Sorry it's taken so long to update, but I've been a bit busy changing my job, although I hopefully will now have more time to write!

Thanks to everyone for your reviews, keep them coming! And a special thank you to Natasha Winchester, KatieMalfoy19 and Mariethorne for your messages they made me put fingers to keyboard, I'm just sorry it's not quite the weekend!

Hope you like….

Sniffing back his tears "SAM HURRY" John cried out.

Sam practically threw the bag at his father, hoping beyond hope he could save his brother. Standing over he only could manage three words "I'm sorry Dad"

"It's not your fault Sammy, I don't blame you" John pulled out a number of things from the bag, giving his youngest a bandage first off for his arm "strap up your arm son, you've got to help me, okay?" he said as he then carefully began ripping open Dean's shirt around the knife and exposing the now reddening dressing around his chest.

Sam nodded staring down at his brother as he then watched his father delicately remove the dressing from around the wound. Sam finished off tightening his own bandage before kneeling down at his brother's side, resisting looking at Dean's face he stared at how much damage his brother's body had taken. Deep purple bruising on his right side was the result from the accident; Sam knew Dean must have been in more pain than he had been letting on.

"We need to get him to a hospital as soon as possible, spray that over his chest it'll help stop the bleeding". Sam took the can and sprayed around the knife making sure he didn't aggravate it in any way.

"Dad there's not a hospital around here for miles" Sam remembered Annabelle saying as he watched the affect of the spray.

"Yes there is, there's a clinic in town" he explained, as he took a look at Dean's head "okay we need to find something to move him on, I think there might be a big enough piece of wood in the truck, quickly Sam"

Sam answered his Dad by getting up and running out to the truck.

John checked his son's pulse, it was there but it was weak, "please fight" he whispered. Dean's eyes were closed, the only visible sign he was still alive was the slight movement of his chest slowly rising and falling. John continued to check the wounds of his son, trying his best to stop the bleeding and getting him ready for the ride to the hospital.

"Got it" Sam ran back in, treading through the pile of dust where Annabelle once stood. John had blasted her in the head with the shotgun, her body turning to dust was a sure sign she had somehow made herself into some kind of zombie.

"Gently Sammy" John instructed as the small plank of wood was positioned to shift Dean onto it. "I'm only going to lift him a little, you need to slide it underneath ok?"

Sam nodded as he shuffled his feet for a better balance.

John delicately reached over Dean's body and took hold of his left side. Closing his eyes for a second, saying a small prayer he pulled Dean towards him "Now Sam"

Sam placed the board underneath his brother, as John then gently laid Dean's limp body onto it.

"Grab hold we got to get him out of here"

Sam was at Dean's side, opposite his father as they maneuvered through the rooms to the outside. The board wasn't big enough to take all of Dean's body, his legs hanging down made it difficult at times, but they had finally managed to get him out. Moments later Dean had been loaded delicately onto the back of the truck. Not once did he wake, or even made a sound.

"Ride with him Sam" guiding his young son to sit by his brother John then wasted no time getting into the driving seat. Glancing for a moment at the house he started the engine and pulled away.

Sam flinched every time they hit a bump in the road, he was holding onto his brother to control his movement trying to prevent any further damage. He did wish though that Dean would show him some sign of life even if it was a groan of agony.

John quickly glanced around to see Sam's agonized face staring down at Dean, looking back to the road he let out a sigh, he hadn't been there as a father to them for a long time, but he was thankful they had each other. Getting closer to the local town, although speeding down the road he managed to call ahead to the clinic, as Sam took care of his brother in the back of the truck.

"Dean?" Sam whispered seeing his brother slowly open his eyes "don't move okay"

Dean's glazed eyes turned to look at Sam, pain and fear evident in them.

"Please" Sam almost begged, frustration in his voice at not being able to do more for his brother "don't move"

Dean mouthed the word 'Dad' but no sound came out. Sam didn't realized what Dean was trying to ask, he was just happy he was awake. Reaching down he felt Dean's forehead, it was warm and clammy to touch "you're going to be okay, we're nearly at the hospital"

Taking in the sight of his worried brother and not knowing whether his Dad was still with them, Dean slowly closed his eyes.

"DEAN!" Sam called out trying stop his brother losing consciousness "stay with me" he pulled at Dean's eyelids, looking for an response but there was none.

Minutes later they had pulled up at the clinic, a group of medical staff waiting outside for their arrival. Sam watched as they took control, he rubbed his hands over his head and looked around for his Dad.

"He's going to be okay" John placed a hand on Sam's shoulder and gently squeezed it.

Sam didn't take his eyes off Dean as he was taken inside the clinic "I hope so" he replied to his Dad barely looking at him.

A nurse approached the two men, "you need to get that taken care of" she said pointing to Sam's arm. Sam was so concerned for his brother he had forgotten all about his own injury, looking down at his blood stained arm, he turned back to the nurse and smiled in acknowledgement.

"Dad?"

"Go ahead Sam" John instructed "I've got to go back to the house and finish it"

Sam screwed up his face in disgust "Don't you think that can wait" he wasn't one for mincing his words, "Dean needs you"

John was tempted to say nothing and leave but looking at his son he had to explain "Dean is being looked after, it's better I go now he won't even know I've gone"

"I will" Sam said trying to tell his Dad he also needed him.

"I'll be back soon" John bowed his head not wanting to discuss his decision anymore and walked to his truck.

"You selfish bastard" Sam words were barely audible as he watched John get into the truck, a tear rolling down his face showing his pain. The nurse seeing what had just happened, took hold of Sam around his waist and guided him towards the clinic "come on let's take care of you"

By the time Sam was stitched and bandaged up, Dean was on the operating table. The gruesome task of removing the knife was already underway. The doctors were working vigorously to improve the young mans condition but were still in awe of how he could take such a battering and not have already given up the fight.

John walked into the house, speaking in Latin. He knew the spirit of Richard was gone, but as for Annabelle, that was a different story. She was the one with the power; she was the one who had somehow brought her husband back. Although the pile of dust proved the 'body' she had formed was nothing more than a zombie, she was a strong powerful spirit and John wasn't planning on taking anymore chances, his cleansing ritual had begun.

Monitors beep to a slow rhythm, as the doctors continued their fight to save a life. Sam sat alone, waiting, thinking, and watching the door hoping the next person to walk in was his father.

It had now been an hour and a half since they came into the clinic, and the only news that Sam had been given was from the nurse that treated him and all she could tell him was that the operation was going well, but to Sam that did little to settle his fears. Images of his injured brother invading his mind as a figure appeared in the doorway.

Sam didn't say anything, he wanted his Dad to speak, to apologize, to ask how Dean was, to at least show some emotion that Dean wasn't just his good little soldier.

"Annabelle and Richard won't be coming back, the house has been cleansed, job done" John began to explain his whereabouts "I've also got in touch with Pete's garage, he'll pick the car up in the morning, you need to go and see him tomorrow afternoon and he'll let you know when the car will be ready"

Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing, sure he knew the house and car needed to be sorted but wasn't Dean more important than that?

"How are you doing?" John asked Sam taking a seat in the waiting room.

"Good, Dean's the one you should be worrying about" Sam's answer was to the point.

"Why, what have they said?" John looked at his young son with a concerned look.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing, he's lying in there with a knife sticking out of his chest and they've said nothing, but that doesn't matter does it, you're more concerned with your job" Sam began to let out his emotions, being scared for his brother and upset that his father wasn't there to comfort him was taking it's toll "you're more worried about the chance of a ghost still haunting a house than you are about Dean"

"That's not true!" John snapped back.

"Isn't it?" Sam retorted, then pointed to the door "you come in here and you don't even ask how he is, he's just a soldier to you"

"Sam you don't know what you're saying, I'm sorry you feel this way but trust me, I'm worried about Dean just as much as you, but he's strong, I know he'll get through this" John's voice was low, and sensitive but Sam didn't want to listen and turned away from his dad. His emotions boiling over as tears ran down his face.

"Mr Winchester?" the doctor asked as he came in through the door.

"Yes" John answered standing up.

Sam quickly asked "how is he?" wiping the tears from his eyes.

The doctor smiled at Sam "The surgery went very well; although the knife did puncture his lung the damage was only minimal. We need to monitor his progress over the next 24hours, and he is going to be sore for a while but I'm confident he'll make a good recovery, he's a very lucky man" as the doctor spoke to the Winchesters you could sense the relief in the room.

"Can we see him?" Sam asked in anticipation.

"He'll be in recovery shortly I'll have a nurse come get you. There will be a number of machines to aid and monitor his recovery but the nurse will let you know everything you need to, just don't worry okay " the doctor smiled.

"Thank you" Sam smiled back.

John wiped his hand over his face "thank you"

"You're welcome" the doctor nodded and then left the father and son to gain their thoughts.

Sam found the nearest seat and sat down, letting out a sigh of relief he bent over and placed is head in his hands "thank God". Breathing out slowly he looked up towards where his father was standing. He suddenly jumped up, his father was gone.

John having left the room; was trying to make his own way to where they would take Dean, he couldn't wait for the nurse.

Sam ran out into the corridor and looked both ways, not knowing which to follow, or even if he should.

John peered through the glass at Dean, the mask covering his face misting up as he breathed, the tubes attached to his arms delivering vital fluids. "I'm sorry " he muttered as he placed a hand on the glass bowing his head and then mouthing "I love you"

"Excuse me, can I help you?" a female voice asked.

"Huh?" John looked up and turned to the young nurse.

"No I'm okay, he's my son, I'm just.." John got interrupted.

"You can go in if you like, and can sit with him"

"No, no I'm just checking his okay and I'm.." again he was interrupted.

"Leaving! Isn't that right Dad?" Sam stood knowing the answer, but he wanted to hear it from his father.

"Sammy you got understand, it's not safe for you boys if I stay" John replied sternly but not wanting to fight.

"I knew it" Sam walked passed his Dad and looked through the window at his brother "you could at least wait until you can tell him yourself"

"I can't, I need to go now" John took a step back.

Sam didn't answer; he just stared at his brother through the glass.

"Tell him I'll call soon, when it's safe" John softly said.

Sam nodded, "fine" he simply replied.

John took one last look at Dean through the window and turned to leave.

Please R & R… thank you!