Disclaimer: refer to chapter one

NOTE TO READERS: Thank you for the reviews and PM's, I appreciate them all! This chapter is around seven pages long. I hope you're still enjoying the story. Happy Reading, I hope!

Chapter Five

Borrowed Hope

By Dawn Nyberg

"'No time for goodbye," he said as he faded away…" Lyric excerpt from Three Days Grace, Get Out Alive

One Day Later, Sam's ICU

Bobby stood over Sam's bed and watched him struggle. The young man's bangs were splayed across his sweaty forehead the physical struggle was clear. "Sam you gotta calm down kiddo." Sam looked at Bobby and shook his head.

"Dean?" he rasped out between pants. "Need … to …"

Bobby felt stressed and older than his years. The day before when the doctor had had to leave him and Dean in the ICU room awaiting word on Sam – it had been a trying forty-five minutes as they waited. Sam had gone into respiratory distress and was having a lot of breathing difficulty even with the VPAP. The X-rays had come back positive for pneumonia but the only lucky news they had been given was that there was only evidence of one lung appearing to be infected instead of both. "Sam, please, stop trying to talk. The doc is trying his damn hardest not to put you back on the vent but you keep trying to talk. I told you son, Dean is holding his own and it's taking all I've got and the medical staff has to keep him in that bed of his. He wants to see you but he's just not ready yet, okay?"

"Don't … believe…" Sam panted. "Lying… he's …bad," Bobby frowned.

"Hey, I don't make a habit of lyin' to either of you boys. I said Dean's doing okay and I told you about the surgery. The doc won't let him out of bed yet. He lost a lot of blood Sam and believe me if he could be in here he would be … he wants to be," he assured. There was a knock at the door and Dr. Helman entered, his face solemn and Bobby tensed.

"Hello gentleman," the physician spoke evenly and then sighed. "Sam," he glanced at the pulse-ox readings and shook his head. "The nurse just gave me your latest blood gas results Sam and looking at your O2 numbers they've dropped significantly since they were taken thirty minutes ago. I know you didn't want the vent any more than I want to put you back on it, but we're at that bridge now kiddo and it needs to be done." Sam shook his head weakly.

"Sam, listen to the doctor."

"No… no vent…" Sam pushed out.

"Sam," Dr. Helman began. "You're not getting this… your oxygen levels are dangerously low. Your in no condition to keep struggling, and you're just tiring yourself out and making yourself weaker. The pneumonia is doing a number on your lungs which were already compromised. You've got one positive for pneumonia and they are both working too hard. I was hoping the VPAP would be enough to get you through this, I was wrong."

Sam shook his head, "No…vent" he wheezed.

"Sam," Bobby warned. Sam just looked at the man and tried to appear defiant but he looked so fragile and ill there was no way he was pulling it off.

"Sam, listen to your uncle," the doctor encouraged. "I will try to have you off the vent as soon as possible, I promise, maybe three days, your body needs the break, and your lungs most definitely do."

"No…" his voice was a quiet strained wheeze.

"You're not understanding me Sam… your levels are too low. You'll end up losing consciousness very soon if we don't get them up. You could die," he said bluntly.

"Need… to … see," Sam tried to draw in a good breath and failed. He fought against the mask covering his nose. His body moving feebly as his body sought air.

"Dammit," the doctor hissed as he grabbed an ambu bag and attached an oxygen line. He removed the VPAP mask. "Sam calm down, okay?" He began bagging Sam manually. "Easy," he urged. Sam calmed a bit as sweet oxygen made its way into his lungs. "Sam you need to try and breathe more through your nose on the VPAP, remember? It only covers your nose, so you have to breathe through your nose to get the help it provides with your breathing." The doctor eased the ambu bag away and resituated the mask over Sam's nose and secured it.

"Is he okay?" Bobby hovered nearby.

"No, he needs to be on the damn vent," the doctor barked. "Easy Sam, that's it." Sam was circling the drain and the doctor knew soon they'd be looking at respiratory arrest and not distress like the day before. The doctor grumbled and ran his hand through is hair. "Alright, Sam, if I figure out a way to get Dean in here, will you let me intubate you?"

"Want … to … see… Dean … no vent." Sam struggled.

"Dammit Sam," Bobby moved forward. "You need the help to breathe. Why won't you let them?"

"Need … to … be … there … for …" Sam's voice fell away as he breathed through his nose trying to remember to breathe in through his nose with the VPAP mask.

"There for … Dean?" Bobby questioned. "Sam, kiddo you're both in rough shape but your brother is not going to be too keen on you committing suicide … you need the vent, so you'll still be around. Why can't you get that through your thick skull?" Bobby's face was serious but Sam could see the stress and fatigue lines burrowing deeply at the corners of the man's eyes and mouth.

"Dean…" Sam mouthed too tired to really vocalize.

A Few Moments Later, Dean's ICU Room

"If Sammy needs me then I'm going," Dean cast an accusatory glance at Bobby and then the doctor.

"We do this my way," the doctor commented with sternness. "Easy." Both men helped Dean up and the physician made sure the movements were small and not endangering the sutures in Dean's abdomen. Once they had the young man settled in the wheelchair the doctor took a look at Dean's abdomen to insure the movement hadn't aggravated the surgery site. He took Dean's vitals and nodded. "Now, when we get in there, there will no standing, no leaning. I lowered Sam's bed a bit so you do not have to reach up to touch him if you want to. I will be just outside the door with your uncle. Deal?" Dean nodded.

Sam's ICU Room

"Sammy," Dean looked at his younger brother. He looked pale and sweaty, as his chest seemed to rise and fall weakly in staggered inhales. Sam opened his eyes at the voice and turned his head. He saw Dean and offered a small smile.

"Dean…"

"In the flesh," he reached over and took his brother's hand in his own. "Sammy, you gotta let the doc put you back on the vent, okay? You gotta do this for me, please."

Sam managed a small frown and weak shake of the head.

"What the hell does that mean?" Dean's voice wasn't a harsh tone but the ever present protective big brother tone Sam had heard most of his life when his brother was worried about him. "Listen to me Sammy," Dean pushed. "Bobby told me you were sayin' you wanted to be there for me, but you're screwed up on our system kiddo. I'm the big brother remember, it's my job to be there for you and keep you safe. The doc says you need the vent or you could die."

"I … have … job … too…" Sam struggled and Dean despite his frustration at his younger sibling still reached up and soothed his brother as he pushed back sweaty bangs with gentle care.

"Easy Sammy," he spoke softly. "Okay, listen I get it I do you see me as your job, too. I don't have to like it 'cause that's not how it's supposed to work," he chastised with a small smile. Sam didn't really return a smile but there was a small glint in his eye and Dean knew he understood what he was saying. "I need you around Sammy and you won't be unless you let the doc help you. Look, you pass out and stop breathing, I'm just going to go ahead and give the doc permission to put you back on the vent," Dean's voice was serious and he meant total business. "I want the decision to be yours Sammy but I ain't gonna let you die because you got it in that freaky head of yours that you need to hover over me like some kind of mother hen or you've failed or something. You're hurt and sick; please let the doc help you. Please…"

Sam squeezed his brother's hand with as much strength as he could put into it. Dean looked at him anxiously and when he saw his brother look at him and mouth one silent word clearly, Jerk.

"Bitch," and Dean whispered with a quick smile and barked. "Doc get in here."

Two Hours Later, The ICU

"So, how long for the vent?" Bobby asked as he scrubbed a hand over his tired eyes.

"Mr. Singer, you're exhausted. You should go back to the hotel and get some rest. I've had both boys sedated to make sure they rest. Dean will probably be out another couple and Sam will probably be out a bit longer. I'm hoping to have Sam off the vent in three days maybe four depends on how he responds to the IV meds for his pneumonia. I want him off as soon as I can get him off, so we'll just have to play it by ear."

"Dean's a worried wreck and not being able to see his brother the minute he wants to is going to be difficult to say the least. I can be worried about me needing some sleep when I've got two hard headed boys on my hands."

"Yeah," Dr. Helman sighed. "Okay, we don't usually do this but I talked to the department chief and got approval. Sam's room is one of our larger rooms that can accommodate two beds and I think it would do them both good to be in the same room. We can keep Dean in bed and Sam relaxed." Bobby smiled.

"When you moving Dean?"

"After he wakes up I'll talk to him and tell him the plan."

"Fine, I won't say a word just in case things change," Bobby replied. He didn't want to tell Dean just in case the proverbial rug was ripped out from under him.

A Hour and a Half Later, Dean's ICU Room

"So, did the doc say anything else about Sammy while I was out?" Dean rubbed across his eyes. He hated to admit it to himself that he felt a little better after having slept, although he was still pissed about having been given the sedative.

"He's resting and his oxygen levels are good now," Bobby looked Dean over. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good," Dean answered. "I'm not the one with pneumonia."

"Yeah, well you're both in rough shape, so I want you to take it easy. You know if anything happened to you that brother of yours would be a mess." Dean looked away from the older hunter. It was true … what would become of his little brother if he weren't around. Sure Bobby was there for them both but Dean knew his brother better than anyone and knew if something ever happened to him, if he died, Sam would be pissed at the world and would probably push everyone and everything away. No, he had to be okay for Sam to make sure his little brother was protected and not alone in the world. "Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"Nothing, it just looked like you went somewhere else for a minute there."

"Just thinking," Dean relented but gave no further information. There was a knock at the door.

"Sorry for the interruption," Dr. Helman said as he entered the room.

"Is it Sam?" Dean's eyes immediately conveyed his terror.

"Sam's resting Dean," the doctor answered. "I wanted to talk to you about a room change."

"I'm not leaving my brother," Dean barked.

"Okay, hold on there tiger before you go getting yourself all worked up into a froth," he looked at Bobby and rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I've been given approval to move you into Sam's room. It's large enough to accommodate both beds and I think it would help both of you, especially Sam's recovery."

"You yanking my chain doc?" Dean's eyes were hopeful.

"No, I'm not. I'd like to get you moved in there within the hour if that works for you."

"Hell yes it does," Dean smiled.

"Good, I'll be making arrangements with the staff, so we can coordinate the move."

Dean looked over at Bobby when the doctor walked out of the room. "You knew about this didn't you?"

"Yeah, but I didn't want to say anything in case it fell through for some reason. Otherwise, I would have told you … you know that." Dean held Bobby's gaze for a moment and then nodded.

"Yeah, I know."

Three Hours Later, Sam and Dean's ICU Room

"Bobby," Dean's voice was low as he looked from his brother's resting form to the older man.

"Yeah?"

"It's past seven man, why don't you go back to the hotel and get some real sleep. You look worse than some three day old corpses I've seen."

"I'm okay," Bobby bristled.

"Yeah, I know you are but you look beat Bobby and you've been staying later and later the last couple of days and last night you stayed the night here, so go get some real sleep and a real meal."

"Stop mothering me boy," he grumbled. "I don't need a keeper."

"Didn't say you did but you keel over from exhaustion you're not going to be around here anyway, so…"

"Dean…"

"I'm doing okay Bobby and Sammy's resting and the doc just said when he was in here an hour ago that his vitals are stable. We're gonna be okay and I can't worry about you on top of Sammy, too," Dean mumbled as he looked away. Bobby smiled to himself.

"Alright, you win, but they know to call me if you boys need me here or if…" Bobby left it hanging. He didn't want to say if anything happened because he was bound and determined not to lose either boy and to see them out of this damn hospital and recuperating back at his place where he could make sure they were safe from any supernatural threats while they healed.

Heartland Inn, Bobby's Room, Later that Evening

Bobby let out a long sigh as he leaned back into his stacked pillows. He'd had a long hot shower, a good meal from the hotel's restaurant and he clicked the TV news off with the remote. He had called a friend earlier to make sure the Impala had been towed back to his salvage yard to await Dean's handy work when he felt well enough to fix her. His mind was never far from Dean and Sam, they were the closest thing to having his own children and he couldn't love them any more if they were his own. He turned the light off making sure his alarm was set to be at the hospital in the morning.

Meanwhile, Dean and Sam's ICU Room

Dean looked over at his younger brother and watched him sleep. He hated the breathing tube sticking out of his mouth but knew it was a necessary evil to be tolerated just long enough to help Sam. "Sammy," he whispered quietly. "I hope you can hear me … I'm here and I'm not going anywhere kiddo. The doc says you need to sleep, so he gave you some medicine to make sure you do, but I'm here."

The machines beeped on and the ventilator clicked and whooshed and in that moment despite the equipment and hospital smell, Dean felt at peace beside his brother and allowed himself to sleep, really sleep.

To Be Continued

Well, I'm hoping to get this done in two more chapters. My schedule is close to insane right now, so I'm just stealing little moments here and there to write but I will still try to update once a week and so far I haven't broken that promise.

I hope you're still enjoying the story and I thought I'd give you a break from a cliffhanger for this chapter. Thank you for reading!