Warnings and disclaimers: See chapter 1

Many thanks to CorieHall for the beta on this story.

Chapter 25 The wash up

In the morning, John came into the boy's room to find Dean sitting up in bed eating toast and thick soup with meat and vegetables. They quickly gleaned Dean didn't like the vegetables but was getting his appetite back and wanted more to eat. When Bobby and John were about to do Dean's dressings, he pleaded to be allowed to bathe. Sam sided with him and volunteered to help him looking at it from Dean's point of view of being locked up for a week. He wanted to use the toilet anyway so John and Bobby took his bandages off and prepared him for a bath. When he was ready, Bobby took off to get them breakfast and restock the first aid supplies in preparation to leave for his place later in the day.

Sam filled the bath with warm water and lathered soap and shampoo for bubbles to make Dean feel more comfortable since Sam would be washing him. He also tipped a small amount of disinfectant into the water to help protect Dean's back and stop any infection from contact with the water. John gave Dean two large washcloths which he used to cover his crotch before John lifted him and placed him in the bath. Dean gasped a little as his tender back hit the water but clenched his teeth as he got used to the sting of the water. Sam insured Dean's hands, feet, and left shoulder were out of the water then scooped up the washcloths and began to wash him.

All was going well as Sam moved from Dean's feet up his legs to his groin not looking down or thinking about what he was cleaning through millimeters of washcloth until Dean jerked under his hand.
"Easy with the goods Sammy."
"Sorry Dean."
"Don't say sorry to me. Say sorry to the girls." Dean joked trying to lighten the mood in the room.
"Ha all right. I'm moving on anyway." Sam moved to Dean's stomach being careful to be gentle since he could feel bones as well as muscle on Dean's front. "So what do you think about going to Bobby's? Should be good right?"
"Yeah as long as dad stays as well." Dean replied sleepily.
"Do you think he will?"
"I hope so. It would be nice to be a family for a while before we go charging back into hunts again."
"It would be nice if you can heal up a bit at least."

John stood stock still outside the bathroom door as he listened to his boys talk about going to Bobby's. It was sad to hear them doubt that he wouldn't stay long enough to even let Dean heal up but he had'nt really given them any reason to trust him of late. He hoped he could change that and this looked like a good chance to give it a try.

Sam washed Dean thoroughly even cleaning his hair at Dean's insistence. He let the water out of the tub and handed Dean a towel to wrap around himself. That done, Sam helped Dean get upright as he knew he needed to use the toilet. Sam went out to get Dean clean clothes and came back to find Dean sitting on the closed lid of the toilet. Sam handed Dean a T shirt, boxers and sweat pants after he insisted he was okay to dress himself. Dean put the boxers and pants on but left the t shirt off knowing John was going to put ointment on his back. Dean hobbled out to the main room on the outside of his feet and sat down on the bed. John and Sam both started bandaging at once and Dean was fine with it as he was feeling much better.

Just as they were finishing with the dressings, Bobby came charging into the room and shook a newspaper under John's nose.
"That building exploded."
"What building?" John asked.
"The building where the Randall's were."
Bobby read the article out which described the building as an old explosives building shut down ten years before. There were mentions of two bodies found together in the main building. There had not been any identification as yet and police were said to be investigating.
"Damn Jeremy talked about having a bomb to Dean and me. Do you think it was an accident?"
"I don't know but it's been all over the TV news but of course we haven't had the TV on. Do you feel up to moving Dean?"
Dean could hear the urgency in Bobby's voice and knew they really had no choice.
"Yeah let's go."

Packing was done urgently and thoroughly. In less than an hour the hunters were on the road with Dean snuggled into three stolen motel blankets in the back seat of the Impala. The trip to Bobby's should have taken four hours but the hunters did it in three and a quarter all breathing a sigh of relief as they passed through the gates.

TBConcluded