Sam was careful as he got closer to the broken boards. He dropped on his knees and began clearing the debris that had obscured Dean's body. Caleb skidded to a stop, and began helping.

"He's not moving, Caleb."

There was a gash on Dean’s temple, and some other bloody marks scattered on his torso. He was also cold to the touch, and very pale.

Caleb rested his hand on Dean's neck. "I know. He's got a strong pulse though." He placed one arm under Dean's shoulder. "Sam, we have to keep this on the QT. Get him out of here real quiet like."

Sam frowned. They needed to call for help, get an ambulance. "He needs a hospital. . ."

Caleb gripped the youngest Winchester's arm. They couldn’t risk a trip to a large medical facility. "We'll get him some help." He moved Sam's hand to position it under Dean's shoulder. The two of them, held the lax body between them in a vertical position. Dean's head dropped down, and he was heavy to carry along. Thankfully, they did not attract attention as they skirted the diminishing crowds and made it back to the Impala.

Reaves fished the car keys from Dean's wet pockets and handed them to Sam. The older hunter sat in the backseat, tending to the visible wounds.

"Caleb?" Sam glanced back in the rearview mirror. His brother still hadn’t awakened. Reaves was using Betadyne solution from the first aid kit and cleaning some of the cuts.

Solemnly, Caleb removed the silver ring, afraid the swelling in Dean's right wrist may spread and that with the broken finger on the same hand they would never be able to remove it. He placed the ring in his pocket for safe-keeping. Dean would want it as soon as he awoke. "Just drive, Sammy. Mac can fix this." Caleb tucked a blanket around Dean, trying to bring up his too cool temperature.

"This is crazy, man." Sam was about to follow a prominently displayed blue sign bearing a white 'H' that would guide them to the hospital. He was Dean's brother, he knew best. Dean needed proper medical care immediately, not in a few hours.

"We're playing with the Fibbies not the locals." Caleb reminded the younger man of their recent problems with the authorities. "He's going to be fine, Sam. This is your brother we're talking about."

Sam didn't answer. He pressed the gas pedal, and the Impala responded. Without stopping, Sam crossed the state line in under two hours in the cover of darkness. Dean didn't regain consciousness as they went into the late evening hours.

Mackland was waiting for them, having been alerted with Caleb's phone call. It was great having a neurosurgeon as a family friend, but a farmhouse was not a hospital. They situated Dean in his bedroom, and catalogued all his injuries. His wrist was splinted as was his finger.

Ames said his grocery list out loud. "I'll need materials from a medical supplies store to make a cast."

Mackland glanced at the two younger men who were hovering nearby, at a loss of what to do. "Help me bind his ribs." The doctor was aware of Caleb and Sam’s careful attention to lifting Dean up, and assisting Mac. When they began fidgeting again, Mac made another suggestion. "Why don't you two make some coffee, and let me finish here?"

Caleb understood his father was trying to keep them occupied and pushed Sam.

Sam resisted. "But. . ."

"I just need to clean out the cuts. It isn't a three person job, and will go much faster if I finish up."

Caleb tugged at Sam's sleeve and maneuvered him to take a step. "He's in good hands Sammy, and I could use some coffee. Knowing your brother, he’ll make us wait before he wakes up."

The youngest hunter nodded, and followed Reaves.

The cuts were cleaned, and the temple wound was butterflied and covered with a bandage. Ames checked the injured hunter's reflexes. They were slow, but still reactive.

"They're lost without you," he commented to the unconscious hunter. Mac knew the boys would return, making coffee as quickly as possible and probably finding something to eat in one swallow.

Hours later, with dawn turning the darkness from gray to blue, they remained in their vigil. Sam had fallen asleep sitting up with a pillow propped up behind him against the headboard. His face was turned as if still keeping watch over Dean.

Mac and Caleb slouched in seats beside the bed. There was silence between father and son. Caleb placed a hand on Dean's pajama clad leg. He shook his head at the image which came to mind.

"Anything?" Ames asked his son.

Reaves patted the younger hunter's leg and removed his hand. "Yes and no."

"That's not very reassuring." Mackland stood, went through his kit to pull out a glucose IV. "John must be disappointed in us."

"We're doing a sucky job of protecting his sons." Caleb straightened his back in the chair, leaning forward, watching his father's deft hands slide in the shiny needle.

"I thought by coming to this house perhaps Jim would provide guidance." Ames's mouth formed a grim line. "But I can't seem to hear him."

"Dad... I'm proud of you." Caleb didn't know if he ever had told his father. At this moment when the doctor was showing his fallibility it seemed warranted. The stress of being the only remaining member of The Triad during a difficult time was showing on Mac's face.

Mackland smiled at the compliment. "Thank you." He placed a hand on Dean's arm. "If he doesn’t wake up we need to take him to a hospital." He spoke in a whisper, not wanting to wake Sam. "CAT scan, MRI," he listed the priority medical tests that would have to be performed. He shook his head. "They're not here at Jim's." Ames removed his hand. "I do have a duty." He reminded his son of his medical oath.

Caleb looked away, finding it interesting to push back the ragged cuticles in his fingers. "We can go to a local clinic." They had used the local facility plenty of times in the past for their minor injuries when Mac wasn't around. If they went to Louisville, then The Brotherhood lost control. It would be difficult to protect Dean from the federal authorities if he was discovered. Reaves would do it, pay with his life so Dean wouldn’t have to be locked up, but then there was Sam and he would sacrifice too. It was all very complicated.

"They aren’t set up for a head wound with a loss of consciousness this long." Mackland rubbed his neck in contemplation of what they should do next

Sam was not really asleep. He had purged his negative thoughts, so when Mac spoke of his doubts Sam surged forward. When he was a child he used to take comfort in Dean's presence, and he wanted that feeling back. He sat up on the bed. "Dean, come on." Sam placed a hand on Dean's forehead. "Open. Your. Eyes."

Caleb stood up, getting closer to the brothers, adding his hopefulness with Sam's.

Dean's foot twitched, proving that a little faith in the dark moments could go a long way.

"Deuce?" Reaves prompted.

Ames moved near his son, and rubbed in between Dean's clavicle bones hoping the irritating feeling would spur his patient’s waking. "Son, you need to come back to us."

The actions brought a moan from the injured hunter.

Sam smiled. This was his brother, and he never let Sam down. "Come on, man. You just need to open your eyes."

With a frown Dean opened his eyes then promptly closed them again. He had a headache, and opening his eyes was not helping. In fact, he thought he couldn’t feel worse until he could see a light piercing through his eyelids.

Unseeing, he batted the object away, making contact with the penlight.

"Hey, Deuce, Mac doesn’t like it when you hurt his little light." Caleb chuckled.

Dean sighed. He opened his eyes, keeping them half-lidded. He allowed Mackland to finish his examination. He looked at all three hunters. Sam smiled with a goofy grin. Dean shook his head, and focused on the other two hunters. They seemed all to be waiting for him to speak, but he didn't have much to say, just one question.

"Where's Dad?"

Onto Chapter 6
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