Standard Disclaimers Apply

This is my first "Supernatural" fiction that I have even attempted to write. Also, I am very fond of the weak/strong theme with all characters, and so naturally, Sammy being younger is weak. Hope you enjoy.

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Tears threatened to pour out of Dean’s eyes as he watched the stretcher with his baby brother on it be rushed down the hall. How many times had he shrugged off what he knew now to be dangerous symptoms in favor of denying that they even existed? How many times had he had the chance to save the only remaining member of his tiny family and passed it on by?

Maybe he had just passed it on as a reaction to Jessica’s death, but he should have noticed earlier. It doesn’t take that much of a toll on someone who’s all right otherwise. Sammy had always been his responsibility, and now his negligence had led the kid this close to death’s door. For a few desperate moments, he regretted the distance that he had allowed to separate them after the whole incident at Roosevelt Asylum. If he had stayed as attentive to Sam as when he first went to get him from Stanford, would the boy be this sick? Would he have had the chance to become this sick if he watched him better or would it still have slipped under the radar?

“Dean?” Sam’s desperate cry filled the air as he struggled to sit up. “Dean? What happened?”

Dean’s heart broke into a million tiny pieces. His voice sounded so small, so unsure, but mostly so young. He quickly broke from his self-deprecating thoughts and focused on his brother. Grabbing his hand within his own, he tried to sooth him. “It’ll be all right. You’ll be fine. You’re just a little sick right now, but everything will be just fine. I promise...”

His voice trailed off. Was this a fair promise? He had found a way to keep his promises to Sammy, but a little voice in the back of his head said that this was the one he would not be able to keep.

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Review if you would like to. Please be honest when reviewing, don't flame me personally(it has been done before), but please feel free to leave a piece of constructive criticism if you feel it needs it. Thanks.