I really wanted to wrap this fic up in 30 chapters and I just could not do it lol.
We're wrapping up the angst so you can expect a *bit* more fluff in these chapters.
I admit, there is a time jump. This means there is a bit more exposition at the beginning, but ya'll I just don't have it in me to write it day by day lol.
Please enjoy!
~TH~
Dean hated this. Like a lot.
This should be what the DARE program focused on. How crappy you feel when you don't have access anymore.
Mac had returned from the hospital later that night, turned off the TV, and calmly explained to Dean what was going on. He had run numerous tests on the pills trying to find a known substitute. The drug matched nothing in the system. After more research it was discovered that pills were fully supernatural. The closest match the doctor could find was Djinn poison, and as far as they knew the poison wasn't addictive. Jim believed that the pills contained solely the Entetee's blood.
It was ironic. Blood for blood.
And Dean had thought blood was going to be spilled when they were trying to decide what to do. Once again Dean had no say in his own life. Caleb screaming that the pills should be burned. Jim trying to reason the supernatural aspects out. But of course, Mac had the final say.
Dean would be allowed to continue talking the pills in controlled doses. Eventually he would be off of them completely. Dean was just glad Caleb hadn't gotten his wish. If he was this sick slowly coming off of them…
Mac gave him the pills on a started with a full pull in the morning and a half in the evening. Dean had felt slightly irritable but overall he was still okay. The next day he had been given half each time. This lasted for two days. This is when he began to lose his appetite, he snapped at everyone and was cold. Not like, go put on a jacket cold, but like deep in your bones doesn't want to function cold. Then two days where he was given half a pill in the morning. He stopped eating. Nothing sounded good. Some foods made him sick but it was more that the idea of eating was repulsive. His head felt stuffy. His eyes hurt. He was still irritable but even more so just tired.
And today- today he hadn't had anything, It'd been well over twenty-four hours.
And he felt like crap.
The stuffiness that had begun over the last couple days now full out pounding. He thought his eyes might just decide to fall out but then again his eye lids felt too swollen for that. Two boxes of tissues had already been sacrificed and the third was about to join its friends.
He had to give it to Mac, his nervous system hadn't completely shut down this time. Not that he didn't still shake. But instead of uncontrollable twitching, it was more subtle. More manageable.
They wouldn't talk about his mood. He knew he was being ridiculous. He'd snapped at Jim earlier. The pastor had acted as if everything Dean had said had been reasonable and in an appropriate tone. Dean guessed what was the most different about his irritability is that now he felt guilty afterwards. He used to not care. He used to think they deserved it. Now he wanted to crawl into a whole in die everytime scathing words tumbled out uncontrolled.
Overall, Dean felt like he had the flu. He was fevered, trembling, freezing, pounding head, congested chest and sinuses.
Again, he felt like crap.
Everyone had been frustratingly patient with him. Trying to coax him to eat, or drink, or sleep.
And worst of all, it was Halloween. The coolest freakin' holiday and he was stuck curled up on the couch, trying to arrange the tissue box so that he wouldn't have to move his hand to grab one.
He guess it was appropriate. There was one symptom he couldn't bring himself to confess. The hallucinations. They weren't as strong as they had once been. Back at the Castle, Dean had had an intense hallucination about Caleb. The first time he'd gone through withdrawls.
But this time felt different. This time it was Vivian. She didn't talk to him. Didn't try to show him the errors of his ways. Didn't parrot back his thoughts. She was just… there. That was it. Existing.
Dreams were a whole different story. That was her domain. She would lead him through twisted hallways in his mind. Trying to convince him of something. He always woke up not knowing exactly what her point had been. Unless it was to torture him.
But why her? What was significant about this random girl he'd only interacted with once or twice? Carlos would have made more sense but he had no control over what avatar his brain claimed. She also looked different every time. Sometimes she was young, exactly how he remembered her. Sometimes she was an adult. Sometimes his age. But even when she was wrong he knew it was her. Knew that when she appeared before him, sallow eyes, weak, pale, knew that it was his fault. He didn't know how or why but it was connected to him.
But sometimes she would come to visit when he was at his worst. When he hadn't been able to choke down any food all day and his stomach was cramping and he was pretty sure his body was going to turn inside out. Then she would stare at him. Sunken eyes, pale skin. Dean wanted to tell her to leave. Let him suffer in private. But he couldn't. Because besides making him look crazy, it wouldn't have done any good.
There was another ghost haunting Dean's every move. His name was Caleb. The psychic had not left his side all week. Dean had vetoed being watched in his sleep (that was just creepy) and the compromise was leaving the door open. Nightmares were almost guaranteed in his current state and Caleb was always there when he woke up.
And during the day he barely had five minutes of peace. Even when Dean snapped at him or was in pain, or was lost in his own head. Caleb was always there. He wouldn't leave.
It was… nice.
And infuriating.
Caleb said he had to earn his privacy back. Mac and Jim had remained silent on the issue. Which meant he had the pleasure of being babysat.
And yeah okay he could kind of see their point. Especially since he'd try to pass out on the stairs. Caleb had been able to catch him.
Stupid Caleb. Stupid fever. Stupid drugs.
Halloween had been uneventful. Bad horror flicks while dying on the couch didn't really match up to Dean's ideal Halloween fun but whatever. He wasn't going anywhere. Mac was threatening him with an IV if he didn't start drinking water but even the idea of water made him nauseous.
Jim had come in, seen the TV and frowned. He didn't typically approve of horror movies. He claimed it was an inaccurate portrayal with far too much language, violence, and sex. But today, he hadn't said anything about it, only asking if there was anything particular Dean wanted for lunch. Jim had always been soft on the boys when they were sick. And Dean was definitely sick.
Sam had left a couple of hours ago to go with Pastor Jim to the church's Harvest Festival. The teen hadn't wanted to go but Jim had insisted that he needed to get out. Dean certainly hadn't been upset that Sam had left. The mopey teen was grating on Dean's nerves even more than the rest of humanity was.
The shocking part was that Caleb had actually gone out. Then again, Dean wasn't really in a condition to move. A fortress of blankets surrounded him and Dean wouldn't be upset if someone added a few more. He sank into Caleb's hoodie, unsure of when he'd stolen the thing but thankful for it now.
Mac sat on the other side of the room somehow managing to read through the best part of Poltergeist. He was tempted to ask the doctor for just half a pill. Even a quarter. Just something to take the edge off. He knew better. He would ask. Mac would give him some long speech about how this was the best way to effectively clean out Dean's system. Dean would sulk. Might as well skip the lecture part.
He grabbed another tissue, hoping to stem the constant leaking from his nose. Dean had wondered briefly if he'd contracted the flu on top of everything else. Mac had assured him that this was normal. He'd been expecting it.
It seemed the father had taken over for the son in the "don't leave Dean a moment of privacy" department.
The distinguished crunch of Caleb's jeep coming down the driveway caused Dean to bury himself deeper in the blankets. He was hoping Mac didn't remember his offer- threat really- to bring Dean food when Caleb returned.
The door swung open and Caleb appeared with numerous grocery packages were dropped onto the kitchen table before digging through them. A box of tissues, followed by a bag of something, was tossed towards Dean, landing near his feet on the couch.
Dean glanced up at his friend, unsure of what he would have grabbed for him. He risked releasing a hand from the cocoon of blanket, ignoring the tissues and finding a large bag of fun sized candy.
"Dude." Dean ripped open the bag, momentarily forgetting that he hadn't even been able to keep water down a couple of hours ago.
"It's Halloween, Deuce. Everyone should get to celebrate."
Dean didn't miss the fond smile that Mac shot at his son before offering a mandatory, "Don't eat too much at once."
Caleb ignored the rest of the groceries plopping beside Dean and grabbing a Kit-Kat from the bag.
"Hey, these are mine." Dean said around his own Snickers.
Damien didn't answer, biting the bar directly in half.
"Dude if you're going to steal my food, at least eat it like a civilized person."
The only answer was for the older hunter to point at the TV. "Turn the volume up, this is the best part."
Mac rolled his eyes as Dean obliged the request. The Doctor stood. "I'm going to find somewhere else to read. Let me know if you need anything. And at least attempt to not eat all of that tonight."
And Despite feeling like crap and the fact that Vivian was staring at him from Sam's favorite chair, Dean felt like it was possible for things to be okay again.
~TH~
Caleb holds my heart. I love him so much.
Next chapter will wrap up the plot. Then after that it's just the epilogue!
Please let me know what you guys think 3
Much love and God bless,
Jamie