This story was originally written and published by BacktraF. This is an edited, extended, and revised edition (with permission), but all credit for the storyline belongs with BacktraF... of course all characters belong to Kripke, Sara, and the CW.

All mistakes are my own. Feedback is appreciated.

CHAPTER ONE

Sam's POV

"Sam will you just go to bed, already," Dean said impatiently.

"Hang on; I just want to pull up a few more things on the victim. It'll only take a few minutes," Sam said trying to buy some time.

"No now, you always ask for a few more minutes, but end up taking an hour. You need to sleep" Dean snapped.

Sam studied his brother for a minute. From the tone of his voice, it was Dean who needed to sleep, not him, but not wanting to start an argument, Sam closed the laptop and crawled into his bed. He lay there with a weird feeling he couldn't shake; tossing and turning Sam eventually found a comfortable position and finally pushing the nagging feeling aside, he drifted off to sleep.

The next morning Sam woke up and headed straight for the bathroom, glad to get the first shower. Emerging 20 minutes later, he called to Dean. When there was no response, he called his name again. Again, there was no sound coming from the other room. Sam walked out of the bathroom chuckling to himself recalling his thought from the night before that he wasn't the one that needed sleep, Dean was, but when he looked up to the other bed Sam froze in his steps. Dean wasn't in his bed.

Don't panic. He thought. He opened the door and took a quick look outside and looked, but neither Dean, nor the Impala were anywhere to be found. Walking back inside he considered the options. Dean could have gone out to a bar last night and not returned, but that that didn't seem likely, he'd passed out the second the lights had been out. Maybe he's picking up breakfast? That conclusion made more sense. He decided to pack up their belongings so they would be ready be ready to go when Dean returned.

Ten minutes later the bags were packed. Twenty minute later the beds were made, the bathroom wiped down, and the room tidier than it had been they arrived. And Dean had still not returned.

Deciding to go after Dean, Sam grabbed their stuff in his hands, and realized there were car keys still sitting on the table. His first thought was how did Dean take the Impala without the keys? But he quickly realized these cars were not theirs, but instead belonged to a Ford. Figuring he had nothing to lose, Sam took the key outside and pushed the unlock button and heard the car beep directly in front of him. He stared at the sleek, black mustang that had made the sound just a moment ago. As he walked to the driver door, he noticed the beautiful leather interior. After opening the door and sitting down in the driver seat, he opened the glove box and pulled out the registration form. He read it once, and then he read it again to make sure it was real. The owner of the car was him, Sam Winchester. He started at it blankly for a few minute, a hundred questions crossing his mind.

He really needed to find Dean and then figure all this out. He picked up his phone, cursing himself for not calling him immediately upon finding him missing this morning, and quickly dialed Dean's number.

But Dean didn't pick up. Someone else did.

"Hello?" Asked a soft voice.

"This is Sam" Sam stated, a little annoyed that a woman had to pick up the phone for Dean.

"Uh, Hi Sam. My name is Angela"

Sam rolled his eyes. Clearly this woman wasn't going to relay his message to Dean without be explicitly asked.

"Can I talk to Dean please? This is his brother," he replied letting his impatience sink into his tone.

"Dean? I don't think I know a Dean. You must have the wrong number," the woman said with an apologetic tone in her voice.

"You…" Sam started to talk, but then decided to just hang up. "I know I dialed the right number," said Sam to himself, starting to panic now. He considered calling Dean's number again and praying for a different result, but realizing that wasn't very likely, dialed Bobby instead.

"Hello?" A gruff voice asked

"Hey Bobby it's Sam." Sam said trying to sound normal through the receiver.

"Let me guess, you need my help?" Bobby joked on the other end of the phone

Sam let out a sigh

"Hey, what's wrong," Bobby asked, all joking aside now.

"I can't find Dean anywhere and his cell phone isn't working, "Sam answered a little anxious.

There was a pause on Bobby's end. Then, "Who's Dean?"

"That's not funny Bobby!"

CHAPTER TWO

Dean's POV

"Shower's Free!" Dean heard Sam yell from the bath room.

"Come on Sammy, 5 more minutes," Dean begged, feeling like a small child, but already rolling over knowing that Sam would not want to wait longer than necessary before moving on to the next hunt. He sat up in time to see Sam frozen, staring, fear stuck at the bed that Dean was currently occupying.

The look scared Dean and for a second he had to check himself to make sure nothing had happened to him while he slept that he had somehow missed.

"Dean!" Sam yelled.

"What, Sammy I'm right here," Dean said standing up from the bed and moving directly in front of Sam. When he didn't get a response, he tried snapping his fingers in front of his brother's face. Still failing to get his attention, he attempted to punch him instead. When his fist passed through Sam Dean thought now is the time to panic! He saw Sam run outside and decided he should follow him. Sam freaked out when they stopped at the parking lot, muttering something that sounded like "Dean's car is gone."

"Sam are you ok? She's right there next to the mustang." But Sam was not listening to him; couldn't listen to him.

They walked back inside and Dean went to the bathroom to look in the mirror. He saw himself, but Sam couldn't. Ok Dean snap out of it. You're going crazy. Dean thought as he pinched himself. Maybe not… He walked out of the bathroom and grabbed his keys. He got in his car turned on the engine and listened to it purr. If anyone could figure out what was going on, Bobby could. That is, if he could still hear or see him, Dean realized, then pushed the panic from his mind so he could focus on driving.

Thankful that he could still touch his baby, he was about to pull out, but stopped himself when he saw Sam come back out. Sam pushed a button then a beep sounded next to him. Dean looked over and gaped at the mustang that Sam was walking to. Dean forced himself back to reality when Sam got out of the car and opened the trunk. Dean got out of his car and went to see what his brother was looking with awe. Then he saw it with all of its glory. All of the guns and weapons he could ever dream of.

Dean looked at his brother in confusion "What hunter did you kill for these?" he mused out loud. He really needed to find Bobby. He hopped back in his Impala and drove out of the parking lot, hoping against hope that Bobby would still be able to at least hear him.

Sam's POV

"What do you mean I don't have a brother?" Sam demanded, the fear inside him growing.

"I mean, you have no brother. I don't know how else to say it kid," Bobby said, agitation growing in his voice.

"Who do think went with me on all those hunts then?"

"Your dad. Who else?" Bobby wasn't sure if he was concerned or annoyed.

"I'm on a hunt right now, and Dean was with me," Sam insisted

"Sam, your dad is with you on that hunt," Bobby said wearily. "and Dean doesn't exist."

"Dad's dead, we burned his body two years ago."

That caught Bobby's attention. "Sam, what's wrong with you. Just sit put. I'll call your dad and make sure he's on his way back to the motel to knock some sense into you."

"Bye Bobby," Sam mumbled and hung up, not giving the older man a chance to say anything further. Right then his phone rang and he looked at the caller ID. It said Dad on the display. This day can NOT get any weirder he reminded himself and cautiously answered with a small "Hello?"

"Sam? I'm on my way so don't move. I found a new lead on the demon. Remember, stay hidden and don't leave the hotel room."

Not knowing why he answered "Why?"

"What do you mean 'why', Sam? You know this demon wants our family"

Sam tried to cover up what he said and answered "Sorry, Sir"

John promised to be back in less than five minutes and ended the call. Sam dropped the phone on the bed and tried to convince himself this was all dream. He had definitely come to this hotel with Dean. His dad definitely died two years ago to save Dean from dying. The yellow-eyed demon was dead… but why did this dream seem so real? Sam took a deep breath and tried to focus on waking up.

Finally deciding that it wasn't a dream, he started to cry. His dad was alive, but in exchange, he had to give up his brother. He heard the sound of a key entering the lock and quickly wiped the tears from his face. The door knob turned and there was his dad.

"Sam, I see you're still in one piece." His dad said relief flooding his voice. "Haven't seen any sign of the demon have you?" immediately back to business.

Sam, who was still in a daze, snapped back to reality and said, "No, nothing yet."

John went around checking the salt lines while Sam just stared at him unsure what his relationship with this man was supposed to be.

" I need you to tell me something," John said out of nowhere

"Yeah?"

"Would this job be any easier if you had a brother?"

That question hit Sam like a bullet. What kind of question is that? Sam wondered. It's like he knows something that he's not telling me. Sam tossed the thought aside and choked out "Yes, I think it would a lot easier".

"Interesting." John answered.

CHAPTER THREE

Bobby's POV

Bobby was surprised that Sam had hung up on him like that. I wonder what got him believing that he had a brother. He let out a sigh and went back to reading.

Knock, knock! Bobby grabbed his gun and some holy water, and made his way to the door. Hardly anyone ever came without calling first. He opened the door and tossed the holy water out at the man who had just knocked. Convinced it wasn't a demon, but not ready to accept this wasn't a threat, he aimed the gun at the man's heart. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"So you can see me?" The man asked.

"What kind of question is that. Of course I can see you. Now answer my question."

"Bobby, it's me Dean," Dean attempted to put a lot of meaning in those 4 words.

"Are you trying to pull a prank on me or something? Did Sam put you up to this?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Sam just called me about someone named Dean,"

"That's my brother", Dean answered as if that explained everything.

"Tell the truth or I'll blow your brains out," Bobby said, tightening his grip on the gun.

"Bobby, I'm his brother," he stated again unsure how else to make Bobby believe him

"Sam doesn't have a brother."

"Okay. Okay, Bobby, I'll prove it to you. I'm a hunter like you and Sam. Look." He showed Bobby the anti-possession charm tattooed on his chest. "And that stuff you tossed on me was holy water to make sure I wasn't a demon."

"I need more than that," Bobby said a little irritated, but backing off a little.

"Okay, to get rid of a ghost you torch its corpse. To kill a vampire you cut off its head, and yes, angels do exist."

Bobby accepted that answer even though the last bit threw him a bit. "K, so you're a hunter. Doesn't mean you're Sam's brother, and how would you know about angels, anyway. I reckon only a handful of people have ever seen one. Sam's one of the first hunters I ever know to meet one"

"That angel came to me, not Sam," Dean said to himself, but Bobby caught it. "Was this angel's name Castiel?"

Bobby had to give it to the man; he clearly wasn't lying about the angel. But why did he think Castiel had come to speak to him? And why did he think he was Sam's brother? And, even more worrying, why did Sam seem to agree with him?

Sam's POV

Sam was still processing the question his dad had just asked him when all of a sudden he turned and Castiel was standing there.

"Where is Dean?" Castiel asked.

Relief washed through Sam. Castiel remembers Dean. "I don't know," he answered quickly, "He fell asleep here last night, and this morning he was gone."

Castiel just nodded as if that made perfect sense.

"What Cas?"

"A very powerful trickster is causing everyone to believe that he was never your brother. Oh, and you can't see or hear him, but everyone else can." Castiel was always so direct and to the point.

"Why?"

"He is trying to keep you two separated while he searches for the colt."

"Why is he looking for the colt?"

"Alastair hired him to break the next seal, and to break it he needs the colt."

"What part does the colt play in this seal?"

"Sam, he's going to try and open hell's gate."

"We have to find Dean now!"

"Well I hope you know where he is, Sam. The trickster is blocking me from tracking him and Dean," Castiel said sternly. "I can't help you here."

Another flash of light and Castiel was gone.

Perfect, thought Sam, Why do you even bother showing up if you're not going to help!