Chapter 10

The paramedics filed in the room a look of panic flashing over their features when they saw the group before them. Sam stood at his full height and pointed a shaky finger toward his brother, but leaving his stare across the house. A gurney rolled through the seemingly narrowing hallway and screeched to a halt next to Dean. A young man paramedic pried Elizabeth from Dean before turning the tear stricken girl away. Two other paramedics lifted Dean onto the gurney in a haste while checking his pulse. Sam stumbled away as they began to shout orders and pump Dean's heart for him. His mind flickered over to scene and his eyes were glued. The image of his brother's too pale face permanently stained in his mind. Blood pooled at the base of neck and his mouth gaped slightly with sealed eyelids. He was wheeled away with a paramedic still pumping at his rib cage. As a woman in a uniform pulled him away everything blurred on their way to the hospital.

When the world came back into focus at the hospital waiting room. The uncomfortable chair dug into his spine as he glanced around. Police men stared at him, debating whether or not to come question him. Elizabeth sat across from him, drifted in her own world, her face was blank with tear tracks trailing across her cheek bones. Her light blue eyes were cloudy and distant while she clutched Dean's leather jacket over her legs. No new tears formed on her eyelids and she held back no sobs. Sam could see her making repairs to the wall which was supposed to hold back all sorrowful emotion.

Her walls had crumbled around her. She could feel all the horrible nightmares that she had lived through drift back to her all at once, so she did the reasonable thing and blocked them out. She picked up the pieces and prayed Dean was okay because her walls could take no more beatings.

"Bond Family." An older nurse called with a warm smile. Elizabeth couldn't help the smile which twitched at her lips when she heard the ridiculous name. Sam stood abruptly and stalked over her, Elizabeth followed closely. "Are John Bonds family?"

"I'm his brother." Sam choked out shoving his hands into tight pockets. "How is he?"

"He is stable and conscious at the moment."

"Is he going to be okay?" Elizabeth questioned refusing to break her stare with the floor.

"Can we see him?" Sam inserted before the nurse could answer the first question.

"He should be okay but he will have to stay for observation. And you can see him but only one at a time." The lady smiled sweetly before pointing them to the room and striding away. Her loose gray curls bobbed as she walked strongly.

"You can go first." Elizabeth droned clutching Dean's leather jacket harder into her abdomen.

"Are you…?" Sam wondered but her curt nod cut him off abruptly. He didn't take the time to even give a questioning look before swinging the door open and poking his head in.

"Sammy!" Dean called a little weakly from his position on the hospital bed.

"Hey Dean, how you feeling?"

"I'm a bit sore believe it or not."

"Well, taking a bullet can do that."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Dean; I didn't take a piece of metal through the stomach."

"Only me, wow, I just have all the luck." Dean teased with a megawatt smile, "What about everybody else?"

"They're fine. Lisa is just pretty shaken up and I think Ben is scarred for life."

"What about Elizabeth?"

"I don't know Dean but you can ask her yourself. Promise me you will stay a couple of nights."

"Fine." Dean grumbled angrily already fidgeting uncomfortably.

"I'll send Elizabeth in." Sam stated with a wave of his hand before exiting the room. "Your turn."

Elizabeth swayed into the room with a broken smile taking a plastic seat and sliding it by Dean's side. She sat down heavily and leaned forward taking one of his hands in her grasp but refusing to look him in the eyes.

"Who's winning the staring contest, you or the floor?" Dean chuckled before wincing slightly at the movement.

"You scared me, jerk." Elizabeth mumbled finally dragging her glare up to Dean's face. He grasped her hand tighter and rubbed circles in her palm.

"I'm sorry, but you know it's in the job description."

"Yeah, I just didn't know how much it would affect me. I don't like that it hurts me so bad. Dean, I don't know what I would have done if you had…"

Dean cut her off with a wave from his hand. "But I didn't, I am the luckiest man in the world."

"What about when your luck runs out." Elizabeth spat tears threatening to break through again but she swallowed them back down again. Dean opened his arms wide and gave her a puppy pout, beckoning her into his arms. Elizabeth crawled into his arms and let the warmth encircle her.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"This day has just been overwhelmed with clichés, but I agree."

"So, I hear you broke down in tears."

"Oh please, you've done the same. And by the way I won the staring contest with the floor."

"Well, I lost ten bucks on that bet." Dean chuckled his eyes beginning to droop. Elizabeth snuggled in closer letting her eyes seal together and breathing in the safe silence. Before long they both drifted away quietly in each other's arms. The last cliché of their eventful day.

And love was finally defined…for now.