Got my first quarantine ficlet ready for you guys. Tag for 5x14 "My Bloody Valentine" takes place after the episode ends. Just a little filler for that grey area between the episode and the next with some sibling fluff. Enjoy the read.

There were small fingers threading through his hair, the strands stiffened and matted with dried sweat. Sam pushed his head further into the familiar touch and bit back a moan as his body slowly began to wake up. Each bruise sang achingly as his brain became fully aware of them. His stomach was empty and somehow still twisting and turning and, faintly, through the scent of sweat and bile, he could smell the faintest hint of ammonia. His mouth and throat were bone-dry, and swallowing felt like tiny knives raking against the walls of his esophagus.

"S-Shay?"

Shailene stopped running her fingers through her younger brother's hair at the sound of his soft scratchy voice and looked down at bloodshot hazel eyes that opened at half-mast, "what is it Sammy?" she kept her voice low and soft, moving her hand so her fingers were pressed lightly against his temple.

"W-water?"

Shay grabbed the thermos of cool water she'd brought down to the panic room once the screaming and pleading had stopped and poured some into a plastic cup, "can you raise your head or do you need some help?"

Sam tried to lift his head, really he did, but all his muscles were too fatigued to even twitch. His older sister got the memo and carefully cupped the back of his head to lift it. She placed the rim of the cup at his lips and cautioned him to sip slowly before allowing him to drink, all the while trying to banish the memories of cradling a tinier helpless Sam in her four year old arms and holding a bottle of formula to his hungry little lips.

"Slow, baby boy," Shay crooned quietly, "slowly, I know you're thirsty but you'll make yourself puke if you drink too fast." She scratched lightly at the softer hair close to the nape of his neck, trying to soothe him.

The heavy door to the panic room squeaked sharply as it swung open, allowing Dean entrance to the room. Shay glanced up at him for a moment and then turned her attentions back to her little brother as he sputtered on the water.

"Shhh, you're okay," she murmured, taking the cup away, "just get your breath back and drink a little slower this time." A low whimper left Sam and she shushed him tenderly, "I know, Sammy, it's okay."

"He's dehydrated and weak as all hell," Shay looked up at her twin brother, "I need your help to get him back into the house so we can sponge him down," she pulled the cup back to let Sam breathe, "I don't want him in here any longer than he has to be."

Listening to Sam's screaming and not being able to soothe him had stirred her protective instincts into an uproar. She knew that, after two times being locked in this place with nothing but his inner demons to keep him company, the panic room would do little more than serve as a trigger for bad memories. Her instincts demanded that Sam be removed from this horrid place as soon as humanly possible.

"Alright," Dean swallowed thickly, "let's get him moved." Shay glanced up at her brother, concerned by his bloodshot, shining eyes and flushed cheeks.

"De," she murmured, "you okay?"

"Yeah… yeah," the elder Winchester coughed awkwardly, self-consciously rubbing his cheeks with the back of his hand, "I'm fine, bug. Let's just get Sammy moved, alright."

"Kay," Shay still felt mildly concerned for him, but decided to chalk it up towards having to sit through another one of Sam's detoxes, "I got his legs." She leaned down to drop one more kiss on her baby brother's sweaty brow and gave him a few more sips of water, "Me and Dean are gonna get you outta here and clean you up, kay Sammy?"

"Mmhmm," Sam hummed weakly, "Sh-Shay? Dean?"

"Yeah hon?"

"Yeah, dude?" Both elder siblings stopped what they were doing to look down at Sam as he licked his chapped lips, waiting patiently for him to speak again.

"'m sorry."

"Sammy," Shay breathed, "you've nothing to be sorry for, not this time."

"She's right, bud," Dean moved to the head of the bed so Sam could see him, "Famine got his hooks in you, hell, he even got to Cas. You couldn't help it. C'mere," he leaned down to rest his hands on his brother's shoulders, "let's get you moved so you can get some real rest. You've earned it."

I got some more stuff coming down the pipe, it just needs a little bit more work before I post it. Keep a look out over the next couple of days.

*~*CloudSpires1295*~*