Chapter 4

Dean and Sam were sitting at the table eating sandwiches when there was a knock at the door. They looked at each other and picked up their guns. Sam went to the door and Dean covered him as he opened the door slowly with gun ready. Tessa stood in the doorway looking at both of them with a look of surrender. Dean lowered his gun and sighed heavily motioning her to come in.

"There's food if you're hungry." Sam said sitting back down. "Are you ok?" He steered her to the table and pushed food toward her. She accepted the food from him picking up a French fry.

"I had to come back." she said looking hard at Sam. "You are going to need me, how are you feeling?"

"I've been better." Sam said pushing his food away after taking only a few bites. He tried to sip the soda and felt himself begin to gag. Sam raced to the bathroom to throw up everything he just ate.

"Sam, I thought you were better." Dean called not sure if he wanted anymore of his food after hearing Sam in the bathroom. Sam came out of the bathroom and stumbled to the bed.

"Hey man talk to me."

"I can't stop shaking." he answered grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around himself.

"Your brother has been infected." Tessa said softly.

"Infected?" Dean growled.

"A spirit and not a good one. The area where we fell in the river is said to have Native American spirits trapped in limbo, some good, some bad. One made contact with me. Her tribe was the first to live in the mountains of this land. They were a peaceful tribe and kept to themselves. Raiders came and she tried to get away, but fell in the river striking her head. She drown that day. But he spirit was not released from this world. She was the daughter of a very powerful shaman and was to take his place in the tribe. She has been roaming those woods waiting for the right person to help her. Her necklace is like a beacon that will lead us to her bones and then they can be laid to rest. I think a water spirit infected Sam and I think she can help before it's to late."

"To late for what?"

"Your brother will die." she said looking Dean in the eyes. He looked over at Sam who was huddled in the blanket. He looked at his pale face and the dark circles under his eyes. She was right he didn't look good.

"What do you need?"

"I can summon her and let her possess me." she said holding out her hand for the necklace.

"Dean no, there must be another way. You can't let her."

"Sammy, we may not have a choice, you're not getting any better. I'm not losing you." Dean fussed at him. He got up and gave Tessa the necklace. "Will you be harmed?"

"She hasn't shown any sign of being dangerous. I want to help her."

"Do what you need to."

Tessa lovingly cradled the necklace and began to softly chant. Dean watched closely as a glimmer began to appear beside her. Sam tried to suppress the fit of coughing with the blanket. He noticed flecks of blood and quickly hid it from Dean.

"Sammy, you good?"

"I'm ok. I don't want someone to be possessed because of me."

"She has to try, you're my baby brother." Dean begged. "Tessa said she wouldn't hurt her."

The shimmering continued to brighten as a willowy young woman started taking shape. Tessa put the necklace around her neck and closed her eyes. The spirit of the young woman made her way to Tessa and stepped into her body. Tessa tensed for a moment and then relaxed as she opened her eyes seeing for two now.

"Tessa?" Dean asked carefully.

"I am Sustenella, daughter of Tumklene, shaman to our people. You may call me Grey Dove." she said bowing her head to him. "You are a strong warrior for your people."

"Can you help my brother?"

Grey Dove strolled over to Sam and laid her hand on his cheek. Sam stifled a cough as she leaned down to look into his eyes.

"I am not sure, but I will try. There are herbs I will need."

"Write them down and I'll find them." Dean said looking around for a pad and pen. She accepted them and began to list the items she needed. "How do you know our language?"

"We are one, I see what she sees, knows what she knows. Warrior, you may want to hurry." she said softly as she tore the page off and handed it to him. Dean looked hard at her and grabbed his jacket and car keys.

"Hang on Sammy, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Why don't you lay down?" Tessa told Sam as she adjusted the pillows for him. He slipped back onto the bed and sighed weakly. "Have you expelled blood?"

"How did you know?"

"That is how the sickness progresses." she answered laying a hand on his chest and pulling another blanket up over him.

"Tessa why are you doing this for her?"

"I want to end her suffering and unite her with her loved ones. She has waited so long for help."

"How did you even know she was there?"

"I kind of have this ability, I can communicate with spirits, read people's thoughts, that kind of thing."

"So you're a medium?"

"Something like that. You need to rest, save your strength." she encouraged brushing a strand of hair off his forehead. Sam closed his eyes and tried to control his breathing which was getting harder.

Tessa/Grey Dove went to the bathroom and wet a washcloth. She sat down beside Sam and began to chant softly as she wiped his sweaty face. Sam's coughing was getting worse and deeper. "Hurry Dean." she prayed trying to comfort him as best as she could.

Dean exploded into the room about an hour later carrying a bag. He heard Sam coughing before seeing him and hurried over to his side. He handed Tessa the bag and asked, "How is he?"

""Worse, I'm afraid. I need you to fill the tub with purified water." she told him taking the bag and emptying it on the table.

"Purified, you mean holy water?"

"Yes, blessed water." she replied finding a bowl in the kitchen and putting water in the microwave to boil.

"Right, hang on Sammy." he whispered into his brother's ear as he grabbed Sam's pack to look for their father journal and the ritual. Grabbing the book he went in the bathroom and started water running into the tub.

He took his Dad's rosary and began the ritual. "Exoliso te creaturam salis per Deum vivum & per Deum & verum & per Deum sanctum & Deum qui te per Elizeum…" after completing he dropped the rosary into the water. "Done." he called to Tessa who was mixing herbs and chanting.

"Get your brother in the bathroom and undressed." she commanded as she went back to the chant. Dean jerked the covers off his brother and manhandled him toward the bathroom.

"Come on Sammy, I need to get your clothes off." Dean urged him as he finally got him sitting on the toilet. He started pulling his shirt up and jerking it off.

"No, Dean, what are you doing?"

"Stand up and quit fighting me." he ordered jerking down his sweats, but leaving on his boxers.

"Listen, I have to do this to save you." he argued slapping away his hands. "Tessa how much longer?" he called as Sam started coughing hard, trying to draw in a breath, Dean noticed his lips were turning slightly blue.

"Sam breath deep, deep." she commanded pushing his face over the steaming bowl and holding it there. Sam tried to pull away but was too weak to resist. Dean held him up as Tessa began to chant again. "Dean get him in the tub and do exactly what she says if you want you brother to live. Exactly!" she insisted taking the bowl away.

Dean helped Sam to the tub and into the water. He turned it off before it could overflow. He looked at Tessa waiting on more instructions.

"Brave warrior, hold your brother under. He must drown." she insisted taking his hands and putting them on Sam's shoulders. "He must die to be saved."

"Are you nuts, I can't kill my brother." Dean cried in panic trying to pull away.

"His spirit is almost gone, do it now or he dies."

"Dean." Sam gasp as his head lolled to the side, the glimmer of life almost gone from his eyes. Sam looked up into his brother's grief stricken face as Dean pushed him under the water and held him down. Confusion and panic swept across Sam's face as he tried to break Dean's grip. Being weakened by his illness, Sam feebly struggling lessened. He looked up thru the water into Dean's eyes questioning why? Tears trickled down Dean's face and into the water as he watched his brother weakly move under his hold. This was killing Dean as emotions tumbled, swirled and invaded his mind. 'I'm so sorry baby brother, please forgive me.' he thought toward his brother.

Tessa/Grey Dove sprinkled crushed herbs into the water and prayed in an ancient language not spoken in over two hundred years. Sam expelled the last of the air he was holding and sucked water into his lungs. He begin to spasm once, twice and became still. Heart wrenching grief swept over Dean as he watched his brother take a last breath. He was breathing heavily as he tried to ring in his emotions. His whole body shook and small sobs escaped between his lips.

"Sam!" he whispered thru clenched teeth as he blinked the tears away, feeling some trickle down his face. "Tessa." he begged looking at her.

"Just few more seconds, wait, wait, wait. Now! Get him out and on the towels, fast Dean." she urged trying to help. Dean laid his brother flat on the floor and Tessa knelt beside him checking for a pulse and breath.

"Tess?" Dean said hoarsely.

"Let me work." she said breathing two deep breaths into his lungs. She used all her strength and pushed down on his ribs trying to make Sam expel the water. She breathed for him, then checked again for a pulse. Finding a faint flicker of life, she breathed deep into his lungs again.

Suddenly Sam spit out some dark, smelling water. Dean helped turn him to his side and slapped his back several times to help him expel more. Dean gagged several times from the smell as Sam finally drew in a shaky breath.

"Sammy, Sammy say something." Dean smiled holding him partly up.

"Did you just kill me?" he finally crocked out.

.

"About that…" Dean trailed off not sure what to tell him. "I had to."

"There is one more step, dress and follow." Tessa/Grey Dove broke in.

"Come on Sammy, you need to get dressed." Dean told him helping him up out of the floor. Sam gripped the edge of the cabinet to steady himself. He turned the water on and splashed his face, sipping some to rinse his mouth out.

"Why does my mouth taste like crap and what's that smell?" he asked sniffing the air.

"Water spirit leftovers." Dean said gathering the towels up in a pile and pushing them over to the side. "Get dressed and lets get this finished." he said handing Sam his clothes. "You ok?"

"Yeah, give me a minute." he said glancing at him in the mirror reflection; Sam couldn't look at him yet. Dean ducked his head and quickly wiped away any remaining tears before leaving.

Sam picked up a towel and dried himself off noticing bruising on his shoulders the size of Dean's hands. He sighed heavily, slipped on his clothes and joined them in the other room.

Dean was downing a shot of whiskey and making to pour another. He could still see the look in Sam's eyes as he held him down and that was going to haunt him.

"Sam, drink, it will finish the cleanse." Tessa said holding a cup with some liquid in it.

He took the cup and drank it without hesitation. "Damn!" he gagged trying to control the reflex to up chuck. "That was nasty."

"It will finish the purification rite, I would have preferred a sweat lodge, but this will have to do." she said as she picked up herbs, jars and trash.

"What's it suppose to do?" Sam asked as a flush began to consume his entire body. Sweat poured out of every pour as he tried to catch his breath. It felt like his entire body was on fire.

"Sammy?" Dean questioned sitting his glass down and walking toward him. "Is this suppose to happen, Tessa, is he alright?"

"The sickness will be gone once he sweats it out. Go stand in the shower as hot as you can and let the water wash it away."

"Let me help." Dean offered.

"I'm fine." he grunted thru clenched teeth. Sam made it off the bed and to the bathroom without falling.

Dean could hear the water running as he closed his eyes and sighed heavily. What he did may never be forgiven. He rummaged in Sam's bag pulling out clean clothes and took them to the bathroom door. Cracking open the door, he tossed the clothes on the floor so Sam would have something to put on.

"Look, you two can take the beds, I'm going out for a while, need to fill the car with gas. I'll just bunk on the floor when I get back. Will you look after Sammy, make sure he gets some rest. If he's up for it we'll take a hike in the morning."

"I will be forever in your debt." Grey Dove spoke softly as she bowed her head to Dean. "I will watch over your brother."

"Thanks." Dean replied grabbing his coat and heading out the door.

Tessa was sitting at the table when Sam finally emerged from the bathroom. He glanced around the room seeing no sign of Dean. "Where's Dean?"

"He went out." she replied. "Here you need to drink." she stated sitting a bottle of water in front of him. Sam sat across the table from her and cracked open the bottle taking a sip. It was ice cold and it felt numbing and refreshing going down his throat. Sitting back in the chair he continued to sip on the water. "You need to rest, get your strength back."

"I'm already feeling better." he replied taking another sip.

"Your brother is a brave warrior, you should not harbor ill feelings toward him. He was doing what needed to be done to save you and that was for you to die to allow the sickness to leave you." she told him. He looked down at his water clenching his jaw, but remained silent. He was not ready to talk to anyone. "Sleep, young one, we have much to do tomorrow."

Sam only nodded and stretched out on the bed throwing an arm across his face. Tessa took one last sip of her tea before going to the other bed and laying down. She sadly looked at Sam hoping he could get past this deep anger toward his brother.