Adam had been in the cage for so long, he had started to forget. He forgot about his mother and the horrible way they died. He forgot about the father who would show up out of the blue to take him to a baseball game. He forgot about the brothers who had found him. And after a while, he forgot who he was.

Being trapped with Michael and Lucifer was one nightmare after another, except without the sleeping part because they never let him rest. The torture had a range of feeling that was as innocent as accidently pricking a finger, to a full scale being ripped limb from limb and reassembled in without instructions. Oddly enough, it wasn't Lucifer who tormented him the most, it was Michael. Michael was full of anger and pride and constant guilt. He took it all out on Adam.

"Adam!" He heard Lucifer singsong. "He's coming to get you!"

Adam turned and ran.

…

Running from one of the most powerful archangels in a limited amount of space was always pointless in the end, but Adam couldn't just stand there and wait for Michael, could he? No, of course not. Someone, somewhere, had taught him that he had to fight. So Adam sprinted away through the thick darkness.

"There's nowhere for you to run." Michael voice was quiet. I t came from only a few feet in front of Adam and the shock sent him skidding to a halt. How had Michael found him already?

"Please," Adam begged. "Just don't."

But Michael wasn't listening, he never listened to any of Adam's pleas for rest.

"This is all your fault!" Michael screamed. The flip from quiet and controlled to raging and explosive was always terrifying, no matter how many times Adam had witnessed it. Michael started to glow with an eerie white light that seemed dirty and wavering. Adam whimpered and stepped back. He was too late though. Michael's hand punched through Adam's skin, then his ribs, and then tightened into a fist around Adam's heart. He twisted slowly, drawing scream after blood curdling scream out of the torn vocal cords that Adam had left. Just as Adam was reaching pain levels high enough that he would soon pass out, a hand gripped his wrist and pulled, dislodging Michael's hand. It left his body with a wet, sickening sound. Adam could hear Michael and Lucifer screaming in anger and then everything went black.

…

When Adam opened his eyes, he saw blue sky above him. The sight was so different, so absolutely foreign to Adam that he cringed. He was lying flat on his back, uncut grass tickling his neck and a cool breeze fluffing his hair. He blinked several times. Suddenly a hand appeared in his line of vision. Adam traces the outline of the hand, noting a heavy silver ring on one finger, and then up the wrist and arm, over the elbow and past a well-muscled bicep. His gaze finally landed on the face of the owner of the hand.

"Dean?" His older brother smiled down at him. Adam tensed again. There was something cold and so definitely not Dean that made him want to run.

"Hey, little brother," Dean smirked. And then it happened. Dean's eyes changed, becoming solidly black over the light green. "Long time no see."

…

Adam sprang to his feet. He stared at Dean's black eyes. This wasn't Dean.

"You're not Dean." Only after he said it did he realize that he was repeating his thoughts out loud. Fear had always made him stupid. "You're not my brother."

Adam looked around frantically. Where was Sam?

"Sam isn't here, kid." Dean was watching him with hawk like intensity that made Adam even more flustered. "It's just you and me."

Dean leaned against the slim tree that stood a few feet to his right. He looked care-free and unconcerned by anything.

"So, I guess you want to hear the story, yeah?"

…

After many hours spent recapping what had happened to both Sam and Dean after the cage, Adam was very lost. He didn't understand half of what this Dean was talking about. Nor did he really care. He wanted to know where Sam was. When he asked, Dean looked at his littlest brother with what looked like faint annoyance, the first real emotion that Adam had seen on his face.

"He's out there. Somewhere," Dean added. To see him so unconcerned with Sam's safety tore at Adam's heart. Sure, he had never really known the guys, but he could tell how deep Dean's love for Sam had run. He had been envious, he wasn't afraid to admit. He had always wanted a brother just like Dean. But now…the Dean that he had known was dead. And Adam was alone in the world again. The unfairness of it all, of his whole life, sent a surge of anger through him.

"WHY?" He screamed, no longer able to control the tide of emotions that was being held back barely by a thin wall in his mind. He let tears flow and sobs escape him. He hadn't cried like this since the ghouls had forced him to watch them kill his mother. He was blinded by tears but he could still see the flicker in the cool façade that Dean had cloaked himself in. Adam spun to face him.

"Why did you get me out?" He demanded. "Why didn't you just let me stay in there to die?"

Dean crossed his arms across his chest and looked away. His mumble was unintelligible.

"What?" Adam snapped. He was so not in the mood to deal with this shit.

"I said," Dean cleared his throat. "Because you're family."

Adam stared at him. Had Dean really said that? He almost sounded like his old self, protective and loyal and caring. But it only lasted a second before the mask was back.

"I don't understand…"

"Alright," Dean sighed. "I think it's time we have a little heart to heart."

Dean sat on the soft grass, motioning for Adam to do the same thing. Hesitantly, Adam lowered himself so that he was on eye level with his brother.

"Listen, kid. A lot of stuff happened up here while you were downstairs. And I'll admit, I forgot about you. I think Sam did, too, at some point. You don't matter. I hate to break it to you kid, but I don't care about you, Sam doesn't care about you, Dad is dead and so is your mom. You are completely alone, understand? And that will never change."

Adam stared at Dean in shock and hurt. More tears came to his eyes. How could his own brother care so little for him? Dean, spotting the tears, went in for the kill.

"No one wants you."

Adam broke down at that. He knew that he was alone. He didn't need Dean to tell him. The ghosts of his memories of the cage flashed through his brain, luring him in to a world where at least he knew what was happening to him. If only he could have stayed there. This demonic Dean had mentioned this being a heart to heart? Dean had no heart. Where it had been, there was only an empty space.

"Adam," Dean whispered. Looking up, Adam caught a flash of green as the black of his eyes flickered, wavered and fell apart. All Adam could see was regret and guilt in Dean's and underneath it all, there was pity. Even the human part of Dean knew that what he said was true. Adam couldn't help himself anymore. He grabbed Dean and held on for the life of what was left of Adam's heart. Dean's arms went around him and held on too. He didn't let go of Adam until Adam's tears had dried and his shuddering slowed to an occasional spasm of grief. He pulled away from his big brother to look up into his face. Bright green eyes stared back at him without a hint of black. It really was Dean.

In the next moment, they had stood up and were brushing the bits of leaves and grass that had stuck to their legs. Suddenly, Dean stumbled. Adam rushed forward and caught him.

"Dean?"

Dean looked up him with eyes that were totally black. Adam blanched. Dean pushed himself up and started to stride through the trees.

"You coming, little brother?" He called over his shoulder. "Don't make me leave your ass out here."

Adam stared after him. He had seen it, he had seen that Dean was human, at least for a moment. That meant that Dean could be saved. That very moment, Adam promised himself, no matter what, he would make Dean human again. Even if it killed him.