We caught Sam coming back in from the garage just as we reached the main room. He noticed the head in my hand.

"Was just coming to get that."

"Saved you a trip. You dumping her?"

"Yeah, will be back in about thirty."

He looked dead on his feet, "I can do that, you're trashed dude."

"I'm good. I'll pass out when I get back."

"All right, I dosed your new house guest up again, just to be safe."

"Thanks." He turned around and left.

Krissy walked in from one of the side halls looking way too serious for someone who just a huge problem solved for her and she had her and Jacob's bags with her, "I'm sorry, I've got to go. My friend I have watching the other kids just had a family emergency. She has to leave. I need to take Jacob home now. The oldest one can watch them until I get back but I don't like leaving them alone."

I set the curse box down on the table, "You sure?" I asked, "We don't really know if he's really clear of this thing." I shot a look at Coyote, "Are we?"

"His energy looked better, something definitely shifted. I think he's free of the blade. He may still have nightmares and all that but he should be acting more like a normal child now."

Just as she finished talking, Jacob showed up looking a little sad. Not traumatized sad but more like he was sad to be leaving. He pushed his glasses up on his nose and walked up to Coyote. "Bye Coyote. Thank for you helping me sleep and keeping the bad dreams away."

She smiled and gave him another tight hug, "Hang on. Let me give you something that will keep the bad dreams away no matter where you are." She jogged down the hall to his room. He looked around, "Where's Sam?"

"He had to take care of something," I said.

He frowned, "Oh. I..." The comic book they had been looking at was still on the table and his eyes drifted towards it.

"Would you like to take that with you?"

He shook his head but his eyes never left it, "No, it's his. That wouldn't be right."

"Give me a second." I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called him.

"Hey."

"Hey. Krissy has to take off, her friend that was watching the other kids had to bail, family emergency. Jacob wants to talk to you. Hold on." I gave the phone to Jacob, "Ask him, see what he says."

"Hi Sam,"

"Hi. You feeling better?"

"Yes. I,.." He got all nervous and started shifting his weight from foot to foot, "I was wondering if I could borrow that book we were reading." He looked up at me then rushed through the rest of it, "I read fast, Krissy could send it back when I'm done. I don't want to keep it, I just, um, I really like Batman and I hadn't seen those ones yet."

Sam didn't even take a second to think about it, "Of course. Keep it as long as you want. You have to promise me something though."

As soon as "Of course" was out of Sam's mouth Jacob started bouncing up and down with a huge grin on his little face. "Anything!"

"If you have a hard time, bad dreams, whatever, you let Krissy know and call any of us if you need to. Dean, me or Coyote. Any time you need us, we'll be here for you. Okay?"

"Okay, okay! Thank you Sam! This is so awesome!"

He was going to be just fine, it was nice to do a job that had a tangible happy ending. It'd been a long time since that had happened. He shoved the phone back into my hand, ran to the table, pulled the book off of it and held it like it was the some rare treasure. Then he dashed back over to Krissy, "Everyone back home is going to be so jealous!"

"Well, after you read it you have to share if they want to look at it."

He didn't look too happy about that, "I'll just take a long time to read it then."

Ten year old logic, had to love it.

"I think you made his year," I told Sam.

"Sounds like," I could hear his smile through the phone, "Gotta go. Be back soon."

"Sure." We hung up just as Coyote came back with a pouch. She went to hand it to Jacob and saw his hands were full of comic book. "Sam said he could borrow it."

"Nice!" She knelt down so she was eye level with Jacob, "Put this under your pillow, it will keep the bad dreams away."

"It works," I assured him, "Trust me."

He nodded very solemnly for a little kid, shifted the book so he could take the pouch and then tucked it into his pouch. "I will, every night. Promise."

"Good," She stood back up, gave Krissy another hug and stepped back. "Call anytime."

"I will," Krissy said, "I'll let you guys know when we get home. Thanks so much, for everything."

"No worries."

She nodded, put her hand on Jacob's shoulder, "Bye." He said with a little wave. They headed up the stairs and left.

Coyote and I stared at each other for a second. It seemed oddly quiet. Of course it always feels like that when you come to the end of a crazy ass day.

"Sam's not the only one who looks dead on his feet," she pointed out. "How about we go lay down?"

"Sure, guess we can take these off." I pulled the paper with all the warding on it off my shirt, she took hers off, "That blade was still way too damn strong even with these on."

"Won't argue with you there."

"Let me go lock this up then I'll join you."

"I'll come with. Don't really feel like letting you out of my sight again." There was a definite hint of something behind her words. Something I definitely liked.

"Ladies first," I gestured towards the hall as I picked the box back up.

"Damn, I wanted to stare at your ass but I can't say no when you're being all cute and chivalrous."

"Yeah, chivalrous, we'll go with that." I said with a wink.

"Pervert. I like it."

"I sure as hell hope so." She took the lead down the hall and I made sure to enjoy every minute of that view. We got the blade all tucked into it's drawer and went back to my room. I almost just laid down in my jeans and shirt when she stopped me.

"No, uh-uh, not when I can't roll away from the amount of body heat you put out, you fully dressed would be a million times worse. Strip Winchester."

I just couldn't let that go, so I put my arms out and fell backward onto the bed, sprawling all the way out. "Too tired to take clothes off."

She ran her tongue over her teeth, gave me an exasperated look and shook her head, "You can't be serious."

I just closed my eyes and slowed my breathing, "Won't be the first time I slept like this. Besides the room gets chilly, the clothes help keep me warm."

I heard a sigh and felt her hands start working the laces on my boots loose. "I'm only doing this because I know how long you've been up, so don't get used to it."

"Mmm-hmmm."

She got my shoes off, then started tugging off my jeans, fortunately I'd worn a looser pair so it wasn't too awkward. I was going for the full effect of being half asleep and barely helped at all. Now most days, all this attention would make me wake up pretty quick, especially with her, but the bed was comfy, I was stiff and sore from being in the car for hours at a time and feeling pretty good about how the whole Jacob thing ended. I did move my arms so she could get my shirt off without it being too much of a hassle. The coolness of the room actually felt pretty good on my skin.

"Now scooch," she ordered with a small shove against my chest.

I slid over and heard her pull her clothes off. The light clicked off, she shut the door and curled up next to me. I knew she wasn't really all that tired but damn it felt good to have her arms around me.

I felt her lips lightly press against the back of my neck, "Love you," she whispered.

"You too." Then I drifted off.

I was naked, so was she. The fires of Hell flickered and danced on the walls. Tormented souls screamed, the smell of searing flesh filled my nose and my mouth, I'd missed that smell. Here was where I was in charge, where I had power, where nothing could touch me. Not now, not after I'd said yes to him.

There was blood everywhere, I was covered in it. I'd stripped layer after layer of skin off her, just to hear her scream. At first she cursed at me, called me every name in the book in both languages she knew, then she started begging, then whimpering, then crying. It was almost time.

I straddled her, her eyes were almost completely out of focus. "You're not him..." she whispered.

"Oh no darlin' I am."

Her head rolled to the side, I roughly pulled it straight again. "Now, now none of that. You know what Alastair said my special skill was?"

"Not him, not him," she mumbled.

I ran my hand through the blood, the guts, the exposed nerves, her body twitched and she hissed in pain.

"He said that any two bit thug can torture someone for all eternity. Where the art lies in stripping a person of almost all their hope, then bringing them to the edge of oblivion. When they think they're mere seconds away from not feeling the pain anymore. Then bringing them right back."

I snapped my fingers. Her body became whole again, perfect, and delicious. "Wait too long, they fade, do it too soon and it's not nearly as devastating. He said I had a special knack for knowing just when that moment was. I'm one of his best, just ask him."

I saw the second her soul became whole again, her eyes cleared, mind bending fear flashed in them when she saw me hovering over her. "No! Stop Dean! Please! Fight it! Don't do this anymore!"

"How sweet, you think there's any love for you left in here Coyote? Really? Well, there's love, but not the way you think. I don't love you, I love what I can do to you."

"Dean! No!" Sam's voice blocked out the never ending screams. I looked left, he was suspended over a fire in an iron cage. Anywhere his skin touched the iron it was black and bubbling, but the pain didn't matter to him. Not one bit.

"This is so perfect, I don't have to do a damn thing to you Sam. I just have to make you watch me kill her over and over. The sight of your brother killing the love of his life is ripping you to shreds isn't it?"

Tears of pain and hate streamed down his face, "You bastard. I'll..."

"No, you won't. You won't do a damn thing."

She started struggling against the shackles, whimpering. I looked down at her, I wanted her, I'd take her. It'd add that perfect touch to the torment Sam felt. Hell, I was ready to. The feel of her writhing under my blade had made me so hard it was starting to hurt. "Let's spice things up shall we?"

I leaned down and got right outside of her. She felt me rub against her and tried to slide away but she couldn't. "No, no..."

"Oh yes," The flames flickered off her sweat, "Let's see what this does." I set the tip of my blade against her forehead and slowly drew it down her face, lightly at first but the farther down I went the harder I pushed. As I moved the blade, I slid farther inside her. Her screams rose in pitch and volume as her body tightened around me from the pain of the blade piercing ever further into her flesh.

"No! God! Stop!" Sam howled.

I timed it so the point of my blade sliced through her navel as I finished thrusting into her. I rode out the waves of pleasure that sent through me. I had to have more, I had to.

A low pitched, thunderous growl came from behind me, I turned and a huge gray furred body slammed into me.

I couldn't breathe! I was taking huge sucking breaths but nothing was getting into my lungs. She was next to me, shit! I had to get away! I heard a crash as I landed hard on the floor, my head hit the corner of something, I still smelled the blood, felt it. No! No! A wall slammed into my back, I didn't know where I was. That smell was everywhere.

I saw her lunge upright, "Dean! What's wrong?"

She was covered in blood, I'd done that to her, I couldn't look at her. I couldn't think.

"Dean?" She reached for me.

"No! Don't touch me!" I shoved myself across the floor to get away. I hadn't enjoyed it, but it'd felt so good, so perfect.

"Okay, all right. I'll stay right here," she said in soothing tones.

I couldn't look at her, I'd...I'd...

"Babe?"

"Don't call me that, not right now." I buried my face in my hands and closed my eyes. Her voice, I wasn't there, it wasn't real. It'd felt so...so good. God what the fuck is wrong with me?

I had to know, know that she wasn't hurt...that at least, I had to...the blood, the screams, it all echoed through me. Dream, it was a dream, try to breathe. The feel of her under my blade...no! Don't think about it...stop...look at your hands. Look! Eyes fucking open idiot! It was so hard to look, there would be blood, there had to be. There wasn't, just scars, scars I'd put there. No blood. Breathe. Look at her, make sure.

"Pull...your shirt...up," my throat was too tight, it was hard to speak.

"Here, look." She didn't question, she trusted me, she was stupid to. I'd be the death of her, just like everyone else. Raise your eyes, look!

No blood, "N..no blood..." Just her skin and a few scars from fights.

I saw it again, heard their voices. Hers and Sam's. Sam! Get up! Check on him! I struggled to stand.

"Dean let me help..."

"No! Stay away.." Door, open the door. "Sam! Sam! Fuck! Sam!"

Make it down the hall, his room is right there. "Sam!"

"Dean? What's wrong?"

He's behind me. Turn around. Can't.

"Sam!"

"Right here man, right here."

He's in front of me, no burns. No cuts. Breathe. He's trying to hold me up, "No! Stay...away." The smell, the taste. Why can't I stop it? I..I have to leave. Get out, get home. Not here, not here. I shove against his arms but he doesn't let go. Get control back, then leave. Go home. Home, safe.

That smell, fading. I smell herbs, breathe. Think of home. Think...

Heart slowing down, I'm in the Bunker. I'm not there, not in Hell, not...Don't think about it! Bunker, they're alive. I'm human, not demon, human.

"Dean, come back, it was a nightmare," Sam said. Sitting on the ground, we were on the ground. My legs were cold, I was in my underwear.

"Dean?" Her voice, keep looking at the ground.

"I have to get out of here.." The words tumbled over each other, "Out. Home..."

"Babe, it was a dream," she said.

I pushed my way out of Sam's arms, my legs were shaky but I got up, "Pack your shit. I have to get out of here, now." Her hand was on my shoulder, I wrenched it away, "Now! Do it!"

I made it back to my room, slammed the door and leaned against it. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! One day, one goddamned day. I'd never had a nightmare like that, ever. Not with her in it, not doing that...not. I felt the knob turn and pushed off the door so she could open it.

"Let's talk about this..."

"No! No talking, not talking. Just pack." I didn't turn around to look at her, not with those images still searing into my brain. I got dressed, grabbed my bag, kept my eyes towards the ground and walked past her. "Garage, five minutes. Be there."

"Dean stop. Please."

Oh God, those words, why? I felt it again, the blood, everything, I almost tripped. "No! Just pack. Please."

Sam was standing right outside, "Give it time, it will pass. You know that."

I instinctively looked up at him, but in my head I was seeing him slowly burning to death, I winced and looked back down. "One day Sam, I was here for one day. I...never...not like that. Not what I just saw. Been months since..." I still couldn't form complete sentences so I stopped trying for a minute. He walked next to me, I tried again. "Call Roy if you need help, not me. Never again. I'm done. Sorry. Anyone else ever asks me for help, I'm sending them to you. You're the hunter now, not me."

He faltered and froze mid step, I kept walking. No more hunts, no more blood, no more torturing things, no more. Not after this.