Chapter 18

It was the early hours of the morning when noises woke Sam from a troubling dream where he was trying to pull Dean from the water and kept losing him. He would dive under, and his fingers would graze Dean's cold skin, only to have him jerked away by the water current. Sam was freaking out as he tried to save his brother. He sat up in bed panting for air and looked around, letting his eyes adjust to the dim lighting of the room before looking toward the other bed. He heard the noises again coming from Dean's bed.

"Dean," Sam mumbled as he threw the covers back and stepped to Dean's bed. He switched on the lamp so he could see, but he could hear the wheezing breathing as Dean drew in a short breath. "Dean, hey are you okay?" Sam asked placing a hand on his forehead and feeling the heat coming off him. He was running a fever and his hair was plastered to his scalp by sweat. "Dean, can you wake up?" Sam encouraged him, taping his face to get his attention.

"Cold," Dean slurred as he tried to bury deeper into the blanket.

"Okay, let me get you another blanket." Sam rushed to the closet and grabbed a quilt from the top shelf to take it back to Dean's bed. He shook it out and spread it over Dean's small body, tucking it in. "I'll be right back, I need to find a thermometer." Sam hurried to the bathroom and began rummaging in the drawers and medicine cabinet until he found one. He got a washcloth and wet it with cold water so he could wipe Dean's face and lay it on his forehead. "Dean, can you hold this under your tongue?" Sam asked as he wiped his face making Dean groan and roll his head away from Sam.

"No…" Dean whined in a raspy voice that made him start coughing.

"Easy there, I'm trying to help Buddy," Sam assured him grimacing as snot dripped from his nose. He wiped it away and carefully slipped the thermometer between Dean's lips. "Hold it under your tongue so I can get a reading."

"Mmmm…" Dean tried to speak before spitting it out. He coughed hard again and curled into a ball, covering his face with the blanket to hide from Sam.

"Damnit," Sam grumbled knowing Bobby didn't have any medicine for a kid in the house. It had been a long time since that was needed. Sam got up and grabbed his clothes quickly putting them on. He picked his wallet up from the dresser and looked at Dean one more time before hurrying into the hall and down the stairs running to Bobby's bedroom. He knocked on the door before opening it. "Bobby, Dean's sick. Can you go stay with him while I run into town to get some medicine?" Sam blurred out.

"Tell me that again?" Bobby insisted as he sat up in bed and shook himself awake. He slipped the gun back under his pillow and zeroed in on a panicked Sam.

"Dean's sick. I need to go into town and get medicine," Sam explained a little slower.

"Alright, I'll go stay with him while you're gone," Bobby replied getting up and looking around for his pants.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Sam ran from the room and out the front door to the car. He cranked the Impala and slammed his foot on the gas, throwing gravel behind him as he sped down the driveway.

Bobby headed up the stairs and to the brothers' bedroom. He went to Dean's bed and pulled the quilt off his head so he could lay a callused hand on his forehead. He could feel the heat and listened to his labored breathing and coughing.

"Well, son, guess you getting dunked in the river yesterday gave you a bad cold," Bobby mumbled. He picked the washcloth up and went to the bathroom to run cold water over it and wrung it out. "Here you go Sport. Maybe this will help." He looked around for a tissue to wipe his runny nose but before he could, Dean buried his face into his pillow and smeared mucus all over it. "Do you want something to drink?" Bobby opened the bottle of water sitting on the nightstand and slid his arm under Dean's shoulders to raise his upper body. "Here you go, take a little sip," he offered putting the bottle to his lips.

Dean reached up and wrapped his hands around Bobby's trying to hold the bottle himself. He gulped a mouth of water and tried to swallow it. Part went down and the rest he coughed back up before he could stop himself. He tried to open his watery eyes when the coughing subsided and looked at Bobby with weak eyes.

"Un'e Bob'y…Don't feel good," Dean managed to croak out as he sniffed and suddenly sneezed, sending snot across the covers. He coughed and sneezed again, trying to get his breath as he sobbed.

"I know Dean. You're sick and your brother has gone to get you some meds to help you feel better."

"Need to potty," Dean said in a weak voice.

"Alright, let's get you up then," Bobby responded pulling the covers back and picking Dean up to carry him to the bathroom. He helped him get down his pants and briefs before sitting him on the commode. "You stay right here and let me change your sheets."

"Okay," Dean whispered leaning sideways against the counter to hold himself up. He sniffed and wiped his nose on the bottom of his pajama top. He was cold but felt hot too and shivered as he sat there doing his business and waited on Bobby. Dean closed his eyes and let his head fall forward, feeling tired and weak.

Bobby came back into the bathroom to help Dean finish up and wash his hands. He wet a cloth to wash the dried mucus off his face and clean his eyes.

"I think you need some clean pajamas too," Bobby observed. "Can you walk back to the bedroom?"

"Yeah," Dean coughed leaning against Bobby as they went back into the bedroom. Bobby sat him on the bed and got clean pajamas from the dresser. "Okay, let's get you changed and back in bed. Your brother should be back soon with medicine for you."

"Thirsty," Dean told him looking around for his drink.

"Okay son, take small sips so you don't choke," Bobby cautioned him as he helped Dean with the water. When he was finished, Dean laid down and Bobby covered him, tucking the blankets around his body. He brushed a hand through Dean's damp hair and cupped his hot, reddened cheek. Bobby pulled a chair to the side of the bed and sat down to watch over Dean while waiting for Sam to return.

spn

Sam screeched to a stop in front of the house and got out opening the back to grab all the bags with his purchases. He let himself in and went to the kitchen first to put the Gatorade in the fridge and Pedialyte pops in the freezer and left the soups on the counter. He took the other bags upstairs and to his bedroom to find Bobby sitting by Dean's side.

"Damn boy, did you buy out the store?" Bobby asked as Sam sat his bags on his bed.

"I wasn't sure what to get, so I got some of everything," Sam said. He found the thermometer and opened the box to pull it out and then looked at the back for the instructions. After giving them a quick read, he moved to Dean's side and sat down. "Hey Buddy, going to take your temperature." Sam placed the end of the thermometer into Dean's ear and pushed a button. After a few moments, once the device beeped, he pulled it out and looked at the display. "One hundred and one point six," Sam read showing it to Bobby.

"Poor little fella," Bobby noted.

"Okay, I've got children's Tylenol for fever, cough medicine, throat lozenges, chap stick, tissue, vapor rub, Dimetapp, gummy vitamin C, cold packs, and anything else I thought would help," Sam listed as he picked up each item. "I'll give him something to try and bring his fever down." He picked up the bottle of Tylenol and checked the dosage before opening it and pouring some into the small cup. "Dean, I need you to drink this, it'll make you feel better," Sam spoke to Dean.

"Don't wanna," Dean pouted turning his head away from him.

"Dean, we need to get your fever down, now do as I tell you," said Sam in a stern voice.

"No," Dean mumbled from around his hand that was over his mouth.

"Okay Sport," Bobby boomed out. "You sit up and take your medicine."

Dean looked at Bobby's stern face and Sam's concerned one before focusing on the small cup Sam was holding. He finally opened his mouth and let Sam give him the medicine and swallowed it, grimacing and making a face.

"Now that wasn't so bad," Sam told him. "I've got some Gatorades and Pedialyte getting cold in the fridge for you to drink to try and keep you hydrated. I got your favorite flavors."

"Okay," Dean mumbled as he scrunched under the covers.

"I had to change the sheets and his clothes because he coughed crap all over them," Bobby told Sam.

"Yeah, I was going to do that when I got back. The sheets were sweat soaked from his fever."

"I'll go throw the things in the washer and start a pot of coffee," Bobby offered gathering up the dirty laundry and heading out.

"Thanks Bobby," Sam sighed taking his place in the chair. "How 'bout I put an ice pack on your forehead?" Sam asked Dean. He reached and found the pack to pull one out and open it. Once it was activated, he placed the pack on Dean's forehead and ran a finger down his cheek. "I got some chap stick for your lips too. They look cracked, do they hurt?"

"A little," Dean replied, his voice weak and hoarse.

"I got cherry flavor. Let's put some on them to soften them up." Sam opened the chap stick and leaned toward Dean to dab the substance on his lips. "Hopefully, you'll start feeling better real soon once the medicine kicks in."

"Will you stay?" Dean begged softly.

"Of course, bro. I'll be right here. Maybe you can eat some crackers or dry toast later so you can take some more medicine."

"Ugh…." Dean responded, before breaking into a coughing spasm.

"That doesn't sound good Dean. Maybe you should take some cough medicine too. It's grape flavored."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, you want to get better, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Then you need to take the medicine." Sam picked up the cough medicine and looked for the right dose to give to Dean. "Here you go, this should hopefully ease the coughing."

Dean wrinkled his nose and grimaced but opened his mouth for the cough medicine.

"That's good bro," Sam praised him wiping his mouth with a hand towel. "You try to rest now, and I'll go down and fix you something to eat and bring you some Gatorade."

Dean nodded as he huddled under the blankets looking smaller than he was. He reached for a tissue to wipe his nose and blow it, dropping it onto the floor when he was done. It was hard for him to breath with his nose stopped up, so he let his mouth hang open and drew in lungs of air that way. Dean couldn't stop the tears that pooled in his eyes before dripping down his cheeks. He didn't want to be sick; this was no fun, and he didn't feel like playing. He felt yucky and his body ached.

It wasn't long before Sam returned with a plate and drink. He sat the plate and drink on the nightstand and helped Dean to adjust his pillows so he could sit up.

"Here you go Dean, some dry toast and Gatorade," Sam told him putting the plate in his lap. "See if you can eat a little, maybe it'll make you feel better. I think you missed the trash can," Sam noted looking at the tissues that were by the bed. He reached over and got the trash can and picked up the used tissues. "I'm going to set it right here where you can reach it easier."

"Okay," Dean replied looking at the toast for a moment before picking up half a piece and taking a bite. He chewed slowly and sucked on the straw in the bottle of Gatorade. He took another small bite before putting it down and sighing softly. He coughed lightly again and cleared his throat. "Done," he told Sam.

"Okay, I'll leave the Gatorade and toast over here in case you want some more later." Sam sat the plate aside and the Gatorade on the nightstand.

"Read to me," Dean asked his voice rough and scratchy.

"You want one of the books Jody brought you since we finished the other one?"

"Yes," Dean nodded.

"I'll be right back," Sam told him getting up to go get a book. He came back up and eased down beside Dean on the bed. "Alright, this one is Black Beauty, it's about a horse."

Dean settled into his side where he could see the pictures and listen to Sam read. He coughed and accepted the tissue from Sam to blow his nose and wipe it. The calming sound of Sam's voice had Dean relaxing and starting to get sleepy. Sam had propped him up with the pillows so he could breathe easier.

When Sam finished a couple of chapters, he looked down and saw Dean had dozed back off, cuddled into his side. He reached for the damp cloth and wiped his face and around his nose. Sam was going to talk to Bobby to see if they should take him to the urgent care when they opened or not, if he got any worse. He didn't have any experience with sick kids and wasn't sure what to do. He was sure Dean got sick because he fell in the chilly water at the river. He blamed himself for this and added it to the guilt he was already carrying.

A/N: Sam gets to play doctor since Dean's dunking made him sick. Of course, Sam is blaming himself that this happened. I do like reviews/comments. NC