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Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.

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Once the laughter died down Dean cracked open the fridge and pulled out a recently purchased soda.

"Something to drink?" He asked Charlie.

"Dean Winchester drinking soda?"

"Kinda hard to buy beer when you look like a Disney channel kid."

"Hey, give yourself a little more credit than that, you're steamy enough to find work as a CW teen," Charlie joked. She took the soda Dean held out to her. "Speaking of jobs. What are you two going to do about yours? Are you still going to hunt?"

Sam opened his mouth to answer but a lightbulb went off in Charlie's brain and she started speaking faster than a Gilmore Girl.

"Wait! You don't have to hunt anymore. You're just kids, and you could start fresh. Probably a good call anyways since you're not all muscle and tall and whatever like before. This could be so great! Dean, you could get your diploma! I know I said I didn't really pay attention to those books, but they're addictive and it seems like you kind of regret not getting that diploma. And Sam, you could finish college! You got into Stanford once, you could do it again or go somewhere new. Harvard!? And you could have families! Babies!"

"Hold up Charlie!" Dean laughed. "Babies? Sam's practically a baby himself."

"I'm not a baby."

"I meant in the future, obviously," Charlie clarified.

"Right, well it's all kind of a lot to take in you know? So I guess we'll just take it a day at a time. I mean there are a few things we need to get figured out right away, but all that other stuff can sit on the back burner. The back, back burner," Dean said.

"Smart thinking," Charlie said, but she looked slightly deflated. "Well I think I'm going to get set up in the guest room if that's cool."

"Oh, yeah of course," Sam smiled.

Charlie grabbed her soda and a bag of chips and left the two brothers alone in the kitchen.

"What do we need to figure out now?" Sam asked.

"Money," Dean scratched the back of his head. "It's gonna be hard to hustle pool if we can't step foot inside a bar."

"Credit card scams?" Sam asked.

"Might still be able to pull those off, but it gets tricky when I go to pay with one," Dean explained. "The old man at the register told me I couldn't buy things on my dad's card when he wasn't with me. Told him the damn thing was mine, but he didn't buy it. He held all the groceries at customer service while I went to get my dad."

"They can do that?" Sam asked.

"Right? It's crazy. Babies have their own ipads these days, but a teenager can't have a credit card? Anyways, that's what took so long. Had to find some old dude to go back with me and pay for it with the card, and he decided he needed a few last minute add ons so now this card is shot."

"Geez," Sam sighed. "Well I guess we'll have to figure that out. I got a couple hundred in cash. Should last us a little while."

"Here's another thing," Dean said. "If we're out hunting and need a place to crash no motel with more than half a star is going to rent us a room."

Sam nodded.

"I don't know man, at first it didn't seem like such a bad break," Dean ran a hand through his neatly trimmed hair. "But maybe you were right. Seven years until drinking age, well at least three before I can get a fake I.D., not being about to kick as much ass, not to mention not being able to get any ass at least not without feeling like a total perv, I mean I don't know dude."

"You've seen the light?" Sam asked.

"I've seen it," Dean sighed. "But I also did some thinking on what you were saying earlier about what happens when we try to patch this crap up."

"And?"

"And the whole thing sucks, because even if we find some crazy hoodoo to turn us back I've got the mark and we're back to square one."

"That's it then," Sam stated.

Dean looked at his little brother with a bit of uncertainty.

"We suck it up and live like this. We did it once, we can do it again."

"And hunting?" Dean asked. "I was burning bones at this age."

"We can train for now and any hunts that come our way we pass off to other hunters," Sam reasoned. "You were already a seasoned hunter by fourteen but you had Dad with you."

"Good point," Dean said. "Wait, you said train. Sam Winchester is willing to submit himself to the John Winchester hunter training program?"

Sam rolled his eyes.

"I can't count how many times you tried to skimp on laps or drills, not that you were ever successful."

"Yeah, well I've matured," Sam said in his defense. "Besides, you're the one who should be whining. When was the last time you went for a run?"

"Just last week -"

"When you weren't being chased," Sam added.

"Pft! Now that I have my youthful vigor back, I can kick your scrawny little butt at anything in John Winchester's P.E. program just like I did when we were kids."

"Yeah, yeah whatever," Sam lowered his head.

"Hey," Dean said, sensing he had upset his little brother. "It's ok Sam, you'll grow up again and be able to kick my -"

"Race you to Charlie's room!" Sam shouted as he sprinted out of the kitchen.

"You little…" Dean took off after his brother.

Sam rounded the corner and raced down the hallway. Dean was quick to follow and soon was hot on his heels. Sam gave it everything he had and a triumphant smile appeared on his face as he flew through Charlie's open door.

Dean was less than a second behind him, and was breathing heavy. Seeing the smile on his little brother's face was enough to convince him that he had made a good call in letting Sam win. Dean almost smiled himself, but managed to keep an annoyed look on his face so that Sam could gloat a little.

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Midway through the second film of the night Sam's eyelids started to droop. He knew sleep was only minutes away, and wanted to avoid being carried like a baby.

"I'm gonna hit the hay," Sam announced, causing Charlie to pause the film. "See you guys in the morning."

"Yeah, it's getting pretty late," Dean said. "Think I'll follow your lead. Goodnight, Charlie."

"Night!" Charlie called out after them.

Sam led the way out of Charlie's room and was a bit surprised when Dean followed him into his room.

"You know, just because I suggested we train like we did when we were kids doesn't mean we have to share a motel size bed like before." Sam said as he plopped down onto his bed. The blankets were already crumpled and askew from his nap earlier in the day.

"Wanted to check those cuts on your feet," Dean said as he grabbed a small first aid kit from out of one of Sam's drawers.

"I'm fine," Sam said. He rolled his eyes, but obediently placed his feet in Dean's lap once he was sitting across from him on the bed.

"Hmm, they look a little agitated," Dean mumbled as he applied small dabs of ointment.

"Yeah, well I kind of had to use my feet, you know, to walk."

Now it was Dean's turn to roll his eyes at the amount of sass Sam was exuding.

"Well," Dean started. "Maybe we should push back the morning training session for a day or two to let these heal."

"Look who's trying to skimp out. How the tides have turned," Sam laughed.

"Fine, I was only trying to give you an out," Dean ruffled Sam's shaggy hair with his clean hand. "Guess I'll see you bright and early."

Sam pushed Dean's hand away from his head, feigning annoyance. Dean laughed and got up to put away the little first-aid kit. Sam put his socks back on over the freshly bandaged feet and slid under the covers. Dean smiled when he saw how the small amount of space his brother took up on the bed.

"You want me to leave the door cracked open?" Dean asked as he hit the lights. Back in the motels as kids, Sam used to strategically be the last one to use the bathroom so he could leave the light on and keep the bathroom door cracked open just a bit for light. John Winchester wasn't going to purchase a night-light, and on the nights when he wasn't already passed out from exhaustion, John would roll out of bed and put an end to Sam's little solace saying that light emanating from their room would only work to attract monsters.

"Screw you," Sam answered.

"Goodnight, Sam," Dean said, closing the door.

"Goodnight, Dean."

Even though he had been fighting off sleep back in Charlie's room, now that he was alone with his thoughts, Sam found himself wide awake. Dean had actually agreed with him, and they were going to live with the curse. Part of Sam wanted big-brother-problem-solving Dean to kick in and refuse to be defeated by some witch's spell, but the other part of Sam realized why Dean would want to avoid getting the mark back at any cost. Sam knew that the mark made Dean feel different. He knew the mark made him feel like a freak. Sam knew all too well.

As much as it pained him to admit: Satan was right. Sam had always known there was something different about him, and not just because he was a hunter. He felt impure. The trials had nearly killed him, but they also lifted that burden of impurity. Sam felt all terror he had experienced earlier in the day when he first realized he had demon blood come rushing back. And, just like before, he couldn't stop a few tears from making their way out of his eyes and down his soft pink cheeks. He hated himself for crying, but decided to make an exception telling himself this was the last time.

Ten minutes later Sam wiped his eyes and got out of bed. He didn't know if it was from the crying, or just simple dehydration, but he needed a glass of water. Sam creaked open his bedroom door and made his way to the kitchen. Once inside he was surprised to see Dean standing in the faint glow of the open refrigerator.

"Sammy?" Dean said, turning to see his brother in the doorway. "You ok?"

"Thirsty," Sam said. Then realizing his eyes would still be red and maybe even a little puffy, he started to retreat. "It's fine though."

"Hey," Dean gently called out. "Come on, I'll get you a glass of water."

Dean flipped the light switch next to him and saw his teary eyed brother before he had backed into the darkness of the hallway.

"Sam, what's wrong?" Dean asked.

"Nothing," Sam said. "See you in the morning."

Sam turned to walk away, but Dean was already across the kitchen placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You can talk to me Sam," Dean said. He felt Sam's shoulders drop in defeat.

Sam followed Dean back into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. Dean brought over a glass of water for Sam, and set a mug in front of his own place at the table.

"Ok, so…" Dean opened.

"It's nothing really," Sam said. He took a sip of water and kept his eyes focused on the table.

Dean waited patiently for Sam to explain further. It took a few minutes and a few small sips before Sam spoke again.

"We're back in our old bodies," Sam said.

Dean nodded.

"You don't have the mark, which is great," Sam looked up into Dean's eyes. "Really, I'm happy for you."

"I'm happy for me too, but I'm sensing a 'but.'"

"But...we're back in our old bodies. Our bodies from before...everything. Before the mark, before you were contaminated. Before the trials, before I was..." Sam's voice dropped to being barely audible, "before I was purified."

Dean opened his mouth, ready to go on about how the trials had been a load of crap but then it hit him.

"You mean your blood, it's…" Dean grew quiet.

"Demon blood," Sam whispered.

Dean didn't know what to say to that. His greatest task in life had been to look out for his little brother. His father's dying request was essentially for Dean to make sure Sammy stayed good. Stayed human.

Sam watched Dean process the information, and after a few moments of silence he sighed and started to push himself up from the table. Just as he had predicted, Dean was disgusted with him.

"Sammy wait," Dean said.

Sam lowered himself back down and looked up to his brother.

"I remember what you said, back in that hotel where you scared me shitless thinking you were gonna catch fire the way you were shooting off heatwaves. You said the trials were purifying you. And I remember what you said back in that church before the angels fell, before you...well, I remember you saying that you had to confess all your sins. You had to be pure, but you know what Sammy, that was all a load of crap. You didn't need to do those things to be pure."

"Dean-"

"No," Dean insisted. "Listen, I've known you since day one. You're good, Sam. You're good through and through, and yeah maybe sometimes you made some crap choices, but who hasn't?"

Sam opened his mouth to object, but a look from Dean silenced him.

"Sam, you didn't need to do some stupid trials to cleanse your soul or blood or whatever. Demon blood or not, you're my brother and I love you."

"Yeah, but-"

"But nothing. As long as I'm here to look out for my pain in the ass little brother, you're going to be fine. And I'm not going anywhere."

Sam sat in silence for a moment, letting all of his brother's words sink in.

"Ok," Dean cleared his throat and willed the tears pooling in his eyes to retreat. "Enough of a chick-flick moment for you? Now can we get some sleep?"

"Yeah," Sam said. He tried to look casual as he wiped the moisture from the corners of his eyes. He stood and went to place his glass in the sink. Before he left the kitchen he turned back. "Thanks, Dean."

"Anytime," Dean said and he meant it.

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I know this chapter was really wordy and didn't have a lot of action, so sorry if that's not your thing.

Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review and let me know what you think!