June 26, 2014
"Wait, wait, wait." Sam took two behemoth strides to his brother's bed. He pulled the chair up.
Dean groaned. "Dad here?"
"Dad's dead. Has been for years." Sam said incredulously.
Dean's eyes opened at this. "What?"
Sam ignored that. "I-I haven't grown up Dean. I've been like this." Desperately he looked to see if his older brother had any recognition of anything. "It's the middle of 2014, Dean."
"What?" The word repeated.
"You hit your head during that last call." Sam thought out loud. "That skull fracture was the least of our problems.."
Dean's fingers rubbed his temple furiously.
"Do you really not remember Cas?"
The elder Winchester mumbled something that nearly stopped the younger's heart. Then suddenly Dean jerked forward, holding his head in his hands. The machines to his left were going berserk as he clenched his teeth in pain. Nurses rushed in with the Doc on their tails, before shoving Sam from the room. Horror set on his face as his wide eyes studied Cas. He knew now what had been troubling him. They all desperately wished for it to not be true.
June 27, 2014
Sam's jacket had been draped over the chair to use as a pillow. Jess had taken over the larger lazy chair. Though said spot was empty at the moment. She was most likely out getting coffee and something in the cafeteria. Thankfully the room had been designed so family could stay, if only any of it had been large enough to accommodate Sam. Hell, Dean's bed was almost too small.
Sam sat there, unable to get back to sleep. Jess had draped her own jacket over the chair, she had woken up several minutes ago. Meanwhile her husband-to-be was terrified that his best man wasn't going to wake up again. The doctors had warned him yesterday and spent more time with testing. They weren't able to find the degree of memory loss, or if it could all just come back today. To be on the safe side Sam had convinced Cas to go home. The man needed rest anyway. Sam was praying for the first time in years that the memories would all just come back. That there would be nothing wrong with his brother.
"Hope you're not planning my funeral before I'm dead. You're gonna have to work harder to get rid of me." The grumble came unexpectedly in the dimly lit room. "I know you probably hate me but you should cancel the visitation. I don't think the guests wanna shake hands with the guy their mourning."
Sam bolted upright. "W-what? I don't hate you Dean."
"Well, you're not all dressed up because of my good looks." Dean was looking at him now. "I know I'm the better-looking brother but-" he paused, finally taking in his surroundings. His smirk dropped. "I swear to god if Charlie burnt the house down-"
"What? No, Charlie hasn't burnt the house down…" Sam trailed off taking this in. It was starting to dawn on him. The last time Sam had been pissed off at his brother (according to the degree explained by said person) was right before he went off to college. His eyes grew wide. When that happened he and Charlie split the difference on a house, right as he was becoming a fireman and Charlie had finished up her medical training.
Dean's eyes were half open. "Must have been a damn close call. Shit." He drug a hand over his face. "Well, there goes my career."
"What do you mean?" Sam sat forward.
"Really Sam? You think their gonna let a screw up rookie back on truck?" Dean sneered. "You really need to rethink your degree, college boy."
"I already graduated." The words left Sam's mouth before he could process them.
"What?" Dean was fully awake now.
"I graduated a few weeks ago." Not entirely a lie. Except that few weeks had actually happened nearly six years prior. During college, and when he wasn't talking to Dean Sam had met Jessica. They both went their separate ways only to wind up in each other's paths again. He sat back, motioning to his attire. "I was prepping a case when…" When I nearly thought I'd lose you, "Benny called." Sam looked away, unable to face his brother at the mere reminder of the thoughts that ran through his head that night.
"You really scared us, Dean."
It was quiet for a while, before Jess caught both their attention. "Hey, you're awake." She held a tray with a wide grin.
Her smile was contagious, at least for Sam.
"Who are you?" Dean's brows furrowed. His face twisted with all the confusion.
Sam's face dropped. He was abruptly thrown back to reality. "Dean, this is Jess, my girlfriend." He hated the lying, but he wanted to avoid what happened last night at all costs possible. The Doc had explained it as an overload of information. His brain just couldn't handle that after the major concussion and skull fracture.
Jess hesitated for a fraction of a second. One look at Sam caused a strained smile to curl her lips. "Yes, Sam has told me so much about you." She ducked her head innocently, setting the tray down.
Dean looked to his younger brother with a raised brow. "Has he?"
Oh no. Sam nearly groaned.
"Definitely. From the stories I've heard you're practically a superhero."
Sam gave an awkward attempt at a grin when Dean's green eyes shifted to him again.
Dean leaned to his brother with a mutter, "I don't know how you managed this, but don't let her go." He smacked Sam upside the head for good measure.
"You guys hungry?"
The elder Winchester opened his mouth, only to swiftly close it. Sam's worry kicked into gear. He could only hope the nurses were about here. He had managed to hit the button when Jessica came in to notify them that Dean was awake. He would have thrown a fit if he knew. Just like he'd normally be grabbing for the food, instead of his head.
The doctor was the first one to enter the room. When he saw the state that his patient was in he called in several nurses. By now Dean was clutching at his head with a pain-stricken intensity. Sam and Jess were shoved out once more so they could figure out the problem without interference. Every little detail was swirling inside of Sam's head. How much memory had been gained since the previous night, it was better. It still concluded to the same thing, though. The very thing that had Cas staring blankly at the wall.
"Do you really not remember Cas?"
"Who?"
"I'm talking to you, boy. Snap out of it!" Bobby growled.
"He doesn't remember Cas." The thought slipped from Sam's grasp.
"What?"
"Dad's dead. Has been for years."
"What?"
"He still thinks he lives with Charlie." Sam still couldn't look anyone in the eye. "Said that he'd ruined his career. They wouldn't let a screw up rookie back on Truck."
Bobby shook his head. "That was well over nine years ago."
"Better than last night. H-he didn't even recognize me at first. Told me I've grown up."
"Balls."
"Sam," he hadn't noticed that Jody was here too. She rubbed his arm comfortingly. Just like she did when they were younger. "This is Dean. He'll get through this."
"I tried talking to him about what he's forgotten. Then something like this happened." He sighed as he sat in one of the hall chairs. "How the hell are we gonna break this to Cas?"
"Break what to me?" Everyone's eyes jumped over to Cas. He stood with a neutral look. Trench coat obscuring what he wore to work that day.
"Do you really not remember Cas?"
"Who?"
No one answered.
"Is- Is Dean-" the neutral look poured into grief.
"No, he's fine." Jody intercepted before that train of thought could continue. "Cas, there's something you should know."
"Who?"
Jody led her adoptive son-in-law down the hall. Sam couldn't hear anything either said, but he knew the moment she told him. Castiel's shoulders dropped, he stepped back as if he'd been slapped. Then he shook his head, seeming to plead that this just wasn't true. Jody gave a sad nod, confirming it. All their worst fears were starting to become reality, instead of just staying a nightmare. Sam had to look away. His heart had dropped into his stomach. Jess rubbed his back as he held his head in his hands.
This nightmare just wouldn't end. This was only going to get worse before it got better. If there even was still a light at the end of the tunnel.
