Chapter 9:

Sam sat on the steps leading down to Bobby's basement. In his hand was a strip of leather with a small charm hanging from it. Sam had recognised it as soon as Bobby had pulled it from the old duffel bag. He had given the same charm to his brother so many years ago. Sam ran his hands through his hair, he was just so tired. Four days had passed since Dean had come back into their life all battered and bruised. His long-lost brother now sat in the panic room, at the bottom of the stairs, ignoring all attempts to talk to him.

When they had first arrived back at Bobby's, John and Bobby had gotten straight to work patching up the then mystery man. They were arguing, but trying to hide what about from Sam. However, once satisfied the man wasn't going to die from his injuries and his bones set the best they could, they drugged him up with horse tranquilizers and turned their attention back on Sam. He had told them what he remembered from the attack and how the wolf had protected them. John had then pointed out that he believed the man had followed them for a while, explaining about the weird feeling he had had the pass month and the man in the diner. Sam was not ready for when his Dad had told him he believed that the man was Dean. John had no proof that it was Dean, but a gut feeling and the way the man had acted. Bobby had then volunteered to return to woods the next day to look for clues. He promised he would only check long the road and not venture into the woods alone.

So Bobby had left in his pick-up truck the next day and he returned a few hours later dragging an old Ford. It was a duffel bag found in the Ford that had provided John with the proof he needed. It ashamed Sam to say he hadn't believed his Dad when he first claimed it was Dean. Dean had died ten years ago; John himself had burned the body. Sam believed it was just a coincidence that this man seemed like Dean, or it was a shape shifter just messing with them. Sam believed it couldn't be Dean until they unpacked the duffel bag. A bunch of worn clothes were the first things Bobby pulled from the bag, with John and Sam peering over his shoulders. A cassette player and a bunch of classic rock tapes were next. Followed by stack of weapons; knives, guns and bullets none of which were silver. A handmade EMF reader caused Bobby to pause and John to smile. However, it was the last item removed from the bag which meant the most to Sam. It was a small pendent of a face hanging on a piece of leather. It was the pendent Sam had given to Dean; it was the pendent that his brother never took off. That little pendent was enough to give Sam hope and to cover his world in guilt.

Dean had been quiet in the panic room. He had woken up later the next day and not moved. Dean just lay on the bed facing away from the door. Sam had notice John down there just looking through the vent and talking to Dean. He was rambling on about Sam and his life since Dean's death. He had caught Bobby once warning Dean that if he did anything to put anyone at risk, Bobby himself would put a bullet in him. Sam had tried once to talk to his brother. He had started by simply asking if it was really Dean, and he had actually turned to look at Sam. However, as soon as Sam saw the chunk missing from Dean's ears guilt had hit him so bad that it actually stolen his breath for a second. Sam could not stop the apologies that had started to flow from his mouth. He couldn't have told you what he had said, but when he finally stopped tears were running down his face. Dean however just sighed and rolled back over, so his back was facing Sam and his scarred ear was hidden from Sam's view.

Sam hadn't tried to talk to Dean again. The guilt was too much. He had almost killed his brother and Dean had still tried to save him. Dean had every right to hate him. So Sam spent most of his time on the stair staring at the door to the panic room.

Bobby had a camera set up in the panic room, which played a live feed on a TV in the kitchen. John and he spent most of their time up watching the feed. Sam tried to avoid looking at the TV when he was in the kitchen, it was too painful. However, his eyes were always drawn back to the screen and his brother. It was how Sam found himself the night of the full moon. John and Bobby were watching Dean pretending to sleep.

"Why the in hell is he still trying to play mute?" Bobby growled.

John ran his hand over his face. "I don't know it could be a number of reasons, but we won't have any real idea why he's not talking to any of us until he talks."

"Well he's made no attempt to escape. So, either he knows we not just going to kill him or he's just waiting for us to kill him."

"The full moon is an hour away. So, we will find out then how much control Dean has as a wolf." John said as he got up and walked up to the TV to get a closer look. Sam turned to see what his Dad was looking at, and he could just make out the shivering that was now coursing through Dean's frame. "How did he grow up to be so stubborn? We can obviously tell he's not sleeping by the way he's shaking, but still he pretends." Dean's body suddenly went stiff and rigid, causing the three in the kitchen to hold their breath and stare at the screen. In an instant Dean was out of the bed and began pacing back and forth. "That little bastard can hear us." John said with a smirk on his lips. Dean looked directly into the camera and scowled before continuing to pace. John laughed out loud at his eldest son pouting.

They watched Dean continue to pace. John and Bobby kept on discussing their theories on Dean, and Sam just watched his brother in silence. As the hour ticked by Sam watched as his brother became more and more agitated. The shivering became more pronounce, Dean began to wipe sweat from his face. Then he suddenly froze. Sam didn't even realise he had stood up until he heard his chair hit the ground. Dean however stood rigid for a few second before he crumpled into himself as he fell to his knees. The scream that filled the house was so raw and filled with pain. More crashes filled the kitchen as the three men sprinted from the room. Bobby somehow reached the panic room door first. As Sam and John descended the stair, Sam saw Bobby check the lock before he bar the door stopping Sam and John from gaining access.

"Will you idjits think straight for a second?" Bobby said as Deans scream began to sound more like howls. "No-one is hurting Dean. He is not dying. He's undergoing the change, and this is when he is at the most dangerous. There is no-way either of you are going anywhere near him." The howls slowly became whines.

So, they all stood staring at the door of the panic room waiting for Dean's whines to die down. When they finally did John drew his gun and nodded to Bobby. Sam held his breath as the door hung open and there in place of his brother was a massive golden wolf. The beast was curl up on the ground and it didn't even twitch as they entered the room.

As Sam truly looked at his brother's wolf form, he couldn't believe he had been so blind. The golden fur of Dean's coat was almost the same colour his hair naturally went when the sun bleach it. Dean's behaviour as a wolf alone should have made it clear to Sam it was Dean. As John said Dean's name the wolf turned his head towards them. Dean's green eyes were so clear and bright in the wolf face Sam cursed himself then. He should have seen it when he had first seen those eyes after ten years, but instead he had point a gun right at Dean's heart and fired. Only fate had saved his brother.

Sam hadn't even realised that his father had become loss for words, when Dean had turned to face them, until he cleared his throat and tried again. "Dean I am sorry I didn't find you sooner. If I had known you had survived that wolf attack, nothing would have stopped me from finding you." John cleared his throat again, lowering his gun as he did. "We're not going to kill you son. The gun just precautionary, as is the panic room. From what Sam's told me and from what I've seen, you not a blood thirsty werewolf, but if you even hint at losing control and going feral than I'll put you down. Do I make myself clear?" Dean simply nodded. "Good. Now we're going to keep you locked in here for the rest of the night until the moon set. When the moon sets we will let you out. Its small steps Dean, I am afraid you have to prove you're safe. I'll be camped out here all night, so if you need anything just bark." John smirked at his son.

Sam could only gape as he watched his brother roll his eyes as a wolf, which was a strange thing to witness. He watched as Dean settled down on the floor. John turned and ushered Sam and Bobby out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Sam tried to protest, but his father simply sat down on a chair facing the panic room and ordered Sam to bed. So, Sam followed his father orders and went to bed, but John never said he had to stay in bed. Sam grabbed a pillow and the blanket off his bed. He waited until he heard Bobby's movement quieten before he made his way down to the door away leading to the basement. The door was open just a crack. Sam heard his father talking. It took Sam a little while to realise that John was telling Dean about Sam learning to hunt. Sam could be mistaken, but he swore his Dad sounded proud of him. So, Sam drift off to sleep right there on the floor listening to his Dad's deep voice to ease his sleep.

Dean sat across from him at the kitchen table, shovelling dinner into his mouth. "So Sam, what are you going to get up to tonight with Dad and me off hunting? Having a wild party I hope." Dean said through mouthful of food.Sam had had this dream so many times before. Dean was always just how he remembered him, full of life. "Reading. I want to get head in English." Sam answered. Dean actually gaped at his brother. "We are so not related. No-one wants to get a head in English Sammy. Please tell me that you at lease going to act like a normal twelve-year-old home alone and stay up late watching TV." Sam just glared at his brother.The part of the dream Sam hated, the part Sam wished he could change, was fast approaching. Soon Dean would call him a geek and ruffle his hair, just to annoy Sam, and then he would follow his Dad out the motel door. Waving once to Sam before disappearing off to hunt, it was the last time Sam saw Dean. A board smile spilt Dean's face. Someone knocked on the motel door. Wait.Sam thought.This was not what normally happened. The knocking continued. Dean simply continued to smirk at Sam. "Sammy, are you going to get that?"

Sam sat bolt upright. The knocking from his dream had become banging on the front door. It took Sam a second to realise where he was, but the swearing coming from the basement was enough to move Sam away from that door before he faced his father. Heading straight for the front door Sam could hear Bobby coming down the stairs, shotgun in his arms. The knocking had stopped, in fact Sam was pretty sure it had stopped as soon as they had started heading towards the door. John came up behind Sam, gun at the ready. Counting to three Sam pulled the door opened revealing a middle-aged man and a young man, probably only a few years younger than Sam himself. Sam's mind quickly assessed threat level; the young man appeared to be no threat, Sam thought the skinny kid would stand no chance in a fight. He looked like he would break if Sam looked at him the wrong way, and Sam had no idea how the kid was seeing through the mop of blond hair that seemingly covered his eyes. The middle age man however, was different. He was dressed simply enough in jeans and a shirt, and he stance was none threatening. However, there was something about him; it was almost like strength radiated from him.

"Hello, you must be John and Sam Winchester and Bobby Singer." The man spoke calmly to them. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you all. Dean has spoken very highly of all of you. I am Doctor Lewis James and this is Kit. I believe Dean is in your basement, may I speak with him?"