"So set a fire, down in my soul, that I can't contain, that I can't control."

Sam was seven, young and reckless as Dean would follow him around making sure he didn't get hurt. The oldest was almost to that age that he would start fighting his father over how much time he had to watch the youngest. There were other things the teenager had to do that shouldn't be taken up by watching Sam play in the park. But for now, Dean was content to follow his brother around the motel in a game of tag.

The room was almost too small to play but with the brothers jumping on beds and furniture they made it interesting. Dean could always catch his brother if he wanted but Sam's gleeful laughter made him go slowly in the chase. Dean's hand would reach out and Sam would duck out of the way trying to stay free. Laughter bubbled out of Dean's lips as he ran after Sam's lanky form.

The youngest Winchester reached the table and with agility that Dean sometimes envied he swung his body onto the tabletop. Crawling would have done nothing but Sam's childish mind thought it was a good idea to stand and then run off. One paper too many on the table had Sam falling with him yelling as he tried to grab for help.

Dean could still remember his heart stopping as he saw his brother fall to the ground grunting from the pain the impact caused. Of course the game was over and Dean would be lucky if his life wasn't over after this. Sam was crying by now and when Dean rolled him onto his back Sam's big eyes immediately locked on with his.

Dean saw many things in that gaze. Pain. Fear. Confusion. Many other negatives that could be made into a long list. But they all faded when Sam looked at Dean and only one emotion was left. Hope. Big brother was here to save him and take his pain away.

Dean Winchester would never forget that look.

Now, here in this witch's stank basement in the middle of nowhere, Dean Winchester saw the same look in his brother's eyes when they locked on his. Big brother was here to save the day.

Dean skidded to his knees by Sam and immediately reached for the gag that looked way too tight. Sam took a heaving gasp before speaking.

"Dean..."

The older hunter's heart clenched at the pain he heard in his name and he wanted to do anything to make that go away. Looking around showed him a water bottle not even three feet away and with a lunge he had it at Sammy's mouth seconds later.

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

Looking down showed Sam's shirt cut in half with a nice sized knife slash from his hip all the way up to his ribs. It was stitched together roughly with thick black twine that Dean couldn't place. Dean set a hand on the wound softly and immediately removed it when Sam jerked away from his touch.

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

Dean wasn't sure he could do that to Sam. Not now. Sam looked in immeasurable pain with his skin flushed and a slight sheen of sweat on his skin. He felt like he was sitting in the sun for ages. It reminded Dean about the small ball of fire in his stomach that seemed to be increasing with every second. It was becoming more of a tinge but he had a brother to worry about.

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

Dean didn't have one second to reach for the handcuffs before Sam was speaking again in his raspy cracked voice.

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

Dean glanced at the wound again looking closer at the details. The slice was long but it didn't look very deep. The stitching was a whole other matter that made the Winchester swallow with trepidation. Why make the wound just to stitch it together?

"Alright. Just relax."

The knife was still tight in his hand when he rested it on Sam's stomach. Sam sobbed in relief while Dean could only curse at the situation. He pushed the knife tip under the stitching and the fire in his belly was accompanied by Sam's scream. Fire laced through Dean Winchester and he could do nothing but double over in pain. His hands tightened on Sam before he somehow pushed himself to keep going.

He brought the knife up and sliced the stitching in two as Sam hitched and writhed under him. Dean dropped the knife and grabbed both ends of the stitching and started to pull it out. Dean's grunts from the pain and Sam's screams were the only sounds that could be heard in the room. The stitching was slippery with blood between Dean's fingers and with one last tug he popped it out of Sam's wound.

The fire in his belly disappeared and Dean breathed deeply from the change in it all. He didn't realize how easily the fire made a home inside of him until it was gone. The pain was constant and the lack of it almost made Dean want to empty his stomach. He turned to Sam and saw his eyes closing as his body was slowly going limp against the pole.

"No. Sam! Stay awake! No!"

His brother ignored him and Dean felt his frustration grow as Sam's head fell forward in unconsciousness. This time Dean did lean forward and picked the handcuffs off of Sam easily. Dean caught his brother as he fell and lowered him slowly to the ground while making sure his wound wasn't touched by anything.

A touch to Sam's neck gave the steady beat of his pulse to calm Dean's nerves. Dean couldn't help but push Sam's hair off his sweaty forehead and felt for a fever. His breathing was normal and regular as Sam's body welcomed unconsciousness with no fight.

"You Winchesters are harder to kill than I first thought."

Dean's moving hands stopped and he cursed at himself for having his knife sitting on the floor next to him. He steadied his beating heart as he kept as still as possible to not be seen as a threat. One mistake from this witch and Dean would take the opportunity by the throat. The witch was moving towards them ever so slightly as she actually took her time to not underestimate him.

"Your brother is as tough as you. None of the victims have lasted this long."

Dean couldn't just sit there listening to her and watching his brother slowly fade away. He grabbed the knife and spun on his knees to throw where he knew the witch stood. His aim was at his best as it flew to her stomach but she snapped her hand out, catching it out of the air. She looked at it for a second before throwing it away into a dark corner of the room.

"Please Dean. Don't insult me."

"Sorry to disappoint."

"Are you still in pain? I was expecting you to feel much more than this."

"I feel fantastic actually."

"Interesting. Sam probably couldn't say the same thing."

Dread was an emotion that Dean didn't like to feel but it came upon him suddenly at her statement. It made his stomach want to bottom out knowing that Sam could be slowly dying as they spoke.

"What do you mean?"

"He was poisoned enough. Just needs time to flood his system and he will die like the rest. And then you will follow easily."

"You know, you're right. We are harder to kill than you thought if you think poison will bring us down."

"Just give it time. It killed the rest easily."

"Teenagers. Innocents."

"They deserved it. The forest took care of the rest. You two are in for a rough night."

"Or I can just kill you and we will see how it goes."

His snark wasn't appreciated as the witch came at him and before he could move her hands were around his throat. He swung at her but she pulled him to his feet and threw him across the room. Experience told Dean what would happen next before his body hit the shelving as he fell. Boxes and containers fell on top of him as the pain quickly took hold.

"Maybe I should kill you now. Once you are dead at my feet I will keep your brother here for days as he burns from the inside out. I will dream of his screams."

Dean felt the fury take over him as he pushed off the boxes and stood on shaky feet. His head was a swivel as he looked for anything to use against her. She wasn't pressing the attack knowing full well that Dean would eventually come to her. Especially since now she stood between the brothers.

He saw the table right when she noticed that the knives were still sitting there waiting. Dean lunged and grabbed for one, taking it tight in his hand as she came for him. Winchester swung out of instinct and got a hint of satisfaction as it sliced her stomach. Her grunt of pain brought Dean a lot more happiness than it should as he stood ready to attack again.

She looked angry with that frown still caked on her face but she didn't back away from him. Dean knew she had a plan or she would have been moving away in defense.

"You can't win. If you give up now I will kill your brother quickly. Not let him suffer."

A loud bang echoed through the basement that made Dean flinch in surprise and fear. The witch jerked and stumbled towards him and Dean knew this was the only moment he would get. With practiced ease Dean flowed forward and the knife slid into her throat with little resistance. Her eyes went wide with horror and that frown vanished in a look of shock.

She held on to life for a second before her eyes went blank in death. Dean let her drop to the ground with a sickening thud ignoring the blood that started seeping from under her. He looked towards his brother seeing him half sitting up with the gun still held in his shaky hand. Dean couldn't help but give his injured brother a victory smile.

"Good job Sammy. I've taught you well."

Sam huffed a laugh at him before falling back to the floor closing his eyes with relief. Dean thought of doing the same knowing his body could use the rest but he needed to get Sam to the motel and cleaned up. The hunt was done but Sammy's life was still in the balance. Dean would not lose that battle.