Here's the second chapter!
I'm deeply grateful to everyone who took the time to read and, most importantly, review this little story. Thank you!
Disclaimer is the same as previous Chapter!
Enjoy your reading, folks ^.^
Sam Winchester had mastered the art of driving one handily when his shoulder was broken so the ride was quite smooth and the humming of the engine helped Castiel into a state of half consciousness as his breath synchronized with the spasms, helping to wait them over.
It was almost bearable.
Until they caught a hole in the asphalt and he cried out for the unimaginable pain it caused.
"Shit! Sorry Cas, sorry!"
"S-Sam...hurts..."
"Shh, shh. Easy buddy. Hold on just a little longer."
" 'm tired..."
"Hush. Don't talk: save your strength. Just focus on your breathing and stay with me, ok? I swear we're almost there."
He underlined his promise with a squeeze of the angel's hand and felt it returned by his shaking cold fingers.
Only then it occurred to him that his friend's hands were unharmed: he couldn't - or wouldn't - deliver a single blow during the brawl.
It'd have been so much like him, always going extra lengths to protect his charges, no matter the price.
The Winchester furrowed his brow, took a deep breath, and flattered the accelerator.
Screw speed limits, security and police! He wasn't risking Cas' life for their sakes.
He had already given too much for them.
Just ten minutes later they pulled into the hospital parking lot and Cas lost his grip over awareness when Sam picked him up again and ran into the Emergency Room with him cradled in his arms like a child, the adrenaline giving him the extra boost of energy he needed for such an effort.
As he stormed into the ER calling from help, the nurses rolled immediately a gurney towards him and he carefully laid Cas on it, as gently as he could.
They rushed away the unconscious angel but one of the nurses – a middle aged woman named Judy – stopped Sam and started asking him questions.
Still shocked himself, the hunter answered hastily without really listening to her: "He's my brother: Castiel...Winchester."
"What happened to him?"
"He was mugged." Technically, it was the truth.
"Ok. Thank you..."
"Sam."
"Sam. You've done a good job bringing him here. Now just sit there, ok? Take a deep breath Sam. It's allright: your brother's going to be fine."
She guided him to a seat in a separated, quieter waiting room and rubbed soothing circles on his back until his breath evened and his head felt clearer.
When he turned to the woman she met his eyes with a warm smile: "Do you feel a little better, dear?"
He gave her a shaking nod.
"Great. Now I must bring you some papers to fill, do you think you can manage it?"
The hunter took a deep, ragged breath and regained full control of himself: "Yeah, sure."
She smiled again and left.
Judy came back a few minutes later, carrying the sheets and a cup of tea.
Sam wrote quickly – he had readied a fake ID and Insurance documents at the name of 'Castiel Winchester' when the angel started feeling sick from the depletion of the stolen Grace – handed the sheets to the nurse and accepted the drink with a grim expression: "Any news?"
"I'm afraid not, dear. They took him to the Trauma Room and are working hard to get him stabilized. I know it sounds serious but don't worry: this team is the best and he'll be allright in no time. You'll see!"
"May I see him, please?"
"Not now, dear. I'm afraid..." her pager beeped and she ran away without finishing.
With a sigh, Sam slumped in his seat and started sipping his tea.
As he imagined it was too sweet and left a tinge of chemicals in his mouth, but it was warm and helped him preventing another anxiety crisis.
He was too worried to be angry: they had just lost Charlie, and Dean...he kept telling himself that what happened was only due to the Mark, that his brother had lost control for a moment.
Only to come to the conclusion that it didn't completely justify him from attempting to kill Cas.
Because, no matter how hard he tried, Sam couldn't erase the sight of the angel blade struck into that book, right next his friend's head.
Rubbing his tired eyes with a hand, he resigned to keep waiting until someone decided to bring him some news.
Later he resolved to text Dean to inform him of the consequences of his actions.
He didn't expect nor received any kind of answer but felt a little better doing it.
As soon as he finished, two cops – a white blond man and a Hispanic woman – materialized in front of him and started asking questions about how his brother got wounded.
He made up a plausible story and described them Eldon and Jacob Styne as the assaulters.
The police officers were extremely professional and kind but, when they left, he couldn't hold a breath of relief.
Noone else came to visit him and he lost track of time until a man with a bloodstained plastic smock over his scrubs entered the room and handed him a medical file.
"Mr. Winchester? I'm doctor Page. I'm in charge of treating your brother."
"How is he?"
The doctor frowned and sat next to Sam, never a good sign.
"How is Cas, doctor?"
"He's alive and we managed to stabilize him for the moment. We're giving him oxygen and a transfusion, which helped him regain his consciousness. Now he's awake and alert, even if comprehensibly shaken."
"Great...but?"
"But I'm afraid to inform you that he developed a serious internal bleeding and his broken ribs have damaged one of his lungs so much that we had to insert a chest tube. We've the situation temporarily under control but he's going to need surgery or...well...it's unlikely for him to pass the night otherwise."
"Is he...does he know it?"
"At the moment no. He's far too weak to clearly understand what's going on. That's why I'm asking your permission to proceed: he's in no condition to give it."
"R-right then...where do I have to sign?"
"There, please."
Sam handed the file back to the doctor who nodded and stood: "You may visit your brother now. We'll leave you two alone for a couple minutes before we sedate him for the operation."
Dr Page guided Sam to the Trauma Room while briefing him: "Apart from his broken arm, dislocated elbow and wrist, and several fractured ribs, Castiel's got a cracked skull and cheekbone, broken nose and is moderately concussed...don't worry, though: it's very unlikely for him to suffer long term brain damage. Usually we'd avoid operating in such conditions but the internal bleeding I told you about leaves us with no choice. The OR is ready, the orthopaedic surgeon is coming and the general one is scrubbing up so I think they'll bring him up in less than an hour. Are there other family members that may be advised? He called out for you and a certain Dean."
"Yeah, sure! Dean...he's our older brother. He's in the Army...in the Middle East. I managed to contact him but he can't get a licence now and, well, we don't have anyone else."
"Oh! I'm really sorry! It must be a terrible moment for you! Oh, there we are. Please don't upset your brother in any way. If you can, explain what's going to happen and reassure him. Most importantly, please treasure the moments you're spending together. They might prove more precious than you can imagine."
Not reassured at all, Sam stepped into the threshold of the Trauma Room.
Happy Easter, everybody!
May the Easter Bunny bring eggs, chocolate and happiness to you all, and (hopefully) reviews to me!
