DISCLAIMER: Not mine… well at least not mine since I woke up… A gal can dream right? Kriepke's Land, I know… so sad.

NOTE#1: Okay… I went on vacation… Our plans didn't workout… we ended up with temporary custody of my great nephew (He sounded like he'd swallowed a squeaky toy)… Who is still darlin' by the way… I just missed sleeping… like at all! We also had 2 other babies full time. One who had just had surgery and was in pain. So I needed a vacation from my vacation! Came home and crashed for like 24 hours straight. So, I have decided I will gladly take dull and boring over the revolving door of drama! Love all the reviews, favs and alerts!I'm so sorry for the late chapter...

Chapter 14

"There's nothing to decide you dumb ass. You are not pit jumping without me. We do this." Dean growled; he hated feeling backed into a corner and he couldn't help feeling a little like everything was scheming to back him into the corner this time. "Together." He added just in case Sam needed clarification.

Sam said with a grin, "That's my boy."

Dean snorted as he gave him a slight shoulder nudge while he asked, "You ready to get this bitch started?"

Sam told him as he returned the nudge, hug given, received and returned, "I'm following you, remember?"

Dean smirked at Sam when he told him, "Just remember that in the future." and then he headed back to the group. He knew he was acting… off, but he couldn't help all the emotions swirling around in his head. A whirlwind of confusion swashing around his head like an out of control funnel cloud.

Sam started to follow only to freeze on the spot along with his smile as he thought, How can I follow him when I plan on tricking him? Can I really leave him behind? I really need to…

He hadn't realized he'd actually stopped until Dean also halted and turned to ask, "I thought you were following me?" Dean shook his head as he sarcastically added, "Talk about short term memory."

Sam smiled. Showing dimples and relieving some of Dean's stress instantly. It had been a long time since he'd seen those dimples.

Yoxe watched the young men walk back. The reason he could so readily believe everything was the things he had seen in his lifetime were… bizarre to say the least to "normal" people. He'd believed the angel about them because he'd dreamed about those boys himself. He'd known they were coming and that they needed his help. His father had appeared and told him it was time to help as well. He wasn't sure why they'd been through everything they had… what the reason was for all the pain that radiated off them in waves. Only that now he could help and he would. Whether it made sense or not didn't matter. Only that he followed what he'd been told and help the Winchesters. And that felt right.

"So." Dean said as they walked up, "What do you need from us to get us in that town when it reappears?"

Sam looked at Dean with a glare that clearly said he thought Dean was tactless.

Dean gave him a silent shrug in response.

Yoxe smiled as he said, "I like a person that gets right to the point. Before I decide anything you have to be cleansed."

Dean glared at the man before he snapped, "I bath at least once a day!" Thinking silently, asshole!

Yoxe laughed and then stated, "Your soul, your mind and your heart as well as your body."

Which only caused Dean to look at him like he was a raving looney who had escaped from the bin.

Bobby finally stepped into the conversation as he told Dean, "The cleansing of the sweat lodge ceremony."

Sam looked excited as he asked, "We get to do that?"

Dean looked from Bobby to Sam as he snapped, "You're kidding?"

Yoxe stated firmly, "The only way you're getting into that town is with my help. The only way you get my help is by to complete your journey through the sweat lodge."

"I don't have time for this." Dean growled only to have Yoxe glare at him.

Yoxe sighed and looked up at the sky for a moment before looking back at the boys.

Bobby interrupted having remained silent for a few moments, "Fact is we are running out of time so how soon can we do this?"

Yoxe studied the boys and Bobby. He stood silent as he then looked out over the slightly waving hills of his tribe's land. "This will not be easy. The journey will be long and tiring."

"Welcome to our life." Dean butt in to say as he crossed his arms and watched Yoxe.

"D." Sammy said, sounding close to a whine.

"Sorry." Dean grudgingly stated looking at Sam as he said it.

Sam gave a small smile.

"We have to prepare tonight and tomorrow and we will begin the ceremony at dusk." Yoxe declared quietly.

"Ok. But what do we need to do?" Bobby asked again.

"Well, first I need to gather the herbs and things I need for the ceremony. My sons will get the wood gathered and the lodge readied. Let me show you the bunk house. You can take showers and relax for a little while before I come to explain some things to you."

After Yoxe had left them alone Dean looked at Bobby as he asked, "You think this will work?"

"I think it will have to." Sam popped in as he sat down his bag on the table and rummaged through it pulling out clothes. "I get the first shower." He added before walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind him. He quickly locked and leaned against it. He worried that the deceit he had planned would possibly block him from being cleansed and then what would he do? Then how would he fix everything he'd fucked up? What would Dean do if he had to pit jump? Dean had meant what he said, so this was his one shot at saving Dean.

Dean was staring after Sam with a confused expression on his face.

Bobby cleared his throat and smiled as he snarked, "What princess? You wanted the first shower?"

Dean didn't even react.

Bobby knew Dean was worried but it seemed the closer the time came to actually getting it done, the closer to the edge of panic Dean was.

"Dean. This is a spiritual cleansing. You have to take it seriously. You can't be…" Bobby started only to be interrupted by Dean.

"I get the gravity of it all, Bobby. I'm not a good person… what if it rejects me?" Dean asks softly, still not taking his eyes of the bathroom door as he sat down in a chair next to where Bobby stood watching him.

Bobby stared down at Dean a few seconds before he grabbed his arm and gave it a shake and once Dean was looking up at him he continued, "You are a good person. You've fucked up… who hasn't? But they know what's in your heart. Your intentions. All that shit."

Dean stared at Bobby a few seconds before giving him a slight grin as he muttered, "Awesome pep talk, dude."

Bobby popped him in the back of the head with his hat. Dean reached out and swiped Bobby's trucker's cap. At the pissed off look Bobby gave him he lurched out of his chair and danced away.

Dean laughed but stopped and paused as Yoxe appeared again in the doorway. Dean held out the hat and Bobby reached out and took it, placing it back on his head.

"We need to talk." Yoxe told them solulmly.

"Wait." Dean said in a panic.

Yoxe raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"I'm sorry. I… I have…" He cleared his throat nervously, "when I'm nervous sometimes I'm an ass." Dean said as he stepped closer to Yoxe.

Sammy chose that moment to come out of the bathroom, rubbing his hair dry with the towel as he commented, "He really can't help himself… he is what he is."

"Yeah, I…" Dean started to agree then paused, "What? What does that mean?" Dean asked turning to glare at Sam.

Yoxe smiled before he told Dean, "I just want you to realize this is a very serious process for my people. It's needed to help us see certain things clearer and sometimes we even are given sacred visions. So please be open to this even though it is different from how you believe. Deal?"

Dean stared at Yoxe before he finally said, "Thank you for allowing us this chance. It's very important to us as well."

Yoxe studied Dean a few minutes before he returned to the door, "See you in the morning."

After he left Dean noticed the silence in the room, he turned to see both Bobby and Sam staring at him before he snapped, "What? I can be serious you know."

Bobby smiled but said nothing.

Sam tossed the towel at Dean as he stated, "You can but mostly you don't choose to." Sam knew what he was saying wasn't true. Not anymore. Dean hardly ever laughed and they hadn't had a prank war in years.

TBC