JESS

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Supernatural. They belong to Kripke. This is done strictly for fun, not profit. Also, if anything seems familiar, I don't own it.

A/N: Okay, first off…thank you all so much for the great reviews, and if I didn't reply back…I'm sorry. Just know that I do love getting them and love to hear what you think.

A/N2: If I flub some of the medical stuff please forgive me. I tried to do some research and asked a fellow writer (thanks by the way to Salem's Child for the info I hope I do you justice) but some things may still not quite jive. So yeah, mistakes…all my own. Also, I tried to look at stuff about Stanford on the web but have never been to the campus so if what I write doesn't quite jive. Sorry.

Spoilers: Season 1 up until "Shadow." I kind of flubbed the time line a little because technically in the U.S. the season finale had aired by the time Sam had his birthday, but in this story we're still before "Dead Man's Blood". But other than that, I hope I got things right.

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Sam came out of his last class for the day and breathed in the fresh air. The sun was shining and Sam reveled in the feel of it on his skin after being stuck in air conditioned rooms for so long. He smiled to himself at the thought. This had been one reason, when he had started looking at colleges, he had chosen Stanford.

Because it was in Cal-i-for-ni-a! No snow, no ice, no wind chill that could instantly freeze your face the second you walked outside. Just…warm weather.

When he was growing up, most of the hunts that their father had taken had been in the Northern or Eastern parts of the States. And what were those areas famous for? Snow. After so many years of seeing piles of it, he had begun to hate even the thought of that four letter word. When Sam had finally made it to California and realized he wouldn't have to suffer through another frigid winter, he had almost run around crazily in the sun telling everyone he ran into how wonderful California was. Almost. Well at least he didn't act too crazy.

Sam walked over to a shaded area of the grounds and found a bench to sit down. He still had a couple of hours before Jess would be done with her classes and instead of heading to the library right away, he usually sat outside and read so that he could enjoy the weather.

After getting comfortable he pulled out one of his text books, a notebook, and a pencil and started to work. He enjoyed studying unlike some students. It came easy to him. Heck, he had learned at a young age how to research for obscure references to werewolves and Women in White and sometimes even in different languages. So when he got to Stanford and was asked to do a five page paper on a simple thing like The Constitution he had almost scoffed at the assignment. Plus, there were no monsters or legends. Just something…normal.

Sam soon was lost in his work and therefore didn't see the woman standing beside him until her shadow finally passed across his book. He looked up kind of startled and then sighed in relief when he saw who it was. "Can I help you with something?"

The older woman looked down at him as if she just realized he was there and then smiled softly before she kind of threw up her arms in frustration. "I don't know. I was trying to find a building, but…" She looked around and then at the map Sam suddenly realized she was holding and he shifted his books off the seat beside him.

"Here," he motioned for her to sit and then for the map. "Maybe I can help you figure it out." He gave her a small smile and she smiled back a little as she swept her long white hair to the side and sat down beside him.

"Thank you. I knew that this place was big, but I didn't think it was this big." She motioned to the expanse of the area and Sam just laughed.

"Yeah, I know. The first time I got here I got so lost it was ridiculous."

She laughed softly at that and then stilled at the awkward silence that suddenly fell between them. "Uh…I guess," she motioned meekly to the map and Sam suddenly felt embarrassed.

"Yes, now…where did you want to go?" he asked again unfolding the map.

"Uh, the Meyer Library?" she asked hesitantly.

Sam nodded and looked down at the map. "Well, you're not too far off. See we're here." He pointed down at the map and drew a circle around the Main Quad and then moved his pencil over to another building. "And here's where you need to go." He looked up at her and she was studying the map as if it were a foreign thing before looking up at him with a sheepish look.

"And where exactly is that?"

Sam just smiled. "Why don't I just show you?" He quickly gathered his books and soon they were walking towards the library her cowboy boots clicking softly on the cement sidewalk.

"So what are you studying?"

Sam looked at her confused for a second and then a 'duh' look came over his face. "Oh, uh, pre-law."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I'm impressed. You must be very smart."

Sam just blushed slightly and gave a little smile. "Yeah, I guess."

They walked the rest of the way just asking idle questions every once in a while until finally Sam pulled up short. "Well, here you are." He motioned to the building in front of them and she seemed surprised for a second.

"Oh, now why couldn't I figure that out?" She turned to Sam with her hands on her hips. "I think I passed this building like four times and didn't realize it."

Sam started to grin and then tried to hide it at her perturbed look. "Well, it kind of blends in I guess if you don't know what it is."

She just snorted slightly as she shook her head and then smiled. "Well, thanks. I'm glad I bumped into you when I did."

"You're welcome. Now…you don't think you'll get lost from here now do you?" he asked jokingly and she kind of rolled her eyes.

"No, thanks. I'll be fine."

Sam just nodded and started to walk away before realizing he was still holding her map. "Oh, I almost forgot."

He held out the map and she smiled slightly as she went to take it.

"Ouch!"

Sam pulled his hand away as if he'd been bitten and the woman let out a startled little sound.

"Oh, are you okay?" she asked.

Sam studied his hand and then sucked at his finger. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a paper cut."

The woman moved closer with a concerned look on her face and Sam couldn't help but feel embarrassed by his reaction. I mean, jeez, he'd had a lot worse injuries and hadn't made even half that much fuss.

"Oh, here." She pulled a handkerchief from her jeans pocket and Sam let her blot at the slightly bleeding cut.

Dang those stung.

She dabbed at it gently until it stopped bleeding and then leaned down to kiss it. "There. All better."

Sam just laughed slightly and she joined in at the absurdity of the situation. "Thanks," he said and took his hand back. "I…better…get going." He motioned over his shoulder and then finally turned to go.

The woman stood there and watched him leave until she was sure he was out of sight before folding the handkerchief up and putting it in her pocket again. "No. Thank you, Sam," she said softly before turning and walking away from the library in the opposite direction.

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"So what do you think it is? A curse? A spell? Could she have found some way to latch onto him from the other side?"

John just shook his head. "I don't know, Dean."

"Well, think!" Dean spat out and then felt embarrassed at his Dad's startled look. "I'm sorry. It's just…" He looked down at Sam and gulped visibly.

John just frowned and looked down at Sam. "I know, Dean. But…I just don't know." He ran a hand through Sam's damp hair. "It might be a curse. But I don't know how. As far as I know she never saw him. Besides, it doesn't explain how she could be taking his powers."

Dean suddenly frowned and looked up at his father. "How did you know about Sam's powers?"

John's frown deepened a little more and he glance up at Dean before looking back down at Sam. "I didn't. Not until now when everything clicked into place. I mean…why else would he be so sick?"

Dean just nodded slightly and then sat down in his chair suddenly feeling even more exhausted than he did before.

"So what is it that he can…you know…do?" John asked hesitantly looking down at his oldest.

Dean rubbed his eyes for a moment feeling the effects of his stress in every part of his body and then sighed before dropping his hand to look up at his little brother. "He has visions," he said softly and kind of sadly. "Evidently, at first, they were just dreams. But then…they started happening when he was awake." Dean swallowed back his emotions at the memory of the first time he had seen Sam have a vision. That far away look, and the fact that he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it except just be there for him. He would never admit it to Sam, but it had definitely freaked him out.

John felt like he had been hit in the gut. He had always wondered if Lillian had meant that the power she had touched that day had been Sam but had never really wanted to know for sure. Until now. "What does he see?" he asked hesitantly.

"People's deaths," Dean said bluntly still not looking at John. "We try to stop them if we can, but most of the time…"

Dean just shook his head and John suddenly felt a wave of sorrow for his youngest. For Sam to see those people's deaths, and then not be able to save them? He knew that had to be eating away at Sam's soul and was suddenly a little afraid of what that could mean for Sam in the long run. He looked at Sam's still form lying in the bed and just wished that he could take all his son's pain away.

Dean watched his father as he watched Sam. He saw how gentle he was with Sam and wondered why his father never felt like he could be tender when they weren't sick or hurt. If Sam had been awake, Dean knew they would probably be at each other's throats within a minute.

As John watched, Sam suddenly twitched his head and then scrunched his face slightly. John pulled back for a moment not sure if he had really seen it, but when Dean suddenly stood up and moved towards the bed he knew it must have happened.

"Sam?" Dean said with a shaking voice as he took his brother's limp hand in his own. "Sam, can you hear me?" Dean held his breath hoping to get a response but there was none. He picked up Sam's hand and put it in both of his own noticing how warm it was. "Sam, please…squeeze my hand if you can hear me." Still nothing.

John sighed in aggravation and walked away slightly. "Damn it," he mumbled slightly under his breath.

Dean just looked at Sam in confusion know that he had seen something. He could have sworn-

Blinding pain passed through his hand and for a moment all Dean could see was white. His mouth hung open in a soundless scream before he was brought to his knees by the intense pain. He gave a small gasp and then a small yelp as pain shot up his arm to the elbow.

John turned around at the thump and then his eyes bulged as he realized what was happening. He quickly hurried around to the other side of the bed where Dean was on his knees with his hand being crushed by Sam's iron grip and tried to figure out what to do next.

Dean cried out again as Sam's grip tightened even more bending the wrist back at an odd angle and crushing his fingers together until he could feel the bones grinding together. He gripped his brother's arm and squeezed as John's hand also tried to pry Sam's hand from Dean's. Dean could feel Sam's muscles corded and bunched beneath the skin and Dean knew there was no way they were going to be able to pry his hand free without hurting Sam too.

"Sam…please," Dean got out through gritted teeth as he fought to keep from passing out. He gritted his teeth and breathed heavily through his nose trying to block out the pain as he looked up to see Sam's eyes were wide open but looking at nothing. A sudden chill passed along his spin and he felt his stomach drop at the sight. "Sammy?"

That one word got through to John in no way anything else would and he stopped in his efforts to free Dean's hand. It wasn't the word, but the way Dean had said it. As if he was afraid. John looked up at Sam and knew something was terribly wrong. "Sam," he said in almost a whisper.

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A/N: Okay, don't kill me yet. (Peaks out from behind barricade of sand bags and barb wire.) I know you all hate cliffies, but I just couldn't seem to find a good place to end this chapter without it ending up being like twenty pages long. So don't worry…I'll post more tomorrow night. Just…send me some reviews to tell me what you think? I really do like to hear your opinion.