Road Less Travelled

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

Disclaimer: Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do??? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

Author's Note: I do not have any medical experience, just used what I could find on the internet the anti-convulsant drug is a real one and there is lots of information available on it.

CHAPTER SIX

Sam stared around with curious eyes, he so wanted to hear what Dean and the doctor were arguing about. Just from Dean's stance and the way, he moved to stand between the doctor and the bed, made Sam nervous and more than just curious about the discussion. Reaching up he gripped the back of Dean's shirt with a shaking hand and tugged as hard as he could making his brother spin around immediately worried for him. Sam gave him a wan smile and tried to look less like a crash test dummy and more like a living human. 'Dean.' He mouthed his brother's name and tried to push the words out, a soft huff of air passed his lips but nothing else.

'Sammy what? What is it?' Dean turned from angry to protective in one split second but then he saw the look on Sam's face and the small eye roll and calmed down a little. 'Sorry bro.'

The doctor stared incredulously at the two brothers, both should be in bed, not just one of them, both should be hooked up to life support but there they were awake and functioning as well as they could. And now, now this silent communication between them, the youngest losing his hearing and speech during his ordeal and yet he could communicate everything to his older sibling with a look. 'You two are walking miracles.'

'Nah Doc.' Dean turned his head and grinned at the doctor, 'We're Winchesters.'

An hour later found Dean back in his own bed finally sleeping, Sam was gone having tests on his ears and Maggie bullied Dean into finally getting some much needed rest.

Bobby sat at his now familiar post between the two beds, dozing slightly with an open magazine on his knee. A low keening sound woke Bobby with a start and staring around blearily his gaze rested on the young man tossing restlessly in his bed.

Sweat dribbled in rivulets down Dean's face and chest drenching him in the moistness, his good hand twisted in the sheets, and his legs kicked out ineffectively as he tried to fight his way out of his personal terror.

'Dean? Dean boy come on son open your eyes.' Bobby tried to rouse him, knowing how badly Sam reacted to his nightmares but Dean was a total different case. 'Dean come on you don't want Sammy to see ya like this.'

'No, no, no please Merci.' Dean begged tears leaking from his tightly closed eyes. 'No, no Sammy no please not here.'

'Dean.' Bobby snapped his name out and then gripped his shoulder tightly, 'ah shit Dean.' Leaning across the writhing young man he pressed the call button and then sat back trying to calm Dean down.

'What's the matter?' Maggie bustled in going straight to Dean's side.

'He's not waking from a nightmare and he's burning up.' Bobby said succinctly and then stepped back to let the nurse do her job.

'Dean? Come on honey open those eyes for me.' Maggie cooed wiping the sweat from Dean's face but the terrors still locked him in the internal battle.

'I'll be right back Bobby, I'm going to go and page Dean's doctor, he's temp is way to high and he's non-responsive.'

'Dammit these boys just can't take a break.' Bobby muttered shaking his head he looked up at the sympathetic look on the nurse's face and realised he had just spoken aloud. 'Sorry these boys have had a hard time lately and it just doesn't seem...'

'Well they are safe here Bobby and we'll make sure that they leave here nice and healthy.' Maggie smiled, patted his arm and hurried away to page the doctor.

'Sammy!' Dean screamed reaching for his brother, his eyes snapped open and his back arched painfully wrenching him from the bed. 'Sammy no.'

'Dean, Dean calm down.' Bobby went back to the bedside of the older Winchester and tried to talk him back again. The door hissed open and Sam came in, slumping in his wheelchair looking exhausted. 'Dammit.' Bobby muttered just as Dean called out for his brother again. Sam silently stared at Bobby and then at his brother, the look on his face set and determined he started to push the wheelchair himself over to his brother before anyone could do anything.

Coming to a sliding stop Sam reached over and gripped Dean's good hand tightly, the contact had a sudden reaction and Dean calmed immediately. Mutely Sam stared up at Bobby with tears shining in his eyes before he turned his attention back to Dean.

The doctor and nurse stood in the doorway staring at the brothers once again awed at the connection between them. 'I hear that someone is running a fever and someone else won't get back in bed.' The doctor said clearing his throat before he said anything.

Bobby touched Sam's arm but he just glared at the older man, refused to acknowledge the doctor or Maggie instead he returned to his silent vigil next to his brother. Thankful for the first time since his kidnapping and torture that caused him to go deaf that he couldn't hear what they were saying around him, he and Dean were safe inside their personal cocoon.

A gentle hand on Sam's shoulder made him jump startled, blinking he glanced up at the concerned face of Bobby who pointed to the other bed and gripped the handles on Sam's wheelchair intent on getting both boys settled so the doctor could do his job.

'No!' The rasped response ripped from Sam's throat painfully making him wince and gasp for air.

'Sam, Sam look at me.' the doctor knelt down in front of him and took Sam's chin in one of his hands, 'look at me.' he repeated pointing to his own eyes. Sam managed to calm his breathing down enough for the doctor to look at his throat. 'Bed now.' He said clearly enunciating his words and following up with a pointed look to Sam's bed and then back to Sam.

Sam huffed but knew when he was beat, unable to argue verbally, his preferred method of fighting ... with words, he nodded slowly and let Bobby wheel him back to his own bed. While Maggie got Sam settled the doctor gave Dean a thorough examination, muttered a lot and wrote copious notes down on the chart, filling in a new drug order, and then he injected a small dose into the port of Dean's IV.

'What the hell is that doc?' Bobby asked gruffly taking the role of surrogate father very seriously.

'Just an antibiotic it seems that Dean here has the beginnings of an infection, hence his heightened temperature. If we can catch it before it really takes hold then we should be able to stabilise his temp fairly quickly without having to do a lot of intervention.'

'Thanks doc it was a worry.'

'Now Sam on the other hand is a worry.' The doctor spared a glance over at Sam and then turned back to Bobby, 'he's going to have to have more surgery to repair his ears, the damage is very extensive, more so than we originally thought.'

'Will he hear again Doc?'

'Hopefully with the surgery he should regain a good percentage of his hearing back.' The doctor paused and then took a deep breath, 'What I am worried about is Sam's condition, he is still too weak to handle a long operation but the longer we wait.'

'The less chance of success.' Bobby finished, 'look doc I really appreciate ya tellin' me this I'll talk it over with the boys and well aside from a lot of yelling I'm sure we'll get Sam there.'

'You mean Dean yelling.' The doctor had to chuckle.

'Yeah, coz he wasn't informed first, ah don't worry bout it doc, these boys ... they might seem tough but well...'

'Yeah I can understand that I have sons around their ages, perhaps a little younger but not much. My youngest Julian is turning twenty-one next week.'

'Dean's twenty-seven and Sam over there is twenty-three, they're good boys just a little pigheaded.'

'Look who's talkin,' Dean mumbled glaring at the two men, 'so what's with the whispered discussion?'

'Dean boy it's good to see you awake again.' Bobby grinned, turning he thanked the doctor again and went to talk to his young friend.

'Dean, boy you had me running scared there for a minute.'

'Why?' Dean blinked hating the sticky feeling from the fevered sweats. 'What happened?'

'Yer got yerself an infection and temperature. Had a helluva nightmare as well.'

'Sammy?'

'He's okay, sleeping right now I think.' Bobby glanced over at Sam's bed and then back to Dean, 'boy we have to talk.'

'So Sam needs the surgery as soon as?' Dean blinked still trying to comprehend what Bobby told him.'

'To save his hearing yeah but he is still so weak Dean they're worried about his survival chances.'

'Dammit Bobby, why Sammy?'

'That is the six million dollar question.' Bobby sighed and readjusted his cap as he took a glance at Sam's still form, 'I can't make yer mind up for yer but ...'

'Sam couldn't live without any hearing.' Dean finished for him, 'tell the doc I'll sign the papers. Sammy's a fighter Bobby he'll get through this.'

'Yep that's one thing I'll give yer Winchesters yer all so freaking stubborn.'

Movement from the room's other occupant made both Bobby and Dean look over at Sam, tears ran down Sam's face and his long tapered fingers twisted unmercifully in the sheets, blood trickled from the ear they could see and immediately both hunters went straight to panic mode.

Dean pressed the call button without taking his thumb off it while Bobby went to Sam's side to check him. 'Both ears Dean.' Bobby reported his voice choked with emotion made it hard for him to get the words out. 'and it's not just a few drops.'

'Where's the freaking nurse.' Dean snarled pushing himself out of his bed setting off his own alarms.

'What is going on in here?' Maggie gasped out breathlessly, 'I was down the other end of the ward when I heard your neverending call.'

'Sammy, his ears are bleeding ... help him Maggie.' Dean begged his own pride battered and dented to oblivion for now, it didn't bother him begging the nurse for help.

'Oh my, Sam ... Sam?' She pushed her thumb against Sam's sternum looking for response to pain stimuli but he remained silent and unconscious. Tears tracked down the sides of his face and mingled with the pooling blood on the pillows. 'I'll be right back.' Maggie rushed from the room, without another word to either Bobby or Dean.

Minutes later she returned with a strange doctor in tow. 'Dean, Bobby this is Mister Hugh McDonald he is the specialist who will be doing the surgery on Sam.'

'Doc.' Dean and Bobby said in unison, both men giving him silent appraisals. With bright red hair and sparkling green eyes Mister Hugh McDonald looked like a stereotypical Scots man, down to the neatly trimmed beard and heavy accent.

'Please to meet you fellas but for now I want to check on my patient.' Hugh acknowledged the two family members, making a quick mental note that the brother is a patient also. With a quick but proficient examination of Sam's ears, throat and head, a glance at scan and x-ray films he muttered under his breath and made notes before listening to his patient's breathing.

'Maggie notify the OR that we're bringing an emergency in I want the theatre ready to go ASAP. This boy has no more time left.' Hugh said unblinking he stared at the nurse his whole demeanour showing the urgency of the situation and then he turned to face the family. 'Right I take it you are the brother?'

'Dean yeah.'

'And you're the uncle?'

'Bobby Singer, uncle and legal guardian.' Bobby said swallowing convulsively.

'Doc what is it? What's wrong with Sam?'

'The damage done to Sam's ears is profound, the worst is the fact that there are two bleeders flooding both of his ear canals. I am not going to lie to you, this surgery is tricky at best we can hope for maybe ninety percent return of hearing baring any complications at worst he may have perhaps thirty percent.'

'Both ears?'

'Both.'

Dean watched as the orderlies came in and transferred Sam to a surgical gurney, his brother's eyes fluttered and slitted open long enough for his gaze to meet Dean's before they slid shut again. 'Bring him back doc that's all we want we can deal with whatever happens, just bring him back to me.'

'I'll do my best Lad.' Hugh said his voice filled with compassion. 'Now the doctor will be in to check you out too Laddie, you're not looking too good yourself.'

'Just look after Sam.' Dean said tersely, 'shouldn't you go with em.'

'I'll be back in as soon as the surgery is complete.' Hugh smiled before he turned on his heels and strode out of the door just as Maggie came in with Doctor Lewis Windom they were deep in discussion only stopping when they came to a halt at Dean's bedside.

'What? What is it?' Dean looked at the nurse and then the doctor, 'Sammy? There's something wrong with him?'

'No, no from all reports he's holding his own in the surgery.' Maggie said laying a comforting hand on Dean's shoulder.

'You're scaring me doc what's wrong.' Dean asked sounding more like a small boy than a grown man.

'We have some of your test results back Dean,' Lewis said glancing at Bobby and then back to his patient.

'Whatever you have to say, Bobby can hear it.' Dean said swallowing deeply, he couldn't take much more bad news.

'Well first up the good news is that you are HIV free, of course you will need to have another test in six months just to confirm it but it came back negative.'

'That's the good news so what's the bad?'

'Your infection, the one that's just come up?'

'Yeah what of it?'

'it seems that there is a fragment of metal lodged in the tissue, somehow it got missed in your initial x-rays, it has started fester for lack of a better word.'

'So whatcha gonna do bout it doc?' Bobby asked for a shell-shocked Dean.

'Well the antibiotics we have you on are working, I want to run some more blood tests just to double check and we will have to do a small surgical procedure to remove the fragment and flush the area.'

'When?'

'Well, as soon as the tech comes to draw your blood I would like to do it now.'

'What kind of procedure?' Bobby continued his line of questioning, Dean's silence was deafening.

'We will take Dean down to imaging where we will administer a local anaesthetic and using a special scan and camera, I will make a small incision and remove the fragment flush the area with saline to make sure nothing gets left behind this time, redress it and hopefully we will have the infection beaten before it really takes hold.'

'Excuse me Doctor.' A young man wearing all white came in carrying a plastic hold-all filled with vials and other paraphernalia. 'Just here to take Mister Singer's blood.'

'Thanks, okay Dean I'll just go write up a few things and get imaging ready and we'll head off.' Lewis smiled and patted Dean's leg, 'for once getting an elevated temperature has worked in a patient's favour.'

'Yeah I'm so freaking lucky.' Dean mumbled too shocked to be able to understand what just happened. 'Bobby?'

Bobby waited for the tech to finish drawing Dean's blood and label the tubes carefully before hurrying off, when they were alone he took a deep breath and looked down at the look of confusion written across Dean's face.

'They found a fragment from the knife Dean, it could be cursed.' Bobby said, 'I'll ask the doc to see if we can get it for a trophy or something.'

'You think that ... that could be causing all of our problems here?'

'It's a tie to Merci so yeah could be.' Bobby said.

S---------D

Sam felt like his head was locked into vice and someone kept tightening it repeatedly turning the handle until he felt as though his head would explode. A strange smell tickled the back of his throat and nasal passages making him want to sneeze but he didn't have the energy. The smell nauseated him to the point of wanting to purge it, but he couldn't open his eyes or lift his hand to let anyone know.

His breathing fought with the nausea both wanting to dominate his abused throat, why couldn't someone see he needed help?

Again, he felt someone moving his head, tilting it to the side, and he choked coughing and trying to dislodge whatever was stuck in his throat. The pressure on his head tightened exponentially, pain exploded down his spine and flared through all of his nerve endings and muscles.

'Dammit he's aware.' A frantic call came from the anaesthetist just as the surgeon was ready to start the micro-surgery.

'He's fitting.' Called another nurse.

'Vitals are falling, we're losing him.'

'Roll him over and start compressions.' Hugh ordered his booming voice calming the panic inside the surgical suite. 'You know the drill people.'

Ten minutes later they stabilised Sam enough to check for awareness, satisfied with the battery of checks and tests Hugh decided to continue with Sam's operation, this time he made sure that his patient was flat on the raised table and he sat next to him. Making sure that they no longer compromised Sam's airways by having him moved anymore than necessary.

'Ah found the bleeder,' he murmured a short time later, cauterising the blood vessel he checked the rest of the left ear canal carefully, repairing the extensive damage as he found it, 'my God how is this lad still alive?' He muttered aloud not caring who heard him. 'Alright that's one side down we got another to go, how's he holding up?'

'Stats are down but stable.'

'Fine bring in another two units of blood and hook them up and I'll start with the right side.' Hugh left his registrar to pack and dress Sam's left ear while he turned his attention to his right. 'Oh my ... suction I can't see a thing in here.' He ordered, 'we have a ruptured eardrum and swelling, ah there's the bleeder ... more suction that's it ... got it.' He quickly cauterised the second bleeding vessel and then went about repairing the ruptured eardrum and stitched another tiny tear before he made sure that they flushed the area out and took a second look for further damage before he wanted to finish up.

Exhausted Hugh stood up and stretched, dumped his bloodied surgical garb into the bin and went to find Sam's family, just as he was about to walk down the hallway he heard the alarms going off behind him. Running full tilt back, he arrived to see to his patient seizing on the recovery bed. 'What happened?'

'We were just doing his obs when he started to seize.' The recovery nurse reported as she struggled to keep his head as still as possible.

'Damn it okay give him five cc's of Oxcarbazepine, what's his BP?'

'Two-hundred over one-eighty and climbing.'

'Damn, keep his head as still as possible we don't want one of his ears to start bleeding again. What's the BP now?'

'Dropping two no one-ninety over one-seventy.' The young nurse stared up at the doctor, 'his vitals are levelling out.'

'Good, good, I want him monitored every ten minutes, check the drainage tubes and schedule him for another dose of the Oxcarbazepine in four hours, I want to know if he has any adverse reactions or his BP shoots up again – immediately.'

S--------D

Bobby paced the empty room trying keep his wild worries from going out of control when he heard someone behind him. 'Fuck Rafe yer gonna give me a heart failure.'

'Sorry man, how are the boys?'

'Sam's in surgery to see if they can fix his hearing, and Dean's having a fragment of the knife removed from his hand. Both peachy keen so how are ya?'

'Geeze Bobby, and here I come bearer of bad news.' Rafe hung his head and was unable to meet the demanding gaze of his old friend.

'What ... bad ... news?'

'Cornase and Merci ... they're still around.' Rafe muttered.

'And?'

'Seems that Merci has been rather busy searching for the little one.' Rafe looked up but still couldn't meet Bobby's gaze. 'She ah she knows where the boys are.'

'Ah fuck that's all we need.'

'They're vulnerable here Bobby.'

'We can't move em.' Bobby sighed rubbing his eyes wearily, 'Sam's condition is still critical and Dean is running an infection neither of them can be moved.'

'So what do we do?'

'Fortify this room and make sure that someone is with them no matter what.'

'Why is that necessary Bobby?' Maggie asked standing at the doorway she glared up at Rafe, 'and who are you?'

'He's a friend Maggie, he just brought some news.' Bobby said trying to workout the way to word it for the woman. 'The woman who ... ran the cult that kidnapped Sam and ...'

'Who hurt Dean like that?'

'Yeah, she's ah ... she's after the boys especially Sam and she won't stop.'

'We have to call the police.'

'Already have ma'am but there's only so much they can do.' Rafe said with a shake of his head, 'we can look after the boys ourselves.'

'I just got the call, Dean is on the way back up, the removal went well and Sam is in recovery and should be back here within the hour.'

'That's good I think ... what is it Maggie?'

'Sam ... Sam took a turn for the worse on the operating table and again in recovery. The doctors will be able to tell you more but Bobby, your nephew is struggling to remain alive. He somehow became aware on the table and started to convulse and then again, in recovery he started convulsing again. It's almost as if someone doesn't want him to get well the poor boy.'

Rafe and Bobby exchanged worried looks, Bobby went to speak when the door opened and Dean appeared, looking dazed and exhausted, he docilely let them settle him in his bed, a small smile on his lips. 'Hey Bob-bb-bby ... Hey Ra-a-afe.' He slurred, 'gave me the goo-ooo-d stuff.'

'That's good son, so how about ya'll git some sleep?' Bobby said with a small grin playing on his lips.

'S-Sammmmy?' Dean sighed smothering a yawn.

'He's in recovery and be back soon, yer git to sleep now until he gets back.' Bobby said as he watched Dean's eyes slide shut. 'Sleep well kiddo.'

'Bobby when are we gonna tell em?' Rafe looked at his friend and then back to the young man sleeping blissfully unawares in front of them.

'When he wakes and he knows Sam's alright.'

'But what about Sam?'

'Need to know Rafe, and at the moment Dean doesn't need to know.'

S---------D

A striking young woman dressed in a nurse's uniform sashayed into the area and smiled sweetly at Maggie, 'Hi I'm Merlynda Smith the new temp.' She introduced herself, her voice deep and honey smooth.

'I'm Maggie, I'm sorry Merlynda but I wasn't informed about any temps on duty today.' Maggie eyed the woman suspiciously.

'Just got the call seems like one of the evening shift can't make it in.'

'Hmm alright, well you can get to work right away, have you ever worked in the ICU before?'

'No afraid I haven't.'

'That be right, okay our patients here are extremely ill, some critical and need constant observations and attendance. All visitors have to report when they arrive and leave and no more than two per room unless other orders are given. There is one room where we have members of the same family and they have a relative staying in the room with them.'

'Oh really are they both serious?'

'I didn't say how many of them there are.' Maggie frowned at the young woman, 'alright Merlynda I want you to check the bed pans and bottles starting on the east end, I'll get you help as soon as the rest of the shift arrive.'

'No problems.' Merlynda smiled as she left the nurse's station and headed in the direction Maggie pointed her in.

The older nurse frowned as she watched the temp nurse leave and then hurried to the room holding the Singer brothers. 'Bobby you mentioned a woman looking for the boys?'

'Yeah why?' Bobby asked moving away from Dean's bed.

'I just got a temp nurse, which is nothing new except that ... ahh it's probably nothing but I had no notification that she was coming, she had no paperwork with her and dunno just something about her.'

'Where is she now?'

'Doing bedpan duty on the other end of the ward.' Maggie grinned, 'she looks more like a model than a nurse, plus she has no experience in ICU.'

'Does she know they boys are here?'

'I did explain to her that we have the same members of a family here with their uncle staying permanently with them, now I never said anything about who or how many and then she asked if both of them were serious.'

'Thanks Maggie yer've been a wonder.' Bobby said feeling more than a little awkward, 'how long till Sammy gets back from surgery?'

'He's on his way down now, they have the convulsions under control now he should be here any minute.'

'Dean's out for the count with whatever they gave him.'

'Yes the doctor said it was a complete success, they gave him a nerve block as well as the pain relief so he might be pretty much out of it for the rest of the night.' Maggie went to Dean's bedside and checked his monitors and IV, 'I'll be back in a short while after they bring Sam back, I think that the boys might have to be quarantined for a while.'

'A quarantine?'

'Yes given Sam's precarious condition and the adverse reactions Dean seems to have to any strangers especially women for now, it would be prudent to ban anyone except for yourself, Rafe, the doctor and myself from this room. Especially a new and inexperienced temp nurse.'

'Thanks Maggie, I dunno what we would do without yer.'

'I have a son Mitch he would have been Dean's age next month.' She said her smile fading, 'a crazed woman took him from me and killed him. I have a bad feeling about this new nurse so...'

'Shame there aint more like ya Maggie.' Bobby smiled shyly.

S--------D

The young nurse watched angrily as a patient was wheeled past her towards a room at the other end of the ward. Perhaps this was not the best idea, posing as a temp nurse with Nurse Hatchet on duty.

As she stared she noticed the white bandaging and packing around his head, the various tubes running from his head, throat and chest as well as the myriad of bandages, she couldn't help smiling. Some of her best work caused this and she was going to finish her job, no matter who had to be disposed of or who got in her way. She will have her daughter back and revenge on Sam and Dean Winchester one way or the other.

TBC