-1

Dean pulled him self across the dirt floor of the basement and lay across his brothers unconscious body just as the first of the crates began to fly.

"Where is my MOMMY" Grace screamed out at the top of her ethereal lungs, all of the loneliness and fear and rage that had been her existence for more than 20 years poured out in that voice. Swirling around them with the force of a growing storm.

Dean could hear the windows shattering above, and squinted against the wind that stirred the dust and debris around them. He held tight to Sam and braced them against the wall, for as much protection as he could provide. He cried out as one of the crates slammed into him but didn't let go, didn't budge from his position. Nothing, no power from earth or hell could make him give up his post. He had to protect Sam.

Everything that had happened to them, to their mother, their father and to Sam had been because of HIM. Because of a bargain made to keep him safe and alive. Nothing Dean could ever do would make up for what it had cost his family. But he damned sure wasn't going to fall down on the job now. Not now.

He lost all track of time. It seemed as though time stood still for him there, as the poltergeist who had once been his playmate wrecked the basement. The wind howled around them, mingling with Samuel Martins screams, and Dean suspected a few of his own.

The sound faded, and for a moment it was so quiet that Dean wondered if he had gone deaf with it all. He lifted his head cautiously, looking around at the basement in awe. Every crate, every box, every piece of furniture had been rendered to little more than splinters and kindling.

He eased off of his brother, and looked him over "Come on Sammy, wake up " His brother groaned in response and made a face that belied the amount of pain he was actually in "Come on, Man, you're gonna be alright." He said as he helped Sammy sit up, then got to his feet and looked around, following the sounds of a little girl sobbing inconsolably.

"Its okay, Grace." Dean said "We'll get you to your mom, alright?"

The apparition nodded.

It was dawn when the brothers walked away from the burning farm house toward the corn field. The impala safely in the driveway, pointed toward the road, and the remains of a 5 year old girl in Deans arms.

"you wanna tell me again why we didn't just put Grace to rest back there?" Sam asked, exhausted, aching and more than a little woozy from the pounding his head had taken.

"Because Cassandra cant come into the house for some reason and I don't want to take the time to figure out why. I just wanted to get your name sake back there salted and burned before he came back to cause problems."

"And Cassandra is in the corn field?" Sam asked, not knowing all the details.

"Yep" Dean said and led the way out to the white RV parked in the center of the corn. He lay grace down on the ground and went inside "Too little too late, but… I brought her to you" He said, knowing that the ghost could hear him. He gathered up the journals and handed them out to Sam, knowing some how that was what she would want, then took the childs remains and tucked them into the bed he had slept in himself as a little boy. "good night Grace" He said as he salted the body, and then spread the gas around the interior of the ancient RV.

He stepped outside, and lit the match, looking at it for a moment before tossing it within.

He stepped back and watched, eyes welling up briefly as he put to rest two more people that had died because he had not.

"Dean?" Sam asked, resting a hand on his brothers arm.

"I'm good, Sammy… its all good" He lied. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye, in the shadows and light cast by the fires, and turned his head to see Cassandra and Grace, hand in hand, fading into nothing.

He turned on his heel and started to limp his way out of the corn field.

"Dean… you are not alight" Sam insisted following after him, neither of them moving as quickly as they wanted.

"Yeah… but its okay ." Dean said with a sniff. "That's just the way it is little brother. Don't be a nag about it. Didn't save your ass today just to listen to you nag." he said as he opened the door of the impala.

"Dude, who saved whose ass? Hello, circle of pain and death ring any bells?"

"Hey, I pulled you out first ." Dean said waiting for Sam to get in and wincing, as though in physical pain at the creaking and grinding of the impala's door. "And you are definitely hammering the dents out of that door. "

Sam chuckled as Dean put in a tape and they pulled out of the drive, with the sirens of the fire trucks in the distance. "Dean… when you were in that circle… did you… you know… see anything?"

"Not a thing"

A/N I know the final chapter was short but it just seemed to say it was done. Hope everyone has enjoyed. Havent decided if I am going to continue this particular continuity or not. My writing partner and I have a new story up, posted on her account, StrangeOblivion. Its called Abandoned. it's a cross over with Supernatural and Dresden Files. Check it out… not to mention her solo work is good too!