Previous chapters can be found here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3011743/1/

Chapter Twenty Seven
Preparing For War


Lauren was slumped against Dean unmoving when Sam came in the door. “What happened?” he asked with wide eyes as Dean picked her up and carried her over to the bed.

“I’m not sure, she was staring out the window talking to herself and just collapsed,” Dean said, worried. “She’s got a fever; go get some cool washcloths out of the bathroom and some Tylenol out of the bag she keeps in there, please?”

“There’s no Tylenol in here Dean,” Sam said a minute later, coming out with a couple of washcloths.

Lauren started to come out of it now, slowly regaining consciousness. “I took the last ones a couple days ago, forgot to get more,” she said weakly.

“More headaches?” Dean asked.

Lauren nodded silently, “there’s a convenience store in town, mind getting me some more?”

“You going to be okay until I get back?” Dean asked. She had sweat running down her cheeks and was breathing hard.

Lauren nodded, “Just go.”

“I’ll keep an eye on her Dean,” Sam said. Dean sighed and grabbed the keys, heading out the door to the local town. Sam heard the Impala rev up and head out.

“You ok Lauren?” he asked, obviously concerned.

“I’ll be fine,” she smiled, but he wasn’t convinced. He took her hand in his own and then froze, his head pounding suddenly, a vision sweeping over him.

“Sam?” Lauren said, “What is it?”

Sam rubbed his temples fiercely. He hadn’t had a vision since the one he’d had that brought them to Tampa when Lauren was first attacked by the demon. He’d learned not to try to fight them; just let them take their course. When it was over, he looked up at Lauren with tears in his eyes. “Lauren, you…you…oh my God!”

“It’s ok Sam. At least now I know how it ends,” she said sadly. “I kind of thought it might be that way.”

He looked at her incredulously, realizing somehow she knew what he’d seen. “It’s not ok! We can stop this; we will stop this from happening.”

“You can’t tell Dean about this. Promise me you won’t tell him, Sam!” she said desperately, squeezing his hand as hard as she could manage, her eyes pleading with him.

“I can’t keep this from him Lauren,” Sam started.

“You have to Sam, it’s the only way to keep him safe,” Lauren said, “I need you to do something for me.” Sam looked at her again, the tears running freely down his cheeks now. “Think you can find something to keep you busy for a couple of days, give us some time together?”

“Sure,” he smiled for a moment. Then, a look of slow realization came over his face. “So you can say goodbye?” Lauren looked away and said nothing.

They sat there in silence until they heard the car pull into the parking lot again. Lauren squeezed Sam’s hand and he wiped the tears from his eyes. “I love you Sam, please do this for me.”

“I love you too,” he gulped.

Dean came in with a bottle of water and the Tylenol, giving it to Lauren who pulled herself upright.

“Those cool washcloths helped, thanks Sam,” Dean said as he realized her temperature had already come down some.

“No problem, glad to help,” Sam replied.

“You ok little brother?” Dean asked him.

“Yeah, just tired, I guess. I’m going back to my room, grab a shower,” he said as he left.

Sam paced back and forth in his own motel room now. What am I going to do? I have to tell him. Do I really have to choose between my brother and my best friend? Because in the end, that’s what this was about. He decided he wasn’t going to have to make that choice. I will give Lauren her couple of days, but I will spend that entire time finding a way out of this. I can do this. He told Dean to just spend some time with Lauren and he would let them know when he found their next gig.

A few days later, Sam realized that Lauren was right. “We got a lead on the demon,” Dean said intently when they went to breakfast that morning.

“Really?” Sam said. “Where?”

“Some remote island. The signs have started up again,” Dean said, scarfing down his bacon and eggs.

Sam nodded. Lauren looked up at him silently. “Alright,” Sam said. “When do we go?”

Lauren smiled then, “right after breakfast!”

“What about Dad?” Sam asked Dean.

“What about him?” Dean replied.

“You did call him right; he’s meeting us there?” Sam said.

“No, I’m not having him run off half-cocked. You know how he is about this demon Sam. It’s our turn to protect him, mostly from himself,” Dean said with finality.

“Dean,” Sam began.

“End of discussion Sam!”

---

“You do realize we’re going to have to fly Dean,” Sam said when they were on the road.

”Nope, we’re going by sea, and no customs either, so we can take whatever we need,” Dean replied.

They arrived on the island a couple of days later and set up in a three bedroom cabin in the woods. The information they had isolated the point of attack to a three mile radius. There were no homes in the area, just a small abandoned warehouse. That’s where they would start.

That morning, Lauren came out of the bathroom with a confused look on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Dean asked.

“My ring’s missing,” Lauren said sadly.

“Did you take it off somewhere?” he asked.

“I had it when we left to come here, and I remember taking it off before I showered yesterday, but I could have sworn I put it right back on afterward. I’ve looked everywhere,” she said.

“We’ll find it,” Dean said, kissing her lightly on the forehead.

The three went through their routines as normal, acting like it was any other hunt, packing everything they could think of. Sam came out of the bedroom, bag in hand, and saw Lauren and Dean gathering their things on the living room table.

“Dean, she can’t go,” Sam said.

“Already thought of it Sammy,” Dean said as he grabbed Lauren from behind, pulling her into a chair and beginning to tie her hands behind it.

“Dean, we talked about this, you promised,” Lauren said angrily, struggling to get free from his grip as he was securing the ropes.

“It’s too dangerous Lauren,” Dean said.

“Sam, you promised you wouldn’t tell him,” Lauren yelled at Sam, tears building in her eyes.

“Tell me what?” Dean said, looking from Lauren to Sam.

“Dean, please, I have to be part of this. This is personal. This thing killed my parents, my brother, his daughter took our little girl, please,” Lauren pleaded.

Dean looked at her now, his heart filling, and wavered, reconsidering.

“Dean, if you let her come, she’ll die. I saw it,” Sam said.

“Sam!” Lauren screamed.

“What are you talking about?” Dean asked Sam.

“I had another vision. We were confronting the demon, and he killed Lauren,” Sam said matter-of-factly.

“And you waited to tell me this until now, why exactly?” Dean thundered.

“She asked me not to, and I was afraid of splitting us up until it was time to go. In my vision, we’re all together when it happens.”

“Tell him who we are Sam,” Lauren said indignantly. “In your vision, John was there too, right? That vision isn’t coming true tonight Sam. Dean, you have to let me go with you. I have got to be there. You have to trust me!”

Dean knelt down by the chair Lauren was in and put his hand softly on her cheek, looking her straight in the eyes. “Lauren, you’re my whole world. If anything happened to you,” his voice cracked. “I don’t know what I’d do. I’m not going to risk it. I’m going to get rid of this thing for good, so that you and I can finally get married and have that forever after we’ve been talking about,” he smiled, kissing her softly.

She returned his kiss like it was the last one they would ever share, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Dean,” she locked his eyes in her gaze, begging now. “If you go without me, you’re not coming back,” she said. “You and Sam will both die tonight, please don’t go,” she began to sob.

“I’ve been doing this a long time,” he said, stroking her hair, trying to reassure her. “I am not dying tonight. I’ve got everything to live for, because I’m coming back for you!” He turned and joined Sam at the doorway.

“I’m sorry Lauren,” Sam said quietly as he joined his brother. “I’m sorry.”

Lauren hung her head and cried as the door closed behind them.

---

They saw no sense in salting the warehouse because they wanted the demon to be there. Dean had the Colt and the last bullet, ready to make their move. They were there about five minutes when they heard something behind them.

“Show your face you son of a bi*ch!” Dean said whipping around.

Out from the shadows with his hands up, stepped John Winchester. “Hi boys,” he said quietly. Dean and Sam stared open-mouthed.

“Where’s Lauren?” John asked with a hint of desperation in his voice.

“Back at the cabin, safe. How the hell did you find us?” Dean asked.

“She has to be here,” John practically shouted. “It’s the only way!”

“What are you talking about?” Sam said.

“We don’t have time for this,” John said. “We have to get out of here now!”

“Dad, it’s ok, we have the Colt!” Dean said exasperated, hand in the air for emphasis as he and Sam followed John back toward the entrance.

“Going somewhere boys?” a familiar voice said as it snatched the Colt from Dean’s hand and sent all three colliding into a wall.

---

Dean woke up; his head hurting as he slowly raised it to look at his surroundings. This routine was starting to get old. Sam and John were pinned to one wall about ten feet away from the one he was adorning. He struggled, only to have his head snapped back against the wall.

“Miss me baby?” a voice said to his left.

“Meg,” Dean said. “This is perfect. You’re just who I wanted to see,” he grinned defiantly.

She drew closer to him now, breathing hot along his neck. “I missed you too,” she whispered. “You know,” she said, looking down at her hand, “if I were Lauren, I would have asked for a bigger stone. Lord knows she’s earned it dealing with your family and all you’ve put her through all these years. Still, it was a nice thought. Very sweet, I didn’t think you had it in you to be honest. But, fun’s over for Lauren. You’re mine now, and I don’t like to share,” Meg said, approaching him again.

“You’re crazy! You killed my daughter!” Dean yelled, furious.

Meg cocked her head and looked at him. “Sorry about that. Try not to take it too personally. Besides,” she whispered, running her tongue along his ear. “We’ll make beautiful babies together, you just wait! I’ll make you forget all about the pain, and Angel, and Lauren. I’m all you need baby!”

“I don’t think so!” Lauren said from behind Meg as she slammed her in the back of the head with a pipe.

“Bi*ch stole my ring,” she said, removing it from Meg’s hand and placing it on her own.

Dean and Sam looked on in amazement. “How the hell did you get...” Dean began, but there was no time to finish his question as a dark swirling presence entered the room, gathering itself in the middle before taking human form.

Lauren backed away from Dean toward the center of the room, turning to face the yellow eyed demon. He eyed her carefully.

“Xaphan,” Lauren said finally. “Your timing is perfect. I have presents for you!”