Chapter 15

Sam hadn't slept, not a wink, all night, as he waited for what he hoped would happen, but never did. For the first time in days, Dean's sleep had been restless, which he thought to be a good sign, but it just wasn't enough. Every toss and turn garnered Sam's undivided attention, only to be let down when it turned out to be nothing more then just that, tossing and turning. Frustrating him even more was the fact that all the attempts he'd made to contact his father and Bobby had gone unanswered, leaving him more then a little irritable.

Now that morning was in full swing, the hustle and bustle of activity around him made him well aware of the fact that the world was moving on without them as they were trapped in some kind of crazy limbo. He was tired, frustrated, angry, and scared, and knew something had to give soon. He figured he may as well add to his foul mood by once again trying to contact Bobby, and add to it he did when he just got voice mail, again.

Slipping the phone back in his pocket, he took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his frayed nerves. Leaning his head against the bed, he meant to rest his eyes for only a few minutes. The lids were so heavy, and so hard to keep apart. He let them drift closed like they were magnetized together, telling himself if would only be for a little while. He never heard the footsteps as they came in the room.

"Sam, wake up son," John's gruff tone pulling Sam back into the waking world.

"Dad, what time is it?" Sam couldn't believe he'd actually fallen asleep. He hadn't wanted to, but some things just couldn't be stopped.

"Afternoon, about two. How's Dean?"

Sam did the mental math, and was shocked to calculate he'd been asleep for over four hours. Noticing Bobby's obvious absence, he ignored his father's question, responding with one of his own.

"Where they hell have you been? And where is Bobby?"

"We had some things to take care of, Sam. Bobby'll be back."

"What things did you have to take care of, Dad? What could possibly be more important then being here, helping Dean? I've been trying to get a hold of you and Bobby since last night. Dean could have died, and you wouldn't even know, and would you even care?"

"Don't take that tone with me, boy. I'm not even dignifying that with a response."

"Why, because you don't have a good one? So, let's have it, what's so damn important that you couldn't stroll in here before mid-afternoon. Warding off evil spirits, summoning demons, early happy hour, what?"

"Bobby's on his way to the yard, to pick up my truck. He's had it since, well, since I left."

"And you need your truck right now why, exactly? You planning on going somewhere? Were you thinking about taking off again, while Dean lays there stuck in his own head? That's what you do, isn't it. You took off on him, making him come to me to help him find you, and that went well, didn't it. Or how about when he called you from Lawrence, back at the old house. You think that was easy? Oh, and let's not forget when Dean got electrocuted, and was dying. You really stepped up to the plate when I called then, didn't you. Damn it Dad, when is it gonna end, when are you gonna put Dean first, just for once?"

"What do you think I did when I made that deal, Sam? I did that for Dean, I put him before everything. How dare you tell me I don't put your brother first."

"Before everything Dad? Even before me? Our whole lives, you've pounded it into him that he needs to protect me, look out for me, take care of me. You made him into my personal bodyguard. But who looks out for Dean, Dad? It sure as hell wasn't you. What you did to him was probably worse then letting him die. You made him live with the guilt and pain of you dying for him. He worshipped the ground you walked on, why, I'll never know. Maybe Lilith did him a favor, maybe now he'll be able to live with himself again."

"You want some butter with that roll, Sam. Lay off already, will yah?"

"No Dean, I won't lay off. He needs to know how mu……Dean?"

"I was the last time I checked. Do you two think you could give it a rest? You're giving me a headache."

Sam was stupefied. For just a minute, he thought he was hearing things. He struggled to come up with something, anything, to say, but for some reason, just couldn't. No cohesive thought would emerge, and all he could state was the obvious.

"Dean, you're awake?"

"I think we've already established that, Sam. All that yakking you've been doing over the last couple of days, that's the best you can come up with?"

"You heard it, remember it?"

"Every word. Just couldn't do anything about it. Dude, you really think I wanna live inside my own head the rest of my life? That'd be worse then hell, trust me."

"What finally brought you back? It was us arguing, wasn't it?"

"Princess Charming's visit last night brought me back, your arguing just woke me up. I'll give her credit, she's one smart demon. Someday, someone's gonna give me the whole story, I hope."

John remained silent, listening to every word spoken between his boys. He thought about it for days, but still didn't know how exactly to approach Dean when the time came. What do you say to someone that literally went to hell and back, taking you along for the journey home?

"Dad?" Dean's tone changed as he asked for his father, the voice of the confident man being replaced by the almost childlike sound of a four-year-old looking for approval.

"Yeah Dean, I'm here."

"You're really here? It's really you?"

"Yeah, it's really me, I'm really here. I don't know how you did it, but you did, and I couldn't be prouder."

"Wasn't like I had a choice, was it?"

"Yeah, you did. You're just lucky she had ulterior motives, or you wouldn't be here right now."

"Just between us, I think she likes me. I mean, come on, what's not to like."

"Dean, sometimes, I think you need professional help," Sam chuckled.

"Speaking of professional help, someone want to go see what I gotta do to get out of here? Like, today. You two can finish your fight over a pitcher of beer and a pizza, deal?"

"Deal. I'll get your walking papers, Sam, help him get dressed."

"I've been dressing myself since I was four. I can do it myself."

"How you gonna do that when all your clothes are in the car, Mr. Wizard," Sam hustled from the room behind his father, smiling at the finger that was thrown his way as he exited the door. It was good to have his brother back.

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"Well, Dean, I'm sorry to see you go. I was really interested in hearing what happened those two days you were missing. You seem to have recovered well though, other then the loss of your memory. I can't see any reason to keep you here." Dr. Garfield eyed his patient, rather suspiciously.

"Sorry doc, can't remember a thing. Really wish I could, though. Guess it's better left in the past anyway," Dean came back. He wasn't sure he liked this guy very much, not really sure why though.

Fully dressed, Dean was ready to go, irritation growing as the young doctor just kept talking.

"Well, if you ever need anything when you're in the area, fell free to call. Here's my card." Dean took it, shoving it in his jacket pocket, intent on tossing it out the window the second they were in the car. "Hospital policy, you gotta take the wheels down. Hop in, I'm sure you're brother will be more then happy to wheel you out."

Not wanting to waste another minute, Dean sat as quickly as humanly possible, indicating to Sam to just start wheeling him away, which he did. They made their way to the awaiting elevator, which Dean had no intention of taking.

"Take the elevator around the corner."

"What for?"

"Just do it, Sam."

Shrugging, Sam followed the hall down and around, Dean stopping him at the next set of elevators. Climbing out of the chair, he gave it a shove, sending it on it's empty way down the hall.

"What are you doing?"

"Walking out of here on my own two feet. Screw hospital policy," Dean told his brother, as the doors opened and he defiantly stepped into the car that would take him out of the hell hole he was currently in.

Dr. Garfield watched them go, making sure they were well out of sight before he pulled out his cell phone to place a call.

"They just left……Their dad's already downstairs……They didn't say where they were going… …Just follow them, but don't get caught……Call me if they separate… …Fine, I'll call you later."