Typhoid Mary (And Karma Laughed the Hardest Remix)
Title: Typhoid Mary
Author:el_spirito23
Characters: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester
Rating: PG-13
Word-count: 3,764
Spoilers: None
Warnings: Language
Original story: And Karma Laughed the Hardest by Sinnerforhire http://sinnerforhire.livejournal.com/145046.html
Summary: In which an accidental make-out session has severe consequences. Sick!Dean
Disclaimer: Not mine, even though I keep asking.
Carolina comes home gushing about something. Not that that's out of character, really, but it's even more obnoxious than normal.
"Damn, Hanna, I only saw him for a few seconds, but he was so badass, just sitting there in his car, and he is so gorgeous," she cries, throwing herself on her bed.
Some days, Hanna really, really hates sharing a room with her older sister. Today is one of those days.
"Who what?" Hanna asks, looking up from her geometry assignment. Carolina sighs loudly.
"I don't know his name, duh," she says. "I just saw him pick his brother up from school today. In this big black car. And he was wearing leather. Leather! I swear, I don't know who he is, but he better be ready to have my babies…"
At this point, Hanna tries very hard to block out whatever her older sister is going to say, but that doesn't stop a few lewd phrases from permanently scarring her eardrums.
"Okay! Just stop!" Hanna yells. "No one can be that beautiful!"
Carolina laughs, which is not the answer Hanna was expecting.
"Oh young Tobyhanna, you have much to learn. If you ever lay eyes on this man…well, I dare you not to throw yourself at him."
Hanna rolls her eyes. As if she would do something like that.
xxxx
She meets Sam Winchester in physics class. He's cute, in a kind of awkward, gangly sort of way. He's smart, and he seems almost painfully genuine.
"Hey," he says, sitting next to her. "My name's Sam."
"Mine's Hanna," Hanna answers. She turns back to the board. "You understand any of this crap?"
Sam nods. "Yeah."
Hanna sighs. "This is the first unit that I just can't seem to get. I hate physics, you know?"
Sam grins, all dimples and sincerity. "I have a free period after this. We could, I dunno, study together if you're free."
Hanna takes him in again, his chestnut hair and muddy brown eyes and decides that she is most definitely free.
Twenty minutes later, they're sucking face in the aisles of the library with 'Mein Kampf' and 'Rise of the Third Reich' glaring down at them. She'd leant in for the kiss pretty early, and Sam had seemed taken aback and uncomfortable at first. Once he'd hit his groove, though…
They get kicked out by the librarian, a spindly old woman who looks like she's probably never made out with anyone in her life. She and Sam laugh about it for a good ten minutes afterward, culminating in Hanna sitting on Sam's lap, head nestled against his collarbone.
Hanna's pretty sure that no matter how gorgeous Carolina claimed 'Hot Car Guy' is, he's no match for gangly Sam Winchester.
xxxx
"He talked to me today," Carolina groans happily. "Like, actually said hi."
"Really?" Hanna asks disinterestedly. She looks down at her homework and is startled to realize she's drawn hearts all over the page. She quickly starts erasing them.
"Yeah. I was walking past and I accidentally dropped my cell phone…"
Hanna snorts. Carolina's in her shortest short skirt. There's no way that was an 'accident.'
"And he picks it up and calls me 'Miss' and he has the most gorgeous smile, and like this little hint of an accent."
"Wow," Hanna says, rolling her eyes. "Sounds like he has everything you could ever want in a guy."
Carolina looks at her. "Well, yeah. What else could you ask for?"
Hanna turns back to her homework, shaking her head.
xxxx
The second time they make out is in her car in the parking lot of the school stadium, and she feels like that's a lot more sophisticated than macking in the library. Sam's a really good kisser, all passion and heat and without too much saliva. Hanna figures it's as good a time as any to ask Sam to the homecoming dance and mumbles something about not wanting to go alone between kisses and heaving breaths.
Sam says yes.
xxxx
Hanna gets ready to go an hour before she needs to. She's wearing a black strapless dress that hits her mid-thigh and poofs out, with red high heels. Her hair is curled just right and her makeup is dramatic and sexy.
"You're ready already?" Carolina says. "You are so lame."
"Shut up," Hanna answers, smacking her lips in the mirror. "I look hot."
Sam is late. Like, almost half an hour late. Carolina's already gone, and Hanna's left sitting in the living room by herself, flipping through channels and gritting her teeth. The phone rings, but she sulkily ignores it, flaring her nostrils and changes the channel again.
"Toby! Phone for you!" Camden yells. "Sounds like your boyfriend," he singsongs as Hanna gets there. Hanna sticks her tongue out at him before answering the phone.
"Sam?"
The voice on the other end sure as hell isn't Sam. The guy says he's Sam's brother, and his voice is deep and rumbling and…manly. Hanna rambles off some directions, relieved that Sam hasn't stood her up, and forces herself not to run to the door when the doorbell rings.
"Hey Hanna," Sam says, smiling at her with that genuine, dimply smile. "You look…really nice."
"So do you," Hanna replies. She means it, too. She's never seen Sam in a suit before, but he pulls it off well. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah," Sam says with a small laugh. "Sorry about being late. We got kinda lost."
"Yeah, I figured," Hanna answers. She catches sight of a sleek black car parked across the street and figures it's Sam's brother.
She climbs into the teal station wagon and leans over to hold the door open for Sam. He climbs in, all awkward limbs and angles, then looks over and smiles at her.
She melts a little bit.
After the dance, they go to Nora's house and ignore the party and make out on the couch until Sam's brother comes at midnight. Carolina comes back home and they both gush about their dates, and Hanna has a hard time getting to sleep that night.
xxxx
She's going to Hell. If there's anything Hanna has ever been sure about, it's that. She wakes up with a pounding headache and stumbles into the bathroom to puke.
"Hanna?" Carolina mumbles, walking in behind her. "Damn. You're hungover, aren't you?"
Hanna doesn't answer and retches again.
"You are. Where the hell were you last night?"
Hanna's quiet for a second.
"You were right."
"Huh?"
"You told me if I saw him I wouldn't be able to keep myself from jumping him. You were right." Hanna looks up at her sister, who looks a bit like a fish the way her mouth keeps opening and closing, then closes her eyes and rests her forehead against the toilet.
"Wait. You made out with the leather guy? The one with the car? The gorgeous man who is going to father my children?"
Hanna nods weakly.
"He's Sam's older brother," she mumbles. Carolina, who has been at a loss for words maybe twice in her life, gapes at Hanna, her mouth opening and then closing like a fish. Finally she shakes her head and snorts.
"Holy shit, girl. You are so going to go to Hell."
xxxx
Mono sucks. Hanna's tired and cranky and her throat hurts like a bastard, and while Sam brings her homework by and they still hang out, they can't make out. At all. Plus, she feels a little bit of guilt every time he comes over, remembers the feel of his brother's full lips, his husky voice, the creak of the leather seats…
"Dude, you look nasty," Camden comments as he walks by.
"Shut up," Hanna growls, and if she didn't feel like shit, she would probably punch him or something. Cam flips her off. Hanna sighs and turns the TV on, and she feels crappy enough that she's not even ashamed to be watching Days of our Lives.
xxxx
A few weeks later, Hanna's feeling better and starts going to school again. She's looking forward to physics with Sam, misses when he plays with her hair and when she rests her hand on his thigh, so she's a bit upset when he doesn't show.
"Hey, Rob, do you know where Sam is?" She asks, flagging down the nearest kid who might have the slightest idea where her wayward boyfriend might be.
Rob shrugs. "Said he had to go. He left right after lunch."
Hanna watches him walk away, one hand on her hip and her mouth screwed up as she thinks about what her next move will be. Taking a deep breath, she stalks down the hallway to the front office.
"Hey," she says when she gets to the counter. Jenn Cobaugh looks up, startled.
"Hi Hanna," she says. Hanna gives her a predatory smile.
"I need Sam Winchester's address," she says bluntly. Jenn frowns.
"You know I can't just give that out-"
"Jenn," Hanna says, her voice low, deadly. "You slept with Gregory Anderson last week while his parents were out of town and Nathan was at the away game. Unless you want your boyfriend to find out about that, you'll get me Winchester's address. Got it?"
Jenn's gone all pale, and she nods shakily, shooting a tentative glance at Hanna. Hanna can picture the devil laughing and putting her nameplate over a cage to reserve her spot in Hell, but she doesn't care right now. Jenn gives Hanna the address, which she promptly writes on her hand.
"Thanks, Jenn," Hanna says, smiling widely. "I knew you'd come through for me."
"S-sure," Jenn stutters.
xxxx
Sam lives in kind of a shithole. It's an old house, paint peeling and taped up windows, but it looks kind of…cozy. Hanna leans forward and presses the doorbell, waiting impatiently. She hears a clattering from inside before the door opens to reveal Sam.
"Hey," she says, and smiles.
Sam's eyes widen, and he looks vaguely panicked.
"What are you doing here?" He mumbles. Hanna frowns.
"You disappeared after lunch. I wanted to make sure everything was okay."
Sam fingers the hem of his shirt awkwardly. He looks a little bit pale and drawn, like maybe he hasn't been sleeping enough lately.
"But," he starts, then seems to notice he's fumbling with his shirt. He stills his hands and looks up. "But how'd you know to come here?"
He's embarrassed. He's embarrassed of where he lives.
"I had Jenn Cobaugh look it up for me. She works in the office," Hanna explains. She's getting a little annoyed that she's still standing out here, Sam frozen awkwardly in the doorway. "Are you gonna let me in or what?"
Sam looks startled, then shakes his head.
"Oh, no, I shouldn't, my brother, he's sick-"
Hanna shakes her head. "Okay Sam, I get it. I got your physics homework, and world lit."
"Thanks," Sam says, taking the folder Hanna extends.
They stand awkwardly for a second, Sam fiddling with the folder.
"I'll just go," Hanna says finally, turning away. This sure as hell didn't go how she wanted.
"Wait!" Sam blurts, screen door banging open, lightly gripping her arm. "You don't have to- you can stay, I mean, if you want to."
"You don't want me in your house," Hanna says, smiling wryly. "I know you're embarrassed, but you don't have to be. This-this doesn't change anything."
Sam runs a hand through his hair and looks down, scuffing at the ground with his toe.
"I'm sorry. You shouldn't- you shouldn't have to tell me that, you know? I'm sorry."
"Me too," Hanna says, squeezing Sam's hand in hers. "I'm sorry you didn't think you could tell me."
Sam smiles and nods.
"Look, you missed a lot today. I could help you study," Hanna says, hoping that he gets what exactly she means by 'study.'
Judging by Sam's smile, he gets it.
"I'd love to," Sam says, then glances back at the house. "But you really shouldn't go in. I wasn't kidding when I said Dean's sick, and you only just got back to school."
"What's wrong with him?" Hanna asks, frowning. Oh please no, not what she thinks it is…
"His throat's sore and he's sleeping all the time," Sam answers, shrugging. "Probably strep or something."
Hanna feels all the blood drain from her face.
"'M going to hell," she mumbles under her breath.
"What?" Sam asks, stepping toward her. Hanna shakes her head and takes a step back.
"It's not strep. It's mono. The sore throat'll be gone in a week, and then he'll just be tired."
"Wait, what?" Sam asks, but Hanna's already hurrying to her car, fumbling with her keys before jamming them into the ignition and bolting from the driveway.
xxxx
Hanna can barely motivate herself to do her homework. Even physics looks boring, and she can't figure out how the hell she's going to get out of this one. Sam's a smart guy, one of the smartest she knows, and it's only a matter of time before he puts two and two together. And she feels kind of bad for spreading her germs to his brother. She's like Typhoid Mary or something.
"Hanna, I totally saw this gorgeous guy today, I think he just transferred over from Jefferson, and his biceps are as big as my head, I swear-" Carolina yells coming in the room. "Eesh. What's up with you?"
Hanna shrugs and plays with her pencil.
"Nothin,'" she mutters.
"Bullshit," Carolina says, planting herself on Hanna's desk. "What's going on?"
"I said nothing," Hanna says, pushing herself away from her desk. "I'm going to bed."
"Now? It's 8:30," Carolina mutters, but Hanna isn't listening.
She's sound asleep when her phone rings. She groans and rolls over, burying her head under her pillow. It'll stop soon, just some stupid prank caller-
She picks it up on the fifth ring.
"Hello?" She mumbles. Someone is going to swing for this.
"Hanna?"
"Sam?" He sounds panicked.
"Yeah, oh thank God," Sam says.
"What the hell?" Hanna mutters, scrubbing at her eyes.
"It's Dean, something's wrong. He's delirious, Hanna, and he's burning up."
Hanna sits up.
"Burning up?"
"Yeah, his temp's over 104."
"Shit."
"Yeah. I was wondering if your dad-"
"Sure, no problem. Just-just hang on, okay?"
"Okay. Thanks, Hanna."
"No problem."
"Hanna?"
"Yeah?"
"Hurry, okay?"
Hanna's stomach clenches.
"Okay."
She knocks tentatively on her parents' door.
"Dad?" She whispers loudly, easing the door open.
"Toby?" Her dad mutters, sitting up. "What are you doing?"
"Dad, my friend just called. His brother is really sick."
Her dad shoves the blankets and swings his legs over the side of the bed.
"Why'd he call you?"
"His dad's out of town, I don't think he wanted to call an ambulance-"
"Okay," her dad says. "I'll go grab my keys. Where does he live?"
"I'm coming too, Dad. Let me go grab my sweatshirt."
"Hanna, I don't think-"
"I'm coming too, Dad. I need to, okay? Please, Daddy?"
Her dad sighs, shakes his head. "Fine, go on."
xxxx
Twenty minutes later, they pull up to the house.
"This it?" Dad asks. Hanna nods. "Come on, then."
Dad rings the doorbell. The door swings in quickly, revealing a wan looking Sam.
"Sam?" Dad says, holding his hand out. "I'm Pete. Your brother's sick?"
"Yeah," Sam says, nodding frantically. "He's over here."
Dean's sprawled out on the couch, and Hanna can hardly believe that this is the same man who Carolina was in love with and who she was making out with only a couple weeks ago. He's pale and drawn, dark circles around his eyes. He's lost some weight, and he's mumbling under his breath.
"What's his name?" Hanna's dad asks, kneeling next to the couch.
"Dean," Sam says, running a hand through his hair.
"Hey," Hanna says, resting a hand on his shoulder. "He's going to be okay."
Sam turns to her with wide eyes.
"You don't understand," he murmurs. "He's gotten sick before- like, really sick, and I almost let him- shit, I almost lost him."
"That wasn't your fault," Hanna says. "And neither is this."
No, this is squarely her fault. She's fucking Typhoid Mary.
"Dean? Can you hear me?" Dad asks, tapping Dean's cheeks. Dean rouses slightly, blinks his eyes open.
"We have to go," he mutters. "Have to get safe."
"You're fine," Dad says, brushing Dean's sweaty hair from his dry forehead. He pulls out a thermometer and sticks it in Dean's ear. "Just relax."
"No," Dean says, squirming weakly. "S'm."
"I'm right here," Sam says, kneeling next to Hanna's dad. Hanna's surprised by the tenderness in his voice.
"You 'kay?" Dean asks, turning unfocused eyes toward Sam.
"Yep, I'm fine Dean. Relax, okay?"
The thermometer beeps and Dad pulls it out, frowning at the reading.
"What was his temp when you called Hanna?" He asks.
"104.2," Sam answers nervously.
"It's almost 105 now. Has he had any Tylenol?"
"Yeah, he's had as much as I can give him."
"Okay, we need to take him in to urgent care," Dad says. "He's really dehydrated."
"Shit," Sam mumbles. "I can't do this again."
"Again?" Dad asks, looking up.
"He had, uh, meningitis. A couple years ago."
Dad turns back to Dean, almost with admiration.
"And he came through that okay? Well, he's obviously got some fight then. He'll be okay, Sam."
"Yeah. Yeah," Sam mutters, running his hand through his hair again. He sounds like he's trying to reassure himself.
"S'm?" Dean cries out again, flailing. Sam catches the waving hand in both of his.
"Hey, right here. I'm okay."
Hanna's surprised, watching the way Sam talks to Dean. She can't imagine speaking to Carolina that way. There's an…intimacy there, or an absolute codependency. Or something.
"Hanna, can you help us get him up?"
Hanna nods, startled out of her musing. "Sure."
"Okay, he's pretty disoriented," Dad says. "Sam and I are going to try to get him on his feet. You need to open the door for us, and unlock the car, okay?"
"Yeah, sure," Hanna says. She watches as Sam and Dad cajole Dean into a semi-sitting position, with Sam shoving up against one shoulder to keep him from listing to the side. Dean bats weakly at him, but Sam holds his hand down with a gentle firmness that Hanna has never seen from him before.
"Okay, on three. One, two, three," Dad says, and then he and Sam each pull Dean up by an arm, other hands supporting his back and pushing him forward. Dean lurches to his feet, swaying precariously and blinking rapidly. His face drains of what little color it had left.
"Hey, hey, relax, sport, we don't need you passing out," Dad says, trying to keep Dean from slumping to the floor.
"Deep breaths, Dean," Sam says. Dean gulps air greedily after Sam speaks, as if he'd forgotten until Sam reminded him.
"There we go. Okay, Hanna," Dad says. Hanna hurries in front of them and opens the door, stepping outside to hold it open. Dad and Sam struggle through the door, Dean limp between them, his feet dragging on the floor.
"Now the car."
Hanna hurries to the car, and opens the passenger seat door.
"Back seat," Sam says.
"But-"
"I'm sitting with him. Back seat."
Hanna nods and opens the back door. They ease Dean inside and buckle him up before Sam clambers in next to him, guiding Dean's drooping head to his shoulder.
Once they get to urgent care, Dad and Sam wrangle Dean into a wheelchair and follow him into the building. Hanna's left next to the car and finally hurries after them, uncertain of what she should do.
"Dad?"
Dad turns around and offers her a tired smile. "He should be fine. Doctors have already got him on some pretty good drugs."
Hanna lets out a sigh of relief.
"Hey, you guys can take off," Sam says. Thanks for everything. I've got it from here."
"You sure, Sam?" Dad asks, looking at him closely. Sam smiles lightly, showing his dimples.
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"Okay. You feel free to call, okay? For anything. Anytime."
"Sure. Thanks again."
"Sam. I mean it. Anytime."
Sam looks at him for a minute before nodding. Hanna thinks she's probably missed something big.
"I'll see you later, Sam?"
"Yeah," Sam says. "Probably not tomorrow though."
Hanna laughs shortly. "Yeah, probably not. Good luck."
"Thanks."
xxxx
Sam tells her a week later that Dean's doing better, and only a few days after that, Hanna hears a rumor that Sam's come down with mono too. She has the grace to be embarrassed once her dad hears and he puts everything together, but he doesn't push her.
She drives to Sam's house with physics homework and a pile of crossword books in tow, a lame attempt at an olive branch that she hopes Sam will accept. Even if she is Typhoid Mary. Even if she did cheat on him with his older brother. Damn, it sounds really bad when she thinks about it like that.
Hanna pulls up to the house and rings the doorbell, waiting for the familiar clatter. Nothing happens. She rings it again, waits some more. She's disappointed. She thinks that they must be out of town, so she writes a quick note and sticks it to the door.
She never gets an answer. A week later when she goes to the house again, there's a large 'condemned' sign right next to her note.
She goes home and cries for a few days, sobbing painfully with Carolina, who is sobbing over the loss of 'Hot Football Guy,' who apparently hadn't transferred from Jefferson after all. A week later, a new boy comes to her Physics class, all dimples and chestnut hair. She feels a pang of nostalgia and a spark of sadness, right before complaining to him that she doesn't understand what's going on. He grins and says that he has a free period, and Hanna happily agrees.
She is totally going to hell.
Author:el_spirito23
Characters: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester
Rating: PG-13
Word-count: 3,764
Spoilers: None
Warnings: Language
Original story: And Karma Laughed the Hardest by Sinnerforhire http://sinnerforhire.livejournal.com/145046.html
Summary: In which an accidental make-out session has severe consequences. Sick!Dean
Disclaimer: Not mine, even though I keep asking.
Carolina comes home gushing about something. Not that that's out of character, really, but it's even more obnoxious than normal.
"Damn, Hanna, I only saw him for a few seconds, but he was so badass, just sitting there in his car, and he is so gorgeous," she cries, throwing herself on her bed.
Some days, Hanna really, really hates sharing a room with her older sister. Today is one of those days.
"Who what?" Hanna asks, looking up from her geometry assignment. Carolina sighs loudly.
"I don't know his name, duh," she says. "I just saw him pick his brother up from school today. In this big black car. And he was wearing leather. Leather! I swear, I don't know who he is, but he better be ready to have my babies…"
At this point, Hanna tries very hard to block out whatever her older sister is going to say, but that doesn't stop a few lewd phrases from permanently scarring her eardrums.
"Okay! Just stop!" Hanna yells. "No one can be that beautiful!"
Carolina laughs, which is not the answer Hanna was expecting.
"Oh young Tobyhanna, you have much to learn. If you ever lay eyes on this man…well, I dare you not to throw yourself at him."
Hanna rolls her eyes. As if she would do something like that.
xxxx
She meets Sam Winchester in physics class. He's cute, in a kind of awkward, gangly sort of way. He's smart, and he seems almost painfully genuine.
"Hey," he says, sitting next to her. "My name's Sam."
"Mine's Hanna," Hanna answers. She turns back to the board. "You understand any of this crap?"
Sam nods. "Yeah."
Hanna sighs. "This is the first unit that I just can't seem to get. I hate physics, you know?"
Sam grins, all dimples and sincerity. "I have a free period after this. We could, I dunno, study together if you're free."
Hanna takes him in again, his chestnut hair and muddy brown eyes and decides that she is most definitely free.
Twenty minutes later, they're sucking face in the aisles of the library with 'Mein Kampf' and 'Rise of the Third Reich' glaring down at them. She'd leant in for the kiss pretty early, and Sam had seemed taken aback and uncomfortable at first. Once he'd hit his groove, though…
They get kicked out by the librarian, a spindly old woman who looks like she's probably never made out with anyone in her life. She and Sam laugh about it for a good ten minutes afterward, culminating in Hanna sitting on Sam's lap, head nestled against his collarbone.
Hanna's pretty sure that no matter how gorgeous Carolina claimed 'Hot Car Guy' is, he's no match for gangly Sam Winchester.
xxxx
"He talked to me today," Carolina groans happily. "Like, actually said hi."
"Really?" Hanna asks disinterestedly. She looks down at her homework and is startled to realize she's drawn hearts all over the page. She quickly starts erasing them.
"Yeah. I was walking past and I accidentally dropped my cell phone…"
Hanna snorts. Carolina's in her shortest short skirt. There's no way that was an 'accident.'
"And he picks it up and calls me 'Miss' and he has the most gorgeous smile, and like this little hint of an accent."
"Wow," Hanna says, rolling her eyes. "Sounds like he has everything you could ever want in a guy."
Carolina looks at her. "Well, yeah. What else could you ask for?"
Hanna turns back to her homework, shaking her head.
xxxx
The second time they make out is in her car in the parking lot of the school stadium, and she feels like that's a lot more sophisticated than macking in the library. Sam's a really good kisser, all passion and heat and without too much saliva. Hanna figures it's as good a time as any to ask Sam to the homecoming dance and mumbles something about not wanting to go alone between kisses and heaving breaths.
Sam says yes.
xxxx
Hanna gets ready to go an hour before she needs to. She's wearing a black strapless dress that hits her mid-thigh and poofs out, with red high heels. Her hair is curled just right and her makeup is dramatic and sexy.
"You're ready already?" Carolina says. "You are so lame."
"Shut up," Hanna answers, smacking her lips in the mirror. "I look hot."
Sam is late. Like, almost half an hour late. Carolina's already gone, and Hanna's left sitting in the living room by herself, flipping through channels and gritting her teeth. The phone rings, but she sulkily ignores it, flaring her nostrils and changes the channel again.
"Toby! Phone for you!" Camden yells. "Sounds like your boyfriend," he singsongs as Hanna gets there. Hanna sticks her tongue out at him before answering the phone.
"Sam?"
The voice on the other end sure as hell isn't Sam. The guy says he's Sam's brother, and his voice is deep and rumbling and…manly. Hanna rambles off some directions, relieved that Sam hasn't stood her up, and forces herself not to run to the door when the doorbell rings.
"Hey Hanna," Sam says, smiling at her with that genuine, dimply smile. "You look…really nice."
"So do you," Hanna replies. She means it, too. She's never seen Sam in a suit before, but he pulls it off well. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah," Sam says with a small laugh. "Sorry about being late. We got kinda lost."
"Yeah, I figured," Hanna answers. She catches sight of a sleek black car parked across the street and figures it's Sam's brother.
She climbs into the teal station wagon and leans over to hold the door open for Sam. He climbs in, all awkward limbs and angles, then looks over and smiles at her.
She melts a little bit.
After the dance, they go to Nora's house and ignore the party and make out on the couch until Sam's brother comes at midnight. Carolina comes back home and they both gush about their dates, and Hanna has a hard time getting to sleep that night.
xxxx
She's going to Hell. If there's anything Hanna has ever been sure about, it's that. She wakes up with a pounding headache and stumbles into the bathroom to puke.
"Hanna?" Carolina mumbles, walking in behind her. "Damn. You're hungover, aren't you?"
Hanna doesn't answer and retches again.
"You are. Where the hell were you last night?"
Hanna's quiet for a second.
"You were right."
"Huh?"
"You told me if I saw him I wouldn't be able to keep myself from jumping him. You were right." Hanna looks up at her sister, who looks a bit like a fish the way her mouth keeps opening and closing, then closes her eyes and rests her forehead against the toilet.
"Wait. You made out with the leather guy? The one with the car? The gorgeous man who is going to father my children?"
Hanna nods weakly.
"He's Sam's older brother," she mumbles. Carolina, who has been at a loss for words maybe twice in her life, gapes at Hanna, her mouth opening and then closing like a fish. Finally she shakes her head and snorts.
"Holy shit, girl. You are so going to go to Hell."
xxxx
Mono sucks. Hanna's tired and cranky and her throat hurts like a bastard, and while Sam brings her homework by and they still hang out, they can't make out. At all. Plus, she feels a little bit of guilt every time he comes over, remembers the feel of his brother's full lips, his husky voice, the creak of the leather seats…
"Dude, you look nasty," Camden comments as he walks by.
"Shut up," Hanna growls, and if she didn't feel like shit, she would probably punch him or something. Cam flips her off. Hanna sighs and turns the TV on, and she feels crappy enough that she's not even ashamed to be watching Days of our Lives.
xxxx
A few weeks later, Hanna's feeling better and starts going to school again. She's looking forward to physics with Sam, misses when he plays with her hair and when she rests her hand on his thigh, so she's a bit upset when he doesn't show.
"Hey, Rob, do you know where Sam is?" She asks, flagging down the nearest kid who might have the slightest idea where her wayward boyfriend might be.
Rob shrugs. "Said he had to go. He left right after lunch."
Hanna watches him walk away, one hand on her hip and her mouth screwed up as she thinks about what her next move will be. Taking a deep breath, she stalks down the hallway to the front office.
"Hey," she says when she gets to the counter. Jenn Cobaugh looks up, startled.
"Hi Hanna," she says. Hanna gives her a predatory smile.
"I need Sam Winchester's address," she says bluntly. Jenn frowns.
"You know I can't just give that out-"
"Jenn," Hanna says, her voice low, deadly. "You slept with Gregory Anderson last week while his parents were out of town and Nathan was at the away game. Unless you want your boyfriend to find out about that, you'll get me Winchester's address. Got it?"
Jenn's gone all pale, and she nods shakily, shooting a tentative glance at Hanna. Hanna can picture the devil laughing and putting her nameplate over a cage to reserve her spot in Hell, but she doesn't care right now. Jenn gives Hanna the address, which she promptly writes on her hand.
"Thanks, Jenn," Hanna says, smiling widely. "I knew you'd come through for me."
"S-sure," Jenn stutters.
xxxx
Sam lives in kind of a shithole. It's an old house, paint peeling and taped up windows, but it looks kind of…cozy. Hanna leans forward and presses the doorbell, waiting impatiently. She hears a clattering from inside before the door opens to reveal Sam.
"Hey," she says, and smiles.
Sam's eyes widen, and he looks vaguely panicked.
"What are you doing here?" He mumbles. Hanna frowns.
"You disappeared after lunch. I wanted to make sure everything was okay."
Sam fingers the hem of his shirt awkwardly. He looks a little bit pale and drawn, like maybe he hasn't been sleeping enough lately.
"But," he starts, then seems to notice he's fumbling with his shirt. He stills his hands and looks up. "But how'd you know to come here?"
He's embarrassed. He's embarrassed of where he lives.
"I had Jenn Cobaugh look it up for me. She works in the office," Hanna explains. She's getting a little annoyed that she's still standing out here, Sam frozen awkwardly in the doorway. "Are you gonna let me in or what?"
Sam looks startled, then shakes his head.
"Oh, no, I shouldn't, my brother, he's sick-"
Hanna shakes her head. "Okay Sam, I get it. I got your physics homework, and world lit."
"Thanks," Sam says, taking the folder Hanna extends.
They stand awkwardly for a second, Sam fiddling with the folder.
"I'll just go," Hanna says finally, turning away. This sure as hell didn't go how she wanted.
"Wait!" Sam blurts, screen door banging open, lightly gripping her arm. "You don't have to- you can stay, I mean, if you want to."
"You don't want me in your house," Hanna says, smiling wryly. "I know you're embarrassed, but you don't have to be. This-this doesn't change anything."
Sam runs a hand through his hair and looks down, scuffing at the ground with his toe.
"I'm sorry. You shouldn't- you shouldn't have to tell me that, you know? I'm sorry."
"Me too," Hanna says, squeezing Sam's hand in hers. "I'm sorry you didn't think you could tell me."
Sam smiles and nods.
"Look, you missed a lot today. I could help you study," Hanna says, hoping that he gets what exactly she means by 'study.'
Judging by Sam's smile, he gets it.
"I'd love to," Sam says, then glances back at the house. "But you really shouldn't go in. I wasn't kidding when I said Dean's sick, and you only just got back to school."
"What's wrong with him?" Hanna asks, frowning. Oh please no, not what she thinks it is…
"His throat's sore and he's sleeping all the time," Sam answers, shrugging. "Probably strep or something."
Hanna feels all the blood drain from her face.
"'M going to hell," she mumbles under her breath.
"What?" Sam asks, stepping toward her. Hanna shakes her head and takes a step back.
"It's not strep. It's mono. The sore throat'll be gone in a week, and then he'll just be tired."
"Wait, what?" Sam asks, but Hanna's already hurrying to her car, fumbling with her keys before jamming them into the ignition and bolting from the driveway.
xxxx
Hanna can barely motivate herself to do her homework. Even physics looks boring, and she can't figure out how the hell she's going to get out of this one. Sam's a smart guy, one of the smartest she knows, and it's only a matter of time before he puts two and two together. And she feels kind of bad for spreading her germs to his brother. She's like Typhoid Mary or something.
"Hanna, I totally saw this gorgeous guy today, I think he just transferred over from Jefferson, and his biceps are as big as my head, I swear-" Carolina yells coming in the room. "Eesh. What's up with you?"
Hanna shrugs and plays with her pencil.
"Nothin,'" she mutters.
"Bullshit," Carolina says, planting herself on Hanna's desk. "What's going on?"
"I said nothing," Hanna says, pushing herself away from her desk. "I'm going to bed."
"Now? It's 8:30," Carolina mutters, but Hanna isn't listening.
She's sound asleep when her phone rings. She groans and rolls over, burying her head under her pillow. It'll stop soon, just some stupid prank caller-
She picks it up on the fifth ring.
"Hello?" She mumbles. Someone is going to swing for this.
"Hanna?"
"Sam?" He sounds panicked.
"Yeah, oh thank God," Sam says.
"What the hell?" Hanna mutters, scrubbing at her eyes.
"It's Dean, something's wrong. He's delirious, Hanna, and he's burning up."
Hanna sits up.
"Burning up?"
"Yeah, his temp's over 104."
"Shit."
"Yeah. I was wondering if your dad-"
"Sure, no problem. Just-just hang on, okay?"
"Okay. Thanks, Hanna."
"No problem."
"Hanna?"
"Yeah?"
"Hurry, okay?"
Hanna's stomach clenches.
"Okay."
She knocks tentatively on her parents' door.
"Dad?" She whispers loudly, easing the door open.
"Toby?" Her dad mutters, sitting up. "What are you doing?"
"Dad, my friend just called. His brother is really sick."
Her dad shoves the blankets and swings his legs over the side of the bed.
"Why'd he call you?"
"His dad's out of town, I don't think he wanted to call an ambulance-"
"Okay," her dad says. "I'll go grab my keys. Where does he live?"
"I'm coming too, Dad. Let me go grab my sweatshirt."
"Hanna, I don't think-"
"I'm coming too, Dad. I need to, okay? Please, Daddy?"
Her dad sighs, shakes his head. "Fine, go on."
xxxx
Twenty minutes later, they pull up to the house.
"This it?" Dad asks. Hanna nods. "Come on, then."
Dad rings the doorbell. The door swings in quickly, revealing a wan looking Sam.
"Sam?" Dad says, holding his hand out. "I'm Pete. Your brother's sick?"
"Yeah," Sam says, nodding frantically. "He's over here."
Dean's sprawled out on the couch, and Hanna can hardly believe that this is the same man who Carolina was in love with and who she was making out with only a couple weeks ago. He's pale and drawn, dark circles around his eyes. He's lost some weight, and he's mumbling under his breath.
"What's his name?" Hanna's dad asks, kneeling next to the couch.
"Dean," Sam says, running a hand through his hair.
"Hey," Hanna says, resting a hand on his shoulder. "He's going to be okay."
Sam turns to her with wide eyes.
"You don't understand," he murmurs. "He's gotten sick before- like, really sick, and I almost let him- shit, I almost lost him."
"That wasn't your fault," Hanna says. "And neither is this."
No, this is squarely her fault. She's fucking Typhoid Mary.
"Dean? Can you hear me?" Dad asks, tapping Dean's cheeks. Dean rouses slightly, blinks his eyes open.
"We have to go," he mutters. "Have to get safe."
"You're fine," Dad says, brushing Dean's sweaty hair from his dry forehead. He pulls out a thermometer and sticks it in Dean's ear. "Just relax."
"No," Dean says, squirming weakly. "S'm."
"I'm right here," Sam says, kneeling next to Hanna's dad. Hanna's surprised by the tenderness in his voice.
"You 'kay?" Dean asks, turning unfocused eyes toward Sam.
"Yep, I'm fine Dean. Relax, okay?"
The thermometer beeps and Dad pulls it out, frowning at the reading.
"What was his temp when you called Hanna?" He asks.
"104.2," Sam answers nervously.
"It's almost 105 now. Has he had any Tylenol?"
"Yeah, he's had as much as I can give him."
"Okay, we need to take him in to urgent care," Dad says. "He's really dehydrated."
"Shit," Sam mumbles. "I can't do this again."
"Again?" Dad asks, looking up.
"He had, uh, meningitis. A couple years ago."
Dad turns back to Dean, almost with admiration.
"And he came through that okay? Well, he's obviously got some fight then. He'll be okay, Sam."
"Yeah. Yeah," Sam mutters, running his hand through his hair again. He sounds like he's trying to reassure himself.
"S'm?" Dean cries out again, flailing. Sam catches the waving hand in both of his.
"Hey, right here. I'm okay."
Hanna's surprised, watching the way Sam talks to Dean. She can't imagine speaking to Carolina that way. There's an…intimacy there, or an absolute codependency. Or something.
"Hanna, can you help us get him up?"
Hanna nods, startled out of her musing. "Sure."
"Okay, he's pretty disoriented," Dad says. "Sam and I are going to try to get him on his feet. You need to open the door for us, and unlock the car, okay?"
"Yeah, sure," Hanna says. She watches as Sam and Dad cajole Dean into a semi-sitting position, with Sam shoving up against one shoulder to keep him from listing to the side. Dean bats weakly at him, but Sam holds his hand down with a gentle firmness that Hanna has never seen from him before.
"Okay, on three. One, two, three," Dad says, and then he and Sam each pull Dean up by an arm, other hands supporting his back and pushing him forward. Dean lurches to his feet, swaying precariously and blinking rapidly. His face drains of what little color it had left.
"Hey, hey, relax, sport, we don't need you passing out," Dad says, trying to keep Dean from slumping to the floor.
"Deep breaths, Dean," Sam says. Dean gulps air greedily after Sam speaks, as if he'd forgotten until Sam reminded him.
"There we go. Okay, Hanna," Dad says. Hanna hurries in front of them and opens the door, stepping outside to hold it open. Dad and Sam struggle through the door, Dean limp between them, his feet dragging on the floor.
"Now the car."
Hanna hurries to the car, and opens the passenger seat door.
"Back seat," Sam says.
"But-"
"I'm sitting with him. Back seat."
Hanna nods and opens the back door. They ease Dean inside and buckle him up before Sam clambers in next to him, guiding Dean's drooping head to his shoulder.
Once they get to urgent care, Dad and Sam wrangle Dean into a wheelchair and follow him into the building. Hanna's left next to the car and finally hurries after them, uncertain of what she should do.
"Dad?"
Dad turns around and offers her a tired smile. "He should be fine. Doctors have already got him on some pretty good drugs."
Hanna lets out a sigh of relief.
"Hey, you guys can take off," Sam says. Thanks for everything. I've got it from here."
"You sure, Sam?" Dad asks, looking at him closely. Sam smiles lightly, showing his dimples.
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"Okay. You feel free to call, okay? For anything. Anytime."
"Sure. Thanks again."
"Sam. I mean it. Anytime."
Sam looks at him for a minute before nodding. Hanna thinks she's probably missed something big.
"I'll see you later, Sam?"
"Yeah," Sam says. "Probably not tomorrow though."
Hanna laughs shortly. "Yeah, probably not. Good luck."
"Thanks."
xxxx
Sam tells her a week later that Dean's doing better, and only a few days after that, Hanna hears a rumor that Sam's come down with mono too. She has the grace to be embarrassed once her dad hears and he puts everything together, but he doesn't push her.
She drives to Sam's house with physics homework and a pile of crossword books in tow, a lame attempt at an olive branch that she hopes Sam will accept. Even if she is Typhoid Mary. Even if she did cheat on him with his older brother. Damn, it sounds really bad when she thinks about it like that.
Hanna pulls up to the house and rings the doorbell, waiting for the familiar clatter. Nothing happens. She rings it again, waits some more. She's disappointed. She thinks that they must be out of town, so she writes a quick note and sticks it to the door.
She never gets an answer. A week later when she goes to the house again, there's a large 'condemned' sign right next to her note.
She goes home and cries for a few days, sobbing painfully with Carolina, who is sobbing over the loss of 'Hot Football Guy,' who apparently hadn't transferred from Jefferson after all. A week later, a new boy comes to her Physics class, all dimples and chestnut hair. She feels a pang of nostalgia and a spark of sadness, right before complaining to him that she doesn't understand what's going on. He grins and says that he has a free period, and Hanna happily agrees.
She is totally going to hell.