A/N: Getting close now guys, one more chapter for this story. I hope you enjoy the read and thank you for traveling with me. I hope you will join me on the next journey of this trilogy. Reviews would be awesome. NC

Chapter 19

Sam hung up from his brother and choked back the sobs as he wiped the tears from his face. There would be time for a reunion later. Right now, there were more pressing matters that needed taking care of. Sam had tried calling the last numbers he had for their father but none of them worked. This was discouraging in itself, but to hear Dean say he hadn't talked but a couple of times to him either made it all the more real to him.

It was not new that John would disappear off the radar for a time and then suddenly he was back. He would never tell them where he went or what he was doing. He was always too secretive about things he didn't want them to know about. Sam stowed away all his unreleased emotions and focused on driving and getting to his father.

Sam was only going to stop for gas and keep driving. This was too important to stop and rest, he could do that when this was all over and his Dad was safe. He didn't know who was going to get to the cemetery first and hoped they waited on him. He should have told them to since he knew where John would be. Maybe he'd send a text at his next stop to tell them to do that. He needed to go in first and stop the ghouls so Dean and Bobby could kill them. His mind was racing as he planned out the attack and worked out any problems he could foresee.

spn

Dean's mind was still reeling with the knowledge that his brother was alive, and he would be seeing him soon. He couldn't make sense of all that was happening. He had to stop after two hours of driving to fill the car and get an extra-large cup of coffee to keep him going. The effects of the liquor had worn off after the first thirty minutes, but he needed the caffeine for the jolt.

Sam had a lot of explaining to do, especially to him for putting him through hell these past months. If he had been taken by someone or something and gotten away, he couldn't understand why he didn't call him for help. He should have known that he didn't agree with what their father had said, and would no way disown him. Their life-long bond had grown stronger over the years, and he would never do anything to destroy that. No matter what had happened, Sam should have known Dean would be by his side and support him.

He had calculated it would be near midnight before he could get to this town Sam wanted him and Bobby to meet at. He had no idea why their father would be in a small town in Missouri. He didn't know if he was hunting a demon or some other monster in the area. He had called numerous times over the past month but had not gotten any response from him and that pissed him off more. He couldn't believe he hadn't called when he left messages about Sam being missing.

He was starting to wonder if what John told Sam when he left had been taken to heart. But he just couldn't see his father giving up on Sam and not caring about him. He knew how stubborn and hard-headed John could be and Sam was just like him and that was why they butted heads so much. It was all he could do to maintain the peace between them during their fights. Sometimes, he would just pack Sam in the Impala and separate them for a few days so they both could calm down. He did his best to stop the arguing from turning into physical fights and had succeeded most of the time.

spn

It was after eleven pm when Sam pulled into St. Elizabeth city limits. He stopped at a gas station to fill up and use the restroom and get directions to the cemetery. It didn't take him long and he followed the directions given by the cashier. He had to drive across town and pulled up to the gate of the cemetery and stopped. He got out and looked around and grabbed a flashlight he had picked up. Sam didn't have any weapons since getting back from hell, except for a knife that was in his duffle. He walked to the gate and let the light pan over the name in the wrought iron knowing this was the right place from his vision. He started to walk around the road looking for a house or structure but didn't see one. Sam didn't understand it. There had to be a reason he saw this cemetery and swore under his breath.

He started walking back to the car and saw headlights heading his way and heard the familiar rumble of the Impala. Sam faltered in his steps as he tried to prepare himself to see his brother again. He tensed with uncertainty, doubt, fear, and desire all rolled into one that made a shiver run up his spine. He wasn't sure he was ready for this meeting, but knew it needed to happen if they were going to save their Dad.

Dean had stopped at the first gas station in town to get directions so he wouldn't have to drive around looking for the cemetery. The lights of the Impala lit up a car parked at the gate and then he saw the shadow of someone walking toward it. He pulled the Impala over beside the other car and stopped, leaving the lights on so he could see.

Dean got out of the car and stepped around it and waited as his brother continued toward him only to stop three feet away. He couldn't make out much, but there was something different about Sam. Was it the way he carried himself, with more confidence and strength? Was it the haunted eyes he could barely make out? Was it his hesitation after not seeing each other for the past few months? He studied the beard he had now and finally spoke to him.

"Hiya Sammy," Dean said casually not wanting to make a scene or get into a fight right now. He could see the tension and stiffness of Sam's body and was surprised that Sam didn't initiate a hug or some contact with him since he was always the emotional one. Now that he found Sam, he wasn't letting him go, not this time.

"Good to see you too, Dean," Sam replied not sure if he should go to him or not. He was sure he would be pissed at him, so he stayed where he was clenching his hands into fists to stop his body from trembling. He darted his eyes upward to glance at Dean and quickly looked away feeling guilty and unsure of himself now that they were face to face.

"What happened to you dude? Why the hell didn't you call me?" Dean questioned, keeping his voice steady and calm. He couldn't stop himself as he took two steps to Sam and pulled him into a hug. He could feel the resistance from Sam and wouldn't let him see his face to see the hurt in his eyes. He knew it wouldn't do any good blowing up at him until he found out what had happened. He would take it one step at a time.

"That can wait, we need to find Dad or at least the place he will be taken to," Sam told him stiffening in his arms. He couldn't stop himself from doing it. He pulled away to continue talking, but thinking it felt so good to feel his brother's arms around him again. He had wanted that so much when he got out of hell but knew it couldn't happen until he found out who he really was. "I think he was taken by ghouls. So, can I borrow a gun?"

"Yeah, sure, and how do you know this? Have you talked to Dad?" he asked walking back to the trunk and opening it. He pulled out a handgun and handed it to Sam.

"No," Sam replied ignoring his questions. "We need to see if there's an abandoned house or building near the cemetery. I don't know if they have him already or not, but we've got to find the house and kill them." He turned to walk away and stopped to wait on Dean who grabbed a flashlight and turned off the lights of the Impala and locked her doors.

Dean followed his brother and kept quit, not asking the questions he wanted to. Sam had changed, he could feel it and it wasn't just the beard. They moved around the fence of the cemetery searching for any building that was near it.

"Is that something over there?" Dean asked when he saw the hint of a light through the trees to their right.

"Let's check it out. I need to go in first Dean," Sam stated as he moved into the trees not waiting to hear his argument.

"No, that's not going…" Dean started but was shocked when Sam rebutted him.

"I'm not asking bro, that's how it's going to be. Stay behind me," Sam ordered in a strong, hard voice, going quiet when he got close to the rundown house. There was a light on in one of the rooms, and Sam moved to the door and tried the knob to find it was locked. He focused on the door lock and opened it. He tried again and quietly pushed the door open stopping when it began to squeak. He was able to slip into the house and stopped long enough to get his bearings before moving in the shadows toward the sound of voices.

Dean wanted to protest Sam's order, but they were already at the house and he wanted to be quiet, plus, for some reason he felt he had to obey him. Dean didn't know why he felt like that suddenly, when he was always the one who went in first. He watched Sam try the door and then stopped for a moment and tried again pushing it open enough to get in. He followed him inside and heard several voices to their left and saw Sam did too.

Sam stepped into the room just as one of the ghouls was going to slit John's wrist and held up his hand to jerk the knife from his grasp. He threw both his arms out and threw one ghoul into a broken bookcase, holding him against the wall and the other into the opposite wall hard enough to crack the drywall. He held them in place as Dean hurried around him seeing the ghouls pinned to the walls.

"Head shots Dean, the only way to kill them," Sam growled through clenched teeth as he concentrated splitting his powers between the two. He started getting a dull ache behind his eyes and a thin trickle of blood dripped from his nose, but he didn't let up.

Dean fired two shots taking out the ghouls and turned aiming behind them when he heard noises heading his way. He jerked the gun up as Bobby rushed into the room with his gun drawn.

"Help me, we need to get Dad to the hospital," Sam demanded as he jerked his jacket off to take off his shirt. He tore a sleeve off and wrapped it around his head to stem the flow of blood and used the rest to press tightly against the wound in his chest.

"Cut the ties on his feet Dean," Bobby ordered him as he took care of the ones holding his arms. He jerked out a bandanna and wrapped it around the wound on his bicep. "You get his legs and we'll carry him to your car."

Dean did as he was told, his mind going into hyperdrive over what he just saw. Sam had disarmed the ghoul and thrown them against the walls without even touching them. And he was right about their Dad, if they hadn't got there when they did, he would be dead. He looked at his brother's concerned face with trepidation and saw the trickle of blood on Sam's face that he hadn't wiped away. Sam had a lot of explaining to do about a lot of things.

They got John to the Impala and into the back seat. He remained unconscious through the rescue.

"Follow me, I looked up where the hospital was and the quickest way there," Sam told Dean as he ran around to his car and got in.

Dean did the same and watched Bobby go to his car to follow them. He fell in behind Sam who sped out of the cemetery toward the road and took a hard right. He heard John groan out in pain and glanced in the back seat at him. He was pale and had lost a lot of blood and he didn't know what other injuries he might have. There was no time to check him out. Sam was driving fast and barely stopped at the red lights if he didn't see anything coming. Dean saw the signs for the hospital up ahead and followed Sam around to the emergency entrance.

Sam parked to the side of the entrance and jumped out and headed for the Impala when Dean screeched to a halt beside him. He went inside and yelled for help before coming back out to help get John out of the back seat and onto a gurney that was wheeled out by two orderlies.

John was moved to a curtained off area and the brothers were stopped from following. A nurse gave them some paperwork to fill out as a doctor was called down to check John. Sam watched the room as he stood nearby, too agitated to sit down. He watched nurses and doctors quickly going in and out before John was wheeled out of the room and taken toward a set of double doors.

"They're moving him," Sam stated wanting to follow but it said the area was restricted.

"They'll come tell us something shortly Sam, why don't you sit down?" Bobby asked him.

"Yeah Sammy, you're making me nervous; they'll take care of Dad," Dean added seeing how worked up Sam was getting.

"We had to be in time; he has to be alright. If only I had been closer when it happened," Sam mumbled to himself that had Dean and Bobby looking at each other wondering what he was talking about.

A nurse came out and headed toward them. "Are you with the gentleman that was just brought in?"

"Yes, we're his sons and this is our uncle," Sam answered before Dean could reply.

"He is being taken up to surgery to take care of his injuries. There is a waiting room on the second floor that you can wait in. The doctor will come out and talk to you when he's finished."

"Thanks," Sam said looking around for the elevators and spotting a sign in the back corner.

"Here you go," Dean said giving her the forms before following Sam.

"Is Sam okay?" Bobby whispered as they walked after Sam.

"I don't know Bobby, but something is definitely off about him. You should have seen what he did to those ghouls," Dean told him in a low voice.

"We need to be patient with him Dean. We don't know what he has been through these past months," Bobby cautioned him in a whisper. He didn't want Sam hearing them talking about him and possibly make things worse between them.

"I'll try, but I can't promise anything," Dean replied. "He's changed and I know you can see it too."

He could feel the anxiety and stress coming off Sam as they got on the elevator and headed up to the second floor. Sam didn't say anything to them on the ride up and stepped off before them, looking at the signs before heading left toward the waiting room. If it hadn't been for Sam, their Dad would be dead. He had saved his life, but how was the question.

Dean didn't take his eyes off his brother wondering if it was really him. He looked and sounded like his Sammy but was this really his brother or some carbon copy. He held his tongue for now, but Dean planned on getting answers out of him; he wanted to know what was going on with him.