Well, it's been quite a long time, but I finally have the next chapter ready for you all. Thank you so much for all of your comments...and the proddings for the next chapter...lol. I know it has been taking a long time between chapters, but finding the time to write while working two jobs is difficult at best. I ALWAYS finish my stories, it just will take longer to get there is all. Thanks to everyone who has stuck around and been patient with me. I so appreciate each and every one of you! So, without any further ado...onto chapter 5.
Daniel blew out the breath he had been holding as he watched Dean pace from one side of the waiting room to the other. It had been the same scene for the past hour, ever since Sam had been taken behind closed doors, leaving his two older brothers to watch helplessly at the swinging doors as he disappeared from sight. Daniel had tried sitting, but his nerves would not allow it for more than a few minutes so instead, he stood at the rear of the waiting room, his eyes moving from the door to his brother and back. Finally, he walked over to Dean and gently gripped his arm, bringing the agitated young man to a halt.
"Dean, stop…please. You're making me dizzy, dude," Daniel said as he met his sibling's eyes.
Dean seemed to deflate at that and slowly trudged to a nearby chair. He sank down and brushed his hand through his short hair. He glanced over as Daniel sat beside him and shook his head. "What the hell was that, Danny? What happened back there?" he asked, his voice sounding confused and angry all at the same time.
"I don't know. That was…that was some crazy shit. I…we need to call Dad," Daniel rambled in reply.
"Yeah…we should. I mean…that thing…what was it? Was it a spirit? A demon? It…it's like it was holding Sammy…caressing him almost, before it pushed him," Dean said with a shudder.
"Fuck, Dean…why did it go after Sammy?"
"I don't know. Why does it always seem to be Sammy the freakers go after?"
"Shit…this is messed up," Daniel muttered, his dark eyes moving to emergency room doors once again. "Where the hell is the doctor? Why haven't they come out yet?" he asked, mostly to himself.
Dean sighed as he too turned his attention to the doors. "He's gonna be okay, right?" he asked warily.
Daniel turned to his brother and gripped his arm. "He's gonna be just fine, Dean. Sammy's a tough little shit," he answered with a reassuring smile.
"Yeah, you're right," Dean said. He leaned forward in the chair and rested his elbows on his knees. "So, you gonna call Dad?" he added a few moments later.
Daniel sighed as he pushed himself to his feet. He looked down at Dean and sighed again. "Yeah. I guess I better get it done, huh? Dad's gonna freak out, I can tell you that for sure," he said.
"Yeah. Wonder if he'll dump the hunt or not," Dean said.
"I don't know…we'll see," Daniel answered. "I'm gonna do this outside…come get me if the doctor comes out," he added.
Dean nodded as he looked up at his brother. "Yeah, I will," he said with a reassuring smile. He watched as Daniel cast his gaze to the ER doors. The older brother stood for several moments, watching the doors, then finally turned toward the entrance and made his way outside. Dean could see him just outside the glass doors, his cellphone pressed to his ear. He watched as Daniel brushed a nervous hand through his hair as he talked, supposedly to their father, before the elder sibling walked out of sight. Dean sighed as he turned his attention back to the ER doors, green eyes intense as he willed the doors to open. Of course, the doors remained stubbornly closed and Dean huffed an impatient breath as he settled back in his chair and waited for either a doctor to emerge to tell him what was going on with Sam or for Daniel to come back in to let him know just how pissed off their father was.
"Sammy, why is it always you, kiddo?" he whispered with a tired shake of his head.
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"I don't know, Dad…the car just stalled right in front of the house," Daniel said as he scrubbed his hand over his face. He shook his head as he listened to his father on the other end of the line. "We were sleeping and then we woke up and Sammy was gone. We went looking for him and saw him at the top of the stairs, then this shadow, or whatever it was just…it's like it just oozed around him until we couldn't even see him anymore then…it…it pushed him. A voice…more of a hiss than anything said that Sam belonged to…to whatever that thing was. We got Sam out of there as quickly as we could."
Daniel listened for a few more moments then blew out a shaky breath. "He was pretty banged up…still being taken care of…no, they won't let us back with him," he said. He bit at his lower lip then looked to the dark sky, his eyes narrowed as he sank deep into thought. "It was not far off the highway…Crandall Street I think. Big, rundown house…I didn't notice the address. It for sure hasn't been used for a really long time," he explained. He nodded as John's voice carried through the earpiece of his phone. "Thanks, Dad. I'll let you know where we're staying as soon I know. Call me if you find out something sooner…yeah, we'll see you in a few days." Daniel flipped his phone shut and took a deep, steadying breath. He slipped his phone in his pocket as he turned back toward the hospital and made his way back inside. He found Dean exactly where he'd left him, the younger man's eyes firmly planted on the ER doors. Dean looked over at him as he sat in the chair next to him and Daniel cringed at the red rimmed eyes of his younger brother.
"So, what did Dad say?" Dean asked, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
"He's not happy. Basically freaked out when I told him. I told him the street and general description of where the house is. He's gonna call Caleb and have him research it," Daniel answered.
"Is he coming?"
Daniel pursed his lips and nodded. "Yeah…he said he'll have Bobby find someone else to help with the hunt…said he should be here in a few days."
"Good…I really don't feel like going at this without him."
Daniel nodded in agreement then settled back in his chair. "I hope we can take Sammy out of here tonight. You know how much the kid hates hospitals," he said. As if on cue to his comment, the ER doors swung open and a bedraggled looking doctor walked out and straight for the waiting area. With only a few other people sitting in the rows of chairs it wasn't hard for the doctor to determine who the two brothers of his patient were. Daniel and Dean leapt to their feet as the doctor approached, both watching for any hint of their brother's condition by reading the middle aged man's face.
"Brothers of Sam Tilton?" the doctor asked as he stepped up the two eager young men.
"Yeah…that's us. How is our brother?" Dean answered as he took a step toward the doctor.
The doctor smiled and glanced down at the chart he held in his hands. "Sam is doing pretty well, considering he fell down a flight of stairs. He has a broken wrist, which is being set as we speak. Bruised ribs and some minor contusions…"
"What about his back?" Daniel asked nervously.
The doctor smiled reassuringly as his fingers absently tapped at the back of the clipboard. "No injuries to his back," he answered. "Your brother is quite lucky to have escaped the fall with just the broken wrist and bruises."
"So, he's gonna be okay?" Dean inquired, his eyes intently watching the doctor's face.
"He's going to be quite sore for a few days, but nothing that some rest won't take care of," the doctor answered.
"Can we take him home?" Daniel asked.
The doctor nodded as he smiled up at Daniel. "As soon as the wrist is casted, he'll be free to go. I'll send you off with some pain killers and anti-inflammatories. He'll need to take it easy for the next few days and you'll want to keep the cast dry…icing his ribs will help with the bruising. That's about all the instructions you'll need. That will all be on the release papers. Why don't you sit tight and I'll have Sam brought out to you as soon as he's finished."
"Thanks, doctor…for everything," Daniel said as he reached out to shake the doctor's hand.
"Of course…glad I could bring you good news," the doctor commented as he took the hand that was offered. "Take a seat. It shouldn't be too much longer," he added before he turned and walked back through the ER doors.
The brothers watched as the doors swung shut then turned and looked at each other. "Thank God," Dean whispered as he sunk back down into his chair. Daniel nodded as he too sat down. They'd dodged a bullet tonight, both brothers knowing it could have been so much worse. They just hoped that their father and Caleb could figure out exactly what was going on and they could take care of the freak thing that had hurt their brother without any further trouble. Of course, Winchester luck as it was, they should have realized that nothing was ever easy for them and that things would get much worse before they could ever hope for it to get better.
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"Yeah, Dad…we got a motel a few miles from the hospital. Sammy's sleeping…the pain pills knocked him out. I'll text you the address," Daniel said as he sat at the shaky table at the end of the bed his baby brother slept on. Dean snored lightly on the other bed and Daniel smiled affectionately as his gaze drifted between his two brothers. "Have you heard from Caleb yet? Did he find out anything?" Daniel listened as John spoke then nodded before speaking into his phone again. "Okay, Dad…we'll sit tight and wait for you to get here. See you in a few days." He flipped his phone shut and groaned as he pushed up out of the chair.
"You should sleep, Danny," Dean's sleepy voice called and the older brothers glanced over at the blinking green eyes staring at him and smiled.
"I'm fine, Dean. Kind of want to keep an eye on the kid, you know?"
"Sam's okay. He's gonna be out for several hours. We're both wrung out and need sleep," Dean reasoned.
"Yeah, I now you're right, but I don't know if I can sleep. You go back to sleep and when you wake up again, I'll sleep."
Dean sighed as he shook his head. He understood, but the dark circles under his brother's eyes worried him. He knew it would do him no good to argue though so he changed the subject. "So, what did Dad say?" he asked as he settled his head back onto his pillow.
"Uh…Caleb hasn't found much out yet, but he's still working on it. He's actually only a few hours away so once he gets something he's gonna head our way. Dad will be here by tomorrow afternoon, so about thirty six hours from now. Wants us to hang here until he and Caleb get here," Daniel answered. "Now, get some sleep. I'll keep an eye on the kid."
"Yeah, okay," Dean said. He rolled onto his side and closed his eyes, his breaths evening out almost instantly. Daniel rested his elbows on the table and closed his eyes, the previous evenings events playing out in his mind as he listened to the sounds of his two sleeping brothers.
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Sam woke with a gasp and sat up suddenly, his hazel eyes wide as he glanced around the unfamiliar room. He wrapped his unbroken arm around his ribs and groaned at the dull ache that thrummed through his torso. He saw that Dean lay sound asleep in the bed next to the one he occupied while Daniel was slumped at a table at the foot of his bed. He cocked his head and listened for the voice that he was sure had awoken him. Sunlight filtered through the faded drape over the one window, lending the room a tiny bit of light for him to see. After a few minutes with no sound save for the soft snores of his sleeping brothers, Sam let out a quiet breath and gingerly lay back down. "Must have been a dream," he whispered to himself as he settled back under the blanket that covered him. He closed his eyes and lay there waiting for sleep to claim him again.
"Samuel…it is time to come to me."
Sam's eyes sprang open, his breath hitching as he squinted into the semi-lighted room. "Who's there?" he called out softly, his gaze drifting over the room looking for any sign of movement.
"You belong to me…come to me and fulfill your debt."
Sam's eyes glazed over, his pupils blown wide as he slowly sat up and swung his legs over the edge of his bed. He pushed to his feet, the young man wobbling slightly on unstable legs. He took one step, then two and was soon walking slowly toward the door. He reached out and grabbed the door knob, giving it firm twist, but frowned when the door didn't open. "Locked," he mumbled as he reached up to release the deadbolt.
"Sammy? What are you doing?" a sleepy, confused voice called, making Sam jump and turn around, his eyes wide with surprise.
"I…I…don't know," Sam stuttered as he stepped back from the door, his eyes finding those of his eldest brother who was now walking toward him from the other side of the room.
"You okay, kiddo?" Daniel asked as he reached his brother and gently took his arm.
"Sam? Danny…what's going on?" Dean called from his bed, the young man pushing up onto his elbow.
Daniel helped up a hand to Dean then turned back to his baby brother. "Sam…where were you going?" he asked as he peered into his brother's confused eyes.
"I don't know. I…I don't even remember getting out of bed," Sam answered, his voice tinged with bewilderment.
Dean rolled out of bed and was by his brother's side in a few short seconds. "Did you have a nightmare?" he asked as he helped Daniel get Sam back to his bed.
"Maybe…I don't know," Sam answered. He settled back on his bed with his brother's help then looked up into their worried faces. "I thought someone was calling to me," he added.
"Who was calling to you? What did they want?" Dean asked. He glanced up to meet his elder brother's nervous gaze.
"I don't know. It was a man's voice…said it was time to come to him…said I belonged to him," Sam said. "Must've been a dream."
"Yeah, must have been," Daniel said as he lightly patted his brother's shoulder. "Let's get you back into bed. It's about time to give you your pain meds anyway."
"I need to use the bathroom first…if that's okay," Sam said softly.
"Yeah, sure…of course it's okay. Can you get there okay on your own?" Daniel asked.
Sam looked up and grinned. "Yeah…I think I can handle it," he said sheepishly.
Dean chuckled and helped is brother to his feet. The two elder brother's watched as Sam gingerly made his way to the bathroom then closed the door behind himself.
"What the hell?" Dean asked as soon as Sam was out of earshot. "A voice calling for him? What the hell is going on?"
Daniel brushed his hand through his hair and let out a shaky breath. "I don't know, Dean. It could just be a dream. He could have heard what that thing said and now it's manifesting in his subconscious. I really hope it's just a dream," he answered.
"Well, I say we don't let the little shit out of our sight. He was trying to get outside," Dean said nervously.
"Yeah…I hate to think where he would've gotten himself to if I hadn't woke up," Daniel said with a shudder.
At that moment, the bathroom door opened and Sam stepped into the room, his eyes instantly finding his brothers right where they'd been when he'd headed for the bathroom. "Talking about me?" he asked with a grin as he made his way back to them.
"Uh, no…we were just discussing what to get for breakfast…or lunch based upon what time it is," Dean said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Uh huh," Sam said in reply, the young man easing down onto his bed, brushing off the offered help of his brothers. Once he was settled against the headboard, he glanced up at the two set of eyes that watched him and cocked his head. "What happened at that house, guys? What's got you both so spooked?" he asked softly.
Daniel sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "You don't remember?" he asked as he patted Sam's knee through the blanket.
"I remember going to sleep and then I remember waking up in the emergency room. What happened last night? What happened to me?" Sam answered.
"We're not sure, Sammy. Something had you at the top of the stairs…pushed you down them. We have no clue what it was…spirit or demon…we don't know, but once Dad and Caleb get here, we're going to find out," Dean said as he sat on the other bed and faced his brother.
"Wait…Dad's coming here?" Sam asked.
"Yeah…we called him last night. He should get here tomorrow afternoon. Caleb's researching then he's heading our way," Daniel said in reply.
"Why would Dad…"
"Sammy, this thing…it knew your name. It said you belonged to it and then we wake up to you trying to leave the room and saying a voice was calling for you? You could've been hurt a lot worse than you were. No way is Dad not going to come," Dean said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"But what about the hunt? Bobby's hunt?"
"Bobby's gonna call someone else to help," Dean answered.
"So, we just sit here and wait?"
"Yeah…and you don't leave our sight for anything," Dean said.
"So, you're my babysitters now?" Sam shook his head as he settled further into the bed.
"Yep, you got that right so you may as well get used to it," Dean replied.
"Great…back to being twelve years old again," Sam mumbled with a hint of disgust.
Dean laughed out loud and swung his legs up onto this bed. He leaned up against his headboard then glanced up at his older brother. "So, since you're all dressed I guess you can go get us some grub, huh? I'll keep an eye on the brat while you're gone," he said with a lopsided grin.
"Gee, thanks," Daniel said. He grabbed the keys up from the table and headed for the door. He gave his brothers one last look before he stepped out into the bright late morning sunlight and headed for the car. He slid into the driver's seat and slammed the door shut. He glanced at the window to their room and sighed heavily. After a few moments he turned the key in the ignition and the Impala roared to life. He pulled out of the motel parking lot and turned right onto the street, the young man eager to get to where he was going so he could then get back to the ones who were his entire life.
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A few miles from the motel that held the Winchester brothers, the large, rundown house stood. Inside, the spirit raged, its dark form flowing through the rooms, its scream echoing through the house as it let its anger out. Dust covered furniture lifted from the dirty floors and flew through the air, smashing against walls as the spirit raged on.
"You are mine, Samuel! Nobody will keep you from me! You will be sacrificed and I will live again!" the spirit screeched before finally the house stood silent once again.
That is it for now. I'll work on the next chapter as often as I can and hopefully have it posted within a few weeks or so. And as an FYI...I am also working on a one/two shot that a reader asked me to write. Once the suggestion was made I couldn't get it out of my head...so be watching for that. It is Three Brothers and I should have it ready to post soon. Take care and thanks for reading!
Cindy