Serendipity on a back road called no name
Serendipity: "The faculty of making happy and unexpected discoveries by accident."
Dean gunned the car hard onto the dirt road. Two days after the event, he was still pissed. He'd been let go from a job he really needed, for no other reason, than for standing up and speaking out on behalf of a fellow employee who he felt had been wronged. The other employee still had their job, Dean no longer had his. After it had happened, he went back to the dump he was staying in and packed up his few belongings and left. He'd been driving virtually non-stop since then, pulling off to the side, when he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer, for a few hours rest.
He saw the figure on the side of the road slowly turn at the sound of the approaching car.
"Fuck!" Dean yelled in frustration as he looked back through the rearview mirror to the now drenched guy standing there. Dean had seen him, but not the pothole full of water and stones, till he hit it.
Dean just wanted to keep going, he didn't know this guy, he didn't owe him anything, except for the fact that he sprayed him with whatever debris was in that pothole. His conscience got the better of him and he circled the car back around.
As he pulled in closer, he saw that the guy was bleeding from the forehead, it looked to be a pretty deep gash and was running close to his left eye.
As Dean got out of the car, the stranger began to slide sideways to the ground. Dean lunged to catch him before his head made contact with the hard earth. No such luck, the man went down hard. "Holy shit" Dean yelled, wincing, as he heard the contact.
The poor guy's face was caked with dirt, that nasty gash, small scratches and blood. Dean was feeling more guilty by the moment. He gently worked one of his hands under the young man's head, as he took his shirt sleeve and started to wipe away the blood with the other.
"Okay, the gash looks deep, but not deep enough for stitches" Dean breathed a sigh of relief. He felt terrible, he'd let his temper get the best of him and he was now looking at the results - not good.
The guy was stirring and slowly opened his eyes, the beginnings of panic starting to set in, as he closed and opened them again. "I can't see" he cried out, breathing heavily.
"Tell me your name" Dean asked. "It's Sam" came the shaky response. "Okay Sam, I'm Dean and I'm gonna help you. Let me get you up into a sitting position. Just take it slow okay" Dean was saying as he adjusted his arm around Sam's shoulders and helped him sit up. "Take a deep breath Sam, just breathe, in and out" Dean soothed, hoping it would help before Sam began to hyperventilate.
"I'm just going to clean off the rest of your face, I need to get a look at your injuries" Dean was telling him, as he slowly began to finish cleaning Sam's injured face with his shirt sleeve. "I'm going to get some water from the car and I'm going to run it through your eyes to see if that will help, I'll be right back, the car is right here" Dean told Sam as he ran to get the water.
His own hands were shaking badly as he got the water and a cloth and came back to Sam. He unscrewed the cap and poured some onto the cloth and slowly cleaned out the dirt embedded in the tiny scratches. Dean gently tilted Sam's chin up. "Sam if you can, keep your eyes open while I pour the water through okay?" Dean asked. Sam nodded slightly. As Dean tipped the water bottle over Sam's right eye and then his left, Sam did his best to keep his eyes open.
"Close them now and then when you open them, blink a few times" Dean told him anxiously. Sam did as he was asked, both of them hoping that it was going to work. It didn't. He felt Sam begin to shake. "It didn't work Dean, I still can't see, what the fuck man?" Sam cried as he put his head between his folded legs, breathing deeply. Dean, for his part, wasn't sure what to do, so he simply put a hand on Sam's shoulder in comfort.
"We need to get you some medical attention. Here Sam let me help you up and get you into the car" Dean was gently saying as he helped Sam to his feet. Sam staggered slightly. "I've got you Sam, just hang on to me." As Sam went to get in the passenger side, Dean put up a protective hand over Sam's head to ensure there was no chance of him bumping it. He was tall, maybe 6'5, Dean was estimating. Sam was trembling as he tried to locate the clasp for the seat belt. "Let me do it for you" Dean said lightly, trying to console Sam, as he placed his hands over Sam's. "It'll be okay Sam, we'll get you some help" Dean whispered.
"Your boyfriend is going to need you to stay close by him for the time being. I've explained to Sam a few ways to make some of this a bit easier in the interim, but until his sight is restored, you're basically going to be his eyes. Understand?" the Doctor asked Dean. Dean nodded. "You can take him home now, just take it slow and easy, not only is Sam dealing with the physical trauma, but also with the very real mental health one of losing a primary sense. He's waiting for you in room 3." "Thanks Doc" Dean said shaking her hand.
Dean was watching Sam from the doorway. He was chewing on his lower lip, looking very pale. "Boyfriend huh?" Dean spoke from the doorway, causing Sam to jump slightly. "Sorry about that Dean, she just assumed and I didn't correct her" Sam replied, his cheeks staining with colour. "No problem here dude. How about we get you out of here, hospitals give me the creeps" Dean admitted to Sam as he walked over to help him off the exam table.
Once they were settled back in the car, an awkward silence ensued, finally broken by Sam. "Are you from around here Dean?" "Just travelling through. I lost my job a few days ago and well...here I am now. " Dean supplied. "What about you?" Dean was asking Sam. "Just needed some time, so I packed up a few things and hit the road. I guess in more ways than one." Sam smiled. It was the first time Dean had seen it and what a sight - wow - talk about lighting up a space.
"I guess we're sort of in this together now man. With what the Doctor said, I think it would be best if we got a room for a few days and then take it from there" Dean said glancing over at Sam. Sam conceded.
Dean picked out what he thought would be a good location. After checking in, he came back to the car and took Sam's hand, helping guide him. After unlocking the door, he quickly took an inventory of the layout of the room and told Sam the various locations of the furniture. "I'm just going to get the bags, I'll be right back" Dean told him, after assisting Sam into a chair.
Dean needed a few minutes alone to sort out his own thoughts. What a difference a few hours could make in a life. Thank God he'd remembered to grab Sam's duffle after he'd helped him into the car, he thought, as he lugged his and Sam's bags into the room.
"This is awkward Sam, but the only room they had left was with a king-sized bed, I hope you're okay with that" Dean was asking Sam. "Yup, that's fine. I'm so tired, I think I could sleep on a log" Sam replied yawning.
"Do you want something to eat or to take a shower?" Dean asked. "I just want to go to bed Dean, I'm so tired." Sam said as he got up from the chair and then just stood there. "Umm, the bathroom is which way again?" Sam asked. "Twenty steps to your left Sam. Let me know if you need any help" Dean replied sincerely. "Thanks man, I think I've got it" Sam said.
Sometime during the night, Dean woke to quiet sobs coming from Sam. "Sam, you okay?" Dean asked in concern. He felt Sam startle beside him. "Sorry" Dean said in a low voice, as he tentatively reached down and clasped Sam's hand. "Are you scared?" he asked. Sam squeezed Dean's hand hard, as he struggled to stop his tears.
"Enough was enough" Dean thought to himself, as he shifted in the bed and asked Sam to let go of his hand for just a minute. Sam loosened his grip and Dean pulled him into his arms, tightly and securely, Sam snuggling deep in to Dean's embrace.
Sam stopped trying not to cry and let the tears fall freely. "I'm really scared Dean." Sam was sobbing. Dean bent forward and kissed Sam's forehead. "Ssh...ssh...Sammy, I've got you, okay, I'm not going to let you go...Sam...Sammy, it's going to be okay...ssh...ssh" Dean was whispering in Sam's ear, as he gently rubbed his hand over Sam's cheek.
Sam's tears slowly began to subside and he moved his face into Dean's neck, hiccuping slightly. "Ssh...ssh" Dean continued to soothe, laying gentle kisses on the top of Sam's head. If Sam could have attached himself to Dean, he would have. He was feeling very vulnerable, but not alone. "Dean, thank you" Sam whispered into Dean's neck. Dean pulled back slightly "Sam, how can you thank me, I'm the one who did this to you remember, how can you stand even to be around me?" Dean asked bitterly. Sam shifted slightly, moving his hand up to Dean's face, rubbing it over his temple. "How could I be mad at you Dean? It wasn't your fault, you didn't see the pothole, there's no way you could have known what would happen, neither of us could have. The point is, that you came to help me. You could have just driven off and left me and who the hell knows what could have happened. Yes, I'm terrified about losing my sight, it's about the worst thing I've ever experienced, but I don't blame you for it. I think serendipity brought us together on that dirt road" Sam said knowingly. "For whatever reason, the fates connected us and here we are" Sam murmured leaning in closer to Dean. Dean, taking a chance that the fates were right, leaned over and kissed Sam.
To be continued.