A/N: I gotta repeat that this story happens before episode 15 (Season 7, of course)! ;)

By the way, thanks for reviews, alerts and favorites! :)

.


.

They had been forced to intubate Dean; he couldn't breathe on his own anymore.

Sam had just gotten a couple hours of shut-eye when it happened. He'd jolted awake in his seat when he'd heard alarms going off and staff running into the room. Dean had gone into full respiratory arrest and had almost crashed.

And now the damn machine was breathing for him and Sam was at the exact same place he had been two weeks ago; not one step closer to find a way to save Dean.

He felt like he'd failed his brother. Big time.

"Mr. Bright, you've a call. You can take it at the nurse station." Dean's nurse informed him.

Sam frowned. Nobody knew he was there. Except Frank; Sam had given him the number once they'd moved Dean to the intensive care where he wasn't allowed to turn on his cell phone.

Frank.

This could be good news; and probably his last chance.

Either Frank had something that would save Dean, or he'd called to ask about Dean's situation. Yeah, right! Like Frank was that type of guy!

Sam just hoped that whatever Frank had found could actually save Dean and bring him back.

"Frank?" he asked as soon as he took the phone. "Please tell me you've got something."

"No, Sam. I'm calling just because I was lonely. Of course I've got something. "Sam could tell that Frank was rolling his eyes.

"It's a goddess called Yemaya. She's powerful and almost unbeatable." Frank started without preamble. "Almost." He emphasized. "I found a way but you've to act fast. How's Dean doing?"

"Not good, he's on the ventilator."

"What?" Frank shouted, making Sam flinch. "You've even less time than what I thought." Frank declared and started to explain to Sam what he'd found out. A few minutes later, Sam put the phone back on the cradle and walked towards the exit door.

"Mr. Bright?" a nurse called him from behind.

"I'll back soon, this is important; just please keep him alive." and with that he was gone.

...

Taking a look at his surrounding, Sam made sure that everything was ready and then started to chant.

"Sam Winchester. What can I do for you?" Yemaya appeared in the middle of the room. "No, don't answer that, let me guess. Ummm, yeah, I know, I know, you want me to clean here for you? It's really messy." she looked around. "Sorry, Sammy, not my field of work."

Sam clenched his teeth. He had to be patient or he could screw up and lose Dean for good.

"No? Well, I don't know, then." She shrugged. "Oh, wait! Maybe you want Dean back."

Anger flashed in Sam's eyes. "Where's Dean?"

"He's in an alternate universe with your Mom. Oh and in that universe, you don't exist." Her eyes shined with mischievous joy. "Isn't that just interesting? He's so happy there that when I met him a few... A few... Ah, it's hard to say when, the differences between this universe and that one is kinda confusing. Anyway, he didn't want to come back! I offered him my help but he didn't accept it. He wanted to stay there. Did I mention you don't exist there?" A sick smile played on her lips.

"You're lying." Sam spat out.

"Am I?" she laughed. "He has a little girl. Can you imagine? Dean is a father and that's not all. He's a cardiologist." she laughed out loud. "I was his secretary for a while."

"Bring him back." Sam demanded.

"Didn't you hear a word I just said? He doesn't want to come back. If you want your brother happy, then you should let him be. He obviously is tired of your company, he's experiencing a new life there and he's happy with what he has. It's been a few months in that universe, you know? He's had enough time to think and decide. He'd have been here with you now, if he wanted to come back."

Sam felt like he had been punched in the gut. Was that possible? Was that bitch telling the truth?

Dean had been really tired lately; maybe he did want to stay away. Sam couldn't blame him if that was the case.

But did that mean that he had to give up on his brother? Was that what Dean really wanted?

It was a really hard decision that Sam had to make.

He could let Yemaya go and leave Dean alone to live his dreamy life in the other universe. But what if she was lying? What if Dean was going through hell? What if he needed Sam to get him back?

Or he could just kill that bitch and bring Dean back. That was the safe way and the logical one. But Dean could hate him for that. It was nothing like that sick game of the Djinn's; Dean was really leaving a normal happy life, now.
Sam felt like he'd already taken too many good things away from Dean; he didn't want to hurt his older brother anymore, it just wasn't fair to Dean.

Looking up, Sam found Yemaya assessing him with an amused look on her face; she was clearly enjoying what she was seeing.

He wasn't sure what to do, but he was saved from making the hard decision as Yemaya's eye widened in shock, then her face pinched with fear and pain. Looking down, she found a copper rod sticking out of her chest.

Blood started to run down her chin as she coughed and then looked up at Sam. "He has cancer."

Sam's eyes widened in fear.

She fell to her knees and then on the ground. Coughing up more blood, she blurted out her last words, "He's dying. You'll never get him back in time. You're already too late."

Sam stepped back, the blood drained from his face. Dean had cancer. Dean was dying a slow, painful death and he'd never get him back in time.

"Snap out of it." Frank yelled. "It's not late until his body dies in that hospital. Give me that bowl, we don't have time. Do you have everything I told you?"

Sam blinked, but did as he was told and passes the bowl to Frank. "Um, yes. We just need to add her blood. What are you doing here?"

"I figured she'd try to manipulate you. Good thing I showed up when I did." he said, a hint of anger in his voice.

"Sorry, I- I-"

"Forget it. Just remember that even if she was telling the truth and your brother was living a happy life, it wasn't his place. This is where he should be, no matter what."

"So, uh, Dean's not exactly responsive. How are we going to make him drink this?" Sam scratched his head.

Frank rolled his eyes. "Feeding tube. Do I need to tell you everything? How you two have survived so many years is really beyond me."

.

.

... TBC ...

.

.