I cannot even begin to explain why this chapter is so late, and after you were all so amazing with responses on the last chapter. Really, I couldn't adore you more and then I go and post late. Well, to keep a long story short, I'll just say it involved Halloween, my in-law's anniversary, homemade pizza, the elections, and the car breaking down. BAH! Anyway, love you all and please enjoy!

Part 7: A Little Bit of Truth

Sam and Sasha made it plain as soon as they were both on their feet and capable of walking that they needed to get away from the mine as soon as possible. There wasn't time for apologies or explanations, which Dean couldn't have been more thankful for right then; they had to get back to Iain's place, get clear of the mine, and tell that poor bastard waiting for them that his mother wouldn't be coming home.

They couldn't just leave the mine as it was though, not with the pull it would still have on regular demons who would continue to possess locals and lead them to their metaphysical demise, and not with the few scattered bodies left behind by Sam mentally killing at least five demons. Dean didn't want to know if the people who really owned those bodies would have survived had Sam exorcized the demons instead. He really didn't.

There was also the body of Iain's mother lying inside that larger cavern. They couldn't leave her. They couldn't just put this place behind them quickly like Dean wanted. They had to do their job. Only Sam and Sasha wouldn't be able to help. Not with the carrying things out part anyway since that meant close proximity with the mine. It was already decided that after getting to Iain's and telling him the bad news, Sam and Sasha would leave for the motel where they would no longer be able to feel the cave's pull, and then Dean would return to salt and burn all of the bodies that had been left behind. The only thing they would have to wait on was sealing the mine. Blowing it up wasn't enough. They had to seal it off for good. That would take research, and research was something Sam and Sasha could still do—from afar.

Dean carried Sam back to town—well, Sam leaned pretty heavily against him as they went anyway—and the girls supported Sasha. Both of the demonically influenced hunters were shivering pretty consistently and looked sheet white, like they had the god damn flu or something. Dean almost wished the girls weren't there so he could carry both of them himself.

The only thing Dean asked his brother as they walked was whether or not they would have to worry about retaliation from any of those demonic creatures he had summoned.

"They won't…remember," Sam said through chattering teeth, "Not even…Lindsey and…C-Cam and the others," he whispered.

That admittance made Dean flinch but he caught how softly Sam had said it and knew that it was something Sasha didn't need to know. Damn, Dean thought, he knew he had recognized some of those wingspans.

When they finally reached Iain's house Dean made an effort to always stay within a few feet of both brother and lover. He wanted to pull Sasha to him, wanted to hold the incubus and banish that haunted look that would surely only get worse as what happened in the cave came back to him and Sam fully. But Dean also wanted to do a number of more inappropriately detailed things to Sasha right now that he assumed was a byproduct of the pheromones. Unlike the last time he had been poisoned by them, the pheromones seemed to be getting stronger as time went on and were definitely more vicious in their potency.

Iain's reaction to learning about his mother's death was surprisingly calm. All Dean said was that she had been possessed and there was nothing they could do. He couldn't tell Iain the rest. Besides, he didn't know what had become of the woman's soul when the Hellfire burnt it from her body. He didn't know if that meant it was gone forever, in Hell, stuck on earth or what. He would rather Iain didn't have to agonize over the many horrible possibilities.

Even learning of her death though, Iain didn't lose it. He didn't break down crying, though Dean certainly saw tears. The man just tensed most everywhere on his body, tightened his fists so hard they went white, and said, "I'm coming with you," when Dean mentioned having to go back to burn the bodies. Iain didn't even argue with the burning part. It was heartbreakingly steadfast and in some ways so honorable that Dean couldn't bring himself to refuse the guy.

Jo offered to take Sam and Sasha back to the hotel and promised to call if anything happened. They would begin researching on how to close off the cave right away. It was only after six o'clock; they had plenty of time yet tonight to find out what they needed.

Sarah volunteered to accompany Dean and Iain, and Dean was pleased to have an extra hunter coming along even though he worried about leaving Sam and Sasha with only Jo as watchman. He didn't even get the chance to say anything substantial to them before they were all parting ways. He just patted Sam on the back and reached for a moment to grip Sasha's hand. He hoped his eyes said everything they didn't have time for in words.

It worried Dean briefly that when Jo started leading Sam and Sasha to Sarah's car he flared with jealousy at seeing her take Sasha's arm. Dean had a sudden impulse to push Jo away from Sasha or even yell. That wasn't normal. It was probably a good thing he would be away from Sasha for awhile.

They switched out the duffle bags of caving supplies for salt, lighter fluid, and matches, and headed back to the mine. Iain was dressed the same as he had been before, all comfortable earth tones beneath an equally earthy dark brown jacket. He shivered hard, however, against the quickly dropping temperature. It was below freezing, maybe even single digits which was abnormal for this late in the season in Colorado, like maybe it had saved itself just for them on this exact night. At the rate the cosmos usually screwed Dean over, he wouldn't be surprised if that was true. But his luck shouldn't have to encompass others.

If Iain had been a chick Dean would have thrown his jacket over the guy's shoulders as soon as they left, even if it wasn't his warmer, heavy leather one. Double standard or not though he couldn't bring himself to do that for the nice, watery-eyed librarian who was coming along to help build a pyre for his mother. Soon there would be a blaze to warm the guy and that was just too cruel.

Nothing had been disturbed when they got back to the mine but once they left they would have to be more watchful of townsfolk wandering into the woods. The mine's power was disrupting Sam's ability to sense regular demons so it would be hard to know when someone became possessed.

They set to work right away gathering the bodies around the opening to the caves, something Dean had had to do after many hunts; he was used to it. Two years of hunting didn't mean Sarah was used to it though and Iain was a civilian. After catching the distraught look that passed Iain's face when he first laid eyes on the bodies Dean almost wished he was alone. Sarah appeared more collected but that just meant she was better at hiding the truth.

"The caves…killed all these people?" Iain asked, helping Dean toss in the last of the bodies that looked unfairly like a fifteen-year-old. They hadn't had to bring shovels since there were several natural ditches for their purposes.

Dean wiped his brow with the sleeve of his jacket, more to buy himself an extra second to think than to rid himself of any sweat or dirt. He finally said, "Yeah. But we're gonna make sure this never happens again." Dean looked to the mouth of the mine where Sarah was waiting with the hardhats and extra flashlights after she had helped with the other bodies. "Only one left to get," Dean said somberly, looking back at Iain with steady eyes despite the sympathy in them, "We can bring her out here ourselves. You don't have to go in."

The left side of Iain's mouth twitched up into a sad half-smile. "Yeah I do," he said, and promptly moved past Dean towards Sarah so they could finish the last of their tasks. Dean supposed he would be the same way—had been the same way—but then death was an everyday part of his life. He wished that was something that remained a personal curse instead of it being spread to others like a sickness whenever he entered their lives.

The way back inside the cave was slow going. Dean took the lead, Colt in hand, ready should any straggling demons be waiting for them inside. They came upon nothing but Dean would swear he could feel the lingering presence of evil from all those demonic things that had been gathered.

They reached that first larger cavern and Gloria Wilde's body was still there, frozen and lifeless on the stone floor right where Dean had left her the first time. At least her body wasn't in any way mangled but perfectly in tact save the small hole in her chest where the Colt had met its mark. Sarah asked if Iain needed a minute but he said he just wanted to get his mother out of there.

Iain didn't ask for a separate fire. He set his mother's already stiffening body into the pit with the others, let Dean pour the salt and Sarah the lighter fluid, and then lit the match and fire himself. Dean didn't have many more pieces of his heart to give up tonight but he was pretty sure a small bit of it burnt away in that fire for Iain's sake, for Iain's mother, and for the others left unnamed.

This time they gave Iain his minute. Hell, they gave him ten, his form emblazoned by the fire as he stood over it. Dean hung back with Sarah, both of them silent for some time. When she finally turned to him, her face no longer tried to appear impassive or strong.

"Dean…" she began in a voice that sounded faint over the crackling of the fire. Her eyes looked the color of the flames with how they shone in the light. "There was something Sam said to me when we were alone. I wanted you to know."

Dean had been wondering about the time Sarah spent alone with demon Sam. She had obviously been waiting to tell him. "What is it?" he asked.

"He said…that he didn't care what happened to him, what he became or what he did, as long as he could save you. He said that you're his strength, Dean, the real source of any power he might have. It made him angry to see you so afraid of him and Sasha. That's why he—"

"Acted like such a dick?" Dean huffed.

Sarah cracked a smile, thought about that and said, "Yeah actually. He wants to give you the world because you try so hard to give it to him. That's what he said to me. Do you know what he meant by that?"

The last thing Dean wanted to think about was all the possibilities behind that phrase. Sasha had said something similar.

We just want to share the world with you, Dean. Sam can give it to us.

"I don't even think Sam knows for sure what he meant when he said that," Dean said, "They were both acting on instinct. Kept saying I just didn't understand. I'm kinda glad I don't to tell you the truth."

For a few minutes Sarah didn't respond, just stood there watching him, not too penetrating or uncomfortable but Dean could feel her eyes on his face. "Do you really think Sam is some…evil thing wearing a pleasant disguise?" she finally asked in a tone that said she already knew his answer.

"No," Dean said without having to think. Even in the cave he hadn't believed Sam was really evil. "No matter what he does, how he looks, or what messed up things happen…he's still Sammy." Even if thinking like that was what finally undid them all.

Sarah smiled in agreement and nodded. "That's why I wasn't afraid. Well, I was afraid," she admitted with a small laugh, "But I could see that it was still Sam. Even behind those yellow eyes."

Something caught in Dean's throat to hear her say that. He had thought the same thing, only that's what had made his panic all the greater. "So," he said, wanting to change the subject, "He say anything else to you?" Dean kept switching his gaze from Iain and the fire to Sarah beside him. He focused more intently on her for a moment and almost thought he saw a blush fill her cheeks, exaggerated by the glow of the flames.

"He said that even though he would put you before himself until he saved you…that didn't mean he doesn't want things for himself." Her eyes fluttered for a moment and then found a particularly interesting spot on the ground. "I don't think subtlety was either of their fortes while we were in there. But at least it gave me a straight answer finally. Otherwise Sam just looks away and gives that bashful, boyish smile of us. Urg. It can be pretty frustrating for a girl who knows what she wants."

Dean had to laugh at that but he kept his chuckle light. "Good. About the still thinking about himself part," Dean clarified when Sarah raised an eyebrow at him, "That's good. Wouldn't want Sammy to miss out on any…" he let his eyes flick quickly over her body to prove he could still act like himself. He could. "Awesome opportunities," Dean finished.

To her credit, Sarah smirked right back at him, but their mirthful expressions faded fairly fast. Dean literally felt the merriment melt from his face like globs of mud from that night he and Sam had wrestled in the rain.

He looked again to Iain who had suffered more than any of them over this damn cave. The guy would be safe, at least from possession since they had given him the same charm Dean once gave to Leven. But he would never be okay. All of the assembled hunters, at the cave and at the hotel, knew that.

Too much time passed for Dean's liking before it was finally safe to leave the cave—for now at least; they would have to return soon to seal it. As they headed for the house again Dean noticed Iain fingering a small ring that he assumed was Iain's mother's wedding band.

Some people sought the supernatural. Others became hunted by it. Iain had ended up being both and neither option ever really ended well.

Iain was shivering again. They were almost back to the house but Dean couldn't care about the details right now. He slipped his jacket off and fit it over Iain's shoulders. A smile flashed in reply that was almost wholly genuine. "Thanks. I think I'm…gonna go stay with some friends in Denver for a few days," Iain said. His voice sounded hoarse like maybe he had swallowed a few embers standing over the fire. "I don't want to…be in the house. But if you guys wanna ditch your hotel you're more than welcome to stay there. I know you did everything you could. Your friends looked pretty wrecked."

They hadn't explained to Iain why Sam and Sasha looked so wrecked. "Thanks but…being so close to the cave wouldn't be a good idea. We'll figure out how to stop all this though, I promise you that," and Dean could make that promise because there was no way they were leaving town until things had been taken care of.

Dean accepted his jacket back when the time came but he closed Iain's hand over the anti-possession charm telling him to keep it; he'd get it back from him some day. Then before Dean knew it he and Sarah were in the Impala headed back to the motel where the real struggles of this hunt were waiting for them.

The others were all in Dean and Sasha's room when they got back. It was Dean and Sasha's room now because Sam had gotten himself another room for the night. Dean wasn't really surprised. Kid probably wanted to brood in peace. Wonderful. At least for now they were all still together, Sasha on his laptop and Jo on Sam's while Sam paged through their father's journal with all the books they had about the mine and the town scattered around him on the bed.

"Took care of things as much as we could manage," Dean explained to the others as he and Sarah shed their coats, "Iain…well, he's heading to Denver for a few days. I think he'll be okay. Much as that's possible anyway."

"You guys find anything out yet about how to seal that place?" Sarah asked, surveying the research crew who all looked like they had dived into work to avoid having to speak or look at each other, "I was actually thinking that we might have a little extra time before any other demons get drawn here. Sam," she turned to him on the bed, "You sending all those things away might have cleared the area. That could give us the few days we need to take care of this." It was obvious she was trying to see the bright side.

Sam smiled falsely and nodded. "Maybe. But, uhh…we haven't found much. We might want to just look into Samuel Colt's example with the Devil's Gate even though this hasn't gotten that far yet. Might still work. We've been trying to find out if there's any indication of a pentagram built into the grounds but I don't think the settlers got that far. We might want to start there but we should still try to find a precedent for this, a time something similar happened before. Of course Dad's 12th century reference isn't all that detailed," he said with a grimace, holding the book up a moment.

"I'm running pretty dry," Jo admitted from the table.

Sasha was sitting on the other bed but sort of right on the edge with his laptop on his thighs like he was ready to bolt if he had to. He was definitely the most visibly shaken still, though Dean could see that both Sam and Sasha were wracked with chills. It made him want to turn up the heat or smother them in blankets. "I'm…pretty much the same. A lot of close cases but…not really what we're looking for." Even Sasha's voice had a tremor to it.

Just looking at the incubus and seeing those drooping blue eyes and the way he bit his lip and avoided really looking at Dean made Dean want to rush over there and kiss him fiercely.

That probably wouldn't be the best thing right now, Dean told himself, aware of the pheromones rearing their perverse little heads again. It wasn't just that they were strong and very quick to resurface at the mere presence of Sasha, but something else too. That something else made Dean want to pull viciously on Sarah's hair to get her away from Sasha when she sat down next to him.

That was definitely different than how the pheromones had affected him before.

"Maybe you and Sam should rest?" Sarah was saying to Sasha, looking back over at Sam as well. Dean told himself that she had gone to Sasha because his distress was the most noticeable. That's all. "Neither of you are looking too good. I'm not saying go to sleep but…you should rest. Dean and I can pick up where you two left off and Jo's still looking too. Maybe you guys can take the job of ordering us some food. We should all eat something." Without waiting for a response, Sarah reached over and plucked Sasha's laptop away from him. He didn't protest and even managed to smile when Sarah patted his thigh supportively.

Where did she get off being supportive like that? She didn't even know Sasha. Dean felt his hands form quickly into tight fists. Then he shook his head.

He needed something to keep him busy. Quick.

"Good idea," he said, heading over to Sam, "I'll man the journal and the books, Sammy. Find something for us to eat and take it easy. Both of you," he added, looking at Sasha. He burned with such desire just by meeting that blue gaze finally that he almost tripped over his own feet on the way to the bed. "I-I'm…starving over here," he forced out.

No one was actually saying anything about what had happened only an hour before and Dean was kind of okay with that. Sam and Sasha should both know by now that the blame never falls with the possessed or in this case the demonically influenced. The looks on both their faced said otherwise, however.

Sam was the one who ordered Chinese food since none of them wanted pizza. They would have to pick it up but the place wasn't far. Dean was just glad Sam didn't immediately excuse himself to his room after that. He wanted to keep an eye on everyone. As it was, Sarah moved Sasha's laptop to the table with Jo, Dean tried to concentrate on the books taking up most of the bed, and Sam and Sasha sat on the other bed talking hushed about how they were feeling, which seemed unanimously to be like crap but better as time went on.

It was especially ridiculous how much Dean wanted to pull Sam off of that bed and tell him to find his own incubus, god damn it. I mean, for fuck's sake, it was Sam, the least likely candidate to want Sasha like that. Dean tried to focus back on the books. It wasn't that there wasn't any information in them, there just wasn't anything specific enough. Which did not help Dean's wandering mind.

He should be agonizing over what had happened that night, over potential threats thanks to Sam's super-sized powers, over fallout from the biggest fucking demonic push Sam and Sasha had ever experienced. This could be that one step closer to Sam truly, finally becoming something he wouldn't ever be able to come back from. This could be Malak's grand plan—Dean's nightmares manifest and real. And yet all Dean could think about was how much he wanted to push Sasha down onto the bed and love the incubus. Hard.

Dean scrubbed a hand down his face. Had it always been so hot in this room?

A warm palm on Dean's shoulder had him flinching and whipping his head to the side, unprepared to find Sasha suddenly beside him instead of sitting with Sam. Sam was lying back on the other bed now, eyes open staring up at the ceiling. Sasha, however, was next to Dean. Jesus, he was so fucking close.

The redhead's sad smile flickered, wavered, tried to hold, but finally just fell and settled on something more like a pout. It made Sasha's lips look so damn inviting. Dean swallowed thickly. "Yeah, baby?" he said, his voice low and breathy.

Calling Sasha 'baby' like he always did finally weaved a bit of a real smile onto that somber face. "Are you okay, Dean? No one's really taken injury inventory or anything. We're all kind of dirty," he said with a twitch at his lips, brushing his fingers through Dean's hair like the strands were covered in dust.

All of them had smudges on their skin and clothes so that was possible. Feeling Sasha's fingertips though and breathing shared air made Dean tremble. Sasha was so beautiful.

"Maybe we should take a shower. All of us I mean. In shifts so we know everyone's okay. I think we're still moving mostly on adrenaline, and I know Sam and I should rest, but…" Sasha's lips quivered as he sought for words, "I don't know. I just feel like I'm gonna go crazy with everyone sitting in here not saying anything," he finished in a whisper.

It was obvious Sasha wanted to talk and that concern for everyone else wasn't the real reason. Dean should have been receptive to that, should have wanted to reassure Sasha and make him feel better, but his thoughts were stuck on 'we should take a shower' and oh he knew just how to make the incubus feel better. He was going to push Sasha down into the pillows, fuck that pretty mouth with his tongue and show his baby just how much he always wanted him.

Several books thudded to the floor as Dean scrambled away from Sasha off the bed. He was sweating. He was fucking sweating and shaking like he needed a god damn fix.

"I-I'll, uhh…just head out to pick up that Chinese food, huh?" Dean sputtered, trying not to look panicked and like all he wanted was to be away from Sasha right now, "But that's a…great idea…with the getting cleaned up and making sure everyone's okay since we're just…diving back into work and all. I'll…take my turn when I get back." He was already grabbing his coat, his leather this time since it was there and comforting and close.

Dean glanced back at the bed once he reached the door, trying to say with his eyes that he wasn't reacting this way because of Sasha, he really wasn't. Well, he was, but not the way Sasha must be thinking. Dean just couldn't trust himself right now not to try and fuck Sasha right there in front of everyone. The incubus hadn't even changed clothes. He was still in those torn jeans and nothing else, looking so damn beaten and in need of…

It probably wasn't a good idea for Dean to finish thinking about what Sasha was in need of.

"Dean—" Sam tried to stop him, aware of his brother's distress and sitting up now with a look of concern.

"Back in a jiff," Dean barreled right on, "You won't even notice I'm gone." He slammed the door behind him and almost fell back against it but he didn't want to risk one of the others coming after him. The pheromones were too strong and not nearly as nice as last time. Proximity to Sasha was like fucking Ecstasy or something.

Moving quickly for the Impala, Dean praised his foresight for having the keys in his jeans and not his other jacket. He knew he'd have to give explanations later but maybe the pheromones would be worn off a little more by then. Besides, there were way too many issues and necessary conversations hanging in the air. Dean needed a moment alone. He hadn't had time to really process any of this yet. For fuck's sake, Sam had summoned a demon army back there and now they were back to business as usual?

Dean spent a solid minute just sitting in the driver's seat of his car, hands on the wheel, waiting for his pulse to return to normal. He actually calmed down pretty fast, leaving him feeling like a complete and utter idiot. Just being with or without Sasha should not affect him this much. Well it always affected him but not to the point of being a crazed lunatic about it.

At least Dean had a task. Food. Getting food was something he could handle.

He pulled out onto the road but he hadn't been driving for more than a couple of minutes before he glanced to the passenger side and suddenly jumped half a foot out of his seat. "Fuck!" Dean cursed, gripping the wheel tighter and immediately turning to pull off to the side of the road, "Get the fuck out of my car!" he growled.

Malak just tapped her fingers against the bare skin of her knee, legs crossed, posture comfortable, no seatbelt. If Dean thought slamming on the breaks would give her whiplash or send her flying out the windshield he would have sped up first. Instead he just slammed on them at the slow speed he was going and stopped the car. He hated that satisfied smirk, the fake blue eyes and red hair like Sasha's.

"You have hearing problems in Hell?" Dean snapped, too angry to care about who he was back-talking to; he had every right to hate this demon, "I said get the fuck out. I know you fucking planned this, you sick twisted bastard."

"Oh?" Malak said as if this was the first she had even heard that something was going on, "You mean that little side trip to the dark side your boys made? Well that was fun and all, Dean, but hardly as far as I could have pushed things, believe me. That was just the barest taste of what's to come. Silly boy. Do you really think I would have anything to do with parlor tricks like that? No, no, no. I'm afraid you're still missing the punch line on this one."

Ha. Right. Did Malak think Dean was an idiot? Of course she had been the one to orchestrate it, all the way back to that night when the bitch first told him things weren't always what they seem. Right after…

The barn.

A cold chill grabbed Dean by the skull and shot down his spine. Right after the energy high.

"Fuck," Dean said, feeling like the biggest fool, "It wasn't you. Someone else planned all of it. All those demons channeling their energy for Sam and Sasha to get it…that's why I was lured out of the barn. The energy high left some kind of…demon mark on them that led them here. But why the show in the mine? What does that do? Who set this up? Why?" Dean turned back to Malak, so angry at himself for not seeing what was right in front of his face. But there was nothing in front of his face; the bitch had vanished. "Urrg!" Dean roared at the ceiling, slamming his hands forward into the steering wheel. He was really starting to hate that whole disappearing, reappearing act.

He also wasn't much better off with knowing what was going on. Sure, he knew that the energy shit hadn't been a coincidence and that someone, something wanted them here, but he still had no idea who it was or why. There was also always the possibility that Malak was just leading him along. Great. He felt so much better now.

Pulling back onto the road Dean continued for the Chinese place. The best he could hope for right now was that they would figure out how to seal the mine before anything else happened. Maybe this mystery menace, if one actually existed, would show themselves. Maybe not. Worrying would only distract them from doing their job. Or maybe they would end up doing the very thing the anonymous bastard wanted. Maybe they already had.

Damn, Dean needed a drink.

Fifteen minutes later Dean was back at the motel, new information safely stored away until he could figure out how to deal with it, with several bags of hot Chinese food in his arms. He doubted the pheromones affect would be any less potent than before once he got within range of Sasha again but he couldn't just sit out in the car all night. He simply had to hold himself together until morning. Easy.

"Grubs on!" he called, juggling the bags as he walked into the room. Jo and Sarah pushed the laptops aside to make space but Dean immediately felt all eyes on him, not the food. "What?" he shrugged at the others.

The girls exchanged gauging looks but didn't say anything. Sam had on a very prominent version of the bitch-face. Sasha just looked crestfallen.

Crap. "Hey, I just…" Dean tried to explain, hating that his fight or flight response had obviously led him down the wrong direction, "Before, it's no big deal, I'm just having a little…" Dean coughed to clear his throat, "Pheromone trouble," he admitted in a soft rush.

"What?" Sasha got up from the bed immediately. He was still only clad in those jeans. It didn't look like any of them had followed that 'get cleaned up' idea. "In the cave?" Sasha said with shame smeared across his face. Then his shoulders slumped. "I poisoned you and…you didn't even say anything?"

"No, you just freaked out and left so we didn't even know what the Hell was going on," Sam grumbled in addition.

Really, Dean never got tired of the two of them ganging up on him. Of course this time it was actually justified. "Look…so the pheromones are a little…stronger than last time. It was stupid for me to ditch. I just didn't think any of you would appreciate it if I started humping Sasha's leg in the middle of the room." Dean caught a curious look from Sarah while the others scowled. "I don't suppose anyone explained the finer points of being an incubus to you?"

Sarah's eyes widened like she had been caught being too curious. "Uhh…yeah, I got the basics," she said, "You do realize, Dean, that if Sasha pumped you full of pheromones in the cave that they were probably heightened and a little more…demonically inclined than usual," she tried to say blandly, "It probably wasn't the best idea to just dismiss that and not tell us."

"Yeah, I get that," Dean said, immediately on the defensive since he was basically being ganged up on—again, "I figured we had enough to deal with right now without wasting time on an overactive libido. I'm fine. Just forget it." Dean tried to move across the room back to the bed covered in books but Sasha blocked his way. When Dean attempted to sidestep him the incubus grabbed for his wrist and squeezed.

"Dean—"

"Ah!" Dean hissed, wrenching his arm away. This awarded him even more startled and worried looks. He still had his leather on and tried to keep his injured wrists from being too visible, but Sasha had been alerted now and he snatched up Dean's hand, pushing the sleeves up none too gently to get a look at what had made Dean call out.

Dean hadn't thought at all about the cuts on his wrists since leaving the caves. There were more important things to take care of like burning bodies, Iain, researching to seal the mine, the fact that Sam and Sasha were both in pretty bad shape still, and how all Dean wanted to do was fuck his incubus against the nearest hard surface and keep all other hands away from him. Cut up wrists were significantly lower on the rung of importance.

The others, however, chose to see it as Dean's usual carelessness and absent-minded attention. In this case that wasn't exactly wrong.

"Dean, Jesus," Sasha said, hissing in sympathy much as Dean had hissed in pain, "Why do you think I wanted everyone to take a break and get cleaned up? I knew you wouldn't say anything if you were hurt." Sasha grabbed Dean's other hand to push back those sleeves too, seeing the same decoration of cuts all up Dean's wrists. Sasha's lips quivered as he said, "I did this…" under his breath.

"No," Dean shot back with an angry tongue, hating that look of anguish more fervently than ever before with the way the pheromones surged through him. He tugged out of Sasha's grip and then grabbed Sasha's hands instead. "Psycho Sadist Sasha did this. That's not you. And it was an accident either way. They're not even that bad."

"Right," came a huff. As was often the case, Sam's appearance was preceded by yet another distasteful, disbelieving sigh. "We were in an abandoned mine, Dean," he scolded his brother, coming up next to Dean and Sasha like an immovable wall, "And then you went back to the woods and into the mine again without treating them. Those cuts could be infected. Don't you ever think?"

Fury rose quickly in Dean like an outside force, making his face grow hot and probably steaming mad red. "Well excuse me, I guess I was busy thinking that at least my real brother isn't like that asshole from the mine. Oh wait," Dean snapped with sarcasm.

Sam's eyes flashed with sudden answering anger just as potent as if they had turned yellow.

Then Sasha was pushing in between the brothers with a hand on either of their chests. "Guys, stop it," he pleaded, "We're all on edge, okay, but—"

"Don't touch him!" Dean all but growled, grabbing Sasha's arm and yanking the redhead closer to get him away from Sam, "You belong to me," he said with an unfamiliar viciousness.

For a minute all Dean could see was red as he glared at Sam, until he realized that Sam and Sasha were both gaping at him. Sense returned to Dean slowly but when it did he released Sasha as if the incubus had burned him.

"Shit," he cursed and took a stumbling step backwards, "See? This is why I wanted to get out of the room. I don't just want Sasha. I want no one else to have him. Or even be near him. It's…possessive on crack." Dean scrubbed a hand down his face again and shivered; he hated being cruelly dominant like that. It wasn't him. It wasn't.

"You mean…kind of like how Sasha was being with you in the mine?" filtered over Jo's voice from where she still sat at the table.

That assessment made Dean pause and he looked over at Jo with wide eyes. Why hadn't he thought of it like that?

Say you love me, Dean.

Do you want me, Dean?

Good.

Then feel how I feel for awhile.

"The pheromones were altered just like I was, Dean," Sasha said with that same anguish lacing his words, "Normal ones make you want me because I want you. But I didn't just want you when I was like that. I wanted you all to myself so you'd…" Sasha choked on his words and grimaced, "Learn your lesson."

Dean shivered involuntarily. Yeah, that sounded about right for Mr. Ultra-Dominant Sasha. "I don't suppose these'll be gone in the usual 24 hours? Coz—and I'm being completely honest here—if this lasts much longer you're gonna have to lock me up."

"They'll burn out faster than before," Sam said dismissively, though there were still traces of the bitch-face and narrowed hazel eyes, "I'm guessing they're only still working because you're human, but eventually since we're out of the cave they should flush out of your system. Probably by morning."

Comforting as that knowledge was Dean couldn't help but frown at Sam in reply. "Did I miss you becoming the pheromone expert?" he asked shortly. Sam's eyes were sort of shimmering and like Sasha the taller man still carried a bit of a tremble in his body.

"I just…know," Sam said without further explanation. He moved swiftly for the empty bed after that, shaky and angry and something else Dean couldn't quite place.

"Oh. You just know. Anything else you just know since what happened in the mine?" Dean pressed.

Sam paused before lowering himself onto the bed, stuck between the two of them facing away from everyone. His head turned down to the bed with the books like he had changed his mind. "Well what I don't know is how to seal up that damn mine. So I'd rather be working on that than resting. I couldn't sleep if I wanted to anyway."

It wasn't an answer. Not really. But Sam sat himself amongst the books and reached for the one with the oldest publication date, ignoring any further glances thrown his direction.

For a moment even the pheromones were forgotten and every sense in Dean told him to drag his brother into the nearest empty room and keep him there until he actually got some honest answers for a change. But then Sasha's hand was on Dean's shoulder and he was pulled irresistibly back into the throng of wanting Sasha so damn badly.

"Let me take care of your wrists, Dean. My fault or not, my claws still did the damage. Please." Blue eyes batted long lashes at Dean, all puppy-eyed perfection so that Dean couldn't possibly resist. He loved when Sasha said 'please' like that.

"Maybe it's not the best idea for us to be alone," Dean managed with what remained of his common sense as Sasha led him off to the bathroom.

The med kit was lying on the floor next to Sasha's open bag like he had taken it out earlier on the likely chance that Dean had hidden injuries. The incubus really knew him too well. Sasha scooped the med kit off the floor, touched Dean's arm gently and said, "It'll probably be better if we're alone than with everyone else. Less possibility of unwarranted jealousy. Besides, if you try anything I think I can take you," he grinned, and it was almost entirely believable.

Dean allowed himself to be pulled into the bathroom, forgetting Sam and his brooding, secretive ways, and how Sarah and Jo were sort of being left out as the outsiders to their tight-knit trio.

The door clicked closed behind Sasha and Dean and Dean had to fight to keep from 'trying something' right off the bat with how pathetically beaten Sasha looked in those ruined jeans, all smudged and dirty looking like he needed to be taken care of.

Those weren't the reasons Sasha had pulled Dean into the bathroom though, Dean knew that. He was the one who needed taking care of and for once he actually welcomed the tender hands seeking to comfort him that he usually hated and saw as unnecessary coddling. He didn't need to be coddled. Ever.

Sasha slipped the leather jacket off of Dean's shoulders so that it fell to the bathroom floor with a muffled thud. The incubus had set the med kit on the sink and quickly began to roll up Dean's shirt sleeves so he could get to the cuts. Dean was wearing layers. Sasha could have removed him of his overshirt and avoided having to deal with sleeves at all. Dean assumed that was for both their benefits as stripping Dean down wouldn't exactly help the situation right now.

While Sasha rolled up his sleeves all Dean could do was stare at that pale chest before him, the long graceful neck, those full, wonderful lips, vivid blue eyes and god, how he loved that too red hair.

This part of the pheromones was familiar. Wanting Sasha. Wanting Sasha so badly he could taste it.

"Dean," Sasha said in an amused but chiding voice, his smile quirked and his eyes drifting down as he gently held Dean's wrists to assess the damage, "You look like you want to eat me. Whole. I guess I should…be happy you still want me at all." A flash of sadness crossed Sasha's face and then he was turning away to wet a washcloth in the sink.

Frowning, Dean gripped Sasha's forearm with tight insistence, loosening the washcloth out of the redhead's fingers. "Hey. This is me talking. Dean, pheromones be damned. I will always want you. Some crazy Sunnydale Hellmouth crap making you and Sammy go off your rockers and, okay, turn scary as fuck. That's not gonna get rid a me. I was kinda hoping you knew that by now."

A sigh fell from Sasha's lips and Dean saw the incubus' shoulder slump again. "I do know that," Sasha said, eyes drifting inevitably to those damn cuts on Dean's wrists, "But I hate knowing there's some part of me that would hurt you and not care. That there's a part of me that would force you instead of waiting like you deserve."

"You did wait, remember? The real you, the whole you waited four fucking months for me to finally put out on Bobby's guest room floor. Now that's patience, lemme tell ya."

"Dean," Sasha laughed.

"I'm serious. Mostly." Now Dean was grinning too because he had gotten Sasha to laugh for real. One hand held firm on Sasha's arm and the other reached up and brushed through that impossibly soft red hair. "You take one part of anyone and make that all they are, it's gonna be a bad thing. Even if it's a good part, coz then you just got a righteous asshole," he smirked, "Okay, so you were all instinct and drive and…a few other intensely not so nice things for awhile. The whole you is what I love. All your parts working awesomely together. And, baby, you will always be everything…everything I want." Dean's hand slid from Sasha's hair to his face, his thumb brushing lightly at the corner of Sasha's mouth. He moved it closer and pushed at Sasha's lips to part them, already leaning in to replace his thumb with something better.

Sasha gasped sharply and pulled back. "Dean."

"What?' Dean grinned, "I can't kiss you?" They were so wonderfully close and Sasha smelled fucking incredible even covered in dirt and dust from the woods and caves.

"You know I'd never want to push you away, Dean," Sasha said even as he was pushing on Dean's chest to get the other hunter out of his breathing space, "But you're not in your right mind and I'm…feeling…I don't even know what from what happened to us and…it just all seems like a bad idea right now. Okay? Can I just patch you up?"

Again that foreign fury burned hot in Dean's chest for a moment and he wanted to sneer, yell, knock Sasha's hands away, grab the back of his neck and ask what the fuck was wrong with the incubus for not wanting him when Sasha fucking belonged to him.

Just as suddenly Dean felt sick for even entertaining those thoughts. Sasha's hands were both braced on Dean's chest to keep him from getting too close but those eyes spoke only of regret and heartache. Dean loved Sasha. He didn't own him. He really hated this new kind of pheromone if it made him think like that.

"Y-Yeah," he said a little shakily, trying to keep himself together and just let Sasha clean and bandage his wrists, "Sorry, baby. Maybe…maybe we shouldn't stay in the same room tonight. I don't think I'd trust myself even if you slept in the other bed." Dean offered that with as much distaste for the idea clear in his words as he could manage so that Sasha wouldn't think he actually wanted to be away from him.

Sasha had recovered the wet cloth. It was warm as he gently ran it over Dean's cuts to clean them. None of them were very deep although a few looked red and angry after going untreated out in the elements for so long. "That's probably a good idea," Sasha nodded with a tight mouth, obviously not a big fan of that really but understanding the need, "Sam got that other room. You should stay with him. He really shouldn't be alone, Dean. I know he wants to be but…that's the reason he shouldn't. He's…he's handling this worse than me, believe me." Sasha's eyes remained downcast and on his work as if he thought his words were a kind of betrayal.

That immediately set off bells for Dean because it meant there was more to say and that whatever Sasha wanted to tell him was probably something Sam had said in confidence. The subject of Sam also helped Dean's focus. "What's up?" he pressed Sasha, staring at that pretty face even if Sasha kept his eyes down, "You and Sammy were just talking about how you felt physically before, right? Did he say something else to you after I left?"

"More like…at the same time as the other things," Sasha admitted quietly.

Dean blinked. "Huh?"

Air pushed out of Sasha's mouth in another deep sigh. He set the washcloth aside and picked up some antiseptic cream. Dean probably could have done all of this himself but it was easier, and a hell of a lot nicer, to have it done for him. "When we were…talking on the bed…it was just a sort of…cover. Sam was thinking to me other things. Things he didn't want you to hear. But he didn't want us to leave the room either because he figured you'd just follow."

That was a fair enough assumption even though Dean had already been a little crazed by the pheromones by then. But wait. "Thinking to you? Like telepathy? When did he go from I can sorta read your minds to I can talk to you in your head? I thought that was just a Cave-Sam thing." Dean almost snorted at the term 'Cave-Sam' but was able to focus on the matter at hand and refrain.

"I thought that too," Sasha said, fingers smoothing the cool cream along each of Dean's cuts. He had to stop at a few that had crusted over with dried blood and then started to bleed again at being messed with. "He asked me not to tell you some of it, Dean. I'm not sure if I should. What I can tell you is that he's freaked even if he won't show it, even if he's trying to just act angry. He's scared. For me the cave just triggered instinct, some deeper part of the demon side of being an incubus that's gone back to normal now. But whatever the cave triggered for Sam…the power…all that…power…" he trailed for a moment and Dean would swear he saw a tremor run all the way up Sasha's body, "It's still with him. He's afraid…afraid he'll turn into that other version of him again even without the cave's influence. He doesn't want you to know because he doesn't want you to try and stop him from continuing the mission to save you. I…I didn't know what to say to him. I can't lie to him, I wouldn't want to. I said I believed he would make the right decision, that I still believe in him, I always will. But he needs you, Dean, and I don't know if he'll go to you himself."

Sam might be the mentally powerful one with his demonic sensors and psychic abilities. But Sasha would always be the most empathic. He felt what they felt, mourned when they mourned, and right then it looked as though he was knee deep in the same fear Sam was feeling outside the bathroom door. Sasha had waded in it with him.

That almost made Dean jealous, just barely, that there were some things Sam and Sasha would always understand about each other that he just couldn't get.

One of the things Dean loved most about Sasha was how much the incubus honestly cared about the people in his life. He so desperately wanted to make sure Dean was okay, that Sam would be okay, and that it would all somehow work out. Dean wanted that too.

"He can lock me out of the damn room if he wants," Dean said firmly, "I'll talk to him. Hasn't been just me and Sammy in a room in…shit, baby, since you joined us, I think. I hate when he picks up my less admirable habits like this, trying to keep shit to himself without letting me in on it. He's just gonna get someone hurt."

Sasha huffed. "Funny how you recognize that character flaw and yet continue to do it yourself," he said. There were a few cuts that just did not want to stop bleeding, but Sasha had cleaned and disinfected them all so that wrapping them up should do the trick. He pulled gauze out of the med kit and set to work.

"So, you smooth things over with Jo before me and Sarah got back or were the three of you that awkwardly silent the whole time?" Dean asked, mostly to avoid responding to Sasha's comment.

Once again, the incubus' expression fell. "I…I tried. But you know how she is. It's not like I could say, oh sorry for offering to violate you right there in the cave and then pass you off to Dean like a frickin' piece of pie. Lemme embarrass you with intimate details and comments a little more, why don't I? God," he groaned, "I sorta wanted her to punch me or something. Actually, when I started talking to her about it she said that if I ever tried to apologize for what happened in the cave again she'd knock my teeth out."

"Ha! That's our Miss Harvelle alright," Dean laughed, "You know she means it too. She don't need an apology for something you didn't do. What about Sarah? I mean, I know you didn't do anything to her, but…well, I hope you didn't since Sammy and I did leave you all alone for awhile."

"No," Sasha jumped right in, "I didn't do anything. I…pretty much behaved. Sam made it very clear that I wasn't to go near Sarah. And it wasn't that I was…afraid of him just…in awed respect? I believed he could give me anything…" Sasha trailed, shivering again like he was trying to shake off a bad dream.

Dean was fine with leaving things be but he hadn't gotten to his real question. "I meant Sammy," he went on, "Did Sammy talk with Sarah at all after I ditched?"

One wrist was finished so Sasha moved quickly onto the other one. He shook his head as he worked. "No. Not privately anyway and I know he didn't say anything to her in front of me and Jo. The awkward vibe was definitely worse with Sarah there and you gone, like maybe she was hoping Sam would say something to her, anything that wasn't about sealing up the mine, but he…didn't."

"Damn. Definitely gotta talk to him."

"Right away," Sasha agreed, 'This could go from bad to…well it already hit worse, so…I think fubared is the only place to go from here."

"Fucked up beyond all recognition?" Dean smirked. He loved that term but he definitely didn't feel like experience it right now. "Yeah, we need some damage control. Am I good?" he asked. Dean's other wrist wasn't as bad as the first so Sasha was already finished. The incubus nodded and pulled away so Dean could lift both wrists and look at them. He frowned. "I look like a fucking suicide victim." The frown deepened. "Is it still a victim if you're trying to off yourself?"

A small chuckle escaped Sasha's lips. "Come on. We don't want the others to think you've got me bent over the sink or anything."

That put some interesting mental images into Dean's brain. He leered over at Sasha as the incubus cleaned up the med kit. "Can you say that again…only in more detail this time?" he smirked. His triggered libido just would not stay silent for long.

It couldn't have been a worse tease in Dean's current state the way Sasha turned, hooked two fingers into the front of his jeans, tugged him closer, and leaned forward, brushing his lips against Dean's in a kiss that was far too unsatisfying. "To tide us over," Sasha breathed against him when he pulled just slightly back. Then he was out of Dean's space entirely, already moving for the door.

"You know there's a small part of you that's always a little bit evil," Dean said in a voice he knew was way too close to a whine.

"Yep," Sasha said back happily, not even turning.

Bastard.

The others were in much the same state as they had been in when Sasha and Dean left—the girls on borrowed laptops and Sam on the bed with the books, reading intently. They all looked up when Sasha and Dean made their reappearance, none of them really trying to hide their relief that no one had lost any clothes other than Dean's jacket that he had picked up and then quickly tossed onto the empty bed.

"I think we're going to need to call Bobby," Sam said, but Dean didn't miss the way Sam gave Sasha a subtle glare like he knew Sasha had told Dean things he had promised he wouldn't. Sam probably did know and that just wasn't right somehow.

Dean was about to say that he agreed. It was possible Bobby understood the cryptic shit in John's journal better than they did, and the older hunter might have texts or something that explained in more detail how to seal up a demonic hotspot. But as it was Bobby seemed to be the psychic one tonight since before Dean could even open his mouth to say, 'Good idea, Sammy' his phone started ringing.

The caller ID blinked back 'Bobby' prominently. Dean huffed, raised his eyebrows at the others and answered.

"Bobby, I swear, man, if you're looking into a crystal ball right now…"

"What you talking about, boy?" came over Bobby's familiar drawl, "I was calling to find out where you idiots have gotten yourselves. Finally finished this damn hunt and figured I'd catch up with ya. You on the East Coast at all? I'm just leaving West Virginia now."

Dean tried not to laugh. "Not exactly. Bobby, you…might wanna pull over for this."

By the time Dean was done explaining their last few days to the elder hunter, he was pretty damn sure Bobby had taken his advice and pulled over. The good thing was that Bobby knew exactly the rituals and cleansings or whatever they would need to put an end to the mine, angry as he was that a spot like that had been left forgotten by hunters for so long. The bad thing was that Bobby wouldn't get to them until late the next night if not the morning after that. He was going to have to stop at home for some supplies. There were also other things they would need that were harder to come by. They were going to have to go 'shopping' and probably out of town.

There was a generally good feeling within the group though once Dean hung up, knowing they at least had a solution on the way and that they didn't need to do anymore research. They tried to eat after that but no one seemed to have much of an appetite. Small talk came slow and awkward, mostly because of Sam, Dean decided, who just seemed closed off and like he couldn't wait to excuse himself and be alone.

It was after the girls had gone to their room to hit the hay early and Sam looked about ready to slip out finally that Dean dropped the bomb. "Better get my stuff on over to your room, I guess," he said like it was no big deal.

Sam literally stopped dead on his way across the room and blinked at Dean for several long moments. "What?"

"Yeah. I'm staying with you tonight. What? You thought you could have that room all to yourself?" Dean said with a wide smile, walking over and smacking his brother hard on the back, "See, Sasha and I figure it could get messy in here if I stay with him. Better to keep our distance til we're both feeling ourselves again."

The expression on Sam's face said that he wasn't buying Dean's act for a second. "The reason I got the other room was so you could be together. Because…I figured Sasha might need to…you know…recover," Sam replied with a weak hand gesture.

Yeah. Right. That was why Sam was trying to run away. "Tough luck," was all Dean said after that, and a few minutes later he had his pack slung over his shoulder, had kissed Sasha goodnight with a swift—only because he knew it would get deep and tangled if he lingered—passing of lips, and then he was following Sam to their newly acquired room.

It was actually kind of nice the way they went through their whole old routine so easily, taking turns in the shower, passing each other in the bathroom to brush their teeth and take a final 'before bed' piss. But when all that had been done and there was no time left for stalling, Dean was waiting for Sam to come out of the bathroom the last time, sitting on the second bed in just his shorts.

Sam stopped as soon as he saw that posture, that 'we're talking whether you want to or not' posture that Sam himself had patented. Well, Dad had first, but Sam's had even more of a finality to it for some reason. Dean hoped he was pulling it off even half as good as that. At least it got Sam to sit in a somewhat mirrored position of Dean on his own bed, also in just his shorts, until it was just the two of them both sitting there, wrapped in quiet, waiting to see who would be the first to break.

tbc...

A/N: This arc will be ten parts in all. The next chapter will be a cliffhanger to beat all. Yet again. :-) Yes, I know I'm evil. Sorry for the delay. It won't happen again. All my love!

Crim