Crossing Paths

by Silvertayl 57

Dean and Sam take on what should be a simple hunt or maybe it's a hoax for a lizard-like creature said to be living under Seattle. Once in Seattle a strange turn of events finds the brothers shot forward in time to Seattle 2021. Will Dean's uncanny likeness to X5-494 now known as Alec lead them into a deadly situation from which there is no return? Full summary in chapter 1.

8. Sanctuary Interrupted

Crossing Paths

Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Authors/Chapter Note: Thank you to all the readers who commented on the authors note I posted some time ago your kind words and good wishes for my family and I were very heartwarming and now that the family crisis is at an end (huzzah), I'm back and I have replaced the Chapter 8 Author's Note with… (drum roll) Chapter 8. Although I haven't posted a new chapter since July last year it's pleasing to see many more readers have added Crossing Paths to their favourites and their story alerts, welcome aboard and please drop me review. Now on with the show and enjoy Chapter 8.

Chapter 8: Sanctuary Interrupted

Sam paced. It was a habit he'd unknowingly picked up from his brother; the same eight step pattern Dean unconsciously used when he was thinking, worried, scheming or planning.

It had almost been a welcoming committee that greeted them when mid-afternoon the next day they pulled into the Metro Medical Hospital; the only thing missing from the scenario was the brass band and marching girls.

Max and Logan had shared the driving and had made good time covering the distance between Salina and Seattle in what was probably record time for the road trip, whenever they had run into any traffic or hold ups the lights and sirens had been switched on and like in the bible a miracle of the parting of the red sea a passage through the traffic had opened up like magic.

Dean had drifted in and out of consciousness during the journey, sometimes aware enough to hold a conversation with him and sometimes his eyes would open and gaze around before drifting back into oblivion, Alec remained still and quiet with not even a twitch of a muscle.

As Logan reversed the large vehicle into the ambulance bay, through the windows in the rear doors Sam saw a short, balding man, several hospital staff and orderlies waiting for them.

The ambulance had barely come to a stop before the doors had been hauled open Alec and Dean had been pulled out; each one immediately surrounded by 3 or 4 hospital staff. The balding man obviously a doctor and Sam assumed to be Sam Carr barked orders pre-ceding the stretchers as they were hurriedly wheeled into the hospital.

It was over an hour later when the doctor strode down the corridor to where Sam paced and where Max, Logan and Joshua sat in the line of moulded plastic chairs set against the wall of the corridor, Joshua making himself look as small and inconspicuous as possible, scrunched down in the chair his head bowed, hoodie pulled up covering most of his head and face.

The doctor greeted Logan and Max with familiarity as Logan introduced him to Sam he took Sam's hand in a firm grip.

"I knew you would be waiting so I thought I'd come out and give you an update as things stand at the moment, Sam said. "I examined both Alec and Dean, Alec's condition is unchanged, he's still unresponsive to all kinds of stimuli; I started him on fluids and as we had no idea how long it's been since he had any tryptophan I gave him a shot to be safe the last thing he needs at the moment is to have a seizure. I took some blood for analysis it should give us an indication of what they were giving him. I've sent him down to radiology for a head scan that should tell us more about his condition, unfortunately there's a backlog downstairs so it will be around 45 minutes before I have any results." He took a breath and let it out through pursed lips before continuing, "Dean has also been started on IV fluids and antibiotics he's very badly dehydrated, the x-ray of the ribs showed as I suspected there are broken ribs and one has punctured the lung. The wound on his shoulder is badly infected and has some dead, necrotic tissue, which needs to be cleaned out I think we're lucky and caught it before the infection spread into the bone, a surgeon is going to reset the ribs, re-inflate the lung and clean up his shoulder, he's going into surgery as I speak."

Seeing Sam's worried look the doctor reassured him, "As with all surgery there's a risk but as surgery goes it's all fairly simple and shouldn't take long."

"Thanks Sam," Logan said. "I can't tell you how much we appreciate your help."

"Always happy to help out my friends," Doctor Carr replied with a smile glancing between Max, Logan and Joshua before his dark eyes settled on Sam. "And of course the friends of my friends."

Sam inclined his head it acknowledgement, "Thank you."

"You're welcome Sam," he replied, patting Sam's upper arm. "Well I need to get back inside but I'll come back when I see Alec's results and how Dean's surgery went, you all look done in go get something to eat and drink. The hospital cafeteria is open until nine I'll come find you there, and before you say anything that's doctor's orders."

-CP-

Taking Sam Carr's advice they ventured into the cafeteria finding a table in the darkest corner of the large room away from the door and prying eyes, Joshua sitting with his back to the other tables his hoodie still in place.

Sam kept one eye on the door waiting as he chewed halfheartedly on a sandwich and sipped coffee that tasted like dirt.

He was on his second cup when 57 minutes later doctor Carr hurried into the cafeteria scanning the tables searching them out.

Sam was already on his feet and moving towards the doctor before he had located them; by the smaller man's demeanor Sam knew instantly something was amiss, he met him halfway between the cafeteria doors and where they had been seated across the room.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked as they were joined by the others, Joshua holding the hoodie tight at his throat. "Is Dean alright?"

"Let's go somewhere more private," Sam Carr said turning and heading back towards the entrance.

He led them into a quiet area of the hospital only passing by one person; the older lady must have caught a glimpse of Joshua because her steps faltered and she almost dropped the arm load of files she carried before she drew away and hurried away down the hallway.

The doctor made sure they couldn't be overheard before he said another word. "Dean's surgery went well the infection was caught in time, he's doing fine and in recovery." He said to Sam pausing for a moment before addressing all of them. "While they were performing the brain scan on Alec the radiographer found something… unusual," he said taking a small specimen jar from his white coat pocket; he held it up for them to see.

The content of the jar was tiny around 3 mm square and as thin as tissue paper. "It appears to be some kind of a microchip; it was implanted under the skin behind his ear. I thought you might know what it is."

Max took the jar from the doctor and peered at the tiny contents, using her enhanced vision to see it more clearly, "It's definitely a microchip, do you think this is the reason he's catatonic? Could it be sending out some kind of frequency or signal that's interfering with the brain waves?" she asked handing the small jar to Logan and looking hopefully at the doctor.

"It's highly unlikely and his condition hasn't changed since its removal and the scan didn't show anything out of the ordinary, however I did find something unusual in the blood tests, there is a high dose of some kind of drug that I can't identify."

"Must be what they had him on when we found him," Max said thoughtfully, One of them mentioned it by name, it was… Cepha something… Cephalix that's what it was."

"Cephalix? I've never heard of it." Sam Carr said with a shake of his head.

"Must be something Phoenix cooked up," Logan pondered.

"I've got the lab people working on it, trying to break it down," the doctor said.

Joshua who was studying the jar's contents over Logan's shoulder spoke, "Joshua seen little bug like that before," He said.

"What? Do you know what this is Joshua?" Logan asked, glancing at the big man.

Joshua nodded, "Manticore… Manticore used little bug like this, for tracking."

Max and Logan looked at each other, "do you think they're tracking us through that tiny thing?" Max asked.

"It's possible and if they are then they know-"

"Where we are," Max finished.

"We gotta get Dean and Alec and get the hell outta here before they get here." Sam said his tone full of urgency.

"Hang on," Doctor Carr said. He hurried away to the staff station at the far end of the hallway reached across the counter and picked up the phone before punching in a number.

From this distance Sam couldn't hear the doctor's words. A minute later he returned.

"Alec is still down in imaging waiting for an orderly, I told them I was sending someone for him. Max you and Logan go and fetch him. Joshua you go with them and try to stay inconspicuous. Sam you come with me we'll get Dean, Logan you know where the staff parking area is; we'll meet you at the elevator."

-CP-

Dean knew he was dreaming; but knowing you're dreaming didn't make the dream seem any less intense or disturbing. The dreams were filled with Marshall's smug, smiling face watching as others tormented him with sharp instruments as big as spears, pain crashing through him, the word vivisection echoing around him in unknown echoing voices.

As the dreams retreated and he came back to what he knew was reality he became aware of three things, the first- he was warm, not feverishly hot or freezing cold but pleasantly warm; the second- he ached all over and the third- he was in hospital. He didn't need to open his eyes to know it. It was the smell, that clinical smell that was common in all the hospitals he'd ever been in. Another giveaway was the he could feel oxygen filtering into him via a nasal cannula. He also sensed he wasn't alone; there was someone here with him. There was movement beside him, a slight rustle of clothing and the pleasant smell of some floral perfume as the person moved. Then there was a lite touch of a warm hand on his and the pull on his skin, that was familiar; he had an IV inserted under the skin on the back of his hand, there was also pressure on his middle finger which was from one of those pulse OX monitors. The warm touch left him and the covers resting over him were adjusted.

He tried to remember what had happened how he had come to be here. The pain of that thing stabbing into his spine and of hypodermic needles piercing his flesh was vivid; as was the feeling of fading and dizziness as they drained away his life and then it was blank until… Sam… Sam's voice. Sam had come for him; he'd talked to him but all Dean could remember was something about a dog.

Curious to see his surroundings and the owner of the soft touch and the pleasant perfume he opened his eyes; blinking to clear his vision his left eye remaining blurred and fuzzy.

Above him was a heart shaped face, fine porcelain-like skin and deep sapphire blue eyes, framed by black straight shiny hair, sharply cut into a chin length bob. She leaned over him as she continued to fiddle with the covers pulled up to his waist.

She must have sensed his scrutiny, her blue eyes slid up to meet his and she drew in a breath as she straightened to her full height which wasn't much above five feet, cute dimples making an appearance as she smiled, "Hi, welcome back. How are you feeling?"

Dean cleared his throat, "Like a semi hit me then backed up over me… twice," he answered, his voice raspy, pushed from lips he knew from experience were swollen, bruised, dry and cracked, the result being he sounded like his voice box had been sand blasted from the inside.

"I'm not surprised," she said. "Thirsty?"

"God yes."

She adjusted the head of the bed so he was in a more upright position. Dean followed her with his eyes as she moved around the foot of the bed to the rolling tray and poured water from a sweating stainless steel pitcher into a small mug with a straw dangling over the edge and held it close to his lips.

"Take it slow, small sips."

He took the straw into his mouth and pulled on it; cool water like sweet nectar filled his dry mouth, lubricating and filling the desert like cracks and fissures that his throat had become as he swallowed it down.

"Thanks," he said as he released the straw from his mouth, licking his lips and glancing at the name tag pinned to her uniform, "Diane." He sounded more like normal after the lubrication of water.

"You're welcome," Diane replied as she turned to the equipment on his right, pressing buttons and adjusting the flow of the IV.

Dean watched her for a few moments noting her efficient practiced movements, her petite and perfectly proportioned curves beneath her dark red uniform patterned with silver swirls. Pulling his eyes away to take in his surroundings; he saw he was in a curtained off cubicle part of what he guessed was a much larger room, he could hear the low murmur of voices and the intermittent clicks and beeps of medical equipment filtering in from both sides of the curtains.

His attention came back to Diane when she turned away from the monitors.

"Where…?" he asked, glancing longingly at the small cup of water.

Seeing the look Diane picked up the mug and put it once more to his lips, "This is the recovery ward you've had surgery."

Releasing the straw Dean questioned, "Surgery? For what?"

"The doctor removed some necrotic and infected tissue from your shoulder, re-inflated your lung which was punctured by one of three broken ribs that have been reset." Diane explained turning back to the monitor and pressing more buttons, immediately Dean felt the blood pressure cuff that was wrapped around his bicep start to inflate.

"You're on your third blood transfusion and a forth bag of IV fluids," Diane continued. "There are some nasty first degree burns on your chest, multiple cuts and abrasions and you're black and blue, and you'll be sore and hurting for a while.

The cuff was tightening to the point of being uncomfortable; Dean glanced down at his chest to see the evidence of her words; the white hospital gown was untied at the back; his left shoulder and arm were free of the gown revealing most of his torso and some of his stomach; a pristine white bandage wrapped around the bullet wound just below his shoulder. The top part of thick, bandages could be seen peeking from the edge of the gown, he could feel they were holding and stabilizing his repaired ribs. Raw looking burns that appeared to be covered with some kind of salve peppered his chest, the sight of them bringing to the forefront of his memory the alley and a tazer being touched to his chest; bruising the colors of thunder clouds decorated most of his chest and his arms; puncture wounds on the inside of each forearm had bruising fanning out from where the needles were inserted into his veins to drain his blood. No doubt his spine looked much the same.

"Open up," Diane said drawing his attention back to her; a disposable electronic thermometer held between her fingers hovering close to his lips.

Dean automatically opened his mouth for her to place it under his tongue.

The BP cuff deflated and the monitor beeped a moment before the thermometer, Diane pulled the thermometer from his mouth glanced at the result and replaced the thermometer in the holder at the head of the bed moving to the bottom of the bed she unhooked his chart glanced at the monitor to see the BP reading before writing on the chart. "Blood pressure's still low and your temperature is elevated, at the moment what's your pain on a scale of one to ten?" Diane asked her blue eyes shifting back to his face.

Dean thought for a second before answering; running the fingers of his right hand across his swollen, cracked lips, feeling the pull of IV port inserted in there. He hurt everywhere that was for sure and there was a dull throb along his spine and across his left side but his shoulder felt oddly numb making it difficult to pinpoint an accurate evaluation of a total, "no pain," he answered.

"Let's try that again with a little less testosterone and a little more honesty."

"What makes you think I'm not telling the truth?"

"Because I've been a recovery nurse for four years, and I've seen many tough guys like you, that's what."

Dean looked at her with respect, "Alright you win… two maybe three."

Diane's stunning blue eyes searched his face looking for the truth, "Okay".

With that settled Dean changed the subject, "So… Diane when can I get outta here?"

"In a hurry to be somewhere?" Diane asked, hands on her slim hips.

Dean didn't answer not sure how to answer her question.

She sighed exaggeratedly, "Not until your blood volume and blood pressure are up and your temperature is down another four degrees, 3 days at least."

"No I can't stay here, I… where's my brother, where's Sam?" Dean said struggling to a fully upright position preparing to swing his legs off the skinny bed and onto the floor and to rip the IV tethering him from his hand. Pain, sharp and immediate coursed through him shooting like lightening up along his spine into his head and through his left side. He curled his right hand protectively across and around his left side as he pushed out a pained breath his eyes screwed up tight. "Son of a bitch that hurts." Dean gasped out.

Diane stilled his movements with a gentle but firm hand against his chest somehow able to avoid the burns and bruises pushing him back against the pillows with alarming ease, "What do think you're doing?" Her anxious words echoing and distant sounding through the whoosh of blood pulsing past his ears. "You get out of that bed and you're going to fall flat on your face before you take one step."

As the pain abated and his hearing returned to normal Dean opened his eyes, "scratch what I said before," he gasped, "when I move and on a scale of one to ten it's a nine point five." The words came out angry because it was irritating and a little humiliating to admit that Diane was right.

With his left hand clutching the side of the bed in an effort to anchor himself against the spinning of the room and the other still across his ribs Dean forced out, "I have to see my brother," his shaking voice betraying his weakness.

"Just breathe, deep and slow," Diane said, placing a warm palm against his face.

Dean turned his cheek into the warm softness of her hand doing as he she told him and the spinning quickly diminished, his breathing returning to normal. He opened his eyes unaware he had closed them again, and looked into Diane's blue eyes.

"My brother… please… I have to make sure he's okay, he's my responsibility, my job, and I… have to save…." His strained words tapered off.

"Alright here's the deal, if you promise to lay there and take it easy, I'll go see if I can locate him… Sam." Diane said soothingly.

He nodded. "I promise." He felt the sudden loss of her touch when she removed her hand and straightened, turning towards the curtain at the foot of the bed.

Dean got a brief glimpse of the large rectangular staff station surrounded by curtained cubicles like the one he was in as she pushed the curtain aside before it fell back into place swaying in Diane's wake.

All he could do now was… wait.

-CP-

His eyes are beautiful, almond shaped, long lashed and a stunning shade of green, drawing her into their depths, her imagination bringing forth an image of a cool green glade of verdant ferns.

Diane had pondered of their color when she'd set eyes on his face, a face that was also beautiful… if a man's face could be described as such then beautiful it was. From the moment he'd been placed in her care after leaving the operating theatre Diane had waited for the long, dark curling lashes that framed his eyes to lift and reveal their color. To say she wasn't disappointed would be a gross understatement and she couldn't hold back the slight intake of breath as he gazed up at her.

His high cheekbones, his chiseled jaw and full lips were covered in contusions, cuts and bruises and the white of his swollen left eye circled by more fading bruises was bloodshot giving him a dangerous look and then there were… freckles, he had a smattering of honey colored freckles across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose even an odd few on his forehead. His face was a contradiction; it was handsome, dangerous and yet there was a vulnerability about him; making him even more attractive and God help her, sexy as Hell.

The way his lips pursed around the straw as he drank the cool water she had offered him and afterwards the way his tongue slipped across his dry lips in an unconscious invitation to press her own against them; the warmth of his skin where her fingers brushed against him, the way his green eyes darted around the small area before he had asked, "where…?" His voice deep and rich and slightly raspy; his tough guy persona as he'd told her he had almost no pain slipping away when he'd said, "No I can't stay here, I… where's my brother, where's Sam?" and had tried without success to leave the bed; the pain from multiple injuries leaving him pale, gasping and shaking. The way he'd leaned into her hand against his dark stubble covered cheek his vulnerability and his genuine concern when he'd spoken of his brother being his responsibility.

Dean Smith was an enigma wrapped in contradictions.

When Diane had told him she'd try to locate his brother as long as he promised to remain in bed, "I promise," he'd said in an almost childlike voice.

What she didn't expect when she left the cubicle was to find said brother, a ridiculously tall young man with hazel eyes circled with exhaustion and worry, his warm brown longish, shaggy hair crowding his high forehead in the company of Dr. Carr in the recovery ward.

-CP-

Colonel Tobias Burke strode through the doors and into the foyer of the Metro Medical Hospital backed up by eight of the men assigned to him; his darker than usual dark demeanor causing heads to turn in his direction and anyone in his path to pull back and away giving him a wide berth.

His fury had been boiling threatening to erupt since that night when he'd woken up in the warehouse after that X5 mutant had bested him, humiliated him.

Burke's wide, flat nose was still swollen from the X5's well placed blow, his inky black skin camouflaging the bruising under his eyes and across his forehead from when 494 had pistol whipped him with the butt of his own weapon.

The call that had come from Kovar had almost made him smile. Someone had stolen 494 from under his nose and he, Kovar wanted him back.

A tracking device planted on 494 had led back to Seattle and Kovar wanted Burke to get him back.

For the humiliation 494 had caused him Burke would extract his payback and although Kovar had stipulated he wanted the freak back alive and in one piece, he was going to get his revenge before he delivered him back into Kovar's slimy hands.

The eyes of the woman at the reception desk were pinned on him as he strode up to her, widening further the closer he got, settling on his scar as he stopped opposite her, "Who is in charge here?" he demanded.

-CP-

It was Sam Carr's senior position in the hospital and the fact that he was well liked and respected amongst the staff that made it easy to spring Dean from the recovery ward.

"I'll find out where Dean is," the doctor said to Sam as they stepped from the elevator and turned right into a large rectangular room and crossed to the staff station in the center while Sam stood back waiting.

While the doctor spoke with a male staff member seated inside the station, Sam looked around; each bed was separated from each other and the room by cheery, colorful curtains running along tracks suspended from the ceiling. The murmur of voices could be heard from the curtained room closest to him.

Staff moved around him intent on their jobs; an orderly pushed an empty gurney passed him heading in the direction of the elevator. At the staff station nursing staff were conferring about patients, on the phone while others were seated in front of computer screens.

"Dean's in bed seven," Doctor Carr said turning away from the staff station and already moving away along the row of drawn curtains.

A nurse hung up the phone as they drew level, she looked up and Sam saw she was young, perhaps around his age and petite, barely five feet tall; her chin length hair was glossy blue/black, her blue eyes stood out in stark relief against the dark hair. "Good evening Dr. Carr," she said with a smile in Sam Carr's direction.

"Diane," the doctor replied with a nod.

"Are you here to see one of your patients?" Diane asked.

"Dean Smith he's in seven I believe."

"That's a coincidence I was just on the phone trying and locate his brother Sam, Dean's been asking after him."

Before Dr. Carr could answer, Sam interjected.

"I'm Sam, I'm Dean's brother," he said.

Diane's gaze slid from Sam Carr to Sam her sapphire blue eyes rising to his face, "Sam? You're Sam?" she said, the corners of her mouth lifting once more.

"Yeah, I'm Sam."

"Dean is very anxious to see you, Sam."

"That sounds about right," Sam replied with a light chuckle. "I hope he's not giving you too much trouble? I know how he gets."

"I've had worse patients," Diane said with humor. "But I know one thing he will be very glad to see you."

-CP-

The first three doors were locked the handle of the fourth turned under Logan's grip; he pushed it open and stepped inside Joshua and Max on his heels. The room was a storage room filled with all kinds of hospital supplies. Max surveyed the room's contents pulling out three white coats from the shelves to the right and a surgical mask from a box on another shelf. She handed a coat and the mask to Joshua, one to Logan and then donned the third; once in place the mask covered the lower half of Joshua's face disguising much of his canine features. The sizes of the coats weren't exactly a perfect fit for Joshua and Max the much too large coat swam on Max's petite frame and Joshua's ended at his upper thighs, pulling tight across his chest the buttons threatening to pop with every slight movement. It would have to be good enough for them to pass as staff members and to get through the hospital unhindered.

Max silently thanked Sam Carr for informing them that he was sending someone down for Alec. No one had questioned them or even given them a second glance as they pushed the gurney out of the imaging and radiology department towards the elevator. The hard part was the waiting… waiting for Sam, Dean and Sam Carr to join them so they could get the hell out of here and to somewhere where they would be safe at least for the time being.

Standing over Alec's gurney with Joshua and Logan in the parking lot next to the elevator doors gave Max some time for contemplation about Alec. She constantly complains that Alec drives her nuts and how irritating he is with his constant laughter, talking and joking around. However he had been invaluable since the siege as her number two and he was responsible for so much of what they had achieved in TC. God please let him recover from this, whatever this is.

Alec so usually full of motion is still his face lax and he looks like he's asleep, if only it was the case. The staff had removed the black bike shorts he had on when they brought him in replacing them with hospital scrubs. Joshua was making mewling sounds of comfort in the back of his throat as he stood looking down at his friend. Max's eyes are drawn from the tiny incision little more than a pin prick behind Alec's ear where the tracking chip had been inserted and then down to Alec's handsome face, at the light brown hair teasing his forehead at the freckles dancing across the pale skin of his cheeks and she remembers OC saying the night at Crash after earlier that day Alec had sauntered boldly into Jam Pony looking for a job, "So he's Manticore? Say what you like they sure do make 'em pretty."

Max was expecting him to open his eyes at any moment and she could hear in her mind his voice say in that teasing way, "You can't deny it Max you were worried about me." And he would give his deep chuckle his green eyes would light up, the corners crinkling with humour.

This is not Alec, lying motionless and silent on this hospital gurney, Alec is always so full of life and energy, this silence and stillness is just plain wrong. Because Alec is never quiet, never still always moving always talking, a memory of Joshua as he described Alec sprang to mind, "Alec… on the outside bright colors; inside darkness, confusion… Alec." Alec was a lot more complex than anyone knew, than he let anyone see. But Joshua had seen it he'd figured it out and it had taken Joshua of all people to make her see and understand that.

As she gazes at him she's struck by a memory of how he'd asked her about Ben after she'd busted him out of police custody when he'd been ID'd as Ben by the widow of one of Ben's victims.

"While we're knee deep in painful subjects tell me about him - about Ben."

And then later the next morning when he'd said, "Must be hard having me around, some guy with Ben's face making you remember things you'd rather forget?"

"Yeah, guess that's why I'm such a bitch to you sometimes," she'd answered.

Alec had flung an arm around her shoulder and leaned in close, "Maybe… it's because I'm such a pain in ass." How she wished for the pain in ass Alec at this moment.

She was shaken from her revere when she felt Logan step closer, a moment before she felt his hand on the small of her back.

"Max?" he said, softly.

"It's like Zach and Ben all over again," she says, glancing away from Alec to Logan.

"I've always been such a bitch to him because of who he looks like because of Ben and what Ben did, but, none of it is his fault none of it… Logan what if I never get the chance to tell him that?"

Logan's blue eyes were sad, "You will, we'll find a way to bring him back Max."

"I hope your right, because I can't… I won't lose another brother."

Turning back to Alec Max leaned in close carding her fingers through his soft hair, "Alec… Alec can you hear me? It's Max, come on back to me pretty boy, I've got something to tell you."

But Alec remained still not even so much as a twitch of muscle or the shiver of an eyelash to indicate he could hear her or that he was on his way back.

-CP-

Dean was relieved when only a matter of maybe ten minutes later the curtain was again pushed aside and Diane entered pushing a wheelchair in front of her, following close on her heels was his sasquatch of a brother and then a short, slight, balding man wearing a regulation doctor's coat.

Dean let his eyes search Sam's face, satisfied when he found him to be although disheveled with exhaustion in his posture and written on his face, intact, "Sam, thank God," Dean said with a sigh of relief. "You alright?"

Without a word Diane moved to the monitor and began pushing buttons. The doctor moved to one side of the bed and Sam to the other behind Diane. "Yeah I'm good. Dean listen, I don't have time to explain but we've been tracked we gotta get outta here now."

"No argument here," Dean replied. "But Diane might not agree with you."

"This is Doctor Sam Carr he's going to help us."

"Hey doc," Dean said with a nod of acknowledgement to the doctor.

"Hello Dean, it's nice to see you awake." He replied.

"It's good to be awake." Dean answered.

Diane turned from the monitor laying a hand on his arm to draw his attention, "Dean I'm not happy about you being taken out of here so soon you're nowhere near ready, however I trust Dr. Carr and his judgement; he says you and your brother are the good guys and there are some bad people coming for you and you're in danger, so I'm going to help," she explained as she removed the nasal oxygen cannula. "I'm going to remove the IV but I'll leave the IV catheter in, because you're going to need more fluids and antibiotics." She finished with a somewhat strained smile.

Dean turned on his own smile, dialing it up to megawatt, "Thanks."

A flush of red stained her fine skin. "All part of a day's work."

As Diane leaned over him to extract the IV needle her ebony hair slid forward across her cheek and Dean had to resist the urge to reach over and run his other hand through the shiny strands.

His attention was pulled back to the doctor when his pager beeped; he shut it off and turned to exit the cubicle, throwing over his shoulder as he moved. "I'll be back in a minute."

As the curtain fell back into place behind the doctor Dean asked, curiously, "Hey Sam?"

"Yeah."

"The doc he look familiar to you?" Dean asked.

"Familiar?" Sam answered, pulling up one side of his mouth in question.

"Yeah, I swear I've seen him somewhere before." Dean said thoughtfully.

Sam shrugged and shook his head.

With the IV removed, the catheter capped and taped down against the back of his hand and the bedhead cranked up to sitting with Diane and Sam's help Dean slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed. When the world tilted alarmingly threatening to toss him off into the void he remained still clutching at the edge of the bed waiting for it to resume it's normal rotation; he was sitting more or less upright but leaning slightly to starboard to protect his ribs. Sam began to help him push his feet into the pants of a set of aqua-colored scrubs Diane had produced from somewhere.

The doctor returned as Sam settled the scrubs top into place over his arms and chest. "There's a Colonel Burke at the front desk, he wants to talk to me," the doctor said in an urgent whisper.

"Burke? That bastard was in charge at the warehouse where they interrogated me." Dean said.

"Damn it, we're too late." Sam hissed out in anger.

"I'll try to stall him, give you a chance to get away to somewhere safer," Doctor Carr said reaching into his pants pocket he pulled out a set of keys and held them out to Sam who held out his hand to let him drop them into his open palm. "My car; is in my delegated spot in the staff parking lot basement level 2. Logan and Max should already be there. Think you can find it?"

"I'll take them." Diane said before Sam could reply.

"No!" Dean said in a low growl.

All eyes turned to him.

"No," he repeated a little less firmly, his feverish eyes on Diane. You've done enough I don't want you to get involved."

"Well that's too bad," she returned Dean's look. "Because I'm already involved, and I want to help." Diane said, breaking eye contact she grabbed the handles of the wheelchair and dexterously turned it to face Dean a determined look on her face.

Dean looked from her to the chair in horror, shaking his head in denial, "You're kidding right? I'm not leaving here in that thing."

"Well tough guy you're not walking out of here," Diane replied. "So mount up cowboy."

-CP-

Dean grumbled all the way to the elevator about how humiliating it was being pushed in a wheelchair was when he was quite capable of walking.

"Stop whining and get over it." Sam had told him.

Diane smiled at that; Sam had obviously had many years of dealing with his big brother.

Dean fell into a brooding silence after Sam's comment the elevator silent as it descended to the staff parking level 2.

When the doors slid opened Diane immediately pushed the chair forward out into the parking lot, she felt Dean tense, felt it as if an electric current had passed from him through the chair and into the palms of her hands where they gripped the handles.

Dean was instantly on alert; in front of them were three strangers.

"Sam," Dean said in a low, growled warning.

Sam dropped a hand onto Dean's tense shoulder, "It's okay Dean they're on our side," he said reassuringly.

All were eyeing her with suspicion.

Sam must have seen the looks directed her way and moved to sooth the obvious jangled nerves, "This is Diane, Dr. Carr sent her along to help."

The tall, bespectacled man with pale blue eyes looked somehow familiar to her and the look that lit his face told her he realized the same about her, "I think I've seen around the hospital, Sam not with you?" he finished his eyes darting between the brothers.

"They're here at the hospital, he stayed back to buy us some time," Sam answered. "He said to take his car and he'd call you later to find out where we are and he'd bring some medical supplies." Sam added to Logan.

The girl's dark eyes skimmed her face then settled on Dean with a look that seemed almost like wonder.

Diane got her first real look at the other man. He was taller than Sam his long, tangled hair framed a face that was… more canine than human, she tightened her grip on the wheel chair's handles ready to wheel Dean out there and away from the strange looking man. She missed part of the conversation, because the conversation was now on the young man lying still and quiet on the gurney; a young man that looked so much like Dean he could have been another brother younger then Sam.

"Alec… did they…." Dean was saying his voice trailing off with uncertainty as he regarded the man on the gurney.

It was Sam that answered, "They did something, but we hope maybe we got there in time and they didn't finish whatever it was they started."

Dean was silent his eyes still on Alec, "Alec sacrificed himself to save my life Sam."

Sam gave Dean's shoulder a light squeeze before he said, "Dean this is Logan, Max and Joshua you sort of met him in the ambulance," Sam said, pointing at each one as he said their names. "They're friends."

"Hey," Logan and Max answered together.

Dean gave a nod of acknowledgement in the two's direction as Joshua stepped in close to the wheelchair. Diane couldn't hold back her intake of breath shrinking away from the big dog man.

"Hello Sam's brother Dean who looks like Alec." Joshua said with a smile.

At the sight of that smile Diane relaxed a little, loosening her hold on the chairs handles

"Hey Joshua," Dean replied.

"We need to move, Sam's car is this way," Logan said indicating along the row of vehicles.

"Joshua will you-" Max started, but she had no need to finish as Joshua was already lifting Alec gently into his arms from the gurney.

Diane pushed the chair forward following, Sam close by never leaving his brothers side.

-CP-

Dean was horrified when Logan came to a stop beside a white station wagon.

"Is this it? It's a soccer mom car?" Dean said in disgust.

"Beggars can't be choosers, Dean," Sam said a little annoyed.

Dean shot him a withering look but Sam ignored him passing the car keys to Logan who popped the locks. Max pulled the rear door up allowing Joshua to lay Alec down gently in the rear of the wagon before the big transhuman climbed in beside him maneuvering his long body around so Alec's head was cradled across his thighs a protective arm wrapped around him keeping the smaller man steady against any movement. Logan slid behind the wheel as Max pulled the rear door down and hurried around to the front passenger side.

Sam reached down to offer his brother a supporting arm, Dean looked at the proffered limb with distaste before pushing it away, "I got it!" he said in a low growl.

Sam dropped his arm but didn't move away hovering close as Dean braced his arms on the chairs arm rests and slowly began to push himself up out of the chair. Dean was alarmed that just the effort of going from sitting to standing sent pain lancing through his shoulder and ribs and had his head swimming, his eyesight dimming and his limbs trembling with weakness. He knew he was swaying and he reached out to steady himself intending to plant his hand against the edge of the roof where it curved down into the open doorway of the wagons rear door but instead of meeting cold metal his hand met the front of Sam's shirt and he tightened his hand in the warm, cotton material.

He felt Sam's hand under his right elbow supporting him; his brother's soothing voice sounded close to his ear, "I gotcha," the words, the touch and his brother's warm skin through the material clenched in his hand anchoring him. He drew in a calming, stuttering breath and then Sam's hand was turning him, guiding him, lowering him down onto the seat before his legs were lifted into the car.

Dean pulled his trembling throbbing, painful arm into his side and looked up expecting to see Sam's concerned face and hazel eyes, but the eyes that met his were sapphire blue.

Dean held Diane's gaze for a moment, "Thank you," he whispered unable to keep the tremor from his voice.

Diane smiled, "Any time, you take care Dean." She said stepping back as Sam pushed the door closed, sprinted around to the other side and climbed in beside his brother.

Logan had the engine started; he pressed the accelerator flat and turned out of the parking bay with a screech of tires heading in the direction of the exit, leaving Diane and what had temporarily been a sanctuary of sorts; sanctuary interrupted by Burke and more danger.

"Any idea where we go from here?" Max asked one hand braced against the dash as Logan traversed the narrow lane of the parking basement.

"No," Logan replied.

"What about Terminal City, we could take them there?" Max suggested.

"I don't think that's a good idea, they'd be expecting us the go there."

"Yeah you're probably right."

"Let's just put some distance between us and whoever these people are that tracked us here."

"Burke, his name is Burke, Colonel Burke." Dean spoke up from behind them, his voice no longer betraying the weakness Sam knew he was feeling.

Logan glanced at him in the rearview mirror, "how do you know this colonel Burke?"

Before Dean answered Sam was thrown violently against Dean the tires squealing in protest as Logan turned the long vehicle onto the up ramp to the next level much faster than the 5 mile limit, causing Dean to hiss out a pained breath.

"Yeah he was at the warehouse; vicious, sadistic, scar-faced son of a bitch doesn't play fair, if it wasn't for Alec jumping in and I mean literally jumping in when he did we wouldn't be having this conversation because Burke would have had his men beat me to death for information I didn't have."

"Sounds like a real sweet guy," Logan said tightly.

"Just like all the bad guys," Max said. Logan slowed the vehicle to a stop at the exit gate, he swiped the staff key card that had been hanging by a lanyard from the rear view mirror and as soon as the boom gate lifted he accelerated a little, clearing the parking structure and turning onto the street before he floored it; the long wagon responding with surprising swiftness.

"So this Burke he's military but he works for Phoenix as well?" Logan questioned negotiating the evening traffic.

"With them, for them, don't think there's much difference." Dean answered.

"Yeah, I hear ya'," Logan agreed.

"How did Burke track us here anyway?" Dean asked.

"They planted a tracking device on Alec, probably when you were at that sanatorium, we didn't know until just now," Sam answered.

"They lo-jacked him?" Dean asked.

"That's one way of putting it," Max replied.

"They'll do anything to get him back."

Max turned in her seat and looked hard at Dean's bruised, pale face.

Dean raised an eyebrow, "Why don't you take a picture sweetheart it'll last longer."

"Dean." Sam warned.

Max gave a small laugh, "I can see where Alec gets his smart Alec nature from and… the likeness is… incredible." Max said, still looking at Dean.

"Smart Alec, that's cute; and what did you expect the kid's got some very special DNA." Dean said.

"I named him Alec when I first met him at Manticore and having met you the name fits."

Dean threw her a sarcastic smile, but said nothing.

"I get it." Max said cryptically.

"Get it?" Dean asked, unsure where the conversation was headed.

"I get that they took you because they thought you were Alec, but what I don't get is why Phoenix wanted Alec particularly." Max pondered.

"Marshall said-"

"Marshall?" Logan intoned.

"When Alec sprung me from the warehouse," Dean said his tired eyes lost in memory. "He was outside waiting with back up, men with rifles. He's some doctor who used to work for Manticore, he was the one who stole my DNA years ago, told me on the plane that Phoenix was looking for a special X5 for their purposes."

"And Alec is the special X5?" Max said.

"Yeah. The other doctor at that place, that skinny, European slime ball doctor he knew Alec, I think he was Manticore as well, and I gotta say he was a little too pleased that it was Alec Marshall had so kindly provided for his experiment."

Max and Logan shared a look.

"What kind of experiment?" Logan asked, his eyes meeting Dean's in the rear view mirror.

"Alec is a guinea pig."

"For what?" Max and Logan asked together.

"A prototype; Alec is the prototype for a weapon, the first of an army of soldiers, mindless, obedient, super soldiers."

"Oh my God," Max said, Manticore had tried something similar with Zach.

"We can't let that happen we have to find a way to stop them." Sam said.

"First things first; we have to find a safe place and a plan to keep Alec away from them," Logan intoned.

"And stop them for good." Dean added with grim determination.

-CP-

This was supposed to be Joshua's house, although Logan currently called it home after his apartment had been blown up by another government backed organization bent on the destruction of anything Manticore. Joshua had been living here since the demise of Manticore up until a few months ago. Joshua now called Terminal City home along with Max Alec and many Manticore alumni; preferring to live with his own kind, not isolated and alone in this house.

Most of the houses' large lounge room was taken up with computer desks and tables stacked with a variety of computers and electronic equipment. This was where the Eyes Only broadcasts emanated from; Logan was this Eyes Only the man Phoenix wanted to put a stop to; the one Burke wanted so badly to locate, questioning and beating Dean to Hell in the warehouse for this man's identity and whereabouts.

The rest of the rooms' floor space consisted of a sofa/daybed, two battered armchairs, a wobbly floor lamp and a large bookcase against one wall. Alec was laying on the sofa-bed, looking for the world like he was deeply asleep, if only that were the case.

Joshua had laid him down with as gently as a new mother laid done her baby, smoothing the X5's dark blond hair away from his forehead, "Medium fella safe now," Joshua said before stepping back, allowing Max to pull the blanket up and over him, tucking it around him.

"You sure it's okay us crashing here for a while Joshua?" Logan asked.

"No problem Logan, warm and dry, and… safe for Alec and Dean."

Sam had supported a rapidly weakening Dean into the house lowering him into the slightly less battered of the chairs.

He watched his brother closely from where he stood beside the fireplace his back against the wall one leg bent at the knee foot planted against the wall, his left elbow resting on the mantle. He saw the concern in Dean's eyes that frequently slid to the younger version of himself. Logan had retreated into the kitchen to brew some fresh coffee. Max and Joshua had left to go back to Terminal City some time ago; neither of the brothers were surprised to learn that the small but ferocious young woman was in charge of the mutants and Terminal City, Alec being her 2OC and it seemed invaluable to her.

The room was quiet except for the occasional spit and crackle from the logs in the fire and the odd noise from the kitchen as Logan moved around. Both brothers lost in their thoughts of all they had learned about this 2001 version of Seattle, the people and creatures that tried to live their lives here and the people and forces that would do anything to destroy that; whether it was out of lack of knowledge, greed, hatred or fear of anyone or anything different.

"Dean? You alright?" Sam asked at last breaking the silence.

Dean's green eyes flicked from Alec to Sam's face, "Yeah I'm okay; what about you? Those Samsonite suitcases you're carrying around under your eyes must be heavy. When was the last time you slept?"

Sam smiled at that remark, "I don't know a couple of days maybe more. By the way you're like the pot and you're calling the kettle black, you look like a Panda."

"What can I say it's been a rough week," Dean replied a smile lifting the corner of his split, cracked lips.

"Tell me about it," Sam answered.

"Hey Sam?" Dean said his eyes once more on Alec.

"Yeah."

"You know… this might be strange but I guess for us maybe it's not… Alec… he's our brother."

"I know he is," Sam said. Anything else he would have said was halted by three rapid knocks on the door, they were expecting the Doc and medical supplies.

"That'll be Sam." Logan called out from the kitchen.

Sam straightened away from the wall exchanging another look with Dean before he left the room heading towards the smaller front room that faced onto the porch and the street.

Only a matter of a minute or so later Dean heard the murmur of voices coming from the front of the house, one was Sam's who the other one was he couldn't be sure but it didn't sound like the Doc.

Then Sam came back into the room followed closely by… not the Doc but the last person Dean expected to see.

"What the Hell are you doing here?" Dean growled.

"Nice to see you too, Dean," Diane answered.

Continued in Chapter 9: Awakenings