Sam and Dean sat in a couple of chairs in the chaplain's office at the hospital. While Dean was busy with his phone, texting Alicia, Sam looked around, taking everything in. Besides the two chairs, the office only had room for a couple of bookshelves, some crosses hanging on the wall, a few potted plants, and a simple desk—complete with a computer and some office supplies—and a swivel chair. The nameplate facing the brothers read 'Dr. Bernard Edwards, DMin'. Sam glanced at Dean, who was still looking at his phone.
"How's she doing?" he asked.
"Oh, she's fine," Dean replied sarcastically, holding up his phone, showing he and Alicia have been texting back and forth. "She's her bright and cheerful self right now."
Sam could make out a few of the words—none of which were appropriate—and chuckled a little. "Well, don't take it personally," he said.
"Hey, I noticed she was starting to get on your last nerves as well," Dean pointed out.
"Yeah," Sam said, looking a little guilty. "Look, we've known her long enough to know she gets cranky when she's not feeling well. Maybe sitting on her to get the oven mitts on wasn't the best way to handle things"
"Oh, don't try to feel guilty now, Sammy," Dean replied. "Allie was scratching her spots, and she insulted Scooby Doo. Sick or not, that was a low blow."
Sam gave his brother a look. "She's acting no different than you did when you had the chickenpox," he said.
Dean rolled his eyes. "I was not this bad. I certainly didn't cuss you and Dad out in text messages."
"Only because we didn't have cell phones back then," Sam retorted, "but you still acted like a big baby. You and Alicia are like two peas in a pod when you're sick."
"Hey, at least I didn't require two grown men to sit on me to put on a pair of oven mitts," Dean pointed out.
"Only because Dad threatened to skin you alive if you didn't," Sam replied.
Dean scowled. "Yeah, but—"
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Sam and Dean looked up when they heard the soothing voice and saw an older gentleman, presumably Bernard Edwards, walking in. He was in his fifties, well-built and very healthy in appearance for a man of his age, with neatly trimmed dark brown hair (with gray around the ears), a trimmed graying beard, and prominent crow's feet around his liquid blue eyes. He wore dark slacks, a black polo shirt, and matching black dress shoes, and he smiled warmly at the brothers. "Bernard Edwards. I'm the chaplain here." Sam and Dean started to stand, but Bernard waved a hand dismissively. "Please, don't stand on my account." The brothers remained seated as Bernard took his chair. "I was told you wished to speak with me…." He looked at them expectantly, waiting for their introductions.
"Uh, Agents Collins and Gabriel," Sam said as he and Dean pulled their badges from their jacket pockets and showed them to the chaplain before putting them back. "Department of Health and Human Services."
"Collins and Gabriel?" Bernard asked. "Like Genesis?" The brothers looked a little surprised, but the older man simply smiled. "Gentlemen, I may be a man of God, but I'm still allowed to appreciate good music." Dean gave a small chuckle of appreciation, and even Sam looked amused. "Now, what can I do for you?"
"Dr. Edwards," Sam said, "we'd like—"
"Bernard, please," the chaplain interrupted gently.
"Okay, Bernard," Sam replied. "We're, uh, interested in an incident recently involving a patient named Abigail Denton."
"She came in for gallbladder surgery," Dean added, "let with an exorcism." He glanced at his phone, seeing Alicia had texted him again, and he discreetly typed a reply.
Bernard leaned back in his chair, nodding. "Yes, I remember the young woman. Why is the HHS interested in her?"
"Not just Mrs. Denton," Sam answered. "We were told you've been performing exorcisms at this hospital, starting in the seventies?"
"I provide a much-needed service that helps when traditional methods fail," Bernard replied. "Sometimes, prayer alone isn't enough." He furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm still not certain why that warrants a federal investigation. I didn't think the HHS even considered exorcisms a legitimate thing."
"They don't," Dean replied, reading another text from Alicia. "They just hear about a bunch of incidents at a hospital and wanna make sure everything's on the up and up." He started typing a response.
"I don't know what HHS would consider 'on the up and up' in regards to exorcisms," Bernard replied, "but I can tell you none of the people I've helped were hurt or killed, and I've received nothing but gratitude from the families for what I've done."
"Can you tell us more about the victims you've helped?" Sam asked. "Their demographics mainly, just so we can rule out a physiological connection that could warrant a health crisis."
Bernard looked amused. "Agent Collins," he said, "did you really think I was going to buy that?" Sam and Dean glanced at each other, concerned. "This isn't the first time HHS has questioned me about my…services." Dean opened his mouth, but the chaplain stopped him. "They usually send agents to question me because they upset their superiors; it's almost like a right of passage, I'm told." Dean gave his brother a 'go with it' expression, shrugging.
"Guilty," Sam replied, chuckling a little.
Bernard nodded. "Well, I'm sorry your time was wasted, agents," he replied as he stood up.
"Wait," Sam replied quickly. "Look, even though there's no real investigation, could you, uh, humor us, anway? We're a little more open-minded than our coworkers about things like this."
Bernard glanced between the two, trying to decide if they were being serious or mocking him. After a few moments he sighed and sat down. "Look, aside from being patients at the same hospital," he explained, "there were no real connections between any of them: young, old, heart surgery, appendicitis, the flu…the demon who possessed them didn't care as long as there was always a fresh body."
"Demon?" Dean asked, sitting up straighter.
"I know it may be hard to believe this," Bernard continued, "but there is a world beyond this one, and it's full of entities and beings, some benevolent and some malevolent."
"Yeah, we kinda get that," Dean replied dismissively, "but back up a bit: you really think it's a demon going after these people? Did they have black eyes? Did you ever smell sulfur?"
Bernard tilted his head, furrowing his eyebrows. "No, but what else could it be?" he asked. He looked at Dean as the hunter glanced back at his phone. "Is everything okay, Agent? You seem troubled."
"Uh, yeah," Dean replied. "I'm good."
"Is something the matter with your wife?" Bernard asked.
Dean's head shot up, looking at the chaplain. "How did you know—?"
Bernard nodded at Dean's hand. "Your wedding ring," he replied. Dean glanced down and saw the band on his left ring finger, and inwardly kicked himself. In lieu of removing their rings for their jobs, Dean and Alicia had discussed simply moving their rings to their right hands whenever they were on cases to avoid any questions; Dean had been so distracted with Alicia being sick he had totally forgotten before coming to the hospital. "You're also staring at your phone with a concerned expression that I usually see reserved for loved ones."
"Uh, yeah," Dean replied, knowing it was easier to just go with it. "She's, uh, a little under the weather, so I'm just checking on her."
Bernard nodded. "Well, I hope she gets better soon." Dean nodded his appreciation. "As for the patients I helped, I performed a standard exorcism designed to expel demons, and it's been successful each and every time. Like I said earlier: no one was hurt or killed."
"Could you show us the exorcism you used?" Sam asked.
Bernard stood up, and Sam and Dean did the same. "I wish I had the time, gentlemen," he said, "but I've already taken up enough of yours, and I do have rounds to make." He held his hand out. "I'm sure you can find your way out." The brothers nodded and took turns shaking it before leaving the office.
"What do you think?" Sam said as the two of them walked down the hall. "No sulfur smell, no black eyes, but he still used an exorcism to get rid of it." He saw Dean staring at his phone as he walked. "Earth to Dean."
"I'm listening," Dean replied. He stopped to type a quick text before putting his phone away.
"Everything okay?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, Allie said she was starting to feel lousy again," Dean replied, "so she was gonna try to get some more sleep."
"So, what do you think about Bernard?" Sam asked.
"He's hiding something," Dean replied. "Why'd he get so evasive when we asked to see the exorcism he used?"
"You think it was something else?" Sam asked.
"Could be," Dean answered. "I say let's grab something to eat, get back to the motel, check on Allie, and then we'll figure out our next step." Sam nodded in agreement, and the two kept walking, heading for the exit.
The Impala pulled into the motel parking lot, parking in the same spot, and Dean cut the engine before he and Sam exited the vehicle. The younger Winchester carried a 'Beef Barn' bag with his and Dean's lunch in one hand, and a two-drink carrier–with two large drinks—in his other hand. He watched as Dean opened the back door and leaned over. After a few moments, he straightened up, his arms loaded with a hand-knitted purple octopus hat, a shopping bag with a box of popsicles, an adult coloring book, and colored pencils, a bouquet of a variety of purple flowers, and a plush black cat doll. He juggled the items for a bit, almost dropping everything.
"Need some help?" Sam asked, amused.
"I got it," Dean said, steadying himself. Confident he wasn't going to drop anything, he headed for his motel room.
"I thought you weren't worried about Alicia," Sam said, walking beside his brother.
"I'm not," Dean replied.
"Sure," Sam replied, unconvinced. "Then why the hell did you stop off and buy all this stuff?"
"Because Allie's gonna be stuck inside for at least a week," Dean explained, "so hopefully some of this crap will help take her mind off being sick."
Sam smiled and chuckled, knowing Dean was lying. "Well, I'm sure she'll appreciate the gesture."
"She better," Dean replied as they reached the room door. He nodded at his jacket pocket, and Sam shifted the bag to his other hand before reaching in his brother's pocket and pulling out the room key. He put the key in the lock and turned it, quietly pushed open the door. He stood aside and let Dean go in first, then followed him inside. The sounds of the television caused Sam to glance over, but he didn't see Alicia on the loveseat. He was slightly confused, but then he suddenly bumped into Dean from behind, and he almost spilled their drinks.
"Dean, what the hell?" Sam asked, annoyed. He looked over his brother's shoulder and his blood ran cold. Alicia lay sprawled unconscious on the floor in front of the bed, the rooster blanket tangled around her legs and feet. The oven mitts had been ripped off her wrists, and a few feet from her right hand was her phone, flipped open to her contacts list with Dean's name highlighted.
"Allie!" Dean shouted as he dropped everything and hurried over, kneeling beside her. He gently turned her over as Sam knelt on the other side. "Allie?" Her face was pale, except for her bright red cheeks, she had dark circles forming under her eyes, beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and her lips had a bluish tint to them. Dean instinctively reached out and put his wrist against her forehead; she felt as if she was on fire. He took two fingers and pressed them against her neck.
"Dean?" Sam asked fearfully.
"She's got a pulse," Dean said, feeling the rapid but weak flutter under her skin. "Barely." He carefully cradled the young woman in his arms. "Allie, can you hear me?" She didn't respond, but both brothers heard the rapid but faint wheezing sounds coming from her lips. "Sam, keys."
Sam immediately grabbed the Impala keys from Dean's jacket pocket and stood up and headed for the door, opening it. Dean, supporting the unconscious woman in his arms, stood and quickly followed, heading out the door. Sam closed it behind him, then hurried to the Impala, opening the back door. Dean carefully maneuvered, holding Alicia securely, and got in the backseat. Sam closed the door, then hurried to the driver's side and got in. He started the engine and shifted, pulling out of the parking lot and speeding off.
Dean's heart pounded in his chest as he supported Alicia with his left arm, cradling her face with his right hand. "Allie," he said, his voice cracking. "Come on, honey, stay with me, okay?" He looked up at his brother. "Sam, you gotta go faster, man!" He looked back down at his wife. "You're gonna be fine, Allie. You're gonna be just fine." Sam felt a lump in his throat, but he simply pushed it down as he gripped the steering wheel tighter and floored the gas pedal. The Impala accelerated as it headed in the direction of the hospital the brothers had left only a short time ago.
(End of Chapter 5)