Disclaimer: Not mine… So sad… I don't even own the story idea. That was given to me by Hotshow! I got to play with and bounce it around the sandbox and off the heads of the blot bunnies but again, applause goes to Hotshow. Who by the way has the patience of a saint. She has listened, encouraged and sympathized through the whole loss of family members, migraine monsters and the depression bug… she gave me this before my move and before the silence.

Note#1: Oddly enough this posting feels like the very first posting I ever did. I haven't posted anything in so long that it's like starting over. I want to thank everyone for their patience. My life was overwhelming for awhile. All the loss was a little much. But I am here and writing again. So smiles to ya'll! Thank you for all the continued reviews! I love them all and I'm sorry for not replying to each and everyone. It's no less appreciated! Promise, promise.

Chapter 1

It had been hours since Dean had listened to Bobby. The question he had posed about being afraid to lose his brother… Duh, fuck yeah he was. His little brother. He'd carried the trouble magnet around since he was four. Trying to be mommy, brother and everything else he'd ever missed out on having. He'd even tried to be Sam's normal. And now Bobby and Sammy both wanted him to just walk away. Live an apple pie life… a normal life. Let Sam jump in the pit with Lucifer. He just couldn't. Leaving his brother in hell… uh, yeah. Not happening. Letting him go there in the first place… nope. Been there… done that and no way he was he letting Sammy. He wouldn't give up on his brother. Not again.

He found Sam drinking a beer, his ass parked on the impala. He reached down and pulled his own beer from the cooler, popped the cap and took a swig. He watched Sam watch him and slowly swallowed his drink as he took his free hand he rubbed it across his mouth (stalling, but whatever) before he cleared his throat and said, "Look, Sam… I know you're a grown man."

Sam raised an eyebrow and the beer that had been headed for his mouth stopped and reversed direction to rest on his leg as he stared at Dean.

"We both have fucked things up in the past." Dean stopped and held a hand up to stop an interruption as he continued, "Just wait a minute. Let me finish." He watched Sam until he gave him a slight nod and reclined back once again against the impala's back glass before he plunged onward. "But you're still my little brother. I love you more than anything…" He gave a slight grin as he pointed with his beer at the impala, "even her."

Sam gave a small chuckle but other than that kept quiet. Dean hardly ever opened up and when he did, well he wanted to hear it. This very well might be his last chance to hear his brother give him one of his rare heart to hearts.

"I know you think this is the only way to set things right." Dean leaned back against the impala and studied Sam over his shoulder.

Sam gave a slight shrug in response and lifted his beer once again to his lips as he waited for Dean to organize his thoughts in his head and get them said.

"But maybe there's another way." Dean said cryptically and took a slow haul off his beer, finishing it he tossed it across the yard, shattering it against a neighboring car. Leaning down he picked up another and opened it.

"You got another plan?" Sam finally asked softly.

"No…" Dean admitted before he said, "Not yet. But Sammy you owe me a chance."

"A chance?" Sam echoed as he flung his empty bottle the same direction Dean had and then leaned over the side for another.

Dean leaned down and picked a beer to hand it to his brother. He kept his hand on it a second longer after Sam latched onto the neck of the bottle. Sam looked at Dean startled. Dean stated quietly as he let go and relinquished the beer to his brother, "A chance to find another way."

Sam took the bottle and looked away as he opened it and took a long pull from it. Honestly, he was afraid if he waited he might just chicken out.

"Look. I don't ask you for much. But I'm asking you for this." Dean informed him, his voice hitching slightly as he tried for slow and steady. Not shaky and whiney.

"Dean. You've grown to…" Sam paused, shifting his position slightly before he continued, "you don't need me anymore." He stared at his bottle of beer like it was a genie in a bottle. Answers and all. The truth of it all is he didn't want to see the confirmation he knew was already there in Dean's eyes. Dean didn't need him, not anymore.

Dean's beer bottle dropped unnoticed to the ground as he grabbed Sam by his shirt front and hauled him off the car as he snarled, "You walked out on me… not the other way around." He moved his head from side to side trying to get in Sam's line of sight.

Sam looked ashamed before he mumbled, "Yeah, but you threw us away. You…" Sam stopped and pulled away rolling away over the trunk to the other side of the car.

"What?" Dean snapped confused. "I what?" He repeated, spreading his arms wide.

Sam looked pointedly at Dean's chest where the amulet used to rest.

Dean looked down as one hand went immediately to his chest and the other ran through his hair as he sighed. When he looked back up a tear ran down his cheek as he murmured, "I regret that."

Sam tilted his head to the side as he said, "Dean… I will fix this and then you can for once have a normal life. Don't you think it's your turn?"

Dean looked at Sam and then he threw back his head and laughed. After a second or two he sobered up enough to ask, "What… I'm going to walk away from the pit and live happily fucking after knowing my brother… my little brother is in hell going through the same thing Dad and I both went through? Yeah, like that will fucking happen." Dean snorted and was ramping up to have his say on the matter.

"Dean." Sam tiredly sighed out his name.

"Who says I want normal if I can't have you there too?" Dean snapped and then headed around the car as he said, "Sam… give me a chance to find another way to stop him."

Sam studied Dean. His voice was hoarse and he looked like he hadn't slept in… well, forever. He finally sighed again as he relented and said, "A week."

Dean jerked to a stop and stared as he mouthed, "A week." Then he snapped loudly, "A fucking week?" he repeated, pissed. What the hell was he suppose to accomplish in a week? Seven measly days. It was a slap in the face to realize that Sam didn't want him to save him. Well, screw that. If he only had a week, he'd fix this… in a week.

Sam nodded as he took a step back saying as he went, "Yeah, D. One week. Then I do it." He continued in a backward motion as he stated, "I'd like to have you with me on this but… I gotta save you this time."

Dean had followed him finally he grabbed him and pulled him into a hug.

Sam's arms slowly circled around Dean's back and his fists gripped the back of his shirt as he whispered, "I love you too, Dean. More than you think."

Dean sighed as he felt Sam's shaking as he held on tight. He whispered comfortingly, "If we can't find another way… I'll stand with you and we'll do it your way."

Sam slumped into Dean's shoulder as he whispered, "Thanks D."

Dean's hand went up to Sam's hair as he bopped him on the head and stepped back.

At Sam's shocked look he grinned as he said, "You little shit… of course I have your back. Don't I always? bitch."

"jerk." Sam said grinning as he rubbed the back of his head he thought silently, I can do this. D is backing me up.

Later while Sam was sitting on the front porch with his beers still at the ready, Dean was upstairs packing a bag. He jumped slightly when he heard Bobby speak, "Going somewhere, princess?"

Bobby was leaning against the doorframe as he watched Dean pack. He didn't miss the guilty blush that radiated across Dean's face. Yeah, like he needed any confirmation. He knew his boys. The Winchester Way. Fix it for the other or die trying. Annoying as hell, but true none the less. But at this moment both boys had different ideas on just how to fix the current pile of shit they were rolling around in.

Dean sighed as he continued to roll a shirt up and stuff it in his duffle.

Bobby crossed his arms across his chest as he asked, "Well, boy… you gone deaf too?"

"Too?" Dean commented as he continued to pack. No, not chancing a glance at Bobby. Bobby would know with just one look into his traitorous eyes what he was up to.

"Does Sam know?" Bobby asked crankily.

"Know what?" Dean asked evasively as he finished packing and zipped up his bag. Apparently he didn't need to see that glimmer in his eyes to know Dean was up to something.

"Whatever it is your planning?" Bobby growled in reply.

"Yeah, he's given me a week to find another way to stop this. So that's what I'm doing." He stated as he shouldered the bag.

"U-huh." Bobby commented, not moving from blocking the doorway.

"Bobby… do you really expect anything else from me?" Dean asked him wearily in a defeated tone.

"No. That's why our bags are already packed. So where are we headed?" Bobby said straightening up and stepping into the room, his bag already on his shoulder.

"We?" Dean asked, looking totally confused.

"You really are an idgit if you think we're letting you leave without us." Bobby stated firmly.

Dean frowned at Bobby as he asked, "Sam has a bag packed?"

"On the porch, he didn't want you to sneak off without him. I assured him, you wouldn't dare try that after that little heart to heart you had with him." Bobby snapped with a glare.

He pointedly stepped aside for Dean to pass and move ahead of him. When Dean was even with him, he smacked him upside the head with his baseball cap before slapping it back on his own head. Muttering he bit out, "Damn if your brother wasn't right. Idgit."

Walking silently outside Dean couldn't miss the look of disappointment that flashed across Sam's face before he schooled it to a look of indifference as he drawled out after pulling his beer away from his lips, "Going somewhere?"

"Apparently we're all going on a family outing." Dean said a little sarcastically.

"U-huh." Sam said as he stood setting his beer down on the little wicker stand by the chair. Stepping over his bag he walked up nose to nose with his brother as he said in a deep voice that shook with anger, "You try to pull another dumb-ass move like that and you lose your week."

Dean grabbed his brothers shirt in his fists as he snarled, "Don't ever threaten me with that again or so help me God." He gave Sam a shake that rattled his teeth, "If you fucking try that I'll follow you and kick your fucking shit for brains ass all the way back here from the pit. You better fear me more than anything else because I will be fucking pissed…" his voice lowered as he told him, "You get me, little brother?"

Sam grinned as he told him, "Yeah." He touched his forehead to Dean's as he told him, "I get you. Now get me, quit tryin' to ditch me."

Dean bumped his forehead against Sam's as he whispered, "Good. I guess we got that cleared up."

Stepping apart Sam smirked as he repeated, "Shit for brains? I thought I was the genius of the family. So let me get this straight… that would make you…"

Bobby cleared his throat as he asked sarcastically, "Well, are we done with the chick shit now… can we move on and get goin'? Shit to fix if I recall…"

TBC