-1Okay, well the fact that my readers are completely torn on how they feel about Cassie sort of upsets me, she is not some big part of the story… in fact my intent was to use her as a cameo to show how uncomfortable it was for Dean to be around someone like that these days… someone he used to love so much. I myself do not care for Cassie at all, BUT there is a valid point here in the fact that bringing her in and the never speaking of her again would be sort of stupid. HOWEVER this is NOT a Dean and Cassie story, nor will it ever be, I'm not a romance writer and she will probably come back into the story for a short scene or two but she is not the center of the story she was never intended to be this is a story about Dean beating the odds, about the bond of brotherhood not about some girl. Thank you all so much for your opinions on the last chapter and I hope you enjoy this chapter much more then the last one.

Bar Fights and Bullets

Chapter 19

"You knew this wasn't going to be easy." Sam grunted from where he stood behind his brother his hands planted firmly around Dean's waist as the older man clutched desperately to the parallel bars on each side of him. Sweat was already pouring down his forehead and they hadn't even started yet.

He looked down at the monstrous leg braces devouring his now deteriorated limbs and snarled, "Even if I could feel my feet how the hell am I supposed to lift them in these damn things???"

"I'm going to help you." Sam felt his own arm's burning from the weight of his brother who he was currently helping support and took in a deep breath. "Just try not to freak out this time alright? Nice and slow…"

Dean nodded determination burning in his eyes as he swallowed down a few swift breaths, it had been a little over two weeks since he and Sam had seen Cassie, and neither one of them had said much about it. Dean simply added it to the list of reasons for him to pull through this, he was never going to forget the pity and the sadness in her eyes, and he was determined as hell to never see it there again. "Ok…"

"Just concentrate." Sam whispered , "Use your toes to guide the rest of your foot and push it forward, you have to use what you have and not dwell on what you don't the rest of it will come with time…."

"Thank you Dr. Phil."

"Shut up and concentrate."

His heart was working over time in his chest, his pulse racing, the blood rushing through his veins going no less then two hundred miles an hour as Dean looked up from his feet where he had been staring to the long distance in front of him. What if he couldn't do it? What if he fell? What if the bars gave out? So many questions found their way into his brain so many thoughts pounding into the back of his skull for a minute he thought his head might explode as his hands began to shake.

Hearing his brother's uneven and shallow breaths Sam sighed trying to remain as patient as he could and spoke softly keeping his words even and calm. "Deep breaths, you can do this…."

"Wha-what if I fall?"

"Then I'll catch you."

"But whose gonna catch you?"

"You're not going to fall Dean, aside from me there's all kinds of things…. bars and wires and straps making sure that you stay up right okay?"

"Yeah that you put together!"

"Dean, just try alright? Nothing is going to happen I promise…"

Dean thought for a second about the first time he had tried these things and the fit he had thrown, the emptiness he had felt , the self hatred, the self pity… The anger, he had come so far since then, cleared so many hurdles that it felt like a life time ago. As he studied the long stretch of emptiness before him he found himself picturing it to be his road to a full and real recovery, all he had to do was take one single small step at a time and before he knew it he would reach it's end and claim his victory.

Sam, Sam was right there with him, just as he had always been and always would be, they would take these steps together, and even if he would never say it, even if Sam never heard the words Dean hoped his little brother knew just how much that meant to him.

"Okay here we go…." He mumbled under his breath his knuckles turning instantly white as his grip around the bars in his grasp grew tighter, he could feel the carpet against the three toes which had regained their sensation all he had to do was use that to his advantage, push forward. He could do this…

Closing his eyes he watched himself taking a full and complete step, he could see his foot lift from the carpet and come down again with ease, a motion he had not that long ago taken for granted.

Sam's clutch around his brother's waist grew tighter as he felt Dean's entire form tense up, he moved in a little closer to him. "Nice and easy…" His voice was barely even a whisper.

John watched wordlessly silent from the hallway entrance not wanting to break the concentration his son's were currently bathed in, his arms were still full of clean laundry as he leaned slightly against the doorframe. "come on…." he mouthed to himself hopefully, watching intensely unable to tear his eyes away. "just one step…."

"Sammy…" Dean's voice was tired and strained.

"Try…" Sam made sure to keep his tone positive as he spoke fixing his eyes on his brother's feet.

"I can-"

"Shut up Dean…Concentrate."

It was almost a full two minutes before Dean's toes twitched heavily, he knew it was coming he could feel it inside of him . He drew in another deep breath and released it as his foot slid forward in a slow and deliberate motion. His balance immediately wavered and he felt his brother's arms instinctively hold tighter to him, as he inhaled sharply, his eyes flying open, he stared in shock down at his legs… "S-Sam…" he couldn't prevent the smile that pressed full and hard against his lips. Had he really just done it? Had he really just taken his first step?

Sam's heart jumped in his chest tears springing into his eyes , it couldn't have been more then an inch but it was something…. He had seen it, Dean's foot had moved, he had taken a step…."I-I saw." He whispered trying to hide the tears from his voice.

"So did I…" both boys looked up to see their father now walking toward them dropping the laundry in the middle of the couch on his way, a satisfied grin on his face. "It won't be long now…" his words were up beat and optimistic as he placed a warm hand on Dean's shoulder and squeezed it proudly, "I…We-" He corrected himself looking to Sam and nodding, "knew you could do it…."

Dean's smile broadened a little "Can uh… I sit down now though?" he asked his entire body aching and fatigued from that single step as he nearly fell back into Sam forcing more weight on to the younger yet taller man.

"I thought you would want to try for another one." Sam smirked jokingly already helping Dean back into his chair.

"Funny…" the exhausted man quipped rolling his eyes.

"You boys have been at this all day anyway, what do you say you give it a rest and we go get some pizza and a 6 pack instead… to celebrate."

"Father knows best." Dean chuckled, "Those are two things I refuse to argue with, food and beer."

"Yeah the only two things." it was now Sam's turn to laugh as he began to take Dean toward the back bathroom so he could get cleaned up.

"You eat like three times what I eat dude so I don't even want to hear it!"

"I do not…"

"You wanna make a bet?"

John smirked to himself as he heard his son's voices disappear down the hallway and he shook his head running his fingers along one of the bars in front of him mindlessly he allowed his thoughts to wander a little. There had been a while where he had thought this day would never come, where he wondered if he would ever see his son's smile again or if his family would ever be whole again… but now, now everything seemed to be looking up…

The winds of change might have blown them over, but the Winchester's always found a way to get back up again, they never stayed down for long and never accepted defeat.

"Dad?" Sam's voice found it's way into the lost man's thoughts as he blinked himself back into the here and now offering his youngest son a small smile.

"Hmmm?"

"You alright?"

"Yeah.." John cleared his throat, "Yeah, just thinking about something…"

"What's that?"

"Nothing."

"Okay then… "Sam gave his father a questioning look but decided not to press any further as he made his way to the fridge and retrieved a water bottle unscrewing it's cap and taking a long drink.

"Sammy?"

"Yeah?"

"You know how much I appreciate you helping your brother don't you?"

"Well yeah, but dad he's my brother… it's my job."

"He doesn't see it that way."

"No, but he's a stubborn mule, he doesn't accept help from anyone…."

"Yeah well…" John shook his head laughing a little and rolled his neck from side to side, "What can I say? Your mother was the same way…."

"Something tells me he doesn't get that from mom." Sam's retort was quick and accusing as he eyed his father with mock seriousness.

"Hey!" John couldn't help but continue to smile, after all he knew Sam was right, in many ways Dean was exactly like him, he was a carbon copy, both the hunter and the man he had become were mirror images of his father. He had his father's stubbornness, his fight and most importantly his will to survive.