Johnny Angel Ch. 8

Disclaimer: See chapter one

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait. Now that I am back at work, I've found myself exhausted for the past few days and too tired to write. I hope this chapter meets with your approval.

~~Supernatural~~

Previously: Escorting the female detective from her office with her thanks once again, Alison couldn't wait to go back up to Johnny's room and share the good news with him. Of course, she knew she really needed to start referring to him as Sam now and wasn't that going to be hard after calling him Johnny for so long now.

Feeling as though she were walking on air as she made her way down the long hallway to the Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Alison Thomas couldn't help but smile enormously as she thought about the information she had learned just a few short minutes ago. She finally knew the real name of their resident 'angel' as the staff preferred to think of Johnny, and better yet, he had family on the way to take care of him.

"Hey Ali, you look like the proverbial cat who swallowed the canary. Something tells me you must have gotten some really good news this morning," Dr. Tom Majors said as he approached his joyful colleague.

"Actually, I did get some wonderful news Tom. The police were finally able to establish the identity of the man we all know as Johnny Angel," Alison replied joyfully. "His name is Samuel Winchester and he has a brother who is on his way here at this very moment."

"That is fantastic news, Ali. I know how concerned you were about Johnny waking up to find that he was all alone. You must be very pleased with this latest bit of information."

"Yes I am, Tom. I'm on my way to deliver the news to Johnny…I mean Samuel now in the hopes that he can hear what I say. Who knows, with a little bit of luck, this might just be the incentive Sam needs to emerge from his state of catatonia," Alison stated hopefully.

"I hope your right Alison, but please don't get your hopes built up too high," Tom voiced, worried that his friend could be in for a severe letdown if things didn't go her way.

"Too late for that Tom, I've had my hopes up for the past couple of days," Ali admitted with a wistful sigh. Even though she had tried her best not to, she had become extremely attached to her patient and it would devastate her if Johnny was unable to fully recover from his injuries. She couldn't accept anything less. Needing to be on her way, she quickly said "goodbye" to her colleague and then continued on her way to the ICU.

Entering the specialized unit, she smiled at the nurse who was manning the desk and then strode into Johnny's room to see Nurse Shannon about to give him his sponge bath now that she had finished the book she had been reading to him.

"Shannon, why don't you go help one of the other patients. I'll give this young man his bath today." Ali stated as she walked over to Sam's bedside and brushed back the errant bangs that fell across his forehead.

"Of course Dr. Thomas," Shannon replied as she placed the washcloth and liquid antibacterial soap on the small portable table in the room before standing up and taking her leave.

~~Supernatural~~

Scrubbing a hand through his hair as he drove down Interstate 91, Dean yawned as dawn broke on the horizon. It seemed like he and Bobby had been traveling forever as they made they way towards Hanover, New Hampshire. Bobby had briefly mentioned stopping for the night so the two of them could get some decent rest, but Dean had instantly negated the idea knowing there was no way he would be able to sleep while Sammy lay all alone in a hospital bed. Glancing over towards Bobby who was lightly snoring in the passenger seat with his head leaning against the window, Dean was glad to see the old coot was finally getting some sleep. Bobby had insisted on driving most of the night knowing that Dean would want to be alert when they finally made it to Sammy's side.

Returning his focus to the road, Dean scratched the stubble on his chin as he wondered about how long Sam had been out of the pit. Had his brother just gotten out within the past few days, or had he been out for weeks? And if that were the case, why hadn't Sam come looking for him in Cicero? Shuddering as a terrible thought leapt into his mind, he suddenly wondered if Sam was still the baby brother he knew and loved. Maybe Sam's mind had been broken by Lucifer and his baby brother was now a shell of the man he once was.

"Dean, you okay over there son?" Bobby inquired sleepily, having been awakened by the suddenly tense atmosphere in the car.

"I thought you were asleep old man." Dean replied softly, trying to steer the conversation away from himself.

"Old man my ass. I'll have you know I could still whip your butt any day of the week and twice on Sundays boy." Bobby grunted as he glanced over at the blond hunter knowing exactly what Dean was trying to do. "And stop trying to deflect the attention away from what I just asked and answer my question, ya idjit."

"Yeah, I'm fine Bobby. I'm just worried about what we're going to find once we get to the hospital ya know."

"What do you mean, Dean?" Bobby asked in concern.

"I mean I don't know if Sammy will be the same person he was before. Lucifer might have left him an incoherent babbling mess by the time Sammy was able to break free," Dean answered, looking at the elder hunter with pain evident in his eyes as a lone tear trickled down his face.

"Dean, you can't be thinking like that boy. You're brother is one of the strongest men I know. If anyone can beat the devil, Sammy can. Besides, he's a Winchester through and through. Ain't nothing ever been able to keep you boys down for long when you put your minds to something and I'm sure this will turn out fine in the end too," Bobby stated with conviction.

"I sure hope you're right Bobby, because I don't think I can handle losing my brother again." Dean replied as he pushed down the gas pedal just a little bit harder. He needed to see Sammy and he needed to see him now.

~~Supernatural~~

Maintaining his vigil by Sam's side as the young hunter slept on, Castiel breathed a sigh of relief upon sensing that Dean was finally near. He could feel that Sam was beginning to give up hope the longer he stayed in his place of desolation and it worried him to know that the young hunter could slip into the deep dark recesses of his own mind to a place where even he would be unable to reach Sam.

"Please Sam, you mustn't give up, not now when you have so much to live for," Cas voiced, as he sensed the dark cloud of hopelessness beginning to hover overhead. He knew he had to stop Sam from slipping away any further or the youngest Winchester would be lost to them forever.

Once again touching his fingers to Sam's forehead, he reached into the psychic's mind and brought forward memories of happier times when Sam and Dean were younger and enjoyed spending time with their father. In doing so, he was hoping to stave off the despondency that was trying to take a firm hold in Sam's psyche. He knew how fragile the human spirit could be and was determined that this was one soul he would not lose.

~~Supernatural~~

Pulling up a chair beside Sam's hospital bed, Dr. Alison Thomas reached out to grasp the blanket covering her patient and then lowered it to his waistline so that she would have access to his upper body. Stretching her hand out to grasp the washcloth from the small dresser by the bed, she quickly dipped the washcloth into the bowl of lukewarm water that resided on the portable table. Removing the washcloth from the bowl, she wrung out the excess water from it and added the liquid soap as she began to speak.

"I have some news to share with you today Johnny," She informed her patient as she took hold of Sam's right arm and began to gently wash it with care. "Janie was here earlier and she gave me some wonderful news. She was finally able to establish your true identity and locate your family. Your real name is Samuel Winchester and you have a brother who has been searching for you. He is on his way here now. It's that wonderful?" Alison asked as she finished washing Sam's arms and moved on to his broad chest area while at the same time keeping an eye on his level of alertness.

"You know, I'm sure your brother would be ecstatic if he were to arrive and find you awake," Ali encouraged as she finished with washing her patient's upper body and then proceeded to remove his blanket so she could wash his lower half also. Dipping the washcloth in the water once again and making sure to wring out the excess water, she squeezed more of the antibacterial soap onto it and then began to slide the smooth washcloth up and down Sam's sinewy leg.

"So how about it Sam, you feel like waking up for me?" Alison inquired as she moved on to finish up his sponge bath by quickly washing his private region to keep it from chafing and becoming sore. Johnny already had more than enough to deal with once he decided to awaken.

Sighing as her patient remained unresponsive to her plea, she said, "Don't worry about it Sport, we'll try again later."

Replacing the blanket over her patient to protect his modesty, she had just finished tucking it in around him when two men came walking into the room at a brisk pace. She didn't have to question who they were since she could immediately see the love for her patient in their eyes.

"Sammy," Dean whispered, his voice breaking with emotion upon finally seeing the baby brother he had thought he lost forever lying pale in the hospital bed. Striding forward on weak legs, nothing mattered more to him in the world at that moment than making it to his brother's side as quick as he possibly could.

Moving out of the way as the younger of the two men strode forward, Alison was nearly bowled over by the sheer amount of emotion she could read in his expressive green eyes and it warmed her heart to know that Johnny was well loved. Now, she could only hope that the brother's arrival would be enough to pull Sam from his state of catatonia.

TBC