Hmmm, I'm guessing, but may be wrong that the dart the nurse is holding came from the victim that didn't make it as Sam would have certainly found one had it been in Dean's leg and the one he saw was in the tree trunk behind his brother.  If so Dr Marteen has certainly put two and two together and is going to question Sam as he asked if some sort of toxin could be causing Dean's condition.

Good that the doc is concerned about Sam's eyesight and sincerely hope he is not having a vision when the doc returns to Dean's room as that is where he is heading!

And if there has been another victim is there more than one manticore?

Totally intrigued :)

Sarah

Dramatic chapter Candace.  Just hope that Dean manages to hang on and fight the manticore poison now Sam is off to catch its mate and get a cure for his big brother as it was only Sam's presence that was keeping him grounded.

Good that Bobby has found a hunter who found a cure and hope that Sam finds the mate and gets the spike okay as he has no backup.

Hope you are feeling better soon Candace, I know how bad you feel with anaemia so take care.

Sarah

Really enjoyed that!  Wonder if Jared and Jensen had braces as kids or if they were lucky enough to have naturally straight teeth?  I had a brace on my top teeth as a teenager and had to wear the head thing, but luckily only at night!

Could well imagine Dean digging his heels in and John getting a headache with all the stalling tactics Dean put up!  And typical Sammy being interested in seeing the braces and wanting some too to match Dean's!  And gotta love Bobby cooking Dean's favourite food and getting ice cream!  And just knew that Dean would give in and want to drive the Impala in the end!

And if John thought Dean was difficult just imagine what a stubborn Sammy would do in a few years time! :)

Sarah

Awesome Christmas story sis, wonderfully written and perfectly executed.  I know you were worried about writing RoboSam but you needn't have been, you got him spot-on.

No way would Dean be a victim of a simple mugging, it took a Djinn, vampire, and rugaru to injure him that badly - and he managed to take all three out too!  Loved the flashback that told us how he got to be in the hospital.

And loved the nurse Yvonne, finding Dean's phone and contacting Sam after she heard his words as he fought the fever.

So right that Sam would steal a car to be by Dean's side, he may not feel emotions but there is some subconscious attachment to his brother that demanded he make his way to the hospital.

Perfect too that Sam dredged his memories to provide some sort of Christmas for Dean when Yvonne mentioned it, the fact that he made the effort although couldn't feel the sentiment behind it spoke volumes.

Totally believable too Yvonne's reaction when she overheard the brothers' conversation, she knew something was off with Sam but loved her faith to pray for him.

Great banter at the end, Dean is certainly starting to recover telling Sam not to sing or he will scare the candy stripers (here they are WRVS volunteers)!

A really great read with fantastic imagery, particularly when Dean was lying in the hospital bed fighting the fever.  You have struck gold yet again.

And thanks too for your awesome words in your A/N, it is an honour and privilege to beta for you and your friendship means the world to me.

Hope you and Chris have a wonderful Christmas and that 2011 is a great year for you both and all your hopes and dreams come true.

Sarah

Yes, I know I have already reviewed but just had to say how much I loved this bit, it was inspired

"And why wouldn't it be a gangbusters idea to tell a doctor - a civilian - the real story?"

Sam's brow furrowed in thought. "Um - because - he wouldn't believe me?"

"And?" Dean prompted. "What's the golden rule?"

"We do what we do, and we shut up about it," the younger Winchester recited from memory.

"Right. That's good, Sam."

"Unless we fall in love with a pretty girl called Cassie, then it's okay to tell," Sam went on, blinking owlishly at his brother's fuzzy form.

Absolute perfection! :)

Sarah

Great second chapter and conclusion to this story sis, and so believable too.  Wish we could see an episode like this.

Again, perfect writing from Sam's, Bobby's and Dean's points of view, giving a complete picture as to what is going on with all of them now.

Understandable that Bobby is more than a little wary of Sammy and was reluctant for him to leave the panic room, after all the memory of Sam about to stab him is still fresh in his mind.  Typical though that it would be him to find Sam when he runs off out into the storm.

And Dean, so desperate for his brother to be okay and wanting things more normal for him, out of the panic room, hoping that it will jog his memory and help him be more like Sam.  Plus him trying to give Sam information but not too much.  His words  "You and I both know that there are some things worse than death." brought a lump to my throat.

Perfect that you ended this story from Sam's POV, with his curious, questioning mind we've just got to hope that he doesn't scratch that itch, not even a little bit as he feels stronger and less disconnected as if he does, it won't stop at one little scratch.

A really great read sis, so glad I had this to read now we know the hiatus has been extended for another week for repeats of inferior shows.

Sarah

Great tag Sonya, really believable, you got both boys perfectly there. Dean desperately telling Sam that Cas had fixed him, though he knew it was just a patch-up job - you could feel his fear for his little brother should that wall come down completely. And poor Sam, having seen some of the memories and terrified of what else he has done, worrying that he has done worse things. Just loved the ending, how Sam clung to Dean, begging him not to let go; Dean being what is grounding him and keeping what is behind that wall breaking through and destroying him.

Sarah

Great tag, totally believable.  Things are back as they should be with Dean being able to be in protective big brother mode now that Sam has his soul and desperately comforting him through his memories of hell.  And so typical of Sam to be concerned that Dean is okay too, have so missed that.

An enjoyable read Denise.

Sarah

Really awesome tag Vonnie.  Can so imagine Sam comparing his soulless self to when he was hooked on demon blood and pushing aside the fact that there was a difference, convincing himself that it was totally him both times.  He really does need to give himself a break sometimes.

Very effective too that when Dean touched Sam when he was having his flashback of hell, it ignited Dean's memories of his time in hell too and both sets of memories were so graphic you could feel what they were going through and feel their pain.

You showed so well how both boys need each other and just loved how you said  Dean is the mortar which hold the bricks of Sam's internal wall together. Perfect.

Together they are stronger, so true.

Sarah

Great job Liz, you really captured Sam's guilt here at what his soulless self did and despite remembering Dean's words to not scratch the wall he did, bringing the memories of the pain and fire of hell upon him.  Loved how you had Dean's words breaking through to Sam and bringing him out of his memories and back to his big brother.  And so typical of him to apologise to Dean, not only for what he did but also for scratching the wall.

Loved it, you said so much with those words.

Sarah

So glad that your muse finally decided to behave and knuckled down for Daphne, I was beginning to fear this story would never see the light of day!  Have had the first two chapters in my betaing folder for two years and loved them so much I wanted more!

Must say just how much I love this title, remember well Kris' comment about being Daphne'd with reference to Scooby Doo!    Seeing as Sam is safe and by Dean's side at this moment in time, I would say he's more like Shaggy! :)

Oh dear Sam, you should know better than to make a bet with Dean!  From the title of this story someone will end up wearing a red wig, and the probability is it won't be Dean! 

Just loved the brotherly banter in this opening chapter, Dean knowing just which buttons to push to get his sibling to agree to the bet!  And adored him making a smiley face out of the olives on the slice of pizza - guess there are some things that Dean won't eat after all!

And I'm pretty sure things won't go smoothly in this hunt as the spec is guys going missing.  Dean is going to have to keep his eyes on Sam and vice versa!

High five to your muse sis, am already looking forward to next Friday and chapter 2!

Sarah

Another great chapter sis :)

The boys are slowly making headway in this hunt, though the locals aren't making their task any easier as they have no wish to help and they obviously know something!  They would rather stick their head in the sand and let people go missing rather than do something about it.

Had to laugh at Dean insisting he stick to Sam like glue, including the awkward bathroom break, though that goes two ways!  Dean will have to find Sam first though, as he has now disappeared, and he was only a few steps behind his brother when it happened!

Trust Dean to hit on the assistant librarian and had to laugh at Sam's comment "It's such a nice ass? Dude, that line was so lame it needed crutches to make it out of your mouth."

Hopefully next chapter we will find out who or what has taken Sam, the name Allie keeps popping up but they can't find any information on that score, and the class pic had no Allie in it, unless it is a nickname but even that doesn't seem to fit anyone in the pic.  You could be playing mind games again! LOL

Hope Dean can figure out things soon as he needs to find Sam quick; the other victims have never been found and that is not good.

Only a week until next Friday!

Sarah

First of all sis, in reply to your reply - if Sam has been wet for two years waiting another week wouldn't have made him any more wrinkled, he is probably as wrinkled as he can get!

Awesome chapter, and pieces of the jigsaw are slowly falling into place, much too slowly for the Winchesters as, at the end of the chapter it sounds like Sam is about to be Daphne'd by Allie again as she has pulled him out of the salt ring- boy that ghost is persistent!

Thank goodness Dean eventually manged to get Sammy out of the cellar, back to the Impala and finally to the B&B!  And just gotta love Dean manly cuddling his little brother to transfer body heat and get him warm again!  And trust Dean to turn it round on Sam with snarky banter and to insist he spilled all the details of what Allie did to him, in the name of research for the hunt!

And poor Sam, not only having Dean keep watch on him whilst he is in the shower but Allie making another attempt to snatch him too!  Actually good job Dean was there with the canister of salt to disperse her!  And only Dean would think to sing AC/DC's Whole Lotta Rosie whilst peeing, no wonder Sam cringed in embarrassment!

At least they have now forced the three elderly residents of the town to start talking, but it's definitely not soon enough for Sam as Allie has now managed to disperse the salt and haul Sam out of the protective salt ring.  Just hope Dean's reflexes are quicker than Allie's as the others are too slow to be of any help!   

Now I just have to wait patiently until next Friday!