Evasion – 7/?
By Deliciously Weird
Pairing: Chloe/Sam
Characters: Chloe Sullivan, Bobby Singer, Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester, Bobby Singer
Rating: This is an adult fiction, it is not appropriate for children of any age. (Adult Language, Violence, off screen death and Sexual situations)
Series: At Home in Your Heart – Book 2 (Book 1 - Ineffable)
Description: Truly alone for the first time in her life, Chloe tries to cope while being hunted.
Warnings: Spoilers for up to season 8 Smallville and up to season 3 supernatural. This is AU but prior character history is mostly canon. I do not have a beta, so all mistakes are my own.
Disclaimer: All recognized characters from Supernatural are property of Eric
Kripke/CW. All characters, references, and other things pertaining to Smallville are property of the WB, DC Comics, Tollin-Robins, Al Gough & Miles Millar, and J. Siegal & J. Shuster. I make no money for my labors, only friends.
Chloe kept drifting in and out of awareness. She could hear worried voices around her. She was lifted and carried, then laid down on a something moving. She tried to swim up to consciousness, but could not reach the surface. She grew tired of the struggle and relaxed into the cool black darkness of her unconscious mind.
Time passed as she lay there, she was conscious of that. Every once in a while a voice would penetrate the darkness.
"She just collapsed doctor and she won't wake up. Some of her stitches have torn as well".
"I am her closest living relative. I would be the one to make decisions".
"Wake up girl. Sam will be here to see you soon".
"Poor thing, being attacked by that dreadful monster".
"He asked me out on Friday, but I don't know if I am going to go. I have heard from some of the other nurses what a dog he is".
"Chloe. Oh god. Chloe please". She knew that voice. It seemed important and she tried to reach it, but the darkness pulled her back down. "Wake up love, I need you".
"Call her Sage Sam".
"We don't know why she won't wake up. With coma cases it's hard to tell what will happen. We think that there may have been some kind of bacterial contaminant on the Bear's claws. Our other attack patient had a hard time of it until just recently. We had her on an oral antibiotic to keep her from developing the same infection. We are going to give her the same IV antibiotic the young man responded so well too now that she is unconscious".
"Is she going to be okay"?
"She is young and I am hopeful. However, with how under weight she is, it could be touch and go. The longer she goes without waking up, the greater the chance she won't wake up. It's too soon to really be worried about that however". Under weight? She knew she had lost weight recently but surly not that much.
"Sammy, you should go rest, it's been days. Bobby still has the cabin rented".
"I can't leave her here alone Dean. I don't want her to wake up alone".
"Go get some sleep, I will stay with her".
"There is no medical reason that she should still be unconscious Mr. Singer. Her wounds are healing much better than expected. All we can do at this point is wait and pray".
"Please Father, don't take her from me. I beg of you to help her wake up, help her heal. Please don't take her from me too. I can't lose her too". Then the voice spoke softly for a long time in Latin. Chloe clung to that voice, she knew that voice. She loved that voice. Sam? She struggled towards him but couldn't quite reach, exhausted she floated back down into darkness.
"No, she hasn't woken up yet. I'll call you if there is any change".
"Yes, I will come back to sleep tonight if you come sit with her".
"Alright I'll see you shortly".
Chloe opened her eyes and blinked at the bright light. Above her she saw industrial ceiling tiles. When she moved her arm she felt the pinch of an IV in the back of her hand. Great, she really had to stop waking up in hospitals. It was becoming a deplorable habit of hers.
Chloe stretched and groaned when she tried to move her leg. Okay ouch! Let's not do that again.
"Chloe?" Sam's voice was jubilant. "Sweetheart, oh thank god you're awake!"
"Sam?" Chloe turned her head to look at the man she loved. God it was so good to see him. He looked tired and drawn, but his expression was of pure joy. He leaned over with tears in his eyes and kissed her forehead.
"Oh thank god you are awake. I was so worried sweetheart. Let me get the doctor" Sam said walking to the door and bellowing for a doctor.
Well the hospital was just going to love that, she thought. Chloe tried to push herself up into a seated position but felt weak and let her body fall back down. Sam came back over and elevated the head of the bed for her. Then he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her into his arms.
"I love you so much Chloe. God, you scared me. I thought I might loose you".
"I would never leave you Sam" Chloe said wishing she could tell him just how able she might be to keep that promise. Chloe kissed his cheek and held onto him as tightly as she could.
"Sir, Sam you need to move aside. We need to check on her" a nurse said as she came into the room.
Sam sat back down in the chair he had been sitting in beside her bed. He maintained his grip on her hand as long as possible. A doctor came in and checked on her, doing tests on her motor functions and responses. Chloe did what the doctor asked of her, but her eyes kept drifting to Sam sitting quietly in the corner. Their eyes would lock until someone stepped in-between them. The doctor had to repeat himself several times to get her attention.
"Well Miss Baker, you seem to be doing better than expected. You are still a bit disoriented, but that is to be expected coming out of a coma".
"How long?" Chloe asked.
"Almost three days Miss Baker" the doctor answered.
Three days? That was much longer than she had expected. Usually she collapsed for up to twelve hours or died. She had never slipped into a coma that long. Chloe wondered if it had something to do with how she forced the separation. That had felt like an injury to her, not taking on John's injury.
"Three days? That's a long time. How is John doing"?
"Let's just say we are glad that you woke up when you did Miss" the doctor said with a smile. "John is doing great. He was discharged yesterday. Why don't we get one of the nurses to bring you something to eat? Do you think you could eat something for us"?
Chloe nodded and agreed that she would try to eat.
"I am going to put you on a diet. I want you to try to follow it closely. You need to gain at least five pounds. Your boyfriend told me that he thinks you have lost at least 15 lbs in the last 4 months. You simply can't afford to loose any more and you don't need to. You were at a healthy weight 15 pounds ago" the doctor said.
"I'll do my best doctor" Chloe said agreeably. It was always best to just agree with doctors if you intended to follow their advice or not. Chloe was fairly sure that she would not be able to follow his diet when she was living out of her bike, but she would do the best she could.
The doctor walked out and Chloe was alone with Sam again. She had no idea what to say. 'Hi, I am so sorry I went into a coma I was intending to run away from you' just didn't sound like a good conversation starter. She could tell by the look in his eyes sort of sad and desperate that he was hurt, scared and probably angry at her. She looked at him unable to drag her eyes away. God he looked so good. She had wondered if her mind recalled an idealized image of him, but there he was flesh and blood and wonderful.
Sam walked over and sat on the edge of her bed again. He lifted his hand and cupped her cheek softly. "I was so worried that I would never get to see your eyes again. You laid there so still" he said softly.
Chloe turned her head and kissed the palm of his hand. "You look good Sam. I have missed you so very much. I heard you sometimes talking to Dean and the doctor. At first I couldn't even remember who you were, but I knew I had to come back to you".
Sam leaned forward and laid his forehead against hers. "Don't ever leave me like that sweetheart".
"I will always come back to you my love" Chloe told him. She knew she couldn't promise not to collapse again. If anything every happened to him or Dean she would use her gift without a second thought.
He cupped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her into him. His lips pressed against hers undemanding, they just lingered softly in a gentle kiss against hers. Chloe closed her eyes and slid her hands into his hair. God she loved his hair. It was soft and fine and long enough to hold onto. She didn't use her fingers to pull him closer or deepen the kiss. She just held onto him heart beating fast just from being close to him.
Sam pulled back and placed tiny kisses on her forehead, eyelids, checks, nose and mouth. It was sweet and cherishing, it make her feel very loved.
"You told me that you were doing well" Sam said accusingly. "I don't call being painfully thin doing well. I won't leave you out here alone again, not if you are going to run yourself into the ground".
"Sam, I can take care of myself" she said. "It was probably the wound. Didn't the doctor say there was some kind of weird bacteria or something"?
Sam kissed her forehead again. "Sweetheart, you don't look good. You have lost so much weight. Let me help you".
"I lost some of that weight before I even left Smallville love. I was taking all those self defense classes. It's really not that big of a deal". Chloe saw him about to interrupt and placed her fingers over his lips. "I promise to do better".
Sam kissed her fingers. "We can talk about this later. Right now I want you to concentrate on getting better sweetheart".
Someone behind Sam cleared their throat. Sam turned around and saw a nurse holding a tray.
"You can start right now by eating that entire tray" Sam said determinedly.
Chloe sighed knowing that in this case she was beat. "Bring on the Hospital Jell-O." She quipped at Sam. What do you know there really was Jell-O too, lime Jell-O.
Chloe and Sam talked about inconsequential things while she ate. Every time she pushed the tray away he would push it right back over her lap.
"Sam, I am full" Chloe protested.
"You have been asleep for three days Sweetheart. How can you possibly be full after half a sandwich"? Sam glared at her. "You promised love, now eat it all".
Of all the mother henning, worry worting, doing this for your own gooding, irritating, and stubborn, demanding, wonderful and stupidly sexy man of her dreams. If he didn't drive her to drink she swore she would love him forever. Hell she would probably still be pining for him from her suite at Betty Ford.
"You are the most frustrating individual" Chloe said. She tried to get him to call her Sage, but instead he was just boycotting a name for her at all. All she got from him was pet names. It was annoying. Cute and endearing it was really, but annoying all the same.
"Love, I have had it with doing things your way. From now on we are doing things my way. I won't, can't let things go on like this when it is obvious you aren't doing as well as you had lead me to believe"
Sam was deadly serious she could tell. This was just so sad, because he sure had another thing coming if he thought he could lay down the law.
"Sam Winchester, I love you dearly. So, I am really going to miss you after I choke you to death" Chloe said in a sickly sweet voice.
"Do you need a body guard in here Sammy" Dean said walking in the door.
"Dean!" Chloe said brightly. "I missed you Casanova".
Dean walked over and kissed her forehead then hugged her. "You had Sammy crying over you Princess. I glad your highness finally decided to wake up. It's rude to take a nap when you are expecting company".
"Even ruder to run off like a damn fool when you are unwell" said a grumpy voice from the doorway.
"Hey Bobby," Chloe said with a smile. "I am sorry to have worried you. I really didn't think I was going to pass out like that". She was getting better at the half truths; she hadn't expected to pass out like that true. Die for a while maybe. Get dizzy and have time to get somewhere to pass out for an hour or three maybe. She had not expected a 3 day coma from healing a leg.
"Him you are sorry for worrying. Me you glare at and threaten with bodily harm" Sam said with a laugh.
"Well he isn't half as annoying as you are when you go full on protective mode darling" Chloe said with a laugh. She caught Sam's eyes and the rolled her own at him.
Dean laughed at his poor brother. "That's what you get for picking a brainy chick to fall for Sammy. I suggest a dumb blonde next time".
Chloe reached out and slapped Dean on the arm. "What next time Romeo? He doesn't go through girls like underwear. Like some people. He can actually keep one longer than a day".
"Ouch. You wound me Beautiful".
Now that she was seeing them again Chloe realized that she missed them more than she thought. She reached out and took Sam's hand. "I really missed you both you know. Even though we talk every day it's not like being with you".
Sam pushed her over a little and sat down beside her one leg standing on the ground the other hip resting on the bed. Pulling her back into his arms he slid a little closer and whispered. "I missed your even more".
Chloe rested her head back against his chest, finally being in his arms again felt like heaven. She closed her eyes and turned her head pressing her cheek to his chest. How could she have forgotten this feeling? The first time she had felt it was at Echo's parlor. It was unlike anything in her life previously, the feel of him surrounding her, cherishing her, protecting and loving her. Her throat grew tight and her body shook with a suppressed sob. She just burrowed in closer to his warmth trying not to cry. She had felt so achingly alone since leaving Smallville. All of a sudden all the feeling she had been suppressing started to rise. Maybe it was because safe in his arms, she felt she was allowed to be week. The feelings running through her were overpowering.
She tried to hide her tears but Sam knew anyway. "Shh love, I'm here. I'm here for you" he whispered softly in her ear.
"Could you guys give us a couple minutes" Sam asked?
"Sure, we'll go get a coffee" Dean said as they left.
Her shoulders shook again and she gulped back another sob. Of course he would know, he read her body like an open book.
"Its okay love let it out. I am here. I won't leave you".
Finally, sitting in a hospital bed wrapped in the arms of the man she loved, she let go. She had suppressed everything she was feeling for weeks. All of her fears and her worry, her sorrow for a well loved life gone, for well loved friends she could no longer be with came out. Terrible heartrending sobs shook her body.
Sam simply held her and let her cry, whispering his love for her. He told her that somehow they would make it right. Chloe clung to him like a lost child, for that is what she felt like in that moment. She was lost and adrift in the world. She was strong. She knew would make it regardless, but it felt so good to let him hold her. To pretend that he could make everything right for her. Unable to put down new roots, she had felt unconnected to the world. She was an observer living her life, but not living life. Working with Bobby had given her purpose again. It had given her a job to do, a reason for being. Now that she would be leaving him, it felt like she had been cut adrift for the second time.
When she stopped sobbing Sam grabbed some Kleenex from the box beside her bed. She blew her nose and then laughed self deprecatingly. "I must be a mess" she sniffled.
"A bit yes" Sam admitted. "But you look beautiful to me. Want to tell me what that was all about? Was it your home, your friends, or the Bear?"
"Mostly I am missing home, my friends and my family. Honestly, LAMB is far from the scariest thing I have dealt with. I have even been in more danger than that a half a dozen times" Chloe said. "I feel like an idiot for sobbing all over you hon. I am not the kind of girl who cries all the time".
"I think you can be excused this time. Your life has been completely turned around" He said.
Chloe nodded. "The only good thing about this is that I finally get to be with you. I don't know if I would ever have been brave enough to leave my old life behind. I had people there that needed me, depended on me".
"If I could make it go away for you I would love. Even if it meant loosing you, I would still put it back for you" Sam told her rocking her in his arms slowly.
"Sorry to loose it. I think having you with me. it reminded me of everything I have lost".
"I can't make up for all of that Chloe. But I will give you everything I can".
"You can be enough for me Sam. You and Dean and Bobby, you guys can be enough. I can help you do your job. It's important and it's something worth dedicating your life too".
"I am hoping one day that we will be able to settle down somewhere sweetheart. Would you mind terribly living a normal life with me" Sam asked her seriously.
"Life with you could never be ordinary".
Bobby and Dean returned then. Dean, bless his heart, even snuck her in a contraband coffee.
"For this, I might just consider switching brothers" She told him.
"I see how it is," Sam laughed behind her.
Chloe looked up at him and smiled. She really was lucky to have him.
They talked quietly about the hunts they had just finished. Chloe kept her word and didn't say a thing about using her as bait. Chloe was chilled when the told her about their case. It had been a close call for Dean. They all acted like it was any other day talking and teasing each other.
It hit her then that it really was just like any other day. They lived very dangerous lives and close calls were not uncommon. Her normal partner in crime was invincible. So while she knew what they did was dangerous, she never really worried that much about Clark. She had to keep him mentally balanced and pointed in the right direction. Physically however she had rarely had to be afraid of loosing him. She guessed she would just have to get used to worrying more. She always worried a lot about Oliver, so she would now have three more stubborn heroic men to add to her list.
Chloe started to feel tired so she slid over a bit more to give Sam some room. Once he was settled she carefully curled up in his arms. Resting her head on his shoulder she drifted off to sleep.
When she woke up later, she wasn't sure how much time had passed. Bobby and Dean were gone, but she was still curled up in Sam's arms. His cheek was resting on top of her head. Chloe sighed contentedly.
"You awake" he asked.
"Yeah" Chloe said with a yawn.
"Good cause I really need to move now" Chloe chuckled as he slide out from under her and headed for the bathroom.
When he came back in his face was serious. "Chloe I want to talk to you. You aren't going to be able to ride your bike with that leg. Speaking of which, you never told me you were riding a bike" Sam arched an eyebrow at her.
"Well I didn't want to give you anything more to worry about. You already were stressing about me out alone. I hate how much we argue now. I just didn't want one more reason to fight. Sometimes I wonder if you are just going to give me up as too much trouble" she told him honestly.
"Well I actually think the bike is kind of sexy" Sam said.
Chloe couldn't help but grin. "Really? Well I didn't know you had an inner bad boy Sam".
He leaned over and kissed her warm and sweet. "Well that goes to show you don't know everything about me yet".
"I guess not" she grinned.
Sam sat down on the edge of the bed with a sigh. "I don't like us arguing either love. It's just the situation that is making things so difficult for us. Once you stop being so damn stubborn and let us help you we won't argue anymore".
"You are so deluded! If you think I will just roll over and do whatever you say, you have another thing coming".
"That is not what I meant". Sam stood up with a sound of frustration and walked to the other side of the room facing the wall. "Let me put it out there plainly. I think you take too many risks. I will always fight to keep you safe. None of that will ever change how I feel about you. I fight with you because I can't imagine my life without you".
He was so earnest that she could not doubt the words he spoke. "I do know that hon. When does the doctor say I can get out of here anyway"?
"Tomorrow if you are feeling up to it" Sam answered.
"Oh I definitely will be feeling up to it. I really hate hospitals" she told him.
Sam walked back over and sat on the edge of her bed. He was much closer than before. "Let me show you just how much my feelings haven't changed" he said in a low voice.
God what that voice of his did to her. She really wanted to kiss him. Mind and body were one hundred percent with that program; unfortunately she just couldn't let him do it. She placed a hand on his chest and pushed him away. "Sam stop".
"Chloe?" he asked softly in confusion.
"Sam I really hate to tell you this, but I haven't brushed my teeth in three days. You really really don't want to give me that kind of kiss right now".
Sam laughed, "No I guess I don't".
He kissed her forehead and stood up. Let me see if I can find your toothbrush. Your bike is still parked out front I just need to find your keys.
"Check the drawers," she suggested.
He opened a few drawers until he found her clothes. He dug in her jeans pocket and found her keys. He held them up jangling them in triumph.
"In the right saddle bag, there is a bag with my shower stuff" she said. "Bring me my Latin text book too. I might as well get some studying done while I am prisoner here".
"Ask and you shall receive" he said heading out the door.
How was she ever going to be able to leave him again? If she truly cared about him she would get far away from him. The problem with that was neither one of them wanted her to go. It was getting harder to remember why she should.
Sam came back with her entire shower bag and book. "You want me to get you a glass of water, or do you want to try to make it to the bathroom"?
"Bathroom" Chloe said definitively. Sam put her bag down on the counter in the bathroom and came back over to the bed.
"How does your leg feel?" he asked.
"It's sore and throbbing, but not more than I would expect. It's a lot stiffer than it was 3 days ago" she answered.
"Okay let me do most of the work at first. Once we get you on your feet we can see how it goes" Sam said.
He pulled down the covers then adjusted the bed until she was sitting almost straight up. "Hold onto my shoulders". He grasped her ankles and slowly slid her feet around off the bed. Chloe grasped his shoulders for balance. Leaning down over her he slid his arms around her. One went snugly around her waist the other around her back under her arms. He pulled her tightly to his body and took a step back from the bed letting her legs slide down straight. Her feet were still about 6 inches off the ground at that point. Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled in close to his body. It felt good to be pressed so close against him.
"Sweetheart" Sam cleared his throat. "We aren't going to get you to the bathroom if you don't stop kissing my neck".
"That wasn't a kiss, my lips just happened to be in the area". Chloe giggled at his reaction but decided to behave. She really did need to get to the bathroom and not just to brush her teeth. As pleasurable as it was to be pressed tightly to Sam, it was not helping her situation out at all.
Sam slowly let her slide down his body until her feet met the ground. What was he trying to do to her? How was she supposed to walk when he was making her knees feel weak? She wondered if her door had a lock or not. Sam held her shoulders firmly as he stepped back. She felt okay so far. There was a sort of pulling sensation in her right thigh, but she didn't feel unsteady at all.
"Not so bad. Just don't go far" she said.
Sam slid an arm around her back and grabbed one of her hands with his free one. "Alright love, slow steps".
While she really didn't want to try this yet without his support, she was walking pretty well. The wound on her right thigh felt tight and sore when she tried a few strides on it. So she settled for a sort of hopping stride. Sam took her all the way into the bathroom where she shoed him back out. "I think I can do this by myself"
Sam gave her a look and leaned his shoulder against the wall by the door which she shut in his face. The shower looked so inviting but she figured she better not. Sam would probably throw a fit for one. She probably should ask a nurse if it was okay if she took one first anyway. Chloe finished her business and opened the door.
"Sam, would you ask a nurse if it's okay if I take a shower. They even have a seat in here so I won't have to stand the whole time".
She didn't miss the fact that he glanced in to take a look at the seat before he left to find a nurse. She hoped that was just curiosity on his side. He was not going to help her take a shower. Sam came back with a nurse in tow. She had Chloe sit back down on her bed. She removed the bandage on her thigh and cleaned the wound gently.
"Alright, you can take a shower, but try not to touch your wound. This is looking really good, you are a fast healer. Have your friend come get one of us to bandage this when you are done." She was kind but a bit brisk. She did however hand Chloe a clean hospital gown on her way out so Chloe decided she liked her a lot.
Sam helped her back over to the bathroom. He did offer to help her, but did not push at all when she declined. Chloe took her shower standing up for the most part. She just had to sit down when she wanted to wash her legs. She felt much better once she was clean. Sam was still standing there waiting when she opened the door. Chloe smiled warmly at him. Feeling more like herself she stepped in close to his body and ran her hands up to his shoulders.
"Hello handsome did I mention yet just how much I have missed you?" she asked in a husky voice.
Sam groaned softly. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "Why don't you show me?" He said. Sam stooped down and wrapped one arm under her behind and picked her up off the ground bringing her mouth level to his. The position put a little pressure on her leg wound, but nothing bad enough to stop her from what she wanted to do next. Tangling her fingers in his soft hair she tugged his mouth down to hers. She loved the feel of his hard body pressed to hers. It felt different than before, where once she was soft against his hardness, now she was firm.
He seemed content to let her lead so she teased him first. Chloe kissed him softly at first, sweet kisses like a mother gave her child, while she ran her hands through his hair, fingernails lightly scraping his scalp. Sam groaned softly when she did that. She would have to remember to do that a lot. Then she nibbled all along his lower lip giving little licks of her tongue after each bite. His lips feel open for her when she did that, but she did not press her advantage. Chloe licked slowly under the bottom of his upper lip. Sam gave a soft little whimper of desire and pulled her in tighter against him. The increased pressure made the position uncomfortable for her.
"Bed" she said.
Sam carried her over and sat her down on the edge of the bed. Chloe sighed in relief. Even with her sitting on the bed he was taller than she was. Sam ran his hand over the back of her head, He gripped with his fingers but her hair was so short he couldn't run his fingers through it.
"I miss your hair" he said softly.
"I'll let it grow out if you want love. But I probably shouldn't dye it Blonde again. Better to make a change" Chloe said.
"I like you as a brunette actually. It suits your pale skin. I just wish I had enough to hold onto when I kiss you" he admitted.
Chloe chuckled. "I can hardly complain about that seeing I was trying to rip yours out just a moment ago".
Sam leaned over and kissed her softly. "Pull all you want love, it feels good. Well don't actually rip it out mind you".
Chloe tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling his mouth down again for a longer kiss. Her tongue slipped in between his eager lips as she held his mouth to hers by the soft locks in question. He opened his mouth readily to her seeking tongue with a groan. His lips were sweet and warm above hers. Chloe's heart started beating faster in response to his passionate nature. God this man drove her wild.
Sam wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he leaned into her bending her backwards. His mouth latched onto hers passionately. She felt helpless and out of balance as he held her laid halfway back towards the mattress. Chloe moaned and arched up towards his body, needing this so badly. They had been apart too long, her body was aching to feel his touch again.
"Sam! When I let you stay here after visiting hours, this was not what I had in mind" a voice came from the doorway.
Sam pulled back quickly with a blush at the nurse. This was a different nurse than had been there earlier. "Sorry, we just haven't seen each other in months."
He helped Chloe get situated on the bed. The nurse, Amanda, walked over and checked on Chloe's leg. "Well that is looking very good. We can probably take out the stitches on the smallest one tomorrow. Let me see if the doctor is available while we have you un-bandaged".
Amanda walked out briskly. Chloe burst into laughter the moment the door was shut. "We just can't catch a break can we"? Sam asked.
"I have to admit, I am beginning to wonder if we are cursed. I have been trying to lure you into my bed from the day we met" Chloe grinned.
Sam blushed and hugged her. "I will get you alone soon" he whispered in her ear. "Then I am going to worship every inch of your body. I am going to make love to you for hours".
By the time the doctor walked in Sam was sitting as well behaved as he could wish in the chair by her bed. He had not however been so well behaved even seconds before the door opened. Chloe just hoped that the doctor didn't attribute her flush to a fever.
He looked over her wound and approved removing the stitches from the smallest of them. He asked her a lot of questions about how she was feeling. Chloe answered him honestly for the most part. She just kept things on the positive side.
The doctor announced that she would be free to leave in the morning. He told her she should see her own doctor at home in a week or sooner if she had any problems. They had already given her a sheet of at home exercises when she was discharged three days ago. She was to do once them as she could once the wound healed enough. When he left, Amanda removed the stitches from the smallest of the wounds then bandaged her leg again.
"Now you two behave or I will have him tossed out of here" she reprimanded them on her way out.
Chloe grinned up at Sam sheepishly. "So want to help me with my Latin"?
Sam grabbed her book and pushed her over so he could sit beside her. He opened the book and began to read to her. Chloe rested her head on his shoulder peacefully.
They spent the rest of the evening studying Latin and whispering sweet nothings to each other. By mutual consent, they did not discuss anything they would argue about for the rest of the evening. When a new nurse came by on her nightly rounds she kicked Sam out telling him to go home.
"Please go get some rest love. You look exhausted. I'll be here in the morning waiting for you".
Sam gave her a loving lingering kiss before gathering his things to leave. "Dean dropped me off, so I am going to take your bike back to the campground if that's okay".
"Be good to my baby. She belonged to one of the best men I will ever know".
"I promise" he said as he grabbed her keys and walked out the door.
Checking out of the hospital turned out to be something of an ordeal. Sage Baker didn't have insurance. She also didn't have a social security number to apply for assistance with. Chloe gave them a random number which pulled up an old guy in Ohio. She apologized profusely and promised to send them the number once she got home. What she really planed to do was cash out some of her diamonds and settle her bill in cash.
Eventually they got it all sorted out. The Hospital insisted on pushing her to the front door in a wheelchair. Sam helped her to stand up, but she walked to the car mostly under her own power. Now that she was up and moving around, the muscles in her leg were loosening up again. Sam helped her into the car and climbed into the driver's seat. He had brought the Impala to pick her up from the hospital. He told her he left her bike at the campground where he had ridden it last night. That was good. Then she wouldn't need a ride to pick up her bike. She could leave from the campground anytime she liked.
"It's so good to be out of there. I hate being in the hospital" Chloe said.
"I am happy you are out too" he grinned. "Now I can kiss you without incurring the wrath of the nursing staff".
"Who said you were going to be getting any kisses Mr. Gable?" Chloe quipped with a smile. "Hospital cuisine and Latin lessons do not romance make".
"Well I guess I will just have to try harder then. I aim to get a lot of kisses from you" Sam smiled.
Chloe laid her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. It felt good to be out of the hospital, even better to be with Sam. They had spent so little time actually in the same room, hell in the same state even. Being with him she felt content.
"You tired sweetheart?" he asked her softly.
"Not physically, just tired".
"If your leg starts hurting you, put your foot on my lap to straighten your leg out" Sam suggested.
Chloe laughed. "It's only a half an hour to get to the park hon. I don't think I am going to stiffen up in that short a period of time".
"Chloe about that" Sam said tentatively.
"Sam?"
"Chloe I can't let you run off on that bike while your leg is still injured" he said.
"Sam what are you talking about?" Chloe said suspiciously.
"Look Chloe, I know you feel like you need to be on your own, and I appreciate how well you are handling all of this. But I won't let you keep running yourself into the ground" Sam said.
"It's my life and my choice Sam".
"No it isn't. None of this is your choice. You should be back home with your friends and family" Sam said.
"Yes, I would rather be home than roaming the countryside like a modern day Karen Blixen. That isn't what I meant. I know you want to protect me Sam, but don't you understand that I need just as badly to protect you. I can't, no I won't bring down my troubles on your head".
"Chloe your troubles are my troubles. If I had problems like yours, I know you would do everything in your power to fix them for me".
Chloe looked over at Sam trying to weigh the seriousness of his words. He was right actually, she would. That didn't negate the fact that a little caution now might save them years of trouble ahead. She knew when they got to the campground she would likely be given the same speech in different words from the two other members of her new family. That is what these brave men were becoming for her. They were her new family complete with gruff protective father. Then she had irritating teasing older brother who she knew would lay down his life for her. And then there was his brother the obsessively protective, just a bit too possessive love of her life.
"You're right Sam I…" Chloe looked at the passing scenery. "Sam you're going the wrong way. The campground is east not west".
"Chloe, I have been trying to tell you, but we got side tracked. I am not taking you back to the Campground. We are going to Bobby's house".
"What! Sam I want you to take me back to the campground right now. You do not get to decide where I go or who I stay with" Chloe said irritably.
"Sweetheart calm down please. It wouldn't do any good to take you back to the campground. Dean left 2 hours ago on your bike".
"That is just not fair to take advantage of a girl when she is sick. Dean is so going to get it when I see him. Don't think I don't realize who's idea this was mister. The only reason I am not braining you with the nearest heavy object is because you are driving".
"Love, we don't want to take advantage of you. We just want to take care of you. All three of us talked about it last night. We all agreed that you needed someplace to stay until you healed up enough to ride your bike comfortably again. Right now you would have trouble running if you had to, or you would end up tearing your stitches. I won't lie. You know I would rather you traveled with us. But you are right. You are an adult and we can't make your decisions for you. However, you did already promise Bobby that you would stay with him for a week. He said he was going to teach you to shoot. I don't think the DDS would have any way to connect Bobby with you. You have never talked to him on the phone before this week. What is the harm in doing that now rather than waiting?" Sam said persuasively.
Chloe sighed. He was right. She knew he was. "Okay, your reasoning is sound Sam, but I do not appreciate your high handedness. You really have a tendency to go a bit too far Sam".
"I know and I hope that you will forgive me. I am only doing this because I care for you. How would you follow the doctor's diet while traveling? I really am concerned about your weight. I love you Chloe, it would kill me if something happened to you".
"Okay I give. You three can play nursemaid to me for a week. If you do something like this again however, you will be in so much trouble".