Chapter 12: Jessica's Secret

"That stupid person!" Dean muttered under his breath as he chased after the stranger, "Going to get themselves killed!"

Dean skidded to a halt as he came to the clearing where the well was. Breathing a little heavier because of the run, he looked around, but nobody was there.

Shit, he thought, I was lured here.

Suddenly the clearing was filled with voices and ear-splitting cries that broke the silence. Dean felt a force grab him and pull him forward. He held out his hands and grabbed the side of the well before he could be pushed inside. Straining with everything he had, he tried to escape the force that was pulling him inside and the voices that called out to him, pleading for his help.

"Help us!"

"Why won't you free us!"

"How many people have you saved and you won't save us?!"

"Dean!"

"Sorry," Dean breathed as he pushed himself farther from the well, "but I have somebody else to take care of here, and I'm not leaving him!"

"You'd choose one soul over hundreds?!"

"I thought you could free us!"

For a moment Dean feared that he wouldn't get free of the force that was pulling him, and then he heard another voice call out to him, and this one he recognized.

Dean!

"Sammy," he gasped, feeling something else pulling him. It wasn't any supernatural force at all, though, it was his love for his baby brother. "Don't worry, Sammy. I'm coming..."

God, Emily. If you're there, I need you to help me! Dean silently pleaded. I swear I'll save you, but let me help my brother! I can't do this alone.

And then there was nothing pulling him and he fell back from the well and onto the ground. He looked up to see the young woman standing by the well.

"Go. Hurry," she said, "Your brother needs you. I'm holding the souls at bay for now, but I won't be able to for long."

"Thank you, Emily," he said as he stood.

Once again she shook her head at the name. "No, Dean. Don't you see yet?"

"See what?" he asked.

"You have to save Emily, but first go to your brother."

"But if you're not Emily, than who are you?" Dean replied.

"Go!" she cried, a look of pain crossing her face, and he knew that it was the souls of the well trying to break free.

Dean spared her one last look before he ran back to the Impala, pulling out his cell phone to call Sam as he ran. The phone rang once, twice. No answer.

"Come on, Sammy, pick up the phone," Dean mumbled as he jumped in the car and started the engine.

There was a click on the other line and an unfamiliar voice.

"Hello?"

"Um, Hello," Dean said, confused, "I'm trying to call my brother. Do you-"

"Sir," the other man replied, "I'm Dr. Rice. Thank goodness you called. Your brother is in the hospital."
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Sam's head hurt. Very bad. That was his first thought as he slowly gained consciousness. His second thought was, what's that beeping noise I wish it would stop it's annoying. He groaned, opening his eyes to the glare of a white light.

"Sammy."

The voice was Dean's, he was sure of it. But why would Dean have that hitch in his voice like that? He sounded so soft, so alone, so worried...

"Oh, God. What happened?" Sam asked as he realized he was lying in a hospital bed. He looked up into his big brother's face. A relieved grin was spreading across Dean's face as he was Sam waking up.

"Dammit, Sammy, you scared the shit out of me," he cursed, but that Winchester smile was still there.

"Dean, what happened?" Sam repeated.

"I'm not sure," he replied, "They said you just collapsed. Had to call an ambulance to get you."

"Oh, yeah..." Sam said, "I sort of remember that."

Dean ran a tired hand through his hair. "Sammy, I'm so sorry."

"Quit calling me Sammy," the younger brother replied, "and why are you sorry?"

"Because, I should have been there," Dean answered, "I'm sorry I left you. I didn't-"

"Dean," Sam interrupted, "This isn't your fault." He sat up so that he could look directly at his brother and not up at him. It was unusual the other way around. "You don't know when a vision's going to hit me."

"Is that what it was?" he asked, "A vision?"

"Yeah."

"Of what?"

"I'm... not really sure," Sam answered hesitantly, "It was really hard to see. I don't really remember much of it, just that it was so intense."

"Must have been, to knock you flat on your ass," Dean replied with a smile.

"Wow. This is really embarrassing. When can I get out of here?"

"Let me talk to the doctor," Dean suggested, "You just take it easy. I'll be back in a minute."
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Though Sam seemed alright, the doctors wanted to keep him there overnight just in case, something that didn't sit too well with the younger Winchester. The last place he wanted to be while there was a hunt going on was in a hospital bed.

"Hey, Sam."

"Yeah?"

"Will you be alright here alone for a couple hours?" Dean asked.

"Sure, why?"

"Because," Dean answered, "I think that I need to go see Jessica again."

Sam frowned at the idea as he looked up at Dean.

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I," Dean said with a small smile, "It's just a hunch."

"When it comes to you," Sam replied, "those are usually right."
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"It's good to see you again, Dr. Marcus," Dr. Simon greeted, "It's good to see you again."

"Yeah, man, I need to speak to Jessica," Dean said hurriedly, wanting to get back to Sam as soon as possible.

"Doctor, I know you're well aware that this patient does not speak."

"Just let me see her!" Dean snapped.

Dean shut the door behind him as he entered Jessica's room. She sat at the same table as before and he sat across from her again.

"Jessica," he said softly, "It's Dean. Do you remember me?"

The girl sat drawing, not looking up.

"Jess, I need your help. I think my brother's life may depend on it." When she said nothing, Dean continued. "Emily's been trying to speak to me and I don't know what she's trying to say."

Jessica shook her head forcefully, glaring at Dean. She showed him the picture she was drawing. It was a picture of him at the well, and Emily holding back the spirits so they couldn't pull him into the gateway.

"How do you know about this?" he asked. "Did Emily show this to you."

She shook her head again, hair flying, and stood, taking Dean's hands as she did so. Her hands were cold, but soft and small. He looked up into her green eyes, sensing that she was trying to tell him something.

"It's not Emily, is it?" he asked her softly, "Jessica, who's speaking to me?"

Jessica's face twisted into one of frustration.

"Jess, you're going to have to tell me, because I don't understand," Dean said.

"Than listen!"

Dean wasn't sure if the shout had come from her mouth or only echoed inside his head, but he was stunned by the volume of it. Jessica suddenly slammed his wrists painfully down on the table and held them there with a strength he wouldn't have guessed she had.

But he suddenly wasn't in her room at the asylum anymore. He was somewhere else... He looked around. The train station. That's where they were. And standing in front of him was the girl, Emily.

"No, Dean!" she all but shouted, "Not Emily!"

Then it dawned on him what the spirit had been trying to tell him all along. Actually, it hadn't been a spirit at all, had it?

"Jessica?" he whispered.

"Yes, Dean. Jessica," she said, seeming relieved that he understood.

"It never was Emily, was it?" he asked, "You were speaking to us this whole time. You're a telepath."

Jessica nodded. "Yes, Dean. And I need you to save my sister."