Empire of Dirt

AN: Hey everybody! This chapter goes into a very little of Caleb and Joshua's back story. I'm working on a story that goes into more of it so I thought I'd introduce some of it here. Thanks everyone for reviewing!!

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Chapter 9

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Dean was in a long, dark hallway. The air was thick and cold and he could hear whispered all around him. The ground was covered in puddles and Dean could tell by the thickness of them, it wasn't water. There were rows and rows of doors lining the hallway, but Dean had no clue of where the whispers were coming from.

"Sammy?" He called out, knowing his brother was near. He slowly began to walk down the hall. His steps felt heavy and forced. "Sammy?" He tried straining to hear an answer. He got one a second later when Sam's screams filled the hall. "Sammy!" Dean broke into a run, rushing toward the sound of his scream. He noticed the whispers getting louder and his legs feeling heavier.

He finally found Sam in an empty damp room. He was lying lifeless on the floor in the middle of the room. The demon was standing over him. John, Caleb, and Joshua were all standing off to the side silently looking at Sam.

"Sammy!" He rushed forward and the demon disappeared. He fell to his knees beside Sam and grabbed his face. Sam didn't react. "Sammy," He said giving his a light shake.

"It's too late." Caleb said in a monotone voice.

"What's too late?" Dean asked looking at him.

"You're too late. He's gone." Panic began to tighten in Dean's chest and he felt bile burning in the back of his throat.

"Sammy, please wake up." He said desperately, shaking him harder this time.

"He won't wake up Dean." Joshua said in the same tone of voice. "You're too late." Dean looked too his dad who was standing there with no emotion on his face.

"Do something!" He pleaded. "Say something!"

"I can't believe you let this happen." John said looking at him. "I trusted you with your brother and you let him die."

"No," Dean said shaking his head. "He's not dead! Sammy! Sammy!"

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"Dean! Dean!" Caleb was trying his best to hold down the thrashing Dean. He was afraid he was going to pull out his IV.

"Caleb, what's going on?" Sammy asked sitting up and fearfully looking at Dean.

"It's fine Sam." Caleb tried to reassure him, but Dean let out a yell and Sam was out of bed in a second and rushing to his side. "Get back in bed Sam!"

"Sammy!" Dean yelled suddenly and began to thrash worse. Sam jumped right onto Dean's bed and put his hand on his chest.

"It's ok Dean, I'm right here." He said calmly. Just at Sam's touch, Dean seemed to calm down a bit. Caleb let go and took a step back. He glanced out the door to see if John and Joshua were back yet. They had gone to get clothes for Sam and Dean.

"Sammy," Dean said quieter this time.

"I'm here Dean." Sam said holding his hand. "Just wake up." Dean panted hard and Caleb was worried he was going to hyperventilate. Then his eyes popped open so fast it made Caleb jump. Sam, however, didn't even flinch.

"Dean?" Sam said softly. Dean eyes darted around frantically and then finally found what they were looking for.

"Sammy?" He asked breathlessly. "Are you dead?"

"No, I fine." Sam assured him.

"Where are we?" Dean tried to swallow and Caleb rushed forward.

"Drink some water." He said pouring it quickly for him. "You're in a hospital Dean. You were stabbed. You lost a lot of blood and got a lot of stitches, but you're going to be fine." Dean slowly drank some water and then stared at Caleb.

"Caleb?" He asked. "Was I too late?"

"For what Dean?" Caleb asked.

"Sammy." Sam got in Dean's field of vision and squeezed his hand.

"I'm fine Dean. The Demon stabbed you and you saved me." He explained.

"I saved you?" Dean asked not sure if he should believe it or not.

"You always do." Sam said simply

"I always will." Dean whispered. Caleb took a few steps back and just watched them. He wished Joshua would get back soon because he now had an overwhelming need to be near his own brother.

"The doctor told me that for you to get better you needed a lot of sleep." Sam said. "So you better go back to sleep." He started to get up, but Dean tightened his grip on Sam's hand.

"Don't go Sammy." He said. Sam nodded and got back in bed.

"I was just going to get another blanket." He said.

"I've got it." Caleb said grabbing an extra blanket. Sam lay down next to Dean and put his arm across his chest and Dean pulled him protectively closer. Caleb smiled and rested the blanket over them. Then once they were both asleep he went out into the hall to wait. He sat with his head in his hands until he heard John and Joshua coming down the hall.

"Caleb, what's wrong?" Joshua asked.

"Uh, Dean woke up." Caleb said standing up. "They're both sleeping now." John nodded and walked into the room to check on them. Joshua started to follow but Caleb stopped him.

"Hey, Josh, I was thinking about when we were kids." Joshua nodded. "I was thinking about when mom and dad died, and the werewolf."

"Why are thinking about that?" Joshua asked concerned.

"If it wasn't for you, I would have died too."

"Caleb…" Joshua said quietly.

"You always took care of me, before and after that. I mean, we were pretty alone. We had Pastor Jim and John and even Bobby, but it was always just you and me. I guess I just wanted to thank you for that, and everything." Joshua was quiet at first not really sure what to say.

"Are you alright?" He asked and Caleb smiled.

"I'm good." He said. "I am hungry so I'm gonna get something to eat."

"Do you want some company?" Joshua asked not really wanting to leave him alone like this.

'Yeah, sure that would be great." They walked down the hall in silence for a minute then Joshua smirked at Caleb. He punched him in the shoulder and Caleb punched him back.

"Hey, remember that stupid dragon you used to sleep with?" Joshua asked laughing.

"It was a present from Pastor Jim," Caleb said defensively.

"So, that doesn't explain why you were still sleeping with it when you were 18." Joshua shot back.

"It would just sit on the bed. I was not sleeping with it."

"Yeah, whatever you say."

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Hey, the dragon this is a little shout out to Ridley's story cause Ridley rocks! Let me know what you think!!