AN: I hope everyone likes this, sorry that it's so short.

Katie met Mandy at the pizzeria and helped gather everything that was going to be needed for an impromptu welcome back party for Sam. Both women knew that their boyfriends would be too preoccupied with their little brother, but neither of them minded, knowing that the deep commitment they shared towards Sam was just another way they showed how much they could really give.

With the backseat of Katie's car filled with food and drinks, they quickly made their way towards the apartment knowing that no matter how fast they drove, the guys had already beat them there and were even now babying Sam to death. No sooner had they made it up the stairs than they were met at the door by a grinning Joseph.

"There you are, Taylor and Dean were about to send out a search party!" Joseph said as he helped with the bags of food and ushered them inside.

As soon as they walked into the apartment they knew that they were going to have their hands full keeping everyone happy. Sam was lying on the couch looking very unhappy with both Dean and Stephen watching over him to make sure he didn't get up. Taylor was on the phone with what sounded like Celia and he didn't seem to like what he was hearing.

"I don't think you understand, he looked like he was about to pass out on the way home!" he said tersely, obviously trying hard to keep his patience but failing miserably. "I understand that, but he was walking around fine earlier and… well, no… what do you mean let him up, he could fall over!... Fine, but if something happens we're bring him right back in." After hanging up the phone, he looked at the others and sighed. "She says to let him up for awhile, that walking around will actually help him feel better."

"See, I told you it was nothing." Sam said quietly as he eased himself into a sitting position on the couch. "You guys worry too much."

"Yeah… wrong! Sorry little brother, but where you're concerned I don't think we worry enough. Now just because you got Celia to agree with you this time doesn't mean you get to overdo it, got it?" Dean demanded, clearly irritated by the obvious defection of their very own friendly doctor. "If you so much as look ill, we're taking you right back until there's no doubt you're better."

Sam rolled his eyes and looked pleadingly toward both Katie and Mandy. "Isn't there anything you can do?"

Smiling, Mandy walked over to Taylor and wrapped her arms around him while Katie gave Dean a kiss. By the time both men were coherent enough of their surroundings again, Sam was already in the kitchen working on his second piece of pizza and a small salad. Before the guys had a chance to join their little brother, Mandy asked for a moment alone with him. Not knowing how else to handle the current situation, they all nodded and stayed in the living room, hoping they were making the right decision.

Mandy walked into the kitchen and sat quietly next to Sam, watching as he suddenly stopped eating and instead concentrated on what she was doing. It hurt her to see how nervous he was around her now, but she also knew that there wasn't a mean bone in body. "Sam, I wanted to apologize for what happened." She said softly. Seeing that he almost choked, she took a deep breath and continued while patting him on the back. "You didn't know it was me barging into the room, and I should have said something. I really am sorry for scaring you like that."

Not sure what to think, Sam sat and stared at Mandy as if trying to see if there was anything else, when the conversation seemed to be at an end, he shook his head. "I hit you Mandy, how can you say it's your fault? I'm as bad as…"

"No Sam! You are not a bad person, you are anything but. I promise you that I'm a great judge of character, and I know that you would never hurt anyone who wasn't hurting you or someone you love first. You just need to see that yourself." Mandy said while grasping his hand. It took a moment, but Sam returned the hold and they stayed that way for a moment until they were finally invaded by some very hungry Marines.

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Vic sat in his car and stared out over the ocean thinking about his visit with Jenna. Never before could he remember being this sad about a friend, and that was saying something considering how many people he'd seen slip away in his life from one thing or another.

"Jenna?" Vic asked as he watched her cry in the reflection of her mirror.

Startled, Jenna quickly turned around and tried to smooth out her hair, unknowingly loosening more strands in the process. It finally took Vic crossing the room and stilling her hands before she stopped her frantic movements.

"Oh my God, Vic… please don't look!" Jenna cried out as she hid her face in his shoulder.

Not knowing what else to do, he stood there and let her cry until she became tired and went to bed early. He had waited until she fell asleep before he left quietly, avoiding the Colonel's study on his way out.

Now he couldn't seem to get the image of his confident, larger than life Jenna reduced to tears by the loss of something that didn't truly define her, but showed the world how fragile she truly was. Taking a deep breath, he started his car and turned his car around. He needed help, and he knew the one person he could count on; he just hoped this wasn't too much, too soon.

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Dean was happy to see his Sammy finally relax, and if he had anything to say about it the kid would stay that way for the rest of his very long and hopefully boring existence. As they all sat on or around the couch watching a movie, it became obvious very quickly that everyone's attention was more on the youngest member of the family who was once again curled up in the middle of the floor watching a movie completely oblivious of the commotion he was causing. They all knew that they would have to go back to work tomorrow, and that Sammy would have to go back to school for the last day to take the finals as well as participate in the year end assembly, but for now they were just content in enjoying the quiet evening at home.

The sound of knocking broke everyone out of their peaceful reflection and made more than one person grumble about being disturbed on their first night back home with Sammy. When Stephen answered the door however, they suddenly realized that something had happened as they all sat and watched Vic hesitantly make his way inside.

"Uh, hi… sorry about this, but I was hoping to talk to Sam." Vic said as he looked towards his friend lying on the floor in hopes of conveying the importance of his visit.

Nodding, Sam stood and led the way to his room, hoping that the others would respect his privacy long enough to find out why Vic looked like he was about to climb the walls. As he closed his door though he knew that it was probably going to take both Mandy and Katie to keep them away.

"I don't like this!" Dean growled out as he got up from the couch to make his way to Sammy's room. Before he had a chance to take a step, Katie grabbed his arm with a smile.

"Dean, Vic is a friend and it's obvious that this is something serious." Katie said quietly, conveying how much she hoped that he would respect his little brother's wishes.

Everyone stood and waited to see what would happen next, whether or not they needed to intervene with whatever was going on on the other side of the door. A couple of minutes later, the door opened and Vic walked out by himself looking as if he had just kicked his best friend's puppy. Not sure what to do or say, the Musketeers watched quietly as the younger man made his way out the door without saying a word.

Concerned, Stephen and Taylor met both Joseph and Dean at the door of Sammy's room and didn't hesitate to go inside. As they stood there they saw their little brother standing at the far window staring out into the night as if the weight of the world on his shoulders alone. As they started towards him once again his voice broke through the silence making them all pause.

"I just need some time alone please." Sam stated simply, giving everything that he was feeling away with those words.

Not wanting to disrespect his wishes, but not wanting to allow him to suffer through whatever it was alone, the Musketeers made themselves at home on Sammy's bedroom floor and simply watched as he continued to stare out into the night.