Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Chapter 7 Scruff

Later that night Sam left Deans room for a moment to use the bathroom. When he returned his heart leaped in his chest when he saw there were two nurses in Dean's room working with a panic over Dean's head. Sam moved quickly to Dean's side to see what was going on. It seemed Dean was sick of the ventilator and wanted it out, NOW. He was using his right hand to pull at the tubing that was down his throat. Even though it was taped and bandaged on and Dean was very weak he seemed to be doing a good job, although it was making him gag doing it. The nurses were trying to calm him down but it seemed to be making it worse.

Sam stepped up and lowered his face down onto Deans and said loudly. "Dean, stop struggling, just relax. Dean, you have to relax you are hurting yourself."
Dean's eyes were shut but the struggling slowed down. One of the nurses turned and addressed another nurse who had just entered the room.
"We need to sedate him can you get Dr Taro?" The nurse left quickly.
Dean had calmed down slightly but was still making weak efforts to remove the tubing. Sam grabbed Dean's hand and soothed his brother softly.
"Its okay, Dean. Just relax, its okay."

After a few minutes a Doctor entered the room and talked to the nurses. He gave Dean an injection and explained to Sam that it was just to calm him down for his own safety. The Doctor looked at the machines and checked the ventilator over. Dean was still again, the injection having worked quickly. Dr Taro then turned and addressed Sam.
"Well, Sam," said the doctor after Sam introduced himself. "Your brother seems to want off the ventilator in no uncertain terms. Looking at his readings I'm inclined to agree we should be able to take him off and have a nasal cannula in place and see how he goes. I will give Dr Jenkins a call before I do so as he is Dean's physician, even though he is off duty tonight. Do you have any problems or questions about us doing that?"
"No, No that's fine, as long as Dean is alright," said Sam.
"Okay. I will give Dr Jenkins a call."

Sam sat with Dean while he waited for the Doctor to return, he looked much more relaxed his face slack with his drug induced sleep. Sam's heart was going back to his normal rhythm now that Dean was settled but he was still worried about his brother and stroked his arm softly. Dr Taro returned shortly and told Sam that he had been given the okay to remove the ventilator. Sam waited outside while the Doctor and two nurses worked on removing the machine.

Thirty five minutes later Sam was allowed back in with his brother. Dr Taro explained to Sam that Dean was doing well with the cannula but he would be monitored to see how things went. The doctor had also given Dean a light sedative to help him sleep for a few hours to help his body get used not having the ventilator anymore. After thanking the doctor Sam went over to Dean, he looked blissful and calm and much better without the tubes in his mouth. Sam noticed Dean's lips looked dry, swollen and chapped but it was still a great improvement in Sam's eyes.

Now that he could see Deans full face he noticed the toll the accident had been on his brother. Dean had some wicked bags under his eyes, only highlighted by the bruising on his forehead. Sam held Deans hand again and rubbed his fingers over his big brothers face.
"Hey Buddy." Sam intoned softly. "Look at you, you'll be up and around in no time. I think I know what you were pissed off about now hey? That damn machine. I'm glad it's gone too."
Sam sighed and sank down in the chair. He watched his brothers peaceful face for almost an hour before he put his head on the bed next to Dean's hand.

Sam just had time to think Dean's stubbornness might make a lively recovery period when he fell into a restless sleep.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," said Bobby jovially to Sam the next morning.
"What time is it?" said Sam grumpily, yawning widely and stretching at the same time.
"Its about seven," said Bobby looking over to Dean. "Hey where's his…..?' he trailed off, looking surprised at Deans more upright position in the bed.
"Yeah, Dean tried to take the ventilator out late last night so the doctor took it out. Said he was doing so well he wouldn't need it any more. They put this cannula thing in instead, said he should do okay with that."
"Stubborn son of a bitch," growled Bobby softly ",did he hurt himself?"
"I don't think so; doc said he might have a sore throat. Lucky he is still really weak."
"Well thank heaven for that. Has he been awake since then?"
"No, they sedated him so he could get used to the new setup."
"Well he looks comfortable," said Bobby stepping closer to Dean. "Anyway have some breakfast." Bobby pulled some sandwiches and water out of his duffle bag for Sam to eat.
"Thanks Bobby," said Sam with a smile at the older hunter.
"You wanna go have a shower and a shave? I can keep an eye on Dean for a while, he's sleeping anyway."
"No thanks. I might go later though."
"Yeah sure," said Bobby not believing for a minute Sam would leave Dean once he woke up.

Late that afternoon Dean woke slowly and looked around the room. There was Bobby nodding sleepily on a chair on one side of the bed and Sam was asleep on his right hand. Dean found he could move his head a little now that he didn't have tubes sticking down his throat. Speaking of throat it hurt like he had been gargling razor blades, egh. Dean moved his head slightly to the right and was rewarded with some black spots and dizziness, fantastic. He concentrated on his right hand and was able to pull it out slowly from under Sam's head. He reached up slowly and plunked his hand rather roughly on Sam's head even thought he meant to do it gently. It seemed he didn't have much control as yet.

Sam started to stir slowly and Dean used all the control he could to roughly run his hand through Sam's hair then his hand thumped down to the bed. Sam looked up at Dean and then stood up slowly as if he was afraid of startling his brother.
"Hey Dean. How you feeling buddy?"
Dean noticed a fair bit of concern in his brother's voice and gave his brother a weak smile. It did the job because Sam positively beamed back at Dean. Sam grabbed Dean's right hand again and was surprised by the strength his brother gripped his hand with. Dean used Sam's surprise to pull Sam closer to him. Dean moved his face toward his brother and getting the message, Sam bent down low, his ear near Dean's mouth.
"hank ammy." Dean managed to squeeze out.

It caused him a lot of pain but it was worth it just to see Sam smile back at him with tears in his eyes.
"Its alright, Dean. Hey you're my big brother right? I owe you a million times more than I could ever give you back. I'll never give up on you."
Dean swallowed and tried to speak again but all that came out was a very dry strangled noise.
"Hey, your throat must be sore I'll get you some water, be right back."
Sam left to get Dean a drink from the nurse's station but came back with a cup full of ice chips.
"Hey, buddy. The nurse said to start with these and see how you go okay?"

Dean nodded slowly but stopped after just two nods, the dizziness just too much to take. Sam propped Dean up with another pillow and fed ice chips to his big brother letting him take his time so he wouldn't choke. Halfway through the cup Bobby woke up and looked over to see Dean slightly propped up, leaning slightly on his brother, whilst Sam fed him ice chips like a mother bird feeding a chick. Bobby's low chuckle let them know he was awake.
"Hey Dean. How you feeling?" Bobby was surprised when Dean gave him a slow wink.
"That good, hey? You'll be up chasing nurses around in no time."
"Don't give him any ideas, Bobby," rumbled Sam.

When the cup of ice was finished Sam bent over Dean to take the pillow away and lay him down again but Dean reached up to Sam's face with his right hand and put his fingers through Sam's stubble. Sam pulled back in surprise looking into Deans bright green eyes he saw a hint of a smirk there. Dean leaned slowly forward and to the side slightly and whispered what sounded like "scruff" in Sam's ear.

Over the next four days Dean continued to spend more time awake even though he was not speaking much because of his sore throat but the movement of his head and right arm was getting much better. He didn't move his left arm looking at it like a traitor. How it dare be broken. Utterly useless. Okay the broken ribs and numerous stitches didn't help either. Doctor Jenkins came to see him and said they were ready to move him out of ICU to the next floor down as most of his monitors were out. They took the nasal cannula off and started him on light foods, basically mush to Dean.

The day he was to be moved downstairs Sam had finally gone to the hotel and had a shower, shave and change of clothes mainly because Dean drove him to it. Over the four days Dean would wake often and find Sam was sleeping with his head on Dean's bed. Dean would pull his hand out of Sam's and rub his fingers over Sam's stubble. Sam would wake up confused until he worked out what was going on. At first he thought Dean was doing it to piss him off so he would go have a shave because after it happened Dean would always have a small smile on his lips. After a few of days of it Sam was starting to get pissed off with it when he realized it wasn't a cocky Dean Winchester smart arse smile, it was a "this is weird I've never seen it before smile."

Of course Dean had never seen Sam with facial hair because he never let his face grow for more than a day or so. But that was not what made Sam have a shave and shower. Sam had left the room with Bobby while the nurses gave Dean his daily clean up and get him ready for his move downstairs. When they returned to the room Dean was propped up on pillows and Sam went over and gave his brother a hug. He couldn't help it he was doing it as often as he could. He didn't care if Dean grumbled (which he hadn't yet) about it, he just had to do it to make sure his brother was okay.

As he hugged Dean he said, "Do you feel better now Dean?"
To his surprise Dean grabbed his arm and said roughly in Sam's ear, "Your turn."
Sam looked at him in surprise and joked "You telling me I smell?"
"No," said Dean and pointed at the door.
"Come on Dean, I'm perfectly fine. I'll have a shower later."
"Now." Dean replied.
He settled back in his pillows and closed his eyes, one arm across his chest like he was prepared to stay like that forever. Sam looked from Bobby to Dean and back again, feeling a bit like a fish, his mouth was opening and closing but nothing was coming out.
"He has a point you know," said Bobby quietly.
"You're meant to be on my side Bobby."
"I ain't picking sides Sam, just telling it like it is."
"Fine." Huffed Sam he stalked up to Dean and kissed him wetly on the forehead.
Dean opened his eyes in surprise.
"You will behave while I am gone, got it?" Sam said, pointing at his brother.
Dean put his right hand over his heart and then raised that hand with two fingers in his own version of cross my heart and hope to die salute.
"Yeah, right" Sam sighed and stomped off to the motel for a shower and shave.

Sam got back 45 minutes later to find Bobby drinking more coffee, reading a magazine, and Dean in the same position he had left him in but with his eyes closed in sleep. Sam walked up to his brother slowly taking in his appearance. His face seemed to be at peace and much better, with a lot of the bruising gone and the dark circles disapearing as well. Even though Deans throat was still sore his lips were back to being plump and red again all traces of their former dryness gone. Since he woke Dean had been drinking like he was making up for all the water he had missed while he was unconscious.

Dean almost looked angelic, dare he say, lying back on the pillows with his hair sticking up everywhere. It suited him. As Sam smiled down at his brother Dean woke and with his impossibly green shinning eyes, looked straight into Sam's eyes like had known he was there. Sam felt a stab of guilt, feeling like a deer in the headlights and uncomfortable at been caught staring at his brother like that. Dean just smiled up at Sam happy to see him even if the absence had been a short one. Sam let his love for his brother rule his brain and bent down and hugged his brother carefully, letting him know he missed him too. To Sam's surprise Dean put his good arm around Sam hugging him back. He stroked the right side of his face against Sam's now smooth cheek and whispered in his ear.
"You look much better."

TBC