Three weeks had gone by since Sam's confession, and as difficult as it was, Sam has been getting better and better. He readily participated in group and single therapy and even engaged with the others who lived at the facility. He had friends there and he was often found laughing and joking with everyone. He still had another month and a d half of rehab to go, but he was making good strides.

Of course, he had his days, and nightmares still plagued his sleep, but Dean John, and most importantly Sam were beginning to heal.

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One afternoon, Sam and Dean and a few others were playing poker in the common room when out of the corner of his eye, Sam saw Larkin peek around the corner. Sam felt his stomach flutter and flip when he saw her and excused himself from the poker game.

Dean looked up at his brother as he walked out to meet Larkin. "That's my boy," he whispered softly, and returned to the game.

He walked into the hallway and stopped when Larkin looked up and saw Sam. She gave him a small smile and a little hand wave and he returned her gesture. They walked to meet each other in the hallway not knowing what to do or say.

"Hey," Sam whispered.

"Save the hey, you might marry a jackass someday," Larkin retorted, hoping the joke work break the awkwardness that had formed between them.

"The only jackass I see around here is me," Sam replied with a smile. "You wanna go for a walk?"

"I'd love that," she whispered, and allowed him to lead her outside to the gardens. They walked side by side for a while in comfortable silence.

"We have group out here sometimes and it's nice. The people here understand and of course, everyone in group has been through the same things," Sam said, his voice trailing off. They sat in a bench near freshly planted flowers.

"Sam, I just want to say I am so proud of what you have accomplished…I think you're incredibly brave for entering rehab," Larkin said, gently taking Sam's hand in hers.

"There's nothing to be proud of…I didn't enter here on my free will," Sam said.

"Still, you got clean, and that says something, doesn't it?"

"I guess…" Sam said. He was still working on the whole self forgiveness thing. "Larkin, I'm so sorry for everything I put you through. I should have never treated you the way I did. You were only trying to help me and I totally was a dick to you," Sam said earnestly, starring into Larkin's eyes.

Larkin looked down, smiling shyly and when she looked back at Sam, she had tears in her eyes.

"I blame myself for a lot of what you've been through Sam…I never blamed the way you acted towards me," she said.

"Hey, I had free will, I could have said no, but I didn't. You helped me Larkin, and I want to say thank you," Sam said, wiping her tears.

Larkin nodded and stared at the boy she loved with her whole heart. She leaned in to kiss him and was surprised when he jumped back off the bench.

"Sam? I'm sorry…I didn't mean…" Larkin began…confused about what just happened.

"No…I …it's me…I can't…" Sam was panicking.

"Hey, listen to me, its ok," Larkin said, standing next to Sam, rubbing soothing circles in his back until he calmed.

"I'm so sorry," Sam said, clearly embarrassed.

"Sammy, you have seen my naked, I really don't think this is a big deal," Larkin said with a mischievous smile.

"Yes I have," Sam said with a nervous laugh.

"I have to get going actually. You wanna show me in, stud?" she laughed.

"I would be honored."

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Inside, he hugged Larkin good bye and saw Dean sitting in the common room pretending to read a magazine with a smug look on his face.

"Why are you smiling?" Sam asked, knowing he was opening a can of worms.

"I saw you with Larkin," Dean said wiggling his eyebrows.

"Yea well, I blew it. She tried to kiss me and I freaked…I never had a problem before…I mean Christ we…" Sam shut his mouth quickly.

"Christ you to what?" Dean said, and then the light bulb went on. "You had sex with her!" Dean almost yelled with excitement.

"Dean, shut up!" Sam hissed, turning fuchsia.

"Not that I blame you, she's hot," Dean said, smiling and enjoying torturing his little brother. Sam smiled at him and shook his head.

"How was it?" Dean asked.

Sam smiled at his brother, "Two words, whipped cream," and said nothing more. Sam Winchester was far too great of a gentleman to kiss and tell…but he had to gush…He thought Dean was gonna fall of his seat.

"Whipped cream. Classy."

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The two brothers were watching the television when John appeared with a grim loom on his face. The two stood to meet John as he entered, unsure of what caused their father to behave this way.

"Dad? What's wrong?" Dean asked. John looked at both if his boys and knew the news would shatter them.

"I got the results back from Sammy's last test."

"The Aids test?" Sam murmured, holding his breath. John nodded his head.

"What does it say Dad?" Sam asked.

"I'm so sorry Sammy. It's positive."