Madison and Seraphina waited in the hallway while Alex and Castiel talked to the doctor. They could see their brother laying on the bed next to the grownups but he wasn't moving.

"Your son isn't responding to the antibiotics. If we can't get his white cell count up...well, I'm afraid we'll just have to wait and see." Dr. Arnold said.

"Will he wake up?" Alex asked.

"I don't know yet." Dr. Arnold answered honestly, excusing himself as he exited the room. Alex ran her hands through her hair and tried to stop her racing mind. She had already called the theater and told them she wouldn't be able to perform tonight. They sent their sympathies and, knowing Levi's weapon obsession, the manager had sent him a book on guns to read when he woke up. It was sitting on his nightstand within reach.

"Hey." Castiel gently grabbed her wrist to stop her from pacing the floor. He pulled her close and rubbed her back. "He's going to be alright."

"Mommy?" Madison was standing in the doorway.

"Yeah, sweetheart?" Alex cleared her throat and offered a smile to Madison.

"There's a doctor here. He says he needs to talk to you and Cas."

"Thanks, Maddie." Alex took a breath to steady herself and Castiel squeezed her hand. "Can you and Sera stay with your brother?"

Madison nodded and the girls moved out of the way so their parents could leave. Seraphina pulled Madison toward the bed and let go of her sister's hand to push a chair next to the bed. The small child climbed the chair and into the hospital bed with her brother. Madison quickly followed her sister's example, both being careful of any tubes or wires connected to Levi. Castiel had gone to pick up some clothes for the pair of them, so when Alex got back to her son's room, she could hear Madison and Seraphina singing to Levi. It was a song she had always sang to them when they were sick, scared, lonely, or at bed time. It was their comfort song. Right now, hearing her children sing it was her breaking point. She pressed her back against the wall outside of Levi's room when she heard it and slid to the ground, tears falling.

"Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Just take a sad song and make it better. Remember to let her into you heart, and you can start to make it better."

Castiel took the girls home a little while later and stayed with them. He was making dinner while Madison went to examine the bookshelves. Alex had never said anything but Madison had her father's love of reading and research. There was a drawer that held a leather book. Madison had been forbidden to read this book but hoping there was something in it that could help her brother, she unbuckled the cover and started to read. She had always been able to read anything. Her mother said it was because all of her children were special.

"Daddy says it's time to eat." Seraphina said, running into the study that their mother had claimed.

"I'm not hungry." Madison said, her nose buried in the book.

"Mommy said that you're not supposed to read that." Seraphina's eyes were wide.

"It's okay, Sera. But it's a secret. It might help Levi." Madison pleaded. "Don't tell."

Seraphina scrunched her eyebrows together but nodded a few moments later. Madison put the book back in its hiding place and went about the night as she normally did. Castiel gave the girls a kiss goodnight and tucked them in when it was bedtime. But only Madison woke up the next morning. Seraphina had fallen into the same coma that her brother had.

Sam had been staring at his cellphone for what seemed like hours.

"Dude, just call her." Dean said. He was done with Sam's back and forth with himself. "She's your wife."

"Yeah, but she's normal now."

"So?"

"I don't want to ruin that." Sam was staring at his phone when it rang. The number was a New York area code. He answered cautiously. "Hello? Yes, this is Mr. Synder. What? Are you sure? I'm on my way."

"What's up?" Dean asked, his mouth full of cheeseburger.

"It's Levi. He's in the hospital." Sam said, still stunned by the information given to him over the phone.

"Let's go." Dean dropped his burger and grabbed his coat and keys. They were a few states away but Dean drove like hellhounds were on his heels. Sam's thoughts were occupied and he stared out the window, willing the rental car to go faster.

Madison had managed to sneak the book into the hospital and double read the section on something called a shtriga while her mother and Castiel had gone to get her some food. It matched everything that had happened to her brother and sister. The five year old wondered what a consecrated iron bullet was and where to get one but that would be the least of her problems. She needed a gun to shoot the bullet. Maybe she didn't need a gun and just needed iron. Madison remembered that her mother had insisted that the light fixtures at home be made of iron. She shoved the book in her backpack when she heard Castiel coming back.

"You ready to go home, kiddo?" Castiel extended his hand to her.

"Is Mommy coming?" Madison took his hand and slid out of the chair.

"No, she's going to stay here tonight sweetheart."

When they got home, Madison headed to the study. It wasn't anything new so Castiel didn't suspect anything. Madison waited until the angel was in the shower, once again an unnecessary action but Castiel was keeping up appearances, then snuck into her mother's room. At the foot of the bed was a trunk. Madison had asked about it once before but Alex told her not to worry about it. She pushed the lid open, ignoring the feeling that she was being bad, and hoped that there was something in here to help her. She grabbed an odd looking blade and an iron knife and ran downstairs when she heard the water turn off. Hiding the blades under her mattress, she grabbed a book and pretended to read, laying on her bed and crossing her ankles in the air.

"I'm going to have Uncle Bobby come watch you tonight, Maddie." Castiel said, rolling up his sleeves.

"Okay." Madison smiled. "Are you going to the hospital?"

"Yes. Be a good girl for Bobby, honey." Castiel crouched next to her bed and kissed her hair. "Don't worry about your brother and sister. They'll be alright."

Madison nodded and Castiel kissed her hair, standing when he heard the doorbell. Bobby had arrived and Madison knew he wouldn't believe her if she tried to ask for his help. She counted the hours until bedtime and scurried off to her room when it got dark. Bobby tucked her in, read her a bedtime story, and clicked on her nightlight.

"Good night, Maddie. I love you." Bobby smiled at her.

"I love you too, Uncle Bobby." Madison rolled over and pretended to sleep.

Sam and Dean had arrived at the hospital. They had made it past the nurse's station and Dean stayed to flirt with a nurse, knowing that this was something his brother needed to do alone. Sam took a deep breath before opening the door to Levi's room. There was another girl in the room and she was asleep. Alex was slumped in a chair between the beds, her head resting in her hand. He was careful not to wake her up and went to his son, stroking his hair. He remained that way until Alex stirred and he quickly left the room, bumping into the doctor in the hallway.

"I'm Levi's emergency contact." Sam shook the doctor's hand. "Can you tell me what's going on?"

"Levi and Seraphina were admitted for what seemed like pneumonia. Their bodies aren't responding to antibiotics anymore though. We are trying to find a different course of treatment for the siblings." Dr. Arnold said.

"Siblings?" Sam cocked an eyebrow.

"Yes, Seraphina is Levi's half sister. This illness has been going through families but strangely enough, it's only the children." Dr. Arnold excused himself to check the children's vitals while realization hit Sam. If Levi and Seraphina were here, where was Madison? He took off down the hall at a sprint and passed Dean, who ran after his brother.

"Dude, what's going on?" Dean asked, when Sam started the car.

"I think a shtriga is after Madison." Sam panted. He and Dean had worked a case similar to this one almost a decade ago. Dean called Ellen and got Alex's address, picking the lock on the door when they got there. They carefully slid the door open and saw Bobby snoring on the couch with the TV playing. They tiptoed past him and started to search the apartment.

Meanwhile Madison was waiting in her room, holding a blade in each hand. If her book was right, the shtriga had to feed off her to be weak. She'd be lying if she didn't say she was scared but her brother and sister were in trouble. Her breath caught in her lungs when she saw the silhouette through the curtains. It seemed an eternity before it came in the room and opened its mouth, a light glowing inside. Madison had trouble raising her arm with the strange blade but she managed to shove it through the shtriga's chest. The shtriga's mouth stopped glowing and fell on the floor as Sam opened it. He took in the sight and let out the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

"Thank God." Sam crossed the small distance between himself and his daughter and took her in his arms. Madison let the fear she had refused to feel take over when she threw her arms around Sam's neck and started to sob. "It's okay, Madison. You're safe."

Alex woke up when she heard Levi's voice calling for her, Seraphina's cries followed soon after. The doctors were astounded at their recovery and wanted to keep them a day or so more for observation.

Sam and Dean took care of the shtriga's body while Bobby was asleep. Madison had watched from the safety of her bed, clutching a brown stuffed moose tightly to her chest. When the shtriga was taken care of, Sam sat on the edge of Madison's bed.

"Who are you?" Madison asked.

"I'm a friend." Sam smiled at her. He handed her a slip of paper with his phone number on it. "If you ever need me again, call this number."

Madison nodded and took the piece of paper. Dean was leaning against the wall when he spoke. "How did you know what to do, Mads?"

She dug the book from under her mattress. "I read this. Mommy said I wasn't supposed to but I thought it would help Levi and Sera. You won't tell her, will you?"

"No." Sam said quickly, his fingers drifting over the familiar cover of his father's journal. He brushed some hair behind her ear and stroked her cheek with his thumb. Pressing a kiss to her forehead he said, "Get some sleep, Madison. You're safe now."

When the Winchesters got back outside, Dean stared at his brother. "Why didn't you tell her you're her dad?"

"I think I should tell Alex I'm back first, don't you think?" Sam said with a sideways glance at Dean.

Levi and Seraphina were allowed home the next night and all of the children insisted that Alex go to the theater that night. She had been hesitant but eventually gave in, promising to be back after the show was over and she had changed from her costume. Her friends and fellow performers had welcomed her back eagerly and the show went as smoothly as possible. Alex went to her dressing room and ran a brush through her hair. A knock sounded on the door and Alex told them to come in. When she caught the reflection of her visitor in the mirror, her heart stopped.

"Sam."

A/N: First off, thank you so much for the wonderful response for the first chapter. You guys are all amazing and I love all of you. I know a lot of you followed from the first story and I am so lucky to have those of you who found this story worth following (so far). Thank you for following, adding this story to your favorites, reviewing, and reading. Feel free to leave a review or PM me. Any type of feedback is always welcome. xo