None of them spoke for a few moments, they didn't know what to say. There was a small sound coming from Mary, it almost sounded like she was crying but trying to keep herself composed. When Dean looked at his parents he could see a hint of tears in his dad's eyes as well as both of them stared at Sam.

Sam, for his part, didn't speak either or look at any of them. He did rub at his eyes for a moment and that moment made Dean remember when Sam had been Sammy, when he had been his little brother climbing into his bed because he had a nightmare.

Sam looked two seconds away from falling asleep right there on the seat and Dean didn't know how to handle the sudden rush of older brother emotions that coursed through him.

"Sammy, you look exhausted." John finally said, his voice soft in a way that Dean hadn't heard in a very long time.

Sam didn't answer but nodded, still lightly playing with the now empty water bottle in his hands.

"From what I remember about being a hunter, you're running on four hours of sleep combined for the week." Mary said, her voice heavy. She cleared her throat and try to keep it steady. "Right?"

Still not answering Sam nodded, Dean couldn't look away from him, picking more and more things about that he didn't notice before. The premature wrinkles that were appearing, the stress lines, the bags under his eyes. He was in an almost desperate need of a shave and when he looked at his parents he knew that they were seeing the same things that he was.

Sam was only twenty-four years old, he looked closer to their dads age than to his own.

"Here's what you're going to do." Mary told him, her voice taking an authoritative tone. "You're going to go upstairs and take a shower, you can use your dads things. There's another razor under the sink if you want to shave and your dad will give you some clothes to wear for now. Then, I'm going to quickly make you something to eat because you look like you've been starving yourself and then, you're going to go to sleep."

Sam opened his mouth, most likely to argue, gripping at his cell phone when it notified him once more. He glanced at the message and almost all at once all the fight visibly left his body.

"Okay mom." he whispered, voice quiet and youngn sounding.

Mary nodded, wiping at her eyes and stood up, going over to him.

Reaching down she took his hand in hers and tugged, it was most likely nothing to him but Sam obediently stood up, towering over her. But when he looked up at her under his hair, tired and drained and everything in between, it was just so reminiscent of Sam being a child that Dean felt like he couldn't breathe.

Mary reached up for him and wrapped her arms around him, bringing him down to her and just holding him. Sam tensed up but slowly, bit by bit, relaxed more into her touch until he was bent over in what Dean was sure wasn't that comfortable a position, but holding onto her. His back and chest moved in such a way that Dean knew that he was breathing heavily and maybe was close to breaking down.

"Its okay Sammy." he could hear Mary whisper, a hand coming up to stroke at his hair. "Its okay, you're home now."

After a moment Sam straightened up, eyes wet, and rubbed at his eyes with the heel of his hand. John moved forward at that and did the same, hugging Sam tightly, not wanting to let go.

Sam was taller than John, a corner of Deans mind noted. He had been in the middle of a late growth spurt before he had left and now he was taller than both Dean and John.

"C'mon son, let's get you back onto your feet." John murmured, placing a hand on Sam's back and slowly guiding him towards the stairs. Sam let himself be led away, he glanced at Dean for a moment but then looked away, pain clear in his eyes.

Dean breathed out as Sam walked by, watching his little brother go upstairs with their dad, and then turned to their mom.

For her part Mary looked two seconds away from breaking down as well but she managed a small smile at him, going to hug him as well. Dean clung to her, burying his face in her shoulder.

"Things really got complicated in just an hour." he muttered into her skin. He could feel her give a small laugh and it made him smile as well.

"Sweetie, you can call it what it is." Mary told him, also stroking at his hair. "Its fucked up."

Despite himself Dean couldn't help but wince at the cursing and it made Mary laugh once more. He knew that his mother could curse like a sailor but it was still kinda weird to hear it coming from her.

"C'mon." she said tugging Dean towards the kitchen. "Help me get some things ready."

He could hear upstairs as Sam and their dad moved around and then the pipes shook and he could dimly make out the sound of the shower running. John joined them a minute later, staring at Mary for a moment as she was getting things out of the refrigerator.

"Dean, son, can you...leave us for a moment." he asked, swallowing hard. Dean glanced at his mother and father for a moment, seeing Mary tense up for a moment, but nodded as she set aside a small box of pasta.

Dean reached out and squeezed her arm for a moment and when he passed his dad he clasped his shoulder and went into the living room to give them a semblance of privacy.

He could hear them whispering in the kitchen, but thankfully it didn't sound like they were fighting, just talking quietly so that he didn't hear them. He knew that later on, when they had real privacy, they would talk again but for now they were getting a few things out of the way.

Dean sat down on the couch, staring at the ground as he mentally went through everything that Sam had told him. He couldn't get a few images out of his mind, the idea that a goddamn demon broke their dads neck in front of mom and forced her to make a deal was something that kept replaying in his mind.

But something else he couldn't get out of his mind, was the last thing that Sam had said. That he had been placed somewhere with other kids and forced to fight for his life, killing other kids in order to do so.

How had Sam done it? He was sure that it wouldn't be something easy for Sam to do or accept, he could almost see Sam having a breakdown after doing it.

Or maybe it didn't happen like that at all. The Sam he was imagining was a Sam from years ago that might not even exist anymore. Maybe this Sam easily killed the other kids and walked away with his head held high.

But then he remembered the world weary, exhausted, world on his shoulders Sam on the couch just minutes ago and he was sure that the second Sam his mind created didn't have a place there.

Sighing he rubbed at his eyes, completely tired himself. He already knew that he wasn't going to be able to get back to his place and was thankful that their parents kept their rooms for them. It was like being thrown back in time for his teenage years but his bed was still there and still comfortable and that was all he needed.

And if he needed the extra bit of knowing that his family was just feet away from him and safe in their own beds, he kept that to himself.

Hearing footsteps he looked up and saw his brother coming down the stairs, dressed in a pair of their dads sweats and a shirt. Even from where he was sitting, he could see that it was a bit tight on Sam, he was more broader than their dad, but was loose around his stomach. His hair was wet and surprisingly he was shaved and Dean hated how much younger it made him look.

It reminded him even more of his little brother that ran away.

"Hey." Sam said softly, his eyes were also red and slightly puffy.

"Hey." Dean answered back, just staring at his little brother and seeing more and bits of pieces of the kid he had known. Sam saw him staring and smiled slightly as well and there they were, the dimples that immediately turned Sam and Sammy.

Dean felt his heart twist in his chest and he stood up.

"C'mon." he said. "Mom's got some food ready."

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