Wisdom Reigns … Denial Remains

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the CW or the producers, cast and crew of Supernatural nor do any monies pass hands. I do however love to play with two certain brothers and return them in relatively good health.

Author's Note 1: Warning! This fic will contain very dark themes and violence, if it offends then don't read. Dean is 27 and Sam is 23 this story is set around season 2 but probably will not follow canon to the letter, so can be classed as AU if you like.

Author's Note 3: This is for certain reviewers who asked for a quicker update, amazing what a little bit of encouragement does hehehe, this is dedicated to the reviewers of chapter 12, you know who you are!

What happens when the brother you can see is not the brother you know?

Chapter 13 To dream the impossible or the improbable dream…

Now I lay me down to sleep I pray thee Lord my Soul to keep…

Then:

'Leaving?' Bobby and Dean looked at each other as it dawned on them what Sam saw.

'Ah Sam no we're not leaving and certainly not packing to leave, Bobby wanted to see the Supa Soaker.' Dean said heaving a sigh of relief and finished dressing the wound on Sam's hand, now both of his hands were injured and bandaged, 'damn Sam you trying to become a living mummy huh?'

Sam glanced down at his hands both now swathed in white bandages and then up at his family, 'I guess huh?' He said sheepishly.

Once he was cleaned up and resting on the couch Sam closed his eyes and tried to relax, the voices were back in his head making his headache spike once again. 'Dean?'

'Yeah Sammy?'

'Better hurry with that ritual.' Sam whispered barely audible; panic tightened around his chest and blood dripped from his nose and eyes, 'hurry Dean.'

Now:

Dean sat at the small table in Bobby's kitchen carefully measuring the ingredients he needed for the ritual; Sam was sleeping albeit fitfully on the sofa where Dean could keep an eye on him and Bobby was out doing … Bobby stuff.

'So Kiddo we just need to mix the ingredients a little and then bye, bye Sammy boy and hello Prince Dean.'

'Leave me alone.' Dean ground out as he rubbed the back of his hand against his temple, 'aint got any time for your rubbish.'

'Aw is that anyway to talk to your new … benefactor?'

'Crap and you know it I dunno why I'm even talking to you!'

'Coz you know that I'm right. Sam will never be strong enough to lead my army the moth did fuck him up more than I wanted but … ah I can taste your strength Kiddo so whatcha say? It is a limited time offer.'

'Ya know where you can shove your offer,' Dean said as he stopped working and stared at his sleeping brother. His entire life has been spent looking after Sam; from the age of four he had been his main caregiver, friend, sparring partner, disciplinarian and mediator he did deserve his own life. But leader of the demonic armies? He was trained by their father to hunt and kill anything supernatural or freaky monster-like not to lead their fucking army.

Sam moaned in his sleep and started to squirm about, yet another nightmare was assailing his mind, just once Dean wished that he didn't have to mop up after his brother, to sooth his fears and night terrors and suddenly he felt that hot anger start to boil again deep in his belly.

'Ah that's it Kiddo, feel that anger and rage want to taste blood? I can arrange it, you could have it all Deano whatever you want, women on call, weapons and power you could never imagine possessing, all you have to do is change the concoction and stuff up the ritual. That's it just sacrifice your useless, brain-stuffed little bro and you can have it all and more.'

Dean slammed his fists on the table and swallowed down on the rising rage, he would never ever sacrifice Sam it was as simple as that. It would be like sacrificing part of his own body.

'Get the fuck outta my head!' Dean said in a low snarl, 'no deal.'

'Dean … boy who are you talking to?' Bobby said as he made his way over to the sink to wash his grease covered hands.

'Huh Bobby? How long you been standing there?' Dean stumbled over his words as he swiped his hand over his eyes and returned his attention back to Sam, 'do you think we're doing the right thing Bobby? Making Sam go through the ritual when he's so weak already?'

'It's what he wants Dean me personally I dunno maybe … I mean if there's a chance that we can get rid of whatever is sending him crazy or regressing back to a little kid we have to take it.'

'Yeah I know, it's just …'

'Just what?'

'Look at him Bobby he's so weak, he's lost so much weight and whatever is in his mind is sending him over the edge … what if it makes him worse?'

'Only one way to find out boy…'

'I know I just wish it wasn't so hard sometimes,'

'life aint meant to be all peaches and cream Dean,'

'since when did you get so poetic?'

'Shut up idjit.' Bobby finished washing up and went over to the fridge to rustle up some food and beers for the two of them; it was going to be a long night. 'Anyway ya never answered my question before…'

'Which was?'

'Just who were ya talking to idjit?'

S—D

Taking time before they began the ritual and while Sam still slept Dean went to shower, he needed some time out from all of Sam's issues and from Bobby's watchful gaze at times all he could feel was utter helplessness. Helplessness for his own situation; he had never asked for the life he was given, he had never asked to be a hunter or to be Sam's keeper, he had his own dreams once. To own a small garage and have a family of his own nothing extreme but it was not this life John had carved out for them.

Standing under a steaming hot stream of water Dean wanted to hit out and to destroy, he wanted Sam to have gone to college and do something with all of those smarts he had been blessed with. He wanted both of his parents alive and living happily in Laurence Kansas. Now, now that little shit of a demon expects him to betray his only living relative and best friend and work for him; to lead his army against humanity?

A calm stillness flooded through him and suddenly Dean knew exactly what he had to do.

S—D

After a lengthy discussion with Caleb and Rufus, it was decided that they would source their own Supa-Soaker for the cocoons in the old camping grounds. Bobby gave them the instructions Dean had written down point by point and went over a couple of strategies they could employ if something went wrong and then they were going to head back to Sioux Falls and Bobby's salvage yard.

After hanging up from Caleb Bobby glanced up at the stairs and then down at Sam, Dean was still hiding in the bathroom and that in itself was worrying for the seasoned hunter. The kid hadn't said who he was talking to or even why he was seemingly talking to someone even though there was no one else there except a sleeping Sam in the next room.

Scratching at his fledgling beard Bobby cursed under his breath and decided to prepare the living room before they had to disturb Sam.

'Uncle Bobby?' a child-like voice came from the extremely large boy lying on the couch, 'whatcha doing?'

'Just cleaning up a bit kiddo, how you doing?'

'M'okkies where's Dean?'

'Upstairs showering told him he smelled sumfin awful…'

Sam giggled and showed off his deep dimples as he watched the older man move around the room, 'Uncle Bobby?'

'Yeah Sammy?'

'We haveta do that thingy don't we?'

'What thingy kiddo?'

'That rit-rit-al.'

'Ritual?'

'Yeah that, Sam says we haveta to it so we can get fixed,' Sam said with the sound of tears and the slightest tremor of fear in his voice.

'You talk to Sam?' Bobby asked not bothering to disguise his shock.

'Uhhuh he tells me when it's okkies or when I haveta hide and let him look after us.' Sammy said staring at his Uncle Bobby with large luminous eyes shining with tears, 'he looks afta me.'

'That's good to hear Sammy…'

'bad man is in here wif us too, don' like him.'

'Which bad man is that Sammy?'

'Moth man he meanie …'

'Ahh I see, how old are ya now kiddo?'

'I'm four and a bit!' Sammy announced happily, 'I'm a big boy now!'

'Ya sure are kiddo, how about you lie down and get some sleep while Dean has his shower and Uncle Bobby finishes his work?'

'Okkies … Uncle Bobby?'

'Yeah Sammy?'

'I loves ya.' Sammy said as he snuggled back down under his blankets and let his eyes close slowly while he watched Bobby. The older man barely able to hide his tears, Sam was regressing faster than anticipated but now he was just talking about the moth man. So where is the Yellow Eyed Demon?

S—D

Dean put his foot on the last step when he heard Sammy and Bobby talking not wanting to interrupt them and more than intrigued on what they were talking about he lowered himself down to sit on the stairs and to listen them without letting on he was there. He knew it was wrong and intrusive but he needed to know what they were discussing and how it was going to affect him.

As he listened to how young Sammy sounded and how frightened he was Dean felt himself fracture even more and a single tear made its way down his cheek. That was the catalyst for his decision and if anything it bolstered his resolve that he had made the right one.

As he stood up he gave a slight cough and sauntered into the room, making sure that Bobby heard his arrival. 'How's he going Bobby?'

'Getting younger all the time,' Bobby said as he turned to look at the younger man standing awkwardly by the doorway, 'git in here and git organised idjit we's got work to do.'

'Yes Sir.' Dean gave him a smirk and went over to the table to gather what he needed, and without a second thought grabbed the bottle of whiskey and two glasses as well. 'Let's do this.'

S—D

'Sammy, hey Sam wanna wake up for me?' Dean said as he gently tapped Sam's cheek a smile forming on his pale face when he saw sleepy green eyes staring up at him, 'hey Sammy.'

'Hey Dean, what's going on?' Sam blinked and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. 'Is it time?'

'That you in there this time Sam?' Bobby asked as he came to stand next to the sofa and look down at the young man; a fond smile formed on his craggy features softening them.

'Yeah it's me Bobby,' Sam replied returning the smile as he looked from Bobby to Dean a few times, 'we gonna do the ritual now?'

'If you feel up to it Sam,' Bobby said, 'just say the word kid and we'll put it off.'

'No, no I'm ready.' Sam slowly started to get up with the colour draining from his face when he sat up.

'Whoa hang on there Champ let us help you,' Dean said putting a gentle hand on Sam's shoulder, 'you've been horizontal for a long time.'

'Thanks…' Sam said with a sheepish grin, 'I ah need help.'

Twenty minutes later they were finally ready with Sam lying in the centre of a large devil's trap dressed only in his jeans. He stared up at his older brother with a trusting gaze as Dean traced sigils on Sam's chest after dipping his fingers in the pungent herbal mixture, and then he moved out of the devil's trap marking different spots around Sam with more of the mix. Finally, once he was done Dean went to stand next to Bobby and started to read from the parchment he held. The chant was in Latin and the words fell flawlessly from his lips as he concentrated on Sam.

'Just a slip of the tongue and we can still do this Deano.' The demon's voice echoed in Dean's mind making him falter slightly before he swallowed deeply and kept the chant going.

'All the power in the world can be yours for the taking Deano, I will have my Prince before the end of this night, let it be you and we can rule together.'

Wind whipped around them in the closed room as their chanting hit its crescendo and Sam started to writhe on the floor, a pain-filled scream tore out of his mouth as he seemingly started to convulse. Another roar, primal and pained came from him as the Gorathic moth's essence erupted from Sam's mouth in a gaseous and noxious cloud. Exhausted Sam slumped back onto the floor as Bobby aimed the Supa Soaker at the cloud exploding it with two big squirts of the herbal mixture.

'Sammy?' Dean called out as he ran to his fallen brother and cradled him against his chest, he could barely breath until he knew for sure that Sam was still alive.

'Dean?' Bobby called as he watched for any signs of danger, 'how is he?'

'Alive,' came the succinct reply.

S—D

With innate tenderness Dean washed away the blood, grime and remains of the concoction from his brother's chest and face before dressing him in a clean T-shirt and thick sweater. He had laid him back on the couch after carrying him from the centre of the devil's trap and covered him with warm blankets.

'Anytime you wanna wake up Sammy it's fine with me,' he said as he tucked the blankets around his unconscious sibling, 'you with me dude?'

'Dean!' Bobby's strangled voice sent shudders down Dean's spine as he slowly turned around and saw Bobby pressed against the wall with invisible bonds holding him immobile, the strain evident on his face as he tried to fight against it. Slow clapping drew Dean's attention away from Bobby and Sam; spinning around he managed to catch a glimpse of a large cloud of black oiliness erupt from the mouth of a man and hover between them before shooting straight towards Dean's face.

'Dean!' Bobby called out again as the invisible hands let him go and he dropped unceremoniously to the floor, 'damn it Dean fight it.'

'Sorry but Dean can't come out to play,' the strange voice came from Dean's voice as he turned and smiled down at the fallen hunter, yellow eyes gleamed at him instead of the normally bright emerald green Bobby was used to.

'Damn it Dean you hear me boy you fight him.'

'Now I'm gonna leave the drooling mess of young Sam here with ya hunter, for now anyway,' Dean/YED turned to stare unblinking down at the still unconscious Sam. 'But I will be back!'

Raising a hand Dean/YED flicked his fingers and Bobby screamed; the sound of breaking bone audible in the room, with a smug laugh the demonically possessed young hunter disappeared.

S—D

'Dean? Bobby?' Sam called out hesitantly, it was so quiet, too quiet for the youngest Winchester, 'Where are you guys?'

After two attempts he finally sat up and stared around with an unfocused gaze; as everything became slightly clearer Sam cried out when he saw Bobby lying on the floor against the far wall, 'Bobby?'

Struggling with his uncooperative limbs Sam managed to stagger over to the fallen hunter, he heaved a sigh of relief when he managed to find a pulse and breathes, 'what happened Bobby?'

Tearfully he stared around confused; he could barely remember anything that has happened over the last few months let alone the last few hours but something bad had happened, 'Oh God!' he whispered when he saw the stranger's body lying on the kitchen floor and traces of the yellow powder he knew so well – sulphur.

'Dean! Dean! Where are you?' He yelled as he sat against the wall and cradled Bobby's head on his lap, 'where are ya Dean? I need you!' He sobbed as tears started to fall down his face.

'Dean!'

TBC