Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

For all of my reviewers and regular readers... (((((((((((((GROUP HUGS))))))))))))))))

Author's Note: I am not a medical person, all medical information mentioned I found after googling and finding MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.

Author's Note: This is NOT a death fic, I have never written one and never will. Character deaths only apply if it has happened on the show, example John's death ... Sam and Dean will always survive my imagination!!!!

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CHAPTER 25

'Chambre de la Mort'

Winchester's House

Dresden, Kansas

February 1878

'Dean ... Dean?' Sam cried out tossing in his sleep restlessly, each movement causing more pain but he couldn't stop writhing if he wanted to. His eyes opened to slits as he focused on the blurred room around him, 'Dean?' he called again, worried when his brother failed to appear in his line of vision. 'Dean?' He whispered again through choked back sobs.

'Sh Sam don't want to wake Dean do we?' a hoarse voice echoed in Sam's ear, painfully turning his head in the direction of the voice Sam frowned there was nothing there. 'Come to me Sam ... come to me in the library.'

'Who?' Sam's frown morphed into a mask of fear, 'who are you?'

'Come to me Sammy ... come to me in the library.'

Sam found himself slowly pulling himself out of the large bed, spikes of pain shot up his legs and he felt as though they were going to buckle under him but he managed to stay upright. Glancing down he looked at Dean sleeping soundly, taking a deep breath Sam used the wall to support him as he made his way down the short distance to the library, all of his hunter senses screamed at him to stop and to wake Dean but something stronger over-rode those impulses and pushed him forward.

Gasping for breath he finally reached his destination, the door swinging open before he could put a shaking hand on the doorknob. He tried to stop himself from entering the room but something so strong compelled him to keep moving.

'Dean?' he mumbled softly wanting his big brother to come and save him but there was only darkness and silence behind him.

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Dean stirred and rolled over to check on Sam, the room bathed in the dawn's golden light gave it a soft warm feeling. 'Hey Sammy time to ... Sammy?' Dean scanned the room, there was no sign of Sam anywhere. Reaching over he touched the spot where Sam had been asleep, it was icy cold but damp. Lifting his fingers closer to his face to see them clearly he saw the red stickiness of Sam's blood adhering to his skin like glue. 'Sammy?'

Taking a deep breath Dean lowered his feet over the edge of the bed and gingerly tried to put weight on his broken leg. A hiss escaped from behind his clenched teeth as fiery flames of pain licked their way up through the fractured bones.

'Sammy?' Dean followed the blood droplets out of the room, using the wall he hopped along too slow for his own satisfaction but then at least he was moving, 'hang on Sammy I'm coming.'

'Dean?' A nauseatingly familiar voice came from the top of the stairs.

'Hey ah Dean.'

'What do you think you are doing?' The older Dean Winchester appeared next to his kin and took his arm, letting the younger man lean his weight against him.'

'Sammy ... he's ... damn ... following him ... ah blood.' Dean tried to force the words out but his concentration was kept busy just keeping himself upright and conscious.

'Okay, okay slow down and let me help.' The older Dean said softly.

'Thanks.' Dean grimaced relieved that he had the help, 'think ... heading ... library.'

Slowly the two Deans made their way down the hallway and stopped just outside the room letting the younger one to catch his breath.

'Ready?' the question broke through the fogginess descending on him and he nodded slowly bracing himself for more movement.

The older Dean glanced across at the achingly familiar face, now white as chalk and etched with deep lines of pain. 'I am so sorry Dean.' He muttered so softly he was sure that the younger man didn't hear him and was startled when jade green eyes met his, 'let's go and get your Sammy. We have to get you both back to the future before he...' Dean stopped himself when he realised what he was saying.

'Be-before what?'

The nineteenth century Dean shook his head and pushed the library door open, met with an icy cold burst of air. The identical men share a quick look of horror before moving deeper into the darkened room.

'Sammy?' Dean called for his brother softly, 'Sammy?'

'Dean?' the reply so faint that for a moment Dean thought that he was imagining it.

'Here old man over here.' The older man's voice cut through his morbid assumptions as Dean felt himself propelled forward again, the lethargy kept descending but he pushed through it embracing the cold nothingness on the other side.

They found Sammy slumped against the far wall, a heavy bookcase pinning him in place although it didn't seem to be causing any visible injury just kept him from moving.

'Sammy?' Dean whispered letting his older counterpart to help him sit down on the floor as close to Sam as possible. 'Hey Sammy, whatcha doing dude?'

'Dean?' Sam croaked blinking furiously he tried to focus on his brother but failed.

'Hey Sammy, no, no more sleeping gotta stay awake for me kiddo.' Dean glanced up at his ancestor with a look of complete despondency and horror, his baby brother was dying in front of him.

'Hang in there Sam, Dean I'll be right back.' The older Dean said as he was already moving away from the young brothers; he had to stop this and to stop it now.

'Sammy?' Dean reached over to brush a stray lock of hair out of his brother's eyes, 'hey dude we're going to get you out of here.'

'Dean ... can't feel ... anything.' Sam groaned his head listing towards Dean's touch, seeing this Dean kept his hand resting on Sam's face, moving his thumb gently over Sam's cheekbone in tiny circles.

'Hang in there Sammy; we're going to get you out of here.'

'Don't wanna die here Dean.' Sam said as his eyes slid closed again.

'No, no Sammy stay with me.' Dean cried out but this time he got no response, his fingers moved down to check his carotid pulse, heaving a deep sigh when he felt it faint but there.

Hands touched him and he looked up into a pair of worried green eyes, 'Dean old man we have to get Sam out of here.'

'He's unconscious again.' Dean mumbled, 'gotta get that off him.' Dean waved his hand unsteadily at the fallen bookcase.

'I am about to shift it, but Dean I need you to stay very still and hold Sam still for me can you do that from where you are?'

'Just do it.'

'I am so sorry for this dear ones, I never realised just how far gone ...' Dean's voice trailed away as he levered the heavy piece of furniture and managed to lift it off Sam's lower body. An audible sigh escaped from Sam's slack mouth as he started to topple forward, a smudge of blood and puss stained the wall behind him.

'Sam?' Dean cried out in horror as he saw the mess of Sam's back.

'Oh my sweet ...' the older Dean stared in horror at the stains and then at his own hands as the young Sam collapsed against him. 'Forgive me dear heart.' He whispered brokenly. 'I have to get the two of you back to your own time.' He declared clearing the lump from his throat with a harsh cough. 'Now, before ...'

'Before what?'

'I am so sorry Dean this was never ... this should never have gotten.'

'What? This should never have gotten what Dean?'

'Samuel was dying ... his heart ... he was born with a weak heart, the doctors were surprised that he survived past childhood let alone into his thirtieth year. But each year he has progressively gotten sicker.'

'Go on.'

'He started researching everything that he could get his hands on, determined to find a way to slow or stop his imminent death.' The older Dean took a deep breath and stole another glance at the too-still Sammy, 'Dean we have to get Sam out of here.'

'Then you had better hurry up and tell me the rest now.' Dean growled his big brother hackles rose fuelling his rage.

'He started, we started to dabble in black magic, anything supernatural that would stop ... he started his own book of shadows ... he found a – an ancient spell, necromancy.'

'Ah fuck.' Dean breathed knowing what was to come next.

'He summoned the demon through the green stone, we actually travelled across the seas to find the right stone. Unbeknownst to us someone else knew of the spell and of the stone. They are the ones who fashioned the rings and cane-head; they also followed us back to here.'

'Go on.' Dean said when the other Dean stopped lost in memories.

'At first Samuel seemed to have controlled the spell and the demon, he started to get better and we destroyed the rocks or I thought we had, Samuel had a taste of the power that it yielded of the new life he had. You see the spell worked for a short while but then he started to get ill again. Fainting spells, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath it was all back. He tried to summon the demon again this time something went wrong he unleashed Augustine. We both received such power and such strength but it came at an awful cost Dean. Then out of nowhere the ring and the cane turned up, when I put that ring on I had never felt ... I attacked my brother, I did things to strangers, I hunted more than just the supernatural. While I wore the ring I thought that I was indestructible.' Dean paused and waited for his words to have the desired impact before he continued, 'Augustine had us in his power, he needed to possess ... I guess Jonah was the best one to ... together Samuel and Augustine found the portal to the future, the rest ... well you know.'

'Is there a way of breaking the spell?'

'This is Samuel's book of shadows and this,' he passed the two books to the younger Dean, 'is the ancient text he found ... take them with you.'

'Dean?'

'I am opening the portal for the last time, after this ... it has been good to know that our future family ... that the future of the Winchester family is in such good hands.'

'Dean I ...'

'Save Sammy, and please, please tell him that I am so sorry for everything.' Before Dean could say anything to that a wind swirled around them, scattering books and papers as it picked up in strength and ferocity. Dean cradled Sam to his chest and tried to blink through the chaos. 'Dean watch out.' He screamed as he saw someone attack his ancestor but his words were lost on the howling winds.

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Dean moaned and slowly let his eyes open, he had Sammy cradled against his chest, his broken leg hurt like hell but they were back, back inside the cabin, back in their own time.

'Dean!' He muttered worried about his ancestor but he pushed that aside when he felt movement coming from Sam. 'Sammy?'

'C-c-cold Dean.' Sam whispered clutching at Dean like he was his only lifeline. 'So cold.'

'Hang tight Sammy gonna get you some help.' Dean said gently extricating himself from Sam for a moment he dragged himself painstakingly across the room to the phone on the stand between the beds. Tugging on the cord, he let the telephone drop onto his chest. 'Hang in there Sammy.' He whispered as he tried to focus on the keypad long enough to dial 911.

A woman's voice came from the distance, but Dean wasn't registering where it was, he whispered for help, shuddering when he thought he screamed it, the words so loud in his ears. Why didn't she understand that they needed help?

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Room 112

Memorial Hospital

Dresden Kansas

March 2006

The stringent smell of antiseptic woke Dean with a start and he started coughing, choking under the smell. 'What the f...?'

'Sir? I need you to lay still for me.' Who was that? Sammy? Dean grimaced and tried to swat the invasive hands away. 'Sir, please I need you to lay still so I can finish...'

'Sammy?' Dean croaked clutching at that damn hand, confused to why he couldn't latch on to it.

'Sir if you don't stop I am going to have to restrain you.' The voice insisted and started to get to Dean.

'Sammy?' Dean tried again this time he managed to sound coherent enough for the voice to solidify into a person who stopped what they were doing to answer him.

'The other young man?'

Dean nodded, 'my brother.' He mumbled with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

'Honey don't fret your brother is going to be okay,' the nurse smiled and stepped aside to allow Dean a clear view at the bed next to him.

'What ... what's wrong with him?' Dean asked, coughing again.

'Take it easy Honey, so what's your name?'

'D-Dean.'

'Okay Dean, I'm Heather your nurse ... Doctor Fin will be here soon to talk to you, I just have to finish up dressing your back and hip and I'm done.'

'Heather? My ... Sammy?'

'Now your brother there was in terrible shape when the paramedics found the two of you, he ... I am sorry honey but they had to resuscitate him twice on the way here, he is lying on his stomach because of the infection in his back.'

'Infection?'

'I'm going to get the doctor for you because he will be able to explain everything to you.' Heather smiled and patted Dean's arm, 'stay put handsome.'

'And where?' Dean's question got cut short with another bout of coughing, Heather frowned she could hear the rattle in his chest without a stethoscope.

'I'll be right back.' She smiled again and left Dean alone with his brother.

'Sammy?' he whispered forcing himself to sit up he frowned at the extra weight he could feel on his leg, looking down he snarled, 'great, just great another fucking cast!'

'Dean?' Sam mumbled barely audible but loud enough for Dean's Sammy-sensitive ears to hear.

'Sammy?' Dean turned to see a pair of pain-filled-green-eyes staring at him.

'Hey ... where are we?'

'Hospital ... we got back Sammy, the other Dean ...'

'Back? Our own?'

'Yeppers, now just rest.' Dean said as another coughing fit took hold, 'let me talk to the doctors and police okay.'

'Kay.' Sam mumbled as he fell asleep again. The door swung open, a young looking man in a white coat swept in, with a harried, and exhausted look plastered on his face and shadowed dark brown eyes, followed closely by a pretty nurse Dean recognised as Heather.

'Dean, my name is Michael Fin; I was the doctor on duty when the paramedics brought you and your brother in.'

'Hey.' Dean nodded his head, a cough rumbled in his chest but he kept it from spilling up and out. 'What's wrong with Sammy?'

'First up I want to check you over.'

'M'fine, check Sammy first.' Dean protested before that cough surfaced, this time the fit took his breath away. He didn't even acknowledge the fact that had a nasal cannula feeding him oxygen or had another needle jab into his arm, he fought to calm his breathing and to find out about Sam.

'Let me listen to your chest and then I'll tell you about your brother ... deal?'

Dean nodded and concentrated on breathing without another coughing attack.

Michael Fin smiled warmly and listened to Dean breath, occasionally asking his patient to take a breath and hold it. Then he tapped his fingers across Dean's chest and upper back, finally he checked his glands around his neck and in his throat for any obstructions or swellings.

Finally the doctor let Dean sit back and helped him get a little more comfortable before he perched himself on the edge of the bed and carefully worked out what to say before he said it.

'Okay Dean I am going to have to run some tests, blood tests but ... you have pneumonia, aside from your other injuries and infections. I am going to start you on a rather aggressive broadspectrum antibiotic immediately through the IV, as well as increased fluid and oxygen to help you breath.'

'Sammy?'

'I'm getting there,' Michael shook his head in the single-mindedness of his patient, 'your leg is broken, it seems that a newly healed fracture was rebroken, we were able to realign the bones, place a steel rod in place and after six to eight weeks the cast can come off. We have dressed all of your other cuts and deeper wounds and repaired a tear in your large intestine.'

'So whatcha saying doc?'

'I'm saying that I cannot believe you are still alive, let alone sitting there giving me death glares!'

'Sorry, it's just ...'

'Deep breathes, let the oxygen help.' Michael said as Dean tried to calm down after another coughing fit.

'Sammy?'

'Okay, your brother arrested twice in transit and had to be resuscitated in the ambulance. He arrested again in the ER, once he was stable, he was sent for surgery to repair several internal injuries. Also, the gangrene was scraped out of the welts on his back, and then they were packed and dressed. We have him on a similar antibiotic we are giving you and he is responding to treatment.'

'What is it Doc?'

'Was your brother ever diagnosed with a congenital heart condition?'

'No, man he's as healthy as a horse, why? What are you saying doc?'

'Sam's heart ... I really have no explanations for you except that I don't understand just how Sam's condition has never been picked up before this.'

'what, what do you mean his condition?' Dean paled and stared over at his brother in horror, after what Sam had suffered over the last couple of months to ... Samuel had a heart condition. 'Could this ... be hereditary?'

'Why yes, do you know of any family history?'

'Ah, great-uncle I think dunno what he had but I remember hearing talk of ...' Dean coughed and lay back against his pillows suddenly feeling very tired.

'That may explain some ... okay we have done the tests and had him examined by a cardiologist Sam has what is known as aortic stenosis or aortic valve stenosis, this is overwhelming I know but basically it is where the aorta – the large artery that starts in the left lower chamber of the heart, the ventricle. Aortic stenosis is where there is narrowing or obstruction of the aortic valve. Preventing it from opening properly and blocks the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta. Now as it narrows the pressure increases inside the left heart ventricle, causing it to become thicker and decreases the blood flow. Over time the pressure continues to increase, blood can back up to the lungs and shortness of breath can result. Light-headedness and fainting are symptoms as well as chest pain, the shortness of breath I already mentioned now it can be present at birth or may develop after something like a bad case of rheumatic fever.'

'But it can be hereditary?'

'Yes, it seems so and is more common in men.' Michael took another breath and then continued, 'Dean due to Sam's massive infections and the presence of gangrene he has developed a complication often associated with aortic stenosis.'

'What?' Dean asked his voice strangled with emotions it came out as a hoarse whisper.

'He has what is called endocarditis, an inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and valves.'

So what can be done?'

'Firstly we are going to treat the endocarditis with specific antibiotics once that is under control he will be assessed for surgery if he is not considered at high-risk then they will operate and repair the valve. However, if he is deigned too high-risk then there is another procedure which is not so invasive called a valvuloplasty, where a balloon is placed into an artery in the groin, which is advanced to the heart placed across the damaged valve and inflated. Relieving the obstruction, then he will have to be monitored on a regular basis and the correct medication regime will be put in place, but over all a full recovery for him is expected, he is young and has that on his side.'

'What else doctor?'

'I'm sorry.'

'Spill doc I'm too tired to play twenty questions.'

'I – I don't know what happened to you boys or why ... Sam's physical health has been compromised but ... he has sustained damage from repeated sexual abuse, as I said his internal injuries have been repaired but it may not be his body that ...'

'You think that he may never recover in his head?'

'Time will tell Dean, but for now, the pair of you have beaten all of the odds, someone is definitely watching over you.'

'Thanks Doc.' Dean whispered as his exhaustion took control and he fell into a deep dreamless sleep. After the doctor finished noting medications on the brothers' charts and double-checked his patients, he left with Heather close by heading off to gather the different medications they need.

Sam's eyes opened and tears fell freely as he watched Dean sleep, he heard everything that the doctor told Dean about both of them. He raked his gaze over Dean taking in the bulky cast, the bandages and mottled bruising, until it was too much and he squeezed his eyes shut trying to block out the pain in his body and in his mind.

Somehow, Samuel managed to pass his heart problems to Sam and it terrified him. the pain in his chest took his breath away unable to calm down Sam heard the alarms go off on his monitors and his last thought was of leaving Dean alone. 'No!' he screamed internally, he started fighting back through the pain and haze; he was not going to desert his brother not again. Not when he needed him now more than ever before.

TBC