Disclaimer: Eric Kripke owns I'm just playing with the sandbox.
A.N: Forgive me if medical isn't 100%. I asked about it and then looked up some info so it's based on that. Medical isn't my strong suit.
Summary: After S2, ELAC, before BL. Dean had pushed his brother away after their father's death, but Sam had been suffering silently. Will Dean realize before its too late that Sam didn't just walk away from the accident?
Chapter 5: This Far
Dean's knee continued to bounce up and down as he waited in the lobby in anxious worry. Bobby kept watching that knee until finally it bothered him so much, he placed a hand on it, stilling it. Dean looked at him.
"Calm down, Dean", Bobby murmured as he removed his hand. Only a minute later, Dean's knee staring bouncing up and down again. Bobby sighed. This happened the first five times.
"I can't, Bobby." Dean muttered as he jolted out of this seat to begin pacing instead.
Dean kept thinking about the past weeks wondering what signs he missed. It seemed he missed so many of them he lost count. How could have been so blind? Did he truly not see because he didn't or because he didn't care too? He found he didn't want to answer that question, afraid of the answer. How could have been so absorbed in his own grief to miss the signs? Why did he think his grief was all that mattered? All this time Sam had been suffering and he hadn't seen it.
Or was it he didn't want to see it?
Again he couldn't examine that question too closely.
How many times had Sam tried to talk to him about? How many signals did Sam send hoping he'd get the hint? And how many times had Dean brushed him off before he could even get started much less finish?
What was wrong with Sam? Why didn't he get checked out?
Cause he was busy trying to see to him and their father.
That answer hit him smack in the face and when it did, it made him feel even guiltier. How could he not have check to see if Sam was okay after all this? To make sure was okay.
Cause he was too busy in his own little world. Cause he was too busy making sure no one, not even Sam set foot into said world.
He had been so busy pushing Sam away that he should have been building a world for both of them. Some middle ground they could meet at the very least.
And now, it may very well be too late.
Dean shook his head. He wouldn't go there. He couldn't lose Sam, not like this. Not now. What would their father think? He would be disappointed. He would have wanted his death to pull the brothers closer together not build a rift between them.
But Dean knew that he built that rift all by himself.
"He has what?" Dean asked.
The doctor, a nice middle age gentlemen had finally called Dean and Bobby into his office to discuss Sam's case.
"Close head injury", The doctor repeated looking over the rims of this glasses at Dean.
"You mean like a prolonged concussion?" Bobby asked.
"Yes. That is one way to look at it."
"I didn't even know such a thing existed", Dean breathed. His brother was walking around concussed all this time?
"It's not uncommon, but it isn't common for it to get to this stage either like this when it could have been treated earlier", the doctor replied gently.
Dean's breath hitched, "What do you mean?"
"You said, your brother, you and your father was in an accident, am I right?"
Dean couldn't help the wince but nodded.
"I'm guessing your brother signed out AMA, because if he didn't, I'm sure the other doctors would have caught that there was a problem and rectified it there. But since he didn't, it wasn't treated. And I'm sure, that he didn't take any kind of rest."
Dean shook his head guiltily.
The doctor nodded. "That made it worse as well. He should have been monitored and got plenty of rest and also should have been on a prescription. Also the stress he has been through did not help matters, I'm sure. Though we should be thankful, it could be worse."
"How much worse?" Dean couldn't help but asking.
The doctor glazed at Dean for a long moment before answering, "Coma for one."
Dean sucked in a breath.
"Seizures, nerve damage…this could have very well have had some permanent situations."
Dean chocked.
"I'm told he fainted", the doctor asked.
"Yeah, just staring at me blankly then just passed out", Dean spoke softly.
The doctor nodded. "It finally caught up with him. He probably had intense headaches as evident by the swelling we've found. His body couldn't take it anymore so he passed out. Thankfully, aside from a nice knot on his head and some bruising nothing was broken as he fell out."
"So, what do you plan to do?" Bobby asked keeping an eye on Dean who was struggling to get himself under control as he accumulated all of the information.
"We'll start with some medication and hopefully that will work."
"And if it doesn't?" Dean asked.
"We'll have to go to surgery I'm afraid."
Dean made a strange keening noise.
Bobby looked at the doctor, "Can we see him?"
The doctor nodded. "He's situated, but he has not awoken yet."
Dean sat staring at the Sam. It had been several hours now and still Sam had not awoken. Bobby had left to get something to eat for the two of them. Dean had taken the time to really see Sam.
The bruises on his face had healed nicely but still marred his face. There were bags under his eyes. His skin seemed to be a sickly pallor color not the healthy tan that Sam normally had. Even his hair didn't seem to have that healthy gloss it normally had. Dean never noticed but Sam was skinner than normal, seeming to only take up half of the hospital bed. Dean would swear he could see each rib even with the covers over his little brother.
How could he have let it get this far?
Was he that drawn into himself that he couldn't even noticed?
It took Sam passing out for him to come to his senses.
Even when Sam was struggling before he passed out Dean still didn't see.
"I'm sorry", Dean's voice chocked, "I didn't…..I can't believe….I didn't….." Tears gathered in his eyes as he wiped them away before they could fall. "You gotta wake and get better. You can't…." he took a breath.
"You just can't…" Dean couldn't even finish the thought.
He couldn't lose his brother, not like this.
TBC….
A.N: Poor Dean! He's cracking! Will Sam be okay?
