Disclaimer: I don't have any rights to supernatural

Author's note; this is roughly based on the interviews given at Comic Con, and how Dean will be keeping a secret from Sam, and that is why Sam lives.


Dean Winchester had just watched his baby brother fall asleep.

He had come to the conclusion that Sam was not getting better. Dean was running out of options. He had even taken Sam to the doctors, who immediately were stumped.

Sam lay in his bed, unable to even do simple tasks himself, not that it stopped him from trying. Dean had to mix a sedative in his soup, it was the only way to insure that his brother actually got some sleep. He hadn't seen Sam look so bad, since his demon detox.

Dean was spending all his time awake, searching for the antidote or some mystical cure for Sam.

Cas and Kevin were hard at work translating the tablet, Dean wanted to believe that the answer was on there, but he didn't have that much faith in God.

So Dean went through pages and pages of lore, on all subjects trying to see if anything would point in even the vaguest direction of a cure.

He couldn't find a damn thing. Dean hated research, it was Sam's department.

Dean could still hear Sam saying 'so'. The complete and utter indifference ringing as a loop in his ears. It haunted his every waking moment. Dean couldn't believe that he didn't see it before. He couldn't believe that somehow his brother had been in so much pain that his death meant nothing to him. And yet he felt like he should have seen the signs. He remembered Sam telling him about becoming pure. Dean wanted to make Sam understand that there was nothing wrong with him, there never was. Even as kids Dean always wanted Sam to stop feeling like a freak. But to hear that Sam's earliest memories were of being impure, hurt.

Dean hated yellow eyes so much. He had done that to Sam, he had made him feel like a monster, he had set them on this path, because of him, Sam was lying in his room, barely holding onto life.

That's when Dean had a strange thought. Sam had said the trials were purifying him. Could that mean they were removing the Demon blood from inside of Sam. After each trial Sam got so much weaker. Dean swallowed back the fear. Sam did look a lot like detoxing Sam. He had barely survived the detox last time, but after a rough several days, he started to get better. Could the trials really have purified him so much that he needed demon blood? Did he even have demon blood in his system? Was that the cure?

Dean picked up his cell and hit speed dial.

Cas picked up the phone, "Hello Dean, how can I assist you?"

Dean wondered what he was supposed to ask, he didn't want to tip off Cas. "I was just wondering something."

"What?" Cas asked bluntly.

"When Sam detoxed, you know, after the whole Ruby, demon blood thing. Did he still have demon blood inside of him?" Dean tried to keep his voice casual.

"Why are you asking?" Cas questioned.

"Sam just mentioned the demon blood. I was curious." Dean said calmly.

"Well, the majority of demon blood was out of his system, and seeing as he hasn't drunk anymore, there shouldn't be any real side effects." Cas answered.

"What do you mean the majority of demon blood?" Dean asked.

"When Sam was an infant, the demon gave him his blood, and meant for it to be a part of his system, it is a part of his being. That is how it lasted for over 22 years in Sam's system. Dean your brother would not be in anyway affected by the lingering blood, other than it just circulating through his system. Think of it like your brother adapted to the blood, and it is just a part of him." Cas answered.

Dean had all the answers he needed. "Thanks, bye Cas."

Before Cas could even say Good bye, Dean hung up.

Dean stared at the bunker wall. Sam was purified of the demon blood, but he needed it to live. He knew that his brother was dying, he heard it from Death himself.

Dean flashed back to meeting Death.


Dean carried Sam, out of the impala, he had gotten so much worse. He had driven to the nearest emergency room.

"I need help!" Dean shouted as he helped Sam into the doors.

Sam had been trying his best to support his own weight, but he could barely keep his eyes open.

A nurse signalled for help, and a doctor helped Dean place Sam on a stretcher.

Dean spent the next half hour waiting for the doctor's assessment of Sam, and filling out piles of paperwork.

Dean couldn't stop pacing.

"Sir, I know you're worried, and I am sorry for that, perhaps it would help you if took a walk."

Dean knew that the nurse was trying to be helpful, so he took her advice.

Dean walked through the hospital, it reminded him so much of death.

"Speak of the devil and it shall appear." A dry voice said from behind Dean. He immediately turned around and there in his black coat and slick back hair was death in all his glory.

"Or in this case, think of death and he shall appear."

"What are you doing here?" Dean asked, instantly worried that his brother had been reaped.

"Relax, Sam is still breathing." Death stated calmly. "As for why I am here, you asked."

Dean had wanted to pray for help so badly, but do to the douchebag Metatron, he wasn't going to be getting any miracles. So in a desperate moment, Dean had prayed for death's help. Sam had made Dean swear not to actually die. He had done this weeks ago, and had thought it didn't work.

"That was weeks ago." Dean said the irritation could be heard for miles.

"Have you seen the world recently, I have had a lot on my plate." Death said not bothered by Dean's tone, he was too used to it by now.

Dean decided it was better late than never. "I need your help, Sam is dying and I need to know how to save him."

"Funny how you too keep dying." Death said out loud.

Dean was not amused.

"Can you help him?' Dean asked again.

"I was curious about the trials, so I stopped by, and examined Sam. It is clear that the trials had their effect. As for the help, well that is a difficult matter." Death explained.

"Why is it difficult, you either help or you don't." Dean said angrily.

"It is not so simple. For one, does Sam even want to live?" Death asked.

"YES HE DOES!" Dean shouted. Eyes were all on him. He stared back.

Death waited till the conversation was once again private.

"Well I will give you a piece of advice, the price of Sam's life is going to be heavy. He has defied the natural order for a very, very long time." Death winked, as if it was somewhat helpful. "You will have to do something that you thought you would never do, in order to save him."

"Wait, me. I thought you were going to save him?" Dean asked, he done everything he could think of to save Sam. He was out of ideas.

"Me, I don't save people Dean. We have been over this. But I know you will eventually figure it out. You have enough time. Remember that to save Sam you will have to cross every moral line that you have." With that Death vanished.

Were all supernatural beings allergic to straight answers?

Dean was pissed that Death didn't help. But he had given him something to hold onto; hope. There was a cure, and Dean would find it. No matter what it cost him.


Dean realized Death meant that he would have to give Sam demon blood, the thing that he considered evil. Sam defied the natural order, and Dean was going to insure that he continued to deify it, Dean was going to make sure that Sam was...how had Cas described Sam; an abomination.

Dean got up, if he had to choose between Sam dead and Sam with demon blood, he would choose the latter. He would only give him enough, to heal, that way Sam wouldn't go all psycho killer, but he would be able to get out of bed. This would work. It had to work.

Dean went into Sam's room, and wrote a note,

I will be back Soon, Dean.

Dean grabbed the keys of the impala and left on a mission.


Several hours later he entered the batcave. He had in his possession, several vials full of demon blood.

"Dean" A voice croaked out.

Dean went to see Sam immediately.

"Hey, Sammy." Dean said softly.

"Where were you?" Sam asked, hating the weakness in his own voice.

"Errand for Garth." Dean lied, and sat down next to Sam. He checked all his vitals. They seemed even weaker than yesterday.

Sam nodded.

Dean couldn't look Sam in the eye when he asked this next question. "Sam, what are you willing to do, you know to live?"

Sam thought that Dean was still afraid that he was suicidal. "Anything Dean, you were right, I am not leaving you. At least not without a fight."

Dean smiled slightly.

"You know except maybe demon blood" Sam said jokingly. He was trying to lighten the mood. Then he saw the look on Dean's face, Sam thought this was because of the joke. It was a stupid joke, he immediately thought.

"I was just joking. You know that I would never risk hurting you like that again. ...cough."

Dean nodded.

"I won't even mention this again." Sam said.

"Relax Sammy, its ok. I don't care about demon blood."

"I do, I hurt you so bad, and I will never drink that shit...cough...willingly...cough...again" Sam said trying to reassure his brother.

Dean closed his eyes. "Don't worry Sammy, just try to rest. I will take care of this." I will take care of you, Dean thought.

Dean walked out of the room, he looked at his baby brother. He could still see the little kid that he took care of, the tiny infant that he carried out of the burning house, the preschooler who was sick, or the elementary school Sam who was afraid, the high school Sam that felt out of place, the rebellious teenager, Dean saw the adult version of Sam, who would sacrifice everything for the world. Dean saw his brother, the one person he couldn't handle losing. When Sam lost him, he turned to demon blood. Dean didn't know what would happen to him if Sam died, again. No demon would make a deal with him. Dean was never going to watch his brother die. He just couldn't.

Dean walked into the kitchen, washed his hands and rolled up his sleeves. He started cooking, he put a few drops of demon blood in the soup.

Dean slowly walked back into Sam's room.

"Hey, time to eat." Dean stated.

Sam couldn't pull himself up, into a sitting position. So Dean went over, putting the tray down and helping Sam up. Then putting the tray in front of him.

"I really don't have much of an appetite." Sam explained.

"I found a remedy and put it in the soup, you are going to eat, without one single question." Dean stated firmly.

"Where did you find...?" Sam began.

"I said no questions. Now, do I have to force feed you again?" Dean asked.

After all these years, Sam still did what Dean told him, because after all Dean was always more of a parent to him than John ever was.

So Sam took a sip of the soup. It was amazing. Sam finished the soup easily. It was almost addictive.

That night he slept soundly without waking up feverish.

Each day Dean put a couple drops of demon blood in Sam's food, each day Sam got a little better. And each day Dean felt a burden increase.

Dean wondered if Sam would ever forgive him for this. For being so selfish that he turned Sam back into the one thing he hated; a freak.

Death was right the price was his own morality. It was a high price, but he would pay, because in the first time in a month Sam was laughing. And that was worth the world.


Hope You guys liked it, I had this story stuck in my head, and I had to share it. Sorry if there are any mistakes.