Deuce and Damien
Chapter 13
Disclaimer: see chapter one

It had been two hours since John and Mac had been escorted to the waiting room by the doctor who would perform the surgery on the boys. The green-scrub clad man finally emerged, removing the matching cap from his head as he made his way toward them. The two father's rose, meeting the surgeon halfway, Sammy held close in his father's arms as Bobby and Jim flanked the men. "Both boys are in recovery, the placement was successful and the fluid is being drained. It will be another hour before they are moved back into the ICU. I'm hopeful we will be able to remove the ventilators before they leave recovery since the air flow in their lungs sound better. Antibiotics will be continued as will efforts to bring their temperatures down. Caleb's is hovering at 103 and Dean's at 103.8, but they remained stable throughout the procedure."

"Thank you doctor." Mac shook the man's hand as John stepped up.

"Thanks doc." The Knight spoke softly.

"A nurse will come out as soon as the boys are settled back in the ICU, which, like I said should be in about an hour." With a nod to Jim and Bobby the doctor made his way back through the doors.

Mac turned and looked at John, a shadow of relief flashed in the younger man's face, "They made it through surgery, that's a start." Mac commented, who for the first time in nearly two days didn't feel like they were being shadowed by the specter called death.

"I won't be happy until Dean's awake." John answered as he moved back to sit down.

"I totally agree." Mac responded as everyone returned to their seat to wait out the hour until the father's could be reunited with their children.

Oxoxoxoxo

Six hours had passed since the boys had returned to the ICU, nearly forty-eight since the terrifying nightmare had begun. John and Mac had remained by their son's sides since being allowed back, each man dozing as exhaustion and worry plagued their hearts and minds. Jim would occasionally be allowed back, usually bring the Scholar and Knight coffee. Bobby had come back once, just needing the assurance that the two boys that were quickly growing on him were slowly working their way back to them. Because of Sammy's age, he would have to wait until his brother was moved to a regular room to see Dean.

John jerked awake as he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder; his focus first went to his son, then to the person behind him, "Mary?"

Again the nurse appeared, glancing toward the bed, "I heard his fever broke." She commented with a small smile.

John sat up straighter, looking back at Dean. "Yeah, a couple hours ago both Dean's and Caleb's fevers broke, doctor says their lungs are sounding much better and he hopes to move them to regular rooms in a few hours."

Mary stepped up to the side of the bed, laying a hand on the small boys head. "I knew he wouldn't leave you and that cute little brother he has." The woman looked intently at John, "He's a very special little boy."

The Knight looked at the woman as her statement sunk in, something about the way she said it was like she knew Dean. The young father stood, coming to stand next to the woman, "Yes, he is." John placed his hand on his son's chest, relishing the steady heartbeat beneath.

The nurse made her way around John and stopped at the entrance of the cubicle, "You take good care of him," She glanced toward Caleb then back, "of them both, they need each other just as you need them." Then with a warm smile she left the room.

"John?" Mac's voice broke the silence of the room, "Is everything okay?" the Doctor sat up straighter as he noticed the younger man standing next to Dean's bed, worry filled the older man when it took John a moment to answer.

"The nurse that was just here, did you see her?" Something about the way the woman talked, and looked at him was familiar, comforting.

"I didn't see anyone, was she here checking on the boys?" Mac came to stand next to his friend, "Are you okay?"

Shaking his head slightly, John looked at Mac, "Yeah, just wish they would wake up."

As if speaking his wish made it come true, the small body under his hand moved, a quiet moan escaping, "Dean?" John placed his hand on his son's head as the boy struggled to blink his eye's open, "Hey Ace, can you hear me?"

John felt his heart skip a beat, tears filling his eye's as he watched moss-green eye's focus on him. "Daddy?"

"Oh God…hey buddy…" John's shaky voice broke at hearing his son's voice for the first time in over a year. "I'm right here kiddo, how do you feel?"

"Sleepy," Dean blinked his eye's slowly, the pull of sleep overwhelming. "Where's Damien?"

John glanced at Mac, confusion flashing in his gaze, "Who?"

"Deuce…" Caleb's whispered voice brought the attention to his bed.

Mac rushed back to his son, "Caleb? You with me Son?" The father squeezing his son's hand, a weak squeeze returning the gesture.

"He okay?" Caleb struggled to get out as he tried to focus his eyes on his dad.

Mac stepped back slightly to give Caleb a view of the other bed, "Dean's just woke up. How do you feel?"

John watched as Dean turned his head to meet Caleb's gaze, "Damien?" He barely whispered.

Taking in a deep breath, Caleb tried to smile at his young friend, "I'm good Deuce, we're both good." With that Caleb's eye's drifted shut again as sleep claimed the teen.

"Dean?" His daddy's voice had the small child looking back at his father as the pull of sleep continued.

The boy reached his hand up to his father's face as he saw a tear escape John's brown eyes. "Don't cry daddy, I came back so you won't cry nomore."

More tears fell at the implications of what the boy had just said fell, full-force, on John's heart. It was revealing just how close he had actually come to losing his first born. "I'm just happy you're awake, you rest now okay Ace?"

John felt Dean's tiny hand turn in his larger one, then something warm was felt in his palm, "Okay daddy, but no more tears." Dean whispered the five-year old drifting back to sleep. John pulled his hand from under his son's to find three sunflower seed shaped crystals, shining in the artificial lighting.