AN: This chapter's a little slow, but characters have to absorb a lot of information, so I think it works. Thank you to all those who reviewed last chapter; I really needed the motivation this time. Also I apologize for the wait. I just started college and it's been difficult to find time to write.

Chapter 5

The Winchesters are moved to the closest city's jail, which include bunk-beds with some semblance of a mattress, and that promise to be more comfortable than any other arrangements that could be made on such short notice, considering their criminal status. Though that doesn't seem to concern Dean in the slightest, who doesn't stir from his angel-induced slumber the entire time and has to be carried by said angel from building to car and then car to building; his worried brother hovering nearby in handcuffs.

"Is he really going to be okay?" J.J. asks Castiel as he gently lays the older Winchester on the bottom bunk bed.

"This will probably be the most restful sleep he has had in a long time. He will not wake until his body is fully rejuvenated." He pauses a moment before continuing, "There was once a time that he could not, and would not sleep without my assistance to keep the memories at bay." Castiel says as if they are talking about the weather and not a man's tortured psyche.

"That's awful. I can't imagine having to deal with that."

"He spent thirty years being tortured in Hell, and a year fighting for his life both day and night in Purgatory. I am surprised he does not have more trouble sleeping."

J.J. doesn't know how to respond to that. It is clear that Castiel believes every word that he has told her and, even without the religious aspects of the statement and the questionable timeline, it is clear that Dean has gone through some sort of serious trauma.

Several minutes later J.J.'s pulled from her thoughts when Sam and Morgan walk in, Sam freshly showered and in clean clothes, and carrying extra blankets and a change of clothes for his brother.

"Thanks for the extra blankets Agent Morgan." Sam says as he enters the cell.

"Not a problem. Frankly, if you think it will help him, I'm willing to give you as many blankets as you want." Morgan says, not quite sure why he's taking pity on the worn-out Winchester and his tortured brother.

Sam offers him a small smile of gratitude; then joins Cas keeping vigil over Dean. After a moment Sam clears his throat, subconsciously rubbing a hand over the bruising on his neck that is starting to show.

"Cas, you should probably get back to Claire." Sam says. "I can take care of Dean. Claire needs you."

Castiel meets Sam's eyes, tilts his head to the side, nods, and then exits the cell without another word.

"He seems…interesting." Morgan offers as he watches the angel leave.

"I'm sure he's already mentioned this, but he's an angel." Sam starts, "He doesn't fully understand human behavior. Not to mention he has huge chunks of his memory missing or that have been altered in an effort to control him. It's really not that surprising he acts like a mentally challenged child sometimes."

Sam stifles a yawn. He pulls the mattress from the top bunk to the floor before grabbing a couple of the blankets and draping them over his brother.

"…I'm not even going to ask." Morgan says, shaking his head and exiting the cell.

He's dealt with some really messed up people before, but this was on a different level. Surely nothing these men say is true. Angels? Demons? People messing with memories to control them? It sounds to him like they've seen a few too many movies.

"Are you planning on sleeping on the floor?" J.J. asks Sam as he sits on the mattress.

"I should keep an eye on Dean… Besides, I'm too tall to fit on the top bunk." Sam says, trying to hide the concern in his voice with humor, but failing due to exhaustion.

"I'm sure he'll be okay." J.J. offers, placing a comforting hand on Sam's shoulder.

He offers another small smile before focusing on Dean again.

'I hope I'm right.' J.J. thinks as she leaves the cell, glancing at the brothers one last time.

"Something about this case bothers me. It just doesn't feel right." Morgan says breaking the tense silence the team has been in since locking up the Winchesters.

"What do you mean?" Hotch asks, looking up from the notes Rossi had given him on his conversation with Castiel.

"I'm not sure. It's clear from everyone's testimony that Dean is the person who killed those five people, but I feel like we're missing something here. The transcript from Baltimore… the way Dean was acting then, compared to now…I think he was innocent."

"I think I'm starting to agree with you…"

Everyone stops to look at Reid, who is still looking through some of the witness accounts.

"Everything is pointing towards their innocence… for the previous murders at least. Even the supposed bank robbery in Milwaukee seems as if only half of the story is being told. I think we need to talk to the Winchesters again. Something that Sam said leads me to believe my thoughts are accurate."

"What did Sam say?" Hotch asks, curious what could make Dr. Reid think these men could be innocent of any of their crimes.

"He mentioned that on multiple occasions officers have let them escape."

"What?" Morgan interjects. "Why would anyone let them go?"

"Sam said that they saved the officer's life." Reid explains, putting down the file he's reading.

"That would certainly make me reconsider my first impressions of a person." Morgan agrees thoughtfully.

"Maybe, but I don't think I would let them go unless I had a really good reason to." Hotch adds.

"Then we need to find out their good reasons." Morgan responds, standing, ready to go interrogate the brothers.

"We should wait till Dean is awake. Then we can see if their stories match." Rossi says, stopping Morgan before he can leave. "It's also been a long day. We can ask tomorrow after everyone gets a good night's sleep."

Sam was permitted to eat dinner in his cell that night instead of going to the cafeteria; the guards apparently having been told that if he didn't want to leave his brother, not to force him. He hadn't eaten much and he was starting to regret it now. Maybe if he had a full stomach he could actually get some sleep; but every time he feels like he's nodding off he jerks awake again. It's as if his body knows what his mind won't admit: that he's scared of Dean. Now, Sam has gotten in fist fights with Dean before that have ended in bruises and broken bones, fights far worse than this last one, but something about what happened that afternoon made this different. Dean didn't fight without a reason, heck, if he can avoid hurting people at all, he does. So for Dean's first reaction to his touch to be to attack him…

Sam sighs and lies down on the mattress again. He rubs at his face. His feet poke off the edge of the mattress, his blanket barely covering his long frame. He looks up at his brother on the bunk and watches as he sleeps soundly for the first time in God knows how long. After dinner Sam had changed Dean into a clean shirt and Dean had since shifted to his side and then to his belly where he is now, blankets askew, hair tousled, and mouth agape as he softly snores. Sam sighs again. 'I hope he'll be okay. I don't want to have to deal with these guys on my own…' Sam purposefully rolls on his side so his back is to Dean, proving to himself that he's not scared of his own brother. He pulls his blanket tight and closes his eyes, willing sleep to take him. Tomorrow's going to be a long day.

AN: I have started working on an alternate ch. 5 inspired by BranchSuper. I will publish it as its own story, so look forward to that! (Dean on a plane is hilarious) Not sure when I will be able to update again, but till then please read and review! 3