Sorry about the type-o's in the last chap - I thought about fixing them, but that's as far as I got.

Thanks to all who have read and especially to those who have posted such wonderful reviews. We're coming down to the wire here, and you'll soon know who lives and who dies. Heavy Sigh! And yes I will try and explain what the sulfur pool is.

Hugs, all, happy reading.

oooOOOooo

ST12Wait and worry

Stephen was waiting when the truck skidded to a halt. The trauma team rushed to take care of their patient. Dean lay still and silent covered in his own blood.

The doctor growled beneath his breath. Snapping orders he went to work closing the deep puncture wounds in Dean's shoulder. Two pints of blood hung beside the bed pumping life through nearly collapsed veins. He couldn't - no he wouldn't loose him, not after he'd risked so much for a small boy.

oooOOOooo

Sam had made a promise and he would keep it. As worried as he was about his brother he knew the Pixies also need attention. He didn't know what he was going to do but he had to try something. Melisandra had shown him the broken little wing. The sadness in her eyes told him much, but he had made a promise

A little over an hour later he surveyed his handiwork and shook his head. He didn't know if it would do any good, but the tiny row of stitches held her little yellow wing against her body. A toothpick taped in place held the broken wing together. Was it enough? He didn't know, he could only hope.

Gently he laid the tiny pixie down beside her sister and covered them with a soft cloth. Worry for Dean still plagued him, but he knew he'd done his best to help the little pixie. Minutes later, he was back pacing the floor outside the Trauma room when the door opened. Stephen stepped out and took a deep breath. Looking up he saw the anxious look on the young hunters face.

"He'll be fine Sam," the young doctor reported quickly. "It was touch and go for a bit, but he's a fighter. We've pumped 4 pints of whole blood back into his system. His blood pressure is up to tolerable levels and his pulse is strong. His collar bone is broken and the shoulder is slightly dislocated but nothing serious. The puncture wounds in his shoulder were deep and nasty but thankfully they didn't hit anything vital. I'm sure he'll be chomping at the bit in a couple of days and neither of us will be able to keep him down."

Sam snorted in agreement knowing his brother all too well.

Laying his hand on Sam shoulder the doc led him forward into the Trauma room. "Don't mind the bells and whistles they are mostly for my piece of mind. You can sit with him for a few minutes if you like before we move him to a room."

Sam lowered his tired aching body into a chair and pulled it close to the bed where his brother lay sleeping. Even in sleep Dean looked troubled, like there was something weighing on his mind.

Sam knew what it was, "I took care of them Dean," he whispered, "Just like you asked.

Four hours later Stephen quietly stepped into the room a sigh upon his lips. Sam seemed lost, his gaze cloudy and unfocused. Toughing the young hunter's shoulder he felt him shiver beneath his touch. "Sam you need to go get something to eat and some sleep. It's ok to worry, but don't drive yourself into exhaustion. When Dean wakes up he'll need you whole and hearty."

Slowly Sam turned his head, his eyes filled with misery. "He got hurt saving me," he whispered.

"I know Sam," Stephen whispered. "Don't let his sacrifice be for naught." When Sam didn't move Stephen grabbed him by the arm and pulled him from the chair. "Doctor's orders, eat and sleep, when you've rested you can come back and sit with him. If he wakes up before you get back I'll call, I promise."

Reluctantly Sam did as he was told. Shuffling out the door he found Melisandra waiting to take him back to the house.

oooOOOooo

A little blue pixie groaned and rolled over grumbling beneath her breath. Peeking out from beneath the soft cloth Periwinkle blinked in confusion. She didn't know where she was and couldn't remember how she'd gotten there. "Buttercup," she whispered, but no reply greeted her words. Throwing the cover off she saw her sister laying still and silent beside her.

"Oh Butter," she cried softly. "What you done?" Gently she pushed a yellow lock of hair off her sister's face as tears of sorrow rolled down her cheek. "What you done," she repeated silently. A pinch of blue pixie dust flew into the air, but Periwinkle's wish went unfulfilled. Buttercup was silent and her wing remained torn and broken.

Leaping into the air Periwinkle hovered above her sister. "I'll be back little sister; mother will know what to do." With those words she leaped into the air and out the door speeding her way toward home.

oooOOOooo

It was a little after ten when Sam returned to the clinic. Waving to the nurse sitting behind the front desk he waited for the buzzer to let him in. He had managed to down a turkey sandwich, even though it had tasted like sawdust in his mouth. He had even managed to grab a couple of hours sleep. It didn't make him feel any better. His head throbbed with worry.

A little while later he stood in the door to his brothers' hospital room watching the doctor check the monitors before jotting some notes in the chart. Sam's breath caught in his throat at the sight of his brother. Dean was pale beneath his tan. Tubes and wires ran in all directions, the young hunter wanted to run across the room and shake his brother awake. Tempted to scream or break something he knew it would make him feel a whole lot better. He resisted – barely.

The doctor turned quickly nearly running Sam over as he came through the door. "Sam, sorry, didn't see you standing there," Stephen whispered in surprise.

Sam didn't acknowledge the words or take his eyes off the unconscious figure in the bed.

"Come sit down," Stephen whispered grabbing the young man by the sleeve he dragged him away from the room.

Sam went reluctantly, needing to be with his brother.

"Sam, he's fine, I promise," Stephen offered quietly.

"Why won't he wake up," Sam asked in frustration?

"His body suffered quite a shock it just needs time to recover. He's running a low grade fever but it's normal under these circumstances. Pulse, respiration, blood pressure are all stable, when he's ready he'll wake up I promise."

Eying the young man he didn't like what he saw. "I'm worried about you right now, did you eat something like I told you, or get some sleep," Stephen asked him bluntly?

"Some," he whispered.

Reaching across the doc grabbed the young hunter's wrist and felt for a pulse.

Sam tried to deny him, but the Stephen growled at him and held on.

"Sam you've got to get some rest, you're not doing Dean or yourself any good. Besides," Stephen said trying to lighten the mood, "You've got a date with my girl in the morning and I don't want you passing out on her."

A small smile tugged at the young hunters lips. "You promise he'll be ok," Sam asked quietly?

"I'm the doc here, what I say goes. If I say he's going to be ok, he'll be ok."

Stephen watched as Sam's eyes strayed toward his brother's room once more.

"Go Sam, sit with him for a while, but I don't want you hanging around here all night you hear me."

Sam was on his feet even before Stephen finished speaking.

Stephen shook his head chuckling when Sam didn't answer. Smiling he watched him go. 'They were a matched set,' he admitted wryly.

Quietly Sam stepped into the room and settled in the chair beside the bed. Sighing heavily, his heart filled with pain he whispered, "I know you can hear me Dean, I need you wake up and be ok."

Dean slept on.

Reaching up Sam laid his hand on his brother's good shoulder and rested his head on the bed. Softly he began to speak, telling him about his life at college and his love for Jessica. Things he'd wished he could have shared with his brother then, he shared with him now.

It wasn't long before his eyes closed and his words drifted away as sleep gathered him close.

The whispered words penetrated the darkness. The familiar voice enticing him to consciousness. Pain clouded eyes fluttered open and the hunter blinked several times trying to clear away the fog. Tilting his head to the right he saw the sleeping figure of his brother beside him.

A tear streaked the tanned face and Dean's heart caught in his throat. His thumb brushed across the tear capturing it. Raising his hand he brushed his brother's tear across his own cheek, wishing he could take his brother's pain as easily.

"Love you Sammy," he whispered.

Resting his hand on his brother's head he softly called his name.

Sam shot to his feet his eyes capturing his brother's eyes in an instant. "Dean," he nearly shouted.

"Hey Sam," Dean greeted quietly.

"Dean," Sam repeated in shock.

"Hey Dude," Dean chuckled and grimaced at the same time, "You ok?"

Relief swept thought him. "Dammit Dean you've been unconscious for ten hours. You scared the hell out of me!"

"Damn your grumpy when you don't get enough sleep," Dean growled. "Like you said, its not every day I get dragged halfway across Texas by a mutant bat, I just wanted to savour the experience."

Sam threw him a reluctant smile, "You ok?"

"Of course I'm ok," Dean scoffed. "I'm always ok. I'm like a cat with nine lives."

Sam snorted, "Yeah and you've used up twelve of them already!"

"Hey," Dean grumbled taking stock of his current predicament. His left shoulder was strapped tightly to his body, at least he could wiggle his fingers and for that he was grateful. He went on the defensive, "It's not like I meant to get hurt. Being trussed up like a stuffed turkey isn't exactly my idea of good time. Saved your ass - again," he mumbled.

"Sorry," Sam whispered sheepishly, "and thanks - again"

Smirking at his brother Dean, "Next time its your turn to save me."

"Deal," Sam chuckled.

Dean was almost afraid to ask about the pixies, but he needed to know.

Sam knew what was coming, he dreaded telling him, but he couldn't lie. "I did my best Dean, Periwinkle is ok but she's gone. I don't know where she went. Buttercup is hurt pretty badly. Her left wing is broken and torn. Melisandra doesn't know if it will ever heal."

Closing his eyes Dean withdrew. 'Why', he screamed silently! The sweet natured, fun loving pixie did not deserve that, if she hadn't become attached to him… she wouldn't have gotten hurt!. He knew better than to get close to someone. They always ended up getting hurt or dying. Never again! Mom, Dad, Layla, now Buttercup - Never again he vowed silently!

Worried Sam called his name, "Dean, its ok," he whispered.

"Its not ok Sam, it will never be ok," he murmured. Pulling back he hid his emotions behind a wall, tucking the hurt away like he'd done a thousand times before. The mask of the hunter dropped into place. It was the only way he could protect himself.

Sam saw it, the shutters come down and lock into place, but there was nothing he could say or do, that would make his brother feel any better.

Stephen stood outside the door and sighed, more than just a pixie had gotten hurt here but it was a hurt he could not heal. "Welcome back to the land of the living," he broke in from the doorway. "About time you woke up. Poor Sam here was pacing so hard he wore a hole in the floor."

Sam spun to face the doctor as he walked into the room.

Leaning forward Dean hissed when fire erupted in his injured shoulder. His breath caught in his throat. Relaxing back against the pillow he mumbled beneath his breath.

"Easy there tiger," Stephen whispered, "I put a lot of hard work into that shoulder, don't be tearing it up ten hours after I put it back together again. If you're thinking about leaving – don't! Its going to be a few days before you're able to prowl the streets so get used to it."

Dean growled in frustration, when he could finally breathe again. He didn't stop grumbling until Stephen was finished poking and prodding at him – again!

"Just as I promised Sam, he's going to be fine. Now it's your turn, go grab something to eat. I'm sure Bettina left something out for you. Then sleep, doctors' orders!"

Sam opened his mouth to protest, but it was Dean who had the last word.

"Go Sammy, its not like I'm going to get any of Aunt B's cooking stuck here like this. One of us should enjoy it."

The young hunter shook his head, "Fine, I'll see you in the morning."

Stephen waited only long enough for Sam to leave before he pulled a syringe from his pocket and injected it into Dean's IV.

"What the hell was that," Dean growled?

Stephen chuckled and shook his head, "Pain medication, it will help you sleep"

"Been asleep for ten hours already," he grumbled.

"Well sleep some more, you need it," Stephen growled back.

"Hate that stuff," he grumbled again. He'd never admit it, but he was grateful when the burning pain in his shoulder subsided to a dull ache. Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep.