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Chapter 2

-next day-

The nurse had just finished putting fresh bandages around Sam's neck. He felt he could breath a little bit easier today. The pain was starting to subside for now. The doctor showed him that there is a certain point on his throat that he could lightly press on when he wanted to talk. Sam found that it caused more discomfort, causing him to stutter as a side effect. He also had drink water incessantly to keep his throat from getting dry. After the nurse left the room, Sam slipped on his shoes and threw on his jacket. Dean walked in with a large pill bottle and threw it into Sam's duffle bag. Sam pressed his index finger on his neck.

"What are those?" He said in an extremely raspy voice.

"Those are your pain killers. Doc said to take two a day, and try not to strain when you speak. He said it will take longer to heal if you do."

Sam waved his hand at Dean as if to say yeah, I know. He slung his bag over his shoulder as Dean left the room. Sam noticed he was going in the opposite direction o the exit.

"W-where are you going?"

"C'mon there's someone we have to see before we leave." Dean said, motioning for Sam to follow him. Sam raised an eyebrow and followed Dean down the hall.

They came to room 204. Dean tapped on the door. Michelle slowly turned her head in their direction. Her face was pale, her eyes sunken in. She put on a smile when she saw Dean standing there.

"Dean, please come in." She said in a low tone.

Dean walked in with Sam following behind him. Dean was startled at the way she looked.

She didn't look this bad yesterday.

"Hey how are you?" Dean said.

"I'm doing okay." She said letting a small cough escape her lips. "Sam, how are you doing?"

"I'm g-good." Sam managed to get out.

She saw Sam holding his duffle bag. "Going somewhere?" She asked, really knowing what the answer would be.

"Uh yeah, Sam and I…we're leaving town…today"

Michelle's eyes drooped, she slowly sat up in her bed. "So where to boys?"

"Well lets just say its far from here." Dean said.

"I understand, I mean you guys go and do what you have to do. Far be it from me to tell you when to leave."

The brothers could see that she was still seeking comfort from them. A piece of her heart was taken from her that day. She felt that she had no one left. Her parents had died when she was young. Her foster parents resented her. Her boyfriend, her rock, her love is dead. She wouldn't tell them that. She didn't want to put them on a guilt trip just because she wanted them to stay for a little while longer. She felt weak, not just physically but mentally as well.

"Hopefully we'll see each other again sometime." Dean said.

"Yeah….hopefully" She said with a smile.

They said goodbye. She watched them walk out the door. Seeing her again would be slim to none. The brothers as well as Michelle knew that.

Dean unlocked the trunk. Sam threw in his duffle bag and closed it. Dean was about to get in the driver's seat we he noticed Sam staring at him with a smirk on his face.

Dean raised and eyebrow. "What?"

"I s-saw that"

"Saw what?"

"That, you gave her 'the look' "

"What? What look? Shut up man, your not suppose to be talking anyway."

Sam grinned as he got in the car. Dean put the key in the ignition.

"So how l-long til' Cannon Falls?" Sam asked while continually clearing his throat.

"About 2 days if we stop at a motel for a night."

Sam leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Feeling drowsy fro the pain killers, the engine running slowly lulled him to sleep. Dean had his coffee in one hand, taking a sip as he wheeled the car down the main road.

-7 hours later-

It was growing dark, and Dean's coffee was running on empty. He decided to pull up to a cheap motel in Atomic City, Iowa. Turning off the engine, he could now hear Sam's snoring. Wheezing actually, another side effect until he recovers. Dean smirked at him because he was doing it quite loudly.

Man it's a good thing I'm not a light sleeper.

He opened the car door, making sure not to slam it. He wanted to let Sam sleep, so he figured he'd get the room and come back for him.

He was walking back with the room key when he saw Sam stirring in the car.

Another nightmare.

Dean opened the passenger door, catching Sam before he fell to the ground. Sweat was pouring down his face.

"What's up? More lollipops and candy canes?" Dean said with a grin.

Sam shook out of Dean's grasp and jumped out of the car. Dean opened the trunk, reaching for Sam's bag. Sam snatched at it before Dean could even lay a hand on it.

"I got it." Sam muttered.

"Be my guest Sammy, man, your always bitchy when you wake up from your naps."

Sam shuddered at the nickname, but ignored it and kept walking towards the motel. All he wanted to do was rest, not necessarily sleep because of the nightmares that are always so vivid in his mind.

It was midnight.

Sam got settled into bed. He heard the faucet running in the bathroom, the door opened and Dean walked out with a glass of water. He set it down on the nightstand, handing Sam two pain killers.

"I don't n-need them." Sam said, waving his hands for Dean to put the pills back.

"They will help you sleep." Dean said, pushing the pills closer.

I don't want to sleep.

He could see that Dean wasn't going to back down. He took the pills from his hands. Putting them in his mouth, he took a sip of water. He could see Dean glaring at him out of the corner of his eye.

"What!" Sam said, his voice cracking.

"Open." Dean said. He wanted to make sure that he actually swallowed them.

"Excuse m-me"

"You heard me, open your mouth."

"Fine, you're a crappy nurse you know that." He opened his mouth halfway. Dean grabbed his jaw, forcing him to open his mouth wider. Dean looked in his mouth as Sam twisted and contorted in his bed, trying to break free of his grip. He slapped Dean's hand away from him.

"I'm not f-five Dean! I took the damn p-pills okay!" Sam shouted.

Dean pushed back the covers and hopped into his bed. " Nightly night, Sammy. We have a big day tomorrow."

Sam let out a grunt and rolled over to his side. He lifted up his tongue, taking the pills out of his mouth and hiding them underneath the pillow. "G-good night."