Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, or any recognisable characters.

Another new fic for you all, it's been in the plans for a long time, and I'm just now getting around to posting it. I think I'm in a bit of a death fic faze right now. *lol*

Enjoy!

It is the middle of the day, and Dean is driving the impala along the interstate just north of Dallas, with his father following him in his own truck. Dean's drumming his fingers on the steering wheel to AC/DC Highway to Hell, and is startled from his almost trance-like state when his cell phone rings, turning down his music slightly he answers the offending object. "Yea, what do ya want?" At this moment he couldn't care less if he sounded harsh; it's been eight months since his baby brother ran away to university, and he hasn't been the same since.

"Dean?" A rather uneasy voice comes over the line.

"Actually it's the Easter Bunny, who did you think it is?" Dean replies, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Dean, it's Pastor Jim." He pauses for a minute, listening to the middle Winchester's mumbled regrets for being abrupt, when they eventually stop he continues. "Where abouts are you? Is your John with you?"

"We're both in Texas, think we've got a werewolf just outside Dallas."

"You need to come to Blue Earth, you and your Dad." Jim says shortly, no one should hear what he has to say over the phone, and he knows how much this news is going to hurt Dean.

"Sure, I'll just drop everything, and come for a visit." And the sarcasm continues.

"Dean, I didn't want to tell you this over the phone, but... Sam's here-"

As soon as he hears this, Dean does a complete one-eighty into full on over protective big brother mode. "What?! Why's he there? He's supposed to be at Stanford."

"..." There's a noticeable pause, before Jim tells Dean. "As I was saying he is here, has been since he moved away from you and John." He's reluctant to say anymore.

But Dean is insistent. "Why? He was going to Stanford, he got a full scholarship. What the hell is going on?!"

Jim sighs sadly before he says. "He's sick, leigh's disease. The doctor says that he probably only has maybe a few days left-"

"WHAT!?!" Dean exclaims as he slams on the brakes, and swerves onto the gravel embankment.

Whatever Jim might have said next fell on deaf ears as Dean drops the phone, wrenches open the car door, jumps out, and promptly runs headlong into his father, who after a tense moment avoiding running up the back of the Impala also pulled over.

John grabs Dean, and holds him firmly so that he can't run further. At first John is angry at Dean for his recent actions, but seeing the look of absolute devastation and shock on his eldest son's face he promptly, even if awkwardly pulls Dean close to him, and firmly wraps his arms around him. "What's wrong, kiddo?" He asks his son worriedly.

"He's dying." Dean cries brokenly into his father's shoulder.

John pulls Dean back to an arms length away, and questions him. "What're you talking about? Who's dying?"

"Sam."

At this moment, John could have been knocked down by a feather. What is going on? Is he really saying that Sam is dying?!

"He lied to us, all this time he's been at Pastor Jim's, counting on us being too damn stubborn to go looking for him."

All John can say is. "Oh my god." He then notices Dean's phone on the front seat of the impala, he gently eases Dean to the ground, and then picks up the phone, and answers it. "Anyone there?"

"...John? That you?"

"Yeah, who's this?" John asks, his voice thick with sadness.

"It's Jim, Jim Murphy. Has Dean told you..." He trails off uncertainly.

John quickly replies. "Yeah, he's really ...d-dying? What's wrong with my baby boy?"

"It's a long story, John. You just really need to get here as fast as possible, if you want to see him alive."

"Why didn't you call us any sooner!?!" John demands, how could this have been kept from him?

"...Sam didn't want you or Dean to see him like this, he made me promise not to call, but I couldn't keep this from you any longer; you have a right to see him."

John wastes no more time on the phone call, and snaps the phone closed.

Within five minutes John and Dean are going back the way they came, racing the clock to reach Sam.

Meanwhile in Blue Earth, Jim puts down the phone receiver with a sigh; he has just broke a promise to someone who trusted him, and hurt two people he's known for years, in the space of a few minutes.

Before Jim can do anything else, Alana, the young homecare nurse that he hired to help care for Sam calls out to him, and he goes to see what's going on.

When Jim walks into Sam's room, he sees Alana gently combing out Sam's long shaggy hair. Jim quietly says. "You called?" Trying to avoid disturbing Sam unnecessarily.

Alana nods as she says. "He's starting to fade. I didn't want to leave him to ask you if you've contacted his family yet. I know Sam didn't want them to be here, but..."

"I called Dean. They'll be here in a day or two." Jim tells her, but as he looks at Sam's frail body, he can't help but wonder if they'll make it in time.

"What made you change your mind?" Alana asks, not looking up from her work.

Jim pauses, thinking for a minute before he answers. "I've known this family since Sam was a baby, and I know that if Dean doesn't get to see Sam he will never forgive himself."

TBC...

Thanks for reading!

Will Dean and John get to Blue Earth in time? Will Dean cope without his brother? How much can one family deal with?

Please review! I'd love to get some feedback on this fic!