Disclaimers and warnings see chapter 1

Thanks to RealFunkyTown for taking the beta on this story. Any mistakes are mine.

Chapter 10 Thunderstruck

They went down to pathology and waited ten minutes to have Dean's blood taken. Sam waited in the waiting room when Dean went in still tapping his foot when he came out five minutes later. Sam stood up when Dean strode up to him.

"All done?"

"Yep. Now who's ready for some breakfast?"

Sam looked like he was the patient, all nervous and looking freaked while Dean was his normal, solid self.

"Ha yeah, me, that's for sure."

They stopped at the hospital cafeteria where Sam picked up the local paper and Dean grabbed the food. Sam didn't see the food until they were walking out with cups of coffee but he scowled when he saw one bacon and egg roll and one cheese and tomato sandwich. They made it back to the motel in only a few minutes where Dean surprised Sam by handing him the warm roll and taking the sandwich to the table and inhaling it in just a few seconds.

"Do you want some of this?" Sam offered when Dean was finished and Sam was just getting started.

"No thanks."

"You sure? It's not bad."

"I Just wanted something light this morning. I'm ok now."

"What do you want to do today?"

Dean scrunched down in the chair and tilted his head back. He wanted nothing more but to sleep all day but if they sat around in the motel Sam would drive him crazy with the questions about what the doctor did and said. So he would have to keep him busy for the day.

"How about bowling? Or a movie? Or both?"

Sam nodded knowing Dean wanted to keep busy for the day and not think about tomorrow morning. He did too.

"Sounds ok."

Sam looked in the local directory and found the bowling alleys and cinema addresses. They were at the bowling alley a half hour later and found they were the only people there, bar a few kids playing the arcade games in the corner. Dean teased Sam about how his three toned hire shoes looked like huge clown shoes and proceeded to find the heaviest ball in the place to fling down. They had a fun time considering they were playing to waste the hours until Dean's appointment. Sam noticed Dean rubbed a hand over his neck a few times and sweated easily so they kept it to one game. Dean won but only by one pin so they left and wandered down to the cinema.

They found there was over ninety minutes to the film they both wanted to see, so they went for an early lunch. Dean ate more antacid tablets than food and with more time left they found a bar and had a beer, watching a football game on the big screen TV. Dean kept the conversation purposefully light, steering Sam away from talking about anything health related. At the cinema Dean bought two popcorn's and drinks and Sam paid for the tickets. Once seated and waiting for the movie to start, Dean kept the jokes coming, making Sam snort with laughter, and get shushed by a man five rows away. The movie was ok and they went back to the motel with nothing better to do. Dean went to lie down, claiming he was tired, and he was out for the count in just a few seconds. Sam paced for a while but couldn't take it any longer so went out to a bookstore and browsed for a while, but his mind kept returning to Dean. He grabbed burgers for them for dinner on the way back and shook Dean awake so he would eat. Before he had even gotten halfway through Dean was asleep with his face on his food, which would have been funny in other circumstances.

In the morning Sam had a repeat performance of the morning before, but they got to the hospital on time, and were taken straight in the office with Doctor Reid. She came straight to the point once they were seated.

"Well Dean, I'm afraid that your test results showed what I suspected. I'm afraid you have Hodgkin's lymphoma."

'What the hell?' bounced around Dean's head but Sam knew straight away.

He leaned forward, his eyes burning into the Doctor's.

"Cancer. That's cancer right?" Sam's voice was a high squeak.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. We need to do further tests to confirm the results, Dean."

Doctor Reid was a little concerned her patient had yet to say anything. Dean looked at Sam thunderstruck, but Sam had tears in his eyes, which mixed strangely with his panicked look.

"What tests?" Sam croaked.

"X-rays, CT scans and, a biopsy, if these results come back as expected. Can you stay overnight? It would be best if we get them done quickly." Dean didn't know what to say so Sam spoke up.

"Yeah, we can stay. I can go get the things we need, then come back."

"Ok. I have already started the paperwork so let's go down to admissions and see where they are at."

Dean followed behind the other two in somewhat of a daze. Doctor Reid kept an eye on Dean as they went; still concerned the young man had not spoken since the diagnosis.

They arrived at the admissions counter and Doctor Reid got Dean's paperwork and Dean filled out what he could, with Sam's help. Neither spoke and barley looked at each other while they got it out of the way. The doctor took them up to the ward Dean had been assigned to. Dean felt Sam touch his elbow a couple of times as they walked along and knew he was barley keeping it together. He knew how he felt; he hadn't said a word since arriving at the doctor's office. Doctor Reid left them with a nurse to get Dean settled saying she would be back when they got the first test organized. The nurse handed Dean a T shirt and scrub like pants to put on and said she would be back in ten minutes to take his vitals. Dean was in a room with four other beds, all of them occupied by men, and all older than Dean.

Dean took a deep breath as the nurse walked away but then Sam was grabbing his hand and leading him into the small bathroom in the corner of the room. Sam locked the door behind them then pulled Dean to him for a bone crushing hug. When Sam pulled back his eyes shone with tears.

"I'm so sorry, Dean."

Dean just nodded, still to numb to take it all in just yet.

"Are you gonna be ok?"

"I don't know."

Sam could see Dean was trying to be brave.

"Do you want me to get anything from the motel?"

Dean felt like his brain had been smashed out of his head so he said the first thing that came to mind more to ease Sam's mind than anything.

"Books I guess. It's going to be a fairly boring day and no TV. I don't intend on spending much time in this room."

Dean tried a small smile on but it fell short.

"OK. Is it all right if I stay with you?"

The last thing Sam felt like doing was leaving Dean for any amount of time.

"If you want to stay, stay, but I don't mind if you want to wait back at the motel. It will be boring."

"I want to stay with you."

Dean gave Sam a small smile.

"Thanks, Sammy. You can change your mind any time."

Sam nodded. "I don't think I will though."

Sam pulled Dean into another hug knowing he could use it as well as Dean.

TBC