Warnings and disclaimers see chapter 1

Chapter 21 Downhill

When Sam returned to the living room Dean was sitting exactly where he was when Sam left him. Sam scooped him up again and sat him on his lap so they could watch TV together.
"Sam I'm not four. I don't need to be treated like a little kid."
Sam laughed and pulled Dean tighter to his chest. Little Dean sounded so much like Dean when he was a teenager that Sam loved hearing it.
"Just relax Dean. I know you're not four but I like having you close if you can cope with being so close to your big brother."
Sam ruffled Dean's hair with a hand and in way of answering Dean lay back against Sam's chest. Sam wasn't used to having a little sniffing and coughing Dean on his lap and became worried as he held onto his sick brother. Dean fidgeted on Sam's lap as they sat and watched TV all morning. Sam noticed Dean frowning quite a bit and blinking a lot. He knew it was Dean's way of hiding a headache. Sam fixed Dean soup for lunch but thankfully let him drink it himself. Bobby made sure he had his medications and was comfortable on the couch before he and Sam had their lunch.

Sam and Bobby cleaned up the kitchen and Bobby went out to work in the yard and Sam went back to the living room. As Sam walked in Dean bolted out the door on the way to the bathroom. Sam followed him into the bathroom and sat behind him feeling helpless as he threw up his lunch. When Dean was done throwing up he flushed the toilet and stood shakily at the sink and washed himself off. Sam scooped him up and carried him back to the couch this time without protest from Dean. Dean was feeling quite weak after throwing up and let himself fall against Sam's chest as he carried him back to the couch. His head was throbbing with a headache that he had since morning. Sam sat and put both arms around Dean ignoring the fact he was coughing and sneezing. Dean snagged up some tissues so he didn't drip on Sam. Sam pulled Dean's head to his shoulder and ran a hand down his back trying to make him feel better as he continued to cough and sneeze.

As Dean's eyes began to sag shut Sam suddenly remembered that Dean had thrown up his lunchtime medication. He stood and placed Dean gently on the couch and went to the kitchen and brought back everything Dean would need as well as some lemonade. He put everything on the side table and picked his brother up again. He got Dean dosed up between sneezes and had him sucking sleepily on lozenges as he sipped lemonade. Sam flipped over to some cartoons for Dean but he lasted about ten minutes before he was asleep laying up against Sam. Sam kept still so Dean could sleep but he had the feeling a bomb wouldn't wake Dean at the moment. He looked exhausted and had shadows developing under his eyes already.

Two hours later Bobby came into the living room to find Sam blinking tiredly trying to stay awake and Dean out like a light. Sam's head jerked up at Bobby's hand on Dean's forehead.
"Hey Bobby. He threw up again. Could you get him some more soup?"
"Sure Sam. What's his temperature like?"
"It came down a bit but I will check it again when he eats. He does feel a bit hot."
Bobby went to the kitchen and got a cup full of soup for Dean and took it back to the couch. Sam tried to wake Dean gently but he didn't stir. Sam ran his hand up and down Dean's back exerting a little pressure.
"Come on Dean, wake up buddy."
Dean's eyes finally opened and he looked around him in confusion, his eyes again glassy and unfocused.
"It's okay Dean. Bobby has some soup for you."
Dean sat up straighter and Sam saw Dean's hair was flat against his head wet with sweat on the side of his face that had been against Sam.

Bobby passed the cup of soup to Dean and he took it with a shaky hand. Sam put an arm around Dean's shoulders to steady him and Bobby didn't miss the wince of pain.
"Dean, how do you feel? Achy?"
Dean nodded slightly as he shivered.
"You feel dizzy at all?"
Dean nodded again. Sam took his temperature as Bobby observed the boy.
"104, Bobby."
"Anything else Dean? You have to be honest with me."
"Headache, sore throat."
"Feeling real tired?"
"Yeah." Dean coughed again as he sipped his soup.
Bobby gave Sam a long look. "You want to come and get a drink Sam?"
Sam caught the meaning and sat Dean gently on the couch.
"Back in a minute buddy. Do the best you can with that okay?"
Sam kissed the top of Dean's head before walking quickly to the kitchen.

Bobby had an insurance card in his hand when Sam got there.
"I think it's progressed to influenza Sam. I don't have any meds for that so I will book him in at the clinic. I will let you know when the appointment is. In the meantime..." Bobby went a cupboard and pulled out a couple of orange tubes. "Electrolyte solution. We need to keep his fluids up."Bobby handed Sam a bucket. "In case he can't make the bathroom."
"Should I take him up to the bedroom?"
"All his meds are in the living room so stay there for now. When you go to bed tonight I will help you take them all up there."
"Thanks Bobby."
"No problem. I have a little more business in the yard then I am done for the day."

TBC