Disclaimer: Not mine. I get to play in the sandbox of Winchester. But I have to return the toys at the end of the day. Sadly…

NOTE: I am going through a lot of medical issues out in the Land of Real. For over the past month it has been pneumonia. Every two weeks I've had to go in for blood work. Soon I will be seeing another specialist to re-diagnosis me with Lupus. I greatly appreciate the support and patience that every has shown and continues to show me. I have written some one shots but will not post them until after this baby is done. So again, thank you! ~iamtryN

P.S. ~ I'm posting this again with no beta. But I'm tired of you all fab people having to wait for yet another chapter. Thanks once again for all the fav-ers, readers and reviewers! Squeeze!

Chapter 22

Dean scrambled to his feet and chased after whoever had Sam. He couldn't focus on what was happening, couldn't get past someone was taking Sam. Someone was ALWAYS taking Sam and he was flat damn done… never again were they going to be separated over bullshit. They would fix whatever came their way together.

He stood dumbly staring at Bobby doing his job… He was suppose to save Sammy… his one job… the one thing he kept failing at… saving Sammy. He jerked himself out of his petrified stance and rushed over to shove Bobby aside and drop into his place all in one fluid motion.

Bobby gave a grim smile. Big brother was back on the job. CPR again on one of his boys. Bobby was so tired of this. He was going to give them both an earful. A man his age shouldn't be put through this constantly. His old ticker couldn't handle this kind of pain. The stress alone was going to kill him one day!

"Sammy, we did it. Did you hear me, little brother?" Dean kept repeating as he continued to make his brother breathe. "You saved the world, Sam… you fixed it." Even though Sam still had yet to respond it didn't stop the flow of praise from Dean. The only thing that did that was stopping to actually give Sam his air, filling Sam's lungs for him, then back to compressions and praise. After Sam finally hacked up muddy water and was breathing on his own Dean waited patiently for him to open his eyes. After several minutes of waiting Dean leaned in and said softly, "Please little brother. I need you to wake up now."

Bobby was talking softly to the rancher about the nearest hospitals. Yoxe told him bluntly, "That will not help this boy."

"What… why not?" Bobby demanded.

"This is his spiritual journey."

"What? I thought that occurred during the sweat lodge ceremony?" Bobby asked crankily.

"It was interrupted. We shall take him to our sanctuary to recover." Yoxe told Bobby as the rest of his group started gather up supplies and moving to the vehicles parked in the distance.

Bobby bit his lip, looking at Dean bent over Sam, talking quietly. Sam was still immobile, hadn't even twitched toward waking since he coughed up all the water and started breathing on his own. He sighed, he didn't want to tell Dean it wasn't over yet. That they still had more to go through. He had to man up though and walked over to place his hand on Dean's shoulder.

Dean stiffened under the weight of Bobby's hand but continued to speak to Sam.

"Dean." Bobby finally said quietly when Dean did nothing more to acknowledge him.

Dean jerked his head once "no" and continued his monologue with Sam.

"Dean." Bobby repeated a little louder.

"Shut up, Bobby." Dean said, but without much bite.

"Dean. Look at me." Bobby ordered firmly.

Dean again shook his head and still didn't raise his head. He didn't want to fucking hear what Bobby wanted to tell him. He just couldn't deal with it. Not yet… maybe not ever.

"Boy." Bobby used the military tone of right-the-fuck-now.

Dean let out such a wrenching, gutted heart sound that Bobby flinched before he could control it at which he muttered a disgusted, "BALLS!"

"What?" Dean finally looked up at Bobby with such a classic "kicked puppy" look that tears sprang to Bobby's eyes as he thought silently, these boys are turning me into a big girl!

"They need to take Sammy with them." Bobby told Dean bluntly.

"Fuck no." Dean hissed. "Nobody's taking him." He stiffened and closed his fist around the material covering his brother's chest.

"Dean. Yoxe and his kids can do more good for him than us." Bobby squatted down to Dean's level and looked him in the eye. "I promise boy. He will be fine."

"Bobby." Dean snarled, "No." But then Dean looked down at his brother. He still hadn't opened his eyes. He needed Sam. He needed him to be okay… more.

Bobby knew the instant Dean submitted by the droop of Dean's shoulders. He nodded at Yoxe to move forward.

Dean growled deep in his throat as Yoxe touched Sam. "Don't."

Yoxe jerked his hand back and looked at Bobby.

"Just don't…" He stopped, tried to catch his breath past the boulder in his throat before he started over, "don't touch him. I got him… he's my brother. I'll carry him." Dean stood, lifting Sam at the same time. He staggered as the forgotten injuries screamed in protest. Several minutes later and a short car ride later, he lay his brother on something that resembled an alter way too much he started shaking his head.

Bobby saw the instant Dean changed his mind.

Yoxe lay his hand on Dean's arm and he froze. Hand almost touching Sam.

"Get your hand off me chief." Dean ordered flatly.

One of Yoxe sons stepped forward towards them.

Yoxe without taking his eyes of Dean ordered, "Stand down."

Dean snorted. Yoxe sounded so much like his dad he actually started to drop his hand away from his little brother.

Yoxe got Dean's attention and looking him in the eye told him earnestly, "This is what he needs. It helped you. Did it not?"

Dean startled and looked frantically at Sam. "After all that I've done why would he choose to stay with me?" He bit his lip as it trembled slightly.

"He will choose what he suppose to." Yoxe told him softly so only Dean heard.

Dean stared at him a few seconds before he nodded. He bit his lip; nervous, as he wondered what his brother would decide. To stay or to go…

TBC