Chapter Eight: Letter

This wasn't happening. This definitely wasn't happening! Sam continued to pace the motel room. The call with Dean had just suddenly ended. Sam hadn't heard a struggle, hadn't heard a yell or a clatter it just ended and he was left wondering what the hell was going on! His dad had gone off with Bobby to get some food for the next few nights while Caleb had taken the Impala to do a little extra research. No one but Sam and Dean knew about Dr. Loathen and his youth snatching plans. Sam had tried their numbers. No answer…no fucking answer! Dean could be dying and Sam had no way to go help him. He continued to pace. He had to get to the hospital. Had to do something to help Dean.

The sudden knock at the door made Sam jump. He wasn't expecting that. Normally the sort of people knocking at their motel doors would just barge in with guns and cuffs. Inching to the door Sam peeked out the peephole. With a frown he undid the locks and pulled the door open. "Lou?"

The old man smiled up at Sam. He was dressed in a suit. "Hey Sam."

"What are you doing here? When did you get out of the hospital?"

Lou shook his head. "Don't worry about that right now. I have a feeling you need your brother."

Sam paused for a moment. "Yeah…how did you…"

"I've had a long life Sam. I know these things." Looking from left to right Lou leaned in. "I'll tell you a secret…but you can't let anyone know I told you." After he got a nod from Sam Lou leaned close to his ear. "There's a car parked in front of the last room on this building. The keys are inside and the doors unlocked…you should go see your brother." Leaning back Lou smiled again. "I'd take you myself but…the bus won't come for another thirty minutes." Turning around Lou waved for Sam to follow. "C'mon. I'll show you."

"Uh…right." Grabbing his coat and slipping on his shoes Sam shut the door behind him and rushed to catch up with Lou. "Why are you helping me, Lou?"

Lou smiled. "Dean's a good kid, a little rebellious, but a good kid. His heart is for the best of people even the old and grumpy like yours truly. He doesn't deserve to be stuck in the hospital with something like that."

"…You mean his cold right?"

Lou looked to Sam before nodding slowly. "Right…his cold. That too."

"…What-?"

"I was in the hospital for a good two months you know. Went in because of a broken rib and just got out today. The entire time I was there I think I had five different roommates. Dean being one of them. And every single one would just turn their nose up at me. Like I was just some old rotting person with no feelings. But your brother wasn't like that and I was glad to introduce him to Erin."

"Erin…you heard what happened right?"

"Oh yes, was one of the first people to find out. Erin is my granddaughter…not biologically but in heart she was a granddaughter. My son and grandson live a few states away, they get to see me one maybe twice a year. Never got to see them when I was in the hospital though. Asked them to stay away. Didn't want my boy and my grandbaby seeing their pappy all weak and sick, tubes going every which way. Not something I want them to remember about me." Lou and Sam walked around the corner. "Anyways, Erin…she was a good kid. Didn't deserve to be struck with cancer like that. She would have made it a few more months if it weren't for that damn doctor of hers."

"Who was her doctor?"

"Dr. Loathen…he was my doctor too."

"Yours? How was that?"

"Not very good…guy's a fucking idiot." Sam smirked. "Your brother…he isn't in good hands with that man. If you can…get him out of there." Putting a hand on Sam's shoulder Lou stopped walking. "It's been good talking to you Sam but I gotta get going. Now that I'm out of that hospital I'm heading to see my family. Got everyone gathered in one place." Lou pointed to a red Sundance parked at the end of the lot. "That's the car. It's beat up and worn but it'll get you there. I'll see you around Sam…" Lou started to walk off. "Oh…" He looked back. "…and when you get to the hospital look in my old room for me will yeah. I left something for Dean there."

Sam nodded. "I will Lou."

The entire drive to the hospital was a hard one. Sam's stomach bunched and twisted in ways he never thought it could. He had to take a deep breath every few minutes just to calm any sudden rush of anxiety. Dean would be okay. He hadn't gotten a call from the hospital telling him to come in yet. As long as his phone was quiet there wouldn't be an issue right?

He parked in front of a tow away zone. The faster the Sundance was taken away the less likely it was Sam who had stolen it. When he walked into the hospital he started to tremble. This wasn't good. The elevators suddenly seemed so far away and out of reach for Sam. "Hold the doors!" Sam called as he rushed up to the closing elevator. Susan was on the other side a smile on her face.

"Sam." She smiled. "Come to see Dean huh? He's actually looking forward to visitors today."

"Yeah, well I just got off the phone with him. Figured I'd come and see how he's doing." Clearing his throat Sam shifted in his spot. "Susan…you…you're engaged to Dr. Loathen right?"

Susan looked away from her clipboard before nodding. "Yes."

"How long have you been engaged?"

Susan smiled. "Not too long. A couple of weeks. We started dating through an internet site. Talked for a month or two then I met him and love at first sight y'know. He popped the question a week later and now here I am. Getting ready to plan my life with him."

"So you've only been dating a few months?"

Susan shrugged. "When you know…you know." As the elevator dinged to a stop Susan stepped off. "You can let Dean know I'll be there to see him shortly. See you Sam."

Sam nodded to Susan. Once the doors were closed he bite the inside of his lip. "The time frame works…Dean." When the elevator stopped again Sam move quickly to Dean's room. He was only three rooms away. Why did three rooms seem the entire hospital length all of a sudden? As he made it to Dean's room he threw open the door and walked in. There was Dean, lying in bed, his head was off to one side as he slept. Sam glanced from Dean to his phone on the end table. Picking it up he turned it on…nothing. Dean's phone had just died. Nothing was wrong then…right? Sam checked him quickly. His heart had a normal beating rate. His breathing was steady and low. He seemed perfectly fine. He probably decided to get some rest. Good thing. Dean had been pushing himself too hard lately.

Leaving his brother to rest Sam did a once over of the room. The information fallen to the floor caught his attention right away. It was the last connection between Susan and Dr. Habresken. Sam smirked. Dean had his moments. Setting the paper down Sam decided against waking his brother and left.

As he opened the door he saw a little girl standing across the hall. She was clutching a tattered teddy bear. Her brown hair was in a big ringlettes. The curls fell to her mid back. A white ribbon was in her hair and she wore a white dress with matching buckle up shoes. "Hi!" She piped excitedly as she waved to Sam.

"Hi…" Sam mumbled as he stepped from the room. "…who are you?"

The little girl smiled. "A friend of Dean's."

"Really?" Sam closed the door behind him. "Did you come to see him?"

"No." The little girl shook her head. "I can to see you Sam…" The little girl looked down to her feet as she clutched her bear. "…Dean's in trouble…he's going to get hurt real bad if you don't help him."

Sam looked back to the door behind him before to the little girl again. "What do you mean? He seems fine."

"No…no he isn't…he's real hurt! He has to go home, Sam!"

"Hey hey hey…" Sam kneeled down. "It's alright. Dean's going to be fine he's just sleeping."

"Only because he made him sleep!" She took a step forward. "You have to help him Sam!"

"Calm down." Sam reached out to the little girl's shoulder. His hand went through her body. Pulling his fingers back Sam stared at his hand. It couldn't be. He looked to the bear she clutched. Sam recognized that bear. "Erin?" Sam looked up to her face. "Erin….what happened?"

"The bad doctor did it! He hurt Dean and he hurt me and he hurt my brother and all the other kids! He hurt them all! He hurt Lou too!"

"…" Sam winced. "Lou?" Moving a little closer Sam swallowed the worry building in his throat. "…what did Dr. Loathen do to my brother?"

Erin shook her head. "I don't know….he's not going to wake up though Sam….not unless you take him home." Erin's image flickered.

"Wait, Erin…don't go."

"Help him Sam…he needs you." She flickered a little more. "…I want to see Dean but not for awhile! Help him." Clutching her bear Erin buried her face. "Please…" She flickered away.

Sam remained crouching for a moment. His eyes remained on the place Erin once stood. "Lou…" Sam stood. "…Lou's room." Heading down the hall Sam tried to focus his breathing. This was bad. This was really bad….something could be happening to his brother right now…Sam had to save him.

XxXxXx

"Are you sure?" Bobby reassured his friend's answer as John paced back and forth.

"Yes." John muttered low as he continued to pace. His entire frame screamed worry as he waited for Sam and Caleb to return. John glanced at Bobby as he looked over the medical report. "I don't know how Dean ended up being targeted but these are the hospital reports. He's literally aging from the inside out. His liver, heart, lungs all of it…they look like they've been used and abused for seventy years already."

"Even if it were John…you can't do anything to stop it until we find this stone and the altar. We can't take Dean out of the hospital either. We don't have the equipment or the knowledge to keep him alive."

"I know." John muttered low as he continued to pace. His mind was a race of possibilities to save his eldest son. "We don't have much time." John grabbed his coat. "Lets go."

XxXxXx

As Sam made it to Lou's room he pushed the door open. The room had already been tidied up. All of Lou's pictures, flowers and balloons were gone and his bed was neatly made. Walking into the room Sam took a quick glance around before his eyes landed on a letter on the nightstand. It had Dean's name on the front of it. Picking it up Sam turned it over.

"It's alright." Sam jumped as he turned around. Lou stood in the doorway. A smile was on his face. "You can open it. Go ahead."

Looking down to the envelope Sam ripped the top flap open and pulled the letter out. "Dear Dean…"

If you're reading this letter then I wasn't able to see you again before I died. It's a shame things had to end this way but I believe in you and I believe in your job as a hunter. Just like my family believes in me as a hunter. I was planning on retiring from hunting after just one more job. Just one last chance to make the world a better place. This damn youth snatcher. Alas, the bastard got the better of me in the end. You're a smart kid so I'm sure you've figured out who it is. But if you haven't you will soon. I trust in your abilities. It was a pleasure to meet you Dean. A pleasure to work first hand with a Winchester. I knew when I was first admitted into the hospital I wouldn't leave. It's a shame I can't be on a lake fishing with my son and my grandson. A shame that I had to lie her helplessly as Erin and her brother were killed. A shame that you had to be a target. A shame that I didn't realize you were a hunter sooner. But now that I do know I feel I should leave you with one last helpful hint. Before I was condemned to this bed as my final resting place I played a game of hide and seek. I'm sure you know how the game works. Find the best hiding spot Dean and you can beat this thing.

Sam, if I am too late in warning your brother. Take heed of my words and work in his place. Let him know that Erin and myself are praying on his and your success.

Good luck boys

"…Louis Trent." Sam looked up from the letter. Lou was gone. Folding the letter up Sam stared at the envelope. "Hide and seek…" Sam slipped the letter away. "The basement."

Shit, that was a long update eh? Sorry 'bout that guys. Kinda had a block there for a bit. I knew what to write just not how to write it. Anyways, I'll try to get the next chapter out quickly but there are no guarantees. I'm working almost five days a weeks and on my days off I'm snatched up by my friends faster then you can say 'Lou'. Haha bad joke. Lol. I'll be getting a second job so it might take a little while but I will get it out. Please have patience guys. I'm thankful for your support.