The yellow eyed demon was dead. Their lifelong quest to avenge their murdered mother was finally over. However, the price they had paid was heavy. Hundreds of demons had escaped through the gates of hell and were now lusting after the souls of the living. Dean and Sam both knew they would have to sacrifice much to save the world from their tyranny.

More on their minds, however, were what Dean had revealed to Sam before they left. Sam had been dead, killed by Jake on the commands of the now vanquished yellow eyed demon. He should have stayed dead, according to everything they knew, but there he was, right next to Dean as always, and it was all because of Dean.

They were driving back to the motel room in silence, pondering recent events.

"I still can't believe you did it." Sam muttered, breaking the silence.

"Don't start this again, Sammy. You know I had no choice."

"No choice? You always have a choice. Isn't that what you're always telling me?" Sam said, his voice rising.

"Yeah, well, not this time."

"Why not? What was different this time? Dean, I know you care about me and would do anything for me, and I would do the same for you, believe me. But this goes against everything we know, everything Dad ever taught us."

"Sammy, please." Dean said forcefully.

"It wasn't right Dean. What's dead should stay dead. I should have died back there, you should've let me go. I shouldn't even be here right now-"

"Stop it." The car screeched to a halt. Dean gave his brother a frown, hoping he'd stop this bullshit. Sam was a bright guy. Why couldn't he just accept that this was the only thing Dean could do? His brother always did ask too many questions. "I don't want to hear this talk from you anymore."

Sam slammed his hand against the dashboard, his eyes wild with passion. "Damnit, Dean, we have to talk about it. We have to fix this mess-"

"The only thing we have to do is get back to that motel and get some sleep. There's a war going on and we have to be prepared for it. Or have you forgotten why exactly I brought you back?"

Sam sat back, pursing his lips together. Dean chuckled sardonically.

"Yeah, I need you. Don't get me wrong, you're a pain in the ass brother and I'd hate to lose the opportunity to punch your whining face in one more time, but that is not why I sacrificed my soul for you."

"Then what?"

"You know what." Dean muttered angrily. "You're the only one who can do this job with me. You're the only one-", He suddenly stopped, running his hand through his hair and staring blankly out the rain soaked window.

Sam waited for him to continue. When he didn't, Sam spoke his name. "Dean, what?"

Dean paused for a moment before answering. He said in a dark voice: "You're the only one I trust to back me up on this, Sam. I can't do this alone. What we unleashed back there, that was huge. There is going to be some serious trouble in the world if we don't act fast, and I don't have time to be training a new recruit. I need you. I need a soldier I can trust, and we both know that can only be you."

"You sound just like the demon."

"I'm your brother. And I'm fighting to save innocent lives. You and I, Sam, we're causalities in the war against evil, we both know that. It's just a matter of time. As long as we can delay the inevitable and keep on fighting, that's what we're going to do. You said it yourself, this job is a pain the freakin butt at times, but it's worth it. We have to keep on fighting, for as long as we can. You do understand that, don't you Sammy?"

"And what about you, huh?" Sam lashed out. "Am I just supposed to sit back and watch when that bitch comes back and sends my only brother to hell?" The last part was spoken is a forced, thick tone, and Dean tightened his grip around the steering wheel.

"If that's the way it has to be."

"The hell with that!" Sam shouted, throwing his hands up. He pointed a finger at Dean. "You're a selfish son of a bitch. You know I can't do this alone any more than you can. No way am I letting her take you."

Dean stared at his brother with cold eyes, feeling tempted to reveal to Sam the true reasons for why he'd brought him back. Why Sam was infinitely more valuable to the cause than Dean was, and how Dean's death would be a necessary loss.

Instead, he bit his lip and told his brother what he wanted to hear.

"You're right. You can't do this alone, and I don't intend on letting you. We'll hunt that demon down and force her to renegade on the deal." He shrugged lightly. "Don't know about you, but I've still got a lot of tasty chicks I'd like to get intimately acquainted with. Jo, for one-"

"I mean it Dean. I'm not letting you die for me."

"And you won't have to. We'll figure a way out of this, Sam, if it's the last thing I do." He half smiled at his own ironic choice of words.

Sam looked away, shaking his head.

"So, are we good?"

Sam said nothing.

"Are we good?" Dean repeated, shoving him lightly.

"Yeah, we're good." Sam muttered.

"Good. Now shut up and let me drive."

They continued down the road again in silence.

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