"Sam, you need to sleep."

"I'm fine."

Bobby scowled at the kid and said, "Don't make me drag you out of here by your hair. I'll sit with him and let you know if anything changes."

Dean had lasted through the night, and the doctors seemed more hopeful about his chance of survival. But no-one was able to talk Sam into leaving his side. Bobby squeezed his shoulder and added, "Come on. You know he wouldn't want you doing this to yourself. How 'bout this; go sleep for a couple hours. I'll come and get you after that."

Sam finally agreed, but he wasn't happy about it. A couple hours turned into the rest of the day. A nurse gently touched his shoulder and said, "Time for your meds, Mr. Winchester."

Sam jumped at her touch, then asked, "What time is it?"

She glanced at her watch. "Just past eight."

He was on his feet and headed for the door. The nurse tried to keep up with him, but he was determined to get to his brother. And his legs were longer than hers. He reached Dean's room and stopped in the doorway. Bobby was sitting close to the bed, staring at the oldest Winchester. Dean's eyes opened very slowly. Bobby whispered, "Hey, boy. Take it slow, no rush."

Sam saw that Bobby was gripping Dean's hand, something he had never seen the older hunter do. He stayed where he was and just watched. Dean tried to say something, but all that came out was, "S...ah…"

"Sam's fine. Don't worry, I've got ya, the both of ya."

Dean drifted back to sleep and Sam turned to see the nurse had stopped behind him. She didn't say anything, didn't snap at him to get back to his own room. Instead, she gave him a knowing look and waited. Sam followed her back to his room and took his meds. Before she left, she said, "Your uncle, he hasn't left Dean's side since this afternoon. And that was only to come check on you. He really loves you two, you know."

"I know he does," Sam told her.

After she left, Bobby showed up a few minutes later. He admitted, "I saw you just now. You don't exactly blend in. Dean's doing better. He's still too exhausted to really wake up, but he's improving. I think Dr. Laurel will have released you before you two get to be roommates again. He's-"

"Bobby," Sam interrupted. "He's going to make it. As soon as I'm released he'll work his charm and he'll be out right after me."

Bobby blew out a breath. "It's a surprise you two haven't given me stomach ulcers yet."

"If it makes you feel any better, we don't try to."

Suddenly, Bobby crossed the room and pulled Sam into a hug. Then he gripped Sam loosely by the hair and warned, "If you ever tell Dean that I was holding his hand, you're sleeping on the floor every time you boys stop by."

Sam laughed as Bobby let him go, purposely messing up his hair in the process.

Two Days Later

Dr. Laurel signed off on the last papers and said, "Well, Sam, I would tell you to take it easy and hopefully you won't need to come back soon. But I know that as soon as Bobby deems you fit, you'll be back here planning your brother's escape. I'm sorry to ruin any future plans, but I have warned Dr. Markus."

Sam smiled. "You're on to me. But there's no need to double the guards, I know that Dean isn't quite ready to leave."

Dr. Laurel looked relieved that Sam wouldn't be breaking his brother out any time soon. She shook his good hand and then he headed out to the parking lot where Bobby had pulled his truck up to the curb. Sam got in and pointed out, "I'm not sure the three of us are going to fit in here when Dean's released and you take us back to your house."

Bobby frowned. "How did you know we'd be taking this back to my house?"

"We were hit by an eighteen-wheeler. There's no way the Impala is functional right now."

"Please don't tell your brother that. You know how he is about the damn car. He's almost as protective of it as he is of you."

Bobby dropped Sam off at the motel room he had rented, but barely used. With orders to "eat, sleep, and shower," Sam went in. Bobby returned to the hospital and Dean's room.

He was sitting upright with help from several pillows. The only things he was hooked up to were a heart monitor and an IV drip. He was shuffling the cards and saying to the nurse, "I bet you're good at strip poker."

Carrie snorted. "Strip poker is no fun when you're only wearing two articles of clothing. And I already know what you look like underneath them."

Thanks to the pain meds, it took him a second to figure it out. She added, "I'm your nurse, remember?"

"Oh, right."

She smiled and squeezed his shoulder. As she passed Bobby in the doorway, she said, "I bet he's quite the smooth talker when he's not on anything."

"You have no idea."

Dean told Bobby after she left, "Please tell me you're here to bust me out."

"Not yet. I want to get your doctor's opinion this time."

Dean groaned. "But I'm losing my mind! Daytime tv sucks, the food is weird, and all the card games I know require two players. Is Sam awake yet?"

"He was actually just released."

"What! Without me?"

"He agreed that you need to be here a little longer."

The grown man threw his head back dramatically and exhaled noisily. Bobby rolled his eyes and went to talk to Dr. Markus.