Sad Angels
By Infinite Shadow
Disclaimer: Sadly the characters in the story are not mine, they belong to the WB et all. No money was made, but my muse had a good time...
Author's notes: The idea for this story came from the song "Angel" from Judas Priest. The angel wings I pictured something similar from Constantine. As far as I know the motel I've referenced does not exist, except in my warped mind.
Thanks to lynxlan for the beta.
Sam sat on the bed opposite to where his brother lay and closed his tired eyes for a moment. It had been a hell of a month. They'd fought a werewolf, done an exorcism, killed a black dog, and cleared a house of a couple of mischievous ghosts. Sam smiled at that one and shook his head. The two ghosts had actually tried to have a full conversation with them as if they had been long lost friends. When that didn't work they started telling bad jokes and juggling various items in the room.
Now they were fighting something much harder. Dean had an extreme case of the flu.
Sam had been watching over his brother for days. He rubbed at his tired eyes and checked his watch. Grabbing the glass off the nightstand he headed into the bathroom and filled it almost full with cool, but not cold, water. He dampened down a hand towel with cool water, wrung out the excess and returned to the room. Placing the items on the table he turned to his brother and touched his forehead.
Dean moaned at the contact, mumbled something in his sleep that Sam couldn't make out and tried to move away from his hand.
"Dean it's Sam," he said softly to him. "Time for more water, ok?"
Sam struggled to get his brother into a sitting position and then settled himself behind Dean so he could support his brother against his chest. It was the only way he had some control. He brought the glass around and let just a small amount of water touch Dean's lips. Dean jerked his head away and Sam was able to move the glass in time so the water didn't splash everywhere.
"Come-on man. You gotta drink. Dad will kill me and skin you alive if you don't stay hydrated," Sam said frustration clear in his voice. He didn't want to use the dad card, but so far it was the only thing that he could say that would get his brother to take in a little liquid.
Dean brought his head around. "Sammy?" he asked weakly.
"Yeah it's me. Drink the water, ok?"
"Not thirsty," he mumbled.
"Yes you are," Sam said bringing the glass up again. "You need to drink this."
The cool water brushed Dean's lips again and he opened his mouth and took in some of the water. He got a few small swallows before he began to cough. Deep whooping barks erupted from his chest and Sam made him sit up higher and forward. He brought the towel around just in case he brought up the small amount of water, but he didn't.
When Dean had settled Sam came out from behind him, stacked up the worn pillows a little and laid him back down against them.
Sam wiped down Dean's face with the cool cloth, wondering how much hotter his brother could get and still be ok.
"Sammy?" Dean said.
"I'm here Dean," he said as he sat down beside his brother on the bed.
"Gotta go, now. Have to get out," Dean said his head moving back and forth on the pillow.
"We're not going anywhere until you get better," Sam said.
"Take your brother outside and don't look back. Now Dean, go. Dad said. Have to get you safe. Have togo. S'after you, have to protect you," Dean said his words beginning to run together.
"We're safe here Dean. That happened a long time ago," Sam said resting his hand on his brother's arm hoping that the physical contact would bring him out of his delusion. He rested his weary head in his other hand.
Dean bolted up to a sitting position his eyes pinned to the ceiling. "NO! You can't have him!" Dean screamed at the ceiling.
Sam fell off the bed at his brother's sudden action. He got up and wrapped his arms around his brother from behind. "It's not real Dean. There's nothing here to hurt us. The fire demon is gone. It's not here," Sam said and repeated over and over to his brother hoping that his words would break through the fever induced hallucination.
Dean's eyes finally closed and his body went limp. Sam didn't let go, just kept repeating the comforting words for a few minutes until he realized that Dean had indeed calmed and was back to sleeping quietly, even if his breath hitched in his chest and he constantly wheezed. Sam got up and gently laid his brother back down on the stack of pillows again. He wiped the sweat off his brothers face and looked up when Dean's cell phone rang.
Sam put down the cloth and grabbed the phone off the table. "What," Sam said softly.
There was a pause on the other end of the phone. "Sam?"
"Dad?" Sam asked surprised.
"Sammy what's wrong?" John asked.
Sam paused momentarily unsure that he wanted to burden his dad with something as trivial as the flu. It would take his mind off the hunt and leave him open to injury.
"It's bad isn't it? Where's Dean," his dad pressed and was met with more silence. "Sam are you there?"
"Yeah I'm here," he said then looked over at Dean who was mumbling in his sleep. "Dad Dean's really sick."
"How sick?" John asked.
Sam listed off the symptoms for his dad the wheezing, deep chest cough, high fever, and hallucinations.
"Sam where are you?" John asked.
"The Oak Tree Motel just outside of Seattle. We just finished a haunting and got back to the motel and Dean just collapsed and I knew he wasn't feeling great, but Dad I didn't know how bad he was feeling," Sam said in a rush then stopped to take a calming breath.
"Bring it on bitch," Dean said rather loudly from the bed. "You ain't got nothin'. You're goin' back to the Hell you came from."
"Dad hold on," Sam said going over to Dean and pressed the cold compress to his forehead. "It's ok Dean, it's not real, just a dream."
Dean seemed to settle again and Sam sat down on his bed sighing heavily. He brought the phone back up to his ear again.
"Sam I'm on a job here in Oregon and thought I could use some help, but I can tell you have your hands full there," John said softly.
"Can it wait? I mean if it's that big I can join you but Dean's going to be out of hunting for a week or two," Sam said softly his eyes beginning to close.
"Yeah Sam it can wait. It sounds like you're taking real good care of your brother," John said wanting more than anything to join his sons.
Sam's eyes opened at the soft praise from his father. "What if he doesn't get better?" He couldn't help ask.
"He will get better. He's a Winchester and he'll pull through," John said sounding confident.
Sam's eyes started to close with his father's reassurances. "Yes sir."
"Get some sleep son you sound exhausted. I'll call in a few days," John said.
"Yes sir," Sam repeated then hung up the phone.
He glanced over at Dean who was propped up on all the pillows from the room and leaned over towards the headboard. His brother didn't look all that comfortable, but at least his breathing wasn't as laboured as it had been with just two pillows. Sam fought to keep awake but eventually gave in and fell asleep.
Later on that night Dean opened his dry gritty eyes and stared at the water marked ceiling. His chest felt like there was a giant weight sitting on it making it hard to breathe. Why was it so hot? He tried to move his arms to pull the blanket off but he his arms were too heavy to lift. His cheeks burned and there was something sitting on his forehead. He closed his eyes again.
A gentle cool breeze washed over him cooling his face. He opened his eyes to see where the rush of air came from and why it had stopped.
"Dean," Mary said affectionately to her oldest son as she sat on his bed.
"Mom?" he said not sure if she was really there.
Great soft feathered wings lifted up from her back and Dean thought it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Then fear ran through him. "Mom I can't leave Sam and Dad," he said softly as the wings surrounded him in the bed.
She smiled down at him, gently reaching out to caress his brow and hair. "It's not your time tonight son."
Dean felt better at her gentle touch and he leaned into her hand. He felt like he was four years old again and the safest he could ever be in his mom's embrace. He breathed in deeply and coughed a deep pain filled cough.
Mary put her other hand on his chest and his cough stopped, his body aches lessened and he could breathe comfortably again.
"Rest now Dean. I'm here. Nothing will harm you or Sam tonight," she said softly.
Dean turned his head to check on Sam and his mother lifted her wing so he could see his brother. His eyes widened at the sight before him. Sam had his own angel. Jessica was kneeling behind him on the bed. She wrapped her arms around Sam's chest pulling him into a proper sitting position. Then her wings unfolded and wrapped around Sam. He sighed contentedly in sleep, leaned back against Jessica and snuggled his head into her neck. She looked up and smiled sadly at Dean.
"Dean," Mary said to get his attention. "You must rest."
"No," Dean said looking up to her. "Why aren't you watching over Dad?"
"I usually do. Tonight I needed to be here," she said softly.
"I don't understand," Dean said his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Your father needed more protection than I could give him tonight. There is another angel looking after him tonight, keeping him safe. It allowed me to be here for you now," Mary said sadly.
"But," Dean started to protest.
"You boys are never alone. Jess usually watches over the both of you," Mary said looking over to her youngest boy and Jess.
"Sam should know," Dean said looking at them as well, then looked away feeling like he was intruding.
Mary smiled down at him. "Go to sleep," she said softly and began to hum a tune that he didn't recognize but was somehow familiar to him.
Dean closed his eyes wanting to protest, but his body's exhaustion won out. He felt her caress his hot skin and his hair. Her melody helped him relax and he fell into a deep sleep as his fever broke.
In the morning Dean woke up facing Sam's bed. It was empty of both his brother and his angel. He rolled onto his back bringing up a hand to wipe at his face and wondered if they had any aspirin for his pounding headache.
The motel door opened and Sam came in with a coffee tray in one hand and a bag of food in the other. He yawned and quietly closed the door. He placed the items on the table then looked up to check on Dean unaware that he'd been watched since the door opened. Sam smiled relieved that his brother had woken up.
"Hey look who's awake. How do you feel?" he asked.
Dean took a good look at him. He looked terrible, heavy dark bags under his eyes, enough stubble to look like he hadn't shaved in days and his hair looked like it had been hastily combed by his fingers.
Sam shifted on his feet uncomfortable with the scrutiny and his smile faded slightly as his relief was replaced by concern. Tossing the motel room key on the table he sat down by Dean on the bed. Reaching out he felt for fever on Dean's forehead. His brother is still warm, but not burning like before. His concern intensified when Dean didn't make any protests or try to push his hand off. "Headache?" he ventured quietly.
Dean nodded slightly.
Sam got up and retrieved some aspirin and water. He helped his brother into a sitting position so he could take the meds and drink the water. Dean took the glass of water his hand shaking slightly, but was steady enough that Sam didn't help him.
Dean drank the glass of cool water relishing the cool liquid as it coated his dry mouth and throat. "Thanks," he said his voice gravelly from the fever.
Sam nodded, took the glass from him and helped him settle back on the pillows.
Dean locked eyes with his brother. "How do you tell the difference between a vision, dreams and reality?"
Sam looked at Dean slightly taken aback. It wasn't a question he was expecting. "It's hard to know sometimes. Visions hurt like hell when I'm awake and wherever I am changes, I see the vision, and I come back. Dreams or nightmares usually wake me up in a cold sweat and a pounding heart. This is real, my reality, but sometimes the only way I know that it is for sure is that you're here," Sam said.
Dean nodded sadly looking away from his brother. "Maybe it was just a dream."
"What was?" Sam asked.
Dean's head came up quickly not realizing he'd spoken the words out loud. He struggled with whether or not to tell his little brother what he saw the night before.
"Dean?" Sam asked. "What?"
"Sam I'm not really sure what to think, but they were here, felt real," he said then coughed deep and hard.
Sam moved in to support him while he coughed, then when the coughing fit was over he went and got more water. He watched his brother drink and then put the glass back on the table. "Who was here?" he asked gently.
"Mom and Jessica," Dean said panting a little for breath. "I swear Sam they were both here."
Sam stared at him for a moment not knowing what to say.
Dean looked away. "You don't believe me."
"No. No, it's not that," he said softly. "I believe that you believe you saw them here and that's good enough for me."
Dean looked back at him. "Really?" he asked surprised.
Sam nodded. "Plus I thought, I mean, I've been watching over you for days. I made sure that you had lots of water and tried to keep your fever down," he paused as he bit his lower lip.
"And," Dean prompted when Sam fell silent.
"Well every once in a while it was like there was this cool soft gust of wind that took away my exhaustion and I woke fully. It was usually just before you would hallucinate something, or you were due for more aspirin or water," Sam said.
"Did you see or hear anything?" Dean asked a little relieved that Sam had felt something too.
"No, but it was weird though. I thought I felt someone else in the room," Sam said. "I couldn't see them so I brought out the EMF reader, but it didn't pick up anything. Dean it wasn't a creepy feeling though, you know like those ghosts that we just dealt with? It was like a comforting sensation, like I was safe. Like," Sam paused searching for the right words and shrugged. "I don't know."
"Like what Sam?" Dean pressed.
Sam sighed heavily. "Like I was wrapped up in a warm blanket or Jess' arms. That kind of safe."
Dean nodded then told him what he had seen the night before.
"My Jess is an arch angel? No way," Sam said surprised.
"Yeah college boy. No way. Not an arch angel. More like a sad angel," Dean said softly.
Sam looked away speechless. His Jess watching over him. His mom watching over them. He swallowed back his emotions. "I always kinda thought that mom would be watching over dad."
Dean looked away from him and at the coffee on the table. Sam got up and brought one over to him knowing that the small amount of caffeine he would drink would be good for his cough.
"Dean what?" Sam asked when his brother had taken a sip then just stared down at the take out cup.
"Mom couldn't protect him last night. That's why she was here. Someone else, another angel was with dad," Dean said.
"He called. Damnit he did the job anyway!" Sam exclaimed as he got up and began pacing the room.
"What are you talking about. What job," Dean asked.
"He wanted us to go work a job with him. I told him no, that you were too sick and he agreed not to do it until we could join him," Sam said shaking his head.
"Damn. Ok give me my phone I want to call him," Dean said holding out his hand.
Both boys looked at the table as Sam's phone rang. Sam grabbed, checked the call display and answered it. "Dad are you ok?"
"Sammy I'm fine," he said quietly.
"You don't sound good," Sam said.
"Long night. How's Dean?" John asked.
"Better," Sam said.
"Give me the phone Sam," Dean demanded.
"Hold on Dad," Sam said and gave the phone to his brother.
"Dad?" Dean said.
"It's good to hear your voice son," John said tiredly. "You had me and Sam worried sick."
"I'm just as ok as you are Dad," Dean said calmly not liking how exhausted and weak his father sounded.
A semi rolled passed the motel, Dean forehead furrowed in confusion at the echo in the phone then shot a look up at his brother. He pointed at the door.
Sam moved to the door and opened it. He paled as he saw his dad's black truck parked on the other side of Dean's car. He hastily put his shoes on and raced out to the truck.
"Dad?" Sam said as he opened the door slowly. His father was leaning back his head resting on the headrest of the truck seat.
John turned and looked at his son. "Sorry Sam. I couldn't end it. I was so close," the older man's voice broke over the last word.
Sam shook his head and helped his dad out of the truck. He was alarmed at the blood on his face, his torn clothing and the one arm that hung limply at his side. He took as much of his fathers weight as he could as he helped him into the motel room.
"Dad!" Dean exclaimed as he saw a bit of his dad's injuries and promptly doubled over in a coughing fit.
Sam guided his father to lie back on the bed and then went over to his brother. "Get off me. Medical kit," he wheezed out.
Sam ran out to the impala, got the med kit out of the trunk and hurried back into the room. By the time he had returned his dad has passed out and Sam thought it was for the best.
As gently as he could Sam removed his dad's jacket and shirt. Bile burned the back of his throat as he stared at the burns on his chest and arms. There were deep abrasions and bruising there as well.
"Oh God," Dean whispered behind him.
It was the prompt that Sam needed. He quickly went into the bathroom and wetted down some hand towels. Then he returned to his dad and started to gently washed out the burns.
"Mary I'm sorry. It could've been over," John mumbled his voice raw with pain.
It was at that moment that the boys could see her. Sam paused in his ministrations to his dad and swallowed hard. His mother was sitting there on the other side of the bed leaning over their father. She was so close, but she wasn't there for him.
"Shhh. It's ok," she said softly. "There will be another time my love."
John held her gaze for a moment then passed out again.
Tears slid down her face as she looked over at her boys and smiled sadly at them. "It's not his time now. Look after your father."
"No mom please," Sam pleaded. "Stay for just a little while."
"I can't stay Sam," she said her face echoing the sadness in her voice.
"Just as long as I dress his wounds please. He knows you're here," Sam tried again.
Mary looked from her sons to her husband. "A little while," she agreed.
John mumbled something in his sleep and she bent lower to kiss his forehead.
Sam slowly cleaned out the burns on his father's body and bandages the wounds as best he could. Dean had several coughing fits as he tried to coach Sam on how to bandage better. Each time Dean coughed hard and painfully Mary would look over at him torn between husband and son. Each time Dean waved her off, his time with her had been last night, now was his father's turn to feel safe.
Mary looked up as Sam got up for the last time taking the blood stained towels into the bathroom. He put the ruined towels into the tub and leaned against the sink for a moment trying to calm himself. He wasn't sure if the shakes came from his fathers condition or his exhaustion. Sam took in deep calming breaths and after a few moments most of the shaking stopped. He returned to the room and sat next to Dean, wanting to do more for his father, but not knowing what there was for him to do.
"I have to leave now," she said softly.
"We know," Dean said gruffly.
"Thank you for staying," Sam whispered. "For staying with Dad."
Mary smiled at them and slowly disappeared. Both boys were silent for a few minutes as they watched over their injured father. Dean looked over at Sam. He was pale, his eyes were glassy and he was shaking slightly. Realization slowly dawned on him. Sam had looked after him for days and now they had dad to look after.
"Dude, you look like a zombie," Dean said.
"Yeah," Sam automatically responded to him but not really hearing what he'd just said.
"Sam," Dean said his tone a little deeper.
Sam turned at his tone and looked at him. "Yeah?"
Dean shifted over in the bed. "Lie down."
"What? No Dean I can't sleep. I have to watch over Dad. I have to clean his burns again soon so infection doesn't set in," he said looking back at John.
Dean sighed. "Sam I may have the flu but I can still pound sense into you."
Sam looked back at Dean frowning at him in confusion. "What? Why? What'd I do?"
Dean smiled slightly at him as patted the pillow beside him. "Your head. Here. Now," he said in his best I'm your big brother and you will do what I tell you tone.
Sam didn't move his exhaustion was overwhelming, but his need to look after his father was more overwhelming.
"I'll watch over him Sam," Dean said quietly. "I'll wake you when he needs you."
Sam's eyes moved back over to his dad.
Dean reached out and gently grabbed Sam's arm. He pulled slightly and Sam gave in stretching out on the bed facing his dad. Dean smiled as Sam's eyes closed and fell asleep just as his head hit the pillow.
Dean watched over his brother and dad for a short time until a soft gust of wind passed over him. Sam sighed deeply in his sleep and Dean smiled. He settled himself further into the bed and closed his eyes. He knew there was at least one sad angel in the room looking after all three of them.
The End