A/N: Sorry it's been a while and I know this chapter isn't much, but I wanted to focus a little more on the personal interactions rather than get to the bigger stuff (*cough* season 4 finale *cough*). From now on I will be updating this story on Tuesdays as it works out better for me. Enjoy.

2009 – May

Part 2

South Dakota – Sioux Falls

Dean looked up as the door opened. He stood up, turning towards Charlotte before he froze and frowned at the sight of Natalie right on her tail. "Natalie?"

"Where is he?" the other hunter blurted out.

"What?" Dean said, still confused and he looked to Charlotte for some kind of clue. She shrugged.

"Dean!" Dean snapped his head back to Natalie. "Where is he?"

"Look, Natalie-"

"Don't," she started in a low voice, "I know he's your brother, and I know I'm just some stranger to you still, but I care about Sam and right now, he needs to know that there are people here for him, people who care about him. So, I'll ask again. Where is he?"

Dean pursed his lips for a moment, his eyes locked with Natalie's before he looked away and nodded his head towards the stairs, "Downstairs. Locked in a panic room. Nothing can get in or out except us."

Natalie left, her feet stomping down the stairs and Dean looked up to see Charlotte watching the door. He glanced at the door and could hear the faint murmur of voices drifting up the stairs. He sighed and moved towards Charlotte. When he had her attention he grabbed her wrist and tugged her behind him towards the back door.

They were silent as they moved out into the first row of cars, silent as Dean let go and turned, rubbing one hand over his mouth as he tried to form the right words. They were silent as Charlotte folded her arms with a worried frown and silent as Dean paced for a couple of seconds before he stopped and faced her. "Before you murder me, I want you to know that I had no choice."

Charlotte's eyes narrowed a little further and her shoulders tensed up around her neck, "Dean? What did you do?"

"I-" he stopped and sagged in his spot. "I, I gave the angels what they wanted."

Slowly she dropped her arms to her sides as her eyes widened. "What?" she whispered.

Dean swallowed and shook his head, "I know that there's a bad history between you guys. I know, but Sam, it was either that or he-"

"You sided with the angels!"

"Sam would become a monster! I couldn't let that happen!"

"There's a catch Dean! There's always a stupid catch!"

Dean shook his head and ground his teeth together. "They said, that I can do this. I can stop Lilith."

Charlotte scoffed and shook her head. "Dean," she said, her voice softening, "they're lying. It's-" she sighed and hung her head. After a few moments she looked back up to him and shook her head again, "It's too late to stop her. Probably. She- She's the last seal. Her death frees Lucifer, and they should know that."

Dean stared, blinked, tilted his head slightly and frowned. "What?"

Charlotte licked her lips, "It's why I was trying to kill Lilith so long ago, why I was being... cagey and ratty with you. I knew that if I didn't do it then then it was too late."

Dean frowned a little more and said, "So why'd you stop?"

She gave him a look and rolled her eyes. "You came back." She paused before she carried on, "You came back and I, I kind of just, put it on hold. I'd missed you and, seeing you back, yeah I freaked out a little but you were supposed to be dead." She sighed and took a step closer to grab Dean's hands with hers. She gave him a small smile and looked down at their joined hands before she glanced back up at him. "I was afraid of losing you, again, and I didn't want you getting into trouble that would get you killed. I worried more about you, and Sam, than killing a demon."

Dean squeezed her fingers gently as he studied her face before he smiled slightly and whispered, "Aren't you romantic?"

Charlotte snorted and pushed against Dean's chest, "Dick."

He grinned and pulled her against his chest so that he could wrap his arms around her shoulders. "You love it."

"I swear to God, if you're making a joke-"

Dean laughed and kissed her cheek. "Always." He closed his eyes and sighed as he held onto her a little longer before he pulled back far enough to look at her again. "If it makes you feel any better, it was Cas I made the deal with."

Charlotte shrugged a shoulder and leaned her cheek against his hand. "Not massively, but I'll take it."

"And I promise not to kill Lilith."

"Good." She pecked his lips and pressed her forehead to his with a small hum. They stayed like that for a few seconds, wrapped up in each others arms before Charlotte whispered, "You're doing the right thing, for Sam."

Dean's eyes snapped open and he ducked his head, "So why does it feel like I'm killing him?"

"Demon blood."

Dean sighed and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Why didn't I see it sooner?"

"Don't beat yourself up, this isn't your fault, and it isn't Sam's." He snorted and Charlotte slapped his side, "Shut up. He'd just lost his brother and Ruby was offering him a path to revenge paved in good intentions."

"Yeah, with demon blood."

Charlotte poked Dean's side and forced him to look back at her, "Hell." Dean froze at the word and Charlotte kissed his cheek gently before she carried on in a small voice, "You remember how you told me that you said yes? That you said yes because you felt like you had no other choice? Because it felt as though you had nothing left?" Dean squeezed her shoulders slightly, his eyes glazed over as the muscles in his jaw tightened. "Now see it from Sam''s perspective. Lilith was responsible for sending you to hell. Ruby was offering him a way to get back on his feet, get back in the fight and kill her."

Dean stared at her, the muscles in his arms tense. Slowly, he managed to relax and pull her back against his chest so that he could bury his face in the crook of her neck. "It's Sammy-" he offered finally.

"I know."

"Sam-"

"I know. And we're trying to help him, we're going to help him."

Dean nodded his head and closed his eyes as he clung to Charlotte a little tighter again. "I hope so."

Natalie stroked her fingers through Sam's hair and watched his face carefully with a soft expression. She'd had no idea anybody could look so... broken. She hummed quietly listening to his breathing with a satisfied feeling that he was still with them, still alive.

"Natalie?" he whispered hoarsely and she stopped her fingers to meet his gaze.

"Hey Sam," she muttered with a wide smile, "how are you feeling?"

He frowned and tried to pull his head away from her hand, "What are you doing?"

"What?"

"What are you doing? Here?"

She raised her brows at him and withdrew her hand to prop herself up on the floor. "What do you think Sam? I'm here for you."

He stared at her a little longer before he looked away. "Why?"

"Why?" she started, "Because I care about you? Because I know what it's like to feel at the end of your rope?" Sam snapped his head back towards her with a deep frown. "I know what it's like to be desperate enough to do anything, even if it's no doubt going to be bad for you? Did I mention that I care about you?"

Sam tilted his head slightly and muttered, "What happened?"

Natalie sighed and stood up to perch herself on the edge of the bed. "That's a story for a different day." She stroked her fingers through his hair and mumbled, "For now, can you just rest? Please? We need you to be you."

Sam stared up at her with wide eyes before he let his head fall back against the pillow with a nod. "Okay."

"Thank you." She leaned down to press a small kiss to his temple and whispered, "I'll be right here."