A little Valentine's Day present for y'all! Thanks to Souless666, TwistedDuck, and whatnosheep for your reviews!

Dean and Lindsey were busy at the stove making breakfast when Bobby left his room. The older hunter could just about see the hope and anxiety radiating off Dean.

"Mornin' Bobby. You want bacon with your eggs?"

"Do I look like a vegetarian to you?"

Dean flashed a smirk at Lindsey. "No, sir." He piled a few strips onto the plate and brought it to the table.

"You want orange juice?" Lindsey offered.

"Sure. Not that I don't appreciate it, but what's all this for?"

"You said last night you thought you had a solid lead, so I figured I'd get us good and ready for the day. Find what you needed to?"

Bobby shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth to give him a moment to think. He had to be careful how he phrased this to Dean. He didn't want to reveal too much about the warding and unnecessarily upset Dean. His contacts' best interpretation of 'diamond of darkness' was a black opal, blue goldstone, or just a black diamond. The elder Winchester was looking at him expectantly, clearing doing his best to be patient. Lindsey sat at the table and mirrored Dean's gaze.

Bobby swallowed and put his fork down. "We need a way to see how much of Sam is in there. The obvious choice is Castiel but from what you said, that ain't gonna be an option. I found out more about the wards but nothing that will help us right now. I thought about dream root but I don't think it'll get us in deep enough. The real Sam is probably buried under the demon version and whatever you wanna call his current state. Hypnosis likely wouldn't work for the same reason."

Dean nodded subtly in agreement as Bobby spoke. "Okay, then what?"

"I'm thinking our best bet is a psychic. And not some spoon bender, we need one who truly has the gift. Someone who can get in and see his mind, his soul. We may not even need a very powerful one: Sam's psychic ability may make the connection easier."

Bobby had expected Dean to balk at the mention of Sam's powers, let alone involving any psychics. Instead, Dean pursed his lips as he thought for a moment, then his face lit up. "I think I know just the person! Missouri Moseley is definitely the real deal."

"Missouri? Is that the woman your daddy went to see all those years ago?"

Dean bobbed his head enthusiastically. "Yup. And I'm sure she'd be willing to help. I know I got her number around…" He scurried upstairs and returned with John's journal.

"Isn't she in Kansas though?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah, so?"

"It's a bit of a trek. Not exactly a day trip."

"Bobby, I can take care of the house," Lindsey offered. "And I can look up anything you need."

Bobby eyed her for a few moments, as if judging her worth, before agreeing. "Works for me."

Dean opened to the first page of the journal and saw Missouri's number neatly printed in Sam's handwriting. He punched the number into his phone and pressed dial. He offered Bobby and Lindsey a shrug and a 'I hope this works!' look.

The line picked up after two rings.

"Dean Winchester! If I could, I would slap you through this phone! I told you boys to keep in touch! How many years has it been?"

"Um, uhh… a couple?" Dean fumbled, surprised by the psychic's aggravated greeting.

"A couple?! Mhm-hm. And what do you have to say for yourself regarding that?"

"Uhh… sorry?" Dean guessed, hoping to assuage her irritation.

"Damn straight you better be sorry. But you can make it up to me later. I can already tell there's something heavy weighing on your mind. What is it?"

Can she read minds over the phone?! Dean wondered with awe. "It's Sam. He, um, he's not doing so well. A lot of stuff has happened, I'll explain it later, but basically some people found out about his psychic powers and kidnapped him. They tortured him and forced him to use his powers against his will. They—" Dean's voice started to break. "They had him a long time, Missouri…"

"How long, Dean?"

"Almost eight months," he managed to say.

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. How is he doing now?"

"It's like everything that made him Sam is gone. We've had him home almost a week. He won't talk, he doesn't recognize me, doesn't respond to anyone unless you yell at him. I don't know if he's even in there anymore."

"And you're hoping I can find him and pull him out?"

"Even just confirm that some piece of Sam is still in there…" he begged.

"Sugar, you know I'll do anything I can to help. Come here as soon as you can. I'll be waiting."

"Thanks," he squeaked out. "We'll be there by dinner time."

"See you soon, Dean."

The call ended and Dean sighed with no small amount of relief. At least they had a way forward now.

It didn't surprise Dean that Missouri was waiting on her doorstep for them. What did catch him off guard were the deep lines of concern etched on her face. He avoided her searching gaze and focused on parking the Impala. He popped the trunk and got out, giving the psychic a quick wave before retrieving Bobby's wheelchair and helping him into it. As Bobby got himself settled, Dean cautiously approached Missouri, wary of a well-deserved slap.

"Dean," her throat sounded constricted. "You said he was kidnapped and tortured, but I can already tell it's so much worse. What aren't you telling me?"

Anxiety blossomed in his gut like a nuclear explosion. "How—how can you tell?"

"People have an aura, an energy that radiates from their soul. Feelings and actions can have some effect on it, but souls are so powerful, they always burn bright." Her eyes shifted from Dean to Sam, who was still in the backseat. She lingered there a few seconds, assessing, before returning her gaze to Dean. "I can't even see his," she whispered, seemingly afraid to utter the words aloud.

"What?!" Dean gasped in shock.

"Let's just get him inside so I can check more thoroughly."

Dean hurried back to the car, ignoring Bobby's grumbles about being chopped liver and old news.

"There's a ramp 'round the side, old man. How you think half my clients get in here?"

Dean couldn't suppress his smirk when he saw the look of embarrassed surprise on Bobby's face. "Yeah, I probably shoulda mentioned she can read minds."

Bobby's face turned red as his eyes bugged out a little more. "Ya think?!"

A non-committal shrug was all the response he got as Dean focused on his brother. He was sitting stone-still, his gaunt features frozen in a morose expression. Dean swung the door open and tried to get Sam's attention. "Sam, wanna get out of the car?" No response, not even a blink. "Sam, get out and go inside," firmer now, but still nothing. "Get the fuck out of the car and into that goddam house!" he huffed impatiently, certain the change in tone would penetrate Sam's waking coma.

Instantly, the younger man sprung from the seat and ran, head down, to the front door. Missouri stepped back as Sam went by, fear evident on her face. Sam paid her no heed as he entered the house and disappeared from sight. Dean followed the two psychics in, joining them and Bobby in the waiting room. Sam stood in a corner, his head ducked and chest heaving erratically.

Missouri looked from Sam to Dean to Bobby, her bosom also rising and sinking quickly. "What is he?" she asked in a hushed tone, as if to avoid angering some malevolent god.

Seeing the pained expression on Dean's face, Bobby took this as his cue to lighten the mood. "The name's Bobby Singer. I'd stand up to shake your hand but…" He motioned vaguely to the wheelchair.

He was rewarded with a disapproving scowl from Missouri but at least he'd gotten her to tear her eyes away from Sam.

"Like I said on the phone, a lot has happened. Let me start from the beginning—"

"Shush, Dean, I can't even hear you over the sound of your thoughts!" She waved her hands as if trying to bat away the offending products of Dean's chattering mind. "If you'll allow it, I'll just take your hands and if you think everything, I'll get it faster than you can tell me."

Dean glanced at Bobby, who nodded almost imperceptibly, before agreeing. "Yeah, sure. You might wanna sit down though."

"Alright, let's go into my room then. Better energy anyway."

She opened a door and beckoned the men through. Dean opened his mouth to order Sam into the room when Missouri quickly spat out a "no!" Dean looked at her in confusion. "I… He's… There's a strange energy coming from him, he's going to interfere with my reading. Let's just leave him out here for now." Worry crossed Dean's face and her defensive pose softened. "This won't take long. Just til I understand what's going on, okay?"

Dean swallowed down his anxiety and nodded before passing through to the other room. Bobby followed and Missouri shut the door.

She crossed to the couch and Dean joined her. She studied the bandages haphazardly decorating his skin. He ducked his eyes and mumbled "I was upset."

Missouri sighed gently. "I know, dear. Hold out your hands, palm side up." Dean did as he was instructed. "Try to think back to when we last met and take me through everything major."

Dean gulped again and closed his eyes, flinching slightly when Missouri's soft hands folded over his. He concentrated on the tumultuous series of events that had brought them here.

Memories of Sam's visions flashed before him, seeming like a lifetime ago. Next their encounters with Meg and other demons; the crash; Dad's last order regarding Sam and then him dying in the hospital; the discovery of other children like Sam and his weird resistance to a demonic virus. Sam's possession by Meg; Cold Oak and Sam's death, the feel of his brother's cold body in his arms. Then what started it all, Dean's demon deal to save Sam and his allowance of one year; the Hell's Gate and killing Azazel; meeting Ruby while banishing the Seven Deadly Sins; Dean's time running out; Lilith claiming his soul. He tried to rush through his forty years in Hell, especially the last ten, shame and guilt scorching his psyche. He was the one who broke the first seal. Waking up in that coffin, clawing his way to fresh air, the most beautiful scent he'd ever experienced; Castiel's first attempt at contact; the joy of reuniting with Sam; the fear and disbelief at meeting Castiel, an angel of the Lord; the shock of learning the Apocalypse was on the horizon. The soul-deep feeling of betrayal that Sam was still using his powers, despite it being Dean's dying wish that he stop. The angels' warnings to Sam, who defied them to fight Samhain. Anna, Nick the siren, Alastair, Zachariah, Chuck the prophet, Adam, Jimmy, so many moving parts and he didn't know who to trust anymore. The burden of destiny on Dean's shoulders. And then the revelation of Sam's terrible secret, how he'd been "training" with Ruby. Sam's imprisonment, escape, the slaying of Lilith and breaking of the last seal, with the resulting release of Lucifer, where, according to a Castiel-chunk-decorated Chuck, Sam's eyes turned black. Bobby's injury to protect his boys, followed by the reality-altering announcement that Dean was the Michael sword, a friggin' archangel's vessel! Castiel's rib branding; fighting War, the fucking Horseman; then parting ways with Sam when he decided demon blood was still too much of a temptation; hunting alone or with Castiel, hiding from angels and finding fights to soothe his raging heart. Then that fateful phone call, the last time he'd ever spoken with Sam, where Sam told him he was Lucifer's vessel and Dean told him to fuck off. The desolation of 2014 and the fear of Lucifer in Sam's body swallowed him whole and bred with the terror he experienced when linked to Sam's tortured mind. They'd forced demon blood on him and Lucifer was somehow involved in his endless resurrection. Sam's black eyes staring at him and forcing him to kill his beloved little brother—twice! Sam was broken and there was nothing that would fix him, nothing that would bring his brother back to him and it was all his fault, Dean was to blame for all of this, if he just hadn't been so weak and selfish and cruel and—

A hand cracked across his face and he snapped back into the present, Missouri's tearful expression mirroring his own. One arm was pinned by the surprisingly strong psychic, the other held firmly by Bobby.

"Looked like you were gonna have a seizure, boy, though I can't say I blame you," Missouri explained, releasing Dean's arm. She sat back and took a couple of deep breaths. She shook her head as she examined her hands. "I don't know what to say to you, how to express how sad I am that all this happened to you. If I'd had any inkling this was your future when I met you, I woulda told you. I knew that demon, Azazel you called him, was evil in the truest sense, but I could never have imagined this for you. I'm so sorry for you boys."

Dean was still reeling from the mental hurricane that had just ripped through his mind but he was able to lift his gaze to meet Missouri's. He had the grace to nod before glancing toward the closed door separating him from his brother.

Missouri took a deep breath and pursed her lips before sighing. "I understand a little better now what he is. There is something dark and vicious in him, and that's what jumped out at me first. But there's something else there, beneath the surface… Maybe that's Lucifer's influence, it's hard to tell. But I think I know enough now to take a proper look at him." She glanced towards Dean and Bobby before looking back to the door. "Bring him in."

Dean fought a severe bout of headrush as he stood but made his way to the door and swung it open. Sam was crouched in a corner, as small and out of the way as possible. "Get in here and sit on that couch. You're gonna let Missouri do whatever the hell she needs to. Got it?"

Sam briskly entered the room and sat down in Dean's vacated spot. His chin tucked down, his minutely trembling fingers went to his shirt and began to undo the buttons.

Time seemed to freeze as everyone watched in shock, minds racing as to what this meant. "Stop!" Dean yelled. Sam's hands dropped immediately and splayed out across his thighs. "Leave your shirt on. Just sit there and keep your mind open." His head remained down and he sat perfectly still, waiting for whatever was next.

Missouri looked to Dean, her expression uncertain. "What—what was he doing?" Dean asked quietly.

Bobby cleared his throat awkwardly. "Why don't we just let Missouri get on with it and we'll figure it out later. It's not important right now."

Dean pushed himself back into Missouri's chair and tried his best not to think about why Sam would need to take off his clothes.

Luckily, Missouri's voice distracted him.

"Sam, if you're in there, I need you to come towards me when our energies join, okay? If you're hurt, or trapped, or hiding, you're safe now, you can call out and I'll find you. Dean and Bobby are here. They miss you and want you back. I'm going to lay my hands on your head, Sam, and call out for you. Answer me any way you can, okay?"

Sam's body made no indication of comprehension. Dean could only hope there was something inside that understood and would reach out for Missouri.

She closed her eyes and laid her fingers on Sam's temples with her palms over his eyes. Missouri began whispering something the hunters couldn't hear. To Dean's disappointment, nothing happened. Minutes went by as beads of sweat began to appear on the woman's skin. Dean checked himself but didn't feel warm. Anxiety began prickling his muscles and he got up to pace. Fifteen minutes went by with no change. Dean was losing hope by the second.

Another twenty or so minutes went by and Dean thought he was about to lose his mind.

"Dean," Bobby called out softly and the young man nearly jumped out of his skin. "Look!"

Dean scrambled over to look at his brother. He didn't notice anything different so he quickly scanned Missouri. Tears were trailing down her face. Dean stood and watched, waiting. His patience was rewarded a few minutes later when a drop of blood fled her nose. Sam had one, too. Dean turned to ask Bobby what he thought was happening but was preempted by the flickering of the lights.

"Bobby?!" Dean called, making his way the few steps over to the older man. Something bumped into his head and in the flashes of light, he realized a number of objects were hovering feet off the floor. "What do we do?!"

"Hold out a little bit longer!" Bobby cried out, needing to shout over the growing whine filling his ears.

Dread seized Dean's very being as he recognized the sound of an angel speaking. Did that mean Lucifer already had Sam? Was Lucifer already in Sam? Or maybe Lucifer had already possessed Sam once and this shell was the result, like Raphael's vessel. But Sam wouldn't have said 'yes'! He couldn't have! Would he? No, no, no, no, no! Dean turned to face the linked psychics and cold air blasted his face. In the still blinking lights, Dean could see the air wasn't just cold, it was freezing. Delicate wisps of ice were creeping along Missouri's hands, her breath visible in the chill. Sam's skin was deathly pale and his lips were blue. Something horrible was happening and Dean needed to stop it, now.

He took a few running steps and launched himself at the two bodies, his arms seeking to push them apart. There was a not-entirely unpleasant crackle of energy that thrummed through Dean's body as he touched the psychics. The aura bathing him was quickly dissipated by a guttural scream, one he somehow knew was entirely in his mind, one he knew came from his brother. Shoving his arms apart, he was met with surprisingly little resistance and Missouri's hands fell away easily. The instant the contact was broken, the lights stabilized, the items dropped to the floor, the whine ceased, and the room began to warm. Missouri fell back against the arm of the couch unconscious, while Sam remained exactly as he had begun except for the single drop of blood decorating his face.

Dean's heart fell at the lack of change but his immediate concern was for Missouri. He pushed himself out of the cushions and examined her. She was breathing, albeit rapidly. Her fingers were still coated in ice.

"Bobby, check her for other injuries. I'm gonna get hot water for her hands!"

He dashed into the kitchen and turned on the faucet and tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the water to warm. He filled a large bowl and brought it back, balancing it in her lap as he submerged her hands. To his relief, the ice melted quickly. Last thing they needed was some freaky supernatural icicle. Bobby dipped a handkerchief in the water and dabbed away at the blood, sweat, and tears on Missouri's face before cleaning away Sam's singular bloody trace.

Dean swished the water in the bowl and the sensation seemed to rouse Missouri. Her eyes fluttered open and she took a deep breath. She looked down and seemed perplexed by her soaked hands. He stood and withdrew the bowl, placing it on a table.

"There was ice on your hands," Dean explained quickly and Missouri's eyes got wide.

After regaining her bearings, she set her eyes on Sam. "That boy is immensely powerful… I… I've never seen anything like it and honestly, I hope I never do again." She shook her head slowly to emphasize her statement.

"What did you see? Is he in there?" Dean asked, trying his best to control his concern.

"You want the good news, the bad news, or the worse news?"

Dean's face blanched but he regained his composure. "I guess good, worse, then bad?"

Her face twitched then she set her features. "Good news is that I think he's still in there." Dean felt his heart start beating again. There was hope. "The part of him that you would really consider Sam, it's there, but it's buried deep. It's like he's encased in something, trapping him, keeping this part of him from surfacing, from experiencing. It might be his mind's natural defense to protect him from everything that's happening. I mean, I could feel Sam's essence, but it's faint. There's something else there, too, something supernatural. The closer I got, I could feel immense power coming from it… And that's the worst news. From what I could tell, from the jumbled fragments of Sam's memories, Lucifer has been trying his best to warp Sam's mind and manipulate Sam into saying 'yes', doing anything he can to break Sam's will. And I don't think Sam has much time left. Lucifer is not here now but it's almost like he's guarding Sam's soul, waiting for Sam to give in." Missouri paused to let that sink in. Dean felt his legs weaken and he sagged down into the couch.

"And the bad news?" Bobby asked softly.

"I don't know what it was like out here for you two, but it felt like it took me forever to find something to grab onto. There was just the dark, but even that wasn't simple. There's a part of him that is nothingness, just fear and hurt, and another part that's dark because it wants to be, like it's eating the light. There are chasms in his soul and quite frankly, I don't know how to fix something that deep. I couldn't even get to him to let him know he's safe. The closest I got was right at the end, when Dean was separating us… I think he could sense you, Dean, and something changed…"

"Can we use that somehow?"

"I think so…" she paused awkwardly, struggling to find the right words.

"But…" Dean offered, sensing there was a catch.

"I need to warn you, it's not going to be a pleasant experience."

"I don't care. Anything for Sam," Dean replied earnestly.

Missouri held his gaze evenly. "Dean, I'm serious. Projection of your mind into his would be painful and difficult under ideal circumstances. What you'd be going into… it's… You might not be the same when you come out. I can't even promise your safety."

Dean exchanged an anxious glance with Bobby. "What does that mean?"

Missouri looked down at the floor and inhaled deeply. "There are risks to projection. You could get separated from your body, possibly trapped inside Sam's head. Sam himself could injure you. I don't think he'd do it on purpose, but I feel violent entities in him and he may lash out. Even just the degree of his trauma could damage you."

Dean's throat was constricting by the minute. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"The worst? Insanity, coma, death. Usually I'd say that's unlikely, but with the agony crying out from his soul, anything is possible."

"Fine, what do I do?"

"Dean!" Bobby barked, the fear and uncertainty clearly evident in his tone.

The young Winchester shot up and stepped towards his surrogate father. "It's Sam! I have to!"

"Can we just think about this for a second?"

"You heard her: he doesn't have much time left!" Dean was becoming frantic.

"Let's come up with a plan instead of just charging in!"

"I don't wanna lose Sam!" Dean cried.

"I don't wanna lose both of you!" Bobby shouted, silencing any retort.

"Dean," Missouri said softly, "I agree with Bobby, that we should plan this carefully. His time is not infinite, but we can pause long enough to do it right."

"Okay, fine. What do we need?"

"I know a few things that would help, but I haven't done anything on this scale before. Lemme see if I can't find something better. There's some food in the fridge. Why don't you two heat it up while I look?"

Dean tightened his jaw but nodded. He hoped Missouri was being honest and wasn't just deflecting. He knew coming here was a long shot but now that there seemed to be this sliver of a chance, he was holding on to it. Probably too tightly. But what else was he supposed to do? This was Sam they were talking about!

Missouri left the room and Dean went to the kitchen. Dean opened the fridge and saw a large pan covered with foil. He took it out and peeked under the foil. Ugh, green bean casserole?

"Don't knock it 'til ya try it!" Missouri called from another room. Dean couldn't help but feel both amused and chastened. "There are also biscuits and gravy on the lower shelf."

"Missouri, you're the best!" Dean returned, meaning every word of it.

A little over an hour later, Missouri came into the kitchen with a notebook in her hand. She noted how Sam had both an IV drip and a tiny plate of casserole, but she didn't comment on it. She sat at the table while Dean rose to warm up dinner for her.

"The main thing we'll need for you, Dean, is protection. There are a couple of low-key spells and chants we can use, but they'll be much more powerful if we have certain crystals to enhance the energies."

"Crystals? Really?" Dean looked dubious.

Missouri gave him a dirty look. "Are you the expert here or am I? I seem to recall you coming to me and asking for help."

Dean felt his cheeks go red and he looked down. "Sorry, Missouri. Continue."

Bobby did his best to suppress his smile. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen someone shut down Dean like that.

"Appreciated." Her gaze slowly went from Dean to her notepad. "As I was saying, Sam is an incredibly powerful psychic, so you're gonna need some help to buffer his energy. Best stones for that are black tourmaline, Tibetan quartz, smoky quartz, and fire agate. I have a small piece of black tourmaline and a wand of Tibetan quartz, but not the other two. I'd recommend we get more black tourmaline, too. Apophyllite is known to help release suppressed emotions. I have a large prism of that. Lapis, pyrite, shungite, and black onyx will reflect or block negative energy coming from him, and that is a must. Only one I don't have is the shungite. To help break through the psychic prison entrapping him, I'd use labradorite and azurite. We'll need better quality samples than what I have here. Opal will improve the strength of your astral projection. Each has their own enchantment and placement instructions that must be carefully choreographed. This is going to take a while. Are you up for it, Dean?"

He nodded solemnly. "Anything for Sam."

"Alright. Then I'll need at least a few ounces of black tourmaline, best specimens you can find, smoky quartz, fire agate, shungite, labradorite, and azurite. We'll also need anise, anisette, which you can find at the liquor store, cedar bark, rue, masterwort, fresh rosemary, pink rock salt, and three blue eggs. I have everything else. I've made a list for you and where you might find it. Best bet is to go to Kansas City." She ripped out the sheet and handed it to Dean.

He placed down her plate and grabbed the paper. He motioned towards Bobby. "Let's go, then!"

Bobby shook his head. "Nah, you're just gonna waste time having to unload me every place you stop. You go and I'll stay with Sam. Can maybe even help Missouri if she'll let me."

"Yeah, you can, as long as you don't get your grubby hands all over my polished crystals!"

"They are not grubby!" Bobby protested.

"When did you last wash 'em?"

"Well, uh, before dinner…"

"Exactly. I don't need you smearing gravy over everything!"

Dean smiled at their back-and-forth and left, list carefully cradled in his pocket.

As soon as they heard the Impala rumble to life and drive away, Missouri gave Bobby a pointed look. "I can feel you got something you've been just itching to ask me."

Bobby nodded slowly, licking his lip as he collected his thoughts. "Sam was… marked and branded with several angelic wards during his captivity, I'm assuming to keep Lucifer out. One of them was activated with an Enochian spell and—"

"Enochian, as in the language of angels?"

"Yeah."

Missouri let her head fall into her palm. "Oh, Lord, what have these boys gotten themselves into?!"

"Nothing that we've ever seen before, that's for sure. The spell refers to something called a 'diamond of darkness'. Do you know what that is?"

Missouri's head snapped up. "Let me see the spell," she said urgently.

"Well, it's, uh, only a rough translation…" He handed over his journal.

Her eyes hastily flicked down the page then bore into him. "How sure are you on this translation?"

"Uh, about 90%. Why? What do you know?"

"I know it's some serious magic. I agree with you that his soul is powering the ward, but I don't think it's burning away, I think it's being channeled into something. A 'diamond of darkness' usually refers to something that can contain intense spiritual energies. Under certain circumstances, some can even drain the soul into the material. It might explain why I couldn't sense his aura, if his soul is literally stuck in the stone."

"Where would the stone be?"

"From the sounds of your notes there, they buried it in his heart."

"Why? Why this spell, why his heart?"

"It concentrates the power and magnifies it. But, as they said, it can't go on forever. Once his entire soul is drained from his body and into the 'diamond', the ward will fail, and there will be nothing to stop Lucifer from claiming his body."

Bobby shoved that image out of his head as fast as he could. "If his soul is trapped there, how would we get it out?"

"My best guess is to break the stone, but that will require getting it out. And since it was put in while he was alive, it'll have to come out while he's alive."

"Fucking typical, as if this wasn't all hard enough, let's add open-heart surgery to it!"

She forced a smile onto her face to acknowledge his attitude, but the open-heart surgery was hardly her biggest concern at the moment. "Bobby, did you tell anyone else about this?"

His mood changed abruptly and he looked at her carefully. "I asked a few of my friends if they knew what a 'diamond of darkness' was…"

"Shit," she said softly while her hands began clenching anxiously. "I hope these are all people you trust." soul

"Why?"

She swallowed nervously before answering. "Because if he," she glanced at Sam, "really has a diamond of darkness within him, there are any number of witches, warlocks, psychics, or just plain supernatural collectors who would love to get their hands on it. Imagine the energy of a human soul in your pocket. The possibilities are limitless."

"So you're saying I just put a big target on his back?"

She looked at Bobby compassionately. "Let's hope not."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, worry reigning supreme in the tumultuous minds.

"Do we tell Dean?" Bobby asked quietly.

"Do we tell Dean that his brother's soul is at risk of being stolen for nefarious purposes?" Missouri let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know, Bobby. I don't wanna tell him and have him worry for no reason if it's something that can be dealt with soon, but I don't want anything bad happening to Sam because we didn't tell Dean… I can't decide this for you. You're the closest thing they've got to a father now. Your call."

"Balls!"

What would you do: Tell Dean or keep him in the dark?