"Sam? Sammy! What happened? Are you okay? Sam!" Dean hollers, the worry now evident in his voice and in his face, if Sam could see it, and swears to himself that he heard him vomiting but is relieved when he hears Sam crawling back through the tunnel. As soon as Dean spots him, he hurries to his side and helps him up, brushing off the dirt that's covering the front of his t-shirt and trousers before cupping his dusty face with his hands, "Are you okay? I thought I heard you throwing up…you're not sick are you?"

Sam can see the worry on his older brother's face and to ease him of it, he shows him his dimpled smile, "The smell of a decomposing corpse trapped in that cavern for all those years was a little too much for me but I'm fine now, so don't worry." He then takes Dean's hands away from his face and caresses them gently, to show him that he means what he says in which Dean responds with a half-smile.

"Alright," he comforts himself before thinking back to Sam's discovery, "So the corpse's definitely Lawson?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure? We can't make any mistakes on this."

"His name's written on his mining suit but there's something else," Sam scratches the back of his head and shrugs his shoulders, a sign Dean interprets meaning that there's a problem. He looks up to the dark ceiling and closes his eyes, wondering what could've possibly gone wrong that will deny them both a decent night's sleep.

"What?" His eyes' searching Sam's expression for any hint but all he gets is a deep sigh.

"His head's missing…"

"What?! Oh this is just fantastic!" Dean waves his arms in the air in frustration, "That means we can't wrap this up until we replace his head! It could be anywhere! For all we know it could've been eaten by rats or God-knows-what!" To show how frustrated he is, Dean stomps a nearby empty barrel, the noise echoing throughout the mine as he places his hands behind his head and sighs deeply.

"I don't think so," Sam finally replies, his voice breaking the eerie silence that looms within the mine, "From what I could see of the wound, it looked like someone chopped it off. There was no signs of it being torn off by animals."

"Ah, so the plot thickens," Dean replies with a satisfactory smile, as the cogs in his head to turn, "So, it's not just a spirit coming back from the dead…someone's calling him back to do their dirty bidding but who? And more importantly, why?"

Sam slips his jacket back on, seeing as it's starting to get colder, and places his hands on his hips, "Well we can't do anymore right now. Let's retreat back to a nearby motel and try to get some sleep or that shower at least," he gestures to himself, the dirt still caked on his clothes and on his skin, mostly on his face though. Dean finds that it just makes him look more adorable, like an 8-year-old kid after playing in the sandpit.

"Sounds like a plan, Sammy. Come on, let's get our things and get outta here." Swinging the bag up over his shoulder Dean leads the way back out of the mine but when they reach the entrance area, Sam gets a unusual feeling of dread brimming in his gut. Without even thinking he tackles Dean unexpectedly to the ground just minutes before a pick-axe flies overhead, in an attempt to spear his brother in the back. It lodges itself into the nearby wall and both Winchesters don't have time to recuperate as the 6'5" "Miner" looms over them and grabs Sam by the scruff of his neck. The "Miner" immediately throws him across the cavern where a few empty barrels, that had fallen on their side, softens Sam's landing before he grabs Dean around the neck and lifts him into the air.

"I was wondering when our "guest star" would show," Dean manages to choke as his assailant continues to wring his neck. Feeling the life being "literally" squeezed from out of him, he starts to wonder, Is this it? Is this how I'm going to be taken out? After all the suffering I've been through in Hell and I get taken out by this guy? His wondering stops when he hears a loud gunshot which causes the "Miner" to let go of him, screaming out in agony. Falling hard on his back the fall winds Dean who crawls backwards away from the conflict to catch his breath. He can see now that it's Sam, with a nasty gash over his left brow, using the double-barrelled shotgun loaded with rock-salt to drive him away long enough for them to escape. Once the "Miner's" spirit dissipates Sam uses this brief moment to hurry over to Dean and lift him up onto his feet before wrapping an arm round his shoulder and directing him towards the entrance.

"It's time to make our getaway before he comes back for more," Sam notifies, only getting a small whimper out of Dean as they hurry past the water tower.

Hearing booming footsteps from behind them Sam seizes a quick glance and notices that the "Miner's" back and has his pick-axe in both hands. With one arm round his brother and his other hand holding the shotgun, Sam doesn't dare reload with the "Miner" so close behind but is a little relieved when he spots the Impala in the distance.

"Come on Dean, just a little further."

What seems like forever they finally reach the car, Sam helps Dean into the passenger seat before sliding across the Impala's hood and climbing into the driver's side. Immediately realizing that he doesn't have the keys Sam fishes them out from Dean's pockets, who has now found time to take deep breaths, and forces it into the ignition. As he roars the car into life and shifts the gears into reverse, Sam punches his foot down on the accelerator. As the car's moving backwards and gaining speed by the second Sam can see that the "Miner's" making a final attempt at hindering their escape by lifting the pick-axe backwards and tossing it towards them. As it spins dangerously towards the windshield Sam prays that the car can outrun it going backwards but finds that just as it's about to smash the glass, it disappears into thin air as does the "Miner". Not wanting to stay around any longer Sam spins the car a full 180 and drives back the way they came, his face creasing with questions as to what he just saw.

Later on, in a motel about half an hour away from Fork Mountain, Dean's fully recovered from his recent bout with breathing troubles and is sitting besides Sam on their double bed, tending to his wound, dabbing a little alcohol onto some cotton before gently applying it. However as soon as it touches it though Sam winces at the sudden sharp pain.

"Ooh, that smarts," Sam grimaces, biting down on his lower lip for some comfort from the awful throbbing. Dean smiles, continuing to dab the wound until all of the blood's gone.

"Ah, don't be such a big baby…there, all better now," Dean informs as he turns away to swap the cotton for a plaster before sticking it carefully over the cut. While Sam prods it to make sure it's secure enough, Dean picks up the first-aid kit and shoves it in the bag which is right next to the door. Once it's in Dean turns back towards Sam, his face all apologetic and soft, "Erm Sam, thanks for…you know, saving my ass back there." His little brother knows that he's not good with the whole "expressing gratitude" thing but appreciates it nonetheless, "No need to thank me De. You did the same for me, countless times in fact."

Dean rolls his eyes, "Please, don't give me another "I'm a hero" speech," waving his arms in the air in a praised fashion, "I thought I was going to vom the last time you did and speaking of which," he stops his ranting and faces Sam, "You are okay aren't you? I'm not gonna have to Mother Hen you or anything am I?" Using the word that Sam exploited earlier with great emphasis.

Sam gives out a huffed laugh, "No. I told you I'm perfectly fine now. It was just the smell of two decades worth of decomposing and God-knows what else that made me feel queasy, that's all."

"Well, that's okay then," Dean's quick to reply before he's slipping on his jacket and pulling on his shoes. Sam, who's presently in his t-shirt and boxers, stands up from the bed and places his hands on his hips, "Where are you going?"

"Ah, don't get those panties in a twist Sammy. I'm just going out to get something to eat. After nearly dying again, it's made me kinda hungry."

"The same ol' Dean, always thinking about his stomach," Sam huffs but in a jokily sort of way. Once his shoes are on Dean steps up to his tall brother, wiping his arms around him and embracing him into a tender kiss, "But you love me all the same," he says after hearing Sam moan as they part lips.

"Always," is all Sam can muster as Dean heads for the door before turning round to ask something, "Do you want anything seeing as I'm going?"

In times like this Sam would normally say "No thanks" or "I'm not hungry" but at this very moment a feeling in his gut tells him to ask for peanut butter and liquorice, "Erm yeah, I think I will."

"Well, what do you want Sammy? I can't get it if you don't tell me," Dean informs swinging his key-ring around his finger as he does.

"Could you…get me some peanut butter and some liquorice?"

Dean's face is a picture. Wide eyes, slightly open mouth and Sam swears he's seen a bit of drool at the corner of his mouth, trying to figure out Sam's weird choice in food, "But you hate liquorice."

"I know but for some reason, I want some."

Dean gives him one of those confused looks before shaking his head, "Alright, if you want it you're gonna get it but what's the peanut butter for?"

"For dunking the liquorice in?" Sam responds as though it wasn't a hard question to answer.

"So you want me to buy you liquorice so you can dunk it in the peanut butter and then, eat it?" Dean can't help but express his confusion as his brain can't fathom this peculiar combination.

"For the last time yes, is there a problem?"

"Nope, there's no problem. Just hate to think what your bowels will look like afterwards, that's all." And with that said Dean's gone out the door and into the Impala. Sam then hears it roar into life before it skids off down the road and into the distance.

Laughing to himself at Dean's reaction to his choice, Sam shuts the door and then flumps onto the bed, head on top & feet at the bottom, relaxing into its softness underneath him, placing his hands behind his head. Closing his eyes for just a moment, he suddenly feels a slight chill in the air and opens them straight away, his body jolting upright to face whatever's just entered the room. Damn! We forgot to lay out the salt! Must do it after I've dealt with the intruder! Yet he's soon faced with it, standing with its arms crossed, its long, blonde hair shining in the light and dark, black eyes peering down at him, meaning he's in serious trouble. It's only Ruby, he enlightens himself, easing a little but not much because judging by her look, it seems that Ruby's pissed off about something and when she's in that kind of mood, you've got to be prepared for anything.

"You're getting sloppy Sam since Dean's been back," Ruby implies, letting her arms fall down to her sides, "Forgetting to salt the door and windows?" She points to it, "Letting your guard down? And worse of all, succumbing to Count Dracula's will and being turned into a vampire? Thank God Dean was there else our plans would've been out the window! What the hell's the matter with you, huh?! What happened to those 4 months of me training you?!"

She gives off the impression that she's about to punch him through the wall but she calms down a little, her arms back across her chest, her eyes turning from souless black back to clear, blue ones, "Or have you been using your downstairs brain instead of the one in your head?" She then stares for a minute, as though taking a good look at Sam before smiling devilishly, "But judging by the way you two have been going at it, I'd say that was a definite."

Ruby spins on her high-heeled boots and makes herself comfortable on one of the chairs positioned directly opposite the bed, her leg crossing over the other. Sam swallows the lump in his throat and struggles to answer, knowing full well that she's right, "Look Ruby, I'm sorry but with Dean being back, we've had a lot of catching up to do."

Ruby lets out a mocking laugh, "And while you two have been busy catching up, Lilith's still out there devising a plan that could devastate the entire world and we have yet to find out where she is."

"So? Have you found anyone who might know where she is?"

"Not yet," Ruby sighs, her finger lightly tapping her bottom lip, "Ever since word had gotten out that something pulled Dean out from the very depths of Hell, demons have gone into hiding and it's very hard to track a demon once they are, believe you me." She leans in when she says this before slumping back down on the chair.

"What the hell's going on around here, Ruby?" Sam's eagerness to find out plainly palpable on his face.

Ruby heaves a deep sigh, "I wish I knew." Her silence chills the Winchester a little bit, knowing that this is not a good sign. Ruby practically knows about everything that goes on in the demon community but to hear her come up with nothing, chilled him right to the bone.

"About Dean, we've come up with an idea that some high-level demon pulled him out," he nods to make sure of this but Ruby shakes her head at his response.

"No way Sam, human souls don't just walk out of Hell and into their bodies easy. This guy bleeds, the earth quakes -- it's cosmic." This time she's standing up, walking closer to Sam until she's towering over him, "Listen to me, no demon can swing that. Not Lilith, not anybody." Her lips stay pursed, her eyes not moving from Sam's.

Sam stands up to her, taking a deep breath before wanting to know the answer to his next question, "Then what can?"

It takes a while for Ruby to answer this, as though afraid that if she says it, it will smite her down where she stands, "Nothing that I've seen before."

Sam swallows down another lump in his throat, running a hand through his bangs, now starting to soak with sweat.