Disclaimer: Not mine

Warning: Unabashed brotherly fluff.

Author's Note: So, just a short chapter to end the story. Sorry I didn't put his up last night, but I was busy. Anyway, thanks to everyone who's reviewed, and to everyone who's read this story.

The cops thanked Sam and left, closing their notebook that was now filled with the lies the young hunter had told them. Sighing with relief that it was over, he slid off the hospital bed, wincing as even the light impact jarred on his ribs. He put his free hand – the other being in a sling – to them for a moment before walking from the room, feeling his way cautiously as he went.

It had been three hours since he had called the cops and the ambulance to help Dean, Hayden and Steve from their respective prisons. Dean and Steve were going to be all right, while the cops were now on the lookout for a mysterious shadow man and his alluring accomplice, the ones they would never find because they didn't actually exist.

A nurse found him as he walked from the room where the cops had questioned him while the doctor had put his shoulder back into place and wrapped his ribs. He asked nicely and she guided him to Dean's room, where his brother lay recuperating.

In silence, Sam sat in the chair beside his brother's bed, though he had to fumble for it a bit. Once he was in it, he leaned forward, resting his arms on the bed. Dean looked over at him, still dazed but no longer confused.

"How you feeling?" Sam asked gently after a moment. He couldn't take the silence anymore.

Dean shrugged. "Not too bad, considering. Mostly dehydrated, I think. It's a wonder that guy's brother survived."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, Steve's lucky. So are you, though."

Dean grinned. "Yeah, lucky I have a stubborn, pain in the ass brother."

Sam grinned back. "So what's that, three times I've rescued you now? You must be getting rusty."

"Hey," Dean said sharply, amusement still in his voice. "You're making up for all the times I've saved your ass."

They fell into a comfortable silence. That was, until Dean frowned, and Sam knew the older man had something he needed to say. Something Sam was sure he didn't want to hear.

"How do you do it, man?" Dean asked quietly, looking up. Sam frowned, confused.

"Do what?" he asked. He seriously had no clue what his brother was talking about.

Dean gave a half-hearted chuckle. "How do you not go crazy? I mean, with your… your sight." He shook his head. "I was in total darkness down there. Completely. Everything was black, and heavy. And I seriously thought I was blind."

Sam swallowed, looking down. But Dean hadn't finished. "I was like that for a day, tops. And I couldn't handle it. Jesus, I was sure the world had ended. And you've had to deal with that for the past two months."

"I hardly dealt with it, Dean," Sam broke in. "For the first month… I hated the world. It took time, Dean. Time, and someone to hold me together." Dean grimaced as the talk became just that little too mushy for him. Sam just ignored him. "But I'm dealing. I had to. And you would have too."

Dean was silent for a moment. Then, "You still hate the world, don't you?" he asked quietly.

"You heard me speaking to Ella," Sam realized. Dean nodded, and the younger man sighed. "Sometimes, yes. But I get over it. I deal with it."

A hardness seemed to grip Dean then, a determination. Sam frowned at it, but said nothing as Dean spoke. "I swear, Sam. I will do everything I can to make your eyes better. I won't go looking for doctors, or anything," he assured his brother as Sam looked set to argue. "But I will look. I'll find a way to get your sight back. No one should have to live in the dark."

Sam was still for a moment. And then he nodded. Dean needed to do this, he realized. So he nodded, and they fell back into silence.

They were leaving the hospital the next day when Sam felt Hayden running to catch up to them. He stopped, and Dean stopped with him, a frown on his face. He wanted to get out of the hospital before more nurses came to tell him what a bad idea it was to leave so soon, especially with a concussion. But Dean couldn't stand hospitals.

"Sam, I'm glad I caught you," Hayden said as he approached, somewhat breathless. "I just wanted to thank you. For helping me find Steve."

Sam smiled. "I ought to be thanking you. I wouldn't have been able to do anything without your help," he told the older man. But Hayden shook his head.

"You would have found a way. Hey, did you hear about Ella?"

Sam cocked his head. "No. What about her?"

Hayden gave Dean a glance. "I rang up, to see what had happened with her once the spirit left." Sam mentally winced as he realized he should have done that. "And the nurse said she woke up this morning, and she was fine. All signs of madness gone. Only she doesn't remember the past few months. Since the end of January in fact."

Sam smiled grimly. "That's probably a good thing. I don't think she could cope, knowing what she had done. Or what her spirit did." His smile brightened a little. "Thanks for telling me, Hayden." He felt Dean's impatience to leave, and actually grinned. "Anyway, we're leaving. If you ever need anything, give me a call. I'll see you around."

Hayden smiled and extended his hand. As Sam grabbed it, the older man said, "I'll see you around, Sam."

The hunters turned and left.

Dean wasn't sure what it was that woke him. But wake he did, and he sat up, confused a little. He turned on the light and looked around.

His gaze settled on Sam, who was sitting up in his bed, concentrating hard on something. Dean yawned before turning it into a frown.

"Sam? What you doing?" he asked sleepily. His brother turned to him, an excited look on his face. Then, he got out of bed, bridged the gap over to Dean's, and proceeded to punch the older hunter in the shoulder.

"Ow! Sam, what the hell?"

Sam sat back down on his bed, his face lit by happiness and relief. "Dean, I can see. Well, not see, not exactly. But shapes, shades… they're all there!"

It took a moment for the words to sink in. And then he sat up quickly, his own face breaking out into a grin.

"What? Sam, are you serious?" The younger man nodded excitedly. Dean laughed. "This is awesome!"

He sighed, letting go of some of his stress. He sat back, enjoying the moment, a moment of happiness. These moments had been too few and too far between of late.

He sighed again, watching his baby brother wave a hand in front of his face. Then the grin was back up and he muttered to himself.

"There's still hope."

You didn't think I would leave him blind did you? I couldn't do that. So, the story will continue… if you want it to.

Thanks heaps for reading!