Chapter Thirteen

The almost unperceivable sound of the door clicking open was what woke Dean from the sound sleep that he had been in within Sam’s warm secure hold. He didn’t move and just cracked his eye open to watch the door open nearby before he saw the pale and scantily dressed figure approach the bed. He heard a very quiet gasp of shock as he and Sam’s positions were discovered and knew that Sarah had found them out. A part of him crowed at the thought that he had possibly made it a sure thing that Sam was his, but the rest of him was very aware of the fact that Sarah was most likely their fellow ‘chosen’.

He saw her hand come up to her mouth in shock and watched as she turned to move away, but he was faster than her. With a quick shift, his hand was around her wrist, keeping her there as she turned immediately in panic before relaxing as their gazes locked. He reached over for his pants and wrapped them around his lower waist as he slid out of bed. After releasing her wrist, he put a finger to his lips in a silent bid for her to keep quiet, and then led the way out of the room and into the hallway. He turned away from her and pulled on his pants as she shut the door behind them before they faced each other.

Smirking as she avoided his gaze while trying to cover up her rather insufficiently clad body, Dean noted how she was blushing, but also angry. He could see the squared set of her jaw and knew that she was indeed the spitfire that he’d labeled her from the get go. “So, you were thinkin’ of spendin’ time with Sammy?” he asked nonchalantly as if it was the most normal thing in the world for her to walk in on them.

“I can see you beat me to it! So, to appease him and get him to scorn me, you fucked your own brother?!” Sarah hissed out as she glared up at him, her cheeks flaming red with her anger and embarrassment.

Eyebrow slowly rising, Dean tilted his head. “First, he fucked me if you must know. Second, I didn’t start it, he did and it wasn’t to scorn you, it was to reestablish our connection. Third, if it bothers you so much, I could slap the same back at you,” he responded quietly, point-blank.

She looked as if she’d been slapped, then growled and actually slapped him across the cheek. “He and I are meant to be! You set us up yourself! And now you dare to just do this...this disgusting thing with him?!” she snapped at him, barely keeping her cool as she all but fumed.

Rubbing his cheek from the sting, Dean sighed inwardly. Well this was going nowhere... “Look, there’s nothin’ disgustin’ between me and Sammy,” he started, but she her rude laughter cut him off.

“He’s your *brother* and you say it isn’t disgusting?! That’s *incest* or are you so backwater and white trash enough that you think it’s ok?!” she demanded incredulously. The sound of a sharp slap echoed in the hall and she touched her own cheek in shock as she stared at him.

“That was low, even for you,” Dean growled out dangerously as he glared at her while letting his hand fall back down to his side. He sighed heavily and turned from her. “Look, he loves us both. He and I have a strong connection that you really wouldn’t get unless you were to listen to me and understand, but you’re not in that state right now. So, I’m goin’ downstairs. You can spend time with him, if that’s what you want,” he stated quietly from over his shoulder. He strode away a bit as she stared at his back in shock, but he stopped and turned towards her a bit. “But if you fuckin’ hurt him out of jealousy or some other female shit, I will hunt you down and hurt you so bad you’ll wish you were dead,” he added coldly and she visibly shivered as she wrapped her arms tighter around her body. He turned again and started back down the hall towards the stairs and went into the living room. He found an afghan and settled down onto the sofa for the night. He knew what had to happen and it was now up to Sam to figure it out.

*~~*

Sarah stood in the hallway for a few minutes after Dean had left her before she turned back towards the door she had just come out of with Dean. She opened the door as quietly as she could and snuck inside, closing and locking it behind her as she faced the large queen bed that was near the window. She blinked as she saw Sam’s long form sitting upright as he watched her and noted that the lamp was on. She took a step forward as she saw him watching her and felt confusion, disgust, and a touch of envy rush through her as she remembered what she’d seen. The sight of them twined together under the covers with the marks of sex on them had sent both shock and a thrill through her, but she wasn’t sure on what *kind* of thrill she’d had.

Sam stayed silent though as she came to his bed, but she could see that he was watching her for any sign of what had happened. She finally let her arms fall and smiled a little as she saw his gaze travel over her in obvious appreciation before it returned to her gaze in silent question. She crawled onto the bed next to him and sat with just her hand on his chest. “Who do you love more: me or Dean?” she asked softly, startling him.

“Both,” Sam answered automatically and it stunned her into silence. He searched her gaze and noted the red mark on her cheek before he inquired, “Dean do that?”

“I deserved it,” she blurted out and looked down in shame. “I basically stated that you two are white trash and backwaters if you thought that your incest wasn’t disgusting and wrong,” she admitted. “He didn’t like that.”

“I wouldn’t either, especially when I reckon it was said in hurt and jealousy without understandin’,” Sam responded tightly and she curled up just a bit more in humiliation. “So where is he?”

“I think in the living room sleeping. He said I was to talk to you about...um things,” Sarah answered uncertainly as she looked up a bit, but not enough to look him in the eye.

Sighing, Sam leaned back against the pillows. “I see. So, he’s chickenin’ out and leavin’ it to me to explain, eh?” he murmured in amusement while chuckling. She looked up, and then smiled slightly as he touched her cheek tenderly before letting his hand drop to the bed. “It’s a long story and kinda unbelievable. Think you can believe me enough to know I ain’t shittin’ ya?” he stated as he locked eyes with her.

Searching his gaze this time, Sarah wondered on what he’d said. From the beginning, she’d known he and his brother were strange and got mixed up in a lot of stuff that would make most normal people blanch. But he also trusted her, as did Dean, and she trusted them, which was why they were there in the first place. She believed in them and what they did and always would. Nodding firmly, she took his hand and settled in against him like a child waiting for the story, which she had a feeling that was the case.

Pressing a thankful kiss to her head as he wrapped the arm she had grabbed around her waist, Sam began telling her about the past two years of their changed and rollercoaster ride lives. He explained about their father and their suspicions of what he had done to save Dean, about Dean’s transformation and their resultant son from their realized love, and ended with their search for the demon, the vow they had made for after the battle, and the results that were slowly leading them towards their goal.

After he finished, they sat in silence as she just digested all of the revelations that had been given to her. A couple of quiet minutes later, she sat up and gazed at him steadily. “So...you’re a dad and Dean’s the mom?” she asked with a grin.

Blinking, Sam stared at her, and then laughed. “Yea, you could say that! It was...” he trailed off and grinned at her.

“Weird? Amazing? Out of this world? Fishy?” Sarah supplied teasingly and giggled when he whapped her with a pillow. She straddled his stomach and placed her hands on his shoulders. “So, when you get done, you’re going back to the ocean with him. So...where does that leave me?” she asked quietly as she traced her fingers along his collarbone idly, not looking at him.

“I...I don’t know, Sarah. Dean’ll have Naida but...” Sam stopped and tipped her chin up, smiling at her. “I won’t ask you to go with us. It’s not fair. All I know is that with you, Dean, and Naida, I feel complete. You three are important to me for different reasons. Naida is like a very close sister in law, but you and Dean are...” He sighed and shrugged helplessly. She watched him intently and he sighed again before bringing her to his chest and holding her tightly. “You two are the mates of my soul, as corny as that sounds. Dean and I, we’re blood as well as lovers. You and I...from the moment we met, it was like I could see livin’ my life with you until death parted us. But I made a promise with Dean and I won’t back out of that. I’m sorry,” he whispered into her dark hair as he rubbed her back.

“I know. I think Dean knows it too. Was that why he was upset earlier?” Sarah asked quietly as she rested against Sam’s chest.

Shrugging slightly, Sam pressed a kiss to her head again. “The longer we take with this thing, the more he starts longin’ for the ocean. My bond is the only thing keepin’ him sane and here and it’s been really strained recently. Basically....I think he was PMSin’,” he replied and grinned as she giggled.

Leaning up, she looked at him with a wicked grin before tilting in just a bit. “So, what was it like screwing your brother when he was a merman? Was he like a woman? Or was it like human gay sex?” she asked huskily and Sam felt a shiver go through him as she pressed closer.

Groaning, he tipped his head up and kissed her heatedly as he held her close before stripping her out of the nightie she had on. Their love making was long and playful before being passionate and intense and Sam was once again reminded on the connection he had there. He wasn’t sure just what it was he was going to do between them because he had made his vow. But he didn’t want to lose Sarah either. He just hoped that things would become clear sooner rather than later and that the answer wasn’t painful.

*~~*

The next morning, Dean sat at the counter quietly nursing a cup of coffee as he read the newspaper. He noted sadly that another kid had died near the lake and wondered just how they were going to help the dryad. He couldn’t speak to land creatures or plants...he stopped his thought as he considered something. Sam was of the earth. Trees would be able to communicate with him or at least, that was what Dean hoped. He wasn’t exactly sure how that would work since Sam hadn’t been changed by anything of the earth, but that whole thing with the being one of the ‘Blessed’ might come in handy.

His thoughts were interrupted as a bagel with cream cheese was slipped under the paper to him. He tipped his paper down and came face to face with a softly smiling Sarah. He forced a smile before bringing his paper back up. “Thanks. So, not so pissy with me, huh?” he asked gruffly as he tried to ignore the scent of Sam all over her. He had to learn to share...

“Well, we both can’t have PMS, so no, I’m not pissy with you anymore. Did you sleep ok?” she returned with a grin as she propped her chin on her hands.

He snapped his paper down at the ‘PMS’ mention and scowled at her. “Yea slept fine. Whaddya mean by PMS? I don’t PMS,” he stated grumpily.

“Sure ya do. You’re doin’ it now,” Sam retorted with a snicker before pressing a kiss to his brother’s head followed by a kiss to Sarah’s head as well as he passed her on the way to the fridge with Dean glaring daggers at his back.

“I’m not PMSin’ like some girl!” Dean snapped before grabbing the bagel and munching on it angrily, ignoring their laughter at his behavior.

“Dean, it’s ok. Sam told me everything,” Sarah said soothingly as she reached a hand over and touched Dean’s hand.

“Yea, you chicken shit...” Sam added with a cocked eyebrow and pointed look at Dean, who was just grinned back at him.

“Wha? Not my fault you have communication issues with your girl,” Dean retorted before finishing off his bagel.

Rolling his eyes, Sam came back over with some juice and toast and sat down between them at the counter. “So, did you learn anythin’ else?” he asked idly as he noted the paper.

“’Nother kid is dead. We need to act fast, I just wish I knew how exactly,” Dean responded as he pushed the paper towards his brother.

“Why do you say that?” Sarah asked as she reached over and poured herself some coffee.

“Well, we need to know what curse was cast first, so we’ll have to examine the tree the dryad is from. Then we’ll have to determine how we can help,” Sam explained around his mouthful as he munched on his toast.

“Dude, manners...I taught you better,” Dean growled out in disgust as crumbs were sprayed out every now and then by Sam when he spoke. Sarah giggled as Sam muttered an apology while he cleaned up his mess and finished quickly. “We also need to discover if you can talk to her, Sam,” Dean added after brushing off the crumbs that had gotten onto him.

Blinking in surprise, Sarah and Sam looked at Dean. “What do ya mean, Dean? I can’t talk to trees,” Sam replied in bemusement.

Looking over grimly, Dean grimaced. “Sam, you’re of the earth. That’s what Naida said. I can’t talk to the dryad cuz she ain’t of the water. It’ll have to be you,” he stated, but he forwent stating his theory on Sarah. He wasn’t gonna bring in something so dangerous if it wasn’t a sure thing anyways. He sighed and placed his hand on Sam’s. “Look man, I know it sounds impossible, but we don’t live possible lives. We live impossible lives. You can do this, ok? We have to try. If nothin’ else, I’ll ask the lake naiad to help out if she or he can,” he said as firmly as he could while looking into his brother’s eyes earnestly. Sam sighed and nodded in agreement before Dean looked over at Sarah. “Can you come too?”

“Huh? Why her?” Sam asked in shock as Sarah also stared at Dean in surprise.

Rubbing the back of his head, Dean sighed. “I...I can’t explain it just yet, ok? Just...I promise it won’t be too dangerous, all right?” he answered with a sheepish smile.

Blinking, the other two glanced at each other before refocusing on the eldest Winchester brother. “Well, I was with you for that ghost. Can’t be any worse than that, right?” Sarah responded uncertainly.

“Don’t worry...it won’t be, right Dean?” Sam replied quickly while shooting a suspicious glare at his brother.

Sarah caught the glance and sighed. “Oh for heaven’s sake, Sam! I’m not fragile! I can handle my own! Now get ready...we have a long day I think,” she retorted and got up, smacking Sam upside the head lightly as she passed him, earning a laugh from Dean following her out.

Reaching over, Dean clapped his brother on the shoulder. “If nothin’ else, ya stay with her cuz she’s a catch!” he declared before standing and leaving as well to get ready.

Sam watched his brother leave silently, his heart heavy with the implications. ‘He’s givin’ up already. I can’t lose either of them, but I will if things don’t change,’ he thought sadly before standing and heading up to get dressed for the day.

They met by the Impala and Dean was already looking into the trunk of for various implements to help them with the curse or charm breaking. He hummed softly as he fingered an assortment of apparatus for breaking charms and curses. He glanced up as the other two joined him before he refocused on their supplies. “Where’s that Book of Solomon, Sam?” he asked as he brought out their dad’s journal.

“Um, right here,” Sam answered as he pulled open a side drawer and took out the large book that was nestled among the other books they used for research. He put it next to the gathered charms, ritual sands, daggers, and blessed chalk that Dean had put together as well as the small flamethrower they’d gotten as a keepsake from one particular hunt in the past. “What do you think it could be?”

“Not sure, Sammy. But I’m thinkin’ it’s either a trappin’ charm or a summonin’ sigil, in which case we’d need to either erase it or eradicate it from the tree. If it’s a curse, then we’ve got real problems because curses and nature spirits twist each other until they become beyond destructive,” Dean explained thoughtfully before pulling out a small jar that held twigs of all the sacred trees: oak, willow, birch, alder, apple, hazel, and holly. Celtic religion had come into play once when they had dealt with a nest of pixies that had shipped over with some Irish potatoes for the Saint Patrick’s Day celebration in Philadelphia. It just happened that nature was very heavy in the old Celtic religion.

“K, well hopefully it’s easy like erasure,” Sam agreed as he grinned at his brother before turning to Sarah. “You’ll be ok with us,” he added with a smile.

“I know that. You two are the best,” Sarah answered with a grin, but it faded as Dean looked away silently and headed for the driver’s side, letting Sam shut the trunk. She glanced up at Sam worriedly and sighed as Sam gave her a weak smile in return. “PMSing again...” she muttered as she went to the back passenger door and slid in while Sam laughed lightly. She leaned forward and kissed Sam’s neck when he slipped in as well. She caught Dean watching her and tossed him a challenging look, making him admit to their equal right to Sam.

Slowly, Dean turned in his seat, catching her eye with a tilt of his eyebrow. Just as Sam detected their stand-off, Dean leaned over and kissed him deeply, all the while watching her with the same dare in his gaze. She grinned widely back and sat back in her seat as Dean broke the kiss and was trailed by Sam’s inadvertent gasp of pleasure. Dean smirked at her before turning and starting the car while Sam ran a hand through his hair in agitation. “If you guys don’t stop usin’ me for your challenge, I’ll lock ya in a room and make you fight it out!” he finally growled out and they both laughed, relaxing.

The trip to the lake was less tense after that and they even discussed a few things on the way. They arrived at the lake and followed the police tape to where they needed to be before parking half a mile away to avoid suspicion. They packed up the supplies that they hoped were all they would need and headed for the forest near the lake. The trip took them at least an hour as they traveled through the woods in the hopes of finding the dryad’s tree or possibly waking up Sam’s ‘ability’ to speak to the trees, but were unsuccessful so they had to just basically focus on getting to the lake.

It was Sarah who directed them somehow, though she was never certain on how she did it. She once said that it was like someone was whispering to her as they walked along when they asked her for how she knew. Dean didn’t look at Sam as they walked, but inside he felt his certainty well up on his hunch with her answer supporting it. After a while, they arrived at the lake and picked their way among the gnarled trees and boulders until they came to the large oak tree that was in the center of a glade of a mixture of trees, mainly willows, ash, and oak. Even from a distance they could tell that it was once a glorious old tree that had been twisted by the evil binding it. The branches were curled inward in gnarled loops as if trying to claw out the pain that was hurting it while the bark was black and split in various areas. Dark shapes twisted up from the ground, but seemed to stop at the edge of what looked to be a circle of dead soil where nothing could grow and the roots looked like they were reaching for the safety of the green healthy grass.

As they got closer, they could all see the cleared circle that was in the center of the tree, right next to where a knot in the trunk could be seen that looked almost like a face. The gap was surrounded by gnarled bark that looked like a ragged scar which had never closed and healed. Dean stopped them as they arrived at the outer circle around the oak, which was the edge to the dead bit of ground that surrounded the oak. He bowed deeply to the tree, copied by Sarah and Sam immediately as he said quietly, “Great Kaero of this glade, we have come to help.” The wind blew around them, rustling through the branches and leaves in what seemed to be a sigh of gratitude and they all relaxed before stepping onto the dead ground.

Dean went to the tree and touched it gently before examining the bark where the circle was now clear to them. He cursed softly and dug around in the bag as Sam came over to look as well before they focused on the book that Dean had brought out. “Man, I had thought that that kind of summonin’ had been dropped, especially around here,” Dean muttered angrily, but subsided when Sam rubbed his lower back soothingly.

“Looks like it was a mixture of a summons and a charm for wishes, I’m guessin’. Look here, that makes it for wishes and this one calls creatures forth. It’s almost like they were tryin’ for a Green Witch thing...” Sam murmured as he gestured to each sigil. He focused on the trunk before suddenly placing his hand on the sigil nearest the face-like space on the trunk. He hissed and groaned as he collapsed slowly, grabbing his head. “Slow down...no slow down I ca-slow down!” he cried as he curved a bit, but his hand never left the bark.

Sarah and Dean were instantly next to him when he collapsed, but neither touched him out of fear of breaking whatever connection he had. When he sat back and removed his hand with a gasp, both held him steady. “Oh fuck...that’s just messed up!” he whispered shakily as he looked up at the silent tree.

“What? What is, Sam?” Sarah asked in concern as she brushed a hand along his sweaty brow.

Shaking his head as he swallowed, Sam looked over at Dean. “You’re right. They were tryin’ for a Green Witch thing, only they messed up and added in some black magic by accident. One of the boys wanted to prove that Kaero was real and they were thinkin’ that they could make a wish with her if they summoned her. But they burned the marks into her bark, keepin’ her half in this world and half in her world, so that it’s been slowly poisonin’ her. The last fifty years have been the worst because of all the pollution and the wars and hatred that’s been goin’ through the world. And, within the last week, some yellow eyed demon has been comin’ to her and spreadin’ the evil within her, makin’ her kill out of rage and hurt. She’s not wanted to kill those kids and every time she does, it contaminates her more,” he whispered in explanation before gripping his head again in pain.

“Yellow eyed demon? Isn’t that the same thing that you’ve been hunting?” Sarah whispered in horror as she stared at Dean, who had looked up at the tree grimly.

“Yea...that’s it all right. Looks like Chiri was right,” Dean murmured before sighing. “We gotta break this spell now and give her peace,” he declared quietly as he looked over at Sarah. “Sarah, I need yer help.”

Nodding firmly in acceptance, Sarah helped Dean move Sam to the edge of the dead zone and rested him against one of the coiled roots that were reaching up from the ground before they looked at the book that Dean had been examining with Sam. Sam meanwhile tried to relax, but he kept seeing all of the visions of pain and sorrow that had been shown to him by the once gentle dryad. He reached over then and touched a root that was poking up just inside the dead zone. Don’t worry...they’ll help you, I promise. Believe in them, he whispered to the keening dryad as he struggled to clear his head. He watched as Dean and Sarah began to use a combination of water that had been purified and blessed, a pure iron dagger, and the flame from Dean’s lighter to start marking in the counters to the sigils within the nearly polished circle. Once they would finish with that, it would break the spell long enough for the dryad to rid herself of the markings in her way and thus restore the delicate balance that kept her alive and free.

But as they worked, it became clear that it wasn’t going to be so easy. The wind picked up around them ominously as dark storm clouds began rolling in from the west, lightening flashing around them as rain started to pour down. Dean cursed softly as his lighter was put out so often by the wind and rain that they couldn’t use it. They had only just gotten through the third of five symbols and it was getting harder to see in the rain and flashes of lightening much less go through with it.

Sam rolled himself to his feet and stumbled over to them, bracing himself against the tree trunk as he gasped for air. With his connection to the tree, he could feel her fear and pain and fought to soothe her even as he brought up his jacket to shield Dean and Sarah better. “Hurry! We don’t have time!”

“Yea no shit!” Dean snapped back in irritation as he worked to get the flame going again. “Fuck, it’s completely soaked!” he snarled as he pocketed his lighter and looked around for a sign.

“I think the wind was trying to help, but something evil’s whipping it into a frenzy!” Sarah shouted over the rising storm.

“No, ya think?” Dean retorted just as lightening struck nearby on a dead tree, setting it on fire. All three looked over and froze as they each thought of the same thing. Dean swiftly turned and ran to the burning tree, grabbing for the nearest blazing branch. It was as if Nature was helping them indeed...

With the burning branch in hand, he ran back carefully to them and he and Sarah resumed after Sam had leaned to the side so he wouldn’t get burned. They finished just as another clap of thunder shook them to the ground and a shout of such joy and gratitude rang out, silencing the storm. They looked up from the ground as the figure of a gnarled old woman oozed out of the tree and stood before them just as the black clouds broke with sunlight and shone down on the tree. As they watched, she changed shape, smoothing out and becoming green and healthy with spots of brown over her body here and there. She smiled brilliantly at them before reaching for the sky as her feet rooted into the ground and her fingers elongated and spread towards the sky.

The tree behind her shuddered and stretched up as well, unfurling from its gnarled pose as its bark became smoother and not as sickly looking. The ground around her became the dark black of healthy soil before green shoots of grass and flowers appeared, growing as if on fast forward. Leaves appeared on the tree, green and glittering before falling to the ground after changing into a brilliant yellow. As the leaves fell, the sigils on the bark flaked off and the ‘wound’ closed, becoming whole again.

Kaero turned to them and bowed deeply. Thank you, Chosen ones. I am forever in your debt. Thank you for freeing me from that prison of hatred and despair, she declared to them, her voice rich and husky as that of leaves rubbing together in the wind. As sunlight began to surround them from through the dark clouds, she disappeared, still smiling at them in joy and gratitude.

They sat in silence as the forest came alive around them, glittering with the rain that had just fallen as birds and squirrels chirped and chittered at each other in the surrounding trees. Sarah looked at the two men and laughed. “That was fun! Let’s do it again!” she cried and cackled as she was tackled by the two growling men and summarily tickled, relief making them silly as they rolled around and laughed. They collapsed to the ground and just lay in silence together while staring up at the clear blue sky. But after awhile, they moved to get going and gathered the tools of their trade in silence, though all of them were contented with a job well done.

They started the trek back to the Impala in silence, each caught up in their own thoughts on what had happened, but also just content to be together. Another thing had happened to make them bond and it was something to think about. When they got to the Impala, it was already growing dim with twilight so that by the time they got to Sarah’s home, it was dark.

When they got to her house, they all saw the extra car in the driveway. “Oh...dad’s home early,” Sarah murmured in disappointment and Dean as well as Sam smiled at her in understanding.

“It’s ok, Sarah. We’ll stay at a hotel and stop by to see you before we go,” Sam said gently as he placed a hand on her hand.

“Must you go again so fast?” Sarah asked them both as she took their hands, her eyes wide with desperation as the thought of them leaving made overwhelming loneliness and sadness well up in her.

“Yea we do, Sarah. I’m sorry,” Dean whispered tenderly as he squeezed her hand. She swallowed hard and they got out of the car and went to the trunk to get out the things that they would need to clean quickly before leaving. Smiling at Sarah, Dean touched her shoulder. “Go on in. We’ll be right in, ok? Sam and I need to talk real quick here,” he requested warmly. She nodded and turned away after looking at them both, then headed into the house. Dean looked up at Sam and sighed heavily.

“What is it, Dean? You know somethin’ don’t you?” Sam asked intently as he sat on the edge of the trunk and focused on his brother.

“Sammy...there’s somethin’ I haven’t told you and it’s about Sarah,” Dean started and then sighed again. He leaned against the trunk and looked up at the clear sky, frowning as he felt the wind pick up just a bit, but shook it off before focusing on Sam. “Chiri told me somethin’ about us and I think that Sarah really is a part of what we are,” he stated.

“What we are? What do you mean?” Sam responded in confusion as his big fingers played with the dagger in his hands.

“You remember what Kaero said? She called us the ‘Chosen ones’. I wasn’t sure at first, but Sarah....well Sam you weren’t awake for it, but Naida had mentioned somethin’ as well. But, according to Chiri, we are Mother Nature’s retaliation against that yellow eyed demon,” Dean explained and grimaced at how jumbled he sounded.

Confusion warred with concern in Sam’s eyes as he stared at his brother. “Are you saying that Nature chose you and me and even Sarah to fight the demon?” he asked lowly and rubbed his forehead as he felt a headache coming on.

Letting out a heavy breath, Dean nodded. “Yea. I’m water and you’re earth. You saw it today, Sammy. You were able to speak to Kaero in her tree form. And Sarah said she could hear whispers in the air. I think she’s the wind aspect.”

“So who’s the final one? That’s right, right? Earth, wind, fire, water...the four elements,” Sam mumbled as he tried to keep his concentration through his abruptly raging headache. Suddenly, it wasn’t a headache...it was a vision. He cried out as he fell to his knees, nearly banging his head against the trunk as he went down and the images began to come to focus in his mind.

A shadow in the living room turns as Sarah goes into the room, calling for her father.

Yellow eyes flash and the glint of white teeth in dark skin appear before the shadow steps forward.

Sarah stops and backs away, then looks up and screams as she sees...

“Oh god! Sarah!” Sam gritted out as he slammed his hand into the side of the car and cried out again in pain as he banged his head back when the vision swirled in his head, becoming more demanding for attention.

“Sam? Sam what is it?!” Dean demanded as he held onto his brother in concern when the vision began to finally pass. He looked up suddenly as the lights began to flicker around them in the lamp posts and house lights. His eyes widened as he remembered what Sam had said Kaero had told him.

“Sarah’s in trouble!” Sam grunted out as he struggled to push himself to his feet along with Dean’s help. He wavered though as his sight blacked for a minute and his world spun. Pushing at Dean, he growled out a “Go!” as he worked to regain his equilibrium. They had no time for this!

Not even hesitating, Dean rushed to the house just as Sarah’s scream floated out from the house. “Sarah! Hold on!” he shouted as he rammed into the front door, which was sealed shut

“Dad! No god no! Dad!!” Sarah’s wails of horror were swallowed suddenly by the rush of fire and wind as well as the evil laughter of the demon roaring out.

Kicking in the door, Dean ran in just as a wall of flame shot up near the living room and smoke billowed out of the blazing room. “Sarah! Hang in there!” he shouted as he worked to find a way in. Without even thinking, he reached a hand out and a gush of water shot from the kitchen, dousing down the flames so he could run in and grab at the sobbing woman. He stopped as he saw a shadow near the window and snarled in rage, but he couldn’t do anything more as the need to get Sarah to safety took precedence. He wrapped his arms around Sarah as the house began to come down around them as the blaze became worse and he rushed her outside just as the house exploded. Sarah hung onto him as they stopped near the Impala and watched while the house went up in flames.

When the blaze had been put out by the fire department that had arrived several minutes later, Dean, Sarah, and Sam went among the smoking ruins, each too numb by what had happened to really comprehend what it all meant. The sky was starting to lighten a bit at the horizon, but none of them could find any comfort in that thought. When they arrived at where the living room had been, Sarah knelt and picked up the fragment of a photo that she found amidst the ash and rubble. She hugged it to her chest and cried softly as Sam rubbed her back, while Dean looked around, kicking lightly at the mess in despair. He finally went over to them and they all hugged in the ruins, comforting each other.

After a bit, Sarah sniffled and leaned back, looking up at them. “I’m going with you. There’s nothing here for me now. I’m going with you to kill that bitch that killed my dad and took everything from me,” she declared angrily before wiping at her face with a sooty hand, streaking her already wet face with black.

“Hold on there, Skywalker...It’s dangerous,” Dean protested softly as he wiped her face with a hand, cleaning her up just a bit.

“Sarah, you sure it was him?” Sam asked quietly as he watched them interact. He had a feeling that this had been meant to happen and it made him sick inside at the loss of life, but also grateful that things were now a bit more certain.

“Him? It was a she...the demon was female,” Sarah retorted with another sniffle before letting out a short burst of air as they became silent. “What?” she asked shortly as she noticed that they were staring at her.

“Sarah, did the demon say anythin’ to you?” Dean asked calmly, though Sam could tell he was suddenly shaking with a very bad case of the freak out mode.

“Yea, the bitch told me that she’ll be waiting for us at where it all began and that I should have died when I’d had the chance. I’m not sure what that meant, but it doesn’t matter. I’m going with you,” Sarah explained firmly and turned away, heading back towards the Impala, back straight and aura determined.

Sam sighed, and then looked over as Dean came up by his side. “Well?”

“Well, you don’t have to choose anymore. I have a feelin’ that the demon took care of all of that,” Dean replied sardonically before grinning up at his brother. “Let’s get goin’. That thing has a head start on us by a long run and we’re gonna need all our brains around us for this.”

“Yea,” was all Sam said before sliding his arm around Dean’s waist and squeezing the strong body and releasing. They headed for Sarah and the Impala, already knowing that the worst of what was to come had started and they were, as usual, right in the middle of it.

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