Two Brothers 9/?
Chapter 9
Somehow I managed to do the mind trick. When I entered the operation area Sam had been prepared for surgery and I actually couldn't see his face which was good. I took another deep breath. Everything was covered with green surgeon drape. Even the two nurses who would assist me were almost unrecognizable under their masks.
"We're ready, doctor." One of them said and I recognized Chris' voice a bit muffled from behind the mask. The instruments I'd need lay on a tray at the side, machines beeped and there was the soft whoosh of the vent forcing air in Sam's lungs. Not Sam, the patient.
I stepped closer, observing the area I had to work on. A rectangle of pale skin, freshly shaved, surrounded by the green of the drape. Just a little rectangle. That was all. This was not Sam, I wasn't even sure if this was a person anymore. This was just a head, a skull I had to work on.
"You sure you can do it?" Chris asked when I hesitated. I gave him a short nod and hold my hand out.
"Scalpel."
After I'd made the first cut everything became clearer. I worked in precise short movements, mind focused on the task at hand. There was the bone and the matter beneath. I found the bubble of blood where the scans said it would be and I drained the blood and stopped the bleeding.
"Okay, you can close this now." I stepped back what felt like an eternity later and let Chris do the final stitching. Suddenly weak in the knees I hurried to get out of the room. I ripped my mask off and took a few deep breaths. Now my hands were trembling and I had to sit down before I fell down. My blood covered gloves left smears everywhere but I couldn't care less.
Sam's blood. I wiped it on my gown. I had Sam's blood on my hands. Fuck, just minutes ago I had my hands inside his head.
It took me a few minutes to get my shit together.
"He's on his way back to his room." Chris stepped into the washroom and took off his mask and gloves. "Looks good so far."
He smiled at me and an unspoken question hung in the air.
"I'm fine." I reassured him and I actually was. The shock was over and now I just couldn't believe that I did it. I didn't screw up, I didn't kill my friend during surgery. A stupid grin spread on my face. "I need to tell Dean."
I managed to arrive on station at the same time as Sam. Dean was at his side immediately but he stepped back so that the nurses could attach Sam to the vent and the machines monitoring his vitals.
When the nurses had left, I gave Dean a second to take in the sight of Sam and to take his hand again. While I had been busy rummaging in Sam's head Dean had taken the chance, forced by Nancy no doubt, for a shower and a shave and he was wearing his own clothes for a change. Worn jeans with thin or already ripped patches and at least three layers of shirts.
Hasn't changed his style over the years, I noticed. Not for the first time I wondered how he earned his money. A long time ago he'd introduced himself as a mechanic but I had no idea if that was true or just another lie. What did I actually know about this man? And about Sam, for that matter. I knew they dealt with ghosts and shapeshifters but beyond that I had no clue. I didn't even know what had attacked Sam. Not a bear, that I was certain of.
"Don't pull a stunt like that again, you hear me?" Dean's words were whispered, not for my ears. He sounded tired and his voice was raspy as if he was close to tears. Of course Sam didn't answer but Dean seemed to be okay with that. For the moment.
"Did you shave his head?" He pointed at the new bandage around Sam's head and now he even chuckled softly. "He's going to kill you for that one, dude."
That was directed at me and I took that as an invitation to come closer.
"Just a small area. No need to kill anybody." I answered. "With the long hair he's wearing nowadays he'll be able to cover it up easily. It will grow back."
Dean gave me a little smile, understanding the meaning of my last sentence. That Sam would live long enough for his hair to actually grow back.
"How is he?" Dean looked me in the eye, bracing himself for the worst. His face was a well guarded mask but his eyes gave him away. Somewhere in there was a little boy begging me to make his world right again.
"Surgery went well. We got rid of the bleeding and with any luck there will be no permanent damage."
"With any luck." Dean huffed out a humorless laugh. "Yeah, right. What possible complications are we talking about?"
"We will know more when he wakes up." With this kind of injury it was impossible to tell. "The brain is an impressive thing, you'd be surprised what kind of damage it can comprehend."
"His brain had to comprehend too much already." Dean said in a tone that send shivers down my spine.
"There was nothing about that in his file." I tried but one look in Dean's face told me to drop this topic. Not much I could have done anyway. I had to focus on Sam's current condition and had to hope that previous injuries didn't interfere with the healing.
"He's on high medication." I changed the topic but I had the feeling that I won't have much luck with this one either. "He won't wake up over night. I have a guest room."
"Thanks, doc." Dean's eyes left his brother's face to look at me for a second before his gaze was on his brother again. "I'd like to stay here."
"I live ten minutes from here and I'm the first one they are going to call if something happens here." I tried again but Dean just shook his head.
continue to chapter 10
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