Disclaimer: The characters of Supernatural were created by Eric Kripke and are owned by the CW Network. No Profit is being made.

NOTE TO READERS: Okay, first off. Yes, this story has Ellen and Jo in it, but I'm not a fan of the Jo/Dean hook-up route, so don't look for undying love happening here. But, I am however, a supporter of the roadhouse only because as much as I love the brother dynamic on the show it's nice to know they aren't completely alone in the world. They have a place to fall back on. Yes, "No Exit" sort of left it with the notion the boys may stay gone for a while after the parting words between Jo and Dean. But, having read spoilers and script sides … I know that at least Ellen is back for episode 10. Anyway, I don't dislike the roadhouse, although, I don't want to always have them there, and I'm very anti Jo and Dean becoming involved. Friends yes, maybe even confidants to a degree, but a relationship, nope, no way.

I base Ellen's behavior with Sam in this story with her interactions with him in person and on the phone. Like in "Bloodlust" she called him 'sweetie.'

Bridges

By Dawn Nyberg

Ellen wiped the bar down as the juke box blared on and the hum of activity filled the roadhouse. It was a busy night and the place was full. Hunters were eating, drinking; playing pool and poker, and some cleaned their weapons and shared hunting stories. Ellen looked at the calendar and her mind went to the Winchester boys, John's boys. She had been angry with herself in telling Jo about what had happened all those years ago. It was wrong to put the sins of the father on the boys, but she had inadvertently done so anyway. Jo had been angry and had told Dean to 'just go' … Ellen remembered hearing the Impala start up and pull out. She hadn't seen nor heard from either Sam or Dean in three months. She wished one of them would call or they'd come back. She worried about them and wished she could undo what had been said months ago. Dean had kept his promise. He had saved Jo. He got her back alive. Ellen glanced at Jo across the bar delivering some long neck beers. Her thoughts were broken by the bar phone ringing.

"Harvelle's Roadhouse."

"Yes, may I speak to?" there was a pause as if the person on the other end was searching for the information or reading it. "I need to speak with an Ellen Harvelle, please."

"This is she," Ellen answered bluntly. She had things to do and this person was wasting her time by not cutting to the chase. "Look if this is a sales call…" she was cut off.

"No," the voice assured. "I'm Dr. Rosen calling from Tempe Medical Center in Tempe, Arizona. Your business card was found inside the wallet of a trauma victim that was taken into surgery. I'm hoping you might be able to provide some information toward contacting his family. Ellen felt a cold heaviness fill her. She covered an ear to block out the loud music in the bar and focused on the doctor's voice.

"Who?" Ellen barked into the phone. "Who's hurt?"

"Do you know a Sam Connors?"

"Oh, God, Sam!" Ellen squeezed the phone. The last name was obviously a fake ID, but she knew who he was talking about. "How bad is he hurt?" Her voice was demanding. Her mind already spinning … why wasn't Dean there to answers the questions about Sam.

"Are you family? I can't provide specific information unless…" the doctor was cut off. Ellen thought on her feet quickly.

"Yes, I'm their aunt. I haven't seen the boys for awhile. How badly is he hurt?" Jo had walked up to the bar and heard the worried timbre in her mother's voice and listened.

"Sam," the doctor began. "As I said was taken into surgery and we found your business card with his ID. He has some extensive internal injuries with internal bleeding. He is in critical condition. The surgeons are doing everything they can for him."

"Everything they can?" Ellen barked. "That boy is only twenty-three years old. They better damn well be doing a hell of a lot more than their everything! His older brother," Ellen's tone was urgent. "Where's Dean?"

"He's been moved to the ICU. He was stabilized in the ER."

"ICU," Ellen hissed into the phone. "What's wrong?"

"He suffered some severe contusions to the chest and abdomen. He is being watched for signs of internal bleeding, but right now his blood counts are holding. He suffered a head injury. He has a severe concussion, but there is no sign of skull fracture or hemorrhage, and that's good. He hasn't regained consciousness yet, but I'm hopeful he will once his body gets a chance to recoup."

"What the hell happened?"

"The police and park rangers say it must have been a bear attack or something. There have been some deaths in the recent weeks of hikers at one of the wilderness hiking areas. They think there could have been more than one animal. I do know the park ranger said they found the remains of a burnt carcass of something, but it was mostly ash and bone fragments. They think one of the boys may have shot it with a flare gun."

"Jesus," Ellen hissed under her breath. She wasn't stupid, it sounded like a wendigo, but she couldn't be sure until she talked to one of the boys. "I'm taking the first flight out. I'll be there soon." Ellen jotted down some notes and gave the doctor her cell phone number should there be new information on the boys or if … God forbid one of them dies, her mind closed off to that idea.

"Mom? Mom what is it?"

"It's Sam and Dean," she began. "They've been hurt. It was a hospital in Tempe. Sounds bad." Ellen saw the flicker of indifference cross her daughter's face and then it was gone quickly replaced by an honest worry. "Jo," she spoke softly to her daughter. "Dean and Sam … we shouldn't make them carry the burden of someone else's mistake." Jo nodded. Dean and Sam had saved her life from Holmes and she knew that in truth her anger should have never been directed at Dean that day outside the roadhouse.

"I know. Come on," her voice strong and sure. Ellen had announced that the place was closing up, and had left Ash strict instructions to not stray far from the bar in case his talents of research were needed for any reason at all.

Tempe Medical Center, Tempe, Arizona, Mid Morning

It was a short flight from Nebraska to Arizona. Ellen sat stoically next to Sam's bed. He had survived the surgery, but the doctor's hadn't been very hopeful. Sam's heart had stopped once during surgery and again last night in the ICU. He was barely hanging on. She watched the multiple IV lines pumping various fluids into Sam, and one tube she noted with trepidation. It was feeding blood into Sam. His counts were still too low, and they had found another slow bleed, but had to close up to wait until he was stronger to endure more surgery. Now they were merely trying to balance Sam's life against some wait or proceed notion, and the doctor's weren't ready to go back in yet. Both of Sam's surgeons had explained that it was a delicate dance of letting Sam gain some strength before going back in. They had discovered a laceration on the backside of Sam's liver, and they were hoping it would clot itself off if given time, but if it didn't they'd have to open him back up and go in. They had told Ellen they would have sutured the laceration while still in surgery, but Sam's cardiac status had been tenuous at best during surgery and when he arrested that had decided for them. They pulled out and tied off the major bleeders and ended the surgery.

Ellen stared at Sam's pale, lax face and she ached. She thought of John and despite everything she had told the truth to the boys that day they first met, John was like family once and now all that was left of him were his boys. She wanted to try building a bridge back to the boys and to work through the words said months ago. She had left Jo to sit with Dean two rooms down from his brother. He hadn't regained consciousness yet, but the doctor's had assured her that he was making purposeful movements and they expected him to wake up soon. She turned her attention back to Sam. "Listen sweetie," Ellen spoke softly. "You have to keep fighting okay. Your brother needs you. And, well," her voice trailed off. "You're just too damn young, okay? You fight as hard as you can."

Jo sat next to Dean's bed and was sure she had memorized every subtle feature. Her gift shop bought magazine had long since been discarded in a chair alongside the wall. She sat back in her chair watching, but not touching Dean. There was a rustle and she leaned forward. She watched as Dean's eyes slowly opened. He squinted against the overhead light on his bed. "Dean?" He turned his head toward the mention of his name. He stared at Jo for a long moment trying to process what he was seeing. She offered a rueful smile. "Yeah, it's really me," she replied with a soft voice. "Just take it easy, okay. You got pretty banged up and the doctor says you've got one hell of a concussion." Dean still didn't understand why Jo was here or how for that matter. He tried to remember what he was doing last that could have ended him up here, and then he remembered with horrific clarity … a wendigo on top of Sam. Blood. Sam screaming. Horrible screaming. And, he had managed to fire a flare gun at the beast before darkness had claimed him.

"Sam?" Dean tried to sit up, but the pain pushed him back down before Jo could. He turned desperate eyes toward Jo. And, what he saw in her face at the mention of his brother's name caused a sudden fear to possess him causing a cold sweat to bead beneath his hospital gown. "Where's Sam?" He rasped out as the pain flared across his chest and abdomen.

"Dean," Jo's voice unsure.

"Dammit! Where's Sam?" He hissed as his heart hammered against his sternum.

To Be Continued

Well, I had intended this to be a quick one shot, but as you can see … it's going to be a chapter story. I'm thinking maybe five chapters or less. So, this won't be a long project … at least not like my last chapter story.

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