Chapter Nine:

Deanna sat on one of the crappy beds that had been jammed into the equally as crappy motel room. She twirled her cell phone around in her hand, waiting for it to show some sign of life, and kept her gaze firmly on her little brother.

Sam was on his phone again, calling everyone on God's green earth, pulling in every favor he had from the sounds of things, looking for any way, supernatural or not, to heal his big brother.

Deanna had the suspicion it wasn't just for himself he wanted his brother back, but for her as well.

It startled her, when he cleared his throat and started leaving a message for 'Dad'. She blinked at him in surprise, not that he actually turned around to look. He'd gotten used to her constant stare. 'I swear, Annie, if there was any doubt that you and Dean were twins, that look right there would have convinced me. The 'I'm not letting you out of my sight' look. For someone who's only known her twin for a little while, you sure act like him.'

Thing was, Deanna hadn't even thought to call their father. For the last few years it'd just been her, with a little bit of help from Missouri and...a traveling drifter...sometimes. She'd fought and bled for everything she had in her life, including her brothers. It still kinda surprised her that she actually had a 'parent' out there somewhere.

Sam finished his message, with a promise to their father that he would find a way to save Dean, and then tossed his phone on the mattress next to him. He let out a frustrated sigh, and raked shaky fingers through his hair.

"Three days," he croaked out. "Three days, and I haven't found anything."

Deanna's phone vibrated in her hand, signalling an incoming text message. She glanced down at it, flicking her thumb to open the message. Without looking at it, she fixed her gaze to the back of Sam's skull. "Sammy..." she started softly. "You might...I mean, maybe...maybe there isn't anything for you to find. You can't cheat death, kiddo. You know that."

Sam stiffened under her words. "Don't ever say that." he growled quietly, dangerously. "Winchester's don't quit."

Deanna stayed quiet at that, and turned to her phone. She had to read the message twice, and then had a quiet debate with herself on whether to tell Sam or not.

Sam tossed a book down and reached for his phone again. "I'm going to call Caleb again. Maybe...maybe he knows something now."

"As opposed to an hour ago?" Deanna asked, as mildly as possible. Apparently, not mild enough.

"Well maybe you could get over here and help me." Sam snapped. "He's your brother too, in case you forgot. But instead you're just sitting there, texting. Dean is going to die if we don't do something."

Deanna glanced down at her phone again, the neat mechanical words mocking her. On one hand, if it worked, it would save him. On the other hand, if it didn't, and Dean still died...it would destroy Sam.

And deep down, where she didn't even like to admit it to herself, she knew it would kill her as well.

"Sam." Deanna started. She waited until Sam turned around impatiently to look at her, and she swallowed thickly, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. "Um...so, I...know this...guy, right? And he and I sometimes work together."

"So?" Sam asked, fingers drifting towards his phone and papers again.

"So...we don't dance together, Sam. We...we've hunted, for lack of a better word, together."

Sam turned around to look at her full on then. "Okay. And you're telling me this why?"

Deanna nervously started picking at her cuticles. "Well, sometimes he knows stuff. Stuff I only dream about knowing, and other stuff I hope to God I never have to know about. Ever. I sent him a text about our...situation. He...might have a solution."

"Well, what?" Sam asked, practically bouncing in his seat.

"Sammy, you have to understand. Me and this guy...were not friends. We...sometimes work together when the circumstances are convenient for the both of us, and neither of our goals get in the way of the others. Get it? I don't know if this will work. The only reason he is talking to me is...he sorta owes me a favor. But I only trust him about as far as I can throw him. I'm not sure I trust him with Dean."

Sam looked at her, eyes dewy and moist. "It's Dean, Annie. We have to try."

Deanna pulled in a breath, "Okay." She said, laying her phone down and willing her hands to stop shaking. Thing was, Damon was dangerous. She'd known that since their first words to each other, back when she was sixteen, before she ever knew what he was. And she was so not going to explain what he was to her hunter brothers. While he 'kinda sorta' owed her a favor, she 'for sure' owed him her life. And the lives of half the students she'd ever had. They weren't friends, not by a long shot, but there was a faint sense of loyalty, and a shaky agreement not to kill each other.

She just wasn't sure that shaky agreement applied to her brothers. Hell, she wasn't sure if it applied to his brother.

Deanna and Sam had just finished looking into the faith healer Damon had suggested in Nebraska, when there was a soft knock at the door. Neither one of them were expecting anyone, and the exchanged a glance before Deanna got up off the bed, and carefully stepped over to the door. Sam had his hand on his gun, and nodded his readiness.

When Deanna swung the door open, she blinked in surprise at Dean, leaning weakly against the door frame.

"Dean!" she chirped in surprise. Stepping aside for Dean to limp in the room.

Sam had stood up, and was looking at his brother with the same sort of surprise. "What the hell are you doing here, man?"

"I checked myself out." he said, looking between his siblings.

"Are you completely nuts?" Deanna asked, going back over to the bed to erase text messages and call histories. She didn't put it past either one of her brothers to start investigating someone who obviously made her nervous if the thought occurred to them. And she really didn't need any of them actually meeting. She shuddered at the thought.

"Hey," Dean said, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. "I'm not going to die in a hospital where the nurses aren't even hot." He shrugged his shoulder, and after seeming to make a decision, started to limp towards the the chair Sam had vacated.

"You know," Sam said, putting one hand on his hip. "This whole, 'I laugh in the face of death' thing? It's crap. I can see right through it."

"Yeah, whatever dude." Dean said, stumbling a little. Sam was right there to help him to the chair before Deanna had even put her feet on the floor. "Have either of you even slept. You two look worse than I do."

"Not likely with someone this hot." Deanna snarked, earning a smile from Dean and an eye roll from Sam.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, sister." Dean snarked back.

Deanna smiled, and then tossed her phone on the side table, pulling her duffel bag out from under the bed and starting to gather her things.

"Are you going somewhere?" Dean asked when Sam left his side to copy Deanna.

"We." Sam corrected. "We are going to Nebraska."

"Why?" Dean asked.

Sam and Deanna exchanged a look. "I've been scouring the internet and calling all of our contacts and Dad's for the last three days. And Deanna, apparently has a few contacts..."

"Just one." she piped up.

"Okay...a contact that called her back."

"Contact for what?" Dean asked, looking confused.

"For a way to help you. He...he?" at Deanna's nod, Sam continued. "He told us about a guy in Nebraska. A...specialist."

Deanna disguised her grin at Sam's choice of words by ducking under the bed, pretending to make sure everything was out from under there. They both knew Dean wouldn't willingly go see a faith healer. A part of her mourned at the thought of what a great lawyer Sam would have made.

Dean looked between the two of them. "You guys aren't going to let me die in peace are you?"

Deanna stood up, looked at Sam, and then turned her gaze on Dean. "We're not gonna let you die, period."

Dean rolled his eyes, but didn't protest all that much, when the three of them headed for interstate a few hours later.

O~O~O

A few hours from the address Damon had given them, Sam pulled over at a rest stop gas station to re-fuel, get coffee, and to make sure Dean ate something. When Sam went into the building, Deanna crawled off her bike, stiff from the many hours of riding in the same bent over position, following and zipping around the Impala like a dark shadow on the road. Sometimes she was pretty sure Sam was racing her, and she smiled at the thought.

She sauntered over to the side of the car, where Dean had rolled down the window, and shook her hair loose from the pony tail. The ends were tangled and matted from where they refused to stay under her helmet and had whipped around in the wind. She grimaced at the drizzly and rainy weather, and made her decision right there, that she hated Nebraska, cold and wet as it was.

"Hey." Dean said as she leaned against the side of the car. "You ride like a crazy person, you know that right? I thought Sam was going to run you over a time or ten."

Deanna grinned, the same fun loving smirk that Dean remembered their father used to have, before. "Nah. I knew where he was. He wasn't going to hit me."

"Damn straight." Dean said. "Would have dented my baby. And dying or not, I will kick both of your asses if you put one scratch on her."

Deanna shook her head, a small smile on her lips. Looking down at her boots, she let the smile slide off her her face like water. "Why didn't you call me or Sam to come get you from the hospital?"

Dean was silent for a moment. "Honestly?"

"Honestly."

Dean paused, again. Then, "I wasn't entirely positive you guys were still there. I was sorta hoping you'd managed to convince Sam to move on."

Deanna sighed. If she were physically capable of the move, she'd kick herself. She'd called, and Sam had called, and Dean and her had been texting non stop...but neither one of them had gone back to the hospital in three days, Sam too intent on finding a way to save Dean, and Deanna too focussed on making sure Sam slept and ate at regular intervals while debating whether or not to contact Damon.

What else was Dean supposed to think?

"You, me and Sammy..." Deanna began, turning slightly to look at Dean. "...we're a packaged deal. You're not getting rid of us that easy."

Dean snorted. "I got that." The twins sat there in silence for a moment, before Dean spoke again. "You think this specialist can help?"

"Honestly?" Deanna asked, catching sight of Sam, and oh dear God that freak was tall, in the windows of the gas station.

"Honestly." Dean echoed her.

"I don't know." She turned to look at Dean, to meet his gaze head on. "The source I got it from...I'm not sure I trust him with the well being of my brothers. We promised a mutual friend we wouldn't kill each other...but I'm not sure if that...compromise includes immediate family members."

"You don't trust him."

"Nope."

"He dangerous."

"Oh yeah."

"To you?"

Deanna thought about it for a moment. "No. Our friend made him promise. He'd pretty much realign the planets for her if she asked."

Dean thankfully let it the subject go. She didn't really want to explain the sketchy relationship she had with Damon. She wasn't positive she understood the parameters of the relationship.

Sam came out of the gas station a moment later, and they were soon back on the road.

O~O~O

Dean watched Deanna in the rear view mirror, as she carefully maneuvered her bike around the worst of the mud and found a somewhat solid portion of road to park her bike on. She glanced up at the Impala, and then pulled off her helmet, lips moving and an annoyed look on her face.

Dean was pretty sure what was coming out of her mouth were words not fit for little ears.

He looked away, the smile still on his lips when the car finally stopped. What he saw made the smile fall right off his lips.

A white tent and a sign that said 'The Church of Roy LeGrange. Faith Healer.' shone out at him as he got out of the car.

Sam jogged around the car to help Dean out, and he angrily shrugged him off. Manipulative siblings. They knew he wouldn't have agreed to this. "Get off me." he snapped. "Man, you are a lying bastard. Thought you said we were going to a doctor."

"I believe he said 'specialist', Dean." Deanna's voice washed over them, and Dean turned to glare at her, her and her damn contact. "Now, I'm just as skeptical as you, but this guy is supposed to be the real deal."

"You are both lying bastards. And your contact too. I can't believe you two brought me here to a guy who heals people out of a tent!"

An old woman turned around to glare at them. "Roy LeGrange is a great man!"

"Yeah, that's nice." Dean snapped. Before he could say anything, Sam had successfully turned him away from her. They walked past a young guy, around Dean and Deanna's age, yelling something about being allowed to protest there to some local police. Dean was too busy plotting the deaths of his brother and sister to pay any attention.

"I take it he's not part of the flock." Dean gripped, still angry.

"When people see something they can't explain, there's controversy. You of all people should be able to understand that." Sam said, off to his right. Deanna had taken up position somewhere at his back. Dean was glad to have someone there.

"Really, Sam? A faith healer?"

"Maybe it's time to have a little faith, Dean." Sam said, wisely.

"You know what I've got faith in?" Dean asked. "Reality. Knowing what's really going on." And you and Annie, Dean thought, not that'd he'd ever say that out loud.

"How can you be a skeptic?" Sam asked, genuinely curious. "With the stuff we see everyday?"

"Exactly. We see them. We know they're real."

"But if you know evil's out there, how can you not believe good's out there too?" Dean knew Sam's curiosity voice, and he groaned inwardly. When Sam got started, there was no stopping him.

"Because I've seen what evil does to good people." Dean snapped.

The blond woman in front of them had apparently overheard them, and turned around, holding a blue umbrella above her head. "Maybe God works in mysterious ways." she said with a bright, friendly smile.

Dean smiled at her, pulling out his charm. He was dying not dead. And he'd always had a thing for blondes. And brunettes. And red heads. And that girl with that almost purple/black hair in Oregon that one time... "Maybe he does," he said flirting, and he could practically hear Deanna and Sam's synchronized eye roll. "I think you just turned me around on the subject."

The girl grinned, "I'm sure."

Dean held out his hand. "I'm Dean." He jerked his head at his shadows. "This is Sam, and that's Deanna."

"Hi." she said, shaking his hand, and smiling at the other two. "I'm Layla. So if you're not a believer, then why are you here?"

Dean shoved his hands in his pockets. "Apparently these two believe enough for all three of us."

Layla smiled at him knowingly, and then followed an older woman who had to be a relative...maybe her mom? into the tent. Dean watched her go. "You know, I bet she could work in some mysterious ways."

"TMI, Dean." Deanna said at his left ear.

Dean smirked at her, and grudgingly allowed Sam to usher him inside.

Inside almost all the chairs had been filled, all in front of a large stage. He felt Deanna recoil slightly at their back, but before he could turn around to talk to her, Sam had pushed him forward. Dean nodded at the cameras that were installed in the tent. "Yeah. Peace, love and trust all over." he muttered.

Sam ignored him and continued pushing him forward, even when Dean wanted to sit down in the back. Sam just shoved him until they were sitting a few rows from the front. Behind Layla and the other woman.

Just after they'd sat down, and Dean had noticed Deanna had stayed at the back of the tent, leaning casually against one of the poles, an older, blind man gingerly walked up the stage, cane tapping as he went, helped by a woman about the same age. He took to the podium, and faced the crowd.

"Each morning, my wife, Sue Ann, reads me the news." He called out over the crowd. "Never seems good does it?"

The crowd around the Winchesters murmured their agreement. LeGrange just continued.

"Seems like there's always someone committing some immoral, unspeakable act. But I say to you, God is watching. God rewards the good, and He punishes the corrupt. Who does the healing here friends? It's the Lord who guides me in choosing who to heal, and helping me see into people's hearts."

The crowd murmured around them again, and Dean leaned over and whispered to Sam, "Yeah, and into their wallets."

"You think so, young man?" Roy called out. The church went silent, and all of them turned to stare at Dean. Dean's fingers twitched nervously in the pockets of Sam's hoodie that he was wearing.

"Sorry." He muttered, not really all that sorry.

"No, no. Don't be. Just watch what you say around a blind man. We've got real sharp ears." Roy said with a smile, earning a laugh from the congregation. Even Dean allowed himself a tentative smile. The guy was okay if he could laugh at himself. "What's your name, son?"

Dean hesitated, before looking at Sam's pointed gaze. He sighed. "Uh. Dean."

Roy nodded. "Dean." He thought for a moment, and then jerked his fingers in his direction. "I want you to come up here with me."

The crowd cheered, but Dean shook his head. "No that's okay."

Sam gasped a protest in his ear, and Dean ignored him. Roy just continued to smile. "You've come here to be healed, haven't you?"

"Well, yeah..." Dean stuttered. "But...maybe you should just pick someone else."

"Oh, I didn't pick you," Roy insisted. "The Lord did."

The crowd continued to cheer, and Roy kept his hand out. Sam pushed him out of his chair. "Go!" he whispered in his ear.

Ultimately it was Sam's hopeful puppy dog gaze that made him get up out of the chair, despite all his misgivings about the situation. He'd never been good at saying 'no' to Sam.

Dean gingerly walked up the steps to stand next to Roy, seeking out Deanna the second he turned his gaze on the crowd. She twitched her lips at him, encouraging, but still skeptical, he could tell. He was brought out of his staring contest with Deanna when Roy laid his hand on his head.

"All right now..." Roy muttered quietly.

A wave of cold...wrongness washed over Dean, and he suddenly felt weaker than ever. After a few moments, his knees gave out, and he crashed to the ground. Dean tipped over into darkness.

When he woke, he could tell it'd only been a minute, but Sam and Deanna were kneeling next to him, looking worried. Dean struggled to sit up, noticing that he was suddenly able to breathe without effort for the first time since he'd been electrocuted. Sam helped him, clinging tightly to his arm.

It was then that he saw the old man in the dark suit stare at him for a moment, and then walk away, disappearing into thin air.

"Dean?" he heard Sam ask over the roar in his ears. He turned to face his siblings, and noticed that Deanna was staring at the place the old man had been standing just moments before.

A look of utter terror etched onto her face.

Author's Note: Wow, that was long. :) Hope you enjoy.