Title: Time of Need
Chapter: One Shot
Warnings: None
A/N: It's been a long time since I have posted anything on this forum and I hope you's enjoy it. Please feel free to leave any constructive criticism. Thanks! - Cass.



He was accustomed to loss because he dealt with it on a daily basis. He had lost his brother, his father and several various people close to him. But just because he was accustomed to loss didn’t mean that it got any easier- there was nothing easy about watching someone you love die in your arms. Yet despite all of what he has been through, despite everything he has seen in his lifetime- Dean Winchester always managed to bounce back. Until now.

He stood looking out the window as the nurses bustled about Jo’s hospital bed. He didn’t bother turning around, didn’t like seeing as they prodded her with needles, and checked her vitals- all the while calculating how much longer she would live. It hurt his heart knowing that there was nothing he could do to ease her pain, nothing he could do erase the cancer that was slowly killing her. All he could do was sit by her beside, his hand covering hers as he whispered sweet nothings.

When he heard the nurses leave, Dean turned around and made his way back to Jo’s side. Settling into the chair beside her bed, he covered her hand with his own squeezing softly; praying with all of his being that she would squeeze back. Hearing the sound of footsteps, Dean turned towards them.

“Hey,” Sam whispered as he made his way to his brother. He could see the anguish in his brother’s eyes and his heart broke. He wasn’t used to seeing Dean like this, not when his brother had always been the rock in Sam’s life. He placed a strong hand on Dean’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him and he felt his big brother lean into his touch. Sam swallowed, not wanting to ask but knowing that he had to. “How is she?”

Dean swallowed hard, “Not good.”

At a loss for words, Sam squeezed his shoulder. As he glanced from his brother to Jo, he wondered if his brother would survive without her. Just as Dean had been his rock, Jo had been Dean’s and without her Sam wasn’t so sure if Dean would have the strength to move on. Dean usually bounced back from everything, but this was different and Sam tried every option he could think of, only to turn up nothing. Hell even the crossroads demon refused to make a deal, said that the Winchesters were too much of a liability.

“I tried everything, Dean.” Sam whispered finally, anguish and despair milking his voice.

“I know, “he murmured, reaching up to touch Sam’s hand lightly.



***


“You look beautiful,” Ellen said, smiling through tears.

Jo rolled her eyes at her mother before taking a deep breath and turning around. The image that stared back at her in the mirror took even her breath away. Her eyes filled with unwanted tears and she fought to keep them at bay but was unsuccessful. “Oh mom,” she whispered.

Fluffing around the dress, Ellen made little adjustments before coming back to stand beside her only daughter. “This is the one.”

After trying on over a fifty dresses Jo could only nod at her mother’s reflection in the mirror. “Do you think Dean will like it?”

“You bet your ass he will, Jo. He’s not going to know what to do first- kiss you or rip that dress off of you.” Ellen laughed, amused with herself and her soon to be son-in-law.

“Good,” Jo said smugly, “that’s what I was aiming for.”



***



Even after all of these years Dean could recall with perfect clarity how Jo had looked on their wedding day. She had completely blown him away and stopped his heart when she started walking down that aisle. Her blond hair had been perfectly displayed in delicate curls that surrounded her face beautifully. Her face had been glowing with happiness and her smile so big, so warm it could still any beating heart. The dress had been simple but sexy and clearly defined her in all of the right places. He was man enough to admit that he cried like a baby, the tears flowing freely down his cheeks. He remembered the taste of salt on his lips when the priest had finally declared them husband and wife. After a life time on the road, after a life time of nothing but hardship, Dean Winchester had finally come home. Jo was home and always had been – even when he had been too blind to see it.

Who was to know that two years later cancer would claim Jo? At first things looked good, so good in fact that it looked as though his wife would beat cancer. But life took an unfortunate turn and the cancer had spread throughout her body and soon Jo was too ill to continue to live life on the road. Dean knew what he needed to do, so he turned the impala around and headed toward Ellen’s.

“Mr Winchester?” A nursed asked, tentatively.

Being pulled away from his thoughts Dean blinked a few times before focusing his attention to the nurse at his side. “Yes?”

“We are going to bathe your wife now, do you mind stepping from the room?” The nurse nervously tucked a strand behind her ear as she waited for Dean’s reply.

“Of course,” he said. Before leaving the room he bent over to kiss Jo’s forehead. “I’ll be right back.”



***


“How are you holding up?” Sam asked carefully when his brother stepped out into the hallway.

Dean ran a tired hand through his hair, “Not too good.”

“Is there anything I can do?” He asked, not knowing what exactly his brother needed. He hated this, hated seeing Dean like this. He hated walking into the hospital room and watching Jo fade away with every passing minute. He would give his life for Jo’s, just to see his brother smile again.

Feeling more than a little lost, Dean whispered, “Just be here, Sam.”



***


“Are you nervous?” Bobby asked as he handed Dean a beer.

Dean rubbed his clammy hands on his dress pants before taking the beer. “Am I that obvious?” he asked.

“Oh no, not at all,” Bobby smirked, not bothering to hide his amusement.

Dean took a long swig of his beer in an attempt to come some of his jitters, knowing that it would be useless. He wouldn’t be fine until he saw Jo and at this particular moment he would have given anything to just hear her voice. “When do we leave again, Bobby?”

“Half hour, I believe.” Bobby answered arching a brow.

“Where’s Sam?”

“Right here,” Sam answered as he entered the room. “Dean, you’re sweating.”

“Of course I am sweating,” Dean cursed, sending his brother a look that could kill. “I’m nervous. I’m getting married. Isn’t that reason enough to make a man sweat?”

Sam held up his hands in mock surrender. “Sorry I said anything.”

“Just because I am getting married and pretending to be a grown up doesn’t mean that I won’t still kick your ass,” Dean warned his younger brother.

Sam laughed. “Well you are going to have to save the ass kicking for later because the limo’s here.”

Dean groaned. “I told you I wanted to drive the impala.”



***



Dean swallowed back the tears that threatened and tried to focus on what the man in front of him was trying to say. The man’s words were jumbled, refusing to make their way through so that Dean could understand. But he knew what was going on. It was almost time; time to say goodbye to the woman he loved more than anything. Taking a deep breath, Dean grabbed on to Sam’s hand tightly before heading back into Jo’s room. He didn’t care how gay it may look because at that moment Dean needed his younger brother more than anything. He needed Sam to be his rock and his support in his time of need.

Sam sat beside his brother with his hand still firmly clasped to Dean’s. Every now and then he would give it a squeeze just to let Dean know that he wasn’t going anywhere. But he didn’t take his eyes off of Jo because at any moment she could be gone and like Dean he couldn’t picture a life without Jo in it. She was so vibrant and full of life. It was unfair, he thought bitterly.

“Sammy,” Dean whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

“Yeah?”

“I’m scared.” He clutched at Jo’s hand as tears fell freely. “What am I going to do without her?”

Sam knew that there wasn’t anything he could say to Dean that would make this okay so he chose not to say anything.

“I am going to miss her, so much.” Getting up from his chair Dean kissed Jo’s cheeks, her hair and her lips. “I love you, Jo. I love you. I love you.”



***

“Good morning, Mrs Winchester,” Dean said as he kissed his wife’s forehead.

“Good morning, Mr Winchester.” Jo replied, a grin breaking out on her face. Jo stared at her husband, basking in his beauty and relishing in the fact that he was now her husband. Her heart thumped in her chest and her breath caught in her throat. She loved him so much that it sometimes hurt. When just looking at him suddenly became not enough, Jo casually ran her hands over his chest pausing just above his navel before travelling back up. Her hands made their way into his hair and she dragged his mouth to hers’ and ravaged.

“Well, Mrs Winchester,” Dean said hoarsely, “I think you have a great idea.”

“Shut up,” Jo said, breathless. “Make love to me.”


***


As Dean continued to trail kisses along Jo’s face, Sam couldn’t help but notice that the rise and fall of Jo’s chest begin to slow and then suddenly stop all together. He was about to say something when Dean suddenly stopped, paled and broke.

Dean’s legs gave out from underneath him and he would have gone down if not for his little brother. Always catching me, Dean thought absently. Cradled against Sam’s chest, Dean buried his face into his shirt and cried.

“Dean,” a voice whispered and it sent a chill through him. “I love you. I’m fine now.”

Dean’s head snapped up looking around the room, looking at Jo but unable to locate the sound o f her voice. So he settled on, “I love you, Jo.”








The End.