Summary: Awhile after reclaiming his soul and it's been a hard road for both Sam and Dean. They're still not out of the thick of it, and maybe Sam never will be, but they'll muddle through together. Just like always. Hints of powers!Sam.

After the Storm

Dean stood back from Sam, sitting on the grass with a faraway look in his eyes. He was shaky and pale. Dark circles sat above hollowed cheeks. He still wasn't sleeping and Dean and Bobby were hard pressed to get him to eat.

The older Winchester walked toward Sam. He made sure to make noise so as not to startle his brother, though he was fairly positive Sam knew he was there.

Sam knew a lot these days.

He sat on the ground next to Sam and just stared at the sky. It was a mock-up of their tradition of staring at the stars on the hood of the Impala. Dean was still looking at stars, but he was sure Sam was seeing through them.

Minutes, maybe an hour passed in comfortable silence and Dean let it. He couldn't push Sam. He would talk if he wanted to, if he could get his thoughts in order, so Dean just let himself be in the moment.

"Would it have changed anything…if I had run…" Sam's voice is scratchy and soft. "And kept running…back then?" Before…all this. Everything. When the world was still as simple as hunting down a spirit or Wendigo and making it back alive.

Sam shivered and shook and looked at Dean with glassy, desperate eyes, head bowed so he was staring up at his brother for the first time since he hit thirteen.

Dean wouldn't lie to Sam, wouldn't coddle him anymore. He couldn't, not if he wanted to protect him. It was a painful, long lesson to learn, but Dean had. How could he protect his brother from the danger and darkness coming at him if he was always standing in front of him? To stand in front of Sam meant to never see Sam. He needed to stand with his brother, beside him so he could see what was coming and take it out without losing sight of Sam himself.

"I don't have any answers Sam. I wish I did, but…I think the same things. Would you have had the normal life you always wanted if I hadn't shown up at Stanford that night?"

"I didn't-"

Dean shook his head shortly. He didn't misunderstand, he knew what his brother meant.

"Maybe…you would've been safe. Maybe they would have gotten to you anyway." Dean shrugged "Maybe it would've been a lot worse. But I think…"

Dean scoffed and turned to face his little brother, who seemed to hang on his every word. Just like when they were kids and Dean was Sam's brotherprotectorgod. When every lesson and bandaged knee and praise was golden.

Dean knew exactly where they would have ended up no matter what winding path they took and he told Sam as much.

"I know no matter how it happened…we'd still be here."

In this moment, right now.

Together.