Melissa exited the room once the young, battered boy, and found her husband in the hallway.
"Hey baby." She called. Once he noticed her he beamed. God she's beautiful. They met in the middle of the hallway with a brief kiss.
"How did you find these boys?" She asked.
"well, I made my rounds and I was going through Old Westgate Park and I saw a car. At first I didn't think much of it, but I thought I'd check it out."
"Thank god you did or those poor boys would have froze to death." Melissa sighed. "What happens to them now?"
"Since, the oldest doesn't seem to be over 18, they will be put into the foster care system until they're 18 or place them back with their family."
"Why would they place them back with the monsters that did this to them?" Melissa asked fiercely.
"Child Protective Services number one goal is to reunite the family. So they will either stay in foster care or go to trial with their guardian and see what comes of it. Did the doctors happen to take pictures of the abuse?" James asked.
"Yea, they did. They figured it could be evidence." Melissa looked at the two boys' rooms and sighed. She was connected with the both of them and she felt bad about this whole messed up situation.
"Were they just physically abused or-" James let the sentence end. He almost didn't want to hear anymore of the boys struggle just to survive.
" The youngest no, but the oldest…yes…recent forced sexual injuries." Melissa whispered, tears filling her eyes.
"Hey, babe, it's ok. They're here now, they'll be safe."
"But they'll have to go into foster care, and we both know most people don't take in two at a time. I have a feeling if they split them up, they won't be able to survive without the other. Could…could we take them home?" Melissa asked.
"Oh, Mel, I don't know. These kids come with a lot of baggage. Emotional difficulties, illnesses, and so much more; they might be better elsewhere."
"Like hell they would be. Please James, let's bring them home with us?"
"I don't know, I have to call CPS and they need to send a social worker down. But it won't be until at least a day pr so."
"Please, just think about it-" She was cut off by yelling coming from the older boys room.
---------------------------------------------------
Dean slowly opened his eyes. He felt much better, considering almost freezing and being beaten to death. Shit! He was in a hospital, hospitals ask questions, and Sam was no where in sight.
"Sam!" At first it came out as a hoarse whisper but it grew steadily louder. He threw off his blankets and pulled out his I.V. He made his was to the door when a police officer and a nurse came in.
"Where's my brother?" Dean asked, unsteady on his feet.
"It's ok hun, he's right next-door. He had a lot of bumps, scrapes, burns, and lacerations, but we cleaned him up."
"I want to see him, please, ma'am." Dean pleaded.
"You can, but lets sit down for a minute so I can see how you're doing."
"I don't care how I am, I want to see my brother!" Dean yelled.
"Ok, I promise we'll see him after I check you out." Melissa eased, her voice seemed to calm Dean's unsteady nerves. Melissa took a step forward and Dean took two back.
"It's ok. I'm not going to hurt you, I swear. My husband found you in your truck and we've been helping you boys since you got here. Your been up, but didn't say much, but he has a mighty big appetite." Melissa joked with Dean.
A small smile creeped on Dean's face. "I told him not to talk to strangers and yes, he eats like a horse." Both adults laughed at Dean's comment.
"What's your name son?" James asked, but Dean eyed him worriedly.
"It's ok hun, that's my husband, James. He looks mean in his uniform but he's a big teddy bear-"
"Hey!" James huffed indignantly.
"And I'm Melissa. I've been taking care of both of you since you arrived. Can I check you out?"
Slowly, like approaching a wounded animal, Melissa led Dean back to his bed. She felt him shy away from her gentle touch but he allowed her to help him. After a quick check up, they heard crying from the next room. Before anyone could say anything, Dean took off running.
He quickly found his brother's room and saw him thrashing on the bed, trapped in a horrible nightmare. Dean ran to his brother, and gently tried to wake him.
"Come, on, kid. Open those big blue eyes, come one, you're just dreaming."
Sam continued to thrash but soon woke up. Disoriented, he began to climb off the bed.
"No, Sammy, don't, it's me, it's Dean." Sam finally heard his voice and looked at his brother.
"I remember, what happened Dean. I remember," and the small boy broke down into his brothers arms. Sobbing, Sam was rocked and comforted by Dean, who had crawled into bed with his small little brother.
"It's ok, Sam, we're gonna be ok. I promise." Dean repeated over and over until both boys fell asleep.
Melissa and James watched from the outside, Melissa openly crying and James just as upset.
"We can't separate them James, we can't." She cried.
"I'll do what I can, ok?" and with that, he left to call the social worker.
----------------------------------------------
Two days passed and Sam and Dean were still in the hospital. They rarely talked to the numerous people who came in and out of their room. But they did talk to Melissa, but even then it was just to be nice and answer her questions. They finally told her their names but refused all other types of information. Melissa noticed the boys began to feel comfortable with her, they seemed less tense. She found herself watching them sleep, protecting them from probing doctors, and just spending time with the boys, even if they were silent.
The boys did not leave each others side, they slept in the same bed, and even went to the bathroom together. Dean knew they had to leave soon because it was only a matter of time before they separated them.
It was late afternoon, and the boys were laying on the bed watching t.v. Dean had a nervous feeling in the bottom of his stomach and decided now was the time to act.
"Get up Sam, we have to leave." Dean retrieved their belongings from the closet in their room and began dressing. Sam seemed bewildered by his older brother's sudden action.
"Why Dean? I like it here…Melissa is nice." Sam asked.
Fully dressed, Dean walked to his brother and pulled Sam's face into his hands.
"Sam, listen. I like Melissa too but we have to leave. They are gonna split us up and put us in different homes because we don't have one of our own. I'm not old enough to take care of you myself Sammy. We have to leave before they come ok?" Sam was seized with fear, he had never been without Dean. Sam scrambled from the bed and dressed quickly. When both boys they made their way to the door, but were stopped by Melissa, her husband, a social worker and two large men.
Dean immediately grabbed his brother and pushed him back.
The social worker stepped forward towards the boys. "Hello Dean and Sam my name is Patricia Hardwell. I'm going to be your case worker. Today you're both able to leave the hospital. We have arranged for you both to go to foster homes until we settle a court date and find your guardians."
"No. Sam and I aren't going anywhere. Leave us alone." Dean yelled, feeling Sam's vice grip on the back of his shirt.
"I'm sorry boys, but you have no where to go. No one has claimed you, so you must go into foster care." Mrs. Hardwell said
"Fine, we'll go together." Dean conceded.
Mrs. Hardwell shook her head. "I'm sorry Dean, but it doesn't work like that. I talked to numerous homes but they all can only take in one of you."
"Fine, then we'll go on our own. I've taken care of Sam my whole life, I can still do it!" Dean pleaded.
"And you have done a great job, but now it's time for us to step in and help. Sam, you need to come with me."
"No! " Both boys screamed but couldn't dodge the two large men. They pulled Sam out of Dean's arms, both boys screaming for each other and fighting off the men.
"Sam No! Please let him stay with me please!" Dean screamed pulling against the man, arms outstretched towards Sam.
Sam screamed and sobbed for Dean, reaching for him as well. "Dean, please! Help Dean, don't let them take me away! I'll be good, I swear! I won't spill any food, I'll clean and do laundry forever, please Dean! Let me go! No!" Sam continued to scream. He caught sight of Melissa and James in the corner, both horrified as the events unfolded in front of them.
"Melissa help us please!" Sam screamed but Melissa mouthed "I'm Sorry." Sam and Dean struggled, sobbed and screamed for each other until a voice cried out before all of them.
"Stop! We'll take them with us!" James screamed. Everyone in the room turned towards James, even Melissa.
"Don't take them away, we'll take them both." James said again.
"I'm sorry officer, but you are not a licensed foster care provider." Mrs Hardwell stated.
"I am." James said. He pulled out all the documents needed to care for a child.
"What? How?" Melissa asked, shocked.
"It was gonna be a surprise. I was doing it on the side. So we could finally have children." Melissa smiled and nodded at her husband. She turned towards Mrs. Hardwell and the men.
"We will take these boys with us. We have the paper work. Gentlemen, let my boys go, now." Melissa said fiercely. Both men looked at Mrs. Hardwell who nodded.
Sam and Dean dove for each other and collapsed on the floor. Dean had Sam in his arms and was hugging and kissing him. Sam continued to sob and so did Dean, refusing to let go of Sam for anything.
"James and Melissa, we will see you soon." Mrs Hardwell and the men left the room and all that were left were the four of them.
Melissa and James made their way over to where the boys were reunited.
"Boys?" Melissa asked tentatively.
Both boys looked up at them, tears still fresh in their eyes.
"Do, do you still want to come home with us?" James asked.
Both boys looked at each other, deep in the other eyes. Dean turned back to the couple looking at them.
"If you still want us." Dean sniffed.
"Of course we still want you, and we will do everything we can for you boys. We will protect you both with everything we have." James said softly. Sam got up and hugged James and Dean got up and hugged Melissa.
"Thank you," he whispered, hiccupping from crying.
"You're very welcome, baby." Melissa said, kissing him on the cheek.
ReViEw pLeAsE