Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural, or the characters, and chances are that I never will.

Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter! I'm glad that people are enjoying this fic so far.

Enjoy!

23rd of February, 2006

Two days later, and while it was clear that John was still far from okay, the doctors informed Dean and Sam that he would be able to go home in a few days. But while he would be released from the hospital, it wouldn't be that simple, he wouldn't be able to travel, that much went without saying, so Sam and Dean suddenly found themselves on the verge of becoming carers for their dying father for the short amount of time he had left.

And terrified by what lay ahead, while John was resting, when one of the ward nurses came in to check on him, and after she was done she asked the persistent question. "So, is there anything I can get you boys?"

"No thanks, sugar." Dean replied smoothly, as always.

This time Sam spoke up. "Actually, Kate, there is something."

Kate turned back to face Sam, and asked. "And what's that, Josh?"

Sam glanced over at his slumbering father and then his brother. "Um, I don't really know... I probably should just let you get back." Sam began, nearly losing his nerve.

Seeing the younger man's distress, Kate moved back over to the bed, and took a seat beside Sam. "I'm about to go on break, I've got time. What's on your mind?" It wasn't true, she was very busy, but she knew that right now this family was going through hell, and needed to be supported as much as possible.

"I was just thinking that with Dad meant to be getting out of here in a few days..." Sam ran a hand through his hair nervously, pulling it out of his face, only to have it fall back in place almost immediately. "I don't know what we're meant to be doing. When he comes home" Figuratively, Sam still knew they'd have to figure out some more permanent accommodation soon "what's he going to need? Do we need to have anything ready before he leaves here? Who are we meant to call if there's a problem? I just..." Sam sighed wearily "there's just so much, and I don't know..."

Dean stared at his younger brother in shock, he hadn't even considered this, in his mind, their father leaving here meant they'd pick him up and hit the highway; everything would sort itself out, somehow.

Kate on the other hand, as an oncology nurse of eight years, had seen families going through much the same situation, and she comfortingly placed a hand on Sam's slightly shaking shoulder as she said. "It's alright, Josh. It's normal to feel overwhelmed, this is a lot to take on. I'm probably not the best person to be helping you with those sort of things, but if you'd like I can get someone from social work up here to talk to you, they can set you up with anything up might need, contact details, information about where to get medical supplies, financial assistance if it's needed."

Sam paused for a moment, his family had fled more than one town in his youth to avoid social workers, and now he was meant to voluntarily speak with one?! But the rational side of Sam's mind won out, and he replied. "Yeah, that'd be good, thanks."

"Okay, I'm pretty sure that Maria is the social worker on today, I'll page her, and she'll be in to see you as soon as she can."

"Thanks."Sam replied gratefully, before watching as the nurse left the room silently.

Kate had barely made it out the door before Dean shouted at Sam, rage in his voice, brought on by years of living in fear of the system. "What the hell are you thinking, Sam!?! We don't need a damn social worker nosing around! Go out and tell that nurse that we don't need any help."

"Calm down, Dean." Sam said soothingly, this wasn't helping anything. "I know it's weird, man, but we're not kids anymore, it's not like we're kids and they're trying to take us from Dad. We are going to need help with this, Dean, Dad is dying, and we are going to need help."

Dean looked over towards his sleeping father. Dean was silent for several minutes, and Sam knew better than to speak up, eventually he said. "I know we're not kids anymore... but, look man, I don't know, this is so screwed up. It feels like yesterday we were kids, and Dad was the one looking after us, and now these people are saying that he's, he's not going to get through this, and... He can't be dying, it's not happening, man, I'm not going to let it happen."

Sam sighed tiredly and rested his head in his hands.

He was in the same position when the social worker, Maria Dias entered the room several minutes later. Both Sam and Dean looked up as soon as they heard her footsteps, only Sam greeted her. "Hey, you're Maria, right? The social worker?"

"That's me." Maria replied lightly, she then asked. "Do you want to talk in here, or should we find another room so we don't wake your father?"

"I don't really mind." Sam replied easily, before turning to his brother and asking. "What about you?"

"I don't care what you two do, but I ain't leaving here." Dean replied obstinately, keeping his gaze fixed on his father.

"We can stay here." Sam offered, as much as Dean didn't want to be involved or so much as prepared for what was to come; Sam knew that he needed to be.

"Okay." Maria agreed gently as she pulled over a seat, so that she was sitting in front of the brothers.

Dean stubbornly kept turned away towards John, while Sam appeared open to speak with the social worker.

Maria offered a small smile. "Okay, so Kate told me that you're not quite sure about taking your father home to care for him. I'm here to help out however I can, so feel free to ask me anything, the only stupid question is the one you don't ask."

Sam glanced sideways at his brother, before awkwardly beginning. "We don't even have a place to stay, he was just passing through town when he ended up here. And it's not like we're rolling in cash."

"That's alright, I'll make some calls and see if I can find you somewhere affordable to rent, you just leave it with me. What else?"

Encouraged by one success, Sam continued. "What sort of things are we going to need to have? I mean is he going to need help getting around or anything like that?"

"As time progresses you will probably need a fair amount of medical equipment, mobility aids and such, maybe in home nursing care, I'll keep in contact with you and continuously assess what is needed, and organise things as they're needed."

"Is he going to get any better than this? Or will he just... slip?"

"The doctors can give you a better idea of that than I can, but I can tell you that while he may have good days, without further treatment he will inevitably go downhill."

Just then, something inside Dean snapped, and he turned to face Sam and Maria, and he shouted at them. "Shut up! Just stop already, we don't need this! He's not dying! Get out of here!"

Sam stood up, and with his hands in a motion of 'calm down', he said. "Okay De-...Greg, she's leaving. Just calm down."

"You too. Get out." Dean said coldly, his voice betraying his rage.

Stunned, Sam followed Maria out of the room, leaving Dean to stew in his emotions; Sam knew his brother well enough to know that there was no chance of talking to him when he was like this.

TBC...

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