AN: Special thank you to all my reviewers: OldGirl-NoraArlani, shadowhuntingdauntlessdemigod, MichelleAKF, ItzAGoodThing, sjwmaw, laureleaf and Guest!
"What was that?," Dean breathed, talking to himself more than to the child in front of him. Dean's mind was reeling. He had no idea what had just happened. It was as if Abby had spoken directly into his mind, but not with words. Instead it was a series of images and feelings and concepts way too complicated for a young child. He was tempted to pull out the silver and holy water to test her, but in everything she had shared, there was no evil intent and no sense of magic or angels. Before he could decide, the little girl tilted her head to the side, climbed over the side of the chair, and wrapped her arms around his neck with a contented sigh. Dean automatically made sure she didn't fall by keeping his hold on her tiny wrist and then putting his arm around her. She rested her head against his neck and settled against him like she'd known him her whole life. It was kind of nice.
As Dean sat holding the child, he realized that Abby must have been communicating with Sam through this crazy telepathic thing ever since they had met. And Sam never felt the need to tell him that the child was super powered or something! "Dammit Sammy!" he thought. Dean was still processing this fact when Sam came back into the waiting room. Standing, he walked over to meet his brother halfway.
"Guess what Sam?," he said with a significant look. "Abby here, has been telling me all about herself - with her brain!" Sam blanched a little, giving away the fact that Dean was right, Sam already knew this startling fact. "So, when were you going to tell me about this interesting tidbit?" Dean wanted to growl at Sam but he was very aware of the little warm body curled up against his shoulder so he tried to stay calm.
"Dean," Sam began. "Look, I wasn't trying to hide it, but I didn't know how to tell you. I've never been able to do that before. I didn't even know it was possible, so I just needed some time to figure out what's going on before I looped you in." Dean could tell by Sam's earnest expression that his brother was telling the truth and that the kid felt horribly guilty. Then his brain caught up with what Sam had actually said. He stepped closer forcing Sam to meet his eyes.
"Wait. What? Are you telling me that you can talk to people with your mind? What the hell Sam!" Dean turned away and dragged his free hand down his face. "Jesus, Sammy! You're just full of surprises today." Sam grabbed his arm but kept his voice low.
"Look, I'm sorry. I told you, I've never had this happen before. I didn't even know I could until Abby did it to me." Sam looked like he had more to say, but just then a nurse appeared at Dean's elbow.
"If you'll come with me, we've got Ms. Murray settled into her room. I'll take you to her." Without waiting for a response, the nurse turned and headed through a set of double doors.
"We're not done talking about this, Sam," grumbled Dean as he began to follow the nurse. He was feeling off balance and that made him grumpy. Sure, Sam was a grown man now, but if he was being honest, Dean simply hated that there were still things about his kid brother that he didn't know. Sam grabbed his jacket from where Dean had left it, and they made their way down a series of corridors that all looked pretty much the same. The banal sameness was one of the things Dean hated the most about hospitals - well that and the fact that people he cared about kept ending up in them. The nurse stopped at a door.
"Ms. Murray is doing fine, but it would be best if you didn't tire her out too much, OK?," and with that the nurse pushed open the door and gestured them into the room.
xxxxxxx
The blonde woman in the bed looked pale and shaky, but other than a couple of IV lines in one arm, she seemed comfortable and alert. Apparently Abby didn't agree because Dean heard a soft gasp and the little girl stiffened in his arms. Dean figured the tears he had staved off before were about to appear. Melissa flashed a warm smile when she saw her daughter, although she was obviously puzzled about the two tall strangers.
"Hi Abby," she said as she stretched her arms out towards her child. Dean stepped forward and carefully put the little girl next to her mother on the bed. She pulled the girl in for a hug.
"Mommy, are you OK?" Abby asked in a soft but clear voice. Dean hadn't been sure if the girl could even speak, so he was a bit surprised to hear her talking.
"I'm fine, honey," Melissa said, brushing Abby's hair away from her face and giving the girl a kiss on the forehead before tucking the little girl beneath her arm. She had the grey-blue eyes, and blonde curls that she had passed on to her daughter. "Who are your friends?," she asked although the question was obviously directed towards the two men. At least she seemed more curious than concerned.
"Uh, Hi. I'm Sam and this is my brother Dean..." Sam trailed off. Dean was puzzled to see a deep sorrow cloud Sam's eyes as he stared at Melissa. Dean sighed again. Apparently he wasn't the only one to notice this woman's resemblance to Sam's lost Jessica. Dean took pity on the kid and took over the explanation.
"Hi. Um, when you passed out, Abby came looking for help and found Sam." Dean smiled at the mother and daughter. "Abby led us back to where you'd parked the car and we brought you here to the hospital." Melissa looked a little shocked and turned to the little girl who was still happily tucked under her arm, playing with the edge of the bedcovers.
"Mommy's very proud of you sweetheart. But, I thought you were afraid of people you don't know?." Dean had a feeling that Melissa would be giving Abby the "stranger danger" talk very soon. Abby just shrugged.
"His sparkles were special," the girl explained as if the adults in the room were all slightly stupid. Dean had to suppress a laugh at that. "Besides, Sam is my uncle," she finished with a giggle and went back to tracing the weave on the blanket. Melissa definitely looked confused.
"Uh, yeah. About that." Sam scratched the back of his neck as he confessed. "They weren't able to reach Susan Goldman, your emergency contact, so they were going to get a social worker involved." Melissa squeezed Abby closer to her side, in an intensely protective gesture that Dean was oh, so familiar with. Dean guessed that Sam had made the right call in lying to the hospital staff. "I kinda told the nurse that I was your brother-in-law." Sam looked kind of sheepish, but his tone conveyed his honest intentions. Besides, he was giving Melissa the full puppy dog eyes, so Dean knew that there was no way the woman could be angry with his brother.
"Um, thank you," Melissa replied sincerely. She brushed a hand across her daughter's soft curls. "Abby is a very special girl. She wouldn't do very well in foster care. Usually only Susan or I can touch her without a meltdown." She looked down at Abby fondly. "I'm surprised that she took to you so quickly." Sam looked away, his cheeks a little red.
"Yeah, kids are generally afraid of me." At Sam's comment, Abby struggled to her feet on the bed, then flung her little body at Sam. Dean could hear the woosh of air as she slammed into Sam's stomach and his brother caught her in a loose grip. She stared up at Sam, ignoring the shocked look on her Mom's face.
"You're not scary Sam!" She hugged Sam's middle tightly. Dean just caught the look on Sammy's face before he tipped his head down, covering his expression with his hair. His brother was deeply touched by this child, and Dean couldn't help the smile that crept across his own face at the sight of her blonde head tucked under Sam's darker one. The smile faded as Dean once more thought about everything Sam had lost.
The sweet scene was interrupted by a knock on the open door. The woman standing at the threshold looked to be in her early 50's. She looked a bit flustered and out of breath. Her cardigan was misbuttoned, a large purse was hanging open off her arm, threatening to dump it's contents all over the floor, and there was a flush on her plump cheeks as if she had been running.
"Melissa, sweetie, are you okay?," she asked with a nervous glance at Dean. At the sound of the woman's voice, Abby loosened her grip around Sam and smiled at the woman.
"Susan!," said Melissa, obviously happy to see a familiar face. "Don't worry, I'm going to be fine. But, I thought that they couldn't reach you?"
"Well, I forgot my phone in the car while I was getting my hair done, so I didn't get the messages right away. When I heard that you were in the hospital, I drove straight here." She shot another worried look at Sam' whose arm was still around Abby, protecting her from falling off the high hospital bed.
"Susan, this is Sam, and that's Dean. Abby found them, and they saved me." Melissa explained with a grateful look. The change in Susan was immediate. Her expression went from nervous to accepting in a heartbeat.
"Well, bless you both," she said warmly, patting Sam's arm with one hand and using the other to cup Abby's face. "Thank you for looking after my two favorite girls." She bent and kissed Abby's forehead.
Dean cleared his throat. With Susan here to look after Abby, there was no need to stick around any longer and this whole scene was turning into a soap opera. Sam sought out Dean's eyes and recognized his need to get going. Sam carefully let go of the little girl once she had her balance. Abby sat down at the end of the bed in front of where the two brothers stood.
Another knock on the door startled Susan who had moved to fuss with Melissa's covers in a motherly way.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," said the nurse from earlier, "but I need someone to help complete some paperwork, and I think it's time we let Ms Murray get some rest."
"Of course," said Susan, obviously used to being in charge. She patted Melissa's hand. "I'll take care of this dear, then I'll come get Abby and we'll go have some dinner down in the cafeteria." Then the older woman followed the nurse out the door. Melissa seemed to have spent all her energy because she just weakly waved her approval.
"Well Melissa, it seems that Susan has things under control. Sam and I have to get going, but I'm glad you're going to be okay," said Dean. Turning to Abby, he laid a hand on her blonde head. "It was nice to meet you too, kiddo." Sam opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but then closed it and just smiled instead. As Dean turned to go, he felt a little hand grab onto his jacket.
"Wait," said Abby. Both brothers turned back towards the little girl. Using Dean's arm to stand up again, she looked serious. "I want to give you something for helping Mommy." Sam opened his mouth again, no doubt to refuse thanks for something that they both saw as the right thing to do. But before he could speak Abby reached up and touched Sam's face again. Dean figured she wanted to say goodbye in her freaky mind-meld way, but then she turned and put her fingers against his cheek too.