In-Air Comfort

Finding Comfort

The nurse comes back in to check on you a few times throughout the day but Dean never leaves your side. You cry and nap together all day and when visiting hours end the nurse doesn't even attempt to kick him out, figuring that it's more hassle than it's worth. Late in the afternoon, your doctor returns to change the dressing on your bandage and check the stitches. A few more days pass like this before they finally discharge you. Not feeling up for hours in the car yet, you decide to stay with Bobby for the night. Dean wheels you out to the car park in a wheelchair before helping you to walk to and get in the Impala. It's not that you can't walk, it's just that your legs are stiff from laying in bed for days. You drive in silence back to the salvage yard, when Dean parks in the garage he rounds the car and helps you out.

"Come on, sweetheart."

You take his hand and get out before walking ahead and upstairs, steadying yourself on the rails as Dean gets your bag out of the boot. You knock on the door and Bobby opens it within seconds.

"Hey, kiddo, come in. You want anything? Water? Probably not beer with all that pain medication. Snack? Anything?"

"I'm alright, Bobby, thanks." You sit on the couch and he sits down beside you. Dean walks through with your bag and takes it upstairs giving you a chance to chat with Bobby alone. "How do I get through this, Bobby? The pain...the loss..."

"The same way we get through anything else; one day at a time. Lean on your family. You know I'm here for you, but also that boy upstairs...you have to lean on each other. This hit him as hard as it hit you. Knowing him he'll wanna handle it the hunter way: with booze and blood. But I'll make sure he's there for you."

"He's so good to me...He never left my side at the hospital. He's always caring for me. And he's even been trying to talk, which you know isn't really his style, but I just don't know what to say. There's nothing I can say to make it better. I know he's disappointed, and so am I, but I'm also kinda relieved and I feel guilty that I feel that way. It was so much stress, I was never sure if we were ready. And now, if you believe in signs and all that then obviously this was the sign that we weren't ready. But I also feel empty. With Dean's help I started to believe we could do it; get out, have a family."

"You still can. I believe in the two of you. Maybe you're right, maybe it wasn't the right time. Now you have a chance to talk about it and plan your next steps together. I know he's not the best at chick-flick moments as he calls them, but you need to talk. Decide your next steps together. If you don't talk about it and work through it together you'll regret it, take it from someone who knows."

"Thanks, Bobby. I'm sorry you and Karen never got the chance to have a family."

"I thought I'd be a terrible dad."

"You're not, you know. You did a good job with Dean and Sam...and me. Dean's a great partner and I know he's gonna be a great dad and I believe that's thanks to you. I never got to meet John, but from the stories I've heard...well let's just say I don't think he and I would've gotten a shot at what we have if he was still around."

"He was a good man but he never got through losing Mary. And those poor boys suffered because of it."

"Yeah, but they turned out alright," you say just as Dean walks into the room. He goes to pull over a chair but Bobby gets up and gestures for him to take his seat on the couch next to you. Dean rests his arm over the back of the couch behind your head and you rest your head on his shoulder.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to check on you."

"It's okay."

"Baby, can we talk?"

"About?"

"You know what about. How're you feeling?"

"I don't know...numb, sad, empty, a little relieved..."

"Relieved?"

"A little...I was so scared. I didn't feel ready, and now I can let some of that go. But don't confuse that with happy, Dean. I wanted this baby with you. I want a family with you. I'm just a little relieved that we now have the chance to prepare and plan more before adding a child into the mix."

"As long as we're still planning on having one eventually...the way you were talking in the hospital..."

"I was in pain and upset. Of course, I still want a future and a family with you."

"I want that too. But maybe we just take things slow for a while."

"Well, the doctor said we have to wait at least three months before we try again anyway."

"Yeah. I'm just glad you're okay, physically anyway. I know it's gonna take a while to heal emotionally, but I'm gonna be here for you the whole way."

"What about you, baby? You have to look after yourself as well. I know this hurt you too."

"Don't worry about me."

"Dean..."

"Sweetheart, don't stress about me. Just think of yourself. And let me look after you."

"You begged me not to shut you out...please don't shut me out either. I love you, Dean Winchester."

Dean just stands up and grabs your hand helping you up. "Come on, let's go have a nap. We can watch a movie on your laptop in bed. I just wanna cuddle you for a while."

"That sounds perfect. Can we watch something distracting and not sad?"

"Whatever you want. How about I show you one of my favourite Western movies?" He says as he leads you upstairs.

Dean helps you into bed and then climbs in beside you, pulling your laptop onto his lap. Bringing up Netflix he searches through the Westerns to find a good one, he ends up deciding on Tombstone. Once he starts the movie he moves the laptop onto the bed in front of you and spoons you. One hand rests under your head while the other rests on your wraps around you and holds your hand. His head rests above yours. You focus on the movie as you relax into Dean's arms. Despite the gaping pit in your stomach at your recent loss, you feel safe and like everything's gonna be okay while you're in his arms.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───