(no subject)
Pulling into a parking spot in front of their room, Dean didn’t bother shutting the engine off or even closing the door behind him. He knew Bobby would take care of his baby for him. Right now he needed to see his brother, make sure he was still alive. Storming into the room, he almost ran the door down because it wouldn’t open fast enough. Finally getting in, he went down on his knees in front of the bed furthest from the door, now once again occupied by the youngest Winchester.
Bundled up in blankets up to his nose, his head covered with a stocking cap, Sam looked younger and incredibly fragile. The bluish hue of his skin and lips only added to that impression.
Gently stroking the bangs out of his brother’s face, the older hunter whispered, “We’ve got her, she is gone, little bro, now all you’ve got to do is get better.”
Hearing the door to the bathroom open, he looked up to see Caleb approach, “Just put some IV bags into hot water to warm them up. That should help warm him.”
“Thanks, Caleb, for everything!”
“Hey, you and Sam, you are like family. We’ll do anything for you guys, right old man?”
He looked at Bobby, who quietly walked into the room without anyone noticing.
“Who are you calling old man? I can take you down with one hand tied behind my back.”
“I would let you try it but right now I’m too busy with Sam. I’ll give you a rain check on it though!” Caleb smirked, knowing fully well that even though Bobby was twenty years his senior, he was also twenty years richer in experience and still not someone you wanted to mess with.
“How is he?” The older man asked.
“No change.” Dean answered instead of Caleb, sounding disappointed and resigned.
“He is going to be okay.” Caleb promised, putting as much confidence into his voice as possible, “But we need to get those IV fluids into him. Bobby, why don’t you start a line, you do this better than most nurses. Dean, you help him and I check on the bags, see if they are warm enough.” He ordered before once again disappearing into the bathroom.
Using the kit the other man already set out, Bobby started looking for veins in either one of Sam’s arms, finally giving up and going for the neck. Instructing Dean to hold his brother’s head still, he cleansed the site with Betadine and alcohol, and inserted the IV needle with expert skills. Turning to call on his friend, he found the end of the tubing put into his hand, while Caleb held up the bag, looking for a place to hang it. He found it in a decorative candle holder above the bed. Removing the candle, bent and faded of most its color, and replaced it with the IV fluids.
Reaching underneath the blankets, he pulled out several wrapped hot water bottles, which he previously positioned along Sam’s tall frame.
“I’ll put them back in the microwave, reheat them.” He said, making his way over to the small kitchenette.
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Morning came around slowly, bringing with it dark clouds and a rumbling within them, which pretty soon evolved into thunder and lighting and finally a full blast down pour. Within minutes the temperature outside dropped by thirty degrees and the water started to pool on the streets as the storm drains weren’t able to take on this much liquid.
The three men in the small shabby motel room were still crowding around their youngest, just as they had for most the night. Although Sam still hadn’t moved, even Dean had to agree that his skin color had changed from gray to just plain pale and the bluish hue had disappeared. It also looked like keeping him warm with blankets and hot water bottles had increased his core temperature from 94.6 F to 96.7.
After changing another IV bag and reheating the hot water bottles both Caleb and Bobby sat back and watched the brothers with silent satisfaction. Either man had given their best to save the younger boy, now it was up to Sam to do the rest. Watching Dean quietly talking to his sibling, urging him to wake up, while holding on to his hand like for dear life, it still amazed the two men, how the hard assed hunter could turn into a totally different man when it would come to his kid brother.
Dean didn’t even realize the other men were watching him, as his whole mind was focused on Sam. It worried him to no end that his brother didn’t wake up yet. What if what they’d done wasn’t enough? What if Sam was still going to die? Or if he woke up and his brain wasn’t okay? Or what if he never woke up? Maybe they should’ve taking him to a hospital after all?
The older brother was overwhelmed by all the thoughts running around in his weary head. He was scared, honest to god scared to loose Sam, because this was the only thing that just couldn’t happen. Demons were real, so were ghosts and almost every other supernatural being anyone could ever imagine. Loosing your mother when you were just a toddler, and having your father trade his life for yours was real. One thing though that wasn’t real, couldn’t be, because it was just more than he ever would be able to survive, was loosing your baby brother. Sam was the only one he had left and there was no way he could loose him.
A single tear left the young hunter’s eye, running down to the middle of his cheek and dripping onto his brother’s face. Holding the side of Sam’s face with one hand, Dean wiped the wetness away with his thumb, gently stroking over the lax features.
“Please little bro, please come back to me!” He pleaded with a breaking voice, another tear spilling over onto his sibling’s cheek.
Without warning Sam turned his head away from the older man’s head, just to lean back into it again.
“Y’ cr’n’ D’n?”
It wasn’t more than a whisper and came out so scrambled that even Dean had to think what it meant, yet it immediately lit his face up.
Cupping Sam’s face with both hands, he grinned, “No way dude, you know I don’t do that crying thing. Now you better open up those not so baby blues of yours, or I have to make you do the laundry for the next two month.”
There was increased movement behind the closed lids and some tension in the previously lax face, indicating Sam’s fight to open his eyes. It took several more attempts before Dean finally saw small slits of hazel underneath heavy lids.
“C’ld!”
“I know kiddo, but it’s getting better. The worst is over!”
“Thirsty!”
Although still very horse, Dean was happy to hear the first clear word come out of his brother’s mouth. Before he could respond, he was nudged on the shoulder from behind.
Turning he found Caleb holding a cup out to him.
“Herbal tea, not too hot, just enough to warm the kid up. Made it earlier and filled it into a thermos just for this occasion.”
Grateful for the other hunter thinking ahead, Dean took the cup from him with a slight nod of his head. Putting one hand underneath his brother’s head, he lifted him up just enough to hold the cup against his lips.
“Here, this will make you feel better.” He watched as Sam took a sip, halfway expecting him to spit the liquid out again, after all, Caleb’s herbal tea was usually pretty rancid. It surprised him, when his brother swallowed it and started gulping more of the beverage down. So much, that the finally took it away, afraid he would either choke or throw up.
“Got to slow down, kiddo, you can have more later, promise.” He smiled, when the younger man’s eyes opened further and he received a pleading puppy dog look. Unable to resist, he held the cup against Sam’s lips once more, “Okay, but you have to take small sips.”
Afraid of having the beverage taken away again, the kid followed his brother’s orders and drank the rest very slowly. Finishing it, he let his head fall heavily onto Dean’s arm, relishing the physical contact. His mind still too scrambled to have any real recollection of what happened and his body too tired to really worry about it, he took comfort in his brother’s presence. Knowing he was safe, he let sleep claim him again.
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Now that his brother was getting better and resting again, Dean allowed himself a few hours of sleep. For the first time since this whole nightmare started he was sure Sam was going to be alright. Waking up around noon to Bobby’s loud snoring, the older hunter had bedded himself down on the floor; he decided to take a shower. Yet not before making sure his kid brother was still doing okay.
Caleb was sitting on the floor beside the younger man, keeping a close eye on him. Seeing Dean rise, he said, “He is doing fine, his temp is up to 97.5 F now. I took the IV line out after the last bag ran through.”
“Has he been awake again?”
“Nah, but he did mumble in his sleep a few times. Sounded kinda like he wanted you.” Caleb smiled, “When I told him the snoring from the other bed was you, he settled right down.”
“Should have woken me!” Dean growled.
“Why, Sammy knows you need your sleep too.”
“Yeah, well, this time call me, if he wakes up again or you will come in very close contact with my fist!” He demanded before disappearing into the bathroom.
Caleb just smiled, knowing that barking dogs don’t bite and Dean was very protective of his little brother.
SN SN SN SN SN
When Dean reappeared thirty minutes later, his hair still wet and standing up in every direction, he was greeted by a smile from his brother. Sam was perched up against the head board of his bed, holding a cup of steaming tea in his hands. Still a little pale, his cheeks showed a faint shade of color, clearly indicating he was well on his way to recovery.
Dean shot Caleb a nasty look, ready to tell him exactly what he thought, but his brother stopped him, “Don’t Dean, he wanted to get you but I told him not to.”
The older man sat down on the bed beside him and for a moment they locked eyes. Words were really overrated at times, because right now, each of them knew exactly how the other one felt.
“Hey, I brought some grub.” Bobby’s voice came from the door, interrupting the brotherly moment.
Smirking Dean glanced over at the other man, then back to Sam, “Hungry?”
“Maybe a little?” The younger hunter sounded unsure.
“I’ve got some hot soup for Sam and burgers for the rest of us.” Their friend announced, taking things out of the bag and setting them on the table.
Taking their food, everyone sat down, Dean handing Sam his soup and once again settling on the bed beside him.
In between bites, the older Winchester asked, “So Bobby, you never really told me about that, what you call it ‘nanuq’ something?”
“Tuunbaq nanuq, or in our language polar bear demon.” The grizzled hunter helped him out.
“Yeah, that one.”
“Well, there is an old legend of the Inuit people of Alaska that talks about a demon that was born of a fallen angel and a polar bear. It is said that for thousand of years it lived hidden in the ice, only coming out every twenty years to feed on the people of the Inuit. It would eat one person, usually one of the old and be satisfied. As it got older, the demon’s need to feed grew and it would start to come out more often, finally coming out yearly and demanding three sacrifices of it’s own choosing. The people lived in fear and never knew who would be sacrificed next. So they came up with a plan. One year, right after the demon fed and was sleeping the deepest; ten of their strongest young men went into its cave and tied it up with ropes made out of polar bear sinew, the only thing that could hold it. They took it south, leaving it where there was no snow and ice, thinking this would kill it…”
“…but it didn’t!” Sam interrupted, “It was found by a man before it ever woke up. Having the body of a beautiful woman, the man thought it to be human and freed it from its bonds. Waking up surrounded by warmth and close to dying, the demon touched the man and took his energy to keep itself alive.”
Dean starred at his brother, “You knew?”
“I did some research when I got back here and remember reading the story.”
“Why didn’t you call me?” the older Winchester questioned.
“I’m not sure, that’s where things get a little bit fuzzy. I remember being cold, like ice flowing through my veins and I think I wanted to warm up. That’s all I really recall. I have no idea what happened after that.”
Seeing the distress on Sam’s face, Dean hurried to say, “It’s alright Sammy, she really got you bad, but she paid for messing with a Winchester.”
The younger man smiled, trying with little success to hide a yawn, “Yeah, bet she didn’t know what hit her.”
“You’ve got that right!” His brother responded, then changed the subject to ward of a ‘chick flick moment’, “Now, I really want to know the rest of the story.”
Having noticed the tiredness emanating from the youngest member of their group, Bobby took back over, “There isn’t a whole lot more, except the demon learned to adjust to the warmer climate by feeding monthly during the summer and every other month during the colder time of the year. It thrived, got stronger and bolder, finally coming further south and that’s were you got to meet it.”
Dean nodded in understanding, “Makes sense. In this extreme heat it had to feed a lot more frequently to survive.”
“It looks like at least weekly, maybe even more often. There is a good chance there are more victims out there that were never found. After all, all the demon had to do was touching them and then work its power whenever it wanted. So there could be victims somewhere in their houses or lost in some wooded area. Distance didn’t seem to matter after it had contact with them.” He closed his story.
“Well there is one less demon in this world, can’t say I’m going to cry a tear over it.” Caleb added, having been listening quietly until now.
“Too bad so many people had to die though.” Sam stated, exhaustion catching up with him and making it almost impossible to deal with the sadness he felt.
“We can’t save everyone,” Dean gave him a worried glance, “but at least there won’t be any more victims.”
He took the still half full soup container from the younger man and helped him slide down in the bed again. Sam let it happen willingly, a clear sign of how tired he really was.
“Why don’t you get some more sleep? Things look a lot better when you feel better.”
Settling into a comfortable position, Sam closed his eyes, just to open them again a second later, “Dean...”
“Yeah?”
“All of you, I just…” He stopped, not really sure how to continue.
“I know!” His brother gave him a warm smile.
“We all do!” The two other hunters added.
“Now sleep!” Dean ordered, for a moment sounding just like his father.
As he slipped back into sleep, a smile appeared on Sam’s face. At least for the moment he felt safe and at home, knowing that the brother, who was his home was right by his side.
FIN