Title: A Child Forgotten

Author: penelopegraceful

Summary: Basically Sam is forgotten on the most important day of the year, his birthday and is injured. His father and brother return home only to make the situation worse. Will they lose Sam forever or will they realize the error of their ways and make things right for once.

I don't own anything.

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Chapter 5

Over the years, the Winchester family had seen their far share of injuries, from bruised bodies to broken bones. As John grabbed the vile and syringe, his hand felt unnaturally heavy. They always saved the morphine for emergencies, but hell, this was an emergency. John had neglected his boy enough, if he could offer Sam the least bit of comfort, then it was worth it. As he made his way back into the house and into the room the three were sharing, the clinch in John's heart returned with a ferocity that he had not expected.

Sam lay in his brother's arm, silently weeping into his brothers shoulder. It was as if the dam within Sam that was holding back all the emotions of the past two days had broken, and the river had been unleashed.

Without hesitation, John carefully took a seat next to Dean, careful not to jostle the bed anymore than he had to. Sam shook violently as John approached, the pain and infection taking a huge toll on him.

"Sammy, I'm gonna give you something for the pain, alright buddy?" As John spoke he quickly unpackaged the syringe and measured out the exact dose that he needed from the vile. He made sure he was out of Sam's line of sight as he finished prepping the equipment. No need to scare the boy more than he already was.

John quickly grabbed a alcohol packet from the first aid kit, that had been thrown haphazardly on the nightstand, and swabbed the crook of Sam's arm.

The cold disinfectant started Sam, and he looked up at his father who was now holding the syringe and nearing his arm. "No!" Sam's startled scream broke both of the older Winchesters already bruised heart. "Please NO!, I'll be good, NO!" Sam bucked and fought Dean's hold. "Keep him still Dean."

"Shhh, Sam, you're alright. Dad's just gonna give you something to help you sleep. Shhh, I've gotcha."

A pained sobbing noise was all that could be heard, as John injected Sam with the syringe, quickly depressing the contents into Sam.

"All done Buddy, you did great," John cooed, quickly carding his hand through Sam's hair, and wiping the tears from Sam's face with his thumb.

Sam leaned into John's touch, as his eyes drifted shut. The trust Sam still had in John was unreal. John had neglected his boy in the worst way, but his baby still trusted him.

"Sweet dreams Sam."

Dean held his baby brother in his arms as Sam quickly fell into a deep medicated sleep. Dean's chest literally ached, watching his brother go through so much agony. He would switch places with him in an instant, but for now he would just hold Sam.

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The rest of the night went by in a blur, Dean and John took turns laying with Sam as he slumbered. Both afraid that he would wake up disoriented and frightened if he was alone.

The Winchester men realized they had screwed up, but as the soft snore filled the room, they realized they were going to have to eat humble pie for a while to atone for the mistakes they had made with their youngest.

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Sam was on complete bed rest for the next week while he recuperated from the infection and frost bite he had suffered.

John and Dean were never more than an arms reach away. At first it was somewhat comforting, he had never really been comforted before for pain. Usually John would just tell Sam to "suck it up," or "stop whining." But instead John would have Dean hold his brother as they cleaned and redressed the wound on Sam's arm, and when it came time for Sam's morphine injection, John would gently pick Sam up and lay the boy in his lap, whispering soothing words, as soon as Sam's eyes began to fall his father would placed a kiss on top of his head as he inserted the needle into Sam's already to tender arm. Sam still cried out, but John was right there to comfort him and rub his arm, until Sam gently drifted off to sleep.

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Once John was sure Sam was asleep, he tucked his exhausted child into the bed and exited the room, joining Dean in the living room.

"Watch your brother, I'll be back in an hour. If there are any problems just call." And before Dean could even ask were his father was going, John was gone.

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Exactly forty-six minutes later, Dean heard the unmistakable rumble of the Impala. John quickly emerged from the doorway holding a small stack of beautifully wrapped parcels.

"I just thought he would like something to unwrap when he wakes up." John said as a sad smile ghosted across his stubbled face. He knew the gifts weren't much, but it was a start.

John and Dean quietly re entered the room were Sam lay sprawled out on the mattress. Trying his damnedest not to make a sound, John placed the presents on the cluttered bedside table. His eyes quickly drifted back to a sleeping Sam, his heart still ached at the thought of how close he came to losing his boy. As he laid his hand on Sam's warm chest, he vowed that from now on his boys would come first, no matter what.

"Happy Birthday Sam."

The End.

Thank you again for the reviews! I have few ideas already for my next story, so hopefully I'll have that up sometime this weekend.

-penelopegraceful