Supernatural

"Family Ties"

After casting his summoning spell, Sam waited for Crowley with a righteous fury. The bond between the brothers kept him fighting. He never forgot about the promise they once made to each other if one of them died. He would fight for Dean if it killed him as well. Crowley's absence only frustrated Sam more. His would make him pay for his lateness. As he stood up to leave, he heard a shuffle of clothing in the back of the room.

"You rang, Moose?"

"Bring him back, Crowley. I offer my soul up for his."

"You two are relentlessly in love with each other." He took a few steps closer to Sam. "I'm so tired of you Winchesters. I'm not a genie in a bottle; here to do your every command. Did you forget I'm the King of Hell? I do I want…not what you want."

"You owe us, Crowley."

"I owe you? Moose, have you forgotten that I don't have honor. It's a weakness. No. No deal."

"Why not? You've never turned down an offer for one of us before," Sam spit back at him. Anger danced around his eyes. The need to murder Crowley seemed more and more like a good idea despite what he could do about Dean. Crowley's rebellious smile made his stomach churn, and his thick British accent made him to crawl up the wall.

"I don't need you anymore, Sam. I got what I needed. Deal with it," and he vanished.

"Crowley!" Sam screamed.

What was he going to do now? Castiel wasn't answering prayers or giving any kind of notion he was still alive. For the first time in his life, Sam felt alone. More alone than the year after Dean went to hell. He still had Bobby then, but Bobby was gone, too. Everybody was gone. Dean, Dad, Cas, Bobby. They were all dead. Sam fell to his knees and wept. It was the only thing he could do.

Sam couldn't let Dean's body continue to lie in the bed rotting. It was time to nut up and get on with it. He would bury him outside of the bunker, then leave. He never felt like this place was home, no matter how much Dean tried to push it on him. He would just get in the Impala and go. Maybe destiny would find him for once.

He stood outside of Dean's room, terrified to go in. The sight of his dead brother in the ultimate weakened state – death – was too hard to accept. Seeing him would finalize everything. He took a deep breath and turned the knob. The door creaked, and the sound echoed throughout the bunker, only reminding him more of how alone he was.

The bed lay empty. Dean's body was gone. Out of instinct, he called out, "Dean? Dean!" No response came. The body's absence made Sam second guess himself. Had he left it in here? In his grief, had he put him somewhere else?

"Dean?" he whispered.

This was it. His mind was now gone, and he began wondering if he dreamt the whole thing. Was he in the middle of a waking nightmare? He walked over to the bed and plopped down. The springs in the mattress screamed as they succumbed to his weight. He dropped his face down into his open palms and yelled. He didn't know whether to be angry, sad, or relieved.

A sound in the corner made his head rise in alert. It was Castiel.

"Cas. Where have you been? Dean's –"

"I know, Sam. I'm sorry. I came as soon as I heard. Where is he?"

Sam sighed heavily. What was he supposed to tell Cas? That he'd lost Dean, that he'd lost a dead body?

"I don't know, Cas. He was lying right here, and now he's gone."

Castiel stared blankly at him…as he usually did. At least they hadn't changed. Castiel's dumbfounded face.

"Has anyone else been here since you?" Castiel asked.

"No, it's just been me." Sam paused. "Wait. I summoned Crowley to make him bring Dean back. It took him a long time to appear. You don't think…?"

"He must have taken Dean's body," Castiel resigned.

"But why? He was dead!"

Sam's distaste for Crowley now reached a new level. He wanted to rip his entrails from his body and shove them down his throat. He wanted to make Crowley suffer for everything he'd done to Dean and him.

Castiel sat down on the bed next to Sam and awkwardly placed his hand on Sam's shoulder.

"I don't know, Sam, but we'll find him. I promise."

"What about Metatron?"

"He's finished. Imprisoned forever in heaven. We'll never have to deal with him again. I hope, anyway."

Sam turned and looked solemnly at Castiel. He was glad his friend was here, but Cas was no replacement for Dean.

"What am I going to do, Cas? He's gone. Probably for good. I have nobody now." Sensing he might have hurt Castiel's feelings, he quickly interjected, "No offense, Cas. I meant blood family. They're all gone now."

Castiel cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. Sam sensed he was uncomfortable about something.

"Not exactly, Sam."

"Cas, I know you're slow sometimes, but not this slow. Dad's dead. Mom's dead. And now Dean's dead. There is nobody else."

Forgetting about his half-brother, he spoke again, "Oh, and Adam…well, I never knew Adam, but he's in Hell with Lucifer."

Castiel sighed and rubbed his face.

"That's not what I mean, Sam. There's something I never told you and Dean. I found out a few years ago when I was interrogating a demon. I wasn't sure if he was just lying to distract me from the matter at hand, but I managed to verify it to be completely true."

Sam looked at him quizzically. He was completely lost and couldn't figure out where Castiel was going with this.

"What? What do you mean, Cas?"

Castiel fidgeted on the bed. It was obvious to Sam that Castiel didn't want to tell him.

"Dean isn't your only sibling. You have another, and not a half sibling. John and Mary had three kids."

Sam guffawed at Castiel. He was speechless and couldn't believe it. Castiel wouldn't lie about this information, but he couldn't believe his father and Dean would lie to him.

"Cas, that's impossible. Dean would've told me. Hell, Dad would've told me. That's not a secret you keep."

"He didn't tell you about Adam, did he? Dean didn't know either. Apparently, your parents kept a lot from you boys."

Sam couldn't argue that point. His father led a secret life from him and Dean. This news shouldn't have surprised him. At first, he couldn't respond to Castiel. Now he had something else to be angry about. He was so sick of all the Winchester secrets and lies. The curse befell every Winchester generation since his grandparents.

"Cas, do you realize what you're saying? My father lied to Dean and me about having another sibling. Why would he keep this from us?"

Castiel ran his fingers through his short hair. He looked rough to Sam. Eventually, he would get around to asking what happened with Metatron, but he wanted, needed to know about this missing family member. Dean's disappearance was only a background thought at the moment.

"I don't have all of the details, Sam, but your parents didn't tell you and Dean because the other child was special. That's why the demons are after her."

"Her? You mean I have a sister?"

"Yes. In fact, she's Dean's twin sister."

Sam shot Castiel a shocked look. A sister? Dean's twin? The room began to spin, and he felt dizzy. This day was just too heavy. One thing after another. Sam wasn't sure he could take anymore. His breaking point was fast approaching.

"But…where is she? Why don't we know about her?"

"Sam, I know this is hard. This has been a god awful day. Maybe you should lie down and get some rest. Grieve a little. Drink. I don't know what you humans do to blow off steam."

"Cas, you can't drop this bomb on me expect me not to ask questions," Sam's voice almost squeaked. He was running on adrenaline now.

"All I've been able to find out is the demons are after her because she has a special power. I can only assume John and Mary hid her from you to protect her. I don't know what power she possesses, but they've been after her a long time. Azazel went after her originally, but settled for you after he couldn't find her. Azazel knew you had no clue of her existence so that's why he never brought it up."

Castiel placed his hand on Sam's shoulder again, trying to console him. Sam's brain was running in hundreds of directions. It was too hard to focus on one thought.

"I suspect her power was like yours. Being able to cast out demons without incantations. She's a healer as well. And Sam, I think she might even be able to help Dean."

Sam snapped back to reality with the mention of Dean's name. Help him? How?

"So she's like you, too?"

"Yes, to an extent. But listen, Sam. It's going to be very hard to find her. She's warded. No one has seen her in twelve years, but the demons felt they were on her trail."

"We gotta find her, Cas. We have to."

Castiel nodded reluctantly. He didn't seem to share the same enthusiasm has Sam.

"What's the matter, Cas? What else are you not telling me?"

Castiel hesitated. He opened his mouth to speak but shut it instead. Sam could see the gears turning in his head as he tried to formulate a response to his question. What else was he going to drop on him today?

"Sam, like I said. No one has seen her in years. I can't even tell you for sure that's she's alive. I don't even know where to start."

"I don't care, Cas. This is all I have left. The only hope of recovering my family and bringing about destruction to Crowley's reign. I'm going to kill him."

"I know, Sam. I know. I didn't say I wouldn't help you, but this is going to be a hard journey. Heaven is trying to rebuild after Metatron's rule. They want me to lead them still."

Sam clapped his hands to his thighs, "So, where do we start?"