A/N: Well...it's official. I'm back at school and I'm a little bitter. I'm not ready to start college up already! I feel like summer barely started! I hope you guys are having a better time adjusting to the school season than I am! (It's not as bad as I make it seem. I know) Anyway, enjoy the chapter!
Dean's POV
A thump startled all of us out of our heated debate about what to do for Y/N. All of our heads snapped to the hall to see Y/N's body in a heap on the floor.
I was sprinting to her before I even consciously decided to. "Y/N, hey." I picked her up in my arms and gently shook her. Nothing happened aside from her head lolling to the side. Her breathing was terrifyingly shallow. "Y/N, c'mon."
Still nothing and panic started to set in. "Cas, help," I called out.
The angel was by my side in less than a second, touching two fingers to her forehead. She could be mad at me later for using Cas to fix her up. I could deal with that anger. What I couldn't deal with was something bad happening to her.
"Dean," Cas said quietly. "I can't."
"You can't?" Sam asked, coming closer now.
"What do you mean you can't? Use your angel mojo or whatever. I thought you could do stuff like this Cas." I was angry and I knew my anger was misdirected at Cas, but I didn't have anywhere else to throw the anger.
"She's starving. I can't fix that."
"Gadreel could bring Charlie back to life, but you can't stop Y/N from starving?"
He shook his head. "I—I'm sorry. I don't choose what I can do. Thing such as nourishment are things that have always been off-limits for most angels. Only the really powerful ones could fix something like this."
You cradled her thinning body tighter and stood up.
"Are we making a hospital run?" Sam asked.
"You drive," I replied. Not waiting for an answer or any kind of consent, I stalked off to the garage and climbed into the backseat. It was starting to feel like I had to hold her back here far too many times. I looked down on her pale and gaunt face. She didn't look good.
"I promise we'll get this fixed," I whispered to her just before Sam and Cas got in the car.
"You know we can't go to the hospital here, right?" Sam said as he started down the road.
I cursed as he reminded me of the time she came back to life and we smuggled her out of there. Cas claimed he altered the memories there, but he was bound to have missed a person or two. We couldn't risk having to answer those questions.
"Drive faster, then," I ordered.
"Dean, if it's any consolation, her heart is still beating rather strong. She's weak, but still alive," Cas said.
"Thanks," I said gratefully. It was good to know that she wasn't dying in my arms.
+++
We all sat in her hospital room, the familiarity of the situation made me nervous. Last time she was unconscious in a hospital bed I walked out thinking I would never see her beautiful eyes and bright smile again. Despite Cas and the nurses reassuring me she would be okay, I still found myself nervous.
I checked the time on my phone and rubbed my eyes tiredly. It was four in the morning. "Sam, you should get some sleep in the car or something."
"I'm staying," he said. "I'm fine, really."
Even though he said he was fine, I saw right through him. There was a reason he chose to pace the room instead of rest in a chair. It would only take a moment of sitting for him to fall asleep. I pulled my chair closer to her bed and took her hand in mine. I had to be careful since she had IVs hooked into her hand. There were other wires hooked up to her to prove that her heart was still beating. They said it wasn't as serious as it looked, only a precaution.
"Well, I'm going to try to sleep some," I said.
"There?" Sam asked.
"I'm not leaving her. I don't care what they tell me. They might say she's stable, but I can't be too sure."
I took my flannel off and balled it up to use as a pillow against the railing of her bed. I kept her hand in mine, not daring to lose contact.
"Well," Sam said in contemplation.
I read his thoughts. "If you won't sleep in the car, at least pull up a chair."
"Should I be doing something?" Cas asked.
I opened my eyes to look at him. "You can hang out if you want, you can leave, it really doesn't matter. I just," I yawned, "I just need to sleep for a few."
My eyes were only closed for a short period of time when I felt Y/N's hand tighten around mind. I squeezed my eyes tight before blinking them open.
"Dean," she whispered. Before I fully sat up to respond to her, she ran her free hand through my hair. "Hey. Can you wake up?"
A smile found my lips and I looked at her. "How're you feeling?"
"Like crap," she smiled softly. "I'm sorry. I should have been smarter and—"
"Shh." I ran my hand across her forehead and down her cheek. "It's alright. And with any luck, we'll be able to get you out of here today and home in time for Christmas."
"Christmas?" She nearly shouted the word and nervously looked over to a snoozing Sam. "I completely forgot about it with...with everything that happened."
I kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about it."
"I'm a detriment to you guys."
"Y/N, you are not."
"I've been more of a problem than a help."
I walked over to the other side of her bed where she had no cords in the way and crawled beside her. She relaxed a little as I pulled her into myself. "If it weren't for you, we never would've found out about the Starships, we probably wouldn't have thought to kill Abaddon in the same way we did before, and I wouldn't be as happy as I am."
"I've been in the hospital twice, I died once, fought with you so many times...I didn't do much to help."
"I love you," I said, not knowing what else to say to make her believe that she's been good for Sam and me.
"Love you too."
We were both silent for several minutes, and I actually believed that she fell asleep until she shifted to look at me lying next to her.
"I'm kinda hungry," she whispered like she was unsure of herself, as if that were something she shouldn't be allowed to admit to.
"I'll call the nurse in, you can get something other than IV fluids in your system, and then we're sleeping."
"That sounds like a perfect plan."
+++
Y/N was discharged late in the afternoon and I walked out of that hospital with my arm around her both protectively and territorially.
"Want the front seat?" Sam questioned.
"Nah. That's your spot," she answered. "But in exchange for sitting in the back, I'm going to need to stop at a local shop that sells Christmas decorations without any complaining."
I kissed her temple before she got in the backseat. "I think we can manage that. I'll call Charlie and we can swing by to pick her up first."
Y/N's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Charlie is still staying with us? I never even gave it a thought..."
"She made herself comfortable watching some Doctor Who. No need to worry. That girl is more resourceful than anyone we know," Sam laughed.
Y/N smiled sheepishly. I could tell she felt guilty for staying hidden in her room for the week and never seeing Charlie. She must have been feeling so secluded looking back on the week. I just wished there was something I could do to fix the mess. But there was nothing. I couldn't bring back the cousin she would have done anything for. I couldn't change the fact that he was dead at my brother's hand.
Tomorrow was Christmas. There had to be some sort of gift I could get her to make her happy again. But what did she like? She was a fairly simple girl. Devoted to those she loved, willing to do nearly anything for anyone, eager to do pretty much everything, but what did she enjoy?
She seemed to really enjoy cleaning and cooking, but getting her cleaning supplies or cooking utensils just seemed wrong.
Merry Christmas Y/N, here's a duster because I love you.
I was pretty certain that was a gift that wouldn't translate well. I mulled over nearly every possibility on our way to get Charlie from the bunker. Nothing seemed good enough for her, and then I was beginning to doubt how well I really knew her. Getting a gift shouldn't be so hard, right? I shouldn't have been feeling so panicked and overwhelmed.
Finally an idea came that seemed to stick. I knew just what to get her.