Thanks for reading and for the awesome reviews. bambers;)

Chapter Four

Rowan was on his feet the moment Bobby strode through the front door, and rushed over to him. “How's Sam doing?” he asked, and held his breath as he waited for the archangel to respond.

“It's in God's hands.”

“Don't give me that bullshit, Uriel, you're a freakin' archangel, you should be able to do something to help him.”

“I'm sure I probably could,” the angel conceded as he tipped back his trucker cap to look Rowan square in the eyes. “But until I can understand exactly why Lucifer did this to him, I think it's safer for all concerned that he remains the way he is.”

“An' it doesn't even bother you in the slightest that you helped raise him? Damn it, he didn't do anything wrong, so how is it fair to let him suffer?” He paused to allow Bobby a chance to reply, but when the angel said nothing, he shook his head in disgust. “An' tell me how it's fair to let Dean suffer? He's done everything God's asked him to do. He deserves to have his brother back alive an' healthy when his deal with Michael is through.”

“You think I like this any better than you do?” A scowl furrowed Bobby's brow as he brushed past Rowan and strode to the desk and pointed at the map Rowan had been studying when he'd walked in the house. “Somehow they're planning on using Sam to get the Ark for them, an' it was your job to keep it hidden until Dean needed it.”

“He's got demon blood in him, he can't touch it,” Rowan argued, his voice rising in frustration. He could understand the angel's concern, but knew if anything happened to Sam, Dean would never forgive him.

“No, but Jax sure as hell can, an' that boy would probably do anything Sam asked him to do.

“Please, I'm beggin' you, just heal Sam an' I swear I'll make sure he never goes anywhere near the Ark.”

“I'm sorry, Rowan, but I just can't do that.” Bobby traced a path from Kansas, to Palo Alto, and then circled his finger around Wyoming. “You're son's traveled quite the distance in the last few weeks, almost as if he were on a mission.”

Not missing the accusation in Uriel's tone, Rowan swallowed had. “I know what you're thinking, but you're wrong. Collin would never help Lucifer find the key.”

“How can you be so sure?” The angel lifted a brow as he shifted to look Rowan in the eyes. “You don't even know your own son so how could you possibly know what he's capable of doing?”

“Jus' let me find him,” Rowan's tone turned to pleading as he realized what the archangel intended to do to his son. “I'll find him an' bring him home. I promise I will.”

“We can't afford to put our faith in your promises, Rowan. Gabriel and Raphael have been sent to put a stop to him before he has the chance to find the last parts of the key.”

“Th-their gonna kill my son?” Rowan said in a breathy whisper, tears shimmering in his eyes. His stomach clenched, heart pounding furiously against his chest as he desperately tried to figure out a way to save his son from the angels' divine justice.

“It would be better for him to die now than to allow him to do something he would never be forgiven for.”

“But I'm telling you I can stop him,” Rowan's voice rose in anger as his fangs ripped through his gums. His pupils constricted to mere slits as his eyes gleamed an intense shade of fiery green. A low growl tore from his lips as he turned his back on the archangel, and noticed Joshua standing on the stairs. Lowering his head, he hastily reined in his raging emotions, and when he glanced up again, all traces of anger had disappeared from his features. “Hey, Josh, how long have you been standing there?” He crouched and held out his arms to the little shaggy-haired boy.

Joshua rushed to Rowan and wrapped his arms around the vampire's neck. “Won't let nothin' happen ta yer son, Uncle Rowan.” A sob caught in Joshua's throat as he added, “I take care of him fer ya.”

“Don't worry, Josh,” Rowan smiled wryly through his own tears, “I'd fight my way through Heaven and Hell to protect my son . . . I'm not about to let him die.”

“There's no way you can stop it from happening, Rowan,” the angel warned, placing a comforting hand on Rowan's shoulder, but he shrugged it away. “It was too late for you to save Collin the moment he walked out of this house.”

With a deadly glint in his eyes, Rowan rose to his full height and swung to glare at the angel. “If my son dies . . . if he dies, Lucifer and all the demons of Hell can have free reign of this God forsaken world, an' I'd be right there leading their army.”

“That would mean you'd have to kill Dean first,” Uriel challenged as he stood and protectively pushed Joshua behind him. His eyes lit with blue fire as he moved closer to Rowan.“Are you actually prepared to do that?”

“You're saying that as if his life would be more important to me than my own son's.” A mirthless laugh slipped past Rowan's lips as he clutched a hold of the amulet in his pocket. “Well, let me make this perfectly clear for you, Uriel.” Leaning in so their faces were mere inches apart, he sneered. “If you don't call off your mercenaries, I will rip Dean's throat apart an' stand there watchin' as his blood pours from him. Then I'll go after Jax, an' I promise you, what I do to your golden boy will make what I do to Dean look merciful.”

XxXxXxXxXxX

“How's he doing?” Jax asked from the doorway of Sam's hospital room, and Dean shifted in his seat to see the younger hunter leaning against the door frame. “Any change?”

“No.” Dean lowered his head, and wiped the tears from his eyes. “I-I did all this for him, an' it didn't make a damn bit of difference . . . he's still gonna die on me.”

“I could try ta heal him again, Dean,” Jax offered as he came to stand beside Dean, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I won't give up on him, an' I'll be damned if I let ya do it either.”

“Please, don't let him die on me, Jax,” Dean uttered as he gripped hold of Sam's hand, and shuddered at how cold his little brother's skin felt. “I don't care what power you have to use, jus' bring him back to me.”

“Alright.” Jax gave a slight nod, and then gestured toward Sam's chest. “Place your hand on his heart.”

Dean hastily stood and did as Jax had said. Jax took a deep calming breath as he visualized Sam alive and well, and sitting beside him in the Impala. His hand began to glow with soft warm light as he rested it on top of Dean's hand. Heat radiated from Jax's fingertips as his own heart clenched painfully. Faintly, he felt Dean grip hold of him as his legs buckled.

“Is it working, Jax?”

“D-don't know.” Squeezing his eyes closed, Jax screamed as stark pain ripped through his forehead. Strange images flashed through mind, and he instantly understood that they were Sam's memories.

“M-memories . . . oh gguhh . . . it – it h-hurt . . . .” He gripped hold of his forehead with his free hand as he continued to hold firmly onto Dean's hand.

“What kind of memories?” Dean shouted, a glimmer of hope igniting within him. “Are they Sam's?”

“Th-the C-Colt . . . S-Samuel.” Jax cried out again, tears streaming down his cheeks. “Y-you . . . R-Row . . . Rowan's th-there.”

“Rowan had something to do with this?” Dean's heart sank to the pit of his stomach, terrified that he had put Sam's life in danger by befriending the vampire.

“N-No.” Jax shook his head emphatically. “L-Lucifer . . . h-he's pushin' – pushin' me out.” Another scream ripped from Jax as his hand flew away from Sam's chest. Dropping to his knees, Jax struggled to draw in a ragged breath. After taking several deep breaths, he finally uttered, “H-he's in Sam's m-mind, an' he's not lettin' go until h-he gets what he wants.”

Dean grabbed hold of Jax and hauled him to his feet. “What the hell do you mean, Lucifer's inside Sam's mind?”

“I-I saw you there.” Jax searched his mind, trying to recall all the details he'd gathered from Sam's memories. “It was snowing . . . an' you were on horses.”

“Impossible, we've never been on horses.”

“I'm not makin' it up, it's what I saw, Dean.”

“Why was Rowan there?” Dean asked, and held his breath as he waited for an answer.

“I dunno, but he couldn't stand you for some reason, an' it bugged the hell out of you.”

“How can that possibly be in Sam's memories, he doesn't even know that me an' Rowan are friends.”

“It's really weird, Dean.” Jax jerked free of Dean's grasp and took a seat. “Nothin' looks familiar. It's like everything's so wide open, an' everyone's dressed all strange . . . almost like cowboys.”

Dean furrowed a brow in confusion as he tried to think of any good reason why he would dress up like a cowboy. “Like we're dressin' up for Halloween?”

“No.” Jax shook his head. “Like you belonged in a different time.”

Dropping down onto the chair beside Jax, Dean mopped a hand through his hair. “You mentioned the Colt . . . do you mean a different time like Sam was alive when the Colt was made?”

Jax was silent for a moment, then he nodded and said, “I know yer probably gonna think I'm outta my mind, but I think you both were.”