Missouri-
Sam groaned as Dean filled up the midnight black Impala. The elder hunter bobbed his head to the song that he was humming. Sam was watching him through the back windscreen and chuckled as his brother head banged to his own music. Minutes ticked by as the tall man gazed out the window at the road running alongside the gas station while waiting for his brother. His arm was lent up against the frame of the door. Bright sunlight poured in through the glass casting against Sam's tanned skin. Noticing something different, he peered down at his forearm. The skin looked discoloured and a different texture than usual on a patch of skin which surrounded a small dark mole.
Frowning, Sam ran a finger over the skin. He bit at the side of his mouth and resolved to keep an eye on the strange patch to see if it went. He was mentally muddling through his medical knowledge when Dean collapsed back into the driver's seat with a smirk.
"Everything alright, dude?" Dean asked after taking in his brother's thoughtful expression.
"What? Um, nothing." He shifted in his seat letting his right arm fall to his side self-consciously. "You ready to go?
Dean didn't answer. The hunter just smirked again and revved the engine in reply. The pride Dean had in his car made Sam roll his eyes but a small smile ghosted across his lips anyway.
As soon as the car had pulled out onto the road, Dean pushed in a cassette and loudly sung along to the words. The younger Winchester couldn't help the chuckle that came from deep in his throat. Sam scratched at his arm, subconsciously. At least Dean couldn't hear him laughing at his enthusiasm over the blaring ACDC.
---
3 weeks later- Frankfort, Kentucky.
The steam filled the bathroom as Sam let the hot water flow over his tense body. His muscles uncurled as the warming water relaxed his aches. He ran his fingers through his hair and watched the bubbles from his shampoo cascade down his chest and into the floor of the small shower. The water was beginning to go cold making Sam sigh and silently curse motel showers. Making sure the soap was gone, he stepped from the shower and wrapped himself in one of the scratchy towels that hung from the metal bar.
He peered at himself in the mirror despite the condensation that was misting up the reflection. An angry red mark caught his eye. The hunter furrowed his brow as he stared at the himself before looking down at his actual arm. The dark mole on his right arm had become a little larger and certainly more angry looking. It itched slightly as the man looked down at it almost as though it was demanding the hunter's attention. The man sighed, he really didn't want to deal with this right now.
He dried himself off and stepped through to the cold bedroom, where he quickly got dressed while hiding his arm, not wanting to worry Dean. He dressed and collapsed into his chair exhausted. Their most recent hunt had really taken it out of him. Pulling his laptop across the table to him with a sigh, he quickly googled local walk in clinics and scrolled through the options. He realised that dealing with it would probably be better than just ignoring it.
He glared down at his arm through the material of his hoodie. I'm sure it's nothing, he thought to himself, just inflammation and a rash. I'll go to the doctor, they'll send me away with some cream, Dean will mock me for worrying and everything will be fine.
He glanced over at his brother who was muttering to himself while cleaning a gun. He peered back at the website hesitantly. He chewed his dry lip as he studied the words and directions to the clinic.
"Look, Sam. If you're feeling guilty about watching porn just remember that they are all... Usually, over the age of 18 and are willing participants." Dean had seen Sam looking at the screen with slight worry on his face. He had leapt to the wrong conclusion. A very very wrong conclusion.
Sam coughed awkwardly, "Yeah."
---
3 weeks later.- Washington DC.
Sam? -DW
Answer me. -DW
Where are you? -DW
For God's sake, Sam. Answer me Damnit! -DW
Yeah?- SW
Sam replied to the texts as he left the walk in clinic's large glass automatic sliding doors. His palms were sweaty, making it hard to grasp his phone. He strode away from the doctor's and was just slipping his phone back into his pocket when it vibrated, signalling a new message.
Where the hell are you? -DW
Sam shot a glance over his shoulder at the medical building before sighing and texting back. He saw no reason to worry his over protective elder brother so lied.
I just went for coffee. Got lost. I'm on my way back now -SW
He suddenly realised that he'd have to add validity to his lie by stopping at a coffee place of some kind. His eyes glanced up and down the street. A relieved smiled played on his lips when he saw a large Starbucks at the end of the street. Luckily for him, it was still relatively early so the line to purchase the drinks was small and the shop was quiet.
Sam took off quickly after buying the coffee. He'd need to get a move on so he could get back in good time. He had to pass in front of the clinic again on his way back to their motel. The doctor's words played around in his head, Possibly cancerous... Tests needed... Find out and catch it...
Sam sighed again. The doctor's appointment hadn't gone well. It wasn't nearly as simple as he had desperately hoped. If she was right then the mole on his arm could be possibly cancerous which he'd really being praying that it wouldn't be. He'd been called back to the clinic tomorrow for 'further tests'. Sam certainly didn't like the sound of that. It made his stomach flip nervously.
He swallowed and made his way back to the motel while an unsettled feeling took root in his stomach.
---
A week later- Springfield, Illinois.
Sam's phone rang loudly in the quiet room making him jump. Dean glanced over at his brother with a raised eyebrow. The younger hunter flashed an apologetic smile before rummaging around in his suit's inner pocket for his phone. He dug around for his cell, pushing past his FBI badge. Dean looked over at him with an impatient frown. The disapproval was rolling off the older Winchester in obvious waves.
The number that appeared up upon the small screen made Sam's stomach drop. The number was one that he had accidentally memorised while reading the clinic's information leaflet again and again. He blinked at his cell phone.
"Umm, do mind if I...get this?" The crying woman in front of them looked mildly baffled but nodded nonetheless. With a grateful smile Sam began to fled from the room.
Dean's eyes followed his brother as he quickly left the room in the large house. He coughed and apologised for his colleagues departure.
Sam stepped out onto the large porch before he lifted the phone to his ear. He answered the questions and asked his own. After a few minutes, his face dropped. He let out a shaky breath.
Children ran passed the house while throwing a ball to and fro. Bright smiles dominated their small faces as their high pitched laughs echoed around the small neighbourhood. Sam's heart landed in his belly as he watched the children play. He was only partly paying attention to the woman on the other end of the phone call. He quickly wrapped up the call, thanking the woman for her time. Sam wiped a hand down his face. He could feel the paleness that occupied his cheeks. He deeply breathed in the crisp cool air in a desperate attempt to wash away the dizziness.
After a few minutes, he slowly stepped back into the house. He steadied his breathing before slipping back into the living room where the sobbing victim was sat in front of an uncomfortable looking Dean. Everyone knew that comforting a sobbing person, male or female, was not Dean's forte. The elder brother glanced over his shoulder as Sam entered the room. The lines in the elder man's face relaxed as relief flooded over him. At least now Sam could now take over the comforting.
Dean cut the woman off, "Everything alright, agent?" His eyes carried a slight unexpected concern. Sam must have looked worse than he had previously anticipated.
"I'll speak with you later."
Sam didn't speak with Dean later.
---
2 weeks later- Washington DC.
It hadn't been hard for Sam to get his brother back to Washington. He'd briefly researched a possible case as soon as he had gotten back to the motel. He had then exaggerated all the points to grab Dean's attention despite the fact that, the case would actually be a rather boring one. Nothing more than a salt and burn at best. The spirit hadn't even been causing any real trouble.
He had his first appointment with the hospital early that morning. Dean was still asleep, exhausted from the long drive the day before when Sam had slipped out the motel, not even leaving a note.
It was an action plan, that's what the doctor called it anyway. To Sam it just made it seem like he was about to rage war against his own body which felt wrong seeing that it was usually things outside of his body that he had to fight. The doctor sat with him planning out the stages of his treatment. It vaguely reminded him of preparing for a particularly dangerous hunt. He couldn't decide whether that was a good or bad thing.
The appointment lasted longer than he had anticipated so wasn't surprised when his phone had began to vibrate in his pocket every few minutes. Despite the fact the phone was on silent, the buzzing still crackled through the air annoying both men. Every time the vibrating started up again the doctor sent a pissed off look down at Sam's leg where the phone was stored.
"Do you mind if I quickly just tell him where I am?" Sam asked hopefully. The hunter knew that the doctor was actually grateful that Sam was stopping the buzzing distraction. The doctor nodded with sympathy in his eyes.
Sam didn't want his sympathy. He didn't need it. The doctor seemed surprised when Sam ducked outside the appointment room to call his brother back but he didn't say anything about it.
Sam sighed, which he'd been doing increasingly a lot recently, before lifting the mobile device to his ear, "Dean?"
"What is it with you and Washington, dude?" Sam could still hear the sleep still lying in Dean's voice.
"What?" Sam's voice was hushed.
"Whenever we're in Washington you always disappeared during the night! Do you have a chick here or something because, dude, you don't have to sneak out. Just tell me." Dean still sounded tired and Sam was tempted to tell him to go back to sleep.
"Dean, I don't know what you're on about." Sam whispered down his phone. People looked up at him as they hurried passed him in the corridor. They all seemed to have places to go or people to see. None of them were just taking their time and enjoying just being. This is one of the things that Sam hated about hospitals, despite being surrounded by death, nobody in there seemed to appreciate life.
"Why're you whispering?" Sam could imagine the confused crease in Dean's tanned brow.
The younger man haltered a second, "I'm in church."
"You?! Church?!" The laughing was loud and annoying in the quiet environment of the hospital corridor.
"Look, I've gotta go. See you later." Sam hung up without waiting for a reply.