I want to thank Faye Dartmouth once again for beta'ing this chapter... I really appreciate her help. Now I want to thank all of you that read this story, and an even bigger thanks goes out to everyone who took the time to review this story, your comments and suggestions really helped it along.

Thank you all once again, and I hope you enjoy the epilogue... Once again review!

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EPILOGUE

Three Weeks Later:It took two days for Sam to be taken off the ventilator, though he still had a nasal canula stuck under his nose to help him breathe. There was another three day wait for Sam to be able to lift himself up without Dean or his father's aid. One more day and Sam was ready to be moved to a room in PCU.

Finally, three weeks after Sam had woken up, his doctor had given in to the thought of letting him out of the hospital. So after recovering for three and a half weeks after Sam had first arrived at the hospital, he was being given his walking papers.

The only stipulations Sam was given to be let out of the hospital were, he would have to take it easy for some time, he was to use the crutches for five weeks, and then go to a hospital or treatment center to receive physical therapy after the cast was removed. Other than that, the doctor said Sam was fine to go, and Sam was never happier to get out of a place in his life.

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Sam got dressed slowly, struggling to get his pants over the cast that ran from just below his knees to three quarters down his foot. He buttoned up his shirt, and grabbed for his boot, but after trying for five minutes, he called his father in to help him get his boot on and tied, a blush lining his cheeks.

"It's okay to need help Sam, especially after being in the hospital for close to a month. It will take a while to get used to, just give it time." Sam nodded, still embarrassed that he needed help to get a boot on, and glad that Dean hadn't been the one outside the door when he called; his brother never would have let him live it down.

A few minutes later, a wheelchair was brought in, and after Sam glared at it and the same preppy nurse he had in ICU, he hobbled over and got into it. But when the nurse went to push him down the hall, he growled at her, and his father laughed, telling the nurse that he could get Sam out of the hospital just fine, if she wanted to leave.

That had been one of the things John and Sam had agreed on while he had been in the hospital. The preppy nurse was a nuisance to both of them, and neither of them would put up with her and her squeaky voice for any longer than they had to. When Sam had been moved to PCU both had been relieved, that they wouldn't have to see her any longer.

Dean had been the odd man out, he thought the nurse was cute, and loved that she could be so happy from day to day. John and Sam had kicked him out of the room when he had reprimanded them for being so mean to her. Having been properly cowed, Dean hadn't said another word about the nurse, and for that both Sam and John had been happy.

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Dean walked into the room, eying the petite nurse in front of him the whole time. As she finished with Sam's vitals, and was walking out of the room, Dean winked at her, eliciting a deep blush from her.

Dean turned around to see Sam and his father glaring at him, and was at once confused. "What?" He asked, the confusion he was feeling, evident in his voice.

"How can you stand her?" Sam asked, while his father just shook his head and added, "Don't encourage her, Dean." Dean's brow wrinkled in response, not seeing why the two men didn't like the nurse.

"But dude, she's hot; and you can't help but like her attitude." Still confused, Dean just about jumped when Sam growled at him.'

"OUT!" Sam yelled.

"But Sam-" Dean started.

"Don't you but Sam me, get out! And when you come back you better have a change in attitude. There is no way for anyone to like someone that…chirpy!" Sam ground out, and Dean turned around and left, feeling both the youngest and oldest' Winchester's glares on his back.

chirpy

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That had been two weeks ago, and they hadn't had a problem with the nurse or Dean since then…

It seemed though, that the nurse had been floated from the ICU to PCU for her shift that day, and Sam had the luck to get her as his nurse. When she had first walked in the room to see Sam there, she had paled and done her work as fast as was possible, and then she had hightailed it out of the room, Sam glaring at her the whole time.

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Dean pulled the Impala to the cul-de-sac like curb outside the hospital entrance and walked through the doors, a smile quirking at his lips the whole time. Sam was getting out of the hospital, and he couldn't have been happier. Sam was finally well enough to be let out, and for that fact Dean was relieved.

Dean walked towards his brothers room, meeting his father pushing a glowering Sam half way. He smirked when he saw the look on his little brother's face, about the fact that he had to be pushed in a wheel chair.

"What's the matter Sammy?" Dean asked, his voice condescending, and Sam growled low in his throat. Dean smirked at Sam's reaction, just knowing that Sam didn't like having to give up control, or show weakness, and the wheelchair was symbolic of both.

"You really wanna find out?" Sam asked, his tone low.

"You PMS'ing or something little brother?" Dean turned away when he saw the nurse from the ICU, and Sam lifted a crutch and whacked him in the stomach with it, effectively capturing Dean's attention, and shutting his brother up.

When they neared the door, Dean walked a little faster, getting out the door before Sam and their father, to open the door to the Impala. Sam stood from the wheelchair with his father's help and hobbled on the crutches to the car, sliding gratefully into the front seat.

John watched his youngest with pride, and a small smile adorned his lips. "I'll follow you two with the truck to the hotel." Dean and Sam nodded, Dean walking around the car to get in the driver's side.

As they drove away from the hospital, Dean looked over to Sam, to see his brother leaning his head against the glass, his eyes closed. He couldn't help but feel relief and happiness at having his brother back where he belonged.

After having Sam be out of commission for a month, with the passenger's side seat empty… Dean was just glad that Sammy was back with him, where he should always be.

Right beside him…

FIN.

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OSS