I want to thank everyone for the comments. :) It really keeps me motivated in my updates.

This one is actually up on time because half of it was what I already had as an idea and just had to work it in. So here it is.

Ch. 11

Present

"You aren't going without me!"

"Well I'm not going with you! So either you stay here or you leave them a leader short! Do you want to be responsible for the death toll?"

Sam grits his teeth. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not! An infection a year ago was bad. Now? It could mean death! So you stay here and take the little medicine we have!"

"It's not that bad," Sam spits.

"You can't see it. I can. And you aren't going out with us today." Dean crosses his arms, feet firmly planted shoulder width apart. His 'I'm not budging on this' stance.

"I've fought with worse," Sam growls.

"Well not anymore," Dean says lowly. "That show we put on for everyone should have waited a few more days. But we didn't. So now we have to put up with the consequences. You ripping open some of the cuts on your back. So you have to stay here."

Sam reverts to the puppy eyes. "Dean…"

Dean shakes his head. "No. You're staying. That's final." He walks forward and hugs Sam before he can say anything else. "Stay out of trouble. I'll be back."

"But…"

"No, Sam." He lets his brother go, backing towards the door to their cabin. "I'll be back. I promise."

"But…" Sam lets out a distressed sound as his brother closes the door behind him. "I have a bad feeling," he finishes to the empty room.

Their target was the building Sam had pointed out the other day. Dean and the other leaders had conferred over the plan. Each of them had their own groups, making a total of five. Five different waves to hit the building with. The last time they blew up a building, it wasn't this complicated. This building though, is bigger and has more leviathans in it than most of the surrounding posts.

Mark leads the first group in to start the distraction. Drake and Sky lead the second groups in. Drake's acts like a second wave while Sky leads his small group into the building and sets the detonators while the leviathans are distracted. Then Crow's group swoops in, pun absolutely intended, to be another wave to distract the leviathans from noticing Sky's group moving back out. That's where Dean's group comes in. They join in at the end to cover everyone as they retreat before the building is set to blow.

Step one works. Marks group going at the leviathans at the outside of the building draws more out. When there seems to be a lot more, Drakes group shows. Sky's group isn't even seen by others on their own side as they sneak into the building. Everything goes perfect. Sky gives the all clear over the radio when his people are ready to retreat, Crow's group moving in to make another distraction.

In the meantime, Dean's group had a small problem with a few stray leviathans, probably making a perimeter round or going to get supplies. The scuffle they get into is over quickly and quietly, heads either blown to pieces or severed and kept apart as taught by Sam and Dean the other day. Dean loses one of his guns when thrown through the air. It angers him. It's his favorite one. He blows off the head of the leviathan who made him drop it. Someone else makes the killing chop.

He doesn't have time to look for his gun. They have a schedule to keep. They need to be in position when Mark radios in. So when the few leviathans are taken care of, he leads his group on, mentally cursing the loss of his favorite gun. He hopes he has a chance to get it back later. He gets his men to their point right on time.

"Dean, we're ready to make our retreat," Mark radios. Dean turns to the front men of his group, nodding. They move, the others following. They start firing on any leviathan in range. The ground is covered in black goo and bodies lying in pieces or trying to glue themselves back together. The leviathans have gathered their own guns to fire back.

Dean and his group make their way all the way to the front of their line, firing as the people who've run out of ammo turn and sprint to safety. One by one, person after person makes it to safety behind rubble or buildings far off the battle field. Dean and a few others are all that are left at the front. "Light it up," Dean radios to Sky.

A second later the building blows. The rest of Dean's team turns and sprints away from the fire and falling debris. Dean just calmly turns and walks away. He and Sam have done this enough to be used to it by now. Then there's a searing pain in his side, causing him to cry out and fall to his knees as his arm wraps around the gash now in his side.

"Dean."

Dean's breath freezes in his lungs when he recognizes the voice.

It's a shock to everyone when Dean is sliced by a piece of debris and falls to the ground. Now too far away to even do anything, they can only stare in shock at the leviathan that walks forward, the one who had thrown the sharp debris at Dean. He stands inches away from Dean and looks down at him in a crisp business suite with his hands in his pockets. As if he were ready to make a business deal. There's no question who this is. Dick Roman.

No one dares to even breathe as Dick stands over Dean. He smiles down at him and they see his lips move though they can't hear what he says. Dean stiffens before answering. It's obvious it was nothing good. Mark scrambles to find him a way out of this.

"Are you all cowards?" he hisses after trying to get a group together to charge him and save Dean.

"Mark. That's Dick Roman. The head honcho. You know this. Not even our little tricks take him down." Liam looks at 'Campbell' with distress. "I'm sorry Mark. I liked him too."

"It's been a while, Dean. Not since I saw you drag your brother out of the burning city. I was sure he was a goner after that hit to the head." He chuckles to himself as if he just told a good joke.

Dean stiffens. "Go to hell."

"Now, now. No need to get nasty." He looks towards where he knows the others are taking cover. "Where is he now, Dean? Did he not make it after all? It doesn't look like many people care for you outside of him, does it? No one's coming to save you."

"They aren't suicidal," Dean growls. His arm is tight around his middle. His vision is getting a little blurry. That's not good. "Sam's safe," he says, giving himself some relief in the situation he's stuck in right now.

"Hmmm." Dick crouches next to him. "But you aren't. It's a pity this was so anticlimactic. I was expecting a big showdown with you." He smiles, reaching for Dean's neck.

"Dick!"

Every head on the battle field turns to the furious voice. It takes a few of them a second to locate it. Eventually, all eyes are locked on Sam where he stands only twenty feet away from the pair out in the open. No one even saw him walking in. He's got a gun in his hand, hanging at his side for now. But there's something different that everyone notices. He looks menacing. Huge. The man that's been walking around them at camp is nowhere to be seen in this one. Even if he had seemed dangerous before. This is ten times scarier.

His eyes are dark and aimed at the threat to Dean. "Step away from my brother." His voice sounds like venom with its roughness mixed with his anger. The first time it's been used like this since before he stopped talking much.

The way he says it too, with so much hate towards Dick tangled together with so much affection and conviction for Dean, tells most of the former hunters in the area around them who these two really are with the word 'brother' tacked on. For the others, it clicks as soon as 'Campbell' speaks up.

"Damnit, Sam."

Sam spares a smirk down at Dean.

Dean blinks in surprise, then smirks back. Sam is back. This is the Sam that's been gone for the past half year. Of course, he shouldn't be surprised. Sam always pulls through when he's needed the most.

Sam is looking back at Dick now. "Back off. Now!"

He stands slowly. "Sam. Nice to see you still functioning."

Sam sneers. "Go to hell."

Dick almost smiles in amusement. "Just like your brother. So offensive."

Dean snorts, groaning when a spark of pain flares up afterwards. He makes a sign with his hand for Sam to hurry up.

"Back away from Dean before I shoot and keep shooting until you're in so many pieces it'll take you months to glue yourself back together."

He doesn't move, only contemplates for a minute.

"If it doesn't kill you, it'll still hurt like hell." Sam raises the gun in his hand, pulling another from the back of his pants to level at him too. If Dean were looking, he'd recognize it as his own he lost back on the field earlier. He's too busy keeping himself alive, leaning down to lay on his side. Sam can't risk a glance, already trying so hard to look formidable in front of the leviathan. He barely hides his worry.

It seems like an eternity before Dick starts backing away. "Well played Sam. I'm looking forward to seeing you again."

"You shouldn't," he replies darkly as he takes a step forward every time Dick takes one back. "Next time I'll have a way to kill you."

The last sentence is dark enough for Dick to feel a spark of nerves before he shakes it off. "We'll see." He turns around and walks away.

Sam crouches next to Dean, dropping his guns to turn his brother onto his back from where he had let himself fall to his side. "Dean. Dean."

"Ow. Easy Sam. Easy." He opens his eyes to see Sam's face drawn and pale. Then he notices Sam shaking. "Hey. It's alright Sammy. You did good. You did good bro. Not many have been able to make him nervous just from a threat of words." He pushes himself up, groaning lowly.

"Take it easy, Dean. God, I was so… When I found your gun I thought…"

"I'm fine, Sam. I'll be fine. C'mon. Help me up so we can get back to camp."

"Like hell." Sam reaches under Dean's shoulders and knees to lift him into his arms with a little struggle.

"Sam!"

"Shut up." His voice leaves no room for argument. Then he notices the line of men coming towards them. He tenses.

"Sam…" Dean moves to try to get down, but winces and stays still instead.

"Why didn't any of you try to help him?" Sam spits.

Mark answers, trying to calm him before he gets more worked up. His shoulders are still shaking and his white knuckled grip on Dean can be seen clenched around his brother's jeans and jacket. "We didn't know what to do," he says nervously. "We doubt he would have even given us a chance to talk like he did for you."

Sam doesn't stop shaking. Dean fears a meltdown. "Sam. C'mon. Les'go." His words start slurring.

Sam looks down in worry before he starts walking. "Where's the kit?"

"I have it," Drew replies as he jogs up. "Let's get him into the jeep."

Sam nods, walking quickly after Drew. "Just give me everything. I'll take care of it."

Drew doesn't argue.

After Sam gets Dean into the back seat of the jeep, he immediately goes to work. Shirt is pulled carefully over his brother's head after the jacket and de-arming him. It's with practiced precision that he threads the needle and goes to work on the huge, six-inch gash in his brother's side. Dean is conscious but has his eyes closed. He doesn't make a sound the whole time.

The drive is tense and silent. Drew driving, Mark in the passenger seat, and Sam and Dean in the back. They're back at camp in a little over an hour. Sam gets out and reaches back in an attempt to pick Dean up again but gets batted away. Sam frowns but relents. He's still trembling a little, but has mostly calmed down.

"Damnit, Sam! I can walk!" He struggles to reclaim the dignity that was taken when Sam picked him up in the middle of the freakin' battle field. Dean sways when he gets on his feet. He nods his thanks when Sam steadies him with a hand on his arm.

"Sorry."

And it's that voice. The quiet, shaky, child-like voice. It reminds Dean that Sam still isn't totally back to his full self. He winces to himself when he realizes how harsh he's being. He pats Sam's arm, keeping a hand on it as he starts walking them towards their cabin. "C'mon Sammy. I think we're done for the day, don't you?"

Sam nods, still standing tall but not looking around at anyone on their way. A mix between the Sam they saw on the field, and the Sam they've seen since the brothers got here. It gives them all pause to take it in. Some watch in curiosity as the brothers walk off. Others watch in awe. They can see the way Dean keeps Sam together. Calm. And they can see how Sam is keeping Dean from swaying more than he already is. Keeping him strong.

Mark clears his throat, getting most everyone's attention. "C'mon everyone. We have other things to attend to."

"That's Sam and Dean Winchester," someone speaks up.

Mark nods. "And they're recovering from a lifetime of crap right now so they'd appreciate it if you didn't treat them any differently than you have since they got here. Let them keep to themselves. Let them do as they please. Those two are always one step ahead of me anyway." He chuckles to himself. "And please. Don't try to understand any of it." He turns and walks away, letting whatever talk arises just be spoken. They'll never get it right anyway.

Once the door to the cabin is closed behind them, Sam does what he always does when he feels secure. He lets go. Unfortunately for Dean, it's letting go of his hold on his fear. Which sends him pulling his brother tightly to him in an attempt to keep himself from falling apart.

Dean grunts at the pain in his side, but doesn't try to move away. He even lets his arms go around him too. "Sam. I'm alright. Everything's fine."

"I found your gun. And I thought… thought I was alone. I can't do this alone. Can't hold myself together. Don't wanna be alone."

Dean closes his eyes, sighing before extracting himself from his brother's arms. "Sam." He looks up. "I'm not going to leave you alone. Okay? Besides, you aren't alone. You have an entire group of people here."

Sam looks him seriously in the eyes with that look that says 'I'm going to say something completely chick-flicky, but you still need to listen'. "I can't hold myself together," he says quietly. "You help keep the nightmares away. You keep me sane when I feel like everything is crushing me under its weight. I wouldn't be able to survive long without you. So yeah. I'd be alone. 'Dead' wouldn't be far behind."

All of Dean's breath leaves in a sigh, his eyes closing. He reaches out and takes Sam's hand, lifting it up to push it against his chest, right over his heart. "You feel this?" He waits for Sam to nod. "The day this stops beating is the day this does." He takes his own hand from where it was still on Sam's and pushes it against Sam's chest right over his heart. "Okay? The day mine stops beating is the day yours does first. You understand me?"

Sam nods. That kicked puppy look he took to the extreme when talking about seeing Lucifer takes over his face.

Dean nods too. The hand on Sam's chest changes to fist a handful of his shirt. "I won't leave you here alone."

Sam's hand fists too, anchoring him with Dean's shirt. "Please." The word grates out.

"I won't."

A nod.

"Can we sleep now? I'm in pain."

Sam nods, slowly releasing the hold he has on Dean's shirt, patting him once on the chest before walking over to the bed. "There's going to be talk," he says quietly.

Dean chuckles, carefully because of his side. "No doubt about that." He kicks off his boots before laying down, waiting until Sam is under too before pulling up the covers.

"Slipped. Called me Sam."

"We were in a situation. I could hardly care at the moment."

Sam chuckles. "Still your fault."

Dean kicks him. "Shut up."

Sam kicks back.

"Ow!"

"You started it."

"Well I'm ending it." He kicks again.

Sam looks over at him, leveling a glare. He kicks back. "Stop it."

"You stop it!" Dean kicks again.

Sam lets out a long-suffering sigh, eye roll to the ceiling and everything, before looking back at Dean. "Go to sleep."

Dean grins. "I win."

Sam rolls onto his side, putting his back to Dean. "Such a child."

"Says the one who said 'you started it'." Dean imitates Sam's voice.

Sam huffs. "Sleep."

"Whatever loser."

"You're the loser's brother."

Dean doesn't answer at first. Instead, he turns on his side too, giving Sam a light tap on the back with his fist. "Damn straight."

Sam smiles to himself.