Disclaimer: 'Supernatural' is the property of Warner Brothers, the CW, and other associated parties. I claim no ownership of the franchise, characters or settings, nor am I affiliated with the above parties in any way. The following is a fan-work, written for my amusement, and not for material or monetary gain. Please support the official releases. (I don't own this).
I didn't even have to put anything specific to the American health system in here at all, but the research about it still confused the hell out of me.
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Coalescence
By Payce D. Elui
Chapter 2: Cauterise
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The staff of the emergency room at the hospital had taken one look at Adam before whisking him onto a bed and wheeling him away. Likewise, the sodden rags wrapped around Sam's arms, along with his bloodied shirt, drew an equal amount of attention, and a nurse gave Dean a dirty look (that he returned in kind) before taking Sam in the opposite direction. Dean was left in the reception, fingers twitching with the need to do something- anything, but forced to sit helpless while he waited for news. Fortunately for him, it was less than a half-hour before a nurse appeared through swinging doors, a tired look on her heart-shaped face.
"Mr... Nugent, was it?"
"Uh- yeah." Dean straightened up, giving the woman his full attention. "How's Sam?"
"Your partner lost a fair amount of blood- the wound to his side, thankfully wasn't too deep. We'll be keeping him in for observation, for tonight, maybe tomorrow too, depending on how he copes, but we've done all we could. He just needs to restrict his movements for a week or two- give the stitches time to do their work."
"Right, right, but he's all right?"
"As all right as he can be for now, yes."
"And Adam?"
The nurse frowned, her appraisal of him suddenly far too critical. "Mr Milligan is suffering from a far more complicated set of injuries. The doctors haven't finished with him yet, so I couldn't tell you. Just what happened to Adam, Agent Nugent?"
Strangely demanding. Dean was almost taken aback by the change in demeanour before remembering that Adam's mother had worked in a hospital. Probably this one, at that. "I take it you know Adam and his mother personally?"
The women nodded, her face still stern, but worry creeping around the edges. "Both, for as long as Kate has been working here- almost ten years. Kate's a wonderful woman, and her son is an absolute credit to her. This, this is the last thing that poor boy needs when his mother is missing. What happened?" Her shoulders slumped. "I asked him," she said, voice barely more than a whisper, "but he wouldn't say anything."
He shifted uncomfortably. Dealing with friends and family of the people who were usually harmed by the nastier edges of the world Dean was familiar with was usually second nature to him; he'd been doing it for long enough to know the vague platitudes that should be offered for any given situation, that it came naturally. But this was different. Adam was family. He may not have known the kid- hell, he knew less of him than he did just two days ago, the thing they'd been eating with and protecting being the very thing that they'd been hunting, but he was family, and he had a life. A real life, with friends, school, and maybe even some other family. This time it was personal; if not for him, then for his youngest brother.
(It was weird that there was now more than one brother to think about. What had his dad been thinking?)
He surveyed the woman in front of him. Middle-aged, lines beginning to form around her mouth and eyes, and such kind brown eyes, they were. And she was concerned, honest to God concerned about a member of his family, even if she didn't know it. She wasn't worried about him because she owed him her life, or the lives of her loved ones- no, she was worried because she knew him, because she was a part of Adam's life that Dean had no idea about, and if he was honest with himself, he was unsure exactly how to handle the situation.
He cracked his neck. "Nurse... Kelly?" Her name badge certainly said so. "Your concern is-" 'touching' would make him sound too sarcastic, too much of a jackass, "-appreciated. I am glad that Adam has someone who's looking out for him. You'll know more about it when we do. Until then, I'm afraid I'm restricted from discussing it with you." When in doubt, fall back on bureaucracy. He allowed her a small smile, trying to put her at ease. "Adam's a tough kid, but he's been through a lot. He'll be fine, but until then, I'd advise you- don't question him."
That was probably sharper than was strictly necessary, and the nurse looked unappeased, but Dean shrugged it off. It would save Adam some grief, at least. "Now, Ms. Kelly, if you could take me to my partner?"
† † †
Dean waited for the medical staff to leave before he moved forward, cataloguing the bandages that swathed Sam's form, one at a time. They were a bright, clean white, pristine and unmarred by any excess blood; definitely a good sign.
"How ya feeling?"
"We could have done this ourselves at the hotel, Dean."
Sam was bitching (when wasn't he?), but he didn't look uncomfortable, and seemed in pretty good shape. They'd patched him up pretty well. There was already more colour in his face, and that was enough for Dean.
"Adam needed to be here- nothing wrong with a little... multitasking."
"Yeah. You're right- Adam. How is he?
"Haven't seen him yet- doc's haven't finished with him." There was a shortness to that that had Sam frowning.
"He'll be fine, Dean," he said, and then more hesitantly, "This... wasn't your fault, you know that, right?" Sam narrowed his eyes at the noncommittal sound that issued itself from the back of Dean's throat. "I mean it- neither of us saw it coming." Seeing Dean wasn't going to change his opinion any time soon, Sam sighed, moving on. "Look- about Adam... not that I'm complaining- I'm not, but... how's he even alive? Ghouls- they feed on the dead, Dean."
"You don't have to tell me," Dean said, taking the hard metal seat next to the bed. He was tired, so tired. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and face cast downward. "I didn't get it either."
"And what, that's it?"
"What more do you want me say? I can't exactly ask it, Sam- Adam blew its damn head off."
Sam rolled his neck. "Yeah. Yeah he did." He leaned back, head resting on the pillow. "Well," he reasoned, "things haven't exactly been 'normal' anywhere, recently. Guess this another thing to file under 'weirder than weird'. I guess we just got lucky. As lucky as we could get with something like this, anyway."
Dean grunted, and Sam looked over at him. "Though this doesn't change anything, you know."
Dean cocked an eyebrow, looking up at him. "What are you talking about?"
"This, Dean. Adam- Adam's gonna be fine, but this happened because Dad didn't teach him to protect himself."
Dean ran a hand down his face, irritation beginning to creep up his spine. This again. "Look, Sam-"
"No Dean. Hear me out." Sam ignored the set of his brother's jaw, struggling to sit up, and ploughed on, "Adam almost died- hell, if those ghouls were acting like ghouls usually act, he would have died. That's on dad, Dean. I know you think dad didn't tell him to protect him, and maybe you're right, but look what good that did. They came after him because of who he is- they told me that themselves when they had me tied down!"
"And now they're dead," Dean managed to grit out, "Adam doesn't need to be brought into this, Sam. He got his 'revenge'- he has a life- Sam, you remember what that is?"
"He's already been brought into it, Dean! Dad didn't want to bring him into it, and he was dragged into anyway! You think it's just going to end?"
"It's over for him!"
"It's never over, Dean. You know that as well as I do." Sam's chest was heaving, and Dean closed his eyes, letting out a long breath. "Look, Dean, all I'm saying is that... ghouls take the form, thoughts and memories of the person they last fed on. That ghoul that was pretending to be Adam- it had his memories. It thought like he did. And it seemed pretty receptive to the idea of hunting."
"To get you to let your guard down, Sam!"
Sam shook his head, giving a small shrug. "Maybe. But I'm just saying- don't be surprised if Adam wants to hunt after all this is over. They killed his mom, Dean. You of all people should know what that's like."
Sam had never really known the love of a mother, not like Dean had. It was a low blow, and it stung for Sam to bring it up. Sam had always been good with his words, and maybe he even had a point, but Dean had heard enough. He stood, striding across the room for the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Look- we'll talk about this- with Adam, later. Right now, someone needs to get rid of the ghouls at the house, Sam. Just... stay here and get some sleep. And... call me when the doctors are done with Adam." He strode out of the room, ignoring the weariness that seemed determined to settle in his bones.
Guess I'm getting no sleep tonight... Leaving his details with the lady at reception, Dean exited the hospital and made his way to the Milligan residence.
† † †
The kitchen was a wreck, but it was nothing compared to the dining room. Blood- Sam's blood, had been spilt on the table, dripping down and congealing on the carpeted floor in a sticky, dark mess. It was a simple matter to wipe the table down, as well as the walls and floor of the kitchen; the police had already combed the house following the discovery of the grisly people-flavoured remains in the vents and released it for use by the family again, so there was no worry about them finding something they shouldn't. It was just as simple to pick up what remained of the bullet that had missed Adam's target, the fragments easily collected and left atop the pile of dirty, blood-sodden rags. The hole in the laminate flooring was another issue entirely; there was nothing Dean could do about that, save for looking for a rug to cover it later. Just as problematic was the soiled carpet in the dining room- Sam's blood had left ugly staines all over it... it would have to go.
Now came the problem of the bodies. Even in death, the faux bodies of Kate and Adam Milligan had their eyes wide open, an expression of surprise written across their faces. It bothered him, and he stooped down to close their eyes. Death was not a concept that was foreign to Dean, who had been party to more than a few rodeos in his time, but these two... it was always different when you had a personal obligation to the people you were meant to be saving. And sure, Adam was alive, but his mother, with her pretty face twisted into an expression of horror back in the crypt, was not.
John Winchester had owed Kate Milligan a lot more than she'd gotten.
Dean had never been one to make the mistake that sex was love, but from what Adam's ghoul had said, John had made a fair share of trips down to Windom, if not for Kate, (though from the photo he'd seen of the both of them, smiling as if they hadn't a care in the world, it was doubtful), then for his third son. He'd had some attachment to them, it was undeniable. Probably had loved them in his own way, a little piece of his world that remained untouched and pure, away from the nightmare that usually was, and it hurt, it hurt that John had deemed his oldest sons as unworthy of fitting into the slice of apple-pie life that he had carved out for himself, but it was what it was. Who was Dean to judge, anyway? He'd tried the same thing with Cassie, hadn't he?
Though he had never figured his dad to be one to believe that hunters and white picket fences mixed well. Dean had learned that the hard way, Sam had too, but his dad- his dad was a hunter; one of the best hunters that had ever lived. John should have known better than to leave what he loved defenceless. And there was the problem.
John did know better- Dean was raised as a soldier for a reason, he knew how to protect, how to beat down and kill anything that threatened the innocent, and Sam was no slouch either. Whatever Sam had ever had to say about their father, John had taught them to be strong because he loved them. Dean knew it.
Kate and Adam? It was hard to justify. Maybe his dad had wanted to protect them, and Dean was sure that was the case, but even he could admit that John hadn't done a very good job of it. His dad should have known, as every hunter knew, that if you ganked enough monsters to make a name for yourself, you painted a target on the backs of your loved ones. John had blasted holes in the forces of hell when he'd been alive and kicking, but he'd been careless, and Adam and his mother had paid for it. Another Winchester was left motherless. Another Winchester had been left as an orphan, this time to the freaks that John had unwittingly led to their door.
Dean sighed, surveying the kitchen and dining room with a critical eye. It was strange to be on cleanup- he was more accustomed to completing a job and then high-tailing it out of the area before the law caught up. Still, he hadn't done too bad a job, as far as he could tell. There was just the matter of disposing of the bodies. Couldn't just leave them here, not when they not only looked exactly like the people they were impersonating, but probably had identical DNA to boot. Who knew how ghoul physiology worked? Sam probably had an idea, but that was beside the point.
He lifted the edge of a curtain, peering out of the window. It was still dark, blackness pressing in from outside from all angles. That was no guarantee that he would remain unseen, though. He'd have to be quick. He made his way up the stairs, pulling the sheets off of the beds, then returning to the kitchen to wrap them around the bodies. This was going to have to be done fast. The car was already in the drive, trunk popped and ready.
Dean bent down to pick up the first body.
† † †
There was a chill in the air, and Dean was sorely beginning to miss his jacket now the heat from the fire had died down. He'd driven a way away from the vicinity of the Milligan's home, past houses and empty fields until he came to a strip of deserted woodland. It seemed like as good a place as any to get rid of the bodies, and he'd built a small pyre, placing the bodies atop it, and then dousing them with petrol before setting them alight. Honestly, it was reminiscent of a hunter's send-off, and much more than the freaks deserved, but it was the only way to get rid of the bodies completely and be sure that they'd stay gone. Adam didn't need questions on why he or his mother had had exact doppelgangers walking around.
The sky was beginning to change from black to a dull red when his phone went off, the opening notes of Smoke on the Water chiming through the clearing. He looked away from the ashy embers, all that was left of the ghouls at this point, and reached into the pocket of his jeans to pull it out.
"Yeah?"
"Dean?"
"Sam?"
"Doctors are done with Adam."
"And?"
"He'll be okay."
"Been to see him?"
"He's sleeping. You cleaned up the house?"
"Yep. Burned the bodies."
"Takes care of one problem." Sam yawned.
"Yeah."
"All right, I'll see you soon then."
"I'm on my way."
† † †
True to Sammy's word, when Dean got to the hospital, Adam was sleeping. He'd conveniently been moved to a room that was closer to Sam's, and Dean had peered through the window into his room, not wanting to disturb him just yet. He wouldn't know what to say to the kid if he did wake him up. Let he never be described as sensitive, but Dean couldn't see the harm in giving the kid a break, for now at least. Let him sleep, so he wouldn't have to deal with the nightmare his life had become overnight. Striding past Adam's room, Dean made his way to Sam's, pushing the door open.
"All right, Sammy-"
Sam was as far off in the land of nod as Adam had been. Dean shut his mouth. That Sam was resting was good. He needed the sleep, especially after what he'd been through. Setting the bag of essentials he'd bought for Sam down at the bottom of the bed, Dean started out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.
He felt his weariness crash down on him once again and sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. The chair that had been beside Sam's bed earlier had been removed, so he was stuck looking for a new place to sleep. He was tired- more tired than he had been for a long while, and there was nothing else to be done for a while. It was as good as an excuse as any to find a place to crash for a few hours.
He caught sight of some plastic chairs lined up along one of the walls and made a beeline straight for them. They were ideally situated, really- close to both Sam and Adam's room so he wouldn't have far to go once they were awake. He sank down onto a chair and let his eyes slip shut.
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It was the rattle from the wheels of a hospital bed being pushed past his resting place that finally woke him fully. It felt like mere minutes had passed since he'd shut his eyes, but from the brightness outside the windows, he knew that wasn't true. Barging back into Sam's room had yielded nothing- the bed was empty and there was only one place Sam could really have been. He sighed, resigning himself to the fact that it was time to go see Adam properly. There really was no more avoiding the issue.
Before, when they'd believed the ghoul that had been impersonating Adam was the real deal, he had had the excuse of being busy with the case. Too busy with finding the monster of the week to pay proper care and attention to this sudden new member of the family, a new brother at that, that had crept up on him. And that had been fine. He may not have liked the way that Sam was dealing with it all, would never admit to being maybe the slightest bit jealous, either, but he was dealing. And then, when he had found the real Adam, and things had changed, he'd had to focus on getting him and Sam to safety. There was no time for playing catch-up, or happy families.
Now, there was no excuse, and he tried to stamp his reluctance down. It wasn't that he didn't like the kid; he didn't know the kid, and really had no reason to dislike him on anything other than misguided principle. Even he knew that he wasn't being fair to Adam on that front. Regardless, there was a feeling of sickness in the pit of his stomach, and Dean growled, storming up the hallway to look for a coffee machine.
He'd have to be at the top of his game to deal with everything that was coming- a shot of caffeine to wake him up properly wouldn't go amiss.
† † †
The warm weight of the Styrofoam cup was as good a comfort as any when he walked into Adam's room.
True to his instincts, there Sam was, seated in the chair next to Adam's bed. The former seemed absolutely fine now, the bandages tucked out of sight behind a thin layer of plaid, courtesy of Dean's care package the night before. Adam, on the other hand, still looked rather peaky, though admittedly a damn sight better than he had the night before.
There were still dark circles lining his eyes, and bruises ranging from a dark purple, to a yellowing green on patches of exposed skin, but they would fade with time. Bandages twisted up around his arms, too, though unlike Sam, whose bandages stopped at his forearms, Adam's continued up and under the sleeves of his hospital gown. It was a safe bet, judging by the stiffness in Adam's posture, that the bandages continued down around his chest, stomach, and beyond.
"Dean," Sam said, giving him a small smile. He nodded to the empty chair beside him, but Dean paced over to the other side of the bed, leaning against the wall instead. The eyes of both of his brothers followed him along the way. There was silence.
Sam cleared his throat, trying to dispel the sudden awkwardness that had fallen over the room. "I was just trying to explain to Adam-"
"My mom. You went back for her?" Adam cut Sam off, and the unblinking gaze he had settled on Dean was beginning to make him feel uncomfortable.
Dean broke eye contact and took a sip of his coffee, savouring the flavour as it passed over his tongue. "Not yet."
"You said you would."
"And I'm going to," Dean stressed, "but it's not that simple. We need to go over what happened first."
"Dean." That was Sam, and smart as he was, he'd picked up on what Dean was implying.
"What, Sam?"
"Maybe you shouldn't..."
"Gotta deal with it sometime, Sammy," Dean replied, barely skipping a beat. "So, Adam, you talked with the cops yet?"
There was a muted expression of confusion on Adam's face as he shifted in the bed. "Myra- Nurse Kelly said you were the cops... She said... Agent Nugent bought me in, but... you said your name was Dean. Dean Winchester." There it was, the wrinkle between his eyebrows as they drew together, Adam's sluggish brain working to connect the pieces. "So... you lied? Who are you?"
"I told you." There was an impatience in his voice that really shouldn't have been there, and Sam picked up on it immediately.
"Dean," he snapped out, making a face. "Stop it."
Adam glanced at Sam, then back at Dean. "So my dad- John sent you?"
The words stifled any intent between the older two men to carry on their argument, and their heads snapped back around to stare at Adam, but he wasn't done yet.
"They said that he was dead. That they came after us because... Because they couldn't get to him. Were they lying? Where is he?"
The first time Dean had broken the news to the voice on the end of the phone, he'd done it uncaringly. As far as he'd known, John didn't really have many friends, and the ones he did have were well aware that he was no longer in the land of the living. John didn't have to deal with this.
Dean took another sip of his coffee, trying to will his irritation, his frustration and anger away. He shot a look at Sammy over the rim of the cup, and Sam answered for him.
He gave Adam a small, sad smile, compassion present in it that Dean was sure he couldn't pull off himself, and leaned forward. "Sorry, Adam, but... our dad didn't send us. They were telling the truth about one thing- I'm sorry, but dad died over two years ago."
There was a quiet intake of breath before Adam's lips pursed. He took a moment to try to compose himself, but it didn't work, not really. Dean could practically see the kid crumpling around the edges, any anger that had built up one instant simmering back under grief the next.
Adam looked between the two of them, more closely this time, and Dean saw a fleeting re-emergence of the look Adam had given him back in the tomb when he'd first revealed his identity.
"So you're saying I... I have brothers?"
They'd heard that before. It was eerie, actually, just how similar the ghoul had sounded to Adam in its own reaction to the news. The revelation had swept the anger out of him, if only for a moment, but instead of an awed, hesitant smile, Adam's eyes narrowed.
"Did you know? About me and my mom?"
"No," said Dean. "No, we didn't."
"He said- he didn't have any other family." Adam was staring right at Dean, and he could have sworn that the kid was watching for a reaction. "That's what he told my mom."
And that... hurt. Felt like a splinter had passed right through his chest, actually, and Dean swallowed, looking away. Even with Cassie, he'd never pretended that his family didn't exist, not when he was using his own damn name. It was a betrayal, one he'd never expected. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sam's small smile finally falter, and a silence descended on the three of them.
"We think..." Sam finally said, clearing his throat, "that he was trying to keep you out of this. Keep you safe and distance you from what he did for a living, but-"
"That worked out so well." There was enough acid in there to burn a hole through the wall. Adam's knuckles were clenched white against the bed-sheets.
"He did the best that he could." Dead didn't even know why he was still trying to defend his father at this point, but he'd never had the patience to hear outsiders put him down, not after everything he'd done for them. Then again, Adam wasn't an outsider.
"My mom is dead because of him," Adam hissed. "That's what they said!"
"He made a mistake," Sam said, expression beseeching, and Adam sneered.
"He should have just stayed the hell away!"
"He was trying to do the right thing," Dean snapped. "What, you'd prefer not to have had a dad?"
Adam laughed, and it was a bitter sound. "John Winchester was a guy who showed up once or twice a year for a few years to take me to a ball game or two. He was blood, but he wasn't my father! You think I wouldn't trade the few days he thought we were worth his time to have my mom back?"
Well that certainly threw the ghoul's account of the kind of father John had been to Adam in a different light.
Adam was breathing harshly from his outburst, trembling in anger. He winced, drawing his arm against his chest and struggling not to curl in on himself from whatever was paining him. Sam stood, drawing closer with concern written across his face.
"You all right?"
Adam threw him a dark look and Sam held his arms up in surrender, reluctantly sinking back into his seat. There was silence while Adam tried to get comfortable, trying to rein himself in, and Sam glanced at Dean, nodding over at the Milligan trying to get Dean to say something. Dean rolled his eyes.
"Look, kid..." weariness was threatening to overturn him again, and Dean sighed. "I am sorry. You deserved better- your mom deserved better, and dad- dad should have known better, but we can't change the past. We have to deal with it."
The boy looked up, holding his gaze, and Dean looked at him. He was pale, all wide blue-green eyes that were becoming suspiciously brighter by the second, and bruise-splodged skin. His bottom lip trembled, just the slightest bit, and Dean's gaze flickered to it before he looked away. Adam was scared, and upset, and justifiably angry, and he hadn't deserved any this.
"My mom..." Adam finally stuttered out, his shoulders slumping and head dropping down, as if the strength in his body had suddenly fled right out of him. His voice was barely more than a whisper.
"We know," Sam said, hesitantly reaching forward once again to lay a hand on Adam's shoulder.
"She was alive, and it started eating her," Adam said hoarsely, head still down. "And then, then it turned into her. And then..." he ran a hand over the bandages on his left arm, shuddering. He swallowed, looking up, and Sam's hand drew back. "Dad wasn't a mechanic, was he? And you're not cops?"
Silence.
"I just... want to know why this happened. Please." The anger in his voice had been subdued by defeat, and Sam shot another look at Dean, who felt nothing at that moment but utter resignation.
He sighed. They'd gone through this once already, with the ghoul, but there was no way that Dean could shield Adam from the truth this time. His dad had tried that, and the price had ultimately been fatal for Kate. They wouldn't be making the same mistake twice. "Dad was a hunter. Sam and I- we're hunters. Monsters, freaks, the supernatural- we hunt them and we kill them so that they can't hurt people."
Adam blinked slowly. "So those things... they really were ghouls?"
Dean nodded. Adam had seen the effect of the supernatural first hand. By his own account, he'd seen the ghouls feed on his mother while she was alive, and then transform into her, right in front of him. It took denial out of the equation.
"And there's more out there like them." He looked dazed. "And you... you hunt them all?"
"Yeah."
Adam's eyes shut, his head lowering once again. "Crazy runs in the family, doesn't it?" It was sardonic; an echo of a personality that Dean was pretty sure Adam had also inherited from the Winchesters, despite growing up almost completely isolated from them.
Sam let out a short huff of a laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah, I guess that's one way to put it."
Adam looked over at him, holding his gaze for a few seconds before dropping his head back and staring at his fingers. "I want my mom out of that place," he said finally. "What... what do I tell the police? I can't... the ghouls... My mom..."
"That's what we're here for, Adam," Sam said, giving another reassuring smile.
† † †
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I realise that this seems more Dean centric at the moment, but Adam's POV will become the more prevalent one from chapter 3 onwards, with a bit thrown in from Sam and Dean from time to time. My excuse right now is that Adam's pretty out of it, and Dean is the one actually doing stuff. But seriously, I didn't realise I'd been writing entirely in Dean's POV, actually, until half-way through this chapter, stupid as I am. I just really loved the way Dean reacted to and dealt with (rather, didn't deal with) finding out about Adam in Jump the Shark. The way he thought Adam should be treated, and the way he actually treated him was also one of my main point of interests... I am a horrible person. That, and I wanted to set the tone for Adam's behaviour from the get go from a more familiar perspective, before jumping into his head. Honestly, I think if Adam truly had lived canonically, it wouldn't have been a seamless integration into the Winchester family for him. While Sam and Dean have their disagreements throughout the series, they're still very much a unit. Adam doesn't think the way they do. At the very least, I could see it causing some friction.
On a semi-related note, it always surprised me, (though maybe it shouldn't have), how pro-hunting Sam became in series 4. Guess it was life experience, as well as a by-product of basically being high on demons blood, I mean, Sam was hardly himself that series, but it was interesting how the brothers' opinions on the way they were raised sorta flipped.
Lastly, thank you very much for those who are taking the time to read and review- it's much appreciated! Til' next time!