Sam and Jess were curled up together just like every other night when the phone rang. Jess mumbled for him to get it, and he did, grumbling all the way. The next thing Jess knew, Sam was back in the room, hastily throwing clothes into a duffle bag.

"Sam? What are you doing?" she asked sleepily. She was instantly awake as soon as she noticed the tears dripping down his face.

"Dean," he said softly, his hands shaking.

"What about him?" she asked, getting up and taking his hands in hers.

"J.J. just called…he…they…the taser…" he stumbled over his words.

"Sam, it's okay, it's gonna be okay."

"The taser malfunctioned, and when Dean got hit with it…"

"Is he okay?" she asked, prompting him along. Clearly, if Sam was this upset, Dean wasn't okay, and her being scared and panicked wouldn't help anyone.

"His heart got fried. They estimate about a hundred thousand volts went through him," he whispered, "the doctors say he's living on borrowed time now." Her breath caught in her throat. She pulled away from Sam and started packing her own bag.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Don't even think you're leaving me behind," she said, dressing quickly. Sam nodded and both finished packing in silence. He grabbed both bags when they were finished.

"Let's go," he said, trying to hold himself together.

J.J., like everyone else, had regrets. Dean getting hurt on the last case was one of them. Asking him to help out was one too. They had needed the manpower, and he was always careful, so she hadn't thought anything of asking him for backup. It had been a small slip up, but those frequently turned into the biggest mistakes it seemed. If not for the water, everything would have been fine. The taser didn't even touch Dean, but it had fallen in the small pool of water and short circuited. Dean had fallen into the water as he ducked, completing the electrical circuit and causing enormous amounts of electricity to course through his body. She could still remember the pain on his face and the way his body had spasmed before they had managed to knock the taser out of the water. Now, with Dean lying in the hospital bed beside her, J.J. forced herself not to cry. The doctor had told her how bad it was, how he would need a transplant to survive. He looked so sick, even while he was sleeping, especially while he was sleeping. There were dark circles under his eyes, his skin was more pale than normal, and he was in pain. He had an oxygen mask on, but she couldn't tell if it was helping at all. She stroked his soft blond hair, not used to it lying flat on his head.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered to him. A small cough sounded from the doorway, and a male nurse walked in. His wavy blond hair matched the golden brown color of his irises, and he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure he doesn't blame you," he said gently. He wasn't tall, and his kind voice soothed her emotions.

"I know he won't," she said, sighing. The nurse checked a few things, writing the information down on his clipboard.

"There's no hope for a transplant, is there?" she asked him.

"Unfortunately, that list is several lifetimes long," he said sadly. She sighed again.

"I don't know what I'll do without him."

"Have hope," the nurse said, "miracles happen every day." He finished his work and walked away, pulling a candy bar out of his pocket and starting to munch on it once he was in the hallway.

Sam felt mildly bad about scaring the nurse with his abrupt appearance at her station, but was far too worried about his brother to dwell. Jess soothed the nurse and calmly asked where Dean was while Sam fought to not snap with impatience. Jess pulled him along once she got the information, and he restrained himself every time he got the urge to run to the room. He found J.J. sitting beside Dean stroking his hair.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, and Sam couldn't tell if she was talking to him or Dean.

"J.J.," Sam said, trying not to cry at the sight of his brother. He looked so broken and ill, and Sam couldn't ever remember seeing Dean so sick before, not even when he'd been beat up by their father or foster father.

"There's not much hope," she said, and Sam could tell she was crying. Jess took her arm, offering her a chance to get some coffee and stretch her legs. She seemed to understand that Sam needed a minute with Dean, and willingly gave it to him as her conscience burned guiltily because it was all her fault Dean was in that bed.

"Hey Dean," Sam whispered once they were gone. He slumped into the seat J.J. had vacated, taking Dean's hand in his own.

"Why you holdin' my hand, bitch?" a soft voice rasped. Dean didn't pull his hand away though, but squeezed reassuringly. Sam let out a soft, pained laugh.

"Have you ever actually watched daytime TV? It's terrible." Dean still hadn't opened his eyes.

"J.J. talked to your doctor," Sam said.

"That fabric softener teddy bear... oooh, I'mma hunt that little bitch down."

"Dean, please."

"Sam," he opened his eyes now; they were tired and dull with pain, "it's a dangerous gig. I drew the short straw. It's longer than I ever thought I'd live. You better take care of my wheels, or I'll haunt your ass."

"What about Jo? What's she gonna do now?" Sam demanded, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Sam, it's not like I can fix this, there's nothing anyone can do," Dean said tiredly. Sam sighed, slumping forward as he admitted it to himself. Before Dean could complain, he climbed onto the bed and wrapped himself around Dean, sniffling quietly. Dean wrapped an arm around his back, murmuring quiet promises that Sam knew he couldn't keep, but appreciated nonetheless.

Tessa crossed her arms and glared, and damn if she hadn't perfected that glare in however long she had existed. Cas glanced at Gabriel, hoping the older angel had a plan.

"You two do realize that someone will die regardless, right? And I'll still have to come back for him," she pointed out.

"No, because he's not going to be sick or injured anymore," Gabe said.

"I can't let you do that."

"He is the righteous man, regardless of if he is needed as such in this world," Cas huffed irritably, "And as such, he is my responsibility."

"Then why did he get electrocuted?" Cas blanched, his blue eyes widening.

"I am not allowed to interfere with his life."

"Then why are you interfering with his death?" she shot back.

"Because while he isn't, I am," Gabe said, grinning, "and I'm going to save him no matter what you say. His work isn't done here."

"You angels never listen to anything I say, so why bother asking me at all?"

"Because I'm trying to be courteous."

"Uh huh."

"Anyway, nice chatting with you," Gabe said, waving and striding off to the room Dean was in. Cas shrugged, trying to convey to her that he wasn't responsible for Gabe and was just following his lead.

"Freaking angels," Tessa huffed, walking off.

Dean woke up briefly when he heard the nurse come back in, but didn't pay any attention to him. He was so freaking tired; he knew he was getting worse. Sam insisted that he wouldn't die, they would find a way, but Dean knew it was hopeless. Except for the nurse, he was alone for the moment. Jo was on her way, and that just added to his guilt. He heard a soft clicking sound and smiled softly as Ozzy let himself into the room and climbed up onto the bed with him. He let the soothing presence of the dog lull him back to sleep.

Gabe pretended to adjust wires and take notes until Dean was asleep again. As soon as both he and the dog dropped into la-la land, he set to work. He put one hand lightly on Dean's chest and paused.

"Alright, Dad, if you don't agree with what I'm doing, now's the time to interrupt." When no interruptions came forward, Gabe smiled softly. "I thought so." Dean glowed slightly as Gabe's grace laced through his body, repairing the damage done by the malfunctioning taser. He focused on the heart, where most of the damage was, fixing the burned and broken cells within. He pulled away once the damage was gone, smiling. He left a chocolate bar on the bedside table and winked at the hovering blue-eyed angel watching nearby.

"All done, Cassie, he's good as new again."

The doctors called it a miracle. They didn't understand how the damage done to his heart just seemed to disappear overnight. Dean didn't understand it either, but he felt better and that was pretty much all he cared about. No one was really willing to look a gift horse in the mouth, even if they silently wondered just how it all happened. It was the kind of thing that kept them up at night wondering just what had transpired. Dean asked Cas what he thought about it when he next saw his friend, but Cas just shrugged and said he didn't know how it happened either. Dean sighed and looked away as a small commotion erupted between a couple of people nearby, so he missed the satisfied little smirk on Cas's face.