-1I know that my updates are not as frequent as you all are used to but with the holidays and everything I've been so busy so I apologize, but I will keep getting them out there as fast as I can. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you have the others, as always let me know what you are thinking, the good the bad and the ugly.

Rosebud.

Bar Fights and Bullets

Chapter 4

Climbing out of the Impala, Sam made his way around and opened the back door pulling out two large boxes and flinging them over his shoulder, his stomach was nauseous and his insides were tangled, he knew that walking into his apartment, that doing this… Was going to piss Dean off, that things were only going to grow more intense now.

But it had to be done, Sam was sick and tired of sitting on the side lines and allowing his brother to waist away, sick and tired of watching him deteriorate and in his own way, wallow around in self pity… Something needed to be done, and maybe this… Was at least a start to that something.

He had been gone just over two hours when he pushed the door open having set the boxes down just outside the door. He was very not surprised to find Dean still sitting there like a mindless zombie in front of the television. Currently I love Lucy was flashing across the screen.

"Hey." He cleared his throat making his presence known as he picked up one of the boxes and brought it in.

"Where did you go shopping dude? In Africa? You we're-" Dean shifted his attention from the television and toward his brother cocking his head in curiosity at the large box Sam was currently setting on the carpet. "I guess the batter question is what the hell did you go shopping for?"

"Just a few things I felt we needed." Sam tried to sound innocent as he stepped back outside and retrieved the second box, the soft munch of his brother's chair wheels on the carpet made him fully aware that within a few seconds the screaming would begin.

"Lets just see what kinds of things…" Dean stopped in front of the large box and turned it around so that the label was facing him now. Vomit immediately found it's way into his wind pipe and anger into his soul at the picture staring back at him.

A man, a crippled and dilapidated man, was staring back at him hoisted up between two bars with some woman standing directly behind him, and this man, this… cripple was staring back at him with a smile, a smile as though he were proud to be so helpless, so inadequate.

Therapeutic Apparatus And Parallel Bars Was printed in bold black lettering above the stomach churning picture and Dean shook his head his jaw clenching as he shoved the box back into the wall hard, it had not come to this.

Sam was now standing in the doorway leaning against its frame the smaller of the two boxes tucked beneath his arms as he watched his brother intensely so angry so distraught, he was nowhere near the Dean he had been before… And Sam found himself wondering if he would ever be again.

He took a step in after a second purposely dragging his foot to make sure Dean heard his entrance and preparing himself for the words of pain and anger about to be thrown his way.

Dean turned swiftly and looked at Sam, no looked through Sam, his hazel eyes set on fire with disapproval his teeth clenched tightly, "Where the hell do you get off?"

"Dean." Sam set down the box with the leg braces and the standing device, before taking a step closer to his brother crossing his arms over his chest and trying to remain stern and strong. "You need this."

"I don't."

"You do, when are you going to accept what has happened and begin fighting like the brother I knew and not just some shell of who he used to be?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Dean wished he could stand up and thrust his finger into Sam's chest accusingly wished he could stare him directly in the eyes and scold him for this new I'm better than you attitude he seemed to be possessing, instead of having to look up at him like some inferior being. "You know I'm doing the best I can!"

"That's bull and you know it." Sam cut him off, "Your not trying at all, you wake up in the morning sit in that chair and watch TV all day and then go back to bed at night, you don't do anything, you've turned into nothing…" The last word trailed off and the minute it left his lips Sam was filled with regret as he bit down on his lip hard immediately seeing the pain come over Dean's features. Be strong. He told himself inside his head, knowing that as harsh as it sounded these things needed to be said.

"Well, it's nice to know how you really feel, you know Sam, no one told you to take care of me… I can take care of myself…"

"That's not what I meant and you know it, I just I can't watch you do this to yourself anymore, there are plenty of wheelchair bound people out there, who still make something out of themselves, have some sort of life, your wasting away and you don't even give a damn, and your forcing me to watch you let yourself go… it's killing you man."

"Like I said." Dean's eyes softened and he turned his chair around determined to end this conversation here and now, "No one is forcing you to stay here with your worthless and crippled brother."

"Oh no you don't." Sam growled and reached out holding the back handle bar tight, "Your not going to walk away from this that easy."

"I'm not going to walk anywhere man, that's the problem." The older Winchester purposely left his back to his brother, until Sam forced his chair around and crouched down so that they were eye level before speaking again his hands resting heavily on his brothers useless legs as he spoke.

"Then do something about it."

"Come on Sammy, you heard the doctor… four percent isn't really even a shot in the dark man."

"Let me help you."

"I don't need your help, I-I'll figure this out."

"Dean, let me help you."

"Sam, I don't need-"

"Yes you do, your not going to just get up and walk damn-it when are you going to realize that? This isn't just some bad dream your not going to wake up from this in a warm safe bed somewhere, this is reality and-"

"I KNOW!" Dean's face was suddenly nose to nose with his brother his breath hot words angry, "DIDN'T YOU HEARD WHAT I SAID BEFORE?…. I know…I'm not just going to get up and walk, I'm never going to walk again, alright, I realize that…" He locked his jaw and swallowed hard before Sam swore he saw tears form just below the surface of his brothers eyes as the rest of that statement flew from his lips. "I realize that Dean Winchester, your Dean Winchester is Dead alright, and I'm sorry Sam, I'm sorry I can't bring him back."

Sam felt weak, like his whole body had been suddenly drained as he looked down in defeat in sadness, his eyes catching sight of his trembling hands still resting on his brothers legs he balled them into fists and shook his head back and forth quickly a surge of power, and hope flying through his veins. "No… no…. no…" He repeated slowly

"Sam-" It was common knowledge that Dean hated anything that even resembled a chick flick moment, but there in the privacy of his own living room his brothers tense and shaking form before him he pushed his own feelings aside and rested a comforting and strong hand on his brother's shoulder wishing that he could ease not only his own suffering but that of his baby brother as well… "I-"

"I. said. No." Sam looked up determination filling his own dark and strong gaze as he looked at his brother his nostrils once more flaring, the number one sign that Sam Winchester was determined to do something, to fight, to make it happen.

Dean sighed softly and closed his eyes letting his hand fall limply to his lap, the hope and fight in his brothers eyes looking at him almost to much for the older man to bare, "Please Sammy-"

"You wanted out of that hospital, and against my better judgment and the doctors advice I took you out, you asked me not to tell dad… and again against my better judgment I didn't tell Dad, instead I helped you fall off the face of the planet and drag me with you, leaving the few people we know and love to believe that we are probably dead somewhere….

I did it all because you asked me to, hell I even began hunting again because you asked me to, I do everything that you want and need from me, with few questions asked… "

"And I'm grateful."

"Prove it…" Sam's words were cold, and sent a chill down what Dean could still feel of his spine, "Show me, fight for it… You're a warrior not some everyday run of the mill tail between your legs pansy… I did all those things for you, gave up my life to help you, now you return the favor and let me help you, fight Dean…"

Dean closed his eyes once more and swallowed, there was so much optimism in his brothers little speech that there was no way he could refuse no way he was going to win this fight, Dean might be stubborn as an Ox, but when it came to his older brother when it came to something he wanted, when he used that tone of voice, it didn't matter how stubborn Dean was, Sam was always going to win.

"Okay…" It was a single world and with it came the restoration of hope that Samuel Winchester had needed, the confirmation that despite his guilt ridden soul and the torture of his insides, all those emotions hiding just below the surface, he was doing the right thing…

This might be a fight they we're going to lose, but at least they would try…

"Good… Good… I've been reading up on this stuff and I've been checking into a few websites, I think we can handle it, you know…."

"You don't have to do this you know?" Dean whispered in one last attempt to scrap the idea,

"I want to, we're going to get you back on your feet…"

"It's a shame we can just find some Hoodoo priest again this time around…"

"We've cut it close to many times to count, and beside there's no such thing as a healer didn't we learn that with LeGrange? Some things have to be fought with will power man, not magic…." Sam made his way over to the boxes an opened one tipping it over and watching as metal and plastic pieces decorated their carpet in front of his feet.

"Well this is going to be fun." Dean smirked looking down at the pile, it was going to take them more then the rest of the day to put these things together, "I'd give anything for a good hunt… give me a black dog over a screwdriver any day." He mumbled.

- The hours on the clock ticked away as the two boys worked diligently to put together the foreign contraptions in front of them, not even stopping for a sandwich as they worked, a certain excitement had found it's way into the air, at the thought the mere thought of the chance that Dean could walk again…

Sam looked up for a moment and his eyes widened as he noticed a smile, a real smile pressed on his brothers face, something he hadn't seen in nearly four months. "Whatcha thinking about?" He asked tilting his head back down to appear as though he had not been studying his brother when Dean looked up from screwing together then two pieces he had been working on.

"Driving." Dean answered without hesitation, "driving down the road on the way to some new city preparing to kick some evil son of a bitches tail.."

Sam chuckled, that was probably the most honest answer his brother had ever given him about anything, and he could tell that by the widening of the older man's smile as he tilted his head up again and looked toward him, Dean's eyes had a far away fantasy like gaze over shadowing them…

"Soon enough bro, soon enough…"

"Yeah… Maybe." Dean shook himself back to reality and out of the clouds, back into the seat of his wheel chair and out of the front seat of the impala his smile fading back to a numb and in different frown.

Reality, it was harsh, but it was necessary to remember the facts, to keep himself grounded and not lost somewhere in the what ifs and the if only like he had almost allowed himself to do…

Sam took note of this sudden change and frowned a little going back to his own work the air once more silent around them.

A knock at the door a minute later stole both of there attention as Sam glanced to Dean and then toward the clock on the wall… It was Damn near six fifteen. "Must be Janice here to collect the rent." He offered up rising to his feet from his knees where he had been working on placing one of the last pieces of the Parallel bars together.

"She's a day early." Dean popped his neck and dropped the piece he himself had been working on deciding that if Sam got to take a break so did he.

"She's old. Maybe she thinks it's already tomorrow." Sam offered up before calling out in the direction of the door, "Just a minute."

He wiped his sweaty hands on a dish towel in the kitchen before reaching into his pocket and retrieving his wallet pulling out a wad of hundreds and counting out eight of them as well as one fifty. He had been applying for credit cards and then withdrawing as much cash as he could off them, it was the only way he knew they would get by.

Another knock.

"I said just a minute!" He made his way toward the door and looked to Dean who was looking back at him amused, "She's not only forgetful she's Deaf too." He snorted before opening the door;

His Jaw hit the floor, his heart stopping in his chest as he fought to find his voice, not a single word making it's way to his lips… This was not Janice.

Seeing his brother's shocked expression Dean frowned and leaned down taking his brake off before making his way cautiously toward the front door. "Sammy you alright?"

"Hiya Sammy." John Winchester felt an overwhelming relief wash over him as his youngest son stood only a foot away from him, appearing to be relatively unharmed, aside from the shock now engulfing his features.

Dean stopped cold just before reaching the front door swallowing hard as the familiar voice of his father filled his ears, the world around him began to spin…

"D-Dad…" Sam whispered his knees feeling weak as though they were only seconds away from giving out on him.

The older man nodded his brow cocking just as Dean's always did in suspicion as he once more looked his youngest son up and down, there were so many questions he needed answered, so many things he needed to tell them now that he knew they were safe but so far judging from Sam's reaction, there was definitely something they were hiding that he needed to figure out… Yet he hadn't even been invited in yet.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" He asked sounding almost hurt, "Where's your brother?"

"Dean? He's uh, he's…"

"Sam." His father's voice warned as he pushed past him into the house.

Sam watched as John's eyes landed on Dean still sitting there just beyond the entrance to the room, his hazel orbs studying his fathers for some sort of reaction, the gig was up. "Hey Dad…."

John stumbled backward a little at the sight of his eldest boy sitting there before, finding himself staring rudely at the contraption that appeared to be confining him, locking him up like some caged animal..

Even from where he stood feet away, john could see the deterioration of his son's legs under the jeans fitting loosely over his lower half, he tried to swallow the lump down in his throat, the anger the frustration everything he had felt before knocking on that door, before finally seeing his sons, was now gone, replaced by confusion and fear

Over a minute had passed and John was still standing silent in front of his son the slow blinking of his eyes the only indication that he was still alive, obviously in some sort of shock..

"It's not as bad as it looks…." Dean tried to sound optimistic, tried to keep his voice even as his father looked down at him eyes filled with pity and sorrow…

"Dad.." Sam whispered putting a hand on his father's shoulder. "Maybe you should sit down…"

Without warming John dropped to his knees the foot of Dean's chair and fought back tears trying to put all the pieces together, trying to comprehend what he was seeing as he reached out a shakey hand and placed it on Dean's knee still untrusting his voice to speak.

His eyes tore from Dean's as he looked at the legs beneath his grasp and swallowed hard, What kind of a creature, what monster had done this to his boy? How had a hunt gone this wrong? Why had he not been called…

Tears filled his eyes and began spilling over.

I purposely left out the flashback, because the big one is coming next chapter, so I hope you enjoyed this and as always let me know what you are thinking…