Disclaimer: Not Mine.

Author's Note: Thanks to Jedisapphire for the beta.

Summary: Sam takes to heart Bobby's advice and tells Dean what he really did. Tag to 10.17, Inside Man

o0o

With his feet up on the Library table Dean sat nursing a drink, delaying the nightmares he knew sleep would inevitably bring him.

He didn't see Sam standing there that long moment. But he felt his presence.

"Can't sleep," Dean asked, studying the booze in his glass.

"I need to talk to you," Sam spoke softly.

"What is it?" Dean glanced up, taken aback by his brother's troubled expression.

"I didn't go to a movie," Sam told him.

"You didn't?" Dean questioned, not happy hearing his brother lied to him but amused by how Sam looked like a little boy knowing he was in big trouble.

"No Dean."

"So where did you go?" Dean had an inkling it had to do with the mark.

"I met up with Castiel."

"And what did you two do?" Dean asked.

Sam struggled to answer.

"Come on! It can't be that bad," Dean stated.

"We busted Metatron out of heaven," Sam blurted out.

"You what?" Dean said dumb founded."You're kidding me right?"

"No," Sam replied. "I'm not."

"Why would you two do that? " Dean asked, knowing exactly why.

"To get him to tell us how to get rid of the mark," Sam confessed.

"And let me guess you found out he lied," Dean's anger was laced with sarcasm. "Otherwise you wouldn't have lied to me a second time about seeing a movie and leaving to, how did you put it Sammy, go clean up." he empathized in finger quotes.

Sam nodded. Dean was right about everything.

"So how exactly did you manage this Sam? As there's no way Heaven would ever let Metatron out. Not after what happened last time. After what I did to him."

"They didn't, wouldn't," Sam tripped over his words. "Hannah herself showed to say no with three other Angels to back her up."

"So how Sam?" Dean demanded.

"Bobby," Sam said quietly.

"Bobby?" Dean looked at Sam incredulously. "How the hell did you get in touch with Bobby?'

Saying what he did out loud made Sam feel even worse and he knew he deserved it. But admitting he contacted Bobby who was like a father to them both and not telling Dean. He wanted to sink into the ground.

"I found this psychic,Oliver Pryce," Sam explained. "Who was a genuinely gifted kid in the 50's, the men of letters were trying to teach how to control his powers, until they were brutally slaughtered"

Pryce helped us contact Bobby and Bobby helped us from the inside. He opened up the doorway so Castiel could get in and get Metatron out."

"Unbelievable," Dean said not only angrier but obviously hurt. "Just fucking unbelievable!"

"The one good thing that came out of this," Sam tried to point out something positive. "Is Castiel might have found some of his grace.

I'm sorry Dean," Sam apologized again. "I shouldn't have lied to you."

"Yet you did Sammy."

"You wanted me to sit back and do nothing Dean and I couldn't do that!"

"So you make up some story about going to a movie when you were actually out there doing something pointless and that could have gotten you killed!"

"You might have given up Dean but I wasn't about to!"

"And that makes going behind my back okay?"

"No I was wrong. I admit it."

Dean began to pace venting his anger as he did. That his brother would attempt something so huge and dangerous and keep it from him had Dean fuming. He got so caught up in his anger it took a few minutes before he realized how silent Sam had become.

"So you have nothing else to say?" He turned to find Sam slumped in a chair holding his head, his shoulders gently shaking. The sight broke Dean as he stood.

All the anger fell away and Dean was kneeling in front of Sam pulling his brother into his arms to hold him as he cried quietly, "Sammy don't. Please don't. We'll be okay."

"How Dean?" Sam asked, wiping his face, as he pulled back to face him. "When you have given up! When you won't even fight anymore! I'm sorry for the way I handled this. I really am. But I had to do something, because..."

His voice shaky Sam struggled to the remaining words out, "...I can't lose you again."

"Hey," Dean took hold of Sam's face. "Hey, listen to me," he spoke in a soothing voice. "You're not going to lose me again Sammy. You're not, I promise. Because you and me together are going to find a way to get rid of this ugly ass tattoo."

"Seriously Dean?"

"Yes, seriously."

Dean no sooner got those words out when he found himself wrapped up in Sam's arms.

"Hey, there's something I want to show you," Sam pulled out of the embrace to reach into his pocket.

"What's that?" Dean asked taking the folded piece of paper Sam handed him.

"It's a letter Bobby wrote me. He gave it to Castiel to get to me."

"Bobby wrote you this," Dean said, holding it gently and looking at it the way Sam first did, feeling a strong connection to their surrogate Dad. "What does it say?" he asked.

"Read it," Sam urged.

"You sure?"

"Of course I'm sure."

Leaning against the table Dean unfolded it and began.

Sam watched as Dean's eyes grew misty, "I miss that old man!" He said folding it up with great care and handing it back to his brother.

"Me too, " Sam added. "Bobby was right about me not going behind your back."

"He was also right about everything he said about you, Sammy. You are a good man. But part of me will always see you as that kid brother I watch out for and protect. Hope you don't mind I can't do anything about that." Dean said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Part of me will always see you as that big brother watching out for and protecting me. Hope you don't mind I can't do anything about that." Sam gave a quick shrug himself.

"I think we should drink to Bobby," Dean suggested. "He's managed to get our asses in gear long distance."

"Best idea ever Dean!"

"I have my moments," he said grabbing a bottle and fresh glasses and pouring them both a drink.

Dean held up his drink. "Here's to you old man."

"To Bobby," Sam said softly holding up his.

"Here's to us," Dean raised his glass again.

"Here! Here!" Sam chimed in, lifting his too.

"Two stubborn asses," Dean said proudly. "That will never give up...

...on each other," Sam added, as they tapped glasses, met by a warm smile of approval from Dean.