Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters. I and am not making any money on this…I'm just having fun!

Ties that Blind

Chapter 10 – Blind

"Let me show you to your daughter's room Ellen…I need to get back here so that I can see Sam." Dean just hoped that when he did get to see his little brother, Sam would be able to see him as well.

Dean led Ellen to the room that Jo had been assigned to. Jo looked up but quickly looked away as she saw Dean enter the room. Ellen stepped quickly to the bed and took her daughter's hand in her own, finally satisfied that her daughter was alive. "Thanks Dean…I really appreciate what you and your brother did to save her."

"No problem Ellen…look I have to get back. I'll leave you two alone." Ellen watched sadly as Dean left the room.

"Jo, are you all right?" Ellen watched as her daughter's eyes found hers, a haunted look in them that hadn't been there before disturbed her.

"I don't think so Mom….I…I really screwed up this time. How is Sam? Is he ok?"

"I don't know Jo…but it sounds bad. What happened?" Ellen was trying to keep her temper in check as she listened to her daughter recount what had happened at the warehouse. Her girl was safe, but John's son…Ellen had always blamed John for her husband's death. He had promised to bring him back alive and when he didn't, she needed to blame someone and that someone had been John. But this, this was mostly her fault. She never should have said anything to Jo then maybe Sam wouldn't be in this hospital, possibly fighting for his life.

"I'm sorry Mom, I never meant for any of this to happen. I just…I just wanted to prove that I could do this…"

"Jo, now you should understand what I've been trying to tell you for years. This life is hard and full of risks when you are experienced. But you…you never stop to think things through. How were you planning on stopping this girl? Were you prepared to kill her? What if she had truly been a demon…do you have any idea on how to deal with a demon, how many banishment rights do you know?"

Jo looked down at her hands. "It's just…I miss him so much. I just wanted to be like him…I remember how excited he used to be after returning from a hunt and the others at the bar, and how proud he was that he had been able to help someone. I just want to understand what he felt, is that so bad?"

Ellen took a deep breath. "You only saw what your father wanted you to see Jo…you were only a little girl. You never saw the pain in his eyes when he had to leave us, the fear in his eyes when he worried that this hunt may be his last or the sorrow when another hunter had been killed. You only saw the good side…now you know. Hunting is not only dangerous, but the hunter loses parts of himself every time he goes out. Your father saw and faced things that most of us would run from. That's why I didn't want you to follow in your father's footsteps Jo; I can't watch you destroyed by this life style."

"But Sam and Dean, they are following in their father's footsteps…just because I'm a girl, you think I can't handle it. Well I can!" Jo let some of her frustration seep through.

"I swear girl, it has nothing to do with your gender! Sam and Dean are in this because they have to be…do you honestly think Sam would have chosen this kind of life? John told me that Sam wanted to be a lawyer…not a hunter Jo. Most people who do this, do it because they have to. The others, well, lets just say they aren't the kind of people that you would want to hang around because they are dangerous to everyone around them. Do you realize that if Sam and Dean hadn't been here, you would be dead now? Next time there may not be someone there to save you…worse yet, maybe next time you get someone else killed. Could you live with that? Can you live with what you've done now? Because of you Sam Winchester may never see again and you are to blame."

Jo swallowed as the tears she had been holding in began to fall. "I'm sorry that happened, I didn't ask…" Jo never finished as she watched her mother turn to leave the room.

"I'm going to see what I can do to help Sam. I suggest that you think long and hard about the choices you made and the effect of those choices. You had no business going on a hunt. But I realize now that no matter what I say, you will never understand the risk. Just know this; next time you decided to pull a stunt like this, no one will be looking for you. You will be on your own and you can die on your own. At least you won't be taking someone else with you!" Ellen walked away.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean looked up as he saw the doctor enter the waiting room. "Family of Sam Westin?" He asked as he approached Dean.

"Yeah, I'm his brother Dean…how is Sam, can I see him?"

"Your brother has been moved upstairs to room 210. You can see him in a moment. He is really a lucky young man. The burns on his arms and hands, while painful will heal and won't leave any scarring. We'll show you what needs to be done to care for the burns. He may need some therapy to get the dexterity back in his fingers, but with time he should be fine. We've put a soft cast on his broken hand; luckily the cast protected that arm so that the burns are only minor."

"Great doc, but what about Sam's eyes…he couldn't see me when I pulled him from the building."

"We've had our specialist look at him. There was some minor damage caused by the flash burns to his eyes. But she thinks that there is a possibility that with time, his eyes might heal. Unfortunately, we won't know for sure for at least another 10 days. That's when the swelling should be gone and the bandages can be removed."

Dean smiled. "So there's a chance he'll be able to see again?"

"Yes Dean, but I don't want you to think it is definite. With injuries of this kind, we never know until the bandages are removed if the sight will return. If it doesn't then we can talk about alternatives at that point. But for now, your brother is resting comfortably. You should be able to take him home tomorrow morning."

Dean thanked the doctor and hurried up to Sam's room. He quickly moved to his brother's bed and stopped. Sam had a large bandage around his head, covering his eyes. His arms and hands were also thickly bandaged. "Man, a few more bandages and you could sub for King Tut's mummy Sam." Dean said quietly. He couldn't tell if Sam was awake or not. "Sammy?" Dean said softly again, placing his hand on his brother's shoulder.

Sam could hear his brother calling him from far away. Part of him wanted to stay where he was, there was no pain here, but he knew his brother would worry until he answered. Sam fought his way through the drugs and struggled to open his eyes. But all he saw was blackness. "Dean…Oh God, Dean! I can't see!" Sam's breathing began to hitch in his throat as the reality of his condition hit him.

Dean grabbed Sam's shoulders, trying to keep him from injuring his burned hands. "Shhh Sam, the doc says it may only be temporary. Your eyes are bandaged and your hands and arms are also bandaged. You'll be just fine Sam, relax."

Sam took a deep breath and turned his face towards the sound of his brother's voice. "How long…Dean, how long before we know?" Sam couldn't be blind, he just couldn't.

"We'll know in 10 days Sam…but don't you worry, we'll get through this. Now you need to rest. They are letting you out of here tomorrow if you're a good boy." Dean kept his hand on Sam's shoulder as he watched his brother's breathing quiet down.

"Dean? Is Jo ok?" Sam asked quietly.

"Yeah, she's fine. Just a knock on the head. They are keeping her overnight and then she'll be released tomorrow. Ellen is with her now." Dean couldn't keep the anger from his voice as he talked about Jo. She had almost gotten Sam killed by her stubbornness.

Sam turned his head back towards Dean. "Dean, she didn't know what would happen…it's not her fault."

"Not her fault…jeez Sam, if she had just listened and stayed put you wouldn't be sitting here looking like a freaking mummy! How can this not be her fault?" Dean heard a sharp intake of breath from the door and turned to see Ellen quietly entering the room.

"Dean, I can understand where she's coming from…she needs to prove herself. She just wants her mother to be proud of her and I don't know maybe her father as well. You never had to work for Dad's approval, so you wouldn't understand Dean. I tried, but I always came up short in Dad's eyes…even at the end…" Sam swallowed and turned his head away for a moment before continuing. "Don't be mad at her Dean, help her...don't let her guilt over what happened destroy her Dean."

Dean looked at Sam and then looked at Ellen. He could see the guilt in the woman's eyes and realized that Sam was right. He and Sam both knew what guilt could do. "Hello Ellen" Dean said letting Sam know that they were no longer alone.

"Hey Dean…Sam. I just came by to see what I can do to help. You boys are welcome to come back with us and stay as long as you need to."

Sam shook his head. "No, Dean we can't leave here yet…the job isn't finished."

Dean looked at Sam. "What do you mean, the job's not finished. Sharon died Sam. I know you wanted to save her…but she died."

"I know Dean…but we have to find her son…don't you understand Dean, her son may have abilities and now he's alone. His mother killed by the demon."

"Sam, she burned herself…the demon wasn't involved."

"You're wrong Dean…he was there, at the end. He said I couldn't have her, she was his. He killed her Dean as sure as I'm here, he killed her. Even if her son doesn't have abilities, we need to find him and make sure he's ok…please Dean. I have to do this!"

Dean patted Sam on the shoulder. "Ok Sam, we'll stay. But I'm doing the leg work on this one. You are going to be resting for the next 10 days…you hear me? Sam?" Dean noticed that his brother's breathing was slow and even.

"I think he's sleeping Dean…the drugs are probably making him tired. You tell me what you need and we'll do it." Ellen watched the emotions flowing across Dean's face. She knew that he was still angry with them, but right now John's sons needed her and this time she wasn't going to drop the ball.

"Look Ellen, Sam and I are used to taking care of ourselves. You don't owe us anything. It was an accident…Jo didn't mean for this to happen. Besides, Sam will be fine…" Dean looked at his brother his heart breaking. What if Sam's vision didn't come back…no, Dean wouldn't accept it. His brother would see again, he'd fix it somehow.

"Dean, you're going to have your hands full. First, we need to get you a better place to stay than that rat trap you're in now. Some place with room services I think…I'll pull in a few favors and set us all up in a nice hotel in the same area. Now don't you argue with me Dean Winchester…I told you that we all had to work together if we are going to win this war. I meant every word of it. Jo and I will stick around to help you boys out. After all, someone will need to be with Sam while you and I search for the boy." Ellen watched as Dean started to object, but a whimper from Sam as he slept called his attention back to his brother.

"Ok Ellen, but Jo stays in the hotel…she can help with the research, but I hunt with Sammy or I hunt alone…that's not negotiable."

"Fine, I'll leave to make the arrangements. You should try to get some rest too Dean…you're brother is going to need you." Ellen watched as Dean pulled a chair over by Sam's bed. She knew that Dean wouldn't be leaving Sam again. Adding food to her list of things she needed to do, she quickly left the room.

Dean patted Sam's leg as he settled back into the uncomfortable plastic chair. "Don't you worry Sam; I'm going to fix this. And you're wrong…I do understand, I understand that you never knew how proud Dad was of you…I just wish he'd had the time to tell you Sam."

TBC

Raven524: Thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed this story so far. Don't worry, Jo won't be hunting with Dean any time soon…besides how hard can it be to find a six year old boy?