A/N: A retake on season one episode twelve "Faith" if Roy hadn't healed Dean. Chapter 1 of 4.
Roy LeGrange: Faith Healer
The drive to Nebraska was long, even with Sam speeding the way he was.
Sam allowed himself a quick glance over to the passenger seat. Dean was sound asleep, his head against the window. There were so many indications that something wasn't right. His skin was too pale, his breath a bit raspy, his hair greasy and limp, one arm across his chest.
Dean had tried to stay awake for as long as possible and keep up the facade of being totally okay despite suffering massive heart damage. But somewhere in midland Missouri, he had drifted off.
Sam tried not to dwell on every hitched breath and painful wince. This faith healer would work, that's for sure. And if it didn't, Sam would just have to find another way. No question about it. Sam just hoped Dean would last long enough.
The Impala pulled into the grassy lot alongside a myriad of other mud-stained cars. It seems the recent rain hadn't discouraged anyone from seeking the healing powers of Roy LeGrange. Mostly Sam was just glad he had managed to get them to the remote spot on time.
Sam found a place to park close to the large, white tent and quickly jumped out to help his brother who had roused when the roar of the engine had cut.
Dean swatted away Sam's help and looked around.
"Man, you are a lying bastard. Thought you said we were going to see a doctor," Dean complained after noticing the wooden painted sign reading The Church of Roy LeGrange. Faith Healer. Witness the Miracle.
"I believe I said specialist," Sam replied. "Look, Dean, this guy's suppose to be the real deal."
"I can't believe you brought me here to see some guy who heals people out of a tent." The brothers stopped in front of the tent's opening as a slow mass of people moved past them into the tent. Clearly, some people believed in this man's abilities.
"I mean, c'mon Sam. A faith healer?" Dean asked. He sounded too exhausted to really be angry.
"Maybe it's time to have a little faith, Dean." Sam responded.
Dean scoffed. "You know what I've got faith in? Reality. Knowing what's really going on."
"How can you be a skeptic?" Sam looked at Dean with his puppy dog eyes. "With the things we see everyday."
"Exactly," Dean retorted. "We see them. We know they're real."
"But if you know there's evil out there, how can you not believe there's good out there too?"
"Because I've seen what evil does to good people."
A young woman stepped out from the mass of people to address the boys. What appeared to be her mother stood close beside her.
"Maybe God works in mysterious ways," The younger woman said with a smile.
Instantly changing personas, Dean checked out the attractive woman as he replied "Maybe he does. I think you just turned me around on the subject." The woman laughed slightly in response.
"Yeah, I'm sure," sarcasm evident.
Dean offered his hand for a shake. "I'm Dean. This is Sam."
"Layla." She said as she returned the handshake. "So, if you're not a believer, why are you here?"
Gesturing to Sam, Dean answered "Well, apparently my brother here believes enough for the both of us."
At that point, the mother finally interjected. "Come on, Layla. It's about to start." She put her arm around the girl and led them both into the tent, now crowded with a variety of sick and injured persons and their loved ones.
Sam and Dean followed quickly behind them. Layla and her mother managed to grab two seats in the front row and the Winchester boys found a pair directly behind them.
The service began and an older man climbed on stage. He wore sunglasses despite the dim tent lighting, and introduced himself as Roy LeGrange. The faith healer.
After several minutes of a sermon type speech about God and faith and hope, Roy addressed the crowd.
"This morning God spoke to me. He told me that today we will finally heal one very special lady. I am so happy. This woman has been coming to me for months now and every day I pray that I will finally be able to heal her. Finally, our patience has paid off."
Dean noticed the way Layla's hand tightened around her mother's at Roy's words.
"Layla Rourke, would you please come forward."
Layla immediately threw her arms around her mother in a hug. Her face showed a mix of joy and relief. They had clearly been waiting a long time for this.
"Layla? Are you here?" Roy asked and moved his head about as though he would be able to spot her despite his lack of sight.
Layla immediately let go of her mother and stood up. "Yes, Roy. Yes, I'm here," she said as she hurried onto the stage. She wiped a stray tear off her cheek.
"Well, get on over here," he joking called as he gently waved his arm about looking for her. When he finally made contact with her shoulder, he began his practice.
"Pray with me friends." Roy's voice filled the tent.
Dean rolled his eyes as everyone around him raised their hands in praise. Sam stared forward in wide-eyed amazement. Dean couldn't believe Sam was falling for this snake-oil salesman.
"Alright now, alright now," Roy repeated softly to Layla. He had one hand on top her blonde head and one hand still on her shoulder. After a few moments, Layla began to sway. A few more moments and she collapsed onto the floor.
"Holy shit." Dean said and began to make a move towards the stage, Sam right behind him. Before they even made it to the aisle, though, Layla sat up and blinked several times. She seemed fixated on something behind Roy, but nothing was there. After a moment, she looked around into the crowd.
"I'm cured," she whispered. Then she cried. "I'm cured. Thank you, Roy. Thank you."
Layla's mother moved on stage and helped Layla to her feet. She echoed her thanks to Roy as she made her way out with her healed daughter, still crying hysterical tears of joyful relief.
The crowd began to move again and collectively started to funnel out of the tent. They were happy Layla had been healed, but it didn't take an expert to tell they were more disappointed they hadn't been chosen for healing themselves.
Dean and Sam turned to each other.
"Now do you believe?" Sam asked excitedly.
"Something seems off," Dean noted. "When she first sat up, she was looking at something. She saw something."
Sam sighed angrily. "Can't you just accept it when something good happens?"
"No, Sammy, I can't," Dean winced and clutched at his chest as he tried to stand. Sam instinctively offered a hand which Dean ignored. "If there's one thing I've learned in all my life, it's that good things don't just happen. Especially not when we're around. There is something going on here. We need to get to the bottom of this."
Sam stood and examined Dean's face. It was just as pale as it had been at the hospital, and there were still bags under his eyes despite all the rest he'd gotten on the way over. Even if Sam believed there was a monster there to take down, Dean was in no condition to hunt.
"If there was some kind of monster or demon or whatever," Sam argued, "don't you think I at least would have seen it?"
"Well, excuse me, psychic wonder," Dean leaned heavily against the back of his chair. Sam really wish he would sit back down and rest. "But I've been hunting long enough to know when to trust a feeling like this, okay?"
By the time Dean finished, they were the only ones remaining in the tent except for Roy and his wife. Together the LeGranges approached the two.
"Hello, boys," Mrs. LeGrange greeted them. "Was this your first time witnessing Roy heal someone?"
"Actually, yes," replied Sam.
"It sure is a miracle, isn't it?" She asked with a polite smile.
"Sure was," Sam started. His eyes caught onto Mrs. LeGrange's hands firmly clasped around a wooden beaded necklace. A small cross with a circular top dangled from one side.
"Could you tell us how he does it?" Dean interjected stifling a small wince at the end.
"You don't sound too good, son" Roy stated. It was unsettling the way he could look right at Dean despite his blindness. "Why don't we move inside the house. You can get comfy, rest, and we'll talk over hot tea."
Sam happily accepted the offer and the group finally exited the tent. They moved rather slowly, Roy's wife guided him by the arm and Sam lingered near Dean in case he needed help. He acted fine, but Sam knew his brother too well. He also knew Dean needed to feel strong and independent, so Sam pretended like he wasn't walking unusually slow for his sake.
They eventually made it inside the house, and Dean collapsed into the sofa. It had that characteristic old-person smell, but Dean didn't seem to notice.
Mrs. LeGrange continued into the kitchen and returned moments later with a kettle and four small tea cups.
"I have the tea steep during the service so it's always ready when we finish. Healing can be very tiresome. It's sad that we can't save everyone, but Roy does what he can." Mrs. LeGrange explained while pouring tea. After distributing the cups, she took a seat next to her husband on the couch across from the brothers.
Dean sipped from his tea, made a face, then placed the cup aside. He much preferred the healing properties of a cold beer.
"So tell us," Sam started, switching seamlessly into interrogation mode, "when did Roy start healing people?"
Roy recited his story like he'd been telling it everyday his whole life. "Woke up one morning stone blind. Doctors figured out I had cancer. Told me I had maybe a month. So, uh, we prayed for a miracle." Roy took his wife hands in his without even needing to feel around.
"I was weak, but I told Sue Anne 'You just keep right on praying.' I went into a coma. Doctors said I wouldn't wake up, but I did. And the cancer was gone."
Roy removed his sunglasses to show his eyes. The entire lense had turned white. Not even the pupils were visible.
"If it weren't for these eyes, no one would believe I'd ever had it," he finished with a smile.
Dean wasn't immediately sold. "And suddenly you could heal people?"
"I discovered it afterwards, yes. God's blessed me in many ways," Roy looked towards his wife.
"And his flocked just swelled overnight. And this is just the beginning," Sue Anne added.
"Can I just ask one last question?" said Dean.
"Of course."
"How do you choose? Who to heal, I mean. Out of all the sick people, how do you decided who gets to live and who has to die?"
Roy smiled. "Like I said before: The Lord guides me. He chooses who to heal, I just follow his lead."
Dean still wasn't convinced, but Sam had already stood to leave. He thanked their hosts politely for the hospitality, and motioned to Dean that they should leave. Sue Anne guided them out the front door and waved after them as they pulled away in the Impala.
"I don't know, man," Dean said tiredly. "I just don't believe it. Something just doesn't add up."
Sam looked over to his brother. Normally, he would have dug into the conversation and started a lengthy semi-argumentative discussion, but Dean was looking more and more out of it the farther they got from the circus tent church. It had certainly been an eventful day, and the doctor had instructed Dean to get as much rest as possible.
Of course, the doctor also advised strongly against Dean leaving the hospital. He also said Dean was going to die. Screw that doctor.
Sam decided to let the conversation die. They would head to a nearby motel for now, and wait until Roy's next healing session in a week. While they waited, Sam would continue to look for another way to save his brother.
Dean slept with his head against the window, his breath fogging the glass around his mouth. His oversized hoodie made his normally muscular frame look frail. Sam hoped he could save Dean, but mostly he hoped Dean would make it through the night.