24 hours later...

Dean never liked hospitals. Apart from the fact that they normally dealt with sick and injured people, it was the smell that Dean never liked. It smelt like antiseptic and cleaning fluid, and it coated his nose and the back of his throat.

After he had dragged a comatose Sam from the warehouse, in the now pouring rain, he couldn't find the Impala anywhere, so he had to call for an ambulance, holding an unconscious Sam in his arms as the rain fell on his face.

After Sam had been loaded up in the ambulance he had been whisked straight into theatre, and that was the last Dean had seen for him.

As he paced the corridor for the hundredth time, almost knocking into a rather unhealthy looking man passing next to him, he was stopped by a calm, firm hand on his shoulder.

He turned, looking at the surgeon who had been running next to Sam's gurney as he was pushed into theatre.

'How is he?' Dean asked before the surgeon could speak.

'Mr Winchester, your brother's injuries are very severe. He suffered massive bruising, both internally and externally. His leg was broken in various places, making it very hard to treat-'the man stopped as he watched the young man in front of him stare at him in horror and turn deathly white.

-'but we managed to stabilise him and sort his leg out properly. He's coming round in the next room; you can go and see him if you like'

'Thank you!' Dean breathed, patting the surgeons arm as he almost-ran into his brother's room.

He quietly made his way to Sam's bed, looking at him, assessing his injuries.

Sam had an oxygen mask strapped to his face, his eyelids flickering as he started to come round.

His leg was bandaged and plastered, elevated by a strap which ran down from the ceiling.

Dean brought his chair closer to his brother and just waited for him to come round, making sure he was there when he did.

A few minutes later, Sam began to stir, his closed eyes screwing up in pain as he tried to move to the side. Dean put a hand onto his arm to steady him, and very slowly, Sam opened his eyes.

'Dean?' he asked, his voice muffled by the mask that was taped to his face, he gestured impatiently with his hand for Dean to take it off. Grinning, Dean did, making sure the tape didn't hurt as it came off.

'Hey buddy...how're you feeling?' he said quietly, making sure Sam laid still.

Sam shrugged painfully, before he smiled. 'Been better' he muttered, before trying to sit up straighter, closing his eyes in pain, gritting his teeth and moaning.

'Just stay still Sam! You'll hurt yourself more' Dean instructed.

'You gotta let yourself heal' he added as Sam rolled his eyes, settling back down again.

'So...we made it? He asked as he tried to get more comfy.

'Yeah, I guess we did-although not lightly' Dean chuckled as he nodded Sam's plastered foot.

'That's ok, it was better than the alternative!' Sam smiled back, before he turned serious.

'If you weren't there, if you were someplace else...I wouldn't of-'

'Hey! It didn't happen like that...I was with you, it turned out ok' Dean said sharply. He hated it when Sammy talked like that.

'Yeah, I know...it's just...thanks' Sam answered, looking at his brother, eyes full of trust and love as he regarded the man who always saved his life, no matter what the cost.

'You don't need to thank me!' said Dean, feeling slightly embarrassed, but highly flattered by this comment.

'No-I do, I never say it...you give up everything for me, do whatever you can-and I never appreciate it. You need thanks' said Sam reverently, making sure he brother understood.

Dean rolled his eyes, now thoroughly embarrassed. 'Yeah ok...hey...I know what you can do- you can buy me pie for the rest of your life!' he chuckled, watching Sam now roll his own eyes at him.

'What? Come on Sammy, I don't need thanks...its thanks enough that your still here!' he assured him, patting his shoulder lightly.

Sam nodded, then looked at the door, 'when can I get out of here?' he asked.

'Whoa buddy...you've just come round from major surgery! They're gonna want to keep you in for the night, for observation at least-but I'll go talk to them, see if I can get you out early!'

Dean got up and walked to the door.

'Hey!' he heard Sam call, and he turned questioningly.

'Don't go start flirting with the nurses!' he warned, eyebrow raised, a quirky smile on his lips. He knew exactly what he brother was going to do, and it had nothing to do with getting him out of hospital early.

'Come on Sammy- would I? Dean asked, an innocent smile plastered across his tired face.

'No...My mistake!' Sam shot back, and he settled back against his pillow when Dean gave him a jovial wave and walked out the room, chuckling.

Sam knew that they were going to have to talk about what had happened to them, but now wasn't the time; now was the time to recover, both inside and out.

He knew for a fact that Dean wasn't ok; he was only putting on a brave game-face for his benefit. He was going to get Dean to talk to him even if it killed him.

As Dean walked back into the room, Sam put on a smile of his own, pain blossoming in tired, bruised muscles, his leg throbbing under the plaster.

Their experience over the last few days only showed one thing; no matter what life threw at the two Winchester's, be it supernatural forces or human mad-men, nothing could break them apart, nothing could win when they worked as a team-

Nothing could break them when they were together.

The end.

I hope you enjoyed reading this just as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story so far, please can you all review one last time to tell me what you thought of both this chapter and the story as a whole!

Thank you for reading!