Dean woke up, feeling quite cold. He groaned slightly, and tried to shift, hissing a bit at the pain it caused him. He furrowed his brow, blindly reaching his arm out to the side, not coming in contact with anything. Finally he opened his eyes, looking past the oxygen mask and across the bed, surprised to find it empty. Movement caught his eye and he looked up, finding his brother sitting at the chair at the end of the bed.

The younger hunter stood, coming over and taking Dean's wrist in his hand, glancing at his watch to keep time. "Good afternoon." Sam said simply, letting Dean's wrist fall back to the bed. "You think you can switch to oxygen through the nose?"

Dean looked confused, but he nodded, eager to get this unwieldy mask off his face. He slipped it off immediately, getting a scolding glare from his brother while he struggled to quickly switch it over to a nasal cannula and secure that in place on Dean's face. "Cas?" He finally asked, clearing his throat.

"Washing up. Or at least as best he can without showering." Sam replied. "He's getting the hang of the wheelchair."

Dean nodded, slowly orienting himself.

"Dude, you scared the shit out of me." Sam finally breathed, sinking into the chair closer to the side of the bed.

Dean rolled his eyes. "That was my intent." He didn't want to admit just how scared he was during that whole ordeal.

"God, I just-" Sam shook his head. "Man, monsters I can handle. The thought of you dying because of a car crash…"

"Hey, demons crashed my baby, that counts." Dean quipped, voice still rough from yesterday, but a smile starting to work it's way onto his face.

"Hows breathing today?"

"Still hurts like a bitch but…" Dean tested a slightly deeper breath. "I can take a bit of a deeper breath now."

"Good. You keep that up. And I'm serious about coughing. So help me, if you get pneumonia, I'm going to beat your ass into next week."

Dean gave a muffled cough, flipping his middle finger at his younger brother. Sam looked away, but he still saw the flash of blue in his eyes as his angel co-pilot took over.

"Zeek." Dean greeted, gaze cooling. "Thanks for helping with those demons."

"There will be more after your brother. This presents a greater risk to him and myself."

"Yeah, well. So sorry to inconvenience you with my untimely almost-death."

"It is imperative that Sam return to the relative safety of the bunker until the demon threat has dissipated."

Dean squinted his eyes at the angel. "Dude, I hate to break it to you, but Cas and I aren't exactly up to take a plane. Hell, I'm not even roadworthy at the moment."

The angel Dean believed to be Ezekiel lowered his head, looking up with what looked like a pained expression. "I am aware."

Dean's eyes narrowed. "So you want Sam to leave Cas and I behind."

"Protecting your brother is my mission. Being out of the bunker while being hunted by demons is counterproductive to that goal."

"Demons can't even find us, we're all warded, and we don't even have the Impala right now." He shook his head. "Even if they did find us, they couldn't get in."

"You were warded when they found you last time. When they lured you from the bunker. I have allowed you to let Castiel stay against my wishes. I have kept your brother alive through the ordeal at the hospital. I cannot continue to take on risk at this rate."

"Even if I did agree, how the fuck am I supposed to convince Sam to leave me when he's so damn freaked out over what's gone wrong so far?"

"I did not say it would be easy. Merely that it is necessary."

"Yeah I just don't see that happening…"

"I don't know, I think I'll win that fight." Sam's more lively voice cut back.

Dean flushed, eyes widening as he tried to backtrack, and remembered Sam's quip about pneumonia or something. "Right…" He said weakly.

Sam's expression turned immediately to concern at the drop in Dean's voice. "What's wrong?" He asked, his head going through the list of possibly post-op complications.

"Nothing." Dean said. He saw Sam's panic. "Nothing!" He assured him, clearing his throat. "I just think maybe…" Everything he could think of sounded lame in his head. "Maybe you should think about heading back to the bunker."

Sam stared at him for a moment. "What?"

Dean put his hands up slightly, trying to placate the confusion before it could turn hostile.

"If the demons think you have Crowley, they're going to be looking for him. What if they find the bunker?"

"No demon has any idea where the bunker is." Sam said firmly.

"And that's good in theory. But I don't feel comfortable leaving Kevin alone with Crowley to begin with, and now with some sort of, uh, demon battalion on a warpath to find him?"

"Dean, you're kidding me, right?"

"I'm just saying-"

"You almost died, last night. Cas and I full on breathed for you with a bag for over an hour. And you think I'm going to just leave?" Sam was mad now.

Dean sputtered as he thought of a response, his face red. He knew he was losing the argument, and he knew if the roles were reversed he would have knocked Sam out for even suggesting this. "Sam-"

"Dean… When they called me after the accident I thought you were going to be dead by the time I got there. And when the demons started attacking in the hospital, I thought they had started with you. I can't just leave you here."

"Sam, I'm not going to be able to get on the road for a couple weeks at least… Kevin is our responsibility… we can't leave him alone." He felt awful. He knew their responsibility to Kevin was a low blow considering all the crap he gave him when he got back from Purgatory.

Sam stared at him for a moment before sinking into the chair a bit, rubbing his face with his hands for a moment to try to clear his head. "What about you two." He said at last, not agreeing but willing to hear Dean out.

"I'm doing better already. And Cas will be fine. I got two arms, he's got one leg. I mean Sam, there's two rooms in this whole cabin, what is the worst we can get into?"

"You really want me to answer that?"

"No, not really." Dean sighed. "Look man. I appreciate you flying out here, and you really saved our asses. And mine again last night. But I can breathe now, so my lungs aren't going to collapse again, right?"

"Probably not."

"And other than that, it's just waiting for things to heal up. We have the meds. We have the wheelchair-"

"Two wheelchairs."

"Even better." The older hunter sighed. "We can handle this. It's all stuff I'm familiar with now."

Sam looked distressed, but he slowly nodded. "Phone contact, every day. No bullshitting me, if you get worse, you tell me and I'm coming back out."

"You got it."

"Two weeks. That's it. In two weeks I'm flying back. I'll rent a car and drag you both home then."

Dean nodded. "Agreed."

Sam let out a breath. "This still feels like a stupid plan."

"It's the best we have. Cas and I will hole up here and you can go make sure Kevin and the former king of dicks are settled."

Sam tilted his head back. "Fine." He shakily got to his feet. "I'm going to go to town on a supply run. Make sure you two idiots have enough to last. Maybe pick up an air mattress so Cas doesn't end up stuffed on the couch with his ribs all bruised to hell."

"Sounds good to me. And Sam-"

"Pie. Yeah. I know."

Dean smiled. "Oh, and pick up some trash bags and duct tape so we can take a real shower."

"Or I could just go to a pharmacy and get those cast covers that are meant for that."

"We don't even have plaster casts, trash bags will work just fine."

Sam rolled his eyes. He grabbed the meds off the counter, bringing them to Dean. "Antibiotics, pain meds. And when Cas comes back in, make him do the same." He handed Dean a cereal bar. "And eat. If you aren't eating by this evening forget it, I'm not leaving."

"Yes yes, fine, whatever." Dean said, unwrapping the cereal bar and taking a bit in front of Sam with an annoyed expression painted across his face.

"Jackass."

"Sam?"

"What?"

"Thanks…"

Sam hesitated in the doorway. "Of course." He slipped out.

.

Cas finally returned to the bedroom, hitting the door frame no less than three times as he tried to maneuver through it with one good arm and one good leg pulling him along. He looked relieved to see Dean awake. "I heard Sam leave…?"

"Yeah, supply run." Dean explained.

"Ah."

"Yeah, he's going to be heading back to the bunker and wanted to make sure we had what we needed."

Cas' eyes widened. "The bunker? So soon?"

"Kevin's alone with Crowley, sort of freaking out." Dean said, stretching the truth.

Cas nodded slowly. "And we cannot return with him." He said slowly.

"Well, technically you could. I'm not up for a car trip like that just yet."

"I would not leave you alone here."

"Yeah, I figured. Hence Sam heading back solo."

Cas was silent for a moment. "Do you think it is wise? I am far less proficient with human medical matters than Sam…"

"Hey, I'm here too."

"But you are the one who may stop breathing…"

"Sam says that isn't likely." Dean said, beaming a smile. He coughed slightly, frowning and rolling his eyes. "Cas, you'll find out soon, that most of the healing is just really boring. I'll walk you through some of the minor stuff, but it should be okay." He threw a sympathetic glance as Cas looked somewhat terrified still but was trying to hide it. "Hey, Sam is just a phone call away, and believe me when I tell you he'll be checking in constantly. And besides, it's only for two weeks. He'll be back and we'll drive home together then."

"And if things go wrong before then-"

"He'll be on the first plane over here. Again." Dean sighed, seeing that Cas did not look convinced at all. "Hey… last night sucked, I'm not gonna lie, but it's over. I'm fine."

Cas pulled a face, but relented, starting to wheel over towards the chair next to the bed. He picked up and tried to readjust the sling so he could put his braced arm back inside, but with just the one hand he was having trouble.

Dean pushed himself more upright against the pile of bedding near the headboard. "Hey, get over here."

Castiel looked up, somewhat embarrassed. He turned the wheelchair, climbing up on to sit on the bed. He twisted, handing Dean the sling.

Dean held it up for a second before sliding the straps to the correct length, cinching it up from where it was loosened when Cas tossed it aside yesterday. He helped guide it over Cas' head, holding it steady as Cas slipped his arm back in.

"Thanks. It is difficult..."

"I've got two good hands, I'm cheating." Dean dismissed.

"Dean, I'm not sure if it is wise that Sam leaves."

Dean reached out, grabbing the former angel's uninjured hand. "Look at me."

Cas seemed surprised at the sudden contact, but looked up to see Dean's eyes.

"It is going to be okay." He repeated firmly. He gave Cas' hand a small reassuring squeeze.

In turn Cas gripped Dean's hand, finding the pressure an anchor, one he desperately needed. He looked down, trying to calm his racing thoughts. Not for the first time in these past weeks he cursed the strength of human emotion. Feelings came on so fast he usually couldn't even tell what prompted them, and they were so strong they felt as if he would be crushed under their weight.

"Cas. It is going to be okay." He gave Cas' hand a small tug.

The former angel looked up, confused, but he shifted so he could follow the pull on his arm. He settled back against the pile of cushions, body tense, trying to follow exactly what Dean wanted of him.

Dean hesitated one last time, his mind quickly reeling at his actions, but his calmer Vicodin driven mind fought that hesitation away. Cas was freaking out, and he could help. He shifted, making room and pulling the former angel against him.

Cas finally allowed himself to lean against the uninjured side of the hunter's chest, feeling completely out of place. This was unlike the gruff hunter, but right now he didn't care. After everything they had been through, every near death experience in their lives, and the four just this month, he needed this comfort. He relaxed as he felt Dean's steady breath, clearly broadcasting that the hunter still lived.

Dean relaxed as well, chalking it up to the return of warmth after he had been chilled all morning. He lifted his arm, wrapping it around the former angel and resting on his back. "It's going to be okay." He said one last time.

And Cas believed him.

My husband's only comment when he beta'd this chapter: "Hey, that's pretty gay."