A/n: Hello everyone, I'm back with a chapter update! I was finally able to get some work now and while at work, I was struck with a random muse which has also completely taken me and this story in a different direction then I had originally planned. I'm pretty excited actually. I managed to get a couple of chapters done and so here we go with chapter 26.

Thank you so so much for your patience. Thank you anyone who reads, reviews, follows, and/or favorites this story. A special thank you to mckydstarlight, freetobescary, LilyBolt, Guest, hollyhobbit 101, and SparksFlyAngel for all your recent reviews and everything! You all are awesome!

Chapter 26

After Robert had found and retrieved the Winchester brothers, Sam had endured an uncomfortable car ride to the hospital, both siblings had been admitted and separated into different rooms, and Sam had been poked and prodded and questioned vigorously, he was far from in a good mood. They confirmed he had a concussion, something he already knew going into the hospital, and they denied him access to Dean's room which he had demanded the doctor let him see his brother a good five or six times within the first few seconds of them getting him situated.

He was sitting on the bed biting at his nails and jiggling his leg rapidly with a miles away look in his hazel eyes, when a wrap of knuckles on the door frame startled the young man out of his stare and it switched from distant to focused.

"How're you holding up Sam?" Robert questioned as he entered the younger Winchester's room eyeing him.

"I'll live, which is why I don't get why they're so adamant on keeping me in this damn place," Sam snapped.

"Concussions aren't anythin' to take lightly," the hunter replied.

"Fuck my concussion!" The younger brother raged, creating a fist and pounding it into the bed, much like he had done earlier to Robert's table back at his house. "Dean was bloody and unconscious for at least an hour before he even got to the hospital! They still haven't given me any news on him and they won't let me go see him!"

"I know, I know Sam. But they ain't doin' all this and preventin' you from seein' Dean to piss you off. They're doin' it to make sure you're both safe," the elder man explained as though Sam were a small child. "I know it ain't easy and all, but have patience. I'm sure they'll let you know what's goin' on when they know."

"How do they not know? It's their job to know!"

"No it's their job to figure it out. You have to give them time, son. You two haven't been here all that long and Dean was in pretty bad shape when we got him here." The hunter paused and narrowed his eyes. "Speakin' of, care to explain what happened?"

Sam's fist remained in a ball, which he tightened at the thought, causing his fingernails to dig into his palm. He bared his teeth and gave Robert a hateful look, which he soon learned wasn't directed at him, but at the man the younger brother spoke of.

"Brady did this to him. To us! He killed Jess, Robert, and he damn near killed Dean!" His words were spiteful.

"Did he happen to say anythin' important?"

Sam shook his head which made him feel a little light headed, but he ignored it. "Not directly. He was very...ambiguous about it. Just kept saying something about being 'destined' for something or another."

The elder man furrowed his brow.

"'Destined?' Huh? He say anything else like what you're destined for?"

"Brady's a talker, always has liked the sound of his own voice, but other than taunting me right up until he disappeared, no."

"That's somethin' else that's been ticklin' my melon, how'd you and yer brother get outta that pickle? By the looks of it, it was by the skin of Dean's teeth."

Sam gulped and his eyes grew soft as they found a spot on the bed and remained there. His tightly clinched fist loosened up slightly and Robert could see his shoulders roll. He waited for an answer and when he didn't get one, he spoke once more.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that."

"I...I don't know, exactly," the twenty two year old replied in a small voice. Robert gave Sam a look that showed him how much he believed what he was hearing. "Seriously, I don't! One minute Brady was teasing me with Dean pinned on the ceiling and I was unable to move. The next, Meg was flung across the room and I was free and threatening to end that son of a bitch Brady."

The room fell into an awkward silence in which case Robert found himself dumbstruck while Sam looked away embarrassed. "I don't know what happened or how, but I was able to free myself and save us because of it," he tried to reason. When the hunter was still speechless he added, "any ideas on how I managed that?"

"Did either of the two have black eyes?" The hunter asked.

"Not that I could see, but then my vision wasn't the absolute best. Why, what does that mean if they did?"

"Means yer friends are demons, or at least possessed by 'em."

"Like what happened to your wife?" The young man questioned. Robert nodded. "Do demons have powers?"

"A bit. Most of 'em can use telekinesis and enjoy pinnin' people down while torturin' them or those they care about. Sounds like what happened to you and yer brother."

"Brady also did something to cause Dean pain internally. Not sure what exactly, but he did it with only a look."

"Sounds like Brady's got a bit more mojo than yer average demon. As fer you, I'm not sure what happened, but I suppose we should be grateful for it. At least for now anyways. From the sounds of it, yer brother was one look away from ending up like yer wife."

Sam cringed at the thought.

"Look, I know you've already done a lot for me and Dean, but is there anyway I could ask you to help me with something?" He asked in a gentle voice. Robert's attention was on the twenty two year old which Sam took as a sign that he was listening. "You think maybe you can have the Impala towed? I'll pay you back."

"Sam, that thing ain't worth the tow. If you hadn't noticed, cars are somethin' I know a thing or two about and trust me, that's more money than it's worth. As nice of a car as it is."

"Maybe so, but that car means the world to my brother. Dad gave it to him and they spent hours sometimes days working on it together pretty much all Dean's life. He'd kill me if he found out it was gone completely. My brother's good with cars, he just needs some parts, tools, and somewhere to store it and he'll have it all fixed up. If not, well, at least he had the option and junking it would be his choice, you know."

The hunter let out a deep sigh and nodded.

"I suppose I otta get to it then. I'll get the car towed back to my place, you boys are gonna need somewhere to stay and rest up and after this hospital bill, I doubt eithera you will be able to afford a room anywhere."

Sam's eyes glistened as he relaxed into the hospital bed with an appreciative smile on his face.

"Thank you Robert. Really, I mean it. You've been a tremendous help. Dean and I owe you big time."

Robert waved a dismissive hand and turned to leave.

After a couple of hours of Sam being left alone in his room, a nurse popped her head in.

"Mr. Winchester? You can see your brother now. Mind you it can't be for long though."

The younger Winchester hurried to his feet without a word and eagerly followed the nurse out of the room and into the hallway until she stopped and motioned to an open room. Sam made his way to the door frame and stopped short. His mouth opened in shock and his eyes began to mist as he stared down at his brother.

An array of machines accompanied him, all making their own noises as they worked away. Among them, and the one that caught Sam's attention most, was a heart rate meter. Wires were attached to Dean and a tube was placed down his esophagus held in place by a mask around his mouth. His face was still a bit beat up, but it was clear of any blood and although it terrified Sam to see his older sibling like this, he was rather grateful to at least hear sounds going off that didn't seem to warrant any immediate medical attention. His good arm was laying straight at his side, while his broken one sat wrapped up in a cast in a sling.

"Oh God," Sam whispered as he stared down at the unresponsive elder Winchester. "Dean." It was like a train wreck, he couldn't look away and at the same time, he didn't want to look. The twenty two year old pulled up the little plastic visitor's chair and seated himself as close to Dean's bed as possible without disturbing any of the cords that connected his brother to the multiple machines.

"Mr. Winchester," a booming voice addressed. Sam peeled his gaze from his sibling to look over at the man who had joined them, recognizing him immediately as his and likely his brother's doctor. "We'd like to keep you for one more night, just to make sure it's nothing more than a concussion."

"What about my brother?" Sam asked.

"I'm going to be honest with you," the man started with a frown, "it's not looking good. His arm should be corrected over the course of time as is usually the case. As long as he wears the sling and he doesn't strain or injure it again in its process. The cut in his stomach, although a lot deeper than we had anticipated, is stitched up and will be on its way to mending. Provided it doesn't get irritated. But what worries me are...well a couple things, actually. He's sustained a brain injury which we thought was the main reason for him being in this state, but then we found..." A baffled expression took the frown's place. " I've been in the medical career for about twenty-seven years, I've seen many things come into this hospital, but you're brother's case...I've never seen it before. I'm not even sure how to explain it or what it even is honestly."

"What?" Sam's heart pounded in his throat.

"He appears to be, for lack of a better term, burnt internally. You can understand why this concerns me."

Now the younger Winchester looked back over at his brother before looking back up at the doctor.

"So when are you thinking he's going to wake up?"

"Right now, it's more a matter of if he'll wake up?"

"If?" Sam repeated.

"It's like I said earlier Mr. Winchester, your brother's condition is far from good. But we're doing all we can and right now, we can't do anything else except keep an eye on him and hope for the best."

"Hope for the best?" The twenty two year old echoed in disbelief jumping to his feet. "You're a doctor. This is a hospital."

"And we are doing everything that we can. We work with medicine, not miracles. I'll have someone come in and check on him shortly."

Once more Sam had the room to himself with the exception of the various sounds of the machines and Dean. He ran his hands through his hair, let out a deep breath, and allowed himself to sink back in his previous seat where he returned his full attention to his big brother. "I'm-I'm so sorry, Dean," he whispered to him. Tears blurred his vision. "I know the doctor says you're in pretty bad shape, but I need you to pull through, ok? I know I've said some mean things in the past, but, I need you. I'm ready to have my big brother back. Like when we were kids, you know? Before all the bullshit and lies and everything. I just lost Jessica, twice, I can't lose anyone else. I just can't." Sam scrubbed a hand over his face to clear away the tears that had trickled down his cheeks before resting his hand on his sibling's bed. He sat like that, simply watching Dean, hoping for any reaction or signs that he was becoming conscious. Only looking up briefly to eye the machines.

An hour passed by before anyone came in to check on the Winchesters, though Sam could have sworn it was more like hours than just one. The nurse gave the younger sibling a smile, and a nod in acknowledgement before turning her full focus on Dean. The twenty two year old watched her work, trying to notice and take in everything she was doing as well as the expression on her face as she consulted the machines. However, this nurse had one hell of a poker face, and so Sam instead directed his attention on his brother once more. Leaning over slightly in his chair to see if he could make out what she was jotting down. When the nurse was done, she gave Sam another polite grin and quietly took her leave.

Only a few minutes after the first nurse, another entered. Her features were less soft, as were her interactions with Sam.

"I'm going to have to ask you to go back to your room now," she replied bluntly.

"I'm not hurting anything by being here. Please, just a few more minutes?" Sam asked giving the woman a pleading look.

"I'm sorry, you have to go. You can check in on him later."

"Can I at least say goodbye? Just for a minute?"

The woman threw the younger man a disapproving glare, but stepped out into the hallway without a word. The twenty two year old peered back down at his brother and sighed. "I'll be back, and when I am, you better open your eyes. Ok?" He tried to tease. "Please Dean, wake up."

XXX

It was late before anyone came into Sam's room again. Not that he minded though, if he couldn't be in Dean's room, then he didn't want anyone in his. It had been a good few hours ago that he had been able to see his sibling, and he could only assume that no news meant no change. For better or for worse.

He could finally start to feel his eyelids grow heavy, when the sound of someone knocking on his door frame startled him awake.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake ya," Robert apologized at the entrance.

"You didn't, it's fine. Come in," Sam replied stifling a yawn and pulling himself up to sitting position in the hospital bed.

"Well, the Impala's safe and sound back at my place so whenever you boys are cleared..."

"Thanks Robert," Sam gave him a smile that quickly fell into a frown.

"Any news on Dean?" He asked.

"They stitched up his gash and he's in a sling for his arm," Sam replied trying to sound upbeat, but the hunter caught on.

"But?"

"But...they uh, he's burnt, internally. The doctor says he's never seen anything like it, I have no doubt that that's the result of Brady's work."

"More 'n likely," the elder man agreed.

Sam's bottom lip began to tremble and he bowed his head as he worked on forming words to continue his report on his brother's condition. "They...they say that he..." The younger brother took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "They don't know when he's going to wake up. They don't know...'if' he's going to wake up."

Robert nodded to show he understood, but for a while found he didn't know what to say to the young man. He'd just lost his wife, and whether the two brothers had 'bad water under the bridge' as the elder Winchester had mentioned to him at the diner or not, he couldn't imagine that news of his sibling passing away would be taken well in the least bit.

"Do you have any family you want to call and inform? You mentioned a father earlier."

Sam shook his head, "Dad died a couple years ago."

"Oh. I'm sorry fer yer lose," Robert replied sympathetically.

"Thanks."

Sam's eyes grew wide and he gulped.

"You alright there, Sam?"

"Mom," he answered. "She's going to be pissed when she hears about this."

"Pissed? I think more like worried," the hunter corrected him.

"Oh she's going to be beyond worried, but she has no idea that Dean and I aren't in Palo Alto. We never told her about any of this. Well she knows about Jessica but not the whole me looking for answers about her death and who killed her and all of that. Dean wanted to tell her but I-I just didn't want to worry her, you know?"

"It's probably best you give her call then," Robert advised. "Poor woman's probably worried sick if you haven't talked to her in a while."

"You didn't happen to find my phone when you went back for the car, did you?"

"You didn't mention a phone."

"Right."

"Here, you can borrow mine," the elder man handed Sam his cell. It rang a few times before finally the other line picked up.

"'Hello?" Mary's voice sounded.

"Hey Mom," Sam responded timidly.

"Samuel Winchester! What the hell is the matter with you?! I have been calling you and your brother and both of your phones are going straight to voicemail. Why is that? Why haven't you boys been answering my calls? What in the hell is going on?!"

Robert cringed as he heard Mary in clarity as Sam pulled the phone away from his ear.

"I don't have time to explain everything but there's something you need to know."

"There's many things I need to know. You'll make time," she snapped.

"Mom, we were in a-a car accident in Sioux Falls in South Dakota. Dean he, uh, he...it's not good Mom." Sam waited for another explosion of questions and concerns, but instead got nothing. "M-Mom?"

"I'm going to be on the next flight out and then you are going to tell me EVERYTHING. Do you understand me?" She asked in a dangerously calm voice.

"Yes Ma'am," Sam gulped.

"Good, who's number is this?"

"Uh my friend, Robert Singer."

"I'll call this number when I've landed. See you in a few hours." With that the call dropped and the twenty two year old looked from the phone to its owner.

"So," Robert cleared his throat, "I take it since you can't leave and don't have a car and yer brother is out of commission for the time being, I have the honor of picking up your mother from the airport?"

"Like I said earlier, we owe you."

A/n: Thank you again everyone! And good luck with the season premiere of our boys tomorrow! Thank goodness Hellatus comes to a close!

Guest: Aw, sorry to put you through so much emotion. Yes, it wouldn't be good for Sam to lose Dean after Jessica and if something happened to him...probably Sam would go through great lengths to get him back. The boys are lucky to have Bobby and as for Brady, we shall see what happens with him. Thank you so much as always for everything!

SparksFlyAngel: I'm so glad you liked this chapter! Hopefully I've answered some of those wonders? Yes, Sam used his demonic psychic abilities to save them unknowingly. Thank you so much for your review, and I hope you liked this chapter as well!