Sam coughed and sat up. He opened his eyes and looked around frantically.
"Sam?" Dean was to Sam's right. His eyebrows were knit together in concern. "Are you alright?" Dean asked.
Sam nodded. "I'm thirsty," he managed hoarsely.
"We'll get you water as soon as we can. How do you feel?" his brother asked.
Sam looked around the room. It was another run-down motel room that Sam had seen a million times before. Cas stood on the other side of the bed Sam was laying on. The angel's concern mirrored Dean's.
"I'm fine," Sam answered.
And then the memories flooded in. Sam closed his eyes and put a hand on his forehead.
The small, run-down town in New Mexico. The chirpy sheriff Dean had flirted with. Finding the address to this house from a strange old man. The witches gathering in the front entrance as Sam and Dean had entered. Thinking they had gotten all the witches when one of them burst from a closet. She had chanted an incantation and cut Sam before he had the chance to react. Sam had fallen to the ground.
"Sam!" Dean put a hand on Sam's shoulder.
Sam grimaced. "I'm okay. Just trying to remember what happened."
"Is this normal?" Dean asked as he looked to Cas.
"I'm not an expert on witches." The angel didn't look at Dean when he spoke.
And then Sam remembered what was going on with them. Something had happened. He didn't know what. There was some sort of argument between the two of them. They hadn't spoken to each other in over two weeks. It must have been bad for Dean to call Cas for help.
"I'm fine," Sam repeated. "I promise. I just need some water." He swung his legs over the side of the bed. Dean helped him up.
"Let me check on him," Cas said, rounding the side of the bed. Sam felt Dean's grip on his shoulder tighten. What the hell happened with them?
"He said he's fine," Dean answered for Sam.
"Dean." Sam looked at him, hoping Dean got his message of: stop being petty.
Dean stepped away from Sam as Cas got close. Cas gently put a hand on Sam's temple. Cas began healing him, and Sam could feel the warmth spread through his head and down across his body, his thirst going away.
"He'll be fine," Cas assessed.
"Yeah, I know," Dean retorted. "That's what he said."
They glared at each other.
"Okay, what the hell is going on?" Sam asked. "This is ridiculous."
"Nothing," Dean replied and walked out of the room. Sam looked towards Cas for an answer, but Cas wouldn't look at him. Sam rolled his eyes and followed Dean down the stairs. All three of them met outside by the Impala.
"Thanks for the help, Cas," Sam said, trying to warm the atmosphere.
"You're welcome, Sam."
Dean rolled his eyes and opened the driver side door.
"Okay, you know what," Sam said in exasperation. "I'm not doing this with you guys."
"Doing what?" Cas asked.
"Pretending like nothing is going on."
"Nothing is going on," Dean reassured.
Sam stepped back. "I'm not going anywhere until you guys resolve your argument."
Dean slammed the door angrily. "This isn't your business, Sam."
"It kind of is! It's affecting me," Sam retorted.
"Dean," Cas spoke. "Maybe he's right."
"Really?" Dean said, finally meeting Cas' gaze. "Because we already talked about this. We're done."
"Can you at least tell me what happened?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, Cas is an idiot, and until he gets his shit together, he's not hunting with us," Dean summarized.
Cas stared at the ground. "I wouldn't change my actions."
"And this is why we have a problem!" Dean glared at the angel.
"What did you do, Cas?" Sam asked, keeping his tone soft.
Cas looked at Sam. "Dean and I were getting groceries when we were approached by a rogue group of angels. They were after me. We weren't going to win the fight, so I flew Dean away to safety."
"And you left me!" Dean added angrily. "You're lucky you didn't take me far. If I hadn't found you and managed to expel those sons of bitches, you'd be dead!"
"So would you!" Cas returned. "They had you surrounded, Dean. Flying you out of there was the only way to keep you alive."
"You don't know that."
"Yes, I do."
They glared at each other.
Sam laughed.
They both glared at him.
"What's so funny, Sam?" Dean asked, the edge to his voice sharp enough to cut.
"You're both mad at each other for the same thing! You're both so willing to die for each other, but can't stand the thought of losing each other," Sam answered.
"I don't understand why you find it so amusing," Cas said.
"Why don't you both just agree not to take such drastic measures when it comes to each other's safety?" Sam said.
"Like you and Dean?" Cas quipped.
"It's different with you two," Sam replied.
"How?" Dean asked, crossing his arms.
"Dean and I sacrifice ourselves for things like the Apocalypse, or if the other is already dead. You guys almost killed yourselves over a grocery run." They both refused to look at each other. "Just try to be more reasonable, please? I can't lose you both." Sam opened the door and sat down in the passenger seat.
"I suppose he has a point," Cas said from outside of the car.
"I guess," Dean relented.
Silence.
Why hadn't Dean gotten in the car yet?
"Do you want to ride with us?" Dean asked, then quickly added, "Only if you want."
"I would like that, yes." Cas opened the door behind Sam and got into the car. Dean got in beside Sam.
Sam pretended not to see the look Dean gave Cas as he looked in the rearview mirror, or the look Cas gave him back when Dean started the car. Sam smiled and looked out the window. They were idiots.