to use the spell," he told her, lifting a brow at a sneaking Zachariah. "What, you think you're so tiny that you can sneak?" he scoffed, tossing a sphere into the air. "Dodge this, Zach."

"How many of those guys are there?" Dean was demanding of Castiel when he turned just in time to catch Morgan's arm before she lost balance. "You've just done more damage to those wounds by this stunt," he growled, more concerned than angry but only someone who knew him could have told that.

Leaning against the table to stop things from spinning, Morgan had to close her eyes to keep Dean from spinning before she could reply to that complaint. "Yeah, well you're walking on two legs and Lucifer ain't wearin' Sammy so those are good things in my book," she responded, finally able to see clearly and dropped her eyes to the pale, battered young man still laying so still. "How bad?"

Keeping his attention switched between his friend and his brother, Dean was gentle when he eased Sam to his side and both saw the unhealed wounds on his back and side but what concerned him was the amount of pooled blood under him. "Sonuvabitch," he whispered, swallowing his anger at what the bastards had done to his brother when he felt a soft touch on his arm. "He'll be fine," he spoke with more confidence than he felt. "All he needs is to get out of here and to wake up…then he'll be…fine."

Castiel kept silent as he could sense more of the younger Winchester's many unseen injuries and knew that Dean's hopes could very well be dashed when the sound of Zachariah roaring in pain made him look curiously to see that Jack MacShayne had pinned the arrogant Angel to a wall. He was about to make quick work of his head when he caught sight of something more important…an enforcer with blade raised at Dean's heart.

Using some words that he had learned from Dean, Castiel had started to move when he saw that Morgan, whose shield had faltered enough to let the blade pierce it, had also seen the threat and moved to push her friend clear even while summoning some form of energy to deflect the blade when it shifted to pierce her right shoulder.

"Morgan!" Dean shouted, grabbing her as she fell back just as Castiel pulled his own blade to sink it deep into the other Angel's back, killing him instantly.

The young woman's cry of pain seemed to affect both brothers as Dean was taken off guard by a surge of pain and Sam whimpered before instinctively trying to curl up.

"Jack!" Castiel shouted, placing a hand on Sam to keep him still once he saw that Dean was handling things on his end. "Deal with this and help Ethan with Lucifer! This needs to end!"

"I don't take orders from Angels, Cas!" Jack shouted back but took in the sight over his shoulder with a scowl, pressing his forearm harder against Zachariah's throat while pointing the tip of the Angel killing blade at his eye. "Listen to me carefully, you bloated Angelic blowhard," he growled, wincing when he heard his brother's sharp oath. "I've burned your goons. You are living to leave here in one piece because quite frankly I'm gonna be too busy putting back the pieces of the Winchester boys to deal with more of the Garrison or Mom's demented family so here's the rules. I better never see you near either the Winchesters or my friend again because the very next time you or anyone from the Garrison move on Dean, I will burn your fat ass and make sure you never take another vessel again. Now, get away from me!" he snarled, jerking a hand to vanish a swearing Angel before he turned to find his brother. "Eth! Need a hand?"

Wiping blood from his mouth, Ethan MacShayne's blue eyes went cobalt before he shot out a power surge that finally succeeded in making Lucifer ease off. "No!" he snapped back. "Deal with them!" he ordered, dropping to one knee to avoid the heavy piece of machinery that could have taken even his head off. "What, stooping to throwing things now? I thought that was more in the line of Raphael?"

Lucifer went to unleash another burst of power when he felt dizzy suddenly, grabbing onto to a pillar. "I will have what I came for," he gritted, refusing to be beaten by a mere child in comparison to his power.

"You can't claim Sam Winchester for the same reasons that my brother already named, Lucifer," Ethan remarked, sighing as he jerked off his now ruined jacket. "Besides that, your current vessel isn't going to last through this fight with me since you're already burning poor Nick out now. To take me out you'd have to unleash nearly all your power and that puny mortal you're wearing will die long before you even cause me serious harm," he warned, lifting a hand and was pleased to see his opponent step back. "I also could burn that body out with just a portion of my power unless you leave now."

Pride almost made him refused to be backed down by a boy half his own years until he caught sight of how much worse Nick was appearing in a pierce of shattered glass. "You can't prevent Sam's destiny, Ethan," he warned, looking to see that Jack had positioned himself in front of the Winchesters while Castiel had moved closer in case a hasty retreat was in order. "Sam is destined to be my vessel just like Dean is destined to be Michaels. They were born for these roles and nothing that you, Jack or that girl can do will stop that from happening…but…I would much rather take Sam when he's fully healed mentally…which I wish you both the best of luck in doing, Dean," he added before vanishing without another word.

"Y'know, I used to think my mother-in-law was the worst thing I had to deal with…until I remembered why I didn't like Mom's side," Ethan muttered, scowling but moving to check on the mortals. "Zach hurt the boy more than he let on," he whispered to his brother who merely nodded.

"I'm…fine, Dean," Morgan was saying while fighting to get up to check on Sam only to have Dean's arms easily keeping her still as Jack knelt down to check her shoulder. "It's just a little cut. I've had worse…shut up."

Frowning down as he knelt next to the table with her leaned against his chest, he caught sight of the little trickle of blood but he also noticed that the wound was on the same shoulder that she'd had cut by his Dad. "What did Lucifer mean about you nearly sacrificing yourself for Sam?" he asked seriously, not liking the way she refused to meet his eyes or the way her fingers shifted over his uneasily. "Damn it, Morgan. What the hell happened that night?"

"People, can we skip the drama until I or Cas get you someplace else?" Jack questioned, shooing his brother away. "Go home now, Ethan. I have this," he stated, knowing that while Dean had reluctantly accepted him it probably wasn't a good idea to have Ethan around long term without inciting the elder Winchester brother to ask questions that no one was ready to answer.

"Be careful, Jack," he warned, stepping back after exchanging a terse nod with the only Angel remaining. "Neither Zachariah nor Lucifer is done with these two."

Dean gave up on keeping Morgan sitting down so he helped her up enough to sit on the edge of the table but kept an eye to be sure she wasn't doing anything that she shouldn't yet. He was well aware that she'd try a healing spell on Sam as soon as she thought neither he nor that mystic was looking. Remembering Jack, he shifted a narrowed look at him. "How old are you?" he asked suddenly, noticing the way Jack tensed. "You're not our age."

"Gold star for you, Winchester," he replied, positive that he was not getting into this right then. "Boss, don't even attempt to do a deeper scan on this kid unless you're stronger or I'm going to agree with Dean about his plan to lock you in Singer's panic room until you're stronger or you let one of us look at you."

As Morgan started to shoot him a dirty look and Dean was winding up to throw a snide comment about pulling foolish, risky stunts while hurt which he knew would distract her a sudden bright flash of light filled the barn and took a stunned Castiel away in such a way that had Dean automatically stepping in front of both his friend and brother even as Jack was swearing in some language.

"Sonuvabitch! I knew I should've just killed that bastard," he swore sourly, wishing he'd grabbed his Colt even as he could feel something pressing itself into his palm and knew without a doubt it was Morgan's 9mm pistol. "How'd the hell did he find out about that blood spell to disperse an Angel?"

"You think I know?" Jack snarled, snapping a shield up to protect the others while he took a step forward. "Didn't I tell you what I'd do to you if ever pointed that damn gun at me, Murray?"

Sheriff Shea Murray had worked hard once he regained consciousness to free himself, find a weapon and get to the Tolson place where he knew Milt was holding the Winchester boy. Now, he saw the bodies of most of the Tolson family, along with the suited men that worked for Zachariah all scattered amongst the debris.

"I just got rid of your Angel friend. Do you honestly think I can't handle you, MacShayne?" he asked, holding a shotgun steadily but he was aiming it past the mystic. "You should've killed me Winchester because after what you'd cost me, my town, I'll make damn sure to kill you."

"I told your son that I'd do my best not to kill you," Dean began grimly, holding the 9mm Browning firmly in his hand. "He's a good kid and sure as hell deserves better than you but I'm also not about to let you kill me and give you a free shot at your sister either. Now, put the shotgun down."

Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, Morgan was finding it hard to stay awake but knowing that she couldn't leave Sam unprotected while Dean and Jack dealt with her…with the Sheriff when something made her look up just in time to notice the red dot of a laser sight settling on Dean's neck from a broken window. "Dean!"

Morgan's shout had him moving to avoid the bullet to the neck but he wasn't fast enough to avoid the shot that struck his shoulder and knocked him to the floor, unmoving. "No!" torn between going to Dean and trying to shield Sam as best as she could, the young woman suddenly felt the room spin as shock and infection began to settle on her weakened system. "Jack…"

"That was stupid, Sheriff," the mystic sighed, taking a quick look to know that Dean's wound, while serious, wasn't life threatening and so maintained his position. "You realize that I could wave a hand and turn both you and that brother of yours with the sniper scope outside into dust, don't you?"

"So why haven't you, Jack?" Shea asked with a sneer, no longer caring who had to die to bury this mess. "Maybe you don't have the power anymore? Or maybe you don't care or…"

"Or I'm waiting for the seriously pissed off mercenary to do it for me?" Jack smirked even before the sound of a gun being cocked near the Sheriff's ear was heard. "Let me spell it out for you in terms even you can understand. You lured your sister here, you watched as she was tortured, you tried to shoot her, you did shoot a member of the Queen's Court Raiders and now between you and your brother, you just shot a guy who is number one in the charter to protect. Oh, and Kel's horrid with jetlag and mystical teleporting makes him worse so if he just doesn't pull that trigger, you'll be lucky. Ciao."

As Jack walked away, Shea Murray began to move when the gun jammed into his neck hard and he found himself looking into ice cold brown eyes. "You shot my medic, you son of a bitch. That alone will get you killed after I'm done beating the crap outta you!" Kelly Robinson growled, slamming the hilt of his .357 Magnum against his skull to snap at someone behind him. "Get him outside with the other one until I'm done in here!"

"Dean?" Morgan was holding Sam's limp hand mainly to have something to keep her grounded until she noticed the older Winchester finally move with a groan. "Dean!"

"Babe, have I ever told you that you echo after I've been shot?" he muttered, holding a hand to his bleeding shoulder while managing to get to his knees before Jack and Kelly got to him. "Oh, so now the cavalry shows up? Your timing sucks, Kel."

Feeling the warning in Jack's look, Kelly just shut up as he pulled the injured hunter to his feet. "Considering how you and the boss look, I'll keep my opinion of that to myself," he remarked, going to look at the wound until he was shrugged off.

"I'm fine, it's a graze," he assured her, figuring he could bluff that one off unless she noticed the blood seeping from under his fingers as he used his good hand to touched her cheek and was instantly on guard. "You're too cold."

"We need to get Sam out of here," she countered, forcing her eyes to focus on the shoulder he was holding when her gaze was drawn downward; to the hand she was holding. "Sammy?"

Ignoring the bickering merc, Jack's attention was also drawn to the injured younger Winchester when he noticed his fingers tightening slightly around Morgan's hand and he held his breath.

"Sam?" Dean let his hand drop from his shoulder to grasp his little brother's other wrist while making sure to keep his good hand on Morgan's back since he could feel the chills she had and knew that meant he'd soon be dealing with two sick people. "Sammy? C'mon, little brother, open those big puppy dog eyes so Morg will quit griping at me," he urged, nodding to Morgan to go ahead as she hesitated before lightly touching Sam's cheek. "Sam!"

"Your bedside manner still sucks, you know that?" she asked crossly, pain, nausea, chills and being worried making her temper short. "He's going to be scared. Yelling at him isn't going to help that."

Lifting his eyes, Dean's lips formed the small smirk he was known for and figuring as soon as she was feeling better she'd be smacking him in the head. "You know what I sound like when I yell, Angel," he reminded her sweetly. "Wait until we're alone at Bobby's. Then you'll hear me yell…at you…a lot."

"Yeah, that'll get you someplace real quick, hotshot," Morgan tossed back, neither aware of the pattern that they'd slipped back into until finally a whisper soft voice got through to them even before a loud but pointed cough did. "Sammy, you waking up for us now, luv?" she asked gently, seeing that Sam's eyes had opened a little but it was the blown pupils in wide, watery glassy hazel eyes that warned her something wasn't right. "Sam? Dean, something's wrong…"

Hearing the slightly panicked tone clued Dean in faster than when his brother's gaze looked between them for several moments before he moved with a speed that neither of them had counted on to twist on the table to throw his arms around Dean's waist and held on as tightly as he could right then. "De!" the effects of not using his voice for anything but screaming had made it hoarse so it cut off with his excited use of the nickname that he'd used for his older brother as a small child. "You…you're…better," he struggled to get the words out of a dry, tore up throat. "I…sorry…Dad…hurt you…don' hate…"

Shock had Dean unmoving for a couple seconds until he felt his brother trying to crawl closer even as Kelly was handing Morgan a silver-coated space blanket that his team used to treat hypothermia, then he quickly moved to ease Sam into a sitting position though getting him to release his hold on Dean's waist took a little work. "Yeah, Sammy, I'm…better," he got out past the lump in throat, pulling the blanket around to cover his brother as best as they could right then but as his eyes met Morgan's, both felt the concern quickly turning to panic. "Sam, what happened?" he asked warily, hoping beyond hope this was temporary.

Getting Sam to sit up fully took both Dean and Morgan as he was too weak from whatever he endured to sit up on his own so once he noticed Morgan on his other side, his attention left his brother in order to scoot closer to her as he had once before when scared over Dean's injuries. "You…got hurt," he mumbled, a habit that Dean had noticed his brother slipping back into even before this. "I…was…stooped and Dad got mad but Morgan said she'd make…you better and you're better so we…can…" he stopped when he noticed the barn. "Where…we at?" he asked, trying to curl against the young woman side when he began to shake. "I don' feel good, De."

"I…know you don't, Sammy," Dean replied, forcing his tone to stay quiet despite the rage that was screaming to get out. "Morg and me, we're going to take you home," he promised gently, glancing up at Morgan to see if she had an idea on how to handle this and he was just in time to see her own eyes roll back. "Shit!"

Moving quickly so he could catch her before she fall forward off the table where she'd been sitting, he supported her as best he could despite the agony that caused his shoulder. Dean lifted her face in his hand to feel her pulse was beating too fast, her skin felt clammy, and he caught the tears on her face, which he knew was for Sam. "Damn," he swore, feeling his brother trying to reach to help him but then went white as the gash on his arm probably began to hurt.

"What's wrong with Morgan, De'n?" he wanted to know, going to move forward when his brother managed to stop him by laying their friend in his arms. "She…sick cause of me…too?" his tired, swollen eyes seemed to water even more. "She…didn't eat…enough when you were sick," he whispered, as if telling a secret. "She said she did…but she was always with you…or me and…she's sick cause she…"

Grabbing Jack by the shirt, he yanked him closer. "Find Cas, NOW!" he snarled in a harsh whisper before forcing his voice to be gentle and calm when he reached to gently place both hands on Sam's neck to lift it to eye level. "No, Sam. Morgan got…hurt by someone and now…we have to take care of her," he replied, quickly grasping for anything to keep his brother calm while he figured out their next step. "I'm gonna need your help to take care of her, okay? You can do that, right, little brother?"

Forgetting his own confusion and fear for a moment, Sam's feverish face seemed to take on a look of immense childlike concentration before he nodded slowly. "Yah, De'n. I can help you take care of her," he promised, proud that his big brother would trust him with such an important job after what he'd caused. "She's…sleeping now," he murmured in a soft whispered, lifting one hand to run his own eyes. "Can I sleep now too, De'n?"

Refusing to let the damn burning tears he felt fall while he was looking at his little brother's trusting face, Dean slowly nodded while carding trembling fingers through Sam's matted hair. "Sure, Sammy," he smiled. "As soon as we get you both in the car, you can nap with Morg."

"Otay," Sam's gaze then went to his wrists which showed rope burns and he seemed to shake over that but only tensed when Dean went to take Morgan away from him. "No, De'n! I have her!"

Wanting to argue that Sam was too weak to carry Morgan, a sharp warning hiss from Jack changed his mind and he allowed his brother to stand shakily. Steadying him with a hand that he kept on Sam's shoulder as he got them the hell out of the damn barn that had been the site of so much pain and torment that he wasn't certain Sam would recover from this time.

Relieved that one of Kelly's people had thought to bring the Impala closer, Dean jerked open the back door before easing Morgan out of Sam's now shaking arms to place her in the back seat. Taking his leather jacket off with a little issue due to his shoulder, he laid it over her for the warmth he knew she needed before nodding to his little brother. "In you go too, Sammy," he urged, wanting to cry with how easy his brother responded to the same tone he had used on him as a kid.

Kneeling just inside the back door to make sure the blanket was still around Sam good enough and that both little brother and friend were as safe as he could make them right then, Dean laid a hand on Sam's now drooping head to ease it down against Morgan's good shoulder. "It's okay, Sammy," he murmured, moving his hand to then more gently stroke against the young woman's cheek. "I'll make this better…for both of you."

Shutting the door just as a hand touched his shoulder to relieve some of the pain, he hissed at the annoying mystic. "I'm fine," he snapped, looking back at the car. "You find Cas and tell him to give me an hour on the road then I want Angel Express to Bobby's," he declared firmly, knowing he couldn't drive all the way back to South Dakota with the injuries they all were suffering from and wanting his brother safe finally. "Then, after you deal with that jackass," his hard green eyes landed on the Sheriff. "I want one of you in South Dakota and don't make me send Cas after you!"

Not giving either mystic or mercenary a chance to argue, Dean got into the Impala but it was awhile before he started it as he seemed lost in thought while his gaze was locked on the rearview mirror. Finally starting the car that he knew his brother would sleep through, he took the road away from the barn at a much more sedate pace than he felt like as his mind burned with memories, pain and more questions than he had answers to…yet. Because he was afraid to find his brother this time he was going to finally get the answers to questions he's had for fifteen years. "I just don't know if I want them anymore."

Once the Impala was out of sight, Jack sighed with a weariness that he hadn't felt in a good three centuries. "That kid's going to explode," he muttered, knowing that was a fact and wondering if he could keep them safe long enough to find a way around this Apocalypse crap without either of the Winchesters becoming a flesh suit for one Uncle or another. "You gonna deal with Murray or can I turn him into a dragon?"

"No, I'll deal with the son of a bitch," Kelly replied grimly, eyes still following the trail of dust while reaching for his cell. "So, you want to find Castiel or…call an irate Hunter who will, more than likely, unload both barrels of buckshot at us when we show up on his door over this?" he asked but found that Jack was long gone. "Figures," he muttered, hearing the grumpier than usual voice of Bobby Singer come on. "So, you want the good news, the bad news or the really going to make you want to kill me on sight news?"

TBC

A/N: Things seem to getting worse for Sam, don't they? Can Dean get his brother's mind to come back or has recent events traumatized it so much that it and the Sam of today are gone forever? What else will Dean learn of that summer? Can Dean and Morgan help Sam or will the secrets of that time still tear them all apart? Can Dean also forget the events in Carthage that his brother blamed himself for? Look for answers, drama, angst, ticked off Bobby, Teen!Chesters and more in Chapter 8. Thanks for reading and the continued support.