Chapter Seven: Running Low

"We don't know what's wrong with him...he won't eat...he won't play...and the only thing he says is 'I miss you Daddy Dean', right before he falls asleep." The young woman spoke low, tears in her eyes.

"Daddy Dean?" The doctor set a few fingers to his chin as he watched little Sammy play with the colourful blocks. They read the very same phrase he continued to mumble; 'Daddy Dean'. "When did you adopt Sam?"

"About...a week or so ago."

"Was he an orphan?"

"Yes, his mother died when he was six months and his father is persumed dead."

"Who is this Dean he keeps talking about?"

"His brother is named Dean."

"His brother? How old is he?"

"I think he's nearing 30."

"I see..." Looking down to Sam's blocks he doctor sighed. "...why was Sam taken from his brother?"

"Dean's been diagnosed with a terminal disease...he has roughly two weeks left to live."

"I see..." Reaching forward the doctor began to turn the blocks until Sam's new mother could read them. "...I think it's time you take Sam to see his brother."

XxXxXx

As Dean opened his eyes he was greeted with the same familiar pain he had always felt when he woke up, a scream in his chest that would ripple up his throat where but a whimper would push past his dry pale lips. He was sickly appearing, more pale than any vampire, deep black bags formed under his eyes, those green vibrant hues were now a dull dark gray. So many times Dean had wished for death to just claim him...so he could just be dragged to hell and start his eternity of pain; then he would think of Sam. He was going to find Sam...he was going to say goodbye to him and if he could he was going to push this disease as far from his body as possible. Many people survived cancer...why couldn't Dean just stall it?

As his hospital door creaked open he turned his head in the direction of the exit. "Jo?" She smiled at him before setting down a large bouquet of flowers. "What are you doing here?"

"Bobby gave me a call...said you were sick..." Setting the flower into a vase she filled it with water. "How are you feeling?"

"Like sunshine and lollipops." Turning his head straight he stared at the white ceiling barely able to draw his eyes from the hopelessness in the white speckles.

"Are you hungry?" Jo took a seat beside him, her eyes shifting to his breakfast...there was a good full meal leftover.

"No." Dean's reply was weak, fake...he should have figured she wouldn't believe him.

"Liar." Her voice stung; deep. "How are you going to help Sam if you're dead Dean?"

"I can't help Sam." Turning his eyes to Jo he breathed low. "Bobby won't let me leave...the doctors are highly against letting me know when I can leave...your mother would probably have a fit if she found out." Shaking his head softly Dean turned his eyes to the outside window. "I want to go see him...I want to see him so bad. They took him away from me...and now..."

"We're looking for him Dean. Bobby's working on it right now and mom is keeping her ears open." Setting a hand over Dean's Jo smiled as he looked back to her. "We'll find Sam before you die."

A gentle knock on the door distracted both Jo and Dean as the looked back to find a nurse walking in...behind her was.

"Sammy?" Sitting up Dean felt a new strength run through his body as he leaned forward catching Sam as the tyke threw his body towards Dean. Pulling him on to his lap Dean clung Sam tightly to himself as he ran his fingers through the sweet curly locks. He wanted to speak but the tears wracking to escape kept his lips pierced shut. Even with lips closed tight and eyes shut closed tears slipped through the edges of his eyes. Pulling back he set his hands to Sam's chubby face and smiled down to him, he looked...he looked so sick... "Sammy...what's wrong?"

The little tyke sniffed as he nuzzled his face back into Dean's chest crying and whimpering softly. "I missed you Daddy Dean..."

Smiling softly down to Sam Dean wrapped his arms around the tiny body holding him closely in his arms comforting the crying tyke. "Shh...it's okay Sammy."

Lifting her eyes to the nurse Jo watched her smile softly. "Where...?" Jo couldn't finish her words...she didn't even know the right words to say.

"He needed his brother..."

"Which one...?" Jo whispered softly, the nurse merely smiled and tugged Jo out of the room.

"Both of them."

XxXxXx

Sam spent the night with Dean, curled up in his bed glued right against his side, Dean spent his night watching Sam sleep. He was so sweet, so innocent and...he was normal. Running a few fingers through Sam's hair he took in the scent of his baby brother's hair. It was sweet...it smelt like the shampoo Dean had bought for him so long ago. Dean wanted to remember that smell, he wanted to remember Sam's soft skin and his bright smile...he had two weeks to go...he had to start saying goodbye.

Hearing Sam's soft voice speak Dean's name he looked down to him, the chubby cheeks were rubbed gently by his tiny little hand. "Hey Sam."

"Hi." Sam replied softly as he curled back into Dean, his face digging into the body of his brother like he was about to fall asleep again.

"Hungry?" A soft nod was all Dean needed as an answer. Reaching over Sam he pulled down the plate the nurse had brought in a few minutes before. Setting it down he lifted off the lid to reveal a couple waffles, eggs and sausage breakfast with milk and orange juice. "Go ahead and eat up." Resting back softly Dean kept one hand on Sam's back as he watched him eat. The syrup made a nice trail from Sam's lips to the bed sheets as he dropped almost each bite. A laugh emitted from Dean's lips.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" Sam asked as he licked his sticky finger.

Dean smiled as he ran his fingers through Sam's hair. "Why not? Give me some of that waffle." Reaching to grab the fork Dean led it to his moth with Sam's stick fingers still wrapped tightly around the fork. With a large amount of syrup falling on to his hospital gown Dean laughed; he should have seen that coming.

Setting the fork down Dean watch as Sam started on the eggs missing mouthful after mouthful, he looked so happy, he looked so healthy…it killed Dean to know he was going to have to break Sam's heart. "Sammy…" Taking the plate from Sam once he failed at another mouthful he started to pick the food up for him. "…You know I love you right?" With a nod Dean smiled and slipped the eggs into Sam's mouth. "Sometimes things happen Sam…bad things."

"Like what?" Sam asked as he picked up a sausage and stuck it past his lips.

"Like…bad things…like you and me being separated…like injuries…Sammy…something bad has happened…." Dean's heart fell as Sam looked up to Dean, his eyes turned big and watery. "…Something very bad…something is wrong with me."

"Like what?"

"Like death…"

"What's death?"

"It's…it's when someone goes to sleep…for a very very long time…and they don't wake up."

"But you'll wake up…right Dean?"

Dean's chest fell even more as he turned his head down, his eyes burning with tears as he shook his head. "No, Sammy…" His words came out in whimpers. "…I won't…."

"Why?" Sam's voice shook as he looked up to Dean.

"Because...Sammy…because I'm sick…" Running a hand through Sam's hair Dean felt his tears fall down his face. "…I love you so much Sam…and I'm so sorry I can't stay."

"No…." Sam whimpered as he reached out and wrapped his arms around Dean, his body curling tightly against Dean's chest as he cried, his face turning red with tears as he clung to Dean. "…No…please no…don't go away Dean please…please don't go."

Wrapping his arms tightly around Sam Dean held him against his chest, the tears streaking down the chubby face and staining Dean's gown. Stroking his hair Dean cooed into Sam's ears trying to calm him…he continued to cry. His heart shattering with each tear that fell. Daddy Dean was dying, Sam was going to be alone, the person he loved the most, the person he cherished, the person he looked up to was going to leave him. "Please don't go Dean, please, please, please." Sam begged as he screamed into Dean's chest, his tears still falling as he pulled on the cloth over Dean's chest. This was his Dean, this was his daddy, this was his family…how could Dean leave him? How could Dean just sleep and leave Sam alone. How could he sleep without Sam? How could he go like this!? How could he!? "I love you, please don't go. I promise I'll be good! I won't splash anymore, I won't run away in the store, I won't ask for anything or spill my milk…please don't leave me please!!"

XxXxXx

It took hours until Sam stopped crying, or until he screamed himself to sleep. Dean felt tired and weak, he had consoled Sam for those many hours he screamed and begged for Dean not to go. Resting against the mattress as it was bent up in a sitting position he let Sam rest on his chest, the heartbeat must have been comforting for his brother. Dean could remember Sam falling asleep on his chest many times when they were growing up.

A soft knock came to the door as Bobby walked in, his gentle face looking from Dean to Sam. "Hey Bobby…" Dean barely grunted out as the hunter sat himself beside Dean's bed. "Well?"

"I found out where that gypsy is…a friend of mine is working on getting that aging water to turn Sam back…but…he doesn't think he'll get it here before you pass on Dean." Lowering his gaze Bobby tried to hide the own hurt on his face. "For what it's worth I'm sorry this had to happen…."

Dean shook his head. "We've known it's been coming for a year Bobby…I wrote my will yesterday…and Sam is going to go to you and Helen as guardians…no stranger is raising Sam…he doesn't know them and he's isn't happy with them…at least with you I'll know that…that when I die…he'd going to someone who can make him happy."

"Don't talk like that Dean…."

"Don't try to tell me to have hope Bobby…we both know that in a week I'm going to be stone cold dead." Dean's face was thrown aside as Bobby cracked his knuckled along the hunter jaw, the elder man's face was completely red.

"How can you talk like that Dean!? How can you be so cold!?"

"You think I want this!?"

"Well you sure as hell didn't so much to change it! You acted like everything was perfectly fine, that your year wasn't coming to an end! Do you know how many damn times Sam called me nearly on the verge of a mental breakdown!? He's tried everything for you Dean! He's lost sleep, he's skipped meals…hell he's even killed innocent people! I know you can't do anything but you could at least have a little more of a heart…right now Sam has the mentality of a toddler! He doesn't understand all those bad things, he doesn't understand what's in the dark, he doesn't know about demons and vampires and ghosts and all those things he's scared of. He's a kid Dean! An innocent child! Couldn't you have a little more heart for him?"

"So you want me to lie to Sam, to let him believe everything is alright and then just drop dead one day!? I am thinking about him! I want him to know that when I die I was honest with him, that I loved him and I wanted the best damn things for him and if I could take it all back I would just to see him happy! Just to watch him grow up as a normal kid! Hell Bobby I would kill you right now if it meant I could be with Sam!" Dean's anger died as he felt Sam stir on his chest, his eyes never leaving Bobby's gaze. "But it's not like that…it's not an option…and it kills me ever damn day to know that I'm going to be leaving him behind on this world to face what he never should. There's no family left for him Bobby…there's no mom…no dad…no brother…not even a damn pet. I have seven days until cancer kills me…in these last seven days I am going to say goodbye to Sam…if that aging water doesn't get here before I die…don't give it to Sam. Let him grow up with Helen…let him live a normal life and don't drag him into hunts…I don't want to see Sam down there with me….can you promise me that? Please?"

The silence in the room was thick and long, Bobby's face had turned it's normal shade and he shifted his chair slightly. "Alright…I promise."