Sam liked this motel. Not because it was especially clean or nice but because it was next to an old park, Sam liked parks. Whenever Dad was home Sam got to play at that park, he would run around for hours, and Dad would sit on a rusted bench and flip through his journal. Sam would slide down the slide and Dean would push him on the swings. He would push him high up in the air, and then he would fly back down to Earth and Dean would be there to catch him. No matter how high he flew up in the sky, even if he swore he was almost touching the clouds, Dean was still waiting and he always caught him. Sam liked that park.
Sam ran towards the slide, his little legs pumping hard as he raced towards the chipped blue painted contraption. His sneakers crunched down on leaves and mad e a crackly sound but Sam didn't stall to play in the leaves, his eyes were on the prize. His eyes were on the slide.
"Sammy!" Dean's voice carried over the wind, and Sam reached the base of the slide and began to climb, rushing up the last few rungs on the ladder so he could slide down at least once before he had to go back to the cramped motel room. Dad hadn't been home in a couple days so Sam and Dean hadn't been allowed to leave the room, the walls felt like they were closing in. "Sammy!"
Dean had rushed to a halt at the side of the slide, his 8 year old chest heaving in heavy rhythm as he sucked in autumn air. "Sammy, what are you doing? I told you not to leave the room."
"Pwease don't be mad Deanie? It was too small in there and I really missed the slide." Sam pleaded, turning big hazel eyes down to his brother and quivering his lower lip. "Pwease Deanie, can I play for just a teeny bit?"
Dean pursed his lips in thought, looking much older than his 8 years, before finally nodding his consent. Sam squealed in delight before clambering to the tippy top and sliding all the way back down. He threw his arms up in the wind and beamed a bright 4 year old smile as he sailed to the bottom. He threw his feet out as he reached the bottom, using his momentum to stand up and start racing towards the swings. "Hey Deanie! You push me pwease?"
Dean gave a small grin before shuffling over to the swings. He kicked up fallen leaves with his combat boots and left them ruffled in his wake. Sam had already climbed up on to the rubber seat and was clenching tiny fists around the cracked green plastic that was wrapped around the swing's chains. Dean walked around behind him and pulled back the swing before letting Sam fly.
Sam yelled in delight as he flew forward and the wind whipped through his hair. He squealed for Dean to go higher and higher, and Dean complied. Sam released one rope and reached out into the sky, stretching to brush the clouds, he was so close. Before he could though his little body began to slip from the little rubber seat. He only had a second to scream before the grass below was coming up to meet him. He never hit the ground though, instead two scrawny arms wrapped around him and he landed on and bony body.
"You alright Sammy?" Dean questioned, his words airless and strained. Sam nodded slowly still reeling from the moment. Dean gave a tight lipped smile and stood up, rubbing a hand to his chest before reaching out to pull Sam to his feet.
Sam looked up at Dean with wide eyes and in that moment he realized, Dean was a superhero.
Supernaturallloverja
"Can I see Dean now?" Sam asked, his voice on the edge of begging. His dad's head shot up from his designated chair and he furrowed his brow at the request.
His eyes were even more tired than when he arrived, they were sunken in his skull and ringed by what looked like purple bruises. His hair was oily and his skin grimy because he refused to leave even long enough to shower. He alternated his time between sitting beside Sam and sitting beside Dean, that didn't leave much time for daily nuisances like showering or eating. "You'll be out of here tomorrow, you can see him then."
"Okay." His voice was resigned but only for the benefit of his Dad. He understood how hard he must be taking it, the fact that he wasn't there, the fact that both his boys were lying in a hospital and there were no bones to burn and make it better, the fact one might not wake up. "How is he?"
"He's strong Sammy, stronger than anybody I know." John replied, he knew it wasn't an answer but it was true. He didn't know what else to say. He couldn't tell his baby boy that his big brother was hooked up to a respirator. That he couldn't breathe in his own air or flicker his eyelids. His little boy had his chest crushed in and his head scrambled and he hadn't been there. Maybe if he was driving or they had moved on to the next state…..how could he tell Sam all of that? "Sleep son, you'll be next to him before you know it."
Sam nodded, completely unaware of his father's inner monologue, and relaxed back into his pillows. It didn't take long for his exhausted body to give into unconsciousness; it wasn't a peaceful sleep though. Sam dreamed of flying, but this time Dean wasn't there to catch him.