1Chapter Two

Dean limped out of the bathroom feeling like he had been on a bender for the last three days...ever since he's reappeared in the car on that stretch of highway. He pulled the I.V Stand along beside him, thankful that Sam was gone to grab some food...probably to apologize to Ambre too. Dean paused in the middle of the room holding to the stand for support as he looked to his closed door.

"Dean?" Her voice sounded in his head like he remembered it. With an edge of fear that mirrored the horrors that they had all seen. Dean felt his arm shifting against the ghost of the hotel bed as he shifted the blankets and sheets up making room for her in his arms as if on instinct. It had taken months for that to feel natural...or maybe not...maybe it was seeing her after the explosion...asking him to tell her it was all a dream...maybe sharing a bed was the least he could do. Offering bodily comfort night after night til he didn't want to stop. When they had made that leap from comfort to something more he may have never really pin pointed...but it happened so gradually that it never felt wrong.

Dean slammed his eyes shut wishing the room would stop spinning, wishing he wasn't trying to pull off the greatest acting gig of the century while down for the count. It was hard enough without the fever furthering his delirium.

Dean needed some air.

He rubbed his hand not bound to the arm bound to the IV across his lips before he made his way to the door and then out into the corridor. He was glad he didn't spot Ambre on this short jaunt to the elevator...not really sure where he was going, but hoping that it cleared his head.

A man sat in the back of the elevator smiling from ear to ear with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. Dean acknowledged the button lit up and decided that where ever this guy was going that made him so happy seemed good enough to him. "How's it going?" Dean asked quietly as he stood to the side there with his friendly neighborhood IV stand.

"Can't complain." The man replied shortly getting a nod from Dean. "You?"

"Same." Dean lied easily looking to the buttons as he wished that the elevator would hurry. When it finally settled Dean let the other man rush past him before walking into the elevator lobby. The doors had already closed behind him when he heard the faint call of an infants cry. Dean froze and took a few steps in to get a better look at the corridor. "Shit." He breathed under his breath. He was on the Maternity floor.

He turned back to the elevator and quickly pushed the button feeling tension building behind his eyes. The tears that he refused to cry getting precariously close to breaking through. He wasn't going to do this...he was not going to break down. He could handle this...everyone was better off. Still, Dean turned at the sound of the infants crying and slowly felt his feet betraying him. He was standing in front of the viewing window before he really had a chance to figure out how he got there. There had been so much going on...when...Dean swallowed thinking back to that basement. So much going on. Sam had been doing what he could...but even he was struggling. Ambre's life had been slipping through his fingers...the baby crying as she nuzzled it in her arms while Sam tried to keep the evil outside the door at bay. Dean had barely gotten to see the baby.

Now he felt that damn bursting through as his hand trailed down the glass at the babies that lay before him. So many of them...sleeping...moving about...crying...Dean couldn't look long before he was heading back to the elevator fighting to keep from letting that damn completely shatter. He felt weak just for letting the tears that had gotten through go. God he had to get it together.

He could tell that Sam already knew something was up, but he knew that without a thorough explanation he'd never understand it...and Dean didn't plan on giving him that. Dean rode the elevator down with a crowd of people trying to collect himself before he went back up to his floor and waited for the throngs of people to clear out in the lobby before pressing the button and waiting for the doors to close. An arm shot in to keep the door from closing and Dean froze watching the brunette step into the elevator...ignoring him completely as she saw that the right button was pushed.

It was strange that he couldn't see her wings, it had been so easy to see things not normally visible not long ago...and he knew for a fact that they were there. Unless he had just completely lost his mind or Alturoc had sent him to some freak alternate reality instead of back in time to fix this. She was packing...he could tell by the way she held herself. He'd been around her enough to have seen both of her stances...her locked and loaded stance and her I might finally give a damn stance. She was taking the first at the moment. "How's it going?" Dean asked with a half nervous smile. God she could tear him apart in his current condition.

"You aren't talking to me are you?" She asked indignantly. Dean arched his head...he forgot her better then though attitude. She thought humans were all beneath her.

"Actually yeah I was." Dean felt that flash of anger and went with it. Seeing the half smile lining her lips as she turned slightly to look him over. "Was just wondering if you were having a good day or not. Wasn't being rude or ugly or near so much of a bitch as your acting like right now." Dean arched his eyes brow at her waiting to see how she would respond.

She gave a humph as she turned on him in the elevator. "You've got spunk, Cowboy." She smiled. "I like that. I'm a - ok today. At least a hell of a lot better then you it would seem."

Dean chuckled with a shake of his head - yep...that was Nessa. "I'll be fine." Dean nodded.

"I'm sure you will be." Nessa smiled before the elevator announced their arrival and the doors opened to reveal Sam and Ambre both looking near panicked.

"Dean where have you been!" Sam got out in a rush as Dean continued to hold Nessa's gaze.

"Went for a walk." Dean replied as Nessa finally shook her head looking away with a bright smile.

"You get better soon, Cowboy." Nessa walked out of the elevator and Dean frowned as he noticed her take Ambre by the arm. "Ma'am can you help me with something?" Nessa began.

Dean's brain went into over drive. What could Nessa possibly want with Ambre?

"Dean, you're not even supposed to be out of bed for more then a bathroom break." Sam's voice mirrored his concern as Dean followed Ambre and Nessa with his gaze going so far as to walk around Sam to keep them in his line of site.

"Yeah well I was going stir crazy." Dean replied defiantly. Nessa was locked into conversation with Ambre motioning here and there and Dean didn't like where it looked like this was heading. Especially when the second elevator dinged and two more guardians stepped into the elevator lobby. Dean was beginning to be able to tell them...visible wings or not. There was something else about them...that just made it so obvious now. He was amazed that he and Sam had never noticed before now. "Son of a..." No one brought that many guardians in unless something was happening.

"What?" Sam asked quickly taking Dean's arm as if to lead him back to the room.

"Something's about to go down." Dean replied cryptically. Alturoc lied...he lied...or Dean slammed his fist into his thigh that he had never thought about it...Vanashi had chosen vessels that had or would be fighting with Alturoc...Ambre was still on the would be list...but why he wanted her...had to be completely different then before. So how important was she to the Foci for him to have called in three guardians? Dammit, Dean should have known that this wouldn't have solved everything. He had been a fool. At least in that basement he had the ability to heal...now what did he have?

"Dean how do you know? What's going on?" Sam asked fearfully.

"I'm having visions Sam." Dean replied all at once. It was the easiest lie he could come up with. "Well more like psychic impressions...but still." It was a simple yet whole heartedly complicated and would serve him better in protecting Sam from the truth...it was all his fevered mind could come up with to help him reel Sam in and on his side as quickly as possible. "It started in the car before he plane exploded and I was scared to say anything until I knew what was happening." Dean met Sam's eyes hoping to convince him. He could tell that Sam knew something was still a little off, but it explained a lot. "And I'm telling you...something is about to happen with that foursome over there." Dean motioned to Ambre, Nessa, and the two approaching Guardians.