Deuce and Damien
Chapter 9
Disclaimer: see chapter one

The normally thirty minute drive into the nearest hospital took nearly two hours as the four by four's slowly made there way through the blizzard laden roads. In one vehicle was John Winchester, cradling his now feverish son. One whom he had sworn on the night of Mary's death he would never let anything happen to, that he would protect at any cost, but as with that terrible night in November John was again being reminded he couldn't protect his family from everything. That night it had been something supernatural that had snuck into his house and stole his wife, nearly taking his children as well. Now it was the specter of pneumonia brought on by hypothermia that threatened his son's life.

In the second vehicle was Dr. Mackland Ames, his teenage son held close to his side. Mac had learned that night in the hospital he found Caleb in that he could not live without this boy in his life. As a thirty-something wealthy bachelor the Doctor never dreamt he would be a father, let alone one to a very troubled twelve-year old, but upon seeing the near comatose boy a protectiveness came over Mac like he had never known. He knew from that moment on he would do anything to protect the boy that within months would become his son. But now, holding the shivering boy to him, having just hours ago performed CPR to keep the teen with him, he never felt more terrified in his life, a life he couldn't image without Caleb.

Finally the vehicles arrived at the medical facility, doctors and nurses were awaiting the boy's arrival. With the blizzard conditions the hospital had dealt with its share of accident victims and frost-bite cases, but it appeared the two boys now arriving were by far the most critical. One medic helped Mac ease Caleb from the back of the truck and place the boy on a stretcher, doctor's and nurse's soon pushed their way between Mac and his son as they rushed the boy through the emergency room doors.

John was a little more reluctant to release his son to complete strangers, but as a nurse laid her hand on his arm, something about her eye's eased his fear as he gently laid Dean on the stretcher, who was then quickly wheeled through the sliding doors. The same nurse stopped John from following his son into the treatment area, "Let us take care of him, we'll come get you once he's settled." Again something about the way she looked at him gave him pause, his heart skipping a beat when he glanced at her name tag, 'Mary'.

"Please…take care of him." John whispered. The nurse nodded slightly and made her way through the silver doors.

Standing there, watching the doors swing shut, John felt a hand on his arm, turning he saw the fearful gaze of Mac, "They will be okay, they have to be." Mac spoke quietly as both men moved toward a couple of chairs that gave them a clear view of the treatment bay doors.

Another forty-five minutes passed, John pacing the room like a caged animal, Mac constantly checking his watch. Both men reacting as a dark-haired man in a white coat pushed through the door and walked up to the only two people in the waiting room. "You gentlemen are the father's of Dean Winchester and Caleb Reaves?"

Mac extended his hand, "I'm Caleb's father, Dr. Mackland Ames. This is Dean's father, John Winchester." The doctor shook John's hand. "Please how are the boys?"

"My name is Dr. Stevens; right now both boys are stable. Caleb's temperature is back to normal, but we are going to do an EKG to check his heart and a CT scan since the EMT's mentioned he's had a seizure and his heart had stopped before they arrived." Dr. Stevens watched Mac pale slightly at the memory.

Clearing the emotion from his throat Mac spoke, "Is he awake yet?"

With a slight shake of his head the doctor answered, "Not yet, it may take some time, his body had been through a shock. We will closely monitor him in case any further complications arise. You will be able to sit with him until he's taken to radiology."

"What about Dean?" John asked, fear in his voice.

The solemn look the doctor gave the young father did nothing to make him feel better, "Dean's a very sick little boy. His temperature is hovering around 102* and X-rays confirm that pneumonia is the cause. We are giving him antibiotics to help, however since he's allergic to penicillin it may take longer for what we are giving him to work. We've start measures to hopefully help bring his temperature down, but he will be moved to the ICU shortly so his breathing and temperature can be closely monitored."

"Can I stay with him?" John needed to see his son, to know he was still alive.

"Of course, it will be a few more minutes before we have him moved up, ICU in on the second floor." The doctor looked at Mac, "Dr. Ames, if you'll follow me, I'll take you to your son."

Mac nodded, taking a couple steps before he realized John wasn't with him. "John, do you want to come?"

John did want to see the teen that had tried to protect his son; silently the Knight fell in behind the Scholar as they made their way through the doors.

Entering the room Mac noticed the normal equipment that was used to monitor a patient, the heart monitor, pulse ox meter, the oxygen canal under his son's nose. There were a number of blankets covering the teen to help keep him warm. Stepping near the bed, Mac placed one hand on his son's chest, needing to feel Caleb's heart beating beneath his hand, the other going to the top of the boy's head, the father allowing his son's hair to slip through his fingers. "Caleb…" Mac whispered, "its Dad…" It had only been a few months since Caleb had started calling him Dad. It had been after he had gotten hurt on a hunt, it was then Mac finally knew Caleb had accepted him as his father. "You're gonna be fine son, you're safe now. Just make sure you come back to me soon."

John watched from the end of the bed, giving Mac the time with his son. John needed to see his own son, to touch him, to make sure he hadn't lost another person he loved, but he needed to do something first. Slowly making his way to the unconscious teen's side, John looked at Mac who glanced up at him, then the Knight looked at the boy in the bed. "Thank you Caleb." The young father reached out and laid his hand on the boy's arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You protected Dean when I couldn't; you helped save him, thank you." John wasn't sure if the teen could hear him, but he knew Mac did when the older man looked up at him giving him a slight nod. John released Caleb's arm and stepped back, "I need to find Dean." Without another word, John left the room.

Taking the stairs John reached the second floor, quickly making his way to the desk, "Dr. Stevens said my son was being moved up here, Dean Winchester."

A moment passed as the young woman typed up the information, "Yes, your son has just been settled, if you'll follow me?" The nurse motioned John around as she pushed the button on the wall, opening the doors to the unit. "The doctor should be in shortly." she spoke as they stopped in front of a small glass enclosed cubicle.

John stepped through, quickly making his way to his son's side. He noticed the machines that were hooked up to his impossibly small looking son. The heart monitor and pulse ox meter, just like with Caleb downstairs, but instead of the small canal under his son's nose, Dean had an oxygen mask obscuring nearly his whole face. Looking down at the small hand that laid beside the boy, a board was taped to Dean's arm, helping hold his arm straight so the IV line would not become tangled. John laid his hand on his son's chest, feeling the rapid heartbeat beneath, but also the heat that now radiated off the small boy, when just hours ago it was a bone-numbing cold that was felt. John placed his other hand on top of his son's sweat cover head as a sob escaped his tough exterior. Leaning down the fearful father laid his forehead against his son's and for the first time since this terrible nightmare began, John Winchester cried.