Thanks for the comments! I have realized as I've been doing this that I really enjoy suspense. Thanks for hanging on that thread with me. I swear this is the end of the big stuff and then it starts to resolve. I'll be curious for your feedback with regards to Dean at the end of this chapter. This angle resulted from a heated discussion on a fan board. Does it work for you? Is it too much? I'm I off base? What am I talking about? Read on...

:D

Caroline

Chapter 25

Sam realized too late what was happening. The 'doctor's' hand burned through his chest to his soul. He attempted to scream out but whatever drug she gave him was inhibiting him. Sam tried to concentrate on his shield ability, but recognized that he hadn't used it in a conscious state. He went deep inside and tried to send for help, but he felt the empty echoes. How did she get in here?

"Did you think that you could destroy me in one attempt Sam Winchester," she said emphasizing that she knew exactly who he was. "That silly salt circles could keep me out? I have been on this Earth for hundreds of years," she continued, mocking his attempt to break free of her grasp. "The fool of a nurse did not spill the water, I did. That was all I needed to get to you," she laughed manically. "Many have attempted what you did. You were the first to succeed to damage my 'spiritual' aura." She continued to dig into his chest with pleasure. Sam's skin was melting beneath her touch. "Ah, such wasted power." Sam was persistent at trying to get free. The doctor continued to laugh at him. "You think you will escape now? You are weak and the drug will soon make you incapacitated." She reveled in her final glory. "I gave you a choice and you betrayed me. There is no second chance." Her eyes glittered with evil.

Those were the uneasy feelings. Why didn't I know? Sam now knew he would die. The drug assured he was helpless. His father tried all this time to stop this demon and it was tailing them all along. If he'd only let us help… Sam felt his eyes falling into the back of his head with every second that passed. He mustered what was left of his energy and was able to mutter "Christo" almost inaudibly to drive her away. The Lord's name in Latin was a powerful ally when used at full force. It took the demon aback for a moment, but the energy surged forward with a vengeance.

"Fool! Meek words cannot break me." She leaned forward. Sam was losing consciousness. Dean, I'm sorry…. With her other hand she leaned in for the kill. Suddenly the door burst open.

"No, but this will." An ancient sword came flying at the creature behind the running figure. She looked up too late. The weapon was submerged into her chest. "CHRISTO." The demon screamed and it reached for the sword. Sam saw the blade sticking out of the demons chest and looked on with confusion. Everything was hazy. The demon erupted into the flame that was its signature and tried to destroy the blade. Its anger moved from Sam to the figure as it lashed out. "CHRISTO." Another scream of agony as it began to dissipate before his eyes. Sam could not hang on, he fell to darkness with only the hope that this man could destroy the creature on his own.

………………………………………………………………………………………..

Johnny came rushing into the room to see the flames evaporate into the air. He looked to Sam who was unconscious again, then to the figure, sweating and exhausted standing near the window. Johnny was confused and dare not move.

"It's ok, the demon is gone Johnny," the man said to him. His long trenchcoat was battered with burn marks. He wiped sweat from the top of his head and found the chair in the corner. He could stand no more.

Johnny timidly came into the room and went to check on Sam. As he approached, he smelled burning flesh and saw the handprint on Sam's chest. His heart dropped and he instinctively grabbed the water and doused it on the wound. Smoke rose from Sam's torso.

"What we need is Liss-more," proclaimed the man as he pulled a small charm from his pocket. He approached Sam and placed it on the wound. "This is an ancient herb from Ireland that has magical healing powers. It will help Sam to get well." The man looked at Sam and caressed his face. He spoke a few Gaelic words to get the charm working.

"How do you know about all this stuff mister," asked Johnny, still being protective of Sam.

"Because he's the one who taught it to us." Dean was wheeled into the room by Jana, closely followed by Missouri. "Dad…."

John Winchester went to his son and embraced him. "Dean. I'm so sorry. I had to know…"

Dean's emotions ran wild. "Know what? If Sam could survive your test," he shouted at his father with all his penned up rage. "He almost died because 'you had to know.' Was it worth it?" He grabbed the wheels and headed toward Sam. Dean looked at the burn marks on his chest. He examined the charm from a distance not wanting to interrupt its healing. "It was the doctor all along. The God damned doctor! And we didn't know." He turned to look back at Missouri who was speechless.

"I suspected that someone else in the hospital was connected to this. I saw the other minion demon get vanquished, but I knew there was another," stated John, revealing more of his secret.

"You have been the figure that has been wandering around. Just out of my reach," realized Missouri. "John Winchester I should pop you upside the head. What the hell were you thinking putting your boys in danger, again," she scolded, wagging her finger at him with her angry tone.

Dean was furious. He had been defending the man, now he wasn't sure what to think. "I can't believe it. You were here the whole time." He shook his head at the thought of his father being so close and avoiding them again, just like in Lawrence. "I sat and watched my brother suffer and almost die for nothing," he yelled. Dean was so angry he was shaking. "You sent us here to find out if Sam had any powers? That was the job? What good would that have done us if he would have died, or worse yet, turned." Dean turned on his father. "Do you have any idea what he went through? Do you know how close he was to becoming that evil we have been hunting dad?" Jana shuddered. She was not aware of that information. "What would we have done if Sam would have woken up and been possessed by a demon, with the powers that he now has?"

"Dean, I know it's hard for you to understand…"

"Hard for me? You know what's been hard for me dad," continued Dean in a frenzy. "You disappeared six months ago. You call once in all the time to tell us not to call you, that it's too dangerous. That you're hunting the demon that killed mom and we can't help." He was on a roll now. "Then, you split Sam and me up because he wants to come and find your ass in California after you told us to stop looking for you. I left him on the road, in the middle of the night. Anything could have happened to him, especially in light of these new powers and I left him, because we fought over you." John had his head down and took the verbal lashing from his son. "I did the job in Indiana you sent us on, alone. I almost got sacrificed to that pagan god, but Sam knew something was wrong and found me at the last minute." He wheeled the chair closer to his father. "Oh, let's not forget when I got electrocuted and Sam was so desperate to cure me, he took me to a faith healer where someone else died to save me. Do you know how it feels to live with that guilt dad?" Dean was shaking and trying to keep his voice under control. "I think he called you then to say I was dying, didn't he," he questioned his father. "Where the hell were you then? I wasn't part of the test? I'm not good enough?" Jana went to his side.

"Dean," began John, but he found he didn't have the words. The rest of the room stared in silence at the two of them. No one dared to move.

Missouri knew there was nothing John could say to make Dean understand his motives. She knew Dean was right to be angry. What John did was play poker with both of his children's lives. It seemed best to steer the conversation away for the moment. "So, did you really destroy the demon, the thing that killed Mary, or will it come back again."

John had his face in his hands still reeling over the words that stabbed him. He reached back and ran his fingers through his hair. "I can't be sure, but I think that ancient Celtic sword was what we needed. I drenched it in holy water and salted it for extra strength." He looked at his son who did not make eye contact. "I think it is gone, and it had to happen here. That's why I sent you to this area."

Dean was still angry, but he was curious about the line of comments. "Why here," he said, not looking at him.

"This is where you and Sammy were born," he began trying to gain eye contact with Dean. "This hospital. I thought maybe Mary's spirit was still here, in some form, as a possible protection for you. I knew if she could come back again, this would be the place." He looked to Missouri for support. "A piece of your soul and your mother's soul remain in this building because it was where you were given life."

He was the master of piecing together a puzzle. Dean could not deny him of that. He nodded in agreement. Jana saw the recognition of brilliance in Dean's eyes, but her heart was breaking for the pain in his soul. This man, their father, was Dean's existence, his mentor. For him to betray his children was more than she could bear to see. Dean turned back to Sam's bed and she touched his shoulder. Jana squeezed it gently and he reached for her hand. He held it in appreciation. Missouri smiled.

"Dean, I'm sorry. You are right. I did things…" he trailed off trying to find the right words to say, knowing that nothing would make amends. "My own stupid lust for the destruction of this thing almost resulted in the destruction of the things I was trying to protect. There is so much evil out there, I am blinded by it," he looked up to Dean. "What I should be looking for is the love," his voice cracked and tears ran down his face. "I should have come to find you when you were dying, but I figured that Sam would help you." John's tone was filled with regret and sorrow. "I didn't believe him, about how serious it was. You were always the warrior, I knew you would survive." He tried to make excuses for his behavior, but drifted into his rage of the demon. "I was so close to it then. I knew it was heading back this way. I didn't know…"

Dean looked him in the eyes. "No. You didn't." He glanced at his baby brother. "Sam and I, we are a great team," he said defiantly. "We'll probably be even more so now that he has these extra gifts. Thanks for that by the way," he said sarcastically and continued on. "We don't need you anymore. We can take care of ourselves." He turned from him and looked back to Sam. He took a deep breath, saying all the things he had wanted to since he left Sam that day on the road to Indiana.

"Dean," cried Missouri, "let's just all take a step back for a moment before we say things that we regret." She hated family conflict, especially this family. "Your brother is ok, he is healing. That herb was exactly the right remedy for his ailment. We just have to wait for whatever drug she gave him to wear off." She looked at John and then to Dean, finally to Sam. The emotions were so high she had a hard time dealing with it. "When he wakes up, we'll have a family summit and get everything onto the table. You work much better together than at odds." The tension was thick and needed to be aired out. Missouri looked to Johnny who was lost in this whole affair. "Do you mind staying here with Sam honey? I think we all need to take a walk. You can call us if there are any problems." She handed him the cell phone that emerged from the backpack. He nodded and accepted the responsibility. Missouri ushered the group out the door.