"How to Save a Life"

Chapter 1

The repeated buzzing woke him from a restless sleep. Turning on the lamp, he reached for the vibrating phone and squinted blearily

at the caller i.d.

- Dean – was flashing on the small, brightly lit screen.

Sam took a shaky breath and pressed the talk button.

His soft ,"Hello?" was met with silence. Clearing his throat, he tried again, "Hello? Dean?"

"Hello Sam.", a deep voice answered quietly.

A spike of fear brought instant alertness as Sam jackknifed up in bed, tangled covers flung carelessly to the floor. "Cas? Where's Dean?", worry causing his voice to rise.

"Dean is in need of your help. He doesn't have much time.", the angel's voice was weary sounding.

Running a hand nervously through his messy hair, Sam asked, " What do you mean he doesn't have..."

Castiel interrupted, "There is not time to explain everything over the phone. We are two hours away from you, at the Lansing General Hospital, 5th floor, room 513. I will tell you

what I know when you get here, if you decide to come. You need to hurry if you want to help your brother..."

This time Sam interrupted, "Of course I'm ...O.K. I, I'm," he paused taking a deep breath and continued in a steadier voice, " I'll be there as quick as I can...just , just

watch out for him until I get there Cas."

"I am doing my best Sam.", the angel replied before ending the call.

Sam, carefully pushed the end-call button and laid the phone back on the table. He bowed his head, both hands scrubbing at his face. What had his brother gotten himself into

this time? It wasn't supposed to be like this; alone, separated. They should know what was going on with one another. They were a team. This chasm in their relationship had to

be fixable. Sam slapped the mattress in frustration, everything was such a mess. "Hang on Dean, just hang on please." Sam whispered.

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An hour and 37 minutes later, Sam walked into the dimly lit hospital room. Seeing his brother, he hurried towards the single bed.

The gentle hiss of the ventilator and the beeping rhythm of the heart monitor, offering him a strange sort of comfort in their steady cadence. Ignoring the solemn

angel in the corner, he tentatively reached for his brother's hand, trying not to disturb any of the wires or tubes attached to him. He noticed that there was a bag of dark red

fluid hanging from the I.V. pole, in addition to the usual clear one. Searching his brother's face and exposed arms , he was puzzled to find no apparent injuries. He felt like he had

stepped back in time, back to that nightmarish time when the demon in the semi had almost finished off the Winchesters. Dean was just lying there, pale and still.

Castiel approached the bed from the other side and waited.

Finally Sam looked at him.

"What is wrong with him?", he asked fiercely. "Did he get hurt?"

"He is not hurt, he is very ill."

"How ill?"

"Dean is ...dying." , the angel answered quietly.

"What do you mean, dying? What happened? I thought you were supposed to be watching out for him?", Sam glared accusingly across the bed.

"Sam, there are things about your brother that you do not know, things even he is unaware of.", Castiel began solemnly, "Dean cannot

be lost, he is vital in this war. He must be saved at all costs.", Turning away, Castiel paced to the end of the room and then back. He stared intently at Sam.

"He has always been my responsibility. I have let other's push me towards the wrong path." Pausing, he looked to the man lying between them, already he seemed to be slipping

away. "No longer will I blindly follow another's lead who is not my Father. We will save him Sam. He is needed, you both are, desperately needed."

"O.K., so how do we save him?"

Castiel turned to stare out the window. "You must give him some of your blood.", He held up a hand to keep Sam from interrupting, "I have already spoken with the doctor

about this. As you can see, they are giving him blood, but he needs more... and I have ...convinced them, that it must be yours that he gets." , his intense eyes came back to

rest on Sam.

Sam spluttered, unable to keep quiet any longer, "What do you mean he needs my blood? My blood is , is tainted. I have demon blood in me. Demon blood.", he emphasized ,

"Remember the thing that started all this? Why my brother is hunting alone now?"

"Your brother is hunting alone because of choices you made Sam, not because of the blood. He did not part from you until you chose the path that led away from him."

Sam's expression became almost desolate.

"Your blood has proven to be immune to the demonic virus, known to you as Croatin. We believe Dean has been infected with a form of this. It appears to work differently,

without the violent rage at the end, but deadly none the less. His body is shutting down. He is bleeding internally. The doctors have only been able to keep him breathing and free

of the pain he was suffering. They are at a loss as to how to cure him and time is running out. Your blood is his only chance. I believe it will be able combat this virus

and restore him."

"But will it turn him.. into what I am?", Sam asked hesitantly.

"No, Sam. Your brother is different. He is... not entirely as human as you both believe. There are, things... you have not been privy to. Events that only I and the Father

know of..." , the angel turned and walked away from the bed again.

Blinking wide eyes, Sam dropped his brother's hand and followed.

"What?, What things? What...events? Dean is the most "Human" person I know." Grabbing Castiel's arm, he demanded angrily, "Tell me what you are talking

about. I am so tired of your, your cryptic monologues. You called me. You said you would explain things when I got here. I'm here. I need some straight answers."

The angel's eyes shifted to the hand tightly gripping his arm.

With an impatient shake of his head, Sam released him and stepped back. "Please", he pleaded, "I just want to help my brother."

Castiel sighed, his eyes focused on something only he could see. "Before you were born, my Father knew what would be. I was asked to make

provision for this. I was given the task of restoring balance, even before it was disturbed. We knew what the demon planned for you, but it was not within our rights to interfere,

so another way was found. For reasons known only to my Father, you and your brother were chosen to save one another and in turn, humanity.", pausing again, he turned back

to Sam.

Sam waited in silence, his eyebrows raised, arms folded in defense.

"Dean is the only human to ever carry angel's blood. He was given this gift, when he was an infant."

"What?!", Sam took a staggering step back, sitting down hard when the back of his legs bumped into a chair . "An angel? Dean is a, uh, an... angel?" Shock echoed in the room.

"No. He is a ....hybrid, just as you are.

"But Dean doesn't have any special powers or anything... does he?", Sam's voice trailed off in confusion.

"He is... endowed..." , Castiel explained, "His... powers... are subtle. Have you never wondered how he has escaped death so many times? It is because he is able to heal

differently than a human. He also excels at what you call "hunting skills" and other... things...", Castiel stopped speaking abruptly.

Sam waited for him to go on. The angel remained motionless. Irritated with the the very little information he was getting, he broke the strained silence, "So why isn't he healing

himself now? What good is this angel blood, if it can't save him?", Sam asked angrily. "It's like all of you mess with our lives and everything just gets worse instead of better."

"Yes, I have been... remiss as of late in my... responsibilities.", Castiel glanced to Dean and then back to Sam, "That conversation is for later, for now we will concentrate on the

task of saving Dean's life." Castiel took a deep breath and continued. "We are unsure why his body is unable to fight this. There must be something unique about this virus that

we are unaware of. You seem to be our best option. In my search for answers, I was unable to find any other recourse." Castiel walked back to the bed and stared down at the

ailing young hunter. "You...are your brothers hope. "

Sam stood, walking back to the bedside, he stared searchingly into the angel's somber face, "So, this will save him? My blood, will save Dean?"

"Or destroy him.", Castiel added quietly.

"Wha?!....you said...", Sam stuttered to a stop, at a loss for words. Why couldn't this angel just say what he meant, instead of talking in circles. Sam hands fisted, as he

considered how good decking him would feel about now.

Castiel took no notice of the angry man across from him, only concentrating on the man lying on the bed. He tried to explain, "Demon and Angel blood have never before been

merged together. I cannot know of a certainty that his human body will be able to withstand this combination or even what he will become if he survives. I must believe that this

is our answer. You and he have not yet accomplished your appointed goal.", the angel raised his head, and again stared intently into Sam's eyes. "We will not quit. We will go on

as your brother does, no quarter given to defeat."

Sam took a deep breath. He could feel the waves of determination radiating off of Cas. He knew he wasn't getting the full story yet. The angel excelled at evasiveness.

All of this was almost too much to take in. He studied his brother, Dean needed him. The questions could wait, his brother couldn't. Nodding his head,

Sam gestured towards the door. He was more than willing to do whatever it took to save him. "Tell the doctor I'm ready."

TBC