Title: I'll Always Take Care of You
Author: Azure the Dragonlady
Rating: K
Disclaimer: Don't own Supernatural.
Summary: [One Shot] PreSeries. Sam 15, Dean 19. Sick!Sam, Big Brother!Dean.
Author's Note: Finally finished all my end-of-year exams (thankfully), so I decided to get back into writing and ended up with this little fic. Hope you enjoy. This is my first attempt at a PreSeries and Sick!Sam fic. Feedback is appreciated.

"Sammy?" Dean called as he climbed out of the Impala. He had gone out for food and medicine, only to come back to the motel to find Sam slumped next to the door outside their room. Sam had been running a fever for the past day, and Dean had him on bed rest. With Sam so dazed and confused, Dean started to worry when he had found Sam in a state like this. Especially with their Dad abruptly ditching them in this shit-hole hotel and running off on a hunt, with Sam ill.

Dean walked over to Sam and crouched down, eye level with Sam. "Watcha doin' out here, kiddo?" Dean was purely focused on Sam, taking little noticed of the passers by. Dean could see Sam shaking slightly and he reached out to grasp Sam on the shoulder. Dean gently nudged Sam. "Sammy?"

Dean heard Sam groan faintly as he then watched his head start to tilt to the side. Dean placed both hand to either side of Sam's head, effectively stopping it from moving.

"Sam!" Dean repeated more firmly. "Hey there buddy," he coaxed as Sam eyes fluttered open.

"De…wha?" Sam mumbled, disorientated.

That was not a good sign. Dean could feel that heat rolling off Sam in waves. His fever had gotten worse and Dean knew he needed to get Sam back inside and cooled down. Sam must have come out here seeking some cool air in his state of confusion, but it was almost as hot outside then it was in the dodgy motel room. Dean felt a surge of anger briefly towards their Dad for leaving them here. It was quickly suppressed as he knew Dad did his best, given the circumstances and there were people's lives at risk. Although for once Dean had hoped that Dad would put his family first. But, enough of that wallowing now, his priority was Sam.

"Up ya get," Dean said as he gently hoisted Sam up. He grabbed Sam's arm and placed it around his other shoulder in a motion so that he could help Sam walk. "Let's get ya inside."

Dean tried the knob on the door and discovered that thankfully they had not been locked out and he didn't need to use the keys. Dean couldn't help but comment, "It's a good thing you left the door open there, Sasquatch. Its enough trouble just to lug you around, Bitch."

"J-Jerk," Sam replied with a soft moan against his shoulder. Dean laughed softly.

Once in the room he settled Sam back down on the bed and went to get a cold compress to cool Sam down a bit and a glass of cool water. Sam was bound to be thirsty from his little escapade.

Dean settled on the edge of the bed as he lifted Sam's head up and pressed the glass to his lips. Sam started to gulp it down, so he pulled the glass away. "That's enough for now, Sammy. Wouldn't want you getting any sicker, now would we?"

"Thanks, big brother," Sam whispered appreciatively, as he laid his head back on the pillow and drifted off once more into a fevered sleep.

Dean only smiled in response, as he positioned the cold compress on Sam's forehead. He never would admit it out loud, but he missed these brotherly moments. Sam had started to drift apart from him and Dad. He had become increasingly bitter and resentful at the lifestyle they lived. As a result, there were increasingly more verbal matches between their Dad and him that pained Dean to witness. He knew Sam longed for more. That he longed for the 'normal'. He knew that eventually Sam would leave him in search of that and he also knew that he would have to let Sam go. Until then, though, he would savour these moments, even if Sam was sick.

Dean ran his fingers through Sam's dark hair and whispered, "I've gotcha Sammy. I'll always take care of you, no matter where you are." Dean got up off the bed and settled in the chair provided, watching and looking after Sam for the hours ahead. Just like he always would.