Hello all! Time for my very first Supernatural fanfiction!

Okay, so backstory as usual- my boyfriend got me into watching it, but given he'd seen all the seasons prior to me dating him, he got in at Season 9 I believe and I really loved it. I love the brotherly bond between Sam and Dean (and wonder how I never read anything in this fandom since it's got everything I love in brotherly love stories, plus more) and I love all the angst and pain and struggle they go through as the series progresses. I also love Castiel- that is one boss behind angel in a trench coat!

Now I'm still watching it, and because I'm such a lazy bum, I haven't gotten very far- I watched Seasons 9, 10 and the most current one right now with my boyfriend and I've got quite some ways to go watching the other seasons before that. But I've watched enough to decide I wanted to write this to get my feet wet in the fandom and get advice when I decide to write longer stories for the fandom (which I am doing once I finish all 11 seasons.)

Also, random sidenote- I love both brothers to death, but I'm Team Sam Winchester all the way. :)

With that Author's Note said, please enjoy! This is set during episode 10, episode 23 'Inside Man', when Sam first hears Dean's nightmare. It's pretty much canon with some slight AU on my part. I don't own a darn thing, but I can always dream about owning it! Rated for language.

Unity

"SAM!"

The younger of the Winchesters snapped to awake almost instantly, and shot upright in his bed. Was he dreaming? Was that...Dean? No, that can't be...

"No, NO! Sam! SAAAAAAM!" Sam's eyes widened as he threw his sheets off him. That was his brother, no doubt. What was going on around here? Did something get inside the bunker? Was Dean hurt?!

Sam's hunter insticts kicked into overdrive as he slowed his almost jogging to slient tiptoeing, gun out, loaded and ready to shoot at the first thing that moved. If there was a demon or spirit attacking Dean. he didn't want it to know he was coming.

As he neared Dean's room door, he heard his brother yelling once more. However, there seemed to be no sounds of a struggle or anything. Without a second thought, Sam barged in, gun cocked and loaded for battle.

What he wasn't expecting to find was his brother still asleep, hands gripping the sheets until his knuckles were as white as a damn ghost. Sam lowered his weapon cautiously, thinking there had to have been something attacking his brother. But as his hazel eyes scanned the room, he saw not a trace of black smoke, or heard anything that indicated something supernatural was behind this.

'What on earth-?'

"No... get back, get... nrgh... S-Sam..." he panted, his breathing much too fast for his brother's taste. Finally conviced there was no immediate danger except for his older brother's mind, Sam quietly walked in his brother's room, nudging the door closed with his foot. He set his weapon down and stared at Dean for a moment.

"Sam... Sam..." he whimpered, and Sam bit back tears. What happened to him back there when he got the Mark of Cain? Dean hadn't really given him much to go on, and he had no clue if this was the first nightmare or what. He was getting worried because Dean never sounded so scared to Sam's ears before. It was usually the other way around.

But then again.. Sam stopped only four steps away from his brother's bed. The two boys weren't being completely open with each other- Sam still somewhat sour after what he had done to save him from the Trials. Things were getting better, but there was still that damn gap there... and he didn't know how to close it to fully reach his bog brother.

'But... can I really blame him? He did that to save me, and now he's taking on something else that could hurt him so I wouldn't have to! Dammit, Dean! Why do you always have to play the hero?!' Sam thought briefly, somewhat angry his brother had taken something without fully reading the directions or fine print.

As his brother got closer to him, Dean suddenly relaxed. His grip on his sheets lessened and his breathing slowly evened out. Even his scrunched up face had begun to relax. Head tilting in the direction of Sam, he soon drifted back to some sort of sleep.

Sam didn't move or speak until his brother was fully out for the count, and even then he was still tense for a few extra moments, wondering if Dean would have a sudden outburst again. When it was apparent there was no threat and Dean was actually asleep, Sam allowed himself the ability to let out a breath and glanced at Dean worriedly.

Now sitting on the edge of the bed, the shaggy haired man wondered why Dean's breathing suddenly calmed as he had done nothing but stand at the entrance to his brother's room. He wondered when his brother planned to say something about his nightmares, if he had had more than one since that mark was placed on his arm, but Sam knew his brother inside and out. Chick flick initiation moments like those were sure to have Dean crossing his arms, harden his stare and flat out say, "Not talkin' about it."

Stubborn as a mule, but they both got that from their father, Sam mused. He shook his head and continued to watch over Dean.

Sam had to smile at the thought he could still help his brother with his suffering. One day, Dean would open up to him, just as he always has. Sure, things had gotten bad, but the very fact that Dean could be calmed by Sam's mere presence meant the world to the little brother. At least he could help, but he wanted to shake his older brother awake and demand he explain what was going on with him so maybe he could understand, could truly help with that damn Mark, get their bond back once again, just... get back to normal already.

Sam paused. Along the train of thought, his hand had wandered on his brother's cheek, stroking it softly like Dean would do with him when he was younger or when he was scared or sick. And Dean was unconiously leaning into his little brother's touch, still peacefully (and thankfully deeply) asleep. Sam chuckled quietly to himself. Oh, what Dean would do if he was alert and saw this... that would be a battle for the ages.

"Dean, it's gonna be okay. I don't know the whole story, but... I know we'll find a way to fix this." His hand stopped stroking his brother's cheek and slid down until, through the fabric of Dean's shirt, he could feel a steady, pulsing beat against his hand and he smiled. "We always find a way, right? So keep fighting this. Please, Dean..."

Somehow that brought even more relief to the elder Winchester, who let out a soft noise before his head turned to opposite way and he was snoring like nothing was wrong. Sam yawned himself and got up, leaving Dean to sleep. As he walked out of the room, a very low and soft, "Thanks, Sammy..." was spoken. Sam nodded, although he had a feeling Dean wouldn't remember any of this in the morning. It was probably for the best. They weren't exactly on open terms at the moment.

"Good night, Dean." Sam slipped out of the room and headed back down the corridor to his own bedroom, grateful and relieved that Dean was alright, but that quickly turned into sheer determination. There had to be a way to fix this. There just had to be!

Dean was everything to Sam, and even after all the shit life threw at them, after all the pain they've suffered, all the times they were pissed and hated the other's guts, after dying and coming back so many times they lost count- they were still HERE. More importantly, they were TOGETHER, even if they just didn't want to talk much at the moment. It didn't matter-Dean was alive and here and he could still hear the steady rhythm of his brother's heart beating in his ears.

It was enough. They would sort things out and they would heal properly in time. They always did.

And besides, Sam thought as he sat on his bed and ran a hand roughly over his eyes, wiping stray tears away, Dean would've never given up on them if the roles were reversed, no matter how angry they were at each other. Sam knew he had to find a way. He would restore his brother's life to whatever sense of 'normal' was theirs.

He swore to himself, his deceased father and his brother. He would find a way to get that Mark of Cain off him if it was the last thing he did. He wanted his older brother back.

"I'll find a way, Dean..." Sam whispered to himself as his eyes closed and he was able to soon drift off to sleep. He had already devised a plan- he could only hope it would work.

'I have to... because you'd do the same for me.'

END

And complete!

Please let me know what you think, if I mixed up any facts (which I usually do so don't hesitate to point it out, major or minor), and any and all contrastive criticism or advice will always be appreciated!

Until next time!