Patrick stood there watching as the scene played out with horrid fascination. He knew he had the element of surprise, but when he took in the situation he saw two Deans practically melded together. He had to make a quick decision and hoped it was the right one. He fired and watched one of the Deans get flung backwards off the bed. He had aimed for the shoulder just in case he got it wrong. Even after what transpired next, Patrick wasn't sure.

Sam called out to his brother. His struggles renewed, desperate to get free and check on Dean.

From the doorway, Jenn squeezed her way around Patrick and hurried over to Sam. "Sam! Are you alright?"

He ignored her, his eyes glued to the still form on the bed. "What the hell are you doing here? I told you to go to ER."

"We did." Patrick said defensively as he followed Jenn inside. He attempted to close the door, but his B&E actions kind of made that difficult. The molding along the frame was splintered out and the door jam was on the floor. Sighing, he addressed the younger man, a hint of frustrated sarcasm in his voice, "You're welcome, by the way."

"He's not lying, Sam. We did go, but the wait was over an hour to be seen and I couldn't just sit there while you two were in danger." She had grabbed a knife off the dresser behind Sam, apparently part of the Shifter's collection of torture devices, and started working on the ropes.

Sam accused the Marshal, "You should have known better than to let her leave." He was taking all his anger and frustration out on them. He knew it wasn't fair but he couldn't stop himself.

Patrick had moved to the other side of the bed to make sure the threat was taken care of. "Which is why we both decided to come back here. I wrapped the wound before we left the Hotel. Then I got her in the car and headed for the ER. On the way there, I noticed my gun was sitting on the back seat. Jenn was filling me in on more of the details and I realized that my gun probably had some of those silver bullets you were telling me about. I was intending to drop her off and then head back here after I got Jenn settled. But when we found out how long we were going to have to wait, well she wouldn't let me leave without her. Besides, we figured you guys might need more help than either one of us could have handled alone. Looks like we were right."

As soon as Sam's hands were free, he snatched the knife from Jenn and made quick work of the ones around his ankles. Discarding the blade, he hurried over to his brother. "Dean." Shaking him slightly, Sam got no response. "Oh, god. Come on, wake up man."

Jenn stood next to Sam. "We need to get him to a hospital, Sam."

"I know, I know. Just give me a sec to figure things out."

"We don't have time, Sam." Patrick urged. "I'll help you get him to the car. Jenn you go with them and make sure they get taken care of. I'll stay here and hold the place down." Together, the two men were able to lift Dean off the bed. Sam had Dean's shoulders while Pat grabbed his feet.

"What about the cops?" Sam asked.

"Don't worry about it. I'm not calling them in until I can get this whole mess sorted first."

"You can get in trouble for that." Sam remarked matter-of-factly.

Patrick smirked, "Yeah, well if I call them in now, it won't just be me on the chopping block, will it? The implications are too strong right now and the D.A. and local authorities will blame the wrong man. Let alone, lock me up if I tell them the truth even if I have witnesses. No, we'll handle this but after your brother gets taken care of." He guided them to his Charger rather than the Impala.

Frowning, Sam said, "We can't use your car."

"Sure as hell can. Jenn you drive, use the siren like I showed ya and get these boys to ER fast."

"Yessir." Jenn smiled and climbed in.

Patrick helped Sam in to the back with Dean. "You come back when he's stable and we'll take care of things here, k?"

"Yeah, and thanks."

Patrick glanced at Jenn in the front, then shut the door and tapped the roof. Jenn fired up the engine and the siren and took off.

- S – P – N –

The arrival at the ER was frantic at best. Jenn skidded to a halt then jumped out to fetch help. Within moments nurses and orderlies came rushing out. They pulled Dean out of the backseat and placed him on a gurney. Sam practically fell out the other side and scurried to reach his brother. And found himself being pushed back and ushered to another room.

"No! I have to go with him!" Sam protested fervently.

"Please sir, you have to let the doctor's work unhindered."

"Please, he's my brother." Sam pulled out his best puppy dog expression laced with a heavy dose of desperation and need.

But the nurse was seasoned and would not bend the rules. Sighing, she simply stated, "We will keep you informed. In the mean time, we need to have a look at you two. And if you can tell us what the hell happened I can relay the information to the doctors. It could help us take care of your brother faster."

And before they knew it, they were caught up in the world of red tape, lies, forms and waiting. The Medical two-step. A familiar dance for the Winchesters. In fact, Sam reckoned they had been in as many hospitals as schools growing up. At their rate of familiarity, they could open, run and manage a whole hospital by themselves. Perhaps he had gone into the wrong field after all.

- SPN –

Two hours have passed since Dean had been whisked away. And about 20 minutes have passed since their release from ER. Since then they had been shuffled, dismissed and finally dumped in another waiting room. For Jenn, since their arrival at ER the experience has been a frantic whirlwind and strangely enlightening experience. Automatically, she had deferred to Sam, letting him take the reins of the situation while she moved the car.

As soon as she got back inside and reunited with him, she marveled at his ability to fabricate a credible story as to the nature and cause of their injuries. In fact, the lies rolled off his tongue so naturally and with such an honest and open expression, that had she not been part of it, she would have believed it too. She wondered how often they needed to tell these stories.

Judging by his familiarity of Hospital Procedures, she surmised that it was more times than she really wanted to know. Still, it had not stopped him from complaining and demanding about his brother's condition. After all, he was still a concerned sibling. She had done her best to be supportive and add her own demands when possible. All of which had led them here, where they waited.

Sam looked exhausted and worried. Rightly so, in her mind. She had managed to convince him to sit and rest for a few minutes while she went and got them coffee. There was a vending machine just past the nurse's station. With two steaming paper cups in hand, she approached the desk again. "Excuse me, have you had any word in regards to Dean Winchester? We have been waiting for over 2 hours now for any updates."

"Yes, we are aware Ms. Abernathy, however there is nothing more we can tell you other than a Doctor will come and speak with you once they are finished. We understand how frustrating this can be for you, but you must let us work and take care of Mr. Winchester. Once we hear something, we will let you know. Now please take a seat."

Sighing, she went back to the row of chairs where Sam was slouched with elbows on knees and head in hands. Quietly, she sat down in the seat next to him and nudged her knee into his. "Hey, here," she said as she held out the cup to him.

So deep in thought, it took a moment for Sam to register what was happening. Slowly, he reached out and accepted the offering, mumbling a soft 'thanks.' He sat there, gazing into the dark liquid absently, not bothering to drink.

Jenn watched on sympathetically for a few minutes. The past few days have been the craziest, topsy-turvy days of her life. And she imagined it wasn't quite over yet. With Dean finally in the hospital and the Shifter now dead, their initial purpose for coming to St. Louis had been satisfied. However, that still left a lot of questions unanswered. Her mind had been racing since her first trip to ER. During the drive to and from, she and Patrick had talked about many things. And she desperately wanted to talk with him again. Unfortunately, Patrick was still at the Chain of Rocks Inn, waiting for them to return. Everything was still so messed up.

Another sigh escaped her. The dull thrum of hospital activity did nothing to calm her nerves. Glancing over at Sam, who was rife with pent up tension and a decent dose of painkillers, she decided to engage him in some mindless conversation. "I checked with the nurse. No news yet."

Sam huffed. "Did you really expect some?"

"No, but it was worth a shot. Maybe if we pester them enou-"

"It won't work." Sam cut her off. "It never does. They get to us when they feel like it."

Jenn slouched back into her hard plastic chair and took a sip of the bitter instant coffee. Her gaze just as entranced by the steam, she asked, "So then this is another great amenity of the job, huh? Racking up injuries, touring hospitals."

Sam shrugged. "You could say that. It's still not a place we want to find ourselves in, just we seem to end up here anyway."

The corner of her mouth quirked up. "You must have the patience of a saint."

"Far from. Given the chance I'd rip this place apart if I could til I found him. But I know they are trying to help and sometimes, well what else can I do? Pestering only gets you so far. And it just pisses everyone off in the end. It doesn't help Dean any." Sam swallowed the lump forming in his throat. "God, I just want to know he's ok."

Jenn placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "He is, Sam. You've got to believe that."

"I know, I do. But after everything that's happened I just need to see him with my own eyes." Tortured hazel depths looked up and locked with Jenn's chocolate eyes. "See that he made it through another crappy ass hunt in one piece."

The soul-deep longing slammed into her and her heart clenched. She didn't know what to say. In many ways, there really wasn't anything she could say. Because words couldn't appease his worries. Only one person could do that. So instead, Jenn prayed that Dean was ok and that they would see him soon. She moved closer to her co-worker, wrapping her arm around his taut shoulders and rested her cheek against him. And there they sat, waiting.

The coffees had long since gone cold and forgotten by the time a white coat sauntered through the doors and headed toward them. A middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair and silver patches along his temples glanced at a chart in his folder before he reached them. "Sam Winchester?"

Sam jumped to his feet, Jenn right behind. "Yes."

"My name is Dr. Emry Favreau, I've been taking care of your brother, Dean."

"How is he? Can I see him?"

"He's resting right now, and I can take you to him."

"Good, then let's go." Sam started back the way the doctor had come.

Taken a little off guard, Dr. Favreau placed a hand on Sam's arm. "Now hold on, son. Wouldn't you like to know his condition?"

Sam frowned. "You can walk and talk at the same time, can't you?"

"Of course."

"Then tell me on the way." Sam pulled out of his grasp and waited expectantly.

Shaking his head, the doctor gave in. "Follow me. As I was about to tell you, you're brother is resting and he has yet to wake up but we expect that should be soon. If you don't mind me being candid," Sam shook his head, "You're brother is beat to hell. He has a number of contusions and lacerations. And whoever stabbed your brother must have been trumped up on something."

"Why do you say that?" Jenn asked from behind them.

The doctor regarded her over his shoulder briefly before answering. "Well, it appears that the initial impact was quite fierce in that it managed to create a small puncture to the bone on the inside of his shoulder blade. The knife blade itself couldn't have been much over 4 inches, and the fact it almost went clear through tells us how forceful the motion was. Along with the bruising around the impact point. Obviously, we have removed the blade and sutured the wound. There was a good amount of damage to the surrounding tissue. The assailant must have twisted the knife while it was still imbedded."

Sam's step faltered as the image of Shifter-Dean turning the blade while on top of his brother flashed before his eyes. Dean's scream echoed in his mind's ear.

"You ok, son?" Dr. Favreau inquired.

Sam shook his head slightly to clear the image from his mind. "Yeah. How much further?"

"He's at the end of the hall." The doctor's hand pointed casually.

"What else?" Sam prompted. He knew that couldn't be the end of Dean's injuries.

"Some bruising to his Kidney, a mild concussion, some bruised and cracked ribs, evidence of a dislocated shoulder amongst other things but the item we are most concerned with is his knee." The Doctor stopped outside a room and looked pointedly at the pair. "I have him scheduled for an MRI later this evening to fully assess the damage. At this point we are fairly certain he has an ACL tear but don't know the extent yet. We will go over that once we have the results of the test back. I would like to make sure Dean is awake as he may need to make a decision on the treatment. You can stay with him until then."

The elder man, gestured for the pair to enter the room but did not follow. He shuffled off to check his next patient.

As the two entered, Sam felt a mix of emotions rush over him. First and foremost was relief, followed by worry, anger and sorrow. All in all, for once in their life, despite the list injuries Dean looked better than expected. The usual monitors had been set up and the standard IV and pulse ox, but no additional tubing or equipment filled the room.

Still Dean looked pale (not including the bruises) amongst the sterile white sheets. And Sam could tell by the steady beep of the heart monitor and his brother's even breathing, Dean was still out. It was time for 'Waiting, Part 2 – The Search for Consciousness.' Resolved to wait, Sam took his position in the chair next to Dean's bed.

Jenn stood in the doorway for a long time. While she was just as concerned for the older brother, she also felt very out of place, almost like an intruder again. These two young men were so unlike any she had ever encountered before. And she seriously doubted she would meet the like again. They were special.

She wrestled with her own emotions as she watched them. It was as clear as day how much love flowed between them. To find that kind of love and devotion in this world was so rare. She was envious. And even though their world was far from sunshine and daisies, they overcame the obstacles with nary a thought and won. The cost of their lifestyle could very well be that one day one or both wouldn't make it out. The weight of that fate could have drug them down to the mud. So yes, she was envious of their love but not of the burden that rested heavily on their shoulders. Indeed, they were very special.

Her need to know what was happening managed to trump her desire to leave them alone, but only barely. So she had decided to keep watch from just inside the doorway and not venture any further until invited.

The two remained vigilant from their separate vantage points for a while. During that time, a few nurses came in and out checking vitals and making adjustments accordingly. Even Dr. Favreau stopped in again to see if Dean had woken up. When it was obvious there had been no change he hurried on his rounds.

It was shortly after the doctor left that Jenn began to notice how much time had passed. Not exactly looking forward to breaking their stoic atmosphere, she felt that it was necessary. "Sam?" He answered with a non-committal grunt. "What should we do?"

"Wait."

"We've been waiting," she answered, though she doubted he needed the reminder. Although, she did add, "And so has Patrick. We need to get back to him."

"And we will. Later." He announced firmly.

"How much later?"

Sam hissed, "As long as it takes." He wasn't going to leave his brother until Dean woke up, and even then he would likely refuse.

Jenn tried to reason with him. "It's already been hours. We need to regroup."

"So regroup, go on, leave. No one asked you to be here!" Sam snapped sharply. "I'm sure you can find your way back to the hotel, hell you could go back to Palo Atlo for all I care. He's my brother, and this is where I'm supposed to be. You don't even belong here." As soon as the words left his mouth, Sam immediately regretted them.

Jenn had taken an automatic step back in retreat from his anger, her eyes glistening brightly. Once again, he had unjustly directed his pent up emotions toward his co-worker. She had helped him so much in his quest to find his brother, taken personal risk in stride, and his harsh words were completely uncalled for. Sam knew couldn't take back what he had said, but he could at least apologize. He drew in a deep breath and slowly released it – hoping the tension would follow. "Jenn, I-"

"Can't a guy sleep in peace?" A groggy voice cut him off.

"Dean!" The pair said at the same time, the previous conversation dying instantly. The room's atmosphere seemed to brighten along with Dean's awakening.

From the bed a sleepy looking Dean was still trying to make his way back to reality. He teased, "Swear you two sound like a married couple."

"Like you know," Sam rebutted.

"Hey, I watch TV." Dean countered defensively.

"TV is only a parody of real life. Extremely exaggerated and often wrong." Jenn pointed out.

Dean's cocky attitude always seemed to recover quickly. With a smirk he answered, "A parody is still an imitation of real life even if it is a bad one."

"Touché." She grinned back.

"Now quiet so I can get some more shut eye." The older Winchester was still very tired. Hoping he accomplished his goal and got them to stop arguing, Dean closed his eyes.

Unfortunately, Sam wasn't quite ready to let him nod off yet. "Hey, how you feeling?"

"Peachy," came the auto response.

"That good, huh?"

"Yeah." Hearing the frown in his brother's voice, Dean cracked an eye open and glanced over at his brother. He could see the worry lines etched on his face. And as much as he wanted to sleep, he knew Sam needed his big bro to make sure everything was going to be ok. Looks like sleep would have to wait. Sitting up a little he winced as pain shot through his shoulder.

Sam immediately caught the pinched expression and soothed, "Hey, take it easy. The knife's gone but the wound's still there."

"Really? Hadn't noticed." Dean ground out. He settled back on the mattress and took a few breaths. "The bastard's dead, right?" Dean used the job to focus his mind on something other than the pain.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure." Sam started.

Dean's head snapped to the side to glare at his brother. "What'ya mean 'pretty sure'? You checked it before you left, didn't you?"

"Not personally, Patrick-"

"You didn't confirm the kill?" Dean's eyebrow shot up. "Dammit Sammy, that's monster hunting 101. Dad would be pissed."

"I don't give a shit what dad would think. I was more concerned about my brother than some corpse. And I wanted to make sure I didn't end up with two stiffs instead of one." Dean was about to protest further, but Sam cut him off. "Sides, Patrick made sure. And with his Silver bullet and your knife I'm pretty positive it's dead."

Dean still wasn't happy but there wasn't much he could do about it now. He glanced around the room and noticed for the first time that one of their group was missing. "Where is Patrick, anyway."

"He's still at the hotel."

"Taking care of the body?"

"Not sure, to be honest, but I doubt it."

"You take care of it before you left?"

"No, I had more urgent issues."

"I get that, but a job's a job. We need to go back there and finish it up." Dean attempted to push himself up on the bed.

"You won't be going anywhere except the MRI, young man." Dr. Favreau announced having heard the tail end of their conversation. He smiled at the trio of owl-sized eyes staring at him. "I hope you don't mind the intrusion. I was just passing by when I heard voices and thought I would pop in. Glad to see you're finally awake, Dean."

"Thanks, Doc. Now what's this about an MRI?"

"For your knee," Dr. Favreau supplied. "We need to get a better idea of what we're dealing with. From my preliminary exams, it looks like you may have a tear in your ACL. Once we have a clear picture we can determine what type of surgery would be best, if any."

Sam's brow creased with worry. "Surgery?"

"Yes, there are several options we can choose from, depending upon severity and lifestyle considerations. But we can discuss those once we have the results of the MRI, no need to worry about it now. Besides, it's common practice for this type of injury."

"And what if I don't want surgery?" Dean asked, tone harsh and determined.

"Sometimes, want and need are two separate things. But right now it's too early to tell, so try not to worry about it. Besides, we also have to wait for the swelling to completely go down before we can even proceed with any options. That could be anywhere from a few days to a week. We have time and you can ask as many questions as it takes to help you make your final decision."

"Good, cause I have no problem asking questions, like is it possible for my knee to heal on its own without surgery?"

"Yes. However, depending upon your lifestyle though you may want to consider all options. The knee could heal and not cause you any more trouble if you lead a mild to moderately active life. I have heard it happen. But if you are highly active especially if you are someone who is constantly on the move. The knee could become injured again in which surgery is the only option. Also realize that the stability of that knee could be questionable at best. Simple activities such as walking or even sitting down or standing up could become difficult."

"Well, that's just great," Dean grumbled.

"Look Dean, I realize you've been through a rather traumatic experience, which you seem to be handling rather well I might add. Speculation is not going to help you any right now. I'd suggest you push all this off until we have the results from the MRI. Then I can present you with all your options and you can decide whenever you're ready."

"Not like I got much choice right now, Doc. And it's not like this is my first trip to the hospital, had my fair share already." Dean's voice was even but soft.

There was sympathy in the older man's eyes at Dean's comments, not that he needed it. After all, he noticed the scars marring the young man's skin. Far too many for someone his age. "I noticed."

Dean was never one for pity, especially from a stranger. His expression darkened. Moving on, Dean continued, "My job takes me all over. And it's very active. I can't afford to be laid up too long."

"You may not have a choice. Letting it heal naturally can take just as long as recovering from surgery. And in both cases, you still need to go through PT." Dean was about to protest further, but Dr. Favreau waved him off. "I understand, I do. No work means no pay, right? But if you don't take the time to heal up now, when you have relapses, which is a very high possibility, you may find yourself off more than on. You're young. Take the break now so you can enjoy a long life without worrying about that leg giving out on you again. And let's not forget all your other injuries. You need to take it easy. You need rest."

"Don't worry, Doctor, I'll make sure he does." Sam chimed in. Dean shot him a dirty look.

"Good. Don't worry about that job you were trying to rush out of here to do. I'm sure someone else can take care of it. Now, let me go let the nurse know you're up. They've been waiting to take you down." He started to leave when Sam stopped him.

"Doctor, will I be able to stay with Dean when he goes down for the test?"

"Sorry, Sam." He answered as he turned back to the tall youth. "The test will take a while and no one is allowed in the room while it's going on. You can wait here, if you like. But I suggest you try and rest yourself, or at least get something to eat. Now if you'll excuse me." With a slight bow, Dr. Favreau left.

"Well, this blows." Dean announced. Silence fell over the room while the trio worked through their thoughts. In the end it was Dean that brought them back to the previous problem at hand. "Looks like I'm stuck here Sammy for a while. No point in you sticking around waiting in an empty room. You got stuff you got to finish. Do it."

"No, I'll wait." Sam stated.

Dean's frown deepened. "There's no point. And we need to salt and burn the bastard before he starts stinking out the place."

"I'm not leaving." Sam crossed his arms.

And if Dean didn't know any better, he could have sworn Sam stomped a foot down too. "Yes, you are."

Shaking his head, Sam held his ground. "No, I won't leave you again." Soul-filled eyes gazed down at his brother.

Dean was just about to lose his cool when he finally recognized the emotions burning in his brother's eyes. They confused him for a moment. But once Sam's words sank in, it started to make sense and he just couldn't stay angry. "Sammy. It's gonna be ok. I'm not going anywhere without you, ok? And you're not gonna take off with me, right?" Sam shook his head. "Then go finish the job. I'll be right here waiting for you when you're done. I promise." Dean grinned.

On those last two words, Sam could actually feel some of the tension drain out of him. His gaze softened. The corner of his mouth curved up in response. "You better be, jerk, or else I'm going to add to that laundry list you have on that chart of yours."

"Whatever, bitch."

Their time was up. A nurse strolled in with a wheel chair. "You're up, Dean Winchester." The young woman announced as she entered, unaware of the conversation she was interrupting. Another nurse and an orderly followed her in. Between them all, they managed to get Dean prepped for the move from the bed to the chair. And then get him settled for his ride down to radiology.

Sam noticed the transition had taken a lot out of his brother. Dean was a little paler with a nice sheen of sweat on his brow. They were about to wheel him away when he grabbed for the grips along the wheels and stopped them. Dean looked at him with a grim expression. "When you're done, tidy up but don't check out yet. Need to collect a few things before we go."

"Ok, Dean."

"I'll be here when you get back. I promise." Dean vowed again. Sam just nodded. Then the older Hunter released his hold on the chair and barked. "Let's go already."

Sam watched as the group headed out of the room and down the hall to the elevators. A few minutes passed by before he took a deep breath and released it slowly. Then he said, addressing Jenn without turning, "You heard him, let's go." Sam walked out.

- S – P – N – S – P – N –

Well, this is about as raw as I've posted for this story. Only read through this once since the initial draft. So hopefully it flows well and doesn't sound too far off. Reviews are the only way us author's know if we're doing alright. And even though we are close to an end, it's still great hearing from you. ;)

As I said, we are coming to an end soon, I'm hoping 1 more full chapter and then an epilogue. But we'll see. Hehe. Oh and also, I'm no doctor, heck I barely know any medical mumbo jumbo, but I did research ACL tears before I even started writing this fic. So I do have some sources regarding treatments. Hopefully, they sound believable enough and you forgive any 'malpractice' real doctors/nurses might notice. Thanks.

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July. Just a heads up that I may not be able to post on next Monday, I'll try but I can't promise anything. I'll be away from home and don't know what kind of internet connection I'll have. Let alone if the muse will finish this next chap in time. I will post soon though, promise!

A quick Shout Out to Jessie girl – Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. Hopefully, I didn't lose you by chapter 20. You'll have some of those theories answered by now, but sadly, no Bobby or Cas in this fic since this is still Season 1 and they haven't shown up yet. Once again thanks!

As ever, thank you to all those wonderful people out there who have reviewed, alerted, faved and read this fic. You Rock!

Until next time,

~Ari :D