"Penny for your thoughts?"

Dean looked up in to the grinning face of the bartender, "What?"

She chuckled, "I said penny for your thoughts. You looked to be in deep thought. Everything alright?"

Dean narrowed his eyes, "What makes you think something's wrong?"

"You're in a bar and that's your fifth drink. Come on, talk to me. I've been told I'm a great listener."

Dean rubbed a hand over his face. Truth be told he didn't know what the hell was wrong with him, "I'm afraid," he said not really registering he said that out loud.

"What are you afraid of?"

Dean rubbed a hand over his face again. Maybe it would be good to express what he was feeling, "My brother and I…I've taken care of him since he was born. He's always looked up to me. Like I was Superman or something and now…"

The bartender leaned over the bar and smiled, "Now, what, hon?"

"He's got this boyfriend and…"

"And you're afraid that he won't need you anymore."

"Well…yeah."

"Sweetheart, I don't think you have anything to worry about. If you and your brother are as close as you say, then just because he has a boyfriend isn't going to change that. He may not need you in the way you want him to need you, but he's still gonna need you. You still are gonna be close and no matter what, you're still gonna be brothers. Nothing's gonna change that. Have you told him how you felt?"

Dean just stared at her and she laughed, "I figured not. You probably should. It'll be good to get some of that out there in the open between you two."

Dean downed the rest of his drink, tossed some money on the bar and stood, "Thanks."

"I take it I helped."

Dean nodded before leaving the bar.

~*spn*~spn~*spn*~

Sam looked up from the book he was reading when the door opened. Dean walked in and went to head upstairs.

"Dean?"

Dean turned, "Hey, Sammy."

Sam put down his book and walked over to his brother, "Dean, we need to talk."

Dean nodded, "Tomorrow Sam. I just…"

"No Dean. Now. What's going on with you? It's like either you're avoiding me or you start talking to me but then shut everything down. Look, I know you're pissed at me but I'm a big boy Dean."

"Sam, that's…that's not it."

"Then what is it Dean? I'm going out of my mind trying to figure out what's wrong with you."

Dean sighed and walked over and sat on the couch. Sam frowned and followed him.

"Dean, talk to me, man."

"You're pregnant Sam. You're about to have a baby and…you've got yourself a boyfriend."

Sam raised an eyebrow, "So?"

Dean rubbed the back of his neck, "So I guess I got a little afraid okay? I mean the last time you had…you left."

"So you think…you think I'm leaving you?"

"Yes…no…I just…Sam, when you were at Stanford, when you had Jess…you…you didn't need me anymore."

"What?! Are you kidding me? Dean, I needed you more than you realize. I was just being stubborn. That's what this is all about? You think I won't need you anymore?"

Dean's silence was all the answer Sam needed. He shook his head, "Dean, you're an idiot."

"Yeah, well…"

"Dude, you're my big brother. No matter what, I will always need you. As I get older, and things change in my life, those needs will change, but I will never stop wanting or needing my big brother."

"But Gabe…"

Sam laughed, "Gabe is my boyfriend and the father of my child. Yes, I need Gabe, but not like I need you. Dean, you know me better than anyone. Sometimes even better than myself. Just because I'm pregnant and have a boyfriend doesn't mean anything is gonna change between us."

Dean swallowed. Sam smiled and took his brother's hand and placed it on his belly, "Feel that?"

Dean's eyes narrowed but then widened when he felt a kick, "Holy…that's…"

Sam laughed, nodding his head, "That's your niece or nephew Dean. This baby is important to me, but so are you. Dean, I've been looking up to you since I was born, and that's not gonna change now."

Dean nodded, "I get it Sammy."

"Good, so what do you say we crack open a few beers and put this chick-flick moment behind us?"

Dean laughed, "Oh hell no, you're not allowed anywhere near the beer for the next several months."

Sam mock pouted. Dean chuckled, wrapping his arm around his brother's shoulder and then vigorously rubbing his knuckles against his scalp.

"Leggo!" Sam shouted.

"Make me," Dean teased.

The next thing he knew, he was being tossed into the wall. Sam gasped and ran across the room.

"Dean!"

"Fuck me," Dean groaned, sitting up.

Sam turned and glared at Gabriel, "What the hell was that for?"

"He was hurting you and he didn't let go when you told him to."

Sam shook his head, "Gabe, he wasn't hurting me. We were playing. I could've easily knocked him off if I wanted."

Sam shook his head and turned back to Dean, "Hey how's your head?"

"Throbbing like a bitch. I think this is time to call it a night."

Later upstairs in the bedroom Gabe fixed Sam with his version of the puppy dog look. Sam shook his head and made his way to the bed.

"You know, you're doing a terrible job of me not staying mad at you."

Gabe just poked out his puppy dog face. Sam laughed, shaking his head.

"Stop that you look terrible. But I'm serious. You want me to stop being mad at you, act like it."

Gabe cocked his head, "Meaning?"

"Just what I said. Gabe, you threw Dean across a room. Threw him across the room because he "appeared" to be hurting me. Dean has never hurt me a day in his life and he's not about to start now."

"Sam, you're pregnant and…"

"Oh for fuck's sake Gabe! Seriously? First of all, I think I'm perfectly capable of knowing what I can and cannot do while pregnant. So quit all your macho angel crap. Second, you already don't have a good record with Dean, how about you not do something to completely destroy it."

Gabe sighed, "Sam…I just…"

Sam touched Gabe's cheek, "I get it Gabe, you wanna protect me. That's all great and everything, but you need to chill out. Especially with Dean. I'm serious. Dean has never hurt me."

Gabe nodded and kissed him, "Okay. I'll do better I promise."

"Good."

"You know, Singer was right. We need to talk about what we're gonna do."

"Not tonight Gabe. Too tired."

TBC...