I'm different.

10

"Piper... maybe you should sit out this one... go on the next one." Lydia suggested. "I mean.. you can barely walk.. what if something happens and you have to run?" Piper shook her head.

"I'm fine trust me!" She said standing up straight. She tried walking at a normal pace. She lasted about 2 seconds before doubling over and grunting in pain. Sam caught her. He walked her over to the couch.

"You're not fine." Dean said sitting next to her. He put his hand on her shoulder causing her to inhale sharply in pain. "Are you okay???" He asked quickly pulling his hand away. She nodded and rubbed her shoulder.

"Just.. still really sore from everything.. thats all." She said holding her side. She was taking deep breaths with a pained expression on her face. Dean put his hand on her knee.

"Hey look at me... whats wrong?"

"My ribs hurt really bad.."

"Lay back. Maybe you just need to stretch." Dean suggested. She nodded and slowly leaned back. She closed her eyes.

"Here, Piper." She opened her eyes, Sam was standing there with a water bottle. She smiled and took it.

"Thank you.." She closed her eyes and took a sip. When she opened them she noticed everyone staring at her. "I'm fine guys i promise!!" She was still holding her side. Dean looked at her and then down at where her hands were. He moved towards her and moved her hands away. She watched him as he went to lift her shirt up, while looking at her for approval. She nodded. He gently took the hem of her shirt in his hands both, giving her chills and wincing in pain. He stopped.

"Are you okay?" She nodded. He ever so gently lifted her shirt up revealing the very large bruise on her left rib cage. She heard Lydia gasp and saw Sam clench his jaw. "Son of a bitch, Piper. What happened??" He asked. He moved to her other side to look at her scar from the stabbing. He brushed his fingers along the scar on her side. She clenched her jaw.

"I uh... I hit the pavement pretty hard when I was stabbed. Broke 3 ribs." She began to sit up until she started coughing.

"Easy.. easy.. just relax." Dean said to her. She stared into his eyes. "Relax." She bit her lip, hard, trying not to cry. She slowly turned away from him to get a drink of water. "I think you should stay here.."

"I want to go with her. I'm fine!!"

"You're clearly not fine." Sam said kneeling in front of her. "Piper please."

"At least let me come home with you. I'll be a lot safer in the bunker." Dean looked at her and then at Sam. Sam looked at Dean and then up at Cas and Lyd. But Piper? Piper was still staring at Dean. She was staring at him hoping hed at least let her go home with them. When he locked eyes with her he couldnt help but feel utterly terrible about everything. She gave him puppy dog eyes and he sighed, rolled his eyes and looked away.

"Fine." Sam, Lydia, and Castiel shot a look at Dean. Piper gasped.

"REALLY???" Piper yelled. Dean pursed his lips and barely nodded. "Thank you!" She attacked him with a hug. She quickly pulled away. "Ah.. ow. ow ow ow." Dean smirked and moved her hair from her face. "I'm okay." She said smiling.

Dean and Sam helped her off the couch. She gave Cas a hug and then Lydia.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Pip." She whispered. She wouldn't let Piper go. "I thought we lost you. Never scare me like that again." She pulled away.

"I won't, I promise." Piper responded. Dean came up behind her and put a hand on her back.

"You ready?" He asked her. She nodded and he helped her out the door and into the car. Once in the back seat she leaned her head back and sighed. "Hey, Sammy" She heard Dean say. "Can you drive?" Piper raised an eyebrow. She heard a faint 'ya' from Sam and she jumped when Dean slid into the back seat. She stared at him. "Hey!"

"Hey.. ya.. what are you doing?"

"Just keepin' an eye on you. If you need anything.. im back here!" He smiled.

"Dean... i'm okay. I'm alive. Healthy. Im just really sore thats all!" Sam started the car and drove off.

"But your voice is almost gone!"

"Well thats mainly because it still hurts from the tube they shoved down my throat." Dean shrugged. She put her hand on his shoulder. "I don't want you to worry about me."

"Well fine I just won't care then." He, sassily, turned his head to look out the window. Piper laughed.

"Fine!!"

----------------------------

About 10 hours into the drive back to Lebanon, Piper began feeling extremely uncomfortable. She couldn't find a good position to sit. It hurt to lean against the window. And her back began hurting, BAD. She leaned forward and rested her head on the passenger seat. She took deep breaths to try to ease the pain but it didn't work.

"What's wrong?" Dean asked. She shook her head. "Oh yeah, I don't care." He said jokingly. But then she sat up and he noticed her teary eyes. "I'm just kidding. What's wrong, Piper?

"My back. It's freaking killin me. I can't find a comfortable position, no matter how I sit it hurts." Dean took his hoodie off and laid it on his lap.

"Here, lay down. I know what to do." She stared at him.

"Really??"

"Somewhat... Just lay down." She laid down on her stomach and rested her head on his lap. "Where does it hurt?"

"My shoulders and basically the whole upper part of my back." Dean began massaging her shoulders. Barely putting any pressure to them, Piper tensed up. Dean stopped and she shook her head. "Don't stop." She said, her voice muffled from the bunched up hoodie. He continued and gradually moved down to her back. "Holy shit ow."

"Sit up." Piper looked up at him. "You have a knot in your back. And you extremely tense. Your back needs cracked." she stared at him. "I know what I'm talking about." She shrugged and sat up facing away from him. She closed her eyes as he worked out a knot. After a few minutes he, without warning, cracked her back. She gasped.

"Oh my god..." She whispered laying down on his lap again. Letting out a sigh of relief she smiled. "How are you so good at that???" He smirked and shrugged gently running his fingers through her hair.

"I know a little from weight lifting in High school. Where everything is. How is works. Ya know." Nodding, she struggled trying to keep her eyes open. "Sleep, babe. I'll wake you up when we get there." She smiled and nodded. He continued playing with her hair until she fell asleep.