A/N

Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews! Here's the next chapter. Hope you find it enjoyable. I still haven't fixed the last chapter-I'm lazy, I admit.

Unconditional

Part 6

The first day was almost completely spent in silence. Sam had practically ignored everything Dean said or made and soon Dean gave up trying and resorted to silence himself.

"You hungry?"

Sam shook his head no and Dean having lost his appetite earlier didn't push.

Before they slept, Dean made sure the door and windows were securely locked and salted, and that the key rested safely under his pillow, right beside his most reliable knife. If Sam noticed, he didn't comment and Dean was grateful for that.

"Good night, Sammy."

His reward was a loud snort and a frustrated sigh.

Dean slipped gratefully under the covers and closed his eyes, willing sleep to come.

O0O0O0O0O0O0O

Sam woke to a grinding headache, one he used to having lately. He lifted a hand and began to dutifully massage his aching temple.

"You okay?"

Sam cracked his eyes open and glared exasperatedly at his brother.

"I guess no then."

Dean was up, and from the look of it, preparing breakfast. Sam could smell the aroma and his stomach unwillingly began to growl.

"You hungry?"

Sam considered the question for a moment and decided to go with honesty. "Yeah."

Dean smiled. Having already set two plates on the table, he proceeded to fill them up with the bacon and eggs he had prepared.

Sam went to the bathroom, limping without crutches and Dean noticed that most of the stiffness and pain was gone.

Dean sat down and began to eat silently, feeling kind of restless. Then it hit him like a nasty blow. 'Dammit, dammit!' Dean cursed himself loudly as he jumped and flew to the bathroom

He remembers all too well what Sam did to himself at the hospital. His fear that his brother might hurt himself again or worse overwhelmed him and filled him with panic. He had promised himself and his dad that he would never let anything like that happen again. He would keep Sam safe.

Dean pounded urgently on the door. "Sam!" He tried to open the door only to find it locked. He began to pound again, this time with more force.

Silence then the annoyed voice of his brother, "What?"

"Open the damn door!" Dean demanded loudly.

Sam ignored him, making Dean more suspicious and more angry. "I said open the damn door, Sam!"

The sound of the key turning, then the door finally opened. Sam glared lividly at his brother. "What?"

Dean calmed down the instant he saw Sam - his eyes began to scan his brother for injuries right away. Finding none, he inhaled, relieved. "Don't lock the door again."

"Excuse me!"

"You heard me."

Both stood there glaring squarely at each other. Sam opened his mouth ready to make a smart remark, but then changed his mind. Instead, he dragged his feet to the table and sat down. A second later, Dean followed his lead. He watched as Sam began to dig into his plate, and started to do the same.

"Want something to drink."

"Dude, I'm not your maid!"

O0O0O0O0O0O0O

By the end of the day, both brothers were restless and beside themselves with boredom. Sam suffered the emotions silently, while Dean did the very opposite.

"I'm boooored!" Dean whined loudly for the hundredth time in one hour.

"Shut up!"

"I'm booored!"

"I said shut up!"

Dean wiggled his eyes at his brother, "Sammy, how about a game of cards?"

"No."

"Common Sammy," Dean whined again, "I'm dying with boredom here. The tv sucks out loud and-"

"We could get out," Sam cut him off sharply.

Dean stared then scowled, "That was low Sam, trying to bribe your own brother. Not going to happen."

"Deal with it then."

"Sam-"

"Don't," Sam warned.

"I'm-"

Sam stood and started pacing.

"Boooored!"

"I'm going to kill you!"

A minute later Sam sat down, "Give me the damn cards!"

O0O0O0O0O0O0O

Days started to drag endlessly for the brothers. A week later, both boys were ready to climb the walls.

Dean had been trying to call their father everyday but John wasn't answering, all he got was his voice mail.

Dean stopped pretending that everything was fine. "Something is wrong!" he declared, eyeing his brother nervously. "Something's wrong with dad!"

Sam swallowed then, looking down, he cleared his throat, "Dean?"

The shakiness of his brother's voice caught Dean's attention. He looked at his brother questioningly.

Sam licked his lips. "If something happened to dad-" Sam's voice cracked, "I don't think I-"

"Nothing is going to happen to dad Sam, okay? Stop being so gloomy all the time, will you? Look at the bright side."

"What bright side, Dean?" Sam suddenly shot back, eyes ablaze.

"Well, for one, I'm alive, dad's alive," Dean sighed, "and you're alive."

"I'm not sure that's bright at all."

Dean snorted, "Why the hell can't you be grateful for what you have?"

The words bit Sam like a snake. He froze then looking up into his brother's eyes he spoke hoarsely, "I am grateful, Dean. I'm grateful I have you and dad. I mean," Sam trailed off, "I don't even understand how the man was able to look at me at all – to love me?"

"Because you're his son," Dean stated firmly, "My brother," he added softly, "and nothing anyone or anything can do will change that. Sam, we'll always be a family, and I'll be damned if I let anything destroy my family ever again."

Sam shifted uncomfortably, struggling to contain the over-flowing emotions piling up inside of him. "I'm scared," he admitted brokenly when he found his voice.

Hell, so am I. "I know."

"You don't understand."

"Well, make me understand, Sam."

Sam looked at him hard then struggled with the next words. "It's messing with my head, Dean. It's scaring the hell out of me. The things it says -"

"What things?"

Sam ran shaky fingers through his locks.

"Sam, what things?" Dean demanded more forcefully.

Sam looked away, "It said I belonged to it."

"And?"

"That you're not my brother."

Dean felt the blood drain from his face.

"That dad isn't really my dad."

Dean paled even more.

"The scary part Dean is that it keeps messing with my head - my memories, trying to make me believe it."

"I don't understand," Dean whispered.

"You're the one who taught me how to ride a bike, right?"

Dean looked at him funnily, "You know I am."

"Well," Sam swallowed, "in my head, it's no longer your face I see beside me."

Dean looked confused.

"I see someone else, Dean. I see the demon's son. The one you killed at the alley."

O0O0O0O0O0O0O

That night Dean couldn't sleep. He looked at Sam and when he made sure his brother was sleeping soundly, he slid off the bed and walked to him. Dean stood over Sam, and watched intently as his brother's chest rose and fell in a perfect rhythm. The simple task providing him with strange comfort. He sighed and unconsciously raised a palm to swat a rebellious bang from his brother's forehead. He quickly withdrew it once Sam began to stir, but his brother didn't wake and Dean was glad for that.

Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he quietly made his way to the bathroom after retrieving his shaving blade from its secret hiding place. He had been careful with it-making sure it was no where near his brother. He had been sneaking up at night when his brother was asleep and shaved. The fact that he remained clean shaven while Sam had considerably nurtured an untidy beard did not affect his conscience in any way, nor did it provoke any comment from Sam.

O0O0O0O0O0O0O

Dean woke next morning to the sound of running water. He yawned and started rubbing his eyes lazily. After some time he frowned. Sam was sure taking a long time in the bathroom.

He jumped from his bed and walked briskly to the bathroom. He contemplated knocking but for some reason changed his mind. Instead he snapped the door open – absently noticing that Sam had left it unlocked this time. The sight that greeted him made him flinch. God, what kind of a protector was he? He had forgotten to hide the blade last night, and right now Sam stood facing the mirror shaving and totally ignoring Dean's bewildered expression.

"Something wrong, Dean?"

"Uh, No," Dean scratched his head nervously and flinched again when the blade got too close for comfort to Sam's neck. He began to shift uncomfortably from foot to foot. Sam barely paid him any attention as he finished shaving, wiped his face and exited the bathroom with hardly a second glance toward his brother.

Dean watched him walk away warily. The damn kid was torturing him purposely,he just knows it. Sighing, he stepped into the bathroom himself and closed the door behind him. When he got out, Sam was already seated a the table devouring a meal of what appeared to be toast and eggs. Looking intently, Dean noticed there was only one plate present. He glared unhappily at his brother. "Dude, you are a selfish and heartless person, you know that? Next time, don't expect me to do anything for you."

Sam took another bite, "Dean?"

Dean looked up, eyebrow raising, expecting an apology.

"You can relax," Sam told him casually, "I have no intention of hurting myself, I promise."

Dean narrowed his eyes. "You promise." He was somehow doubtful.

"Yes."

"Fine."

"Okay."

"Your plate is in the microwave by the way."

Dean looked surprised for a second before a smile began to spread on his face. "Dude, I knew you wouldn't let your own brother starve."

Sam rolled his eyes, "You were NOT going to starve."

O0O0O0O0O0O0O

Dean dropped the phone with a sigh.

"Dad still not answering?"

"Yeah."

Silence, and then, "I don't understand how he could hid that secret from us all those years."

"I guess he thought he was protecting us somehow."

Sam didn't reply.

Dean sighed, hesitated a moment then spoke, "Is it still there?"

"What?"

"The voice. Is it still messing with your head?"

"No."

Dean looked up and stared directly into Sam's eyes, trying to find out if he was lying or telling the truth.

"It stops when you're around."

Dean blinked, "Really?"

Sam avoided his eyes, "Yeah, that's why I didn't want you to leave my side at the hospital. I wasn't being a baby or anything, you know."

"I didn't think you were being a baby for wanting me to stay by your side," Dean told his seriously, "I thought you were being cute."

Sam rolled his eyes, "Oh, shut up!"

Dean grinned.

"So, you feel better?"

Sam's expression changed suddenly, turning dark.

Dean noticed and frowned,"What's wrong?"

"You're right, I feel better," Sam growled angrily.

"Whoa, you lost me there."

"I knew this was going to happen," Sam snapped at him, "This is why I didn't want you to get involved! This is why I wanted to leave!"

"Sam, What the hell are you talking about?"

Sam stood up suddenly and began to pace. "I knew you would make me feel better, Dean. I knew you'd manage to make me forget something bad ever happened - you always do."

Dean raised his eyebrows, "And that's bad because-?"

Sam stopped pacing and glared at him, "Because something bad did happen, dammit. Pretending it didn't would only make things worse, I know it," he paused, "Hope is only an illusion, Dean."

"Illusion my ass."

"What's your problem, Dean? I want you to look in my eyes and tell me everything will be okay – really okay."

Dean opened his mouth to respond when his cellphone suddenly started to ring. The two brothers exchanged a hopeful look before Dean picked his phone, "Dad?"

"Dean," John's voice came cracking through the phone, "Get out now," static, "It's not safe." Static, "Go.." static.. static, "St. Lauren old church."

"Dad?" Dean felt panic consume him when the phone went suddenly dead. He looked up at Sam's worried face.

"We have to go. Now!"

O0O0O0O0O0O0O

So let me know what you think. I know this chapter was kind of dull and uneventful. Hopefully there will be some action in the next chapter.