Chapter 6

John was making good time as he sped toward Sioux Falls. He kept an eye in the backseat as Sam watched over his brother who had yet to wake from the dream world the Djinn had put him in. He could hear Sam mumbling softly to Dean that it was okay, and he was safe now. He hoped Bobby would have some answers about why Dean had not come around like the other two women that had survived the Djinn's attack. He had called at their last stop to let Bobby know what was going on, so he could start researching a solution.

"How's he doing Sam?" John asked in his deep, rough voice.

"Still the same. I've been checking his pulse and it's erratic, racing at times and then slowing down. I don't know what he's seeing or where he thinks he's at, but it can't be good. His breathing is going up and down like he's running or upset or in pain," Sam relayed to him.

"Alright, we're still about three hours from Bobby's. You just keep an eye on him for me."

"I will Dad." Sam kept a firm grip on Dean's hand as he adjusted his jacket over his upper body. He had Dean's head in his lap so he could keep check on his breathing. He was scared; he couldn't deny it. Dean showed no signs of coming out of the coma where he was trapped in a dream world. Sam tried to keep him calm when Dean would randomly jerk or twitch like something was happening to him that he couldn't see.

Sam looked to the front when John turned on the radio to fill the silence around them. It was something Dean would listen to, and Sam looked down at Dean's face to see if there was any reaction as his favorite song began to play. He stroked Dean's cheek and tried to hum the song to him. He wasn't very good but continued just to have something to do.

John had to stop one more time to get gas before he got to Sioux Falls. He got gas and something to drink and allowed Sam to run in and do the same while he watched Dean. John laid a callused hand on Dean's forehead and could feel the heat coming off him. He knew that wasn't good and looked up when Sam jogged back to the car.

"Is he okay?" Sam asked his father out of breath.

John looked away and didn't answer his son. He didn't want to lie to him but didn't want to upset him either.

"He's worse, isn't he?" Sam confronted him, daring him to lie.

"I think so," John whispered looking down at his oldest son, stretched out in the back. "Get in, we need get going."

"Okay," Sam nodded pushing Dean up enough to slip under his upper body and let his head rest again in his lap. As soon as he got Dean settled, Sam realized how hot his brother seemed. "Hurry Dad," he told him, fear lacing his words. He didn't hear John answer but could feel the power of the Impala build as John got back on the interstate and raced toward Sioux Falls. Sam laid his cold drink against Dean's face to try and cool it.

spn

The scenery started to get familiar as John drove around Sioux Falls and picked up the road that led to the salvage yard. Sam stared out the side window and breathed a sigh of relief when the gate of the salvage yard came into view. His mind became more alert as John followed the driveway and parked in front of the two-story house. He killed the engine and got out to open the front door.

"Go let Bobby know we're here and I'll get Dean," John instructed him.

"Alright," Sam nodded slipping out from under Dean and running to the front door to bang on it. He stepped back and fidgeted from foot to foot waiting for an answer. "Hey Bobby," Sam greeted him after he jerked the door open.

"Sam, where's your…" he started and saw John carrying Dean over his shoulder toward them. "Take him on upstairs to their bedroom."

"Planned on it," John grunted continuing into the house and up the stairs. He jerked the covers back on the bed and gently placed Dean onto the mattress. "Sammy, go get a wet cloth and hand towel. We can at least clean him up some."

"Got it," Sammy replied scooting across to the bathroom to do as asked.

John leaned over and took Dean's boots off so he could get his jeans off. He raised him up to work his jacket and outer shirt off his arms, tossing them aside.

"Let me help," Bobby offered reaching to hold Dean's body so John could get his T-shirt off.

When Sam came back with the wet cloth, John took it and wiped Dean's dirty face and upper body. He checked where the IVs had been inserted to be sure they were not getting infected. He dried his skin as he went deciding this was the best he could do right now and hoped it would help bring his temperature down.

"Sammy, get Dean a clean T-shirt from the dresser," John told him.

"Okay," Sam replied stepping to the dresser and looking into one of the drawers to grab a shirt for him. "Here you go." He handed it to John so he could put it on Dean.

"That's the best we can do for now," John sighed pulling a blanket over Dean's body and tucking it in at the sides. "Sammy, you stay here with your brother. Bobby can we talk downstairs?" Bobby walked out of the room with John following close behind him.

Sam moved to sit on Dean's bed beside him and stared at his brother's face.

"You have to come back to us bro," Sam whispered to him rubbing his arm. "I can't lose you like this…" he sobbed softly trying to not to break down. He wiped his face of the tears that fell. Sam got up and went into the bathroom to wash his face and rein in his emotions. He went back into the bedroom and sat down on his bed so he could be close to Dean and watch over him.

spn

"What have you found out?" John asked as he dropped into a seat in his office.

"It took some digging to find out more about this type of djinn," Bobby replied taking a seat in the desk chair.

"How bad is it?"

"Dean is dying in our world the longer he's in the dream world. The power of the Djinn causes the victim's bodies to cook on the inside. It destroys the internal organs one at a time."

"Damn!" John growled wiping a hand down his face as he stared off into space. "What can we do Bobby? There's got to be something."

"Dean needs to break free of the dream world."

"But how?"

"I reached out to some contacts I have, and I did get one suggestion, but I don't know how safe it is."

"I'll try anything to save him Bobby. What is it?"

"African dream root."

"Fill me in. I've heard of it, but not sure how it works."

"It lets a person go into another's person's dreams. They can interact with each other, but you need to know if you are hurt in there, you are hurt in the real world. If you die in there…"

"You die here too," John finished for him. He slumped in his chair as he went over in his mind if there was another way to help his son. He finally looked at Bobby knowing there was no other choice. "Do you have the ingredients for the spell?"

"I do."

"Get it together. It may be the only chance we have. Dean's getting worse and I don't think we have that much time before…"

"Alright, it won't take me long. I figured as much and have it almost ready. We'll need one thing from Dean to finish it."

"What's that? Blood?"

"Nope, hair. That's what links you in Dean's mind." Bobby got up and headed for the kitchen to finish the mixture.

"I'll be upstairs." John pushed himself from the chair and trudged back to the stairs and up them. He stopped in the hall and looked into his son's bedroom to see Sam sitting on his bed staring at his brother. John stepped into the bathroom to use it and wash his face before going across to the bedroom.

It wasn't long before Bobby came upstairs with a pint jar filled with a liquid mixture that had herbs and bark floating in it. He went to the bed and took a small pair of scissors to snip a sprig of Dean's hair. He opened the jar and dropped it inside, replaced the lid and shook it.

"I don't know how long you can stay in his mind, but you need to convince him to wake up."

"Got it," John replied.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked looking at the adults.

"I'm going to try and save your brother," John told him.

"How? What is that?"

"It will allow me to go into Dean's mind and try to get him to wake up."

"No, you can't do that," Sam insisted pushing between John and Bobby.

"And why is that Sam?" Bobby questioned.

"Because I should do it. If Dean is going to listen to anyone, it would be me. He'll believe me over either of you. We don't know what Dean is going through in his head and I'm the one who will be the least threatening. If Dean is trying to remember, I think it will be me that can make that happen. He's always protected me his whole life and I think he will still want to do that."

"I can't let you do this Sammy, it's too dangerous," John insisted.

"Is there any other way to save him Dad? Do you have another plan?"

"No son."

"Then I'm doing it," Sam stated firmly. "I'm willing to take any risk for my brother. I know he would do the same for me. Let me do this, let me help bring Dean back."

John looked at Bobby and knew Sam was right. If Dean was going to listen to anyone it would be Sammy. They had shared a special bond all their lives.

"Alright, but you need to prepare yourself first," John started. "I've been thinking about all this and what Dean might be seeing. I think it has something to do with Mary, your Mom. Dean has never talked about it, but I know he misses her very much. He's never stopped wishing she was still alive."

"Do you think the Djinn created a world with her in it?" Bobby asked.

"Yes, but if what you say is true about this type of Djinn causing chaos and pain then it's not a happy one."

"What do I need to prepare for?" Sam asked.

"Go take a shower and put on clean clothes," John told him. "Bobby and I will get some things together for you to take with you. Bobby, if Sam is carrying things in his pocket will they be available in the dream world?"

"They should be."

"Okay, we need to use your computer. Sammy go do what I said."

"Yes sir," Sam mumbled going to his duffle to find clean clothes before going to the bathroom to shower. He wasn't sure why he needed to do this but wasn't going to question it. He was just happy they agreed to let him do it and not treat him like a kid, thinking he was too young, and it was too dangerous.

"What are you doing?" Bobby questioned John as he sat at his computer typing away on it.

"I'm going to give Sam as much help as I can. I'm thinking the only place Dean knew his mom was Lawrence, Kansas. I'm printing out maps of the town and marking where our old house is. Sam needs to be able to get around without getting lost."

"Good idea. We should give him money so he can buy food since we don't know how long this is going to take. Time may be different in the dream world."

"Never thought of that."

"You need to tell him about the dangers John."

"I know," John sighed. "Let's just hope it won't take him long to find him."

"I don't know a lot about this root, but I think Sam should be safe as long as he doesn't try to interact with anyone else in the dream. This is Dean's dream, not Sam's."

"Done," John stated waiting for the pages to print. He pulled them from the printer and got up to go upstairs. Every bone in his body was telling him not to let Sam do this, but he didn't think he had a choice. He couldn't give up on saving Dean and just hoped he didn't lose both his sons.

Sam was coming out of the bathroom as John and Bobby walked down the hall toward him. He saw papers in John's hands and wondered what they were.

"Alright Sam, I printed a map of Lawrence, Kansas and marked where our house is," John explained to him. "We're thinking that is probably where Dean is in the dream world. Go there first and see if he's there."

"Okay," Sam nodded taking the papers and looking at them.

"Listen to me Sammy, this is very dangerous, and you need to be extremely careful. If something happens to you in the dream world it will also happen to your body here in our world. When you find Dean, you must convince him to wake up."

"I know and I'll be careful," Sam told them. He went to Dean's pack and looked in the side pockets until he found the photo he wanted. Sam did the same to his pack and pulled out a photo of him and Dean leaning against the Impala laughing. He pocketed them in his jacket and slipped it on before turning to his father and Bobby.

"Take this money, in case you need to buy food or anything," John told him holding out some folded money.

"Thanks." Sam took the bills and divided them slipping them into different pockets for safe keeping. He stored the papers in a pocket to use when he got into the dream world. The last thing he did was lean over Dean and remove the necklace he gave him one Christmas about five years ago. He pocketed it and turned to Bobby and his father. "What do I need to do?"

"Drink some of this and lay down beside your brother," Bobby instructed. "You're going to go to sleep and when you wake, you should be in Dean's dream."

"Okay," Sam said warily. He shook the jar and unscrewed the top, wrinkling his nose with the smell. Taking a deep breath, Sam put the jar to lips and gulped several swallows, gagging and coughing, as he choked. "I'm okay," he wheezed. "That was so nasty."

"Lay down Sammy," John instructed. "Be careful son."

"I will D…" Sam started when suddenly blackness engulfed him.

"Be careful…" John mumbled again as he eased Sam down beside his brother on the bed. He brushed Sam's hair from his face and drew in a shaky breath knowing this was up to Sam now. There was nothing either of the hunters could do to help the youngest Winchester. It was up to him to find his brother and convince him to wake.

A/N: Can Sam save his brother and get him to wake up? Will he convince Dean he needs to break from the dream? Reviews/Comments would be great. NC