Summary: Sam is suffering from clinical depression, and Dean notices. He tries to get his brother help.


It's been a month since Lucifer was let free and subsequently stopped, but Sam is still struggling to deal with the events that have occurred since Dean's death.

Dean's noticed a change in his little brother since Lucifer was let free. Sam's back to normal, but he's sadder. Dean knows the symptoms are familiar, but can't place them.

"Are you okay, Sammy?" he asks his younger brother. Dean's really worried about Sam. His brother needs his help. Dean just wishes he could provide that help.

Sam nods. "I'm fine," he replies. He's not fine, though. Sam hasn't been fine since Dean died thirteen months ago.

"Sammy, I'm just worried about you," Dean tells him. He's going to watching Sam more closely from now on just to make sure that his brother is okay.

Sam smiles at his older brother. "I know you are, Dean, but I'm okay." He appreciates the fact that his big brother is worried about him.

Dean eyes his brother suspiciously, but decides to let it go. He'll figure out what's wrong with Sam soon enough.

Sam and Dean leave their motel to find a diner to eat at. "Are we going to see Bobby later?" Dean knows they saw Bobby only two weeks ago, but he is like a father to them.

Sam shrugs. "Maybe." He hasn't been able to step foot in Bobby's basement because the panic room just triggers flashbacks. He, Bobby, and Dean had attempted to enter the panic room because of Lucifer being set free, but Sam had panicked too much. The two had stayed with him in Bobby's bedroom for hours.

"You want to find us another hunt, Sammy?" Dean knows how much his brother loves research. They haven't been on a proper hunt in a month. He and Sam have been regrouping since Maryland. They stayed at Bobby's for a few weeks, and then visited Ellen.

Sam's whole expression changes in an instant. "You should research our next hunt," he suggests. Sam doesn't feel up to research.

Dean frowns. "You like researching our next hunt all the time," he points out. Sam's never turned down researching a hunt before.

Sam shrugs. "I just don't feel like it this time," he explains. All he does to do is crawl into bed and sleep. That sounds like a good plan.

"What do you want to do?" Even though Sam wasn't normal since Dean's resurrection, he was always happy to research the next hunt. That was the only thing that stayed the same.

"Sleep," Sam answers honestly as he and Dean get into the Impala. He's just so tired.

As soon as they get back to the hotel, Sam is true to his word and falls onto the bed. He goes to sleep a few minutes later.

Dean steps outside the motel door and calls Bobby. "What do you two boys need now?" Bobby's been hearing from his boys pretty much every day.

"Something's wrong with Sam. He doesn't want to research hunts and he just wants to sleep," Dean explains. He's definitely worried.

"He could be tired, but I doubt that. Any other signs that something's wrong?" He and Dean can probably figure this out.

Dean thinks for a second. "Now that I'm thinking about it, he hasn't been happy at all. He has his moments, but he's just sad every single minute of the day, Bobby. I don't know what's wrong with Sammy. I can't figure it out."

"Maybe he's depressed," Bobby tells him. He wouldn't be surprised if Sam was suffering from depression. He's experienced so much in twenty-six years, but the past four years have been bad. The past year has been worse.

And that's when it hits Dean. "Dad was like this after Mom died," he remembers. No wonder the symptomps are familiar.

"Get him some help," Bobby advises. Sam definitely needs it. He might even be happy again for the first time in a long time.

"I will." Dean hangs up the phone after saying good-bye and goes back inside. Sam is still sleeping.

The next morning, Dean decides to talk to Sam. His little brother needs his help, and Dean is determined to give that to him.

"What's up?" Sam doesn't know why Dean wants to talk to him, but it must be important if his brother is initiating a chick flick moment.

"I'm really worried about you, Kiddo. You're not like you used to be." Dean hopes this is heading for a Sam breakdown. Sam fell apart only one after the Lucifer thing, but that was it. Sam needs to let go of his emotions.

"What do you mean, Dean?" Sam is confused. Why is Dean so worried about him? He's fine.

"Sammy, I've been thinking this over since last night. I think you're depressed. Everything fits. And I just want you to get better, Kiddo. You getting better is all that matters to me." Dean knows how important this conversation is and doesn't want to screw it up.

Sam stares down at the bed. "I think I figured that out awhile ago. But I deserve to be depressed. I screwed everything up." He thinks he was just in denial about the depression.

"Sammy, you didn't screw anything up. You've been going through a rough time. I understand that, Kiddo. You don't deserve to be depressed," Dean tells him. He starts rubbing his hand up and down Sam's back to calm his little brother down.

That's all the incentive Sam needs. "You died and I can't stop seeing it in my nightmares," he sobs. Even after Dean returned, Sam saw his death over and over again in his sleep. He still does.

Dean sighs. "Oh, Sammy. I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me you were seeing my death in your nightmares? I would have helped you."

"I didn't want to screw everything up, but I still did it anyway. It's my fault you died," Sam gasps out. He can't stop crying now.

"Hey, look at me. Look at me, Sammy. It was never your fault that I died. You tried your hardest to save me, Kiddo. I'm grateful to you for that. Have you been feeling guilty about my death this entire time?" Dean hugs Sam. Sammy needs him rirght now.

Sam nods. "I was so happy you were back, but I couldn't be myself again. If I did, that might mean I could lose you again. And I can't handle that. Please don't die again. Please," Sam begs.

Dean struggles to hold back his own tears. "I can't promise you that, Kiddo. I wish I could, but I can't. I think that if we're going to die, we'll go together. You like that plan, Sammy?"

"I like that plan very much," Sam replies, still sobbing. He doesn't ever want to let Dean go. His brother needs to be by his side forever.

Dean laughs despite himself. "Will you please get help, Sammy? For me?" Dean asks. It's important for Sam to get the help he needs.

"I will," Sam agrees. He definitely needs the help. It might be nice to actually feel good again. Sam wants to go back to the Winchester version of normal.

"That's all I ask, Kiddo. Thank you for doing this for me. We'll go to a clinic tomorrow." Dean continues to rub Sam's back as his brother sobs some more.

Sam eventually cries himself to sleep in Dean's arms, but he doesn't mind. He will always take care of his little brother.

Sam will go to the clinic tomorrow and hopefully, he will get the help he needs.

Sam would eventually be happy again, thanks to Dean realizing that his brother needed help.