Sam went back to sleep after being assured that Dean wasn't leaving, the ten year old still weak from his ordeal and the fever that was rising steadily. A nurse had come by and drawn some blood through his IV port and they were waiting on the results.
Dean was lying next to his brother on the semi reclined bed, glaring at the opposite wall, while John, Caleb, Joshua, Bobby, Jim, and Mac sat in chairs around the bed.
The silence was unnerving, and Caleb could feel the waves of apprehension rolling off from everyone thanks to his psychic abilities, and the pure rage that was boiling inside Dean. He was wondering what would set the teen off when John broke the silence.
"Dean…" John started but Dean's head whipped towards his father, murder in his eyes.
"Not. Here. Sammy's sleeping." He said with gritted teeth.
John almost gulped, "Alright." He said gesturing towards the door.
The others watched with amusement as Dean transformed back into big brother mode as he turned to his slumbering brother and squeezed his hand gently.
"I'll be back Sammy." Dean whispered into his brother's ear then slipped off the bed, his demeanor turning stony once again.
When both father and son disappeared from the room, Bobby leaned back in his chair.
"John's a dead man." He remarked.
The others smirked, knowing what was to come.
Caleb turned to Joshua who was clearly thinking about something.
Using his mind, he discovered Joshua's inner monologue.
"I wonder who gets the Impala."
Caleb rolled his eyes "Seriously Josh? We're worried about the man's death and you're more worried about what happens to his car?" he whispered.
Joshua shrugged. "What?! It's a nice car, it would be a shame for it to go to waste. And stay out of my head." He whispered back.
Caleb smiled "You always say that. You should know by now that I ain't following your orders."
As Joshua was about to reply, Bobby spoke up "You two, quit yer yapping. Yer going to wake the kid up with all your whispering ya idgits."
The two shot him sheepish smiles and lapsed back into silence, now wondering about the epic showdown going on between John and Dean.
O
Both father and son knew they couldn't be in the hospital when the confrontation began, exited the building and into a secluded area in the parking lot. Once there, Dean whirled around and opened his mouth to talk when John held a hand up.
"Dean, look I know you're angry. You probably want to rearrange my face right now. And I don't blame you. I screwed up…"
Dean scoffed "Understatement."
John nodded "You're right. I just want to say, before you say whatever you say, that I'm sorry. I was a bad father, and you have no idea how guilty and bad this makes me feel. You and Sam are the two most important things in my life…"
"If we were so important, you wouldn't leave us alone so often every time you hunt. And if Sammy was so important, you wouldn't leave him alone for 12 days!" Dean said, his voice increasing with every word.
John sighed, knowing Dean was on a roll now "Dean…"
"No dad, I'm not done. We barely get through when you leave Sammy and I alone. You don't know how we plan every meal, how I have to see the longing in his eyes when he sees a library, or a chocolate bar at the grocery store. But you know what happens, he doesn't say a single word. Not. One. Word. I've seen kids his age whine and throw tantrums to get what they want. Instead, he just sucks it up.
But this time, you left him alone. Yeah, that's right, you left, a 10 year old, alone for 12 freaking days. You're lucky nobody called CPS on you. And you know what's worse. You didn't just leave him alone, even though you know Sam hates to be alone, no you left him with only TEN DOLLARS.
And you know how I felt, when I heard that my baby brother, was left starving for days, and nobody knew where he was, or that he was even in this condition. And I don't blame Joshua or Jim or Caleb who were on their own hunt, or Mac who also had business. No, dad, I blame you. You're the reason, he's lying in that hospital bed. And I have to deal with seeing him so pale and so sick until he gets better.
What's worse than his physical hurts are his mental ones. You know what he told me before he went to sleep? He said 'I don't want to be alone again. I thought Daddy was dead and I was going to die.' He thought he was going to die, dad. What 10 year old is driven to think that?" Dean yelled, his heart pounding so hard he thought it would burst from his chest, so filled with rage and fear and sadness. That was until he looked at his father. Really looked at his father beyond the thin film of anger and was shocked by what he saw.
John Winchester, the great big bad hunter, 'suck it up' John Winchester, was crying. Big, fat glistening tears rolling down his cheeks. Dean, in his short life, had never ever seen his father cry. Yell, yes. Punch something or someone, heck yes. But cry, never. That made him stop in his tracks and he felt his anger dissipate in a second and transform into fear. The fear he had been unconsciously transforming into rage since he found out about Sam's condition.
"And now he's lying in the bed, looking so sick… he's got a tube in his nose. How messed up is that." Dean's voice broke at the end, his heart clenching so painfully at the deep sense of sadness that he couldn't stop the tears from starting.
"Oh god, Sammy could have died." Dean gasped out, the realization hitting him like a freight train, and he felt his legs going out from underneath him, only for a pair of strong arms to encircle him and slow his descent.
John wrapped his arms around his son as they sat on the ground, Dean sobbing in his chest, something he hadn't done in a long time, and him just holding the boy tight, his tears not stopping.
When Dean slowed down, John moved a hand to cup the back of his head and tilted the head back so he could look at his son.
"Dean, you're right. You're absolutely right in everything you said. I am a terrible father, and you have no idea how guilty and mad at myself I am now. And I won't fault you for doing anything to me, or if you and Sam want to stay away for a while. I get it. And I've already vowed to myself to make it up to you and to Sammy for this. I swear, I will. And I get it if you don't want to forgive me, believe me, I know I deserve it. Just, could you give me a chance to make this up to you two?" John pleaded.
Dean thought about it for a second, his heart torn apart. Every instinct he had was screaming at him to be a good little soldier and forgive his father, but he just didn't have it in him at the moment. "Fine, but this doesn't mean you're off the meat hook. You have to earn the forgiveness."
John beamed "Thank you Dean. I promise you, I will." He said tousling his eldest son's hair.
Dean scrunched up his face and pulled away "Dad! It's bad enough we had a chick flick moment, you didn't have to rub it in!"
John laughed then sobered up, wanting to say one more thing. "And Dean, I ain't leaving you and Sammy alone anymore. Your uncles and I talked, and we reached a decision that if I ever have to hunting alone, I'll leave you at one of their places. And if none of them are available, then screw the hunt. We'll stay together."
Dean's eyes, which were dull and sad, regained a hint of their sparkle "Really? Don't you think it's a bit burdensome? Don't get me wrong, I love to spend time at their places, but won't they find it..." but John cut him off with a snort.
"Really Dean? If you think that you haven't heard them fighting over who gets to host you two, and Caleb and Joshua for the matter because apparently you 4 formed a pack. And it was actually their idea. I told them that if I couldn't keep you two safe, I'd quit hunting, and that's when they pitched the idea. You should have seen them, it wasn't a suggestion so I couldn't have said no." John recalled with a grin.
Dean however, was focused on something else his dad said "You would have quit hunting? For us?" he asked disbelieving.
John smiled and placed a hand on his son's knee "I know I haven't been father of the year, or much of a father, really. But Dean, if there's one thing you should know it's that I would do anything for you two. Even quitting hunting."
Dean thought about that, long and hard for a moment, then he broke into a grin "Come on dad, I think we've had enough of a chick flick moment. Let's go back and check on Sammy." He told his father.
John chuckled and helped his son to his feet.
The two of them entered the hospital with their hearts feeling much lighter, knowing that the first stage of forgiveness had begun.
That lightheartedness however quickly evaporated when they entered Sam's room to a somber atmosphere.
"What's going on?" John asked, dreading the answer.
Mac turned to face him, holding a paper in his hands.
"We got the results of Sammy's blood test. He's got a staph infection."
Spn
I hope the confrontation lived up to your expectations!
