Chapter 22. Crap, Crap, Crap
Caleb was thankful that the emergency stop outside the hospital doors was empty as he skidded to a stop and slammed the Impala's brakes on. Crap, crap, crap. The emotions coming from Sam alone were coming in loud and clear and gave him that extra sense of anxiety. Dean hadn't made a sound or moved which was even scarier. Dean was always in motion, had been for almost as long as Caleb could remember. If the kid wasn't talking he was always doing something. Sam needed his brother to be okay. Caleb also needed him to be okay. They needed both older Winchesters to be okay. The alternative was unthinkable.
He turned around to look at Sam. "I'll get help."
Sam nodded and watched numbly as Caleb carefully eased Dean off him and onto the seat, exited the car and ran through the opening glass sliding doors. His dad had lost consciousness after their little talk and Dean hadn't woken up since he had seen Caleb carry him out of the house. Sam's mind was running a mile a minute.
Before he knew it his door was being opened and Caleb was there with a number of orderlies, gesturing for him to get out of the car. Sam slid out of the car as he gently laid his father down on the backseat. Caleb grabbed him by the shoulders and moved him aside, keeping a hand on Sam's shoulder for support as they relinquished their wounded into the hands of the medical professionals.
Caleb had already given them the important information when they had first answered his call for help. He'd mentioned the numerous injuries that he could tell John had by his brief inspection and also the fact that Dean was most likely on his third concussion and had been getting painful, crippling headaches with nose bleeds included. He needed to cover all bases so that they could be prepared for anything.
Caleb stood beside Sam as John was loaded onto a waiting gurney. He was thankful that the man had remained unconscious so far because no-one really wanted to be dealing with a disorientated John in pain. On the other hand he wanted to see John awake and aware badly. Dean was being carefully loaded onto his own gurney when a nurse came up to the duo with a clipboard in hand. "Is there anything else we should know?" she asked.
Caleb began to shake his head but then remembered something. "Oh yeah Dean … um he's allergic to penicillin." How had he forgotten that piece of information?
"Is that all sir?"
Caleb nodded but his focus was back on Dean. John was already half way through the doors and Sam started forward breaking Caleb out of his stupor. He moved after Sam as Dean's gurney was starting to be pushed forward and through the doors into the hospital and they both ran along side the gurney.
Everything was frantic as they followed the emergency team into the hospital and through the ER doors. Caleb stopped just inside the room and had the presence of mind to reach out and stop Sam from following his brother all the way in. It was a miracle that some nurse hadn't already kicked them out. The psychic wasn't all that sure what was going to happen from here on out and he also wasn't sure whether Sam should stay and watch but he knew that he would have a massive fight on his hands if he even suggested Sam leave so he kept quiet, satisfied for the moment that Sam had stopped and was now standing very close to the older hunter.
Caleb looked over where Dean was being transported onto the other table and into the room behind. He could just make out John's beaten form on the other table. He still seemed out of it and now Caleb wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.
His focus went back to Dean when he heard a commotion and saw him moving. It looked like he was trying to get away from the men that were trying to hold him down.
"Dean." The male nurse addressed the young distressed man. "You're in a hospital and you need to calm down."
Apparently Dean had not calmed down but intensified his movements. "Dean!" Sam ran over to his brother and pushed past the nurse. The nurse was quick and grabbed Sam by the arm. Caleb was there in seconds.
"Dude, if you want him to calm down, let him see his brother … trust me." Caleb warned his voice clear that there was no room for argument.
The nurse wisely let Sam go and Caleb moved to stand to the right of Dean's head. The kid was struggling with an unknown assailant.
"Ss-sammy?" Dean called out weakly as he flailed. Sam caught the hand that the nurse had let go of to try and ground his brother.
"Dean, it's okay." Sam glanced quickly up at Caleb before looking back down at his brother who still had his eyes tightly shut against the pain that was pounding in his head.
"No …"
"Deuce," Caleb called moving in next to Sam and holding his friends chin to hold his head still. "Its okay, Sammy's okay. Open your eyes."
"Mnnmm …" Dean seemed to be having trouble getting his thoughts across. Caleb frowned and placed the palm of his hand against Dean's cheek. "Ca … leb." Dean whispered, almost bordering on a whimper.
"That's right and Sammy's here too." Dean's eyes opened a little but Caleb could see the effort it was taking him. He moved a bit so that Sam could get closer.
"S'okay?"
"I'm fine Dean." Sam answered squeezing his brother's hand to show him by touch as well as sight that he was truly okay.
"Da…d?" Caleb looked up and toward the other room where he could barely see the flutter of medical staff around John's bed through the closed swinging doors that connected the two rooms. He reached out with his mind to touch on John's. The man wasn't doing too well but he was still with them and that was what mattered right now.
Caleb looked back down at his friend who had an uncharacteristic frightened look on his face. It was a look that was rarely seen on his friend and he didn't like seeing it. "Johnny's gonna be fine kiddo."
Dean's green eyes had a moment of clarity as he looked into the psychic's amber ones to judge his sincerity. Finding what he needed in Caleb's eyes he closed his own again and nodded. He soon found that was a very bad idea and he tried to hold back a cry as his headache intensified. He started breathing through his nose as he tried to handle the brass band that was trying to blast out of his head.
"Dean!" Sammy called when he saw his brother's eyes roll back in his head. Seconds later Dean's body began to convulse and it was all Caleb could do to hold him on the table.
"Okay that's it! Somebody get these two out of here." the doctor, that Caleb hadn't noticed before, shouted as he and Sam were pulled from Dean.
Caleb's natural instinct was to fight whoever was taking him away from Dean but hearing Sam's struggles and watching as Dean's body continued to twitch violently the psychic calmed down and decided that maybe the best thing to do would be to get Sam out of there. The kid didn't need to see this.
"Sir you need to leave." The big black orderly blocking them from Dean stated.
"No …" Sam began but Caleb grabbed the kid by the shoulders and held him back as well.
"Sammy, the best thing we can do right now is let these guys do their job."
"But …" before Caleb could argue back alarms went off in the other room and the psychic's heart nearly stopped along with it. The sound was coming from the trauma room next door where the doctors were working on John. This could not be happening.
"Dad!" Sam made to run past but Caleb recovered enough to reach out and grab the boy before he made his mad dash to either his brother or his father. Caleb pulled the kid to his chest and held him there. He back peddled until his back hit the wall. He could feel Sam's body shaking against him and he thought that he really should get the kid out of there but he couldn't seem to move. The hospital staff seemed to have forgotten about them for the moment with so much activity happening in both rooms.
In what felt like hours but in reality was only a minute John's heart started beating again and miraculously Dean's seizure stopped. Caleb didn't want to think about the connection there. It had all been too close.
The orderly was back in their face again. "Sir you really need to leave now."
The orderly almost shrank back at the twin glares. "Are they okay?" Sam asked in a shaky, rough voice. Caleb didn't need to see the kids face to know that he had tears in his eyes.
"Someone will be out to speak to you as soon as they can; now I don't want to have to call security."
"Yeah, yeah don't get your panties in a twist Mr. T." Caleb snapped and then turned Sam around to face him. "Come on runt."
Caleb looked once more at his friends and then glared at Mr. T once again before slinging and arm around Sam's shoulder to usher him out of the room. Neither of them wanted to go but they also didn't want to be kicked out and Caleb had some phone calls to make.
"Caleb?" Sam asked looking up at the psychic with tear filled eyes.
"They are gonna be fine kiddo … both of them." Caleb said with as much confidence as he could muster.
"Why?" he mocked. "Because you say so?"
"Damn straight." Caleb answered him seriously.
Sam looked at Caleb and could tell that the man was just as worried as what he was but he appreciated the strong gesture. He felt sick. Too much had happened too fast and he couldn't stop his body from trembling. It was obviously that Caleb had noticed because the next thing he knew he was being dragged over to a secluded corner of the waiting room and gently pushed down into the hard plastic chair.
"Sit down before you fall down Sammy."
Sam looked at his hands and saw that they were still shaking. Damn it, he couldn't even control his own body. He needed to be strong now, strong for his Dad and strong for Dean. Caleb didn't need a crybaby to look after either but that knowledge didn't stop a tear from betraying him and falling down his face. He brought a shaky hand up and wiped the tear away angrily.
Suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder again and this time a white disposable cup filled with water was placed in front of his face. "Here, drink." Caleb all but ordered.
"I'm not thirsty." Sam said stubbornly and turned his head away. The only thing he wanted right now was for his dad and brother to walk out of those emergency room doors.
Caleb rolled his eyes. Was it in the Winchester gene's to be stubborn mules? "Dude, I can't have you being sick or passing out on me so here" he held the small white paper cup in front of Sam's face again. "Seriously man, you don't look so good."
Sam shivered and felt a little light headed and thought that maybe he should just take the damn water. He reached out and managed to get the cup up to his mouth without spilling any. He drained the cup, making him realize that he had obviously been really thirsty. "Thanks."
Caleb squeezed the back of Sam's neck a little. "No problem." The psychic frowned. He could pick up on Sam's unguarded thoughts loud and clear. The kid was scared about his family's fate and he was ashamed, ashamed of being weak. Caleb sighed.
"Dude, it's okay to be scared and according to Mac and Jim it's okay to cry if you're scared."
Sam turned sharply to look at Caleb. "I wasn't crying," he said indignantly.
"Of course not," Caleb agreed quickly. He really wasn't the best at these little moments.
The both of them sat in silence for a moment; Sam slouched down against the back of the chair and Caleb leaning forward with his hands in his lap playing with the silver ring on his right hand.
Sam glanced beside him to look at the psychic and for the first time since arriving at the hospital the kid realized that the older hunter didn't look much better and it made Sam feel even worse. He had been so caught up in his own feelings that he hadn't even thought to think about how Caleb was doing. John was Caleb's mentor and he knew despite what Caleb said he looked up to the man and Dean … well Dean and Caleb had their own relationship and Sam knew for a fact that despite all the name calling and teasing the older boy was fiercely protective of his brother. The Winchester's were just as much family to Caleb as what Mac or Jim were, so this couldn't have been easy for him either.
Sam gave a shaky sigh and hesitantly looked at the dark haired hunter beside him. "What do you think about it?" he asked, his eyes never leaving Caleb's face.
Caleb looked up confused at the sudden question, not following where Sam was going. Sam fought the urge to roll his eyes. Caleb and Dean were a lot more alike than he thought. They both had the attention span of a child with ADHD. "Think about what?"
"About crying?"
Caleb sat up a bit straighter. "Well I'd say that Mac and Jim seem to know what they're on about."
"You guys never do."
Caleb smiled. "Everybody cries Runt."
"Are you okay?"
Caleb was taken aback. How had this conversation turned around on him? Hadn't he just been trying to comfort Sam and now Sam was asking him if he was okay. Caleb recovered and gave a half assed grin. "I'm fine." He patted Sam on the shoulder. "Everything is gonna be fine Sammy … I promise you."
Sam gave the physic a sad but knowing smile. "Don't make promises you may not be able to keep Caleb."
Caleb shook his head. "Dude if anyone is too stubborn to die it's that old man of yours and Dean … I don't know anyone with a harder head. They'll be fine."
Sam couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at his lips at Caleb's words. He looked down at his hands and noticed they had stopped shaking but he still felt sick. Just as that thought crossed through his mind his stomach decided to voice its dissatisfaction and grumbled.
Caleb could feel and see that Sam had calmed down and his own stress levels lowered a tiny bit. At least he had been able to help one Winchester. Sam's stomach growled eliciting a guilty look from the psychic.
"Man, when was the last time you ate something?" he asked standing up.
Sam looked up as Caleb stood with a thoughtful look on his face. "I think I had some jerky and maybe some chips in the car over here."
"Dude, I wouldn't exactly call that a meal." He groused.
"Since when and if I remember correctly you were the one that bought them."
"That's beside the point." Caleb rubbed the back of his own neck before bringing both his hands to rest on his jean clad hips. "Will you be okay here?"
Sam frowned. "Why, where are you going?"
"Well I'm going to go and get you something to eat and I also want to call Mac. I would feel better if he was here, especially with Dean's head injury."
Sam pulled a face. He was afraid if he ate something now with the way he was feeling he would be sick. "I'm not really hungry."
"Humour me." Caleb smiled. "Seriously kid, are you okay here. I won't be gone long."
Sam rolled his eyes. "Yes I think I can look after myself."
Caleb reached into his pocket and pulled out a few coins. "Here, get a can of soda from the machine over there and come and get me if you hear anything … but I shouldn't be long."
Sam caught the coins Caleb threw to him and waited for the psychic to go but instead he just stood there with a haunted look coming over the cocky smartass facade. "Caleb …"
Caleb shook his head and snapped out of his daze. "Right … going …" he pointed in the direction of the glass sliding doors. "I'll be back." Finally he turned and walked away leaving Sam sitting in the corner of the waiting room holding his loose change.
Sam sat back and leant his head against the back of the chair. Caleb always thought he was the master of control and liked to think that nothing fazed him. But Sam knew that losing people he loved or cared for was the one fear he knew Caleb had. He got the same look on his face every time.
Sam didn't know what he would have done had he been alone during all this. He probably would have lost it. His fear and his anxiety over not knowing his family's fate was still there in full force but at least after Caleb's help he had a little more control over it.
The thirteen year old sighed and then leaned forward in his seat before standing up on still shaky legs. Maybe a can of soda would do him could. He could use the sugar boost at least. He walked over to the soda machine across the other side of the room next to the payphone. He looked at his choices and decided on a can of Coke. He put Caleb's money into the slot and then selected his choice and waited for his drink to drop to the tray at the bottom. It fell down with a crash and Sam reached down and retrieved the cold drink.
Upon standing straight again Sam saw a nurse walking towards him with a clip board. She looked about 24, slim, not too tall and had brown hair that was tied up in a pony tail at the back. Her fringe shaped her face and she had a sympathetic smile on her face like she didn't really want to intrude. Not that Sam was really doing anything that she could intrude on. Now that Sam thought about it she might have been the nurse that had approached them outside when they had first arrived but he hadn't really been concentrating on her then.
"Hey." Sam greeted as she approached.
"Hey … um … you came in with the two emergencies right?" she asked nervously and he got the feeling that maybe she hadn't been in this job very long.
"Yeah, my dad and my brother." He told her, nodding. "I'm Sam."
"Leda." She smiled friendly again. "Sam, I'm sorry to be asking you this now but is that guy you came in with a relative or a friend. I need someone to fill in some details for paperwork."
"He's my uncle … his name is Caleb." Sam answered automatically. Whenever things like this came up and Caleb was there that was the story they stuck with so he thought it best to keep it that way.
"Is he around?" she looked around the waiting area but didn't see any sign of Caleb.
"No he went to make a phone call but he just went out that way so you should be able to catch him." Sam pointed to the exit and then quickly switched the coke can into the other hand as the current hand was getting frost bitten.
"Thanks … are you doing okay Sam?" she asked in concern. God, did he really look that bad?
Sam managed to smile. "I'll be fine."
"Well if there is anything I can do you just let me know okay."
"Thanks." She smiled at him again before turning around and heading off to find his elusive uncle.
Sam walked back over to his seat and sat back down. He opened the can and brought it to his mouth taking one large gulp causing his eyes to water because of the fizz. Once he recovered from consuming too much coke at once his attention went back to the ER doors. He couldn't help but think that his brother and father were both behind those doors fighting for their lives and there was not one damn thing he could do about it.
Caleb walked toward the exit as fast as he could without actually running. He felt the sudden need to just get out of the waiting room. He needed some air and needed to get his feelings and thoughts together before he called his father.
"Hey!" he heard someone call as he walked through the opening glass doors. He turned around to see an EMT jogging up to him. Is that your vehicle?" the man asked pointing towards the Impala who's doors had been left wide open.
Caleb silently cursed. Dean would so kick his ass if he knew that he had just abandoned his baby like that. "Yeah," he agreed as the guy stopped next to him.
"Sorry buddy but it can't stay there; we need that clear for emergencies …"
Caleb put a hand up to stop the explanation. "Yeah, yeah I know. I'll just move it now."
The EMT nodded his thanks and then walked back inside, leaving Caleb alone in the emergency alcove. The young hunter sighed as he looked at Dean's pride and joy. The thing just screamed Dean. Seeing it all open like that almost made Caleb falter. Nothing had really had a chance to settle in until now. Sam had needed him. He walked over to the black Chevy and closed the back door before slumping down in the driver's seat and shutting the door after him.
Like the loyal girl she was she purred to life the instant he turned the key and Caleb felt an even stronger sense of Dean. He eased his foot on the accelerator and drove into the car park hoping to find a park close enough to the building so that he wouldn't have to leave Sam alone too long. The kid should have someone with him at a time like this.
Luck was finally on his side and he found a space two rows away from the emergency alcove. He parked the car, turned off the ignition and then just sat there letting everything sink in. God how had he let everything get so screwed up so fast? He ran a shaky palm down his face as tried to pull himself together. He had seen some pretty scary things in his lifetime so far but what he had witnessed in the ER he never wanted to see again. There weren't too many people that Caleb considered as close as family and he had nearly lost two of them in almost the same instance. The Winchesters were going to be the death of him if they kept this up.
Feeling a bit steadier Caleb pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open and searched for his father's name. He blew out a breath and then hit send, placing the phone to his ear. His father picked up on the second ring.
"Caleb."
"Hey Mac," Caleb answered trying to hide his feelings.
"Are you all okay?" Mac's voice was full of concern and it sounded like he was walking fast. A confused look came over Caleb's face.
"How …"
"Jim called me and suggested that I should get down here …"
"Jim called?"
"Missouri called him just as Sam went missing, please tell me you found him."
Caleb shook his head in amusement at the grapevine that had been created. "Yeah Sammy's fine."
"Are you okay?"
Caleb swallowed thickly. No, he didn't really feel okay at the moment but he knew that wasn't what his father had been originally asking. "I'm fine too."
He heard his father sigh over the line. "Why do I feel there is a but?"
"Dad … Dean and John were hurt pretty bad … I'm at the hospital with Sammy right now. Well I'm actually in the Impala right now but Sammy's waiting for me to get back. He needs to eat something …" Caleb rambled.
"What hospital Caleb?"
"The Lawrence Memorial Hospital," he told his father as he rubbed at his knee. It had only been six months since it had been dislocated and the cold whether was starting to get to it. He looked outside the windshield at the sky. The sun was starting to set and what looked like the start of a beautiful sunset was mocking him.
"I'll be there within the next hour." Mac said. "Is there anything I need to know?"
"Um yeah, Dean … he had at least two concussions in the last week maybe three now, I'm not sure. But it was weird dad … he kept getting these really bad headaches almost like I get when I get a vision. He didn't see anything but he said that every time it happened he got this feeling that something was wrong, like something was wrong with John. I don't know what that means but I was kind of hoping you would since you're the head doctor."
"Neurologist."
"Same diff," Caleb counted "Shall I warn the doctor that the great Doctor Mackland Ames is visiting?"
"I'll definitely want to look over things."
Caleb nodded even though he knew his father couldn't see him. "Okay." He sighed.
"Son?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, don't worry about me."
Caleb knew that Mac could probably sense his turmoil and fear with his own psychic abilities even from over the phone but he hoped that he had been able to keep it hidden. Who was he kidding? He had been rambling like an idiot. His father didn't need to be psychic to know that he wasn't at all okay with things. But he knew the man wouldn't question it for now and he was grateful to him.
"Okay, go stay with Sammy and I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Thanks Dad." Caleb flipped the phone shut and sat there in silence once again. Once he was ready he opened to door and got out of the car, closing and locking the door behind him. He stretched his sore knee a few times, hoping to get the cold ache out of it.
He put his hands in his jean pockets and walked quickly back over to the emergency entrance. As he got through the glass doors and thankfully out of the evening chill he noticed a nurse walking towards him, the same nurse from outside when they first arrived. He raised an appreciating eyebrow. He hadn't really had the opportunity to look at her before but she was real attractive. An automatic smile crept on his face, despite the circumstances.
"Are you Caleb?" she asked as she approached with a warm smile on her face.
Caleb raised his eyebrows. "Wow, you know my name already. You work fast." He winked.
Leda rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the playful smirk from her face. Damn he was hot. "I spoke with your nephew. I'm Leda." She extended a hand which Caleb accepted.
"I needed some of these forms filled out and I didn't really want to leave it with Sam, I'm sure he has enough on his mind right now." She handed him a clip board with forms attached to it and a pen.
"Sure."
"Great, thanks and when you're finished just bring them back up to me at the front desk and like I told your nephew if you need anything let me know." She smiled and squeezed his leather clad arm and then stepped past him before he could say anything else.
He watched her as she walked away. He snapped out of his daze and headed to the small food bar to his right to get himself and Sam a couple of sandwiches before he headed back to wait with Sam.
TBC ...
Okay i know i said that we would be finding out what was exactly wrong with Dean but i needed to get Caleb and Sam's part in there first so i am sure ... 90 percent sure hehe that we will be finding out in the next chapter. Mac will be there and he's never let us down before ... oh and this will be my first attempt at writing Mackland so thank you Ridley for creating him and letting me borrow him :-) See you soon people and OMG i am so hanging to see part 1 of the finale lol Have a good weekend and hopefully i'll see you sooner rather than later :-)
Tara x0x