Alternate Life or Real Life?

Disclaimer: as per chapter 1

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Dean stared at the jumbled letters in the email, Sam had managed to send, don't t know how but hey that's Sam. He stretched and stood up from the computer, quickly he poured another cup of coffee from the self-serve and went back to the laptop.

'Dea

Ff sa hel sam dddddoc laaaaab baddddddddddddd sammm neeeeeeeeeeeed dedede'

Finally Dean managed to get most of it;

'Dean

Find Sam, help Sam, doc lab, bad, Sam need ... '

The last few letters made no sense, could be dad spelt wrong or demon or just rubbish, he was still amazed that Sam was even aware enough to type out anything.

A short sharp knock at the door, startled Dean as he quickly lowered the lid of the computer and pulled out his gun and eased the safety off. "Yeah?'

'Dean it's Dad.' A familiar voice came from the other side of the door.

Cautiously Dean opened it and gazed around to make sure that no one else was lurking nearby while his father went into the hotel room.

'Dad, I got a message from Sam.' Dean said without any preamble.

'Message how?'

Dean flipped open the laptop and turned it around for his father to read, 'but it looks like gibberish Dean, what is Sam?'

'I worked it out, he needs help Dad, I have a feeling it was a warning for us too.'

'Warning for what?'

'The last few letters, dedede I have a feeling that Sam was trying to say demon.'

'Was that all in the message.'

'Yep, I can't believe he managed to do that, last time we saw him he was still in restraints.'

'We need to get into that clinic.' John ran his hand through his hair wearily, 'get some rest son we'll try late tonight.'

'Dad I ...'

'Yeah I know son I know.' John said as he laid down on the bed and let his arm fall across his eyes, effectively blocking out the strobing fluorescent above his head.

Dean sat at the table silently honing the blade of his knife, he kept glancing over at his father occasionally but the elder Winchester appeared to be sleeping fitfully. Absently he nicked the tip of his thumb, the blood welled and started to trickle down his finger. 'Fuck!' He finally exclaimed grabbing a tissue he staunched the bleeding enough to wrap a bandaid around the tiny wound. 'Fuck, fuck, fuck.' He spat out, the cut started to throb making his whole hand ache, just another crappy thing to add to the list of other crappy things that have happened since they arrived in Trinity.

'What? What is it Son? Something happened?' John's eyes snapped open and he stared wide-eyed at Dean.

'Nothing Dad, just nicked myself. Must have lost my concentration there for a moment, I was thinking about Sam's email.'

'Nothing much more to work out Dean it was a jumble of letters mostly.'

'I have this ... dunno Dad just that I am sure Sam's trying to warn us.'

'The demon again?'

'Yes Sir.'

'One way to find out then Son.'

'Yes Sir.' Dean stood up and slid the blade into the leather sheath on his belt, and then returned his gun to the familiar spot tucked into his waist band in the small of his back. Double checked his sawn-off shotgun was loaded with the rock salt and that he had a small flask of holy water in his jacket pocket. 'Ready.' He said simply as he stared up at his father.

'Then let's go get Sammy and bring him home.'

"Yes Sir.' Dean picked up the keys to his car and then hesitated, slowly he turned to look at his father, and he recognised the same manic look Sam gets, instantly in his father's eyes. 'Dad we're just getting Sammy out of there, that's it for tonight.'

'What are you saying Dean? Are you questioning me again?' John snapped, Dean's new attitude was definitely not new and improved.

'Look Dad, we all want the Demon, but we don't know if it is the one behind all of this, we just have to get Sam out safely and stop that crazy-ass Doctor before he destroys anyone else.'

'So you are the father of this family now?'

'No Sir, it's just ... you and Sammy get so caught up with destroying the Demon, ah forget it Dad.'

John glared at his eldest son for a few minutes and then turned and strode out of the room not waiting to see if Dean followed him or not. Downstairs at the cars he waited impatiently pacing between them, he knew what Dean had said made sense, a helluva lot of sense but ... 'Since when did you get so logical?' He asked when Dean appeared next to him.

'Had a good teacher I guess.' Dean gave him an elegant Gallic shrug and slipped in behind the wheel of his Impala, 'want to take both the car and truck or just the car?'

'Both, we don't know what we're walking into to.' Or from, John thought, suddenly an image of Sam flooded his thoughts, pale, fragile and so sick, the image brought stinging tears to John's eyes, 'meet you there.' He said gruffly as he went to his own truck not wanting Dean to see such open emotion, he couldn't afford any kind of vulnerability showing, especially not in front of his son.

Cate fidgeted and glanced at her watch once again, she had felt nervous and a little sick ever since Dean had rung her and told her what he and his father were intending to do. She stayed in the shadows of the building, her dark pants and jacket giving her a little more camouflage, she let out a loud sigh when she saw the black Impala arrive, a truck just behind it, must be their dad. A small smile played on her lips as she watched Dean walk over to her, her gaze moving appreciatively down his muscular frame, and then back up to his face and those eyes.

'Hey Cate.' Dean smiled easily at the young nurse waiting for him.

'Hi Dean.' Cate returned the smile and then glanced over at John, 'Mr Mitchell?'

'John please.'

'So what do you need from me?' She asked turning back to Dean, 'but first is this a good idea? You sure you know what you're doing?'

'Yep we do Cate, now what I need for you to do is to run interference for me and Dad just get us to the clinic entrance and we'll do the rest.'

'There's no way I can talk you out of this?'

'Just show us where to go young lady and we'll take it from there.' John said his impatience sounding in his voice.

'Please, this way.' Cate said her face flushed and hot, she flinched at John's tone and the look in his eyes, 'I think I know of a way to get you in.'

Moments later Dean sat in a wheelchair, a hospital gown covering his T-shirt and weapons, a blanket tucked over his legs hid his jeans and the rest of his personal arsenal.

John wore the white coat of a Doctor and a stethoscope slung around his neck, he strode next to Cate who pushed the chair, 'just look zoned out Dean.' She had instructed him before they left the store room. 'The Doctor only admits young people to his clinic, I know that, and usually they are ones who are psychic or have some sort of preternatural ability.'

'What goes on in this clinic?' John demanded, his angry gaze burning into Cate's memory, 'what exactly does this Doctor do?'

'I'm afraid I really don't know, I have only just started to work here myself, this is my third shift and I only work the wards, it just seems wrong to see the kind of experimentation he practices even more the patients are admitted to his so-called clinic.'

'Have you been able to see any of the patients who have been released from the clinic?' Dean asked.

'No Dean, no one comes back to the wards after being admitted to the clinic.'

As they approached the doors leading to the clinic's entrance, Cate stopped and went over to the main reception desk, quickly she filled in a small admittance agreement and signed her name to it, this was it she had stepped over that invisible line and headed straight into trouble.

'Where do you think you're going?' A burly looking guard asked blocking their way into the next building.

'Patient transfer.' Cate said holding up the admittance slip, 'he just arrived in emergency and the Doctor wanted him brought to the clinic immediately.'

'Who are you?' The guard demanded staring at John, 'I don't know you.'

'Doctor John Stanford, just started here, tonight's my first shift.' John lied easily flashing his fake ID card, 'and they have me on escort duty, I tell ya I couldn't believe it, having to do an orderly's job. But hey at this hour and being the new guy don't think I have much say in the matter.'

'So what's wrong with him?'

'Not too sure, he's contagious we know that much, some sort of virus, but the Doctor said that he was a perfect candidate for the clinic.' Cate interjected, 'now can we get going? I am overdue for my break and gasping for a coffee.'

'Yeah sure, the Doctor will look in on him later I guess.' The guard shrugged and stepped aside for them to pass. 'Room four is vacant.'

'Thanks.' Cate smiled sweetly and pushed Dean's chair smoothly through the doors, though she could feel her heart pounding against her chest.

As soon as they were out of sight of the guards, Cate went straight to the nurse's office and found Sam's chart, although when she returned to John and Dean she had a frown on her face and a look of suspicion in her eyes, 'okay want to tell me what is going on.'

'What is it Cate?'

'Look Miss we don't have time for any discussions.' John interrupted Dean, his voice low and almost growling.

'Nope you're not going anywhere until you explain something and tell me why I shouldn't call the guards.'

'What's wrong Cate?' Dean asked his voice low and soothing as he shot a dark look at his father.

'Why does this say Samuel Winchester, father John Winchester, brother Dean Winchester?' Cate emphasised their surname each time, 'who are you and what do you want?'

'Sam is my son, as is Dean.' John said barely concealing his impatience, 'sometimes we have to use aliases to get through red-tape, it's got nothing to do with anything bad, just in our line of work we have to be careful.'

'That really doesn't tell me why I shouldn't call the guards.'

'Cate, I – I, look I really wish I could explain it all to you but we're running out of time and Sam needs our help, your help, please Cate.'

Cate stared at Dean's face, the look of undisguised concern for his younger brother shone in his eyes, 'oh alright but please the straight truth from now on okay.'

She led them down a winding corridor deeper into the building finally coming to a stop at a room marked PRIVATE A. 'In here.' She whispered, 'please be careful, Grace is always haunting this place.'

'Sammy?' Dean's anguished cry echoed around them, Cate looked at the father and son and then she let her gaze slide over to the patient in the bed.

The young man lying in the bed, barely resembled the one she had nursed only a day ago, now he looked skeletal, his skin stretched over his lanky frame now transparent and tinged with blue; his eyes looked sunken and bruised black. A large gash on his forehead looked raw and new, red tendrils of infection emanated from it. Two IV drips fed into him, one into his arm and the other into his thigh, that one carrying a dark looking viscous fluid into his body.

With a shaking hand she picked up his bed chart and scanned his vitals, it was amazing that he was still alive, sniffing back her tears she stared up at Dean, 'I am so sorry for doubting you.'

'Can we move him?' John asked, his voice cracking with emotion the only indicator to his inner turmoil. 'He looks so ... '

'Dad?' Sam whispered as he fought to open his eyes, 'dad is that you?'

'Sammy? It's alright Son, I'm here no one's going to hurt you anymore.'

'No, no too late ... get outta here before ... too late for me.' Sam moaned, blinking hard he gradually focused on his father and brother, 'hey Dean.'

'Hey Sammy, and we're not leaving you behind anymore.'

'Too late.' Sam moved his head slightly and winced with the sharp pain invading his senses, 'too late.'

Cate shook herself out of her stupor and let her nursing side take over, with brisk efficiency she undid the restraints and managed to help Sam sit up a fraction so he could have some sips of water. 'Not too much now.' She said, 'too much too quick will make you throw up.'

'Thanks.' Sam tried to smile at her but it came out more as a grimace, 'how?'

'Your email, I got it, Dude how did you get into college with that kind of spelling?' Dean teased, the only way he could stop himself from crying. 'Dunno if you deserve the title of Geek boy.'

'Jerk.' Sam said but then he started to cough up more blood and black fluids, his frail form shaking uncontrollably as he tried to control his breathing, 'get outta here Dean, and take Dad with you.'

'Not without you Sammy.' Dean said as he wheeled the chair closer to the bed, 'now do you think you can sit in this until we get you out or what?'

'A gurney.' Cate said suddenly, 'I can get a gurney, we can wheel him out via the morgue.'

'I'm not dead yet.' Sam wheezed, he closed his eyes and waited for the room to stop spinning, 'do what you have to do.' He said resignedly.

'Back in a minute.' Cate said and she disappeared out of the room before any of the men could protest.

'Dean.' Sam whispered, 'Belle...'

'What about Belle Sammy? Is she here as well?'

'Nope.' Sam's voice broke as he spoke, 'they brought her in to heal me, I was really bad and ... and fuck it Dean they killed her. It was too much and she died trying to save me.'

'Sammy, hey Sammy don't you dare blame yourself, it's not your fault.'

'Then whose is it Dean? Whose fault is it if it isn't mine? I was the one they made her to try and heal.'

'Sam, they are the ones who killed her, not you.' John snapped, then he saw the haunted look in Sam's eyes and the hurt written across his face and he forced himself not to snap or raise his voice again, 'you can't blame yourself for Isabelle's death, the doctor is responsible for it, no one else.'

'The Demon, Dad the Demon is involved.' Sam wept, 'I couldn't do anything except lie here and do nothing.'

'Sammy ... Sam don't even worry about that now, just concentrate on getting well and we'll get it another day.'

'Dad?' Sam stared up at his father, he couldn't believe what he had just heard, 'do you really mean that?'

'Sam your life and Dean's life ... nothing is more important to me than you two boys.'

'But it's here Dad, that Demon is here in Grayson.' Sam insisted, his face growing paler as he felt his anger build, 'stop treating me like a child Dad.'

'I'm not doing that Son, but there's a time and place and for now we have to get you out of here.'

'Ah Mr Winchester, it is a pleasure to see you.' The doctor hissed, he stood in the doorway, with his hand clamped tightly over Cate's mouth, a syringe filled with the serum in his other hand pressing against her neck. 'Now be good and step away from the bed and my patient please.'

'I'm taking my sons and we're leaving this place.' John growled moving to stand between the doctor and the boys. 'Let her go she has nothing to do with this.'

'Oh yes she does, I know all about your little subterfuge attempt, it would have worked had I not returned earlier than expected.'

Sam squeezed his eyes shut as a blinding light flood his vision, he could hear the voices of his father and brother arguing with the doctor. His vision was coming true and he was helpless to do ... no the restraints are gone this time. Sam slid his hand down until he felt the cannula set in his thigh muscle, gritting his teeth he pulled it out, the pain short but very sharp and then he did the same with the one in his forearm.

'I'm with you Sam.' He heard Belle's voice and felt a warmth flood through his body, feeding his waning strength, 'trust me.'

TBC