![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Devil's Trap Choose Your Own Adventure - Part 3C
Sam nearly jumped out of his bed when Dean’s doctor appeared in their doorway. He went on about internal injuries and how it was a miracle Dean was still alive and a whole bunch of other crap before letting them see Dean.
Sam felt like someone sucker punched him when he got a good look at all of Dean’s injuries under the harsh, fluorescent hospital lights. There wasn’t a piece of skin that wasn’t covered in bruises or abrasions. How the hell had Sam walked away so unscathed while Dean looked so bad? Were they even in the same accident?
“This still won’t stop him from charming the ladies,” John stated as the orderly pushed his wheelchair over to Dean’s bed.
Sam watched John watching Dean for a few seconds before pulling up a chair along the other side of Dean’s bed. Sam took his brother’s hand in his own and said, “Dude, if you don’t wake up, I’m thinking about talking about my feelings…all of them…the whole day long.”
When Dean didn’t say anything – not a coma, the doctor had said – Sam took a deep breath to steady his voice and continued, “And I was thinking about borrowing a cd player from one of the nurses and playing you all my favorite music. I know how much you love Dave Matthews Band.”
“That’s…not…cool…”
Sam thought for a second that he hallucinated Dean’s voice. His brother’s eyes were still shut and his mouth didn’t appear to be moving. But then Sam noticed the smile spreading across his father’s face, and Sam said, “I guess you’ll have to wake up then. Maybe some Coldplay too.”
Dean groaned and blinked his eyes open. He glanced from Sam to his father and said, “You guys look like shit.” Dean focused his gaze on his father for a moment and added, “Especially you. One gun shot to the leg and the man throws hygiene to the wind.”
“Watch it, little man,” John replied with a forced glower. Years of being on the receiving end of the real thing made it quite obvious that his father wasn’t angry at all. “Your brother and I have been waiting on you to wake up. How are you feeling?”
“Like a demon tried to gut me.”
Sam rolled his eyes and said, “Not funny.” Standing up, he said, “I’m gonna hunt down a doctor.”
Sam didn’t even have a chance to let go of Dean’s hand before Dean’s whole body paled and he got a panicked look on his face. Dean squeezed Sam’s hand and said, “I don’t want you to go.”
“I’m just…”
“Please, Sammy.”
“Yeah, alright. Not going anywhere,” Sam replied. He sat back down and looked at their father, trying to keep the worry from Dean’s appraising gaze. It wasn’t like Dean to be this way. Normally, Dean would rather eat his own vomit than let anyone know that he needed anything. Sam motioned to the nurse’s desk and said, “Dad, maybe you could see if…”
“It’s almost time for my next round of tests anyway,” John replied. He leaned forward and covered Dean’s other hand with his own. He said, “I’ll be back later to check on you, Dean. You hang in there.”
“You too.”
Sam fought the urge to roll his eyes again. For Dean and his father, this was an emotional moment. He wasn’t sure how either of them was going to handle the much-needed talk about what the demon did while he was in John’s body. Sam really didn’t care though – that talk was going to happen. Sam wasn’t going to let Dean continue thinking that he wasn’t loved or appreciated.
Sam wasn’t going to let Dean be taken for granted anymore by his father or himself.
Once their father was gone, Dean turned his gaze on Sam and asked, “What happened?”
“What do you remember?”
“Do I look like I’m in the mood for twenty questions?”
Sam sighed. “Maybe we should wait until the doctor checks you out, Dean.”
“I’m a big boy, Sammy. I can handle it. I mean…I know I was messed up after…but what the hell happened to you and dad?”
“We were hit by a truck, Dean.”
“What?”
“You don’t remember…you were awake for a bit at the accident site, but then you…” Sam’s voice trailed off. He instinctively squeezed his brother’s hand and said, “…you scared the hell out of me, man. Can we limit the near-death experiences a little bit? This is twice in one year.”
“I remember the sound of crashing, but the rest is a huge blur,” Dean paused and got a look of abject horror on his face. Sam wondered if this was some sort of post-traumatic moment and if he should call for a nurse, but before he could do anything his brother moaned, “My fucking car.”
“You jerk, I thought…”
“You are never driving anywhere again.”
“You’re blaming me?”
“You were the one driving, little brother.”
“Yeah, taking your ass to the hospital because you had to piss off a demon.”
“Taunting that son of a bitch was the only fun part of my day.”
“You’re an idiot.”
Dean shrugged weakly and asked, “Do they think the car can be salvaged?”
“I don’t know.”
“Oh god. You’re lying. My car is wrecked.”
“Calm down,” Sam ordered, noticing the way Dean’s heart rate and blood pressure were rising. “Seriously, you just woke up from major surgery. You need to calm the fuck down.” Dean nodded and Sam waited for Dean’s breathing to even out before continuing, “And I honestly don’t know how the car is. Officers mentioned to dad something about having it towed away, but dad hasn’t said anything to me about it.”
“Does anyone know where the hell my car is? Some random guy comes along and offers to tow it and you let him?”
“There were other things going on and…”
“No matter what the hell happens to my car, I’m not getting one of those fucking energy-efficient pieces of shit that you talk about.”
Sam laughed and said, “Somehow I can’t see you driving a Prius.” Sam sighed when Dean’s face contorted in pain and said, “You’re working yourself up over a car, dude. Do I need to have them sedate you?”
“I’m going to kill that fucking demon,” Dean stated. He pulled his hand away from Sam’s grasp and said, “Nobody hurts my baby and lives to talk about it.”
“You have a sickness.”
“You never understood the relationship between a guy and his car. I can’t believe dad hasn’t busted your balls about it.”
“Unlike some insane people, he realizes it was the demon’s fault.”
“And yours—”
“—and he’s been too busy worrying about you,” Sam finished.
“Maybe.”
“Dean, I’m the first to complain that our father puts certain things before his family, but this isn’t one of those times, man,” Sam said. There was more he wanted to say, but he wasn’t sure how to broach the topic without Dean shutting down on him.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak, though, the doctor appeared.
It only took five minutes for Dean to mention leaving the hospital. And it was another five before Dean managed to scare both the doctor and the nurse away.
Sam folded his arms over his chest and said, “You’re going to do what your doctors tell you.”
“I’m fine, Sam.”
“You’re not fine, asshole. You nearly died. You stopped breathing, Dean. I had to perform CPR on you.”
Dean glanced at the ceiling and then said, “Well, I’m fine now.”
“And we’re going to keep it that way…” Sam paused, knowing it was now or never with this conversation, and took a deep breath. “…because no matter what that demon said, I need you, Dean.”
“Sammy—”
“—you’re my brother. You’ve always been there for me, and maybe I haven’t always treated you…”
“Christ, Sam. Are you really doing this to me?”
“Yeah, because I love you, jerk, and I don’t think you realize how important you are to me.”
“Good to know. Can we drop this now?”
“Dean…”
“We’re good, Sam,” Dean replied. Sam looked at him skeptically, and as if Dean could read his mind, he added, “Really. We’re cool. You love me and I love you and we all love each other. I get it.”
“Well, get this…you ever mock a fucking demon again, I’m going to beat the crap out of you.”
“What was I supposed to do? Offer him a drink?”
“You were being an overprotective idiot and the demon nearly killed you.”
“He was going to try to kill me whether I had taken his attention away from you or not.”
“Because of me.”
“No.”
“The demon said so. It’s because I’m special in some way and everyone I love ends up hurt.”
“This is not your fault, Sam,” Dean said.
“And what good are these fucking powers if I can’t save you?”
Dean pushed himself up and leaned forward. He grimaced in pain and Sam was about to yell at him when Dean shook his head and repeated, “This is not your fault, Sam.”
“I’m freaking out here, Dean.”
Dean sighed. “Me too. But we have a better idea of what we’re dealing with now, and next time we face that bastard, we’ll be ready. As a family. As long as you and dad don’t go all commando on me again.”
Sam chuckled and replied, “I’ve got you to keep me in check.”
“Yeah, you do.”
“And you’ve got me too.”
Dean raised an eyebrow.
Sam said, “We’re a team.” He gently pushed Dean back on his bed and added, “Now get some rest. If dad comes back down here and finds us talking, he’ll go into drill sergeant mode.”
Dean rolled his eyes. “God help us all.”
“He’s already scared enough of the staff.”
“That’s the old man for ya,” Dean replied with a smile. He motioned to the door and said, “Get some sleep, Sam. You look like shit.”
Sam stood up and started toward the door. He stopped, turned around to face his brother, and said, “Dean?”
“Yeah, Sammy?”
“I’m glad you’re okay.”
Dean smiled weakly and replied, “Likewise, little brother.”
{Fin}
Play Again