A steady beating slowly woke up Dean. His green eyes clouded with confusion. After a couple of blinks his head cleared and he took in his surroundings. The hospital antiseptic was strong in his nose. His eyes searched for his brother, but they only found his father. Instantly his stomach dropped and dread seeped through him. His father sat slumped in a chair, neck at an awkward angle, sleeping.
"Dad." Dean's voice was weak and hoarse. But John sat up quickly and his eyes met Dean's. a ghost of a smile touched his lips.
"You gave me one hell of a scare." John looked beat to hell and tired.
"Where's Sammy?" John lost eye contact with Dean. "Dad?" John leaned back heavily in the chair. "Where is he, Dad? H-he isn't….Is he?"
"Well…um…" John didn't know how to tell Dean. "Search and rescue are still looking for him." John ran a hand through his hair.
"What? Sammy is missing! Why aren't you out there looking for him?" His father stood abruptly.
"Dean, you almost died!" Dean saw the tear fall from his father's eyes and realized the severity of his situation. "I couldn't just leave you here to die." Dean understood, although he wouldn't have done the same.
"Well I'm fine now, so go find Sammy." John gave a slight nod and walked slowly to the door. Right before he opened, he stopped.
"I love you, son." And John was gone. This shocked Dean, he must have really been hurt in order to get that from his father. Dean laid his head back on the pillow and went over his memories of their latest hunt.
Four days earlier
"Ok. Yeah, Dad. Sam and I can handle it. Yeah, see you on Thursday." Dean shut his phone and stuffed it back in his pocket. "So Dad has a hunt for us. He's held up at Bobby's."
"What are we hunting?" Sam looked up from his book he was reading.
"A wendigo. Three hikers have been found dead. Said to be a bear attack. But not in the middle of winter."
"I guess we should get ready then." Dean was surprised, but knowing Sammy, he just wanted to get the hunt over with so he could come home to his book.
By night fall, the boys were on their way to the snowing mountain trail, where all the hikers had been found. Dean led the way, with Sam on his heels. They were both bundled up in thermals and warm snow coats. Dean heard a rustling to his left, he held up his hand and Sam instantly stopped. Silently the two brothers pulled out their own flare guns. Dean was on high alert. The boys slowly walked forward. Not until he heard ice breaking, did Dean realize he had led them onto a lake.
"Crap!" Sam's head snapped up as he heard movement up ahead. "Careful Sam the ice is thin right here." Dean began slowly walking towards a cave, which in the summer time there was a pretty waterfall. Dean could hear Sam right behind him. Another crack came from under their feet, more movement to their right. Dean raised his flare gun. The wendigo stepped into the moonlight. Dean fired just as the wendigo lunged for them. He missed, hitting the top of the cave instead. Dean heard another shot and the wendigo fell. Dean stood slowly. Just as he stood the ice broke and he and Sam fell through. The cold was terrible. Dean started to panic because he couldn't find Sam or the water's surface. Dean's lungs burned for sweet oxygen. After a battle his body took over and water flooded his lungs. Darkness over took him.
Present time
"Hello Dean. How are you feeling?" A doctor walked into his room. She smiled sweetly at him.
"Just tired that's all."
"Well that's normal."
"What happened?"
"You don't remember?"
"Well, I know I nearly drowned in a frozen lake."
"I'm sorry to say but you did drown. When you arrived you had a body temp. of 32 degrees and you weren't breathing and your heart wasn't beating. After we got your body temp. up, we were able to restart your heart and regulate your breathing. You are very lucky. There is no sign of brain damage and it looks like you with recover completely." She smiled sweetly at him.
"Any other questions?"
"Um yeah, when do I get to leave?"
"Well, in two or three days."
"No! I have to get out today. My brother is still out there in the freezing cold. I can't just lay here while he is either suffering or..or…"
"I'm sorry. But you are not in any condition to go out there." She left him alone. Dean closed his eyes.
God, if you are actually real. Please return my brother, alive. I can't live without him.
Just as Dean finished his prayer, his father burst through the door.
"Dean, we found him."