Chapter 3

Sam walked to the furthest bed and lay down on his side, facing away from Dean. Dean looked over to where Sam had collapsed and sighed; he just didn't know what to do. He picked up his bag, and pulled out his lounge pants and a towel.

'Jus' gonna shower, Sammy', he said, stepping into the bathroom, closing his eyes as he shut the door behind him. He stood for a moment, back lent against the cool tiles, and then looked around his surroundings. He hoped the motel wasn't expensive, as the bathroom was reasonably clean and welcoming; as was their room. The shower was warm, and moderately powerful, as the water gently pummelled against his skin.

Around twenty minutes later, Dean stepped out the bathroom, releasing the warm humid air, laced with his favourite lime scented body wash, into the room. He looked over to Sam's bed to see his brother in the same position as he was before. Dean rolled his eyes, as he looked over Sam's hunched body. Although Dean could understand why Sam was being like this, he found difficult to sympathise. He stepped over to Sam's bed and took hold of the cover that he was lying on.

'Come on dude, might as well not get cold', Dean said pulling gently at the covers, trying to tug them from below his gargantuan brother.

Sam was stubborn for a moment, but Dean gently patted his shoulder. Sam made a miniscule groan that Dean wasn't sure he heard, but then he rolled enough for Dean to pull out the cover and fold it over him. Dean smiled a little, it was just like the nights when Sam wouldn't go to bed when they were little. Sam would be so stubborn to hear more stories from Dean, that he would get into a huff when Dean said no. Sam would lie on his covers and refuse to move. Of course Sam was smaller then and Dean could easily pull the cover from under him, sometimes rolling him completely off the bed. It always ended in laughter, but tonight there was nothing but uncomfortable silence.

That night, sleeping for Dean was rather difficult. Between Sam's quiet sobs and heavy breath nightmares, Dean tossed uncomfortably on the bed, unable to take his mind off his brother.

Dean woke up to an empty room.

'Shit', Dean hissed, almost leaping out of his bed, after realizing Sam had piled pillows in a body shape under the duvet.

'When the fuck did he do that? Sneaky basterd'.

Dean opened the front door of the motel, and looked out onto the car park. The impala gleamed under the early morning sun, but there were only a few other cars in bays. Dean scanned around, starting to panic, but then he noticed a figure sat on a bank of grass, opposite the motel.

Sam was sat hunched, facing away from the motel. He had Dean's large jacket sprawled over his shoulders, and he cupped a flask in his hand. Dean walked up behind him, still just in his lounge pants.

'Dude, what are you doing?' Dean said, as he approached him. The grass was cold and wet with dew, soaking the bottoms of his pants. Sam didn't move; he didn't even flinch.

'Sammy?'

Dean looked over his brother, gazing at his face. His eyes were puffy, and dark bags hung underneath. His face was pale and his lips almost blue, his whole body quaking with shivers. His light blue jeans, had turned dark, sodden through with dew, and he clung tightly onto Dean's jacket with one hand, holding it to his nose. Dean looked down to his other hand until he noticed the flask. He lent down and grabbed it from Sam's hand, and unscrewed it. It stake of whiskey, but it was empty.

'Sam, are you drunk?' Dean said. He couldn't believe this; Sam really had to learn not to drink his feelings.

Sam didn't answer, but he moved slightly, as if acknowledging Dean's presence. Dean lowered himself to Sam's level, leaning on his heels. He placed his hand on Sam's shoulder and looked at his face. He scanned his body making sure there were no traces of harm, until he saw his knuckles. They were utterly fucked. The bloody red mess had run all down his arm and sleeves. They were torn and crushed and chunks of rock had embedded themselves into the skin. Dean's stomach twisted with pain, and he immediately reached out to hold them.

Sam turned his head to Dean's at the contact. For the first time Dean could properly look into his eyes and see just how full of self loathing Sam was. Sam looked Dean's face up and down, his sad eyes squinting slightly as he began to recognise Dean.

'Dean?' he whispered, his face just centimetres from Dean's. Dean could smell the whiskey, stale on his breath.

'Sammy, what did you do?' Dean said, tears welling in his eyes as he tried to get Sam to listen; to reason with him.

'Dean please don't cry, please don't be angry' Sam mumbled as he leant into Dean, holding himself over Dean's shoulder. Dean didn't know what to do; his brother had just broken on him. He swallowed his fears, and put his arms around Sam, as Sam nestled in closer.

'Come on Sammy, let's get you inside', Dean said, pulling at Sam and helping him stand.

Sam leaning on his shoulder, they hobbled back to the motel room.

A/N sorry bit of a filler chapter, more coming soon, but I'm not able to get to my computer a lot at the moment, so it may be a little slow. Relationship and cute stuff developing soon!

M