DISCLAIMER: Unicorns are escaping! LOL, not mine. 2DB...

NOTE#1: I don't know who owns the ghost town of Franklin, Kansas. There is another town of Franklin, alive and well in Kansas. But the one 3 miles from Lawrence is a ghost town. For the purpose of this story, the Indians have a large ranch that includes Franklin… so they can guard the town and keep people safe from it's curse. (Made that up) So I apologize in advance to anyone that lives near Franklin for the curse thing. (Yes, I know… I made that up) Enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews, favs and alerts!

Chapter 8

Bobby heard the boys talking and backed up so they could have some more time. He was worried that soon they wouldn't have that or each other. The uneasy feeling that had taken up residence in his gut hadn't left. "Balls…", he muttered angrily, life really sucked at the fair ratio. His boys seemed to be stuck with the shitty unfair side of the stick. When he heard them go quiet he started whistling while he walked slowly back towards them.

They were quietly looking at files as he walked up so he broke the silence when he announced, "Cas called me."

Winchester eyes jerked up to stare at him as Dean wondered aloud, "Why did he call you?" and then at Bobby's glare he asked, "Well? Did he find anything?"

"Can you trust him?" Bobby asked before he added, "Not to rat you out?"

Dean frowned, wrinkling his forehead.

Bobby held his hands up in surrender as he muttered, "Just checkin'. Un wad those panties boy."

Sam snickered as Dean turned and mumbled, "Dude… really?"

Sam shrugged as he stated, "D… it was funny."

Dean made one of those 'what the hell ever' faces but ruined it with a slight grin.

Bobby said with a shrug of his shoulders, "He's located a medicine man, a tribe member descended from the original mound builders. He has spoken to the man and requested his help."

"Oh, shit." Dean moaned as he ran a hand through his hair. If he pulled the whole 'I'm an Angel of lord and I order you' they probably lost any hope of getting help from the Indians. Then what would he do? Hello Pit, meet the Winchesters. This is Sam and I'm Dean and we will be your appetizers of the day… Dean shook his head.

"Apparently the guy has agreed to meet with us." Bobby informed them as he looked over at the boys while he leaned back on the table.

Dean's eyebrows shot up to his hairline it seemed to Bobby as he showed his surprise. He managed a breathy, "When?"

"About 3 tomorrow afternoon at the ghost town of Franklin. Apparently he and his family own a ranch that includes the town of Franklin."

"Interesting." Sammy muttered but he was looking at a book.

"What?" Dean asked, trying to see what Sammy thought was so interesting.

"Well the mound builders had mounds in places all around Lawrence but the closest that this book talks about it a place near Fort Leavenworth that had a large number of mounds in the same area. That place was only about 30 miles from Lawrence. That could be where the original Kansas mound builders came from. If the Great Lakes tribe then settled in the Franklin area it could be close enough to the Kansas tribe to be a threat…" Sam said not looking up from the book he was looking at.

"So, geek boy… we have enough information to go in sounding like we know what we're talking about?" Dean asked, he knew asking Sam's opinion would mean a lot to Sam. It used to be something he did without even thinking, second nature even. Now he did it with more measured caution. At that thought he ran a hand through his hair and tried for a grin. It was sad it had come to this... that they had come to this. Yeah, he'd been pissed off (defensive shield for hurt) and he'd held onto to it for awhile… not letting Sam back in. Actually pushing him so far away he left. Then Zachy boy thought sending him to the future would solidify that separation… all it did was clarify the situation for him. What a dick he was without Sam and he didn't want to be that person. He felt himself being shaken. He focused on the face in front of him. Sammy. He smiled.

Sammy frowned.

Huh… why should him smiling cause a frown? He felt pressure on his upper arms and looked down. Oh. That explained that… Sam was holding on to him. Another shake and his eyes traveled back up to Sam's worried eyes. "What?" Dean tried for cranky but it came out squeaky instead.

"You okay?" Sam asked worriedly. Eyes moving up and down, roving… looking for previously hidden injuries.

"Uh… yeah." Dean said with a frown and a blink.

"Don't do that!" Sam snapped as he dropped his hands and then ran a hand through his own hair in frustration.

Dean tilted his head to the side and asked, "Do what…" he swallowed before he continued, "exactly?"

"Go all unresponsive on me. Maybe you should head back to Bobby's and I'll go see this guy." Sam said and he rubbed at his head, making his hair stand on end. He wanted answers. An end to this whole mess he'd created. But he didn't want Dean caught in the middle. Again. No body should pay the price except him. The one Winchester that should never have been born.

Dean stared at Sam's hair standing up all directions and snickered. Snickered right up until the part where his brain caught up with what Sam had just suggested and the smiled dropped away to be replaced with a sneer as he grabbed his little brother by his shirt and yanked him forward until they were again almost nose to nose. Then in a low rumbly voice he snarled, "Just tired, is'all. Quit trying to ditch me. All that would accomplish is pissing me off."

Then he pushed Sam away and stormed off.

Sam looked at Bobby who was intently studying his boots. Up went his hand and with a vicious once through to his hair he snapped in Bobby's general direction, "Well that went well."

Bobby looked at him and told him flatly, "You need to work this out with Dean and get on the same page. You've been in different books since hell... Shit probably since before that… But one of you needs to throw your book away and share with the other. I don't care which one of you does the throwing part but get it fixed. We'll be pulling out at the crack ass of dawn. Fix it before then." Then Bobby stood and walked back behind the tables to a door beside the filing cabinets. "Move your ass, Sam." then he turned opened the door, flipped on the light and as he stepped in he looked over his shoulder. "Now, Sam."he snapped before he went through the door, slamming it shut. Leaning against the door he listened for movement. A minute or two passed before he heard Sam's chair scrape against the cement, indicating he was following orders.

Sam sat a minute or two as he thought about Dean. They both carried so much guilt over their fuckups that sometimes it just felt hard to breathe. Dean… he smiled sadly, All Dean ever wanted was his family to be together. That's it. When he had that, he was okay with everything else. Sam was the one who wanted the world. He'd been the selfish one. He sighed, In the end what did it matter… a college degree? A white picket fence... He snorted, No, normal hadn't worked well for him. His shoulders dropped. Dean had given everything just to have his family with him. And what had he given Dean… a repeat of walking away or in some cases… sneaking… but Dean was always there yanking him back away from the edge until Sam had almost destroyed him… and then he'd still shown up and pulled him back. He hadn't even realized he'd moved until he was at the bottom step leading out the way Dean had went with his hand on the railing and one foot on the bottom step.

He grinned, Yeah they had both changed, but they were still brothers and they still had each other.

A small dark voice whispered, Until you find another way to pit jump... Another way to hurt him. His foot missed a step and he went hard down on one knee.

"Balls." He snapped, not even noticing he was channeling Bobby as he stood and rubbed his knee. He really needed to pay more attention to his surroundings, he thought as he limped up the remaining steps.

He didn't find Dean in the barn and he wasn't outside walking around. He turned slowly until his eyes fell on the impala. She gleamed like a beacon. He grinned as he spotted Dean sitting in the driver's seat. Head leaned back… sunglasses on. He knew Dean wasn't asleep. He headed that direction as he thought, Time to throw my book away.

He walked over to the drivers side window and looked in.

Dean didn't move.

He tapped on the window.

Dean reached up and slide his sunglasses up and looked under them, turning his head until he saw Sam. He replaced the sunglasses as he said, "Not now, Sam."

He sighed and tapped again as he said, "We need to talk."

"No we don't." Dean replied flatly, looking straight ahead as he once again rested his head back on the seat.

"D… I'm sorry that my book was destroyed the day you died and that I followed a asinine new book that I never should have picked up. I'm sorry that you tried to tell me that and that I didn't listen. I'm sorry that I hurt you so badly that you threw your amulet away and your last tie to me. I'm sorry that…" Sammy continued with his list.

"Shut up, Sam." Dean snapped not moving other than to say that.

Sam swallowed and nodded, turning he let a tear slip down his cheek. He knew he deserved this. But it still hurt. He walked blindly away, not even noticing where he was going.

Dean watched Sam walk away and instantly felt like crap. After a few seconds he sat up and looked around. One minute Sam was there and the next he wasn't. He scrambled for the door handle and shoved the door open, staring the direction he seen Sam disappear from.

Slamming the car door he rushed forward, crossing the driveway and jumping a rail fence he followed the path Sam had taken. He was looking around frantically when he nearly stepped in a hole… a little brother sized hole. A hole that his little brother was currently in a heap at the bottom of.

"Sammy!" He yelled, startled into movement as he immediately dropped to all fours and then lay on his stomach as he tried to reach Sam. He couldn't.

"Sammy?" Dean called out again.

No movement and no answering little brother.

"Son of a…" Dean snapped, his worry at maximum as he sat up and yelled, "Bobby!", then remember his cell phone. Patting himself down until he located it, he took it out and hit speed dial 2 and waited impatiently for Bobby to answer.

"You two make up yet?" Bobby snapped, aggravated at the fact that everyone could see the boys devotion to each other… everyone except them.

"What?" Dean asked, confused.

"Oh, Hi Dean, I thought you were Sammy… where is Sam?" Bobby asked.

"At the bottom of a hole… bring some rope and we're at a 45 degree from the driver's side of the car. Across the fence in that field." then Dean closed his phone and was once again on his stomach and leaning over the edge of the hole. He studied his little brother and realized his fingers twitched.

"Sammy? I need you to wake up… can you do that for me?" Dean asked gently.

No more movement.

"Sammy!" Dean snapped as he sat up and swung his legs over the side. He looked over his shoulder and saw Bobby and Pace heading towards him.

"Bobby!" he yelled and then with a wave he jumped into the hole with Sam.

"Damn it, Sammy… you're bound an determined to pit jump without me. Haven't you realized by now we suck at being on our own?" He was knelt next to Sam feeling for injuries while he continued with his monolog. "Sam I told you to shut up because you've already apologized so many times and I know you're sorry…"

"But you can't forgive me… I know. I won't bring it up again." Sam said as he tried to sit up.

"No bitch. You don't need to bring it up again because I forgive you… so just stop beating yourself up for it, okay?" Dean said as he helped Sam sit up.

Dean watched Sam tear up and smiled, His boy was back… soulful Sammy. Aloud he growled, "Don't move."

"Dean. I just got the wind knocked out of me… I'm fine." Sam said softly.

TBC