Chapter Ten:
I Am My Brother's Keeper
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Sasha may not know every English word or meaning, but he was learning much faster with the conversations he's had with Dean, and knew enough now to not use the word 'should' with the small men. The words 'could', 'should', and 'would', sounded so similar to his ears but were sooo different. He told Dmitri to say instead, 'What can we do for you. Can.' Wording was everything. And they could not screw this up again.
Dmitri hastily repeated it to Sam. Trying his best to sound earnest and trustworthy. Hoping that Sam wouldn't think they were plotting against him by speaking their native tongue in front of him. Some of Dmitri's friends said they sometimes get paranoid whenever he's on the phone with someone back home. Like he's talking shit about them even when they know he wasn't. Dmitri said, "You've been watching I take it? You saw uh, everything?"
Sam took a second to figure out if there was a double meaning. If he'd be punished for admitting to spying on them. Deciding that they seemed to already know... he might as well admit it. It could speed things up and he could get Dean the care he needs. "I heard, and saw, everything." That old flame of anger sparking at the memories of Dean being treated so poorly. "Dean was right, we are not animals, we are people. Just like you. We just want to be left alone."
Dmitri nodded hastily. "I assure you, that's all we wanted to hear. To know that there was someone his size that could care for him. You saw!" He insisted. Their whole side of the conversation going round in circles but none of them could stop it. "He just misunderstood us." Dmitri shook his head a few times to himself. "I'm going to start over." he mumbled to himself, eyes lifted and set on Sam again. "I am glad that he has someone. Now. Where would you like to go?"
Sam blinked dumbly. Jaw working before sound came out, "Uh, home."
"Alrighty. So, where is home?" He asked and quickly clarified to keep misunderstanding at bay. "I want to make up for all the shit we did. I can give you a lift to get home faster."
Sam squinted suspiciously at him. Looking down at Dean's blood covered form. Sam's arms still burned from the strain of carrying him earlier, to having them nearly pulled out of socket from the free falls and catches of the line. He was in no shape now to carry Dean all the way home on his own. He hated to admit it to himself but he might just need that help after all. Especially now. The humans seemed to know it too. It rubbed him the wrong way but it is what it is. His neck didn't feel like it was on fire like it had been before, dulling down to a warmth. His knack had been going off nonstop for several minutes now and no amount of rubbing his hand on his neck would settle it down. But it seemed to be settling as he spoke with the humans. Finding out that they might not be as bad as he was imagining. A wholly alien concept for the four inch tall man. They'd been taught that humans are dangerous for most of their life. To go against that sage wisdom seemed ridiculous. But... desperate times...
Sam said, "Before we go anywhere, we uh, we could use some water." Seeing how fast Dmitri agreed to the request, he decided to push his luck an inch further. Humans were capable of many things that people Sam's size are not. One of them, was the ability to summon food when they're hungry. Sam spoke up before the human got to his feet again, before he moved out of hearing range. "And food if you have it. And we could use a minute to rest." The last part aimed at Sasha since that human was still in grabbing distance.
Dmitri nodded eagerly again. "Anything. We will... we can get food in a minute. Water is coming right now." He stood up to get some. He took a couple of large steps backwards before turning around. The small cup Dean had been using was emptied and refreshed before being brought over to the bed. Carefully set down into the bedspread deep enough so that it wouldn't tip over easily. He bit his lip when the action made the small men sway slightly with the depressed mattress. Dmitri retrieved a tissue from the box on the dresser and started to tear it up into smaller pieces but Sasha pulled it from him to finish reducing it to be used easier by Sam.
'Order the food, Dmitri. You're much better at it than I am.' Sasha nodded at the phone.
Dmitri nodded back and remembered to just breathe. His nerves were still making him itch all over. Wondering how the little guys are going to get home when they're both now in such bad shape. Obviously, they would not tell either of them where they lived exactly, and it was out of the question that Dmitri or Sasha would push for a precise location. He just hoped they could get them closer to home.
Dmitri debated with himself for a moment. If he should just go get the food and come back or order in again. If he left with Sasha, he knew Sam would try and leave again on their own. He bit his lip as he stared at the phone. Remembering at the last minute before dialing that he actually had some snacks stored in his car. Emergency food that his best friend insisted he keep there. It wasn't the freshest, but his car was just a couple dozen feet away from the door, and they wouldn't have to wait for the kitchen to open in the motel, nor drive anywhere to get food. He held up his index finger and walked to the table to get his car keys.
"Be right back!" he said and left the room.
Sasha blinked at the door and then down at Sam and Dean. Smiling sheepishly.
"Uh, Dmitri is brother." He gestured at where the other one left. Sasha then motioned with his hand between the two on the bed. "Brother?"
Sam nodded, hands holding a fraction tighter to Dean's jacket.
Sasha nodded thoughtfully at that. "I know. Uhm. I know." he pointed at his own head. Hating how limited his English was. "Good brother." Winking at Sam. "Get food then, Dmitri I will uhm... home. Sam, Dean, you home." Adding a few hand gestures to get the full meaning across that he was not going to take them to his home, but theirs. He'd heard Dean say the next phrase often enough in so many ways, he just repeated it. "Dmitri and Sasha will leave Dean and you, alone."
Sam had waited patiently for the human to finish. Understanding the meaning clear as day. He made sure that he spoke loud and clear enough right back, "Thank you."
At those words, Sasha beamed. His cheeks reddening. He felt like he was making progress and looked up when his younger brother came back inside. Dmitri took a few things to the table to do something there so Sasha took that moment to speak some more to Sam. "I sorry my Cozmo and Didi uhm, scare you. I sorry." His hand over his heart, head hung low. It wasn't just an act. His regret laced every word.
Sam nodded again to indicate he understood.
Dmitri was busy chopping up a granola bar into smaller chunks. He said over his shoulder, "Yeah, Dude. Those little ferrets are usually sweethearts. I'm sorry about them getting loose like that. Sasha said they never had gotten into the walls at his house before so he didn't think it would be a problem here." A bit of granola flew off of the table when the pocket knife chopped down on a peanut. Dmitri used the side of his hand to gather up the little chunks remaining on the plate from room service. Moving onto the pop tart next. "I have a granola bar here, and a strawberry pop tart. I'm cutting them up for you guys. More filling, less breading." He informed. "Oh wait, did you guys have any allergies?"
Sam tried to speak up loud enough to be heard. Now that the humans were keeping a respectful distance, he found it slightly easier to talk to them. The lingering fear dissipating a little with time. "Not that I know of. We eat whatever we can find." He admitted. Sam shrugged up at Sasha since he could see him easier, "We're lucky we aren't allergic to any foods. And we'd starve if we were picky eaters."
Dmitri heard him, just barely and hummed thoughtfully at that. "Sounds rough, man."
Sam stated louder, feeling the need to defend their hard life. "We get by just fine."
Dmitri avoided saying the same things he'd said to Dean. That they shouldn't have to do it alone. "I believe it." Putting admiration into his tone. Because it truly was impressive that they were able to live here at such a small size. That they survived. He bundled up the bits of food into a fresh napkin and brought it over to Sam. Setting it down within easy reach of the small man. "There's more where that came from if you want."
Sam took in the feast before him. More food there than the brother's own weight combined. Sam finished up wiping Dean's face and hands of the drying blood with the water and tissue bits. Making a pile of dirtied ones nearby that he figured the humans would take care of later for him. Both he and Dean would have to toss out these clothes the second they get back home. The scent of blood would attract any number of insects and predators to them. He and Walt will probably have to take them to the far end of the motel and bury them under the dirt. They couldn't exactly burn the clothes without drawing attention, and they couldn't toss them out with the trash in one of the rooms for the risk of someone seeing the scaled down shirts and pants.
Sam came back to the present when he heard Dmitri sit down onto the floor and cross his legs. Becoming more eye level with Sam. "Is it alright? The food's too old isn't it." He frowned.
"It's fine." Sam nodded hastily. Taking a chunk of the granola and holding back a pleased moan at the flavors. He grabbed a bit of the pastry next that had the strawberry filling stuck to the bottom and a bit of frosting on top and knew that Dean would be loving the hell out of this if he were awake. Without thinking, Sam started to open up his satchel and move things aside to make room for the bits of food. Jolting back at the thoughtful hum from above.
Sasha said something to his brother who repeated it. "You don't have to carry it all at once. We can bring it with us."
Sam ducked his head down as he resumed his packing. "I don't mind." He muttered. When it looked like his satchel was going to burst at the seams he reluctantly stopped and resumed eating as much as he could. All the while trying to forget that two humans were staring down at him.
Sasha stood up and pulled his brother up from the floor after a few minutes of awkward silence. Dmitri let Sam know what they were saying. "Uh, so, I'm sure you want to get away from us A-sap, and we don't want you to feel any more uncomfortable than you already are. So if you want, we can get moving? You can go back to your lives in peace and we will do the same."
Sam finished up his bite and checked over Dean again. The humans weren't rushing him per-se but Sam knew he was stalling a little. He had been waiting for his strength to come back so he can carry Dean back into the walls. Get him far enough away and set him down somewhere safe so he can go get Walt to help him haul Dean home the rest of the way. If he took up the humans on their offer, they could cut the travel time down to minutes instead of hours.
Sam thought of the perfect place. A room that was on the other side of the motel, but that shared a nearby wall with Dean's home. It would hopefully throw off the humans to where they lived and help get Dean home faster. Sam would stay with him till he's fully healed of course. There was no need to put their parents at risk of being found if the humans really did want to go after more of their kind. Sam and Dean would stay away from the other families too till Sasha went back home.
Sam mustered up enough courage to admit that he could use the help. "Our home is on the other side of the motel." He started. Swallowing hard at how both humans were leaning closer in interest now. "Room number uh, 134. Drop us off there and it's all good." He swallowed again, hoping that they couldn't tell the lie.
Sasha grinned wider. "Yes. All good." Sasha lowered his hands toward the brothers and Sam flinched back a little. When the hands simply flattened out like a platform, he relaxed a bit. It took a few seconds for Sam to willingly step onto the hands. A little too long. Sasha pulled back an inch. "You want Dmitri?"
Sam shouted a surprised, "No!" at the suggestion. He'd suffered enough at those hands and didn't want anything to do with them ever again. His hazel eyes shot up to Dmitri's and saw them wilt at the sharp answer. Sam shook himself out and before he could feel guilty for making the human feel bad. Keeping his eyes down, he went about lifting Dean up and onto Sasha's hands. Stumbling on the curved surfaces more than once with Dean being a dead weight in his arms. He half carried/half dragged Dean towards the palms and set him down in one, sitting himself down in the other.
Sam was amazed he just willingly got into a human's hands, and then thought about all the things Walt would say to them if he saw that. Then, Sam was hopeful that they'll actually get the chance to see their adoptive father again. He'd take the verbal assault from Walt any day if it meant he was back home again. Safe and sound with Dean by his side. He didn't look forward to how Mallory was going to take it though. She was the smallest in their family and so she stayed home most of the time. Keeping the house secured from insects that constantly threatened to go after their food stores when no one was looking.
Mallory wasn't a fighter by nature and worried endlessly about all her boys. Sam found himself planning on doing something extra for his mom to ease her worries. Like, building a few new defense systems inside the walls to prevent another large animal like those ferrets from being able to just barrel down the passageways. He'd have Dean to help design and plan it all out. Once he's healed up of course. Sam felt the ground jerk a little as the hands were lifted up and away from the somewhat stable bed. Sasha stood up and brought both hands closer to his chest. His eyes constantly trained on his passengers. Dean didn't move much, Sam was sitting next to him, keeping his head elevated on his lap. Sasha started for the door with Dmitri finally getting with the program and beating him to it. Opening up the door wide enough for Sasha to leave first after he slipped his shoes on that rested just inside the motel's door. It was nice enough outside to not worry about a jacket which was a good thing since he'd have to put the small people down to put on the jacket. He was sure Sam wouldn't be up for musical chairs. Sasha stepped outside and enjoyed the warm sunlight.
Sam gaped at the near blinding wide open world beyond the door. Kicking himself for spacing out on the fact that humans need to go outside to get from one to another. He peered over the fingers at the parking lot and the few cars here and there. Watching warily as the tall building zoomed past on their left side once Sasha started along the side walk. The gigantic human swayed a little as he walked and Sam hunched down over Dean protectively. Praying that there were no other humans around.
It was just his luck that his neck started burning again and he yelped when another giant was walking towards Sasha and Dmitri.
"Hide us!" He shouted upwards covering his head with both arms and diving over Dean's prone form. Sasha thankfully understood. Sam was now in the same hand as Dean so Sasha simply curled up those fingers and shoved the right hand into his pocket. Dmitri was about to cuss him out for the rough treatment of the little ones but finally caught on the reason why. He stepped out in front of Sasha to address the quizzical look coming from the woman that was approaching them on the side walk.
"Excuse me, Miss!" Getting her attention on him instead of his brother. "Can you tell us where the nearest restaurant is that serves breakfast?"
She blinked up at him and smiled warmly. "Sure, down that street over there, is a place called Junie's. Tell them you want the number four special. I always eat there when I'm in town."
"Thank you so much!" Dmitri said and bowed low. Sasha slipped behind them as they spoke and got some distance before his younger brother caught back up to him again. Dmitri saw Sasha's hand was still inside the jacket and chose not to mention it. Keeping a wary eye out for anyone else to suddenly pop up on their short trip around the building.
The rest of the walk was uneventful and Dmitri left his brother standing outside of the door while he went to the manager's office to tell the tired employee working there that he forgot something in the room when he checked out and asked if he could look inside the room real quick.
The employee looked him up and down before shrugging and flipping the sign at his desk to say that he'll be back in five minutes. He exited the office with Dmitri close behind and they met up with Sasha who was standing there nervously.
The employee let them into the room but followed in right after. Watching Dmitri stand there and look at him incredulously. Like the employee thought he was going to steal something. Which, yeah, he could see how this would look. Only they were trying to drop someone off instead of take something with. Dmitri waved for Sasha towards the beds. Saying clearly enough for his brother, "Check under the beds for the earring."
Sasha nodded and knelt down on the opposite side of the bed from the employee. He cautiously pulled his hand out of the pocket and was relieved the two men were alright. His hand was brought down to the ground and he lowered himself next to pretend to look for the earring. He tilted his hand a little to help Sam drag his unconscious brother off of the palm and under the bed. Sam pulled Dean by hooking both arms under Dean's armpits and moving further into the darkness and over exaggerated several nods to inform Sasha that they would be fine.
Sasha winked and nodded back before reluctantly leaving them there. Getting to his knees, he let the bed skirt back down again and stood up. Eyes never straying far from the bed as he told Dmitri that he couldn't find it under there. The two 'searched' some more before calling it quits and leaving with the employee.
Sam had held Dean against his chest at the corner of the bed and the nightstand. It had been a couple of days since he was in this room searching for supplies or food, but it felt more like weeks. He knew the entrance was nearby but he couldn't get his legs to move just yet.
Letting all the emotions come out of him, he slid down to a sit with Dean still half draped over him. Sam pet Dean's hair and rubbed along his arm. Convincing himself that they're both alive and safe and just a short trip away from Dean's place. A relieved laugh bubbled up out of Sam and he let it out. The quiet of the room was so welcomed and beloved. He let his laughter out loud and long. They were alive. Dean was alive and free and they were almost home again.
Sam knew that the humans weren't going to suddenly come back for them or reveal their presence to others because they would have done that earlier with the woman on the sidewalk. They had also been within ten feet of the car parked out front which was undoubtedly Dmitri's own, and they didn't even try once to take those few steps to the car and get inside. To kidnap the brothers and take them somewhere far away.
The continued silence in the room was a balm to Sam's anxiety and he let himself laugh and giggle at sweet, wonderful freedom.
Sam didn't realize how much time passed while he sat there. His strength wasn't quite there yet to drag Dean home and he felt safe enough in this dark corner on the carpeted floor. Familiar territory. The walls would be cold and he just wanted Dean to have a few more minutes of warmth before subjecting his hurt brother to it again just yet.
A sound came from the entrance to the walls and he nearly jumped out of his skin when he caught sight of motion in the dark. Sighing with relief when he recognized a couple of Dean's young neighbors peek out. A thumbtack in one's hands and a long needle in the taller one's hands.
"Hey guys!" Sam called out happily. Both women froze at the loud voice and shrank back. Sam remembered himself and lowered his voice again. "Do you know where our dad is?" He asked, patting Dean's side gently. "We had uh, a little trouble with a rat. We took care of it, but Dean got hurt." He couldn't tell them about the humans and the ferrets just yet. They'd turn tail and run if they knew the truth that humans had them captured. Sam needed his dad right now to help get Dean home and to expedite things, he knew that Sandy and Jesse could find and alert Walt right away.
They came closer and saw the sad shape Dean was in. "Oh my goodness!" Sandy gasped. Her handkerchief out in a second to dab at Sam's face. He completely forgot to clean himself up of the blood. So focused on Dean, he probably looked like a rat's leftovers.
"I'm fine. It was uh, a big rat. Can you get our dad?"
"Yes! Of course!" She said and pulled her little sister along with her. Saying over her shoulder, "We'd been searching all night for you two! Everyone will be so glad your alive!"
Sam blushed at that and watched the young teens leave back into the walls. It was another half hour before he saw more movement and it turned out to be the rest of Sandy's family along with Walt and few others from the neighboring families. Seven in total. Three men went to surround Sam and Dean, sharpened nails aimed outwards to protect the others from harm while the rest helped out the injured brothers. Apparently they were expecting the rat to be back to finish the job.
Sam focused more on telling them about Dean's injuries and downplaying his own. Keeping the events vague enough for now until after the humans left later that week. Then Sam will tell them everything. If he told them now, there would be mass panic and Sam was sure that everyone that called this motel home, would want to leave the motel immediately. No one wanted to take the risk of having humans know about their kind living here.
Sam wrestled with his consciousness about telling the truth now or later. Settling on telling his parents first when they got Dean into his nest of fabric. They'd then decide what to do. Sam knew his dad would have a better idea than he would. And right now, he was still slightly delirious from all the excitement. He was in no condition to do much of anything besides trying to get Dean home without injuring him further.
The trip to Dean's went much faster with several people helping out. Carrying him the whole way there. The younger ones were sent home again and Sam handed them a chunk of the pop tart each to which they thanked him several times for the sweet tasting treat. Sam handed out more of his food to the others as they left one by one. Sandy's dad stayed sentinel outside Dean's home to make sure that the strong scent of blood didn't attract insects or another rat.
Sam and Walt stripped the soiled clothes off and replaced them with fresh ones. Shoving the bloodied ones into a scrap of plastic Dean had in the kitchen. It was tied up like a bag and Sandy's dad hastily took it far away to bury it where they bury the remains of previous rats that had been made into leather goods.
Sam settled himself down next to Dean after making the nest of fabric wide enough for both of them. He wanted to monitor Dean's raspy breathing as he slept. Walt sat down in one of Dean's block chairs and hunched forward. Not wanting his boys out of his sight for another second.
"Go to sleep, Sam." he insisted once he was sure he could speak without his voice cracking. "You're safe now. We can talk later."
Sam had to comply with the gentle orders. Sleep claimed him quickly.
When he woke, it was to Dean's pained moans. He turned to his side and watched Dean's sweaty brow pinch. Mallory was there, wetting a rag and replacing the one that had been on Dean's forehead before. She smiled sadly at Sam and returned to tending to Dean's wounds.
Walt was sleeping in the chair and Sam figured that it must have been the next day going by the morning light coming though a slat in the floor.
Mallory spoke softly, "I think he has a fever. Probably infection." She wiped her eyes off discretely but not fast enough to hide the redness around her puffy eyes.
Sam sat bolt upright. Watching his mother turn around and fiddle with more damp rags. What medicine they had was on the wooden table Dean built himself. Some herbs that were found in the manager's little garden that hung from a windowsill. Nothing that would combat something as serious as an infection.
Dean's makeshift splint had been replaced with a cast made out of newspaper strips, some sticky dandelion sap, and water. It had to be thicker than a cast made by humans due to it's fragility. Dean wouldn't be able to run with it on, just walk. It will help keep his knee and ankle immobile without causing too much discomfort. His ribs were bound up and Dean's elbow as well. Sam's heart hurt at how Dean continued to suffer even in his sleep.
"Has he woken up at all?"
"No. Not yet. He's been sleeping all day, same as you." She answered. She sighed and made sure her husband was still sleeping. Sam didn't need to be told to know that it was due to Walt searching for them nonstop through all the rooms and walls closest to home, working their way outwards. No stone un-turned.
"Sam. I want you to tell me the truth." Her eyes met Sam's and held them. "When you, Dean, and Walt go rat hunting, you come back with more than just blood on your clothes." She said, grimacing to herself. "I'm your mother. I clean what I can of your clothes. Try and salvage what we can. And I know from years and years of washing the clothes, that the blood on your clothes did not come from a rat."
"How did you -"
"William described them to me. He found it odd that there was no rat hairs at all, nor entrails. It was just blood. He said it was more blood than he'd witnessed after a rat hunt. Now. Sam. Tell me the truth. What happened." She walked closer to Sam's side of the fabric nest to speak quieter.
Sam sighed. He wasn't going to lie to his mother. She was too smart for that and deserved to know. "We were going to the far side of the motel looking for food. A ferret had gotten into the walls and chased us into one of the rooms." Sam went on with his story. Only pausing when she asked a question to clarify events.
At the end of it all, an hour had passed and Dean's thrashing became more painful sounding.
Mallory bit her lip, facing her eldest adopted son. "Sam. Do you trust them? These humans?"
"I guess so, why?"
Mallory seemed reluctant to go on. Like having an internal battle with herself. Coming to a conclusion that she didn't like, but needed to say. "You said they gave him medicine before. That it helped?"
"Yeah?"
"I think that your brother needs more of it." She said quickly, putting a hand to her mouth. Hating herself for suggesting that they go back to the humans. Putting her youngest in danger.
Sam's eyes went wide but saw how distressed his mom was. Dean must be in very bad shape for the idea to even be brought up. He couldn't deny that Dean was a lot paler now than when they were in the other motel room... he knew how bad illnesses could get for their kind. No doctors to treat it. No hospitals. Every sickness was a hair's breath away from being a death sentence.
Sam turned to his dad next. At a loss if he should involve Walt or not. Sam had already decided he would go back and ask for another one of those pills from the humans. After all, they offered their help. They had the ability to save his brother. He had to try. But Walt. Walt might not be all Gung Ho in going to humans for anything. Especially once he finds out about what really happened.
Mallory folded her arms tight around herself, also distressed and worried as hell for what will happen if Sam doesn't go to the humans for the medicine.
Sam made up his mind. "Mom, I will go and get what Dean needs. The humans are in room 122 if I'm not back by tonight. The older one doesn't speak very good English, so I hope that the younger one's there to translate. If no one is there, I'll just... Uh. I'll figure out how to open the bottle and take what we need. I think I know what it looks like." He said, praying that Sasha only had the one bottle because from his view earlier, he couldn't read the label. "Dean will be fine." He assured his mother and got up from the bed. Determined to save his brother by facing the massive humans again.
He ate his fill of granola and a fish cracker was stuffed into his satchel for later if he got held up for any reason, it wouldn't be due to hunger. He drank some water before setting back out again. Heart hammering in his chest at the crazy plan he was forming as he walked. What he'd say to the humans. What he could possibly offer in trade for a life saving pill. Once they get Dean's pain back under control, his body can heal faster. Perhaps they could give him some of that liquid cold medicine as well. Hearing somewhere that it gets rid of fevers.
Sam was nearly at the room when he started having serious doubts about re-entering it. He reached the entrance into the wall that the ferrets had used and took a deep breath. Stealing himself, he stepped into the light of the room.
Not only was Sasha there, but Dmitri as well. They were sharing a take out pizza on the table and talking quietly. It didn't look like they'd even left the motel since dropping the brothers off in that room close to Dean's house. Sam clutched at the strap of his bag and started jogging out into the open. Something Walt would have screamed at him for a few days ago. Now, if Walt saw him now, he'd likely have a heart attack.
"Dmitri!" Sam shouted at the top of his lungs. He couldn't risk the humans not seeing him down on the floor.
Sasha lifted his head, turning it to the ferret cage which was still thankfully closed. Sam kicked himself for not checking that out first. He wouldn't mention it to anyone unless asked.
Sam called again and finally got their attention. Wide eyes narrowed in on him and made him stumble from the sudden tingling burst across his neck at being seen.
He wasted no time on pleasantries, "Dean's sick! He needs medicine!"
Dmitri got up from the table and knelt down in front of Sam who stumbled to a stop. Heaving air in and out of his lungs from the long trek back to this room and seeing humans move around so fast.
Dmitri spoke softly, "Sam, I thought you didn't want to come back here again."
"Dean's sick." He said again as answer. The giant must not have heard him clearly the first time. He saw the giant face sink at the news. Hearing that their small friend was sick enough to warrant the return visit and then realizing that if Dean wasn't sick, Sam wouldn't have come otherwise.
Dmitri had to remind himself that Sam was here now, despite his fears, and that their tentative relationship might be built on this. "What do you need."
Sam sighed in relief that the human was listening. That he hadn't even tried to grab him from the ground. "The pain pill you guys gave Dean earlier. And something to help with his fever. He has an infection too."
Dmitri told his brother what Sam said and they conversed back and forth before Sasha went to his bags. Pulling out several bottles of pills, reading the labels. Discussing with Dmitri what would be best.
Dmitri said, "Ok, we both agree that the cough syrup would be best for someone of your size, and we have many pain pills. But! You have to be extremely careful with them. It would be far to easy to overdose. A crumb to us is like several pills to you." he held up his index finger to indicate a pill size to them, and raised an eyebrow at Sam who saw that his hand wasn't even large enough to cover the fingertip. Holding his hand up to his own face, to judge the smaller dose size.
Sam nodded along, itching to get the meds and race back.
Sasha said to his brother, 'The cough syrup wont travel well with him. It will spill out of anything we give him to haul it back.'
'We'll have to find a way. We'll take it back to that room and uh, break in if we have to.' He shrugged. 'I think there's online videos for how to pick a lock.' Turning his attention back down to Sam to ask, "Do you know how to pick a lock?"
They talked out a tentative plan while Sasha got everything they needed together in the small plastic medicine cup. It would have been too big for Sam to carry all the way back but the shorter distance from the room to their home was do-able.
Sam found himself accepting a ride from Sasha again as they went back towards room 134. Dmitri was learning how to pick locks on his phone the whole way there. Fiddling with the paperclips in his hands. Bending the end of it with his fingers and teeth.
The doorknob was unlatched with far more ease than Sam was comfortable with. Knowing now that anyone could break into a motel room was distressing but they'll spread that info along later.
The humans pushed the bed aside and lowered Sam back to the wall entrance.
Dmitri smiled a little and held out his hand to Sam. "I forgot to give this back. It's clean and I replaced the line with something newer. The old one had some nicks in it, but, It's not mine to throw away." Sam's small three pronged hook was in the center of the palm with the old coil sitting next to a new one that was tied onto the hook. Sam's hand hovered over the items before finally reaching across to grab them. He saw the band-aids on the finger and thumb but didn't comment. Glad he didn't hurt the human more now that they were building a relationship between them.
Sam stowed the four pain pills away in his bag, and a few others that should help with the infection. Sam heard of penicillin before but it wasn't clear what it was used for specifically. He was given the bucket sized plastic cup and a dollop of the syrupy cough medicine was poured inside. Sam nodded one last time to the looming humans and entered the walls again. And nearly ran into his dad's shaking form. Sam scrambled to keep hold of the plastic cup as his dad's attention kept darting from his tall son to the shadow of massively tall humans beyond the bolt hole.
Walt reached forward, mutely snagged Sam's jacket and dragged him down the hall. Sam stumbled along after him, still holding onto the bucket sized plastic cup of cough syrup. Walt got enough distance between the humans and themselves before he shoved his son against the wall. Sam was taller than him but Walt was furious.
"Dad. I can explain everything but right now Dean needs this stuff. It's fine. I swear it's ok. But Dean isn't, and he wont be till he gets this medicine.
Walt gaped at Sam's tone. His words. "Are you insane?!" He hissed.
Sam clenched his teeth, not wanting to fight right here, right now. "Dad! We can argue about this after Dean gets his meds!" He pushed himself from the wall and slipped past his dad. "I swear the humans are ok." He said over his shoulder at Walt who had to jog to keep up with Sam's longer strides. "Think about it Dad, would I really put Dean at risk?" Sam cut off the argument he could just hear forming about the humans wanting to poison Dean with the 'medicine'.
Sam continued on when he heard the inhale of Walt's next outburst about to pop. "Mom knows all this and let me go because she knows just how bad of shape Dean is in. You can ground me till I'm 80 years old, but Dean wont make it to tomorrow if I didn't do this."
By then, they were already entering Dean's house and Mallory was waiting. She took the plastic cup from Sam and he swung his satchel around.
"Sam, you can't really believ-" he was cut off once again by Mallory this time who dragged him into Dean's kitchen to tell him everything.
Sam's hands shook as he remembered what the humans said. How much to give and when. None of them were doctors, but Sasha had been around long enough to know how much would be overdose and what might be safe. Sam pushed a pill shard into the pop tart jelly and pressed it to Dean's slack mouth.
Dean moaned in his sleep before cracking an eye open. No doubt tasting the sweet tangy strawberries and then he was moaning in pleasure. His tongue darted out to lick at the flavors and his hands flopped about weakly, trying to grab it to eat the treat. Sam eased his other hand behind Dean's too hot head and helped him take the pill. Washing it down with cool water. His brother's mouth kept working at his teeth, no doubt getting every last morsel of flavor that clung there.
After five minutes, Sam gave Dean a small aluminum cup of the cherry flavored syrup and was amazed at how quickly Dean's ragged breathes evened out.
Walt came back into the room with Mallory at his side and they sat silently by the bed. All eyes on Dean as he slipped into a more restful slumber.
Days passed and Dmitri and Sasha found themselves as host to a family of four coming into their room.
It was coming up on the time when Sasha would have to go back home to his own family and Dean insisted that he said his farewells to the brothers. He complained daily about the cast but left it on to ease his mother's mind. His days after the fever broke were spent resharpening his knife and Sam's and anything else that could be turned into a knife with enough scrapes against the whetstone.
They all talked for a little while and Sam and Dean presented the humans with a gift in exchange for the medicine and aid. A pair of rat leather rings for them as a souvenir of their time at the Trails West motel. The humans were touched by the sentiment and shared dinner with the small family on the floor as an impromptu picnic.
Walt and Mallory had flinched every few minutes when the humans moved, but they trusted their sons when they said the humans were alright. There had been no news about any suspicious humans by any of their neighbors and that helped prove the human's good intentions.
After the meal, Sasha went to the ferret cage and opened the door. All the small people jumped to their feet but the door was closed a second after it was opened. Sasha held something small in his hands and he brought the tiny things down to the floor. Holding them in cupped hands, he smiled widely at the equally small people.
He spoke to Dmitri who happily helped him translate. "This one's name is Dean, and this is Sammy. There were three altogether but the other one was another girl we named Angela." He kept the origin of that name between Sasha and him. No one needed to know that Sasha loved calling his younger brother angel since he was a wee babe. Dmitri gently rubbed the forehead of one of the ferret pups.
"Deanie is a handful." Dmitri snickered as he tickled the wiggly ball of tan fluff. "Sammy is more laid back." He pet the black and white one next.
The smaller set of brothers approached the hand in awe and stopped at the palm that held the ferret babies that were about the same size as adult mice. They hadn't even had their eyes open yet but were so damned adorable it got a collective, 'awww' out of the group. Dean pet his furred kit first, and Sam insisted that his was far cuter and better behaved.
Time seemed to go by too fast before Sasha had to return the ferret babies to their mamma. The ferret parents were sleeping next to the last drowsy one. Every one of them tangled up with each other as soon as they reunited.
The time came for the small family to head back home, and Sam and Dean wished Sasha a safe trip to his home along with the troublesome fuzzballs.
Dmitri promised to return with supplies whenever the brothers needed it, and no matter what they said or insisted in the following days, weeks, and months, they'd find the occasional treat just inside the hole in the wall of room 134.
Dmitri figured out when they made their normal rounds, and made sure to drop off the delicious early morning made donuts before the brothers got there. Sam and Dean would sigh audibly and drag it back to Dean's place before any other people found out about the human's silly antics. Trying to come up with an excuse for the sudden inexplicable arrival of various pastries and donuts wrapped up in foil or saran wrap. Sharing enough with different families at different times when they could get away with it without raising eyebrows. "Someone dropped it under the bed. Must have been a birthday party guest." "Some old lady had a sweet tooth." "A whiny brat threw it across the room and we got it before the bugs did." Really, they were running out of plausible excuses for finding such perfectly intact treats.
The motel littles never ate so good.
Months later, Dmitri had graduated college and it was time to move away. Dmitri gave the final offer of having the brothers move in with him as roommates, but they declined. Their home was here with their family and friends. Dmitri wished them well, and promised to come visit at least twice a year. Sam and Dean looked forward to it.