Chapter 10

My eyes flew open, as I shot into a sitting position. I quickly gasped air into my lungs, my wide eyes darting around. Finally, I caught sight of Sam and Dean standing at the door to my room. Their cheeks were wet and tears were still trailing from their eyes, but they were smiling. At seeing them, I relaxed back into my bed, exhausted from the sudden awakening. My eyes slid shut as the doctors quietly checked my machines before filing out of my room. Sam and Dean took two seats on either side of my bed, taking each of my hands. I opened my eyes as the room fell awkwardly silent.

"We almost lost you." Sam broke it, reaching over to move a piece of sweaty hair off of my forehead. He squeezed my hand so tightly it almost hurt. "You died, Aiden. Twice, you died. That last time...I really thought you were gone." I swallowed harshly, opening my mouth to speak. Before I could make a sound, Dean had started talking.

"I don't do chick flick moments." I gaped at him, glancing at Sam who was also looking quite shocked.

"You're unbelievable, Dean." Sam shook his head, his mouth turning down in a scowl. "Aiden DIED, and you're too 'manly' to admit that you were just as terrified as I was?" He demanded of his older brother, ignoring my attempts to make them stop arguing.

"You didn't let me finish, Sammy." Dean replied quietly, not even fighting Sam. I looked over at Dean in confusion. "I don't do chick flick moments, but you scared the living hell out of me, Aiden. You left me, princess." I stared at him as he looked down at his lap. I wasn't used to this side of Dean. The last time he had called me princess was when I was seven and I had fallen out of a tree and broken my wrist. "You can't do that, okay? You nearly gave Sammy and me a heart attack." I smiled at him, nodding my head.

"I won't do it again." I rasped through my dry and swollen throat. "Guys, I have to tell you something." The two of them looked at me in concern. "While I was...compromised-" I saw Dean wince out of the corner of my eye, "I had a...dream I guess it was."

"What was it about, Aiden?" Sam asked softly, looking at me in concern. I was glad he was here. Sam had always been the one I had run to whenever I had bad dreams, because he was sensitive towards them. Whenever I would tell Dean I'd had a nightmare, he would tell me that it wasn't a nightmare if it was true and send me back to bed with a knife in my hand. That was never what I needed, so I learned quickly to turn to Sam instead.

"It was about your mom." I whispered, staring down at my lap. I saw both of them tense in my peripherals.

"You never met our mother. How would you know what she looked like? How would you know who she is?" Dean pointed out the obvious, licking his lips. He always did that when he was nervous. I'd always found it slightly irritating.

"I know. I don't think it was a dream in the sense that it wasn't real. I think...I think she actually came to me from heaven." I replied, not looking at either of them. "She came to me and showed me the first time...when dad found me." Sam winced, squeezing my hand. It was a touchy subject, the way I had come to live with the Winchesters.

"Why?" Dean demanded, rubbing his face with his free hand. "Why would she come to you? That doesn't make any sense, she never even met you. You came along long after she died." I nodded.

"I know Dean. I know, I'm just as confused as you are." I replied in frustration. I hated when Dean did this, shut us all out and tried to figure everything out on his own.

"What else did she say? Anything?" Sam demanded from my other side. "Please Aiden, don't leave anything out." I knew they were just anxious to know if their mother was okay in heaven, but I was starting to feel overwhelmed. They had both let go of my hands, leaving them lying limply by my side. They were drifting away from me, becoming more entranced by the idea that their mother was able to communicate with them.

"Nothing of importance." I muttered, wincing at the look that Dean sent me.

"Everything Aiden, now." He demanded in a gruff tone. I sighed, looking down at my hands as I played with my fingers.

"Just that she knew sometimes I got...curious about my family." I replied in a mumble.

"We're your family, why would you get confused about us?" Sam asked, not understanding what I was trying to say. I shook my head mutely.

"Your real family." The realization hit Dean as he let out a heavy sigh. I nodded, continuing.

"And that no matter what, you guys were my brothers. Even if we aren't blood related." Sam sighed, his excitement diffused. He wanted something else. He wanted me to tell him that she tried to talk to them, that she loved them and missed them. I couldn't bring myself to look at either of them as they both stood up.

"I'm going to get some air." Sam muttered. Dean nodded in reply and they both left my hospital room, closing the door rather loudly. I let out a quiet squeak at the bang before sagging back against the pillow.

"That didn't exactly go to plan." I mumbled to myself, reaching up to scratch my head. It was starting to ache with an itch that just wouldn't go away.

When I pulled my hand away, it was covered in blood, hair, and skin. My eyes widened as I reached up and scratched again at the itch, removing more hair and skin.

"Sam...Dean..." I whispered, grabbing my head as a burning started on my scalp. I could feel clumps of hair start to come out as I pulled at it in fear and desperation. "SAM! DEAN!" I screamed, staring down as hair started to fall onto my lap and blood dripped onto the pristine white sheets.

My door burst open, revealing my two brothers with wide eyes.

"Aiden, what's wrong?" Dean demanded, rushing over to my bedside. I stared up at him with wide eyes.

"What do you mean, what's wrong?!" I shrieked, shoving my hands in his face. "My hair is falling out! My skin is coming off!" I stared down at my shaking hands as the skin on my arm started to dry and crack.

"Aiden, what are you talking about? You're fine!" Sam replied, grabbing my arm and twisting it to get a better look at it. I swallowed, looking back down. He was right, all traces of blood had disappeared and the skin on my arms looked perfectly healthy. With shaking hands, I reached up to touch my head, finding a head full of hair and no blood or peeling skin.

"What the hell is going on? Is this your idea of a joke?! You scared me half to death!" Dean exclaimed, dropping my arm and standing up.

"No, I swear it actually happened. It was coming out..." I whispered, blinking rapidly. "I don't understand what's happening."

"You're hallucinating." Bobby's voice startled all three of us. I looked up at him with wide eyes. "It can happen when you're attacked with hell hounds. It should stop soon, since you're perfectly healed, but the next few days are going to be hell for you." I moaned at this, leaning over into Dean's chest. His arm automatically came around my shoulder, rubbing my shoulder comfortingly.

"It's okay, princess. Sam and I've got you. We won't let anything happen to you."