A Whiter Shade of Pale Ch. 14

Disclaimer: See first chapter

Author's Note: To avoid confusion between stories, this story is the one where Sam is 13 years old and was stabbed outside their motel room by a man who was drunk.

Previously: Pushing the intercom button that would connect him to his secretary, he said, "Barbara, have Sgt. Michaels contact Detectives Marks and Speight. I want them in my office and I want them here NOW!

Sitting in a diner as he and his partner sipped on steaming hot cups of coffee, Officer Matt Speight could feel his body thrumming with anger over the past few hours. He was sure John Slade had been responsible for the murder of the perp who had stabbed his young son only a few days before. It pissed him off to no ends to find out that he had been wrong, that the insolent father of two had actually stayed in his son's hospital room all night long, a claim that was backed by the nurses in the ICU as well as hospital security cameras. How could he have been so wrong?

Raising his hand to scratch through the day old stubble that adorned his lower face, Matt chewed on his bottom lip as he thought about the brazen thirty something year old man. He knew he was hiding something, but he didn't know what. The man was too brassy with them when he had been accused and nearly handcuffed, and damn it, he was going to take down the cocky sonuvabitch if it was the last thing he did.

"Matty, what have you got going on inside that head of yours?" Officer Jason Marks inquired as he watched the younger officer inquisitively. He could tell by the look on his partner's face that he was up to something.

"Nothing man, I was just thinking," Matt answered innocently before raising the ceramic cup to his lips and swallowing another gulp of hot java.

"Don't give me that crap, man. You forget, I know you quite well," Jason retorted as he shifted the coffee cup in his right hand to the left. Matt had a volatile temper at times and it was all he could do to keep the younger detective in line at times.

"Yeah, I guess you do," Matt replied with a smirk before swigging down another gulp of the strong, black coffee. He and Jason had went through detective training together and he had been more than pleased when he was paired with the slightly older man.

"So fess up then, what's eating at you?" Jason asked as he leaned forward and placed his forearms on the table to give Matt his undivided attention.

"It's John Slade. I know the man is hiding something and it's bugging the hell out of me right now," Matt admitted as he looked the other officer in the eyes. "He's just got that 'air of mystery' about him and I can't help but feel he should be behind bars or something."

"Matty, you're just upset that we were wrong about him; that he couldn't have been the one who murdered Jack Bennings," Jason stated with a sigh as he watched the anger building in the other man's eyes.

"Damn it, that's not true. I just…" Matt's voice drifted off as the sound of Jason's cell phone could be heard going off. Watching as his partner flipped up the phone and talked to whoever was on the other end, he could see Jason's facial features tense up and it concerned him.

"Something wrong?" Matt asked, once his partner had closed the device and placed it back in his pocket.

"That was Barbara. Capt. Thomas wants to see us right away," Jason answered with a sigh. Something was up.

"Hmmm, wonder what he wants," Matt voiced as more of a statement than a question as he pushed back his chair and stood up from the table. When the captain wanted to see you, you didn't keep him waiting.

~~Supernatural~~

Sitting in the intensive care room as he waited for his youngest to wake up, John scrubbed a hand across his forehead as he thought about the events that led up to Sammy having to go through surgery again. It infuriated him immensely to know that Sammy was facing a longer recovery period now, all because of two incompetent detectives who didn't know how to do their job correctly. He wished more than anything he could make those two imbeciles pay for what they had done, but he couldn't take the chance of getting caught. With the lifestyle they led, CPS was sure to get involved and there was no way in hell he would chance losing his baby boy. Dean was nearly of age now, but Sammy…Sammy was just the tender age of thirteen.

Clenching his fists in anger at the thought of the two detectives getting away with having put Sam's life in jeopardy, he nearly screamed out in frustration, but was saved from doing so by the sound of his older son's voice breaking into his thoughts.

"Dad, it's been too long. Why hasn't Sammy woken up yet?" Dean questioned anxiously as he carded his fingers through his younger sibling's chocolaty brown locks.

"Dean, it's just the effects of the anesthesia son. Don't worry, he'll wake up soon," John voiced softly as he walked over and placed a calming hand on Dean's shoulder to give it a light squeeze.

"I sure hope so," Dean replied with a sigh as he reached out to clasp Sam's hand in his, taking note of how cool his brother's skin felt. It anguished him to see Sammy lying so unnaturally still and pale under the blanket. His baby brother was always moving about, even in sleep.

Glancing up as he heard someone entering the room, Dean smiled at Jules, the pretty young nurse who was attending to Sam, as she walked over to check the readings on the heart monitor that beeped a staccato rhythm as his sibling slept on, unaware of all the angst he was causing for his family. If it had been another time or another place, he would have made a play at the shapely young nurse. But that was the furthest thing from his mind as he once again focused his attention solely on Sammy.

"How's he doing Jules?" John inquired as he watched the nurse adjust the IV drip that was currently keeping his youngest hydrated and hopefully pain free.

"About as well as can be expected at this point," Jules answered with a small smile as she wrote down the latest readings in Sam's medical file. She wished she could give the angst filled father better news, but she wasn't a doctor.

"If that's the case, then why hasn't Sammy woken up yet?" Dean asked as he turned saddened eyes toward the nurse. "It's been almost two hours."

"Dean, sometimes younger patients require a longer recovery time from anesthesia. The extended wait time could also be a side effect of the medications the doctor had to use when performing the surgery," Jules explained, as she reached out to straighten the blanket that was covering her young patient.

"Try not to worry. I assure you, Sam will start showing signs of waking soon." Jules stated confidently in hopes of allying the young man's fears before striding quietly from the room.

"That's easy for you to say," Dean harrumphed quietly as the nurse strode from the room. It wasn't her baby brother who was laying there nearly comatose.

~~Supernatural~~

Placing the personnel files of Detective Marks and Speight into the top drawer of his large mahogany desk as the two detectives entered his office, Capt. Stan Thomas stood up and rounded the desk as the two men walked over and sat in the chairs in front of the desk.

"You wanted to see us, Sir?" Jason Marks questioned nervously, clearing his throat as he tried to remain calm under the reproachful eye of the police captain.

"Yes. Yes, I did," Stan answered as he sat down on the edge of the desk in front of the two detectives. "I got an interesting phone call from a doctor today who informed me that two of my trusted officers caused a scene at the hospital where he works today and managed to put one of his young patient's life in jeopardy. Would you two care to tell me what that was all about?"

"Sir, we were just doing our jobs," Matt bristled as his hands involuntarily clenched the arms of the chair. "We had reason to believe that John Slade had committed the murder of the man who…"

"You had reason to believe?" Stan questioned with disbelief as he glowered at the two men before him. "What evidence did you have before walking into that hospital room and accusing Mr. Slade of such a heinous crime? Did you even bother to question the staff at the hospital as to whether or not they had seen the man in question leave?"

"No Sir. But we had an eye witness who said he saw a man that fit John Slade's description leaving the scene of the murder." Matt answered, his adam's apple starting to bob nervously in his throat as he tried to defend his actions.

"And just how many other men do you know who would fit that description?" Stan queried angrily as he though about the witness's statement and vague description of the perpetrator. "Hell, half the male population of this town would fit the general description that was given to you after the murder, myself included."

"Sir, I know we were wrong in questioning John Slade in front of his ill son, but…" Detective Marks started to say before being interrupted by his angry superior.

"You're damn right you were wrong. And because of it, a young teen almost died on the operating table. I want you two to hand in your shields and your guns. You are on two weeks suspension, pending a formal investigation into the matter.

"But…"

"You heard me," Captain Thomas roared as he glared at the young and impetuous Detective Speight who was questioning his order. "Shields and weapons now."

Removing their badges and guns and placing them on the desk, Jason and Matt turned and prepared to leave before being called to a halt by the police captain.

"Yes Sir?" Jason asked sheepishly, the two officers turning back around to face the angry captain.

"I don't want to hear any allegations of you two badgering the Slade family or causing any more incidents. If I do, you two will go before Internal Affairs and I will have your badges permanently. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Sir," both men responded before turning once more to leave. They could only hope and pray that they wouldn't lose their jobs over the unfortunate incident.

TBC I know most of this chapter revolved around the two officers, but they needed to be reprimanded for their actions. I hope you enjoyed the chapter anyway. Sammy will awaken in the next chapter.

Now that I am on vacation, I hope to get chapters out for you more quickly.