Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters. I and am not making any money on this…I'm just having fun filling in the time until September!

Ghost Hollow

Chapter 19 – Moving On

They managed a few steps before they both collapsed on the ground, both next to each other as if neither wanted to lose contact with the other. While in the river, the last of the brook horse floated harmlessly away down stream and away from it's last intended victim.

Dean groaned as he felt something wet and cold laying across his face. Opening his eyes, he realized it was Sam's hand. Dean gently pushed his brother's hand aside and rolled over to see how he was doing. In a way, he was glad that Sam was still unconscious. He could relocate Sam's shoulder without having to cause his brother any more undue pain.

Getting onto his knees, Dean grabbed Sam's arm and with a quick upward movement snapped the shoulder back into place. He was startled as he heard his brother yell, his eyes snapping open and searching for the source of the pain. "God Dean, what the hell are you doing!" Sam yelled, it felt like someone had just drove a knife into his shoulder as the white hot pain traveled down his arm.

"Sorry Sam, I thought I'd try to relocate your shoulder before you came to. How are you feeling?" Dean asked as he began to feel along Sam's rib cage…yep there were definitely a couple more broken ribs as he watched Sam suck in his breath.

"I'll be fine Dr. Dean as soon as you stop poking and prodding at the things that hurt…jeez Dean!" Sam began to cough, groaning as his ribs complained about the motion. Dean seeing Sam's difficulty, helped his brother sit up and supported him until the coughing spell was done.

He couldn't believe how close he had come to losing Sam. When he saw his brother on the horse, he thought that was it. But once again, his brother had beaten the odds. "So, you want to tell me how you got off the horse?"

Sam swallowed, hoping he wouldn't have too many more coughing spells. "Well, I remembered the legend of the woman who had tricked the brook horse to plow her field. But the trick was actually on her as the brook horse began to drag her and the plow into the river. Just before she entered the river, the woman pulled a piece of steel from her pocket and made the sign of the cross. The spell was broken and she was able to get away. I had put a steel cross in my pocket, just in case…good thing as it looks like it worked."

"Wait a minute, you took that with…that means you were planning on getting on the horse from the beginning!" Dean began to get angry, why did his brother have to go out of his way to put himself in danger.

Sam saw his brother's anger and shrank from it. "NO! No Dean, but it never hurts to be prepared, Dad taught us to always plan for the unexpected. I knew that I was it's next target…so I brought it with just in case Dean." Sam hated the pleading note that had crept into his voice, begging his brother to understand.

Dean looked at the wounded look in his brother's expressive eyes and relented. "We can talk about this habit of yours of keeping these little facts from me later…did it ever dawn on you that I could have ended up on the horse?"

"Huh, I never thought about that…I'm sorry Dean!" Sam hung his head, he was too tired to argue all he wanted was to go home and take a long hot shower.

"You never thought…you never…I swear Samuel Winchester one of these days I'm going to…" Dean stopped as he saw his brother begin to shiver from the cold which caused him to grimace in pain as the shivering was bothering his shoulder and ribs.

"It's ok Sammy, lets just get you someplace where you can get warm…then I'll think about whether or not I'm going to kill you!" Dean began to reach for Sam when they both heard the rumble of an engine on the road.

Dean reached for his gun and placed himself between Sam and whoever was coming down the path towards the shore line. A few moments later, he put the gun back into his pocket as he saw the lonely figure of Shirley heading towards them.

"Sam, Dean…what happened?" The young girl asked as she saw the shape that both boys were in.

"Oh my little brother here leaned a little too far over the railing on the bridge and fell into the river…I had to go in after him." Dean smiled as he heard the cough from behind him.

"Sam are you ok?" Shirley asked as she tried to see around Dean.

"Yeah, a few more bruises and I hurt my ribs and shoulder, but otherwise I'm good. What are you doing here?" Sam had forgotten that Shirley was coming here. He searched her eyes and saw the brief look of guilt cross her features before she continued.

"Oh, I just came to put these flowers on the spot where….where Brett died." Shirley looked down, refusing to meet Sam's eyes.

Sam motioned for Dean to move off for a moment as he concentrated on helping the young girl in front of him. Dean moved off to the side and turned away, quickly pulling out his cell phone and dialing the number for the diner. He spoke quietly into the phone and then hung up, concentrating once more on what Sam was saying to the young girl.

"Shirley, I know how you are feeling. You think that there is no reason to go on, that because you failed Brett, you no longer deserve to be happy so why bother going on."

Shirley's head snapped up, she could see the understanding in the depth of Sam's hazel eyes. She could also sense the pain that was just beneath the surface. "You lost someone?"

"Yes, actually I lost my mother shortly after I was born and I lost my girlfriend just before I was going to propose marriage to her. I still feel like I should have been able to do something to stop my girlfriend from dying." Sam paused as the emotions threatened to overwhelm him again. "I even thought about joining her…you know, ending it all. After she was gone, I couldn't see any reason to go on." Sam stopped as he realized he was admitting something that he had never told Dean. He knew that Dean would be asking him about it later.

"But you didn't…you didn't end it why?" Shirley asked softly.

"Because, I knew in my heart it wasn't what Jessica would have wanted for me. It took someone to point out to me that she loved me and in that love, she would have wanted me to be happy." Sam looked briefly at Dean with a small smile on his face. Dean nodded back, understanding in his eyes as he continued to watch Sam help the young girl.

"Your brother?" Shirley asked, looking at Dean

"Yes, my brother. Brett loved you Shirley and he would have wanted you to move on with your life. He wouldn't want you to follow him this way." Sam watched as the tears began to fall from Shirley's eyes. Sam held the girl and let her cry, gently rubbing her back and providing what comfort he could.

Dean heard a car coming on the road and moved quickly up the embankment to guide Cal down to his daughter. He quickly filled him as the two of them hurried back towards the young girl. Sam looked up as Cal knelt beside him with a question in his eyes. Sam smiled and looking down at the young girl in his arms spoke softly to her. "Shirley, there is still someone here who needs you and who will help you with your grief, if you'll give him a chance."

Shirley looked up and saw her father. Without a sound, she transferred to her father's arms and continued to sob. Cal looked at Sam and Dean, thanking them once again for their help.

Dean reached down and helping his younger brother to his feet, began to support his brother back towards the car. He could feel his brother trembling under his touch and could hear the hisses of pain as they continued towards the car. But finally, Sam was safely in the passenger seat with a blanket wrapped around him and the heater on full blast. "You know Sam, you never told me any of that stuff…you were really thinking about ending it?"

Sam sighed, he should have known that Dean wouldn't let something like that go. "Yeah, for a while there I did, but I only thought about it for a moment Dean…I would never do anything like that."

Dean was quiet for a moment before he spoke up again. "I guess I can understand why you got on the horse, you had a chance to be with Jessica again. But Sam, you don't feel that way now do you?" Dean was afraid of the answer.

Sam looked at Dean and could see the concern on his brother's face. "Dean, I didn't get on the horse because of Jessica."

"Then why Sam?"

"Because, I thought you were dead Dean…I mean, I saw you fall and you never resurfaced. God, I just couldn't…and then when it came back to me as you…well, I just couldn't fight it anymore Dean…I'm sorry." Sam sighed, he hated to admit that he was weak. But he also, couldn't lie to his brother.

Dean didn't know whether to be happy or sad about what Sam had just revealed. He was relieved that Sam wasn't thinking of doing something stupid like suicide, but it scared him to think that his brother had give up when he thought he was dead. "Sammy…you know with the work we do, I mean…some day my number will be up. I swear if you try to follow me, I'll kick your ass back to the living…you hear me!"

Sam smiled. He didn't want to think about the future, it was too uncertain for both of them. He was just glad that he had Dean and that they had survived again. Some day the Winchester luck would run out, but not today and for that Sam was thankful. "I'll just banish you Dean and then follow you anyway!"

Sam laughed at the look on his brother's face as they continued down the road to the motel. Yes, life was good at the moment and Sam was glad.

The End!

Raven524: Ok, another story had come and gone. What's next for the boys…well I guess you'll just have to watch for the next story which should be along soon (I hope!) Thanks to everyone who has read this story and a special thanks to all those who reviewed, the bread to a writers' soul! Now on to the next one!