Right. Um. I feel a little nervous now. This post contains the first story (chapter more like) I have ever written for the fanfic community. EVER. And I dunno why, but I feel a little insecure about it. It was the first thing I did in English fiction-wise. So, it might be a little ... ummmm... odd in places...

So, if you like to give it a try... have fun. And lemme know if you wish to know the rest of the story. I would post a chapter each day then. If it is crap... just say it and we will pretend it never existed. Heh.

Title: Links
Characters: Sam, Dean, Lilith, OC
Genre: hurt/comfort/angst
rating: PG 13
chapter: 1/15
warnings: none
summary: Set right after Jus In Bello... Dean and Sam are headed as far away from Monument, Colorado as they can. But fate intervenes and both brothers have to fight to rescue themselves from their new opponent's clutches while a young woman is in mortal danger. hurt!Dean, very protective Sam in later chappies... hmmmm. constantly deteriorating Dean... yummy!

Thanks to deansbabybird for the encouragement back then to give writing a try. That changed my world completely!

Links

by RoweenaC

Chapter 01: (Not) An Everyday Occurrence

The shadows crushed in on her, choking her. Nowhere to run, even if she could have. 'Not real, not happening… wake up damn it!!' Heart pounding she tried to breathe but could only gasp an insubstantial wisp of air into her constricted lungs. Deep growling laughter ringing in her ears she closed her eyes, the only part of her body she still possessed any control over. 'Give in… let me in…' she heard an unearthly voice crooning at her. Every fibre in her body stiffened, mentally she tried to retreat, fly away but even that was futile. 'You're mine anyway, I can take you by force. However, this would be so much easier for you if you let me in willingly… so what is it going to be, honey?'

Her head throbbed. She could feel her heart beating even faster. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, the impossible nightmare having become reality for her. Tears she dared not blink away as their sting was all that was keeping her alert.

'I don't have all night. Got an appointment later tonight…' Puzzled at the whole irrationality of the situation she chuckled disbelievingly. That second of negligence cost her painfully. Her mind screamed at the violation as the presence of another crept closer to her agonized consciousness. Unable to move or even breath she felt herself being pushed aside, crammed in the farthest corner of her own mind. Incapable of anything she closed her mind's eyes and curled in on herself, trying to shield herself from the obnoxious being that had taken control over her.

Dean tapped on the steering wheel in sync with Don't Look Back. His eyes wandered over to his sleeping brother next to him. He had fallen asleep only seconds after they had climbed into the Impala after Ruby had told them how the siege at the sheriff's station had concluded so disastrously.

Below Sam's left eye a bruise had formed and he cradled his left wrist loosely with the other hand. His head leaning against the window, mouth slightly open and his eyelids twitching in reaction to the dream he had.

Smiling to himself, Dean considered pulling a trick on him but dismissed that idea bearing in mind the terrible ordeal that lay behind them. His lil' bro needed the blissful easing of tension only sleep could bring. The older hunter felt tired, too, and his left shoulder smarted from the gunshot, but Dean knew from experience that driving relaxed him nearly as well as sleeping. So he turned his attention back on the road ahead humming under his breath to the chorus. I see beyond the road I'm drivin'…

Almost half an hour later Dean squinted against the low sun. There was something…

In the middle of the road…

"Son of a…"

Slamming his foot down on the brake, steering against the fish-tailing, skidding car his grip on the wheel tightened.

Next to him Sam shot up. "Wha…"

With a deafening bang one of the protesting tyres blew, and even Dean's superb driving skills were unable to save them from smashing head-on into the nearest tree.

The older Winchester's head crashed excruciatingly into the wheel in front of him. The pain searing through his brain blinded him momentarily. His teeth grinding together, he forced his eyes open. His vision was blurred and he blinked to gain focus. He could feel a warm, wet trickle on his forehead. His shoulder sent hot, white waves of pain through his whole body.

Taking a deep breath to steady him, he turned to Sam. The younger man was slumped over the dashboard panel groaning softly.

"Sam? Sammy? You okay?"

He reached over to his sibling and patted him gently on the shoulder.

"Hey, you alright?" Big-Brother-Mode activated.

Slowly raising his head the younger man breathed through gritted teeth. "Uuh-huh." His right hand rose to the bridge of his nose, rubbing at the ache, mimicking the way it used to when he still had had his vision. A gesture so familiar to Dean. "Dude, ya fallen asleep or what? What happened there?"

Suddenly Dean remembered the reason for their predicament and quickly turned in his seat to gaze at the road behind them. He tried to focus as his sight blurred again. No, nothing there, but there had been something, hadn't there? He wouldn't have slammed on the brakes without reason. He thought of that moment… what actually had he seen? His brow furrowed he tried to remember. He'd seen a shape in the middle of the road. Like a person. A girl. Blonde short hair. Jeans and sweater. She had stood there, unmoving and looking in the direction of the approaching car. He'd seen her only seconds before he stood on the Impala's brake. The Impala!! "Jeez, nononono."

Agitated, he pushed himself from the driver's seat. The door opened fine, so no damage there. However, as he walked around to the front of his baby he nearly collapsed. He squatted down, patting and soothing his car. The whole front had been pushed in by the small birch tree that had stopped their wild ride. The radiator grill was nearly broken in two and the black hood showed several angry cracks. The fender dangled loosely on the right side. Taking in the horrible sight, Dean rose again. "Damn. DAMN!"

Meanwhile, Sam had disentangled himself from the car and stood, one hand in his pocket, the other snuggled to his belly, contemplating the state of the car and his brother. He knew perfectly well to keep his silence. One wrong word now and he'd be on the receiving end of some really nasty and wrathful remarks. Dean doted on that car and seeing it in pieces always hurt worse than a physical wound.

Dean breathed heavily. "She needs a tow…"

A scowl on his face, he reached into his leather jacket's pocket to retrieve his mobile phone.

While his brother made the necessary calls, Sam leaned against the trunk. His mind turned back to Monument, Colorado and the things that had happened there just … just yesterday?

"… ey, Sam. You with me? I'm talking to you!" He raised his head and looked into his older brother's green eyes darkened to hazel with anger and frustration.

"Huh? Sorry, man. What's up?"

"Quit brooding, geek-boy and get the hell off my car!" Quickly Sam stepped away from the Impala.

Dean relaxed a bit. Wincing when his left shoulder drooped an inch.

"They'll be here in 10 minutes. There's a town just few miles from here. We'll get a motel and then I'm gonna take care of my babe myself."

The key turned and once again a motel's door opened showing another dingy two bed room. The weary hunters, duffel bags on each of their shoulders, stepped in and took possession of their home for the approaching night. As usual Dean picked the bed close to the door and threw his bag onto the removed bed's patchy comforter. Sam walked over to the other one and slumped down, sighing deeply.

"Dean, why not let the mechanics at the garage take care of the car and get some rest ourselves? I mean," he stammered on, registering the unbelieving and annoyed scowl on his siblings face. "They seem capable enough and we could need some time off, your shoulder an all…"

"I'm fine. And time is the one thing I … we don't have." He finished awkwardly. Glancing up, Dean saw Sam's trademark puppy-dog-face and knew his resistance would be in vain. He realised with disgust that he was defeated again by Sam's powerful look.

Dean sat down on his bed and locked eyes with his brother. "So…what now? How about a few beers and a game of pool?"

Sam knew his brother would need some booze to wash down the events of the last days. "First let me look at that gash on your forehead. Can't have the ladies covered in fresh blood… and your shoulder might need a fresh bandage, too."

"Sure Sammy" he relented. No way Sam would back down on that. "And what about your wrist? I mean, you're a sasquatch an all, so none of the chicks will look at you anyhow, but…"

They grinned at each other as they argued who'd go to get a shower first.

Revitalised by the hot water and energised by his rare triumph over Sam at RPS, Dean exited the bathroom. He moved to his bed and sat, his spiky honey blond hair still sopping wet.

Sam had busied himself with the first aid kit they had salvaged from the Impala's trunk, along with a collection of their favourite weapons and their duffel bags, and now sat with an expression that was part concern and part mischief on his face as Dean submitted with a sigh to his tender ministrations.

Sam started out using the peroxide to clean the wound on his older sibling's forehead. Dean twitched as the astringent fluid touched his sore flesh. "Easy man!" He spat through grinding teeth. "Wuss!" Sam replied unperturbed. "Bitch!"

The cut was deep enough to require sutures and as Dean had passed on any pain killers he felt every single one of them, pulling and piercing at his tender skin. "Watch the face, Sammy! One fugly dude in the family 's enough!" He hissed.

Knowing full well, the threat was part of his brother's MO of pushing his pain away, Sam bit back his answer.

After covering his impressive handiwork with a gauze dressing, Sam motioned to Dean's gunshot wound. The bandage was soaked through from the shower and needed replacing. Sam was concerned to see that the wound had reopened judging from the bright red stains on both entry and exit site.

Frowning slightly, the younger Winchester set out to tear off the old bandages.

"Watch it, Dude!"

Dean seemed uncharacteristically touchy. Sam put that down to the accident they had. Clearly his older sibling's thoughts were on his beloved car.

As Sam gently cleaned away the blood from Dean's shoulder he realised that neither entry nor exit wound were healing as well as he would have liked. His brother's flesh was swollen and inflamed and from the way Dean twitched and sucked in his breath, his shoulder was still very sore. He finished the routine treatment regime and reached for the holy water glancing at Dean for permission as he unscrewed the top of the bottle.

Dean cocked his eyebrow and nodded.

The wounds started hissing and bubbling right away as Sam administered the holy water.

"Demonic bullets? What's next? The first demon in outer space?" Dean snarked as soon as the sizzling pain had subsided.

"Dunno…." Sam's voice trailed off as he concentrated on applying dressing to Dean's skin.

"OK enough, Sammy." Dean fidgeted as Sam taped down the gauze. "Hurry up and get in the freaking shower, haystack. I wanna go eat!"

"Lemme just make sure this is gonna stay put, Dean." Sam mumbled as he concentrated and carefully assessed the completed job. It would do and he could tell there was no way Dean was gonna sit still for anymore so snatching up his belongings he walked to the bathroom and closed the door.

Dean lay on the bed listening to the hiss of the water, deep in thought. 'And what the hell was the deal with the lead that had drilled this fine hole through his shoulder? Was it the same story as with the original colt?' He mused, thinking about the throbbing pain he had felt in his shoulder during the whole day. But what the hell, pain was a usual companion for the Winchesters. Dean had dealt with it in the only way he knew how and that was to push it to the back of his mind. He shrugged and reached over to his bag to pick a fresh black T-shirt pulling it over his head, as his shoulder burned in protest.

As soon as his brother re-entered the bedroom, Dean rose to check his little brother thoroughly. He bandaged up Sam's wrist, reassured that Sam's injuries were minor. As usual Dean had come of worse than his brother.

"Well, that's it. Now, let's check out the nightlife, eh? Let's go hustle some pool and get us some beers…"