Chapter 14

Bright sunlight bathing the room and assaulting Sam's eyes pulled him from the light sleep he'd fallen into. The overly chipper nurse opening the blinds smiled at him when she saw him trying to stretch the kinks from his back. Hospital chairs were never meant to be slept in, and yet, they were a fixture en every room he'd ever sat in. Sam always wondered why they had to be so uncomfortable when they had to know people would be spending all day and night in them.

"Sorry to wake you, Mr. Johnson. Maybe some sunshine will help wake our sleepy patient here. Did he stir any, or did he sleep straight through the night?" She asked Sam while she busied herself with her duties.

Sam didn't really want to answer her question, the response making him face a reality he wasn't really sure he was ready to face. He couldn't imagine not having his brother with him, fighting right by his side. He didn't even think he wanted to.

"Yeah, he slept all night. Should I be worried?"

"Well, he's still got a fever, although it has gone down quite a bit. I'm sure Dr. Garfield will be in soon to talk to you."

It didn't escape Sam that the nurse had expertly dodged answering his question. That's what they do when the news is never good, they wiggle and squirm until it's open to escape.

"We'll keep an eye out for your dad. As soon as he arrives, we'll let Dr. Garfield know," she informed Sam, gathering her the blood she'd drawn and her supplies and exiting before Sam could ask her any other questions she could avoid.

Sam slouched down in his chair, hands over his face as he rubbed his eyes, trying to shake his thoughts into place. He knew hospital rules, but right now, he really didn't care. Breaking them, he pulled out his phone and called Bobby.

"Sam." It wasn't Bobby's voice, but the gravelly voice of his father greeting him.

"Dad, where are you?"

"We're on our way, what's wrong?"

John could tell by the tone of Sam's voice he wasn't calling with anything good to report.

"Doc's coming soon, they want you here."

If he didn't like Sam's tone the first time, he really didn't like it now. "We'll be right there."

Abruptly closing his phone, he ended the conversation, and shoved it back into his pocket, preferring it to remain silent. He stood to stretch, every muscle he had begging for relief from his cramped quarters and inactivity. He couldn't help but look at his brother. Laying in the exact same position he'd been in since he'd gotten here. Resting a hand on his shoulder, he needed to talk to him, whether he could hear him or not.

"Dude, you can wake up anytime now. Dad's on his way here, and you know I can't have a conversation with him that doesn't evolve into a fight. You need to referee for us, you know, like you used to. We need you to keep the peace. We need you, period."

Sam let out a heavy sigh, the weight on his shoulder getting heavier with every minute that passed. He sat back in his chair, watching the minutes slowly tick by, waiting for his father, then hopefully some answers.

The heavy pair of footsteps coming down the hall announced their arrival long before their actual presence. Sam stiffened in his seat, preparing for his father's return. They'd only been together a day and yet, it felt like they'd never been apart.

"Sam, anything new?"

"No. Waiting for the doctor to come, but no change."

As if he'd been cued, Dr. Garfield stepped in, giving a nod of acknowledgement to each man as he entered. Briefly checking his patient, he turned to address his captivated audience.

"I know you're anxious to hear good news, and I'd love nothing more then to give it to you. Blood tests all look encouraging, his fever is down, but I am a bit concerned that he hasn't regained consciousness yet. I'd like to run some tests to see of there's something going on we haven't seen. There was no visible head trauma, but right now we just can't rule it out.

Sam eyed his father, waiting for him to answer. By the look on his face, Sam suspected John knew something he hadn't shared yet.

"Run whatever tests you need. Just figure out what's wrong with him."

"That's what we're trying to do, Mr. Johnson. Try not to worry too much."

Once the doctor was gone, Sam turned to his father, the glare in his eyes demanding to know what John knew.

"What's going on Dad? I can see you know something, so spill it."

"Had that face to face last night, Sam. She said if we hunt her, Dean dies. She bound him to her. We have to make sure none of the other hunters find her either. Your brother's life would be at stake if they do."

"Well, if we're the only ones that know, we're safe, right? We just keep quiet, and nobody will know. What's another family secret anyway? Did she say if she is she going to send him back Dad? She is the reason he's still like this, isn't she?"

"I don't think so Sam. If we believe what she said, she'd not the cause of this. It has to be something else. Maybe the doctors can figure it out."

"You don't really believe her, do you? She's been playing us this whole time, why would she suddenly come clean now. No, she's the reason he's still like this, I know it."

"Sam, let's just wait for the test results before we jump to conclusions," Bobby spoke, the only voice of reason, as he tried to stifle Sam's rising anger before he and John went at it again. "When was the last time you ate Sam?"

"Can't remember. How long ago did all thus start?"

"Technically, yesterday, I think. Come on, I'll take you for something to eat. Give your old man some time alone with your brother. I think he deserves it."

Sam hated to admit it, but Bobby was right. It seemed like Bobby was always right lately.

"Alright, but you're buying."

"In that case, the cafeteria it is," Bobby turned to leave, Sam following, leaving John alone.

Pulling Sam's now vacated chair next to the bed, John sat, thinking about all the things he wished he could say. He was a man of few words, the one's he chose usually expressing everything he thought in as little as possible.

"I'm pretty sure you're in there son, so, whenever you're ready, we'll be here, waiting. We've got a lot to talk about, the three of us. Just don't keep us waiting too long, you know how Sammy can get."

"Excuse me, Mr. Johnson? We're ready to take him down now. We'll have him back in no time, I promise."

The next thing John knew, Dean was gone and he was totally alone. He actually hoped they would find something physically wrong with him. He couldn't bear the thought of Dean's condition being of Dean's own doing. Maybe he's built that wall up too high to climb over this time.

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Sam and Bobby returned well before Dean, and all three men passed the time in silence. Nobody really knew what to say to each other, so they just said nothing. When they'd finally brought Dean back, Sam was ready to blow. It had been hours, and he couldn't imagine what they may be doing to him. He'd pent up so much anxiety, if he didn't release it soon, he just may explode. Thankfully, Dr. Garfield was right behind, hopefully ready with some answers. Sam practically jumped him as he came in through the door.

"Please tell us you've found something," Sam's voice practically sounding like begging.

"We may have. We ran an MRI, CT, and PET scan. The MRI and PET show possible signs of Acute Stress Disorder. It's a condition similar to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but the symptoms hit you immediately, not weeks or months down the road. Whatever happened to him must have been pretty traumatic to cause this kind of reaction. He seems to have just shut himself off. There isn't much we can do for him at this point but wait. It's pretty much up to him now. We'll try giving him some anti-depressants, but I'm not confident that's going to help. Try talking to him, I'm sure he can hear you. I'm sorry it's not what you wanted to hear."

It was exactly what Sam didn't want to hear. Either she was lying and she had Dean trapped somewhere in his own body, or his brother had walled himself up and was unwilling to come out. Sam knew Dean, he knew he'd never close himself off that way. He was a fighter, he'd never cave in so easily.

"I'll leave you alone, unless you have any questions."

"No, thanks doc," John's tone obviously dismissing him.

"Please page me if you do."

Alone again, they settled back into their uneasy silence. None of them wanted to discuss what they'd just heard, mainly because none of them could believe it, and John and Sam both felt guilty for it. Had all that happened really damaged Dean that much? Sam doubted it.

They spent the next couple days taking turns at Dean's side, each man saying what he hoped Dean wanted or needed to hear. Sam let John have the second night, both men agreeing to share the load. By the third night, Sam wasn't sure of what else to say. The doctor had told them that if Dean didn't come around soon, they may need to find 'alternative' options. That meant nut house.

"Dean, I know you've heard it all, and Dad and I have probably said it all, but you're gonna hear it some more. You saved Dad, you saved me. How could you go through all that and not want to be part of it? We need you to come back to us. I need you to come back to us."

"Oh, Sam, that's so touching. You're family has such a macho way of expressing emotion. All that testosterone is unnerving sometimes."

Sam's blood instantly boiled at the sound of her voice. It was either the last thing or the only thing he wanted to hear, he wasn't sure which.

"You come here to gloat? Or are you here to finish what you started?"

"No, I came to help. Believe me or don't, but I can do what you've been unable to so far. What do you say Sam, will you trust me?"

"About as far as I can pick you up and throw you, but what choice do I have?"

"You could spend the rest of his life visiting him in a nursing home, watching him wither away to nothing, finally passing away alone and broken. I guess that would be your other choice."

"Since you put it that way, I guess I'll have to trust you then."

"Good, then you won't mind giving us a moment alone, will you?"

"Actually, I would mind. You really want me to leave you alone with him?"

"Nursing home, Sam."

"Fine. Have your moment."

"Close the door on your way out, we'd like to have some privacy."

If looks could kill, she would have been dead before she could have hit the floor. Sam walked past her, closing the door behind him as instructed.

Confident they were alone, she slid up to Dean, resting her chin next to his ear, and whispered softly to him.

"Oh Dean, I guess I can't have them committing you to the psych ward, can I? I'm pretty sure I've put enough fear into your father to secure my safety, and if not, there's enough in Sam for him to keep dear old dad in check. I knew you were the strong one, that's why I chose you, and not Sam. I could have just taken him and made him play the game, but I knew he didn't have it in him. He loves your father, but he loves you more, and would never have left you. You have freed your father, freed me, and now, it's time for you to free yourself. Enjoy your reward, you've earned it. I will always be grateful to you for what you've done, but let's just keep that between us, shall we. I'll leave you now, but before I go, one last riddle.

Of no use to one
Yet absolute bliss to two.
The small boy gets it for nothing.
The young man has to lie for it.
The old man has to buy it.
The baby's right,
The lover's privilege,
To the young girl, faith;
To the married woman, hope;
To the old maid, charity.

If we meet again, share it with me, then you will be free."

Kissing him softly on the cheek, she strolled quietly out the door, taking one last look at Sam as she passed him by.

"Hope it helped."

Sam raced back into the room, straight to the bed. "Dean, can you hear me?"

Dean's only response was a soft groan, but for now, Sam would take it.