Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters. I and am not making any money on this…I'm just having fun filling in the time until September!

Double Trouble

Chapter 30 – Turmoil

Sam slowly opened his eyes, blinking against the pain he felt in his chest. "Dean?" Sam whispered, knowing that his brother was somewhere nearby.

"Heh Sammy…glad to see you decided to join us for lunch. Are you hungry?" Dean said as he moved to sit in the chair next to Sam's bed. He didn't like the glassy look in his brother's eyes as he looked around the room.

"Dean…are you ok?" Sam remembered that Dean had been weakened during the demon's attack. He also knew that he was supposed to be taking care of his brother and yet, Dean was once again forced to ignore his own injuries to help him.

"I'm good, just a little tired. You really beat that demon Sam…I've never seen anything like it. You had control of your powers and you beat him!" Dean sensed that Sam was upset about something, but couldn't tell what it was.

Sam looked away from Dean, he didn't want his brother to see his weakness. He knew that if it hadn't been for Dean, the demon would have won. He wasn't sure how yet, but his instincts told him that he had needed something from Dean and as usual, Dean was there to provide it.

"Hello…earth calling Sam! You need to stay with us for a little bit…you need to eat and take some of this medicine if you want to get better." Dean was concerned at the lack of response from his brother, he had expected him to be tired, in pain, but it was almost like Sam didn't care what happened to him.

"Dean, I'm really not hungry…I just want to sleep." Sam tried to roll over onto his side, but was stopped by the intense pain the movement caused. Looking down at his chest, he was surprised to see the bandages. "How…what happened?" Sam asked looking at Dean for the answer.

"Before I tell you a bedtime story, you need to eat a little of this soup and take these pills. Believe me they will help you with the fever and the pain. Otherwise, I can always haul your ass to the hospital…it's your choice!"

"NO! Please Dean, no hospital. I"ll be good, just don't leave me ok?" Sam's eyes began to fill with tears as he felt the despair well up inside him, threatening to drown him.

"Sammy, who said anything about leaving…I swear, sometimes I don't know what goes on in that freaky brain of yours. Now let me help you sit up so you can eat some of this soup." Dean didn't wait for Sam to agree as he carefully helped Sam sit up, placing extra pillows behind him to make his brother more comfortable.

Sam sighed as he allowed his brother to help him. He hated that Dean wasn't resting, but he also was glad that Dean was here. Somehow, whenever his brother was near him, he felt better. He watched as Dean sat back down with a cup containing some kind of soup. He tried to hold the cup, but his hands shook so badly, he couldn't raise it to his lips. "Ah, Dean…did Missouri make this soup?" Sam remembered the last time he had eaten Missouri's soup...he wasn't sure he was up to a repeat performance.

"Yes, she did and you better eat every drop or she'll tan my hide!" Dean helped Sam steady the cup and smiled as Sam drank down some of the warm liquid.

Sam managed to get down half of the cup of soup before he pushed it away. "No more, please Dean, I just want to sleep…I'm so tired." Sam's eyes started to close.

"Not yet little brother, you just need to take these pills and drink this bottle of water, all of it…then I'll let you sleep." Dean watched as Sam took the pills and tried to drink the water. But once again, his brother only managed a few sips before he turned his head.

"Dean, you won't leave?" Sam whispered as his eyes began to close once more.

"No way bro', you're stuck with me! Now get some rest, I'll be here when you wake up." Dean sat near Sam until he felt his brother fall asleep. He removed the pillows and gently lowered Sam back onto the bed, tucking the blankets around his brother's sleeping form. "Sweat Dreams Sammy!"

Dean brought the dishes out to the kitchen where he found Missouri. "Sam was awake for a few moments, I managed to get some soup down him and the pills, but he didn't eat or drink very much."

Missouri could hear the worry in Dean's voice. "I know child, but your brother has been through a lot. It will take some time for him to be back to normal."

"Normal and Sam are not two words that should be said in the same sentence." Dean grinned.

"Boy, I swear one of these days I will hit you with my spoon…how are you feeling?"

"Well, I have to admit, I'm feeling a little tired and sore. I thought I might try to get some sleep while Sam's out…unless you need me to do something?" Dean yawned, as he sat wearily in the kitchen chair.

"No, I think that's a wonderful idea, but Dean honey, you need to get some real sleep. I know when you are sleeping with Sam, you don't really sleep. How about you lie down on the sofa for a few hours?"

"I can't Missouri, I told Sam I would be there when he woke up…for some reason, he's afraid I'm going to leave him. I don't understand where that's coming from…he should know that I would never desert him."

"Dean, your brother is confused right now. He's got all the garbage from the shape shifter and now the demon rattling around in that fevered brain of his. Down deep, he knows you would never leave him. But I also believe that he senses he needs you close to help him heal."

Dean looked at Missouri, the question in his eyes. "You've said that I can help heal Sam…I still don't understand how this is suppose to work…I mean, I know that I was able to project myself into Sam's mind using your crystal. Are you saying I can do that whenever I need to…that I can see into Sam's mind and help him?"

Missouri stood and stretched, realizing that Dean wouldn't be put off any longer. "No Dean, you can't just jump into your brother's head when you want to. Sam has to allow it. Right now your brother's natural defenses are weak. He has had to fight off two beings who have taxed his psychic energy almost to the breaking point. That is why you were able to get into his mind."

"So your saying that I can only use my ability if Sam allows it? What kind of help will that be? You know Sam hates it when I have to look after him…he'll never willingly let me in."

"Yes he will Dean, once Sam understands what you can do, he will let you help him. But don't forget, your ability also provides Sam with the safety and peace that his soul craves. The last time you fell asleep at his side, you did it again. Your brother was struggling and you provided him with the safety and peace he was seeking, it allowed him to get past the darkness that lives within him."

"Wait, this is beginning to sound more like Star Wars…you're not telling me that I'm Obi Wan are you? Cause, I'd rather be Hans Solo…at least he rocked…" Dean winced as Missouri's hand hit the back of his head.

"Boy, I swear your smart mouth is gonna get you in real trouble some day. Look, the aura that you project…calmness, security and yes, love all work to help keep Sam's nature in balance. You are able to provide your brother with the strength to overcome his dark feelings…by knowing what to say at the right moment or by providing the right amount of support. Sam will always be able to find his way back."

"I get it Missouri, but why are you worried about me sleeping in the same room as Sam?"

"Because boy, right now your brother is calling out to you. He instinctively knows that he needs your strength to help him rebuild the barriers in his mind and to get past the darkness left behind by those two monsters. And you will respond to that need, without question. But Dean, just as Sam's abilities put stress on his body…so does your ability to provide Sam some of your strength. If it hadn't been for Bobby, you would have died…because you have not yet found a way to balance your own instinct to protect Sam against your instinct for self preservation."

"But Missouri, I've never had trouble providing Sam with support before…why is it a problem now?"

"Because Dean, your mind and Sam's have been linked. There is now a natural pathway between you two that will make it easier for you to link with him going forward. Even though you did not fully enter Sam's mind while you were sleeping, you still provided him with some of your strength, your essence. You will need to be careful from now on…you need to learn to shield your own mind so that it doesn't automatically answer each time Sam calls. "

"So you mean, I may link with him without even knowing it, without remembering it?" Dean shook his head; it was a bit much for him to understand. But down deep, he sensed that what Missouri was telling him had a ring of truth. He knew that even though he had slept earlier, he still felt like he hadn't slept for days.

Missouri watched as she saw Dean begin to accept what she was telling him. "I will show you some meditation techniques that will help you. I have also called a friend of mine to send me something that should help both you and Sam get more peaceful sleep in the future. It won't stop Sam's visions, but it will at least repel supernatural beings from invading his mind while he sleeps. Meanwhile, you need to get some sleep…so off with you. Don't worry; I'll wake you if Sam needs you."

Dean rose tiredly from the chair and headed towards the living room. He paused for a moment as he felt the need to check on Sam, it was almost like he was being pulled towards the bedroom. He would have continued but for the hand on his arm. Missouri had followed him to make sure he stopped in the living room.

Dean looked at Missouri as understanding dawned on his features. "Yes, that's right Dean, now you understand the danger. Sam's mind is unshielded right now, so the pull is strong. If you continue to answer Sam's need, you will destroy yourself and him along with you. Now lie down and get some rest…I'll go tend to Sam." Missouri watched as Dean did as she asked. His eyes closing shortly after his head hit the pillow.

Missouri gently covered the sleeping man and let her hand rest briefly on Dean's head. She knew that Dean would be the easy one to guide…he accepted his ability easily. But Sam, that poor boy was going to be a real challenge…she just hoped she was up to it.

Missouri steeled herself to go and look after Sam. Even outside the room, she should feel the emotions that poured from the boy, if she wasn't careful; he would take from her what he was trying to take from Dean. As she entered the room, she clucked as she saw the sweat beading on his forehead. "Don't you worry Sam, we will all help you get past this…you just need to learn to relax a little."

Sam moaned in his sleep, he felt a calming presence nearby. It was the presence he had felt before and knew as Missouri. He briefly wondered what had happened to Dean…but the drugs in his system combined with the fever forced him to go back into the darkness that awaited him.

"Oh Sam, you poor child…don't worry, Dean will be back and he will help you. You just need to hold on a little longer!" Missouri let the tears she had held flow from her eyes as she watched the young man in front of her struggle for his body and soul.

TBC

Raven524: Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews. The good news is, today it's stormy outside, so that will probably mean I get at least one more chapter out today…of course, it could also mean no power…but we'll keep our fingers crossed. Onward to the next chapter I go!