Big Brothers

This story came from nowhere. Just laid in the bath one day and this popped into my head. I love a comforting Dean, so here is one of mine. Probably set during S2 when Sam still wanted to save everyone.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to people who have reviewed my previous fics and also to those that have put me on author/story alerts – it means a lot!

Anyone you recognise does not belong to me…unfortunately!

Dean sat up abruptly as he heard the motel door close. He jumped up as he threw the TV remote back onto the bed, "About time! A man could starve to death waiting for you…" He joked at the tall, lanky figure that was his 'little' brother. The joke, however, died on his lips when he took in the sight of his sibling.

Sam was dripping wet. His hair was flat against his head, which caused his bangs to almost cover his eyes. His clothes hadn't faired much better. His shirt was plastered to him and…where the hell was his coat?

"Sammy…" Dean began quietly.

Sam seemed to be in a daze, as if he didn't know where he was. He looked up at Dean's voice, but he looked startled – surprised even to see Dean there, "I need a beer…" was all he said as he squelched across the room to the small fridge in the kitchen area.

Dean followed cautiously, concerned by his brothers behaviour. Sam had been known to have his moments, especially lately after finding out what their dad had told Dean to do to Sam if needed, but this had come out of nowhere. Last Dean had seen of Sam was when he took off to fetch dinner earlier. He'd been fine at that time so that started Dean wondering what had happened between then and now to change everything.

Sam reached the fridge and pulled out a beer. The trouble for Sam was that his hands were shaking so badly that he struggled to open the can. When he finally succeeded in opening it he chugged it down at an alarming rate, "Sam you ok?" Dean asked, feeling the worry crank up another notch.

"Hmm…m…fine," was all Sam said.

Dean stepped forward and risked placing a hand on his brother's sodden arm, "Sam, you're soaked – you need to get dry before you catch your death…"

On hearing his brother's words, what little colour Sam had in his face leeched out of it. He glanced at Dean, who was not convinced that his brother had even seen him, "Yes…hmm…will get a shower," Sam mumbled as he placed the beer can on the table. He stumbled his way past Dean on his way to the bathroom, "Sam won't you need some dry clothes?" Dean asked as calmly as he could, given the fact that Sam was so obviously not himself. Sam looked puzzled for a moment, then reached into his bag and pulled out some clean, dry clothes.

"I'm going to nip out for some food while you're in there, ok Sam?"

"Yeah, Dean whatever," Sam replied dully as he closed the bathroom door behind him.

Dean watched the closed door for a while, half expecting Sam to walk out in his still sopping clothes. When, after ten minutes the door stayed closed Dean threw on his coat and went to the diner.

Thirty minutes later, a dry Dean walked back into the motel room, laden with bags of delicious smelling food. He also walked in to find Sam sat on the edge of his bed staring a hole in the carpet. Dean watched his younger brother as he put the food on the table, "Come on Sammy – food's here," he decided to try to keep his tone light. Sam drew his eyes to the food, then to Dean, and then shook his head – paling considerably at the sight of the food. After seeing this Dean decided that enough was enough. He sat himself down on his bed, "Ok Sam, start talking," he insisted.

Sam's tired eyes looked puzzled, "There's nothing to talk about, I'm fine," he insisted.

"No Sam, you're anything but…now spill – what's going on with you?"

Sam ran a still trembling hand through his now dry hair, letting out a long sigh as he did, "There was an accident…on the way to the diner."

That got Dean to sit up a little straighter, "An accident? Are you ok?" He asked as he mentally checked his brother for injuries.

"I'm fine Dean – I wasn't involved. I was walking down the street when I heard a car skidding on the wet road. It crashed into another car on the crossroads. I ran over to see if anyone was hurt. The people from one of the cars were already out and calling 911, but in the other one there was…I saw…I saw a little girl…she was half hanging out of the door, still in her seatbelt. She couldn't have been more than 8 years old Dean…" Sam took a deep breath to try to steady his breath as Dean shuffled up the bed so that he sat directly opposite his brother – a deep sense of dread descending upon him like mist over the sea.

"I managed to get her out. For a moment I thought…I thought she was gone, but as I unfastened her belt and lifted her out she gave a small cry…"

Dean let out a breath that he hadn't realised he had been holding – relief replacing the earlier dread somewhat, although looking at his shell shocked brother, he couldn't help but think that this story might not end well.

Sam looked like he'd closed down, but Dean knew from experience that he still needed to finish what he had started, "Sammy…" he encouraged gently.

Sam nodded, "She seemed ok, a bit banged up but otherwise ok. I carried her over to the curb side where she started crying, telling me that her mum was in the car with her…she was crying for her mum! So after making sure someone was looking after her, I went to find her mum. I went round to the drivers' side…" he trailed off as tears began to form in his eyes. Dean moved across the gap between the beds, so that he was sitting right next to his brother, shoulders touching, ready to offer any comfort that might be needed, "She was in a bad way Dean…real bad. I managed to open the door, and when I did, she opened her eyes. She asked me if Lily was ok. When I told her that she was, she smiled, nodded then closed her eyes. I got her out as quick as I could as I heard the sirens…

"I heard the sirens, but I never realised they were so close…" Dean commented, cursing himself for not realising that he might've been able to help Sam.

Sam gave a ghost of a smile, knowing exactly what Dean had been thinking, then carried on, "When I'd got her out she'd stopped breathing and I couldn't find a pulse. So I started CPR making sure that Lily couldn't see me…but it wasn't any use. She was dead Dean – just like that. Dead! I tried Dean, I tried everything, but she wouldn't wake up!"

The tears began to fall now and Dean shuffled up as close as he could possibly get to his breaking brother, "The paramedics had to pull me off her. They said that I had done everything that I possibly could – that I'd done my best – but had I Dean? That little girl is without her mum now! I should have tried harder!" He began to sob as the full magnitude of what had happened hit him…hard.

Dean felt bad for his brother. He knew that Sam would feel this keenly – hell who wouldn't? He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. All he could see in his mind was an image of his little brother, knelt on the road in the pouring rain, trying desperately to make a woman that he'd never met before breathe again. It made his shudder to think about how Sam must be feeling now. He could feel him crying silently next to him, so he put his arm around the broad shoulders and pulled him towards him. Sam dropped his head onto Dean's shoulder as the tears continued to fall, "Shh Sammy. It sounds like you did everything you could, but she was dead from the minute the cars hit, no matter what you did!" He rubbed Sam's shoulder hoping that he was giving his distraught sibling some comfort. He felt his own eyes begin to sting, "But you did save that little girl and she will keep her mothers memory alive…"

All he got in return for his words were a few strangled sobs from Sam as he tried to get himself back under control. Dean continued to rub his shoulder, hoping that he was finding the right words to comfort his shocked and devastated brother.

A little while later, Sam had managed to get himself back in control enough to announce that he was going to bed, "Thanks Dean…" he said quietly, as his eyes were closing. Dean pulled the cover up gently, just like he used to do when they were kids and Sam had cried himself to exhaustion, "That's what I'm here for Sammy," he whispered as he turned off the bedside light and made his way to the kitchen area – allowing his exhausted little brother to get some well earned rest.

AN: Well that's it. Not sure of the ending, well actually not sure about any of it, but it's on paper (so to speak) so now my brain will rest. I love reviews, good or bad - but if they are bad, be gentle xx