Disclaimer: I do not own anything Supernatural, it is all property of the CW11 Network, and whatnot, so don't sue me, please.
Chapter 16
Sam let out a small sigh as he stepped out of the steam filled bathroom, wearing only a large white towel around his waist.
The shower had been heavenly, washing away all the coldness and any gunk he'd picked up from his impromptu swim in the lake, curtesy of a certain wolf-eyed lady who was currently making dinner in the kitchen downstairs.
He and Alkaya had spent most of the day by the lake, Sam honing his skills at controlling the waters and even trying to control the air. He'd been marginally succeesfull but, he'd leave the full controlling for another day.
Alkaya had conjured up lunch, the two of them sitting on the pier, enjoying sandwiches and eachother's company. Alkaya had mercilessly ribbed him on his sopping wet look, eventhough she was the one responsible for it in the first place.
God, she was so much like... Dean.
Sam paused in his dressing, the dark brown button up shirt lay open around his upper body as he stood and pondered this.
A small, sad smile tugged at his lips.
Maybe that was why he felt so comfortable here, in this strange place where time moved in a different way than in his real world.
Whenever he talked to Alkaya in many ways, it felt almost like talking to Dean.
For this reason alone, Sam felt his heart swell a little.
She made him feel safe in this unfamiliar place.
Another reason why his feeling towards the woman were changing.
She had given him a small semblance of normal in what was truely a very, very abnormal period in his life.
With a sigh, Sam buttoned up his shirt and gathered his long hair into a loose ponytail at the back of his head, wrapping a plain black hair band around the now dark-chocolate locks.
With that, he left his room and headed to the library, figured he'd get his quota of books absorbed before dinner.
" Hey Alkaya, I'm gonna go absorb a few books before dinner, is that okay?" He asked using the psychic link.
" Knock yourself out dude, the pasta's still boiling so, you got time. Absorb as much as you can but, don't overdue it." Came Alkaya's voice. Then with a whispering sound the link was closed.
Sam walked into the library and looked around.
He found three heavy looking books of ancient Aramaic. They were all located at the very top of the bookself.
" No problem." Muttered Sam under his breath as with a sigh, his eyes turned from moss-green to pale ice blue, which stared up at his intended targets.
The three books shuffled a little before they were slowly lifted up from their resting places by an invisible force.
The books lazily floated down into Sam's waiting arms.
Strange, these books were each like two encyclopedia Brittanica's combined yet, Sam hardly felt any of the weight.
He walked over to the circular table he'd burned the Key of Solomon into, the mark was a permanant reminder of Sam's growing power.
Sam laid the books open and ready for him to absorb into his mind.
Like the book of Latin from before, these books were soon nothing more than empty blank pages shorn of the ink they had once held.
They were emptied in less than half an hour.
Just in time for Alkaya's call to dinner.
Sam walked out of the library and the second the aroma of pasta sauce and basil caught his nose, he was all but dashing down the stairs to the kitchen.
Dinner was a quiet affair filled with simple conversation and Sam chuckling softly to one of Alkaya's snarky come-backs.
After dinner though, a little bit of the awkwardness of the morning returned as Sam followed Alkaya to the training room for their final training session of the day.
" Sam, I'm gonna warn you, this session is gonna be a lot harder than usual." Said Alkaya as they stood facing eachother.
" Harder in what way?" Asked Sam, slightly confused as to what she meant.
" What I mean is, you're gonna be tested out on your ability to regenerate from... Larger and more serious wounds." Said Alkaya tensely.
" But I'm fine, I don't have any wounds to heal." Said Sam in utter bewilderment.
He watched as Alkaya's eyed grew dark and sad as she stared back at him.
" I'm so sorry about this." She whispered before the air began to hum with power.
Suddenly, Sam cried out in sheer agony as he was swiftly attacked by some unseen force.
" OH GOD! ALKAYA WHAT THE HELL'S HAPPENING?" Cried Sam as he crumbled to the floor, his whole body writhing in agony and the tell-tale warm wetness of blood.
" It's the Higher Powers, they're giving you back the wounds they'd healed when they brought you back to life. The wounds you'd taken into your own body when you saved you father and brother back at the cabin." Answered Alkaya, her voice shaking and her eyes shining with unshed tears.
" W-Why?" Moaned Sam as he stared up at Alkaya, the coppery taste of blood filling his mouth as he began to bleed profusely from several grevious wounds in his chest and a gunshot wound to his thigh. He pealed back his shirt and nearly passed out as he stared at the bloody mess his chest had become... all over again.
Memories of that hellish night in the cabin began to assail his mind.
" Because you have to be able to heal yourself and because... I downright refused to hurt you in any way. The Higher Powers had to improvise. I'm sorry." Said Alkaya with a small, shaky breath.
She turned a hard gaze to the young man writhing in agony before her as she spoke, her voice tinted with urgency.
" You have to heal yourself Sam. Please, focus your mind, I know this is agony but, you can't let it beat you Sam. Please Sammy, don't let it beat you."
Sam's mind, though wrought with excruciating pain felt a small jolt at the urgent plea.
An image of a face he'd not seen for nearly three whole months flashed across his vision.
Dean.
Alkaya's plea sounded a lot like what Dean would have said had he been here.
Alkaya watched as Sam's face grew focused, the expression of agony slowly fading and being replaced with a look of sheer determination.
Moss-green eyes turned pale, icy plue and ignited with power as the air around the young man laying in a bleeding heap on the floor began to crackle and sizzle.
With a primal yell, Sam climbed to his knees as the wounds that graced his arching body began to glow with a white light.
Slowly, the pain began to melt away.
The wounds stopped bleeding all together as they slowly began to heal themselves.
Alkaya watched with mounting relief as the blood Sam had been loosing began to slowly flow back into his body.
She watched as the wounds that marred Sam's chest slowly began to close, seemingly of their own volition.
The angry red, open wounds closed and faded to light pink scars before vanishing completely, leaving behind only flawless pale flesh.
Sam fell backwards in complete exhaustion, his newly healed chest heaving from the exhurtion it had had to endure... all over again.
Alkaya rushed forward and knelt over Sam.
" Sam?" She asked as she looked down at the youngest Winchester.
After several more breathes, Sam found his voice.
" Feel... So numb." He managed to grit out.
" I'll take you up to your room then." Said Alkaya as her eyes ignited with power.
Sam felt a warm, soothing feeling wash over him, he felt like he was floating.
As a matter of fact, he literally was.
Alkaya carefully levitated him off the training-room floor.
Alkaya quickly made her way out of the room, towing a floating Sam behind her.
They made their way upstairs to Sam's room.
The sight of Sam's long limbed body floating behind the pale eyed woman up the stairs, would've been absolutely ridiculous had the sitution not been so charged and serious.
When they reached Sam's room, Alkaya willed Sam's body over to the bed.
Sam floated over the bed for a few seconds before Alkaya gently lowered him onto the mattress.
She was instantly at his side.
" Alkaya?" Called out Sam plaintiffly.
" Shh. I'm here Sam. Just take it easy, you wiped yourself out." Said Alkaya as she reached out and pulled Sam's hair free of the ponytail that was restraining it.
Sam reached out with a shaky had towards the pale eyed woman.
Alkaya gripped the hand in her own, giving in a firm squeeze.
" W-Why didn't you obey... the Higher Powers?" Asked Sam as he squeezed back, the warmth of Alkaya's hand soothing in his own.
At this, Alkaya let out a small, humorless chuckle.
" I don't got to obey the guys upstairs all the time. Sam I just... couldn't. Guess you're growin' on me Bean stalk" Said Alkaya with a sad smile. Her smile faded a little when she noticed Sam's shirt was still laying open, exposing his chest for all the world to see.
Sam felt slightly confused as Alkaya gently pulled her hand out of his grip.
He watched as the pale eyed woman's long fingered hands glided over his chest without actually touching him.
Fingertips gently gripped the open lapels of his shirt and slowly pulled them back together.
Sam felt his heart flutter a little as he watched Alkaya's long, graceful fingers began to slowly re-button his shirt for him.
She worked her way upwards from the last button to the second button, her movements were slow and careful.
Once she'd done the last button she moved to get up and leave Sam to his rest when the youngest Winchester reached out and seized her hand once again.
Alkaya watched as a sleepy smile spread across Sam's lips as he stared back at her, moss-green eyes hooded over with drowsiness.
" Stay with me." He whispered as he brought Alkaya's hand to his chest, pressing her palm over the spot where his heart was.
Alkaya smiled back as she felt the steady beat beneath her hand. Then, her lips parted and she uttered the single word.
" Alright."