So I'm working on two stories at the same time. Not really unusual for me. But be patient for updates for both.

I want to thank everyone for the comments on all of my stories. They're a joy to read. :)

I hope you guys like this one as much as the others.

AU after season 7. Dean didn't get sent to purgatory when Dick exploded.

Warnings for future wincest.

And of course, what seems to be a thing for me, hurt!sam.

Prologue

There's blood everywhere. It's soaked through is hair. Through the shirt. Through his brother's fingers. Dripping on the floor. And it doesn't stop. It never stops. Even as his name is screamed over and over in horror. It doesn't stop. It drips on the seat. Through the automatic doors. All over the front of his brother's t-shirt. It still doesn't stop. Even as he's taken away.

There's blood everywhere. Older brother collapses in the hallway. Eyes following the form of the other until he's physically pulled to his feet and pushed into a chair. His hands are shaking. There's blood all over them. All over his shoulder that had cradled his brother's head. The shirt is soaked through. He doesn't even move as it's cut away and taken to be disposed of. Someone washes his hands.

He was in shock, they say. It's an hour later that he's aware of who is around him and where they had actually taken him. He may still be in shock. His hands still shake. They're clean now. But the stain will be there for a while. He's wearing a plain white hospital shirt now. His jeans are dotted with blood and the knees are soaked, but they're good enough to wait until he's able to change himself.

His eyes finally focus on the nurse that hasn't left his side. Probably in case he goes ballistic. She crouches next to his chair and tells him his brother is being taken care of. He lost a lot of blood but they're doing their best.

He nods. He knows all this. The usual. But not.

They leave him alone.

Sometime later, the doctor comes to see him. Tells him his brother almost didn't make it. He saved his life. Without the shirt pressed to his head, he would have bled out.

He nods. He knows all this. Common sense.

Possible brain damage.

He doesn't care. As long as Sammy is alive.

No way to know extent until he wakes up.

No kidding. "Can I see him?" It's the first time he's spoken since screaming the word "Help!" as he carried his good-as-dead brother through the doors. His voice is rough. Hoarse.

The doctor nods. "Follow me."

The world stops wobbling under his feet. It seems to finally slow down as he follows the doctor to Sam. Laying eyes on his brother, the shaking in his hands finally stops. "Sammy." He sits next to the bed.

There's a bandage wrapped around Sam's head. It would be comical in any other circumstance. As it is, blood has seeped through. And they've cut his hair.

Dean sadly runs his hand over a small, unwrapped area of his brother's head. It isn't shaved short here. But it's shorter than it's been since Sam was fifteen. The soft, short strands feel foreign against his fingers. "Sammy will hate it."

The doctor chuckles. "We apologize. But to see the damage, we had to shave the area. We just figured it'd be best to cut the rest short enough for that area to catch up. Not to mention keeping the rest of it out of our way."

Dean nods. He gently touches a tiny cut on his brother's jaw. "How bad?"

The doctor sighs. "It was deep. Brain trauma is almost certain for an injury like that. Though the skull did not crack very much, we believe it was pretty severe. Something could have protruded and done some damage to his brain. We'll just have to see how he is when he wakes up. If there seems to be a severe problem, we'll do an MRI."

"When will that be?"

Another sigh. "We can't know for sure."

Dean nods. "Okay."

"Let me know if you have any more questions. I'll come back when he wakes up. The nurses will take care of him." The doctor quietly leaves.

Dean closes his eyes and lets his head fall to the bed.

There's blood everywhere.