Here is the next chapter. I was going to post it sooner, once I got home from the bowling alley, but by the time I got home I was sick. I just went to bed. I'm finally feeling better so I figured I better get a chapter out. I hope you likey.

Cindy.

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Dean stood in the doorway between the kitchen and livingroom, watching as Sam slept on the sofa. The young man had been wiped out after his confrontation with Alastair and had only made it that far before taking a glance at the stairs then collapsing onto the worn piece of furniture. He had helped subdue Alastair long enough for Bobby and Dean to tie the hissing demon to a chair and place a piece of duct tape over his cursing mouth then had made his way out of the diningroom at the older men's insistence. He'd fallen right off to an exhausted slumber and Dean had taken that opportunity to clean the blood from his face before doing the same to himself. Dean was pulled from his thoughts by Bobby's somewhat surprised voice and he slowly turned back toward the kitchen.

"What was that Bobby?" he asked softly, not wanting to wake Sam from the rest he so desperately needed.

"Uh…" Bobby started, his eyes moving to his left.

Dean followed his eyes and started slightly at the two figures standing near the back door. He relaxed as he moved into the room.

"Castiel…Uriel. Nice of you to show up after the action is all over with," he said sarcastically, moving to pour himself a mug of the coffee Bobby had just brewed.

Dean sat at the table and glanced up at the silent angels. "What? Nothing to say?" he asked.

Castiel moved into the room and tipped his head slightly toward his shoulder. "We were…busy," he replied softly.

"Yeah…that happens a lot. Especially when we need you."

"It seems as though you didn't need us though. Alastair is trapped, correct?" Uriel's deep voice sounded from where he still stood near the back door.

Dean's eyes slid to the large angel. "Yeah…nearly did Sammy in."

"He'll be fine Dean. It's only because he's still weak from his time in hell. Once he regains his strength, it won't affect him as much," Castiel offered.

"Are you sure? I don't want to lose him again."

"I'm sure Dean. Without the influence of the demon blood, Sam will be able to use his powers without so much harm to himself."

"But not totally without harm?" Bobby queried as he took a seat at the table next to Dean.

"No…not completely without harm. Plus, it will take longer for him to recover after using them. You have to understand…the energy and strength needed to wield these powers…the human body isn't really designed to withstand the strain…"

"Well, then he's not using them anymore," Dean shot, his eyes glancing nervously over his shoulder toward the livingroom.

"Dean…he'll be fine. With practice, his body will build up a resistance. He's already got a good headstart, but he'll need to hone his abilities if he's to take Lilith out," Castiel replied.

"We'll find another way to take the bitch out."

"This is the best way Dean. Get her here, trap her…then, poof! Sam destroys her," Uriel said as he moved to the doorway leading to the livingroom, his eyes falling onto the sleeping hunter.

"You know what…I don't think so. You are the ones who said you would end him if he continued to use his powers and now that he went to hell, suffered unimaginable torture and still has his powers, you want him to use them? To kill Lilith? You guys couldn't even take out Alastair. He kicked your asses and you want my brother to kill Lilith? No frickin' way!" Dean spat as he pushed up from his chair, his hands firmly planted on the table.

"For some reason, Alastair, and probably Lilith, was able to block our powers. But it's obvious that they can't block Sam's. It's the only way…" Castiel said.

"He's not doing it! He's been through enough. I don't want him near those bastards ever again! The vile things Alastair said to him…touching him…just…no frickin' way!"

"Don't you think it should be his decision Dean? He's not a child. He can decide for himself," Uriel offered, turning from the doorway to face the fuming hunter.

"He's my little brother! He's my responsibility. That doesn't end just because he's not a kid anymore. He's not doing it…we'll just have to find another way."

"D-Dean…it's my choice," Sam's soft voice sounded from the doorway and all eyes turned to the pale hunter.

"Shit…Sam, what are you doing up?" Dean cried as he shot past Uriel and wrapped his arm around his brother's waist.

"You're loud Dean…" Sam answered with a sheepish grin.

"Sorry…'m sorry, Sammy," Dean said softly, helping Sam onto a chair that Bobby had pulled out.

"It's okay Dean…all I do is sleep since I came back," Sam answered tiredly.

"Yeah…and trap demons…fall out windows…"

"Ha, ha…funny…"

"Seriously, Sam…we'll get Lilith some other way…"

"How? She's too strong Dean. I can do this."

"I don't want you to. Sammy…I just got you back."

"I know. But I have to do this…its our only option."

"Sammy…"

"Castiel can help me…Uriel too…"

"You just found out you still have your powers Sam. You totally freaked and now you want to take on Lilith?"

"No…I don't want to. I have to Dean…I have to."

"Shit Sam. Why can't we just forget about all of this? We can go to the Grand Canyon…Lake Tahoe…hell, I'd do a dude ranch in Montana."

"We can't forget about it Dean, no matter how much we want to. The only way to be free of Lilith is for me to kill her…"

"Sam…"

"I am freaked Dean. I wanted these powers gone, but for some reason they were given to me and I can't just dismiss that because it puts me in danger. Maybe they were given to me for this very reason. To end Lilith. To end the threat of a demon war."

"But why you Sam? Why us? Why is it always us?"

"Because it is Dean. It just is. We may not like it, but we can't change it. We can't run from it. There's only one way to be free…"

"Yeah…and that one way could kill you Sammy."

"Not if I hone my skills. Strengthen myself for this one task. I'll be fine Dean. Just imagine it…Lilith dead…demon threat gone. We could go to the Grand Canyon…Tahoe…but seriously…a dude ranch in Montana?"

"Hey…I like horses…"

"You're scared of horses Dean."

"Am not…"

"Mr. Pringles…"

"That was not a horse Sammy…that animal was pure evil…it had red eyes!"

"It did not Dean. It was like eighty years old and could barely move."

"It bit my ass, Sammy!"

"Sounds like your kind of thing Dean," Bobby said with a soft chuckle.

"Yeah…from some blonde named Candy maybe," Dean scoffed, his angry eyes falling on the older hunter.

Sam laughed as he bent over the table, tears leaking from his eyes. "Mr. Pringles was blonde Dean!"

"Laugh it up Sammy…when you're better, I'm so gonna kick your ass!"

"No you won't…you love me too much…"

Dean looked at his brother as Sam's laughter died away. Sam didn't need to say a word. He saw it in Dean's eyes. He saw how right he was. He smiled and nodded before looking down at the table.

"You're right Sammy…"

"Yeah…me too Dean…"

Bobby smiled warmly, shaking his head as he stood to begin preparations for dinner. Castiel and Uriel remained standing where they had been, staring at the brothers in confusion. Dean glanced up at the angels and chuckled softly before moving to help Bobby. Sam watched his brother and friend before the smile slowly disappeared from his lips. His mind wandered to the demon who was trapped on the other side of the wall. He shuddered as he felt phantom hands move over his body and he had to squeeze his eyes shut to block out the hated memories that now assaulted his mind.

"You okay Sammy?" Dean's concerned voice sounded, and the young hunter opened his eyes to find his brother standing over him.

"I-I'm fine…"

"You're shaking Sam," Dean said, clearly not believing that Sam was fine.

"I…it's just hard having him in the next room. I can feel…"

"I know Sam. We'll get rid of him soon."

"I don't think that'll stop the memories Dean."

"It'll be a start Sammy."

"Y-You promise?"

"Yeah kiddo…I promise."

Sam nodded and began to push up from the table. Dean reached for his arm and helped him to his feet.

"Where you going?" he asked, still holding Sam's arm.

"I'm so tired still. I think I'll lay back down until dinner," Sam answered.

"I'll help you Sammy," Dean said as he gently tugged Sam toward the livingroom.

Dean led Sam back to the sofa and helped him to lie down then pulled the light blanket over him. He sat in the armchair and glanced at Sam before lowering his eyes to his nervously clutching fingers. Sam pushed himself to his elbows and eyed his brother with concern.

"What's wrong Dean?" he asked softly.

Dean looked up and shrugged before raising his hand to brush absently over his mouth.

"Sam?"

"What is it Dean?"

"How did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Hold out for forty years? I only made it thirty. Am I that much weaker than you?" Dean asked, his eyes dropping in shame.

"No Dean…" Sam started as he pushed himself up the rest of the way.

Sam reached for his brother and rested his hand on Dean's arm. Dean looked up again, his eyes bright with unshed tears.

"I gave in Sammy. You didn't. You held on through the worst possible torture…"

"Dean…you are the strongest person I know…" Sam said, squeezing Dean's arm when the older man shook his head. "Yes…you are. Don't you know where I get my strength from?"

"Wh-where?" Dean whispered.

"You Dean. I get it from you. I just kept a picture of you in my head…"

"Sammy…that's just not enough…"

"When you were in the pit, what did you have to look forward to?" Sam asked.

"What do you mean?"

"When you were on that table, what did you see as your future?"

"Nothing Sam. There was no future. Just more pain."

"Well…I did have something to look forward to. I had a light at the end of the tunnel. I knew it would end. I knew I wouldn't be there forever."

"Sammy…"

"No Dean. You had no hope. I did. That's how I held on. I knew that I'd see you again. I knew I'd feel the sun on my face…knew I'd sit and have a beer with you…if I just held on, it would end."

"But still…what you went through…"

"Was no where near the torture of never seeing you again, Dean. That is what would've broken me…If I didn't have the promise of seeing you again…hearing you call me Sammy…or bitch..."

Dean let out something between a sob and a chuckle then leaned forward and grasped the arm that held him.

"That's it Dean…without you, I would've failed…plain and simple…I'm nothing without you."

"That's not true, Sam. Look at everything you did while I was gone. You kept hunting. I mean, aside from that whole Ruby thing…you lived…you…"

"I was trying to get myself killed Dean…"

"Wh-what?"

"When I couldn't get you out and I couldn't kill Lilith…I…well, I couldn't do it myself so I put myself in harms way on purpose. I wanted to die Dean. I couldn't bring you back like you did me, so I figured I'd join you. There's your strong little brother for you…"

"You are strong Sam. That's why you couldn't end it. And don't even think we're not gonna talk about what you just said, but right now, I want you to rest."

"Dean…"

"Rest Sammy. I mean it."

"'kay."

Sam laid back down but kept his eyes on Dean. Dean rolled his eyes and lightly smacked Sam's knee. "Sleep…now."

Sam smiled and closed his eyes. Dean waited until the younger man's breaths evened out before he relaxed back into the chair. He shook his head as he watched Sam sleep. 'Stupid little bitch,' he thought. He sat for several minutes before he stood and moved closer to the sofa. He reached down and softly felt Sam's forehead and shaking his head, he smiled.

"We are so messed up, Sammy," he whispered. "But that's okay…as long as we're together, we'll be okay."

Dean gave Sam one last look then walked toward the kitchen to help Bobby with dinner.

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So, let's all say it together.......Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Gotta love the brotherly fluff! And, no evil cliffy! I'll try to post another chapter later tonight, if I'm still feeling okay. Please let me know what you think.

Cindy.