Chapter 2

With their Tink hunt over, the brothers were in the Impala already heading toward their new gig. Dean looked at his brother in the passenger seat. "So where are we going again?"

Sam sighed. "For the fifth time, we're heading to Wisconsin." Sam was getting tired of retelling Dean the details of their new job. How was it possible for someone to forget things so quickly? "Port Washington. People have been going missing and there's no explanation. No signs of struggles. No signs of forced entry. People are just vanishing from their beds at night. Mostly children."

Dean nodded, looking forward at the road. "Any idea what it could be?"

"Maybe a Changeling?" Sam speculated. "They steal children and take on their form to feed off of the parents."

"I know what a Changeling does." Dean said bluntly.

"Sorry, you just don't seem like your head's really in the game."

"Really?" Dean said, his eyes piercing Sam's.

"Yeah. Recently, it's felt like I'm carrying all the weight in each hunt." Sam tried to say it softly and peacefully. "I know you went to Hell, and I can't imagine what that was like, but I can see it in you."

"See what in me?" Dean asked, sounding irritated. This was the last thing he needed. He knew exactly where Sam was going and he didn't want to talk about it. Hell was a horrible experience. Worse than horrible. He wasn't sure there was even a word that could describe it. The things the devils had done to him… The things he had done… There was no talking about it. There was no imagining what it was like…

"Hell. What it's done to you." Sam said concernedly. Since Dean got back Sam had known something was wrong. It was like hunting bored him. He was apathetic toward everything. He was forgetful and unmotivated, but Sam knew that Dean thought he was fine. Or, at least, that's what he'd say.

"I'm fine." Dean growled. Sam rolled his eyes. Called it…

"You're not, Dean. You're not fine." Sam raised his voice. "You need help. You need some rest. Going from hunt after hunt isn't helping you."

"So what do you want me to do?" Dean hollered. "Let people die?"

"No, of course not." Sam looked sadly at Dean with his puppy-dog eyes. "I want you to take a break. Get your strength back. Get your head on straight."

"Not this again." Dean grumbled.

"Not what again?"

"This is the Siren all over again." Dean yelled at Sam, not even trying to hide his anger. Sam recalled the hunt for the Siren. The Siren had gotten them both entranced and had pinned the brothers against each other. Both of them had fought each other, willing to murder the other. Dean had won the fight, but both had inflicted some serious damage on each other. Not physically, but emotionally. Dean had erupted over Sam being on demon's blood and trusting Ruby. But Sam said some terrible things too. He remembered telling Dean that he was weak. That he was always feeling sorry for himself. That Sam would be better off if he wasn't around anymore. All Dean did was hold him back. He had told Dean that he was no longer the stronger brother. Sam was. One of the brothers would be dead now if Bobby hadn't run to their rescue when he did.

Sam looked at Dean. He knew the things he had said to him haunted him every day. He figured it was Dean's greatest fear to be weak, or unneeded. Useless. Sam felt bad about saying those things, but it didn't change the fact that they were true. Sam still loved Dean, but it was undeniable that he had been changed by Hell. He was weak. Sam knew he would be accomplishing a lot more if it was Ruby in the car with him and not Dean. He didn't want Dean out of the picture. He just wanted him to be safe somewhere. Not hunting. Not hurting. Just relaxing. Healing. Taking care of himself. Sam sighed. He knew what he really wanted. He wanted Dean to stop judging him for working with Ruby. He wanted Dean to stop holding him back.

"It's not the siren all over again." Sam tried to ease things over with Dean. "I care about you and don't want you hurt."

"Don't worry about me. I'm not the one addicted to poison, always open to letting a demon in." Dean yelled. "If there's anyone that needs to be worried about, it's you."

Sam sighed heavily. They had this same fight every day. At least, it certainly felt like it was every single day. "I told you already, Dean, she saved my life while you were gone. She taught me how to be strong without you around."

"And now you're all-too-eager to get rid of me." Dean interrupted Sam's thoughts. "Don't worry. You keep acting like this; you'll just get what you want."

"Dean…" Sam started quietly, feeling guilty that he had hurt his brother so deeply. Dean just turned the music up louder. You Give Love a Bad Name blasted through the speakers, overpowering Sam's voice and ultimately shutting him up. Sam looked down at his wrists. The veins running up his arm were dark blue and very prominent. He knew the very 'poison', the demon's blood was pumping through them at that very moment. Maybe I do give love a bad name. Sam shook the thoughts out of his head. No. I want Dean to take a break for his own good. Because I love him.

The rest of the drive to Wisconsin passed with very tense silence. Neither brother spoke to each other. Sam occasionally stole glances over at Dean. Dean never moved. He was frozen, like a statue, brooding in his anger. He got like that whenever he was angry. Sam figured it was to stop himself from saying or doing anything that he would regret. Sam looked out the passenger's window, away from his brother. The scenery passed by quickly as Dean drove way too fast. He wasn't sure how to convince Dean to give up hunting. To just leave it to Sam. He's just going to get himself hurt. Sam thought. I'll be fine without him.