Jared's Birthday Fanfic Exchange:

This is for the gorgeous Blue Peanut

The Prompt:

John and Dean forget Sam's birthday and take off on a hunt, Sam doesn't go as he's really unwell. He has a vision that something bad has happened, and forces his weary body to go and help, stealing a car to get him there. He saves the day, but ends up worse than he was which results in a hospital visit where the Doctor just happens to mention that it's turned into a bad birthday for the boy, causing John and Dean to realize their mistake.
Bonus points for icy weather and crashed car be it the Impala or Sam's.

Just wanted to add that Sam's: 17, Dean's: 21

PART TWO

Images shimmered, colours flared into blinding brightness before returning to normal. Trees towered over the scene playing out in the forest. Branches scraped together making a sound similar to that of a crying baby.

The images shimmered and changed again, this time it was crystal clear and played out like a movie scene. Trying to distract the Wraith, Dean led it towards the clearing where John waited with their only silver weapon, a small hunting knife. They were working on the surprise ambush theory similar to the one the Wraith used to lure them.

With the shifting of the landscapes and colours it became almost dreamlike, the landscape of a nightmare. The characters all played a deathly real game: a game of cat and mouse. Aware of what the two hunters were up to, the Wraith decided to play with its prey, knowing that the more frustrated and angry it made the hunters, the more pain it caused would only enhance his meal. The levels of dopamine will be going through the roof in both of the men. The intentions of the Wraith so clear it was like it had spoken aloud. One last blurring of images came and went, the final act began. Still in pain Dean stumbled and blacked out for a few seconds, when he regained his senses he stared around him wildly but the Wraith was gone. A bloodcurdling scream made his blood run cold. "Dad!" he screamed as he started a berserker rush through the brush and trees. Dean crashed to his knees, the shock frozen on his face as he looked down at his father's hunting knife protruding from his own stomach. "Dad?" The word slipped from his lips amidst foaming blood and bile.

Sam sat up with wide-eyes and screams for his brother still falling from his lips, "Dean, gotta find Dean." Terrified at what he dreamt, "I did dream it, I'm sure I did." Sam mused aloud as he fought to focus on the speed dial button, his hands trembling so hard that he dropped the phone twice before he managed to make the call. Minutes dragged slowly for him as he waited for someone, anyone to answer his call. Voice mail came in and went before Sam could register what happened. All he could think about was that neither his father or his brother answered his call.

His worry and ire for his family momentarily overrode his own pain and illness, staggering slightly Sam armed himself with as much silver as he could find, his own gun and silver bullets shoved into his backpack with the rest of his make-do weaponry, two hip flasks, one filled with whiskey and the other filled with holy water. He grabbed a bottle of water for himself and then blindly staggered outside, forgetting to lock the door behind him.

Scrubbing at his thumping forehead with his free hand Sam stood on the curb and tried to remember why he was outside and where he was going. Flashes of his dream pierced the fogginess of his mind, the Wraith taunting Dean, making him chase him through the forest. The Wraith turning the ambush onto Dean, Dean impaled on John's hunting knife. A stifled cry reached his own ears and Sam realised that he was one who made it.

"I'm coming Dean, hang on bro," he kept muttering as he searched for a car to "borrow" he didn't have the time or the energy to do anything other than steal a car for transport.

S—D

"How can you … we go home dad get Sam, get the right weapons and then come and kill the sucker."

"Did you not hear what I just said?" John snapped, "Sam is fine, he does not need to be moddly-coddled by you. Now man up and act like a hunter."

"Damn you dad, that is not … Sam is really sick … it's taking longer than we anticipated and now I got …"

"You git yourself injured and slow us down to begin with so don't you put this onto me Dean. We are here to finish the job and we're going to stay here until we do. Sam will just have to suck it up until we get home."

"This is because you didn't believe Sam's research isn't it, you didn't believe him and now you're pissed coz you've been caught out."

"That is enough Dean, now get up we have to get back to the impala and load up with silver."

"At least call him dad, let him know that we're okay." Dean pleaded hand out waiting for the large portable telephone.

John's jaw clenched as he worked to keep his temper in check, he was their father and damn it those boys still had to respect him, "Sam rang earlier, he left a message."

"Is he alright? What did he say?"

"He's fine," John lied he had deleted the call as soon as he saw who it was, they had too much to contend with to worry about Sam and his tummy ache.

Dean glared up at his father, his steely gaze actually made John flinch slightly, but he stayed firm in his belief that they had to stay and rid the state park of the Wraith before more died. Sam's little stomach bug did not even come close to people losing their lives to this creature.

S-D

John cursed under his breath when the rain started, it was already so cold but now the rain made it icy cold and more slippery than ever. He kept Dean pinned to his side, one arm hooked around his son's waist, fingers twisted around his leather belt to keep him upright. Dean tried to keep up with his father's insane pace, the ground slick with the puddles and mud made it difficult to keep his footing even with his father's strength. They had to get back to the impala, to where the silver bullets were, to where they would have some relief from the elements.

Coughing harshly Dean blinked up at his father's face, at the look of grim determination fixed on the older man's face. "Dad?"

"What is it Dean?" John snapped without looking at his son he kept his eyes fixed on the terrain in front of them, determined to get them to safety before the Wraith strikes again.

"Gotta stop for a minute," Dean pushed the words out as a weird kind of heat filled him, he tried to shake it off but the dizziness and black spots dancing in front of his eyes prevented him from clearing his head. He felt his knees buckle and heard his father curse loudly behind the loud buzzing in his ears.

John managed to keep both himself and Dean upright as they descended towards the ground his son becoming a dead weight. "Dammit Dean we've got to keep going."

"Dammit Dean we've got to keep going." A male voice mimicked John: taunting the hunter, "why you leaving? We've just started to have fun."

S—D

Sam wiped at the sweat beading across his forehead, hunched over the steering wheel of the beat up 1994 Dodge Dakota truck he managed to easily hotwire. Squinting he concentrated on the wet road ahead of him, with traffic streaming towards him Sam started to think that driving was not such a good idea. He fought the need to sleep, ignored the pain now searing through his body and not just his side and abdomen and his sight was now fading in and out.

Taking the turnoff to the state park too sharply Sam fought to keep control of the truck before it careened over the edge of a precipice. Coming to a skidding halt Sam dropped his forehead onto the wheel and fought to regain control of his breathing. With his last reserve of energy fast depleting Sam pulled onto the road and drove towards the park, with very little recollection of exactly how he found it, Sam saw the black impala still parked and untouched. A clap of thunder startled Sam as he started to pull into the carpark; he overcorrected the steering on the icy asphalt and careened towards a large tree.

S—D

Dean nodded in agreement with his father's plan, he had returned to consciousness only to find that the Wraith was now hunting them, at least Sam's home safe and sound.

John cast a last glance at his eldest boy before blending into the brush; they only had one silver weapon, a small-bladed hunting knife so this had to go down perfectly. The plan was for Dean to lure the Wraith towards the clearing trapping it between the hunters and the deep ravine. The plan was fraught with problems and was not well-thought out but it would have to do they were running out of time literally.

S—D

Sam fell out of the car and tried to stand up but failed miserably, "get a grip Sam, gotta find Dean." He kept muttering as he tried to pull himself up by the side of the truck. He stared at the damaged vehicle with a glimmer of regret, but then again the body of the truck was already littered with dents and scrapes maybe no one would … yeah they would with the front end completely crushed in, the damage shaped around the tree.

Closing his eyes for a second Sam tried to collect his thoughts and to settle his tumultuous insides down. Taking a steadying breath, Sam readjusted his backpack on his shoulder and he headed off in what he hoped was the right direction. He held his Taurus in his right hand already loaded with silver bullets, as he moved through the brush he felt a strange sensation in his side as though something popped open. The pain was gone but was replaced with a weird almost numb sensation. He knew he didn't have much time left, all he wanted to do was to save his brother and father then he could die happy.

S—D

The sight of Dean impaled on his father's hunting knife kept Sam moving, he so wanted to call out to his brother but was afraid that if he did he would only give the Wraith a chance to attack Dean.

He tripped on a small rock and fell heavily onto his hands and knees skinning them. Just as he was about to stand up again, Sam froze when he heard movement just in front of him, he strained to hear anything that might give him a clue on who was in front of him, family or monster.

"Dammit Sam get moving." He muttered under his breath but when he managed to get to his feet, that strange feeling swept through him, his head felt as though it could literally float away if it wasn't attached to his head, his arms and legs didn't feel like they were his, but controlled by something or someone else. "Puppet on a string," he giggled softly, "I'm just a puppet on a string in dad's world."

Hefting his backpack up on his shoulder Sam ignored the stinging of his skinned palm when he picked up his gun and started out again, his thoughts drifted from his determination to save his family to imagining himself with strings pulled by his dad.

The sounds of feet crashing through the brush stopped Sam and swaying dangerously he tried to stand in one spot while listening for the right direction to head towards. With his gun aimed and hand as steady as he could possibly make it Sam forced himself to put one foot in front of the other, his only thought now was to save Dean's life and to prove himself to his father in his own death.

S—D

Dean wavered slightly when he saw the creature approaching him, but the hunter inside of him since before birth steeled his resolve he emptied his mind of all distracting thoughts, sent a silent goodbye to Sammy just in case and then he moved.

John chewed on his lower lip, his dark eyes narrowed and glittering with something akin to pure malice. "Come on you bastard come and get me." He growled low and deep in his throat, his nerve endings tingled with anticipation, the adrenaline surged through his body, heightening his awareness as he moved the knife easily between his hands. This is what he lived for; the thrill of the hunt the anticipation is one thing but the moments directly before the action … the high he got when it all came together.

The rushing sound of someone running through long grass and brush alerted the hunter and he stood ready with his knife.

Dean led the Wraith towards his father, his chest ached with the exertion but he kept going; not wanting to disappoint his father again.

Sam stopped moving, he stood directly between his father and brother but far enough away from the Wraith to keep the surprise he had to make this work the first go because that's all he was going to be able to manage.

Dean stumbled just as he hit the clearing toppling forward … John moved into position and pulled his knife back ready to stick it deep into the Wraith … Sam lifted his shaking arm, took a deep breath and aimed his gun at the Wraith as it reared ready to pounce on Dean.

The gunshot echoed through the park, in the moments afterwards a hushed silence filled the forest, not even a bird chirped and it seemed as though the wind itself stopped rustling through the treetops.

John and Dean turned in unison towards the direction of the gunfire; they both came to the same realisation of three facts at the same time. The first fact Sam shot and killed the Wraith, if he hadn't Dean would have fallen directly onto John's blade. The second fact the Wraith was dead and the third fact Sam was about to face plant on the ground.

Pulled out of their combined stunned shock, Dean and John ran towards their fallen family member. Breathing heavily Dean reached his brother first, dropping to his knees he pulled Sam's head onto his lap and tried desperately to wake him up.

Panting John stood over them, running his fingers repeatedly through his hair he stared at the dead creature and then down at his two sons. He had lost his high and was feeling the effects of the sudden drop in adrenaline, he wanted to laugh, to cry and to scream bloody murder but for now he had to concentrate, Sam needed help his sick son who should be in bed was lying deathly pale and unmoving at his feet, the smoking gun still tight grasped in one hand.

"Dad?" Dean looked up at his father with tear-filled eyes, "dad Sam's having trouble breathing."

"We have to get him outta here," John mumbled more to himself than to his son, shrugging out of his thick and warm hunting coat he draped it over his teenaged baby and then tenderly picked him up, cradling him against his broad chest. "Damn it Dean how has he lost so much weight?"

Wordlessly Dean shook his head, he positioned Sam's against his father's shoulder keeping his neck straight, the position helped ease the youngster's breathing and then as carefully as they could they started the trek back to the impala.

Once Sam was safe and getting treatment then John would come back and do the salt and burn to get rid of the Wraith's corpse. Worried that his brother hadn't made a sound or showed any signs of waking up, Dean forced himself to set a faster pace, something deep down inside of him told him that time was too precious to waste.

S—D

Finally, they reached the impala; both Dean and John stared in disbelief at the truck crashed into the tree next to the impala, "what did you get up to little brother?" Dean asked his unconscious sibling after he slid into the backseat and took hold of Sam from his father. This time it was his turn to cradle Sam against his chest and to keep his neck straight, and his airways open.

The rush to the hospital was spent in a tense stillness, the only sounds that could be heard was stuttered breathing coming from one of the occupants in the backseat, the driver spared occasional glances in the rear vision mirror checking to make sure that both of his sons were there and both were breathing. Once his gaze met Dean's the mirror reflecting both sets of eyes. "What happened out there dad?"

"I have no idea Dean … how … how did … Sam what the …" John shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair again, slowly anger seeped into his shock, that kid will be the death of all them if he didn't quit his nonsense.

"Don't you dare dad," Dean hissed.

"Don't I dare what Dean?" John shot back, but the guilt shining in his eyes gave his thoughts and feelings away.

"Don't you dare come down on Sammy … he was sick … he shouldn't have been left on his own … but he still came looking for us. He saved our lives Dad don't you dare pull him down over this."

"He was told to stay home and to get well Dean, he disobeyed a direct order."

"Well what would've happened if he had obeyed your so-called order dad?" Dean snapped too tired, angry and hurting to care about who he was talking to, "I was about to fall on to your knife, the Wraith would've gotten me and you and God knows who else and Sam would be an orphan. What about your great orders then dad?"
"Stop being so dramatic Dean, Sam was told to stay home in bed, he disobeyed me end of story." John effectively shut the discussion down as he turned into the hospital grounds.

With both so entrenched in their argument neither Dean or John noticed Sam's eyes flutter open or the tears that fell down his colourless cheeks.

When John pulled up in front of the emergency department doors he left the car door swinging open as he rushed inside to get help. Within minutes Sam was hoisted onto a gurney and whisked away behind swinging doors, leaving John and Dean in the waiting room with a ream of paperwork and just as many questions to answer.

S—D

A short time later a young woman wearing green surgical scrubs strode up to John and Dean, "excuse me are you Sam Wilson's father?"

"Yes I'm John and this is Dean Sam's older brother … what's going on?"

"I'm Dr Jenny Mead … I'm a surgical registrar working with Doctor Damon Brown he asked me to come out and to tell you what's going on and to get your consent."

"Wait a minute doc, just back up what is wrong with my son?"

"Sam is seriously ill and needs emergency surgery," Jenny tried to explain as quickly and as clearly as she could. "Sam presented with a perforated appendix and possible septicaemia, Doctor Brown is prepping for surgery as we speak."

"But, but he just had stomach flu …" John blinked in shock, was he that caught up with the hunt that he didn't even notice how seriously ill Sam was.

"It seems that Sam has been ill with the appendicitis for a while, and now he has what is known as perforation of the appendix, he has already been placed on antibiotics via an IV for peritonitis and also to hopefully stop sepsis from setting in."

"Sepsis?" Dean asked his face so pale that his freckles dominated his features now more than ever.

"It is a potentially life-threatening blood infection from where the infecting bacteria enters the blood stream and travels to other parts of his body." Jenny explained patiently.

"What – what happens now?" John asked as he scribbled his current signature on the consent forms, "Doctor Brown will remove Sam's appendix and clear as much of the infection as possible. With his going undiagnosed for so long, the surgeon might decide to leave his wound open for an initial period to prevent further infections especially in the surgical wound itself."

"How, how could …" John had trouble forming the words, all he could hear was infection, blood infection, surgical wound infection, infections wreaking havoc in his baby boy.

"The symptoms of appendicitis are vague, and like you said it appeared that Sam had a dose of stomach flu, unfortunately if there is a delay in diagnosis and treatment the greater the risks and perforation of the appendix. If there is no diagnosis or treatment, thirty-six hours from the onset of the first symptoms, then there is a greater risk of perforation and complications. With Sam's condition … I'd say that it's been closer to seventy-two hours since the onset of symptoms."

"I – I don't understand sure he was feverish, and off his food but when three of his classmates all had stomach flu the week before I just thought…"

"A natural assumption Mister Wilson, now if you will excuse me I have to get back to Sam, one of the nurses will come to take you upstairs to the surgical ward waiting room soon, she'll also show you where you can get coffee and snacks from," Jenny smiled and placed a comforting hand on John's forearm, "Sam's in safe hands, Doctor Brown is a brilliant surgeon if anyone can help your son it is Doctor Brown."

"Thanks Doc." John said as he sank down on the nearest chair and started to wonder where exactly did things start to go to hell in a hand-basket and how can he stop it?

tbc