Author's note: Thank you for the wonderful reviews! They really make my day.
Spn
Mac and Jim entered John's room to find him sitting up in bed, broken arm in a sling, the empty plates on the tray in front of him a testimony that he had just eaten.
"John, how are you?" Jim asked, keeping his tone professional for now.
"I'm alright Jim. Is something up?" John asked, picking up on the hidden mood that both Mac and Jim had brought with them.
"John, when did you leave for the hunt?" Jim asked.
John thought for a moment "Around 12 days ago. Why?"
Jim ignored his question "And you left Sam alone? For 12 days?"
John tilted his head "Yes, but I don't get why that's confusing. I've left the boys alone for longer than that." He said.
Jim threw his hands up while Mac watched quietly from a corner in the room.
"Exactly John. The boys. Plural. You've never left Sam alone for such a long time. Did you actually think about that? Leave him an appropriate amount of money?"
John paled "Oh god, Sammy." Then started heaving into the basin Mac thankfully had the foresight to shove under John's chin as the revelation sunk in.
As soon as John was done, he accepted the cup of water from Jim and drank greedily.
"My baby, where is he now?" John panicked.
"John, settle down. Sam's with Caleb and Joshua. But before we tell you the full story, answer the questions. How much money did you leave Sam with?" Jim pressed.
John ran his good hand through his hair "I didn't expect to leave him for a long time, but then I wasn't thinking straight. I had just gotten a new lead so I ran out the door but I remember tossing money on the counter." John said as he remembered.
"How much did you leave him?" Jim asked.
"I usually leave them with $100. But this time I'm not so sure. I wasn't even looking when I pulled it out" John confessed.
Jim just stared at John while Mac ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
"Why are you asking me this? What happened?" John asked fearfully.
"I'll tell you what happened. You left your son with barely enough money that he went with barely enough food for 12 days." Mac bellowed, unable to keep his anger in check anymore.
Mac was usually a calm person, rarely getting worked up or angry and few things could really make him blow. Messing with his family was one of his triggers though and messing with Sammy Winchester was unacceptable.
John placed his head in his good hand "Is he okay?"
Mac and Jim saw the pure, unadulterated fear and remorse John's eyes displayed, and they knew at the moment that despite how hard headed and focused on the hunt John could be, he would never willingly or unwillingly place any of his children, especially his baby, in danger.
Mac's tone softened "He'll recover John, he's in the ER now until he can be transferred to pediatrics.
John shook his head "Tell me everything Mac."
O
Caleb and Joshua were conversing softly, sitting on either side of Sam's gurney holding his hands when they heard the boy whimper.
"Sammy? Tiger, can you hear me?" Joshua asked, leaning forward in his chair.
Blinking his eyes lethargically, Sam's eyes roamed around the room for a moment, his breath coming in short gasps until his eyes landed on Joshua who rushed to re-assure him.
"It's okay bud, Caleb and I are here now."
Sam nodded as his head lolled to the other side to look at Caleb who stroked his hairline.
"D'n?" He rasped.
"Still on the hunt with Bobby. But don't worry, he'll be back soon." Caleb assured.
Sam nodded again just as two orderlies came rolling a bed.
"We're here to transfer him to pediatrics." One of the orderlies said kindly.
Immediately, Sam tensed and started to shake his head "No no no." he cried.
Caleb understood why Sam was reacting the way he was "Shh, Sammy, we're not leaving we'll be right next to you." He said as he leaned forward and hugged the kid close.
Sam shook his head.
"Can I ride with him?" Caleb asked one of the orderlies who were witnessing the whole exchange as they transferred IV bags, machines and other medical equipment connected to Sam onto stands surrounding the bed.
"Of course." One of them answered, smiling. He had a little brother as well and knew how they could be, especially when they were sick.
Caleb smiled his thanks then carefully lifted Sam and placed him on the bed and without letting go of the child, climbed in next to him.
"Hear that Sammy, we're going for a little ride." He said as he drew him close in his arms so the kid's head rested on his chest.
"Josh?" Sam asked.
Joshua, stood next to the bed, squeezed his hand "Right here buddy." He said wishing he too was on the bed with sam.
The orderly seemed to sense that "Want to ride too?" he asked, eyes twinkling.
"What?" Joshua asked.
"Hop on." The orderly told Joshua.
Joshua smiled and climbed on Sam's other side, so the child was cocooned between Caleb and Joshua.
"Don't leave." Sam whispered.
"Never." Caleb and Joshua said simultaneously.
The ride to Sam's room was quiet, the child savoring the warmth of the two young adults who were big brothers to him and vice versa.
As soon as the orderlies had situated the bed and the medical equipment and exited the room, Caleb and Joshua, still laying on either side of Sam on the reclined, wide, and large bed, they turned on their sides so they faced Sam more or less.
"Sammy buddy. Do you remember what happened?" Caleb asked gently.
Sam nodded, his lower lip wobbling.
"It's okay buddy, you can tell us. We're right here with you." Joshua encouraged, carding a hand affectionately through Sam's hair.
"I was hungry. So hungry and I couldn't eat a lot because there wasn't enough. And I was alone. Nobody answered the phone." Sam said in a tone that broke their hearts.
"We're here now tiger. We're not leaving I promise, and so are Mac, Jim and your dad, and Bobby and Dean when they finish their hunt. Your phone calls didn't register on the phones because of some malfunctions."
Sam shook his head "My dad's dead. He left me and didn't come back." He said as a tear slipped down his cheek.
"No Sammy. John's okay, he just got caught up in the hunt then broke his arm. He's actually a few floors down." Joshua assured him.
"Really? Daddy's alive?" Sam said, happiness creeping into his tired hazel green eyes.
"Yep. But it's you we're worried about now. Sammy how much money did John leave you with?"
"Umm, he gave me ten bucks, but I swear I didn't spend it on nonsense… or candy. I just bought food and water. I swear!" Sam said fearfully.
Joshua squeezed his shoulder "Sammy relax. We believe you and nobody's upset with you. It's John we should be kicking."
"No, dad makes mistakes but he's a good dad. He probably didn't notice he gave me ten bucks instead of a hundred. And he told me he'll be back in two days so something bad must have happened on the hunt for him not to come back. He tries his best with us."
Caleb smiled "Kid, your heart is bigger than this world." He said fondly.
Sam, though still weak, giggled "And the voice of reason." Joshua added.
"You'll stay with me?" Sam asked, eyes drooping.
"Not even a ghost can make us move. Go to sleep tiger." Joshua assured as Caleb pressed a brotherly kiss to his hair.
And so Sam closed his eyes and fell to sleep with a smile on his face.
Not five minutes later, the door opened, and Mac and Jim entered the room, smiles materializing on their faces as they caught sight of Sam sleeping in between Caleb and Joshua.
"He, okay?" Jim whispered.
"He woke up and was pretty spooked out by the idea of being alone. But yeah, he's okay, relatively speaking. We got the story out of him too."
Caleb and Joshua then filled in the adults on what Sam had told them.
"John told us he hadn't looked when he gave him the money, so it was a mistake on his part, but he didn't do it on purpose." Mac said as they put together the two parts of the story to fill in the blanks.
"And Sam bought food with whatever amount John had left him, thinking that his dad would be back in two days so when he didn't, he started eating a small amount each day to save for later days." Jim added.
"Then when days passed, John was a no show and the poor kid was starving, he called us, but nobody answered because of crap phones." Mac continued.
"I can only guess the rest. This kid right here, is the strongest, most resilient kid I've ever seen. How he held on…" Jim said, looking at Sam with pride in his eyes.
"John asked to see him yet?" Caleb asked.
"Yeah, but I told him to stay put until Sam got settled into a room. The man's getting discharged today anyways." Mac answered.
"What do we do now?" Joshua wondered.
"Sam's stomach isn't used to eating much right now, that's what the NG tube is for. But we need to start coaxing him into eating so we can remove the tube. Starting with a liquid diet. He's going to need a lot of support and encouragement." Mac informed them.
"And we'll give it to him. When do you want him to start eating?"
"As soon as possible. I'll order some jello for him, he loves it." Mac said.
"Just don't get lime or pineapple jello, Sammy hates them." Caleb pointed out.
"Cherry's his favorite." Joshua added.
Mac and Jim smiled at how attentive they were of Sam and his preferences. Then they left the littlest member of their family in capable hands.
Spn
