Title: Playing With Fire (4/?)

Fandom: Supernatural

Genre: Drama/Romance

Rating: M

Pairing: Sam/Dean

Spoilers: Season 3

Summery: Sam's got a lot of secrets and one of them may just be the key to saving Dean. Unfortunately for Sam, it's going to come at a high price.

Disclaimer: Sam, Dean, Bella, and Ruby are not mine. Kit, Kail, and Lauran are mine. Casey is also mine but if his real-life counterpart ever found out about him he's liable to break my ribs…again.

AN: This is my first Supernatural fanfic. It is also my first Wincest fanfic, but I have no qualms about booking that ticket to the Special Hell, though I'm fairly sure I already had a seat reserved for various other reasons...

Part 4: Abstinence and Absinthe

Kit's plan to break the contract was devastatingly simple in theory but Sam could see why she had said it would take months of preparation. While the ritual itself would probably take no more than a few hours tops, the amount of research and planning would take much longer to complete.

The basement level of Kit's manor had always acted as a salle for combat training. While Sam didn't know much about their pasts, both Kailyst and Casey had been warriors at one point or another. It was evidenced by the ease they wielded an assortment of weaponry. It was the familiarity that Sam knew from experience came only from long years of training. Now the floor Sam had spent four months sparring against them on was overrun. Every available inch of floor space was covered in books and notes detailing demon sigls, spell-runes and ingredient lists as Sam began the painstaking process of trying to piece together possibly one of the most complicated Devil's Traps ever conceived.

Casey whistled, coming down the stairs to check on Sam's progress. Casey, despite being one of the most annoying people ever was also one of the most understanding. One of his main abilities was sensing and occasionally manipulating human emotion and as such he understood, and sympathized, with a lot more then most people would give him credit for. It was the fact that he was good at what he did that let him get away with being a total jackass any other time.

Besides, Sam was extremely use to people who used smart assed remarks to cover their own feelings.

"Trust you to turn the salle into a library," Casey said, nudging at a pile of books with his foot.

Sam highlighted a passage he though might be useful before replying. "The pen is mightier then the sword."

Casey snorted. "I'd like to see a pen cut someone in half."

Sam sat up and rubbed at his neck to try and ease some of the tension there. "Have you ever seen anyone cut in half?" he asked.

"Sure, I saw Kail do it once back before he was, ya know, dead. Sliced them right through above the hips and there were all these broken ends of intestines hanging out. It was pretty gruesome. I never saw Kit laugh so hard in my life." Casey replied, carefully stepping around Sam's accumulated notes and book piles.

"I'm not even going to ask why that was funny," Sam said, copying down a section of a spell-rune he wanted to weave into the Trap. He was slightly sorry he asked.

In typical Casey fashion, he explained it anyways. "The guy was totally hitting on her--not that they called it that back then--and Kail gets seriously scary when he's jealous. Of course, back then, breathing wrong made Kail homicidal. Death really mellows a guy out let me tell you."

Sam just shook his head. He had never really understood the strange triangle that was Kit, Kailyst and Casey nor had he ever really cared to. "Was there a reason you came down here?"

"Oh yeah," Casey snapped his fingers. "Kit wanted me to take you out back and start going through some training drills since at least some of my powers work the same way as yours."

Sam wasn't really keen on the idea of stopping since every second counted towards saving Dean, but he knew better then to argue. Still he was dreading the drills and the subsequent drugging that would keep him down for most of the night. Sam winced as he stood up, cramped muscles protesting after hours of sitting in the same position.

"You worked all night didn't you?" Casey asked.

"I'm on a time schedule, I need to work as fast as I can," Sam pointed out.

Casey shrugged. "I don't care one way or another but Lauran's been a bit worried. Last time you got this obsessive over something…well you remember that time at least."

Sam sighed. "It's not like that, really, not this time. I've made my peace with that."

"It was Dean then and it's Dean now, lie to yourself as much as you want but you're still bleeding inside because of him." Casey said. "Hell it was him all along, in a way. You might not remember but Lauran and I do. When Kit brought you in--hell, Sam, it took all three of us to keep you alive and Kail to keep you from killing anyone in a five block radius."

Sam stopped. "That had nothing to do with Dean," he said slowly.

Casey paused mid-step. "So she never told you then?"

Sam tried to swallow around the sudden lump of dread in his throat. "Who told me what?"

"Kitaline. She never told you why she didn't just put you down that night? You were going to die anyway. She never told you why she risked all of us to save you?" Casey turned to face him incredulously. "Hell, you breaking the bargain makes a lot more sense now."

"Casey, what are you talking about?" Sam ground out.

Casey quickly shook his head. "Uh-uh, I'm not saying anything else. Ask Kit, I'm way out of Protocol saying what I did."

Sam frowned, the sick feeling making it's way into the pit of his stomach. "Casey, was Dean--did I do anything to him?"

"What? No. I mean you kept calling out for him while you were delirious and dying but, look, you just have to ask Kit. C'mon let's just run through the basics I taught you before." Casey practically fled upstairs.

Sam followed more slowly. He'd never really given much thought to why Kit had saved his life that night. Mostly, he tried not to think about that night much at all. He didn't know to this day how he had ended up in that alleyway, he had his suspicions of course, but there was a gap in his memory where that day had been and he'd always been happier not thinking about it. He had always just assumed that Kit had happened across him and decided to add to her collection. The thought that there was an actual motive had never crossed his mind. That the motive somehow involved Dean was downright troubling.

Dean had the Impala pointed towards California and the engine gunned before he was fully aware of what he was doing. He wasn't sure what his plan was, beyond finding Sam and punching him a few times, but he wasn't about to just sit there and wait for a phone call like some dutiful housewife. He had no hard proof that Sam was even in Palo Alto, just a hunch. But in his line of work hunches were more often then not all you had to go on and you learned to trust them.

He was quite certain that Palo Alto was some sort of demonic nexus set up specifically to cause pain to the Winchesters. It had taken Sam from him all those years ago and had in turn taken Jess form Sam. Now once again dean found himself driving back there to rescue his brother form whatever hellish situation the place had set up for them this time.

Dean pulled to a stop outside Sam's old apartment. It was completely rebuilt now, no signs remained of the fire that had claimed Jessica's life and destroyed Sam's dreams of normalcy. He didn't really think that Sam was here, in fact he knew Sam wasn't here, but he had no other place to start. The memory of that night played in his mind. He had pulled Sam out of a fire for the second time that night, because he had dragged him away selfishly. It seemed to drive the point home to him; Sam was his to protect but was never to be his.

A knock on his window startled him from his thoughts. A petite girl, maybe a hair over five feet tall, with white-blonde hair and rose colored sunglasses stood there. She was pretty, Dean noted reflexively as he rolled down his window. She crossed her arms a slight, inviting smile playing about her lips.

"You lost?" She asked. There was an odd lilt to her voice that Dean couldn't quite place, the cadence of her speech a little off somehow.

"I'm looking for someone actually," Dean replied. "Maybe you could help me?"

The smile widened. "I'd be happy to help. Who are you looking for? I know most people around here."

"My brother, he--uh--used to go to school here." Dean replied. "Think he's back here for a few days."

She tilted her head. "Well you could try the IHOP near campus. A lot of the students hang there."

There was something off in the way she moved and Dean's instincts suddenly kicked back in. "Uh, thanks I got it from here."

She tilted her head in the other direction, like a bird studying it's prey. "How very interesting. I'm actually somewhat impressed, the infamous Dean Winchester at last."

Dean had his glock in her face before she finished the last syllable of his name. "Who the hell are you?"

She continued to smile, obviously not the least bit worried about the gun. "You can call me Kitaline or Kit, I doubt you could pronounce my real name even if I cared to give it too you." She said. "It's nice to finally meet you in person, I get all my information second hand from Samuel and Ruby and they have understandable bias in their perceptions."

Dean froze at the sound of his brother's name. "Sam? Where's my brother?"

"At IHOP with the others, I doubt he's in much condition to talk at the moment, but I can take you there if you like." She replied.

Dean's jaw clenched. "What did you do to him?" He demanded.

She seemed amused by his tone. "Nothing that wasn't necessary. Do you want to drive? I could take us there myself but I doubt you'd trust me to do so."

Dean was certain letting her into his car was all kinds of bad but getting to Sam overrode anything else. Dean gritted his teeth. "I'll drive, and so help me god if you've hurt my brother, I'll end you--whatever you are."

She laughed, an unnatural sound that sent shivers down Dean's spine. "I think that this will be the most fun I've had in centuries." She walked around the car and slid into the passenger side. She pulled her glasses off and fixed Dean with a cat-pupiled stare. There were too many eerie similarities to the yellow-eyed demon in that blue-gold look, and Dean felt goose bumps prickle on his arms.

"You'll want to take a left at the first light," She said, settling back into her seat.

Dean pulled out onto the road, keeping a careful watch on her out of the cornier of his eye.

"I'm actually quite curious about you Dean Winchester, and it's irritating not being able to poke around in your head." She remarked conversationally. "Still, I have to abide by my own terms of the bargain."

"Bargain?" Dean asked, unsure of what exactly he was supposed to do in this situation but deciding that finding out as much information as he could was probably good.

"Yes, part of Samuel's terms was that I was to stay out of your head at least until our bargain is up." Kit replied.

"What was your bargain?" Dean asked, not liking the feeling that he was more likely to get answers out of this thing in his car then Sam.

"The gist of it? I help break your contract and Samuel serves in my Court for a year and a day." Kit answered "It's a good bargain all around, at least as far as I'm concerned. I much prefer Samuel close enough to keep an eye on, going through Ruby was troublesome. Turn right here."

Dean pulled into the parking lot of the IHOP uncertainly. He wasn't sure what kind of creature frequented crappy restaurant chains and the juxtaposition of the supernatural and the mundane put him off-balance. Dean much preferred his evil a little more brimstone and a little less breakfast.

He followed her into the restaurant tensely, ready for something to jump out at him any second. At least he did until he spotted Sam. His brother looked like hell, to put it mildly. There were dark circles under his eyes and he was too pale. The unfocused look of his gaze made it obvious that he was drugged. Dean made as if to bolt over to him only to be stopped by an invisible wall thrown up in his face. It took him a moment to realize that Kit was not the source of the wall but, rather, it was the dark haired young man who had appeared at his right.

"Casey?" Kit asked, regarding the newcomer with a look of fond amusement.

"I'd keep him away from Sam. The wormwood is playing merry hell with his head right now and it wouldn't take much to set him off."

"I understand your concern, Casey, but it will be fine." Kit said.

Casey snorted. "Concern?" He said venomously, glaring in Dean's direction. "I'd be just as happy to have never had to lay eyes on this sonofabitch and I'm not about to let him fuck with Sam."

Kit's eyes narrowed. "Casey, enough. I've made my decision and I wont tolerate any more breeches of Protocol from you."

Casey's shoulders slumped and Dean felt the wall vanish. "Of course," he said stiffly. "May I withdraw, then?" He asked formally.

Kit nodded dismissively and the young man exited with a final glare in Dean's direction.

Dean approached the table cautiously but the only other occupant was a familiar, though not welcome, sight.

"Dean," Ruby greeted him neutrally from her position next to Sam.

Dean ignored her and reached across the table for his brother. Sam blinked at him blearily but there was no recognition in the glazed eyes. "What the hell is wrong with him?"

Ruby shrugged. "Nothing really, he was running drills with Casey all morning so we drugged him up so his body wouldn't go into reaction-shock. It'll wear off in an hour or so."

Dean just stared around in utter confusion. "What the fuck is going on?"

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Just sit down, Dean. No one is going to hurt you, despite how badly Casey may want to, and Sam is just fine…if a little out of it at the moment."

Dean slid into the booth noticing that Kit too had vanished. He pulled Sam away from Ruby, checking him over for any sort of injury. The only visible wound was a design cut deep into Sam's left palm. It almost looked to be some type of cuneiform. Sam hissed as Dean touched it but otherwise made no acknowledgement of his presence.

"What's this?" he asked Ruby who was watching him with a carefully blank expression.

"Kit's binding sigl. We all have one." She held up her left palm to show an identical scar.

"What kind of demon is she?" Dean asked.

Ruby smiled. "No kind, she's not a demon at all."

"What?"

"She's a dragon." Ruby replied.

"What?" Dean repeated, dumfounded.

Ruby just smirked.

"Like a fire-breathing, treasure-hoarding, lizard dragon?"

"Not quite so medieval, save-the-princess, but yes." Ruby confirmed. "She's not the oldest I don't think but she's older then most demons and a lot more powerful."

Dean swallowed. "Dragons are real?"

"Dean?" Sam's slurred voice snapped Dean's attention back to him.

"I'm right here, Sammy," Dean said.

Sam frowned. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to fight with you. I don't really want to be dead." he slurred.

"Shhh, Sammy, I know you didn't mean it like that." Dean soothed, pulling his brother in close.

Sam buried his face in Dean's neck. "You shouldn't be here. You aren't supposed to know." Sam muttered.

Dean ran his fingers through Sam's untidy mop of hair. "I'm not supposed to know what?"

"'bout Kit. She knows to much. I don't want to lose you." Sam said.

"Sam, you're not making any sense."

"I have to keep that secret, I have to. I made them promise too." Sam said lifting his head to stare at Dean.

"He's delirious," Ruby said. "Side effect of the wormwood."

"Why the hell did you give him wormwood in the first place?" Dean snapped. "It's poisonous."

"Not to Sam, at least not in the way you think. As long as his powers are busy fighting off the wormwood they can't turn tail and attack Sam's body. He doesn't have the tolerance right now." Ruby explained with a shrug.

"Powers?" Dean asked.

"You didn't really think they were gone did you?" Ruby asked.

"Not supposed to tell," Sam said suddenly. "I'm not supposed to tell Dean."

"Not supposed to tell me what, Sam?" Dean asked, trying to get his brother to focus on him.

Sam shook his head and turned his unsteady gaze on Ruby. "You have to make sure I don't tell Dean."

"You better shut up then, 'cause you are a talkative drunk." Ruby advised.

Sam nodded and buried his face in Dean's shoulder again. "Dean always smells nice."

Dean made an undignified choking noise at the comment.

"We'd better get him back to the Manor." Ruby said. "Before he comes to his senses anymore."

"Why?" Dean ask suspiciously.

"Because he's not going to be happy that you are here. He doesn't want you around Kit." Ruby said sliding out of the booth.

"Kit's not safe to be around," Sam agreed, his voice still slurred. "He can find me with her and he knows Dean in my weak spot." He said conspiratorially.

Ruby frowned at that. "Who Sam?"

"Bane," Sam whispered.

Ruby paled slightly as if a missing piece of an unhappy puzzle just fell into place. "Shit."

….to be continued in Part 5: Blood and Bone…

AN: and chapter four finally….whew!