Chapter 4:

Review and be nice. We all try our best.

Hapoy Independance Day!

"Mmhn... " There was something squeezing him too much. He felt.. Tight, like someone had a hold of him or.. Parts of him and was not letting go? It was bothering. There was something else even more bothering.

His head. Oh man, it hurt. It hurt bad. "M'he'd.. " he couldn't talk right, he knew what he was saying but it wasn't coming out right. He couldn't move more than maybe half an inch. His back was itching, his leg was itching. There was something cold on half of his face but other than that he felt like he was on a really comfortable blanket. Just mushed in there, that felt good. That was the only comfort.

Oh no, was he..

Dean thought back to two years ago when he'd learned what a stroke was. He knew what a stroke was, a small stroke to be exact, but how and why it happened he had no knowledge of and still sorta didn't 'cause he forgot. His mechanic friend had one and Dean took him to the hospital. They said he had a stroke. His name was David.. Davin, Hayvan..? Something like that. He was a really good kid, large in frame but very childish, and sorta like Sam. Always curious, willing to learn. He was from another country and had a strong accent that had almost every lady coming through their shop dropping their panties. He always got a tip, big ones even and since he was so nice he'd share with Dean. Man, Dean wondered where that kid was now.. It was like his best friend, but Dean knew he's only working that job for a few weeks and would bounce with his dad. Couldn't get close to people. It sucked.

All that thinking had distracted him from the pain in his head and the tight feeling in his right leg then it was all back, rushing through him. He groaned, just barely arching his back when he tried to move and it jolted his leg. "Unmh.. " another groaned escaped him, followed by a whimper. He wouldn't admit to it, but he was really hurting. His eyes were having trouble opening & he couldn't remember what was the last thing that happened?

What time was it? Where was Sam? Was Sam hurt? He could be hurt! Where was he? Did a hunt go wrong..? What had happened.. "Ngh.. S'm.. " he tried to talk again, but the mask on his face was limiting his lip movement. More pain shot through his leg up his spine to the back of his head making him call out in pain. "Aghh..! S'm.. S'm, h'lp.. "

Breathing going erotic, he dug his fingers into the sheets under him then tried to open his eyes again. He finally did, but there was nothing but a blur. Just one big dark blob of nothing.. It made him want to throw up, but he felt too.. Heavy to even move. He was going to choke to death from his own puke. Hold it down he told himself. Seconds later there was someone moving in his vision. His eyes just a slit open, but he could see two things moving. Someone was talking too, but he couldn't hear anymore.

"Hey.. Hey, Dean. It's okay, relax." Sam was squeezing Dean's hand then running his hand through his hair. Dean was in a lot of pain, the corner of his eyes trailed tears going down & his pained moans were echoing his ears. Wiping at Dean's tears, he hushed him. Whispering things in his ear, "I'm here, it's okay." He'd fallen asleep, too deep asleep to hear Dean's pained cries. His brother must've been so confused and probably scared. I mean, Sam would, he'd be scared if he lost more than half the day and had no idea where he was and in shit ton pain.

"Thank you, I don't know how I didn't wake up.. I.. " He couldn't understand how he didn't wake up.. He wasn't even that tired, bur he just slept so deep in such a bad position it's weird.

"It's okay, it happens. He's okay now. Going back to sleep for a while." Gavin smiled lightly, his hand squeezed Dean's shoulder then he looked down at Dean for one last time. Dean's features calmed, his heart calmed again and his head leaned more towards his brother as he slept with the new sedatives running through his body. He checked Dean's vitals one last time before leaving, but Sam stopped him. "How are you here..?"

Gavin raised a brow then nodded, understanding what Sam meant because EMTs don't usually hang around hospitals. They drop patients off and get lost. "I mean, you're not a.. Nurse here.. Right?" Somehow Gavin, the EMT from yesterday, had come in and given Dean a heavy painkiller through his IV when he'd heard Dean's monitor go off from the outside. While Sam came to from his sleep, Gavin had already calmed Dean down enough and tucked him back under. The younger Winchester even felt.. Jealous a bit, like.. This is my brother, only I get to make him feel ok and take care of him. Who are you? But that was childish and if it wasn't for Gavin, Sam would've slept through Dean crying himself to sleep or even more injury.

"Just an hour ago Joel and I brought another Patient. Her paperwork took too long & we're on break now. Joel & I have our breakfast in this hospital usually then we get going home. I thought I'll come by and check on you guys too. " He looked down at his feet like a shy child would. Gavin looked about 19 years old but overgrown, but who knew he could be 21 or a really young looking 40 year old.

"Oh.. I see. Thanks for checking up on Dean. He'd appreciate it, I appreciate it." Same held out a hand over Dean's bed to Gavin and Gavin shook it. His hands we soft. Sam was used to his and Dean's and maybe their dad's rough, worked out hands. Always handling guns, other weapons, papers, clicking away at their laptops, pressing button of any shitty motel remote and styrofoam of their shitty food they found in any shitty restaurant. But hey, it kept them alive.

It reminded him of how Dean had mentioned their mother's hands used to be. Sam never knew her, but he had put together how she'd feel like and really soft hands we hers. That's why his hands were always softer than Dean's & their dad's. He's always even get that he took after their mother.

"No problem. Say hello from us when he wakes. He won't be waking up in another few hours. You could get some breakfast." Gavin offered then he was about to leave when Sam denied the offer and Joel walked in.

"Oh hey, Sam. How's everything?" He looked over at Dean with his extremely light brown eyes. Sam just noticed, he'd never seen eyes like those. They were too light. "I see he's still pretty dosed up.. He'll be alright, Sam. Just a few hard weeks ahead of you guys with that ankle but he'll be good as new."

Sympathetic smile as he lightly rested his hand on Dean's good leg. Of course, Dean was too gone sedated to feel it. His head stuffed into the pillow, breathing equal. "How are you holding up? You look like you can use some food. Come, Gavin & I are about to have breakfast upstairs. Dean won't be up in a while." Joel decided to invite Sam to have breakfast with them.

Sam, of course, denied again not wanting to leave Dean and have Dean wake alone again but he was promised a nurse sitting at Dean's bed for the next two full hours while Sam freshened up so Sam agreed to go have breakfast with the two EMTs. They seemed nice enough.

"Two Cheese danish and one apple Danish. Three apples and a banana. Three chai, lemon, and could you pack maybe four sandwiches for Sam over there?" Joel pointed at Sam sitting at a lobby table with Gavin.

"Another one of your 'accident happen' friends?" Gina, the pretty Korean girl asked with a nod as she rang up all his purchases. She worked here, at the small cafe. Great friends of Gavin & Joel.

"Gavin's actually. This time Gavin's getting a real heart for.. his brother. I'll tell you all about it over lunch. Never seen Gavin like this before." They both looked over to Gavin & Sam sitting, Sam stuck in his wallet looking for something then pulling out a picture to show to Gavin. Gavin taking it to look at it in awe, smiling to himself. It was weird. Gina even gave Joel a raised eyebrow and Joel shrugged. "I don't know.." He then said, paying the money and taking the receipt. "Come to the table when you're free? I'm sure Gavin will love to tell you about Game of Thrones."

"He started watching it?"

"Yeah, he's pretty into it."

"Finally!"

"Hooked by second episode."

"Damn, took me about half a season before I got into it."

Gina gave him his change then Joel went over to the table with Sam.

"You and Dean go running everyday?" Asked Gavin. He really wanted to know Sam for some reason. Sam & Dean's relationship was so.. It was like watching two twins that /really/ love each other and would die without each other. It was fascinating. Of course, there was another reason too why he wanted to know Sam but that could wait.

Joel came to sit, sliding each one their breakfast and Gina came to give each one their cup of tea and Gavin a ruffle, messing up his hair. To Sam it was obvious Gavin was seen as the baby of the whole hospital and other Paramedics that came by. "Dean doesn't like to run." Sam frowned deeply, reminded of the guilt.

"I hate running." Joel added taking a bite from his apple danish "But guess who makes me run every other day." He had a poker face on and Sam looked over at Gavin, who had a huge grin on. "Yup.. " Joel tilted his heads towards Gavin. Poking his arm, "this guy" he said. To Sam, it was like watching himself and Dean but as Paramedics. They were like brothers too, really close. He wondered if it was okay to ask?

"Are you two.. Brothers?" He finally asked, after sipping his tea. It was really good. He immediately looked over at the Café worker to ask later how she made it? "No, I'm a single child of the family." Joel grabbed his apple, bitting into it. Continuing to talk with his mouth full. Too much like Dean. Too much like his Stanford dorm's neighbor's friend that used to come by but that was years ago. Sam never got to say Hi to him. "Gavin here is a single child too. I took him in when we became Ambulance partners. We live together now, save money & it works for our schedule. We just moved into another place a week ago. It's a lot bigger & nicer. Can't believe Gavin found it for so cheap."

Gavin had gone through all of his food, he might've been the kid of this place but he was large muscular boy like himself and required a lot of food probably and that's why he was eating Joel's banana now.

Joel only looked weirdly at Gavin as he sneaked away the banana and ate it then looked back at Sam, remembering, "I told Gina to make you some sandwiches and for Dean when he wakes. Remind me to get it before we're leaving."

"Oh no, you didn't have to.. " Sam looked over at Joel's name tag making sure he was saying his name right "..Joel."

"It's okay, Sam. It's on us. I understand how it gets when you're watching out for someone else you forget about yourself." Joel looked over to Sam & messed up his hair, I guess that meant Joel took care of Gavin a lot? "So it's okay. We'll poke you & remind you to eat and stuff while we're here." Gavin chuckled to himself. Joel was acting all big brother again, but towards Sam. It was funny.

Sam could only redden lightly. His irresponsibility had even them worried about his health. He was thankful, really. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry. Just.. I can't see Dean like that. He's always the badass big brother & I'm the little big hurt one. It's just.. I'm not used to it & this is my fault anyways. I.. " He was getting upset again. Gavin hated it when people blamed themselves and that's almost always when they'd roll up on an accident.

So Gavin got up and came around the table, leaving down to give Sam a hug then got back up to look down at Sam. "It's not your fault." He turned to the Cafe, grabbed Sandwiches that Gina had made and brought them to Sam with a smile flashing his watch to Joel who made 'O' lips.

"Looks like we garr' get going. Say hello to Dean from us!" The both of them grabbed their trash, trashing them and took off jogging towards the ER exit of the Hospital. Sam left there sitting, looking somewhat lost but happy from the hug. He'd never met another man that.. Hugged. He did, but those were little kids but this was a grown man of the age 24. Joel was almost 29 in a few days. On Independence day to be exact as Gavin had said. But it just reminded him of himself. When Dean would be upset, he'd hug Dean and it almost always made Dean a little happier.

After a few minutes of just sitting there & thinking maybe it's not his fault? He finally got up and went to 'Gina' if he remembered correct. It was just before noon and it was starting to get crowded. Gina served a few others than told Sam what kind if tea packs she used. "If you time it right, the tea bag will let out all it's taste before you take it off the stove." She said, moving the material inside the teabag around her pal to show Sam what was in it.

After than Sam when back downstairs to Dean's room who had just started slightly moving and was about to wakeup.

TBC..

Review and be nice~ We all try our best. Happy Independance day!

~SayLo