Ruby, or the girl that Sam still referred to as Ruby even though she had changed bodies, was very sick. Sam had no idea in hell why. But she lay flat on the bed, not moving. A sheen of sweat covered her body. Her breathing was shallow and she rasped. She woke up sometimes, speaking incoherently sometimes, and other times speaking normally. It might have been some sort of sickness that humans got. Except that she was, a demon and demons don't get sick like that.

"I don't think I could do that," Ruby mumbled. Sam had gotten used to this. At first, he had tried to ask her about what she was talking about. But, as he had expected, he had received no answer. Lately her mutterings had gotten more audible and violent. Amid raspy breathing, Ruby had a full conversation with someone Sam couldn't see. He only listened because he wanted to know anything and everything that could tell him about Ruby's past.

"So what? You're just going to kill it?" Ruby asked. "Yeah, that would work. I think. Dad? If I became one of them, would you kill me, too?"

Sam sat up, at once alert. He waited for her to say more, but the rest was a jumble of don'ts and / cant's. Two hours later the conversation shifted entirely. "I'm taking care of him for you." Ruby's voice was compassionate. "You don't have to worry. Oh, really? Well, I have news for you. You're not here anymore. I think you gave up that responsibility a long time ago. Don't worry, okay? Again, he's safe. Yeah, I can talk to anyone I want. It's one of my powers."

The talking stopped for a long time. Sam left to get something to eat. When he came back, he almost spilled his coffee all over the rug. Ruby, the Ruby with blonde hair and creamy skin, was sitting at the desk, feet propped up on the top. "Hey, Sam," she said, smiling.

Sam was at loss for words. "I don't really..."

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything. Sam..." Ruby got up. She did something very unexpected. She put her arms around Sam and held him tightly.

"Wha-"

"I'm really sorry. I know how close you and Dean were," Ruby whispered in his ear.

"Okay, but..." Sam took her arms from around his shoulders and let them fall. He stepped back. "Don't do that."

"Fine. So what's up, Sam?"

"Me? What about you? You've been out for two days, talking to people, and now here you are, not only completely better, but in the same form."

"Well, that one girl screamed too loud. It wasn't comfortable."

"Great. Want to tell me what happened to you?" Ruby shrugged. "No. Not really." "Well, you are anyway."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Or what? You won't kill me, Sam. You can't hurt me. Because I'm really your only hope to getting Dean back."

"So what do I need to do?" asked Sam. "How do I get my powers back?"

Ruby rolled her eyes again. "Sam, it's too late. You had your chance and you didn't take it. Yeah, Lillith is still out there, but you can't use your powers against her right now."

"Why not?"

"It's complicated."

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter right now. But we've got to get out of here. Quickly."

"Why?"

"Is that all you know how to ask. Sam, I'm going to get sick again, very soon. And when I do, I want to be someplace no one will find us."

"Great. Where is that?"

"Not far from here. Drive, I'll tell you where to go," Ruby said.

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So Sam drove. All the way to Miami. When they finally got there, Ruby directed him to a run down house on the beach. It looked like it hadn't been lived in for years-probably because it hadn't. "Well, here we are," Ruby said. "Well, what did you expect Sam? it hasn't been lived in for almost twenty years. At least, not by any human."

"Where is this?" asked Sam.

"This... is my house," Ruby announced.

"Your what?" asked Sam.

"This is where I grew up. Well, grew up to be nine years old."

Sam looked around. It was eerie. Everything looked as if it had just been dropped. A vase of flowers, dried and black, were sitting in a vase that had once contained water. A knitting basket sat beside a moth-eaten chair. An old vacuum sat in a corner. "So why are we here?" he asked.

"I don't want anyone to find us. Or anything."

Sam sighed. He couldn't argue anymore. "So what now?" he asked.

Ruby also sighed. "I'll get you a place to sleep. Fortunately, the whole house isn't this rundown."

Sam followed her. Upstairs the house was dusty, but for some reason it looked more modern. "So you said that demons have been here? Why?" he asked.

"Isn't it the perfect place for us to hide?" asked Ruby. "No one can find this place. We're surrounded by jungle."

"Oh," Sam said. "That helps."

Ruby opened a squeaky closet door, pulling out a set of sheets that actually looked new. She walked to the bed- which also looked newer and not quite so rundown. She proceeded to put the sheets on, as well as a comforter. "Okay. You can sleep here. I'm warning you, Sam. I'm going to be very sick again."

"So how about you tell me why? It was whatever they were giving you, wasn't it?" Sam asked.

"I don't have time for this," Ruby said.

"No!" Sam grabbed her arm. "Listen, everything I've done has been dead-end. If you really want to help me, you'll give me some answers. And you can start right now. What happened when we left you in that basement?"

Ruby was very quiet. Sam thought that she wasn't going to answer. Then she sat down on the bed. "Okay. Here's the thing. I may not have killed you yet. But it's taking every ounce of my strength not to. You're very powerful, Sam. That's why every demon out there wants you to be their leader. And they hate me because I'm the one who's helping you. They want to send me back to Hell for it."

"So Lillith sent me straight to them. Skipping all of that, there is one drug that actually works on us. It's pretty poisonous, part holy water, part Palo Santo roots. Palo Santo is a wood..." Ruby started to explain.

"I know what it is," Sam said.

"Anyway, by rights it should kill us. But I'm stronger. So, yeah, I'm gonna be sick for a while."

"For how long?" asked Sam.

"I don't know," Ruby said.

She was sick again that night. Sam left his room to go and sit in hers. Again, she muttered. Again he listened. It was incoherent for several hours. Then it became clear. "You're only one of them. There's a lot more. But don't worry. I'm taking care of him. So why didn't you? Might make you feel better. It can't be fun down there. Yeah, okay. I'll take care of your son, John.

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