Passenger 3-B
Chapter Twenty-Two
Author's Note: Dean has a flashback about how he and Jo named their daughter.
Dean slowly opened his eyes, noting the bright, white ceilings and the annoying beeping sound. Where am I? He turned his head slightly to the left and saw nothing but flowers and balloons. Man, I hate roses. Then he turned to see Castiel sleeping on a tan leather sofa. He does sleep like an angel.
Suddenly everything came back to him…Cas leaving him in college; the gas explosion; Sam lying; Seth being psycho and stabbing him.
The patient slowly started moving his sore body, desperately wanting to stretch…his usual start to the day. However, a painful surge went through him like lightening, causing him to gasp, which alerted the sleeping beauty several feet away from him.
Castiel's eyes immediately opened when his friend moaned in pain, "Dean…you're awake. How are you feeling?"
"I-I-I'm uh, f-fine," he managed to croak.
"Here…have a sip," Castiel remarked, pouring water into a small plastic cup.
Dean nodded, taking in the much welcomed drink as his throat was dry.
Castiel smiled, "I'm just grateful that you will make a full recovery. Do you remember anything?"
"Yeah, I was stabbed by Seth…I mean, Luke."
"You had surgery, but it was very successful and no permanent damage." Cas said, filling up the cup again. "You were very lucky and…"
Dean cleared his throat, "Is Sam okay?"
"Yes, he's down the hall in the waiting lounge," Cas replied. "Do you want to see him?
"Nah…maybe later."
"Are you sure, because I know he wants to see you?" He said.
"Why are you here?"
Castiel pulled a chair close to the bed, "You're my friend; someone who I deeply care about, so where else would I be when you are injured?"
"I dunno."
Before either could say another word, a nurse walked in, immediately called for the doctor, who entered seconds later. They asked Castiel to leave while the examined the newly awaken patient, concerned for any post-surgery complications.
Once the thorough exam was finished, Castiel escorted Sam back to the private room. However, Dean was asleep as both sighed. Although, Sam was relieved that Dean had regained consciousness, he was disappointed that he couldn't apologize for putting Dean in danger.
The next three days, Dean refused to see Sam and the others. However, he did let Cas stay a few times to watch movies. The two would gaze at the tv, while secretly watching one another. Castiel did exactly what the doctors had said- "Be there for him."
At the end of the week, Dean was feeling better, but hated the one on one therapy with his new psychiatrist, Dr. Mason Lowell. It was hard for him to open up to strangers, especially since he did weeks ago with Sam on the airplane and looked how that turned out.
The patient wondered how he ended up here and wanted everything to go back the way they were when he was just Sam's Passenger 3-B in Hawaii. Or did he…
Flashback
Dean arrived home from a long day at the office to find his wife cuddled in bed crying, "Jo! Jo, what's wrong…is it the baby?"
She kept crying as he held her, "Talk to me…what's happening?"
Finally she began explaining, "I uh, was looking through the baby books for girl's names and I can't stop thinking about what happened when I was a younger." She paused, reaching for another tissue, "When I was eleven, I was in the Girl Scouts and met another member, Brianna, who instantly became my best-friend. But, what I didn't know was that she was in stage four cancer and being in the Scouts was one of her dying wishes."
Dean caressed his wife while she composed herself, "You don't need to continue."
"Yeah, I do," Jo sniffed. "One time, we were at an amusement park riding the merry-go-round when her long black wig accidentally blew off. A teenaged guy picked it up, putting it on his head and said that he was Morticia Addams and Brianna was Uncle Fester as everyone laughed…including the adults! Brianna was mortified as I was, so I snatched it off his head and kicked him in the balls! My parents were proud of what I did as others were too, but I needed to do more, so I shaved off my hair and bought a blonde wig. Although my mom was mad, she understood and laughed when we often traded wigs. As Bri was on her deathbed, I promised my best friend to name a daughter after her and she gave a thumb's up since she could no longer speak."
"So, you wanna name our daughter after her?" Dean asked as she nodded. "I think that's a wonderful idea and Brianna is a beautiful name."
"Are you sure because we decided not to name her after anyone?"
"Of course its fine…I love it," Dean said then chuckled. "It's much better than those unisex names you came up with; I mean, Jensen, Misha…really?"
"What's wrong with those…they're beautiful."
"Yeah, for wimps," he stated, then was greeted by a light smack in the chest from her.
"Its way better than the names you picked out for girls…Wendy, Sara, Debbie."
"What's wrong with those…they're awesome."
"Dean, you wanna name our daughter, our only child, after food," she firmly stated. "Little Debbie, Sara Lee and Wendy…really?" she gently scolded as he nodded. "You can't be serious…Wendy Winchester?"
"Yeah, you're right," he admitted. "Alright, what's gonna be her middle name?"
"Umm, I don't know…you pick." Jo suggested.
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"How about Batman?" he joked. "I was kidding…how about Tiffany or Audrey?"
"What?" Jo questioned, "Why those names?"
"Because, your favorite actress is Audrey Hepburn and she was in your favorite movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's." Dean mentioned.
Jo inhaled him into a deep kiss, "You're so damn sexy when being sensitive…I love you, Mr. Winchester"
Dean gave her a passionate kiss back, "I love you too, Mrs. Winchester."
"How about Brianna Tiffany Winchester?" Jo asked.
"By the way."
"What?" She questioned.
"Brianna's full name is BTW…by the way." Dean said as his wife rolled her eyes.
End of flashback
"Sam aren't you moving too fast…it's been less than a year and you've been in two serious relationships." Karen mentioned, getting her eldest son's full attention as they sat in the private waiting room at the hospital. "I know how devastated you were after Gabe died and that's why I never said anything about you being with Luke. But now, you moved Dean in and this happened. Clearly the guy has some type of self-esteem issues and I think you both need to slow down."
"Mom, how could you, of all people, say that to me!" Sam cried. "You know how hard it is to lose someone you love…I lost Dad, then Gabe and almost Dean, so to say that to me is bullshit!"
"Sam, all I'm saying is to slow down."
"No Mom, I won't!" Sam bellowed. "I vowed to never slow down; never to wait…to take what I want, because there might not be a tomorrow. Life goes by in a damn hurry and I wanna enjoy it…I'm doing it for Dad and Gabe."
Karen studied her son, "Yeah, I guess, but as a mom, I worry."
"I know."
"Sam, please give Dean some space and let him think…really think." Karen pleaded, taking a hold of her eldest son's hand. "He's young and is hurting, so he'll need to think this all the way through since a great deal has happened."
"Yeah, you're right," Sam said, adding a small smile, "as usual."
TBC…