Disclaimer: The characters of "Supernatural" were created by Eric Kripke and are owned by the CW Network. No profit is being made.

Note to Readers: Thanks for all of the review and PM's. they are all appreciated! This chapter may not end where you wanted it to, but what is coming I felt needed its own chapter, so I hope you enjoy this one. Happy Reading, I hope!

Our Solemn Hour

By Dawn Nyberg

Chapter 5: Shattered

"… All is lost. Hope remains, and this war's not over …" ~ lyric excerpt by Trading Yesterday, Shattered

Dean was wrenched out of his sleep by a guttural scream … Sam's scream and he was up and running down the hall toward the staircase. God, Sam sounded like he was in agony. The scream continued and Dean took the stairs two at a time, "Sammy!"

Dean made it up the stairs in record time and ran down the short hallway barefoot against the wooden floor. His heart was hammering a staccato rhythm against his sternum at his brother's cries. Dean ran into his brother's room by simply following the screams. He stopped for a moment as he watched Sam writhe in a fetal position inside a twisted sheet. "Sammy!" Dean reached out for his brother and gently grabbed his shoulder. "Wake up, it's okay …" but the act of comfort didn't give the desired effect and Sam reacted like he was being burned and jerked from the touch. His eyes still closed and he curled more into himself. Dean almost wished Sam were shouting something because as the guttural screams mutated into the sounds of a wounded and tortured animal his stomach turned and he tasted bile at the back of his throat. He swallowed it down and tried again, this time placing a hand, palm down on his forehead and running it back pushing sweat drenched bangs back. "Shh… Sammy, I'm here. Wake up!"

Sam's eyes snapped open and Dean jerked in surprise and his fear for his brother climbed. Sam's eyes were wild with fear and whatever he was seeing wasn't Dean. "No!" ripped out of Sam's throat and he thrashed wildly and scooted back against the headboard hitting his head against the hard wood with a thud. Dean reached out wanting to stop his brother from hurting himself. Sam thrashed out in survival mode and his elbow connected with Dean's chin as his older brother leaned forward to subdue him.

"Dammit" Dean complained under his breath as he tasted blood from his bitten lower lip. He thumbed the blood away. "Sam! Sammy!" he tried to make his voice more forceful but his presence just seemed to be causing his little brother's reaction to deepen into whatever inner nightmare he was reliving. Sam lurched forward again only to pull himself into a fetal position and rock softly as the wounded animal sounds started up again. Dean felt desperate to help his brother and did the only thing he could think of, "Cas!" he yelled. "Cas! I need some help here!"

There was a rush of wind and the brief sound of angel wings and Castiel stood at the end of the bed. "It's been a while Dean," his voice calm his eyes clouding as he looked on Sam.

"Forget the catching up Cas," Dean complained. "Help him. Make it stop."

"I will," he answered simply and stepped forward and bent low enough to touch two fingers to Sam's forehead and his eyes closed, his breathing evening out as a calm peace fell over his body and taut muscles relaxed. "He is resting now."

"No nightmares?" Dean's voice was serious as he looked at his brother and gently ran his hand through his long bangs.

"No nightmares," Castiel assured. The angel watched as Dean gently pulled Sam out of the fetal position he had curled himself into and pulled him up against his chest to rearrange him in the bed. He pulled the thin sheet back up over his brother as his fingers gently went to his brother's neck to feel his pulse. It was slowing to a less worrisome rate as his body fully relaxed.

"Will he sleep now?" Dean ran a tired hand across his gritty eyes.

"Yes, through the remains of the night," Cas assured.

"Good," Dean sighed in relief. "You downstairs, now," Dean all but ordered. Castiel simply nodded and was gone. Dean shook his head. "Can't leave a room like normal can you?" he complained. He looked back at Sam resting comfortably and left his younger brother to join Castiel downstairs.

Sometime Later – Downstairs Family Room

"So, this happens a lot," Dean leaned forward into his hand and closed his eyes. Castiel has enlightened him to his brother's nightmares.

"Every night, but tonight was exceptional," Cas commented casually.

"Oh, thanks for that Cas. That's great," Dean's voice was wry and angry.

"You asked," the angel answered easily. Dean just rolled his eyes in frustration.

"So, that's why he wanted me out of here, he knew…"

"Well, as I said it happens every night to varying degrees Dean but tonight…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I was there," Dean's voice was hostile.

"You're angry."

"You're damn right I'm angry," Dean stood up and paced. "If you know this goes on every night then why let him suffer if all your lazy angel ass has to do is touch him and he's out for the night and not like that …" Dean's arm swung in the direction of the staircase that led up to his brother.

"He doesn't want me here," Castiel replied.

"Well, that didn't stop you from showing up and telling him I was going to Stull, huh?" Dean accused. Castiel looked away for a moment.

"I could fix the separation. You both needed it," Cas answered.

"That's so Dr. Phil of you Cas, but it doesn't make it right that you could stop what he goes through at night."

"Dean, Sam must face the demons in his head and I can relieve him from the agony but it will always come back. There is no cure but to … as you humans like to say, 'work through it', did I say that right?"

Dean simply flipped Cas the one fingered salute and the angel had the presence of mind to at least look contrite.

There was a long moment where neither of them spoke and finally Dean cleared his throat and asked, "So, what happened to him? He's not gonna tell me, so …"

Castiel shook his head, "Talk to him. It is not my story to tell. Although, he was not in the cage long, he still endured Lucifer inside him even before Stull and the reopening of the cage that alone …"

"Yeah, I know," Dean stared at the floor. "But every night like this or at least to some degree…"

"He takes pills some nights just to help him sleep, take the edge off, but tonight…"

"He didn't do it," Dean's voice was exhausted. "Why?"

"They dull him make him vulnerable he felt he had to be able to protect you if anything supernatural came calling."

"You mean demons," Dean accused. "And, we can see that his stupid plan of protecting me went, oh, so well, damn nightmares."

"He's a hunter Dean and you've been retired …"

"Retired but not soft," Dean added hotly. "He's still my little brother and …"

"What? Still your responsibility to protect? Dean, Sam saved the world by winning a mental battle with Lucifer … I'm still in awe of him, we all are…"

"We who?"

"The angels … he saved mankind."

Dean noticed that the sun was beginning to come up. "I'm gonna go check on him," he stood up. "Ugh, thanks for …"

"Of course, if you need …"

"Yeah, I know." Dean turned to go upstairs and felt the slight rush of wind. "Still suck at goodbyes," he muttered to the empty room behind him as he started up the stairs toward Sam's room. He wanted to be there when Sammy woke up. He had a little brother to mend.

To Be Continued