A/N: So….Yes, I know it's been 5 years! I am SO SORRY. Life took over and to be frank, inspiration took a ride. But I have been rewatching old eps of Supernatural lately and what do you know? Inspiration returned! This fic has been hanging over me, niggling at the back of my mind and flooding me with guilt every time I thought about it because I HATE to leave things unfinished, but I just couldn't do it justice before. And now, hopefully, I can. If any of my original readers have stuck around, my deepest apologies and this chapter is dedicated to you.

Disclaimer: After all these years, I still don't own Supernatural!

Brief recap for those who've forgotten: Sam had a fight with John about not wanting to go on a hunt because he had finals to study for. John told him to leave the room before he did something he regretted and Sam did and got hit by a drunk driver, resulting in a dislocated shoulder, broken leg and fractured ribs. A nurse, Sylvie, was driving past, saw him and took him to the hospital. Sam's leg was fixed up but then he developed an epidural haemotoma which required a craniotomy to drain it as he had apparently bashed his head when he was hit. Once he was out of surgery, John went to join Joshua on a werewolf hunt much to Dean's disgust. Dean called Bobby to track down the guy who hit Sam, a Frank Harding. He found Frank at a motel and beat him up, sparing his life only for the sake of his ex-wife and 2 kids who still apparently cared for him. He was then woken up in the night by a call from the hospital, asking him to come as Sam was hallucinating due to a bad reaction to the morphine he was on. Sam was sedated and we cut to John who was being thrown into a building on his hunt.

Butterfly Effect

Chapter Fourteen

"Is he gonna be OK?...Right, sure. OK…..Thanks Joshua. Yeah, yeah I'll tell him."

Sam opened his eyes blearily to the sound of Dean's hushed voice talking into his mobile. Dean ended the call and looked up at his brother from the doorway, a worried expression on his face, which he quickly veiled as he saw that Sam was waking up.

"Hey dude, how you feeling? Man, you were OUT. Whatever they gave you had you in Lala Land for the last 12 hours!"

Sam tried to think back to the day before but everything was still a bit hazy.

"I don't really remember…who were you talking to just now?"

Dean felt a surge of panic at Sam's question. He had hoped that his little brother had still been out of it when Joshua called. He composed his face into what he hoped was a nonchalant expression before meeting his brother's eyes.

"No one important. Don't worry that big head of yours, Sammy. You need to rest up and get better."

Sam knew Dean's every expression and he knew when his big brother was trying to fob him off. Even through the drugged feeling of the sedative wearing off, he could tell that something was bothering Dean. He struggled to sit up, wincing as he accidentally put weight on his injured shoulder.

"Dean", he started, but his brother cut him off, pushing him gently but firmly back on to the bed.

"Sam. Just lie down, OK?"

Sam relaxed back on to the pillows, but kept his eyes fixed on his brother's, a look of frustration and determination gradually replacing the one of sleepiness.

"I know when you're keeping something from me, Dean. So just tell me already. I won't break."

Dean studied his brother for a moment before heaving a sigh as he came to a decision.

"Fine. But it's nothing, really. Joshua was just calling to say Dad got a bit beaten up on the hunt but he's gonna be OK, so really there's nothing for you to worry about, see?" He rushed that last bit out and then braced himself for the blowback, not meeting his brother's eyes.

Silence. Then "what happened? Are you sure he's OK?" in a small voice. Dean stared at his brother, shock sinking in as he registered the expression on Sam's face. Anger he could have handled, panic he expected, but guilt? What the hell?!

"Sam?! You're not blaming yourself for this, are you?! Dad knew what he was getting into, OK? I told him not to go and the bastard insisted! How is this possibly your fault?" He could feel anger at his Dad setting in as he looked at his battered little brother, a solitary tear leaking down his bruised cheek.

"Dad wouldn't have had to go alone if I hadn't gotten angry with him and got hurt, Dean. I was supposed to be there; we both were. How is this not my fault?"

"Dude." Dean couldn't believe what he was hearing. For someone so smart, Sam could sure be thick sometimes. "The only reason you got hurt is because Dad told you to leave, OK? And because some stupid drunk driver went into you. Get it through that thick skull of yours that this is not your fault."

Sam nodded, at least partially reassured. Then frowned again, as he noticed Dean's bruised knuckles for the first time.

"What happened to your hands?"

Dean glanced downwards, his visit to Frank having been forgotten in the wake of Sammy's need for him, and Joshua's call.

"Nothing. Just got into a fight, that's all. Dude had it coming."

"Dean. You didn't….did you?"

Green eyes hardened as they stared into hazel ones.

"Like I said, Sam, dude had it coming."

Sam shook his head, not sure whether to feel touched or annoyed at his brother's recklessness. Maybe a bit of both.

"So, dad? What happened?"

Dean sighed again, rubbing a bruised hand over his face. "The werewolf got the jump on him and knocked him out. But it's OK, he didn't get bitten. Joshua got there in time and Dad just has a concussion and a sprain. He's been patched up and we're to join him once you're up and about."

"But Dean, what about…what about school? My finals are coming up!"

Sam had gone from worried to full on frantic in 2 seconds flat. Dean suppressed another sigh. This was why he hadn't wanted to tell Sam just yet. He'd known that Dad had been getting antsy for a while; getting ready to move on to the next town, the next hunt. This was the longest they'd stayed in any one place and Dad didn't like to put down roots. It was too dangerous, he always said, to get too attached. It made you vulnerable. And he got that, he did. But Sam, Sam needed a home. Sam had loved making friends and becoming a 'regular' at the local diner. He had loved being on the softball team at school and being able to play in matches. Sam wouldn't understand why they had to leave again, just when he finally felt like he was starting to belong somewhere.

"You can write them at another school, as an outside student. You've done it before, Sam. And I'm sure your teachers won't have a problem sending on your coursework results." He tried to put a positive spin on it.

"But, I have friends, Dean. And a life here! Why can't we stay a bit longer, just till I've done my finals and graduated?" Sam looked up at his big brother pleadingly and Dean felt his heart twist inside him. But orders were orders and Dean was a good son.

"Sammy, what can I say? Dad gave Joshua his instructions and he was very clear. Once you're well enough, we have to join him. Dad thinks he might have got a lead on the thing that killed Mom."

At the mention of their mother, Sam's face shut down. He knew that there would be no winning this argument. Dean saw the angry yet resigned expression that came over his brother's face and tried to rally his spirits.

"But hey, we're still gonna be here for a few weeks what with physical therapy and everything – I could see if your friends wanted to come round again? What dy'a think, huh?"

Sam shrugged his shoulders listlessly. "Yeah, whatever."

Dean's heart sunk as he looked at his miserable little brother. There had to be something he could do to make this right.

To be continued…

A/N: I would love to hear your thoughts, as always;-) I cannot say when the next chapter will be up as I am working now but hopefully it won't be in another 5 years! LOL, too soon?!