Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 3

Sam surveyed his work and nodded, it was ready, well as ready as it was going to get. Sam didn't know if it would work but it was his only option. He lifted Dean's once again limp body and set it inside the circle which was also inside a Devil's Trap to be safe, if he brought the wrong demon he didn't want it lose after all. Sam took Dean's drivers licence and put it on the plate along with the herbs and set them alight, whispering in Latin. He prayed silently, waiting for any sign that his home made ritual had worked but there was nothing. Just as he was going to give up though a small tendril of black smoke slipped through the floorboards inside the circle to hover over Dean's body. Sam froze, fascinated as it slipped into Dean's mouth only to be followed by a more normal sized demon cloud.

Dean's back arched off the floor and he coughed, curling into a defensive ball on the floor, wheezing for air. He was confused and cold, he didn't know where he was or what was happening, what new torture they'd come up with for the traitor. He struggled to get up and defend himself, not that it ever did any good. He snarled and tried to gather his powers only for nothing to happen and he felt a flash of terror. Had they done something to him? He tensed ready to fight, able to feel he wasn't alone even if his vision wasn't the best at the moment.

"Dean?" Sam called softly.

Dean froze as he heard the voice and then trembled, snarling louder. Not this, not again.

"Dean, it's me, it's Sammy." Sam tried but then frowned when Dean made a distressed sounding noise, shaking slightly as he tensed further, the stitched wounds obviously hurting. Sam got up and hesitated outside the trap. What if it wasn't Dean? "Dean please, look at me." He whispered, kneeling so he could see Dean's eyes.

Dean couldn't do it, he couldn't deny that voice and he slowly raised his head. He wasn't in Hell, that was a change. They usually made it seem like Sam was in hell with him, either to rescue him, to torture him or to share in his punishment. But…..the room seemed somehow familiar to him. The he saw him…or whatever had taken on his appearance. It was even more realistic than the last, right down to Sam's soft hazel eyes staring at him hopefully.

"Dean….is it you?" Sam whispered and Dean blinked at him, eyes flickering black briefly even as he tried to move further away only to hit the traps boundary. Dean whimpered in fear before snarling and Sam swallowed. "It's okay Dean….please answer me. Tell me it worked, that it's you." Sam pleaded.

"S…stop….not him….never him." Dean croaked and Sam frowned. Was he saying he wasn't Dean or….it'd had taken nearly a week for Sam to do this…that would be how long in hell? Had they….had they used Sam's image to torture Dean?

"Dean it's me, Sammy. Are you Dean? I….I didn't know if it'd work, if it'd bring you back or just any demon. Please." Sam begged and Dean collapsed to the floor but watched him warily.

"Dean." He whispered, he was Dean, Sammy's Dean, but this wasn't Sammy, it never was. He saw it smile softly and then reach down to the floor. Dean looked and saw the Devil's Trap.

"I'm gonna let you out, its okay Dean you're safe now." Sam promised as he broke the trap. Dean fell back without the barrier to support him and Sam moved closer only to start when Dean snarled, eyes black. He stepped back again, hands out to show he was unarmed. "Shh, it's okay, not gonna hurt you."

Dean snarled at the impostor, ready to fight but it backed off, hands up and that confused him. Usually by now they'd be hurting him so why wasn't it? He couldn't believe it was Sam, he couldn't. He went to move and then winced, feeling something weird. He looked down to find himself in a worn t-shirt and tracksuit pants…the clothes he'd slept in when with Sam. He pulled the shirt up to find stitches littering his skin…..stitches where he could remember feeling claws…..like he was actually in the body again and not just using its appearance in hell.

"I uh, cleaned you up, stitched what I could. Figured you'd want your body back in one piece."
Sam explained when Dean stared at the stitches. Sam didn't flinch when black eyes met his and then the black slowly faded and Dean tried to get up only to fall. Sam rushed to his side, heedless of the danger a wounded demon could pose to him, and wrapped his arms around Dean's battered body. "Easy, take it easy. You're hurt Dean, you've been….uh 'dead' a week so the body probably feels a bit nasty. I did what I could to preserve it for you." Sam babbled as he eased Dean to his feet only to fall silent as a trembling hand touched his cheek, leaning into the still cool skin.

"S….Sammy?" Dean whispered, staring at him and Sam nodded. Dean stared at him in shock and fear, this couldn't be real but he wanted it to be so badly.

"I'm here Dean, I'm real." Sam whispered. "Come on; let's get you over to the bed." He gently took a step and Dean moved with him, leaning heavily on him. Sam set him on the mattress and watched sadly as Dean touched it in awe as if he'd never been on something so soft. Dean looked up at him and Sam smiled at him. "You need anything?" Sam asked softly.

"Need?" Dean asked in confusion. "I….water?" Dean asked as if expecting to be told no but Sam grabbed a bottle and held it to Dean's lips. Dean hesitated, staring at him suspiciously before his tongue darted out to collect the smallest drop and Sam realised he expected it to be anything but water. Dean started in surprise but then greedily gulped it down until Sam pulled the bottle away and Dean's eyes flashed black.

"Easy Dean, you can have more in a few minutes, don't want you to be sick." Sam soothed and Dean flinched and looked away but nodded. They waited silently until Sam gave the bottle back and Dean drained it. After that Sam helped him lie down and pulled the blankets up. "Sleep Dean, I won't let anyone hurt you." Sam promised and Dean stared at him even as his eyes began to slip shut.

Sam watched Dean sleep, his chest rising and falling gently, so different to the last week. Sam's hands trembled as he smoothed the blankets and then Dean's hair. Seeing Dean so jumpy…..Sam hadn't had the heart to question him about the journal. He hoped Dean was more together when he woke up so they could talk. He hated not knowing if he was going to end up having to kill the being he'd called brother for the last two years. After seeing Dean now there was no way he could ever send him back to hell, killing him would be far kinder. Dean shifted and then whimpered and Sam frowned. When Dean screamed in terror Sam began petting his hair, gently rubbing his back and Dean gasped for air before settling down into a more normal sleep. Sam stayed up all night, keeping the memories away as Dean slept.

Dean woke up feeling warm and safe and that confused him. Then he felt a familiar hand in his hair and let out a broken sob. It couldn't be him because that'd mean Sam knew the truth. Sam was a hunter, if he knew he'd hate him.

"Shh Dean, you're out. It's okay." Sam whispered and Dean slowly turned his head to look at him. "Morning Dean." Sam kept his voice quiet and calm, not sure what Dean is feeling.

"S….Sam?" Dean whispered and Sam nodded.

"It's me, remember last night?" Sam asked and Dean frowned but then nodded. "How do you feel?"

"I…." Dean shook his head and tried to move only to wince.

"Take it slow Dean, the hounds did a lot of damage, I wasn't sure you'd even be able to get your body going again after that plus a week being 'dead'." Sam told him, moving to help him sit up.

"Only a week." Dean mumbled and Sam nodded.

"Well eight days technically."

"How…how can this…"

"Be real?" Sam finished for him and Dean nodded. "I didn't think it was gonna work to be honest." He admitted and Dean stared at him. "I kind of…mix and matched ever demon summoning ritual I know." He whispered and Dean stared in disbelief. "You're ah….going to need a new driver's license."

"Why? You….you know what I am." Dean whispered and Sam nodded.

"Yeah, I remembered a few minutes after you….confused the hell out of me having conflicting memories till they got sorted."

"Sorry." Dean whispered, picking at the blanket and Sam grasped his hand, feeling Dean tense automatically before slowly relaxing.

"I also read your journal." Sam whispered and Dean nodded. "Dean…is it true? What you wrote, is it real?" Sam asked gently. "Do you love me?"

Dean looked up at him, unsure why Sam was asking that. What did it matter? He was just a worthless demon; Sam should send him back where he belonged.

"Dean tell me." Sam demanded and Dean nodded.

"L…love you Sammy." He whispered, hunching in, expecting it to fade, expecting to find jeering demons taunting him for loving a human but all that happened was Sam nodding and moving to sit beside him on the bed, pulling Dean down so his head was in Sam's lap.

TBC…