This quick update is for you DearHart, thanks for the review and I hope you like chapter 2. Now give me a few hours for chapter 3!

"Love is a burning thing and it makes a fiery ring."

Consciousness came slowly to Dean and he grabbed hold of it firmly as it led him out of the twilight. Everything was as he left it as his eyes fluttered open to the midnight chill. He was still standing with the branches holding him up, one arm twisted slightly behind his back. The arm holding his gun was extended out to his side as the gun was pointed vaguely into the forest beyond.

The vine around his throat was still tight and thick yet somehow he was able to take a shallow breath. Another gasp had a sense of clarity return and his brain focused on his predicament. Dean couldn't look down but he felt the branches and vine's arms around his legs and torso. How he woke he wasn't sure but he needed to do something before the forest figured out he wasn't still out for the count.

The knife strapped on his leg inside his jeans taunted him but he wouldn't be able to reach it without freeing himself. His hand tightened around his gun but it was pointed to nothing. Nothing but the forest.

Dean wondered if he should dare but he was currently trapped by trees. It couldn't possibly get any worse. Well it could but it didn't matter. Sam was still out there alone and probably hurt with that witch. He squeezed the trigger and the gunshot reverberated through the forest. The consequences were instantaneous.

The branches tightened around him and more importantly around his throat. He gasped with the surprise of the attack but he pulled his arm as hard as he could towards him. The gun shifted slightly towards the trees closest to him and he grunted with the pressure on his throat. He yelled at the strain he was putting on his body when his wrist was pulled in the right spot and he fired.

The bullet hit a nearby tree and Dean could have sworn he heard the forest cry out in pain. Branches snaked away from his arms and he immediately bent down and grabbed his knife from his leg. As he stood swinging the rest of the forest restraints pulled off slithering away from his touch. He grabbed hold of the vine around his neck and yanked it off before bending backwards and gasping a large breath of air.

Dean had a second of peace standing there breathing deeply the wintery air before the trees came for him again. This time he was ready as he slashed and ducked around the branches grabbing for him. He realized he stood no chance alone so he did the only thing his oxygen starved brain could think of. He ran.

It took a moment to break through the first attack of trees but once he fell through his legs brought him to a sprint in seconds. In front of him it showed trees not moving but behind him he heard them coming for him. He never thought he would be scared of trees but these were giving him a run for his money.

With his gun in one hand and his knife in the other Dean Winchester ran towards where he knew the witch's cabin was. He wasn't sure how far the building was but he didn't stop even as he jumped over reaching roots.

He entered a bare clearing with the cabin in front of him so quickly that he stumbled and fell to the ground. The air rushed out of him from the hit but he pushed up to his knees and looked up at the small cabin. Everything was quiet until he heard a sound behind him that had him turning to look.

A vine came out of the forest like a whip and wrapped around his ankle tightening its hold before Dean could even yell in frustration. It yanked him to his stomach and started dragging him back to the forest behind him. His hands were grasping for anything while trying not to let go of his weapons. He knew it was no use as he flipped himself to his back and pulled himself down towards his foot.

Bringing down the knife on the vine holding his ankle had the forest shuddering in front of him. The knife connected again almost severing the tie and he didn't bother looking up knowing the forest was waiting for him. He was getting too close as he finally cut the vine in half. This time he flipped over and stood up in one fluid motion that had him running for the safety of the treeless clearing.

Dean connected with the wall of the cabin and slid down out of tiredness making sure to keep a good grip on his knife and gun. He grunted in anger as he unwrapped what was left of the vine from his ankle. He leaned back on the wall letting it support him as he took his time catching up on his breathing.

The adrenaline passed slowly but as it did he felt a pit in his stomach that he didn't notice before. He wasn't sure what the feeling was but it almost felt like heat coming from him. His hand rested on his stomach and tried to figure out exactly what he was feeling. His study was interrupted by the cabin door opening and Dean stilled all movements as he listened.

A few seconds of silence before he heard someone moving through the clearing on the other side of the cabin. Slowly Dean crawled to the end of the wall and looked out beyond. The witch was just entering the forest leaving Dean alone with the cabin she called her home. Where she was going Dean had no clue but it didn't change any of his plans.

Dean Winchester stood, pointedly ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach, and made his way to the front of the cabin. His gun was out and ready as he entered slowly. His brother instincts were on full alert knowing without a doubt that Sam was in this cabin. He was going to find him and somehow drag him through the fighting forest to their waiting home. Big brother was coming.

"Walk through the flame, no trace of indecision, lion keep his vision clear."

Sam Winchester knew without a doubt that he was dying ever so slowly. Consciousness only brought a nightmare to him as he looked down and almost passed out again from the sight. The knife wound the witch caused was roughly stitched with some kind of makeshift twine. Every breath made him feel the tug it put on the wound and he couldn't ignore the fire. The constant burn inside of him.

Sam hit his head on the pole behind him as the heat slowly took over his entire body causing him to struggle against his bonds. His feet dug into the ground before losing traction and falling forward roughly. It was agony and all he wanted to do was curl up and cry himself into death.

"It will be better if you stop fighting. It will hurt less."

Sam cursed at her through the gag before he shut his eyes closed to her nonchalant form. She was sitting casually in a chair a few feet from him watching him die. He wondered if she watched all her victims as they slowly burned up inside. Sam didn't doubt it and her insanity.

"Accept it and you will feel peace."

Another scream at her that she smiled at before he let his head hang down out of exhaustion. He could have sworn that his insides were liquid fire and everything was telling him to fight to his death. Even if Dean was gone he wouldn't give up. He couldn't.

"Dean will feel less pain if you don't struggle."

Sam's head jerked up and he stared at her to try and find out if it was a lie or the truth. She looked truthful and she laughed at him before crossing her arms across her chest.

"Not sure if that means you will fight more but we will see."

Sam felt a weight lift off of his shoulders knowing that Dean must still be alive. The witch would think he would give up now and spare Dean the pain. Apparently she didn't know anything about Winchesters. Dean has been through worse and so has Sam. Sam couldn't think of when he felt more pain right now but his mind told him he had. He just had to believe it and hold on.

Don't bother little brother. Just give up.

Sam's hazel eyes popped open and there was Dean sitting indian style in front of him. He looked younger and Sam knew immediately he was a hallucination. His brother looked so innocent sitting there giving Sam his best Dean Winchester smile. Innocent and demon deal free. The tears came now and Sam begged for them to stop as he started to feel the salt through the gag.

The hallucination leaned forward and placed his hand on Sam's wound giving it a small push. The fire flared up and Sam screamed silently praying the heat would go away. He wasn't sure how much longer he could last this constant pain. Someone had to help him.

Anyone.

"Sammy."

Sam opened his bloodshot eyes and saw Dean not sitting but standing at the bottom of the basement steps. The witch was gone and the youngest Winchester was scared of where she went. Dean looked ragged and tired but it didn't matter as long as he was real and here to help. Dean's shock lasted only a second before he was sliding to the ground before his brother and slowly taking out the gag.

Sam felt his heart stumble in its beats at feeling his brother and knowing he was real.

"Dean..."

His name came out as a plea and a prayer for reassurance to this rescue. Sam needed his brother in more ways than one right now and he begged for release. Water seemed to appear out of thin air and as it dribbled in Sam's mouth he swallowed it eagerly.

"Slowly Sam. Don't choke. What did she do to you?"

His hand landed softly on his knife wound and Sam jerked back into the pole from the touch.

"Please. Dean. Take. It. Out."

"Sam, I have to keep it. It's holding the wound together. Let me get the cuffs off."

"No! Please. It's poison. I'm dying. God, please."

"Alright. Just relax."

Silence but Sam knew his brother wouldn't deny him. Sam felt a coldness touch his skin by the wound and he sobbed from the relief it gave him from the heat. He would recognize the metal of a knife on any day. He heard his brother curse before Sam felt a tug at the stitching in his side. Sam's body turned into a firestorm and he screamed out placing everything he had into it. Dean doubled over on top of him and the youngest Winchester felt Dean's hands tighten around his side. Sam breathed deeply before screaming his brother's name.

A slice at the stitching brought a hitch to Sam's scream and before he knew it Dean was sliding the stitching out of him. Sam didn't bother to stop screaming as the pain didn't decrease. He felt the last inch of stitching come to the end and it popped out of him with a small snap.

The fire winked out of Sam in an instant.

The lack of pain brought a shudder through his body and he gagged from the sudden change. Not even a second later his mind was shutting down and unconsciousness was beckoning for him. He ignored his brother's plea to stay awake and he knew without the handcuffs on he would have fell over. He settled for his head falling forward as his body fell into oblivion.