The Winchester Three (S1): The Beginning

Ch 7 Section 2

In the hospital check up room...

The three Winchesters all waited in an exam room for Deans doctor. Angel leaned on the wall with her arms crossed watching a very unhappy, frowning Dean as Sam paced at the other side of them.

He smiled to Dean, "So, you really feel okay?"

The unhappiness was ever present on Dean's face as he answered, "I feel fine, Sam."

The Doctored walked in as she read some paperwork, "Well, according to all your tests there's nothing wrong with your heart. No sign there ever was." Relief filled Angel as Sam grinned at her words, Dean still looked unhappy as she continued, "Not that a man your age should be having heart trouble, but uh... Still it's strange- it does happen."

"What do you mean, strange?"

"Well, just yesterday, a young guy like you, twenty-seven, athletic. Out of nowhere, heart attack."

"Thank you, Doctor." Angel nodded as she came to stand beside Dean, "For all your help."

She smiled before turning to leave, "No problem."

Dean pursed his lips as he looked between the two of them, "That's odd."

"Maybe it's a coincidence." Sam dismissed, "People's hearts give out all the time, man."

"No, they don't."

Angel pierced him with a dismissive eye, "Look Dean, have you ever heard the expression 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth'?"

"Why can't we just be thankful that the guy saved your life and move on?"

"Because I can't shake this feeling, that's why."

Angel raised a brow as he got up and turned away from them to put his jacket back on, "And what feeling would that be?"

"When I was healed, I just... I felt wrong. I felt cold. And for a second... I saw someone. This, uh, this old man. And I'm telling you guys, it was a spirit."

Angel crossed her arms again as Sam shook his head, "But if there was something there, Dean, I think I would've seen it, too. I mean, I've been seeing an awful lot of things lately."

"Well, excuse me, psychic wonder. But you're just gonna need a little faith on this one." His face deadpanned as he looked between them, "I've been hunting long enough to trust a feeling like this."

Angel sighed, "Okay, whatever, fine. What do you wanna do?"

"I want you two to go check out the heart attack guy." He instructed, "I'm gonna visit the reverend."

Swimming locker room...

"I'm telling you, he seemed healthy." The employee explained as he led the two of them into the vacant locker room, "Swam every day, didn't smoke. So, a heart attack just kind of seemed, well, bizarre."

Sam nodded, "And you said he was running, right before he collapsed?"

"Yeah, he was freaking out. He said that something was, uh, was after him."

Angel raised a brow, "He say what that was?"

"Well, thin air is what. I mean, it wasn't anything."

"Right..." She offered a smile, "Thanks for your time."

"No problem."

As they left, Sam noticed the clock on the wall isn't working, "Hey, buddy? Your, uh, your clock's busted."

"Oh, yeah, we, uh, can't get it workin'." He frowned, "Just froze at 4:17."

"4:17..." Angel repeated grimly, avoiding her brother's eyes, "Is that the same time Marshall died?"

He looked at her in surprise, "Yeah... how'd you know?"

Back at the motel...

Dean entered the room and threw his keys on the bed. As he took off his jacket he looked over to Sam and Angel who were sitting at the table/ Sam was on his laptop frowning and Angel met his eyes sadly.

"What'd you guys find out?"

Angel looked away from him, "Dean... I'm sorry."

Dean threw his jacket on the bed and approached them, "Sorry about what?"

"Marshall Hall died at 4:17."

Dean stood stunned at her words, "The exact time I was healed."

"Yeah..." Sam explained sadly, "I put together a list of everyone Roy's healed, six people over the past year, and I cross-checked them with the local obits. Every time someone was healed, someone else died. And each time, the victim died of the same symptom LeGrange was healing at the time."

"So if someone is healed of cancer..." Angel explained, "Someone else dies of cancer."

"Somehow. LeGrange... he's trading a life for another."

"Wait, wait, wait." Dean stopped them, "So, Marshall Hall died to save me?"

"Dean, the guy probably would've died anyway." Sam tried to explain as he looked to his older brother upset, "And someone else would've been healed."

Dean's eyes pierced Angels, "You never should've brought me here."

"Dean..." She watched him get up and start pacing, pleading for him to understand, "I didn't- i didn't know this is what was happening. We were running out time. You were-" She had to clear her throat, "I was just trying to save your life."

"Some guy is dead now because of me!"

"I didn't know!"

Dean's eyes softened as he looked between her and Sam's broken faces.

Sam broke the silence, "The thing I don't understand is how is Roy doing it? How's he trading a life for a life?"

"Oh..." Dean shook his head, "He's not doing it."

Angel watched him, "You think he's got something else doing the dirty work?"

"The old man I saw on stage... I didn't wanna believe it, but deep down I knew."

"You knew what?" Sam asked as realization popped into Angel's mind, "What are you talking about?"

Dean met her eye, as if sensing she put the pieces together, "There's only one thing that can give and take life like that."

She scoffed as she shook her head, "You think we're dealing with a reaper."