John Winchester stood before the three younger boys, who were all surprised to say the least.
"Dad how did you find us?" Dean asked.
"Sorry kid. Not your father. I had to take over John's body in order to get through to Rob."
John looked back at Rob and they stared at each other for a little while.
"You're not my father." Rob said with conviction.
Rob put the knife close up to Sam's throat.
"Now leave before I kill him."
John put his hands up in surrender, but his face had a look of disappointment on it.
"Robert Porter you listen to me! I've been watching you! You think this is how I want to be brought back? Or if I wanted to be brought back at all? I died protecting you so you could live your life, not so you could hurt an innocent family!"
Rob was conflicted. It was John that was standing before him, but the way he talked definitely sounded like his late father.
"If you're really my dad, tell me things only he would know!"
"I took you fishing for the first time when you were four. I taught you how to shoot a gun when you were nine, and you were an amazing shot. I had to have the sex talk with you when you were thirteen because you had the hots for your teacher. You got your license at sixteen, you drove us to the beach and we had a relaxing day, that's also the first time you got so drunk I had to carry you back to the car before I drove us to a motel. When you were eighteen I was killed by a witch. Later on you tried to bring me back, but it wasn't me that came back was it? I watched as a demon took control of my bones, and I watched as you had to kill me. I saw what it did to you. You were so determined you never noticed I was screaming in your ear to straighten up and do the right thing. Then I finally saw you attend school, but it was for the wrong reasons. And son, I didn't know your lake of reading abilities extending to what it was. I'm sorry."
Sam and Dean kept quiet. It must be the spirit of Joshua Porter, how the hell would their father know all that stuff about Rob?
He lowered the dagger he was holding at Sam's throat and stared at John with watery eyes.
"Son, it's time for you to move on. You're being kept alive by a spell and I can't let you take these boys lives."
"Dad I know what I'm doing now! I can transfer myself into Sam and you can have Dean, its perfect! Then we can open the portal and control the supernatural dimension!"
John shook his head.
"No son I'm sorry. Once you're dead you should stay dead. I'm sorry you had to go like this, but let go of the spell and we can go together."
Rob shook his head and backed away.
"No!"
Rob ran to the third glowing orb.
"No you don't have to do this!" John yelled.
Rob started chanting, the winds started to pick up, the air grew think around them and the weather was becoming more hectic around them.
John ran to the tree Sam was tied to and started cutting through the ropes.
"Dad?"
"Hold on kiddo."
The ropes snapped and John took Sam into his arms.
"Sammy listen, run that way and get to the impala, and don't stop for anything!"
"I thought you were Mr. Porter!"
"I'll explain later, go run! I'll grab Dean."
Sam didn't have to be told twice as he took off at full speed down the path. He didn't know if his dad was his dad or Joshua Porter, but he was there to help and that's what mattered. Before John could reach Dean he had already sawed threw the ropes using the harsh tree bark, and took off running towards where Rob stood. He crashed into him and sent him flying into the ground. Dean having the upper hand wasn't going to let Rob off the hook that easily. He hit his face over and over again. Everything that happened was being released into his punches.
Sam's terrified phone calls.
Rob killing in cold blood.
Rob hurting his little brother mentally and physically.
Lightning hit the rock that was behind him and he jumped off of Rob's body. He was rolling away when strong hands grabbed him. He went to fight but he saw his dad's face.
"Dad… ?"
"I'll explain later. Get to the impala down the path, and make sure you and Sam stay in the car."
"Where is Sam?"
"I sent him already so hurry!"
"What about Rob? If that hoodoo spell is keeping him alive then me beating him up won't kill him."
Suddenly the air stopped moving and everything became still. Dean and John looked around and noticed only the area that they were was still, but the trees outside of their small clearing were swaying dangerously.
"What the hell?" Dean asked.
Both John and Dean looked over where the lightning struck, and saw Rob's body standing in front of it. Only his arms and one leg were broken by Dean, as well as his face was bloodied and bruised and bones were broken, yet he still stood.
John pushed Dean behind him as they looked at Rob.
"I finished the spell. The portal's opening." Rob managed to say.
The rock where the lightning struck started to glow.
"Umm dad, what do we do?" Dean asked.
"I'm not sure son."
The glow became stronger. Rob had a smile on his face while Dean and John were horrified at the events. Then they saw someone step out of the light.
"Dad who is that?"
"That's Joshua Porter."
Rob's expression turned sad. He turned and looked at his father as he stood before the glowing rock. His dad looked just as the last time he saw him, except healthy and happy.
"Dad?"
"Hello son. What did you do?"
"I did it for us."
"You did it for revenge."
"Did you end up in there with all the monsters?"
Rob smiled a little.
"I should have known you couldn't read well. You opened a different portal son. Instead of 'Inferna', you said 'gratia.' Which means love. I don't know if it was a mistake or intentional, but here I am."
"Dad I…"
"Ssshhh. It's time to go."
Rob looked behind him at Dean and John. It was obvious he was conflicted on what to do. Should he continue on with his quest? Or follow his father to whatever after life awaited them.
Joshua put his hand out, John and Dean both watched as Rob put his own hand in his father's, and slowly they walked back into the glowing rock, both disappearing from sight. Rob decided to follow his father afterall.
The air became normal around them, but the storm surged on.
Both men looked at each other.
"Is it over?" Dean asked.
"I think it's over Dean. We can talk about what happened later, let's find Sammy and get back to the car."
~*SPN*~
Sam didn't want to run without his family. He has been separated from them for too long, but right now he feels it would best to let his dad and Dean handle Rob.
Sam couldn't properly see the thick clouds through the dark sky, but he felt rain drops on his face. They were very light but noticeable. The wind picked up like crazy and it seemed like the thunder and lightning was getting closer and closer. He stopped just for a few minutes to catch his breath. His lungs were burning and he needed water. He picked his head up and going to start running when lightning struck a tree in front of him and it came crashing down. He jumped and yelled as the tree caught on fire, and blocked his path to the impala. He could feel the flames close to his body. He went to turn to run around the fire but the wind already picked up the embers and the flames and suddenly the flames were everywhere. 'This is a lot of freaking fire the amount of rain we've been getting.' Sam thought.
The air was thick with black smoke that Sam couldn't see, but it was burning his already hurting lungs. It was also in his eyes and what little lighting he had was gone and replaced with orange and yellow flames around him. He didn't know what was fire and what wasn't. All he knew was he could feel the heat.
He started coughing and wanted to call out for help but he knew his dad and Dean had their hands full dealing with Rob.
~*SPN*~
Dean and John were walking through the forest when they saw the flash of lightning hit the tree in the distance, and faintly heard a scream. Dean knew that scream from anywhere, it was Sam.
Both men went running and after a few minutes they could smell the smoke and see the flames, which made their quest to find the youngest member of their family just the more important.
Finally they came across the source of the fire. They saw the fallen tree and figured right away it was struck by lightning. The flames were quickly spreading and they were hoping Sam wasn't caught in the middle of it, but taking another look they both saw Sam, low to the ground, and surrounded by flames.
It only took Dean a second to process what was going on before he started running. He expertly dodged where all the flames where he embers have fallen to create smaller fires, and found his way to Sam. He could hear his dad yelling his name but it was hardly processing at the time. The only thing going through his head was 'Can't lose Sam again, Can't lose Sam again.'
He covered the smaller boy's body with his own, which made Sam jump.
"Sammy it's just me. Come on I'll get you out of here."
"Hard…to…breathe…" After a coughing fit Dean stood up taking his brother with him, cradling him in his arms. He found a small path that was not engulfed in flames, and ran towards it.
Dean tucked Sam's small frame as much as he could against his own body as he felt the flames. He got to the edge and felt a horrible burning sensation on his arm and screamed. His arm was on fire! He ran even faster until he saw his dad who was holding a blanket.
"Dean oh my god you and Sam get down on the ground now!"
Dean put his brother on the ground and dropped himself, as John acted quickly and threw the blanket on top of Dean's burning arm, and didn't stop patting him until the flame was out.
"Dean are you hurt anywhere else?" John asked with concern dripping off of him.
The last John saw Dean he was running blind into flames, and when John went to help his sons the fire spread and he wasn't able to get to them. The only thing he could do was run around them, get to the car, and get prepared for the worst. At the moment all he saw was Dean's arm on fire being the only problem, but he would have a closer look at both of them, and most likely bring them to the hospital in case of smoke getting in their lungs.
"Check…on….Sammy." Dean said panting.
Dean was panting out of breath. John knew Dean wouldn't let him look at him until Sam was looked after first. It was an unwritten rule in the handbook of Dean, but as long as the flames were out on Dean's arm and he didn't look like he was going to die any time soon, John put his attention to his youngest son who was conscience and catching his breath while coughing at the same time.
"Sammy can you breath?"
"Not very well." Sam went in to a fitting rage of coughing that sounded like shit.
"Ok kiddo I think you inhaled too much smoke. Let's get you two to a hospital to get checked out."
Dean stood up holding his burnt arm and walked towards his father and brother.
"Don't even argue Sam. We need to get you checked out anyway. That gash on your arm is long and deep." Dean tried to sound authorative but he just sounded tired.
John looked at Dean.
"You know you're being admitted to right?"
Dean's eyes got wide.
"What why?! I'm fine!"
"How's your arm feeling?"
"Just a little burn."
Dean tried to play it off when it was really hard for him to keep it together.
"Ok so if I slapped it right now on the burn you would only wince and not keel over in agonizing pain?"
Dean sighed.
"Fine fine. But Sam gets checked out first."
Dean headed for the impala and John smiled. He got both his son's back, somewhat in one piece, but nothing a week in the hospital and some talking couldn't fix. John could tell Sam's captivity was weighing hard on him, and if he wouldn't open up to John then he had to at least open up to Dean. Their bond always amazed him.
Sam started to stand but another coughing fit racked his body, and before John could catch him Dean was right next to him holding him up with his good arm
'How the hell does Dean do that…and so fast?' John thought to himself. He silently eye locked with Dean mentally asking if he wants him to take Sam, but Dean shook his head, and helped Sam to the back of the impala, where he himself also got in.
John got in the driver's seat and started driving to the nearest hospital.
~*SPN*~
John kept looking back and checking on his boys. He saw Dean had positioned them so Sam's back was to Dean's chest, Dean's burnt arm was out of the way, and in his free hand was a bottle of water he was slowly making Sam drink by putting it up to his lips and Sam would nurse a sip. John knew that Dean was going to be as Sam would put it 'mother Henning' him to death, but he knew Sam secretly liked it. Especially when he was hurt or scared. And right now? He was both.
The minute they arrived at the hospital and John had parked the car, Dean helped Sam out of the car and ushered him into the emergency room doors. A nurse first caught sight of them and gasped pointing to Dean's obviously burnt arm.
"What happened?!" The nurse yelled. She motioned over to another nurse who was already coming with a wheel chair. Dean ever the amazing liar that he was told a tale about how his kid brother not only accidently cut his arm with a sharp kitchen knife, but also accidently set fire to the kitchen stove, causing a small fire to erupt. Of course Dean put out the fire before any major damage was done to the house, and got his brother out, but not before getting horribly burnt himself. That earned him super brownie points with all the female nurses and they started calling him a hero and how lucky Sam is for having such a brave brother. They weren't wrong, Dean was a hero, but now he was able to milk it for all it was worth. Especially when they all saw the puppy dog look Sam was giving them and decided that these two boys were their favorite patients. Although john went along with the story, he couldn't help but roll his eyes at the way the nurses were hanging all over him.
Dean insisted him and Sam be in the same exam room, and the same hospital room. The doctors didn't mind in the least to accommodate their 'hero patient' and his in distress little brother. In the matter of minutes they were eating out of Dean's hand.
Once the boys got settled in one of the luxury rooms, at the hospitals expense of course, John had to practically beat the nurses off with a stick to get his boys alone with him so they could all talk. All in all Sam suffered Smoke Inhalation and had to get stitches in his arm where Rob cut him, while Dean suffered second degree burns on his entire bicep. The doctor said healing time could be anywhere from 3-8 weeks and he shouldn't use that arm a lot. Both boys got cleaned and bandaged and had to stay hooked up to Iv's, and Sam had to have a nasal canal in his nose until the doctors said so, and even though their beds were right next to each other John would catch Dean on more than one occasion getting out of his bed, walking with his Iv to the chair near Sam's bed, and staying in close contact with his brother. And sometimes even would find Dean asleep in the chair next to his brother, his hand locked onto Sam's as both boys slept. Yeah this was going to be a long recovery period for both his boys. But for now he was just happy they were both safe and sound and in front of him. For the first time since this whole fiasco started, he could close his eyes and doze off in the uncomfortable hospital 'bed' they provided for him.
*Next up, the Epilogue!*