A/N: So is Dean no more? Final chapter and epilogue.
Bought And Sold (Chapter 16: Life's A Struggle But You Can Win) by frostygossamer
When Sam got back to the alley the fire crew were winding down, making safe the ruined building and stowing their equipment back on the fire truck. They barely acknowledged him as he threaded his way between the wet mess of uncoiled hoses and knots of murmuring people.
He steeled his nerves as he approached the pair of ambulances that were handling the survivors and casualties. A gurney stood between the vehicles. On it lay a still form completely covered by a thin ambulance blanket, one pale white hand hanging out. Sam drew close with apprehension in his heart, and brushed his hand against the inert fingers. They were stone cold.
He inhaled sharply. "Dean..." he whispered.
It was just as he had feared. He braced himself to lift the scant covering, scared to lay his eyes on Dean's cold, dead face. A face he had last seen wearing an expression of vexation, as Dean told him to get out.
"Poor guy." A husky voice spoke behind him. "Only about my age. A little simple, I guess, but a real nice dude."
"Simple?" thought Sam, angry that someone dared badmouth his dead brother that way.
He wheeled around to find a guy standing right next to him with a silver thermal sheet draped over his head and shoulders. The guy shifted the foil to reveal an impish grin.
"Dean?!" Sam yelped, clutching the guy and enveloping him in a huge bear hug. Dean gasped at the sudden assault on his lungs.
"Hey, kiddo," he hissed. "Been close to suffocated by noxious damn smoke. Lemme get a little oxygen here, why don't ya."
Sam released him but kept his big hands on Dean's shoulders.
"Jeez, Dean," he said, beaming. "Thought that stiff was you. Reckoned you were-"
"-Dead? Hell no. Came around ass upward and halfway down that freakin' ladder. Not a fun experience by the way. Oh great, you got coffee."
Dean grabbed Sam's takeout to-go cup, which Sam had managed to only half spill in his joy, and took a deep swig.
"Ew!" he gasped. "You put girly-ass cream in it. But it's good and hot which is awesome."
They sat down on the back step of an ambulance while Dean finished his java and Sam stared at him in wonder.
He wanted to kiss him so badly.
~o~
Dean was covered in soot and the smoke in his lungs made him cough every once and again. When Sam passed him his almost untouched pastrami on white bread he gave him a smudgy smile. It made Sam long to brush the dirt off of his face with his finger tips, but halfway there the younger guy hesitated, letting his hand drop in his lap.
"I know," Sam said. "Who you are, I mean."
There was no point in pretending. Sam realized Dean wouldn't have tossed him his amulet except that he knew him for his brother. He didn't know if Dean had guessed it from the start, but he couldn't let Dean feel sorry for keeping it to himself. The guy deserved to be cut a bunch of slack.
Dean met his eyes questioningly for a moment, before looking away ashamed.
"Got it soon as you gave me your real name and home town, Sam. Couldn't tell ya," he murmured. "Scared you'd be totally freaked. Couldn't have you walk out on me. You were my lifeline back there. I was dying every day in that damn place."
Sam nodded and took his brother's hand in his larger one, pressing the amulet into his palm and giving his hand a little squeeze.
"It's OK," he said. "I get it. Guess, I woulda done the same thing."
"Yeah?" asked Dean, uncertainly.
"Yeah," Sam confirmed.
Dean smiled weakly. "Never forgot you," he said. "All those years. So sorry you had to figure I did."
Sam grinned. "Me neither," he responded. "Shoulda known better than to ever believe you would. You were the best big brother, Dean. Everything you been through, all so I could go to freakin' school."
"It was worth it," Dean insisted. "Seriously."
Sam shrugged. "Not if I don't graduate," he commented. "School's over for me now."
Dean shook his head. "Oh, I doubt that, Sam," he said. "You never gave up on your dreams before. You'll find a way. If anyone can."
Sam laughed. "Guess there's always good old correspondence school, huh?"
"There," Dean chuckled. "That's what I mean right there. Already with a plan."
The first step of the plan was to get out of Dodge, before anyone came looking. The fire had, as Plucky and her people intended, destroyed all records belonging to the manhouse. No one knew exactly how many working-boys had been incarcerated there. They weren't going to miss one.
"Reckon we oughta make a move before the cops start taking names," suggested Sam, getting up and offering a hand to his brother.
"Told the sows already THIS guy was 'Smith'," Dean told him, indicating the DB on the gurney.
"Smart move," commented Sam. It wouldn't hurt to leave any loose ends tied up.
"What now?" asked Dean, as he followed Sam away from the commotion surrounding the ambulances and fire truck.
"No one in Lawren anymore," mused Sam. "Whaddya say we go pick up your boy?"
"Sure!" agreed Dean, with enthusiasm. "Been way too long."
"OK. Then that's what we'll do," Sam agreed. "What's the little guy called, by the way?"
Dean grinned proudly. "Samuel. What else?"
~o~
After Dean called Bobby Singer to tell him he was still around to bug him, Dean and Sam took the first freight train back to Appalachia to meet up with the old guy and thank him for all his help.
"Why buy a ticket?" Dean had said. "Hopped one of these babies more than once. Gonna need the little cash you got left."
As they stood on the doorstep of the men's refuge, Dean couldn't help but flash back to the first time he had been there, the day he fetched up with his baby son in a laundry basket.
"Go on. Knock, why don't ya?" Sam encouraged him, as he stood here hesitating.
"I, uh, I dunno. Got this weird feeling of deja vu," Dean explained.
Sam took the initiative and gave the door a resolute rap. After a few seconds, they heard the sound of several bolts being drawn back inside and the door opened a crack. Sam was the first one Bobby saw. He narrowed his eyes at the unfamiliar face.
"What ya wantin', son?" he asked, suspicious as always.
Sam grinned. "It's me, Bobby. Sam Campbell. Brung someone to see you... Dean."
Bobby's eyebrows shot up in delight, and he flung the door wide to take in both brothers.
"Dean!" he cried, grabbing the shorter brother and enveloping him in a warm, avuncular hug.
"Boy, I been thinkin' you were maybe, well, dead. You sure are a sight for these sore eyes. Warms my old heart to see ya, son."
After several minutes he finally let go of Dean and, grabbing Sam's hand, gave it a painfully hearty shake.
"Both of you. So glad to see both of you, alive and well. Come on inside. Come on. I got hot coffee and some of my famous chili on the stove-top waitin' for ya."
They followed him inside and into the crowded kitchen, which was bustling with busy. A younger man, who had been sitting with a group of children, came right on over and grabbed Dean's hand, wringing it fiercely.
"Adam?!" gasped Dean. "You still goldbricking it around here?"
"Uh-huh," responded the younger man. "Still here. Now I'm helping Bobby run the place. I'm in charge of the kiddies' education. Been teaching 'em to read. All of 'em. Girls AND boys."
"Wanna watch that. Dunno where it might lead," joked Dean, winking at Sam. "You were always so good with the kids, Adam. My Samuel adored you."
His eyes were scoping the room, searching hopefully for his little boy's face. Adam noticed him looking.
"Samuel's not here," he explained. "After you disappeared, Bobby knew something was wrong. He was so worried he sent the scamp to some country cousins of his. Don't worry. He's safe. You can see him soon as you want."
Sam could tell from Dean's relieved expression that he did want, and soon.
They all sat down at a wood bench, and Bobby brought over coffee and bowls of chili for the newcomers.
"Like yours black, huh Dean?" smiled the man-matron, handing Dean a cup. "I recall you always took it that way."
He fetched himself a mugful and sat down opposite the two brothers, pulling a flask from his pocket and waving it under their noses. They both nodded enthusiastically and Bobby dosed their drinks.
"Wired my folks already," Bobby told them. "Cousin Karen'll be bringing the boy into town in a couple days. The youngster got real excited when she told him his daddy was back. Couldn't wait to see ya."
Dean laughed nervously. "Kinda thought he woulda forgotten all about me, Bobby. Been so long, and he was only an ankle-biter back then."
Bobby gave him a kindly smile. "He wasn't gonna forget YOU, son. You were the first one ever showed him any love. No way was he gonna forget that."
"Same here," agreed Sam.
He was sure no one who had gotten to know his big brother was ever going to forget him. The guy was one in a million.
~o~
They settled in to spend the next couple days at the refuge, waiting for Karen and Samuel to show up. Bobby shuffled his residents around but only managed to find them both one bed to share. The place was always so full up with deserving cases.
After spending the first evening bringing Bobby up to speed on their adventures, in a G-rated version, it was finally time for everyone to get some shut eye. Dean and Sam's bed was in the corner of a communal room, only a thin curtain affording the visitors some privacy.
They got in bed and lay quiet for a while, listening to the movements in the house slowly settle down and grow still. After a few minutes of silence, Sam leaned up on one elbow and looked down at Dean, who had his eyes closed and was unconvincingly pretending to sleep.
"Guess maybe we oughta make like it never happened," he whispered.
Sam felt they really needed to address what had occurred between them back at Plucky's before it became an issue. Dean opened his eyes and shuffled to sit up a little.
"It happened, Sam," he said quietly. "No reason to act like it didn't. Unless it's something you can't get past?" He looked into Sam's eyes searchingly. "Can you get past it?"
Sam had to look away for a second. "I'm not sure I wanna get past it. But I need to, I guess," he mumbled.
Dean hesitated a moment, thinking it through. He loved Sam, brother or not. Nothing there had changed. The last thing either of them needed, after everything, was to have their feelings push them apart. If their history was going to be a problem between them, he had to deal with it right away.
Talking about his emotions did not come easy to Dean, but he was the eldest, so it was HIS job. He fixed his eyes on a crack in the ceiling above them and started to speak.
"Sam," he began, calmly. "If you want it, things between us can be like they used to, back in Lawren. We can set Plucky's to one side and be brothers. You can be my kid brother Sammy again, if that's what you need."
He turned his head and looked Sam in the face. "I CAN live with that if you can. Or..."
"Or...?" asked Sam, his eyebrows scrunched together miserably, afraid Dean might be going to suggest they split up. "Or what?"
"Or we can let go everything before that first night we met at Plucky's. When we were just two strangers destined to love each other."
He reached up and tousled the big guy's mop of hair affectionately. Sam leaned into his gentle touch, his eyes closing for an instant. That was all Dean needed to know.
"The way I see it, got my own little Sammy now. You don't need to be that for me again. We can be something else, if you wanna."
"Like... like together?" Sam ventured, hopefully.
He knew what Dean was hinting at was sinful, but he couldn't help wanting it anyways. Giving up the love he felt for his 'Smith' would be like losing his dad again. It would be too painful to bear.
Dean gave him a gentle smile. "Uh-huh," he agreed.
Sam leaned forward and grazed his lips against Dean's.
"Reckon that's what I want, Dean," he murmured.
Dean returned his kiss with the utmost tenderness.
"Me too, Sam," he breathed.
~o~
They met Bobby's country cousin at the local train station two days later. Little Samuel, grown into a naughty little scamp, knew his daddy the moment he spotted him waiting anxiously on the platform.
He pointed out the carriage window shouting, "Look! Look, Aunt Karen! There he is, right there!"
The moment they stepped down from the train, he pulled away from his foster mother and ran to Dean, arms outstretched.
"Daddy! Daddy!" he laughed. "Knew you'd come back. I ALWAYS knew."
Dean gathered him up in his arms. "Promised, didn't I?" he chuckled.
Sam and Bobby stood to one side, smiling at the heart-warming scene. Sam couldn't help but notice how much his little namesake resembled his brother. Dean proudly carried Samuel over to meet his uncle.
"Samuel, this is your Uncle Sam who's gonna help your daddy take care of you."
Sam shook Samuel's little hand formally. "Pleased to meet you, Samuel," he said with a grin.
After thanking Karen, they left Bobby to see her back home while they took Dean's, read their, son back to the refuge to plan their next move.
Finally united, the Campbells, rebranded the Winchesters, had a future to look forward too.
TBC
A/N: And finally the epilogue...