Disclaimer: Supernatural and all its characters belong to Kripke and the CW. I own nothing.

Previously on Supernatural- "Okay" Sam replied nodding his head. "Let's do it."

SPN

Dean slipped into Sam's hospital room slowly shutting the door behind him. Surprised by the silence that greeted him he looked over at the bed smiling at the peaceful expression on his little brother's face. Not wanting to disturb his sleeping sibling the oldest Winchester set the colorful cardboard box and drink he was carrying on the tray table before soundlessly creeping across the room and plopping down on the end of the couch beside a grumpy looking Bobby Singer. "How'd therapy go, Bobby? Did Sammy m…Shit! What the hell was that for?" he hissed rubbing the back of his head.

"That's for leaving and upsetting your brother!" Bobby quietly growled. "What the heck were you thinking boy?"

"Wait, Sammy got upset?" Dean asked glancing over at his sleeping brother once more.

"Oh course he did, ya idjit! What'd you expect him to do when you took off on him; dance a jig?" the salvage owner questioned slamming his hands on the armrests of his wheelchair.

"A jig?" Dean repeated raising an eyebrow. Shaking his head at the older man's glare he sighed. "Look, I'm sorry alright. I didn't mean to upset him. I was actually trying to make things easier on him. Sammy's been pushing himself way too hard; harder than dad ever did when we were training. He's trying to force his arms to work and that's just making things worse. And I know it's because of me. When we were little Sammy always thought if he didn't do something right the first time he was disappointing me. That's why he's so frustrated and angry at therapy. I just thought if I wasn't here with him, the pressure would be off and he could relax a little."

"Makes sense" Bobby agreed. "Unfortunately that's not the way Sam saw it. He thinks you left because you're mad at him for not making more progress in therapy. I tried to tell him you weren't but I'm not sure he really believed me."

"Thanks for trying Bobby. I'll set him straight as soon as he wakes up." Dean said settling back on the couch. "So, was it better without me in the room?"

"No" Bobby replied. Taking off his tattered ball cap the surrogate father began kneading the bill as he talked. "You not being there made things worse. Sammy was even more determined to get his arms working. The kid got himself so worked up he got a whopper of a headache; we had to cut the session short." Seeing the worried expression on the younger man's face the hunter quickly added, "He's alright, Dean. Nurse Georgia came in and gave him something for the pain. He's been sleeping like a baby ever since."

Closing his eyes Dean dropped his head. "This is all…"

"Boy I swear if the next two words outta your mouth are 'my fault', I'm gonna tan your hide!" Bobby growled.

Dean looked up at his friend in surprise. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally finding his voice. "Bobby, you do know I'm an adult now, don't you?" he questioned.

"And?" Bobby fired back slapping his rumpled cap back on his head.

"Nothing, just saying…"

"Yeah, well don't." Bobby grumbled. "Everything that happens to Sam is not your fault anymore than the things that happen to you are his. When are you two gonna get that through your thick skulls?"

"I'm working on it. It's just hard, you know?" Dean confessed. "I hate seeing him like this." Hearing a muffled whimper the oldest Winchester stood and made his way to the bed. Taking a seat on the edge he carded a hand through his sibling's hair. "Shhh Sammy, you're okay" he whispered. His heart swelled as his younger brother immediately calmed. It amazed him that even after everything they'd been through the past few years his touch could still sooth Sam. Of course that had more to do with the younger Winchester's injuries than anything else. The head strong Sam of the past year would never have allowed Dean to touch him let alone be calmed by it. That Sam didn't need anyone not even his big brother. He was the ultimate hunter; a force to be reckoned with. There was no trace of the gentle giant his sibling had once been. And Dean knew he was responsible for part of that. After all he was the one who'd insisted Sammy toughen up and be more self reliant in the months before his deal was up. He'd forced his little brother to grow up and fend for himself so that he'd have a fighting chance at life once Dean was gone. And he had done just that; he'd survived without him. And while part of Dean was proud of Sam for doing what he had not been strong enough to do, another more selfish part was hurt that his little brother had done so well without him. Shoving those thoughts aside Dean glanced down at his sleeping brother once more. He needed to concentrate on Sam's recovery not dwell on what used to be. Besides that hardened hunter was gone now possibly forever leaving only Sammy the little brother that needed and loved him. And that was all that mattered.

The creak of the door startled Dean out of his thoughts. Spinning around he chuckled as Ellen walked into the room carrying a huge stuffed dog. "Who's your new boyfriend, Ellen?" he joked.

The former bar owner rolled her eyes at the smirking young man. "Ha ha" she huffed. "For your information I got it to help Sammy. He loves that stuffed Eeyore but he has a hard time holding it for more than a few seconds. I thought a bigger stuffed animal might be easier for him to hold. Besides what little boy doesn't love Scooby Doo?"

"You're spoiling him Ellen." Dean warned.

"Like you're not." Ellen fired back. "I saw that bag full of toys you left at the nurse's station."

"Hey, those are not toys." Dean argued. "I got Tony to give me a list of things that might help Sammy with his muscle control. Everything in that bag is for his therapy."

"Uh huh, I'm sure that kids' computer game is gonna be a big help." The former bar owner retorted. She tiptoed over to the bed and set the plush Scooby Doo on the bed beside the injured Winchester's arm. Leaning over Ellen lovingly brushed Sam's unruly bangs out of his eyes. "He okay?"

"Yeah" Bobby replied. "He's just sleeping off the pain medication Nurse Georgia gave him a while ago. She said he'd probably be out till around supper time."

"That was some strong meds she gave him." Ellen surmised. "Was the pain that bad?"

Bobby nodded. "I haven't seen him hurting that bad since the first few days we were here. Tony said he thought it was from the stress. The kid's pushing himself too hard." He explained running a weary hand across his face. The salvage owner glanced over at his sleeping son eyes widening as a grin split his face. "Look" he excitedly whispered.

Turning Dean and Ellen glanced over at the bed mouths falling open. Holding their breath the family watched as Sam's arm slowly curled around the stuffed animal at his side.