Chapter One: Sick

He had stayed up most of the night again, fear driving him to put such strain on his body; fear of the nightmares he'd have. The same images of his girlfriend pinned to the ceiling and burning before his eyes, images of her paled face as she gasped for help. Her body completely white, almost hollow and sickly. It had been months since the incident...since he had lost Jess and the more Sam tried to forget it the stronger and more vivid the dreams became, he could feel the heat on his face and the blood on his forehead. It terrified him, so he stayed up. He stayed up and he drank coffee like it was an essential for life. This morning was no different.

Dean was still silently sleeping curled up under bed, his shirt disposed to the right of his mattress leaving him bare back to the ceiling as only part of the comforter covered him, his arms were mangled together under the soft pillow beneath his tattered short hair, his left foot just peeking from the covers. Sam figured he'd give his brother a little more time to rest. The night before had taken a lot out of Dean. What with finishing a hunt, getting pelted in the stomach, whacked across the face and then of course the traditional plaster faced bar scene afterwards.

Dean needed rest and Sam was going to give him just that, so instead of pestering his brother awake to join him for breakfast Sam waltzed off to grab some coffee for both him and his brother. By the time he got back Dean would either be awake or shifting enough he might as well be. By six am Dean was usually up on his own anyways, sometimes seven if he was really hung over.

Leaving the motel and his brother to rest Sam walked the few blocks to the small cafe nested near the motel entrance. A common appearing diner like the ones that him and Dean usually visited, booths along the side and a counter to sit at. Tacky colours and waitress' forced to wearing ugly short sleeved shirts and skirt combinations with a white apron. Going up to the counter Sam forced a smile to the plump waitress. "Two coffees, one with one cream and two sugar and one black. Can I get them to go?" The waitress smiled with a nod and went to retrieve the hot drinks mixing them just how Sam ordered before bringing them back. "How much?" The waitress smiled and shook her head pointing to a sign. Free coffee for occupants. With another smile Sam thanked her and picked up the warm cardboard cups before heading back to their room.

Balancing one coffee on top of the other Sam twisted the door to the room open and nudged it the rest of the way with his foot. Closing it in the same manner he knocked his shoes aside before walking in and setting the coffee down on one of the end tables. "Dean." He spoke up as he shifted his eyes from his brother to the mess of blankets on the floor. Dean hadn't moved much from his previous position...except for the blankets now kicked off and thrown aside. "Dean get up." Sam smirked as he was greeted with a grunt from his brother. "C'mon." Going to Dean side Sam jabbed his knuckled into Dean's ribs. "Get up."

Dean scowled at Sam before knocking his hand away. "Piss off, Sam." He grunted and turned his back to his brother snuggling into the warmth the mattress was giving him.

"It's seven-thirty Dean." Sam persisted as he stood tall looked down at his brother.

"Mmm..." Dean groaned as he ran a hand along the bed looking for the blanket. "...ten more minutes."

Sam sighed and pulled the blanket from the floor dropping it within Dean's reach. "Your coffee is getting cold."

"So? Not like you paid for it."

Sam sighed, Dean wasn't aware of the free coffee perk but every time Sam and Dean paid it was with a fake credit card. "C'mon Dean, get up. I think we might have a hunt."

"So soon?" Dean groaned again pulling the blankets up over his head. "I'm still not recovered from the last one."

"You mean the last victory beer binge?"

"That too." Dean untucked his head from under the blanket and looked over to Sam. "C'mon Sam...can't we rest today? Someone else will find it."

"Dean..."

"Thanks Sam." Turning back into the covers Dean pulled them over his head again.

"I didn't agree!"

"You're such a great little brother."

With a frustrated sigh Sam gave into his brother's wishes and gathered his coffee. "Kay...well...while you sleep I'm going to go check this out, talk to the family and stuff. You going to be alright?"

"Yes mom." Dean's muffled voice came from under the covers.

With a chuckle Sam stood up with laptop in hand and left his brother to sleep.

XxXxXx

"Get the fuck out you fucking donkey! Take of this jacket and get out! GET OUT!" Dean surpressed the urge to laugh as he watched Chef Ramsay chew out another chef on Hell's Kitchen. It was running around seven pm and Dean had just started to wake up, his sore body begging for more sleep but his eyes refusing to close. In an attempt to keep himself in "awake mode" he turned on the TV and was blown away by Chef Ramsay and his long string of rippling curses. It was all Dean could watch to keep his mind off of Sam who was still out. Dean had called him a couple of times and Sam told him he was working and would be home soon; as much as Dean trusted Sam it was everyone else he didn't trust. Picking up his phone he dialed his brother again.

"What?" Sam sounded almost annoyed.

"Hey Sammy." Dean greeted, acting oblivious to the fact Sam sounded irritated beyond all belief. "Where are you?"

"I'm working Dean."

"Well tell me where and I'll come get you."

"You can't...I took the Impala."

"You took my car?" Dean's voice held the irritation now.

"You were sleeping."

"Yeah, well you're going to be sleeping if there's anything wrong with it. If I remember correctly the last time you touched my car lets see...what did you do? Oh yeah! Ran it into the side of a house!"

"To get rid of a spirit, Dean...one that was killing me."

"Yeah, whatever. Listen get back soon I'm starving."

"Don't wait for me, go to the diner down the street."

"Aw c'mon Sammy..." Dean groaned into the phone. "They'll...they'll look at me like I'm a killer or something man. I already freaked out the receptionist when I paid for the damn room."

"Well Dean, you kinda did hit on her sixteen year old daughter and we weren't exactly talking about rainbows and lollipops."

"She looked twenty and if she hasn't heard someone talking about killers before she has some serious sheltered issues."

"Whatever, man. I'm not saying anything. Listen, I'll be home soon and pick something up on the way. Just sit tight." Soon the line went dead as Sam hung up. With a grumble Dean shut his own phone and looked to the door...it seemed so far away today.

XxXxXx

The door creaked open a good hour later and Sam walked in with pizza, a case of beer and a large plastic cup of coke. Kicking his shoes aside he walked in to find Dean was still in bed watching TV. "Don't you have bed sores yet?" Sam joked as he set the hot pizza down at the foot of Dean's bed, the beer and coke finding a place on the floor.

"What are bed sores?" Dean faked stupid as he grabbed the pizza and threw the top open. Grabbing a slice he nearly inhaled it before he picked up a second. His body jumping as he coughed a little bit when he literally inhaled a piece.

"Chew, Dean." Sam scolded as he picked up his own piece. "I don't want to have to start pounding on your ribs to get a piece of pepperoni out because you can't chew properly."

"Yeah yeah, so...tell me about this hunt." Dean wiped his mouth free of pizza sauce and picked up the coke, completely going over the beer. Popping off the top he took a relatively large gulp before setting it back down. "What are they saying?"

"Murderer." Sam replied as he finished off his first piece. "Guy went outside to roll up the car windows so rain would get in them and never came back inside. Wife grew worried went out too and she never came so the teenage daughter went out to see what was happening and couldn't find anyone. She called the police and they started an investigation. Two days later they find the bodies but get this..." Sam paused so he could gather all of Dean's attention. "Their skin is wrinkled and sagging...like an elderly couple."

"Elderly?" Dean frowned at the word. "So...what are we dealing with some youth snatching spirit?"

"Not sure if it's a spirit but so far all signs lead to one. No foot prints, no sulphur, no animal like attacks or hex bags...but what I don't understand is how a spirit could steal youth...what would it need it for? So I did some digging." Sam picked up his laptop and opened it up turning the screen to Dean. "Read up on the fountain of youth. Said to be situated in Florida, I mean the stories on this could go on...but I did find something. Juan Ponce de León went on an expedition to find the fountain of youth and ended up in Florida. There are stories about him and the fountain of youth but I looked up an old legend. Juan didn't believe in the fountain of youth being an item but more like a spiritual essence you could extract from children or young adults. His beliefs went on in an underground cult being told only to the members until it reached the ears of the city thanks to an overly eager follower. The cult was shut down, literally. The base and everything. They were keeping up underground to perform rituals and prayers. Anyways, so they shut it down and Juan's beliefs were lost." Pulling a newspaper from his backpack he handed it to Dean. "Last week they open up an old sewer main under the city...that's when these started. So I'm thinking we have a spirit of a follower who is in some much need of redemption to their god Juan Ponce de León."

Looking over the information with a quirked brow Dean sighed. "We're getting dirty tonight aren't we?"

XxXxXx

Sam knew something was wrong with his brother. From the moment Dean had gotten out of bed to parking the Impala near the reopened sewer main he had been swaying and panting, taking breaths through his mouth rather than his nose. "Dean...you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine Sam, quit asking." Dean snapped as he shoved the Impala into Park and slipped free from driver's side. Closing the door behind him he walked to the trunk and lifted it up pulling out a range of weapons, Sam mimicking his older brother's actions. Slamming the trunk down Dean looked to Sam before setting his gun and walking off to the middle of the street where the manhole was latched. With crowbar in hand he slipped it into the notches of the manhole cover and lifted it up and away. Standing guard in the street he had Sam go down first before following closely slipping the manhole cover back over top.

Dropping the last few rusted stairs Dean lifted a hand to his nose gagging slightly at the smell. "Ugh...that is just nasty...c'mon...lets go." Flicking on his flashlight Dean shone it down to the sewer grid of the city and started to make his way through the small five foot height sewer. "There's no way this is five feet." Dean grumbled as he inched along the sewer brushing away several insects as the landed on his head or hands.

"You're right Dean...it isn't...we're at least on a good two inches of...well. The roof has sunk half an inch as well. We're walking in a tunnel with maybe three feet of room if not less. The reopened sewer should be bigger though, tall enough for even me to stand in without having to slouch."

"Dude...where do you learn this stuff? You're like a encyclopedia filled to the brim with crap...literally."

"Tell me about it." Sam grunted as he inched behind Dean having even more trouble than his older brother who stood a good four inches shorter than Sam.

"Hold up Sammy." Dean grunted as he set his hand to the wall quickly pulling it back as a swarm of ants and cockroaches squirmed under his fingers. "Need a rest."

Sam paused behind Dean and crouched lower. "You okay Dean?"

"Yeah...just...a little short of breath...I'm getting out of shape." With a chuckle from both Dean turned back to the sewer and continued to inch his way forward Sam closely behind him. "You doing okay Sam?"

"As good as I can be."

"Good, cause you're about to feel a whole lot better." Stepping free from the small sewer Dean nearly fell into the larger one. His legs stretching out giving him the much needed room to stretch out his back. Looking behind him he found Sam was antsy to do the same thing as well. "Alright..." Looking back down to the map Dean shone the flashlight from the map to the sewer. "Should be right up here."

As Dean trudged through the sewage his body began to grow hot and heavy on him. His feet felt like they were sinking even further into what he was praying was mud, his jacket felt like another person was clinging to his back, even the map felt too heavy for him. With his weary body still pushing on he began to grow warmer and warmer, his limbs begging for a rest as he started panting heavily. Closing his eyes he mimicking the action with his mouth and drew in deep breaths through his clogging nose. That was when he could taste it...almost like a thick painful bloody taste in the back of his nose, that taste you get before you're insanely sick. "Oh man..." Raising a hand to his forehead he wiped away the built of beads of sweat and looked back to Sam. 'C'mon Dean...you have to protect Sammy. Do the job and get to bed, simple.' "What am I looking for?"

Shinning his flashlight over the walls Sam turned his lips down in a puzzle. "Not sure, I just know that it's a symbol...I'm sure we'll know when we do find it."

Turning forward again Dean grumbled under his breath about the sewer before continuing on. His flashlight going from one wall to the next as he searched...then another wave of heat. Stopping he set a hand to his forehead as he lowered his gaze, eyes closing as he tried to keep it together. That was when Sam bumped into him and forced him to stumble a few feet. "Sam!"

"Sorry Dean." Stabling his brother Sam was a little taken back at Dean's warmth. "You okay?"

"I'm fine!" Dean snapped as he pulled his arm from Sam and continued walking. Each step he took seemed to draw him closer to the floor, his eyes growing hot as he lifted a hand to rub them. Groaning softly as he felt a rush of cool wind fall over him until he was startled by Sam's hands gripping at his body. "Sam get off of me! I'm fine!!" That was When Dean felt himself being pulled up. Pulled up? Taking in his surroundings Dean found himself held tight in Sam's arms, his legs completely Jello underneath him. The cool wind had been him falling. Feeling his brother pull at him Dean was rested on a dry piece of ground. He felt Sam hands on his face but could barely register they were there. His brother pulled at his eyes lids, checked his throat, looked in his ears, the same stuff they always did when the other was sick.

"We have to get you out of here." Sam sounded scared, frightened even. His hands kept shaking the more he grasped on to Dean and his words were laced with a shiver even Dean couldn't mistake for being cold. "Can you walk?"

Planting his feet on the ground Dean tried to stand but only collapsed back down, his head shaking slightly. "No..." There was a brief silent moment before Sam slammed his hand hard on to Dean's shoulder. "Oww, what was that for?"

"Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling good!? This is serious Dean you could get really sick for being down her with a low immunity!" Readying himself for a cocky retort Sam glared at his brother.

"Sorry." Was all Dean could muster, no cocky nature behind it, no smirk. Just exhaustion.

"Sorry?" Sam's voice laced with worry as he took Dean's face again, Dean never said a genuine sorry before. His brother was white, his lips were dry and pale and his eyes...the pupil was much too small for being in a dark sewer. "Crap. Dean?" Sam moved the few bits of hair that were matted to Dean's forehead. "Dean...listen to me...I want you to sing the lyrics for AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long. Can you do that?" Sam received a smirk from his brother, if there was one thing Dean would never screw up it was an AC/DC song.

"She was a fast machine..." Dean barely mumbled as he kept his eyes closed, struggling to remember the words. "...she was the best damn woman that I've ever seen."

"Good. Keep singing." Sam whispered as he hoisted Dean to his feet slipping his brother's arm around his neck and dragged him back through the tiny three foot tunnel.

"You...shook me aaaaaall night loooong." Dean's words slurred a little as he dropped a few times on Sam his body nearly falling into the sewage below. "Yeah you shook me...yeah you shook meeeee...aaaaaaalll niiiiight loooooong."

As the song came to a close Sam had made it through the small tunnel and was at the stairs. Looking up he frowned, there was a good ten feet of stairs to go and Dean was barely able to walk. Hoisting his brother up Sam pulled Dean's eyes open. "Okay Dean, I need you to pay close attention. We have to get you to bed but I can't carry you up the stairs...so I want you to move as if someone was stealing the Impala right now." Getting a nod Sam turned Dean around and set his hands on to the bars.

Dean clenched the bar under his hand and felt the gritty texture memorizing it for when he needed to grab the second bar. Setting a foot to the bottom bar he pushed up and began to climb, his mind keeping in the thought of someone stealing his car. Ripping apart the dashboard, hot wiring it and peeling out leaving Dean without his weapons, without his resources and without his baby! Grabbing the second bar he picked up his pace a little, his lips parting as he panted heavily, sweat trickling down the sides of his neck. Reaching the manhole cover he braced his back against the wall and pushed up throwing the cover aside before nearly falling back down. Feeling Sam hands on his lower back he pulled himself through the manhole and rolled on the street. Back on the pavement as he panted into the night air, eyes closed.

Pulling himself up behind his brother Sam moved the cover back onto the manhole and dragged Dean to his feet and away from the street. Lying him down on the sidewalk Sam promised a quick return and swiped Dean key's before cutting through the alleyway to get the Impala. Slipping into the driver's side he cursed the fact his brother was so stubborn and peeled from the parking spot and around the block to where Dean was now standing, clinging to a light post for support. Getting out in a frantic manner Sam went over to Dean and pulled him to the Impala. "Dean, I need you to stop being the hero!" Sam grumbled as he pulled open the backseat and helped Dean inside.

Taking one of Dean's legs he shoved it in before going for the other, the first slipping out as the second was in. Sam sighed in frustration. "Dean, cooperate with me."

"Stop it Sam, I'm not that sick." Dean slurred, eyes still closed.

"Not that sick?" Sam finally got both legs in and shut the door. Slipping into the front seat he closed his own door. "Dean..." Sam sighed, there was no use in arguing, Dean would only forget what they were fighting about in a couple minutes anyways.

XxXxXx

The drive back to the motel was in complete silence, Dean had fallen asleep not long after being thrown into the backseat and Sam...well he wanted to keep Dean asleep. No radio, no whispering, he even had his and Dean's cells shut off so that wouldn't wake his older brother. He drove at a slow speed so the engine wouldn't wake Dean, if anything it would be the first thing to wake him up.

Parking the Impala back in it's stall Sam stared at their room, his breathing hitching slightly at the thought of Dean's illness. It was why Dean was so groggy this morning, it was why he was bed ridden and reluctant to drink beer, it was why he kept calling Sam and making sure he was okay. Dean was never sick, Sam was always the one getting sick and now that his brother was suffering from a heavy flu...it must have been terrifying for Dean. Not knowing what to do to take care of himself, knowing he couldn't protect Sam.

Unclenching the Impala's steering wheel he slipped from the driver's side and moved to the back seat doors. With some help from a passerby Sam had gotten Dean into the motel and into bed. Clothes stripped off, medicine down his throat and a cool cloth on his forehead. "Don't worry Dean...I'll take care of you."


Okay, so he fountain of youth thing was tweaked enough to make this story believeable. It's mainly true...except for the cult and the essence thing. Anyways, review if you would like me to continue.