Eesh - Dean should have hogtied Sam before heading out to finish things. Sam is in no condition to be trying to help! And poor Bobby, not a thing he can do to prevent it short of poking Sam in the back. Maybe that's what he should have done, poke him in one of the gashes he'd have passed out cold. *shiver* Ouch, poor Sam! And, really, I wish Dean would have let Joshua check him over, we still have no idea how badly he's hurt but after the workover he received he's GOT to be injured. :-( *snuggles Dean*

LD

Ouch. I've been away for a bit, but now I'm back and wow what a chapter to come back to! Poor Sam, what was he THINKING? And poor Dean, beaten again. I cringe to think of the kind of damage that can be done by kicking an unconscious man in the stomach. *cuddles Dean close* *pets his spiky hair and gently rubs his injured tummy*

LD

this is a really good story. Kept me on edge the whole time. It makes Sam's actual death at the end of Season 2 even worse! :(

Poor Dean

Poor Sammy :'(

but yeah... I fully enjoyed this piece

I love how Dean keeps differentiating between living and surviving - so many people go through life just surviving it. Generally it takes a great trauma to wake people up to really living and then the effects are usually fleeting. Of course, being hunters, Dean and Sam put their lives on the line every day, so they KNOW the importance of really living your life. Which isn't to say they actually put that to good use all the time, but they are aware of it.

I LOVE the conversation with Bobby - finally putting Dean to rights on the fact that HE suffered as much, maybe more in some instances, as Sammy did. Leave it to Bobby to actually be the voice of reason. As usual.

I like that this chapter was spent dealing with things that have been hanging over their heads for awhile, it feels like the air is being cleared for the next round of excitement. -laugh- Glad there was a chance to at least settle a few things before moving on to the next round.

LD

***WARNING***SPOILERS AHEAD***

Wow, yeah, I really do like Joshua. Of course "six foot five...heavily muscled...deep voice..." you just described my dream man. LOL He's gruff, but he clearly likes the boys, though Dean is too damn protective of his brother to see it for what it is. I know people like that, can't just say what they feel. I think we all do. And if Dean doesn't let Bobby look at that shoulder where he's bleeding again, I WILL reach into the story somehow and whack him! -laugh- Nice tension here, and again with the word usage...when he said that about Sam in the mini-mart I jumped and felt my insides clench against that thought. Poor Sam, he's just been hung out to dry. I don't know how he made it so far down the damn hallway without help - he had to have been looking for Dean. And it couldn't have been at a worse time. I think they need to be taken to separate places to heal so they stop injuring each other inadvertently! Eesh. But of course I realize I still have 9 chapters to go, so there's still a lot of pain and woe afoot. And of course now I've got one more warm body to get stressed for and hope he makes it out okay...Joshua. It's funny - I keep picturing a taller, more muscular Sam Elliot when we hear Joshua. :-)

Still loving it!

LD

***WARNING***SPOILERS AHEAD***

Okay, two more chapters (two? or three?), and it is once again 4 AM. LOL I just can't leave them broken, bleeding, unconscious, possibly dying! I have to know they're okay before I can sleep - as if the rest of the story won't be there when I wake up, right?

I found myself eventually in chapter 17 just wishing Dean would pass out so that Bobby could take care of him...but then when he did, I went into panic mode wondering if he was okay. Nice work drifting them in and out of consciousness, it kept me hanging on every word and worried for the guys. Even though "no death fic", your subtle suggestions within the language of the story still elicits that fear that they will die, and it's very cleverly done, very nice work on that front. And poor Bobby, how long has it been at this point since he slept? Eesh, he really DID become a parent with these two! But then they'd be lost without him both in your story and on the show. I love that he finally stood up to Dean and made him lay down for a minute - that boy is going to kill himself for Sam's sake and then where will Sam be? I'll be honest, when he was fishing for the bullet I was cringing and wincing along with them - I think I was reading with one eye open and one eye squeezed shut at one point, rubbing my shoulder in sympathy. When he pulled out the IV to get to Sam I wanted to slap him silly! But again, it's perfectly in character and I could totally see him doing that.

I love it, it's like a great book I just can't put down. One more chapter, one more chapter, and then when it's over I'll be depressed and want more! I haven't been looking at the post dates on these, but I would love to know how long it took you to write this. And I still think you ought to be writing for a living if you're not already. :-)

Okay, time for bed before *I* keep over from exhaustion!

LD

I should probably start prefacing my comments with:

***WARNING***SPOILERS AHEAD***

I wondered how much longer Dean's arm would suffer his continued abuse, stubborn man! I hope Bobby picks up some O- blood for him, along with the AB for Sam! Poor stubborn Dean, I just love him to pieces. Everyone should have a brother like him (not that I'd trade mine for anything, mind you). Your description of passing out from blood loss is pretty spot-on too and I can only hope you don't speak from experience. *shiver* The only thing you were missing is the high-pitched squeal in your ears that eventually swallows up every other sound.

Once again, the last chapter's interactions made me laugh. Poor Sam in that closet, poor Dean looking for him! I just about fell out of my chair laughing at the forehead kiss. I could picture all the blood, though, and just wanted to reach into the story and take care of the boys - make Dean sit still long enough to stop his bleeding before HE bleeds out, and patch poor Sammy up because he's so weak to begin with. Hell, I'm O-, I could give them each some of mine! -laugh-

And of course they're unconscious on a floor and I can't just LEAVE them there, so despite the fact that this comment is so brief AND it's 2:30 AM...

"Just one more chapter!"

LD

I forgot to tag on the last one that the "I'm always okay" makes me think of Alec on Dark Angel - brings a smile to my face.

This chapter was an emotional roller coaster, and I love that Dean can keep bringing Sam back to some semblance of a fighting position. He might not want to admit it, but he's more than reason enough for Sammy to keep fighting to live and you can see that in the way he talks to Dean. I am glad you had him ask about Dean's wound, no matter how banged up they are they always are concerned for the other more than themselves. I'm convinced that's the only reason they're still alive, they watch out for each other so closely.

And the interactions amongst the three of them was just spot on, I could hear their voices in my head. I laughed hard when Sammy pulled the "fainting" card to get the spoon from Dean. I could hear Dean's utter panic when Sam closed his eyes, and I cracked up when he opened them and grabbed that damn spoon. Poor kid has been through so much, it's a good thing Dean is so strong and stubborn. He'll get Sammy through it or die trying. I was relieved his fever is broken too, I've a hunch he's in for more unpleasantness when he goes hunting for the schmuck who tried to shoot his brother. I just keep repeating to myself "this is NOT death fic, NOT death fic" or I think I'd be too scared to keep reading. Aaaaaand it's 4 AM and I'm trying to talk myself out of "just one more chapter!" which I've been saying for the last 4 chapters. -yawn- Can someone come read the next chapter to me? LOL

LD

Poor Dean is gonna pay for not taking care of himself, but it's so very in character for him to push aside his own needs in order to take care of Sammy. I love the descriptions when he was holding Sammy, the clear distinction between holding him when he was sick and trying to make sure with his support that he didn't hurt himself further, and when he was cradling him in his arms offering comfort, stroking his cheek, comforting and being comforted by the contact. And of course Sammy wouldn't have let Bobby wake Dean, even injured and sick he knows his brother is wounded and wouldn't be taking care of himself. I just love Bobby - his gruff love for the boys, he's always looking after them, you've got his character down as well. I had to get myself a piece of gum, my jaw was clenched so tight with their pain it was giving me a headache. You have such a way with descriptions it's almost like I can feel what they feel. Dean's nightmare scared the crap out of me, I know that was last chapter, but I had to get to this one and couldn't stop to comment. -laugh- When he took a bullet to the chest I actually yelled (my poor cats scattered, fuzzed up and frightened). I knew he wouldn't survive that and it was almost a relief when the sniper went in and finished Sammy off - he wouldn't survive losing Dean any more than Dean would survive losing him. Still hurt, though. It's not often I get so attached to fictional characters. Something about these boys, though, I just love them to bits.

LD

NO! BAD Dean! First Aid 101 - never remove an object from a puncture wound, it bleeds more! Although I suppose it would have been difficult to decapitate Gordon without first removing the knife from his shoulder...alright, I'll forgive you this time Mr. Winchester, just make sure it doesn't happen again!

LOL I have to tell you I really think you ought to step AWAY from the fanfic and write your OWN books because the tension, anticipation, description, story, characterization, it's all here. You've got a great talent and I would most definitely buy your books. Especially if they hired you to write Supernatural books. -grin- I've, up until now, been leaned towards stories where Dean was the one hurt and sweet Sammy was the caregiver (I desperately miss sweet Sammy from the earlier seasons and it breaks my heart that we'll never see him again). You've made a convert out of me, though, at least a partial one. I still love those stories, but protective/loving/rage-filled/vengeful/still injured Dean is right up there. I love how you tap into the connection and the love they used to have for one another. And Gordon REALLY needed to die a horrible death. I'm sure I'll be babbling again before I'm done with your story, I can't seem to resist writing a novel of my own in the comments to some of these. Excellent story, thank you so much for sharing!

LD

I was so engrossed in this story that I nearly forgot to review this chapter! Lol!

I loved it, especially the channel flipping part. (I read it at school between classes and told my classmate about it. He said that he is going to try it with his fiancee. LOL!)

On to the next/last chapter! :)

Aw, what a sweet ending. :)

I'm glad Sammy is doing okay and that Dean didn't get himself thrown out of the hospital by assaulting a doctor. (Good thing Bobby was there.)

Oh, but on of my favorite parts was when Joshua came in and all the doctors were trying to help them. Lol! That was a great mental image. ;)

I could have sworn I reviewed this chapter. I read it ... my internet betrayed me and closed it ... I couldn't remember what chapter I was on, so it took a while to get back to it ... huh ... oh well.

Loved it, as usual, but I can't give a very detailed review without re-reading it and I REALLY want to move on and see what happens next. :)

Oh MAN! Dean shows up just in time to spar Sam a second strike from the cat, only to have his injured younger sibling playing cavalry!

You know what the worst part is? I have to go to sleep now! MAN! This just sucks. :P

Holy freaking crap! Those guys are evil with a capital E-V-I-L!

I sure hope Dean shows up soon and lets Sammy know he is alive ... right before he bashes a couple of crazy hunter heads in.

NEXT CHAPTER!