Pain. That was the first thing he noticed. The second was Sam. He was running towards him, yelling. Dean reached up and smacked his hands over his ears. The movement of his arms sent spasms of pain through his left side. He stumbled, falling on Sam. Both brothers fell to the ground. Dean lay there, trying to catch his breath, while Sam started asking him questions and checking his wounds.
"Do you remember what happened, Dean?" He asked with a panicked voice. "You spaced out after those dog-things started chasing us." Sam was talking so fast. He could barely understand what he was saying.
"We got split up, remember? What happened to your side, Dean? Did one get you?!" Dean started to shiver.
"Dean, answer me! Oh no... Did you hit your head?!" His voice cracked. He could have a traumatic brain injury. He leaned closer to Dean and felt the back of his head, pulling out a bloody hand. Sam looked at his hand with horror. Dean saw his own blood, quickly turned and vomited onto the wet ground, injuries be damned.
Sam took off his hoodie and wrapped it on Dean's head wound, slowing the bleeding. 'Fuckkk... if he does have a TBI... We need to get to a hospital. But right now, his side...' Sam's thinking was interrupted by the sound of howling and barking.
"Fuck... Fuck... Fuckkk... Dean! Listen to me, okay? I know it's hard to understand anything right now, but we have to run! Okay, Dean? C'mon. Run. That's an order, Dean." Sam knew his brother couldn't ignore that, and Dean nodded. Sam pushed them back onto their feet, swaying for a moment.
Dean groaned as Sam placed his hand around his injured side. He put his hand on Sam's and held on. He knew they had to run, or they'd die. He shuddered at the thought. The bitches were just mad because he'd killed one of them. The one that slashed up his side. Dean frowned. If only there was just that one...
"It's okay, Dean. Just keep going. You've got it." Sam kept saying. Dean didn't even know how long they were running for, but he was just so tired. Where were they going? What were they running from, again? He didn't know. But he kept running. The ground they were running on was sinking into a foot and a half of murky water. Still running. He suddenly got hit with a dizzy spell, and he swayed.
Sam stumbled, yelping as he tried to keep Dean upwards. Sam felt his ankle twist, definitely not good. Sprained, he guessed. Sam almost sobbed in relief as he caught sight of a cabin ahead. "C'mon Dean, you with me?" He questioned. All he got in response was a groan as Dean's legs buckled. Sam quickly grabbed his brother and leaned him against himself. "We're almost there, Dean! C'mon, just walk with me okay?! Look at me!" Unfocused green eyes met his. "There's a cabin up there, man. We get there, then you can sit. Sound okay?" Dean tried to nod but he still had a splitting headache. Was Sammy okay? "Y-yeah. Y-you... o-okay... Ss-sammy?" He stuttered. Sam huffed,
"Yeah I'm okay, Dean. Only my ankle... I think it's sprained. But you should worry about yourself right now, man..."
They stumble to the cabin and Sam sets Dean down on a crate while he works on the door. He finds an axe and swings it against the padlock. It gives way. He sighs in relief as he sees a fireplace, two chairs, and a table. Sam heaves his brother up once again, limping towards the chair.
Sam rummaged through the cupboards, searching for salt. He was successful, and lined the windows and doors. He had also found a flashlight. He needed to check Dean's pupils, even though he already knew what he'd see. His brother was slumped against the chair, eyes closed. He was breathing quick, panicky breaths.
"Hey, Dean. It's okay. Open your eyes for me, Dean. I need to check if you have a concussion." Dean mumbled something under his breath.
"Huh? N-no. N-not opening th-them... Hurts."
"C'mon, Dean. You need to listen to me." Sam sighed, getting irritated. Dean huffed and slowly pried open his eyes. He moaned as Sammy shined the light into them. He just wanted to go to sleep! Why wouldn't Sam let him?! Those fuglies weren't gonna get them anymore, Sammy had dealt with that! So why couldn't he sleep? He began chewing his lip and fumbling with his hands. His thoughts became muddled as he felt an excruciating pain behind his eyes... He couldn't see! "Ss-sam! I-can't-" He cried, reaching out for blindly towars where his brother was.
Sam's fear was coming true... He had read all about TBI's when one of his collage professor's got one in a car crash. You could have these possibile symptoms; staring and unresponsiveness, tiredness and dizziness, not being able to understand others, temporary blindness, and the worst- seizures. As soon as Dean reached out for his brother, he collapsed against Sam, twitching and jerking.
Sam looked at his watch as he maneuvered his brother to the ground. 5:17. This can't be happening! He unbuttoned Dean's tight shirt. He tried to hold him down the best he could, occasionally getting hit with a jerking limb. A strangled keening sound escaped his throat. Sam was starting to panic...The convulsing finally stopped, leaving Sam breathless as he checked his watch again. 5:19. Sam took a deep breath, and checked Dean's pulse, fast but steady. He turned Dean's head to the side so he wouldn't choke on anything.
Sam tapped his brother's cheek and whispered, "Hey. Dean. You with me? Please, man!" Green eyes fluttered open. Dean let out a small sob and reached out for Sam. He grabbed Dean's hand and cried, "Oh thank god, Dean! I thought I lost you!" Dean looked so confused and scared. "I- I-don't-" he started sobbing. Sam pulled him into his lap and rubbed his back. Dean groaned but kept crying.
"That's it- I'm calling Cas in on this one." Sam choked, more to himself than to Dean.
"Cas? You there? It's Sam.' His voice cracked, 'Dean- he- he's hurt. It's bad, Cas. We need you." Sam kept crying and held his brother. He heard a flutter of wings and looked up. Castiel stood there, stock still, staring at the scene in front of him. Both brothers looked broken beyond recognition. Sam emotionally, and Dean physically.
Cas rushed forward and kneeled down next to where Sam held his still sobbing brother. "Sam- What happened? Why didn't you call me sooner?" Sam's lip wobbled as he nodded to Dean. "Heal him. Please." Castiel is taken back by how young Sam sounded saying those three words. He sensed pain in Sam too. He nodded and put a finger to Sam and Dean's forehead. Grace flowed through their bodies, healing and mending.
Dean's still crying when he's fully healed, clinging to Sam like a lifeline. Sam breaks down again, grabbing Cas and pulling him close into a group hug. Cas just rubs the brothers' shoulders and murmurs soothing words. Sam doesn't really notice that Cas teleported them to the hotel they were staying at. It felt like they sat like that for hours...
END