Having no choice but to witness someone he loved going through something like Dean was, was a hard thing for Jim to handle. Even though he knew Dean was safe when he went out with his friend to search for the ghoul, the hunter could not shake the feeling that questioned whether he really was or not. When the clock inched closer to midnight and Dean had not returned, Jim knew he had no choice but to act. Finding evidence of where Dean and Matt ventured after they left, was the biggest (and luckiest) break they could have had.
Nothing could have prepared him for climbing down the ladder, and seeing a ghoul that bore a striking resemblance to Dean. What bothered him more than that, was what the ghoul had been about to do before they interrupted. Dean, like usual, was the epitome of cool and collected when they freed him from the coffin. It was after they cut him from his bonds and laid him down on the ground, did he start to show any emotion when he thought about his brother.
It amazed Jim that Dean could have a gaping wound on his shoulder and have injuries to his stomach and chest, and still be upset about Sam's whereabouts. Supposing it should not have been that big of a shock when he knew how tight they were, he focused his efforts on helping Dean. The shoulder injury was the one he worried about the most when he took into account how serious it was. When he instructed Dean to move it, he could not. When he processed Dean's startling words that it was numb, he allowed himself to feel just a little bit of panic.
Ordinarily he resisted going to the hospital with the boys when they had an injury. It was simply too easy for the hospital to get the wrong idea and report them to CPS. Although it was standard protocol for the hospital to report any suspicious injuries a child came in with, he knew they had no choice but to take him. No matter what the consequences would be, his first thought was getting the twelve-year-old the medical treatment he needed.
Getting him out of the cellar proved to be the biggest hurdle once he made the decision to move toward the car. Helping Dean stand once he and Bobby ascertained what they would be doing, the child wobbled on his feet before regaining his balance. Steering him in the direction of the shaky ladder, he stood behind Dean while Dean took hold of the rungs and pulled himself up.
Glancing back at Bobby while he stayed behind Dean while he started the slow progression up the stairs, he could see a look of barely concealed concern in his eyes. Bobby was never one to show his emotions like he was, and Jim knew it was only when things were serious that he did it. Holding that troubling thought in the back of his mind, he put a steadying hand against Dean's back when he started to falter.
That reassurance seemed to be the only stabilization Dean needed to keep going. Jim knew when they were getting close to the top. The fresh blast of air hit his face like a fan, and the sounds of different animals was also a giveaway. Reaching above Dean to push open the door that blew shut, he was never more relieved to see the outside of something in his life.
The farmland they emerged on was the only residence in the area. The paddock that used to hold farm animals, stood empty. The front gate was open and swinging in the wind, but Jim barely paid it much attention. Helping Dean in the direction of their car, he was taken aback to see a look of exhaustion in his eyes that he never saw before.
Keeping one hand on Dean and the other on his gun, he knew there was likely nothing else there, but he was not willing to feel secure in that quite yet. Their car was parked on the side of the road where they could sneak through undetected, but he regretted parking it so far when he now had to get an injured Dean across the street. Trying to keep his footsteps silent as they walked across dewy grass and leaves, he knew Dean was trying to do the same thing.
Bobby was bringing up the rear. It helped to have someone behind them who would be the first line of defense if something happened. Not even able to think of something like that when all he wanted was to get to the nearest hospital, he heard something that made both he and Dean, stop in their tracks. Looking around the stillness of the night for the formidable sound they heard, Bobby went a step further and carefully stalked around the edge of the property.
When Bobby abandoned his spot beside them to inspect the area for any threats, Jim could see the fear in Dean's eyes that his guardian was leaving them. Rubbing his back in soothing motions to incite any amount of calm in him that he could, he hesitantly started walking again. They could not afford to be caught up in something that would hinder them in their efforts to save Dean.
The car was close, but still too far. Shoving down the frustration he had that he would have to wait to get Dean the care he needed, he noticed Bobby start to come their way again. Whatever the noise was, it was gone now. Still on-guard against anything that could spring a surprise attack on them, he increased his slow pace. Not wanting to put more on Dean than was necessary, he tried to be calm for his sake.
The knife came from nowhere. Ducking down when the silver blade flew above their heads, barely missing the back of Dean's head, he lifted his head in time to see another ghoul make its way out from behind the cellar. This ghoul was one that was older in appearance and size. Pushing Dean to the ground and keeping him there, he grabbed the machete that was still on his belt.
This ghoul, like his friend, was angry and was brazen enough to do something reckless. Moving toward it at the same time it did, he met its advances with one of his own that cut him in the arm. Hardly deterred in his efforts when the ghoul roughly punched him, he slashed at the ghoul and did not stop until its head was detached from its body.
The attack happened quickly, and ended just as fast. When he helped Dean back up, it was not hard to see that he was upset about what happened. Shaking his head to let him know that they were all fine, they started walking again. He was overjoyed when their feet walked on concrete.
Reaching the car that hugged the edge of the property, he opened the backseat door and carefully helped situate Dean in the back. It was deeply disturbing to him that Dean offered no resistance to being helped. Usually, he despised having someone do something for him, even when he was sick. Hearing his feeble protests as he buckled him in, made his heart drop into his stomach.
Palming his face for a second before he ducked out and closed the door, he could see the sweat that shined on Dean's face. Going around to the driver's seat, he paused one moment to catch his breath. The sudden attack the ghoul performed, caught him off-guard and also exhausted him. When Bobby slid into the front seat and stowed his gun behind him, Jim caught the fatigue in his eyes.
Driving toward their motel to pick up Sam before they move on to the hospital, he looked in the rearview mirror and saw Dean staring out of the window. The kind of quietness that he was showing to his family, was almost more frightening than the actual wounds itself. Looking at his shoulder that was still bleeding around the wrap Bobby wound around it, he had no idea what to think of it or even if it could be saved or not.
The motel was only a few miles down the road. It saved them a much too long trip to retrieve Sam and get to the hospital. Although Jim initially fought the idea that they should leave Sam behind when they went to look for Dean, he was grateful he allowed Bobby to talk him into it when he considered the nightmare they walked into. The glow from their headlights fell on their window, and from it, Jim could see Sam's head peeking through the curtains.
Bobby was the one who got out to get Sam. In the few minutes it took for him to get Sam and get his things together, Jim took that chance to properly assess Dean. Twisting around so he would have a clearer picture of the twelve-year-old, he saw his face was pale as a ghost. It was in stark contrast to the color that was normally in it.
"Dean, it's going to be okay." Jim knew his words of comfort would likely only bring a small amount of peace to his soul.
"No, it's not."
Jim furrowed his brows in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"I can't move my shoulder, Jim. It feels like it's not even there. How am I supposed to-" Dean stopped himself mid-sentence.
"How are you supposed to what?"
"Hug people, shoot something. Hunt."
That comment pierced through Jim like a sword. He supposed he never thought about what might happen if his shoulder was as badly damaged as he suspected it was. At the time, he processed the words Dean spoke to him about it feeling numb, but he never associated that with something happening to him that might be permanent. Closing his eyes, letting the few tears fall from his face at the idea of Dean having an injury like that, he inhaled a shaky breath.
No matter what might happen to Dean's shoulder, he was determined to be there for him every step of the way and help him defy the odds. What a doctor might diagnose as being incurable, could be curable for them. It was bad, and there was no denying that, but Jim was not so quick to assume the worst outcome. From looking at Dean, it was clear he already had.
"Dean, we haven't even seen a doctor yet. There could be a hundred different things wrong with your shoulder that can be fixed."
"And there could be a thousand different things wrong with it that can't be fixed. You're not in my shoes, Jim. You don't know the half of what I'm feeling, what my shoulder feels like. It's not normal, and that's what scares the crap outta me."
Dean never communicated that he was feeling sick or impaired in any way. Hearing him talk like that and knowing that he meant what he said, was sobering for the pastor. Looking toward the motel to gather his thoughts (and also keep his eyes away from Dean), he saw Bobby and Sam walk out into the coldness of a chilly night. It was not hard to see the upset on Sam's face as he hurried himself over to the car so he could be with his big brother. Having Sam's support would most likely be the one thing that would serve to help Dean.
The lights momentarily came on in the car before Sam and Bobby closed the door. Jim wasted no time in bringing the car back out into the road. The hospital was only a few blocks from them, and for that he was pleased. The sooner he got Dean into emergency, the better. When Sam seated himself next to Dean, his big brother instantly seemed to relax and even smiled a little when Sam said something that made him laugh.
Watching Sam tend to Dean in the only way that he knew how, it was touching. Sam seemed to instinctively know that something was wrong with Dean and needed to be on his best behavior for him. Dean even went so far as to let Sam rub his arm, and lay his head on the good side of his body. The bond they shared was a deep one, and one that seemed to serve them well for so many years since the death of their parents.
"Dean, what happened to your shoulder?"
"The boogeyman got me."
"Really?" Sam said, his eyes widening in awe.
Dean nodded mock-seriously. "Totally. It was gooey and gory, and just plain nasty."
"Did you kill it?" Sam asked eagerly.
"Jim and Bobby were the heroes of this story."
Jim shook his head. "You did amazing yourself, Dean. Don't sell yourself short."
Dean did not respond to his comment. Staring straight ahead of him at the sign on the side of the road that advertised the hospital, he sighed deeply. There was nothing he liked less than a hospital. From the look on Dean's face when he saw the enormous hospital loom before them, he was sharing some of his same reservations.
"What's wrong with your shoulder?" Sam whispered, his eyes finally catching some of the blood that stained Dean's shirt on his other side.
"I can't move it. I don't really have any sensation on that side."
"Because of the boogeyman?" Sam asked, fully believing Dean's tale.
Dean did not answer as Jim pulled right up in front of the emergency room entrance. Giving Bobby a look that only he could appreciate, he jumped out of the car as soon as he stopped it and walked through the automatic doors into the front entrance of the hospital. It was busy, but Jim knew they would make Dean a priority with how hurt he was. The woman manning the front desk appeared to be one of the only people there, and he sympathized with her.
Explaining the situation to her, he saw understanding light up her soft blue eyes, before she paged the doctor on call. Looking out toward the car where Bobby was with the boys, he nodded to him to come in with them. Not to his surprise, the hospital was doing exactly as he predicted they would, and were making Dean one of their top cases for that night.
Bobby was able to pull Dean out of the car with relative ease. With Sam clinging to his good hand, they walked into the hospital in time for the doctor to come out of the trauma center with a stretcher. When they brought the bed out, Jim could see the look of horror eclipse Dean's face at the idea of having all this attention bestowed upon him. Giving him a look not to argue with them, he helped him lay down on the bed.
There was no time for the doctors to ask questions as they busied themselves with getting him into the back room. Hearing a nurse shout after him that he was not allowed in the trauma center, he ignored her and shouted at Bobby to stay back with Sam. Following the stretcher with its precious cargo on it, he could see only a glimpse of Dean's Metallica shirt. They wheeled him into the Trauma 1 unit. The more serious one.
Pulling the stretcher up next to the bed that was pulled against the wall, they were able to help Dean transfer without much of a hassle. Moving around them to hold Dean's hand, the child did not bother to pull away. Encouraged that Dean was okay with being offered comfort, he stayed by his side while the nurses all flooded into the room and started attaching various wires and tubes to him. Dean hated every minute of it, and he could not blame him.
Being powerless to stop his pain was one of the most difficult things for Jim. He was used to being able to provide the perfect remedy for him when he was sick. Having that control taken from him and put in the hands of someone he did not even know, was infuriating to him. Focusing on Dean's green eyes that seemed to shine even brighter when the nurses put a light directly above his head, he saw them squint in the sudden brightness.
"How did this happen?" A man voiced, sweeping into the room.
"Animal attack," Jim said.
The doctor frowned as he bent low to examine Dean's shoulder. Reaching for the medical scissors a nurse offered him, he quickly cut off Dean's shirt to expose his shoulder. Looking at it without the cover of the shirt, was nauseating for Jim. It made him want to do unspeakable things to the ghoul who did this to him. Forcing a calm look on his face for Dean's benefit, he squeezed his hand. His thumb rubbed Dean's wrist while the nurse inserted an IV into his other one.
"What kind of animal?"
"Rabid dog. Does it matter?" Dean ground out, clearly sick of the questions and implications that were coming from him.
The doctor pursed his lips, but did not comment further. "When did this happen?"
"About an hour ago, maybe less," Jim said.
"We need to get an X-ray on his shoulder immediately. You'll have to wait here while we do that. Will that be okay?"
No, it would not be okay, but he was hardly in a position to argue with them. Nodding his head in consent of what they were doing, he gave Dean's hand one final squeeze before he let go. Witnessing them wheel Dean's hospital bed out of the room and down the hall, he could hardly believe where they were. In those few moments of solitary thought, it was impossible for him not to blame himself for what happened.
If he never let Dean go off by himself with Matt, he would never be in this spot. If he thought better about letting Dean hunt something that was dangerous, he would not be in X-ray, getting his shoulder looked at. So many "what-ifs" clouded Jim's line of thinking as he paced the room.
Hearing footsteps sounding from the direction of the waiting room, he mostly ignored it. It was not uncommon for a nurse to bring someone in from that room to be checked over. Shaking his head, he pinched the bridge between his nose and eyes as he thought about the unforgivable spot they were in. Even though the doctors just took Dean back, his impatience was already starting to win over him. Without being there to make sure they were treating him well, he could not certain he was okay.
When the door opened behind him, he knew it was a doctor or nurse coming to ask him questions either about the accident or about his insurance. None of that mattered to Jim when he was trying to figure out how he would help Dean heal from the trauma of not only losing his friend, but also being attacked by the same thing that killed him. A calm night had quickly snowballed into one that he was sure he would never forget.
"Jim."
That was certainly not a nurse or doctor coming to ask him a question. Spinning around faster than he thought was possible, he looked at Caleb as he moved further into the room. For one wild moment, Jim actually had the belief he was dreaming. There was no plausible explanation for why he would be there, and not in jail. Moving forward to hug his friend, he could see the pain in Caleb's eyes from what he undoubtedly knew was happening with Dean.
"How are you here? What happened-"
"I got off. I got the preliminary hearing this morning. Long story short, the judge sided with us."
"I can't believe you're here."
He really could not when he expected to not see Caleb until they returned to Minnesota. Having him there with him, was a support he never counted on having. The impersonal setting of a hospital room would have to do for his reunion with the boys. Thinking about Dean and how happy he would be to have him there, was what warmed Jim's heart.
"What happened to Dean?" Caleb demanded. "I talked to Bobby before I got here, but he didn't really say all that much."
"It was the ghoul," Jim said, heaving a sigh. "It got Matt. It tricked Dean."
"Where is he now?"
"In X-ray."
Caleb nodded. "We'll figure this out."
It was difficult for Caleb to keep his eyes open around the exhaustion he could feel pour through him after the harrowing morning he had. The last outcome he ever expected was to be released from police custody at the conclusion of the hearing. Thanks to the judge having a sound mind, he was let go before the case had the chance to progress further. The worry in the back of his mind was when he factored the startling realization that he might still face prosecution if new evidence ever came to light.
Pushing that to the back of his mind until he absolutely had to, he walked with Dawn across the expansive parking lot toward her car. His had been impounded when he was arrested, and he had no clue where he could go to reclaim it. Settling back against the soothing feel of her seats, he thought about what it would be like to reunite with his family. None of them would be anticipating it, and that was the sweetest thing for him to think about.
Understanding the pressing need to see Sam and Dean when he had been separated for over a week from them, he disregarded his usual ritual in going to a new location, and instructed Dawn to take him to the airport. No matter how fast he drove to get to Carthage, it would still take him most of the day and then some to reach them. He hated flying and always had, but he was willing to make an exception for this one time. Luckily enough for him, the airport was willing to accommodate him and get him on a flight.
What would have taken him over ten hours to drive, only took a fraction of that time. Resting against the seats in the airplane, he tried to breathe through the nervousness he could feel. The thought of being 'out of control' in a setting where anything could happen, was unsettling for him. What soothed him was being able to pull out a picture of his two boys, and know that he was going somewhere good. Closing his eyes, he hummed song after song until he heard the announcement come through that they would be landing.
Readying himself for the turbulence, he looked out the window and saw the runway rapidly approaching. When he was able to push past his natural fear of flying, he was astounded at the sights that he would not have otherwise been able to appreciate. Everything that once looked huge to him, now looked like tiny specks in a vast land. When the airplane wheels touched down, he could finally breathe easy in knowing that he made it.
Once he safely left the intimidating airplane, his next order of business was to get a reliable means of transportation. It was no easy task when he was in a new place, but thanks to his luck that somehow managed to turn around for him just in time, he got a rental car. Reaching for his phone once he was on the road and had some idea of where he was, he punched in the number for Bobby's phone.
The hunter rarely picked it up and it was something his family loved to tease him about. Hoping he would this time, he was pleasantly surprised when he heard his voice on the other end.
"Caleb? What the-"
"Hey, Bobby," Caleb said, scrubbing his fingers through his eyes to get them to wake up a little.
"What are you doing out? I thought you would be stuck in that place until-"
Caleb shook his head, even though he had no way of knowing it. "I got my prelim hearing early."
"So I take it some judge had his head screwed on right?"
"You would be right."
Driving through the town was hard for him. He was usually very good with direction and was able to find his way fairly quickly, but everything around him made no sense. He knew it was his own mind working against him when he had been through Carthage before. The town was right close to where he landed, and he was grateful for that.
"Listen," Bobby said, and Caleb could hear his voice take on a considerably tougher edge. "It's a good thing you're out."
"Why? What happened?" Switching lanes, one hand clasped on the steering wheel, and the other on his phone, Caleb tried to keep calm around the panic he could start to feel creep up.
"The ghoul...it...it hurt Dean. Badly."
The joy that Caleb could feel assault his mind and body after being released that morning, was now giving way to devastation. A ghoul was not a monster that would take him lightly. It would want revenge, and that was exactly what it did. Not able to control the tears that fell from his face at the thought of what it did to him, he tried to see the road through his grief.
"How bad?"
"Bad enough to require a hospital. I'm not sure how bad it is yet. Jim's been back with him in the trauma unit."
About a thousand different thoughts slammed through Caleb. All he wanted was to be there for not only Dean, but for Sam. He could only imagine how the child must have felt in knowing that his big brother was in a bad situation like that. What kept him from being able to embrace them like he wanted, was the distance that was still between them.
Urging the car to go faster, he found he did not care about too many traffic laws while he worked to get to the hospital. Stopping only to make sure there were no cars coming at the red light, he promptly blew it and drove right through.
"I'm in Carthage right now. I just got here. I should be there in a few minutes or so. How's Sam holding up?"
"He's scared, but he's okay. I just went and grabbed something for him in the cafeteria."
"Good. I'll be there soon."
Hanging up, he tried to control the frantic thoughts he could feel go through him. The last thing he expected was to be faced with something happening to Dean. The child was an excellent hunter, and was able to tackle some of the bigger spirit hunts his family went on. Hearing that he had been seriously wounded in a fight with the ghoul, was crushing to him.
The town was small, but it was still too big for him when he thought about Dean being in the hospital. Slowing down when he reached a residential neighborhood that was close to the hospital, it was not easy to ignore the curious stares (and glares) of some of the people who saw him speeding. Paying no mind to them, he pulled out into the intersection again and saw the hospital sign loom before him.
Grateful that he arrived in a reasonable amount of time, he pulled in and found a parking spot up close to the front entrance. Sitting in his car and bracing himself for the chaos that would be waiting for him when he walked in, he grabbed his things and got out. The air was chilly; it did nothing to affect him when his mind was on a hundred different things.
Walking through the automatic doors when they swung open to admit him, he had a brief view of the front desk and the woman behind it, before he saw Sam and Bobby from the waiting room on the left. Moving toward them, Sam immediately bolted from his chair and sprang into his arms. Wrapping his arms around him, he could feel tears cloud his vision. Sam was clinging to him as though he was holding on for dear life.
Rubbing Sam's back when Sam laid his head on his shoulder, he looked at Bobby and saw the pain in his eyes from what happened. Slowly shaking his head, he turned and sat with Sam. It felt good to sit and not do anything else for a minute. Sam was still curled in his lap, but was getting ready to get down. From the shocked look on his face, it was apparent Bobby did not tell him he was coming.
"How are you here?" Sam demanded.
"I got out. Dawn, my lawyer, she worked a miracle."
"That's good," Sam said, nodding seriously. "Dean's hurt-"
"I know," Caleb said, pulling him into another hug.
"I want to see him, but Bobby said I might have to wait for a little while."
"Yeah, I think that might be a good idea, Sammy."
Caleb had no clue what horrors awaited him when he made his way back to the trauma center. From what Bobby described to him, he knew his wounds were nothing to laugh about. He was not at all sure he wanted Sam to be exposed to Dean being hooked up to various tubes and wires, and have to know that it came from something bad.
Sam's face fell the instant he heard Caleb's disappointing words. Giving him another hug, he got up and walked back into the trauma unit. He could hear several of the nurses and doctors trying to get his attention, but he simply ignored them. Soon enough they would get the message that he was with Dean, and was his family. The trauma unit was not terribly busy that late night. It made his job of finding the correct room a lot easier.
When Caleb saw Jim's back, he knew he found the right room. His friend was standing away from him, and seemed to be lost in thought. It was not difficult to know what it was about. Staring at the room that should have had Dean in the center of it, he was confused to not find him there. Looking around as though he might have missed him, he saw no one but the nurses as they rushed from room to room.
Stepping into the room, he saw Jim tense but did not respond. When he announced his presence, it did not take long for the pastor to turn around and close the distance that separated them. Embracing him, feeling his heart crack in his chest when he considered the predicament Dean was in, he could see a very similar pain reflected in Jim's kind eyes. The hunter had been forced to handle the bulk of what was wrong with Dean, by himself.
Dean was in X-ray, and even though Caleb assured Jim that they would "figure it out" he had no clue how. From what Jim told him, his shoulder was messed up and he lost feeling in it. Even without the vital aid of understanding physical health from his years spent learning the tricks of the trade from Bobby, he knew it was bad. A shoulder injury was notorious for taking a long time to heal, and even more so, was highly delicate.
Leaning against the wall, not able to sit still if he wanted to, he waited for them to bring Dean back. Wondering how he would react to seeing him, brought a small grin to his face. At the very least, he could bring a smile to the child's face and relieve some of the tension in the room.
Hearing the doctor's wheel him back after they finished with his X-rays, he moved away from the wall and went to stand by the door where Jim was. At first, all he could see was the end of Dean's bed a figure underneath the covers that was supposed to be him. When they repositioned his bed up against the wall, it was then he could see his face for the first time, and where Dean could see his.
Shock was the number one emotion Caleb could color Dean's eyes, before he smiled. He was in pain; it was very obvious to anyone who knew him well like Caleb did. Stepping up to his bedside, he reached out a hand and gently palmed Dean's face, before Dean reached out his good arm to hug him. Carefully avoiding the tubes and wires attached to him, he leaned down and hugged him as carefully as he could.
When he pulled back, Caleb could see the frustration in Dean's eyes that he could not use his other arm to hug him. Getting a view of his shoulder for the first time, it was horrific. His shoulder was covered in blood and was soaking through the bandages the doctor's wrapped around it. Looking at Jim when he saw Dean's struggle, Jim stepped up to his bad side and gently lifted his arm and put it around Caleb's neck so he could hug him more completely.
That seemed to calm him down while he enjoyed that moment. Carefully letting Dean go when Dean removed his good arm from around him, Caleb took care in handling his bad arm. Letting it drop against the soft blanket that was over him, he saw Dean wince in pain. Drawing up a chair beside him, Dean's eyes never left his. Giving him a small smile, he held his hand and squeezed it tightly.
"How are you here?" Dean choked. "I thought that you would be stuck there until-"
"No," Caleb said, shaking his head. "I got out early. I'm so glad I did."
"I missed you."
"I missed you more," Caleb teased.
Dean shook his head. "Not possible."
It was then Dean stunned him by shedding a single tear that seemed to say everything without saying much. Not even able to comprehend what he must have gone through with the ghoul, he wiped the tears from his eyes and stayed by his side. Jim said something about going to check on Sam, before he left the room.
"Hey, bud. It's just you and me. What's going on?" Caleb inquired, stroking Dean's hair.
"Matt's dead."
"From the-"
Dean nodded. "Yes. I was so stupid! I thought he was really Matt, and it was nothing but a trap."
"It's not your fault, Dean. Don't even let your mind tell you any different."
