Author's notes: Thanks 'tuff man' for your review, it is indeed starting to get very interesting! Thanks 'Megan' for your review, I'm glad to hear I'm getting better at describing stuff because it's better to read when the reader can picture it. Keep in mind though, that this was A trickster...the one from the show is still out there somewhere...

This episode has a trailer at the end as usual...

Song(trailer): Unknown

Also, spoilers for: Pilot, All Hell breaks loose 1 and 2, In my time of dying...

Please review!!

13 No place like home

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Dean rolled over in his sleep and smirked a little. The alarm clock on the drawers between his bed and Sam's bed showed that it was 2:47am. Sam was also asleep, to anyone looking at him he would appear to be sleeping comfortably, which was not the case…

Sam winced a bit in his sleep and started sweating. He gasped slightly and felt very cold…

Gentle music started playing and a baby's mobile spun slowly to the breeze. A baby kicked his legs as he lay in his crib and watched the mobile moving. His gaze changed as he saw a man looking down at him…

Sam winced again and rolled over again. He swallowed hard and tried to wake up but it just wasn't possible.

'Sammy? Sammy!' his mother ran into the room and then was thrown against the wall. She rose up to the ceiling and a slash appeared on her stomach.

'No' Sam mumbled, disturbing Dean slightly from his sleep.

'Shut…up' Dean muttered subconsciously.

The nursery room burst into flames, swallowing up the crib, mobile and all it's other contents.

John grabbed Dean and Sam as he rushed away from the house, just in time; the nursery window exploded outwards, sending more flames throughout the house…

'NO!!' Sam screamed out, jolting upright and awake.

Dean awoke with a start, almost falling off the bed or having a heart attack…whichever came first.

'Sam?' he looked over at his brother. 'Sam?' he jumped out of bed as Sam got up and raced into the bathroom. 'You okay?' he followed Sam and saw him splashing his face with cold water from the sink.

'It's nothing' Sam said. 'Just a dream'

'Like hell it was' Dean frowned. 'These nightmares again? What the hell is wrong with you?'

Sam wiped his face with a towel and went back to sit on his bed. 'Dean? I…they're just nightmares' he shrugged.

'Dude, I'm your brother' Dean sighed. 'We've grown up together, I know you…so cut the crap. What are the nightmares about?'

Sam shook his head and sighed. 'Dean really…they're just nightmares okay? Don't worry about me' he sighed and lay back down.

'Don't worry about you?' Dean repeated, like Sam was stupid. 'No, Sam. Enough is enough man'

Sam sighed and looked over at him. 'I don't need you to hold my hand anymore Dean. I'm a big boy…I can handle a few nightmares' he frowned, but hid the fact that the one he'd just had was creeping him out.

'Okay, fine' Dean laid back down and turned the lamp off. He got under the covers and faced away from Sam, wondering why his brother didn't seem to be as open with him anymore.

'I…' Sam shook his head and rolled over as well. He closed his eyes and tried to get back to sleep…

'Daddy?' four-year-old Dean came out of his room in his pajamas and John passed baby Sam to him.

'Take your brother outside as fast as you can! Don't look back. Now Dean, go!' he said and went back to the nursery. Dean held baby Sam tightly and ran as fast as he could downstairs and out of the house. Once outside he paused to look up at the window.

'It's okay Sam' he said.

'Sam' Dean shoved his brother and woke him.

'Hm?' Sam opened his eyes; the dream was still strongly on his mind.

'Get up, it's almost ten' Dean said and grabbed a jacket he liked. 'Hey, I thought we could check out this place…' he paused as he saw the guilty and sad look on Sam's face as he watched him.

'What?' Dean questioned, he'd mostly given up on trying to get Sam to talk to him now.

'Nothing' Sam got up and changed. 'What place?'

'Ah, it's this breakfast diner in town' Dean sighed. 'I hear the food's awesome'

'Whatever' Sam nodded.

'Anything else?' the waitress asked and Sam shook his head.

'Ah yeah, can I have a refill?' Dean asked, holding up his coffee mug.

'Sure' she nodded and refilled it. Once she had walked off again, Dean turned to stare at Sam. He sighed and then went back to his breakfast, which was indeed delicious.

Sam was staring out the window, his breakfast only half eaten. His eyes closed sleepishly for a moment…

"Take your brother outside as fast as you can! Don't look back. Now Dean, go!"

'Argh!' Sam gasped and jerked away. He saw Dean staring at him in concern.

'What?' he asked…trying to stay casual.

'Nothing' Dean shook his head and rested his fork on his plate.

Sam watched Dean for a moment and then sighed, giving in. 'There were just nightmares' he stated. 'Except…the one last night' he shrugged.

'What happened last night?' Dean wondered hopefully. He was glad Sam was finally talking about things to him again.

'Lawrence' Sam shrugged.

'Lawrence?' Dean repeated, confused.

'Yeah, the fire' Sam added a bit more description. 'And ah…when you carried me outside'

'Oh' Dean nodded in understanding. 'Why would you be dreaming of that…now?'

'I don't know what it means' Sam replied.

'Well you must have some idea…' Dean frowned and felt a slight headache.

'What?' Sam asked, wondering why Dean had stopped talking.

'Ah headache…um, you must have some idea why it's happening now…I mean it was of what happened to mum right? But not Jessica?'

'Mhm' Sam mumbled and really wasn't open for this kind of discussion. 'So um' he grabbed a discarded morning paper from the table beside them. 'This there's a case here?'

'I hope so' Dean said, going with the change of topic. 'I'm dying for a proper hunt'

'Yeah' Sam sighed and started reading while Dean winced a bit and placed a hand on his head.

'Argh' he said and then got up from his seat. 'I ah…gotta hit the head' he gave Sam an excuse and searched for the toilets.

Dean leaned over the basin and stared at himself in the mirror. He winced again as his head was really throbbing painfully. Dean splashed some water on his face and it helped a little.

'You okay?' Sam asked as Dean returned, looking strained.

'Yeah, I'm good' Dean lied with a nod. 'Anything?'

'Ah, nah…not unless we investigate pool drownings and house fires' he sighed, disappointed.

'House fires?' Dean echoed. 'You think…?' he wondered if Sam's dreams were linked to something in another way.

'I told you: no' Sam put the paper down. 'I haven't had anything like visions or whatever since yellow-eyes died'

Dean nodded and Sam thought he looked very distracted.

'I think we should check it out' Dean finally said.

'Why? Dean, it's just a fire' Sam rolled his eyes.

'And dreams are just dreams' Dean then growled, getting sick of this. 'Sam' he sighed. 'What's happening to us?'

'Hm?' Sam looked at him again and waited for an explanation.

'We're always fighting about something, hiding things from each other' Dean shrugged and Sam got the picture of what he was talking about.

'Dean, I went to school and we didn't see each other for quite a while. Then Dad went missing and we became brothers again. Then dad died and we needed each other, I guess. Then you made that stupid deal and I was scared to lose you…but now? Now I guess it's just us. No issues with dad, no crossroad deals…just, two brothers that honestly don't have much in common and really don't need each other anymore'

Dean sat in stunned silence for a moment and then frowned. 'Don't need each other? Sam, we don't travel all over this God-forsaken country because we need each other!'

'You're wrong' Sam sighed. 'You're needy' Sam said. 'You didn't drag me away from my life because dad was missing, you didn't make that deal to save me' Sam told him. 'You need me Dean…but the truth is: I don't need you' Sam sighed. 'I stopped needing you when I left for school'

Dean had heard what Sam had said, but his brain didn't quite get it. But that had hurt, some of it was true…but that wasn't the point.

'You really believe that?' Dean asked.

'Believe it?' Sam asked. 'Dean, I know it' he said strongly. 'I don't need you…and you said it yourself once: I'm stronger than you' Sam shrugged and got up. 'I'm sick of saving your sorry ass, I'm sick of wasting my life because you don't have one. Yeah, we used to be close once upon a time…but now, we've drifted apart Dean. We need to go our separate ways' he sighed and left.

Sam walked around the corner and into an alley. He stared at his hands as they changed size. His image turned and shrunk. The man ran a hand over his baldhead and smirked. He left the ally and smiled at the real Sam as he made his way back to the diner.

'Hey' Sam said as he spotted Dean heading over. 'Ah…Dean?' he asked as Dean walked right past him angrily.

'What?' Dean snapped.

'You okay?'

Dean rolled his eyes. 'Save it Sam, I think you've made your point clear. You don't need me? Fine, rent your own motel…drive your own car' he snapped and got into the Impala, speeding off down the street.

'What just happened?' Sam asked no one and saw a bald man watching him with a smug grin before he walked away and into the Laundromat.

Sam sighed and pulled out his phone. He scrolled down to Bobby's number and called him.

Dean drove out of town to clear his head. He wasn't sure why Sam had said those things, but he'd clearly meant it.

He sighed and then stopped the car as he noticed something. Dean got out of the Impala and realized he'd parked directly in the middle of a crossroad. But that's not what got his attention. He saw a girl by the side of the road with red hair and dressed in country clothes. She was sitting on a traveling bag and appeared to be reading a magazine boredly.

'Ah, hey' Dean waved, approaching her.

'Who are you?' she asked, getting up and pointing a gun at him.

'Woah' Dean held up his hands. 'I'm Dean' he replied.

'Human or demon?' she asked.

'Ah…if I was demon, you think I'd tell you?' Dean said. 'Human'

'Hm' she nodded and lowered her gun. 'You a hunter then?'

'Yeah…' he lowered his hands again and glanced to see how deserted the place was. 'What are you doing out here?'

'You didn't ask me…human or demon?' she smirked, her eyes going black. Dean was about to make a dash to his car for the holy water when she pointed her gun at him again. 'Oh no, don't even think about it'

'What do you want?' he asked.

'To give you hell' she smirked and then her image faded into one of a young, teenaged boy. 'I can make you see anything I want' he smirked. 'Like…how you and Sam really, really don't belong together anymore'

'At the diner? That was you?' Dean snapped angrily.

'Sam went to get something out of your precious car…so yeah, it was me' he smirked. And Dean saw a image of his Impala rolling down a hill, smashing all over as a truck collided with it, he was sure he knew when that had happened…

'Well you're wrong, Sam and I have our fights…but he's still my brother' Dean said, convinced.

'Oh yeah' the guy nodded. 'Sure…' he clicked his fingers and Dean found himself in an old motel room.

'Look familiar?' the boy asked and pointed towards the couch. Dean frowned but looked and saw himself…well, himself when he was fifteen.

'Dean?' Eleven-year-old Sam came into view. 'Are you still watching that stupid thing?' he growled and pointed to the TV.

'Back off Sam' young Dean snapped.

'You're still mad at me? Geez, I just wanted to know how mum-'

'SHUT UP!' young Dean bellowed at him and went over to his bed. 'I told you, we cannot talk about mum…ever!'

'But-'

'Sam' young Dean said in a warning tone.

'We used to!' young Sam yelled back, not afraid of his big brother. 'Before you turned into a jerk'

'I have better things to do right now' young Dean grabbed his jacket.

'Yeah, like girls and crap' young Sam rolled his eyes.

'At least I don't bury myself in useless books' young Dean said before storming out of the room on Sam, slamming the door behind him.

'See?' the boy asked and Dean found himself at the crossroad again.

Dean rolled his eyes. 'That was a huge fight we had, ages ago. Sam was pissed at dad and I tried to tell him dad had a point. We got over it in the next few days'

'You got over it?' the guy asked. 'You mean like this?'

Dean stared up at the ceiling where his mother was stuck to, blood dripping from her stomach and then a fire burst around her and she was swallowed by it.

'Or this?' the teen sniggered and they were in a hospital, where John lay lifeless on the floor.

'Oh, and my personal favourite…'

Dean gulped as he saw the muddy ground, the darkened sky and deserted buildings…

He just stood there and watched as Jake and Sam fought, until Sam got up and spotted Dean and Bobby heading over. That gave Jake the chance to stab Sam in the back…clean through his spinal cord.

'It really was your fault' the guy whispered into Dean's ear, now behind him, watching the scene of Sam lying dead on the bed. 'Had you not have turned up…Sam might have lived. You wouldn't have made your pathetic deal…' he trailed off. 'Can't you see? You're a burden to Sam…he's better off without you'

'A demon?' Sam asked as he continued his conversation with Bobby. They'd been talking for hours on why Dean seemed to think Sam had said something to him about not needing him anymore. Sam had done some research and worked out there have been several cases in the town where people have split up, killed each other or committed suicide.

'Yeah, it used to be called a green-eyed demon but his name is Amaranth' Bobby said. 'The same demon that made the amulet we saved your life with. He is very powerful, likes to toy with people's subconscious'

'Black eyes…red eyes…yellow eyes…now green eyes?' Sam muttered to himself and sighed. 'Ah, anything else?'

'Well apparently he can also mimic human voice and take on the form of anyone. He likes to break those that are made tough, like hunters' Bobby explained. 'You think he's after Dean?'

'I don't know what to think' Sam sighed and glanced up as the motel door opened and Dean came in.

'You're still here?' Dean asked with a slight frown.

'I gotta go' Sam told Bobby and hung up. 'Where were you?'

'Out' Dean shrugged. 'Look, I've been thinking…you said you don't need me anymore, well fine'

'Dean-'

'No, you're right' Dean sighed. 'I dragged you away from college…' he thought aloud and started packing up his stuff. 'You didn't want to be a hunter but I wouldn't let it go, I kept pushing you for my own sake' Dean said. 'And I'm sorry. I should have left you well enough alone, I should have died when my year was up…then maybe Ruby would still be alive and maybe you'd finally be rid of me'

'You're not Dean' Sam said. 'Dean wouldn't say something like that'

'Dude, it's me' Dean rolled his eyes. 'I know about the demon, had a run in with him not too long ago. But he's right…you're right…I gotta let you go' he carried his bag out to the Impala and dumped it into the trunk.

'You're not Dean' Sam said again, slightly less convinced than before.

Dean sighed and turned to face him. 'I am' he said. 'You just don't believe me Sammy, but I know it's true. That stupid demon, he said all kind of crap…but he was right when he said about how I won't let you live your life…you don't need me. I should have realized earlier' Dean shut the trunk and headed to the driver's side and pulled out his keys.

'No, no Dean' Sam followed him. 'He tricked you, okay? I need you, you're my big brother!'

'Yeah, I'm your big brother' Dean nodded. 'Which is why I have to do this, it's my job to take care of you…and I'm tired of letting you down'

'You're not!' Sam said, moving to block Dean's way into the car but was shoved away. 'Dean, this is crazy!'

'I don't care' Dean wound his window down, but locked the door. 'I don't want to be a burden to you. You've seen how we've been fighting and keeping stuff from each other'

'Dean' Sam continued to plead with him, but he started the engine and smiled at Sam sadly.

'Bye Sammy' Dean then drove off down the road and into the distance.

Sam stood there dumbstruck and felt his eyes watering a bit, he couldn't believe Dean had just drove off on him like that…

'No' Sam shook his head and grabbed his phone. 'Dean wouldn't leave me like that' he cleared up his pain and forced his mind to believe Dean would never do that. He called Dean's cell phone but got no response, other than his voice mail.

Sam gave up after a third try and glanced around. He spotted an unoccupied car nearby and checked that no one was watching.

Sam was driving around town in search of Dean's Impala. Wherever that car was, Dean couldn't be far from it. He tried calling Dean again but still got voice mail. Sam sighed and reached into his bag that was beside him on the seat and found a stolen police I.D while keeping his eyes on the road. He parked the car and dialed another number.

'Ah yes, this is Officer Carl Jenkins' Sam said and gave the man's badge number. 'Yeah, I need the GSP location of a cell phone. The number is…' Sam told the woman on the other line and waited for a reply, as she looked it up.

'Out near Brooke road' she said. 'Broken Arrow, Oklahoma' she told him.

'Thanks' Sam hung up and drove the car back onto the road.

Sam drove for quite awhile and saw it was getting close to sundown. He then reached a crossroad and the car's headlights fell upon what was unmistakably the Impala.

'Dean?' Sam got out of the car and looked around for his brother. 'Dean!' he yelled and still got no reply. He went to the Impala and walked around, seeing Dean lying still in the dirt beside his car.

'Dean?' Sam knelt beside him and rolled him over. He slapped his face softly and Dean started coughing.

'Sam?' Dean groaned and squeezed his eyes tight before opening them again and seeing Sam smiling down at him in relief.

'Sam, that really you?' Dean groaned again and sat up.

'It's me' Sam sighed, pulling Dean to his feet.

'Prove…it' Dean gasped, feeling a bit sore. He looked around. 'What happened?'

'You tell me, and how do I know you're really Dean?' Sam asked, still skeptical.

'Shoot me: I bleed' Dean told him. 'And I know you're Sam'

'How?' Sam wondered.

'You're not lecturing me about how I ruined your life' Dean said and noticed the car nearby. 'You stole that?'

'Yeah, the demon posed as you…drove off on me and all' Sam looked away, not wanting to talk about it.

Dean winced a bit as his head was throbbing.

'Dean?' Sam turned back to him in concern.

'Ah…I think I hit my head' Dean shrugged.

Sam nodded and went over to his stolen car. He saw a hill that went downward nearby and took out his stuff. He drove the car so it was facing the hill and put it on brake, then he got out and let the car drive down the grassy hill.

Sam got into the Impala with Dean and they just sat in silence for a moment.

Sam sighed heavily and knew what they were both thinking. 'How about…we work this out tomorrow?' he suggested. 'We'll go back to the motel, order some pizza…and sleep on it?'

'Sounds good' Dean nodded, starting the engine.

The motel room had been rather quiet that night, both boys avoided each other for a major part of it until it seemed pointless and they just went to bed by nine.

Dean was sound asleep like Sam, but while Sam was going through one of his first nights without a nightmare…Dean was getting headaches again.

Dean rolled over and winced a bit in his sleep…

A dark field with reasonably long grass came into view. It was nighttime and there were no clouds in the sky, only a full moon that was right above the field.

There were the sounds of fighting and some yelling, but then a demon with black eyes walked through the field and reached a young boy.

The boy was about ten and had blonde hair, which was clearly seen by the moonlight's glow. On his left finger was a pure, black ring and around his neck was a chain. The end of the chain was hidden under his hooded jacket. In his right hand was a shotgun, one that was now aimed at the demon.

'No!' a woman's voice cried out as the demon stabbed a large knife through the young boy's chest and he fell to the grass in a bloody mess.

The field shimmered out of view and then formed the motel room Dean was asleep in, but then shimmered back to the field where the boy lay, dead…

Dean cried out in pain and sat upright. His eyes weren't dry and his face was pale. He gasped to breathe and was sweating like he had been running for miles.

'Dean?' Sam yawned and looked over at him.

Dean just stared straight ahead in shock…he ignored Sam and tried to work out what he'd just seen…

They thought they could work it out…

'Where are you going?' Dean asked.

'It doesn't matter, I'm not fighting anymore' Sam sighed. 'I've had enough of this'

Or is it too late?

'I ah, I'm looking for my brother' Dean said. 'Has he been here? He's really tall…dark hair. Probably in plain jeans and jacket?'

'Ah nope, not that I remember' she shrugged.

He glanced at Sam's face again and gulped. 'How…?' he turned to the doctor.

'The police have investigated and…he, jumped' Dr Gerald said.

Right when you think you know someone…

Right when you think you have them all worked out…

'And you've both been getting along fine now? No problems?'

'Did Sam seem…different, lately?'

They disappear…

'Dean?' Bobby said again but Dean did not acknowledge him. 'I ah…heard something happened to…Sam'

'He's dead Bobby' Dean said, his voice sounded broken and empty. 'But it's a lie!'

I thought missing you was only for today
I thought needing you would go away…

'Dean…he's already gone' Bobby sighed. 'If you don't face up to that…you may as well be dead too'

'Shut up!' Dean snapped and got up, advancing on Bobby. 'Not again, Sam will not die again!'

Coming soon…