Chapter 3

Always my Shadow

Dean watched as Sam tossed and turned under the covers. It was after 2:00 a.m., and Dean had been watching Sam, waking him every couple of hours. He raised his hand up and massaged his tight neck muscles; he shifted to sit up on the bed across from Sam, looking at his brother. He looked a little flushed in the dim light of the motel lamp. Dean rose and walked the three steps to his brother, laying his hand on his check. 'Damn it', Dean thought, he's got a fever. He had held off taking Sam to the emergency room earlier, after the incident with the poltergeist, his brother arguing with him, insisting he was okay. Dean had to admit, he was coherent, and woke easily each time Dean needed him to, but now, he was worried he had acted hastily.

"Hey there, Sammy, wake up for me", Dean tilted his head down and looked at Sam's face. Sam's eyelashes fluttered and then bleary eyes looked up at Dean.

"Dude, you okay there?" Dean sat down on the mattress next to Sam's shoulder, reaching his hand up to rest on Sam's forehead.

"I'm okay, I just got a headache", Sammy whispered as he squinted his eyes close, reaching a hand up to touch his forehead.

"Leave it alone Sam, you got a nasty knot and bruise up there", Dean grabbed Sam's hand and moved it away from his face.

"I don't feel so good", Sammy said in a shaky voice. "I think I'm sick". Sam pulled his hand from Dean's grasp and put it up to his mouth as he felt the bile rise up in his throat. Dean, having been through this many times with his brother, recognized what was happening, and quickly grabbed the trash can from the floor. Dean held the trash can for Sam and watched helplessly as his brother dry heaved for several minutes, sweat building up on his face, hands shaking wearily.

"Ok", Dean stood up, moving the trash can away from his brother. "I think we are going to take you to the hospital, you don't seem to be getting better". Dean frowned as he brushed his brother's sweaty bangs off his face.

"I'm okay, I just got a headache". Sam insisted.

"Nope, that line isn't cutting it any more", Dean quickly pulled the covers off his brother and moved to help him sit up on the bed, pulling his feet over the edge. Sam swayed conspicuously and Dean grabbed a hold of his shoulder. He held on to Sam for a second, making sure he was steady, then reached down to put his brothers shoe's on him.

"Com'on Sammy, work with me here", Dean said as he struggled to get the tennis shoes on his brother's feet. Sam leered down at Dean's hands, his own fingers curling tightly around the bedspread, hanging on, trying desperately not to topple over on top of his big brother.

Dean finally rose from his crouched position and reached his arm around his swaying brother, pulling Sam to a standing position. Sam's eyes blinked slowly, he tried to steady himself against his brother, Dean's white tee shirt fisted in both his hands, black dots dancing in his vision.

"Steady, lean on me, I gotcha", Dean whispered into his brothers ear as Sam's head dropped against Dean's shoulder.

Taking most of Sam's weight, Dean made a steady path to the Impala, and slid Sam into the passenger seat. Closing the door, Dean grabbed the keys from his jeans pocket, running to the driver's door, he turned the ignition, the cars engine purring into the night air. .

"Dean..?" Sam leaned his forehead on the cool glass of the passenger window as the car careened down the highway.

"Right here Sammy", Dean murmured as he sat his right hand on the back of Sam's neck. He felt so warm to the touch, it scared Dean, and he gunned the Impala, racing to get his brother to the hospital. He glanced over as Sam, who seemed to be staring listlessly into the darkness.

"Dean…don't let go, I'm gonna fall", Sam slurred out in a low voice.

"I won't let go Sammy. Stay with me here". Dean gripped the steering wheel tightly with one hand and the back of Sam's neck with the other.

The ride to the hospital was fast, a blur of streetlights whizzing by the Impala's windows. Sam was so dizzy, he felt like he was twirling around as the car moved, Dean's firm grip the only thing keeping him grounded, holding him steady.

"Okay, Sammy, we're here, I gotta let go of you to get some help". Sam slowly blinked and turned his face toward his brother.

"Mmmmm…kay", Sam whispered.

Dean opened his door and ran full force in the emergency room doors.

"I need help…my brother", Dean grabbed the first nurse that he came too, who yelled for assistance as they ran back to the car. The medical team pushed Dean out of the way as they loaded Sam on the gurney and moved toward the emergency room.

"We got a head trauma here", Dean heard someone yell as he was bodily pushed toward the waiting room. Several minutes went by, just as Dean began to sink down into the plastic chair, a young man, Dean presumed a doctor, came out of the doors and walked toward him.

"What is your brother's name? How did he hit his head? How long has he been running a fever?" Questions came barreling at Dean ninety miles an hour, he shuffled on his feet and gave the doctor his full attention, answering all the questions as best he could, considering he had to lie about what his brothers name was, how he hit his head, and he wasn't sure how long he had been running the fever. As the doctor made his retreat, a nurse forced some forms on a clipboard in Dean's hands. He glanced down at the paperwork, and back to the doors that hid Sam from his view.

Dean dozed in the plastic chair, sleep was something he really needed to get some of, but his mind was racing as he wondered how his brother was doing. He looked down at his watch, it was 3:45 a.m., would this day ever end, he thought. He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, thoughts of his brother assaulting his tired mind.

"Dean, I don't want to go to a new school", eight year old Sam said in a whiny voice as his wide eyes looked up at his twelve year old big brother. "I just now made friends here, why do we have to go?" Sam bounced down on the old yellow couch, hands fisting up in his lap.

"I know Sam, but it will be fun, you will make new friends". Dean tried to sound confident, but knew it was hard to make friends when they moved around all the time. Three new schools in the last six months, it was hard for him, and he wasn't a nerd like his little brother, he snickered to himself and looked at Sam.

"Why do we always have to move, I don't want to". Sam slumped lower on the couch, shoulders hunched over, head hanging, chin to his chest.

"It's just what we do, Sam". Dean sat down on the couch next to his little brother, hand falling gently on his brother's knee.

"Why can't we be like everyone else, why do we have to always move around? Why can't we have a house like everyone else?"

"Stop Sam, you know we have to do what Dad says, he says go, we have to go". Dean reached down and grabbed Sam's chin, pulling it up, he saw his brother's tear rimmed eyes.

"I'm sorry Sammy", Dean pulled Sam into a hug, arms rubbing small circles on his little brothers back.

"It's not fair. I don't like making friends all the time, it's hard", Sammy whispered into Dean's shoulder.

"I'll always be here for you, Sammy", Dean ran his hand through his little brother's hair as he hugged him close.

"Mr. Wilson". Dean's eyes popped open, disoriented for a moment from dozing in the chair, coming to rest on the same doctor he had talked with earlier.

"Yea…yea, how's my brother?" Dean's mind cleared immediately as he turned a quizzical head to the doctor who sat down in the chair next to him.

"He's resting, we are admitting him. He has a concussion. Has he had previous concussions? The doctor leaned in toward Dean waiting on a response.

"Yes, he has", Dean ran his hand through his hair looking intently at the doctor.

"Okay, well, we are doing a CT scan, just to see what's going on. I will let you know as soon as we have the results". The doctor stood, extending his hand to Dean.

Dean stood and shook the doctor's hand, "Can I see him?"

"Sure, you can stay with him. We gave his something for the headache and dizziness, so he is a little out of it", the doctor smiled at Dean.

"Thank you", Dean whispered as he followed the doctor back through the swinging doors, back to his brother's side.

He pushed the door open, his brother was resting. He grabbed the hard plastic chair from the corner, gee, why don't they get better chairs, he thought, as he placed the chair next to Sam's bed. He reached down and took his brothers limp hand in his own.

"…ean..." Sam stirred, eyes half mast looking up at Dean.

"Sh…It's going to be okay. Rest now… I'll be right here", Dean squeezed his brothers hand as he watched Sam's eyes flutter and then close shut. He shifted in the plastic chair, watching the golden haze of sunrise coming through the window, holding tightly to his little brother's hand.