A/n: I hope everyone had a great holiday!

Thank you to everyone who reads, writes, follows, and/or favorites. A special thank you to hectatess and Souless666 for your recent reviews.

Chapter 9

Bobby could hear the unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching and soon after saw the heated face of the elder Winchester brother appear. He had been able to make out a few raised voices, though upstairs, that's all he could get from it. Not that he needed to hear what they were saying to each other, he had a good idea based off of the brief time he had been down there with them.

"Mind if I grab a beer?"' Dean asked entering the kitchen as though he already knew the answer and it was said more as a courtesy than a question as he helped himself.

"Did you listen to a word I said before enterin' that damn room?" The hunter questioned as Dean reappeared with an El Sol pressed to his lips. He pulled it away and smacked.

"Every word."

"So you just chose to ignore me then?"

The younger man rolled his eyes. "I tried, ok?" He remarked defensively. "He doesn't want to listen to me. He'd rather bring up the past and rip me a new one."

"The past hasn't exactly been easy for him. And before you go gettin' yer boxers in'a twist I don't mean yer past past. I don't know anythin' short of what you Winchesters have told me," Bobby quickly added. "I'm talkin' about the time you've been gone."

"I thought you didn't know what he was doing?"

"I didn't. I still don't. But I was there in the aftermath of that night in the cemetery," the hunter informed gently. "I know you don't remember much, but I don't only remember it, I saw it."

Dean scoffed. "A whole lot of good it did me," he commented bitterly. "I died to save Sam and when I get back, I find out he still hates me."

"You didn't see him that night Dean."

"Yeah, sorry I missed the grave dance. Did he at least have the decency to not piss on it before he left?" The elder brother tilted the bottle back to his lips, however instead of a steady flow running smoothly down his throat, it was poured all down his chin and onto his shirt.

"What the hell?" He called out with eyes wide in surprise as he stared at his friend who now was holding his beverage.

"You've got a lotta nerve Dean Winchester!" He stormed. "Yer brother was beside himself! By the time I found him he was a mess cradlin' an even bigger mess! He watched you die Dean! And yeah ok sure, you did it to save him, but you shot yerself right in front of him!" Something in Dean's eyes changed in demeanour and he no longer could hold his friend's gaze. "I get you two have yer issues, what family doesn't? Maybe you're under the impression family is all hearts and rainbows? They ain't. They're a ragin' pain in the ass, but that doesn't mean they don't care."

Dean nodded and bit the inside of his cheek. "You should probably let him out. I don't wanna keep him where he doesn't wanna be any longer."

"I would strongly advise against that," a third voice cut in. Both men had been so occupied with the topic at hand that they had forgotten the angel was still there.

"Why?" Dean asked.

"Because your brother is not only a danger to himself, but to others as well."

"What're you talking about?"

"What you saw back in Kansas, that was only an example of what Sam Winchester is capable of."

Dean recalled his first encounter with his brother back in their home. The invisible force that had prevented him from breathing properly, the look in his sibling's eyes, the way he had been gesturing with his hands. It hadn't been normal. It hadn't been human.

"What do I have to yank your teeth out by the roots? What do you mean?!"

The angel sighed. "Sam Winchester has been condoning his demonic powers. His...abilities. This is certain to draw the attention not only of my brethren, but the attention of demons and hunters as well. He's in a very dangerous and potentially deadly position, which also endangers every one around him," the angel informed.

Dean swallowed but kept his best poker face. "Sam doesn't have any abilities. He doesn't have any demonic powers either."

"You're wrong, Dean. The blood that had been given to him by Azazel at six months of age has been...awakened, you may say."

The elder Winchester's head spun and for a second he thought he was going to collapse to the ground.

"You're...You're saying that my brother...has demon blood in him?"

"Yes," Castiel squinted and his brows knitted together. "I figured you already knew all of this. It's one of the requirements to being a vessel for Lucifer."

"Lucifer...? As in the devil?"

"You didn't know?"

Bobby frowned over at the younger man who's color had drained from his face and now looked as though he didn't know where he was. "You don't remember that demon tellin' us about Sam bein' a potential devil suit?" Dean shook his head and then rubbed his eyes. "You might wanna sit down then."

Although he wanted to maintain a strong appearance, the younger man wasn't sure if he'd be able to keep himself up should either of the two tell him anymore. He made his way over to lean up against the desk that Bobby kept stacked with books over by his fireplace.

"Let's start at the beginnin', what do you remember?"

"I...I remember showing up at Sam's place, I remember the fire, and the interrogation afterwards. I remember Sam being a complete mess after his wife died. I remember worrying about him and his mental state. I remember he had nightmares and headaches. I remember you helping us and telling us about this shit being real and Jessica's ghost. I remember going from being in the car to feeling the worst pain I've ever felt in my entire life...And that's it. Well, other than seeing Mom dead and killing the damn demon. Along with myself. Then I woke up in a coffin."

Bobby nodded and sighed. "There's quite a gap," he confirmed. He looked over at the angel and then over at the younger man. "Alright," the hunter rose to his feet. "C'mon you two," he instructed. The angel looked at him perplexed and Dean frowned.

"Come on us two what?" He inquired.

"It's time we fill in as many blanks as possible from all ends. I don't know about you, but I hate puttin' together a puzzle that's missin' all its pieces."

"That doesn't explain why we have to get up," the elder Winchester countered. "Where are we going?"

"We're gonna go to the shovel that's bound to fill up a good number of holes that need fillin' on a lotta things."

"I don't understand how this is relevant," Castiel responded. "You have far more important matters to attend to. I'm sure you can return dirt to its rightful place another time."

Dean rolled his eyes. "He doesn't mean an actual shovel or actual dirt." The younger man pushed himself from the desk and followed the hunter down the stairs, his arms were crossed as they approached the room once again. This time, the angel was also in tow. The younger Winchester looked up at the sound of the door opening with large glossy hazel eyes.

"Hey there Sam," Bobby greeted, stopping a few feet away from the young man. "We've got a lot'a catchin' up to do."

"In other words," Dean chimed in, arms still crossed over his chest. "We're all dying to know what you did last summer."

A/n: I hope everyone has a happy and safe New Year!