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Sam's next attempt to get back on his feet came the next morning. This time Caleb and Father Jim were also present. Both of them stood back to not be in the way but had encouraging words for him.

This time things went much better than during his first attempt. Once again, John and Dean were at his side and held his arms. Although he still experienced some dizziness, Sam made it to the door before Dr. Johnson pushed a chair behind him to allow him a break. The way back to the bed a few minutes later went slower and seemed more like miles than a few yards, but with the help of his family, he finally found himself sitting back on the bed without having passed out.

As they aided him back to a horizontal position, Sam took a few deep breaths. He knew if the bed would have been a few steps farther he wouldn't have made it. Knowing his brother, he would have never lived down another "fainting spell". For right now though he was content, happy and very tired. This made a thought run through his mind - it just seemed wrong to be this tired all the time. He would have to think about it for a while, but right now, he really could not concentrate on it or anything else. So he turned to his side and curled up, asleep before his brother was able to tuck the blanket in around him.

Dean snorted, "Look at sleepyhead; he is already out like a light."

"This was hard work for him, but it is bound to get easier from now on." Dr. Johnson smiled, "And I have more good news, today's lab tests were really encouraging. His kidney functions are still a little off but they have really improved. His liver function and everything else are back to normal."

"Great, so what does that mean for Sammy?" John couldn't hide his excitement.

"Well, first of all we move him out of ICU to the medical unit. I already notified them and we can do it right after today's dialysis treatment. I plan on keeping him for a few more days and if there are no further complications, you can take him home. He has to come to the outpatient clinic daily for some blood tests and if his kidneys continue to improve, we won't have to do another treatment until in one week."

Caleb walked up to his friends, slapping both on the back, while Jim sent a prayer of thanks to heaven. John and Dean looked at Sam and for a moment both of them thought, that maybe there was a God after all.

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Four days later Sam was back in the small rental house shared with father and brother. Caleb had left town the day before, having been called to a hunt in Montana. He had hoped to stay a few more days but the spirit of a mountain man had wrecked havoc at several camp sites and for weeks and now one of the campers, a 16 year old girl had died, when she jumped in a river trying to escape the fearsome apparition.

Jim Murphy had decided to stay another week his parish had another priest that was very capable of taking care of it. He anticipated that there would be a need for his presence during the next few days. John had confined in him that he and Dean were planning to fill in the missing pieces in Sam's memory fairly soon. Neither one was looking forward to the task but they knew it had to be done. There was a lot of unresolved anger about the stupidity of the youngest Winchesters actions. Although both had been able to successfully hide their feelings up to now, eventually things could get out of hand if they wouldn't be resolved before this happened. When the priest had offered to stay, John had readily taken him up on his offer. He knew that Sam trusted the man and he hoped this would make things easier.

Sam felt odd returning to the house for the first time in what seemed forever. The trip back from the hospital, although only 20 Minutes long, had worn him down. His excitement had been building throughout the day and he had hardly been able to stay in bed since this morning. Now he almost felt deflated, too tired to care where he was. Without bothering to take off his shoes, he flopped down on the couch.

"Dude, don't let Dad see you, he will take your head off." Dean grinned, knowing well his father couldn't care less. It was good to have his little brother back home and be able to tease him.

Sam just used some fairly rude sign language, showing his brother what he thought of him.

"Okay, this time I will cut you some slack but only because you are not quite back to your usual self, next time though, I will not let you talk to me this way."

John exchanged a glance with Jim, who just then came out of the kitchen.

"I don't want to interrupt you boys, but I made some dinner. I just thought Sammy would like to go to bed early. So if we eat now, he can go upstairs afterwards."

Sam slowly got up and shuffled into the kitchen, his shoulders slumped and his gait more that of an old man than of an 18 year old. He gave Jim a thankful smile as he walked by him, showing the priest how right he had been.

Dinner was fairly quiet. The youngest Winchester was well aware of the scrutiny he was put under as he picked at his food. Compared to what he was used to from his father's or Dean's cooking, the food in front of him was quite appetizing. The priest had put a meal of grilled chicken breast, rice pilaf and fresh salad together. It smelled wonderful and even Dean had to agree tasted fantastic also. Yet the exhaustion pulling on him didn't let Sam enjoy his food. Finally, after eating barely half of what was on his plate, he put his fork down.

"It was delicious but I am really tired. May I be excused?"

Neither of the other men was really surprised by his request.

"Sure, why don't you go upstairs and get ready for bed. We can clean up here after we are done eating." John encouraged his youngest.

"You going to be okay or do I have to drag your tired ass upstairs?" Dean tried to hide his concern behind a light tone.

"Nah, I wouldn't want you to break anything." Sam's reply was said with a grin that could not quite disguise his fatigue.

Slowly he made his way up the stairs, again fully aware that he was being watched by three pairs of eyes.

"Is he going to be okay?" Dean gave his father a worried look.

"I'm sure he will be. We just have to give him some time. Don't forget, this is his first night back home." John was just as worried but knew that Sam's recovery had just started.

Noticing that the older boy was done with his meal, Father Jim put a hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't you go and check on your brother. Your father and I can handle things down here."

"Thanks!"

He was upstairs before his father even had a chance to protest.

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The door to the room he shared with his younger brother was closed, which really didn't surprise Dean. If Sam was changing into his sweats and t-shirt, he would have made sure no one would be able to watch him. It surprised the older at times how shy his baby brother was, after all they were all family here. Sometimes he wondered how he ever made it through high school and locker rooms.

He opened the door without knocking; almost hoping he would surprise Sam in his birthday suit. Just the thought of the look on his face made him grin in anticipation. Yet the scene he faced upon entering was entirely different. His younger sibling was lying on the bed fast asleep. He had pulled his sweats on, the jeans and short sleeve shirt he had worn earlier discarded on the floor. The t-shirt he had pulled out of the drawer for the night was still on the bed beside him. He had not even taken the time to crawl under the covers before giving in to his need for sleep.

Dean smiled, he remembered the times when Sam was little and dragged out going to bed until he could hardly keep his eyes open. At that time it happened almost daily that he would fall asleep in the middle of undressing.

The memory put a smile on his face and he did what he would do at that time, he took the blanket from his own bed and covered Sam up with it. Then he gently pushed any stray hairs out of his face before pressing a kiss on his forehead.

"Sleep tight buddy, don't let the monsters in the closet bite!"

There was an expression of contentment on the sleeping Winchesters face and Dean prayed that he did not hear his last words. After all, he had a reputation to hold up.

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Dean had gone to sleep late that night and for the first time in several weeks had been able to fall asleep almost immediately. He knew the soft snoring coming from the other bed had a lot to do with it. It just felt good to know his baby brother was safely sleeping beside him.

It was several hours later when he awoke unsure what had disturbed his sleep. After a moment of trying to shake of the cob webs that filled his mind, he finally realized, it was the noises coming from the other bed. Before he could get up and get over to his brother, the mumbling turned into a full blown scream.

"Sam, it's okay, you are save!" Dean gently shook his brother in an attempt to wake him.

The only result he got was another anguished scream that coincided with the light turning on and his father and Father Jim entering the room. Sam was now sitting straight up in the bed, his eyes widened in terror.

"Sammy, look at me, you are at home, and nothing can hurt you!"

Dean was now holding him by the shoulders, trying to make eye contact to tear him out of whatever nightmare had caused his panic. Finally, Sam's confusion seemed to lift and he fixed his gaze at his brother. What the older one saw in them was not what he expected. Instead of fear there was devastation written in them and slowly they filled with tears.

"Oh God, Dean, it is all my fault, I am so sorry!" was all that came out of Sam's mouth before his body was rocked by sobs and he collapsed into his older siblings arms.

Holding him tight and stroking his hair in an attempt to sooth the weeping, Dean gave his father a helpless glance. He just couldn't think of any reason for this outbreak.

John gently kneeled down beside the bed and rubbed his youngest back while he talked to him in a gentle voice.

"Sam, whatever it is, it is going to be alright; don't worry about it now!"

It took a moment before the tearstained face lifted up from the hiding place on his brother's shoulder. His voice still having a slight quiver to it, he finally said. "No, it won't, I remember what I did, I dreamt about. I totally messed up this time!"

TBC

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