Dean needed a moment. Just one. He needed to try and process everything that had happened in the last 48 hours. Sam would be alright, he knew that now and so he didn't feel guilty in leaving him in his hospital room and wandering the corridors. Despite the year (2064!) the hospital still felt like a hospital. It stank of disinfectant, nurses wandered round in scrubs looking no where near as good as they did on Dr Sexy and private rooms held patients hooked up to monitors whilst stressed family members sat tense and worried.

Hospitals never changed. Neither did the job and damn Cas to hell and back for bringing them here. Wait, that wasn't fair. Sam had demanded they go. Once the witch had done what she'd done and vanished into the pool of light they'd only had one option. They needed what she'd taken and she clearly had no problem hurting and killing for her own gain. So, Sam had demanded Cas open a, what? Window? Portal in time? And they'd all jumped through.

The world was so different now. Hover cars and trains. A mostly united planet. Technology that was off the hook compared to what Dean was used to. A few things remained the same though; hospitals were one and sleezy motels was another. Getting Cas situated was easy, the had the room for as long as they wanted and all it had cost was Dean's credit card. The actual card – apparently credit cards were a thing of the distant past now and considered collectable by those in the know.

Dean rounded a corner but didn't notice that people were getting thinner on the ground. He was subconsciously following signs for food, his thoughts turned inwards as he contemplated just how lucky he and Sam had been.

After locking down the motel room they'd split up. Sam hitting the library to try and catch up on sixty years' worth of tech upgrades and Dean to the local bar to try and score some actual currency and get the lie of the land. Fortunately, bars were another thing that hadn't changed much. Except that the pool balls were holographic. That had taken a bit of getting used to. People were also still people and in no time at all Dean had hustled his way into enough money to keep them going for a few days and found out about a weird local legend about luminous caves.

Sam had been so excited he was practically vibrating when he and Dean met up later. Clean energy, attempts at world peace, comm units (not phones) which also used holograms for real time, face to face communication and that was the tip of the iceberg. Massive reductions in the global carbon footprint, recycling as a norm by the general population. Dean was starting to worry that Sam wouldn't want to leave.

Sam had also found the legend of the luminous caves. How, at random points of the year, a swirling white light could be seen emanating from within and how all those who went to explore it never came back. They had checked it out that day.

Dean jumped suddenly as the sound of something striking metal split the air. The sound came again and again followed by an anguished cry. Moving quickly, he rounded the corner only to find the man in blue from earlier collapsed against a battered vending machine trying desperately to hold himself together. Dean's first impulse was to leave him, the man was an ass after all and had physically restrained Dean from re-entering the cave system after it had collapsed.

He should never have left Sam, Dean knew that, but the witch had been so strong and they hadn't been prepared. He and his brother had had no choice but to run under the force of her assault but the cave had collapsed with Dean on one side of the slide and Sam on the other. Dean had stumbled out in to the evening air only to be met with a stranger saying everything would be alright, he'd heard the cave-in and called International Rescue.

They they'd arrived in those preposterous (awesome) ships and the man in blue had begun snapping orders at everyone around.

He wouldn't listen! Dean had to get back to his brother, who knew what the witch was doing to him? They had no idea what they were walking into. But nothing he said or did had made a difference. He'd even taken a swing at the man but he'd dodged it like he'd been expecting it and Dean had found himself on the floor, an arm pinned behind him, with the man saying that if he didn't calm down Dean would be removed and that he couldn't help his brother from jail cell.

Dean had hated him.

He'd been forced to watch as other men in the same uniform began to clear the debris then one of them had dressed himself up like a transformer and entered the caves.

"Status Thunderbird Two." Dean remembered the call as clear as daylight.

"One male, unconscious, breathing, pulse stable" came the reply. Dean had felt light headed at the news and had rested his hands on his knees, bending double and taking some deep breaths in relief. Sam was alive. That was all that mattered. He'd felt a hand on his shoulder then and Dean had glanced up to the man (Thunderbird One? That might have been it) and they'd shared just a moment of relief before it all went horrifically wrong.

"Thunderbird One, how many people are trapped down here?" The disembodied voice on the radio asked.

"Just one reported Thunderbird Two."

"There's someone else down here. Hey! I'm with International Rescue, I'm here to get you out. Are you hurt?"

Dean had felt the ground under his feet being to tremble.

"Thunderbird Five, we have seismic activity!" Thunderbird One called.

"You're nowhere near a fault line" said a melodious voice. "However, I am picking up something localised to the caving system. You need to evacuate immediately!"

"Thunderbird Two, get out of there" Thunderbird One was running for the entrance and Dean was right next to him. A cry of pain suddenly erupted from the man in blue's comm unit followed by the unmistakable sound of breaking bone and someone choking for breath.

"Hang in there Virgil, I'm coming!" But before they reached the entrance a blinding light flared from the cave causing them both to skid to a stop and cover their eyes.

Then there was silence.

They recovered at the same time and bolted into the cave as one. There was a narrow opening, clearly made by the man in the transformer suit and the man in blue dashed for it, dove through it and was gone. Dean had stumbled through to see two men in blue crouching over a fallen third. He was a mess, he looked as though he'd been torn from the suit and thrown the length of the cave. He was also bleeding profusely. A cursory glance and Dean found the teleportation sigil splashed on a rock face in what was presumably the fallen man's blood. But Dean didn't have time for that now. Sam was still out cold and deathly pale. Far from the report Thunderbird Two had sent, Sam was struggling to breath, his pulse erratic.

Everything that happened next was a blur. The third man in blue arrived with floating stretchers. Somehow, they ended up in hospital. A few hours later and the doctor said Sam would be fine. Lots of rest and fluids, no serious damage.

It looked as though Thunderbird Two hadn't been as lucky.

In front of him the man in blue scrubbed a hand down his face to try and stem the tears. He took a deep breath and kicked out half heartedly at the machine before turning and realising Dean was there.

"Sorry" then man said not looking at him. "I broke it. There's another one" he gestured uselessly at the door.

"I find these machines generally have it coming" Dean said realising he'd missed his window to walk away.

"Yeah."

"How's your colleague?"

"He's uh" the man's voice faltered and a second later his knees threatened to give as well. Dean instinctively dove forwards and caught him guiding him to one of the sets of plastic chairs and tables that had been placed near the row of machines. The man immediately placed his elbows on the table and his face in his hands.

"I'm sorry" he said a short time later. "That's not very professional, we're supposed to be the ones helping you."

"He's not just your colleague, is he?" Dean said carefully. Dean knew love when he saw it and right now the weight of it was crushing the man in front of him.

"No" the man said shakily. "No, he's not. He's my little brother."

Dean swore harshly.

"They um" the man tried to pull himself together "they can't do anything. He's hurt too badly, it's only a matter of time but Virgil wouldn't want to live like that, even if it's only for a month or two. The family is flying in and when they get here…"

"I'm so sorry" Dean said sincerely.

"The man Virgil saved, you said he was your brother?"

"My little brother" Dean nodded.

Then man huffed an unsteady laugh.

"At least mine stayed shorter than me despite being build like an ox." Dean barked a laugh then went to the mangled machine. The damage to it was quite impressive, considering. It only took Dean a moment to pop the door off completely and liberate a bottle of water.

"Dean Winchester" he said handing the bottle over. "Thank you, for what you did for Sam."

"Scott Tracy" Scott replied. "I'd tell you you needed to pay for that but seeing as I'm going to have to replace the whole machine…" he shrugged and took a glug from the bottle. He placed it back on the table and Dean thought the man in front of him suddenly looked completely lost.

"It's my job to keep him safe" Scott said unconsciously crushing the water bottle between his hands. "I know what we do is dangerous and Virgil is the best at it but I'm the one who's meant to stop things like this from happening."

"You couldn't have" Dean said without thinking.

"I practically raised Virgil, you know, after our mom died. Dad lost himself in his work and it was just me and my four brothers. Virgil was always the least trouble – other than the weirdly coloured hair when he went through his artsy phase." Scott ghosted a smile briefly. "God, losing mom nearly killed us, how do I get them through losing Virgil too?"

Dean's heart clenched and his found himself running a had over his own face as he tried to rally his thoughts.

"My mom also died when I was little. Sam was only six months old" he began, not really sure why he was telling a stranger this. Perhaps because he needed to hear it. Or maybe because Dean needed to tell it to someone who would understand. "Dad then dove into his work, dragging Sam and I across the whole country in pursuit of it. He'd vanish on us for weeks at a time, just abandon us in some sleezy motel. How do you tell a six-year-old that dad isn't coming home for his birthday?"

"I'm sorry Allie, you know daddy has to work, he's going to make it up to you big time when he gets home though" Scott intoned as if by route.

"Yeah" Dean agreed. "I used that one a few times myself. Of course, dad never did make it up."

"Mine did" Scott conceded. "Or at least, Alan thought he did a few times and a few times I had to remind him, but he always got there in the end."

"You said you have four brothers?"

"Yeah" Scott nodded, "John, Virgil, Gordon – who was also there today – and Alan."

"So, it's a family business then?" Dean asked hollowly, struck cold by the similarities between their lives. "Set up by your dad?"

"Yeah. Listen, I shouldn't have told you all that, we don't want people knowing who we are."

"I get that" Dean nodded. "Sam and I, we have a very similar deal. We wouldn't want people knowing about us either."

"Oh yeah, what do you do?"

"Saving people, hunting things. The family business."

"Well, we don't hunt" Scott said. "But International Rescue was set up so no one would have to go through what we did. No one could save mom when… it… happened. Dad wanted to make sure no one had to suffer like we did but now" he turned towards the door looking towards where his brother no doubt lay. "I wonder if it's worth it. The price is so damn high."

They sat in silence for a moment. Dean couldn't help but agree with Scott. When Sam had started to single mindedly hunt the yellow eyed demon Dean knew he'd hunt it until his own end. For Sam the price was worth paying but for Dean? To lose his little brother? The price was too high.

"One thing I don't understand though" Scott said rising. "Virgil's wounds are not consistent with a rockfall. Rocks don't collect your blood and splash it on the walls in specific patters and I know Virgil thought someone else was down there. But there was only one way in or out." Scott shook his head. "I don't get it."

He went to leave and for a moment Dean let him go. But everything Scott had said weighed on him. They'd both lost their mothers young and raised their brothers because of it. It sounded like Scott's youngest brother had been about the same age as Sam which meant Scott was practically a parent to them, the same way Dean sometimes felt about Sam. Dean remembered that God awful punch to the gut when he'd thought Sam was dead and then the relief afterwards knowing he'd be okay. Scott wasn't going to have that relief. Instead, he was going to support his younger brothers as he gave the order for Virgil's life support to be switched off. He'd push all his own grief down and bury it under family duty and alcohol until it killed him.

Takes one to know one Dean though wryly.

"Hey wait!" He caught up to Scott and spun him back around. "You're right, they weren't in there alone."

"What? You knew!"

"Hey, simmer down. I can't explain right now and even if I did you would never believe me, so, I think I might have a way to show you."

"Show me what?"

"That the supernatural is real."

"The supernatural" Scott said sceptically. "Look, I get that it brings you comfort and I'm not gonna belittle that but I believe in what I can see."

"I know you do. So do I, which is why I need to show you. I have a friend. He's an… uh… angel… And he can heal your brother."

"You have a friend who is an angel who can heal Virgil" Scott replied disbelieving. "If that's the case then why is your brother still in the hospital?"

"Cas' batteries are a little drained but he's been resting up for days now. He should be good to go."

"Right" Scott said turning away. Dean jogged to catch up ad spun Scott round once again this time making sure he looked him dead in the eye.

"Please, what do you have to lose?"

Scott hesitated.

"How long till your family gets here?" Dean persisted.

"A few hours" Scott said. "Why?"

"Let me borrow your comm and call my friend. He can help. Please let me help."

Scott eyed Dean for a very long time before nodding minutely and holding out his comm. It took Dean a few tries before he got it connected to the motel and Cas' room.

The angel answered after the first ring.

"Dean."

"Cas how're you feeling?"

"I am much recovered Dean."

"Good. There's something I need you to do for me."