"Dean!" Amie heard Sam cry from the bottom of the stairs, running to his brother who lay on the floor in the basement, unmoving. Amie followed whilst pulling out her phone, calling for an ambulance. It was so stupid. They should never have left Dean down here by himself; they had only needed one of them to get the kids out. Why had they both gone? Dean should have known better than to electrocute himself.
Dean sat on the floor, still a stone, breathing incredibly shallow.
"Come on Dean, come on now," Amie whispered after hanging up, the ambulance on their way. "Should we try and move him?"
"No," Sam replied quickly. "I don't think so.. he could get hurt more or something."
"Oh," Amie answered, feeling terrified. Her lip wobbled and eyes filled with tears. "What do we do?"
"Oh God, I don't know… I didn't listen that much in First Aid, Amie."
Paramedics rushed in and pushed Amie and Sam back, who were fighting to get closer to Dean again.
(o(o(o(o(0)o)o)o)o)
Amie and Sam walked swiftly down the large, white corridors away from the police who had just questioned them. In movies hospitals were always so… bright, with people walking around. Sometimes people will be dying and sometimes people will be talking happily while going down the corridors.
Walking down them now they were incredibly bare. Too quiet. Too clean. Too empty.
Amie's heart raced as she tried to be brave in this unfamiliar environment. She had to be strong, after all Dean was the one who injured. He needed her. She had to be strong for him. She needed see Dean, but all she could feel fresh tears building up behind her eyes, her heart race, and her hands grew clammy. She could not stay calm with Dean in here.
Although they were sweating quite a bit, Amie felt Sam's massive hand reach out for hers. Amie grabbed it like a lifeline. Sam's hand was rough and gigantic. It was nothing like Dean's, but she did not know why. Amie's hand felt small and cold in Sam's. He wondered if her hands were always this cold, or if they were just cold now. Could shock make that happen? After all, they were both certainly in shock. But was this an effect? They both thought the other's hand was unfamiliar. But they held onto each other tightly, glad for the reaffirming feel of another person.
They saw a doctor coming out of Dean's room. Sam sped up, pulling Amie along behind him.
"Can we see him Doctor?"
"Yes, but I must warn you… He's in bad shape," he said gravely.
"What do you mean bad shape? Of course he's not too good, he was just electrocuted," Sam said, stunned.
"Yes but it was very serious…"
"He's a fighter, he'll be fine," Amie said quickly, shaking her head. "He'll be okay."
"The electrocution triggered a heart attack. Pretty massive, I'm afraid. His heart...it's damaged," The doctor said, sympathetically.
"How damaged?" Sam asked as Amie's heart race quickened.
"We've done all we can. We can try and keep him comfortable at this point. But, I'd give him a couple weeks, at most, maybe a month."
Amie stared at the doctor, and she blanched at his words. "A few… a few weeks?"
"No, no. There's, there's...gotta be something you can do, some kind of treatment," Sam stammered, staring at him confidently.
"We can't work miracles. I really am sorry," the doctor said. He gave Sam and Amie one last pitying look, then walked away down the corridor.
"Sam…"
"There has to be something. If he can't do it, we must know someone who can."
"He said a few weeks… Sam, a few…"
"I know, alright? A few weeks is long enough for me to find someone who can fix him."
Amie stared blankly at where the doctor had just been, the place he had stood when he had told her the world was ending.
"A few… a few weeks…" she muttered again. Maybe if she said it enough it would sink it. Or maybe if she said it enough it would become less true.
"Yes, I know, alright! It's shitty but… Amie?" Sam asked, his anger ceasing as he realised Amie had gone white. She began to collapse. The room fell and Amie couldn't get a grip. Amie couldn't even breathe properly. She couldn't stand upright, her legs weren't supporting her… she was barely aware of someone's arms steadying her as she sunk to her knees. She sat on the ground, staring at the ugly clean floor.
"Amie?" A quavering voice penetrated Amie's shock. "Dean isn't gone yet. So we have to be strong… we have to find some way to cure him. There is a way."
"There is," Amie repeated looking up into Sam's eyes, who was now knelt on the floor next to her, an arm around her shoulders.
"Let's go see Dean," Sam said, fumbling to stand up.
"Okay," Amie replied hollowly. Sam helped her stand up protectively as she was a little shaky, then they both took a deep breath.
"You ready?" Sam asked, his eyes flicking toAmie.
"Nope, are you?"
"Ready as I'll ever be. Come one little sister," he said. Amie smiled weakly. Normally she would have laughed or protested. She was older than Sam. But at this moment, she needed family. So did Sam. They needed each other like they never had before.
The door opened as Sam pushed it. Dean lay on the bed, looking weak but brave.
"Have you ever watched daytime TV? It's terrible," he said. His voice was quieter than usual… it sounded as if it was fading away.
"We talked to your doctor," Sam said, ignoring Dean's attempt at a normal conversation.
"That fabric softener teddy bear. Oh, I'm gonna hunt that little bitch down."
"Dean."
Dean looked up at Sam and Amie, dark circles around his eyes.
"Yeah. All right, well, looks like you're gonna leave town without me," he said nonchalantly.
"What are you talking about? I'm not gonna leave you here."
Dean continued seriously, staring up at Sam seriously. "Hey, you better take care of that car. Or, I swear, I'll haunt your ass."
"I don't think that's funny," Sam said, letting go of Amie and folding his arms. He walked round to stand next to Dean.
"Oh, come on, it's a little funny."
Amie stepped forward as Sam looked down, tears in his eyes.
"You can't," she whimpered.
"Can't what?"
Amie pressed her lips together and looked around at the room angrily.
"You can't… you can't die, leave us here. You're not allowed," she said pathetically. "But most of all you can't joke about you own death."
"Why not? It's mine."
"Yeah it's yours. But you won't have to live with it," Amie replied, folding her arms, tears now building in her eyes like Sam's.
"Look, what can I say, it's a dangerous gig. I drew the short straw. That's it, end of story," Dean said, looking between them.
"Don't talk like that, alright? We still have options," Sam said furiously.
"What options? Yeah, burial or cremation. And I know it's not easy. But I'm gonna die. And you can't stop it."
"Watch me," Sam said finally, striding out of the room.
Amie and Dean were silent for a few moments, then Amie reached out for Dean's pale hand. She grasped it tightly and he squeezed back, weakly, smiling up at her. Amie let a tear roll down her face and pressed her forehead to his.
"Don't leave me alone in this world."
"You'll have Sammy," he whispered. Amie shook her head awkwardly, as she refuse to let their foreheads part.
"Don't leave us."
(o(o(o(o(0)o)o)o)o)
"Hey, Dad. It's Sam. Uh...you probably won't even get this, but, uh...it's Dean. He's sick, and uh...the doctors say there's nothing they can do. Um...but, uh, they don't know the things we know, right? So, don't worry, cause I'm uh...gonna do whatever it takes to get him better. Alright...just wanted you to know," Sam said, fighting tears as he sat on his bed. He hung up.
"Your Dad isn't picking up?" Amie asked, anger rising in her chest. Sam shook his head, tears shining in his eyes.
Amie turned away and glared at the table in front of her. She placed her hands down on it and ducked her head, closing her eyes. How dare he? In a sudden burst of anger, Amie screamed and shoved all of the items - a lamp, notebook, her hairbrush - onto the floor. They clattered loudly. Amie panted and her lip wobbled, some tension gone. Destroying everything seemed like a good option right now.
There was a knock at the door. Amie looked at Sam, who stood up and walked over to it swiftly. Dean stood behind the door, leaning against the frame, looking ridiculously weak.
"What are you doing here?"
"I checked myself out," Dean replied, shoving past Sam. He leant on everything within reach. Amie walked over to him and tried to support him, finally helping him reach a chair. He muttered on, trying to stay brave and comical, commenting on how tired Sam and Amie both looked. Amie smiled and shook her head, unable to stop staring at the bags under his eyes, his pale skin and the freckles standing out so boldly against it.
Amie and Sam exchanged a look as the helped him out of the chair. They had to get him better fast.
(o(o(o(o(0)o)o)o)o)
Amie, Dean and Sam sat in a line in the tent. Sam seemed excited, determined that this would work. Amie held Dean's cold hand in hers, stroking his fingers and trying to keep him calm. He seemed cold, but he was already wearing a hoodie that she had never seen him touch before. Dean was highly skeptical, and Amie wasn't sure how she felt about this.
Before she wouldn't have come close to a place like this. It depended on people's blind faith. It preyed on their trust. It sickened her.
But now it was her trust, her faith, her Dean that needed help… It couldn't hurt.
"It is the Lord who does the healing here friends. The Lord who guides me in choosing who to heal by helping me see into people's hearts," The blind man on stage announced, the audience murmuring.
Dean lent across Amie and muttered quietly to Sam, "Yeah, and into their wallets."
"You think so, young man?" The tent went silent.
"Sorry," Dean said sheepishly, Amie stroking his hand still, trying to soothe him..
"No, no. Don't be. Just watch what you say around a blind man, we've got real sharp ears. What's your name son?"
Dean hesitated, then told him reluctantly.
Roy nodded to himself, then said, "Dean. I want-I want you to come up here with me."
"No, it's ok," Dean said, shaking his head. Amie looked at him crossly,
Sam whispered, "What are you doing?!"
Eventually Roy, Amie and Sam managed to persuade Dean to get on stage. He walked up slowly, still frighteningly weak. Roy placed a hand on his shoulder, then the side of his face. Amie watched as Dean wobbled, then collapsed on the stage floor. Sam cried out for Dean as Amie jumped up racing over to him. She knelt next to Dean, a hand on the centre of his chest.
"Dean? Please, Dean?" Amie said, desperately. Sam was now by her side as well.
"Dean!" Sam shouted, making his eyes fly open and gasp. "Say something!"
Dean said nothing, but stared in shock into blank space.
(o(o(o(o(0)o)o)o)o)
Dean walked back over to the Impala, having said goodbye to Layla.
"Hey you," Amie smiled, holding out her arms. Dean settled into them, holding onto Amie as she leant against the truck. "I love you, so much."
"I love you too," he murmured, kissing her cheek.
"I really do," Amie said, looking at him sadly. "I know we don't say it much. But I do."
"I know. I love you too, Amie," Dean whispered.
Amie wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down gently. She held him tightly, closing her eyes and concentrating on breathing. Dean held her against him tightly, knowing that she needed this. After a few moments he realised she was crying.
"I thought I was gonna lose you. I mean, we've come close before; but you were so… I was so helpless… there was nothing…" Amie sobbed in a high, quiet murmur.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm okay," Dean whispered, stroking Amie's hair.
"I couldn't carry on… if anything had happened… I could never…"
"You could," Dean said, pulling away from Amie and placing a hand on her shoulders. "You could carry on without me. You and Sammy, you'd stay together. You'd be okay. Then, wherever we go after here, I'll be waiting there for you. But I will be watching you, and I will enjoy watching you live."
"But without you… I wouldn't be living," Amie whimpered, her lower lip wobbling.
"You would. You hear me? You are beautiful, you are charming, brave, strong, you are funny, you are my everything. If I do die, if I leave you here, I won't really have left you. I'll just… be letting you fly solo for a while," Dean half smiled. "You could find someone else anyway."
"There is no one else, Dean. I'd rather die. I'd rather die than live without you, and I know it's selfish, but I would. I'd survive for you. That's all I can promise you. I'll survive, but I won't be living. Not without you," Amie shook her head, staring into Dean's eyes intently, trying to make him understand. To her surprise, Dean's green, tired eyes teared up.
"Amie, I won't leave you. I could never leave, I will never leave you. I'll stay alive forever if that will make you happy. Screw Death, that's what I say! Come here," he comforted as he pulled her close once again. Amie nuzzled her face into Dean's neck and he placed his chin on top of her head. They stood, leaning against the Impala, for what felt like hours.
"We'll defy death, me and you," he murmured, as Amie pulled away. She smiled softly.
"Defying death. That's so bad ass," she smiled.
"Sounds like a rock band," he laughed, a few tears still shining in his eyes. Amie laughed too and shook her head, never taking her eyes off of Dean. He leaned against her and kissed her softly, their lips parted. After a few moments, he broke away and kissed her freckled cheek.
"Come on love birds. I wanna go sleep," Sam said, appearing out of nowhere. They all climbed inside the Impala, ready for the beds that waited for them back at the hotel.