Chapter 10

It was nearly lunch when Bobby returned for visiting time. He found Sam still talking quietly to his brother. Sam looked up at Bobby as he stepped toward the bed.

"Any change?"

"No, he's stayed quiet, but he hasn't woke up." Sam commented sitting back in the chair.

"Go on with ya, the cafeteria is on the first floor, you need to eat." Bobby insisted. "He'll be fine until you get back."

"Maybe some coffee." Sam decided standing up and stretching out his lanky frame. He watched Dean move slightly when he stopped touching him now not sure if he wanted to leave him.

"Go on, I got this." Bobby said sitting in his seat and taking Dean hand. "Hey son, Sam's still here, he's going to get something to eat. Now you behave here, I'll be here with ya. Don't make me yang a knot on that hard head of yers."

Sam waited a moment to be sure Dean stayed calm before leaving and heading for the elevator. He waited for the doors to open and stepped on pressing the first floor button. He let a long breathe out as the elevator made it's way down to the first floor. He watched the numbers count down and heard the familiar ding as the elevator doors opened on the first floor. Sam raised his head and started exist when he saw a familiar face staring at him.

"Dad." he croaked out as his face paled and all the oxygen left his body causing him to grab the side of the elevator wall.

"Sammy." John gruffed seeing his youngest son staring frighteningly at him. John sensing Sam's distress and the exhaustion that showed on his face. "Son, where's your brother?" he asked in a softer voice.

"For...Fourth floor, ICU." he managed to stammer out stepping back further on the elevator so his Dad could get on.

John Winchester stepped onto the elevator with his son and pushed the button for the fourth floor. John wanted to pull his son into a hug, but knew Sam probably wouldn't allow it. He saw how he cringed away from him when he got too close. John stepped back and let Sam exist first and followed him down the hall to ICU.

Bobby looked up as Sam came back into the room too soon for him to have gotten anything to eat. He stood up and stiffen as another figure followed Sam into the room.

"Bobby." John said quietly as he looked down at his oldest son. He made his way to the side of the bed and looked him over before looking back up at the two. "How is he?"

"He's not regained consciousness and he's got swelling around his spine, doc says there's no response with his legs, but that may not be permanent." Bobby relayed to him.

"Awe son." he whispered brushing a hand through Dean's hair. He noticed even unconscious Dean tried to turn away from his touch as a grumble escaped his lips.

Sam was to Dean's side before he could say anything and whispered comforting words to his brother who calmed instantly to his touch and voice. John's eyes saddened as he watch his two boys. He looked at Bobby who was eyeing him sternly daring him to upset the boy any more than he already was.

"What happened?"

"Car accident, icy roads, the car rolled." Bobby informed him watchful of his actions.

"The Impala?"

"No, one of my old cars." Bobby scoffed, wondering if John was that cold, he thought more of the car than his son.

"Figured Dean would be upset if he wrecked the car." John huffed at him knowing what the older hunter was thinking. He knew what Bobby thought of him, he had expressed his opinions several times in the past.

It was there again, that presence, but there was something else this time. He could feel others, if he could only make this damn thing let him go, Dean thought madly. He was feeling a bit stronger, maybe just maybe if he pushed hard enough he would be able to get to the light this time. Why couldn't he remember what happened to him? He didn't even know what day it was, if it was even day or even where he was.

Where was that voice, if he could just latch on to it, he knew he could follow it to freedom. Dean struggled, he fought, he clawed his way to that voice, that presence. With all his will power he struggled to force his eye lids to open. He squinted against a bright, harsh light and groaned.

"Dean, hey man, can you open your eyes?" Sam begged seeing movement in his brother. He leaned over his body shielding him from the light for a moment. "Bobby turn the overhead light off, I think it's too bright for him."

"Right." Bobby obeyed going to the switch and turning them off. He turned back to the bed to see a flutter of eye lids.

"Is that better, Dee? I know you're there big brother, come on, you can do it." Sam continued to encourage.

"Dean, son, listen to your brother, wake up." John said with tenderness he hadn't used in a long time with his son.

Sam looked over at his father's face as he saw the concern and worry. Sam looked back down at his brother as his eyes blinked a couple of times before finally staying open to stare up into his face.

"Hey big brother, glad to see you awake." Sam smiled as he continued to rub Dean's arm and blink back the tears brimming his eyes.

Dean blinked again trying to bring the world into focus staring at the three men in the room.

"Bobby get the nurse." Sam instructed never taking his eyes off of Dean. He saw a look of puzzlement cross Dean's face as he stared intently at him like he wasn't sure who he was.

Dean looked closer at the young man standing over him, talking to him. He looked at the hazel eyes and too long hair, at the dimples he had when he smiled, was he suppose to know this person? He wanted to say something, but his brain couldn't form the words to make himself speak. He tried to wet his cracked lips, but his mouth was so dry it hurt to swallow.

"Here, let me get you some water." the young man told him as he grabbed a cup with a straw in it.

The cup was held up to his mouth so he could use the straw, but it was more than he could grasp. Sam saw Dean seemed to have a hard time drawing the liquid into the straw. He took the straw out and used his finger to cover the opening trapping a small amount of water and transferred it to Dean mouth. Dean let the water wet his parched throat as he waited for another straw full. Sam did this several times as Dean shut his eyes taking in several breathes.

"Well so you decided to wake up?" a nurse asked as she came into the room to check Dean out. "Do you know where you are sweety?"

Dean shook his head slightly no, not sure he could speak yet. He let his eye wander around the room deciding it had to be a hospital. What had happened that he would be here, he wondered.

"I'll page the doctor and let him know he's awake."

"Could I get some ice chips?" Sam asked knowing from experience they would help.

"Sure, I'll be right back."

"I'll go with you." Bobby said following her out to get the ice.

"Dee, you remember what happened?" Sam asked him slowly watching his brother's every move.

Dean once again shook his head no and focused all his energy on Sam's voice. He knew that was the voice he had heard earlier, so this must be the presence he had sensed with him. He seemed to know him and kept calling him by name, it looked like he was suppose to know this person, but for the life of him he couldn't pull it out of his head. The more he tried, the more that pounding ache grew.

Bobby returned with a cup of crushed ice and a plastic spoon. He handed the items off to Sam who scooped up the ice and offered it to his brother. Dean opened his mouth and accepted the cold, wet, substance with a sigh. He swallowed with some effort as his throat relished the cold wetness. How something so simple as ice could taste so good was beyond him. He waited patiently for another spoon feeling relief from the dryness in his throat. Well, at least the kid knew how to take care of him.

"I don't want to give you too much, lets see how you do with that." Sam told him sitting the cup down on the table beside him.

"Dean what the hell were you doing out on icy roads in the first place." John chastised his son harder than he meant to.

"Dad!" Sam gasped shocked that he would start in on Dean when he had just woke up.

"John, now is not the time." the older hunter warned as he saw a look of puzzlement cross Dean's face. "I have no problem escorting you out."

John straightened and looked at Bobby seeing the look of go ahead try me pasted on his face. He back away slightly, but didn't continue his questions.

"Do you want raised up some?" Sam asked seeing Dean trying to move around in the bed. "You need to be careful, the doctor said your back was injured too."

Sam mashed on the control for the bed, raising the head up some and then the bottom slightly. He watched as Dean eyed the cast on his arm for the first time and looked up at him.

"Yeah you broke it, not bad, but you needed a cast."

As Dean tried to raise his head an intense pain shot through his skull and down his neck. Sam saw the grimace and the sweat that popped out on his forehead. He hit the call button for the nurse knowing Dean needed something for pain.

"Can I help you?"

"Can my brother get something for pain please?" he asked.

"I'll be in with something in a moment."

"Who..." Dean started wincing as he tried to get the words out.

"Yes Dee, what is it?" Sam asked bending closer to his brother to hear him better.

"Who...Are...You?" he croaked out looking up into Sam's face.

Sam blanched as the words sunk in and he realized what Dean was asking. He wet his lips and looked at him with hurt and worry and disbelief.

"I'm Sam, your brother." he whispered guiltily seeing no recognition in his brother's eyes. Sam felt the room spin as it dawned on him, head injury, concussion, lose of memory, crap, Dean might have amnesia. His heart sunk as tears pricked his eyes, seeing his brother staring at him with no idea who he was. He sat down in the chair and heaved a heavy sigh. He thought he could get his brother back, even if he hated him, but now he just wanted his brother to say his name.

"Dean, it's Dad, do you know me?" John asked him laying a hand on his.

Dean focused on the man and looked at him, frowning slightly. "No." he got out in a whisper.

"Mr. Whitmire, good to see you awake." Dr. Russell greeted him as he stepped to the bed. "How you feeling?"

"Hurt." he grimaced knowing this was a doctor.

"The nurse will be bringing you some pain meds shortly."

"Doctor, he doesn't know me." Sam informed him still shocked from this discovery.

"Do you know any of these men, sir?" the doctor asked waiting for a response.

Dean took his time and looked at each face in the room before turning back to the doctor.

"No." he replied seeing disappointment on all their faces, more so on the younger ones.

"It's not unusual with head traumas that there might be temporary amnesia, we'll need to give it a few days and see if his memory starts coming back. Now Mr. Whitmire I want you to move your toes for me." he instructed after lifting the sheet back.

Dean looked down at his foot and concentrated on what the doctor wanted. It took effort, but he was able to wiggles several toes on each foot.

"Very good, it looks like the swelling is going down. Ok, I'll check back in the morning and see how he's doing. I'll order a liquid diet for the next day and we'll get him moved to private room on the floor below this afternoon. You take care sir." he said patting Dean's leg and leaving.

"Doctor can I have a word?" John asked as he walked out with the doctor.

Sam frowned wondering what he wanted to talk to him about. He looked back up as the nurse came in with pain meds for Dean.

"Here you go, these should help." she said holding the small cup with two pain pills to Dean's mouth. He accepted the medicine and allowed Sam to hold the cup of water to his lips to drink from. It took several attempts before he finally got the pills swallowed. "If you need anything else, call me."

"Thanks." Sam said placing the cup back on the table and sitting back down. He watched his brother watching him. Sam's shoulders slumped as guilt and blame washed over him. It was his fault this had happened. What if Dean never remembered him, he thought.

"Stop it Sam, I know what yer doing and it wasn't your fault, so don't going blaming yourself. If it was anyone's, it was mine. I should of told him you were coming." Bobby said softly laying a hand on the young one's shoulder.

"No, it wasn't yours." Sam whispered in defeat. "I should been faster, I should of stopped him, if I had only called him..."

Dean moaned again as he struggled to find a comfortable position to lay. It seemed like his entire body was sore and bruised in some way. His legs didn't want to cooperate and felt like lead weights laying there.

"Dean, what can I do?" Sam asked seeing the frustration on his face.

"Shift, side." he got out as he tried to make his body obey him.

"Wait, let me help." Sam said lowering the bed. "Bobby if you'll get the lower end of the pad we'll roll him carefully to his side."

Sam grabbed the top end and with Bobby's help they got him to his side. Sam took a pillow and put it between his legs and adjusted them in a more comfortable position and put one behind his back to help hold him in place.

"How's that?" he asked him.

"Better." he answered closing his eyes and letting the pain meds ease his pain and lull him to sleep. It was too much, his mind was overloading and stabbing pain was echoing in his head. He just wanted to sleep and hope all this was just some dream he would wake up from.

Sam listened to his brother's breathing as it became more even and slower. He knew he was going to sleep, he just hoped his memory loss was only short term and he would know him when he woke up. Ribbons of regret wound their way around his mind as he cursed himself for not calling his brother and making amends. They looped in and out getting tighter as he struggled to breath.

"Sam, go get something to eat." Bobby said seeing his distress. "I'll stay here with him."

John walked back into the room and looked at Dean and over to his youngest son. He could see hurt and angst on his face.

"Sam, have you ate yet?" he asked him.

"I was telling him to go get something." Bobby replied.

"Come on, you need to eat." John said going to his side and guiding him up from the chair. "Bobby can stay here with Dean."

Sam allowed his father to lead him out of the room and to the elevators. It was like everything was moving in slow motion. He could here people talking, but it was like he was in a tunnel, he could feel the onset of a headache trying to push its way into his head. He rubbed his temples absently trying to will it to subside.

"I've got aspirin, if you need a couple." John told him when he saw him rubbing his face.

Sam shook his head as the elevator stopped on the first floor and they got off. John looked at the signs and followed them to the cafeteria making sure Sam was following behind him. It had been six months since he had seen his son and the change in him was surprising. He had grown in height and he had gained weight. He could tell Sam had been taking care of himself at least. He cursed himself for being so unforgiving to his son. He not only lost his youngest that day when Sam left for college, but he also lost his eldest one as well. They couldn't seem to understand how important it was to find the demon that killed his wife, their mother and end the s.o.b. for good.

A/N: Thank you to all who are following and who have favored and a big thanks to any who have left a review. I do appreciate them, it's what keeps me writing. Hope you enjoyed this last chapter and will leave a review of what you thought about it.

NC