Chapter Four

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Dean sunk his teeth into the juicy hamburger brimming over with triple onions, and chewed blissfully as he thought of how Sam would bitch and bum about his fiery breath later in the reduced space of the Impala.

The moaning sounds he was making caused more than one head to turn curiously towards him, from the customers sitting at the adjacent tables, but Dean was oblivious to everything except the little piece of heaven in his hands.

Since he had gotten out of purgatory, he had eaten more than he had ever thought possible; the lack of food in the monster soul realm had made him appreciate the humble hamburger even more.

It was good to be back, to have seen Sammy's anxious eyes turn to joy as his spell had worked, restoring his big brother to him; to have held him once more in his arms as he yanked him to his chest, feeling Sam's head fold itself into the curve of his neck as if it was shaped for only that.

He and Sam didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things but the fact that no-one was as important to them as their brother was written in stone. They didn't bother to dance around it any more. It was an accepted fact.

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Sam had given him the whole story of what had happened since Dean had blinked out of existence in Dick Roman's laboratory; of how Crowley had gloated that Sam was truly alone now that Dean had disappeared, and how he had been thrown into the darkest desperation.

Dean smiled; his little brother had surely been desperate, but the evil fuglies out there didn't know that when Sammy was at his most desperate that's when he was at his most dangerous!

Not even Sam's Lucifer hellucinations had prevented him from coming to try and save his brother when Castiel had swallowed the Leviathans and arrogantly set himself up as the new God; so being alone wouldn't stop Sam from trying to get him back.

Sam remembered who had helped him when Dean had disappeared the year before when his brother had rashly thrown himself onto Chronos and been transported off to God knows where.

At that time, Sam had no idea whatsoever where his big brother had ended up; but in the laboratory Dean had disappeared while hanging on to Roman and just as Chronos had pulled Dean back though time with him, Dick must have dragged Dean off to Purgatory.

Sam had set fire to the laboratory where a virus had been created by the Leviathans to turn humans into cattle for them to feed on; called the fire brigade and then pointed the Impala towards Sioux Falls and Jodie Mills.

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Two Months earlier, two days after Dean vanished from Dick Roman's laboratory.

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The Impala roared into Sioux Falls and made its way to the police station. Sam parked her in front of the entrance and pulled out his phone.

"Jodie, it's Sam Winchester. I gotta see you. I'm outside the station. If you've a minute to spare…? Yeah, Thanks."

No sooner had Sam cut the call than Jodie appeared in the doorway and hurried down to the car, settling herself in the passenger seat next to Sam.

"Sam, what's wrong?" she asked, her female intuition screaming that these boys had gotten themselves into trouble once again.

Sam tuned misty eyes on her, "Dean's gone," he whispered.

"Oh, Sam! You don't mean…. he's passed away?" she asked.

"No, gone; as in 'disappeared in a puff off Leviathan smoke'," Sam explained wistfully.

Jodie felt herself relaxing slightly.

She didn't know the entire history of the Winchesters, so to her death was still a word that meant what it stated, so 'gone' as opposed to 'dead' was an improvement!

She had grown unexpectedly fond of these two boys and had no problem in understanding why Bobby had considered them sons.

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"Okay, you mean like the last time,Sam?" she smiled, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "You gotta put a leash on your brother. Disappearing seems to come easy to him."

Sam's lip curled up in his patented half-smile. "Yeah, that's a good idea, Jodie. Maybe one of those GPS chips under his skin," he joked, although he put the idea past for future consideration. If he couldn't put a collar and leash on his brother then…..!

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"Come on Sam, " she said, clapping a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't eaten since Dean disappeared. We'll get you some food and you can tell me all about it."

Sam turned his eyes full on and Jodie got the total puppy blast. "Thanks, Jodie. You don't know how much it means to be able to talk to you about this," he said earnestly.

God forbid, she thought to herself; just what is it with this boy that he has broken through my defences like a hot knife through butter. Next thing you know I'll be selling my souls for him, she grumbled to herself as she led the way to the diner, Sam following a step behind; his life-long habit of watching his brother's back kicking in.

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"So you think he's in Purgatory?" Jodie sighed as Sam finished explaining his theory to her. "Your brother certainly doesn't make things easy, Sam. Doesn't that mean he's dead?" she asked confused.

"No, he was yanked in body and soul, which I'm thinking is going to be an advantage in getting him out. "

Sam was heating up to his theory. "It's an anomaly to exist in Purgatory soul and body, so IF we can locate him and IF we can find a way to get him out, it's going to be thanks to the fact he was drawn in along with his body."

"Okay," she nodded. "How can I help?"

"I'm gonna need a place to use as a base, space for books and stuff. If Bobby's had still been standing….."

"No problem Sam. I'm on my own; there's plenty of room at my house; you can set up shop in one of the spare bedrooms, " she offered quickly.

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Although Sam had been hoping she would say that, he hadn't been completely sure and his heart went out in thanks to Jodie.

He coughed awkwardly before blurting out. "Um, Jodie. I just wanted to say how sorry I am for what happened to your husband and especially to your kid. If there had been any other way," he continued hastily as he saw Jodie tense up. "If there had been any way to save him….. It was the first time I had actually killed a child, you know. Well; technically I know he was already dead, but it was hard just the same."

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"Huh, I suppose that unites us in some kind of twisted bond, Sam. I gave my son life and you killed the last manifestation of him.

However, don't beat yourself up. He was dead long before you shot the abomination he had become. You did what you had to, and maybe saved me from having to shoot him myself.

If the townsfolk and I had listened to you earlier, I might still have had my husband by my side today.

Sam, there's nothing we can do to change the past but if you think we can get your brother back, well we gotta try," she finished, patting him on the arm.

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A week later, Sam had read his way through all the books that Bobby had made copies of, but he hadn't come across anything useful.

He would have to take a trip to another well furnished library that had already helped them once in getting rid of Eve. Samuel had ancient tomes that Sam had still to check out. He'd browse through them and bring any that might be useful back to Jodie's.

If he found nothing, then he'd just have to come up with something else, but he wouldn't stop until he got Dean back.

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