Johnny Angel Ch. 32
Disclaimer: See chapter one.
Author's Note: A huge thank you goes out to everyone who read and reviewed and to the reviewers I couldn't reply to directly.
Previously: "Get some rest Sasquatch, you're going to need it."
Waking up to the gentle prodding of his big brother approximately ninety minutes or so later, Sam opened bleary eyes to see Dean sitting on the bed beside him with a tender look on his face, which surprised him seeing as how Dean wasn't really one to show his emotions. "Hmmm, guess I scared him more than I thought when I fell earlier" Sam thought to himself as he yawned widely.
"Time to wake up sleepyhead, Bobby's got dinner ready," Dean informed his younger sibling as he brushed the longish bangs away from Sam's lethargic, yet expressive eyes.
Please tell me that Bobby didn't make his five alarm chili," Sam pleaded as he threw back the blankets and pushed himself up with effort to sit on the edge of the bed. "That stuff tears my stomach up every time I eat it."
"That's because of all that girlie food you're so fond of eating," Dean replied with a smirk as he reached out a hand in offer to help Sam get to his feet.
"Shuddup Jerk," Sam mumbled as he grasped Dean's offered hand and felt himself gently hoisted up from the bed.
"Make me, Bitch," Dean retorted with a genuine smile as he stood by Sammy's side, ready to aid his brother if Sam's knees gave out on him again. "So, you ready to do this?"
"Yeah," Sam answered softly, taking that first step forward and wincing slightly from the pain it caused, especially in his right leg. The leg had been more tender than usual over the last couple of days and the skin on it was actually starting to feel a little warm to the touch now.
"Okay then, let's take it slow and easy," Dean coached as he walked side by side with his brother. He wanted to give Sam the independence he craved, but there was also no way in hell he was going to allow the kid to fall.
Using the wall for added support, Sam slowly made his out the door and down the brightly lit hall to the small stairwell that would lead them down to Bobby's kitchen. Standing at the top of the stairs, he smiled upon smelling the scent of lasagna and garlic bread wafting up the stairs. Bobby was cooking one of his favorites meaning his stomach would be safe for the time being.
Sighing as he contemplated making his way safely down the steps on weak legs, he was grateful when Dean wrapped an arm around his waist in support and said, "S'okay Dude, I've got you."
~~Supernatural~~
Hearing the sound of bare feet lightly pattering down the steps, Bobby looked up and smiled at the sight of his boys coming down for dinner as he took the hot garlic bread from out of the oven and placed it in the center of the table. He had secretly been worried that Sam wouldn't be up to joining him and Dean for dinner after the tumble the boy had taken earlier. Of course he wouldn't admit it to anybody, but it had nearly scared the hell out of him earlier to walk in and find Sam there lying on the living room floor amongst all the broken ceramic pieces. Just thinking about it even now caused shivers to run up and down his spine.
Needing to focus on something other than the image of Sam being hurt, Bobby walked over to get some plates from the cabinet for their dinner and then grumbled, "It's about time you two idjits came downstairs. I was beginning to think I'd have to eat all this food myself."
"Don't think you'll have to worry about that anytime soon with Dean staying here," Sam mused, as he finally made it to the table area and sat down heavily in the chair that Dean pulled out for him.
"Hey, I can't help it if I really enjoy eating food," Dean voiced with mock indignation at his brother's remark. "I'm a growing boy."
"Yeah, and if you're not careful, you're going to be growing out instead of up," Bobby retorted with a snort as he watched Dean sit down and start spooning out large helpings of lasagna onto both his and Sam's plates.
"Ha, ha, very funny," Dean rebuked lightly as he reached out to grab a piece of the golden colored garlic bread to go with his lasagna. "Besides, I'll have you know that this body is a prime specimen of beefcake according to the ladies."
Sputtering out a few hacking coughs as he nearly choked on the small bite of lasagna that he had just swallowed, Sam quickly grasped his glass of iced tea and took a nice, long drink. "Dude, give a guy a warning the next time."
"Sorry Bro," Dean voiced a little chagrinned at having caused his brother to choke on his meal. "You okay?"
"Yeah. The food just went down the wrong way"
"Okay, well get to eating some more then. We've got to get in a little physical therapy on your legs before you can go to bed for the night," Dean informed his brother before shoveling some of the piping hot lasagna into his own mouth.
"Can't it just wait, I'm already sore from the trip here," Sam complained as he turned pleading eyes toward his brother. All he wanted to do was go back to bed.
"Sorry Tiger, but you heard Brian before we left the hospital. The exercises need to be done on a daily basis," Dean answered apologetically as he watched his brother take another bite.
~~Supernatural~~
Lying flat on his back approximately thirty minutes later while dressed in a pair of sweat pants and an old t-shirt, Sam found himself about to go through the rigors of some leg strengthening exercises courtesy of his big brother's prodding.
"Okay Sammy, we're going to start with some quad strengthening exercises. I need you to lay as flat as possible and try lifting your right leg straight up, approximately 12 inches off the floor. Good, now hold it for ten seconds, and lower it," Dean encouraged as he put his brother through the quad strengthening routine. He could tell the exercising were taxing his brother's strength by the way his forehead beaded in sweat, but they had to be done. "Okay, now repeat the process."
Putting Sam through a series of ten repetitions on each leg with the quad exercises, Dean then helped his brother to turn over on his stomach so Sam could also work out his hamstring muscles. This time instead of having Sam lift his leg straight up, he had his brother raise his leg backwards to a height of about ten inches off of the floor and hold it before slowly lowering it and repeating the process all over once again. Seeing how exhausted his brother was after finishing the two therapy exercises, Dean decided to let Sam finish off with a series of heel slide repetitions.
Helping Sam to roll on his back once again, he said, "Okay Sammy, just one more round of exercises and then you can finally get some rest," Dean voiced in supplication. "For this exercise, I need you to bend your knee upwards as you slowly slide the heel of your right leg back until it touches your derriere. Once there, you need to hold the position for a count of five and then slide your foot back to the starting position."
"Okay, whatever you say," Sam panted out with a sigh as he slowly lifted his right leg according to Dean's instructions. He could feel the sweat pants riding up on his lower leg and the slight chill of the air felt good on the overheated skin.
Watching intently from his chair across the room as Dean put Sam through his exercises, Bobby couldn't help but feel sorry for the pain it was putting the youngest Winchester through. He could tell Sam was fighting to hold back gasps of pain to keep Dean from feeling guilty and he wished that there was something he could do to make things easier on the boy. Thinking that maybe he should talk to Dean about letting Sam take it easy for at least tonight, his words were suddenly halted when he noticed that Sam's right leg seemed to be a little discolored.
"Balls, that can be good," Bobby thought to himself as he tugged his ball cap off and ran a calloused hand through his slightly graying hair. Pushing himself to his feet, he walked over and kneeled beside the boys just as Sam finished his fifth repetition with the heel slide.
"Hey Sam, I need to take a look at your right leg if that's okay," Bobby voiced in concern.
"What is it Bobby, what's wrong?" Dean asked anxiously as he gave the older hunter a "what the hell' look.
"I'm not sure," Bobby answered as he pushed the sweatpants up as far as possible to reveal the discoloring of the skin on Sam's leg. It left him with an unsettled feeling and he wasn't exactly sure why. "Dean, I think maybe we better take Sam to the hospital."
"What? Why?" Sam asked in agitation, clearly irritated at the thought of having to go to another hospital so soon after being released from the one in New Hampshire.
"Sam, I'm thinking that we might have an unforeseen problem with your leg there. I'm not sure, but I think I've seen this kind of discoloration before and it can be bad news," Bobby answered as he placed a comforting hand on the younger hunter's shoulder.
"Bobby, no, I don't want….."
"I think Bobby's right Sammy, I don't like the look of your leg either or the way it feels warm to the touch. We're going, Kiddo," Dean answered with finality as he pulled the leg of the sweat pants back down. "Better to be safe than sorry."
"Fine, if it will make you two happy, then help me up," Sam groused as he reached out his hands. Maybe he could finally get some sleep once the doctor has seen him and dispelled his brother and Bobby's fears about something being wrong with his leg.
TBC So is there nothing wrong with Sam's leg or will Bobby and Dean's fears be confirmed?