Chapter 28

"What happened to Ruby?" Sam walked out of the bathroom, a roll of steam following after him. He was looking a lot less grimy than before and had put on the clothes Ruby had bought. Though the style was all Sam, it sure as hell didn't look right on Dean's old form. What the heck had she been thinking buying him a blue and white striped shirt?

His hair didn't look like it had fared too well under Sammy's ministrations either. It was combed, and way too neatly, and parted to the side. They'd need to have a talk about that later. Hell, he had an image to maintain.

"I was seriously thinking about going in there to see if you'd drowned or something. You were in there a mighty long time, dude."

Sam gave him a half shrug. "I was really dirty."

"Foods over there. Eat some." Dean got up and went with him to the small table. "It's all stuff you like."

His brother threw him a look. "You didn't have to."

Dean waved that off. "Least I could do for your first meal back. We'll scrounge up something even better when we get to Pontiac."

"You still didn't answer my question though." Sam grabbed a sandwich but made no move to eat it. "What happened to Ruby?"

"Out doing her thing. Giving us some space." Dean hadn't expected happiness at the prospect, but the scowling, disapproving frown he got instead was a total surprise.

"I still don't get it though. Why are you working with her, Dean? I thought you hated her guts?"

"Duh, I do." He grabbed a Sprite and opened it, sliding it across to his brother.

"Then why…?"

Dean made shoving motions toward Sam's laden but still not moving hand. "No eating no answers. Them's the rules."

A deep sigh was actually followed by a sandwich rising to be eaten. Dean waited until his brother had actually taken several bites before telling him some of what he wanted to know. "Payback. Pure and simple. I didn't want to risk Bobby since we've only got the one knife plus it'd be stupid to go after the sons of bitches alone. She was available and is expendable."

Sam looked away and ate the rest of his sandwich. Dean prompted him to have another by moving one in front of him. His brother actually took it and ate it as well. The third he grabbed all on his own.

While his brother finished, Dean went to snatch up his old clothes from the bathroom. He stopped when he found his skull head bracelet sitting on the edge of the sink along with his lighter, watch and wallet. He couldn't help a grin as he welcomed back his old friends and exchanged them for Sam's. He dumped the clothes by the door then took the swapped possessions into the main room. "Hey, I think these are yours."

Sam glanced over, looking confused until he spotted the articles in Dean's hands. "You kept them." With an eager look Sam quickly reclaimed his things.

"And why wouldn't I? You kept mine." Dean reached up and touched his amulet.

Sadness and something darker flashed across his face then it was gone. "Yeah. I guess I did."

Dean waited to see if he'd say anything else, but he didn't. "You want more food? If not we should probably get going. Want to make sure we're set up in Pontiac by the time Bobby gets there." The text from Ruby with the address had come through while Dean was still waiting for Sam to finish cleaning up and he'd forwarded it on.

"No, I'm done."

"Sweet!" He grabbed up Sam's dirty clothes again. "Paid up front or do I need to take care of it?"

"Had some cash from the gas station. Room's paid." He fished a not quite empty plastic bag from the other side of the TV to put the leftovers in. Still nestled inside were a half empty bottle of water and several health bars.

Dean had to fight down an urge to shiver, imagining Sam feeding his poor body such tasteless crap. Looked like there would be a whole slew of unpleasant things he might have to get used to. He glanced up into Sam's face – dammit, it would be worth it. And weirdest of all was the fact that though he was looking at his own mug, all the little details, how he moved his eyes, the set of his lips, every last bit of it screamed Sam to him.

They piled into the car and were soon on their way. Dean turned on the tunes but kept them low in case Sam wanted to talk. His brother looked a hundred times better now that he was clean and fed. He'd even relaxed a little. He was sure the two of them being together doing nothing but driving to their next motel in mind, was as soothing to his brother as it was to him. This more than anything shouted out they were back together again, of things having been put back to a semblance of what they'd once been. And it was great. A perfect moment. One he wished he could keep from passing, but knew he couldn't.

They'd been on the road a little over fifteen minutes, the stars and moon now shinning down on the passing fields, when he noticed Sam was slumped somewhat on the bench seat, head lolling against the back. His brother had fallen asleep.

Dean wasn't sure why he was surprised. Shit, digging yourself out of your own brother's grave was bound to tire a guy out. And that's before adding in the whole pulled from Hell business.

He was going to hate to have to wake him up once they got to Pontiac which was just another fifteen minutes or so away.

He shouldn't have worried. Sam woke himself up just when they hit town by screaming at the top of his lungs in terror.

Dean almost swiped a Chevy 4X4 trying to pull Baby to the curve so he could stop.

"Sam!" Dean reached over for him and met resistance, his brother fighting him, eyes and mouth open but not really seeing him. "Dude, it's okay! You're not there anymore. Sam!"

Dean got an elbow to the face as he jammed himself in closer, desperate to grab of hold of his brother before his frenzied panic somehow opened the door and he bolted. Dean slapped at the overhead light to switch it on, hoping that might help dispel wherever his brother thought he was.

"Sammy, come on! Sammy, stop!"

Another hit set his ears ringing. This was getting ridiculous. But he'd also seen it before. Way way long ago. As a kid, Sammy's nightmares had had a tendency of grabbing hold deep and not letting go when he woke. Yet he'd not been this bad in forever, not even when he kept having dreams about Jessica that first year after her death.

Dean finally was able to grab hold of Sam's hands. Locking his wrists in one oversized grip, Dean grabbed his head with the other hand and forced him to look at him. "Sam! Snap out of it. Sam!"

It was weird seeing his own face with eyes open too wide by pure, unadulterated fear. He was pretty sure he'd felt if not looked that way plenty of times while downstairs. He was strangely comforted right then that Sam wasn't in his body so Dean wouldn't actually see the expression with Sam's real face. Somehow it was easier to take it being his own, as if not really involving Sammy.

His brother whimpered low in his throat, his eyes blinking rapidly. Slowly they seemed to focus on him and actually see him. "D-Dean?"

His voice was rough and edged and filled with horrid need.

"Yeah, Sammy. It's me." Dean had to work around a growing lump in his throat. "It was just a nightmare, man."

Sam went limp for a moment, eyes closed, then abruptly sat up straight almost smacking Dean in the head with his. "Let go…"

It was only when he spoke that Dean realized he was still holding onto him. He released him and backed up in the seat, never taking his gaze from him, trying to make sure he was okay.

He caught movement out past Sam on the sidewalk. There was a couple half hunkered down trying to look inside. The woman noticed him looking and mouthed at him if everything was okay.

He nodded and held a thumbs up sign, trying to give them one of Sammy's disarming smiles. Sam must have noticed as well because he held up his own thumb though he never looked at them.

"You really okay?" His brother looked totally awake and in control but Dean had to ask anyway. Maybe it would prompt Sam to say something.

"Yeah. Fine. Like you said, just a nightmare." His voice was raspy and he wouldn't look his way. He said nothing else.