"Dean!" I had just barely managed to hold onto consciousness when my head impacted the pavement and the only thing keeping the darkness from creeping in now was the sharp click of fangs just inches above me. I struggled, trying to use my knowledge and superior size to try and gain the upper hand- ultimately the werewolf's inhuman strength kept me pinned down. I heard a shot and a yelp as Dean took down the monster that had gone after him, as I continued to wrestle with mine. I felt claws rip into my chest as I fumbled, fruitlessly for my gun. I was relieved to hear the sharp crack of a gun, and to feel the impact of a bullet. No wait, that wasn't right. I should be feeling the impact of a body. Another crack, and felt the weight I had been expecting. I was aware of my brother standing over me. I could hear the diner's patrons trickling out, drawn by the sound of gunfire.

"Dean."

"Shit, Sammy. It's ok, man, I got you." I was aware of a set of arms wrapping around me, mostly dragging me away.

"Don't bleed out on me," was the last thing I heard before the blackness finally overtook me.

I didn't mean to hurt you, Sammy.

When I woke up Dean was working on stitching the hole in my shoulder closed. I shifted at the unnatural feeling of silk thread being pulled through my skin.

"Dean?"

"Shh, Sammy. I got you." He hadn't talked to me like that in years, not since-

"What happened?"

"What do you remember?" He was trying to get me talking. I knew from the floaty feeling I was experiencing I was hurt pretty bad, but it must be worse than I thought.

"Wolves. Hit my head. Claws in my chest. You shot me. Told me not to bleed out." My tongue felt heavy, and I didn't want to form complete sentences.

"That's about it. You passed out in the car. Almost took you to the hospital, but were responsive. I'm so sorry, Sammy."

"'S okay." I could feel the stitches on my chest and the front of my shoulder as well as the dried blood, crusty and tacky at the same time.

"Almost done."

"You ok?" I forced myself to talk as normally as possible.

"Yeah."

"Help me wash the blood off?" it itched like mad and was the most annoying thing at the moment.

"Soon as I finish here." I could feel him knotting the thread. He helped me roll over and ease into a sitting position. I let out a sharp breath. He slipped out of my line of sight for a moment, and he returned he had a couple of pills and a glass of water.

"Here, these will help. Stay here, and I'll be right back ok?" I swallowed the pills and drank the water, cringing.

"Not going anywhere." He disappeared and I heard water running. He back over and began cleaning the dried blood off my chest and stomach. Eventually as much blood as possible, mostly my own, was off without me actually taking a shower.

"I'll wake you in a couple hours." I grunted in agreement, and felt him gently pat the top of my head. I sunk into unconsciousness, grateful for my big brother.

I gotta protect you, Sammy.

True to his word he woke me every few hours through the night. Once when it wasn't necessary due to the concussion but because he wanted to feed me more pain pills.

"Don't want more, Dean."

"You need them. You'll pop a stitch the way you're thrashing around."

"No."

"Quit arguing." I groaned, knowing it was fruitless. I took the pills and dozed back off. At seven, Dean woke me up for real.

"You up to heading out?" I groaned. I doubted I could move, let alone travel.

"Fair enough. Think you can at least shower? You reek."

"Yeah. Help me up." He lifted me up, and honestly supporting most of my weight, helped me to the bathroom.

"Please tell me you got it from here."

"I'll manage." I noted the blood soaked clothes on the floor with most of the motel towels surrounding them, also dyed red.

"Well, if you need me-"

"Will do." I closed the door behind me. I showered with no small amount of pain. I yelped (much to my indignity) so loud when the lukewarm water hit my shoulder that Dean asked if I was still alive. Eventually I managed to get the last of the dried blood and sweat off of me. I reemerged into the main room hoping Dean hadn't used my spare set of clothes to stop the bleeding. I began rooting through my bag.

"Let me check the wounds first."

"Dean." He was already dabbing Winchester disinfectant onto a rag and I knew better than to argue. I hissed as the alcohol hit the still fresh claw marks- the bullet wound in my shoulder stung less.

"Toss me those pills."

"We can stay, Sam." I knew he was willing to, if need be, and despite my own doubts I was in slightly less pain and I wanted to get back.

"I'll be okay. Just watch the bumps." He looked disappointed.

"Do you need to stay? I know you said you weren't hurt, but I was pretty messed up last night."

"I'm fine, Sam. I just don't want to put you in an awkward position." I thought about it for a moment. I had disappeared, seemingly randomly to spend time with my brother, and was coming back less than forty-eight hours later with a gunshot wounds and claw marks running down my chest. There were probably close to sixty stiches in my body right now and I couldn't move my left arm. I was a mess, and I looked it. If I showed up today, looking like this, there would be questions, and a lot of them. Questions I wouldn't have answers to

"Oh, maybe we should stay."

I'm always right, Sammy.

"Thought so. You want some food?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"Anything."

"Anything?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Within reason."

"You'll be good here?" He was internally grumbling my limitation on the food; I could see it.

"I'm sure I'll manage for fifteen minutes. I should call Jess anyway."

"Okay." He slid his gun into the pocket in the interior lining of his jacket and made sure he had his silver knife. "I'll be back soon."

I nodded and flipped through my phone for Jess' number

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"Sam?"

"Yeah."

"What's going on?"

"Not much. I'm actually calling to you know I'm going to be a few days longer than expected."

"Oh? Why?"

"Ran into some car trouble." I flinched at the lie.

"Ok." I hated how easily she accepted the lie too; she was just so trusting. "But Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"You are coming back right?"

"Yeah, I am. I promise."

"You wouldn't lie about that?"

"I love you." It just came out- I didn't plan to say it. She knew I was lying, of course she did, she knew so much, and she still trusted me to come home.

"I love you, Sam. I can't wait to see you."

"I know, I'll see you in a couple of days." We chatted for a while longer, mostly about her sister's upcoming wedding and classes. Eventually Dean made it back with the food, and we hung up with whispered I love yous.

"Really- love?" I so did not want to have this conversation. It would turn into a warning about how I was putting her in danger, just by being around her, let alone perusing a serious relationship.

"Yeah, I know. I know." I gritted the words out, and braced myself for the upcoming fight, when I noticed a way to prevent it. "Dude, did you really go back to the diner where we killed five people last night?"

"Yeah, so?"

"You could've been recognized."

"It was dark and they didn't even see the car. The same people weren't on shift. Besides it was either there or a place that would've given us food poisoning." One of the many perks of being a hunter- you could tell a place would give you food poisoning without ever leaving the road.

I'm sick of diners, Sammy

I grumbled but dug into the giant breakfast platter stuffed into the Styrofoam box with gusto. The scrambled eggs were rubbery but the bacon and hash browns were superb, as were the pancakes. We ate and silence and I squirmed as the gouges in my chest began to burn. I realized I hadn't taken a pain pill after we decided to stay and I really, really needed to.

"You ok, Sammy?"

"I just forgot to take a pain pill earlier."

"Right. Well take one and we'll change the dressing." My least favorite part of getting hurt wasn't the initial injury or even getting stitched up- it was the first dressing change. Blood had always dried on the bandages making it sticky and the wounds were still fresh enough to warrant an ungodly amount of pain when the dressing were removed. We got through though and spent the rest of day watching TV and reliving old hunts. I knew we needed to head back tomorrow and was overjoyed to get back to Jess, but there was a big part of me that didn't want today to end.

A/N: I apologize if any of the medical stuff in here is inaccurate. Also the first spinoff story in this 'verse is up: "You're Taller Than Me Now, Sammy" so you should check that out. Please R/R.