Shake, Rattle, And Roll

Level Out

*Sam POV*

"Dean, we can't just leave Katie here. I made her drive an hour out here." I pointed out.

"Yeah? Watch me."

"Deaannn." I groaned.
"Fine, fine," he sighed, hitting the brakes and rolling down the passenger window.

"Katie!" I called, startling her. "Meet us back at the motel?"

She nodded as Dean hit the gas.

"Dean, do you have any manners at all, or did they sweat out with that alcohol I smell on you?" I asked sharply.

Dean arched an eyebrow at me. "I have manners, Sammy. I just choose not to use them."

"So.. How are you really doing Sam?"

"Honestly, Dean? I'm tired and worried. But its nothing I can't handle."

Katie tailed the Impala all the way to the motel, following us inside. She smiled when she saw Dean and I weren't at each other's throats anymore.

"Dean Winchester. You look a little worse for the wear too. What is it with you two that you basically start destroying yourselves when you aren't around the other?" she asked

"Call it an unlucky family trait, I think it's time for you to leave Katie."

"Dean-," I began. "No, Sam. He's right. I should get going. It's nice to see you both, though. I'll keep in touch. Thanks, Sam." Katie smiled and left Dean and I alone again for the first time since the accident.

"I want to know everything about your epilepsy Sam." Dean demanded suddenly.

I pulled out a folded stack of papers from my jeans pocket and handed it over. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he leafed through them.

"Sam being the nerd of the family as always I see," he teased.
"So you just carry all this around with you now?" he whispered as he read the information I'd given him intently.

"Yes. At least until I can find a more convenient way. This way, if something happened in public they'll just have that info on hand just in case..." I trailed off.

"And that Depakote stuff. . Does it make them stop?"

"More or less," I shrugged, "No medicine is ever perfect but I've only had absences since I left the hospital. Nothing major." I explained.

The troubled frown on Dean's face didn't fade.

"Dean, its okay." I consoled.

"No, Sam! Its not okay. Do you have any idea what kind of hell I went through seeing you on the floor like that? Thinking I caused it or not knowing if you'd come back from it. And then you just up and disappear and I didn't know if you were even alive Sam! You can't do that to me Sammy.. You just can't. ." Dean sighed, shaking his head as the anger faded.

"Dean.. We're going to figure this out. We will." I promised.

"I hope you're right Sammy, cause I-  Sam?" Dean asked, worry already creeping into his voice.

I blinked groggily with my jaw hanging slightly open. Dean shook my shoulder.

"Sam!" he yelled again.

I blinked twice. "Dean, what's wrong?" I asked confusedly.

"Was that a, what did you call it?" he snapped his fingers. "An absence seizure, right?"

I nodded, hanging my head. "Sorry." I mumbled.

"Sam, don't apologize for something you can't control."

I peered up at his emerald green eyes. "Yeah? What about the Demon Blood stuff, huh? Was that out of my control too?" I taunted.

"Sam, don't start this please. You know what I meant." Dean warned. "I did what I thought was best for you. That's all there is to it. I won't lose you again, Sam. That's a promise. You're stuck with me now, so you better get used to it."

"Dean... How bad did you get? You know, when I left." I asked tentatively.

"Not bad," he shrugged, avoiding my eyes.

"Dean."

"You're the one that smelled the whiskey, you tell me." he snapped. "Sammy, I damn near lost it looking for you. And every second I wasn't hunting you down, I was so plastered I could barely stand. I was drinking so constantly I didn't even have time to get a hangover. Speaking of which I could use some aspirin and a good nights rest. Whaddya say Sammy? Just don't skip out on me this time okay?" he winked.

I cracked a smile and nudged his shoulder. "No promises." I joked back.

That smile stayed on my face as Dean trudged off to shower away the liqour stench hanging around him. I knew this road ahead was nothing easy, but us Winchesters always find a way.

Always.