Chapter Fifteen

While Nicki held Dean upright, his head slumped against her shoulder, Sam worked the jacket from his arms, catching sight of his wrists. Swallowing hard, Sam made light work of the shirt underneath, then carefully lifted Dean's arms to pull his t-shirt from his body, laying him gently back down once he was done.

He stood back as the full damage of the bruising to his body shone clearly. His left side was one mess of brown and purple, his abdomen bruising in the shape of a fist. He glanced at Nicki who had paled considerably.

"Do you want to sit down?"

"I'm ok"

She said quietly, although she walked into the bathroom and splashed a generous amount of water onto her face, gazing up she stared at her reflection, trying to see the difference the past day had made in her eyes. Now that she knew what was out there, there didn't seem to be any noticeable change. Well, as long as you didn't count the blood that is.

Sam pulled Dean's belt free of the clasp and undid the buttons on his jeans, carefully he pulled them down his legs, shuffling the fabric past his hips, down his thighs, the deep gash pulled with the removal of the denim and began to bleed freely again, pulling one boot off, then the other, Sam yanked the jeans all the way off. With nothing but his boxer shorts to keep him warm, Dean began to shiver, Sam quickly covered him in a blanket to keep him warm.

Smoothing back his brothers hair, Sam ran his thumb back and forth as he had done back in the hospital so many months before.

"Shhhh Dean, it's ok, help's on the way"

Slits of green appeared and gazed into Sam's brown eyes.

"They all dead?"

"Yeah bro, they're all dead"

"'Sss G'd Sammy"

"He's awake?" Called Nicki as she walked out of the bathroom.

"No, he's fallen back unconscious again"

Sam rubbed his thumb along Dean's forehead a couple more times and then pulled the blanket down to feel his ribs. Dean jerked in two places.

Definitely broken.

Jerk. Why'd he always have to get hurt?

"He's been hurt before?"

Sam turned round, Nicki was stood behind him, staring at the scars which ran down his brother's chest. Even though healed, they were still clearly visible.

"Yeah, almost died a few months ago."

"Because of what you do?"

"He told you what we do?"

"We were held captives by vampires, what do you think?"

Sam marvelled at her change in tone, gone was the lost and sorrowful girl, replaced by a strong confident young woman. A sarcastic one at that.

"Yeah, it was because of what we do"

"Why do you do it?"

Sam paused, not because he didn't know which reason to offer up, but because he was unsure of all of them, why did they carry on with this? Why had they allowed their crusade to almost kill their family?

"We help people. We try to save people"

"Because of your Mum?"

Sam looked at her, mouth agape. Dean had really opened up to this girl.

"Partly, that's what started it, but there's so many more reasons now"

"I lost my Mum"

Sam watched as the confident young woman became the scared girl again.

"I'm sorry. What happened?"

"Car crash, I was driving, drunk driver hit us, she died"

"I'm so sorry"

"It's ok. Thanks. Sorry about your Mum too"

"Sammy?"

"Dean? Hey, hey bro, can you hear me?"

"Of course I can your shouting in my ear"

Sam smiled down at his brother as Dean attempted to open his eyes. Everything hurt, including his hair. And where the hell were his pants?

"It's ok, there's a Doctor on the way"

"Sammy?"

Sam leaned forward to catch his brother's whisper.

"Where are my pants?"

"Here" Nicki held up the jeans, one leg ripped and soaked through with blood.

Dean made a face of disgust and turned his head away.

"They were my favourite"

"I'll buy you a new pair"

Dean smiled slowly, then feeling his eyes droop again he gave in to the need to sleep. Well, tried to, the slaps on his face weren't really helping.

"Dean? Stay awake for me kiddo come on"

"Bitch"

"Jerk, keep your eyes open"

"Hurts"

"I know Dean, the Doctor is on his way" Sam looked up at Nicki who opened the door to check for Grace.

Grace came barrelling down the path, a bowl of warm water and a first aid kit hindering her approach . Nicki ran to meet her half way, taking the bowl from her hands.

"There's a bathroom in the motel room Aunt Grace"

"I know honey, but I had this full before I realised that" She smiled a smile so relieved and full of love that Nicki felt her eyes well up again.

Grace placed her things on the first bed in the room, next to the bowl Nicki had brought in for her and took her first full look at Dean.

"Oh you poor boy, you poor poor boy"

"Manly object of desire to you thank you very much"

Dean tried to take a deep breath as the sentence drained him of air but failed miserably and began to pant as his ribs protested his desire to talk and his need to breathe, coupled with his eyes want to close and his thighs predilection to cause him deep, blinding, call out for a hand to slap him, pain.

All in all he was having one crappy couple of days.

"Dr Jones is on his way honey, you just sit tight and we'll have you cleaned up in no time"

"Sorry about the mess"

"Hush now honey"

Sam kept his hand on Dean's shoulder, with every strained word he would squeeze to try to communicate to his sibling that although he needed to stay awake, talking probably wasn't the best way to do it.

Dean closed his eyes trying to concentrate on breathing slowly, Sam grabbed his hand but he squeezed back to let him know he was still awake. Thankfully Sam released his grip. Holding hands with his brother was a major No No in the book of Dean Winchester.

Not unless you were alone and scared in a hospital bed.

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So, Dean's out of his Levi's. Am i good to you or what?