Chapter 3

Sam didn't want to fight with Dean. He was actually glad to see his brother. He had missed the elder Winchester.

"Dean…" Sam pleaded. "Do we have to…?"

"I don't want to fight with you, Sammy. I really don't. But I come back…three months. I've warned you. I told you what Cas said." Dean shook his head. "What is it going to take for my little brother to get it through his thick head that this…power is not a good thing? No matter how good he thinks it is. Why else would that bitch know where you are?"

"Dean…." Sam started.

"She's using you, Bro." Dean sighed. "She's using you, and she's roped me in now. She told me I needed to be here, to balance you, so you wouldn't go off the deep end."

"What…what does that even mean? Go off the deep end?"

"I don't know." Dean admitted. He paused. "I get you trust her. She saved your life. But please just…."

"She saved your life too." Sam told him.

"What?"

"Like you said, you couldn't have made it much further without help." Sam said, trying to calm himself. He was angry at what Dean was saying, but he really, really didn't want to fight. And he knew just how to change the subject. "Which brings me to two questions; who or what got you? And, again, where is the Impala?"

Dean stared at his brother for just a second, as if he hadn't heard Sam the first time. He hadn't even missed his baby. Where was his baby? Dean tried to think. He had…he didn't know. He would just have to go and find her, retrace his steps.

"Man, I can't believe I left my baby behind." Dean said, angry with himself.

"Where is it?" Sam asked, he couldn't believe Dean didn't know where his car was.

Dean began to explain the time since he had last talked to his brother a month ago. Dean had stayed in West Texas for a week or two. He had tried to make time with a barmaid, until her hulk of a truck-driving boyfriend come back into town and caught Dean, mid-flirtation. He had to beat feet and get out of town. From there he had headed south on the path of a suspected witch who turned out to be 5% witch and 95% fraud. According to Dean's research her claim that her ancestor had been a witch in the Salem Witch Trials was true. The falsehood was that she, herself, possessed any of those abilities. He chastised her for taking poor, vulnerable, gullible people's money under false pretenses. Then he found a report of a werewolf in the southern part of the state. He traveled to within 30 miles of where he and Sam currently were. But, much to Dean's dismay, he encountered a pack of werewolves, which is rare. They were usually solitary creatures. Dean could have handled 2 or 3 alone. But the 5 he encountered. He still was not sure how he made it out of the place alive.

Dean finally remembered. He lost his keys in the struggle with those things. He had to have. He, after realizing he didn't have his keys in his pocket, took off through the woods. And luckily he had managed to get them off his trail. The next thing he knew he was being picked up by a demon in an old-lady suit.

Sam listened patiently and quietly as Dean told his story. Dean sat and watched his brother. He was unable to gauge Sam's mood or thoughts. Sam was wearing his poker face, which Dean didn't like. The elder Winchester tried to move on the bed and his chest and back made their protests known. He groaned and lay back down, breathing hard.

"Dean, I…it's not..." Sam said immediately getting up from his bed and moving over to Dean. He automatically checked his brother's bandages to see if they were in place and tosee if there was any blood. There were spots of blood on various bandages, but everything was still in place.

Dean knew what his little brother was doing and as much as he hated to be taken care of, he had to let Sam check him out.

Dean waited until Sam was finished so he could see Sam's face. "I know what you're gonna say, Sammy. And you're wrong. You weren't just doing anything. That…bitch has something planned for you, for us." He paused. "And I can guarantee you, it ain't good."

Sam felt his anger rise, and he needed to think. He needed time away from the situation, from Dean. He knew Dean would be okay for a couple of hours. But just in case, Sam put two pain pills and a glass of water by the bed before leaving.

"Sam?" Dean said, he could tell something was going on.

The younger Winchester shook his head. "I need…some time, Dean. I just…give me some time."

Dean nodded. He then grabbed the pills and popped them in his mouth. He downed the glass of water.

Sam opened the door. He then turned around. "I'll be back in about an hour." He turned back to the door. "I'll look for the Impala." He muttered as he walked out the door.

Sam Winchester looked up as he opened his car door. He, again, sensed he had company.

Ruby got right to the point. "How's Dean?"

"Do you really care?" Sam asked as he opened the door and got into the car.

Ruby opened her mouth to answer as she pulled the handle on the passenger side door. She yanked the handle up hard, again. It didn't budge. She then went around to the driver's side of the car.

"What do you want?" Sam asked, not waiting for her to answer his first question. "I mean, what do you really want?"

"I told you." Ruby reminded him. She had told him, all she could tell him without revealing her true purpose.

"Demons lie." Sam replied.

"So…I'd just lie to you again. If that's what you believe. What's your point?" Ruby replied, being completely honest.

Sam didn't answer.

"Look, Sam, Dean is suspicious…of everything and everybody. That probably serves you guys well, hunting. It's probably saved your lives a time or two. But this is me you're talking too."

Sam nodded, feeling better about the whole situation. "Look, I need your help. Dean can't remember where he left the Impala. And now I have a second driver."

Ruby nodded. That had been a little too close for comfort. She couldn't spend all her time repeatedly reassuring Sam Winchester she didn't have ulterior plans for him, when, in fact, she did. It was exhausting.

Ruby agreed to help Sam find Dean's car. She got in and they drove out of the parking lot.

TBC