After catching him talking to Ruby again, Dean walked out back towards his car. Sam would just never stop would he? Why couldn't he see that Ruby was just playing games with him? She was crafty and cunning and Hello! She was a demon for god's sake. Demons were not to be meddled with. Their father had drilled this in them for a very early age. Yet here was Sam, going against everything they had ever believed in, practically walking out on him just to go and do something based on misplaced intentions. Had Dean's wish accounted for so little in Sam's book that after Dean was rotting away in hell, Sam jumped to the first opportunity to use his freaky psychic ESP stuff. Didn't his thoughts account for anything at all for Sam? Dean brooded over this while he polished the outer surface of his baby.

Things had changed so much. At least, his baby hadn't changed at all. He still had her, right next to him. Sometimes Dean felt that his baby was the only thing that would never abandon him. Never leave him alone. Would always be by his side. After all, time and time again in his life his family had abandoned him. First Sam going to Stanford, then their dad leaving him to hunt alone, then Sam coming back only to abandon and betray him all over again. Would the cycle never stop? Only the impala had never left his side. His faithful baby was the only one that didn't leave him like the others. Reason why Dean loved the car so much.

Dean spent the remainder of the day out working on his baby. Away from the house. Away from Sam. Because it just plain hurt to be there near Sam. He found solace in the Chevy's company. It comforted him. At least some things hadn't changed. Later in the evening Bobby wheeled himself out.

"Come in and have some food boy" he said

"Yeah yeah" came back Dean's non committal reply.

"You have been working on the thing since morning. It looks great. Now come in and take a break."

Dean sighed. He knew Bobby could be as stubborn as a mule when it came to things. So without further argument he followed him inside. On going inside, Dean found that Sam had already laid out the plates and the food and was waiting for them. Great! So Sam still hadn't left trying to make up to him. Dean had thought that when he had told him to stop at the motel , Sam for once would listen to him and stop the damn effort but apparently no. great Sammy! Just great! Sam was so obviously trying to make up for the morning's call by the food he had cooked.

The three of them sat down to dinner in entire silence. Looks like Sam had been busy. He had made meat loaf, actually cooked it for dinner. Dean couldn't remember the last time that he had had an actual home cooked meal in a long time. "Hell yeah kid! You can cook!" Bobby said taking the first bite of the meat loaf. Sam smiled a tiny smile. In a way it made Dean remember about past times. When their dad would be gone for days at a time, and he would cook at times for Sam. He had enjoyed it so much. He was ashamed to admit that he had actually liked doing chick stuff for once.

Nostalgia made it harder for the food to go past Dean's throat. Memories wove in and out of his head. The meal passed in silence. After the meal was over, Bobby said, "Okay now let's get down to business shall we? There have been 3 missing people with no connection to each other what so ever in the last 2 weeks. All found dead in an abandoned hotel with 3 knives poking straight to their heart. Get this part straight, all three girls were about the age of 25, all of them brunettes, other than that no relation at all. You guys should head there and check it out before another brunette goes with a free ticket to the graveyard."

"It sounds like an easy case. I think I should go and clear it up alone." Dean said.

"Obviously not! The thing it sounds dangerous. I am coming along too. No way in hell I am letting you go off on your own." Sam said.

"Oh so now all of a sudden you are concerned about my safety? I'll be fine. I can do it all alone." Dean replied. Hurt flashed in Sam's eyes on hearing this. How could Dean think about it in this way? Of course he would be concerned for his elder brother's safety. Didn't Dean think that Sam would care for him even that much? Then another thought flashed through Sam's mind- one that shocked him to his core. Dean didn't trust him or want him along anymore. Dean saw Sam being hurt but he didn't really want to take back his words either. Sam hadn't cared when he had said all that stuff about him being weak or Sam being the better hunter, so why should he care all of a sudden?

"And what exactly am I supposed to do here?" Sam asked keeping his voice carefully low.

"Do you really need options? I don't know stick around in the library; go practice your ESP stuff. Its not like you are short of things to do .I don't know or care about what you do but I am going alone and that's final" Dean said with a finality

"Would you two idjits give it a rest?" Bobby said interrupting whatever Sam was going to say. "Dean, I think Sam's right. The case is dangerous. I think the two of you should go together."

Dean opened his mouth to argue but Bobby cut back in

"Dean what is your problem? Why can't Sam come along? It never hurts to have backup."

"I don't need back up and neither does he. We are fine alone and I can manage this hunt on my own."

"Shut up Dean. What happened to the old 'you always have to have a back up? Never go off alone unless you are sure of what it is.' Isn't this what your old man taught you or are you now considering yourself to be as good as him to finish off the hunt alone?" Bobby retorted.

"Bobby, I just think this case is easy enough for me to go alone." Dean made an attempt to get up signaling that the topic was closed when Bobby pulled him back down in his chair. Sam watched the conversation going back and forth between his brother and Bobby.

"Dean don't you trust me enough to have your back however simple or tough a case?" Sam asked his voice cutting low and clears through it all. Sam hadn't wanted those words to slip out of his mouth but they just did and he found himself unable to stop. Sam had sadness written over his face.

Dean didn't reply. All he did was to lower his eyes evasively. The answer was clear enough on his face. Sam saw it written as clear as day. Dean didn't want him along as back up because he didn't trust him anymore. Miserable Sam lowered his head. Things were just so screwed. Was forgiving him so hard? Had things become so fucked up?

Bobby cleared his throat and broke the suffocating uncomfortable silence. "Whatever Dean. Either you take Sam along as back up or you aren't going there at all. The case is dangerous and if this fact doesn't get into that pretty little head of yours, I am afraid you won't be going at all" said Bobby now sounding like a strict father to a troublesome teenager to Dean.

"But Bobby people could get killed."

"Exactly my point. You could get killed too. So if you want to leave, you are taking back up or not going at all." Bobby said

"Fine" Dean agreed sullenly. And went ahead to pack his duffel.

"Thanks" Sam muttered gratefully to Bobby

"Don't mention it" Bobby replied back

Bobby sat back in front of the TV while Sam went back to his room to pack his belongings.

When Sam opened the door of his room he found a guest sitting for him at his bed.

Ruby sat lounging on the bed, at complete ease as though she owned the place.

"Ruby what the hell is you doing here?" said Sam keeping his voice carefully low making sure neither Bobby nor Dean heard anything at all.

"I thought we had agreed to have a little bit of practice before your next shot at Lilith."

"I told you. There will be other chances. There is no need for you to come rushing to my house in the middle of the night just so we could practice." Sam said

"Wow! You didn't used to be this grumpy when Dean was roasting away in hell. I do remember you being really compliant and needy. Guess we have all changed."

"Lay low for a while would you? Dean's still pissed about the fact that I was talking to you in the morning." Sam huffed

"Oh who cares about that? Dean's not going to be pissed for any longer. Once you gank Lilith, you have all the time in the world to go about making things up with Dean. He'll forgive you eventually and you know it." Ruby retorted.

"He won't forgive me." Sam insisted more stubbornly, more to himself than to her as though trying to convince himself.

"Oh yes he will and you know it. Once you kill Lilith, you can live a free life again. No one will ever again threaten Dean's existence. You know it that till Lilith's alive she might come anytime and claim Dean's soul back. She still has his contract you know. With Lilith out of your way, your revenge will be complete. Dean will be safe. Now it's your choice what you want. You want a happy and trusting Dean being sent back to hell forever or you want a slightly pissed grumpy Dean safe from hell and Lilith. It's your choice." Ruby replied more convincingly than ever.

Ruby could see it on Sam's face that he was convinced. She knew it. She had smelt an easy victory here. Now that they were past 1 hurdle, she still had to convince him to drink a bit more juice.

"Sam lets start now. You want some juice now or later?"

"Ruby I am not doing that anymore." Sam said his voice weak and tired. But his voice sound weak to himself too and he knew before he had started it that it was a lost battle.

"Sam do we really have to go over all this all over again? You know what will happen if you don't drink. You won't be able to take on Lilith. And Dean would so become a donught once again. Come on. You know how imp it is. Don't make me spell it out for ya."

Sam nodded. His head low. He would do this just this once. One last time. He could kill Lilith and then he would never drink a drop of that demonic essence. One last time he would have a chance at saving his brother forever. One last time. For revenge. For Dean. For the world.

Ruby smiled and walked up to him. She kissed him softly. Then she slowly took out her knife and with a smirk she slit her forearm. The essence started flowing out and Sam unable to help himself inched himself nearer to her to take in the blood.

Just then the door to his room opened. Sam was just inches away from tasting the drug when he saw Dean standing in the doorway with his mouth open. Dread and fear of rejection, pain filled him to the very core as he watched Dean stand in the doorway with his mouth open a horrified expression on his face.

He stood there transfixed, staring at Dean. Why couldn't anything ever go right? He just had about the worst luck in the world. The Winchester luck worked wonders. Sam thought staring at Dean who was glued to the spot. Sam finally knew the feeling of a deer in headlights.