Chapter Twenty-Three
Dr. Greene appeared in the doorway and beckoned Bobby and John out of the room, most likely to review important information concerning Sam's health with them before he allowed his young patient to be released.
"How you doing?" Dean asked his brother as he turned his attention back to his sibling.
Sam shrugged, "Okay."
"Next time we'll bring along that book Rayann gave you so you can practice."
The younger teen nodded and closed his eyes, leaning his head back.
SPN
Randall Gorman was close. He knew it. The trail he was following was much clearer- brighter- than before. He crossed into Sioux Falls and followed the road to a dumpy-looking junkyard. The fence was open so Randall drove up the dirt driveway.
He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to do. He just needed to see the boy, make sure he was the one William Findlay had told him about.
Maybe he could claim he was having car trouble.
It seemed that would have to wait however. Both buildings on the property- a slightly dilapidated house and a garage- were clearly empty. No one was home.
Randall let his car idle for a moment. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
Should he wait for the boy to return? What if he didn't?
Randall was growing tired of driving all over the country to find some boy just because Findlay wanted to know his whereabouts.
Randall put his car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. As he retreated farther from the house he caught sight of the boy's trail again, leaving the property.
"I hope this is worth it," the man muttered wearily as he turned his car in the direction of downtown Sioux Falls and followed the trail to the hospital.
W
This wasn't good, Gorman thought.
The kid was in the hospital now?
Randall almost drove right past the building. He wanted to. He wanted to say 'screw it' and leave. He didn't owe Findlay anything and to tell the truth, people like him always creeped Randall out.
But something told the criminal he should go in, just go in and see.
So he found a parking spot and made his way inside.
He didn't know the boy's name but he did have a description from Findlay.
Also, once he picked up the kid's trial again, finding him would be easy.
SPN
"If Sam's condition changes in any way for the worse," Dr. Greene told the father and friend, "Bring him in right away."
John nodded, feeling overwhelmed.
Not only was Sam blind but also his remaining kidney was on the verge of failure. He would need to visit Sioux Falls General four times a week for five hours of dialysis and be on a strict diet that cut out salt, excess proteins and fluids.
"How long until you find Sam a kidney?" John asked. He couldn't help it. He felt as though Sam's new illness was somehow his fault. He should have been there for his youngest, should have been more attentive to his needs.
Dr. Greene sighed, "I'm not sure Mr. Winchester, really. It could be weeks or months… or, in the worst-case scenario, years."
John felt colour drain from his face. This wasn't going to be a quick fix. The reality of what was happening was really beginning to sink in for the first time since he had driven his sons to the Emergency room because Sam was spiking a fever.
"We are searching," Dr. Greene assured the father, "I promise you."
John nodded, "Ah, is that everything, Doctor?"
The physician nodded, "I'll sign your son's release forms and leave them at the Nurses' Station for you."
Dr. Greene shook both hunters' hands and made his way down the hall.
Bobby looked at the father for a moment.
"You look like you could use a coffee, Johnny."
The younger man looked towards the room where his sons were.
"They'll be alright for a half-hour or so," Bobby assured him.
"Alright," John said and followed his friend down to the cafeteria.
SPN
Randall Gorman watched the two men walk away from the room the boy was in.
One of them was the teen's father. The taller one with salt-and pepper hair and dark eyes had a gold nimbus around him, like an aura. Randall was sure the boy he sought would have one that looked almost exactly like this one too.
Walking forward casually, Randall went to the door and opened it.
SPN
Dean looked up, expecting his Dad and Bobby to be standing there but instead it was a stranger.
Sam opened his eyes at the sound of the door opening, "Dad?"
"Sorry," the man said, "Wrong room."
Dean eyed the man; though not suspicious- there were lots of random people at hospitals- he was surprised.
The guy was wearing blue jeans and running shoes that had seen better days. He also had on a plain grey t-shirt and blue baseball cap. He had plain features, the kind that were easily forgotten. Nothing at all stuck out about the man.
"No problem," Dean muttered, "Are you looking for someone?"
The man shrugged, "My wife's having a baby. She's been in labour for a couple of hours now and I'm just waiting."
Why wouldn't the guy be down at the maternity ward then, Dean wondered but didn't question him.
"Oh, congratulations," he said, instead.
"Thanks," the stranger said and closed the door.
Dean looked at his brother.
"That was weird," he muttered and Sam nodded.
SPN
Randall wiped a hand over his face and headed down the hallway.
He was not expecting that.
The poor kid was a mess!
Being on a dialysis machine meant that his kidneys were going for a shit and when he'd opened his eyes and Randall saw they were white…
He was blind.
What the hell had they done to him at Dunhill?
Clearly William Findlay didn't know everything that had gone on in the North Hall.
Randall didn't know what he should do. He didn't know what Findlay wanted the boy for but he sure it wasn't to apologize for what had been done to him.
This whole thing seemed like it was going to end badly for the teen.
Making up his mind quickly, Randall decided that Findlay needn't know he'd found the teen. In fact, Randall decided that he was not going to contact the former director of the Dunhill Psychiatric Hospital again; Findlay was not likely to be acquitted for his crimes anyway, the evidence against him was too damning.
Just leave, Gorman told himself, there's nothing left for you to do here.
But that wasn't exactly true.
The criminal glanced down the hallway and saw the thin gold thread trailing along the worn tile floor.
Sighing and shaking his head, Randall followed it, wondering what had happened to make him go so soft.
SPN
The nurse smiled kindly at Sam- despite the fact that he could not see her- and carefully removed the IV needles from his arm.
She quickly placed cotton balls on the dual sites and asked Dean to hold them down so she could put medical tape over them.
Sam looked relieved just to be able to get away from the dialysis machine.
"You okay, Sammy?" Dean asked as the nurse gathered up the materials, unhooking the IV lines from the machine and putting them and the sharps into the small yellow Bio-Hazardous Waste bin on the wall.
"Yeah," he muttered, "Do I have to use the wheelchair?"
Dean shook his head, "Nah, you're a free man. No more wheelchairs for you."
Sam smiled slightly and Dean pressed his cane into his hand.
"Let's go find Dad and Bobby and get the hell out of here," Dean announced and Sam nodded.
The two brothers walked close together, Sam tapping the cane in front of him and listening carefully to the sound it made against the tiled floor.
"You're getting pretty good at that, you know?" Dean complimented. Sam hadn't had much chance to use his cane while in the hospital but he managed to keep up with Dean as they walked, moving in a straight line down the hallway.
Sam shrugged, blushing slightly.
"Son! How're you feeling?" Bobby announced as he and John turned the corner, just leaving the cafeteria.
Sam shrugged, "Okay, I guess."
"He's fantastic," Dean supplied, "He gets to go home."
The small family made their way down the hallway towards the exit, glad to be finally leaving but also knowing that they would have to return soon.
Author's Note:
Thanks to Ghostwriter, SamDeanLover28, mandancie, MysteryMadchen, mechachic, , BranchSuper, mara-isamoose, reannablue, . , L.A.H.H, whatnosheep, SammysDaemon, and Jenjoremy for reviewing.
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