Chapter 12: A Heroic Rescue

A/N: I'm so glad everyone liked the last chapter. I tried to make this one as exciting and as traumatizing as possible for all three of our guys. The next few days are pretty busy for me so it may be a couple of days before the next chapter gets posted but I promise to work on it every free second I get.

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"Sam!"

John turned back when he heard Dean call out to Sam. He started walking quickly as he saw Dean's flashlight beam moving quickly.

"SAM!"

There was no mistaking the pure terror in Dean's voice. John took off running as fast as he could back to the bridge. He saw Dean start into the water but he didn't see Sammy anywhere. He realized that Dean was going into the water.

"DEAN!" he called but it didn't even look like Dean had heard him. Didn't his son realize he couldn't swim! Then just as John reached the edge of the river his worst fear happened. Dean went under!

John dropped his shotgun and machete and dove into the water and swam out. He could see Dean's fingers popping up clawing at the surface but Dean couldn't get his head above the water. John swam faster and soon he had his arms wrapped around Dean and was paddling his boy back to safety.

"Sam!" Dean screamed as soon as his head rose above the surface. "Dad, you have to get Sam!"

It was then that John saw his youngest out in the middle of the river fighting his own battle to stay above the water's surface.

"Dad, go help Sammy!" Dean begged.

"Let me get you to shore first. You can't swim!"

"I'll be okay! Go after Sam!" Dean's eyes were fixed upon his frantically struggling brother. He watched in horror as Sam was suddenly pulled under the water. "NO!"

John also saw his son go under but he needed to get Dean to shallower water before he headed back out. He kept his eyes fixed on the exact location where his baby had gone under.

Suddenly Sam's head popped up once more and both Dad and Dean felt a moment of hope but it was shattered when they heard Sam yell, "Dean!" before suddenly being pulled under once more.

John felt his feet hit solid ground. "Dean, get back up the shore, NOW!" He let go of his oldest and then once more rushed back out into the river. He pumped his arms and kicked his legs as fast as he could to cover the distance between him and his son.

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Sam was caught completely off guard when the lasso tightened around his leg and pulled him off his feet. He fell back into the mud which softened his landing. He heard Dean call his name but before he could even reply the rope hurtled him across the ground and then for a moment it was as if he was body surfing across the water. Just as fast as it had started the momentum stopped and Sam plunged beneath the surface.

It took a second to get his bearings but then he kicked off and broke through and gulped a breath of air. He felt something grabbing at his legs and pulling at his jeans. He knew it was the troll. He kicked at it as hard as he could. It was difficult since he was not only swimming with one arm but his other arm was heavy and working against him.

Still, Sam didn't give up. He continued to kick at the monster that was trying to kill him. He cried out when he felt the thing sink its teeth into his side. He grabbed the thing by its neck and pulled it away from him. He managed to free his body of its teeth but he slipped back under the water. He had to let go to get another breath of air.

At the top he could hear Dean shouting something but he couldn't make it out.

"DEAN!" Sam cried.

The creature must have realized its opponent was too strong so it changed its tactic. It gave up trying a direct attack and chose to go for the rope still attached to Sam's ankle.

Sam felt the tugging of the rope and knew what was going to happen. The next instant he was pulled under the water once more. He clawed at the surface but it was no use. He decided to swim down and try to fight the troll once more, or at the very least free his ankle of the rope. He couldn't find the creature, the long rope allowed it to go down deep out of his reach. He tugged at the knot around his foot but with only one hand he couldn't loosen it, plus the troll kept tugging at it throwing him off balance.

His body began to scream for air. His lungs burned and panic moved in as he realized he was going to die. He thrashed wildly and then against his will his mouth opened to pull in a breath of air that wasn't there. Water filled his mouth and lungs. Sam's last thought was of Dean and how sorry he was that his dying was going to cause Dean pain. His movements began to slow until finally his body went completely limp.

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John kept hoping that Sammy would pop up once more but it didn't happen. John was very much aware of the fact that Sam had now been under the water too long.

Finally he reached what he guessed was the spot where Sam had gone under for the last time. He took a deep breath and dove down. The water was almost pitch black and John could only feel around hoping to touch Sam since he couldn't possibly hope to see his son.

John felt a miracle happened when he bumped into something and felt around and realized it was Sam's arm. He tugged hard hoping to pull Sam to the surface but he couldn't raise Sam up. Something was latched onto his boy. He rose up to the top, grabbed a quick breath, and then went back down. He used Sam's body to pull himself down and sure enough a rope was attached to Sam's ankle. John guessed the troll was deeper down and holding on to the rope. He didn't have time to think about that though. Sam was dying. He needed to get his son to safety. John pulled out his knife and quickly sliced through the rope. He pulled Sam to his chest and lifted him above the water.

John took a deep breath and looked at Sam. He didn't even have to check to know that Sam wasn't breathing. He willed himself to be calm and focused on swimming back to the shore so they could perform CPR. If he panicked now Sam would die for sure.

John had taken a few strokes towards shore when the twisted and gnarled face of the troll shot up out of the water. The troll made a grab for Sam but John still had his knife in his hand. He stabbed the troll in its leathery neck. The creature howled with pain and abruptly dove beneath the water. Its fear of this new threat was stronger than its desire for its lost meal.

Dean saw the troll attack his father and it was killing him to be stuck watching helplessly as the lives of both his family members were at risk. He heard the troll cry out and saw it give up on its meal. Dean willed his father to swim faster and he literally bounced from foot to foot waiting for them to get close enough so he could help.

John continued to pull his lifeless son back to the shore. After a minute his feet hit solid ground again and he stood and pulled Sam with him. He didn't even protest when Dean rushed into the water once more and helped him carry Sammy to drier ground. They laid Sam down on the mud.

"Dean, start mouth to mouth," John ordered.

Dean tilted Sam's neck back, pinched his nose, and blew two deep breaths into his brother's lungs. He raised up then and watched as John began chest compressions.

"Sammy, breathe," Dean begged. "Don't you die."

John counted to thirty and then Dean leaned in to give two more breaths. He watched Sam's chest rise and fall and willed it to do it on its own.

John continued compressions and Dean was feeling the panic surge up inside of him as time passed and Sam didn't come around.

"Sammy!" Dean shouted and then gave two more breaths. Again Sam remained lifeless.

"Damn it, Sammy!" their father yelled. John reached over and slapped Sam hard across the face. "Sammy, don't you dare give up!"

Dean blew life giving oxygen once more into his brother's mouth and was rewarded with a mouthful of water as Sam finally coughed up the river water that filled his lungs.

"Oh thank god," Dean cried as he and John rolled Sam on his side so he could vomit up the rest of the water. Then Dean grabbed his brother and pulled him up so Sam was lying on Dean's chest. He wrapped his arms around him and held Sam tight.

Sam's head lulled backwards and he coughed a few more times. "Dean…Dad?"

"We're here, Sammy," Dean whispered into his ear. "It's okay now. You're okay." He reached up and brushed Sam's hair out of his eyes.

The three sat in silence, all breathing heavy, all coming to grips with the close call they'd just had. After a minute it was Sam who finally broke the silence.

"Did you…get…the troll?"

"No," John answered. "I stabbed it when it tried to stop me from getting you, but it wasn't a lethal hit. It'll be back."

Sam stared at John for a moment taking in the man's soaked appearance. "You got me?" he asked innocently.

"Dad had to save both of us," Dean said. "I jumped in after you and sank like a rock."

"For the record that was the stupidest thing you ever did," John told Dean. "Did you forget that you have a broken leg?"

"I was just trying to get to Sammy!" Dean replied shocked that his father was attacking him this way.

"But if you had stayed on shore I would have been able to get to him faster," John stated. "I wouldn't have had to rescue you first! Then this wouldn't have been such a close call!"

"I just did what I've been doing my entire life, what you raised me to do by the way!"

"What? Put yours and Sam's life in danger? I didn't teach you that!"

"I was trying to protect him. I admit I forgot about my fucking leg but my only concern was stopping a troll from eating my little brother!"

"Stop it!" Sam yelled. "Please…please don't fight." He suddenly understood how Dean felt. Sam was used to fighting with his Dad. Hell, he and the old man had made an art form out of verbal sparring, but it seemed so wrong to watch his father fight with Dean. It wasn't natural and it shocked Sam at just how upsetting it was. Maybe it was the fact that he had just died and come back to life but regardless he couldn't handle watching his family fight right now.

John watched Sam become more and more distressed and his hands started to tremble ever so slightly.

"Sammy, Sammy, stay with us," John ordered softly and tapped at his sons face. "He's going into shock."

"We need to get him to the hospital," Dean said.

"Nuh…no hospitals," Sam protested.

"You have to go, Sammy," Dad told him. "There's pollution, bacteria, and other harmful stuff in that water. We can't take a risk of your lungs getting infected."

"I don't…want to go…to the hospital," Sam complained weakly.

John was growing frustrated. He wasn't about to argue about this. There were many times he had been fine with doctoring up his sons, but he knew this situation called for a professional. Shit, Sam had been dead for several minutes. His son was going to the hospital whether he liked it or not.

John stood up and helped Dean to his feet and then together they pulled Sam up.

"Ahhhh!" Sam cried suddenly.

"Sammy?" Dean gasped.

John noticed the blood on Sam's wet shirt first. He gently lifted up the fabric that clung to his boy's skin and swore when he saw the bite marks.

"The bastard took a bite out of him," John announced.

"How bad?" Dean demanded.

"There are a few deep puncture wounds but I can't tell if he's hurt internally. A couple of these are bleeding pretty badly. He needs a hospital…now."

With Dean's help John put Sam over his shoulder and carried his son up the embankment. Dean was awestruck by his father strength and determination. Sam wasn't exactly light as a feather and the climb back to the truck was a steep one but John made it to the top almost effortlessly and never stumbled under Sam's weight.

Twice Sam cried out softly in pain and then hissed loudly as John bent forward to put Sam back on his feet. Dean was ready to grab Sam as John let go. Together they got Sam back in the middle of the truck and John pulled back onto the rode to head to the nearest hospital.

Sam leaned against Dean. His head hurt, his chest hurt, but the pain in those places was nothing compared to his side. He felt so cold but he knew that was mostly due to shock and not blood loss. Dean had his arms around him and was rubbing Sam's arms briskly in an attempt to warm him up and keep the shock at bay.

"How the hell did this happen?" John asked.

"Trap," Sam mumbled.

"It set a trap," Dean explained. "When Sam stepped down the troll pulled a rope that had been buried in the mud and then dragged Sam into the water."

"So you had to go running in after him with a broken leg! Did it never occur to you to shout for me, or better yet, Sam, why did you approach the edge all by yourself? Both of you screwed up tonight and it's a wonder you're both not dead!"

Neither Sam nor Dean spoke a word. They had messed up and neither of them wanted to be yelled at by their father anymore. They could easily see the anger rolling off of him in great waves.

The truth was John wasn't angry at his children. He was frustrated that they had made such stupid mistakes, but that wasn't his overwhelming emotion. Tonight had scared the shit out of him. Sammy actually died…right there in front of him. Swimming Dean back to the shore while watching his other son struggling for life out in the middle of that damn river had damn near killed him. He had been faced with something Dean still refused to acknowledge, that sometimes you have to make a choice to forsake one to save the other. He had saved Dean but let Sammy die. It was nothing short of divine intervention that he had still been able to bring Sammy back from the brink.

John stole a glance at his boys and saw that Sammy had drifted off to sleep lying on Dean. He heard Dean coughing and realized that while he had been replaying the events that just happened in his mind Dean had been coughing quite a bit.

"Dean, how much water did you swallow?" John asked. "And don't even think of lying to me!"

"I'm all right, Dad. I swallowed some and inhaled a bit but I'm fine." Dean coughed a bit more then rolled down the window and spit out a mouthful of water and phlegm.

"I want you to get looked at by the doctor too," John announced.

"Dad, I'm fine. Sammy's the one who needs a doctor."

"Dean don't argue with me," John snapped.

Several minutes later John pulled into a hospital parking lot. He ran around the truck and helped Dean out before reaching inside and sliding his arms under Sam's long legs and behind his back. He carefully pulled his still sleeping son closer to the door and then adjusted his grip on him before lifting him out of the seat. Sam's head fell softly on John's shoulder and Dean slammed the door shut before rushing up to his Dad to help him carry his brother.

Sam came too slightly as he noticed the jostling. "Dad?" he asked, sounding very young and confused.

John couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. It was the first time since he had been reunited with his sons that Sam called his name before Dean's.

"Just relax, Sammy. You're going to be okay," John offered.

The ER doors opened automatically and John and Dean carried Sam inside.

"I need some help here!" John called. Instantly two orderlies came rushing up with a bed and helped John lay Sam down. A doctor came running up.

"What happened?" the doctor asked as they followed the bed into one of the small rooms.

"He drowned," John said. "We were out fishing and the boat flipped. By the time I swam Dean to the shore Sammy had gone under. I found him and we resuscitated him. Also, there must have been some branches or something in the water. His side is messed up."

The doctor was already listening to Sam's lungs with his stethoscope. "His lungs are wet." He looked at the nurse. "I want him on oxygen now to help them out." He flashed a light into Sam's eyes. "Pupils are normal. Do you have a headache?"

"A little," Sam admitted. He lifted his head up so the nurse could fix the oxygen cord around his face.

"It's from lack of oxygen. Sam, what year is it?"

"2006."

"And what is your full name?"

"Samuel Francis Chester," he replied using the family's new alias.

The doctor quickly looked to John for confirmation and John shook his head yes.

"Sam, who is the president?"

"George Bush."

"Good, it doesn't seem you have any lasting effects." Next the doctor lifted Sam's shirt. He ignored Sam's side for a moment and looked at his chest. There were small bruises there from where John had performed chest compressions. "His heart is beating good and strong. Does your chest hurt at all?"

"It's sore but I can breath fine."

The doctor began to poke around at the bite marks on Sam's side. "You said a tree branch did this?"

"I don't really know for sure," John lied. "Like I said, I pulled Dean back to the shore first because of his leg. He couldn't tread water at all. Sam was holding his own for a bit. I…I had to make a choice," John explained. "By the time I got back Sammy was…he'd…he'd gone under. I dove down, found him, and when we got to shore he wasn't breathing and his side was hurt."

"This looks almost like teeth marks," the doctor said, but it's not like any bite wound I've ever seen before.

"Don't tell me someone around here flushed their pet alligator down the toilet," Dean cracked, "and now it's swimming up and down the river."

The doctor looked at him thoughtfully for a moment and then focused once more at Sam's wounds. "Do you remember how you go these?"

"No," Sam lied.

"Can you roll over slightly?"

Sam did as asked with a small grimace. The doctor poked and prodded. "Most of these have stopped bleeding but these two here, I think I'm going to put a couple of stitches in them. They are a bit bigger and deeper than the other. I'll fix them up after your showers. When was this arm broken?"

"Five weeks ago," John answered. "We were in a car accident. That's when Dean broke his leg. He needs to be looked at too. He took in some water also. He's been coughing."

"I'm fine," Dean replied.

"Not to worry young man. We'll just have a look at you. You're going to need to have that cast replaced."

Everyone looked at Dean's cast and saw that it was literally crusted with mud and slime. Sammy's cast didn't look much better.

"Nurse, I want a shot of antibiotics for both of them."

"Yes, doctor."

"I also want them both on oxygen for several hours."

"Wait, really, I'm fine," Dean protested even as he coughed once more.

Dean was nudged into sitting on the bed that was next to Sam's by a rather no-nonsense looking nurse. The doctor then listened to his heart and lungs.

"There is a little water in there. Not as much as your brother's but there none the less. You two just need to stay for a few hours for observation and then you'll be released." He turned to the nurse. "Get them out of those clothes and into some scrubs. I want them both taken to x-ray for those broken bones. After I see the x-rays I'll decide whether to recast them or put them in braces for their last week."

"Yes, sir," the nurse replied.

The doctor left the room and the no-nonsense looking nurse turned to the two boys. "I need you two to undress out of those clothes. Here are some gowns to put on until after your shower. Then I'll get you some scrubs." She put an oxygen cord around Dean's face before leaving. "I'll be back in a few minutes with your antibiotics."

"I don't suppose we can just take some pills instead of getting the needle?" Dean asked.

The nurse just glared at him in reply.

"No, of course not," Dean sighed. He looked to Sam to start complaining but Sam was actually half asleep again.

"Is it normal for him to be so sleepy?" Dean asked.

"His body had a big shock tonight. Sleep is its way of setting things back to rights," she said a little more kindly. "You're both going to be fine. Now get those filthy clothes off." She walked over to Sam to help him undress.

"I can do it," John offered.

"Okay," she replied and left to get their shots.

"Dean, do you need some help?" John asked.

"No, I can do it."

John walked over to Sam. "Sammy, sit up." He helped Sam sit up and then pulled his shirt over his cast and then over his head and dropped the muddy piece of cloth onto the floor. Sam's skin was every bit as dirty as his clothes were. Chunks of drying mud broke off and fell from his hair.

"Okay, lay back." Sam did and John helped him to slide the wet and clinging denim off his legs. John tossed the sheet over Sam so he would have some privacy as he pulled his boxers off.

"Dad?"

"Yeah Sammy?"

"Thank you."

"For what son?"

"For jumping in after me, especially since you said a few days ago that you wouldn't," Sam had a small smile on his face and John realized he was teasing him.

"Yeah, well, Dean would have given me grief for years if I hadn't," John teased back.

"Got that right," Dean replied, grinning as well from his bed.

"For the record," Sam added, "the next time I suggest we wait till morning, can we please wait till the morning?"

"We'll see," was John reply.