SuperWhoLock: When the Shadows Rage

Episode 6: The Gang's All Here part 2

Amy stood at the doorway, gripping the frame as the TARDIS leveled with the loft door. Dean stood with his arms locked around Sam's shoulders. John jumped across the gap and helped Dean drag Sam across into the TARDIS.

Amy grabbed one of Sam's jacket sleeves and helped as much as she could, pulling him away from the TARDIS door as the Doctor took off. The lurch sent them all sprawling.

"What happened?" John demanded, pressing his fingers to Sam's neck for a pulse.

"I dunno, he just collapsed." Dean pushed Sam's jacket and plaid button-down to the side, pulled his t-shirt up to check the bruises on his side. "He was right, none of his ribs look broken. Did he get hit hard enough to cause internal bleeding?"

"Let me see." John pushed Dean out of the way.

Amy looked down into Sam's face. He had a couple of minor cuts and some dried blood splattered across his face. His skin was pale. She pressed her hand to his cheek. It was cold, and she could see him breathing in rapid, shallow movements. "He's clammy."

"I know, I know," John muttered. "I-I don't understand, you're right, he doesn't have any broken bones, no injuries beyond a few surface cuts, I don't-"

"You said Vashta Nerada had him," the Doctor interrupted, grabbing Dean's shoulders.

Dean nodded, still looking at his brother.

The Doctor shook him. "Dean, listen to me! What happened exactly? It'll be important! Tell me!"

"Later," John said. He looked up and around, confusion crinkling his face. "Is there somewhere we can get his feet elevated, get a blanket around him?"

"Yeah, c'mon." Dean leaned down and grabbed Sam's shoulders. "The living room's this way."

Amy ran ahead of them and pulled blankets from the storage ottoman. John and Dean put Sam on the couch, draping his feet over one of the arms. Dean carefully tucked a blanket around Sam, jaw set tight, his eyes dark and worried.

John checked Sam's pulse again and sighed. "He'll be all right. Now, what were you saying, Doctor-I'm sorry, Doctor who, exactly?"

The Doctor smiled. "Finally someone asks the right question."

"He's just...the Doctor." Dean sat down on the coffee table, one hand still on Sam's shoulder. "Don't ask me how or why."

John looked at the Doctor. "Oh. Okay. Umm-what were you saying, the Vashta-what?"

"Vashta Nerada," Sherlock's voice came from the kitchen doorway. "Dean was yelling something about them in the loft."

Amy turned. The detective crossed the room and sat down in an armchair, tapping his fingers together.

"Some kind of alien tree spores or something," Dean muttered. "Freaky as all-get-out."

"But he doesn't have two shadows," Amy said, glancing over at Sam. "He doesn't look like that possessed Cyberman at all."

"No, you're right, he doesn't." The Doctor looked up toward the ceiling and addressed the TARDIS. "Scan Samuel Winchester and send the report to a console screen. I'll be out in a minute to look at it."

The TARDIS chirped in response.

The Doctor smiled. "There's my girl." He motioned to Dean and John. "Let's go look at the scan and see if it tells us anything."

"Freaky spaceship," Dean muttered, following him out the kitchen door.

After checking Sam's pulse and breathing again, John followed them, shaking his head and muttering under his breath.