Johnny Angel Ch. 25

Disclaimer: See chapter one

Author's Note: Due to an overwhelming response, the story is being continued. Sorry for the long wait on this chapter. We have had another medical crisis in my family and it's been hard to write.

Previously: Finally ensconced in the backseat of the Impala where he could stretch out a little, Sam felt free for the first time in a long time. He reveled in the feeling of the window blowing through his hair as the engine thrummed underneath the hood, it felt like being home again. Sure, he knew he still had a long road ahead of him and that it would take some time for his to fully heal, but he was back with his brother and the love of as man who was now basically a father to him.

Sam had nearly drifted off in a contented sleep with the comforting thoughts when he suddenly realized that the Impala was no longer cruising down the open highway at a nice rate of speed. Opening his eyes to glance out the window, he could see that they had entered a quaint little town that seemed picturesque enough to belong on a postcard. Wiping the grit from his eyes as he yawned, he pushed himself up straighter in the seat and inquired, "Dean, why are we slowing down?"

"We've been on the road for a few hours now, Tiger. I thought you might like to get out of the car for a little while and maybe get something to eat," Dean answered, glancing into the rearview mirror to cast a concerned look at his brother. He knew Sam's muscles had to be aching by now from sitting in an enclosed area for the last couple of hours.

"Nah, I'm good. Can't we just keep driving until we find a place to stop for the night?" Sam asked as he unconsciously massaged the thigh muscle of his right leg.

"Yeah, I can see that," Dean snorted, observing the unconscious movement as he pulled into the parking lot of a small roadside diner that purportedly had the best food for over two hundred miles according to its' sign.

"Dean, come on man. Let's just get something to go," Sam pleaded as his brother shut down the engine to the sleek, black muscle car. He really didn't envy the thought of people staring at him since he knew the only way he would make it inside the small establishment was by using the wheelchair. Sure, he knew the feeling was an unreasonable one, but he couldn't help feeling self conscious about using it since he had always been such a healthy man before.

"Sorry Dude, but it isn't going to do you any good sitting in a cramped car all day. We're going in and that's all there is to it," Dean stated as he exited the car.

"Your brother's right Sam, you do need to get out of the car, if only for a little while," Bobby voiced as he threw open his own door and prepared to slide out of the car. Turning around to face Sam first, he let the youngest Winchester know he was on to what Sammy was feeling. "I know you aren't to keen on people seeing you sitting in that chair boy, but ya ain't alone in this, ya idjit."

"Yeah, I know," Sam stated with a tight smile as he watched Dean walk to the back of the car to pull the wheelchair from the trunk. Pushing open his own door, he waited for Dean to get the chair set up for him and then watched as he locked the wheels to keep it from moving while he transferred from the car to the seat.

"Okay Kiddo, here we go," Dean stated as he reached into the car to help his brother out, only to have his hands slapped away.

"I'm not totally helpless Dean, I can do this myself," Sam grouched, regretting his tone when he saw the hurt look cross Dean's face momentarily before his brother could mask it.

"I know you're not Sammy. I was just trying to help, sorry if I made you think otherwise." Dean informed his brother as he watched Sam transfer himself from the car to the chair, concerned by the amount of effort it took Sammy to do so.

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you the way I did," Sam apologized as he wiped the sweat off his brow while thinking, "Damn, that was more exhausting than I thought it would be."

Shaking his head at the way the two Winchesters naturally took the blame on themselves in awkward situations like this, Bobby decided to intercede before the conversation became one of those huge chick flick moments the boys pretended to hate. "Ya know, if you two girls would just kiss and make up, we could go get something to eat before this old man dies of starvation."

"Shuddup," both Winchesters grumbled in unison, their cheeks tingeing slightly at the older hunter's remark.

Kneeling down to unlock the wheels to chair, Dean glanced up at his brother with a hesitant look in his eyes. "So, uh, you want me too…"

"Yeah," Sam replied, grateful for Dean's offer. He didn't want to make himself look like an idiot by running into the door since he didn't yet have a handle on how to make the contraption turn just yet.

Suddenly finding the hole in his jeans interesting as they entered the small building, Sam fiddled with the small aperture as Dean pushed him inside and to the back of the restaurant where Bobby was now waiting for them at a corner table, already having moved one of the wooden chairs to make room for his wheelchair. Glancing up as they moved along, Sam surreptitiously surveyed the room and was surprised to note that only a few of the people inside were looking his way. Maybe eating in the restaurant wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

So intent were they in keeping a close eye on Sam and his comfort, the hunters failed to notice the blue sedan sitting across the road with its windows tinted and the suspicious occupant who sat inside, talking on the phone.

"I've found them."

~~Supernatural~~

Driving down the highway a few hours later that evening, Dean knew they would soon have to find a motel room for the night. Sam was way overdue for the therapy on his legs and Dean could hear the soft grunts of pain being emitted by his younger sibling from the back seat even though Sam was trying to hide them.

Scanning the highway road signs for a decent motel instead of the cheap ones they usually stayed at, Dean spotted a sign for a Hampton Inn and determined that it would be the most comfortable place for them to spend the night, especially since the advertisement boasted of an indoor heated pool, Jacuzzi, and an exercise room. They could make good use of those amenities for Sam's therapy.

Pulling off at the next exit, Dean took a left and then drove the 1.3 required miles and pulled into the parking lot. Shutting down the engine, he grasped the door handle and was about to go sign in when Bobby spoke up from the shotgun position.

"Dean, find a place to park. This one is on me," Bobby stated as he reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out his tattered leather wallet.

"Bobby, I can't let you…"

"I didn't ask your permission boy," Bobby grumbled before opening the door and rising from the car. Making his way to the registration desk, Bobby informed the receptionist behind the desk that they would require a room with handicapped access before paying for one night and then waited for the young lady to give him the keycard to access their room.

Obtaining the keycard a scant moment later, Bobby turned around just in time to find Dean and Sam entering the sliding glass doors, their duffle bags resting on Sammy's lap as Dean pushed him in the wheelchair. Wincing at the look of pain on Sam's tired and over stressed face, Bobby motioned for them to follow him down the long hallway on the left. They needed to get the kid into a room quick and get those kinks worked out of his sore muscles.

Swiftly locating room 123, Bobby swiped the keycard and then held open the door as Dean pushed his baby brother inside. Allowing the door to close behind him, Bobby grasped the duffle bags from Sam's lap and placed them on the floor before helping Dean transfer his brother from the wheelchair to one of the two beds in the room.

Sighing in relief at being able to stretch out in comfort finally, Sam pulled in a few deep breaths before rolling onto his side and closing his eyes, trying to will the pain away so he could sleep.

"Oh no you don't Sasquatch, you are not going to sleep until you've completed your therapy routine," Dean groused, swatting at his brother's feet to make his point.

"Can't it wait until tomorrow Dude? I'm already hurting." Sam stated, turning on the puppy dog look that always got him his way when they were younger.

"No, it can't. Besides, you know you'll feel better once you've had a chance to relax in the hot tub," Dean answered, resisting the look with an iron will as he pulled a pair of swim shorts and a t-shirt from Sam's duffle and tossed them on his brother's bed. "Now, you gonna get yourself changed or do you need me and Bobby to help you?"

"Oh, hell no. I can do it myself, Jerk," Sam retorted as he grasped the items of clothing and started shrugging out of the button down shirt he was wearing.

"That's cool, Bitch. The last thing I wanted to do anyway was to have to dress your gigantic behind," Dean smirked, ducking beneath the shirt that came sailing his way after saying the words.

Quietly exiting the room to give Sam some privacy as he changed, Bobby walked down the hallway to the small pool room and Jacuzzi area to scope it out for any danger. Finding the area empty, he sighed in contentment hoping it would stay that way, at least until Sam was finished with his therapy session. He knew with the pain that Sam was already feeling, there was no way they could put Sam through the hamstring and abductor exercises that Brian had wanted Sammy to start doing. Returning to the room just moments later, Bobby found both Sam and Dean dressed in a pair of swim shorts and t-shirts.

'Okay, if you idjits are ready, the pool's clear," Bobby informed the brothers before moving over to position himself behind Sam's chair. "Let's get to work."

Making their way to the pool room, Bobby pushed the chair as close to the edge of the pool as he could and then helped Dean to gently lower Sam into the five foot end of the pool, making sure to keep a solid grip on Sam until he knew the boy was steady.

"Okay Sammy, we're going to start with the Wall-facing leg stretch exercise that Brian told you about," Dean informed Sam as he helped his brother get into place by assuming a 'Superman' position which had Sam resting his hands on the side of the pool with his body and legs stretched out into and supported by the water. Encouraging Sam to make a kicking motion with his legs, Dean kept his brother supported as Sam exercised his legs for the next ten minutes or so. Once finished with the wall-facing exercises, Dean then put Sam through a 'pool walk' which consisted of his brother walking forward and backward in chest high water. Because of the buoyancy of the water, there would be no impact on his brother's joints to cause him any undue stress. Having Sam do approximately twenty repetitions, he concluded the pool exercises by putting Sam through the quadruped exercise in which he supported Sam as his baby brother floated on his back and made paddling motions with his arms and legs.

Knowing that Sam had to be totally exhausted, Dean called an end to the pool therapy exercises after approximately a half hour and then he and Bobby helped Sam walk the short distance over to the Jacuzzi so the aching hunter could relax in the hot tub and allow the water to soothe and massage his sore muscles.

Sensing that Sam was nearing the end of his endurance after only about fifteen minutes in the Jacuzzi, Bobby and Dean helped the youngest Winchester out of the hot tub and then took him back to their room. Helping Sam to change out of his wet clothing as Bobby excused himself to take a shower, Dean dried his brother off and then helped Sam to pull on a pair of sweats before his brother collapsed on the bed, Sam asleep before his head even hit the pillow.

"Sleep well kiddo," Dean voiced, ruffling Sam's damp hair before sitting down at the small table in the room to keep watch over his slumbering brother.

~~Supernatural~~

Leaning back in the sedan which he had discretely parked across from the motel after the Winchester brothers and Bobby Singer had checked in, the burly man inside kept a watch on the motel as he waited for his partner to join him. Soon, things would be made right once again.

TBC