AN: Literally what even is medicalness? Yeah, I know squat about how hospitals actually work so I'm just kinda bs-ing my way through those bits. And I will admit that writing for Jess is really hard considering she was in a whole of two episodes. Nonetheless, hope y'all enjoy the final chapter!

"Son of a bitch!" Sam cursed as he nearly fell onto his ass.

"Easy, baby." Jess comforted as she aided him in remaining on his feet. Well- foot, considering how the other one of them was in a cast. "The doctor said you're not gonna get it on your first try."

"Screw the doctor. I'm doing it." He huffed, only to murmur an apology when the nurse in the room cleared her throat at the remark.

"Don't strain yourself, Sam." Jess warned.

"I'm not." He protested. "I can handle this." With a determined exhale, Sam pulled himself back onto his crutches, and forced himself to limp forward. The strain on his shoulders and back muscles was almost too much to bear, but he was stubborn, and he refused to fall again.

"There you go, baby." Jess praised, leaving a hand on his shoulder, offering her support.

After a deep breath, Sam requested, "Let go. I can do this."

Jess was hesitant. "Sam, I-"

"Please, Jess. Let me do this."

Praying he wouldn't let her worries become a reality, Jess removed her hand.

"You're doing great, Sam." The nurse, Maria, told him. "You really shouldn't push yourself too hard. You've been through a lot over the past few days, it's okay to take it easy."

"It's not too much." Sam insisted once more, and pulled himself forward, and to everyone's relief, he did so successfully, albeit with a face scrunched up in pain, but the pain wasn't beyond his tolerating abilities.

"Okay." Maria said with a smile. "That's enough for today, Mr. Determined. You've proved your point, but now I've got to make sure you didn't tear any stitches."

Nodding, Sam allowed Jess to help lead him back to his cot, and he was slightly embarrassed to realise that he was a little breathless from the feat.

Jess helped Sam remove his shirt, something she was rather good at before the accident too, and Maria was pleased to discover that his stitches hadn't popped, and the wounds weren't infected either. Considering the days he'd just come back from, today could definitely be called a win.

"You've made some great progress, Sam." Maria commented, and then she turned to Jess, smiling. "You've got a stubborn man on your hands there."

"Oh, believe me, I'm aware." Jess said playfully.

"You keep an eye on him, alright?"

"I'm good at that."

"She is." Sam agreed. "Kinda creeps me out sometimes." He added, grinning.

"Oh shut up, you jerk." Jess elbowed him lightheartedly, purposefully avoiding any area with a cloth wrapped around it.

"You gonna make me?" Sam challenged, not caring that he'd just set himself up for the clichést of the clichés.

Falling into the trap, Jess leaned in, and pressed her lips against his. Luckily for both of them, they were equally content with being a pair of sappy and overly affectionate dorks. One of the perks of being in love.

"Now," Maria started. "Your next appointment's been scheduled, but if you experience any other problems, you come right back here. Got it, Sam?"

"Yes, ma'am." Sam promised.

"Jessica?"

"Yes?" Jess answered.

"You make sure he comes in if he has any issues. Not sure I entirely trust him and his apparent stubborn streak."

"Hey!" Sam protested with a smile.

"She's got you pegged, baby." Jess giggled, and gave him another brief kiss.

"You've been a great patient, Sam, but I'd rather not see you again under these kinds of circumstances, okay? When I see you, it'll be for you to tell me everything's fine, no more trouble from you, alright?"

"Got it. I'll be careful."

"Good choice. Jessica, would you like to help Sam into his wheelchair?" Maria saw Sam's mouth open to argue, but she stopped him. "You leave in the chair, or you don't leave at all." She smiled at his huff, and then his nod. "Again, good choice."

Keeping a steadying hand on his shoulders, the small portion that wasn't injured, Jess eased him into the wheelchair.

"Now," Maria explained. "I'm going to suggest this because it's my job, but I have a feeling that you're going to ignore it. Nonetheless, patients at this stage are usually inclined to purchase a wheelchair for easier transportation, but I'm sure you will insist upon walking. Am I right?"

"I'd disagree, but then I'd be lying." Sam admitted.

"Thought so. Just thought I'd let you know. Really though, Sam, most people in your condition would be in no hurry to leave the hospital, and here you are insisting on checking yourself out."

Scoffing, Sam told her, "I'm not most people."

Maria gave a sigh. "No, I suppose you're not. But- can I ask what's so important out there? Not many college students would be so eager to get back out there."

Sam cast a glance over to Jess. "It's not just school I'd be missing out on." He smiled.

Maria hummed. "Suppose I can't argue with that." She gave a nod, and Jess began to wheel Sam out, and Maria followed closely behind. "I'll say it one last time before you leave, alright? You be careful out there, you hear me?"

One final time, Sam agreed. "I will, Maria."

"That's my boy." Maria escorted them to the car, loaded in Sam's crutches, and waved as the care departed. When the car turned the corner, Maria allowed her eyes to slip back to their normal shade of yellow. "That's my boy…"

Screw what his father said. Dean wasn't an idiot. And he wasn't as blind of a follower as John liked to believe either.

They'd both heard about the murders at Stanford, but John had remained passive about the matter, ordering Dean to let some other hunter take care of it.

'Sammy left us, so we'll return the favour. He doesn't want anything to do with us, so we're gonna leave him be. It's what he wants, isn't it?'

Damn him for being so damn stubborn. And Sam too! If the kid had had any sense he would've bucked up and called them, and Dean could have made a more decent argument to John, one that he wouldn't' be able to ignore. John may not agree with what Sam did in the slightest, but had Sam asked for help, John would have given it to him.

Apparently, John was so set on the idea of having Sam call them, that he had been contacting other hunters and telling them that someone else had taken on the case, that it was covered.

And that was the last damn straw for Dean.

John had tried to give Dean some B.S. justification for it, but Dean hadn't wanted to hear it. He'd simply walked out the door to go see Sam himself. This time, his father's orders weren't enough to stop him from helping his brother.

For hours on end, Dean heard nothing but the age-old and familiar hum of the Impala's wheels gliding over the asphalt of the open road. That, and the constant ringtone that indicated a call from his father. But Dean didn't want to argue, he didn't want to say where he was going, and he definitely didn't want to hear John's excuses.

This wasn't Dean's first time visiting Stanford. The previous trips his father had known about. But not this one. John could bitch at him for it later, and then they'd get back to hunting. Although, Dean wouldn't mind taking a few solo hunts every now and then. He was twenty-five after all.

By the time Dean was just about to enter Sam's apartment, a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey, man, I know you're curious and everything, but Sam's really not up for visitors or anything, okay?"

It took all Dean had not to punch the guy in the face. Who the hell was he to tell him about Sam? "I'm sorry, who are you exactly?"

"Name's Brady. Friend of Sam's. Who are you?"

Dean's fists clenched. "Name's Dean. Brother of Sam's."

The Brady kid paled. "I-I'm so sorry, man, I-I didn't know."

"Whatever. You said something about Sam not wanting visitors? What's that all about?"

"You-… You don't know?"

The rage and irritation Dean had been feeling retreated in an instant. "Don't know what?" His teeth were grit in an attempt to hide the true emotion he was feeling at that moment; fear.

"He-he got nabbed by that psychopath that killed all those other students. I-I thought you'd know, I-I'm so sorry."

Sam got kidnapped for God's sake, and he didn't tell Dean? What the hell?! "Yeah." Dean scoffed. "I thought I would know too."

Clearly uncomfortable, Brady shifted. "Uh- I think he's having lunch outside the library with Jess if you wanna see him."

"Jess?"

"It-… It's been a while since you've seen Sam, hasn't it?"

"And it's been a while since you've minded your own damn business." Dean snapped. He tugged on his jacket and fixed the collar as he stormed off to find Sam. Why the hell hadn't Sam told him any of this? Did Sam really hate him that much? He headed to the library to find some answers. And possibly kick Sam's ass depending on how hurt the kid was.

A few wrong turns and backtracking later, Dean had finally found the library. He scanned the steps briefly, and he was just about to charge forward when his eyes finally landed on Sam, but then Dean saw some girl's hand, Jess's he assumed, go to Sam's shoulder, and the two of them laughed.

Sam was happy.

Back when Sam was hunting, Dean would have given anything just to prevent Sam from being a miserable mess, but now- he was honest-to-God happy. And no matter how much Dean wanted to run over there and make sure Sam was okay, ask why he was on crutches, maybe slap him for being such a stubborn little bitch, he just couldn't ruin this moment. Sam deserved better. He always had.

Don't think Dean didn't want to know what happened to Sam, that's simply untrue. Back when they hunted together, Dean wouldn't let Sam get so much as a bruise without knowing exactly how he'd gotten it. But that was because it had always been just the two of them. Now? Now Sammy wasn't alone. And he was happy dammit. Dean knew he had no reason to disrupt such a rare and precious fact. He shot a glance to his baby brother one final time, and then turned to leave, but not before finding that Brady kid and making sure he wouldn't tell Sam that he had ever been here.

If Dean couldn't have a shot at that normal life, which he knew he didn't, he'd just keep hunting, and Sam could keep on living the apple pie-life he'd always wanted. No matter how much it hurt Dean.

AN: Bittersweet endings are my life now. They bring me joy because it brings everyone else feels. Angst is my new favourite thing. Okay. So-… I am currently working on another fic but… It's slash, guys. Heavy slash. I don't know that I'm ever actually going to publish it, but if I'm gone for a while, it's because I'm working on my own little potentially private piece. If anyone's curious, it'd be Sam/Meg. Since that's such an odd and random ship it's not likely that many people would want to read it anyway so, I just don't know.

Anyway, thanks to everyone and their patience on this story, and I can't wait to write for everyone again! Drop a review if y'all got the time, and until next time, carry on my wayward sons!