I had some problem last night getting the next chapter to upload. Sorry! I did two chapters instead of one to bring you more up to speed.Chapter 10 happens to be my favorite so far. I hope you aren't displeased.

Thank you so much for all the comments. I really appreciate it. I'll try and update tonight.

:D

Caroline

Chapter 9

The constant noises in the hospital didn't do much for Jana. Perhaps she should have asked for a sedative as well. How do people get any rest in here at all? She turned over in the cot for the 20th time, hoping to find a soft spot that allowed her some rest. She had no idea what time it was, but she knew she had been in the room for several hours. At least she could keep an eye on the two strangers who appeared in her life two days ago. Jana was anxious to talk to Dean, even if it was just for a minute to let him know what was happening – and what their new last name was. He will be beside himself when he hears how everything went down. He looked like hell, but would be up and around sometime soon. Dean was tucked into the sheets with bandages wrapped around his mid section. With four broken ribs, there wasn't much to do, but the added pressure to keep them in place would be a start. He also had a small incision where they removed the spleen. The MRI showed the rest of the organs had been battered, but miraculously they were not permanently damaged. His face was black and blue along with parts of his arms. She couldn't see his lower half.

Sam was another story. He lay in the bed with wires coming out from every orifice. Half his head was bandaged from the blow he took. His heartbeat seemed strong enough, but the EEG did not look hopeful. She was certainly not a doctor, but she knew that there should be more brain activity on the monitor than what was there. Somehow, he was still breathing on his own, but he was on oxygen. They would know sometime today if they could release the pressure on his brain and hopefully kick him out of the coma. Jana exhaled in frustration at the situation.

She heard a stirring noise and shot up in bed. Dean was coming to. She watched from the cot to see how far he would get. Jana didn't want to push anything quite yet. She looked to her watch. It read 5:30am. They weren't kidding about 12 hour sedatives!

"Sam," came a weak voice. The irritation on his vocal chords caused a cough. Dean took a breath and swore at the pain. He opened his eyes wider to absorb his surroundings. "Sam?"

Jana appeared next to him. She grabbed his hand. He looked at her confused, but was happy to see someone familiar. "Hi Dean." She grabbed a chair and pulled it along side the bed. "How are you feeling?"

He looked at her with a smart ass grin "Like I've been crushed by a car for ½ hour, and you?"

"You never stop do you? Even when things are serious." She laughed despite herself at the grim situation. Jana made sure that she angled herself so Dean could not see Sam. At least, not yet. "Listen, you have internal injuries," she began, "they had to remove your spleen, but you're going to be ok."

"But the spleen is my most favorite organ," he paused, "well second most favorite organ," he smiled and coughed again.

"Oh, and you have 4 broken ribs, so you will have to rest for a few days in order to get them to heal. That's why it hurts to cough." She offered him some water from the nightstand, which he gladly accepted. She brushed his hair and left her hand on his head. "You are very lucky. Your injuries could have been much worse."

"Yeah, I feel great. Lucky Dean Winchester, that's what they call me."

"Actually, it's Jones, Dean Jones. I had to find you a pseudonym to check you in. Try to remember ok?" Jana looked at him with sympathy. Her heart was in her throat because she knew the Sam questions were around the corner.

Dean tried to sit up and decided it was a bad idea. The pain was making him more alert than Jana wanted him to become. "Where are we anyway, and where is Sam?"

Jana took a deep breath and moved ahead. "The local hospital couldn't handle your condition, so they sent you to Research Medical Center in Kansas City." She saw Dean squirm about being in a bigger hospital. "I've already worked out the medical issues with the staff. I pulled some favors, but we'll figure out how to pay this off when it's all said and done. They know you don't have insurance. Don't worry about it."

Dean looked at her and felt a certain comfort. "Thank you," he said and closed his eyes. Jana thought she was off the hook until he suddenly came back to reality. "But Sam, where's Sam." She knew she couldn't hide it any longer. She rolled her chair out of the way and pushed the curtain back to reveal Sam in the bed next to him. Even though the pain was agonizing, he leaned forward to see his baby brother in the bed, hooked up one monitor after another. "SAM!" He struggled to get up even higher in the bed. "What the hell happened Jana? Oh God, is he….." Silence. She didn't know how to answer. Jana looked at Dean and began to cry. "No! He's going to be fine," cried Dean. "He has to be…."

"They say he's in a coma Dean. He got hit pretty bad. We almost left him at the house, but you insisted on looking for him when we got you away from the car." She smiled at him to try and give some comfort of saving him. Jana got up and went over to Sam. This was the first time she had really looked at him up close. His entire face was black and blue. There would be no way to recognize him if she hadn't seen him come out of her basement. "We found him propped against the bench downstairs, and a brick lying next to him. He was covered in blood." Jana buried her face in her hands at the thought of what she saw. "I couldn't move when I saw him. He was just….."

"But you found him and got him here. They will take care of him," said Dean confidently, trying to maneuver himself to a better position for the pain and the view.

She turned to face Dean with tears streaming down her face. "He has swelling on the brain. It is causing pressure and possibly permanent damage. The only way to relieve it is to drill a hole in his head," she said as she broke down again.

Dean looked to her in confusion. "A hole? What do you mean a hole?"

Jana continued to sob for a minute or so until she got it out of her system enough to continue the explanation as she knew it. "They hope to alleviate the pressure that consists mostly of blood so that his normal brain functions will return."

This comment slapped Dean hard in the face. When he heard the word coma it didn't really sink in until that moment. "Do you mean, he….might be….."

"Brain dead," Jana completed his sentence with a sob. "Yes. Right now, it doesn't look too good Dean." She paused to look at Sam again. "That monitor is for brain activity. It is barely moving. And the brick fractured his skull, so there are fragments….."

"No this isn't happening!" Dean began to shake uncontrollable. "Not like this. Sam! Sam you have to snap out of this you hear me? It's an order! Sam!" Jana went to his side and sat on the bed. She held his head in her hands. "No….."

Outside the room, a figure in a long trench coat was listening to the conversation intently. This was it, this was the test. Only time would tell how it would play out.

Chapter 10

The doctors began to make their rounds at 7am, as per normal routine. Dr. Stonewell had apparently worked the night shift and wanted to check on her two patients before she left for the day. She strolled in alone with clipboard in hand and made her way to where Dean was sitting. Jana was dozing on the chair next to him.

"You are not supposed to be up yet Mr. Jones," she said in a scolding voice.

"Please, call me Indy." Dean couldn't resist a joke even this early. He smiled at the doctor who was in no mood to play. "What time is it anyway? I seem to be getting used to this time of day. I think I need some coffee. A soy latte should do."

"What you need is rest - Indy. I can get another sedative for you if you don't comply." She grabbed his chart and paged through it. Jana stirred and looked to the doctor. She smiled and started to get up. Dr. Stonewell waved her off and grabbed the blood pressure gauge off the back of the wall and wrapped it around Dean's arm. The prickly sensation came and went in Dean's arm as she listened to his heartbeat. "Not bad for a guy who doesn't have a spleen."

"It's his second favorite organ, you know," added Jana trying to continue the light mood. Dr. Stonewell smiled at her.

"How are you feeling Dean? And please, be serious." The doctor sat on the edge of the bed and looked at him with concern.

He glanced up at her with tears in his eyes, which he quickly brushed away as sleep. "I'm ok doc, but I don't know what to do about my brother," his voice cracked at the statement. "Is he going to be ok?" Jana noted the pain in Dean's voice.

Dr. Stonewell got up and went over to Sam. She checked his blood pressure and shone a light in his eyes. No reaction. She looked at the EEG for any signs of improvement. The same wavy line was still there indicating there was little brain activity. She felt his head and reached for the thermometer. The doctor put the instrument into Sam's ear and came back with a temperature of 101.5. An infection. She made a note on the chart to boost up his antibiotics. There would be no procedure with a fever that high. "I'm sorry. There is no change. He has a fever which means we cannot proceed with the operation. It's too risky. I'll bump up his antibiotics and hopefully that will bring us some results." She smiled at Dean hoping she could have given better news. "These things take time. Please be patient. We will do everything we can for your brother."

There was a knock at the door and an officer entered the room. Jana recognized him immediately. "Tom? What are you doing here?" She got up to greet him. She turned back to Dean. "I'm sorry, this is Tom Martin. He works in Peculiar on the force. We went to high school together." The man made a small motion of recognition.

"This is really not a good time for questions officer. This young man has been through a lot, and the other is not able to speak. Perhaps you could come back at another time…" Dr. Stonewell stood her ground about the police invading her hospital and bothering her patients when they were not in any shape to talk. In the bed behind her, the EEG monitor suddenly made a noise.

"Oh, this won't take long," he said as he pulled a gun from his belt. Jana screamed and hit the floor. The doctor did the same. Dean, ready to face death head on - again, lay in the bed and squinted his eyes waiting for the blow. As Officer Martin cocked the gun, Sam sprang to life.

"You will not hurt my children," he said as he pushed his hand toward the officer as if it were a shield. A force field-like energy erupted from his motion and the officer rocketed into the wall, falling unconscious to the floor. The gun lay harmless by his side. Sam lowered his hand and turned to Dean. He looked to Sam in astonishment. After a beat, Dean was finally able to get out, "Mom?"

Sam smiled at Dean with loving eyes, even through all the wires and bandages. He took the oxygen mask from his face. Jana peeked up from under the bed and watched Sam as he spoke. She looked on, not understanding what she was seeing. The doctor turned to face Sam as well, mouth agape. "Dean," he said in a soothing tone, "you must look out for yourselves." Sam cocked his head a manner to indicate compassion. Sam suddenly had a slightly stern tone in his voice as he addressed Dean with his mother's character. "You need to keep an eye on Sam. You need to watch your back. This is a test, and a dangerous time, for both of you." He indicated the officer on the floor by turning to him laying on the floor. Jana turned to him as well. What just happened?

"Mom. What is happening? What do you mean a test?" Dean pleaded with his mother as Sam looked at him. He tried to rise, but Sam put his hand up in protest. Mary did not want her son in additional pain. It was surreal to be talking to his mother, obeying his mother, through his comatose brother. This was strange even in their line of business.

"Your father is close, and they will come after you. They want you," his voice suddenly was softer. "Use everything you know. Everyone you know." Sam's eyes began to flicker. He smiled and Dean swore he saw his mother for an instant through all the bandages and bruises of his brother. "It started in Lawrence. You must be careful. I love you Dean...don't…. trust…." But she was gone. Sam fell back onto the bed.