Chapter Text
"I'm heading out!" Sam called, walking past the kitchen door before stooping to grab his backpack by the door.
"Hurry up or you're going to be late!" Ellen, Bobby's wife shouted after him.
"I've got time!" Sam shouted back. He could pratically feel Ellen rolling her eyes at him as he headed out the door. He was halfway down the sidewalk when something hit his legs. Looking down, he was greeted with the sight of a crying toddler.
"Hey, hey...what's the matter? Is someone after you?" Sam asked, crouching down to her level. The crying girl frantically shook her head.
"Somethin' wrong with my Daddy!" The small girl wailed. Sam stood, reaching for her hand. Time to put his old EMT skills to the test. If he hadn't loved teaching so much, he might have changed his major in college instead of just volunteering.
"Okay, can you take me to him? I'll see what I can do," Sam offered. She tugged his hand until they were in the neighboring yard, and Sam noticed a man collapsed near the stairs to the back porch. He let go of the girl's hand, rushing over to him. He touched the man's face, wincing at how hot it was. Had to be heat exhaustion.
"Okay, sweetheart, can you do me a favor?" The little girl nodded, sniffling.
"Go over to the house where you found me. Knock on the door. A very nice lady will answer. Her name is Ellen. Ask her if she can call 911 and bring me some cold towels and a few bottles of water. Think you can do that?" He received another nod before she darted around the fence and into the next yard.
Sam carefully lifted the man into his arms, carrying him under the large tree in the back corner of the yard and propping him up against his chest. He carefully tugged off the man's shirt, tossing it aside.
Ellen was quick to react, which he was grateful for. She came rushing over with cold, wet towels and water. Bobby trailed behind her, carrying the little girl on his hip. She clung to his neck, hiding her face.
"Ambo is on it's way. You can go, I can handle it from here."
"No, I got it. I'll make my excuses later." Sam took one of the towels and began to pat it gently across the man's face and his chest. "I'm assuming you know each other?"
"Lucifer Milton. His daughter's name is Lilith, but she prefers Lily. Moved in two years ago after his wife passed away. Been the two of them ever since. He's a nice man, owns a coffee shop in town with his brother. Bobby tries to help him out with things, but he keeps to himself. Poor thing." She knelt down with Sam, draping one of the towels over Lucifer's stomach. Lucifer started coming to, his voice a low frantic murmur as he mumbled for his daughter.
"She's alright, don't you worry." Ellen uncapped one of the bottles and held it to his lips. Lucifer gulped at the water eagerly once the first drops touched his lips. His eyes opened slowly and he gazed up at Sam. His eyes were glassy and Sam could tell he wasn't all there. He continued patting the man's face, letting him hold his gaze.
"How much longer on the ambulance?" Sam murmured. He didn't need to ask; he heard the sirens blaring not even thirty seconds later.
The newly arrived EMT's took over where Sam and Ellen had left off. Once Lucifer was loaded, one of the EMT's turned to look at them.
"One of you want to ride with him? I'm assuming that's his daughter, and I'd feel better if she wasn't alone."
"I'll go," Sam volunteered. Lilith reached for him from Bobby's arms. Sam took her and cradled her against his chest, thankful he'd stuffed one of the water bottles in his pocket. Maybe he'd be able to coax her into drinking some of it on the way there.
He held her on his lap, trying to think of something to say to her. God, where was Dean when you needed him? Sam absentmindly began playing with her hair, an idea hitting him when she leaned into the touch.
"Do you like having your hair braided?" He asked her. She nodded slowly, gazing up at him with big blue eyes that were almost as blue as Dean's boyfriend's.
"Well, if you drink some of this water for me, I'll see what I can do."
"Okay." She carefully held the bottle in her hands, turning so Sam could braid her hair. The EMT monitoring Lucifer wordlessly handed him a ponytail scrunchie from her wrist, carefully monitoring Lucifer's vitals before turning to the small girl before her.
"Where were you at when your daddy fell down?" The woman lightly touched Lily's face with her fingertips.
"My tree," the toddler mumbled.
"Your tree?"
Sam slowly recalled toys laying under the tree where he had carried Lucifer.
"I think she means under the tree where we were waiting for you, ma'am." Sam offered. Lily nodded and tried to curl back into Sam's chest.
"Hold on, sugar, one more question. Did you have anything to drink while you were playing?" Another nod.
"Okay then, baby doll. No more questions."
"Lily...Lily..." The words came as a soft mumble from the stretcher. Lucifer was trying to sit up. The EMT quickly guided him into a laying position.
"Sir, sir, your daughter is fine. She's right here with you."
Sam could feel wetness against his neck. He hushed Lily as quietly as he could, cradling her against him. The ambulance came to a stop and Sam was helped out before Lucifer was whisked away.
~X.x.X~
Lily was asleep on Sam's shoulder when they finally came and got him. He carried her back to her father's room, careful not to wake her.
"Thank you for looking after her." The soft voice from the bed surprised him. "And for helping me." Sam turned his attention to the bed. Lucifer was gazing up at him, looking exhausted and upset.
"Not a problem." Sam gently lay Lily down beside him. Lucifer carefully put his arm around her, taking care to avoid the wires.
"I swear, I'm never that reckless. Especially with her."
"Sir, you don't have to explain yourself to me..." Sam began.
"I was in a rush because my brother wanted to leave early today, so I was trying to finish up stuff around the house before I headed to work and I..."
"Hey, hey...it's okay. You don't have to explain, I understand..."
"I promise I'm not a bad father," Lucifer's voice dropped to a whisper. "I promise..." Sam gently took his wrist.
"I never thought that for a second. I promise."
"I don't want them to take her away." Lucifer's voice broke.
"I won't let them." Sam promised. "I know she wasn't in direct sunlight. She had water. She wasn't in nearly as much danger as you were. I'm certified as an EMT, so believe me, I would know if she wasn't fine."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Sam let go of his wrist when a small, blonde haired man came rushing in.
"Luci, are you alright?!" The man was checking over Lucifer hurriedly before moving onto Lily.
"Gabriel, I'm fine. We're both fine. I'm just an idiot, is all..."
"I think this is my cue," Sam said awkwardly, taking a step backwards.
"Who's this?" The man's attention snapped to Sam. "Who are you?"
"Sam Winchester. I'm staying with Bobby and Ellen, his neighbors." Sam offered a hand.
"Oh, you're the man who saved my brother!" Instead of shaking Sam's hand, the man hugged him around the middle instead. "Thank you."
"Wait, how did you...?"
"Ellen told me. She called to let me know what happened to give me extra time to get coverage."
"I'm sorry, Gabe, I'm ruining your plans..."
"Luci, it isn't..."
Sam slipped out of the room.
~X.x.X~
"My little brother's a hero!" Dean proclaimed, thumping him on the back. "Second day in town and already you're saving lives. You sure you don't want to be a doctor?"
"Dean, you ask him that every time you see him," Castiel Novak, Dean's boyfriend, laughed. Dean leaned into him subconsciously, smiling widely at Sam. Sam just rolled his eyes, a fond smile on his face.
"I'm sure, Dean. How have you been doing?" The words were loaded; Dean suffered from PTSD since returning from Afghanistan. He never told Sam what he saw, and Sam never planned to ask.
"Better. Cas will back me up."
"He's telling the truth this time, Sam." Castiel assured him. Castiel had been with his brother for two years now. They had met in the local grocery store where Castiel worked while in college. Dean hadn't been discharged long before suffering an attack in the middle of the grocery store after a display was knocked over a few feet away from him. Castiel had been the one to talk him down and had taken him to get some coffee afterwards. They had been inseparable ever since.
"Good. That's good." Sam smiled at both of them.
"Pizza or burgers, Sammy?" Dean pushed himself to his feet.
"Pizza, if you insist." Sam said, sticking his tongue out at Dean when he muttered about "damn rabbit food" under his breath. Castiel just laughed at their antics.
"So Cas..."
"Yes, Sam?"
"How do I talk a professor into forgiving me for missing my very first class of the semester to save a man's life?"
"Which professor?" Castiel had graduated from the college that Sam was attending for his masters degree.
"Professor Mosely."
Castiel groaned before lowering his face into his hands and starting to laugh.