Sam shuffled through the books and various pieces of paper on the desk, trying to find something useful on demonic possession. The Winchester's had thought they knew everything there was to know about demons, but their most recent hunt had told them otherwise. The demon they had exorcised the previous day had told them nothing of real value and nothing about how Crowley's search for the angel tablet was going. They had decided to exorcise her but the regular incantation hadn't worked. It took two phone calls to Bobby, an hour surfing the net and two hours of reading demon lore before they finally got an exorcism that worked.
Castiel, who was helping the Winchester's hunt for a while, had offered to smite the demon, but Dean had refused, adamant on finding the right exorcism and keeping the host alive. The other demons that they had encountered that week were the same. No talk, no exorcism.
Sam scratched his head. He didn't understand why the regular incantation which they had used all their lives had suddenly stopped working. He glanced at the clock.
Quarter past midnight.
Sam knew that if Dean and Cas weren't back by this time then they wouldn't be coming back. It had become a regular thing - they would hurry off in the afternoons, mumbling about the 'cherry pie at the diner' or 'business in Heaven.' Sam figured they had been going to a bar somewhere… Dean was probably trying to get Cas laid again.
He was glad the pair were talking again after purgatory and that Castiel seemed to have regained Dean's trust. They would leave most nights now and Sam would be left to the research. He didn't ask where they were going - he probably didn't want to know.
The younger Winchester sat hunched in the dimly lit motel room, studying, for another two hours before he decided to get some shut-eye. Dean and Cas still hadn't returned, so Sam undressed, quickly brushed his teeth and sank into one of the hard queen beds. There were only two of them, but as far as Sam was aware, Castiel had been crashing on the couch, even though he had no need for sleep.
Sam rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He was glad Dean was spending so much time with Cas, but Sam missed his brother. They used to be close, closer than close, before Dean had gone to Hell. The last time Sam and Dean had slept together had been two nights before they tried to ice Lilith and Dean was ripped to shreds by hell hounds.
Sam didn't know if he missed it or not. Dean hadn't said a single word about it in the last four years, so Sam thought it best not to bring it up. He assumed Dean had too much to think about to even consider having sex again, but when Dean had started going out to bars and reliving his old life, having one night stands with nameless skanks, Sam became confused. He realised it was him, that Dean didn't want him anymore. It had hurt, sure, but Sam let it lie. He himself had too much to think about before complicating things and letting his romantic relationship with his brother rekindle again. He smirked as he recalled the occasions after they had had a hard hunt and Dean had descended on him in the Impala. They had done things to each other that Sam was sure were barely legal.
He drifted to sleep, comfortable with the thought of his brother pressed against him still fresh in his mind.