Chapter 3

It was 3am and Dean was sleeping slumped in his chair with his feet resting on the chair Riley had vacated. Riley was sleeping fitfully on the cot a kind nurse had brought in. She jerked awake and took in her surroundings as her heart hammered in her chest. Pushing away the bad dreams she took some deep breaths and willed herself to stop shaking. She was glad to see Dean had fallen asleep. He looked physically and emotionally exhausted and despite his protests, she knew he really needed the rest. She pushed herself up from the cot, groaning as the movement caused the throbbing in her head to increase and her sore ribs to cry out, and quietly walked over to Sam. She pulled a third chair from the corner over to his bed and sat down, taking Sam's hand in hers.

"Lord," Riley whispered, her eyes closed and her head bowed, "thank you for getting me through this day. I know you were watching over me. I need you to watch over Sam and Dean too. Sam's in pretty bad shape—he's physically broken. And Dean… Lord, they've both had to deal with so much loss in their lives—their mom, their childhood, their innocence. And I think Dean has grown such a tough skin that nothing fazes him, and he could survive anything. But I don't think he could survive losing his brother. Please help Sam get better, Lord. And give Dean the strength and peace to get through this—whatever the outcome. And thanks for sending them to protect me. If they hadn't been there I'd be dead—or worse… Amen." Riley rested her head on the edge of Sam's bed, still holding his hand in hers.

Riley's whispered words filtered into Dean's consciousness and roused him from sleep. Keeping his eyes closed, he listened as she whispered her requests to a god she believed would answer them. He'd never really been one for praying, partly because he wasn't sure there was anyone listening and partly because if there was a god who was listening, Dean didn't figure he was the kind of guy that would get an audience with him. But there was no mistaking the sincerity and faith in Riley's whispered words and Dean was truly touched and humbled that she cared enough to pray for him and Sam. He opened his eyes to find her sleeping with her head resting on the bed and her hand wrapped firmly around his brother's. He smiled a grateful smile and closed his eyes as sleep curled itself around him once again.

Dean awoke to the smell of coffee. He jerked upright in his chair dropping his feet to the ground and groaned as his back rebelled for being hunched over all night. He reached out to accept the cup of coffee Riley held out to him and smiled in thanks. His eyes went to Sam.

"Nothing yet," Riley said quietly as she took the seat beside him. Dean sighed then took a swallow of coffee. It tasted horrible but it was worth it to get a little caffeine in his system. "Muffin or bagel?" Riley asked offering him the carry-out sack from the cafeteria. Dean reached in and retrieved the bagel and tube of cream cheese. Riley took the muffin and absently picked off pieces, popping them in her mouth.

Dean looked at her. Purple and yellow bruising covered her left cheek and curled around her eye. Her tangled strawberry-blonde hair was pulled back in a hasty pony tail at the nape of her neck. Her pale blue eyes were clouded with fatigue and worry.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he spread the cream cheese on his bagel and began to eat.

"I'm ok," Riley replied.

"You look tired. Did you get much sleep?"

"Not really."

"Bad dreams?"

She nodded.

"Look, if you want to go home and get some real sleep--" he began.

"No, I'm good. I'm sticking with you until Sam wakes up. And he is gonna wake up Dean."

"Thanks," he said taking her hand and giving it a squeeze, "for everything. I'm really glad you're here."

She smiled and squeezed his hand in return.

Their eyes turned to Sam and they fell silent watching him breathe and willing him to awaken.

Riley flipped through an old issue of Cosmopolitan she'd found in the waiting room at the end of the hall as Dean paced the length of the room. He stopped in front of the window and looked out at the sun, which was rapidly descending down towards the mountains. He was becoming more and more anxious as each hour passed. Sam's doctor had come to examine him after lunch but his condition remained unchanged. Riley felt completely helpless to do anything but provide him with food and an ear to listen, and that just didn't seem like enough. It made her heart ache to watch the waiting and uncertainty slowly torture him.

Riley closed the magazine and let it slide to the floor. She tipped her head back against the back of the chair, closed her eyes and let out a long sigh before bringing her head back up. She thought she saw some movement out of the corner of her eye and quickly turned to look at Sam. His eyes were closed and his chest continued to slowly rise and fall. And then she saw his finger move!

"Dean!" she called out.

Dean spun towards her and saw her looking intently at Sam. "What is it?"

"I swear I just saw his finger move," Riley said breathlessly.

Dean quickly walked to his brother's side and grasped his hand. "Sammy?" Dean froze waiting for some sign his brother was waking up, but after a couple minutes Sam remained still.

"I'm so sorry Dean. I must have imagined it," Riley buried her face in her hands.

Suddenly Dean felt Sam's hand move in his. "I felt his hand move!" he exclaimed, his voice hopeful. "Sammy? Hey, can you hear me?"

As Dean and Riley watched intently, Sam's eyes fluttered open and he locked eyes with his brother.

"Dean," he croaked.

"I'm right here Sammy. You're gonna be ok. Everything's gonna be ok now." Dean said, his voice filled with emotion.

"I'll go find a doctor." Riley whispered before slipping from the room.

Dr. Porter exited Sam's room to find Dean and Riley anxiously awaiting his assessment of Sam's condition. "Sam still has a lot of healing to do, but I'd say his prognosis is good," Dr. Porter told them with a smile. "His vital signs have improved. We've downgraded him from critical to fair condition and he'll be moved from the ICU shortly."

"Thanks doc!" Dean said, shaking the man's hand as a relieved grin spread across his face.

"I'll be back to check on him again in the morning," Dr. Porter promised before heading towards the elevator.

Riley turned to Dean and, overwhelmed by relief and excitement, threw her arms around him. Dean returned her embrace, leaning into her and relaxing for the first time in two days.

"Thanks for stickin' by me the last couple days," Dean said. "I couldn't have gotten through this without you."

Riley tipped her head back to look at him. "Of course you could," she told him.

"Yeah, but I'd be really hungry!" he said with a grin. "Seriously though, I'm glad you were here."

"Me too," she said as she pulled away. "Let's go see Sam."

"Right behind you!"

Dean and Riley sat with Sam and filled him on what he'd missed while he'd been sleeping until two orderlies came in with a gurney to transfer him from the ICU to a regular room.

"Hey, I'm gonna go pick up my car and go home to shower and change." Riley told the boys. "I'll be back in an hour or so."

"You don't have to do that," Dean said. "Why don't you just go home and get a decent night's sleep."

"No really, I'll be back. I'll bring dinner. Pizza or Chinese?"

"Pizza!" Sam said as the orderlies transferred him from his bed to the gurney.

"Sorry dude, I don't think you get to eat solid food yet. I'm pretty sure your dinner is in that IV bag right there." Dean told him. "But I'm good with pizza!" he told Riley.

"Ok, I'll see you guys in a bit." Riley turned to leave.

Sam was settled in his new room on the 7th floor. Dean sat in a chair near Sam's bed with his boots resting on the edge of the bed.

"So," Sam began, "Riley's been here the whole time?"

"Yeah," Dean replied.

"Well, that's pretty above and beyond the call of duty."

"Yeah, she's been a good friend."

"I'm glad she was here for you."

"She was here for you too Sam. I heard her praying for you last night when she thought I was sleeping. She was really worried about you."

"And still, she doesn't look at me quite the same way she looks at you," Sam said, with a raised eyebrow.

"It's not like that Sammy," Dean told him.

"Uh, whatever you say dude."

"Dinner is served," Riley said brightly as she breezed into Sam's room an hour later wearing jeans, a snug fitting blue t-shirt and flip-flops, and carrying a pizza. She set the pizza on the table between Sam and Dean and opened the lid. The smell made Dean's mouth water and he hungrily reached for a slice.

"Mmmmm, now this is good pizza," Dean said with his mouth full.

"Now that's just mean," grumbled Sam from his bed.

"Sorry Sammy. You're gonna have to live vicariously on this one," Dean said before taking another bite.

Riley handed him a cold can of soda then sat beside him and snagged a piece of pizza for herself. She pulled some napkins from her pocket and handed one to Dean. The two ate in silence, as Sam jealously watched.

A half hour later the pizza was gone and Sam's eyelids were drooping.

"You know, you guys don't have to stick around. I'm fine. I'm not gonna die if you leave and get some sleep. You both look exhausted," Sam told them.

"No way Sammy, you're not getting rid of me," Dean replied.

"I appreciate the sentiment but I'll feel better knowing you're not spending the night in a chair. Really, go!" he demanded.

"If you're sure…"

"Yes, go," Sam said firmly.

"Ok," he agreed then turned to Riley. "Know of any cheap motels?"

"I do, but you're also welcome to crash on my couch," Riley offered.

"Are you sure?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "Plus I wouldn't mind the company."

"Ok, sounds like a plan." He stood up and patted his brother's leg. "Night Sammy. Call me if you need anything."

"G'night guys. And thanks—for everything," he told them as he stifled a yawn.

Riley drove Dean to the 7-Eleven parking lot where he picked up the Impala and followed her to her apartment. They parked and she led him inside.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Riley said as she unlocked the door and pushed it open. Dean followed her in, carrying his duffel bag. She gave him the nickel tour then handed him a towel and left him in the bathroom to shower and change.

She walked into her room, shed her jeans and put on her favorite fuzzy pink sheep pajama pants. She traded her blue t-shirt for a stretchy grey cotton one then headed out to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. Dean joined her a couple minutes later wearing grey sweat pants and a navy blue t-shirt. His brown hair was damp and sticking out in every direction.

Dean took in her pajamas and smiled. Between the pink sheep and the way the material hugged her curves, she was the perfect balance of adorable and sexy. She motioned for him to sit down at the kitchen table then retrieved a zip-loc bag of first aid supplies from the cabinet.

"Here, let me take a look at your arm," she said sitting down next to him. He lifted up the left sleeve of his t-shirt revealing a well-muscled arm with a nasty gash that was oozing some blood and puss. "Did you get anyone to look at this at the hospital?" she asked him.

"No, it's just a scratch," he replied.

"Yeah, well even a scratch can get infected if it doesn't get cleaned out," she admonished him.

"Sam cleaned it and bandaged it up right after it happened, and I hadn't really thought of it since."

"It hasn't been hurting?" she asked.

"I've had other stuff on my mind," he replied, shrugging.

Riley nodded and gently wiped the wound with an antiseptic-soaked gauze pad.

"Sorry," she said as he flinched. She covered the wound with a thin layer of antibiotic ointment before placing a bandage over it and securing it with medical tape.

"Ok, that should do it," she said as she got up to put the supplies away. She poured herself a cup of coffee. "Do you want some?" she asked.

"No thanks."

"Do you wanna watch a movie?" she asked.

"Sure, as long as it's not a chick flick," he replied smiling. He followed her into the living room and she handed him the book that contained her DVD collection.

"Take your pick."

He pulled out X-Men and she took the disc from him and put it in the DVD player and turned on the TV. Dean took a seat on one half of the couch and settled back into the cushions as she curled up at the other end, resting her head on a throw pillow. She pressed Play on the remote and tossed it on the floor. Dean slouched down on the couch resting his feet on the coffee table in front of him.

"You're not one of those, no feet on the coffee table kind of people, are you?" he asked.

"No way. Knock yourself out," she replied with a smile before returning her attention to the movie.

A little while later, Dean looked over and saw that Riley was fast asleep, and his own eyelids felt heavy. He stopped the movie and turned off the TV. He grabbed the blanket that was draped over the back of the couch and covered Riley with it. Then he switched off the lamp on the table next to him, leaned his head back against the couch cushions and immediately fell asleep.

"NO!"

Riley's scream jerked Dean from his sleep and he frantically searched the darkness trying to get his bearings as his heart hammered in his chest. In a flash, his memories returned to him and he knew he was at Riley's place. She was thrashing and whimpering on the couch next to him, locked in the throws of a nightmare. He got up and sat on the edge of the couch beside her, taking her shoulders in his hands. But when he touched her, he became a part of her dream and she fought against him, desperate to escape his hold on her.

"Riley?" he said softly. He grunted in surprise as her fist caught him in the jaw. He grabbed a hold of her wrists and shook her gently.

"Riley," he said louder, "It's me—it's Dean. Come on, Riley, wake up, it's ok."

She stilled. "Dean?' she choked out.

"Yeah Riley, it's me. I'm here." He pulled her into his arms as sobs shook her body and hot tears streamed down her face, soaking his shirt. She clung to Dean as the memories and nightmares that she'd forced herself not to think about flashed back through her mind with a vengeance. He cradled her tightly against his chest, stroking her hair and back.

"Shhhhh…" he murmured, "everything's ok. I'm here. You're safe. It's over, honey. I promise you're safe."

After a long while, the tears and trembling finally subsided. She pulled away from him enough to look him in the eyes but his arms stayed around her.

"I'm sorry Dean," she said quietly, "I didn't mean to freak out on you. I thought I was tougher than this."

"Hey, you listen to me," he said firmly, "you have nothing to be sorry for. What you went through in that hold-up would give anyone nightmares. And for the record," he added, "I think you're tough as hell!"

Riley buried her face in his chest and sighed. "Thanks Dean."

"You're welcome. Do you feel like trying to go back to sleep?"

"Yeah… if you'll sleep here next to me," she said shyly. Maybe you can keep the nightmares from coming back."

"Sure," he told her as he stretched out beside her. She turned toward him and settling her head in the crook of his shoulder and resting her hand on his chest. He pulled the blanket up over them and wrapped his arms around her. He felt her body relax and her breathing slow as she drifted off to sleep—trusting in him to protect her. He wished he could keep the nightmares away but knew that probably wasn't possible. He would be here to comfort her if they did return though. Soon his breathing slowed to match hers and he fell asleep, breathing in the sweet scent of her shampoo.

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