Authors note: I feel bad about making people wait for this next chapter but I only get to write on Sunday's and Tuesday's which are my days off. Last weekend I went on a road trip to Austin and Abilene with my younger sister to see her favorite singer at not one but two different venues so I wasn't able to work on it at all. It's a short trip from OKC where we live but it's a hard trip to do in 2 days and by the time I got home Sunday night I was toast. Sorry folks. Thanks for sticking it out and I promise to get cracking on the next chapter right away.

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The only thing worse than the ride to the hospital, was the ride back from the hospital for 9 year old Sam Winchester. Leaning against the door he stared out the window at the snowy mess that started his whole nightmare. He closed his eyes to block out the view, but memories of his brother lying deathly still in his hospital bed filled his head instead. Unwanted tears filled his eyes and he reached up with his sleeve to wipe them away. Taking a quick look at Jim to see if he had noticed, he turned and rested his head against the door again staring at the glove box instead of out the window. Jim's eyes were trained on the snowy road but he caught the wipe out of the corner of his eye.

'Hang in there Sammy, your brother will be up and back home sooner than you think.' he thought to himself.

"Sammy, how about we get something to eat before we head back to the rectory. You've got to be starving by now. I don't think you've anything but chips and pop since yesterday. Your call, any place you want."

Sam stayed silent as he leaned against the door. His empty stomach was starting to complain. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to eat a little something. He sat up and turned to Jim who was pleased to see the young boy's response. "Pastor Jim, I guess I am a little hungry. Can we stop by Mickey D's?"

"Sure thing Sammy, I think there is one a few miles down the road." Jim answered Sam, grateful he was willing to eat anything even if it was his usual fast food diet. The rest of the ride stayed quiet until Jim got up to the drive thru menu board.

"So Sammy what will it be?" he asked turning to the young boy. Sam looked over, scouring the menu until he made his decision.

"Don't laugh but do you think I can get a happy meal? Dad says they're for babies and he never lets me get one. Dean will sometimes get me one as long as they put it in a regular bag and not in that stupid box." Sam asked looking hopeful at Jim.

"Of course Sammy what ever you want but do you think that will be enough. I mean you can get something else as well if you want." Jim asked smiling back at the young boy.

"No that's okay; I'm not really that hungry. Oh and can we get Dean a double cheeseburger? You know when he wakes up he's gonna be really hungry. He likes his with extra ketchup and mustard." Sam asked not realizing what he was saying until he saw the look on Jim's face. Quickly tears filled back up in his eyes and this time he didn't bother to wipe them away.

"Aww Sammy, Sammy, Sammy…." Jim said with a sad smile, reaching over to comfort his young friend. "I'll make you a deal. As soon as Dean wakes up we'll bring him a dozen double cheeseburgers."

"But what if he doesn't wake up." Sam asked, tears still in his eyes.

"I told your father and I'm telling you again. Your brother is gonna be okay and the next time you see him, I promise, he will be awake. Now let's get our food and head back to the Church." Jim answered with certainty. Sam accepted the older man's promise with a nod.

It was starting to snow again when they parked in front of the church. Jim grabbed their bags of food and the two of them made a dash for the door. Once their food was eaten, Sam threw the garbage away and quietly sat back down staring at the table. Jim recognized his young charge was still worrying about his brother. He starting running different scenarios through his head on how he could get Sammy busy without making it look too obvious as to what he was doing.

"Sammy listen, I have a project that I have been working on for, well, since forever. It involves alphabetizing and re-shelving all my books in the library. Over the years I've collected so many, it just seems impossible to keep up with them all. It's gotten so I can't even walk around the library without tripping over a pile. I would be forever grateful if you would give me a hand organizing them up on the shelves." Jim stopped hopeful when he saw a spark of interest in Sam's eyes.

"Sure thing Pastor Jim." Sam answered half heartedly. He may be young but he wasn't so young he didn't recognize the ploy to keep him busy. He stood up waiting for Jim to give him further instructions.

"Why don't you go and get started Sammy. I've have to take care of some church business and then I will be in, in a little bit. Just start out by separating them by subject and then we'll divide them by author later on." Jim stood up and walked the boy to the hallway towards the library. "If you need me, I'll be in my office."

"Okay Pastor Jim." Sam gave the older man a smile before turning around and heading down the hall to the church's library. It was hard work lifting some of the heavier volumes but Sam did the best that he could with those. Several hours went by in a flash and soon he found he was feeling hungry again. He wandered back up the hallway to where Jim's office was, pausing to stop just outside the slightly opened door because he could hear Jim was on the phone.

"I know you were hoping for things to be moving quicker Johnny but you have to have faith that he is getting the best care possible. I know… but if they say he needs to be on the vent a little while longer then you're gonna have to trust that they know what they are talking about." Jim's voice was almost a whisper as he talked to John with his back to the door. Sam's heart started beating wildly when he realized Jim was talking to his father about Dean. He held his breath and leaned in closer to the door accidentally opening it further.

"Well as long as his heart rate is increasing I say that's a good sign, and his body temperature is almost normal again. That's great news. What else are the doctors saying Johnny?" Jim sat silent as John continued to fill him in on Dean's condition. When Jim started talking again Sam knew he was talking about him. "No I have him busy in the library putting up some of my books. That should keep him busy for at least little while.…no, he's been quiet since we got back, has barely said a word. I know he's really worried about Dean…...No I haven't told him about that….You don't think we can sneak him in, I mean maybe later on tonight just for a minute……He's not gonna like that you know Johnny...I'll do what I can to keep him busy here, don't worry. There are some parishioners I have to get out and visit today so I'm gonna take Sammy with me. The change of pace will do him good and give him something to think about besides his brother."

Sammy let go his long held breath as he listen to Pastor Jim finish up his call with John. Jim put down the phone and seemed lost in his thoughts for a moment when he swiveled around in his chair and looked right at Sammy leaning in the doorway.

"I suppose you want to know how your brother is doing now?" he said with a smile and a gesture welcoming Sam into his office. Sam blushed at being caught and quickly walked in, sitting down in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"I think you and I are going to have to work on your sneaking up skills." Jim said with a chuckle when he saw Sam blush even more.

"Ahhhhh…" Sammy stammered, not sure if he was in trouble or not for listening in on Pastor Jim's conversation with his father.

"It's okay Sammy, I won't tell your father." Jim said with a wink. "Now about Dean, your father just told me they've moved him up to the CCU a little while ago, so he's no longer down in the ER. He says the nurses are already taking real good care of him, and they still have him on the ventilator, but your father said his heart rate is better and the doctors are thinking about weaning him off of it by tonight. Also his temperature is almost normal which is really good news. Other than that his condition hasn't really changed that much."

Jim stopped when he saw Sam's face drop.

"He's hanging in there kiddo and so should you." Jim came from around the desk and rested his arm on Sam's shoulders. "Listen young man, your brother is a force to be reckoned with. He's a holy terror and as soon as he wakes up your father won't have to call us to let us know, we'll hear him from there."

"He'll be driving all the doctors and nurses so crazy they'll beg us to come and get him won't they?" Sam said with a smile.

"You know it Sammy. I know it's hard to sit back and wait, but your brother is getting better even as we speak. Now don't take this as another reason to keep you busy but I really do need your help today. All this snow is creating havoc on the ability of some of my older parishioners to get around. Since they can't make it out, I'd thought that we could go visit some of them and see how they are doing, are you game?"

He didn't want to disappoint the good Pastor, but sitting around old people was the last thing 9 year old Sam wanted to do. Then again, it would get him out of the rectory and keep him from worrying about his brother for at least a little while. Sam thought about it for a moment more before coming up with another idea.

"Can't I just stay here by myself, or maybe you can drop me back off at the hospital so I can stay with Dad and Dean." he asked hopefully.

"Sam I'm sorry but you can't stay here by yourself and as far as visiting your brother goes, the hospital has rules regarding minors and I'm afraid we wouldn't even be able to sneak you in. There would be too many people around who would see you and we don't want to get into any trouble now do we?" Jim said knowing how heartbroken the young boy was and how desperate he was to see his brother.

"I'd be real quiet Pastor Jim. They'd never know I was even there, I promise." He looked up with his puppy dog eyes hoping against hope they would work on the older man.

"Samuel…" Jim shook his head trying not to laugh at such an obvious ploy. Sam hung his head knowing he had lost his last chance at seeing his brother anytime soon.

"I had to try Pastor Jim." He said looking back up with a sly smile.

"I would expect nothing less from you Sammy, you are a Winchester after all. Now let's get going before it gets too late. I don't want to be trying to drive on these roads after dark." Jim led Sam back down the hall to the back door. After bundling up, they drove off into the lightly falling snow. It would be several more hours before they returned and when they did, there would be news about Dean.

Tbc