Flicker of Hope

Chapter 7 – Don't Forget

Every day that Dean was away 'getting his head on straight' was for lack of a better word, torture, for Sam, even thought he had felt torture, he had experienced it for over 100 years in hell with 2 angry angels, hearing his niece ask "Where Dadda?" every day, with her large, sad, wet eyes, was torturous.

She would get tears in her eyes and her bottom lip would quiver, he would just melt and he would answer softly "I don't know honey, but I'm here". Sam just wanted to, and would on most days, gather her up in his arms and hold her close, rubbing her back with his large warm hand trying to sooth her worries and fears. He would tell her that her daddy was working and was really, really busy and that he would be back to see her as soon. Sam wasn't sure if she really believed him but she would put her thumb in her mouth and would fall asleep in his arms. "I know it hurts sweetheart" Sam whispers to her, his own tears filling his eyes. He feels the pain of losing his brother again, even though he knows his brother is back and out there now and he will come back to them at some point, he just can't but feel a little abandoned, like the life he has created with Hope wouldn't be fulfilling enough for his brother, that hunting would always be more important in his brothers mind.

Sam has tried for the last week to focus on Hopes happiness, seeing her smile and laugh had been his priority. Taking her out to experience a normal, loving and fun childhood that he himself had missed out on was his focus. Each weekend was filled with Play dates, birthday parties and day trips where all the things that he had wanted to do when he was a kid, they were now a priority for Hope. Sam started to capture his niece's happiness with a digital camera that he would download each week and send the best ones to Dean so he could see what he was fighting for, what he had to come back to. Sam would check and recheck his phone to see if he got a reply but there would be silence in return.

Dean stood over the werewolf he had just killed, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He looked over at his companion and gave his a small nod. They had both taken down a werewolf each, Dean was looking forward to stopping for a burger and a few hours' sleep. He stood up and cleaned the silver knife on his jeans. His phone vibrated in his back pocket, he checked it to see that Sam had sent him another photo of Hope. It was pretty timely that just after they'd finished their latest hunt, he got a picture of his adorable daughter, her curls all around her head, her green eyes sparkling, her lips stretched into a dimpled smile. Dean could do nothing but smile back at the photo.

At first he was annoyed that his brother kept reminding him of what he was leaving behind, but now he used these photos as a balm to his soul, when he was exhausted and hurt, he knew he had to keep going, keep working through his anger and his aggression so when he was ready, he could be the father and the brother they both deserved. He put his phone back in his pocket and vowed that once they had set the abandoned house to flames and had gone back to their motel, he would call Sam.

Sam was just grabbing the last of the shopping bags from the car when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He turned around to see a pair of muddy brown eyes and a gun aimed right between his eyes. "Move inside the house right now!" the man growls right in his face, spit flying.

"Ok, ok calm down" Sam says as he slams the door closed and walks slowly to the house, his shopping bags still in his hands. He pushes the front door open and drops all the bags right near the door. He listens for Hope in the lounge room, he put her in her walker as soon as they came home, she seems to be quiet for the moment. "Ok, I'm in the house, now what do you want?" Sam asks angrily as he turns to see the man who is holding them at gun point.

"I was told to find you and wait for instructions on where I'm taking you, that's all I know… now shut up!" he yells and hits Sam in the head with the butt of his gun.

"Ahhh!" Sam yells out in pain, his hands going straight to his head where the gun made contact. He takes his hands away and looks at his hands and sees blood coating a number of fingers. His head is throbbing and he can feel blood trickling onto his face. Sam hears a small noise from the lounge room and yells in his head for Hope to stay where she is.

The guy is looking at him, his eyes wide and crazy looking like he's not used to saying that kind of thing. "Just.. shut up and I won't have to do that again" he says his hands shaking while he points the gun at him again.

Sam just looks at him, fear wrapping itself around his heart. He panics when he hears another noise from the lounge again, it sounds like the wheels on Hopes walker moving towards the hall where they are standing. He wants to yell out at her to stay where she is but he doesn't want to alert this crazy person that Hope is even there. He keeps reciting things to Hope in his mind, wishing for the first time in his life. that he was an actual psychic and she could read his mind. There is a beat or two of silence and Sam thinks she has stopped moving, when she moves really slowly into the hall, her big eyes looking around the corner and Sam tries to smile at her and the assailant notices Sam's eyes are looking behind him "Wha?" he says as he turns and see Hope in her walker.

Everything happens in slow motion and yet all at once. Hope squeals in fright at the site of the man, the assailant fires a shot from his gun, it hits the wall, way off target but Sam yells out in fear "NO!" and somehow, he leaps like superman past the man, picks Hope up out of her walker and moves them both to behind the couch, Hope in his arms, shielded against his chest. "Shit" he whispers.

"What the hell? You've got a kid?!" the man yells and walks back in the lounge room to look for them. Hope is shaking in Sam's arms and he tries to sooth her but she makes a small sobbing sound and moves to behind the couch, pointing the gun at them both. "You should've told me!" He says angrily. Just as he's ab out to grab Sam again, his phone rings in his pocket.

"What?" he says when he answers an old flip phone, obviously a burner phone. He listens to the person on the line "Alright… Do I bring the kid he's got with him?" silence again then "Yeah, I know… I didn't know either" then more silence "Alright, I'll let you know when we're there" He hangs up and points the gun at Sam. "It's time to go" he says and indicates with the gun that he wants Sam to move.

"Yeah alright, just let me.." Sam started to say when the assailant hit him with the butt of the gun again. Hope starts crying out of fear.

"I said move!" he yelled at him "And shut her up!" he yells and hits Sam hard again making him stumble.

"Ah! Shit, fine, ok I'm moving" Sam yelled back, he held on to an hysterical Hope with both his arms wrapped around her, essentially shielding her from the man and pulled himself up and moved towards to door. He was unceremoniously shoved into the back of a van with a crying Hope in his arms. He soothed her as best he could, and said soft words of comfort but the whole experience was frightening him let alone a little girl who didn't really understand what was happening. "It's ok sweetheart" he said in her ear as they were thrown around with the erratic movements of the driver.

They drove for what felt like hours, there were too many twists and turns for Sam to really pay attention and with Hope crying in his ear, saying to him over and over "No" and "Ammy" he was focused on keeping her calm.

Sam was more than disorientated when they finally turned onto a gravel road and slowed to a stop. The driver got out and slid the door open on the van, bright light blinding Sam momentarily as he was dragged by his legs out of the van, dropping onto the floor, with Hope still in his arms, her head narrowly missing the door as they dropped.

"Yo!" the man yelled as whoever they were meeting up with. "Get out here!"

Sam watched as his vision started to clear as 2 men came out of the nondescript warehouse and stopped right in front of Sam and Hope. "Shit… I thought you were joking when you said he had a kid" one of the men said. Sam noticed he was a little taller than the others and had a handlebar moustache.

"Why would I kid about that?" their captor said laughing at his own joke

"Maybe we'll get Dean here faster with the kid" The guy with the moustache said pulling Sam up and pushing him to move towards the warehouse. Once inside he pushes him to sit against a wall on the cold concrete floor.

The guy with the moustache leans close to Sam, his blood shot eyes, looking a little crazy "So… do you know why you're here?" he asked Sam

Sam looks at him, what could he tell them without putting Dean and Hope in danger, he decided on trying his luck. "Well, I do now obviously… you seem to have a hard on for my brother" Sam said, adopting some of his brothers sass.

The guy gave his a back hander across the face making him see stars for a moment and Hope to make a surprised noise "Watch your mouth" he growled "We want to know where he is"

Sam figured the only way he was going to get out of here alive was if he was honest "I don't know" Sam said

The moustache man gave him another back hander but with his other had that he happened to be wearing brace knuckles on. Sam felt the brass knuckle split his lip and a welt start to form on his cheek bone, Hope let out a small whine as she was jostled from her spot in his arms, her tear streaked face was hidden in Sam's neck. "Tell me where your brother is Sambo, there is no way he left you alone"

Sam licked the split on his lip "I don't know what you're talking about" Sam said in reply

This time, Sam was prepared, the brass knuckles came down on his face again and Sam moved with the man's momentum, reducing the impact but eliciting a grunt of pain just the same as he was hit in the face again, Sam could feel it throbbing. "I know Deans back from Purgatory… now tell me, or I'll start to get serious" The man yelled in his face.

Sam took a breath, rubbed Hopes Back, trying to keep her calm and to tell her silently that he was alright. "I swear, I don't know where he is, Dean has… only been in contact with me by phone" Sam said softly, trying to keep the anger and fear out of his voice.

The moustached man looked at him contemplating what he had just said "Bullshit! You can't honestly think I'd believe Dean didn't come to you for a family reunion?"

Sam hesitated a moment, he didn't think it was a good idea for him to tell them that Hope was Dean's daughter. "He doesn't want anything to do with me… I sort of gave up the life" Sam said

"So you abandoned him? …yeah right?" The Moustached man asked scoffed

"Yeah… um… I had other priorities" Sam said looking down at Hope

"Oh you knocked up some chick and gave up huh?" he asked mockingly "I bet big brother didn't like that?"

"No…" Sam replied softly. The guilt still sat in his chest like a lead weight. He knew his choice was the right one but it still made him feel guilting that his brother had been alive and he hadn't saved him.

"I still need to know where he is… once you tell me, we'll let you go back to your new boring life huh" The man said condescendingly

"I'm telling you I don't know where he is… he doesn't tell me where he is" Sam repeated

"Well maybe you need to ask him" The Moustached man said He looked over at the weasel that captured him and asked "where is his phone?" he clicked his fingers

"Uh… I don't know?" the man said in reply

The guy with the moustache growled in frustration "What do you mean, you don't know, you didn't check him?" he asked incredulously

"I didn't check his pockets or nothing" he said taking a step back out of fear as the other man took a step forward and punched him in the nose, he collapsed to the ground, blood pouring out of his nose.

"Check his pockets!" the moustached man said to the other guy who had been silent up until then

"Sure thing boss" he replied in a gravelly voice. He stepped up to Sam and checked all his pockets then checked the back of his jeans and yanked his phone out. "Nice try" the man growled and gave Sam a kick in the ribs making him grunt out in pain and Hope to start to scream out in fear.

"Shut that kid up, I can't think with all that shrieking" the moustached man yelled and walked away from them while he thought what to do.

The man who had just confiscated Sam's phone came over to them and grabbed at Hope trying to take her out of Sam's arms "No!" Sam yelled trying to keep a hold of Hope "Please, stop! I'll keep her quiet" He said holding her tighter as the other man kept trying to pull her out of his arms, Hope screamed even louder. With the warehouse being so empty her screams and Sam's yells just echoed around the empty space, then there was a booming sound behind them, making everything stop and turn towards it. The weedy man who had been Sam and Hopes capture, had a gun in the air, aiming at the ceiling where he had fired it, causing some of the ceiling to collapse.

"If you all are done?" The moustached man had come back over to them, his hands on his hips "Sam here is going to call his big brother" He said with a small smile passing the phone back to Sam.

Sam pulled Hope closer to him, her little arms going around his neck, her fists clenched in his shirt. "Fine… what do you want me to say?" Sam said resigned

"Here" He said shoving a piece of paper at Sam "I wrote a little script and everything… just stick to that and you'll be out of here in no time. Sam looked at him disbelievingly, he knew full well, they weren't going to let them leave.

Sam took the paper from the man and looked down at his phone. He opened it and scrolled down to Deans name and number and pressed call, putting the phone to his ear and it rang he looked up to the men watching him closely and moustached man motioned to him and Sam took it to mean to put it on speaker phone. The tinny ringing of a phone came through the phones speakers, after a number of rings, Sam was starting to think that his brother wasn't going to answer when the ringing stopped suddenly and his brothers voice came over the speaker, Sam looked down at the script he had been given and started to read it "Hey Dean… um, are you going to be coming back this way soon?" Sam asked in what he hoped was a convincing tone, he wanted to think that Dean would be able to tell what he was saying between the lines but with the lengthy time apart, they weren't exactly on the same page anymore.

Dean took a beat to answer "Well Sammy… we're just finishing up this job in Albuquerque" As soon as Dean said it Sam knew what Dean was saying. When they were growing up they made up code words for everything, so if they were ever in trouble they could give the message without giving themselves away. Albuquerque was a code word for 'are you in trouble'

Sam looked down at the script and started reading it, he wanted to make one small change to give Dean the appropriate answer. "I need your help with something… it's January Dean… " Sam said robotically going off script slightly. "Ah" Sam exclaimed as he felt a hand grab his hair and yanked it back hard in warning.

"You Ok… Sam?" Dean asked hearing a muffled exclamation. His mind racing.

"Yeah, I'm fine… Just get here… I'll message you the address ok?" Sam replied hoping with all he had the Dean would take precautions before he walked into the trap.

"Alright Sammy… I'll just… I'll use the 'Back Roads' alright" he said trying to sound casual.

Sam sighs in relief at the code word 'back roads' which means bring backup "Yeah, see you soon" Sam said before hanging up, the phone was then yanked away from him.

"Yeah nice try" the moustached man said angrily, throwing the phone across the room, it lands and the concrete floor and skids all the way to the other wall but doesn't break. He punches Sam in the nose with his brass knuckles, blood pouring out down his face, covering his shirt. Hope cries into Sam's neck, clutching at him tighter like she's worried they will take her 'Ammy' away from her. "You better hope you haven't messed things up for me"

Sam is struggling to breathe through his now broken nose. "Ahh… I don't know what your talking about" Sam says sniffing

"You warned him or something… I mean what was that 'Albuquerque' and 'January' business?" he said mockingly "if he doesn't come alone, you're gonna pay"

Sam sniffs again and tries to wipe the blood of his face using his sleeve. "Look, Dean is on his way isn't he… You shouldn't care how, just that he's on his way" Sam said squinting up at the moustached man, the pain in his face was giving him the beginning of a headache.

"Yeah… Dean is going to tell me how he did it and you're going to be my bargaining chip…"

"What is all this about anyway?" Sam asked curiosity getting the better of him.

The man contemplates him for a moment "I need to ask him exactly how he got himself out of purgatory" he asks

Sam furrows his brow "How did you even know he was in purgatory in the first place?" Sam asked curiously "I didn't know until he came back" Sam asked

"I have my sources" The moustached man replies

"What sources? I asked every supernatural creature that exists, no one could tell me a thing" Sam said dropping all pretence

"Everyone knows who you are… you Winchesters have a reputation" He says sneering at Sam "Of course no one would tell you anything, your name is mud"

"Yeah, I'm getting that" Sam replies solemnly

"So I'm going to ask your big brother for his help… and he's going to tell me… or he's going to pay" He says then stands straight and walks away leaving him there worry simmering in his gut.

A number of long hours later, there is sudden movement outside the warehouse. Sam is still sitting against the wall, with Hope in his arms, her head on his shoulder and thumb in her mouth, the other hand clenching his shirt. Sam's face is a patchwork of bruises, cuts and burns, his captors having fun hurting him for their own amusement.

They were both hungry and exhausted, Hope was a tough little girl, she held on tight to him, even when she fell asleep, if anyone tried to take her out of his arms, she would scream bloody murder. Their captures learned to just leave her alone, even when they were beating on him, torturing him. She would put her little hands on his face and try to kiss his bruises better. The action brought tears to his eyes and he would tell her softly that he was alright and that they would get through this together.

There was a loud bang and smoke suddenly drifted in through a window near the entrance, Sam manoeuvred his body so his knees were up, and Hope was against his chest, he opened his shirt and wrapped it around her, enveloping them in the shirt, mushing his face into her neck, protecting them both from the smoke as much as he could.

There was another bang and a yell and then silence.

The moustached man was suddenly right beside him, moving so that his gun was now hard against the side of Sam's head.

"Sammy?" a familiar voice called from through the smoke that was still hanging in the air.

The moustached man nudged him harshly with the gun to speak "Dean…" Sam started croakily from hours of lack of use "I'm here"

"Sammy here is in a little trouble" The moustached man taunted beside him banging the gun into Sam's head

"Oh yeah, see from my point of view, you're the one in trouble" Dean said, walking towards them in his confident stroll through the smoke as it cleared around him, his own gun raised. It was a formidable sight.

"Well, he's the one with a gun to his head" the man snarled to Dean as he tightened his hold on the gun in his hand.

"Yeah, but do you really think I came alone?" There was a beat of silence, then a roar and a body came flying towards the moustached man and they both went crashing to the floor "Dean?!" Sam yelled as he realised that it was someone he didn't know fighting with his captor.

The two bodies rolled around each other, grunting as fists went flying, both fighting for control. Just as suddenly as it started, a gun skited across the floor away from them and there was silence as Dean moved towards the moustached man and the stranger who had knocked him out. "thanks" Dean said to the other man.

"Dean?" Sam said looking at them bewildered "what's going on?"

Dean looked over at him "What's going on? My little brother and my daughter got kidnapped while I was in the middle of a hunt… I brought back up" he asked as he patted the stranger on the shoulder. "You tell me what's going on"

Sam watched Dean as the stranger tied his captors hands together "They wanted you to come, used me to get you here, something about how you got out of purgatory" Sam said rubbing Hopes back as she moved her head out from under the shirt.

"What?" Dean asked confusion on his face.

Sam pointed to the moustached man on the ground "He said he wanted to find out how you got out of purgatory"

Dean looked down at the man and furrowed his brow. How had this man even known he was in purgatory, let alone the fact that he had escaped. Dean nudged the unconscious man with his foot "Hey" He said sharply "Wake up buddy, I need answers"

The man groaned and moved his head away from Deans voice " Hey" Dean said again, kicking him a little harder in the ribs "wake up" he yelled

The moustached man groaned again and opened his eyes, saw Dean then scrambled back "What the?" He said startled

Dean stalked over to him, his gun in his hand and pointed it directly at the man's forehead "What the hell do you want to know about purgatory?"

The man blinked at him "I need to know how you got out alive?" he said meekly

"Why?" Dean asked with a growl

"I need to get someone out…" the man said

Dean's eye brows rose in question "My brother…" The man said

"Ahh" Dean said "So you thought you would use my brother as bait so I would help you?" Dean asked incredulously

"Well… it worked didn't it" the man said cockily

Dean shook his head "I'm not telling you how I got out of purgatory"

"But… my brother is there" The man replied pleadingly

"Look" Dean sighed. "I don't owe you shit, but I know that place can drive you crazy, so I'm only going to give you the location of the door, it's up to you to get to him out, I owe you nothing else"

The moustached man nodded and looked down at his shaking hands. His plan had not gone very well, but at least he had a lead now. "Thanks" he said appreciatively

"Yeah, whatever man" Dean said dismissively as he walked slowly over to Sam and knelt down "Are you and Hope alright?" he asked giving a quick once over of his brothers condition.

"I've been better, Hopes just scared" he said looking down at Hope "We would really like to get the hell out of here" Sam said and then his stomach growled "And get some food"

Dean helped him stand, he could see that he was exhausted and in pain with Hope was holding on to him for dear life. "Alright Sammy, let's get you both to the car"

After giving the man the general location of the door to purgatory and promising that if he tried to come after them again he wouldn't hesitate to kill him. The brothers made a slow trek to the car and just as Dean was about to lean his brother against the car, so he could open the back door for Sam to lay down with Hope, he heard his name being called.

"Dean" the southern voice said behind him

Dean looked over at the man who had said his name and hissed "Hey, I said to wait for me to come to you" Dean looked at Sam who had his eyes barely open looking at him

The man walked closer so he was no longer in shadow "I can help you brother" he said in his southern drawl.

Sam bristled at that, his foggy mind told him that he was Deans brother not this stranger "D'en" Sam said, trying really hard to stay awake

"It's alright Sammy" Dean said softly as he and the stranger dragged him to lay down over the back seat with Hope still clutching to him.

"Who?" Sam asked the fight literally draining out of him.

Dean sighed "Just a friend Sammy" Dean looks back down at Sam as he closes his eyes and everything goes black.

Sam's eyes open and he is relieved that he is in his own bed. He wonders for a moment how he got there when he remembers his brother had come to save him and Hope. He tries to roll over but his whole body hurts, his head is pounding, he can feel a migraine coming on, his face feels swollen, he can't open his left eye. Sam tries to touch his face but a hand stops him. "Don't touch Sammy" his brothers voice says over him.

"Dean" Sam groans out

"Yeah, I'm here Sam…" Dean says soothingly, Sam opens his mouth but no sound comes out "Hope is laying in the bed beside you, she didn't like being very far away from you" Dean said chuckling. When Dean had finally placed Sam onto the bed in the cabin, Dean had tried to take Hope out of Sam's arms but she started screaming for "AMMY!" and he just found it was easier to let her stay with his little brother.

"Oh god… I feel like I was run over by a train…" Sam said groaning again, his arms and legs felt like lead and he ached all over.

"Did the guy use you as a punching bag?" Dean asked with a hint of sarcasm but a whole lot of brotherly worry.

"Yeah, they got bored waiting for you" Sam said who was looking at his brother through his one good eye. "Is everything alright?" Sam asked, he could see his brother was acting a little off.

"Everything's fine Sammy… just… I gotta rethink some things.." Dean said looking away

"What things?" Sam asked confused as he tried to sit up.

After helping Sam sit up, Dean avoided looking at his brother "Like you and Hope for one… seeing what that guy did to you Sammy… I know we've seen each other's lives hang in the balance numerous times to count, but with you out of the life now looking after my daughter, it just hit me how vulnerable you guys are and how much me going back out there is putting you in danger. I can't lose you, not now that I have you back..."

Sam looked at him, "I can look after Hope you know… I have been doing a pretty good job of it too. I haven't completely lost my skills" He said a little affronted at the implication.

Dean rushed to placate him "No, I know Sam… you've been doing a fantastic job, in fact I think you've been a better Dad to Hope than I have" Dean watched his brother go from defensive to embarrassed by his brothers praise.

hoping that his brother meant what he thought he meant but not wanted to get his hopes up.

"But now I can see that I just need to take a step back and just live my life before I miss it all" Dean said sincerely

"Wow Dean…" Sam said softly shocked "I honestly never thought I would hear you say that" Sam replied shocked by his brothers admission

"Yeah well… since I came back, I've noticed that everyone and everything is coming after me… especially with…" Dean said stopping himself

"With what Dean?" Sam asked "Not Hope?" his worry escalating by the second.

"Oh no Sammy, no one knows about Hope… no I… when I came back… OK Sam, I'm about to tell you something but you have to promise me that you won't flip out" Dean said

"I can't promise that Dean" Sam replied hesitantly

"Well, you're gonna have to because what I'm about to tell you will probably make you flip out but I need to tell you this" Dean said hesitantly

"Okay.. I'll try Dean, not to… 'flip out'" Sam said sincerely but not liking his tone.

"When I came back from Purgatory… I didn't do it alone… I brought a friend back with me" Dean said

Sam remembered asking Dean who a voice was that he had heard in the warehouse and Dean saying that it was a friend. "A friend, ok… you can have friends Dean, it's OK" Sam said sarcastically

"Yeah… this friend is… he's not human Sam… he's a vampire…" Sam suddenly opened his mouth to argue "Yeah, I know… that's why I was reluctant to tell you... but he saved my life, and he helped me get out of Purgatory… I owe him Sam" Dean watched as Sam's argument died and he just delated. On one hand Sam wanted to shake the vampires hand for bringing his big brother home but on the other he wanted to behead him at first sight.

Sam was more than ready to just kill the man, the instincts that have been drilled into him since he was a kid have been to kill the supernatural creature, no questions asked, the brothers have struggled with that over the years but with his own unfortunate history with demon blood, Sam had been a little more open to hear both sides before he made a judgement.

"I don't like it Dean… what if he brings his mates around?" Sam said fearfully "When I said 'out of the life', I mean with NO contact what so ever" Sam said fiercely

"I know Sam… he's a good guy, I don't see him having any enemies… or friends for that matter" Dean replied smirking

He watched Deans face and decided this probably wasn't a fight he was going to win "Alright… just… I understand that you needed someone to watch your back and he obviously did and I can appreciate that truthfully." Sam said trying to calm his instincts and look at it from his brothers perspective.

Dean sighed in relief "Thanks Sammy… he's… like a brother you know… a brother in arms I suppose" Dean said shrugging

Sam bristled at first, hearing his brother call this man a brother, hurt more than he was willing to admit. However when Sam thought about where they had been and what they endured, he knew his brother had needed someone who would have his back and fight alongside him. "Well… he was… he was there for you when I wasn't… so… " Sam said trying really hard to be ok with the fact that Dean had someone else to protect him.

Not for the first time since Dean had returned, Sam was feeling the guilt settle heavily in his stomach, the guilt that he hadn't been there for his brother, that he hadn't been the one to save him. Sam thought about all the times he had persuaded Dean to not kill the monster because they were different, or because they weren't hurting anyone, he felt it would be hypocritical if he sent this man away because he didn't like his brothers relationship with him. "I guess as long as he doesn't bring anything to my doorstep and he keeps you safe while you're out there hunting" Sam said

Dean smiled then he looked down at his hands "Yeah about that Sammy… I don't… I don't think I'm going back out there" He said fidgeting

"What do you mean?" Sam asked, hoping against hope that his brother meant that we going to be staying put.

"After everything that happened to you.. I can't… I just can't be out there anymore... not with you guys on your own, it will just attract more of my enemies and you deserve a safe life… both of you" Dean said sincerely

"I… I don't know what to say Dean… are you sure you're ready to give it all up?" Sam asked trying to give his brother an out if you wanted one.

"Benny and a few other friends are going to try to get us set up in a bubble, this whole place, will be a no fly zone" Dean said

Sam's eyebrows went up in surprise. "That would be amazing, to not have to worry about our past coming after us" Sam said impressed. "But… I know you Dean, I know after a few months… maybe even weeks, you'll be itching to get back out there" Sam said sceptically

"Well yeah, but… when I first came back, I was still hopped up on adrenaline and the memories of Purgatory and the never ending fight… now that I'm back here with you… I've kind of ran out of steam" Dean said looking away "especially now with you… and Hope going through all that crap…"

Sam watched his brother, his eyebrows scrunched together, he could see how tired he was, how utterly exhausted his brother was, after months of non-stop hunting, on very little sleep. Never imaging that his older brother who ran on a mere 4 hours sleep a night, would actually admit to being tired, not just physically but emotionally and mentally. Sam knew he was telling the truth, but deep down he didn't want to get his hopes up that his big brother was done with hunting for good. He started to mentally prepare himself for the inevitable day when Dean would say he needed to get back to hunting.

"Alright Dean… if that's what you really want, you can stay with us. Just know that you're going to have to start taking on some of the fun parts of looking after Hope" Sam said with a small smirk.

"Please.. I did all of that for you Sam, I can do it again with Hope… easy peezy" Dean said with a confident snap of his fingers.

"mmm hmmm" Sam replied, not convinced.

TBA