A/N: Vivi here! Haven't had much writing time lately but I have so many things I want to write. The struggle is real. And very annoying.
Anyway, hope this chapter isn't too boring. Next one will have a bit more action (probably).
Same warnings apply.
Enjoy!
Previously on John's Boys:
"Get some rest. I'll keep you safe and I'll be right here when you wake up."
"I know."
"He's really awake?" Sam's smile was almost as big as Dean's had been that night. Bobby wasn't particularly eager to get up at the 'ass crack of dawn' to drive the younger two boys back to the hospital, but John promised coffee. That was seventy percent of the reason Sam was currently grinning like a fool in the lobby of the hospital.
"Not at this very moment, but he's not sedated anymore. We talked for a few minutes at… must've been close to four in the morning. He'll wake up soon and we'll get him transferred." John squeezed Sam's shoulder and gave him a small grin. "He'll be glad to see you, I'll bet."
"Can we just go already?" Sam looked to the elevators and was practically bouncing on his toes as he waited for Dad's permission. The nurses wouldn't let him into the PICU without Dad. He knew that much from his own previous stays; kids could only visit their siblings if parents or guardians were around.
"Lead the way, squirt." John chuckled when Sam groaned and rolled his eyes but headed for the elevators without a moment's hesitation. "You good to watch Cas while we're in there?" The father asked Bobby as the four of them entered the elevator.
The older man just nodded, his eyes almost as tired as John's own, and held up his coffee cup. "Think I can handle it."
"We won't be long, alright, kid? I'm hoping to have him transferred by noon." John said to his newest charge, who stood beside Bobby, hunched in on himself and yawning like it would somehow wake him up. "You can sleep some more if you want to. The chairs probably aren't as bad as the ones in the ER."
Cas nodded and, as soon as the doors opened, started to shuffle down the hall to a waiting room for family members of kids in the PICU. Bobby followed close behind.
"Thanks for doing this, Singer. Really. I know it's a pain, but-"
"John, I almost sold my soul for these boys. You think I wouldn't babysit for a few hours when your sons need ya?"
John simply grinned and looked to the floor, embarrassed, as he and Sam walked past their companions towards the big green PICU sign at the end of the hall. "How could I forget? Think I owe you a little more than just one now, huh?"
"Git in there, ya idgit. I'll feed this kid and get 'im settled while you have your first family powwow." Bobby nodded to Cas, who was already in the waiting area, in a chair, nearly asleep with his eyes closed. "Don't think he'll be much trouble anyhow."
Father and son made their way down the hall, Sam nearly jogging in his excitement. Can't believe Dean is my brother. Can't believe I have a brother. A big brother, even. And he's gonna be okay because I helped him get away from the vampire who kidnapped him when he was little. Well, kinda. Still counts, right? Doesn't matter. This is gonna be great! We can practice together and go to football games and go see movies that Dad won't let me watch and he'll have my back when we hunt and I'll have his and Dad won't have to hover over my shoulder anymore because we'll have Dean!
"That, Sam, is why Uncle Bobby is my best friend." John said as he walked with his littlest toward the PICU.
"Huh? Why, because he's babysitting?"
"Because he understands that everyone has to have someone they can look to for help."
"But you guys argue all the time."
"Sometimes friendship is more than just getting along. I can rely on that old scruff when I'm in it deep and he'd protect you- all three of you, I think- without hesitation. That's more than I can say for any other person on this little blue marble."
"Dean does that for me. He protects me and I protect him, too. So Uncle Bobby's your friend, kinda like Dean is mine?"
John paused just before pushing the button beside a set of massive doors to request entry into the PICU. How many times has that kid put his life on the line to keep Sam out of trouble? I think we're gonna have to have a talk about safety. All of us. But not today, not until they get back out in the field with me. For now, Sammy and Dean just need to practice being brothers.
It's gonna take some getting used to, I think. Especially under circumstances like this. Guess that's my fault.
"Yeah. Just like that."
Warm, warm, warm. Dean hummed in approval as he came around. There was soft fabric reflecting body heat back to him; it felt like there were more layers than there had been earlier, when he woke up and talked to Dad. He hated the crawling sensation of goosebumps; it reminded him too much of all the times he had no choice butto be cold. He didn't have to go through that anymore, though. He had a real, actual family now. One who cared about his wellbeing and would do something if he wasn't okay. His Dad would make sure he was provided for. His brother-
He had a baby brother. Shouldn't be his job to take care of me. I'll take care of him. Me and Dad will keep him safe. No matter what.
"When's he gonna wake up?"
This time, Dean's eyelids didn't really have a say in how quickly they were pulled open. He knew that voice. And he had to see the owner.
"Shh, let him sleep, bud. He needs to sleep so he can heal."
"Sammy." Dean smiled, fighting his eyes to keep their focus on the mop haired kid to his left. He looked good; the punctures weren't as red anymore, his skin was pinker, his eyes weren't bloodshot and full of fear, his face wasn't dirty… His clothes were still soiled, but the smile on his face kept Dean from worrying too much. He's okay. Relief flooded his tired body at the sight of that dimpled grin.
Well, that, and the fact that John was sitting right beside him. John can keep Sammy safe until I'm better. He's gonna be okay now, for sure. No thanks to me. Draggin' a vampire right up to his doorstep… I was such a selfish prick staying that long. None of this would've happened if I'd just left when I thought I should've.
Did John kill Winthrop? I can't- what if he's still hunting us? Sam's could still be in danger-
Sam let go of the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding for the past few hours and didn't notice the relieved smirk that lit up his face or the fact that the same smirk seemed to leave Dean's just before he spoke. "Hi Dean. You're my awesome big brother. Dad told you, right?"
I'm awesome? Dean wasn't sure why, but the fact that Sam thought so highly of him brought a familiar warmth to his chest. This time, though, it was just warm and welcoming. Not at all frantic. It felt… right. "Damn straight."
"He's your only big brother, Sam." John spoke up, sitting forward in his chair so Dean could see him better. "He's your only brother period."
"How do you feel?" Sam ignored his father.
The most Dean could do was shrug. "Tired."
"But you've been sleeping all night."
"He just had surgery. It takes a while to bounce back from that, squirt."
"It's Sam." The kid practically growled before turning back to his brother. "So you're not… you're not in a lot of pain, right?" His voice became nervous as he glanced at the brace.
Dean felt about the same as his brother did about the thing. It was bulky, tight, jet black, and looked about as comfortable as it looked. At least it kept his arm in a position that had his newly repaired shoulder well supported and pain free. As for the rest of his aches… "Nah. I got the… good stuff." Dean said breathlessly before halfheartedly pointed one finger to the IV bag hanging over his bed.
What's- oh, right. It wasn't until then that he remembered what the rest of his fingers held onto. Carefully, he opened his hand to reveal the tribal charm, grinning the whole time. "Thanks, Sam. I love it."
Sam's smile returned and there wasn't anything that could've made Dean happier. There are those dimples again. Feels like it's been years.
"I thought you would. Here." Sam pulled a length of leather cord from his pocket. "I found a string for it."
"Is that the stuff we wrap old blade handles with?" John asked, impressed that Sam thought to use that stuff as a necklace cord. It was sturdy, strong, and lightweight; John couldn't have found anything better himself. In fact, the idea to find a cord for the charm never even crossed his mind; there was a lot going through it, after all.
"Yeah. Want me to put it on?"
Dean let Sam put the pendant on the cord and, as soon as it was back in his hands, Dean put the necklace over his head. The reassuring weight of the charm rested on his sternum, right next to his heart. "Fits perfect."
Maybe they won't need as much time to adjust as I thought. Good; then Sam can train, maybe learn some things from Bobby while Dean recovers. "Alright, well, Dean, I know this isn't the best time, but we need to get you transferred as soon as possible. I'm gonna go talk to your doctor, see if I can get the ball rolling, okay?" The father felt bad for forcing his son to be transported when he was still so weak, but they had to get him out of danger. He'd never forgive himself if Lucy or Winthrop hurt him like this again. John would rather die than have to watch his boys suffer like that.
And he really wanted to live to see them grow up side by side like they should've been all alone.
"'kay."
"Don't tire him out too much, Sam." John stood and left the room, peering through the window in the door after closing it. The boys were talking already. Well, Sam was talking, but Dean was smiling, at least. The scene left a very overdue sense of peace in John's mind.
After nearly half an hour of very heated debate in the office of Dean's doctor, John won. He had to threaten to sign Dean out AMA- against medical advice- before the doc would even consider making a deal. Neither party wanted Dean to deteriorate; signing him out AMA would probably be a death sentence and the doctor didn't need to know that John never intended to do that. So the pair settled on moving Dean towards 'home' in two stages. Two three and a half hour jumps between hospitals until Dean finally ended up at Sioux Falls General. The trips were much longer than the doctor felt Dean could handle without some serious medication, so he resolved to have Dean mildly sedated for his journey. That way he couldn't get worked up, the bumps in the road wouldn't hurt, and the time would pass in a blink. With any luck, Dean would sleep the whole way; at the very least, he wouldn't remember any of it.
Later that same day, the time did not pass in a blink for John. He sat opposite a very grumpy paramedic, Dean on a gurney between them, sound asleep as expected. The ambulance rode the highways for three and a half hours in complete silence. Bobby followed in the Impala, both younger boys none too happy at being put in a car again. They were, however, looking forward to getting cleaned up and sleeping with actual bedding under a roof that was safer than most of the dwellings in the country. Well, from unnatural beings, at least.
Sam hadn't been to Uncle Bobby's house in years. He hoped Rumsfeld, Uncle Bobby's Rottweiler, remembered him; he used to play with that dog until they were both splayed out and panting on the grass between the cars in the scrapyard. Dad didn't much care for the pooch, but he let him sleep with Sam after a few hours of persistent and shameless begging. From that point on, the pup was with Sam every night he spent at the old house.
Sam wanted to know if Dean liked dogs. He wanted to know everything about his big brother, but Dad told him he'd have to be patient. Dean's recovery had to come first. Sam agreed.
That didn't mean the curiosity wasn't eating him up, though. He started a mental list of things he wanted to ask or talk about as soon as Dean was able. The longer he sat in the backseat of the Impala following the ambulance, the longer the list got.
John hoped their time at Mound Memorial Hospital, the midway point, would be short. Dean's doc had arranged for one of the doctors from Mound Memorial to check the kid over and bring him back up to optimal travel condition before they finished their journey. They were switching ambulances, too, so John didn't have to deal with the glares from that paramedic anymore. He didn't know why the man was in such a bad mood, but it was putting him in a bad mood, too; what the hell gave him the right to act like that when both of them were there to make sure Dean's trip went as smoothly as possible?
Judge-y asshole.
"How much longer?" Sam asked, clearly just as grumpy as the paramedic by the time he was allowed to go back into the emergency department with Dad. Dean was being evaluated by the ER doc there, as planned, but Sam couldn't wait to get to Uncle Bobby's. He wanted to feel safe. He wanted Cas and Dean to feel safe, too, and they would at Uncle Bobby's house. He was pretty sure.
The pair left Bobby and Cas in the hospital's cafeteria to have a real actual meal before they had to take off again. Sam was glad that Cas seemed much more comfortable around Uncle Bobby and Dad now. He didn't know why, but it may have had to do with their conversation back in the surgery waiting room. It gave him hope that Cas would be okay after their situation was finally… 'resolved'. Sam didn't want his friend to be psychologically scarred like a lot of the people he and Dad rescued.
"I don't know, Sam. Depends what the doctor says Dean needs."
"He's still okay, right?"
"I'm not the expert, kiddo. He seemed fine on the ride over, though. Nothin' bad happened."
A few minutes later, Dean's new doc pulled John aside and filled him in. Dean didn't need much. He was doing better than the ER doc thought he would've been. The new ambulance was loaded up with the necessary supplies- pain meds, IV bags, the works- and its occupants before setting off just two hours later.
The family snore.
Both of John's boys had it. Granted, they only snored when they were sick, but still. The father could identify either of his kids by that snore any day. He didn't like that both of his kids were sick, but at least they were there, with him, in one piece.
He could handle the rest.
Sam snoozed in a chair against the wall most of that evening while he and John waited for Dean to come out of his sedation. Bobby and Cas had already moved on to Bobby's house; anyone could tell that Cas was on the verge of an exhausted breakdown. He flinched at noises that weren't very loud, spaced out while being spoken to, nodded off constantly, and had a wild, almost feral look in his eyes when he snapped awake. He didn't fight when John sent him and Bobby out of the room and to the car.
That left John to watch his sleeping pups, his mind otherwise free to roam at its leisure.
A soft snort and gentle grin crossed his features as he sat beside Dean's bed, where he could keep an eye on both boys. Three weeks ago I was hunting a wendigo with my 'only' son. Now I have two sons again- well, three at the moment. I never would've thought.
But I have my oldest son again. I actually get to raise my little trooper. Sam gets to grow up with his brother.
It's all I've ever wanted.
John almost didn't notice when Dean's eyes slid open slowly, heavily. "Welcome to Sioux Falls General, kiddo." His smile grew as Dean yawned and stretched out his good arm, laying it on his stomach before turning to look at his father, his head plopping back into the pillow once the man was in view.
"Hmm? Where?"
"Sioux Falls General Hospital. In Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This is Bobby's hometown, and where we'll be staying until you make a full recovery."
"Huh. Never been to South Dakota. Where's Sammy?"
John nodded across the room to where Sam was in one of his classic, very uncomfortable yet somehow tolerable positions, sleeping and snoring in a plastic chair.
Dean looked over smiled at the kid, a light coming to his eyes that John only ever saw when his oldest was around his littlest. "How can he sleep like that?"
"Raw talent." John chuckled. "You seem to have more energy now. How are you feelin'?"
Dean took a deep breath and shrugged, looking back to his father, the smile gone. "Sore. Stiff. Fuzzy. A little dizzy. Mostly tired. But I can breathe easier now."
"Doc said your body might take a few hours to adjust to the surgery and the meds and all that. She said you're doin' good, especially after our seven hour, cross-country tour earlier."
The kid rolled his eyes. "That sucked."
Concern flashed across John's face. "Were you- were you awake for any of it? They said you wouldn't feel anything."
"No, I was out, but they gave me the medicine in a huge fucking needle. Thing was basically a spear."
John was relieved and wanted to laugh. He was barely able to restrain himself. "Language, Dean. Don't go teaching your brother how to talk like that."
"He already knows, but he didn't get it from me." A mischievous smile lit up Dean's face and John couldn't help but join him.
"Yeah, well. No one said I was father of the year."
"I'd vote for you."
That got a good humorless snort out of the older man. "Why in the hell would you do that? I mean, look at us. You're in a hospital bed, Sam's passed out in a hospital chair, we basically kidnapped that other kid, and my best friend is babysitting us while we hide from a vampire. From one vampire. And an abusive housewife."
Dean shook his head, his expression confused. "It was Winthrop and Lucy and Diesel, though. Didn't Sam tell you Winthrop was meeting up with his second in command when we escaped?"
"What?" No way in hell this could get worse. There's no way.
"Winthrop only parked the van to go meet up with Diesel. He was gonna bring him back. That's when we got out."
"Who the fuck is Diesel?" Guess it got worse.
"Language, Dad." Dean grinned briefly before the sober, demanding eyes of his father put him in his place. "He, uh, he's been Winthrop's second in command ever since I can remember. He was with him when they busted into the motel room. Diesel was in charge of me a lot of the time. Well, him and Nutmeg, his mate. But she was killed in a raid and he… he, uh…"
"He what, son?" Don't you tell me he did something to you. If he so much as touched you, I'm burning that fucker alive.
Dean swallowed hard and looked to his good hand, which was picking at the blanket laying over him. "Winthrop let him take his frustrations out on me. He blamed me for her death and beat me to a bloody pulp."
Oh hell no. "He's gonna regret-"
"At least once a week every week until I was rescued."
John fell silent, watching his son's face and neck flush, his eyes slowly get red. The boy who had been warm and welcoming and relaxed just a minute ago became withdrawn and fidgety, avoiding eye contact. Like a wet blanket, shame settled over John. "Dean-"
"Can we not…?"
Dammit. He hasn't even been awake for three minutes and I've already shoved him down memory freakin' lane. Really need to get my shit together if he's ever going to start healing from all that. "Yeah, yeah, kiddo. We don't have to talk about that now."
Dean sniffed his nose and tried to hide the fact that his eyes were already pricking.
"Hey, you hungry?"
Luckily, John's attempt at a distraction worked. He helped his son order some of his favorite foods from a little brochure that the hospital left in every room for when patients without a specified diet wanted something to eat. From that point on, they only talked about easy things: food, monsters that Dean hadn't heard of, embarrassing stories from Sam's childhood, some of John's favorite hunts. By the time the burger and pie arrived, Dean was back to his old self, laughing and reveling in the fact that he had a Dad. An awesome Dad who wanted him and would protect him and make him feel better no matter what. It was still hard to believe.
"Eat up, bud. I want all that to be gone by the time I have to take Sam home."
Dean went full deer-in-the-headlights just as he was about to take a bite of burger. "What? You're leaving?"
John sighed. He knew this was coming, but there wasn't much he could do about it. "I'm sorry, Dean. This hospital has ridiculously strict visitation hours and now that you aren't in the PICU anymore, they said I can't stay the night. Sam and I will be kicked out at ten, but we'll be back bright and early at nine tomorrow, okay?"
"But- but what if Winthrop finds-"
"He doesn't know where we are." John kept his voice low and soothing, urging the panic in his baby's eyes to subside. "We used fake names, we covered our scent, we even switched out the plates on the Impala. There's no way he'll be able to find us before we bust you outta here."
"Are you sure?" Dean whispered, a sickening tension building in his stomach. "He's found me a couple times before with nothing but my age and my first name."
John rested a hand on Dean's good shoulder and squeezed. "Nothing is going to find you here. If it'll make you feel better, I can stay in the car outside all night long. I can see your window from the parking lot."
Nothing mattered more to John than his little lost trooper feeling safe while he was in such a fragile state. That outweighed John's own need for sleep, his hygiene, his comfort, his everything. If one of his boys needed him, he'd be there. As long as he didn't get permanently kicked out of the hospital, that is. If he refused to leave and had to be escorted out by security when visiting hours were over, then Dean might have to spend a few days without his father even being able to see him. John knew that Dean was at a much higher risk of being found and/or attacked during the day. The floors were open during visiting hours and anyone off the street could walk in and find him. At night, the floors were locked down and his little boy would be much safer. As long as the vampire didn't know exactly where he was, Dean wouldn't be found.
Dean debated the offer for a few seconds before noticing the crusty, dark red flakes in his father's hair. Ugh, that's so gross. Is that my…? "N-… no. That's okay. I'll, uh, I'll be fine. Just come back as soon as they let you, okay? Please?" He felt guilty for wanting to put himself above his father. The man needed rest just as much as he did, but being alone, now that Dean had a family, was frightening. He didn't like being alone. Never had. He wanted his dad and his brother to stay with him until he could leave with them, but that was selfish and he had no right to make them miserable like that. Even if it would make him feel two hundred times safer. He needed to remember that he wasn't the center of the universe.
The hesitation in Dean's voice pulled at John's willingness to leave- he briefly thought about hiding in the room, or filing a complaint about the hours, or fighting the nurses and security, or taking Dean home that very night- but he knew keeping Dean at the hospital would speed up his recovery to mere weeks instead of the months it would probably take at Bobby's house alone. The father needed his son to be okay and the best way to ensure that was to have him stay in that stuffy, white room. Even if leaving Dean made both of them nervous.
"I promise. I'll be here every day, at the door, the moment they open them. And I'll be here every night until they kick me out, no matter how long it takes for them to discharge you." John leaned forward and pushed the tray of food closer to his son. "Now eat up. In my experience, pie can fix just about anything."
A/N: Leave me a review! See you next week (or possibly sooner, idk, I'm a wildcard sometimes)...