Sam came sprinting back into the room, taking my place at Dean's bedside, grabbing Dean's hand in both his own. And I would swear that the minute Sam's hands touched Dean's, Dean's heart started beating again.
The heart monitor flared up, a steady beep that drew a relieved sob from Sam's throat while the nurses chattered as they left the room. A doctor stayed behind to speak with us. "It's a good sign that Dean came back so quickly," the doctor said, fiddling with his files. "But he's not out of the woods yet. The wound he received is very serious, though it did seemingly miss the internal organs. The next twenty four hours are critical."
"Thank you doctor," I said, shaking his hand, then watching as he walked out the door. I turned to Sam, who hadn't even moved to grab a chair, his body hunched over as he held onto Dean's hand. Moving quietly, I picked up the chair and set it down right behind Sam, who sat down with a grateful nod.
"Out of the woods, right," Sam laughed bitterly, staring down at Dean's face. "I told you not to go in the woods you stupid jerk." His voice was soft, tender, and I watched as he reached out a hand, resting it lightly in Dean's hair.
"Is this what you saw in your vision?" I asked, keeping my voice's volume a match for his own.
'Yeah." Bringing his free hand up to rub his face, Sam quickly replaced it on Dean's head. "I saw him…god, I saw him get stabbed, just like that." Closing his eyes with the memory, Sam let his head drop down onto Dean's chest, and I watched Sam's shoulders shake with grief and fear.
Moving behind Sam, I put my hand on his shoulder. "Sam, I'm sorry." Turning his head, Sam looked at me with very surprised eyes. "I should have believed you when you said you only moved things when the visions were about Dean. I shouldn't have…I shouldn't have diminished the bond you two share. I get that now. I thought things had changed, but they haven't…and I am very very glad for that."
For a moment, Sam stayed silently still, then he moved his head slightly, so he was both in contact with Dean's chest and with the back of my hand. Smiling, I put my other hand on Dean's shoulder, bending down so I could rest my chin on the top of Sam's head. "Sam, you need to get some sleep," I said softly. I could see Sam's protest rise on his lips and I quickly quelled it. "Here, Sam. I'm not suggesting you go anywhere. I saw what happened the last time you left. Dean needs you here."
Smiling at me, his bottom lip quivering as his gaze fell back on Dean, Sam slid out from the chair, never losing his grip on Dean's hand. Climbing into the bed, Sam settled in at Dean's side. "Dean used to let you sleep in his bed when you'd get scared of the dark," I said with a smile, remembering the many times I'd come back from a solo hunt to find Sam curled up in Dean's bed, Dean watching protectively over him, a book he had been reading Sam lying in his lap.
"Yeah, I remember that," Sam answered me with a smile of his own, stifling a yawn. "He's always been the best big brother."
"That he has." I gently pulled the covers up over them both, then surprised even myself as I leant down and gave them each a kiss on the forehead. "Night boys," I whispered, pulling the chair up next to the bed again. I watched as Sam's eyes slowly closed, as his body shifted until his free arm was thrown protectively over Dean's chest. A nurse came into the room and I gestured for her to be quiet, wanting Sam to get the sleep he so deserved, however fitful it might be.
Nodding her head, the nurse stepped closer quietly, checking Dean's vitals. She came over to me, resting her hand on the back of my chair. "Dean's doing well," she whispered. "His vitals are very good. He's fighting hard."
"He would," I answered with a smile, looking over at my two boys.
"Brothers, huh?" She smiled as she looked at them, Sam's hand still clutching Dean's, even in sleep. "Which one's older?"
"Dean." I laughed as I realized how Sam's feet stuck over the hospital bed's end. "But Sam's taller. Dean never liked that."
"I bet not. I have an older sister, and I'm taller. She hates it." Laughing, the nurse cast a sweet smile on Dean and Sam. "They must be close."
"They've always been." Leaning forward in the chair, I kept my eyes on the bed. "I don't think I ever understood how close until right now. Sam…Sam went away to college, to Stanford, and I just assumed that they'd fall apart. But then here they are, and it's like nothing ever changed."
"My sister and I, we're the same way," the nurse answered, smiling reminiscently. "My momma never understood it. Every time my sister and I would have one of our screaming fights, my momma would think we were over for good. But we never were. We still aren't."
"I still remember them when they were kids," I said with a smile. "They always looked out for each other. This one time, Sam was getting picked on at school, and I had no idea until I was called in for a parent-teacher conference. But the conference wasn't about Sam. It was about how Dean had beaten up the guy who had been picking on Sam."
"Older sibling syndrome." The nurse laughed. "My sister's the same way."
"Sam's exactly the same though. He came into that conference, flashed his puppy dog eyes, and somehow convinced the teacher and the principal that Dean pounding the guy had been an accident."
Chuckling, the nurse moved back over to Dean, straightening out his IV tube. As she bent over Dean, a smile crossed her face, and as I stood up, I could see why. Dean's eyes were fluttering open.
"Sammy…" Dean's voice was rough, like someone had scraped his throat with sandpaper, but it was still one of the sweetest sounds I had ever heard.
"Your brother's right next to you," the nurse answered, smiling down gently at Dean. "I'll go get the doctor," she said to me as she left the room.
"Hey son," I said with a smile, going over to the bed to rest a hand on Dean's shoulder. My smile grew broader as I watched Dean reach over with his hand and jab Sam in the side. Sam practically flew up, jumping so hard he almost fell off the bed.
"Hey, what the hell-" Sam broke off as he saw Dean's open eyes. "Dean!" A huge grin spread across Sam's face, mixed with the tears streaming from his eyes, and I found myself wiping away a few tears of my own as I watched him hug Dean tightly, and as Dean hugged him back.
Dean rubbed Sam's back reassuringly, moving his hand in soft circles. Sam clutched the back of Dean's neck, keeping him close. "It's ok, Sammy," Dean said softly, his hand kneading Sam's shoulder. "I'm fine."
"You stupid jerk, I told you to stay out of the woods," Sam muttered, but he couldn't keep the affection out of his voice. He never could.
"Yeah, well, you stupid bitch, when have I ever listened to you?" Dean answered with a smirk. Sam didn't pull back. If anything, he held Dean tighter, and Dean reciprocated in kind.
"When I saw you get…Dean, I thought…" Sam trailed off, his face buried in his brother's shoulder, and I watched Dean fight back tears.
"Yeah, well, I'm not, so no need to go there." Dean ruffled Sam's hair as the doctor came in, followed by the nurse from before. Sam pulled away so the doctor could look at Dean, Sam's eyes anxiously following the notes the doctor wrote.
"Well Dean, let me say you are very lucky," the doctor said, adjusting his glasses. "When you were stabbed, it missed all your organs, and just went clean through. Recovery's going to take some time, and it's not going to be comfortable, but you should heal completely."
"That's great doctor, thanks very much," Sam answered, sitting up against the back of the bed.
"When can I get out of here?" Dean said, then quickly added, "No offense." With a laugh, the doctor looked at his charts again.
"Well, we've cleaned your wound, stitched it up and bandaged it, you've slept…If I can release you into someone's care, I can get you out of here today. You just have to promise to take it easy, get lots of rest, and take the medicine we prescribe you."
Sam and I quickly looked at each other, and as our eyes met, we understood each other perfectly. "I'll take care of him," Sam said, breaking our glance to look back at the doctor.
"I'm sure you will," the nurse said with a smile, and Dean and Sam exchanged looks of confusion. I laughed, and was about to sign the release forms when Sam reached for them. The doctor looked between the two of us, and I pulled my hand back, watching as Sam took the forms and signed them.
As the doctor and nurse left, leaving a few bottles of pills behind and careful instructions Sam copied down, Dean slowly got out of bed, wincing slightly but moving well. "I gotta get changed, Sammy boy, so turn around," Dean said with a smirk.
Rolling his eyes, Sam turned around, reading over the papers. I went over to him and looked at them over his shoulder. "I know you'll take good care of him," I said softly. "You always did…always do."
"I will." Sam said, looking up at me. "I know you're not staying."
"I can't," I said simply. "There…there's still things I need to take care of."
"I know." Sam looked straight into my eyes, and as I opened my arms to him he let me hug him, resting his head in my shoulder for a second before pulling back again. "Take care of yourself."
"You too." Stepping back, I walked over to Dean, knowing he had heard our conversation. I hugged Dean to me, then let him go, watching as he walked over to Sam's side. I walked outside with them silently, noticing how Sam kept his hand near Dean's back, there at the ready if needed, but not pushing any help.
Dean climbed in the driver's seat and Sam didn't fight him, simply keeping a close and careful eye on him. When Sam climbed into the passenger seat, his long legs practically had to contort to reach a somewhat comfortable position, but somehow he still seemed to fit perfectly.
They drove off and I watched them go and I didn't worry anymore. I smiled.
THE END
Author's Note: Well, let me say all of your amazing kind wonderful reviews pushed me to make sure I finished this before going home for Spring Break. So there it is! Hope you all enjoyed it, and thanks again for reading and reviewing! Becca
