Episode 3 Season 12 finale
"She's not coming back, Sam." Dean told his little brother.
"Dean, she's…she's alive." Sam then lowered his head and whispered the next part. "She has to be."
"Sammy," The elder paused seeing the pain and conflict his younger brother was feeling. "Sam, Mom's…. There's no way she survived that. She went through with Lucifer. He's just…if he doesn't get her…. We don't know what's over there. We…there's no way for her to get back, Sam."
Sam looked at his brother. "But…." His heart was aching. He could not wrap his mind around the thought of not seeing her again. "We can find a way, Dean! We always find a way."
Dean shook his head. He knew what Sam was feeling. But he had resigned himself to the fact that their mother, Mary, would not be able to cross back into their world. He didn't know how that could happen.
"How is that going to work, Sam? I didn't know how to even began to try. Castiel's gone. Crowley's gone."
Sam gave Dean a look that Dean had not seen in years. It was the look that a little brother gives his big brother when the younger needs the elder to make it all better. Sam still had the child-like faith in Dean.
Dean didn't' know what to do. It made his heart ache to think that Mary was not coming back. He had seen how Sam and Mary were bonding. He had loved to watch the two act like mother and son. After the whole BMOL debacle, they had all really become closer. It had not been a long time for their little family to bond. But, they had.
"Sammy, I…." Dean started.
Sam started to back away from him. "No, Dean! This is mom. We can't…" He stopped and bowed his head. When he looked up again, there were tears in his eyes.
Dean pulled Sam into a hug. He stepped back. "I never said I wouldn't try, Sammy. But…but, we both have to be prepared for the possibility."
Dean looked at Sam for a moment.
"Are you ready? Are you going to be okay…if we can't get her back?" Dean asked.
Sam and Dean had no delusions. They were out of answers on that front. And, at the moment, they had more pressing issues. They had to deal with Jack.
More 'moments' to come!