It was Sam's turn to drive, hell Dean didn't even really care, biting at his lower lip, he shook his head bitterly, a quick glance to the side making him all the more aware of the concern etched on his brother's face, and he turned his head to the side, looking out the window briefly before letting his eyes fall shut, steeling his jaw…

"Dean…"

His eyes snapped open, he appreciated that Sam was worried, he truly did, but mostly he just wished he would lay off, "Sammy," his throat raw, dry, his voice hoarse, commanding, the word don't thickly embedded into that one word. Hell had been some ride. Another place he was glad to put in the rearview mirror, only sometimes he felt almost certain he hadn't left it at all. He looked at Sam, his eyes back on the road, silent. That was new too, usually nothing could keep the youngest Winchester quiet, but things had changed. It was almost irritating. Dean sitting up straighter as Sam pulled into some, air quotes, convenience store.

Getting out of the car without thought, the sound of the door closing thundered through his consciousness, making the silence louder, his eyes snapping shut, his tongue flicking out over his lips as he leaned down against the hood of his baby, pushing up and forcing a smile as he felt Sam's gaze, whose smile was even less convincing than his own.

They walked into the store, Sam seemingly knowing what they were there for, Dean staying near the counter, idly turning the magazine rack, automatically scanning his surroundings, the shelves low, there was nowhere to hide, the guy behind the counter looked anything but welcoming, his morality questionable, the word fugly springing to mind, Dean nodded curtly, with a smile that faded quickly as he turned taking a few steps forward.

He was just about to pick up a six pack when he caught a shimmer of blonde out the corner of his eye, and he looked down seeing the cute little toddler with pigtails in her hair, clutching a golden teddy bear to her chest, swivelling on the spot, she looked up into his eyes with those big baby blues, and he could of sworn his heart actually melted, a rare smile finding its way to his lips, wondering where her mommy was, concern flashing across his features as he searched the store, looking down as he felt her tiny arms wrap around his leg, watching as she took a step back, looking up at him expectantly, he crouched down, "Hey there princess," he said as softly as he could manage, "Lose your mommy?"

Looking into her eyes he couldn't imagine anyone losing such a precious thing, she looked down, and he stared at his hands, waiting for her response, but the little girl remained silent, still half swivelling on the spot, shuffling her feet. By this time Sam had rejoined his brother, confusion furrowing his ever-brooding brow, "Dean?"

But Dean ignored him, smiling a little, figuring she was shy, her eyes going to the giant that was Sam now towering over them, stretching her arms out to Dean, "Reach, reach," she requested, Dean taking her into his arms, making sure to support her properly before standing up, the little girl extending her hand out toward Sam, and even he couldn't help but smile, shaking his head before looking past her to his older brother, the 'what the' expression clear on his face, "Dean, what are you doing?"

"We can't just leave her here Sammy," his eyes sweeping over the store once more, but again he couldn't find a single pair of searching eyes, no panic stricken parents, his gaze meeting Sam's he cleared his throat, "Anybody lose a kid?" the place wasn't exactly crawling with customers, and only one or two looked up in bewilderment, apparently silently agreeing with Dean that she wasn't something you could easily lose, and he looked to the girl in his arm, "Sammy," she said with a giggle pointing to the freakishly tall brother, Dean smiled, "What's your name sweetheart?"

Her nose crinkled as she struggled over the word, "S-mantha" and Dean's smile became a full blown grin, catching Sam's eye he chuckled softly, "Samantha," he shook his head, there was no making this stuff up, she nodded and then pointed at him.

"Dean," he said with that same smile and she hugged him, the action throwing him, and he didn't really know how, but he knew he had to protect this little girl. Keep her safe.

"Dean…maybe we should…leave her here…" Sam sure that her parents would come looking for her.

"With that guy?" Dean arched his brow sceptically, his lip curling as they both looked at the owner of the store, the thought of that creep being anywhere near her, Sam shuddered, catching Dean's drift.

"Well then maybe we should take her to the cops…"

"No way. Not in this hick town. I don't trust 'em Sammy," he said holding her a little tighter, he knew he was being irrational, and that the sooner they handed her over to the authorities the better, but he just couldn't bear the thought, "Just need to keep an ear out, see if there's any flags on a missing girl…"

"Ok," Sam said in defeat, not entirely sure just what to make of this, and with a sigh, they went back out to the Impala, Dean holding Samantha securely on his lap, while she in turn held her bear on hers, the atmosphere of the car taking a complete one eighty, the intensity diminished. This young girl somehow able to accomplish what Sam had been failing for weeks; getting a smile back on his brother's face. Sam just watching from the corner of his eye in silence as he drove.

"How old are you?" Samantha held up two fingers, "How old's he?" he spoke softly, flicking up one of the bear's legs with his hand, Samantha holding out one finger, "What's his name?"

"Bram-bl-belly," she hugged the bear tighter, rocking him from side to side, "Bram-bl-belly comes everywhere with Sammy, he gets lonely when Sammy goes away," Dean smiled at her adoption of his brother's nickname for herself, seemingly finding it easier to say than Samantha, reminding him of when Sam had been her age unable to say Dean, "Yeah, well I guess me and Bramblbelly here have got something in common," he looked down into her soft gaze as her big blue eyes met his.

"What's in common mean?" his eyes flicked to Sam briefly, seeing that look in his eyes, knowing that he'd just compared himself to a teddy bear, and knowing that wasn't the part that his brother was dwelling on, he shook his head with a small chuckle, Samantha looking over at Sam and then back at Dean, not knowing what was funny, "I'm hungry," her little tummy grumbling as if to confirm her statement, Sam exhaled loudly, looking over at his brother and the cute little girl on his lap, knowing that Dean would be hungry too. Dean was always hungry.