Side kick-Bia1007

Beta- Eggylaine

Happiness damn near destroys you

The first thing Dean noticed was he was awake, the second was even though his eyes were closed, it was really bright, but the third and most annoying thing he picked up on was how loud it was, like really echoing and if he was awake enough, he would be flinching at every voice, bleep and scrape that was nearby.

But when he heard the sounds of someone familiar crying, all the loud and bright stuff didn't matter.

"Okay, the next time you tell me to stop getting beaten up...I'll listen to you."

"D-Dean?"

"One and only...so, where am I this time?" he groaned, forcing his eyes open and pushing himself up on the rustling bed.

"Um...in the ER still, they're trying to decide if you need to be admitted or not."

"Not...can we go now?"

"Um no...my dad needs to wake up first."

"Wait what? What the hell happened to your dad?! I thought he was okay?! Oh god..."

"No no Dean, he's fine...I swear, he um...fainted," Sam snorted, making no effort to hide his giggles which was a strange thing to hear considering how red his eyes still were.

"Why did he faint?" Dean asked, trying not to seem as panicked as he was.

"You know that?" Sam asked, pointing to the empty bag that looked like it once held blood that hung above Dean's head.

"Yeah?" Dean asked creasing his brow when he saw the tape on his hand, 'guess I needed a top up.'

"Well the hospital was running low on your blood type and when they told us what type you were me and my dad turned out to be the same...I offered but apparently I'm not old enough," Dean's face lit up when Sam said that, the kid...this 10 year old boy offered to be prodded and poked just to give him some blood? Sam's face was pissed when he said he wasn't old enough, that made Dean's heart swell all the more, but trouble was, it seemed to be swelling with guilt more than anything. "So my dad gave you the blood then he stood up to go sit back down next to me and he made it about 2 steps before he flopped to the floor...it was kinda scary at first but when the doctor said he fainted it was sort of funny. My dad...bad ass marine and he fainted cos he gave blood. Guess you really are a Winchester now."

Sam was still laughing which was much better than the tears but Dean didn't think it was so funny.

"He shouldn't have done that for me."

"What?" Sam asked...his happiness dissipating in an instant.

"He shouldn't have given me blood, it's just...what's the damn point?"

"What's the-" Sam's questions were cut off when a guy in a white coat came in through the closed curtains surrounding them.

"Good evening Dean, how are you feeling?" he asked grabbing the clip board and a pen from his pocket, ready to write down what Dean was meant to say at this point.

"Where's my uncle Steve?" Sam asked when he knew Dean wasn't going to talk.

"Right here kid," he said coming through the gap the doc had made in the drawn curtain.

"My dad's okay isn't he?"

"He's fine," Steve said, frowning at the young boy's question, he thought Sam knew his dad was fine.

"See, told you," Sam snapped towards Dean before going silent like him.

"Doc how's the kid doing?"

"I was just about to ask. John and Mary said they found you in a heap on the floor in the garage, looked like the tool shelf fell down on you. Does that sound about right?" the doctor asked without any hint of scepticism in his voice whatsoever.

'The Winchesters are good,' Dean thought before nodding.

"How are you feeling then young man after your accident?"

Dean just shrugged.

"Dean kiddo, you feeling okay?"

Dean nodded this time when Steve asked.

"Are you in pain?" the doctor asked catching on that Dean would respond better to yes or no questions.

Dean shook his head and looking at him he seemed to be telling the truth.

"Are you feeling dizzy at all?"

Again Dean shook his head.

"Weak? Headache? Fever?"

Dean shook his head three times for those.

"Can I examine you?"

Dean shrugged, he didn't really want to be poked again by another doctor but he didn't really have a choice.

"Do you want some privacy?"

Knowing what the guy was really asking, he threw his arm out and latched onto the front of Sam's shirt to make sure he was heard loud and clear, no privacy would be needed at all!

"Okay kid calm down I think we understand," Steve chuckled, trying to make it a joke to lighten the tension in the room and luckily Dean let go of Sam and relaxed his shoulders a little.

"Where's my mom?" Sam asked as he stood back a little with Steve as the doctor went to have a prod at Dean's cuts and bruises the 'fallen tool shelf' caused.

"With your dad still, trying to make him sit still long enough to see only one of her."

"Um....Uncle Steve?" Sam whispered tugging on his uncle's sweater to get his attention.

"Yeah?"

"Um...Dean's sad again...he asked me what the point of my dad giving him blood was...what do I say to him? I don't even know what the point of all this stuff is yet..." he forced, trying not to cry again.

"Hey it's okay Sammy, sshh don't cry kiddo, to tell you the truth I don't think anybody knows, you just have to figure it out for yourself as you grow up, Dean'll be fine kid, he's got you looking out for him."

"You sure?" Sam asked wiping the tears away before Dean noticed them.

"I'm sure." A pat on the back and a quick nudge later, the doctor was done and Sam was back by Dean's side. "So what's the verdict doc?"

"Well Dean's wounds aren't life threatening, he's just going to be sore for a while."

'Yeah, like I haven't been before genius.'

"Now he's got his fluids back and his blood pressure is up to normal, there really isn't anything we can do for him here that he can't get at home."

"So he can go home today?"

"After he's eaten and kept something down, he's free to go."

"Thanks doc."

"See you gentlemen."

"So that's good news huh kids?" Steve smiled when the doctor left.

"Yeah," Sam nodded trying to force a smile for Dean's sake.

"How long until I can leave?" was all Dean said.

"Not sure, doc said after you eat so I'll go track down some food for you, how about that?"

"Not really hungry," Dean mumbled shrugging his shoulders once again.

"Just humour them okay? Then you can go home."

"It's not really my home."

"Yes it is, I know it is! You do too!" Sam snapped banging his fist in anger on the bed post.

"You don't fucking know anything! And more to the point you don't know fuck all about me so back off!"

"You're such a jerk! Fine! Be like that! I don't even care anymore!" and with that Sam slammed his chair back and left.

"Dean he was just-"

"He was just telling the truth, why should he care?"

"Because he loves you," Steve said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Dean snorted, that was just ridiculous.

"I'm serious, we can all see it, you two are practically brothers. You know, you might not think people know you but trust me Dean, you're not as secret 007 as you might think when you choose not to speak. You say so much more when you keep your mouth shut than you ever would with words."

Dean huffed like a stroppy teenager, he didn't need to hear this crap.

"This latest incident has made you realise that bad things still happen around you, so maybe it's because of you. You're trying to be mean again so Sam starts to get fed up, you yell even more and because of that he and everyone else that's took a liking to you keeps their distance, just gets tired of making you feel better, because if they do, they might get hurt like somebody else...or somebody's that loved you."

Dean kept his nose turned up and his head low.

"And what's the point right? Of being happy, of trying to be happy? Of trying to build something for yourself when it's only a matter of time before someone rips it right out from under you and laughs while you're down. Why bother right?"

'Is this guy a mind reader or is he just really good at this guessing game?'

"Been there, done that, got the t-shirt."

That got Dean's attention.

"I was an asshole to John and Mary one time, I lost someone who I loved so much and who loved me back. I thought I was the problem, so I cut myself off and turned into a bitter old drunk. But those Winchesters can be pretty stubborn and no matter how many times they tell you that they've had enough and you can go and crawl into a black hole of misery for all they care, they're lying out of their asses. They won't give up on you so you might as well save yourself all the guilt I had and just drop the act. Go home, be normal, and live like the happy 14 year old kid your loved ones wanted you to be for crying out loud."

His voice was soft, but his words were kind of harsh, not mean...just a bit too forward for Dean's liking.

"If you've been there and done that you know it's not that easy...I'm just...used to being a jerk. I don't know how to be happy without feeling bad for it."

"It'll get easier to be...non jerk-ish eventually and the guilt just kind of leaves with it."

Having enough of talking about himself, Dean looked up, knowing the man deserved eye contact if he was going to ask what he planned. "Who did you lose?"

"I'll tell you if you tell me," and that was all Steve had to say for him to get the point, this guy couldn't talk about his pain anymore than Dean could.

"Dean I brought you a sandwich, turkey, your favourite right?" a little voice said coming through the curtains making Steve wink at Dean.

"Told you so," he mouthed behind Sam as the kid set the tray down and took his seat once again by Dean's bed.

"Thanks Sammy."

Sam nodded, and all was forgiven.

"Well boys, I'm gonna go check on the other two, if I don't come back in 5 minutes, call for backup."

Sam giggled, and Dean did too...

SPN

"Hey, look who's awake," Steve cheered sarcastically as he lead John inside the little curtained room the boys still sat in.

"Haha, you almost passed out too," John snapped back as he sat himself down on a chair next to Dean's bed.

"The key word in that John being 'almost' and I had good reason, I was injured," Steve turned his nose up as he rubbed at the 3 small stitches in his head.

"Yeah well I'm injured too."

"Concussion VS tiny paper cut on your leg...no contest."

"Well then if you've got a concussion I think we better call that pretty nurse in here and-"

"Don't you even think about it or I'll kick your ass, and you will be injured then my friend."

"Are they always like this?" Dean mumbled to Sam watching the men banter, it was worse than he and Sam.

"Only when they're awake," Sam whispered back and smiled when it seemed Dean found his joke funny and laughed.

"Boys behave," Mary ordered coming in the room with a bag from the pharmacy.

"We weren't doing anything," Sam whined.

"I wasn't talking to you sweetie, I meant your father and Steve."

"But we were jut-"

"Ah! I don't wanna hear it, shush!" Mary snapped at her husband like she was talking to a 3 year old, and when the men pouted it looked like she was. "Dean honey you ready to go?" Mary smiling at him as he nodded, relieved he didn't have to stay here again.

Sam helped him get dressed from the hospital night gown into the sort of ruined clothes he arrived in, then John held him up as they all left in a tight huddle.

Looking up at the family smiling breezily at one another, he thought maybe life wasn't so bad…if this was who he was going to be spending it with…maybe now was his time to be happy.

"Dean bud? You okay? Kinda zoned out there for a second," John said as they got in the Impala after waving Steve goodbye.

"Yeah…I'm good, thanks."

"We're glad you are kiddo, we really are."

TBC…

Remember when I asked for ideas on what you would like the Winchesters to do as a family a bit ago? Well I need ideas again for the next story in this AU (if you want one that is!)

Anything you would like to see! Tell me! And I mean ANYTHING! It can be a big idea, a little note, a huge plot thing, a small event, even what age you would like to see the boys at next…anything, tell me, I'm all ears, I can't promise but I can try!