Chapter 2:

When Dean pushed the door of the spare bedroom open, Sam was facing against the wall curled into a smaller ball then should be possible for someone of his gigantic stature. Dean sighed and sat down on the side of the bed, choosing to ignore the flinch that made its way through Sam's shoulders.

The worst of the withdrawal symptoms were over, but after what had happened with famine, it left Dean with a very broken little brother, and Dean hated to admit it but after hell, he hadn't stepped up liked the big brother he once was. He would still kill anyone who hurt Sam, and punch Sam when he needed to be punched, but they had never dealt with the emotional fall out of the last few years. Talking about things had never been his strength, but looking at his tired and depressed younger brother he knew that this had to be an exception to his no chick flick moments rule. Sam had been hurting for such a long time, and Dean hadn't seen it through his own pain.

"Sammy? Are you okay?"

Sam sniffed and nodded his head.

"Do you need anything?"

Sam shook his head. Sam refused to talk to him through most of this process, and Dean had had enough of it. Sam wasn't going to shut down on him, he wasn't gonna let it happen.

"Alright that's it…" Dean mumbled. He made his way around the bed and held tight onto his brother's shoulder as Sam tried to turn away from him. Sam eventually gave up, not having enough strength from the demon blood withdrawal to pull away, but he kept his eyes down, his hair plastered to his face from what was left from the withdrawal induced sweating. The tiredness was catching up with Sam, and he couldn't stop the tears from dripping down his face.

"I'm sorry…" Sam rasped out, his voice sore from screaming all night in the panic room, while his body fought through the damage the demon blood had done.

"Sammy…"

Sam let out a sob and buried his face in his hands.

"I didn't mean too… I tried to stop... but I couldn't… it was so strong… I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Dean grabbed his brother by the wrists and pulled them down to the mattress, doing his best to find his brother's eyes under the mop of chestnut locks.

"Sam look at me…" Sam shook his head, but Dean persisted. "Look at me right now."

Sam followed the order out of habit, and Dean felt sick by the fear and self-hatred in his little brothers eyes. Dean could never forgive himself for this, but he couldn't help but think he was the one who put that there.

"I know I've blamed you for a lot, and God knows you have made some really shitty mistakes… but we had angels and demons fighting against us, and I was so damaged that I let us be pulled apart. We will deal with the fall out of all that. But what happened earlier this week? What Famine did to you isn't your fault, you beat him kiddo, we couldn't have done it without you."

"You're wrong…" Sam whispered. "If I wasn't so weak it wouldn't have happened… I should have fought harder."

"You aren't weak… you are the opposite of weak, you aren't supposed to be able to fight Famine, that is kind of the whole point."

Sam laughed in a self-depreciating way before looking back at Dean.

"I fell into the same hole I've been trying to crawl out of since you got back, I can't even sit up… I am so tired Dean…" Dean thought that over before nodding his head, silently agreeing with his decision.

"I know we have had a tough time over the last little while… but you have helped me more then you know. I came back from Hell broken Sammy, and I know we don't talk about it, but we both know the shell of a human being I was. Even when I was too weak to fight on my own you carried me through my darkest days. So if you need to be broken down and weak for a little while… I can carry you Sam. It's about time I return the favour.

Sam sniffled a little before pushing himself up against the headboard, pulling his legs in and wrapping them around his long legs.

"I just don't want to be a disappointment anymore… I don't want to lose you because I am a monster."

"You aren't a monster little brother, I am right here and I promise I am not going anywhere." Sam smiled in spite of himself and wiped the rest of the tears from his eyes.

"I'm so tired Dean…"

"So sleep."

"For how long? We've got things to do."

"The world can wait. Right now get some sleep."

Sam nodded and lay back down, watching Dean as his blinking grew slower. Dean waited until he knew Sam was asleep before pushing the sweaty hair out of his brother's face.

"You sleep Sammy, I got you… I promise."