A/N: Hi again guys! This chapter was SUCH a pain in my ass lol. I must have rewritten it a million times. I'm still not sure if I'm 100% happy with it but it's a hell of a lot longer than the first draft I had so that's gotta be a plus. Well I hope you guys like it. Might have to wait just a little bit for chapter three as I'm moving to Texas in a week and will be busy until then. No need to worry though. It's going to take me a good nine hours just to get there and I'm sure that by the time I do three will already be written. Have a good week guys. See you soon. :)

"You're such a silly boy Sammy."

"And you look funny upside down daddy."

The sizzling summer sun shined brightly on Sam Winchester as he hung upside down from the monkey bars at the park, making funny faces at his father and reveling in the smile he got in return for his efforts. The moments Sammy shared with John were few and far between so he spent most of his time milking it for all it was worth. The day was going swimmingly until they heard shouting in the distance. Uh-oh, thought Sam. The fun he was having with his father was about to end. Daddy was bad and now he was in trouble.

"Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?"

Sam watched his father stiffen and close his eyes at the accusing tone coming from behind him.

"Me and Sammy were just having some fun Dean," John said as he turned around to face his eldest son. "He's not gonna get hurt." The boy may have been daddy's little soldier, but that title was always forfeited the moment John did something with Sam that he wasn't supposed to do.

"Not gonna get hurt huh? Do you have any idea how many times he's fallen from those bars? Do you know how many times I've had to rock him in my arms to get him to stop crying? No you don't because YOU'RE NEVER HERE! I'M the one who makes him laugh when he's sad. I'M the one who bends over backwards to make him happy. I'M the one bathes him, feeds him, clothes him and kisses his boo boos away. I am the one who takes care of him so he belongs to me and when I say he's not allowed on those monkey bars then he's not allowed on those monkey bars god dammit! I swear if you disregard another one of my rules again I will make sure that you regret it!"

Dean stormed past John to wrap Sammy in his arms. "Are you okay baby boy? God I'm so sorry you had to see that. I love you so much Sammy. I really wish you'd stop hanging from those damn bars. Why can't you do what I tell you to do? When I tell you to do something, it's out of love. I need to keep you safe little brother. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you."

"I'm sorry De," Sam said. "I promise I'll never do it again. Do you forgive me?"

His older brother responded by placing a soft kiss to his forehead. It was at that moment that Sam heard the sound of a door opening in the distance. He tried to ignore it, not wanting this moment with the older boy to end but when his vision started becoming fuzzy he knew something was about to happen. Something he couldn't control. As the sight in front of his eyes started to disintegrate into thin air, he felt as though he was being pulled out of his own body, watching from below as the park and everything in it faded into nothing.

"Sammy."

The sound of his name being spoken caused Sam to sit up in bed with a gasp, his face an expression of utter confusion as he felt his brain struggle to once again become one with his own consciousness. Pale hazel eyes blinked their confusion into the dark bedroom while his body began to sense another presence somewhere close by. Looking around the room with the vigilance of a hawk, his gaze finally settled on the form of a boy at the foot of his bed. Realizing that there was a stranger in his midst, Sam automatically began to panic.

"DADDY!"

Seeing the look of pure terror on the face of his beloved, the older boy was at Sammy's side before he could so much as blink.

"Shh it's okay baby boy," the boy whispered as he wrapped his arms around his brother's shaking body. "I'm not going to hurt you. It's me…Dean."

Hearing the name of his long lost brother, Sam stopped struggling and stared into the older boy's eyes. Finding not so much as a hint of deception, he felt his lips curve upwards into a tiny smile as he reached a hand out to touch his brother's face.

"Dean? Is it…is it really you?"

Dean's eyes fluttered shut as he felt himself leaning into Sam's touch. Struggling to keep a lid on his emotions, he took a deep breath in an attempt to prevent himself from ravishing the boy right where they sat. Sam must have sensed the inner struggle going on within him because he felt his little brother's body pulling away from him. Snapping his eyes open at the sudden loss, his fingers tightened on Sam's arms as a low growl escaped his lips.

"Don't pull away from me," he snarled.

The tone of Dean's voice scared Sam. Everything about Dean was beginning to scare him. He sensed a struggle warring within the young man's heart, a growing darkness intent on devouring his very soul. Not knowing what to do about what he saw in his big brother's eyes, Sammy went limp in his arms and put his head down, not wanting Dean to see the tears he was trying so hard to keep beneath his eyelids.

Seeing that his harsh words had upset his brother, Dean forced his expression to soften. The broken look on his Sammy's face caused his heart to constrict painfully in his chest. It was in that moment that he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was going to spend the rest of his life making sure that the expression he saw on little brother's face would never again see the light of day.

"I'm so sorry baby boy," Dean murmured, running his hands through the floppy brown hair he loved so much. "I didn't mean to get so angry. I would never do anything to hurt you Sam. I just…I've been without you for so long and the feeling of you pulling away from me just…it hurt. But we don't ever have to be separated again. Please baby…please tell me that we can be together. Tell me that I can be the one to take care of you and make you happy. I want you so fucking bad baby boy. I just…I wanna love you Sammy. Won't you let me love you?"

Sam just stared at his brother in confusion as a myriad of questions flowed through his brain at once, each demanding an answer that only Dean could provide. How did Dean manage to show up in his room after being away for so long? Where was he all this time? What does dad have to say about all of this? It was at that moment that Sammy realized that his father was nowhere to be found.

"Dean?" Sam whispered. "Where's daddy?"

Dean watched his little brother's face for a long moment, debating on whether or not to lie to him about John's fate. Telling Sam he killed their father would undoubtedly cause friction between the two brothers and that was the last thing that Dean wanted. Sammy was a smart boy though and he would eventually figure it out on his own so why lie?

"Dad's gone baby boy. It's just you and me now. He was trying to keep us apart. But he can't keep you from me. Nobody can. I'll kill anyone that tries to take you away." Dean watched as realization hit Sam about their father. His eyes widened for a brief moment before a look of pure and utter torment made itself known on his handsome face. He put his head in his hands and started to cry. Dean, who was programmed since childhood to look out for Sammy, always hated his little brother's tears as they were a sign that all was not well with his baby angel. Before he knew what he was doing, Dean found himself pulling Sam into his lap while once again running his fingers through the boy's hair.

"Shh, don't cry sweetheart. You're such a good baby boy Sammy. MY baby boy. I'm gonna take such good care of you. You're never going to want or need for anything ever again, I promise. Look at me baby." Dean lifted up Sam's chin so that they were staring into each other's eyes. "I know you're scared baby boy. But you have to believe me…I would never harm you. I'd rather die. You and I belong together Sammy. Give me the chance to prove it to you. Let me earn your trust. I promise you that in time you will come to love me as I love you. Please baby…please be a good boy for me. Can you do that? Will you be a good baby brother and let me love you?"

It was clear that Dean loved him. Of that, Sam was certain. The pleading look on his face, the tenderness with which his hand ran slowly up and down his back and the tone of his voice all conveyed the sincerity of his words. The emotions warring inside Sam caused him to once again lower his head toward the ground in thought. What would he be getting himself into if he accepted Dean's offer? Even if he did in fact love Sammy, he still didn't trust him. There was a darkness inside of his big brother…a darkness Sam wasn't sure he liked. But with dad gone… did he really have a choice? Without Dean, he was lost. He was only thirteen years old, far too young to take care of himself. Giving himself over to his brother would at least ensure that he didn't have to struggle to survive. For the first time in his life, Sam felt out of control, helpless. But while his conflicting emotions with regard to Dean worried him, he realized that without him he was nothing. Seeing no other alternative, Sammy slowly raised his head and gazed into his brother's eyes once more as he felt himself submitting to the older boy's will.

"Yes Dean…I'll be a good boy."

Dean smiled at his baby angel, his reason for existing, knowing full well that his little brother meant every word he said.

"I know you will Sammy."