Could it be Vertigo Ch. 10
Disclaimer: See chapter one
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
Previously: "I'm sorry Dad, but I don't think anything you say could ever make me forgive you for the way you've acted. Hell, I don't feel like I can even trust you with Sammy anymore."
"What the hell do you mean you can't trust me with Sammy anymore? He's my son Dean, I would never knowingly do something to hurt him." John voiced angrily at Dean for thinking Sammy wasn't safe around him anymore.
"That's exactly what I'm worried about dad. You used to be able to read Sammy as well as I do, but all of the sudden, that's changed over the past few months. Now you're suspicious of everything he does. He couldn't even go to the damn bathroom without you questioning him about what he was up to. Hell dad, you even reamed him out when he was five minutes late getting home from school a few weeks back.
"Damn it Dean, that's not fair and you know it. I was only worried about the kid. You know what that town was like that we were staying in at the time."
"That's a good one coming from you Dad." Dean snorted with disbelief. "If you were so damned worried about Sammy as you claim, how could you turn around just a few short weeks later and accuse the kid of taking frigging drugs?"
"I have my reason's, if you'd just listen to me for a minute, you would see…"
"No Dad, I don't have the time to listen to you trying to find ways of explaining away your idiotic behavior. What I need to do is to get up there to Sammy and take care of him like I've always done. Just go back to the motel and leave us alone for a while." Dean retorted, growing tired of arguing with this dad.
"Dean, I'm not leaving. Like I said earlier, Sammy is still my son and I am going up there to see him…" John's tirade was suddenly cut off as he found himself slammed against the wall once again.
"No you're not! I don't want to have to fight you dad, but I will." Dean enunciated through clenched teeth. "After the way you've hurt Sammy tonight, I'm not letting you anywhere near the kid until he tells me it's okay. I can't take the chance that you'll shatter him completely."
"Dean, you need to calm down before you get us all thrown out of here." Joshua voiced as he placed a calming hand on Dean's tense shoulder. He had noticed the way that the hospital security personnel were now watching them with keen interest from the far end of the hall.
Taking a deep breath, Dean released his father. "Please, just go. I can't deal with this tonight."
"Alright, I'm leaving, but I'm coming back in a few hours and I'm going to see Sammy whether you like it or not. I need to tell him I'm sorry and that I know I was wrong." John verbalized before turning and walking away. He knew he needed to pull himself together too, that he couldn't see Sammy with the way he was feeling now or he could make things worse.
"I'll talk to him Dean, you go take care of your brother." Joshua stated before turning away to follow John. With the mood the oldest Winchester was in right now, he wanted to make sure the hunter didn't do anything stupid.
Watching as his father walked away, Dean felt a little remorse for the way things were between them right now, but he had to do what was best for Sammy, his needs came first no matter what. Taking a deep breath, he turned in the other direction and walked to the elevator doors that would take him up to the second floor where his sixteen year old brother lay sleeping. Pushing the small button, he waited for the doors to ping open and then entered inside, grateful for the fact that it was empty. Leaning his head against the wall, he felt tears spring to his eyes but quickly brushed them away. As the elevator doors slid open, he walked out of the elevator to see the bright mural painted on the wall. Sammy would have a fit upon waking to find himself placed in the pediatric ward.
Stopping at the nurse's desk for just a moment to find out what room his brother was in, Dean walked down to room number 217 and entered to see his brother still firmly entrenched in sleep on the bed. His heart ached to see him laying there so pale with an I.V. hooked up to his hand. Pulling up a chair beside the bed, he sat down and began to card his fingers through Sam's hair. "I'll be here for you Tiger whenever you decide to wake up."
As he sat and watched his brother sleep, Dean's thoughts drifted to the prognosis the doctor had given them. He had never heard of Meniere's disease before and wondered how Sam became afflicted with it. What is something that was passed down from generation to generation or had Sam acquired it from one of the nasty motels they had stayed in over the years? Placing his head in his hands, he sighed at the thought that their lifestyle might have contributed to the suffering Sam was now going through.
"Somehow we'll get through this kiddo, just you wait and see." Dean whispered with conviction. Suddenly feeling exhausted himself, Dean cradled his arms on Sam's bed and lay his head down on them to take a short nap. He needed to get some sleep while he could.
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
Following John out of the hospital, Joshua kept quiet knowing the hunter had a lot on his mind. Seeing him walk across the parking lot, it took him by surprise when John passed by the Impala without stopping. The motel was at least a thirty minute drive away so it was most definitely too far to walk. Staying just a few paces behind the devastated father, Josh followed him down the street and wasn't surprised when John walked into a bar that was still open, even though it was past two o'clock in the morning.
Sidling up to the bar, John ordered a whiskey before sitting on one of the many stools. He couldn't believe how utterly fast his life had went to hell in such a short amount of time. Here he was in a freaking bar in the middle of the night while one son was facing an incurable disease and the other was probably cursing his name. Sensing someone approaching him from behind, he instinctively knew it was Joshua and didn't bother turning around.
"What kind of a father am I?" John questioned of his friend as he twisted the shot glass full of whiskey in his fingers.
"One who loves his boys." Josh replied as he sat down beside the hunter and ordered a beer. Taking a swig of the foamy white brew after it was placed in front of him, he wiped his mouth and turned to face the somber hunter. "John, Dean's upset right now. Just give him a little time too cool down and I'm sure he'll come around and be ready to talk to you more calmly."
"Why should he Josh?" John questioned as he stared at the full whiskey glass in his hands. He's right ya know, I don't deserve to be around Sammy anymore, not after what I did to him." John stated despondently. "Do you realize that when he fell out in the woods that it was because of his disease. And what did I do, I got so frigging mad that I snatched him up off the ground and smacked his ass hard three times and accused him of being high."
"John, you didn't know he was suffering from Meniere's at the time." Josh retorted trying to comfort the man a little.
"Even so Josh, I still shouldn't have lost my temper and hit him. He tried to tell me he was sick, that he wasn't taking drugs. But I was too damn sure of myself to listen to anything he had to say." Turning red rimmed eyes to his friend, John said, "How could I have become such a cold hearted bastard to my own son Josh. When did I become his accuser instead of his father?"
Seeing the pain and desolation in the man's eyes, Josh struggled for something to say. He knew John loved his boys, he just chose the wrong way of showing it at times. "John, with the kind of life you and the boys live, I'm sure they understand the weight you're under and that sometimes you're bound to crack under the pressure and explode in anger."
"Yeah, but that's just it Josh. I'm not supposed to explode in anger at them damn it." John bellowed as he threw the shot glass full of whiskey against the wall hard enough to shatter the glass.
Seeing the bartender pick up the phone, Josh knew it was time to make their exit before the man could call the police. "We're leaving." He informed the bartended as he held up a fifty dollar bill for the man to see and then placed it on the bar hoping it would placate the man.
"Come on John, we're getting out of here." Josh stated as he wrapped a hand around John's bicep and pulled him away forcefully from the bar. John couldn't make things right with his boys if he were sitting in a jail cell. He needed to get the man back to their vehicles and then back to their motel where he could relax for a while. Hopefully things would look better in the morning.
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
Early the next morning, Dr. Wilson entered his patient's room to see both brothers sleeping. He had to smile as he noticed the way that Dean was clutching his brother's hand in comfort even in sleep. Walking quietly as he could, he went over to the monitor to check on Sam's heart rate and blood pressure. Writing the information on Sam's chart, he was dismayed to see the oldest brother sit up and rub the sleep from his weary eyes.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you Dean." He voiced softly in deference to Sam who was still sleeping.
"S'okay, how's my brother doing?" Dean questioned as he stood up to stretch the kinks out of his back from having slept in an uncomfortable position for the last few hours.
"He's fine, his blood pressure and pulse rates are both normal and he's getting what he needs the most right now which is sleep." Matthew answered.
"Hey doc, I was wondering, how does a person get Meniere's disease?" Dean questioned as he reached up to brush away the sweaty bangs from his sleeping brother's forehead.
"I wish I could give you a firm answer to that Dean, but the underlying cause of Meniere's disease is currently unknown. It is most often attributed to allergies, infections of the inner ear, head injury, and it is also believed that some people have a hereditary predisposition to it." The doctor answered wishing he could be more specific.
"Okay, thanks doc. Any idea of when Sammy will be getting out of here?"
"I'd like to keep him at least another twenty fours hours for observation and to keep him on the I.V. fluids. Sam is still a little dehydrated from all the throwing up that he's done and he really does need the bedrest." Matthew replied as he placed the chart back into it's holder and prepared to walk out the door.
"Sammy won't be too happy with that when he wakes, but I'll make sure he stays." Dean said knowing how his younger sibling felt about being in the hospital.
"That's good, I'll be back in a little while to check on Sam." Matthew informed Dean with a smile before walking out the door. He knew his young patient was in good hands.
"Guess it's just you and me now kiddo." Dean whispered as he returned his focus to his baby brother, wondering how on earth he was going to break the news to Sam about having an incurable disease. He couldn't help but worry about what kind of effect the news would have on the kid and how he would react to it." Hearing the sound of rustling coming from the bed, Dean knew he wouldn't have long to wait to find out since Sammy was beginning to stir.
TBC