Alternate Life or Real Life?

Disclaimer: as per chapter 1

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CHAPTER 19

Dean watched Sam carefully; it had only been two weeks since Sam defied the doctors and insisted on leaving the hospital. Pale and weak he never left his bed except to go to the bathroom. But, unfortunately he was no worse so Dean couldn't take him back to the hospital as he had threatened, instead he had to be content with being Sam's carer, until he was well enough to – to do what?

'Dean, you're going to have a permanent hole in your lip if you keep chewing on it.' Sam said his voice soft but clear.

'Huh?' Dean blinked tentatively he touched his abused lower lip, 'whatcha talking about Sammy?'

'It's Sam how many times do I have to keep reminding you?'

'Oh if it keeps you talking and getting better hmmm there is no number you'll just have to keep reminding me.' Dean said grinning happily, for the first time in weeks he was able to breathe freely and without the heaviness in chest from constant worry.

'Fine then, fine so why are we lounging around here for?' Sam asked as he carefully sat up and moved until he was sitting on the edge of the bed his long legs tucked under the frame.

'Well gee let's see, I have this little bro who wanted to take time out and sleep for weeks and then got stubborn and had to leave the hospital so he decided to take more time out and laze around in bed for another two weeks.'

'Jerk!'

'Bitch!' Dean said his smile widening, 'so how you feeling Sammy?'

'Okay, I – I guess.' Sam said falteringly, 'but it's weird.'

'What?'

'I haven't had a vision, feeling nothing. I just feel empty.'

'But isn't that a good thing, no visions I mean.'

'I guess, but it just doesn't feel right ... like I have had something ripped out from deep in me.'

'That is called your work ethic little Bro it is time for you to get up and get back into life.'

'What hunting evil and killing things that is getting back into life?'

'Sammy, Sammy, Sammy what am I going to do with you?' Dean grinned throwing a pillow at his brother happily. 'Anyway get your scrawny ass in the shower get dressed and we're gonna go rustle up some food. You need to get some weight on Dude you were too skinny to begin with now it's just downright embarrassing.'

'Gee Dean, you're all heart!' Sam stood up slowly and waited until the dizziness eased and then he slowly made his way to the bathroom, 'you know Dean ...'

'What?'

'I ah appreciate all this.'

'What are you on about ... no, you're not gonna do a chick flick moment are you?' Dean gasped in mock horror dramatically falling back in a pretend faint, 'honestly don't think I can take it.'

'Jerk.' Sam said trying not to laugh at his brother's antics. Closing the door he leant against it and tried to gain his breath, just the short walk from bed to bathroom made him feel weak and exhausted. Shower will be good, he kept the thought foremost in his mind, hot water, hot, hot water. Wincing he stumbled as he grabbed his head and fell to his knees the pain, blinding fast and completely incapacitated him. So much for a break from the visions, his body shook with the violence of the fragmented insight into the future.

He stood in the middle of a dark room, the floor covered in blood making it tacky and slippery all at the same time. He was naked and shivering when he looked up he saw nothing but blackness. 'Welcome home Samuel, we have been waiting for you.' A voice boomed around him, so loud he had to cover his ears with his hands to block it out, then the floor came up to meet him and the ceiling below him as the vision changed, morphing into a completely different scene. He stood in the centre of a field surrounded by yellow daisies and green grass. A warm spring wind swirled around him ruffling his hair he looked up at a clear blue sky the sun warm on his face.

He smiled angelically and basked in the warmth radiating through his aching body, the scent from the daisies and assorted wild flowers filled his pain-wracked mind easing his agony.

A small tiny droplet of fluid landed on his shoulder and dribbled down his bare skin, reluctantly he took his attention away from the perfect scene and glanced down at the offending drop of ... 'No!' He screamed realising that it wasn't water that it was blood, looking up again he watched the sky darken and heavy storm filled clouds gathered above him, the drops became heavier until he was bathed in a bloodied rain. He started to shake with anger when a soft moan made his look up even higher, where he saw Dean above him, blood pouring from his stomach.

'Sam, come on Sammy open those puppy eyes for me.' Dean pleaded with Sam who sat slumped against the wall, his eyes screwed shut and thick heavy tears fell down his cheeks, the tinge of pink that had returned to his face now gone replaced with a sallow gauntness once again. 'Sam, come on Dude you're heading back to that hospital in two minutes if you don't open your eyes and talk to me.'

'Get off me.' Sam mumbled pushing at Dean's hands weakly. 'Dude when was the last time you used a breath mint.'

'Man Sammy ... what is going on?'

'You know how I said that I hadn't had any visions lately.' Sam gradually opened his eyes and tried to focus on Dean's face.

'Yeah so?'

'So Dude I guess the drought is broken.' Sam grimaced with a headache that refused to subside. 'Help me up.'

'What was it Sammy?' Dean asked as he gripped Sam's arm and helped him get to his feet refusing to let go until he was sure that Sam wasn't going to collapse again.

'No, it was weird really, weird, nothing like the ones I've had before.'

'Weird how? Freaky weird? Or run-of-the-mill prediction weird?'

'Freaky weird I guess.' Sam scrubbed at his face, blushing at the fact that he cried in front of Dean, 'I'm gonna have my shower, I need a shower and then I'll tell you what I saw, if I can work it out that is.'

'You sure? I mean that is you sure you can stand up without falling on your ass again?'

'Get outta here Dean.' Sam growled softly.

'Okay, okay I'm outta here.' Dean held his hands up in mock surrender, 'but remember I am not gonna pick your naked ass off the shower floor.' Dean ducked before he could see the look Sam gave him.

He stood just outside the bathroom door until he heard nothing but the shower running. His heart still thumping from the feeling of dread when he heard Sam's heartbroken cries and when he saw, his long frame crumpled on the floor shaking from the effects of the vision. Sam had changed since coming out of the coma and he wasn't sure that it was for the better. He seemed so fragile, almost fragmented, trapped, and locked in a coma somewhere, oblivious to life surrounding him.

'Damn it Sam.' Dean muttered as he pulled out the mobile and hit the fast dial for his father. 'Dad, hey just to let you know Sam's up and, and yeah if you get this ... call ... please.'

Putting the phone down, Dean picked up the laptop and went over to his bed, planning to do a little surfing for a few jobs while Sam enjoyed his shower. Curiously, he checked out the missing persons list for the local area, when one name jumped out at him. Flicking his gaze up at the shut bathroom door for a second Dean looked back at the webpage; on the top of the list sat the name of Isabelle Williams aged twenty, disappeared under mysterious circumstances two weeks before Sam getting sick.

'Dean, hey earth to Dean.' Sam stood in front of him, his damp hair falling in his eyes as he towel dried it. 'I thought I was the one who went all spacey.'

'Huh? Oh hey Sam.' Dean cleared his throat and closed the laptop, 'so ready to fill me in on your vision before?'

Sam sat down on the bed and pulled his boots on, taking his time playing with them acting as though he couldn't get them on just right.

'Sam, hey quit stalling.'

'It was weird Dean, not like the others where I saw something happening to someone, giving us time to find em.' Sam sat up but still couldn't meet Dean's steady gaze, 'ahh it was like I was standing in a room, it was really dark and cold and ... and ah blood covered the floor ... and it was like wet and cold and slippery, and then there was a voice.'

'Which said?'

'Welcome home Samuel, we have been waiting for you.'

'And?'

'And then it changed and I was standing in a field filled with daisies and wild flowers, and it was a perfect spring day. Then these clouds gathered and I felt something drop on me...'

'Oh I know that one bird shit.'

'No.' Sam said giving Dean a withering look, 'no it was a drop of blood.'

'Go on.' Dean urged all teasing now gone from his voice.

'I looked up again as it started raining blood and...'

'Spit it out Sam.'

'Dean it was you, you were above me and all of the blood was coming from you.' Sam blurted out unable to keep it in anymore.

'Me? Floating in the sky?'

'Focus Dean, you were like Jess and I guess like Mum, but ... instead of being on the ceiling and being burnt you were in the sky and there was these huge storm clouds behind you.'

'Cool.' Dean grinned and then sobered, 'hey Sammy I aint going anywhere ... you can't get rid of me that easily.'

'Dean, who's doing this?' Sam asked his eyes darkening, 'why am I seeing you bleeding all over me?'

'Okay want the Freud explanation?' Dean asked trying to nudge Sam out of his fast developing depression.

'Dean.'

'Dunno but fuck, you had better see this.' Dean opened the laptop and turned it so Sam could see the screen easily.

'Yeah you were scanning missing persons ... What the?'

'Isabelle Williams, she was your roomie in your coma life?'

'Dean ... I told you that felt more real than this.' Sam exclaimed exasperated, 'what is going on Dean?'

'Fucked if I know but we're going to find out Sammy, I promise we're gonna get to the bottom of this.'

'Does it say when Isabelle disappeared?'

'Two weeks before you got sick.'

TBC