Title: Dream Rescue
Recipient:
shadowhuntingdauntlessdemigodRating: G
Word Count or Media: 1725 words
Warnings: None
Summary: When Dean is put under a sleeping curse Sam finds a way to save him in an unlikely place
The two lane road stretched wide and open in front of him, the summer sun reflected through the windshield, the breeze tussled his hair, as his left arm rested on the open side window. It was one of those perfect early summer days, just made for driving, it felt a little strange not to have Sammy in the car with with him, but he'd just have to tease him about what he missed when he got back.
Dean turned off the radio, for a moment he had a creeping feeling that someone was sitting in the passenger seat next to him. He looked over to the passenger seat, then around the entire car, not seeing anything. Not one to doubt his instincts Dean reached over, but felt nothing but the supple leather covering the seat. A little worried he thought it was best he head back towards home, But, he soon forgot why he had turned the car around, and flipped the tunes back on.
~ ~ ~ ~
Castiel opened his eyes, disoriented he blinked them several times to bring the bunker's infirmary into focus.
“Cas, you're back” he hears Sam say “You okay?”
“I'm alright, I just need a moment to adjust.” Sam guides Cas over to a chair, he rubs Cas' back, not really sure if its helping, but feeling the need to do something.
“I saw Dean” said Cas.
“Really? Was he okay? Were you able to speak to him?”
“He's alright. He's driving his vehicle.”
“The Impala?”
“Yes, he's driving and listening to his favourite music. I thought for a moment that he could sense my presence, but I wasn't able to maintain it. I'm sorry, Sam, my powers are not what they used to be.”
“It's okay, Cas, at least we know he's not in pain” he said, as he looked over at his brother, who was laying on one of the infirmary beds, he looked like he was sleeping peacefully. Dean had been there for nearly a week. Last Monday they had finally found the lair of a powerful being that they had been tracking for months. The Osi, as it was known, would put its victims to sleep and slowly feed off their energy until they wasted away to nothing. Sam had decapitated it with a sliver blade, but not before it had hit Dean with it's powers. Cas' attempt to reach Dean in his dreams was just one of a long list of remedies they had attempted so far. At least Dean showed no signs of wasting away.
Cas saw the disappointment on Sam's face, all the the things they had traditionally used in the past, in situations like this, didn't appear to be working this time.
“We will find a way” said Cas.
Yeah, yeah I know. Why don't you stay here and rest, I'll go hit the Lore again.” If anyone needed rest it was Sam, he had barely slept or ate in the last week, but before Cas could make that suggestion Sam was out the door.
~ ~ ~ ~
The next morning Castiel entered the library to check on Sam, he was sitting at the table surrounded by books. If possible he looked worse than he had the night before, Cas doubted he had gotten any sleep at all.
“Hey Cas, I think I found something. What Dean is under is kind of like a sleeping curse, and this book has a whole section on sleeping curses.”
“Does it explain how to cure it?”
“Well, no, but there is a spell to transfer it.”
“Transfer?”
“From one person to another.”
“Sam, no.”
“Cas-”
“No. Do you think this is what your brother would want? How do you think he would feel if he wakes up to find you like that? And then what? I'll have lost a proficient researcher, and a friend, and I'll be left with a distraught Dean.”
“But, Cas, how long do you think he can stay like that, without food or water, without his muscles atrophying?”
“I don't know, but right now the spell, or curse, seems to be preserving Dean, and he doesn't appear to be in any mortal danger. We have time, Sam.”
“Maybe I can find a way to modify it somehow.” Sam pulled over the his yellow legal pad, that he had been making notes on, and picked up his pen, intending to get straight back to work.
“Sam, when was the last time you slept?”
“What? Why are are you asking me that?”
“Because sleep deprived humans tend to make poor decisions.”
“I'm fine, Cas. I'll sleep later.”
“You'll sleep now” Cas said, snatching the pad and pen out of Sam's hands.
“Hey.”
“I'll continue the research while you rest.” Castiel goes to walk away, but then he turns around and grabs the Lore book on sleeping curses, then exits, ignoring Sam's sputtering indication.
~ ~ ~ ~
Sam had no intention of sleeping, but he figured if he spent a couple of quiet hours in his room Cas would have to relent and give that Lore book back. He turned the TV on, with the volume on low, hoping that would help pass the time, and take his mind off Dean. Sam sat on his bed, and tired to watch a morning talk show, but within minutes his eyes started getting heavy, he found himself sliding down the bed to rest his head on the pillow, and soon after that he lost the battle and fell asleep.
Several hours later Sam woke up a little disoriented, when he realized what had happened he was a little pissed at himself. He got up. The TV was still going, but instead of morning talk shows it was showing a Star Trek rerun, Sam went to turn it off, but something about the program caught his attention, he put the remote down, and watched the remainder of the episode.
~ ~ ~ ~
“Cas” Sam called as he rushed into the infirmary “I think I've found a way to make the transfer spell work.”
“Sam, we talked about this, and weren't you supposed to be resting?”
“I was. I did. Listen, when I woke up there was this episode of Star Trek on, and in it the crew was going to sleep and not waking up. The Commander-”
“Commander Riker.”
“What? No, a different Commander.”
“Commander Data.”
“No. Look, it doesn't matter, this character was able to save the crew, because before he went to sleep he fixed an image in his mind, and when he saw that image in his dreams he knew he was dreaming and could wake himself up. Dean can't wake himself up because he doesn't realize he's dreaming, but, if we cast the transfer spell, I can use the same technique the Star Trek character did and wake myself up.” Castiel considered everything Sam had just explained.
“It could work, but there are no guarantees” said Cas.
“When are there any guarantees with what we do?”
“Alright, but what image would you use?”
“I don't know, but it has to be something I would never normally dream about.”
~ ~ ~ ~
Sam wandered into the kitchen, Dean was already there, sitting at the table and munching on bacon.
“Morning sunshine. Eggs are runny, and the bacon's divine” said Dean as popped a piece of bacon into his mouth. Sam merely grunted in response as he poured himself a cup of coffee.
“Hey, I think I caught us a case” said Dean turning his tablet around to show Sam the info. That was funny, Sam didn't remember the tablet being there a moment ago.
“Over the last few week someone has been breaking into mausoleums in Baton Rouge. The local cops were a little pissed, but not worrying about it too much, until yesterday, when a cemetery worker turned up dead. So, I'm thinking he walked in on a ghoul or something.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Plus, Sammy, beignets, it has been way too long since I've had beignets. So, what do you say?”
”Yeah, sounds good.”
“Okay, you finish up your breakfast and I'll meet you in the garage in ten.” Dean says as he gets up and leaves the room. Sam continues to glance through the news report, while sipping his coffee, when he notices an object out of the corner of his eye. There is a small ceramic figurine sitting on the the counter, Sam gets up to look at it, it is a clown holding a fishing rod, Sam shudders slightly.
“Very funny, Dean” Sam yells, he doesn't get a response, Sam goes to turn and find Dean, to give him shit, when a feeling stops him. There is something familiar about this figurine, something important he's supposed to remember, then it suddenly it comes to him, he's dreaming, and he needs to wake up. Sam concentrates on waking up, and the dream bunker fades way into nothing. The dark begins to lighten, and slowly he becomes aware of sounds, the ticking of a clock, someone's muffled breathing. His eyelids feel heavy, but he forces them open. The room's light makes him blink a few times, and he lets out a large yawn.
“Sammy, you're awake.” And that's when he realizes that Dean is right next to him, before Sam can fully sit up Dean is pulling him into a tight hug.
“You're okay?” asks Sam, easing back.
“Yeah, I'm alright.”
“How long was I out for?”
“About an hour” says Cas who is standing at the end of the bed watching the happy reunion unfold.
“Wow, that worked out better than I thought” Sam had to admit.
“Cas tells me you figured out how to save my by watching an episode of Star Trek.”
“Yeah.”
“Nerd” Dean states with a smile. Sam rolls his eyes.
“Anyways, thank you, man.”
“You're welcome” says Sam, as he pulls his brother into another hug, relieved to have him back where he belongs.