Chapter 5

Hospitals Suck

The ambulance was waiting when Dean and the injured girl reached the road side, the three remaining members of the group not far behind. The paramedics strapped the teenager to a gurney, questioning Dean about what had happened who passed on the information calmly and devoid of emotion which came as no surprise to the ambulance crew who were used to seeing people in shock. Drew climbed in next to her, still shaken, his head spinning from the events he had witnessed and from the information he had been given by the mysterious young man who had stayed by his side. Dean looked on, his face still expressionless as Sam approached him slightly out of breath, eyeing him suspiciously, the concern on his face obvious.

"Quit looking at me like that Sam."

"I'm just worried about you man."

Dean turned to him his face hard and cold.

"Yeah, well don't." he paused before nodding to the ambulance which had begun do pull out of the lay by sirens blazing." She's the one you need to worry about. Not me."

But Sam was worried. In fact he was scared shitless. This had gone so far beyond screwed up it wasn't even funny. He had no idea how Dean was going to handle this latest fuck up, which had decided to drop itself unceremoniously into their laps and he was starting to get a little paranoid that the universe really didn't like them all that much. His brother was falling away from him little by little each day and the further away he got the less likely it seemed that he could be pulled back. Frowning he looked on as Rick went to talk to the two police officers who had turned up shortly after the ambulance. It appeared as if he knew them, they were nodding at him and one of them patted him on the shoulder. Sam felt a little nervous. The last thing they needed was a police interrogation and someone recognising them. The Winchesters and the law weren't an ideal combination and Sam wondered how the hell they were going to avoid a cosy little chat with the two officers.

After the in depth exchange Rick approached them, glancing at Sam and then turning to Dean.

"You needn't worry about those two for now. I told them it was me. Hunting accident. Bob's an old friend of mine and I'm pretty sure I convinced him there was no foul play here. You two should get out of town for a few days before they start questioning the kid."

Dean's eyes widened, "No way, Rick. We're not going anywhere; you're not taking the blame for this. This was my fault."

Rick's tone became stern. "Boy, you'll do as you're told. There'll be no charges to face if that's what worrying ya. Those kids were on hunting land. They had no business fooling around there especially after I put out those warnings. The areas been a no go area since last week. Bob told me not worry and that he'd sort it. That's not to say the parents won't try suing of course. But it's doubtful that they'll get very far."

Dean shook his head furiously, "No, I don't like it."

Rick raised his voice slightly, "Son, I don't give a damn if you like it or not. I'm taking you boys back to the Bed and Breakfast and then you're gonna get your sorry asses out of here. Do I make myself clear?"

"What about the Wraith? It's still out there."

It was Sam's turn to speak: "It knows we're on to it. It'll most likely lay low for a week or two. We can come back then and finish the job."

Rick nodded, "Well that's settled then, lets move." The oldest and the youngest of the group made off towards Rick's Jeep which was waiting for them but Dean hesitated, looking back at the road.

"Dean. Now!" Rick's sharp order seemed to get through to the young man and he complied reluctantly, climbing in the back and remaining silent for the entire journey.

Rick dropped them off at the B&B and the two brothers said their goodbyes to Rick before hurriedly packing their belongings. Sam was all set to go when he noticed Dean stood by the window staring vacantly out at the street below.

"Dude, come on, we should go."

Dean turned his head slowly to face Sam, "I'm going to the hospital."

"What?" Sam's tone was high pitched and disbelieving, "You're kidding me right?"

"Do I look like I'm laughing here Sam?"

"Dean the parents will be there soon and something tells me they won't be too happy to see us."

"I don't care. I'm going."

"Like hell you are."

"I need to see them. I owe them that much."

"No. No way."

Dean started towards the door, "I'm going Sam, like it or not."

Sam caught him by the arm spinning him around and two pairs of eyes locked with one another, Dean glaring at his brother dangerously.

"Dean please," Sam softened his tone trying to reach his brother but Dean couldn't be reached. He shrugged out of his brother's grasp pushed past him and headed down the stairs calling, without looking back:

"You stay if you want. I'm going."

"Dean... Dammit!" recognising he had no choice Sam followed his brother down the stairs and out to the car, planting himself reluctantly in the passenger's seat. The looked at each other meaningfully, Dean telling his brother silently that he had to do this and Sam's eyes conveying the fact that he didn't like it but he wasn't leaving him. Dean nodded gratefully, turned the key and pulled away.

Sam wasn't happy with this at all. He knew no good could come of this and it would likely send Dean spiralling even faster but his brother had made it quite clear, in no uncertain terms that this was what they were doing and he certainly wasn't going to let Dean go in there alone. If Dean seemed intent on punishing himself by facing the two people who had more reason to hate him than anyone then he was going to be stood right by his side and stay there while Dean took whatever they thought he deserved.

The journey seemed to last an age. The hospital was about twenty minutes down the road from where the ambulance had met them at the woods. Traffic through the town had just reached maximum capacity and it took them a good hour just to reach the spot where their lives had so dramatically changed. The drive was trying Dean's already shredded patience and Sam thought his head just might explode. The tension in the car was unbearable and when they finally arrived Sam tried his best to disguise his relief. After finding a space to park, Sam waited for his brother to make the first move but it seemed he was reluctant to get out of the car. Sam made no attempt to push him and they stayed there for a while, in silence just waiting. Sam wasn't sure what for but he stayed patiently in his seat until his brother was ready. And then without warning Dean took a breath and opened the door getting out. Sam followed.

After making a few enquiries they managed to find their way to the ward where the young girl was situated. They had heard that her condition had been stabilised and that the bullet had caused minimal damage but that wasn't the half of it. For some reason unknown to the various doctors that had examined her she had failed to regain consciousness, slipping into a coma and remaining completely unresponsive. There was very little brain activity and the parents had been told that it was unlikely she would make a full recovery if at all. And no one knew why. Except of course for two brothers who knew they could never explain the reason to a single human being without being locked away in a padded cell for the rest of their miserable lives.

Turning a corridor Sam glanced at his brother to try and gauge his mental state hoping that this wouldn't damage him any more than he was already and send him hurtling downwards to a place from which he couldn't be retrieved. Bringing his eyes front once more his stomach turned when he recognised the teenager who he now knew as Drew. He was stood leaning against a wall opposite a couple, possibly in their mid forties who were deep in conversation with a doctor. Sam noticed his brother's stride slow down almost immediately and felt his own muscles tense. This wasn't going to be good which ever way you looked at it.

Still approaching but much more slowly, the brothers finally came to a stop about fifteen feet away from the small gathering of concerned loved ones who had apparently just finished their conversation with the doctor that had now left them alone. Sam watched holding his breath hoping that they wouldn't be noticed and that Dean would change his mind so that they could both get the hell out of there.

Wiping her eyes with a shaky hand the woman leaned her head against her husband's chest briefly before turning her head towards the two young men who she had just noticed at the corner of her vision. She didn't recognize either of them and wondered puzzled why they were both staring at her eyes wide and why one of them looked like he was close to tears. Her questions were answered quickly when she heard the boy who her daughter had fallen in love with at such a ridiculously young age speak tearfully telling her that they were the ones and she understood instantly. She didn't have to ask which of the two men had put a bullet in her daughter- it was obvious, but the tortured expression of guilt and anguish on the shorter, lighter haired man's face invoked no sympathy and she simply wanted to hurt him like he had hurt her and her family.

And then time seemed to stand still.

Dean watched the woman's face as it changed from questioning to horror stricken to looking like she could kill with her bare hands. Frozen to the spot his eyes locked with the woman who as if in slow motion had begun to walk purposefully towards him and he braced himself swallowing hard as he thought humourlessly that it was unlikely she was coming to give him a hug.

All of a sudden they were face to face and a second passed as Dean fought to find words that he could say to this woman - this woman whose daughter he had pointlessly ripped away from a life she had barely begun. He was spared the effort however, unsurprisingly, when the woman lashed out, slapping him hard across the face. The pain of the blow striking already abused and still tender flesh caused by the bar brawl with a man he couldn't remember, made him gasp in shock screwing his eyes shut instinctively. He was aware of her screaming at him to leave and never come back; pounding him with her fists and shoving at him but the words weren't registering as his mind tried to escape itself shutting off from the reality he found too agonising to face. Speechless and shaken he felt a single tear escape and trickle down his cheek as two strong, familiar hands took hold of him firmly, pulling him, guiding him away from the horror, the grief and the death that his actions had caused.

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After escaping the hospital the brothers took sanctuary in the Impala and took off without looking back. Sam took the wheel without question. His brother's hands were still shaking and he was in no state to drive but what worried Sam more than anything was that Dean had handed him the keys without hesitation or argument. The silence was deafening and Sam's head was pounding from the tension, from the fear and from the guilt that he had insisted they take this job when he should have known better. Dean had been in no fit state to handle a hunt- even a straight forward one and now a young girl's life hung in the balance and Sam felt sick to his stomach with fear that the teenager wasn't alone.

Dean didn't speak. He simply stared straight ahead, motionless, his expression unreadable, his brow furrowed slightly yet always with that empty hollow gaze which left Sam feeling there was no hope for him, for either of them. He found himself subconsciously heading west and then down the country although he was oblivious to why.

After driving for as long as he could before fatigue defeated him he decided it was time to stop and find a place to stay. It would be getting dark in a few hours and he was sick of driving anyway. He vaguely remembered seeing a sign for South Dakota some time ago but wasn't sure where exactly they were other than the middle of nowhere.

Fortunately for them both this particular part of Nowhere had just thrown up a sign saying: 'Motel 1 mile on left' which was a source of relief for Sam and apparently a cause for indifference for Dean.

Still caught in the crippling silence Sam watched Dean for any reaction as he pulled into the dusty area of wasteland to the right of the motel which he assumed was where residents were supposed to put their vehicles. Switching off the engine Sam was again disturbed and concerned by the complete lack of reaction from his brother and had to go round to his side, open the door calling his brother's name several times before he got a response. Dean turned his head towards Sam staring vacantly at him as if awaiting instruction. Sam put a hand gently on his shoulder and locked eyes with him.

"Dean, we're gonna stay here for a few days, ok buddy?"

Dean didn't speak but simply got out of the car staring blankly ahead until Sam handed him his bag and gently pushed him forward in the direction of the motel reception. After collecting their keys the brothers made their way silently to their room, Sam dumping his bag on the far bed while Dean sat down on the one nearest the door.

Sam looked across at his brother frowning trying to think of something to say. But what could you say when you knew your brother had just shot an innocent girl and there was no fixing it. What could you say when things were so far gone you couldn't even remember how you got here. But of course he remembered. They had got here because Sam had insisted on it. Sam had pushed his brother into a hunt he wasn't ready for. Sam had failed to help his brother when he had really needed it. And now Sam was left to wonder if he the two of them would ever find their way back.

TBC

sorry if I'm boring you with this I know it's draggin on a bit... but thanks for being patient - hopefully it'll be worth it.