Chapter One

Sam Winchester lay passed out on the passenger seat beside Dean, whom was driving the black 67' Chevy Impala as fast as he could to the nearest hospital. The church fiasco and closing the gates of hell took everything out of his little brother. He kept looking over at the ever whitening body of his brother. "Come on Sam," Dean screamed through gritted teeth. "Wake up!" He slapped Sam's arm and nothing happened. He leaned forward over the steering wheel reading the road signs as they passed them. Finally a hospital, he thought to himself in triumph. He peeled off the highway following the blue hospital signs.

It was a small town, but the hospital looked to be decent. Dean pulled right up at the emergency room door and jumped out of the car. "We need some help out here!" he yelled toward the glass doors. Several nurses came running outside as Dean grabbed Sam out of the car. They got him inside where they took him to a room immediately. Two nurses started looking Sam over while one nurse took Dean outside of the room.

"Sir, could you explain what happened to him?" she asked pulling out a pad of paper and pen.

How do I explain this? Dean looked through the window of his Sam's room. His little brother was all hooked up with machines and tubes – it was a lot to take in. And they've been through a lot. He looked at the older nurse that was waiting for his response and hesitated for a moment longer. I guess the truth wouldn't hurt. "He got into a bad fight with some people. I'm not sure about everything that happened."

The nurse looked confused and the response didn't help. Dean knew that, but what could he say. "We were battling demons and then closed the gates of hell. The threat, force and trauma from that experience did this to my brother." She nodded and made some notes on her pad. "I'll get the on-call doctor to come in and look at him." She walked off and left Dean with his thoughts.

The nursing staff working on Sam's case would not let him into the room, even after the doctor had come to examine him. He was ushered to the waiting room, just down the hall. He grabbed a cup of coffee out of the vending machine and sat down. Left alone with his thoughts and worries; I wonder what Castiel was doing or where he was? Dean took a sip of the cold and chunky liquid and the bitter taste did nothing for him. He threw the cup across the room and made it into trash can. Point for me, he thought while smiling to himself.

It felt like he had sat there for hours, but it had only been a little over an hour. His mind had gone blank while watching the news on the television across from him. Dean shook his head and stood up to stretch. He needed a drink. Sitting back down, he leaned forward and looked around the waiting area. Medical staffers were working with patients and some people were sitting in the waiting area with him. One in-particular caught his attention – a cute black-haired woman that was quite voluptuous and had her curly hair pinned to the top of her head.

The woman in question caught his stare and he smiled. His signature grin always worked and he waited for a reaction. She just continued looking around and then stood up when she saw another gentleman headed toward them. The guy hugged her and they walked off together. Damn it! He needed to focus. Things in his world were falling apart – between Sam and whatever happened to Castiel. At least Abaddon was gone and Crowley was licking his wounds somewhere in a dark hole. No time to go canoodling with women. He stretched in the seat he was in and turned to watch the television again.

Dean felt a hand grasp his shoulder and he jerked awake. Instinctively, he grabbed the hand and twisted. "Oh!" the person squeaked. He looked over his shoulder and saw an elderly woman dressed his scrubs standing over him. "Please let go. Don't hurt me," she begged.

"I'm sorry ma'am. I guess I don't take kindly to be woken up from behind," Dean tried to apologize, but he just wasn't in the mood. He knew he didn't really hurt her, too badly. At least he hoped. "What can I do for ya?"

"The doctor would like to see you concerning your brother Sam," she responded. "Please follow me sir." She stalked off down the hallway. Dean rose from his chair and followed her. They walked into an office area, that was located on the same floor and he was escorted to a rather large office near the back of the building. "Please take a seat and he will be with you shortly."

Dean sat down and thanked her. She mumbled something and all but ran out of the office. He took a moment to look around the office and saw a bunch of awards and diplomas. Man, I wish I had gone to school. Nah, no I don't. He laughed to himself. Sam was the brains of both of them; although he thought he, himself, could be pretty savvy at times.

The door behind him opened and the elderly doctor walked in. "Good morning son, how are you doing?" he asked as he meandered behind the desk and sat down.

Dean looked at him with a quizzical brow, "Given the circumstances, I could be better."

"Good point. Well let's get down to business," the doctor continued.

"Business? This is my brother's life we're talking about here!" Dean erupted quickly. Keep it cool. "Sir, please just lay it all out for me."

The doctor was taken aback by the minor frustration and sat back in his chair. Dean could sense the air getting thicker in that little office. "We will be transferring your brother to a Long-Term Acute-Care facility in Hartford, Connecticut. There they can give him a more comfortable environment, while he is in a coma."

"What can they do to help him?" Dean asked quickly.

"Nothing at this point," the doctor said bluntly. "We're not able to figure out what is causing his condition. We've administered many tests."

He knew what was wrong and he needed to get in contact with Castiel and soon. Dean leaned back in his chair. "When will he be transferred?"

"Tomorrow, by helicopter."

"Thank you sir," Dean said. "I'll meet the chopper at the hospital then."

"You can fly with him."

"I'll need to drive my car over as well. No need to fly. I'll meet him there." He thanked him again and headed out of the office. Dean needed to figure out a good way to protect Sam during the transfer and once he is in the facility.

He went back over to Sam's room and sat in a chair beside the bed. "Castiel," he called in whispered tones. "Where are you man?" He looked around, but no one seemed to pop in. Where was he? "Good time for you to disappear."

He was human. And he was hungry. What happened? And where was he? Many angels had fallen from Heaven and his grace had been stolen. Castiel stood up in the meadow and looked around. He needed to find a phone and food. The Winchesters were going to need his help. He would think about what he had done later. Oh Lord Father, help me. He looked up at the sky but nothing seemed to happen.

The beaten man straightened himself and began walking.

Dean had driven all night and made it to Hartford, Connecticut that next morning. He pulled into the parking garage of the facility and went inside. Sam had already arrived a few hours before and was already set up in a private room. Since it was a case that no one could figure out the hospitals and facility were not charging them – as they were going to try and figure out what was wrong with various tests. Dean already knew they weren't going to get it. It was supernatural, and it was up to him and Castiel to figure out what was going on. He walked over to the front desk and asked where is brother was.

The perky little nurse gave him directions and had leaned forward a bit when talking to him. He took the opportunity to look down and enjoy the view for a bit. He winked at her as he backed away and headed over to Sam's room. She had turned all red and watched the handsome man walk off down the hallway to the elevators.

The elevator opened up to the third floor and Dean stepped out. Sam's room was the first one on the right. He walked in and saw his little brother lying there, helpless and unconscious. He sat down in a chair on the opposite wall, facing the bed. He'd stay here for a bit and then check out the place before he headed out. He promptly fell asleep in the chair while getting lost in his thoughts.

Dean jerked awake when he heard screaming from down the corridor. A deep-throated, blood-curdling female scream echoing in the darkness. He noticed that the hospital was quiet and dark otherwise. How long had he slept for? He had not slept in days, but he was awake now! He slid out of the chair and looked over a Sam – whom was still in the same position as earlier that day. Good. No one would know Sam was there, they were registered under an alias that was never used before. He tip-toed to the door and peered out in the darkened hallway and there were no sounds.

He reached for his handgun and readied it. As he set foot outside the door, the elevator beeped and the doors opened. Dean threw himself back into the room and hid behind the wall. Two men in black suits and sunglasses came walking off and down the hallway. They were talking quietly amongst themselves, but the words 'meat suit' and 'Abaddon' stuck out to Dean. Oh crap!

Dean thought this had all been over. They had closed the gates of hell. Abaddon should be dead and all the demons should've been trapped back in hell. Apparently that did not happen. Demons had to be in the same place as them, that's usually how the Winchester luck ran.

The footsteps, of the two demons, disappeared into a room just down the hall. Dean could hear the door shutting and then another blood-curdling scream echoed soon after. What the heck? He came out of Sam's room and shut the door and locked it from the inside – then started making his way toward the screaming. He made it to the room and peered into the little door window. Both demons were holding the girl down and saying something to her.

Without thinking he burst into the room and started firing shots. He was a do-and-not-think type of person. He pinned two bullets in each of the men as they turned around to see what the noise was. One of the recognized Dean and reached for a knife. "Winchester!" he snarled as he came closer to Dean. The other demon followed.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Dean said as he led them out of the room and away from the girl. He smiled as they came closer to him, "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, et secta diabolica… Ergo draco maledicte et section… Ergo draco maledicte et legio secta diabolica… Ut Ecclésiam tuam secúra tibi fácias servire libertáte, te rogámus, audi nos." The two men dropped their weapons and struggled to stand up. After some minor convulsing they opened their mouths. Black smoke filtered out and disappeared into the air vent above them. The bodies dropped to the floor – dead.

Dean holstered his knife and pointed his gun back to the room. The girl had walked to the entrance way and had watched the whole thing. What was funny is that she didn't seem shocked or scared in the least – by what she had just seen. Her red puffy eyes just looked straight at him and she breathed, "Did you just exorcise them?" With that she passed out, crumbling to the floor.