It's in the Genes

Author: Cheryl W.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or any rights to Dark Angel or Supernatural, nor am I making any profit from this story.

Summary: Crossover with DA and Supernatural -AU– It's the Winchesters who break Alec from jail in Hello/Goodbye and then they start road tripping together. No slash.

Author's note: Spoilers for No Rest for the Wicked. Thanks for the awesome reviews for last chapter! It's a real honor that this story is still being read and enjoyed, especially when it started out with such a weak storyline. I just wanted some good old harm/comfort/ new little brother scenes.

Because I can't quite figure out the last scenes for the story, I've broken down the finale into two chapters. You know me well enough to not need the warning but here it is …Sap ahead.

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Chapter 20

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When the motel room door flew open, Bobby and Alec spun around, were both terrified that the worst had happened. But Sam's beaming smile, eyes alight with happiness was an answer in and of itself.

"Dean's awake!" Sam exclaimed, then stammered, "Well, he was and now he's asleep but he woke up and we talked."

The declaration was enough to diffuse the heavy dread that had weighed down Bobby's every breath. With an audible sigh of relief, he leaned heavily against the Impala, closed his eyes a moment and offered up a heartfelt thanks for answered prayers. When he opened his eyes again, he wasn't surprised to see Alec swiftly crossing to the door or that the transgenic made sneaking by Sam's 6'4" frame into the room look easy. Kid might have been bred to be a soldier but he was a natural Winchester. Raising his gaze to the other Winchester, he was met with Sam's open look of gratitude, could hazard a guess at Sam's next words.

"Bobby…" Sam began, didn't know how to thank the older hunter for being there at the house in New Harmony, for helping to patch Dean up, for staying with him, Dean and Alec. After all, how did you thank someone for being your family?

"I know, son. Nowhere else I would have been," Bobby earnestly replied to the unspoken declaration, meant it soul deep, regardless of the torment they had gone through, the unholy despair at what had almost been. Family didn't end with blood and it didn't fold up and go home when things took a turn down a dark alley. Pushing off the Impala, he stood up, sought to be the reliable hunter Sam needed him to be instead of the weak-kneed, relieved surrogate father. "I'll keep watch a mite longer and you best get some sleep. When that brother of yours comes around again, he'll be a bear to keep in that bed so you better be up to the task of wrestling with him."

Nodding his head, Sam smiled, agreed with a soft, affectionate "I know," relishing the idea that Dean would be well enough to grumble about being stuck in bed. Was a million times grateful that Dean was alive to argue with him…about anything. And he knew that gift was partially due to Bobby's fierce loyalty to his family…to their family.

By the look in Sam's eyes and the depth of emotion in the younger man's two words, Bobby knew Sam wasn't just agreeing with his prediction on Dean's upcoming stubbornness. That Sam was acknowledging that he knew how deep his devotion for him and his brother went. And he loved him for it.

Seeing the older man shift nervously on his feet, as if he feared he was about to get hugged or cried on almost made Sam laugh. Instead, he gave Bobby another warm smile before heading back into the room to join his brothers. Safe in the knowledge that Bobby would make sure nothing threatened their newly reforged family.

Not wanting to intrude on Alec's time with Dean, Sam sank down onto the bed closest to the door and silently watched the scene before him. Watching as Alec leaned over Dean, rested his hand on Dean's forehead before shifting his touch to his brother's neck to check his heart rate, he wasn't worried about Alec's findings. Dean had promised that he wasn't going anyway and that was all he needed to hear. Dean kept his promises.

Sensing a franticness in Alec's motions as the younger man moved the covers off Dean, began inspecting the bandages, making sure no blood was seeping through their weave, Sam gently made a promise of his own. "He's going to be alright, Alec."

Data. That was what Alec had been trained to respond to, to trust. Cold, hard, consistent data. And the data he was collecting? It supported the notion that Dean was stable, that his vital signs were improving, that there was considerable evidence that his brother's chances of survival had increased. But it was not logical that Sam's declaration would diminish his fears, that his brother's unsubstantiated statement would reassure him that Dean was going to live more than all the data in the world ever could. "How do you know?" he quietly implored, his head bowed and his back to Sam as one hand lightly rested on Dean's chest and the other clamped around the side of the mattress both to anchor him and keep him on his feet.

"Because Dean promised me..because he said he wasn't going anywhere," Sam revealed, and the big brother part of him almost felt sad, selfish that Alec hadn't been there to hear Dean speak the words, to see Dean wake up. But the other part of him was greedily glad he had been with Dean, that he and Dean had time alone together. That it had been just been the two of them, like it had been since their father's death and before that, seemingly their whole lives. It wasn't that he resented Alec's presence in their lives. No, he had come to love Alec as a brother, but his new role as big brother didn't diminish the role he was born to: Dean Winchester's little brother. He smirked as he threw down an invisible gauntlet to Alec. 'You want to get some quality big brother time in this family, Alec? Well, you're going to have to fight for it…just like we have to do for everything else.'

At Sam's faith drenched words, Alec closed his eyes, felt the tightness in his chest loosen. Faith, trust…love. It always came down to those three things in this family…in his family. 'Things I'm new at. But I can learn…I am learning.' Letting out his held breath, he opened his eyes, raised his look to Dean's face and smiled. "Oh, big brother, I can't wait to tell you that you're part cat now. Think the convenience store down the road has catnip?" he threw over his shoulder, was rewarded with a bark of laughter from Sam.

Glad for Alec's humor, especially in the temporary void of Dean's, Sam returned, "Don't you think he's on enough drugs right now?" Found, as usual, that he had to be the sensible one in the family. He watched Alec shrug before he gave his comeback.

"Fine. We'll start with some cat toys and work our way up to the catnip," Alec amended, turned around to shoot Sam a beaming, devious smile which caused Sam's eyes to alight with mischievous agreement. Turning back to Dean, Alec sank into the chair by the bed. Sliding his hand into Dean's, he unknowing took up Sam's exact pose of a few minutes ago. He settled in for the long haul, was willing to wait as long as he had to until he was blessed with the sight of Dean opening his eyes. After waiting, albeit unknowingly, twenty years for his brothers to show up in his life, surely he could wait a few more hours to talk to Dean, to know in his heart that he hadn't lost his brother, hadn't failed his family. That sometimes good overcame evil, love trumped hate and families …they stayed together.

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With Sam sacked out on the other bed and Bobby still on guard, Alec maintained his hopeful vigil beside Dean's bed. Even before Dean moved one muscle or the hand in his grip flexed, he detected the change in his brother's breathing. Heart racing, not in fear but anticipation, he slid closer, waited for Dean to awaken. A few minutes later when Dean's eyes opened, Alec felt like he had been granted the best gift of his life.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" he gently questioned, free hand coming to settle on Dean's chest, offering an anchor to the disorientation he knew Dean must be feeling. Was ready and willing to do whatever he could to ease Dean's discomfort, to ensure his brother could stay awake for awhile. Wanted just the chance to talk to Dean, to know for himself Dean was going to be fine, for Dean to fill the void his painful silence had left in his world.

"Just peachy," Dean huskily quipped, blinking to get his littlest brother's face to come into focus.

"Yeah, peachy," Alec scoffed but there was no heat in the retort, no true reprimand for the sarcastic deflection. "Thirsty?"

Dean nodded. He didn't offer up an even a token protest when Alec's hand slid carefully behind his neck and his brother lifted his head, held the glass to his lips. The cool, refreshing taste of the water was worth whatever points of pride he had sacrificed. Far too soon the water was withdrawn and his head was settled back onto the pillow. Knowing that drinking too much water right then wasn't in his stomach's best interest didn't lessen his remaining thirst but the look in Alec's eyes distracted him. Was the same look Sam had sported when he woke earlier, a worn exhaustion mingled with relief and joy. Alec spoke before he could.

"I've never been so scared, thinking I was going to lose you," Alec admitted, let a smile do a hit and run on his face to downplay his emotions. But his eyes, still shadowed with despair, told Dean how true his words were. Lifting his hand from Dean's chest, he ran it nervously through his own hair, snorted, "Man, Manticore would be sooo proud. They gave a factory recall because my twin was too blood thirsty. And me, I'm more likely to …I don't know, bake cookies" he said with bitter lightness. Looking down to his hand intertwined with Dean's he added with disgust, "Or hold your hand." Quickly withdrawing his hand from Dean's, he stood up, was going to get some air, was going to try and find the dignity, the wit that had weathered him through a million situations before.

Using the meager strength he had regained since first waking from the void, Dean lifted his hand, caught Alec's hand in his, stopped his brother from walking away from him. "Alec.. stay." Steadily he met Alec's surprised gaze, feebly squeezed the hand in his to get his point across because, for once, his mouth wasn't cooperating. Or, more specifically, his lungs were on strike, making breathing a task in and of itself and giving him an idea what it would feel like if the Impala chassis ever fell on his chest.

Frozen by Dean's touch and unwilling to deny Dean a thing, Alec reclaimed his chair, sought out his brother's eyes, waited for whatever Dean wanted to say to him. Felt selfish as he watched Dean swallow hard, detected the tremble in the hand that held his, knew that Dean was very weak, that he shouldn't waste his energy trying to coddle him: a grown man, a soldier. "Dean, we can talk later," he soothingly allowed. "You know, when it's been more than a few hours since we established this room as a triage station and made you our test subject," he added with a smirk, as if the awful dread and desperation the room had been witness to had never existed, didn't still permeate the essence of the space inside the walls. Or cling to his soul.

Recognizing Alec's standard deflection, especially since it was also one of his own, Dean decided to give Alec a moment to regroup. Rolling his head a little, he took in the state of the room, of himself. Behind Alec he saw Sam's slack face mashed into a pillow on the other bed, asleep. Took notice of the IV pole beside his bed, tracked the IV line to his hand. Felt, for the first time, the nasal canal. He reached up to find it but his hand was arrested on its route by Alec's stronger hand.

"Nope, that's staying for awhile," Alec insisted, pushing Dean's hand onto the bed and only releasing his grip when he felt Dean relax in acquiescence.

Drawing in a deep breath and coughing for his efforts, Dean felt Alec squeeze his hand, realized that Alec was giving him an outlet for his pain and discomfort. Meeting Alec's worried, assessing eyes, he ignored the tightness in his chest and the hitch in his breath, was determined to take away the pain in Alec's eyes. "You look like the guy that… took on a hell hound …for me. And I'm assuming …you had a part to play… in this whole… triage role playing game," he haltingly got out, tried to not gasp at the end, to greedily draw in breath to replenish his spent reserves.

Alec shrugged like his part was inconsequential but the gesture was in direct contrast to his smug smile. He explained away his actions with a careless tone, "I don't always play well with dogs. And my medic skills were getting rusty, wanted a chance to brush up on them."

Dean couldn't help but smile at his brother's comeback. "Seems to me like a true…baking cookies kind of guy …he would have stayed at home. Wouldn't have risked his life… let alone his wardrobe…to complete his mission," he countered, pointedly dropping his eyes to the smear of blood on Alec's shirt.

Following Dean's gaze, Alec winced, absently brushed at the stain as he explained, "Must have gotten that when I changed your bandages." But as the words left him he looked up guiltily to Dean, as if he were caught in the act of caring, of admitting that he had tenderly treated his brother's wounds, that he still considered himself in charge of making Dean well again.

Feeling as if he had won the battle, Dean tiredly smirked. "Hand holding tendencies aside…I would say Manticore …got their money's worth on you. It's just lucky for Sammy and me that …getting you… didn't cost us a dime."

"You're confused who the lucky one is," Alec protested before tapping on the IV bag, "must be the medication making you loopy." Then he turned back to his brother with unmasked affection in his eyes, gave the hand still in his a light squeeze. "Speaking about medication, how's your pain level?"

"How's yours?" Dean countered instead, his worry pouring out of his pain glazed eyes. After all, he knew first hand how excruciating it was to be a Hell Hound's chew toy, hadn't wanted either of his brothers hurt because of him, of his choices.

Heart swelling that, even amid his own pain, Dean was concerned for him, Alec shook his head at his big brother's one track mind. "Me, I'm fine, few scratches that barely broke skin. Course I wasn't the one the hound was determined to take apart," he reassured and deflected, chilled at the memories even as a new wave of overwhelming joy crested over him that he still had his big brother in his life, that they had kicked the hound and the chick holding it's leash to the curb. Permanently. "So now that we cleared that up, tell me how much pain you are in, Dean," he firmly ordered, lancing his look into his brother, making sure Dean knew he would get an answer from him one way or another.

"Pain, what pain?" Dean denied glibly, wished his words hadn't come out so breathy, so quietly. Knowing by the scowl slipping onto his brother's features that he was fighting a losing battle, he settled more firmly back onto the bed in defeat as he watched Alec open the channel on his IV, sending more pain medication into his system.

"Nighty night, Dean," Alec smugly cooed, watched with satisfaction as Dean's eyes began to flutter against his pale skin before sliding closed. "Don't worry big brother, Sammy and I have your back," he whispered before he settled back into his chair, resumed his vigil. He didn't even try to wipe the happy smirk off his lips.

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Dean felt it almost disconcerting the way his visitors played musical chairs on him, making it impossible for him to gauge how long his latest sojourn into sleep had been. 'At least I'm been upgraded from the 'holding hands aka I could still croak' stage to the 'just needing someone by my bed to make sure I don't wet the bed or puke on myself' stage.' The wooziness and disorientation were less this time around, telling him that he was also not as doped up on pain meds anymore either. All good signs. Only thing bothering him yet was the thirst that had brought him around to consciousness. That and the oversight that had nagged him in his sleep. An oversight he was going to rectify right then..soon as he knew he could speak above a croaked rumble.

"Hey," he weakly called, was surprised Sam even heard him across the few inches that separated his bed and the chair his brother occupied.

Instantly dropping his book to his lap, Sam swung his look to Dean, felt his lips turn up into a wide smile. "You're looking better."

"That saying much?" Dean croaked out. Found that he didn't need to ask for water, that Sam, like so many times before, realized what he needed and gave it to him. No strings attached.

Sliding his hand behind Dean's neck, Sam eased Dean's head up just far enough so his brother wouldn't choke on the water he poured carefully into his mouth. He watched in relief as Dean made a weak effort to grip the water glass himself. Though he had no intentions whatsoever of relinquishing the glass to his brother's feeble grip, he was encouraged by the resurfacing of his brother's stubbornness. When Dean pulled back slightly, he reset Dean's head back onto the pillow and returned the glass to the nightstand. "Can I get you anything? Do anything for you?"

"Pie," Dean offered in jest, was rewarded with a laugh from Sam and a shake of his brother's head.

"Yeah, not happening. I think broth is on the menu for today…and tomorrow…and probably the next day," Sam shot him down with relish, enjoyed the grimace Dean affected for him.

"Oh great," Dean mumbled, though the thought of even broth made his stomach roil at the moment. He took a chance and shifted on the bed, found out immediately what a colossal mistake it was when pain erupted from seemingly a million points on his body. He hated that he moaned in pain, but couldn't bring himself to resent the hand that Sam rested on his shoulder to hold him in place, or that his actions had Sam adopting his gentle tone that soothed a part of him that was as wounded as his body was, maybe more. The part of his soul that needed to know he wasn't alone, that Sam was there, that Alec was there, that he hadn't lost his family, that they had fought for him. That irrevocably discounted what old yellow eyes had once said: 'You fight for this family but they don't need you, not the way you need them.'

Having come to a stand at the flash of pain on Dean's face, Sam placed a restraining hand on Dean's shoulder, desperate to prevent his brother from hurting himself further. Added an acutely gentle order of "Whoa, lay still, Dean," because he knew just how rash Dean could be in light of his own pain. When Dean stilled under his hand, seemed to give up the notion of moving again, he cautiously sat on the mattress by Dean's hip, needed that closeness to his brother before he faced the pain in his brother's eyes.

"The hell hound did a number on you and you lost a lot of blood," he summarized but he cringed at the tame, Disney description his words painted. Remembered too vividly the brutal reality of what his brother had endured: being shredded by an invisible hell hound, his blood pooling onto hardwood floors, the Impala's backseat, coating the hands, clothing…souls of those who loved him most, were fighting to save him, to keep him with them. Dying, slowing, painfully, on the brink of leaving, forever.

Sam shook his head in denial and sorrow, couldn't allow Dean to think his wounds should be downplayed, that his pain was being dismissed. "Did a number on you…" he repeated his own words bitterly. "Dean it's a miracle you're alive. If it wasn't for Alec showing up…for his medical training and his blood…" But he broke off the words, couldn't utter the alternate conclusion that had almost been.

"So my plan worked," Dean boasted even as he knew his plan had literally gone to Hell when the hell hound made its appearance, when Lilith possessed Ruby, when Ruby's knife had fallen from Sam's grip.

Laughter with an edge of hysteria erupted from Sam. "Yeah, plan worked like a charm, Dean," he sarcastically drawled, eyes haunted with memories.

Memories that Dean wished he could take away. "You're ok, Alec is ok." Then a flash of panic overcame his features when he took stock of his family. When he started to rise from the bed, Sam's hand blocked him for a second time. "Bobby, is he OK?" was his raspy demand, feeling sick at the possibility that he had gotten Bobby killed, that the older man's loyalty to him might have cost him his life.

"Bobby's fine, Dean. He's in the room next door, been sitting at your side for a few turns since this all happened. Should I go get him?" Sam asked, willing to do anything to ease the panic in Dean's eyes. Even give up his most coveted position at his finally lucid brother's side.

But Dean trusted Sam explicitly, didn't need proof to know his brother was telling him the truth. Letting the fight to get up fade away, he exhaled, "Nah, I can see him later, right?" a question in his words.

"Yeah, he's not going anywhere until he talks to you, Dean," Sam assured with a gentle smile, relieved when he felt Dean relax, saw the panic in his brother's eyes fade away.

"Well then my plan did work. We're all alive. I'm a little hazy on the details but I believe Lilith is totally out of the picture and, since the Hell Hound returned to sender, my deal's broken. Everything turned out like we wanted it to," Dean sugar-coated, wanted to wipe away the last tendrils of anguish that lurked in his brother's eyes.

"Ah, yeah, except the part where you almost died, Dean," Sam said with heated frustration. Couldn't quite believe Dean was going to try and pretend it didn't matter what cost had almost been paid to defeat Lilith.

"But I didn't, Sam. Thanks to you and Alec and Bobby," Dean insisted, knew he owed the three men, owed his family his life.

But Sam wasn't willing to just accept Dean's gratitude, not without giving major credit where it was due. "And because you didn't give up, Dean. You fought to stay alive every step of the way. You didn't go because I asked you to stay, because I needed you, because I needed my big brother to have my back." He was determined to make Dean realize that it was his own strength that saw them through this, that was the real winning goal.

Dean gave a timid smirk. "I never really wanted to leave you, Sam. You or Alec. I just didn't have many options."

"I know," Sam softly acknowledged, warm eyes meeting Dean's before resolve alighted in them. "So swear to me that you won't put your life on the line like this ever again. Tell me that you realize that my life isn't more valuable to you than yours is to me. That you know now that I won't be alright without you, if you go and get yourself killed being some hero …or trying to save me.'

"Sam …" Dean began to protest, couldn't bring himself to make a false statement, not to Sam, not after all they had come through, survived.

Sensing Dean's denial, Sam cut in, his tone of steel, "I would sacrifice my life…my soul for you in a heartbeat, Dean. I will if I have to. Remember that before you ever try and give away what doesn't just belong to you, belongs to me and Alec and Bobby too. After all, we fought for your life, for your soul. We kind of earned our share of both."

"Sam, I don't want you to sacrifice anything for me," Dean said, meant it, wholly. His life's mission had always been about saving Sam, protecting Sam, about making sure Sam didn't have to make the sacrifices in life that he had.

Knowing what Dean's comeback would be before he spoke the words, Sam's response was instantaneous, sharp and unyielding. "Tough. We're brothers and that's how things are. If your head is on the chopping block, than so is mine. And nothing you say is going to change my mind, Dean. Ever."

Seeing the determination in Sam's eyes, hearing the steel in his brother's tone, Dean exhaled in defeat. He had gone enough rounds with Sam in the past months to come to accept that this was one argument he wasn't going to win, that his big brother status had no effect on the outcome. "Crap.." he sighed, saw that Sam was poised at his side, waiting for either the argument to continue or for him to fold. He saw also what Sam probably didn't want him to see: dread. And he understood that dread, had it coiling in his own gut. The dread that they would forever be at odds, that this debate over who protected who would rage on forever now that the natural order had been skewed, that he had skewed it when he had sold his soul. When his actions had made Sam contemplate doing anything to spare him that fate.

Accepting that he had screwed up their balance, had maybe changed their roles forever, Dean knew just as certainly that it was his problem to correct. "Yeah..guess so," he grumbled, saw the tension slip from Sam, the dread melt to affection. But his next words were all big brother order, "But don't rub off on Alec."

Feeling as if some chasm between him and Dean had been bridged, Sam couldn't fight the cocky smirk from making an appearance. "Can't teach someone what they already know."

"Really?" Dean nearly whined, hoped Sam was teasing him in this at least. But when Sam's smirk turned into a smile, he grumbled, "Ah crap." Because one little brother usurping his protection duty was one thing…but two?! It was not fair. Talk about ganging up on a guy.

Dean's look of dejection didn't garner one ounce of pity from Sam. Dean might look like he was conceding his protective role, might even think he was, but Sam knew his brother would react instinctively to protect him, to protect Alec. That it would take some time and head bashing to dull that instinct in Dean. Knew that he could never eliminate it, truly didn't want to. He just needed Dean to think a moment before he reacted, to take in his own health, his own life into the calculations before he did his whole big-brother-to-the-rescue thing. "Yup, from here on out if you get reckless, it's going to be two against one. And I'm not above getting Bobby involved if I have to. So you better save your strength. You're going to lose against us but I don't want any whining about you not being at your top form when you do."

"You're all heart," Dean muttered with poor sportsmanship, could just imagine the lectures to come. The berating he would get when he did what came naturally to him: protected the ones he loved. When he simply was being what he was born to be: a big brother.

Sam smirked at his brother's defeatist tone but knew his brother well enough to know it was an act, that Dean was rarely defeated so easily. "As a consolation prize, I'll heat up some broth for you," he offered as he stood up, but Dean's entreaty stopped him.

"Wait, Sam." Dean watched Sam halt. He saw the apprehension in Sam's eyes, saw also his brother's willingness to do anything he asked of him.

Wondering what was coming next, Sam nearly wheezed. "Yeah. " He felt like his breath was being courted off in his chest until Dean's tender smile made his heart clench.

"Happy birthday, Sam," Dean warmly said, corrected the unforgivable oversight he had realized while he was sleeping away the hours. He was rewarded with a startled blush on Sam's cheeks. Berating himself for being so self-centered before to not realize it was Sam's birthday, that he should have said that yesterday…or whenever it was that he had ended the day being the hell hound snack, he stammered, "Sorry it's late. I didn't get you anything…."

"Yes, you did, Dean," Sam refuted immediately, eyes welling as they locked with Dean's, voice catching. "You didn't leave me. That's the best gift I ever got."

Touched at Sam's sentiment, Dean fell silent for a moment, had to get his own throat back into working condition. "If I knew you were that cheap, I wouldn't have wasted my gambling stash for those tickets to that museum exhibit when you were 16."

Sam gave a bark of quiet laughter. "Yeah, just think, you wouldn't have had to go with me and be bored out of your mind and refrain from making all those smart aleck comments I know were running through your head the whole day." But his heart swelled at the memories, at the kindness Dean had shown him, not only in getting him the tickets but making sure he had a good time…even if it killed him being there.

"All that suffering…for nothing," Dean drawled dramatically, shook his head but his eyes told Sam he wouldn't undo it, wouldn't undo anything he had ever done for Sam.

"Wasn't for nothing. That was my favorite birthday gift before this one. Your track record's still impressive, " Sam admitted, a tender smile turning up his lips to back up the claim.

Pulling a cocky smile onto his pale features, Dean said, "I'm all about being impressive." His comment, however, didn't earn him a disgusted look from Sam, instead his brother's features clouded over again. When Sam reclaimed a seat and wouldn't look at him, he sighed, "Sam, whatever's going through that freaky big head of yours, get this straight: This wasn't your fault, any of it."

Knowing that Dean would never allow him to shoulder any of the guilt, the blame, Sam countered, "That's not what I was thinking about." Moving his gaze from his hands to Dean's face, he spoke, found his voice was as raw as his emotions. "You shouldn't have to nearly die before I tell you this…."

Figuring out where Sam was headed, Dean intervened, "Sam you don't have to…"

"Maybe I want to. Maybe I need to," Sam confessed, found his eyes shining as they fixed on his brother, on his living, breathing brother. "I almost lost you for good and there's nothing worse than that thought. Nothing."

Regret washed over Dean. "Sorry for …"

"Don't apologize for saving my life Dean, for almost losing yours. Just .." Sam shook his head, met Dean's look head on before he spoke the next words, the words that should have come as naturally as the emotions they revealed did. "You're my brother, Dean, and I love you."

Instead of a groan at the voiced sentiment, Dean blushed and looked away from his brother a moment to get his composure together.

Letting the silence fall, Sam knew that Dean wasn't disgusted with his confession, was instead almost embarrassed by it, like it should not have been said, should not be true. 'Stupid jerk still doesn't realize what he's worth. But he will even if I have to tell him every day. Even if I have to draft Alec into my scheme.'

Clearing his throat nervously, Dean raised his head, saw that Sam was waiting for him, his eyes kind not impatient. "I know that, Sam. The whole, saving-my-life, going-up-against-Lilith thing told me that. Not like I didn't know it before…"

"You should know it, you jerk," Sam smirked, laughed at the scowl Dean shot him at his name calling. There was love in the look he bestowed on Dean, like there had been since they were kids. When he was the one who had to look up to see his big brother's face, when he counted on his brother to take care of him, had faith that his brother wouldn't let anything bad happen to him. Not much had changed in the twenty some years since…except he had grown taller than Dean.

"And I…you.. know ," Dean hesitantly drawled out, found by Sam's raised eyebrow expression that he wasn't going to help him with this. Exhaling, he said almost begrudgingly, "I love you too, Sam."

"I know," Dean's little brother smugly returned before he corrected, "and it's Sammy. Now before you lead us into another chick flick moment…."

"Me?!" Dean protested, his agitation at the false allegation causing him to try and sit up only to again have Sam pin him back to the bed. At the mercy of Sam's temporarily greater strength, he settled for sending Sam a heated glare.

Reading in his brother's glare that Dean wasn't going to try and escape again, Sam withdrew his hand from Dean. "We have to talk about something serious," he quietly began, felt a momentary pang of guilt when worry creased Dean's brow. "How do you get blood stains out of the Impala's interior? I already tried peroxide," but he couldn't keep the smile off his face at his deception or stifle his laughter as Dean's worry morphed to promised retribution.

"Right, sure you did. You value your life better than to do that to my baby…." Dean growled, already planning his payback on Sam's joke with relish. His brother underestimated him if he thought a small matter like not being strong enough to even crawl out of bed meant he was easy prey for his pranks.

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TBC

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Thanks for reading this chapter! As I said, I'm struggling to put the finishing touches on the final chapter but my goal is to have it posted before September.

Have a great day!

Cheryl W.