Sorry for the little break between chapters again, but here's yet another chapter and we're even closer to the end. Although I'm so running out of ideas, I do feel a little sad that it's over soon and you guys are so sweet - so thank you so much! On the bright side I have already written another story that I'll be posting sometime after I'm done with this one ;D

So this is a chapter dedicated to summer! For a loooooong time I wanted to continue the "Flayed" chapter, but never really fit it into any of my ideas. Then I came to W and all out of ideas, which led me to finally be able to continue it. And remember - neither chapter 6 "Flayed" or this one follows how season 5 actually ended.

Thanks to supernaturalmydreams for beta reading!

W - Witch bag
- Sequel to chapter 6: "Flayed"

"Where did they go?" Castiel asked Bobby. The angel had been looking for the two Winchesters and come up empty handed. He'd tried to call them, but didn't get any answer. He had silently cursed himself for hiding them from the angels. That's why he now was at Bobby's house, trying to get an answer out of the old hunter.

"I told you, I don't know. Am I speaking Greek here?" Bobby stood up from the chair behind the desk to stuff a book back into a shelf.

"No. I would have understood that," Castiel said without any kinds of emotion. Bobby just looked stupidly at the angel for a few seconds before shrugging him off and going into the kitchen.

"The boys wanted to have a few days off after what happened in Detroit," Bobby explained. He poured himself a cup of coffee and turned around, just to stand face to face with Castiel.

"But I'm their friend. And Lucifer and Michael are still out there," Cas informed as if Bobby didn't know any of this.

"Thank you for the newsflash," Bobby said sarcastically and headed back to his desk,

"They're just humans, Cas. They need a break from everything and even being their friend - you're an angel with no knowledge of human strengths and limits."
Castiel just looked at Bobby for ten long seconds as if the hunter was growing a third nipple on his forehead.

"Yeah. I need them now," Castiel said shortly.

"I wasn't lying when I told you I don't know."

"Then find out."

"No."

"Then I will be waiting here until you do."

"This is going to be a long day."

"It doesn't need to be," Castiel said quietly.

"Please just leave."

"Well isn't this romantic?" Dean laughed when they arrived to a lonely, but sweet little summer town by the sea. With the ocean view from the motel, Dean and Sam silently hoped they had come to right place for a little vacation. Dean had been worried about Sam since Lucifer killed him in Detroit two days ago and although his brother did seem fine again, Dean didn't want anything bad to happen with Sam - not ever, but certainly not now. Dean needed a break himself. Watching his brother dead and bloody had happened before, but it reached it's limits two days ago. There's only so much one person can take when it comes to losing the most precious thing in their lives.

"I like it," Sam said shortly and sounded so carefree. Dean told him to wait by the car while he got them a room and Sam did as told. He rested his arms on the roof of the Impala and closed his eyes, enjoying the sun and wind. He opened his eyes when he heard Dean return - cursing like a sailor and muttering something about "gay" and "getting old."

"What's up?" Sam asked and Dean looked up.

"Oh nothing. Just another smartass kid who took me for being gay. I thought people had gotten past that point years ago," Dean muttered, eyeing Sam as if he was the reason for all of it.

"Ignore it, Dean," Sam snickered,

"It's just what you should expect," Sam teased.

"He-he, smartass," Dean pushed Sam a little before picking up his bag and heading to their room. Sam's phone started ringing then and he picked it up, sighing.

"Cas again," he held the phone up for Dean to see. Dean just laughed and entered their room,

"And people call us co-dependent. He can't take one day without us."
Sam didn't comment on that and put his phone on the bedside table when it stopped ringing. The room was like any other motel room they had ever stayed at, but they had a porch and nice view over the sea. They didn't stay there for more than five minutes before they were out again, looking for a store to buy things to fill up the mini bar with.

"So we're eating at the motel tonight?" Sam asked as they walked down the clean street. It was a pretty town with flowers everywhere and bright colors. Meaning Dean was growing more and more uncomfortable,

"It was just a suggestion. If you don't w-"

"No it's cool," Dean cut Sam off with a quick smile. Then he saw the store and dragged his brother to it,

"Hurry."

"Why? It's open for two more hours," Sam frowned as they went in. Dean leaned in closer and lowered his voice,

"Because this town is so gay and there's already one kid that thinks I'm gay too, so hurry up."
That caused Sam to laugh out loud and shake his head.

"Anyone ever told you you laugh like a girl?" Dean pouted, starting to fill up his arms with chips, soda and beer for both of them.

"Yeah. You," Sam sighed, picking up some water and salad for dinner. Once done in the store, they headed for fast food to get Dean's dinner before heading back to the motel.
Just an hour after leaving the motel, they were sitting by the table by the window, door to the porch open, tv on and the wind from the sea coming through the door.

"This isn't too bad," Dean admitted. Sam smiled and nodded.

Sam was standing in the bathroom the same evening when he was suddenly overcome by dizziness. He shook his head and it cleared again. Dean was out despite being the one wanting to stay at the motel, because he had gotten bored. Sam watched the sea in the low sun from the window and realized how long it had been since he had bathed in the ocean. He scribbled down a little note to Dean that he'd be down by the beach before putting on a pair of shorts, since he didn't have any swimming trunks, and went down.
Just five minutes after Sam had left the room, Dean returned.

"Sam?" he stopped to listen for any sound, but heard nothing. He turned off his iPod and checked the bathroom and found no Sam. Then he noticed the note on the table and shrugged. He sat down on the bed for no more than a minute before deciding to go join Sam. He found the only pair of shorts he had and left his shirt in the room before leaving.

The wind had picked up a bit, but it was still comfortably warm. Dean saw Sam at once sitting in the sand.

"Hi," he said and sat down beside his brother. Sam jumped a bit, but smiled when he saw it was Dean.

"Hi," he said shortly back. Sam had locked his arms around his long legs, enjoying the feeling of the wind in his hair and over his bare shins and torso.

"Cas called. Again," Dean informed and they snickered.

"Maybe we should answer the poor guy?" Sam suggested, turning to look at his brother. Dean tilted his head to the side for a second and shrugged,

"Neh. He'll be fine without us for a few days," Dean said, no emotions on his face as he looked in both directions of the beach. There were some people a good distance away, but besides that they were alone.

"Something happened?" Sam asked, looking out at the ocean again. It took a moment for Dean to answer and Sam turned to look at him again.

"Back in Detroit. Michael told me Cas was the one who let you out of the panic room," Dean explained,

"You know. Back before we let Lucifer out."
Sam took notice of Dean referring to them both letting the Devil out and silently thanked his brother with a smile. He still meant that it wasn't Dean's doing just because he started the breaking of the seals, but he appreciated that they were getting back to normal and Dean wanted to sugar coat the truth a little.

"Oh," Sam frowned, not expecting that it was Castiel who had let him out, but really not knowing what else to say,

"So... you're mad at him?"

Dean just looked at him as if he was stupid,
"Well yeah. He let you out of the panic room, Sam. He had a big part in letting Lucifer out because of that!" Dean claimed.

"I let Lucifer out. I'm not proud of anything I did last year, but you can't blame others for it," Sam said calmly.

"Sam..." Dean shook his head, smiling a sad smile,

"That's not the point. None of this would have happened if Cas didn't open the door. Worst of all, he never admitted to it either. He let you take all the blame!"

"When was he supposed to tell us? When you tried to hook him up with a hooker? Or in between all the White Castles?" Sam snorted.

"How do you know about the hooker?" Dean asked, scratching the back of his head, trying to remember if he had told Sam.

"Cas told me," Sam said shortly.

"Oh that he says," Dean stood up, a bit annoyed,

"You know what? Screw him. We're here to relax okay?" Dean dragged his hands over his face and then smiled brightly at his brother,

"So. You're just gonna sit there and watch the sunset like a chick or are you actually going to check out the water?"

Sam stood up laughing,
"Nah, I thought I could just sit here for the heck of it," Sam said as they walked together down to the water.

"And blind everyone with your pale skin," Dean clapped Sam on the chest once before hurrying into the water.

"Oh shit it's cold!" Dean whined and jogged up from the water again.

"Wuss," Sam poked his tongue out and went into the water too. He turned his head away and silently cursed when it in fact, was a little cold.

"It isn't that bad. You'll get used to it if you stay in it for a little while," Sam explained and went further out until the water reached his waist. Dean didn't want to be any worse than his brother and followed out. Once beside each other Sam held up three fingers, ready to countdown to ducking into the water.

"No, no, no. Last time we did that I ducked and you didn't," Dean complained.

"Dean that was at least fifteen years ago!" Sam laughed hard, not believing his brother still remembered that little happening.

"Yeah, so? You still did it," Dean added with a pout, but readied himself as Sam started the countdown.

"One. Two. Duck!" Sam took a deep breath at the same time as Dean and both fell back into the water, vanishing into the deep. Just a few seconds later they surfaced again, grinning like idiots.

"Still cold?" Sam asked and ran a hand through his soaked hair.

"Yeah. But better," Dean admitted and took a deep breath again and ducked underwater. Sam slowly laid back on the water and let himself float and closed his eyes. He heard Dean come up from the water again, but didn't look at him.

"Every time I try that I just sink," Dean said stupidly and Sam opened one eye.

"That's because you panic," Sam snickered, careful of not moving too much so he wouldn't sink himself.

"I don't panic. It just wont work," Dean said annoyed, looking at Sam as if expecting his brother to show him how to do it. Sam took the cue and straightened up in the water.

"Just do like I do, okay?" Sam did the same he did before and Dean did the same, breathing carefully. Soon enough they both floated in the water, the sun sinking in the horizion, rays of sun spilling over their chests.

"Hah. Awesome," Dean randomly mumbled and moved his hands and feet a little, rotating him in the water.

They didn't stay long in the water, but they enjoyed it and it felt almost unreal to finally get a day off. Over the years they had managed to go to an Ozzy show, maybe catch a movie in a theater and a beer at a bar, but this day had been a little more special. It reminded them more of their younger years when John had been the boss and Sam and Dean would be left alone for days. Sometimes they would stay at a motel near an ocean or a farm and, although their father had told them to stay inside, the boredom had often become too much for the kids. Dean would drag Sam with him to a gaming hall, or even to a farm where the nice farmers would let the two cute kids enjoy some time with the animals. Then there was a rare time at the beach, John had been especially stern about them staying inside because the beach wasn't safe for Sam. Dean wouldn't listen to that though. It wasn't like he'd let anything happen to Sam anyway.
So that night they both went to bed tired, but satisfied. Though when Sam put a hand to his forehead he would feel a little warm. He shrugged it off as nothing and fell asleep.
It was late morning when Dean woke up. He frowned a little at the bed where Sam was sleeping. They both usually slept with shirts and pants on, but Sam had shred both sometime during the night, leaving the boxers luckily. The kid was lying on his side, a slight frown on his face and bedspread pooling around his waist. Dean shrugged it off and took his shower. When he came back, Sam was awake and sitting up in bed, but looking anything but well rested.

"Sam?" Dean dried his short hair with a towel before pulling a new shirt on. Sam looked up at him with the biggest puppy eyes he could muster, hand firmly planted on his temple, halfway up in the messy dark hair.

"I don't... I don't feel so good," Sam mumbled and blinked, the room spinning around him. Dean put the towel down and went over to sit beside Sam. He placed a hand on his neck and noticed the clammy skin. He went to checking his pulse, then placed a hand to his forehead. Sam sat still while Dean checked him over before he felt a sudden headache grow somewhere between his eyes. Dean embraced Sam as soon as he noticed the change in his brother and lowered him to the bed.

"Sam?" Dean asked, but didn't get an answer. His brother's eyes were half lidded and his mouth was relaxed open.

"Hey come on, what's going on?" Dean patted Sam's cheeks and rested a hand on his chest, sweat starting to appear.

"Think I might be sick," Sam muttered. He rested his arm over his eyes against the bright light and his breathing was getting a little strained.

"So suddenly?" Dean asked confused,

"You looked just fine yesterday."

"Why thank you, darling," Sam sighed and managed to huff a laugh. Dean just groaned and pulled the blanket up to cover his brother,

"I see you still got your humor," Dean took that as a good sign.

"No. Too hot," Sam tried to push the blanket off him, but Dean insisted on having it on.

"You're sick, Sam. Keep the blanket on," Dean demanded and went to look for any painkillers to give his brother.

"What hurts?" he asked, looking through their bags.

"M'head. The rest's just uncomfortable," Sam informed, licking his lips. Dean nodded and found the pills for headaches, got a glass and filled it with water before returning to Sam.

"Take this," Dean lifted Sam's head a bit with a hand behind his neck and put the pill on his tongue, then handed him the glass. Once done and settled Dean didn't know what to do.

"Maybe I should call Bobby?" Dean suggested, but Sam just waved him off.

"It's just a cold or something. Just lemme sleep and I'll be fine. Promise," Sam muttered sleepily before curling into a ball under the cover.

Sam didn't seem to get any better as the day passed, but he insisted it was a normal illness. His skin was clammy all over now and forehead shining with sweat, a low moan he couldn't hold back escaping his open mouth whenever Dean left the room for a moment.

"Okay dude, I really hate doing this, but I need to get us some food and visit the pharmacy. You think you can hold out alone for a little? I'll be as quick as I can," Dean informed, stroking Sam's face with a wet cloth. Sam just put on a brave smile and waved him off.
When Dean returned just fifteen minutes later, the sight had him fussing in a matter of seconds. Sam was curled in on himself, gasping and moaning into the pillow. Dean tried to uncurl him, tried to sweet talk and comfort him with a friendly hand, but nothing seemed to help now. Sam didn't even try to pretend he was fine.

"That does it," Dean stood up, picked up his phone and returned back to Sam's bed, kneeling beside the bed while lending Sam his hand to hold onto.

"Bobby..." Dean didn't get more out before the old hunter started rambling on the other line.

"Thank god! Your angel buddy is driving me nuts and demands me to tell him where you are, but do I know that? NO! But he wont listen and he's been hanging around here as often as he can as if he has nothing better to do!" Bobby complained and Dean was taken aback. Bobby had moments he was annoyed at things, but he really wasn't the whiny sort.

"Bobby listen to me! Somethings seriously wrong with Sam," Dean revealed, stroking his little brother's forehead with a thumb while Sam had a dead grip on his wrist,

"We're in Cape Charles, Virginia. Tell Cas and get him here as quick as possible."
Bobby muttered something to someone else and Dean assumed he was telling Cas their locations. Dean told him their exact location and in a matter of seconds there was a flutter of wings.

"Cas!" Dean looked over his shoulder and saw their trench coat clothed friend, looking rather annoyed. It took the angel one look to understand the problem and he stalked over to Sam on the bed, put two fingers to his forehead and Sam slumped into unconsciousness immediatly.

"Thanks," Dean stood up and rolled Sam's limp body onto his back. Castiel placed a hand on Sam's soaked chest, right over the heart and closed his eyes. Dean watched as his brother's chest hitched and could hear Sam trying to pull air into his lungs between his lips.
Suddenly Castiel looked up and his eyes moved around the room. He stretched his arm out and held it close to different parts of the room, the beds, the lamps, the bathroom sink and the walls. It was the wall by Sam's bed where his hand stopped. Then Castiel fisted his hand and made a hole in the wall. Dean jumped a bit, but didn't question the angel's actions.

"Witch bag," Castiel said and pulled his hand out of the wall, a small bag in his fist. Dean frowned and took the bag from his hand, opening it.

"Okay, random," inside the little bag he found the usual. Bones from some kind of animal, some weed and then gooey stuff that he had no idea what it was.

"How are we going to find the witch that placed it there?" Dean looked up at the grumpy looking angel. Castiel raised his head as if he was listening to something before turning to look at Dean again,

"I will find out what's going on," Castiel said,

"Don't go anywhere!" and with that he was gone. Dean sighed and looked over at Sam. His poor brother was still breathing a little heavy, his bare chest slightly red from the illness and head tilted back so air could come easier through the open mouth. Dean swallowed, as always it sucked seeing Sam in that position. He pulled the bedspread up to Sam's chin again.

"Dean?" Sam tilted his head a bit, wetting his lips.

"I'm here," Dean assured, putting a hand on his forehead and noticing it wasn't covered in sweat anymore. Still clammy, but better.

"It's hot," Sam complained and pulled at the bedspread, but Dean held it in place.

"You need to keep it on if you ever want to get better. Besides, I've seen enough of your skin for a lifetime now," Dean snickered when Sam's body jolted a bit with a snort.

"A Winchester's lifetime or a normal human being's lifetime?" Sam tilted his head to look at his brother.

"An angel's lifetime," Dean said dead panned and Sam grinned.

"Sorry," Sam apologized and stuck out his tongue just halfway out.

"I'll let it slip this time," Dean joked and patted his brother's shoulder and then there was a flutter of wings in the room again.

"She's not here," Castiel informed from where he was standing by the door to the porch.

"What does that mean?" Dean frowned.

"It assume it means that it wasn't personal. Someone might have put it there just to spread illness to the people sleeping in that bed," Castiel looked at Sam.

"So it might have been there for years?" Dean asked. He assumed it wasn't really that weird. Whenever the supernatural beings they hunted weren't being hunted they had to use their time on something else. Of course Sam had just happened to be one of the innocent victims here.

"One year and-" Castiel stopped a bit,

"-two months," he pulled the bag out of his pocket again and threw it over to Dean,

"You should burn that."

Dean didn't disagree and headed towards the door,

"I'll be right back, Sam."
Sam just nodded and curled up under the bedspread, falling asleep quickly.

"He'll be fine again, right?" Dean turned around on the porch as Castiel followed him out. He found his lighter and lit the witch bag, destroying it - the wind causing the red sparks to fly a little before distinguishing itself.

"Yes. We found it in time I believe," Castiel made a turn to leave, but Dean grabbed him by the arm.

"I have to ask you something," Dean said and Castiel tilted his head a bit, squinting at his friend.

"Yes?" the angel asked.

"When Sam was in Bobby's panic room detoxing," Dean started, studying the angel's face,

"You let him out so he would get to Lilith."

Castiel bowed his head a bit as if in shame,
"Yes."

"Then why didn't you ever tell me that? Or Sam? You know what this means?" Dean raised his voice, but lowered it again so Sam wouldn't hear them.

"That I betrayed you," Castiel confessed.

"Well yeah, but also that you've had a part to play in letting Lucifer out. Sam says it's all his fault and although yes, he was the one that pulled the trigger, he didn't get there on his own," Dean pressed.

"I didn't know then what I know now. I still thought killing Lilith would stop the final seal from breaking," Castiel explained. The angel turned again to look over the ocean.

"That's nice and all, but once you learned the truth you could have told us," Dean crossed his arms over his chest. Castiel turned back around to meet his eyes again.

"I am sorry for what I did and I am sorry for not telling you this. I hope you forgive me," Castiel looked up again and Dean just shrugged.

"I guess I can do that. Pretty sure the octopus in there forgives you too," Dean joked and tilted his head to the side as a nod, towards where Sam was. Again Castiel tilted his head.

"There's an octopus in there? They live in the sea," Castiel frowned and tried to see through the window, but saw no octopus. Dean just stared at him dumbfounded for a long time,

"I mean Sam," Dean rolled his eyes,

"With all arms and legs?" Dean tried to trigger an understanding out of the angel, but Castiel still looked a little confused.

"Octopuses don't look like Sam, Dean," his angel friend said matter of factly,

"You should read more about them."
With that the angel left in a flutter of wings and Dean could only laugh.

"So you're feeling better?" Dean asked and sat down in the sand beside Sam.

"Yes, mommy," Sam snickered. His cheeks were still a little flushed and he looked like he hadn't gotten a lot of sleep lately, but at least he was up and around.

"Hey you're the chick here," Dean warned and pulled on a few strands of Sam's hair.

"You're the one with girly eyes. Why do you think people keep thinking yo-" Sam was interrupted by Dean knocked him over in the sand.

"Don't finish that sentence!" Dean warned, but Sam just laughed, pushing his brother off of him. Laughing, they got back into sitting position, brushing sand off their shirts.

"So what happens now?" Sam asked.

"Apparently Castiel was willing to let us have a few days off. Not that he'd have any choice," Dean shrugged. He twisted his arm a bit to get something from behind him.

"Want a beer?" he held a cold bottle out to Sam and his brother gladly took it with a nod.

"I could use a break without getting sick or any other crap," Sam sighed and Dean nodded in silent agreement.

TBC...

So I guess I kinda cheated a confrotation and fight etc, but the fic wasn't really about it here, but the brother getting back together.