Chapter 10
Thanks to Soar for the beta, and her feedback. I would also like to thank Sinead-Conlan and JuliaAurelia for their feedback on this chapter as well.
Disclaimer: Still don't own them.
"JOHN WINCHESTER,WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU CALL ME AND TELL ME THATMY SON WAS SICK. DON'T YOU THINK I HAD A RIGHT TO KNOW?"
John stiffened, turned around and acknowledged the voice for what was sure to be an unpleasant conversation. "Bobby..."
"DON'T BOBBY ME. DEAN IS MY SON TOO, JOHN,AND I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW IF THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIM!"
John glanced toward the door to Dean's room. He grabbed Bobby by the arm and dragged him down the hall. "Damn it Bobby, keep it down. Do you want him to find out?"
"Yes!" Bobby admitted honestly.
"Well, he can't. You're the one that decided against it, remember? You know what it would do to him," John reminded Bobby.
"Talk! Now, John!" Bobby demanded.
"About a week ago, Dean started feeling tired all the time and after a hunt, he had a small cut that wouldn't stop bleeding. I brought him here and they ran some tests and found out that he has aplastic anemia."
"What the hell is that?" Bobby growled.
"It's a disease of the bone marrow. Dean's body isn't producing blood cells," John said robotically.
Bobby paled. "Dean has cancer?"
"No," John said quickly. "I thought the same thing, but it's not cancer, just a lack of cell production."
"What are they doing for him?" Bobby demanded.
"He needs a bone marrow transplant."
"When is this happening?"
"When we find a donor. We need a genetic match."
"And you didn't call me?" Bobby's temper quickly flared again. "How do I give bone marrow?"
"We need a match..." John tried to explain again.
"I'm his father. I'd definitely be a match for my son."
John flinched at Bobby's words. He had never felt so helpless in his life. "It's not that simple, apparently a sibling has a best chance of matching."
Bobby blanched at the thought that there was a possibility that he may not match. "Dean doesn't have any siblings," he confirmed.
John's temper instantly matched Bobby's. "He has a brother," John insisted.
"I meant biologically," Bobby replied.
"I know what you meant, but don't, Bobby, don't you ever say that again. Sam and Dean may not be related, but they are brothers, in every way that counts."
"That may be, John, but it doesn't help Dean does it? What are the odds of me matching?" Bobby asked.
"About one in 8. They said that we only give half our DNA to our children. If you want to be tested, just go to the lab and they can take a blood sample. Testing takes about two weeks."
Again, Bobby's face flushed red with anger. "What? Were you going to wait two weeks to see if you matched first, then call me, and then have to wait another two weeks while Dean gets sicker?" Bobby accused.
"That's not it. We just found out yesterday," John defended himself. "How did you find out so quickly?" he questioned.
"I help Caleb monitor the hunter's fund, so when Dean Colt made a claim, imagine my surprise that you didn't call me when my son was sick," Bobby huffed.
"Look Bobby, Dean is my son," John huffed back, getting territorial.
"John, I can tell him at any time," Bobby threatened.
"You promised, Bobby, you said you wouldn't tell him," John shot back, a flash of fear running through him. Why was this happening now?
"I don't want to..."
"Excuse me," a voice interrupted them. Both men turned to see an irate Dr. Scott standing before them. "This is a hospital. I would appreciate you taking your argument outside," he said firmly.
"Sorry," John said contritely. "This is, um, my brother Bobby," John said in a rush. "He wants to get tested."
"Does that mean you managed to change Dean's mind?" Dr. Scott asked.
"He's agreed to stay for now," John replied.
"That's good. I've scheduled the surgery for the day after tomorrow. I'll just stop in to see Dean and let him know. Mr. Colt," the doctor said addressing Bobby. "Just go to the lab and let them know. They can assist you from there," the doctor explained and then continued down the hall.
"What was that about, John? Why does Dean need surgery? What else aren't you telling me? I have a right to know!"
"You gave up any rights you had when you abandoned him!" John shot back, his temper finally getting the better of him. It was a low blow and he knew it. The problem was that he was not in a mood to fight fair.
Bobby's hands involuntarily curled up into fists. He really wanted to haul off and deck the man standing before him. "How Dare You" Bobby said, his voice low and deadly, indicating that he was seconds away from losing it.
"Dad," another voice from down the hall called. Both men turned and saw Sam walking toward them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam sat beside his brother's bed, pretending he was reading. Dean was flipping through the channels on his small TV, complaining because there was nothing on. Sam had pointed out that Oprah started in about 15 minutes, and he was still rubbing his arm from where Dean had punched him and told him to shut up.
What the youngest Winchester was really doing was watching his older brother. He was still trying to process the news that his father had told him that morning. Of the two of them, Sam would have bet that it was him who had been adopted. Dean and their dad were so much alike. They had the same hobbies and interests. The only thing they seemed to disagree on was their taste in music, his dad preferred country and western. He even found that Dean looked like their mom from the pictures he had seen. His brother had her eyes.
"Dude, I got something hanging off me or what?" Dean said startling Sam out of his thoughts.
"What?" Sam asked in confusion.
"Quit staring at me. I know my good looks make it hard not to, but dude, it's starting to creep me out."
"I wasn't staring at you. I was trying to see around your fat head to the TV, quit hogging," Sam covered quickly.
Dean looked insulted. "My head is not fat."
"Well then, how do you explain why I can't see the TV. I mean, it's obviously not a problem of seeing over the top of your head," Sam countered.
"I'm not short," Dean protested. "You're just a sasquatch," Dean defended himself.
"No wonder your favourite cartoon was the Smurfs when we were growing up. You can really relate to them, I mean, you're almost as tall as they are," Sam snickered.
"Shut up, Sam!"
Sam was on a roll, however. "I remember, Dean, right after the Smurfs, it was Strawberry Shortcake?"
"At least I didn't cry when the care bears weren't on," Dean shot back.
"Shut up." It was Sam's turn to protest now.
"Don't forget about Rainbow Bright."
"I told you I only watched that because I thought she was hot," Sam tried to defend himself.
"Whatever helps you sleep though the night, Sammy," Dean replied.
"I..." Sam started and stopped. He had never really thought about it before. Dean wasn't small, but both he and their father were taller than Dean. Guess that explains why.
"It's the bottom of the ninth and Sam strikes out with the bases loaded."
"What the hell are you going on about, Dean?" Sam asked, once again being dragged from his thoughts.
"You never could match me, little brother," Dean said referring to their banter.
Sam couldn't help but flinch at his brother's words, you never could match. He just hoped that someone would. He couldn't believe how upset he was over the fact that he may not be able to help his brother.
"Sammy," Dean said, his tone becoming serious when he saw how his little brother had reacted to his words and thought about what he had said. He knew what Sam was hoping for.
"It's okay," Sam said shaking himself out of his funk. "You win," he said. He knew what was coming next and Dean didn't disappoint.
"I win. Are you feeling okay, Sammy? Maybe we should get the doc to check you out," Dean suggested.
"Is everything okay?" Dr. Scott said as he stepped into his patient's room.
"It's fine," Sam insisted.
"I think something's wrong with his head, doc," Dean said motioning to his little brother. "You have a psychiatrist on staff? I think he needs to be heavily medicated."
Dr. Scott smiled indulgently. "I'll see if I can arrange a psych consult for your brother... Sam," the doctor said and his grin turned evil.
"Hey!" Dean protested.
"Sorry man, us little brothers have got to stick together," Dr. Scott replied.
"Big brothers get no respect, I tell you," Dean said pretending to sound hurt. "What's up?"
"I'm here to tell you that we have your surgery set up for the day after tomorrow. Is that okay with you?" Dr. Scott asked.
"Not really," Dean confirmed. "But I guess, if I have no choice, it's fine," he replied and shifted his gaze to his hands.
Neither Sam nor Dr. Scott missed the change that had come over the young hunter as the tension in the room grew. Sam decided it was best not to comment and turned his attention back to the papers he was reading. He had printed off everything he could find on bone marrow donation and transplants and was trying to concentrate on it. No sooner had he glanced at his newest page when he realized that they had a really big problem. How the hell had they missed this? He had to go find his father, right now! Speaking of which, where was he?
"Um, I'm going for coffee, I'll be right back," Sam said standing up and heading toward the door.
"Bring me one, would you?" Dean asked.
Sam looked toward Dr. Scott who nodded and Sam quickly left. He found his father a short way down the hall and he was shocked to see that Bobby was there too.
Sam didn't know the whole history between them, except that it was rocky. Sam had memories of staying with "Uncle Bobby" when he was younger, but then, when he was about 11 or 12, they had left Bobby's salvage yard abruptly one day and from that point, they hardly saw the man and when they did, things were always tense between the two older men. Except whenever something bad was going on, or they were in trouble, because Bobby was always there to help. Sam didn't even pretend to understand the relationship between Bobby and his dad.
"Dad," he called and walked up to his father.
"What's up, Sam? How's Dean?" Bobby asked with a touch of worry in his tone.
"He's fine. The doctor's giving him a check up and telling him about the surgery. He agreed to it," Sam said anticipating his father's next comment. "It's just that we have a big problem."
"What now?" Both John and Bobby said in unison.
"I printed this off the internet last night. It talks about isolation procedures during the transplant. Did you know that during the entire process, Dean's going to be in isolation?" Sam explained.
John groaned and swore.
"Dean's not going to react well to that," Bobby pointed out.
"Really, thanks for clearing that up," John said sarcastically.
"I thought I said to take this elsewhere,' Dr. Scott said as he came up to the small group.
"Sorry," both men apologized again.
"Now, I can tell something's on your mind, Sam, from the way you bolted out of that room," Dr. Scott said.
"What about the isolation room?" Sam blurted out.
"What about it"?" Dr. Scott asked.
"How does that work? We can still see Dean, right? He won't do it if..." Sam said frantically.
"Calm down, son," Dr. Scott said sharply. "Take a deep breath," he paused and waited for Sam to follow his instructions. "Yes, Dean is going to be placed into isolation, which can be scary for patients, but he can still have visitors. You just have to gown and glove up. You'll be right by his side through this whole thing."
"Good, I'm going to go see him now," Bobby stated firmly.
"Mr. Colt," the doctor said regretfully. "You can visit Dean now, but after he's in isolation, it's immediate family only. Aunts and uncles are not usually allowed to visit a patient in isolation."
Bobby stopped short. "Excuse me?" he said glaring at the doctor.
"It's for Dean's protection," Dr. Scott tried to explain and before he could say anything more, his beeper went off. "I'm sorry, but I have to take this. Give me about an hour and I'll come by Dean's room and answer all your questions," he confirmed.
"Forget it, John," Bobby snapped. "You're not keeping me away. I have a right to be here."
"I don't know where you're coming from, I never said anything about keeping you away, but Bobby, I don't make the rules," John said defensively.
"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Bobby accused.
"Are you kidding me?" John snapped in disbelief. "What about this entire situation do you think I find amusing?"
"You're not keeping me out of Dean's room, now or later," Bobby said ignoring John.
Sam's head was going back and forth like a tennis ball as he watched his father and Bobby go at it. Hadhe missedsomething?
"Dad," Sam said, but neither man heard him.
"Do you really think this is the time to be having this argument, Bobby? They're going to throw both of us out of here," John cautioned.
"Dad," Sam tried again but Bobby's next words took the thought right out his head.
"Right or wrong, the fact remains that I'm Dean's father and you're not keeping me from him." With that, Bobby turned and stalked off down the hall, leaving Sam standing there, staring at his father in disbelief. Had he heard that right?
A/N: I honestly have no idea what the rules are for visiting patients in isolation, I did a search, but the only thing I could find was that it varies between hospitals, so I made up the part about visitors being immediate family only.
The next flashback chapter will be dedicated to how Bobby found out about Dean, I figured that was better than just having it reduced to a couple of paragraphs in this chapter.
Please remember to read and review. It keeps the muse happy.