Observant

[Zwee]

Welllll... I'm back. I've been working on this one for weeks! It begins with sick Dean, but Sam will come, don't worry! I like to please everyone! I hope you're all in the mood for some sick brothers. And caretaking... And rain... and a river... the works!

Oh, um, the title literally has nothing to do with the story. I pulled a word from the first paragraph and hoped it sort of applied to some of the rest of the fic... Hahaha... I suck at titles.

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural. Otherwise I would be writing this into an episode, not a forum!

Also: I don't speak Spanish. I know a few words from my elementary education, but it's mostly colors and numbers and food. The Spanish in the later parts of this story came from Google Translate. Don't kill me.

Here you go! Please enjoy! <3

~*~

Sam saw it coming from a mile away. But then, Sam had always been freakishly observant, anyway. He knew Dean could probably name at least four times in the last year in which Sam had called his attention to a symbol on the bottom of a vase or on the back of a hanging picture frame. Sam also knew his brother better than anyone else. He knew the signs of Dean getting sick as well as he knew his own name. Which was why, on that bleak, February evening, Sam was checking symptoms off of his mental checklist, and making a note to remember to pick up supplies at the next drugstore they passed.

Dean had been slow to wake up that morning, and when he finally dragged himself out of bed, his voice was gravelly and sore-sounding. Check. Sam had caught him rubbing his throat a few times, and his first few sips of coffee were accompanied with winces and grimaces. Check. He was in an especially bad mood. When a car had cut into his lane suddenly and then immediately slowed down, Dean had leaned on his horn repeatedly and spewed curses at it for the next five minutes. Later, when Sam had asked him how far to the next exit, he’d snapped something nasty back and hunched his shoulders grouchily. Check.

“ESCHH’uhh! HetshSHOO!” And he’d been sneezing and coughing all morning. Check.

“Bless you.”

“Shut up.” Dean sniffled, wiping his nose on his wrist impatiently. Sam began digging around for a tissue. He offered up a paper napkin, and Dean accepted grudgingly, blowing his nose with one hand.

“Ehh… ESChhoo!” Dean’s head was thrust forward momentarily, his hands jerking the steering wheel. Sam grabbed it and steered them back into place, groaning.

“Dude, come on…”

“What, Sam?” Dean’s voice was gruff.

“Nothing.” Sam sighed, rolling his eyes. He rested his head against the window once more.

Sudden harsh coughing made him flinch. As it continued, and the Impala begin to drift into the other lane, Sam decided to take action. Jaw set, he pulled the car back on its course, turning to his brother.

“Okay, pull over.”

Dean scowled. “I’m fine.”

This was so obviously far from the truth that Sam nearly burst out laughing. He raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, fine. Hacking up a lung and sneezing every five seconds, but essentially fine.”

“I’m not—Ehh… Huh-sneezing every—ehh... every five se—HehESHHOO! Eschhoo!” Dean looked like he wanted to kick himself.

“Oh my god. Dean, pull over, NOW.”

Dean’s frown deepened, but he grudgingly complied, swiping a hand under his nose and sniffing.

As soon as the car had come to a stop, Sam climbed out and walked to the driver’s side, knocking on the window.

“We’re switching. Before you say anything, it’s final. Don’t think I wouldn’t notice, Dean. Seriously, you’ve been sneezing all day, and coughing, and your voice is starting to sound like a smoker’s, plus your breathing is squeaky. And it always does that when you get sick. You can sleep in the back, or at least rest in the passenger seat, but you’re done with driving. Okay?”

Dean glared at him, but he didn’t get a chance to refuse, as Sam was dragging his ass out of the driver’s seat. Before he even knew what was going on, his little brother had steered him toward the other side of the car and was clambering into his vacant seat.

“Fine. But I don’t…squeak.” He glowered, hunching his shoulders against the cold and sneezing twice openly, sniffing. “HETCH’uhh! EtchSHOO!!”

“Bless you. And you know you do.” Sam grinned.

Dean practically tumbled into the passenger’s side, leaning his head on the window. “Shut up.”

Sam did so, smiling just slightly when his brother’s eyes closed and his labored breathing evened out. His inhales were still very congested, however, with a faint squeak that had always been the telltale sign that Sam’s brother was coming down with something nasty. He cast a worried glance in Dean’s direction as he began to cough roughly, already sounding deep and chesty.

~*~

Sam drove on through the night, only making a quick stop at a convenience store to buy his brother some cold/cough supplies, knowing the next few days would be long and hard, and wanting to be prepared for them.

As morning caressed the horizon, painting the sky in gold, Sam realized how long he had driven for. Dean stirred in the passenger seat, giving a cough and a sleepy grunt.

“Timeizzit?” He mumbled, his voice wavering. He broke into a fit of coughing, and fell back against the seat, exhausted.

“I have no idea.” Sam’s own voice was rough from lack of use, and lack of sleep.

“Wait. Have you been driving all night?” Dean growled, eyes narrowing.

“Uh, I stopped a couple times.” Sam avoided looking at his brother.

“What the hell, Sammy?! Why didn’t you—Ehh’HETSHUH! HEH’ehh’SCHCHOO!” He sneezed explosively into his cupped hands, interrupting himself, and looking, if anything, more annoyed.

Sam cut him off before he could yell himself hoarse. “Bless you. Look, I’m sorry. I wanted to get as close to the case as possible, so when I go interview people, the motel will actually be nearby. It’s just easier, and—“

“Whoa, whoa. When you go interview people? What am I gonna do, knit?”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Dean, have you heard your voice today? It’s a wreck. You’re a wreck. You need the next few days to shake off this cold, and you can’t do that when you’re chasing down spirits and wearing yourself to the ground.”

“I’m fine.” Dean argued, grabbing another fast food napkin from the glove compartment and blowing his nose.

“Hey, you don’t have to use those. I bought you some real tissues. And you should take some of that cough syrup.” Sam added as Dean began to cough into his shoulder harshly.

Dean ignored this, but retrieved the tissue from the pharmacy bag, just in time for his next bout of sneezing. “Hupt’chuh! Heh’ESCHH! Huh’esschooo! ET’SHhhah!”

“Bless you.” Sam said quietly, shooting his brother a worried look. He yawned widely, and heaved a sigh. “We should stop soon. You need sustenance, medicine, and an actual bed.”

Dean bristled at Sam’s fussing, but the bed sounded good, and he actually was a little hungry. He shivered, suddenly freezing.

Sam frowned. “You shivering?”

Dean didn’t answer, but shook again.

“You might have a fever.” He yawned once more.

“You have a fever.” Dean answered lamely. “Seriously, Sammy, you need sleep. You haven’t slehh… slept at all in the pahh… ahhh… past week.” He managed to make it through the sentence, then grabbed a handful of tissues, turning away from Sam to sneeze into them. “Hetshh’UH! Huh’ETSCHchoo! Huptschoo!”

“Jesus. I’m pulling over at the next hotel I see.”

“Good.” Dean muttered, blowing his nose. When he thought Sam wasn’t looking, he pulled out the bottle of cough medicine and gulped down a dose, grimacing and swallowing multiple times to flush away the horrid taste.

Sam took the next exit with Lodging signs, pulling in at the Plum Tuckered Inn, which accurately reflected how he felt. It began to rain. He instructed Dean to stay in the car while he ran in to get them a room. Then, he dashed back to the car, getting utterly soaked, so he could bring their bags up. Once everything was set up, he allowed Dean to exit the Impala, and made sure he didn’t get too wet on the trek over to their room.

Once inside the room, however, Dean gained a bit of his authority back, forcing Sam to get under the covers of the bed.

“Dean, I’m soaking wet. Can I at least have a shower first?”

“No. I know you, Sam. You’ll be wide awake after a shower. You need sleep now.” Dean coughed, rubbing his chest. He changed quickly into his sweatpants, trying to stop himself from shaking with the cold.

Sam sighed, stripped off his wet outer-garments, and pulled on a fresh hoodie, before Dean actually shoved him onto the bed.

“Sleep now.” He growled, sneezing once into his elbow and sniffling.

“Fine,” Sam shivered, burying his face into the pillows and curling up like a puppy. Dean couldn’t help an affectionate smirk.

Then, he crawled into his own bed and burrowed beneath the covers, letting sleep take him.

~*~

To Be Continued...

Feel free to reply! I love feedback!

[Parksborn]

D'awwh! I just love these two! They're so cute, and you write them so well! Great job! <3

[LeadaAlexys52]

Oh I feel a good one coming!!! Yay!!! I'm very excited to see how this goes.

[LovelyLinda]

Yayyyy!! There it is <3

And I love every bit of it so far

You got the characters down perfectly, I love Dean being grumpy and annoyed because of being sick, and Sammy being and awesome brother and fussing all over him. It's so sweeeeet.

I also love that Dean took the cough syrup when Sammy wasn't looking, sneaky x)

Oh, and I'm already awaiting some sniffly Sam Wet clothes? Shivering? Ohhh, this is gonna be so gooood.

I really hope you continue soon otherwise I just might explode *_*

Love, love, love!!!

[stephab13]

Very nice

If you wanted your title relevant, you can just switch it and write from Dean's point - like how unobservant he is/pretends to be, etc.

Looking forward to an update

[telltale]

Oh my gosh, sick!Dean and bossy!mother-hen!Sam? I'm in loooove.

[Lady Blessington]

Awww! I love your exasperated Sam, and Dean being all, "What am I gonna do while you hunt? KNIT?" and all of the sneezy noseblowy fevery goodness. Plus Dean's grouchy sicky bedraggled denial and Sam's warmth and firmness... adooorable.

[ID2006]

Yay... needed a supernatural fix

[VividBubbles!]

Needed some fresh stuff. This will provide quite nicely.

BYE!

[BlueRandom]

This is so cute!! I love how angry Dean is, and Sam's so practical.

And also this:

Sam sighed, stripped off his wet outer-garments, and pulled on a fresh hoodie, before Dean actually shoved him onto the bed.

“Sleep now.” He growled, sneezing once into his elbow and sniffling.

“Fine,” Sam shivered, burying his face into the pillows and curling up like a puppy. Dean couldn’t help an affectionate smirk.

Aww!

[Zwee]

Hee, thank you all so much! You make me very happy!

@xXBittersweetLoverXx: I love them too! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks.

@Alexys52: Ooh, a good one? I hope so! I’m excited to see if you like it!

@LovelyLinda: I’m so glad you think I got their characters down! Dean’s always super sneaky. Oh, sniffly Sam is on the way, although not QUITE yet. Thank youu!

@stephab13:Thank you! What a great idea! I’ve worked in observantness (that’s definitely not a word) into my story, thanks to you!

@telltale: I mean, that’s how they’re meant to be, right? <3 Thank you!

@mads3rv3r: Ahh, I’m so glad you liked the knitting thing! I enjoy writing sicky bedraggled denial, and warmth and firmness, so you’re in luck! Thank you!

@ickydog2006: I always need a Supernatural fix.

@Bubbles!: I hope so! Thank you!

@BlueRandom: Thank youu. It’s true. Angry Dean could probably use a practical Sam. I’m glad you liked it!

Next part coming up...

[Zwee]

Yay! Thanks to stephab13's suggestion, my title actually has a bit of relevance! I think I'm getting better, you guys!

Okay! Part two:

~*~

Dean’s coughing was absolutely unbearable to listen to, and waking up to it was horrible. Were Sam less considerate, he would have covered his ears, but he got out of bed, wincing as he realized how stiff and sore he was from his hours of driving.

He retrieved the cough medicine from the plastic bag sitting on the table, and thrust it and a bottle of water at his brother, who gratefully accepted, still coughing.

“You know you can take medicine yourself, Dean.” Sam said irritably, digging through the bag to find some DayQuil.

“It’s nasty.” Dean sounded awful. His voice was barely there, and most of the statement was a rough whisper, but sound would come in bursts of hoarseness, before leaving him.

Sam winced, handed Dean the medicine. “You still have to take it if you want to get better. I’m going to get you some tea from the coffee shop across the street. You sound terrible.”

“Huh’ETSCH’hhuh! Ugh. Sabby?”

“Yeah?”

“Cad you pass be a tissue?”

Sam rolled his eyes, walked over to Dean’s bed, and pulled a tissue from the box he had placed on Dean’s bedside table. “Seriously?” He asked, handing him the tissue. “You can’t move your whole arm out from under the covers to get your own self a tissue?”

Dean shifted under the covers, shivering. “Too cold.”

A moment later, and Sam heaved his comforter on top of his sick brother, sighing. “Okay, I’ll be back in a few.”

“Take a coat. It’s raining.”

Sam did as he was told, tucking his wallet into his pocket and hunching his shoulders against the howling wind.

He returned to the motel room after about ten minutes with a tea for Dean and a coffee for himself.

“Thanks.” Dean’s voice was now a mere croak.

“You took the medicine, right?”

The elder brother nodded, blowing on the tea to cool it.

Sam had begun to change into a suit. “Well, I’m going to interview some people about the case. And you’re going to stay here and rest until you’ve completely shaken this.”

Dean groaned, which sounded even worse than his talking voice, and made him begin coughing again.

“Don’t. It’s not a big deal. You’ve got a bunch of channels to surf, and my laptop’s on the table.”

“Can you get it for me?” Dean asked, before sneezing. “HuptSHUH! Heh’ehhhshoo!”

“No.” Sam said simply. “Because you’re going to watch porn on it. So… if you want it, you’ll have to get up.”

Dean sent his brother a murderous look, but stayed where he was under the two comforters.

Sam grinned, pulled on a coat, and stepped out the door.

~*~

Sorry, it's pretty short. Hope you liked it anyway! (Part 3 will be longer!)

Thank you all for the lovely reviews! They make my life!

[LovelyLinda]

Haha, for some reason I immediately had to think about "BustyAsianBeauties.com" when you mentioned the laptop.

Then I read what you wrote next and cracked up, because you (rather Sammy) had the same idea with the porn x)

I love Dean being so cold and shivery. Oh, and the lovely husky voice is also a plus. I love it when his voice is hoarse

Definitely waiting for more <3

Edited July 14, 2012 by LovelyLinda

[fraggle]

Love this. You've captured them brilliantly, the interplay is great. Is there contagion to come by any chance?!

[VividBubbles!]

Yum yum yum! Mmm, Dean and his husky voice are just too adorable! More more more! And I can not wait for the contagion!

BYE!

[Lady Blessington]

Mmm, Dean/tea.

[Zwee]

@LovelyLinda: Ahh, whenever Dean's on the laptop, I always assume "BustyAsianBeauties.com"! Quite psychic on your part! Mm, husky=<3

@fraggle: thank you so much! Contagion? Most definitely.

@Bubbles: Thanks! You want more? Well, I guess I can do that.

@mads3rv3r: I love Dean, and I love tea. Good match!

[Zwee]

Did anyone want plot? I forgot to tell you all that that's happening. Oh, and a very feverish Dean. And some snuggling! But only brotherly love unless you're really looking for slash and then you could squint hard and maybe see it. I hope you like it!

~*~

“…Anyone that might have malicious intent toward Jerome?” Mrs. Cartwright repeated, blinking her teary eyes several times. Sam could see teardrops glistening on her heavily-blackened lashes.

“You know… like enemies.”

“Oh, no. Jerome is so sweet. There’s no way anyone would be his enemy.” Her eyes widened. “You don’t think he’s dead, do you, Agent Plant?”

“We’re not sure, Mrs. Cartwright. Now, the next set of questions… is a bit strange. We’re just trying to get all the information, check every box, okay? So, forgive me if it gets a little weird.”

It was no use, however. Up until the previous week, Jerome Cartwright seemed to have been a normal guy with normal friends and a normal job as a successful cardiothoracic surgeon. Then, he had mysteriously vanished, leaving his wife, Norah, in a state of emotional wreck.

Sam thanked her and left, shaking his head. So far, the other people he’d interviewed had been of no help either. He checked the list he’d made of any deaths or disappearances in the past few months. There was only one name left on the list, one Roxanne Moss, whose husband had been found drowned in the river a few months prior.

“Enemies? Oh, sure. My husband had a few.” Roxanne answered bitterly. “But he was a defense lawyer. What can you expect? I don’t think any of them would want him dead. Have you talked to Millie yet?”

“Who?”

“Millie. My husband’s secretary. You know, young, blonde, pretty, a total kiss-ass?”

When the younger Winchester shook his head, she rolled her eyes.

“Well, she might know more than I do. My husband was… fond of Millie. I caught him cheating about a week before he… passed away.”

Roxanne gave him Mildred King’s address and phone number, and he thanked her and left.

Sam couldn’t bring himself to call the case a bust quite yet. Stepping out of the sprawling Moss Mansion, he pulled out his cell phone and called Dean.

“Huh’HTTSCHH!” His older brother answered with a sneeze.

“Bless you. I don’t know about this case, man.”

“What have you found out?” Dean’s voice sounded better, less like someone dying, and bearing more semblance to someone who had spent the last three years living with bears.

“Nothing. No one has any suspicious enemies, felt cold spots, had electricity problems… I mean, the only thing connecting all the victims is that they’re all male, and they all have girlfriends or wives...”

“What about the Moss guy? He was a lawyer, right?”

“Yeah, and apparently, he was cheating on his wife with his secretary, who I’m about to go talk to.”

“Could it be some sort of jealous spirit? Like, a woman whose boyfriend cheated on her, so now she’s going around icing cheaters? What about Cartwright? Was he cheating?”

“Not that I know of… He was a surgeon—“

“He was cheating.”

“Dean, that’s a stereotype! You’re only basing that off of what you see on Dr. Sexy M.D.”

“Call it whahh… what you want. The infidelity thing could be ahhh… a lead—Hptschhh’UH! Huh’ESCHH!”

“Gesundheit. You been taking medicine?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Dean snorted.

“I’ll be back in a minute. I think the cheating thing is more of a lead than Millie would have been, anyway.”

When Sam returned to the motel room, Dean was completely passed out under the covers, looking like he hadn’t moved for the hours Sam had been gone.

Utterly soaked, Sam changed out of his suit and into more comfortable clothes, pulling out his laptop and beginning to work.

It was night when Dean finally woke himself up with a sneeze. “HupTSCHUH!”

Sam looked up. “Hey, you’re awake. Time to dose you up with more—Dean?”

Dean was shivering hard, and his eyes were bright in the dark room. He was flushed, and he didn’t seem to be looking at anything in particular.

“Dean!” Sam said again, worried.

Dean jumped, fixing a stare at Sam. “Where’s Mom?” He asked, looking from side to side.

“Oh, shit. You have a fever.”

Sam pressed his hand to Dean’s head, frowning. Dean tried to duck away, looking past his younger brother and into the room.

“Hey, hey, Dean, stop. I’m gonna give you some medicine, and you’re gonna go to sleep, okay?”

Dean shook his head. “I can’t. M’sick.”

These words made Sam even more concerned. Dean would never admit to being sick, unless he was really ill. “Yeah, I know, buddy. Here, take these.” He handed Dean some fever-reducer pills and a bottle of cold syrup.

Dean was in the midst of a coughing fit, but he took the medicine when he’d finished, another sign he was sicker than Sam had thought.

“Lay here.” He commanded Sam, pointing to the side of his bed.

“Dean, I’m in the middle of—“

“Lay here now.” He looked so pitiful, that Sam had to comply. “Now sing Hey Jude like Mom would.”

“What? Dean, you’re—“

“Please?”

Sighing, Sam cleared his throat and began the song.

In moments, Dean was sleeping soundly, but Sam knew if he moved, Dean would wake again. Resigned to spending the night in a sweltering hot bed with his feverish brother, Sam settled in, curling up a little. He eventually fell asleep to the sound of the rain.

~*~

End of Chapter 3! More later!

[VividBubbles!]

This is...... this is the most adorable thing ever! Just,

omgdeanissocuteandsamissohotandsnuggling! I love you. More please!

BYE!

[Lady Blessington]

Confused feverish Dean and concerned Sam are awesome, as is "Buddy"-calling which gah, and then it makes me extra-happy that Dean is like "I AM SICK PLEASE SIT HERE AND LOVE ME NO REALLY I'M LOSING MY SHIT AND YOU HAVE TO PLEEEASE" and Sam sings to him and it's exactly what he needs. :heart:

[The Sneezster]

I'm waiting and waiting. How much longer do I have to wait for Sam to catch this?

[fraggle]

Yay, an update. Love feverish Dean and mothering Sammy. Can't wait for the next part!

[sneezychick93]

I love it! More please

[LovelyLinda]

Hey Jude? AWW! *squeee*

Love this part <3

I wish I could comment longer but I gotta go...

[ichixshiro14]

Sooo cute!!!