CHAPTER NINE

Dean placed the journals in his jacket, if they were going to fight, there was going to be no evidence left behind. But as they made their way to the hallway did John feel pressure around his throat and began to wheeze.

"Dean." He squeaked.

Dean looked towards the front door and found Jen holding his father in place.

"I want the amulet." She said.

"What amulet?" Dean asked, not knowing what she was talking about.

"Don't play games with me Dean. You either give me the amulet or my friend at the hospital is going to end poor Sammy's life."

Dean shook his head, "I really don't know what you're talking about."

Jen threw John into the wall and watched as he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

"Don't mess with me Dean, I can do more than hurt Sam, I can make both you and your father feel pain as well."

Dean stepped back into the library, but she was faster than he and she threw him to the ground. The journals scattered to the ground.

"Well, well, well, I told you that you had something I wanted." and lifted the infamous journal of John Winchester.

Dean tried to grab for it but she slapped his hand away, "I don't think so Dean, it's this or Sam, take your pick."

"Screw you bitch." He said and pulled out a mini rock salt gun he'd been working on and pulled the trigger at her. It hit her with a dull thud and she howled in pain. Blood soaked through her white sweater as she dropped the journal at Dean's feet before staggering backwards. John came limping into the room with the sawed off shotgun and fired at her, this time he struck hard as she fell to her knees and ended up dead on the floor.

Dean looked up to his father as he picked up the journals and got to his feet. John patted his son's back. "We have bigger problems Dean, if she is who I think she is, and then Sam is in trouble."

Dean shook his head, "We have to watch over him dad, if anything happens to him…" he was cut off by his father, "Nothing is going to happen to Sam, not if I have anything to do with it.

Dean shook his head, suddenly all the weight of the past year was steadily pulling down on him as he collapsed into a chair nearby. Sam had to be safe or he would never forgive himself.

"Dean she said she wanted an amulet, yet when you dropped the journals she was pleased." John said as he picked up the journals and looked at the one. Embedded in the cover was an amulet of silver and ruby and it shone brightly when John traced a callus finger over it. "The amulet of Darkness." He whispered and Dean closed his eyes in weariness.

"What are we going to do?" Dean asked standing and stretching his muscles.

"We're going to visit Sam and make sure he's alright." He said.

They made their way out to the Impala; John said he'd meet him at the hospital. Dean nodded and drove off into the darkness, leaving behind his father to follow. Yet as he pulled into the parking lot and waited, his father never showed. He began to worry and called his cell, no answer, then began to worry even more. Had the doppelganger come back and attack his father? He wasn't certain but now he had a job to do, protect Sam at all costs.

He entered the brightly lit hospital hallway and made his way to the nurses' station. Behind the desk was a pretty young woman with black curly hair and hazel eyes.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"God yes." He said, and then stopped, "When you're off duty."

She smiled, "What can I do for you?"

He grinned, "Sal White's room."

She typed on the computer and looked up to him, "He's been moved again, he's back in ICU."

"What happened?" Dean asked, he was beginning to panic.

"He hemorrhaged, Dr. Lane had to operate and stop the bleeding. He's stable right now but he's not allowed any visitors."

Dean sighed, placing his hands on the desk, "He's going to be alright?"

She nodded, "I'll page Dr. Lane and he can talk to you. We've been trying to reach you and your father all day."

Dean nodded, "My cell has been acting up since the accident. I've contacted my phone company and they're sending us new phones, so we'll have to stick close by so that you can reach us."

She nodded as she picked up the phone and paged Dr. Lane. Dean took a seat nearby in one of the annoying plastic chairs and sighed. First Jen, then dad, now this, what more could go wrong?

"Mr. White?" a middle age man said in a white jacket, "I'm Dr. Lane. Your brother Sal is doing better and resting. I've said no visitors but you and your father should be with him. But I will warn you now; he's on tight monitoring right now."

Dean nodded, "Is he ever going to walk or do any thing like he did before?"

Dr. Lane shook his head, "We have to take each day one day at a time. Right now we don't know what to expect. He's moving his fingers yet when we place light over his eyes, his eyes stay focused. The hemorrhaging didn't help and we found two other ruptures that we had to repair. To say the least Mr. White, it may be years before your brother does anything remote normal."

"And he can't be moved until then?"

"If it's a stable environment then yes he can be moved otherwise we don't recommend it."

Dean nodded, "Can I see him now?"

"Yes." He said and motioned for him to follow. They entered the elevators and went up to the sixth floor, ICU was oddly quiet and when they got to Sam's room, Dean could hear the monitors going. There was a tube in Sam's mouth, to help him breath easier.

"He doesn't look good." Dean said.

"He's better than he was."

"I wish it was me laying there not him. He's got a life ahead of him."

The doctor put a hand on his shoulder, "The accident was uncalled for. The man that ran into you is paying the ultimate price. Sam will heal, he's safe. We'll make sure he lives."

"I just want him back." Dean said.

"I know son, I know. But he is alive and that's all we can be grateful for right now."

Dean nodded, taking a seat next to his brother's bed. He took his hand and held it as the doctor silently left the room. Dean smiled as he turned his attention back to his brother. Sam was pale and his face bruised; it didn't look like his little brother at all. Dean bowed his head and whispered, he wanted his brother back if it was the last thing he asked for. Sam didn't deserve this kind of pain, not after all he'd been through.

"Oh Sam, please don't leave me to live alone." He said.

Sam's fingers moved and Dean shot his head up. Sam was still asleep but his brother had squeezed his hand! He was going to be alright after all!

"Sam?" he said.

His brother was still yet he was stunned that Sam had squeezed his hand. Sitting by his side was more than anything to him, Sam had always been the baby, the one that wanted to be independent all his life and when he went to college he got his way. But that wasn't the story now; he was laying in this bed, unconscious and in a coma and may never be the baby brother he once was.

"Oh Sam, this should've never happened to you."

The room was eerily silent as Dean stood and stretched. Dad should've been here by now but he would have to worry about that later, Sam was in danger by the demons that had tried killing him before. He vowed never to let them get to him as long as he lived.

"Hey Sammy, I'm going to go find dad, I'll be back." He whispered and placed a kiss on his brother's forehead.

He left the room, calling his father's cell and still not getting any answer. "Where are you dad?" he muttered as he put his phone away and made his way to the parking lot. His dad was going to get an ear full when he found him.