A/n. This chapter takes place during episode 17, season 7 of Supernatural. The episode is titled "born again identity". If you haven't seen it, or watched it in a while, you should. It's one of my favorites.

to my dear xGuestx, Cas is returning soon. Up until now. The boys have thought him to be dead and gone.

Thanks Isadora, I want Sam to like Alice, and see that she is good for both of them to have around. :)

To sari, yes, the Doctor makes a triumphant return, and brings some friends with him...

To MissPadawan, :)...

Chapter Twenty-one

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

"We'll drink till we can't see straight Sam." Dean had offered it as a solution to Sam's troubles. "Till you pass out. Then, you'll be able to get some rest."

Sam wasn't really a drink till you're hammered kind of guy, but unconsciousness sounded incredibly appealing.

Too bad the whole plan turned out to be epic failure. Dean sat passed out in the driver's seat of the impala, and Sam was rocking back and forth, his hands on his head. If anything, the alcohol just made him louder.

"Come on Sam, you can't ignore me forever." He shouted from the backseat, between verses of 99 bottles of beer on the wall.

Sam refused to recognize his presence, but Lucifer really didn't seem to mind that much.

"Oh Sammy, when will you finally realize that I'm here to stay, and this is your life now."

He couldn't take any more. He got out of the car and started running.


Dean woke to the sound of his phone. He flinched at the bright sunlight streaming through the windshield, and wiped the drool from his chin. He immediately put his head in his hands. "Holy shit, how much did I drink last night?"

He looked around, and realized he was alone. "Sam?" He called out his open window, as he pulled his phone from his pocket.

"Yeah, hello?"

"Yes, is this Dean Smith?"

"Sure, why not."

"Is your brother, Sam Smith?"

Dean sat straight up in the car, he was sober now. "Yes, is he alright?"

"There's been an accident."


Alice had been in Texas for only a few days. Fortunately, no one had been shot. Unfortunately, negotiations were not going well, and it was looking like they might have to go in with force. The one thing she wanted to avoid.

"Please Sir," she begged the so called mayor of the town. "Just give them to us, they'll be safe where we are taking them. And if, in time, they prove innocuous, you can have them all back. Wouldn't you rather be sure of the safety of your children, then risk it?"

"I'm sorry ma'am," he replied in the southern drawl, that when she arrived she found so charming. Now, well now, she just wanted to punch him in the teeth. "We've discussed it, as I promised we would, but we just can't quite come to an agreement everyone is happy with."

Alice grit her teeth, and was ready to spit out her thoughts on that, when her phone rang. Luckily for this guy.

She looked down, and saw Dean's name on the ID. "Excuse me." She said to the man, and the other people at the table.

She exited the building, and answered quickly. "Hey you, what's up?" She hadn't talked to him since she called when she arrived, to tell him she was safe. She missed his voice, and was glad he had interrupted her crappy day.

"Alice, there's been an accident."

Alice's heart hammered, "what is it, what's happened?"

"It's Sam. He's in the hospital. He was hit by a car, he's okay, but they're holding him."

"For what?"

"He's in the psychiatric ward Alice. It's Lucifer, he's taken control of Sam's mind. He hasn't slept in days, they are saying if he doesn't sleep soon, his organs will shut down. I don't know what to do Alice, tell me what to do."

Alice sat on the curb outside the town's meeting hall. She put her head in her lap, wracking her brain for a solution. "A healer, we need a healer."

"I thought of that, but every healing I've ever dealt with, comes with a big price. Sam won't risk it, but I did get a tip on something that might be helpful."

"Where are you?"

"Indiana, you still in Texas?"

"Yes." She was so frustrated. And then... "But I don't have to be. Give me ten minutes, I'll call you back."

"Okay, hey Al?"

"Yeah babe?"

"Hurry."

Alice ended the call, and immediately dialed a new number.

He answered within a few rings, "Temple! Where have you been? You should see the trouble Amy and Rory have caused over the last few weeks!"

Alice heard Amy protesting in the background. "Oh quiet Pond, it WAS your fault. If you had just stayed behind the pillar like I told you too..."

"DOCTOR," Alice shouted, trying to get his attention.

"Yes Alice, sorry. What is it?"

"I need you."

"On my way."

He disconnected the line, and Alice breathed a sigh of relief. If anyone could help her, it was her Doctor.

It was only minutes when she heard the Tardis, she ran toward where the sound was coming from, and threw herself into his arms as he opened the door.

"Tell me everything." He said, pulling her inside. He pointed across the room, "Alice, Ponds. Ponds, Alice."

"Hi," Alice responded, "I'm glad to finally meet you."

"Is everything okay? You look really upset." Amy said, heading toward Alice.

Alice explained as quickly and as simply as she could. "I need to get to Dean, like, now." She finished with.

"Well then, let's go, what are we waiting for." Amy ran back to the Tardis console.

"I don't think I can." Alice said, stopping her. "Things here are volatile. I can't just leave them like this."

"It sounds to me, like you need someone to stay and take care of things. Someone who knows how to take control in a difficult situation." He got a strange look on his face, and then smiled.

"Doctor?..." Amy started, the tone of her voice telling Alice she knew exactly who he meant.

"Now, where to find her." He ran to the console, and circled it like a madman.

"Doctor..." Alice started.

He waved at hand at her, "close the door Alice, we will be back in a few minutes."

Alice shoved the door closed with her foot, and ran up the steps right behind Amy.

He ran around the console with a crazy grin on his face. "Are we going after, who I think we're going after?" Alice asked.

"Of course we are." Amy responded, with a shake of her head.

Moments later, after a very rough landing, the Doctor ran for the door, the other three right on his heels.

"Where are we?" Rory asked, and Alice looked over my shoulder at him.

"Don't know for sure." The Doctor replied. He opened the door, and then immediately closed it, as Alice heard what sounded like gunfire on the other side.

"My timing..." He said calmly, "may not have been perfect."

He opened the door just enough that they could all peek out, as long as they were ridiculously stacked on top of one another.

Alice was crouched down, at the bottom of their strange pyramid, and saw a woman kneeling behind a metal barrel, loading a weapon. She looked at them with exasperation.

"A bit busy sweetie." She shouted at them. "Can you just pop back in later?"

She leaned around the barrel, and took a few shots at a person that was out of Alice's field of vision.

"Can't, need your help." The Doctor responded quickly. "Now get in here."

She moaned, and shouted "going to have to continue this another time boys!"

Alice couldn't see the men, but heard them shouting, "you can't escape Dr. Song, we have the building surrounded!"

She rolled her eyes, as she approached the Tardis, "amateurs."

Alice and the others backed up, allowing her to climb through the door. The Doctor closed it soundly behind her, and turned and kissed her on the cheek.

"Hello dear, we've got work to do." He said simply then ran up the stairs.

Alice stood back awkwardly, as the new arrival greeted her parents. And then she turned on Alice.

"And you!" She said loudly, with a smile. "Are Alice Temple."

"River, I presume." Alice responded, reaching out a hand to greet her.

"Oh darling, we are family. Give me a hug." She pulled Alice in, and squeezed her tightly. "Now where are we going that's so important you had to pull me away from my little... argument?"

Alice liked her immediately.


Even as Alice found herself saying the words, she was completely unsure this was the right decision.

"This is Dr. River Song."

River nodded politely to the men sitting around the table.

Alice continued, "I have a family emergency, I have to go."

The look on the other agent's faces gave away their feelings on the matter. "You're LEAVING?" One of them asked, in disbelief.

"Not to worry boys," River circled the table, touching each of them on the shoulder as she did so. "I am here to take care of the situation in Alice's absence. My assistants, and I," she motioned to Amy and Rory, who stood awkwardly in the corner. "Are going to fix everything!" She said the last word with such emphasis, you couldn't fathom that she wasn't correct.

"Right," Amy said, stepping forward. "We are... Experts? On the cubes."

"Been watching them for ages." Rory added.

The skepticism in the room was palpable. Alice cleared her throat, "soooo, I'm going to go. Everything's going to be good, right?" She looked at River.

"Absolutely." River responded, sitting on the end of the table.

"Let's go." Alice said to the Doctor, grabbing his hand.

They ran back out to the Tardis, and Alice couldn't help but wonder if this was the thing that was finally going to make UNIT wash their hands of her. If she hadn't been so worried about Sam, she might have laughed.


"We're here Alice."

She had been pacing since she closed the door, she ran for it, and threw it open and saw they were sitting just on the edge of the hospital grounds.

She pulled her cell from her pocket, and dialed Dean's number.

He answered on the first ring. "Alice?"

"I'm here." She said, breathlessly as she ran toward the front of the building.

"What? Where? How did you... Never mind, I don't care. Where are you?"

She heard the Doctor behind her, "there Alice!"

She looked over her shoulder to see him pointing to the parking lot. She glanced over and saw Dean. He stood next to his car, he looked exhausted.

"On your left," she answered, and then hung up the phone. She took a few more steps, and then couldn't help but run the remaining distance between them.


When he saw her, at first he was completely dumbfounded. He should have known she would call the Doctor to bring her to him, but it was faster than he even imagined. His next thought was absolute relief, when she ran at him and was in his arms again.

He kissed the top of her head, and closed his eyes. "I am so happy you're here." He whispered.

"Is he doing okay?" She asked her voice muffled by his chest.

He lifted her chin, "no. He's not."

She looked around him, at the open car door. "Wait, are you going somewhere?"

Dean took a breath, before he continued. "I found a healer. I'm going to get him."

"Dean..." She started, but he interrupted her.

"I know Alice, but I have it on good authority that he's legit. I have to try."

She nodded. "I understand, so where are we going?"

"He's in Colorado. But, I need you to stay here with Sam."

Her brow furrowed.

"I know Al, I missed you too. But I can't just leave him here alone."

She smiled, "of course I'll stay with Sam. Do you want to take the Doctor with..."

He didn't let her finish, "nooooo, no I do not."

"Hey!" The Doctor shouted over Alice's shoulder.

Dean pointed a finger at the man. "Not a word chucklehead, now that I know you're the same guy that was so charming the first time we met, you don't get to complain about me not be ecstatic about having you come along."

The Doctor nodded. "Fair enough."

Alice turned his face down to look back at her. "Be careful." She said, pulling his lips down to meet hers.

He kissed her, until he heard the Doctor clear his throat. "Still here guys." He said.

Dean kissed her one more time, and lifted his head to look into her eyes. "I don't know if they'll let you in. But at least try to see him, so he knows he's not alone."

She nodded, and squeezed him. "Of course. Call me, and keep me updated."

He climbed into the car, and closed the door. She took a couple steps back, and he saw her in the rear view mirror, watching him, until he was out of sight.