Disclaimer: I do not nor will ever own or have any direct affiliation with Supernatural or any of it's charactrers. This is for fun. And what fun it is!

Dean nearly fell under his brother's dead weight, but he spread his legs for a sturdier stance and positioned Sam so his head lolled on his shoulder. He spared his flushed brother a glance before yelling out in panic.

"Bobby! Bobby I need some help out here!" Dean knew there was no way he was going to be able to maneuver Sam's girth all the way up to the bedroom alone, and he really needed to get his brother inside so he could assess what was actually wrong with him. He shuddered at the thought of entering a hospital so soon after…

"Just hold on Sammy. I got you," he whispered to his brother's still form. Sam was panting hot breath against his neck, and Dean could feel the sweat running down his brother's neck, though whether it was from his long trek back through town or the fever he didn't know. He had a sinking feeling it was the latter.

Bobby came crashing through the screen door just as Dean was starting to lose his grip on his much taller charge. He stood in surprise for a moment before spurring into action. He quickly made his way over to Sam's side and draped one of his arms over his shoulders as Dean took the other side. They started into the house and Bobby started asking his rapid fire questions.

"What happened? Did the Demon get past the wards? What…"

"Bobby! I don't know! He has a fever. We have to get him inside and cool him off. Other than that I just don't know!" Dean burst out in worry and guilt. Never would have happened if not for you the voice kept repeating in his head, but he blocked it out. There would be plenty of time for self-recriminations after he got Sam sorted out.

Once inside Bobby steered them toward the couch where Sam had been staying. Not staying Dean thought to himself and shuffled his feet.

"Bobby lets put him upstairs. He'll be more comfortable. That couch isn't long enough for him anyway." Dean ducked his head at Bobby's knowing look when they changed directions for the stairs. He was starting to get worried at Sam's lack of response. His brother's bangs partially covered his sweat-glistened face and Dean felt a strong urge to reach out and brush them away. He would give anything right now to see Sam open his eyes or flash him that dimpled smile. Even if he was yelling or crying; anything would be better than seeing him limp between Bobby's and his arms, head lolling every which way with the movement.

Dean thought it took forever to maneuver Sam up the stairs but finally they had him in the other twin bed in the room Dean had been using. Have I really been that selfish?

He finally got a good look at his younger sibling and he didn't like what he saw. Sam's hair fell lank against his pale face and his cheeks were flushed with fever. What really unnerved him was the way Sam didn't even twitch. His brother was always moving in sleep; had since they were little. It made sleeping in the same bed hell when they were little because he almost always ended up on the floor due to Sam's kicking and moving. He smiled a little. That was when that ever flowing tide of guilt threatened to overtake him so he moved himself. If he didn't do something he was going to drown.

"Bobby, I need a thermometer if you've got one, and a bowl of cool water and clean rags. I think he might just be exhausted, but I don't want to mess with a high fever so soon after the accident. If anything's infected we'll go straight to the hospital." Dean then moved to remove Sam's shoes, shirt and jeans. Once he was down to his boxers he pulled the covers up to his chin, but not before he noticed the bruising up and down his brother's ribcage. His brother looked like he had lost some weight too, and just laying there brought all of Dean's transgressions to the fore. How could he have forgotten that Sam had gotten in a car wreck too? You didn't just walk away from that unscathed. A memory tickled his mind then and he looked down at his brother in worry. A nurse had told him that his brother had checked himself out against medical advice, but Dean just hadn't cared at the time. It was right after their father had died and the only thing going through his mind right then had been the monotonous tone of the heart monitor as his whole world came crashing down around him. Not my whole world he corrected himself. He rested his hand against Sam's warm forehead and his heart fluttered a little at how his little brother leaned into the touch. I haven't lost everything, not yet. Why couldn't you think about yourself for once Sam?

Bobby walked into the room slowly, loathe to interrupt the moment when it's what had been needed for so long, but they needed to make sure Sam was okay and it was just run of the mill exhaustion. Far too often it was much more within the Winchester brood.

"Dean," Bobby said quietly, and the younger man's head shot up, once again all business. Bobby silently handed over the supplies, and then with one look back over his shoulder, he left Dean to his ministrations. He'd be called if he was needed, but in unspoken agreement, this was Dean's responsibility and he was finally taking up the mantle of big brother again.

"Sam, Sam," Dean said sharply, gently tapping the young man's cheek. "Sam, I need you to wake up for me."

Much to Dean's amusement, Sam threw an arm over his eyes when he checked his pupils (both equal and reactive thank God) and turned away from the light. "Mmm, Dean, sorry," Sam mumbled before falling still again. Much as this tore at Dean, he reached over to tap Sam's face again.

"Oh no you don't sunshine. You need to wake up. Don't make me stick this thermometer up…"

"Jerk," Sam rasped out, blinking owlishly up at Dean. Regardless of the glassy confused gaze and the way Sam's face pinched in discomfort, Dean thought it was just about the most wonderful thing he had ever seen. Sam's arm flopped back down to his side as if he didn't have the strength to lift it, and he groaned as he flipped over onto his side. "Dean…gonna be sick…" he barely bit out before his stomach rebelled. Dean had grabbed the wastebasket just in time and rubbed soothing circles on Sam's back as his body fought to expel its contents. By the time he was done Sam was shaking like he just couldn't get warm. His eyes rolled in his head, but after a moment he seemed to focus on Dean's worried face. "Sorry," he whispered as his eyes hooded. He didn't look back up until he felt a hand hook under his chin and raise his head. Dean was almost nose to nose with him when he did and he would have backed away had he the strength to do so.

"If you never say sorry to me again it will be too soon." Dean bit out past a lump in his throat. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

Sam nodded like Dean remembered his six year old self doing years ago, back when he thought Dean was superman and his dad could rope the moon. He smiled a little at the memory, and realized that maybe every memory he had didn't have to be bittersweet. Maybe, with each other, they could move on.

"Okay Sam, I need you to keep this thermometer under your tongue until I say. Can you do that?"

Sam nodded again with an innocence that he hadn't seen in a long long time. He went to draw a cool bath should his brother want to wash off later and when he came back he saw that Sam had nodded off, but he still had the thermometer under his tongue. When Dean looked at his temperature however, all the blood rushed from his face. 104 degrees was not good for anyone, but it could be dangerous for an adult. Dean looked from the thermometer to his brother and realized that Sam wasn't even sweating anymore his temperature was so high. His brother hadn't just nodded off, he had passed out.

"Sam, SAM!" Dean shook his brother's shoulders but to no avail. Sam's head bobbed back and forth, finally coming to a rest against the bed frame. His lips were parted and he was panting out shallow breaths. Far too shallow for Dean's liking. Oh no, there was no way in hell he was losing what was left of his fragile existence.

"BOBBY!"

A/N: Hey everybody. I'm glad you guys are enjoying this. Your reviews are wonderful and I appreciate them. I hope this chapter lives up to all the hype. This was going to be a one-shot, but my muse has decided to make it a bit longer. Thanks! Limp-sam forever!