Straightjacket Feeling ch. 9

Sam clenched his eyes closed as he tightened his finger around the trigger of the gun. In his mind he could still hear Dean yelling at him. “Sam, Sam. Damn it Sam answer me when I’m ca-” Sam opened his eyes for a split second and thought he saw Dean in the doorway. “Damn it,” Dean whispered running to Sam. “What the hell are you doing,” he shouted pulling his brother’s arm down.

Sam looked down and saw Dean’s cold, dead body on the ground. “Sam,” Dean shouted staring at his brother. Sam’s head whipped up, hitting Dean’s chin. “Ow, Sam,” he shouted. Sam looked into his brother’s eyes. There was terror in his eyes. Dean paused for a moment and looked at him. “Sammy,” he shouted. “I heard shooting. What the hell do you think you were doing?”

Sam’s hands were still shaking as he dropped the shotgun. He looked down and still saw Dean’s body on the ground lying next to Abbi. “I… I… De… Dean,” he whispered staring brokenly at an empty floor.

Dean looked down, trying to figure out what his brother was staring at and why he was in tears. “Sam,” he said again shaking his brother. “Sam!”

Sam looked up at him as the image of his dead brother faded away and Sam realized it wasn’t real. He was trembling under his brother’s arms. “Dean?” He stared at his brother’s face which held an expression of utter confusion. “I killed you.”

“What,” Dean shouted in shock. “You what? Sam I’m right here. I haven’t seen you since we split up when we got here. I’ve been upstairs. I came back down here when I heard shooting. You shot several nice holes in the place though,” he said pointing to the hole in the wall and the one in the floor in front of them. “What’s goin’ on,” he asked beginning to get worried about his little brother.

Sam stood slowly and leaned against the wall. “Its… its nothing,” he said softly, still shaking.

“Nothing,” Dean shouted. “You just said you killed me. That’s nothing?”

“Did, did you find Abbi,” he asked. He pushed himself away from the wall. “We have to find Abbi,” he said realizing the sick girl wasn’t there.

“I think she’s on the third floor. I was about to head up there when I heard the shooting. Sam what happened?”

“Nothing,” he snapped. He pushed passed his brother and headed out of the room.

“Sam get back here,” Dean shouted. He sighed when his brother didn’t listen and picked up the stuff that Sam left behind then he went running after Sam. “Sammy wait,” he shouted as he caught up with Sam. He handed the shotgun to Sam. Sam reluctantly took it and looked over at Sam.

“It was so real Dean,” he whispered. “I could… I could feel it, her touch. She was there Dean I swear. Jess was there.”

“So you killed me. Sorry if I don’t follow.”

“Its complicated.” He sighed as they walked up the stairs. “Dean,” he said softly. Dean turned to him but didn’t speak. “Did you, did Abbi walk in on you and a girl named Cassie,” he asked quietly as they walked up the stairs to the third floor.

“No,” he said simply. “Why? If someone told you that its not true. Its not even possible. I didn’t even meet Cassie until after we came back from England without Abbi. I told Abbi about her, but she was never there when I was with Cassie.” He looked over at Sam questioningly. “Sam what happened back there,” he asked.

“Nothing,” Sam said again. They finally got to the top of the stairs. “You go that way, I’ll check this way,” Sam said pointing in opposite directions. Dean nodded reluctantly. As they began to split up Sam turned to Dean. “Dean,” he called after his older brother. “Be careful,” he said quickly. “And, don’t necessarily trust what you think is real. He makes you see things, feel things. Just be careful.”

Dean nodded and headed down the hallway. He entered a small dark bedroom. In the corner by the door, there was a large canopy bed. On the other side in the corner of the room, there was a window. Dean walked in slowly, holding the shotgun up, ready to shoot if need be. He moved the flashlight slowly around the room and stopped when he saw a figure lying on the bed. He remembered Sam’s words, not to trust what he saw. He looked on at the unconscious figure. Her skin was so pale. Dark circles encompassed her once beautiful brown eyes.

He wasn’t sure if it was really Abbi. What had Sam seen in that room? Jess? It had to be something more if he thought he killed Dean. Had Sam seen Abbi? Dean took a small step towards the bed. She didn’t move. Her arms were tied down, and her feet to the posts of the bed. He stood at the side of the bed looking down at her for a moment. Then he heard something from outside in the hall. He took a step back and looked out in the hall but saw nothing.

When he turned back to the bed Abbi was gone. He looked around for a moment. That didn’t make sense she was right there. Maybe she hadn’t been real. He flashed the light around the room and walked around for a moment, stopping in the center of the room. There was nothing there. He sighed and looked around once more. Then he felt it. It was so small he wasn’t even sure what it was until he looked down and saw in the small circle of light on the wood floor, the little drop of blood. He had felt another hit the top of his head, the second one. His hand shook as he stared at the floor for a moment, afraid to look up and find the body of the only girl that ever really knew him, understood him.

He knew he had to do it though. He closed his eyes, his flashlight raised first, and then his head followed with his eyes still closed. He felt a drop of warm blood fall onto his closed eyes. Slowly, almost reluctantly, Dean opened his eyes to his worst fear. It had heard the first time he had thought it had happened, when the police officer had told him that the fire had started in her room. His heart stopped as he stared at the ceiling, a drop of Abbi’s blood fell and landed in his right eye. He looked down for a moment, blinking it away. As soon as he looked up she burst into flames. “ABBI,” he screamed.

He couldn’t move. The fire was closing in on him but he couldn’t move. He tried, he tried to move, the whole house was made of wood. He wouldn’t let Sammy get caught in it. Then he lowered his head to see a figure in the corner of the room. He walked out into the light of the flames slowly and rage filled Dean. Standing in the corner of the room, with his arms crossed and a smile on his face was his little brother. “Dean,” he said with a laugh. “Who did you think it was?” He laughed and took another step towards him. Dean raised the shotgun. It couldn’t really be Sam. Sam was only a baby when their mother died. It couldn’t be Sam.

“Would you kill me Dean,” he asked looking at his brother with pain in his eyes. “You’ve spent your whole life trying to protect me. Would you really kill me? What would you do to save her Dean,” he asked with a smile. Dean froze. “Anything? That’s how I felt with Jess. I would have done anything to save her. I just, I couldn’t help it. The power, it was too great.” He laughed and looked up at the ceiling. Dean raised his head and saw that there was nothing there. When he looked down he was alone in the room again.

Sam came running into the room a second later. Dean turned and aimed the gun at him causing Sam to take a frightened step back. “Dean what’s going on? I heard you scream. Did you find her,” he asked quickly. Dean lowered his shotgun realizing that it was indeed his baby brother.

“Sam,” he said with a pause. “Tell me what happened downstairs. I want to know why you thought you killed me.”

“Dean we don’t have-”

“NOW SAM,” Dean shouted.

Sam sighed and lowered his head. “It… it started with Jess,” he said quietly. “He made me see things. Things that weren’t real Dean. Its nothing really. I obviously didn’t really kill you so what does it matter..” Sam closed his eyes and leaned against the wall.

“That’s what you’re afraid of,” Dean said quickly. “That you’ll kill me?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Just trust me. This guy has gotten in our minds, probably through Abbi since she knows us so well.” He sighed and shook his head. “I’m assuming you didn’t find her.” Sam solemnly shook his head. Dean sighed and looked around the room.

“Dean,” Sam said quickly as he looked over at the bed. Dean shined the flashlight on the bed and saw that Abbi was still lying there, unconscious and bound to the bed.

Dean dropped the light, and his gun and ran to her side. She had to be real, if both of them were seeing her, right? He sat down at her side while Sam helped him untie her. Then he picked up her limp body and brushed her hair out of her face. “Abbi,” he whispered shaking her a bit. “Abbi come on,” he said softly. Her breathing was faint, almost nonexistent. “Abbi wake up,” he whispered again. Sam just stood there watching, leaning against the bedpost.

“Dean,” Sam said softly. “This was too easy. Where is he?” Dean knew he was right but he didn’t want to admit it. They hadn’t had an encounter with Doyle at all, just Doyle’s tricks. Dean looked down at Abbi’s pale body. Sam could see the sweat on her face. She really was feverish.

“Was it me you were looking for Dean,” a familiar voice said from the doorway. Dean turned and saw Doyle, dressed as the firefighter he had met as a child. “Or was it Abbi?” Dean gently set Abbi back down on the bed and stood, turning to face Doyle. He didn’t say anything, Dean’s death glare was answer enough. It didn’t seem to scare Doyle though. He just laughed and shook his head. “Dean,” he said sounding disappointed. “She won’t get any better if you kill me. I’m the only thing keeping her alive at this point.”

Dean looked down and realized he had left the shotgun about a yard behind him in the middle of the room. Sam, standing next to him noticed as well and handed Dean his gun. Doyle laughed once more and entered the room. He took a step towards the bed and Dean moved to block his way. “Think about it Dean. You’re smarter than this. Did you really think she had Leukemia? What do doctors know of the supernatural? Honestly, you should have noticed that right away and maybe I wouldn’t have had to take her. You cannot go ten plus years without treatment for Leukemia and still be able to live, let alone do what she did. She was an amazing hunter Dean, but you already knew that didn’t you. She was better than you.” Dean fingers clenched around the shotgun so tight his knuckles turned white. Doyle took another step towards Abbi and Dean moved to block him. Though, a second later Dean noticed that Doyle was already at Abbi’s side.

“She’s going to die Dean,” he said simply, running his fingers through her hair. He looked down at her. “It’s a shame the world will lose a woman so beautiful. And how she dies, that’s the worst part of all,” he said as he looked up at Dean with a smile. “You figured it out though Dean, what I was doing. I’ll give you credit for that. You’re not as stupid as your father said you were.” At that Dean raised the gun and aimed at Doyle’s face. Doyle simply laughed and stood walking up to Dean. Dean blinked and when he opened his eyes, he saw Sam standing in front of him. He looked behind him where his brother was and he was gone. He knew it was some kind of illusion. It wasn’t real. He wouldn’t fall for it this time.

“Dean what are you doing,” his brother’s voice said but it was Sam. It couldn’t be Sam. “Dean put the gun down. I’m just trying to help man. Dean put the gun down.” He took a step back and raised his hands in the air. Dean slowly moved to Abbi’s side, not taking the gun away from “Sam’s” face.

“Do you think I’m that stupid,” he said with a bitter laugh. He lowered the gun only for a moment to pick Abbi up. “I can see through you’re little act.” At that he saw his brother reappear next to Doyle. “Now,” be began lowering the gun after her noticed that Sam had picked up the other one. “My little brother and I are going to take Abbi out of here. Then, he’s going to take her far away and I’m going to come back here and kill you,” he said as if it were so simple.

There was a little look of worry on Doyle’s face. He hadn’t counted on Dean’s will being so strong. He was actually willing to kill his little brother to save Abbi’s life. He hadn’t counted on that. It worked to his advantage though. “All right Dean,” he said with a smile. “We’ll play your way.” He laughed and before Sam could react, Doyle grabbed the gun from his hand and aimed it at Sam’s head. “Now what Dean,” he asked with a smile. “Its her, or your-”

“Abbi,” Dean answered without hesitation. Dean knew Sam still had the ability to fight back. It’s true that Doyle was strong, and fast, and not entirely human so it would be a bit hard for Sam to beat him, but Sam still had the ability. Abbi was unconscious and all but dead. He wouldn’t leave her behind. Sam didn’t seem to understand Dean’s thought process though. He looked at his brother with a hurt and betrayal in his eyes. That look killed Dean but he knew it had to be done. Sam would realize it soon enough and he would be able to get away from Doyle, or at least stall him long enough so Dean could get Abbi in his car then come back for Sam.

“All right then Dean,” Doyle said with a smile. In one swift motion, Doyle lowered the gun to Sam’s chest and pulled the trigger. Dean hadn’t counted on that. He nearly dropped Abbi and ran to his brother’s side. Sam was coughing and had his eyes clenched shut.

“Sammy,” he said leaning over his brother. Dean looked down at his brother and noticed that there was no bullet hole. Instead, there were several large gashes on his chest. “You loaded it with rock salt,” Dean said with a bit of a questioning look.

Sam smiled. “I didn’t think it would be best for both to have bullets,” he said through gritted teeth. “In case something happened.”

That’s when Dean realized that it was actually his shotgun. “You loaded mine with rock salt,” he said quickly.

Sam laughed and shut his eyes tightly. “Like I said, in case something happened.”

Dean turned and stood. It was obvious that Doyle hadn’t expected the gun to be loaded with rock salt. Sam should be dead right now, instead he was just laying in severe pain, bordering on consciousness on the ground. Dean could see the anger in his eyes. Dean ran to Abbi’s side and picked her up. She was beginning to wake up. Dean set her gently on the bed as she began to regain consciousness. Doyle looked over at her and smiled. Doyle knew he couldn’t keep Abbi sick any longer. It would take her years though to fully recover from what he had done. He smiled at her and blew her a kiss. “You will think of me,” he whispered before he disappeared.

Dean sat beside Abbi and brushed her hair out of her face. “Abbi,” he whispered. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled at him.

“Is it over,” she whispered.

Dean wanted to tell her yes but he knew she could always tell when he was lying. He couldn’t get that thought out of his head. Their father had spoken to Doyle? Their father had told Doyle that Dean was stupid? It didn’t seem right. Dean looked over at Sam. “You okay there big guy,” he said as Sam started to get up.

“Oh, yeah wonderful,” he said sarcastically. “You know Dean, you could have at least thought about it for a moment, like I meant something.”

“Dude,” Dean began rolling his eyes at his brother, “I knew you would be able to get out of it somehow. You had the advantage of being conscious.”

“And he had a gun loaded with rock salt.”

“Yeah we’re gonna talk about your trust issues later,” he said somewhat coldly. “My gun? That’s so not fair.” Dean looked down at Abbi, who just stared at him with a blank look on her face. “Long story. One that will make a great story to tell the grandkids.”

At that Abbi caughed and her eyes opened wide. “Grandkids,” she said weakly but there was a hint of humor in her voice. “You think you’re going to be lucky enough to have kids with me, let alone grandkids, after this little stunt. You have some major kissing up to do before you get anywhere near anything that can lead to procreation,” she said with a small smile.

Dean laughed and picked her up. He carried her down the steps and set her gently in the backseat of his car. “Dean,” she said softly. He turned to her before starting the car. “What if it was a choice between me or the-”

“The car,” he answered simply turning and backing out of the drive-way of the house.

“Yeah, its stuff like that that’ll get you farther and farther from those grandkids,” she said with a laugh.

Sam looked at him. “So wait, if you would choose the car over her and her over me, how high and I on your list.”

Dean just glared at his brother, who gave him a small smile and they continued on their way back to the hotel. That night Dean didn’t sleep. He knew Doyle wasn’t gone, and it wasn’t over. He wouldn’t sleep, not until Doyle was dead. He couldn’t risk it. If he fell asleep, he might lose Abbi again. She lay, on what would be Dean’s bed, as he sat in the chair watching her sleep. She looked so peaceful. Her color was coming back a little bit though she still looked like death.