A Couple Months Earlier

Sam lean against the bar as he watched Kara stroll down the opposite side swaying her hips as she gazed across at the many varieties of beer on tap. Sam had been hanging out with Kara a lot since that day. He had learned that she tended a bar on a fairly shady corner of town and decided to put it upon himself to watch out for her, even though she seemed to always be a step ahead of everyone.

She smiled at him and grabbed a glass filling it full until it over flowed slightly, then she pulled the lever up and the beer flow ceased. After that she bussed the beer over to far table walking past Sam stopping to give him a peck on the cheek. All the other male patrons in the bar groaned in a synchronized fashion, and she smirked in satisfaction. Sam didn't know why but it seemed that she was always in control of everything around her. Sam of course didn't know why and something deep inside of him didn't want too.

"Hey Sam." She said brightly as came back over from delivering the beer. She walked back around to the other side of the bar and leaned forward and stared up at Sam her eyes sparkling. Sam hadn't felt this way since he had met Jessica a few years ago.

"Kara, are you busy after work?" Sam asked as he leaned in forward and placed a tender kiss on her neck.

"I dunno? I was thinking about hooking this one guy who keeps stalking me." She sighed as if she was annoyed.

"Yikes a stalker, you should go and ask the police to get this creep off your hands." Sam said his voice dripping in fake concern.

"Oh, you know I would but he is just so cute. Almost like a puppy." She cooed playfully in his ear as he grimaced.

Sam hated being referred to as a puppy because when Dean mentioned it he was doing it to be condescending. Her lips brushed against his chin as she laughed at his pouting expression.

"Just so you know Sam….I happen to really love puppies." She giggled as she watched a blush climb across Sam's cheeks. "Anyways I get off just a little after two. Come see me then okay."


Dean sat in the study flipping pages on one of his many books about angels. They used to be informative once, but now they were just a pain because he already knew everything that was in every single one of them. He sighed and tipped his head back and stared up at the ceiling.

He was going out on a hunting trip with his father soon and wanted to prove to his father he was a son he could be proud of. He slammed the book shut and shoved it back on the shelf. He then trudged out of the study and nearly collided with Sam who looked like he was walking on air.

Sam had a huge grin on his face and for some reason Dean couldn't help but smile back. "What's up Sammy?" Dean asked brightly as Sam just shook his head continuing to smile. Heck he didn't even complain that Dean had called him Sammy

"I don't know, but I feel amazing. I met this girl Dean. She is unlike any girl I have ever met before. I never thought I would be able to get over Jess, but here I am all smiles. This just feels so right." He said brightly as Dean just snorted.

"I am happy for you Sam, but I knew you would find someone else after Jess. You just needed to look. So when are you going to introduce her to the family?" Dean said in a dry tone that was more sarcastic then he first intended.

"Tonight hopefully….I actually believe Dad will really like her." Sam replied happily as Dean raised an eyebrow in skepticism.

"Sam you did know I was kidding. Introducing her to Dad….Are you nuts? Plus you just met her. Don't turn her off so soon, especially if you actually want to score" Dean muttered as if he couldn't believe what Sam was purposing to do. "You'll scare her away."

"No, I don't think I will Dean. I am just really positive that this will work." Sam said curtly as he turned on his heel and headed down the hall over towards his room.

Dean let out an exasperated sigh. When Sam fell, Sam fell hard. He just hoped that he would be able to pick up the pieces this time like he had with Jess. He pushed his hands through his hair and gathered the impala's keys from his pocket. He was going to head to the library to do more research. He was still hell bent on impressing his father on their next hunt together. He would worry more about Sam when he got back later tonight for dinner.

Dean returned and was shocked to hear glass shattering. He rushed into the dining hall and saw Sam with a panicked look etched deep within his face. Their father's face was bright red and the girl Dean could only presume was the girl Sam was so crazy about. Obviously things weren't going as well Sam had thought they would.

"How could you bring this abomination to this place?" John screeched and even Dean took a step back in alarm at how fierce his father sounded.

"Dad! You don't understand she isn't a monster." Sam pleaded as he looked over to the girl who just looked away to the ground.

"Sam! She isn't like us. I know I have taught you better than this." John raised his voice even louder if that was at all possible.

"NO!" Sam said back defiantly and a loud crack resounded throughout the dining room as Sam staggered backwards clutching his now bright red cheek. John's hand still raised as walked over to the girl now and glared at her.

"Why didn't you stop that? You knew I was going to do that didn't you?" He demanded as he raised his hand as he reached out and gently stroked her cheek. She flinched away from his touch, but looked John directly in the eyes.

"Cause I couldn't have stopped you even if I had attempted to." She said in a low voice her gaze still never wavering.

Dean was still very confused about the situation, but he was still impressed with the way this girl handled herself in the presence of their father. Most girls, heck most people just felt overwhelmed by John's presences but this girl looked like she could truly hold her own.

"Would you stop me if I acted on my current thoughts?" John asked in a dark voice as the girls eyes widened. Sam could see that the control Kara always had slip away as he reached forward and tried to place one of his large hands on her shoulder, but she cringed at his touch and he pulled away in alarm.

"You wouldn't?" She muttered her voice shaking slightly "If I turn myself over to you will you promise?" Her voice was suddenly small as a crooked smile formed across his face as he forcefully grabbed her wrist and yanked her from the dining hall leaving the brothers behind.

Dean just stood there gapping understanding so little of what had just happened. Sam on the other hand crumbled and fell to his knees, his head buried deep into his hands. Dean quickly rushed over to him, and wrapped his arms around him holding him close as he heard Sam begin to sob. Dean just let Sam cry because in all truth he didn't have any reassuring words to give to his brother. Together they both stayed where they were until well into the morning. They didn't speak there was nothing they could say to one another.

The next day Sam didn't come out of his room and John didn't bother to grace either of his boys with his presence. Even after a couple of days passed Dean still hadn't gotten the whole story out of Sam, but after an abrupt conversation, Dean had come to learn that the girl Sam was so infatuated with was actually a mind reader. Dean didn't understand and Sam had clammed up the next time Dean later tried to bring Kara up. Dean mostly just wanted to understand. He in all honesty could have cared less what Kara was because she had made Sam so happy.

"Sam, are you okay? Aren't you going to rebel against Dad? Help Kara escape maybe?" Dean asked slowly as he put a reassuring hand on his brother's massive shoulder.

"No, dad was right. She was just using me. She was just using me." Sam said in a low voice as if he wasn't truly convinced of what he had just said.

After that Sam didn't speak about Kara, but Dean knew Sam secretly went to see her after she had been sold. Sam never mentioned it and Dean never brought it up. Dean knew their father would flip if he found out what Sam was up too. Dean of course knew Sam was standing on the edge but he wasn't going to be the one to push his brother over the edge. He cared about Sam too much for that. He knew Sam was hurting because of what he had done to Kara, but yet Sam was still so attached that he couldn't give her up. Dean figured it was love, but he wasn't positive since he had never actually been in love himself.

Dean closed yet another book about angels and pressed it up against his forehead. He was feeling so conflicted at the moment. The line he had been travelling on for so long was beginning to veer off into a territory he never thought he would pass through. The one who started to blur the lines for him was Sam, but Dean wasn't going to realize that until much later.


Present

Truth: n, 1a: FIDELITY, CONSTANCY b: sincerity in action, character, and utterance 2a (1): the state of being the case: FACT (2) a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality b: a judgment, proposition, or idea that is accepted as true c: the body of true statements and accord with fact or reality 3: the property of being in accord sigh fact or reality

Dean stumbled back into the study to announce that he and Castiel had arrived back from their trip where they had been gone for a little more than a week. Dean was shocked to see Sam staring intently into the crackling fire. Dean cleared his throat to make his presence known to Sam, but Sam just continued to stare into the fire.

Dean stepped closer to his brother. Sam's shoulders were slouched and he looked short even with his tall frame. In the dancing fire light Dean could see the tears glistening in his eyes. Dean felt confused, but only for a moment. Dean took yet another step forward and wrapped his arms around his brother in a tender embrace.

As soon as Dean's arms were secured around Sam, he broke down. His sobs were soft as he buried his face into Dean's neck. Dean rubbed his hand his hand in circles along Sam's back in a comforting gesture.

"Dean." Sam sputtered pulling up slightly his face and Dean's shirt stained with his tears. "Did I truly do the right thing?" He looked at Dean, searching his face for the answer he was looking for. "Dad always told me I did…" his voice faded away before he continued once again "But it doesn't feel that way. It never felt that way.

Dean held his breath as his eyes locked with Sam's glassy ones. He didn't have the answer Sam was looking for, but he wished he did. He wanted nothing more than to take Sam's confusion and pain away. He wanted to continue to protect his little brother, even if it was just for a little bit longer.

"Sam, are you referring to Kara?" Dean asked slowly as Sam's head swiveled his head away from Dean and back towards the fire. Sam nodded his head up and down finally confirming Dean's ever growing assumption.

Sam didn't say anything; he actually looked back at Dean and broke down once more as his head fell back into Dean's neck, his sobs louder than before. Dean felt Sam's whole body start to shake so he slunk down slowly bringing Sam down to his knees along with him.

Then for a long time Dean let Sam sob into his neck. He didn't say anything because he didn't know what to say. At times like this he never seemed to and it killed him. Sam's path had been his own for so long, and not all that long ago he would have made the same choice and not even think twice. Now something was different. Now he had Castiel. He had taken another path. A path that Sam was now struggling to find, but Dean knew that the only one who could get Sam through this was himself. Sam had to choose how to solve his growing moral dilemma, but Dean promised that he would be there for Sam no matter what path he chose to take. He had too because he knew deep down Sam would do the same for him.


Castiel strolled down the hall and noticed Dean emerge from Sam's room looking pained and tired. He swallowed and walked up over to him gathering up as much courage as he could before confronting Dean.

"What's wrong?" Castiel spoke in a low voice as he approached Dean who looked very tired.

"Sam." Dean sighed "He is struggling with his morals vs. what he was taught by our father."

Castiel felt the air suddenly become lodged in his throat. "Dean, did you struggle with this? I mean when you saved me?"

Dean stared at him with a blank look that Castiel couldn't interpret, but Castiel was afraid. He was afraid that Dean would say yes. Then what? What would Castiel do? What would Castiel say? He was scared, and he wanted to flee.

"No!" Dean's voice broke through Castiel wall of worry and he just gapped at Dean. He had never felt more relieved in his life. He was speechless. Dean locked eyes with Castiel as if he was looking for something more behind them. Suddenly Dean's face fell and Castiel felt that he confused. He didn't understand Dean's abrupt change in facial expression.

"Dean, I am not following? I don't understand. You have only ever treated me as a burden to you and you actually expect me to completely believe that." Castiel didn't know what came over him as the words just came out in a frustrated rush.

Dean's eyes narrowed at him as he reached one hand out and gripped Castiel's shirt tightly. His eyes were fierce as he reached his other hand up and weaved his fingers through his hair. "Cass…" His gruff voice faded as he gently pulled Castiel's head closer their lips barely touching. "I'm sorry."

Castiel felt the air get lodged in his throat with the closeness he was now sharing with Dean. He was unsure what to do next, so when Dean closed the distant by pressing their lips together. Castiel was alarmed so he pulled back in surprise.

"Cass…I" Dean stammered, but he didn't say anymore as he turned away from Castiel and hustled down the hall towards his room.

Castiel watched him go. He wanted to follow him, but his feet wouldn't cooperate with his brain. Dean had just kissed him and now the only thing Castiel could think to do was smile. His grin was wide and he didn't notice the presence of another until a large rough hand on his shoulder.

He turned around and faced the owner of the hand. He stepped back in horror as he made a horrible revelation about the man who stood in front of him.

"John…." The words barely escaped his lips as he took another couple of steps back. The smile that had just present had now vanished from his face.

"It's nice to see you again. I think we need to have a talk now. Let's head over to my office." John spoke in a low gruff voice and all Castiel did was nod his head up and down very slowly in agreement. "Wonderful, now come on you abomination." He turned and started off down the hall leaving Castiel behind still looking completely horrified.

Castiel swallowed and looked down the hall in the direction Dean had vanished. He then turned and headed in the other direction following slowly after John. He knew what was going to happen next, and he also knew it wasn't going to be good.

Castiel had promised himself that he would only ever loath two men, and now that he was following after one of them he wasn't sure what to do. Everything in a matter of moments had fallen apart even after something as wonderful as Dean's confession. He felt sick as he disappeared into the office of John Winchester. This wasn't going to end well, but then again there never had been a chance that it would.