Chapter Nine

Sam lay down in the long grass in the same position he and Dean had been in the night before. He watched the activity below, since the dusk had begun to fall he could see figures entering the building.

This had to be the place.

There were five cars in all parked outside which meant there was a pack pretty much at full capacity waiting on the other side. He was hoping that at night he'd be able to gain entry easier than during the day, his theory being that more vamps would be out than in.

He just hoped he was right.

Sam had stopped about five miles from the warehouse and burned the body at the side of the road. Covering himself with the ashes he'd formulated his plan, still determined to not have to call John, when he rescued Dean and the girl he didn't want his Dad to be there, only to stick around for a few days and then leave. Leave Dean again.

He just didn't think his brother could take it.

Anytime they had needed to talk to John, anytime John had called, it was Sam who had answered. Dean would make himself scarce, he thought he was being subtle, he'd head to the bathroom, he'd claim he was driving and needed to concentrate, he'd say that research was Sammy's department so if their Dad had information then it was up to Sam to get it.

But after the first month Sam had realised that Dean refused to even listen when John was on the phone. His face would suddenly take on a concentrated look, as if all his focus was on the task in hand, even if that task was just balling up his socks.

Anytime Sam mentioned John, Dean's face would pale considerably , as much as he tried to hide it behind a snarky comment or a charming grin, the pain behind his features came cross like the waves on a shore, relentless and forceful, the beat of a broken heart.

Sam often thought about that night, usually while he lay awake , unable to sleep. He would turn to face Dean and watch his brother's slow relaxed breathing. The sound taking him back to the hospital, as he'd sat by his brothers bedside waiting for him to wake up. Ignoring the sympathetic looks from the nurses, ignoring the use of the word 'if' by the Doctors. What did they know? Dean had shown them. After four days he'd moaned and reached out a hand, searching for someone. Sam had grabbed on and held Dean's cold clammy hand securely within his own two strong ones and his brother had relaxed, opened his eyes, and cried. For a few seconds Sam had been to shocked to react. But when he regained control of his senses he'd lain his hand on Dean's hair and slowly rubbed his thumb back and forth, soothing him with quiet words until his brother had fallen back to sleep.

Doctors, what did they know? His brother had awoken, and within two weeks was safely cocooned on the couch at Bobby's, grumbling about day time tv and the lack of good soaps to watch.

But the Dean on that couch had been different. His charm, his humour, his sarcasm had all returned slowly, but there was a darkness behind his eyes now, a pain always on the surface.

Sam had noticed it the first time John had called Bobby's to see how they were all doing. Dean had slowly stood from his place on the couch, opened his mouth to speak, then left the room. Bobby had motioned for Sam to follow while he filled John in on the boys wellbeing.

Sam had found Dean on the back porch, leaning against the railing with his right hip and staring off in to the distance. He hadn't turned to see Sam, but he'd tried to speak. Sam's heart broke in time with Dean's voice.

"He left us"

"Dean"

"He left me Sammy"

"I know. He had his reasons"

"Do you agree with them?"

"No bro, no I don't"

Dean had bowed his head and Sam walked forward and pulled him into a hug, there was no resistance, no fight in him, he gave in and held onto Sam while his pain escaped through his eyes and left a trail down his cheeks to pool on Sam's shirt.

Bobby had watched from the window as he threatened John over the phone.

"You come round here again John Winchester and I swear I will pull the trigger this time"

"Bobby, you know why I had to leave"

"Your boys, they needed their Daddy"

"You saying they don't now?"

"They got each other John."

Bobby watched Sam duck a swing from Dean who in turn had to duck a slap from Sam. The two were smiling at each other, as the words 'Jerk' and 'Bitch' reached his ears, He then hung up on John for the last time.

Sam had seen Dean's walls crumble, his brother had allowed him to see the pain, to hold him. Each time he seemed to emerge a little stronger than the last. For the past month or so Dean had been almost back to his old self. Almost. The most noticeable change, besides his refusing to speak to John, was that Dean would admit to pain, would admit to fatigue, maybe not straight away, but he wouldn't fight as hard to conceal it, not around Sam anyway.

He was still the macho guy around strangers and still hated them seeing any weakness, but with Sam, he allowed him in, just a little ways. But enough.

Sam watched as two cars pulled away from the warehouse, the vampires were going out for the night, at least that was in his favour.

He waited another hour and one more car pulled away. If there were ten vampires in the nest, he'd just seen six drive away. They travelled in pairs and had left in couples. Guess the mating thing wasn't just a fluke then.

He crept forward slowly, arrows at the ready, and made his way down the hill.

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To all you who read and review, i love you! Sorry if i don't get to reply personnally to your reviews

Hope you like this chapter, plenty of action to come, might let Dean out of those chains. Then again i might keep him in them just for my own ahem amusement!