CHAPTER FORTY THREE

This chapter's for Lia Walker who wanted Dean to fall in water.

The brothers watch Beetlejuice. Dean & Sam play a couple of pranks.

The two Winchesters were sitting side by side on the couch, watching Beetlejuice on Sam's laptop.

Dean giggled at something Beetlejuice did, and looked up at Sam with a grin. "He funny, Sammy."

"Yeah, I know kiddo," said Sam, taking a sip of his coffee, and watching the cartoon with his brother.

A minute later, Dean's eyes widened and he suddenly screamed, "SAMMY!" scaring Sam half to death.

"Dean, what the hell?" said Sam, putting his now-empty cup down. He turned to Dean, who was staring at him with huge tearful green eyes. "Dean? Are you alright, kiddo? What's wrong?"

"Beetwejuice ghostie, Sammy," was all Dean said.

Sam raised his eyebrows. "Yeah... and? You scream like a lunatic, nearly giving me a heart attack because Beetlejuice is a ghost? He didn't scare you, did he? If he did, I'll turn it off."

Dean shook his head, eyes still wide. "No, Sammy. He funny. I's finking, wight? Beetwejuice ghostie... dat mean Dean knight getted him?"

"Er..." Sam took one look at Dean's huge eyes, and didn't have the heart to tell him Beetlejuice wasn't real. "No, kiddo. Dean the knight won't get Beetlejuice."

"But... but... Dean knight get ghosties... Beetwejuice ghostie."

Sam wrapped his arm around Dean's shoulders. "Dean, I promise... Dean the knight won't hurt him. He only hurts nasty ghosts... and Beetlejuice is nice, isn't he? So he won't get him."

"How's you know? He fink he nasty, and get him."

"Oh my god," Sam whispered to himself. He put the laptop on the other side of the couch, and sat Dean on his knee. "Dean, look at me. I promise... and double promise that Dean the knight will not get Beetlejuice."

Dean's pout turned into a big grin. '"Kay den. We's watch him?"

Sam smiled, and put the laptop back on Dean's knee. He started another episode, wrapping his arms around Dean's front. "Are you okay now?"

"Yeah, Sammy. Wook..." Dean pointed at the screen, and gasped when Beetlejuice got split in two. "SAMMY! SAMMY, DEY TWO BEETWEJUICE!"

"Dean, do you have to shout? I'm right here. I'm not deaf, you know."

"Sammy, I's want Beetwejuice. Why's not I gotted Beetwejuice?"

"Er... because... I don't know where he lives. So... I can't ask him to come see you."

"But say name fwee times, he come."

"It's not a good idea to say his name. Er... because if you do, other things might come too." Sam always thought the Bloody Mary thing was a myth, but it was actually real. He really didn't want to go around with a shotgun, hunting Beetlejuice, if he turned up.

"He not wike me," he pouted.

"Have you ever met anyone who didn't like you? Well apart from Carl, who's a freak anyway. I bet if Beetlejuice met you, he'd love you. You could both play jokes on everyone, and make them all laugh."

"Dat be funny. Me and you pway jokes on peeples?"

Sam sighed. He wished he hadn't said that. "Well, it depends what kind of jokes you want to play. They can't be nasty ones."


After the cartoon finished, Dean turned to Sam. "What we's do?" he asked, clapping.

Sam sighed, and thought of an easy one. "Why don't we put a whoopee cushion in Bobby's chair?" Sam knew Dean used to keep one in his bag, for when he played pranks on people. "I'll be right back. Stay here, okay?"

"'Kay, Sammy," said Dean, giving his sleeping dog a hug. "Zeppin, me and Sammy pway jokes. It be funny."

When Sam got the whoopee cushion, he went to see Bobby. "Hey Bobby. I'm just letting you know that Dean wants to play pranks. This will be in your chair. Act like you don't know it's there when you come in."

"Sure, Sam. Little man's been watching Beetlejuice again, has he?"

"Are you kidding? He's been watching it nearly all morning. I better get back in. I'll let you know what else we do, so you don't end up hurt or anything."

"Yeah. Thanks for the warning."


"Put it there," Sam told his brother, giving him the whoopee cushion. "Make sure he can't see it."

Dean giggled, and put it in the chair under the chair cushion. "It be funny, in't it Sammy?"

"Yeah. It'll be very funny, kiddo." Sam gasped when he heard the door close. "Oh no. Bobby's coming in. Quick, let's sit down." The two brothers ran to sit on the couch and pretended to look innocent.

As soon as Bobby came in, Dean burst out laughing.

"Shh. We have to be quiet," whispered Sam, putting a hand over Dean's mouth. "Hey Bobby. Dean's just thinking of something funny he saw earlier."

Bobby smiled, and sat in the chair. The noise it made when he sat on the cushion made Dean scream with laughter.

Sam and Bobby smiled at the little boy, who was doubled over. "D-Dat funny," he giggled, pointing at Bobby. "He..." He couldn't finish, he started laughing again.

Zeppelin was now awake, staring at Dean with his head tilted, probably wondering what was going on.

"Dean, it wasn't that funny." Sam rolled his eyes when that made Dean laugh harder. "Will you calm down now? It happened five minutes ago."

"Sowwy." Dean put his hands over his mouth, and looked at Bobby, and went into hysterics again.

Sam sighed, and waited for his brother to calm down.

Almost ten minutes later, Dean finally stopped laughing. "Have you calmed down yet?"

"Yeah. I's stop. What we's do?"

"Er... What about..."

"We go kisen, unca Bee-bee not hear what we's do." Dean got down from Sam's knee, and ran to the kitchen.

"I'll let you know," Sam told Bobby, before going into the kitchen, where Dean was already sitting at the table.

"Come, Sammy. We's fink more."

Sam sat in the chair beside Dean. "Hey, I know." He got a quarter out of his pocket, and a pencil out of the drawer, and ran it down the side. "Ask Bobby to put this down his face, and when he's finished, he'll have a long line down his face."

"Dat be funny, Sammy."

"Go get him," Sam told him, ruffling his hair.

Dean smiled back, and climbed down from his chair. "UNCA BEE-BEE!" he yelled, running into the room.

"What's up, little man?"

"Unca Bee-bee, do dis." Dean climbed up on Bobby's knee, and held out the quarter. "Put on you's face."

Bobby took the quarter, and ran it down the middle of his face. He didn't mind washing his face after, Dean's laughter would be worth it.

As soon as he saw Bobby's face, Dean giggled again, clapping in delight. "Wook, Sammy. Unca Bee-bee go baff," he said, pointing at his uncle. "Ooh ooh. We's do sumfing more? Come, Sammy." He climbed from the chair, and rushed into the kitchen again.

Sam sighed, and rolled his eyes. "I'm coming. The things we do for that kid."

"Yeah, I know. But he's worth it though."

"Yeah, he is." Sam followed Dean in the kitchen, and saw him standing on a chair at the sink. "What are you doing?"

"Hep me, Sammy. I's not weach it." Dean leaned over, and tried to turn the taps.

"Fine. But do you mind telling me what the hell you're doing?" asked Sam, putting the cold tap on for his brother.

Dean grinned, and put his hands in the sink as it filled up with water. "Get unca Bee-bee."

Sam sighed again, and went to get Bobby. "Hey, Bobby. Little freak wants you in the kitchen."

"Why? What's he doing now?"

"I have no idea. He asked me to come get you," he said as the two walked into the kitchen. "I've got him."

"Come, unca Bee-bee," he said with wide innocent eyes. "Come see."

"What do ya want, little man?" asked Bobby, walking over.

Dean brought his hands out, and splashed the water all over Bobby. "I'S GOTTED YOU!" he yelled, laughing.

Bobby blinked the water out of his eyes. "Well... that was wet."

"Well done, kiddo. That was good," said Sam, picking his brother up.

"I's wetted unca Bee-bee," he giggled, throwing his arms around Sam's neck. "Ha ha. You's wet, unca Bee-bee."

Bobby mock-glared at him. "I'll get ya for that."

Dean laughed, and tried to hide in Sam's t-shirt. "Save me, Sammy. Unca Bee-bee get me." He screamed when Bobby grabbed him from behind, and took him from his big brother.

"Have ya finished wetting me now?"

"Yeah. But it funny, in't it, unca Bee-bee?"

Bobby smiled, and tweaked the tiny nose. "Yeah. It was very funny."

"Fank you." He started struggling, so Bobby let him down, and he ran back into the living room.

Sam emptied the sink, then the two men joined Dean in the living room. "Dean?" asked Sam, frowning when he didn't see him anywhere.

"BOOOOOO!" yelled Dean, jumping out from his hiding place.

Sam gasped, and jumped. "God. You scared me, kiddo."

"Good one, little man."

Dean giggled, and jumped up and down. "I's scareded Sammy."

Sam lifted Dean into his arms. "You think that's funny, do you? Because I don't think it was that funny." He kissed Dean's tiny nose. "You're pretty good at this. But let's play some more later, okay? Let's watch a bit of TV."

"'Kay Sammy. But pwomise we's pway more?"

"I promise, kiddo."


A few hours later, Sam was running the bath to get Zeppelin in it. Earlier, Dean had played a prank on him, and ended up getting flour all over the dog.

Sam turned off the taps, then turned to Dean. "Don't go near the water. I'll be back in a minute with Zeppelin."

"I's not, Sammy. I be good."

Sam nodded, and ruffled Dean's hair. "Good. I'll be back in a sec."

Dean waited until Sam left the bathroom, before running into his and Sam's room to get the box he used to climb into bed. "I's know." He stood on the box, and turned the tap back on.

He leaned over to turn the other tap on, but he leaned over too far, and ended up falling in the bath.

The little boy hit his head against the side of the tub, and sank under the water, unconscious.


"Come on, Zeppelin. I know you hate baths, but you need one. Come on." Sam tried to pull on Zeppelin's collar, but the dog didn't move.

"Go check on the little man. He's being too quiet. I'll bring Zeppelin up."

Sam nodded, and ran upstairs. He couldn't hear Dean at all, which got him worried. "Dean?"

When he walked into the bathroom, his eyes widened and his heart almost stopped when he saw his brother under the water, unmoving. "DEAN!" he screamed, running over to the bathtub to lift his limp brother out of the water. As he scooped the tiny body in his arms, the little head flopped limply backwards, and his face was ashen white, and his lips were slightly blue, making Sam panic. "Oh god, please no. Dean, can you hear me?"

Sam laid Dean gently on the floor, and placed his ear near his mouth to check if he was breathing. "Nonononono. BOBBY! CALL AN AMBULANCE!" He put one hand on Dean's chest, and carefully started giving CPR. After chest compressions, he tilted Dean's head back, pinched his nose, and pressed his lips against the cold lips of his little brother.

Bobby ran into the bathroom and gasped in horror when he saw Sam giving mouth to mouth to a lifeless Dean. "Oh my god," he whispered, rushing over to his boys. "I've called them. What happened?"

"I don't know. I came in, and he was under the water." Sam looked back down at his brother, and pressed down on his chest. "Come on, Dean. BREATHE!"

Bobby took a shaky breath, and knelt closer to Dean. "I'll do stomach compressions. See if he'll cough the water up." He placed one hand on Dean's abdomen, and pressed upwards.

Sam turned tearful eyes to Bobby. "O-Okay. Come on, kiddo. Please just breathe, come on baby, breathe." He stroked Dean's wet hair away from his pale, lifeless face. That was when he saw the blood trickling down Dean's forehead. "Please don't take him away from me," he sobbed quietly.

Bobby continued with the compressions, he wasn't going to stop until Dean was breathing properly. "Come on, little man," he whispered, trying not to use too much pressure on the tiny fragile ribs.

"Breathe, baby. Don't you leave me," Sam pleaded tearfully, not noticing the tears streaming down his cheeks as he pinched the freckled nose, and breathed for him again. "Don't you die on me... Please."

Bobby pushed three more times, before Dean's tiny body jerked, and water started trickling from his mouth.

"Yeah. That's it little man," said Bobby, sighing in relief when Dean started coughing, his face scrunched up in pain. "Turn him over."

Sam nodded, and turned Dean over, but supported his head in the crook of his arm. "Come on, cough it up," he whispered, rubbing the heaving back as he tried to expel the water.

Dean was laying limply in Sam's arms as he continued choking and whimpering with his efforts of throwing the water back up.

"That's it, kiddo. I know it hurts, but you need to get it up," Sam told him in a gentle voice. "Shh. We've got you."

The little boy stopped coughing, and reached a tiny hand out. "S-Sam...my," he croaked weakly.

Sam laughed in relief, and closed his eyes. "Oh thank you, god," he whispered, turning Dean to sit in his arms, rubbing his back in-case there was still some water in his lungs.

Bobby reached over, and turned the water off. He knelt down beside his boys again, taking off his jacket, and wrapping the trembling boy in its warmth. "There ya go, little man."

Zeppelin suddenly ran into the room, and headed straight to Dean, sniffing and licking him.

Bobby grabbed his collar, and pulled him back. "Not now, Zeppelin," he said, before turning to Dean. "Are ya alright?"

Dean started crying, and clinging to Sam. "S-Scared, Sam-m-mmy," he whispered through slightly blue, trembling lips.

"Shh. It's alright, kiddo," said Sam, trying to wipe his own tears. "I'm here, you're alright. I've got you."

"Don't ever scare us like that again, little man. I swear yer trying to give me a heart attack or something."

Dean sniffled, and turned his huge, teary eyes to Bobby. "S-Sowwy," he whispered, trembling.

"Shh. Don't be sorry," soothed Sam, hugging Dean tighter to him, and running his fingers through the wet hair.

Bobby got up when he heard the sirens outside. "I'll show them in," he said, walking out of the room, taking Zeppelin out with him.

Sam started rocking his brother in his arms, and jumped when he felt a hand on his arm. "Don't touch him," he growled.

"We're here to help. My name's Shawn. Can we have a look at him?"

Dean turned huge eyes on Sam. "NO! S-S-Samm..my," he whimpered, crying again.

"Shh, Kiddo. I'm not going anywhere." He glared at the two men, daring them to take his brother away from him.

Shawn turned to his partner, who shrugged. "Okay. What is this little guy's name?"

Sam looked down at his brother, who was watching the two men with wide scared eyes. "He's my little brother, Dean. He fell in the bath. He... he nearly drowned."

The paramedics started working on Dean. After placing a blanket around the shaking child, Peter put an oxygen mask over his face, but Dean struggled to take it off, not realising what it was.

"Leave it on, kiddo. You need it."

When they finished getting him ready, Shawn and Peter tried to put him on the stretcher, but Dean clung tighter to Sam, shaking his head frantically.

"Shh. It's alright." Sam turned to the paramedics. "I'll carry him. He's too scared. I'm not letting him go, he needs me. And I can't... I need to hold him right now."

"Okay. But try and keep him calm."

Sam nodded, and stood with Dean cradled in his arms. Peter and Shawn followed behind him.

"I'll drive behind ya in the car," Bobby told them from the bottom of the stairs.

Sam rushed his brother into the waiting ambulance. "It's alright," he whispered, sitting down with Dean wrapped tightly in his arms.

"We'll get you to the hospital in no time," Shawn told them, climbing up into the ambulance with them.

Dean looked up at Sam with a faint smile under the oxygen mask, before his eyes fluttered closed, and his exhausted body went limp.

"Dean?" asked Sam, tapping Dean's pale face gently. "Nononono. Not again."

"It's okay. He's probably exhausted."

After making sure Dean was still breathing, Sam's eyes filled with more tears as he looked lovingly down at the little boy he loved more than life itself. "I love you, little brother," he whispered, adjusting the jacket and blanket around the tiny form so he didn't get cold.


-The next day-


Early in the afternoon, Sam was sitting beside Dean's hospital bed, holding the tiny hand in both of his.

"When I's go home?"

Sam moved to sit on the edge of the bed, and pulled him into his arms. "You can go home in a few days, kiddo. The doctors want to keep you in until they're sure you're completely fine," he said, smiling when Dean's bottom lip poked out. "Don't pull that face. I know you hate hospitals, but you were really hurt, and have three stitches in your head, you're not going anywhere until you're better."

Dean sighed, and snuggled closer to Sam's chest.

Sam kissed his hair. "I love you so much."

"Woves you awell." Dean gasped when he saw Bobby walk in with Dave. "Unca Davey. You's come see me?"

"Of course I did, Deanie. I took the day off work, so I could come see my favourite nephew. How are you doing?"

"Sammy say I gotted weally hurted. Wook," he said, pointing at the bandage on his head. "I's hitted my head... and it hurted."

"Look what I've got." Dave reached into the bag he carried, and brought out a mud-filled jar. "Your uncle Bobby said you love Beetlejuice. I can't get him for you, but this is the best I can do. It's a beetle."

"I's gotted Beetwe name Beetwejuice," said Dean, giggling in delight. "He nice, in't he, Sammy?"

"Yeah. Thanks Dave. We've already got a zoo back home."

Dave winked at Dean, and passed the jar to Bobby, who put it in a carrier bag.

"ATCHHHOOOO!" Dean's eyes widened almost comically. "Oh no. I atchoo'd."

"Oh crap," said Sam, wiping Dean's nose. "I think you might have got a cold or something from being under the water."

Dean started pouting again, and crossed his arms. "I not want sick. I's hate water. Big stoopid meanie."

The men laughed. "Well, yer going to be alright, little man. Ya got us three to take care of ya."

"Oh no," whispered Dean with wide eyes.

"Oh yes," said Sam, kissing his brother's pouted lips.

TBC

Hope you like.