Disclaimer: I do not own any right to Supernatural, or any of the characters appearing in this story. The original concept is due to Eric Kripke and the rights to it are owned by The CW Network. This is written just for fun and I do not make any profit out of it.

Spoilers warning: It contains a big spoiler for the ending of season 3, but nothing more than that.

Possible triggers: There is going to be some violence at the upper edge of what they show in the canon, but not extremely graphic. Some swearing (it's SPN after all).

A.N.: Sorry for the long delay, over the last couple of weeks I moved from Austria back to Italy. It's incredible the amount of stuff that I could accumulate in a few years. The moving drained my energies and my creativity. This chapter is a bit slow, but I hope you will like it

"I don't want to hurt you Sam" Jack cried and Fran did the same both grabbing Sam as they would never let him go. Sam had that "We need to talk now" face, but he didn't know how to free himself from the kids. So Dean just decided to ignore him for the time being. Dean was still pissed at him for that reckless decision of sacrificing himself, Sam could not do that to him.

Matt was standing in the opposite corner, trying to sport some bravado. Dean saw so much of his younger self in him. He recognized the same expression when he was about to do something that he feared or hated, just because he thought he was going to keep Sammy safe. He could see it in the way Matt looked at Fran and Jack, Matt was going to volunteer himself to spare them. Dean closed his eyes, trying to shut out also Johnny and Fran's whines. When he opened them again he walked toward Matt and leaned against the wall beside him. The kid was eleven years old, but with that intensity in his eyes, he gave the impression of having grown up too fast, just like Dean had done.

"Have the sisters ever hurt you?" He asked.

Matt didn't look in Dean's direction, but he raised the side of his shirt, revealing angry purple marks that went up to his ribs and continued under the fabric. The sisters would have paid for it. Dean put aside his rage until the proper target of it arrived.

"And have you ever done something…. like that?" he asked not wanting to use a word that could further upset the kid.

It was then that he saw Matt's bravado crumple for a second. It was not shame, just fear. Dean understood. Matt still had some innocence that Dean had long lost by that age. There was no need for the kid to answer

"No, but…"

"Good, let's keep it that way." Dean said interrupting the kid, ruffling his hair.

Matt for the first time looked up at Dean in surprise, doubting what he just heard.

"You look after Fran and Jack over there, okay? My brother and I, we can take care of ourselves."

Matt jumped to his feet and rushed over to the two other kids in excitement, sparing just a bit of gratitude toward Dean. He took Jack and Fran by hand and led them away from Sam.

Sam gratefully moved away and rushed toward Dean. Even if he could not follow the exchange between Matt and Dean. Matt's behavior made the outcome clear. Sam pressed his lips together, how he always did when he was weighing his words in his mind before speaking. Dean spoke first.

"I know I usually tell you not to use your powers, but.."

"I already tried, nothing. They are goddesses or demigoddesses, something like that, my power works mostly on demons. I tried the door as well, no luck." Silence fell heavy between the two of them.

"I can't do it, Sammy. I am sorry, I can't. Not to you. Not now. After …everything. But what am I supposed to do here? Let one of the kids play torturer? That shit would scar them for life." Sam hasn't seen his brother so scared since the hell hounds were coming for him. He put his hands on Dean's shoulder to ground him.

"I know Dean. You stated it yourself. There is no other choice. We don't have a choice. So stop beating yourself up already." Sam leaned his forehead against Dean's.

"How many times did one of us get possessed and attacked the other? This is no different."

"This is different, I will not be possessed. I will be in control of my own actions." Dean moved away abruptly.

"No, they will be in control. And even without demons, then think about how many times our arguments ended up in scuffles."

"You want to compare cold-blooded torture with a scuffle? Do you have any idea of what it means?" Sam regretted immediately his choice of words. The truth was that there was not a good way to spin it. That was the worsened version of Dean's recurring nightmares.

"Depends. Would it help?" He tried to ask, hoping to cut the tension that was rising fast.

Dean looked at the kids, remembering himself why he needed to do that. Then, he turned back to Sam. The chick flick moment was clearly over.

"Alright, this starts to feel completely messed up. We should be worrying about you being about to get tortured, not me."

"Dean"

Ania opened the wooden door and interrupted the conversation. A light scent of burned coal followed her.

"So are you going to play difficult?"

"No." Sam answered while still staring at Dean one last time. He gave his brother a brief nod meaning everything was going to be okay. No matter what was going to happen or what Dean was forced to do. He briefly checked the kids were far away from the metal bars and did not intend to move. Dean followed that movement and all his objections fell when his eyes met the kids.

Lupe reached Ania, ready to handle anyone who tried anything. But as Ania opened the cell door Sam exited peacefully.

As soon as he was out, Ania grabbed Sam by the arm and Lupe closed the bars. She stared in Dean's direction smiling.

"So cutie pie, who's the lucky winner?" She asked referring to the choice she left open on Sam's tormenter.

Dean hesitated.

"Tiime to choooose."

"Me" Dean answered between clenched teeth.

"Excuse me? I didn't hear you." Ania taunted him. The goddess seems to be completely absorbed by Dean's feelings. Sam profited from the distraction to free himself, but Lupe was fast to catch him and retort with a punch to the stomach that left Sam bent over.

"Son of a bitch, leave him alone." Dean jumped to the door as if he could reach the two goddesses through the bars.

Ania moaned with pleasure.

"Who?" She asked again, while Lupe shook Sam.

"Me. I'll do it. But if you touch him again I gonna kill you. And stay the hell away from the children."

Ania and Lupe seemed satisfied with the answer and led Sam away without bothering to close the wooden door again. Or maybe leaving it open on purpose, to let Dean have a look at the room and mostly at Sam.

That was the quiet before the storm, Dean knew that. It was his first and best chance to get a good look at the environment, searching for exits or at least signs as to where they were kept. But his attention kept going toward Sam. The children also got closer to the bar and were staring at Sam as well. Johnny was sobbing lightly while Fran tried to cheer him up. Matt was saying something, but Dean could not master the attention to listen to him. The space did not give up much. White concrete walls where everywhere and there was a standard wood door that could lead on a street or on a stairwell just as well. No special noises gave away a hint and if there was any it was covered by the rush of panic in Dean's ears.

His train of thought was interrupted by Ania speaking. At some point, she had come closer again, probably at the same time when the kid had moved away. Dean mentally kicked himself for having zoned out so much.

"Thank you for the appetizer. The last ten minutes...wow. Lupe is right, you are just so delicious. Hell seasoned you well."

Dean swallowed every remark his mind suggested. The way Ania was feeding on his feelings made him feel violated. But he would never admit it.