Chapter Twelve: The Cure For Pain
Bobby paced worriedly outside of Dean's room. Every so often he'd reach up and touch the goose egg on his brow and curse himself.
He had let those bastards get the jump on him!
He had nearly gotten Dean and Sam killed!
The veteran hunter had woken up- groggy and confused- and wandered into his house, a concussion making his mind foggy.
He'd seen the blood and the bodies- all four of them- and had had enough sense left in his brain to call for an ambulance.
Bobby didn't remember much of what happened next- a cracked skull would do that to you- until he came to himself in a small exam room in Sioux Falls General.
His immediate concern had been for the Winchesters. He didn't know if they were alive or dead.
After letting the nurse on duty he was the boys' uncle, they finally agreed to have the doctor speak to him.
Sam had a concussion, a dislocated shoulder and deep cut on his chest. He had bruises as well from his fall down the stairs as well but those were the least of the doctor's worries.
Although painful, none of his injuries were life threatening, thank God. The doctors would keep a close watch on Sam's head though they were certain there would be no permanent damage.
Dean, on the other had, had sustained a deep laceration to his back and a punctured lung. The doctors had been able to repair the wound but the eighteen-year old was still unconscious.
The police had been called and asked Bobby about the events at his house. He had lied and told them that, no, officers, he had no idea who the two men were and no, he didn't think of anyone who would want to hurt him or his nephews.
Bobby knew who the intruders were, all right. A couple of asshole hunters he had had the displeasure of meeting. Although most hunters were decent enough fellows and women, some weren't exactly playing with a full deck.
The two men who'd attacked Bobby and the boys had visited the grizzled hunter a few months ago, asking for a weapon Bobby had. This weapon, very powerful and precious, wasn't something the veteran hunter lent out to any Tom, Dick or Harry. He'd told the hunters, who were on a demon case, to get rid of the sons of bitches the old fashioned way. The pair had grumbled and tried to get Bobby to see things their way but the older hunter put his foot down, the weapon wasn't to be used for just any run-of-the-mill demon, no it was designed to take out the big boys.
Bobby should have known the two would return. They hadn't been happy to be turned away.
Bobby didn't event have the weapon in his house! He'd let John Winchester keep it in his storage unit for Christ's sake! No, the weapon, the Spear of Longinus- the Spear of Destiny- was much safer where it was.
The old hunter didn't want to think about what the two would have done if they realized the weapon wasn't in the house.
But no, Bobby didn't know the two men, not at all.
The police had been understanding- probably because he had been injured- and decided to treat the case as a home invasion.
Dean? Oh he wouldn't be charged. It was clear he had acted in self-defense.
"Mr. Singer? Your nephew is awake and asking for you." A nurse said, bringing Bobby out of his reverie.
"Dean?" he asked but the woman shook her head, "Samuel."
Bobby nodded and walked down the hallway towards the fourteen-year old's room.
SPN
Sam smiled as Bobby stepped into the room.
"Hey, Son," the grizzled hunter said, "How're you feeling?"
Sam shrugged his uninjured arm- the other one held in a sling- and his eyes turned wet.
"I thought you were dead," he told Bobby.
"It takes more than a couple of idjits to do me in," the veteran hunter assured him.
The boy was pale, with a large lump and bruise on his forehead. His dislocated shoulder had been popped back into place and immobilized for the time being with a sling. Gauze poked out from underneath Sam's shirt, hiding the cut to his chest and the base of his neck.
"Is… Is Dean okay?" Sam asked in a quiet tone.
"The doctors patched him up," Bobby said truthfully, "But he's still unconscious."
Sam nodded and looked down, fiddling with the edge of his blanket.
"He saved me… he killed that man…"
"I know," Bobby replied.
Sam looked up again, tears filling his eyes.
"He really does love me, doesn't he?"
Bobby felt a lump form in his throat and he nodded.
"I want to see him," Sam announced and began to climb out of bed.
"Whoa! Hold on there, Son!" Bobby stepped forward and put a hand on the teen's uninjured shoulder.
Sam peered up at him, his expression telling Bobby he thought he was going to be made to stay in the bed.
"Let me help you," the grizzled hunter said and helped Sam down from the high-set bed, grabbing the IV stand and wheeling it along as Sam cautiously walked forwards.
Unsteady on his feet, Sam reached out and gripped Bobby's shirt like he used to when he was a toddler.
"Dean's on the floor above," the grizzled hunter said, "You think you can walk all that way?"
Sam nodded, determination shining in his eyes.
W
No one stopped the duo as they made their way slowly and steadily to the elevators. Bobby was grateful for that since he wasn't sure the doctors would be please to see Sam walking around the hospital.
The fourteen-year old leaned against the wall of the elevator as it carried him and Bobby up one floor.
When the lift's doors opened and Sam followed Bobby into the hallway his heart stopped when he realized that they were heading towards the ICU ward.
"He's okay, right? The doctors fixed him?" Sam asked anxiously.
"He'll be okay," Bobby assured Sam and the teen felt better.
SPN
If Bobby thought Sam had been pale, the fourteen-year old had nothing on his brother.
Dean's face was the same shade as the starched white sheet resting on his chest. The dark circles beneath his eyes making him look even sicklier.
"Dean!" Sam cried and hurried to his brother's side, forcing Bobby to follow quickly with the IV stand.
"Dean?" Sam whispered, "Dean!"
"Son, keep yer voice down," Bobby warned gently, "I don't think you're supposed to be in here."
Sam looked back at Bobby with wet eyes and nodded. He gripped the blanket at the edge of the bed with his good hand and struggled to lift himself high enough to get his leg up. Bobby, seeing what the teen intended, stepped forward and pushed Sam up.
The fourteen-year old crawled up the bed until he was right beside his brother and laid down beside Dean, facing his unconscious sibling.
Bobby sat down on the chair reserved for visitors and released the IV stand.
"It's okay, Dean," he heard Sam mumbled quietly, "I'm right here. I'll keep you safe."
SPN
Bobby looked up when a nurse entered the room. She looked at the Winchester brothers sleeping on the bed and opened her mouth.
"They're not used to being apart," Bobby spoke before the woman could, "And if you know what happened to them, you'd leave 'em be."
The nurse paused, nodded and smiled.
"Alright, just this once," she said and Bobby smiled back.
The nurse went about her business, checking Dean's IV line and chart, making notes, and looked at Bobby again.
"He should wake up soon," she told the grizzled hunter, indicating the eldest Winchester.
Bobby felt relief wash over him, "That's good."
"I'll let his nurse know he's in here," she continued, peering down at Sam.
"Thank you," Bobby said and the nurse left the room.
SPN
Dean floated up into consciousness reluctantly. His back hurt like a son of a bitch and he wanted to escape the pain in sleep.
He wasn't so lucky however because he soon became aware of the scents and sounds of a hospital.
The sharp scent of bleach filled his nose and the murmur of the PA system and the squeak of gurney wheels persisted, driving sleep away.
Something warm was nestled into Dean's side and he shifted slightly, discomforted by the presence.
"Mmm," the thing muttered and Dean's eyes shot open.
Sam!
"Sammy," Dean whispered and looked down to see his brother lying against his side.
"He's alright, Dean," a gruff voice told him and the eighteen-year old looked up to see Bobby sitting beside the bed.
Dean nodded and reached out a hand, stroking Sam's bangs back from his brow, frowning at the lump on his forehead.
"Do you remember what happened?" Bobby asked and Dean nodded.
"Bastard was trying to kill Sammy."
Dean felt tears well up in his eyes. Sam had looked so small and helpless in that man's grip, so vulnerable.
"Who were they, Bobby?" He asked.
The older hunter didn't say anything for a moment.
"I'll tell you later."
Dean smiled when Sam began to stir, raising his uninjured arm to wipe sleep from his eyes.
"D-Dean?"
The older brother's heart began to pound in his chest, unsure of how Sam was going to react.
"I'm here, Sammy," he whispered.
The fourteen-year old threw his arm around his brother and hugged him tightly; chin digging into Dean's shoulder.
"You're okay!" Sam exclaimed, his voice muffled against Dean's pillow.
"Of course I am," Dean told him, hugging his brother back unabashedly, "How else would I protect you?"
Sam pulled back suddenly and stared at his brother.
Oh no, Dean thought frantically; here it comes. He opened his mouth to tell his brother that he wasn't going to hurt him, that he wasn't mad at him… anything to prevent Sam from being scared of him again but the fourteen-year old spoke first.
"You did protect me," Sam's voice was filled with shock, "You attacked those men to keep me safe."
Dean stared at Bobby as Sam once again hugged him. The veteran hunter was smiling, his grey eyes wet with tears.
Dean couldn't believe it: Sam trusted him again!
He wrapped his arms around his brother and held onto Sam as tightly as his sibling was holding onto him, relishing the moment.
"I love you, Sammy," Dean murmured and his heart skipped a beat happily when Sam whispered to him, "I love you too, Dean."
Author's Note:
Chapter title comes from a Jon Foreman song of the same name.
Thanks to BruisedBloodyBroken, ncsupnatfan, Mickey12Boo, Souldarkalone, sarah, mandancie, Jkf340, and BranchSuper for reviewing.
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