Dean and Castiel Go on a Hunt

Chapter Nine

Sam stared at Dean, vigorously shaking his arm. "Dean! Stop it!" Sam yelled again. Dean, still tense, took a deep breath. "It's all my fault, Sammy," he choked out. "All because I let him go on a fucking hunt," he hissed through gritted teeth. "Now... now he's dyi-..." Dean gagged, "Now he's got lead poisoning!" Sam could do nothing but look at his brother in shock. "After everything that has happened, that's how he's gonna go out! Lead poisoning!" Dean shouted with crazed eyes. "Isn't that the saddest thing you've ever fucking heard?" Sam sat there, frozen in fear, as he contemplated the thought of Dean finally going off the deep end. (His) Dean jumped up from his seat and began to pace back and forth. (/heart/) Sam blinked rapidly, the thought returning briefly then disappearing again, all too quickly for him to decipher it. "Dean, just sit down... please." Dean stopped midstep and turned to Sam. He ran his fingers roughly through his hair. "Fine," he finally said sharply. He walked over and plopped into his chair, placing his head into his hands."Thank you," Sam said, breathing a sigh of relief. As he sank back into his chair he saw the new receptionist, eyes wide with worry, staring right at Dean. Sam noticed that his left hand under the desk. "Crap," he muttered under his breath as he grabbed his crutches and slowly rose from his seat.

He quickly limped to the desk while the receptionist tried to control his breathing. "Hey," Sam said once he reached the desk. He leaned closer, as the receptionist slowly inched his chair away, "I'm really sorry about... my brother," he glanced back at Dean, his head still in his hands, his left leg returning to its rapid bouncing pace. "He's just really stressed out about a friend checked in here," he gave a warm, embarrassed smile. The receptionist stared back at him and slowly returned a weak smile, "... I'm sure he is." "So don't worry about him... Greg. I won't let him do anything drastic," he smiled again. Greg nodded, "O-ok." "So are you ok? You won't mind my brother, right?" "Oh, I'm fine... and I won't mind him," he gave a nervous smile. "Great," Sam returned to his seat, too tired to even face Dean now. He slumped back and allowed fatigue to overpower him as he drifted off to sleep.

Light slowly bled through Castiel's opening eyelids. He squinted at the hospital's bright lights as his vision began to sharpen. He heard nothing but ringing until the sound of his heart monitor started to leak through. He laid there, silently, allowing his sense to gradually recollect. Once his eyes had adjusted, he looked around the white room. Countless machinery stood at the top of his bed, some of them with tubing that led to his arms. He blinked as he tried to remember the events prior. (Dean) He quickly sat up and deeply regretted it. He gasped in agony from the firey, white-hot sting that shot out from his stomach and expanded to the rest of his body. He slowly sat back, despite the weakness in his elbows, to avoid any revisits from the sensation. His wound still sent out sore burns as he moved. He winced and glanced at the clock by his hospital room door, trying to see through the tears that began to well in his eyes. (4:48 a.m.) As he surveyed the rest of the room, his door opened and a nurse appeared. "Oh, you're up already?" She exclaimed. Cas swallowed hard as she approached one of the machines that was hooked up to his arm. "How's the pain?" "... Unbearable," Cas said hesitantly. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she adjusted a dial on the machine. "That should fix it," she smiled. "Is there anything else you need?" "My friends... are they here?" "Yeah, they're in the lobby. They've been waitin' for ya there since you were first checked in," she said warmly. "Is there anything else you need?" "... No. I'm fine," he muttered. "Well if you need anything then just hit that blue button on your left," she pointed, "But for now, get some rest." Cas laid his head back as the nurse walked out the room, lightly shutting the door behind her.