Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure.

Synopsis: Set at the start of Season One, Dean had been in a wheelchair since his father disappeared more than a year ago and he finally has to tell Sam… There'd been an accident that night and Dean had paid a very high price…one he still doesn't understand. The story will have some hunts from season one and possibly into season two…the brothers will continue their search for their father…there will be alterations to the hunts to accommodate Dean's new situation. I have every intention of returning Dean to good health before this ends…but getting there is going to be bumpy.

Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, so all grammatical errors are my own. Not Slash. Brotherly love and Angst only…

Please Review: They keep me motivated. This is my sad little plea for feedback...

Chapter 24

Dean and Sam meet Gordon Walker

As they pulled back toward Harvelles roadhouse Dean couldn't help the small smile that pulled at his lips. They'd nearly been taken down by a blind killer clown…what the hell. He glanced over at Sam; his brother was staring out into the darkness as they turned down the last curve and saw the parking lot. Both Winchester boys had been surprised that this woman and her daughter knew so much about them, so much about their father. Sam looked over at him when he heard the intake of breath as Dean laughed. "A killer clown…a blind killer clown…nearly got us."

"Yeah…I'm aware Dean." He answered as he watched the genuine humor flashing across Dean's face. It was the first time that he'd seen his brother smile in a while and damn did it look good. "Man, I hate clowns." Sam said evenly.

Dean chuckled louder. "I knew that. You used to burst out crying every time Ronald McDonald came on the tv." He was full on laughing out loud at this point…he knew he shouldn't laugh at his brother's fears…since he was scared shitless of flying…but damn-it…clowns?

Sam furrowed his eyebrows and flipped Dean a one fingered solute as he tried to hide a smile that was causing his dimples to deepen. He liked the direction that things had gone on this hunt, they hadn't learned anything new about the demon, but he and Dean were working together better. And that was worth not learning anything new. His brother was talking more and certainly smiling more often…he had joked with Sam a few times about different aspects of this hunt. "Well at least I'm not afraid of flying." He shot back without thinking about the answer.

"Planes crash Sam." He said quickly. Defending his ongoing fear of planes and flying in general. He'd never mentioned it to Sam and he'd kinda hoped that that was one thing that Sam wouldn't ever know about him.

"And apparently clowns kill." Sam couldn't even say it with a straight face. He started laughing before they'd even come to a halt in front of the bar.

Dean looked over at him and smiled. "Apparently they do. Come on man…let's get a beer." He turned off the car and stepped out of the vehicle, placing his hands on his lower back and stretching his muscles. Getting thrown around by the clown, hadn't felt too good. He was glad that he was at least able to walk, but he certainly hadn't missed getting chucked around by monsters.

XXXX

By the time they decided to leave the bar and head back toward Bobby's, they were a little closer to finding the demon. Ellen had known more about the hunting of that demon than either of them had…she had known that there was a weird connection with John and it…but she had never connected all the dots. A fact that made Dean distinctly happy…since he really didn't want anyone knowing that his own father had sold out his sons.

He'd decided to let Sam drive as long as he agreed that shotgun got to pick the music…effectively dismantling his own rules. Normally he wouldn't have let his little brother drive his baby, but Sam had seemed to need to stretch his own 'wheels'. So it hadn't been that difficult of a decision to let him take the reins for a bit. He pushed in a new tape of Metallica, and grabbed a soda from the bag resting at his feet. He caught sight of his legs and he noticed for the first time that they fit his jeans perfectly. Dean was no longer the wreck of person he had been…he was whole…at least physically. They decided to stop in a small town before driving the last several hundred miles to North Dakota.

"I'll go get us a room." Sam said as he pulled into a local motel and turned off the Impala. He glanced over at Dean. "You wanna see about some dinner?" His brother nodded and licked his lips as he climbed out of the passenger seat and walked around to the driver's side.

"Yeah, I think I saw a diner down the street or maybe it was a bar and grill…I'm not really sure." He patted Sam on the shoulder and smiled. "Make sure it's got lots of hot water. I know how much you like your girly showers."

Sam turned and glared at him. "Whatever dude. Just get me something besides fried greasy food." He watched with rising irritation as Dean shot him a solute and then got into the car. "Just go."

"Remember…lots of hot water." Dean shot out as he pulled away. Sam was shaking his head as he walked into the rental office. A few minutes later he had the room key and was headed to the second floor. He realized an interesting fact as he was walking up the stairs; they could actually have a room on the second floor. Dean could walk and he could climb to their room. He couldn't help feeling satisfied that he had done what he had to…he had protected his brother.

Dean pulled into the dinner and grabbed his wallet before heading into the restaurant. It was a typical family diner, with the typical food…but he searched the menu until he found a pretty decent looking salad and added chicken to the order. He procured his usual burger with onions and fries along with pie. He leaned against the counter sipping a coke as he waited. The waitress, one miss 'Julie', was eyeing him from across the room. He smiled in her direction, but that was all he could bring himself to engage in. He'd certainly had his reputation well established as a 'player' before the incident. But now? He wasn't that guy anymore and he didn't want those type of hookups. He wanted to hunt with his brother and search for his father's killer…and he wanted to learn how to get Sam out of whatever it was that the demons expected him to fulfill. Because they weren't getting his little brother…and random women…well, that would simply distract him from what he needed to do here.

He grabbed a paper so that she might get the hint and stop looking at him like he should be on the menu. His green eyes were sliding over the headlines when one caught his attention. A woman was found murdered in the woods, her head had been removed with what cops assumed was a machete. Well…that didn't sound too good. A…hunt…probably. Dean's brain rationalized. While it was off the beaten path he figured that he and Sam should probably stick around and check this out. Julie brought him his order and smiled as she handed him the boxed and bagged food. "Here's your receipt." She smiled as she slipped the paper onto the counter in front of Dean…her phone number was written at the bottom of the receipt.

Dean smiled and held up the bag as he turned to walk out of the diner. He grabbed a copy of the paper from the machine out front and then crawled into the Impala. He raised his eyebrows as some of his old life seemed to fall into place…the women…it seemed preferred men that could walk. He sighed as he started the car and headed back to the small motel.

"Sam…dinner's here." He called as he opened the motel room and saw the light beneath the door of the bathroom. That little twerp better have left him some of the hot water this time. Dean set the bags of food on the small table and then went to the TV, grabbing the remote off Sam's bed and switching the channel from national geographic to the local news. He was engrossed in the evening news when Sam exited the room, steam billowing out behind him as he grabbed his duffel and pulled out a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He looked at the change of station on the tv and then pulled his clean clothes on as he sank next to Dean and watched the newscaster talk about the multiple homicides in the small town they were currently residing in.

"So…a hunt?" he asked as he pulled a comb through his wet hair.

Dean nodded and pointed to the bags of food. "Got you a salad princess."

Sam rolled his eyes in irritation at the snarky remark, but a part of him was grateful to hear his brother bantering with him again. "Okay…" He saw the receipt and he chuckled as he saw the number with little hearts on the paper. "How'd you pay for dinner, there prince charming."

Dean threw him a confused look until he saw the paper in Sam's fingers and then he raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "The usual way." He dead-panned. "Just eat the fricken rabbit food and stop pestering me about it." His older brother stood up and grabbed his own white Styrofoam box and then returned to the bed, finishing the news while he ate quietly.

Sam knew that things had changed with Dean in the last year. Hell, they'd both done a lot of changing over the last few months alone. But this kinda quiet introspective Dean, was one that he wasn't sure how to talk to. "So…decapitation…vampires…?" He asked as he stuffed another mouthful of the green leafy salad into his mouth. Dean had also stopped and grabbed a six-pack of beer, so he stood and pulled one from the small fridge and then offered one to his brother…who gratefully accepted the dark bottle.

"Thanks." He muttered. Dean leaned back and popped the top on his beer with the ring on his left middle finger. "Yeah, I think it might be. Think we should check out this little bar I saw up the street…maybe they know something about it." He took a long slow draw on the beer and the closed his eyes contentedly as it slid easily down his throat.

"Alright. But you might want to shower first dude…you stink." Sam said as he eyed Dean and took a drink of his own beer. Dean furrowed his forehead and glared at Sam…but there was no heat in the gaze…before he stood and grabbed his duffel and shower bag.

"You leave me any hot water?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Yup." Sam said immediately. He'd gotten enough beat-downs as a teenager to know that taking all the hot water was a serious matter with Winchesters.

XXXX

Dean stared at the secured form of Gordon Walker. He couldn't believe that he'd been drawn into the man's lies as easily as he had. Sam had seen right through the son of a bitch…but not him…he'd been all in. Completely taking what the man had told him as gospel, while he'd dismissed everything that Sam had told him about the nature of this hunt. He shifted his shoulders as they twitched with pain; getting tossed around by the other man hadn't been fun. But he was, however, slightly pleased to realize that he still had all the reflexes that he'd learned over the years.

He heard the Impala pull into the driveway and he stepped around to stare at the other man. Gordon was looking everywhere but at Dean currently, his bloody lip a testament to their fight earlier.

"Did I miss anything?" Sam asked he walked into the living room of the vampire's nest and previously their home. He was stretching his arm, where Gordon had cut it earlier and they had yet to stitch it together. His blue-green gaze shifting easily from the man tied to a chair and his older brother who looked…well, he looked battered…but alive.

Dean shook his head. "Not much…did Lenore get out?"

"Yeah, they all did." Sam answered as he looked straight into the frustrated eyes of the detained hunter. Dean pulled his lip up and then nodded his approval of the situation as he circled Gordon.

"Need anything Gordy? Tinkle…? We'll call someone in two or three days, have them come and untie you." He was still circling the other hunter as Sam watched with interest. He knew that the fact that the man had cut him, in front of Dean, had put him on Dean's shit-list.

"You ready to go?" He asked evenly.

Dean looked at him for minute and then back at Gordon, the anger in his gut still churning at the remembered sight of him slicing into Sam's arm and then hanging the bloody wound over a vampire…just to prove a point. "Not yet…well I guess this is good bye…" He said as he ran his fingers through his hair and then brought his arm down and back up in a vicious arc, connecting with Gordon's jaw and sending the chair over backwards.

Sam watched with something akin to wonder as he saw Dean throw a solid right upper cut into the other hunter's jaw. He'd been on the receiving end of Dean's upper cut's before…and they hurt like hell. He blew out a long slow breath as he shifted his arm and then turned away from the unconscious hunter.

Once they exited the house Dean asked him to punch him…no retaliation…Sam knew that he wanted to even the score for the shot his older brother had hit him with earlier. But Sam wasn't going to do that…Dean had been through enough without him adding to the growing list of injuries.

XXXX

Hunts came and went over the next few weeks…each one bringing its own set of challenges and some even brought them closer to the demon bastard that'd killed their father. Sam and Dean fell into a pretty normal style of hunting and living as they became more and more accustomed to working together again. Dean got used to being able to walk again…his guilt over the cost didn't subside, but it did ease some, so that he was able to concentrate on finding the bastards that'd been killing off Winchesters for more than two decades. The Croatoan virus scare, had caused Dean to lash out at Sam…they'd argued and Dean had accused him of leaving their family for his own selfish reasons…that had resulted in Sam taking off in the middle of the night. And now…well Dean was desperate to find the kid. He was every bit as well trained in hiding and evasion tactics as Dean was…and he was employing all of them at the moment.

He'd left a note asking for some time…Dean, I just need a few weeks to get my head on straight…don't follow me. I'll find you. –Sam-.

Dean had been out of his mind with worry ever since. He'd said some cruel things to his brother…things driven by fear and his own self-loathing…things he hadn't meant. And now he wondered if he'd have a chance to apologize. So he'd called Ellen…and she'd come through for him. Sam had stopped in and told her where he was headed, he hadn't elaborate about the reasons…but he'd been alive and talking when he'd been there. And that was more information than Dean had been able to get.

XXXX

The shots had whizzed by Sam's head as he ducked to pick something up off the floor. Several more bullets rang out before there was silence. He looked over at Eva…she was fine…still whole. He waited for a few more minutes before cautiously pulling himself to his feet. They headed out of the room when no other bullets sang through the window several minutes later. He'd determined that the trajectory of the shooter was above them and probably across the street on top of that old warehouse.

Sam picked up the casings and stared at them…high velocity .203 rounds or maybe even .556…military grade. He sighed as he voiced his opinion out loud and Eva stared at him like he really was a freak. She'd told him when she found him that she was having visions of him dying…ones like the visions he usually had that involved Dean dying. And this? This whole scenario was playing right into her visions of his death. But knowledge was power…he pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed Dean's number.

"Sammy…I've been looking for you." Dean's voice rang out over the line almost immediately.

Sam sighed a breath of relief at hearing the steady raspy voice of his older brother. "Yeah…sorry about that. I'm in Indiana…" He felt a pang of guilt at the worried tone in Dean's voice. Sam could just see his older brother running around trying to track him down…every horrible scenario playing out in his green eyes as he failed at every turn. And Sam had done that to him. What the hell kinda brother was he…he just kept making the same mistakes…he ran when things got rough…always had.

"Yeah, I know." Dean sighed over the phone.

"You do?"

"Yeah, talked to Ellen…Indiana…funky place man." Dean said and Sam's nerves went into overdrive. His awareness shifting into hyperdrive as he looked over at Eva. His brother had set up the 'code' when they'd started hunting again, in case something happened and one of them was being held at gun point.

"Uh…yeah. Hey I think someone's after me." Sam continued as the dark haired girl wandered around.

"What? Who?" Dean asked immediately. His voice sounded a little strained and Sam knew that he was being held against his will. Because his brother wouldn't just give up information…and he would have been chewing Sam's butt out if he'd been free to do so.

"I don't know." Sam said.

He heard Dean sigh. "Well, why don't you meet up with me? I'm staying at 5150 Monroe St. Old warehouse there."

"Yeah, I'll see you there." Sam said as he clicked his phone closed.

XXXX

'Shit…' Gordon Walker…that son of a bitch had grabbed his brother and used him to come after Sam. Dean was tied to a chair, just like they'd left Gordon, and he didn't look at all please with his new 'digs'. Sam cringed as he saw the handkerchief secured around his brother's mouth and the rope that had him immobilized. But it was the look on his brother's face that tore at his heart. Dean looked guilty and resigned…he was prepared to die…but he also looked like he knew something that he was having a hard time stomaching. Sam inched around to the back door; he pulled his lock picks and made quick work of the old lock.

He was careful as he stepped through, looking for the wire that he knew would be there to kill him if he misjudged his steps here…he didn't.

Dean heard the first explosion and his heart seized with a pain so achingly deep that he wished he'd been on the receiving end of that grenade. He strained against the bindings, feeling the ropes cut into his wrists and the feeling of the blood trickling down them not even registering as he screamed into the dirty gag.

"Shhhh…not yet." Gordon whispered as the dust settled. The second explosion rocked the building and Dean couldn't breathe. His lungs wouldn't expand and contract properly he just stared angrily at Gordon as the other man stepped up to him. "I'm sorry Dean." He said and then he hauled back and shot a fist forward slamming into Dean's unprotected face. His head snapped back as the chair went over backwards and the back of his head slammed into the concrete floor…his vision instantly going black.

Sam looked down at the unconscious form of Gordon Walker. His head lolling the side…he'd accused Sam of being a monster…but he wasn't the only monster in this room. And he sure as hell wasn't going to prove the man right by killing him while he was out cold. But oh man…did he want to kill that bastard. He stepped back when he didn't hear any movement from the other room…his head was spinning from the knocks he'd taken from the other hunter. His vision slightly blurry as he stepped through the hole his body had made in the wall. "Dean!" He called when he saw his brother's unconscious form lying on the floor, still tied to the chair. He jumped the few feet that were separating him and Dean and fell to his knees as he pulled at the gag and then the ropes that were securing him to the old chair. Sam was a bit surprised that it hadn't broken when it had fallen…but that was just Winchester luck.

Dean didn't move as he pulled him from the wood and laid him flat on the concrete, waiting for him to haul himself back to the land of the living. "Dean…come on man…wake up." Sam repeated over and over as he stared into the slowly twitching muscles of Dean's face. He reached up and gently tapped his brother's cheeks. "Come on."

Finally Dean's eyelid fluttered and he opened them only to be completely taken aback by the blurriness of his vision. He knew that it was his brother leaning over him…but the outlines were really fuzzy. "Sam?" he asked as he tried to pull himself to his knees, succeeding after only one unsuccessful attempt. He reached out for Sam's shoulders…at least he thought that they were Sam's shoulders, his eyes weren't coming into focus yet and he felt nauseous. Great…concussion. His head diagnosed when he found himself losing the contents of his stomach into the dust that covered the concrete floor.

XXXX

They'd managed to escape with their lives intact…but it was sketchy. Gordon had come to as he and Sam were crossing to the Impala. Sam was supporting most of Dean's weight as they made their way out into the night. The sound of gunfire zinging past their position had both brother's running and Dean, consequently, puking again in the grass.

"You call this taken care of?" Dean asked as he wiped his lips and looked in Sam's general direction.

"Yeah…just wait for it." Sam said as he watched Dean and the blown pupils and the retching made him feel even more guilty…if that was even possible. Dean shook his head and kept his head down as Gordon continued firing and then missed the sounds of siren's as police showed up and arrested Gordon…

"Anonymous call." Sam said as he smiled. Dean shook his head carefully and then smirked around the pain and rolling gut.

"You're a real classy citizen Sam" He said evenly as they waited for the cops to disappear.

Once they'd gotten back to the motel, it was Sam's turn to look closely at his brother. Dean's pupils were definitely blown and there was both a black eye starting and goose egg on the back of his head the size of an orange. He wasn't looking directly at Sam…his eyes were shifting in the general direction, but they were certainly not focusing on the other man. "Dean, your eyes…they okay?" Sam asked as he stared at the odd look in his brother's green gaze. He heard his brother sigh and then Dean sank onto the bed as he felt his way…rather than looked to see where the bed was.

"Uh…visions pretty sucky actually." He quipped as he felt for his boots and groaned when his head protested the change in elevation and his stomach rebelled again. He lurched to his feet and stumbled blindly for the bathroom, his eyes swinging wildly as they took in the large blurry shapes of the door frame and the other bed. He crashed to his knees in front of the porcelain 'god' and retched until there was nothing but the intense pounding in his head and bile in his stomach.

"Damn-it Dean." Sam started to complain…and then stopped quickly when he realized that this had happened as a result of his stubbornness. He kept hurting Dean…he didn't mean to, but for some reason the universe seemed to hate Dean Winchester and it proved at every turn. And Sam …he wasn't helping any of it.

TBC…

Author's Note: Next Chapter has some AU style information in it to get the boys heading in the direction of the yellow eyed demon, and since Sam already died…there's no need for the trek into South Dakota. But the information that Azazel gave to Sam is integral to the story…so working that in.

Please Review: I was so sad when almost no one reviewed the last chapter…please take the time.