What Nadine Did
Author's Note:
Prompt comes from Jeanny: Pre-Series. Sam is 14 and Dean is 18. The Winchesters team up with another group of hunters and a member of the party gets hurt. The hunters lie about what happened and blames Sam for the injury. John believes the other hunters over his own son but Dean knows that Sam would never lie but maybe he's just confused about the events that took place. Sam feels betrayed by his family and in the meantime, the other hunters decide that another 'accident' is in order to keep the youngest Winchester from convincing his family of the truth.
"This bastard's not going to go down without a fight," Nadine Townsend told the Winchesters sitting with her in a quiet coffee shop in Washing State.
"Charlie and I have been tracking it for almost a week but the woods are just too big for us," She continued, picking up her mug of coffee and taking a sip.
John nodded, "I'm glad you called me. I've hunted my fair share of Black Dogs; they can be a pain in the ass for even veteran hunters."
Nadine lifted an eyebrow, "It's not like Charlie and I are new to this, Winchester."
"How many Black Dogs have you killed?" Dean spoke up from where he sat beside his brother.
Nadine said nothing.
"Thought so," the young man smirked.
Sam looked down at the map Nadine had brought with her, in red she had circled all the spots the Black Dog had taken a victim and in black, where the beast had last been sighted.
"It seems like the Dog is staying close to this area here," Sam said and pointed at the eastern edge of the park.
"It's close to the campgrounds but far enough away from the road," Sam continued.
"Hm," Nadine muttered, "Smart kid. How old are you anyway, ten?"
Sam glanced up and frowned, "I'm fourteen."
Dean put an arm around his brother, "He's just a midget."
Sam shoved Dean away, "I am not!"
"Enough boys," John warned and the brothers fell silent.
The eldest Winchester stood, "It'll probably be out again tonight, we should all get prepared."
Nadine nodded and grabbed the map, folding it neatly and slipping it into her purse, "We can meet at the entrance to the campground and go from there as soon as it gets dark."
"C'mon boys," John said and his sons followed him out of the coffee shop.
"This is so cool!" Dean exclaimed; the Winchesters rarely teamed-up with other hunters, "And that Nadine chick wasn't too hard on the eyes either."
Sam sighed in exasperation and Dean chuckled, "Don't worry, Sammy, soon enough you'll start noticing girls too."
The fourteen-year old scowled, "Hopefully not the ones you hang out with."
"Hey!" Dean exclaimed, "What's wrong with the girls I date?"
The look Sam gave his brother asked, 'Do I really have to answer that?'
"Boys! Enough! We have a job to do. Focus on that," John reprimanded.
"Sorry Sir," Dean apologized.
"Yeah," Sam muttered.
The small family climbed into the Impala and headed back to their motel room, their thoughts turning towards the hunt.
SPN
"Sam, you go with Nadine and Charlie," John ordered as the group stood at the entrance to the park, the sun a thin yellow line on the horizon.
"Dean, you're with me," he finished.
Charlie and Nadine didn't look too happy to have Sam going with them.
"Why do with get the shrimp?" Charlie asked John- he was younger then the eldest Winchester but it was obvious he worked-out- as he pointed at Sam.
"You two know these woods better than we do and Sam has a good idea of where the Black Dog will be," John explained calmly.
"What about you?" Charlie asked, "What are you going to do?"
"Make sure nothing sneaks up on you," was John's simple answer.
"If there's a problem, use the walkie-talkie," he told them.
Charlie glanced at Sam skeptically, "Just don't slow us down, Kid."
Sam shook his head. Despite what Nadine and Charlie might think, Sam had hunted before; he knew what to do.
He looked over his shoulder at his brother as he followed the two older hunters into the woods.
"Stay safe," Dean called as he slipped through the trees.
W
Sam stepped lightly; his eyes keen for any shadow that moved suddenly.
That was the thing about Black Dogs; they were difficult as hell to track because their dark fur blended in perfectly to the nighttime forests where they usually hunted. Their lemon-yellow eyes also gave them away but by the time a person was close enough to see them, they were done for anyway.
Luckily Black Dogs, like werewolves, could be killed with silver bullets.
Nadine and Charlie walked ahead, shotguns ready. While Sam's footfalls were nearly noiseless, the two older hunters seemed to step on every twig they could find.
"You shouldn't be so loud," Sam whispered, "We're trying to catch the Black Dog by surprise, not the other way around."
Nadine lifted an eyebrow but made an attempt to quiet her footsteps. Charlie glared at the teen, "I don't need a ten-year old telling me how to do my job!"
"I'm fourteen," Sam corrected and froze at the sound of a branch breaking somewhere off to his right.
The walkie-talkie Charlie held crackled to life, "That was me. Keep going."
Sam smiled; glad to hear his brother's voice even though he couldn't see Dean.
W
They walked for an hour with no signs of the Black Dog at all when Charlie paused.
"This is the edge of its territory," he said, consulting the map to be certain.
"Maybe its closer to the campsites," Sam suggested.
"The kid has a point," Nadine said, "No one should be out this far so why would the Dog stick around."
Charlie nodded and lifted the walkie-talkie, "The Black Dog isn't here, John. What do you want to do?"
There was silence on the other end for a moment before Sam's father spoke, "Let's head back, we may be able to meet it halfway."
Sam relaxed somewhat. Now Dean and their Dad would be in point with him, Charlie and Nadine bringing up the rear.
Although Sam knew how to shoot, he had never hunted a Black Dog but if they were as fast as werewolves he felt better knowing his Dad was taking the lead.
Nadine and Charlie walked side by side, leaving Sam to bring up the rear unprotected.
The teen trotted to keep up with the older hunters as they quickly left him behind.
"Wait!" Sam hissed but Nadine and Charlie either ignored or didn't hear him.
Soon Sam couldn't see the two hunters at all as he carefully picked his way through the trees, trying to be as quiet as possible.
He had no walkie-talkie so he couldn't contact his father or brother.
Okay, Sam thought, don't panic. You've been in the woods by yourself.
And he had, but it had been the copse of trees behind Bobby's property and not hundreds of acres of national park.
Despite his training, Sam's fight or flight instinct kicked in and he ran in the direction he had seen Nadine and Charlie walk.
SPN
Dean didn't like the idea of Sam going off alone with the other hunters. He couldn't protect his brother when they were separated like this.
He said nothing to John though, knowing his father would tell him that Sam needed to learn to hunt with others, not just them.
But he's only fourteen, Dean thought as he followed John through the quiet woods, and we've never worked with those two before.
Dean sighed and pushed aside his worry. He needed to focus on the task at hand- find and kill the Black Dog.
SPN
Sam felt relief wash over him as he caught sight of Charlie and Nadine just ahead.
The two hunters turned, irritated looks on their faces, "The hell you doing, kid? You want to lead that beast straight to us?"
Sam shook his head as he approached them, "Y-You left me back th-there."
"It's not our fault you have such short legs," Charlie commented.
Sam frowned, "We're supposed to be a team. That means we work together and stick together."
"Aww did the baby get scared of the dark," Charlie mocked, Nadine laughing along.
"Don't tell us how to hunt, kid," the woman said, "We've been doing it a lot longer than you."
Sam doubted that since the two could barely manage to be quiet. He opened his mouth to say so when he heard a soft growl come from behind him.
He met Nadine's eyes, "I think it's behind me."
Sam spoke, hardly moving his lips; something John had taught him and shifted slightly away from where he had heard the sound to give the other hunters a clearer area to shoot.
Both Nadine and Charlie raised their shotguns and waited.
The hair on the back of Sam's neck stood like it did whenever he was being watched and he stopped breathing.
Although he couldn't see the Black Dog, Sam could almost sense its approach.
"Shoot it," Sam mouthed desperately.
Still Nadine and Charlie waited.
Sam's heart jackhammered with fear and his blood ran cold.
Suddenly the walkie-talkie crackled to life and the Black Dog pounced.
Sam cried out as he felt paws the size of dinner plates slam into his back and he fell to the ground, trying to roll out from under the monster as he did so.
The weight of the Black Dog was immense and Sam lay paralyzed beneath it, the monster's rank breath hot against the back of his neck.
He cried out again, the sound muffled as his face was pressed against the forest floor, sticks cutting his skin and jabbing at his eyes.
Sam felt strong jaws wrap around his head, pain bloomed, spreading through his body and he lost consciousness.
SPN
Nadine stared, stunned as the Black Dog leaped at John Winchester's youngest son, bringing him to the ground.
Until now she had only caught glimpses of the beast but now that it was right in front of her, she was shocked.
It was huge! Its black fur blending in perfectly with the shadows surrounding it, making it difficult for the human eye to focus on it- it almost seemed to be made of undulating, shifting shadows itself. The Black Dog's yellow eyes shone with sulfuric light in the darkness.
She watched, horrified as the monster lowered its jaws and gripped the teen's head between its jagged teeth.
That was when Charlie shot it. The bullet hit the Black Dog's shoulder and the monster stumbled, releasing the boy as it did so.
The child fell limply to the ground. Nadine could see his head already slick with blood.
Before the beast could attack again, Charlie fired another round. This one was more accurate, plunging into the Dog's chest.
The monster staggered forward two steps before it collapsed, groaning.
Charlie walked up to it and fired again and the Black Dog lay still.
"What's going on? Is everyone okay?" John's voice called over the walkie-talkie.
Nadine grabbed the device and spoke into it, "We're fine."
Charlie took the walkie-talkie from her, "Sam's hurt bad."
He heard the father swear before speaking to him again, "We'll be right there. Stay put."
"Got it," Charlie said and lowered the walkie-talkie.
He glanced at Nadine, "We can't tell them we didn't shoot the damn thing; John would kill us."
His girlfriend looked at the boy lying on the ground. Neither of them made a move to help the child.
"Sam got excited, wanted to be the hero," Nadine said slowly, "We tried to stop him but he ran off towards the beast. It attacked before we could do anything."
Charlie nodded his approval and approached the boy. Slipping his jacket off, he folded it and placed it beneath Sam's head.
"Do you think he'll make it?" Nadine asked and Charlie shrugged, "It's hard to tell how much damage was done."
The sound of crashing through the trees alerted the two hunters to the arrival of the Winchesters.
Dean's face blanched at the sight of his brother and John's expression hardened.
"What happened?" he asked Charlie, stepping very close to the other hunter, invading his personal space.
"Kid saw the Black Dog and went after it," he explained, "I guess he was excited. We tried to stop him but by the time we reached him, the beast had already attacked."
"We told him not to go after it on his own," Nadine chimed in, "But he ignored us. He said he knew what he was doing… oh, the poor baby!"
"Dad! We've gotta get Sammy out of here," Dean spoke up, cradling his brother to his chest, his face haggard.
John looked down at the dead Black Dog and nodded, "Let's get out of here."
SPN
Dean walked carefully through the forest, his burden precious.
Even in the dark he knew Sam had been hurt badly. He could feel warm blood seeping through his jacket and he clutched Sam even tighter to his chest.
Dean thought back to what Charlie and Nadine had said happened, that Sam had gone after the Black Dog on his own.
And Dean couldn't believe it.
Sam would never be that reckless.
Something was wrong about the whole situation.
They'd have to get Sam's side of the story as soon as he was safely in a hospital bed.
As they approached the cars, John shook Charlie's hand, "Thanks for your help."
The other hunter shook his head, "No, thank you. We couldn't have beaten this thing without you and your family. Hopefully Sam's alright."
Dean gave the couple the cold shoulder. He climbed into the passenger seat of the Impala without saying a word to them.
SPN
"He could die," Nadine said from the passenger seat of their car.
Charlie glanced at his girlfriend. Now that the excitement and adrenaline was wearing off he was beginning to feel guilty. If he had acted soon, if he hadn't just stood there like an idiot, he could have prevented a child from becoming hurt.
"There's still a chance he could survive," Charlie replied.
Nadine's eyes widened, "Charlie! What if he tells John what really happened?!"
Charlie shrugged, "We told him our side, Nadine. We should be fine."
Nadine didn't look convinced, "No, we have to go to the hospital. We need to make sure John believes us. You said it yourself, if he finds out what really happened, he'll kill us."
Charlie bit his lip, thinking.
Sure, he'd told a little white lie to point the finger at someone other than himself and Nadine but that had been in the spur of the moment. Now, telling John an outright lie, laying the blame on his son- who may or may not survive- didn't seem right.
Then again, John Winchester was legendary for his temper and his ability to hold a grudge. Charlie did not want to be the target of that man's rage if he found out the truth.
"Alright," Charlie said, "But we're only going to stick with our story. That's it."
Nadine didn't say anything as her boyfriend pulled a U-Turn and headed towards the hospital.
SPN
Dean watched helplessly as Sam was taken from him and rushed through a set of double doors and out of sight.
He felt John's hand on his shoulder and sank into a plastic waiting room chair, completely drained.
John walked over to the nurses' station to get the paperwork he needed to fill out and returned to Dean's side.
He looked up when the Emergency entrance's sliding doors opened and Nadine and Charlie stepped inside.
W
Dean listened to Charlie and Nadine as they recounted the events that led to Sam's being checked into the hospital and despite his earlier suspicions; he began to believe the two hunters.
Maybe Sam had gone after the Black Dog by himself. He never thought he was good enough for John; he was always trying to prove himself as a hunter.
Maybe he had tried to show that he could be the hunter his father wanted him to be. Sam might be the more cautious of the two brothers but he was also the more stubborn one.
It didn't take much to imagine his baby brother charging at the Black Dog, thinking only of making their father proud.
W
Dean looked up expectantly when a doctor stepped into the room. There was no one else waiting for news of family members so the man walked right up to them.
"Sam Winchester?" he asked and nodded when John told him that they were his father and brother.
"Is he okay, Doc?" Dean asked anxiously.
"Thankfully, yes," the doctor said and Dean felt his knees go weak with relief.
"That cougar did a number on his though, he continued seriously, "I'd advise against nighttime hikes in the area again."
Dean nodded, recognizing the animal attack John usually used instead of a supernatural one.
"Your son lost a lot of blood but he's receiving more as we speak," the doctor informed them.
"The gashes on his head are stitched but I have to tell you that they are deep and will scar. Sam also has some superficial cuts on his face that we cleaned; those should heal without leaving any marks. There is also bruising on Sam's back and cuts there that needed to be stitched as well."
"Frankly, I'm amazed that he came out of that encounter as he did," the doctor confessed, "It could have been much worse."
John nodded, his lips thin.
"Can we see him?" Dean asked anxiously.
The doctor nodded, "He's been sedated for the pain but he is awake so you can talk to him if you like."
The two older Winchesters followed the doctor down the hall towards Sam's room.
The man opened a door at the end of the hallway and ushered the Winchesters inside.
Dean frowned when he saw Sam. His brother was sitting up in the hospital bed, his head wrapped in clean white bandages.
Sam looked up when John and Dean stepped inside, his eyes glassy and his expression pleasantly vacant.
"Hey," he said quietly.
Dean approached the bed and sat down on the visitor's chair.
"How're you feeling?" he asked.
Sam grinned, "Great."
Dean couldn't' help but smirk, "That's because the doctor's got you on the good stuff."
Sam nodded slowly and then looked at John.
"Is it dead?" he asked vaguely.
John inclined his head, "It's dead."
Sam didn't say anything for a moment, "I couldn't breathe. It was crushing me. And they wouldn't shoot."
"What?" Dean asked and leaned forward.
Sam blinked owlishly at him, "Why's your shirt red?"
Dean glanced down and he saw the bloodstains on his jacket.
"Why don't you try and get some rest, Sammy," he suggested, "We'll be here when you wake up."
Sam closed his eyes as if on command and sighed, falling asleep quickly.
Dean looked up at John, "He's really out of it."
W
Dean peered over as the door slowly opened and Nadine peeked into the room.
"Can we come in?" she asked and John nodded.
The two hunters entered, shutting the door quietly behind them and looked down at the sleeping fourteen-year old.
"Has he said anything?" Nadine asked curiously.
"A little. It didn't really make sense though," Dean answered.
"He'll be able to tell us what the hell he was thinking as soon as the sedation wears off a bit," John added.
Nadine nodded, sharing a look with Charlie.
"Let us know when he's awake," she said and took her boyfriend's arm, leading him out of the room after her.
SPN
Sam opened his eyes to a splitting headache. He groaned and closed them again.
"Sammy? What's wrong?" Dean's voice said softly, coming from right beside him.
"Head," Sam said through clenched teeth, "Hurts."
"Yeah, getting it chewed up by a Black Dog will do that," Dean replied, "I'll let a nurse know you need some more pain meds."
"Kay," Sam replied.
"Sam," John's voice broke in an the teen flinched, "Care to explain what you were thinking, going after that Black Dog by yourself?"
Sam frowned; he didn't go after the Black Dog at all! It ambushed them!
"Didn't," Sam said, "It… got me."
"What do you mean?" Dean asked.
"Black Dog snuck up on us… It was behind me."
"And then you decided to chase after it," John finished, his tone irritated.
"No," Sam replied, "No…"
"Hold on, Sammy," Dean interjected and Sam opened his eyes slightly to see a nurse enter the room.
She stepped up beside Sam's bed and inserted a needle into the IV line attached to the back of Sam's hand.
"That should make you feel better soon, dear," she said in a kindly voice and smiled at the small family before leaving the room.
"Sam?" Dean said, "You still with us?"
The meds were already working. Sam could feel the pain melting away. He sighed and opened his eyes all the way.
Dean had a bewildered expression on his face and his Dad just looked angry.
"Keep going, Sammy," Dean coaxed, "What do you remember?"
"The Black Dog… it hit me in the back," Sam said, "And I fell."
"Why would you go after something so dangerous on your own, Sam? You know better!" John growled and Sam frowned.
"I didn't have time to run after it… It hit me… they didn't shoot it."
"Wait, you mean Charlie and Nadine didn't shoot the monster when it attacked you?" Dean asked and Sam nodded.
"I… I remember I told them to shoot it but they just stood there."
Dean shook his head; "You've got it wrong, Sammy. They killed it."
Sam squinted at his brother, "They must have after it bit me. I don't remember… after that."
Dean and John looked at one another.
"He's clearly confused," John said as though Sam wasn't in the room.
"I know what happened," Sam argued.
"Sam, Nadine and Charlie said you ran after the Black Dog and it attacked you then. They tried to stop you but you didn't listen," Dean reminded him.
"That's not what happened, Dean," Sam said, "I wouldn't do that!"
Dean glanced at the heart monitor, "Calm down, Sammy, its alright."
"No, its not! I didn't do that!" Sam growled, the heart monitor pinging madly.
"Sam, we'll deal with this later," John told him, "Right now you have to rest."
"Deal with what?! I didn't do it!" Sam almost yelled.
The door to the room opened again and the same nurse stepped inside with another needle, "I'm sorry, you'll have to leave."
"What are you doing?" Sam asked as the nurse inserted the syringe into the IV line.
"It's just a sedative, sweetheart," she answered, "To help you sleep."
"But… I don't…" Sam stammered, fighting against the fast-acting drug.
Dean and John stood and left the room, both shocked that Sam would blatantly lie about what had happened.
The two eldest Winchesters made their way towards the cafeteria for some coffee while they waited for Sam to calm down.
SPN
Nadine fiddled with the tag on her teabag, not drinking the beverage.
"Stop that," Charlie hissed.
"He'll tell them what really happened, Charlie," she said, "And what if they believe him."
Her boyfriend shook his head, "They won't."
Nadine sighed, "I hope you're right."
Charlie looked up, gaze focused at something behind Nadine, "Speak of the devil."
She turned in her seat and saw John and Dean approaching.
"How is he?" Charlie asked, feigning concern.
"Confused," John answered, "He had it in his head that he never ran after that Black Dog. Said that it attacked him."
Charlie frowned, "Maybe he has a concussion, that could be screwing with his memory."
John shook his head, "Doctor didn't mention one."
Nadine tensed, "So what do you think?"
The father turned his intense gaze on her, "I think he's trying to lie so that he won't get into trouble."
Nadine relaxed. Good, John didn't believe his kid.
She looked at Charlie, "Don't be too hard on him, John, he's just a kid."
The father frowned, "That was a damn stupid thing to do; he needs to learn he can't be pulling off stunts like that. It'll not only get him killed but someone else."
Dean, who had been quiet the entire time, spoke up, "Did you run after Sammy right away?"
Nadine turned to the young man, "Yes, of course."
Dean didn't reply.
The woman frowned at the eighteen-year old. Was he trying to figure out the time elapsed? There was no way he could prove that they hadn't run after Sam instantly.
Their lie was foolproof. Except of course, for one small, matter.
Sam knew the truth.
SPN
Sam sat up in his hospital bed, thinking.
He remembered everything that had happened during the Black Dog attack. He recalled the feeling of its paws hitting his back and its breath on his neck. He knew that Charlie and Nadine had not shot at the creature before he'd blacked out. Although his blood was pounding in his ears, he was certain they had been close enough that he'd be able to hear gunfire over the sound of his terrified heartbeat.
Why didn't his Dad and brother believe him? Why would they take the word of a couple of hunters they had just met? Sam sighed sadly; he didn't know what to do. He could keep telling the truth, even if they thought he was lying. He decided that he would never, ever work with any other hunters but Dean and his Dad and Uncle Bobby. He clearly couldn't trust anyone else. He just wished his family believed him.
Sam looked up when the door opened, expecting his father and Dean but instead saw Nadine.
"What do you want?" he asked suspiciously.
"To see how you were doing," she answered, closing the door behind her- and locking it- before stepping forward.
"You almost got me killed!" Sam exclaimed, "Why didn't you shoot it? Why did you lie?"
Nadine shrugged, "Your father has quite the reputation, kid. He doesn't forgive or forget. If he knew the truth, he'd hunt us down."
"Why didn't you shoot?" Sam asked again, watching Nadine warily.
"The truth? I was scared. I froze. I know, a rookie thing to do but you'd have pissed yourself too if you'd seen the Black Dog."
"It could have killed me. Don't you care?" Sam asked, the idea that a hunter- a woman- could be so callous and self-centered stunned him.
"It would have been tragic, yes," Nadine said, "But hunters die all the time. I just didn't want me to be one of them."
She stepped up right beside Sam's bed, "Here, let me fix your pillow."
"Don't-" Sam began but Nadine grabbed the pillow from under him and his back hit the not-so-soft hospital mattress.
Sam hissed in pain and gasped as he saw the pillow descending towards his face. He raised his hands to fend off the attack but he was too weak and suddenly he couldn't breathe, the soft fabric covering his entire face.
SPN
Dean tossed his paper coffee cup in the trash and stood.
"I'm going to see Sammy, you want to come?" he asked his father.
John shook his head, "I think I'll stay here for a while."
Dean shrugged and left the cafeteria. The PA system buzzed to life, a female voice calling out "Code Blue, room 121. Code Blue."
Room 121? That was Sam's room!
Dean's blood ran cold and he began running down the hall, ignoring nurses and patients he almost hit as he hurried to reach his brother.
"Sammy!" he shouted and saw a commotion in front of the room. Sam's doctor and four nurses stood before the door, working the handle uselessly.
"It's locked!" the doctor shouted and one of the nurses ran down the hall towards the Emergency waiting room.
Dean pushed his way past the medical personnel and tried the doorknob himself- it remained locked- before backing up and charging at the door.
The door shook in its hinges but didn't open. Dean's shoulder screamed in pain but he didn't stop, backing up again, he charged the door again.
The nurses and doctor didn't move. They all stood back, staring at the young man in shock.
On the third attempt, the door creaked and Dean tried the handle, it opened!
Rushing into the room, Dean didn't have time to process the scene before him as he grabbed Nadine by the hair and yanked her away from his brother.
The female hunter took the pillow with her as Dean dragged her across the room, revealing Sam, his skin chalky white, his lips blue.
The doctor and nurses rushed into the room and began working to save the teen.
Nadine ripped her hair from Dean's grasp and threw the pillow at him.
Dean blocked the projectile but his distraction gave Nadine time to slip out the door.
Dean tore out of the room after the woman and chased her down the hallway; Nadine screamed as he tackled her.
A security guard, called because of Dean's violence against the door, approached the pair.
"She tried to kill my brother!" Dean snarled as he pulled Nadine's hands behind her.
"I couldn't let him tell you the truth!" Nadine shrieked, "I couldn't let him live!"
The guard grabbed the hysterical woman and handcuffed her, guiding her down the hallway.
Dean was just about to return to Sam's room when he saw John.
"The hell is going on? Who's screaming?" the hunter asked, confused.
"Nadine," Dean explained breathlessly, "She tried to smother Sam with a pillow."
"She what?" John asked, shocked, eyes going wide.
"His room was locked and they called that Code Blue," Dean continued, "It was Nadine. She said she didn't want him telling us the truth."
John frowned but then a look of realization dawned on his haggard features.
"Oh my God," he whispered, "Sam wasn't lying."
Both Winchesters ran down the hall towards Sam's room, ducking into the room.
The doctor looked up and smiled, "He's going to be okay."
Dean saw that Sam was breathing- the heart monitor once again beeping rhythmically- and that his face was already regaining its colour.
The medical staff exited the room quietly, satisfied looks on their faces.
Dean approached the bed and laid a hand on his sibling's brow.
"Sammy," he whispered, feeling tears well up in his eyes, "I'm sorry I didn't believe you. I'm sorry I thought you'd lie about something like that. Please forgive me."
John approached the bed and stared down sadly at his youngest son, the child he'd nearly lost because of his own pride and stubbornness.
"Forgive me, son," he said, clearing his throat, to try and stop from crying.
The two eldest Winchesters stared down at their youngest and could have sworn that Sam was smiling.
Author's Note:
Thanks to samgirl19, BranchSuper, zekeschance, flygirl33, Ravenwing2000, FisherofMen, Shannanigans, L.A.H.H, mandancie, Katlover98, and SamDeanLover28 for reviewing.
Thanks to everyone who alerted, followed and favourited.
So this one was a little bit long. But that's okay! We love long one-shots, don't we? Please leave a review and a prompt (I only need 4 more ladies and gents).