Sam closed the drawer on the dresser, only then realizing Dean wasn't back. Turning around, he found the door still open just as his brother left it. He didn't see any more of their bags, so he knew Dean hadn't been back and gone again.

He would normally have dismissed his brother's absence, figuring Dean had been distracted by some seemly Texan curves and would be back when he was ready. But things hadn't been normal for them for some time.

He felt the lines on his face form a frown and with a pull of will forced them to smooth away. There was nothing to be worried about. Dean probably just got sidetracked as he usually did, or found some excuse to tinker with the car for a few minutes. The one who normally disappeared due to bad things was him, not his older brother. He was the one who'd been kidnapped by cannibals, the one possessed by the demon Meg. With the amulets Bobby gave them, they should both be safe, at least from possession. No matter what he told himself, however, the disquieting feeling in the pit of his stomach just wouldn't go away. Ava had disappeared when by all rights nothing should have happened to her. What if Dean…

Two quick steps took him to the door. If Dean ever found out he was being this jumpy he'd laugh him into next week. It'd be worth it though. Lately Sam just didn't think anyone was safe around him. As if just knowing him put giant targets on people's backs begging anyone to shoot.

His furtive glance into the parking lot didn't immediately reveal anyone. He stepped between the two cars parked in the yellow lined slots in front of him and headed toward the Impala. As he came out from between them into the open drive before the next set of lines, he found him. His brother was beside their car slumped on his side on the ground.

"Dean!" Panic had him across the way and down at his brother's side before he realized what he was doing. He placed two fingers to his brother's carotid artery and breathed a sigh of relief as he found a healthy pulse. A quick glance didn't show any obvious wounds or anything else. With care, he cupped his brother's face and pulled him to a sitting position using the car's side to hold him up. He noted eye moment behind the closed lids as he hurriedly checked his brother's head for bumps. Nothing. "Dean?"

Sam lightly tapped his brother's cheek, hoping to bring him around. "Dean, wake up."

On the third tap, Dean's arm came up, pushing the hand away. His eyes blinked open. "Whoa, where's the fire?"

Sam backed up a step, still kneeling in front of him. "Dude, I found you passed out on the pavement. What the hell happened?"

"Wha?" A look of confusion changed to disorientation as he glanced around him. "I… You found me on the ground?"

"Uh, yeah." The panic was easing back a little. His brother's eyes weren't dilated, which was a good sign. And he seemed pretty coherent. Well, as coherent as his brother ever got anyway. "Right here, next to the Impala."

Dean frowned. "Okay…"

"What do you last remember?"

His brother continued to look around as if expecting answers to materialize around them. "I came back out to get the rest of the stuff." His gaze met Sam's. "Next thing I know you're messing with my face telling me you found me on the ground." He absently rubbed at his chest for a moment.

"Has this happened to you before?" Dread and anger pushed for control as several ideas suddenly occurred to him. "Are you keeping something from me?"

Dean snorted with disgust. "No, dude! No way." He tried to stand up and Sam reached out to help him. His brother batted his hand back. "I got it."

Sam stayed poised to catch him if need be, but though Dean swayed on his feet for a moment, he was able to stand on his own with no problem.

"Quit giving me cow eyes, will you? I'm okay. Maybe the heat got to me." Dean continued to survey the parking lot as if still looking for something.

"This is Texas, not the Sahara. You haven't been out here long enough for heatstroke." Sam rolled his eyes. "Idiot."

"Bitch."

"Jerk." Sam felt relief flood through him at the old routine. Maybe it really was nothing. He'd make sure to keep an eye on his brother though just in case.