True Silence is Pie and Egg Nog
Spring time is supposed to be the rejuvenation of life and the usual flowery poetry crap but it was hardly cheery considering that there were seals breaking left and right and there were angels and demons up Dean and Sam's asses. It was a literal pain in the ass since they seemed to be picking on their friend and sister in arms much more lately but it certainly was amusing to watch her give a piece of her mind to the feathered dicks. However even that failed to lift the spirit of those two on a warm spring day.
Dean watched as his younger brother Sam tried to get some sleep before taking a sip of that mud crap called coffee. At least they were out of that shithole that smelled like a medicine cabinet and had those sickly green walls. That was fancy persuasion on his and her part to get them to release Sam early. He smirked at the fact that they bought the story that the longer Sam stayed in the hospital, the more damaging it was to his mental and emotional health. Then again she knew how to lay the right amount of charm when it came to stuff like that. He just couldn't believe that he was stuck now with a sick Sam which was ten times worse than a healthy Sam.
At first Sam said it was a sore throat and nothing to worry about. It was a relief to not hear Sam for awhile but it got boring pretty quick and Dean knew something was wrong when Sam didn't respond like he normally did when he was sick. It took both of them to drag Sam's ass into the Impala and to the emergency room of the local hospital. Dean was up for some entertainment and grabbed the clipboard to fill out Sam's information and left her to deal with a moaning and feverish Sam. He had almost scowled when she managed to soothe Sam into a comfortable doze on her shoulder while brushing his damp locks. Dean said, "Show off."
She said, "Then you should have let me fill out the info."
As it turned out, it was something that Dean forgot about but when the diagnosis came in, it hit him just as if she had hit him with a two by four. Sam had tonsillitis and he needed surgery to remove his tonsils. That meant a hospital stay and Sam being a bitch princess about staying in the place. Then Dean remembered what it was like when he had his tonsils removed when he was twelve and Sam was eight. Dad had been there too. It was the shits and he knew that Sam was going to be in for a rough haul. The itchy throat, the soreness, possible fever and not being able to talk though Dean found that last one to be a bonus.
It was like déjà vu when Sam went in for surgery after a slight delay because Sasquatch decided to make things difficult and get a fever and not even a low grade one but a high fever. As Dean was fond of pointing out, Sam had always been the drama queen. Still the docs stuck Sam with the IVs and antibiotics in an attempt to bring the fever down. Dean sat by his brother's side and said to him, "Damn Sam, always the drama bitch. Don't you think we get enough attention?"
"N' Jerk."
Dean hardly left Sam's side except to make her sit in his place claiming that he needed a coffee, food or bathroom break. He put up with her version of the bitch face and would sit in the other spare chair with smug satisfaction and pretend to eat or sleep but all the time watch as she sat there, first stiffly and then relaxing enough to gently hold Sam's hand and then sing softly.
Dean didn't know how it happened but Sam's fever broke during the night and they had him up in surgery and out again. Then came Sam's waking up and demanding to leave, which was a bitch for Dean to understand completely. Well he did understand, he just wanted to tease his brother and mentioned something about the problem having a girl in his room to see his near naked ass. That had Sam getting flustered and a slight wheezing sound come out.
She showed off again by talking to Sam and somehow interpreting his bitch face and gestures. Dean asked her, "How are you able to do that?"
"I learned sign." She then had to make movements with her hands that had Sam grin and him scowling.
Now they were back in the digs they checked into when they arrived and Sam was doing what a sick body needed to do. He still had a fever and his throat ached so he was resting. That was fine with Dean since he didn't want anything to do with angels, demons or seals. He absently rubbed his throat since it was a little sore and he felt slightly feverish and wondered if Sam had been in the sharing mood again.
A pillow came his way and hit him square on the head. It was Sam's silent talk for 'Dean!' He only used it if Dean didn't hear the very low whisper that Sam used. He looked at Sam and asked, "What do ya need Princess?"
Sam scowled at Dean as he sat up. He didn't feel like talking so he pointed at his throat and then made a scratching gesture. Dean knew what that meant and went to get a glass of ice water. When he attempted to hand it to Sam, his brother threw a pout at him and Dean knew what it meant. He asked, "What do you want me to do about it Sam? I don't have anything else and I feel like shit myself."
It was a first that he admitted that he wasn't feeling too good. He looked at Sam who made a gesture that had Dean frown slightly. It then clicked at what Sam was doing. He was signing at him and he found he understood what he meant. Sam was signing, Then get Angie.
Dean replied, "You sure you want her help Sammy? Last time…"
Sam threw a bitch face and signed, We talked. Please Dean?
Dean was saved from answering when there was a soft knock on the door. Even when pissed she always had a soft knock. "You got your wish Sammy." He opened the door and there she was. She looked tired but pleased about something. It changed quickly when she reached out and touched his forehead and did that temperature feely thing she did.
"Bed," was all she said after shoving Dean into the bathroom with a change of clothes.
Dean came out ten minutes later with a wet face and ready to collapse to find that Sam was signing at Angela and she was responding with words. She caught sight of him and said to Sam, "I suspected something yesterday. Glad you suggested getting me because I know just the thing for sore throats and fevers."
"How can you even understand that finger waving?" Dean asked petulantly as she tucked him in his bed.
"That, Dean is a great mystery," she replied grinning. She then explained, "I learned sign a long time ago. I showed a few choice words to Sam and it didn't take much for him to pick up on other things. Before that I had practice with an irritable twelve year old in the same position as Sam."
Dean paused as he remembered. That cool nurse! It was odd how he never remembered the details of the woman. He knew it was a woman but it was never enough to make the connection to her until she said something. "Another secret of yours?" he asked with a slightly raised brow. His voice was starting to sound hoarse and it was dying on him.
"No just an anecdote because it was the right time," Angela replied as she made sure things were where she wanted them. She then went to the kitchenette and opened the fridge to take out a pitcher. She peered into it and gave a tentative sniff. "I knew I had a good feeling about this fridge even if it does look like it belongs in a junkyard." She set it on the counter and went to the plastic bag that had been left there with the prescriptions and other odd ends she picked up yesterday.
Dean watched her work in the kitchenette. Every time he saw her in a kitchen, it looked like she belonged there and not out hunting with him and Sam. He glanced at Sam who was rubbing his throat, trying to ease the soreness. He was about to say something when she came out carrying two large disposable cups. She handed one to Sam and one to Dean and stood back as if to wait for an explosion or some type of reaction.
Dean took a sip. Egg nog. Just like when he was twelve. That same cold creaminess. It felt good and his body felt cooled instantly. He didn't even need the 'traditional' egg nog with the alcohol. This was the best; just like how he remembered it. He glanced at Sam and saw his little brother looking relaxed as the stuff soothed his aching throat. He looked up at her and asked, "Pie?" He gave his version of the puppy eyes knowing that it was lame.
Angela gave a teasing grin as she went to where she had something covered and came back balancing three plates of pie along with the pitcher of egg nog. She handed one to each of the boys and sat down in a chair that she had moved to her customary spot whenever either one or both were sick or injured: between the both of them. The pitcher went on the nightstand within easy reach though more likely she was going to play referee with it.
Dean took a sip and then a bite and the taste exploded in his mouth just like it did when he first tried the stuff. "Damn Angie. Just like how I remembered it." He could feel the flaky softness of the crust melt in his mouth and slide down. When he was twelve, which was when he learned that pie was the panacea of all ills. Amazing how he had forgotten it but now he felt better having eaten some with egg nog.
Angela just smiled as she observed the boys finish their pie and downed the whole pitcher of egg nog. Sam dropped out like a light feeling better about his throat and Dean was struggling to stay awake. Dean watched as she put things away and make another batch of her egg nog. He may have met real angels but they were nothing compared to the one that was in the kitchenette right now. With his eyes too heavy, he drifted off to sleep to let his tired, sick body rest.
Angela knew they were asleep when she stepped out of the kitchenette. She gazed fondly down at Dean and adjusted the covers. Sam signed that he suspected that Dean wasn't feeling good and she observed in her usual way. She knew hell had been rough on Dean and Cas' dick brothers didn't make things easier and she told them so in her own way. So in a way she was glad that something normal like a sore throat came his way. It was a bitch to have but it was something not related to the supernatural. And she will be there every step of the way. Out of habit, she ran her fingers through Dean's hair and gave a gentle pat on the cheek. He would sleep soundly for a while.
Looking at Sam sleeping peacefully brought a different smile to her face. She then heaved a tired sigh. It was difficult and it was made harder with Dean forcing her hand. She appreciated Dean's well-meant intentions but… not now. She brushed Sam's locks away from his face to feel his head. Even though he went through his surgery fine, there was the chance of mild fever and that hit causing Dean to tease Sam about milking the drama. At least Sam remembered the basics of sign and it had been fun frustrating Dean when they just talked with their hands. When she responded with her voice, Dean likened it to watching C3PO and R2 talking. That had her laughing.
Finished with her inspection, she pulled the covers over Sam and tucked him in. She half expected to hear him call her Mom as their joke went and she smiled at the thought but it was a sad one. She went to the table where she had put down her book. She picked it up and went to her usual chair. It was late in the afternoon but she expected to stay the entire night. Sitting down, she opened her book to the place she had marked and began to read thinking about what the boys would say when they saw her choice in literature.
At least she wasn't getting the usual crazy talk the brothers did when they were sick. It was truly quiet. Angela couldn't help but smile to herself at the irony of it. It had to take fresh pie, egg nog (her recipe) and a fond memory to achieve silence. Her mother once said that true silence is golden when she was teaching her the domestic arts that she was so good at. Angela though could amend that saying. In the curious case of the Winchesters, true silence was pie and egg nog.
A/N: Poor Sam and Dean. I guess Nurse Angie is a good thing right?