A/N: Next chapter!
If You Dare Challenge- #245 - Early Morning
Are You Crazy Enough To Do It Challenge - 374. (restriction) No using the genre romance or angst
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Dean's hyperventilation caused an extension of his medical condition that allowed Dr. Gilmore and Jimmy Novak to fend off CPS and the police for two weeks more. In the meantime, they struggled to make a solution. After contacting as many doctors and social workers as they could, they were exhausted trying to find another option for the Winchester boys. Finally, they received a call from a man named Sonny who had once worked with Jimmy's nephew.
"I run a boys' home," he explained, " fifty miles or so past the city limits."
"And the police…" Jimmy began.
"They've agreed to let me take care of Dean until his father returns," he said. "I make sure boys like him stay out of jail, so the police and I have arranged things like this in the past. As long as they provide an escort to take the boys to my place, they'll allow it."
"What about Sam?"
"Who?"
"The younger brother. He's not a part of this, but if he and Dean are separated…"
"I… I didn't know there was a younger brother. How old?"
"He's seven."
"Seven… I've never had a kid that young here before."
"Sonny, please. If they take Sam away, Dean… He's already in bad shape, but he'll get much, much worse."
The man hesitated. "It won't be perfect."
"It doesn't have to be," Dr. Gilmore assured him. "All we care about is that Sam and Dean stay together."
Sonny nodded before realizing they could not see him. "Okay."
"You'll do it?"
"Of course. I'm always willing to help."
"I'm going to warn you in advance, Sonny," Jimmy interjected. "These boys probably aren't like anyone you've seen before."
When Dr. Gilmore entered the Winchester's room early the following morning, the boys were in bed, Dean wrapping his unrestrained arm around his brother. Sam was asleep, curled up on Dean's lap, but the older boy was wide awake. He jumped when she opened the door. "Dean?" she said gently, trying to to scare him or wake Sam. "Dean?"
He looked up. His eyes were red and his jaw was set. "You try to take him away from me again," he growled, his voice raw, "and I'll kill you." He looked back down again, focused entirely on his brother.
Dr. Gilmore, uncomfortable, sat down in one of the visitor's chairs. "We've found a place for you to go."
Dean's eyes didn't leave Sam. "I'm not leaving Sam."
"I know," she said, the news bursting forth from her. "We found a way for you to stay together."
Finally, Dean met her gaze, but this time it was not drowning in anger and hatred. It was…suspicious. "Sam an' me?"
"Yes. The both of you."
"Where?"
"A man named Sonny runs a home for boys a few miles outside of town. For boys...like you. He'll take you in until we get everything sorted out."
"Like me?" he repeated cautiously.
"Boys...in tough situations."
Dean was silent for a moment. "This wouldn't be a tough situation," he said quietly, "if you let us go home." He flinched immediately after saying it as if he expected a blow.
Dr. Gilmore reeled in shock. "Home?" she echoed.
"Yeah," he confirmed. "Where's my dad?"
"Your dad?"
"Yes." Irritation crept into his voice, but it was masked by Dean's obvious exhaustion. "Just let us go back to him."
She didn't understand. One, why did Dean want to go back to his father? He was the one who had pushed both brothers into such horrendous danger. And Dr. Gilmore had operated on him, after all, so she had seen the scarring and obvious evidence of abuse. "Dean… We've attempted to locate your father, but he left the motel you were staying at. There's been no sign of him since… Well, since last you saw him, I suppose."
Dean's face went slack. "He wouldn't…" He stopped. "Then how—then how did he pay for this? He must have wired some money over or… or…"
"No, Dean," she said. "He didn't. And you don't have to worry about paying for—"
"Then what happened? Who paid for it?"
"Dean, you don't have to—"
"Who?"
She sighed. "Technically, your hospital bills are unpaid right now, because CPS is still trying to find your father. However, if he goes permanently missing, then the hospital will pay for it."
"Why?"
She smiled sadly. "Because we want to help."
Dean's gaze darkened. "That's not true."
"Dean—"
"People don't do things for us unless they have to."
Two policemen arrived at the hospital at four to take the boys away. Dr. Gilmore checked every inch of Dean for injuries she could use as some sort of excuse, but her superiors had already approved him to leave. She stood at the door as they entered the room, watching helplessly as both boys began to shake in anticipation. The last time men had entered the room like this, they'd been torn apart.
"Dean and Sam Winchester?" the first said gruffly. He was a large man with a permanent glare, so Dr. Gilmore was not surprised when Dean slid in front of Sam. When Dean did not answer his original question, the policeman repeated himself. "Dean and Sam Winchester?"
"Yes, Officer," she answered for them. She knew Dean would have trouble responding eloquently to someone as aggressive as him. "These are the boys."
The policeman scowled at her. "I don't think I asked you," he growled. "I have zero tolerance for this kind of attitude from these kids, and I don't make exceptions. Are you two Dean and Sam—"
"Yes, sir," Dean said quietly, his eyes directed at the man's feet. Dr. Gilmore was shocked. He had...submitted to the man so easily. No fight, no defiance… Just...submission.
"Good. Officer, if you would…"
The other man, younger and dark-haired, raised a pair of handcuffs and walked towards Sam. "No," Dean said quietly.
"No?"
"You can put me in cuffs, sir," he said darkly. "Not my brother."
The first policeman laughed. "You're not in much of a position to negotiate, boy."
Dr. Gilmore didn't miss how Dean's entire body tensed at the word boy. "Officer," she interjected, "Sam hasn't done anything. He's only seven years old; he's not a danger to anyone. There's no need for handcuffs."
The officer snorted. "Just doing my job, miss—"
"Doctor."
"What?"
"Dr. Gilmore. Now, I suggest you do as I've said or I'll make sure you never step foot in this hospital again."
"Careful," he replied, but he did not put the cuffs on Sam.
When they pulled the brothers apart, Dean let out a bloodcurdling scream and then began to cough, his breathing growing more shallow. "Dean!" The doctor ran forward, as did the second officer, and he made the mistake of touching Dean's arm. The boy lashed out and punched him in the face. He struggled to breathe, and Dr. Gilmore knew what would help. She pulled Sam from the first officer's arms and shoved him towards Dean. Suddenly, the boy relaxed, able to breathe once more.
Dr. Gilmore stared angrily at the policeman. "Don't separate them," she hissed.
A/N: Thanks for reading! In the next chapter, we'll get to see more of Sonny.