AN: I am soooo sorry this took so long. Honestly, I had no idea it's been over 2 months! So, if anyone's still with me... thanks so much, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
He looked out the window trying hard to piece everything together. It was weird. His memories were supposedly over a year old, he now had a family and Cade was dead. He really didn't know what to think about that, so instead he laid back against the hospital mattress and tried very hard not to. Giving up that notion, he began to go over everything he remembered as well as everything he knew. He knew he had a brother named Dean, a mother named Mary, a father named John and apparently he was born in Lawrence, Ks. He knew that he worked in the family garage, attended college and Ellie now lived with him in a house next door to his parents. Sure, he knew it… he just couldn't remember it! It was like having data suddenly appear in your brain with no idea how it got there or why…nothing was attached to put it all together and it was more than a little disconcerting.
The sound of the door quietly opening pulled him out of his thoughts making him wonder who it was this time. He knew the Winchesters meant well, but jeez… couldn't they leave him alone for more than ten minutes? Looking over, he was just about to ask whoever it was to leave, when his brain stuttered to a halt.
"Oh Sam, I came as soon as I heard," Layla said as she walked quickly to the bed. She and Mary had arrived a few minutes ago, but while Mary was speaking to the others as well as the doctor, she decided she couldn't wait any longer. "When your mom called and told me what happened, my heart stopped. Are you feeling better? Do they know how long you're going to be here?"
Confused, Sam looked at the woman before him and couldn't for the life of him figure her out. Seeing her need for an answer, he'd meant to try and give her some comfort; that yes, he was starting to feel better and no, they weren't sure when he'd be released yet. Instead, what bypassed every filter in his brain and exited his mouth was, "Who are you?"
Mary stood and listened to the doctor's explanation of how her son was more than just a bit confused, but more like slightly amnesiac. Didn't that sort of stuff only happen on TV?
"I really wouldn't start to worry unless he doesn't show signs of improving after his injuries heal. Honestly, he's doing a lot better than expected," Dr. Hunt said kindly. Seeing their confusion he smiled. "Quite a few of patients with this type of injury become belligerent, willful, with no sense of impulse control. Right now I'm feeling lucky to see him calm and communicative with no signs of trying to leave."
Rolling his eyes, Dean couldn't believe what he was hearing. This doctor was happy that his little brother was confused and trapped in old memories that most people spend a lifetime trying to forget. Sure, he was lucky alright!
"When can he come home?" Mary asked, knowing that most likely it was too soon, but still believing that home was the best place for her son to recuperate.
"Mrs. Winchester, I'm really not sure how to answer that. Normally, I'd like to keep him here for a few days to monitor his progress at least, but I have a feeling that that course of action could actually hinder Sam's healing. Let's wait until I see the test results from his last work up and I'll see if I can get an answer for you," Dr. Hunt stated, fully aware that John hadn't said a word to him in quite awhile and that actually made him wonder if there was something that needed to be addressed.
Seeing the doctor look at him, John smiled slightly and nodded. "Thanks, doc. I know you have a lot of work to do, but taking the extra few minutes to fill us in is appreciated."
Nodding, the young doctor turned towards his office, hoping that he hadn't missed something otherwise this family could be in for a lot more pain.
"So, now what?" Dean asked, annoyed that they didn't have any more answers than they started with.
Smiling, Mary opened her purse, "Now, you and your dad go get some coffee while Layla and I…"
"Hey, where is Layla?" Dean asked, looking around. He remembered seeing her walk up with his mom, but now she was nowhere in sight. "Uh…you don't think she…"
The feeling of dread in their stomachs grew as they each came to the same conclusion, Layla didn't know the full extent of Sammy's injuries.
Layla stopped short and stared at the man before her. "What?" she asked, taken by surprise at the question she'd just heard, "Oh… uh… I'm Layla, Sam… your girlfriend."
"Oh," Sam replied, clearly puzzled by the announcement. Although he wasn't going to dispute her claim, he couldn't verify it either which made him wonder exactly was going on. "Uh…how long?" he asked, no longer looking at her, but continuing his intense gaze at nothing outside his window.
Smiling, Layla walked closer. "Not too long I guess, since this past summer. You and I met when you took Ellie to Disneyworld."
Sam's head shot up. "Disneyworld?"
"Yeah, you had to get away for awhile and decided to take your little princess to see the big princesses. You never told me the whole reason, but I got the feeling that it had something to do with whatever was going on at the time here… at home."
Not sure what that meant, he was thinking of asking what she knew, but was interrupted when the door once again opened and this time allowed his family entrance.
"I'm so sorry, Layla, I meant to only be a moment. I forgot to let you know what happened earlier," Mary stated as she walked up to the younger woman. Seeing Layla's slight frown, she wondered what had happened before they walked in. Now however they might not ever know since whatever had flickered across the young woman's face was now gone.
Smiling slightly Layla nodded before turning back to Sam. "I need to go, but I'll be back after work, OK?" Seeing the hesitation on Sam's face she nodded before turning awkwardly and let herself out, she didn't want anyone to see her cry and she was running out of time to make a semi-graceful exit.
Watching his brother's girlfriend leave, Dean felt badly for both of them. He knew that Sammy hadn't been able to spend as much time as he wanted with her, but not all of that was his kid brother's fault; apparently Layla had cancelled more than a few dates of her own, leaving him to wonder just what the girl was really playing at.
"So… a girlfriend, huh? Anything else I should know about?" Sam asked, a bit perturbed that no one thought to let him in on the fact that there was someone else in his life besides the Winchester clan and Ellie. Speaking of which, "Where's Ellie?"
"School, son. You were able to find her a school that helps Autistic children, and she's been doing very well. In fact, she plans to show us her part in last night's play as soon as you're up for it," John said as he sat down in the chair closest to the bed. "Dr. Hunt said he's going to see how soon he can spring you out of here so you can get home and into more familiar surroundings."
Sam mulled that over a bit and wondered why he just couldn't make any solid connection to these people. Was he that defective, or was something else going on? "Sure, that sounds fine," he answered, not really knowing if he'd needed to respond or not, but liking the silence even less.
As Dean watched his brother, something began to bother him. He couldn't place it, but he had a feeling that it was big, and if he didn't figure it out soon, they were all going to pay for it later.
Terri Brodsky was having the worst day ever. It actually started late last night when some moron backed into her VW Beetle convertible, ripping off the front driver's side fender, and left before exchanging information. Then as soon as she got home she had to listen to her parents fight about what a burden it was having her still living at home while she was finishing her pharmaceutical internship, never mind that she was paying her own way through college, worked two jobs, paid rent and still did the chores she had been doing since high school. So now, after getting a grand total of three hours sleep, she was somehow expected to deal with her self-medicating boyfriend who couldn't take 'NO!' for an answer.
"Terri, I'm going to need you to double check the prescriptions before giving them to the customers. There was a complaint that a person's prenatal vitamins were exchanged for children's vitamins and corporate doesn't want us to be known as the people who couldn't tell the difference."
Laughing, Terri had to wonder about some people. Sure, mistakes happened, but to make such a grievous error was more than a little irresponsible. Then again, who was she to judge; she was standing in front of the very drug that would help her bi-polar boyfriend level out and make her life just a bit easier.
"Frank, I've got a prescription filled that I'm putting to the side, I need to double check the customer's information," Terri called out, knowing that as long as Frank knew something was in progress with a prescription, he wouldn't bother it. Now all she had to do was find a way to sneak it out of the pharmacy later without anyone noticing, which shouldn't be too hard considering how busy they were today.