The Fallen by DeansBabyBird
Ok, all those of you who have stayed with me to the end, thanks I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoy the bandaging and suturing! Thanks to Lou and Kirsty for getting me to the end of this. You are the best beta's anyone could have. bev xxxx OH and the sequel...'So Not An Angel!' will be coming to soon, I hope to see some of you again maybe.
Chapter Ten Sutures and Sympathy.
'Sam!'
Dean's exhausted voice was muffled as his face was pressed into Sam's shirt front, held there by his brother's long arms which were wrapped tightly about him.
'Too...tight...Dude! Can't... breathe! ...Lemme...go!'
Sam relented and eased his grip slightly, allowing Dean to relax in his embrace and lean away from his trembling sibling. The older hunter breathed deeply and swayed a little, the simple act of holding himself upright proving challenging and he found himself eased back into Jo's arms. He blinked; long lashes sweeping over sleepy jade eyes, as he let his head flop back so he could look up into her tear filled honey brown eyes.
'Hey Jo!'
Dean's voice was slurred, he sounded drunk and Jo smiled thinking back to the start of this nightmare, that happy night in the bar, when it had been Sam who had sounded like Dean did now.
'Missed...ya!'
Dean smiled a lopsided million kilowatt smile, and Jo's face crumpled into tears as she rested her cheek against his matted hair.
'Me too Dean, I missed you too!'
Her voice trembled and she carefully drew him closer to her, desperate to hold him whilst trying to avoid his many wounds.
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Michael watched Jo and Sam's tears as they held Dean, and he tightened his arm around Uri's shoulders, gratitude for his release from his long imprisonment shinning in his ethereal violet eyes.
He looked at Raguel and at Raphe's bowed head as he laid his healing hands on Uri's injured body, and he drank in his brothers' strength and serenity, feeling utterly at peace.
At his side he felt Uri flinch, a quiet groan escaping his tightly pressed lips, and Michael turned his face to his youngest brother; his heart grieving as he saw the pain of his wounds etched in his strained features.
He raised his hand and placed it softly on Raphael's arm in silent question, as he sought his eyes.
Raphael could not hide his exhaustion as he acknowledged his brothers touch, and he heard Michael's much missed voice softly in his head.
'Enough, Raphe! You have no more to give to him at this moment. Uriel's healing will be long won and you know we must all play our part in achieving it. Stop now before we have you as a casualty to tend to as well!'
Raphael held their gaze for a moment, turmoil on his loving face, the need to heal and restore his brother coursing though his body, before Michael's wisdom won out. He nodded once and his tired gaze followed Raguel's to look upon Uriel, as Michael spoke.
'Uri?'
Pain filled White eyes flickered open, panic etched on the younger man's drawn features until he could reconnect with Michael's gentle face.
'We must get you home, Uri! Raphe is exhausted, from the binding and all he has done so far to ease your pain. We must find ourselves again; restore our equilibrium and strength! We cannot do that here so we must get you home. Can you bear your pain a little longer?'
Uri nodded, his heart too full to speak without tears falling again, and he leaned into Michael's strong arms, closing his tired eyes in acquiescence.
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Sam started as the Angel's rose, their presence in the room having been lost to him as his whole focus was on Dean, and he stood to greet them.
'We must away Sam!'
Raguel placed his strong hands on Sam's shoulders as he spoke. Behind him Raphe helped Michael as he lifted Uriel into his strong arms.
'Forgive me, Sam'
Raphe voice sang of his exhaustion, as he gazed through tired eyes at Sam.
'I would finish Dean's healing but I have nothing more now to give. He is pulled back from the brink, but it will be a long road for him yet...'
Sam glanced down at Jo as she held Dean in her arms. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was shallow but even.
'I understand Raphe and I can never thank you for what you have done. All of you''
Sam's intense brown eyes held the Angel's and his gratitude was written there for all to see.
'Jo and I will look after him now'
'The wounds will heal, with care and time. But you must see he rests! It is vital that he heals his spirit and soul as well as his body. It will not be easy for him. Sam nodded, knowing how difficult it would be to enforce rest on his brother's constantly active persona yet determined he would ensure it happened somehow.
'We will be back Sam!'
Michael's hauntingly pale eyes commanded Sam's.
'Much has happened here, and we have seen Dean's power. We will return to help him understand his potential, and to deal with all that it brings. I fear we will have need of him in the future Sam! Need of you all! This daemon was but one and they are legion. This thing is not ended!'
Sam felt a cold terror flood his body as he glanced at Dean, and saw the wounds, pain and anguish that his battered body had endured, and was terrified for what might be to come. He wanted to protect him, save him, as Dean had always protected him but he feared that he might not be able to.
The Angels moved to the centre of the room and Sam felt energy beginning to build around them. He heard Dean inhale sharply and he looked nervously to the older hunter as he laid in Jo's arms.
Dean's eyes were wide open, and he looked suddenly distressed, his gaze alarmed with pain and fear. Then, as Sam watched he found the faces of the Angels, and his fear dissipated to be replaced by recognition, serenity and peace.
Light flooded the room, emanating from the Angels, and from Dean. The shared light blended and built until it was blinding. Sam closed his eyes against its intensity and when he reopened them, the Angels were gone and he and Jo and Dean were alone in the dim room
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Dean felt the energy of the Angels depart, and was instantly much more keenly aware of the pain of his various wounds and the overwhelming bone numbing tiredness he felt. He suddenly had no strength to hold himself upright and he sighed as he slumped back against Jo's embrace.
Jo felt Dean rest back against her as the brilliance of the Angels departure faded, and she called to Sam, concern in her voice.
Sam was on his knees in a second at Dean's side his worried eyes taking in his brothers battered from. He spoke softly, gently laying his big hand on Dean's leg to rouse him.
'Hey Dean? Stay with me Dude!'
Pale green eyes fluttered open, and a slight smile broke through Dean's pain filled expression.
'You ...OK... Sammy?'
His voice was raw and gravelled, but it sounded wonderful to Sam's ears.
'I'm good Bro, how 'bout you?'
Sam watched Dean's face and waited to see his usual retort of 'm fine!', but for an instant Dean couldn't paper over the cracks torn into his heavily constructed walls; couldn't hide his pain from Sam, and his soft whisper tore at Sam's heart.
'Wanna ...go...home ...Sam,... don't ...really...like ...it ...much...here!'
Jo felt her heart breaking as she watched the brothers' exchange and she drew her arms a little tighter around Dean, wanting to comfort him, but only succeeding in having him flinch as her embrace increased his pain.
'We're going Dean, hang on. We're going home!'
Dean's eyes closed again as he nodded his head weakly, and Sam looked to Jo.
'How are we gonna get him outta here?'
Jo was looking at the steep flight of steps that exited the dank cellar, knowing how difficult it had been getting Uri down those steps with his injured leg, and they had had Raguel to help them.
Sam gaze had followed hers and she knew he was thinking the same as she. He looked back at Jo, his face determined.
'I'll carry him!'
'Sam he's heavy and those steps are steep! If you're gonna carry him you need to let me help. It'll be safer!'
Sam shook his head, a look of determination on his face, his shaggy brown hair sweeping over intense eyes.
'No way Jo ...'
'Hey guys?'
Dean's voice was quiet, a slight smile on his dry cracked lips as he watched their heated exchange.
'In...in the ...room here!'
Sam and Jo looked shamefaced at each other and Jo touched her hand tenderly to Dean's cheek.
'Sorry Dean!'
'Anyway'
Dean shifted slightly in Jo's arms, trying to draw himself that bit more upright only to have the refreshed level of pain that the small movement engendered knock the breath out of him.
Sam's hand flew to Dean's shoulder trying to stop him moving further, but he only succeeding finding another of Dean's injuries, eliciting another hiccup of pain. Dean managed a small weak glare, coughing slightly.
'Anyway, I...can ...walk!'
Sam couldn't help the sharp laugh that escaped his throat, as he looked down into his brother's determined but un-focussed eyes.
'Dean, you can barely do conscious at the moment! How in hell do you think you are gonna walk? You have a busted shoulder; your hand's torn up and how about those broken ribs? Still hurting like a bitch Huh?
That's not taking into account the huge gash in your other arm or the fact that you're face looks like a train wreck or the pints of blood all over the floor that oughta be inside not outside of ya!'
'Well...Hell Sammy!'
Dean's green eyes flashed dangerously, his hoarse voice growling threateningly, and Jo smiled seeing the age old battle of Winchester wills firing his non-existent energy.
'I sure as hell ain't letting you carry me up there!'
He paused panting a little at the effort it had taken to get that short sentence out in one go. He moved again in Jo's arms managing to lean slightly more upright, almost but not quite managing to hide his groan of pain.
'Remember that time in Tupelo? What was it you said? "I got ya, Dean!" '
Dean shifted a touch more, Jo feeling his hitching breathing where he lay pressed against her, as he turned his head slightly to look into her amused face.
'Ask him ...what happened that time...Jo?'
Dean's eyes flashed back to Sam as he fought to regain his breath and Jo followed his gaze to find Sam's look of embarrassment. Jo raised her eyes in amused enquiry.
'OK, so I dropped ya! But we were running from the freaky 'I'm more dead than you are!' twins at the time and I seem to remember that I had a concussion that I'd acquired when you pulled down that wall on them!'
Sam's fierce look belied any real anger as he played along with his brother, using their long-practised good natured bickering to rally Dean's strength.
'So I rest my case Sammy!'
Dean's smile was smug, or would have been were it not for the pain creasing his brow.
Now help me u,...I wanna blow this joint!'
Sam snorted, determined that he would win the argument, then he looked into his brother's pale eyes and just behind the quasi-angry sparkle of determination he could see barely concealed fear; panic that threatened to overwhelm at any minute and a desperate plea to get him out of this place of pain.
Sam nodded, signifying that he understood that Dean was just about holding it together and that he could last that little bit longer but only a little bit.
'OK Dean'
Sam looked to Jo and saw understanding in her eyes too.
'Let's get you up then!'
As gently as possible, they raised the injured man to his very shaky feet with Sam taking the lion's share of Dean's weight.
Sam wrapped Dean's less damaged right arm around his shoulders, stooping so as not to pull on his broken and bruised ribs any more than necessary, and grasped left side belt loops to stabilise his grip.
Jo, nestled into Dean's other side, her arm around his waist, similarly locking onto the waist of his tattered jeans, allowing his left arm to rest against her without jarring his shattered shoulder.
The manoeuvre cost Dean heavily in pain terms, and by the time he was upright sweat was running from his temples and his breathing was rapid and laboured. Jo cast a glance at Sam and saw his anxiety in his wide eyes.
'How you doing Dean?'
Sam's voice was soft but urgent and Dean's eye's tracked lazily to find his.
'I'm good Sam, let's go home!'
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The journey from the cellar through the house was tortuous, each movement jarring one, if not all of Dean's many injuries and his gasps of pain became less and less easy for him to hide as they progressed. Conversely, his strength decreased rapidly as they moved toward the outside and the Impala, and he leaned progressively on Sam and Jo.
Sam asked him frequently if he was OK; how he was doing? And each time Dean responded that he was fine but his voice got quieter and more agonised with each desperate enquiry.
By the time they hit the front door of 'My Tartarus' Dean's legs had all but gone out from under him and his bare feet were dragging on the wood as they struggled down the steps, each descent drawing a frank cry of undisguised pain from their charge.
For the final few steps to the Impala Sam took Dean's weight entirely as Jo leapt ahead to open the door and raise the bench seat to allow access to the full length of the back seat on which to lay Dean. She climbed inside and knelt on the seat, holding out her arms to Sam as he leaned Dean as carefully as he could against the side of the car to catch his breath.
Dean was panting, his breathing shallow and pain-filled as Sam held him up with his back to the side of the car. It was hard to his back and the sweat soaking his T-shirt chilled him in the cold night air. Dean looked up and saw the bright moon, highlighting the tiny scattering of snowflakes as they drifted down, spotting the Impala with wisps of white.
'Snowing...Sam!'
Sam looked into Dean's fluttering eyes, unsure what to make of his brothers remark. He glanced at Jo and saw his anxiety mirrored on her face.
Yeah Dean, it's snowing?'
Dean smiled at him, timing his breathing so he could speak.
'Not loosing...it Sam!...just good to see...outside again!'
Dean held Sam's gaze and saw understanding in the soft brown eyes, understanding for Dean's fear, felt during his time with the daemon, that he would never see the sky again. Sam nodded and moved in towards Dean.
'Yeah Dean, you're out now! Let's get you in the back and you can lie down...'
'No!'
Dean's voice suddenly held some brittle energy and he put a trembling hand to Sam's chest as he reached for him.
'Wanna sit up front Sam!'
Jo scooted to the open car door, twisting her body out so she could see their faces.
'Dean! You need to lie down! You'll be more comfortable.'
Dean shook his head, his hand pushing weakly against his advancing brother's giant form. He coughed, wheezing for breath to speak, agitation plain in his tense body.
'No!'
It was a command and then a plea and Sam looked into Dean's eyes and saw the threat of tears.
'Wanna hear her Sam'
Sam looked confused but could not tear his gaze from Dean's sparkling eyes.
'Engine!'
And Sam understood and nodded. Dean needed to hear the growl and purr of his beloved Impala and hear it from the front, not from a position of weakness in the back seat.
'Sure Dean.'
Sam motioned Jo from the back and she scurried onto the front seat, gently receiving Dean's limp form into her arms, holding him against her as Sam closed the passenger door.
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The drive to the motel took longer than anticipated as the drifting snow, augmented by an increasingly heavy new fall covered the road making it treacherous.
Sam gripped the wheel and tried to keep his focus on his driving but each swerve of the car or pothole in the blacktop drew a groan from Dean and he found his eyes darting to his brother with alarming regularity.
Dean had initially lain against Jo's right side, her arm around his shoulder, holding him into her warm soft body. However as they drove, she had turned more and more towards him as he had slumped against her, and now his head was cradled by her left arm, resting against her chest, as she endeavoured to keep his weight off his shattered shoulder.
Dean was finding it increasingly difficult to keep his eyes open, numbing tiredness weighing down his aching limbs, and the purr of the Impala became a soft beat by which he timed his breathing to deal with the increasingly overwhelming waves of pain.
Jo watched Dean's bruised lips mumbling as she held him as he slipped in and out of consciousness and she looked worriedly at Sam.
'It's alright Jo'
Sam's voice was low so as not to disturb his brother fitful sleep.
'He's counting!'
Sam said by way of explanation, Jo wrinkled her nose in question.
'He counts the beats of songs, or the noise of the engine.'
'I don't understand?'
Sam glanced at Dean, watching his eyes flicker open briefly, and hold his own for that second before squeezing shut again in pain.
'When he hurts bad or when he's scared he counts, always has. Says it helps him focus, get through it, bear the pain!'
Jo nodded, curling her hand into Dean's as he mumbled, and blinking back tears as she felt him weakly reciprocate her touch.
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Sam finally parked the Impala in the space before their motel rooms and loped to the passenger door, opening it carefully and reaching in to steady Dean as the support of the door was withdrawn.
Sam took in the scene before him and was relieved that they had at last reached the motel but horrified at how drawn and hurt Dean looked as the pale moonlight lit his face. He was barely awake and leaning heavily on Jo as she struggled to keep the pressure off of his worst injuries.
'How are we gonna get him out Sam? I don't think he can stand?'
Sam nodded and handed the key for the motel room ushering Jo to get to and open the door, as he leaned into the car and carefully gathered his injured brother's still body into his strong arms and carried him from the car.
Dean felt tugging and the pressure of Sam's fierce yet gentle embrace and he fought to stifle his cries of pain for a while longer as he relaxed into his brother's arms.
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The motel bed was old and lumpy and worn and as Sam and Jo carefully lowered Dean down onto it, it struck him that it felt just wonderful!
He wanted to sleep, for about a week, no make that two weeks!
However, Sam had other ideas and Dean groaned as he felt his brother's unmistakable hands painfully examining his right forearm.
'Ouch!'
Dean whispered, opening his eyes and then blinking in the relatively bright light of the room. Sam glanced at him but continued his probing of the laceration the daemon had made as part of the summoning ritual.
'Sam!'
Louder, voice stronger but apparently not strong enough to have Sam get the hint! Try again Dean
'Sam!'
Humm! Not bad! Got them to look at me! Loud enough to stop Sam and to get Jo to turn from the other bed where she was arranging items on the comforter
'What is it Dean?'
Sam's face hovered into view, he was standing at the side of the bed looking directly down at Dean as he lay propped there, his shoulder supported on all the pillows they had in the room.
'Tired out Sammy! It hurts'
Dean repeated with feeling. Sam sat on the bed beside him and the movement of the bed made the room swim in a disorientating manner.
'I know Dean, but we gotta patch you up a bit. You're still bleeding Dude and we gotta sew these up, strap your arm up so you don't hurt it anymore, then you can sleep.'
Sam's heart went out to his brother as he saw the pain and exhaustion in his soft green eyes and hated to put him through any more but knew it had to be done. He leaned in close, talking quietly, for Dean's ears only.
'Can you hang in there a while longer Dean? Do you trust me?'
Dean held his eyes silently for seconds then he watched his big brother draw in a shaky lungful of air.
'Always Sam, I always trust ya!'
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It took Jo and Sam an hour to clean , suture and dress the large soft tissue wounds on Dean's broken shoulder, his hand, right forearm and on his cheek bone and by the time they had finished all three of them were bathed in sweat. Dean's caused by intense pain and Sam and Jo's by the knowledge that they had hurt him desperately.
His moans of pain had not started immediately but Jo had watched as his capacity to hold in his agony was exceeded and his cries had become more and more pronounced. Still he never once asked Sam to stop and had murmured reassurances to them both when their shaking hands had paused to seek his continued consent.
'Just your shoulder now'
Sam was kneeling with one leg on the bed next to Dean as he lay slumped into the stack of pillows, tight white bandages wrapping his hand and forearm and a neat row of black stitches closing the huge wound in his left shoulder.
'You know the drill Dean?'
Dean looked at Sam, too nauseous to nod as the room was already spinning, but his eyes spoke his reluctant acquiescence.
Jo watched Dean's pale face and her heart went out to him, she didn't know if she could bear to see him go through any more.
'Sam, let's leave his shoulder, do it tomorrow when he's had a chance to rest a bit.'
Sam held Jo's traumatised eyes and understood why she wanted to leave Dean's dislocated shoulder alone. He had been present before when their father had re-located the displaced joint and had heard Dean scream in agony but he also knew that the longer the deformity persisted the more likely it was that long term damage to Dean's arm would occur.
Sam sat on the bed next to his brother and gently lifted his heavily bandaged left hand in his own. The difference in skin temperature between Sam's large warm hand and Dean's was strikingly apparent and although Sam could see Dean start in pain at the motion of his limb, he made no attempt to pull his hand from Sam's embrace.
'Dean, can you feel your hand at all?'
Sam's gaze tracked to his brother's exhaustion smudged green eyes.
'No, Sam...haven't really ...been able to feel much for days,... well apart from when Mikey stuck the... the knife through it!'
Dean's smile was weak and Sam saw the terrifyingly recent memories threatening to steal his brother's apparent composure
'Can you move it?'
'No, hardly at all'
Sam looked back at Jo, his expression giving an answer to her question, and she nodded showing she understood that they had no choice and that she also understood that Sam regretted more than anyone hurting Dean even more.
'OK Dean,'
Sam was reaching for his brother as he spoke easing him forward from the pillows and indicating with his eyes for Jo to move in and sit behind Dean.
'So Jo's gonna hold you whilst I put your arm back in.'
Sam felt Dean's head nod against his chest as he began to lower him back into Jo's waiting arms as she sat behind the injured hunter on the bed mimicking the stack of pillows that she had thrown to the floor. Dean settled against her and she wrapped her arms around his taught abdomen, trying to avoid his broken ribs. His skin was cool under her hands, and she could feel him trembling.
'Hold ...me ...tight...Jo'
Dean voice was apprehensive and she nodded against his head as it leaned on her shoulder. Dean's eyes never left Sam as he rose from the bed and took a firm hold of Dean's bandaged left hand in his right, placing his other on Dean's sutured shoulder.
'You ready?'
Sam looked from below his floppy brown bangs at his brother, and Dean nodded closing his weary eyes.
Sam quickly raised and stretched out his brother's arm, pulling hard on Dean's arm and simultaneously pressing back on his shoulder, fighting to relocate the shattered joint. Sam could feel bone fragments grating beneath his fingers, but the joint was very swollen and the humerus was reluctant to find its socket.
Dean bit his lip as Sam wrenched at his arm, his breath coming in staccato gasps as Jo held him fast in her rib popping embrace. It felt like Sam was trying to rip his arm off and his body was flooded with fierce debilitating waves of nausea and pain.
Sam released his pressure on Dean's arm and gently lowered his arm to the bed, reaching out to his brother as he fought to control his panting. Sweat was running down Dean's body and Jo could feel that the tremble had become wholesale shaking.
'Is ...it...in?'
Dean's question was a ghost of a whisper, his strength spent.
'Not yet'
Sam squeezed his hand on Dean's unhurt shoulder.
'Finish it Sam!'
Sam nodded and stood taking a firm grip again on Dean's hand, noting the fresh blood on the bandages wrapping his wound. He looked at Jo, and she dug her feet into the bed and pulled back opposing Sam's movement as strongly as she could, as he suddenly wrenched ferociously on Dean's arm. Dean's scream was heart wrenching as his arm finally clicked back into its correct anatomical position and tears ran down his face as he passed into unconsciousness.
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It had taken Sam and Jo a further half hour to finish tending to Dean's broken ribs and to strap his arm to his chest, taking turns to hold him upright as the other wrapped tight white bandages around his bruised body.
And now they sat at the table, their own eyes closing with terrible fatigue, as they nursed cooling coffee mugs, their eyes constantly on Dean as they spoke in soft whispers.
'I'm not sure I understand exactly what happened back there Sam?'
Jo looked through closing lashes into Sam's eyes, which were the colour of expensive, rich chocolate in the dim light, and he brushed a large hand over his sleepy face as he answered.
'Me either Jo but maybe...'
Sam's musings were forgotten as on the bed Dean stirred fitfully, mumbling softly under his breath, and mugs were abandoned as they hastened to the bed.
Dean felt a soft hand touch his forehead and he opened his gritty eyes to find Jo's anxious face close to his own. He could feel her warm sweet coffee fragranced breath on his skin.
'How are you feeling Dean?'
Dean smiled, his eyes struggling to focus on her pretty face.
'Feet...warm!'
Jo glanced at Sam, and Sam pulled the covers off his brother's feet, touching his toes. Dean frowned and pulled his foot away from Sam's big hand.
'Get...off...Sasquatch!'
Dean rolled his head toward Sam a look of annoyance on his face.
'Not been ...warm ...for days!'
Sam laughed then realising what Dean was saying, and drew the covers back over his feet.
'Sorry Dean!'
Jo smiled too and Dean remembered how much he liked her smile.
'You ...look ...tired Jo?'
'I am'
Her hand trailed from his forehead to cup the side of his bruised face and he leaned his cheek into her palm.
'You should sleep...Jo!'
He raised his chin, and indicated the unoccupied bed next to him. Jo glanced at Sam and he nodded as the tiny hunter reluctantly let go her embrace and lay herself down, her eyes never leaving Dean as she moved.
Sam rose and laid the comforter over her. She wriggled closer to the edge of the bed and stretched her hand over to Dean's bed so she could touch her fingers to his arm, desperate not to break their contact as her eyes closed.
Sam moved back to Dean's bed and lifted a glass to his lips helping Dean hold it as he sipped the cool water. Dean nodded his thanks and Sam set the glass down before looking back to Jo. She had succumbed to sleep, and her face had relaxed as she breathed rhythmically under the covers.
As Sam sat down on the bed beside Dean he took in his brother's soft smile as he looked at the sleeping girl.
'She's a great girl!'
Dean trailed struggling eyes to Sam's face, the soft smile lighting up his pale eyes even through his bruises, and Sam saw someone so much younger and more vulnerable than he often saw.
'You like her, don't ya?'
Sam expected all of Dean's usual denials and then some, and so was surprised when Dean momentarily dropped his eyes, his jaw clenching, before regaining Sam's watchful eyes, his soul suddenly laid bare in iridescent jade.
'Yeah... I do...Sam!'
Dean moved his right arm to his ribs as he spoke and Sam saw increasing pain leeching his smile.
'She's tough and funny'
'She could be good for you Dean'
Sam held his brother's eyes seeing the hesitancy there.
'Don't ...know Sammy! We don't ...exactly have a stable life to ...to offer anyone do we?'
Dean coughed, talking taking more breath than he could get into his struggling lungs, and the movement tore a reluctant cry of pain from him.
Sam reached forward, placing a hand on Deans wrapped chest trying to steady him, and prevent him further hurting himself. After a second or two Dean relaxed a little and Sam eased him back against the pillows once more.
Dean could feel his grip on consciousness failing, his eyes were so heavy that he could barely keep them open and he felt Sam pulling the covers further over him. He hated to feel so fragile, it scared him. He sought his brother's face.
'I ..h...h...hurt ...Sammy!'
It was a simple sentence but so laden with exhaustion, pain and fear that it shocked Sam. He wanted so badly to make Dean's pain disappear, to make him feel safe again like Dean had always been able to do for him when he was a child. He reached out and carefully placed his hand over Dean's as it lay trembling on the covers.
'Sleep Dean. You're safe now! I got ya '
Sam watched Dean gathering his breath to speak and felt him twitch his hand on the bed beneath his own, and Sam reluctantly started to withdraw his hand awaiting Dean's inevitable pushing away of physical contact.
Dean's eyes widened in panic as he felt Sam withdrawing his hand and he gasped out a breathless entreaty knowing that, for tonight anyway, he needed that contact with his brother.
'Don't ..S..Sam!'
'Sorry Dean...'
Sam began to apologise then he looked into his brother's eyes. He saw there the years of sacrifice, courage and responsibility Dean had always shouldered and saw too the look of undisguised vulnerability in those familiar emerald eyes. Sam gently returned his hand to Dean's feeling his brother's calloused fingers grip harshly onto his. He clung to it like his life depended on that contact as maybe it did.
'Sleep Dean, I'm right here. I won't let anything hurt you!'
Sam said with a soft ferocity, and he watched as Dean's face relaxed and his soft green eyes finally closed as he allowed sleep to claim him at last.
The End.
Thanks to you all who have reviewed and sent such nice messages of support. I hope to see some of you again for the sequel, So Not An angel, which I'm bringing over soon. Thanks again. bev xxxx