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I hope you all like this chapter.
Chapter 22
When John Winchester walked back into the intensive care ward, Dean noticed two things about him immediately. He had clearly not slept. From his bed, on the other side of the
room, the man still looked exhausted.
Also, he was not alone. Another man, equally serious, walked beside him with his eyes on Dean.
"Pastor Jim!" Dean welcomed as the man took a seat. John stood behind him and leaned on the bed frame. "Hey."
"Hello Dean," the older man smiled warmly. "how are you?"
Out of the corner of his eye he could see the doctor at the nurses bay. He was watching them and John in particular. John noticed the glance and looked at Dean. He frowned.
"What is the matter, did you get your test results?"
Dean shot him a look. He did not answer immediately. Pastor Jim looked between the two, polititly curious.
"Nothing is wrong. It is just a bad reaction with the drugs they were pumping into me, combined with some infection. He said antibiotics would fix it up." Dean listed motonously, "I
am surprised that you do not already know."
"I am not going to apologise for trying to look out for my kids." John said stubbornly. His eyes flickered to Sam. He lay asleep on the next bed, peacefully unaware of the argument
brewing. Dean noted the concern in John's face when he looked at Sam.
"He is okay, they decided to give him a sedative. He will be out for a while." John and JIm both nodded. Jim turned to Sam to give the Winchester men a private moment. Dean
saw him lay a hand onto Sams forehead.
"I am not a kid dad! Do not treat me like one!" Anger crept into Deans voice.
John leaned closer. Dean could see he was frustrated. He did not care. "You are my kid."
Dean laughed. He shook his head disbelieving. "Now you want to play the protective parent? Why were you not there in Paulo Alto? What about the time I almost bit it when we
were hunting the wendigo?Huh?"
Deans voice was quieter. "Why did you leave dad? Why did you go?"
"That is a chat for another time."
Dean voice rose, "No, I want to talk about it now!"
"Well, I am not going to. I will tell you, but I can't afford for you to get stressed. But know this, I only left because I knew you both were well trained. I made sure you could fight
anything that came your way. Like any parent, even though our particular case is a little more complicated than others, I made sure that you were ready before I left."
Dean looked away. "Save the speech. You left me. You are my dad and you choose something else above us. Plain and simple." His voice betrayed the hurt he was trying to
conceal.
"Dean," he felt an arm squeeze his wrist. He looked over and smile weakly at pastor Jim. His dad was walking away from the bed.
"Da-" Jim shook his head. "Don't Dean. Leave him." Dean was surprised by the tone in the older mans voice. It was intense sadness.
"Why?"
"Because your dad made the most difficult choice anyone can ever be faced with. And no, I am not going to do his dirty work for him. I may not agree with his choice but Dean,
you are his kid, you need to support him. He never chose anything above you or your brother. He loves you both so much. It is so easy, if you were not so stubborn, to see how
terrified he is."
Dean laughed disbelieving, "My dad is never terrfied of anything. He is like a machine. "
Pastor Jim shook his head. "Your dad is anything but a robot. These past two days-"
"You have been here two days?"
Jim nodded. "I am not surprised you do not remember it."
Dean mentally winced, thinking of the excessive sleeping. He found his mind wandering back to the conversation with the doctor. He cut those thoughts off, immediately.
"Why did you come so far?"
Jim glanced over to the window. John was leaning his head against it, looking out onto the world below. "Sam". He answered quietly.
Dean nodded slowly. He looked, wide-eyed at Sam.
"But.. the surgery."
"He never came out of his coma Dean. After another day he was worse than ever. The doctors told John to start making preparations. He called me."
Dean was suddenly glad that he had been asleep/ could not remember the last three days. He is still here. He pulled through. Dean reminded himself.
"I came. I gave Sammy the last rites."
Dean was filled with a new respect for his father. John had come through that. Dean was not sure that he could say the same for himself, if the situations were reversed.
"Then, then what happened?" Dean was grateful he was finally getting some answers.
"He just, he just woke up." Jim shook his head again. "It was a miracle. Sam was not ready to leave yet."
He sighed, "At least all the drama is over now," he said brightly, "You boys are on the mend. Everything is going to be fine."
"Yeah." Dean nodded. His heart sunk. He wondered what the hell he was going to do for not the first time that day.