(no subject)
Sometimes You Just Have To Trust
Part 2
It was already dark outside by the time Ellen Harvelle entered the bar room for the first time. After Doc White had taken care of Sam’s leg, he had written prescriptions for much needed medications for both Winchesters. He had also inserted IV lines into both of them, knowing that she would have no problems starting the fluids and antibiotics he had ordered.
Even though Jo had returned to the room after picking up the prescriptions, she had refused to do even so much as hang the bag of fluids for Sam. Her mother had been glad that she had at least tended to the older sibling, who had been sleeping most of the time, but due to his concussion had needed waking up every couple hours. Although alert, he had been too weak to do more than answer the questions and on every occasion asking for about his brother. It had been sign of the seriousness of his condition that he never had questioned Jo’s answers and instead just had fallen asleep.
One of the medications for Sam had been a Nebulizer Solution and although the machine administering it included a face mask with a strap to secure it, the youngest Winchester had been too out of it to do the inhalations without assist. And then there had been the coughing, which only increased in frequency after the medication had started to take effect.
It had been only half an hour ago, when Sam had finally fallen into a more restful sleep and the older Harvelle woman had been able to leave his side for more than a few minutes. Although Friday nights, like in every normal bar, could be pretty hectic, right now it was almost a chance to relax. Settling in her usual place behind the bar, she checked with Jake, a hunter, she had known for the last twenty years and who luckily had been in the area, willing to help with the ‘Roadhouse’. After finding out there had been no incidence, she sent him to take a break, knowing that she most likely would have to return to help Sam, if the young man would start to get restless again. At the most she would have two hours, before his next Nebulizer Treatment would be due.
She moved around, exchanging words with some of the patrons, almost all of them hunters, she knew for years, only a few were civilians, who somehow ended up here by accident or men new to the business, still reeling from the tragedies, which caused them to enter this life. She was surprised, as it wasn’t a weekly occurrence that there were this many strangers here, yet tonight she counted at least five, a fact, although not unheard off, which always left her somewhat uncomfortable. In this line of work one didn’t trust people one didn’t know. She would have to ask Jake to keep an eye on them and make sure things got locked down tight; it always paid to be careful.
SN SN SN SN SN
The Harvelle women were no strangers to restless nights. Owning the Road House was almost a guarantee to have at least one or two of them a week. Hunters came and went at all hours, many of them coming for help with all kinds of injuries or to rest for a few hours. Some came to restock supplies, knowing the Road House had a secret room in the basement, where weapons and other things were stored. And then there were the phone calls, many in the middle of the night, needing someone to bail them out or just an answer to a supernatural question.
Although not as busy as her friend Bobby Singer, Ellen was starting to close in on him. She hardly hunted herself, but since Jo started getting into the business, she was training harder again and going out more often, making sure she would be ready, because there was one thing she knew for sure and that was that one of those days her daughter would need her help. She lost her husband and she was ready to make sure she wouldn’t lose her daughter, not if she could help it.
So adding another sleepless night shouldn’t have been that different, yet taking care of the Winchesters had taken more out of the elder Harvelle than she expected. She regretted sending Jo to bed at 2 AM, as Dean had started to run a fever shortly after. Instead of getting her back up, she had taken care of both boys, applying cold compresses to them, checking on their wounds, increasing the rate of Dean’s IV after calling Doc White and running back and forth between them to make sure her older patient wouldn’t tear any of his sutures and Sam wouldn’t drown in his secretions.
It was only when morning dawned that Dean’s temperature finally dropped down to normal and his sleep was becoming more restful. It was almost at the same time, when Sam opened his eyes and attempted to get up, before the tired bar owner could get to him. It was due his weakness and injured leg slowing him down that she caught him just in time, before he could face plant on the floor. Holding on to him, he struggled weakly against her, unable to suppress the moan, which led to another attack of coughing, which in turn left him once again struggling for air.
D’n…got…get…Dean!”He managed to push out between gasps.
“He is fine, Dean is fine. You need to lie back down, son.” She soothed, only to find him struggling even more.
“No, need…Dean…go…” More coughing followed, this time it ended changing into gurgling wheezing, making Sam’s lips turn cyanotic again.
Grateful that she had prepared the Nebulizer ahead of time, she reached over and turned the machine on. Taking the face mask, she pressed it against the young man’s face, hoping it would be enough. It took almost a minute before the wheezing changed back into coughing, harsh and painfully deep, making it impossible to effectively draw air in. The youngest Winchester’s eyes were wide open, fear and distress stamped into them, as his overtaxed lungs attempted to pull in oxygen, while expelling bacteria infested sputum.
Without warning Sam gagged, then expelled the meager contents of his stomach, giving Ellen just enough time to take the mask off his face, but not enough to get out off the way, leaving her sweater the recipient of what thankfully was mostly bile and water. At the same time she felt the lanky body slump over and reacting instinctively, she was able to catch the unconscious young man.
“Sammy?” The word came from the other side of the room.
‘Why?’ she wondered silently, ‘Why did Dean have to wake up now?’ She already knew the answer though.
“Go back to sleep, I’ve got your brother.” She said still holding on to the younger sibling.
“No, what’s wrong with him? He needs me.” Dean’s voice was filled with anxiety and Ellen could hear the blanket being shoved to the side, as a groan escaped the hunter.
“Oh no, don’t you dare get up!” She growled harsher than intended, “If you want to help your brother, you need to stay where you are. You are in no shape to get up without help and you won’t be any use to Sam with your ass on the floor.”
Hearing no further movement, she realized her warning worked. Grateful for small favor, she said, “I’ll let you know how Sam is, as soon as I’m done with him.”
“Thanks!”
She didn’t respond, instead working on getting her charge back into bed and applying the Nebulizer mask to his face again. There were a few more coughs, none of which had much force, before Sam’s breathing settled into a more regular pattern, the wheezing and rattling in his lungs remaining, but the bluish color to his lips disappearing. After all the medication dissipated, she turned the machine off.
Looking at Dean, she said, “He is okay for now. I’m just going to rinse out the applicator and get out of this sweater.”
The older Winchester nodded, but remained silent.
Disappearing into the bathroom, she took off her the soiled piece of clothing, deciding the T-Shirt she wore underneath would be enough for now. After cleaning the equipment, she went back, taking a deep breath before sitting down beside Dean’s bed.
“Sam has bronchitis, possibly pneumonia, Doc White isn’t sure, but he says treatment is the same anyway.”
The worried look from the green orbs said more than Dean could have expressed in the words he spoke, “Is he going to be okay?”
“Doc thinks so; he just needs a lot of help right now.” She answered truthfully.
“Just give me a couple of hours to sleep, I can take over then.”
“Dean, you lost a lot of blood and your wound needs time to heal. You pop those stitches, you’ll be right back to where you were, when you first got here. So let me take care of Sam for once. You are right here and he needs to know that you are alright, not worry about you. That would be detrimental to him right now.” She knew she wasn’t playing fair by using Sam worrying about him against Dean, but it was the only way she knew the firstborn Winchester would give in to her demands.
“Fine, you win, but only because I don’t want Sammy to worry about me.” The older brother grumbled, “And you’ll let me know, if the kid needs me!”
It wasn’t a question, but a direct order and Ellen couldn’t hide a smile. Seeing the young man fighting against his drooping eyelids, she didn’t comment on it though, instead she simply stated, “I promise!”
The answer came in form of the green eyes closing and the older Winchester relaxing in sleep, the trust expressed in this meaning more to her than any words could have ever have expressed. Pulling the blanket up around him, she checked the IV line then went over to look at the younger brother. Satisfied that his breathing, although harsh and wheezing, wasn’t labored, she settled in the cushioned chair beside the bed. Leaning back, she relaxed, hoping to be able to get some rest before Jo woke and the tasks of the day started all over again.
SN SN SN SN SN
After cleaning up the mess last night’s patrons left and making sure her ill and injured guests were taken care of, Ellen decided it was time to let her daughter take over a while and give herself a break. Giving Jo instructions, she could tell from the younger woman’s face that she was not too happy at the prospect of having to care for both Winchesters.
“Do you have to go to town today? Can’t it wait till tomorrow?”
“Not if you want to eat tonight, we are out of almost everything.” Her mother replied.
“Okay, but you could tell me what you want and I could go, I have a few errands to run anyway.” Jo suggested.
For a moment anger overtook her, yet she caught herself, before the words she had on her tongue made their way out in the open. Taking a breath, she pushed out a barely controlled, “Now you listen!” before she continued more quietly, “It won’t hurt you to take care of both of them for a while; I did it for more than twenty-four hours now. I know you don’t have a problem with Dean and you really need to get over what happened with Sam. He just had his treatment and the other meds and is sleeping right now; hopefully he will be okay until I get back. If he wakes up give him some water, he isn’t drinking enough.”
Jo rolled her eyes, but stayed silent. She knew better than to argue with her mother, especially when the older woman was right. That didn’t mean she had to like it though, not after all that Sam Winchester did to her.
Making her way into the guest room, she checked on the two young men. Finding both of them asleep, she sat down in the chair, the thoughts in her mind anything but pleasant. Why couldn’t her mother understand that she didn’t want anything to do with the younger Winchester brother?
Ten minutes later, bored out of her mind and still not in a better mood, she decided to go upstairs and retrieve the book she was reading. It took her longer than planned to find it and just as she started to leave her room the ringing of the phone made her turn back. Picking up the receiver, she smiled, when she recognized the voice on the other end.
“Hey Bobby!”
“Hey Jo, is Ellen home?”
“She went to run some errands. You try her cell?” She asked.
“I did, but she didn’t answer!”
“She probably forgot about it. What you need?”
“Darn” The grizzled hunter growled, “I’m in a hurry. Would you tell her to call me as soon as she gets home? I’m on the road, so tell her to call my cell.”
“Sure, anything I can do for you?” She wondered.
“Nah girl, gotta go, just give your mother the message.”
With that the connection ended.
Hanging up, Jo started back towards the stairs, when a loud thump from the lower level made her run the rest of the way. Hearing the barking, breathless cough, before she even got there, the sight of the older Winchester out cold on the floor made her stop dead in the doorway. Ready to rush to his aid, she found herself hesitating, when she saw Sam struggling to get out of bed.
Although hardly able to breathe in between the coughs that shook his fevered body, the younger man finally managed to roll out of bed and crawl over to his unconscious brother. Sitting hunched over, while waiting for the coughing spell to end, he didn’t linger to regain his breath, when it finally was over. Very gently he lifted up Dean’s head and laid it on his lab, never even noticing the blood dripping off his hand where he pulled out his IV line.
“Dean, come on, wake up. Don’t do this, please. His voice, gravelly from the respiratory infection and barely above a whisper, was pleading and filled with worry.
Getting no response, he pulled the older man closer; wrapping one arm securely around him, while grapping onto the chair with the other. Pulling both of them up to standing proved almost too much and loud wheezing sounds escaped from his throat, while his chest flared up and down in a desperate attempt to draw in enough oxygen. Still, he held on tightly to his brother, trying to find adequate stability to let go of the chair, while avoiding to put pressure on his injured leg. Only when another coughing episode hit him, did he give up on that plan and instead let his brother glide into the upholstered chair, before collapsing back onto the floor himself.
Still watching from her position in the door way, Jo suddenly felt like something broke loose inside her, releasing her from whatever had held her to the spot. Running over to the two men, she spared Dean a fast look. Seeing his breathing was even and he was beginning to move, she kneeled down beside Sam. The younger man was leaning over, his forehead pressed against the floor, while his arms were wrapped around his chest as body was once again shaken by something that sounded more like strange animal sounds then anything that would come from a human.
“It’s alright Sam, let me help you sit up, it will make it easier for you to breathe!” She said, putting her hands on his shoulders.
Feeling the way he flinched at the touch, she was unsure, if he had heard her. So she was glad, when she found him relax ever so slightly, making it possible for her to help him sit. It lasted only for a second though, as panic took a hold of her, when she noticed the paleness of his skin, which was in stark contrast to the dark bluish tinge of his lips. In the end the brownish-green orbs, filled with fear and pleading for help, were what made her regain control again. She couldn’t afford to lose it right now. Looking around, she noticed the nebulizer on the night stand. She knew it was too early for the next treatment, but right now it was the only thing that might be of assistance. Grateful for the foresight that led her mother to get the machine ready for the next treatment, she reached for it, turning it on and pressing the mask against the struggling Winchester’s face.
“Just breathe, slowly, in and out, it’s gonna get better, this is going to help.” She soothed.
Slipping behind the tall man, she slid the elastic bands of the mask over his head then pulled him against her, so he could relax.
“Sammy…” Dean sat up, just to let out a groan and fall back into the cushion.
“I’ve got him, relax!” Jo assured him, hoping it would be enough to keep the older man from getting up.
“What happened?”
“I think you got up to help Sam and passed out, so please, don’t even try right now.” She answered his question.
“Shit, he still can’t breathe.”
“I’m giving him his treatment.” She assured him, almost jumping, when the younger Winchester tried to pull away from her.
“D’n…” It seemed almost impossible he would be able to get the word out in between the wheezing, coughing and heaving.”
“I’m right here Sammy, let Jo help you!” Dean leaned forward, slower this time and put his hand on Sam’s shoulder, making sure his brother would know he was there.
Jo could feel the instant change in her patient, as he once more relaxed slightly. Still worried about his struggling breathing, she continued to encourage and coach him.
“Slow breaths, in and out, just let the medicine do its job!”
It was several minutes later, when Sam’s struggle finally decreased and eventually his respirations settled to more comfortable level. Letting him rest for a while, while waiting for the nebulizer to finish, she at last took the mask off and turned the machine off.
“Bed…”
Thinking he was asleep, the word coming from the exhausted young man took her by surprise.
“Think you can make it?”
Sam just nodded, leaning forward so she could get out from behind him. Dean pulled his hand back, bracing himself to get up, but she shook her head.
“Oh no, you don’t! I don’t need both of you on the floor!”
The older man wanted to protest but thought better of it and sat back again. He wasn’t happy, yet could see that he would be more of a hindrance than help right now. Watching his brother struggle to move from the floor onto the bed, while Jo did her best to support him, was one of the most difficult thing for him. Everything in him wanted to step in and aid the younger man.
By the time Sam finally was lying down, his upper body supported by several pillows, perspiration glistened on his face and his breathing was becoming erratic again. Still, both Jo and Dean were happy that he at least was spared another coughing spell. It was only the shortness of breath that prevented him from going to sleep right away and as soon as his respirations settled, his exhaustion took over and he drifted off almost immediately.
Happy that one of her patients was sleeping more or less peacefully, the young woman went on to assist the older Winchester back to bed. Although unsteady and clearly suffering from some dizziness, Dean was able to make it the few steps with her help without any incident.
As soon as he was lying down also, Jo shook her finger at him, “No more getting up without help!”
“I’ll try!” The hunter promised, knowing that he would repeat his actions should Sam be in distress again.
“Fair enough!”
SN SN SN SN SN
Arriving back home three hours later, Ellen set the grocery bags on the kitchen counter. She knew she was late for Sam’s treatment and hoped that the young man wasn’t in any distress because of it. Entering the guest room, she was surprised to find her daughter kneeling on the floor beside the younger brother’s bed, sponging his face with a cloth soaked with cold water, while speaking in a soothing tone to him.
Initially not even noticing her mother’s approach, the younger woman finally looked up, when Ellen was standing right beside her.
“I didn’t hear you coming in.” She stated, slightly startled.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you! Do you want me to take over?”
“Naw, I’ve got it. He just quieted down again. His fever is up and he hasn’t been with it for the last hour or so and then he started to get really restless.”
Ellen glanced over to the other bed, “Amazing that Dean is sleeping through all of this.”
A grin appeared on Jo’s face. Retelling the events from earlier, she closed, “I made him take two pain pills a couple hours ago, they put him out in no time. Good thing too, because I really didn’t need him to get up again and try to help Sam.”
“Good thinking!”
“Yeah, thanks. By the way, Bobby wants you to call him on his cell, it sounded urgent, but you forgot yours at home, so he couldn’t get a hold of you.” Her daughter informed her.
“I’ve noticed; guess I call him right now, before I get on the phone with Doc White. I don’t like that Sam’s fever went up again.” Concern lined her face.
“Already done that, he said he would be by in a couple hours and bring another antibiotic.”
Leaving the room, the older woman glanced back to see Jo once again tend to her patient, gently pushing some of his stray bangs out of his forehead before wiping off the perspiration. There was pride in her eyes, as she realized her child had not only overcome her aversion, but was now going beyond giving basic care to the young man she had hardly spared a glance only a few hours earlier.
SN SN SN SN SN
Dr. White drew a hand through his hair, a gesture that both Harvelle women had come to know as a sign that he wasn’t happy with something. There was no question what this something was, as he just finished checking the youngest Winchester. Right now both of them wished that Dean wasn’t awake and anxiously waiting for the results of said assessment. There wasn’t anything either of them could do about it though, as asking the physician not to speak in front of him would have been wrong on every level, no matter how much they wanted to protect him.
“I was hoping the antibiotic and nebulizer would have done the job by now,” The retired doctor took his stethoscope off and put it into his bag, “but it looks like he’s actually gotten worse. I would definitely call it pneumonia now. And I don’t like that his fever is so high, I really would prefer seeing him get admitted to the hospital.”
For a long moment there was silence in the room. There was a conflict of emotions that was clearly written on the older Winchester’s handsome face, after all this was his little brother. His instinct was to say yes, to give Sam the best possible care, yet he knew that every time they went to the hospital the chance that they would be caught rose. Although it was him that the police wanted for murder, Sam was also wanted for lesser charges.
Watching the apparent struggle, Ellen had no doubt what was going on in John’s eldest. Although she knew he needed to make the decision, she finally asked, “What can they do in the hospital that we can’t do right here?”
“He needs oxygen on standby, just in case and monitoring around the clock. I brought a different antibiotic, but that might not be enough, if he goes into respiratory distress again, he might have to be intubated.”
She thought for a moment, “We can do everything here, except of the intubation. How high are the chances that he will need it?” She finally asked.
“Hopefully he won’t; I just would feel better, if it was available. Right now his oxygenation is border line without assist. If you want to keep him here, I will bring in an oxygen concentrator and a device to measure the saturation of oxygen in his blood. I’ll hang the new antibiotic right now and you need to hang another dose in six hours. I’ll send a different one over to use in case his temperature doesn’t go down after the second dose of this one.” He stopped for a moment, before continuing with a smile, “I take it the monitoring won’t be a problem.”
“I don’t think it will be.” The older woman glanced at her daughter, who returned the look without blinking.
“I’ll take the first shift!”
“Hey, I’m here too!” Dean protested.
“You son, need to stay in bed and make sure you heal, or you won’t be any good to your brother!” The Doc instructed.
“Yeah, but…”
“I know you want to help Sam and you can, by staying in bed and watching him from there. Leave everything else to us. I promise we will take care of him.” Ellen said with understanding in her voice.
It was difficult for the older brother to give up caring for the kid he practically raised, on the other side it was true he wouldn’t do Sam any good by passing out or falling again. And on the bright side, at least they were in the same room and he could talk to him, if his brother needed him. Leaning back into the pillow, he looked over to the other bed, taking in the younger man’s fever red face and the dark hair plastered to his forehead due to perspiration. There were dark shadows around his eyes and the heavy up and down motion of his chest coincided with the wheezing and rattling noises coming from his chest. As if feeling the scrutiny he was under, Sam’s eyes opened to reveal their now clouded over hazel, but for the moment they remained open there was recognition and a message of trust in them. It was that one look, which allowed the firstborn Winchester to give up the care for his brother. Sam knew he was right here, ready to take care of him, whenever he needed him.
TBC