I'm a Soldier

The sound of his own breath was all the Dean could hear. He couldn't make out anything that the doctor was telling Bobby or that Jo had been saying to Helen. All he could hear was his own ragged breathing and the oxygen that was forced up his nose.

Five days ago he had collapsed in Bobby's house, Sam had been placed in a temporary foster home, Dean had lost all ability to move on his own and breathe on his anymore and now there was only a few hours before he was going to die and be dragged into the fiery abyss of hell.

He had one day left to do nothing but lay there and look helpless. "Here we'll turn this down." The nurse said as she lowered the power of the oxygen. The rushing noise Dean had heard before diminished and he could finally hear Helen talking about the plans for Sam.

"He goes to school." Dean muttered weakily. They other turned their attention on Dean.

"We'll send him to school, we were talking about training him in hunting." Helen said.

"No." Dean shook his head. "He goes to school, he learns to fight but in no way shape or form do I want him back in this life."

"Dean, we ain't exactly the best folks for Sam to be with if that's the case." Bobby said.

"I don't care." Dean said. "All those creatures still know who Sam is, at least with you, if this world does find him again, he has a fighting chance."

"Dean…"

"Just don't argue with me. I'll be dead in a few hours and it'll be pointless anyways."

"Dean." Bobby tried again. "My buddy pulled through. We have the aging water." Bobby held up a clear vial of light green liquid. "There's just enough here to put Sam back where he belongs."

Dean reached for the vial. "No." He dropped it. It hit the ground and shattered spewing the water everywhere.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Bobby asked. "You didn't have to smash the stuff."

"I didn't want any of you going back on your word once I was dead." Dean said. "Sam is pure again. He's happy. He doesn't think about Jess or me or demons anymore and that the way it should be." Dean inched himself up and pulled open the drawer beside him. "Here. Make sure to give this to Sammy on his 25th birthday." Dean said. "It's a letter from me explaining what happened to his family and the keys to the Impala."

"Don't want to say goodbye?" Bobby asked.

Dean closed his eyes and shook his head. "No." He opened them and a few tears streamed down his face. "The last thing Sam remembers about me is being this amazing person at the zoo. He remembers me strong and I don't want to take that from him." Another tear fell. "I can't do that to him. I can't bring him in here and just say goodbye. I can't die watching him crying. He's happy right now."

"No Dean, he isn't." Helen said. "Ever since he was taken to that foster home he hasn't smiled once. He misses you. He doesn't know what's going on and he deserves that."

"We had them bring him here so you could say goodbye to him."

Dean closed his eyes forcing his tears back. "Why would you do that?"

""Because he loves you, that's why." Helen got up and opened the door to the room. Sam was standing out in the hall with a nurse. His chubby face was stricken with tear and his eyes red from rubbing them. As soon as his eyes fell on Dean his face lit up.

"Daddy Dean!" He let go of the nurses hand and bounded up on to the bed and into Dean's arms where he held on to him as if Dean would fly away.

"Sammy." Dean rested a hand on Sam's back. Dean looked up to the others who nodded him and vacated the room leaving Sam and Dean alone.

Nothing was said between the two of them. Dean kept his hand on Sam's back and Sam kept clinging on to Dean for dear life. It went like for Dean's last two hours until his breathing finally stopped and he passed away holding on to the brother he had cared for for his entire life.

When Bobby had come back in to take Sam he found the tyke silently crying on Dean's chest. "He's gone." Sammy barely whispered as he continued to cry. "I helped him."

Bobby kneeled down and took Sam's little hand in his. "You did good kid."

Sam nodded as he sniffed. "I had to be brave for him." He whispered.

Bobby blinked and wiped away his tears. "He'd be proud of you." Holding his hands out Sam quietly slipped from Dean's arms and into Bobby's. They were both silent as Bobby carried Sam out of the room.

The last image Sam saw of his big brother was the nurse putting the sheet over his face. Before the linen covered the peaceful features Sam rose up on Bobby's shoulder and saluted. "I'm Daddy Dean's soldier" He sniffed back his tears. "And soldiers don't cry." Then the door was shut and the left the hospital in silence.

XxXxXx

The funeral was small; only a few people were informed and even less showed up. Dean wasn't cremated per his request but a devils trap was placed around his grave refusing any demons from entering his body. Dean was lowered into the ground and a rock was used to mark his grave.

He was buried in a pine box with a stuffed toy Sammy had given him in case he got scared down there. No one really said anything just stood there in silence. Helen, Jo, Bobby and Sam, they were all Dean cared about and they were all that needed to be there. Respectfully and silently each said goodbye in their own way. Helen and Jo placed down a rose each and Bobby poured some booze from his flask. And Sam…Sam was brave. He watched silently and stayed strong knowing that's Dean would have wanted.

And he didn't cry once.

THE END

I apologize for taking so long to finish this story. I can't believe it's been 4 years since my last update and back then I promised an update in a week.

Well that's the end of Baby Brother. I've been debating on a sequel when Sam's all grown up but I don't think it's a good idea considering how long it took me to finish this one. If I ever get around to it I'll make sure to finish it before I post it.

Thank you to all you read and reviewed.