The next time he woke up went much better. For starters, he was able to do it without putting the whole ward on red alert. Slowly cracking his eyes open he took in the stark white walls and the collection of medical beepy machines. Hospital, great, just please don't let me be dead this time.

He shifted, leveraging himself up on his elbow to get a better look around while his brain tried to piece together just what brand of Winchester stupidity had landed him here. The last thing he remembered was the motel room, he'd been leaving, heading out to Baby. He collapsed back onto the bed, no that wasn't right. He'd been going out expecting to see Baby because he was in one of his weird, half real, half memory delusion things. She hadn't been there, because how could she be?

Everything did seem a lot more clear now. The sketchy, dissected memories that had flashed through his head in bits and pieces for two days finally seemed to have sorted themselves out into something like a complete recollection of a normal human life. Well, not normal, but everything seemed to be complete and in its proper order.

The perception was weird though. Nothing seemed hazy, or distant. All of it was clear, vivid, as if his entire life had just happened recently instead of over the course of three decades. He poked around and watched as Mary told him he was going to be a big brother, and it was just as clear as last night's bar crawl, more so in fact, since he hadn't been drunk at the time.

He let himself enjoy that for a minute. He wasn't even sure he had still recalled the event, even before he'd died, beyond knowing that it must have had happened. He replayed Mary telling him that the baby was going to come and live with them sometime around Easter. He smirked, she had been so sure that Sam was going to be a girl. Guess she figured that since she and John already had a boy that it would just work out that way. Kinda had, Dean joked with himself. Either way, Dean was going to be a big brother, and man, had he loved the way that felt, proud, and important, and a little scared, but good scared, all at the same time.

He realized he was smiling, an actual sincere, big ass, goofy smile. Feeling that again, having it back from under the crap pile that had buried it was almost worth everything he had gone through getting there. He just hoped his brain was done hopping around like a sugared up toddler and ready to behave.

"Well, I see you're awake. How are you feeling?" a female voice interrupted his thoughts.

Better than I did." he answered, turning his gaze and got an immediate reminder of why he had a thing for nurses. "In fact," he went on, "if you're free tonight..."

"Easy there, lady's man," she chuckled, "I need to take your vitals."

"Oh yeah, sure, safety first," he shifted his arm so she could wrap the blood pressure cuff. "Make sure I'm firing on all cylinders before we..."

"Shhh," she ignored him in favor of watching the gauge as the cuff deflated. "Not bad." she noted. The velcro ripped loudly as she removed the cuff.

"Not bad?" Dean asked, pretending to sound hurt, "Sweetheart, I am awesome."

"I'm sure you are." her fingers probed his wrist in search of the pulse point, "but let's take care of one thing at a time, all right?"

Dean obediently stayed quiet while she counted, eyes on her watch.

Seeing the watch made him think of something. "Hey, How long have I been here?" he asked as she was jotting results on his chart.

"Let's see," she skimmed the paperwork, "looks like you were brought in just after noon, so between seven and eight hours. Open."

He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off when she shoved a thermometer into it. "M tht oo 'id 'at i' 'e ea' 'ow." he grumbled around it.

"Don't talk." she instructed but flashed him an impish sort of grin that left him thinking it was a good thing she had already taken his pulse. He sulked a little while they waited. Every pretty girl he met lately, there was always something more important going on than getting little Dean some rec time.

"I thought you did that in the ear now." he repeated when she pulled the thermometer out.

"Usually, but you know, you're just so darned special." she cooed, pinching his cheek playfully.

"Damn straight." he agreed, eating up the attention. This whole thing had been a monster pain in the ass, but he was enjoying this part.

"All right, you're all set. Doctor will be in to see you shortly. Anything else you need before I go?" she asked.

"Oh...so much." he said longingly, "but," he continued hastily as she started to leave with an indulgent eye roll, "I haven't eaten all day."

She nodded, "I'll have a tray sent in. Think you can behave until then?'

"No chance." he smirked.

"I bet not." she laughed and went out.

Dean sat up and leaned forward in the bed so he could watch her walk away for as long as possible.