After fifteen long minutes, Lex was able to find a decent representation of coffee. It smelled like coffee and it looked like coffee and though it barely tasted like coffee it really didn't matter. She used the coffee as an excuse. It was always an excuse to take a pause from the situation at hand. In the end, the coffee would get cold and remain untouched.

Lex put a couple of dollars into the vending machine, which happily sucked it out of her hands. The machine clicked and released a cup into a little holder. Then, after several moments, black liquid began to pour. The long pauses gave Lex time to calm down. She needed to relax before she saw John again or she'd end up blowing up at him. The idea elicited satisfaction, but she knew it'd be wasted. What she really needed to worry about was keeping Sam in check so they could figure out how to save Dean together.

So far three of the four contacts had gotten back to her and everything but the relevant came up in conversation. They wanted to talk about a possible this, or a probable that. It wasn't until she directly asked them when they told her they had squat. Her last resort was Elijah, but deep down she already knew the truth.

The machine buzzed and released the cup into her grasp, at the same time her phone began to vibrate in her bra. Another reason she hated wearing suit clothing, if they had pockets they were too small to hold anything useful, and Lex refused to carry a purse. She doubled check her six to make sure no one was watching before she pulled out. "Eli…"

/How is everyone doing?/

"John's awake, but colder now than ever before. Last I saw of him was off to Dean's room unwilling to speak to anyone… Sam is breaking down. I had to all but force him out of the hospital… and then there is Dean." She leaned up against the wall with a sigh. "Please tell me you have something. Anything…"

Eli paused. That was never a good sign. /Lexi…/

"Damn it…"

/I even consulted a couple neurologists, top in their field, and every one of them said the same thing, the longer he remains in a coma the less likely he will wake up. As for the other side of the coin, most of the medical lore I know of doesn't help when the cause of the condition isn't based in the supernatural. There's nothing about how to wake someone out of a coma or hell fix someone's head from a concussion./

"Meaning we need to find a faith healer with a reaper in his pocket…"

/Or make a deal with demon./

"So we really are siding John on this. He's got Sam picking up the ingredients to summon Azazel here."

/And Sam didn't blow a gasket?/

Lex smelled the coffee in her hand and sneered at it. Okay, so it didn't smell like coffee. She decided the four cups she had as she dodged through the airports would be enough to tide her over until she could find something better. She sighed and leaned up against the wall. "He doesn't know."

/So there are things you aren't willing to tell him. I was wondering if there would ever be a line./ Lex caught the cheap shot in his voice remarking about all the other things Lex divulged to the youngest Winchester.

"Shut up! I am really hoping Bobby tells him, or John… if neither do then I will, though I would rather it not be me."

/Because you don't want to be the one who's at the receiving end of that blown fuse, but how do you think he's gonna react when he realizes you knew and didn't tell him./

The thought never occurred to her. "Damn you."

/You are one of the most clever people I know Lexi, but sometimes you are stupid. This is why you will never beat me in chess./

Lex could hear the sound of a bell ringing in the background. "Get going to class and thanks for all your help Eli."

/I feel ridiculous going to class when you are all at the hospital…./

"I know, but at least you are doing something productive. If anything changes, I'll call you immediately. I promise." Lex didn't wait for an answer. She just hung up the phone and slipped it back into her bra.

She made her way back to John grabbing a glass of water off a lunch cart making its rounds about the hall. She reached Dean's room and noticed John just sitting there, blankly starring at his dying son. She wanted to say something, but the words escaped her. What could she say to a man who was watching one son die, unable to do anything and the other falling out of reach through hatred and anger? Nothing. That's what she could say.

Seeing John like this was tearing Lex up inside. This man was her father. He stayed for a couple of weeks to help heal their wounds, physical and mental. He taught her how to hunt – how to fight – how to survive. Everything she knew was because of John. He was supposed to be mentally strong and physically capable. He was her hero, her superman, in the 'not Louise Lane' way. In this moment, she finally got to see how human he truly was.

As she let out a sigh a cold shiver ran through body, and only for the briefest of moments she thought she actually saw her breath. To anyone else it would have just been a passing thought, but to Lex, who was raised a hunter, knew differently. Immediately, her hunting instincts kicked in. She quickly drew in another breath and released it, but this time, nothing. There was no cold shiver, or puff of air.

She decided to chalk it up to wishful thinking and sleep deprivation. It wouldn't be the first time she thought there was something when there wasn't.

"Is everything okay?" John finally noticed Lex standing at the door. "You look like you felt something."

Lex reached out the coffee to John. "Yeah, no… it's nothing." John took the offered cup with his good arm looking down at the ground almost embarrassed. It was obvious he hated being this emotionally vulnerable, but his attention instantly returned to Dean taking one last look at his son before he evacuated the room. Lex followed him, "do you think he will take the deal?"

The question almost made John stop in his tracks, almost. "The colt is the only weapon we have that can stop him. He'll want to make sure we don't have it."

The two hunters made their way to John's room where he slowly maneuvered his way into bed. Normally this was a simple task but it became apparent just how physically damaged John was. His left arm was broken, several ribs were cracked, and his body was one big bruise. It must have been great pains to move but he did so with ease, despite it all. Lex would have offered her help but she already knew he wouldn't take it. She did the only thing she knew would help. "Make sure you talk Dean down to Azazel. Make him less appealing. You know, make Azazel think Dean's life is worth a single bullet. Though, I'd refrain from mentioning the whole hunter thing that might make him reconsider taking the deal on principle alone."

John finally gave a weak smile, but it was better than nothing. "I'll take it into consideration."

Lex's bra buzzed. John threw her a look. "Don't ask…" She set down her water on the little food tray and pulled it out. "Sam's about ten out." Before John spoke, Lex cut him off. She didn't know what he was going to say and she didn't want to know. "I'm gonna go meet him. And for once, you might want to consider letting the people you love in on your plans. Sam might surprise you."

Sam slammed the car door despite his best efforts to keep his anger subsided. He should've known all along what his father was planning. He should have known. It was just like his dad to want revenge. John didn't care about saving Dean or that the demon he was going to summon wanted he and Lex for some unknown purpose. No, all John cared about himself and his revenge.

Sam fought the duffle bag from the trunk of the small car, threw it over his shoulder in rage, and smashed the hood closed. He was hoping he could get all frustrations out now before seeing John but the more he allowed his anger to show the angrier he became.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed people watching him, concerned. Usually he would've given a damn about them and their looks, because he was desperate to be normal. But not now, not today. He stalked into the hospital, barely noticing Lex as she came around the corner. It wasn't until he was almost on top of her. "You need to get out of here."

"What? Why? What's going on?"

Sam grabbed her by the arm and directed her toward the door, putting her keys in her hand. "Dad's going to be summoning the Demon here. Apparently his revenge trumps Dean. I don't want you here, in case the demon decides he wants you too." Lex's adverting eyes gave her away. "You already knew he was going to bring the demon here."

"Not entirely."

"What the hell does that mean?" His anger grew.

"I saw a couple of the ingredients on the list. Together they can either be a protection ward or a summoning spell. Knowing your dad…" Lex was desperately trying to defend herself more than John. In truth, even she had a hard time protecting John. She knew how he was, maybe not as well as Sam, but she knew him well enough.

"And you didn't tell me? You're just as bad as he is." That was a low blow. Sam could see the look of shock and disbelief in Lex's green eyes. He realized too late that his mouth spoke before his brain could tell it to stop. He was already starting to regret his statement. Lex was nothing like John, nothing at all.

Lex took an uncontrolled step back. "Damn it Sam, I wasn't entirely sure. I didn't want to start a fire I couldn't put out, so before I told you I asked him."

Sam manically laughed, "Did he actually give you an answer?"

"No," she hesitated.

"Of course not, he never does."

Lex begged, "Give your dad a chance to explain himself before…"

"There is nothing to explain Lexi. His revenge is the only thing he has, everything else comes second, including Dean and me." Sam took in a stifled breath. "Please Lexi, I don't want the demon to get his hands on you."

Before Lex could say another word Sam was gone, disappearing in the crowd, off to give his two cents to John. Lex threw her hands into the air in utter defeat. There was no talking to either of them. Lex struggled with the idea of going after him. She thought maybe she could play referee but then considered just letting them duke it out on their own terms.

Lex rubbed her temples; she decided it would be best to let them have at it. Her getting into the mix would just complicate everything. Sam was ready to fight with John, this was bound to happen, no matter what she said or didn't say. Lex leaned up against Dean's room. "And this is why you are needed. I don't know how you do it." Lex peaked her head out the door. The halls echoed with Sam's voice, and then came John's. "John always told me…"

Beep…

Lex shot her head back toward Dean.

Beep…

Then to his monitor. His heart monitor. His heart stopped…

"HELP! I NEED SOME HELP IN HERE!" Lex shouted smashing the emergency button behind the bed. Lex laid a delicate hand in his cheek. "Don't do this Dean. They need you…. Damn it Dean!"

She felt a strong arm touch her. Her first reaction was to defend until she realized it was a doctor. "Please step back Miss. We need room."

Lex, in a daze, nodded and did as she was told making her way out the door. Nurses and doctors piled into the room, each one trying to save him. Sam raced down the hall taking a hold of Lex's shoulders. "Lex…"

"Sam…"

Sam pushed passed her to get a clear look at the doctors and Dean. With each defibrillation of the heart, with each shock Lex closed her eyes tighter while Sam continued to silently beg for a miracle to save Dean's life.

And then his miracle was answered. Something happened. Dean… he was okay… or at least as okay as he was moments before. Lex exhaled her breath, beyond thankful. Sam, however, looked like he saw a ghost. Lex ran her hands threw her hair. "What's wrong Sam?" Sam eyes darted around the hallways, looking for something. Maybe he did see a ghost. "Sam?"

"I need an Ouija board."

"A what?"

Sam laughed, "A weegie board."

"To communicate…." Then she remembered the feeling she got, the cold shutter. "You think Dean's a ghost? But he's still alive."

Sam glanced back at his brother's body. "He could be having an out of body experience. A glass of water in dad's room fell off the table smashing to the floor and then just now. I swore I heard Dean's voice. Wait, that look…"

"Before you came back I walked into Dean's room and for a split second I could see my breath. But I ignored it because…" She gestured toward Dean.

"Humor me."

"Fine. But I'm coming. I seriously need to get out of this shit." Lex noted her clothing. "It is starting to itch and annoy, and I need a breather from this place."