For the record, I started this story at like nine o'clock at night, and stopped at 2:30 am. I then woke up at eight thirty, so this is the product of staying up late, and not getting enough sleep. I've put ya'll through the hurt, so here comes the comfort! Lots of brotherliness! Sorry if it's a little too mushy, but hey it ain't easy for a girl to write about how guys express their feelings! So I gave it my best shot! Again, title comes from a song. (Coldplay)

After the flap of wings, Castiel, Dean, and a still unconscious Sam landed at the bunker. Dean draped Sam's lengthy arm around his shoulder. He dragged him over to the chair previously used to get the grace out of him.

"Oh, the irony." Dean thought.

Castiel had gone to retrieve the needle while the older hunter was busy laying Sam down. He suddenly heard Castiel groan loudly from the other room.

"Cas?!"

The angel stumbled into the room gripping the wall, unable to stand on his own.

"The… needle." He gasped out handing the grace filled syringe to Dean.

"Cas, you okay?"

"Fine, Dean I just… pulled out the… the grace a little… hastily."

Dean hurried to Sam's side and held the needle just above his collarbone.

"I'm sorry buddy. This uh, this probably ain't gonna be too pleasant... I just…I need you to remember to fight, okay? Stay with me, Sam."

He swallowed the disgust in his throat and slowly pushed the syringe through. Sam's eyes started darting beneath his closed eyelids and his body began weakly writhing on the table.

Dean tried to hold Sam down, but it was proving to be a difficult task since he only had the use of one arm.

"Cas, I need some help here!"

Castiel staggered towards the brothers.

"Take the needle, I'll hold Sam down." Dean commanded.

Dean grabbed Sam's arms and held them steady to the sides of the chair. Sam continued thrashing feebly, still unconscious. He cried out quietly, as though stifling a scream

"Sam, c'mon! You can do this." Dean soothed. "Remember what I said, you gotta keep fighting. You can do it, Sammy."

Sam's thrashing slowly died down as his chest rose and fell at an even pace.

"What's going on, Cas?"

Castiel looked down at Sam.

"It appears as though his body has accepted the grace."

"So, when's he gonna wake up?"

A low groan caused Dean's head to snap down to his baby brother.

"Sammy?"

Sam's eyes gradually opened and met Dean's gaze.

"Hey, you with me buddy?"

Sam blinked a few times to take in his surroundings.

"Yeah, I think."

Dean huffed a breathy laugh and threw his arms around his Sammy. Sam gratefully returned the hug, to Dean's surprise.

"Thank God." He waited a minute longer to pull out of the embrace. "What do you remember?"

Sam scoffed lightly.

"I remember Gadreel kicking the crap out of me, then you showed up and-" Sam scrunched up his face trying to confirm the memories in his head. "Did you kill Gadreel?"

"Yeah, I did."

"And Metatron?"

Dean swallowed nervously. Castiel answered for him.

"I'm sorry, Sam, but he got away. We had to choose between letting him go, and saving you."

"Oh, great here comes the 'I could've handled it myself' speech."

"Cas, could you give us a minute?" Dean asked. Cas nodded and vanished from the room. Dean took a deep breath.

"Thanks, Dean."

Dean shook his head processing what Sam had just said.

"What?"

Sam closed his eyes and smiled.

"I said 'thanks.' I… I probably wouldn't be here if you hadn't shown up."

Dean did a half smile.

"That's my job right? Come swooping in, and saving your ass?"

They laughed together for the first time in months. Dean relished in the moment, knowing the unavoidable was sitting at the back of Sam's mind.

"Dean, what did he mean I was the only one that could reopen heaven?"

"There it is."

Dean sighed deeply.

"Sammy, as much as I want to, I'm not gonna lie to you. It's what got us in this mess in the first place." He said laughing sadly. "Metatron he uh, he said something about the blood of someone special being able to open the gates."

He waited for Sam to give some kind of acknowledgement.

"Special how?"

Dean hesitated before answering. "It needs to be all the blood of someone who's been to Purgatory, Heaven, Hell… and Lucifer's cage."

Sam looked down at the floor.

"Oh."

Dean bit the inside of his lip and shook his head gently.

"Sammy, listen to me-"

"But, Dean-"

"No! I don't care about putting those douche bags back where they came from if it means I'm gonna lose you! Even if I have to hunt down every single angel out there one by one, then fine! But i need you there with me. I'm not gonna do it alone. I need you, Sammy."

Sam exhaled heavily and closed his eyes.

"Okay."

Dean stepped back.

"'Okay?'"

Sam nodded gently.

"Okay, Dean. I won't do it."

Dean's mouth hung open slightly.

"Believe me, man, I'm real happy to hear you say that, but why?"

Sam took a breath.

"Because I know how it felt to live without you. When you were in hell, Dean, I tired anything I could to get you back. I can pretend to stay mad at you as long as I want, but the truth is, I would've done the same thing. I need you too, Dean."

They both made half smiles.

"Thanks, Sam."

They sat in the peaceful stillness both relieved beyond belief. Dean eventually broke the silence.

"Man, was that a 'chick flick' moment, or what?"

Sam laughed heartily.

"Jerk."

Dean smiled.

"Bitch."

I know they don't say that in season nine, but I'M BRINGING IT BACK! For a long time, I considered making this a death fic. I was either gonna have Sam's body not accept the grace, or Cas wasn't gonna last after giving some of his grace to Sam. Obviously I decided against it. Death fics make me sad, and I figured this story needed a happy ending. Thanks to everyone who read! Hope this helped you pass the time during the Hellatus! Happy hunting!