Hey everyone! I was actually going to put a lot more into this chapter but then this part I wrote turned out much longer than I thought. So now it will be broken down into two chapters which is good for you because you don't have to wait for me to write more lol. The majority is Sam and Dean doing some much needed talking, so I hope you'll enjoy it. Thanks so much for your continued support :)

The next morning Sam woke up to his father already dressed in his FBI uniform. He looked to his side to see that Dean was still fast asleep next to him, snoring softly.

"Dad?" Sam grunted and pulled himself up so he was leaning against the headboard. "What are you doing?"

John jumped slightly and turned around. "Oh, I didn't know you were awake Sammy."

Dean moaned and buried his head under his pillow at the noise. Sam tried not to laugh as he rubbed at his eyes. "I just woke up. What's with the suit?"

"Well, when I and Dean were at the bar yesterday we found out some news on what could possibly be another victim. Turns out there was this teenage girl that was found dead, her body weeks old when she was just spotted the other day. I thought I'd have a talk with the police and then take a peek at the corpse in the morgue."

"Whoa." Sam shuddered; he couldn't imagine what it must have been like for the girl's parents. One day your child is there then the next she's a rotted body. The things people go through because of the supernatural…

"I was thinking that maybe she's somehow connected to Greg or your teacher's wife or something." John pointed out and then at the mention of his former teacher, Sam remembered something.

"Hey…wait a second…this girl…was she acting not like she normally did?"

John furrowed his brow. "I don't know Sam, that's something I hope I can find out."

"Because I'm almost positive she's related to this case. When I talked to Mr. Culler yesterday he said his wife had a run in with a rich teenage girl. She was abusing animals or something and Mrs. Culler yelled at her and the girl apparently really flipped out to the point where she was really frightened. I think Mr. Culler believed this girl somehow played a part in his wife's death."

John took in this new information. "Wow, that's interesting. So we have Greg who apparently killed a woman but was also at a bar with his friends and now a girl who was acting strange and then her weeks-old body was found."

"Sounds like whatever is doing this is getting sloppy. You think it would clean up after itself incase of hunters."

"Or it just doesn't care. There's not that many hunters out there Sammy, most monsters just do what they want because they can, no assuming that there might be a hunter around that will catch it in time. I might have gone with Dean's shapeshifter idea, but they're usually not this stupid."

"Let's not start ruling anything out or jumping to conclusions until we know for sure. Right now, anything is possible. I better get going now. You boys call me if you find anything else, that is if your brother ever decides to get his lazy ass out of bed." John smiled, walking towards the door.

The giant mound of crinkled blankets and sheets that was Dean groaned. "I heard that."

Both brothers had decided that they'd talk with Greg today to see if maybe he had any new information. But first they were going to eat from the free breakfast provided by the motel. Dean had a shit-splitting grin once they entered the lobby.

"Man, look at all this! Pancakes, Danish, muffins, donuts, what's this…oh god they have cinnamon rolls! And they even have bacon…"

Sam shook his head, eyeing all the junk on the table. He placed his plate in his lap and carefully filled it with fruit and a muffin. He filled a paper bowl with cereal and grabbed two small cartons of milk. One to drink and the other to fill his bowl with when he got back to the table. If he dared to fill it before, he would have milk-drenched pants.

When they made it back to the table, Sam was shocked to see Dean with three full plates. He nearly said something about the amount of junk his brother was consuming but he held his tongue. It wasn't in his place to say anything. And it would either make Dean upset or he'd go off on how he had to try one of everything.

"You know…" Dean said thoughtfully as he bit into his Danish. "This isn't half bad, it's actually pretty freakin' good."

Sam bit into his muffin, surprised to see that Dean was right. He nodded his approval.

"So…" Dean started in-between bites. "Did the dining table make for a comfortable bed?"

Sam stared at Dean like he was crazy. Dean and his random questions…. "Dude, what the hell are you talking about?"

"The table man, you fell asleep drooling on it with your laptop wide open. Every time you open that thing is it for research? If you used it for what I do, there's no way you'd be falling asleep then." Dean grinned devilishly.

"Dean!" Sam gasped, looking around to see if anyone had heard his obnoxious brother but no one was around them. "You're a perverted freak!"

Dean shook his head as he started on his muffin. "No, I'm a man Sammy. Something that you wouldn't know how to act."

Sam pouted. "You're the worst brother in the world. I hope you know that."

"What are you talking about? I carried your heavy ass to bed last night. I could have easily made you wake up and put yourself to bed. But because I am such a thoughtful and kind big brother, I didn't."

Sam's expression grew soft. "Wait, you carried me to bed?"

Dean's face grew red and he looked down. "Yeah...I didn't drop you either." Dean said the last part quietly and his words made Sam's heart clench. It was like Dean was still trying to gain Sam's trust that he wouldn't drop him again or let him down….Dean didn't realize that he had Sam's trust from day one.

"Dean, I don't care that you picked me up. I trust you man." Sam told him, unsure of where Dean's feelings were coming from. Did Dean think that Sam had a fear of Dean picking him up since he was dropped as a baby? That he had trust issues after that? Maybe some people would but Sam didn't see the point. Dean had been four years old then and he had been burdened with a task too difficult for him. He never held Dean responsible for that. If anyone would be responsible to blame it would have been John for placing such a big responsibility on his young son's shoulders. But when someone's world was literally burning down around them, you tend to not think straight.

Dean just blushed some more, attempting to change the subject. "Uhm...you okay though? It's not like you to fall asleep like that. Something bothering you?"

Shit. Sam hated it when Dean knew things just from his observations. Despite anything Dean might say, he was an excellent observer, especially when it came to his younger brother. Dean was right, falling asleep at the table was something very un-Sam like. Not only was it extremely uncomfortable but it was not good for Sam to fall sleep in his wheelchair because it could create pressure spots and sores on his legs, butt and back from sitting so long. Which was why it was pretty important for Sam to kind of get into bed early everyday, even if he wasn't ready to fall asleep it was best for him to lie down in bed and stretch his legs out.

Dean knew Sam was good at always doing that. And anyway, Sam wasn't one to fall asleep in the middle of doing something, that was Dean's job. All this must have given him the conclusion that 'Something's bothering Sammy'.

"No Dean, I'm fine." Sam smiled as if to add emphasis. "I just had a lot on my mind last night, that's all." And it was true. Sam once in a great while might go into a little funk where he just lets his mind wander a little too much. But it was only because he had a lot of time alone to think last night and instead of going over memories from his childhood that the town was bringing back, Sam had focused on thinking of his disability.

Dean frowned a bit. He knew exactly what was going on because of the times Sam felt down in the past. "Hey, later on today do you think you'd want to go to this rehab center? I looked it up online last night and there's one in Topeka...it's only about a thirty minute drive Dad said." Dean smiled then. "Maybe we can finally get you up on those crutches."

The idea that once made Sam roll his eyes now made him grin. Actually being able to stand and move around, even if it wasn't walking, was something that sounded amazing. "I'd like that." He told his brother.

"Annnndd..." Dean went on, now also grinning. "I feel like going bowling, how's that sound after our trip to the rehab center?"

Just like that, it was as if all Sam's worries from yesterday vanished. "Sounds awesome." Bowling was really the only sport he could 'do' normally and it was always nice to go to a bowling alley and feel like he fit in, even if people did stare in curiosity.

They at in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Dean scarfed down his last piece of his enormous breakfast.

"Geeze." Dean wheezed, an expression of discomfort on his face. Sam watched as he placed a hand on his slightly rounded stomach and tugged at his jeans. Sam tried to tell himself not to get worried about his brother. So what if he was gaining some weight? Rather have him eating more as a habit than smoking and anyway, Dean wouldn't let it get out of hand.

"Dude, why don't you just wear a pair of my jeans instead? They're roomier." Sam suggested in a way to try to make Dean feel better. And it was true that Sam's pants were bigger so they were easier to get on and didn't put too much friction on his legs.

Sam was confused though when Dean blushed and his eyes fell to his lap in embarrassment. "Uhm...they...these are your pants. Been wearing them for a little while now."

Oh. Sam didn't know what to say. Then he saw Dean blink and look away, staring intently at the wall and...yep, there was fricken' tears in his brother's eyes and that's when Sam decided to just screw it and comfort his brother. Dean never really cried but he would get teary-eyed now and then, but only very rarely. Sam thought back to yesterday and how Dean had been beating himself up about his intelligence. They'd both been dodging around both Dean's weight and his self confidence issue for quite a while now and it was time for them both to man up and just talk.

"Dean." Sam gathered up all his courage. They weren't the sharing and caring type all that much, but they were brothers. And when his brother was hurting Sam would do anything to stop it.

Dean looked up at Sam only for a second then looked right back down, tugging on his shirt.

At this point Sam threw all caution to the wind and backed up from his spot at the table and wheeled right next to his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Dean, look at me."

Dean never really could deny Sam, so while he looked defeated and sad, he still looked up at his brother. "What?" He croaked out.

"First of all." Sam offered an encouraging smile. "Go out and buy some new clothes man."

Dean scrunched up his face, looking offended. "What? I..."

"No." Sam was quick to interrupt. "Let me finish. Dean, you're gaining weight. Simple as that. And there's nothing wrong with it."

"Wow." Dean shook his head. "Way to be blunt about it and tell your brother he's a fat ass."

"Dean!" Sam smacked his brother's shoulder. "Just shut up for one second, will ya? You're not a fat-ass Dean, god you're far from it. You have some extra meat on your bones, you have a belly, big freaking deal. You stopped your ten year smoking habit and you're eating more to make up for that loss. You're not an actor, model or athlete you're a real person and you look like one."

"I just..." Dean looked uncomfortable. "It's not just the fact that I'm eating to compensate for smoking. It's...I don't know...now that I've stopped everything tastes so freaking good. You have no idea Sammy. I think I smoked so much that I wasn't even getting the full flavor of the food because I was constantly tasting smoke. Now every time I eat something it's like I'm tasting it for the first time. I know it sounds stupid but..."

"Dean, it's okay!" Sam found himself laughing. He never thought of it that way but what Dean was saying was very true. "I completely understand. You have nothing to worry about, you're an active guy. And I know the girls are still all over you, so you really have no reason to be worrying about your weight at all."

Dean finally smiled a bit. "Well I was going to meet up with the girl from the bar last night..."

"See! And I bet Mrs. Mendel will make sure to bring her niece as promised and she'll go crazy over you as well." And then, just to kill two birds with one stone Sam continued. "Speaking of Mrs. Mendel...I saw how you got at her house Dean. No one was putting you down."

Dean's smile vanished as he grumbled. "I never said anyone was putting me down."

"No, but you were acting like and you were putting yourself down. Dean, just because you didn't do so well in school doesn't mean shit about your intelligence."

Dean scoffed. "Oh really now?"

Sam shook his head, wondering how he would be able to get his point across. "Dean, intelligence isn't just about book smarts which you can't even judge yourself on because you have severe dyslexia. You're an extremely smart guy; you just can't comprehend words and numbers like most people."

"Then what makes me oh so smart, as you're saying. Really, I'd like you to come up with one real and valid reason."

Okay now Dean was really going to get it. "Alright. First off, you're extremely well spoken; an unintelligent person would never be able to talk like you do. You know the inside and outs of a car like no other. Seriously Dean, do you even realize how hard it is for most people to know all those parts and what they do and where they are? That takes skill and smarts, and you're excellent at it. And you have great common sense, I mean we wouldn't even be together if it wasn't for you and well..."

Sam hesitated over what he was about to say next. It was something he assumed Dean knew without Sam telling him but right now Dean needed it. "Dean there's not a lot of people that would stick by their crippled brother through thick and thin like you. Most big brothers aren't like that. But you never once made me feel like I was a burden even though I know I can be one sometimes. It says a lot about the person you are. Most people would seriously push me aside when the going gets tough but you're always there. I guess I'm just trying to say that I'm your brother and I care about you, I don't want you to get upset over stupid crap. The only person's opinion that should matter to you is mine, and really I have the most annoying, wacky, weird but awesome big brother." Sam finished in a small voice.

Sam watched Dean swallow the lump in his throat. He knew what he said wouldn't make Dean fully get over his issues but he seriously thought it was a great step forward. Dean now knew that Sam had realized his problems and wasn't judging him on them or treating him any differently.

Dean reached over squeezed Sam's shoulder tightly and gave him a sincere look. That was all that needed to be 'said'.

"So...you think we could stop at a store and pick up some new clothes?" Dean asked with an awkward chuckle.

"Since when does the mighty Dean Winchester ask me if we can do something? Where's your normal big brother authority?"

"Fine." Dean grinned. "We're going to stop at the store after this so I can pick up some new clothes, gimp."

"That's the big brother I know and love, jerk."