Warnings and disclaimers: see chapter 1

Chapter 10 Testing the waters

Sam sat back down in the chair he now thought as his and sipped his coffee watching Dean's eyes flutter as he felt Sam's presence. Sam pulled the other muffin out of his pocket and ate it slowly getting a soft grin from Dean as he watched him finding it hard to keep his eyelids open. Sam rubbed a hand down Dean's arm.
"Sleep Dean, come on. You need the rest. I will be here I promise. Stop fighting the drugs and let them help you. You know the more you rest the quicker you can get out of here."
"Yeah… Sammy."

Sam leaned forward and kissed Dean high on his forehead on his hairline. Sam came to the conclusion he liked showing his brother extra affection and even if Dean stomped all over his want to get closer to him Sam would get as close to Dean as he would allow.

Dean had admitted to loving him as more than a brother so he allowed himself to have some hope that they would be closer once Dean got out of hospital. Sam moved back scanning Dean's face for a reaction to the kiss but Dean's eyes were closed and there was a small smile on his lips. That had to good right? Or was Dean to doped up to know or care? When Sam sat back down and took up Dean's hand he felt a warm surge of pride and love that Dean squeezed back even though his eyes were closed and he looked to be resting. Sam stayed awake for the remainder of the day holding Dean's hand while he recovered. A different doctor came in around dinner time to examine Dean so Sam went downstairs for some sandwiches and coffee.

When Sam went back up the doctor was still in with Dean so Sam sat down on an outside chair frowning at a new but old magazine. Ten minutes later the doctor and two nurses left without talking to Sam at all. When Sam went in he was surprised to find Dean no longer had the oxygen tube under his nose and some of the monitors had been removed. Dean was leaning against the back of the bed that was raised to almost ninety degrees. Sam saw Dean's bandages had been changed as the covers were pooled at his hips again. Sam could see the discomfort plainly on Dean's face so he lowered the bed head about halfway for him and pulled the bedding up.
"Thanks… Sammy."

Sam poured water from a jug that was now on the rolling table for Dean and he drank it down slowly.
"You okay? Why did they take the oxygen away?"
"He said I don'… need it. They want… to move me… down...stairs later."
"What? Why?"
Sam stood from his seat anxious about Dean being moved already.
"I don't need… to be…up here… anymore. It's a good… thing Sammy… don't panic."
"But you had a metal stake through your heart not even twenty four hours ago, Dean. Don't you think it's a bit quick? You can't even get a full sentence out. Doctor Conway said you were to be up here for a few days. What if you have a relapse?"
"Then I am in… the right place. I'm not leaving… Sam, just going… some...where else." Dean sipped more water before continuing. "The doc says… I'm doing better… than expe...cted… so let's just take… the win, hey?"

Sam didn't look or feel convinced but knew Dean needed him to be strong and steady not all over the place so he nodded and sat back down. It didn't stop him from clutching Dean's hand tighter than he had before however. Dean had a better night and Sam knew it was due to the heavier doses of drugs they had given him because he was struggling against sleep on milder doses. By the early hours of the morning Sam was beginning to think being moved somewhere else might be better for Dean because the nurses were still coming in every hour to check on him during the night which was waking them both every time.

At seven am a doctor in a white coat bounded into the room followed by two nurses. He took the chart and stepped forward to examine Dean. Sam stood as Dean opened his bleary eyes to frown at the doctor that Sam thought Dean would agree looked about twelve.
"Hello I'm Doctor Ankor. I will be looking after …" He looked at the chart, "…Dean while Doctor Conway is off duty."
"I'm Dean's brother, Sam."

Doctor Ankor shook Sam's hand.
"Pleased to meet you, Sam. Would you like to wait outside while I examine Dean this morning?"
"Sam's going for… breakfast. Right Sammy?" Dean tone was firm despite the croaky voice and shortness of breath.
"Yeah sure Dean. He is feeling cold but sweating doc, is that normal?"

Sam ignored Dean's glare.
"I will have a look Sam but I really can't say too much until I have a good look at Dean's notes and give him a full examination. "
Despite his young appearance the doctor seemed very confident so Sam nodded and gave Dean's shoulder a quick pat before heading out for a breakfast bagel and a large coffee.

Sam spent a few minutes outside again clearing his head and noticed for the first time how much of Dean's blood he had on him. Sam decided to clean up while he had a minute so he wandered over to where the Impala was parked and opened the trunk to pull a clean T shirt out of his duffle bag. As Sam leaned in to pull the shirt out he saw a few drops of Dean's blood scattered over the contents of the compartment. Sam sighed as the shirt slipped out and the events of the last forty eight hours caught up with him.

His emotions were swinging between relief that he had finally told Dean how he felt, despair over Dean's injures and joy that Dean was pulling a miracle out and was recovering super-fast. Sam shut the trunk and went inside the hospital and used the bathrooms next to the first group of lifts to change his shirt and have a cleanup. He put his dirty shirt back in the car and changed his jacket for a clean one before getting another coffee and heading back up to ICU. When Sam got to Dean's room he was surprised to find the door wide open and the room empty.

TBC
Shorter chapter for an evil cliffy.