Hey all! Thanks so much for all of the fantastic reviews :D I fixed a few holes in this next chapter, but I think its ready to post now. Still have a major hole to fix, so that will take a little bit of time. So, read on.

Cindy

"Uh…yeah, I guess. I…I don't mean to be rude, but…who are you?" Sam asked.

"Oh…sorry. The name is Gabriel."

Chapter 5 – Where is Home?

"I'm sorry…did you say Gabriel? As in the archangel Gabriel?" Sam queried, hazel eyes wide as he stared at the average looking man before him.

"Ah…so you've heard of me," Gabriel answered then gave the teen a crooked grin. "Of course, you are the believer in your family now aren't you?"

Sam narrowed his eyes as he shifted uncomfortably on the log he was sitting on. "How do you know that?" he asked.

"I'm an angel, Sam," Gabriel replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

"You don't look like an angel. Where are your wings?"

The angel sighed then stood and stretched his arms out beside him. "This is what I show to you because you cannot look upon my true visage. This is my vessel," he answered.

"You're possessing someone!" Sam cried out indignantly.

"Not possessing, Sammy…"

"It's Sam," Sam said curtly.

Gabriel shook his head impatiently then rolled his eyes. "Fine…Sam. I am not possessing anybody…this is the body of a true believer…one who prayed for this. Angels cannot use a human's body without their permission. The human has to say yes in order to become a vessel. This is something you need to remember…keep in the back of your mind for the day that you will need the knowledge."

"What are you talking about?"

"There is a lot you should know, Sam…a lot I could tell you, but it wouldn't matter so I won't waste my breath."

"What should I know and why would you be wasting your breath by telling me?"

"Oh, Sam…always so many questions with you. You drive your father insane with them…you know that right?"

At the mention of his father, Sam's shoulders sagged and he dropped his eyes to the ground. "I guess that's why he and Dean…why they…" he whispered brokenly, the teen unable to finish his thoughts as tears welled in his eyes.

"Sam, what you saw in your dream isn't what it seems," Gabriel said.

Sam looked up and cocked his head slightly. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Do you really believe that brother of yours would hurt you like that? Doesn't it make more sense that something made him hurt you? You sensed it when he was beating you…you knew it wasn't really him so why do you think it was now?"

"Because…maybe being here I can see things more clearly now. Dean has had to give up so much for me. He's always having to watch out for me and take care of me when he should be free to do normal things guys his age do…I mean, when there isn't a hunt to keep him from it. I am a weight on his shoulders holding him back. I'm…"

"You're an idiot, that's what you are. Haven't you heard him calling for you? Haven't you heard his pleas for you to come back to him?"

"Wh-what? I…I've heard something, but I…I didn't know where it was coming from. Thought maybe I was hearing things."

"You're so blind, Sam, and apparently deaf too. Don't you see that he loves taking care of you? That it's the most important thing to him? He doesn't see you as someone holding him back or someone making him miss out on a life he could have…you are his life, Sam and that's the way he wants it. It's killing him that you're becoming more independent every day. It makes him feel as though you don't need him as much," Gabriel explained, eyes watching the youngster before him intently.

Sam considered Gabriel's words then closed his eyes and smiled softly. Finally, he looked up at the angel, but before he could speak, Gabriel held up his hand and stopped him.

"Let me just cut you off right there, Sam. I know you think that your dad doesn't love you as much anymore…that he thinks you're the weak link or something like that, but you're wrong about that too. Your dad loves you just as much as Dean does and would do anything to keep you safe. He pushes you so hard because he believes it's the only way to accomplish that…keeping you safe."

"But we…"

"Fight all of the time? Yeah, I know. It's because you both are so much alike…both stubborn and pigheaded. You want to be heard and he wants you to hear him and because he's the dad, it's his way or else. That doesn't work well with you, just like it never worked well with he and his dad. He wanted something other than what his father wanted for him and it led to many fights. It's his way, Sam…and you're just like him."

"I would never expect my kids to live a life they didn't want! I would let them choose their own path…I would want them to be happy!"

"Your dad wants you to be happy, Sam, but he knows what's out there and he knows that in order to keep you safe, he has to be hard on you. He's more concerned with your safety at this point."

Sam sighed and shook his head. He knew what the angel said was true, but he still didn't like it. He still believed he could live a normal life and be relatively safe. He knew that the odds of living that normal life were pretty close to nil, but he could still dream. Finally, he looked at the angel and cleared his dry throat.

"Why am I here? Why are you here? Why would an archangel be so interested in me?"

"I'm here to convince you to go back to your father and brother…go back to the land of the living and leave the dead for the time being. That voice you've been hearing, but ignoring…that's your brother. He wants you to come home…he needs you to come home. But, it's your decision, Sam," Gabriel answered.

Sam's breath hitched and he looked over his shoulder at the house that his mother had disappeared into. "Why go back? They're better off without me so why not just stay here?" he asked as he turned back around and looked at the angel.

Gabriel sighed as he lifted his eyes to the sky and shrugged. "Because, Sam…you have a destiny to fulfill and you can't do it here."

Sam cocked his head, his hazel eyes widening at the angel's words. "Destiny? What are you talking about?"

Gabriel waved his hand in dismissal of Sam's question then took a seat on his log. "Look, Sam…if it were up to me, I'd say stay here…throw a wrench into the whole plan and save me a lot of crap down the line, but it isn't up to me so…go back to your family and fulfill your destiny and all that crap okay?"

"You know, for an angel, you're kind of a jerk. Like I said, they're better off without me. I can stay here with my mom and they can keep hunting without having to protect my sorry ass…my father's words by the way…"

"Yeah, yeah…you're father hates you…blah, blah, blah…they don't understand you…blah, blah, blah…you think you're a burden…blah, blah, blah! Get over your pity party, Sam and get a clue! We've been through this already. For whatever reason, they need you. If you don't go back, they'll die…plain and simple."

Sam jumped up from the log, his eyes wide as he stared fearfully at the angel. "What! What are you talking about?" he cried.

Gabriel shook his head in exasperation. "If you die, on their next hunt, Dean goes in guns blazing and he takes out a whole mess of baddies, but he makes sure he goes right along with them. Daddy dearest can't keep it together after losing both sons and he drinks himself to death. Do you really want that to happen, because if you stay here, it will."

Sam shook his head and glared angrily at the angel. "You're lying! Dean would never do that to Dad and Dad would never abandon his hunt for Mom's killer…not for anything! Yeah, they love me, but they'll…"

"So you think you know more than me!" Gabriel shouted as he shot to his feet, eyes flashing dangerously. "I'm an angel, Sam! I know what I'm talking about. I saw Dean die…saw his shredded body. I watched the mighty John Winchester choke on his own vomit! I've seen people that you don't even know yet but will love one day, die. I watched you break the final seal and start the Apocalypse only to save the world in the end! You have no clue how important you are to them…to the entire human race! Your self-loathing is becoming a bit tiresome and could lead to the destruction of the planet! Is that what you want?"

Sam stumbled back, his knees hitting the log. He reached a trembling hand out behind him and guided himself down onto the log. "Why are you telling me this? My destiny, the people I'll lose, the things I'll do? Aren't you afraid that I'll remember all of this and change my choices?"

Gabriel shook his head and stared down at the shocked teen. "Nope…'cause you won't remember any of this. You won't remember me or seeing your mom or anything that I've told you. You'll wake up to your relieved family and you'll have no memory of being here. You'll see me again, way in the future and you may think you've seen me before, but you won't remember. To you, I'll just be another thing you're hunting."

Sam looked past the angel, his eyes glistening as everything that he had learned played through his mind. He cast his gaze back to the angel and bit his bottom lip. "If I stay here, Dad and Dean die, but others I haven't even met yet live. If I go back, people die because they've met me, but Dad and Dean live?"

"Don't forget the world, Sam…all those people counting on you…"

"But if you're right, I start the Apocalypse. If I stay here, I won't be there to start it in the first place."

"Correction…you help start it. You only break the final seal. The first one has to be broken for the others to follow. If you don't do it, someone else will, but there's one big difference between you and whomever may complete the breaking of the seals… you're the only one who can stop it all. You're the only one who can stop Lucifer. In the end, it all comes down to you, Sam…only you..oh, and that insane bond you have with your brother. So, what do you say?"

"I-I don't understand…what seals? The apocalypse? And Lucifer? How can I defeat Lucifer? Why only me?"

"You'll find out on your own about the seals and Lucy and all that. Why you? Because that's what God wants…it's been decided for eons, but you have to decide to take that path. Fulfill your destiny, Sam…geez, you got me sounding like an extra in Star Wars."

Sam looked back at the house and tears filled his eyes yet again when he saw his mother once again tending her garden. He turned when she sat back and gazed lovingly at him. "Mom?" he whispered as she smiled up at him and nodded. He wanted so badly to stay, but his need to be with his father and brother was greater. He turned back to Gabriel and whispered, "I want to go home."

Gabriel reached out his hand and lightly touched Sam's forehead. Sam gasped as brilliant white light surrounded him. He felt a pressure in his chest, then a flash of pain. He felt as though he was falling when suddenly, everything went pitch black and then he felt nothing…until he opened his eyes and began to choke.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

John slipped back into Sam's room and nodded to Dean as he approached the bed upon where his youngest son lay. Dean barely gave his father a glance before he went back to softly talking into Sam's ear, his hand holding and rubbing Sam's smaller one. John brushed his fingers lightly over Sam's cheek, his dark eyes drifting over his son's frail, broken body. How could he have been so stupid? He should have known right away that something was wrong at the witch's house. That gibberish she was mumbling as she died? He should have taken her head before she had a chance to place the curse on Dean, but he hadn't. He'd stood there and watched as she died before taking care of her body, but by then the damage was done and now he could lose not one, but both of his sons. He looked up at Dean and his heart broke. His son looked as though he'd aged 20 years in just one night. Eyes dull and red, face drawn and pale. The kid looked about ready to pass out yet still he continued to talk to his baby brother, his eyes never leaving Sam's face, surely watching for any sign that his words were getting through to the teen.

John cleared his throat and waited for Dean to lift his gaze to him. "Why don't you go down the hall to the waiting room. There's a couch down there you can stretch out on for a few hours. You look beat," he said gruffly.

Dean shook his head and looked back at Sam. "I'm not leaving Sammy," he replied shortly.

"Dean, I'll be here with Sam…you need to get some sleep."

Dean looked up, formerly dull eyes flashing with anger. "I did this to him! I know it was that curse making me, but I should've been able to stop it! I should have protected Sammy, but turned out it was me he needed protection from! I'm not leaving him because I'm a little tired…he deserves better than that!" he seethed through clenched teeth.

John nodded his head, resigned to the fact that Dean was not going to leave his brother for anything or anyone. "Well, then you need to at least sit down before you fall down. I'll go see if I can round us up some chairs," he mumbled before turning and leaving the room once again.

Dean watched him go then stood up and stretched his back. He leaned back over and resumed his rambling, his hand instinctively reaching for Sam's yet again. "Don't worry, Sammy…I'm not going anywhere. Dad can go sleep if he wants, but you're stuck with me kiddo. Now, how about I tell you about my date with that redhead in Lansing. You know, the one with enormous ti…boobs?" he began, his voice droning on as he continued on with his mission to make Sam hear him. He didn't even notice when John returned to the room until a hand grasped his arm and guided him down into a hard, plastic chair. He looked up and smiled appreciatively at his father then went back to talking to Sam. John rounded the bed and took a seat on the chair he had acquired for himself. He listened to Dean relay story after story, a fond smile curling his lips. His eyes watched Sam's face until finally, the swooshing sound of the ventilator coupled with Dean's hushed voice lulled him into a light sleep, leaving his two sons to carry on their one way conversation in relative peace. It was the sound of a blaring alarm and Dean's frantic screams that jolted the man awake, his wide eyes taking in the scene as hoards of medical personnel spilled into the room and shoved he and Dean aside.

The two Winchesters were ushered out of the room, but not before they saw the PICU doctor place paddles against Sam's chest and shout "Clear!" They saw Sam's body arch off of the bed before the curtain was drawn, blocking their view of what was happening to their youngest. They could hear commands being shouted and people rushing about in the room and it only added to the terror they were both feeling. Dean slid down the wall, arms over his head as he curled into a ball, his body shuddering as he rocked back and forth. John knelt down in front of him and reached out to grip his arm. Dean looked up into his father's eyes and saw the same pain and fear he felt reflected in their dark depths. John scooted around then sat on the floor next to his son. He leaned his head back until it banged lightly on the wall then he closed his eyes. Their wait didn't last long though because when they heard the doctor calling for Sam to calm down, that he was in a hospital and that they were only trying to help him, nothing was going to keep them from being in that room. The both scurried up from the floor and tore through the curtain.

Dean was to the bed first and when he got a glimpse of his little brother's terrified face, he shoved his way through the nurses ignoring their protests as he reached for Sam's hand. "Hey, Sammy…it's okay…calm down. The machine is helping you breathe right now so don't fight it. Just let it do its job, okay?" he coaxed softly. Sam's gaze turned his way and Dean's heart nearly stopped as he anticipated the fear he knew he would see once his brother saw him. Sam surprised him though. Instead of fear, all Dean saw was relief. When Dean tentatively reached up to cup Sam's uninjured cheek, the teen leaned into the touch. Dean tenderly brushed a tear away from Sam's cheek and smiled as Sam's one good eye closed and his tense body relaxed against the mattress. Someone lightly gripped Dean's arm and began to pull him away and he immediately began to protest until he realized it was John touching him.

"Dean, let them do their job. Sam's calm now so let them take care of him," John said in a hushed voice.

Dean nodded and took one last look at Sam before he allowed John to pull him away from the bed. The two hunters refused to leave the room though and stepped as far out of the way as possible. They watched as most of the nurses filed out of the room, leaving only the doctor and two nurses to tend to their cherished boy. They were thankful that one of those nurses was Jenny and they watched as she carefully tucked Sam back under his bedding. After several minutes, the doctor stepped away from the bed and walked over to the two waiting hunters. Jenny stayed at Sam's bedside while the other nurse quietly left the room. John let out a breath as the doctor approached, his heart beating wildly in his chest.

"Is my son okay? What the hell just happened?" John asked, his dark eyes moving back over to the still form lying quietly in the bed.

"Well, in a nutshell…he woke up. Way sooner than expected," the doctor replied.

"Why did his heart stop?" Dean queried, green eyes narrowed as he intently watched the doctor's face.

"Well, it didn't really stop. In fact, it appears as though it began to race and then Sam went into arrhythmia. We had to perform an electrical cardioversion to get his heart beating in a regular pattern agan."

"Electrical cardioversion?" Dean asked hesitantly.

The doctor smiled tiredly and cocked his head. "We shocked his heart," he offered.

"So, is he going to be okay?" John asked, his deep voice cutting into the conversation.

The doctor glanced over his shoulder at his patient then turned back to the teen's family. "Well, he isn't out of the woods yet, but his vital signs seem to have improved. I'm going to leave the vent in, but we may be able to remove it later in the afternoon if he continues to improve. I'm not quite ready to remove him from the critical list, but we'll see how he progresses over the next 24 hours. I'll be consulting with Dr. Gamers, Sam's surgeon, when he makes his rounds later this morning and then we'll decide how to proceed," the doctor explained. "I am optimistic though…Sam appears to have cleared some hurdles much faster than was anticipated," he added before giving each man a quick handshake and leaving the room.

John and Dean approached the bed and smiled when Jenny gently brushed her fingers through Sam's hair. She looked up and nodded, the middle aged woman beaming, smile bright and genuine as she returned her gaze to her young patient. "He's back with us now. He just needs a lot of rest, but he'll be fine now," she said softly.

"You're sure?" John asked.

"Yes…I'm sure. He'll be waking up before you know it," Jenny answered brightly.

Dean moved around to the side of the bed where Jenny stood and took Sam's hand. He glanced over at the nurse and cleared his throat. "He…uh…he wasn't afraid of me. I…I thought…"

"I told you, he knows that it wasn't you. He may have had a little bit of doubt, but he's over that now."

"So, he won't freak out when he wakes up?"

"Did he freak out when he saw you just now? Or did he calm down and fall asleep, knowing that he was safe?"

Tears rimmed Dean's eyes and he turned and looked down at his brother. "Thank you," he whispered appreciatively before he hooked his chair with his foot and dragged it back over to the bed where he took a seat and once again began his vigil.

John walked Jenny to the door, the tall man taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you for everything," he said gratefully.

Jenny patted John's hand and smiled up at him. "There's no need to thank me, John. You just take care of those boys…they're very special," she said.

John glanced back at his sons and smiled. "Yeah…I know," he said as he returned his eyes to the nurse.

"Well, you better get back to them. I'll be in to check on Sam later," Jenny said before silently leaving the Winchesters.

John returned to the bed then retrieved his chair from where it had been pushed aside. He sat down, glanced over at Dean then leaned back in the chair. He could feel that the tide had turned. The deep feelings of dread had lifted from him and he knew that Jenny was right. Sam would be fine…eventually. He would need a lot of rest and a lot of patience from his family, but John was ready to give him everything he needed to recover fully. There was no doubt that Dean would bend over backwards to give Sam exactly what he needed. John decided that they would go to Bobby's while Sam regained his strength…once he was strong enough to leave the hospital that was. Dean wouldn't go stir crazy there with all the cars there were to work on and John would have a wealth of information to read while watching over Sam. Sam always loved going to Bobby's so John knew that was the best place for all of them to take some down time. It was time for the Winchesters to reconnect, especially father and youngest son, without hunt after hunt getting in the way and John was determined to make things up to both of his sons. He'd been their drill sergeant for so long, he'd forgotten to be the most important thing that they needed…their father.

Yay, Sam woke up...for a little bit anyway! We'll see how Sam handles everything once he's fully awake. Oh, and we'll see how his family handles things as well. One brother won't handle things as well as the other. So, I hope you'll let me know what you think and I'll get to work on fixing my little plot hole. Take care all :)

Cindy