Disclaimer: Don't own.

Chapter Two

"Sir, Sergeant Avery isn't amongst his men!" Reported a voice and dread pooled in Sam's gut. Twenty-four hours had passed since his husband had been reported MIA and there was still no sign of him. He strained his eyes to gaze through the approaching battalion, hoping against hope that his man was amongst them.

He was not.

The dread curling in his gut, turned to full-blown terror and he had to fight back tears as one of the squad leader's under his husband's command walked towards him wearing a grief-ridden expression. He shook his head in denial, even as the man placed his lover's bloody dog tags into his trembling hands.

"No. No."

"I'm sorry."

"No!" Sam screamed as he shot awake, tears streaming down his cheeks and broken sobs wracking his frame. "No." He whimpered, one hand going up to where the same dog tags from his dream hang heavy around his neck. In the bed across from his, Dean bolted awake startled by his cry.

"You 'kay S'mmy?" He asked sleepily and Sam nodded, sighing shakily. "I'm fine, De. Go back to sleep."

Dean gave him a searching look that seemed piercing even with the exhaustion in his gaze and Sam looked away, running his free hand through his hair. Moments later, the elder Winchester gave a sigh of his own and laid back down, dropping the subject. Once, he was sure the older man had fallen back to sleep, he slid out of bed and moved over to the desk to work on their upcoming case, reading over the notes they'd taken with keen eyes and picking out the important details. Anything to keep the thoughts of hot deserts and dead lovers from his mind. He'd deal with that another time.

A soft groan left Dean's lips as he awakened to the feel of the sun's rays shining on his face and the glorious smell of fresh coffee and breakfast. Yawning, he sat up frowning when he noticed that Sam was already wake and working, an untouched bag of food in front of him.

In the week since their mother's return, this had become a common sight for him, Sam's nightmares worsening with each passing night despite all his assurances that he was fine. He was far from fine and Dean could tell. He could see it in the offset of Sam's smile and the pain- no agony he tried to hide in his eyes. The jealousy, and it dawned on him that maybe Sam was thinking about Jess or Madison again. Call him what you will, but when it came to Sam, Dean was very observant.

"Sammy, you alright? You haven't touched your food." He fretted. Every time Sam suffered from nightmares he had a trouble eating properly and/or keeping things down.

Exhausted hazel eyes met his dancing with an energy that shouldn't have been present and their owner gave a small smile.

"I'm fine, dude. That's your breakfast, I ate mine at the diner." Lie. Sam hated eating before either Dean or Dad, especially in the mornings. "Oh and I found out where Lenore and her coven are hiding. The rogues are trying to frame them for the recent murders, so that Gordon goes after her not them."

Dean's frown deepened. "Gordon Walker? The Vampire Hunter?"

Sam nodded again. "According to Bobby, Gordon called him a few nights ago asking for information about the killings in the area. Says he may still be in the area so be careful."

"Did you warn Mom and Dad?" Something dark flashed in Sam's eyes.

"Yeah. They said to wait 'til tonight and rest up. We're going to go and speak with Lenore's coven later on tonight."

A grin crossed the older man's lips. A whole day off? Hell yeah!

"Let see what's on hotel radio, then."
Instead of responding Sam rolled his eyes and smiled back before turning on the radio. Immediately his smile fell and he stiffened.

I've always been true

I've waited so long just to come home to you

I'm making it through

It's been far too long

We've proven our love over time so str- Smash! -

Dean gaped wide-eyed as his younger brother punched the radio harshly, glaring at it with an expression of fury and raw pain. The younger man picked up the broken device and hurled it at the wall, eyes welling with tears as it shattered.

"S-Sammy? Sam, are you okay?"

Sam stared blankly at the radio's remains for a moment before turning to him and giving him a brittle smile. "I'm fine."

Dean's eyes narrowed. He was getting really fucking sick of those words and it showed when he spoke. "Really," he drawled. "I don't think the radio would agree with you. What the hell is going on with you, Sam?! Ever since mom came back you've been acting funny. Is it Jess?"

The smile on Sam's lips wavered and the tears in his eyes threatened to spill over, one trembling hand coming up to clutch at the dog tags around his throat. Dean's brow furrowed. Sam had had those tags since Dean picked him up from Stanford but every time someone asked about them he'd brush it off. He was also extremely attached to them. The one time their dad had asked him to take them off he'd thrown a fit before storming out of their motel room at the time. Every time he needed reassurance, he would curl his hand around them like a life line, always discreetly so he wouldn't be noticed.

Sam shook his head, drawing Dean's attention back to the matter at hand.

"Then what is it? What's going on?"

"Drop it, Dean. I'm fine."

"Sa-"

"Damnit, leave me alone!"

Sam snapped, before grabbing his coat and storming from the room. Dean stared after him perplexed. Something major was going on with Sam and he wouldn't rest until he discovered what it was.

"Thank you so much for coming. It really means alot to me."

Dean smiled at the vampire's warm greeting. Lenore was still as beautiful as she had been when he and Sam had first met her and despite her being a vampire he still counted her as a friend. Not a close friend mind you, but a friend all the same. Even their dad, who was usually against "creatures" seemed to count her as a friend, although he wouldn't admit it.

"No problem. Congratulations on your new fledgling, by the way." He responded, remembering Sam telling him about the new vampire that had joined Lenore's coven.

She grinned. "Thank you. He's out hunting with Jared right now but they should be back later. And it seems you have picked up a new member as well."

John smirked and gently prodded his wife forward. "Lenore meet my wife, Mary Winchester. Mary this is Lenore, she's a friend of the boys and our vampire expert."

Lenore gasped softly. "Lovely meeting you, Mary, can I call you Mary? Sam, honey why are you so quiet?" She fretted moving to his side.

Mary giggled bemusedly and shook her head.

"We're back" Yelled a boisterous voice and Dean grinned, turning to face the speaker. Jared was one of Lenore's eldest nest mates and the only vampire other than Lenore that he really got along with. He was loud and playful, but fiercely protective of his nest mates. At 6'4 with long blonde hair, deep green eyes, and a roguish grin he and Dean were alot alike.

"Jared, dude are you ever quiet?"

The blonde pretended to think about it then smirked. "Actually no."

Rolling his eyes, Dean turned his gaze to the vampire standing behind his friend. He was a young man, only around 30 or so with a tall muscular frame that stood at around 6'8. His hair was a dark, almost black red and cropped close to his scalp, and his eyes were a cool sea blue that seem to pierce a person just by looking. Bronze skin stretched over his thick muscles straining against the black wife-beater cladding his torso. On his arm was a barbed wire tattoo that ran from his wrist to about halfway between his shoulder and his elbow forming a heart shaped cage around the initials S.S.W.

The thump of a bag hitting the floor drew everyone's attention to Sam, who was staring at the new vampire with wide, broken eyes, trembling violently. The man's eyes widened.

"Sam?" He breathed and the youngest Winchester jerked back as if he'd been struck.

"D-Damien."

TBC...

A/N: So how was it?

EDITED: 12/25/2015 10:56pm