Stomach bug? Part 2
Title: Stomach Bug? (chps 6 to 9)
Summary: Sam is sick with what appears to be a stomach bug, Dean must find out what it is as the situation gets worse. Mystery and angst in this...also contains graphic scenes
Characters/Pairings: Gen, Dean, Sam, Mild Dean/OC, other OCs
Author:
chocca2
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: *sigh* No, I don’t own them, I don’t own much, in fact there have been questions surrounding the ownership of my mind. However, saying that, any characters you don’t recognize have been derived from my head.
Warnings: Violence, graphic descriptions, Strong language, Dark fic
Author’s Note: This was done a while ago so its set around season one. It was my first SN fanfic and originally posted on Fanfiction.net. It's quite a long story (around 30,000 words in total) so will post a few chapters at a time to make a bit more manageable to read. Reviews are very welcome!
(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7)
Dean lay on his back, staring at the water marks that covered the once-white ceiling. He was tired, his eyes were sore, but his head was filled with too many thoughts for his mind to rest. He was not only disturbed by Sam’s apparent vision, but also by how all the previous events were affecting his brother, both mentally and physically.
The last time Dean had seen his brother in such a state of turmoil was when Sam was ten years old and he was plagued by nightmares that left him waking up, screaming in terror. Dean remembered holding the trembling, younger boy as he rocked and comforted him until he calmed down.
Dean’s throat tightened as he then recalled how their father had often been away when the nightmares occurred. Dean was there for Sam then and would be now. He turned to watch Sam sleep, he certainly wasn’t going to get any rest, especially when he was so worried about Sam.
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The early morning rays crept into the room through the small parts in the curtains. Dean lifted his arm high enough to catch the beam of light to shine on his wrist. He looked at the time on his watch and sighed.
It was now 5:25 in the morning, Sam had slept for three hours since his last vision. Dean, however, had not been able to sleep longer than an hour on and off as too many thoughts plagued him. He wanted to protect his brother, he wanted to solve what was after Sam and most importantly, he needed to stop Sam’s pain.
Again, he stared at the ceiling. After about twenty minutes of failing to fall asleep once again, he decided to get up and prepare for their journey to New Orleans. They needed answers and they needed them soon. Silently, Dean gathered his things and walked into the bathroom, gently closing the door behind him. A nice shower should help wake him up and clear his jumbled thoughts. He turned the metal handle, releasing the just barely warm liquid that cleansed his body and pulled him to full awareness.
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The shower had helped clear his mind, but only slightly. He sat by the laptop as he switched it on, turning to check that he hadn’t disturbed Sam and the precious sleep he needed. Dean had sent an email a few hours ago while researching; he smiled as he opened and read the reply that sat in inbox:
Hi Dean,
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from you and your father. How are things? Any luck with the demon?
I’m sorry to hear about Sam’s illness and from what you have told me I may have answers as to what’s happening to him. I can’t explain everything by e-mail, please make your way here as soon as possible.
He’s in danger and needs help sooner rather than later, so as soon as you can, come and see me, I’ll be waiting! I need to let you know that if this is what I think it is then you are also in danger, you need to keep watch over Sam’s behaviour.
The Loa is trying to take over his body and could be strong enough to do so anytime. When it does, it will have no problem with killing anything that gets in its way. That includes you, Dean!
Look, I think I know who may have sent it and also who may be controlling it, so we need to act fast before she succeeds. All this may sound strange and not make sense now, but trust me, it will when you get here!
Oh, and one more thing. It’s actually a good sign that Sam is sick, that means his body is fighting it. I know it must be hard for you to see him like this, I know how close you two are, but the longer he stays ill, the better it’ll be for us.
Just try and keep him comfortable, fluids etc…. Any signs of him feeling better are not good, if this happens call me!
Take care of your brother and see you soon!
--- Celia
Dean looked up and turned toward Sam for a moment before he looked back over at the message, he placed his hands over his face as tried to take in everything that he had read. Rubbing his tired eyes with his palms, he stood and slowly walked over to get his jacket.
‘I need coffee.’ He thought as he pulled his coat over his arms, while observing his sleeping brother.
Dean fumbled through his pockets and pulled out an old receipt. On the back of it he wrote:
Coffee! Breakfast! Back Soon!
Dean
He placed the note on the bedside table incase Sam woke while he was out. He resisted watching Sam sleep as he left the room.
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Only a few minutes had passed since Dean left for breakfast. Sam rolled his aching body to the left and saw an empty, messed up bed that had clearly been slept in.
Closing his eyes for a few seconds, Sam breathed deeply, before opening them to look around the small room for signs of his brother. His eyes crossed the room and then focussed on the bedside table where he saw a small, used receipt that appeared to be strategically placed to be noticed.
After reading the brief message, he relaxed his muscles and allowed his body to settle back onto the bed.
‘Back soon. Wonder what time he left?’ Sam thought. He allowed his still-heavy eyes to close, every inch of his body was in pain and he felt as if even breathing alone was too much effort.
His stomach still continued to perform somersaults as the knots and gurgling persisted. Sleep seemed to be his only salvation, that and the fact that Dean was going to find out what was wrong with him. He trusted Dean with his life and it comforted him to think he was not alone.
Now, more than ever he felt vulnerable and dependant on Dean, glad to have his protective brother was with him. His wandering thoughts and light slumber were disturbed by the sound of their room door opening.
Dean stood still for a brief moment, before he walked in, holding a bag in one hand and a holder with two drinks in the other. The room key was being held between his teeth.
"Hey." Sam’s voice was weak and raspy, but still audible. He turned over to see his older brother.
"That’s disgusting, you don’t know where that thing’s been." Sam replied weakly.
Dean, unable to speak smirked around the key and nodded before placing the drinks and bag on the table next to the laptop, he pulled the key from his mouth, wiped it across his jeans and tossed it lightly on the table with the rest of the stuff.
"How are you feeling?" Dean asked as he walked over to Sam holding the container of hot liquid, "Breakfast." He added as he placed the drink onto the bedside table.
Sam’s almost automatic reply of fine thanks nearly escaped as he experienced another wave of pain that engulfed his body. Pausing to catch his breath, he frowned then focussed on Dean.
"Not good Dean…..the..pain…" His voice trailed as the raw emotion threatened to escape.
"Yeah…ah look, about that. I did some research while you were asleep," Dean walked back toward the table as he continued. "We have to go to new Orleans, we’re leaving soon as I finish breakfast…" Dean turned and gave a soft, light-hearted grin.
"You want any?" Rummaging through the bag he pulled out a packet of pre-packaged fruit and a muesli bar.
"This is the only chick..." He cleared his throat "I mean, healthy food I could find for you." Dean attempted to disguise his smile as he placed the items onto Sam’s bed.
"Ha,ha. Very funny Dean." Sam picked up and crumpled the receipt Dean had scribbled on before playfully flinging it at Dean, who avoided it without much effort.
"Your aim sucks, dude. You throw like a girl." Dean smirked and then immediately pushed the amusement away when he saw Sam’s face go paler and a wince flashed across the younger brother’s face.
"I’m not too hungry." Sam replied, surprised as he realized that he hadn’t eaten in more than a whole day.
"Hungry or not, you still need to eat Sam. I know you don’t feel well, but how are you gonna get better if you don’t eat? At least have some of that herbal crap I got you." He demanded as he pointed to the cup of hot herbal tea on the bedside table.
Sam smiled when he realized that Dean had gone to such effort to find him stuff he could actually pass off as food.
"Thanks, um I’ll try, but don’t blame me if I puke all over you." Sam released another mischievous smile as he knew he caught Dean’s attention by his last comment.
"Hey no no….there’ll be no puking on me or in my car, got that! You know, maybe you should just stick to the drink huh? I’m serious, even if it means stopping every fives minutes…The upholstery Sam!..." Dean continued to mumble and shake his head as he trailed off toward the table and sat.
Still smiling, Sam knew he had managed to wind his brother up, although there was some truth in what had said and he wasn’t sure if he could hold any food down.
"I’m gonna get washed up." Sam shifted his body as he attempted to stand, only managing to place his feet on the ground.
Dean stood still, shaking his head. He approached Sam with his hand held out to help his brother up. Dean proceeded to assist Sam to the bathroom, before returning to finish his breakfast.
"We’re leaving soon Sam." He shouted as the bathroom door closed.
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Sam had somehow managed to have a shower. He had to sit and lean against the wall for most of the time, but was glad that at least he managed on his own. He stood in front of the mirror and with his palm he wiped away the steam that coated it, smearing only some condensation away.
Sam gripped the sink for support as he stood, mesmerized at his reflection. He focussed on the reflection. He let out a groan as he observed how pallid and sick he looked. The atmosphere surrounding him became dense with the humidity and stillness. The sound of water drops leaking from the tap was magnified and the once bright room seemed to become dim as light focussed on where he stood.
He dipped his head and watched the droplets of water trickle into the drain. Sam’s heart beat seemed to echo through the room as it raced, beating hard against his chest. His head was heavy and the faint taste of blood lingered in the back of his throat. He looked up to face his reflection when suddenly his heart stopped for a brief moment that seemed like an eternity.
Sam saw his reflection, but did not see himself. The reflection sneered as it tilted its head to the side. The black impious eyes stared back at Sam, mocking the shock on Sam’s face. The taste of blood now filled Sam’s month and he closed his eyes, panicked by what he had seen.
He attempted to remain calm, breathing deeply and still firmly gripped the sink. He opened his eyes and looked up to see only steam coating the mirror. Blinking several times to be sure, he slowly calmed himself.
‘It wasn’t real. I’m only seeing things, or maybe I’m possessed? No, that doesn’t seem right...Maybe...’ He thought to himself before the bathroom door vibrated as loud bangs filled and echoed throughout the small room.
Sam almost fell to ground as the knocking startled him and disturbed his thoughts.
"Hey Sammy, you okay in there?" Dean shouted from the other side.
There was concern in his voice as he again knocked even harder on the wooden door. Sam took a deep breath as he prepared himself to reply, he squeezed his eyes shut as he swallowed the sickening metallic liquid in his month.
"Sam! I’m coming in Sam!" Dean paused and stood still as the bathroom door opened.
He was met by his brother who stood with a towel round his waist leaning against the door frame for support.
"Hey, didn’t you hear me? I’ve been knocking for ages, Sam!" Dean tried express his concern as his looked his brother up and down.
Satisfied, he exhaled deeply and tilted his head back, "I thought you drowned or something. And by the way, next time, don’t lock the door okay?"
Sam expressed his confusion as he responded to his brother "I didn’t lock the door Dean." His voice was flat and raspy.
Dean looked at Sam, still unimpressed, "Err Yeah you did Sam! I was about to kick it open!" He watched as Sam still looked confused and puzzled. He shook his head illustrating that he hadn’t locked the door.
"Just don’t do it again, alright?" Dean softened his voice and held out a hand to his brother. Sam accepted and gripped Dean as he was helped to his bed.
"Get dressed, we have to leave. Now." Dean placed Sam’s bag on the bed and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
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The car, now warmed up, seemed to be hot and the air inside was too thick for Sam to breathe comfortably. He slowly rose from his slouched position and opened his window, slightly. Dean tapped the steering wheel in time with the music that blasted inside the car.
Sam looked up at Dean for a moment as he raised his brow and offered a small grin. He then looked at the food on his lap. After comfortably drinking the tea that Dean had bought for him, he felt his stomach had calmed slightly.
‘I suppose I should try and eat.’ Sam thought as his picked up the muesli bar and tore the wrapper.
As he took the first bite, he felt his appetite return and he eagerly continued to consume the breakfast.
"Hey, so who are we going to see in New Orleans?" Sam asked with his month full.
Dean turned to face Sam then went to reduce the volume as he gave his brother a confused look.
"Looks like you got your appetite back. Hey err, how’re you feeling by the way?" He asked, trying not to sound too concerned.
"I asked you a question first, Dean." Sam continued to chew shaking his head at his brother’s reply.
"Yeah, and I asked you how you were feeling, Sam." Dean looked at Sam, his concern now visible, he watched Sam shake his head, refusing to answer until Dean answered Sam’s question.
"We are going to see a woman named Celia, she’s got information and can help us, okay? Now, How are feeling?" He asked sharply.
"Okay! Geeze, Dean, what’s your problem? I’m fine, I guess. I’m starting to get my appetite back a little." He placed a piece of fruit in his mouth.
Dean tried to hide his disappointment as he turned away from Sam, wondering if he really was feeling better and remembering what Celia had said in the email.
"Dean will you tell me what’s wrong? I know you’re keeping something from me." Sam felt guilty as he remembered the strange event that had happened in the bathroom. He was still unsure if the thing he saw in the mirror had been real, but he knew he should have told Dean.
Sam didn’t get an immediate reply, "Dean, can you please fill me in? Man, you’re making me even more nervous!"
Dean ran his hand through his hair and gave Sam a quick gaze. "Celia helped me and Dad out a while ago. She knows a lot about voodoo and stuff. Um she thinks that someone’s done something to you, look don’t worry, okay? We can trust her, she’s going to help." Dean replied.
Sam continued to observe his brother, trying hard to read him.
"So, she’s a friend?" He asked, with suggestion in his tone.
"Yes Sammy, she’s a friend. A good one..." Catching Sam’s suspicious glance Dean quickly continued. "No, man, it’s not like that! I mean, yeah she’s hot, but.." He sighed "Really hot. I mean not that I wouldn’t …." Dean scrambled for the words.
"Uh huh I get it Dean, so what happened, she turn you down?" Sam asked with a grin on his face.
"No! Sam, chicks don’t turn me down, it’s just not something that happens. She’s with someone actually." Dean stated as he glanced at Sam, slightly offended by the suggestion.
Shaking his smile, Sam continued to eat the remaining pieces of fruit.
"So, how long till we….err…till we um….." Sam swallowed hard.
"Dean!... Dean……up over…….Now!" Sam quickly placed a hand over his mouth as he went for the door handle.
Dean immediately knew what was to follow. He quickly turned off the road, bringing the car to an abrupt stop. He heard the car door swing open, followed by the sound of Sam’s retching. Sam sat half in the car, crouched over the side of the road.
As all the contents he had recently ingested forced their way out of his body, he sobbed at how bad he began to feel again. The throbbing in his head and body returned with vengeance as he became weak with every retch. Tears escaped his eyes as he struggled hard to breathe and keep composure.
He felt a comforting, familiar hand on his back as he continued heave. The hands held his head up and one brushed gently through his hair. Sam felt bile sting his throat, followed by the unpleasant taste of blood that not only scared him, but also made him feel even more nauseous.
He winced as he watched the red liquid mix with the remains of his breakfast.
"Shit, Dean!" He sobbed as he tried unsuccessfully to hold back the retch that followed.
Dean rubbed Sam’s back as he looked around the car for the box of tissues he had placed there earlier.
"It’s okay Sammy. You’ll be fine, hang in there." He handed Sam a tissue as he opened the bottle of water to hand to him.
Sam took it and placed it on his mouth. He turned around to face Dean, revealing the tears and blood soaked tissue in his hand.
"What’s happening to me Dean?" He asked as the eyes filled with horror.
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The brothers shared a long, tense, and silent gaze. Both felt the fear and despair filling the atmosphere around them. Dean exhaled, and brought his hand to his face in an attempt to wipe his expression away. He was scared for his brother. Sam needed him to be strong; he needed him to stay calm. 'Right, I can do this. I have to be here for Sammy.' he thought. With that, he continued to assist his brother.
By now, Sam was trembling from both the sickness and fear. After the last dry heave, he repositioned himself back onto the passenger seat of the Impala. He drew in slow, deep breaths, trying to regain some of his lost composure. More tears slipped from his eyes, too fast for him to hide from Dean. The older brother simply handed him another tissue, not dwelling on the fact that Sam had fallen victim to the tears.
“We’ll figure this out Sammy, you're going to be fine, kiddo” Dean spoke reassuringly and watched the expression on Sam’s face.
He noticed that his words brought no comfort to the younger brother's pain and so continued to speak. He locked gazes with Sam and continued to watch for any flicker of emotion that would tell him that he was finally getting the message through.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise. Come on, let's get you to New Orleans.”
Nothing changed in Sam's anxious expression and Dean pulled out onto the road, with continuous glances in his younger brother's direction. Sam sat hunched in the passenger seat, with his head pressed against the window. His long hair covered his eyes and stuck to his face as sweat coated his skin.
“Hey, you need anything?” Dean asked softly. He was trying to watch the road and his brother at the same time. Sam replied only with a weak shake of his head. He then pulled his body into a curled position and clenched his stomach.
Dean frowned as he observed his brother. He found it hard to see Sam
in such a bad way and felt guilty for not stopping to allow the younger man to rest until he felt better to travel.
Although his urges to stop at the next motel and allow Sam to rest were strong, he knew that it would be best to get Sam the help he needed in New Orleans. With that thought, he pushed his foot down harder on the gas pedal.
An hour and a half into their journey, Sam had somehow managed to fall asleep. Dean’s eyes focused on a gas station about half mile ahead. He turned, looked at his sleeping brother, and sighed. He decided that they were both overdo for a small break by now and Dean was certain that he could use a good, strong coffee.
Sam stirred, but did not wake when the car stopped in the station parking lot. The older brother turned off the ignition and sat still for a few moments, watching Sam closely to see if he would awaken. When he didn't, he leaned in closer to Sam and placed a hand on the sleeping man's shoulder.
“Sammy? We’ve stopped for a bit, do you want anything?” Dean spoke softly.
Sam groaned as he woke from his uncomfortable slumber. He felt the hand on his shoulder as the words spoken went unheard. He sat up and looked over at Dean. He pushed the hair away from his face and watched his brother’s expression of concern grow.
“What did you say?” Sam asked as he tried to get the other's attention. Dean
continued to stare at Sam in disbelief.
“Hello!... Dean!... What?... What is it?” Sam shot, as he turned to observe himself in the side mirror of the car.
Although the reflection wasn’t clear, Sam could see what had distracted his brother. Strange blue/black lesions plagued his face and his eyes had become a milky, bright yellow colour. A more apparent layer of sweat now coated his skin and he gaped at Dean in alarm.
“Ok look, don’t panic.” Dean swallowed hard and attempted to calm the situation that seemed to become more tense with every passing second.
Sam turned toward the back of the car and began searching amongst the rubbish. Dean watched as his younger brother pulled a crumpled cap from the floor and placed it on his head.
“I’m going to the restroom.” Sam spoke as he briskly went for the door handle.
“Whoa, wait! Are you ok? Do you need anything?” Dean asked in a stern, but subtle voice.
“Err…No …well, um...actually, water…and painkillers…strong ones.” Sam paused as he spoke and clenched his stomach tighter. “My stomach!”
Before Dean could reply, Sam was out of the car and heading toward the men’s room next to the station. Dean sat motionless in the car and contemplated calling Celia. His concern for Sam had grown in such a way that it made him edgy and nervous.
“Keep it together.” He muttered to himself as he ran his hands over his face and opened the door.
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Dean was back in the car, slowly sipping the hot coffee he had purchased
from the machine inside the station’s store. After filling the tank and getting some food and supplies for himself and Sam, he lifted his watch to check the time.
“Damn it! Come on Sam.” He moaned as he took another sip of his coffee. He cursed as the liquid scolded his lips. Another minute passed and Dean sighed, got out of the car, and made his way to the restroom.
Dean walked into the men's, immediately taking in the strange atmosphere.
“Sam?” He called out while searching for a light switch. Upon finding it, he flicked it on and made a confused gesture as he looked around the room for his brother.
“Sammy, you in here?” He asked again, noticing the closed door on one of the
three cubicles in the small room.
There was still no reply, Dean moved closer to the door and rested his back on the parting wall next to it. He shook his head and made another attempt to communicate with his brother.
“Sammy? What the….Just answer will you! Look, I know all of this might be kinda freaking you out. It’s definitely giving me the creeps, but we’re gonna sort it out ok?” Dean gritted his teeth as he waited and heard no reply.
He turned and pushed against the door. “I’m gonna break this door down, Sam!”
He was just about to apply more pressure when he heard the lock on the door release. It opened slowly to reveal Sam standing very still with an empty expression on his face. Dean stared into his brother’s eyes and felt uncomfortable in the feeling that filled the room. Sam’s eyes stared at Dean as though he wanted to burn a hole straight through him. Dean shuddered as he felt the stare of the, now inhuman, looking eyes belonging to his brother.
“Fuck Sam, quit that! You're really freaking me out!” Dean tore his eyes away when he felt a cold chill shudder down his spine. He didn’t want to admit it, but his brother was really scaring him.
Finally Sam blinked and took a deep breath as he released a hidden grin that hadn’t gone unnoticed by Dean.
“We should go, I’ll meet you in the car.” Dean added and walked away from Sam, trying not to make any eye contact.
Dean was relieved when he watched Sam comply. The younger man walked out of the room in silence, not looking back. A few seconds after Sam had left, Dean pulled out his mobile to call Celia.
'Come on, come on!' He thought, anxiously waiting for the phone on the other end to be picked up. There was a click and Dean breathed a tense sigh of relief when Celia's voice hummed a 'hello' in his ear.
“Celia! Thank god! Um right, you said I may be in danger…I hate to say this, but Sam is really freaking me out now...Well, at least I think its Sam.” Dean bit his bottom lip as he waited for a response.
“Where are you, Dean?"
"Um, at a gas station. Sam's in the car." The tense man replied.
"Okay, try to act as normal as possible. You don’t want him to know that you’ve caught on. He’ll be too strong for you to fight... Here's what I want you to do…” Celia spoke softly and calmly as she attempted to reassure Dean, after sensing that he was very nervous about the whole situation with his brother.
Dean listened anxiously. "Okay. Thanks, Celia."
The older brother blew out a long breath as he hung up the phone. He was feeling a little better, but there was still a sense of edginess hanging over him. He walked out of the restroom and took a deep breath of fresh air. Knowing that Sam sat in the car, he walked straight back into the small store where he went straight to the counter.
“A pack of sleeping pills, please. Actually, make that two,” Dean took out his wallet and pulled out one of the credit cards. “You take Master Card?” He asked, offering the piece of plastic.
The young cashier smiled with a nod and handed the brown paper bag over to Dean. She took the card from his hand and proceeded with the transaction.
“Thanks” He muttered, as he stuffed the bag in his pocket and walked out of the store and to the car.
He entered the car and watched Sam gaze at him with no expression. Dean sat idly, thinking of how to get Sam out of the car long enough to hand him the sleeping pills without him noticing.
“Sam could you get the laptop? It’s in the trunk.” Dean asked, attempting to sound calm and normal.
“What? Why?” Sam finally spoke in a sharp, aggressive tone that confirmed Dean's fears and made him uneasy.
“There’s something we need to check out before we go. Now, are you gonna get it?” Dean struggled to hide his edginess.
Sam gave Dean a long, hard stare before opening the door and getting out. Dean immediately took out a packet of sleeping pills and placed three of the tablets in his hand. He reached into the back seat for the shopping bag he had bought earlier and took out the packet of painkillers. He stashed those in his pocket, grabbed the bottle of water he'd gotten for his brother, and settled back into the driver's seat as Sam got inside.
“We’ll take a small break. You should try eating or taking some medicine…here, the painkillers you wanted.” Dean held out one hand with the three white pills and held the bottle of water in the other.
Sam didn’t speak. He placed the laptop on the back seat and stared blankly at the pills, then at Dean, who didn’t flinch.
“Err, you asked for them before you left for the men's room. A thanks would be nice.” Dean spoke, sarcastically in an attempt to ease the tension in the car.
Without taking his eyes off of Dean, Sam took the pills and placed them in his mouth. He then snatched the bottle of water from Dean’s other hand and took a big gulp. Once satisfied that Sam had swallowed the pills, Dean retrieved the laptop from the back seat.
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Although Dean hated the fact that he had just drugged his brother, he felt a sense of relief when he turned to where the medicine had just taken effect. Sam had been asleep for almost ten minutes. Slowly, Dean got out of the car and walked behind it to the trunk. He took out two sets hand cuffs that he had borrowed from a lady friend police officer on one occasion and got back into the car.
Dean smirked as he remembered the night that he had acquired them, but the thought hadn’t lasted long. He heard Sam stir in the seat next to him and pulled his focus back to the situation at hand. He quickly proceeded to cuff his brother so that not only his hands were disabled, but also his left leg, which he cuffed to his seat.
“Sorry little bro.” Dean spoke. He placed the keys into his pocket and turned the key in the car ignition.
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The roar of the engine caused Sam to flinch as he woke from his drug induced sleep. Dean gave his younger brother a blank stare before looking back to the road.
"Dean? What’s going on?" Sam questioned as he raised his cuffed hands. The man in question didn’t answer.
"Dean?" He tried again. His voice was weak and stressed as he tried to gain his brother’s attention.
"Sorry Sam, but it’s best this way. At least until we get you to New Orleans" Dean made no eye contact with Sam and kept his gaze locked on the road ahead.
"What? I don’t understand how this could be best, Dean." Sam made an unsuccessful attempt to sit up, but groaned as the small movement caused a jolt of pain to travel to his head.
"Dean, I don’t feel well. Will you please take them off?" Sam asked pleadingly.
"Sorry Sammy, no can do." Although Dean felt regret over the situation he’d put his little brother in, he spoke with a firm voice to hide the tone that he didn’t want Sam to hear.
A few minutes passed in silence as short, blank gazes that caused the tension in the car to build were exchanged between the two men. Sam brought his cuffed hands to his forehead and rubbed in circular motions, wincing in pain.
"Dean, can we stop?" His was voice raspy and faint.
Dean quickly glanced at his brother and tried to concentrate on the road at the same time. His eyes were heavy and he knew that they were at least six hours away from their destination.
"We’re only a few hours away, we should keep going." Dean replied.
The older brother forced himself to ignore his body’s urge to rest. He was exhausted, and from observing his brother, knew that he wasn’t the only one. Nevertheless, he ignored his brother’s pleas to stop.
The young man in the passenger seat no longer resembled the Sam that Dean once knew. His skin was pasty and pale, the eyes were lifeless, and the lesions that marred his face created the sense of a plague that was slowly claiming his baby brother. Dean shook his head and continued to drive.
‘We can’t wait.’ He thought and forced his foot down harder on the pedal.
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Three hours into the continuing drive, Dean’s reserves were drained. The determination alone was no longer enough to keep him charged. He needed more coffee. The older brother pulled the Impala off of the road and into a small parking lot in front of a diner that was built in an older style of construction.
Sam had fallen asleep again, although he looked very uncomfortable confined by the restricting handcuffs. Dean placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder and gently shook the younger man awake.
"Sammy, we’ve stopped" Dean watched his brother closely, hoping that it was truly Sam and not the thing he had encountered at their last stop.
The man in question groaned awake and grimaced at the pain journeying through his body in its weakened state.
"Dean, I need to use the bathroom, please?" He pleaded and reached his bound hands out to Dean hopefully.
Dean looked into his Sam’s eyes and was relieved when he saw that there was nothing or nobody else looking back at him, besides his brother.
"Ok," Dean paused. "I’ll take them off. Please don’t make me regret this, Sammy."
Dean placed the key into the small lock and released the restraints holding his brother’s hands and leg. He placed the cuffs into his pocket, silently. Sam watched his brother’s actions and rubbed his raw wrists to banish the pain that the metal had forced upon them.
Sam went for the door handle when he felt a hand on his shoulder holding him back. "Stay close to me, ok?" Dean’s questioning voice was soft.
The younger man nodded. He adjusted both his cap and his hair to cover more of his face, after remembering his appearance and the situation in which he found himself.
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The brothers entered the diner and Dean was relieved to see that it was nearly empty. Sam looked around until he recognized the men’s sign to the left of the main room. He gestured to Dean, showing him where he was headed and stopped to watch his brother’s face when the expression changed.
"What? You wanna come in with me?" Sam moaned, miserably. He waited for a reply.
"Ha-ha, very funny Sammy. You're a big boy, I think you can handle it on your own. You want anything?" Dean answered when he realized that perhaps he was being a bit overly cautious about this whole thing.
"Um, just water." Sam tossed over his shoulder on the way to the men’s room.
Dean began to follow Sam and sat at a small table not far from the door that the younger brother had just walked into. He looked around the diner and watched a young, redheaded waitress coming toward him
"What can I get you?" She asked, releasing a smile that was returned by one of Dean’s own.
"I’ll have a large coffee, water, an orange juice, and something sweet. What have you got?" Dean gazed into the young lady’s eyes as she smiled and blushed.
"Right…. Err well, we have some real nice apple pie." She offered as she placed the pen against her lip.
"Well then, I’ll have two slices of pie as well. Thanks." Dean grinned and focused on her as she walked away.
His grin faded when he looked at the men’s door that was still closed. He impatiently tapped the table with the menu, watched the door, and wondered how long Sam had been gone. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door springing open. Sam slowly approached the table. The younger man looked weak as he cautiously slid his body into the chair opposite Dean.
"Hey, you ok?" Dean asked, watching in amazement at how quickly his brother’s appearance had deteriorated.
"Ugh, No. How far are we again?" Sam managed, leaning his body back against the chair.
Dean sighed as he watched his brother’s pained expression.
"A couple of hours, maybe three. I got you an orange juice and some pie, if you can manage it."
"Thanks, but what happened to the water? I really can’t eat anything at the moment." Sam made a face as the thought of food churned his stomach.
"Yeah, I got you that too Sammy. You’ve got to keep your energy up, maybe try a little of the pie, huh?" Dean questioned, looking around for the waitress. As much as Dean needed the break, he felt a greater urge to get going when he saw his brother wince.
The waitress brought the orders to the table and Dean dug into his pie, realizing just how hungry he was. Sam watched his brother devour his food and took a small sip of orange juice. He swallowed the acidic liquid, and squeezed his eyes shut as it seem to burn its way down his throat. His stomach growled at him, begging him to try some of the pie that sat in front of him. He took up his fork and proceeded to take a small bite. He chewed the mouthful of pie, and relaxed slightly when the food calmly entered his body.
"Now see, that wasn’t so hard, was it?" Dean smiled at Sam as he took a gulp of coffee.
Sam’s stomach growled again, this time loud enough for Dean to hear. He looked up at Sam. "Tell me that’s because you’re hungry."
Sam shook his head in the negative and placed the fork back on the tabletop. He pushed the plate away and cringed when pain traveled through his body.
"When are we leaving?" He asked, looking at the clock.
Dean downed the rest of the coffee and placed his utensil back on the empty plate as he ate the last bite of pie.
"In just a few minutes?" He asked, getting up from the table.
"I’ll be back in a sec, hold on." He added and walked toward the bathroom door.
Sam rested his head in his hands and breathed through the throbbing pain journeying through his body.
"Are you ok? Can I get you anything else?" The young waitress waited for a reply from Sam.
"No, um yes, I’m fine. Can I just get the check please?" Sam remained in the same position as he spoke, knowing that she would be concerned if she were to see his appearance.
The waitress returned a few moments later with the bill. Sam could sense that she was attempting to make eye contact with him.
The throbbing in his head grew and the faint voice of the waitress faded as she again questioned Sam. He felt the atmosphere around him began to disperse into nothingness and the light dimmed…
The waitress placed her hand on Sam’s shoulder and continued to ask the young man if was ok. Suddenly, she yelped in alarm as the man’s hand gripped her wrist and tore it away from his shoulder.
"What are you doing?" She pleaded. Sam gripped tighter.
"Ow! You’re hurting me! Please stop!" By now, her voice was distressed and it caused the only man on the other side of the room to stand.
"Is there a problem?" The man questioned as he approached the table.
Sam replied only with an evil smile as he gripped the young lady closer. His other arm was now pressed around her body.
"Please, let go!" She cried as Sam’s hold on her grew stronger still.
"You heard the lady!" The man yelled, preparing to intervene.
Sam flinched when he heard the bathroom door open. Dean stepped out into the main room and observed the situation with shocked eyes.
"Sam! What the hell?" Dean yelled as he approached his brother with some caution.
"Sam, please let her go." He requested in a soft, cautious voice as he stood behind his brother.
Sam drew the young waitress closer to him and whispered into her ear, causing her to start crying.
"Please, don’t hurt me!" She wept, eying the other man for help.
Sam’s hold on her remained and he slowly licked the side of her cheek. He stared at the man who drew closer and shook his head. Dean stood behind Sam, trying to figure out how to gain control over the younger brother and keep the young woman safe at the same time.
‘What are you doing? Not now! I told you to wait until I say! He’s not ready…’ The voice inside of Sam’s head vibrated and he watched the world around him fade to black.
Summary: Sam is sick with what appears to be a stomach bug, Dean must find out what it is as the situation gets worse. Mystery and angst in this...also contains graphic scenes
Characters/Pairings: Gen, Dean, Sam, Mild Dean/OC, other OCs
Author:
chocca2
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: *sigh* No, I don’t own them, I don’t own much, in fact there have been questions surrounding the ownership of my mind. However, saying that, any characters you don’t recognize have been derived from my head.
Warnings: Violence, graphic descriptions, Strong language, Dark fic
Author’s Note: This was done a while ago so its set around season one. It was my first SN fanfic and originally posted on Fanfiction.net. It's quite a long story (around 30,000 words in total) so will post a few chapters at a time to make a bit more manageable to read. Reviews are very welcome!
(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7)
Dean lay on his back, staring at the water marks that covered the once-white ceiling. He was tired, his eyes were sore, but his head was filled with too many thoughts for his mind to rest. He was not only disturbed by Sam’s apparent vision, but also by how all the previous events were affecting his brother, both mentally and physically.
The last time Dean had seen his brother in such a state of turmoil was when Sam was ten years old and he was plagued by nightmares that left him waking up, screaming in terror. Dean remembered holding the trembling, younger boy as he rocked and comforted him until he calmed down.
Dean’s throat tightened as he then recalled how their father had often been away when the nightmares occurred. Dean was there for Sam then and would be now. He turned to watch Sam sleep, he certainly wasn’t going to get any rest, especially when he was so worried about Sam.
-----------------------------
The early morning rays crept into the room through the small parts in the curtains. Dean lifted his arm high enough to catch the beam of light to shine on his wrist. He looked at the time on his watch and sighed.
It was now 5:25 in the morning, Sam had slept for three hours since his last vision. Dean, however, had not been able to sleep longer than an hour on and off as too many thoughts plagued him. He wanted to protect his brother, he wanted to solve what was after Sam and most importantly, he needed to stop Sam’s pain.
Again, he stared at the ceiling. After about twenty minutes of failing to fall asleep once again, he decided to get up and prepare for their journey to New Orleans. They needed answers and they needed them soon. Silently, Dean gathered his things and walked into the bathroom, gently closing the door behind him. A nice shower should help wake him up and clear his jumbled thoughts. He turned the metal handle, releasing the just barely warm liquid that cleansed his body and pulled him to full awareness.
------------------------------
The shower had helped clear his mind, but only slightly. He sat by the laptop as he switched it on, turning to check that he hadn’t disturbed Sam and the precious sleep he needed. Dean had sent an email a few hours ago while researching; he smiled as he opened and read the reply that sat in inbox:
Hi Dean,
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from you and your father. How are things? Any luck with the demon?
I’m sorry to hear about Sam’s illness and from what you have told me I may have answers as to what’s happening to him. I can’t explain everything by e-mail, please make your way here as soon as possible.
He’s in danger and needs help sooner rather than later, so as soon as you can, come and see me, I’ll be waiting! I need to let you know that if this is what I think it is then you are also in danger, you need to keep watch over Sam’s behaviour.
The Loa is trying to take over his body and could be strong enough to do so anytime. When it does, it will have no problem with killing anything that gets in its way. That includes you, Dean!
Look, I think I know who may have sent it and also who may be controlling it, so we need to act fast before she succeeds. All this may sound strange and not make sense now, but trust me, it will when you get here!
Oh, and one more thing. It’s actually a good sign that Sam is sick, that means his body is fighting it. I know it must be hard for you to see him like this, I know how close you two are, but the longer he stays ill, the better it’ll be for us.
Just try and keep him comfortable, fluids etc…. Any signs of him feeling better are not good, if this happens call me!
Take care of your brother and see you soon!
--- Celia
Dean looked up and turned toward Sam for a moment before he looked back over at the message, he placed his hands over his face as tried to take in everything that he had read. Rubbing his tired eyes with his palms, he stood and slowly walked over to get his jacket.
‘I need coffee.’ He thought as he pulled his coat over his arms, while observing his sleeping brother.
Dean fumbled through his pockets and pulled out an old receipt. On the back of it he wrote:
Coffee! Breakfast! Back Soon!
Dean
He placed the note on the bedside table incase Sam woke while he was out. He resisted watching Sam sleep as he left the room.
-------------------------
Only a few minutes had passed since Dean left for breakfast. Sam rolled his aching body to the left and saw an empty, messed up bed that had clearly been slept in.
Closing his eyes for a few seconds, Sam breathed deeply, before opening them to look around the small room for signs of his brother. His eyes crossed the room and then focussed on the bedside table where he saw a small, used receipt that appeared to be strategically placed to be noticed.
After reading the brief message, he relaxed his muscles and allowed his body to settle back onto the bed.
‘Back soon. Wonder what time he left?’ Sam thought. He allowed his still-heavy eyes to close, every inch of his body was in pain and he felt as if even breathing alone was too much effort.
His stomach still continued to perform somersaults as the knots and gurgling persisted. Sleep seemed to be his only salvation, that and the fact that Dean was going to find out what was wrong with him. He trusted Dean with his life and it comforted him to think he was not alone.
Now, more than ever he felt vulnerable and dependant on Dean, glad to have his protective brother was with him. His wandering thoughts and light slumber were disturbed by the sound of their room door opening.
Dean stood still for a brief moment, before he walked in, holding a bag in one hand and a holder with two drinks in the other. The room key was being held between his teeth.
"Hey." Sam’s voice was weak and raspy, but still audible. He turned over to see his older brother.
"That’s disgusting, you don’t know where that thing’s been." Sam replied weakly.
Dean, unable to speak smirked around the key and nodded before placing the drinks and bag on the table next to the laptop, he pulled the key from his mouth, wiped it across his jeans and tossed it lightly on the table with the rest of the stuff.
"How are you feeling?" Dean asked as he walked over to Sam holding the container of hot liquid, "Breakfast." He added as he placed the drink onto the bedside table.
Sam’s almost automatic reply of fine thanks nearly escaped as he experienced another wave of pain that engulfed his body. Pausing to catch his breath, he frowned then focussed on Dean.
"Not good Dean…..the..pain…" His voice trailed as the raw emotion threatened to escape.
"Yeah…ah look, about that. I did some research while you were asleep," Dean walked back toward the table as he continued. "We have to go to new Orleans, we’re leaving soon as I finish breakfast…" Dean turned and gave a soft, light-hearted grin.
"You want any?" Rummaging through the bag he pulled out a packet of pre-packaged fruit and a muesli bar.
"This is the only chick..." He cleared his throat "I mean, healthy food I could find for you." Dean attempted to disguise his smile as he placed the items onto Sam’s bed.
"Ha,ha. Very funny Dean." Sam picked up and crumpled the receipt Dean had scribbled on before playfully flinging it at Dean, who avoided it without much effort.
"Your aim sucks, dude. You throw like a girl." Dean smirked and then immediately pushed the amusement away when he saw Sam’s face go paler and a wince flashed across the younger brother’s face.
"I’m not too hungry." Sam replied, surprised as he realized that he hadn’t eaten in more than a whole day.
"Hungry or not, you still need to eat Sam. I know you don’t feel well, but how are you gonna get better if you don’t eat? At least have some of that herbal crap I got you." He demanded as he pointed to the cup of hot herbal tea on the bedside table.
Sam smiled when he realized that Dean had gone to such effort to find him stuff he could actually pass off as food.
"Thanks, um I’ll try, but don’t blame me if I puke all over you." Sam released another mischievous smile as he knew he caught Dean’s attention by his last comment.
"Hey no no….there’ll be no puking on me or in my car, got that! You know, maybe you should just stick to the drink huh? I’m serious, even if it means stopping every fives minutes…The upholstery Sam!..." Dean continued to mumble and shake his head as he trailed off toward the table and sat.
Still smiling, Sam knew he had managed to wind his brother up, although there was some truth in what had said and he wasn’t sure if he could hold any food down.
"I’m gonna get washed up." Sam shifted his body as he attempted to stand, only managing to place his feet on the ground.
Dean stood still, shaking his head. He approached Sam with his hand held out to help his brother up. Dean proceeded to assist Sam to the bathroom, before returning to finish his breakfast.
"We’re leaving soon Sam." He shouted as the bathroom door closed.
------------------------
Sam had somehow managed to have a shower. He had to sit and lean against the wall for most of the time, but was glad that at least he managed on his own. He stood in front of the mirror and with his palm he wiped away the steam that coated it, smearing only some condensation away.
Sam gripped the sink for support as he stood, mesmerized at his reflection. He focussed on the reflection. He let out a groan as he observed how pallid and sick he looked. The atmosphere surrounding him became dense with the humidity and stillness. The sound of water drops leaking from the tap was magnified and the once bright room seemed to become dim as light focussed on where he stood.
He dipped his head and watched the droplets of water trickle into the drain. Sam’s heart beat seemed to echo through the room as it raced, beating hard against his chest. His head was heavy and the faint taste of blood lingered in the back of his throat. He looked up to face his reflection when suddenly his heart stopped for a brief moment that seemed like an eternity.
Sam saw his reflection, but did not see himself. The reflection sneered as it tilted its head to the side. The black impious eyes stared back at Sam, mocking the shock on Sam’s face. The taste of blood now filled Sam’s month and he closed his eyes, panicked by what he had seen.
He attempted to remain calm, breathing deeply and still firmly gripped the sink. He opened his eyes and looked up to see only steam coating the mirror. Blinking several times to be sure, he slowly calmed himself.
‘It wasn’t real. I’m only seeing things, or maybe I’m possessed? No, that doesn’t seem right...Maybe...’ He thought to himself before the bathroom door vibrated as loud bangs filled and echoed throughout the small room.
Sam almost fell to ground as the knocking startled him and disturbed his thoughts.
"Hey Sammy, you okay in there?" Dean shouted from the other side.
There was concern in his voice as he again knocked even harder on the wooden door. Sam took a deep breath as he prepared himself to reply, he squeezed his eyes shut as he swallowed the sickening metallic liquid in his month.
"Sam! I’m coming in Sam!" Dean paused and stood still as the bathroom door opened.
He was met by his brother who stood with a towel round his waist leaning against the door frame for support.
"Hey, didn’t you hear me? I’ve been knocking for ages, Sam!" Dean tried express his concern as his looked his brother up and down.
Satisfied, he exhaled deeply and tilted his head back, "I thought you drowned or something. And by the way, next time, don’t lock the door okay?"
Sam expressed his confusion as he responded to his brother "I didn’t lock the door Dean." His voice was flat and raspy.
Dean looked at Sam, still unimpressed, "Err Yeah you did Sam! I was about to kick it open!" He watched as Sam still looked confused and puzzled. He shook his head illustrating that he hadn’t locked the door.
"Just don’t do it again, alright?" Dean softened his voice and held out a hand to his brother. Sam accepted and gripped Dean as he was helped to his bed.
"Get dressed, we have to leave. Now." Dean placed Sam’s bag on the bed and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
---------------------------
The car, now warmed up, seemed to be hot and the air inside was too thick for Sam to breathe comfortably. He slowly rose from his slouched position and opened his window, slightly. Dean tapped the steering wheel in time with the music that blasted inside the car.
Sam looked up at Dean for a moment as he raised his brow and offered a small grin. He then looked at the food on his lap. After comfortably drinking the tea that Dean had bought for him, he felt his stomach had calmed slightly.
‘I suppose I should try and eat.’ Sam thought as his picked up the muesli bar and tore the wrapper.
As he took the first bite, he felt his appetite return and he eagerly continued to consume the breakfast.
"Hey, so who are we going to see in New Orleans?" Sam asked with his month full.
Dean turned to face Sam then went to reduce the volume as he gave his brother a confused look.
"Looks like you got your appetite back. Hey err, how’re you feeling by the way?" He asked, trying not to sound too concerned.
"I asked you a question first, Dean." Sam continued to chew shaking his head at his brother’s reply.
"Yeah, and I asked you how you were feeling, Sam." Dean looked at Sam, his concern now visible, he watched Sam shake his head, refusing to answer until Dean answered Sam’s question.
"We are going to see a woman named Celia, she’s got information and can help us, okay? Now, How are feeling?" He asked sharply.
"Okay! Geeze, Dean, what’s your problem? I’m fine, I guess. I’m starting to get my appetite back a little." He placed a piece of fruit in his mouth.
Dean tried to hide his disappointment as he turned away from Sam, wondering if he really was feeling better and remembering what Celia had said in the email.
"Dean will you tell me what’s wrong? I know you’re keeping something from me." Sam felt guilty as he remembered the strange event that had happened in the bathroom. He was still unsure if the thing he saw in the mirror had been real, but he knew he should have told Dean.
Sam didn’t get an immediate reply, "Dean, can you please fill me in? Man, you’re making me even more nervous!"
Dean ran his hand through his hair and gave Sam a quick gaze. "Celia helped me and Dad out a while ago. She knows a lot about voodoo and stuff. Um she thinks that someone’s done something to you, look don’t worry, okay? We can trust her, she’s going to help." Dean replied.
Sam continued to observe his brother, trying hard to read him.
"So, she’s a friend?" He asked, with suggestion in his tone.
"Yes Sammy, she’s a friend. A good one..." Catching Sam’s suspicious glance Dean quickly continued. "No, man, it’s not like that! I mean, yeah she’s hot, but.." He sighed "Really hot. I mean not that I wouldn’t …." Dean scrambled for the words.
"Uh huh I get it Dean, so what happened, she turn you down?" Sam asked with a grin on his face.
"No! Sam, chicks don’t turn me down, it’s just not something that happens. She’s with someone actually." Dean stated as he glanced at Sam, slightly offended by the suggestion.
Shaking his smile, Sam continued to eat the remaining pieces of fruit.
"So, how long till we….err…till we um….." Sam swallowed hard.
"Dean!... Dean……up over…….Now!" Sam quickly placed a hand over his mouth as he went for the door handle.
Dean immediately knew what was to follow. He quickly turned off the road, bringing the car to an abrupt stop. He heard the car door swing open, followed by the sound of Sam’s retching. Sam sat half in the car, crouched over the side of the road.
As all the contents he had recently ingested forced their way out of his body, he sobbed at how bad he began to feel again. The throbbing in his head and body returned with vengeance as he became weak with every retch. Tears escaped his eyes as he struggled hard to breathe and keep composure.
He felt a comforting, familiar hand on his back as he continued heave. The hands held his head up and one brushed gently through his hair. Sam felt bile sting his throat, followed by the unpleasant taste of blood that not only scared him, but also made him feel even more nauseous.
He winced as he watched the red liquid mix with the remains of his breakfast.
"Shit, Dean!" He sobbed as he tried unsuccessfully to hold back the retch that followed.
Dean rubbed Sam’s back as he looked around the car for the box of tissues he had placed there earlier.
"It’s okay Sammy. You’ll be fine, hang in there." He handed Sam a tissue as he opened the bottle of water to hand to him.
Sam took it and placed it on his mouth. He turned around to face Dean, revealing the tears and blood soaked tissue in his hand.
"What’s happening to me Dean?" He asked as the eyes filled with horror.
----------------
The brothers shared a long, tense, and silent gaze. Both felt the fear and despair filling the atmosphere around them. Dean exhaled, and brought his hand to his face in an attempt to wipe his expression away. He was scared for his brother. Sam needed him to be strong; he needed him to stay calm. 'Right, I can do this. I have to be here for Sammy.' he thought. With that, he continued to assist his brother.
By now, Sam was trembling from both the sickness and fear. After the last dry heave, he repositioned himself back onto the passenger seat of the Impala. He drew in slow, deep breaths, trying to regain some of his lost composure. More tears slipped from his eyes, too fast for him to hide from Dean. The older brother simply handed him another tissue, not dwelling on the fact that Sam had fallen victim to the tears.
“We’ll figure this out Sammy, you're going to be fine, kiddo” Dean spoke reassuringly and watched the expression on Sam’s face.
He noticed that his words brought no comfort to the younger brother's pain and so continued to speak. He locked gazes with Sam and continued to watch for any flicker of emotion that would tell him that he was finally getting the message through.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise. Come on, let's get you to New Orleans.”
Nothing changed in Sam's anxious expression and Dean pulled out onto the road, with continuous glances in his younger brother's direction. Sam sat hunched in the passenger seat, with his head pressed against the window. His long hair covered his eyes and stuck to his face as sweat coated his skin.
“Hey, you need anything?” Dean asked softly. He was trying to watch the road and his brother at the same time. Sam replied only with a weak shake of his head. He then pulled his body into a curled position and clenched his stomach.
Dean frowned as he observed his brother. He found it hard to see Sam
in such a bad way and felt guilty for not stopping to allow the younger man to rest until he felt better to travel.
Although his urges to stop at the next motel and allow Sam to rest were strong, he knew that it would be best to get Sam the help he needed in New Orleans. With that thought, he pushed his foot down harder on the gas pedal.
An hour and a half into their journey, Sam had somehow managed to fall asleep. Dean’s eyes focused on a gas station about half mile ahead. He turned, looked at his sleeping brother, and sighed. He decided that they were both overdo for a small break by now and Dean was certain that he could use a good, strong coffee.
Sam stirred, but did not wake when the car stopped in the station parking lot. The older brother turned off the ignition and sat still for a few moments, watching Sam closely to see if he would awaken. When he didn't, he leaned in closer to Sam and placed a hand on the sleeping man's shoulder.
“Sammy? We’ve stopped for a bit, do you want anything?” Dean spoke softly.
Sam groaned as he woke from his uncomfortable slumber. He felt the hand on his shoulder as the words spoken went unheard. He sat up and looked over at Dean. He pushed the hair away from his face and watched his brother’s expression of concern grow.
“What did you say?” Sam asked as he tried to get the other's attention. Dean
continued to stare at Sam in disbelief.
“Hello!... Dean!... What?... What is it?” Sam shot, as he turned to observe himself in the side mirror of the car.
Although the reflection wasn’t clear, Sam could see what had distracted his brother. Strange blue/black lesions plagued his face and his eyes had become a milky, bright yellow colour. A more apparent layer of sweat now coated his skin and he gaped at Dean in alarm.
“Ok look, don’t panic.” Dean swallowed hard and attempted to calm the situation that seemed to become more tense with every passing second.
Sam turned toward the back of the car and began searching amongst the rubbish. Dean watched as his younger brother pulled a crumpled cap from the floor and placed it on his head.
“I’m going to the restroom.” Sam spoke as he briskly went for the door handle.
“Whoa, wait! Are you ok? Do you need anything?” Dean asked in a stern, but subtle voice.
“Err…No …well, um...actually, water…and painkillers…strong ones.” Sam paused as he spoke and clenched his stomach tighter. “My stomach!”
Before Dean could reply, Sam was out of the car and heading toward the men’s room next to the station. Dean sat motionless in the car and contemplated calling Celia. His concern for Sam had grown in such a way that it made him edgy and nervous.
“Keep it together.” He muttered to himself as he ran his hands over his face and opened the door.
---------------------------
Dean was back in the car, slowly sipping the hot coffee he had purchased
from the machine inside the station’s store. After filling the tank and getting some food and supplies for himself and Sam, he lifted his watch to check the time.
“Damn it! Come on Sam.” He moaned as he took another sip of his coffee. He cursed as the liquid scolded his lips. Another minute passed and Dean sighed, got out of the car, and made his way to the restroom.
Dean walked into the men's, immediately taking in the strange atmosphere.
“Sam?” He called out while searching for a light switch. Upon finding it, he flicked it on and made a confused gesture as he looked around the room for his brother.
“Sammy, you in here?” He asked again, noticing the closed door on one of the
three cubicles in the small room.
There was still no reply, Dean moved closer to the door and rested his back on the parting wall next to it. He shook his head and made another attempt to communicate with his brother.
“Sammy? What the….Just answer will you! Look, I know all of this might be kinda freaking you out. It’s definitely giving me the creeps, but we’re gonna sort it out ok?” Dean gritted his teeth as he waited and heard no reply.
He turned and pushed against the door. “I’m gonna break this door down, Sam!”
He was just about to apply more pressure when he heard the lock on the door release. It opened slowly to reveal Sam standing very still with an empty expression on his face. Dean stared into his brother’s eyes and felt uncomfortable in the feeling that filled the room. Sam’s eyes stared at Dean as though he wanted to burn a hole straight through him. Dean shuddered as he felt the stare of the, now inhuman, looking eyes belonging to his brother.
“Fuck Sam, quit that! You're really freaking me out!” Dean tore his eyes away when he felt a cold chill shudder down his spine. He didn’t want to admit it, but his brother was really scaring him.
Finally Sam blinked and took a deep breath as he released a hidden grin that hadn’t gone unnoticed by Dean.
“We should go, I’ll meet you in the car.” Dean added and walked away from Sam, trying not to make any eye contact.
Dean was relieved when he watched Sam comply. The younger man walked out of the room in silence, not looking back. A few seconds after Sam had left, Dean pulled out his mobile to call Celia.
'Come on, come on!' He thought, anxiously waiting for the phone on the other end to be picked up. There was a click and Dean breathed a tense sigh of relief when Celia's voice hummed a 'hello' in his ear.
“Celia! Thank god! Um right, you said I may be in danger…I hate to say this, but Sam is really freaking me out now...Well, at least I think its Sam.” Dean bit his bottom lip as he waited for a response.
“Where are you, Dean?"
"Um, at a gas station. Sam's in the car." The tense man replied.
"Okay, try to act as normal as possible. You don’t want him to know that you’ve caught on. He’ll be too strong for you to fight... Here's what I want you to do…” Celia spoke softly and calmly as she attempted to reassure Dean, after sensing that he was very nervous about the whole situation with his brother.
Dean listened anxiously. "Okay. Thanks, Celia."
The older brother blew out a long breath as he hung up the phone. He was feeling a little better, but there was still a sense of edginess hanging over him. He walked out of the restroom and took a deep breath of fresh air. Knowing that Sam sat in the car, he walked straight back into the small store where he went straight to the counter.
“A pack of sleeping pills, please. Actually, make that two,” Dean took out his wallet and pulled out one of the credit cards. “You take Master Card?” He asked, offering the piece of plastic.
The young cashier smiled with a nod and handed the brown paper bag over to Dean. She took the card from his hand and proceeded with the transaction.
“Thanks” He muttered, as he stuffed the bag in his pocket and walked out of the store and to the car.
He entered the car and watched Sam gaze at him with no expression. Dean sat idly, thinking of how to get Sam out of the car long enough to hand him the sleeping pills without him noticing.
“Sam could you get the laptop? It’s in the trunk.” Dean asked, attempting to sound calm and normal.
“What? Why?” Sam finally spoke in a sharp, aggressive tone that confirmed Dean's fears and made him uneasy.
“There’s something we need to check out before we go. Now, are you gonna get it?” Dean struggled to hide his edginess.
Sam gave Dean a long, hard stare before opening the door and getting out. Dean immediately took out a packet of sleeping pills and placed three of the tablets in his hand. He reached into the back seat for the shopping bag he had bought earlier and took out the packet of painkillers. He stashed those in his pocket, grabbed the bottle of water he'd gotten for his brother, and settled back into the driver's seat as Sam got inside.
“We’ll take a small break. You should try eating or taking some medicine…here, the painkillers you wanted.” Dean held out one hand with the three white pills and held the bottle of water in the other.
Sam didn’t speak. He placed the laptop on the back seat and stared blankly at the pills, then at Dean, who didn’t flinch.
“Err, you asked for them before you left for the men's room. A thanks would be nice.” Dean spoke, sarcastically in an attempt to ease the tension in the car.
Without taking his eyes off of Dean, Sam took the pills and placed them in his mouth. He then snatched the bottle of water from Dean’s other hand and took a big gulp. Once satisfied that Sam had swallowed the pills, Dean retrieved the laptop from the back seat.
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Although Dean hated the fact that he had just drugged his brother, he felt a sense of relief when he turned to where the medicine had just taken effect. Sam had been asleep for almost ten minutes. Slowly, Dean got out of the car and walked behind it to the trunk. He took out two sets hand cuffs that he had borrowed from a lady friend police officer on one occasion and got back into the car.
Dean smirked as he remembered the night that he had acquired them, but the thought hadn’t lasted long. He heard Sam stir in the seat next to him and pulled his focus back to the situation at hand. He quickly proceeded to cuff his brother so that not only his hands were disabled, but also his left leg, which he cuffed to his seat.
“Sorry little bro.” Dean spoke. He placed the keys into his pocket and turned the key in the car ignition.
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The roar of the engine caused Sam to flinch as he woke from his drug induced sleep. Dean gave his younger brother a blank stare before looking back to the road.
"Dean? What’s going on?" Sam questioned as he raised his cuffed hands. The man in question didn’t answer.
"Dean?" He tried again. His voice was weak and stressed as he tried to gain his brother’s attention.
"Sorry Sam, but it’s best this way. At least until we get you to New Orleans" Dean made no eye contact with Sam and kept his gaze locked on the road ahead.
"What? I don’t understand how this could be best, Dean." Sam made an unsuccessful attempt to sit up, but groaned as the small movement caused a jolt of pain to travel to his head.
"Dean, I don’t feel well. Will you please take them off?" Sam asked pleadingly.
"Sorry Sammy, no can do." Although Dean felt regret over the situation he’d put his little brother in, he spoke with a firm voice to hide the tone that he didn’t want Sam to hear.
A few minutes passed in silence as short, blank gazes that caused the tension in the car to build were exchanged between the two men. Sam brought his cuffed hands to his forehead and rubbed in circular motions, wincing in pain.
"Dean, can we stop?" His was voice raspy and faint.
Dean quickly glanced at his brother and tried to concentrate on the road at the same time. His eyes were heavy and he knew that they were at least six hours away from their destination.
"We’re only a few hours away, we should keep going." Dean replied.
The older brother forced himself to ignore his body’s urge to rest. He was exhausted, and from observing his brother, knew that he wasn’t the only one. Nevertheless, he ignored his brother’s pleas to stop.
The young man in the passenger seat no longer resembled the Sam that Dean once knew. His skin was pasty and pale, the eyes were lifeless, and the lesions that marred his face created the sense of a plague that was slowly claiming his baby brother. Dean shook his head and continued to drive.
‘We can’t wait.’ He thought and forced his foot down harder on the pedal.
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Three hours into the continuing drive, Dean’s reserves were drained. The determination alone was no longer enough to keep him charged. He needed more coffee. The older brother pulled the Impala off of the road and into a small parking lot in front of a diner that was built in an older style of construction.
Sam had fallen asleep again, although he looked very uncomfortable confined by the restricting handcuffs. Dean placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder and gently shook the younger man awake.
"Sammy, we’ve stopped" Dean watched his brother closely, hoping that it was truly Sam and not the thing he had encountered at their last stop.
The man in question groaned awake and grimaced at the pain journeying through his body in its weakened state.
"Dean, I need to use the bathroom, please?" He pleaded and reached his bound hands out to Dean hopefully.
Dean looked into his Sam’s eyes and was relieved when he saw that there was nothing or nobody else looking back at him, besides his brother.
"Ok," Dean paused. "I’ll take them off. Please don’t make me regret this, Sammy."
Dean placed the key into the small lock and released the restraints holding his brother’s hands and leg. He placed the cuffs into his pocket, silently. Sam watched his brother’s actions and rubbed his raw wrists to banish the pain that the metal had forced upon them.
Sam went for the door handle when he felt a hand on his shoulder holding him back. "Stay close to me, ok?" Dean’s questioning voice was soft.
The younger man nodded. He adjusted both his cap and his hair to cover more of his face, after remembering his appearance and the situation in which he found himself.
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The brothers entered the diner and Dean was relieved to see that it was nearly empty. Sam looked around until he recognized the men’s sign to the left of the main room. He gestured to Dean, showing him where he was headed and stopped to watch his brother’s face when the expression changed.
"What? You wanna come in with me?" Sam moaned, miserably. He waited for a reply.
"Ha-ha, very funny Sammy. You're a big boy, I think you can handle it on your own. You want anything?" Dean answered when he realized that perhaps he was being a bit overly cautious about this whole thing.
"Um, just water." Sam tossed over his shoulder on the way to the men’s room.
Dean began to follow Sam and sat at a small table not far from the door that the younger brother had just walked into. He looked around the diner and watched a young, redheaded waitress coming toward him
"What can I get you?" She asked, releasing a smile that was returned by one of Dean’s own.
"I’ll have a large coffee, water, an orange juice, and something sweet. What have you got?" Dean gazed into the young lady’s eyes as she smiled and blushed.
"Right…. Err well, we have some real nice apple pie." She offered as she placed the pen against her lip.
"Well then, I’ll have two slices of pie as well. Thanks." Dean grinned and focused on her as she walked away.
His grin faded when he looked at the men’s door that was still closed. He impatiently tapped the table with the menu, watched the door, and wondered how long Sam had been gone. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door springing open. Sam slowly approached the table. The younger man looked weak as he cautiously slid his body into the chair opposite Dean.
"Hey, you ok?" Dean asked, watching in amazement at how quickly his brother’s appearance had deteriorated.
"Ugh, No. How far are we again?" Sam managed, leaning his body back against the chair.
Dean sighed as he watched his brother’s pained expression.
"A couple of hours, maybe three. I got you an orange juice and some pie, if you can manage it."
"Thanks, but what happened to the water? I really can’t eat anything at the moment." Sam made a face as the thought of food churned his stomach.
"Yeah, I got you that too Sammy. You’ve got to keep your energy up, maybe try a little of the pie, huh?" Dean questioned, looking around for the waitress. As much as Dean needed the break, he felt a greater urge to get going when he saw his brother wince.
The waitress brought the orders to the table and Dean dug into his pie, realizing just how hungry he was. Sam watched his brother devour his food and took a small sip of orange juice. He swallowed the acidic liquid, and squeezed his eyes shut as it seem to burn its way down his throat. His stomach growled at him, begging him to try some of the pie that sat in front of him. He took up his fork and proceeded to take a small bite. He chewed the mouthful of pie, and relaxed slightly when the food calmly entered his body.
"Now see, that wasn’t so hard, was it?" Dean smiled at Sam as he took a gulp of coffee.
Sam’s stomach growled again, this time loud enough for Dean to hear. He looked up at Sam. "Tell me that’s because you’re hungry."
Sam shook his head in the negative and placed the fork back on the tabletop. He pushed the plate away and cringed when pain traveled through his body.
"When are we leaving?" He asked, looking at the clock.
Dean downed the rest of the coffee and placed his utensil back on the empty plate as he ate the last bite of pie.
"In just a few minutes?" He asked, getting up from the table.
"I’ll be back in a sec, hold on." He added and walked toward the bathroom door.
Sam rested his head in his hands and breathed through the throbbing pain journeying through his body.
"Are you ok? Can I get you anything else?" The young waitress waited for a reply from Sam.
"No, um yes, I’m fine. Can I just get the check please?" Sam remained in the same position as he spoke, knowing that she would be concerned if she were to see his appearance.
The waitress returned a few moments later with the bill. Sam could sense that she was attempting to make eye contact with him.
The throbbing in his head grew and the faint voice of the waitress faded as she again questioned Sam. He felt the atmosphere around him began to disperse into nothingness and the light dimmed…
The waitress placed her hand on Sam’s shoulder and continued to ask the young man if was ok. Suddenly, she yelped in alarm as the man’s hand gripped her wrist and tore it away from his shoulder.
"What are you doing?" She pleaded. Sam gripped tighter.
"Ow! You’re hurting me! Please stop!" By now, her voice was distressed and it caused the only man on the other side of the room to stand.
"Is there a problem?" The man questioned as he approached the table.
Sam replied only with an evil smile as he gripped the young lady closer. His other arm was now pressed around her body.
"Please, let go!" She cried as Sam’s hold on her grew stronger still.
"You heard the lady!" The man yelled, preparing to intervene.
Sam flinched when he heard the bathroom door open. Dean stepped out into the main room and observed the situation with shocked eyes.
"Sam! What the hell?" Dean yelled as he approached his brother with some caution.
"Sam, please let her go." He requested in a soft, cautious voice as he stood behind his brother.
Sam drew the young waitress closer to him and whispered into her ear, causing her to start crying.
"Please, don’t hurt me!" She wept, eying the other man for help.
Sam’s hold on her remained and he slowly licked the side of her cheek. He stared at the man who drew closer and shook his head. Dean stood behind Sam, trying to figure out how to gain control over the younger brother and keep the young woman safe at the same time.
‘What are you doing? Not now! I told you to wait until I say! He’s not ready…’ The voice inside of Sam’s head vibrated and he watched the world around him fade to black.