Breakdown
Chapter 7
It was close to noon before Sam made it back to the hospital. He had to wait again before being admitted to the unit. This time the doctor who met him was a man who looked to be close to retirement age. World weary eyes looked out from behind a pair of wire rimmed glasses.
"Dr. Taylor said you'd be back."
"Is she on duty?" Sam really hoped she wasn't. He still had an uncomfortable feeling that she was suspected he'd been lying to her.
"She's got a well earned forty-eight hours away from this madhouse." The doctor fixed Sam with a fierce grey gaze. "So, you're going to have to peddle your bullshit to me instead."
Sam's mouth dropped open and he gaped at the doctor. "What?"
"My colleague expressed some concerns about your bone fides."
"She did?" Sam could hear his voice rising in pitch and hurriedly cleared his throat.
"Yes, son, she did. So I called my golfing buddy, Jason Carlson, who happens to be the senior partner of Carlson, Carlson & Cunningham. He'd never heard of you, and was very upset that someone was using the name of his firm to gain access to the police station and a secure hospital ward."
"Ah! What did you say to him?"
"I told him to leave it to me."
Sam turned his most innocent look on the doctor, trying to ignore the river of cold sweat running down his spine. "I suppose you'd like the truth."
The doctor folded his arms. "That would make a pleasant change."
"Like I told Dr. Taylor, Dean's a friend of the family. He called me when he was arrested and asked for my help. I wasn't sure that the police would let me in to see him, so I pretended to be his lawyer."
"Uh huh." The doctor's expression hadn't changed. "I'm still waiting to hear the truth, boy, because that isn't it. I've spent most of my life dealing with folk who can't tell fact from fiction and I got very good at figuring it out for myself. Now, you aren't delusional which means you're straight up lying. You're good at it too. Just not quite good enough."
"Alright." Sam hoped that Dean would forgive him for the lie he was about to tell, and that the doctor would believe him. "Dean's my brother. He's always been a little...unbalanced. I hadn't seen him for a couple of years until he showed up one night at my college dorm with some crazy story about being a hunter of evil spirits. He begged me to come with him, so I took some time out, hoping that I could help him get through whatever was bothering him."
"Didn't it ever occur to you that he needed medical help?" the doctor snapped.
Sam breathed a little easier and settled more comfortably into his tale. "I tried, but he wasn't interested. Our mother died in a house fire when Dean was four. After that we lived with our father, moving around from town to town. We never really had a settled home. Just before Dean came to find me our father took off. I think that's what caused Dean's breakdown. Mom was dead, dad was missing and I'd walked out on the family to go to college. He just couldn't cope on his own."
He knew that his half-truths sounded convincing. What really bothered him, though, was the knowledge that it could have been true if Dean hadn't been as strong-willed as he was. His brother had come as close as Sam had ever seen him to begging that night back in Stanford. His capable and self-assured older brother hadn't wanted to be alone. And, he'd been willing to walk out on Dean once the job in Jericho was done. If it hadn't been for Jessica's death...
"That still doesn't explain why you were impersonating a lawyer."
This was the really tricky part. "Some of the charges against Dean relate to the time we've been traveling together. I was afraid I'd be arrested as well if they knew who I was, but I couldn't just abandon him. He's my brother."
The doctor narrowed his eyes. "I still think there are things you're not telling me."
Sam maintained his wide-eyed innocent look. "What are you going to do?"
"I should call the cops and get your ass hauled off to jail."
"But?" Sam asked hopefully.
"But, Dr. Taylor tells me that the only time Dean was completely calm was when you were there. I think his wellbeing is more important than turning you in."
"Can I see him?"
"In a minute. Just so you know, you're not off the hook yet. You step out of line around me and I'll yank your visiting privileges and have you taken in for questioning. Dean's under a committal order and he isn't going anywhere. Do we understand each other?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. Your brother had another episode this morning and had to be sedated. He should be coming round soon."
The doctor's news terrified Sam. The succubus had been draining Dean for several days. Eventually the damage would be so great that his brother would never wake up. "I've brought something that might help." He pulled out a metal bracelet. "Like I told you, Dean's been seeing things that...aren't really there. I think I can convince him that this will protect him from the evil spirits."
The doctor looked at him sceptically. "You almost sound as if you believe this crap."
"I've done a lot of research," Sam replied truthfully. "And, I know what Dean believes."
"Alright. It can't do any harm. Follow me."
SSSSS
One minute he was fighting a losing battle against the succubus. The next she was pulling away from him, hissing as if something was causing her extreme pain. The noise turned into an anguished wail which assaulted his ears and made him cringe. Then, she was gone. A deep sense of loss swept over and through him. He felt like he had lost something too precious to live without. Drained, confused and hovering on the edge of consciousness, a tear leaked from the corner of his eye.
"Dean! Dean, wake up."
The voice was insistent so Dean opened his eyes. He had to look a long way up to see Sam's face. "Sasquatch," he said, and saw Sam smile.
"Welcome back, Bro."
Dean frowned as a new face swam into his line of sight. Another doctor. He hated frigging doctors. He was almost positive that he wasn't meant to acknowledge that Sam was his brother. Sam had used a different name last time he was here. He tried to remember it without success. "Sam?" he queried, hoping that the doctor would just think he was disorientated.
Sam didn't correct him. He just smiled that goofy smile of his.
"What happened?" Dean found, to his great relief, that he wasn't tied down. There was, however, a new piece of jewellery on his right wrist. His arm felt very heavy as he moved it to get a closer look. It was a silver identity bracelet. He squinted at the engraving and began to grin. Three simple letters – the initials of Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. A powerful protection against the succubus when combined with the right ritual. And, the reaction of the succubus confirmed that Sam had got it right. Sam pulled up his own sleeve to show that he was wearing a matching bracelet. "Smart," Dean said admiringly. "Very smart."
"I'm sorry it took me so long to figure it out."
Dean glanced at the doctor and then back at his brother. He raised an eyebrow.
"I had to tell the doctor the truth."
Dean had to think about that. If Sam had told the complete truth they'd both be in straightjackets and locked in a padded cell.
The doctor clearly misinterpreted the prolonged silence. "Your brother was acting in your best interests, Dean. I'm Dr. McNeil and I've taken over as your physician. Now that I understand your problem I can prescribe the correct medication and arrange counseling sessions. You'll feel much better once you talk about what's bothering you."
"Oh, God! Kill me now! What the hell did you tell him, Sam?"
"Dean!" Sam hissed.
"What?" Dean asked as innocently as he could. It had always been too easy to push Sam's buttons.
The doctor was looking at him severely. "You pay attention to your brother. He knows what's best for you."
Dean's eyebrows shot up, but he had enough sense not to make some smart assed comment. His silence seemed to satisfy the doctor.
"I'll send a nurse in to take some blood."
Dean scowled. "I've given enough blood lately."
"Which is why we need to test it. You're probably anemic, but a course of iron injections will soon sort that out."
"How about some food?" Dean asked.
"How does your stomach feel?"
"Fine."
When the doctor looked skeptical Sam intervened. "Trust me, Doctor. If his stomach can survive all the junk food he eats, it can survive anything."
"That sounds like something else we should discuss," the doctor said. "A healthy diet..."
Dean groaned. "Make him go away, Sammy."
The doctor's face almost cracked into a smile. "I'll see that you get something to eat. I want you to rest today and we can start your sessions tomorrow."
"I can't wait."
The doctor couldn't have missed the sarcastic tone, but appeared to be willing to overlook it. "You can stay for half an hour," he told Sam. "He's weaker than he'd like us to believe. You can come back at visiting time this evening."
"I'd rather stay."
"This is a hospital, young man. We have rules, most of which you've already broken. You don't really want me to call the police, do you?"
Dean looked at his brother, feeling very confused. He recognized the look on Sam's face. He'd seen it often enough during the frequent arguments between Sam and their father. It said that Sam knew this was a fight he couldn't win, and that he hated having to capitulate.
"No, sir," Sam ground out.
"Good. The door will have to be locked. If you need assistance press that button." The doctor pointed to a switch on the wall beside the bed. "I'll be back to throw you out in thirty minutes."
The door closed behind the doctor and Dean weakly began to push himself into a sitting position. The damn doctor had been right about how shitty he felt and there was a dull ache under the bandages around his wrists that he hadn't noticed before. Obviously seeing him struggle, Sam reached out to help.
Dean's pride got in the way of his common sense. "Hey, Dude, I can manage."
"No, you can't."
Despite his protests Sam steadied him with one hand and adjusted the pillows with the other. Dean lay back with an aggrieved sigh. "Want to tell me what the hell's going on?" he demanded, once he'd recovered his breath.
Sam pulled over a chair and sprawled in it, his long legs bumping up against the side of the bed. "The doctor wasn't buying my story so I had to tell him the truth. Well, not exactly the truth."
"Sam," Dean growled, his patience at a very low ebb.
"I, uh, told him you were mentally unstable and that you believed your job was to hunt evil spirits." The words emerged in a rush.
"Oh, well that's just great! I sure hope you've got a plan to get me out of here because you've just booked me a one way ticket to the nuthouse."
"I'm working on it."
"Why doesn't that make me feel all warm inside?" Dean sniped. "Could you be any less convincing?"
"It isn't easy, Dean. I'm doing the best I can."
Damn! Why could he never stay mad at his brother? "I know, Sam. I just don't like being locked up. And, I worry about you."
For a second Sam looked irritated. "I'm fine. I was fine all the time I was at college. I'm not completely incapable of looking after myself. I had good teachers, remember?"
"I know, but then you left. You got soft."
"Just because I left doesn't mean I forgot everything Dad drilled into me."
"Good, 'cause there's no legal way to get me out of here, and no way to cover it up either."
"It doesn't matter. I'll do whatever I have to."
"I'm sorry, Sam. Really I am. I screwed up and now your life's going to get screwed up too."
"There's no way I'm going to leave you here. And, none of this is your fault. All those judges and police officers were corrupted by the succubus or some other demon. You were set up right from the beginning."
"Except that I probably did all those things they accused me of."
"Probably," Sam conceded. "I'm still not letting them keep you locked up. We have to find Dad and that demon..." His voice trailed off.
"What's wrong?"
"I've just remembered something. I got a call from your cell phone. That's how I knew to come to the hospital."
That didn't surprise Dean. When he was brought to the hospital he'd hardly been in a fit state to give details of his next of kin. Using his phone to track down his family made sense. But, Sam's tone suggested that this hadn't been a routine call. "Who was it?"
"That's the thing. He didn't give a name, just said he was an old friend of the family. The voice was...evil. I think...I think it might have been the demon that killed Mom and Jess."
Dean's stomach lurched unpleasantly, making him glad that it was empty. "You don't know that, Sam."
"Someone's pulling the strings. Do you really think it was a coincidence that the succubus picked on you?"
"Maybe she heard about my awesome reputation."
Sam shook his head. "I don't believe you, man. This is serious."
Before Dean could answer the lock clicked and a young, very attractive nurse walked into the room carrying a small tray. Both brothers watched her as he walked across the room.
"The doctor asked me to take a blood sample," she said. She reached for Dean's right arm. "I like your bracelet. What do those initials mean?" she asked.
"Nothing important." Dean's attention was drawn to her breasts which were pressing very firmly against the thin fabric of her blouse. He was only vaguely aware of her readying the syringe.
"Dean, look out!"
When Sam shouted, Dean noticed that the syringe was already full. As he tried to make sense of that unexpected fact she plunged the needle down into his arm.
Tbc
Caroline
July 08
