Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure.

Synopsis: Set at the start of Season One, Dean had been in a wheelchair since his father disappeared more than a year ago and he finally has to tell Sam… There'd been an accident that night and Dean had paid a very high price…one he still doesn't understand. The story will have some hunts from season one and possibly into season two…the brothers will continue their search for their father…there will be alterations to the hunts to accommodate Dean's new situation. I have every intention of returning Dean to good health before this ends…but getting there is going to be bumpy.

Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, so all grammatical errors are my own. Not Slash. Brotherly love and Angst only…

Please Review: They keep me motivated. Also thank you to any reviewers that are 'guests' since I cannot PM and you guys personally.

Chapter 19

Truly Evil or Just Possessed

Sam heard Dean moan from the other bed and he was immediately on his feet and shuffling between them. The room was stuffy and there was the distinct smell that accompanied the 'sick' as he rubbed his eyes in order to focus them. "Dean?" He asked quietly as he flipped on the small bedside lamp. Their room was flooded in warm yellow light that was just bright enough for Sam to make out his brother's form in the other bed. Dean's face was flushed red and he was sweating…Great. Fever. Sam thought immediately as he sighed and walked into the bathroom, grabbing a cool cloth and the Tylenol from the counter. He also took the time and filled a glass with water before making his way back to his feverish older brother. He carefully sat down next to Dean and gently shook his shoulder. Even though Dean was injured…he could still knock the crap out of Sam if he was surprised…and that was not something that Sam wanted to deal with at the moment. He was careful of the injuries as he tried to wake up his brother and he was pleased when he was rewarded with glassy green eyes a moment later.

"Sam? Everything okay?" Dean asked as he struggled to push himself upright…hissing in pain as his injuries protested the moment. His voice was tight and slightly slurred…but at least it was a little stronger than it had been earlier. Sam raised his eyebrows at his brother a smile pulling at his lips as he nodded and then reached for the water and the two white pills.

"You're running a fever Dean. Think you can swallow these? They'll help." Sam said he dropped the two pills into Dean's opened palm as he nodded. The white bandages that were wrapped around his hands making Sam wince inwardly as he saw the red staining the top of Dean's hands. He watched as Dean popped the medicine into his mouth and then held out his hand for the water…which Sam instantly held up for him. Dean swallowed and then leaned back against the pillows, handing the glass back to Sam before settling again into the rough cotton of the motel sheets, his eyes slipping open and closed in a sluggish manner. "You should get some more sleep Dean." Sam said as he stood up and started to move away from the bed. He was surprised when the bandaged hand of his brother shot out and stopped him. Dean's grip was stronger than he would have thought possible, based on the injuries that his brother had sustained to the limbs.

"Thanks Sammy…" Dean said. His eyes sincere and his face open at the moment.

"It was just pain meds Dean…" Sam said around a chuckle. But he stopped when he saw the serious look that washed across Dean's face.

"No…I meant 'thanks' for coming for…me." He said quietly. Dean couldn't have really thought that Sam would leave his ass there…? Could he…?

Sam stared at his 'tough as nails' older brother in disbelief. In all the years that they'd been hunting…Dean had never thanked him for saving him. He figured that was because Dean had always known that Sam would come for him. Guilt washed through Sam as he thought of the one time that he hadn't…the one time, the first time…that Sam hadn't come looking for Dean. The night that he'd been injured in that cabin…and all the days after that…when their father had taken his own frustrations out on the man lying in the bed in front of him. Sam bit at his lower lip before answering. "I'll always come for you Dean." He whispered as he watched Dean's eyelids flutter and then fall shut as he slipped off into sleep.

Sam exhaled and thrust his hands through his hair…how was he going to get past this guilt? He'd spent his life knowing that Dean would be there for whatever he needed…and the one time that his brother had actually needed him…he'd failed to be there. He furrowed his eyebrows together and walked over to the other bed, sinking into the still slightly warm sheets. His gaze never leaving the sleeping form of his brother…whatever it takes…we're fixing this Dean.

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Dean felt the warm light play across his eyelids, before he decided that he'd slept enough and pulled them open. The room was just getting light…so that meant that it was still pretty early. He turned his head and glanced at the small digital clock on the nightstand… 6:34am. His green eyes flickered to the still sleeping form of his brother. Sam's mouth was hanging open and there was a tiny noise erupting from his throat…snoring…Sam's snoring. He thought. Sam only snored when he was sick, hurt…or incredibly tired. Dean decided that he wasn't going to wake up Sam, just so he could use the bathroom. He looked at his wheel chair, it was parked near the end of his bed and sighed inwardly, since that meant that he would have to haul his sore body to the end and then shift himself into the chair. Oh well, it's not the first time that I've done this. He thought as he started to move his arms, his knuckles crackled with pain as the scabs puckered and then split with the pressure. Dean bit his lip and pushed himself upright and then shifted his weight so that he could pull himself down the bed.

His useless legs folding over themselves as he managed to get himself positioned. He reached out with his left hand and caught the handle of the chair, he carefully levered himself over into it and settled against the back as he waited for the pain to pass. Or at least diminish to a more manageable level…which it did…finally. He reached down and rolled himself to the bathroom.

Once he was finished, Dean grabbed the bottle of pain meds and popped some more of the small white pills and then rolled over to the where the motel's small coffee maker was situated. He managed to get everything into the little coffee maker and then he settled in at the table, opening the laptop to do some research while he waited for the coffee. The first thing that he decided to look up was that crazy spell thing that Bobby had been talking about…the two souls thing. He narrowed his eyes at the thought of being used like that…for evil. And even worse…they wanted to turn Sam into something that he definitely wasn't and that was evil. Well, that's not gonna happen on my watch. He thought as he read the information on the net. He heard the coffee beep and he sighed as he rolled away from the table and over to the counter where the black liquid waited for him. He poured a mug full and turned back to the table, he was surprised by the figure of his little brother leaning over the laptop and reading what he'd been researching. Sam's hair was messy and he looked exhausted, but he was awake and engaged in what Dean had been doing.

Damn, that kid moves silently. He thought to himself as he rolled back and poured another mug of coffee, before saying something to Sam. "Hey, coffee's on man." He said as he slid the mug across the counter to his brother. Sam looked up and smiled as he crossed the few feet and grabbed the mug, he was moving around the counter looking for the sugar and cream almost immediately. That made Dean chuckle, Sam never could take his coffee black. "It's in the cupboard Sam." He said as he took a drink of his own very black drink.

Sam glanced up at him and smiled at the amusement he read in his brother's sparkling green eyes. Dean still looked a little flushed from the fever, but he also looked better. His hands had some red on them where the knuckles had bled from the movement. But his legs looked pretty good, although Sam knew that he would need to change the bandages on all of the wounds before they could leave this motel and move on. He walked back over and sank down into a chair where he could still see the computer screen. "So…did you find anything useful?" he asked as he sipped at his 'girlified' cup of coffee.

Dean looked over at him and inhaled deeply before answering. "Yes…and no." Sam raised one eyebrow at him, as though to say 'What the hell Dean?' "I think that this spell that Bobby was talking about…it actually exists. And that these bastards have been planning this for a long time." Dean took another deep breath before continuing. "And I think that Dad was possessed by these demons…years ago." He almost chocked on the last part…but it was the only thing that made sense. John's personality change had happened pretty much over night. So the fact that he couldn't even remember the last several years…well it wasn't that far of a stretch. Sam was staring at Dean, wide eyed and he could almost see his little brother's hamster going into overdrive as he reasoned his way through that last thought.

"So…he gets possessed and then what…? They come after you…why Dean? That's the part that's bothering me…why did they come after you, through dad?" Sam's face was confused as he looked from the computer to his brother and then back again. "I mean…I thought that anything like that would mean that dad had to be running the show. Arrangements with demons and stuff…not something that they can make a body do…at least not without the consent of the host-soul."

It was Dean's turn to stare at his brother in wide-eyed surprise…because unfortunately Sam was absolutely right. The only way to 'make a deal' was with one's own soul…so if their dad had been possessed he had agreed to it…at least initially. Dean felt his stomach flip at that thought…their father had agreed to this…because while a demon could possess a body without consent…they couldn't make the interior soul 'make a deal'…that had to come about with the use of free-will. A thought flashed through his head and had him gasping for air a moment later as his chest seized…what if they were trying to get him out of the way so they could get to Sam…and he wouldn't be able to protect him…Dean coughed as he struggled to pull air into his lungs. His chest burned and his shoulder flared in agony as he nearly doubled over with pain and realization. The pain would have been easier to deal with than the knowledge that their father had been 'turned'.

"Dean?!" Sam cried as he lurched to his feet and knelt in front of his brother's doubled-over body. He gently placed his hands on Dean's knees to ensure that he didn't fall forward out his chair as he struggled through the spasm. "You okay?" Sam asked after a minute when Dean's coughing subsided and the tears that were streaming down his face from the intensity of the wracking coughs subsided to merely tracks and not gushing torrents.

A part of him couldn't believe it…his father really was a monster. He had really traded Dean for Sam…at least he'd arranged for the possession and then….maybe he didn't like the way that things had gone…and he'd wanted to do it. Dean's stomach twisted and turned with the realization that they couldn't trust their own father. No matter what he was saying at this moment…at one point he'd agreed to this. "Sam…we can't trust dad." Dean said in a raspy voice. His eyes flickering up to his little brother's concerned blue-green gaze.

Sam licked his lips and nodded as he sat back on his heels and stared at Dean for several more moments before hauling himself to his feet. "Shit Dean…this is…damn-it...!" Sam swore as he thrust his long fingers through his messy hair and paced back and forth across the small room. "What are we gonna do here Dean?" he asked.

Dean inhaled deeply and leaned forward slightly in his chair…his elbows resting on the armrests of his 'ride'. "First…we don't panic Sam." He smiled and looked pointedly at his brother before continuing. "Second…we call Bobby…and we tell him everything." Dean's tone was as even as could be expected and he was trying to remain strong and steady for his baby brother.

Sam furrowed his forehead as he looked down and then back at Dean and nodded. "I think that's our best bet too. He might have a suggestion for us about how to track these demons and the bastards that are working with them." Sam was quiet for a moment before he coughed and then continued. "As long as we stay away from Chicago…I'm in…for whatever Dean." He blew out the breath he'd been holding when his older brother nodded immediately in agreement.

"Sam, I have no intention of dying on you…so I agree…no Chicago…not a problem on my end. But we will need to find another way to track that coven. Because I still have every intention of fixing whatever the hell those bastards did to me that night." His eyes were sincere and honest as he looked into the supportive gaze of his little brother.

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The call to Bobby went pretty much as expected. The old hunter didn't have any clue that John had been possessed or that he'd traded with the demons. But he was angry as a hornet's nest when Sam had explained what they suspected had happened. The older hunter told them that he'd be calling in some favors from other hunters and that he'd be in touch shortly with some useful information. He also told them to get the hell out of that motel and away from their father…and do that NOW!

Dean couldn't have agreed more. He wanted Sam away from their father; the crap that he'd done to Dean…well Dean could handle that. But he couldn't handle it if John managed to hurt Sam. So they'd packed up and he'd argued with his little brother about re-dressing his wounds. That could wait until they were in a safer city, one that their father didn't know about and couldn't track them to. That hadn't been a fun argument…Sam had been stubborn about wanting to help Dean first. But, Dean was the older brother after all…and he'd pulled that card out of the deck and overruled Sam. So now they'd been on the road for two hours and Sam was staring out the front window, his demeanor completely awash with guilt as he stared at the open highway.

Dean rolled his eyes and exhaled loud enough to get Sam's attention. "Sammy…stop." He said quietly as he shifted so that he could look at his brother. "None of this…I repeat…none of this is your fault." He narrowed his eyes and looked down for a moment before continuing. "Sam…dad did this…to me…to you…and we may never know why. But I swear to God, that me and you…we're making it out of this shit storm that he created. I refuse to believe that you and I have to be casualties of a war that we never should have been a part of." Sam glanced over at him and smiled slightly.

"Dean I just want things to go back to normal." Sam's patented puppy eyes were in full effect as he tried to look away from his injured brother...and he wasn't even thinking about it.

"I know you do Sammy…but I don't think that is going to happen…at least not anytime soon. Think you can live with that?" Dean struggled to finish that last part, because he wasn't really sure that wanted an answer to that question.

Sam snorted and then shook his head as he looked back at his brother. "Yeah…at least for a while." He smiled and then turned back toward the road, listening to Dean chuckle slightly from the passenger seat. "Hey, how's your wounds? Need anything?"

Dean looked down at his hands, they were in desperate need of a bandage change and his legs could really use the same…but he wasn't sure if they should stop yet. They hadn't been on the road for more than a few hours and their father could track them pretty easily at this point. "Na…I think I'm okay for a bit longer. We can worry about those when we stop for the night." He turned back toward the window and watched the trees fly by as his baby carried them further and further from their only living relative…and he'd never been happier that it was just the two of them. Dean knew that he could trust Sam…always.

Dean's cell rang; he looked at the caller ID, and was relieved to see Bobby's number. There was a part of him that was pretty certain that they were going to run into their father again…but neither of them was ready for that at this particular juncture. "Hey Bobby, what's up?" Dean asked as he flipped open the phone and looked at Sam briefly.

"Dean…I got some news…and you boys aren't gonna like it." Bobby's voice was tight with stress and that was not a normal reaction to bad news. Bobby generally took everything in stride…he didn't let things get to him.

Dean's heart started to beat faster and he reached up and ran his bandage hand through his blonde hair. "Okay…whatever it is…just spit it out Bobby." That had Sam casting worried eyes in his direction and he mouthed 'What?' at his brother. Dean shook his head and held up one hand as he tried to listen to what the old hunter was saying on the other end of the line. His eye's widened even further and his face lost what little color it had as he turned surprised and somewhat panicked green eyes in his brother's direction. "Holy shit Bobby…" Dean said quickly and shook his head in disbelief.

TBC…

Author's Note: Big reveal in the next chapter…giving Dean and Sam a shot at finding out how to fix this whole mess, but the solution may be more than either boy is willing to pay.

Please Review: I would appreciate any feedback…that way I know you guys are still reading this.