Author's Note: Today's prompt is from Colby's girl who requested, "snowplow". I went back and forth with what I should do with this prompt, but I loved the way it came out and I hope you do too. Set in season 5 with some Castiel thrown in, just for fun!

"You're kidding." Dean hissed, voice dripping in annoyance. Sam just sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I wish I was dude," Sam replied. "But the snowplows won't get here until tomorrow—that's when the storm should end." His older brother groaned and flopped on the bed, arms spread wide as the bed shook beneath him.

"Crap."

Sam chuckled dryly and narrowly avoided a pillow that was hurled at him with startling force.

"You were the one who had to take the case in Colorado three days before Christmas." He pointed out, to which Dean cursed underneath his breath. "Hey, it's just one more day—"

"One more day stuck in this deadbeat town that turned out to have a group of pranksters instead of a ghost." Sam winched in sympathy. Dean had been psyched about taking this case. He said it was "simple and straightforward" which was just what they needed in this impending apocalypse. Turned out that the supposedly haunted house was really just a bunch of kids with too much time on their hands and way too much money to burn.

"Could be worse." The youngest Winchester replied, advancing to the window. Outside, snow fell gracefully to the ground. Children danced around, tossing snowballs and laughing. It was like the set of the perfect Christmas-time Hallmark movie and an image that Sam had used to dream about when he had been younger.

And he had been the one to damn it all.

All at once, guilt rushed within him as he thought about all the atrocities he had committed and how he had to atone for the sins he had committed. He had doomed this world and if he couldn't fix it, these children wouldn't live to see Christmas next year.

"Sam?" Dean was sitting up now, on the edge of the bed, eyeing him curiously. "You okay?" He turned away from the window and nodded, mouth open to reply when—

Bang.

There was a moment of confusion as Sam glanced down at his shirt, crimson blood beginning to dye his white shirt a sickly shade of red. His eyes widened and he met Dean's worried gaze.

"D'n." He wheezed. His knees buckled and Dean was there, holding him up by the front of his jacket.

"Sammy, hey, Sam?" His older brother's voice was panicked; his eyes were locked on the wound that continued to bleed profusely. "I've got you, hey, it's okay, Sammy? You stay awake, okay?" It was all too familiar to another place, another time. Sam had fallen back then and Dean had held him, whispering reassurances that he couldn't keep—much like now.

"Sorry." His eyes were drooping and the world was growing fuzzier. Darkness clawed at the edges of his vision. His heartbeat thudded between his ears and he could no longer make out what his older brother was saying. It appeared like he was calling for someone, but Sam wasn't sure.

And then, he let his eyes close and fell into the darkness.

When he came to, Castiel's face was hovering literally an inch above Sam's. Startled, Sam gasped and Castiel instantly backed away. The angel smiled apologetically before returning to the bedside chair that he had been sitting in.

"Cas?" His voice was as rough as sandpaper and he coughed, feeling sore, but no sharp pain surprisingly. Even more surprisingly though, Dean was not in the room—that was odd. "D'n?" He coughed more severely and Castiel awkwardly handed him a glass of water with a bended straw in it. Grateful, Sam drank it up greedily, relishing the cool flow of the liquid on his throat.

"Your brother is surveying the area." Sam eyed him, confused and Castiel bit his bottom lip nervously and glanced away.

"Where is he really?" Caught in a lie, the angel did not attempt to cover up any further.

"He's looking for who did this to you." Sam cursed and began to sit up, wincing as pain flared in his chest. Castiel was instantly by his side, hands gently, but firmly pushing him down.

"Sam," Castiel interjected sharply, eyes hardened with determination. "I was only able to heal the worst of you injuries. You are still recovering—" Sam batted the angel's hands away and forced himself to his feet. The dizziness overwhelmed him, but he blinked it back and forced himself to put on his coat. "This is ill-advised."

"Where did he go?" Sam questioned, ignoring the angel's warnings because he couldn't let Dean do this. He wouldn't let his brother do something that he would regret for the rest of his life.

"I am not sure." Castiel replied and Sam nodded to himself.

He had better get started.

Castiel insisted that he come along as he had been left as Sam's caretaker and he felt that it was only right that he make sure that Sam came to no further harm. In the end, Sam had agreed partly because he knew he needed help to move around, but also because he was grateful for the angel's company and support. In this world where practically every hunter hated him—with two notable exceptions—it was nice to know that he had other friends that cared.

"Sam, you look pale—" Castiel informed him, eyes flashing with concern.

"We have to find him, Cas." Sam mumbled, exhaustion starting to wash over him. His breath was coming in fits and he was light-headed. Still, he couldn't stop. He had to find Dean before he—

"Dean." Castiel's voice was soft, but Sam jerked to a stop. Dean had a man pushed up against an alleyway wall. His eyes were burning with rage and Sam could see that the man was a bit worse for wear. Sam recognized him as another hunter and it didn't take long to put the pieces together. Freeing Lucifer had put him on a lot of hunter's hit lists. It wasn't really a shock that someone would try to kill him. Sam had been expecting it actually. Still, while he deserved this hatred, he had never wanted Dean put into the mix.

"You son of a bitch—" Dean growled murderously, arm angling back, ready to punch.

"Dean!" Sam shouted and his brother's eyes were instantly on his. The green emeralds softened, the fury shifting into relief and concern. "Don't."

"He tried to—" His older brother snapped.

"I know!" Sam answered. "S'not worth it, man. You'll just give them another reason to try this again." Though it went against everything his older brother stood for—not destroying the man that had dared to kill his little brother—Sam could see the logic of his argument winning Dean older. Silently, the eldest Winchester dropped the other hunter and returned to Sam's side.

"Cas." The angel nodded at Dean's silent order. The Messenger of the Lord headed to the shocked hunter's side and raised two fingers and pressed them onto his forehead. A light flashed and then the hunter slumped forward, unconscious.

"He won't remember a thing." Castiel told the eldest Winchester.

"Good." Dean replied. Then, his attention turned to Sam as he gripped his brother's arms to steady him. "Jesus, Sam, you're about to fall over."

"M'okay, D'n." Sam murmured, voice thick with exhaustion.

"Sam, you were shot—" He growled, fury still evident. Sam understood. It had been a close call and heaven knew that Sam could relate. He had been in Dean's shoes before.

"M'okay now, D'n." Sam insisted, making sure his brother comprehended what he was saying before giving into to the pain and weariness that overtook him.

"You're good, Sam," Dean whispered, arms encircling him. "I've got you."

He let himself go.

When he came to, Dean was by his side, green eyes scanning him and checking for any hidden injuries. Seeing his protective older brother, Sam grinned. It had been so long since Dean had acted this way towards him. It gave him hope that they could beat Lucifer together.

"Dude, go back to sleep." His older brother ordered gently, smirk on his lips. Behind Dean, Sam could see Castiel reading what looked like to be a car magazine that the angel no doubt, hoped would help him connect to humanity. Sam stifled a chuckle and let himself embrace this moment.

Sure, he had been shot and almost died, but he had survived. That had to count for something, right? He had Dean and he had Cas—he wasn't alone in this fight.

"Samantha, seriously," Dean chided. "Stop thinking."

Yeah, Sam had no doubt.

Lucifer and Michael didn't stand a chance.

Author's Note: And there you go! I really liked this one! I hope you enjoyed as well! Please review and request!