Okay, this will NOT be the last chapter. There's one more after this that will resolve all of the outstanding issues, of which there are a lot. This chapter just kind of ran away with me…

Thank you all once again SO much for your reviews! And I think some of you, who have been patiently waiting, will enjoy this chapter…

Blind, But Now I See: Chapter 4-

Sam awoke again, although this time his mind was considerably clearer. His arm was quite painful and Sam figured that his pain medication had been changed again. Not that he minded; if the choice was his, he'd rather be able to think and feel some pain than the other way around. Briefly Sam looked around the dark room. Dean wasn't there and the lights were out. Sam fumbled around looking for a clock, but could find none. With a sigh, he pushed the switch, raising up his bed and then pushed the call button. Within two minutes, a nurse entered the room.

"Hi, you're awake…that's great, Dr. Hawthorne just came by to make his final rounds for the night. Did you need anything?"

Sam scratched the stubble on his chin…he needed a shave. "Uh, can you tell me what time it is?"

The nurse looked at her watch. "10 p.m."

Sam sat up with a start. 10 p.m.? Quickly, he stumbled over his words. "Has my brother been back? I mean, since this afternoon?"

The nurse backed away, looking regretful and somewhat intimidated. "I, um, I don't know. My shift just started. I could ask around…"

Sam held his response as Dr. Hawthorne entered the room. "Well, it's good to see you awake and sitting up."

The nurse made a hasty exit and Sam leaned back and rubbed his eyes. "Uh, hey doc." He lowered his hand as the doctor came around his left side to check his arm. "Do you know if Dean's been back since this afternoon?"

The doctor lifted his head from his examination appearing somewhat amused. "Separation anxiety?"

Sam squinted at the man. For a professional, he could certainly be inappropriate.

Noticing Sam's reaction, the physician tried to explain his comment. "He's spent a lot of time here. I'm used to seeing husbands and wives or parents and children waiting during and after a surgery- siblings don't usually wait, unless the entire family's waiting together." Sam's glare held and the man shrugged. "It's just unusual."

Sam shook his head, wondering what the doctor's problem was. That was the second time he had made a comment about being surprised at seeing two brothers who were close. Ignoring the man's oddity, Sam tried again. "So…do you know if he's been back?"

Dr. Hawthorne nodded as he unwrapped the splint on Sam's arm. The arm was still incredibly swollen, the skin was purple and covered in scabs, and a long scar ran down from his elbow to just above his wrist. "He came back around 7 to check on you. I informed him that we had once again changed your pain medication… please let us know if you're in any pain."

The doctor looked up, expecting an answer about the pain, but Sam was focused on other things. "What time did he leave? Did he say if he was going back to the motel?"

The physician rolled his eyes and shook his head as he probed the injured limb. Sam hissed in pain. "He left an hour ago when visiting hours ended. He didn't say anything to me, but I overheard him telling one of the nurses that he couldn't meet with her after her shift because he had to, quote, 'take a walk in the park'." The man smiled, "Let me tell you, she just loved that… If a nurse with red hair comes in here, I'd hide if I were you."

The doctor bent his head back down and began to resplint the arm. Sam shook his head. If Dean went back to the park alone- or even with Drew, alone- he was going to kill him. Not that he didn't want Danny's issue to be resolved as fast as possible, but the ghosts of the two druggies were still roaming around and Drew had already committed at least one murder… Sam closed his eyes in prayer. He hoped Dean hadn't been that stupid.

The doctor finished and tapped Sam's shoulder. "Looks good. It's still pretty swollen so I wouldn't be concerned just yet if you don't have full feeling. We'll be better able to judge that after the swelling goes down a bit."

Sam snorted and opened his eyes. "Uh…I'm pretty sure I can feel all of it right now."

Dr. Hawthorne looked skeptical and Sam explained. "Hurts like a bitch."

The man nodded. "Do you want me to send the nurse in with your painkiller? We're stopping the intravenous. I'm prescribing Oxycontin slow release twice per day. It's quite strong so I doubt you'll be feeling much while you're on it."

Sam swallowed and shook his head. "I'm okay for now."

The doctor nodded. "Alright, the medication should be delivered along with your breakfast tomorrow, let the nurse know if you need something in the meantime. I'll see you tomorrow morning then."

Sam agreed and watched as the man left. As soon as he was out the door, Sam picked up the nearby phone and dialed his brother's number. There was no answer.

"I'm gonna kill him…"

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Sam saw the rope once again tied to the tree and growled under his breath. His brother really was that stupid… Not that Sam could really say anything about that considering that he had also went into the haunted park alone, but he had an excuse- someone had to be back up for Dean.

Coming to the embankment, Sam laid on his stomach and peered over the edge, mindful of his aching arm. A dose of powerful painkillers was certainly needed, but Sam couldn't be stoned right now. After the hunt though, he planned to spend a long time being very out of it.

Below him, Sam saw his brother squirting lighter fluid on Danny's remains. He bit his lip. He really didn't want Danny to go out that way. Nobody knew what happened after a ghost was destroyed, but it was so much more peaceful if their issue was resolved- and the poor kid had been through enough.

Just as Sam was about to call out and stop his brother, Danny's ghost appeared behind Dean.

"What're you doin'?"

Dean jumped, dropping the lighter fluid. "Whoa! Shit!"

From where he lay, Sam smirked, and noted the ghost laughing as well.

"You're Dean, right?"

Dean seemed to get himself together rather quickly as he nodded. "You're Danny?"

Danny nodded also and held out his hand for Dean to shake. "Nice ta meet ya."

Dean shook the hand, an uneasy look on his face, and Danny peered over at his remains. "What'cha doin' to my bones, Dean?"

Immediately, Sam was on guard and he could tell from the shift in his brother's posture that Dean was too. He wondered how Dean would talk his way out of this one…

"Uh. Well, Sammy told me about you…thought I'd come down here to try to help you out."

The ghost looked up, confused. "By burning my bones?"

Dean looked surprised and the boy's expression suddenly turned smug. "I know what lighter fluid is…I'm not stupid, you know."

Sam smiled from his perch and Dean laughed. "Yeah. Sorry."

Danny shook his head. "I can't go, Dean. I have to wait for my brother. He promised me he'd come back. I have to make sure I'm here when he comes. I wouldn't want him to think that he was looking for me all this time and I just left…"

Sam watched as his brother considered the statement, compassion entering his eyes. He had no idea what went on between Dean and Drew this afternoon, but clearly Danny's brother had no intention of ever coming back.

Dean sunk down on one knee to be closer to eye level with the ghost. "Danny…Drew…he's not coming back."

Sam's gut twisted. He didn't know what Dean's plan was, but upsetting a ghost was never a good idea. Danny, for his part, didn't seem to want to hear the information. Instead, the boy backed away from Dean, shaking his head. Once again, Sam thought he saw tears in the specter's eyes. "That's…that's not true. My brother wouldn't leave me. He promised me he'd come back. He'd never break a promise. Never."

Sam watched Dean suck in his lips and put a hand over his mouth. Sam knew that look, Dean was distressed. "Danny, sometimes, things happen that stop people from keeping their promises."

Danny nodded, pointing a ghostly finger at his visitor. "Sam told me you don't keep all your promises."

A look of hurt flashed through Dean's features and Sam let his head flop onto his forearm with a groan. Of all the things he had told Danny about Dean, that's the one his brother finds out about…

Dean shrugged away his upset. "Well, sometimes, when someone makes a promise, they don't always think things through."

Danny smiled. "Sam told me that too. He said you always knew which promises to keep and which you never should've made."

Sam looked up in time to see the small, surprised smile, grace his brother's lips. "He did?"

The ghost grinned wider. "Yeah. He told me all about you! I think he tried to make you as cool as Drew, but, and no offense, my brother could totally take you…especially when he hears that you told me he wasn't coming."

Both Sam and Dean laughed at that, but neither replied. Drew was a skinny, forty-year-old, pale chemist. If Dean and Drew had faced off, Drew wouldn't have had a chance in hell.

Dean's expression turned serious fairly quickly. "Danny…Drew's dead."

Sam started, sharing the same wide-eyed, surprised look as the dead boy. Had Dean actually killed Drew? There was no way…was there? Sure Dean would've been pissed, but murder? Then Sam remembered what Dean had said to him before he left, 'Dude, if I kill him, you have nobody to blame but yourself for sending me there.' Shit.

Danny's shock quickly disappeared, morphing into angry denial. Once again, the boy pointed a finger at Sam's brother. "No! You're lying! That's not true!"

Dean remained calm, his voice filled with care. "I found his bones, dude. It looks like he died not long after you fell. He probably was rushing to get you help…should've look where he was going."

Sam furrowed his brow in confusion. What? Then he realized, Dean was making up the story to spare the boy the pain of knowing what his brother had really done.

The ghost was now sobbing, his hands placed loosely by his mouth, searching Dean's face for any lies. But Dean was good and no lies were found. Danny grated in a breath. "Did it hurt him?"

Dean closed his eyes briefly, obviously distressed by the fact that the abandoned boy still cared about his brother. He shook his head. "Probably happened instantly."

Danny wiped his ghostly tears with his sleeves as he nodded. "So that's why he never came for me?"

Dean nodded and Danny bit his spectral lip. "He never abandoned me. He really did try to get help…"

Sam watched his brother raise his eyebrows in time with his own. So Danny hadn't been as clueless as they had originally thought. Most likely, the boy had known he'd been abandoned, but was unable to face it, so he had just kept telling himself that Drew would be back. Now that he knew, or thought, that Drew had another reason for not returning, he could be more honest with himself.

Dean put a hand on the ghost's arm. "Danny. You don't have to wait here anymore, man. Drew's waiting for you. Find the light; your whole family'll be there."

The boy stood, just staring until a confused look came over his face. "But Drew promised he'd be back for me. What if he comes and I'm not here?"

Sam heard his brother's exasperated sigh. "Danny, Drew's dead."

The ghost shook his head. "But I am too. And I'm still here. Maybe he didn't move on, maybe he's still looking for me as a ghost. That's why he can't find me."

Dean looked contemplative and Sam wondered how his brother would answer that one. Then Dean sat, making himself comfortable on the floor, leaning to the side, one knee up by his chin. "Sam told you he's my little brother right?"

Danny sat down across from Dean, listening attentively as Dean continued. "Just 'cause I'm older…it doesn't mean I can always help him. I mean sure I try, but sometimes…sometimes I need help too."

Sam whispered into his arm as he watched. "What help do you need, Dean?"

Twenty feet below, Dean continued. "I want to be able to fix everything for him. I want him to not have to worry about things, to be safe, but sometimes…there's just too much and I can't do it on my own. I need his help too."

Danny seemed to consider this. "You need him to help you help him?"

Dean nodded. "And I think Drew might need your help."

Danny stood up, determined. "What do I have to do?"

Dean stood too, clamping a hand on the boy's shoulder. "All right, Danny! You know for a kid, you're not so bad. A guy'd be lucky to have you for a brother."

Danny's smile shined. "Really?!"

Dean sent a sad smile back. "Instead just waiting here for Drew to come find you, you should try to find him. With you both looking, you could be found twice as fast."

The ghost nodded. "Okay. How do I get out of here?"

Dean stepped behind him. "You remember seeing a light? Try to look for it."

There was silence for a few moments as Danny stared blankly out onto the water. Then, the boy gasped and pointed. "I see it. Dean, I see it. It's getting bigger."

Sam smiled and watched as his brother did the same. "Good. You see your parents there?"

The specter squinted, a concerned look on his face. "Yeah…but Drew's not with them. They're smiling at me." The boy began to weep. "I forgot what they looked like. I haven't seen them in so long. I forgot how much I missed them."

Sam felt his own tears pooling in his eyes and Dean nudged the ghost forward. "Go to them Danny, they'll help you find your brother."

Danny's brows drew together and Sam felt a charge build up in the air. He shivered as a chill ripped through him. The ghost's eyes were still focused on water in front of him, but Danny's voice had taken on a new, distrustful quality. "Dean? I thought you said Drew was dead."

Sam pushed himself into a kneeling position. Something was wrong.

Dean stepped further back from the ghost and Danny glared at the air in front of him. "They said Drew's not dead." A look of horrified revelation passed through the boy's features and he turned his back to the water. "That's not true! He didn't leave me!"

The wind picked up and the air became heavy with the scent of ozone. Sam moved toward the rope, trying to determine the best way to help his brother. Danny was now openly crying, his gasps harshly grating past his vocal chords. "He didn't leave me! He loved me! He promised me!" The boy looked up at the now white-faced Dean. "I loved him! I wanted to be just like him! I wanted to hang out with him! But he hated me! He hated me! I did everything I could! I even learned how to cook, I asked him to teach me, but he hated me! I just wanted him to love me!"

Sam stood at the top of the embankment, rope in his hand, and tears in his eyes. Looking down below him, he could see the water in his brother's eyes glistening in the moonlight. Oblivious to the two onlookers, Danny continued. "I was supposed to walk home with Tommy, but Drew said we could spend the afternoon together. He told me he'd take me fishing over the weekend." The boy looked up at Dean, transparent tears covering his face. "I thought it was weird, but I didn't care. I jumped at it. I was so excited that he wanted to spend time with me."

Dean swallowed and Danny took a seat on his remains, pulling his knees up to his chest. "We joked the whole way into the park. I never even asked why we were going this way. I was just so happy. I asked him for all this advice and he smiled at me; he even laughed. But he was just setting me up." The ghost looked up again. "Why didn't he love me? What did I do wrong?"

Sam brushed the tears from his eyes as he heard his brother whisper an answer. "Nothing." Then Dean crouched in front of the ghost. "Danny, I meant what I said before, a guy'd be proud to have you for a brother."

The ghost looked back seriously. "Would you?"

Dean looked confused for a moment and then shrugged. "Yeah… sure…"

The boy stood, a confident look on his face, brushing away the tears. He looked up at the top of the cliff and then back down to Dean. "You came back for me, Dean."

Seemingly sensing that something was up, Dean took a step back before responding. "Yeah…"

Danny nodded and held out a hand. "Come with me."

Dean stared at the hand, but didn't take it. "Where?"

The boy gestured toward the water. "I don't want to be alone anymore. You could be my brother. You could help me get to the light. I'm scared to go by myself."

Sam's heart pounded in his chest. Pity, anger, fear, and sadness warred inside him. Danny had gotten royally screwed in life, and Dean was a great brother. But just because Drew had sucked, that didn't mean he could just take Dean. Wrapping the rope tightly in his hand, Sam approached the edge of the cliff.

Dean's voice echoed below him. "I'm sorry kiddo, I can't."

Sam began to repel his way down the muddy wall. His movements seemed to go unnoticed by the ghost who was continuing to try to persuade Dean. "But I don't want to be alone anymore, and you came back for me."

Sam reached the ground just in time to see Danny grab Dean's neck. Sam wasn't sure if Danny was strangling him, or doing something else entirely, but whatever it was, it was obvious that it hurt. Dean's face was tensed in pain, a scream tearing from his lips.

Not having any plan, Sam ran over and seized his brother's arm, pulling him away from the ghost. Danny released his hold and Dean fell into Sam, gasping. Carefully, his eyes still on the specter, Sam lowered his brother to the ground. Dean's eyes were closed, his muscle tone weak, as he struggled to take in each breath.

Danny looked back at Sam, remorse filling his expression and tears filling his eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt him. I just don't want to be alone anymore."

Sam pulled his brother closer. "That doesn't mean you can take Dean."

Danny argued. "But he came back for me. He said he'd be proud to have me for a brother."

Sam took a breath, trying to calm himself, push down his fear and anger. "And I'm sure he meant that, Danny, but you can't just kill him. It's wrong."

The ghost shook its head. "I don't want to be by myself. Dean could be my brother."

Sam looked down and sighed in relief seeing Dean's glazed eyes looking around. He moved his attention back to the apparition. "Danny, you saw the light, your parents are waiting for you. Go to them, then you won't be alone anymore."

The boy nodded and knelt next to the brothers. "I want to. They loved me. I felt it. But I'm scared. I don't want to go by myself." He put a hand on Dean's arm. "I want Dean to come with me."

Sam shook his head as he tugged his brother away from the ghost. "Dean can't come with you."

The ghost began sobbing again, pulling Dean back toward him. "But, why?"

Sam yanked on Dean's other arm, drawing his brother back towards himself, pleading for the ghost to understand. "Because I need him here…"

Danny shook his head, once again jerking Dean towards him. "No you don't! You're all grown up! You don't need him anymore!"

Sam pulled back. "Yes I do! Danny, Dean's the only thing that I have!"

The ghost sobbed. "But I don't have anything!"

Sam shook his head. "I'm sorry for that. I really am. But you can't take Dean. He's my brother; I need him."

Out of the corner of his eye, Sam saw Dean blink over at him, but Sam kept his gaze on the ghost refusing to make eye-contact with his brother. For a minute, the two younger siblings stared off, each clutching one of Dean's arms. Finally, Dean gained enough of his wits back to break the silence, speaking compassionately to Danny. "Danny, I'm sorry. I can't go with you, dude. I go with Sam."

The boy began shaking his head, tears once again running down his translucent face. He pleaded with Dean. "No. Please. I need you, too. I'll be a good brother. I promise. I'd never leave you." Danny pointed his finger at Sam. "If he needs you so bad, then why'd he leave you? Three times!"

Sam blinked in surprise. Ghosts could often read minds, but somehow, he hadn't been expecting that. Dean shook his head. "Sam came back for me, every time. Once he knew I needed him, he came back."

Danny screamed in anger and sadness. "No, I'd be good. I'm a good brother. Why doesn't anyone want me?!"

Sam tried again. "Your parents want you, Danny. You can go to them. You can find peace, you won't be alone anymore."

But the ghost was too far gone. With his head tipped down, the boy turned his eyes up, his heartbreaking stare piercing Sam's soul. "I'm scared. I don't want to be left alone." Something about the words seemed familiar to Sam, but he couldn't place them. Then, suddenly, Danny's hands were once again around Dean's throat.

Dean's scream split the air and without a second thought, Sam pulled the lighter from his pocket, lit it, and threw it on the fluid soaked bones. Immediately, the remains were covered in fire. Sam spun around in time to watch Danny release a dazed Dean and stare at his blazing body.

The ghost was on fire too now and Danny was crying, his eyes pleading in fear. "Please! I'm sorry!" The boy looked around frantically. "I can't see a light! It's not here! This place is different! Please! There's no one here! I don't want to be alone!" With a burst of light, Danny was gone.

Sam stood gaping, tears in his eyes, staring at the place where the ghost once stood. He had destroyed over three hundred ghosts in his lifetime, but this one was going to stick with him. They should've planned more, thought things through better. It shouldn't have ended this way. They should've been able to help Danny. The boy had had a depressing life, a horrific death, and now he'd be alone for eternity. They should've been able to save him.

Sam looked over at his brother. Dean was pale, laying back against the muddy wall, dark circles under his eyes. He stared at the spot the ghost from where had vanished with a tormented look on his face. Clearly, this hunt would be staying with Dean too.

Realizing that Dean hadn't moved since Danny's attack, Sam walked over and crouched down next to his sibling. Carefully, he tilted Dean's head to the side to better examine his neck. Dean pushed him away. "Dude, get off me."

Sam swallowed, the tears over Danny still in his eyes. "Are you alright?"

Dean turned his head, giving his brother a tired look. He spoke with sarcasm. "Thanks for saving my life, Sam. I mean, instead of just sitting there and watching while Danny killed me."

Sam sat back, confused. "What?"

Dean shrugged. "Isn't that what we do now? Thank each other every time one of us helps the other one?"

Sam stuck out his lower jaw, annoyed. He only wanted Dean to know that he loved him, and now he was being mocked for it. "I just wanted you to know that I appreciate you, Dean."

Dean raised his brows, an intimidating expression covering his face. He looked calm, but anyone who knew him would be able to tell that he was fuming. "Hey man, that's all I'm doing too. I mean, you just as easily could've sat there and watched while the kid ripped my head off. I'm just thanking you for getting involved."

Sam stood up. "What the hell is your problem? I 'could've just as easily sat there and watched?' You really think I would do that?"

Dean shakily stood, leaning against the wall. "Insulting isn't it?"

Sam stepped back in surprise. It was insulting. Is that how he had sounded when he 'thanked' Dean? "What?"

Dean now looked reserved and tired, all the anger having drained from his expression. He pointed a finger at his brother. "You compared me to Drew. Not just your average Joe Schmo brother. No…you compared me to evil incarnate. And then you went and you thanked me for shit I would've done for a complete freakin' stranger, much less you."

Sam tried to interrupt. "Dean, I just-"

Dean gave him no time to speak. "It's freakin' offensive, Sam. You should expect me to help you because I've worked damn hard to make sure that I'm there every time. I take freakin' pride in that. I can't believe you compared me to that piece of shit!"

Sam blinked, not knowing what to make of Dean's outburst. "Can I say something?"

Dean shrugged, turning toward the rope. "Sure…why the hell not? Unless your mouth's broken too?"

Sam ignored the comment. "This past year's been hell, Dean, and we've both had a lot of shit to deal with. And I'll admit; I haven't handled this whole thing with the demon and his plans for me all that well. And I've been leaning on you, a lot, and don't tell me that you've got it, that it's no big deal, because I heard you before, Dean, when you were talking to Danny. You said you couldn't handle it all. And I know I'm the one who dumped it on your shoulders."

Dean stared at his brother, his face blank, and Sam sighed. "Look, man, I just…you took it all, without a word, and you held me above the water while you were drownin' below my weight. And I just wanted to thank you…for what you did for me."

Silence stretched as both brothers stared at the floor by their feet, the scent of ozone and smoke filling their nostrils. It was a familiar smell, one they had grown up with, the scent of a job well done- although this time, it felt as though they had failed miserably. Finally, Dean looked back up at his brother, speaking quietly. "You're welcome."

Sam nodded, his eyes still on the floor. With a sigh, Dean brought over the rope, pushing it into his brother's hand. Giving Sam's good shoulder a squeeze, Dean pointed to the cliff. "You go up first."

Sam turned toward Dean, his expression looking sad and worried. "Dean…you really okay?"

The corner of Dean's mouth turned up. "I'm fine, Sammy."

Sam relaxed, relief flowing through him. Hesitantly, he looked up the embankment wall- it was going to be a long climb. Sam winced, trying to convince himself that his arm didn't feel like it was about to fall off.

"We really blew this one, man."

Dean's voice was soft and Sam turned to watching his brother's eyes reflect the fire. He nodded. "Yeah."

Dean looked down. "Yeah."

For a moment they both stood still, before Sam spoke again. "I didn't have a choice, Dean. He was killing you."

Dean looked up, tilting his head in sympathy. "It wasn't you, Sam. Hell, I was the one who salted and doused the bones." He shook his head. "I didn't realize…he didn't deserve to go out that way."

Sam nodded with a small smile. "It was good lie, man. Especially considering that you were on the spot."

Dean gave a soft snort. "Yeah. I was pretty sure I'd be going to Hell for that one. Then I figured…I'm probably headed there anyway, why not add one more thing to the list."

Sam bit his lip. "It was compassionate. You were trying to protect him." Sam moved forward, a light grin on his lips. "You'd make a good big brother."

Dean smirked and raised his brows. "So I'm told." Then he looked up the cliff before turning back to his brother. "All right, let's get out of here."

Sam nodded. "You sure you want me to go first?"

Dean shot him an incredulous look and Sam chuckled. "All right."

Taking a breath, Sam began to climb his way to the top.

All right, well, we've got plenty to still resolve here- so stay tuned for the conclusions of the flashback, the doctor, Drew, and of course, thanking Dean (it's not over). Review! Did you like this chapter? Hate it? Lemme know!