A/N

Thank you sammygirl1963, stargazer100, Kathy, Wunjo, mckydstarlight, and Christine! Aaaaaaaaaa feeels alert!


Dean narrowed his eyes, practically taking Jacob apart with his intense gaze. A long, pregnant pause passed with the two humans stared each other down and Sam hung hidden inside of a hood. With the emotions in the room running so high, it was too dangerous for him to reveal himself.

Of course, there was no way for Dean to know that.

Dean finally let go of the jacket, straightening. He didn't see a lie in Jacob's eyes, and that was the only reason he even thought to listen. "How do you know about that witch? And what makes you say he didn't die?" His lip curled into a snarl. "I was there, not three feet away. And when she was done, Sam was gone."

Jacob took a wary step backwards when Dean released him, a futile attempt to escape some of the pressure on him. Dean's gaze followed him like a hawk, and there was no evading it. Jacob brushed the front of his jacket with a sigh, glad he'd managed to avoid pissing Dean off enough to make him knock Jacob back. A fall would be disastrous for so many reasons.

"I know about the witch because he didn't die, Dean. He told me about her. And he told me about you. I told him I'd help him find you and here I am, finding you. I know it's kinda weird to believe but Jesus, you fight ghosts and shit. Sam may have been harder to find but he wasn't dead."

"Yeah, I fight 'ghosts and shit,' " Dean shot back without missing a beat, "but we searched everywhere for Sam. We followed that witch until her trail fizzled out! There was no sign of him. I mean…" his throat choked up for a second. What if he had abandoned Sam all those years ago?

What if Sam never died?

Putting forth his best efforts to stay unnoticed by either human, Sam carefully climbed up to Jacob's shoulder while Dean was drowning in uncertainty. If he was jarred from his position, he'd just slip back down into the hood. He had to see. He had to see Dean again.

He managed to position himself where a fold of fabric concealed him from view. He could just make out the other man in the room, standing there and glaring at Jacob… and Sam. Holy crap, Sam thought to himself. If he'd thought Jacob was terrifying…

Dean was on a whole new level.

The man standing there was dark and intense. It was obvious he'd trained for years. His arms were heavily muscled, and he had long, thick legs that ended in powerful boots. One of the largest humans Sam had ever laid eyes on at his new size.

Dean was built. Sam might be muscled from years of climbing up towering heights, but Dean clearly devoted himself to not only staying in shape, but also staying fit to fight. His muscles alone outsized Sam.

And likely expertly trained, Sam reminded himself. By their father, who was once in the marines, nevermind all the years spent hunting. If Dean decided Jacob was a threat, Sam and Jacob would both regret it.

To Sam, Dean's voice was a low rumble as he went on. "What do you mean, he was 'harder to find?' "

Jacob almost didn't notice the motion against his shoulder. He stiffened slightly as he realized Sam was climbing up. He almost thought the little guy was revealing himself now, while Dean was good and pissed off. Jacob wouldn't be the one to stop him, but he'd be ready to do what he could to defend Sam if he needed to. By the way Dean was built, Jacob sincerely hoped it didn't come to that. He was strong himself, but Dean's muscles were clearly honed by experience.

Dean didn't react to a tiny person suddenly appearing on Jacob's shoulder. Very sneaky. Hope you know what you're doing, Sam.

Jacob took a deep breath, keeping extra still both for his passenger and to avoid inspiring any counterattacks in Dean. "Sam was harder to find because he's a little different now." He held up a hand and positioned his finger and thumb roughly four inches apart. The measurement looked so small like that.

"Sam is about this tall now. I think that counts as pretty hard to find."

Dean and Sam both stiffened in unison at the official declaration of Sam's actual size, Sam holding his breath and Dean staring in shock. "That… tall?" he repeated, trying to wrap his head around it. Dean held up his own hand, approximating the same size. He had fingers longer than what Jacob was showing him.

"Not possible," he said in a flat denial. "I've never even heard of that happening to anyone before. It's not possible." He shook his head, trying to dispel the hope that was trying to poke and prod at his heart, sneaking in through the wall he'd built up around himself so many years ago.

A wall that grew thicker every year Sam was gone.

Jacob saw a new emotion break through some cracks in Dean's gruff demeanor. He wanted so badly to believe that Sam was alive. It was hard to reconcile something like that, and Jacob couldn't blame him for being so thrown off by the revelation. "It ispossible," he insisted gently. He took cautious steps closer to the table, glancing over the different research materials Dean had arrayed over the surface before looking back up at the man.

From the way Dean talked, he needed Sam as much as Sam needed him. He just needed to be able to accept the truth and let Sam in.

"I didn't think any of this stuff was possible until I met Sam. But it's true. And he ... well, he told me he didn't know how to find his brother now that he's this way. So I said I'd find you for him. You gotta believe me, man." Jacob leveled a hopeful, earnest expression at Dean. He tried to put as much sincerity into what he said, and waited for Dean's response.

Dean licked his lips. "But… that means I abandoned him." When he blinked at Jacob this time, his eyes were sorrowful. "I'd neverabandon my brother," he said, his voice hoarse.

That was as much as Sam could take. He hauled himself up, stubbornly determined to find his own way to break through to Dean. The hunter's eyes widened as they fastened on the small, vulnerable person that had been hiding in the hoodie. Sam stiffened a little at the scrutiny of someone so massive, but it was more from instinct and training than actual fear. He knew those green eyes. They might be hard and cold now, but they were the same eyes that had watched over him so many years ago. Keeping him safe, as much as another kid could.

"Dean…" he said, his voice so soft in the air after the rumble of the humans. "Dean you didn't abandon me. I promise. I know you'd never leave me… none of this was your fault…" he pleaded with the hunter. He didn't want Dean shouldering the blame for actions that belonged to the witch that had cursed him and no one else.

Dean's eyes flashed between Sam and Jacob, his demeanor that of a cornered wolf. "Not possible…" he managed to croak out. "Sammy? Is that you?" He took a step forward, almost reaching for Sam out of instinct. He snatched his hand back like it burned. "How?"

Jacob couldn't turn his head to see Sam's face without feeling like he'd knock him down. He remained mostly still, watching the reunion only from Dean's side of things. Emotions battled just behind those intense green eyes, just as strong as the anger Jacob had seen only moments ago. Now, there was awe, sorrow, disbelief, longing. Dean was like a blind man given sight, teetering on the edge of belief. He just needed a push.

Jacob glanced to the side and shifted his arm so his hand rested on one of the books on the table. He didn't bother to reach up for Sam. He knew that if the smaller man wanted, he could easily make the climb to the table.

Sam saw what Jacob was doing, and followed through with the motion like he was expecting it. Like they'd planned it. He scaled down the long arm in seconds, letting himself bounce off the fingers that stretched out against the book.

Sam took a few steps towards Dean, and the hunter retreated from him. Like Sam was the most terrifying thing he'd ever seen.

Dean was afraid. Sam was forcing him to confront a past that was long suppressed and buried, walled away so no one would ever see how broken he was inside.

Sam's voice was gentle and understanding. "Dean, I never died. That witch… she cursed me. You never saw me because you didn't know where to look. I promise, you didn't abandon me. Neither did dad." He stepped around a book, putting more distance between him and Jacob, and closing the distance with the hunter. It was a dangerous ploy, one that could turn around on him in a second if the hunter in Dean lashed out.

But Sam was determined to prove to Dean that he still trusted his older brother.

With those huge green eyes still suspicious above, Sam felt the hidden tears start to rise to the surface. All the pent-up emotion from the last two days, built up ever since Jacob had trapped him and caused Sam's belief he'd be taken from another family, started to come out. "Dean, it's not your fault." He brushed a hand through his hair, trying to think what he could say to get the suspicion above to fade. "Please…" Sam's voice was as hoarse as Dean's now. "Please, I came all this way… I just wanted to see you at least one more time…"

Dean's mouth tightened. He teetered on the brink of rejection and acceptance. The emotions from the small man standing on the table hurt to see. And those small eyes… The memory of hazel eyes staring up at Dean came back, Sam doing his best to coax the last of the Lucky Charms out of Dean.

He took a step forward. "Sammy?" he asked.

Sam didn't respond, his head buried in his hands. How far did they come? Dean asked himself. How far did Sam go for me? He stretched out a hand. This time, he didn't recoil from the smaller man. This time, his fingertips brushed against a tan jacket, carefully wrapping around Sam's back. He could feel a fragile spine beneath his fingers. A thumb rested against Sam's small sleeve, rubbing a reassurance.

And then Sam's feet left the table.

He barely had time to look up in surprise before he was suddenly lifting into the air. "Dean?!" he cried out, trying to pull his legs up so they weren't dangling out over the drop as he was suddenly lifted to Dean's height. "What are you doing?!"

"It's really you, isn't it?" Dean asked in surprise.

Sam nodded. Before Dean's eyes, Sam drew a small blade out into the open air. The dim light of the motel room reflected off the silver knife. A smile teased at the edge of Dean's lips. With his free hand, he lifted up his amulet, the keepsake dangling between his fingertips. For years he'd held onto the amulet for the constant reminder of Sam. His hands closed further around Sam, trying to be supportive.

The edge of Sam's jacket was pulled up as he closed his hand and his heart froze at the sight of a nasty bruise on Sam's front. "How…" Dean trailed off. He lifted Sam up further, ignoring his small brother's squirming attempts to push down the shirt and hide his injuries. Dean easily ignored that and pushed up the edge with a cautious fingertip, showing a bruise that covered Sam's entire front. "How'd you get hurt?" he asked.

Suddenly the excitement from the reunion vanished, replaced by the familiar cold determination.

Jacob had watched the reunion with awe and hope, practically holding his breath. Every step Sam took away from him and towards his brother just lifted his hopes even further. Jacob kept glancing between the brothers. Sam's upturned face was almost heartbreaking on its own, and Jacob couldn't even see it completely from this angle. Once again, he was witnessing things mostly from Dean's side, and Dean looked like he was on the edge of a knife between believing and rejecting the small man on the table.Come on, Dean. It's your brother.

You gotta believe him.

Hearing Dean call him Sammy had actually brought a smile to Jacob's face. That sounded like a big brother nickname if ever there was one. And when Dean had reached a hand towards his small brother, it was gentle and reassuring, not grabby like Jacob's first encounter with the little guy.

Even when Dean suddenly lifted Sam off the table, Jacob flinched but soon realized that there wasn't a fist constricting the smaller brother. Sam was held carefully. Jacob thought that, being his brother, Dean probably got more of a pass for picking Sam up without warning than Jacob ever would.

Jacob frowned in confusion at Dean's words. He'd lifted Sam up higher and pushed his tiny shirt out of the way. Jacob tilted his head and leaned somewhat to the side to get a glimpse, and his expression became a mask of shock. He only caught a glimpse of the dark bruising on the absolutely tiny body, but he knew without a doubt what had caused it. A memory of settling his thumb over Sam to keep him from escaping came back in full force. As if to remind him, the small cut on Jacob's hand twinged with a sudden sting. Now he could see firsthand why Sam had been so desperate to escape.

Sam was so fragile. Jacob had never once realized he'd hurt him that badly. Sam told him he was bruised, but hearing about it and seeing it were two different things entirely. Jacob felt like a monster for a few seconds.

And here he was, standing in front of a man who hunted monsters for a living. Jacob's eyes trailed slowly to Dean's face. That intensity was back. Jacob pursed his lips, knowing it was probably a matter of seconds before either Dean put it together, or Sam explained what had happened, and what Jacob really meant when he said he "met" Sam.

Despite that fearsome gaze, Jacob prepared himself for the anger he certainly deserved.

"Who did this to you?" Dean asked Sam. His voice was dark, but his grip was as gentle as ever. He let Sam tug the shirt away from his fingers, covering up the painful injury he was trying to hide. Dean's eyes flashed straight to Jacob. "Was it you?" he demanded.

Sam tried to head things off, seeing them start to spiral out of control again. "Dean, wait… he didn't mean it, he just didn't know…"

Dean scowled, freezing Sam out of fear for the expression. The hunter didn't notice. He carefully lowered Sam to the table, letting him off and doing his best to stay away from his injured chest.

With Sam out of his hands, Dean whirled towards Jacob. A second later, and he was in motion. A fist slammed into Jacob's jaw, dropping the kid like a rock. "What the hell were you thinking?" Dean demanded, staring down at the young man collapsed in front of his boots. "He's four inches tall! " All Dean could see was an innocent victim, downsized and helpless and getting hurt just because he didn't have any way to protect himself.

Jacob was motionless. He sat propped up on one hand while the other covered up the bruise that was already forming on his face. He could feel the headache forming and the pain in his neck from his head suddenly snapping to the side. Dean hit hard.

And now, he looked all the more menacing, standing over Jacob like that. Dean Winchester, the monster killer, his rage entirely focused and aimed at Jacob. Of all the things Jacob should have expected, this was on the top of the list. He could never have really expected to get away with hurting Dean's brother. Everything Sam had told him about the way Dean looked out for him when they were kids came back to Jacob.

There was nothing Dean wouldn't do for his baby brother.

Jacob's memories also helpfully reminded him of the gun Dean had tucked away on his person, and who knew how many other weapons. His gaze flickered to the side, where more weapons were arranged on the bed and within easy reach for someone as fast as Dean had just demonstrated he was. Jacob was in trouble.

"I ... I wasn't thinking. Th-that's the whole problem with me," Jacob admitted weakly, pushing himself backwards a little but unable to escape the shadow of that anger. He'd earned a punch in the face, at least. But Jacob, seeing how livid Dean was to be reunited with his lost brother only to find he'd been injured ... Jacob was worried about how beat up he'd be before Dean tossed him out.


A/N

SO MAYBE SAM AND JACOB SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT THIS ONE THROUGH FIRST

Next: Coming August 11th 2016 at 9pm est.

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