Sam stood behind John wrapped in Marta's arms, while John stood talking to a very flustered Dr. Campbell. Hal stood next to John, offering his support, a hand resting on the worried father's shoulder. "He died," John kept repeating over and over, "He died?"

Dr. Campbell looked to Hal for assistance. Hal nodded acknowledging the other doctor's request. Clearing his throat He stepped around in front of John, his hand never leaving the grieving father's shoulder, "John, look at me. Please, John look at me. Good, now listen to me; Dean's heart had stopped beating and yes he stopped breathing, but, the doctors were able to get his heart beating again and they have him hooked to a machine that's helping him breath. He's fighting John. He's not giving up. You have to listen to me John, he's not gone."

John shook his head, "He died. Hal, my son died." John turned to Sam reached out and pulled his youngest into a hug, "I'm sorry, Sammy, I'm so sorry. You tried to tell me something was wrong and I didn't listen. It's my fault, it's all my fault."

"Dad, you're not listening. It's like you shut down when Dr. Campbell told us that Dean had died during surgery. They revived him, dad. Dean's not dead. He's still in surgery. He's not dead. You need to snap out of this. C'mon, dad, please, you have to pull yourself together. Dean could always tell when you had given up, he didn't have to be near you to know, he just did. You can't let him feel you giving up now. He's fighting, and he's gonna need our support. Dad, snap out of it." Sam stepped back from his dad and when his words didn't evoke the reaction he had hoped, he decided to try a more drastic measure; he slapped his dad hard on his right cheek.

John reeled in surprise at the unexpected slap to his face. He reached up and placed his hand over the growing red hand shaped mark looking at Sam as if the boy had suddenly grown two heads. "Sam, what the hell? What was that for?"

"Sorry, I couldn't think of anything else to do that would get your attention."

John kept his hand on the spot where Sam had slapped him and he worked his jaw back and forth. He gave Sam a small smile then said, "Well I guess I should thank you for just slapping me instead of punching me across the jaw."

Sam nodded then turned his attention back to Dr. Campbell, "Ok so let me see if I understand you correctly. You said that Dean's heart had stopped and that he had quit breathing during surgery. You said that you were able to get his heart beating again and that you have him hooked up to a machine that is now helping him breath. You also said that he is still in surgery, but wanted to update us because of the code blue that went out. You stated that he was beaten up pretty badly, that there was some internal damage and bleeding along with some bleeding on the brain."

Sam paused and waited for Dr. Campbell to confirm what he had said before he continued. "Dean coded when the doctor went in and tried to relieve some of the pressure off his brain, right? So what does that mean? When Dean pulls through, not if," Sam made a point to look at his dad, "but, when, is he possibly looking at some kind of brain damage?"

Dr. Campbell sighed, "Honestly, I can't tell you anything definite until he's out of surgery and awake. I would guess that chances are good that some sort of damage may have been caused, but it is really too early to tell. Your brother's strong, Sam, I can tell you he certainly is a fighter. I guess, now it's just wait and see. I really wish I could tell you more. I'm going to go back and check on how he's doing. I'll come back and fill you as I learn more."

"Thank you, Jake," Hal said. He waited until Dr. Campbell had left then he addressed John and Sam, "You two must be exhausted. I tell you what, I'm sure Dean's going to be a while in surgery; why don't you, both, go back to the house, get something to eat, take a shower then lay down for a bit? You can take Marta with you, I'm sure she's just as tired. I'll stay here and if anything happens I'll call you."

John shook his head, "No, I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving Dean." John turned to look at Sam, "But, you should go. Sam, don't argue with me, not now. You should go, take Marta home, and get some rest. You know your brother. You know how pissed he'd be at me if I let you wear yourself down. Besides, you could bring me some clothes and something to eat when you come back. This isn't up for discussion. Sam, go."

Sam snapped his mouth closed and turned to Marta, "Well I guess we're being dismissed. Can we take your car? I drove dad's truck here, and I don't think we should use Max's car until it's been cleaned, I'm sure it's a mess. We could use the Impala, but…."

Sam looked at John, "Oh sh*t, the Impala, Sam, it's still parked where Dean left it earlier. Son of a Bitch, we can't leave her there. Dammit."

"John, I could help with that," Steven said from the doorway, "It's the least I could do. I can drive Marta and Sam to where she's parked and Sam can follow us back to the Williams'. Livvi's going to be asleep for awhile and I won't be able to see her. Delores promised to keep an eye on her for me; besides, I really need to talk to Sam. I need to apologize to both him and you. I told Livvi everything and she wasn't very happy with the way I've been acting. I'm sorry and it would really mean a lot to me if you'd let me help."

John nodded, "Alright, thanks. But, I'm warning you, you say or do anything to upset Sam again, and I promise you that Livvi will be visiting you here, understood."

After Marta, Sam and Steven had left Hal suggested that John go the doctor's lounge use the shower located there, change into a borrowed set of scrubs and get some rest on the cots that were set up there. He wouldn't take no for an answer and soon he found himself sitting on an empty cot waiting for John to finish his shower and change into the clothes that he had borrowed from the store room.

For the first time that day, alone in the bathroom, John took a good look at himself. He took in the blood that covered his clothes and his hands. He noticed the hollowness that filled his eyes and the dark circles that had begun to form under them. He looked like someone who had just escaped from an asylum for the criminally insane and had gone on a killing spree.

John let out a laugh at the irony of his last thought, because dammit, he had just escaped from an asylum, only he wasn't the one who was criminally insane, the damn spirit that had tried to kill him and his boys was. The thought of his boys brought his attention back to his hands. He grabbed the soap that was lying on the sink and he scrubbed them until they were raw. To many times he had had his son's blood on his hands. When was it going to end?

John reached in and started the water running in the shower. He waited for it to warm up then he stepped under the hot spray of water. He bent his head forward and let the water run down over his neck then his back. He felt the tension start to leave his body as the water massaged his weary muscles. He grabbed the soap and a wash cloth. He lathered up the cloth, quickly washed himself and then he reached for the shampoo. After washing his hair he once again placed his hands on the wall, bent his head forward and let the water run down over his neck and back.

After the water had started to grow cold he turned it off, reached around the curtain for the towel that hung on the bar just on the other side and dried off. He quickly got dressed and stepped out into the lounge area.

He found Hal asleep on one of the empty cots. Smiling he walked over to where his friend lay and covered him up with a spare blanket from an unused cot. John laid down on the cot beside Hal's and let himself drift off.