Chapter 25 Read

Sam kept Dean in the shower for another ten minutes after he had passed out then dried him off slowly. He had just finished dying him off when there was a knock at the door. Sam opened it and Callum came in. Sam took him to Dean and told him what had happened. Callum examined Dean then stood and helped Sam carry him back to bed. They left Deans almost dry boxers on him knowing they would dry quickly but placed a dry towel under him just in case. They found a dry sheet and covered Dean up. Callum gave Dean another injection adjusting the dosage because Sam had given him tablets not long before and his temperature was now back to 104.

Callum put more instant ice next to Dean with instructions for Sam to take it off in twenty minutes. Callum confirmed that Dean did indeed have a kidney infection and he would have to stay on the antibiotics for four or five more days, then go on a course of tablets just to be sure. Callum said he was happy to help Sam with Dean for the next few days as he was helping a buddy with another case at a hospital a few miles away. Sam thanked Callum for his help as Callum checked Deans attempt at needle removal, rewrapped it with afresh bandage and changed Dean saline solution for a new bag. He promised to call in that afternoon with another injection to help Dean sleep that night.

Sam had breakfast and tidied up the bathroom then the main last couple of days had been a bit messy. Sam collected the things that had got wet and messy the night before along with as many sweaty sheets as he could get and took them to the Laundromat. Dean stayed asleep until after lunch. Sam by then had run out of things to do short of washing the Impala, which he wanted to do for Dean but didn't want to be away that long. When Dean woke Sam padded over and took his temperature 102.5 Dean showed slight improvement. He frowned when Sam spoke to him like Sam was speaking another language and didn't speak at all himself. When Sam sat on the bed next to him he put his head on Sam's lap. It spoke volumes to Sam so he eased himself into bed with Dean. Dean lay with his head on Sam's chest and Sam stroked Deans back which seemed to soothe his brother. After a while Sam began to get hot, his chest where Dean was laying was now hot and sweaty. Sam lay a bit longer then realizing Dean was asleep put Dean's head back on the pillow and Sam moved off to change his shirt.

Later that day Dean woke up and started pushing at his cast again looking like he wanted to get it off. Sam held his hand until he seemed like he was past it, softly soothing Dean's head with his fingers to take Dean's mind off it. Dean drifted off again but he was restless and managed to push all his pillows to the ground and almost tear the IV out. He woke again and seemed agitated and unsure of his surroundings until Sam sat next to him and talked to him softly rubbing his back.

When Callum came in at eight o'clock Sam was sitting by Dean's bed. Dean was lying flat on his back without any pillows looking sleepily up at the ceiling. Callum knew by looking at Sam what kind of day he had but asked anyway. He checked Dean over changed the antibiotic IV and bandage then gave Dean another injection. Even though Dean was awake he made no move when the needle went in. Callum tried talking to Dean but Dean just stared at the ceiling eyes already dropping shut. Callum told Sam to get some sleep, the young man looked beat. Callum knew it was the emotional turmoil that was wearing Sam out. He tried to encourage Sam by telling him Dean's temperature was down to 102 and Dean was coming along okay. he just looked out of it because of the fever and he expected the antibiotics to start having and effect overnight. He should be much better by the time he came back to check on Dean in the morning.

Sam slept next to Dean that night because he was worried there would be a repeat of the morning before. Dean slept the night through but woke up wet with sweat and his heart was racing and chest heaving. Sam dragged him to the shower again for a tepid shower and checked his temperature 104.1, not as bad as it had been but bad enough. Dean felt like crap sitting in the shower again. Sam was holding his hand and pushing tables down his throat. Dean had had quite enough and spat the tablets out, he just wanted it to end and end now but he had no clue how to end it. He was struggling for coherent thoughts. Sam pushed tablets into his mouth again and he spat them out again. Sam was speaking louder now getting his face in Deans pleading with him to do something. Dean had no clue what he wanted and looked around looking for what Sam was talking about.

Sam was freaking out because Dean was looking around like a punch-drunk fighter and wouldn't take his tablets. Sam felt his control staring to slip and took a deep breath and then a few more, then he started to cry. What the hell was going on? Dean wouldn't take his tablets so he was crying like a baby.
"Damn it Dean, you gotta help me."
Dean looked at him like he had four heads then he did something unexpected: he opened his mouth and pushed Sams hand to his mouth accepting the tablets out of Sam's hand swallowing them down. He had finally got what Sam wanted. He leaned forward and pushed his head into Sam's neck as close to a hug and a "I'm sorry" as he could do at the moment but for some reason Sam cried harder now. Dean tried to comfort Sam by patting him on the arm but his control wasn't great and he was rather rough. Sam slowly got himself under control and pulled Dean up out of the shower. Dean helped Sam as best he could which was to say not much.

Once back in bed Dean was back to being confused and still looked quite punch-drunk but he didn't bother Sam just kept looking around like he had no clue where he was. When Callum came that morning Dean was bent over on his right side pushing at his cast with his right hand. Callum checked him over. His temperature stood at 102.9, so Callum gave Dean another shot but this time Sam had to hold Dean down as he clearly did not want the shot and almost got a broken needle in his arm for his trouble. Callum stayed with the boys until Dean drifted off and then offered to watch Dean so Sam could take a walk or something. Sam didn't want to go but Callum convinced Sam it would be better if he could take a short break while Dean was sleeping so he could be there for him when he needed him.

Sam took the Impala down to the car wash and gave it a wash. The bad weather had cleared and the car looked great in the sun after the wash. Sam went to the supermarket and got more TV dinners, drinks and snacks for himself as none of Dean's stuff had been touched yet. He also bought a jar of coffee and some fresh milk as he was going through large amounts of hotel coffee and wanted something else.

When he got back Callum was sitting reading a newspaper. He reported Dean hadn't moved and should be safe to have a shower if he wanted. Sam thanked him and Callum left letting him know he would see him that night. Sam showered and cleaned up keeping an ear out for Dean as he worked away and then packed away his things. Late in the afternoon Sam sat at the kitchen table reading one of his novels when Dean woke up. Taking a deep breath Sam walked over and was surprised to see Dean's face looked disheveled but his eyes looked clearer than they had in days. Dean smiled slowly back at him and reached for his hand.
"How are you feeling Dean?"
"A bit washed out. You?" Dean's voice was raspy with disuse.
Sam found it incredibly sexy.
"Not too bad, I'll get you some water." Sam grabbed a bottle of water for Dean and took it over.

Sam sat against the headboard of the bed and Dean pulled himself up to lean against him. Sam opened the bottle for Dean and helped him control the bottle so he could drink. He was still very shaky and he drank slowly as if he was waiting to see what his stomach would do but he got half the bottle down, more than Sam expected.
"So what's going on?" Dean said shaking his right wrist indicating the IVs in his arm.
"Well you've had the antibiotics in for three days and your temperature rose to 105.9"
"What? Get out off here, three days?"
"Yeah, what's the last thing you remember?"
"Mmm" Dean closed his eyes in thought, "I remember Callum changing the cast and putting the first IV in then….ah being in the shower?….being confused ...I don't know its patchy…. then waking up just now."
"Might be a good thing you don't remember it's been pretty ugly dude, but it's great to have you back." Sam wrapped Dean in a hug to show him how much he missed him.

Dean rested the remainder of the day waking once after dinner looking a little confused but his temperature was sitting at 102.5 and had been all afternoon. He was awake when Callum came to see him at eight that night, lying on his side pushing at his cast irritably with his other hand. He wasn't doing much damage so Sam he let him do it because gave him something to do rather than pull his IVs out. Callum changed his IVs pleased that Sam had got some water in him and that he had woken up at least once with a clearer outlook. Callum gave Dean another injection and Sam braced Dean in case he fought but Dean just lay and let the needle go in with no fuss. Dean's swings in mood were making Sam's head spin and Callum seemed to read it from Sam's face.
"Don't worry the antibiotics are doing the job now, his mood will stabilise and he will be back to normal."
Dean was asleep before Callum left the room.

The next morning Sam was up showered, dressed and had eaten breakfast before Dean stirred at ten o'clock. Sam took his book, a bottle of water,remote control for the TV and the thermometer over to Dean's bedside. Dean slowly sat up and leaned against the headboard on his pillow. The sheet fell down Dean's chest and Sam was distressed how thin Dean looked now. He had not had a T shirt on for a few days now but Sam hadn't noticed how thin Dean was getting because he was to busy caring for him. Sam took Deans temperature 101.9 starting to go the right way.

Sam leaned against the headboard and pulled Dean to him helping him drink some water. "How you feeling buddy?"
"Okay. When can I get rid of these?" He jiggled his right hand to indicate the IVs.
Ah he must be feeling better, he wants out already.
"When the doctor says its time, Dean."
"Great." Dean's husky voice dripped with sarcasm.
"He said you should be feeling much better today."
"Mmm. Just feel like I've been hit by a truck."
"That's all?"
"Yep."

Sam turned the TV on and they lay together channel flicking for a while then Dean asked Sam to turn it off. Sam looked concerned as Dean was pressing the bridge of his nose a sure sign of a large painful headache.
"Are you okay Dean?"
"Yeah it's just hurting my head."
"Hurting your head?" Sam's eyebrows rose.
"Yeah, you know when you feel like your brain is getting to much information at once, kind of sensory overload."
This was the most Dean had spoken for a few days and his voice broke. Sam helped him drink some water and he coughed a little before settling down. The coughing seemed to be painful and wore him out. Sam pulled Deans head to his chest encouraging him to rest but Dean put one arm out and snagged the book off the bedside table.
He held it up to Sam. "This any good?"

Sam eyebrows rose as high as they went. Dean taking an interest in literature?
"Yeah it is actually. I'm enjoying it."
"Read some to me?"
Okay, someone stole his brother and replaced him with this imposter.
"You serious?"
"Yeah, you used to read your school readers to me when you learned to read. I miss those days." Dean's voice was soft and croaky.
"Okay," said Sam slowly, unsure what was going on.

Dean must be playing some kind of joke on turned to the beginning of the book and started to read. He only got four words out before Dean stopped him. He took the book from Sam and found the page Sam had folded over as a place marker. He handed Sam the book back and settled against Sam's chest.
"From where you were up to," he said simply.
Sam looked down at him. "But you won't understand the story."
"I'll pick it up as we go along, besides its more about hearing your voice than the actual story."
Holy crap, who was this person?

Sam hid his surprise and found his place. He started to read somewhat hesitantly at first then with more confidence. He found himself with his arm around Dean's shoulder unconsciously stroking his chest and stomach with his hand as he read. Dean threaded his fingers through his and Sam found his zone.

TBC