Summary:  The Winchester family is faced with something it never saw coming not even in their worst fears, especially Dean's.
A/N:  Yet, another take on the events following “Devil’s Trap.” This will be AU because this story will not follow the likely outcome of the season opener.
Disclaimer:  The characters of Supernatural were created by Eric Kripke. The show is owned by the CW network. No profit is being made.

January 24, 2009

Dean and his father were both off work for a Friday. Sam was at rehab and Dean was having an afternoon with his dad for his birthday. There was a car show in town at the convention center, so they were going to spend the morning there and then pick up Sam, and go out for a guys lunch at a new sports bar and grill that had just opened the previous week.

“Twenty-nine, son,” John began as he drove his truck and looked over at his firstborn. “You make me feel old,” he quipped

“Geez, thanks dad. I thought having kids was supposed to make you feel younger,” he smirked. “Well, at least mentally,” he mused. John reached over and flipped his son in the head with a finger.

“Ow!” Dean groused. “Child abuse,” he complained. John rolled his eyes.

“Child abuse? Sorry, you’re too old to claim that,” he countered.

“Okay, assault then,” Dean answered with a proud of himself grin. John smiled warmly.

“You know,” he started. “I bet I never told you that you get your quick wit from your mother. She could turn the tides on me so quick sometimes my head would spin. You remind me of your mother a lot son.” Dean looked at his dad and smiled softly.

“I do?”

“Yep, you do.” Dean met his dad’s eyes and their shared looks spoke volumes. John reached out and lovingly cuffed the back of his son’s head as he drove. “Dean?”

“Yeah?”

“Has Sammy said anything to you about why he’s been doing so much rehab? He’s been going a lot more lately ever since…”

“Ever since Sarah left,” Dean finished. “I know. I don’t know dad maybe he’s working through some things and doing more rehab is helping him. And, he’s been a little driven ever since that asshole at campus took a swing at him.” Dean felt the familiar rage creep up again at the thought of that day. “Damn when I think about that day dad, I still want to kill the guy. If Sam had been hurt that day and Dr. Myers had found a problem I would have hunted that guy down.” John looked at his son with intense eyes.

“Dean, we would have found him together, and had had a word with him before turning him over to the police for assault, but it didn’t come to that, thank God. You could be right though,” John hedged. “Maybe that school incident is prompting him a little, but you said he was actually doing okay holding that kid off until he slipped on that slick spot. It’s just that I worry he’s over doing it,” John commented. “I mean he’s been looking great, but I just worry.”

“Yeah, but if it were all too much for Sammy they wouldn’t let him. And, it’s just not his PT he’s increased dad … it’s everything. I think it’s good for him.”

“Yeah,” John conceded. Dean looked at his dad and nodded. “Sometimes it seems that certain words are a little easier. Has April said anything about his speech therapy progress?”

“Nah, she’s usually pretty quiet about that stuff. I guess confidentiality crap or something, but come to think of it she usually gives me updates, but she hasn’t said anything for about a month.” Dean just assumed that Sam’s progress was about the same and there wasn’t anything significant to report, and Sam certainly hadn’t said anything.

“Well, if there were something to report I guess she would. Maybe, Sammy asked her not to say anything,” John suggested.

“Yeah, maybe,” Dean replied.

“So, when we get to the convention center,” John began as he diverted the conversation and the day back onto his son and celebrating his birthday. “What do you want to look at first the foreign or domestics?”

“How about the domestics and we’ll work our way around the place? I hear they’re having some pretty cool concept cars out this year too,” Dean replied. John smiled and nodded. He hadn’t seen Dean look this excited in a long time. It was nice to see his son having a life, and he recalled his wish for Dean over a year ago when he stood in front of both his boys in Salvation, Iowa. He had said he wanted ‘Sam to go to school, and for Dean to have a home.’ And, Dean had a home now and he enjoyed seeing the calmness that had moved into his oldest child’s countenance over the past few months.

Ivy Ridge Rehab Center

“Sam why haven’t you told your brother and father yet?” Mel questioned as he watched Sam run on the treadmill.

“Soon. I wanted to bb…be sure I stayed better. I’m not pp…perfect.” Sam smiled at Mel.

“Perfect, what’s that?” Mel chided. “You’ve been going gang busters on your rehab since the middle of December.” Mel commented as he watched his young patient. “Sam you’ve been able to run on this treadmill like you’re doing a marathon for the last couple weeks now. You’re a machine. Yeah, your left side still has a little hesitation now and again, but you should really be proud of your progress. And I can’t believe you didn’t tell them about you seeing Dr. Jarvis the speech pathologist.”

“Surprise,” Sam answered. “I still ss…screw up when I don’t concentrate or gg…get upset. I’ll probably always hh…have the ss…stutter when I get worked up.”

“I just can’t believe you’ve managed to hide it these past three almost four weeks. They never wondered why you wanted to up your rehab visits during December?”

“No, they thought it was gg…good.” Sam knew his reasons for upping the frequency of his rehab and seeing the speech pathologist. He wanted this for himself, his family, and as much as he tried to deny it … Sarah. He knew that no matter how much progress he made physically with his motor skills and speech he was still brain damaged. Sam knew he was fundamentally different, and that was just the way it was. He would never be the kind of normal he was before his head injury, but he thought to himself what is normal anyway? Really?

“And, man, the fact that Dr. Jarvis came on staff and specializes in severe speech deficits and is an expert in overcoming most stuttering problems, you got damn lucky. And, he was able to put you through that intense therapy in his trial acceleration protocol. I know Dr. Myers had her eye on him for a while because he’s done such great work with head injury patients with speech deficits. I’m glad he came on board, and that you finally had a stroke of luck.”

“Yeah, I know… I’m lucky.” Sam panted his reply as he continued to run on the treadmill. “It’s Dean’s birthday today. I did this as much ff…for him as I did for mm..me.”

“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask… how’s your dad doing these days since the heart attack?”

“Dad’s cardiologist says he’s as hh…healthy as a horse. He said he’s never ss…seen someone bounce back so fully. I mean, he watches what he eats now, and ss…stays away from the caffeine. Yeah, I see him ss…splurge and have a beer now and again, but he’s in great shape. They already cleared him ff…from his heart rehab. Dad’s doc said he could probably run a race if he wanted too,” Sam snorted. “Not that dad’s the race running type. But, yeah, he’s good.”

“That’s great,” Mel replied. “You know, I was thinking the other day, and you know if you can manage to stay seizure free for a year you’ll be able to drive again. That’ll give you some more freedom.”

“Yeah, I know, but I’m not complaining at least Dad and Dean let me take the bus as long as I tell them where I’m going and stuff. I ss..still think I could drive now. I only get small seizures once in a while, and they aren’t bad. I know whh…when they are coming.”

“Yeah, well don’t push yourself.” Mel replied. “And on the topic of pushing yourself,” he began. “Why don’t you slow down and walk on this thing for a while. Cool down. You make me tired just watching you.” Sam smiled wide. “So, how has your family not noticed your speech has improved,” Mel questioned.

“When I’m with them I try not to use the techniques that Dr. Jarvis tt..taught me and when I don’t I stutter like usual.” Mel shook his head.

“Shame on you,” he reprimanded lightly.

“I wanted to be sure I cc…could do it before I told them. I didn’t want to disappoint them after everything I’ve pp..put them through.”

“Well, kiddo, you know there is nothing else I can do for you. You’ve got your large motor skills back fully. And your fine motor skills for the most part are back to normal with a few kinks here and there, but nothing that won’t resolve itself if you keep at it.”

“You tryin’ to get rid of me?” Sam quipped.

“Nah, I love havin’ ya around. But, you’ve graduated basically and it’s time to send you on your way, so to speak.” Mel reached up and patted Sam on his shoulder as he walked on the treadmill. “You know when I think back to a few months ago and when you collapsed,” Mel’s face was serious. “You really scared me that day kiddo.”

“Sorry Mel. I knew I felt bad, but I sure nn…never thought I had a heart infection.”

“Yeah, it was just one of those freak things,” Mel offered. “So, I hear the only part of your rehab you haven’t been cleared from yet is OT, right?”

“Yeah, Darlene ss…still wants me to learn some things. I know I will always hh…have some problems, but I can ask for help or ff…figure it out on my own once the OT is done. And, I still have a couple more weeks with Dr. Jarvis, but yeah, I’m bb…basically done with everything, bb…but OT.” Sam paused. “You know lately I feel more nn…normal, but I know there are things I still dd…don’t get. I’m not gonna be normal, but pretty damn close.” Mel smiled warmly.

“You know Sam you have never ceased to surprise me from the get go. When you started to come out of your coma and engage your environment I could see a real fighter in your eyes. I knew I was going to have a feisty pistol on my hands, and boy was I right.” Sam laughed as he slowed the treadmill and stepped off.

“I’m glad I dd…didn’t let you down. Thanks ff…for everything Mel.” Sam extended his hand and shook the man’s hand firmly.

“Sure thing Sam.” Sam and Mel hugged, and Sam excused himself to go shower and out on a fresh change of cloths before his family came to get him.

Sam waited out in the lobby for his dad and brother to pick him up. He was glad that Dean was having a day out with their father. They had asked him if he wanted to forego rehab for a single Friday to join them at the car show, but he knew Dean deserved and morning and afternoon to be the center of their dad’s world, and especially for his birthday. He saw the truck pull in under the overhand by the lobby and Sam walked out. He could see Dean was smiling about something to their father and then he threw his head back and laughed. Sam smiled at the sight. Dean turned his head and saw his brother approaching and opened the truck door. “Come on Sammy,” he called out. Sam slid into the truck. “So, how was rehab today?” Sam smiled to himself.

“Okay,” he answered and continued allowing his mind to forget his training from Dr. Jarvis. “Ddd…did you and dad lll…like the car show?”

“Yeah, you should have seen some of the awesome concept cars they had there. You still up for the bar and grill?” Dean questioned looking his brother over.

“Yeah. It’s yyy…your bbb…birthday.” Dean smiled. “You ggg…got a date with April ttt…tonight?”

“Yeah,” Dean smiled. “She wants to make me dinner.” Sam made this kissing sound with his lips and Dean blushed as he reached over and lightly shoved his brother’s head with his hand.

“Hey!” Sam complained.

“Boys,” John warned in the tone Sam and Dean recognized from their youth. It was that same voice their dad would use in the Impala when driving to hunts and they’d start in on each other. It was John’s infamous don’t make me have to stop this car voice. Both boys looked at their father and laughed. John just shook his head with a mild grin.

April’s Apartment, 11:00 PM

She curled up against Dean warm under the crisp sheets. She traced a single finger along his sternum as he reached a hand up and affectionately brushed her long hair out of her face. “Did you like your dinner?” she whispered as she brought her face up to Dean’s and kissed him before he could answer. When they pulled apart he smiled.

“I told you I thought it was delicious, but I gotta say,” he began with a broad Dean Winchester smile. “Dessert puts dinner to shame, and on that note,” he whispered with a sly smile as he began to nuzzle her neck. “I’m thinkin’ seconds for the birthday boy are in order.” April laughed.

“Oh really,” she cooed. “Hmm…” she replied as she snaked her body on top of his and sat up straddling him for a moment before she bent down and began to explore his chest with her mouth slowly working her way up to his face. And, when she reached his lips she hovered for a long moment, and grinned. His hazel-green eyes studied her with anticipation and hunger. “I think seconds can be arranged,” she answered coyly as their lips met.

The Winchester House

John clicked the TV off and looked over at Sam’s sleeping form on the couch. They had stayed up to watch The Shawshank Redemption and his youngest child had lasted almost all the way through, but succumbed to fatigue and his final dosage of seizure medication for the night thirty minutes before the movie ended. “Hey, Sammy,” John spoke softly and gently. He reached over a pushed his son’s unruly bangs back. “Sammy, time for bed son,” John encouraged. Sam stirred and opened his eyes.

“I mm…miss the end,” Sam complained with a sleep inflected voice.

“It’s okay sport. The channel mentioned about an encore showing tomorrow afternoon, if you want to watch it. Come on let’s get you in bed.”

“I’m nnn…not ten dad,” Sam replied with a small smile as he got up from the couch. He looked at the clock on the wall and then back at his dad. “Dean not home.” John smiled at his son with a knowing tell-tale grin. “April’s, huh?” Sam said with a grin.

“All night would be my guess kiddo,” John replied with a look of amusement. “He’ll probably roll in sometime tomorrow morning.” Sam nodded. Sam walked into the restroom and brushed his teeth. He was already in his sweat pants and t-shirt he intended to sleep in. He stared in the mirror and felt torn. He was happy his brother had finally reclaimed his life and was actually dating someone, but part of him was envious because he wanted to be with Sarah and couldn’t allow himself because of the demon. He had meant to try his speech techniques at home tonight, but felt like he’d take away from Dean’s birthday, so he had decided to do it tomorrow. He chastised himself silently for even allowing one moment of envy toward his happy brother. Dean deserved to be happy. He had been the glue to this family his whole life, and now it was his turn to get something back. Sam came out of the bathroom and noticed his father coming down the hallway from the family room.

“Just checking the protection charms,” John replied. “Old habits son,” he mused. “Even though it’s been quiet we can’t get complacent. You ready for bed?”

“Yeah,” Sam surveyed his father as the man partially followed his son into his bedroom. “What you ggg…going to tuck mmm…me in?” Sam laughed.

“No, smart ass. I just wanted to say goodnight and make sure you put your monitor on,” John answered. John watched Sam put his pulse-ox monitor on and nodded with approval. “Look I know you’re good about remembering, but I guess I just like to see it on you,” he hedged. “Sweet dreams Sammy,” John said with a warm look on his face. “See you in the morning.”

“’Night dad.” John turned off the light in Sam’s room and closed the door behind him with a quiet click.

John sat up in his bed scanning the shadows and listening to the sounds of the house. He looked at the illuminated numbers of his bedside clock, it was 4:30 AM, and he was certain something had awoken him, but what. He tossed his covers aside and climbed out of bed clad in sweats and a grey t-shirt with the auto shops logo on the front. He reached into his nightstand and pulled out his loaded 9mm pistol. He stood in the hallway listening and heard nothing, but silence. He started to wonder if maybe the remnants of a dream had awakened him and was playing tricks with his psyche. He wandered around the house with his hunter senses reaching out to detect any threat. He found nothing. John wouldn’t go back to bed without checking on Sam, so he turned the knob on his son’s door and entered quietly. His youngest was sleeping soundly curled on his side with his head nestled partly on his pillow and in the crook of his arm. John pulled the fleece blanket up and covered Sam back up. His baby boy had always been a blanket tosser and apparently that was something you didn’t outgrow.

Finally, sleep worked its way back over John and he relaxed.

Mid-Morning, the Winchester House

Sam sat at the kitchen table surfing the net on the laptop while his father read the paper across from him. Both men had woken up a little earlier and had breakfast all ready, and now they were just enjoying the quiet of the morning. The rumble of the Impala was distinct and John lowered his newspaper to share a glance with his youngest. Sam grinned and went back to his laptop. Dean came in the kitchen door from the garage. His family looked up at his entrance.

“Morning son,” John commented evenly. “Late night?” Dean cleared his voice.

“Yeah, you know…” Dean responded with a grin.

“Was dinner good?” Sam asked his brother. Dean smiled at the thought of his dessert.

“Yep, I can’t complain.”

Dean poured himself a cup of decaf coffee and joined his family at the table. Sam surveyed his brother and father casually and decided this was as good a time as any to try speaking. “So,” he began tentatively. Both John and Dean looked at Sam.

“Yeah, kiddo,” John spoke for himself and his oldest.

“Hh…has April told you about ss…speech therapy?” Sam let out a frustrated sigh as his nerves toward his announcement were influencing his ability to try and not stutter. He took a deep breath.

“No, she hasn’t said anything. Why? Something wrong?” Dean asked as he shared a concerned glance with his father. “Should April have told me or dad something?”

“No, I haven’t bb…been seeing her,” Sam answered. “I thh..thought she might have said something.”

“What?” John spoke before Dean had a chance.

“I ss…stopped speech therapy with her,” Sam replied. He needed to get control of his nerves.

“You what?” Dean spoke suddenly. “Sam, you can’t, you…” Sam raised a hand up to stop his brother. Dean closed his mouth and just looked at his brother.

“She doesn’t know why,” Sam spoke carefully. “She thinks I jj…just changed days for speech days, but I’ve bb…been seeing someone new.” Dean and John just stared at Sam. “Dr. Jarvis is a new speech pathol…ogist at the center. He special…izes in head trauma with speech problems … especially with stuttering. I wanted to surprise you and dad. I still screw up if I don’t concentrate or get upset, but…” Sam stopped talking as he saw a smile creep up at the edges of Dean’s mouth.

“Say something else Sammy,” Dean urged. John stared intently at his youngest son.

“Like what? I could ramble all day if you want …” Sam was cut off suddenly as his brother quickly stood and pulled his brother up out of his seat and pulled him into a bear hug.

“Hot damn Sammy,” Dean was beaming as he stepped back from his little brother. “You sneaky bastard,” Dean replied. “That’s why you upped your rehab, huh? So, you could see this speech dude at the center.”

“Partly,” Sam replied.

“Partly?” John chimed in.

“I can run on the tt…treadmill now. My left side only has a little trouble now.”

“Run?” John questioned with uncertainty. “Really, son?”

“Yeah, Mel says I’m a machine. But,” Sam thought he should provide his family a reminder to his earlier statements. “I still have a little tt…trouble with the left side, but mostly, yeah, I can rr…run. And, my speech isn’t perfect, but if I try hard I can hold back the stutter most of the time. I’m not perfect, bb…but better.” It was John’s turn to stand and envelop his baby son in a warm embrace.

“I’ve been so proud of you Sammy, but this I have no words for it. All your hard work,” he replied gently. “You and your brother both make me proud. I’m damn lucky to have you both.” Dean watched his father hug his brother and he felt pride for his family and the strong strides they had made as a real family since John came back into his and Sammy’s life. Dean felt quiet inside; he had his family and in the midst of the chaos and upheaval of the past year … Dean Winchester found himself a life.

The family moment was interrupted by the kitchen phone ringing. John looked at his watch. “Who calls at 9:30 on a Saturday morning?” The boys sat back down at the kitchen table as their father went to answer the phone. Dean was still beaming at his little brother.

“Maybe it’s April?” Sam replied with a knowing smile directed at his brother. Dean chuckled and shook his head.

“Nah, she had a family thing today across town.”

“Hello?” John spoke. “Joshua?” He replied as he glanced at his boys across the kitchen.

The simple name brought both Dean and Sam’s eyes up and they met their father’s eyes briefly. Dean shifted a nervous look to his little brother … the supernatural had just come calling again.

John walked back into the kitchen with the cordless phone he placed it back down in its battery charger cradle with a heavy sigh. He kept his back to his boys. Dean was the first to speak.

“Dad? What’d Joshua want?” John’s mind was at odds with his heart and he bowed his head without turning around. Dean cast a worried look to Sam who sat quietly next to him surveying his father’s body language. The phone call had lasted over thirty minutes with most of it taking place out of their earshot, so both boys wanted to know what had been said. “Dad?” Dean asked again. John sighed again and turned around. He met his oldest son’s eyes and then his baby boy’s.

“Joshua and Jefferson are gearing up for a hunt,” John paused. “It’s a demon.”

“A demon or the Demon,” Dean asked with intense eyes. John shared his son’s intense look.

“There haven’t been the signs, so I’m guessing just a demon,” John hesitated. “But, where’s there’s smoke there’s usually fire,” John hedged and Dean understood.

“Where?”

“Chanute, Kansas,” John replied as he rubbed a hand over his face.

“You gg…going?” Sam asked with an unsure voice. John looked at his youngest son with warm eyes. He could see trepidation in his boy’s eyes and he hated being the source.

“I…” he cast his eyes down. “I don’t want to leave you boys, and I’d have to tell Dan that I need time off, it’s…”

“Go Dad,” Dean spoke calmly. “Sammy and I are good. We’ll see you when you get back. And Dan will give you the time off.” John looked from Dean to Sam and shifted his eyes to look out the window. “What? What else did Joshua say? I mean, if he’s getting Jefferson in on this hunt it must be heavy duty.” Dean commented as his mind went back to the first time he had met Jefferson Lucian, a forty-something professor of ancient mythology by day at a college in Arizona, and a hunter and expert demonologist in his second life, the one he hide from his day life.

“This demon crossed holy ground,” John replied quietly as he continued to look out the window.”

“Like the one that killed Pastor Jim?” Dean questioned with pained eyes as he remembered the kind man from his childhood. He hadn’t allowed himself to think about Jim or Caleb, and in retrospect he never really had the time. His life had taken a precarious turn right around their deaths. Their father had been possessed, he himself had nearly been killed by the Demon, and Sammy… Dean turned his thoughts off. He didn’t want to recall that moment he saw Sam slide to the floor right before everything changed forever.

“Yeah, like the one that killed Jim,” John answered.

“Bb..but that was Meg,” Sam began. “We exorcised her …sent her bb…back to hell.” Sam struggled not to stutter at all, but his nerves were on edge and subsequently his words stumbled now and again.

“I’m sure it’s not the same one Sammy,” John answered. “Just another evil bastard that crawled its way out of hell.”

“There’s something else though,” Dean hedged. “Right?” John looked at his son and nodded hesitantly. “What? What is it?”

“Joshua mentioned they really needed at minimum a four man team, and…” Dean looked from his father to Sam and back to his father.

“You mean Joshua asked if I could come, right?” John nodded.

“Dad, that’s Kansas, that’s at least a couple days away from here, and we can’t leave …” Dean was cut off by his brother’s voice.

“I want to go,” Sam said with assertiveness.

“No way in hell Sammy,” Dean answered so quickly it was as if it were a reflex. A knee jerk reaction and he never even blinked. “It’s too dangerous.”

“I can hunt. I haven’t ff…forgotten Dean. I can do this,” Sam replied. “You’ll need a fifth pp…person anyway … Joshua said a minimum of ff…four, so ff…five is better.”

“No Sammy,” John chimed in. “Your brother is right, it’s too dangerous.”

“No more dangerous ff…for me than you and Dean,” Sam volleyed back to his father. John’s eyes were soft toward his youngest child.

“Sammy, please, you got to understand that I know you’re capable, I do, but your seizures,” he started. “What if you have one at a crucial moment or God forbid it’s a more serious one that requires medical attention. This place is just outside Chanute in the boonies, at least a forty minute drive to the nearest medical center I won’t risk your health.”

“Dad’s right Sammy. I know you’ve been working hard and say you can run and stuff, but he’s right you could have a seizure.”

“My meds keep them under control. They hh…haven’t been bad. It’s been over a month ss…since my last one,” Sam answered with a hint of pride.

“And, that’s great Sammy,” Dean answered with an encouraging tone, “but you know that sometimes if you get worked up you set one off, and hunting is going to have you really jacked up.”

“Sam,” John spoke. “We can’t be on this hunt and worry about whether you’re going to be okay. I trust your abilities, I do, but your seizures are unpredictable.”

“Nnn…not true,” Sam stammered. “I ff…feel them when they are coming.”

“Yeah, I know,” John conceded the point. “But, the advance warning isn’t much, and if it’s a major seizure you have only a second or two, and you’ll already be out of it and you’ll be vulnerable.”

“I want to go,” Sam wasn’t backing down.

“Look, Sammy, how about Dad and I drop you off in Lawrence and you stay with Missouri, and we’ll pick you up on our way back from the hunt?” Dean offered.

“I don’t nn…need a babysitter,” Sam hissed.

“It wouldn’t be like that,” Dean offered. “You’d be going with Dad and me, but we’ll just drop you off before we go to Chanute.”

“Yeah, Sammy, how about that?” John asked.

“No! I can do this. Please, let mm..me.”

John and Dean exchanged looks with one another. Both men knew that they couldn’t leave Sam in Jefferson City, and Lawrence was apparently out of the question. They also knew they couldn’t trust Sam to stay put and out of the fray. They both shook their heads in doubt and looked at the youngest member of their family.

“Fine,” John answered begrudgingly. “But, you do whatever me or your brother say,” John warned. “No questioning us on this hunt, understood?” Sam was beaming despite the reprimanding tone of his father’s voice. “Deal?”

“Deal,” Sam answered with a genuine Sam Winchester lopsided grin.

“We’re serious Sammy, no questions,” Dean reiterated knowing his brother’s stubborn streak could and would most likely rear its ugly head no matter what the kid was agreeing to in order to appease them.

“I ss…said okay,” Sam answered. “When do we go?”

“It’s set up for this coming weekend,” John replied. “So, we’ll leave out on Thursday, and maybe we’ll need Monday off the following week off, but we should have it done by Saturday and head back home late Saturday or early Sunday. Sam you’ll need to miss rehab and work,” John began. “You sure you’re willing to miss them?”

“Almost done,” Sam answered easily. “No more PT, only speech for two more weeks, and I still have my OT. And, the ll…library is flexible. I’ll ask for Monday off. Yeah, I can mm…miss it.”

“Fine,” John said. “Dean, you should only need to ask for Thursday and Monday off, okay?”

“Yeah, Dad, I got it under control. I’ll just tell Larry that we have an out of state family emergency.”

“That’ll work,” John answered. Sam excused himself for the bathroom still wearing a smile on his face. John cast a concerned glance at Dean. “You going to be okay with this?” Dean rubbed a nervous hand over his face.

“Dammit Dad,” he grumbled under his breath. “What if …”

“No what ifs Dean,” John interrupted. “We’ll make sure Sammy doesn’t get hurt.”

“But, Dad,” Dean began. “We can’t protect him from himself.” Dean commented. He was genuinely worried that the hyper acute atmosphere of a hunt might trigger a seizure and the thought of losing his little brother to something they could have prevented scared him. “What if a bad one happens Dad? He could die.”

“He’ll be okay Dean.”

“You really believe that?” Dean asked with worried eyes.

“I have to,” John commented. “Because the alternative is unacceptable.” Dean nodded in agreement.

Wednesday, the night before leaving for Chanute

“No April everything is fine, I promise. It’s just a family thing I have to go out of town for.” Dean assured on the phone. “If I get back on Sunday earlier enough do you want to get together?”

“You’ll be tired,” April replied. “We’ll work it out. I’ll miss you.”

“Yeah,” Dean said smiling to the phone receiver. “Me too.” He felt the creep of a warm blush fill his cheeks and dissipate quickly. He was glad April couldn’t see him right now.

“And, you’re sure everything is okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

“It’s just there was something in your voice when you talked about going out of town.”

“Everything is fine, April,” Dean assured. He knew if they continued to see one another he had decided to share his family’s secret with her, but not yet. He hated lying to her, but right now there was no other way.

“Okay, take care of yourself.”

“Will do. I’ll see you when I get back.”

Sam sat on the edge of the tub in the bathroom with the door closed. He was nervous for the hunt. He felt like this was his chance to prove himself to his family and show them he could hunt. He didn’t want to let them down, and a big part of him wanted to prove to himself that he could accomplish whatever he had to be done. He sat with his head in his hands trying to work through his rapidly cycling emotions. Sam knew if he showed one bit of nervousness toward this hunt that his brother and father would never allow him to participate. There was a loud knock on the door.

“Geez, Sammy,” Dean called from outside the door. “Did you fall in?” Sam smiled slightly at his brother’s words.

“Hey,” Sam replied behind the still closed door. “Give me a minute. Don’t get your boxers in bb…bunch.” There was a long quiet moment.

“You okay?” Dean’s voice was soft and concerned. Sam drew in a steadying breath looked in the mirror assuring he had the proper mask of assuredness showing and opened the door. Dean surveyed his brother for a long second or two and sniffed the air with a humorous look.

“What?” Sam asked with curious eyes. Dean snorted.

“Just takin’ a whiff to see if I need to light a match,” he said through a quiet laugh. Sam rolled his eyes.

“Bite me,” he complained with a mild grin. Dean skirted around his brother and into the bathroom. Sam stepped into the hallway as Dean ushered him the rest of the way out.

“Not sellin’ tickets man,” Dean groused as he closed the door on his brother. Sam just shook his head and walked down the hallway.

“Sammy?” John’s voice called from the kitchen.

“Yeah?” Sam replied as he walked into the kitchen.

“You know it’s a different ball of wax when going against a demon,” John began. Sam nodded. “Bullets won’t work.”

“I know.”

“Can you recite Latin Sam? Is your speech up to that? Honest answer,” John ordered softly.

“I’m not sure,” Sam answered honestly.

“Okay, fair enough. Don’t worry about it we got it covered. This exorcism is a two person counter assault. Me and Jefferson can do the ritual with Joshua and Dean as back up in the event we can’t finish.

Rural area outside Chanute, Kansas

“John are you sure Sam can do this?” Joshua asked as he looked over across to a field where Dean and Sam stood.

“I have to believe he can,” John replied.

“Look John,” Jefferson began. “Josh told me about what happened to you and your family,” he paused and glanced over at John’s sons. “And to your youngest boy. Look, don’t take this wrong, but what we’re up against is one damn angry demon that’s moved into that old abandoned church. If he’s a liability you have to pull him from the hunt.” John sighed.

“My son isn’t a liability. He’s saved my ass and Dean’s more times than I can count over the years.”

“That was then and now is an entirely different story.” Jefferson replied.

“My boy will be fine.” John answered. He wasn’t sure he actually believed what he was saying, but at least keeping Sam near himself and Dean meant they knew the boy wasn’t going off half cocked because he was sneaking in on the hunt. Jefferson gave John a clipped nod.

“Okay, then,” Joshua added and John motioned to his son’s to come over.

“Dean, Sam you boys know the drill,” John spoke evenly. “Once inside things will probably start to go down quick. Be ready.” John cast a look at his youngest. “You’re sure?” Sam nodded. “Alright then,” John shifted his eyes to his eldest child an unspoken command transferring between them watch out for Sammy and Dean nodded. “Let’s do this,” John asserted and turned toward the old church.

The abandoned church was miles from nowhere. The church itself had been vacant since the fifties and was mostly a run down dilapidated old wooden church. In its hay day had been a real bible thumping church where its parishioners would claim to speak in tongues and even used snakes in their services. Over the years the church had passed on from zealot preacher to another, and finally when the small town that had been just down the road a couple miles was wiped out from a tornado and never rebuilt the area just grew over to fields and pastures, but the church remained.

The hunters entered the church in a flanking deployment and Dean kept Sam close. “Keep frosty Sammy,” Dean’s eyes were intense.

Suddenly the room erupted into a cacophony of light and sound. “Show yourself!” Jefferson demanded. “The unclean cannot trespass on holy ground,” he barked. The church fell into an eerie silence. The only sounds to be heard were the hunters breathing and the creaking wood sounds of the old church.

“Really I hadn’t noticed?” A figure emerged from a doorway. The demon sauntered into the room immediately locating every hunter as he gauged their threat. John and the others looked at the demon there was something different about his demeanor and appearance. The sallow skin and blazing eyes shifting from red to a vibrant green flaming out into a yellow spray told him all he needed to know. This was not a man possessed, but a demon in his true form. And John realized in a moment of horrifying clarity that Joshua’s information had been incomplete.

“Shit!” John hissed. “He’s in true form,” he shouted. Jefferson began throwing chrism oil, and Joshua began the first part of the ritual. The hunters had quickly changed their tactics. There would be no exorcism, but a banishing. The words of Latin burned the demon and it hissed.

“I grow tired of this,” he complained. “I will pick you all clean. I will tear your souls a part,” he bellowed.

“Stay back Sammy,” Dean ordered.

“Dean,” Sam began. Dean turned intense eyes to his brother.

“Dammit Sam you gave your word,” Dean barked under his breath. “You follow orders. Stay here,” Dean commanded before he entered the fray. “Cover me,” he whispered as he reluctantly left his little brother. Sam gave quick nod, and raised the sawed off shotgun loaded with rock salt and cat’s eyes shells. It would hurt or kill a demon, but it would slow it down for a minute, maybe.

Jefferson and Joshua recited their passages quickly and just as Joshua was about to deliver the final passage to banish the evil back to hell the demon stared them all down.

The demon leveled a hard look on the hunters flanking him. There words had him bound to the place he stood, and he couldn’t disappear at will, and he was furious. “You stupid humans,” it spat. “You have me bound to where I stand, but you do not have me bound,” it said with a laugh, and suddenly there was an expansive invisible shock wave of energy that blasted the hunters and sent them flying with force against the distant walls. Sam had dropped and stayed close to the floor and when he raised his head he saw the crumpled and unmoving bodies of his family and the other hunters. Sam crawled toward the book Joshua had been reading from and grabbed it. The demon was struggling to leave his spot. “I will kill you all!” It screamed. “I will take pleasure in ending your insignificant lives with my own hands rather than my mind.”

“Not so fast,” Sam warned as he stood up from behind an old broken pew. The demon eyed Sam with an estimating gaze and then awareness dawned.

“You,” the demon ground out. “There is no escaping your destiny,” it hissed. Sam stared at the demon.

“You’re not him,” Sam answered with confidence.

“No, but I know what you and the others were meant for. You are no threat to him.”

“Maybe I am and maybe I’m not,” Sam hedged. “But you,” he smiled wryly at the demon. “Are another story. I won’t ll…let you hurt my family.” He didn’t have time to dwell on the demons earlier words about his destiny. Sam threw a pouch of herbs and oil at the demon and watched as it landed at the demons feet. It would bind his powers for a few seconds and that was all Sam needed. He steeled himself and looked at the passage that needed finished. He took a breath and calmed himself. The words had to be right or it would cost him his family’s lives. “Attrahendum eos, ad constringendum, ad ligandum eos partier et solvendum.”

“You little bastard!” The demon screamed as a strong wind filled the church and red smoke swirled around the demon opening a vortex of blackness that smelled of sulfur. A hot wind buffeted against Sam. The whirlwind gained in power and with a massive release of energy as it consumed the demon the wave hit Sam and he was thrown across the room his head clipping a pew on his way down sending him into unconsciousness, and it was over. There was the smell of ozone in the air as Dean surfaced toward the waking world with a groan.

“Dean?” John’s voice was scratchy as he called out to his son lying next to him. Joshua and Jefferson were climbing to their feet. Both men were bleeding from various scratches. Jefferson had small laceration on his forehead. John helped Dean up. Both were still fuzzy on what had happened.

“I didn’t finish,” Joshua spoke. “It knocked us all out before I could, but…” The hunters saw and smelled the tell tale signs of a successful banishment. “But who…”

“Sammy,” Dean breathed out with a smile as he met his father’s eyes. “Sammy finished it while we were knocked out.” John smiled and nodded. It was in that moment that all the men looked at each other and quickly surmised they were a man short.

“Sam!” John barked. “Son? Where are you?” The men began to fan out in search of the youth.

“Sammy! Answer us!” Dean yelled and pleaded all at once. Dean watched his father moving through the room quickly on the opposite side of the room doing an obvious search grid. The other two hunters fanned out in their own grid pattern and Dean did the same. While all the men called out for Sam as they looked. Dean saw his father abruptly stop and a look of anguish cross his face. “Dad?” Dean’s voice was a mere whisper. He saw his father take off at a run and he followed suit. His father disappeared behind a short wall partition just beyond a row of broken pews. “Dad!” Dean called out as he rounded the corner and stopped instantly. His father was cradling his little brother’s head gently, too gently, and tears were cascading down his cheeks.

Dean stared at his little brother’s lax, pale face. There was a thick sheen of blood covering the left side of Sam’s face. “Sammy, can you hear me?” John’s voice shook. Dean covered the small distance and fell at his brother’s side.

“Dad?” Dean’s voice was panicked. “Is he breathing?” John was bending close putting the side of his face against his baby boy’s mouth and nose. He waited for the feeling of his precious son’s breath. Dean felt his stomach knot as he watched his father. John let out a quivering sigh.

“He’s breathing.” John assured.

“Here John, let me look at him,” Joshua put his hand on his friend’s shoulder. John complied knowing that Joshua was a well trained paramedic in his daily life when he wasn’t hunting. And, just as Joshua kneeled over Sam they all saw the young man begin to stir, but his eyes remained closed. “Sam, its Josh can you here me?” He pulled a penlight out of his back pocket, “Knew this keychain pen light would come in handy some day,” he offered trying to lighten the mood any way he could. He lifted each of Sam’s eyelids and watched the young man’s pupils react to the light beam. “Sam? Can you hear me?” There was still no response or additional movement from Sam.

“Come on Sammy,” Dean spoke suddenly. “Open your eyes kiddo.” Dean stared at his unmoving brother.

“Josh?” John’s simple use of his name spoke volumes to the hunter.

“His pupils are equal and reacting John and that’s a good sign. His pulse is strong and his breathing is a little shallow, but it’s regular. He’s got a good gash at his hairline,” he said as he gently pushed away Sam’s bangs covered and matted in blood. “Maybe seven to ten stitches,” he observed. “Head wounds bleed a lot John you know that,” Joshua encouraged. He knew his assurance wouldn’t really help his friend who was a worried parent. “Sam?” Joshua tried once more to elicit some response from the young man, but still nothing happened. “Okay, sorry Sam, but I gotta do this,” Joshua said quietly. He took his knuckles and vigorously rubbed Sam’s sternum, and he watched Sam frown and unconsciously try to move away from the pain the sternum rub caused. “That’s it kiddo, come on,” Joshua replied. He rubbed Sam’s sternum again and this time he groaned and his eyes began to flicker.

“Sammy?” Dean’s voice was excited by his brother’s movements.

“Son? Open your eyes,” John leaned over his child. “Sammy, its Dad, open your eyes.”

Sam surfaced slowly and opened his eyes to see Joshua looming over him. He quickly sought out his family’s whereabouts as he turned his head slightly and he met eyes his father’s tear filled eyes that looked extremely relieved. And, before he could look for his big brother he heard his voice. “Sammy?” Dean said excitedly as he moved closer to his little brother grabbing his hand and squeezing.

“Dean?”

“Right here kiddo,” he assured. John moved nearer to both his son’s and gently touched his son’s right cheek that bared no blood. Joshua reached into his duffel he had carried into the old church and pulled out a gauze pad and applied it to Sam’s forehead.

“He’s gonna need stitches John and maybe a CAT scan to be on the safe side.” John nodded.

“I’m okay,” Sam spoke quietly. His voice sounding tired. “It’s gg…gone. I Dd…did it?” John and Dean both smiled.

“Yeah, wonder boy you did it,” Dean said proudly. “Saved our asses.”

“You did good son.” John smiled proudly at his youngest child.

“Yeah, Sam,” Jefferson finally spoke. “I underestimated you, and I apologize. Of course, you saved our asses,” he mused. “You’re a Winchester,” he replied bluntly.

“Thanks Sam,” Joshua chimed in. “But, I think we better get you looked at and the nearest hospital isn’t exactly next door.” He went to help sit the boy up, but was politely edged out by Dean and John as they both put an arm around Sam and helped him stand. Both men supported Sam on either side as then began to walk out of the church and down the long dusty driveway to where the cars waited.

Joshua and Jefferson followed close behind and couldn’t help, but observe the tight family unit’s bond with one another.

“You doin’ okay Sammy?” John asked as they made slow progress toward the cars in the distance.

“Yeah,” Sam answered quietly. Dean squeezed around Sam’s waist just a little more and Sam turned his head slightly and smiled at his brother. “I bet your gg…glad I didn’t ff…follow orders and stay put this time, eh?” Dean just rolled his eyes at his little brother.

“Bitch.”

“Jerk.”

“Boys.”

The minister stood at the grave sight as a cold wind whipped across the open cemetery. “Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed, we therefore commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust,” the minister threw a handful of dirt into the open grave and indicated to the family to do the same. The minister began his final words, “in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through Lord Jesus Christ. Amen”

Dean felt numb. It had all gone so wrong, so quickly. He stared into the open grave and wanted desperately to crawl in and wait for the rest of the dirt to cover him up with his little brother. He couldn’t leave Sammy in the cold earth alone. He felt a pressure on his shoulder and he resisted it, “Dean, son,” John’s voice was soft like a gentle spring breeze. He resisted still transfixed on the grave, Sam’s grave. “Dean,” the voice a little more insistent and he felt his shoulder being shaken. Dean snapped awake in the plastic chair of the Chanute Community Hospital ER waiting room. The remnants of the nightmare had left Dean a bit disorientated. He wasn’t at his brother’s grave, he hadn’t lost Sam.

“Dad?” Dean looked at him blearily.

“Yeah, son it’s me. You were dreaming. You okay?” John surveyed his oldest child.

“Yeah, just a bad dream,” Dean looked around. “Any word on Sammy yet?” John smiled.

“The doctor came out about ten minutes ago, and they’re stitching his forehead now. The CAT scan was clear, but they want to keep him over night for observation because of his prior head injury history. They’ve all ready contacted Dr. Myers and relayed his test results to her. Sam’s going to be fine.” John assured with a warm smile.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Dean snipped. He would have liked to hear the doctor’s words with his own ears. Dean could see that Joshua and Jefferson were still nearby.

“Well, at the time you were sleeping peacefully and I didn’t want to disturb you. They’ll let us see Sammy once they get him settled in a room upstairs.”

“Sorry I snapped at you,” Dean offered with a small smile.

“It’s okay. I know you’re just worried about your brother.”

Later that night, Chanute Hospital, Third Floor

John and Dean flanked each side of Sam’s bed. The youngest member of their family had been awake earlier, but had fallen asleep two hours ago. “So,” Dean began keeping his voice low. “Joshua and Jefferson went to a motel?”

“Yeah,” John answered. “They wanted to make sure Sam was okay, and said they’d call in the morning to see if they were releasing him as scheduled.”

“What time did the doctor say he’d sign Sammy’s walking papers?” Dean asked.

“Around 9,” John answered casually as he reached up and gently stroked Sam’s hand resting along his side on top of the pale blue blanket covering him.

They sat in silence for a while listening to the sound of Sam’s heart monitor. “They really need all this junk?” Dean motioned toward the monitors and the IV.

“The doc said it was standard equipment for the Observation unit,” he replied. “I hate seeing the stuff too, but he’s gonna be fine. “And the IV is just to hydrate him. Sammy will be out of here tomorrow and we can go home.” Dean nodded at his father and shifted his eyes to his little brother’s sleeping form. Sam stirred and opened his eyes. Dean and John both leaned forward. “Sammy?” Dean’s voice was anxious. His brother turned his head and looked at his big brother.

“Hey,” his voice was soft. Dean smiled.

“Hey kiddo,” John spoke. “You feelin’ okay? You’re not in any pain are you?” Sam smiled at the concerned face of his father.

“I’m fine,” he replied quietly as he stifled a small yawn. “I get out of hh…here tomorrow, right?”

“Yes,” John confirmed.

“Get some more sleep Sammy,” Dean chimed in.

“Not tt…tired,” Sam said around another yawn. Both Dean and John chuckled low.

“Sure Sammy whatever you say,” Dean replied with an amused look on his face.

Mid-morning, Chanute Hospital Lobby

“I cc…can walk Dad,” Sam complained to his father as an orderly pushed them toward the automatic doors.

“I know Sammy, but its hospital policy,” he offered. As soon as they were outside Sam was allowed to stand and walk on his own. Dean followed a couple minutes later.

“Sorry,” he offered as he walked up to his family. “Just taking care of some paperwork.” John nodded knowing Dean was handling the health coverage aspect of Sam’s care and overnight stay. “So, how we doin’ this?” Dean asked. “I mean we both have our cars here.”

“Yeah, you and Sammy can go together,” John began. “And follow me. We’re going to meet Joshua and Jefferson for a late breakfast before we all go our own way. They’re meeting us up the street at a diner called, Tip O’ the Town. Dean and Sam both exchanged looks and laughed. “Yeah, I know, but you know small towns,” John mused.

“Let’s get out of hh…here,” Sam eagerly replied.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here.” Dean motioned his head in the direction of the Emergency Room parking lot where they had parked the previous night.

A Month and a Half Later, March 2009

Sam had opted not to take classes this quarter, and was nearing the end of his OT assignment at the campus and had the day off. Sam still attended his OT rehab on Fridays, but had finished with PT and speech rehab during January and February respectively. His father had come home from work about an hour ago and was filling out checks for the cable and phone bill in the kitchen. Dean wasn’t expected home after work. He was going to April’s to wash up and they had plans. Sam sat at his laptop surfing the net. He idly rubbed the bridge of his nose. The pressure headache that had begun a few moments ago was getting worse. The white hot pain was blossoming behind his eyes. His eyesight began to flash like an electrical storm, and he knew a vision was coming. “Dad!” Sam managed to bark as he clung to his desk. The vision was coming on slow and the pain was intensifying.

John heard his son’s urgent sounding call and he left the kitchen table running. “Sam!” John ran into his son’s room just in time to see Sam begin to sag to the floor. He supported him easily against himself as he lowered them both to the ground. “Sammy what is it?”

“Vision,” Sam panted. “Cc…coming.” And then Sam was swallowed by the pain. John held his son against his chest as Sam went limp in his arms when the vision finally settled into his mind. John watched his young son’s face and hated the blank, unseeing eyes of his child. It was as if Sam wasn’t there anymore and had left just his shell behind. It was unnerving to John Winchester. He had never seen a vision before and idly wondered how Dean had managed not to lose his mind the first time he saw his brother have one. He stared at Sam’s pupils widely dilated like they were in a dark room trying to see in the shadows. He watched them dilate back to a more normal diameter and he saw Sam blink lazily as he surfaced from the vision. John rubbed a nervous hand across Sam’s forehead pushing away small beads of sweat. He caressed Sam’s bangs back nervously.

“Sammy? Can you here me, its dad.” John waited. “Sam?”

“Dad?” Sam’s voice had this confused tone to it and he looked blearily up to his father. He focused on John’s face.

“Yeah, it’s me,” John assured softly. “You okay?”

“Fire dad,” Sam answered with an absent tone to his voice. John could see Sam’s eyes were distant his son’s mind was trying to recollect what he had seen.

“Fire? What fire? Where?” John asked in rapid succession. Sam didn’t respond. “Sammy? What fire?” He gently patted his son’s face.

“Nursery.” Sam whispered. “Dad?” Sam tried to sit up, but he knew what he was feeling as it started in his fingertips. “Seizure coming,” he whispered as he gave up trying to sit up and relaxed into his father’s embrace. John quickly lowered Sam further down on the floor and loosely held his son’s head as he supported it in his lap.

“It’s okay Sammy,” John encouraged. “I’m here. It’s gonna be okay.” The seizure came and soon half of Sam’s body was engulfed in waves of jerking spasms that seemed to make one whole side of his young body taut as a pulled rubber band and then release only to tighten again. John tried to gently turn his son partially onto his non-seizing side as the seizure continued. Sam’s head bucked as his neck muscles contracted. “It’s okay,” John whispered over and over, the words becoming a mantra. It felt like forever as the seizure began to slow. Sam’s cheeks were flushed and the red looked shocking against his pale, sweat sheen covered face. His eyes looked pained. There were tremors working through Sam’s body and his father never wavered. He held his son and kept speaking to him in that familiar calm and warm voice.

“Starting again,” Sam hissed through a clenched jaw. “some … wrong,” his words broke as he tried to warn his father.

“Again? Sam?” John held his son just as he had been with his head in his lap. “Sammy?”

“Bad,” was all Sam got out before another seizure started just as the former one had ebbed down to quiet tremors.

“Oh Christ!” John hissed. His son was in trouble. “Sammy!” John urgently yet gently pulled himself out from under his son making sure he wouldn’t thrash into something and hurt himself. He grabbed for the phone in a panic as he watched Sam’s whole body begin to seize and his eyes roll back into his head.

911, What’s your emergency?

“My son. He’s having a seizure. I need an ambulance. Now!”

Sir, is he still actively seizing?

“Yes, dammit. He has a seizure disorder caused by a head injury that happened a year ago. Please hurry!”

The ambulance has been dispatched. Sir, what disorder does he suffer?

“Jacksonian seizures, but this isn’t one of them.” John watched horrified. “Oh, God, his lips, they’re starting to turn blue!”

Sir, is he still seizing?

“Yes! I need help, now!” John heard the ambulance pull up outside. “They’re here,” he shouted and slammed the phone down.

Capitol Region Medical Center, Emergency Room, Three Hours Later

John hated this part the most, waiting. Sam had been whisked into a trauma room as soon as they arrived at the hospital. John had followed in his truck. His mind was reeling over everything. These damn visions are going to kill my boy his mind spat. It seemed that both times now that Sam had had a vision since his accident that they either triggered or made a small seizure far more worse. His mind was also replaying what his son had mentioned of the vision before the seizure. Fire and nursery two words that did not bode well and John felt a cold pit in his stomach. But, right now he didn’t care about the content of the vision he was only worried about his baby son.

“Mr. Winchester,” John looked up and stood instantly. The doctor extended his hand. “I’m Dr. Savage, I’m the on call neurologist replacing Dr. Kendrick while he’s on sabbatical. John was remotely relieved that Dr. Kendrick wouldn’t be Sam’s physician. He offered his hand and a firm handshake.

“Doctor, how is my boy?”

“Stable. The paramedics were able to stop the seizure with medication at the scene which is good. They reported he was experiencing apnea during his seizure.”

“Apnea?”

“Oh, it means he stopped breathing while he was seizing,” he paused. “In a sense he was holding his breath. That’s why his lips were turning blue.”

“He’s okay now though, right?”

“I have him on some oxygen right now via a mask, but I assure you he is breathing on his own. I looked at his rather extensive medical file we have on your son and I have taken the liberty to call and relay his latest seizure episode to his on file neurologist Dr. Rose Myers.”

“Thank you. What about Sam though?”

“Well, I don’t need to tell you that what he experienced wasn’t a Jacksonian seizure. Perhaps, it may have begun as such, but obviously turned into a life threatening event. I have on file that he has experienced only one other major seizure in the past is that true?”

“Yes, my oldest son told me he had one when I was in the hospital a few months ago, and they kept him for a couple days for observation, but he’s been good lately.” John paused. “He hit his head back in January in a fall and was unconscious for a few minutes. We had him looked at by a hospital and they kept him over night … that didn’t cause this did it?”

“No,” the doctor assured with a mild smile. “This is an organic problem caused by his previous traumatic brain injury. This isn’t anyone’s fault.”

“Is he conscious?”

“In and out. It’s not uncommon for a patient to be altered or sleepy after a major seizure. He was able to respond physically to verbal commands, but he drifted off again.” John nodded.

“May I see him?”

“I’m having a couple tests run and once I get a new MRI we’ll be sending him up to the ICU for the night and barring any complications myself and his neurologist Dr. Myers would like to have him moved to the Neurology unit for further observation and to see about adjusting his meds and quite possibly his dosing schedule. Dr. Myers will be in tomorrow morning to assess Sam herself. If you want to wait upstairs in the family waiting room for ICU they will send a nurse to come get you when you can see him.”

“Thank you,” John shook the doctor’s hand. John looked at his watch as he walked to the elevator to go wait upstairs. He hoped it wouldn’t be another three hours before he saw his son again.

Later that Night, April’s Apartment

“I enjoyed dinner tonight,” she whispered as she snuggled close to Dean. “Who would have ever thought you’d even know about a place like the Parisian Bistro.”

“Hey,” Dean quipped as he ran a hand through her hair. “I’m what you’d call a Renaissance Man.” April laughed out loud.

“Maybe, in your own mind,” she laughed. “Do you even know what that means?” Her eyes were watering from the laughter. Dean turned red and she laughed louder. He pouted. “Oh, poor baby,” she cooed as she moved her self up into his lap on the couch. “Forgive me I didn’t mean it,” her voice was amused. “Forgive?”

“I will for one thing,” he answered with a mischievous grin as he tapped his lips. She smiled.

“I think I can oblige.” They kissed and pretty soon everything else was forgotten.

Later that night, 9:30 PM … ICU, Sam’s Room

John sat at his son’s side holding his hand and stroking his hair. He was speaking nonsense words to him as he waited for him to open his eyes. Two IV bags hung beside the bed and dropped steady pre-programmed drops of fluids and meds into his son. Sam’s heart monitor beeped quietly and steady. His pulse-OX meter showed good oxygen levels. Sam’s oxygen mask had been replaced by a nasal cannula. John thought the pale green tubing running under his son’s nose and across his cheeks made Sam’s pale skin look even paler. “Geez, Sammy,” John whispered to his son’s silent features. “You’re aging your old dad by the decades with each trip to the hospital. And, your brother…” John’s words died off quickly as he realized that he had forgotten to call Dean. “Shit,” he complained under his breath. “I forgot to call your brother Sammy. I’ll be right back son.” John hovered over Sam a moment and stepped outside of the ICU. He hated the rule about no cell phone calls in the ICU because of equipment, but it made sense, so he complied. He pulled out his cell phone and filed through names and highlighted his son’s name and pushed send.

April’s Apartment

Dean and April fit perfectly together under the soft sheets. Dean had pulled her against himself spooning her back. “This is nice,” she whispered.

“Yeah,” he answered softly into the back of her head and pulled her a little closer. The sound of his cell phone ringing made Dean sigh … “Can you reach it ‘Pril?” Dean asked using the shortened version of her name he had one day nicknamed her with.

“Sure,” she answered easily as she reached out in front of her to the nightstand and grabbed the phone and handed it to Dean. They shifted against each other as Dean looked at the caller ID. She curled up against his chest as he turned over on his back. He frowned when he saw the name on the screen, ‘Dad’ blinked in unison with the ringing.

“Dad?” Dean answered.

“Yeah, son it’s me,” John sounded tired and stressed.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” April felt Dean’s chest and arm muscles tense under her.

“It’s Sammy Dean we’re at the hospital,” John’s voice remained steady. “He had a bad seizure.”

“Oh God,” Dean answered sitting up. “Dad?” Dean asked when the line had been quiet for what he thought was too long.

“I’m here. Dean I would have called sooner, but I lost track of time and I…”

“It’s okay Dad, I understand. I’m on my way,” Dean replied as he put his legs over the edge of the bed.

“We’re in the ICU,” John answered. “Dean…”

“Yeah?” Dean didn’t like the sound of his father’s voice.

“He had another vision.” John said bluntly into the phone. Dean closed his eyes for a moment.

“I’ll be there soon Dad. Tell Sammy I’m on my way.”

“See you soon son,” John replied. “Drive safely.”

“I will.” Dean snapped his phone shut and stood up to get dressed.

“Dean, what’s wrong?”

“Sammy had a bad seizure. That was my Dad. Sam’s in the ICU.”

“Are you in any shape to drive?” April asked as she wrapped a sheet around her loosely while she sat up.

“I’m good. I’m sorry about …” Dean looked at her.

“Oh, Dean honey, it’s your little brother. And anyway last time I checked a sick little brother trumps a girlfriend any day of the week,” she smiled as she climbed up on her knees to touch him as he stood in front of her.

“Thanks ‘Pril I’ll call when I can, okay?” he said hastily as he grabbed his wallet and cell phone stuffing both into his denim jacket. He turned to leave and stopped at the door. He turned quickly and approached her gave her a quick peck, “love you,” hurried out of his mouth and he was gone. April sat dumbfounded at his words. She mulled those two words over and over in her head. Did he just say ‘love you’ her mind reeled. She smiled.

ICU, Sam’s Room

Traffic hadn’t been bad, and Dean made record time from April’s apartment. He walked into the ICU unit and saw Sue. “Hi Sue.”

“Hi Dean, long time no see,” Sue answered with a smile. “Sam’s in that room there,” she pointed. “Your father is with him. Sam’s resting comfortably.”

“Thanks.” Dean hurried to his brother’s room. It was the room he had been in over a year ago when he’d suffered his brain injury. Dean felt a wave of cold run through him as the memory threatened to consume him. “Dad?” Dean whispered as he walked into the room and met his father’s eyes.

“Hi son.”

“How’s he doing?” Dean asked as he stood over Sam and looked down at his little brother. He looked over the equipment around his brother and frowned at the oxygen tubing.

“He’s stable. I’ve been waiting for him to wake up, but so far nothing.” Dean cast a worried look at his father.

“Did he wake up in the ER?”

“The doctor said he was in and out, but he responded to verbal commands. He said he may sleep for a while.” Dean let out a sigh and looked behind himself and hooked the leg of a nearby chair with his foot and pulled it closer and sat down beside his little brother.

“How bad was it Dad?”

“The doctor said it was a major seizure. His lips were turning blue at home, but the seizure wouldn’t stop. The paramedics got it under control with some IV meds, and they had to bag him with some oxygen, and he started breathing on his own again right away.” John ran a nervous hand though his hair. “It scared the shit out of me Dean. There wasn’t anything I could do for him during the worst of it.” Dean smiled sympathetically at his father.

“I know how you feel.” He commented. “Dad, what happened though? You said he had a vision,” Dean asked in a hushed tone.

“I was in the kitchen and he called out for me. I held him through the vision, but as soon as it was over he had a Jacksonian seizure on the left side of his body, but as soon as it was going away he looked at me and barely had time to warn me that another one was coming. He knew it was going to be bad.” John’s eyes looked haunted as he recounted the evening’s events.

“Did he have time to tell you about the vision?” Dean studied his father’s serious look at the question. “What was it about?”

“He only got out two words,” John hedged for a moment. “Fire and nursery.” Dean’s eyes shifted from his father’s to rest on his brother’s silent features. His face conveyed to John the level of concern Dean was feeling, and he understood it because he felt it too.

Two Hours Later

“I think he’s waking up,” Dean commented with excitement. John leaned forward resting a hand on one of Sam’s blanket covered legs. “Sammy?” Dean said softly. Both men watched as the youngest member of their family opened his eyes. Sam looked from his brother to his father. He lifted his hand and looked at the IV needle inserted in the back of his hand. He blinked and scanned the room idly.

“Hh… hospital?” he croaked. John stood up to get a glass of water for his son’s dry throat.

“Yeah, Sammy,” Dean answered as he helped to raise Sam’s head while supporting it with his hand to help him drink from the cup his father was now holding to his brother’s lips. “Slow sips,” he encouraged. Sam took a couple grateful drinks of the cool liquid and pulled back indicating he was done for now.

“Thanks,” he whispered to both his family members. They both smiled warmly at Sam.

“How you feelin’ kiddo?” John asked as he reached up touched his youngest son’s face.

“Tired,” he answered honestly. His eyes suddenly widened as he remembered. “Vision, I hh…had a vision.”

“I know,” John answered. “What do you remember?”

“Too late now,” his voice sounding broken.

“Maybe not Sammy,” Dean hedged. “Dad said you mentioned fire and a nursery. There might be time. It might be days away from happening,” Dean encouraged.

Sam went on to explain that the only remnants of the vision that remained with him were of the fire, the nursery, a crib and the demon watching a small child in its crib. He described a flash of a driveway and a car with Montana plates YTR 2470. “That’s all I cc…can remember.” John smiled.

“That’s more than enough Sammy.” John exchanged looks with his oldest son and Dean nodded.

“I’ll stay with Sammy while you make some phone calls.” John nodded as he stood. He reached down and ran a hand affectionately through Sam’s hair and left. Dean turned his gaze back to his brother. “Get some more sleep Sammy,” he urged.

“I don’t rr…remember the seizure Dean,” Sam began. “Not the second one. Bad, huh?”

“Yeah, you scared the crap out of Dad. Me too,” he answered honestly.

“Sorry,” Sam replied quietly.

“Sammy don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I know,” Sam answered with a smile. “I meant … I’m sorry Dad hh…had to bother you at April’s.” Dean smiled at his brother’s knowing grin.

“She understood. Now get some sleep.” He watched his brother close his eyes and soon his breathing was evened out in sleep. Dean’s mind recounted his parting words with April love you, he drummed his fingers nervously on the arm of his chair. He had meant the words, but was only now feeling the impact of saying them. He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous movement he had never been able to break himself of in all these years, and with a smile he thought like father like son as he remembered his own dad did the same thing.

Dean looked at his watch and noted his father had left to make phone calls over thirty minutes ago. John seemed to walk in as if on cue. “I was wondering about you,” Dean whispered to his father being mindful not to wake his brother.

“I called Joshua and had him check some things out,” John’s tone was hushed in the dimly lit hospital room.

“And?” Dean knew that look in his father’s eyes. “Something is up isn’t it? The Demon?”

“It seems there were some cattle deaths reported just yesterday in a city in Montana, and there have been strange weather fluctuations the last couple days or so. And, the license plate Sammy saw in his vision checked out.” John pulled a folded scrap piece of paper out of his jeans pocket. “It’s registered to a Trevor and Crystal Breems. And, Joshua looked in the state online records for Cascade county birth records and it looks like they recently had a third child, a boy, who will be six months old in four days.”

“Where in Montana?”

“Eden.” Dean and John exchanged knowing looks as the irony of the town’s name wasn’t lost on them.

“Four days, huh?” Dean exchanged a concerned look with his father. “What are you going to do?”

“Joshua has some contacts in Montana he’s going to try to figure something out, but…”

“But, you think you need to go, right? I mean, you’ve got the Colt and the last bullet.”

“Dean I’m not gonna leave to go anywhere with Sammy just getting out of the hospital in a day or so.” His tone was one of defense.

“Dad, I’m not accusing you of anything,” Dean assured. “Look I don’t want another family to go through the same hell we did, and Sammy will understand. He’s gonna be fine dad. He and I have been up this seizure road before. It’s okay. He’s going to be fine.”

“But, Dean?”

“Dad, it’s okay.” Dean offered a slight smile. He nodded his head in his brother’s direction. “You know he doesn’t even remember the second seizure,” he commented.

“He doesn’t?”

“Nope, just the first one and the fragments of the vision he had. I really don’t even think he remembers anything from the ER to tell you the truth.” John looked concerned and Dean offered him a comforting look. “It’s okay Dad. You should have seen him after the first bad seizure. When he finally came to he was screaming and yelling for me and Dr. Myers said he was altered and stuff.”

“That’s when he told you he had a vision about me, right? The one that saved my life?” Dean nodded. “Son, I’m worried about these visions of his,” John reached up and placed his hand on Sam’s forearm. “Will they all cause seizures? This can’t go on.”

“Dad, we’ll deal okay… I mean what choice do we have? Maybe, it’ll get better,” Dean hedged.

“And, if they don’t?” John commented. “His life could be in danger with each vision he has.”

“Dammit dad,” Dean hissed quietly as he stood up abruptly. “Don’t you think I know that?” Dean turned and left his brother’s room. John sat there shocked for a moment at his oldest son’s sudden outburst and quick retreat. He stood and looked at Sam for a moment and went after his other child. John walked through the ICU unit and out into the hallway. There was no sign of Dean and John walked toward the ICU waiting room thinking Dean wouldn’t go far from his little brother especially while he was in the intensive care unit. He stood in the doorway of the waiting room and quickly noticed the only occupant was his firstborn staring at the floor as he sat in a far corner chair. John entered quietly.

“Dean?” He spoke gently and Dean raised his eyes to meet his fathers. John could see the glassy eyes of his child and knew Dean was fighting tears. “Hey kiddo,” John sat down and patted Dean’s knee closest to him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” John began. “It’s just when I’m nervous I think out loud, I…”

“Don’t Dad,” Dean answered. “I’m the one that’s sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped like that, it’s just…”

“It’s just what?”

“Sammy Dad I can’t keep him safe from this, from himself. I wasn’t even there for him tonight when it happened…” John interrupted his son.

“Stop right there Dean,” John replied. “This isn’t your fault. And, I know you love your brother, but you’re entitled to a life of your own. You can’t watch him 24/7 and you know what … he doesn’t want it either. You couldn’t have prevented what happened.” John studied his son’s tormented and worried features. “You didn’t let Sammy down Dean. You didn’t fail your brother.” Dean looked at his father suddenly and John saw it in his young eyes. That was what he needed to hear.

“I didn’t?”

“No, you didn’t.” John affirmed boldly.

“It’s just I remember the first bad one he had, and now this one,” Dean’s voice shook. “Dad what if it had happened and he was alone?”

“Dean we’ve taken just about every precaution we can with Sammy. He wears the oxygen monitor at night and I’m usually home with him or you are. He’s not alone for long durations. And, Dean, son … I know this isn’t something you want to hear and frankly I don’t even like saying it, but we can’t smother him in protection. And, maybe some day we might not be there, it’s just something we’re going to have to accept.” Dean turned intense eyes to his father.

“Dad, don’t you get it? When he has a bad seizure he stops breathing Dad … if we’re not there or someone else isn’t then he’ll die Dad. I can’t accept that Sammy could die from something we could prevent.”

“Hey hold up there sport,” John’s voice remained gentle. “We can’t prevent anything. Dean, you do know that even if he gets immediate help there is always the chance he could still die.”

“I know,” the admission was quiet and haunted. “I just can’t imagine life without him Dad. I wish I could turn back the clock and take back all the shit that’s happened to him since that night with the Demon and the wreck.”

“I know, me too. Hell, I wish I could take back all the years I drug you boys all over the country demon hunting. I made you grow up too fast Dean, and I apologize.” John turned sincere eyes to his son.

“It’s okay Dad. It’s the way it had to be.”

“No, it’s not okay.” John replied. “I should have been there for you and Sammy a hell of a lot more than I was while you were little. I made so many mistakes. I put too much on your shoulders and you never really got the chance to be a kid. You took care of Sammy, and you took care of me. Dean, I’m so proud of you. I look at you some days and I’m amazed you’re my son, and I’m so thankful.”

“Dad…”

“Nah, don’t say anything, okay? I meant what I said, and it’s long overdue.”

“Thanks dad,” Dean answered with a sheepish smile. “Dad, despite everything I know and even Sammy knows … you always did the best you could when we were little.”His eyes became briefly distant for a moment and John knew what was on his child’s mind.

“Thinkin’ about Sammy?”

“More like worrying,” Dean conceded.

“Look let’s stop being all maudlin over Sammy’s seizure’s okay? He’s gonna be okay. Come on, you wanna go sit with your brother? I’ll give you boys some privacy. I think I’m gonna go get a cup of caffeine.” Dean smiled at his father.

“Thanks Dad.”

“For what?” John looked genuinely surprised.

“Just thanks.” John smiled and pulled his son into an impromptu hug, and patted him on the back as they separated.

Sam’s ICU Room

Dean watched his brother sleep peacefully. He leaned in and spoke softly to his sibling. “Hey, Sammy, it’s your big brother,” he began with a hint of a smile. “Look kiddo things are gonna be okay. We’ll figure out the visions and how to handle them, and if we figure out it’s something we can’t fix … then we’ll deal with it, okay? Together as a family.” Dean whispered and stroked his brother’s unruly bangs. Sam stirred under his brother’s gentle touch. Dean smiled as his brother’s eyes opened slowly and focused on his face. “Hey,” he spoke gently.

“Hey,” Sam replied. He casually looked around his room. “Where’s dad?”

“He went for a cup of Joe and thought he’d let us have some time.”

“Dd…did he find out anything?”

“Sammy you don’t need to worry about that right now,” Dean urged. “You need to rest and relax.”

“I did rest,” Sam complained. “What did Dad ff…find out?”

“The license plate checked out and the third kid in the family turns six months old in four days, okay? Joshua is calling his contacts in Montana to try and help the family.”

“Dad going?” Dean shrugged as a response. “He has tt…to go, Dean,” Sam answered bluntly. “He’s got the Colt. That family needs hh…help.”

“And, they’ll get it son,” John replied from the door to Sam’s room. “But, you sport need to relax, okay. There’s no sense you getting all bent out of shape,” John encouraged. “It won’t do you any good, got it?”

“Yes, sir.” Sam relented.

“Look I called Dan and I’m taking some days off,” John began. “I hate to leave you boys, but you’re right I gotta go.”

“Let us cc…come Dad,” Sam spoke quietly. John smiled warmly.

“No, son, you boys need to stay here okay? I’m not doing this alone alright? So don’t worry about me.”

“Dad you know we will anyway,” Dean commented.

“I know. Look if there isn’t a clear opportunity to kill this bastard I’m not going to use the gun, but if we can save this family I’m making that my first priority.” Sam and Dean nodded.

Three Days Later, The Winchester House

Sam walked into the kitchen rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. “Hey sleeping beauty,” Dean quipped. “That new seizure med still agreeing with you?” Sam nodded and opened the refrigerator. “Yeah, well after that last new one you were allergic too; just don’t wait until you’re hurling to say something, alright?”

“Yeah,” Sam answered. “So, you hear from dad?”

“He called late last night and he’s okay. I guess Joshua decided to join in on the hunt.”

“Who’s there?”

“Dad said Carl and Tanner are gonna help.”

“Who?”

“Yeah, I didn’t think you’d remember them. Um, you were pretty little when they last saw you.” Dean said with a grin.

“What?”

“Nothin’”

“Nah, what?” Dean chuckled.

“It’s just I think you were about three when they last saw you and I remember you were going through phase of pulling your diaper off and you run around with it.” Sam turned red.

“Oh God, and I dd…did that with them around.”

“Yeah, you were a regular exhibitionist Sammy,” Dean laughed. “Geez, I remember when you started walking on your own you would go gang busters around the house or wherever we were staying,” he paused. “And, I remember Dad thought since you started walking early that you’d be easy to break of diapers, but man, you gave Dad a hard time with the potty training. You wanted nothing to do with the kiddie toilet he got you, and the regular one, well, you were more interested in putting your bathtub toys in the toilet bowl and flushing it to watch them spin.”

“You take great humor in my youth … dd…don’t you?”

“Can you blame me?” Dean said with a wide smile. “But, hey at least I never took any pictures of you running around naked swinging your diaper around. Well, except for that time you were streaking in the front lawn of this run down house dad rented when you were, I think four.”

“Stop, please,” Sam begged.

“Nah, man, it was cute. You heard Dad pull up when I was trying to give you a bath and you bolted from that tub so quick I couldn’t stop you. You ran out of the house buck naked, soaking wet with a pile of baby shampoo suds on top of your head. It was priceless man.”

“Kill me now.” The brothers shared a laugh. “So,” Sam decided to change the subject. “Larry didn’t mind you taking off?”

“Nah, he’s always been cool with me having time off when I need it, and he knew you were in the hospital again.”

“Sorry, things gg..get ss…screwed up when my ss…seizures happen.” Dean recognized the increased stuttering from his brother.

“Hey, Sammy, look it’s not anything you need to apologize for. It is what it is. And, I don’t want you getting upset about it, alright?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.”

“Why dd…don’t you and April get together tonight?”

“Can’t she’s been taking some classes to finish another degree.”

“What now? She’s already does PT and ss..speech thh…therapy.”

“Yeah, well, I guess she’s just taking a handful of courses and a short nursing residency to allow her to take her state boards for her R.N.”

“A nurse?”

“Yeah, I guess my girl is a geek academic like my little brother,” Dean snorted at the irony of that. Sam smiled wide. “What?”

“You said, ‘my girl.’”

“Shut up,” Dean replied as his face turned red.

“Dean and April kissing in a tt…tree…” Dean swatted at Sam and then grabbed him locking him in a light head lock. Sam laughed.

“Yeah, yeah, shut your cakehole.”

“She quitting her thh…therapy stuff?”

“Nah, she’s still gonna do that, but I think she’s going to be an ER nurse part-time. I guess she only needed a few courses after everything she’s already taken for her other degrees.”

“ER huh? I gg…guess I’ll see her ss…sooner or later, huh?” Dean turned serious eyes to his brother.

“Not funny Sammy.”

“Not a joke,” Sam replied casually. “You knn…know my track record.”

“Yeah, I do, but still…” Dean shook his head at his brother. “I don’t want to hear you talk like that.”

“Yeah,” Sam decided it was pointless to say anything else. His words had pushed the big brother panic button.

Three Days Later, Friday

A persistent ringing pulled Dean from the haze of sleep. He opened his eyes and could see the sun hadn’t even come up yet and as he reached for the phone he saw the clock clearly stated why it was still dark outside, 3:30AM. He fumbled in the dark quickly for the phone. He prayed it was his father. He and Sam hadn’t heard from there father at all since the day before John and the other hunters were going to hunt the Demon in the city of Eden.

“Dad?” Dean’s voice was sleep inflected and he cleared his throat. “Dad?” He asked again when there was nothing, but empty air. He heard a throat clear on the other end.

“No, Dean, it’s Josh.” Dean felt a wave of fear roll over him. He took a steadying breath.

“Is he alive?” Dean’s voice wavered despite his best efforts to conceal his panic.

“Yeah,” Josh replied. Dean heard something in his voice.

“What is it? Is he hurt? I want to talk to my dad.”

“Listen Dean this gig was a complete cluster fuck, okay,” Josh’s voice was harsh and tired. “That evil bastard wasn’t alone. He brought friends. Things went bad.”

“Where’s my dad!” Dean hissed into the phone.

“Johnny’s all messed up,” Joshua’s voice sounded haunted. Dean’s hand shook as it held the phone to his ear.

“Messed up? He’s hurt?”

“They all cooked. The place went up like a roman candle,” Joshua spoke almost absently into the phone. “The baby didn’t burn. It was like he was protected from the flames long enough to be rescued, but the smoke it was bad. He wasn’t breathing … the paramedics couldn’t save him. They tried.” Dean listened to the man continue to ramble on the phone. He just wanted to know if his father was okay. “Jesus, Dean the whole family, we lost them all. The demon and your daddy they looked right at each other through the flames. It looked like they were saying something to each other before the Demon fuckin’ disappeared. Your dad couldn’t get a clean shot off.”

“Dammit Joshua, my dad is he alive. Is he hurt? Where the hell is he?”

“He asked me to call you.” Joshua answered suddenly, as if finally coming out of his state of shock. “He’s at the hospital in Eden.”

“Oh, God, how bad is he hurt?”

“John? No, your daddy is fine. A little smoke inhalation, but he’s fine. He’s there waiting to hear about Carl,” Joshua answered. “Tanner is sitting with him. I’m outside in the parking lot. I just got here. Had to talk to the police, you know how it goes … cover stories. They wanted a second interview. No worries.”

“So, he’s not admitted or anything?” Dean needed to clarify that his dad wasn’t hurt physically.

“No, he’s fine. I think he’s just still a little too messed up to talk to you, but he wanted you to know he’s okay and he’ll call you soon.”

“But, he’s late calling anyway. How long has he been at the hospital? I mean you guys were due for the hunt on Wednesday night. It’s Friday.”

“Yeah, well, okay,” Joshua conceded. “Your daddy was unconscious for most of Wednesday night after the hunt and most of Thursday morning. He had some smoke inhalation, so they kept him for observation, and believe me as soon as he woke up he wanted me to call you because he couldn’t. Look sorry I took until today. It’s just Carl is in a bad way, and we’ve all been preoccupied.” Josh took a pause. “Believe me when John found out I hadn’t called you yet he was pissed, but he left his phone back at the motel we were all holding up in and he hasn’t gone back there yet.”

“Tell him to call home when he can Josh.”

“Yeah, will do. He wanted me to ask you how you and you’re brother were doing? Things okay?”

“Yeah, tell him we’re fine.”

“Okay, good deal. I’m sure he’ll have his phone later today when he finally leaves the hospital. Carl is touch and go. They say his lungs were really damaged in the fire, and you know your daddy and Carl go way back.” Dean nodded to himself. He did know. John and Carl had been friends for years and had hunted side by side for many hunts.

Two Weeks Later

The Winchester house had been quiet. John had returned over a week ago after making sure Carl’s family was okay after that funeral. He hadn’t said much since his return other than to assure his son’s he was feeling okay physically. He had gone back to work at the garage, but Dean knew his father was troubled. Sam did too, but oddly enough he had been giving his father space since his return and Sam hadn’t been full of questions like Dean had expected. Sam had gone to Ivy Ridge today via the bus because he said he had a check-up and he just wanted to do it on his own. John and Dean both were reluctant to let him go that far, but Sam was entitled to his independence, and they let him.

“Dad?” Dean walked into the kitchen where his Dad was sitting at the table with his journal and he was writing in it. John looked up at his son when he heard him call his name.

“Yeah, son.”

“You writing?”

“I just wanted to update some contact names and numbers that’s all.”

“Dad? You okay?” John studied his son.

“Not yet, but I will be,” he answered honestly. “It’s just I’m so tired of losing friends and people we care about. First Jim and then Caleb … now Carl. He shouldn’t be gone, and I’m pissed.” Dean nodded solemnly.

“Dad,” Dean’s voice was hesitant. “Uh…”

“What is it?”

“You know when Joshua called he told me how bad things had gone, but he mentioned that he thought he saw you and the demon say something to one another through the flames. Did you?” John looked away suddenly with haunted eyes.

“He shouldn’t have said anything,” John finally spoke after a long silence.

“But, he did,” Dean replied. “What was said?” John shook his head.

“It’s not important.”

“Bullshit.”

“Watch your language Dean,” John chastised lightly.

“Dad, please…” Dean’s voice sounded desperate and afraid. John met his son’s eyes.

“Fine,” John answered quietly as he let out a slow breath.

Meanwhile, Ivy Ridge Rehab Center

“So, Sam,” Lena Salvino, his social worker leaned back in her desk chair. “I see Dr. Myers gave you flying colors on your check-up.”

“Yeah, I guess the lesion isn’t any ww…worse,” Sam replied.

“Now, what’s this about you wanting to see if you can get into New Horizons? I mean, you’re with your family it’s a good situation, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it’s just I thh…think my dad and brother might have to go out of tt…town soon, and I don’t want to hold them back.” Sam’s mind recalled the past couple weeks, and he just knew that things were going to be changing, and he thought that his brother should be with their dad, and he also knew that Dean would never leave him alone. So, he was trying to cover his bases before talking to his family. Sam was certain that the demon was less of a threat if John and Dean were back together as a unit. He knew he could hunt, but he feared having a vision at the wrong moment that could put his family in danger and he wasn’t going to risk them.

“They might have to leave soon? Is everything alright?”

“Just a ff…family emergency that may take a while to resolve … thh…that’s all.”

“You’re sure you want to be in a residential facility? I mean New Horizons is very modern and you can come and go, it’s just….” she wasn’t sure what she wanted to say. “You’d have your own one bedroom apartment, but…”

“Lena, it’s the only way mm…my ff…family would go. They’re afraid of my seizures.”

“Well, I understand their fear. Dr. Myers updated me while you were in the hospital just recently after your last episode.” Sam nodded. “New Horizons does have an emergent care facility with full-time medical staff to stabilize any resident for transport to the medical center.”

“Yeah”

“Sam based on your seizure disorder they’d supply you with a First Alert device to wear while in your apartment. Are you familiar with it?”

“I think so … it’s that thh…thing old people wear where they press a button for help, right?”

Lena smiled. “Yes, it’s very similar; in fact they bare the same name, but the setup is a little different. But, when you feel a seizure coming on, or you’re not feeling quite right you’ll press the button and help will come to you. Also, because of the evening concerns with seizures they’d have you on satellite telemetry monitoring at night to make sure you don’t stop breathing.”

“Just ll…like home with dad and Dean?”

“Well, basically, only with satellite telemetry you’ll hook up as usual, but the unit they’ll give you sends out a remote signal to the telemetry station and provides them your oxygen levels and warns them should you stop breathing for a period longer than twenty-seconds.”

“Could I get in there? Is there space?”

“You qualify. I’d have to check to see the waiting list. I know there are transfers out of there now and again. But, you might have to wait a bit. I’ll tell you what let me call them and I’ll find out. I may be a while, so if you want to take a walk and come back,” Lena suggested. “Come back in about twenty minutes give or take, okay?”

“Yeah, okay. Thh…thanks Lena”

“You’re welcome honey.”

Meanwhile, The Winchester House

“Dad? What did that bastard say?”

“Just that he’ll never stop what he’s doing. And, that he hasn’t forgotten about Sammy. Your brother isn’t free of that thing Dean or our family. I can’t sit by and watch him hurt my boys or threaten us. And,” John took a deep breath. “I can’t watch another family die Dean. And, I feel like I let Sammy down because we couldn’t save them. His vision could have taken him away from us, he could have died having it, and I couldn’t save them.”

“Dad,” Dean admonished. “It wasn’t your fault. You did what you could. Dammit, you were put in the hospital because of smoke inhalation.” John looked at his son. “Yeah, Joshua told me. He also said the demon didn’t come alone. You did what you could.”

“It wasn’t enough.”

“Yes, it was.”

“Carl shouldn’t be dead Dean. I fucked up.”

“No you didn’t Dad. The hunt went bad and Carl died. It wasn’t something you could have predicted and it’s not your fault. Look Dad hunts can go wrong and that’s the way it is. And, yeah sometimes its human error and other times, well, bad things just happen.”

“When did you get so wise?” John smiled warmly at his son and reached out clasping him on a shoulder. “I should be trying to make you feel better about things not the other way around.”

“Dad, I’m good and so is Sammy.” John was silent for a long moment. “Dean,” he began softly.

“I know,” his firstborn replied.

“You know what?”

“That you gotta go,” he answered simply. “Back out there … after the demon. I know. And, I understand.”

“Why are you making this easier on me? I had a whole speech prepared,” John spoke genuinely. Dean smiled.

“Whole speech, huh?” He grinned. “Well, far be it from me to deny you a good fatherly speech. I do understand Dad, and Sammy will too when we talk to him.”

“Dean I know it’s going to cause some changes around here and …”

“Stop Dad,” Dean encouraged gently. “Look, yeah, Sammy and I will have to get an apartment or something because we can’t still live here on what I make and Sam’s state check, well, I like for him to have some money you know. We’ll work it out.”

“That’s just it,” John grumbled. “You shouldn’t have to work it out. I’m uprooting you and Sam from the first real home you’ve known in years. Look I’ve got some money saved and its enough to pay the rent up on the house without using any of your paychecks for a good three months, and I can try to hustle some pool or work some under the table jobs while away and I’ll send money.”

“Dad, no, you’re going to need your cash, okay. It ain’t like hunting comes with a paycheck. We’ll be okay. It’s not like you’re clearing out and not looking back, right?”

“Of course not,” John answered quickly. “If you boys need me for anything at anytime I promise I will be here,” John snaps his fingers, “just like that. And, if Sammy, heaven forbid goes back in the hospital for so much as a sniffle and that includes you too, I want to know. I’ll be calling all the time.” Dean had a distant look for a moment. “What? What is it?”

“It’s just if things were different Dad,” Dean began, “You know I’d be there with you on this hunt, even Sammy would go, but…”

“I know son, but we can’t risk it with Sam, and I won’t risk either of you.”

“Yeah, well,” Dean replied. “Still if maybe Sammy weren’t, well, you know… then I could go, but I’d never want him on a hunt I knew the demon would present. When are you leaving?” John dropped his eyes and stared at his folded hands a moment before looking up.

Meanwhile, Ivy Ridge Rehab Center

“Hey Sam, I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long,” Lena spoke. “I had a few other bases to cover before I spoke with you.”

“It’s okay. Well?”

“Well,” Lena took Sam’s verbal cue. “As I anticipated they do have a waiting list, but they are expecting a vacancy in three months,” she saw Sam’s face fall. “But, I spoke with Dr. Myers and as you know the center has recently finished with their expansion project that includes a new Homeward Bound residential wing, and she has already pre-approved you for a room while you wait to get into New Horizons. You can be monitored as usual, and you can come and go as you need to from any OT work placements when you start back up doing that.”

“I don’t want tt…to pp…push someone else out Lena,” Sam worried.

“You won’t it’s a brand new unit, and the transition of patients over there is going to be a slow process. I mean we’ll be putting patients in there, but you’re not pushing anyone out. After all, they have a bed, but it’s just allowing them to move to a sort of step down unit where their care is easier for them and it opens a rehab room. The new unit offers the same care if needed to any patient, but it encourages them toward self-care, etc.” Sam nodded. “So, if this happens with your family and they both need to go then you have a place Sam.”

“Thanks.”

The Winchester House

“So, when you hittin’ the road?” Dean asked after his father’s continued silence.

“Not right away. I have some loose ends to wrap up. I can’t just leave Dan in the lurch at the shop. He’s been good to me and I owe him a two-week notice, and I want to make sure you boys are taken care of, and will be okay.” Dean smiled.

“We’ll be fine. You doin’ this alone?”

“Nah, I’m going to have some help along the way.”

Two Hours Later

Sam walked into the house and smelled garlic. He followed his nose to the kitchen and found both his brother and father cooking. Dean was making a salad, and their Dad was pulling some garlic bread out of the toaster oven. “Hey Sammy,” Dean quipped as he looked up and saw his brother. “You were gone for a while. I was just about to send out a search party for your ass.” Dean looked at his brother for a long moment. “Everything okay? Doc Myers give you a clean bill of health with this check-up?”

“Yeah, she said the ll…lesion isn’t any ww…worse.”

“That’s great Sammy,” John answered. “She keep you on your new modified med schedule?”

“Yeah.” Sam sniffed the kitchen as his father opened the oven. “Is that Lasagna?”

“Yeah, but it’s a box lasagna, you know the frozen kind.”

“Still smells good.”

They sat down as a family for a nice meal. John and Dean exchanged looks and figured now was as good a time as any to talk to Sam about John going back out on the hunt. “Hey Sammy,” John started.

“Yeah,” Sam mumbled around a fork full of lasagna.

“Uh, Dean and I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Yeah, me too,” Sam answered as he took a drink of milk. John and Dean exchanged worried glances.

“What?” Dean spoke suddenly. “I though you said your check-up went fine.” Sam smiled patiently at his big brother.

“It did.”

“Then what is it?” Dean asked. “What’s wrong?”

“Sam?” John studied his son.

“Look you guys nn…need to chill okay. Nothing is wrong. What did you have to tt…tell me?”

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Dean replied. “Dad and I can wait. What is it?”

“I’m going back to Ivy Ridge for a while,” Sam began, but was quickly cut off by his father’s concerned voice.

“What? Why? You wouldn’t be going back unless something was wrong.”

“Dad,” Sam started again and saw Dean getting up from the table. “What are you doing Dean?”

“I’m callin’ Dr. Myers to find out what the hell is going on. She wouldn’t be putting you back in there unless something wasn’t right.”

“Dean, stop,” Sam raised his voice. “I’m fine. She ss…said I could have a place in thh…the new unit while I ww…wait.”

“Wait? Wait for what?” Dean walked anxiously back to the table and sat down.

“Sammy, what’s going on?” John needed to get to the bottom of this and now.

Sam leaned back and shoved his hand into his back jeans pocket and pulled out a thin color pamphlet and placed it on the table and slid it to the middle. “What’s this?” Dean asked as he picked up the pamphlet.

“What I’m waiting fff…for. It hh…has a three month waiting list.”

“New Horizons Residential Living, what the hell is this?” Dean barked as he flipped though the brief pamphlet. “You got a place to live Sammy.”

“Read right there,” Sam tapped on the pamphlet. Dean looked down and read over the mention of the First Alert and the satellite telemetry capabilities for residents that needed nighttime observation for medical purposes.

“Yeah, so what,” Dean snapped. John slid his hand over and took the pamphlet.

“Sammy, son, what’s this all about?” John asked as he looked from the brochure to his son.

“So, you and Dean can lll…leave and nnn…not worry about me. I took ccc…care of it.” Dean and his father exchanged glances. John reached over and patted Sam on the arm to calm him as his stuttering became more pronounced. Sam offered a small smile of thanks.

“Leave where?” John replied knowing full well his youngest child was as perceptive as ever had already anticipated the hunt starting up again.

“The demon,” Sam answered as he looked from his father to his brother.

“Look Sammy there’s no way I’m gonna have you stuck in some home,” Dean fumed. “My ass isn’t going anywhere and neither is yours.”

“It’s not a hh…home like you thh…think Dean. I’d have my own apartment. It’ll be okay.”

“No. No way Sammy, not gonna happen.” Dean continued to rage.

“Sam your brother and I agreed that he’d stay behind, but you’re right I have to go back out there and keep tracking this bastard. But, I’m only a phone call away if you boys need me for anything at all, and I’m calling everyday.”

“Dad,” Sam spoke softly. “You need Dean, I know you do.”

“Sammy,” John’s voice was soft.

“No,” Sam raised his voice. “I ccc…can’t go. I know that. I did okay on the last hunt, but I ccc…can’t risk having a vision while I’m covering you or Dean. This place will be okay. I’ll be fff…fine.”

“No way Sammy,” Dean hissed.

“Dammit! I’m right you know I am,” Sam yelled. “We’re bbb…better as a family, but we cc…can’t all do this, but you and Dad can. You need to watch out fff…for each other. I’ll be alright.”

Dean and John looked at each other and then to their youngest member of the family. A long silence fell between the three men as the reality of the situation at hand hung heavy between them all.

One Week Later

Dean stared at the ceiling and his mind wandered. He glanced at the clock and could see it was after 1 AM and sleep was still eluding him, and he knew why. The past week had been difficult and his family seemed to be splintering in all directions. It felt like his grip wasn’t strong enough anymore to keep the family together. His father hadn’t said much in the past few days and Dean knew his dad was troubled about the decision to hunt again. There had been a lot of phone calls between his father and Joshua the last couple days, but his father never said anything to him. Sammy still wouldn’t let go of the residential living arrangement. Dean let out a frustrated sigh and got up. He opened his door and quickly noticed his father’s bedroom light was on. Dean stood at the closed door and debated, finally he couldn’t hold back anymore, and he knocked quietly.

“Dad?” Dean kept his voice low. He knew Sam slept pretty deeply after his evening meds, but didn’t want to run the chance in waking him. John opened the door and his face was full of concern.

“Dean? You okay?” John asked as he quickly surveyed his oldest child.

“Yeah, I …” Dean took a breath. “I need to talk to you Dad.” John smiled warmly and he and Dean slipped down the hall and went to the kitchen. They turned the light on over the kitchen sink which illuminated the kitchen in a dim light and allowed them both to seek solace in the shadows surrounding the kitchen table.

“What is it?&r