Disclaimer: Dean and Sam do not belong to me.

HIS REASON TO BREATHE 2

Dean and Sam sat at a picnic table having lunch. They watched as kids played in a nearby park with watchful parents. The days of letting kids play alone so far in the past.

Sam watched Dean as he ate slowly and he sighed. Dean wanted a family a fact that he never talked about but Sam knew. Dean always became unbelievably over protective when any of their hunts involved children. And the way his brother watched children like now with that faraway look in his eye.

All he had to do was quit hunting and find someone which for Dean wouldn't take long with his charm and good looks but Dean considered himself broken and no good for a relationship ever again. It wasn't fair to someone like his brother who was a hero like no other. Screw Bat Man.

Dean stared at a couple of boys walking along brothers by the way they talked and the older boy watching strangers around him wearily, his arm protectively around the younger boy.

"Let's go Rory." The older boy said. "Mom and dad are home by now."

"Just a bit longer." The younger boy whined.

"We'll come back tomorrow, I promise."

"Alright but you promised Kevin."

Sam smiled at the scene, memories of times like these with Dean flying through his mind. Only they didn't have parents waiting for them at home, an occasional dad waiting in a motel room but not home.

Sam was reminiscing when he heard Dean swear and then he was jumping up and running.

Sam turned to look in confusion and then he saw it too and he gasped, he jumped to follow his brother but Dean was way ahead.

The two brothers were walking close to the roads edge and a car was coming from behind them swerving.

Dean shouted a warning but the boys only stopped in confusion directly in the path of the car and Dean put speed into his run that he forgot he had.

"Dean!" Sam yelled and he watched in horror as his brother wrapped his arms around the boys and spun them out of the way and in the next instant he was rolling up on the hood of the car breaking the windshield and then falling off to the side.

Sam couldn't believe it when the car kept going and his brother lay motionless on the road. He ran and slid next to Dean. "Dean oh my God Dean." He ghosted his hands over his brother wanting to touch him but afraid too.

Dean lay on his back his head turned to his left shoulder and one arm across his abdomen the other stretched at his side. Blood was coming from a gash to his head and more blood seeped from his slightly opened mouth.

People ran around calling 911 and trying to help. Sam couldn't believe in a matter of seconds they had gone from having lunch to a hit and run.

A police car came screaming around the bend pulling up directly beside the scene and the officer beckoned the two boys to him.

"Kevin how many times have I told you not to come here alone?"

"Dad Rory…" And the boy began to cry hysterically causing Rory to do the same. They told their dad everything and the officer settled them into the car and came to Sam and he kneeled next to him.

"He saved my sons." The officer whispered.

"Dean does that." Sam replied in anguish as he watched the officer do what he had been afraid too.

"He's alive but his pulse is so weak."

The sounds of sirens finally were heard as everyone stood around murmuring to one another about what this brave young man had done.

"Dean does that." Sam repeated as he watched his brother being strapped up on a board and secured for transport.

"I'll drive you to the hospital." The officer said placing his hand on Sam's shoulder causing him to jump.

"I have my car." Sam started to move.

"No offense but you're not in the position to drive."

Sam nodded not about to argue with a police officer and he was right. Sam's hands were shaking terribly and the Impala was parked safely at the motel where they were staying not too far off.

"Thank you….." Sam looked at the officer who was probably Dean's age.

"David Prey."

"Thank you officer Prey, I'm Sam Winchester."

"Just David is fine." David said leading Sam to the cruiser. "I just need to drop my sons off at the house and we'll be on our way."

Sam nodded as he climbed into the cruiser and David dropped off his kids at a house not too far from the park. He watched David talk hurriedly to his wife who hugged her boys tight as she heard the quick version of the story. The boys were still very much upset.

David returned to the car and hit his siren. "The advantage of being an officer of the law." He smiled and floored the gas pedal.

When they reached the hospital Sam was told that Dean had been rushed into emergency surgery. A broken rib had punctured a lung and the extent of his other injuries was not known yet.

"My sister in law is a nurse here so I'll make sure that you are kept in the loop." David stated after he had gotten off the phone with his office.

"What about the person who did this?" Sam suddenly very angry roared. "Has anyone even started to investigate who it was if Dean hadn't been there your sons would be the ones here now."

"I am well aware of that Sam but we already know who it was." David sighed heavily.

"Then what is being done?" Sam asked.

"That's a problem, you see my boys and all the witnesses at the park saw Aiden Phillips driving the car but no one will make the statement against him and if no one does he gets away with it again."

"Again, you mean he's done this thing more than once?" Sam was fighting to control his temper.

"Aiden has a drinking problem but he always has alibis for when something like this happens." David sighed again. "He already has alibis for this one according to my investigator and his car has disappeared."

"Let me guess he's the Chief of Police's son." Sam growled.

"Worse, he's the mayor's son."

"And he's going to get away with what he did to my brother?" Sam asked aghast.

"If someone could do something I wish they would." David said staring into Sam's eyes. "My sons were almost his victims and if I could afford to lose my job I'd shoot the bastard myself."

Sam nodded.

"I'll check on you and your brother later, I have to figure something out." David said patting Sam's shoulder and he walked away.

Sam felt completely helpless and so pissed off he could melt steel. He was a hunter and they hunted monsters and to him Aiden Phillips was a monster.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sam walked down the hall and nurse hurried to him.

"Hey Sam I'm Nicky, David's sister in law, Dean just came out of surgery and he's stable I had some trouble finding you."

"I had to get some fresh air." Sam smiled at her giving her his best dimpled puppy dog eyes grin.

"He's in recovery now and as soon as we find him a room I'll take you to him." Nicky turned to go and stopped. "Sam I hate that your brother is hurt but I am so glad that he saved my nephews my sister would have never made it without them David either for that matter, hell our whole family would have been a wreck, those boys are very important part of our lives." Tears filled her eyes.

Sam nodded. "I hope they understand how lucky they are because not everyone has that, Dean is all I have, and I'm all he has."

Nicky's looked at him tenderly. "I guess too many of us take our families for granted." She walked away.

It was another hour before she returned to take Sam to Dean.

Sam hated seeing his brother down like this pale and bruised, machines attached to him.

Dean was alive and that was all that mattered. He had three broken ribs and bruised everywhere; he had dislocated his right shoulder and a broken wrist on the same arm. According to the doctor he was going to pull through just fine.

Sam found a chair and pulled close to Dean's bed and latched on to his hand. Everything Sam had pent up since the accident came flying out and Sam cried, just how many more times did they have to face losing each other forever?

All his emotions spent Sam leaned his head down close to Dean and murmured to him about what a hero he was to this family.

The door opening made Sam lift his head to look.

David stood there looking rather serious. "Aiden Phillips is dead." He stated.

"Am I supposed to cry?" Sam said evenly.

"Funny thing is that he got his own medicine, killed in a hit and run." David went on not taking his eyes off of Sam. "His dad if offering a huge reward."

Sam stared at David waiting.

"Well it's a good thing that you reported that dent on your car when it happened a few days ago and that you have been at your brother's side since the accident or you would be the prime suspect. Thank God for alibis." David grinned.

Sam nodded knowingly.

"How's he doing?"

"He's going to be just fine." Sam said. "He has to be." He added.

"Thank you Sam to both of you, Rory and Kevin think Dean's a superhero."

"Yeah he gets that a lot, not all heroes wear capes." Sam said fondly of his brother.

"Alright then Sam, maybe I can bring them by once your brother is up and around."

"Dean would like that." Sam smiled because he knew that Dean would.

David left.

Sam laid he head down besides Dean again. He felt the slight grip of his brother's hand and he looked up at him.

Dean stared back at him his green eyes confused and tired. "S'ok Sammy." Dean breathed wincing.

"It is now." Sam squeezed his brother's hand as a tear slid down his face. Dean was going to make it through another one, his brother, best friend, his protector, his hero and most of all his reason to breathe.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

It's only fair that Sammy gets a turn after all they depend on each other.

Thanks for reading!