I feel like this story is getting off to a good start! Please review, and let me know what you think!

Sam Winchester did not want to answer his door.

Somebody was knocking on it like a fucking idiot, and he just was not in the mood.

When the apocalypse was over, and life was beginning to go back to normal (just with less people), Sam thought he could go back to hunting. He thought he wanted to.

He knew that's Dean would want him to. Dean always wanted him to hunt. His dad always wanted him to hunt. And he never did.

But now they were both gone. Long gone. And as much as he had always wanted to run away- and as often as he did run away- he had never felt as alone as he did now.

At first, people had to rebuild. Society didn't return to normal over night. But after the last 3 years, it was practically identical to society pre-zombie.

When that happened, he tried to hunt. He really did. There were still things out there to kill. But he just couldn't get into it. It wasn't the same.

Eventually he settled down in and his own apartment in Lawrence. He felt closer to his family there, even though he knew they were much, much farther away.

He got a job as a mechanic with one of his dads old friends. He had met the man once before, pretending to be a journalist or something. Luckily, it didn't seem like he recognized him. He used the fake name Glenn Davis.

Things were going pretty well. He had a girlfriend, although nothing serious, and a stable life.

But tonight, he just wasn't feeling it.

Every once in a while he would go into this depression, and he just couldn't get out of it. He didn't know if he missed hunting, or if he just missed his brother. These nights he'd usually curl up on the couch with a case of beer, put on the television, and tried not to fall into the darkness.

And that's what he was doing when some bastard started to knock on his god damn door.

He let them knock, planning on ignoring them completely. But soon... "Sam. Sam Winchester."

Who knows my real name? Sam thought, standing up, shakily. He began to recognize the voice. He had heard this man before... a few years ago...

He swung open the door. "Castiel?" He could not contain his look of astonishment when he saw the angel- who looked exactly the same as he did years ago- standing I'm his doorway.

"Sorry, I would've teleported in there, but I didn't want to startle you." Castiel apologized, looking uncomfortable.

Sam just stared at him, still unsure of what to say.

Castiel stood awkwardly, wishing Sam would say something. "Sam, I know it's been awhile..."

"Awhile?" Sam finally spoke. "It's been more than awhile, Castiel. It's been years. The last time you spoke to me, you told me my brother was dead."

Castiel looked down at the ground. The reasons Castiel had given Dean against coming here were legitimate, but there was another reason he had not said out loud.

He was ashamed. Ashamed that he hadn't really tried to help Sam through any of this. He simply relayed the information, and them watched from afar as Sam's life collapsed in on itself. He had spent too much time finding Megan, and too much time with Dean.

"I know, Sam. And I'm sorry for that..."

"Sorry? You could've stopped by every once in awhile, ya know. You could've sent a post card or something." Sam's hand was still wrapped around the door knob, and he had half a mind to just shut the door. Whatever the angel wanted, he didn't want any part of it. He didn't hunt anymore, and he certainly wasn't going to help Castiel hunt something.

"You're absolutely right, Sam. I should've. And I'm sorry I didn't."

"What do you want, Castiel?"

Before Castiel could answer, another voice behind Sam spoke. "Well I needed someone to tell me where you were hiding out." Sam's whole body tensed. His ears must have been deceiving him. It couldn't be... "Who the hell is Glenn, anyway?"

He turned around, and it was like his prayers were answered. "Dean..." He went to hug him, but Dean backed off.

"Hold on, Sammy. I'm not all here if you know what I mean."

Sam stared at him in confusion before understanding. "You're... you're a spirit." That's all his brother was now. A ghost. A memory.

"Yeah... It was the only way to get down here." Dean explained, his stupid smile that Sam had missed so much plastered across his face.

Castiel had walked into the apartment and closed the door, but Sam didn't even care about him right now. All he cared about was the fact that his big brother was standing just inches away from him.

"So... How's it been? You still hunting?" Dean had been waiting for this for a long time, and now that he was here he had no idea what to say.

"Uh...no. I live here, I guess..." Sam found it hard just to remember to breathe, right now. He wished Dean could be here to stay, so he had all the time in the world to talk to him, again. But he only had right now. "I'm working with one of dads old friends- Mike Guenther."

"Really? That's great," Sam almost expected Dean to be disappointed about him not hunting, but he didn't seem to care. "I'm glad you're okay... I just... I wanted to make sure you were okay..."

Sam nodded. "Are... you okay? Wherever you... are?"

Dean smiled. "Yeah, yeah. It's kinda boring up there, but Cas has been keeping me company."

Small glanced at Castiel, and he was glad the angel was at least looking after Dean. "I really miss you, man..." His voice cracked just a little bit, and he knew under other circumstances Dean would've jeered him about it. But Dean just nodded.

"You too, Sammy."

Sam turned to Castiel. He had been waiting the whole time to ask him, even though he could guess the answer. "Castiel, I know you have the power to-"

"Sam, he can't." Dean interrupted him.

Castiel looked at Sam, sadly. "I'm sorry, Sam. I can't bring your brother back. I may have that kind of power, but it's against the rules."

Sam closed his eyes, nodding."I know, I just... Had to try."

Dean and Castiel shared a glance, and Sam tried not to notice. "Sammy... I have to get going." Dean wanted to stay. He wanted to stay permanently, but he knew that it was impossible. But he only wanted to make sure Sam was alright, and he had done that.

Sam could tell by Deans face that he wasn't saying something. That there was something at the tip of his tongue that he wanted to get out... but something was stopping him. But he also knew that if Dean had decided not to tell him something, then there was no use arguing with him. And now was definitely not the time to argue.

"Yeah, okay... I understand."

"I'm really sorry, Sam. For everything."

"Don't be. I'll... I'll see you soon."

"Not too soon, Sam. Promise me that."

Sam smiled, holding back tears. "I promise."

There was no hug to be had, so Dean and Castiel left. Sam wanted to scream his head off, but instead he elected to pick up the phone, instead. He had to tell someone what just happened.

…

Bobby Singer hadn't heard from Sam in a couple years. He wasn't surprised when Sam picked up his stuff and left, declaring that he was done hunting. It was practically the kids M.O.

Sam had moved in with Bobby originally, after Dean and Megan were gone. It made it a little easier to deal with, for Bobby at least. He had grown close to Megan over the years, and Dean, well... he was like a son to him. So both of their deaths had been hard.

But for a while, he had Sam, and he appreciated that. Until the say that Sam decided to go. Bobby didn't argue with him, and he definitely didn't try any of that shit John did. He knew that Sam thought this was best for him and Bobby accepted that.

And then suddenly, two years later, he got a call from an unknown number. "This is Bobby Singer."

"Hey Bobby. It's Sam."

"Sam? How've you been, boy?" Bobby was glad to hear from him, but there was no way Sam was calling him just to chat. Something must have been wrong. "It's been awhile."

"Yeah, I know. Sorry for that." For a moment Sam realized that he had done to Bobby what he had just accused Castiel of doing to him. He quickly pushed that thought aside. He had more important things to worry about. "I was just calling because... I just talked to Dean."

There was a pause on the other line as Bobby tried to figure out if Sam had truly lost his marbles. "Sam..."

"He was a spirit, Bobby, but it was him. And Castiel was with him."

"Castiel? The angel?" Bobby hadn't seen the angel since he told the both of them bout Megan's and Dean's death. He never got in touch again.

"Yes, but... there's something they aren't telling me. I have to talk to you in person. Do you mind if I come by?" He asked, as if he was only a few blocks away.

"Boy, no matter when or why you asked me that, I'd never mind."